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Wraith
Chaos changes everything.
For Zoe Daniel, starting over means escaping her abusive ex and moving across the country to reclaim the life she lost. A fresh start comes with an unexpected a job at Valhalla, a cutting-edge scientific institute promising to unlock the secrets of human potential—and they even have free coffee. But when Zoe learns that Valhalla is experimenting with Chaos, a volatile new element that grants dangerous, unpredictable abilities to those who survive contact, she’s thrust into a world of power and peril.
Gemma Weeks, the enigmatic head of Valhalla, needs Zoe to decipher the mystery of Chaos. With her daughter’s life on the line, Gemma is desperate for Chaos to be the miracle cure that can save her. When Zoe is accidentally exposed, she gains powers that defy logic—and drag her straight into the crosshairs of forces eager to exploit them.
Now, as Chaos spreads, Zoe’s life becomes a high-stakes battle for survival against both the shadowy threats of Valhalla and the vengeful return of her ex. In a world where myth meets science, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to control the power within her—before it destroys everything.
A high octane blend of science fiction, action, and dark mythology, this story pulls readers into a world of powers and betrayal where monsters—human or otherwise—aren’t always who you expect.
For Zoe Daniel, starting over means escaping her abusive ex and moving across the country to reclaim the life she lost. A fresh start comes with an unexpected a job at Valhalla, a cutting-edge scientific institute promising to unlock the secrets of human potential—and they even have free coffee. But when Zoe learns that Valhalla is experimenting with Chaos, a volatile new element that grants dangerous, unpredictable abilities to those who survive contact, she’s thrust into a world of power and peril.
Gemma Weeks, the enigmatic head of Valhalla, needs Zoe to decipher the mystery of Chaos. With her daughter’s life on the line, Gemma is desperate for Chaos to be the miracle cure that can save her. When Zoe is accidentally exposed, she gains powers that defy logic—and drag her straight into the crosshairs of forces eager to exploit them.
Now, as Chaos spreads, Zoe’s life becomes a high-stakes battle for survival against both the shadowy threats of Valhalla and the vengeful return of her ex. In a world where myth meets science, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to control the power within her—before it destroys everything.
A high octane blend of science fiction, action, and dark mythology, this story pulls readers into a world of powers and betrayal where monsters—human or otherwise—aren’t always who you expect.
232 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2025
1 person is currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Matt King
9 books38 followersHi. I'm Matt.
Mythology is high on my revolving list of hyperfixations. I've taken my love of Greek myths and mixed those characters with modern stories of people learning to cope with superhuman abilities. Everything I write takes place in the same universe because I like to think my characters would try to get together for game nights.
When I'm not writing or buying things based solely on its sweet, sweet artwork, I can usually be found in an airport terminal because I won't rest until I've bought Magic cards in every major city.
Mythology is high on my revolving list of hyperfixations. I've taken my love of Greek myths and mixed those characters with modern stories of people learning to cope with superhuman abilities. Everything I write takes place in the same universe because I like to think my characters would try to get together for game nights.
When I'm not writing or buying things based solely on its sweet, sweet artwork, I can usually be found in an airport terminal because I won't rest until I've bought Magic cards in every major city.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 16, 2025
HELLO I'M OBSESSED!! I'll have to go back and read Matt King's other books, because I haven't had enough of this world.
Wraith truly does function as a standalone, and everything you need to know is inside, but it makes you want to explore more and read about some of the other characters who were mentioned, at least in my case.
It's a very fast paced book which suited me perfectly, and there were no big info dumps. It did take a few pages for me to get used to the world, but other than that I had no trouble getting into the story.
And what a story it was!! Wraith has me in its clutches now, I can't stop thinking about it. It's exactly the kind of book I like, with people gaining powers from a mysterious element, and all the Chaos that comes with it. See what I did there? Hah.
I agree with the reviewer who said this was giving X-Men vibes, it 100% was!! And since I'm a huge fan of that, it's no wonder I loved this too.
Zoe was an amazing character, I'd follow her to the ends of the Earth if she asked. And I can't wait to see where she goes from here, the friends she makes etc.
Speaking of friends, Cedric was a hoot, probably my favourite character next to Zoe.
Now...there's Britt. I think their relationship was handled really well, and it felt realistic. I hated Britt every time she was on-page though, because I knew something unhinged was about to happen and/or she'd be trying to hurt Zoe.
Another villain had me completely fooled until the "switch", I was sitting there thinking "oh they're just a bit misguided"...how wrong I was. In general this book has so many twists, and I saw almost none of them coming.
One of the things I loved most about Wraith, were all the descriptions of different Chaotic abilities. Of course, we got the most detail about Zoe's, and I'm not even a tiny little bit confused about how hers work, it's all crystal clear.
