What do you think?
Rate this book
Nightbreaker #1
Nightbreaker
Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing thrust Manhattan into darkness, forever changing the City That Never Sleeps. Aboveground, resilient New Yorkers have adapted by clinging to the vestiges of their cosmopolitan lives. Below the streets--well, you never go underground unless you have a death wish.
Or unless you're Rei Reynolds.
By day, Rei attends the an elite New York prep school, but by cover of night, she's is a self-initiated warrior with a knack for hunting Deathlings, the deadly creatures that haunt Manhattan's subway tunnels and blood-soaked streets at night. All Rei wants is to avenge her parents, who were slaughtered years ago by the nightmarish monsters.
The Tournament is the only path to the career Rei has always dreamed of--becoming a Maverick, the city's elite Deathling-killing force. Winning should be a breeze, but the one potential problem is fellow competitor Kieran Cross, Rei's infuriating ex with whom she shares a bitter history. But as the Tournament progresses--and the cutthroat betrayals mount--everything Rei believed about who she can and cannot trust is called into question. She soon becomes the target of everyone who wants to keep the city's ruling class in power, as well as those who seek to bring it down.
In other words, Rei is positively and completely screwed.
Coco Ma's exhilarating fantasy blends thrills and chills for an immersive read featuring the snarky, postapocalyptic heroine we all hope to be.
Or unless you're Rei Reynolds.
By day, Rei attends the an elite New York prep school, but by cover of night, she's is a self-initiated warrior with a knack for hunting Deathlings, the deadly creatures that haunt Manhattan's subway tunnels and blood-soaked streets at night. All Rei wants is to avenge her parents, who were slaughtered years ago by the nightmarish monsters.
The Tournament is the only path to the career Rei has always dreamed of--becoming a Maverick, the city's elite Deathling-killing force. Winning should be a breeze, but the one potential problem is fellow competitor Kieran Cross, Rei's infuriating ex with whom she shares a bitter history. But as the Tournament progresses--and the cutthroat betrayals mount--everything Rei believed about who she can and cannot trust is called into question. She soon becomes the target of everyone who wants to keep the city's ruling class in power, as well as those who seek to bring it down.
In other words, Rei is positively and completely screwed.
Coco Ma's exhilarating fantasy blends thrills and chills for an immersive read featuring the snarky, postapocalyptic heroine we all hope to be.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2023
20 people are currently reading
5095 people want to read
About the author
Coco Ma
6 books455 followersCoco Ma is a Canadian author and pianist. She wrote her first novel, Shadow Frost, at the age of 15, and since she began playing the piano at the age of five and a half, she has also performed on some of the world's greatest concert stages and graduated with a pre-college diploma in piano performance from The Juilliard School in New York City. Currently, she studies at Yale University. When she isn't practicing piano, writing, or studying, you might find her bingeing Netflix or eating cake. Lots of cake.
Follow Coco on Twitter @shadowfrost2019 and Instagram @CakeForCoco or visit her website at Coco-Ma.com!
Follow Coco on Twitter @shadowfrost2019 and Instagram @CakeForCoco or visit her website at Coco-Ma.com!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 27, 2023
”You took all of your broken pieces and made them your weapons.”
This book. It completely snuck up on me in the best way possible, in the way books used to before I became a jaded reviewer. It reminded me of when I was a kid and I used to pick out random books at the library that I’d never heard of (because no social media and no internet access at my house), would take them home, and binge them in a day or two while cooped up in my room over the weekend. The kind of book I’d rush to my librarian aunt who was a “cool adult” who still read MG and YA books and genuinely enjoys them so we could chat about it. I can’t quite describe the giddy nature I felt while reading this, but it made me feel like a kid again finding a new series to obsess over. Yes, some of it was formulaic and predictable, but the fact that even though these two aspects are true and it STILL is a knock out page turner full of suspense, action, and excitement tells me it is well written regardless.
”Kill without remorse. Live without regret.”
I don’t even want to recap the synopsis or plot because it’s really better if you can just jump right in and ride along with the characters, but if I had to compare this to other books I would say it appeals to fans of The Hunger Games and Warcross. Yes, the plot is different than those two books and yes, I do realize that making this comparison might set some readers expectations in a lofty place right off the bat, but if we’re comparing vibes and styles of plot, that’s the best I can do. Nightbreaker stands squarely on its own two feet though, and you should definitely read it for what it is-an action packed urban fantasy full of monsters, danger, unique world building, and even a little bit of second chance romance. Obviously this one ends as a set up for book 2, but I am THRILLED that the author didn’t do us dirty with a cliff that ends in the middle of a scene that has me reeling so violently I want to scream. I’m eager to continue the series, but we do get many answers to the questions plaguing this installment.
I know that the cover isn’t cool in the mainstream marketing way of flowers and swords that are uber popular right now (I do really dig this cover though), but if you’ll give it a chance, I think those looking for a fantasy to get lost in that is both well plotted in pacing and character development, do yourself a favor and give Nightbreaker a try. I loved this so much that I bought myself a finished copy for my favorites shelf, and you’d better believe it’ll be in my top 5 books of the year.
”…the people who always told you to rise above the rest will never be the ones to warn you how far you might fall.”
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
This book. It completely snuck up on me in the best way possible, in the way books used to before I became a jaded reviewer. It reminded me of when I was a kid and I used to pick out random books at the library that I’d never heard of (because no social media and no internet access at my house), would take them home, and binge them in a day or two while cooped up in my room over the weekend. The kind of book I’d rush to my librarian aunt who was a “cool adult” who still read MG and YA books and genuinely enjoys them so we could chat about it. I can’t quite describe the giddy nature I felt while reading this, but it made me feel like a kid again finding a new series to obsess over. Yes, some of it was formulaic and predictable, but the fact that even though these two aspects are true and it STILL is a knock out page turner full of suspense, action, and excitement tells me it is well written regardless.
”Kill without remorse. Live without regret.”
I don’t even want to recap the synopsis or plot because it’s really better if you can just jump right in and ride along with the characters, but if I had to compare this to other books I would say it appeals to fans of The Hunger Games and Warcross. Yes, the plot is different than those two books and yes, I do realize that making this comparison might set some readers expectations in a lofty place right off the bat, but if we’re comparing vibes and styles of plot, that’s the best I can do. Nightbreaker stands squarely on its own two feet though, and you should definitely read it for what it is-an action packed urban fantasy full of monsters, danger, unique world building, and even a little bit of second chance romance. Obviously this one ends as a set up for book 2, but I am THRILLED that the author didn’t do us dirty with a cliff that ends in the middle of a scene that has me reeling so violently I want to scream. I’m eager to continue the series, but we do get many answers to the questions plaguing this installment.
I know that the cover isn’t cool in the mainstream marketing way of flowers and swords that are uber popular right now (I do really dig this cover though), but if you’ll give it a chance, I think those looking for a fantasy to get lost in that is both well plotted in pacing and character development, do yourself a favor and give Nightbreaker a try. I loved this so much that I bought myself a finished copy for my favorites shelf, and you’d better believe it’ll be in my top 5 books of the year.
”…the people who always told you to rise above the rest will never be the ones to warn you how far you might fall.”
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Want to read
March 7, 2023update | 8.03.2023: PRH MY BESTIES FOR REAL THANK YOU FOR THE ARC 🤩🫶🏽
these violent delights meets warcross? actually that’s all i need to know just take all my money. the wait for this is going to be hell.
these violent delights meets warcross? actually that’s all i need to know just take all my money. the wait for this is going to be hell.
June 15, 2025
3.75
Me ha parecido muy original y lleno de acción, aunque reconozco que me ha decepcionado un poco el desenlace con el “gran secreto” que yo daba por hecho desde el minuto uno… esperaba que hubiera algún otro giro de guion; aun así, muriendo por el siguiente.
Me ha parecido muy original y lleno de acción, aunque reconozco que me ha decepcionado un poco el desenlace con el “gran secreto” que yo daba por hecho desde el minuto uno… esperaba que hubiera algún otro giro de guion; aun así, muriendo por el siguiente.
June 9, 2023
When I say Coco Ma is my fave, I mean it!!! This is so pure YA fantasy and dystopian with all the fun and twists, and I loved every second!!!
September 18, 2023
4.25 ⭐️
Don't let the Y2K cover fool you, this book is straight fire.
Think a dystopian post-apocalyptic world where the way to fight back means you have to win the Hunger Games (sans killing your friends) Nightbreaker takes place in Manhattan after a mysterious fog comes one day to wipe out a large part of the population, creates magical objects, and births demons that come out at night to eat humans and anything else in their path.
Our main character, Rei, has dreams of rising to the top of her battle college, winning the tournament, and killing the demons who killed her parents and took over the city.
As she gets deeper into her role, she uncovers mysteries that the Syndicate, the society in charge of protecting the city, have been hiding from the general public.
This book has plot twists, a wide variety of characters, secrets, and everything a reader needs to be totally hooked (including a possible second chance romance plot!)
This book is labeled YA, but there's plenty of high stakes and character death to keep any fantasy lover hooked
Don't let the Y2K cover fool you, this book is straight fire.
Think a dystopian post-apocalyptic world where the way to fight back means you have to win the Hunger Games (sans killing your friends) Nightbreaker takes place in Manhattan after a mysterious fog comes one day to wipe out a large part of the population, creates magical objects, and births demons that come out at night to eat humans and anything else in their path.
Our main character, Rei, has dreams of rising to the top of her battle college, winning the tournament, and killing the demons who killed her parents and took over the city.
As she gets deeper into her role, she uncovers mysteries that the Syndicate, the society in charge of protecting the city, have been hiding from the general public.
This book has plot twists, a wide variety of characters, secrets, and everything a reader needs to be totally hooked (including a possible second chance romance plot!)
This book is labeled YA, but there's plenty of high stakes and character death to keep any fantasy lover hooked
Want to read
July 5, 2023Woo Hoo!!!! So excited to have been a giveaways winner!
September 16, 2023
Nightbreaker was the perfect book to get me out of a month-long reading slump. Action-packed yet filled with some timely real-world allusions, Nightbreaker is a fun addition to the YA dystopian-fantasy canon that I highly recommend to any genre fan, especially those who loved Marissa Meyer’s Renegades and Marie Lu’s Skyhunter.
