Jinxed
Rating: 5/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher!
Lacey Chu has big dreams of becoming a companioneer for MONCHA, the largest tech firm in North America and the company behind the "baku" - a customisable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion too. When Lacey finds out she hasn't been accepted into Profectus - the elite academy for cutting edge tech - it seems her dreams are over. Worst of all, rather than getting to choose one of the advanced bakus, she’s stuck with a rubbish insect one.
Then, one night, Lacey comes across the remains of an advanced baku. Once it might’ve been in the shape of a cat but it’s now mangled and broken, no sign of electronic life behind its eyes. Days of work later and the baku opens its eyes. Lacey calls him Jinx – and Jinx opens up a world for her that she never even knew existed, including entry to the hallowed halls of Profecus. Slowly but surely, Jinx becomes more than just a baku to Lacey – he becomes her perfect companion. But what is Jinx, really? His abilities far surpass anything written into his code or built into his motherboard. He seems to be more than just a robotic pet. He seems ... real.
If you've read my blog before...or my Twitter...or my Instagram...then you'll know that I freaking LOVED the Potion Diaries series. Seriously, loved, loved, loved it and I was so sad it was only a trilogy. But then I heard whispers...whispers that Amy was working on a new book and I climbed out of my post-Potion Diaries despair to start getting hyped up for it...and now it's finally here! Jinxed is upon us and I was lucky enough to get to review it for you guys as part of this blog tour!
I went in with high expectations, I expected it to be original, different, fun and hugely entertaining. Much like the Potion Diaries...and I wasn't at all disappointed.
Honestly...the prologue isn't even here to play, we're straight in with some action and tension and it's like you could see it playing out on a screen in front of you. It immediately grabbed my interest and I settled down with the book like, "Okay, here we go. Goodbye to the next few hours of my life, it's time for my bum to fuse to the sofa".
My first impression of the Bakus was those toys you used to be able to get...you know the ones? The poo-chi? You could get a cat too! It's a really bad comparison because they're nothing alike, but genuinely...that's what sprang in to my head initially! The baku's are like...a waaaaaaaaaay better version of that. It's literally like if an iPhone was animal shaped, sort of? Wow I'm bad at explaining this!
Anywaaaay, the Baku's and the world of the book in general are actually really believable, with how technology is growing and advancing...I can genuinely see Apple coming out with something like this. But with none of the perks that Moncha have. I mean...you'd have to get a new one every two years and if you don't it'd probably malfunction and try to eat you or something. Funnily enough the "vets" sounded eerily like Apple Store employees.
Amy gives us a brilliant cast of characters! Lacey, our MC, is relatable, she works hard and has plenty of determination. The fact she had to sit and work out what to do now her dream was over really resonated with me on a personal level, but she pushes on and keeps striving for what she wants. She puts everything in to achieving her dream.
Jinx, Lacey's Baku, is a sassy yet sarky little sod. That was my initial impression, and then he had a few creepy moments when he came out with certain lines! I have to say, Jinx is actually a really good friend to Lacey, he encourages her, helps her, pushes her...and ribs her like any good friend would! I really felt for him when he was trying to figure out who he is, what he is, who created him etc.
Zora was a lot of fun, I need more Zora! She's a coding genius and she needs some more confidence in her skills...but then I can't talk! I loved her relationship with Lacey and how she picked her up and helped her move forward. Tobias...I wasn't too sure of him at first, but he actually turned out to be a good guy, and his family situation...isn't the best! The romance isn't the main focus of the book at all, there's way more going on, but the little bit of it that there is...is totally cute and I love Tobias and Lacey as a couple!
Carter....what an a-hole. I genuinely spent a chunk of the book thinking he'd be redeemed at some point but...nah. I have an aversion to anyone who gets handed things on a silver platter without working for them, and so he immediately riled me up....and then he continued to be such a nasty character. Honestly I just need him to go away.
There are plenty of other fun side characters to help flesh out the school and the world of the book, Jake, Kai, River, Ashley, Paul who's Lacey's locker dwelling friend (and I'm telling you he's more than he seems, my book nerd senses are tingling), and plenty more!
The setting was intriguing, it's a modern, familiar kind of setting, but obviously with more advanced tech...way more advanced tech. The world doesn't seem too far in to the future! I loved reading about it, and coming across all the little details Amy threw in. The Baku Battles kind of reminded me of Pokemon!? Plus the school really reminded me of Google HQ from that movie, The Internship!
The more I read, the more I hard the story of what's currently going on at Moncha...the more I felt like something was off. Aside from the prologue and what Jinx obviously is, I mean! I just really felt things where off with Moncha, and there was more going on under the surface. I honestly thought the story was going to go one way, but then the twists came out of nowhere and BAM...it went in a different direction. There are plenty of surprising twists as well as the previously mentioned smidge of romance! Amy certainly keeps us on our toes!
I feel like Jinxed introduces us to the world, the tech and the characters, shows us how things currently stand and so on...and gets us fully invested in Lacey and her journey as well as Jinx ...while throwing out little breadcrumbs hinting at bigger things. There's mysteries to be solved in this book, but Jinxed as a first book, I feel is just scratching the surface. Getting us lulled in to a false sense of security ready for things to get even wilder in book two. We've got Lacey's father...what's going on at Moncha...Jinx...and it all slowly builds up the sense of things being shady, builds up the tension, and then hits us at the end of the book.
Don't get me started on the end of the book...that cliffhanger ending. It's just not okay to leave me hanging like that?! I honestly didn't think Amy would do that to us. Not even just the things to do with Moncha, but that very last scene. It's simultaneously creepy and super tense. I was screeching and searching for the next chapter, but Amy's like "see you next time kids!". *Luke Skywalker scream*
Jinxed is excellently paced and excellently written, with the world layering up around you as each new little bite of information is placed in the plot. The fantastic characters, and original and intriguing world keeps you reading, not to mention the plot that keeps throwing things at you when you least expect it, while all the while you feel like this book is leading you up to something big, and it keeps you turning the pages! Then you know...leaves you screaming at the ending! I've been so excited for this book, and it's exactly what I was hoping it would be...and more!
