Winter's story comes to a close Ferocious, and while I am sad to let her and Jesse go, it was a great ending for both of them. This is more of a heist story, rather than the mystery/murder thriller of the first book, and the tension didn't feel as high. But, then again, finding your sister's killer will always be a bit more emotionally taught than stealing something. Paula does it well though, and I think if I wasn't coming off of Winter solving her sister's murder in Vicarious I wouldn't have noticed. With a new book comes a change in scenery, and Paula paints Seoul vividly. The culture and food are vibrant and sound delicious and I also just love travelling (and heisting) in YA books. And then there is Jesse, who is wonderful. I loved his relationship with Winter and its slow burn nature. They are good for each other, and I loved watching their friendship was built into something more. Most of all, I appreciated Paula's treatment of mental illness, and how Winter learned that seeking help for it wasn't something to be ashamed of. Ferocious is an excellent conclusion to this duology and it will keep you on your toes with all the action and questionable characters.

Ferocious by Paula Stokes is fantastic. I think my biggest regret is not doing a reread of Vicarious before diving back into this world. Winter Kim and her friends are out for revenge and create a very high pace sequel to the first book. I really enjoyed these characters and their determination.

Paula threw me for SUCH a loop with this conclusion to the duology and I lover every second. I totally did not see the twist coming and the story itself was so exciting.

A nice followup to the first book in the series, though I did not love it just as much as that one. It was maybe in the reckless way Winter acted, still I loved all her different personalities and teh way they influenced the storyline..

Jesse was just as sweet and the story was action packed, the mystery is still there and the need to have a happy ending, more so when things start to shake.

Overall it was a captivating story that has the power to keep the reader on the edge

Ferocious is one of my anticipated sequels and I loved reading it! It was so good. It delivered the twists, the action and the darkness that I was expecting in the sequel. Mostly, the book took place in Korea which I loved. Learning a bit of Korean words and culture was fun. Some parts were a bit boring but it was able to redeem itself.

Winter has suffered many losses in her life and now she's discovering herself. The secrets of her past came to light, but all she wants is revenge on the man who took everything away from her. When Gideon's technology is stolen, it's just another reason for Winter to continue with her plans, only that in the process, she will have to recover what is hers, and find out where is her brother. But her friends aren't going to leave her alone, and both Baz and Jesse will accompany her on this trip of revenge but also of acceptance and self-knowledge.

Winter is an extremely interesting and complex character. She has dissociative identity disorder and through the story, we see how she deals with it. I don't think I've ever read about this in any other book, so I really enjoyed learning about this subject. It also created tension in the plot and shocking revelations.

This book has very good twists and turns, unexpected secrets are revealed that left me shocked and even horrified at times. It was what I liked the most about the story because it didn't stop surprising me.

Another thing that I liked was the setting. I love knowing places around the world through the books. Places, food and traditions, in addition to the language. We get to know the streets of Seoul as if we were just right there.

The plot of this book was captivating, it's full of action and adrenaline, with a lot of suspense. It also has a lot of drama and a bit of romance with the tenderness and loyalty of Jesse who I loved. And of course, I really hated Kyung, he's one of the most despicable characters I've ever read.

This book talks about several important issues and that made it much more complex. The author did a fantastic research work to create an original story that I really enjoyed.

What an explosive conclusion! Ferocious is everything I hoped in a sequel and as I said in my review for Vicarious, I'm so not ready to move on from this mind-blowing series.

Ferocious picks up as Winter plans for her revenge against Kyung, the man who’s caused her so much pain and took away everyone she loves. Intrigue, drama, mystery, action, and some humor keep the story moving along. There are so many twist and turns that I never knew which way the story was going. I was definitely on edge the whole time and I absolutely loved it! But amidst all the tension and madness, there are plenty of heartwarming and sweet moments too… and that made me love this series even more.

When I first met Winter, she believed that she’s too damaged to love and be loved. Seeing her grow every step of the way was so rewarding. I was totally fist pumping when she finally comes to realize that her past does not define who she is nor does it determine what her future will be. I truly adore Jesse with all my heart. He genuinely cares for Winter and does what he can to protect and help her in every way possible. He’s kind, gentle, and patient so it’s difficult not to fall for someone like him. And Baz… he’s just so awesome. I loved that I was able to get to know him more and by the end, I definitely wanted to give him a big hug.

