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Realms #1
Shift (Shift 1) by Jeff Povey (24-Apr-2014) Paperback
Rev would rather be anywhere in the world than stuck in detention with an assortment of the school losers. But as they leave school, the group discover that they are the only ones left in the town - maybe even in the whole world - with no sign of their families, friends… or anyone at all.Until they come across duplicate versions of themselves, beings exactly like them but wound up by about 1000% - stronger, faster… better. And their doppelgangers aren't at all pleased to see them. In fact, they want them dead… Forced to work together to escape, the incongruous group of teens find themselves bonding despite themselves, both romantically and as friends, as they discover they have been transported to a parallel realm. Somehow they have to find their way back home. But not all of them are going to make it out alive.
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First published April 24, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 30, 2014
Shift is a fabulous fast paced debut that will grip you from the first page and keep you hooked until the end. The main characters Rev, Billie, the Ape, Johnson, GG, Carrie, the Moth and Lucas, are thrown together when something goes horribly wrong in the middle of their after school detention. They wouldn't normally choose to spend time together but when they leave school after seeing a mysterious flash of light they slowly start to realise that everyone else is missing. Their town looks exactly the same as it always has but there are no people anywhere and there is nothing to indicate where they've all gone.
You might thing it would be bad to be one of the last eight people on the planet but they soon discover something much, much worse. There are in fact sixteen people left and the other eight are strange duplicates of them, ones who aren't quite normal and who seem to have superhuman abilities. Oh and these mysterious doppelgängers are not only incredibly powerful but they also have an agenda, one that they don't need to keep their normal human versions alive to fulfil.
I don't want to say too much about the plot because this is the kind of story that you need to unravel for yourselves if you want to get the most out of it so I'm going to focus this review on the characters and how much I loved (or loved to hate!) them all. Jeff Povey has done a fantastic job of creating realistic teenage characters, I guarantee that you'll have met pretty much every one of these kids at some point in your lives, in fact you probably went to school with most of them. They all have well developed and individual personalities so I never had a problem keeping track of who was who. The only time things do get slightly confusing is when the characters are interacting with their duplicates because they both have all the same mannerisms. This made for some incredibly amusing situations though and I had a lot of fun seeing the characters effectively talking to (or about) themselves.
It's hard to pick a favourite character because they all have things I liked about them but I think the one who surprised me most was the Ape. When he's first introduced I saw him as a fairly typical bully boy, someone who isn't very bright but whose size made it easy for him to intimidate other pupils. In a lot of ways my immediate assessment was correct, he isn't the smartest of the bunch and he LOVES to destroy things, but he's definitely the kind of guy you'd want to have on your team if you were facing a bunch of homicidal superheroes. Time and time again Ape protects the others, he is completely loyal to the people he considers his friends and his love of hitting things comes in very handy when they're under attack. I loved the fact that there is more to him than meets the eye and I enjoyed seeing how the other characters changed their opinion of him as they got to know him better.
Shift is full of action and dark humour, it's a fast paced story that is being marketed to fans of shows like the Misfits and for once I'd agree with that back cover blurb. I'm excited that this is the first book in a series and I'll definitely be grabbing a copy of the next one as soon as it's available!
You might thing it would be bad to be one of the last eight people on the planet but they soon discover something much, much worse. There are in fact sixteen people left and the other eight are strange duplicates of them, ones who aren't quite normal and who seem to have superhuman abilities. Oh and these mysterious doppelgängers are not only incredibly powerful but they also have an agenda, one that they don't need to keep their normal human versions alive to fulfil.
I don't want to say too much about the plot because this is the kind of story that you need to unravel for yourselves if you want to get the most out of it so I'm going to focus this review on the characters and how much I loved (or loved to hate!) them all. Jeff Povey has done a fantastic job of creating realistic teenage characters, I guarantee that you'll have met pretty much every one of these kids at some point in your lives, in fact you probably went to school with most of them. They all have well developed and individual personalities so I never had a problem keeping track of who was who. The only time things do get slightly confusing is when the characters are interacting with their duplicates because they both have all the same mannerisms. This made for some incredibly amusing situations though and I had a lot of fun seeing the characters effectively talking to (or about) themselves.
