Until the Beginning audiobook

4-4.5 starsUntil the Beginning is everything I was hoping it would be and more! Though I didn't flat out love After the End, I knew the sequel had the potential to be all sorts of amazing, and I was right. It takes all the things I enjoyed about the first book and magnifies them brilliantly, while the few negatives I had are no longer much of an issue. The fact that the series is a duology rather than a trilogy is icing on the cake. The story picks up exactly where we last left Juneau and Miles: he is dying from a bullet wound and to save him, she administers the rites of her clan that will give him long life. While waiting for him to recover, Juneau devises a plan to rescue her loved ones, who are being held hostage by someone who wants the rites' secret ingredients for himself. Taking action is her primary concern, but she's also still reeling from the discoveries she's made over the last few days. From everything her clan has always told her, what is truth and what is a lie? Action, romance, and personal revelations abound in Amy Plum's spellbinding sequel.My main objection to the first book was not connecting to the fantasy aspect. It was jarring and out of place, never quite fitting into the otherwise realistic, modern story. Essentially, Juneau and her clan can connect to nature on a higher level, which gifts them with abilities like seeing into the future or through the mind of an animal. They also perform an aforementioned rite that grants each member long life, fast healing, and a greater sense of the Yara (the earth's life force). Though I still had some trouble with this part of the story in Until the Beginning, I also found that it felt more organic. Maybe that's just because it's now the second book and I was prepared for it, but I also think it's used to a much greater effect, in terms of character development. We learn new ideas about where these powers actually come from, and that's something both Miles and Juneau struggle to make sense of throughout the story. The actual plot is extremely well-paced. Part survivalist, part action, part rescue mission, there's never a dull moment. Juneau and Miles have to rely on instinct and their own experiences to formulate any plans, and many times they're not even sure what their next steps will be. They just know that they'll do whatever it takes to save her people. What I really liked is that Juneau and Miles work together as a team. While she has undoubtedly been the leader of their duo, it's great to see Miles contribute his own skills and assets and even take the lead at various points. At the beginning of the first book, I would never have guessed these two could communicate so well, but that's exactly what they do. They listen and respect each other. Which brings me to my favorite aspect of the story: the characters. I grew to love them so much in this sequel! Juneau, that weird, tough, resourceful girl who could survive in the wild with nothing but the clothes on her back (and apparently those aren't even needed). I like that she is never one to wallow or give up hope, despite all that she has recently faced. She has moments of vulnerability and willingly goes to Miles for comfort, but she also stays incredibly focused. I connected to her much better in this book than in the first. My favorite, though, is still Miles. My God this boy is endearingly hilarious. Amy Plum does a fantastic job with his sarcastic attitude and witty one-liners. But he's much more than a handsome face and funny guy; I love how he stepped up and grew to be (almost) as fearless as Juneau. The romance, too, is even better this time around. It's heartfelt and believable, with plenty of swoony moments. Miles and Juneau make a quirky opposites-attract pair, and their banter is some of the best. No drama or doubts, either!If you haven't yet started this duology, I highly recommend it. Until the Beginning is now my favorite Amy Plum book, and I want everyone to read it for Miles' chapters alone. I dare you not to love that kid. This is also the second series she has avoided a love triangle, which just makes me love her more. Can't wait to see what she writes next!***Thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!***This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

