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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
This was really interesting, but I don't know how to rate it? It's hard to pinpoint how I feel about this one!
There was a lot going on in this story, but with so many moment-to-moment happenings I lost track of the big picture. I couldn't see the purpose or where the story was going, but definitely keeps you reading! It was also interesting to read in the second half of 2021 compared to when it was originally published, so much has happened and it was a little unsettling how real it all read. There was a lot of bickering that made me want to yell at my book, but it was also kind of nice to read about teenagers acting how teenagers would in this sort of situation. All in all, an interesting take on a dystopian read, though I probably won't pick up the second book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I'm sorry for the delay in my reading/reviewing; it's been a bit of a year!
There was a lot going on in this story, but with so many moment-to-moment happenings I lost track of the big picture. I couldn't see the purpose or where the story was going, but definitely keeps you reading! It was also interesting to read in the second half of 2021 compared to when it was originally published, so much has happened and it was a little unsettling how real it all read. There was a lot of bickering that made me want to yell at my book, but it was also kind of nice to read about teenagers acting how teenagers would in this sort of situation. All in all, an interesting take on a dystopian read, though I probably won't pick up the second book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book and I'm sorry for the delay in my reading/reviewing; it's been a bit of a year!
3.5 stars - I nearly DNF near the beginning, as I felt the scene setting to make it clear this is set in future was too clumsy. Saying that, I’m glad I persevered. This was a well-paced story with quite a few twists and turns which I enjoyed. I particularly liked the relationship that grew between the stepsisters, and I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel.
Kelly deVos: Day Zero The clock was always ticking and Kelly DeVos takes us to Day Zero, once all the time has run out: Jinx Marshall did not have a regular childhood. She spent all of her free doomsday prepping a drilling. Her Dad never let her have a days rest or a regular childhood it was all about being prepared. When her parents divorce and her mother remarries, Jinx thinks that she can take a break, have and easy normal life from now on. But all the training comes in handy when a building explodes right next to the one she, her brother and step sister are in, she is able to get them all out alive. However, this was not some random attack the world is about to go through a huge change, one that only a few saw coming, and Jinx just hopes that she has trained enough to help keep her family safe. Wow, i'm not quite sure where to start with this book, there are quite a few things that I liked about it, the pace (super fast and right from the start), dooms day, some pretty good action scenes that I was not expecting and the overall plot in the story but I struggled with the main character and some of the political avenues. I get that she is a teenager and I tried to forgive that as I read the story but there were a few things about her that just irked me especially as she is really the key to everything. With that said I am unsure whether I am supposed to like the main character, Jinx, or not. She has some great qualities like taking care of her younger brother, Charles and there are times when she's great to have in a stressful situation, seems to have some fighting abilities but for most of the story I found her to be whiny, selfish (which I guess can be good when the apocalypse is happening) and not smart most of the time aka being distracted by boys. There are multiple times she forgets what her Dad taught her and I feel like if you ran doomsday preps for YEARS of you life you would not forget so many things so easily. I mean when she is taking it easy after her mom and dad split and no longer having to do drill every day she is planning video game campaigns, I feel like that is something that is directly related to her dooms day prepping training. I actually thought that MacKenna was a more likable character (which I did not think would happen at first as she comes off as the spoiled rich girl with entitlement kind of vibe) as at least she stayed true to herself and her ideas and beliefs and wasn't afraid to question everything. I found the political setting of the book a little confusing, and I don't think the full history of how the USA got to this state is fully explained. I get everyone is for Everyone’s for Rosenthal, but why? And why is it so bad to have a change in government. I mean Ammon Carver does start to sound like a nut bar but it sounded like the people in the USA wanted to move back to a capitalistic market and away from a more socialist or communist one? I think? Honestly i'm not 100% sure at this point. I mean I like a political intrigue in a book but it needs to be well laid out and explained for me to get on board with it. I'm hoping maybe a bit more will be explained in book number 2. Maybe have Dr. Doomsday explain a few more things and what Carver was thinking as they used to be friends and why he had helped him before this point. This was an interesting Doomsday, literally zero day, zero hour, type of book that basically start you running from the beginning and you are looking to catch up about what is going to happen next. I think this is where deVos lost me a bit as I struggled to understand the political landscape of this book and where the USA was before a new president took over. That said I think that deVos has something here and I would check out the next book in the series. Enjoy!!!!
