| Title | : | Edge of Valor (Edge of Collapse, #7) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 388 |
| Publication | : | First published April 28, 2021 |
With enemies closing in on every side, the survivors of Fall Creek find themselves facing impossible odds.
Do they flee for their lives? Or do they defend their town and risk losing it all? Some things are worth fighting for, dying for.
This may be their last stand.
Edge of Valor (Edge of Collapse, #7) Reviews
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The final chapter in this series.
I think I just got so tired at this point of the corrupt gangs/organizations and the corrupt government officials. They were a constant threat in most of these stories. But in this book, it was a knock down, bang out fight to the end. Lots of drama, lots of subterfuge. As if just trying to survive wasn’t enough, you had to worry about being attacked on a daily basis.
All our main characters are heroes in one way or another and finally now there is promise, healing and hope for the future. -
Though I feel this series was twice as many books as it needed to be, this installment tied up things pretty well. There's a lot of action in this one, the majority of it is spent fighting or preparing to fight. The General (whom I automatically picture as the little cartoon guy from those insurance commercials) wants both Liam's blood and his great-granddaughter. There's also the other big bad, Poe, though he was drawn vague enough to make me think he shouldn't have been part of the story at all. The General's storyline came to a very satisfying conclusion.
Liam's heart definitely grew a few sizes, finally realizing he has a family of sorts in Fall Creek. His nearly inhuman tolerance to physical pain got old pretty fast, really a body can only take so much.
The ending wasn't exactly happy, but rather hopeful, which I thought was fitting. -
Genres: Dystopia/Sci-fi
I have completely enjoyed this series. However with that said, this one, which is the last one in this series, was probably my least favorite. I still liked the story and the characters but there was definitely some sporadic eye rolling.
What I loved the most about this author's writing is the way she incorporates the action. Things are always in motion which builds up the suspense. It keeps me hanging on to see where it is going.
Another thing that I like is the way she lets her characters grow and progress. Nothing and no one is stagnant.....ever. I love that. She's also not squeamish about killing them off.
Overall, this was a fun series but I only have 3 stars for this one. All the others were 4 and 5 stars. -
This book is at least a 4 bags of doritos. I knew going into it this would be fantastic, but Kyla blew it out of the park!!! Thank you Kyla!!!
The ending was perfect. I had a good cry after.
It is an emotional rollercoaster and so gripping...I couldn't put it down.
The characters are so easily loved. I was on the edge through it all.
I cried in several places, screamed in frustration, got scared for the people, even mourned with them.
This whole series is absolutely phenomenal- it's one for my bug out bag.
Every situation was well blended and described like you are standing in the room . From book one to this one you felt the emotions, fear, love, doubt, and even realization. -
What a series! I never got dragged down in details, the action was nearly non-stop, laced with tension. The characters were well fleshed out. I was invested in the outcome by page 2. Truly enjoyed this series. A nice contrast to a 9 book series I recently read up to book 8 and didn't care if I finished it. Kyla Stone did everything right. If you're reading this series, sign up for her email. The free extra chapters you get are icing on the cake!
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Read all 7, reviewing in a lump.
I hate villains and their monologues. Blah blah I am amazing and will rule all. Whatever. Just once I want a book hero to shoot the bad guy in the middle of a speech.
Figured out the twist early. Got tired of repeated phrases like adrenaline dump. This one felt sloppy. -
Hate to be the Debbie Downer but this series could have been five books. The repetitiveness just was getting to me at the end. Overall I liked the characters which kept me reading to the end.
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Very good conclusion
This was a gripping and good conclusion to a series that really holds the attention of the reader. My wife and I read it at the same time and she gave up at one point saying it was unrealistic that so much happened in so little time (e.g. Liam not given time to heal from one traumatic injury before he suffers another, etc.). I hadn't really paid attention to the timeline until then, though the dates are listed frequently. After finishing the book I suppose I have to agree with my wife. It seems like way more time passes than really does, buy if you start following the dates it does become hard to suspend your disbelief surrounding how fast things are moving. On the other hand, the author was trying to illustrate how resilient the town folk and Liam were and probably also trying to wrap things up before having to deal with another Michigan winter. Maybe in a few years there will be a spin off series showing what a 20 something warrior Quinn is up to - that would be really great. -
I just finished this 7th and final book in the Collapse series by Kyla Stone.