The romance in this book is ridiculously SWOONY and absolutely one of my favorite parts of this book. Winter and Jesse are so freaking cute together! Their chemistry and slow-burn romance made my heart melt from the very beginning -- sweet, adorable and most of all, realistic. It never takes the front seat, but blends in so perfectly with the story. I really enjoyed watching them work out their feelings for each other and will forever ship them.

Ferocious is truly one fantastic read! It’s thrilling, exciting, well-paced, and full of surprises. It deals with tough issues that will break your heart, but leaves you with so much hope and love. It’s bittersweet saying goodbye to these characters, but the ending feels so right – the perfect conclusion to a remarkable series.

Paula Stokes is without a doubt a talented and versatile writer. I fell in love with her writing style when I read Girl Against the Universe last year. I now have read 4 books and a short story and honestly LOVED them all. Paula's writing is incredibly realistic, captivating, and hits all the right FEELS. Whether it’s cute and swoony like GATU or intense and dark like Vicarious and Ferocious, she delivers her story with so much heart. If you haven’t read any of Paula's books, you are totally missing out on something absolutely amazing!

4.5 Stars

'Ferocious' lives up to its name and then some. It's a fantastic science fiction novel full of action and thrills, and it's sure to have readers devouring the pages. I've read several of the author's other books, so I'm familiar with her amazing talent and storytelling abilities. This definitely was no exception. The writing was awesome - she brought Winter's world to life in front of my eyes with vivid imagery and detailed descriptions. I easily slipped inside Winter's mind and world right from the beginning of the story, and I didn't come back out until I finished the last words.

Winter is a fierce main character, but she was still easy to connect with. She's been devastated by the loss of the two people in the world she loved, and she's out for revenge. She's determined, smart, resourceful, and strong in so many ways. The author made her realistic in her flaws - including her broken heart over the loss of her sister and her need for revenge and make the people responsible pay. I really liked getting to see inside her mind and experience the story from her perspective. The author wrote the story in the first person - from Winter's point of view, and I'm so happy that she chose to do it this way. It's by far my favorite writing style because of the deeply personal connection it allows the reader to have with the narrator. I think it was a perfect fit for the novel and it brought Winter's story closer for me. I very highly recommend this book for fans of the author, as well as fans of science fiction, dystopia, and thrillers.

This was good! I'm going to have to read book 1 and then re-read this!

This sequel to Vicarious finds Winter Kim determined to get revenge on Kyung, the man who enslaved her and her sister in a sex ring and later killed her sister and the man who was like a father to Winter. She has escaped from Kyung’s clutches but now that she is alone, she wants him to pay. To do so she returns to her homeland of South Korea. But Kyung seems to be a step ahead of her and uses the threat of hurting a brother she never knew existed, to force her to comply with his directives. She is torn by her need for revenge and the stunning possibility that she may actually have a living brother. But she’s not sure if this phantom sibling even exists. Helping Winter is Jesse, a boy who would do anything for her and Baz, a former soldier whose military training comes in handy.

The setting in Seoul adds a distinct flavor to the book. There’s plenty of action and twists to keep readers guessing. Compounding Winter’s problems of getting back at such a powerful figure is the girl’s Dissociative Identity Disorder. She has multiple personalities battling with her for control of her actions. She can’t be sure what she might do if another identity takes command and this loss of control is alarming.

Winter’s companions are amazing. They help her clean up messes, plan her revenge and watch her back. The characters carry the book and with the intense action and plot twists, readers will be riveted to their seats, anxious to read what happens next. A taut tale that does a great job of completing Stokes’ duology. 3.5*

Winter Kim is back and ready for revenge in this explosive follow up to Vicarious.

Winter Kim is on a mission. After her sister was murdered and the only ones she loves were taken from her, she finds out she has a brother she never knew about. His life is in danger if she doesn’t travel to South Korea and confront Kyung, the man responsible for all the misery in her life. Helping her along the way are her friends, Jesse and Sebastian. Together they gain access to Kyung’s corporation and try to gather as much information as possible to get her brother to safety and get out alive herself. Winter must decide if the revenge she is seeking is worth risking everything or will she be able to release the darkness within her.

