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The Almost Girl
(The Riven Chronicles #1)
by
Seventeen-year-old Riven comes from a world parallel to Earth, a world that has been ravaged by a devastating android war. As a Legion General, she is the right hand of Prince Cale, the young Prince of Neospes. In her world, she's had everything: rank, responsibility, and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to rescue his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spir
...more
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Paperback, 432 pages
Published
March 15th 2016
by Sky Pony
(first published December 17th 2013)
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Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of The Almost Girl (The Riven Chronicles, #1)

Jan 02, 2014
Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
“Why’d you name me Riven? It’s so horrible,” I was wailing. “It’s not even pretty. It’s ugly, like me.”

You are Riven! Like your deadly (and ugly, remember?) name, you are an assassin! A deadly Legion General, one of the highest ranking officers in your world. You are smart, tactically brilliant! You are on a covert rescue mission on Earth, trying to masquerade as a high schooler!
Naturally, blending in is of the utmost importance. It is absolutely crucial to look like a normal high sc ...more

Dec 03, 2013
Rose
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
dystoromance,
netgalley,
young-adult,
fantasy,
pretty-cover,
romance,
arc-or-galley,
sci-fi,
action,
dystopia
Initial reaction: Yeah, I have a few things to talk about later on when I'm feeling up to reflecting on this story. In sum, though? Probably one of the more mediocre sci-fi stories I've come across. The worldbuilding was sketchy, the characters were typical, the twists were manufactured and convenient, and the whole thing was a mess. Including the romance.
Full review:
Argh, this is the kind of review I don't want to write, but feel I have to. This particular genre's a part of my heart and head, a ...more
Full review:
Argh, this is the kind of review I don't want to write, but feel I have to. This particular genre's a part of my heart and head, a ...more

As with a lot of YA books lately this one fell flat for me even though cover and description sounded promising.

The book starts with River “escaping” her world on a secret mission by the Prince to find his long lost hidden away brother. The first pages had me right into the story, with a kick ass heroine; wow … I was really rubbing my hands in anticipation of the coming story.

The first thing that didn’t work for me was the High School setting. The High School drama, the teen angst, the slut sham ...more

The book starts with River “escaping” her world on a secret mission by the Prince to find his long lost hidden away brother. The first pages had me right into the story, with a kick ass heroine; wow … I was really rubbing my hands in anticipation of the coming story.

The first thing that didn’t work for me was the High School setting. The High School drama, the teen angst, the slut sham ...more

Oct 15, 2013
Kribu
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
action,
read-in-2013,
school,
young-adult,
sci-fi,
conspiracy,
androids,
netgalley,
received-for-review,
insta-love
Before I say anything else, I should point out that this was an ARC that I read. It's possible that some of the awful mess that this book is will be improved on for the final version.
(I have my doubts; the e-book was well-formatted and it didn't feel like a first draft, I didn't spot any noteworthy typos or grammar issues, which are really the only things I'd expect that might still get polished away at this stage - all the problems I had with it were on much deeper level. The plot was full of ...more
(I have my doubts; the e-book was well-formatted and it didn't feel like a first draft, I didn't spot any noteworthy typos or grammar issues, which are really the only things I'd expect that might still get polished away at this stage - all the problems I had with it were on much deeper level. The plot was full of ...more

Received as an ARC from Netgalley. Like all Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry books, this is a compulsive read: I started it this afternoon and just finished it now. I think I'd have been more enthusiastic about it when I was younger, and I'm almost positive my sister would really enjoy it. Even now I found it interesting, and got swept up in the action.
Part of the problem for me is the very teenage focus on attraction and love, which is not something I'm particularly interested in. On the flip side ...more
Part of the problem for me is the very teenage focus on attraction and love, which is not something I'm particularly interested in. On the flip side ...more

Oct 30, 2013
Isa Lavinia
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
no one

ARC provided by Strange Chemistry through Netgalley
I hate writing bad reviews, so I'm going to try to keep this short...
The first problem with this book is the blurb. It promises a heroine who rose to the rank of Legion General and is the right hand of the Prince.
This is YA so, from this description, I was expecting a mature young woman - not a child.
This just isn't realistic - yes, child soldiers are an unfortunate reality in our very world, but this is absurd.
This is a child who claims t ...more

The Almost Girl is a well-written sci-fi romance with interesting worldbuilding and a complex MC. I was gripped from the very start, and with the exception of a small section when the story moved to Neospes, it was fast paced and kept my attention.
The plot was action-packed and full of twists and turns. Though the revelation in relation to her identity wasn't a major shock, it was still a good twist.
Cade is, ah, swoon ..... a perfect book boyfriend! Smart, funny, sexy, protective and he deals ...more
The plot was action-packed and full of twists and turns. Though the revelation in relation to her identity wasn't a major shock, it was still a good twist.
Cade is, ah, swoon ..... a perfect book boyfriend! Smart, funny, sexy, protective and he deals ...more

I just couldn't get into to this book, the characters were over the top the drama was eye rolling I just couldn't finish it.
Nicole's Review: I started the book because my 14-year-old niece said it was really good. "My new favorite book," she said. So I was excited. And it was going well in the beginning. I was curious about what was going to happen, about the world, about the characters. But then I got about half way through... and couldn't read anymore. Here's why:
Howard tells us how brave and ...more
Nicole's Review: I started the book because my 14-year-old niece said it was really good. "My new favorite book," she said. So I was excited. And it was going well in the beginning. I was curious about what was going to happen, about the world, about the characters. But then I got about half way through... and couldn't read anymore. Here's why:
Howard tells us how brave and ...more


Arc provided by Netgalley
DNF at 43%
I once read that when writing a less than positive review, one should always start by pointing out the positives of said story.
Okay the positive of this story is:
The synopsis
As you can see, and read, it seems amazing!
The problem?
Well, as it happens with the latest trend in YA books, a promising synopsis doesn't imply an amazing story. The imagination is there. But the outcome is nothing less than a mess of stereotypes come together in another mess o ...more

Oct 29, 2013
Tanja (Tanychy)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arc-galleys,
dystopia
Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?
Recently almost all dystopian novels that I've read had something in common. That is the reality of the story which at the same time thrills me because of all the ideas and scares the hell out of me because of the possibility of these ideas coming true. This one is no exception.
Parallel universes have been something that's been fairly popular nowadays and the story here is based on that. Parallel with out world is another world called Neospes, but that unive ...more
Recently almost all dystopian novels that I've read had something in common. That is the reality of the story which at the same time thrills me because of all the ideas and scares the hell out of me because of the possibility of these ideas coming true. This one is no exception.
Parallel universes have been something that's been fairly popular nowadays and the story here is based on that. Parallel with out world is another world called Neospes, but that unive ...more

What a crazy ride! I loved the heroine of this book. She's so strong and powerful. Loved the concept of eversion and alternate worlds. So cool. Preordering the sequel today.
...more

Oct 10, 2013
Nafiza
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
source-net-galley,
read-2013
So I’ll go out on a limb and say that the new year will bring lots of science fiction-ey, non-dystopian drama our way. Amalie Howard’s The Almost Girl is fast-paced and full of action. It features bad guys, technology, aliens, cute boys who seem beta until they start fighting and a badass heroine. It’s entertainment at its best and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
It begins with a chase, the 14 year old running from A.I. soldiers who are nearly undefeatable. If you are not Riven who has super special po ...more
It begins with a chase, the 14 year old running from A.I. soldiers who are nearly undefeatable. If you are not Riven who has super special po ...more

Feb 18, 2013
Teresa Mary Rose
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
ya,
cover-love,
re-readable-books,
arc,
netgalley-edelweiss,
for-review,
sci-fi,
2013
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
This is a book that it is very hard for me to write a review for because I really loved it and I’m not quite sure how to put that love into words. This is a brilliantly crafted story with wonderful characters. The world building is awesome and in true nerd girl fashion I loved all the sci-fi elements.
Riven is an awesome awesome heroine! She is so strong and tough and determined. When we first meet her she is very cold and closed off. She is driven ...more
This is a book that it is very hard for me to write a review for because I really loved it and I’m not quite sure how to put that love into words. This is a brilliantly crafted story with wonderful characters. The world building is awesome and in true nerd girl fashion I loved all the sci-fi elements.
Riven is an awesome awesome heroine! She is so strong and tough and determined. When we first meet her she is very cold and closed off. She is driven ...more

Feb 04, 2014
Paula
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-for-publication,
young-adult
NOT RECOMMENDED. It’s just so sloppily written - verb tenses in particular switch all over the place, from present to past and back again within sentences. Heavy reliance on past perfect contractions - I’d remembered and he’d fought and it’d been surprising. So awkward and difficult to sort those sentences out to figure out what exactly went on and in what order.
Sloppy contradictions:
“His voice is dead, just like the rest of him, but he understands exactly who she is. He’s half-alive, but still ...more
Sloppy contradictions:
“His voice is dead, just like the rest of him, but he understands exactly who she is. He’s half-alive, but still ...more

How do I put this gently? Riven, the female MC in this book, whose name actually means to tear apart, who is such a narcissist, who claims to be all deadly and powerful, is actually a vain, conceited bitch? Why do I say such a rude thing about a supposedly strong MC who has kickass fighting skills? Well, let’s backtrack a little.
The book is divided in two sections. One is setup in a high school (where all YA action happens, obviously) and the other in a planet (place?) called Neopses. Riven is ...more
The book is divided in two sections. One is setup in a high school (where all YA action happens, obviously) and the other in a planet (place?) called Neopses. Riven is ...more

Riven is a military general in command of technologically advanced undead soldiers called Vectors. When we first meet her, she has defected and is being hunted by her former charges before she “everts” to our planet to follow through on her mission: find a boy named Caden.
The prologue gives you a taste of what’s to come with a strong, resourceful and deadly main character and a lot of action, but once we hit earth, things stagger. First of all, there’s the problem of this crack soldier who fail ...more
The prologue gives you a taste of what’s to come with a strong, resourceful and deadly main character and a lot of action, but once we hit earth, things stagger. First of all, there’s the problem of this crack soldier who fail ...more

Sensational sci-fi that’s refreshingly original and an extraordinarily innovative edition to the Young Adult genre
Amalie Howard’s dazzling book is a scintillating story of breathtaking imaginative vision, scope and substance that doesn’t disappoint. The striking, eye-catching cover pulls you into a magnetic tale wrought with remarkable concepts and fresh vivacity. With a gutsy, spunky female protagonist and cast of colourful characters the confidently assured narrative exudes authenticity t ...more

Amalie Howard’s dazzling book is a scintillating story of breathtaking imaginative vision, scope and substance that doesn’t disappoint. The striking, eye-catching cover pulls you into a magnetic tale wrought with remarkable concepts and fresh vivacity. With a gutsy, spunky female protagonist and cast of colourful characters the confidently assured narrative exudes authenticity t ...more

3.5 Stars
This is the first book I have ever read by Amelia Howard. I read some of the reviews before digging into this book (something I normally don't do) since I had never heard of the author before and wanted to get an idea what I was getting into. I realized that this book was being re-published so I pretty much felt that any reviews before the new published date may not truly reflect the ARC that I was given in exchange for an honest review. With that being said - on to my review.
The blurb ...more
This is the first book I have ever read by Amelia Howard. I read some of the reviews before digging into this book (something I normally don't do) since I had never heard of the author before and wanted to get an idea what I was getting into. I realized that this book was being re-published so I pretty much felt that any reviews before the new published date may not truly reflect the ARC that I was given in exchange for an honest review. With that being said - on to my review.
The blurb ...more

DNF at 10%. You can find my detailed analysis on my blog, the Snark Theater (part 1 • part 2)
It's kind of impressive the ways some authors find to fuck up a female protagonist so deeply and so fast. You'd think have a protagonist who's also female wouldn't be so hard.
But no, Riven is a military leader and a genius, except she has no understanding of strategy—she doesn't even have a cover set up after three years of back and forth between her world and ours. Plus, her entire quest is to find a gu ...more
It's kind of impressive the ways some authors find to fuck up a female protagonist so deeply and so fast. You'd think have a protagonist who's also female wouldn't be so hard.
But no, Riven is a military leader and a genius, except she has no understanding of strategy—she doesn't even have a cover set up after three years of back and forth between her world and ours. Plus, her entire quest is to find a gu ...more

The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2014/01/....
“The Almost Girl draws you in with its excellent cover and keeps you hooked right the way through. Fun, fast paced – it’s a young adult novel that manages to be original with a kickass female protagonist and a confident narrative. Recommended.” ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
"Seventeen-year-old Riven comes from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, a parallel world to Earth.
A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young P ...more
“The Almost Girl draws you in with its excellent cover and keeps you hooked right the way through. Fun, fast paced – it’s a young adult novel that manages to be original with a kickass female protagonist and a confident narrative. Recommended.” ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
"Seventeen-year-old Riven comes from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, a parallel world to Earth.
A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young P ...more

-Actual Rating: 3.5
Firstly, look at the pretty cover! Pretty and appropriate to the book. *clap*
What drew me to the book was the infinite possibilities of parallel universes, seriously, I love it. And with infinite possibilities brings so many different versions that is completely fascinating and for most of it The Almost Girl didn't fail. It was completely badass.
That said, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I did not like the first half of it, at all. It was repetitive, cold, a little ann ...more
Firstly, look at the pretty cover! Pretty and appropriate to the book. *clap*
What drew me to the book was the infinite possibilities of parallel universes, seriously, I love it. And with infinite possibilities brings so many different versions that is completely fascinating and for most of it The Almost Girl didn't fail. It was completely badass.
That said, I'm not going to beat around the bush. I did not like the first half of it, at all. It was repetitive, cold, a little ann ...more

This review appears on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!
With that awesome cover, a sci-fi story and a kick ass heroine, it was hard not to resist The Almost Girl. Sci-fi seems to be the next big thing on the YA front at the moment, and with words like “android war” and “parallel universe” I had to pick this one up.
If you want a strong heroine, Riven is as tough as they come as a Legion General, sent to Earth to retrieve her target. She has quick healing abilities, super awesome fi ...more
With that awesome cover, a sci-fi story and a kick ass heroine, it was hard not to resist The Almost Girl. Sci-fi seems to be the next big thing on the YA front at the moment, and with words like “android war” and “parallel universe” I had to pick this one up.
If you want a strong heroine, Riven is as tough as they come as a Legion General, sent to Earth to retrieve her target. She has quick healing abilities, super awesome fi ...more

I gave the last three books I read 5 stars, so I guess my luck was bound to run out. Or, maybe the good writing gave me high expectations that could not possibly be met by normal books. Maybe my standards just became impossibly high. Let's see if I'm wrong here, shall we?
First of all, we have our main character, Riven.
Her name was supposed to be Raven, but they recorded it wrong so she was stuck with this name. Even though her family was extremely wealthy and powerful in her world, her best fri ...more
First of all, we have our main character, Riven.
Her name was supposed to be Raven, but they recorded it wrong so she was stuck with this name. Even though her family was extremely wealthy and powerful in her world, her best fri ...more

There’s nothing more satisfying than starting the new year with a review that is not positive. Because yet again I show my honesty, and you read Book Probe for the honest reviews. I mean, what else are you here for than not for the negative to mixed reviews?
The Almost Girl seemed like the perfect read to kick 2014 off with (though I did read at end of 2013)—sci-fi, intergalactic world, Strange Chemisty/Angry Robot, great cover. Those are four features I like. And I foolishly believed that that c ...more
The Almost Girl seemed like the perfect read to kick 2014 off with (though I did read at end of 2013)—sci-fi, intergalactic world, Strange Chemisty/Angry Robot, great cover. Those are four features I like. And I foolishly believed that that c ...more

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One look at this cover and I knew I had to read this book to find out if the main character was as fierce as she looked. The Almost Girl did not disappoint. It was this SciFi lover's dream book full of fast-paced action, twists and turns that will keep you guessing, and one kick-ass heroine.
Riven has trained all her life to be the best. Now, at seventeen, she is at the top as Legion General of Neospes, a world coming back from a disastr ...more
One look at this cover and I knew I had to read this book to find out if the main character was as fierce as she looked. The Almost Girl did not disappoint. It was this SciFi lover's dream book full of fast-paced action, twists and turns that will keep you guessing, and one kick-ass heroine.
Riven has trained all her life to be the best. Now, at seventeen, she is at the top as Legion General of Neospes, a world coming back from a disastr ...more

This is a DNF review. Pages read: 73/289
I tried to be into it, I did. And admittedly, it started off strong and the beginnings of the world building were good. But then Riven and the narration of the book shame Caden's girlfriend as being slutty and a "bitch," and--I don't know. It kind of just ruined the entire thing for me, because seriously, you can create a world where there's virtually no sexual assault and where women can hold positions of power and command with no problem, but it's appare ...more
I tried to be into it, I did. And admittedly, it started off strong and the beginnings of the world building were good. But then Riven and the narration of the book shame Caden's girlfriend as being slutty and a "bitch," and--I don't know. It kind of just ruined the entire thing for me, because seriously, you can create a world where there's virtually no sexual assault and where women can hold positions of power and command with no problem, but it's appare ...more

Feb 26, 2013
Nancy The book junkie
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ebooks-i-own,
books-to-review
Rating: 3.25/5
Review coming soon!
Review coming soon!

I'm actually a bit torn on this book, mostly because there are elements of it that I loved, and others that made me want to scream in frustration.
Riven is only fourteen years old when she goes to a world incredibly different from her own, sent there to bring home the twin brother of Prince Cale, one of her closest friends and her commander.
Riven comes from a world that has been torn apart by an android war, a world where creatures call Vectors are commonplace - corpses reanimated to be soldier ...more
Riven is only fourteen years old when she goes to a world incredibly different from her own, sent there to bring home the twin brother of Prince Cale, one of her closest friends and her commander.
Riven comes from a world that has been torn apart by an android war, a world where creatures call Vectors are commonplace - corpses reanimated to be soldier ...more

I found this Gem at my e-book library. Wasn't going to leave a review until I came to GR's to list it as haven read it and noticed most of the reviews were not very good...sooo. I really, really enjoyed this book...lots of action, a little lovely love- story, bad-ass story building. This book has everything from future dystopian, to back in time to our world, to nanobits in the DNA. A couple of sisters who are bad-ass ninja sword fighters. Not to mention families that are torn apart! Kept me rea
...more
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AMALIE HOWARD is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, most notably of The Beast of Beswick, “a smart, sexy, deliciously feminist romance,” and one of O-The Oprah Magazine’s Top 24 Best Historicals to Read. She is the co-author of the #1 bestsellers in regency romance and Scottish historical romance, My Rogue, My Ruin and What A Scot Wants, and has also penned several young adult n
...more
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The Riven Chronicles
(2 books)
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