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thegodmachine393's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Domestic abuse
lorimanning's review
4.0
I really want to give this 3.5 stars. I really liked the idea of the book and the first half did not disappoint. Then....it went a little off the rails for me. However, I think others will like this book.
sam_i_am012's review
5.0
It is a pretty good story idea, but there were times where I had a hard time following. I thought it would be like a hunger games wannabe but it was nothing like it. Pretty good, I enjoyed.
anthama's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
neelakomanduri's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sararose013's review
3.0
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and my opinion was not affected by the free copy.
When I saw that this books was for fans of Warcross (LOVED!!) and Lost (also LOVED!!), I was hooked. The survivalist part of the book was good, and when we added in the virtual reality part I so very much loved in Warcross, I was thrilled. I loved reading from different characters' perspectives. Up until the last 25% of the book or so, I loved almost everything about the book.
However, I felt that the last 25% of the book just happened too quickly. There was so many things happening, and new twists being added, that it was just too hard for me to follow. Without going into spoilers, I felt that the sci-fi aspect went just a step too far for me.
Note: There were some editing and formatting flaws, especially in the interviews that made it extremely hard to follow, but I am assuming those flaws will be ironed out by the time publishing comes around.
When I saw that this books was for fans of Warcross (LOVED!!) and Lost (also LOVED!!), I was hooked. The survivalist part of the book was good, and when we added in the virtual reality part I so very much loved in Warcross, I was thrilled. I loved reading from different characters' perspectives. Up until the last 25% of the book or so, I loved almost everything about the book.
However, I felt that the last 25% of the book just happened too quickly. There was so many things happening, and new twists being added, that it was just too hard for me to follow. Without going into spoilers, I felt that the sci-fi aspect went just a step too far for me.
Note: There were some editing and formatting flaws, especially in the interviews that made it extremely hard to follow, but I am assuming those flaws will be ironed out by the time publishing comes around.
suzannedix's review
4.0
The first 2/3s were so addictive! While the end was a little too Star Trekky for me, there was a clear and solid ending. It’s refreshing to find a stand alone amid so many young adult series.
I really thought this was going to feel like another Hunger Games but it had a very modern, reality TV feel to it. The characters were really interesting and the suspense was pretty much nonstop. Highly recommended for grades 7 and up. All of the characters are 17 or older so this really does not work for upper elementary/lower middle.
I really thought this was going to feel like another Hunger Games but it had a very modern, reality TV feel to it. The characters were really interesting and the suspense was pretty much nonstop. Highly recommended for grades 7 and up. All of the characters are 17 or older so this really does not work for upper elementary/lower middle.
liralen's review
2.0
[b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586722975l/2767052._SY75_.jpg|2792775] meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer (specifically, season 1, episode 10; also season 2, episode 19), with shades of [b:Whisper of Death|137964|Whisper of Death|Christopher Pike|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1378900166l/137964._SY75_.jpg|1546535] and every unconscious-body-suspended-in-viscous-liquid plotline I've seen or read in the last decade.
It's not that it's all derivative* but that the book gets more and more science-fiction-y as it goes on, and I lost more and more interest accordingly. I was hoping for more of a survival story, I guess; trying to keep up with the characters' understanding of the technology ('ah, yes, that's a particle accelerator, which must mean...') wasn't really what I thought I'd signed up for. This is 'trying to return to their dimension' more than it's 'trying to survive when the rules are changed and the safety net disappears'. Too many ingredients in the pot? Or—this would have been quite a different book, but—I ended up wishing it really had been a case of an earthquake or something throwing things into chaos, or the producers intentionally trying to stir things up (in a contemporary-world-technology sort of way...) with unintentionally devastating results (and the characters realising that the show is not on their side), or...something. Sci-fi: still not really for me.
*Although the name Cameron Jaimes probably should have been reconsidered.
It's not that it's all derivative* but that the book gets more and more science-fiction-y as it goes on, and I lost more and more interest accordingly. I was hoping for more of a survival story, I guess; trying to keep up with the characters' understanding of the technology ('ah, yes, that's a particle accelerator, which must mean...') wasn't really what I thought I'd signed up for. This is 'trying to return to their dimension' more than it's 'trying to survive when the rules are changed and the safety net disappears'. Too many ingredients in the pot? Or—this would have been quite a different book, but—I ended up wishing it really had been a case of an earthquake or something throwing things into chaos, or the producers intentionally trying to stir things up (in a contemporary-world-technology sort of way...) with unintentionally devastating results (and the characters realising that the show is not on their side), or...something. Sci-fi: still not really for me.
*Although the name Cameron Jaimes probably should have been reconsidered.