The follow up to Vicarious picks up right where things lift off in the first one. Vicarious was very action packed and moved at a quick pace, Ferocious takes things down a notch and moves slower for several different reasons. The main point of this story is the revenge Winter is seeking. Revenge takes planning, planning takes time, which ended up making the story less action packed and slower. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; the set-up of what Winter was going to do was well laid out giving the characters more depth. Even though I can’t call this as action packed as the first, there certainly were a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. As far as I can tell, there isn’t another book to follow in the series. I can see the story mostly wrapped up here but there are still a few threads that could be played out further if the author decided to pursue the storyline further. I recommend this book to an older YA audience that enjoys thrillers with plenty to keep them guessing. It is marketed as a YA but I don’t think a few of the themes would be appropriate for the younger YA audience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

This series is a first for me reading any of Paula Stokes' books. I was drawn in by the synopsis of both Vicarious and Ferocious. The synopsis alone boasted it's fast-adventure thriller that played with the mind. And... I have to say that it does live up to it.

Paula Stokes has created and continued this action/adventure-filled thriller following the main character on a "mission" to avenge those she loved dearly. Of course, the adventure flows as she travels to destination(s) to takes her even closer to her goal(s). Her characters are well developed with complex and individual personalities.

As regards to its pace, Ferocious seemed a bit lacking as compared to Vicarious. But, I would not say that it lacked in the intensity of the characters and plot. Paula Stokes has continued to reveal the resilience and strength of the main character, especially after everything she has been through and survived. Moreover, I would have to say that Ferocious contained its own fast-pace and compelling story to tell readers.

Of course, I would have to say that reading Vicarious first is recommended since Ferocious basically starts off where Vicarious left off. Plus, Vicarious pretty much sets up for Ferocious! Either way, Ferocious can definitely hold its own when it comes to the suspenseful and thrilling twists and turns of a hi-tech mystery/thriller.

FEROCIOUS takes readers back to the exciting world first experienced in VICARIOUS only this time the theme is revenge with Winter traveling to South Korea on a quest to avenged her sister's death and find the brother she never knew about.

Where as VICARIOUS had a fast-paced plot and extream sense of danger and twists reveal, FEROCIOUS carefully builds upon these revealing much more character depth in Winter and her relationship with others, in particular, her growing feelings for Jesse and the loss of her sister. When Winter discovers she has a brother who is in danger from an old enemy, nothing is going to stand in her way to try and rescue him.

One of the standout qualities in this duology is the continued growth and exploration of Winter's mental issues, namely the discovery of the alters she has. Stokes takes readers into her world and explores what it's like to have Dissociative Identity Disorder. Very much flying by the seat of her pants, Winter, step-by-step, faces these issues while navigating the first feelings of being in love, being independent, and just wanting to live a "normal" life. Stokes doesn't shy away from Winter making mistakes but that only made me sympathize with her more. I really enjoyed how open and realistic Winter's character felt.

Winter's mission leads her from St. Louis to Los Angeles back to South Korea, where she grew up and Stokes paints such a vivid picture of Seoul and Korean lifestyle. The food, sites, and people are all brought to life.

Revenge and Winter's quest to find her brother lead to a satisfactory, if somewhat predictable, ending. Strong characterization and thoughtful exploration of tough subjects make for a standout read.

This one was awesome but I have to say that this one made book one look kinda meh. In this one were on the journey to steal back some tech. Unlike book one where we are just trying to solve your sister's murder but in this one, we have this kick butt, amazing high stakes, action packed, story.

I have to say that I wish book one would have been like this one. This one has tons of great action (stabby stab stab!!!), shooting, and bad ass girls (which was awesome!). The setting was perfect! I can't help but say that I fell in love with Korea in another series that was fantasy. This one is also set there and it was perfect! I loved reading about the food and the area. I liked the fact that the author didn't shy away from Winter's illness and that she explored it more in this book. I also loved the romance in this one. Winter and Jesse were perfect! (no instalove in this one yay). I do wish that this one would have had the mystery elements that book one had. I liked wondering what was going on and not being sure of who you could trust. It made the book an edge of your seat read. This one, however, lacked that mystery and focused much more on the characters and action.

