The Upworld (The Upworld Series)

This is very much a younger, young adults novel, and it is an easy and kind of fun read if you can overlook some issues with the story..Issue #1 -THOSE SPECIAL ABILITIES: Yes, yes, Erilyn has special abilities ho hum. And, some are actually interesting but It's never made clear what Erilyn' s especially abilities are. She often displays a new one just when it's needed. Imagine that! I don't expect a list but by the end of the first half of the book the reader should have a pretty clear idea if what she can and can't do.Issue #2 - THE OTHER WOMAN: So early on in the story, Finn is dumped by his girlfriend for the mayor, but when Finn returns old girlfriend is all over him & mayor seems ok with that. There's only a very loose explanation near the end but it's very weak. And it doesn't address why old girlfriend even wants Finn back at all. He's clearly a loser. Nice guy but still a loser.Issue #3 - THE CAT WOMAN OUTFIT: Speaking of old girlfriend, I had a real issue with her cat woman outfit. They're living in a medieval type small town but she's prancing around in tight black leather pants and boots, her hair is pulled into a tight pony and she supposedly looks like a bad ass. I simply could not reconcile this look with the setting.Issue #4 - ERILYN' S LITERARY ABILITIES: So, where exactly did Erilyn learn to read? She was raised in a cave as a prisoner and she's been living by herself under a tree for some time. Ok, so maybe Rosemary, with whom she lived with for awhile taught her, but well enough to become the town's librarian? Really?They lived in a hut! They were in hiding! Where could they have managed to get enough books for more than a rudimentary education?Issue #5 - FINN: I already mentioned that he was nice but a loser. Why? First, he is dumped by the love of his life but in no time at all he's cuddling with wild girl who hadn't taken a bath in a year. He thinks about this - a very little and then pretty much shrugs it off. New girl, who he knows nothing about shows off some pretty amazing skills but she doesn't explain and Finn seems to see no need to ask. He just takes life as it comes. What a loser. No wonder old girlfriend is able to control him so easily later in the story.I also have some issues with the writing, like the use of "got,"but I won't go into that. Again, not a bad book but I think I'm being generous giving it 3 stars.

Erilyn, a thought reader, has left Citadel for upworld 4 years ago, still she is plagued with memories from the past. It is clear from the beginning that Rosemarie meant a lot to Erilyn, and that the Wylden had killed her. When we meet Finn, he is on the cusp of getting his heart broken by Morrigan. Determined to win back his love, he throws himself into danger, and that is when he meets Erilyn. She helps nurse Finn back to health and the two form a friendship and even begin to have feelings of love for each other while living together in the woods.This book was so visually stunning the way everything is described in perfect detail. I adored the writing style as well. And when Finn takes Erilyn out of the woods and they run into Morrigan... OMG, did I feel quite a mixture of emotion. Something isn't right and I couldn't turn the pages quick enough to find out what evil was afoot.

My fingers flew through these pages so fast you would think I was a speed reader. Nope, the story was that intriguing! The end leaves you wanting to jump right into book 2. What exactly happened during the Vitiam War? How many more walled-off cities are there? I hope this series continues to answer those questions and more! Lastly, let’s talk about Morrigan - (enter naughty finger wave here with a tsk, tsk) what else can I say about her that wouldn’t be a spoiler alert???

I LOVED this story! It was so beautifully crafted and gives you all the feels! Erilyn has these amazing abilities—most of which are basically an expansion of, or experiment in, things she already knew she could do—and it helps her to open so many doors she never knew she could! She has amazing empathy, which is always wonderful to see, and I really want a Luna. Very well-written and fast-paced!

This book was not what I expected and In such a good way! Erilyn is reminiscent of Shatter Me’s Juliet with a mix of Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing - resourceful and self conscious, yet filled with untapped power. I can’t wait for the sequel and definitely had novel withdrawals when I was done! I need to know more!

This book has been a wonderful addition to my personal library. I've known Lindsey for years, having the privelege of witnessing her talent in many forms, but this by far takes the cake. It's easy to get swept up in the characters thoughts, and easy to find yourself lost among the pages. While I've never been a fan of stories that change points of view (I often get confused with them) this one is easy to follow and definitely one of the better ones I've read. If you need a comparison, I get a very Hunger Games vibe from this story, which coincidentally is my favorite series of books. You absolutely will not regret buying this book, I fell in love with Erilyn and Finn right off the bat, and I'm confident you will too.

This book grabbed my attention so quickly and made it so hard to put down. I can't wait for the next part to see what happens with Erilyn and Finn. Gotta love a love story, but there is so much more to the book. What a great first novel!

I really enjoyed this book, the characters, and the world that the author created more than I thought I would. Looking forward to the next book!

The Upworld by Lindsey S. Frantz is a tale of romance and mystery woven together into one, and set in a dystopian future following a war that split mankind into three distinct races. Erilyn lives alone in the woods avoiding all others. She has run away from the her own people, who are albino cave dwellers. She lives in fear of the savage Wylden who roam the land. And seemingly, she has never bothered with the upworlders who live in the cities, until she meets Finn that is. Finn has run away from his city after a bust up with the love of his life. The first half of the story focussed on the developing romance between Erilyn and Finn. They then travel back to his city, which is where the mystery hoved into view. If I was looking to be critical I'd say there were 2-3 chapters in the middle of this book that I found to be a little slow for my personal taste, however I've kept my star rating at a 5/5 because overall I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written and there was a good balance between the description and action. There are a lot of unanswered questions and as a consequence I'm very keen to dive into book 2. How did the war start? What caused mankind to split into different races? How is Erilyn able to do what she can (she is supernaturally gifted)? And of course the biggie: what happens next? There are about a million more but I can't ask those without spoiling elements of the story so I'll wrap up and leave you with this thought: if you like stories that are set in dystopian futures, that have hints of the supernatural blended with romance and mystery, that are well written and well edited then there is no reason for you not to like The Upworld. I say, give it a go!

The Upworld by Lindsey Frantz was an enjoyable read. A love story at heart, set in a bleak, but magical world. There was something about the way the author told the story that was quite calming, despite plenty of action packed moments. I fell in love with the characters, especially Luna, and I look forward to reading what comes next.