Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers. for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!
Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.
Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .
Content Warning: gambling debt, violence
+ I always expect this author to write a beautiful story and she never disappoints. Here we are again in a world of water dragons and it’s as magical as ever. There is even a cameo from someone in the Six Crimson Cranes duology so I think it’s safe to say this is the same world. A lot of this story takes place in the undersea which is so unique.
+ Truyan, or Tru, paints forgeries to help her family survive. But she also has the ability to paint prophecies and it’s this talent that gets her into a marriage of convenience with the Demon Prince who is actually not a demon but half human and half dragon. I love Tru, she’s quick thinking, loves her family, a bit sassy but filled with hope and strength.
+ The romance is a slow burn. Elang, is closed off, a grump, but he’s keeping some secrets and by the end their love story is an epic one. I loved them together and was rooting for them.
+ The story had a lot of action and the sea creatures like the turtles, were amazing characters. I even loved Shani who is the most infuriating, mischievous demon but definitely matches sass with Tru. I thought their reluctant friendship was so heartwarming (after from betrayal and secrets). I loved that Tru was a good person and didn’t give up on Shani, even after everything.
~ I felt the romance was too slow building – it was amazing by the end of the book but maybe a hint of Elang’s feelings earlier would have been nice because this is a standalone.
~ I love the world-building but maybe wanted a tad bit more in the undersea just to get a full grasp of the world.
Final Thoughts:
Elizabeth Lim’s novels are magical! I love the writing, the characters, the magic, the theme of family, and the slow building romance with it’s yearning at the end did crazy things to my heart. This is another wonderful book from this author and I look forward to everything else she writes next.
Categories: Young Adult, Survival, Adventure, Romance, Celebrity Romance
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Inc. for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
She hates him. He needs her. Can they survive when all they have is each other?
Zander Rune was the darling of Hollywood until he fell from glory and was labelled a problematic bad boy. His public image needs fixing—fast—or he’ll lose the role of a lifetime, and all his dreams with it.
Charlie Hart is a regular teenage girl who despises everything Zander represents. But thanks to her scheming best friend and an ill-timed social media competition, Charlie finds herself pretending to be Zander’s biggest fan on a four-day reality TV adventure led by renowned survivalist Rykon Hawke.
When their trip goes horribly wrong, Charlie and Zander are left stranded in the wilderness. No Rykon, no film crew, no rescue. The only way they’ll survive is if they trust each other. But in order to do so, both will have to let go of the ghosts of their pasts, and just maybe find themselves—and one another—in the process.
Content Warning: near death experience, near drowning, snakes, mention of drunk driving, mention of being drugged, mention of suicide attempt, death of parents, cancer, grief
+ I’ve been really enjoying books from this author – her writing style is easy to get into and flows so well. I like how there was a lot of action in this book and moments that were filled with so much tension.
+ Zander and Charlie have been through some trauma in their lives so being on this survival adventure bonds them even more though it doesn’t start of that way. Charlie doesn’t want to be on this trip but she’s doing it for her best friend, whereas Zander really needs this to change his Hollywood bad-boy image so he can get a role he is coveting. I liked seeing the journey of the relationship even though it’s only a 4 day adventure.
+ I love the themes of friendships and even the hardships both character have experienced. I like that the both of them have their own issues and this trip really pushed them quickly to face them. In the end they are better for it, but I love that Charlie has Ember and Zander has Summer and Maddox.
+ The romance isn’t a focus, which is nice, it’s sweet.
~ It is an insta-love story, I mean Zander and Charlie only know one another for 4 days! But they go through more than what couples do in 4 days, so I do think it’s believable that they could fall for one another that fast, especially after near-death experiences with one another.
~ The twist in the story didn’t leave me feeling happy for Zander or Charlie. I thought that really sucked for them. I’m glad they could get over it quickly but it sucked, even though Zander got what he wanted. Kind of wish that wasn’t glazed over so quickly.
