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Malice
What I know: a boy in my class will one day unleash a deadly pandemic that wipes out two-thirds of the population.
What I don’t know: who he is.
In a race against the clock, I not only have to figure out his identity, but I’ll have to outwit a voice from the future telling me to kill him. Because I’m starting to realize no one is telling the truth. But how can I play chess with someone who already knows the outcome of my every move? Someone so filled with malice they’ve lost all hope in humanity? Well, I’ll just have to find a way—because now they’ve drawn a target on the only boy I’ve ever loved...
What I don’t know: who he is.
In a race against the clock, I not only have to figure out his identity, but I’ll have to outwit a voice from the future telling me to kill him. Because I’m starting to realize no one is telling the truth. But how can I play chess with someone who already knows the outcome of my every move? Someone so filled with malice they’ve lost all hope in humanity? Well, I’ll just have to find a way—because now they’ve drawn a target on the only boy I’ve ever loved...
350 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2020
51 people are currently reading
7810 people want to read
About the author
Pintip Dunn
18 books1,009 followersPintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction. She graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B., and received her J.D. at Yale Law School.
Her novel FORGET TOMORROW won the 2016 RWA RITA® for Best First Book, and SEIZE TODAY won the 2018 RITA for Best Young Adult Romance. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have been nominated for the following awards: the Grand Prix del'Imaginaire; the Japanese Sakura Medal; the MASL Truman Award; the TomeSociety It list; and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award.
Her other titles include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, THE DARKEST LIE, GIRL ON THE VERGE, STAR-CROSSED, and MALICE.
She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.
Her novel FORGET TOMORROW won the 2016 RWA RITA® for Best First Book, and SEIZE TODAY won the 2018 RITA for Best Young Adult Romance. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have been nominated for the following awards: the Grand Prix del'Imaginaire; the Japanese Sakura Medal; the MASL Truman Award; the TomeSociety It list; and the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award.
Her other titles include REMEMBER YESTERDAY, THE DARKEST LIE, GIRL ON THE VERGE, STAR-CROSSED, and MALICE.
She lives with her husband and children in Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
April 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this one, especially the romance! It was super sweet with a stubborn heroine and a golden retriver love interest. I also liked the main plot about the time travel and how it affected the present day, how different their older selves were from them due to the things they went through, and that every relationship was healthy and people communicated with each other.
I read it in a day and actually see myself rereading it in the future, because it was that entertaining.
My only problem was with the ending, and although I understand why it needed to be like that, and it's also YA, so it was probably more suitable for the target audience, I waited for something different with more blood and heartbreak.
I read too many books in my life so I guessed everything pretty early on, but I still couldn't be 100% sure, so when things got revealed I didn't roll my eyes, I was just happy I was right. I wouldn't say it was predictable, for the target audience it probably would be a brain exercise and I recommend it to anyone, really. It's a fun time.
I read it in a day and actually see myself rereading it in the future, because it was that entertaining.
My only problem was with the ending, and although I understand why it needed to be like that, and it's also YA, so it was probably more suitable for the target audience, I waited for something different with more blood and heartbreak.
I read too many books in my life so I guessed everything pretty early on, but I still couldn't be 100% sure, so when things got revealed I didn't roll my eyes, I was just happy I was right. I wouldn't say it was predictable, for the target audience it probably would be a brain exercise and I recommend it to anyone, really. It's a fun time.
Read
May 24, 2020
Want to read
January 29, 2020*reads about a release where a virus is the main plot drive just while a real-life virus makes people show their true faces*
Me:
Me:
January 24, 2020
Pintip Dunn is back and her words are just as addictive. This is a suspense novel with a dash of romance and a whole lot of mystery. To save the world you must sabotage your future.
Alice is an ordinary girl with an extraordinary brother. She doesn’t think she’s anything special, in fact, she can’t even cook. When a voice in her head starts telling her she needs to save the world her future path is about to take a new route. Malice is the only way to stop a virus wiping out millions. What if you saw a glimpse of your future? Would you try and change it?
Alice knows the virus is created by someone at school but she doesn’t know all the facts. Now she has to test the waters and upset the balance. Starting with a cruel trick and a crazy message. Embarrassing herself is only half the battle. Losing hope isn’t an option.
Dystopian worlds are Pintip Dunn’s speciality. This one had me guessing all the way through. Her writing style pulls you in and makes you want to turn the page. I couldn’t wait to find out how all the pieces fit. Thankfully the ending didn’t disappoint and was executed perfectly.
This is a standalone story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Alice is an ordinary girl with an extraordinary brother. She doesn’t think she’s anything special, in fact, she can’t even cook. When a voice in her head starts telling her she needs to save the world her future path is about to take a new route. Malice is the only way to stop a virus wiping out millions. What if you saw a glimpse of your future? Would you try and change it?
Alice knows the virus is created by someone at school but she doesn’t know all the facts. Now she has to test the waters and upset the balance. Starting with a cruel trick and a crazy message. Embarrassing herself is only half the battle. Losing hope isn’t an option.
Dystopian worlds are Pintip Dunn’s speciality. This one had me guessing all the way through. Her writing style pulls you in and makes you want to turn the page. I couldn’t wait to find out how all the pieces fit. Thankfully the ending didn’t disappoint and was executed perfectly.
This is a standalone story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2020
4.5 ✨ Stars!!
What I know: a boy in my school will one day wipe out two-thirds of the population with a virus.
What I don’t know: who he is.
In a race against the clock, I not only have to figure out his identity, but I’ll have to outwit a voice from the future telling me to kill him. Because I’m starting to realize no one is telling the truth. But how can I play chess with someone who already knows the outcome of my every move? Someone so filled with malice they’ve lost all hope in humanity? Well, I’ll just have to find a way—because now they’ve drawn a target on the only boy I’ve ever loved...
OK- so first of all- can I just say that this was super creepy to read at times because of the whole Coronavirus thing happening...
had me low key wishing and praying time travel was actually a thing and possible.
Now - the story was great I am so glad to have gotten my hands on this as soon as I did. I love Pintips writing its simple and almost comes across as effortless. The way her books just flow is a lovely thing. The pacing was perfect and I adored the characters.
Malice is AKA Alice...I dont think that is a spoiler but, if it is OOPS. She is in highschool and has a voice suddenly talk to her in her head. It turns out that its herself from the future. Malice tells Alice that someone in her school will one day grow up, and come up with a virus that will wipe out 2/3 of the population. So she is tasked with the job of finding out who this person is.
How scary is that ? I am not sure I would handle things as calmly as Alice with a voice from the future popping in whenever they felt like it. For most of the book, I was nervous because I had a few ideas of who the virus creator was- but I didn't want it to be them!!! It was not a huge mystery, but she had me guessing for a while a least, and that is a plus. I felt this story to be different and it had a little sci-fi vibe that was refreshing- and I dont even like sci-fi, so basically is was the perfect amount for me personally. I really enjoyed it and hope she writes another book sooner than later!! 100% Recommend!!
April 7, 2020
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
YAY! I finally read Malice. Honestly, once I started to pick it up.. I just knew that I couldn't put it back down. No matter what.
In it, you will meet Alice. Now she seems to be the only real normal person at this STEM school for geniuses but that's because she kind of is. She only really got into the school because they thought she would be just like her older brother Archie. Turns out, she's a genius with a camera and can take pretty awesome photos.
