Jinxed

By Author / Illustrator

Amy McCulloch

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Ltd

ISBN

9781471169960

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

09-08-2018

Synopsis

'A little bit GOLDEN COMPASS, a little bit HUNGER GAMES, and all adventure' - Amie Kaufman, NYT bestselling author of ILLUMINAE

The brand-new series from the author of the magical POTION DIARIES adventures!

Lacey Chu has big dreams of working for the company behind the 'baku' - a customizable smart pet that functions as a phone but makes the perfect companion for its user. The only problem is, she's just been rejected from Profectus Academy - the elite academy for cutting-edge tech.

Then Lacey meets Jinx... Jinx is an incredibly advanced cat baku who opens up a world that Lacey never new existed, including entry into the hallowed halls of Profectus. But what is Jinx, really? His abilities far surpass anything written into his coded. He seems to be more than just a robotic pet.

He seems ... real.

'The most compelling read of the year ... terrifyingly of the moment' - Evening Standard

PRAISE for The Potion Diaries series:

'Inventive, romantic, and downright delightful, Madly cast its spell on me from page one, and is the most fun I've had reading in ages!' Sarah J Maas, author of the Throne of Glass series

'It's so cool!' Zoe Sugg, aka Zoella

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Reviews

Well, I absolutely loved and I mean LOVED, this book! For starters I would like to say how gripping this book was, I thought the idea of the Bakus was excellent and I genuinely want one! I felt very much for Lacey when times were tough, I thought the characterisation and development of characters was executed brilliantly! Amy did a superb job writing this book, I couldn't put it down and whenever I was reading this book I found it incredibly immersive, like I was actually there. A mixture of sci fi and mystery, this book was a thrilling read from start to finish and I look forward whole heartedly to the next one!

Suggested Reading Age 9+

The first in a new series by Amy McCulloch (aka Amy Alward of Potion Diaries fame), Jinxed is an exciting sci-fi novel that is set in a future that may be closer than we think. Lacey Chu is a talented and ambitious engineer with an otherwise ordinary life. Too ordinary. Her dream of attending the exclusive Profectus Academy - home of cutting edge technology - has somehow slipped through her fingers. Without a place at Profectus it seems impossible that Lacey will ever work for MONCHA, the company responsible for the creation of smart pet (or baku). Resigned to a life with a level one beetle baku, Lacey stumbles across something far more advanced and as she mends it, her luck begins to change. Or does it? Jinxed is utterly gripping from the first page, a fast-paced mystery with the added bonus of some really strong female characters. Not that this is a book for girls alone. The action of a baku battle will draw boys in marvelously, especially those who are already fans of Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and anything smartphone-based. If you work in a school promoting STEM fiction, this is an excellent read for the engineering category and would be a good choice for any YA reluctant readers. Highly recommended for all young teens. 323 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Rhiannon Cook, school librarian.