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Program 38: Sparks
Kelsey Clay is running from a past she wants no part of, but can’t escape her powerful destiny. Fear led Kelsey to hide her superhuman abilities, hoping she could forget about them while attending Sherman University. When she’s accepted into the mysterious 38 Program, her powers—and apprehensions—will be thrown front and center. She can’t escape a part of herself she’s born to embrace.
Join Kelsey as she learns about herself in a chaotic world of lies, mysteries, and supervillains. With her new friends, she realizes studying for exams is the least of her problems. Sherman is a dangerous place, and she is one of the superheroes enlisted to protect it. That’s the true purpose of Program 38: train the next generation of superheroes.
As a corruptive force consumes the student body, the 38 Program must determine why it’s happening and who’s the villain behind it. The answers they find plunge them into a rabbit hole of Sherman’s shadowy past.
Will Kelsey and her team unfurl her fears, or will they destroy her first? War is coming; Kelsey must choose to deny who she is or accept herself in this harrowing chronicle, Program 38: Sparks.
Join Kelsey as she learns about herself in a chaotic world of lies, mysteries, and supervillains. With her new friends, she realizes studying for exams is the least of her problems. Sherman is a dangerous place, and she is one of the superheroes enlisted to protect it. That’s the true purpose of Program 38: train the next generation of superheroes.
As a corruptive force consumes the student body, the 38 Program must determine why it’s happening and who’s the villain behind it. The answers they find plunge them into a rabbit hole of Sherman’s shadowy past.
Will Kelsey and her team unfurl her fears, or will they destroy her first? War is coming; Kelsey must choose to deny who she is or accept herself in this harrowing chronicle, Program 38: Sparks.
271 pages, Paperback
Published November 19, 2024
6 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 15, 2025
As a big fan of superheroes, I was looking forward to reading this debut book and happy to support an upcoming indie author. The idea behind Program 38 had so much exciting promise: college-age superheroes fighting to learn about themselves and their powers, all the while fighting to save the world (or at least Boston) from villainous Corruption. It promised all the things I love. Superheroes and Supervillains. Found Family. Incredible, new, (and maybe dangerous) powers. A villainous mystery. There weren't many reviews, but they were all five stars, and I was excited! Excited enough to buy the paperback.
Which is probably why I was so heavily disappointed by what I paid for.
To begin, I feel I must address the writing. Grammatically, it was fine. There were some nice descriptions and even some very powerful emotions on display. The problem was that none of it seemed to work with itself . It read like an early draft. Or like a bunch of loosely-connected ideas run through an AI generator. Things would happen for no reason and with no further explanation. Characters would say things out of the blue. There were heavy displays of 'telling not showing' when it came to describing character personalities, and everyone was so overly emotional all the time that I couldn't take it seriously when it actually counted.
Who speaks like that? Emily has never spoken like this before. What does this even mean??
I can't count how many times I was left baffled after reading a paragraph that made very little to no sense, and there were many lines thrown in that were meant to sound pretty and philosophical but ultimately had no meaning.
What? They then immediately proceed to leave the forest, and none of this is ever mentioned again.
sounds painful...
It's also written in a way where the main character, Kelsey, is narrating from the present but describing events that happened in the past, so we often get things like "I would soon learn," and "here is where I made my first mistake". That would be fine, if it wasn't done in such a jarring manner. Often times, complications would be revealed long before they happened, meaning most revelations and twists had no impact because we were prewarned.
The powers are never fully or properly explained, and when they are, it's not so much through watching them use their powers, it's through descriptions like this:
Me too, Kelsey. Me too...
The action sequences are lackluster, with plenty examples of things like "We fought for quite a while without keeping track of the time" pg 237 Not to mention, all of the superheroes have clips or bracelets or other items that allow them to do a magic anime girl transformation into their hero costume. And we get villain name gems like "Mr. Goo-guy" and "The Butterfly" and just straight out "Amelia". All in all, the super element of this story felt cheap and childish, which was heartbreaking to a superhero fan such as myself.
Also the college setting was quite confusing? Maybe it's because I'm Australian, and everything I've ever read about the American education system (both high school and above) makes it seem more of a mystery. But why would someone who's doing a creative-writing and digital media double major (or whatever it's called) take a Calculus class?? She's not even good at maths, how is that supposed to help her with her degree?? And why does the college just keep running despite being consistently destroyed and harassed by supervillains? People are being corrupted and wounded left right and centre, and the people running the place are just like "She'll be right, nothing to see here, back to class everyone!".
