The Infinite Sea: The 5th Wave, Book 2

Fewer characters die in this installment than in the first book, because most people have already been wiped out. There's still an incredibly high body count in this story, from barely mentioned groups to major characters. Killers can look attractive or harmless. Some of the deaths will be heartbreaking to readers. Those characters who survive do so after facing near-death time after time and overcoming ridiculous odds. Injuries and wounds are catalogued, discussed, and either tended to or deemed untreatable.

Despite of -- or because of -- the life-and-death circumstances, the teens have a heightened sense of connection with other survivors. The main characters do think about romance, love, and sex, and there are several passionate kisses in the book, either in the present or in memories of the past. A beautiful young woman asks another girl, "Isn't he perfectly perfect in bed?" making it obvious that she had sex with the guy in the past. One couple does have sex, but it's after an intense period of time together, and it's described with more emotional than physical details. Characters see one another naked, usually to tend to wounds.

Considering the end of the world is upon them, the teens and even younger kids in the book tend to curse without fear of punishment. The characters say "s--t," "a--hole," "f--k," "pussies," "dick," "bitch," and the like fairly often but not in every conversation.

Parents need to know that The Infinite Sea is the much-anticipated sequel to Rick Yancey's best-selling sci-fi thriller The 5th Wave, which is so popular it's already set to be adapted for a film starring Chloe Moretz in 2016. This "unputdownable" second installment answers some questions but poses others, and there are plenty of intense twists and turns for fans of the first volume. Cassie and her motley crew of fellow survivors once again must fight to survive, and there are many scenes of nail-biting violence, mass and personal killings, and near-death experiences. The occasional strong language is understandable given the extreme circumstances. Yancey also ups the romance with more potential couples that lead to intense romance and even a love scene. These teens might be facing death on a daily basis, but they're still hormonal, impetuous, and emotional as they struggle with what it means to be human in utterly inhumane conditions.