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God Machine #1
The Identity Thief
A shapeshifting sorcerer called Cuttlefish unleashes a terrifying wave of magical carnage across London. A strange family known as the River People move into Cassandra Drake's neighbourhood. Are the two events connected?
Spoiler alert: no.
Spoiler alert: no.
438 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2020
2 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Alex Bryant
6 books9 followersAlex has led a largely comfortable but unremarkable life in North London, and more recently Oxford. His main hobbies as a kid were reading and sulking.
When he's not writing, he's performing with his improvised comedy troupe, Hivemind Improv. And when he is writing, he's procrastinating.
The first idea for The God Machine came when he was 19, shortly after falling off a horse. Or possibly shortly before - the exact chronology is lost to history. So is the horse's name, in case you were wondering.
When he's not writing, he's performing with his improvised comedy troupe, Hivemind Improv. And when he is writing, he's procrastinating.
The first idea for The God Machine came when he was 19, shortly after falling off a horse. Or possibly shortly before - the exact chronology is lost to history. So is the horse's name, in case you were wondering.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 24, 2020
My review on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com Twitter@bookpage5
I loved the authors imagination. I always love to know how an author came up with their idea. Alex Bryant first germ of the idea for this novel came to him when he was just 16. He dreamt one of the scenes incredibly vividly and it survived almost unchanged into the final draft. It took Alex 13 years of delevoping this world and filling it with characters starting with shapeshifting and the manic Cuttlefish.
I can see that careful planning of this story has set some twists. I’m Being courteous here not to do a spoiler alert. Six similar magical attacks have been reported around London of victims phoning the police that they had a break in. Once the police have arrived each person has been found unconscious, with no signs of the perpetrator and with no theft being accounted for. In each case there is no clear motive for the break in or the attacks. Magical crime is on the increase. What home owners are being given is 10 steps to make their house magical proof. Well you don’t get magical crime books like The Identity Thief, that’s why I am today highly recommending The Identity Thief by Alex Bryant.
I loved the authors imagination. I always love to know how an author came up with their idea. Alex Bryant first germ of the idea for this novel came to him when he was just 16. He dreamt one of the scenes incredibly vividly and it survived almost unchanged into the final draft. It took Alex 13 years of delevoping this world and filling it with characters starting with shapeshifting and the manic Cuttlefish.
I can see that careful planning of this story has set some twists. I’m Being courteous here not to do a spoiler alert. Six similar magical attacks have been reported around London of victims phoning the police that they had a break in. Once the police have arrived each person has been found unconscious, with no signs of the perpetrator and with no theft being accounted for. In each case there is no clear motive for the break in or the attacks. Magical crime is on the increase. What home owners are being given is 10 steps to make their house magical proof. Well you don’t get magical crime books like The Identity Thief, that’s why I am today highly recommending The Identity Thief by Alex Bryant.
February 28, 2020
4.5 stars 🌟
Thank you to K&M Books for sending me a copy of The Identity Thief.
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what to expect going in but it took me by surprised and I had such a good time with it. I enjoyed the sorcery and magic system. But I regularly forgot that Cassie and her friends are only 12 years old.
Cassie isn't a character I'm a huge fan of but I'm invested in anyway. Hector I adore and my heart completely goes out to him.
I loved the layout of the book with mixed media (newspaper cut outs, blog posts, etc.) and I thought the story was fantastic.
I'm really excited to see what Alex does next with the God Machine series and I can't wait to pick the novella The Convict up as well.
Highly recommended this book 💫
Thank you to K&M Books for sending me a copy of The Identity Thief.
I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what to expect going in but it took me by surprised and I had such a good time with it. I enjoyed the sorcery and magic system. But I regularly forgot that Cassie and her friends are only 12 years old.
Cassie isn't a character I'm a huge fan of but I'm invested in anyway. Hector I adore and my heart completely goes out to him.
I loved the layout of the book with mixed media (newspaper cut outs, blog posts, etc.) and I thought the story was fantastic.
I'm really excited to see what Alex does next with the God Machine series and I can't wait to pick the novella The Convict up as well.
Highly recommended this book 💫
April 17, 2020
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Bryant has given us a YA/MG Urban Fantasy Adventure with so many layers that it's hard to summarize or talk about with any degree of detail.
Essentially the book is about a villain with the unlikely name of the Cuttlefish who is trying to steal as many of a set of books that he can. On the face of it, that doesn't seem to be much of a premise, even when you throw magic into the equation. Cuttlefish doesn't really strike fear into your heart at first glance, and stealing books? Really? But the lengths he goes to in order to get these books—fatal lengths—gets the reader invested far before the motive behind wanting all the books is revealed.
While the Cuttlefish is running around England, using his very interesting brand of magic, we generally focus on a twelve-year-old girl, Cass, her friends, her mother, a boy she's totally not interested in (and he's not interested in her, just ask them), and a new family in their neighborhood.
Cass seems like a fairly typical pre-teen. Her peers' approval of her is more important than it should be and overrides her reflexes to be polite/friendly when it comes to Hector (the new boy). In a nice bit of realism (even if it's frustrating to read) that when her friends show themselves to be unworthy of her loyalty/concern, she's still unwilling to break free from them.
Hector is an unattractive, socially awkward (for good reasons, it turns out) boy of Greek descent (in this world magic is tied to ancient Greek culture, so he's a little bit of an outsider already). He desperately wants to be Cass's friend but has no idea how to do that—especially not in a way that she won't find mortifying. Not only is he strange, but he is also prone to seizures—there's just no way for him to gain any kind of social acceptance.
Cass's mother is with the police, a branch dedicated to policing magic users—and she's very involved in the Cuttlefish hunt. She's also decided that Hector and his mother are going to be her project—they're new to the area and not that welcomed by the populace. So, she's going to do her part to make up for everyone else. As is Cass, whether she wants to or not. Hector's mom is strange, but incredibly friendly—which really doesn't help Cass. And when the two mothers get uncomfortably close, Cass just can't handle it.
Cass is part of a clique of four at her school, and she's definitely not the Alpha. One of her friends is nice, supportive and not really as fixated on the typical popularity/social goals. The other two are probably not the kind of girls you want your daughter to be friends with. In pack-mode, however, the don't make life easy for Hector. Although there's a group of boys who make these girls look like saints—although one of them (the one Cass is absolutely only a friend with) does try to get everyone to treat Hector like a human being. You may find yourself tempted occasionally to wonder why we're dealing with all the twelve-year-old drama, but have patience, it'll pay off—also, Bryant makes it all entertaining enough that you rarely wonder what it has to do with the Cuttlefish story.
Cuttlefish is sort of a Voldemort figure. He's a notorious thief who disappeared (and was assumed dead) for years, only to re-appear with more outlandish crimes than before. The thing about him is that no one knows what he looks like. He is an Identity Thief—he can perfectly mimic anyone—voice, appearance—the whole thing. Typically, he takes on the likeness of his most recent victim and uses that identity to gain access to his next.
The magic system is pretty intricate, but there's a lot yet to learn. It does, again, have its roots in Ancient Greece, and the alphabet and language of the Greeks are vital to its use. As magic users are ostracized in British (and presumably, Western) culture, Greeks are seen as likely magic users and are treated suspiciously. It's a strange quirk that most authors wouldn't have added to this, but says a lot about this world.