"If this is Fall Creek's last stand, let it never be said we didn't go down without one freaking hell of a fight!" Quinn
This one touched my heart and had me on the edge my bed too! I was crying in some parts from sorrow and at other parts from relief.
Falls Creek is still in deep danger from competing hostile forces that want to claim power.
Hannah and Liam are good together and Quinn really finds her groove too.
The city has to come together to fight for survival.
Not everyone survives.
I absolutely loved the growth of these characters. Especially Quinn and Liam.
How bleak and unfair life could be. And yet, so fierce and wonderful and spectacularly beautiful. How much he would miss. Liam.
This series is full of action and bravery. Bravery is facing the danger in spite of fear. It's when you want to protect the ones you love without a thought for yourself.
This is an unforgettable read. -
Excellent Ending
Powerful, thrilling excitement, war, revenge, power, politics, leadership, faith, death, destruction, brutal, savagery, forgiveness, love, satisfaction, winning, empowered, renewed, and hope for a bright future describes everything in this book. An EMP can destroy one thing we have come to rely on but one thing that it or anyone will not destroy is the human will to survive in the harshest times.
Excellent Read! If you really pay attention to the example of this world scenario you will relate it to what we are possibly facing with China and Russia. Times are scary and this book is a fine example of what could really happen.
Kyle Stone you are an awesome writer. I look forward to reading more of your work. -
This one brought things to a close in a good way. There were some big battles, but the little town pulled together to protect their own. Along the way people were lost, some hurt more than others, some people were hurt and you weren't sure if they were going to make it and some you weren't sure what side they were fighting on. In the end though our core crew still stood, battered and bruised in so many ways, but now they have the future to look forward to, hopefully in peace.
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Amazing ending to a great series, I was terrified that the ending would be a let down but Mrs Stone wrapped it up nicely.
I must say I don’t think I’ve ever shed a tear reading a book the way I did at Chapter 47, I was that invested in each characters life that it hurt, job well done to Mrs Stone. -
I received an ARC of this book.
What a wild ride. It's going to take a while for my heart rate to slow down. I don't want to give anything away, but this book was worth the wait. It's an emotional roller-coaster. -
3.75 stars
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This is a riveting series. While I may not like everything in its pages, the story line kept my rapt attention. An incredible story of a resilient group of people.
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Good ending to the series. After 7 books I was more than ready to be done. 4 books would have been more than enough. The last 2 books with the General were just unnecessary. He wasn’t as interesting of a villian as his daughter. I also don’t know why Poe was brought into this, unless Kyla Stone is planning to write a future series where he is the bad guy.
The ending was predictable, but I was happy with it.
My biggest pet peeve with the series was Noah’s ending. I said much of the same on my review of the last book, but they can’t give that poor guy a break. Even in the beginning of this book he was their straw man. Hannah says that he let the militia come in… he was just a police officer at the time, the same as Reynoso and Perez. He didn’t stop it, but neither did they. In earlier books I wanted Noah to end up adopting Quinn. I still say he was a better parent to Milo than Hannah (and Liam). All he thought about was Milo and Milo’s medicine, when it was only mentioned one time in this entire book. I’m also still mad that Hannah let Noah think Milo died in that fire. His mental state at the end was directly caused by Milo’s supposed death, but oh well Liam and Hannah survived so that’s all that matters to this author. -
Despite it being fairly late at night I honestly couldn't resist reading just a couple of chapters of this book as soon as I got chance. I have become seriously attached to some of these characters and though I will be truly sad for the series to end I can hardly wait for what seems to be the looming final battle, who will survive? The cover once again feature’s Liam and Hannah together with weapons ready for their next battle. All the covers for this series have been great and I bet they look amazing altogether on a book shelf! The chapters are told from the points of view of the characters and are numbered by the amount, of days. Though there are dramatic scenes in the book and series, there are also humorous scenes and descriptions, such as Milo calling the new goat Oreo as it is white with black splotches! And the fact it makes Quinn hungry every time she hears or thinks about it.
