Actual rating: 4.5 stars 
 Before I start this review, you need to know that I absolutely ADORED the first book in this series, The 5th Wave. It was one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read, and I was extremely eager to read the second book. Over the past year, I was imaging what was going to happen and how everything would play out; what new secrets would be revealed; and most importantly, convincing myself that Evan couldn't possibly be dead because no author could do that. Well, while I still loved this book, it didn't live up to my expectations as much as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great book and a worthy addition to the series. However, there was something missing for me, especially in the beginning, and I had to go down a star. 
 There is something that I absolutely love about Rick Yancey's writing. It draws you in and never lets you go. The book plays out like a movie, and everything is vividly described so you know exactly what the characters are experiencing. Mr. Yancey takes us on yet another thrill ride that raises far more questions than supplying answers, and gives us some extremely surprising information that makes us (and the characters) question everything. However, one of the things that contributed to the lower rating was the lack of character development. There was virtually none in this book, and it was a bit of a disappointment. The first 2/3 of this book is spent in alternating POVs between Ringer, Cassie, Evan, and even Poundcake (we find out why he never speaks!). Then the last 1/3 is experienced from Ringer's POV. This was also a bit of a flaw for me because it didn't match up with the rest of the book. I would have rather had Ringer's POV spaced throughout the book than just all at once because this was something I greatly enjoyed in the first novel. 
 The one other problem I had was that the first 1/2 of this book dragged a bit for me. There was plenty of action, but at the same time, it was in these short bursts followed by long periods of not much happening. I did like the introduction of Grace because it allowed the reader to find out more about Evan's past. That chick is definitely a force to be reckoned with. In the first book, I greatly enjoyed Cassie's character, however in this one, she kind of drove me a bit crazy. She got annoying after a little bit, but then again we are really only reading from her perspective for 1-2 days. Not much. 
 Nevertheless, the book picks up after the first 1/2, and takes off from there. You will not want to put this book down once you reach a certain point because you will be so enthralled and begging to find out what happens next. The ending is explosive (literally), and reveals new information about the Others that will leave you shocked and questioning everything. Mr. Yancey has definitely set up a story for the third book that is surely going to be gut-wrenching and heart-stopping. The ending may be confusing to some (there were sometimes that I needed to go back and re-read passages to fully understand what was going on), so I recommend reading the ending a bit slower than normal. It helps, trust me. 
 While this wasn't the strongest installment in the series, I definitely am still very much invested in the series, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I know that the finale will be fantastic and will be one non-stop, action-packed story. I do recommend reading this novel if you are a fan of The 5th Wave, however just be prepared that you might not like it as much as the first. Happy reading :)