ARC Review: Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Source: BookCon
Pub Date: September 26th, 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: N/A
Format: Physical ARC

     Invictus was one of the few ARCs I picked up while I was at BookCon in June.  I tried my best to hold it during the last few chapters and not give my boyfriend (who was sitting next to me) a reason to laugh at my blubbering self.  This novel was utter science fiction perfection! Add this to your Goodreads TBR IMMEDIATELY! (if it is not already on there!)

      These main characters are the ultimate time travelers.  Together they travel back to any time period to snatch exquisite items such as wine or art.  It is then sold on the "not so black market" to wealthy upper-class citizens.  One aspect I loved about this novel is the futuristic Roman setting.  While many science-fiction novels take place on wondrous spaceships or other planets, we get a glimpse into what other parts of the world may look like in the future.  AKA something not set in the United States! No dystopian Chicago's or New York's here! 
     Farway McCarthy was a fantastic main character.  He is arrogant and confident in a way that at teenage time traveler should be!  He was also vulnerable when things started to not work in his favor.  He seemed much more "real" compared to some other YA characters that just ooze strength and determination constantly.  His supporting characters were also just as wonderful! The dynamic they had together was incredible! The romance was subtle and didn't take away from the overall plot. It felt like an added bonus when we got those scenes! 

     If you had to compare this novel to some past YA greats, Six of Crows meets Illuminae for the ultimate science-fiction heist! The writing was also very smooth and gripped you on every page!  I didn't want this story to end because of the vastness of this world  Ryan Graudin has created!  Endless stories could be written on their time traveling adventures! I highly recommend this hot YA Sci-fi novel! Oh! Can we also take a moment to appreciate the cover?!  It is beautiful! Granted, I am looking at the ARC cover, I can't wait to see what shiny bits make their debut on the final hard cover! 

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