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Daybreak Colony #1
Surviving Daybreak
A crashed ship. An alien jungle. A missing colony.
What happened on Daybreak?
Anikka has worked her butt off to earn a place on the Last Resort, a colony ship leaving overcrowded Earth. But instead of a peaceful trip to a new world, Anikka wakes from cryo-sleep as the Last Resort hits the atmosphere and crashes in the jungle, completely ruining her plans.
Wounded and alone except for an anxious AI, Anikka is determined to survive even when the planet itself is trying to kill her. All she has to do is get to the colony. But rising mysteries trip her every step of the way. Why did the ship crash? Why isn't anyone from the colony responding? What happened to the people who were supposed to be there? Anikka's life depends on finding the answers. Before whatever got the colony gets her, too.
What happened on Daybreak?
Anikka has worked her butt off to earn a place on the Last Resort, a colony ship leaving overcrowded Earth. But instead of a peaceful trip to a new world, Anikka wakes from cryo-sleep as the Last Resort hits the atmosphere and crashes in the jungle, completely ruining her plans.
Wounded and alone except for an anxious AI, Anikka is determined to survive even when the planet itself is trying to kill her. All she has to do is get to the colony. But rising mysteries trip her every step of the way. Why did the ship crash? Why isn't anyone from the colony responding? What happened to the people who were supposed to be there? Anikka's life depends on finding the answers. Before whatever got the colony gets her, too.
- GenresScience FictionSurvival
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2023
21 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Kendra Merritt
28 books85 followersBooks have been Kendra’s escape for as long as she can remember. She used to hide fantasy novels behind her government textbook in high school, and she wrote most of her first novel during a semester of college algebra.
Older and wiser now (but just as nerdy) Kendra writes retellings of fairytales with main characters who have disabilities. If she isn’t writing, she’s reading, and if she isn’t reading, she’s playing video games.
Kendra lives in Denver with her very tall husband, their book loving progeny, and a lazy black monster masquerading as a service dog.
Older and wiser now (but just as nerdy) Kendra writes retellings of fairytales with main characters who have disabilities. If she isn’t writing, she’s reading, and if she isn’t reading, she’s playing video games.
Kendra lives in Denver with her very tall husband, their book loving progeny, and a lazy black monster masquerading as a service dog.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 11, 2024
Overall Rating : A
"Ugh, why is the alien version of things always worse?"
Annika wakes up from her cryo-sleep, expecting to see the new colony made world Daybreak and get ready to start her job as an infra-engineer. Instead, the ship Last Resort is blowing up. She is shoved into an escape pod with only her prosthetic arm, and an AI that had been illegally uploaded with an extra data pack(susceptible of being logic crazy and cause her harm). But making it safely down is the easy part. Now she must find the colony that didn't respond to the S.O.S, and survive a deadly new world.
I'm so glad I picked up this book. The constant danger made me terrified. The whole world of Daybreak was beautiful and deadly and seemed so real I could reach in the book and touch it(I wouldn't recommend it though. It will most likely kill you). And I absolutely loved Annika and her perseverance. She made the story, never giving up and using what she had to the best of her abilities. I wish all MC's were like her.
A sci-fi book for those that want to dip your toes in the genre but mostly it's a book on surviving a brand new, harsh environment with only your wits, an alien wolf/dog, and an AI that may or may not go logic-crazy. 😉
"Ugh, why is the alien version of things always worse?"
Annika wakes up from her cryo-sleep, expecting to see the new colony made world Daybreak and get ready to start her job as an infra-engineer. Instead, the ship Last Resort is blowing up. She is shoved into an escape pod with only her prosthetic arm, and an AI that had been illegally uploaded with an extra data pack(susceptible of being logic crazy and cause her harm). But making it safely down is the easy part. Now she must find the colony that didn't respond to the S.O.S, and survive a deadly new world.
I'm so glad I picked up this book. The constant danger made me terrified. The whole world of Daybreak was beautiful and deadly and seemed so real I could reach in the book and touch it(I wouldn't recommend it though. It will most likely kill you). And I absolutely loved Annika and her perseverance. She made the story, never giving up and using what she had to the best of her abilities. I wish all MC's were like her.
