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Member Reviews

This book was such a good time. I was so interested in the story. I wish there was some more depth to the characters, but besides that the plot was amazing and easy to follow. This was a well thought out dystopian. Usually, I do not read YA and I still enjoyed this one!

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-This review is going to be posted on fable and goodreads
-The review will be posted 07/26/2025

-The book's theme is interesting and generally speaking is good. Without trying to give too much away, it's about a group of young people thrown into a completely different situation than they're used to and must adapt if they want to survive but they find themselves in more things that they could manage . It makes for a good science fiction book. The Maxum theme is interesting. I feel like the book follows a lot of cliché: a group of teenage friends who, by the grace of the Deus ex machina, find themselves in an "out of the ordinary" situation where the main character is the chosen one and, through the power of the script, awakens their powers. I think i would have enjoyed it more if, instead of following the precept of young people, it had focused on slightly older people. The first part of the book, and how they make contact, are actions that wouldn't be expected from a teenager. This type of situation occurs throughout the book. I feel like it's an excellent book for teenagers or young adults.

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Maximum is a new to me author and series that I could not put down. It is a fantasy with little bit of romance. There is a lot of world building for the first half of the book. So give it sometime.

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Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC and the chance to read this book in return for an honest review.
I did not finish this book. I made it around 43% and decided it was a DNF for me. I think overall there was too much and not enough going on. We were getting a lot of explanation and world building but I wasn't drawn in like I was when I read the synopsis for the book.
This is why I am having to rate it 3 stars, I think the book was just not for me. Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

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Maxum sweeps you deep into Maryfield, a remote Oregon town that’s supposedly cursed, until Zach Taylor crashes an elite “Masked Investor” event nestled in the woods. What starts as a high-stakes night of opulence quickly turns into something darker, primal, and impossible to walk away from.

Maxum is described as “intense” and “tortured by his past actions,” carrying secrets he doesn’t fully understand. Kara mirrors that inner turmoil, both stuck in futures they didn’t design, and together they ignite in a way that is fire and lightning.

The plot grew a bit predictable, and the ending came in with rushed intensity. Overall, it’s addictive, emotional, and convincing enough to keep turning pages.

Maxum is a compelling way into the series if you love dark sci-fi with layered trauma, tense chemistry, and secrets drifting just below the surface. Just be ready: the ride feels emotional pull and suspenseful unravelling.

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Review: Maxum by Kristopher Wieland

Maxum pulled me in fast and never let go. What starts as a mysterious party in the woods quickly spirals into something much darker and suspenseful than I expected. Think Divergent meets Black Mirror, with twisted creatures, secret organizations, and an unsettling vibe that keeps building.

Zach’s voice felt real, and I loved how the suspense slowly crept in until everything exploded into chaos. The animals? Nightmare fuel in the best way. The pacing is sharp, the mystery is layered, and by the time I hit the last page, I needed book two immediately.

Perfect if you like dark YA thrillers, shady experiments, and a main character who just won’t quit.

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Book has a lot of promise.
The concept is a great one. I really enjoyed the secret society and academia aspect. The world building was fairly consistent for the most part. I definitely felt pretty immersed while reading, especially with the addition of little details like how the bathrooms sanitize and the fact that this metropolis is pretty much Wakanda level hidden.
At times I got a little lost with the development of the plot and the characters motivations, and I definitely wasn’t sold on the romance in the book, but overall this is a decent YA entry into the sci-fi genre. Looking forward to what the next book in the series will provide as this story ends on a cliffhanger.

#Maxum #NetGalley

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Overall a great start to a new Sci Fi series. Lots of moving parts, great characters with a lot of secrets, and an ever changing plot. At times I did get a bit confused with some of the aspects of the Maxum world and what they were trying to accomplish. But I am very excited to read the next book and see what happens. Obviously there is a major cliff hanger at the end!!!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Zach discovers there are Maxums, a secret race with powers. Zach and some friends infiltrate a school where they train Maxums. But being human they must keep secret. A fun fast read. Want to see more. Thanks #Netgalley and #VictoryEditingNetgalleyCoop for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

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This book was a fast and fun read for any lovers of original Sci-Fi ideas. I'll start with the positives on why I liked this book. To start with I liked the idea of how Maxums use their powers. I liked the main character Zach because he wants to succeed on his own and help his mom out. I liked the school and how the author made up a sport that is pretty much soccer but a little more complicated than that. I ended up liking Emily a lot more then Sarah, but I wish that we could of seen more of Emily and fleshed out her character just a bit more. Now the negatives, I think that this story would work better in a High School setting, just because all the characters talk to each other like high schoolers, but that was very minor. I enjoyed the twist at the end and avoiding spoilers, I had some problems with the bad guy at the end, but like I said the twist made sense and you could see it slowly turning that way. All that being said I'm looking forward to seeing how Mr Wieland builds this world and adds stories to it.

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I loved the ideas and overall setting of this book as well as the dark academia trope. Early on I found myself disliking the main character, he just seemed so weak and cowardly. However, he did experience quite a bit of growth throughout which I appreciated. I wish there was more of an emotional connection between the characters, especially with the romantic relationships. There are 2 love interests but I didn’t feel much of a connection with either relationship.

Overall I did really enjoy this story and can’t wait to see where it goes in the future

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ARC Review – 3⭐️

Summary:
Zach is just a normal teen—until he discovers a secret race known as Maxums, who can manipulate matter and are on the brink of war with humanity. To help prevent conflict, Zach and a small group of friends undergo a risky procedure to gain Maxum powers and infiltrate an elite training school, where they must hide the fact that they’re human. But with dangerous stakes and mounting tension, being found out could be fatal.

Review:
The concept behind Maxum is seriously cool—it’s a fresh spin on the “shadow government + secret training school” trope, with a sci-fi edge that kept me turning pages. The pacing flows well, and the story had enough intrigue and tension to keep me engaged throughout.

That said, the characters fell flat for me. The teenage dialogue didn’t feel authentic—it often read like an adult trying to sound like a teen, with awkward slang like “dawg” that pulled me out of the story. The girl characters in particular were one-dimensional, mostly focused on shopping and social media, which felt dated and shallow.

Zach, the main character, spends most of the book mopey and emotionally distant. I found it hard to root for him or get invested in his personal arc.

The book ends on a definite cliffhanger, clearly setting up a series. While the concept is intriguing, I don’t see myself continuing—it just didn’t connect enough for me to commit to more.

Bottom line: A well-paced, high-concept sci-fi with a strong premise, but underdeveloped characters and clunky dialogue held it back from being a standout.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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