Rebel Heart- Book Two of the Dust Lands series

     Saba and Jack. Saba and DeMalo. Saba and Tommo. Oh what a tangle web she weaves. Rebel Heart is the sequel to Blood Red Road by Moira Young. It is a story set in the future, where the evil Tontons are taking over land to create a New Eden. Saba and Jack have left each other to their individual tasks. Jack to tell Molly of Ike's death and Saba to reunite with her family. They will meet in the West and start their lives together. Nothing, of course, goes as planned. Jack is drawn into the Tonton's world and Saba is shocked by the betrayal. Her brother Lugh, who is her twin and best friend, is harder and harder to get along with. And Tommo seems to be falling in love with her. Saba doesn't know what her path is and she can't get over the death of Epona. As she leads her group through one treacherous adventure to the next, she is searching for Jack because she just doesn't believe he could betray her. As a twist, she seemingly betrays him when she encounters DeMalo and he isn't at all what she expected. Her heartstone seems to burn for him as well. Saba can't seem to get out of her own way and continually questions her motives and the results of her actions. Those she relied on the most, seem to be pushing farther and farther away from her. I love this series. It is not for everyone, however. The author has chosen to use no quotation marks and this can be difficult for poorer readers. I had the chance to ask her why she did this and she wanted no barriers between her characters and the readers. It didn't bother me this time. It just seemed natural. I love Saba and her toughness. She is no damsel in distress, but she find she is not the only capable one in the bunch. And Jack....well, he's always been on my top ten fictional boy list. As this is the second book in the trilogy, it most definitely leaves the reader hanging with a cryptic passage at the end that foreshadows a future betrayal. Christmas break has started so I have a brand new basket- thanks ML- filled with books to occupy my time. Would it be wrong to stay in the house and read for the next two weeks?? Don't judge. Merry Christmas and Happy reading my friends!