The Identity Thief joins a large number of books I've read in the last 6 months or so that scatters a lot of supplemental material throughout the book—newspaper articles, school flyers, website comment forums, and the like—these add a lot of flavor to the book, as well as ways for Bryant to dump a lot of information about the world without detracting from the narrative. Oh, also, most of them are just a lot of fun.
There is a darkness to this book that's uncommon for YA/MG fiction. But there's a playfulness to all of it, too—particularly the Cuttlefish portions. He enjoys what he's up to. The feel of the work reminds me of Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant. And like Landy's books, this is the kind of YA/MG (MG-leaning) book that can appeal to readers of all ages.
I had a blast reading this—Bryant's creativity with the magic involved is only topped by the creativity he displays with the plot. Every time I thought I knew what he was going, he'd pull something off that I couldn't have expected. Those times where I did know what to expect (there were a couple of them), his execution was still skillful enough that it felt like I didn't know what was coming. Which is a pretty neat trick, you have to admit.
This was simply fun to read and I'm a more than a little curious about what's in store for these characters. Inventive, stylish, unpredictable—The Identity Thief should steal a place on your TBR right away.
My thanks to Love Books Group for the invitation to participate in this reveal and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Bryant has given us a YA/MG Urban Fantasy Adventure with so many layers that it's hard to summarize or talk about with any degree of detail.
Essentially the book is about a villain with the unlikely name of the Cuttlefish who is trying to steal as many of a set of books that he can. On the face of it, that doesn't seem to be much of a premise, even when you throw magic into the equation. Cuttlefish doesn't really strike fear into your heart at first glance, and stealing books? Really? But the lengths he goes to in order to get these books—fatal lengths—gets the reader invested far before the motive behind wanting all the books is revealed.
While the Cuttlefish is running around England, using his very interesting brand of magic, we generally focus on a twelve-year-old girl, Cass, her friends, her mother, a boy she's totally not interested in (and he's not interested in her, just ask them), and a new family in their neighborhood.
Cass seems like a fairly typical pre-teen. Her peers' approval of her is more important than it should be and overrides her reflexes to be polite/friendly when it comes to Hector (the new boy). In a nice bit of realism (even if it's frustrating to read) that when her friends show themselves to be unworthy of her loyalty/concern, she's still unwilling to break free from them.
Hector is an unattractive, socially awkward (for good reasons, it turns out) boy of Greek descent (in this world magic is tied to ancient Greek culture, so he's a little bit of an outsider already). He desperately wants to be Cass's friend but has no idea how to do that—especially not in a way that she won't find mortifying. Not only is he strange, but he is also prone to seizures—there's just no way for him to gain any kind of social acceptance.
Cass's mother is with the police, a branch dedicated to policing magic users—and she's very involved in the Cuttlefish hunt. She's also decided that Hector and his mother are going to be her project—they're new to the area and not that welcomed by the populace. So, she's going to do her part to make up for everyone else. As is Cass, whether she wants to or not. Hector's mom is strange, but incredibly friendly—which really doesn't help Cass. And when the two mothers get uncomfortably close, Cass just can't handle it.
Cass is part of a clique of four at her school, and she's definitely not the Alpha. One of her friends is nice, supportive and not really as fixated on the typical popularity/social goals. The other two are probably not the kind of girls you want your daughter to be friends with. In pack-mode, however, the don't make life easy for Hector. Although there's a group of boys who make these girls look like saints—although one of them (the one Cass is absolutely only a friend with) does try to get everyone to treat Hector like a human being. You may find yourself tempted occasionally to wonder why we're dealing with all the twelve-year-old drama, but have patience, it'll pay off—also, Bryant makes it all entertaining enough that you rarely wonder what it has to do with the Cuttlefish story.
Cuttlefish is sort of a Voldemort figure. He's a notorious thief who disappeared (and was assumed dead) for years, only to re-appear with more outlandish crimes than before. The thing about him is that no one knows what he looks like. He is an Identity Thief—he can perfectly mimic anyone—voice, appearance—the whole thing. Typically, he takes on the likeness of his most recent victim and uses that identity to gain access to his next.
The magic system is pretty intricate, but there's a lot yet to learn. It does, again, have its roots in Ancient Greece, and the alphabet and language of the Greeks are vital to its use. As magic users are ostracized in British (and presumably, Western) culture, Greeks are seen as likely magic users and are treated suspiciously. It's a strange quirk that most authors wouldn't have added to this, but says a lot about this world.
The Identity Thief joins a large number of books I've read in the last 6 months or so that scatters a lot of supplemental material throughout the book—newspaper articles, school flyers, website comment forums, and the like—these add a lot of flavor to the book, as well as ways for Bryant to dump a lot of information about the world without detracting from the narrative. Oh, also, most of them are just a lot of fun.
There is a darkness to this book that's uncommon for YA/MG fiction. But there's a playfulness to all of it, too—particularly the Cuttlefish portions. He enjoys what he's up to. The feel of the work reminds me of Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant. And like Landy's books, this is the kind of YA/MG (MG-leaning) book that can appeal to readers of all ages.
I had a blast reading this—Bryant's creativity with the magic involved is only topped by the creativity he displays with the plot. Every time I thought I knew what he was going, he'd pull something off that I couldn't have expected. Those times where I did know what to expect (there were a couple of them), his execution was still skillful enough that it felt like I didn't know what was coming. Which is a pretty neat trick, you have to admit.
This was simply fun to read and I'm a more than a little curious about what's in store for these characters. Inventive, stylish, unpredictable—The Identity Thief should steal a place on your TBR right away.
My thanks to Love Books Group for the invitation to participate in this reveal and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.
Read
April 24, 20204.5 stars
The Identity Thief surprised me in so many aspects and it made me stay up all night reading it.
Imaginative and engaging…
Imagine London but very dark — that’s where I was while reading The Identity Thief. It is set in London but with magic exist though forbidden and feared for its usage has great consequences. Magic is in form of sorcery and though there are bad witches, there are bad ones and the worst of them all is Cuttlefish. I admit the name cuttlefish is somehow over the top for me but it fits the character who is a major trickster. He shapeshifts, taking forms of anyone he can use to get his hands on the books of sorcery that he needs. And in his hunts for these books, he leaves chaos and fear in his wake. His goal for what he’s doing, achieving the God machine, is somehow ridiculous but still, that’s just make the story more imaginative.
In this alternate London, there’s a group especialized in catching anyone who deals with sorcery. I was really fascinated how brilliant Cuttlefish crimes are, how he can fool everyone he talks to. I’ve read books with shapeshifting as magic before but in The Identity Thief, this kind of magic is really used well. It made me wonder so many times if the scene I’m reading has Cuttlefish in it, are the characters are really who they are? Also, one of the places the story is set is in an old mysterious house standing beside a cemetery. It’s really atmospheric that more than I few times, I was anxious someone will jump out from the dark to make me scream.
