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kodyreadseverything's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
CW: child death, homophobia, terminal illness/death, police interaction, drug use, stillbirth, domestic violence, suicide attempt, child abuse
Characters: I loved the characters in this book. Amy was a relatable main character -- well-meaning but messy with questionable decisions made at times. Her family was also a lot of fun to learn about. Having an entire family of magical women made for a lot of hilariously nonchalant interactions about strange, morbid things. Her friends and love interest were also fun characters, but I feel like I didn't get as complete of a picture into who they were. I did, however, appreciate the diverse representation. I believe there was Black, Latinx, Asian, and non-binary representation within her friend group and love interest. I also appreciated the mental health representation. While I don't have personal experience with Amy's struggles, her experiences were well-written and vividly described. Other reviewers suggest that her depression and dissociative episodes were portrayed accurately, which gives even more weight to the descriptions.
Writing/Plot: I thought the plot was really interesting. I've never read a book with a necromancer MC before, so this was new and fun for me. Based on the summary, I was expecting more of a dark, dramatic conclusion. I was initially disappointed by the answer to the mystery, but it was a gut punch nonetheless. After sitting with it for a while, I'm actually glad the answer wasn't what I was expecting because I thought I had it figured out halfway through. However, if I had to critique one thing, I would say the ending felt a bit rushed. Once all of the answers were revealed, I felt as if the book ended rather quickly, and I think it could've benefited from perhaps one more chapter to wrap things up a little more satisfyingly.
Romance: While the MCs budding romance was definitely discussed, it was not a major plot point, which I was glad for. I have nothing against romantic storylines, But I think it would've felt forced if it had been more prevalent, given that the whole story takes place in I think under a week. As it ultimately unfolded, it felt gradual and natural.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Characters: I loved the characters in this book. Amy was a relatable main character -- well-meaning but messy with questionable decisions made at times. Her family was also a lot of fun to learn about. Having an entire family of magical women made for a lot of hilariously nonchalant interactions about strange, morbid things. Her friends and love interest were also fun characters, but I feel like I didn't get as complete of a picture into who they were. I did, however, appreciate the diverse representation. I believe there was Black, Latinx, Asian, and non-binary representation within her friend group and love interest. I also appreciated the mental health representation. While I don't have personal experience with Amy's struggles, her experiences were well-written and vividly described. Other reviewers suggest that her depression and dissociative episodes were portrayed accurately, which gives even more weight to the descriptions.
Writing/Plot: I thought the plot was really interesting. I've never read a book with a necromancer MC before, so this was new and fun for me. Based on the summary, I was expecting more of a dark, dramatic conclusion. I was initially disappointed by the answer to the mystery, but it was a gut punch nonetheless. After sitting with it for a while, I'm actually glad the answer wasn't what I was expecting because I thought I had it figured out halfway through. However, if I had to critique one thing, I would say the ending felt a bit rushed. Once all of the answers were revealed, I felt as if the book ended rather quickly, and I think it could've benefited from perhaps one more chapter to wrap things up a little more satisfyingly.
Romance: While the MCs budding romance was definitely discussed, it was not a major plot point, which I was glad for. I have nothing against romantic storylines, But I think it would've felt forced if it had been more prevalent, given that the whole story takes place in I think under a week. As it ultimately unfolded, it felt gradual and natural.
*I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens and the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
elpisgalaxy's review
5.0
I ended up really enjoying this. The plot was a bit slow at times but I enjoyed this new take on necromancers. I also liked that romance was there but it didn’t overshadow the plot. There were also some good plot twists that I didn’t realize were coming. Overall I really enjoyed the book and it there were more books in this universe I would definitely read them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
dustjackettales's review
4.0
Amy of the Necromancers is a fantastic book, and my rating comes in right around a 4.5. The premise was amazing, and the characters were intriguing. There were a few aspects of the book that felt somewhat confusing, and at certain points the writing felt less immersive (for example, the physical descriptors of the main character in the first chapter felt a bit forced) but the payoff at the end of the book, revealing the twist, was incredibly interesting. The romance in the book was very well done! I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore themes of family, loss, and coming of age.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
lady_logomancer's review
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. I had finished a different title last night and just pulled this one up, preparing to read it the next day. Instead I ended up staying up until 1AM finishing it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down!
