Quick Take: This series has been a joy to read! It’s the perfect blend of romance, intrigue, and suspense. It’s a high-action two-part novel (so far), and the best part being a female superhero!
The review of the series includes reviews on each of the following books (listed in order of release):
Note: The review of the second book may discuss spoilers from the first book.
The Brokenhearted (Brokenhearted, #1)
Release Date: October 8th, 2013
Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage … and her duty to uphold it.
The Dark Knight meets Cinder in this gripping and cinematic story of heartbreak and revenge. From Alloy Entertainment, this inventive new superhero is sure to captive any readers.
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
• No OTT sad parts.
• No abuse.
• Does have OM (the Heroine’s boyfriend).
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• No pushing away
• Does have a separation between the Heroine and Hero
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The Brokenhearted blew me away with its highly suspenseful plot and how the author, Kahaney, didn’t pull any punches. The story was consistent with plot twists and turns and kept me guessing straight to the end. The plot was so intricate that the ending literally blew my mind away!
The story starts with Anthem meeting and falling for the guy on the wrong side of the tracks, Gavin, cliché, right? But this book is anything but! After they get serious, the Syndicate, the crime mob of Bedlam, kidnaps Gavin once they realize that Anthem is the daughter of the highly affluent Fleet family. They expect her to pay a ransom for his life. But on her way back to her parents’ house, she falls off a bridge and dies. Only to wake up with a new bionic heart. A heart that makes her superhuman: super fast, super strong, super everything.
The Brokenhearted leads the reader on Anthem’s mission as she works against time to save her love, Gavin. But while fighting for Gavin, she encounters dangerous people and restarts a revolution that was once forgotten, The Hope. Now, Anthem’s hope to rescue Gavin is so much bigger, and now she’s trying to save him and undermine the organization, which made his kidnapping possible.
But not everything is as it seems, and as Anthem gets closer to Gavin, more secrets reveal themselves.
The Brokenhearted strongly reminded me of Batman and Gotham but in a good way! I love the plot and how original Kahaney made it. Also, with her two sidekicks, Ford and Jax, her best friend and Anthem’s ex-boyfriend, her life is riddled with political mind games, suspense, drama, and a minefield of secrets.
The Invisible (Brokenhearted, #2)
Release Date: October 7th, 2014
Taking up where The Brokenhearted ended, the sequel finds Anthem Fleet attempting to return to a normal life after an experimental surgery that left her with a bionic hummingbird heart and a terrifying new strength. But she can’t shake her suspicions about her father’s connection to the Syndicate and she can’t ignore the cries of help in the crime-ridden city of Bedlam. She finds new promise in her relationship with Ford, but after his lifesaving surgery, the Ford Anthem knew slips away.
When a mysterious new group called “The Invisible” starts attacking the privileged North Siders, Anthem has to step up and be the New Hope that Bedlam needs or Bedlam will fall… once and for all.
Publishers Weekly called The Brokenhearted an “atmospheric, adventure-laced debut” with “graceful world-building, strong characterizations, and an enveloping plot.”
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia
• No OTT sad parts
• No abuse
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero pushing away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Important: This review is of the second book in the series, which means it might contain spoilers.
Having taken down the leader of the Syndicate, Anthem expects her life to be peaceful. Maybe she can finally start to explore her new feelings for her friend, Ford. But Ford’s health has taken a turn for the worse; he’s deathly ill. Luckily (or unluckily), Jax has created a cure for Ford’s ailment… however, the side effects make Ford act like someone Anthem no longer knows.
But Ford’s situation isn’t the only thing troubling Anthem. A new terrorist group has risen, The Invisible, and it’s up to her to protect Bedlam and capture the leader of the Invisible before they can achieve their nefarious goal.
The Invisible was another high-paced and fast-action novel with just the right amount of romance to make you root for Anthem and Ford. I loved the two together and how this book further explored their relationship. Anthem’s relationships from The Brokenhearted were further developed, making The Invisible a compelling read; the characters become more dynamic and reveal many more secrets.
I’ve come to find Kahaney is the Queen of plot twists, and this one left me reeling. I feel as if the ending, though, could extend into a third book. There seem to be too many questions and open-ended answers to leave Anthem’s story at this. In the final book (if there’s a third), I would love to see if there’s an epilogue.
However, I would be content if The Invisible ended Anthem’s story since all the big questions were answered. I’m just crossing my fingers, but that’s not the case.
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