I loved this trilogy so much. The first two books were pretty amazing and maybe this book wasn't quite as good as them, but overall the three books were an enjoyable read..

After reading the first two books in the series this book was a bit of a disappointment the battle seems forced and not as well written as the previous ones. Still love Micheal Buckely and can not wait to see what he writes next.

I somehow managed to miss the second book in this series, and as I'm sure you can imagine, jumping straight into book 3 after reading book 1 (like two years ago) was a mistake. Apologies for the inconvenience.

This series started out very strong, with very strong female characters. I love the first two books and was very excited for the final book. Unfortunately, I felt that the final book seemed to have been rushed and the formerly strong and independent female characters became a lot more passive. Although I originally found the main female characters to be inspiring for teens in books 1 and 2, I no longer felt this was the case in book 3.

Book #30 Read in 2017
Heart of the Storm by Michael Buckley

This is the third and final book of the Undertow series. Lyric is once again trying to save the world from evil sea monsters, with the help of her friend Bex, her Alpha friends, her parents and the children she saved in the last book. Will she be able to do it? This series is full of action, interesting characters as well as humor and romance. High school boys and girls as well as adults would enjoy this series.

A great ending to this non-stop action series! Part taken from a good anime, part taken from the myth of Atlantis Michael Buckley knows to create amazing characters and a great story.

Book three was as different from the first two as they were from each other. The narrative constantly moves back and forth from the present to flashbacks of what happened while she was held captive by the Rusalka and Minerva their leader. This sometimes interfered with the flow of the present day narrative, but I think a linear narrative would have been more confusing. My main issue with this book was the fact that Fathom doesn't show up until nearly the end, I also had a little trouble with the ending, it just seemed to be too abrupt and somewhat predictable.

The trilogy on the whole is sound, and a really good read. Mr. Buckley has a nice sense of timing, plot and characters that you get attached to and want to root for. There is a good tumblr for the series, although it doesn't look like it has been updated since the second books release. It has some cool videos though such as this one:

After seven months as a captive of Minerva, the insane Alpha queen, Lyric Walker has escaped to the surface. Her only goal is to warn the world about the Great Abyss. When she finally arrives back in Coney Island, she discovers a world she never expected, one where humans and Alpha are finally working hand in hand to rebuild the country. But she soon discovers that an old enemy allied with an old friend may kill them all before the monsters get their turn. Where will Lyric’s loyalties, and her heart, lead her? With nail-biting action and romance, Michael Buckley’s epic trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

After a kind of lackluster second book in the series, I was kind of wary about this one. I wanted to read the final one to see what happened, but I was worried that this one would be a bit slow and uninteresting. I am very happy to say this was NOT TRUE.

Yes, the book took a bit of a weird turn at the end of the last one when Lyric was taken captive by Minerva and taken underwater. The book goes back and forth between her time as hostage and the time after when she escaped. There is a lot of adventure and action in this book and there are also new monsters. Humans and Alpha must learn to work together to fight these new creatures. But they have to get past their own prejudices first. This book had a lot of political and racial undertones and I thought it was quite relevant considering everything going on in the world today.

I liked that the romance part was a subplot instead of the main thing with this one. The focus was all about saving the world (kind of annoying that Lyric was apparently the only one who could do that, but whatever). There was a little bit of a love triangle, but not much. Lyric is still obviously pining for Fathom, but she still makes some adult decisions about their relationship. She starts to realize that maybe things weren't love at first sight for them, which was a refreshing change.

There are parts of the ending that I enjoyed and one thing happened that annoyed me (no spoilers), but all in all, I was pretty satisfied with the conclusion. I loved seeing more of the Alpha and Lyric's family and all her friends. Good ending to the series.

Heart of the Storm is the third and final installment in author Michael Buckley's Undertow series. When last we saw our protagonist, Lyric Walker, she was being dragged down into the deepest part of the ocean by her nemesis Minerva, and her Rusalka allies. The story actually goes back and forth through several chapters before pushing ahead. There are chapters where we learn how Lyric was treated while being held by Minerva. Then, there are the chapters that focuses on Lyric's time after being rescued, and finding herself once again at center stage in the biggest play she's ever starred in.

