Broken Circle

by J.L. Powers, M.A. Powers

"Adam can't even grow a man beard yet, but he can do something his friends can't do—go to Limbo and back. Prepare to root for him as he makes new friends, discovers who he is, and saves a few souls in the process. This is a fast-paced, page-turning story!" —Skila Brown, author of Caminar

Adam wants nothing more than to be a "normal" teen, but his reality is quickly leaking normal. Afraid to sleep because of the monster that stalks him in his dreams, Adam's breakdown at school in front of his crush Sarah lands him in the hospital.

Now Adam can only vaguely comprehend some sort of future. His mother died when he was only four and his eccentric father—who might be an assassin, a voodoo god, the reincarnation of the Buddha, or something even stranger—is never available when Adam really needs him.

Adam's life takes an even stranger turn when a fat man with a gold tooth and a medallion confronts his father regarding Adam's supposed "true destiny." Adam is soon headed toward a collision with life, death, and the entities charged with shepherding souls of the newly dead, all competing to control lucrative territories where some nightmares are real and psychopomps of ancient legends walk the streets of North America.

J.L. Powers is the award-winning author of three young adult novels and one picture book. She is founder and editor of the blog The Pirate Tree: Social Justice and Children's Literature. She served as a jurist for the 2014 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.

M.A. Powers, J.L.'s "little" (but much taller) brother, has a PhD in the oncological sciences from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah–Salt Lake City. He lives in Maine

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Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Supernatural, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

The daughter of a geologist and a journalist, J.L. Powers spent much of her childhood camping and searching for fossils in the American West, and considers herself a true “desert rat.” She grew up on the U.S.-Mexico Border in El Paso, Texas.

She’s taught African history and freshman composition, research and argument, creative writing, and literature at the University of Texas at El Paso, Stanford University, and Skyline College. Jessica is semi-proficient in three languages–Spanish, Portuguese, and Zulu–and now sometimes answers in Zulu when spoken to in Spanish. Though she now lives in California, where she just finished a Master’s Degree in African History at Stanford University, she will always consider El Paso, Texas “home.”


She is the author of one picture book (Colors of the Wind: The Story of Blind Artist and Champion Runner George Mendoza); 3 novels for young adults (Amina; This Thing Called the Future; and The Confessional); editor of two collections of essays (That Mad Game: Growing Up in a Warzone; and Labor Pains and Birth Stories: Essays on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Becoming a Parent); and author of one non-fiction hiking guide (A Bark in the Park: The 52 Best Places to Hike with Your Dog in the El Paso/Las Cruces region).

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please tell me there's a sequel coming, Powers siblings? Because as much fun as this dip into Adam's world of soul guides and Limbo and feuding families and evil wannabe-Immortals has been, I can't leave Adam and Rachel and the family now.

Not now, when...well. I suppose I should probably avoid dragging a host of spoilers into this review. But suffice it to say that there must be much more of his world that Adam has yet to understand, and I want to be there when he discovers it—and discovers how, exactly, his family fits into everything.

In the meantime, I'll be over here, trying to imagine what my own Limbo might be...or which soul guide would help me cross over...and whether I'm crazy for thinking Adam's dad might just be who Severus Snape could've been if only he'd been blessed with a bit more love and job satisfaction in his life. (And probably trying to track down online quizzes that might assist me in answering any of those questions....)

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received advanced reader copy from author. Review is honest and unsolicited.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars

When Adam’s dad sends him to a boarding school so he can “take over the family business,” Adam has his suspicions what that business is but he isn’t completely certain. He is certain that nearly every time he falls asleep, he is haunted by a monster that stalks and attempts to attack him. Will boarding school help with that?

What a fantastic & unique premise to this start of a series {it will be a series, Jessica & Matt, right?!?!? Well, you did let drop when I got the ARC that more were planned!}. When I sat down to think about read-alikes for this book, because I will be asked for “something like Broken Circle” while anxious readers await the next installment, I had a hard time coming up with something. Life, death, the great in-between, guides to lead you here & there, and then toss in a boarding school to learn about it all? A wildly, wonderful new story with, as far as I can tell, not a similar story in sight!

I must say though, I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book. But, I had the distinct feeling that I was supposed to be confused so that I could identify with the chaos going through Adam’s mind.

