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tristophobia's review against another edition
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️ it was good in the beginning and then it got a bit slowed and i wished it stayed more with the terrorist plot but overall not bad
thebookhaze's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book very much; I liked Aubrey as a character and I really liked how her powers of invisibility wasn't your regular "type" in that she actually turned invisible. Her powers worked by having her brain convince other brains that she wasn't there at all, so even if she bumped into someone or made some noise, they wouldn't realize she was there at all. I thought that was a brilliant way of looking at it, and very convenient too, it's difficult to be completely silent even if you were invisible.
One of the things I liked about the book was the pace, it kept going and I kept going with it, eager to find out what happens next. I also liked the writing because the whole story flowed really well.
What I didn't like was the "secret message" thing, it was out of place and unnecessary. I also found that there were a lot of holes in the story and the plot wasn't very well thought out. The good guys, bad guys, government, rebels, I don't even know who's right and who's wrong, and what they were even fighting for.
All in all, it was entertaining and good for passing the time, but there's not much more to it than that.
One of the things I liked about the book was the pace, it kept going and I kept going with it, eager to find out what happens next. I also liked the writing because the whole story flowed really well.
What I didn't like was the "secret message" thing, it was out of place and unnecessary. I also found that there were a lot of holes in the story and the plot wasn't very well thought out. The good guys, bad guys, government, rebels, I don't even know who's right and who's wrong, and what they were even fighting for.
All in all, it was entertaining and good for passing the time, but there's not much more to it than that.
hayleybeale's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed Variant and while this shares the pageturning qualities of that book (albeit with a bit of a sag in the middle), the ideas and the characters are much less original.
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
When I saw the cover for this book and read the summary, I was interested but also unsure if I wanted to read this book. I kind of thought it was going to be another vampire or zombie book. Not that I have anything against these types of books as I enjoy them a lot. I just was not in the mood to read another one of these types of books.
I got a surprise when I started reading this book as it was neither a vampire or zombie book but more like a superhero type book. However the book was lacking some in the action aspect of the story. I like the powers that all of the characters had, especially Jack but I wanted to see the characters use them more. They hardly were put to use. It was explained about what talents they possessed. The last third of the book moved the fastest and this is where things got interesting, only to have the story end with promises of more action in the next book. However I did like what I read and will probably check out book two. For me my favorite is Jack, thus far. Aubrey needs to get more of a backbone; Laura is cool, and Alec has some mystery to him.
I got a surprise when I started reading this book as it was neither a vampire or zombie book but more like a superhero type book. However the book was lacking some in the action aspect of the story. I like the powers that all of the characters had, especially Jack but I wanted to see the characters use them more. They hardly were put to use. It was explained about what talents they possessed. The last third of the book moved the fastest and this is where things got interesting, only to have the story end with promises of more action in the next book. However I did like what I read and will probably check out book two. For me my favorite is Jack, thus far. Aubrey needs to get more of a backbone; Laura is cool, and Alec has some mystery to him.
pantsreads's review against another edition
2.0
christajls's review against another edition
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
This novel is actually two separate stories about two separate teams. There’s Laura and Alec on one side and Jack and Aubrey on the other. They offer two juxtaposing viewpoints. Those who have some idea what’s going on (Laura and Alec) and those who are learning right along with the reader (Jack and Aubrey). It was a neat tactic allowing for surprises and twists alongside more detailed knowledge.
There is no doubt that Wells has built an intricate puzzle around the lives of these superhuman teens. And it was fascinating to watch the pieces fall into place. However the novel suffers in that it feels overcrowded. It’s fast paced and action packed, which is great but it doesn’t allow for a ton of character development. I felt like I really got to know Jack and Aubrey but at the end of the day know nothing about Laura and Alec.
Blackout has a unique premise and I am interested in what happens next despite my reservations. I just hope more time is spent of the characters themselves rather than the action around them.
This novel is actually two separate stories about two separate teams. There’s Laura and Alec on one side and Jack and Aubrey on the other. They offer two juxtaposing viewpoints. Those who have some idea what’s going on (Laura and Alec) and those who are learning right along with the reader (Jack and Aubrey). It was a neat tactic allowing for surprises and twists alongside more detailed knowledge.
