Once (Eve #2)

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Author(s)

Anna Carey

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

Genre(s)

Dystopian

Age Range

14+

Release Date

July 03, 2012

ISBN

9780062048547

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When you're being hunted, who can you trust? For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America. But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America. Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past—and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together—but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever. In this breathless sequel to Eve, Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

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2 reviews

Riveting Sequel to EVE.

May 16, 2012

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5.0

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"As if love were a choice."

LOVED.IT.SO.HARD! *looks for TEAM CALEB T*

With it's fast paced action, unexpected twists and star crossed lovers, "Once", the riveting sequel to "Eve", had me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat the entire time! *gasps*

Eve has made it to Califia, the safe haven for women determined to hold onto their freedom outside the walls of the Sand City, but freedom always has a price and for her, it was leaving an injured Caleb behind. Her time here hasn't been what she expected and despite her best efforts, Eve eventually finds herself within the Palace walls. Once there, she finally comes face to face with the King and learns his real intentions for her. Nothing is what it seems and Eve is dealt one shocking blow after another including the discovery that Caleb is alive and has made it into the Sand City too.

Desperate to get to him, Eve will defy the rules, risking both her safety and her freedom. She and Caleb are able to find each other but their reunion is bittersweet. In order to stay together they'll have to come up with a plan that involves relying on the help of others, but who can they really trust? The danger and threat of death is ever present and with so much at stake, is Eve really willing to risk everything again for love? Does she even have a choice?

*Potential Spoilers*

Eve continues to evolve into a strong female character as she wrestles with the new information she learns about her past as well as her future and the role she's expected to play. She also considers others and how the choices she makes will affect not only her but those she cares about as well.

I didn't think it was possible to love Caleb any more than I did in "Eve" but OH.MY.CALEB! was I wrong?! *flails*

When she and Caleb meet again, I really wanted them to ride off into the sunset together where they could live happily ever after, safe and free! *breathes a sigh of relief* But, of course, that doesn't happen. (Maybe in book 3 Anna? Pretty please with sprinkles on top? *bribes*)

I did enjoy watching their relationship develop in the first book and I thought his patience and sacrifice were uh-mazing. Their love continues to grow in "Once" and even gets a 'lil *ahem* steamy. *fans face* ;D

This book ends with a bit of cliff hanger...we don't really know what's become of Caleb (it's obvious you can't believe everything you read in the paper), Eve could always change her mind and there's still time for someone to, "speak now". All of it leaves me SO.VERY.ANXIOUS for the third book to find out what happens! *chews nails*

Jen Top 10 Reviewer 415 reviews

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A Great Sequel!

March 01, 2013

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Once by Anna Carey
Published by HarperTeen
On Shelves Now
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Action-packed and romantic

I was heart-broken when this book started and Eve had been in Califia for a few months without Caleb. I always hate the inevitable split of the two loves because (even though I know it happens in every book), I still keep thinking that maybe, one of these days, we won’t have to go through the heartbreak of watching the two main characters leave each other. But, even though I was upset Caleb wasn’t there, I was still swept straight into the action. Plus, it wasn’t long before word of Caleb slipped into Califia and Eve rushed out after him!

The best part about this book was seeing inside the City of Sand—it was easily recognizable as Las Vegas, but it was really cool to hear about how everything had fallen apart since the plague. You could just picture the dilapidated buildings that the desert was trying to reclaim, and the way Anna described it was beautiful and eerie. I think many who thought there was a lack in world building will get a little more of what they want in this installment.

I also loved that we got to meet the bad guys—The Kings and his loyal henchmen. The worst one for me was Lieutenant Stark—grrr! I just wanted someone to rear back and slug him right in the face…over and over again because he was such a JERK! The greed and hatred and fear that consumed the King and his men was evident in their word and in their actions, and the tyranny and threat of violence hung heavy in the air. Anna’s writing was so beautiful and intoxicating that I read this book in less than 3 hours!

I felt like Eve had grown up a bit in this one, realizing the sacrifices that she must be willing to make in order to fight the regime. However, like in the first book, she made rash decisions that often made things even worse for her. I wish she would have stepped back, taken a breath, and approached thing more rationally. Now, I say that, but if I were in her position, I don’t know if I would have been able to think rationally either.

I really loved Caleb in this one—he was smart and strong, and I loved the way he resisted the tyranny of the King. He didn’t just whine about his predicament, instead, he stepped up and threw himself right into the middle of the rebellion. He was really a strong character in this one, and it made me love him even more. Plus, his humor and soft side were much more apparent, and I felt myself falling for him all over again! There were some great scenes between him and Eve, and I do wish there would have been more of them. The one really important scene was very “fade to black,” too, and it took me a few pages to figure out what they did/did not do.

The only thing that bugged me is the ending---oh my gosh, I’m not a fan of cliffhangers! Thank goodness I had a copy of Rise, or I would have had a conniption. So, warning—if you haven’t read this one, you might want to wait the two months until Rise is released! Otherwise, you might have a small book-related stroke.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it more than Eve, and I really loved getting to see inside the world and characters even more. Fans of Eve will love this one!