Kelly McFarland
Amy McCulloch, the author of The Potion Diaries, is about to release the 2nd novel in her latest series, so we thought we’d re-read the first book in the series Jinxed, while we wait for the release of Unleashed later this month.
Lacey Chu has big dreams of becoming a companioneer for MONCHA, the largest tech firm in North America and the company behind the “baku” – a customisable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion too. When Lacey finds out she hasn’t been accepted into Profectus – the elite academy for cutting edge tech – it seems her dreams are over. Worst of all, rather than getting to choose one of the advanced bakus, she’s stuck with a rubbish insect one.
Then, one night, Lacey comes across the remains of an advanced baku. Once it might’ve been in the shape of a cat but it’s now mangled and broken, no sign of electronic life behind its eyes. Days of work later and the baku opens its eyes. Lacey calls him Jinx – and Jinx opens up a world for her that she never even knew existed, including entry to the hallowed halls of Profectus. Slowly but surely, Jinx becomes more than just a baku to Lacey – he becomes her perfect companion. But what is Jinx, really? His abilities far surpass anything written into his code or built into his motherboard. He seems to be more than just a robotic pet. He seems … real.
An innovative, original and gripping new novel from Amy McCulloch. Jinxed has a really strong female lead who are interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) was lovely and refreshing to see in a YA novel.
The Baku’s are ingenious creation by the author, a smart pet that both acts as a companion and functions in the way that a smart phone would. We want one!
There was funny, sarcastic dialogue from the “bakus” which often had us laughing out load.
This is a story that draws you in from the first page and doesn’t let you go. A truly enjoyable read, and one you could read many times and not get bored of. We now cannot wait to read the next book in the series Unleashed!
You can buy Jinxed here!
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