This one was good if you liked book one you will enjoy this one as well.

The first chapter of this book gives a recap of what happened in Vicarious and I am eternally grateful that it’s there because boy oh boy had I forgotten everything. And the recap opened the old wounds again and got me excited to be in Winter’s mind again.

This one is darker than the first, but there’s more of a connection with Winter. She’s grown so much and dealt with so much (seriously, SO MUCH) and all you want is for her to be okay.

This one gets 5 stars from me, because even though it’s darker and grittier than what I normally read, it’s a story with purpose and heart. I tend to shy away from stories with too much depth, ones that make me uncomfortable (and I was uncomfortable so many times), but Winter needs to be heard. And we need to listen.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Ferocious by Paula Stokes
Book Two of the Vicarious series
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: August 15, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Paula Stokes returns to the world of Vicarious in this sequel, a high-action psychological thriller with a protagonist out for vengeance.

When Winter Kim finds out that her sister is dead and that she has a brother she never knew about, only two things matter―finding what’s left of her family and killing the man who destroyed her life. Her mission leads her from St. Louis to Los Angeles back to South Korea, where she grew up.

Things get increasingly dangerous once Winter arrives in Seoul. Aided by her friends Jesse and Sebastian, Winter attempts to infiltrate an international corporation to get close to her target, a nefarious businessman named Kyung. But keeping her last remaining loved ones out of the line of fire proves difficult, and when all seems to be lost, Winter must face one last devastating decision: is revenge worth sacrificing everything for? Or can she find a spark of hope in the darkness that threatens to engulf her?

What I Liked:

Ferocious is a little different compared to its predecessor, Vicarious. While Vicarious had a lot of action and jaw-dropping reveals, Ferocious felt more introspective. Fans of Vicarious will not be disappointed with this sequel, as it brings the story to a game-changing climax and wraps up everything in a neat fashion.

This book picks up fairly closely to where the previous book finished. Winter is determined to find the brother she never knew about it, and she leaves Jesse and Baz to recover in the hospital in St. Louis, while she goes to L.A. But trouble follows her to L.A., and she finds herself with Jesse and Baz heading to Seoul. Kyung has the ViSE tech that Winter was determined to protect, and she will stop at nothing to get it out of his hands and to make him pay for all of his crimes.

The pace of this book is much slower and involved more planning (in terms of what Winter, Baz, and Jesse were doing). I didn't mind this because the slower pace seemed necessary, with all that Winter had to take in, at the end of Vicarious. While most of the action deals with Winter trying to get the tech back, the other big part of the story is Winter's mental state.

This book has Winter's mental illness at front and center. Winter is trying to figure out who she is and who her alters are, and what she can do to control these parts of her. I like that Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is something that is talked about a lot in this book - meaning, it is something that constantly appears on the page. Winter worries about losing control to her other alters. She worries about not being strong enough to do this or that. She worries that there is nothing she can do to be "normal" again. But at the same time, she talks about DID to Jesse, and her therapist, and Baz. It's not something that she keeps in secret, and I liked that she kept things so open.

Winter is such a private and sometimes closed-off person, which was obvious in book one, and is still obvious in this book. I must say, the author stays true to Winter's character. Not that you would expect the author not to, but Stokes does an excellent job with the characterization and character development of all of her characters. Winter felt the most real and well-written, probably because the author spent the most time making her flawed and imperfect and human and real.

Jesse is a constant support, always there for Winter, and a big part of the story. Baz is another pillar of support. Jesse was ex-military, and Baz was... something. He has connections to people with dangerous things in Korea (like hand-held weapons), and he is pretty handy to have around. But besides that, Baz is a a nice guy who means well. (If you're wondering, he was a friend of Gideon's, who was Rose's boyfriend and a father-figure to Winter.)

The romance in this book is suuuuuuper slow-burn and barely there. Well, it's something that comes up every now and then, but the majority of the romance is Winter trying to figure out what she wanted. Everyone and their mother could tell that Jesse loved Winter (Winter was well aware too). But Winter kept sending mixed signals because she didn't know what she wanted. Again, slow-burn, until the very end. A little too slow, given that the romance is slow-burn across the series, but not necessarily a bad thing. No swoony moments though, unfortunately.

