Initial Impressions 4/28/15: 4.25 - 4.5 stars | Another great NIL story! These books are just so much fun. Definitely reminded me of LOST (I just couldn't help it! And I'm sorry for saying it so many times) and a bunch of survival reality shows. I just really enjoyed getting lost in the book! I was glad to see the continuation of the first book and yet how this book was its own take on the island complete with new characters and new revelations. This was everything I could have asked for in a NIL sequel! Once again loved the science fiction aspects and details to bring this story to life. 
 Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide: When I first read NIL last year, I was so pleasantly surprised! I went into the book not knowing what to expect and I ended up really, really enjoying it. It was an interesting kind of science-fiction, focusing more on what sort of phenomena may occur in nature and take the world by surprise instead of a man-made or manipulated experiment. The island of Nil really comes alive in book two (no, really. It's kind of alive) and it added yet another enjoyable layer to this series! 
 NIL UNLOCKED is told from alternating point-of-views: Rives, a "Nil survivor" who the readers met in book one, and Skye, a girl whose uncle had survived Nil and whose father is obsessed with finding the island. I did find myself missing the two main characters from the previous book, Charley and Thad, at the very beginning but the book quickly swept me away and I was anxious to see what other mysteries Nil had in store. I think my only regret is that I wasn't able to read these two closer together because I had a hard time remember a lot about Rives and the other kids on the island because I was SO focused on Charley and Thad in the first book. 
 That being said, I really did appreciate getting to know Rives as a main character in this book. I really enjoyed his personal ties to the island (they seemed much more personal than Charley's and Thad's) as well as watching him grow into his new leadership position. Then we get to know Skye who is the other half of the story and she was quite the fireball and a great balance for Rives. Their interactions really kept the story moving and they kept each other alert and hungry for answers. But my favorite new character may be the island of Nil itself. NIL introduced us to the mysteries that may dwell beneath the surface but NIL UNLOCKED really allowed the characters and the readers to explore the deeper secrets. The island of Nil started to really come alive and it was so fun to see the way it shaped the book. When done well, I really enjoy when a setting sort of takes on the role of a character and NIL UNLOCKED really nailed it! 
 I actually didn't know that there was a third book going into my read of NIL UNLOCKED... and I actually didn't realize when I finished it either. I'm not quite sure if I'd categorize this as a series since the plot does continue from book one to book two or companions since the main characters are different but any which way you slice it, the two books out so far really do stand well on their own (though I still advise to read them in order). It's refreshing to have the feeling that the story can continue and yet the reader isn't left with gaping holes or giant cliffhangers. There's always more to explore when it comes to Nil but so far these two books wrap up nicely! 
 If you're a sci-fi fan (and I won't tire of saying it... especially if you're a fan of LOST), you need to check out these books! It was really refreshing to read this corner of science-fiction with more of nature-focus than futuristic and gadgety. There's so much happening in this book that the feel ranges from sci-fi to thriller to mystery and there's even a bit of romance. I really enjoy this series so far and I hope others will keep on picking it up!