Where I felt like the novel could use a little bit more attention was in the character development. I do not feel like I really got to know Sean, Tomás, and Zachary well enough to follow the leap to them becoming friends with Adam – especially after Dad told Adam “trust no one.” With an admonishment like that, I need some serious convincing that a character is okay to count as “on Adam’s side.” I do feel like I got to know Rachel and Liliana a bit better than the others. Both of those gals have me thoroughly intrigued and I’m eager to know more about their pasts and futures.

Full disclosure: Jessica is an author local to me and she graciously gives a good chunk of time to my library as a volunteer. But she gave me this ARC without any conditions. The passion I feel for the premise and the eagerness I have to read more is purely mine.

[Erin Cadwalader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I generally don't read YA fiction, but it was co-written by a friend of mine from grad school with his sister so I picked up a copy. I found it to be a delightful coming-of-age story about a misfit boy whose family secret is that they are grim reapers and he is biologically destined to become one too. Dealing with the enormity of that issue, the challenges that come with the global supernatural community of which they are a part, and the general problems with being a teenager all contribute to the adventures of a fraught kid who is still easy to relate to. I recommend this book, acknowledging my bias, and look forward to hopefully the follow up stories of our young narrator.

[Liz Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story: After a psychotic episode overtakes him at school, Adam's father ships him off to a private academy to get help. But it's not just any rehab center--in fact it's a training facility for soul guides, those tasked with leading the dying soul through death, into Limbo, and out into the Other Side. Child of two warring guide clans, Adam has been raised with no training on how to use the giant powers roiling inside him; he doesn’t know enough to avoid La Luz (a shadowy organization seeking to overthrow death itself...and by extension, the soul guides too) in time to prevent a school mate’s death. Does Adam have what it takes even to keep his own soul out of Limbo?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language R; Violence R; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (death, the occult) PG-13; overall rating R. Best for grades 9-up.

Liz's comments: Savvy readers will be disappointed with the sketchy details of the Soul Guide’s world; demonic content, blood and gore, and period explicit language render this better for HS readers. However, fans of Holly Black and Cassandra Clare will enjoy this series starter.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars.

"Hi, I'm Adam Jones and I'm not an alcoholic. My problem? When I fall asleep, a demon woman from Hades tries to hug me to death. She drags me into the bottomless pit of hell. And no, I don't do drugs. Raise your hand if you also struggle with inappropriate demon abduction! Come on! Don't be shy."

Adam Jones always thought he was a normal kid. Okay, so he dreams of a demon who almost kills him every night, but other than that perfectly normal. But then someone shows up at his door, claiming they've found him and his dad has to teach him his lot in life, and the next day his dad is sending him to a weird boarding school. A boarding school for psychopomps, where everyone is the heir to their family business of soul guiding. Maybe Adam isn't so normal after all.

So I love the idea of this book. A school full of upcoming grim reapers with territory feuds and an underground cult of people who believe they can live forever? Sign me up. But this book definitely lacked in execution. I feel like we never learned how anything works and I was left with way more questions than answers. They go to a boarding school full of soul guides but they get to just play guitar for all their classes? There was so much opportunity there.

Also, there is very little character development. All the sudden these are all Adams best friends, but there is really no reason for that. Insta love makes an appearance too. I'm left with more questions than answers and no desire to pick up a sequel.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept is solid.
The execution is a bit of a mess...

There is very little world building. While I don't need pages upon pages of explanations, I need more than just passing comments that are a weak attempt at making things seem thought out.

Action scenes are very clunky and confusing. I'm not sure how the action is at once too detailed and yet not detailed enough, but it is.

Pacing is another thing. It takes almost 1/3 of the book to get any where. But then as the book is coming to an end, you know it wont be the end. Cause there's too much stuff happening. And set it also seems to just keep dragging along.


Maybe as a younger reader, these things would have bothered me. I'd simply have been happy to have a book with reapers and angels of death. But... As I am now? I'm just frustrated and disappointed at being offered such an awesome concept and seeing it fall so flat.

[libreroaming · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept with a very flawed execution. Adam Jones is one of the few humans tasked to ferry souls over to the other side, guiding them through their personal Limbos. He is sent to a special school that advocates a "jack of all trades, master of none" approach that would be interesting in how it applied to Limbo guidance, but it is barely mentioned except as background and does not play into the third act climax. The relationships and plot points are explained over being developed naturally, we are told these kids grow closer over the school year to the point of being close but even then it's not demonstrated well.

I wished there was a defter touch because a lot of the ideas presented are interesting, but it lacks the spark of characters that can carry you through.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everybody Do the Limbo Now!

This book's plot follows a familiar enough overall arc, but it struck me as entertaining and imaginative, and really quite well crafted, with lots of unexpected zigs and zags and more depth and feeling than I originally anticipated.

The story is this - Dad is an X. Son, Adam, is an X also, but has been hidden, and has been kept in the dark about his X-ness. Mom was an X, but a mysterious sort of X, and anyway she disappeared under odd circumstances. Now, the other X's have found out about son and so son is sent away to X-school to find out what kind of X he is. Everyone else at school is an X and knows all about X-ing, but Son is completely in the dark. Sounds familiar, right? Now, "X" could be ninja, or spy, or wizard, or used car salesman. As it turns out, "X" is "soul guide", and that has made all the difference. Soul guides help souls, after death, navigate Limbo and move on to the other side.

I'm being sort of a wise guy because this book is grown-up and well written and can take a joke. Our hero Adam is a bit angsty at first, but he's made of solid stuff and it's a pleasure to follow him as he gets up to speed. He is complemented at school by another lost soul, a girl who turns out to be a tough and resourceful partner. The whole soul guide practice is well thought out, very interesting, and complex, and the book never slows down even as we learn more and more about the process. We actually think about, and discuss, life and death and the meaning of it all in an engaging and age appropriate fashion. There are lots of elegant touches and details, (Adam has a precog skill about when someone will die; he can see people's soul/shadows, which have unique and characteristic forms; he makes some really dumb teenager decisions), and the whole world is developed in a much more convincing fashion than I would have thought possible. We travel in and out of Limbo as the plot heats up, but, like Adam, the reader becomes more comfortable with these shifts as the book progresses.

The school environment is a hard sell because it is the most familiar of the familiar aspects of the book, but our authors mix up the teachers and the other students and day-to-day school life to bring freshness to the device. There are also lots of sub-plots, (what happened to Mom, who's out to eliminate son, why did he need to be hidden), that spice up the action and keep the plot whirling along. Some one-off set scenes, (a Day of the Dead party), are very satisfying and even touching. The authors even try the ambitious gambit of slipping in flashbacks of son's Mom and Dad eloping and defying the soul guide conventions, and that episodic flashback story is what fills in details and background as the book progresses.

The book does require some degree of patience, especially at the outset. This is one of those I'd-tell-you-more-but-not-right-now stories that keeps the hero and the reader hanging needlessly just to jack up the suspense. Luckily, every time you start to get fed up with that tease you are given just enough useful information to soldier on. And you will want to keep going. Adam develops nicely as a character and his quest is the reader's quest. Supporting characters show up in droves and add variety, humor, mystery, and some deadpan funny relief, as necessary. Toward the end this really does become a compulsive page turner.

By the final page the story arc sort of wraps up, in that there is no perilous cliffhanger, but there remain many, many unanswered questions and the sense that several more sequels could easily be sustained by this premise and these characters. A number of sub-plots are suggested and not at all resolved by the end. Indeed, probably the most sincere form of praise I can offer would be to note that I look forward to the sequels. This really is a superior effort in the genre, and was a nice find.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

