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adrzeck's review
2.0
Sci-Fi noir-ish end-of-the-world story. There are unmagic people, hackers, tech people who use tech to manipulate a magic-like element, and pure elemental magic-ers. Lots of corporation conspiracy and such.
I really liked the Disasters so It might just be me, but I just didn't really fall in love with the characters or their dynamics.
I really liked the Disasters so It might just be me, but I just didn't really fall in love with the characters or their dynamics.
owlyreadsalot's review
3.0
This was such a fun read, with a lot of fantasy mixed with bits of sci-fi, making this novel tons better. I’m already a fan of both genres so it worked out perfectly. But, what made this an even more interesting read, were the characters included in here. I appreciated the diversity and originality of them, and the story that was created for the reader. Aside from Diz, we see the three others that made this story what it is.
“We already have Ania for a techwitch, and Remi the spellweaving prodigy, and I have all our hardware needs covered. Jaesin rounds out the group with most of the mundie skills, like keeping us from starving to death. And hitting people. But only sometimes.”
The other areas of this book that kept me invested were all the talks of magic, plus the maz that made up most of the world within these pages. There were so many variations of maz, and how dangerous it all was to distribute. That created the setting for all of this, what it meant for everyone that lived with it, and without it. Along, with what it mean for Diz and her friends, as it became more dangerous to be a part of. Even more so, as their time together was coming to an end.
“I shove Ania’s shoulder, and the elevator fills with our laughter. I can’t wait to get home, even as I feel a weird sort of nostalgia for those little vials of maz we just left behind. Ten years of friendship, two years running jobs together, and now it’s over. The others are understandably ecstatic, brimming over with the thrill of getting away with one last haul and looking forward to their shiny futures. Futures that require moving away. In seven days.”
That’s where everything gets even more interesting, with their team getting mixed up in more than they can handle. A special maz like no other shows up, leading them all into more perilous situations, but also bringing them closer together. I really loved their interactions and how this moved along. Yes, there was a bit of profanity at times, and Diz’ stubbornness got in the way of some of the enjoyment, but it didn’t keep it from being a pretty spellbinding read.
“Beyond the city’s wards, around the whole world, contaminated maz is dispersed in the very air, the way clean, natural maz, used to be. In the past, a spellweaver would have been able to draw trace maz from thin air and spin it into threads to use on the spot. Free, like it should be. To be fair, they could still do that… but they’d probably die of the plague before the day was out.”
It’s that second half that kept it all going. There was a discovery of a certain maz that could change everything, finding the truth to a disaster that left many frazzled and several dead, and what it all meant for each friend as they get closer to their departure date. You’re not going to want to miss out on this novel, or the ending. There might just be a happily ever after for everyone involved, well mostly everyone. You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out.
***I received this copy from HarperCollins Children’s Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
“We already have Ania for a techwitch, and Remi the spellweaving prodigy, and I have all our hardware needs covered. Jaesin rounds out the group with most of the mundie skills, like keeping us from starving to death. And hitting people. But only sometimes.”
The other areas of this book that kept me invested were all the talks of magic, plus the maz that made up most of the world within these pages. There were so many variations of maz, and how dangerous it all was to distribute. That created the setting for all of this, what it meant for everyone that lived with it, and without it. Along, with what it mean for Diz and her friends, as it became more dangerous to be a part of. Even more so, as their time together was coming to an end.
“I shove Ania’s shoulder, and the elevator fills with our laughter. I can’t wait to get home, even as I feel a weird sort of nostalgia for those little vials of maz we just left behind. Ten years of friendship, two years running jobs together, and now it’s over. The others are understandably ecstatic, brimming over with the thrill of getting away with one last haul and looking forward to their shiny futures. Futures that require moving away. In seven days.”
That’s where everything gets even more interesting, with their team getting mixed up in more than they can handle. A special maz like no other shows up, leading them all into more perilous situations, but also bringing them closer together. I really loved their interactions and how this moved along. Yes, there was a bit of profanity at times, and Diz’ stubbornness got in the way of some of the enjoyment, but it didn’t keep it from being a pretty spellbinding read.
“Beyond the city’s wards, around the whole world, contaminated maz is dispersed in the very air, the way clean, natural maz, used to be. In the past, a spellweaver would have been able to draw trace maz from thin air and spin it into threads to use on the spot. Free, like it should be. To be fair, they could still do that… but they’d probably die of the plague before the day was out.”
It’s that second half that kept it all going. There was a discovery of a certain maz that could change everything, finding the truth to a disaster that left many frazzled and several dead, and what it all meant for each friend as they get closer to their departure date. You’re not going to want to miss out on this novel, or the ending. There might just be a happily ever after for everyone involved, well mostly everyone. You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out.
***I received this copy from HarperCollins Children’s Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
prettyplease247's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nikitaah's review
3.0
What this book lacks in world building and plot, it makes up in heart. In theory, the premise is intriguing and exciting- a group of law-breaking queer teens stumbling on a conspiracy during their last heist. However, the magic system leaves a lot to be desired. It comes off as half-baked and some types of 'maz' are mentioned once and are not explained. The plot is also predictable, and at times feels contrived.
The representation is great, and Spellhacker is a nice, quick read if you are able to look past its shortcomings.
The representation is great, and Spellhacker is a nice, quick read if you are able to look past its shortcomings.
wetdryvac's review
5.0
A genre of uncomfortable social that's not my speed, but also very well executed, and with everything else being *exactly* my target enjoyment area. Nice.
charvi_not_just_fiction's review
DNF at about 70 pages
I have nothing against this book, it's just me. The writing style doesn't fit with me but you all should definitely give this book a shot!
I have nothing against this book, it's just me. The writing style doesn't fit with me but you all should definitely give this book a shot!
taniasborges's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Loved the characters but felt like they needed a bit more development. This is one good example of 'good premise, poor execution'. It wasn't bad or anything like that, but it could've been so much more.
dharshanirymond's review against another edition
2.0
This book had a lot of potential but did not make use of the characters or the plot properly. The magic system was new and different levels of magical ability for people was also new. 4 teens who steal magic stuff for money get caught in something big that was and is responsible for some major destruction of humanity. And they try and save the world. Most of the book went off with the 4 of them talking a lot (AN AWFUL LOT). None of the characters were strong enough to like and even their friendship was kind of thin. World saving level of problem felt like a video game. Definitely not for me. I read it in a few hours and felt like even if you skip a large portion of the book you'll still get the gist. 2 stars is just for the underlying idea and nothing else.
meganherself's review against another edition
2.0
This ain’t it. This book was sooo disappointing compared to The Disasters. The characters were all lackluster and the main character was especially disappointing. I felt nothing for any of them. I just wanted this book to be over from about 50 pages in. It wasn’t engaging or thrilling.