Book Review: The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee

The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) by Katharine McGee

Blurb:

The sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Thousandth Floor

New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…

LEDA is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.

WATT just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?

When RYLIN wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.

AVERY is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.

And then there’s CALLIOPE, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York, determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.

But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.

The sumptuous second book in the bestselling Thousandth Floor series has all the drama, romance and hidden secrets that landed the first book in this series at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list.

My Review:

Step back into the thousand-story Tower and the amazing world of the future and all of its' amazing technology.

We met five teenagers in The Thousandth Floor and now only four remain, bound together by the horrible truth of the night their fifth died.

Leda Cole is haunted by the events of that night and she'll do anything to keep the truth from getting out. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But what happens when she begins falling for the last person she expected to?

Watt Bakradi wants to hate Leda for blackmailing him into keeping quiet. If only he could trick her into saying what happened that night so he can have Nadia record it and he can turn her in. But what if the more time he spends with Leda, the less he sees the icy bitch he thinks her to be and begins seeing the vulnerable, hopeful girl underneath?

Rylin Myers's life changes the day she finds out she's been accepted to the most exclusive school in the country, a UpTower school attended by the last person she wants to be reminded of - Cord, the boy she fell in love with and betrayed. Will it give her a second chance with him? Suddenly back in school after two years Rylin is excelling at an advanced holography class and tentatively becoming friends with the last person she expected to. But when her teacher blurs the lines between student and teacher will her life combust again?

Avery Fuller finally has it all, including the forbidden love of Atlas. But with Leda's threat hanging over her head, the memory of the night on the roof that she can't tell anyone about, and her parents catching on to her and Atlas's relationship, can they ever truly have happiness? Or are some forbidden loves destined to remain just that?

And then there is the new girl, Calliope Brown. Beautiful, mysterious Calliope who has a hidden past with Atlas. What is she really doing in New York? Calliope is the girl with too many secrets to hide - and it's only a matter of time before someone catches on to her here too.

Throughout it all, someone is watching them from the shadows. Waiting for one of them to slip up so they can bring them down. After all, when you're on the top of the world, there's only one way down. Watch your step.

I only have one thing to say about The Dazzling Heights: WOW! I loved this book even more than the first book!

The technology and worldbuilding continue to amaze me and I loved seeing even more of this new, futuristic world, not just in the Tower, but beyond it.

I love how this book, like The Thousandth Floor, starts with a death but you don't know who it is until the end. I felt that each character grew in this book and you saw a different side of each of them. The characters I didn't like from the first book, Watt and Leda, I completely loved in this book, although Rylin is still my favorite! And a character I liked in The Thousandth Floor, Avery, I absolutely couldn't stand in this book. She definitely gave off a clingy, jealous, desperate vibe toward Atlas when Calliope showed up and I loved the addition of Calliope. She was a great new character and I can't wait to see what's going to happen to her in the next book.

Overall, this book was a fantastic, unputdownable read that I didn't want to finish because it meant the wild ride would be over. This series is a definite must-read and I'm already dying for the next book! This book ruined me in the best possible way! As with the first book, the writing and storytelling are excellent and Katharine McGee is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! 

My Rating:

6 of 5 Stars!