I'll Find You Anywhere • Ten Thousand Skies Above You (+ Giveaway)

Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray
Series: Firebird #2
Previous Books: A Thousand Pieces of You
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: November 3, 2015 (Get your copy today!)
Source/Format: Publisher/EW || ARC/e-galley

[I received this book from Harper Collins. This is no way affects the content of my review.]

Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions. 

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

It's always a challenge to talk about the second book in a series without giving anything away. If you've read the summary above, then you're aware of the bare bones of this story: Marguerite has to gather together the splinters of Paul's soul in all the dimensions they've been scattered in. But Ten Thousand Skies Above You is a whole lot more than just one girl's mission to save the boy she loves. It's about the ethics of traveling between dimensions. It's about the complexity of a personality. It's about the difficulty of making decisions that will affect an entire dimension. And, of course, it's about uncovering the truth.

There are similarities between this one and its predecessor: the consistent pacing and the variety of settings Marguerite travels to on her journey. But for the most part, Ten Thousand Skies Above You is a different story. There are brand-new developments, personal and scientific, that raise and change the stakes for Marguerite and her loved ones. And these characters, who have already been altered by their previous experiences, are being forced to adapt and react yet again to the new problems they face. But the themes are really what make this story special. Marguerite struggles with ethics and morality when she makes her choices; she also struggles with comprehending the true complexity of human nature. Her problems make for something quite fascinating to observe. (I'll admit, however, that there did come a point where I didn't care for her self-pity anymore, and just wanted her to come to her senses.)  They even challenged me to think about what I might do, which is something I tend to appreciate in my reads. 

Gray has written a great addition to the Firebird trilogy. Ten Thousand Skies Above You opens up this story even more, with solid character development, fascinating new dimensions and larger revelations in store. I did struggle with Marguerite and her internal monologue at times, but overall, I really liked this one. If you've read A Thousand Pieces of You, you'll be in for a treat with this sequel! (And if you haven't, you should probably remedy that. Stat.)

Thanks to the generous team over at Kaye Publicity + Harper Collins, I get to host a giveaway for a finished copy of Ten Thousand Skies Above You! All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Please bear in mind that this giveaway is open to residents of US/CN ONLY.

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