BROKEN CIRCLE was written by brother and sister team M.A. Powers and J.L. Powers.
This title was sent to me by Akashic Books in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
BROKEN CIRCLE is a very intriguing and interesting book. It is fantasy reading and the press kit says the title is a young adult novel. I would agree that the young adult classification is very appropriate. The main character is 15 and many of the other prominent characters are in their teens as well. The plot centers on essential (what I consider essential) plot lines in young adult fiction - coming of age and friendship.
“Adam wants nothing more than to be a normal teen. But: his mother died when he was only four. His father is an assassin, a voodoo god, the reincarnation of Buddha - or something even stranger. And his grandfather insists that people are out to kill the entire family. But maybe Grandpa’s not all that nuts. You see, Adam is set to collide with a world that hovers between life and death, where entities charged with shepherding souls of the dead compete to control lucrative territories known as Limbo. Some nightmares are real.” (book cover)
I liked the book cover with the ‘Grim Reaper’ standing in the middle of a circle - his scythe sticks out of an opening at the top of the circle. This symbol is an integral part of the story.
I was slow getting into the book. Adam’s nightmares and lack of sleep and his blackouts at school were not clear to me. I think the story first started taking shape when he was sent off to a ‘boarding school’ by his father. This school was to prepare him and teach him about the family business.
I liked the references to Maine. I live in Maine and am always happy to see its locations featured in books.
There are 29 chapters in the book and several ‘half’ chapters. For example, there is a chapter 1 and then a chapter 1.5. The half chapters tell a parallel story/a prequel story of a Reaper Family from the Eternal City of Rome. Very Shakespearian-like.
The story was a thoughtful one in that many questions were asked about death. The story also contained several lines which I quite liked. “Is it possible to miss someone you don’t really remember?” (p.15) “an inappropriate dream abduction” “When I just know people are going to die, is it because I am somehow making them die?” (p.99)
The writing was good - somewhat suspenseful; good characters; intriguing plot; thoughtful.
I do recommend this book.

[Stephanie Tiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Jones is not your average teenager. His mother passed away when he was four-years-old. His father is distant, emotionally and physically, most of the time and his grandfather is a cranky, paranoid old man who believes there are people out there who want to wipe out their family. All Adam wants is a normal life and the courage to tell his friend Sarah how he really feels about her.
Adam also suffers from terrifying nightmares that leave him desperately avoiding falling asleep. When lack of sleep and too much caffeine leads to an incident at school, his father decides that it’s time for Adam to learn about the family business and sends him to a special boarding school in the middle of nowhere. While there, Adam will learn the truth behind his nightmares and why he is so different from the other kids at his school. Most importantly, Adam will discover a place where he feels like he belongs.
But not everything that’s happened around Adam is good. There is a group of dangerous people causing chaos around the world, and if they find the school, all of the students may be in danger. Together with his new friends, can Adam uncover the mystery brewing in his own backyard before someone gets hurt, or is it already too late?
I’ll admit, there are few books that I have read featuring a Grimm Reaper that I actually enjoyed. Many of them either mocked the Grimm Reaper or made him out to be a creature of pure evil.
The concept of the Grimm Reaper fascinates me, especially since he, or a similar creature, appears in many cultures. Because of my views on the Grim Reaper, it is difficult for me to find novels that I actually enjoy.
This novel was well constructed and rich in detail. The characters are well rounded and realistic.
The plotline lacks some mystery for the readers, seeing as we are already aware of the Reaper before Adam is. However, there are other mysteries that the characters are faced with that are very intriguing. I enjoyed the many characters and appreciated their differences of personality.
I enjoyed this novel very much and am excited about the next book in the series. I would recommend this novel to fans of Reaper fiction and any fantasy.
I received my copy of this novel from LibraryThing.com giveaways for the sole purpose of providing an honest review before the publication date October 3, 2017, and have permission from the publishers at Akashic Books to use the cover artwork image featured above.
stephanietiner.weebly.com

[Stephanie Tiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam Jones is not your average teenager. His mother passed away when he was four-years-old. His father is distant, emotionally and physically, most of the time and his grandfather is a cranky, paranoid old man who believes there are people out there who want to wipe out their family. All Adam wants is a normal life and the courage to tell his friend Sarah how he really feels about her.
Adam also suffers from terrifying nightmares that leave him desperately avoiding falling asleep. When lack of sleep and too much caffeine leads to an incident at school, his father decides that it’s time for Adam to learn about the family business and sends him to a special boarding school in the middle of nowhere. While there, Adam will learn the truth behind his nightmares and why he is so different from the other kids at his school. Most importantly, Adam will discover a place where he feels like he belongs.
But not everything that’s happened around Adam is good. There is a group of dangerous people causing chaos around the world, and if they find the school, all of the students may be in danger. Together with his new friends, can Adam uncover the mystery brewing in his own backyard before someone gets hurt, or is it already too late?
I’ll admit, there are few books that I have read featuring a Grimm Reaper that I actually enjoyed. Many of them either mocked the Grimm Reaper or made him out to be a creature of pure evil.
The concept of the Grimm Reaper fascinates me, especially since he, or a similar creature, appears in many cultures. Because of my views on the Grim Reaper, it is difficult for me to find novels that I actually enjoy.
This novel was well constructed and rich in detail. The characters are well rounded and realistic.
The plot line lacks some mystery for the readers, seeing as we are already aware of the Reaper before Adam is. However, there are other mysteries that the characters are faced with that are very intriguing. I enjoyed the many characters and appreciated their differences of personality.
I enjoyed this novel very much and am excited for the next book in the series. I would recommend this novel to fans of Reaper fiction and any fantasy.
I received my copy of this novel from LibraryThing.com giveaways for the sole purpose of providing an honest review before the publication date October 3, 2017, and have permission from the publishers at Akashic Books to use the cover artwork image featured above.

