This book is action packed to the brim!!
I love me some action books who are also paced accordingly to the genre and that's definitely what this book delivered, Although maybe a tad too much. Don't get me wrong I really like the writing style and characterization of the complex characters, the characters' their personalities are constant and realistic given their history and the current development within the story. But the story happened almost too fast to get really attached to some characters or dynamics within the characters, that's why the plot twist fell flat for me although I did not see it coming. If more time was spent in building up the characters in the first part and cementing their relationships with each other I would've felt more compelled and intrigued by the story. Especially because it was referred to multiple times that Zoe was not fast enough to try to figure 'X' out while if I have interpreted the timeline correctly she only had at the most 2 days!

Also, I noted that the book is not listed on Goodreads yet. This would be a good thing to do because that way the pre-publish reviews from here can already be shown under the book on Goodreads and could give the book a little push!

For me, this book felt almost too fast paced! The writing does a great job of creating a sense of urgency and eeriness but I found it hard to connect with the characters. That being said this is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Perhaps reading the previous books will make me more engaged.

𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝑫𝑩𝑨 𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬!

For a shorter novel, the story was full. Nothing was missing and it was captivating throughout the whole story!

Matt's writing within this novel creates a steadfast environment of a real world/fantasy feel amongst a broad range of characters. I literally couldn't put it down!
Our FMC, Zoe, starts as someone who is running away but still trying to find her place in the world. Her character development truly reflects the events she goes through.

The plotline was sound containing awesome ideas coming to fruition making it an interesting and unpredictable read. The world is similar to a real-world setting, so myself as a reader was put into a familiar environment, however this was challenged when Zoe starts to see the world in a different way. Really cool stuff!

4 stars from me. Will recommend!

Wraith is a haunting and atmospheric novel that skillfully blends supernatural elements with psychological suspense. The story follows a protagonist grappling with grief and guilt while being drawn into eerie, otherworldly events that blur the line between reality and nightmare. King’s writing is immersive, with vivid descriptions that build tension and unease throughout.

The characters are complex, and the slow-burn plot keeps readers hooked as secrets unfold. While the pacing might feel deliberate at times, it adds to the creeping dread that lingers until the final pages. For fans of eerie, thought-provoking horror, Wraith offers a chilling and memorable experience.

Rating: 4.5/5

Thank you NetGalley.

Wraith - a new mythology is the first book I’ve read by Matt King, I’m thrilled to have found his writing!

Futuristic sci-fi/urban fantasy with a liberal serving of horror.

From the first pages of Wraith I really felt like Zoe was a fully formed (if damaged and therefore somewhat ‘stuck behind glass’ of her own trauma and anxiety) character. Reading about her struggling to feel safe, secure, like a full person, post abusive relationship was really relatable and carefully written.

From the outside, knowing that things were screaming alarm bells and wanting to grab and shake this person missing all the self assurance and confidence and practice of acknowledging and listening to her own instincts, was painful.

It felt like watching a psychological thriller does, I could imagine if I had spare hands I’d have been clutching a pillow, as if it could shield me from the newly emerging terrors, as I turned the pages.

The fantasy element/moments were so well described, and really threw me back into a weird nostalgia for the kind of serialised sci-fi late night mini dramas/shock tales I loved to watch as a teen.

I really enjoyed this. The cover is phenomenal. It's different and you can really see where the author tried to differentiate this story from other writings,

Without having read the other books in the series, I can tell you that I instantly rushed to add the rest of the New Mythology series to my library. I love the way mythology, fantasy, and science fiction blend so seamlessly within this genre bending tale. Despite not necessarily reading a lot of sci-fi normally, this one had me hooked within the first few pages, as I desperately wanted to know what Zoe was going to be doing, and why it was so important.

King has a fluid writing style that is easy to read and extremely enjoyable. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mythology/superhero/sci-fi story! 5 stars.