Besides that, she is also the harry potter of this world. She's going to save everyone from some evil person called the Virus Maker. Of course, she has no idea who it actually is right now because the virus isn't a thing yet. No, it wont come out into the world killing millions and millions of people until the future.
Sounds familiar right?
Well, unlike what is happening in the world, Alice has a chance to fix everything before it even happens. At first the clues were kind of annoying because "older" Alice wasn't very helpful. Eventually we get to find out who the virus maker really is and at that point - I had no idea how things were going to play out.
Overall, definitely enjoyed this book.
YAY! I finally read Malice. Honestly, once I started to pick it up.. I just knew that I couldn't put it back down. No matter what.
In it, you will meet Alice. Now she seems to be the only real normal person at this STEM school for geniuses but that's because she kind of is. She only really got into the school because they thought she would be just like her older brother Archie. Turns out, she's a genius with a camera and can take pretty awesome photos.
Besides that, she is also the harry potter of this world. She's going to save everyone from some evil person called the Virus Maker. Of course, she has no idea who it actually is right now because the virus isn't a thing yet. No, it wont come out into the world killing millions and millions of people until the future.
Sounds familiar right?
Well, unlike what is happening in the world, Alice has a chance to fix everything before it even happens. At first the clues were kind of annoying because "older" Alice wasn't very helpful. Eventually we get to find out who the virus maker really is and at that point - I had no idea how things were going to play out.
Overall, definitely enjoyed this book.
March 20, 2020
Buddy Read with Dragons & Tea Book Club!
First, I'd like to say that this book was picked for March before everything went crazy IRL. I think it's important to say this has some people could be offended by the poor taste in sending invites to the group member to read a book about a deadly virus in those times. It wasn't the case, this book was picked before and there was no reason to change it since it wasn't done on purpose.
Alice is an interesting heroine and the twists, while somehow predictable, were well still good and very well done. The writing is compelling enough, and overall it's a good book that I did enjoy. Unfortunately, there are also facts that were not plausible at all (and I'm not talking about time-travel), like believing right away a voice in your head telling you it's from the future. Personally, if I heard a voice in my head I would think I need help instead of believing everything that voice is saying to me. The credibility was definitely lacking there.
The message in this book is still a powerful one and like I said, I did like this book and think it's worth reading.
First, I'd like to say that this book was picked for March before everything went crazy IRL. I think it's important to say this has some people could be offended by the poor taste in sending invites to the group member to read a book about a deadly virus in those times. It wasn't the case, this book was picked before and there was no reason to change it since it wasn't done on purpose.
Alice is an interesting heroine and the twists, while somehow predictable, were well still good and very well done. The writing is compelling enough, and overall it's a good book that I did enjoy. Unfortunately, there are also facts that were not plausible at all (and I'm not talking about time-travel), like believing right away a voice in your head telling you it's from the future. Personally, if I heard a voice in my head I would think I need help instead of believing everything that voice is saying to me. The credibility was definitely lacking there.
The message in this book is still a powerful one and like I said, I did like this book and think it's worth reading.
March 24, 2020
Wow what a great first book by this author! This wasn’t her debut novel but it was my first book that I read and I really enjoyed it!
Thanks to the dragons and tea book club for picking this as their buddy read this month!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the dragons and tea book club for picking this as their buddy read this month!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 1, 2020
March pick for the Dragons & Tea bookclub 🐉
✨ 3 / 5 ✨
This was overall a fun and well-paced story and I was originally leaning towards a 3.5 or 3.75 rating but as I was writing this review I found myself writing down quite a few complaints.
This was picked for the D&T book club back in December but the timing couldn’t have been weirder. Sometimes, however, it’s those eerily specific stories that can help us through a tough time. This was especially true here as even though the basic premise seemed very similar to our circumstances, the actual execution of the story itself was miles apart and weirdly comforting. It personally provided me with a great sense of escapism.
The premise itself I found very intriguing. Within the first few chapters we’re introduced to the heart of the matter: Alice hears a voice in her head and it’s supposedly herself from 10 years in the future. One more thing: she needs to tell Bandit, a virtual stranger, that she loves him to save the future of humanity. Seems easy enough. I really liked the pacing of this book, I think it held up well to keep the reader questioning and entertained. There wasn’t any moment where I felt bored but we also got enough time to understand the characters. I think the ending was pretty solid even though it wasn’t my favourite and felt a bit melodramatic.
My one big issue with the book however was that the time-travel aspect felt very vague and untethered within this world. I imagine that it was done so to keep the pace up but it also left me with many unanswered questions. One thing about the resolution of the book left me pretty skeptical too and didn’t entirely make sense to me. A few of my gripes with the book are actually pretty spoilery so I’ll leave them hidden.
I enjoyed the characters in this book but there were moments where I felt a bit disconnected from them and where I wish I could feel a little bit more towards them. I did really love Bandit but his type of character will always be a favourite and that’s just a fact of life. Give me all of the fake cockiness and bravado of the world, slap it on a loveable angel with a dysfunctional family and a sense of inadequacy and I’ll love that character without hesitation.
I think we were able to understand Alice and her motivations really well throughout the book although there were a couple of times where I had trouble understanding her decisions. She was really likeable in a realistic way but I can’t say I was especially attached to her character. What I absolutely loved about her was her unwavering love for her brother and even her family as a whole despite the difficulties.
I really wanted to care for the romance in this, I really really did but… it kind of fell flat for me. I liked the characters separately and I can’t deny that they had their moments and quotes that moved me but at the end of the day I wasn’t really rooting for them that much. I felt a sense of obligation, I guess, of liking them as a couple because they weren’t supposed to fall for one another rather than having actual strong feelings of them belonging together.
No matter the gripe I had with the ending I appreciated its message about appreciating the small daily things, how not only big events but the accumulation of small occurrences build your reality and shape who you are as a person.
I think that it also highlighted that one single person cannot be bearing the sole responsibility of someone else’s happiness and wellbeing. One can care and help, be there for that other person but they can’t be the only thing tethering them to hope and goodness. I did not however really like how the explanation made the creator of the virus be basically forgiven.
This book was a lot of fun and I had no trouble wanting to get to the next chapter every time but it was somewhat lacking in terms of the emotional impact I was expecting from it.
You can also find me on Youtube & Twitter ✨
✨ 3 / 5 ✨
This was overall a fun and well-paced story and I was originally leaning towards a 3.5 or 3.75 rating but as I was writing this review I found myself writing down quite a few complaints.
This was picked for the D&T book club back in December but the timing couldn’t have been weirder. Sometimes, however, it’s those eerily specific stories that can help us through a tough time. This was especially true here as even though the basic premise seemed very similar to our circumstances, the actual execution of the story itself was miles apart and weirdly comforting. It personally provided me with a great sense of escapism.
The premise itself I found very intriguing. Within the first few chapters we’re introduced to the heart of the matter: Alice hears a voice in her head and it’s supposedly herself from 10 years in the future. One more thing: she needs to tell Bandit, a virtual stranger, that she loves him to save the future of humanity. Seems easy enough. I really liked the pacing of this book, I think it held up well to keep the reader questioning and entertained. There wasn’t any moment where I felt bored but we also got enough time to understand the characters. I think the ending was pretty solid even though it wasn’t my favourite and felt a bit melodramatic.