[Courtney Giraldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adams has high hopes for life as a normal teenager but when you can see peoples "shadows", can tell when someone is about to die, and have a crazy demented spirit woman haunting your dreams, life just can't be that simple. His father is less than helpful, always away on business, most likely as a member of the mofia, or something? After his dreams start to become a little too real, Adam is whisked away to a boarding school....for soul guides. Playing catch up is hard, and something stalks Adam in his dreams. When you are warned everyone is out to kill you, who can you trust?

Overall this was a very entertaining read. Adam was a likable character. I couldn't help put see a lot of myself in him; sarcastic, riddled with self doubt, loyal. He was relatable and interesting and kept me rooting for him from page one. Being whisked away to soul guide school with different warring houses was very Harry Potter-ish but the writing tone and plot line were unique and held it's own. More grit and grim than magic and whimsy for sure. There were some revelations that were not really very big shockers for me, perhaps they weren't meant to be. This book is one of a planned series and I will say my interest is piqued- I will have to keep up with the series to see what happens next. Although confusing at first, I did enjoy how the book alternated from current events from Adams perspective to a council meeting of some sort with the ruling body of soul guides, telling a story of a forbidden love between two warring clans (think Romeo and Juliet). This gave the reader a little backstory into Adams parents backstory which helped explain current events and plot points which I felt was a great way to dole out information in way that made it feel natural to the progression of the plot. I am going to go ahead and recommend you all snag a copy of this book when it releases on October 3rd!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Powers had better get to work writing a sequel if they haven’t already, because I am quite eager to read another installment in the lives of Adam, his father, and everyone else. The characters each had their own individual personalities, some were easy to like and others easy to despise. I loved how mysterious Adam’s dad was, even to his son. It gave more of an element of mystery to the story. There were some crazy twists – wraith anyone? But they just made me love the story that much more. Rooting for Adam had me laughing and sometimes gasping, but happy with how it turned out.

Broken Circle is the type of novel that can easily drag you out of a reading slump by bonding you with the characters in such a way that makes them difficult to ignore. It’s unlikely you will be putting this book down anytime soon after you get into it!

Although there was a lot of explaining left to do by the end of the book, the Powers successfully wrapped things up in a way that was a satisfying finish but left me longing for more from Adam’s world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves worlds that are mysterious to us, such as the one Adam frequents: Limbo. We often wonder about life after death, and this is a new twist on just what that might look like. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say this is more 3 1/2 stars but I decided to round up this time. I found the premise of the story about the grim reaper to be very interesting. I liked how there are different territories and clans that make up the soul guides and I really enjoyed Adam as the main character. I really didn't like how in the dark poor Adam was, which also made me the reader in the dark. I feel like if his dad or the principal at the boarding school had given at least a little more in depth explanation as to why he was there would have made things way less confusing. Even now after finishing the book I'm still confused on some things but maybe that's how the authors wanted it, to make people more interested in reading the next book. As long as the wait isn't forever I'll probably continue with the series.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Akashic Books!

[Jessy B · Rating 2 out of 5]

This YA book is dark and all about death... following the adventures of Adam, a young teenager who's father is an emotionally and physically distant "soul guide" who helps the dead through Limbo so they can move on to the other side. But Adam's own fantastic nature has been kept secret from him (and others like him), until he's sent to a remote boarding school to discover it... just like in the Harry Potter series.

And, just like in the Harry Potter series, everyone at school already understands their own special nature, but Adam is completely in the dark until he discovers himself and a place where he belongs.