I love the MC Amy, she is such relatable, believable teenager. The inclusion of her insecurity, her disassociation, her questions about sexuality, her first love awkwardness and her realistic descriptions of life with anxiety made me feel so seen. I wish I had a character like Amy when I was a teen.
This book is part magical realism, part domestic suspense and part teen detective/coming of age. I found it engrossing and very entertaining. I highly recommend Amy of the Necromancers!
Thank you to @booksirens and @JimenaInovaro. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love the MC Amy, she is such relatable, believable teenager. The inclusion of her insecurity, her disassociation, her questions about sexuality, her first love awkwardness and her realistic descriptions of life with anxiety made me feel so seen. I wish I had a character like Amy when I was a teen.
This book is part magical realism, part domestic suspense and part teen detective/coming of age. I found it engrossing and very entertaining. I highly recommend Amy of the Necromancers!
Thank you to @booksirens and @JimenaInovaro. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
caroline_carnivorous's review
5.0
I received an ARC of this for free.
I read this in one sitting, I just couldn't stop! A teenage necromancer brings her first human back to life - a little girl - so she has to deal with that on the same day as school starts! Amy is in one way a pretty normal teenager, but every female in her family has a death power. Her family and friends help her solve the mystery of who the child is, how she died and why she came back.
This book deals with death and mental illness in a great way, and also has a cast of very diverse characters. The romance was obvious, but cute. I find this is suitable for a wide range of ages, it didn't feel very YA to me, but it's definitely suitable for teenagers.
I read this in one sitting, I just couldn't stop! A teenage necromancer brings her first human back to life - a little girl - so she has to deal with that on the same day as school starts! Amy is in one way a pretty normal teenager, but every female in her family has a death power. Her family and friends help her solve the mystery of who the child is, how she died and why she came back.
This book deals with death and mental illness in a great way, and also has a cast of very diverse characters. The romance was obvious, but cute. I find this is suitable for a wide range of ages, it didn't feel very YA to me, but it's definitely suitable for teenagers.
tibby_fae's review
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book!
To me, at it's heart, it's a story about a girl who's different trying to survive through high school. Which gets harder the more she tries to ignore her differences.
The main character, Amy, was realistic and relatable. She overthought things, made mistakes, doubted herself, etc. We got to see inside her head and understand what she was going through.
I think the main thing I liked about this book is how it covered everything else in her life - family, friends, self-doubt/self-confidence, mental health, romance - aside from necromancy. We got to see the struggles of high school and life that Amy faced, and how she coped with it all. It also added to the relatability through normalizing the necromancy by clumping it in with everything else. I found myself being able to relate with her even when it was about her struggles with necromancy.
I enjoyed the story, though it had a slow pace for at least the first half. I didn't mind the slower pace - for me it didn't detract from the story, but rather expanded on Amy's life. I liked the twists, and the romance bits were cute. And it had a nice, heartfelt ending that I didn't see coming.
For a story about a necromancer, it all felt so normal, which I really loved!
I received a digital copy of this book for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
To me, at it's heart, it's a story about a girl who's different trying to survive through high school. Which gets harder the more she tries to ignore her differences.
The main character, Amy, was realistic and relatable. She overthought things, made mistakes, doubted herself, etc. We got to see inside her head and understand what she was going through.
I think the main thing I liked about this book is how it covered everything else in her life - family, friends, self-doubt/self-confidence, mental health, romance - aside from necromancy. We got to see the struggles of high school and life that Amy faced, and how she coped with it all. It also added to the relatability through normalizing the necromancy by clumping it in with everything else. I found myself being able to relate with her even when it was about her struggles with necromancy.
I enjoyed the story, though it had a slow pace for at least the first half. I didn't mind the slower pace - for me it didn't detract from the story, but rather expanded on Amy's life. I liked the twists, and the romance bits were cute. And it had a nice, heartfelt ending that I didn't see coming.
For a story about a necromancer, it all felt so normal, which I really loved!