The Reveals…
It seems like there’s two world in this book. One is Cassandra dealing with her friends in school, some family stuff, including her mom’s insistence that they befriend the new neighbors known as the River People, which she doesn’t like at all, and the other world is Cuttlefish and his crimes. As the blurb said they’re not connected. Well, in some way, they are and you would guess about it, thinks like you’d guessed right, and then at the end, the blurb is still right. They shouldn’t have been connected.
Anyway, at first, it seems like these two worlds shouldn’t be together in one story. All throughout the book I was wondering what will make the two worlds connect. And I thought maybe it’s because of Cass’s mother, Helen, who is the head of the special group especialized in catching magic users. But no, it’s more than that and I like it. And wow, the reveal with River People is amazing.
Superb storytelling…
So cryptic and mysterious and gripping. I swear if The Identity Thief is a movie, I’d be jumping every five minutes. That’s how effective the storytelling is. It’s so thrilling. But there’s also humor and it’s equally surprising. Like the humor is too eager to be part of the story so, amidst the thrill and scares, it squeezes itself to be known to the reader. There are scenes where you think it’s scary but it’s not. You know, like things moving but turns out it’s only a spider. I have a favorite funny part. There’s a part where two people are talking about some guy they’re suspicious about as Cuttlefish. (Remember: Cuttlefish take the forms of other people) And one of them blurted out how ugly the suspicious guy is and that’s his first impression. Okay, it’s not funny to call other people ugly but the delivery. The delivery is priceless.
Also, the story is told in different ways – narratives, POVs, articles (social media posts, newspaper clippings, excerpts from books). For some people, this can be confusing but for me, it makes the story more engaging and intriguing because I was never sure what kind of chapter I’m going to read next. Aside from that, it avoids info-dumping. It certainly helps with the backstories.
Well-developed characters…
The main heroine, Cassandra is very unlikeable. She’s not at all relatable for me, and characters like her and her friends are the reason why I’m not a fan of Young Adult. But I don’t think her character is very realistic. She’s only 12 and that seems too young but when I think more about it, it’s the age where the social peer pressure starts. But that’s not the only reason why I dislike Cass, what I hated the most is how she treated Hector. Ah, that kid Hector. My heart cries for him. He is a son of the River People and is new in school and wow, the bullying. Up until the end, I really wanted Hector to use sorcery just to punish them all. He has issues but Cass was too much and she acts like she knows everything.
But despite that, I was invested with Cassandra which means her character is really done well. All the side characters are also well-developed. There’s not one of them I will forget, that’s for sure. Even the ones with the slightest role are unforgettable but of course, my favorite, aside from Hector, is Cuttlefish himself. He makes every page thrilling even if he’s not part of the scene. It’s like his presence is always there. Like I said, he shapeshift so you’ll never really know if he’s with you. And the reveal in his character is really good.
Before 2020 started, I set a new rule for my star rating – I won’t give perfect ratings unless the book gives me complete enjoyment. Technically, I don’t have any issue about this book and I really enjoy it a lot but my enjoyment wasn’t complete because of Casandra. She really annoyed me at times thus a half-star less from a perfect rating.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher/author via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book in any way.
The Identity Thief surprised me in so many aspects and it made me stay up all night reading it.
Imaginative and engaging…
Imagine London but very dark — that’s where I was while reading The Identity Thief. It is set in London but with magic exist though forbidden and feared for its usage has great consequences. Magic is in form of sorcery and though there are bad witches, there are bad ones and the worst of them all is Cuttlefish. I admit the name cuttlefish is somehow over the top for me but it fits the character who is a major trickster. He shapeshifts, taking forms of anyone he can use to get his hands on the books of sorcery that he needs. And in his hunts for these books, he leaves chaos and fear in his wake. His goal for what he’s doing, achieving the God machine, is somehow ridiculous but still, that’s just make the story more imaginative.
In this alternate London, there’s a group especialized in catching anyone who deals with sorcery. I was really fascinated how brilliant Cuttlefish crimes are, how he can fool everyone he talks to. I’ve read books with shapeshifting as magic before but in The Identity Thief, this kind of magic is really used well. It made me wonder so many times if the scene I’m reading has Cuttlefish in it, are the characters are really who they are? Also, one of the places the story is set is in an old mysterious house standing beside a cemetery. It’s really atmospheric that more than I few times, I was anxious someone will jump out from the dark to make me scream.
The Reveals…
It seems like there’s two world in this book. One is Cassandra dealing with her friends in school, some family stuff, including her mom’s insistence that they befriend the new neighbors known as the River People, which she doesn’t like at all, and the other world is Cuttlefish and his crimes. As the blurb said they’re not connected. Well, in some way, they are and you would guess about it, thinks like you’d guessed right, and then at the end, the blurb is still right. They shouldn’t have been connected.
Anyway, at first, it seems like these two worlds shouldn’t be together in one story. All throughout the book I was wondering what will make the two worlds connect. And I thought maybe it’s because of Cass’s mother, Helen, who is the head of the special group especialized in catching magic users. But no, it’s more than that and I like it. And wow, the reveal with River People is amazing.
Superb storytelling…
So cryptic and mysterious and gripping. I swear if The Identity Thief is a movie, I’d be jumping every five minutes. That’s how effective the storytelling is. It’s so thrilling. But there’s also humor and it’s equally surprising. Like the humor is too eager to be part of the story so, amidst the thrill and scares, it squeezes itself to be known to the reader. There are scenes where you think it’s scary but it’s not. You know, like things moving but turns out it’s only a spider. I have a favorite funny part. There’s a part where two people are talking about some guy they’re suspicious about as Cuttlefish. (Remember: Cuttlefish take the forms of other people) And one of them blurted out how ugly the suspicious guy is and that’s his first impression. Okay, it’s not funny to call other people ugly but the delivery. The delivery is priceless.
Also, the story is told in different ways – narratives, POVs, articles (social media posts, newspaper clippings, excerpts from books). For some people, this can be confusing but for me, it makes the story more engaging and intriguing because I was never sure what kind of chapter I’m going to read next. Aside from that, it avoids info-dumping. It certainly helps with the backstories.
Well-developed characters…
The main heroine, Cassandra is very unlikeable. She’s not at all relatable for me, and characters like her and her friends are the reason why I’m not a fan of Young Adult. But I don’t think her character is very realistic. She’s only 12 and that seems too young but when I think more about it, it’s the age where the social peer pressure starts. But that’s not the only reason why I dislike Cass, what I hated the most is how she treated Hector. Ah, that kid Hector. My heart cries for him. He is a son of the River People and is new in school and wow, the bullying. Up until the end, I really wanted Hector to use sorcery just to punish them all. He has issues but Cass was too much and she acts like she knows everything.
But despite that, I was invested with Cassandra which means her character is really done well. All the side characters are also well-developed. There’s not one of them I will forget, that’s for sure. Even the ones with the slightest role are unforgettable but of course, my favorite, aside from Hector, is Cuttlefish himself. He makes every page thrilling even if he’s not part of the scene. It’s like his presence is always there. Like I said, he shapeshift so you’ll never really know if he’s with you. And the reveal in his character is really good.