While not the most innovative or original, Nightbreaker is solidly-written and successfully hooked me with a feisty main character and intriguing premise. The author described FMC Rei as an “Asian girlboss,” and while I’m always wary of books proclaiming to have “strong” girlboss FMCs, Coco Ma did a good job of adding depth and dimension to elevate Rei beyond physical badass. She’s headstrong and impulsive, and while her physical gifts can often get her out of combat situations, Ma also takes care to show the repercussions of her actions. She dedicates time to show the psychological effects of living in a traumatic dystopian world, and I especially liked the portrayal of Rei’s grief over her parents’ death. Refreshingly, her combat skills are the result of her fear of failure and loss and not just to show the reader a strong female character.
The alternate New York City setting was really fascinating. Though it bears somewhat of a resemblance to the world of Skyhunter (giant monsters, an elite task force of young adults, technologically-advanced monster-hunting weaponry, etc.), I appreciated the real-world allusions. The isolation and collective trauma that permeates every description of the city felt authentic, and the pervading unease closely mirrors the unease of the early pandemic lockdown. I thought the Deathlings (the monsters) were properly scary without feeling tacky, and their diversity and evolution added some much-needed realism. While I guessed their mysterious origins early in the book, it was still fun to see it play out on page as the characters considered the implications of the Deathlings and their jobs as monster hunters. The only thing that really detracted from the world was the vague magic system and flimsy explanation for the existence of stardust and Artifacts, but hopefully this will be explained in the next book. I’m willing to overlook them because I enjoyed all other aspects of the world.
Nightbreaker had all the makings of a five star read for me, but it fell flat on a few aspects. First was the lack of nuance in the side characters—they often felt like YA archetypes. I appreciated that two of these side characters were better developed towards the second half of the book, but I wish that could have been applied to the rest of the (very) large cast. Kieran Cross, Rei’s love interest, was a fine character, though I found him to lack a bit of personality outside of whatever is told to the reader based on his previous relationship with Rei. There was great thematic potential in several parental and familial figures, but that was unfortunately glossed over. I also thought the plot and pacing were a bit strange, particularly past the 60% mark. However, I really appreciate the deliberateness of the testing and tournament arc, especially after a few books I read this year failed miserably with this trope.
Overall, Nightbreaker was a thoroughly entertaining read that I enjoyed from beginning to end. It definitely skews upper YA (the second half contains a lot of profanity and graphic depictions of wounds and monster slaying), but I highly recommend it to anyone longing for a return to YA dystopian à la Marie Lu.
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin Young Readers) for the e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
While not the most innovative or original, Nightbreaker is solidly-written and successfully hooked me with a feisty main character and intriguing premise. The author described FMC Rei as an “Asian girlboss,” and while I’m always wary of books proclaiming to have “strong” girlboss FMCs, Coco Ma did a good job of adding depth and dimension to elevate Rei beyond physical badass. She’s headstrong and impulsive, and while her physical gifts can often get her out of combat situations, Ma also takes care to show the repercussions of her actions. She dedicates time to show the psychological effects of living in a traumatic dystopian world, and I especially liked the portrayal of Rei’s grief over her parents’ death. Refreshingly, her combat skills are the result of her fear of failure and loss and not just to show the reader a strong female character.
The alternate New York City setting was really fascinating. Though it bears somewhat of a resemblance to the world of Skyhunter (giant monsters, an elite task force of young adults, technologically-advanced monster-hunting weaponry, etc.), I appreciated the real-world allusions. The isolation and collective trauma that permeates every description of the city felt authentic, and the pervading unease closely mirrors the unease of the early pandemic lockdown. I thought the Deathlings (the monsters) were properly scary without feeling tacky, and their diversity and evolution added some much-needed realism. While I guessed their mysterious origins early in the book, it was still fun to see it play out on page as the characters considered the implications of the Deathlings and their jobs as monster hunters. The only thing that really detracted from the world was the vague magic system and flimsy explanation for the existence of stardust and Artifacts, but hopefully this will be explained in the next book. I’m willing to overlook them because I enjoyed all other aspects of the world.
Nightbreaker had all the makings of a five star read for me, but it fell flat on a few aspects. First was the lack of nuance in the side characters—they often felt like YA archetypes. I appreciated that two of these side characters were better developed towards the second half of the book, but I wish that could have been applied to the rest of the (very) large cast. Kieran Cross, Rei’s love interest, was a fine character, though I found him to lack a bit of personality outside of whatever is told to the reader based on his previous relationship with Rei. There was great thematic potential in several parental and familial figures, but that was unfortunately glossed over. I also thought the plot and pacing were a bit strange, particularly past the 60% mark. However, I really appreciate the deliberateness of the testing and tournament arc, especially after a few books I read this year failed miserably with this trope.
Overall, Nightbreaker was a thoroughly entertaining read that I enjoyed from beginning to end. It definitely skews upper YA (the second half contains a lot of profanity and graphic depictions of wounds and monster slaying), but I highly recommend it to anyone longing for a return to YA dystopian à la Marie Lu.
4/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin Young Readers) for the e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Want to read
April 20, 2023coco ma with another book?? pitched off of marie lu and chloe gong??? yes, please 🥰
August 2, 2025
I found this to be actually a very good dystopian sci-fi, that was generic in the way dystopian stories play out...
- Apocalypse of some kind (in this case monsters have taken over Manhattan, and the people in Manhattan have been quarantined from the people without)
- War games for purposes of training soldiers
But it was also very unique in the writing imagery. It felt like the reading equivalent of watching anime. Very good anime. The descriptions were over exaggerated in terms of physical descriptions and emotional reactions. It was hard not to picture it as a Studio Ghibli film.
I however wasn't very invested in the characters or storyline. I don't blame the author or the writing for this. It was probably just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. I do think that this is worth the time if you want to take a chance on it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a complimentary advanced copy of this book. All the opinions are my own.
- Apocalypse of some kind (in this case monsters have taken over Manhattan, and the people in Manhattan have been quarantined from the people without)
- War games for purposes of training soldiers
But it was also very unique in the writing imagery. It felt like the reading equivalent of watching anime. Very good anime. The descriptions were over exaggerated in terms of physical descriptions and emotional reactions. It was hard not to picture it as a Studio Ghibli film.
I however wasn't very invested in the characters or storyline. I don't blame the author or the writing for this. It was probably just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. I do think that this is worth the time if you want to take a chance on it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a complimentary advanced copy of this book. All the opinions are my own.
May 18, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was so much fun! It reminded me a lot of some other things - something I usually don't really like all that much, but execution can really change everything.
This was done so well! I soaked it up with pure glee. 😁😁😁
The world-building reminds me a lot of Rebecca Schaeffer's City of Nightmares series. A dark, "Gotham-esque" version of New York, full of monsters. Of course I liked it. 😎✨
Throw some Hunger Games into the mix - but make it much better, in my (not so) humble opinion - and you've got some of what this book has got going for it.
Rei is just the right level of sassy, cocky, street-smarts, damaged, and imperfect. She makes a really dynamic sort of main character and I liked spending time with her.
I'm not sold on her ex boyfriend though. Not yet, at least.
Boba though... I want one! It will probably kill me, but I still want one. 😆
One thing bothered me a bit and that was that the entire book seemed "aged" a bit wrongly. To me, the characters behaved very much like university students, rather than high schoolers, and that was a bit of a dent in an otherwise very well constructed book. 🤔
Never the less: I would have thrown myself onto book 2 if it was out.
So now it's time to wait... At least it's something to look forward to. 🥺
This book was so much fun! It reminded me a lot of some other things - something I usually don't really like all that much, but execution can really change everything.
This was done so well! I soaked it up with pure glee. 😁😁😁
The world-building reminds me a lot of Rebecca Schaeffer's City of Nightmares series. A dark, "Gotham-esque" version of New York, full of monsters. Of course I liked it. 😎✨
Throw some Hunger Games into the mix - but make it much better, in my (not so) humble opinion - and you've got some of what this book has got going for it.
Rei is just the right level of sassy, cocky, street-smarts, damaged, and imperfect. She makes a really dynamic sort of main character and I liked spending time with her.
I'm not sold on her ex boyfriend though. Not yet, at least.
Boba though... I want one! It will probably kill me, but I still want one. 😆
One thing bothered me a bit and that was that the entire book seemed "aged" a bit wrongly. To me, the characters behaved very much like university students, rather than high schoolers, and that was a bit of a dent in an otherwise very well constructed book. 🤔
Never the less: I would have thrown myself onto book 2 if it was out.
So now it's time to wait... At least it's something to look forward to. 🥺
August 10, 2025
Reseña completa: https://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/20...
Hace quince años, Manhattan cambió: tras un misterioso desastre, los supervivientes se han adaptado e intentado continuar con sus vidas, sabiendo que nadie debe bajar a los subterráneos, donde acechan letales criaturas que salen a cazar por la ciudad de noche. Rei asiste a un instituto de élite en Nueva York, y usa sus habilidades para cazar a estas criaturas, mientras se prepara para el Torneo: el ganador se unirá a las fuerzas de élite que patrullan la ciudad; pero nada será como otros años, y es que los desafíos y las traiciones harán que todo lo que Rei creía se ponga en tela de juicio.
Ay, mi proceso con esta historia ha sido una absoluta montaña rusa: me ha parecido original, con esa especie de zombies nocturnos, la academia para cazarlos, y todo ese toque paranormal/fantástico, pero por otro lado, también siento que se enredaba demasiado, volviéndose repetitivo, insistiendo en los misterios existentes sin llegar a darnos más información al respecto.
Hace quince años, Manhattan cambió: tras un misterioso desastre, los supervivientes se han adaptado e intentado continuar con sus vidas, sabiendo que nadie debe bajar a los subterráneos, donde acechan letales criaturas que salen a cazar por la ciudad de noche. Rei asiste a un instituto de élite en Nueva York, y usa sus habilidades para cazar a estas criaturas, mientras se prepara para el Torneo: el ganador se unirá a las fuerzas de élite que patrullan la ciudad; pero nada será como otros años, y es que los desafíos y las traiciones harán que todo lo que Rei creía se ponga en tela de juicio.
Ay, mi proceso con esta historia ha sido una absoluta montaña rusa: me ha parecido original, con esa especie de zombies nocturnos, la academia para cazarlos, y todo ese toque paranormal/fantástico, pero por otro lado, también siento que se enredaba demasiado, volviéndose repetitivo, insistiendo en los misterios existentes sin llegar a darnos más información al respecto.
June 2, 2023
Thank you to Penguinteen and NetGalley for an ARC, all opinions are my own.
TW: parental death, death of a pet, murders, etc.