It's hard to pick a favourite character because they all have things I liked about them but I think the one who surprised me most was the Ape. When he's first introduced I saw him as a fairly typical bully boy, someone who isn't very bright but whose size made it easy for him to intimidate other pupils. In a lot of ways my immediate assessment was correct, he isn't the smartest of the bunch and he LOVES to destroy things, but he's definitely the kind of guy you'd want to have on your team if you were facing a bunch of homicidal superheroes. Time and time again Ape protects the others, he is completely loyal to the people he considers his friends and his love of hitting things comes in very handy when they're under attack. I loved the fact that there is more to him than meets the eye and I enjoyed seeing how the other characters changed their opinion of him as they got to know him better.
Shift is full of action and dark humour, it's a fast paced story that is being marketed to fans of shows like the Misfits and for once I'd agree with that back cover blurb. I'm excited that this is the first book in a series and I'll definitely be grabbing a copy of the next one as soon as it's available!
February 25, 2015
(May be SPOILERS)
1 I choose to read it because on the blurb it said that it had shades of Michael Grant who had write a series that I've read and enjoyed it. On the blurb it also said that it was a book about the rest of the world disappearing and meeting super powered versions of yourselves. This to me sounded pretty awesome.
2 I liked it because of how it always has something happening so that you don't get bored. It is also one of those books that leave you hanging which draws you in. It has a moment of suspense at the end of nearly every chapter
3 From this book I learnt about be careful around and that you can never know what might happen next in your life. It also gave me a bit more thought about the multi verse theory. I also changed my perspective of survival. I used to think it was just get food and run but now I know that it is more difficult than that.
4 The most interesting person in this book is probably Dazza also known as the Ape. He is the kind of person who is violent and doesn't worry about anything. He is caring at times but the rest of the time he is just is usual self.
1 I choose to read it because on the blurb it said that it had shades of Michael Grant who had write a series that I've read and enjoyed it. On the blurb it also said that it was a book about the rest of the world disappearing and meeting super powered versions of yourselves. This to me sounded pretty awesome.
2 I liked it because of how it always has something happening so that you don't get bored. It is also one of those books that leave you hanging which draws you in. It has a moment of suspense at the end of nearly every chapter
3 From this book I learnt about be careful around and that you can never know what might happen next in your life. It also gave me a bit more thought about the multi verse theory. I also changed my perspective of survival. I used to think it was just get food and run but now I know that it is more difficult than that.
4 The most interesting person in this book is probably Dazza also known as the Ape. He is the kind of person who is violent and doesn't worry about anything. He is caring at times but the rest of the time he is just is usual self.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2014
A very well thought through story with genuine believable characters in an unusual context. Draws you in right from the starts.
Readers will love the eclectic mix of characters. Well, we've all got friends like some of them, haven't we or, in some cases, wish we did?
I loved the way that your feelings for some characters change throughout the book and you are genuinely surprised by the deeds of others. Love the humour!
Words to describe this book:
Enjoyable, unusual, unpredictable, leaves-you-wanting-more-rollercoaster-ride. Roll on the next book!
Readers will love the eclectic mix of characters. Well, we've all got friends like some of them, haven't we or, in some cases, wish we did?
I loved the way that your feelings for some characters change throughout the book and you are genuinely surprised by the deeds of others. Love the humour!
Words to describe this book:
Enjoyable, unusual, unpredictable, leaves-you-wanting-more-rollercoaster-ride. Roll on the next book!
June 10, 2014
Amazing book, I just hope I could visit the between world and see the other me
April 26, 2019
Super exciting beginning, but fast fell apart and resulted in zero sense.
April 12, 2015
*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Fast-pace and captivating, you have to expect the unexpected of the unexpected! The last line of the synopsis was the cherry on top of the cake when I was deciding whether to request it: "For anyone who loves… Shaun of the Dead", I don't think I have ever clicked a request button so rapidly! The cover: to be honest, when I saw the cover I presumed a story of espionage; its dark and quite plain meaning I am not a great fan of the cover. BUT THE CONTENT! WOW!