My one big issue with the book however was that the time-travel aspect felt very vague and untethered within this world. I imagine that it was done so to keep the pace up but it also left me with many unanswered questions. One thing about the resolution of the book left me pretty skeptical too and didn’t entirely make sense to me. A few of my gripes with the book are actually pretty spoilery so I’ll leave them hidden.
I enjoyed the characters in this book but there were moments where I felt a bit disconnected from them and where I wish I could feel a little bit more towards them. I did really love Bandit but his type of character will always be a favourite and that’s just a fact of life. Give me all of the fake cockiness and bravado of the world, slap it on a loveable angel with a dysfunctional family and a sense of inadequacy and I’ll love that character without hesitation.
I think we were able to understand Alice and her motivations really well throughout the book although there were a couple of times where I had trouble understanding her decisions. She was really likeable in a realistic way but I can’t say I was especially attached to her character. What I absolutely loved about her was her unwavering love for her brother and even her family as a whole despite the difficulties.
I really wanted to care for the romance in this, I really really did but… it kind of fell flat for me. I liked the characters separately and I can’t deny that they had their moments and quotes that moved me but at the end of the day I wasn’t really rooting for them that much. I felt a sense of obligation, I guess, of liking them as a couple because they weren’t supposed to fall for one another rather than having actual strong feelings of them belonging together.
No matter the gripe I had with the ending I appreciated its message about appreciating the small daily things, how not only big events but the accumulation of small occurrences build your reality and shape who you are as a person.
I think that it also highlighted that one single person cannot be bearing the sole responsibility of someone else’s happiness and wellbeing. One can care and help, be there for that other person but they can’t be the only thing tethering them to hope and goodness. I did not however really like how the explanation made the creator of the virus be basically forgiven.
This book was a lot of fun and I had no trouble wanting to get to the next chapter every time but it was somewhat lacking in terms of the emotional impact I was expecting from it.
You can also find me on Youtube & Twitter ✨
March 18, 2020
*4.5 Strars*
Yet another buddy read with the Dragons & Tea book club!
A visual representation of my brain while reading this:
There was not a single point in this book where I knew exactly what was going on or what was going to happen. There were some points where I THOUGHT I knew, but really I was just a fool. That whole ending was chaos. But I did not mind it in the slightest. I could not put this book down. No, seriously, I have absolutely ZERO self-control and I stayed up all night reading it… I think it's safe to say I was hooked.
The only flaw I can think of is that the writing style was just not for me, in the beginning it reminded me a little of the fanfics I used to read a while back. But I got used to it, and never looked back. I'm willing to completely overlook this because the story was so interesting.
I honestly thought I wouldn’t like Alice, the main character, just because she seemed so average. But I was very wrong. I actually ended up liking her quite a bit. Both her future self and her present self. There's quite a bit I could say about all the characters but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just shut up now.
Yet another buddy read with the Dragons & Tea book club!
A visual representation of my brain while reading this:
There was not a single point in this book where I knew exactly what was going on or what was going to happen. There were some points where I THOUGHT I knew, but really I was just a fool. That whole ending was chaos. But I did not mind it in the slightest. I could not put this book down. No, seriously, I have absolutely ZERO self-control and I stayed up all night reading it… I think it's safe to say I was hooked.
The only flaw I can think of is that the writing style was just not for me, in the beginning it reminded me a little of the fanfics I used to read a while back. But I got used to it, and never looked back. I'm willing to completely overlook this because the story was so interesting.
I honestly thought I wouldn’t like Alice, the main character, just because she seemed so average. But I was very wrong. I actually ended up liking her quite a bit. Both her future self and her present self. There's quite a bit I could say about all the characters but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just shut up now.
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January 4, 2020
2.5 stars rounded up.
It's been too long since I read this book to give a full-length review, but here are the basic:
THE PLOT
17-year-old Alice is just living her life when out of the blue, she's psychically contacted by her older self. Older Self (OS) says that in the future, a madman has unleashed a deadly virus and killed millions. It's her job to stop him in the present - because he goes to her school. OS pushes her into the path of Bandit, a popular nerdy jock, in embarrassing ways.
THE GOOD
✔️ Diversity. Bandit is Thai, as is Alice's best friend Lalana, and I felt like we got a good (if a bit small, but that's okay) glimpse into Thai culture.
✔️ Funny, pseudo-antagonistic banter between Alice and Bandit.
✔️ I felt like Bandit's character was fleshed out very well - much better than I was expecting, in fact.
THE BAD
❌ The plot... it was like the plot was on drugs. There were crazy, unrealistic twists (I'm talking extra unrealistic, not even just the premise of time travel) and Alice did unreasonable, uncharacteristic things like PREPARING TO MURDER SOMEONE just on OS's say-so. The last 10% of the book especially was absolutely ridiculous.
❌ Alice's character is very inconsistent. She claims to love her best friend, but never thinks about her once she's gone. She willingly destroys Lalana's life without once doubting what she's about to do. Alice then sort of has a crush on her brother Archie's best friend (some guy whose name begins with K) and keeps telling us how sweet and handsome he is, without ever giving any examples of his sweetness. I'm not sure her and K-guy ever even have a conversation, in fact, which made the author's attempt to develop a love triangle laughable.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
It's been too long since I read this book to give a full-length review, but here are the basic:
THE PLOT
17-year-old Alice is just living her life when out of the blue, she's psychically contacted by her older self. Older Self (OS) says that in the future, a madman has unleashed a deadly virus and killed millions. It's her job to stop him in the present - because he goes to her school. OS pushes her into the path of Bandit, a popular nerdy jock, in embarrassing ways.
THE GOOD
✔️ Diversity. Bandit is Thai, as is Alice's best friend Lalana, and I felt like we got a good (if a bit small, but that's okay) glimpse into Thai culture.
✔️ Funny, pseudo-antagonistic banter between Alice and Bandit.
✔️ I felt like Bandit's character was fleshed out very well - much better than I was expecting, in fact.
THE BAD
❌ The plot... it was like the plot was on drugs. There were crazy, unrealistic twists (I'm talking extra unrealistic, not even just the premise of time travel) and Alice did unreasonable, uncharacteristic things like PREPARING TO MURDER SOMEONE just on OS's say-so. The last 10% of the book especially was absolutely ridiculous.
❌ Alice's character is very inconsistent. She claims to love her best friend, but never thinks about her once she's gone. She willingly destroys Lalana's life without once doubting what she's about to do. Alice then sort of has a crush on her brother Archie's best friend (some guy whose name begins with K) and keeps telling us how sweet and handsome he is, without ever giving any examples of his sweetness. I'm not sure her and K-guy ever even have a conversation, in fact, which made the author's attempt to develop a love triangle laughable.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
February 5, 2020
I went into Malice with a slight bias, but I'm glad that this book only cemented the fact that Pintip Dunn is my favorite author.
If you're a fan of well executed plot twists with Malice you're in for a treat. I found myself guessing along the way, only to be absolutely mistaken for the most part.
Dunn's leading ladies are always stellar, so I knew not to expect anything less. Alice was well developed, executed in a way that it was impossible not to feel for her. Bandit was one hell of a love interest, and the relationship between him and Alice was dynamic and fun to experience, their interactions as well. I have to note that all characters felt nuanced, I have a hard time picking who was my favorite.