Props to the author for doing such a great job with the setting (Seoul, mostly) and Korean culture. There are sprinkles of the Korean language, food, and customs, and of course most of the book is set in Seoul. To me it was clear that the author knew what she was writing about and had done her research. (Also, if anyone is curious, Stokes lived in Seoul for some time.)

The climax didn't feel super exciting mostly because by that point you can figure out who is going to live, who is going to die, who is going to end up with the tech, etc. It's a cookie-cutter ending with not a single important death, so take that as you will. It's a good ending but maybe a little too perfect?

What I Did Not Like:

I feel like there are little things about this book that bothered me and I can't say I loved the book. Liked, yes, but not loved. I already mentioned how I thought the ending was a little too perfect, in a cookie-cutter kind of way. I honestly expected this one person to die, or another specific person, but literally no one dies, which was kind of irritating. And I was referring to good guys (in terms of people who I thought would die)! Usually there is at least one major "good guy" death.

The romance was soooooo slow. Don't get me wrong, I love slow-burn. But this was borderline annoying. I wrote above that it wasn't a bad thing and it really isn't for some people. And for most of the book, it didn't really bother me too much. But in the back of my head I kept thinking, nothing is happening! I understand what Winter needed to think through, but she wasn't attempting to think through certain things (like romance), so I didn't know what the point was.

Can I also mention how way-too-perfect Jesse seemed? I am all for sweet boys, but I think Jesse was a little too sweet and perfect. It was really hard for me to wrap my head around his constant I'd-do-anything-for-you-Winter attitude. Can you imagine a young boy in the 21st century carrying on like that? Y'all. I'm 22 i.e. around Jesse's age. It would be a hard NO. Also I'm not sure I see his motivation. I get that he loves her but before he loved her? Why?

"But this is fiction, Alyssa!" Yeah and he is STILL too perfect, selflessness aside. The guy never gets upset. He never gets irritated. He never throws a tantrum or a fit or has a ticking jaw. He literally neverrrrrrrrr feels any kind of negative emotion, EXCEPT maybe the occasional flash of disappointment when Winter doesn't want the breakfast he orders, or something like that. And it's like, a flash of disappointment and then he is back to his peppy self. Y'all. I'm sorry. But no. You could be the most even-tempered person (and I know plenty of those) and you'd still get irritated over this or that, in front of people.

There was something about this book's plot that was a little lacking, especially considering how extreme and intense book one was. Maybe it was the whole "gotta-steal-back-the-tech" thing? I always find that kind of plot hard to believe because you're tell me untrained seventeen-year-old teenagers are outsmarting men in the forties/fifties with high-tech security and state-of-the-art technology and all of that? My imagination stretches pretty far but with these kinds of plot, I'm not always a believer. Especially when I thought there were a bunch of situations in which Winter got lucky, or there was some sort of deus ex machina at work.

Also, a small thing, but I'm so lost as to how Jesse appeared to make a miraculous recovery from the hospital in the early chapters of this book. He was in the ICU in St. Louis wrapped up in bandages upon bandages, and then two days later he hops on a plane, pops out in L.A., kicking down doors and chasing people? And yet he was healing from a gunshot wound and wounds that Winter inflicted on him? As the story goes on, there is mention of how Jesse has to slow down to take stairs, and his bandages have to be checked. But you understand what I'm saying, right? He basically did a 180 in less than 48 hours or so. If I had gotten shot (I think he got shot once at the end of book one, if I remember correctly), I would be chilling for days, if not weeks. This circles back to my mention of how Jesse's selflessness is very, very unbelievable.

Another thing? Does Winter ever feel bad about how she physically hurt Jesse? Not to mention that she manipulates him emotionally throughout this book (by stringing him along, until she finally makes up her mind). But she physically hurt him at the end of the book one, and I don't recall seeing her feel any kind of guilt at all, in this book. Maybe a fleeting thought. No apology or anything. And yet, Jesse treats her like she is Beyonce. Y'all. I can't deal with this fictional, fictitious boy.

Little things, right?