Eight teenagers all in detention, never thought their day could get any worse. Until everyone disappears in a flash… literally. This group of teens, all incredibly different from one another, must try to work together to solve one of the most frightening events of their lives. And to top it off, they will fighting off their super-skilled, super-strong and super-alien twins, to be crowned victorious in this dangerous and life-threatening nightmare.
The characters:
Rev: strong, persistent and cautious she always does whats best for those around her. What I did particularly like about her was she wasn't afraid to say she was scared and she tried her hardest to help resolve problems amongst the group.
Billie: she annoyed me, she was rather selfish whom didn't seem to care at all about her best friend or any others (except someone in particular) and just wanted to get home, with or without everyone else.
Ape: incredibly infuriating and annoying… but it worked! He added some light humour and an arrogant personality to the group; what I liked most about him was his progression throughout the novel, he began to realise things and think about others more. Furthermore, he was always there to protect them all (even though it was only because he wanted to destroy things.)
Johnson: Our mysterious and careful male, he was carefree and always just went for it; you could never tell what he was really thinking.
GG: He was humorous and would just babble on about random things. He added fun to the novel and you will be surprised how strong he actually it as the novel progresses.
Carrie: Extremely argumentative and lazy, always acting like the weakest so she gets the easy way out.
The plot was incredibly unique, you are twisted from one thought to another, never enabling you to settle on one, I can certainly say I never expected the outcomes. The plot was intricately planned and fast-paced; thrillingly exciting, there was never a dull moment. Alongside the danger, there is comical moments with fun banter that will have you shaking your head with a smile plastered on your face.
This novel is fast-paced, dangerous, action-packed and explosive. Destruction will occur at all moments blocking your path and daring you to take another. It was truly mind-blowing, and that ending! I need to know what happens!
Fast-pace and captivating, you have to expect the unexpected of the unexpected! The last line of the synopsis was the cherry on top of the cake when I was deciding whether to request it: "For anyone who loves… Shaun of the Dead", I don't think I have ever clicked a request button so rapidly! The cover: to be honest, when I saw the cover I presumed a story of espionage; its dark and quite plain meaning I am not a great fan of the cover. BUT THE CONTENT! WOW!
Eight teenagers all in detention, never thought their day could get any worse. Until everyone disappears in a flash… literally. This group of teens, all incredibly different from one another, must try to work together to solve one of the most frightening events of their lives. And to top it off, they will fighting off their super-skilled, super-strong and super-alien twins, to be crowned victorious in this dangerous and life-threatening nightmare.
The characters:
Rev: strong, persistent and cautious she always does whats best for those around her. What I did particularly like about her was she wasn't afraid to say she was scared and she tried her hardest to help resolve problems amongst the group.
Billie: she annoyed me, she was rather selfish whom didn't seem to care at all about her best friend or any others (except someone in particular) and just wanted to get home, with or without everyone else.
Ape: incredibly infuriating and annoying… but it worked! He added some light humour and an arrogant personality to the group; what I liked most about him was his progression throughout the novel, he began to realise things and think about others more. Furthermore, he was always there to protect them all (even though it was only because he wanted to destroy things.)
Johnson: Our mysterious and careful male, he was carefree and always just went for it; you could never tell what he was really thinking.
GG: He was humorous and would just babble on about random things. He added fun to the novel and you will be surprised how strong he actually it as the novel progresses.
Carrie: Extremely argumentative and lazy, always acting like the weakest so she gets the easy way out.
The plot was incredibly unique, you are twisted from one thought to another, never enabling you to settle on one, I can certainly say I never expected the outcomes. The plot was intricately planned and fast-paced; thrillingly exciting, there was never a dull moment. Alongside the danger, there is comical moments with fun banter that will have you shaking your head with a smile plastered on your face.
This novel is fast-paced, dangerous, action-packed and explosive. Destruction will occur at all moments blocking your path and daring you to take another. It was truly mind-blowing, and that ending! I need to know what happens!
December 9, 2020
ja som taka happy 😍
Uz viackrat som sa vyjadrila, ze necitam knihy v serii hned za sebou, lebo si potrebujem urobit prestavku, stravit knihu, zmenit zaner.
No ked som docitavala tuto knihu, vedela som, ze musim okamzite citat dalsi diel! Ved to nie je mozne, ako to autor ukoncil. A chvala Bohu, ze seria bola ukoncena, lebo by ma inak porazilo 😅
Hlavnou postavou je Reva. Dievca ako kazde ine. Ked bola mala, opustil ju otec a odvtedy o nom nepoculi. V jeden obycajny den Reva ostane po skole a spolu s nou skupinka dalsich ziakov. Revina naj kamoska, Lucas, idealny ziak, Moth, genius na voziku, The Ape, chalan s nizsim IQ no s o to vacsou odvahou, Johnson, ktory tam ani nemal co robit, Carrie, skolska bestia, a GG, vzdy modne nahodeny chalan.
V jednej chvili sedia na stolickach a v druhej chvili, ked uvidia biely zablesk, sa zrazu ocitnu vo svete bez ostatnych ludi. Teda nehovorim celkom pravdu, lebo stretnu ich druhe JA, ale so specialnymi schopnostami 😍
Ako to vsetci zvladnu, ake netradicne spojenectva uzavru a ake necakane zvraty ich postihnu, kto zomrie, kto nie a ci sa vobec dostanu domov, to sa docitate v trilogii.
Nechcem pisat dalsie recenzie, kedze by som hned davala spojler, ako sa skoncila prva cast a fakt to bolo mega, no odporucam vsetkym, ktori citaju v ANJ a maju radi tento zaner.
Boli tam fakt veci, ktore som necakala, velmi sa mi pacilo, ako sa pomaly hlavnou postavou stal the Ape, Opiciak, jednoduchy chalan, no s obrovskou silou a jeho rozhovory s Revou ma rozosmievali 😝
Na konci trilogie som dokonca vypustila aj slzicku, tato particka mi bude chybat.
Uz viackrat som sa vyjadrila, ze necitam knihy v serii hned za sebou, lebo si potrebujem urobit prestavku, stravit knihu, zmenit zaner.
No ked som docitavala tuto knihu, vedela som, ze musim okamzite citat dalsi diel! Ved to nie je mozne, ako to autor ukoncil. A chvala Bohu, ze seria bola ukoncena, lebo by ma inak porazilo 😅
Hlavnou postavou je Reva. Dievca ako kazde ine. Ked bola mala, opustil ju otec a odvtedy o nom nepoculi. V jeden obycajny den Reva ostane po skole a spolu s nou skupinka dalsich ziakov. Revina naj kamoska, Lucas, idealny ziak, Moth, genius na voziku, The Ape, chalan s nizsim IQ no s o to vacsou odvahou, Johnson, ktory tam ani nemal co robit, Carrie, skolska bestia, a GG, vzdy modne nahodeny chalan.
V jednej chvili sedia na stolickach a v druhej chvili, ked uvidia biely zablesk, sa zrazu ocitnu vo svete bez ostatnych ludi. Teda nehovorim celkom pravdu, lebo stretnu ich druhe JA, ale so specialnymi schopnostami 😍
Ako to vsetci zvladnu, ake netradicne spojenectva uzavru a ake necakane zvraty ich postihnu, kto zomrie, kto nie a ci sa vobec dostanu domov, to sa docitate v trilogii.
Nechcem pisat dalsie recenzie, kedze by som hned davala spojler, ako sa skoncila prva cast a fakt to bolo mega, no odporucam vsetkym, ktori citaju v ANJ a maju radi tento zaner.
Boli tam fakt veci, ktore som necakala, velmi sa mi pacilo, ako sa pomaly hlavnou postavou stal the Ape, Opiciak, jednoduchy chalan, no s obrovskou silou a jeho rozhovory s Revou ma rozosmievali 😝
Na konci trilogie som dokonca vypustila aj slzicku, tato particka mi bude chybat.
July 14, 2014
Review by Alex - Year 9
Shift is about a group of students from the same school having an adventure were they Shift between worlds. Along the way they make friends and form strong bonds. They have to find a way of finding their way back home. However this is made difficult by the friends’ doppelgangers wanting to go home as well.
The main character of the book is a 15 year old girl called Rev. Throughout the story she forms a close relationship with a boy called Johnson but her best friend Billy gets in the way of this. The problem is exasperated when she meets Johnson double, she falls in love with him as well. A very important figure in the story is Revs Dad. Although he doesn’t actually appear he holds the key to escaping.
My favorite part of the story was when the friends had escaped from their home town and made their way to London because they thought it would be safe there. They all spend time reflecting on what has happened and it is very peaceful after all the drama of the story so far. They went to a very posh hotel and had a bit of fun there. It provided a nice transition within the narrative while developing the characters and their relationships further.
Shift is quite cleverly written, especially the way the author includes a character that doesn’t seem very important but in the end plays a vital part to the group. As well as answering questions regarding the group while making the characters realistic.
My favorite character was nicknamed The Ape. He was nicknamed The Ape because of his personality and appearance. Although he was very stupid and loved war; time and time again he saved and helped the group. At the start they all hated him but as the story progressed they developed respect for him. His character changes dramatically through the book and he is funny :)
The one thing that I disliked about the book was the ending, the plot was developed so well and it was a really interesting story-line, but the ending was a big anti-climax. As the whole book was so good you wanted to see a good ending but they didn’t finish the book. This should have been changed unless there was a second book. Sometimes there were small questions that popped up throughout the story but the author didn’t answer all of them.
NOTE: There is a second book.
I would definitely recommend this book, Shift was really different and imaginative. Jeff Povey makes the story really interesting by developing the characters well with good descriptions. The author obviously writes really well for teenagers.
Shift is about a group of students from the same school having an adventure were they Shift between worlds. Along the way they make friends and form strong bonds. They have to find a way of finding their way back home. However this is made difficult by the friends’ doppelgangers wanting to go home as well.
The main character of the book is a 15 year old girl called Rev. Throughout the story she forms a close relationship with a boy called Johnson but her best friend Billy gets in the way of this. The problem is exasperated when she meets Johnson double, she falls in love with him as well. A very important figure in the story is Revs Dad. Although he doesn’t actually appear he holds the key to escaping.
My favorite part of the story was when the friends had escaped from their home town and made their way to London because they thought it would be safe there. They all spend time reflecting on what has happened and it is very peaceful after all the drama of the story so far. They went to a very posh hotel and had a bit of fun there. It provided a nice transition within the narrative while developing the characters and their relationships further.
Shift is quite cleverly written, especially the way the author includes a character that doesn’t seem very important but in the end plays a vital part to the group. As well as answering questions regarding the group while making the characters realistic.
My favorite character was nicknamed The Ape. He was nicknamed The Ape because of his personality and appearance. Although he was very stupid and loved war; time and time again he saved and helped the group. At the start they all hated him but as the story progressed they developed respect for him. His character changes dramatically through the book and he is funny :)
The one thing that I disliked about the book was the ending, the plot was developed so well and it was a really interesting story-line, but the ending was a big anti-climax. As the whole book was so good you wanted to see a good ending but they didn’t finish the book. This should have been changed unless there was a second book. Sometimes there were small questions that popped up throughout the story but the author didn’t answer all of them.
NOTE: There is a second book.
I would definitely recommend this book, Shift was really different and imaginative. Jeff Povey makes the story really interesting by developing the characters well with good descriptions. The author obviously writes really well for teenagers.
May 8, 2015
I was recently informed by Goodreads that that I had 'won' a copy of Realms #2, and that it would be helpful if I could leave a review. Obviously, given that it is the second book in a series, it would be useful to read the first book before proceeding on to the next. I have now done so.
