Review: Level 2 by Lenore Applehans

Description and Image from goodreads.com

ARC provided by publisher

'I pause to look around the hive - all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories ... I've wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.'

Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend ... and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.

Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.

My Thoughts:

The Matrix meets the after life.  That's my over all impression.  I have to give the author an A+ for originality.  I've never read a paranormal book like this.  I really liked the references to bee hives and drones.  Felicia feels like she's been in a version of Purgatory for eons.  I liked Felicia, but I didn't get attached to her.  I appreciated the way she learned from her past mistakes; though I think I wanted her to succeed more for others' sake than for her own.  I would have liked a little more closure when it came to her family issues.  The book description talks about two loves, but I don't think Felicia ever loved Julian.  Julian wasn't my favorite, however.  Most of the things he did were nonredeemable.  So when we get to his final scene in this book it was a bit too late for me to like him.  I guess we'll see more of him in the next book.  I couldn't really reconcile the use of Greek mythology with an Angels/Heaven/Hell subject.  It just didn't mix.  I suppose if there had been more explanation or history behind it I could have understood better.  That being said, I enjoyed going with Felicia on her journey to confront her past and the more painful parts of her life.  I was left with some confusion at the end.  It was almost like someone turned on the fast forward.  I hope the next book clears some of it up.  If you like sci-fi you'll probably like this book.