Before 2020 started, I set a new rule for my star rating – I won’t give perfect ratings unless the book gives me complete enjoyment. Technically, I don’t have any issue about this book and I really enjoy it a lot but my enjoyment wasn’t complete because of Casandra. She really annoyed me at times thus a half-star less from a perfect rating.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher/author via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book in any way.
March 2, 2020
Set in London where magic is real but forbidden. Rather than something that is celebrated, magic is accepted as a normal part of the world and in many cases feared as it can leave the victims of those who use it brain damaged. As a lot of the magic books are in Greek, being Greek is pretty much an admission of guilt even if you have never practiced sorcery.
Cassandra is a teenager navigating school and social acceptance. Meanwhile, her mum Helen, is in charge of a force responsible for hunting down the legendary sorcerer Cuttlefish - who is wrecking havoc and magically killing people all over the place. But, is Helen really focusing on the job, or is she more interested in getting to know their new, socially awkward neighbours? While Helen gets closer with neighbour Persephone, Cas is forced to spend more and more time with her weird and off-putting son Hector, but does not want her friends at school to know as she believes they will drop her like something smelly if they find out. Hector is off putting because he is not good looking and he is one of the River People. However, he is really sweet and so excited to spend time with Cassie and have a friend.
There are lots of great things about this book.
1 - Although the main character is 12, a lot of adult themes are covered and as a lot of them could be triggering, there is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book with a link to the authors website where all potential trigger subjects are listed. I wish all books (especially those with a broad age range in the target audience) did this.
2 - I like the mix of perspective, narrative and newspaper articles. It breaks up the story telling and makes the reading experience more engaging in this case.
3 - The characters are extremely well developed. Cass is not particularly likeable. No one likes a perfect hero and Cass certainly is not that. She is strong willed and independent with a sense of right and wrong sure, but she often choses wrongly because she wants to look cool for her friends which is a typical thing a lot of kids her age do! She is also selfish, self-centred, egotistical and obsessed with how she appears to others. Hector is like a really gross, sticky, furry sweet a 5 year old offers to share with you. Really off putting, you don't want it, you really want to say no thank you.... but ahhh look at the little kiddie sharing. So, you say thank you and Mmmm, as you eat that sticky, furry, revolting sweet while smiling. Or, perhaps like that one kid in class that always smells strongly of onions and BO - but they are really nice and kind and generous with their time and the little they have.
4 - This is the best and most exciting - In Fantasy, almost everything you read seems highly derivative. The Identity Thief is not. It's unique, well written and really exciting. You grab any time you have to read a bit more and see what happens next. No one is going to say - "Oh you love Lord of The Rings/Harry Potter/Narnia? You should read The Identity Thief." What people will say is - "You love Fantasy? You need to read The Identity Thief." I personally can not wait for the next instalment in the God Machine series.
Now, I must point out that the story is definitely worth 5 stars, however there were two occasions where this almost dropped to four.
1 - In Kindle format the font is extremely faint, no matter how bright I have my settings. I think this is supposed to be part of what happening not being real, as stated at the beginning. However, I would of preferred to read without the strain on my eyes. The faintness of the print almost put me off reading the book all together. Which would have been a shame as the story really is fantastic.
2 - At the end of the story you get a few words from the author. Standard. I have no problem with this. The author asking for a review if you like the book. No problem. What I do have a problem with, is where the author points out that 5 stars are great for his rating but that anything less is worse than no rating at all. I am sorry that this is the case. However, it really is not my problem or my fault. I did not design the algorithm that makes this so. I certainly hope it improves but this is not in my power. What is in my power is providing honest reviews for what I read regardless of how many stars I feel it is worth. Other people might not mind this, but for me the author almost talked himself out of the 5 star rating I was already planning on rewarding. Ultimately, I decided that the story is still worthy of the 5 stars because it really is that great.
Finishing statement - Fantastic book! Brilliant plot! Well developed characters! Surprising plot turns and reveals. Well paced and thoroughly engaging story line. I definitely can not wait for the next instalment and will be recommending this book to others.
I a copy of #TheIdentityThief on the day it was released, for free from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cassandra is a teenager navigating school and social acceptance. Meanwhile, her mum Helen, is in charge of a force responsible for hunting down the legendary sorcerer Cuttlefish - who is wrecking havoc and magically killing people all over the place. But, is Helen really focusing on the job, or is she more interested in getting to know their new, socially awkward neighbours? While Helen gets closer with neighbour Persephone, Cas is forced to spend more and more time with her weird and off-putting son Hector, but does not want her friends at school to know as she believes they will drop her like something smelly if they find out. Hector is off putting because he is not good looking and he is one of the River People. However, he is really sweet and so excited to spend time with Cassie and have a friend.
There are lots of great things about this book.
1 - Although the main character is 12, a lot of adult themes are covered and as a lot of them could be triggering, there is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book with a link to the authors website where all potential trigger subjects are listed. I wish all books (especially those with a broad age range in the target audience) did this.
2 - I like the mix of perspective, narrative and newspaper articles. It breaks up the story telling and makes the reading experience more engaging in this case.
3 - The characters are extremely well developed. Cass is not particularly likeable. No one likes a perfect hero and Cass certainly is not that. She is strong willed and independent with a sense of right and wrong sure, but she often choses wrongly because she wants to look cool for her friends which is a typical thing a lot of kids her age do! She is also selfish, self-centred, egotistical and obsessed with how she appears to others. Hector is like a really gross, sticky, furry sweet a 5 year old offers to share with you. Really off putting, you don't want it, you really want to say no thank you.... but ahhh look at the little kiddie sharing. So, you say thank you and Mmmm, as you eat that sticky, furry, revolting sweet while smiling. Or, perhaps like that one kid in class that always smells strongly of onions and BO - but they are really nice and kind and generous with their time and the little they have.
4 - This is the best and most exciting - In Fantasy, almost everything you read seems highly derivative. The Identity Thief is not. It's unique, well written and really exciting. You grab any time you have to read a bit more and see what happens next. No one is going to say - "Oh you love Lord of The Rings/Harry Potter/Narnia? You should read The Identity Thief." What people will say is - "You love Fantasy? You need to read The Identity Thief." I personally can not wait for the next instalment in the God Machine series.
Now, I must point out that the story is definitely worth 5 stars, however there were two occasions where this almost dropped to four.
1 - In Kindle format the font is extremely faint, no matter how bright I have my settings. I think this is supposed to be part of what happening not being real, as stated at the beginning. However, I would of preferred to read without the strain on my eyes. The faintness of the print almost put me off reading the book all together. Which would have been a shame as the story really is fantastic.
2 - At the end of the story you get a few words from the author. Standard. I have no problem with this. The author asking for a review if you like the book. No problem. What I do have a problem with, is where the author points out that 5 stars are great for his rating but that anything less is worse than no rating at all. I am sorry that this is the case. However, it really is not my problem or my fault. I did not design the algorithm that makes this so. I certainly hope it improves but this is not in my power. What is in my power is providing honest reviews for what I read regardless of how many stars I feel it is worth. Other people might not mind this, but for me the author almost talked himself out of the 5 star rating I was already planning on rewarding. Ultimately, I decided that the story is still worthy of the 5 stars because it really is that great.
