The Infinity Courts By Akemi Dawn Bowman | Book Review

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Let’s dive in, it was hard enough waiting to put this post together after finishing this lovely book at midnight!

What is The Infinity Courts about?

The Infinity Courts follows the journey of 18 year old Nami Miyamoto. She’s on her way to her graduation party, excited to see her friends, just starting out on her life as a pseudo-adult. Her friends ask her to stop and use her fake ID to buy some booze and right as she decides to bail on this alcohol mission she finds herself in the middle of a robbery.

Nami is killed protecting a child in a gas station before her life ever gets a chance to really begin.

I swear these are not spoilers, Nami has to die because the book follows her journey as she navigates the afterlife, known as Infinity. The only problem with waking up in a sci-fi dream world comes when you discover an artificial intelligence has taken over and is working to destroy human consciousness completely and forever.

We see Nami working to come into her “powers” over herself and the world around her as she learns about the human resistance movement. They’ve been waiting for a hero and there’s a 50/50 chance Nami can save them all…but she might also be their downfall.

What did you love about this book?

I loved the concept. It’s a fresh perspective on fantasy that I was not expecting, at all. I saw the blurb was about a young woman battling an AI in order to save the future of human consciousness and I was instantly interested.

I didn’t expect to find so many thought provoking themes running throughout the book. Nami really does have to struggle with herself, her choices, her past, and potentially her future. There’s an inherent need for a reckoning with your past after you die that I guess I never looked too closely at, for fear of it all!

Another really enjoyable element that is woven into the story is our innate fear that we aren’t doing the right thing. Nami is so good and kind and pure. This sweet baby angel died trying to save a little girl and throughout the book she’s struggling at every turn to do the right thing for EVERYONE, not just the “good guys” but she still questions herself.

I think it is further proof that we’re all wondering 100% of the time if we’re good enough, working hard enough, etc.

Characters! Let’s talk characters! Nami meets a band of rebels who she comes to view as her new family. Nami has unique abilities that make her very well suited to spying on The Residents who are the beings controlled by Ophelia, the AI who is trying to take over for good!

There are internal struggles, fights, and of course some heartbreak involved as she works to balance her two identities. While she’s building relationships with these new people Nami is also struggling with the idea of everything and everyone that she was forced to leave behind in life.

The Infinity Courts is beautifully written. I was miserable at work this week because I just wanted to be in a dark corner devouring this story.

What did you not love about this book?

There was nothing that I particularly disliked. I have a general fear of death and dying (I was in a head on collision with a drunk driver at 19) and for me it was a little uncomfortable at first to be so immersed in a situation that hit so close to home.

That being said, I think my discomfort of thinking about the afterlife and Nami’s death actually made me connect with her so much more. Her battles throughout The Infinity Courts are as much internal as they are external and that’s something I really related to on a personal level.

Also, let’s talk about twists and turns and how I did not see any of it coming. I don’t know if I was just that immersed in the story or if they are just that wild…just you wait folks, you will know what I mean once you’ve read the book and just…WOW.

After I read certain sections I had to stop and go back because I was like “there’s no way I could have missed it” but alas, I was shook. Not something I disliked, just something I couldn’t believe I didn’t see coming!

Will you read more in this series?

This is the first book in a new series by Akemi Dawn Bowman and let me tell you…as excited as I was to get early access to The Infinity Courts I am now desperate for more.

If you watch The Office I’m sure you’ll understand me when I scream LORD BEER ME STRENGTH. I have no idea how I’ll make it through until we get the next installment in this world.

Overall opinions of The Infinity Courts:

The Infinity Courts was easily a 4.5/5 star read for me. I have a hard time coming up with negatives about books I read. I love reading and I think it’s amazing what these authors are able to create so I usually look for positives in everything I read.

That being said, I didn’t have to look far in this one. The storyline is so captivating. There are plenty of twists and turns and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. Along with that suspense we have an amazing cast of characters. Nami is an amazing protagonist and we get to see her face off against so many demons, many of her own making.

In terms of enemies the The Infinity Courts has them in spades. We are never quite sure where Nami stands with some of these people and it makes them equally lovable and punchable. If you like enemies to lovers you will have plenty to love about this one, though romantic entanglements are not the main focus of the book, which I appreciated since…you know…war and what not 😉

This was a really quick read for me. If I would have started it on a weekend I would have devoured it in one day. I did NOT want to put this one down. Do yourself a favor and just take Tuesday, April 6th off so you can eat this one up on release day.

Overall this is a great read that I’ll definitely recommend to the readers in my life. It’s a gorgeous story and a totally fresh take on the afterlife that I really enjoyed. The Infinity Courts captivated my imagination but also made me think about some tough subjects. There’s a lot at play in Infinity and seeing Nami work hard to do right by everyone, including people she’s expected to hate, is really heartbreaking and beautiful.

Where can I buy The Infinity Courts for myself?

You can grab this book from your favorite bookstores on release day, April 6th 2021. You can also preorder with the links below. I’ll include the Kindle and the Hardcover option for you.

I read a digital ARC but I have already preordered a hardcover copy to add to my library. I’ll need it when it’s time to re-read before the next installment, which if there is a god or an AI watching over us will be sooner rather than later!

Here’s the Kindle edition:

Here’s the Hardcover Edition:

Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans

What else has Akemi Dawn Bowman written?

This was my first venture into Akemi Dawn Bowman’s writing and I have to say, I’m shocked I didn’t come across her work sooner. I’ve added a bunch of things from her extensive works list to my TBR!

Check out out more of her work here on here Amazon author page or here on her Goodreads author page.

Akemi Dawn Bowman is a critically-acclaimed author who writes across genres. Her novels have received multiple accolades and award nominations, and her debut novel, STARFISH, was a William C. Morris Award Finalist. She has a BA in social sciences from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and currently lives in Scotland with her husband and two children. She overthinks everything, including this bio. You can find Akemi on Instagram @AkemiDawnBowman

From Goodreads

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