I must offer that Lyric's time spent with Husk, and Minerva, was very interesting. There were parts that enlightens readers as to why the Alpha built their city where they did. Why they have those powerful bracelets that Lyric and her team have learned how to use? And, how she is forced to learn how to learn new things like fishing for food for Minerva, while trying to remain alive when she is hated by almost everyone around her because she's not fully Sirene, Ceto, Triton, or Selkie. Lyric learns a valuable lesson in what the Great Abyss really is all about from her new friend Husk, a Rusalka, and how he ends up helping her. There is even one final battle between Minerva and Lyric which leads to curious possibilities.

Meanwhile, back in the States, life has moved on for Lyric's team of hybrid kids like Riley & Chloe, her parents, and her best friend Bex who has become something of a rock star, and is at the top of the FBI's most wanted list for inciting protests and encouraging dissent. Bex really stands out in this installment, and I can honestly say that I am glad. I loved seeing her become someone fierce, and determined, and a leader in her own way. Lyric must find a way to collectively bring together those who hate each other, Humans and Alphas, into an alliance of biblical proportions if anyone is going to survive what is to come.

She has to make deals with the shady White Tower group that took her and her friends hostage, treated her mother as a specimen, and jailed her father in a camp. Let's not forget about the newest species aka nemesis known as the Tardigrade that makes Lyric's life even more worrisome by talking to her and Husk. Lyric must find a way to defeat the Tardigrade before the world is swamped with beings who hate humanity and wants to created new children who like Husk and Lyric, are connected to them.

This is the point where I get nervous. Telling readers why my rating isn't higher. It's not a slap at the author. In fact, I have nothing but respect for the world that he has created. It is the way I collectively take in things as an older reader. What is holding me back from a higher rating is simple. Lyric, Riley, Bex, her mother, father, and Bex's team goes through all this trouble to put together a formidable force which includes Fathom, and his Alpha brethren, and a ton of humans, only to have things quickly come to an end. Instead of lots of action, there is a whimper, and then the story moves forward 3 years in the future. I wasn't sure in what direction the author was going with Riley, Bex, and Lyric, but I am happy with the way it plays out. There is nothing at all wrong with Lyric's choice in the end, especially after everything she's been through.

I posted a review of this book along with the new Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman.

If you are looking for another more modern "myth" to read, please note that the third book in the Undertow Trilogy was also published this past week. Written by Michael Buckley and titled HEART OF THE STORM, this sci-fi novel completes an entertaining and compelling story about bigotry and assimilation. A few years ago, I could not stop reading Undertow, and have definitely been recommending this trilogy to our students (who were a bit disappointed in the second book, Raging Sea). This third book is written in alternating time periods which causes a bit of confusion, but definitely moves quickly as new characters join the adventures with the Alien Prince Fathom and half-human Lyric. HEART OF THE STORM is filled with monsters and a fight for survival, a fitting end to this romantic fantasy series for Hunger Games fans.

link in live post: http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2015/05/undertow-by-michael-buckley.html

Heart of the Sea is the third and final installment of The Undertow Trilogy by Michael Buckley. It takes place in a alternate/semi post-apocolyptic world, mostly in New York, and is filled with the same original lore and action as the rest of the series, but deals with much higher stakes and has a darker tone.

Heart of the Sea does a really good job of not holding back the sacrifices and losses that go along with battle. In this case, it's not only against the creatures from the sea that Lyric and her cohorts have to face but also other humans. The writing throughout the series is great and pulls readers along with good pace that reveals the magic and lore of the world without dumping information all at once or leaving readers confused. The characters, including Lyric, are well developed and have unique characters, and, most importantly in my opinion, change believably throughout the series as the situation becomes more dire. Lyric especially really develops into a completely different character, and I appreciate the choices she makes at the end of the book.
The pacing gets a little wonky at some moments, moving a little too quickly or getting a little disorienting because it jumps back and forth from the present to past memories. Lyric is on a mission to protect everyone she loves and while it ends with a bang (and I absolutely LOVE the epilogue), the ever-present danger from the first page of the book made the ending seem a little prolonged. There are some plot points that made the story seem a little predictable, though I think that Lyric's character saved it.

