Hello, and welcome to the very first edition of "Junie's Pick"! I've been wanting to do this for a while now, but time had gotten away from me. Before I get into the featured book, I want to explain a bit about Junie's Picks and how they are different from a promo. These are books I have found and enjoyed. They may be books that are extremely popular in the community, or they may not be. Regardless, with these posts, I will always ask for the writer's permission to do so.
So, let's get started with the first ever Junie's Pick! I chose the following book because it's one of the first books I've read on this account, and it's just really good.
Pokémon: Grim Gold by Your_Last_Word
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Pokéfic
Chapters Posted: 28.5 Chapters
Update Schedule: Random
What I love about Grim Gold is the slightly dark twist it takes in Pokémon. The story truly does match the title. While I don't like darker books, this book matches that darkness with humor. In fact, it's more humorous than it is dark, but fair warning that there is some bloodshed in the book, but I mean, I can read it without getting too squeamish, which is saying something (which I'd like to think is a good thing).
The characters are all based off of the manga/games, but since it's now dark times, people start to shift a bit. Nurse Joy has a bit of spunk (and a death wish). The Gym Leaders have gone from "I want to help Trainers!" to "People die, we must do what we can to win this war." While they have changed from their original personalities, it's all within reason, and I enjoy reading that. It makes sense with the war that is going on.
There are even some new characters which are awesome and enjoyable to read about. We have the main character, Akio, who isn't like your typical protagonist. Normally, I think of protagonist have these amazing traits that make them seem superhuman, but Akio is, for lack of a better term, a wimp. I like this. His relationships with his Pokémon and other characters are comical to see. He is pretty smart, but at the same time, I wonder how he hasn't died yet. It's a good thing as that's how his character is, and I enjoy reading every bit of it.
Then there's the villains, Team Victorus. It's because of them Johto has fallen, and they absolutely hate how Johto and the other regions have slipped into modern times. They're still a force to be reckon with. I also love how their names match. We have characters like Charm, Fate, Luck, and with names like that, you don't think of villains, but the twist the author does to that is really cool.
The storyline is amazing too. I've touched up a bit on this throughout, so I won't really get much into it. What I will say is that this is an amazing book and I highly recommend it those who are wanting a bit of a bit darker twist to Pokémon (though, it's not dark enough that I have to put down, so keep that in mind), all while enjoying a bit of comedy and adventure this book brings. Trust me, this book has something for everything, and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good read.