I love that scene near the end that's in the water, so powerful. It might actually be my favourite scene in the whole book.
The ending leaves room for a sequel, and I'm curious how that's gonna go since all the books are standalones technically, but either way I'll be seated for more Zoe.
*Thank you to the author and BDA publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Wraith truly does function as a standalone, and everything you need to know is inside, but it makes you want to explore more and read about some of the other characters who were mentioned, at least in my case.
It's a very fast paced book which suited me perfectly, and there were no big info dumps. It did take a few pages for me to get used to the world, but other than that I had no trouble getting into the story.
And what a story it was!! Wraith has me in its clutches now, I can't stop thinking about it. It's exactly the kind of book I like, with people gaining powers from a mysterious element, and all the Chaos that comes with it. See what I did there? Hah.
I agree with the reviewer who said this was giving X-Men vibes, it 100% was!! And since I'm a huge fan of that, it's no wonder I loved this too.
Zoe was an amazing character, I'd follow her to the ends of the Earth if she asked. And I can't wait to see where she goes from here, the friends she makes etc.
Speaking of friends, Cedric was a hoot, probably my favourite character next to Zoe.
Now...there's Britt. I think their relationship was handled really well, and it felt realistic. I hated Britt every time she was on-page though, because I knew something unhinged was about to happen and/or she'd be trying to hurt Zoe.
Another villain had me completely fooled until the "switch", I was sitting there thinking "oh they're just a bit misguided"...how wrong I was. In general this book has so many twists, and I saw almost none of them coming.
One of the things I loved most about Wraith, were all the descriptions of different Chaotic abilities. Of course, we got the most detail about Zoe's, and I'm not even a tiny little bit confused about how hers work, it's all crystal clear.
I love that scene near the end that's in the water, so powerful. It might actually be my favourite scene in the whole book.
The ending leaves room for a sequel, and I'm curious how that's gonna go since all the books are standalones technically, but either way I'll be seated for more Zoe.
*Thank you to the author and BDA publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
April 28, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and BDA Publishing for access to this eARC! All opinions are my own.
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This is technically a part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I definitely didn't have my reading experience hampered too much by not having read the other books, but I suppose I had to think about the world building and what was going on a little more than if I had read them. There is a little disclaimer at the beginning that tells you a few key points which was very helpful to just get that bit of context.
The worldbuilding as a whole I could've done with way more of! It was what kept me interested in reading this, as I didn't care for the characters (except that one side character who is in like three scenes, loved him), I loved the whole mysterious magical force of it all but a lot of the first parts of the book just didn't have much of this.
The pacing was a little strange, the beginning starts off slow-ish and then moves at a medium pace, and then things start happening left and right and characters start behaving wildly and it all got a little convoluted by the end. Some scenes or chapters felt a bit random, there's one where our FMC gets confronted by her past again but then its over immediately and not really spoken of again, little strange.
I didn't care for these characters, including our main character. She was a little boring, and her backstory didn't endear me to her as much as I think it was meant to. She made some questionable decisions sometimes, but I liked how she interacted with the magical aspect -- again, my favourite part.
____________
This is technically a part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. I definitely didn't have my reading experience hampered too much by not having read the other books, but I suppose I had to think about the world building and what was going on a little more than if I had read them. There is a little disclaimer at the beginning that tells you a few key points which was very helpful to just get that bit of context.
The worldbuilding as a whole I could've done with way more of! It was what kept me interested in reading this, as I didn't care for the characters (except that one side character who is in like three scenes, loved him), I loved the whole mysterious magical force of it all but a lot of the first parts of the book just didn't have much of this.
The pacing was a little strange, the beginning starts off slow-ish and then moves at a medium pace, and then things start happening left and right and characters start behaving wildly and it all got a little convoluted by the end. Some scenes or chapters felt a bit random, there's one where our FMC gets confronted by her past again but then its over immediately and not really spoken of again, little strange.
I didn't care for these characters, including our main character. She was a little boring, and her backstory didn't endear me to her as much as I think it was meant to. She made some questionable decisions sometimes, but I liked how she interacted with the magical aspect -- again, my favourite part.
March 3, 2025
I was able to read this book prior to publication last year October through NetGalley, so there could have been changes been made since then.
This book is action packed to the brim!!
I love me some action books who are also paced accordingly to the genre and that's definitely what this book delivered, although maybe a tad too much. Don't get me wrong I really like the writing style and characterization of the complex characters, the characters' their personalities are constant and realistic given their history and the current development within the story.