In this book Liam, Hannah and the residents of Fall Creek are facing not one, but two very large well-trained forces coming at them from different directions. The Fall Creek residents can do nothing but stand their ground and fight with what they have. They have Alexander Poe and his army of men who are killing anyone and anything that stands in their way wanting to take as much land as possible. Then there’s General Sinclair, a man so intent on being remembered in years to come and being part of history that he has an assistant logging everything that happens. The General wants the control and comfort of Winter Haven as well as wreaking revenge for his daughter Rosamond’s death. The part of his plan that is most sinister is his interest in the baby that is the result of his grandson kidnapping and repeatedly raping a woman. He wants that baby to bring up, to mold as he wishes to continue his legacy after he has died. It’s only a mothers sixth sense about her child and the ever, protective Ghost that prevents the General having the prize he wants most.
The General makes a camp near Fall Creek to both watch and unnerve the Fall Creek residents. He tells him army that Fall Creek is harbouring terrorists. The General send scouts to issue them with an ultimatum. He demands Liam Coleman, if the Fall Creek residents hand him over straight away he will go easy on the rest of the residents. Like everything else in Fall Creek it is put to a vote, though Hannah refuses to vote saying she is biased in favour of Liam. Fall Creek make their decision, knowing that the apple can’t have fallen far from the tree with Rosamond being the Generals daughter. The Fall Creek residents are kind of resolute they come to the brave conclusion that they will make a stand even if its their last stand they will fight for what is theirs. The General sends in a black hawk helicopter to fire upon the normal American citizens of Fall Creek and some are killed or badly injured. Unfortunately for the General it makes the Fall Creek residents even more determined to stand their ground and fight for those that were lost in the attack too.
I will be totally, truthful, I did have tears in my eyes on quite a few occasions in this final book. One the death of a specific character that I had immediately adored throughout the series. But this character (no names) died saving others which was really fitting and totally in keeping with that character. Another time was very near the end of the book and I was like “Oh no! You cannot be going down that route, seriously you cannot kill this character off now” You’ll understand when you read the book!
My favourite characters, I still loved Liam, a tough guy on the outside but totally melts inside when around Hannah, Milo, Charlotte, and LJ. I think he has softened somewhat throughout the series. He has recovered from his whole unrequited love for Jessa, and grown to love Hannah more, yet stayed in the background, never pushing her to choose. Liam has been a quiet strength, there to back up, or catch Hannah whenever she stumbled. Hannah has also grown so much as a character. From the innocent young women kidnapped and tortured by Gavin Pike, to being a nervous, young women to then becoming a kick butt female who is confident in her own decisions and able to protect herself and what is hers. I could go on and on about the different great characters in this book, such as Quinn, she has a super rollercoaster of a journey through the series growing up to be a kick butt female not afraid to fight for what is hers, rather like Hannah. Then there’s Molly, Bishop and even good boy/bad guy James Luther who are all great characters. I also don’t mind admitting I totally adored Ghost the great pyrenee’s mountain dog, the way one minute he can be attacking an intruder and ripping their throat out, yet within the same scene can be laid snuffling baby Charlotte.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book & series were wow what a great way to end. This book is as fast paced and full of descriptions making the scenes easy to visualise. I love the sense of community that Kyla created. All the prepping ways that Molly had as well as the army experience and battle tactics that Liam uses and has used against him. The characters feel so real, you do grow to be fond of them, and you care what happens to them. You know them so well as the action is happening you can kind of guess what those certain characters will do.
