Reach, by Olivia McCarthy
First a Note
This is a bonus post to share some special news.
Olivia McCarthy and I crossed paths on another platform a couple of months back. We bonded over our parallel journeys to publishing our first novels. Her debut book comes out on November 1, 2024, so she’s beating me to the punch. And I’m so excited for her!
When the ARC application for Reach was announced, I jumped on the chance to check out the novel she’s been hyping. Here is my review, as shared on Goodreads.
Reach
by
Reach, the debut novel of the For The Stars Series, is an entertaining coming-of-age tale where growth comes from understanding the power dynamics of life. Author Olivia McCarthy promises to deliver a novel filled with nefarious government secrets, game theory, betrayal, futuristic technology, space, and a no-spice forbidden romance with a swoony first kiss. And she delivers on all accounts! Though she could've amped the lead-up to the first kiss scene without breaking the no-spice guarantee, she does capture the insecurities of a first crush.
Reach is an age-appropriate novel for the YA age range (12-18). Young readers can learn valuable lessons about working within a system without stepping outside socially acceptable norms and the importance of seeking truth and understanding before passing judgments. Older readers may find Reach's journey, as the protagonist describes early in the novel, as a path that is "blurred in the way that dusk and sunset don't have clear parameters but slowly bleed into one another until darkness falls." In other words, you'll have to wait until the end for the big reveal that will leave you wanting more! All will enjoy the beautiful, poetic moments woven throughout the novel.
A little deeper review
The motivation for the protagonist, Reach, is equated to game theory: “understanding how the pieces move in relationship to power.” Though his mother has trained him to play the game of chess, it takes him a while to make any moves in the game of his life. Reach quickly loses sight of the end goal—distracted by the love interest, Llama? Caught up in pleasing the authority figures in his life? Or simply because he is never told the end goal? At one point, he admits that he didn’t realize he was playing a 3-way chess game. But as the book jacket cover reveals, “In chess, even a pawn can checkmate.'“
Llama, the love interest, appears to be motivated by vengeance, yet her actions take an unexpected turn. Since the book’s POV is deep within the male protagonist's somewhat narrow-focused mind, the reader is left with only his thoughts and emotions about the incident, making it difficult to forgive Llama or empathize with her. By the end, we can only hope that he finds a way to forgive her.
Olivia does a wonderful job weaving beautiful, poetic moments throughout the novel. She leaves multiple threads on the frayed edges of the storyline that she will be able to pull and explore in future books in the series. And if not in the next novel(s), then maybe she will explore them as bonus pieces for her newsletter on Substack… (Hint. Hint. Throwing out some ideas here, Olivia.)
Where to find the book & author
About Olivia McCarthy
Olivia is the author of Reach, a YA and middle-grade dystopian novel with a closed-door, no-spice romance. She is a mama of five, a runner of marathons, and a reader of books. (And she makes some funny reels you can find on Instagram.)
Reach
A boy with martian genetics. A government with nefarious secrets. A complex game of power that challenges right and wrong.
For fourteen years Reach has lived with his mother, helping with research projects, attending school, and studying the game of chess. Everything is followed to standard regulation and everything is classified — even information about Reach himself —until the day a government official arrives and makes a move on the chess board of Reach’s life.
In Nation, the greatest honor is serving on a space mission. Those who come back alive are heroes, if they follow orders. When Reach is chosen, he learns dangerous secrets about himself and the government. As he navigates the complex politics of Nation, Reach relies on his skills for survival. Faced with high stake choices, Reach must decide what he’s willing to risk. Will he be successful in forging his own path, or die trying?
In chess, even a pawn can checkmate.
About CB Mason
I’m a fan of dystopian tales with strong female leads, and I believe that the written word has a powerful impact—we see ourselves in the stories, learn from the characters' mistakes, and gain the tools necessary to use in our own lives.
I write stories where finding your way doesn’t have to be a straight line. My writing illustrates how lifting others up lifts you up as well and how each generation should aim to do better than the last.
Here, you will discover the unique world of my upcoming FORGED Series—behind-the-scenes, literary Easter Eggs, insight into the world-building and character development process, & more! As the release date approaches, find out about launch details for Shattered, book one in the series from Provender Press.
Shattered
In the remnants of the Pacific Northwest, 110 years from now, fourteen-year-old Tessa Wright's idyllic life in the Wilds is disrupted by the death of her family.
Haunted by mysterious memories and thrust into an urban society, Tessa struggles with grief while navigating high school among the privileged Elites and attempting to understand her true identity. She is drawn into the plot to uncover the truth behind a devasting terrorist attack and the sinister plans of the Ryker administration.
As Tessa unravels her past, she must fight for her newfound friends and dwindling freedoms. The lines between loyalty, love, and the cost of rebellion are blurred. Can she reclaim her true self before it's too late?
Before you go
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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my book! Cant wait to read yours!!