And this is all without elaborating on the characters, themselves. Honestly, I don't think I can. I can't tell you a single thing about them, other than the fact that Kelsey is equally stressed and emotional about everything that happens to her throughout the entire book (her powers, making friends, people being nice to her, failing college classes, the world ending, being a superhero, being a bad superhero). It was hard to feel sorry for her when she was complaining about something actually worth complaining about (like the world ending), when she was just as emotional and mopey about something trivial (like the lecturer being a bit harsh). Every personality trait was pinned to each character like a sticky note, rather than woven naturally through their behaviour and dialogue, and I got sick of people acting and behaving in ways that completely contradicted the ways they acted and behaved just a page prior.
Also, there were so many references to the real world in this, which threw me off. I'm not opposed to fictional books commenting on real-world problems, but at least do it in a way that ties in nicely to the story? I didn't exactly pay good money for a book about superheroes to then be subjected to hearing the main character spend more time moping about a five-year old pandemic than she did explaining her supposedly dangerous, deadly, monstrous powers.
Some other fun quotes that made me cry:
Needless to say, this is not a book I would recommend, which breaks my heart. I had such high hopes! The author has some fantastic ideas, but they were so poorly executed. Whoever edited this, beta-read this, or rated this five stars has woefully deceived the author, and she deserves better. Given better constructive feedback and direction, and this could have easily been a five star. I don't know if the author will see this review, but I'm in no way trying to tear her or her writing down, I mean only to be honest and constructive. I really do think she has great potential as a writer, and I hope she continues to grow.
Which is probably why I was so heavily disappointed by what I paid for.
To begin, I feel I must address the writing. Grammatically, it was fine. There were some nice descriptions and even some very powerful emotions on display. The problem was that none of it seemed to work with itself . It read like an early draft. Or like a bunch of loosely-connected ideas run through an AI generator. Things would happen for no reason and with no further explanation. Characters would say things out of the blue. There were heavy displays of 'telling not showing' when it came to describing character personalities, and everyone was so overly emotional all the time that I couldn't take it seriously when it actually counted.
"My loud, obnoxious, hyper-obsessive personality never flew anywhere" pg 23
"[Wyatt] told us a lot about himself, actually; he was a natural orator for his life's tale. It doesn't surprise me Wyatt loved to talk about himself." pg 19
"Excuse me?" Emily shot up defensively. "I'm a good student. Aren't we all entitled to our moments of aggravation, where we should be free of things that burden us?" pg 56
Who speaks like that? Emily has never spoken like this before. What does this even mean??
I can't count how many times I was left baffled after reading a paragraph that made very little to no sense, and there were many lines thrown in that were meant to sound pretty and philosophical but ultimately had no meaning.
The thickness in the air was akin to dust. Yet it was impossible to see what might've been tickling me in the air when I could barely see my hand in front of me. Something told me we had to leave the woods as soon as possible, and it was something more than a fear of the dark. My heart pounded slowly in my chest. Flecks of light from the outside sparkled in the distance like lapis lazuli gemstones. I heard a low, quiet whispering. Emily heard nothing of the sort. The only positive thing inside this place was the strange cyan fireflies; they guided our path pg 93
What? They then immediately proceed to leave the forest, and none of this is ever mentioned again.
"Found within your reverie, darkness perishes without words" pg 242
"I would be the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass, overrun by a powerful current"
Em's head suddenly lurked forward; it looked like it bulged a bit pg 200
sounds painful...
It's also written in a way where the main character, Kelsey, is narrating from the present but describing events that happened in the past, so we often get things like "I would soon learn," and "here is where I made my first mistake". That would be fine, if it wasn't done in such a jarring manner. Often times, complications would be revealed long before they happened, meaning most revelations and twists had no impact because we were prewarned.
The powers are never fully or properly explained, and when they are, it's not so much through watching them use their powers, it's through descriptions like this:
"I'm sorry. It's an additional ability I have. If I hurt someone, I can manipulate the injuries at will. I've taken them away from you entirely, as all that was left was some energy that accidentally stayed in your joints." He laughed awkwardly.
"What?" I was even more confused than before pg 49
Me too, Kelsey. Me too...