Finishing statement - Fantastic book! Brilliant plot! Well developed characters! Surprising plot turns and reveals. Well paced and thoroughly engaging story line. I definitely can not wait for the next instalment and will be recommending this book to others.
I a copy of #TheIdentityThief on the day it was released, for free from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2020
The identity thief is a young adult contemporary fantasy that is set in London. A shapeshifting sorcerer called Cuttlefish unleashes a terrifying magical carnage in London, causing chaos. Homes are attacked, and people are found unconscious, but nothing is stolen. As magical crime increases, the story unravels wondrous mysteries and delightful twists, creating a beautiful story to read.
The characters are carefully chosen. Their personalities, charisma, growth and relationships impacted the depth of the story. Alongside the strong literature wording of the story being suited for the young adult audience, I felt that the author took care of making sure that the formation of the plot and pace kept his audience reading along.
I would strongly recommend this book to the young generation. Its world-building was spot on, and the theme was very engaging. One thing, in particular, was the author’s ability to express and tell the story. With the added romance and other small attention that was given to the details, I believe the book was brilliant and kept its originality.
I look forward to reading more from this reader.
The characters are carefully chosen. Their personalities, charisma, growth and relationships impacted the depth of the story. Alongside the strong literature wording of the story being suited for the young adult audience, I felt that the author took care of making sure that the formation of the plot and pace kept his audience reading along.
I would strongly recommend this book to the young generation. Its world-building was spot on, and the theme was very engaging. One thing, in particular, was the author’s ability to express and tell the story. With the added romance and other small attention that was given to the details, I believe the book was brilliant and kept its originality.
I look forward to reading more from this reader.
March 3, 2020
I loved this book! You might even say I found it addicting. When I received my ARC copy I didn't expect to love it so much, but I did. From the characters to the two stories becoming one to the interesting narrative choices.
Check out my full review at https://www.wanderingeducators.com/bo...
Check out my full review at https://www.wanderingeducators.com/bo...
February 28, 2020
Thrilling read! Highly recommend!!
February 27, 2020
This was kind of amazing.
Full review on my blog. I got this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review on my blog. I got this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2020
The first of The God Machine series, The Identity Thief introduces a fantasy world where magic exists, but is openly feared and severely punished.
Cass, our main character, is 12 years old and finds herself caught up in the hunt for the mysterious Cuttlefish; after a spree of atrocities and almost being caught by SIDs years ago, Cuttlefish vanished, but is back now and more determined than ever to discover The God Machine.
The Identity Thief is a complex read; it has flavours of Harry Potter (think Ministry of Magic and The Daily Prophet), mixed with the twists and turns of an episode of a crime drama, finished with the sprinkles of ancient Greek Mythology. The plot is carefully crafted and starts slowly as the author lays the foundations for this novel and it’s prequel (the novella The Convict) and sequels. By the end, the pace has picked up and the wide range of characters form a significant supporting cast.
I loved the mixed media features in the novel; I felt this helped to set the scene and develop my understanding of the character’s interaction, intentions and environment. It adds variety for the reader, but enhances the depths of the fantasy world that Bryant has created.
While the main characters, Cass and Hector, were emotionally immature, they were often dealing with issues far beyond their years. Their interaction was often awkward and one sided, and veered from the beginnings of a friendship to rejection and explicit bullying. Cass is the imperfect heroine, but I felt more connected to the more complex character Hector - I hope to learn more about his thoughts and experiences in future books.
Cass is presented as an unreliable (and unlikeable?) character whose exploration of the world around her causes her to make mistakes and poor judgement calls (and who can’t relate to that?!) Much like many other YA series, it will be interesting to see how her perspective and reflections on the past changes as she matures.
While it’s easy to forget that Cass and Hector are only 12 when reading the story, it is well placed within the YA genre as it incorporates quite adult themes of racism, fear ideology, bullying / social exclusion, epilepsy, parental death & grief, while being balanced with teenage angst and the struggle with sense of identity and finding your place in the world.
I have a feeling that the books that follow will rectify some of the reasons why this is three stars for me (slow pace/a bit tricky to get into, overly complex plot, range of supporting characters that don’t seem necessary?) as this may well be sowing the seeds for what is yet to come.
I’ll look forward to finding out 🤞🏼
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cass, our main character, is 12 years old and finds herself caught up in the hunt for the mysterious Cuttlefish; after a spree of atrocities and almost being caught by SIDs years ago, Cuttlefish vanished, but is back now and more determined than ever to discover The God Machine.
The Identity Thief is a complex read; it has flavours of Harry Potter (think Ministry of Magic and The Daily Prophet), mixed with the twists and turns of an episode of a crime drama, finished with the sprinkles of ancient Greek Mythology. The plot is carefully crafted and starts slowly as the author lays the foundations for this novel and it’s prequel (the novella The Convict) and sequels. By the end, the pace has picked up and the wide range of characters form a significant supporting cast.
I loved the mixed media features in the novel; I felt this helped to set the scene and develop my understanding of the character’s interaction, intentions and environment. It adds variety for the reader, but enhances the depths of the fantasy world that Bryant has created.
While the main characters, Cass and Hector, were emotionally immature, they were often dealing with issues far beyond their years. Their interaction was often awkward and one sided, and veered from the beginnings of a friendship to rejection and explicit bullying. Cass is the imperfect heroine, but I felt more connected to the more complex character Hector - I hope to learn more about his thoughts and experiences in future books.
Cass is presented as an unreliable (and unlikeable?) character whose exploration of the world around her causes her to make mistakes and poor judgement calls (and who can’t relate to that?!) Much like many other YA series, it will be interesting to see how her perspective and reflections on the past changes as she matures.
While it’s easy to forget that Cass and Hector are only 12 when reading the story, it is well placed within the YA genre as it incorporates quite adult themes of racism, fear ideology, bullying / social exclusion, epilepsy, parental death & grief, while being balanced with teenage angst and the struggle with sense of identity and finding your place in the world.
I have a feeling that the books that follow will rectify some of the reasons why this is three stars for me (slow pace/a bit tricky to get into, overly complex plot, range of supporting characters that don’t seem necessary?) as this may well be sowing the seeds for what is yet to come.
I’ll look forward to finding out 🤞🏼
⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 9, 2020
I. Loved. This. Book.
Okay, I needed to say that before I went any further.
The Identity Thief, by Alex Bryant, is book one in the God Machine Series. (“Does it count as a series if it’s only two novels so far? Well, one novel and one novella? I’m going to say yes. Yes, it does.”- Alex Bryant) The cover is perfect. Shadowy person. London bridge. Scrolled font and border. Yup. I was in. Back cover—intriguing. First page? BAM. Hook, line, and sinker.
Actually, before the first page, there is a Trigger Warning for sensitive readers. I am well known as THE sensitive reader, so I was a bit concerned.
The Identity Thief contains numerous upsetting unpleasant and downright unnecessary themes. Sensitive readers, and anyone under the age of 12, are advised to take a look at the trigger warnings. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I then went to the link which reads:
The Identity Theft: Trigger Warnings
Ableism; autism; bio horror; bullying; decay; death; epilepsy; excessive violence; fungi; gore; homophobia; infant death; insects; kidnapping; lookism; mental illness; mentalism; police brutality; racial discrimination; racially motivated violence; religious discrimination; spider; worms.
