Thursday, March 14, 2019

Book Review: The Antidote

I'm still kind of in a reading slump but I'm trying to get myself out of it. I'm not sure what my problem is, so don't take the length of time it takes to read a book as an indicator of how the book is. I'm having a hard time keeping focus so bear with me.

The Antidote - Shelley Sackier

Magic is not allowed, under any circumstances — even if it could save someone’s life. Instead, there are herbal remedies and traditional techniques that have been painstakingly recorded in lieu of using the mystical arts. Fee knows this, so she keeps her magic a secret.

Except her best friend, Xavi, is deathly ill. He’s also the crown prince. Saving him is important, not only for her, but for the entire kingdom.

Fee’s desperation to save her friend means she can barely contain the magic inside her. And after the tiniest of slips, Fee is thrust into a dark and secretive world that is as alluring as it is dangerous.

If she gives in, it could mean she can save Xavi. But it also means that those who wish to snuff out magic might just snuff her out in the process. 


I'll start by saying I'm going to give this one 3 stars and I don't want you to look at that and disregard this book, it's worth the read. My biggest complaint is it's a little too slow moving for me and as someone who has read a lot of YA fantasy, this was a little lacking for me. BUT!! If you are new to this genre or maybe have only read a couple, give this one a try. I do think the targeted audience (young adult, young teen) is going to love it because it tackles a lot of things that will feel like they are reading a really heavy book (murder, self-harm, disease, etc) but to an adult these topics aren't actually a big deal. Well, they are a big deal but they don't pack the punch they should for an adult reader. The book also didn't have any big.... event/thing/oh-my-god moment and I always really enjoy that when I'm reading a fantasy. Would a young adult miss that? Probably not.

Let's talk about the things I did like. I really liked Fee. A couple of moments where I was a little on the fence but in the end, I really liked Fee. (Also Xavi is kind of great, too.) I really liked the drama, this would be kind of perfect for a middle/high school reader because that age thrives on drama and there is so much of it in this book that it feels like that's what really drives this story forward, leaving the magic and fantasy as a subplot almost.

Overall I'm giving this a 3, like I said. I think it's a great read and kids are going to really gravitate towards this and they are going to really love it. I did enjoy this and I read this during nap time and I was always bummed to put it back down and wait until the next day to start up again. If you are a die hard fantasy reader and you're thinking about this... I think you'll like it but it might not leave you feeling like you've just read a really good fantasy.

Thanks to HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for a review, all opinions are my own! You can also pick up a copy of The Antidote on Amazon.. it might make a fun addition to the Easter basket. Just saying.

   

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