There is no doubt that Wells has built an intricate puzzle around the lives of these superhuman teens. And it was fascinating to watch the pieces fall into place. However the novel suffers in that it feels overcrowded. It’s fast paced and action packed, which is great but it doesn’t allow for a ton of character development. I felt like I really got to know Jack and Aubrey but at the end of the day know nothing about Laura and Alec.
Blackout has a unique premise and I am interested in what happens next despite my reservations. I just hope more time is spent of the characters themselves rather than the action around them.
unojaden's review against another edition
4.0
It was hard to get into and a big chunk of the beginning of the book was pretty boring, but around halfway through, I was hooked and loved the second half. Also I have to say is I didn't like the ending. I would read it again but probably not anytime soon.
sk24's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 stars
**A big thank you to HarperCollins for providing me with this ARC!**
I was in no way compensated for this review. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Blackout is told in a bunch of different perspectives, in third person narrative. The perspective changes from chapter to chapter. At first, it's alternating chapters between the terrorists (Laura, Dan, and Alec) and other "Lamdas", who are otherwise just normal teenagers (Jack and Aubrey). Then, it's kind of randomized, but still told through the four main characters' perspectives. At the beginning, I found I was more into the good guys' (Jack and Aubrey) story than the terrorists'. I was actually kind of bored during the terrorist chapters for some reason. I zoned out sometimes and had to re-read parts. But, that all changed later when they became inter-mingled and then I found that I was quite interested in all of the stories.
The story is about these kids who have caught a virus that gives them supernatural abilities. Everyone who has the virus has a different ability, some are weaker and some are stronger. Some people are using their abilities for bad and they are known as the terrorists. Others just live their normal lives and try to hide the fact that they have abilities. And some don't even know they have it.
Before reading Blackout, I read it's prequel, Going Dark. I don't understand what's up with prequels that don't really have anything to do with the actual novel. Like, the concept of the story is the same, but it's a different character just going through a similar experience in that same world. And then that character from the prequel either doesn't have a part or has a very small part in the novel. It kind of sucks, because I got quite attached to the narrator of Going Dark, Krezi, and then she didn't make an appearance until page 309. I was beginning to think she wasn't going to be in Blackout at all, after I got attached to her from the prequel. And then she was only there for a couple pages and then poof...gone again. :(
I liked the story, overall. It definitely kept my interest and I will be reading the second book when it is released. The characters were all pretty well-done. I'm not sure they were as fully developed as I would have liked, but they were all interesting in their own ways.
Random thought I had while reading: Where are all the parents of these kids? You'd think there would be chaos happening and parents going against the government to get their kids back. All the kids were captured by the government in order to undergo testing for the virus. The ones that tested as negative for the virus are locked up and waiting it out and the ones who tested positive are treated like crap at first. I don't think it was very realistic that the parents would just sit at home and wait to see what happens to their children.
I also didn't really get the romance between Aubrey and Jack. I think they'd do better as friends. But maybe that's just because there wasn't much emphasis on the relationship? I'm not sure.
Overall, this book was enjoyable. The concept was original and the storytelling was good enough to keep me turning those pages.
Read more reviews at SIK Book Reviews
**A big thank you to HarperCollins for providing me with this ARC!**
I was in no way compensated for this review. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Blackout is told in a bunch of different perspectives, in third person narrative. The perspective changes from chapter to chapter. At first, it's alternating chapters between the terrorists (Laura, Dan, and Alec) and other "Lamdas", who are otherwise just normal teenagers (Jack and Aubrey). Then, it's kind of randomized, but still told through the four main characters' perspectives. At the beginning, I found I was more into the good guys' (Jack and Aubrey) story than the terrorists'. I was actually kind of bored during the terrorist chapters for some reason. I zoned out sometimes and had to re-read parts. But, that all changed later when they became inter-mingled and then I found that I was quite interested in all of the stories.
The story is about these kids who have caught a virus that gives them supernatural abilities. Everyone who has the virus has a different ability, some are weaker and some are stronger. Some people are using their abilities for bad and they are known as the terrorists. Others just live their normal lives and try to hide the fact that they have abilities. And some don't even know they have it.