The action sequences are lackluster, with plenty examples of things like "We fought for quite a while without keeping track of the time" pg 237 Not to mention, all of the superheroes have clips or bracelets or other items that allow them to do a magic anime girl transformation into their hero costume. And we get villain name gems like "Mr. Goo-guy" and "The Butterfly" and just straight out "Amelia". All in all, the super element of this story felt cheap and childish, which was heartbreaking to a superhero fan such as myself.
Also the college setting was quite confusing? Maybe it's because I'm Australian, and everything I've ever read about the American education system (both high school and above) makes it seem more of a mystery. But why would someone who's doing a creative-writing and digital media double major (or whatever it's called) take a Calculus class?? She's not even good at maths, how is that supposed to help her with her degree?? And why does the college just keep running despite being consistently destroyed and harassed by supervillains? People are being corrupted and wounded left right and centre, and the people running the place are just like "She'll be right, nothing to see here, back to class everyone!".
And this is all without elaborating on the characters, themselves. Honestly, I don't think I can. I can't tell you a single thing about them, other than the fact that Kelsey is equally stressed and emotional about everything that happens to her throughout the entire book (her powers, making friends, people being nice to her, failing college classes, the world ending, being a superhero, being a bad superhero). It was hard to feel sorry for her when she was complaining about something actually worth complaining about (like the world ending), when she was just as emotional and mopey about something trivial (like the lecturer being a bit harsh). Every personality trait was pinned to each character like a sticky note, rather than woven naturally through their behaviour and dialogue, and I got sick of people acting and behaving in ways that completely contradicted the ways they acted and behaved just a page prior.
Also, there were so many references to the real world in this, which threw me off. I'm not opposed to fictional books commenting on real-world problems, but at least do it in a way that ties in nicely to the story? I didn't exactly pay good money for a book about superheroes to then be subjected to hearing the main character spend more time moping about a five-year old pandemic than she did explaining her supposedly dangerous, deadly, monstrous powers.
Some other fun quotes that made me cry:
It wasn't that I was oblivious; I was simply unaware pg 82
Something tickled me skin pg 93
Needless to say, this is not a book I would recommend, which breaks my heart. I had such high hopes! The author has some fantastic ideas, but they were so poorly executed. Whoever edited this, beta-read this, or rated this five stars has woefully deceived the author, and she deserves better. Given better constructive feedback and direction, and this could have easily been a five star. I don't know if the author will see this review, but I'm in no way trying to tear her or her writing down, I mean only to be honest and constructive. I really do think she has great potential as a writer, and I hope she continues to grow.
March 28, 2025
Amanda Madison's debut novel, PROGRAM 38: SPARKS, offers a fresh take on the superhero genre, grounding extraordinary abilities in the chaos of college life. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is its ability to blend the fantastical with the mundane. Kelsey, our protagonist, and her super-powered peers, navigate the pressures of exams, dorm life, and social interactions, all while learning to harness their unique abilities. This juxtaposition creates a compelling narrative that resonates with the reader, reminding us that even those with extraordinary powers face the everyday struggles of growing up and finding their place in the world.
The characters are the heart of PROGRAM 38: SPARKS. Kelsey is a wonderfully flawed protagonist. Her insecurities, anxieties, and mistakes make her feel authentic. Her friends/team's personalities and quirks add depth and complexity to the story. Madison portrays their relationships, showcasing the importance of friendship and support in navigating both college and superhero life. Their struggles with identity, relationships, and responsibility are just as compelling as their super-powered adventures.
As a debut novel, PROGRAM 38: SPARKS demonstrates Amanda Madison's potential. While there is room for growth in her craft, her ability to create characters with depth and a compelling premise is undeniable. And, who knew? Even superheroes have homework and crummy teachers. This is the first book in a planned, seven book series. I look forward to walking around campus again with Kelsey and her friends as they battle The Corruption. Check it out!
The characters are the heart of PROGRAM 38: SPARKS. Kelsey is a wonderfully flawed protagonist. Her insecurities, anxieties, and mistakes make her feel authentic. Her friends/team's personalities and quirks add depth and complexity to the story. Madison portrays their relationships, showcasing the importance of friendship and support in navigating both college and superhero life. Their struggles with identity, relationships, and responsibility are just as compelling as their super-powered adventures.
As a debut novel, PROGRAM 38: SPARKS demonstrates Amanda Madison's potential. While there is room for growth in her craft, her ability to create characters with depth and a compelling premise is undeniable. And, who knew? Even superheroes have homework and crummy teachers. This is the first book in a planned, seven book series. I look forward to walking around campus again with Kelsey and her friends as they battle The Corruption. Check it out!