But the story happened almost too fast to get really attached to some characters or dynamics between the characters, that's why the plot twist fell a bit flat for me although I did not see it coming at all. If more time was spent in building up the characters in the first part and cementing their relationships with each other I would've felt more compelled and intrigued by the story. Especially because it was referred to multiple times that Zoe was not fast enough to try to figure 'X' out while if I have interpreted the timeline correctly she only had at most 2 days!
This book is action packed to the brim!!
I love me some action books who are also paced accordingly to the genre and that's definitely what this book delivered, although maybe a tad too much. Don't get me wrong I really like the writing style and characterization of the complex characters, the characters' their personalities are constant and realistic given their history and the current development within the story.
But the story happened almost too fast to get really attached to some characters or dynamics between the characters, that's why the plot twist fell a bit flat for me although I did not see it coming at all. If more time was spent in building up the characters in the first part and cementing their relationships with each other I would've felt more compelled and intrigued by the story. Especially because it was referred to multiple times that Zoe was not fast enough to try to figure 'X' out while if I have interpreted the timeline correctly she only had at most 2 days!
March 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & publisher for this eARC.
First off, WOAH?? No way I gobbled this up in just one day??
I think I haven't read a sci-fi fantasy + mythology in awhile and the idea of this book was interesting. The pace was great, it manage to gripped you chapters by chapters as there is no rest for Zoe Daniel. The villain was no shocked tbh but nevertheless, I love how it turns out in the end.
Also, if there is a sequel to this, I will read it.
First off, WOAH?? No way I gobbled this up in just one day??
I think I haven't read a sci-fi fantasy + mythology in awhile and the idea of this book was interesting. The pace was great, it manage to gripped you chapters by chapters as there is no rest for Zoe Daniel. The villain was no shocked tbh but nevertheless, I love how it turns out in the end.
Also, if there is a sequel to this, I will read it.
August 15, 2025
Wraith took me by surprise with its Marvel movie style superhero origin story, complete with both fascinating side characters and powerful, sympathetic villains. The writing style is so easy to read, the story is incredibly fast-paced, the powers exhibited are unique and VIVID, and on the whole, I just really enjoyed this read that was a little off-beat from my usual genres.
My only critique is that sometimes the timeline seemed TOO condensed, most of this story happening in under a week. While plot and action flowed, in the back of mind, the speed at which bonds formed and progress was made felt a little too fast-paced.
That being said, the majority of the story flowed so well with so much action and so many twists and revelations happening from one chapter to the next, that the accelerated timeline was easy to ignore.
And truly, there was so much happening! This book has it all, from an abusive, stalker ex girlfriend, to science labs and experiments, to government conspiracies, to a twisted villain doing everything they had to just to get back the one thing they cared about, to... honestly, a lot more that I don't want to even faintly spoil. I was on the edge of my proverbial seat almost the entire way through Wraith ESPECIALLY in the last half, and most of the twists I never saw coming.
And while this book is DRIVEN by its plot, the characters have wonderfully dramatic histories, personalities, and characters arcs. For instance, the main character has misophonia (decreased tolerance to certain sounds), and the way she's not only bothered by it but HANDLES it felt so realistic and lifelike. Also, the way she FOUND herself and her strength again after FINALLY having escaped her toxic relationship was empowering to watch. I REALLY liked her, and I'm excited to learn she'll likely make some appearances in a future book, one that I'll definitely be reading.
In the meantime, Wraith's publisher has sadly shut down. I can only be thankful I had the opportunity to receive an ARC of Wraith before that happened (I actually read this a few months ago and genuinely thought I had posted the review until I found it still lurking in my drafts!). I dearly hope this book can get its legs under it again and get published because it's SO, so good and deserves to be in the hands of readers. In any case, thank you to the author for this read and good luck! I loved every page of it and am looking forward to seeing it out in the world one day, hopefully sooner rather than later!
My only critique is that sometimes the timeline seemed TOO condensed, most of this story happening in under a week. While plot and action flowed, in the back of mind, the speed at which bonds formed and progress was made felt a little too fast-paced.
That being said, the majority of the story flowed so well with so much action and so many twists and revelations happening from one chapter to the next, that the accelerated timeline was easy to ignore.
And truly, there was so much happening! This book has it all, from an abusive, stalker ex girlfriend, to science labs and experiments, to government conspiracies, to a twisted villain doing everything they had to just to get back the one thing they cared about, to... honestly, a lot more that I don't want to even faintly spoil. I was on the edge of my proverbial seat almost the entire way through Wraith ESPECIALLY in the last half, and most of the twists I never saw coming.
And while this book is DRIVEN by its plot, the characters have wonderfully dramatic histories, personalities, and characters arcs. For instance, the main character has misophonia (decreased tolerance to certain sounds), and the way she's not only bothered by it but HANDLES it felt so realistic and lifelike. Also, the way she FOUND herself and her strength again after FINALLY having escaped her toxic relationship was empowering to watch. I REALLY liked her, and I'm excited to learn she'll likely make some appearances in a future book, one that I'll definitely be reading.