It is clear that this book is for the younger generation (of which I am no longer a part), and while I did my best to wake up my inner teenager this book simply does not have enough oomph to entice him from his slumber. It is heavy on dialogue while its descriptive content is virtually non-existent, the characters are largely inconsistent and contradictory, and the story itself seems absent of any real point or purpose. It is always possible, perhaps even likely, that I am simply too old now to really appreciate or get much enjoyment from books aimed at the younger reader.
While I will certainly read and review the second book when it gets here, I will not be anxiously awaiting its arrival.
It is clear that this book is for the younger generation (of which I am no longer a part), and while I did my best to wake up my inner teenager this book simply does not have enough oomph to entice him from his slumber. It is heavy on dialogue while its descriptive content is virtually non-existent, the characters are largely inconsistent and contradictory, and the story itself seems absent of any real point or purpose. It is always possible, perhaps even likely, that I am simply too old now to really appreciate or get much enjoyment from books aimed at the younger reader.
While I will certainly read and review the second book when it gets here, I will not be anxiously awaiting its arrival.
May 4, 2014
*I won a book proof copy through a goodreads giveaway*
It's a fast paced story written for young adults, but that doesn't mean older adults couldn't enjoy it too.
The main characters in the story start off in detention when suddenly a bright light flashes and everybody else disappears. They set off to find out what's happened and where everybody else has gone.
It's fast paced (set over 48 hours ) but this still allows time to get to know the characters and like them or hate them, they all have their moments. It's funny at times and like all good sci-fi books has plenty of uh oh moments. I did find myself holding my breath and trying not to make a sound with the characters.
I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book.
It's a fast paced story written for young adults, but that doesn't mean older adults couldn't enjoy it too.
The main characters in the story start off in detention when suddenly a bright light flashes and everybody else disappears. They set off to find out what's happened and where everybody else has gone.
It's fast paced (set over 48 hours ) but this still allows time to get to know the characters and like them or hate them, they all have their moments. It's funny at times and like all good sci-fi books has plenty of uh oh moments. I did find myself holding my breath and trying not to make a sound with the characters.
I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next book.
April 25, 2014
Absolutely in LOVE! REally love Rev she's a great main character. The Ape also: so funny.
Perfect book, really looking forward to the next one- also i found it so easy to read. Such a visual book!Brilliant, want this to be made into a movie ASAP
Perfect book, really looking forward to the next one- also i found it so easy to read. Such a visual book!Brilliant, want this to be made into a movie ASAP
January 6, 2015
This is brilliant! Ape is amazing. best character of all time! You've definitely got it Ape! :) Jhonson from the normal world gets swapped with alternet jhonson and survives, probably getting his agility and strength. cant wait for the sequel!
April 4, 2015
Not for me possibly because it was too well written. Listening to those kids was like being at school and I get enough of that with the day job
May 5, 2014
4.5 / 5 Stars! Really enjoyed this...the characters are stand out brilliant and everything flows at a wicked pace! Review to come...
July 6, 2014
Read my review here:
http://fatimamahate.wordpress.com/
http://fatimamahate.wordpress.com/
December 21, 2021
It's beautifully random.
I've passed it a thousand times at the library, and read the blurb a few times, but it never seemed like my type of book.
But when my friend had to choose my books for me ( Covid ) , I was kind of forced to read this one, and I'm glad, because otherwise I would of never gotten round to it.
Firstly, the writing is fabulous, and you can just tell with some books that you're going to enjoy the writing. It floooowwwss really nicely, and works with the plot.
The characters were good, apart from the ones we weren't meant to like, so I didn't like them even though they were good, but they were good bad. Umm..
As for the plot, it's just like I said, beautifully random. Some teens in a parallel earth, chased by clones of themselves who seem intent on killing them. Not your everyday book.
I do have a few cons amongst the good. The beginning could of been worked on a bit. It all started kind of quickly and I wasn't really sure what was going on. Also The Ape straight up annoyed me. I got to the point where I was literally hoping that he died so I wouldn't have to listen to him anymore.
I don't know if that was intentional, but you might want to work on making him a bit more likeable Jeff!
Overall this was a really good read, and it doesn't deserve to be overlooked in the library.