A sci-fi book for those that want to dip your toes in the genre but mostly it's a book on surviving a brand new, harsh environment with only your wits, an alien wolf/dog, and an AI that may or may not go logic-crazy. 😉
March 12, 2023
This is the story of a shipwrecked sailor on a deserted island.
Except, that’s hardly fair. Anikka is not a sailor, but an engineer, and the island is a planet suitable for human life and colonization. Also, the planet isn’t deserted. At least, it’s not supposed to be deserted. There should be colonists there already.
The shipwreck is real, though.
Anikka wakes up after ten years of cryo-sleep, gets told she has five minutes to get into an escape pod, or she’ll die as the ship crashes. Not a good way to start your week, and there’s no coffee.
Also, there are no colonists. They’re missing. Gone.
That’s how the book begins.
Together with her trusty AI, named Bleep-Bloop, or BB for short, Anikka needs to find out what happened to the colonists, why the ship crashed, if there are other survivors, how to get food, and how to avoid all the creatures that want to kill and eat her.
Just like the sailor on the deserted island, Surviving Daybreak a good old-fashioned adventure story. Complete with a blue wolf sidekick.
What I’ll whine about
Anikka goes through a lot to establish a base and a home in the jungle/forest of her new planet, and while it’s a struggle, it all seems to come together quite easily. I realized after finishing the book that it’s written for a YA reader, and perhaps that has something to do with it (I’m a grumpy old fart about YA sometime).
What I’ll gush about
BB. Anikka’s anxious AI companion is a great addition to the story. She adds both fun and perspective to the situation, especially as she tries to tune her humor filters just right.
Representation. Anikka is ace – not attracted to others, male or female – and while it’s not a big part of the story (there’s no one else around to be attracted to), it’s a nice addition.
Finally, there’s Anikka’s prosthetic arm. Keeping it in functioning order is imperative, as there are no replacement parts, and it’s good to see how a thing like that brings a little extra complexity into someone’s life.
Final words
A modern-day Robinson Crusoe, in space.
Except, that’s hardly fair. Anikka is not a sailor, but an engineer, and the island is a planet suitable for human life and colonization. Also, the planet isn’t deserted. At least, it’s not supposed to be deserted. There should be colonists there already.
The shipwreck is real, though.
Anikka wakes up after ten years of cryo-sleep, gets told she has five minutes to get into an escape pod, or she’ll die as the ship crashes. Not a good way to start your week, and there’s no coffee.
Also, there are no colonists. They’re missing. Gone.
That’s how the book begins.
Together with her trusty AI, named Bleep-Bloop, or BB for short, Anikka needs to find out what happened to the colonists, why the ship crashed, if there are other survivors, how to get food, and how to avoid all the creatures that want to kill and eat her.
Just like the sailor on the deserted island, Surviving Daybreak a good old-fashioned adventure story. Complete with a blue wolf sidekick.
What I’ll whine about
Anikka goes through a lot to establish a base and a home in the jungle/forest of her new planet, and while it’s a struggle, it all seems to come together quite easily. I realized after finishing the book that it’s written for a YA reader, and perhaps that has something to do with it (I’m a grumpy old fart about YA sometime).
What I’ll gush about
BB. Anikka’s anxious AI companion is a great addition to the story. She adds both fun and perspective to the situation, especially as she tries to tune her humor filters just right.
Representation. Anikka is ace – not attracted to others, male or female – and while it’s not a big part of the story (there’s no one else around to be attracted to), it’s a nice addition.
Finally, there’s Anikka’s prosthetic arm. Keeping it in functioning order is imperative, as there are no replacement parts, and it’s good to see how a thing like that brings a little extra complexity into someone’s life.
Final words
A modern-day Robinson Crusoe, in space.
June 26, 2023
Surviving Daybreak is non-stop action from start to finish. I have never in my life wanted my own AI hologram as much as I do now! BB may be my favorite character. However, Anikka, the heroine, is smart, scrappy, and tenacious! Kendra does an excellent job developing the characters in her most recent novel. You will not be disappointed with this read!
February 26, 2023
I had high hopes for this book, especially since it was my first ARC and it absolutely did not disappoint!
This YA science fiction book follows our badass female main character, Anikka, and her loveable sidekick BB (personally my favourite character) as they are thrust into the middle of chaos aboard the ship Last Resort, which is crashing onto the recently colonized planet Daybreak. Anikka makes it to an escape pod and crash lands on the planet. All her skills are put to the test as she is forced to survive alone until she can reunite with her fellow surviving crew mates and the colonists already established on Daybreak, but the planet is more deadly than anyone expected.
This book has both asexual and physical disability representation, interesting and believable world building, and likeable characters. At times the writing came across a bit cheesy (it is YA after all), but once I got past that I couldn't put the book down and tore through the entire story in two days. I can't wait to see how Merritt further develops the world of Daybreak and Anikka's story in the sequel!
This YA science fiction book follows our badass female main character, Anikka, and her loveable sidekick BB (personally my favourite character) as they are thrust into the middle of chaos aboard the ship Last Resort, which is crashing onto the recently colonized planet Daybreak. Anikka makes it to an escape pod and crash lands on the planet. All her skills are put to the test as she is forced to survive alone until she can reunite with her fellow surviving crew mates and the colonists already established on Daybreak, but the planet is more deadly than anyone expected.
This book has both asexual and physical disability representation, interesting and believable world building, and likeable characters. At times the writing came across a bit cheesy (it is YA after all), but once I got past that I couldn't put the book down and tore through the entire story in two days. I can't wait to see how Merritt further develops the world of Daybreak and Anikka's story in the sequel!
February 26, 2023
I had so much fun reading Surviving Daybreak! It was such a refreshing read. Just what I needed to get me out of a mini reading slump. This story was a great mix of Sci-fi and wilderness survival. It had me on the edge of of my seat while also laughing out loud! I can’t get enough of BB and her humor. I can’t wait to return to Daybreak with the next book!
February 26, 2023
***I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review***
I’ve read some of Kendra Merritt’s “Mishap’s Heroes” series and have enjoyed it so far, so I was excited to see that her upcoming series is Science Fiction! I was in the mood for a space book, so this was perfect timing.
The book starts out right in the middle of the action, which is how I like it. You’re thrown in and have to figure it out along with your protagonist, in this case Anikka, who has just been prematurely woken up from cryosleep as the colony ship is crashing. This is probably the most action filled scene in the book, but the rest of the story has a good rhythm and pace to it and there are other spurts of action throughout the story. This novel is primarily a tale of survival as Anikka, along with her AI, have to figure out why the ship crashed, where the established colonists are, and how to survive this planet that seems to want to kill her.
I love that Merritt tells stories that feature characters with disabilities, since this can give them unique problems that they need to deal with. Anikka has a prosthetic arm and this can be both good and bad as she comes across different obstacles while trying to survive. There isn’t any horror or gore but the tension of trying to figure out how to live in a hostile environment keeps the story moving nicely.
I loved the world she created and the characters were well rounded and likable, which is sadly getting rare lately. You can have flawed characters who you still want to be around, not everyone needs to be an asshole. Merritt’s stories definitely have people you can root for in them and I appreciate that.
As usual, I did wonder why in the future people are still listening to music of our time, though I did find the Martian comparison funny. There are some predictable moments, but these are far overshadowed by the story of Anikka trying to figure out how to live in this new reality.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants a sci-fi survival story with a likable MC that has just enough hard science to explain things, without bogging you down with the technical details of how exactly a spaceship uses the gravitational force of a planet to slingshot itself further into space (for example I’m totally not calling out any specific authors…) This was a fast, fun read and I can’t wait for the next installment to come out!
I’ve read some of Kendra Merritt’s “Mishap’s Heroes” series and have enjoyed it so far, so I was excited to see that her upcoming series is Science Fiction! I was in the mood for a space book, so this was perfect timing.
The book starts out right in the middle of the action, which is how I like it. You’re thrown in and have to figure it out along with your protagonist, in this case Anikka, who has just been prematurely woken up from cryosleep as the colony ship is crashing. This is probably the most action filled scene in the book, but the rest of the story has a good rhythm and pace to it and there are other spurts of action throughout the story. This novel is primarily a tale of survival as Anikka, along with her AI, have to figure out why the ship crashed, where the established colonists are, and how to survive this planet that seems to want to kill her.