In the meantime, Wraith's publisher has sadly shut down. I can only be thankful I had the opportunity to receive an ARC of Wraith before that happened (I actually read this a few months ago and genuinely thought I had posted the review until I found it still lurking in my drafts!). I dearly hope this book can get its legs under it again and get published because it's SO, so good and deserves to be in the hands of readers. In any case, thank you to the author for this read and good luck! I loved every page of it and am looking forward to seeing it out in the world one day, hopefully sooner rather than later!
May 6, 2025
I enjoyed returning to this universe, having read Prism and Atalanta (#1 & #2)
Wraith follows Zoe Daniel, as she takes a job at Valhalla, a scientific institute experimenting with a dangerous element called Chaos. As she’s thrust into a world of power and peril, Zoe must navigate both shadowy conspiracies and newfound abilities.
The mythology references are subtle, more in name than narrative, but the real strength of this series is its increasing depth. Each book becomes stronger in character development and world-building, and Wraith is no exception. The pacing is fast, the stakes are sky-high, and Zoe’s journey is both harrowing & empowering.
I give Wraith 4 stars. While I’d love to see a stronger through-line connecting the books in terms of mythology or overarching plot, the action-driven narrative and expanding universe keep me invested. I’m excited to see where this series goes next. Please keep going
Wraith follows Zoe Daniel, as she takes a job at Valhalla, a scientific institute experimenting with a dangerous element called Chaos. As she’s thrust into a world of power and peril, Zoe must navigate both shadowy conspiracies and newfound abilities.
The mythology references are subtle, more in name than narrative, but the real strength of this series is its increasing depth. Each book becomes stronger in character development and world-building, and Wraith is no exception. The pacing is fast, the stakes are sky-high, and Zoe’s journey is both harrowing & empowering.
I give Wraith 4 stars. While I’d love to see a stronger through-line connecting the books in terms of mythology or overarching plot, the action-driven narrative and expanding universe keep me invested. I’m excited to see where this series goes next. Please keep going
May 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, publisher BDA Publishing, and author Matt King for providing an eARC. I'm leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I was optimistic for this one, and thought I'd enjoy it (obviously, since I requested the ARC!) but I didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I did. I'm mad it's over! Give me more!!
I loved the non-stop action, the science, the mystery behind the new element Chaos, the limits of what FMC Zoe could do with Chaos, the tension and fear from the various threats to Zoe... And I really love when a magic system- even a science-based magic system- has rules. It's no fun if you can wave a magic wand and fix all your problems!
I thought this decision to have the main character experience misophonia was an interesting one. What was even more interesting was this wasn't a plot device, it wasn't a weakness to overcome or that landed her in trouble due to being debilitated by it, and it wasn't something to cure with the help of Chaos; it was just a part of Zoe and who she is, same as her hair color or anything else. I don't think I've ever read a book that featured a character with misophonia before, so it was nice to see how it impacted Zoe's daily life pre- and post-Chaos exposure, and to see the tools she used to help her cope with it, like her earbuds.
I loved the plot twists, the bait and switches, and all the layers that kept peeling back on this rich world. The book was described on NetGalley as being able to be read as a standalone, and this is completely true. Everything the reader needs to know about any mysterious government agencies or scientific and/or cultural differences between our earth and the earth in the book is all explained on-page enough for the reader to follow along unhindered.
This was a super fast read, at about 250 action-packed pages. Once the story starts, it does not stop. There are no "Let's pause and make a plan" moments, there is just raw and unfiltered "Gotta run gotta stay alive gotta improvise gotta go go go". There's no romance (but there is a toxic, narcissistic, abusive ex .) There are few allies for Zoe, truthfully, and she has to rely on her own wits more often than anything else.
Wraith delivered lots of X-Men feels. There's all the familiar feelings of being alone and isolated and fundamentally different, and being judged for it. Even pre-Chaos exposure, Zoe's family had turned their back on her for her romantic choices, and she was looked down on. And it wasn't even for being in a queer relationship, it was because she "chose" to stay in an abusive relationship, so she "deserved" whatever happened to her, because she could "choose" to leave but didn't. But sometimes it's just not that simple.
I think the author handled all these really heave topics exceptionally well. I'm even more surprised it was a male author writing a female character in a queer relationship so well! Seriously, Matt King nailed it, in my opinion.
So why only four stars?