It gets off to a slow start, but it's something to read if you're looking to soldier on through another spin on the familiar Harry Potter formula.

[Shem Buhler · Rating 4 out of 5]

coming of age book he the son of the reaper. but there are clans of different soul collectors. basic good world building has potential to be something big but they did do something thinking to make it bigger. they do leave alot of open mysteries at the end like where his sister came from? what has been wiping out the reaper clan. it might of been the spirit that was taking over people body but feels like it more than that. the group that is the light as the main bad group that seeks to not die. over all good world building. love what they do with people shadows indicating their soul would love to see this as a movie.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of Broken Circle in a goodreads giveaway

3.5 stars
I thought this book was fun, interesting, and definitely kept me wanting more. In fact, that is one of my only complaints, that at times, I really wanted certain topics to be fleshed out a bit more(and I mean this about events throughout the story, not just things that could be addressed in any potential future installments). Overall, it was a quick read that I quite enjoyed. Also, hoping there will be a sequel because I feel like there's a lot of potential for this world, and I want to read more!

[USOM · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more like a 3.5 for me. I enjoyed the school aspects, as well as the blend of mythology and the present day. But I felt confused by a great deal of this, partly because the narrator himself is confused and kept in the dark. But it felt a tiny bit like the blind leading the blind. That being said, if you like mythology about the dead, a YA setting, and a boarding school background - this could be for you!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a promising start to a YA series. It deals with a series of mythologies usually untouched by YA, so for that, it is refreshing.

A few of the secondary/tertiary characters blended together making it hard for me to distinguish between them at mention alone.

The supernatural elements were also a little hard to follow. I'm hoping that in any future sequels, more time is put into the logic of how these elements exist in a "realistic" world.

Will be keeping my eye on this series for any future sequels.

I received this book for free through Goodreads Firstreads.

[Dixie Keyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasy lovers who love novels in the vein of Neil Gaiman and perhaps Octavia Butler will enjoy this book. Although not as fluidly written as the work of Gaiman, readers can enter into parallel worlds, those of dreams and Limbo. Adam Jones doesn't understand his family dynamics and ends up at a special school that will expose all the secrets. Death, fear, and destiny are all front and center. I think this book would make a good TV series--the characters have the depth and are the right age to engage an audience.

[Jamie Helaudais · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my thoughts in any way.
Adam is a 15 year old who doesn’t sleep for fear of falling into his bad dream. He is sent to a boarding school to learn how to take over the family business, which is a mystery to him. I really liked this book. The story was so different from anything else I’ve read. Adam was a likable character and didn’t feel forced into a teenager mold. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

[Bussola Vespucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book. Reapers! Yay!
Unfortunately, there are 2 common tropes that bug me (I find them rarely done well), and this book starts out by using both of them.

Trope 1: "I just want my life to be normal."

Trope 2:
"I will not reveal anything about our magical family to my offspring because of reasons."

The story is actually pretty good, aside from those two things that bug me, and the world is definitely compelling.

[Ted Niblett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short! The compelling main character and the world he inhabits have endless potential, but the authors chose to keep this introduction brief. Now that they've hooked a few of us with this solid start, here's hoping they follow it with several more volumes, though they have their work cut out for them to keep the wonder going.

[2HatahetZayd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, the story is apparently first in a series or something. Motivations improved towards the end, but I actually don't think anything further on will hold up, as a major character conflict was completely resolved. Alright, but not especially invoking.

[Eli Ransom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story enjoyable but the writing style seemed a little difficult to follow and I found I missed some important points within the timeline.
There was also a strong attempt in humour but it repeatedly fell short in delivery.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating based on an ARC.
I hope there's a sequel!
If you're worried that it's too close in concept to the Arc of a Scythe series, don't. It feels much different and the worldbuilding is different. I'd love to see how it develops.

[Tena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this in a GOODREADS giveaway. I enjoyed reading "Broken Circle" by the Powers siblings. It incorporated new spins and unusual characters. A good teen read.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this copy in a Goodreads giveaway. This was an enjoyable, good teen read. There was an interesting storyline and unusual characters. I look forward to the sequel.

[Valary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted more.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think it would be as good as it was, but it was really good!!