capesandcovers's review against another edition
2.0
I had been so excited for Glitch Kingdom when it was first announced, a fat gamer girl MC? Sign me UP. Unfortunately once I finally got around to reading my ARC of it, it just didn't work for me.
To start off, the first few chapters of the book weren't what I thought it was going to, which threw me off for a bit, even if I figured out why it had been written like that. Then there was the fact that I just couldn't really connect with both the story and the cast of characters. I couldn't stand Ryo, Grig was just kind of there, and Dagney seemed cool, but I just never held any attachment to her. There's just too much constantly being thrown at the reader in order to make the game aspect of the plot work, and it makes it impossible to correctly get to know the characters. The entire plot was driven by the game's instructions, rather than player actions, which made the whole thing fall flat since it was literally all tell rather than show. The fact that McKenna randomly had chapters that didn't seem to really add anything to the story didn't help either. I'd like to say something about Bluebird, who had some potential, but she literally didn't show up until more than halfway through the book.
I think if Boekweg had just stuck to making this a fantasy standalone it might have worked, or maybe divided the book into a duology so readers could actually see and get to know her world and characters. Instead, Glitch Kingdom lived up to it's cover, which is such a disappointment to me, considering this had been one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
To start off, the first few chapters of the book weren't what I thought it was going to, which threw me off for a bit, even if I figured out why it had been written like that. Then there was the fact that I just couldn't really connect with both the story and the cast of characters. I couldn't stand Ryo, Grig was just kind of there, and Dagney seemed cool, but I just never held any attachment to her. There's just too much constantly being thrown at the reader in order to make the game aspect of the plot work, and it makes it impossible to correctly get to know the characters. The entire plot was driven by the game's instructions, rather than player actions, which made the whole thing fall flat since it was literally all tell rather than show. The fact that McKenna randomly had chapters that didn't seem to really add anything to the story didn't help either. I'd like to say something about Bluebird, who had some potential, but she literally didn't show up until more than halfway through the book.
I think if Boekweg had just stuck to making this a fantasy standalone it might have worked, or maybe divided the book into a duology so readers could actually see and get to know her world and characters. Instead, Glitch Kingdom lived up to it's cover, which is such a disappointment to me, considering this had been one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
brittdoreads's review against another edition
5.0
So to be perfectly honest, I almost put this book down after the first bit. I didn’t *get* and it just kinda throws you into a story I wasn’t prepared for.
But I’m so glad I stayed with it. The characters were all so believable and diverse. It had a great ending too. And I’m always a fan of a plus size girl loving herself, and being loved by others.
It does remind me of other works I’ve seen, and it even has a call out to Sword Art Online which is very similar...though I hated that anime. And ending up loving this book.
And it made me glad to be part of the nerd family who would totally fit in with all these nerdy characters.
10/10 would read again. Also, I listened to the Audible version of this and I really enjoyed...so if you have the chance to listen to it, you should.
But I’m so glad I stayed with it. The characters were all so believable and diverse. It had a great ending too. And I’m always a fan of a plus size girl loving herself, and being loved by others.
It does remind me of other works I’ve seen, and it even has a call out to Sword Art Online which is very similar...though I hated that anime. And ending up loving this book.
And it made me glad to be part of the nerd family who would totally fit in with all these nerdy characters.
10/10 would read again. Also, I listened to the Audible version of this and I really enjoyed...so if you have the chance to listen to it, you should.
theybedax's review against another edition
5.0
This was legitimately badass! I appreciate the nerd culture head nods, the diverse cast, and the high stakes that gave me tummy aches forcing me to keep reading long into the night.
mkschoen's review against another edition
2.0
I've just started and this is decent but oh MY that cover is SO, SO, BAD.
Like bad enough that I don't want to put the book in my currently reading poster I keep on my desk at my library, or even post on Goodreads that I'm reading this book.
This is a review of an ARC from Edelweiss.
Update: OK, done. A group of players are testing out a new, totally immersive role-playing game. In fact, it's so immersive some of them don't even realize they're playing a game, instead believing they're princes, mystical queens and warriors, when their real bodies are in a lab, unconscious and connected to tubes and wires while their unconscious minds play out the game. But now something has gone wrong, and dying in the game can mean dying in real life.
