"A mortal tether is what binds us to this world. It's all the beautiful things in our life that make it worth living."

Mortal Tether reminded me a lot of Michael Grant's Gone series mixed the Ghosts from Marie Lu's Skyhunter.
The story is quickly paced, focusing on Amaia and Liam as they struggle to survive in a world where all adults have been turned into zombie creatures. There was rarely a dull moment, plus a handful of plot twists to keep me guessing until the very end. My only complaint plotwise would be that the ending felt a bit rushed and left on a note of uncertainty, despite this being what I believe to be a standalone novel. I still liked the ending, it just felt awfully convenient how it concluded. Still, I'm satisfied with it.
Surprisingly, the highlight for me in this story was the characters. First of all, I just want to mention how much I loved Amaia and Liam's relationship and how it didn't dissolve automatically into romantic feelings. It's implied that Liam has strong feelings for Amaia, but she still sees him as her best friend. Good platonic relationships are hard to find in literature, but this book did a great job. I also thought the characters were portrayed very realistically. Yes, they could be overdramatic or a bit crazy at times, but I kept reminding myself that all of them were children in an extremely stressful environment. Of course, they're going to react in certain ways.
Mortal Tether is a great new dystopian survival story that fans of Gone and The 100 will really enjoy.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
4/5
"I want her to grow up knowing that a person can be both sweet and tough, fragile and strong... and just because a girl's in distress doesn't mean she's a damsel in distress. It's ok to need help."

So for once, I may have unintentionally chosen the more unhinged, walking red flag of a love interest in the love triangle.

Cleo Cassidy's Myth Chaser follows Lel, a monster hunter, as she and dozens of other prisoners are escorted to the stone that will decide their innocence. There's a good deal of action, plenty of drama, and a handful of plot twists to keep you on your toes. I read most of it in one or two sittings, and I have to say, the second half ramps up the pace drastically.
There were really only four main characters: Lel, Scully, Collin, and Julian. Lel reminded me of a mixture of Lucy Gray Baird from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (I think it was her accent) and Lucy Carlyle from Lockwood and Co. (probably because of the talking skull). I liked her as a protagonist, although she could feel a bit two-dimensional at times. Scully was probably my second favorite because what's not to love about a talking skull necklace who likes to correct grammar? Then we have the love interests: Collin and Julian. I didn't really like Collin from the beginning; as a prince, he wasn't exactly a unique character and I didn't like the way he treated Lel at times. So, yes, I did prefer Julian even though he only had three POV chapters and my first annotation for him was "this kid needs to be institutionalized." I stand by my decision despite the glaringly obvious red flags staring me in the face.
Myth Chaser is the beginning of a fantasy adventure series about mythical beasts and magic with its own unique world and premise.
3.75/5
Thanks to Booksirens for the free e-ARC!