I loved the world-building. The idea behind it all, the mechanics of the world were fun and unique. The story was engrossing, and the plot was paced to my liking. That, along with Dunn's writing style, made Malice hard to put down.
I recommend this book. I think it's an amazing addition to YA, and with it's perfect balance of sci-fi, romance and thriller, it's a book that you shouldn't skip.
*Copy received through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review
*Rating: 5/5 stars
If you're a fan of well executed plot twists with Malice you're in for a treat. I found myself guessing along the way, only to be absolutely mistaken for the most part.
Dunn's leading ladies are always stellar, so I knew not to expect anything less. Alice was well developed, executed in a way that it was impossible not to feel for her. Bandit was one hell of a love interest, and the relationship between him and Alice was dynamic and fun to experience, their interactions as well. I have to note that all characters felt nuanced, I have a hard time picking who was my favorite.
I loved the world-building. The idea behind it all, the mechanics of the world were fun and unique. The story was engrossing, and the plot was paced to my liking. That, along with Dunn's writing style, made Malice hard to put down.
I recommend this book. I think it's an amazing addition to YA, and with it's perfect balance of sci-fi, romance and thriller, it's a book that you shouldn't skip.
*Copy received through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review
*Rating: 5/5 stars
September 19, 2020
2.5 Stars
So.
In my last few reviews I have been a bit negative about romance in books. I am not going to do that in this review. I am not going to mention that the love interests called themselves something like ‘soulmates across different timelines’ (I have forgotten the exact words because I blocked it out). I am also not going to comment on the fact that at one point they started giggling, then tickled each other and rolled around on the ground laughing and staring goofily at each other.
On with the review.
I’m not a scientist so I can't really comment on this too much but I think if you are looking for a story with real scientific plausibility then move on folks. Move on. I mean a teenager cracked ‘mind time travel’ with the help of a blue haired guy massaging her shoulders to help her think...
Just accept this story as a fun race to save the world from imminent disaster. There were a few plot holes and really bad dialogue but I tried not to fixate on those because I did like the premise. Just okay for me.
So.
In my last few reviews I have been a bit negative about romance in books. I am not going to do that in this review. I am not going to mention that the love interests called themselves something like ‘soulmates across different timelines’ (I have forgotten the exact words because I blocked it out). I am also not going to comment on the fact that at one point they started giggling, then tickled each other and rolled around on the ground laughing and staring goofily at each other.
On with the review.
I’m not a scientist so I can't really comment on this too much but I think if you are looking for a story with real scientific plausibility then move on folks. Move on. I mean a teenager cracked ‘mind time travel’ with the help of a blue haired guy massaging her shoulders to help her think...
Just accept this story as a fun race to save the world from imminent disaster. There were a few plot holes and really bad dialogue but I tried not to fixate on those because I did like the premise. Just okay for me.
January 16, 2020
Here's the thing: *blows out a wrenched breath and grips the bridge of my nose* I wanted so much to like this.
I tried so hard to like the wildly unrealistic, sometimes downright outlandish plot. I hoped and I waited for the timey wimey wibbly wobbly of it all to ground itself in something more scientifically plausible, or at least in something with sensical rules that made it seem like time travel could exist in Alice's world. After all, it was buzz words like "voice from the future" and "stop a deadly virus" that attracted me to this book in the first place. It was the sci-fi impetus behind my initial interest.
I mean--I am all about traveling through fictional wormholes! Just shove me into one and color it with modulations that make it seem real.
Unfortunately for me, however, I found this story disintegrated into too much dramatic unbelievability for me to be able to buy into the whole Save the World emotion and conflict it attempted to elicit. It veered too much into close-your-eyes-snap-your-fingers-and-think magic instead of science.
Like, come on! You're telling me that when a random voice ZAPS into your head without warning you're going to believe what it tells you with hardly any hesitation because it tells you it's from the future? So much so that you're going to heed its "go over there and tell Bandit you love him" instructions almost immediately? You're confused at first, yes, but not skeptical or resistant. What? Then you're supposed to stop a virus's creation by stopping the person responsible for engineering it. Essentially signing yourself up to commit with no more information at your disposal than the I'm You In Ten Years insight from the voice that just randomly popped into your consciousness at school. Really?
Not to go all Cher Horowitz here but: AS IF !!! AS IF from any human being with any natural instincts at all.
Malice was just... too far-fetched for my liking. (Absolutely absurd in places.) Mind you, I did appreciate the Thai diversity shown here as well as Bandit and Alice's progression from strangers to friends to blue-stylin' lovers but I couldn't get past the hollow execution of the time/future element. The Maker reveal was anticlimatic, too, considering the culprit was easily deducible within the first couple of chapters.
All in all, it was a lackluster "okay" for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.
I tried so hard to like the wildly unrealistic, sometimes downright outlandish plot. I hoped and I waited for the timey wimey wibbly wobbly of it all to ground itself in something more scientifically plausible, or at least in something with sensical rules that made it seem like time travel could exist in Alice's world. After all, it was buzz words like "voice from the future" and "stop a deadly virus" that attracted me to this book in the first place. It was the sci-fi impetus behind my initial interest.
I mean--I am all about traveling through fictional wormholes! Just shove me into one and color it with modulations that make it seem real.
Unfortunately for me, however, I found this story disintegrated into too much dramatic unbelievability for me to be able to buy into the whole Save the World emotion and conflict it attempted to elicit. It veered too much into close-your-eyes-snap-your-fingers-and-think magic instead of science.
Like, come on! You're telling me that when a random voice ZAPS into your head without warning you're going to believe what it tells you with hardly any hesitation because it tells you it's from the future? So much so that you're going to heed its "go over there and tell Bandit you love him" instructions almost immediately? You're confused at first, yes, but not skeptical or resistant. What? Then you're supposed to stop a virus's creation by stopping the person responsible for engineering it. Essentially signing yourself up to commit with no more information at your disposal than the I'm You In Ten Years insight from the voice that just randomly popped into your consciousness at school. Really?
Not to go all Cher Horowitz here but: AS IF !!! AS IF from any human being with any natural instincts at all.
Malice was just... too far-fetched for my liking. (Absolutely absurd in places.) Mind you, I did appreciate the Thai diversity shown here as well as Bandit and Alice's progression from strangers to friends to blue-stylin' lovers but I couldn't get past the hollow execution of the time/future element. The Maker reveal was anticlimatic, too, considering the culprit was easily deducible within the first couple of chapters.
All in all, it was a lackluster "okay" for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC.
February 8, 2020
Check out my full review on my blog here! https://pawsomereads.home.blog/2020/0...
“One step, one kindness, one moment at a time.”
Malice by Pintip Dunn follows Alice, our narrator, who attends a STEM school for geniuses like her older brother Archie and his best friend, Zeke. The reader soon discovers that Alice, who would rather be a photographer than any sort of science genius, is the key to saving the future of the human race. It all starts when she’s forced to tell a popular-yet-nerdy jock, Bandit, that she loves him.
This book has everything: mystery, time travel, action, science, romance, deceit and a brooding, arrogant boy with blue hair. I mean honestly, what more could you ask for? This book has a fast-moving, yet well-developed plot that sucked me in from the very beginning. I love the way that time travel was handled in the story! It wasn’t something I was expecting from the synopsis alone but I thought it was really well done. I don’t want to give away too much about this as it’s an important plot point throughout the timeline of the novel but I truly appreciated Dunn’s inclusion of time travel.
Each character is very dynamic and I loved that the true villain of the story remained a mystery for so much of the book as these morally gray characters kept me guessing as to who was the culprit. The mystery aspect was such an interesting layer to the book and the characterization played such an important role in that. We really get to see the characters shift and change as they react to the world and future changing with them. In addition to the characters I really enjoyed the writing style with it’s amazing descriptions as well as the world building. It was clear that a lot of forethought was put into making this book and creating the idea behind the future tragedy that would rock the world. My one wish is that the end was a bit more flushed-out. It felt rushed to me and like we didn’t reach an exact conclusion as a reader. This is a story that I feel could have used an epilogue to make it fully complete. Otherwise, this was an amazing read to start off on for February!
Thank you to Pintip Dunn, Entangled Publishing and FFBC Tours for sending me a copy of Malice in exchange for an honest review!
“One step, one kindness, one moment at a time.”
Malice by Pintip Dunn follows Alice, our narrator, who attends a STEM school for geniuses like her older brother Archie and his best friend, Zeke. The reader soon discovers that Alice, who would rather be a photographer than any sort of science genius, is the key to saving the future of the human race. It all starts when she’s forced to tell a popular-yet-nerdy jock, Bandit, that she loves him.
This book has everything: mystery, time travel, action, science, romance, deceit and a brooding, arrogant boy with blue hair. I mean honestly, what more could you ask for? This book has a fast-moving, yet well-developed plot that sucked me in from the very beginning. I love the way that time travel was handled in the story! It wasn’t something I was expecting from the synopsis alone but I thought it was really well done. I don’t want to give away too much about this as it’s an important plot point throughout the timeline of the novel but I truly appreciated Dunn’s inclusion of time travel.
Each character is very dynamic and I loved that the true villain of the story remained a mystery for so much of the book as these morally gray characters kept me guessing as to who was the culprit. The mystery aspect was such an interesting layer to the book and the characterization played such an important role in that. We really get to see the characters shift and change as they react to the world and future changing with them. In addition to the characters I really enjoyed the writing style with it’s amazing descriptions as well as the world building. It was clear that a lot of forethought was put into making this book and creating the idea behind the future tragedy that would rock the world. My one wish is that the end was a bit more flushed-out. It felt rushed to me and like we didn’t reach an exact conclusion as a reader. This is a story that I feel could have used an epilogue to make it fully complete. Otherwise, this was an amazing read to start off on for February!
Thank you to Pintip Dunn, Entangled Publishing and FFBC Tours for sending me a copy of Malice in exchange for an honest review!
March 20, 2020
“one step, one kindness, one moment at a time.”
I enjoyed this book so very much. so so so very much. yeah the timing is weird, yeah I've read this book during a worldwide pandemic, but it was actually helpful in making me feel less stressed out. this book is addicting to say the least, it's about a tough subject but it's also quite light at times. and it's so damn hopeful. the overall message of the book is having hope in humanity, and I think that's what I needed to read right now. also, I love the two main characters, Alice and Bandit, I loved the small pieces of Thai culture. I think it's a very solid sci-fi standalone. I would have wanted a bit more time spent on the ending, but overall it's really solid. and very heartwarming! (4.25)
I enjoyed this book so very much. so so so very much. yeah the timing is weird, yeah I've read this book during a worldwide pandemic, but it was actually helpful in making me feel less stressed out. this book is addicting to say the least, it's about a tough subject but it's also quite light at times. and it's so damn hopeful. the overall message of the book is having hope in humanity, and I think that's what I needed to read right now. also, I love the two main characters, Alice and Bandit, I loved the small pieces of Thai culture. I think it's a very solid sci-fi standalone. I would have wanted a bit more time spent on the ending, but overall it's really solid. and very heartwarming! (4.25)
February 5, 2020
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Syfy / Thriller
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
"One wrong move, one detail too many, and we could create ripples that will change the future in ways we never intended." Malice
Author Pintip Dunn's Malice is the first book in a new series, or so the author stated on Goodreads. What you need to know: 17-year old Alice Sherman dreams of one day taking pictures for National Geographic. She's quite good, actually. Her mother left 6 years ago without an explanation as to why. She lives with her father who runs a bio-tech company, and her brother Archie who is a genius as is most everyone at her High School. Then, one day a voice, who I shall call Malice for this review, tells Alice that she should tell a boy named Bandit Sakda that she loves him.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Syfy / Thriller
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
"One wrong move, one detail too many, and we could create ripples that will change the future in ways we never intended." Malice
Author Pintip Dunn's Malice is the first book in a new series, or so the author stated on Goodreads. What you need to know: 17-year old Alice Sherman dreams of one day taking pictures for National Geographic. She's quite good, actually. Her mother left 6 years ago without an explanation as to why. She lives with her father who runs a bio-tech company, and her brother Archie who is a genius as is most everyone at her High School. Then, one day a voice, who I shall call Malice for this review, tells Alice that she should tell a boy named Bandit Sakda that she loves him.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 9, 2022
(Reread in march 2022, I enjoyed it the second time 👍 4.5 stars)
Wow I’m quite impressed, starting off the year right with the first 5 star read of 2020.
Malice was a nice surprise, I didn’t know much about the storyline which made all the better. There was so many twists and turns, I was continuously waiting with anticipation for what was to happen next throughout the book, it kept me on my toes thats for sure.
The story itself was quite fascinating, I thought the way time travel was included in the story was done quite well.
I’m not ready to leave this story yet.
Alice the main character was a delight to follow, I quite enjoyed experiencing her development in the story. A bit stubborn at times, she turns into a strong woman.
As for Bandit, I loved him, his and Alice’s growing friendship (& relationship) was everything I wanted, always with some ups and downs of course.
I highly recommend this book
Also just purchased a used hardcover of this book & turns out its autographed 👏😄
Wow I’m quite impressed, starting off the year right with the first 5 star read of 2020.
Malice was a nice surprise, I didn’t know much about the storyline which made all the better. There was so many twists and turns, I was continuously waiting with anticipation for what was to happen next throughout the book, it kept me on my toes thats for sure.
The story itself was quite fascinating, I thought the way time travel was included in the story was done quite well.
I’m not ready to leave this story yet.
Alice the main character was a delight to follow, I quite enjoyed experiencing her development in the story. A bit stubborn at times, she turns into a strong woman.
As for Bandit, I loved him, his and Alice’s growing friendship (& relationship) was everything I wanted, always with some ups and downs of course.
I highly recommend this book
Also just purchased a used hardcover of this book & turns out its autographed 👏😄
February 8, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This book was so freaking good. Like, unputdownable, full of twists and turns and characters and feels. When I started, I didn't know that it would take as much of a sci-fi turn as it did, but I was really excited that it did! So let us delve into all the phenomenal stuff I loved in this book!
What I Loved:
• So much gray morality! I mean, the grayest of gray, The 100-level gray. I love me some morally ambiguous decision making, and Malice has it in droves! The choices these characters will have to make are loaded. Do they trust the voices telling them what they must do? Can they trust anyone? And how exactly can Alice make these decisions between the people she loves, and people in general? Love it. In the same vein, it's incredibly thought provoking and asks all sorts of questions that if you're like me, you have no idea how you'd answer!