It's a good idea, that starts out strong and then just doesn't really go anywhere? It ends as you would expect it to end, with the pairings you expect it to have and essentially no consequences (except for the off screen players who died, who no one seems to miss very much).
Like bad enough that I don't want to put the book in my currently reading poster I keep on my desk at my library, or even post on Goodreads that I'm reading this book.
This is a review of an ARC from Edelweiss.
Update: OK, done. A group of players are testing out a new, totally immersive role-playing game. In fact, it's so immersive some of them don't even realize they're playing a game, instead believing they're princes, mystical queens and warriors, when their real bodies are in a lab, unconscious and connected to tubes and wires while their unconscious minds play out the game. But now something has gone wrong, and dying in the game can mean dying in real life.
It's a good idea, that starts out strong and then just doesn't really go anywhere? It ends as you would expect it to end, with the pairings you expect it to have and essentially no consequences (except for the off screen players who died, who no one seems to miss very much).
kbeddes's review against another edition
3.0
Summary:Imagine Hunger Games mixed with Jumanji in a Zelda setting, you would get something like this book. It’s the world’s most immersive RPG game but there is a glitch that makes it so if you die in the game, you die in real life. “The only way out is to win.”
Response:At first I had a really difficult time getting into this book. I knew from the book blurb that it was a glitching video game but the first couple chapters were a fantasy story and I was thoroughly confused. Once the real world context was established, I was much more willing to go with it. I would recommend this book to any teenager gamer in your life, they would probably get a kick out of it.
Response:At first I had a really difficult time getting into this book. I knew from the book blurb that it was a glitching video game but the first couple chapters were a fantasy story and I was thoroughly confused. Once the real world context was established, I was much more willing to go with it. I would recommend this book to any teenager gamer in your life, they would probably get a kick out of it.
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
Even if this book is well written it didn't keep my attention and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
candacerobinsonauthor's review against another edition
ARC received via publisher!
annarella's review
3.0
Even if this book is well written it didn't keep my attention and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
aoife26935's review
4.0
A medieval fantasy given a unique new twist...it's all just a game. But the consequences are deadly real.
A dethroned prince, a feisty noble woman, the prince's best friend, and a quest to reclaim lost treasures to keep the kingdom safe. So far, so normal, right? But this is anything but normal. The characters are players in a hugely immersive new game. A glitch in the software means they're trapped until they win the game, and if they die, they really die. And one player, who must kill all the others to win, doesn't understand the glitch at all...
First of all; in my personal opinion, this is not a good cover for a book. It makes it look like the movies Syfy play at two in the afternoon. It's a shame, because this book deserves a really good cover, one that will attract attention for the right reasons.
The medieval plot is fairly usual; some people have magic, some don't, there are rival kingdoms, there's a scheming brother. The worldbuilding could be a little better; I'm still not a hundred percent sure on the difference between Devout and Devani. What makes it stand out is the reaction our modern teens have to both the medieval tropes and the game tropes. My favourite was the moment when a character threw some random items in a frying pan, put it in the fire, and withdrew a perfectly cooked and delicious bird.
It's a very entertaining book, with a few heartwarming or terrifying moments. It's just such a shame about the cover.
A dethroned prince, a feisty noble woman, the prince's best friend, and a quest to reclaim lost treasures to keep the kingdom safe. So far, so normal, right? But this is anything but normal. The characters are players in a hugely immersive new game. A glitch in the software means they're trapped until they win the game, and if they die, they really die. And one player, who must kill all the others to win, doesn't understand the glitch at all...
First of all; in my personal opinion, this is not a good cover for a book. It makes it look like the movies Syfy play at two in the afternoon. It's a shame, because this book deserves a really good cover, one that will attract attention for the right reasons.
The medieval plot is fairly usual; some people have magic, some don't, there are rival kingdoms, there's a scheming brother. The worldbuilding could be a little better; I'm still not a hundred percent sure on the difference between Devout and Devani. What makes it stand out is the reaction our modern teens have to both the medieval tropes and the game tropes. My favourite was the moment when a character threw some random items in a frying pan, put it in the fire, and withdrew a perfectly cooked and delicious bird.
It's a very entertaining book, with a few heartwarming or terrifying moments. It's just such a shame about the cover.
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