Before I get started truly started with review, respectfully, what?? I thought this was a two-part series, but based on the ending, I assume there’s another book coming. Articles online seem to disagree. So.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the advanced copy of this Audiobook. All thoughts I’ve expressed are my own.

I finished “Atlas Six” yesterday and this one today. “The Atlas Paradox” picks up at the moment the first book ends and covers the next year for the six initiates. This book brings backs the intrapersonal rivalries. It also pulls back the lens to develop the world, showing major detractors to the society and additional motivations of the society itself. That added dimension, and I enjoyed reading this one more than the first book.

I didn’t notice any huge plot holes in first listen, and while it’s clear that the characters developed and matured their relationships, the characters stayed true to the original book.

I was thrilled to dive back into life with the Medians as they struggle not only to cope with what happened at the end of The Atlas Six, but to challenge what they saw happened and change the past...and the future. (IYKYK).

As always, Olivie masterfully delivers a story that will both confuse you (it's not an easy read, but worth the mental aerobics) and thrill you all at once...and even when it's hard to keep up, those "aha!" moments are stunning. Those last minutes--I'm already pining for book 3! I'm still not convinced that Nico de Varona isn't perfect, and I'm still hoping for...well...that's a spoiler for another time.

As far as the audio side, most of the cast did an excellent job bringing the characters to life--except the narrator for Parisa. She was very hard to understand, because she spoke barely above a whisper and sounded as if she was half asleep. I get that she was trying to capture Parisa's air of confident nonchalance and her at times devil-may-care attitude when it comes to using her sexuality to her advantage, but even with the audiobook at max volume and my undivided attention, I still couldn't understand her at times. Everyone else was great, and I was particularly excited to hear Daniel Henning voice Gideon--I loved his narration of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, and Gideon is one of my favorite characters, so their pairing was a very pleasant surprise.

Meh. For me, this was somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars.

I read and enjoyed the Atlas Six and was looking forward to the sequel. I really enjoyed learning about each character and their backstory and the world building in the first book. Unlike many, the lack of explanation of the magic or the wordiness didn't bother me in the first book. There was enough character building and enough plot to keep the book engaging and moving.

Neither of those things were true in the second book. The characters aren't changing or growing. The plot was mostly nonexistent. Enough that it's hard to tell the point of this book. Maybe it was just a filler book before the third one, but even then, it would have been better to have the book be half as long, move some of the plot points forward and get the readers ready for the conclusion instead of making us slog through a 400-page book that doesn't really go anywhere.

I like these characters and find them interesting, especially when they interact with each other (as opposed to pontificate on their own) but this book just didn't stand up on its own enough to hold my interest. Here's hoping the third one does.

I will add that the audio is fantastic. A full cast makes the experience come alive when differentiating between the characters but it still wasn't enough to save this book, for me.

with gratitude to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

The Atlas Paradox is the highly anticipated sequel to The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake that I have been highly anticipating. I have read The Atlas Six three times (most recently about three days before starting this book) so I feel like I know the story and the characters pretty well.

It is hard to talk about this book without spoiling the way the first book ends so I will be vague. This book picks up after the events of the first book with our characters trying to figure out what to do next and who to trust. One of the things I loved most about the first book was how morally gray almost all the characters were. Even getting chapters from each of their points of view wasn’t enough to fully trust anyone. And this book keeps up with that theme. You see characters interact with each other in ways that we didn’t see in the first book. Some characters that barely spoke to each other in the first book have several scenes together in this book. The magic is explored and leveled up in the way the characters utilize it.

We get a few new perspectives in this book that I really enjoyed. I loved the audiobook. All the actors have very different voices so you know whose chapter you are in at all times. I will say some of the voice actors “acted” a lot more than others so you would get a character that seemed kind of bland in one chapter and then you get a chapter from another character’s point of view that has that more bland character and all of a sudden, they are portrayed very differently. This wasn’t something that bothered me but I think it will annoy some people. It feels like all these voice actors recorded their parts without listening to how the other actors were doing each character.

