Book Review: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans

Title: Level 2 

Author: Lenore Appelhans
Series:  The Memory Chronicles, #1
Pages: 317
Publisher: Usborne Children's Books
Date of Publication: 15th January 2013
Source: Publisher*
Synopsis from Goodreads: 

"I pause to look around the hive – all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories… I’ve wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me."

Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in Level 2, the waiting room between Earth and Heaven, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend…and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her…

Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing in Level 2, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves. A choice that will change everything…

THREE LEVELS - TWO LOVES - ONE CHOICE

My Thoughts:
I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch party for this book last week, and it was great fun so I was excited to read Level 2. I hoped it would be awesome and it definitely did not disappoint. It's a great debut that starts up a series perfectly, one that I would definitely recommend!

I absolutely loved the idea of this book. In the book, once you've died, you go to a place where you can play back your own and other people's memories, kind of like you were watching TV, maybe. Whether it was a personal memory of your first date, or the memory of what someone was thinking and feeling while reading a book, you could play it back and relive it. Doesn't that sound awesome? I'd love to be able to read a book through someone else's eyes and be able to hear what they thought about it. Also, they could imagine something they really wanted, in their hand, and it would just appear! Being able to just materialise anything you wanted or needed, like nail varnish, or even a whole sofa, was pretty awesome too. That'd be nice!

There is plenty of action right from the beginning, and it didn't stop throughout the book. I loved that it was fast-paced and something was always happening, but at times it got a bit too fast and a little jumpy and I'd have to take a moment to work out what was going on. It also needed a little world-building at the beginning, just so I understood the world that the story was taking place in. It definitely did get explained as the book went on but a little at the beginning just to introduce the story would have helped, I think. Maybe that was just me not paying enough attention though? I don't know. It has been known to happen!

On the whole, the characters were good. I liked Felicia because even though she was completely hung up on Neil and she wouldn't trust anyone, I would have done exactly the same as her most probably so I felt like I could relate to her. I couldn't (and still can't decide) what I thought about Julian, hence the on the whole. He always seemed shifty and I didn't trust him, and now having finished it I still can't decide if I like him more than Neil, who I found was a bit wishy-washy - but we didn't really get to see him much so that'd be why. I did see his appeal for Felicia though, so he wasn't all bad, and I'm looking forward to finding out more about him in the next book.

Level 2 was a really great read that I couldn't wait to get back to when I wasn't reading it. It made my revision much more bearable as I was rewarding myself with a few pages everytime I got a question right... I know, I know, I'm really sad, but whatever! I'd really recommend Level 2 if you're looking for something a little bit different - it feels kind of dystopian but it isn't really, I don't think, there's some romance, there's some mythology, some action and adventure... There really is a little bit of everything! Also, I didn't realise before I read it but it's written by an awesome blogger, so that's pretty cool too!

*Thanks to Usborne for sending me this in exchange for an honest review! In no way has this affected my opinion of the book.