I AM SLEEPLESS: The Huntress
By Johan Twiss
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
To be quite honest, I don’t remember much about the first book in this series. It feels like it’s been years since I reviewed the prequel to this piece but I was happy to hear from a returning author and leapt at the opportunity to provide another review for him.
Considering I didn’t remember anything from the first book, the list of abilities and brief guide detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the primes was somewhat helpful but I do think readers who are new to the series would benefit from reading both books. The story is set to a great pace and allows you to digest every event which occurs and get to know each character we meet along the way.
I liked the cast and was surprised how much Sheva grew on me. She is a dark addition to the story but her background and the more you get to know her makes her more than just a “Huntress”. I was intrigued by her presence and found her to be more interesting than Twiss may have intended. I think the cast behaved well together, especially considering all the pitfalls they went through. The characters were young so I was half expecting to be annoyed by their attitudes and demeanor but I found them to be responsible and mature.
Each character is tested in this book and are demanded to put forth their fullest effort to survive and complete the task at hand. I liked that Twiss pushed them to their limits through obstacle after obstacle. With the lurking dangers, character relationships, and overall edgy tone of the story, I found The Huntress to be very enjoyable and would definitely recommend it to other readers. The only complaint I have would be in the style of writing. While the book was edited well and definitely came together as a decent and coherent story, I found Twiss sometimes used unnecessary words in his writing such as: “Stood to his feet” (where else could you stand to?) or “Held in her hands” (if you’re holding something, its naturally in your hands…)
While those phrases may not be grammatically incorrect, they are considered signs of what may be described by some as “weak writing”. While I disagree, and believe Twiss’s writing was very good and entertaining, I think getting rid of such habits in his style will push his next book to a new level.