OH MY GOD. To put it simply this book was perfection. I simply did not want to put it down. It’s about 450 pages and I finished it in 2 days. The plot and plot twists were so unexpected. I cant stop gushing about this book. I need the sequel already.
TW: parental death, death of a pet, murders, etc.
OH MY GOD. To put it simply this book was perfection. I simply did not want to put it down. It’s about 450 pages and I finished it in 2 days. The plot and plot twists were so unexpected. I cant stop gushing about this book. I need the sequel already.
December 20, 2023
2.5 STARS - This book started off so good and then things went downhill. The author seemed to struggle with transitions, which was really jarring.
September 4, 2023
“Kill without remorse. Live without regret.”
4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) Loved this! For me it felt like a cross between Hunger Games, All These Monsters and The Q. If you haven’t read any of those, I highly recommend them also.
“You may wish to seek vengeance, but always remember that the greatest motivation is not to kill what you hate, but to protect what you love.”
I haven’t ever read anything from Coco Ma but I have to say that she has intrigued me. These are the types of books I love for teens and myself obviously). There are tough characters fighting for their beliefs and their families and while it’s full of entertainment, it also has a great message.
“…we can’t always be the person we want ourselves to be, and being brave enough to take our best crack at it nevertheless.”
Teens (of course it’s teens! In a real world it would be adults but still, it makes it exciting) are the ones who are hired to fight monsters that have taken over Manhattan. They train and go through a tournament to find the best to fight and kill these monsters. Manhattan has been cut off from the rest of the country so it’s up to the tough New Yorkers to find them and finish them off so the bridges can be built again.
“You took all of your broken pieces and made them your weapons.”
It’s the perfect dystopian world with intense leadership, problems within the leadership and those that are fighting against them. There is always a secret the government is keeping and it’s always a huge reveal when found. A lot of the pieces of the puzzle aren’t put together until the end but I loved the ride along the way. This was pure entertainment and I’ll be reading Coco Ma again!
Thank you to Penguin Teen, Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the copy!
The book releases September 19, 2023.
Triggers/content:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2023/09/...
4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) Loved this! For me it felt like a cross between Hunger Games, All These Monsters and The Q. If you haven’t read any of those, I highly recommend them also.
“You may wish to seek vengeance, but always remember that the greatest motivation is not to kill what you hate, but to protect what you love.”
I haven’t ever read anything from Coco Ma but I have to say that she has intrigued me. These are the types of books I love for teens and myself obviously). There are tough characters fighting for their beliefs and their families and while it’s full of entertainment, it also has a great message.
“…we can’t always be the person we want ourselves to be, and being brave enough to take our best crack at it nevertheless.”
Teens (of course it’s teens! In a real world it would be adults but still, it makes it exciting) are the ones who are hired to fight monsters that have taken over Manhattan. They train and go through a tournament to find the best to fight and kill these monsters. Manhattan has been cut off from the rest of the country so it’s up to the tough New Yorkers to find them and finish them off so the bridges can be built again.
“You took all of your broken pieces and made them your weapons.”
It’s the perfect dystopian world with intense leadership, problems within the leadership and those that are fighting against them. There is always a secret the government is keeping and it’s always a huge reveal when found. A lot of the pieces of the puzzle aren’t put together until the end but I loved the ride along the way. This was pure entertainment and I’ll be reading Coco Ma again!
Thank you to Penguin Teen, Viking Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the copy!
The book releases September 19, 2023.
Triggers/content:
https://www.theopenbooks.net/2023/09/...
gave-up-on
September 15, 2023I'd like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book.
"at reading"
That's what I want to focus on. This is a difficult book to read, because the 'flow' or the narrative is all over the place.
The world building is choppy, you can't seem to picture it in your head what happened to New York or what exactly is going on in New York. Things are introduced to this city and while you're clear on a few things (creatures that like sweets, Manhattan cut off from the world, people in 'schools' to slay monsters... but going through normal day as if nothing is wrong). ... It's all just there.
The main character is lifeless and I don't get where she is 'sassy' or has any sort of 'character' that makes you compare her to someone who set the bar prior (Buffy, etc.). She apparently has a prior relationship with someone who re-appears in her life and you're confused as to what happened between them and why there is any sort of 'issue'. There is also two other individuals thrown her way - one seems to be a master who she has a crush on or idolizes (she has posters of him in her room ; the other is an annoying person who saves her early on that is British and talks with heavy British slang - guess he somehow ended up in NY by default due to the creatures showing up).
This book is just full of ideas that just doesn't have a tight enough narrative or voice for me to follow. And, the cover art looks like it'd be an awesome read.
I refuse to rate this book out of respect for the author since I did not finish it.
"at reading"
That's what I want to focus on. This is a difficult book to read, because the 'flow' or the narrative is all over the place.
The world building is choppy, you can't seem to picture it in your head what happened to New York or what exactly is going on in New York. Things are introduced to this city and while you're clear on a few things (creatures that like sweets, Manhattan cut off from the world, people in 'schools' to slay monsters... but going through normal day as if nothing is wrong). ... It's all just there.
The main character is lifeless and I don't get where she is 'sassy' or has any sort of 'character' that makes you compare her to someone who set the bar prior (Buffy, etc.). She apparently has a prior relationship with someone who re-appears in her life and you're confused as to what happened between them and why there is any sort of 'issue'. There is also two other individuals thrown her way - one seems to be a master who she has a crush on or idolizes (she has posters of him in her room ; the other is an annoying person who saves her early on that is British and talks with heavy British slang - guess he somehow ended up in NY by default due to the creatures showing up).
This book is just full of ideas that just doesn't have a tight enough narrative or voice for me to follow. And, the cover art looks like it'd be an awesome read.
I refuse to rate this book out of respect for the author since I did not finish it.
September 30, 2023
Have you ever read a book and been left wishing/wanting/hoping it’ll become the next big thing?
Well I would like to nominate Nightbreaker to become the next big thing. This book was OUTSTANDING!
It’s so incredibly written that you get sucked into every single word and punctuation and letter and everything. You become consumed by this world and every character we meet. When I had to put the book down, it was all I could think about until I was able to pick it up again.
If I could scream from the mountain tops to get you all to read this, I would. Read it and thank me later.
Audiobook readers will fall in love with the narration done by Carolyn Kang. She did such a beautiful job reading this story. I was completely captivated and often moved by her performance.
I’m so excited for the sequel to this fantastic dystopian story.
*Disclaimer* I received a complimentary audiobook from PRH Audio. An honest review was provided.
Well I would like to nominate Nightbreaker to become the next big thing. This book was OUTSTANDING!
It’s so incredibly written that you get sucked into every single word and punctuation and letter and everything. You become consumed by this world and every character we meet. When I had to put the book down, it was all I could think about until I was able to pick it up again.
If I could scream from the mountain tops to get you all to read this, I would. Read it and thank me later.
Audiobook readers will fall in love with the narration done by Carolyn Kang. She did such a beautiful job reading this story. I was completely captivated and often moved by her performance.
I’m so excited for the sequel to this fantastic dystopian story.
*Disclaimer* I received a complimentary audiobook from PRH Audio. An honest review was provided.
March 14, 2024
This was definitely one of the best books I have read. It was a great story that popped and turned at every corner with plot twists and mystery surrounding its core. The main character grew and started to see the holes in the structure she had known and trusted all while learning to fight back harder.
Every story has something good about it, weather it is the characters, the plot, or the place the story takes place in. But this one was probably one of the best ones I have ever read due to the way it flowed, the way the characters interacted, and the way everything was new and original.
If one story was good, then this one was EPIC.
Every story has something good about it, weather it is the characters, the plot, or the place the story takes place in. But this one was probably one of the best ones I have ever read due to the way it flowed, the way the characters interacted, and the way everything was new and original.
If one story was good, then this one was EPIC.
November 17, 2023
i’m obsessed
September 25, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a dystopian YA, urban fantasy that is the lovechild of the Hunger Games and Night at the Museum that is also COVID commentary?
Pre-reading:
That is Ronald McDonald on the cover.
I no longer remember how this got on my radar. I assume someone predicted it for a book box pick so I requested it to try and be ahead of the curve, but now I just have to suffer through another YA book that I don’t want to read. And if you’re like Samantha, that’s every book you’ve picked up this month, mind your business and also recommend me a therapist because I need to stop doing this to myself. Like does this count as self-harm at this point?
I just want to read garbage but like fun garbage, not actual garbage
Thick of it:
You know, good on this book. I went into it with such a sour mood, but then it opened and I genuinely want to read it. I’m in. But alas, it is 1 a.m. and time to sleep. We’ll try some more in the morning.
No subways in NYC? Complete collapse
I’m picturing the Spooky Island demon monsters from Scooby Doo lmao. (Again!)
No because I’m so down. Rivals to lovers, rivals to lovers
I also don’t know what a whelk is.
Wow, never mind. What a cunt.
Wow, that feels like covid commentary.
I’m gonna need them to explain how the city is still surviving if no one’s allowed in or out because like food? But also, the government would just nuke Manhattan. They wouldn’t even hesitate. I don’t believe this for a second.
Oh, they destroyed the bridges to Manhattan. That’ll stop them. No, it wouldn’t. Build some boats, you losers.
What sort of after-school special line was that?
cheongsam
So her parents are dead, and I’m sure it won’t be for an elaborate government cover-up because they found out that the deathlings aren’t actually evil and are 1000% just mutated citizens. (Why do I even read books if I can just open them and know what happens?)
It’s giving pandering diversity. Stop it right now.
It’s giving Fourth Wing so much
Bread and feral geese is a new metaphor, and I don’t like it.
Oh, well he’s definitely evil. (Master Sasha)
How much you wanna bet she finds a candy wrapper that proves he’s evil?
The government’s just keeping them alive? For why? The government ain’t got pity.
Why would you want to be unconscious? Like I’m sure it’ll be explained, but this book’s got a lot of explaining to do. (Either I missed it, or they genuinely never explain why people would want to take a drug to be unconscious in the field while they huntin’ monsters.)
Is this sapphic? (Sam says yes, author says no?)
This is an anime character. (Storm)
Somebody’s gonna die here so that the author can prove to us that these creatures are super dangerous, but it’ll be an NPC, so we really won’t give a shit. (No death. Wrong, Sam.)
Wow, they really dance-mobbed him.
punctilious
Oh, she’s got an ex-boy? Love triangle? (I don’t like love triangles normally, but I’d be down for one in this book.)
It’s gonna be me
How would you not know your girlfriend's mom?
Oh, not a dead dog!
