The Never-Ending End of the World

by Ann Christy

Coco Wells hasn’t seen another living person since she was a teenager. All of Manhattan is reliving the same few seconds, minutes, or hours on a loop… and they have been for years. Everything looks normal from a distance, but up close it’s a nightmare.

Coco is a survivor. She scavenges for food, reads, and—most importantly—avoids loopers. They ignore her, but only as long as she’s silent. She’s learned the painful lesson that a broken loop can mean death.

After eight years of solitude, learning to survive and precisely timing the loops that weave around the city, Coco wonders what lies beyond New York and what has become of the rest of the world.

As she leaves home for the first time, one question haunts her above all:

“Am I the only one left?”

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Audiobook, Fantasy

482 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2023

About the author

Ann lives by the sea under the benevolent rule of her canine overlord and an incredibly foul-mouthed cat. A scientist and Navy officer by profession, the writing bug somehow got inside her during her travels. She's now stuck with it and can't stop writing.

She writes fully immersive works of science fiction and apocalyptic fiction. Ann is also a voracious reader, and adores a well-done audiobook. If she's not writing, then she's reading or listening.

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember loving character driven post-apocalyptic movies like "The Road" and "Finch". These are not my norm since I usually favor action but I found there's an immense enjoyment to this genre when it leans on a few leading characters.

The Never-Ending End of the World is also very character driven told through the journals of Coco and Forest's POV. The concept of this scifi piques my interest with an event that occurred 40 some years ago when Coco was twelve. People including her family are caught in a time loop.

These are "loopers" and they are reliving and doing the same thing over and over. Some are caught in seconds long loops while some are hours long. We learn along the way that bad things happen and are not to disturb those in the loop!

Why are some people in the loop while others aren't? How did it happen? There are so many questions! I enjoyed this survival adventure and learn about the "new world" with the characters through the years.

Then there are settlements. The Chosen and the Seekers and how different they view the new world and their ways to fix it. I'm not a fantasy reader normally and this part feels like many overdone YA dystopia factions and what I like least about the novel. It felt dragged somewhat for me.

On a positive note, the audio was excellent with my favorite narrators Therese Plummer and Ari Fliakos. If you're into this genre and are looking for different post-apocalyptic scenarios, this one is pretty unique and might be the one you're looking for.

Thank you Campfire Publishing and Netgalley for my advance copies.
Published Aug 8, 2023. Available now!

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dystopian science fiction takes place over several decades following an event that divided the world into 2 groups. Some of the people and animals were left to repeat never ending loops, reflecting their most recent activity. The minority of the remaining people and animals were free from the looping activity, but they were isolated, endangered and afraid. If a looper is disturbed in any way they react aggressively, and then they die. This book is complicated and there are lots of rules about the interaction between the looped and unlooped worlds.

The story is told from the alternating points of view of Chloe and Forest, who represent separate factions of the unlooped, as they try to rebuild society while avoiding the loopers. Eventually, some decide that the status quo can no longer be maintained and action must be taken to get to the bottom of the event. That is where the book lost me. I have absolutely no idea what caused the event or how the action taken at the end of the book had any impact. Despite my total confusion, I thought that the book had a very original premise and relatable characters. The book held my interest and the 2 narrators of the audiobook did a good job.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post-apocalyptic/dystopian stories are always one of my favorite reads. This was my first Ann Christy book, and boy, am I now a fan❤️. I loved the dynamics of this book. Most of the world being stuck in a constant loop was a concept I haven't seen much in my reading, but it was also broken down well enough to not be completely confusing. The characters were endearing, and the ending was one I will never forget.

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Never-Ending End of the World
by Ann Christy
Science Fiction Dystopia Apocalyptic
NetGalley ARC
16+

Coco Wells was a teenager when the looping started. Every person in NYC she saw was stuck in a loop from anywhere between a few seconds to hours, repeating the same activity over and over again until something disrupted them: a noise, a touch, then the looper would scream and become violent and then disappear.

Spanning many years, this dystopian story is one of those that is hard to review because it would be so easy to drop spoilers. It is a typical end-of-the-world story where the survivors fight to survive, but the difference is while there are no 'monsters', they have a different type of struggle. Not all food is food. Also, the survivors aren't cutthroat like other stories are. These people, even those with different beliefs about the looping help each other, which is a very nice, even though far-fetched, idea.

At first, I wasn't sure about the narration of the story, diary and third person, but as the story progressed, it worked and merged the storylines of the characters with the plot really well!

Now to the main plot of the story, the looping. Wow! That was creative thinking! Kudos to the author for keeping it all straight. It is a complex idea. And the food idea, double wow!

But the ending, eh. I was disappointed. With all of the build-up, I was expecting a lot more 'science', 'drama', and closure, either a happy or not happy ending, as is, it just ended without any fanfare as if the author couldn't think of anything interesting or mind-boggling.

If the ending had been better, there would be one more star.

3 Stars

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one you do not want to miss. I have never seen anything quite like the mechanics of this post-apocalyptic novel.

Coco is a child living in New York City when suddenly one day the entire world- minus Coco- suddenly becomes stuck in “loops” of the events they were doing at the time of the freeze. Each person repeats the last 5 minutes, or 6 hours, or 5 seconds of what they were doing before the freeze before resetting and starting again. Over and over and over. If disturbed by sound or touch, the “Loopers” become briefly violent and attack the interruption before disappearing forever. Coco learns to survive in this new world and we follow her through many decades of her life as the story progresses.

This was SUCH an incredible story. I became very attached to the main characters and their stories. I was unfortunate enough to be driving while finishing up the last hour and probably looked like a crazy person with tears streaming down my face. Crazy interesting and intelligent sci-fi premise with a beautiful story about humanity.

The two narrators were top-notch and I definitely intend to buy this in print and ask my library to buy copies because others clearly need to read this!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Campfire Publishing for the gifted audiobook!

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Happy Publication Day ***

This is the first book by Ann Christy I've read and based on it, I know I have found a new author to follow. What an amazingly plotted story--from start to finish.

Coco has been surviving in a world where something has caused time loops: people all around her continually repeat their actions. Alone in Manhattan, she has learned to navigate these loopers because interrupting the loops kills the person. Coco questions why she is different and wonders if she is truly alone. She eventually ventures outside of Manhattan where she meets Forrest, Jorge, and Tamara and learns there are two distinct beliefs for survival: Chosen and Seekers. She must pick a camp.

I admit I was a bit puzzled when I began the book, trying to figure out what was happening. When I realized that Coco also didn't have a clue, I settled back and let the story unfold. As told by Coco and Forrest, this is an interesting take on humanity when it essentially resets. Guided by differing belief systems, these two protagonists handle daily life-or-death situations differently and have strong convictions that would seemingly put them at odds. The lesson they learn is that compromise is the key to survival. This is a wonderfully written novel whose pacing and intricate plot and subplots are excellent. It's a story I sank my teeth in and thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jackson Dickert for an advance copy of this book for review. The publication date is August 8, 2023.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh My world! What can I say about a book that spoiled the next book to me?! I absolutely loved each moment of this book, I have grown with Coco, I have suffered with her, I was absolutely destroyed by the ending, and I can not stop thinking about this book, how I loved the way it was written.

In this book, each chapter have a small interlude written in the first person by Coco or by Forrest, a bit how a personal diary is written, and in this audiobook having two people telling the story sounds so even better, they both bring so much emotion, and all characters to life. I already knew Theresa Plummer, she read another series that I absolutely loved, so even thou I didn’t know if I would like the story I knew I would be great with her reading, I didn’t know Ari Fliakos, but I loved his part as well, I enjoy so much more when the people reading do all the other voices around and they both delivered on that department, and you know what? The story is as good as Theresa and Ari reading, I loved this book to bits, I ended up reading and listening at the same time, and I cant recommend this book enough, the story is great, the actors reading do a really great job, you feel each of their words, their fears, their joy… yeah I wish I could start again without knowing the story.. make it the first time again…

This apocalypse is very different from all the other apocalyptical books that we can find out there, people are inside of loops, and the people we follow are outside of those loops, and if they interact with the people inside those loops the people inside the loop will fight against the people who bothered them and then they will die and disappear, and that is true for animals as with people… only in the end we learn what happened in Coco House in the beginning… and where my broken heart starts, I am lying, it started a way before... I will just throw that out there, in the last 15% of the book I was ugly crying, I knew it was almost at the end, and it brings so many feeling to the surface.. yeah just thinking about the story and how it ends I am crying again, but still I can only highly recommend it, I loved it so much, the way the story is written even with the mention of babies being made, its very clean in the language, so it is fine for all ages, at least in my opinion, Coco was 12 when the end started, and while she feels mature, she also feels innocent during the book, even when thinking of her son… just read on and you’ll understand what I mean.

Thank you NetGalley and Campfire Publishing for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coco is left all alone in New York City at the end of the world. All around her, people are trapped in their own individual loops of time, endlessly repeating the same tasks that they were doing when the end of the world began. Coco scavenges for food while trying to avoid the "loopers", knowing from sad experience that if she disturbs their time loop they will die. After years of solitude, Coco begins to wonder if there might be others like her out in the world, people free from time loops. She charts a way to navigate the spaces between time loops and decides to leave New York.

This book broke my brain! And broke my heart too. I was hooked from the very first page, and it was a wild rollercoaster of emotions right up to the last page.

The characters feel so real and intense that it tugs at your heartstrings. They go through some terrible ordeals, but it is interspersed with joy and laughter as well. I loved Coco's character! She is so fierce and sensitive and tough and caring and generous. It was fascinating seeing how she interacted with the world around her, rising to meet each challenge and growing and changing. The book spans about 38 years, so we get to see her grow into a completely different person from the scared little girl who found herself alone surrounded by time loops.

I was really interested to see how the world-building kept growing. We start out with a very small view of the world; just one person. Then the world keeps expanding and getting bigger with more and more mysteries and problems and new characters. The science fiction part of the time loops really kept me wondering and guessing.

The writing was so brilliant at giving us the big picture of the whole world ending, but also taking time to notice the little details of these people's lives, like their dirty socks or how good a cool glass of water tastes on a hot day. The stakes feel even bigger, because we stop to appreciate all the little human things that make life worth living. The end of the world is somehow even more epic when you have a quiet moment to be grateful for each breath.

I really loved that a lot of deep themes are explored in this book. The characters have to make some very tough decisions at times. They suffer and sacrifice and have terrible regrets, but that just makes them cling tightly to their families. It makes them kinder and wiser. This book is so full of hope and love! The characters ponder some deep questions as they face the end of the world, discovering what it is that makes life truly precious.

Before reading the book, I asked the marketing team if there was a lot of profanity in the book. They said it was only a little, so I accepted the book for review. It was not a little. It was a lot. (I guess those descriptors are relative. What is a lot for one person is a little for someone else.) For me, it was a lot. But by that point, I was so hooked on the story, I just HAD to keep reading, despite my discomfort at all the bad words. If it were not for that, this would easily have been a five-star book.

There are four side characters who are gay/lesbian, but they are barely mentioned. They only have a couple of paragraphs in the entire book. The lesbian couple mentions wanting to adopt a child, and a few chapters later we learn that they have adopted.

The narrative structure was unlike anything I have ever seen. It was told in four big sections alternating between two different characters, Coco and Forrest. And within their sections we get first-person excerpts from their diaries, and then chapters with a third-person narrator focusing on that character's experiences. So the narration not only kept jumping between character POVS, but also between first and third person. The diary parts were usually in past tense, and the third-person chapters were in present tense. Just wow. The style was jumping around a lot. And yet, it felt cohesive and intentional and very well done. I don't know how the author managed to tell a coherent story with all of that back and forth, but they pulled it off! Head hopping is one of my pet peeves, and I don't care for present tense, but I appreciated that it was well-organized and everything was consistent within that system.

This is definitely one of those books where you keep thinking about it for days or even weeks after you have finished reading. I keep thinking about particular scenes and bits of meaningful dialogue. I actually had a dream about it last night, because my head is just so completely immersed in this story!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Never-Ending End of the World" is an emotional book of a woman who is trapped almost her entire life in a time loop. One day she wakes up, 12 years old, and the people around her keep repeating the same tasks, endlessly. Some loops are quick, 10 seconds or a couple minutes long, other loops can last for hours, like walking the dog or going to work for the day. Breaking the loop by touch or sound will cause the looper (is that even a word?) to attack and then vanish, most likely in death.

And Coco is trapped in Manhattan, one of the most populated areas.

As Coco grows, she slowly discovers others who are not trapped in their own loops and are searching to understand what is going on in the world. This is where the book changes, and we see the slow development of Coco from a girl, to a young woman, and ultimately to a more mature mother whose child may very well hold the key to understanding what is going on.