November 18, 2024
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy. The following review represents my honest opinion.
A smart college girl with superpowers? Sign me up! I have so much to say but I will keep this relatively brief. As a girl in college myself, I can appreciate the struggle of finding your people and adjusting to college classes. Adding the superpowers onto the typical college struggle really increases the emotional struggle and does well to quicken the pace without losing the narrative. Each character is so vibrant and Kelsey's character arc is absolutely amazing to read. One of my favorite main character's I've ever read, Kelsey is so realistic. She says the wrong thing, makes mistakes, tries her best but still fails. Another of my favorite characters is Jay, he is absolutely so fun to read about and the bonus scene included in the book really adds depth by adding his perspective into the mix.
A smart college girl with superpowers? Sign me up! I have so much to say but I will keep this relatively brief. As a girl in college myself, I can appreciate the struggle of finding your people and adjusting to college classes. Adding the superpowers onto the typical college struggle really increases the emotional struggle and does well to quicken the pace without losing the narrative. Each character is so vibrant and Kelsey's character arc is absolutely amazing to read. One of my favorite main character's I've ever read, Kelsey is so realistic. She says the wrong thing, makes mistakes, tries her best but still fails. Another of my favorite characters is Jay, he is absolutely so fun to read about and the bonus scene included in the book really adds depth by adding his perspective into the mix.
November 26, 2024
I heard of this book seeing character bios on Instagram and found myself intrigued! Amanda does a great job tackling some hefty subjects with realistic depictions and vivid imagery.
There is also great range in this book, from moments of levity to intense battles and tough emotions. Amanda would often surprise me (in a good way) with the storyline and her unique take on hero powers or how a person would use it, all while still grounding it in a sense of realism. Amanda writes authentic emotions and reactions of heroes with deep personal struggles and tormented heroes from the demands of life and past events.
I won't get into too many specifics for sake of not wanting to spoil things, but this book is definitely one to talk about after the fact with fellow readers. For anyone who has gone through college/university life, you'll definitely resonate with many of the themes throughout and feel for the characters as they try to balance super hero lives with the demands of 'normal' life.
The super hero genre needs more books like this! (maybe even a movie based on it!) I'm glad to hear there are more books coming out in this series eventually, there's a lot more in this universe I'd like to explore!
There is also great range in this book, from moments of levity to intense battles and tough emotions. Amanda would often surprise me (in a good way) with the storyline and her unique take on hero powers or how a person would use it, all while still grounding it in a sense of realism. Amanda writes authentic emotions and reactions of heroes with deep personal struggles and tormented heroes from the demands of life and past events.
I won't get into too many specifics for sake of not wanting to spoil things, but this book is definitely one to talk about after the fact with fellow readers. For anyone who has gone through college/university life, you'll definitely resonate with many of the themes throughout and feel for the characters as they try to balance super hero lives with the demands of 'normal' life.
The super hero genre needs more books like this! (maybe even a movie based on it!) I'm glad to hear there are more books coming out in this series eventually, there's a lot more in this universe I'd like to explore!
August 21, 2025
I really wanted to love this book. I really did. But I couldn't. I had a hard time with too many things to love this book.
While the premise of the story is interesting, I found it hard to read. It is told in first person POV, which isn't the problem (until later), but it wasn't made clear that it was written in the present looking back at the past until chapter 3. Until that point, paragraphs would contain sentences that referred to the past, present, and future. Once it was explained how it was written, it was easier to follow, but still confusing at times.
Also, I found the character Kelsey to be a problem. She's an honors student, but struggles with her classes. I know even honors students can struggle, but she seemed to struggle a lot, and at times blamed her professors instead of admitting that she didn't know the work. Her identity of keeping secrets to protect everyone was tiresome. It was hard to root for her, or even have sympathy/empathy, when she kept pushing everyone away.
There were too many times when you would read a throwaway line from Kelsey and would have to infer and remember the context. The narrative was already difficult in some sections (see 2nd paragraph), and having almost nothing spelled out made reading this work. When I read, I want to enjoy the story, not work to figure out the story.
But I found the biggest problem to be chapter 19. This chapter was written in first person, but from Vanessa's POV. And there was no clear indication that POV had shifted until 2 pages into the chapter. With the rest of the book being written from Kelsey's POV, the switch made no sense in the way it was done. There was some interesting information in it, but it wasn't presented well. There are other times when Kelsey mentions that "this is what Nicole/Jay/Wyatt said," so I don't get why chapter 19 didn't have something. Either Kelsey saying this was Vanessa's information, or even having Vanessa intro the chapter with something like "Kelsey wanted me to include this."
