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Arclight
(Arclight #1)
by
No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be.
The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams ...more
The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams ...more
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Hardcover, 403 pages
Published
April 23rd 2013
by Greenwillow Books
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Moriah
And the only swearing is light using the d-word and a-word. Nothing more
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Arclight (Arclight, #1)

Whether it be in books or film, it generally takes quite a bit to scare me. Now, I know I've gone over what scares me in horror before, so instead of reiterating my entire tangent on how subtlety in horror is more effective and ominous than anything else, I'm just going to say that Arclight managed to freak me out.
A lot.
Josin McQuein has the entire 'subtlety in horror' concept down, and the monsters in Arclight--the Fades--are eerie and horrifying in every sense of the word. But, at the same t ...more
A lot.
Josin McQuein has the entire 'subtlety in horror' concept down, and the monsters in Arclight--the Fades--are eerie and horrifying in every sense of the word. But, at the same t ...more

Aug 28, 2012
Steph Sinclair
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
People looking for something different and interesting
Shelves:
2013-release,
thriller,
dystopian,
e-arc,
dat-cover-yo,
original-and-creative,
young-adult,
harpercollins,
sci-fi,
edelweiss
Dystopian novels disappoint me the most out of any other sub-genre. Arclight has to be one of my most anticipated books of 2013 and I was not disappointed. Despite the fairly predictable plot twist, Arclight does offer strong writing and imaginative creatures: The Fade. Which basically means this review will be a lovefest of all things Fade.
The strongest point in Arclight is without a doubt Josin's writing style and her beautiful descriptions. Every scene was so visual in my head and this was so ...more
The strongest point in Arclight is without a doubt Josin's writing style and her beautiful descriptions. Every scene was so visual in my head and this was so ...more

YA copywriters are amazing creatures. I am so often drawn in by the shiny blurb on the back of a book, promising me excitement! Adventure! An awesome heroine!
Like a moth to a flame, I am suckered in every damn time.
I'm telling you, these copywriters aren't as well-paid as they should be. Sometimes, they're more skilled than the actual writer themselves. If I can get suckered into paying money for some crapshoot of a book, and I have been one far too many times than I can count, then they've done ...more
Like a moth to a flame, I am suckered in every damn time.
I'm telling you, these copywriters aren't as well-paid as they should be. Sometimes, they're more skilled than the actual writer themselves. If I can get suckered into paying money for some crapshoot of a book, and I have been one far too many times than I can count, then they've done ...more

Review also found here:
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
2.5 STARS
Well that was weird... in fact this has to be one of the strangest books I've read in a long time!
First let's talk about the Fade. In appearance they have human shapes with black hair and black moving patterns on their skin and like a black aura in the air around them. The particles on and aroun them also allows them to camouflage in dark places. Not to mention they're photosensitive and have glowing silver eyes that see in ...more
https://edwardsghostengine.wordpress....
2.5 STARS
Well that was weird... in fact this has to be one of the strangest books I've read in a long time!
First let's talk about the Fade. In appearance they have human shapes with black hair and black moving patterns on their skin and like a black aura in the air around them. The particles on and aroun them also allows them to camouflage in dark places. Not to mention they're photosensitive and have glowing silver eyes that see in ...more

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
Mini review:
Thank you Greenwillow Books for sending me this copy in exchange for review. No compensation was given or taken to alter this short review.
Arclight was one of those books where I fell for the cover. And I really really hate myself for it as I had to put myself in 3 hours of agony attempting to love this book as much as the auspicious cover. With the addition of other low rating reviews and snarkiness, clearly nothing turned out too well for me ...more
Mini review:
Thank you Greenwillow Books for sending me this copy in exchange for review. No compensation was given or taken to alter this short review.
Arclight was one of those books where I fell for the cover. And I really really hate myself for it as I had to put myself in 3 hours of agony attempting to love this book as much as the auspicious cover. With the addition of other low rating reviews and snarkiness, clearly nothing turned out too well for me ...more

Rating: DNF
Aesthetically pleasing and well-written, Arclight is not a bad book. McQuein's debut - for this releases before her other novel set to release this year as well - is, in fact, a rather interesting tale that promises to be loved, appreciated, and well-received by lovers of dystopian. As a fan of this genre myself, I expected to love Arclight. Unfortunately, having tried - and failed - to read through the entirety of this novel, it is time for me to admit that Arclight and I are simply ...more
Aesthetically pleasing and well-written, Arclight is not a bad book. McQuein's debut - for this releases before her other novel set to release this year as well - is, in fact, a rather interesting tale that promises to be loved, appreciated, and well-received by lovers of dystopian. As a fan of this genre myself, I expected to love Arclight. Unfortunately, having tried - and failed - to read through the entirety of this novel, it is time for me to admit that Arclight and I are simply ...more

3.5 stars
As someone who’s grown tired of the dystopian genre altogether, I’ve become exceedingly difficult to please. So rarely do these stories work for me anymore, it takes a lot to keep me interested, but Josin McQuein succeeded with seeming ease.
By far the best thing about Arclight is its pacing. The plot moves forward unrelentingly, mercilessly, giving the reader no time to breathe. The story is full of excitement, with strong elements of horror to ensure the reader’s interest throughout. T ...more
As someone who’s grown tired of the dystopian genre altogether, I’ve become exceedingly difficult to please. So rarely do these stories work for me anymore, it takes a lot to keep me interested, but Josin McQuein succeeded with seeming ease.
By far the best thing about Arclight is its pacing. The plot moves forward unrelentingly, mercilessly, giving the reader no time to breathe. The story is full of excitement, with strong elements of horror to ensure the reader’s interest throughout. T ...more

***This review has also been posted on Tangled in Pages
Actual Rating 2.5
Arclight was one of my most anticipated reads of 2013 and after I got the book, I kind of shelved it and forgot about it. That is until I got my eyes on the sequel. At this point I hadn’t read any reviews of Arclight so I dove into the book knowing nothing but the synopsis. If I had bothered with the reviews, I probably wouldn’t have so much as bought this book because.. love triangle alert. You know what the sad thing is t ...more
Actual Rating 2.5
Arclight was one of my most anticipated reads of 2013 and after I got the book, I kind of shelved it and forgot about it. That is until I got my eyes on the sequel. At this point I hadn’t read any reviews of Arclight so I dove into the book knowing nothing but the synopsis. If I had bothered with the reviews, I probably wouldn’t have so much as bought this book because.. love triangle alert. You know what the sad thing is t ...more

Marina was found in the Grey (the world between the dreaded Dark where the Fade live and the safety of Arclight). Now she lives in Arclight unsure of who she is and where she came from. This all changes when a Fade is found in Arclight. Who is the Fade and why can Marina communicate with him?
NOTE: I received this from the Amazon Vine program.
Ever since I heard about this book, I was excited. The story sounded interesting - I love creepy stories about people holed away in a fortress trying to liv ...more
NOTE: I received this from the Amazon Vine program.
Ever since I heard about this book, I was excited. The story sounded interesting - I love creepy stories about people holed away in a fortress trying to liv ...more

I was beginning to give up on dystopian novels. After reading The Hunger Games series, Divergent & Insurgent, and a few others that really impressed me, I soon found that a lot of dystopian novels were bandwagon books. Unoriginal and badly written. Too many try too hard when it comes to concept and voice and just end up creating a hot mess.
I worried that this book would be more of the same, but happily that isn't so.
Well, not entirely--there were a few things that struck me as negative, and I'll ...more
I worried that this book would be more of the same, but happily that isn't so.
Well, not entirely--there were a few things that struck me as negative, and I'll ...more

Feb 17, 2013
Faye, la Patata
marked it as did-not-finish
Sorry, bebe, but I don't think you're for me. 20% in and I'm bored out of my mind. The heroine is extremely lacking (unremarkable to the extreme with painful narrative in a detached tone... I get that she's trying to be mysterious and disconnected as she doesn't really know herself that yet, but... it's just hard for me to connect this way. And while I looooove deep, insightful narration, this one just fell as flat as a cardboard). I read in some reviews that the love interest is as interesting
...more

Mar 05, 2013
Debbie Narh
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
love-triangle,
meh,
oh-my-heart,
debut-authors,
crime,
april,
disappointments,
female-pov,
ooooo-pretty,
swoon-worthy-boys

All pain is bad for my Cherish.
Okay, I know that quote is cheesy but holy crap! I fell for Rue so hard! He's really funny with the way he tries to speak and murder some of the people he hates. It's just too hilarious. Marina is an okay protagonist because she's quite easy to understand and to know what she's about to do before she does. The writing style is okay, in the beginning, it's very awkward and very stretched out as if Josin L. McQuein was trying to put as many words in to get the po ...more

This review posted on The Midnight Garden.
A harrowing sci-fi thriller about a teen who's survived horrors but lost her memory, for fans of Veronica Roth, Stephen King, and Justin Cronin.
When I read that description, I actually groaned. Comparing anything to those authors is just as bad as every new dystopian being coined the next Hunger Games; it nearly always sets up the reader for disappointment. What could possibly live up to those standards?
Well, Arclight kind of... does. It's got the dysto ...more
A harrowing sci-fi thriller about a teen who's survived horrors but lost her memory, for fans of Veronica Roth, Stephen King, and Justin Cronin.
When I read that description, I actually groaned. Comparing anything to those authors is just as bad as every new dystopian being coined the next Hunger Games; it nearly always sets up the reader for disappointment. What could possibly live up to those standards?
Well, Arclight kind of... does. It's got the dysto ...more

Oct 31, 2012
Brad Sells
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013-favorites,
edelweiss-arc
Richly fascinating and deeply captivating, Arclight is a book that took over my mind. One of the highlights of the year.
You have no idea how excited I was to read Arclight. I dived immediately and found myself emerged into this world right away. The entire world in Arclight is one of my absolute favorites of all-time. The land of Light and the land of Dark fascinated me, and I loved that the author showed the reader both sides of the world. If you're looking for great world-building, Arclight is ...more
You have no idea how excited I was to read Arclight. I dived immediately and found myself emerged into this world right away. The entire world in Arclight is one of my absolute favorites of all-time. The land of Light and the land of Dark fascinated me, and I loved that the author showed the reader both sides of the world. If you're looking for great world-building, Arclight is ...more

I still remember when I first discovered that this book existed. Or would exist, at any rate. And then I saw the cover, and I was in love. I knew that this book and I were destined for a long and happy life together.
Arclight is a creepy science fiction thriller that keeps the suspense building and building until the bottom drops out and you're left with your mouth hanging wide open and your constitution severely shaken. Creatures lurking in the shadows -- or blending into the walls altogethe ...more
Arclight is a creepy science fiction thriller that keeps the suspense building and building until the bottom drops out and you're left with your mouth hanging wide open and your constitution severely shaken. Creatures lurking in the shadows -- or blending into the walls altogethe ...more

Apr 25, 2013
Debby
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Debby by:
Amber (Books of Amber)
Shelves:
reviewed,
series-starter,
debut,
2013-reads,
own-read,
series-dropped-lost-interest,
best-prose
4 stars
Holy crap! This book was awesome! Arclight is an astonishingly powerful debut by Josin L. McQuein. Even for someone who usually is weary of thrillers, this sucked me in and had me totally engrossed. With a great group of characters and an imaginative and beautifully depicted world, this book is a keeper.
Let me start right there, with the writing. I adore Josin L. McQuein's writing style. She describes everything with such gripping imagery and just has an amazing way with words. From the v ...more
Holy crap! This book was awesome! Arclight is an astonishingly powerful debut by Josin L. McQuein. Even for someone who usually is weary of thrillers, this sucked me in and had me totally engrossed. With a great group of characters and an imaginative and beautifully depicted world, this book is a keeper.
Let me start right there, with the writing. I adore Josin L. McQuein's writing style. She describes everything with such gripping imagery and just has an amazing way with words. From the v ...more

Interview with Josin L McQuein
Review is also on my blog,
My Friends Are Fiction
I read this with Scott Reads It, Read his review
The Story:
Arclight has an original premise which kept me interested from start to finish. McQuein has created an intriguing concept with the Arclight, Grey and Dark and with the Fade. As I read I had a hard time really grasping the full scope of the world and its inhabitants. This might frustrate some readers but I honestly loved it. It kept me alert the entire time I ...more
Review is also on my blog,
My Friends Are Fiction
I read this with Scott Reads It, Read his review
The Story:
Arclight has an original premise which kept me interested from start to finish. McQuein has created an intriguing concept with the Arclight, Grey and Dark and with the Fade. As I read I had a hard time really grasping the full scope of the world and its inhabitants. This might frustrate some readers but I honestly loved it. It kept me alert the entire time I ...more

I am loving the current crop of dystopias. They're moving away from aping THE HUNGER GAMES and towards incorporating more science fiction and thriller elements. Stories about despotic governments are okay, but not really what I'm into. Stories about crazy future technology and uncovering the truth? I'm there.
Marina lives in the Arclight, now. The people in the Arclight are protected by constant light preventing the Fade from getting in. But Marina came from outside the Arclight. She has no idea ...more
Marina lives in the Arclight, now. The people in the Arclight are protected by constant light preventing the Fade from getting in. But Marina came from outside the Arclight. She has no idea ...more

(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
Marina lives in a small commune surrounded by lights – lights which keep the ‘fades’ (or ghosts) from attacking the people inside.
Marina is different though, because she didn’t come from within the commune, she came from the darkness outside the lights, and nobody understands where she came from or why she’s different.
Why is Marina different? Where did she come from? And how long do they have before the fades break through the light?
This book was so dull, that ...more
Marina lives in a small commune surrounded by lights – lights which keep the ‘fades’ (or ghosts) from attacking the people inside.
Marina is different though, because she didn’t come from within the commune, she came from the darkness outside the lights, and nobody understands where she came from or why she’s different.
Why is Marina different? Where did she come from? And how long do they have before the fades break through the light?
This book was so dull, that ...more

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!
Let's just say that I've read a lot of YA dystopias this year... seriously, A LOT. So when I say Josin L. McQuein's series debut Arclight was a breath of fresh air, I'm talking a huge, gasping breath of life-saving air. This book wasn't without its flaws, but they were negated by the wonderful world building and actual science that served as the basis for this story. The rich and intriguing characters helped the distinction along and th ...more
Let's just say that I've read a lot of YA dystopias this year... seriously, A LOT. So when I say Josin L. McQuein's series debut Arclight was a breath of fresh air, I'm talking a huge, gasping breath of life-saving air. This book wasn't without its flaws, but they were negated by the wonderful world building and actual science that served as the basis for this story. The rich and intriguing characters helped the distinction along and th ...more

If you are into creeptastic feels and something unique this book is for you.
Arclight is a dystopian meets sci fi book that will give you that 'why are there bugs crawling all over my skin' feeling? This book starts off with quite the bang, quickly revealing the threat to the people living within the Arclight. The Arclight is basically a city on its own that separates its people from safety and the darkness of the forest that contains the Fade. Oh, the Fade, oh my. The fade are basically (in m ...more
Arclight is a dystopian meets sci fi book that will give you that 'why are there bugs crawling all over my skin' feeling? This book starts off with quite the bang, quickly revealing the threat to the people living within the Arclight. The Arclight is basically a city on its own that separates its people from safety and the darkness of the forest that contains the Fade. Oh, the Fade, oh my. The fade are basically (in m ...more

Have you ever experience something you have no idea what it was and you don’t know how to explain without resulting to a massive mess of words? This is how I feel about Arclight. It was neither good nor bad. By the time I finished this book I feel like I’m drunk (and I was never drunk, as in ever) but without the hangover. I didn’t know what had just happened.
I’ve been dragging writing this review because I don’t know what to say. Like I mentioned earlier this might end up with pile of words exp ...more
I’ve been dragging writing this review because I don’t know what to say. Like I mentioned earlier this might end up with pile of words exp ...more

This book was just PLAIN WEIRD.. I am still looking at it going ...

Like it started off like:

And then I was just like:

And that pretty much continued for the rest of the book...
The Fade creatures were fricking terrifying..

And with all the plot twists I was like:

And once I had finished it with out losing my mind I was like:

So yeah overall this book was very weird...yet I liked it ....
Synopsis if you don't know what the book is about......more
No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one gir

The book could have been so good: it has such a unique idea of a dystopian world and the premise sounded so interesting.
Unfortunately the book had way too many flaws.
A big one is the almost non-existent world-building. I had huge problems imagining or even understanding this world. There are hardly any despricptions about what happenend or just simply how the world looks like. Every time the characters were talking to each other and were looking for answers, I thought ok now they are going to ex ...more
Unfortunately the book had way too many flaws.
A big one is the almost non-existent world-building. I had huge problems imagining or even understanding this world. There are hardly any despricptions about what happenend or just simply how the world looks like. Every time the characters were talking to each other and were looking for answers, I thought ok now they are going to ex ...more

I've stumbled across another fantastic dystopian series!
Instantly intriguing, Arclight grabbed my attention from the very first chapter. In fact, I didn't want to put it down, & decided to have a late night reading session (a.k.a reading under the covers using a flashlight). And the overwhelming sense of tiredness the next morning was certainly worth it!
I can't wait to read Book #2 and see what Josin L. McQuein has in store for us readers next :) ...more
Instantly intriguing, Arclight grabbed my attention from the very first chapter. In fact, I didn't want to put it down, & decided to have a late night reading session (a.k.a reading under the covers using a flashlight). And the overwhelming sense of tiredness the next morning was certainly worth it!
I can't wait to read Book #2 and see what Josin L. McQuein has in store for us readers next :) ...more

3 1/2 Stars
Okay, Where do I start with one? This book had me so lost and unsure of anything that was going on through most of the book. Even when I hit the 50% mark I still felt lost and confused! I mean how can you really enjoy a book when you don't understand the majority of the book? You can't!
I didn't really feel a connection towards any of the characters, and didn't find the majority of them even that likeable. I mean I didn't hate them, but they were by far NOT characters that I would look ...more

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 2.75ish 3 Controllers
Review Source: Audiobook purchase
Reviewer: Me
I have written and rewritten this review at least five times. Arclight is one of those novels that in theory sounds absolutely amazing but in the end was just not for me. I tried to love it. I tried to get on board with The Fade and our MC Marina. But alas, I couldn’t fall in love with the world the way I desired. *sighs*
Let’s start with what I liked…the first ten or fifteen chap ...more
Rating: 2.75ish 3 Controllers
Review Source: Audiobook purchase
Reviewer: Me
I have written and rewritten this review at least five times. Arclight is one of those novels that in theory sounds absolutely amazing but in the end was just not for me. I tried to love it. I tried to get on board with The Fade and our MC Marina. But alas, I couldn’t fall in love with the world the way I desired. *sighs*
Let’s start with what I liked…the first ten or fifteen chap ...more

When I first heard about this book, I wasn't all that interested. I'd been reading a lot of dystopian books in a row, though, so I waited for a library copy rather than buying it myself. After reading the summary a little more closely than before and examining the very shiny cover, I found that I was a lot more excited to read it. Especially after seeing quite a few positive reviews floating around the book community about it. However, Arclight sadly ended up being a pretty major all-around disa
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Obsessed With YA ...: Day 6: FINISH! | 2 | 8 | Jun 30, 2014 06:51AM | |
Obsessed With YA ...: Day 5: Chapters 24-27 | 2 | 5 | Jun 29, 2014 10:34PM | |
Obsessed With YA ...: Day 4: Chapters 19-23 | 2 | 5 | Jun 29, 2014 05:32PM | |
Obsessed With YA ...: Day 3: Chapters 14-18 | 2 | 4 | Jun 27, 2014 02:24PM | |
Obsessed With YA ...: Day 2: Chapters 7-13 | 2 | 5 | Jun 27, 2014 04:56AM | |
Obsessed With YA ...: Day 1: Chapters 1-6 | 2 | 10 | Jun 25, 2014 04:53PM |
Christian. Texan. Ravenclaw Disney fan. Disappointed she didn't grow up to be the Phoenix, a Jedi, or the Doctor's companion.
Professional pretender and scribe for the voices in her head.
Knower of things, teller of tales, and dreamer of dreams.
Shorter than you think she is.
No, seriously, shorter.
A little shorter than that, too. ...more
Professional pretender and scribe for the voices in her head.
Knower of things, teller of tales, and dreamer of dreams.
Shorter than you think she is.
No, seriously, shorter.
A little shorter than that, too. ...more
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