That had better not be intentionally vague rape commentary because we are absolutely not going to trivialize it like that.
Oh, don’t call Harlem students chimpanzees. How did an editor let that through? OH NO.
Oh, the government told you you can’t talk about it? Ha ha, that works on teenagers.
That’s knockoff Caesar Flickerman.
Gotta catch’em all, he’s Danny Phantom
And he’s the dude from the mask? My god, pick a lane.
Oh, look at that her ex-boyfriend knows the government’s actually evil. What a surprise. (Does he? I may be giving him too much credit. Ask me in book two.)
No, thank you I will not be remembering all these people. (And I didn’t have to :) )
She’s not gonna place.
Have I mentioned that I love being right?
Don’t tell me about the dead dog!
Not to minimize dead dogs, but it’s giving Pippa from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
If Declan dies, we riot, but like it’s giving Declan is gonna die. (He’s safe... for now.)
Did she really just Pocahontas New York City? Can you paint with all the colors of the pigeons?
Also, I know I’m making fun of this book a lot, but it’s classic dystopian YA, and I’m having a good time.
Oh, so homegirl‘s necklace is definitely the missing artifact.
Lol, it only heals those injuries so that the author doesn’t have to worry about ableism.
Oops, meta-
Oh yeah, he has a super bad sweet tooth, and the deathlings are obsessed with candy, but don’t worry, he’s like definitely not evil, guys. (Ask me in book two.)
Lol it took me a second to remember who Roland was. And by was, I mean is because I don’t believe that that bitch is dead. Because how else would we have a love triangle and honestly kinda hope that he’s the better option. Because other boy ghosted and lied, and that’s not anything to build a partnership on. (I still want this, and I think it will be a better series if it happens.)
Hey, you know what’s not good optics? Armbands for military things. It’s giving Nazi. Perhaps not, bestie.
Oh, it’s giving annoyingly woke. Like just why? Why do that? I love representation. This is not it. This is cheesy and over-the-top and virtue signaling when you’ve got some bad choices going on elsewhere in the book.
Is she saying Winnie Harlow? You can’t just list off diversity like this, though. It feels inauthentic. It feels like you’re reducing characters to what box they tick for representation.
kigurumi
Did she just say one of them is a furry? Girl, no.
Dude, it’s a bicycle. Who the fuck cares?
What’s more concerning is that no one‘s riding around with helmets. Where is his goddamn helmet hair?
Can you be dreadfully pasty? Are we skin color shaming in this book? What’s up, Bestie?
Why only 10 minutes?
He’s always eating sugar. He’s 100% a demon.
A rat furry? Come on, you’re shitting me.
Don’t tell them what you discussed? You didn’t discuss anything!
They’re literally just playing paintball capture the flag.
That is body shaming.
Like I just don’t understand how you’re going to try and be PC and diverse and then literally make fun of people for the way they look.
Lol and they’re putting it on TV because why not? Nothing says made for reality TV quite like teenagers trying to kill each other.
And obviously they’re playing this game in the middle of Central Park because no one needs to walk their dog or anything.
I’m so weak. I love a sunshine pet name every time.
That’s gay.
How much do you want to bet the prom theme is a masquerade?
You’ve got a box of your ex's nudes? Yikes.
Not god sin lol. I LIKE IT EVERY TIME, SUE ME
Did he have pudding in his pocket this whole time? That’s so gross. Body temperature pudding.
glissades
Sometimes this book is so aggressively YA.
If they’re old enough to drink, then they do not read old enough at all.
A reduced drinking age? Lmao, please.
Oh, deathlings are in the water so they can’t boat away. Helicopters then? Zipline?
Girl, who are you to judge? You brought a gun to gym class.
If anyone reads this book without hearing Ryan Reynolds every time they say her name, you’re a better person than me.
They’re gonna be fine because it’s her necklace that’s actually been blowing shit up. (Oh, never mind, I'm wrong.)
That is a horrible name for a monster.
How do they confirm that? And if they can confirm that people aren’t deathlings, then why can’t people leave the city?
That is the Amazing Race.
I will say the tasks of the competition have very good pacing.
Lol, obviously the arson was a hit to keep them from revealing the syndicate’s secrets.
Oh my god, the powdered sugar sin, but I like it every timeeeee.
Lol but not lol at the Covid commentary.
Sometimes the YA humor in this is spot on and sometimes it’s so cringe.
Oh, I didn’t want Noelle to die.
Oh, is she going to turn into a deathling? I kind of like that if she doesn’t have to die and that’s how it’s revealed that the deathlings are actually people. (Wrong again, Sam.)
Honestly, I love the idea of a magical library lion. That’s so fun. This book is such a love letter to New York.
Wait, that’s so sad. I don’t want the lion to die.
Oh goddamn, I didn’t want her to die either. That’s gory for a YA.
Wow, that was a good scene. This book is really picking up. This is good YA.
Here’s the thing, I don’t believe it’s the subway token. I still think it’s her necklace. (Kinda sorta right?)
It’s a YA. Of course, she’s a chosen one.
Is this a standalone or a series because I can’t imagine us wrapping all this up in one book.
Why would the kidnappers leave two children guarding the masters? That doesn’t even kind of make sense
And there’s that cringe YA humor.
Girlypop passes out every other chapter. I swear to god.
Oh good lord, this is plot hole-y.
Guys, I still don’t believe they’re dead because they keep talking about how they’re dead, so I’m like they’re not actually dead. And I’m gonna look like an idiot when they are dead, but my dumb little brain is like they’re alive.
The book: there’s no denying it. Sam: I’m denying it. (ASK ME IN BOOK TWO DAMMIT)
I love being right.
Oh, that’s a cute little moral lesson for a YA.
Detritus sin
Bitch, Google Translate. Oh lol, never mind.
I hate that I like that line, but again, good YA humor.
I genuinely didn’t see her boyfriend not drugging her.
This other night thing is like definitely her not-sister.
Well, she’s not a human, you idiot.
And bad YA humor again.
Danny Phantom!
Also, how old is the phantom that she can have a crush on him and like the audience isn’t supposed to be grossed out by it?
There are a lot of choices in this book that don’t quite make sense and that are kinda dumb. An editor should have told this author to rein it in and pick a genre, pick a lane. But I’m having so much fun that I can’t see not rating this four stars.
Yep, it's her sister. Have I mentioned that I love being right? (Only once or twice.)
I like how she had to clarify that New Yorkers are humans.
This would make a fun video game.
That’s a nutty after-school special message, but that better not be the actual methodology behind it because that’s fucking dumb.
Girl, you got bright red hair. It’s not like you blend in.
Have we just forgotten about her being drugged?
Hunger Games and Night at the Museum had a baby.
Is this a Remy the rat joke because get out.
I don’t like this mans. (Kieran)
Well, that’s a shitty spot to leave off on. So I wasn’t technically to be continued but not everything is solved, so you have to keep reading.
Also, shout out to this audiobook narrator. She killed it
Post-reading:
This was fun.
Look she’s plotholey, she’s got some cringe YA humor, she’s predictable as hell, but she’s fun. This is not the best YA you will ever read. Even though I enjoyed this, I’m like damn, she needs an edit. But if you want some nostalgic, dystopian YA and you like New York, give this a try.
I get that YA is rabid for representation. This book is diverse, but it does not do it well. It reads like pandering and virtue signaling, and then it’s coupled with some body-shamey comments that really clash with the mentality behind creating diverse characters.
The romance in this could use an overhaul. I can’t believe I'm advocating for a love triangle, but I think this is genuinely one of the times where it would work and would add some delicious tension to the book. There are quite a few bits of this book that read as sapphic, but it doesn't seem like they're actually meant to. I don’t like the love interest. I don’t think they’re mature enough yet to have a healthy relationship.
It has a few pacing issues. She can write good scenes, but getting from scene to scene is where she falters.
The world-building is a bit of a shit show. It doesn’t really make sense, and you’re going to have to let it go, and suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the book.
I went into this not wanting to read it, and now I will be picking up the sequel without a shred of irony. Good job, book.
Who should read this:
Dystopian YA fans
Fourth Wing girlies
Covid commentary fans
Do I want to reread this:
No, but I’d read the next one
Similar books:
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-OG YA dystopian competition series
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros-YA fantasy, enemies to lovers romance, competition, nostalgic
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas-YA fantasy romance, competition
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson-romp of a YA mystery/thriller
Garden of the Curse by Katy Rose Pool-generic YA fantasy romance, whodunnit
Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones-aggressively YA fantasy romance where they battle demons
The Stranded by Sarah Daniels-dystopian YA, ensemble cast
My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a dystopian YA, urban fantasy that is the lovechild of the Hunger Games and Night at the Museum that is also COVID commentary?
Pre-reading:
That is Ronald McDonald on the cover.
I no longer remember how this got on my radar. I assume someone predicted it for a book box pick so I requested it to try and be ahead of the curve, but now I just have to suffer through another YA book that I don’t want to read. And if you’re like Samantha, that’s every book you’ve picked up this month, mind your business and also recommend me a therapist because I need to stop doing this to myself. Like does this count as self-harm at this point?
I just want to read garbage but like fun garbage, not actual garbage
Thick of it:
You know, good on this book. I went into it with such a sour mood, but then it opened and I genuinely want to read it. I’m in. But alas, it is 1 a.m. and time to sleep. We’ll try some more in the morning.
No subways in NYC? Complete collapse
I’m picturing the Spooky Island demon monsters from Scooby Doo lmao. (Again!)
No because I’m so down. Rivals to lovers, rivals to lovers
I also don’t know what a whelk is.
Wow, never mind. What a cunt.
Wow, that feels like covid commentary.
I’m gonna need them to explain how the city is still surviving if no one’s allowed in or out because like food? But also, the government would just nuke Manhattan. They wouldn’t even hesitate. I don’t believe this for a second.
Oh, they destroyed the bridges to Manhattan. That’ll stop them. No, it wouldn’t. Build some boats, you losers.
What sort of after-school special line was that?
cheongsam
So her parents are dead, and I’m sure it won’t be for an elaborate government cover-up because they found out that the deathlings aren’t actually evil and are 1000% just mutated citizens. (Why do I even read books if I can just open them and know what happens?)
It’s giving pandering diversity. Stop it right now.
It’s giving Fourth Wing so much
Bread and feral geese is a new metaphor, and I don’t like it.
Oh, well he’s definitely evil. (Master Sasha)
How much you wanna bet she finds a candy wrapper that proves he’s evil?