Final Thoughts:
I found this to be a very entertaining read especially with the survival adventure going on and Zander and Charlie needing to stay alive because of unforeseen circumstances. I thought the romance was sweet and I love the theme of friendship. I think the author did a great job with her debut into contemporary young adult fiction and look forward to reading more.
Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired – her worst-case scenarios never actually come true.
Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge – and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana.
When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, something, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows. Something that refuses to let them leave.
Content Warning: survival, violence, injuries, anxiety, death
+ The book cover is what made me want to read this book! It’s so dark and creepy plus the font use in the title is giving, 70’s horror vibes.
+ Surviving off-grid in the wilderness? A killer out there? Oh this story was filled with lots of tense moments. All I could think about was how smart these three girls were even though they could have been freaking out. Not to say they didn’t freak out, especially Claire, who is dealing with major anxiety, but I love how no matter how scared things got – they worked together to stay alive. There is a lot of time to get to know each girl also, they each have an interesting backstory, but Claire is the main character.
+ I thought there were some pretty good plot twists and the action was really good.
~ I kind of wish there was more explanation of the thing haunting the island. I understood it as it was explained but because there was a paranormal element to it. I think it would have been cool to have hints about in in the beginning of the book, at least more of the lore of the island.
~ There is a lot of down time where the girls talk about their lives which is fine since we have to get to know them. But we are in Claire’s head/thoughts a lot…I think too much at times.
My Final Thoughts:
I think this one is perfect for teen readers! It’s not too much horror, but I thought the being off-grid part and knowing there is a killer in the dark woods around them definitely added a lot of tension to the story. I liked how these girls worked through their weakness to come together as a strong team. They had some funny moments together too which was nice especially in the situation they were in. I did wish it had a little more horror and thrills and maybe less therapy sessions between the girls but I still found it entertaining. And at least it did bring up issues that teen girls may be facing so that part makes it relatable.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Sixteen year-old Shur is one of the first to see the creatures. While staring out the window in history class, she spots one floating over the soccer field. It looks like a monarch butterfly—but it’s huge. Within minutes, her classmates’ phones are buzzing with emergency alerts. These things are everywhere, and though nobody’s exactly sure why the alerts are telling them to take cover, Shur knows it can’t be good. It’s only when she’s left school and headed home that she what the creatures do: they attack.
By the time Shur, her two brothers, and their two best friends make it back to her house, it’s clear the five of them must survive whatever comes next on their own.
As the “butterflies”—new hybrid creatures thought to be created by climate change—multiply and swarm outside, anxiety-prone Shur focuses on what she can control: boarding up windows, stocking food, and preparing a shelter in the basement. They lose internet and power while vigilantes create terror outside. Meanwhile the creatures begin to fulfill their ultimate purpose: multiplying via parasitic load, and before long, the butterflies aren’t the only thing trying to get in. To protect her family and survive the invasions, Shur must find the strength to protect their sanctuary at any cost.
Content Warning: body horror, violence, big bugs
I was so curious about this book because of the cover and title. Scary butterflies? How?! Butterflies are such beautiful creatures!
And then I read the book and yes I can imagine huge, people sized butterflies being creepy and scary especially with their legs and other body parts that isn’t their wings. Shur, along with her family and friends rush home after seeing a swarm of these butterflies in the sky at school. But it’s not only at their school – apparently it’s taking over the world and being bit from you makes you turn into a very scary, nasty creature. They get holed up at their house trying to survive without adults, without electricity, and just whatever they have.
I think teens who like horror and survival stories will love this books. It’s got some gory parts especially when they have to fight off whoever is trying to come into the house. I felt like how the kids survived was realistic and brave of them really. There was definitely a reference to COVID in here and we all remember how the world basically went on lockdown in 2020 and that’s what this book kind of felt like, minus scary butterflies outside out doors. COVID was the scary butterfly for us.
There wasn’t much explanation for the creatures in the book but I just went along for the wild ride this story took me on.
