Flashback: Volume 7

So yes, we all know that this series is getting really long already. FLASHBACK is the seventh book. Some people have decided to give up on Shannon Messenger and stop reading it altogether-- which they can choose to do quite easily, since these books are always released a year apart-- but I'm still waiting for Sophie's story. Even if it will have to take an eighth and a ninth installment (which the author did admit to certainty). But come on-- the elvin world is so rich and layered and multifaceted that I have no problem spending some time on reading about it. Yes, there were cliffhangers. Yes, there was an insufferably complicated love triangle-that-became-a-hexagon. Yes, there were so. Many. Unanswered. Questions. ... Actually, there still are. However. Reading this made me incomprehensibly ecstatic because the romance finally PROGRESSED. And I loved it so much! And also, even though about a third of the book is confined to the Healing Center at Foxfire (well, I mean, it wasn't bad seeing Elwin again), there was still plenty of progress made on the team. Except for the fact that DexBianaWylieLinhandMarella were seen very, very little. Although it's slightly forgivable because FitzandKeefeandTam were seen a little more. EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL KNOW I WANT MORE DEX. We learned some preeeetttyyyy surprising secrets too, in this book, and yes, the Vacker family plays a huge role in this book. The Vacker family and memory. Also, the Vacker family official portait by Laura Hollingsworth does make an honorable mention in one of the scenes! So, yeah. Waiting an entire year for an 848-page-long, eleven-dollar book was totally worth it in my opinion. And now... I'll play around while I wonder what next year's book will be...

Sadly, I'm losing interest in this series, which I began with great enthusiasm, but which I've begun to find rather tedious. To begin with, I admire the author & her craft, so I don't want to bash her or her work, but I think - at some point - sci fi & fantasy series run on too long, and - for this series - I think we've reached that point (perhaps we reached it a while back, but it's really getting more noticeable by the moment). Here's the problem (SPOILER ALERT): in the penultimate scene, we're reminded that we STILL don't know the cause of the Neverseen (the antagonists). Well, if we don't know their cause, how do we know that they're the bad guys? As it stands now, there's a colorable case to be made that the Neverseen have fought against the Council's participation in and/or its cover-up of illegal experimentation on humans & trolls. Why would they be the bad guys for opposing illegal & immoral experimentation ? What, exactly, did they do that's so awful? Especially when you realize that Fintan may be to blame for most of it, so - really - they could argue they just had a few mis-steps as the result of a bad leader - which, ironically, is the Council's excuse for its own misconduct. And what pray tell is the Black Swan's goal? Their experiments w Sophie are pretty dubious too. In the end, what is Sophie fighting for? If I don't know, why should I care? If she's going to switch sides in the end, why shouldn't I switch sides now? Or wait for the reveal? 7 books in we should know what we're fighting about; at this point, the author is hiding too much & taking too long to get to the real story, whatever it will be. I mean this world makes no sense: who do these militaristic trolls & goblins & ogres fight? And how would a world w 3 militaristic societies count as peaceful? If the Elves are just oppressing everybody else or letting everybody else fight while they stand aloof, why do I care if their "peace" lasts? I just feel like I've been told too little to really care. At this point, I want to know what's really at stake - no more "mysteries" for another book. All of these game-changers just make me dizzy -- I need something to latch onto so I can care about the outcome of these endless fights.

More of the same. Neverseen hatches plot, Sophie and company fall right into it...etc,etc,etc. I started out loving the books- couldnt wzit for the next one. But this is one mean cliffhanger too many. I've decided that since we have no idea how long the aithor will drag this out, that I'll just wait until the last one comes out, then I'll read the rest. Plenty of other reading material out there.

I absolutely love this series of books. I reread the series every time a new book comes out. This book focused more on one relationship than the previous books, ( I can't say what relationship), but I am team Foster-Keefe all the way, and I'm hoping for a change in the next book. I have read some reviews saying the series is too long, but I disagree. Every book brings new characters and places to be explored. I hope there are 10 more! If you like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson type of books you must read this series.

I was a huge fan of the books. I made so many of my friends read it...but this last book was just the last drop. 7 books later and we still have no clue who the “good guys” are in the series so to speak. Everyone has done good and bad throughout the books.I still don’t understand what is going on with the Neverseen!! Why are they doing what they are doing?? Way too many secrets and not enough information. Should I mention that 600 pages were just sooooo boring??Also, the ending is just terrible! I am tired of the endings!! I don’t have the energy to think of how the next book (1 year from now!!!) will play out only to be disappointed again for another year.I will switch to another book series and maybe will read online how this story will end...2-3-5 years from now!I don’t usually give book reviews but this one just made me so angry!