What was missing, for me, was a little more explanation and a little more climax. There were some things that happened off-page and I wish the reader had gotten to be witness to those events. I feel like there weren't enough consequences for some character's actions, and the consequences that were significant were, again, mostly off-page. Maybe it'll be revisited in a future book, but since each book in this world can be a stand-alone, I just don't know. The climax felt a bit rushed and the resolution felt a little convenient. Remember, we have multiple Big Bads against our FMC, and one was tidied up in about 5%, and the other neutralized in about 10%. I wish the threat had been ongoing for a little longer, and then would have made it felt a little more weighty, which would help it be truly satisfying when Zoe wins the day.
Despite this, it's an amazing book, and one I won't hesitate to recommend. If you enjoy action, mystery, sci-fi, superheroes/superpowers, quantum physics (don't worry, it's not technical, we just stop time sometimes), and relatable FMCs who are far from perfect but have a strong moral compass to try to do what's right, even if it's hard, even if they're alone, even if it's scary, ya gotta read this one.
.
.
.
I was optimistic for this one, and thought I'd enjoy it (obviously, since I requested the ARC!) but I didn't think I'd like it nearly as much as I did. I'm mad it's over! Give me more!!
I loved the non-stop action, the science, the mystery behind the new element Chaos, the limits of what FMC Zoe could do with Chaos, the tension and fear from the various threats to Zoe... And I really love when a magic system- even a science-based magic system- has rules. It's no fun if you can wave a magic wand and fix all your problems!
I thought this decision to have the main character experience misophonia was an interesting one. What was even more interesting was this wasn't a plot device, it wasn't a weakness to overcome or that landed her in trouble due to being debilitated by it, and it wasn't something to cure with the help of Chaos; it was just a part of Zoe and who she is, same as her hair color or anything else. I don't think I've ever read a book that featured a character with misophonia before, so it was nice to see how it impacted Zoe's daily life pre- and post-Chaos exposure, and to see the tools she used to help her cope with it, like her earbuds.
I loved the plot twists, the bait and switches, and all the layers that kept peeling back on this rich world. The book was described on NetGalley as being able to be read as a standalone, and this is completely true. Everything the reader needs to know about any mysterious government agencies or scientific and/or cultural differences between our earth and the earth in the book is all explained on-page enough for the reader to follow along unhindered.
This was a super fast read, at about 250 action-packed pages. Once the story starts, it does not stop. There are no "Let's pause and make a plan" moments, there is just raw and unfiltered "Gotta run gotta stay alive gotta improvise gotta go go go". There's no romance (but there is a toxic, narcissistic, abusive ex .) There are few allies for Zoe, truthfully, and she has to rely on her own wits more often than anything else.
Wraith delivered lots of X-Men feels. There's all the familiar feelings of being alone and isolated and fundamentally different, and being judged for it. Even pre-Chaos exposure, Zoe's family had turned their back on her for her romantic choices, and she was looked down on. And it wasn't even for being in a queer relationship, it was because she "chose" to stay in an abusive relationship, so she "deserved" whatever happened to her, because she could "choose" to leave but didn't. But sometimes it's just not that simple.
I think the author handled all these really heave topics exceptionally well. I'm even more surprised it was a male author writing a female character in a queer relationship so well! Seriously, Matt King nailed it, in my opinion.
So why only four stars?
What was missing, for me, was a little more explanation and a little more climax. There were some things that happened off-page and I wish the reader had gotten to be witness to those events. I feel like there weren't enough consequences for some character's actions, and the consequences that were significant were, again, mostly off-page. Maybe it'll be revisited in a future book, but since each book in this world can be a stand-alone, I just don't know. The climax felt a bit rushed and the resolution felt a little convenient. Remember, we have multiple Big Bads against our FMC, and one was tidied up in about 5%, and the other neutralized in about 10%. I wish the threat had been ongoing for a little longer, and then would have made it felt a little more weighty, which would help it be truly satisfying when Zoe wins the day.
Despite this, it's an amazing book, and one I won't hesitate to recommend. If you enjoy action, mystery, sci-fi, superheroes/superpowers, quantum physics (don't worry, it's not technical, we just stop time sometimes), and relatable FMCs who are far from perfect but have a strong moral compass to try to do what's right, even if it's hard, even if they're alone, even if it's scary, ya gotta read this one.
April 25, 2025
Read as an ARC from Netgalley, many thanks to the publisher.
Wraith is a science-fantasy adventure, with a tinge of horror. It is a decently fast-paced story that neither overstays its welcome, nor ends too abruptly. Overall, I quite liked this book, but mainly for the science-fantasy and horror elements. It did a fine job of establishing the world in which the story takes place early on, and firmly situating our protagonist within it. While it starts inconspicuous, the somewhat uncanny ambiance is established from the beginning, as things seem to be going too well for Zoe. The uncanniness only increases as Zoe's bond with Gemma deepens.