Yep, it’s a lot. Sorry about that. Did I miss one? Get in touch using the contact links.
Yuck. Why write about this? Still, something told me to try and read until I couldn’t anymore.
I’m so happy I did. First of all, the book is listed under children’s paranormal and teen and YA paranormal and is appropriate for those target audiences. (It’s also perfectly entertaining for adults.) Yes, every trigger category listed is in this novel. But, as I said, I am the most sensitive reader I know and I still loved the book. Plus I understand why they were included in the book. Because every one of those categories happen every day, and the book points out just how ugly that looks. Bonus points for being an upstander.
Bonus points also for including a neurodiverse main character and an LBTQ character and writing both with class.
But the real star rating here goes for the author’s writing skills. I mean genius use of unique style that is completely fresh and engaging. My favorite was his purposeful use of the overuse of a word in one section. Most authors, when realizing they’ve done this, go scrambling for their thesaurus. Mr. Bryant takes the word and works it into the character’s schtick with skilled hilarity. Plus the plot rocks. Most of the characters are abhorrent, but that’s also Mr. Bryant’s point. When asked which character he most identifies with he responds:
Obviously not the main character, Cass, who’s a nasty piece of work, inspired by the kind of girl I was terrified of in school. It’s actually Hector, the quiet and pathologically awkward one who’s probably plotting something evil behind closed doors.
And that’s just the kind of wicked sense of humor the author includes in Identity Thief. He reminds me of Joss Whedon, (yes, I said that, and yes, I stand by it), including in your face messages, dry and constant humor, and the knowledge that a character you really love is going to die. (Lucky for us, that also means once in a while they magically come back to life.) Since finishing The Identity Thief I’ve been fangirling Mr. Bryant’s website (not unlike Googling favorite lines from Firefly for hours).
On his website, Alex Bryant has a Coming Soon section regarding the second book in the God Machine series. He writes, “so the first one (Identity Thief novel) took me ten years. Get over it already. I promise you the next one will take… less than that. Definitely less.”
Please Alex. Make it soon.
And by the way, The Identity Thief is definitely worth the price of three mangoes.
Okay, I needed to say that before I went any further.
The Identity Thief, by Alex Bryant, is book one in the God Machine Series. (“Does it count as a series if it’s only two novels so far? Well, one novel and one novella? I’m going to say yes. Yes, it does.”- Alex Bryant) The cover is perfect. Shadowy person. London bridge. Scrolled font and border. Yup. I was in. Back cover—intriguing. First page? BAM. Hook, line, and sinker.
Actually, before the first page, there is a Trigger Warning for sensitive readers. I am well known as THE sensitive reader, so I was a bit concerned.
The Identity Thief contains numerous upsetting unpleasant and downright unnecessary themes. Sensitive readers, and anyone under the age of 12, are advised to take a look at the trigger warnings. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I then went to the link which reads:
The Identity Theft: Trigger Warnings
Ableism; autism; bio horror; bullying; decay; death; epilepsy; excessive violence; fungi; gore; homophobia; infant death; insects; kidnapping; lookism; mental illness; mentalism; police brutality; racial discrimination; racially motivated violence; religious discrimination; spider; worms.
Yep, it’s a lot. Sorry about that. Did I miss one? Get in touch using the contact links.
Yuck. Why write about this? Still, something told me to try and read until I couldn’t anymore.
I’m so happy I did. First of all, the book is listed under children’s paranormal and teen and YA paranormal and is appropriate for those target audiences. (It’s also perfectly entertaining for adults.) Yes, every trigger category listed is in this novel. But, as I said, I am the most sensitive reader I know and I still loved the book. Plus I understand why they were included in the book. Because every one of those categories happen every day, and the book points out just how ugly that looks. Bonus points for being an upstander.
Bonus points also for including a neurodiverse main character and an LBTQ character and writing both with class.
But the real star rating here goes for the author’s writing skills. I mean genius use of unique style that is completely fresh and engaging. My favorite was his purposeful use of the overuse of a word in one section. Most authors, when realizing they’ve done this, go scrambling for their thesaurus. Mr. Bryant takes the word and works it into the character’s schtick with skilled hilarity. Plus the plot rocks. Most of the characters are abhorrent, but that’s also Mr. Bryant’s point. When asked which character he most identifies with he responds:
Obviously not the main character, Cass, who’s a nasty piece of work, inspired by the kind of girl I was terrified of in school. It’s actually Hector, the quiet and pathologically awkward one who’s probably plotting something evil behind closed doors.
And that’s just the kind of wicked sense of humor the author includes in Identity Thief. He reminds me of Joss Whedon, (yes, I said that, and yes, I stand by it), including in your face messages, dry and constant humor, and the knowledge that a character you really love is going to die. (Lucky for us, that also means once in a while they magically come back to life.) Since finishing The Identity Thief I’ve been fangirling Mr. Bryant’s website (not unlike Googling favorite lines from Firefly for hours).
On his website, Alex Bryant has a Coming Soon section regarding the second book in the God Machine series. He writes, “so the first one (Identity Thief novel) took me ten years. Get over it already. I promise you the next one will take… less than that. Definitely less.”
Please Alex. Make it soon.
And by the way, The Identity Thief is definitely worth the price of three mangoes.
March 29, 2020
I received The Identity Thief by Alex Bryant for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a bookstagram tour for Love Books Tours. Review is also on my blog Book, Blog & Candle.
In The Identity Thief our protagonist is Cassie, a twelve year old who is trying to navigate the social struggles of being popular. She lives in a version of London where magic is real but forbidden. However, what happens behind closed doors is another matter and a notorious criminal mastermind is targeting those secretly affiliated with the magical community intent on collecting a series of magic tomes in order to build a weapon that could change everything.
The characterisation in this book was amazing! Cassie and her friends actually acted like the twelve year olds that they are. Plus, I thought Cuttlefish was a really good villain. He has the ability to be able to mimic anybody and it was so comedic how we kept getting little chapters of him fooling people and they're none the wiser. It's a good commentary on real life because sometimes we don't take things as seriously as we should because we don't think it would ever happen to us!
I love the fact that we don't get an actual description of Cuttlefish throughout the book. We get to hear about what he has done and about the identities he has stolen but never actually what he looks like. I found that it made him even more ominous and you're never sure who you can actually trust in the book. The only constants being that he is charming, clever and ruthless.
The magical system in this book was so original and definitely one of the most interesting ones I've come across! I was really intrigued by the fact that magical injuries in the book are only in the persons' head - so if they die by magical means then they don't actually die in real life but are put in a kind of magical coma. When they wake up they don't remember anything about the incident but of course it still has its' dangers as it can leave a person brain damaged. This was so unique and I would definitely love to explore it further.
Additionally, I also loved the unconventional layout of the book. It really reminded me of The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg where some chapters would be normal prose but there are also newspaper clippings, mind maps and sections of a textbook. I always find it really interesting when books do this and it is such a great way to give an extra layer of worldbuilding, it really sweeps the reader up into the world.
