Terminited
Revivalist, Book 3

I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Hoopla via HC Public Library
Dates Read: 4/5/24 - 4/7/24
Stars: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Julia Whelan

The Characters:

Brynn:
Patrick “Pat”:
Joe,

The Story:
The last installment in the trilogy. There is a bit too much cat and mouse for me. I thought I was losing interest but turns out I was just missing Pat. The ending wrapped up very abruptly. I think an epilogue would have been nice just to tie everything together. ( )

This is the third in this series. I was a little turned off at the end of book two, as all of a sudden not only were they returned to life, but the new Returne' turns them into flesh-eating replicators. I was apprehensive about getting into this third book. 'Terminated' starts off with action as the other two books did, culminating in the chase to stop the bad guys from making more of the revived. Standard situations sort of repeated using things like self-sacrifice because they can not be killed. I wondered at how/where Caine was going with the story line, and was glad this brings a halt to the series. The end seemed pretty quick and easily done, as if the author needed to end it as soon as possible.... too far-fetched for my fantasy loving mind even.

I'm not into romancey type stories, and this one was fairly light, though infatuation between characters is needed in some of the character building. Totally understand the guy liking a good looking girl .... but having sex with a dead person, even though they are seemingly life-like? Kinda grossed me out a bit. Just that thought in the back of my head saying "Ewww... couldn't you wait til the end of book three to do this?" ( )

Terminated
3.5 Stars

Overall, a satisfying conclusion to the series, but does not really live up to the promise of the first two books.

To begin with, the entire first half with Bryn & Co. on the run is a series of disjointed capture/escape scenes strung together for no apparent reason. There are also one or two plot discrepancies it is Chandra and not Riley who infected Bryn with the nanite upgrade, and why does Bryn need to explain the upgrade again when she did so at the end of Two Weeks’ Notice, and the mystery of Bryn and Annie’s sister Sharon comes out of nowhere. There is also no follow up to the Mercer and Fast Freddy storyline.

Thankfully, the plot development improves at the halfway mark with the search for a “cure”, and the resolution to the Returne epidemic is realistic although somewhat Deus Ex Machina Manny the supposed genius just suddenly thinks of hacking the nanites and turning them off. Finally, Jane’s comeuppance is exceedingly gratifying as is the ending to Bryn and Pat's romance. ( )

Listened for Fun (Audible)
Tracking Books Read Review (Short)
Overall Rating: 5.00
Story Rating: 5.00
Character Rating: 5.00

Audio Rating: 4.50

First Thought when Finished: Terminated ended in a way that wrapped up the trilogy in the most perfect of ways! BRAVO! (Also there was a moment there that I was bit scared).

Overall Thoughts: YES YES YES! This is the way a series should end! There were tears, laughter, OMG moments, and "is she really going to do that? Say she isn't going to do that" moments. I can't really talk about the book without giving anything away so here is what you need to know before reading:

1)Do not read these out of order. There are only 3 so do yourself a favor and read the whole series.
2)You will need MULTIPLE Kleenexes unless you have a heart made of stone.
3)The end will surprise you. I don't mind spoilers but try to read this one spoiler free.
4)Read even if you don't like zombies. This isn't a true zombie book but more like what the series title says: Revivalist (people who have been revived after death).

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated by Julia Whelan /Length 9 hrs and 52 mins

I sound like a broken record but Julia really did nail this narration. She was the Revivalist crew. You would not go wrong listening to these on audiobook.

Final Thought: Hands down my favorite series (so far) by Rachel Caine. ( )

At the end of the second book, Bryn had been exposed to an upgrade of Returne that has made her stronger and more impervious to physical harm. It has also made her less human. She and her team are now on a desperate run to find the cure to all the Returne victims.

This book is just as action packed as the first 2 in the trilogy. It is a bit on the depressing side because no matter how many times they slip through the fingers of the enemy there is one more trap waiting. I It was exciting none the less. However, I took away 1/2 star because I thought she took the easy way out on the end. It could have been better. ( )