This relationship between Zoe and Gemma (her boss) is very well executed in my opinion, although it does feel like Zoe trusting Gemma happens way too quickly, especially considering Zoe's history of domestic violence.
The portrayal of Britt, Zoe's abusive ex, on the other hand, felt far less refined. Her behaviour, especially towards the end, felt almost comically overblown. I'm sure there are abusers out there who act like this, but that didn't stop the character from feeling out-of-place. Britt's past behaviours, as described by Zoe, are far more realistic and did contribute a lot to the eerie feeling of the story, but by the time Britt actually appears, she's already moved beyond that into unbelievability.
I've read far too many books recently that had lackluster or straight up infuriating endings, but this one was thankfully not one of them. It was a bit on the shorter side, but overall made for a nice conclusion that was actually kind of heart-warming. I do wish it had been explained why Cedric called her Wraith, and what happened to the adult Amaryn after Zoe unfroze her, but those are pretty minor gripes, all considered.
Wraith is a science-fantasy adventure, with a tinge of horror. It is a decently fast-paced story that neither overstays its welcome, nor ends too abruptly. Overall, I quite liked this book, but mainly for the science-fantasy and horror elements. It did a fine job of establishing the world in which the story takes place early on, and firmly situating our protagonist within it. While it starts inconspicuous, the somewhat uncanny ambiance is established from the beginning, as things seem to be going too well for Zoe. The uncanniness only increases as Zoe's bond with Gemma deepens.
This relationship between Zoe and Gemma (her boss) is very well executed in my opinion, although it does feel like Zoe trusting Gemma happens way too quickly, especially considering Zoe's history of domestic violence.
The portrayal of Britt, Zoe's abusive ex, on the other hand, felt far less refined. Her behaviour, especially towards the end, felt almost comically overblown. I'm sure there are abusers out there who act like this, but that didn't stop the character from feeling out-of-place. Britt's past behaviours, as described by Zoe, are far more realistic and did contribute a lot to the eerie feeling of the story, but by the time Britt actually appears, she's already moved beyond that into unbelievability.
I've read far too many books recently that had lackluster or straight up infuriating endings, but this one was thankfully not one of them. It was a bit on the shorter side, but overall made for a nice conclusion that was actually kind of heart-warming. I do wish it had been explained why Cedric called her Wraith, and what happened to the adult Amaryn after Zoe unfroze her, but those are pretty minor gripes, all considered.
August 5, 2025
Wraith by Matt King is a fast-paced blend of science fiction, dark mythology, and action that had its moments for me, but also left me wishing for a bit more depth. The story follows Zoe Daniel, who’s trying to start over after escaping an abusive relationship. Her new job at Valhalla, a mysterious scientific institute experimenting with an unpredictable element called Chaos, quickly drags her into a dangerous world where she gains unexpected powers and finds herself in the middle of conspiracies and threats, both supernatural and human.
The premise was interesting and I liked how quickly the plot moved. The world-building is imaginative, and the mythological elements add a nice layer to the story. I also appreciated that despite being part of a larger series, it works as a standalone and you aren't left too lost if you haven’t read the earlier books.
Where the book fell short for me was in character development, Zoe and some of the supporting cast could have used more nuance, and the emotional stakes never quite landed. Some threads felt underexplored (especially the mythology and Zoe’s personal history), and there were moments where the pacing felt a little too quick for me to really connect with the story on a deeper level. While there’s plenty of action and a solid setup, I found myself wanting more substance behind the spectacle.
Overall, Wraith is entertaining and reads quickly with an atmosphere reminiscent of superhero tales and myth-inspired adventures. If you’re into fast-moving sci-fi fantasy with a dash of dark mythology, you might enjoy it, but it didn’t leave a huge impact for me.
A solid 3 out of 5.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The premise was interesting and I liked how quickly the plot moved. The world-building is imaginative, and the mythological elements add a nice layer to the story. I also appreciated that despite being part of a larger series, it works as a standalone and you aren't left too lost if you haven’t read the earlier books.
Where the book fell short for me was in character development, Zoe and some of the supporting cast could have used more nuance, and the emotional stakes never quite landed. Some threads felt underexplored (especially the mythology and Zoe’s personal history), and there were moments where the pacing felt a little too quick for me to really connect with the story on a deeper level. While there’s plenty of action and a solid setup, I found myself wanting more substance behind the spectacle.
Overall, Wraith is entertaining and reads quickly with an atmosphere reminiscent of superhero tales and myth-inspired adventures. If you’re into fast-moving sci-fi fantasy with a dash of dark mythology, you might enjoy it, but it didn’t leave a huge impact for me.