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I received this book as a part of the Winter 2020 Harlequin Trade Publishing Blog Tour for Inkyard Press. Thank you to Kelly deVos, Harlequin Books, Inkyard Press & NetGalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Susan aka "Jinx" had a father who was called Mr. Doomsday. Jinx's dad wrote the book The Doomsday Guide to Ultimate Survival and they spent a lot of time, tirelessly working at the drills that her father wrote in this book. Just when Susan's mother divorces her father and she's ready to calm down with her little brother Charles, the worst happens. Doomsday approaches and the government thinks it was Jinx's father who triggered all of these events. It's apparent that it's a choice of "remember your training" or "throw everything out the window" type scenario.
This book had such a fantastic start, it had me on the edge of my seat. I read through the first 30% within an hour I believe. It wasn't something that I had read before. A doomsday prepper turned possible doomsday ...starter?! It was so intriguing to see the steps play out in Jinx's head after years and years of having them drilled into her mind with her little brother.
After I got to a certain spot, this novel began to drag for me. It was almost like I got through some of the best parts in that first 30% and then ...poof, it stopped. I kept reading because I was very curious on how this book was going to end and what was going to happen. There were points that had you wondering if this was just in her local town or was it worldwide and other doomsday thoughts that a person might have.
One of my biggest issues that I had with this novel were the characters. They seemed almost unlikable as I got further and further into it. I loved Charlie and I wanted to take him home with me. He was hilarious and had his own little spin. If book two was in Charlie's point-of-view, I would read it in a heartbeat.
Overall, this was a good young adult novel. I would read this again and I would recommend it. Keep an open mind when reading after hitting that little wall because it might be a better of a rating for you!
Susan aka "Jinx" had a father who was called Mr. Doomsday. Jinx's dad wrote the book The Doomsday Guide to Ultimate Survival and they spent a lot of time, tirelessly working at the drills that her father wrote in this book. Just when Susan's mother divorces her father and she's ready to calm down with her little brother Charles, the worst happens. Doomsday approaches and the government thinks it was Jinx's father who triggered all of these events. It's apparent that it's a choice of "remember your training" or "throw everything out the window" type scenario.
This book had such a fantastic start, it had me on the edge of my seat. I read through the first 30% within an hour I believe. It wasn't something that I had read before. A doomsday prepper turned possible doomsday ...starter?! It was so intriguing to see the steps play out in Jinx's head after years and years of having them drilled into her mind with her little brother.
After I got to a certain spot, this novel began to drag for me. It was almost like I got through some of the best parts in that first 30% and then ...poof, it stopped. I kept reading because I was very curious on how this book was going to end and what was going to happen. There were points that had you wondering if this was just in her local town or was it worldwide and other doomsday thoughts that a person might have.
One of my biggest issues that I had with this novel were the characters. They seemed almost unlikable as I got further and further into it. I loved Charlie and I wanted to take him home with me. He was hilarious and had his own little spin. If book two was in Charlie's point-of-view, I would read it in a heartbeat.
Overall, this was a good young adult novel. I would read this again and I would recommend it. Keep an open mind when reading after hitting that little wall because it might be a better of a rating for you!
I received a copy of Day Zero in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Day Zero is the first novel in a Duology of the same name by Kelly deVos. What do you do, when the end of the world as you know it is looming on the horizon? That’s a question that Jinx Marshall is going to have to answer. Thankfully, being the daughter of a doomsday prepper has left her fairly well prepared for it. Though she never could have prepared for the cause of the downfall.
Day Zero is a novel made up of many elements. It’s an apocalyptic novel (not quite post – not yet, at any rate). It’s a discussion on politics and ethics. It’s a survival novel, with a healthy dose of hacking and tech speak. There’s family drama and romance, and basically everything you can think of in here.
Jinx was never really an ordinary girl. You’d have to live an ordinary life for that. She grew up running practice drills for any and all major events that could happen. Not exactly normal – but it’s going to come in use now. In her downtime, Jinx likes to code and relax online, usually by gaming with her friends. She’s paranoid, quick, and unafraid to follow through on her decisions. Oh, and she earned her nickname thanks to all the bad things that seem to happen around her.
“It’s not a raid without cheese puffs and Extra Jolt strawberry soda.”
Day Zero was a fast-paced novel, packed to the brim with details and explanations that made the entire plot feel real. Perhaps too real, given the circumstances. Jinx’s quest for answers and resolution was fascinating; resulting in a mad dash from one event to the next.
There was a lot to enjoy about Day Zero. For one thing, I love how many different elements were woven into this piece (see above). It’s not every day you get to see a novel like that, so I always make a point of appreciating it when it happens.
Another part I loved about this novel was how it made you think. There are several different moments of political discourse laid out onto the table here. It was food for thought, especially as Kelly deVos played Devil’s Advocate through her characters – which in itself was fascinating.
The pacing was exceptionally done as well. There was a lot to fit into this book (obviously), and yet it never really felt like it was dragging. Sometimes it did seem like Jinx and her family were being thrown all over the map, but in a good way. After all, they were on a run for their lives.
Speaking of Jinx, I really enjoyed her character. I wasn’t sure about her at first, since she seemed to be so closed off from the rest of the world. But the more I got to see of her, the more I became invested in her story (and thus her survival). She’s quick-witted, driven, and stubborn as a mule. But it’s perfect for this story.
The final element I loved about this novel had to be the conclusion. Don’t worry: I’m not about to spoil it on you. But I will say that I feel like this ending perfectly fit the tale being told. Lately, it seems like I’ve come up against so many novels with a rushed ending that didn’t fit the intrigue of the introduction. That is not the day for Day Zero. This was the ending us readers deserved, and I couldn’t be happier about that fact.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the second novel in this duology brings with it. It will be interesting to see how Jinx and her crew resolve this whole mess – because you just know that there’s no way they’re staying out of it.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Day Zero is the first novel in a Duology of the same name by Kelly deVos. What do you do, when the end of the world as you know it is looming on the horizon? That’s a question that Jinx Marshall is going to have to answer. Thankfully, being the daughter of a doomsday prepper has left her fairly well prepared for it. Though she never could have prepared for the cause of the downfall.
Day Zero is a novel made up of many elements. It’s an apocalyptic novel (not quite post – not yet, at any rate). It’s a discussion on politics and ethics. It’s a survival novel, with a healthy dose of hacking and tech speak. There’s family drama and romance, and basically everything you can think of in here.
Jinx was never really an ordinary girl. You’d have to live an ordinary life for that. She grew up running practice drills for any and all major events that could happen. Not exactly normal – but it’s going to come in use now. In her downtime, Jinx likes to code and relax online, usually by gaming with her friends. She’s paranoid, quick, and unafraid to follow through on her decisions. Oh, and she earned her nickname thanks to all the bad things that seem to happen around her.
“It’s not a raid without cheese puffs and Extra Jolt strawberry soda.”
Day Zero was a fast-paced novel, packed to the brim with details and explanations that made the entire plot feel real. Perhaps too real, given the circumstances. Jinx’s quest for answers and resolution was fascinating; resulting in a mad dash from one event to the next.
There was a lot to enjoy about Day Zero. For one thing, I love how many different elements were woven into this piece (see above). It’s not every day you get to see a novel like that, so I always make a point of appreciating it when it happens.
Another part I loved about this novel was how it made you think. There are several different moments of political discourse laid out onto the table here. It was food for thought, especially as Kelly deVos played Devil’s Advocate through her characters – which in itself was fascinating.
The pacing was exceptionally done as well. There was a lot to fit into this book (obviously), and yet it never really felt like it was dragging. Sometimes it did seem like Jinx and her family were being thrown all over the map, but in a good way. After all, they were on a run for their lives.
Speaking of Jinx, I really enjoyed her character. I wasn’t sure about her at first, since she seemed to be so closed off from the rest of the world. But the more I got to see of her, the more I became invested in her story (and thus her survival). She’s quick-witted, driven, and stubborn as a mule. But it’s perfect for this story.
The final element I loved about this novel had to be the conclusion. Don’t worry: I’m not about to spoil it on you. But I will say that I feel like this ending perfectly fit the tale being told. Lately, it seems like I’ve come up against so many novels with a rushed ending that didn’t fit the intrigue of the introduction. That is not the day for Day Zero. This was the ending us readers deserved, and I couldn’t be happier about that fact.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the second novel in this duology brings with it. It will be interesting to see how Jinx and her crew resolve this whole mess – because you just know that there’s no way they’re staying out of it.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
*Review will be posted to my blog on November 17, 2019**
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC and inviting me to participate in this blog tour.
Jinx is living during the New Depression. An election recently took place and The Opposition leader, Ammon Carver, won the vote for president. It doesn’t seem like many people in Jinx’s life and in society approved of this choice, most were vying for the leader of The Spark, David Rosenthal, and there are rumors that the election was rigged – does that sound strangely familiar?
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC and inviting me to participate in this blog tour.
Jinx is living during the New Depression. An election recently took place and The Opposition leader, Ammon Carver, won the vote for president. It doesn’t seem like many people in Jinx’s life and in society approved of this choice, most were vying for the leader of The Spark, David Rosenthal, and there are rumors that the election was rigged – does that sound strangely familiar?
I received an arc of this book from Net Galley and will post my full review closer to its release date.
The recently released, Day Zero by Kelly DeVos is a book I signed up to preview on whim. It was pretty close to its release date but it sounded like something I shouldn’t have any trouble flying through – a YA novel with a disintegrating society and a struggle for survival in the face of it. The story proved to be more complicated and deep than that, which was good. However, it was perhaps too complicated and contrived at times and definitely wasn’t as compelling or fun as I’d hoped. I also didn’t realize at the time that it was only the first novel of a duology. Reading only a galley copy, there were also some unfortunate gaps fairly early in the story that made it really difficult to become invested in the characters or story. I think if I’d waited for the actual release and knew going in that it was only the first of two books, I might have enjoyed it more.
Susan, aka Jinx, is a teenager trying to survive a lot of change in a short amount of time. Her parents divorced and her mother remarried pretty quickly giving her and her younger brother, Charles, a stepfather, stepbrother and stepsister. Jinx and her stepsister MacKenna don’t get along and they happen to be the same age and in a lot of the same classes at school. MacKenna and her family take an active interest in politics and support the party that just lost in a close and contested election. But an act of terrorism quickly sows desperation and the new leader enforces martial law. The investigation focuses on Jinx’s stepfather and sends her and her siblings into hiding and searching for her father.
For the full review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-X0
Susan, aka Jinx, is a teenager trying to survive a lot of change in a short amount of time. Her parents divorced and her mother remarried pretty quickly giving her and her younger brother, Charles, a stepfather, stepbrother and stepsister. Jinx and her stepsister MacKenna don’t get along and they happen to be the same age and in a lot of the same classes at school. MacKenna and her family take an active interest in politics and support the party that just lost in a close and contested election. But an act of terrorism quickly sows desperation and the new leader enforces martial law. The investigation focuses on Jinx’s stepfather and sends her and her siblings into hiding and searching for her father.
For the full review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-X0
The fast pace kept this one engrossing and it certainly had me guessing until the end. Frequently in survival stories, the technical element of things can sort of take over, but this included both the strategic piece and the character piece, which was great. I especially appreciated that managing the practicalities was included - making sure to stock up on period supplies, and needing to keep on top of Charles's blood sugar (although the latter faded out as the book went on).
I will say that I found the political reality of the world a little muddled. The back and forth political debates sort of stopped the action in its tracks. Perhaps it's mostly setup for the second book in the duology? I felt the same way with Toby's "falling in love" later in the book - if there isn't more included in the sequel, it feels a bit shallow and like something of a waste of time.
The characters were mostly well-drawn and engaging, although I found both Jinx and Gus/Navarro to be a little lacking in clear personality, and their attraction to be predictable but not overly well-founded.
Certainly an entertaining option to pick-up if you like action and near-future dystopia.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.
I will say that I found the political reality of the world a little muddled. The back and forth political debates sort of stopped the action in its tracks. Perhaps it's mostly setup for the second book in the duology? I felt the same way with Toby's "falling in love" later in the book - if there isn't more included in the sequel, it feels a bit shallow and like something of a waste of time.
The characters were mostly well-drawn and engaging, although I found both Jinx and Gus/Navarro to be a little lacking in clear personality, and their attraction to be predictable but not overly well-founded.
Certainly an entertaining option to pick-up if you like action and near-future dystopia.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.