The government’s just keeping them alive? For why? The government ain’t got pity.
Why would you want to be unconscious? Like I’m sure it’ll be explained, but this book’s got a lot of explaining to do. (Either I missed it, or they genuinely never explain why people would want to take a drug to be unconscious in the field while they huntin’ monsters.)
Is this sapphic? (Sam says yes, author says no?)
This is an anime character. (Storm)
Somebody’s gonna die here so that the author can prove to us that these creatures are super dangerous, but it’ll be an NPC, so we really won’t give a shit. (No death. Wrong, Sam.)
Wow, they really dance-mobbed him.
punctilious
Oh, she’s got an ex-boy? Love triangle? (I don’t like love triangles normally, but I’d be down for one in this book.)
It’s gonna be me
How would you not know your girlfriend's mom?
Oh, not a dead dog!
That had better not be intentionally vague rape commentary because we are absolutely not going to trivialize it like that.
Oh, don’t call Harlem students chimpanzees. How did an editor let that through? OH NO.
Oh, the government told you you can’t talk about it? Ha ha, that works on teenagers.
That’s knockoff Caesar Flickerman.
Gotta catch’em all, he’s Danny Phantom
And he’s the dude from the mask? My god, pick a lane.
Oh, look at that her ex-boyfriend knows the government’s actually evil. What a surprise. (Does he? I may be giving him too much credit. Ask me in book two.)
No, thank you I will not be remembering all these people. (And I didn’t have to :) )
She’s not gonna place.
Have I mentioned that I love being right?
Don’t tell me about the dead dog!
Not to minimize dead dogs, but it’s giving Pippa from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
If Declan dies, we riot, but like it’s giving Declan is gonna die. (He’s safe... for now.)
Did she really just Pocahontas New York City? Can you paint with all the colors of the pigeons?
Also, I know I’m making fun of this book a lot, but it’s classic dystopian YA, and I’m having a good time.
Oh, so homegirl‘s necklace is definitely the missing artifact.
Lol, it only heals those injuries so that the author doesn’t have to worry about ableism.
Oops, meta-
Oh yeah, he has a super bad sweet tooth, and the deathlings are obsessed with candy, but don’t worry, he’s like definitely not evil, guys. (Ask me in book two.)
Lol it took me a second to remember who Roland was. And by was, I mean is because I don’t believe that that bitch is dead. Because how else would we have a love triangle and honestly kinda hope that he’s the better option. Because other boy ghosted and lied, and that’s not anything to build a partnership on. (I still want this, and I think it will be a better series if it happens.)
Hey, you know what’s not good optics? Armbands for military things. It’s giving Nazi. Perhaps not, bestie.
Oh, it’s giving annoyingly woke. Like just why? Why do that? I love representation. This is not it. This is cheesy and over-the-top and virtue signaling when you’ve got some bad choices going on elsewhere in the book.
Is she saying Winnie Harlow? You can’t just list off diversity like this, though. It feels inauthentic. It feels like you’re reducing characters to what box they tick for representation.
kigurumi
Did she just say one of them is a furry? Girl, no.
Dude, it’s a bicycle. Who the fuck cares?
What’s more concerning is that no one‘s riding around with helmets. Where is his goddamn helmet hair?
Can you be dreadfully pasty? Are we skin color shaming in this book? What’s up, Bestie?
Why only 10 minutes?
He’s always eating sugar. He’s 100% a demon.
A rat furry? Come on, you’re shitting me.
Don’t tell them what you discussed? You didn’t discuss anything!
They’re literally just playing paintball capture the flag.
That is body shaming.
Like I just don’t understand how you’re going to try and be PC and diverse and then literally make fun of people for the way they look.
Lol and they’re putting it on TV because why not? Nothing says made for reality TV quite like teenagers trying to kill each other.
And obviously they’re playing this game in the middle of Central Park because no one needs to walk their dog or anything.
I’m so weak. I love a sunshine pet name every time.
That’s gay.
How much do you want to bet the prom theme is a masquerade?
You’ve got a box of your ex's nudes? Yikes.
Not god sin lol. I LIKE IT EVERY TIME, SUE ME
Did he have pudding in his pocket this whole time? That’s so gross. Body temperature pudding.
glissades
Sometimes this book is so aggressively YA.
If they’re old enough to drink, then they do not read old enough at all.
A reduced drinking age? Lmao, please.
Oh, deathlings are in the water so they can’t boat away. Helicopters then? Zipline?
Girl, who are you to judge? You brought a gun to gym class.
If anyone reads this book without hearing Ryan Reynolds every time they say her name, you’re a better person than me.
They’re gonna be fine because it’s her necklace that’s actually been blowing shit up. (Oh, never mind, I'm wrong.)
That is a horrible name for a monster.
How do they confirm that? And if they can confirm that people aren’t deathlings, then why can’t people leave the city?
That is the Amazing Race.
I will say the tasks of the competition have very good pacing.
Lol, obviously the arson was a hit to keep them from revealing the syndicate’s secrets.
Oh my god, the powdered sugar sin, but I like it every timeeeee.
Lol but not lol at the Covid commentary.
Sometimes the YA humor in this is spot on and sometimes it’s so cringe.
Oh, I didn’t want Noelle to die.
Oh, is she going to turn into a deathling? I kind of like that if she doesn’t have to die and that’s how it’s revealed that the deathlings are actually people. (Wrong again, Sam.)
Honestly, I love the idea of a magical library lion. That’s so fun. This book is such a love letter to New York.
Wait, that’s so sad. I don’t want the lion to die.
Oh goddamn, I didn’t want her to die either. That’s gory for a YA.
Wow, that was a good scene. This book is really picking up. This is good YA.
Here’s the thing, I don’t believe it’s the subway token. I still think it’s her necklace. (Kinda sorta right?)
It’s a YA. Of course, she’s a chosen one.
Is this a standalone or a series because I can’t imagine us wrapping all this up in one book.
Why would the kidnappers leave two children guarding the masters? That doesn’t even kind of make sense
And there’s that cringe YA humor.
Girlypop passes out every other chapter. I swear to god.
Oh good lord, this is plot hole-y.
Guys, I still don’t believe they’re dead because they keep talking about how they’re dead, so I’m like they’re not actually dead. And I’m gonna look like an idiot when they are dead, but my dumb little brain is like they’re alive.
The book: there’s no denying it. Sam: I’m denying it. (ASK ME IN BOOK TWO DAMMIT)
I love being right.
Oh, that’s a cute little moral lesson for a YA.
Detritus sin
Bitch, Google Translate. Oh lol, never mind.
I hate that I like that line, but again, good YA humor.
I genuinely didn’t see her boyfriend not drugging her.
This other night thing is like definitely her not-sister.
Well, she’s not a human, you idiot.
And bad YA humor again.
Danny Phantom!
Also, how old is the phantom that she can have a crush on him and like the audience isn’t supposed to be grossed out by it?
There are a lot of choices in this book that don’t quite make sense and that are kinda dumb. An editor should have told this author to rein it in and pick a genre, pick a lane. But I’m having so much fun that I can’t see not rating this four stars.
Yep, it's her sister. Have I mentioned that I love being right? (Only once or twice.)
I like how she had to clarify that New Yorkers are humans.
This would make a fun video game.
That’s a nutty after-school special message, but that better not be the actual methodology behind it because that’s fucking dumb.
Girl, you got bright red hair. It’s not like you blend in.
Have we just forgotten about her being drugged?
Hunger Games and Night at the Museum had a baby.
Is this a Remy the rat joke because get out.
I don’t like this mans. (Kieran)
Well, that’s a shitty spot to leave off on. So I wasn’t technically to be continued but not everything is solved, so you have to keep reading.
Also, shout out to this audiobook narrator. She killed it
Post-reading:
This was fun.
Look she’s plotholey, she’s got some cringe YA humor, she’s predictable as hell, but she’s fun. This is not the best YA you will ever read. Even though I enjoyed this, I’m like damn, she needs an edit. But if you want some nostalgic, dystopian YA and you like New York, give this a try.
I get that YA is rabid for representation. This book is diverse, but it does not do it well. It reads like pandering and virtue signaling, and then it’s coupled with some body-shamey comments that really clash with the mentality behind creating diverse characters.
The romance in this could use an overhaul. I can’t believe I'm advocating for a love triangle, but I think this is genuinely one of the times where it would work and would add some delicious tension to the book. There are quite a few bits of this book that read as sapphic, but it doesn't seem like they're actually meant to. I don’t like the love interest. I don’t think they’re mature enough yet to have a healthy relationship.
It has a few pacing issues. She can write good scenes, but getting from scene to scene is where she falters.
The world-building is a bit of a shit show. It doesn’t really make sense, and you’re going to have to let it go, and suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the book.
I went into this not wanting to read it, and now I will be picking up the sequel without a shred of irony. Good job, book.
Who should read this:
Dystopian YA fans
Fourth Wing girlies
Covid commentary fans
Do I want to reread this:
No, but I’d read the next one
Similar books:
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-OG YA dystopian competition series
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros-YA fantasy, enemies to lovers romance, competition, nostalgic
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas-YA fantasy romance, competition
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson-romp of a YA mystery/thriller
Garden of the Curse by Katy Rose Pool-generic YA fantasy romance, whodunnit
Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones-aggressively YA fantasy romance where they battle demons
The Stranded by Sarah Daniels-dystopian YA, ensemble cast
September 26, 2023
In a city taken over by monsters, teens train to become hunters of these monsters... but one girl's training leads her down a darker path than she could have ever imagined. Fifteen years ago, The Vanishing happened in Manhattan, New York. The city was plunged into darkness and monsters known as Deathlings have plagued the city ever since. To defeat these monsters, people are trained to rigorously fight and kill them and they must compete and win the Tournament to make it amongst the ranks of the prestigious Deathling Hunters. Rei Reynolds has dreamed all her life of becoming a hunter, she's been hunting illegally outside of school hours, but her skills have not gone unnoticed. When the tournament comes around she finds herself face to face with her ex, Kieran Cross, a skilled rival and the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart out of nowhere. Rei's parents were murdered and she's been living with her aunt, a Master of the prestigious school that is involved in the Tournament... and the person who has hired Kieran to be her new assistant. As the tournament progresses Rei finds herself questioning everyone and everything she's every known as the secret of the Deathlings and how they came to be and what exactly is happening to the city begins to cause her to unravel. Who can she trust? Can she trust the system that she thought was meant to protect her or will the secrets of those in power cause her to break free? Will she finally find out Kieran's secrets and why he is so determined to protect her but why he broke her heart? This is the first book in a series and it gives off Hunger Games x Maze Runner vibes. The story is a urban fantasy that involves teens joining a deadly competition to fight against monsters while there is a group of higherups who run society watching them. The book has a pretty slow start and doesn't pick up until the 40% mark and I honestly didn't care much for the second chance romance between Kieran and Rei. The world building is really interesting and I am intrigued by the monsters/society structure that the story has going on. I liked the tournament aspect but I felt like a lot of the characters could have been fleshed out better because not a lot of them were all that memorable. I am curious to see where the next book goes and how the story progresses for Rei after the events of this book. Overall if you like urban fantasy novels with young adult tournaments and monster survival fights, definitely give this a go!