4.5/5Last year, I read and loved Amy Plum's After the End. It was a book that surprised me in a good way and had a heroine that I loved with every fiber of my being. I wasn't sure that it would be possible for this sequel and final book of the duology to be even better than book 1, but Amy Plum surpassed all my expectations with Until the Beginning and gifted us all with a stunning and satisfying conclusion.Until the Beginning starts off where the cliffhanger of After the End left us with. It was a brutal ending, but one that was filled with hope. This book in general was filled with hope. As a sequel, Until the Beginning was a lot more action-packed. There was just so much going on. I felt like I was physically in the book alongside Miles and Juneau and boy was I emotionally exhausted at times because I was just so invested in the story. This is the kind of book that had me glued to my seat, flipping non-stop through the pages and even after I put down the book to go get food, my thoughts would immediately rush to this book. It was the kind of book that wholly consumed me and I have no doubt it will render other readers an emotional mess as well. I was never sure what obstacle Amy Plum was going to set in front of our protagonists and I was terrified of what was awaiting them. The great thing about books like Until the Beginning is the non-stop action. If you're an action-in-books junkie, then this is the perfect book for you because Miles and Juneau were constantly running from one dangerous situation to another. It truly was an exhilarating book and you're just left feeling breathless and thinking about what an epic ride it was! The final showdown between Miles, Juneau and the horrible villains in this book was epic in many ways. I hated the villains so much so I was ready for them to receive their dues.Until the Beginning would not have been a perfect book without the amazing protagonists. Miles and Juneau were amazing in this book. Juneau was a character I admired from the start of After the End. She's a character that I instantly connected with, so I was ready to get back to being inside her head. She continued to impress me in this installment and she continued to awe me with her fierceness, strength and loyalty towards her loved ones. She was one amazing heroine and definitely makes my list of top 10 all time favorite protagonists. Amy Plum captured her flaws and her strengths so beautifully through her voice. The character that surprised me in this book was Miles. I had some issues with him in the previous book, but by the end he had grown on me. In this book, I downright fell in love with this boy. He has grown so much from the previous book, hardened and more mature. He no longer was that naive young boy he was and I love the strong man that he has become. He was so endearing and his devotion to Juneau was nothing short of loveable. Miles and Juneau's relationship in Until the Beginning was another strong element of this sequel. My goodness! These two were so deeply romantic and I loved how Amy Plum explored their intimate relationship so beautifully. It was sweet, romantic and gave me the butterflies. Also, can I just say how absolutely amazing the banter between these two is? Seriously, I was giggling like a little girl because of how adorable they were. What made their relationship so tight was how open they were with each other and how they were a couple that worked together. It's rare to see couples cooperate in YA books, so this book was refreshing.Until the Beginning and the After the End duology is one that I don't hesitate even a little bit to push on you readers. It's one of those series that deserves to be read and praised by everyone. Do yourself a favor and read this and experience the beauty of these characters.

Find this and other Reviews at InToriLex "When your in a group, you offer your skills for the use and survival of the group. You don't pretend you don't have them. It's not only disingenuous. It's withholding your donation to the common good."  I'm a big fan of authors who are able to convey meaning into characters without it coming off as unnatural or disrupting the story's flow. Juneau is still grappling with who she is, and how she's going to handle the world now that it's no longer confined to her clan. She's trying to trust herself, while realizing the people she trusted most have lied and kept things from her, her whole life. On the run Miles and Juneau have to deal with the trauma in their lives so that they can learn from it. Miles while still a skeptic at heart starts to learn and respect Gaia and the power of the Yara. These two teenagers have to hold it together so that they can do the right thing. The changing perspectives in the book, like in After the End made the pacing of the book fast, and also never seemed to have any awkward transitioning.The supernatural elements of the book, and the way that Juneau continues to use nature and animals as tools give this book really interesting moments, that wouldn't work well without Ms. Plum's awesome finesse. Animals play a big role and in ways that I definitely wasn't expecting in the end.Although I really enjoyed the book, it was not without flaws, Things were explained, but nothing was resolved in terms of where these characters will end up long term. The Yara could also have been fleshed out more, its lazy to just call it deep nature connection=awesome super powers. Definitely read this if your a fan of the first, just prepare for a more introspective book. There were still some awesome and creative action scenes, and well described new characters definitely keep the story alive, This a well paced action thriller, with unique ideas about how nature rewards it's loyal followers. 

3.5 starsI don't know how to write a review on this one. Can I just settle on awesome? Okay, this book is awesome. You should read the duology. 'Nuff said.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: An exciting second installment about Juneau’s adventure that I enjoyed.Opening Sentence: Miles has been dead for one hour.The Review:Juneau is back on the run, and this time she’s starting the journey all alone. Miles died, and although she’s fighting to bring and keep him alive with the Rite, she doesn’t know the side effects of one who is not from her clan undergoing the ceremony. She is still following leads to track down her clans, this time with a renewed belief in the Yara and her connection to it, but she will soon realize that the forces they are up against are more powerful than imagined. They have resources and motivations that could make them deadly, so Juneau must tread carefully, for she has everything to lose.I really enjoyed Juneau’s character in this second installment. She had a determination and a confidence that she carried herself that made her fun to read about; this is not to say, however, that she was immune from the doubts and worries of having a whole clan’s future resting on her shoulders. I appreciated watching her development and adaptation to the new modern world she had been dragged into unexpectedly. As well as this, her relationship with Miles changed her in ways that I liked watching, and by the end of the novel she had found renewed courage and strength. As a reader, she was an interesting point of view, and I found her spin on everything refreshing – after all, it was through the eyes of one who had never known modern comforts.Miles was the love interest and second point of view that I was following. In the last book, I believe I found him somewhat lazy and a deadweight, and in this novel you really see him transition both mentally and physically to a helpful force to Juneau’s cause. He also grew into himself, and developed into a character with much more confidence who was a match to Juneau. I really liked this change and how Juneau inspired it, and it gave a nice nod to how their relationship inspired each other to become better. Speaking of the relationship, I still was a fan of the love story, and I found it moved at a good pace and not the insta-love often found in young adult novels that I’ve grown to dislike.There were new plot developments in this second installment, as well as continuations of the first book. For example, Juneau’s connection with the earth – although she seemed to redeem it by the end of the first book, new ideas brought to light in the second lead to her questioning it all over again. Juneau leading the clan was also a constant, as she felt the duty to save her people and that carried her decisions throughout the series. It seemed like an awful amount of pressure for a teenage girl, but Juneau being Juneau, she handled it admirably. New characters were revealed, and motivations of already known ones were revealed. I appreciate knowing backstories of the antagonists in novels because it gives their actions an explanation, so knowing more about Whit was a welcome addition to this second book.Altogether, I really did enjoy this novel and this series. I think the first book had a lot more worldbuilding and was an entry to the plotline and introduction to the characters. As such, I liked the second book better than the first, as it had more action and twists. The characters were all strong and had lots of depth. It was a really easy book to follow, and very readable; both point of views were interesting, and I never felt bored or like the plot had lagged, as I remember doing in the first. There were quite a few reveals as the novel went on, and those twists were fun to read. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the first – I think you will be impressed!Notable Scene:My body melts away until there is nothing left but a small white ball, feathers, beak, and a flash of light. And like that, I am sprung into the air. The words of the song grow clearer, and I sense another bird keeping pace with me, just outside my vision. I flap my wings, banking steeply as we climb together, high over the endless ocean. We catch the wind and soar.FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Until the Beginning. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

FULL REVIEW http://haraiah.blogspot.com/2015/06/r...Ah, I don't know about you but I'm pretty sure that's Tris and Four..I asked my sister last night who she thinks these two are and she was like, "Um, Shailene and Four...? Ha ha ha."Confirmed.

First, this is the sequel to After the End. So if you haven't read that... well, this won't make much sense to you, so probably go read that first? I will say, before we get into the actual review, that this sequel is definitely a win. I liked the first book, but this book really pulled everything together wonderfully, so if you had doubts about it being a duology, no worries there!First, I am going to talk about the one thing I wasn't so fond of in the first book: The magic. In Until the Beginning, it is fleshed out much more, with a lot more explanation and purpose, and basically negates all of the trouble I had with it in the first book, to the point where I actually really liked it! There were a few revelations that were a tad farfetched for me, but on the whole, it was a solid attribute in the story.Now, to the best part of the book: Juneau and Miles! I adore Juneau and Miles, and their witty banter, and their escalating romance, and trust and understandings they have come to. They have both grown tremendously during these two books, all while maintaining the best parts about their individualities. I really don't think character development gets better than that. Juneau is strong and wise and ready to do anything for her people, but Miles helps to bring out her softer side, her more vulnerable side. Miles is still level headed and realistic, making Juneau a bit more grounded. But she is able to show him what it means to be loyal and to fight for what you believe in, and Miles starts to believe in himself. Basically, Amy Plum can do character development like no other.And there is a road trip! I do love a road trip, especially when there is a time constraint and unknown dangers. This book, of course, has both. There are secrets to be uncovered, mysteries to figure out, and the great part is, that both Juneau and Miles's strengths and resources are needed to figure out their next steps. Oh, and no worries, there are major swoons to be had as well! I don't want to talk too much about the plot, because I don't want to spoil anything, but it moved along wonderfully, I read the book quickly because I was anxious to know what was coming next!Bottom Line: If you haven't started this series, I recommend. If you have, and liked After the End, you will probably love Until the Beginning. It has all the good parts of After the End, but expands on them and explains and reveals so, so much. And come on, it's Juneau and Miles!This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight

Amy Plum, one of my most trusted YA authors, has apparently reached new heights. Her Until I Die trilogy has a very special place in my heart, but After the End is in a completely different category. With its imaginative worldbuilding and heroes we can admire and adore every step of the way, this duology is really every reader’s dream come true.In this second part, Juneau and Miles are outnumbered and outgunned. They have enemies on all sides and very few resources, but for Juneau, abandoning her clan simply isn’t an option. Plans need to be made and battles need to be fought, and Juneau’s sense of honor and responsibility through it all is stupendous. Oddly enough, Until the Beginning is a bit slower than After the End. It is a different book, focused more on Juneau’s introspection and crisis of faith. With everything she thought she knew about her world gone, Juneau has much to consider and make some very difficult choices for herself. Miles also faces some enormous changes and although the struggles with them somewhat, he quickly takes them in stride, as is his way. Unlike Juneau, he is more ‘go with the flow’ kind of guy, which is certainly an advantage when your world shifts from one second to the next.Their relationship develops beautifully in a very short time. There is a true friendship and companionship between these two, followed by deep and honest trust. When you have all that, love follows not far behind, and even though it happened in mere weeks, theirs was a connection I believed completely. There’s not much to do except wholeheartedly recommend this duology to all of you. Amy has shown us that her imagination knows no bounds and that she’s an author with so much to offer. I’m willing to bet that we’ll be getting many incredible stories from her, and all those updates about her life in Paris certainly don’t hurt either.If you have yet to meet Juneau and Miles, make sure to do so as soon as you can. From Alaska to Nevada, their adventure will leave you breathless.

Well lets say I was so happy to get this one… the ending to book one left me wanting so much and it was one of them WOW ending you just wish book two was sitting next to you!! A huge thanks to Amy for writing this story its just so different from a lot I myself have read and I enjoyed every little bit of it from start to finish and I kind of hope there might be more! I have not read much from Amy, yes smack me now, but I have to say from my daughter’s suggestions and the books I have read she is AMAZING! Until the Beginning is filled with SO much adventure and finding ones self in a world they just have never lived in. You will be hooked from page one following Juneau and Miles journey to save the people they have come to love and the people they are not sure they should love. Ok so like wow, Miles has done all the crazy stuff to be like Juneau. She performs the rites of her clan hoping to help Miles live after he was shoot and maybe he will wake up and have that long life like Juneau and her clan. This one picks up right when the first book ended and you get to take the journey with Juneau while she tries to keep her and miles safe while he tries to recover and hopefully not die. Juneau goal is to find her clan after they were captured and free them, find out the true story about her clan why they are being hunted and what they really want from her. She is finding out that maybe everything she was thought was a lie and things are really not what they seem to be. Miles and Juneau will take a crazy adventure to find her clan and find each other in the process and what really they might wan tin life. I really loved this book, kind of think I liked it better then book one. I don’t know I really love Miles and Juneau’s character, I enjoyed watching them grow and I loved all the earth elements and love the way they fit into the story. I loved that Amy had more of Poe ( the crow) in this one he was a trip! This one ends a little better then the first book not a cliffy but I can see more in the future if Amy does write more but I am happy with the outcome!!!

While I enjoyed this sequel, I have to admit I liked the first one better. This one was more... bittersweet. I have mixed feelings about it. The first story more was run on the mystery elements...what had happened to Juneau's people and how would she find them. Well in this one a lot of that element was gone now. And I love the mystery and unknown parts of stories so that was a bit lacking. Oh and it starts right where the first book ends.But the thing that bothered me more was towards the end of the book. The squabbling between characters, the greed, the aftermath of the lies that had been told and all of the fighting. After awhile that fighting gets kind of old. It happens in so many series. I kind of lose interest sometimes with battles.Yet at the same time I can relate to how Juneau feels..her choice at the end. I think it's very real and believable. I think she made a good choice. This story was very fast and easy to read. The pages flew by. I think I actually read this one faster than the first one..or is it shorter? I looked and it's just a few pages difference..I did notice a mistake (if anyone is curious). Snakes are not poisonous. They are venomous. A thing is only poisonous if you eat it. If you get bit or stung by a creature, it's venomous. This is a common misconception. I didn't know the difference either until I started watching a bunch of reptile channels on YouTube.