My Thoughts:
This one definitely gave me flashbacks of being in lockdown during COVID but I think I’d rather deal with that than carnivorous butterflies! The teen characters did a pretty good job surviving without any adults around. The story has scary butterflies, zombies, and killing said creatures with whatever they go, so if you like some gore, you will like this one. This one will appeal to teens, the younger YA crowd who likes horror and survival stories.
Categories: Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Survival
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Gallery Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.
Inspired by incredible true stories of survival against staggering odds, and suffused with the journey-from-the-wilderness elements that made Where the Crawdads Sing a worldwide phenomenon, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a heart-wrenching and suspenseful novel.
This reads like a fairytale, at least in the beginning when Yona is taken from her biological family to be raised in the woods. I almost thought I was reading a magical realism book instead of historical fiction but we get to that part soon enough.
Yona is a young woman raised without interacting with other people except for one person, her caretaker, Jerusza. Jerusza is an elderly woman who knows how to survive the forests in Europe. Jerusza is Jewish but also worldly about many cultures and religions and she teaches Yona about everything she can, but why? Jerusza has seen the future, is more in tuned with the mystical elements of the world, maybe because of her life in the forest, and knows what is coming with the German Nazis. So she prepares Yona for what is coming.
When Jewish people flee the ghettos the Nazis have trapped them, some try to flee into the forest and that is where Yona finds her purpose. She teaches these groups how to survive living in the forest. I found the focus of this story quite unique because of Yona, her disconnect from the world and then being introduced to the horrors of it when she finally interacts with people coming in the forest. I love how the forest gave them everything they needed at a time when Jewish people were losing everything: jobs, family, friends, homes, loved ones, dignity, their way of life.
There is a little romance in this story despite how awful the circumstances but I thought it was nice it didn’t become the sole focus of the story. Yona is learning how to interact with others and belong with a group. She is trying to find out who she is after being by herself for so long and there are some harsh life lessons to learn. Despite everything that happens I love that Yona is smart, strong, optimistic and practical.
I love the overall message of this story. It’s not only one of survival but identity too. It’s also a reminder of how cruel and ruthless hate could turn people against one another and the everlasting trauma the Holocaust had on families that survived. A reminder that generations of families were wiped out.
Triggers: violence, death, kidnapping
I think the premise of this story is very unique, it almost has a mystical feel to it with Jerusza but it is intertwined with in real historical events. If you read the Author’s Notes in the back, the history of the Bielski brothers making camp in the forest during WWII is as gripping as the fictional story the author gave us.
This is the first book I’ve read from Kristin Harmel and it is an epic story. I learned a lot, and was reminded once more what survival was like in World War II for so many people and how much was lost in a span of a few years. This story was heartbreaking, and yet still full of hope. It’s a great book for someone who loves reading history or World War II stories and want something with a unique perspective.
Welcome to the blog tour for the Legends of the North Cascades by. Jonathan Evison!
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Title: Legends of the North Cascades
Author: Jonathan Evison
Format: ebook and paperback
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 6/8/21
Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Categories: Fiction, PTSD, Survival, Mental Health
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Dave Cartwright has had enough. After three tours in Iraq he has come home to Vigilante Falls in Washington State only to find that he feels incapable of connecting to the people and the place that once defined him. Most days, his love for his seven-year-old daughter, Bella, is the only thing keeping him going. When tragedy strikes, Dave makes a dramatic decision: he will take Bella to live in a cave in the wilderness of the North Cascades.
So begins a compelling adventure, a story of a father and daughter attempting to cope with a breathtaking but harsh environment. Once they are settled in the cave, Bella retreats into a different world, that of a mother and son who had lived in that same space, but thousands of years before, at the end of last Ice Age. As the two dramas begin to merge, a timeless odyssey unfolds, both as a meditation on the perils of isolation and an exploration of humans’ indelible struggle to survive.
Perfect for readers of Peter Heller’s novels or Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone, Legends of the North Cascades is Jonathan Evison’s return to sweeping, multicharacter narratives like his New York Times bestseller West of Here and is an immensely satisfying read.
I don’t read a lot of survival stories but when I was asked to be on the blog tour, I thought to give this one a chance. This one did not disappoint me. I found it intriguing as we meet Dave and he takes his daughter to the mountains to live in isolation.
Dave is living with PTSD after three tours in Iraq. He doesn’t know how to function back at home without having the trauma of war affect him and his loved ones so he makes a decision to leave it all behind and retreat into the wilderness with his daughter. What scared me was his daughter Bella toughing it out with him. He teaches her to survive but barely and when something happens where the roles are reversed he realizes what his decision may have cost him.
Bella is a loving daughter who has already lost her mother and doesn’t want to lose her dad. So she follows him. The one good thing that came out of their time in the wilderness is Bella did learn how to survive.
There were accounts in the book from the people in the community, sort of like a documentary at times. We heard from Dave’s brother-in-law, the ranger and others into Dave’s mindset and maybe when they realized things went wrong for him.
Trigger: scenes from war, injury, PTSD, depression, grief
The story jumps a lot from Dave’s present, his past, the accounts from community members and then a story that Bella experiences through memories of Ice Age people that lived in the cave she and her dad live in. The Ice Age story ~ though I can see it’s parallel to Dave/Bella’s story, took me out of the story at times.
I was so frustrated with Dave but I understood he needed help also. But as a mom, I was about to march up there and get Bella from the mountain.
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it’s not usually the kind of book I tend to read. I found the story to be a quick read. It was also an emotional story about a father and daughter living in isolation. I felt the setting of the Cascades really captured how Dave felt isolated in his suffering with PTSD after his tour of duties in Iraq. The parallel Ice Age story didn’t quite keep my interest until the ending when Dave and Bella’s time on the mountain becomes a dangerous situation. I think that is when both stories confronted the issues of guilt, grief and anger the main characters were feeling. Overall, I found it to be a captivating story.
📖 ~ Yolanda
*****
Early Praise forLegends of the North Cascades
“Evison’s majestic and panoramic latest conjures the beauty, power, and unforgiving nature of the Cascade Mountains in alternating narratives separated by thousands of years. Evison masterfully delivers a subtle yet pointed commentary on how society marginalizes veterans and how we profess to admire yet distrust the individualist ethos while also offering a profound meditation on the human spirit.”
—Booklist (starred)
“Engaging . . . This modern back-to-the-land story feels like John Krakauer’s Into the Wild meets Jean M. Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear, a combination that makes for a compelling read in its appreciation of the monumental properties of nature and recognition of the history of humans in the North Cascades.”
—Library Journal
“Evison (Lawn Boy) delivers an intimate . . . story of grief and parenthood with characters from two distant millennia . . . Evison’s empathetic vision offers much to consider about the limits of parental authority and the capacity for both physical and emotional survival.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Evison weaves the prehistoric past and the troubled present together with imagination and tenderness in this haunting, timely meditation on the redemptive power of love.”
—Hillary Jordan, author of Mudbound
“Jonathan Evison’s Legends of the North Cascades is a beautifully rendered and cinematic portrait of a place and its evolution through time; it is also—pure and simple—a story of survival and the love and devotion between parent and child.”
—Jill McCorkle, author of Hieroglyphics
“Under the daunting and impassive mountains of the title, two dramas, one ancient and one contemporary, intertwine to become a greater story of parent and child attempting to survive in the harshest of circumstances. For me, the heart of this fine novel is Bella, a young heroine whose courage and steadfastness are a timely reminder of how human decency can prevail in the darkest of situations.”
—Ron Rash, author of Serena and In the Valley
“Only a writer of Evison’s talent could so brilliantly weave the struggles of a PTSD-stricken veteran and the ghosts of an ancient family into such a powerful social commentary. Wildly original and breathtakingly big-hearted.”