Like I said, I really wanted to enjoy this book. I've met Amanda twice, and she's so nice in person. I feel bad that I couldn't love her book. I did buy the sequel, and I will read it.
While the premise of the story is interesting, I found it hard to read. It is told in first person POV, which isn't the problem (until later), but it wasn't made clear that it was written in the present looking back at the past until chapter 3. Until that point, paragraphs would contain sentences that referred to the past, present, and future. Once it was explained how it was written, it was easier to follow, but still confusing at times.
Also, I found the character Kelsey to be a problem. She's an honors student, but struggles with her classes. I know even honors students can struggle, but she seemed to struggle a lot, and at times blamed her professors instead of admitting that she didn't know the work. Her identity of keeping secrets to protect everyone was tiresome. It was hard to root for her, or even have sympathy/empathy, when she kept pushing everyone away.
There were too many times when you would read a throwaway line from Kelsey and would have to infer and remember the context. The narrative was already difficult in some sections (see 2nd paragraph), and having almost nothing spelled out made reading this work. When I read, I want to enjoy the story, not work to figure out the story.
But I found the biggest problem to be chapter 19. This chapter was written in first person, but from Vanessa's POV. And there was no clear indication that POV had shifted until 2 pages into the chapter. With the rest of the book being written from Kelsey's POV, the switch made no sense in the way it was done. There was some interesting information in it, but it wasn't presented well. There are other times when Kelsey mentions that "this is what Nicole/Jay/Wyatt said," so I don't get why chapter 19 didn't have something. Either Kelsey saying this was Vanessa's information, or even having Vanessa intro the chapter with something like "Kelsey wanted me to include this."
Like I said, I really wanted to enjoy this book. I've met Amanda twice, and she's so nice in person. I feel bad that I couldn't love her book. I did buy the sequel, and I will read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2025
Program 38: Sparks is a really good novel. It is a little bit slow in the beginning, but there is so much detail and depth of character. We really get to understand Kelsey and her struggles. It also gives a lot of detail about the people she was placed in the program with. Now, I said it starts a little slow, but boy, once it picks up, it picks up FAST. All of the different twists and turns throughout this novel kept me engaged. I didn't want to stop reading! I read the entire second half of the book in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down. The storylines were very very engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
August 13, 2025
Discovery and acceptance of one’s self: both of those themes seemed to run throughout this book. Anyone who has had the college dorm life experience can relate to the underlying emotions I picked up on while reading. The author has a thorough vision for their world and it’s clear a lot of heart was put into this novel.
January 30, 2025
It took me a hot second but it was worth it. Amanda knows how to formulate her characters.
May 29, 2025
So I read this book thinking a debut novel would not be this good. But I was very wrong. I loved the characters and the story, it was so engaging that I really loved it! Highly recommend this wonderful story!
April 5, 2025
Kelsey is not the type of character that i usually like so it does make me feel kinda 'uhhh' at the beginning but she and the other characters are written well I'd say, they are very relatable and realistic
as for the storyline, the corruption going on really put you at the edge of your seat and it got some cool quotes sprinkled throughout the story
you'll like this book if you like:
• hero/villain society stories;
• stories that sits right in between lighthearted and dark;
• supportive found family with some angst;
• emotional MCs
as for the storyline, the corruption going on really put you at the edge of your seat and it got some cool quotes sprinkled throughout the story
you'll like this book if you like:
• hero/villain society stories;
• stories that sits right in between lighthearted and dark;
• supportive found family with some angst;
• emotional MCs
June 16, 2025
I honestly though Program 38 was a fun read - it read more as a coming of age Via superhero moments rather than a superhero novel that happened to have some character growth.
Ultimately the story is about the emotional arcs of the characters involved and the author does a brilliant job in conveying the insecurities of our protagonist. The characters all have complex and deep realtionships and it's a theme that's carried throughout the book.
The narration style is that of a memoir being written in the first person and ultimately feel very raw and real. Dealing with insecurity and self doubt is something everyone does and really highlight how people truly see eachother in contrast to their internal monologues.
Ultimately the story is about the emotional arcs of the characters involved and the author does a brilliant job in conveying the insecurities of our protagonist. The characters all have complex and deep realtionships and it's a theme that's carried throughout the book.
