I am thrilled to be kicking off the blog tour for The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid! This one had me riveted! Read on for my review and a tour-wide giveaway.
About the Book:
A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.
Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.
When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.
As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.
My Thoughts:
Whoa. This is the first book I’ve read by S.J. Kincaid and I really didn’t have any expectations. I was simply intrigued by the synopsis. I can tell you that I’ve now moved her debut series way up on my TBR! The Diabolic captured my interest and had me staying up way too late to finish it!
I just love a book that explores issues of humanity and what truly makes a monster. It fascinates me… the choices we make and how something that we read as villainous can come from something other than pure evil. The Diabolic is the fourth recent read of mine to do this. Each one has done it in unique and incredible ways (see also Heartless by Marissa Meyer, The Midnight Star by Marie Lu, and Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth.) I’m losing sleep because I just cannot stop thinking about it!
Specifically in The Diabolic I was interested in watching Nemesis change over the course of the book. Her relationship with Sidonia is so central to who she is. How would she change when they are separated? Can she ever have any real choice in the path her life will take? Is humanity something she can learn? Is it just buried under the harsher lessons she’s been taught? These are the types of questions that kept me turning page after page.
I cannot wait to get this books on the shelf of my school library. I just know my students are going to flip over this one!
About the Author:
S.J. Kincaid was born in Alabama, grew up in California, and attended high school in New Hampshire, but it was while living beside a haunted graveyard in Scotland that she realized that she wanted to be a writer. Her debut, Insignia, came out in July of 2012. The second book in the series, Vortex was released in July of 2013. The final book in the trilogy, Catalyst, came out October 28, 2014. Her standalone novel The Diabolic will be released in fall 2016.
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Tour Schedule:
Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of THE DIABOLIC (US Only)
Susan Light
I keep hearing lots of great things about this book!
Marie
I love the cover, and the synopsis sounds really interesting.
Marie
I keep seeing and hearing about this book. I love the cover.