Summing up this book was a dramatic conclusion to an action packed, amazing series. I genuinely have loved this series from the beginning to the very end. Though not every beloved character makes it to the very end of the series. There were a few great characters we lost along the way throughout the series. Some of the younger characters have really grown through the series, one in particular rapidly grows up even more in this last book, becoming a warrior, doing turns at guarding Fall Creek, and standing in place, fully prepared to fight to the end when the need arises. These normal citizens of Fall Creek are prepared to fight for each other, and for what they have made Fall Creek into. What more can I say I totally loved this series and I know I will miss this series! I wonder what Kyla Stone will be writing next? -
The absolute best apocalypse series!!
Huge fan of post apocalyptic story driven writing! This series in particular has to be the absolute best, hands down. Well written and well researched world building meets character driven storyline that keeps your attention and investment. I’m sad that this series has come to an end, as it’s truly great. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -
I had to read SEVEN books for a freaking kiss! 😭
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Now THAT'S how you close out a damn series. You ramp everything up. You raise the stakes to ridiculous, precarious, seemingly unreachable heights. You make everything terrible and hopeless. Just rip out our hearts in more ways than one. And you do it all with a frickin' BANG. I loved it.
This final entry in this series picks up immediately where the previous entry left off. It practically just felt like a simple continuation, with the exact same tension and moments of dread. Liam and Quinn are recovering from injuries sustained in the last book, doing so in the midst of their town still scrambling to prepare for the looming battle ahead with the General and the Syndicate, one or both. Damned if they know anymore. This thing has the absolute PERFECT feel of finality. Everything's riding on what they do or don't do next, and it legit pisses you off that this little town has such seemingly insurmountable obstacles to face when all they're trying to do is survive. We finally get more information about the EMP that started this whole thing, which I was hoping would happen. That'd have been an annoying loose end for sure.
The tension is super thick throughout this book, which of course is to be expected. The action is thrilling, but not so overwhelming that there isn't a chance to breathe, regroup, and relax at least SOMEWHAT. There are several quiet moments as well, but they are just as meaningful and important, given that they involve poignant character growths. The growth of our main characters was so damn satisfying. Quinn and Liam and Hannah and Milo. They ALL have their shining moments, all coming so far from where they began. The development of Liam and Hannah is perfection, and I'm happy Kyla didn't neglect them. After such careful crafting of their relationship, it was definitely owed to both them and me as a reader to get some closure on things. There's great sadness in this book, some intense tear-yanking events. War is impartial. Death is in the air. And it frickin' SUCKS.
Were there flaws in this book (and the series as a whole?) Of course there are. I mentioned in past reviews about some of the glaringly predictable courses being set that were easy to call. Exaggerated villainy sometimes coming across like cartoons. Predictability is still present here, but not everywhere at least. Another flaw I had mentioned in a past review was the repetition of descriptions, particularly when it comes to character feelings, be them emotional or physical. Hearts and chests are constantly squeezing. Hannah's hand, Liam's back constantly zinging in pain. Yes. I get the point. It all got kinda old. Do I actually care about any of this, though? ABSOLUTELY NOT. These flaws were powerless in the grand scheme of things. I loved the characters and story and the simple, easy-to-understand writing style way too much to let my complaints gain traction. Honestly, the only thing that kinda pisses me off is not finding a way (so far) to get my hands on the bonus epilogue. I signed up for Kyla's newsletter even before this book's end and got a couple of other goodies, but this epilogue wasn't one of them. So I have no idea what MORE has happened. And that super sucks. 😟
Anyways....damn. Bravo to Kyla Stone for an immensely satisfying (even in all its tragedy) conclusion to what I now consider a fantastic series. I'm thoroughly glad I gave it a chance after so long of passing it by. What a wonderful introduction (for me) to Kyla Stone as an author, and an apocalyptic one at that. I love apocalypse stories in general so I'm PUMPED to see so many more of her books to dabble into. I've already got some saved and I am DEFINITELY looking forward to them. -
I really enjoyed this series. It wasn't without it flaws. Especially when reading the books straight through over a matter of a week, I picked up many repetitive phrases used by the author. Liam's heroics were implausible, the bad guys were too sterotypically bad. But I loved it all anyway. I appreciate the immense research that must have gone into crafting a story like this - from EMPs and the logistics behind electric grids to military warfare tactics and survival techniques, I can't imagine how much research was required to write this series so well. I read them all on Kindle Unlimited, but feel like I should get them in paperback as well, so I'll have a reference manual whenever the next apocalypse hits. Haha.