I received a digital copy of this book for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
haley_j's review
3.0
This book was unique and not what I was expecting when I started reading it. There were many twists and turns that kept me engaged and I was left guessing until the end. This book gave me a sense of comfort and was an interesting concept that was executed quite well. I am giving it 3 stars since some parts felt a bit underdeveloped. There were a few parts of the storyline that could have had some more information. However, on the whole, this book was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to other readers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
astralbooks's review
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Drug use
Moderate: Child abuse, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Domestic abuse
sammiesavors's review
3.0
Amy of the Necromancers is a book that starts with an interesting concept, but I’m not sure that it fully finishes the story in a satisfying way. I’m not sure whether that was intentional - is this book 1 of a series on Amy and her family? If so, I can see why the decision was made. If not, then the ending fell flat.
The book revolves Amy, who is a part of a family of necromancers, each with their own power tied to Death. One day, she ressurrects a little girl who died mysteriously and much of the plot (and my motivation to keep reading is to find out why she died. The characters were great, complex and vivid like each of Maddie’s family members. The author does a great job of writing much of what occurs in Amy’s head and her struggle to trust herself and who she is. However, there were questions I had a as a reader that weren’t fully answered like “What happens with Amy and Toni’s relationship?”, “What trauma occurred with Amy that causes her to disassociate so often?”
The book seems to be missing a conclusion. You do find out how the little girl died, but the book ends quickly after that and doesn’t seem to bring it full circle with Amy reflecting on the whole experience and the conclusions she drew about herself. The quicker and more abrupt ending is what disappointed me most about this read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book revolves Amy, who is a part of a family of necromancers, each with their own power tied to Death. One day, she ressurrects a little girl who died mysteriously and much of the plot (and my motivation to keep reading is to find out why she died. The characters were great, complex and vivid like each of Maddie’s family members. The author does a great job of writing much of what occurs in Amy’s head and her struggle to trust herself and who she is. However, there were questions I had a as a reader that weren’t fully answered like “What happens with Amy and Toni’s relationship?”, “What trauma occurred with Amy that causes her to disassociate so often?”
The book seems to be missing a conclusion. You do find out how the little girl died, but the book ends quickly after that and doesn’t seem to bring it full circle with Amy reflecting on the whole experience and the conclusions she drew about herself. The quicker and more abrupt ending is what disappointed me most about this read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
bookishbeth96's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book wasn’t my favourite. Let’s start with what I did like. The intrigue. I was kept wanting to know more. How does the necromancy work. What happened to Holly? How will we figure this out? I couldn’t stop reading because I needed these answers. The answers were spaced out well over the course of the book meaning there was never a dull moment. We kept receiving little pieces of information to keep us intrigued.
Now some not so great things. I found the constant lists to be repetitive and almost over informative. I found the actions of most of the characters to be unrealistic. In real life, how many people would actually believe necromancers exist? How many people would just accept it as truth? Not many. There would be some resistance, some denial. I don’t feel like this was portrayed here and it made me feel a little disconnected.
I wasn’t a fan of the romance. It felt like it came a little out of left field. They had only a few scenes of interaction and not many of them were very long or detailed making the romance feel a little forced. I don’t understand where their attraction for each other came from.
Overall, this book was fun to read and kept me interested because of the ‘who did it’ plot line but other aspects just fell a little flat for me.
Rep - Black
F/F
Mental illness, disassociation.
I received an ARC of this book from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Now some not so great things. I found the constant lists to be repetitive and almost over informative. I found the actions of most of the characters to be unrealistic. In real life, how many people would actually believe necromancers exist? How many people would just accept it as truth? Not many. There would be some resistance, some denial. I don’t feel like this was portrayed here and it made me feel a little disconnected.
I wasn’t a fan of the romance. It felt like it came a little out of left field. They had only a few scenes of interaction and not many of them were very long or detailed making the romance feel a little forced. I don’t understand where their attraction for each other came from.
Overall, this book was fun to read and kept me interested because of the ‘who did it’ plot line but other aspects just fell a little flat for me.
Rep - Black
F/F
Mental illness, disassociation.
I received an ARC of this book from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.