Review: The Essence by Kimberly Derting

I waited fifteen months for this. It's been a long wait. I also just re-read The Pledge, the first one, and it was just as perfect this time around. And oh. This sequel was well worth the wait. A five star for me. Even though I had a few issues. But mostly I was happy, and I loved the writing, and the characters and the story was just as amazing as the first book. It really was amazing. And just look at that cover! Isn't it perfect? <3

This review will be spoilery for the first book, The Pledge. So if you haven't read that one yet, please don't read more of my review, because I very much want you to read the first book without knowing the important things that happen. Which you will know by reading my review of this. So yeah. Just buy both books if you haven't :D Spoilery parts for book one below this.

The writing in this book is so good. Even better than the first one. I just adore Kimberly. She's amazing. Cannot wait to read more by her. Anyway. Writing perfect. And the story, the plot. It's amazing. The Essence start several months after The Pledge. Charlie is now the Queen of Ludania. She's happy with that. Some things she could have been without, like all the rules about clothes and such, and all the things she must be learning now.

But for the most part she is happy with being Queen. She's happy about all the changes she have been able to do for her country. And she's happy for her family, because they are all living there. Even Brook and Aron. And Max, of course. But things aren't going that great outside the castle. People are wanting the new Queen dead. They don't like the changes. Many hundreds, probably more, don't like it at all. They want things back to the way it was before, with the different class of people and all the rules.

There is kind of a lot of action in this book. I felt that we didn't get that far ahead time-wise in this book, but I also loved every part of it. There is this scene in the beginning, when Charlie is visiting the town for the first time as Queen, and she's visiting this school. Her body gard, Zafir, is with her all the time. Thank god. He's amazing. A perfect body guard. He looks after her a lot. Anyway. Something awful happens at this school. Lots of death. Yeah. It was pretty awful. But written so, so good.

There seems to be a lot of death in this book. I loved them all. But yeah. I wished there had been more dead people. At least a few more ;) There is a lot of Charlie being a Queen in this book. I liked it at as well. We get to see her struggles. It was awesome. And kind of depressing at times. Seems like a lot of work. We also get to see her little sister, Angelina, a bit as well. She's still so adorable. She keeps helping Charlie. But there isn't really anything she can do, and it's breaking my heart. It's all very sad.

Because Charlie is still having Sabara in her head. She mostly talks to her at night, in Charlie's sleep. And oh. It didn't seem nice at all. But ah. I didn't approve with how Charlie dealt with it. She didn't tell anyone. And I didn't like her for it. She should have told Max. Sniffs. Everything would have been so much better then. Anyway. She struggles a lot with Sabara. Since she's trying to kill her and all. Sabara seems a lot stronger as well. She does a lot of stupid things through Charlie. It was awful, but so good.

I still liked Charlie in this book. Not as much as in the first book, since she kept this big secret from Max, and she didn't try to stop Sabara at all. Grrr. Also didn't approve of her not thinking about Max often enough (A) Hih. Anyway. She's still sweet and kind and protective. She does some very stupid things. Especially something at the ending that is kind of heartbreaking and it doesn't seem like anyone will forgive her for it. But I thought it was pretty awesome, to be honest. Yeah. I liked Charlie a lot :)

Of course, I loved Max the most. He is just perfect. Perfect love interest. He's sweet and loving and just all kinds of perfect. He's so protective of Charlie as well. He loves her so much. She loves him too, though. She never doubts her love for him. And he just loves her so much, and it's just so perfect. But oh. The romance is so small in this book :( There is too little Max and Charlie love. I needed more. But what we got was so good. They are just perfect together. I adore them so much. Max is amazing.

I loved mostly everything about this book. The writing. The characters. The story. The romance. The mystery. The Essence was amazing. It has it all. But yeah. There was one thing I didn't like. And that was Niko. He could have been a love triangle. Almost is. But not in a normal way. He was Sabara's lover. And she wants him still. And he loves her. And my god. Charlie is so confused. And I hated it. Hated hated hated it. But thankfully I'm pretty sure everything she feels is what Sabara is feeling. I hope.

It is mostly done with at the end. But not really. Pretty sure it will be a bit part of the third book.. I just, yeah, I don't want a love triangle. Because Max loves Charlie. And she loves him. Not once has she doubted their love. So yeah. That is good. And it gives me hope. And yeah. It ends kind of awesome. And sniffs. I just adore Max. There must be lots more of him in the third book. I want so much of him all the time. He's just perfect, like I said ;p Anyway. You must read The Essence! It's amazing.

I would say this book has a good ending. I mean, it's kind of heartbreaking, and nothing is going right for Charlie, but it still made me happy. The last lines. Sigh. But yeah. It is an evil ending as well. I might be able to wait another year for the third book. But I don't want to. I want the third book right away. I need to know some things. I need to know that Charlie will make up for what she did to Max and to all the others. But mostly to Max. He deserves so much better. She must fix it. Cannot wait for it! <3

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