Synopsis

Review
5 stars
Thanks for the free book @PRHGlobal/@prhinternational! I was lucky to get an ARC of that story but it has no influence on my review.
That book was brilliful!
What’s that word? It’s a word for something both beautiful and brilliant.
“First rule of the Scrap: Stronger together. Together forever.”
Long review ahead #sorrynotsorry !
First, we begin with a helluva opening scene that will set the tone and the pace for the whole book!
There are some deep topics here!
Like : what makes us human? Biomaas chose the path of no free will everyone honed to be the best of his kind. Similar.
Daedalus thinks the best is to have every mechanics under control. Ne free will for robots and humans above all else. Just another form of slavery from Biomaas as both live by control and order.
The other life form like the deviate is chaos. More alive and more humans than what these companies want humans to be.
So I’d say that what makes us human come down to free will.
“But in trying to make everything fit in these neat little boxes with these oh-so-helpful labels, you’re taking away the stuff that makes us special! To you people, what you are is more important than who you are!”
And who are you? What makes you you? Who do you want to be?
What defines a person? That’s when Jay went Dumbledoresk on us with quotes like “You’re not defined by what you are, Eve. You’re defined by what you do.”
Also what makes a family? The blood you share? The people who have your back no matter what?
This book is also full of second chances: at love, at friendship, at living on this planet.
Now let’s talk about some of the characters!
From the end of book one I wanted Fresh to be something other than somebody’s sidekick! Lifl1k3 focused on Eve as main female character but Miss Fresh had already hijacked my heart and I wanted her to have the floor! Well in Dev1at3 and certainly now in Truel1f3 my wish has been granted!
Freckles will have to up her game and true cert, she’ll be fizzy doing it!
“Truth was, part of her still felt like that snot-nosed, punk kid who’d set out as the tagalong in someone else’s story. The sass on tap. The comedy relief. She wondered who she was to be standing up in a fight like this. To be counting on others to do the same. Despite her speech in the silo, she didn’t feel like any sort of leader.”
Cricket had clearly been inspired by Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. He was Eve’s conscience in a way. He began this series as a wee thing and ended up as a giant robot. Hit outer growth only mirroring his inner growth.
Because one thing that I loved in this series was the personal growth and journey all main characters went on, Cricket included! Yes, that’s right: a robot had his own evolution!
And as in real life, some characters had a rocky growth, often erring on the dark side for some time and Jay made it so convincing that I never knew if one day, some of them would see the light again!
Let’s talk about my boy Ezekiel now or Dimples.
He was worthy of all my admiration through all these books! Mind you, he will fight to prevent Gabriel to make more of his kind, knowing that he and his remaining brother and sisters are the only left of their kind. All that because he realized how wrong they were for human kind! He knows who he wants to be and that’s someone who has hope, no matter what and who will believe in other’s goodness.
He has an ingrained sense of right and wrong and will do everything, even make hard choices, to do what’s right. Deeply loyal, love and friendship are things he believes in wholeheartedly. And of course, being pleasing on the eye is an extra bonus right?
“He said nothing. Just looked into her eyes. Seeing her hurt like this, seeing her pain, he couldn’t help but feel a stab of pity. He and Faith were still family, despite everything, and that still counted for something. That was just who he was. Who he’d decided to be.”
But the characters and topics are not the only things that make this series stand out!
What I also adored and that’s something Jay excels at was all the inner lingo and “Lifl1k3” language this book offers! Expression like “Fizzy”, “True cert” fill the book, giving it its own special flavor! One of my favorite expression, derived from our common ones: “Can’t make a mint julep without crushin’ some ice.” Or another one “She realized how deep in the fertilizer she actually was.”
I love when authors invent nearly a new language in their books! Something that makes us feel that we are in that universe they imagined for their heroes. It’s like a personal seal. The series brand, more than the author’s brand!
Last but not least, I got all the FEELS !
Jay made me cry with what’s been done to Lemon, with what happened to Ezekiel that resurfaced the little lost boy. But he also made me shed tears for happy reasons as some scene of reunion between friends, machine and human were packed with so much tenderness that my eyes just teared up.
Mister Kristoff also surprised me with plot Twists! Some betrayals I never had seen coming!
He also made me rage, often. Fear the worst for our heroes! This book is filled with guns blazing heart pounding escapes. With loss and grief. Full of battles, dangers and turning points, so much that I was sitting at the edge of my seat thinking “Don’t make Grimm die Jay” or “Don’t make Fresh die!” or “If you destroy Zeke, I will hunt you to the end of the earth Jay”. Because guys you know Hell hath no fury like a reader scorned!
#sponsored #partner @PRHGlobal/@prhinternational
Have you read this series already?
Thanks for reading
Sophie
Brilliant review!
Thank you!
My copy of TRUEL1F3 is sitting on my shelf staring at me… but I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sophie!!
Meeghan you just have to read it!
*cough* I might have to finish DEV1AT3 first because I might have DNF’ed it…
Loving the questions that this one raises for you, Sophie! It sure does sound like Mr. Kristoff knew how to wrap things up! 😛 Great review!
Thank you Lashaan!
I skimmed read this but yayeie so glad you liked it!
I hope to pick this up asap and binge read the duology!
Also remember moi?
How are yyooooooooooooooooou??
Of course I am remembering you Poulami!!!! How are you? Back for good?
Lol. I am replying you in three different posts!
I am good. What about you??
I hope to atleast post twice a month if not 0. I really love this blog and damn time!
Do you have any recs on time management?
I work untul 6 or 7, then I just somehow lose time? I dunno. Help!
I loved The Illuminae Chronicles and I have got to read this series!
Totally Laura!
I haven’t started this series yet, but I’ve been eyeing it for awile. It’s encouraging to hear that it ends well. Great review!
Thank you Stephanie!
Sounds like it ended with a bang! Gotta love an author who know how to end on a high note!
Oh yes Tanya!
Great review! I’m so excited to read this conclusion!
(www.evelynreads.com)
I hope you’ll love it too!
I am so glad you loved this one so much! I have started this series, but I have yet to continue it, as per usual with me. But I agree about the language part, is always amazing when it happens something like that, and it helps make the book more real to you ❤️
I hope you’ll resume reading it Susy!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the series finale. I still need to read the second book so hopefully your excellent review will motivate me to do that.
I hope so Suzanne!
Great review! I need to start this series soon!
I hope you will Kayla!
WHEW…..this sounds so gut wrenching and its such an experience when we pick up books like these. Great review darling.
Thank you Renee
Awesome review Sophie! As you know I loved this as well,except for my Eve issues. What can I say? I hold a grudge!
Bwahahaa good to know Kim!
Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, Sophie! And I read Aurora Burning over vacation – I’m not happy with the way Mister Kristoff left things – I can’t wait another year!
Same Teri! Let’s hope the ending will be amazing!
Oh, okay, I think you likedthis one! Okay, so you know I’m kidding. I know you’ve talked about this series with a great passion for the writing and characters. I am happy it all paid off for you, Sophie, and that this was a satisfying finish that earned a full 5 stars!
Me too Alex!