Review: Idols (Icons #2) by Margaret Stohl (Happy Release Day!)

Title: Idols
Author: Margaret Stohl
Series: Icons
Book #: 2
Pages: 432
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 4.00
Published: July 8th, 2014

The Icons came from the sky. They belong to an inhuman enemy. They ended our civilization, and they can kill us.

Most of us.

Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas are the four Icon Children, the only humans immune to the Icon's power to stop a human heart. Now that Los Angeles has been saved, things are more complicated - and not just because Dol has to choose between Lucas and Ro, the two great loves of her life. As she flees to a resistance outpost hidden beneath a mountain, Dol makes contact with a fifth Icon Child, if only through her visions. When Dol and the others escape to Southeast Asia in search of this missing child, Dol's dreams, feelings and fears collide in an epic showdown that will change more than just four lives -- and stop one heart forever.

In this riveting sequel to Icons, filled with nonstop action and compelling romance, bestselling author Margaret Stohl explores what it means to be human and how our greatest weakness can be humanity's strongest chance at survival.

Taschima's POV:

"Every day is a battle, since the Lords came. Every day is a battle for everyone."

I had no expectations when going into Idols. While Icons was not my favorite read I feel like Idols is a step in the right direction, if only because it kicked Dol so hard to the ground there is no way to go but up. We got scarce scenes of that pesky romance which only seemed to bring the book down, hurrah for that! We also got a better picture of the entity that makes the rules for the big bad aliens. Overall Idols was an easier read than Icons and more entertaining to boot.

How can you like the book if you do not like your MC? Dol and me don't have the best relationship. I think she is annoying, a bit pathetic, and too passive. Plus it doesn't help she is all doey eye towards Lucas, and I dislike Lucas with a passion.

"You know. Your little love beam. The thing where you make people do things they don't want to do. Because they looooove you. About time you turn it on someone besides Dol." Ro smiles at me, and I respond with a withering look. Which is better than Lucas punching him in the face, which from the looks of it is a real possibility."

He is murky and I don't trust him. It doesn't help he has the power to compel people. The ones I do like are Ro and Tima. Tima has changed a bit in this book though. She isn't as badass as she was in Icons, she is subdued. Now she is only described as being kind of like a teacher, a quiet teacher at that. Is this to make Dol shine? I don't know, but I didn't like it. Tima is pushed to the background, while Ro shines brighter than ever. Ro may have a temper but at least he is honest. Ro also directs his temper to those who deserve it, so he is dangerous but the kind of dangerous that will help humanity.

But even though Dol might not be my favorite character at the beginning enough things happen to her throughout the story to roughen her up. Hopefully it sticks in the next book. On the other hand the romance is awful. It really brings the whole book down. Dol is literally caught between the two guys. She keeps telling herself she loves Lucas, but then she questions herself at every turn. Or more like every time she remembers Ro is around.

"A nightmare? Will I wake up and find myself asleep on the dessert floor? Or better yet, on the floor of the misson, in front of the stove, with Ro by my side?"

I am all up for her to forget about Lucas and stick with Ro, but that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

My point is the less the book focused on the romance the better off it was. I say let's concentrate more on the aliens! Where do they come from? Do they really want to exterminate all life on earth? What do they exactly look like? We've only seen the technology the aliens brought to the Earth but little else. I want to know more about the enemy these kids are trying to fight. I want to know more about the character Null. I liked reading the conversations between it and Doc, which are plugged into the book between chapters. How are these kids supposed to battle these beings what have invaded the earth? The only one who even seems to have a shot at it is Ro.

Overall Idols was a step up from Icons. So if you liked Icons you are sure to enjoy Idols, if you were iffy about it (like me) then you have a better chance at enjoying Idols. Now what I can't wait for is the sequel. With the way things are left off, and the main characters that dies at the end there... There has to be a sequel. I can't wait to read it, because it seems it can only get better from here on out.

"Not everything that comes from the sky is an angel. It's true. And not everything that lives on the Earth is a human. Also true."