So obsessed with this cover. This is book one in a YA sci fi series. I don’t read too much sci fi so I was eager to pick this up. I loved this unique world, and enjoyed our main character, Nami. This book was hard to put down which is all I can really ask for. Definitely interested in the rest of the series.

Oh, I loved reading this book! Things start off right away with her death, and from there, so much happens, and it was such a great read! I couldn't put it down, I had to know what was going to happen next! It was such a great story!

Nami is in this world of the dead, but it's been taken over the A.I. that she used to confide everything in, who she treated like a friend. So that's a major case of emotional whiplash on top of dying young and unexpectedly. I really enjoyed learning about this world, the powers that they have, the different sections, and the bit of history.

The fact that Nami doesn't seem to be good at any of the skills has her in a not great position in the rebel group. They did put some effort in rescuing her, and she wants to pay them back. So I really enjoyed her journey!

That ending was pure evil! It was such a cliffhanger, to leave things like that with that betrayal, and were we left things! And it has me nervous about when to start book 2, since I've read a review or two of the sequel, and it looks like it also has a evil ending. So I might have to wait on reading book 2 until we know when book 3 is coming out, because the wait is going to bad, either way!

I loved reading this book, and I can't wait to continue on, I need to know what's going to happen next!

I really enjoyed this one, it honestly gave me nostalgia for early 2000s/10s YA and everything those books wished they could be. I am really interested to see where this series goes.

I wanted to like this book so much because of the gorgeous cover and the intriguing plot, but after a few chapters I just found that this one wasn’t going to work out for me. Whether it is the endless pages of dialogue or the dragging plot, we will never know, but I found myself losing interest in Nami’s story, despite the beautiful world building.

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

Honestly I don’t have an interest in reading this book anymore and I want to be more selective with what I request.

This book unfortunately didn’t meet its mark for me. That being said, there are many redeeming qualities to is. But In the end it just didn’t do it for me. I went into it expecting amazing and just got mediocre.

I was unable to read this one due to the fact that the file crashed every device I tried to read it on. I do plan on picking up my own copy of it soon.

It was refreshing to see the main characters compassion being her greatest strength. As someone who is always trying to figure out why people do the things they do I appreciated her ability and willingness to try and understand both sides of the war. Namis defensiveness about being in love with her best friend seemed odd and pulled me out of the story. It felt more like something the author would feel and not the character. It felt hard to grieve for her real life romance when we never met her boyfriend. I did really enjoy her new friendship with the Prince of Victory. I also liked the other rebellion members despite not always agreeing with them.

The pacing was a little slow with all the hiding out they did. The training became repetitive and some scenes just didn't feel necessary. I did enjoy her time as a spy trying to gather information on how to take down Ophelia. Their enemies plans to exterminate all humans from the afterlife make clear what was at stake if they didn't come up with a plan to stop them. The odds were stacked against them with so many of the humans in a daze after Ophellia took control of their minds. The possibility that humans might be waking up was really exciting. The rebellion was also in constant danger living right under their enemies nose. The ending was so unexpected that it bumped up my rating.

I love scifi stories especially ones that have some kind of virtual reality element. The afterlife is seperated into different courts with an AI Prince controlling each one. Ophelia made these princes with different parts of herself so they each had their own traits and desires. The possibilities in this virtual reality afterlife felt endless if only the humans could tap into it. As intriguing as that was it did make me feel like the rules were a little flimsy. In the afterlife the characters can excel in a few different skills like engineering new objects and transmuting one object into another. After the way things ended I'm interested to see what will happen in the sequel.

I don't know if I went into this book with too high standards because I absolutely loved all of her previous work, or if it just wasn't the right time to start a science fiction novel, but I struggled with this one. I ended up DNF around 45% through. I've heard the ended is thrilling, but I just couldn't push through any longer. The story hit a huge drag and it was hard to follow. I will likely give this book another try in the future.

I love love loved this book. The idea was so fun and unique. What happens when our tech takes over in the afterlife!? What!? That is amazing. I can honestly say the twist took my breath away and had the book been physical I would Have thrown it. However. Cause I enjoy unsmashed screens I just took a moment to calm myself and soldiered on.

I am so excited for book two!

This is so imaginative! A world after death ruled by an AI entity. How creative!

I loved how to story unfurls, how Nami is adjusting to her new life, her new role in this universe. It was such a good book. Lots of action (human rebellion!), lots of emotions (this is a world after death, after all), lots of... human everything. It gives me hope about our race! Not everyone is bad, there are a lot of us who are great people, and in whom a hero is waiting to be discovered.

Can't wait to see what book 2 will bring.

Many many thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Akemi Dawn Bowman has been on my reading list for some time, but I don't read backlisted books very often, and therefore haven't gotten to any of Bowman's past works. This is also why when I saw that she had an upcoming release, I requested an ARC. I've also been in the mood for some YA science fiction, so I was very excited to read The Infinity Courts! 

Bowman's The Infinity Courts is not the kind of science fiction that I thought it would be though. And I was definitely in the mood for a specific type of science fiction (your typical spaceships, laser guns, aliens, AI, etc.) so I partially blame this specific reading mood for my overall experience with, impression of, and rating for The Infinity Courts.

I will say that I would have likely vibed with the setting and story a little more if I had been in the right reading mood...however, even then, there would have been aspects that wouldn't quite work for me. I didn't find the setting to be very compelling for me (although I will say that I am intrigued to see what Bowman will do with the sequel). The story also didn't have the best grasp on my attention. Some scenes I was all there for, but for the most part, I was reading my way to the next scene of interest.

I also found that there was quite a bit of repetition. I definitely understand what Bowman was trying to do with The Infinity Courts, the questions being asked. However, the repetition frustrated me a little because (for the most part) we were given the same information rather than anything developed or new. So, my experience with The Infinity Courts was not the greatest, but as I mentioned above, I am curious about the sequel. I also know of many readers who enjoyed and loved this book.

I was granted eARC access to The Infinity Courts via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and ended up borrowing the audiobook from a local library to finish when the publication date snuck past me.

The Infinity Courts is the fascinating start to a YA fantasy series about a divided afterlife world ruled by an AI queen and her four sons, each of whom rule their quarters of the afterlife (Infinity's Princedoms) very differently. As humans pass away and enter Infinity they're offered empty promises from the four princes, but some have escaped the control of the AI overlords and exist as rogues trying to reclaim Inifity and destroy the AIs.

This book is so good! I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. I love Nami as a protagonist and narrator, and I appreciate that she sees the big picture and considers the morality of what her newfound family is trying to do. I also absolutely love Nami's shifting/disguise abilities and I'm eager to read the next book.

I also loved the stories Nami's father wrote that guide her in Infinity, and how rich in Japanese culture and manga they are. I sincerely want to read THOSE stories as well!

The reason this isn't a full 5 stars for me is pacing. I wanted a little more of Nami's life on Earth before she dies, and the ending is so abrupt. Everything in between is better in terms of pacing, but it felt like this book needed another chapter or two on either end.

If you like YA Fantasy, fantasy in general, or dystopian stories, read this book!

4.5 stars. Only because I struggled to accept the premise in the beginning...
This is one of those books where you need to read 100 pages and not think too hard about things like: the probable existence of aware AI, an infinite afterlife, AI having emotions, science of technology existing beyond human constructs, and other abstract concepts. Just accept them and go on the ride; because at some point you’ll find yourself so captivated by the world, characters, relationships, and idea of humanity that you won’t even care that those early pages came off a bit corny and lack some serious scientific rigour. But I promise it’s okay; because once the fantasy elements take over it works, and it works well.
Akemi Dawn Bowman has given us a gorgeous, intriguing new world (aka: the afterlife) to explore: wrought with monsters whose faces look like ours, people who are as complex in death as they were living, and a systematic set-up of torture that makes even grimdark fans (like myself) wonder if this is truly YA book.

Less is More
I want to get into so much with this; and yet I think the reader is better off going in with just the basic info on the blurb (like I did). It allows the story to unfold in a manner that catches you by surprise and makes the twisted ending feel all that much more perfect. There was a point during The Infinity Courts that I wondered something; it ended up being key to the whole construct in the end. This tickles me that while I didn’t know, somewhere unconsciously, I did have an idea but lost it in the pages. That is excellent, strong writing!

Relationships
Above all else the thing to really appreciative out of The Infinity Courts is Bowman’s ability to write relationships that resound true. There is no obvious love interest or best friend at the start. And even by the end the relationships our lead gal has with everyone around her are complex. Just like real life. The only solid thing that remains true throughout is that her love for her sister is stalwart. There is a beauty to Bowman’s eloquence in writing relationships between characters that feel genuine. The women in power distrust one another (what woman hasn’t doubted another woman, even a best friend, at some point?). The men make like they are all macho and indestructible; and yet they fall apart just the same as the females around them. And then we have the AI characters whom mimic being human. They are perhaps the most complex of all. Can an AI want or desire something?

Conclusion
Before I get too carried away in the genuinely intriguing concepts that Bowman lays out here (and spoil this), let me say that this is a series I cannot wait to spend more time with. If only I had time to reread! Now knowing the truths of the ending I wonder how many foreshadows and hints I consciously missed?
All that said, the most important takeaways to know in advance of reading The Infinity Courts are these:
- there is no love triangle (but a romance does blossom)
- the ending is clever and twisted but not cheap
- every good series needs a strong tag line. Where Hunger Games had “may the odds be ever in your favour”; Infinity Courts has “may the stars watch over you”.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Loved this!! I found the plot to be unique with the afterlife being taken over by Artificial Intelligence. I liked the characters and the discussions about morality. The best part of this book was the fast pace and the plot twists at the very end!! Definitely recommend reading this book and I'm looking forward to book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I began reading The Infinity Courts, the character of Nami and the story of her death pulled me in. Travelling through the world of Infinity with Nami was unlike anything I've ever read before. It stunned me with its mixture of science fiction and fantasy, while still placing the reader in the familiar world of artificial intelligence being integrated into everyday existence. I felt that this was a very realistic place to begin Nami's story.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of science fiction, fantasy, and technology-based fiction. I found the beginning to be slow as Nami's thoughts took over quite a good portion of each chapter, but it picked up just before the one-third mark. It's definitely a four-star read for me and I'll be getting my hands on the hard copy soon for a reread.

The premise for The Infinity Courts is intriguing and certainly one that's remained with me since reading it. After 18-year-old Nami is killed on the way to her grad party, she realizes that at some point during the afterlife, her mind's been taken over by some kind of Artificial Intelligence. Not only has it happened to her, it's happened to many other humans.

While the book's premise is enough to rope readers in, where it shines is in the way it goes beyond that and touches upon themes like death and what it truly means to be human. Bowman does a great job at creating both a fascinating and unique world, as well as relatable characters and lessons that many will enjoy.

4.5 Stars
The Infinity Courts is a story that holds an afterlife hacked and controlled by A.I. Through, in Blade Runner, royal court vibes & a rebellion, and you have a winner.

After being murder, the wrong place at the wrong time, Nami has found herself in the afterlife, but things aren't peaceful. Somehow the tech device that the living world knew has infiltrated the afterlife and has made human consciousness into zombies -only there to serve and love them.
Torn between who she is and what she is being asked to become, Nami becomes a spy for the human rebels and must navigate between the A. I Princes courts to learn how to kill the A. I Queen. As she sees through both sides eyes, things begin to turn more grey than just black and white.

This story had the world-building I wanted, the deception and secrets from both sides that I wanted, the vibes were amazing (blade runner, mad max, a little bit of matrix =good vibes) & the grey morals from both sides because we can tell both sides are fighting for themselves.
I'm so invested in the Princes and their courts, the dynamic between them was really riveting, and I would LOVE more backstory and more interactions from them in the future -with each other, their courts, each other courts & the queen.

The reason that I didn't give this a perfect rating was two things:
1 - the pacing was off at times or was too rushed
2 -Nami; I couldn't get into her as the narrator. I hated how she was so torn (100% understand that you don't want to hurt anyone, and I'm with you on that. BUT this is War, and she was a bit too ok with forgiven a group for enslaving and killing humans. I could understand this thought process later in the book when she was spying and learning about them, but right at the beginning of the book ... that a no from me).
I have not particularly liked book leads before and completely enjoyed the series or story, so this won't hurt the series for me too much.

Eighteen-year-old Nami Miyamoto was preparing for her high school graduation when she was suddenly killed. She wakes up in a place called Infinity, where she’s offered a pill to numb the human pain that her consciousness still feels. She’s rescued by a team of rebels who are working against Queen Ophelia. Ophelia was the virtual assistant that everyone used on Earth, but she’s taken over Infinity with plans to erase humans and fill the world with her Residents. Nami is special because though she is human, she can alter her appearance to look like a Resident. Nami has to work with the rebel group to save the humans and defeat Ophelia and her sons.

This was an original story about death. I was enjoying Nami’s story in the first few chapters, where she was living like a normal teenager. Then, she was murdered and sent to Infinity, the afterlife for human consciousness. It was strange to be thrown into this new world that is so different from our world, but it was fast paced and mysterious that I had to keep reading.

This world had complicated relationships between the humans and the Residents. The humans served the Residents, and didn’t have awareness. The pill that they were offered after waking up in Infinity removed any awareness they had, so they could follow orders from the Residents. There were different courts that they could be sent to, including War and Death, which didn’t have positive outcomes for the humans sent there. The rare few who could escape without taking the pill and keep their awareness tried to rebel against the Residents.

The final chapters of this book were really surprising. There was a character who I found suspicious from the beginning. I was right in suspecting there was something wrong with that character but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I hope there will be a sequel because I really want to know what happens next!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.