Distortion by Victor Dixen Review

Hiya,

How has everyone’s weekend been so far? Mine has been pretty banal but I’ve gotten through quite a bit of work so at least I’ve been productive. I reviewed the first book in this series last month and fell head over heels 🙃for everything about it, so if you are interested you should check that out before this because this will obviously follow on from that. So semi-spoilers are ahead if you haven’t read the first book, but not if you haven’t read the second – if that makes sense. 😅 Also, I have been loving using emoji’s recently so if you hate that I do apologise. Anyway, I will get straight into this!

Title: Distortion (Phobos #2)
Author: Victor Dixen
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Romance
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Publication Date: 18th October 2018
Pages: 576

Summary: After a speed-dating show that is literally out of this world, twelve young astronauts are set to become the first humans to colonise Mars. They are also the victims of the cruellest of plots.
Léonor thought she was a pioneer on an extraordinary mission. She thought she had left all regrets behind her on Earth. But when memories are this painful, there can be no forgetting …

If you read my last review, you will know that the cliff-hanger on which the last ended had me sobbing for ages after…I still don’t think I have fully recovered 😂 so from that perspective, the blurb is good at not revealing the decision of the cliff-hanger. Other than that I think the blurb is really good, it doesn’t give away too much of the plot that if you pick up accidentally before the first nothing is spoiled, but also enough to intrigue you. Nothing has changed since my last review – romance, space and a hell of a lot of drama will always be a great read in my book. (pun intended 😉)

Goodreads Review: Here were my thoughts whilst reading…you should totally follow me on Goodreads btw for updates on everything I am reading.

February 20, 2019 – page 308  53.47% 
“Im in love! Its incredible. The tension, the romance. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!! technical advice had me in fits. I know everything is going to come crumbling down eventually and leave me on a cliff hanger, but I’m too happy to care.”

February 21, 2019 – page 576 100%
“I loved this book. The drama and tension are incredible. The romance has me on cloud nine! The friendship and individual personalities all coming out is so well done and great to read. You feel as if you are there with them. The way in which it is written is unlike anything else I’ve ever read, so unique and intriguing. I can’t recommend it enough. 
Until the end, I would have said it was better than the first. However, I expected so much more from the ending. I don’t know whether my friends built up the ending too much, saying that it was so dramatic and unbelievable but I thought it was going to be nail-biting and dramatic. But it wasn’t. Sure it was surprising and a nice twist but nothing like the end of the last book which had me in tears. 
I give this a solid 4.5/5 stars. I can’t wait to read the next one, I’m sure it’s going to be just as incredible.”

I very much stick to what I felt at those times. Only now I put complete blame on Anna and Cara who built it up so much to the point where I anticipated it to be catastrophic in conclusion…but it wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong it was a soul-destroying and unexpected but it didn’t have me in tears and it’s probably because I waited for the whole book for this insane ending that wasn’t what it had been built up to be. I also think some of the impact was taken out of it because I felt myself siding with “the enemy” instead of Leo because I saw their point of view to be more logical than hers. But it was still earth-shattering. I know that doesn’t make much sense but believe me, if you read both endings and compared them, you would see.

Writing Style: Nothing about the writing style changes over the course of the series, it is still as successful and enjoyable to read as before. Another great translation by Daniel Hahn, simply incredible 👍. So here is what I said about the writing in my last review because it is practically identical to how I feel now:
“I thought this was very well-written. It very accurately displayed the thoughts/ambition of teenagers which I loved because it is a huge peeve of mine when authors portray teenagers as stupid and reckless and stereotypical teeny if that makes sense. (I know teenagers can be those things, but they aren’t always)
I really enjoyed the way in which the chapters were written eg. Shot, Reverse Shot etc. because you got a variety of POV’s, even that of what was being shown on TV which I really liked. And the distribution ratios of these different POV’s throughout the book was also done really well so that you never got bored of a plot line and switched at points of interest as to keep you reading.
I was even more shocked by the writing when I found out that this was originally written in French and then translated into English. The translation is lovely and there is nothing that feels lost or unexplained because of the change which I know is a difficult feat to achieve. So incredible kudos to Daniel Hahn for translating the English Edition.”
One difference I noticed was that there was more sexual humour in this one and I adored that. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t rude or salacious, but it was just the right mix of funny and innuendo.

Characters/Relationships: Relationships still are a key element to this book, and I am so glad because I assumed Leo would make her decision pretty instantaneously and then the romance element would fizzle away. But it didn’t, she took her time deciding and then once the book progressed the romance and tension still persisted.
I still really liked Leo. I thought she made very logical and well-reasoned decisions. I definitely think she picked the right guy. My gut feeling was wrong because last time I thought: “Without spoiling anything, Leo narrows it down to two guys. And there is one guy I REALLY REALLY REALLY want her with. But I have a gut feeling she’s going to end up with the other one which makes me sad.” but she didn’t, she chose the one I liked so yay!!! The only time I really felt myself disagreeing with her was at the ending when she was putting her personal feelings above the obviously clear choice. The rational choice, which until that point she likely would have made herself, so I think it was a bit of an about-turn in her character arc – however, sometimes love does that to you.
The discussion and expansion on the idea of each of the characters having one major flaw were expanded a little in this book and was a major turning point for the ending. When that flaw is revealed I was sobbing. It wasn’t because I couldn’t believe it, it was because I didn’t want to believe it.
All the characters really come out of their shells in this book and I was falling in love with them all more and more. Especially the relationship between Kenji and Kelly – there’s was one I hadn’t expected to love and yet I did. I think they were the cutest couple.
Another character who developed for me was Alexi, I loved to hate him and his opinions. It was brilliant. He brought just the right amount of tension and aggravation to the group scenes.

I can’t wait for the third to come out, I have it pre-ordered for when it comes out in mid-April. I one hundred per cent recommend this. If you couldn’t tell I adore this book, it is so unique and different and yet there’s something familiar about it that makes you feel at home. YOU NEED TO READ THIS. 4.5/5 stars. I can’t recommend this enough. I want the next one now!!!!
See you tomorrow 🙂