All in all, The Identity Thief is a dark, gripping and action filled story that will keep you hooked! I can't wait to delve even more into this world! Thank you again to the author and Love Books Tours for the opportunity to read it.
In The Identity Thief our protagonist is Cassie, a twelve year old who is trying to navigate the social struggles of being popular. She lives in a version of London where magic is real but forbidden. However, what happens behind closed doors is another matter and a notorious criminal mastermind is targeting those secretly affiliated with the magical community intent on collecting a series of magic tomes in order to build a weapon that could change everything.
The characterisation in this book was amazing! Cassie and her friends actually acted like the twelve year olds that they are. Plus, I thought Cuttlefish was a really good villain. He has the ability to be able to mimic anybody and it was so comedic how we kept getting little chapters of him fooling people and they're none the wiser. It's a good commentary on real life because sometimes we don't take things as seriously as we should because we don't think it would ever happen to us!
I love the fact that we don't get an actual description of Cuttlefish throughout the book. We get to hear about what he has done and about the identities he has stolen but never actually what he looks like. I found that it made him even more ominous and you're never sure who you can actually trust in the book. The only constants being that he is charming, clever and ruthless.
The magical system in this book was so original and definitely one of the most interesting ones I've come across! I was really intrigued by the fact that magical injuries in the book are only in the persons' head - so if they die by magical means then they don't actually die in real life but are put in a kind of magical coma. When they wake up they don't remember anything about the incident but of course it still has its' dangers as it can leave a person brain damaged. This was so unique and I would definitely love to explore it further.
Additionally, I also loved the unconventional layout of the book. It really reminded me of The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg where some chapters would be normal prose but there are also newspaper clippings, mind maps and sections of a textbook. I always find it really interesting when books do this and it is such a great way to give an extra layer of worldbuilding, it really sweeps the reader up into the world.
All in all, The Identity Thief is a dark, gripping and action filled story that will keep you hooked! I can't wait to delve even more into this world! Thank you again to the author and Love Books Tours for the opportunity to read it.
July 8, 2020
First and foremost it was a pretty decent page turner! I loved the action-heavy chapters - I felt real fear at times. I was hooked and really enjoyed it. So although it's clearly written for teenagers, like any good magical tale its appeal spans ages.
This is a modern tale. Strong female characters, peer pressure as played out on social media, a society built on subtle but pervasive discrimination. I would be delighted for my teenager to read this book because it's a great story but also ushers the reader to think about serious issues through the lens of the society it invokes.
On the subject of female characters - well done to the author who succeeds in fleshing them out with remarkable insight. They are flawed, they are feminine but they are strong and very likeable. Helen Drake plays out the turmoil of her conflicting roles as mother and chief inspector with heart aching integrity. You can sense her impending tragedy in the next book - as her daughter choses a path of sorcery.
The heroine Cass is very believably immature and imperfect, although she displays a nascent complexity, wit and virtue that Im sure will evolve in any sequel. She is a teenager, prone as they are to selfishness, hyperbole and even cruelty. But we witness the positive arc of her emotional and moral development over the course of the book - very satisfying.
The villain, Cuttlefish, is masterpiece. He/she (the Great Pretender) challenges notions of identity in really interesting ways. The biggest question I'm left with is why Cuttlefish did what he/she did to get here - a prequel would be FANTASTIC!
The homosexual relationship in this book was beautifully narrated. It was full of tenderness, expectation and pathos, and I really commend the author for making it so normal!
The author has managed to evoke magic without breaking the Laws of Physics. Nevertheless, in this world magic is still very real and very dangerous. Concepts of reality, perception and harm are fluid. The fear that people have of magicians is justified. The sectarianism that ensues, of course, is not.
Devising a group of people from a demographic that we don't usually think of as persecuted, who in this world are discriminated against because of their association with magic, is a brilliant mechanism for exposing the absurdity of racism. All great magical tales shine a light on the idiosyncrasies and injustices in our own world, and this tale stands with the best of them.
Atheism is central to magic. This is a fantastic construct! Usually the occult is associated with the irrational, but not so here. This book challenges (always respectfully) ideas about the virtuous supremacy of religion. And moral ambiguity is used as a device with real maturity and nuance.
This is a modern tale. Strong female characters, peer pressure as played out on social media, a society built on subtle but pervasive discrimination. I would be delighted for my teenager to read this book because it's a great story but also ushers the reader to think about serious issues through the lens of the society it invokes.
On the subject of female characters - well done to the author who succeeds in fleshing them out with remarkable insight. They are flawed, they are feminine but they are strong and very likeable. Helen Drake plays out the turmoil of her conflicting roles as mother and chief inspector with heart aching integrity. You can sense her impending tragedy in the next book - as her daughter choses a path of sorcery.
The heroine Cass is very believably immature and imperfect, although she displays a nascent complexity, wit and virtue that Im sure will evolve in any sequel. She is a teenager, prone as they are to selfishness, hyperbole and even cruelty. But we witness the positive arc of her emotional and moral development over the course of the book - very satisfying.
The villain, Cuttlefish, is masterpiece. He/she (the Great Pretender) challenges notions of identity in really interesting ways. The biggest question I'm left with is why Cuttlefish did what he/she did to get here - a prequel would be FANTASTIC!
The homosexual relationship in this book was beautifully narrated. It was full of tenderness, expectation and pathos, and I really commend the author for making it so normal!
The author has managed to evoke magic without breaking the Laws of Physics. Nevertheless, in this world magic is still very real and very dangerous. Concepts of reality, perception and harm are fluid. The fear that people have of magicians is justified. The sectarianism that ensues, of course, is not.
Devising a group of people from a demographic that we don't usually think of as persecuted, who in this world are discriminated against because of their association with magic, is a brilliant mechanism for exposing the absurdity of racism. All great magical tales shine a light on the idiosyncrasies and injustices in our own world, and this tale stands with the best of them.
Atheism is central to magic. This is a fantastic construct! Usually the occult is associated with the irrational, but not so here. This book challenges (always respectfully) ideas about the virtuous supremacy of religion. And moral ambiguity is used as a device with real maturity and nuance.
March 14, 2020
I give this book 3.5 stars. This book was a fun surprise. I love the sorcery concept, but I really wish there was more of it. It kind of had the Harry Potter vibe. I would say this book is 80% about bullying a boy who is possibly a sorcerer's child with epilepsy. The other 20% is about the sorcerer Cuttlefish trying to collect all of the grimoires in London. Cuttlefish is a mimetic who can look like anyone which he uses to trick people into giving him the books.
I had a few problems with this book.
1 - What is wrong with the digital print? The writing is so faint it strained my eyes so bad I also gave up. Also, I'm pretty sure this is what caused my migraine.
2 - The main character Cass is awful! She is a bully to Hector who has epilepsy and is socially awkward. She does't have any redeeming qualities. I would almost call her an antagonist than a protagonist. The amount of bullying in this books is painful. I just want to read a book about sorcery, not bullying.
3 - The author note is very distasteful. He requests everyone to leave him a 5 star review on Amazon and Goodreads. I can totally understand that, who doesn't want a 5 star review. However, he makes the comment afterwards that says "4 stars - actually hurt my book's place in the ratings, so I'm better off receiving no review than a 4 star review!" This almost makes me want to drop the star rating even lower. Any author should be appreciative that people are reading and reviewing their books. People appreciate honest reviews.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC for my honest review!
