Did not realise this was book 2 when I requested, and I have not read the first! Appreciate the reading copy!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy of Mimic by CL Denault.
Mimic is the second book in the Prodigy series about a lost heiress with supernatural powers in a dystopian future London.
Overall this was a solid second book in a series and I would rate it somewhere around a 3.5-3.75. Willow is still trying to gain foothold in The Core and her lack of experience and immaturity shows. It is easy to get frustrated with her as she fumbles through everything and overreacts to almost every situation. I’m not sure where the author was going with the addiction storyline because it gets dropped pretty quickly. I also wish there was less emphasis on “the Tiger” and Joshua because I find these more paranormal aspects to the plot a little corny and unnecessary since there is already a lot going on.
Overall, I’m looking forward to future books in the Prodigy series and hoping that Willow grows up a little and comes into her power.

Mimic was a fantastic read and I really enjoyed the unique plot. The characters were all relatable and well planned out.

MIMIC was really cool!

I'll admit, I had no idea that this was the second book in a series when I started it. Regardless, I still greatly enjoyed it!

It's a beautifully written fantasy read, filled with political intrigue, forbidden romances and INCREDIBLY realistic world-building/magic systems.

The characters are so well-developed, and the dystopian England setting was just TOO WELL-DONE. Plus, the author managed to recap most of the events of the first book in the series (without disjointing the plot at all!! The recapped bits flowed seamlessly!!), so I still felt as though I understood everything that was going on throughout, which was great!

Now that I'm done MIMIC, I can't wait to go back and read GAMBIT (book 1 in the series) - even though I know what's going on, I can't WAIT to spend more time with Willow, Reece and the rest of the characters in Denault's beautifully developed, action-packed world.

Complimentary copy generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mimic, The Prodigy Chronicles #2, by C.L. Denault has beautiful cover artwork. This book follow the first book in the series, Gambit. The story follows the main character, Willow Kent, who definitely needs to work on her maturity development. There is some love drama that unfolds and develops. The first book was nore exciting than this one, but this one was enjoyable. Ohhhhh man, what a clifhanger ending (hopefully you like cliffhangers). Since there was such a gap in between the first and second book, I hope I don't have to wait as long for book 3!

I really like the idea behind this series and appreciate that this book picks up RIGHT where Gambit left off, which I enjoy in a series since I'm not having to play catch-up trying to figure out what I've missed. That being said, I still find the relationship between Willow and Reece super problematic and I don't really like Willow as a character.
Still, I did enjoy this series and its premise, and it was a fun read.

DNF @ 25%

I can't believe I'm saying this but, at this point, I don't think I'll continue reading this book anytime soon. I simply can't get over how annoying Willow is as a main character and that really bothers me. I don't remember if she was just as annoying in the first book but I did end up loving that one and I hoped this would be the same but...it's just too much. Maybe I'll pick this up again in the future and give it an official rating (better or worse) but for now, I think it's not the right time to force myself to continue reading it.

I absolutely loved Gambit and I was pleased to find out that Mimic follows the same path, intriguing plot with that amazing writing and the setting of this is just exceptionally well thought-out. Dystopian with a touch of medieval, but set in the future with people who have powers, it's so good! Reece quickly became a favorite and Willow is just as adorably and likeable.

I have to say, I did not read the first book but I totally plan to. In the descriptor it says theres enough information about the first book scattered throughout to make up for starting this one without reading the first and I agree. The book has likeable enough characters and great pacing so that you dont get bored of it. It makes for a good, quick scifi read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and NetGalley!

Actual rating probably somewhere between a 3.5-4, which means rounding up!

I was a little torn on this book, because I think I would have liked it better if I hadn't read Gambit. I hated Reece and all the romance in Gambit, and it did affect my enjoyment of it. I liked this book more because it felt a lot more about Willow and her powers.

The negative:
The whole Toby thing was left so unresolved that it bothered me, and the big reveal with the beacon was a letdown to me. I was also a little disappointed in the reveal on how those with powers came to be.
I was also disappointed in the amount of Morrigan in the book. The reasoning made sense, but I just really want to meet her.

The neutral:
This is something that I didn't take issue with, but I think some readers could. The overall tone of the book was very "angsty teen". Think Harry Potter circa Order of the Phoenix. Realistically, though, this is exactly how a teen WOULD probably act in a situation like Willow is in.
I'm still not totally sure how I feel about "the Tiger". In Gambit, it felt overly cheesy, but in this book, it did seem more like it could be leading to something.

The positive:
I love a training montage. I also love all the cool tech that Denault thought up, from big to small. The inclusion of hackers and the interesting skill there were everything I wanted from a systems analyst (when she's writing it into a dystopian YA novel, anyway)!
There was much less of Willow denouncing all Core clothing as slutty, and shaming other women, which I appreciated.
We got to learn about some really interesting skills in this one, as well as some history, giving us some context on how everything got to be the way it is now.
We got to see Willow be a badass!

If you were a little disappointed in Gambit because it was missing a bit of the dystopian or futuristic feel, or if you also really hated Reece, or wanted more skill battles, then I think you will also like this one better!

The premise of this series is something that I don’t always shoot for because I am not a huge science fiction fan however, I am a HUGE dystopian fan, so I tend to pick those all up. I chose not to judge these books by their genre until I actually read them. I did not read Gambit yet, so I had to go back and read Gambit before continuing—boy was I glad I did. It was like being dropped from the tallest freefall in the country… I LOVED IT. I could not put it down from chapter 1 until I was basically done with the book and had to put it down to start school. I finished Gambit up quickly and began to read Mimic which was the same exhilarating feeling BUT EVEN MORE. It was WORSE this time the freefalling feeling and I absolutely loved it (and I hate freefalls!).

Mimic has a striking cover which can pull many students in and even many adults who read YA without being too… YA if you know what I mean. The insides of this book were striking, in vivid detail, and kept you salivating for more. You can’t just finish one page with this thriller—you just keep going, just like potato chips. Of course, the main character is a bit of a ditz sometimes and you just want to yell but she’s lovable all the same and makes mistakes that you would make yourself in this time in the book.

The characters are semi-relatable—if you can realize it is science fiction and a dystopia, which makes students want to read more with it. Once they can’t connect—you’ve lost them. Here, this book allows for everyone to connect in a way that is simple but captivating. I would certainly purchase this book and suggest it to my students whenever they came in looking for a great science fiction.

I did not read Gambit before reading Mimic by C.L. Denault. The story was easy enough to follow and a great fantasy read. I love complicated relationships and this book nailed them! I recommend!

I enjoy a series that really shows the growth of characters. We aren't all perfect. We all have to make mistakes and learn. It's life. I love seeing that growth in the main character, Willow. The action was a little lackluster but that's honestly pretty typical in a sequel. I do really enjoy seeing hard decisions that characters have to make. Like, who is an enemy?!?! What is trust?! I need the third book, k thanks.

I didn't read the first book so I felt a little out of sorts. I still enjoyed and looking forward to continuing the series

In 2012, one cycle of an ancient calendar system came to a close. Humanity predicted its downfall, but it wasn't the end of their evolutionary climb. It was the beginning.

Willow Kent is discovering that life as a second-phase prodigy comes at a price. Trapped in the London Core, her choices are limited, made difficult by her forbidden romance with Reece and the presence of a new commanding officer who establishes harsh rules. With unpredictable skills and a growing distrust in her birth parents, she is struggling to play the Core's game. But when opportunity arises in the form of a mysterious shapeshifter, Willow realizes there's more to her own evolution than meets the eye. She soon learns that keeping secrets is a key move, and the more dangerous they are, the greater her need to evolve into the powerful prodigy nature intended her to become.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


I am so glad that I got to read Gambit and Mimic back to back.. Now if we could get the third installment like yesterday… That would be great.


This book is wayyy more intense than its prequel. Willow develops her abilities more and discovers ones that vastly surpass all expectations. SHE HAS A FREAKING TIGER GUYS. I love that this book doesn't shy away from Willow also being a typical teen. All teens have those emotional moments that make them seem like a know it all or a brat. Willow is absolutely no exception. I love the attraction between Willow and Reece.. Come on y'all.. We are all shipping that.

This book really just has everything from political alliances to complicated relationships. One of my favorite things about Denault’s writing is the realistic protagonist development. Everything just seems to naturally grow and flow. Denault has built this amazingly realistic world that I just want to immerse myself in and never leave. Mimic will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. What motives to the people around you really have? Would you make the same choices? Who can you really trust? I found myself nervously excited at every page turn. Put C.L Denault on your list of authors to watch.. We got a gem here!

After being accepted for an ARC I realized it was the second in a series, so I went back and bought book 1 and read it. I was hooked! There were so many twists and turns and the detail in each scene is wonderful and easy to imagine.

It was a good book, even though I thought the characters didn’t get a good development as the first book.

This book was amazing! It's been a long time since I started a new series or read a new author and was blown away. The characters were well developed and engaging. The storyline and world building were brilliantly well thought out and designed while describing nonexistent technology in a way the reader understood it and it never felt impossible (think "light swords" in those star movies) The clear division between the "have" and "have nots" is blatant and the author does a great job of showing the turmoil and guilt of the FMC at having to experience dual walks of life and finding beauty and pain in both. The FMC's torment of trying to decide between protecting her protector/love and saving an innocent man who trained, and cared for her as a child is heartbreaking. All the while her powers growing stronger and having someone hunt her at every turn. In a new world where nothing is as it seems and the rules of life she knows no longer exist or apply. She is being used and seen as a commodity by her biological mother and blackmailed to keep the secret of her abduction as a baby. The ending shocked and intrigued me. I am only hoping it won't be 4 years between books like the last two now that I have discovered this amazing series! C. L. Denault is an author worth praising. She has given me a fresh genre to sink my teeth into. I will be sharing this series in all my book clubc and online groups. Simply amazing!

I didn't realize this was a sequel book to Gambit so I didn't finish this book. I was trying to get into but couldn't quite grasp all the characters. Then I looked and saw that it was the next book. Although, from the few pages that I did read, Mimic definitely seems to have plenty of intrigue. I'm gonna go buy the first book now.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing to me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Denault has created another masterpiece in a character driven novel, which (despite the presence of constructively and plot-driving character flaws), manages to snare the readers attention with its skilled writing style and symbolism. Using the flawed characterisations, Denault manages to ensure that the MC Willow, develops into a mature young young women, by facing perils and consequences in a realistic setting.