Blackout by Mira Grant

A Science Fiction, 2012 by Orbit, 512 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

• Did I expect that specific twist? Sort of (hard to miss the clue of the Becks incident in book 2). Did it still creep me out a little? Also yes. Still not sure where I stand on it. I’m avoiding spoilers but it was cringe especially after the labels didn’t change with the big reveal.
• The cloning stuff definitely takes this to a new level, but I’m not sure it was well done. It felt rushed and unexplained in comparison with the detailed explanation we got on how Kellis-Amberlee came to be in book 1. 
• Did we really skip the opportunity for a zombie bear fight? Color me disappointed. This series is sort of amazing for how it highlights some action scenes and puts you in the moment. This was a great opportunity to see how the infection really works in animals, something we’ve been hinting at for a long time in this series, and we skipped over it. 
• I will say that I felt robbed of the impact of the emotional journey I took at the end of book 1 by this big revelation and character comeback. I felt cheated. We went through hell right with Shaun through book 2 and it feels like that was all fake. I’m disappointed it felt like we were selling out to the fairy tale crowd here.
• Repetition of phrases got old fast. Maybe because I read books 2 and 3 back-to-back? I don’t know. But find new phrases because I was getting annoyed anytime someone chugged a coke or slammed their palm down on a scanner or had needles bite into their fingers. 

What I Did Like:

• Characters. I still really like the characters that have been developed here. I like the idea of this blogging community presenting the real news in the face of an apocalyptic future. 
• The articles, blogs, and posts that begin (and sometimes end) chapters are excellent. In a book with a large cast that often follows two specific people, this is a way to find out what is in the mind of other characters. It brings them to life a little more and lets you see the depth of the story. 
• The ending. I can appreciate how this particular ending wraps up some of the things that were left hanging in previous books and gives closure to the story we were telling. 

Who Should Read This One:

• That’s tougher than it was for Feed. I’ll say if you liked the story we’ve started and you find yourself unable to let go of the characters, this will give you some satisfaction. 

My Rating: 3 stars.

• I’ll say this. Feed was AMAZING. It didn’t need sequels, it definitely didn’t need sequels that fell flat. That, of course, is my opinion and you may feel differently.