Books like this are interesting because they're an archetype of life. I was especially intrigued by some of the subtle political innuendos expressed by the author because I know she wrote this book in Michigan during the pandemic, when many questions were being raised about the governor's reach of power and citizens' rights. In the book, there is clearly a corrupt government with an obvious agenda. Real life is rarely so black and white.
I just loved the questions this series raised about power, good and evil, community, and responsibility. It's easy to say that we believe in freedom and equality for all, but if the power went down everywhere and I was offered the chance to live in a cushy house run by solar energy, would I take it despite my neighbors? How far would I go to protect my kids? At what cost to others? It's an interesting moral/ethical dilemma to ponder.
Of course, I also loved the characters throughout the series. They were richly drawn and multi-layered. I loved to watch Hannah's growth from the "little mouse" to the fierce warrior. I enjoyed watching Liam's heart thaw, Quinn grow up, and Gran carry them all through. I was even intrigued by Noah's character arc and the idea that many little compromises can lead to devastating destruction.
There was just enough romance to keep me interested, and I appreciated that the books were so clean. Based on the religious elements I think the author is a Christian, but the book is never preachy. There was some mild swearing, and a great deal of gore, but no sex or innuendo. -
💣💣ONE NAILBITING CONCLUSION💣💣
Blazing bombers boo! Kyla dropped the bomb and lowered the boom, breaking out the heavy artillery, big guns and ammo aplenty with this incredibly tumultuous, rock-my-world, badass thrill ride, unleashing one helluva turbulent storm with this ground shaking, earth quaking, phenomenal rollercoaster, blasting this bad boy to staggering heights. Sparks igniting one action packed, hard hitting, heart pounding, pulse racing, adrenaline pumping, nailbiting, nerve racking, spine tingling, block busting dynamo, revving up the exuberance and vigor, pulling out all the stops and kicking down walls, wrapping this jewel up sleek, shiny and tight. Perception and ingenuity in every thread you unravel with each page, your drawn into this tangled web so securely and precise, booting this jewel into the eye of a tempest, bursting it into a tailspin with life-changing impacts, fusing this jewel together seamlessly. Caught in a minefield chocked-full of riveting drama, gripping intrigue, underlying threats, ruthless tactics, sinister deeds, explosive danger, electrifying suspense and mind-blowing situations converge, observing the formidable struggles and challenging triumphs, attentive to the perilous twists and wicked turns unfolding, launching this baby to life spectacularly. The characters dialogue, interactions and charged atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits, balance fluidly, adding depth and diversity, transforming into outstanding personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels as though you're part of the story instead of on the sidelines, feeling everything the characters feel. Exceptional job Kyla, thanks for sharing this awesome little gem with us. -
This is a great finale to a truly amazing series. I feel like I have lived these books, not just read them. The characters have become like old friends and family (or hated enemies, as the case may be).
Things have not settled down in Fall Creek. Even though Rosamond Sinclair and Mattias Sutter are dead, there is a new threat in the form of The General. Also, there is a group of thugs led by Alexander Poe called the Syndicate that is attacking cities south of Fall Creek. "I feel like we're caught in a bad episode of the Twilight Zone."
Hannah and Liam's relationship is growing closer, but will they be able to stay in Fall Creek with their friends or should they leave for a "safer" place? "True courage was action in the face of fear."
This book is full of so much emotion. You will find yourself crying over the losses of beloved characters, feeling your heart swell at budding romance, and cheering when good triumphs. "After everything, it is love that endures."
This whole series has been an awesome journey for me as a reader as I followed along with the characters. I will miss my friends in Fall Creek and I thank author Kyla Stone for introducing them to me! I am sure that I will revisit them from time to time; the books are just that great!
