Challenge Corner discussion

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Part One, Ch 17 - (view spoiler)[ It's been interesting so far. I'm glad we are finally getting to the part that explains how their friendship broke apart. Seems like both guys were self-centered pricks and were jealous of each other. I'm anxious to find out how Victor ended up the "good-ish" guy. (hide spoiler)]
end of Part One, Ch 36 - (view spoiler)[ Uh oh, I don't think it is a good omen that Sydney doesn't bring back the EO's to full capacity. I still can't believe that Serena would do that to her little sister. AND, because I never get this about religious zealots - why can't the EO powers be a GIFT from God? It seems to me that God brought them back from the NDE and gave them the gift. The only two people that God wasn't directly responsible for bringing back is Eli and Victor. (hide spoiler)]
Part Two, Chapter 14 - (view spoiler)[ I wonder why Selena's gift doesn't end with death. Or is it that it only works for a specific amount of time - and that's why she has to remind Eli daily not to kill her? (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ So Sydney brings him back, but he won't work completely. Or will he have a new power?? As far as Eli goes, he has to be able to be killed somehow, right? Of with his head maybe? or drowning b/c that is how he was created in the first place? (hide spoiler)]

Seriously, I am so glad I read this book now and not back in 2013, because if I had to wait 5 years to see what happens next, I would be pissed .

Jennifer wrote: "
Part One, Ch 17 - [spoilers removed]

Seriously, ..."

(view spoiler)[ I thought Victor was the bad guy for like half the book!! He definitely had psychopathic tendencies. Eli was too good at covering up his evil. (hide spoiler)]

Jennifer wrote: "
end of Part One, Ch 36 - [spoilers removed

Seriously, ..."

Ooooo that's a great thought! i wonder what Eli would say to that logic.

Jennifer wrote: "
Part Two, Chapter 14 - [spoilers removed]
Seriously, ..."

(view spoiler)[ Serena really bugged me. I thought Eli would've been smarter and once he left her influence, he'd figure out a way to kill her but nope (hide spoiler)]

Jennifer wrote: "

Finished - [spoilers removed]

Seriously, ..."

(view spoiler)[I would think beheading would have to work! or maybe a stake to the heart and then burning the body? His body essentially is a vampire lol (hide spoiler)]

I really loved how morally grey both Eli and Victor were in their different ways. I also loved how EOs came to be from a medical thesis project. The nerd in me was like screaming with happiness.

Jennifer- I think this might've originally been a stand alone, but then when Schwab's books took off that her publisher wanted more? IDK the world of publishing books is crazy

Victor (view spoiler)[ He didn't seem the same in this one. I didn't like that he basically became Eli. Also, I wish he'd found a better answer for dealing with his power. Wth is in that serum shit that crazy doctor made (hide spoiler)]

Marcella (view spoiler)[ I liked her for like 75% of this until she threatened Sydney. Like bitch no, that is MY GIRL. I'm so glad June protected Sydney as best as she could. I loved how Marcella took revenge on her husband tho he fucking deserved it (hide spoiler)]

Eli (view spoiler)[ I don't know how I feel about him dying in the end of this. I feel like he and Victor should've killed each other. He definitely didn't deserve to be tortured by that crazy ass doctor, I was so glad that dude died in the end. (hide spoiler)]

The ending (view spoiler)[ Okay so I feel like there could definitely be a third book. And Victor would need to take down EON. I think he could do it with Sydney, June and Mitch's help. I really love the relationship between Victor, Syd and Mitch. They have such an unconventional but perfect family unit if a little dysfunctional. I really loved the friendship that June and Syd developed, if there is a third book I hope they reconcile and that we find out more about June's past. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING FEBRUARY 13TH, 2019

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I’ll join you guys for this one.

