Borderline written by Mishell Baker
Publisher Saga Press
Publication Date: March 1st 2016
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Paranormal, Young Adult
Series: Arcadia Project Trilogy #1
Format: ARC
Pages: 400
ISBN: 1481429787
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A year ago, Millie lost her legs and her filmmaking career in a failed suicide attempt. Just when she's sure the credits have rolled on her life story, she gets a second chance with the Arcadia Project: a secret organization that polices the traffic to and from a parallel reality filled with creatures straight out of myth and fairy tales.
For her first assignment, Millie is tasked with tracking down a missing movie star who also happens to be a nobleman of the Seelie Court. To find him, she'll have to smooth-talk Hollywood power players and uncover the surreal and sometimes terrifying truth behind the glamour of Tinseltown. But stronger forces than just her inner demons are sabotaging her progress, and if she fails to unravel the conspiracy behind the noble's disappearance, not only will she be out on the streets, but the shattering of a centuries-old peace could spark an all-out war between worlds.
No pressure.
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MY THOUGHTS
Don’t want to read the whole review? Click to jump to the Skinny Review.
Borderline is an urban fantasy/paranormal YA book, a genre that I hardly read, but when I read the blurb, I immediately thought that it was something that I would love to read. I was RIGHT! This book really surprised me in a good way and I am excited to read more about Millie and the gang!
5 Things I Liked about Borderline
- Mental Illness – Borderline talks about mental illness in a different way. I felt that I wasn’t too much, but it actually built into the plot, if you know what I mean. I work as a nurse, so I appreciated all the BKA/AKA and other medical terms. It really brought me back to what I do on a regular basis.
- Diverse Characters – There were a lot of diverse characters. We have a character with a disability, different characters from different cultures, and mental illness. Since this is paranormal fiction, Borderline builds into the mental illness issue in a way that it isn’t overpowering the whole book. Perfect for what I like because I don’t really read a lot of realistic fiction.
- A unique spin on the fey – So, the fey here is different. In fact, this is one of the unique things about Borderline. We have the usual fey traits and magic but it is unique in its own way.
- Hollywood – The best thing about Borderline is HOLLYWOOD! Okay, I’m a little biased because I live in LA and I love the places mentioned here. PLUS, the Residence actually looks like one of those old houses on Adams Boulevard by the 10 freeway! How cool is that? The plot revolves around Hollywood as well, Warner Bros studios, which I used to drive through regularly, and basically the whole Hollywood scene.
- Millie – So Millie, our heroine is likable in a weird, blunt way, that I absolutely adore! She does come off as rude-ish but I think it works with the theme of Borderline. Millie has borderline personality disorder (BPD) and we meet her one year after her suicide attempt. The interesting thing about Millie is that she is an amputee but she has left and right prosthetics, so she is able to ambulate with the use of a cane. I love reading about the DME’s (durable medical equipment in nurse speak) and how Millie navigates throughout the story.
Books Like Borderline
I hardly read YA paranormal and the closest one I can think of that I have read is The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. So if you have read this book, you might enjoy Borderline. Happy reading!
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GIVEAWAY
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About Mishell Baker
Mishell Baker is a 2009 graduate of the Clarion Fantasy & Science Fiction Writers’ Workshop. Her short fiction has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Daily Science Fiction, Redstone Science Fiction, and Electric Velocipede.
Her urban fantasy series The Arcadia Project is being released by Simon & Schuster’s Saga imprint beginning with Borderline in March 2016. The series is narrated by Millicent Roper, a snarky double-amputee and suicide survivor who works with a ragtag collection of society’s least-wanted, keeping the world safe from the chaotic whims of supernatural beasties.
When Mishell isn’t convention-hopping or going on wild research adventures, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two changelings. When her offspring are older, she will probably remember what her hobbies are. In the meantime, she enjoys sending and receiving old-fashioned handwritten paper letters. You can write her at:
Mishell Baker
PO Box 78760
Los Angeles, CA 90016
If analog isn’t your thing, Mishell also tweets almost incessantly under the handle @mishellbaker.
Ahhhh! What a lovely cover. Believe or not, your first reason is actually a good reason for me to steer clear of this book! I avoid tough-issue contemporary — I don’t like to get too sad or heartbroken or ripped apart while reading fiction. 😀 Great review, Zee!
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
I do, too but the title was just too good to miss out! I’m actually glad I read it 🙂
Thanks Alyssa!
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It sounds like an interesting mix! I do appreciate a good depiction of mental illness so that sounds nice. Millie sounds like a cool character as well! Thanks for the review Ezrah!
Annika recently posted…“Waiting on” Wednesday: Every Exquisite Thing
Yes she is! I think the best thing about it was her views on suicide.. so there are trigger topics here… especially from other characters
It sounds like a wonderful book, that I would enjoy reading. It has an interesting cover. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I love YA and the Mortal Instruments so this sounds like a novel I’d be interested in reading. I’ll have to add it to my tbr. 😀
Elle recently posted…ARC Review: Where You’ll Find Me
That should have been *YA fantasy.
Elle recently posted…ARC Review: Where You’ll Find Me
It’s weird in a good way, Elle. I liked the use of the mental illness here, too! 🙂