The Atlas Six: The Number One Bestseller and TIkTok Sensation: 1 (Atlas series, 1)

MY FIRST FIVE STAR READ OF 2022. AT LAST. Or should I say: AT-LAS. *laughs in lisp*Okay, it's only February but I have been chasing that 5 stars read for what feels like AGES; I've read some great 4 stars and 'this was almost perfect but something pissed me off' vibes.This is a weird way to start reviewing a fave book...but I feel like it could be quite easy to dislike this story? The air of pretentiousness and themes of studying magic, science and Big Deep Questions set up the potential for a LOT of eye-rolling and skim-reading. Had it not been for the author's sheer amount of PASSION and joy for storytelling and evident love of all these characters. They've clearly lived inside their heads for a while and the way emotions and motives are translated onto the page is kinda insanely creative and thought-provoking.The story itself gave me The Magicians/Six of Crow vibes; it's adult, queer af, and cleverly magical in a mundane, powerful way.Anyway. I loved this. Obviously. I'd rec it to anyone who wants to vibe with a bunch of characters way smarter and cooler and scarier than they are.

This book lays heavily the foundations to a fantastic series. A lot of the book is spent developing the world, the characters and only the final part seems to reveal a true plot.However, this doesn't mean to say it's not good, it simply sets you up for the next book and makes you want to dive into it head first. You learn about the initiates in the society who are all unique and extraordinary in their own way. We learn their past, their secrets and the secrets of others that eventually all start making sense and it pulls you deeper and deeper in.Diving head first into the second book only seems natural at this point, as it seems to be the place where the plot truly takes form. Four stars was given because I loved the character development and I found myself pulled into the book deeply from the start, however a little more plot would have been good.

Interesting premise, well written book let down by incredibly pompous, unlikeable, irritating, and self-centered characters. Very little happens, but boy, do the characters like to talk about themselves.

This is the first book by Olivie Blake that I have read thus far and it is an understatement to say I have been missing out. The sheer imagination in this story alongside her unique writing style made this not only completely immersive, but made you feel as if you were meeting each character and living this story for real. I feel as if you could read this one hundred times and still pick up on or discover something new with each read. The characters are all unique but provoke a multitude of emotions toward them, from fear, to empathy and so on. The ending was totally not what I was expecting but was so cleverly written in its reveal. I couldn't possibly recommend this book enough!

Even when the pace of the story forced me to take a rest or three to let my heart rate settle back to something more reasonable (I have health problems that necessitate some caution), they weren't lengthy rests.I finished this book in roughly seven hours, which I suspect may be a personal record when taking into account my ADHD, and I have learned both that it holds some excellent writing and characterisation, and also ...That I am not going to be starting the sequel at bedtime. Not a chance.I should have learned that lesson with Seanan McGuire, and didn't. Hopefully I can learn it with another writer who may well make her way onto my "sight unseen" list for preordering, as Seanan long since has.Wish me luck!

I thought this was going to be one of those books that even though I can understand why it's so praised that I'd not like it because I assumed it was going to be a hard read.But this wasn't like that! Yes there's a lot of details / scientific explanations in the book but it's not overwhelming and I just couldn't put it down.I wanted to know what was going to happen! Actually I NEEDED to know wtf was happening in the society.•Dark Academia•Mulitple POV•Secret Society•Magical Urban FantasyThis isn't a Romance but there are a few interactions (a little spice scene here and there & not too descriptive) a little bit of tension between certain charactersThere's magic, there's friendships, there's betrayal & twists I didn't see coming I can't wait to dive into book 2

A lot of flowery language to describe absolutely nothing. I’m ok with a book being character over plot driven but this was so overly complicated and repetitive.And the characters were horrible. There was not one that I was rooting for.Will not be continuing the series. But I am willing to give Olivie Blake another go.