Overall, Heart of the Storm is a great ending to the trilogy. It is crucial you start with Undertow, since the series is dependent on knowing what was happening in previous books and the characters and supernatural aspects are best understood by following Lyric's journey from the beginning. Filled with action, killer supernatural sea creatures, a little bit of forbidden romance, and a great female heroine unafraid to do anything to protect those she loves, Heart of the Storm is a fantastic ending to a unique and enjoyable series. Perfect for fans of Divergent (with a little more supernatural stuff) and the Syrena Legacy (with a little more dystopian stuff).

Lyric Walker was held prisoner under water for over half a year before she was able to escape to the surface. Now that she is on dry land, she wants to find her friends and family and get the word out about the Great Abyss. Her time away wasn’t that long, yet when she returns she discovers that humans and Alpha are actually working together to get the country restarted. It isn’t all sunlight and roses, though, because there are still people out there who want to sabotage the work being forged. Can Lyric overcome the human obstacles before the monsters from the sea arrive? Which love will Lyric choose to pursue?

Heart of the Storm is the third and final book in the Undertow trilogy. The action is intense from the beginning and readers will be excited for the many story lines brought to an end. Yet I found the flashbacks to Lyric’s underwater time a little confusing at first. I will admit that it could be because I flew through it faster than I should have. The ending is perfect, yet not everyone will be happy. That is not unusual when a girl has to pick a boy … someone is always left out. Heart of the Storm is a good escape, but only for those who read the first two books.

Heart of the Storm by Michael Buckley is book three in his Undertow series and it definitely finishes strong.

A combination of flashbacks to the time Lyric was captured is interwoven with her re-entry into the human world and the battle for the future. Lyric's romantic interactions are not quite as prevalent as in previous books but if you want action and adventure and saving the world, then this book has it, the culmination of the series, providing answers and fighting grand battles. Don't want to spoil the book, but just know this book delivers with a powerful finish.

Overall, Heart of the Storm was a great story and I happily recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

This isn't the series ender I expected, but it still works, and it certainly exceeds book 2, Raging See. Told in flashbacks as well as the present, we learn what happened to Lyric when she was taken captive by the new Alpha Prime, Minerva.

Something big and bad is on the move. Lyric and the Rusalka Husk can hear the voices. This collective is bent on extinguishing all humans. Nothing can stand in its way. All Lyric wants to do is run far, far away with her parents and friends who have become family. But there's another voice, and it's telling Lyric that she can stop it.

That means a return to Coney Island. It means freeing the Alpha who have been imprisoned and mistreated. In order to defeat this common enemy, all the Alpha must work together, even with - and especially with - the Rusalka. Humans and Alpha must work together in spite of the imprisonment, torture, and killing. Humans must put aside matters of distrust to work together. If they all look beyond their differences and past experiences, they might be able to do the unthinkable - save the world.

4.5 out of 5 stars

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review because doing so means I've finished the book and therein the series. There will be no more installments because the Undertow series was a trilogy after all, and Heart of the Storm was book three. It was the culmination of a story that drew me in with the first page of the first book and kept me anchored until the very last page of this very last book. It was packed with excitement, horror, action, love, and even hope.

Book one was excellent and really got me interested in seeing where the author could take his idea, yet the ending left something to be desired. I assumed and had hopes that another book would follow to take up the slack; however, I wasn't for sure. Then book two came out (Yay!) and was pretty incredible, but the ending was a wham-bam-thank you mam cliffhanger setting things up for book three. So when it came down to it, my biggest concern going into this final installment was whether or not I would be satisfied with the conclusion Buckley came up with. You always want a book to have a solid ending, but especially one that the author is putting to bed after allowing you to grow attached to the characters and their storyline over several books/years. And though I had a few small complaints, I have to say that I was truly pleased with the overall wrap up of Lyric's tale.

Of all the books, I'd say Heart of the Storm packed the darkest, heaviest, most political/racial punch. Told through two different time perspectives- then and now, Lyric's story continued. New monsters were unleashed. And humanity and Alpha, as a whole, had to decide which wars were really worth fighting.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for introducing me to this crazy series three books ago and once again today. It's been a pleasure.