Part I (view spoiler)[ I am enjoying reading again about Victor, Mich and Syd. I love the trio. A little disfuncional, but still working selfmade "family". I get why Sydney feels so holed up. And I get the irritation of always being a child. Will she ever grow up?
Hm. wtf is with Victor? Is bringing him back from dead made him like that? Like a side effect? And every time the duration of his death is getting longer... is this mean on of the times he won't wake up? :/
Who is June? And why is she getting close to Syd? Is it just a coincidence? Hm, I don't believe in coincidences... I think June has a reason for getting closer to Syd.
Hm, I am curious what Marcella will do with her new power... Revenge? (hide spoiler)]
Part II (view spoiler)[ Okaaaayyyy. Marcella and her power. Damn. She didn't waste any time before killing her husband... and some more.
Eli. I felt sad reading about his childhood and how much it sucked. How much he lost and had to go through. No wonder he is a bit off with his believes in God...
I was waiting for Eli to figure out that Victor is alive. He is just too smart not to. It was just a matter of time. I get why he is keeping it a secret, he wants to kill Victor himself.
That doctor is a bit creepy. Did he really thinks he can recreate whatever EOS makes EOs? Hm. Maybe?.. (hide spoiler)]
Part III (view spoiler)[ I am not sure if I like Marcella or not. She knows what she wants for sure, but.. hm. I don't know. Is she any better than Eli? Or even Victor? Victor just started killing EOs one by one. They all doing it for some reason, but then one reason is better than the other?
I wonder if Marcella and Victor will join forces or kill each other. (hide spoiler)]
Part IV (view spoiler)[ Damn. It always comes down to Eli and Victor. But it seems like Victor won this time for real. Or ahve he? Hm. (hide spoiler)]
Exodus (view spoiler)[I love an open ending like this. It is the end, but it still has a feeling like it will never end. Never. (hide spoiler)]

So behind but I finally started this last night and I just LOVED the opening chapter!

I’m behind too 😩 I gotta start this today or tomorrow lol so many physical books to read

@Alaina That's my problem too. All of these are physical copies lol

😭😭 we can do this.

haha tears and all!

You can do it! It's such a fast read!

I've read the first book before but never found time to read the second one. So I'm super pumped to dive into that. I'm so behind on my physical books :(

Chapter 16: (view spoiler)[ Oh Victor, you are very interesting. So he almost died by OD, is that how he received his extra ability or does he go even further? And then Eli almost dying as well. These boy are crazy. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[ I love that Victor is a morally gray character. Is he evil? I don't think so, but he's done some not so great things. I think at this point knowing what we know about how Eli is hunting EO's, he seems more the villain. Poor Sydney. Why would her sister agree to her being killed? Wouldn't Eli want to kill her? (hide spoiler)]

Part 2 chapter 10: (view spoiler)[ oh Eli and your good complex. Also seeing more of Serena but still trying to figure out why she would willingly kill her own sister. (hide spoiler)]

It probably won’t get to this book until tomorrow. Today was so freaking busy for me that I only had time for two physicals. a curse so dark and lonely and king of scars. I’m still at work too 😭😭

Finished: I LOVED THIS! (view spoiler)[ that ending! Eli killing Victor and Sydney bringing him back! And then there was that brief moment when I thought the dog was dead and that was not ok. I cannot wait to read the next one! (hide spoiler)]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ poor Victor. He has to keep dying over and over. And Mitch is a freaking teddy bear. I love him. I do not like this June character though. I think she will be trouble esp for Sydney who's so trusting (hide spoiler)]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ I really dislike this Haverty character. Just cutting people open in the name of science. And I'm so happy we got Eli's backstory. While I felt sorry for child Eli, adult Eli made his own bed and now need to deal with the consequences (hide spoiler)]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ I do not like Marcella or June. What does June want with Sydney? And syndey is too damn trusting! (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ So what was that ending??Is Eli still alive? Who the hell is June? I still have so many questions! I did love this book but I could have done without all of the excess Marcella and June. (hide spoiler)]

LMFAO when I wrote comments down I didn't put the part xD


Ch. 5: (view spoiler)[gah, oh how I've missed this book and these characters. Tell me more, tell me more! (hide spoiler)]
Ch. 15: (view spoiler)[my love for victor is growing so much. god, i love him. (hide spoiler)]
Ch. 25: (view spoiler)[hmmm eli... was that jealousy? (hide spoiler)]
Finished: (view spoiler)[hot damn, that ending gets me EVERY GOD DAMN TIME. Ugh, now I really need book 2 in my hands instead of on my bookshelf. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING JUNE 1st, 2023

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