A solid 3 out of 5.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 5, 2025
My Rating: 4.5*
I’m rounding up to 5* because this is exactly what I needed at the moment. Upon learning this was mythology reimagining, I eagerly opted to request this book to uncover its lore. When earning my Master’s, I studied copious amounts of lore, legends, and myths, and even though this is not a “classic retelling” or reimagining, I feel it was very clever. Though I have not yet read the others in this series, I will certainly be looking for them now that I've finished this one.
Zoe has escaped her tortuous life in Texas with her ex-partner, and is doing her best to slip under the radar and start a completely new life. Upon entering Seattle, she goes to a job interview for a job she really wants. Gemma Weeks, head of Valhalla, offers Zoe the job of a lifetime - to study a previously unknown element called Chaos.
Things seem to start out well until Zoe is accidentally exposed to the Chaos element and now she’s running and hiding all the while trying to figure out what powers Chaos has given her.
I truly enjoyed this book and it is certainly action packed and perhaps a bit too fast if all of these events happen in about 2 or 3 days. I will say the characters are a bit hard to like but I think towards the end I was finally on Zoe’s side and was really glad she found her backbone. I would love to see more world building which is one of the reasons I am going to seek out the other books.
I’m rounding up to 5* because this is exactly what I needed at the moment. Upon learning this was mythology reimagining, I eagerly opted to request this book to uncover its lore. When earning my Master’s, I studied copious amounts of lore, legends, and myths, and even though this is not a “classic retelling” or reimagining, I feel it was very clever. Though I have not yet read the others in this series, I will certainly be looking for them now that I've finished this one.
Zoe has escaped her tortuous life in Texas with her ex-partner, and is doing her best to slip under the radar and start a completely new life. Upon entering Seattle, she goes to a job interview for a job she really wants. Gemma Weeks, head of Valhalla, offers Zoe the job of a lifetime - to study a previously unknown element called Chaos.
Things seem to start out well until Zoe is accidentally exposed to the Chaos element and now she’s running and hiding all the while trying to figure out what powers Chaos has given her.
I truly enjoyed this book and it is certainly action packed and perhaps a bit too fast if all of these events happen in about 2 or 3 days. I will say the characters are a bit hard to like but I think towards the end I was finally on Zoe’s side and was really glad she found her backbone. I would love to see more world building which is one of the reasons I am going to seek out the other books.
August 8, 2025
In the third book in a series of standalone novels, readers discover a chaotic world where science fiction, action, and mythology intertwine in a strange new future. Starting over and escaping her abusive ex, Zoe Daniels’s move across the country brings her to a job at Valhalla, a cutting-edge scientific institute seeking to discover the secrets of human potential where she can experiment with the volatile new element Chaos that kills the test subjects or grants them new powers. Gemma Weeks, the head of Valhalla, needs Zoe to solve Chaos so she can save her daughter’s life, but Zoe accidentally exposes herself to Chaos, changing everything about her life and her position at Valhalla. Complex, dramatic, and twisted, readers will love the details and intensity of this novel and the world that Zoe and Gemma inhabit. The characters are well-written and detailed, and a lot happens in this book without feeling too packed with information. The plot points and emotional and dramatic intensity add great depth to the story, and the world-building is particularly well done. A powerful, fascinating, and intense new novel, this is a great addition to this interconnected series of standalone novels from Matt King that readers will love.
Thanks to NetGalley and BDA Publishing for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and BDA Publishing for the advance copy.
March 26, 2025
Thank you so much to BDA Publishing and NetGalley for the early release of this book in exchange for a review! I am very grateful,
This book follows Zoe Daniel as she tries to move on from her abusive ex. She has clearly gone through a lot in her previous relationship and so moves to a new city and takes a new job to get away from her past.
At this new company, Valhalla, she works on uncovering the secrets of the mysterious “chaos.” From here, the plot picks up at a breakneck speed with lots going on. I enjoyed that the book was full of action and once it gets going it never stops, with something new happening every page. Sometimes however, it felt like some bits came out of nowhere although with the shorter page count a lot is packed in. Definitely a fast paced read and easy to binge.
Overall, knowing that this is book three of a standalone series (I had not read the others in the series before this) I would now like to check out the others after this one.
This book follows Zoe Daniel as she tries to move on from her abusive ex. She has clearly gone through a lot in her previous relationship and so moves to a new city and takes a new job to get away from her past.
At this new company, Valhalla, she works on uncovering the secrets of the mysterious “chaos.” From here, the plot picks up at a breakneck speed with lots going on. I enjoyed that the book was full of action and once it gets going it never stops, with something new happening every page. Sometimes however, it felt like some bits came out of nowhere although with the shorter page count a lot is packed in. Definitely a fast paced read and easy to binge.
