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Coming of age tale that makes you laugh, cry, and think in the weirdest, coolest ways

Synopsis

You’ve been accused of murder.

Your only alibi … is a dragon?

Falling asleep in math class (definitely not aware of you whatsoever) is Eve, a plucky introvert plotting to gain school notoriety and get over her inconvenient crush on the mean girl.

Lurking in clandestine dimensions (probably watching you this very minute) is an evil overlord plotting to enslave humanity and launch the universe into apocalyptic doom.

The two should never have met. But an ancient dragon looking to save Earth and its many dimensions (yeah, it turns out string theory is a very real thing) from destruction has other plans. Saving the world never comes easy, and Eve’s life gets increasingly complicated as she carries out the dragon’s tasks while coping with anxiety, school pressures, family secrets, and, finally, the curious death of a classmate.

This first fantasy coming-of-age thriller in the twisty Eve Archer series joins the fates of unlikely friends in a humorous, electrifying tale of simmering self-discovery with nods to astrophysics, mental health, and tight sister bonds, all while proving things are never, EVER as they seem.

So many things make this story unique — Eve is hilarious, but she has a few traits that represent us (me for sure!) in a way I’ve not come across before. And sure, there’s a dragon, but the premise of his existence is fascinating and far from infantile or the common mythical magic that usually surrounds these beasts. Just enough sci-fi is woven in to keep you feeling smart (or dumb, again my case lol).

I’ve been waiting for a YA coming-of-age novel that DOESN’T center around love or crappy family relationships. Eve has an awesome family who is non-traditional, relatable, and believable. And there are hints of crushes, but it’s not the focus. LGBTQ+ is subtle and written in as a normal character trait (I’m really over books that marginalize me by constantly making this the main theme or struggle. Obviously it is and has been for so many, but … it’s nice to read about someone whose queerness isn’t the inciting incident, you know?) And she had a therapist who we see just little moments of — initially she’s meeting with him to overcome anxiety issues (so relatable again!), and her reflections on this are awesome. The therapy isn’t the main point of the story, but I love how it’s inserted as a point of normalcy. Gave me all the good feels.

The ebb and flow of action is superb. Without giving anything away, the growing intensity is perfectly in line with Eve’s growth, and damn, is she quotable. She stumbles through understanding quantum physics, and I was right there with her! The struggle and conflict itself is even twisty but so well balanced between protagonist, sidekicks, mysterious other characters, and the villain.

Ultimately, this story is well written, funny, and a totally different perspective on human existence as seen through they eyes of a weird teen whom I really want to be friends with.

Reviewed by

Retired teacher who just wants to travel. And write. And travel. And write some more. Hoping to have a published novel to put here some day soon! And Jimmi Hendrix is my soundtrack to EVERYTHING.

Discover → Young Adult Fantasy

Eve Archer Book 1: This is Not a Story about Murder

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