Review: 'End of Days' by Susan Ee

End of DaysSusan Ee

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End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

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Here Be the Players

I like Penryn. Still. She's still badass. In those scenes when she's fighting...wow. I love that about Penryn. She is so badass. She is a tough heroine. She can defend herself. She doesn't need a guy. She doesn't need anyone but her family. I love that about her. She isn't like other girls. She's that badass. 

Penryn does change. Wow. She changes a lot. In the first book 'Angelfall', she's innocence. The daughter of a 'crazy lady'. (Aren't we all a bit crazy sometimes?) She becomes a leader. A strong leader. Someone who is shoved under the position. She doesn't like it. I see that. But she's a good leader. She can make people rally. She's just that type of person. I love this. She's become a better heroine with her leadership. Penryn is badass to the max. One of my top heroines that exist. 

And Raffe. He isn't cold as usual. Which is great! (Kinda?) He's still awesome, though. He's still a good fighter. Not entirely the cold, distant guy we had in the earlier books. This guy is truly awesome. He's can fight. He's a great leader. Raffe is a colder, more angelic version of the Penryn we all know and love. And he's more buff. 

He's warming up to Penryn. Which is great. (I ship it.) I love that. He's losing this hard exterior. This is a good change. Really. This change is great. It really changes the dynamics of the story. It makes the relationship more viable. I'm happy this is happening. It took almost three books for it to happen, but Raffe ended up having a heart. 

The Adventure Begins (And Ends)

The plot. I can gush about the plot. Wow. I can gush all day about this book's plot. 

The action was breathtaking. When you have someone like Penryn who isn't a novice to fighting and Raffe who has been fighting for years, you have perfect action sequences. Add those two components to angel adversaries and locusts. (Those locusts are odd. They're both foe and friend at once. Which seems abnormal.) This creates an amazing combination for fighting. Penryn is great with Pooky Bear. She knows her stuff. And Raffe...with or without a sword. He's a great fighter. They both know their stuff.

The drama with the relationship. That caused so much trouble in this book. That was making my pulse race. What would happen? You didn't know. It could turn any direction. Raffe was pulled back and forth. He was hot and cold. As they say. He would say he cared. Then push her away. It was always dramatic. Extremely. Such a soap opera.

The change in scenery. Okay. I want to know about the hellion world now. What happened? Will we know what happened? I know it has to do with Lucifer. But...what happened to the people? To the people living there. What made them turn into little beasts with horns and wings? What made them succumb to the Fallen? There is so much I want to know. 

And the talent show. Gah. That was perfect teamwork. I wanted to squeal in delight. The twins working with the others. Their genius is astounding at times. The way humanity works together for a good stand against the angels. It's their only chance. It was a beautiful scene. Especially the one with the ballerinas. That shattered my heart. Such a poignant scene. Showing the after of the apocalypse. The effects it has on humanity. How alone people are but never lonely. 

This plot=soap opera + kickass action + loneliness + different settings. 

The Swoon-Gasp-Swoon Factor

N/A

Ka-Pow Power

N/A

Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

Deep breath, guys. (Ooh. I feel like this is a spoiler... Kinda?) We've all been waiting for this relationship. I've been cheering for it. We all have. I know it. 

Admittedly. We were given what we wanted. Such steamy scenes. Penryn was melting. I honestly think she was a Popsicle in Raffe's arms. She was truly falling for him. All over again. Because wow. I was a bit uncomfortable actually. (If you know me well enough, you know about my...reluctance to romance.) 

While I might not like romance, these two are adorable. They both protect each other. Which isn't necessary. Penryn and Raffe can both fend for themselves if they had to. They don't always need the other. Except for support in times when the other is completely surrounded. That's when they might need the other. But. They were the duo that would fight back-to-back. (That should have been a scene!) 

Romance isn't my thing. But this couple isn't bad. 

Special Effects

N/A

The End

The ending. Alright. 

It's not the ending I was expecting. I was expecting fanfare. Or another apocalypse. (I was disappointed to see that this was the last book in the series. I can't wait for Susan Ee's next book, though.) 

But it was a good ending. Raffe and Penryn were happy. Both of them. Which is great. I'm surprised that Raffe would give up that much for Penryn. But maybe that's the relationship between those two. I was taken aback by what Raffe did. Wow. He really did care. That's great. Honestly, that's amazing. A surprise twist! 

As an ending to a series...not bad. It was a happy ending. (To my surprise.) Both parties were happy. It doesn't have questions left. It's a good note to end on. 

For the entire series, I truly loved it. It was a great series. Action. Enough romance to make me turning the page without deterring me. Great characters. A fantastic twist on the classic apocalypse. 

Thank you, Susan Ee, for this great ride.

Rating:

5/5