M-TAG Racers by Kenny Callaway

✨4.75✨

Oh, my, god. This was such a whirlwind of emotions.

Before I get into the meat, I feel like it’s important for me to say the epilogue gave me a fair amount of empathy for Eva, HOWEVER, that does not under any circumstances take away from her villainy. I just enjoy villains being “humanized” through loss or other difficult emotions. I think it gives the story more depth and makes it more enjoyable when you struggle with fully hating the villain.

Now, here are my thoughts.

I love the elements of obsession with the game, the way it’s all consuming right from the beginning, removing any individuality or care for anything outside the game. Early on, you understand there’s something dramatically wrong with all this, but not in an overt way. It’s obvious to the reader because you see the obsessive behavior for what it is, but it’s easy to discount it and be like “Well, that’s just how some people are.”

Eva is SKETCHY in a big way and it was validating to have that confirmed through her actions. (Also, HYUCK, that one scene with the “suit” was NASTY)

I. Cannot. Wait. To. See. What. Happens. With. Project. Babylon.

As for the storytelling, I love the suspense and tension conveyed through the writing. It’s so unbelievably atmospheric and engaging, leading the reader to their own conclusions without spoon feeding us the information or withholding too many key details and just expecting us to get it. There’s an amazing balance between showing and telling in the story structure and I was SO into it.

Honestly, I haven’t been doing much ARC reading lately or reviewing as I’ve been putting more focus on my editing jobs, but DANG am I glad I set some time aside for this one. It was so good.