I had a few problems with this book.
1 - What is wrong with the digital print? The writing is so faint it strained my eyes so bad I also gave up. Also, I'm pretty sure this is what caused my migraine.
2 - The main character Cass is awful! She is a bully to Hector who has epilepsy and is socially awkward. She does't have any redeeming qualities. I would almost call her an antagonist than a protagonist. The amount of bullying in this books is painful. I just want to read a book about sorcery, not bullying.
3 - The author note is very distasteful. He requests everyone to leave him a 5 star review on Amazon and Goodreads. I can totally understand that, who doesn't want a 5 star review. However, he makes the comment afterwards that says "4 stars - actually hurt my book's place in the ratings, so I'm better off receiving no review than a 4 star review!" This almost makes me want to drop the star rating even lower. Any author should be appreciative that people are reading and reviewing their books. People appreciate honest reviews.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC for my honest review!
May 1, 2020
This is the first book in the series and i had the privileged to read and review. Apologises for the review going up so late ! (Life of lock down) It is a Fantasy book which is my go to genre so, i was happy to read it.
The beginning- It hooked me in straight away! I felt like Cassandra as a character was likeable which made it more enjoyable for me to read. It was an easy read that i felt
I felt like having the media articles in the book was a nice touch and different to other books.
As i have read a lot of fantasy books i like to see something unique that the author can provide. Alex provided the fantasy element and it wasn't taken away by romance as in some books i have read!
Twists- I mean i love a good twist in a book and there were amazing twists that i didn't see coming!
The End- Now this is when i book makes or breaks it for me! This is the first in the series so i wanted to be left wanting to know what happens next with a good cliff hanger!
"This is going to be fun" The last sentence in the book it left me wanting the sequel like now !!
Overall, I loved the fast pace it kept through out and the high fantasy elements were kept through out and the ending making me want more !!
The beginning- It hooked me in straight away! I felt like Cassandra as a character was likeable which made it more enjoyable for me to read. It was an easy read that i felt
I felt like having the media articles in the book was a nice touch and different to other books.
As i have read a lot of fantasy books i like to see something unique that the author can provide. Alex provided the fantasy element and it wasn't taken away by romance as in some books i have read!
Twists- I mean i love a good twist in a book and there were amazing twists that i didn't see coming!
The End- Now this is when i book makes or breaks it for me! This is the first in the series so i wanted to be left wanting to know what happens next with a good cliff hanger!
"This is going to be fun" The last sentence in the book it left me wanting the sequel like now !!
Overall, I loved the fast pace it kept through out and the high fantasy elements were kept through out and the ending making me want more !!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2020
Identity Thief was an unexpected surprise. I went in not quite sure what it was about (although based on the blurb I figured it would at least be funny) but quickly found a world of magic and adventure that captured my imagination.
The main characters are 12, which felt like an odd choice. I also didn't think they felt that young - if it hadn't been mentioned repeatedly, I'd have assumed from their thoughts and actions that they were older (though admittedly not much, since Cass is sometimes quite immature).
I liked the mix of POVs and newspaper cuttings. The magic system was interesting and I loved the element of mystery! Getting an insight into Cuttlefish was brilliant too.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The main characters are 12, which felt like an odd choice. I also didn't think they felt that young - if it hadn't been mentioned repeatedly, I'd have assumed from their thoughts and actions that they were older (though admittedly not much, since Cass is sometimes quite immature).
I liked the mix of POVs and newspaper cuttings. The magic system was interesting and I loved the element of mystery! Getting an insight into Cuttlefish was brilliant too.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2020
This was eloquently written with a lot of forethought. I always enjoy the mystery/thriller method of writing where the writer allows the reader to predict the outcomes, and this story contained plenty of these moments. The suspense moments were well-paced too. It took me longer to get through it than I would have liked as it's been a wild year, but so glad I went back and finished reading it. Overall, I had to give it 5 stars and hope the author might consider reading one of mine in the future with an honest review. I found this book on Prolific Works where I have a few of mine as well. I'm glad I stumbled upon it.
October 27, 2020
Overall, a great indie book. Well presented, and I think my kids would enjoy the concept and the touch of danger and darkness. The lead character is an odd choice, and made me feel awkward on more than one occasion, but she’s also a perfect choice to tell the story. She’s a young teenage girl, and honestly, she’s actually kind of an awful person most of the time. But the fact that these are legitimate thoughts and decisions of a teenager needs to be applauded.
The chapters alternate with the crime scenes and newspaper and blog articles. It was definitely a fun read.
The chapters alternate with the crime scenes and newspaper and blog articles. It was definitely a fun read.
April 6, 2020
This book is a refreshing take on the coexistence of magic and technology. Bryant's universe is not comprised of clueless muggles who are protected (if often patronised) by a benevolent wizarding population, but a society that hunts and persecutes sorcery à la medieval witch burning. Cass must navigate the shadowy world of underground magic, whilst also managing to get through year eight. Hilarious at times, gripping throughout, this book is for the curious.
June 30, 2020
The story is full of twists and turns. To not overload the reader with lots of explanations the chapters are interspersed with pictures, notes, and newspaper clippings. This helps avoiding information dump. The Urban Fantasy setting, the humour, the slightly dark themes surrounding Cuttlefish reminded me of Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Full review: https://sceptre.sktc.hamburg/2020/06/...
I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Full review: https://sceptre.sktc.hamburg/2020/06/...
March 9, 2020
I received this book in return for an honest review from K&M/Netgally.
I liked this book more then I thought I would, do wish the characters were written a bit older, as 12 is a strange age I think, but aside from that its a world of magic you just don't expect to find. I won't give anything away but most certainly worth the read!
I liked this book more then I thought I would, do wish the characters were written a bit older, as 12 is a strange age I think, but aside from that its a world of magic you just don't expect to find. I won't give anything away but most certainly worth the read!
March 13, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. I have to say I loved this book the plot twists and well written characters got me hooked from the beginning. The book is set in London and follows Cass as she tries to find out who the Identity Thief is. This book is highly recommended and I cannot wait to read more!!
March 23, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for a review copy of this book. I liked the idea behind this book and it is fast paced with lots of action. The magic element of the book was well thought out. The downside to the book was that it was quite confusing in the way it was written with the characters constantly changing narratives. I probably won't read others from the series but I can see why others would.
April 19, 2020
A truely magical way to reinvent Modern day London! A deep and dark magical adventure with some extremely shocking twists!
An amazing concept, and exciting read, written in a very clever way and I look forward to reading more from this series !
An amazing concept, and exciting read, written in a very clever way and I look forward to reading more from this series !
March 3, 2020
I intend to read other things by this author.
April 7, 2020
Perfect thriller! When shall the book 2 release?
May 24, 2020
Real page turner, read in two sittings! Looking forward to the next in the series...
February 12, 2021
We are proud to announce that THE IDENTITY THIEF (The God Machine, #1) by Alex Bryant is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
August 29, 2022
I wanted to like this book, but I got so very tired of the switching POV and scenes. DNF @40%
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