Overall, knowing that this is book three of a standalone series (I had not read the others in the series before this) I would now like to check out the others after this one.
May 9, 2025
Wraith by Matt King is the third installment in the New Mythology series. I read this without reading the first two installments but did not feel as if I missed any major elements.
Mixing mythology and science, this book is a fast paced novel with significant plot twists that keeps the reader engaged and wanting more. I cannot wait for the next installment of this series.
Thank you to BDA Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Audiobook Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: May 06 2025
Tags:
#BDAPublishing
#MattKing
#Wraith
#Mythology
#ScienceFiction
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley
Mixing mythology and science, this book is a fast paced novel with significant plot twists that keeps the reader engaged and wanting more. I cannot wait for the next installment of this series.
Thank you to BDA Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Audiobook Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: May 06 2025
Tags:
#BDAPublishing
#MattKing
#Wraith
#Mythology
#ScienceFiction
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley
April 3, 2025
Well first off, wow… just absolutely amazing. From someone who has not read the entire series, I love that I was able to read this book as a stand alone and still completely understand what was happening and know each character. Second, Zoe is a badass and I love the representation of growing from previously abusive relationships.
This book was not what I expected it to be and gave me everything and more when combining sci-fi & mythology. Wraith was the perfect blend of the two genres while also delivering a truly strong fmc!
This book was not what I expected it to be and gave me everything and more when combining sci-fi & mythology. Wraith was the perfect blend of the two genres while also delivering a truly strong fmc!
May 6, 2025
Wraith by Matt King was a great novel. I didn’t know this was book was part of an existing universe in his previous works. With that being said, I found the novel very easy to follow and the time travel/universe exploration interesting. The FMC Zoe went through tremendous growth in such a short time. I would definitely be interested in a sequel post Zoe figuring out her new gifts now that she is comfortable in her own skin.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and Matt King in exchange for an honest review- thank you!
I received an ARC from Netgalley and Matt King in exchange for an honest review- thank you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2025
I received this book as an ARC through NetGallery and the published book may have been altered to what I received.
I enjoyed this book! It’s action packed with so much going on and strong FMC with a tortured past. Saying it’s fast paced is an understatement and I felt I was going too fast but it was still overall a good read.
- SciFi meets Mythology
- Standalone x Part of a trilogy
I enjoyed this book! It’s action packed with so much going on and strong FMC with a tortured past. Saying it’s fast paced is an understatement and I felt I was going too fast but it was still overall a good read.
- SciFi meets Mythology
- Standalone x Part of a trilogy
May 25, 2025
Unfortunately I didn’t love this book, don’t get me wrong the writing was fabulous and I liked the characters however I found it difficult to follow and found the storyline forgettable, i pushed through hoping to enjoy the book as I loved the writing style and the concept was really interesting to me, the storyline however just fell flat for me.
April 28, 2025
Thanks to the publishing house, the authr and Netgalley for the ARC
You really don't need to read the other serie to read this books and im really happy about it because this was so good, like I went in it with no expectation and came out with a good book that 230 pages. Hell yes
You really don't need to read the other serie to read this books and im really happy about it because this was so good, like I went in it with no expectation and came out with a good book that 230 pages. Hell yes
March 14, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up!!
read for work (shoutout BDA) and I absolutely loved. 10/10 I'm so excited to be a part of publishing this in the new year hehe.
read for work (shoutout BDA) and I absolutely loved. 10/10 I'm so excited to be a part of publishing this in the new year hehe.
May 20, 2025
This was wild. I thought there was going to be more Greek mythology in it. It was a unique story. There was a lot happening. Chaos is some strange stuff.
May 17, 2025
“Wraith” is a science fiction story in which Zoe, a young woman escaping an abusive relationship, takes a job at the secretive and powerful Valhalla corporation. Its leader, Gemma Weeks, has discovered a mysterious and dangerous new substance named Chaos which seems to have the power to do anything, including curing cancer, from which Gemma’s young daughter suffers. In the process of her work, Zoe becomes exposed to Chaos and starts to develop strange powers.
I struggled with this book for a few reasons. First, it’s clear the author has never actually worked in a laboratory before or dealt with contamination protocols. It was also evident that the conflict between Zoe and Gemma, and their supervisor/employee dynamic, are supposed to be central to the story, but I found it underdeveloped and poorly portrayed.
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I struggled with this book for a few reasons. First, it’s clear the author has never actually worked in a laboratory before or dealt with contamination protocols. It was also evident that the conflict between Zoe and Gemma, and their supervisor/employee dynamic, are supposed to be central to the story, but I found it underdeveloped and poorly portrayed.
My thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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