Although this book is very cerebral, with time loops and physics and fun, theoretical scientific theories of fourth dimensions and the workings of time, it's also a very human book, focused on family and friends and growing old in your skin. This, I think is where the book excels, and I found the ending of the book - which I was dreading at one point, knowing how it was going to end - very, very satisfying. If I were a crying person, I would have cried. I almost did.

So kudos to Ann Christy for an awesome read! And thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for allowing me to read for review. I most definitely recommend Ann Christy!

[James Tullos · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of this book ok in exchange for a fair review... but the fact that it took me months to finish probably says a lot.

I honestly don't care about 90% of this book. The beginning and the end are good. Thought provoking and strange, which isn't for everyone, but I like it. The rest is just people living their lives with little drama, mystery, humor, or anything else that made me want to read.

Far from the worst book, but hard to recommend.

[Karen’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a few days since I finished The Never-Ending End of the World and I still can’t get it out of my head or stop this book hangover I’ve had ever since.

This book is being described as Station Eleven meets The Last of Us, but that’s not quite right. There are no monsters, but the incredible love between found family is definitely there in a post-apocalyptic world.

I would say this felt more like my two favorite books in this type of apocalyptic dystopian genre (magical, scientific, speculative fiction?) which are The Book of M and Wanderers.

All I can say is, I. Loved. This. Book!! I think it will definitely be my top read of 2023!!

Coco has been living in Manhattan completely alone for the last eight years of her life. When she was 12, there was an “event” where all of the people (and animals) became “looped”, where they kept reliving the last few seconds, or minutes, or even hours of their lives… Over and over and over.

Coco found out the hard way that if you touched or even made noise to pull someone from their loop, they would become vicious and attack, and then would poof… Disappear. Forever.

After eight years of being completely alone (the loopers don’t count as she can’t interact with them or risk being killed by them) she finally leaves the city.

The story continues for another 3 decades as Coco learns to navigate the loopers and survive through this apocalyptic dystopian.

I started this story by ebook but quickly switched to the audiobook after listening to a sample. The narrators were absolutely brilliant and between the story and the performances of Therese Plummer and Ari Fliakes, I stayed up until 3:45 am on a work night because I couldn’t stop. I listened to the entire book in 2 days! It typically takes me about a week to listen to an audiobook, but not this one. It was amazing!!

The concept and the characters are everything I look for in a story. I’ll be preordering the hardback for my shelves as a trophy book.

*Thank you so much to Campfire Publishing and to NetGalley for the early copies!*

[L.L. MacRae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brilliantly original concept, with people caught in “time loops” of behaviour. A sort of stuck-in-time moment for the majority of the world - people, animals, insects - but not Coco, a 12yo from Manhattan, who wakes up to discover she’s the only person who isn’t looped.

We follow her harrowing journey, where she attempts to survive (disturb a loop and the looper will attack you promptly before disappearing - they won’t see you, but they can hear you - bringing a bit of a horror element), struggling to find food, and learning whether she is actually alone.

The novel spans many decades of the loop, following Coco and another POV, Forest, as they try to survive, understand, and potentially fix the loops. People who are not looped have their own ideas as to why this is - were they lucky? Were they chosen by some higher power? What is the reason for it?

I thought the concept was intriguing. It was a strong central mystery that drove everything and kept me hooked throughout, and I had so many questions: What caused the looping? Why are only some people caught in loops? Why do they become very angry if their loops are disturbed? Where do they disappear to after? Why can some people see what looped things will be left etc.

The structure of the book, with diary/journal entries interspersed with the chapters, was a great way to see the characters grow and develop, which is very much needed given the frequent, large time skips, where many of that development has happened off-page.

There were, especially in the final third, a lot of named characters that I didn’t have any real understanding of tho they were or why they were there.

Unfortunately I didn’t find the ending hugely satisfactory (not really any of my questions were answered), however, the epilogue, especially Sophie and Corey, were brilliant and emotional.

The audiobook was very well-narrated and enjoyable!

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5

The concept behind this book is incredible and unique (at least to me). When the end of the world comes, it doesn’t come for everyone. Most people are trapped in time loops, repeating the same actions over and over, forever — unless the Loopers are touched by or otherwise disturbed by the unlooped — at which point they freak out, try to kill anyone nearby, and then disappear.

Coco is one of the unlooped survivors, who - at age 12 - stays in Manhattan, mapping the movements of the Loopers and scavenging to survive on her own for years.

I don’t want to give away anything about the plot, but I *LOVED* where Christy took Coco over time and LOVED Coco as a character SO MUCH. There were some parts (from about the 80%-90% completion point) that got a little out there for me, but the ending brought it all back together and was perfect.

I’ve been telling everyone about “this crazy book I’m reading where people get trapped in time!” and can’t wait for more people to read this so I can talk about it!

This was my first book by Ann Christy, and I’m excited to read her backlist and anything else she writes in the future. LOVED IT.

* thank you to Campfire Publishing for the NetGalley review copy. THE NEVER-ENDING END OF THE WORLD publishes August 8th.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating and wonderfully told post-apocalyptic story. Coco tells her story of her struggles with what has happened and what is happening, and even what will happen soon, through her journals. And boy, howdy, what a story!

Well written and kept me wanting to read more.

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, very likely my book of the year. I AM SO SAD THIS BOOK IS OVER.

Even if the summary doesn’t sound like your thing, give this a try. Especially if you’re a mom.

Thank you netgalley for my ARC/ALC

SUMMARY: In a not too distant future, an event happens and the majority of the population is stuck in a loop... they keep repeating the same action over and over from Saturday night/Sunday morning. However a small portion of the population is not stuck in this loop and they go on living/aging but have to now survive in this new world with a myriad of hazards and complications. The story is told over several decades; it is the rare book with a truly satisfying and all-encompassing ending. Throughout their survival the characters faces challenges (mostly moral dilemmas) and I found myself relating to "both sides" and wondering what I would have done or believed. For example, some "non-loopers" think the kind and compassionate thing to do is terminate the people stuck in loops because what a nightmare that must be while others feel "killing them" is wrong and let them be.

HIGHLY recommend for dystopian fans (e.g. Flash Forward, Hunger Games, the Walking Dead)

I sobbed multiple times during this novel and miss them all so much already. Terrific narrators.

[Kim Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful reading experience! Usually, I take notes as I go, especially if I plan to write an involved review. However, this was one of those books that I could tell was going to be best enjoyed by immersing myself without interruption. This seems to hold true for all time-loop novels, in my experience.

One of the many great draws in this narrative, besides intriguing characters and steady plotting, was the inversion of the traditional time loop structure. In most of these types of books, the main character bounces around either different timelines, or different parallel Earths. This author chose to have the main characters stay in real time, while everyone else was stuck in repeating time loops. That's such a great take on a popular narrative construct.

This was my first time reading this author, but it won't be the last. Definitely recommend, especially if you like Blake Crouch.

[Larissa Goulart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of Murakamis Never Let Me Go and The Burried Giant.

It took me longer to read than most books, but the reason for this is that it is soooo good and heartbreaking that I could only read it in small doses without crying.

Coco is 12 years old when some sort of event happens and everyone else around her starts looping - repeating the same action over and over. After many years trying to survive alone she finds out there are other “unlooped” people in the world. Cocos goes on to live a normal life until she has to confront the decision if she wants to erase the life she knows after the incident or erase everything that happened before.

This book is sooo good! It makes you think about what your priorities in life are, how you spend your time, and what you would be willing to give up for those who you love.


I got this book as an ARC but I’ll be getting a copy for my friends once it’s published. This was the book I read so far this year.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy is exchange for my honest review.

[StephReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I’m incredible read. Truly. From the very first few chapters I could tell this book could be a bestseller. Also this would make an amazing movie. Someone call Christopher Nolan! STAT.

This story was so unique it actually surprised me. Post apocalyptic worlds tend to be quite similarly set up. The manipulation of time in this story felt very well thought out and one of a kind. I enjoyed the detail the author put into building this world.

The combination of action, science fiction and family dynamics was so beautiful and intriguing, I cried. I did not expect this book to impact me as effectively as it did.

I enjoyed that this story was duel POV but not in the normal back and forth kind of way. It was interesting to get story telling as well as journal entries from both characters. The epilogues were much appreciated as well!

Will definitely recommend. Will definitely read again. Will definitely be watching this book for accolades in the future.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and especially to the author for writing such an incredible book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Review based on arc from NetGalley.

This just might be the most original work of science fiction I've ever read, and I was hooked from the very beginning. It had a similar vibe to Station Eleven, but they're very different dystopian takes. If you liked Station Eleven, I think you'll love this book.

We follow protagonist Coco from age 12 on. Time has fractured, leaving most people (and animals, insects, and even inanimate objects) looping in place like broken records that keep playing the same section of track, over and over. A select few people are not caught up in these loops and can witness them from outside their restrictive patterns. The problem is, if a looper's path is interrupted, they are driven mad and become violent until they break apart and disappear. It almost had a sci fi-horror element there. Plus, if food is caught in a loop, even if you eat it, it will disappear when its section of looped time resets, and vanish painfully right out of your stomach. But if it's not looped, it won't stay fresh forever. Life is hard, especially when Coco is such a young child, all on her own in this confusing new world.

I thought it was brilliant to have a young girl as the main character in this story, so we can watch as she discovers how loops work, even if there's no way she or anyone can know what this all means. She is lonely and hungry and scared, and you feel her struggles as she fights to survive and eventually meets more like her, people living outside of the loops. I enjoyed reading about how people rebuilt a society apart from everyone and everything they knew and loved, carving out new lives with new governments and laws and viewpoints about life and the meaning behind what's happening.

The story has a slice-of-life feel to it, even as the plot moves along. Coco makes friends and even falls in love as she grows up, and, inevitably, sets out to save the world. The plot was so unique and original, there was no way to predict what would happen or how things would end up for the characters, or even what would happen the world. As time marches on, part fractured and part new, everything begins to decay and countless loopers have been killed, either accidentally or intentionally. New children are being born to those free of the loops, and they have unique abilities that make everyone wonder whether or not they are really even human. How can time be restored to its normal state, to save humanity and the earth itself? And if Coco and her friends can even accomplish that, what will happen to the loopers? To those that have now lived for decades outside of the loops? To those born in the new world? What should they protect, their lives and the lives of their friends, or time itself?

This book brought up so many interesting questions and really made me think about which side of the war for time I would join, and whether or not I could have made the same difficult choices Coco makes throughout the story. You find yourself weighing the same pros and cons, trying to decide whether you would prioritize yourself and your family versus the entire world, if it came down to that. It was provocative and heartwarming and terrifying, all at once. It's the kind of book that you keep thinking about, long after its conclusion.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this story! The concept was easy to follow and the characters were so engaging. The plot never lags because the writer will time jump and drop you right in the action.

I listened to the audio book and enjoyed it so much I will buy the book to add to my library. The voice acting was great!


Loved it!

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very unique post-apocalyptic science fiction novel.

The story was well written and kept my interest. The great writing helped me to enjoy the story even though I felt the rules in this post-apocalyptic world were arbitrary and confusing!

Some story elements were never completely explained though I appreciated that the epilogue gave some nice closure.

I got the audiobook and the ebook and listened during the day and read at night. The audiobook was nicely narrated.

[Heidi Kenney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an interesting new take on the dystopian genre. While it is a long book, I found myself wishing there were even more, and excited every time I could come back to the story. I am hoping for a second book to continue where the epilogue left off.
Thank you to net galley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

[Domi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting post apocalyptic book with a strong start that pulls you into the story. I liked the fact that the end of the world was something different from zombies, EMP or climate change for once and instead gave me something to think about in another way: time and our place in it.
The storyline and characters were solid, the way their beliefs evolved and how difficult choices were handled seemed spot on to me. If you don't expect an action-packed, fastmoving book but take the time to get to know the characters and maybe ruminate on your opinions or would be choices you'll get a gripping novel with an emotional impact that makes you think about the world around you you can't see.
I really enjoyed this one, I spend an evening at the kitchen table trying to explain it to someone who hadn't read it and afterwards we landed in a discussion about time and "what would you do's". If a book manages to do that it's a good reflection of the writing in my opinion.

***Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book***

[Jessica Hough · Rating 4 out of 5]

The begin I of this book reminded me a lot of the Walking Dead but instead of “walkers” we have “loopers”. I think the amount of time that passed throughout the book was perfect! My biggest issue with this book was the ending. The ending felt a little sudden and I wish that I found out what happens to more the characters from the book.

[Lena (Sufficiently Advanced Lena) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one of the few new post-apocalyptic that I truly enjoyed (It doesn't even have monsters, unbelievable).
If you are a fan of Station Eleven, you are also going to love this, since its main focus is the people and how they are dealing with their new reality. We have loopers, people who are stuck in the same loop (it can be long or short) and once disturbed they might turn feral. The story is told in a journal form, which I love, honestly, I adore when books are literally narrated to you.
We have inserts from other people, but we mostly follow Coco, she's been alone since she was a teenager, and she has adapted to living alone. Until she comes across a couple of survivors and then she discovers the world is dying, yet people are trying to get back in their feet.

It is a very character driven story, yet I found it extremely enjoyable and super easy to binge and read. I loved the different factions and how it affected the world. The ending was truly more sci-fi than the rest and I have to admit it was a little bit confusing, but definitely a good twist.

I would 100% recommend it to everyone who enjoys the genre and to those who are looking for something more philosophical.

[Melissa Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: It’s been days since I finished this and I still think of it at least once per day. I wish I had never read it so I could read it again the first time. Definitely in my Top 10 for the year.

Story: Coco is stuck navigating through the streets of NYC filled to the brim of people stuck in time. If she makes a sound, or bumps them - nay, if they even notice her - not only will they attack her, but then they disappear. Where? She doesn’t know, but she does her best trying to survive while navigating this human minefield every day.

Review: I’m not sure why this book hooked me so much. Maybe it was the author’s caretaking of her characters? They were all put into horrible circumstances and then tried to be the best version of themselves, even the leaders. And I have always enjoyed my scifi with a side of philosophy.

The thing is, as a reviewer I get to see how Covid writers dealt with their isolation - and right now you can see the Covid experience written all over many of the books being published. Some came away from Covid and went political, or full on pandemic terror (Red River Seven, I love you), and some authors (like this one) came out of the experience doing a deep dive in what it’s like to make life or death decisions for strangers. Our author asked all the right questions, and gave us insight into both sides of the philosophical battle - and did it with honesty and above all, love.

I hope one day if I’m in a similar circumstance, I can make the right choice - and if I make the wrong one, be able to forgive myself for doing the best I could with the information I had. Can we all say the same now for the circumstance we all just lived through?

(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this honest review.)

[Ante · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world stops, or rather repeats it self in small loops over and over again. Each person with their personal loop. The concept is amazing, the execution striking! The first half of this book was truly a 10/10 imo, and I'm a picky reader!
The main characters are fleshed out and were both young when the apocalypse happened. Following them growing up and evolving is a nice ride.

Sadly I'm not a fan of the way this story went after a while. I also find it a bit funny how these characters are on such high horses of morality. They truly read as Americans. Not only in the way they are convinced the looped humans are alive but also the family situation that happens in the story.

Up until the next to last chapter I would probably still have given the story a 5/5 but the ending really hit all the wring spots for me. It was super touching in parts, but the way it concluded and resolved was such a disappointment for me.
This has still been one of my most enjoyable reads of 2023 so far and I dont regret reading it.
The language is easy, effective and expressive. It might have help the visualisation if I would know what an American city looks like.

[Sarah Maddaford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ARC audio from Netgalley.

I liked the unique approach to an apocalypse this book had, although I was not a big fan of starting near the end and going back to the beginning. I appreciated both narrators and the characters' journals at the beginning of the chapters in addition to the regular accounting in the rest of the book. Coco and Forrest each have their own perspectives. Each narrator does well giving life to the characters and differentiating between other characters. There were some portions which seemed a bit long, but I was never bored. There may have been some parts of the ending journal portions which should have been chapter sections instead, but again it wasn't deal breaking. I don't really think a collider is going to cause something like this, but it is interesting to read about the characters evolving from a break down of time.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audio book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

What a fantastic and interesting post-apocalyptic book. Coco Wells was 12 years old when most of the world got stuck in a time loop. She only saw one person alive in 15 years when she meets other survivors. The book is told through her life and Forrest over decades and going back through their journals. I loved that for the most part survivors were supportive of each other and trying to rebuild the world.

This was my first book by Ann Christy. Didn’t know she wrote books in the Hugh Howey’s Wool universe so will have to read those soon.


Excellent narration.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. The very beginning and the very end were good, the whole in-between was, meh, barely 2 stars, because NOTHING really happened during that stretch. The whole time continuum was confusing too, but that's just me, hard to grasp what the whole thing meant. Needless to say, a lot of skimming took place...