• The characters were awesome all around. Alice was a great main character, for sure. She reacts to the information she gets and the decisions she must make in really authentic ways. And feeling invested in the side characters was equally important, because the stakes all felt super high as a result- I obviously cared what happened to all of them!
• It 100% kept me guessing. And oh, did I have guesses! My Kindle notes are filled with "ooooh I bet it's X!" and "oh nope, nope it's gotta be Y!" and of course I was wrong most of the time but guessed often enough that I ended up being right ;)
• Positively engrossing. Like I mentioned before, it was unputdownable. I stayed up too long reading, and paid for it the next day, and didn't even care. I read it every spare minute I had, tbh. Even when maybe I wasn't supposed to be reading 🙊
• The entire plot felt so unique and fresh, and I just devoured it. I extra liked that it was a bit more sci-fi than I'd expected. I think I expected mostly contemporary, and it was to an extent, but I also got this extra dose of sci-fi awesomeness!
Bottom Line: An absolute page-turner with phenomenal characters, thought-provoking choices, and a plot that captured me from the start.
This book was so freaking good. Like, unputdownable, full of twists and turns and characters and feels. When I started, I didn't know that it would take as much of a sci-fi turn as it did, but I was really excited that it did! So let us delve into all the phenomenal stuff I loved in this book!
What I Loved:
• So much gray morality! I mean, the grayest of gray, The 100-level gray. I love me some morally ambiguous decision making, and Malice has it in droves! The choices these characters will have to make are loaded. Do they trust the voices telling them what they must do? Can they trust anyone? And how exactly can Alice make these decisions between the people she loves, and people in general? Love it. In the same vein, it's incredibly thought provoking and asks all sorts of questions that if you're like me, you have no idea how you'd answer!
• The characters were awesome all around. Alice was a great main character, for sure. She reacts to the information she gets and the decisions she must make in really authentic ways. And feeling invested in the side characters was equally important, because the stakes all felt super high as a result- I obviously cared what happened to all of them!
• It 100% kept me guessing. And oh, did I have guesses! My Kindle notes are filled with "ooooh I bet it's X!" and "oh nope, nope it's gotta be Y!" and of course I was wrong most of the time but guessed often enough that I ended up being right ;)
• Positively engrossing. Like I mentioned before, it was unputdownable. I stayed up too long reading, and paid for it the next day, and didn't even care. I read it every spare minute I had, tbh. Even when maybe I wasn't supposed to be reading 🙊
• The entire plot felt so unique and fresh, and I just devoured it. I extra liked that it was a bit more sci-fi than I'd expected. I think I expected mostly contemporary, and it was to an extent, but I also got this extra dose of sci-fi awesomeness!
Bottom Line: An absolute page-turner with phenomenal characters, thought-provoking choices, and a plot that captured me from the start.
January 9, 2020
⭐️ BOOK REVIEW ⭐️
Thanks to @this_is_edelweiss @entangledteen and @pintip_dunn for my eARC of Malice. This book is due for release on 4 Feb 2020.
This is a YA sci-fi thriller and really does fill those mighty boots. It’s pacy, exciting and full of teenage angst. I was a little nervous when I discovered the ages of the characters but there really was no need. It’s mature without being too advanced for their years.
The sci-fi concept blended with the who done it element worked really well. The friendships were true and solid and you really feel for Alice (MC) along the way with the choices she has to make. Sometimes it was a little giddy and unrealistic, but it’s a sci-fi novel, if that genre can’t be a little out there then what can?!
Great fun, easy reading and good engaging writing.
Thanks to @this_is_edelweiss @entangledteen and @pintip_dunn for my eARC of Malice. This book is due for release on 4 Feb 2020.
This is a YA sci-fi thriller and really does fill those mighty boots. It’s pacy, exciting and full of teenage angst. I was a little nervous when I discovered the ages of the characters but there really was no need. It’s mature without being too advanced for their years.
The sci-fi concept blended with the who done it element worked really well. The friendships were true and solid and you really feel for Alice (MC) along the way with the choices she has to make. Sometimes it was a little giddy and unrealistic, but it’s a sci-fi novel, if that genre can’t be a little out there then what can?!
Great fun, easy reading and good engaging writing.
April 15, 2020
April 15, 2020: A slow pacing that isn't my personal choice made this a little difficult to get hooked onto but once the ball started rolling at a considerable speed, it gave enough to keep me by the edge. From interesting themes like time=travel that can impress the right audience to likeable characters who you can't help but root for, this speculative science-fiction has factors to become a favorite even though it didn't meet all my expectations.
January 15, 2020: Thank you, Netgalley & Entangled Teen for the digital review copy!
January 15, 2020: Thank you, Netgalley & Entangled Teen for the digital review copy!
February 2, 2020
Please note: I will be stingy about giving specifics in this review because I really don’t want to inadvertently spoil the story for you.
Malice by Pintip Dunn is an amazing young adult thriller that I didn’t want to put down. From the very opening to the ending, it was a roller coaster ride of feeling and tension culminating in a satisfying ending.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/02/0...
Malice by Pintip Dunn is an amazing young adult thriller that I didn’t want to put down. From the very opening to the ending, it was a roller coaster ride of feeling and tension culminating in a satisfying ending.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/02/0...
July 19, 2021
In the words of the great Owen Wilson WOW
From the premise of the book I expected it to be a fluffy YA romance with the time travel aspect taking a back seat, but WOW this is a solid Scifi.
Loved the main characters and Bandit is one of my favourites.
This book is criminally underrated.
Go read it already!
From the premise of the book I expected it to be a fluffy YA romance with the time travel aspect taking a back seat, but WOW this is a solid Scifi.
Loved the main characters and Bandit is one of my favourites.
This book is criminally underrated.
Go read it already!
May 13, 2020
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Entangled Publishing for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
Okay seriously this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire night I was reading it. If I wasn’t out for three whole days last week – meetings and a super bad migraine day – then I would have called out to finish this (well it’s a good thing I didn’t because that day I finished it, I had to do some important stuff, which I got done so WHOOT WHOOT). But YUS! I just wanted to stay home and read this whole thing in one sitting and that honestly rarely happens with me. Usually I need some sort of break in between.
So I normally totally forget about the synopsis or blurb of a book by the time I start reading it because I have been burned before and I just don’t want to remember that time. And this book was starting off as a cute little contemporary and I’m like…. okay that’s not the vibe I was getting from this cover but okay okay.
Then THE VOICE comes out of nowhere and literally gives her some full body shock and I’m like THERE IT IS. There’s the cray I was looking for. So I wasn’t disappointed. And then the whole thing about who the Voice actually was and like the future and all the steps that our girl Malice – I mean Alice – has to take to prevent a total freaking apocalypse breaking out from this virus thing killing like pretty much everyone… and wow I was in for the time of my darn life.
And that’s not even mentioning my boy Bandit! Ughhhhh what a cutie. I love his blue hair, from what I envision it to look like, and he just gives me all the bad boy image but really a good guy underneath vibes that I absolutely love and adore. UGH okay I just loved this one okay?! I don’t even know what else to say about it. I just loved it.
