A bite-sized review of Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz which made me feel ALL THE THINGS


Never Say DieTitle: Never Say Die
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Middle-Grade, Young Adult, Spy
Publication: June 1st 2017, Walker Books
Pages: 377 pages, Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating: 4.5/5 Cupcakes


Alex Rider is back in this brand new, explosive mission in the number one bestselling series. In this brand new, explosive adventure in the number one bestselling series, Alex Rider is trying to get his life back on track after the traumatic events of his last mission. But even Alex can't fight the past ... especially when it holds a deadly secret.
This is the first book review I've written in FOREVER. Like, I feel as if I've forgotten how to form words?? Coherent thoughts?? Exams, what have you done? 

I just finished Never Say Die, the latest Alex Rider book, and I LOVED IT. I closed the book and immediately Googled when the next one was coming out. It has a title but no release date. EXCUSE ME WHILE I CRY. I NEED MORE ALEX RIDER. This book was so good and I was a mixture of anxiety and happiness whilst reading it. Anxiety because ALEX CAN YOU STOP TAKING SO MANY RISKS, YOU'RE GIVING ME HEART PALPITATIONS. Happiness because ALEX (precious cinnamon roll) RIDER. I'm just so hyped up for more books, guys. I have very fond memories of spending the summer of when I was sixteen marathoning the Alex Rider books. I'd read a couple of them when I was around twelve, but then I'd left the school that had the books and never got around to finishing them until four years later when I found a bind-up of the first three books. I was hooked all over again and spent many days completely absorbed in them. These books are part of me, guys.

I was so sad when it ended. I may have cried.

BUT THEN, Anthony (the legend) Horowitz, decided to write another book. HAPPY DAYS!!! I finally got around to reading it (post-exam treat)...and I fell completely in love with it. It was emotional, it was fast-paced and it was every bit as brilliant as all the other Alex Rider books I'd previously fallen in love with.

I'm not going to speak too much about the plot because SPOILERS, but it was incredible. It was fast-paced, action-packed and gripping – the classic Alex Rider book. The villains were chillingly evil, the scrapes Alex managed to get into had me fearing for his safety (I was sitting outside in the sun with the book right by my face, muttering “no no no no”. The neighbours think I'm mad). The character development was brilliant and the writing was as wonderful, as always. I forgot how much I love the way he writes. I find a lot of books written in third person quite impersonal and I'm not as engrossed in them, but not with the Alex Rider books. Anthony Horowitz writes third-person brilliantly. He zooms in and out on different characters in the book and on different scenes, that richly layer the book with an intertwining plot that has me on the edge of my seat and that results in a genius revelation blows my mind. Man, I love these books.

One of the things that most stuck out to me was how Alex had changed as a character. He seems older now. More mature, and more confident, and throughout the majority of the book, slightly more broken. The plot and the writing and other ingredients combined were the classical elements that form an Alex Rider novel and this glorious conglomeration made me feel like I'd been reunited with an old friend, but the subtle change in his character gave the book a slightly different feel. Alex Rider is growing up, but he's still the incredibly smart, witty, brave and kind character I fell in love with when I was twelve. I love that Anthony Horowitz has shown his evolution as a character, though, it makes him feel that much more real. However, although Alex Rider has changed slightly, the books are still fun and light-hearted, making them the perfect read for escapism.

I absolutely loved this book.

I give it: 4.5/5 CUPCAKES!