The narration style is that of a memoir being written in the first person and ultimately feel very raw and real. Dealing with insecurity and self doubt is something everyone does and really highlight how people truly see eachother in contrast to their internal monologues.
April 27, 2025
As an avid YA reader, I looked forward to reading Program 38: Sparks, but unfortunately, it fails to deliver on nearly every front. It had the setup to be a decent book: a girl with powers, a secret school program, and a big villain conspiracy, but the execution was a miss. First, the grammar is so bad it feels like nobody even read it before publishing. Every other sentence had me wondering if I was having a stroke. Commas? Structure? Consistency? Never heard of them. Beyond the technical flaws, the narrative lacked depth and cohesion. Key plot points were rushed, underdeveloped, or contradicted themselves, leaving little emotional investment in the story’s outcome. Let’s talk about our “hero,” Kelsey. She’s supposed to be insecure and shy — yet somehow, she manages to be one of the most arrogant, mean-spirited protagonists I’ve ever encountered. It is almost impressive how little self-awareness she has. It is not low self-esteem keeping her friendless — it’s her personality. She’s apparently a genius but also somehow sucks at math; supposedly shy and insecure but actually just unlikeable. The side characters are equally problematic. Their personalities shift dramatically without reason, serving whatever momentary plot convenience is needed rather than creating authentic dynamics. Friends? Enemies? Who knows — it depends what page you’re on. Then there’s the language. I’m sorry, but calling villains “Goo-Guy” and “Baddies” makes it impossible to take the book seriously. The story reads more like a middle-grade fanfiction than a serious young adult novel.
I think there should also be concerns about the originality of the work. Imagine if My Hero Academia and Miraculous Ladybug had a baby … but they dropped it on its head, forgot about it for 10 years, and then tried to pass it off as a young adult novel. Program 38 lacks charm, character depth, and world-building, like someone took the surface-level ideas and shoved them into a bad Wattpad draft.
Honestly, it reads like a self-insert. We get it: You’re “different” and everyone misunderstands you because they can’t handle your power. In conclusion, this book is very shallow and hard to get through.
I think there should also be concerns about the originality of the work. Imagine if My Hero Academia and Miraculous Ladybug had a baby … but they dropped it on its head, forgot about it for 10 years, and then tried to pass it off as a young adult novel. Program 38 lacks charm, character depth, and world-building, like someone took the surface-level ideas and shoved them into a bad Wattpad draft.
Honestly, it reads like a self-insert. We get it: You’re “different” and everyone misunderstands you because they can’t handle your power. In conclusion, this book is very shallow and hard to get through.
August 4, 2025
Note: I was given a copy of this book.
Program 38: Sparks by Amanda Madison is an engaging and heartfelt read that blends coming-of-age themes with supernatural intrigue. The story follows Kelsey as she navigates the complicated realities of young adulthood, self-discovery, and the weight of a mysterious power she can’t ignore. Madison’s writing shines in the way she captures raw emotions, messy friendships, and the tension of secrets that refuse to stay buried. While a few pacing moments could have been tighter, the heart and character depth more than make up for it. A captivating start that leaves me eager to see where Program 38 goes next.
Program 38: Sparks by Amanda Madison is an engaging and heartfelt read that blends coming-of-age themes with supernatural intrigue. The story follows Kelsey as she navigates the complicated realities of young adulthood, self-discovery, and the weight of a mysterious power she can’t ignore. Madison’s writing shines in the way she captures raw emotions, messy friendships, and the tension of secrets that refuse to stay buried. While a few pacing moments could have been tighter, the heart and character depth more than make up for it. A captivating start that leaves me eager to see where Program 38 goes next.
March 14, 2025
Program 38 is fun and engaging, all of the characters have little things about them that draw you in (even the villains and side characters!), and the whole idea behind it is very interesting. It is an interesting view of college life, with superheroes at the center of it all and there is never a dull moment. I absolutely loved the relationships the characters developed with each other, and I found myself getting attached to many of the background and side characters. It is a really good book and I recommend reading it if you like superheroes or magic.
December 14, 2024
Program 38 had me gripped from the very beginning! Amanda had incredible imagery throughout, and her unique take on heroes and villains was completely refreshing. I honestly can’t believe this is a debut; she writes with the prose of a seasoned author. Overall, this is a really amazing read! Much love to the author for letting me ARC read 🫶
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