Okay seriously this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire night I was reading it. If I wasn’t out for three whole days last week – meetings and a super bad migraine day – then I would have called out to finish this (well it’s a good thing I didn’t because that day I finished it, I had to do some important stuff, which I got done so WHOOT WHOOT). But YUS! I just wanted to stay home and read this whole thing in one sitting and that honestly rarely happens with me. Usually I need some sort of break in between.
So I normally totally forget about the synopsis or blurb of a book by the time I start reading it because I have been burned before and I just don’t want to remember that time. And this book was starting off as a cute little contemporary and I’m like…. okay that’s not the vibe I was getting from this cover but okay okay.
Then THE VOICE comes out of nowhere and literally gives her some full body shock and I’m like THERE IT IS. There’s the cray I was looking for. So I wasn’t disappointed. And then the whole thing about who the Voice actually was and like the future and all the steps that our girl Malice – I mean Alice – has to take to prevent a total freaking apocalypse breaking out from this virus thing killing like pretty much everyone… and wow I was in for the time of my darn life.
And that’s not even mentioning my boy Bandit! Ughhhhh what a cutie. I love his blue hair, from what I envision it to look like, and he just gives me all the bad boy image but really a good guy underneath vibes that I absolutely love and adore. UGH okay I just loved this one okay?! I don’t even know what else to say about it. I just loved it.
January 23, 2020
“Once upon a time stream, *BLANK* invents a virus that will wipe out two-thirds of humanity.”
Malice by Pintip Dunn is a story about one girls’ love for her family, her friends and doing what’s right, no matter the cost to herself. It is an engaging story with page-turning twists, turns, and just enough red-herrings to keep me turning pages. It has a captivating story-line and a strong science fiction element that I found fascinating.
Alice is a wonderful main character; she is extremely likeable and has a strong moral code. She’s taken care of her genius yet absent minded older brother, Archie, since their mother left, leaving them with an emotionally unavailable father. When a voice from the future claiming to be Alice 10 years from now hijacks her brain with the news that someone she loves will create a virus that will wipe out most of the population, it’s up to Alice to discover who stop them. Future Alice asks her to do certain things, the requests are at first benign, embarrassing but harmless but then the requests become increasingly more alarming and Alice must find out who the creator of the virus is and stop them before they can do harm - no matter the cost.
I would recommend this to anyone who is a fond of the genre and this includes thrillers, suspense, and science fiction with a dash of romance on the side.
Malice by Pintip Dunn is a story about one girls’ love for her family, her friends and doing what’s right, no matter the cost to herself. It is an engaging story with page-turning twists, turns, and just enough red-herrings to keep me turning pages. It has a captivating story-line and a strong science fiction element that I found fascinating.
Alice is a wonderful main character; she is extremely likeable and has a strong moral code. She’s taken care of her genius yet absent minded older brother, Archie, since their mother left, leaving them with an emotionally unavailable father. When a voice from the future claiming to be Alice 10 years from now hijacks her brain with the news that someone she loves will create a virus that will wipe out most of the population, it’s up to Alice to discover who stop them. Future Alice asks her to do certain things, the requests are at first benign, embarrassing but harmless but then the requests become increasingly more alarming and Alice must find out who the creator of the virus is and stop them before they can do harm - no matter the cost.
I would recommend this to anyone who is a fond of the genre and this includes thrillers, suspense, and science fiction with a dash of romance on the side.
dnf
March 30, 2020This was actually a pretty promising start but now (in the middle of COVID insanity) is not the time to be reading books about an epidemic for me. Hopefully, I'll give this another try in a few months but right now, it's going to the DNF shelf.
February 10, 2020
I'm excited to be a part of the MALICE blog tour with The Fantastic Flying Book Club, from February 4th - February 10th, 2020!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher EntangledTeen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Content Warning: Attempted Murder, Virus Epidemic, Discussion of Suicide, Profanity, borderline Child neglect, Depression/borderline Mental Illness, Death of a child, Bullying, Disowning
Archie is a genius that is heading off to Harvard in a few months. Alice wants to be a photographer for National Geographic. The siblings had always been close, but became much closer after their mother left them six years ago. With their father mostly absent, and her brother's slow decent into despair, Alice works tirelessly to take care of and protect her brother.
While seeing to her brother, Alice also nurses many wounds that her parents afflicted on her. Her father's sudden disinterest in her since their mother left had left her questioning what is wrong with her. Undoubtedly, her brother feels the same. Such brilliance that he possesses places him in a caliber that many cannot relate with, and it makes him the odd man out.
One day, Alice has an odd, painful, and terrifying experience. Her older self speaks inside her mind. Identifying herself as Malice, she makes Alice aware that the world is about to be plagued by an epidemic that will wipe out two thirds of the world's population. The sun, the most important natural resource that sustains human life on earth, will become it's biggest enemy, as people will become allergic to UV rays. Unable to ignore this catastrophic news, Alice finds herself on a mission trying to figure out which boy in her school will unleash the devastating virus.
The voice in her head appears at random, and has her do odd things in order to help with her "mission." One of those tasks entails of her telling one of the most popular guys in school that she loves him. Mortification only lasts for a short while, as Bandit is swept into this mission when he learns that his uncle plays a key role in the creation of the virus.
Alice, in the middle a manhunt, also has to deal with the daily pressures of high school, caring for her brother, and dealing with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
MALICE was a surprising read. It is incredibly fast-paced, packed full of twists, and will constantly keep the reader guessing who is behind what, as there are a lot of factors at play. Ultimately, MALICE is about acceptance and friendship. It really has a very strong message, and is incredibly heart-wrenching. One thing I thought was weird was that Alice was pretty unaffected for the most part that she would have to kill someone. She's no assassin, and the lack of her reaction to that part of her mission felt unreal. Despite this and the lack of much physical description of characters, I thought the character building was decent between these characters. These characters offer diversity in grapple with several real-life difficulties.
Vulgarity: Some.
Sexual content: Kissing.
Violence: Moderate.
My Rating: ★★★1/2
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I received an ARC of this book from the publisher EntangledTeen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Content Warning: Attempted Murder, Virus Epidemic, Discussion of Suicide, Profanity, borderline Child neglect, Depression/borderline Mental Illness, Death of a child, Bullying, Disowning
Don't tell anyone about me, Malice.
Archie is a genius that is heading off to Harvard in a few months. Alice wants to be a photographer for National Geographic. The siblings had always been close, but became much closer after their mother left them six years ago. With their father mostly absent, and her brother's slow decent into despair, Alice works tirelessly to take care of and protect her brother.
Your parents are supposed to love you above all else. And when they don't, you can't help but question your wroth. I should know.
While seeing to her brother, Alice also nurses many wounds that her parents afflicted on her. Her father's sudden disinterest in her since their mother left had left her questioning what is wrong with her. Undoubtedly, her brother feels the same. Such brilliance that he possesses places him in a caliber that many cannot relate with, and it makes him the odd man out.
One day, Alice has an odd, painful, and terrifying experience. Her older self speaks inside her mind. Identifying herself as Malice, she makes Alice aware that the world is about to be plagued by an epidemic that will wipe out two thirds of the world's population. The sun, the most important natural resource that sustains human life on earth, will become it's biggest enemy, as people will become allergic to UV rays. Unable to ignore this catastrophic news, Alice finds herself on a mission trying to figure out which boy in her school will unleash the devastating virus.
