Review: Going Viral

The Potion Diaries: Going Viral 
Rating: 5/5
Buy or borrow: Buy!
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Having managed to find her great-grandmother's potion diary, escape Emilia Thoth, save her grandfather's memories AND become a Master Alchemist, surely it's time for Sam to have a good, long rest? And maybe, just maybe, a date with her boyfriend Zain?

But now that Evelyn is married and showing symptoms of the Gergon illness, it looks as though Sam's adventures are just beginning... 

I love this trilogy, it's fun, it's original, the MC is determined and ambitious and easy to root for. This trilogy is my little pick me up when I'm feeling crappy, it brightens my day and always puts a smile on my face. Except for the time I found out that this was the final book and it was actually only a trilogy and not a series....I actually got quite distressed about that, I'm not going to lie! But this is a fantastic ending to the trilogy and I'll forever lowkey hope for another book...or two.... 

Going Viral has a rather sinister opening with Evelyn and the ever creepy Stefan. I really do not like him, although he manages to redeem himself a little bit in this book. He's such a shady character though. Evie's POV's are pretty sinister for the most part during this book, but as she goes on her own journey, she gets more and more determined and the POV's go from sinister happenings to badass girl power team ups. Evie really brings people together and shows what a fantastic ruler she'll be. Thanks to Evie we get some blanks filled in on when it comes to her and what happened after she parted from Sam in Royal Tour. Evie's just as determined as Sam, and she spends the book pulling herself...and everyone else together, and getting to the bottom of things. 

As I started to read, I was like....it's happening. It's finally happening. Sam and Zain are going on an actual date...REMAIN CALM. I will never forgive Stefan for ruining it. But you know...my joy quickly turned to AAAAAAAHHHH because cue the first fight. My ship was a bit rocky this book, I should have seen it coming because it had been smooth sailing (sorry, I love a ship pun) for the entire second book and some tension was to be expected.

That's right. Relationship issues folks, be prepared. Don't get me wrong, it's realistic and authentic and everything, but like...this is the last book and I was freaking out a little bit like..IT'S ALL GOING TO BE FINE BY THE END RIGHT?! RIIIIGHT?! So prepare for a lack of Zain. This book features Sam getting things done, striking out with her friends to save the world. I do like the fact that Alward took this approach, made it clear that Sam can do this huge thing without Zain, that while she may love him, she doesn't need him to be a badass mixer. She can do it. She doesn't need him propping her up. Like so many books end up with the female MC needing the guy to do the thing, or needing the guy to hold her hand while she does the thing. So while I do love Sam and Zain, it was refreshing to see Sam teaming up with her friends, and striking out to do the thing. I have to keep saying 'the thing' because spoilers. But I was like GIRL POWER BITCHES. 

We FINALLY get to meet Katrina properly in this book too and I loved it! She's brilliant and I loved her teaming up with Sam, the two ordinary girls saving the world without any Talent. I was cheering a lot, I'm not going to lie. We also get to meet the Gergon royal family. I never did quite decide if I liked Illie. There's a nice dose of Anita and Arjun, who where with Sam back at the beginning of the first book. I love the friendship between the three of them and how they came to help Sam and they all did it together. 

Interestingly we get to learn more about Sam's background and where she's from as we visit more of the world of the book. There's some brilliant history and mythology in this book, and the story continuation is perfectly done. Some threads from the first two books weave in to the plot of this book and everything comes together perfectly. 

Going Viral continues, and brings to a close, the story perfectly. There's more mythology, more of the world, more of who Sam is and more character growth. The thing with my ship hit me right in the feels at the end, and even mildly distressed me...but it still ends fantastically. I can't imagine a more perfect ending for The Potion Diaries or for Sam. It fits with Sam and with the message Alward is sending out with these books. Sam's such an inspiring character with her ambition and her relatable nerdiness, and Alward shows you with these books that if you're determined, you can do whatever you want to do no matter what. 

Going Viral has drama and tension and it goes right to the wire, it's just as much of a wild ride as the previous two books, and the last line was just perfection. I should also mention that Sam and Arjun participate in a bit of extreme Pokemon Go! I'm so sad to see this trilogy end, but there's always re-reads!