*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
August 4, 2023
This book is amazing! This book hooked me from the get go wanting to know what this explosion and fog was in NYC, so very quickly you will be engrossed in Nightbreaker and won’t want to put it down. The book starts with so many questions to answer, mysteries to solve and monsters to kill.
This was an interesting dystopian NYC where people don’t go out at night due to the monsters, they are separated from the rest of the world. The city also has a hunger games esque competition for the next Maverick to save them all and bring them back into the light.
I’ve been a Coco Ma fan with her past fantasy series but this one has a very different dark and gritty feel with being in the real world setting you can relate to and you can see the authors love of NYC in the way she writes the story.
I can’t recommend this book enough, it was my only 5 star read last month. Seriously I said if I have nightmares from monsters taking out our city it’s because of this book and the fact I couldn’t stay up to finish the book that night.
This was an interesting dystopian NYC where people don’t go out at night due to the monsters, they are separated from the rest of the world. The city also has a hunger games esque competition for the next Maverick to save them all and bring them back into the light.
I’ve been a Coco Ma fan with her past fantasy series but this one has a very different dark and gritty feel with being in the real world setting you can relate to and you can see the authors love of NYC in the way she writes the story.
I can’t recommend this book enough, it was my only 5 star read last month. Seriously I said if I have nightmares from monsters taking out our city it’s because of this book and the fact I couldn’t stay up to finish the book that night.
May 31, 2024
True Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, Gore, Death, Political agendas, Classism, Referenced animal death, References to questionable cannibalism, References to grief
"What is one girl against a city full of monsters?"
This is one of those books I waited forever to buy, and then even longer to read, because I knew I would be sucked into it. And the only reason it took me as long as it did to read this one is because work got in the way. If I had more time and energy, I'd have finished this in a day, two tops. This book met my expectations and even managed to go beyond them in some really good ways.
Criticisms
Tournament Pacing/Importance
My only true criticism of the book that I can say maybe irked me is the tournament aspect. However, that may have more to do with the overall synopsis than the actual plot point itself. The synopsis makes the tournament feel like the most important part of the novel, just as other such YA novels have done before. And, just like those others, the tournament felt a bit rushed, and then tossed aside in favor of everything else. Admittedly, that everything else IS more interesting, but still.
That being said, this is more of a nitpick because I did still enjoy the tournament aspect and thought it worked pretty well.
Praise
Main Character
I love Rei. She's a mess who only wants to help, and she makes a ton of mistakes while hurting people and getting hurt, but she's completely relatable. It's easy to see how she became as driven as she is, and why she doesn't really stop to consider other things. But it's that drive that also hurts her, and others around her, and causes a host of problems both physical and mental. She's also one of the few female characters I truly believe is bad*** and still not perfect. The author does a great job of writing her, and her interactions with others range from entertaining to nail biting.
The Plot
I loved this plot. It's not entirely new, but the author managed to put her own spin on it and made it interesting again. It's a great mix of dystopian and urban fantasy, with a vague superhero vibe that's only increased by the STUNNING cover. Usually I don't go for dystopian novels, but this one was right up my alley, because it wasn't fully dystopian. It had elements of a dystopian novel without going too far into that territory. The plot was also twisty, and while I wasn't really surprised by any of the plot beats (I called most of them, to be fair) it's the emotional conflict these beats create that made it interesting, and has me excited for the sequel.
The Romance
This is one of the few YA fantasies I've read in a while where the romance actually works for me. First of all, because it's not an insta-love situation. They're exes, and so they have a past history that helps the reader believe their chemistry. Second, it didn't take over the plot. Did it crop up in some inappropriate moments? Yes. Did it annoy me? Not as much as others, because it was done very sparingly. It helps that Rei and Kieran work really well together, even if they are opposites in different ways, and so their scenes together were still interesting.
Final Thoughts
This is easily one of my favorite books I've read so far this year, and I can't wait for the sequel to be released. Coco Ma has created a dangerous world filled with interesting characters and the suspense is killing me.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, Gore, Death, Political agendas, Classism, Referenced animal death, References to questionable cannibalism, References to grief
"What is one girl against a city full of monsters?"
This is one of those books I waited forever to buy, and then even longer to read, because I knew I would be sucked into it. And the only reason it took me as long as it did to read this one is because work got in the way. If I had more time and energy, I'd have finished this in a day, two tops. This book met my expectations and even managed to go beyond them in some really good ways.
Criticisms
Tournament Pacing/Importance
My only true criticism of the book that I can say maybe irked me is the tournament aspect. However, that may have more to do with the overall synopsis than the actual plot point itself. The synopsis makes the tournament feel like the most important part of the novel, just as other such YA novels have done before. And, just like those others, the tournament felt a bit rushed, and then tossed aside in favor of everything else. Admittedly, that everything else IS more interesting, but still.
That being said, this is more of a nitpick because I did still enjoy the tournament aspect and thought it worked pretty well.
Praise
Main Character
I love Rei. She's a mess who only wants to help, and she makes a ton of mistakes while hurting people and getting hurt, but she's completely relatable. It's easy to see how she became as driven as she is, and why she doesn't really stop to consider other things. But it's that drive that also hurts her, and others around her, and causes a host of problems both physical and mental. She's also one of the few female characters I truly believe is bad*** and still not perfect. The author does a great job of writing her, and her interactions with others range from entertaining to nail biting.
The Plot
I loved this plot. It's not entirely new, but the author managed to put her own spin on it and made it interesting again. It's a great mix of dystopian and urban fantasy, with a vague superhero vibe that's only increased by the STUNNING cover. Usually I don't go for dystopian novels, but this one was right up my alley, because it wasn't fully dystopian. It had elements of a dystopian novel without going too far into that territory. The plot was also twisty, and while I wasn't really surprised by any of the plot beats (I called most of them, to be fair) it's the emotional conflict these beats create that made it interesting, and has me excited for the sequel.
The Romance
This is one of the few YA fantasies I've read in a while where the romance actually works for me. First of all, because it's not an insta-love situation. They're exes, and so they have a past history that helps the reader believe their chemistry. Second, it didn't take over the plot. Did it crop up in some inappropriate moments? Yes. Did it annoy me? Not as much as others, because it was done very sparingly. It helps that Rei and Kieran work really well together, even if they are opposites in different ways, and so their scenes together were still interesting.
Final Thoughts
This is easily one of my favorite books I've read so far this year, and I can't wait for the sequel to be released. Coco Ma has created a dangerous world filled with interesting characters and the suspense is killing me.
June 26, 2024
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2024/0...
3.25/5
Imaginez un mélange entre Je suis une légende (avec ses monstres qui sortent la nuit), Hunger Games et Divergente pour le côté combat et entrainement à la dure et une vibe Le gang des prodiges (Marissa Meyer) et Legend de Marie Lu. Voilà un peu l'ambiance de Nightbreaker.
Depuis 15 ans, le monde a changé. Chaque jour, à la tombée de la nuit, les cloches retentissent, signe du couvre-feu depuis La Disparition. La nuit, les Nécro, ces monstres qui dévorent les humains remontent à la surface et n'épargnent rien ni personne. Dernier rempart à cela, les chasseurs. Et c'est bien ce que Rei veut devenir pour venger la mort de ses parents. Chaque nuit elle parcours les tunnels du métro pour défendre les new-yorkais en attendant de pouvoir rejoindre les chasseurs. Mais avant ça, elle va devoir participer au Tournoi. Et cela s'annonce d'autant plus compliqué vu ses concurrents.
Le point fort du récit est bien sur l'ambiance. On s'imagine assez bien le monde dans lequel évolue nos personnages et on se laisse aisément embarqué aux côtés de Rei. Une héroine qui veut se venger de la mort de ses parents et ne lésine pas sur les moyens d'y parvenir. Sûre d'elle (un peu trop par moment), courageuse, indépendante et vraiment casse-cou, elle arpente secrètement les tunnels la nuit pour combattre les nécros. Forcément, on a envie de la voir réussir. Elle ne lâche rien et évolue pas mal au cours de ce premier tome. J'ai apprécié la petite romance de seconde chance qui pointe son nez avec l'histoire d'amour de Rei et Kieran qui vient alléger un peu l'ambiance assez sombre du récit. Elle reste en arrière plan mais a le mérite d'être là tout de même. De plus, les personnages secondaires sont assez prometteurs. Je me suis attachée à certains mais... l'autrice n'épargne rien ni personne.
Comme toute bonne dystopie qui se respect, tout n'est pas tout blanc ou tout noir. Car si le gouvernement en place jure que c'est pour la sécurité de tous, nous lecteurs, savons que tout n'est pas aussi simple et les secrets et révélations ne vont pas tarder à éclater. Reste à déterminer qui est dans quel camp. Et c'est ce que va découvrir notre héroine.
J'ai bien aimé ce premier tome qui pose les bases de l'univers et laisse entrevoir quelque chose de prometteur. On sent que tout reste encore à découvrir pour le moment et les rebondissements finaux viennent remettre pas mal de choses dans leur contexte. Il est vrai que j'ai trouvé que le rythme y était assez en dents de scie. Des moments d'action, de combats et d'autres où j'ai ressenti quelques longueurs. Ce qui fait que j'ai bien envie d'en savoir plus mais que tout n'était pas parfait pour ce premier volet.
En conclusion, Nightbreaker est un petit mélange de dystopies qu'on adore et propose quelque chose qui tient la route. J'ai bien envie de poursuivre l'aventure et voir où l'autrice va nous mener même si ce premier tome souffre de longueurs et de quelques facilités, on a les bases pour une suite intéressante.