This book does remind me of the first book a lot so if you did not like the first book, don’t bother reading this book because you will not like it.

I loved this book. I loved being back in this world. I love how these books create an academic atmosphere without the academics becoming too heavy handed. I love how the magic isn’t always super explained so you connect the dots with your imagination. I am highly anticipating the next book in this series already and this book isn’t even out yet!

Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.
I had plenty of issues with the first book, but when I got an ARC of the sequel, I wanted to give it a fair chance. However, while at least the first book *had* a plot, this was just ramblings and Reina thinking she’s a god and broody hot people. Except for the book’s only saving grace, Libby’s chapters. Where actually interesting things are happening and there is a plot.

But then two things happened: First, I found out this book is actually not the end, but the middle book of a trilogy. Second, I decided to be kind to myself and not push through a book I’m not enjoying. There are too many other books I would much rather read than this mess.

In my opinion this is an excellent example of a middle book, or second book. I am not sure if this will be a trilogy or more, but this book exemplifies what you want in that kind of bridge book, in my opinion.

A LOT happens, it doesn’t just ferry you from one book where a bunch happens to another book where a bunch happens. Characters develop, after this book, they are not the same people they were before. The world and our view of it changes somewhat, and our view of the situation definitely does.

But mostly, it was a fun and interesting ride. The first 25% of the book or so I admit, I was a little lost. I think it may be one of those books where you want to go back and read it again after finishing, and I probably will when my preordered copy comes in. But I stuck it out because I wanted to know what was going to happen and ultimately we got where we were going and it was pretty mind blowing.

Will I read the next installment? ABSOLUTELY. Especially after the teaser at the end, I’m fully invested. This is also a book where I feel that reading that teaser is absolutely necessary to fully enjoy the book and ready yourself for the next one. It may have been my favorite part of the book honestly.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advance review copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Solid 4/5⭐️
Coming off the heels of The Atlas Six and jumping right into The Atlas Paradox - wow, what a ride! I really enjoyed the character development throughout the second book, the evolving relationships, the angst, adventure and mystery. Can’t wait to see where the next installment takes us!

*I listened to the audio version and really enjoyed the narration by Alexandra Palting, Andy Ingalls, Caitlin Kelly, Damian Lynch, Daniel Henning, David Monteith, James Cronin, Munirih Grace, Siho Ellsmore and Steve West


Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review!

I'll be honest that this was super underwhelming for a release I was super excited for and definitely not what I was expecting (not in a good way) 🥲

One thing is that TA6 was (from my understanding) that it was originally thought out as as a trilogy, which then got reduced to a duology due to Olivie self-publishing this, but then this turned back into a trilogy once it got picked up by a publishing company.

So I was super excited for the original plan to be back on the table. More pages to world build, to build up characters (as this was very character driven in the first book), and just more time to flesh out aspects of the story... sadly TAP failed to deliver on those fronts. I can only describe this as a filler middle book.

My issue is that there were many mini plots that seemed more of less connected to each other (the reina one was just odd...) and did little to really give me anything new depth from these characters. The academic aspect from TAP seemed less thought out compared to what we saw in TA6. This book also felt less character driven then the first... like I can excuse poor world building and poor plot for good character driven writing but it just felt weak for the most part.



That being said the highlights of this book:

1) All I wanted going into this book was for character A and character B to be okay (and hopefully in love and kissing) AND WE WON IN THAT FRONT :)

2) I really enjoyed the POV chapter from libby's friend. I wish we had more of that.

3) Speaking of Libby I really enjoyed her chapters!!!! she had my fav POV chapters (second being gideon but that's mostly because he's my fav... we love gideon!!!!)



I don't have much else for highlights because nothing happened. They were all doing their own thing and there were seeds of plot points here and there but nothing definite.

I won't rule out this series but I really hope the next book holds more subtance.

I eagerly awaited book two, The Atlas Paradox, by Olivie Blake after reading book one and being left on that cliffhanger. And while we didnt have to wait long, I wish I had reread book one again before starting this book.

From the authors blurb: The Atlas Paradox is the long-awaited sequel to dark academic sensation The Atlas Six—guaranteed to have even more yearning, backstabbing, betrayal, and chaos.

Six magicians. Two rivalries. One researcher. And a man who can walk through dreams. All must pick a side: do they wish to preserve the world—or destroy it? In this electric sequel to the viral sensation, The Atlas Six, the society of Alexandrians is revealed for what it is: a secret society with raw, world-changing power, headed by a man whose plans to change life as we know it are already under way. But the cost of knowledge is steep, and as the price of power demands each character choose a side, which alliances will hold and which will see their enmity deepen?”

There's alot to unpack in this Blake series - many characters with multiple POV, many super powers (each different), heavy science and philosophy (yes, this is dark academia at its best), characters locked in the past, struggles with powers and motivation and politics thrown in.

Book two does start off at book ones end - we return to the point where the students have avoided the obligation to murder a classmate by Libby being banished into a past timeline. (I have to say, this was brilliant). Ezra has dropped her into the past, hoping to save her or save the world or... gosh I dont really know - this is the magic of Blakes writings. We want to know and she doles out answers extremely slow and from multiple angles keeping us a bit lost. With Libby gone, the present and future for the group is forever altered. Libby was the moral compass for the group and change comes for the group and newly introduced characters..

While complicated, The Atlas Paradox is a story with so many hidden little details, from time to time I found myself urging the book to go faster. I am not sure if I tuned out and missed something in the moment when I felt deluged with detail after detail or if I got mired down in the magical theory. Sometimes, I just disconnected with the story and this is a book that you cant miss a single piece or you feel lost. Olivia Blake is an author that demands time and thought. And just like book one, we are left wondering what??? and left waiting for book three hoping that we will finally have answers we need.

Those who enjoy twisty mind blowing sci-fi/fantasy adventure will enjoy Olivia Blake.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Olivia Blake for a book that keeps you wondering what now??? By the way, I must also mention the audio is full cast and wonderfully done!

I read a physical galley of this and wanted to see how the narration played through. This truly complex novel was both hard to read and also felt like a breath of fresh air. Go into this one with nuance, and enjoy. The narration is great!

The Atlas Paradox is the follow-up to the break-out hit, The Atlas Six, and much like the structure of the past novel, it rotates through the heads of the many characters. I love the magic system that Blake has put in place here, and the lack of moral black and whites for the questions at hand. This is a very adult fantasy, not because it digs into sex, but because it unlocks and unpacks power structures. Sometimes, it feels more like a philosophical treatise than a novel, which is fine. A bigger concern is that Atlas Paradox suffers from many second-book-in-a-trilogy issues, mainly poor pacing at some parts (especially the first quarter). The narrators are mostly strong, but Parisa's narrator is harder to hear. In general, it's a good novel, but not a great one. Will I still pick up book three? Yes.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for review.

Apparently I'm on a dark academia kick, since I finished Babel and then went straight in TAP. The highly anticipated follow-up to The Atlas Six delivered most of what I was hoping it would.

Plot: Seeing the group adjust to living without Libby brought in a whole new group dynamic. Every one of these characters is so intrinsic to this "perfect group" that we know Atlas was attempting to make - and it shows. I honestly wish we got more of the planning for getting her back though. Most of the salient plot for the remaining five focused on an independent research project - which I also wish we got more of. Despite Callum's flippancy, I wanted more of Reina's independent research on the Society and Gods. Deviating from the first book, the external politics of the Society and the interwoven history resulting from Ezra's time travel overtake the main plot. I didn't mind this and actually really enjoyed Libby's chapters.

Themes: Like I said, book 2 delivered on a lot of the themes that I was excited for. For one, the concept of having so much information but doing nothing with it has always been a theme for this series. Bringing in climate change and disease control as issues that could technically be solved with the knowledge of the Alexandrian Society, but aren't, is excellent commentary. An elite ruling society has access to bountiful knowledge and funds but chooses to focus on internal power struggles instead of sharing resources? Sounds just a bit too familiar.

Also, the characters ponder who should have access to such knowledge; should it only be a few elite members who presumably have the intellectual ability to handle the world's knowledge get to wield it, or should knowledge be free to all who want it, no matter how they may use it? Anyone working in libraries right now has had some version of this moral argument, just without the time travel and murder (as far as we want you to know...) From a research standpoint, it was also so morbidly fascinating to watch every character as they progress their independent research, feeding the Society at their own detriment.

The time travel provides an extra layer to the knowledge as power theme. Ezra taking Libby to 1989 and leaving her there to fend for herself directly leads to Belen's radicalization and her hatred for the Society. Libby tells her that in 30 years, nothing changes re: climate change and island nations specifically are still in danger. TAP provided such a smart commentary on so many current issues and I loved every second of it. The audiobook narrators did a wonderful job giving voice to every single character, providing them unique voices that make the audio version easy to follow even with so many different POVs.

4 stars, I really did feel the absence of the academic setting and the original urgency from the first book, but I still loved the pivot to the larger plot in this book.

I feel like there's a lot of academic discussion in this series that just goes over my head. Blake does a good job at explaining most of it, but sometimes I just find myself zoning out and not understanding what's happening. The flips between present, past, and future tense are also super unclear like in <<The Atlas Six>>. I'm not a huge fan of that especially with all of the characters involved.

I really liked Libby's character development; I feel like she really came into her power and confidence in her ability. Reina's arc confused me though; it felt like she had no direction.

My greatest hope is that the picture is too big for me to see all the moving parts right now and that everything comes together really smoothly by the end.

Regarding narration: I hate that there's so many narrators. I hate that each POV has its own narrator. Why not just make it a full-cast production at that point? It bothered my in the last book too. Every character sounds different to each narrator, and it makes it really hard to learn them by voice alone.

Holy shit. How does Olivie Blake write these books?!? They are so freaking good, and this one has again left things on a cliffhanger and I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!

This book basically started off right where The Atlas Six ended and it was so good. We got a lot more perspectives this time, which could have been annoying, except that they were all people I was curious about from the first book. Mostly Gideon and Ezra. New characters were introduced and I'm curious to see if they continue on to the third book.

To be honest, I could have done without Reina in this book. She really is my least favourite of the POV characters and I don't really know what she was trying to do throughout this entire book. Maybe it will make sense in the third book?

I really loved all of the explorations of physics (basic level physics) happening again in this one. It's interesting how one thing seemed to be happening throughout the book, but then something completely different happened, very similarly to the first book.

I really liked how all of the relationships between characters developed. Over the course of the two books we have covered two years in their lives, which is quite significant, and I liked how the dynamics of the group changed in the second year. I'm SO happy that Gideon had more of a voice in this book, as I think he's now my favourite character. Also, the last chapter was just UGH! But also YES!

With The Atlas Six I definitely felt like I was being manipulated the entire time I was reading it, which I think was quite a feat. To know, as the reader, that I am being manipulated by these fictional characters and to be entirely fine with it. I don't think I felt it quite as much with this second book, but it was definitely still there. As each of the characters are manipulating each other, you're also being drawn into it, because you're only seeing what they want you to see, even when you're getting different POVs. I love it.

I feel like I just want to kind of flail around about how good this is, without really knowing what to specifically say about it, because I don't want to spoil it. It's just so incredibly good. It's also a really unique story, where it's kind of fantasy, but also sci-fi, but also a thriller because you truly don't know what the fuck is going on for most of the time. Even the characters I could do without (Reina, Parisa), I would put up with just to get more of the others. I feel like the other characters (Callum,Tristan, Nico, Gideon, Libby) have a lot more going on and a lot more ability to make big changes, and I cannot wait to read more about them.

As a slight caveat: Gideon grew up in the foster system in Nova Scotia, and uh, we don't really have bears here. I mean, we do, but I've lived here, in a rural area, for 15 years and never seen one. Also, I am really curious if Blake is going to actually do anything with the fact that she's made Gideon Acadian? Like, it feels very specific to say that he's from Cape Breton and is Acadian (meaning he's from one of 2 towns), but then to not doing anything with it.