The Almost Girl

Two ninjatas, two worlds, two sisters, two princes; The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard is full of dualism. The hook is that seventeen-year-old Riven is an alien bounty hunter searching Earth for a lost prince. But perhaps “bounty hunter” isn’t the best word to describe Riven’s capabilities. She is a committed soldier, trained to kill.

Like all of Howard’s books, The Almost Girl is sharply written and well crafted. Every chapter ends with suspense, making the reader beg for more. However, the plot is so intricate that it did take me about 40 pages to really “get into” The Almost Girl. I’ve seen other reviews that said this book had a slow start, and I think that’s what they meant.

My favorite part of The Almost Girl was that it was packed with strong women. Riven definitely puts the kick in kickass.

Romance, royalty, and rebellion. Riven is on an unofficial mission to secure a target, but that sounds simple enough when it’s just a name to track. Everything changes when she meets him and discovers more about him and the people around him. Despite trying to cling on to her orders, things quickly get out of her control with a series of explosive twists and shocking revelations. Nothing quite goes to plan as more people get involved and more truths are uncovered. Riven is super strong and feisty, constantly battling with her feelings for Caden—the target—and others she comes across on her journey. She’s very untrusting (understandably) and doesn’t allow her emotions to get in the way, believing they’re a weakness that could get her killed. But that gets harder the more time she spends around Caden and others who care for her. The story is tense and exciting, and the world is incredibly well-imagined. The detail of technology introduced throughout and the “creations”, such as Vectors and hybrids, add extra risk to this cold world, making it hit home just how dangerous this alternate universe is.

The first thought that comes to my mind after reading The Almost Girl is that it had really good story-building. Alternate universes, with one technologically far ahead of ours, from where a duty-bound soldier girl comes into ours. Also, in that world, children are brought up differently, and basically are trained from birth. Riven is one such kid – strong, warrior type – and taught that love is weakness. So, she basically stifles all emotion inside and is constantly at war with herself. She comes off as cold most of the times and while that was frustrating, it was also heart-breaking.

The plot-line was intricate, with a few surprises but also some expected tropes. Also, the name pretty much gives away Riven’s secret and Caden’s role is one I suspected from the start, considering the other unethical (for our universe) developments in Neospes. Character development was excellent and the flow of the story was fast-paced but smooth. The story was riveting, and I stayed up until 4am to complete it because, damn, I wanted to confirm my suspicions. *wink* The canon was genius, with the Guardians, Eversion and Vectors. Is it just me or Riven’s dad seems like Dr. Frankenstein? Ending was good, quite unexpected and I loved the twist at the end.

Emotionally, I would say I wasn’t much invested in the book – there was still a bit of disconnect with the protagonists and the characters. Even though it was well-written, it did not feel so real. Also, I felt a bit of discrepancies with respect to the timeline, especially when her sister ran away. For a fast-paced read, it is quite good and the ending leaves you wanting for the next one.

Received a review copy from Strange Chemistry via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The first thought that comes to my mind after reading The Almost Girl is that it had really good story-building. Alternate universes, with one technologically far ahead of ours, from where a duty-bound soldier girl comes into ours. Also, in that world, children are brought up differently, and basically are trained from birth. Riven is one such kid – strong, warrior type – and taught that love is weakness. So, she basically stifles all emotion inside and is constantly at war with herself. She comes off as cold most of the times and while that was frustrating, it was also heart-breaking.

The plot-line was intricate, with a few surprises but also some expected tropes. Also, the name pretty much gives away Riven’s secret and Caden’s role is one I suspected from the start, considering the other unethical (for our universe) developments in Neospes. Character development was excellent and the flow of the story was fast-paced but smooth. The story was riveting, and I stayed up until 4am to complete it because, damn, I wanted to confirm my suspicions. *wink* The canon was genius, with the Guardians, Eversion and Vectors. Is it just me or Riven’s dad seems like Dr. Frankenstein? Ending was good, quite unexpected and I loved the twist at the end.

Emotionally, I would say I wasn’t much invested in the book – there was still a bit of disconnect with the protagonists and the characters. Even though it was well-written, it did not feel so real. Also, I felt a bit of discrepancies with respect to the timeline, especially when her sister ran away. For a fast-paced read, it is quite good and the ending leaves you wanting for the next one.