Before reading Blackout, I read it's prequel, Going Dark. I don't understand what's up with prequels that don't really have anything to do with the actual novel. Like, the concept of the story is the same, but it's a different character just going through a similar experience in that same world. And then that character from the prequel either doesn't have a part or has a very small part in the novel. It kind of sucks, because I got quite attached to the narrator of Going Dark, Krezi, and then she didn't make an appearance until page 309. I was beginning to think she wasn't going to be in Blackout at all, after I got attached to her from the prequel. And then she was only there for a couple pages and then poof...gone again. :(
I liked the story, overall. It definitely kept my interest and I will be reading the second book when it is released. The characters were all pretty well-done. I'm not sure they were as fully developed as I would have liked, but they were all interesting in their own ways.
Random thought I had while reading: Where are all the parents of these kids? You'd think there would be chaos happening and parents going against the government to get their kids back. All the kids were captured by the government in order to undergo testing for the virus. The ones that tested as negative for the virus are locked up and waiting it out and the ones who tested positive are treated like crap at first. I don't think it was very realistic that the parents would just sit at home and wait to see what happens to their children.
I also didn't really get the romance between Aubrey and Jack. I think they'd do better as friends. But maybe that's just because there wasn't much emphasis on the relationship? I'm not sure.
Overall, this book was enjoyable. The concept was original and the storytelling was good enough to keep me turning those pages.
Read more reviews at SIK Book Reviews
atinydisaster's review against another edition
3.0
I'll admit, it was the cover that initially drew me to requesting Blackout. I'm still not totally sure what it's supposed to be depicting, but I like it. Going even further, I wasn't even sure what the book was really supposed to be about. The story itself didn't quite live up to the cover for me, but it was still an interesting read.
Blackout's stories centers on two seemingly random points. 1) Groups of teenagers are roaming the country committing massive acts of terrorism. 2)Random teenagers are gaining special powers. These two things were a bit much for the willing suspension of disbelief part of my brain to take on together, but I still enjoyed the story. The world building was mainily lacking on the terrorist side of things since we get to spend a fair bit of time reading about the abilities and the theories as to why they're happening. It felt like I waited a long time for answers that never came which can always be kind of infuriating.
There are five main (or main-ish) characters who fall into either (and sometimes both) group. Aubrey was the easiest for me to latch onto since she started out not having much of an idea about what was going on, but as she learned the ropes she managed to be competent while still realistically flawed. Before the story even starts she had been trying to use her new powers to climb the social ladder of high school... so you know, not great. But the story leaves her a lot of room to grow into her character and her powers, so her arc ended up becoming my favorite part of the story.
I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book to get a feel for where the plot is headed next before committing to read it. Still, I feel like this could be one of those series with an awesomely plotted payoff in the end. Fingers crossed!
Blackout's stories centers on two seemingly random points. 1) Groups of teenagers are roaming the country committing massive acts of terrorism. 2)Random teenagers are gaining special powers. These two things were a bit much for the willing suspension of disbelief part of my brain to take on together, but I still enjoyed the story. The world building was mainily lacking on the terrorist side of things since we get to spend a fair bit of time reading about the abilities and the theories as to why they're happening. It felt like I waited a long time for answers that never came which can always be kind of infuriating.
There are five main (or main-ish) characters who fall into either (and sometimes both) group. Aubrey was the easiest for me to latch onto since she started out not having much of an idea about what was going on, but as she learned the ropes she managed to be competent while still realistically flawed. Before the story even starts she had been trying to use her new powers to climb the social ladder of high school... so you know, not great. But the story leaves her a lot of room to grow into her character and her powers, so her arc ended up becoming my favorite part of the story.
I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book to get a feel for where the plot is headed next before committing to read it. Still, I feel like this could be one of those series with an awesomely plotted payoff in the end. Fingers crossed!
aneeqah's review against another edition
3.0
I seriously loved the concept for this book, and thought it was pretty well done throughout. There was also some stuff near the end that really blew my mind, and I liked how things came together.
However, I felt as if the characters were super flat, and I didn't quite get their motivations either. The plot moved pretty slow for a majority of the book as well. The romance was very meh. And ugh, that cliffhanger. That almost felt immature to me.
So yes, full review to come closer to the pub date, but I may just post an early bird review for this one.
However, I felt as if the characters were super flat, and I didn't quite get their motivations either. The plot moved pretty slow for a majority of the book as well. The romance was very meh. And ugh, that cliffhanger. That almost felt immature to me.
So yes, full review to come closer to the pub date, but I may just post an early bird review for this one.