—Willy Vlautin, author of Don’t Skip Out on Me
Praise for West of Here
“ An enjoyable, meaty read—a vision of a place told through the people who find themselves at
the edge of America’s idea of itself.”
—Los Angeles Times
“ Riotously funny … Wonderfully charming.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“ West of Here has it all. It’s a literary page-turner of epic sweep and elegant syntax.”
—Louisville Courier-Journal
“ [A] big, booming ruckus of a novel … Evison is a tremendously gifted storyteller.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
Praise for The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving
“ Engaging … The journey is reckless and wild, infused with the sad rage that makes good
comedy great.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“ Bittersweet … Moving and funny … Refreshing.”
—The Washington Post
“ Even-keeled, big-hearted, and very funny and full of hope.”
—The Boston Globe
“ An entertaining picaresque and a moving story of redemption.”
—The New Yorker
Praise for This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!
“ A book that speaks to all of us … The themes Evison presents—disappointment, delusion,
redemption—are universal, and he deals with them beautifully in this wonderful novel.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“ Infused with Evison’s characteristic empathy and heart and humor.”
—The Los Angeles Times
“ A quirky, fun writing style pulls you through this wonderful tale.”
—Sunset Magazine
“ Bittersweet but buoyant, with a heart-tugging finish.”
—Good Housekeeping
Praise for Lawn Boy
“ Mike Munoz is a Holden Caulfield for a new millennium.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“ An effervescent novel of hope that can enlighten everyone.”
—The Washington Post
“ Irresistible … Funny, honest, and real.”
—Seattle Times
“ Evison’s voice is pure magic … In Lawn Boy, at once a vibrant coming of age novel and a sharp social commentary on class, Evison offers a painfully honest portrait of one young man’s struggle to overcome the hand he’s been dealt in life and reach for his dreams. It’s a journey you won’t want to miss, with an ending you won’t forget.”
Categories: Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Romance, Survival, Young Adult
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Delta of Dead River has always been told to hide her back, where a map is branded on her skin to a rumored paradise called the Verdant. In a wasteland plagued by dust squalls, geomagnetic storms, and solar flares, many would kill for it—even if no one can read it. So when raiders sent by a man known as the General attack her village, Delta suspects he is searching for her.
Delta sets out to rescue her family but quickly learns that in the Wastes no one can be trusted—perhaps not even her childhood friend, Asher, who has been missing for nearly a decade. If Delta can trust Asher, she just might decode the map and trade evidence of the Verdant to the General for her family. What Delta doesn’t count on is what waits at the Verdant: a long-forgotten secret that will shake the foundation of her entire world.
When it takes me days to read a book it usually means I’m not into it. This isn’t the case with Dustborn ~ I think I’ve been so immersed in fantasy worlds that coming back to dystopian takes some getting used to, but really I enjoyed how cutthroat and no F’s given is this world that Delta lives in. I would not survive…at all.
Aesthetic ~ the cover made me request the book! Love how fiery it looks.
World Building ~ you get a sense right away, life is tough in this world where water is scarce, and dust storms rage often. Think Mad Max, where people live in small groups or packs. I could really feel Delta’s despair from the first chapter when she needs to get her sister some help. From there everything went downhill for Delta. I think it was unique, especially parts where they described how to make water in desperate times and vehicles they use with old tech/parts that they find.
Characters ~ Delta is strong because she’s had to be in able to survive. The Wastes coddle to no one. Asher is Delta’s friend from long ago and when they meet again, she’s not sure if she can trust him. We meet other characters like the General who runs Bedrock and his people are loyal to him. The General has something Delta has and will do anything to get the information he seeks. Then there is the Prime who runs Powder Town, Delta gets caught in between trying to figure out who to trust in order to free her pack.
Romance ~ yes…I mean how can romance bloom in a world like this? But something grows between Delta and Asher, not that it takes over the story at all, this one is all about survival and truth.