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend Vicarious but I can't say I really recommend Ferocious. I mean, I don't think anyone who loves this series and author will be disappointed - and if anything, all of my dislikes could be just me. But Ferocious didn't have the same impact that Vicarious had. I think it would have been better if Vicarious had been a standalone. Ferocious seemed kind of expendable and unnecessary - I could have been satisfied with Vicarious (but with a different ending - maybe Ferocious's ending). Vicarious was so good.

Rating:

3 stars. This was a difficult rating for me because I so wanted to love the book, and I gave it a higher rating initially. But that was me fooling myself and trying to force myself to feel that way. I liked the story but I just didn't love it, and the issues I had with it were enough to impact my rating. Still, I'm not disappointed and I'm glad I finished out the series. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author!

Ferocious is a worthy enough sequel to the psychological mystery that Vicarious was. In the previous book, most of the plot was devoted to Winter trying to solve her sister's murder while giving her mental illness the stink eye and looking very badass while doing all of that. Ferocious shifts the plot slightly into a revenge arc, where Winter, now aware of the circumstances of her sister's death, and starting to realize the breadth of her illness, is out to retrieve the ViSE tech from Kyung, her arch-nemesis. Her story takes us from the aftermath of the events in the climax of Vicarious, to her on the run and finally landing in Seoul, to fight the battle on their turf.

The two major components of the plot are action and romance. Action with Winter trying to devise a heist-like strategy to retrieve the stolen tech, and romance with Jesse starting to become a safe place for her. Her arc in the previous book was all about denying herself the chance to be a normal girl, to be with him because she felt sullied by her past. In this book, he supports her constantly and becomes her rock, so that she can learn that her past doesn't define her or make her unfit for love. She also shifts from her fatalistic tendencies and in very cliched terms, learns to live.

The story, while slow paced, devotes time to both the action and romance, and while I am not usually a fan of the latter having a majority arc in a story, it worked here because of the dynamics of their relationship. Most of the story takes place in Korea, so it is also peppered with details about Seoul, and the food and the cultural conventions, which seem to be well-researched. As with Vicarious, the mental illness also seems to be well-handled and given it's due importance, as well sending out the message to seek therapy rather than shun it.

Overall, I find it a nice conclusion to Winter's story, and a good sequel to Vicarious.

Content warning: Mentions of sexual assault, human trafficking, and torture.

Winter Kim and her friends race back in this sequel and finale to the Vicarious duology, this time armed with a thirst for revenge for the deaths of her loved ones and the desire to find and protect her brother, on the streets of South Korea.

Winter's dissociative identity disorder (DID) plays a much more significant role in Ferocious, and is an interesting look into the mental health illness. Though I can't speak to how authentic the representation of DID is in the book, it certainly feels like Stokes has taken her time to research the subject matter meticulously. Admittedly, the DID is used as a plot device at times, and the book could have done with a deeper look at Winter's alternate personalities, to make it come across as a stronger element of the novel. Winter's blood-thirst, determination and struggles with who she really is make her an interesting protagonist. Though she often time makes questionable decisions, she remains a likable character throughout Ferocious, and you find yourself rooting for her happiness.

Her love interest, Jesse, once again plays a pivotal role in her life, often times anchoring her to her reality, and helping her feel valued and loved. While undeniably Jesse comes across as overly perfect at times, his selflessness and kindness make him hard to dislike. The romance between Winter and Jesse feels very stagnant at times throughout the book, with Winter not entirely ready to give in to her feelings and attraction to Jesse, and her focus solely being on her mission. It feels slow, but the build up makes it more realistic. Regardless, this is a romance that will most likely either satisfy fans immensely or frustrate them because of how slow it is.

The mission, involving a mysterious but shady businessman, the stolen ViSE device, and Winter's brother, is at the center of Ferocious.  There are plenty of action-packed and bloody scenes, but Ferocious also has some pacing issues. Much of the middle of the book involves planning for the ultimate mission and how to take down Kyun, the businessman who has ruined Winter's life, so not a lot happens. Most of the midsection of the book involves exploring the food culture in South Korea, which admittedly made me hungry. The book is also lacking in any major surprises and feels mostly predictable.

It's still a very readable sequel, and wraps up Winter's story nicely, but looking at the duology as a whole, Vicarious was the stronger book.

Such a good sequel! I enjoyed this book so much! Characters are sooo good and action is thrilling! A must read!