Tag / indie book

by booksoverlookedblog

Indie Book Review: Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

I’m a Reedsy Discovery reviewer! I received a free ARC of Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill for this review.

⭐⭐⭐

On a broiling Fourth of July night, Abigail Thompson makes a mistake that will change the world forever. She asks her experimental AI, Xerxes, to find a way to eliminate carbon emissions and save the planet from climate change. Xerxes was never meant to be anything more than a digital assistant, but after Abigail’s request, it plunges the world into darkness and chaos. Soon, Abigail is swept up in a deadly revolution orchestrated by Xerxes. Abigail’s boss, Vanessa, is one of the few people who know about Xerxes. Vanessa may also be one of the only people who can shut the rogue AI down. Told from the dual perspectives of Abigail and Vanessa, these two women must survive the world burning down around them if they have any hope of saving it. 

Carbon Zero is set about a decade in the future, and the United States has changed for the worse. Political strife runs deep, poverty is ubiquitous, and the temperature has never been higher. The novel starts strong, gradually revealing this peek into the future through Abigail’s and Vanessa’s eyes, while the reader braces for what’s next. A memorable and tense sequence involves Vanessa watching Xerxes begin to spread before it causes any damage. 

The pacing of the novel is excellent, never too fast to follow or too slow to lose interest. The tech jargon is also done well. While knowing a little about how AI works is helpful, it’s not necessary to read this book. Information about the technology the reader will need to understand is conveyed through dialogue, and never in a way that feels like the character is explaining things for the audience’s sake. Vanessa’s narration also shows how Xerxes is different from AI chatbots that are common in the present day, and how those differences make Xerxes far more dangerous than ChatGPT. 

While most of the action scenes are well done, there are some scenes that feel glossed over or less intense than they should have been. The portrayal of various revolutionary groups detracts from the novel. The leads are both women of color and the novel boasts a diverse cast. However, the secondary characters and revolutionary groups fall into stereotyping and caricature. The revolutionaries’ dialogue is overwrought and formal, given the setting. It sounds like it was lifted from a fantasy novel, not like angry twentysomethings ready to burn down the world. Abigail is swept up amongst the revolutionaries unwillingly, and as a result, loses her agency for most of the book. Though she is the person who accidentally put everything into motion, her role is largely to be an observer of the destruction she caused. 

Vanessa takes an active role in the novel, fighting to get to the Google-esque tech company, Intelligenics, and unravel the origins of Xerxes. To protect herself legally, she makes several recordings of other characters in earlier chapters. Towards the end of the book, several of these recordings are played verbatim, resulting in paragraphs of repetition. 

Carbon Zero is as much a social commentary as it is a sci-fi novel. The dangers of social division and group polarization are key to the destruction that Xerxes brings about. Carbon Zero is recommended for fans of dystopian fiction and action novels.

by booksoverlookedblog

Indie Review: OMG UR a Teenager!

I’m a Reedsy Discovery reviewer! I received a free ARC of OMG UR a Teenager! by Leslie Young for this review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Twelve-year-old Kat Cruz can’t wait for her next birthday. Before she can become a teenager, though, she’ll have to make it through seventh grade. The year starts off rough when her parents buy the most run-down house in the neighborhood, and a bully snaps a picture of Kat in front of her new house. She’s constantly stuck babysitting her younger brother, who thinks he’s a superhero. Kat’s editorials in the school newspaper make a splash, but not always in a good way. She’s also crushing on her new neighbor, Will, despite the fact that his mom doesn’t seem to like her. With new challenges every day, will Kat make it to her thirteenth birthday in one piece? 

OMG UR a Teenager by Leslie Young is a contemporary slice-of-life novel full of clear, crisp writing that makes it easy for young readers to get into the story. The relatability will keep them invested throughout the book. Kat experiences things that many kids going through pre-adolescence face: bullying, the excitement and mortification of buying your first bra, and changing family dynamics. Most of all, she wants to be seen as the mature nearly-teen she is, not a child and permanent babysitter for her little brother, Max. Tween readers will understand exactly how she feels, and adults will easily recall both the joys and pains of middle school.

Kat’s family dynamic is true to life as well, with well-intentioned parents who don’t understand their daughter’s point of view, an annoying little brother that Kat loves (even if she wants to kill him sometimes), and her vivacious grandmother whose Alzheimer’s puts extra strain on the family. Kat’s and Max’s relationship is developed particularly well, showing their closeness (especially in the climax), even if they don’t always get along. However, Gran’s storyline wasn’t as well-developed, making her inclusion in the book feel unnecessary.

At times the story can feel disjointed, such as an abrupt cut from summer to Halloween. Like Gran’s story, some plot points are dropped without a conclusion. Kat’s narration is also, at times, too mature to be realistic for a twelve-year-old. While adult readers might have to stretch their suspension of disbelief at some of Kat’s inner monologues, tween readers may find her insights useful in their own lives.

Overall, OMG UR a Teenager is a warm-hearted, relatable story for tweens, and anyone who’s ever been one.

by booksoverlookedblog

Indie Review: Curse of the Terracotta Warriors

I’m a Reedsy Discovery reviewer! I received a free ARC of Curse of the Terracotta Warriors by Mark Douglas for this review.

⭐⭐⭐

When the police come to Maddie Jones’s school, she thinks they’re going to arrest her for one of her many pranks. But the truth is much worse: her archaeologist dad has been kidnapped (Or dadnapped?). Maddie is certain this has something to do with the shipment of Qin dynasty terracotta warriors that just arrived at her dad’s museum from China. With the help of her two younger brothers, Maddie will face untold dangers and unravel ancient secrets to get her dad back. And she thought climbing the rock wall in gym class was tough…

Curse of the Terracotta Warriors is an action-packed book that moves quickly. Almost every chapter ends in a cliffhanger, which keeps the reader tuning pages. Unfortunately, much of the action sequences in Part One can feel repetitive, and the novel would have benefited from tightening up the first third of the book.

Maddie is, far and away, the star of the novel. She’s bold, a natural troublemaker with a snarky personality that will instantly endear her to readers. Told from Maddie’s first-person point of view, her clear voice and colorful narration will leave readers cheering for her through the most dire situations.

There are a few writing pitfalls throughout the book. Capitalization is occasionally inconsistent, with some character’s names or the start of sentences not being capitalized while common nouns are. Another instance sees Maddie “hurtling” over an obstacle rather than “hurdling” it. These aren’t major issues, and nothing that another proofing wouldn’t fix.

The Chinese setting of Xi’an is bland and feels shallow and poorly researched. Characters refer to “Chinese letters” and the “Chinese alphabet” when it’s common knowledge that Mandarin does not have an alphabet. The characters also watch CNN in their hotel room in Xi’an and use Wi-Fi at a Starbucks to do research, despite the fact that Chinese media is heavily censored. The Chinese setting doesn’t pop enough, and these inaccuracies show through.

Even so, Curse of the Terracotta Warriors is a fun, entertaining romp with a vivacious protagonist that’s tough to put down. Its short, action-packed chapters make this a great pick for reluctant readers, and middle-grade kids who love adventures.