I didn’t totally connect to Delta and Asher, but that’s not a bad thing, it gave the book more of a desperate vibe, and seriously…reading this made me feel like I would die on day one without barely any water! Haha, you know how in reality we always say to hydrate? How do you do that when you have to turn your pee into water and you are dehydrated?! Ugh…I’m so grateful to have water right now haha. I was really intrigued by the characters in Powder Town though. Loved that they had a female ruler and soldiers.
The twist in the end was good, we get to find out more history and what really happened in the early days.
Triggers: violence, death
If you like dystopian stories set in basically a desert world, then you will enjoy this one. Delta is practically alone in the world and has to save her pack. She has to do the impossible to do it. But when people come along can she trust them to help her reach her goal? Dustborn is a gritty dystopian story filled with adventure, desperation and even a little romance in the desert.
Category: Dystopian, Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Don’t miss the exhilarating new novel from the author of Fat Girl on a Plane, featuring a fierce, bold heroine who will fight for her family and do whatever it takes to survive. Fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Life As We Knew It series and Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave series will cheer for this fast-paced, near-future thrill ride. If you’re going through hell…keep going.
Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.
But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.
In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC and inviting me to participate in this blog tour.
Jinx is living during the New Depression. An election recently took place and The Opposition leader, Ammon Carver, won the vote for president. It doesn’t seem like many people in Jinx’s life and in society approved of this choice, most were vying for the leader of The Spark, David Rosenthal, and there are rumors that the election was rigged – does that sound strangely familiar? 🤔 But not only that, they say Jinx’s dad is a major part of the chaos taking place. Jinx’s dad is Dr. Doomsday, a computer science professor and hacker who at one time created a worm that took down servers around the world. Her dad is also known for writing a survival guide book, which people laughed it, but maybe he knew something was coming.
When that “something coming” actually happens, and Jinx’s step-dad is accused of being the person behind it she and her family have to use Dr. Doomsday’s Guide to Ultimate Survival to actually survive life on the run. Will they succeed?
Everything I liked in this book was mostly in the beginning and the end. I liked the build-up of the story. We get a history lesson about this war brewing between The Opposition and The Spark, which sounds way too familiar to our current events right now. The tension between these two sides is very believable. A bombing event occurs and Jinx’s step-dad is the main suspect so Jinx and her family go on the run.
Jinx as a character really interesting. She’s a coder and loves video games and that’s all she really wants to do is play her video games. Her family is a bit broken. She has step-siblings, and she’s never on the same page with her step-sister. Jinx’s mother seems…cold. And her dad is nowhere around or not easily found So she is the main caretaker of her diabetic younger brother Charles. She has to do things in this story to keep her whole family alive by using the drills her father made her do from his survival guide. Jinx is a tough, smart girl and she is pushed to do things in this story to survive.
If you like dystopian stories, you will definitely like this one. It involves technology and coding. Jinx’s dad, Dr. Marshall, is well known for his computer theories, but he was very mysterious and elusive in this book. Jinx is trying to find him and I was like, what is with this guy? Help your kids! But of course, there’s more to it than that. There are some twists in this story that was really good and kept me on my toes.
The world building was good because it’s so close to our own, it’s something I can see happening with the collapse of banks, or how there is a sugar sale permit waiting list…that scares me. 😂 I was like, oh no, how would I get my sugary coffee drink if that happened?! But the whole world hasn’t collapse yet, there are still stores, it was supposed to be a booming town until the New Depression hit, so this world seems like something that could happen to us in the near future! 😱
I don’t know why but I lost interest in the middle of the story. Maybe it was moving too fast for me? It was definitely my mood though – it was a tiring week for me, so it was just a personal mood of mine and not anything against the story.
There is a relationship growing between Jinx and Navarro (the guy who was sent by Jinx’s dad to keep an eye on her) but I don’t know if it was needed. It’s not something I would miss if it wasn’t in the story.
Triggers: violence, bombing
If you like a fast-paced survival, dystopian story, you will like this one! It has lots of action, adventure, a family on the run, and twists that will surprise you.
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 