Review: Lacks Originality
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 4, 2013
Well, lets see.  A typical second book would have the "lovers" from book 1 separated for most of the book, introduce a new love to form a triangle, and involve a promise of a new, better way of life.  Is this a typical second book?  It sure is!  If you like that formula, you will love this book.  If you would just once, like the girl to keep her heart faithful to one guy and not play with thier emotions, you will get angry with this formula.I thought that Exceptional was VERY similar toBirthmarked (Birthmarked Trilogy (Quality))by Caragh O'Brien and book two seems to be following the same pattern andPrized (The Birthmarked Trilogy), book two of Birthmarked.  That doesn't give it many points for originality.  Ally and crew have left the City to find a better place to live, leaving her "love" behind.  She finds a new guy in the new city; making the famous love triangle and discovers that "new" is not better, just different.  I have to say, I was hoping for more.The main plot is preventing the Rogues from attacking the Exceptiional's city.  Ally has knowledge of a formula that "cures" the Rogues and shares it with her new friends in her new city of Champaign.  (I think of Exceptional as just another name for vampire and Rogue as another name for zombie.  Ordinary's are just lowly humans who were ruled by Exceptionals until the Rogues got out of control and scared the Exceptionals.)  Ally has the "cure" for the Rogues to become Human again and incidentally also causes the Exceptionals to become Ordinary too.  Wanting EVERYONE to be the same, Champaig's leader decides to "vaccinate" BOTH Rogues and Exceptionals making everyone EQUAL.I still liked the characters: Ally is strong and a good leader, if not somewhat niave and Luke is faithful and intelligent.  (And yet, they were too similar to Gaia and Leon fromPrized (The Birthmarked Trilogy)). Frustratingly, despite her own suspicions, Ally continues to only THINK of the important questions to ask, but never gets around to getting ANSWERS - much to her later surprise when she realizes how naive (read stupid) she has been. There isn't much time given to the "bad guys" in this book, just the typical downfall of human nature.This book just really made me frustrated and Mad.  Thankfully, I got it free from the Lender's Library and can return it.  Yes, I really think Jess Petosa is a talented writer, but she really needs to think outside the box and write with a little more originality.