I love that Merritt tells stories that feature characters with disabilities, since this can give them unique problems that they need to deal with. Anikka has a prosthetic arm and this can be both good and bad as she comes across different obstacles while trying to survive. There isn’t any horror or gore but the tension of trying to figure out how to live in a hostile environment keeps the story moving nicely.
I loved the world she created and the characters were well rounded and likable, which is sadly getting rare lately. You can have flawed characters who you still want to be around, not everyone needs to be an asshole. Merritt’s stories definitely have people you can root for in them and I appreciate that.
As usual, I did wonder why in the future people are still listening to music of our time, though I did find the Martian comparison funny. There are some predictable moments, but these are far overshadowed by the story of Anikka trying to figure out how to live in this new reality.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants a sci-fi survival story with a likable MC that has just enough hard science to explain things, without bogging you down with the technical details of how exactly a spaceship uses the gravitational force of a planet to slingshot itself further into space (for example I’m totally not calling out any specific authors…) This was a fast, fun read and I can’t wait for the next installment to come out!
February 25, 2023
I’m a huge fan of Merritt’s fantasy work, and I enjoyed this vibrant sci-fi debut! I’m also a sucker for sci-fi tropes done right, and the AI companion “BB” had my heart on the ropes. BB’s humor, thoughtfulness, and personality quirks reminded me of Martha Wells’ Murderbot series, as did the survivalist setting in a remote planet colony. I am a scientist with an advanced degree in planetary studies, and I was impressed by the relative believability of the supporting science and the tightness of the worldbuilding – features I’ve come to expect and appreciate from Merritt’s writing. Overall, an excellent start to a new sci-fi series.
[MILD SPOILER ALERT]
A few of the ironic and tragic plot sequences left me longing for the sole human main character to catch a break through the beginning and middle, but the ending wrapped up in a way that was satisfying both emotionally and intellectually.
[MILD SPOILER ALERT]
A few of the ironic and tragic plot sequences left me longing for the sole human main character to catch a break through the beginning and middle, but the ending wrapped up in a way that was satisfying both emotionally and intellectually.
February 13, 2024
A young woman with prosthetic arm crash lands on a strange planet and somehow survives an increasing pyramid of challenges that has already wiped out almost everyone else. Why not!? Just because it stretches the plausibility threshold (a bit), didn't make joining her run through the jungle any less enjoyable. Even for a curmudgeonly old hard sci-fi fan (like yours truly). It's a bit more like Robinson Crusoe or Cast Away in terms of feel. I recommend reading the short Skies Falling before, if possible.
Hope you too get the chance to meet and speak with Kendra Merritt at an event someday, somewhere. You will be the richer for it :-)
Hope you too get the chance to meet and speak with Kendra Merritt at an event someday, somewhere. You will be the richer for it :-)
August 15, 2024
this was really good, I can't believe how much I liked this story. I was worried it might get long or boring seeing as how it all relies on one main character, alone. I was wrong, not only was the premise, the plot and storytelling really well done but I really liked the main character and her sidekick. I was fully immersed in the world, a testament to the author. I felt her struggle, her wins and losses. I still connected to the main character and wanted to see her triumph. I really enjoyed her sidekick and the worldbuilding. Onto the next one!
February 28, 2023
I was lucky to receive an e-ARC of this book and wow was it fantastic and fun and gripping! I loved the worldbuilding, the characters, and ESPECIALLY the creature creation. If you enjoy the Martian but wanted less technical jargon clogging it up, this is a fantastic alternative that's just filled with so many components of great storycraft. I'm absolutely obsessed and need the next book now.
March 21, 2023
I didn't know what to expect with this book, as I am not often into space travel. That said, I couldn't put this one down! The tech terms weren't pretentious, I didn't have to learn an entire careers worth of jargon, and the story flowed in a very natural way!
March 14, 2023
Fantastic book, amazing writing. I love this author's work and cannot wait for the sequel.
January 18, 2024
Wayne's take
I liked the female hero. Having a handicap that much more. I am ready to read the next one. I was waiting to see if Shade was female and possibly pregnant.
I liked the female hero. Having a handicap that much more. I am ready to read the next one. I was waiting to see if Shade was female and possibly pregnant.
December 1, 2024
An unusual and intriguing plot. So nice to read something fresh and new! Highly recommended.
February 22, 2026
this was my first book on Kendra Merritt's and I fell in love with her writing
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews