Category Archives: ARC review

2015, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] Madly — Amy Alward

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Book Title                   Madly (Potion #1)
Author:                         Amy Alward
Number of pages:  384

Synopsis:

amy alward - madly - book coverWhen the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. Oops. A nationwide hunt is called to find the cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn.

Enter Samantha Kemi – an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam’s family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but they’ve fallen on hard times, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? Just how close is Sam willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing former classmate and enemy, in the meantime?

(re: Goodreads @ Madly by Amy Alward)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

Ingredients:
– Six cups of an adventure around the world similar to The Amazing Race (a quick read with good pacing)
– Three vials of fantasy with a dash of modern flare (the world-building leans on contemporary technology, alchemy, magic, and fantastical beasts but is underdeveloped)
– One special snowflake and one broody heir to a conglomerate (a romance of instalove)
– A teaspoon of a one-dimension villain (who doesn’t really do much to live up to the title)
– Add a drop of any supporting character to taste (most characters come and go for the sake of plotting)
– Brew with conviction (because a lot of the problems are solved with feeling and instinct)
– No goggles allowed to concoct this potion (there wasn’t much consequence for the MC)

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Initial Thoughts

One day, hype will win me over. Today is not that day.

Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of Madly from the Book Blog Ontario Meet-Up. I extend thanks to Simon and Schuster for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.

Continue reading [Review] Madly — Amy Alward →

2015, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] The Dead House — Dawn Kurtagich

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Book Title                  The Dead House
Author:                        Dawn Kurtagich
Number of pages:   432

Synopsis:

Dawn Kurtagich - The Dead House - Book CoverPart-psychological thriller, part-urban legend, this is an unsettling narrative made up of diary entries, interview transcripts, film footage transcripts and medical notes. Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . .

(re: Goodreads @ The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– Story is presented through a series of evidence (e.g. diary entries, video and voice-call transcripts, news articles, etc.,)
– Unreliable narrator encourages skeptical hats be worn; revelations can be guessed at but does not dilute the end-game reveal
– There are unsettling moments but nothing crazy in terms of gore. Also, the entire story takes place at night basically, or in very dark, claustrophobic spaces
– Can be difficult to feel compassion for various characters/MC
– There is a supernatural touch to the evil within this story

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Initial Thoughts

Let me share some “lessons” The Dead House has taught me:

  • Unreliable narrators are the reason why 10-foot poles exist.
  • Having friends interested in witchy woo-woo dark magic means you’re setting yourself up to die.
  • Vlogging the supernatural is just not a good idea. “Let me just pull out some EVIL from my back-pocket…”—like, why is this even a thing?
  • Attending parties with underage substance use underscores bad shit happening. Moderation is a myth.
  • When you find out your school is connected with a hospital, you should make immediate plans to book it to Mars.
  • Cancel any plans you have of being a criminal profiler. Because you won’t succeed.
  • Schrödinger’s Cat lived and died for you, so why would you open up some sketchy artifact-diary? Just don’t. Or do? (R.I.P you.)

Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of The Dead House from the Book Blog Ontario Meet-Up. I extend thanks to Little Brown Books for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.

Continue reading [Review] The Dead House — Dawn Kurtagich →

2015, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] Zeroes — Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti

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Book Title:        Zeroes (Zeroes, #01)
Author:               Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti
Number of pages:  560

Synopsis:

zeroes - scott westerfeld - book coverEthan, aka “Scam,” has a way with words. When he opens his mouth, whatever he wants you to hear comes out. But Ethan isn’t just a smooth talker. He has a unique ability to say things he doesn’t consciously even know. Sometimes the voice helps, but sometimes it hurts – like now, when the voice has lied and has landed Ethan in a massive mess. So now Ethan needs help. And he needs to go to the last people who would ever want to help him – his former group of friends, the self-named “zeros” who also all possess similarly double-edged abilities, and who are all angry at Ethan for their own respective reasons. Brought back together by Scam’s latest mischief, they find themselves entangled in an epic, whirlwind adventure packed with as much interpersonal drama as mind-bending action.

(re: Goodreads @ Zeroes – Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

— The superpowers in this story aren’t all otherworldly. There’s a human quality to many of their abilities that exudes a magical realism vibe
— Cultural diversity seen through a multi-POV narrative that seamlessly jumps from one voice to another in building perspective
— Limited world-building is not problematic as readers are on the same knowledge playing field as the characters themselves
— Writing is wonderfully paced; 560-pages feels easy breezy
— The romance subplot isn’t too heavy although there’s a cautionary love-v/triangle happening; there are ships you can jump aboard on

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Initial Thoughts

This book is incredibly fun. I will now proceed to hype this book up.

Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of Zeroes from the Book Blog Ontario Meet-Up. I extend thanks to Simon Pulse for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.

Continue reading [Review] Zeroes — Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti →