Book Review: Front Lines

Title: Front Lines
Author: Michael Grant
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Series: Front Lines (Book 1)

I was not in love with this book. I read Grant's other series (BZRK) and actually enjoyed it, so I was hoping that it would be the same with this series. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I feel like the premise/idea behind this book was actually pretty cool, but I just couldn't get behind the writing.

One of my main issues was that all the characters seemed to blend. I could never remember who was who, where they were stationed, their backstories, etc. Their chapters were all written in the same type of voice, so it wasn't super obvious who it was (at least to me) until you came across some detail like they are an intelligence officer, and then I would go searching for the character who was the intelligence officer. However, it's really hard to read when you keep flipping back and forth to figure out who's who. Everyone had really unique and different backgrounds, but they still seemed to blend so I don't know how that happened.

Also, I never really got into the story. At first it seemed kinda interesting/cool but about a quarter/halfway into the book I started dragging my feet. I found myself reaching for my phone or laptop more than I did for this book, which is the opposite of how it normally is when I am reading. Plus, it took me 3 days to finish this book which, page-wise, I could have finished in one (it was only 548 pages). I just couldn't bring myself to pick up the book, unless the other option was studying for my math test because that's not going so well and I'm just trying to avoid it.

I really wasn't a fan of this book, I was planning on reading the second (and even the third when it came out), but I think I'll just end here. I'm curious as to who the hospital writer is, but not enough to keep reading.

LIKES:
+I like reading about wars (this sounds awful, but it's the tactics/strategy that interests me, not the whole killing part) and this book had women soldiers in a war, so I thought it was going to be good! (Basically--good premise, not-so-good execution)
+ I really want to know who the hospital writer is, every time I forgot about them all of a sudden they had a chapter and that itch would come back and I couldn't scratch it!
+ It wasn't the worst book ever, there was action and some strategy and all that, I just wasn't interested...
+ The first part of the book (where all the characters are introduced) was really interesting! It just kinda went downhill from there though...

DISLIKES:
- All the characters blended because all their chapters were written the same way... also, way too many different characters who had their own chapters. I love dual narrators, I can tolerate 3 (normally), but 3 characters with similar voices made my head spin
- There wasn't anything really drawing you into the story. Half the time I couldn't even remember why I was reading it! The only thing I can think of is that there was not a lot of showing and a ton of telling (this is bringing me back to my junior high days...)
- It was really hard for me to connect with the characters because, like I said, they all blended. So I had no clue who's chapter I was reading.
- Love triangles. Gack. Also the romance seemed really oddly placed, and interrupted the story. I would have just taken it out all together.

I would recommend reading BZRK over this series, it's a totally different story but much more interesting.

See this review on Goodreads.