The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie

Skrutskie's sequel to The Abyss Surrounds Us is just as engaging as its predecessor.

And she must decide whose side she is on once and for all. She must accept that she will have to kill those she was raised to protect. To do so, Cas must learn to rely on all those she has lost throughout this journey. They must destroy the illegal Reckoners to save the sea. Cas learns that there are many Reckoners that were stolen and are now demolishing the ecosystem of the ocean, and all the pirates look to her for a solution. Now she must find her place in this world of pirates. She abandoned her sea monster (a Reckoner), lost her family, and was deceived by Swift, the one person she trusted. There are consequences for Cas’ actions in and it manages to give a realistic ending balancing out the relationship resolution (yay for no kill-your-gays/ our-love-can-never-be) with allowing for the fact that Cas’ life can never go back to what it once was.Gr 8 Up-Cassandra Leung has become an official member of Santa Selena's crew. I love that the ending stays true to the world that author has created. I was relieved to see Bao again and I felt even more justified in loving my ‘little shit’ this time around. It was amazing to see all the different new Reckoners, and nothing could be cooler than pirates vs sea monsters. There are even more action and fight-sequences in this book than the last, culminating in a battle scene worthy of the biggest budget Hollywood blockbuster (I want it, btw). I love that they’re still not totally-in-love, hearts-and-flowers at the end.

I love how bad they both are at expressing their feelings and I love how cute they are together. I love how brave they both are, how selfless and determine, especially for pirates. Guh! I love this duology so much! In a way, I want MOAR of the characters and the world, but I know it’s totally the perfect length. Will Cas embrace the murky morals that life as a pirate brings or perish in the dark waters of the NeoPacific? But how can she take up arms against creatures she used to care for and protect? As a Reckoner trainer, Cas might be the only one who can stop them. Other Reckoners illegally sold to pirates have escaped their captors and are taking the NeoPacific by storm, attacking ships at random and ruining the ocean ecosystem. It’s being forced to work with Swift, the pirate girl who broke her heart.īut Cas has even bigger problems when she discovers that Bao is not the only monster swimming free. The days as a pirate trainee are long and grueling, but it’s not the physical pain that Cas dreads most. Three weeks have passed since Cassandra Leung pledged her allegiance to the ruthless pirate-queen Santa Elena and set free Bao, the sea monster Reckoner she’d been forced to train.

GENRES/ SUBJECTS: SCIENCE-FICTION, PIRATES, ROMANCE, LGBTQIA (F/F)

The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie