The Potion Diaries Paperback – October 18, 2016

This book was so good! I read it really fast compared to my normal reading pace. Definitely going to read the rest of the series.

The Potion Diaries is an entertaining read, with some twists and turns, a properly nasty villain, and a strong heroine you can cheer for. Amy Alward did an excellent job creating a world in which potion making has gone commercial, as well as developing a complex, believable backstory that supports the current state of affairs. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sam's adventures.

Have you ever just wanted a book to just be. Not have you think. Not have deep meaning or be erotic. Not be a retold story or complicated. Just be fun, easy going, Light and fluffy. The Potion diaries was that for me. Just a book to let my brain rest and enjoy. there is no hidden meaning or reason for things. No hidden meanings. Characters aren’t perfect and they definitely do irritate at times but this is expected heck they are kids and don’t always make the best decisions or act as we want them to. But that is okay because you take it in stride with the activity of the book. The only part I don’t understand is why Sam’s POV is first person but Evelyn’s is third person.So what it the gist of the book? Evelyn, the princess, needs to find love. She and Zain think to come together so Evelyn can be with her BFF. So to get Zain to be besotted she makes a love potion only it backfires. Her vanity after that is a hoot but it puts her in danger and now the hunt has begun. All the alchemists are chosen and off to find the cure. We get unicorns and dangerous weather. Creatures that look like a snow Yeti, deception and a romance bud up.Zain is the son of the synthetic potions master and owner of Aster Pharmaceuticals. He is off to help his friend but he has a healthy respect and likes Sam. What I like about Zain is he is nice and sweet. He knows where he doesn’t fit but tries for his dad. He also is lost in who he wants to be when he grows up. He is your typical teenager trying to figure out life. He also likes Sam and does try to help her as well.Sam is a alchemist. She doesn’t have magic which allows her to mix potions. Her family was once the alchemists for the crown but things happened and now they aren’t. She is smart and quirky. I love how her passion is potions, they come alive for her in her mind and she can envision the potion and how to make it. Her best friends are brother and sister and are great.Even after she does something not nice they support and help her. Her sister is a strong witch and helps as well even though no one thinks she should. Along the way on the hunt, Sam becomes friends with Zain and learns about him. At times she is annoying but again she is a teenager and we all are at times. As she races against time to help Evelyn she finds friends, confidence and belief in herself and abilities and a budding romance.The book is just a fun light and imaginative book. No thinking no deep concepts just a fun book. One that has adventure, budding romance, magic, a heroine, friends and family with a dash of danger as well as the hunt is on and ingredients are sought after for a potion to save the princess.

I am hooked! I can't wait to see what adventures Sam has next. I'm reading the sequel The Royal Tour now.

13 year old daughter purchased and she read it within a couple of days...she enjoyed it and is looking forward to the next one

Very cute read. It's one of my favorite depictions of magic in a world similarly modern to the present day. It was really exciting for me how planes interacted alongside magical means of communication.Another element of the book that I really enjoyed was Sam's character. I thought she was funny and interesting, and her general disdain for her own feelings towards the competition made me smile. I liked how her relationship with her family was depicted-- how much she cares about what her grandfather and what he thinks of her and maintaining the family reputation. And how much she cares for her sister, even though her sister definitely draws a privileged lot in life. But my favorite thing about Sam was that being smart was her most valuable skill. Her smarts were what made her a valuable alchemist and competitor and often got her ought of trouble. I feel like it's not as common to see a heroine who gets to value academia that way in a young adult novel.The Potion Diaries left me wanting more,but there wasn't a cliffhanger ending (thank you, Amy Alward).

I came across this book by happenstance at my workplace and was instantly intrigued. It sounded like it would be cute and romantic with an intriguing fantasy world and plot. And while the story easily drew me in, I was not completely enthralled with the writing itself, and the romance was definitely lacking.Like I said, the story drew me in instantly, with great world-building, a fantasy setting I absolutely loved, and narration that is easy to follow. The story is mostly told from the first perspective of Samantha Kemi, with a few chapters interspersed told by Princess Evelyn’s perspective – but in third person. This seemed a little strange and unnecessary to me, especially since each chapter title was headed by the narrator’s name, so the use of both first and third person seemed strange to me. This didn’t draw away from the rest of the story, luckily, and I was able to easily follow along as the story progressed, save for a few times where things jumped around so quickly – either in the plot itself or in what Sam’s decisions and emotions were – that I felt confused and startled at the abruptness of things.I thought the plot was interesting, if a little convoluted at times. The premise is that there are these Wilde Hunts that are called by a magical horn whenever a member of the royal family is given a potion that puts them or the country in mortal danger. It pits alchemists against each other in what is basically an Amazing Race to find all the ingredients to create a cure for the potion, and whoever creates the cure first wins money from the crown and access to the royal’s magic. You’d think the honor of just saving a person’s life might enough? I mean, it was fun and definitely made for some suspense, but it also just seemed a little insensitive in the scheme of things.I thought Sam was a great character, and she remained so through most of the book, but the other characters just felt very one-dimensional. Her family especially annoyed me, because her parents seemed to have no conviction whatsoever, and always went along with whatever Sam’s grandfather said without question. He, meanwhile, is very stubborn and difficult, revealing little about why he believes certain things and refusing to listen to Sam’s suggestions to help improve the family store to gain more customers. Some of the other characters did have promise, but just didn’t really get to show it as much. Even the antagonist, Emilia, had an interesting history, but when she did appear on the page, turned out to be kind of cheesy and disappointing.Then there is the romance. I had such high hopes that it would be a strong part of the plot but honestly it was kind of…not. I mean, if it hadn’t been such a factor in the summary of the book I would have been okay with that, but since I was going into the story with the idea that the romance was going to be very prevalent, I was a little disappointed. Sam spends all of three or four actual scenes with Zain, and none of them were very enlightening. There is some clear attraction between both of them, but I felt like they never really spent enough time together.Overall, this was a cute and fun read, with really great world-building and a wonderfully unique setting. It had some unfortunate plot-holes, a romance that I wanted to see much more of, and many characters who needed more dimension. Despite the technical issues, I still enjoyed reading it and will most likely pick up the next one sometime soon.3.5 stars

Muito bom.

It was a quite enjoyable book and was in very good condition when it came. Great plot twist and an amazing and well-sequenced storyline. Would recommend it.

Libro molto bello. Preso per fare un regalo ad una ragazzina di 13 anni ed è stato molto apprezzato. Facile la lettura anche se in lingua inglese.

Recommend to young readers or oldies looking for a reminder of their youth. Was a breath of fresh air. Very unique and entertaining.

Un roman bien sympathique qui m'a accompagnée en vacances, très facile à lire (même s'il est en anglais ça reste largement abordable à quiconque aurait un peu la motivation).J'ai commandé la suite, hâte de voir ce qui va se passer !