Stylish in the Stacks: REVIEW--Once by Anna Carey

Hey, everyone! I'm back from Washington DC and into my normal routine. I had a great time watching my older sister get pinned as a Major in the Air Force and sharing in her celebration!

Today's review is on the book Once by Anna Carey; this is the second book in the Eve series, so let me give you a little review of what Eve was all about.

It's the year 2032; sixteen years ago a deadly virus wiped out most of the population. Boys and girls are now raised separately to supposedly keep everyone healthy and safe before repopulating. But 18-year-old Eve discovers on the night before her high school graduation that she won't be allowed back into society. Instead, all female graduates are forced to become "baby makers" where they are forced to become pregnant, have babies, and repeat over and over again. Eve escapes and leaves in search of safety, but runs into a boy named Caleb. Everything Eve has ever learned about survival is now put to an extreme test.

So that leads us to the second book, Once.

Second book in the Eve series
Dystopian

*You should read Eve before reading this book!

Summary from Goodreads: 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.

The Gist: It's three months since the book Eve ended and Eve is living in Califia, a haven for women only in the "New America." She has reunited with Arden, her fellow escapee, but Eve knows she won't be complete without Caleb. So she sets out on an escape mission to find him. Her mission goes horribly wrong, and Eve is kidnapped and taken to the City of Sand. She has been told that she will marry the king and provide him with an heir--but she is about to get the surprise of her life.

What I Loved:

I loved the plot twist in Eve's relationship with the king. You think you know what's coming and it takes you in a whole new direction.
The twist involving Moss--I figured it out but it was still good.
Arden is a kick-butt character but not immune from being hurt, kidnapped, etc. She's human.

What I Didn't Love:

Caleb's death scene--is it real? Not real? Seemed kind of vague.
Eve's easy ability to get in and out of the Palace undetected more than once. The security must really stink around there!
The King, our main villain, is a little too trusting of Eve. He allows her to visit her school? Really?
Finding my favorite quote for this book was really difficult--a lot of easy dialogue and action in the book but not much in terms of great lines.

My favorite quote: "As we grow in numbers we come closer to returning to our rich past, to becoming the people we once were--the nation that invented electricity, air travel, and the telephone. The nation that put a man on the moon." *This is the quote that explains the title of the book.