The voice in her head appears at random, and has her do odd things in order to help with her "mission." One of those tasks entails of her telling one of the most popular guys in school that she loves him. Mortification only lasts for a short while, as Bandit is swept into this mission when he learns that his uncle plays a key role in the creation of the virus.
Alice, in the middle a manhunt, also has to deal with the daily pressures of high school, caring for her brother, and dealing with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
MALICE was a surprising read. It is incredibly fast-paced, packed full of twists, and will constantly keep the reader guessing who is behind what, as there are a lot of factors at play. Ultimately, MALICE is about acceptance and friendship. It really has a very strong message, and is incredibly heart-wrenching. One thing I thought was weird was that Alice was pretty unaffected for the most part that she would have to kill someone. She's no assassin, and the lack of her reaction to that part of her mission felt unreal. Despite this and the lack of much physical description of characters, I thought the character building was decent between these characters. These characters offer diversity in grapple with several real-life difficulties.
Vulgarity: Some.
Sexual content: Kissing.
Violence: Moderate.
My Rating: ★★★1/2
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April 29, 2020
⚡️ 2020 OWLs Readathon ⚡️
Herbology, Mimbulus mimbletonia: title starts with an M
I'm going to be honest and say that I didn't expect to like this as much I did. I guess you could say it's been a hot minute since I've read anything (to completion) in the high school setting and I might have had my very small prejudices against it, but that's discussion for another time.
This was so much fun to read! Despite the fact that it's way too current (like way too relevant right now) and I should have been unsettled... I enjoyed this. Don't get me wrong, there were some parts of it that were a little too cartoon-ish for my tastes (villain tirade broadcast? really??), parts that were way too easily resolved or accepted, and some parts that were kind of cheesy and predictable. But dammit, I needed something light but mildly exciting and mysterious, and that's what I got. That's a plus.
Moral of the story is: Don't be a dick.
March 11, 2020
A Malice Driven Virus and the Girl Who Must Stop It
I saw several positive reviews for Malice and decided to jump in and try to have fun with it. I enjoy time travel premises when it’s creative and doesn’t stretch its credibility too far. The title is kind of stupid though? It really was shoehorned into the story and I was puzzled why.
Did Malice hit this Fangirl’s creative sweet spot?
Many young adult books have a great premise… that is then smothered by contrived teen romance. It ruins what story there is with it’s unbalanced focus on a love that will be but a small moment in the life of the teen protagonist. Malice really surprised me by striking the perfect balance between sci-fi premise and budding romance. Despite a few thin spots the premise held up well and was an enjoyable ride.
If you feel Malice towards series, never fear it’s a stand-alone.
Setup as a mini-mystery Alice must figure out whether the voice talking in her head is telling the truth about the future it shares with her. Time travel premises are already stretching our ability to suspend disbelief, so trying to stretch this concept to more than one book would have been too much. By keeping the story contained we’re willing to rely on the facts we’re given as we know we won’t be left hanging.
If unbelievable romance makes you boil with Malice, don’t worry, in this it’s timely and bittersweet.
Romance should never feel shoehorned into a story. But how do you make young love feel important when it’s going up against a world wide epidemic? Pintip Dunn did it by using time, already an essential theme in the story to support their teen romance. And then she balanced it with a bittersweet view into its future. It’s beautifully developed and made me root for Alice and her love.
If you naturally feel Malice toward sci-fi, you’ll still want to allow Alice to win you over.
Sure this is about a girl trying to stop a horrible future by changing the present. It can’t get more sci-fi up in here. But it’s balanced well with the contemporary high school setting and sweet budding romance. We get to know all the people in Alice’s life who touch on this science driven future. And it makes for a relatable family and friend filled life. It could totally convert non-sci-fi readers to the genre.
Unexpected details make Malice feel like it could have happened.
Like any book with a mystery at its core, you’ll have guesses and twists. And you may find your guess right on. This doesn’t negate the fun reading the book. Malice had quite a few realistic and well utilized details that enriched this book world and made reading it totally worth it.
-The bits of Thai culture from Bandit and her best friend.
-The look at point of view and how our individual experiences change how we see truth.
-Her brother’s bullying and social awkwardness were so real as to be heartbreaking.
-What makes up time travel and can we really change our future.
-The effect of love and positivity on changing a life.
While the end was a touch too sweet and maybe even unrealistic, I still really loved where this went.
Malice, contrary to its name, was a positive and uplifting look at bullying, mental health and love. Romance, mystery, time travel sci-fi all mix in a balanced young adult stand-alone read. You’ll fall in love with this fun fusion story.
I saw several positive reviews for Malice and decided to jump in and try to have fun with it. I enjoy time travel premises when it’s creative and doesn’t stretch its credibility too far. The title is kind of stupid though? It really was shoehorned into the story and I was puzzled why.
Did Malice hit this Fangirl’s creative sweet spot?
Many young adult books have a great premise… that is then smothered by contrived teen romance. It ruins what story there is with it’s unbalanced focus on a love that will be but a small moment in the life of the teen protagonist. Malice really surprised me by striking the perfect balance between sci-fi premise and budding romance. Despite a few thin spots the premise held up well and was an enjoyable ride.
If you feel Malice towards series, never fear it’s a stand-alone.
Setup as a mini-mystery Alice must figure out whether the voice talking in her head is telling the truth about the future it shares with her. Time travel premises are already stretching our ability to suspend disbelief, so trying to stretch this concept to more than one book would have been too much. By keeping the story contained we’re willing to rely on the facts we’re given as we know we won’t be left hanging.
If unbelievable romance makes you boil with Malice, don’t worry, in this it’s timely and bittersweet.
Romance should never feel shoehorned into a story. But how do you make young love feel important when it’s going up against a world wide epidemic? Pintip Dunn did it by using time, already an essential theme in the story to support their teen romance. And then she balanced it with a bittersweet view into its future. It’s beautifully developed and made me root for Alice and her love.
If you naturally feel Malice toward sci-fi, you’ll still want to allow Alice to win you over.
Sure this is about a girl trying to stop a horrible future by changing the present. It can’t get more sci-fi up in here. But it’s balanced well with the contemporary high school setting and sweet budding romance. We get to know all the people in Alice’s life who touch on this science driven future. And it makes for a relatable family and friend filled life. It could totally convert non-sci-fi readers to the genre.
Unexpected details make Malice feel like it could have happened.
Like any book with a mystery at its core, you’ll have guesses and twists. And you may find your guess right on. This doesn’t negate the fun reading the book. Malice had quite a few realistic and well utilized details that enriched this book world and made reading it totally worth it.
-The bits of Thai culture from Bandit and her best friend.
-The look at point of view and how our individual experiences change how we see truth.
-Her brother’s bullying and social awkwardness were so real as to be heartbreaking.
-What makes up time travel and can we really change our future.
-The effect of love and positivity on changing a life.
While the end was a touch too sweet and maybe even unrealistic, I still really loved where this went.
Malice, contrary to its name, was a positive and uplifting look at bullying, mental health and love. Romance, mystery, time travel sci-fi all mix in a balanced young adult stand-alone read. You’ll fall in love with this fun fusion story.
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