{Review} Underground (New World #4) by Janelle Stalder

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: February 14th, 2016
Finished Date:February 8th, 2016

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: YA, Dystopian
Source: For Review
Format: Kindle

Pages: Unknown
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US

 

Love isn't something you find.
Love is something that finds you.

Phoenix has spent her whole life fighting. All she's ever wanted was to return the world to a peaceful state, and bring down the New World Order. But now she finds herself in a different sort of battle. No longer set in the streets of New Berlin, the fighting has moved beneath them, in a vicious underground fighting ring run by outlaws bent on causing trouble. And if that isn't hard enough, she's stuck with the one person who loves to fight more than she does - Trent McKay. Now the race is on to get out of their new prison and back home - before they end up killing each other.

Or worse - fall in love.

The Review: Underground is the fourth book in the New World series and the one I had been waiting for!

Fans of this series will know all about Phoenix and Trent, both leaders in their families and used to getting their own way. They have clashed since we met them, have one of those awesome relationships where they hate each other and are even hostile to each other….. but all that is about to change :D.

Both Phoenix and Trent find themselves in a predicament after being kidnapped off the street and taken to an underground compound. Here they are being forced to train which will then lead to them being forced to fight in an underground fighting arena that is run by a hard man for the entertainment of those who can afford it. They can both fight, they are both more than capable but these fights are not for the faint hearted and always result in fatality. Phoenix knows she will have trouble actually killing people and is just waiting for rescue or the opportunity to escape… but it’s been a while…. And she can’t leave Trent behind.

Now, as I mentioned; I have been waiting for this book because I knew we were in for something special when these two finally realised what was going on between them and it did not disappoint. I have loved these two from the start, I really enjoy their banter and how they communicate with each other and who doesn’t love a good hate to love romance? I think it went against each others principles to allow the other to see the vulnerabilities they had but with them being in a confined place, there was no easy way to avoid it. It brought out a protectiveness in each other at first which then blossomed into something more. It was quite clear where they were headed but they had to realise a few things first.

Obviously the romance isn’t the only thread in this book and not the only reason I read them. The author has created a very complex world that all threads together seamlessly, this book opens that world up even more with the introduction of a new area and leader of that area. We still have drama coming from the city and the uppers but this definitely seemed to be taking the story to a different level. Ludwig and the General have both been dealt blows in previous books but it seems that they have not been as unaffected as we once thought; how they handle it plays a big part in this book. Our rebels each have their own part to play in this web so whilst the focus of this book is on Phoenix and Trent, we get to know what they are all up to and the setting up of their books also.

There is a lot of drama, fighting and action as we have come to expect from the series and the story is definitely being pushed in a definite direction with this seeming like a game changer. There are a good few surprises still to be had and a heart stopping finale for more than one person. If you’re up to book four then you know what to expect – rebels, fighting, kidnapping, plots, chances, plenty of ‘no way’ moments, bickering, dastardly deeds, lives in peril, explosions, violence…… but plenty of romance, hot men and sexytime to go with it. I love these books – hopefully you will too.

Thank you to Janelle Stalder for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.