3.25/5
Imaginez un mélange entre Je suis une légende (avec ses monstres qui sortent la nuit), Hunger Games et Divergente pour le côté combat et entrainement à la dure et une vibe Le gang des prodiges (Marissa Meyer) et Legend de Marie Lu. Voilà un peu l'ambiance de Nightbreaker.
Depuis 15 ans, le monde a changé. Chaque jour, à la tombée de la nuit, les cloches retentissent, signe du couvre-feu depuis La Disparition. La nuit, les Nécro, ces monstres qui dévorent les humains remontent à la surface et n'épargnent rien ni personne. Dernier rempart à cela, les chasseurs. Et c'est bien ce que Rei veut devenir pour venger la mort de ses parents. Chaque nuit elle parcours les tunnels du métro pour défendre les new-yorkais en attendant de pouvoir rejoindre les chasseurs. Mais avant ça, elle va devoir participer au Tournoi. Et cela s'annonce d'autant plus compliqué vu ses concurrents.
Le point fort du récit est bien sur l'ambiance. On s'imagine assez bien le monde dans lequel évolue nos personnages et on se laisse aisément embarqué aux côtés de Rei. Une héroine qui veut se venger de la mort de ses parents et ne lésine pas sur les moyens d'y parvenir. Sûre d'elle (un peu trop par moment), courageuse, indépendante et vraiment casse-cou, elle arpente secrètement les tunnels la nuit pour combattre les nécros. Forcément, on a envie de la voir réussir. Elle ne lâche rien et évolue pas mal au cours de ce premier tome. J'ai apprécié la petite romance de seconde chance qui pointe son nez avec l'histoire d'amour de Rei et Kieran qui vient alléger un peu l'ambiance assez sombre du récit. Elle reste en arrière plan mais a le mérite d'être là tout de même. De plus, les personnages secondaires sont assez prometteurs. Je me suis attachée à certains mais... l'autrice n'épargne rien ni personne.
Comme toute bonne dystopie qui se respect, tout n'est pas tout blanc ou tout noir. Car si le gouvernement en place jure que c'est pour la sécurité de tous, nous lecteurs, savons que tout n'est pas aussi simple et les secrets et révélations ne vont pas tarder à éclater. Reste à déterminer qui est dans quel camp. Et c'est ce que va découvrir notre héroine.
J'ai bien aimé ce premier tome qui pose les bases de l'univers et laisse entrevoir quelque chose de prometteur. On sent que tout reste encore à découvrir pour le moment et les rebondissements finaux viennent remettre pas mal de choses dans leur contexte. Il est vrai que j'ai trouvé que le rythme y était assez en dents de scie. Des moments d'action, de combats et d'autres où j'ai ressenti quelques longueurs. Ce qui fait que j'ai bien envie d'en savoir plus mais que tout n'était pas parfait pour ce premier volet.
En conclusion, Nightbreaker est un petit mélange de dystopies qu'on adore et propose quelque chose qui tient la route. J'ai bien envie de poursuivre l'aventure et voir où l'autrice va nous mener même si ce premier tome souffre de longueurs et de quelques facilités, on a les bases pour une suite intéressante.
November 23, 2023
Fifteen years before the Deathlings became part of the normal life for those who live in Manhattan, a “mysterious chimney orange steam with fluorescent white stripes rises out of the intersection.” It is followed by blowing up which causes a crater where steam is gushing out people disappear never to be seen again. Rei. who is on the way to school finds her uncovered skin burning from the steam. Then suddenly the light disappear from the steam that becomes like a fog. Later people continue to live their lives but it’s different. No one can be out when it is dark. There is a warning of bells clanging warning people that nightfall is shortly going to occur. Rei goes to a bakery just before the warning.and goes with her baked goods to a subway. Subways are off limits as that is where the Darklings live. They eat people. Rei goes into the subway to bait a Darkling with the sweet and hides behind her hiding spot. When a Darkling comes to eat it, she realizes it looks wrong but then realizes it must be a pup. A large Darkling appears attacking Rei. While it tears at Rei, she suddenly finds iRoland saving her from certain death. Roland laughs when she tells him that she is practicing killing the Deathling to win the tournament so she can become a Maverick like Roland slaying Darlings. He laughs at that. It is the Syndicate who is in charge of the tournament besides just control of Manhattan. When other cities were attacked it was figured out that the Darklings were coming from Manhattan as they had discovered that it was where the nest of Darklings was there. The government decided no one could leave Manhattan. When barricades didn’t work, they decided to blow up the bridges so no one could leave. It was definitely not something the Manhattan people wanted. So this became the way people survived by following the rules given with the manor one was to be home by nightfall. When Rei got back to the dormitory of her school, she was scolded by the dean. Rei was worried about tomorrow as she was to meet with one of the Syndicate’s master tomorrow. What will happen to Rei?
The novel is gripping and grim. It was a page turner to read. If found that I enjoyed reading the novel and didn’t want it to end. I hope there will be a sequel to it. This urban fantasy is action packed and never boring.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The novel is gripping and grim. It was a page turner to read. If found that I enjoyed reading the novel and didn’t want it to end. I hope there will be a sequel to it. This urban fantasy is action packed and never boring.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
September 18, 2023
Thank you Penguin for this ARC
You know those books you can't put down? The ones you stay up all night reading because you're so immersed in the story you can't wait till the next day to find out what happens next? This is one of those books.
Rei has trained her entire life to hunt Deathlings, grotesque creatures that take over Manhattan at night, and have irrevocably changed the city. Her only dream is to become a Maverick, the elite task force that has no equal for their strength and kill count. To do so she must win a tournament and prove herself, no easy task when one of her opponents is her ex boyfriend. (Plus, not everyone survives the tournament!)
This is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a hot minute. I love the characters, and how diverse the story is. The world building and lore is so engaging and there were no plot holes to be found. Every little question I had regarding the story is masterfully executed and explained. A pitfall of fantasy stories can often be how much exposition is thrown at you in an attempt to explain the world and how everything works. That is not in a problem in Nightbreaker! This story does not shy away from a body count either, I genuinely didn't know who was going to survive, or make it through in one piece.
One of my favorite aspects of this is the technology and all the different artifacts. There are so many different items that all grant different powers, and I can't wait to find out more.
Rei is a badass, she can fight and knows how to hold her own. She isn't that stereotypical "perfect" fantasy heroine either. She has lots of faults, and shows great character growth through the story.
There is a little bit of romance, coming at you by way of Kieran, Rei's ex boyfriend. I really enjoyed their chemistry, plus I love when badass fmc have a supportive love interest. (I hate the trope that modern media is shifting to that you to be independent means no partner!) Also the ending, oh my gosh guys the ending! Quick y'all read this so we can discuss please.
It's very, very, rare that I say this, but I would LOVE to see a movie or tv show made out of this book.
I love this book so much, I want to own a physical copy, and I can't wait for the next book in the series! I HIGHLY recommend this especially if you LOVE fantasy books! This is the first book by Coco Ma I have read, I am now going to go request all her books!
You know those books you can't put down? The ones you stay up all night reading because you're so immersed in the story you can't wait till the next day to find out what happens next? This is one of those books.
Rei has trained her entire life to hunt Deathlings, grotesque creatures that take over Manhattan at night, and have irrevocably changed the city. Her only dream is to become a Maverick, the elite task force that has no equal for their strength and kill count. To do so she must win a tournament and prove herself, no easy task when one of her opponents is her ex boyfriend. (Plus, not everyone survives the tournament!)
This is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a hot minute. I love the characters, and how diverse the story is. The world building and lore is so engaging and there were no plot holes to be found. Every little question I had regarding the story is masterfully executed and explained. A pitfall of fantasy stories can often be how much exposition is thrown at you in an attempt to explain the world and how everything works. That is not in a problem in Nightbreaker! This story does not shy away from a body count either, I genuinely didn't know who was going to survive, or make it through in one piece.
One of my favorite aspects of this is the technology and all the different artifacts. There are so many different items that all grant different powers, and I can't wait to find out more.
Rei is a badass, she can fight and knows how to hold her own. She isn't that stereotypical "perfect" fantasy heroine either. She has lots of faults, and shows great character growth through the story.
There is a little bit of romance, coming at you by way of Kieran, Rei's ex boyfriend. I really enjoyed their chemistry, plus I love when badass fmc have a supportive love interest. (I hate the trope that modern media is shifting to that you to be independent means no partner!) Also the ending, oh my gosh guys the ending! Quick y'all read this so we can discuss please.
It's very, very, rare that I say this, but I would LOVE to see a movie or tv show made out of this book.
I love this book so much, I want to own a physical copy, and I can't wait for the next book in the series! I HIGHLY recommend this especially if you LOVE fantasy books! This is the first book by Coco Ma I have read, I am now going to go request all her books!
September 29, 2023
📚BOOK REVIEW📚
Nightbreaker by Coco Ma
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 0/3
Genres: YA Fantasy
Tropes: dystopian, deadly tournament, post-apocalyptic, mysterious monster enemies, found family
Ever since The Vanishing, horrific creatures known as Deathlings have plagued New York City at night. Over the past 15 years, citizens have had to adapt to a new normal.
Rei attends an exclusive New York prep school that prepares students to become mavericks (essentially monster hunters) or researchers. Rei watched her parents be brutally murdered by Deathlings many years ago, so she is desperate for vengeance.
Top exam scorers from all the schools in the city will compete in a tournament to secure a position as a maverick (compared to spending years rising in the ranks), and Rei is able to be selected. As the tournament progresses, Rei begins to question everything she has been taught regarding The Vanishing and the Deathlings. Who is the real enemy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow, I had the hardest time putting this book down. I was up super late last night without even realizing it. The author has such a captivating writing style, and has definitely laid the groundwork for a super fascinating world. The concept of this story is really unique, and the plot itself had lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t able to predict.
Rei is a really fun FMC, and also very relatable. She is snarky and sarcastic, and her relationship with her friends is heartwarming. She also suffered wins AND losses, which is refreshing because sometimes we’re really only shown wins. I appreciated that all of the characters felt realistic and believable.
My only issue is that there are aspects of the world-building that could have been stronger. I think there are a few too many things that we as readers are expected to accept without explanation. This was the only thing I really marked the rating down for; for me, it was a 5⭐️ based on the vibes though.
A lot of the questions I had regarding the world mechanics were answered within a couple chapters which was nice. Additional things were revealed at the end of the book, and I can imagine more details will be given as the series progresses as well.
Overall, GREAT start to a new series. I can’t wait to read the next one! If you like post-apocalyptic fantasy with a hint of sci-fi, definitely give this one a read.
Thank you to MTMC Tours and the author for a copy of this to read ✨
Nightbreaker by Coco Ma
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice level: 0/3
Genres: YA Fantasy
Tropes: dystopian, deadly tournament, post-apocalyptic, mysterious monster enemies, found family
Ever since The Vanishing, horrific creatures known as Deathlings have plagued New York City at night. Over the past 15 years, citizens have had to adapt to a new normal.
Rei attends an exclusive New York prep school that prepares students to become mavericks (essentially monster hunters) or researchers. Rei watched her parents be brutally murdered by Deathlings many years ago, so she is desperate for vengeance.
Top exam scorers from all the schools in the city will compete in a tournament to secure a position as a maverick (compared to spending years rising in the ranks), and Rei is able to be selected. As the tournament progresses, Rei begins to question everything she has been taught regarding The Vanishing and the Deathlings. Who is the real enemy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow, I had the hardest time putting this book down. I was up super late last night without even realizing it. The author has such a captivating writing style, and has definitely laid the groundwork for a super fascinating world. The concept of this story is really unique, and the plot itself had lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t able to predict.
Rei is a really fun FMC, and also very relatable. She is snarky and sarcastic, and her relationship with her friends is heartwarming. She also suffered wins AND losses, which is refreshing because sometimes we’re really only shown wins. I appreciated that all of the characters felt realistic and believable.
My only issue is that there are aspects of the world-building that could have been stronger. I think there are a few too many things that we as readers are expected to accept without explanation. This was the only thing I really marked the rating down for; for me, it was a 5⭐️ based on the vibes though.
A lot of the questions I had regarding the world mechanics were answered within a couple chapters which was nice. Additional things were revealed at the end of the book, and I can imagine more details will be given as the series progresses as well.
Overall, GREAT start to a new series. I can’t wait to read the next one! If you like post-apocalyptic fantasy with a hint of sci-fi, definitely give this one a read.
Thank you to MTMC Tours and the author for a copy of this to read ✨
July 17, 2024
𝕆ℙ𝕀ℕ𝕀Óℕ (( SIN SPOILERS)):
🌚Vi este libro por casualidad en Tiktok y me lancé directa a por él. Os digo que se va a convertir en una de mis mejores lecturas del año. No es un libro autoconclusivo sino que forma parte de varios libros. Hago hincapié en que no se cuántos libros serán porque no he encontrado información sobre ello.
🌚Si eres fan de los libros post apocalípticos tipo los Juegos del hambre y Divergente, este libro te va a encantar. Además, engancha desde la primera página y aviso de que no podrás parar de leer.
🌚 La trama tiene un ritmo muy bueno y bastante ágil. Está todo muy buen hilado y en cada capítulo vas descubriendo cosas nuevas que te ayudan a entender la historia. A medida que avanza todo, va cogiendo un toque más oscuro que a mí personalmente me encanta.
¿Qué vas a encontrar en este libro?
- Distopía
- Protagonista 🔝
- Jovenes entrenados
- Pruebas
- Monstruos nocturnos
- Artefactos mágicos
- Poderes
- Enemies to lovers ( los protas son ex)
- Escenas gore
- Secretos
- Mentiras
- Enigmas
- Y mucha acción
🌚La ambientación me ha parecido muy guay y eso que se centra en NYC, concretamente en el distrito de Manhattan ( ya veréis el porqué). También me ha gustado cómo es la sociedad en esta distopía ya que educan desde la niñez hasta la adolescencia en dos ramas muy diferenciadas: arietes ( militares) y los eruditos ( científicos ) para que sean los mejores en su campo. Los mejores arietes de cada año lucharán en un torneo en donde solo uno logrará convertirse en maestro, gozando así de cierta libertad y prestigio.
🌚Los personajes me han gustado muchísimo. Nuestra protagonista Rei es huérfana y una guerrera de la cabeza a los pies que tiene un don muy curioso para acabar con los monstruos nocturnos, además, posee un objeto muy valioso que le ayudará en más de una ocasión . Por otro lado, tenemos a Kieran, ex de Rei y por supuesto, uno de sus rivales en el torneo. Me ha parecido interesante la relación de estos dos protagonistas, creo que está bastante bien construida y se ha llevado bien a lo largo de la historia.
⚠️: no encontrareis escenas cozy ni románticas ni nada por el estilo. El romance no es el tema principal de la historia, es algo de lo que se trata de pasada.
🌚El final es 🤯! Hay muchas revelaciones que me dejaron con la boca abierta. Si que es verdad que a lo largo de la historia te van soltando pistas pero no puedes llegar a imaginar el trasfondo de toda la problemática. Como pista: nada es lo que parece y cuando leáis el final sabréis el porqué de todo😈.
En definitiva, un libro que me ha sorprendido muchisímo y es por esta razón por lo que no entiendo cómo no se ve por Bookstagram, porque el libro merece todo el hype que se le pueda dar.
—————
4,9🌟
—————
December 16, 2023
This was a very fun YA dystopia slash urban fantasy type read.
Some kind of killer fog event happened in Manhattan a decade ago and now monsters walk the streets at night. Our teen MC is set on destroying these monsters and embarks on a tournament to become a professional monster killer.
This had all the hallmarks of classic 2010s YA dystopia but it also created something all of its own. The tournament isn't as big a feature as you might think once the book gets going, and towards the end the pace becomes breakneck with twists and turns that'll give you whiplash.
You're going to have to suspend a fair amount of disbelief to enjoy this story. The idea that humanity has adapted to nonchalantly to straight up magic in the space of only 10 years is a wee bit hard to swallow but ya know, you just roll with it and you have a good time. I think it's important to frame it as urban fantasy meets dystopia and read it from that perspective.
The main character is badass without being a special perfect snowflake, and strong and snarky without falling into the "not like other girls" trope. She fails at things sometimes while also being tenacious which gives her depth and relatability.
At times I found myself a bit confused by the worldbuilding. I know they say "show don't tell" but when you're creating a whole new world, you do have to tell us some things! Like, what is The Sanctuary? Does she live there or in a dorm? Why was she starting the Tournament and then suddenly leaving it to go to a prom??? That part was so confusing to me. Sometimes it seemed like nightfangs were a type of Deathling, but then other times they seemed to be two different beings? Are they the same thing or different?? And when the Vanishing happened, suddenly there was just magic? And everyone was like, oh okay, now these objects are magic, cool cool?? There were a few things like this where I really could have done with a bit more clarity.
I'd definitely call it upper YA due to occasional swearing and some fairly gnarly violence, including decapitation of a known character on page.
Overall though it was a fun and rollicking read, and I'd definitely read the next one.
Some kind of killer fog event happened in Manhattan a decade ago and now monsters walk the streets at night. Our teen MC is set on destroying these monsters and embarks on a tournament to become a professional monster killer.
This had all the hallmarks of classic 2010s YA dystopia but it also created something all of its own. The tournament isn't as big a feature as you might think once the book gets going, and towards the end the pace becomes breakneck with twists and turns that'll give you whiplash.
You're going to have to suspend a fair amount of disbelief to enjoy this story. The idea that humanity has adapted to nonchalantly to straight up magic in the space of only 10 years is a wee bit hard to swallow but ya know, you just roll with it and you have a good time. I think it's important to frame it as urban fantasy meets dystopia and read it from that perspective.
The main character is badass without being a special perfect snowflake, and strong and snarky without falling into the "not like other girls" trope. She fails at things sometimes while also being tenacious which gives her depth and relatability.
At times I found myself a bit confused by the worldbuilding. I know they say "show don't tell" but when you're creating a whole new world, you do have to tell us some things! Like, what is The Sanctuary? Does she live there or in a dorm? Why was she starting the Tournament and then suddenly leaving it to go to a prom??? That part was so confusing to me. Sometimes it seemed like nightfangs were a type of Deathling, but then other times they seemed to be two different beings? Are they the same thing or different?? And when the Vanishing happened, suddenly there was just magic? And everyone was like, oh okay, now these objects are magic, cool cool?? There were a few things like this where I really could have done with a bit more clarity.
I'd definitely call it upper YA due to occasional swearing and some fairly gnarly violence, including decapitation of a known character on page.
Overall though it was a fun and rollicking read, and I'd definitely read the next one.
February 9, 2024
Ok new favourite book unlocked. Coco Ma has done it again. This book was incredibly, amazingly good. It had everything I’ve come to expect from Coco’s writing: ingenious world building, enchanting description, and characters with so much personality that they feel real enough to be your best friends. The cast of characters was so diverse and thoroughly entertaining. Rei’s voice was fierce and spiteful and funny and I loved her for it. A lot of Coco’s own personality came through in Rei, which I adored (because who doesn’t love cake, boba and ice cream?) and it also made Rei feel super relatable. That’s the nice thing about reading something by a Gen Z author. The dialogue between Rei and her friends flowed in a way that just made sense. I didn’t have to work overtime to picture the conversations, because the characters seemed like people I could actually talk to in real life.
The plot was AMAZING. I loved the way it was structured around the Tournament: it kept the action going throughout the whole book, especially that long nightfall when the four finalists are forced into patrol. The tension kept me turning the pages, desperate to see what was next. I thought that would be the climax, but it just got crazier after that. And the ending turned the whole story upside down!
I loved the tension between Rei and Kieran. She tried so hard to hate him but she just couldn’t! He’s too much of a cinnamon roll for anyone to hate him. Especially since he was always there for her when her strength gave out, and he understood what it was like to fight and kill Deathlings in a way no one else did. I needed more romance though! I need a redemption arc for their relationship!
This book was so fun to read and I have no complaints about it. Except that I need the sequel like yesterday. It was an incredible story of resilience, family, friendship, and strength, and showed how important it is to protect the people you care about.
The plot was AMAZING. I loved the way it was structured around the Tournament: it kept the action going throughout the whole book, especially that long nightfall when the four finalists are forced into patrol. The tension kept me turning the pages, desperate to see what was next. I thought that would be the climax, but it just got crazier after that. And the ending turned the whole story upside down!
I loved the tension between Rei and Kieran. She tried so hard to hate him but she just couldn’t! He’s too much of a cinnamon roll for anyone to hate him. Especially since he was always there for her when her strength gave out, and he understood what it was like to fight and kill Deathlings in a way no one else did. I needed more romance though! I need a redemption arc for their relationship!
This book was so fun to read and I have no complaints about it. Except that I need the sequel like yesterday. It was an incredible story of resilience, family, friendship, and strength, and showed how important it is to protect the people you care about.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews