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Patchwork
Before I Fall meets Inception in this time-bending YA mystery from the author of Nightingale, Sing.
"My last thought before the black seas consume me is to wonder what morbid twist of fate allowed a prom, a proposal, an act of terrorism, and the deaths of everyone I know to converge on the same night."
Renata Lake thought her relationship would be the only casualty of prom. Then the bomb went off.
It was supposed to be a night to remember—a cruise through Boston Harbor, dancing beneath the stars. But when an explosion tears the ship apart, Renata wakes up in Patchwork, an ethereal world where all her memories have been stitched haphazardly together.
In order to catch the assassin who murdered her friends, she’ll have to navigate the twisted landscape of her mind and relive critical moments from her past in search of clues. Can she uncover the killer’s identity and find her way back to the man she once loved before it’s too late?
Don’t miss the twist ending of this dark, modern-day reimagining of the phoenix myth that will thrill fans of Passenger and A Thousand Pieces of You.
"My last thought before the black seas consume me is to wonder what morbid twist of fate allowed a prom, a proposal, an act of terrorism, and the deaths of everyone I know to converge on the same night."
Renata Lake thought her relationship would be the only casualty of prom. Then the bomb went off.
It was supposed to be a night to remember—a cruise through Boston Harbor, dancing beneath the stars. But when an explosion tears the ship apart, Renata wakes up in Patchwork, an ethereal world where all her memories have been stitched haphazardly together.
In order to catch the assassin who murdered her friends, she’ll have to navigate the twisted landscape of her mind and relive critical moments from her past in search of clues. Can she uncover the killer’s identity and find her way back to the man she once loved before it’s too late?
Don’t miss the twist ending of this dark, modern-day reimagining of the phoenix myth that will thrill fans of Passenger and A Thousand Pieces of You.
308 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2017
6 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Karsten Knight
16 books912 followersSome say Karsten Knight’s writing career peaked at the age of six, when he completed a picture book about a sassy, adventurous worm. In the decades since, he’s tried in futility to live up to the high literary bar he set back during the first grade by publishing other novels such as:
• the mythological fantasy THIS ETERNITY OF MASKS AND SHADOWS
• the time-traveling thriller PATCHWORK
• the historical mystery NIGHTINGALE, SING
• the volcano goddess trilogy WILDEFIRE (Simon & Schuster)
• and the spooky BONEGARDEN series for young readers.
His books have been described as “exceptional” (San Diego Union-Tribune), “action-packed” (Publishers Weekly), “riveting” (VOYA), “sizzling” (Booklist), and “compelling” (School Library Journal)—but most critics would probably agree that it’s all been downhill since that worm book in ’91.
Karsten studied creative writing at College of the Holy Cross and earned an MFA in writing for children from Simmons College. A lifelong resident of Massachusetts, he lives for long walks in fall weather. For more information on Karsten and to keep up with his latest releases, please visit www.karstenknightbooks.com.
• the mythological fantasy THIS ETERNITY OF MASKS AND SHADOWS
• the time-traveling thriller PATCHWORK
• the historical mystery NIGHTINGALE, SING
• the volcano goddess trilogy WILDEFIRE (Simon & Schuster)
• and the spooky BONEGARDEN series for young readers.
His books have been described as “exceptional” (San Diego Union-Tribune), “action-packed” (Publishers Weekly), “riveting” (VOYA), “sizzling” (Booklist), and “compelling” (School Library Journal)—but most critics would probably agree that it’s all been downhill since that worm book in ’91.
Karsten studied creative writing at College of the Holy Cross and earned an MFA in writing for children from Simmons College. A lifelong resident of Massachusetts, he lives for long walks in fall weather. For more information on Karsten and to keep up with his latest releases, please visit www.karstenknightbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 20, 2017
Renata Lake is a typical high school girl in most ways, she plays sports, has a boyfriend and likes to get into a bit of mischief now and then when things are a bit boring. Renata and a couple of her friends have formed a secret club to pull pranks and have what they think will be a great one set up for prom night. However, things go a bit off course for Renata and her friends after their prank and the next thing Renata knows she's in the water and the ship with her friends on it is exploding.
When Renata awakes from her near drowning after the ship attack she finds herself in a strange place. Renata comes to know of this in between area she's would up in as Patchwork that she has traveled to between times finding herself then headed back to her life a month before prom night. Now Renata believes she has the chance to make things right and save her friends before the tragedy can happen but little does Renata know that the evil that attacked is going to follow her through Patchwork and through time trying to finish what it started that night.
Patchwork was described as a young adult thriller that is a cross between Before I Fall and Inception. Now I wasn't a huge fan of Inception myself but my curiosity was up on what this book would contain so I decided to give it a try. I will say that perhaps the Inception side of the book is what kept me from giving a full five stars as when finished the one thing I thought was parts of the book could perhaps been a bit more clear, more specifically the Patchwork and how the time traveling worked.
Otherwise, though I found this story certainly contained some interesting ideas when it came to the plot. Renata going back through time trying to fix things and save those she loved kept me engaged in the story and wanting to know how it would all turn out in the end. I also enjoyed that as she goes farther back she's questioning her life choices and events that she had lived. The story was also definitely action packed and a fast pace which had the pages turning all throughout.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
When Renata awakes from her near drowning after the ship attack she finds herself in a strange place. Renata comes to know of this in between area she's would up in as Patchwork that she has traveled to between times finding herself then headed back to her life a month before prom night. Now Renata believes she has the chance to make things right and save her friends before the tragedy can happen but little does Renata know that the evil that attacked is going to follow her through Patchwork and through time trying to finish what it started that night.
Patchwork was described as a young adult thriller that is a cross between Before I Fall and Inception. Now I wasn't a huge fan of Inception myself but my curiosity was up on what this book would contain so I decided to give it a try. I will say that perhaps the Inception side of the book is what kept me from giving a full five stars as when finished the one thing I thought was parts of the book could perhaps been a bit more clear, more specifically the Patchwork and how the time traveling worked.
Otherwise, though I found this story certainly contained some interesting ideas when it came to the plot. Renata going back through time trying to fix things and save those she loved kept me engaged in the story and wanting to know how it would all turn out in the end. I also enjoyed that as she goes farther back she's questioning her life choices and events that she had lived. The story was also definitely action packed and a fast pace which had the pages turning all throughout.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
June 15, 2017
A sneak peek at page one ...
July 25, 2017
***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Karsten Knight in exchange for an honest review.
Written in first PoV, with some chapters dedicated to Osiris, this YA paranormal mystery / suspense / romance was fast paced, with an interesting enough storyline , but the execution didn’t really thrill me. I couldn't get myself to care enough about the characters, but I did like the whole ‘time-traveling’ concept and its implications, and I liked her father :)
Written in first PoV, with some chapters dedicated to Osiris, this YA paranormal mystery / suspense / romance was fast paced, with an interesting enough storyline , but the execution didn’t really thrill me. I couldn't get myself to care enough about the characters, but I did like the whole ‘time-traveling’ concept and its implications, and I liked her father :)
Whenever I used to get really stressed about all the little things, my dad had this saying: “Whether a jigsaw puzzle has three pieces or a thousand, you still put it all together one piece at a time.”Not really my kind, also it didn’t stay with me after one month or so has passed since reading it.. hence the rather low rating.
September 1, 2017
I HAVE RETURNED ---- just so I can give a proper review.
This book left me wholeheartedly confused. Not in a what in the world just happened but more in a I have no idea what to feel about this right now, so I am going to avoid labeling it type feeling. So I cleansed my palate with a re-read of Starflight and now I feel I can compose myself in words.
What are words?
Patchwork is kind of a "new" take on the Greek myth of the Phoenix, rising from the ashes, complete with Osiris (Egyptian god of regeneration) and Thanatos (Greek personification of death).
Our "heroine," Renata Lake discovers that she is a Phoenix, quite by accident as she is thrust into an alternate dimension where time is rewound. She watches her friends die many deaths because Osiris, her arch nemesis, is coming to kill her. The only problem is she has no idea who Osiris is, it could be anyone.
*Side note: Renata is a Latin based first name meaning "born again." Props to Karsten for the Latin shout-out.
I put the term heroine in quotations because for...well...almost the ENTIRE book, I had no real care for her. We are thrust into her life right as she is figuring out this power and the book focuses more on that than how she feels about most things. Except Troy. And her complicated relationship with Wyatt.
Also, as a person who suffers from panic attacks as well, I feel that Karsten did a good job of conveying what a panic attack feels like. At least in my experience.
Here is where I rant. I feel it building. I am putting in a spoiler tag, so don't click it unless you want to know what happens.
In the end, this book made me really mad at some points. But for the majority of it, I couldn't care less about the characters or whether they lived or died. Amazing premise. I just wish the character development had been a touchA LOT more flushed out.
Me RN:
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am truly bummed I wasn't a big fan of it.
This book left me wholeheartedly confused. Not in a what in the world just happened but more in a I have no idea what to feel about this right now, so I am going to avoid labeling it type feeling. So I cleansed my palate with a re-read of Starflight and now I feel I can compose myself in words.
Patchwork is kind of a "new" take on the Greek myth of the Phoenix, rising from the ashes, complete with Osiris (Egyptian god of regeneration) and Thanatos (Greek personification of death).
Our "heroine," Renata Lake discovers that she is a Phoenix, quite by accident as she is thrust into an alternate dimension where time is rewound. She watches her friends die many deaths because Osiris, her arch nemesis, is coming to kill her. The only problem is she has no idea who Osiris is, it could be anyone.
*Side note: Renata is a Latin based first name meaning "born again." Props to Karsten for the Latin shout-out.
I put the term heroine in quotations because for...well...almost the ENTIRE book, I had no real care for her. We are thrust into her life right as she is figuring out this power and the book focuses more on that than how she feels about most things. Except Troy. And her complicated relationship with Wyatt.
Also, as a person who suffers from panic attacks as well, I feel that Karsten did a good job of conveying what a panic attack feels like. At least in my experience.
Here is where I rant. I feel it building. I am putting in a spoiler tag, so don't click it unless you want to know what happens.
In the end, this book made me really mad at some points. But for the majority of it, I couldn't care less about the characters or whether they lived or died. Amazing premise. I just wish the character development had been a touch
Me RN:
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am truly bummed I wasn't a big fan of it.
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May 23, 2017
Patchwork is said to be like several popular young adult novels, which is something that often bothers me. I feel that it can set up the book to be a failure if it doesn’t meet my expectations–made higher by people touting it as the next Game of Thrones or Gone Girl. It may perhaps be lucky that I haven’t read any of the books that this one is said to be similar to, because for once I don’t have that complaint. In Patchwork, Karsten Knight takes the myth of the Phoenix and puts it in a modern setting, blending past and present in a time-traveling book that sends Renata Lake into her memories for a chance to change a moment. Her power comes to the surface after an attack at prom kills all of her friends and classmates. Suddenly she has a new power that she doesn’t understand. What she doesn’t have is time–Renata must try to figure out how to use her powers to discover who is after her and her friends before it’s too late.
I really enjoyed the world of Patchwork. Knight created a world based on Renata’s memories of the past, knitting together her reality and the mythos of Patchwork. I hesitate to say more because I don’t want to have heavy spoilers in my review. Patchwork functioned as a way for Renata to time-travel, allowing her to walk through memories to find a point in her past that she could try to change, but she can never go back to the original point where her powers manifested: the attack at prom. She can continue going backward to try to save her friends and discover the assassin, but it erases her future. She has to make new memories from whatever point she stops at. Fortunately, she remembers everything. Unfortunately, no one else does. I think that everyone wishes at some point in their life that they could go back and change something, but they maybe don’t consider what would happen if they could change a moment but then they’re stuck and have to start over from there. I thought that Knight did a great job of portraying this by using Patchwork and Renata’s reaction to it. I’ve read a few time-traveling books before, but I thought that this was a unique way to portray it.
The one very slight problem I had with Patchwork was the blending of Greek and what I see as Egyptian mythology, namely the choice of Osiris. There’s an Amaranthine Society, the Minotaurs, and Daedalus, which are decidedly Greek. I love that Greek mythology was woven throughout the story because it’s always been something I’m interested in. The inclusion of Osiris, an Egyptian god of the afterlife, really confused me. I did some research (i.e. read the Osiris myth on wikipedia), and apparently the myth of Osiris traveled to Greece with the worship of another goddess, Isis. The Osiris myth was also written about, where Greek writers viewed the Osiris myth with a Greek philosophy lens. So it does technically fit with the Greek mythology aspect of Patchwork. Even still, I would argue that Osiris is well-known as an Egyptian god with most people being unaware of the connection to Greece. Ultimately, my only quibble is that I wish Knight had chosen another name.
I really enjoyed the writing style of Knight and the voice of Renata. It was engaging and kept me interested in the story. I wanted to know what would happen, and the writing style gave an element of speed to the story. I felt that Knight had a good grasp of writing characters–even though the novel is in first person, I felt like enough time was given to the secondary characters to make them interesting characters. It helped make the book feel more complete, instead of making it a book that was only centered on the protagonist at the expense of the setting and secondary characters. The writing was entertaining, the dialogue real and sounding like it was actually coming out of a teenager’s mouth, not an adult writing a teenager.
Renata was the main character and she was the primary focus of the novel. I loved reading how she adapted to a world that she originally had no idea existed. She quickly figures out how to survive, despite what her sudden reality has thrown at her. She refused to make it easy for the killer and almost immediately began to fight back, but this stubbornness is tempered by the seemingly insurmountable odds that are stacked up against her. I liked that there was a balance between them–she wasn’t always strong. I thought that kept her grounded with a realism that isn’t often in novels where the protagonists learn they have secret powers.
The plot was fast paced and brought Renata’s present, past, and far past together in a puzzle that she had to solve to survive. While some elements were predictable enough that I had guessed about them early on in the story, it was still fun to follow along with Renata as she tried to unmask the killer and their motives. I found that just because it was predictable the novel wasn’t any less enjoyable, at least on my part. The only negative aspect about the plot was that it became a little repetitive after a few times. Renata keeps traveling back and continues to make the same mistakes at first. When she finally starts being more active in her role instead of passive, the book picks up more.
I was pleasantly surprised by Patchwork. When I picked it up I expected it to be a lackluster time-traveling story, but instead I was treated to a novel that blended mythology with the present day and questions the meaning of your experiences if you can repeat them. At what point does your life become a half-life because you know everything that is coming in the future? If you like time-traveling stories, elements of Greek mythology in the modern day, or a fast-paced read, check this one out!
4 stars.
I received a copy of Patchwork from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Patchwork was published on February 28th, 2017.
I really enjoyed the world of Patchwork. Knight created a world based on Renata’s memories of the past, knitting together her reality and the mythos of Patchwork. I hesitate to say more because I don’t want to have heavy spoilers in my review. Patchwork functioned as a way for Renata to time-travel, allowing her to walk through memories to find a point in her past that she could try to change, but she can never go back to the original point where her powers manifested: the attack at prom. She can continue going backward to try to save her friends and discover the assassin, but it erases her future. She has to make new memories from whatever point she stops at. Fortunately, she remembers everything. Unfortunately, no one else does. I think that everyone wishes at some point in their life that they could go back and change something, but they maybe don’t consider what would happen if they could change a moment but then they’re stuck and have to start over from there. I thought that Knight did a great job of portraying this by using Patchwork and Renata’s reaction to it. I’ve read a few time-traveling books before, but I thought that this was a unique way to portray it.
The one very slight problem I had with Patchwork was the blending of Greek and what I see as Egyptian mythology, namely the choice of Osiris. There’s an Amaranthine Society, the Minotaurs, and Daedalus, which are decidedly Greek. I love that Greek mythology was woven throughout the story because it’s always been something I’m interested in. The inclusion of Osiris, an Egyptian god of the afterlife, really confused me. I did some research (i.e. read the Osiris myth on wikipedia), and apparently the myth of Osiris traveled to Greece with the worship of another goddess, Isis. The Osiris myth was also written about, where Greek writers viewed the Osiris myth with a Greek philosophy lens. So it does technically fit with the Greek mythology aspect of Patchwork. Even still, I would argue that Osiris is well-known as an Egyptian god with most people being unaware of the connection to Greece. Ultimately, my only quibble is that I wish Knight had chosen another name.
I really enjoyed the writing style of Knight and the voice of Renata. It was engaging and kept me interested in the story. I wanted to know what would happen, and the writing style gave an element of speed to the story. I felt that Knight had a good grasp of writing characters–even though the novel is in first person, I felt like enough time was given to the secondary characters to make them interesting characters. It helped make the book feel more complete, instead of making it a book that was only centered on the protagonist at the expense of the setting and secondary characters. The writing was entertaining, the dialogue real and sounding like it was actually coming out of a teenager’s mouth, not an adult writing a teenager.
Renata was the main character and she was the primary focus of the novel. I loved reading how she adapted to a world that she originally had no idea existed. She quickly figures out how to survive, despite what her sudden reality has thrown at her. She refused to make it easy for the killer and almost immediately began to fight back, but this stubbornness is tempered by the seemingly insurmountable odds that are stacked up against her. I liked that there was a balance between them–she wasn’t always strong. I thought that kept her grounded with a realism that isn’t often in novels where the protagonists learn they have secret powers.
The plot was fast paced and brought Renata’s present, past, and far past together in a puzzle that she had to solve to survive. While some elements were predictable enough that I had guessed about them early on in the story, it was still fun to follow along with Renata as she tried to unmask the killer and their motives. I found that just because it was predictable the novel wasn’t any less enjoyable, at least on my part. The only negative aspect about the plot was that it became a little repetitive after a few times. Renata keeps traveling back and continues to make the same mistakes at first. When she finally starts being more active in her role instead of passive, the book picks up more.
I was pleasantly surprised by Patchwork. When I picked it up I expected it to be a lackluster time-traveling story, but instead I was treated to a novel that blended mythology with the present day and questions the meaning of your experiences if you can repeat them. At what point does your life become a half-life because you know everything that is coming in the future? If you like time-traveling stories, elements of Greek mythology in the modern day, or a fast-paced read, check this one out!
4 stars.
I received a copy of Patchwork from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Patchwork was published on February 28th, 2017.
February 7, 2017
Full disclosure I read an ARC copy and I periodically pester Knight on Twitter.
This is my second actual thriller this year and guys I think I'm killing this new genre. Not literally, just between this and FINAL GIRLS I think I made some wise reading decisions.
In terms of content - this skews closer to his Wildfire books; mythology plays a role here, though not as heavily and paranormal shenanigans abound (NIGHTINGALE, Sing had far less paranormal shenanigans in comparison). There's also a number of murderous descriptions I'd caution the faint of heart but big on imagination to be wary of. Some of this is straight up terrifying.
So let me ask y'all a question Renata herself poses at one point - if you had a chance to relive a year you consider a happy one, but with its shadows and regrets - would you relive it exactly as you remembered or would you try to adjust it for the better?
This is the dilemma Renata faces for much of the book. While being chased through time and space by a masked villain intent on the highest body count they can manage, she relives meaningful moments in her recent past. A big game she flubbed, a visit to a college with her friends, a big night with her boyfriend - all moments wherein the result was a (mostly) happy memory. Yet reliving those moments in reverse, remembering the outcome and knowing the other person may not...it does wear on you.
So thank God she had a villain chasing her to keep her head in the game. I can't imagine what would have happened if she had only the angst of her decisions to focus on.
Renata is at times unlikeable. While she comments seeing her friends in reverse gave her a new not so rosy perspective of them, she doesn't come off perfect either. At first things seem very happily - close friends, great boyfriend, bright future, but even before Osiris starts the bloody massacring that life unravels.
It's those pieces I found interesting. A person can play the hindsight game, but no memory has perfect recall - no matter what you do your experience after that memory will influence or diminish certain aspects of the memory, tainting it without you realizing. I wonder, after finding out the villain, if I can spot the clues.
I'll admit I pegged one char purely based on the fact how clean cut this person is. It proved wrong (horribly so) but I wonder if that meant I was blind to other clues?
(more later)
This is my second actual thriller this year and guys I think I'm killing this new genre. Not literally, just between this and FINAL GIRLS I think I made some wise reading decisions.
In terms of content - this skews closer to his Wildfire books; mythology plays a role here, though not as heavily and paranormal shenanigans abound (NIGHTINGALE, Sing had far less paranormal shenanigans in comparison). There's also a number of murderous descriptions I'd caution the faint of heart but big on imagination to be wary of. Some of this is straight up terrifying.
So let me ask y'all a question Renata herself poses at one point - if you had a chance to relive a year you consider a happy one, but with its shadows and regrets - would you relive it exactly as you remembered or would you try to adjust it for the better?
This is the dilemma Renata faces for much of the book. While being chased through time and space by a masked villain intent on the highest body count they can manage, she relives meaningful moments in her recent past. A big game she flubbed, a visit to a college with her friends, a big night with her boyfriend - all moments wherein the result was a (mostly) happy memory. Yet reliving those moments in reverse, remembering the outcome and knowing the other person may not...it does wear on you.
So thank God she had a villain chasing her to keep her head in the game. I can't imagine what would have happened if she had only the angst of her decisions to focus on.
Renata is at times unlikeable. While she comments seeing her friends in reverse gave her a new not so rosy perspective of them, she doesn't come off perfect either. At first things seem very happily - close friends, great boyfriend, bright future, but even before Osiris starts the bloody massacring that life unravels.
It's those pieces I found interesting. A person can play the hindsight game, but no memory has perfect recall - no matter what you do your experience after that memory will influence or diminish certain aspects of the memory, tainting it without you realizing. I wonder, after finding out the villain, if I can spot the clues.
I'll admit I pegged one char purely based on the fact how clean cut this person is. It proved wrong (horribly so) but I wonder if that meant I was blind to other clues?
(more later)
May 29, 2017
*3.5 Stars*
I was provided a Reviewer Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Renata is a junior in a private boarding school. When her prom night goes from bad to worse, she realizes she has powers that allow her to travel back in time. But with those powers comes a huge threat, a nemesis that hunt her through time and every time tries to kill her and everyone she loves.
The story in itself was very interesting.
The characters were nice enough, I didn’t truly connect with any of them though.
Also, I had a lot of trouble picturing / understanding the Patchwork scenes. They seemed very unclear to me, and every time they ended, I was very relieved… So I started dreading those. Maybe it’s just me and my exhaustion though.
Finally, the end didn’t seem all that satisfactory somehow, like something was missing.
Still had a good enough time reading this though, I really did like the concept of the book and it kept me on my toes the entire time.
I was provided a Reviewer Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Renata is a junior in a private boarding school. When her prom night goes from bad to worse, she realizes she has powers that allow her to travel back in time. But with those powers comes a huge threat, a nemesis that hunt her through time and every time tries to kill her and everyone she loves.
The story in itself was very interesting.
The characters were nice enough, I didn’t truly connect with any of them though.
Also, I had a lot of trouble picturing / understanding the Patchwork scenes. They seemed very unclear to me, and every time they ended, I was very relieved… So I started dreading those. Maybe it’s just me and my exhaustion though.
Finally, the end didn’t seem all that satisfactory somehow, like something was missing.
Still had a good enough time reading this though, I really did like the concept of the book and it kept me on my toes the entire time.
February 15, 2017
Delightfully disturbing in the way it reminded me of how fragile one feels on the cusp of adulthood, even when the protagonist is a strong and independent character. Excellent world-building. Knight's command of vivid language made this a compelling read. Definitely worth it even if paranormal isn't your usual genera.
July 22, 2017
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start with the positives. I liked the premise for this book. Renata is your average teenager girl attending her high school prom when suddenly she witnesses all her classmates, friends and boyfriend get murdered. Somehow, she ends up being thrown back through time in order to try and catch the assassin, and prevent a mass murder. The beginning genuinely drew me in and was relatively fast paced. I also liked the little references to Greek mythology scattered throughout the novel - Daedalus Minotaurs, Tantalus, a boyfriend called Troy.
The Patchwork world came off as creepy and atmospheric. The first time Renata enters the world, and the shipping containers starting rattling and talking was well thought out. I wanted to spend more time in the Patchwork world to be honest, rather than in Renata's past.
I think this is where the story began to unravel slightly. There wasn't enough world building. I wanted to explore more of the Patchwork world, and spend less time with Renata's friends, who I didn't really connect with at all. I thought Troy in particular was a bit of a drip, and I found myself not caring if any of them lived or not.
I also didn't really care for the Osiris 'mini chapters'. I though they were a little unnecessary and broke up the story too much. Also, for a supposedly ancient assassin he was really rubbish at his job. Renata was fumbling about all over her time line and he missed so many opportunities to just get shot of her. Also, I never really got why he wanted to kill her in the first place? Maybe I missed that bit?
I didn't figure out the twist ending right away though. Credit where credits due.
I'll start with the positives. I liked the premise for this book. Renata is your average teenager girl attending her high school prom when suddenly she witnesses all her classmates, friends and boyfriend get murdered. Somehow, she ends up being thrown back through time in order to try and catch the assassin, and prevent a mass murder. The beginning genuinely drew me in and was relatively fast paced. I also liked the little references to Greek mythology scattered throughout the novel - Daedalus Minotaurs, Tantalus, a boyfriend called Troy.
The Patchwork world came off as creepy and atmospheric. The first time Renata enters the world, and the shipping containers starting rattling and talking was well thought out. I wanted to spend more time in the Patchwork world to be honest, rather than in Renata's past.
I think this is where the story began to unravel slightly. There wasn't enough world building. I wanted to explore more of the Patchwork world, and spend less time with Renata's friends, who I didn't really connect with at all. I thought Troy in particular was a bit of a drip, and I found myself not caring if any of them lived or not.
I also didn't really care for the Osiris 'mini chapters'. I though they were a little unnecessary and broke up the story too much. Also, for a supposedly ancient assassin he was really rubbish at his job. Renata was fumbling about all over her time line and he missed so many opportunities to just get shot of her. Also, I never really got why he wanted to kill her in the first place? Maybe I missed that bit?
I didn't figure out the twist ending right away though. Credit where credits due.
June 18, 2017
Number of pages: 308
Number of times read (including the time before this review): 1
Rating (out of five stars): 3
Release date: February 28th 2017
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy for review. As always my opinions are honest and my own.
I feel very “meh” about this book. There were some things I personally didn’t like about it, but the main problem I has with it is that the premise was a little too out there for me. I downloaded it (it was in the read now section of Netgalley) because I liked the author’s Wildefire series, but I went into it without reading the synopsis, which could have clued me in to how weird of a book I was getting into.
This is a personal thing more than anything, but I am a huge mythology lover. Myths from ancient cultures have always fascinated me, so I was not a fan of the villain being named Osiris. Anyone who knows about Egyptian mythology knows that Osiris was not an “evil” god, but it’s not those people I’m worried about. I’m more worried about people who have very little understanding of Egyptian mythology thinking Osiris went out of his way to randomly murder innocent people.
Speaking of myths and legends, I also didn’t like the whole “phoenix” thing. The author could have easily made up a name for what Renata is, because calling them phoenixes feels really lazy to me. I guess powers transferring after one dies can count as rebirth, but the term phoenix feels wrong here.
Speaking of Renata, I don’t really like her as a character. There were some who complained about how Karsten Knight wrote Ashline in his Wildefire trilogy, saying she was too much like how a male author thinks a female character should be written. I didn’t see anything wrong with Ashline, so I cannot speak to if Renata was written well (despite being female myself), but I can say that she wasn’t very interesting. She’s pretty much your average teenager, except for the fact that she can travel through time. She also did a complete 180 halfway through the book. She spend the entire first half of Patchwork simply trying to escape Osiris, and then, after nearly being murdered approximately 3 times, she finally decides that maybe she should try to catch and kill the person who keeps murdering her friends. She’s almost a completely different character after that. You could say that seeing everyone you care about die 3 times may change you as a person, but I still think I should have happened more gradually.
On that note, her dad’s death was way over-played. At first, it tugged at my heart-strings to hear about her dad, but as the novel wore on it felt more like the author was trying too hard to be emotionally manipulative. I mean, it was mentioned at least once every chapter. I haven’t experienced the death of a parent, but I don’t think “I’m running for my life, but let me stop to tell you about my dad” was really the right direction to go.
This book feels a lot like a contemporary book with some “Oh my God all my friends are dead for the fifth time” mixed in. This didn’t make it boring per say, but it didn’t make it interesting, and it certainly wasn’t very thrilling. It was kind of like watching a Disney movie. You know as soon as the cruise ship blows up that she and her friends are going to make it out alive.
Overall, Patchwork was more of a miss for me than it was a hit, earning 3 out of 5 stars.
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
Number of times read (including the time before this review): 1
Rating (out of five stars): 3
Release date: February 28th 2017
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy for review. As always my opinions are honest and my own.
I feel very “meh” about this book. There were some things I personally didn’t like about it, but the main problem I has with it is that the premise was a little too out there for me. I downloaded it (it was in the read now section of Netgalley) because I liked the author’s Wildefire series, but I went into it without reading the synopsis, which could have clued me in to how weird of a book I was getting into.
This is a personal thing more than anything, but I am a huge mythology lover. Myths from ancient cultures have always fascinated me, so I was not a fan of the villain being named Osiris. Anyone who knows about Egyptian mythology knows that Osiris was not an “evil” god, but it’s not those people I’m worried about. I’m more worried about people who have very little understanding of Egyptian mythology thinking Osiris went out of his way to randomly murder innocent people.
Speaking of myths and legends, I also didn’t like the whole “phoenix” thing. The author could have easily made up a name for what Renata is, because calling them phoenixes feels really lazy to me. I guess powers transferring after one dies can count as rebirth, but the term phoenix feels wrong here.
Speaking of Renata, I don’t really like her as a character. There were some who complained about how Karsten Knight wrote Ashline in his Wildefire trilogy, saying she was too much like how a male author thinks a female character should be written. I didn’t see anything wrong with Ashline, so I cannot speak to if Renata was written well (despite being female myself), but I can say that she wasn’t very interesting. She’s pretty much your average teenager, except for the fact that she can travel through time. She also did a complete 180 halfway through the book. She spend the entire first half of Patchwork simply trying to escape Osiris, and then, after nearly being murdered approximately 3 times, she finally decides that maybe she should try to catch and kill the person who keeps murdering her friends. She’s almost a completely different character after that. You could say that seeing everyone you care about die 3 times may change you as a person, but I still think I should have happened more gradually.
On that note, her dad’s death was way over-played. At first, it tugged at my heart-strings to hear about her dad, but as the novel wore on it felt more like the author was trying too hard to be emotionally manipulative. I mean, it was mentioned at least once every chapter. I haven’t experienced the death of a parent, but I don’t think “I’m running for my life, but let me stop to tell you about my dad” was really the right direction to go.
This book feels a lot like a contemporary book with some “Oh my God all my friends are dead for the fifth time” mixed in. This didn’t make it boring per say, but it didn’t make it interesting, and it certainly wasn’t very thrilling. It was kind of like watching a Disney movie. You know as soon as the cruise ship blows up that she and her friends are going to make it out alive.
Overall, Patchwork was more of a miss for me than it was a hit, earning 3 out of 5 stars.
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
February 28, 2017
PATCHWORK blends myth and mystery in a gripping and electrifying story of time travel, murder, heartbreak and loss, love and hope. Filled with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing, a character whose ability will make them wonder when to next, and an imaginative and fantastical world that will keep them hooked until the very end, this fast-paced, breathtaking read is not to be missed.
Renata Lake thought the worst thing that could ever happen in her life had already happened. But when tragedy strikes on prom night, she discovers just how much more she had to lose.
Reeling from the explosion, and the gunfire that followed, that killed her classmates, her friends, her boyfriend, and with no time to process what happened, she finds herself torn from one nightmare reality into another.
Except in this reality the danger to her and her loved ones isn’t over, it’s only just beginning. But unless she can figure out just what is happening to her and find out who or what is behind these violent attacks, she won’t be able to keep her friends safe. And if she isn’t able to defeat her demons, she won’t be able to even try.
Karsten Knight has delivered a unique and suspenseful read with PATCHWORK. His take on both the phoenix myth and the Osiris myth is original and interesting. He introduces key elements to his story in a way that is engrossing. He doesn’t pull any punches, making for a story that is at times shocking and at others heartrending, but he gives it balance with moments that are sweet, romantic, and heart-warming.
And once again he gives readers a strong heroine to root for, crafts a one-of-a-kind world to escape into, and doesn’t fail to surprise.
PATCHWORK is perfectly paced, exceptionally well-written, creative, moving, and incredibly exciting. And is a must for those who are looking for a read that offers a mix of genres, is different, unexpected, nail-biting, emotional.
Renata Lake thought the worst thing that could ever happen in her life had already happened. But when tragedy strikes on prom night, she discovers just how much more she had to lose.
Reeling from the explosion, and the gunfire that followed, that killed her classmates, her friends, her boyfriend, and with no time to process what happened, she finds herself torn from one nightmare reality into another.
Except in this reality the danger to her and her loved ones isn’t over, it’s only just beginning. But unless she can figure out just what is happening to her and find out who or what is behind these violent attacks, she won’t be able to keep her friends safe. And if she isn’t able to defeat her demons, she won’t be able to even try.
Karsten Knight has delivered a unique and suspenseful read with PATCHWORK. His take on both the phoenix myth and the Osiris myth is original and interesting. He introduces key elements to his story in a way that is engrossing. He doesn’t pull any punches, making for a story that is at times shocking and at others heartrending, but he gives it balance with moments that are sweet, romantic, and heart-warming.
And once again he gives readers a strong heroine to root for, crafts a one-of-a-kind world to escape into, and doesn’t fail to surprise.
PATCHWORK is perfectly paced, exceptionally well-written, creative, moving, and incredibly exciting. And is a must for those who are looking for a read that offers a mix of genres, is different, unexpected, nail-biting, emotional.
February 10, 2017
So Karsten Knight so kindly gave me the opportunity to read an ARC of his book so many thanks to him.
Patchwork is so fascinatingly unique and thoroughly entertaining that I'm having a difficult time putting my admiration into words. Much like Nightingale, Sing, Patchwork isn't a book that I would normally read. I tend to stay away from books that wade in the thriller genre but I've reached a point that if Knight's name is on the cover then I'll read it regardless of the genre. Knight has the talent and intelligence to inspire such blind loyalty.
With Patchwork I got a little bit of the mythology that I tend to be obsessed with. It's what drew me to Knight's Wildfire series so I was genuinely happy to get some of that here. We meet Renata at her prom which is held on a boat and what is supposed to be a fun rite of passage turns quickly into a nightmare. (Fun fact: my prom was on a boat but lucky it was more fun than terrifying.) Along with Renata we are sucked into a centuries old game of cat and mouse. Renata has the unique ability to go back in time to different points in her life but with this ability comes a deadly assassin who is hell bent on ending her existence while also causing her as much emotional pain as possibly by going after the ones she loves.
The saying goes "Hindsight is 20/20" and Renata is in the position to truly experience this first hand while reliving certain moment that occurred over the last year. She has the opportunity to see things she didn't notice the first time around and gain unique understanding of her choices and their effects on her life and the lives of those around her. Unfortunately Renata doesn't have the time to really dwell on the significance of such a gift because she's pretty much fighting for her life and the lives of her loved ones.
Renata came into her own with her show of strength and her ability to learn from her mistakes. She is by no means perfect but no one is. She shows courage when she is literally looking her fears in the eye and I loved that about her. Isn't that one of the things what we all want in life? I want to be remembered as someone who faced their fears with unwavering faith in myself and complete courage.
If you're looking for a thrill ride that offers a bit of mythology and a touch of a sweet romance I wholeheartedly recommend Patchwork.
Patchwork is so fascinatingly unique and thoroughly entertaining that I'm having a difficult time putting my admiration into words. Much like Nightingale, Sing, Patchwork isn't a book that I would normally read. I tend to stay away from books that wade in the thriller genre but I've reached a point that if Knight's name is on the cover then I'll read it regardless of the genre. Knight has the talent and intelligence to inspire such blind loyalty.
With Patchwork I got a little bit of the mythology that I tend to be obsessed with. It's what drew me to Knight's Wildfire series so I was genuinely happy to get some of that here. We meet Renata at her prom which is held on a boat and what is supposed to be a fun rite of passage turns quickly into a nightmare. (Fun fact: my prom was on a boat but lucky it was more fun than terrifying.) Along with Renata we are sucked into a centuries old game of cat and mouse. Renata has the unique ability to go back in time to different points in her life but with this ability comes a deadly assassin who is hell bent on ending her existence while also causing her as much emotional pain as possibly by going after the ones she loves.
The saying goes "Hindsight is 20/20" and Renata is in the position to truly experience this first hand while reliving certain moment that occurred over the last year. She has the opportunity to see things she didn't notice the first time around and gain unique understanding of her choices and their effects on her life and the lives of those around her. Unfortunately Renata doesn't have the time to really dwell on the significance of such a gift because she's pretty much fighting for her life and the lives of her loved ones.
Renata came into her own with her show of strength and her ability to learn from her mistakes. She is by no means perfect but no one is. She shows courage when she is literally looking her fears in the eye and I loved that about her. Isn't that one of the things what we all want in life? I want to be remembered as someone who faced their fears with unwavering faith in myself and complete courage.
If you're looking for a thrill ride that offers a bit of mythology and a touch of a sweet romance I wholeheartedly recommend Patchwork.
May 20, 2017
It took me a few chapters to get into it, but I LOVED it once I did. Renata is not a typical girl, and her life is far from perfect. I love that it explores both the realistic and philosophical dangers and benefits of being able to change the past. If you could go back 1 month, 2 months, 1 year... would you? Keep in mind that while some of the future events may mirror the ones you knew, nothing ever happens the same way twice. I also enjoyed the tie-ins to mythology. As a mythos fan, I love seeing characters resurrected with a twist on the story.
May 16, 2017
Patchwork is gripping, action packed, and an emotional rollercoaster at the moments when you least expect it. It broke my heart to have to put it down for a few days when life got busy but the ending was well worth the anticipation. This modernized retelling of the phoenix myth is the perfect read for lovers of YA action, fantasy, and thrillers and I can’t recommend it enough!
June 26, 2017
I received a copy of Patchwork in a Goodreads giveaway. Karsten Knight’s novel delivers an amazing concept in which rare people are born with the ability to travel back in time and change events. Teenager Renata Lake is one of those rare time travelers. Unfortunately, she’s not the only one with this ability. An assassin named Osiris has spent centuries hunting down her kind and killing them, using their energy to sustain himself. This leads to a complicated cat-and-mouse game where Renata must quickly learn what she and Osiris are and what they can do in order to not only save herself but all of her friends, who are being targeted by Osiris.
Karsten gives this book the pacing of a thriller novel, and that’s probably its greatest strength. He keeps the story moving quickly and with plenty of well-timed twists. Certainly, the revelation of who Osiris really is proves the biggest surprise of all.
I’ll admit that Patchwork starts with a big strike against it for me, because Renata is in the middle of a messy romantic triangle. On the one hand, there’s Troy, the boy she’s fallen in love with and dated for her entire junior year and who’s about to travel overseas for college. The other part of the triangle is Wyatt, whose “secret” crush on Renata resulted in a drunken kiss on New Year’s. I personally despise the concept of the romantic triangle, and it makes Renata difficult for me to like. A lot of real estate in this book is spent dealing with the romantic triangle storyline. That’s a pity, because the best parts of the book all come when Renata gets on task with hunting down Osiris.
I also feel the young adult voice is off, reading more like a story about college students than high schoolers. Writing the YA voice isn’t easy. It falls within that time between childhood and adulthood, and it’s easy to miss that narrow mark. Most of the cast are students at a private school with parents more involved with their money than their offspring. Several times, the teens in Patchwork go on overnight trips together with no adults along for the ride. This includes a trip to a winter lodge for a ski trip that seems more focused on finding ways for the eight or so teenagers to find ways to shack up and drink (not necessarily in that order). For some people, this won’t be an issue, but this stretches credibility for me. For the most part, the majority of the behavior and all-too-adult insights from the teenagers in this novel seem to come more from the plot moving the characters instead of the characters moving the plot (not that unusual in a thriller novel).
Not surprisingly, the time travel element to Patchwork results in quite a bit of "wibbly wobbly timey wimey." The implication of how Renata takes down Osiris makes my head hurt because it’s got some serious paradox issues in there. I’m not saying it doesn’t work, but Renata’s limited experience with her emerging abilities makes her POV incapable of truly working through the full logistics of the story. In some ways, that's not necessarily a bad thing because it provides a little mystery and allows the reader to fill in the blanks for themselves.
I’m curious if Karsten will revisit this setting, because there’s plenty of potential to do more with this concept. Fortunately, he doesn't leave any loose ends, and he does a nice job exploring the implications of Renata's life jumping back in time to fix things. Whether he intends to do more with this reality, he's done a good job of making sure this novel stands on its own.
Karsten gives this book the pacing of a thriller novel, and that’s probably its greatest strength. He keeps the story moving quickly and with plenty of well-timed twists. Certainly, the revelation of who Osiris really is proves the biggest surprise of all.
I’ll admit that Patchwork starts with a big strike against it for me, because Renata is in the middle of a messy romantic triangle. On the one hand, there’s Troy, the boy she’s fallen in love with and dated for her entire junior year and who’s about to travel overseas for college. The other part of the triangle is Wyatt, whose “secret” crush on Renata resulted in a drunken kiss on New Year’s. I personally despise the concept of the romantic triangle, and it makes Renata difficult for me to like. A lot of real estate in this book is spent dealing with the romantic triangle storyline. That’s a pity, because the best parts of the book all come when Renata gets on task with hunting down Osiris.
I also feel the young adult voice is off, reading more like a story about college students than high schoolers. Writing the YA voice isn’t easy. It falls within that time between childhood and adulthood, and it’s easy to miss that narrow mark. Most of the cast are students at a private school with parents more involved with their money than their offspring. Several times, the teens in Patchwork go on overnight trips together with no adults along for the ride. This includes a trip to a winter lodge for a ski trip that seems more focused on finding ways for the eight or so teenagers to find ways to shack up and drink (not necessarily in that order). For some people, this won’t be an issue, but this stretches credibility for me. For the most part, the majority of the behavior and all-too-adult insights from the teenagers in this novel seem to come more from the plot moving the characters instead of the characters moving the plot (not that unusual in a thriller novel).
Not surprisingly, the time travel element to Patchwork results in quite a bit of "wibbly wobbly timey wimey." The implication of how Renata takes down Osiris makes my head hurt because it’s got some serious paradox issues in there. I’m not saying it doesn’t work, but Renata’s limited experience with her emerging abilities makes her POV incapable of truly working through the full logistics of the story. In some ways, that's not necessarily a bad thing because it provides a little mystery and allows the reader to fill in the blanks for themselves.
I’m curious if Karsten will revisit this setting, because there’s plenty of potential to do more with this concept. Fortunately, he doesn't leave any loose ends, and he does a nice job exploring the implications of Renata's life jumping back in time to fix things. Whether he intends to do more with this reality, he's done a good job of making sure this novel stands on its own.
December 10, 2025
I have really loved Karsten Knight’s books since I first started reading them in the last year. This was the first one that only sort of okay rather than being a true 5-star standout. Knight remains excellent at creating characters that hook me right away, and at coming up with a really good overall story that I get super-invested in. But the devil is in the details, and there were just too many little irritants throughout the book for me to say I loved it.
I think the biggest culprit in dragging down this book is all the stuff that is *outside* the standard time loop days. The majority of the books plays out as a riff on time loops, which are a favorite storytelling device of mine and work so well! Unfortunately, rather than jumping from one to the other, Knight includes a ton of connective tissue, largely under the heading of “Patchwork.” I think this is supposed to be Renata battling through her subconscious or whatever, but it always took the reading experience from 5 to 1 stars when we got there. It was all too confusing, too muddled, too stream-of-consciousness… and I just couldn’t bring myself to care about Renata literally facing down her demons. Get back to the story! (I won’t even get into the brief interludes of poetry from the villain’s POV… *barf*)
Now, aside from the Patchwork nonsense, this was very good stuff. Making Renata experience events in reverse chronological order worked really well, and the more we got to the foundational events in Renata’s self-mythology, the more invested I became. Also, I adored the mechanic (which I’d not encountered in time loops before) of the time traveler’s body keeping its wear and tear from its last jaunt through time, rather than taking on the body in that moment in time. It really helped add stakes, which can often feel absent in a story where events literally get erased… I thought it was a genius addition to the lore.
Without offering spoilers, I will say that the big Osiris reveal absolutely got me 100%. It was the dead last person I expected it to be… it’s not often I can be so completely blind-sided yet satisfied with a twist. In general, I found the resolution to be incredibly satisfying; I loved how Renata defeated Osiris with cleverness, never undermining the reality that Renata is far weaker than this epic assassin.
Also, I want to offer big props for the portrayal of Renata and Troy’s relationship. It is portrayed as romantic as all hell, and I totally ship it… but it also has so many issues! I like the very realistic blend of romance and real problems, and watching them try to resolve them.
I will note that there were a handful of typos in this book. I get that it’s hard to catch absolutely all of them when self-publishing, but there were more than I consider acceptable in a published work.
Lastly, I just want to note that I am incredibly jealous of the year in the life that we saw for Renata – it really does seem like the best year ever!
I think the biggest culprit in dragging down this book is all the stuff that is *outside* the standard time loop days. The majority of the books plays out as a riff on time loops, which are a favorite storytelling device of mine and work so well! Unfortunately, rather than jumping from one to the other, Knight includes a ton of connective tissue, largely under the heading of “Patchwork.” I think this is supposed to be Renata battling through her subconscious or whatever, but it always took the reading experience from 5 to 1 stars when we got there. It was all too confusing, too muddled, too stream-of-consciousness… and I just couldn’t bring myself to care about Renata literally facing down her demons. Get back to the story! (I won’t even get into the brief interludes of poetry from the villain’s POV… *barf*)
Now, aside from the Patchwork nonsense, this was very good stuff. Making Renata experience events in reverse chronological order worked really well, and the more we got to the foundational events in Renata’s self-mythology, the more invested I became. Also, I adored the mechanic (which I’d not encountered in time loops before) of the time traveler’s body keeping its wear and tear from its last jaunt through time, rather than taking on the body in that moment in time. It really helped add stakes, which can often feel absent in a story where events literally get erased… I thought it was a genius addition to the lore.
Without offering spoilers, I will say that the big Osiris reveal absolutely got me 100%. It was the dead last person I expected it to be… it’s not often I can be so completely blind-sided yet satisfied with a twist. In general, I found the resolution to be incredibly satisfying; I loved how Renata defeated Osiris with cleverness, never undermining the reality that Renata is far weaker than this epic assassin.
Also, I want to offer big props for the portrayal of Renata and Troy’s relationship. It is portrayed as romantic as all hell, and I totally ship it… but it also has so many issues! I like the very realistic blend of romance and real problems, and watching them try to resolve them.
I will note that there were a handful of typos in this book. I get that it’s hard to catch absolutely all of them when self-publishing, but there were more than I consider acceptable in a published work.
Lastly, I just want to note that I am incredibly jealous of the year in the life that we saw for Renata – it really does seem like the best year ever!
June 29, 2017
Patchwork is a YA novel which combines mythology, time travel, friendship and vengeance.
Renata Lake is lucky enough to consider her friends very, very close to her. She has a boyfriend who loves her, a best friend she can share anything with and the rest of the Amaranthine Society with whom she can pull pranks on unsuspecting victims. Prom night's prank is a doozy - throw a mannequin overboard the cruise ship they are on and make people believe that someone is actually drowning. Cue a fireball explosion and Renata finds herself in the water where her whole world changes. She enters into the time travelling world of Patchwork where she is thrown into scenarios that have already happened in her life and where she knows the outcome. Surely if she knows a bad ending is coming she can change it? As she stumbles blindly through the maze that is Patchwork, not knowing exactly how the rules work, she realises that someone is after her. Someone strong enough to move between the Patchwork worlds with her. But who is this person and what do they want with her? As Renata continues to try and change the future she realises that some things are meant to be and that she might not be part of the future at all.
The book was mainly a hit for me. I enjoyed the idea of Patchwork and the blending of mythology as well as the phoenix concept that ran through it. To be able to go back in time and try to correct a wrong that may have happened is definitely a plus - but since we all know what happens with a butterfly effect it might be best to leave it alone. The writing was very good - simple enough that you didn't have to stumble over words or bad editing but complex in weaving together a story that had to be joined from so many angles.
Renata came across as an up and down character; very selfish and wrapped up in herself at times and then trying so hard to save her friends that she lands up flubbing her good intentions. I guess bearing in mind that this is a YA novel, some important morals must come through and maybe a reader will recognise some "iffy" qualities in the way they treat people themselves and take a good look in the mirror. Each of her friends had a great supporting role and it was interesting to see each scenario when you had hindsight into it. I did however find Patchwork and the concept of time travel confusing at times and I was wondering exactly how many scenarios we would have to go through before finding out who the killer was.
I would definitely recommend this for a quick read where what you see is not exactly what you get.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.
Renata Lake is lucky enough to consider her friends very, very close to her. She has a boyfriend who loves her, a best friend she can share anything with and the rest of the Amaranthine Society with whom she can pull pranks on unsuspecting victims. Prom night's prank is a doozy - throw a mannequin overboard the cruise ship they are on and make people believe that someone is actually drowning. Cue a fireball explosion and Renata finds herself in the water where her whole world changes. She enters into the time travelling world of Patchwork where she is thrown into scenarios that have already happened in her life and where she knows the outcome. Surely if she knows a bad ending is coming she can change it? As she stumbles blindly through the maze that is Patchwork, not knowing exactly how the rules work, she realises that someone is after her. Someone strong enough to move between the Patchwork worlds with her. But who is this person and what do they want with her? As Renata continues to try and change the future she realises that some things are meant to be and that she might not be part of the future at all.
The book was mainly a hit for me. I enjoyed the idea of Patchwork and the blending of mythology as well as the phoenix concept that ran through it. To be able to go back in time and try to correct a wrong that may have happened is definitely a plus - but since we all know what happens with a butterfly effect it might be best to leave it alone. The writing was very good - simple enough that you didn't have to stumble over words or bad editing but complex in weaving together a story that had to be joined from so many angles.
Renata came across as an up and down character; very selfish and wrapped up in herself at times and then trying so hard to save her friends that she lands up flubbing her good intentions. I guess bearing in mind that this is a YA novel, some important morals must come through and maybe a reader will recognise some "iffy" qualities in the way they treat people themselves and take a good look in the mirror. Each of her friends had a great supporting role and it was interesting to see each scenario when you had hindsight into it. I did however find Patchwork and the concept of time travel confusing at times and I was wondering exactly how many scenarios we would have to go through before finding out who the killer was.
I would definitely recommend this for a quick read where what you see is not exactly what you get.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.
July 27, 2017
2.5 Stars
I don't know where to start with this one. I wanted so badly to like it. The premise was great, the foundation was laid, where did everything go so wrong?!
First, I already lived high school once. It sucked then and I'd rather not relive it. However, that is my fault for not reading the synopsis first. But, even so I really disliked the characted... literally every single one of them. And I found the "I love you will you marry me" to be just too much to take from high school students.
Second, patchwork (the place) was very hard to understand at first. I wasn't following what was going on because patchwork was named several times before it was ever explained. It took me awhile to understand the transitions from reality to patchwork to memories back to patchwork and around the world again. It was very confusing right off the bat.
Also contributing to my lack of enthusiasm was the unimaginative writing. I'll give you an example... here's how the author chose to explain a whole room scattered with bodies after a bloodbath (that was not actually included in the action): "Black robes steeped in fresh blood"... ugh come on!!! You can do better than that! There is plenty of action in this book, but none of it is all that exciting or engaging.
Overall, this book took me forever to get through simply because I just didn't care. I didn't HATE this book. I feel bad that everything above is so negative. These are just things I felt exceptionally passionate about while reading. Again, it's an interesting premise, but I couldn't get into it.
I don't know where to start with this one. I wanted so badly to like it. The premise was great, the foundation was laid, where did everything go so wrong?!
First, I already lived high school once. It sucked then and I'd rather not relive it. However, that is my fault for not reading the synopsis first. But, even so I really disliked the characted... literally every single one of them. And I found the "I love you will you marry me" to be just too much to take from high school students.
Second, patchwork (the place) was very hard to understand at first. I wasn't following what was going on because patchwork was named several times before it was ever explained. It took me awhile to understand the transitions from reality to patchwork to memories back to patchwork and around the world again. It was very confusing right off the bat.
Also contributing to my lack of enthusiasm was the unimaginative writing. I'll give you an example... here's how the author chose to explain a whole room scattered with bodies after a bloodbath (that was not actually included in the action): "Black robes steeped in fresh blood"... ugh come on!!! You can do better than that! There is plenty of action in this book, but none of it is all that exciting or engaging.
Overall, this book took me forever to get through simply because I just didn't care. I didn't HATE this book. I feel bad that everything above is so negative. These are just things I felt exceptionally passionate about while reading. Again, it's an interesting premise, but I couldn't get into it.
June 15, 2017
Renata Lake expects prom night to be full of the typical things one finds on prom night: moonlight, dancing, teenage hormones, and an epic prank by her group of friends involving throwing a dead body over the side of the boat into Boston Harbor. What she doesn’t expect is a proposal or a bomb explosion, leaving real bodies in the water before she sinks beneath the waves.
Renata wakes up in Patchwork, a ghostly world where all her memories come together in a crazy pattern, and her friends’ murderer chases her through these memories, determined to kill her—and everyone she loves—once and for all. Reliving her memories and watching her friends die over and over is enough to drive anyone insane, but Renata must rise above that if she is to figure out who the killer is, and get back to her real life.
Patchwork is a fantastic read, fast-paced and with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing all the way to the final pages. There’s a bit of mythology here, not enough to overpower the action and the mystery, just enough to spice it up. I wanted to read this straight through, but real life had to take priority. This is a must-read for anyone who loves fast-paced fantasy with an edge.
(Galley provided by the author via NetGalley.)
Renata wakes up in Patchwork, a ghostly world where all her memories come together in a crazy pattern, and her friends’ murderer chases her through these memories, determined to kill her—and everyone she loves—once and for all. Reliving her memories and watching her friends die over and over is enough to drive anyone insane, but Renata must rise above that if she is to figure out who the killer is, and get back to her real life.
Patchwork is a fantastic read, fast-paced and with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing all the way to the final pages. There’s a bit of mythology here, not enough to overpower the action and the mystery, just enough to spice it up. I wanted to read this straight through, but real life had to take priority. This is a must-read for anyone who loves fast-paced fantasy with an edge.
(Galley provided by the author via NetGalley.)
July 13, 2017
This book was incredibly enjoyable! The story of a girl constantly being dragged back in time to prevent the deaths of all her friends. As things continue she realizes that someone is maliciously trying to get at her specifically, because of an ancient ability she was born with.
I admit when I started and through the first 50 or so pages I was a bit unsure about this book. The writing was strong but it felt like it was going to be just your standard teenage drama (even though the summary made it clear that was not the case). By the time I hit the 10% mark though, I was completely hooked.
I knocked off one star because I really would have liked a better explanation of how the phoenix-thing works. And I know we don't find out because this story is told through Renata's perspective and she herself doesn't know, but it left me wondering at the end. Why Renata? How did this power start? How is it inherited?
I'm also not sure if I missed foreshadowing or if the reveal of the Big Bad came out of nowhere. It was certainly a surprise but I'm not sure if I liked how surprising it was or if it just felt totally tacked on.
Overall I was very impressed with this book and I'll definitely be watching out for other books by Knight in the future!
I admit when I started and through the first 50 or so pages I was a bit unsure about this book. The writing was strong but it felt like it was going to be just your standard teenage drama (even though the summary made it clear that was not the case). By the time I hit the 10% mark though, I was completely hooked.
I knocked off one star because I really would have liked a better explanation of how the phoenix-thing works. And I know we don't find out because this story is told through Renata's perspective and she herself doesn't know, but it left me wondering at the end. Why Renata? How did this power start? How is it inherited?
I'm also not sure if I missed foreshadowing or if the reveal of the Big Bad came out of nowhere. It was certainly a surprise but I'm not sure if I liked how surprising it was or if it just felt totally tacked on.
Overall I was very impressed with this book and I'll definitely be watching out for other books by Knight in the future!
October 13, 2018
It's prom night, it's supposed to be a magical evening, but it hasn't gone quite the way Renata Lake has expected when the cruise ship she's on is rocked with an explosion which leads the ship to a watery grave. Renata wakes up in an alternate world where she watches the events unfold in reverse, only to run for her life as the world crumbles around her, trying to escape, only to wake up a day in her life she has already lived where she must face her emotions head on and figure out what happened.
This story was refreshingly new to me. The main character, Renata, was surprisingly likeable and real and the other characters were interesting enough, although I would have liked to see more depth to them. It was fast paced and well thought out, I loved the ending. There were parts that resembled mini horror films that were especially thrilling, secluded lodge with a murderer on the loose, count me in. Karsten Knight does a really good job at describing the way things feel and unravelling the consequences of our actions. Renata actually learned things about life and herself throughout the book which was actually beautiful in a way.
Thank you netgalley for my copy.
This story was refreshingly new to me. The main character, Renata, was surprisingly likeable and real and the other characters were interesting enough, although I would have liked to see more depth to them. It was fast paced and well thought out, I loved the ending. There were parts that resembled mini horror films that were especially thrilling, secluded lodge with a murderer on the loose, count me in. Karsten Knight does a really good job at describing the way things feel and unravelling the consequences of our actions. Renata actually learned things about life and herself throughout the book which was actually beautiful in a way.
Thank you netgalley for my copy.
May 16, 2017
I received a free copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for a review, however I plan to purchase it so my teens can read it as well. I highly recommend this book. The author manages to successfully mix the demons Renata faces in her every day life-grief, regret, fear, jealousy-with the supernatural powers that she finds herself fighting. We see Renata emerging (literally and metaphorically) into her best self even as she moves backwards in time month by month watching her friends devolve and seeing their actions in the light of hindsight. The author successfully hides the villain among a cast of suspects of equal measure and although the villain was a surprise the ending was plausible. As I read I wondered how Renata would survive the events of the book emotionally if she survived them physically but the author covered all bases and managed to end the book in a very satisfying manner.
July 19, 2017
I was provided a Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I will be honest I requested this book because the cover was cool!!! So I went in somewhat blind to what the book was about – however, yes, yes you can judge a book by its cover
I loved the books premise and I thought the main character was snarky and great! The book starts off action packed and doesn’t stop….I LOVED how she would relive certain days and change the outcome of those said days and hopes it changes something down the road all while running from the “bad guys with a twist”, and saving her friends.
What a great book, very fast paced, great characters, and the mythology hint was a great twist. I felt the fast paced feel to the book actually worked for this story since there was a sense of urgency to the character and her actions.
I would recommend this book to others and I WILL be checking out more from the author: Karsten Knight
Solid 4 stars!
I will be honest I requested this book because the cover was cool!!! So I went in somewhat blind to what the book was about – however, yes, yes you can judge a book by its cover
I loved the books premise and I thought the main character was snarky and great! The book starts off action packed and doesn’t stop….I LOVED how she would relive certain days and change the outcome of those said days and hopes it changes something down the road all while running from the “bad guys with a twist”, and saving her friends.
What a great book, very fast paced, great characters, and the mythology hint was a great twist. I felt the fast paced feel to the book actually worked for this story since there was a sense of urgency to the character and her actions.
I would recommend this book to others and I WILL be checking out more from the author: Karsten Knight
Solid 4 stars!
June 8, 2017
When I saw that this book was compared to Before I Fall and Passengers. I knew I had to read it. I have only read Passengers by Alexandra Bracken, but Before I Fall is on my TBR. I can easily see how this is compared to Passengers.
I generally really enjoyed this book. It was a very fast paced easy read. My favorite kind of book! I loved all the plot points. The twists and turns. Hell I even really like the whole moral of the story. Or the fact that you're actually really learning a little something from this book. Or at least I did. This was a very unique take on this genre? It's hard to make a time travelling book that hasn't already been told or that doesn't have the same sort of plot points. This one is one in its own.
There are definitely points in the book that I felt I really related too, I liked that. You kind of learn a life lesson while reading it.
I generally really enjoyed this book. It was a very fast paced easy read. My favorite kind of book! I loved all the plot points. The twists and turns. Hell I even really like the whole moral of the story. Or the fact that you're actually really learning a little something from this book. Or at least I did. This was a very unique take on this genre? It's hard to make a time travelling book that hasn't already been told or that doesn't have the same sort of plot points. This one is one in its own.
There are definitely points in the book that I felt I really related too, I liked that. You kind of learn a life lesson while reading it.
August 12, 2017
Really interesting and different... I requested this from netgalley due to the comparison to other works that I enjoy but I found it to be very much its own specific story. Renata Lake survives a horrific situation where those around her perish and she finds herself thrust back in time after the survival. The story continues to start and stop at different periods of time in Renata's life as she is faced to relive those moments knowing those she loves could/will die a terrible death if she doesn't solve the mystery of who and why her. The suspense of the story actually grabbed me right away and I was intrigued by the story. It was a good read but there were some things I didn't truly understand and wished there had been a bit more explanation (like the time travel). Overall I will definitely recommend this story to my students and I will be looking for more by Karsten Knight!
March 23, 2022
Patchwork by Karsten Knight.
Renata Lake thought her relationship would be the only casualty of prom. Then the bomb went off.It was supposed to be a night to remember—a cruise through Boston Harbor, dancing beneath the stars. But when an explosion tears the ship apart, Renata wakes up in Patchwork, an ethereal world where all her memories have been stitched haphazardly together. In order to catch the assassin who murdered her friends, she’ll have to navigate the twisted landscape of her mind and relive critical moments from her past in search of clues. Can she uncover the killer’s identity and find her way back to the man she once loved before it’s too late?
A very good read with good characters. Likeable story. Slow until the bomb then I couldn't put it down. 4*.
Renata Lake thought her relationship would be the only casualty of prom. Then the bomb went off.It was supposed to be a night to remember—a cruise through Boston Harbor, dancing beneath the stars. But when an explosion tears the ship apart, Renata wakes up in Patchwork, an ethereal world where all her memories have been stitched haphazardly together. In order to catch the assassin who murdered her friends, she’ll have to navigate the twisted landscape of her mind and relive critical moments from her past in search of clues. Can she uncover the killer’s identity and find her way back to the man she once loved before it’s too late?
A very good read with good characters. Likeable story. Slow until the bomb then I couldn't put it down. 4*.
August 19, 2017
I enjoyed the Wildefire books so had high expectations for Patchwork... and was slightly disappointed. It, like Wildefire, had a good amount of action and suspense but I couldn't help but feel that some aspects were a bit cliched or like they had been borrowed from other popular young adult books. For example, Renata is an "average" girl in a love triangle-esque scenario with two extremely handsome guys. One is tall, pale and handsome, the other is super buff, dark and handsome... it just feels like a blatant Twilight rip off. There were also other elements that reminded me a lot of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. If you can look past this, it is a pretty enjoyable read.
August 1, 2017
Interesting beginning, which definitely intrigued me from the first chapter. I like the storyline, overall, but did not really become invested in the main protagonist. It was intense and fast paced and had moments that left me wondering. I liked the Phoenix myth aspect but I think there were too many paranormal elements for me to really become invested in the characters but that is just my own particularities. Overall, I think it is a good book and I enjoyed the read.
September 9, 2017
I received this book as a Goodreads.com giveaway.
High school is hard enough. When you add your friends getting killed as you travel back through time it gets near impossible.
Characters were fairly well developed but the dialog could have been a little better. Following the travel back through was not as difficult as many others books make it.
High school is hard enough. When you add your friends getting killed as you travel back through time it gets near impossible.
Characters were fairly well developed but the dialog could have been a little better. Following the travel back through was not as difficult as many others books make it.
December 31, 2017
a copy from Netgalley for an honest review
I found Patchwork well written and I loved the character Renata. Teenage angst entwined with a twist kept me a devoted reader till the end. I will be reading more from Karsten Knight
I found Patchwork well written and I loved the character Renata. Teenage angst entwined with a twist kept me a devoted reader till the end. I will be reading more from Karsten Knight
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