So if you usually pass it, why don't you pick it up this time and give it a go.
You never know, it might surprise you
I've passed it a thousand times at the library, and read the blurb a few times, but it never seemed like my type of book.
But when my friend had to choose my books for me ( Covid ) , I was kind of forced to read this one, and I'm glad, because otherwise I would of never gotten round to it.
Firstly, the writing is fabulous, and you can just tell with some books that you're going to enjoy the writing. It floooowwwss really nicely, and works with the plot.
The characters were good, apart from the ones we weren't meant to like, so I didn't like them even though they were good, but they were good bad. Umm..
As for the plot, it's just like I said, beautifully random. Some teens in a parallel earth, chased by clones of themselves who seem intent on killing them. Not your everyday book.
I do have a few cons amongst the good. The beginning could of been worked on a bit. It all started kind of quickly and I wasn't really sure what was going on. Also The Ape straight up annoyed me. I got to the point where I was literally hoping that he died so I wouldn't have to listen to him anymore.
I don't know if that was intentional, but you might want to work on making him a bit more likeable Jeff!
Overall this was a really good read, and it doesn't deserve to be overlooked in the library.
So if you usually pass it, why don't you pick it up this time and give it a go.
You never know, it might surprise you
May 12, 2020
This book is my absolute favourite. At first I was sceptical but as I read it became increasingly gripping. I could not put the book down, no exaggeration. It feels real, the characters are amazingly written. The story line is phenomenal and the execution is perfect. I love that eveytime I was certain one thing would happen it would always be something else. Unpredictable! I can't wait to see what happens next.
February 5, 2022
Spooky and fun.
April 29, 2014
**Fair warning: minor spoilers.
I don't know how I finished this book, nor do I know why. Most of my time reading was spent telling myself to tough it out and I regret every second of deciding to stick with it.
The plot itself sounds really interesting and maybe if everything else was better it could have worked.
To begin with: all the characters are horrible. I cannot say that I liked any single one of them. Rev and Billie are so moronic I can't even begin to explain. I mean one minute they are BFF's and the next they are having territorial issues over a f*cking guy WHILST running for your lives?
Not to mention the first thing Rev tells us is that she's never really looked at this kid and now BAM! Love? Hey, remember that boyfriend you were so eager about in the beginning because everyone else does. But don't worry, the only thing that matters is you have found love in less than 2 days instead of worrying about your life.
The rest of the characters are so cliche and a bit offensive. Obviously "the ape," who they refer to as such throughout the story while telling them not to, has a mental disorder but it is still okay to make fun of him. Gay kid: super flamboyant, Kid in wheelchair: supersmart and referred to as Hawking (again when asking them not to), etc. This all just really got under my skin to an extreme.
The worst part of this book (besides the ending but I won't even touch upon that) is honestly this stupid romance, triangle, thing. It's instalove, with the same guy, TWICE (because of their alternate selves!) And then she can't choose which one! I certainly wouldn't want her problems. I can see the predicament she was in: in danger of never getting home and dying OR choosing which of the two Johnsons she should love more (having never spoken to EITHER of them ever before that very day). Hold on one sec.
Yup. Definitely.
I have so much more to say but I am about to explode just thinking about it.
Overall this is all I can do:
I don't know how I finished this book, nor do I know why. Most of my time reading was spent telling myself to tough it out and I regret every second of deciding to stick with it.
The plot itself sounds really interesting and maybe if everything else was better it could have worked.
To begin with: all the characters are horrible. I cannot say that I liked any single one of them. Rev and Billie are so moronic I can't even begin to explain. I mean one minute they are BFF's and the next they are having territorial issues over a f*cking guy WHILST running for your lives?
Not to mention the first thing Rev tells us is that she's never really looked at this kid and now BAM! Love? Hey, remember that boyfriend you were so eager about in the beginning because everyone else does. But don't worry, the only thing that matters is you have found love in less than 2 days instead of worrying about your life.
The rest of the characters are so cliche and a bit offensive. Obviously "the ape," who they refer to as such throughout the story while telling them not to, has a mental disorder but it is still okay to make fun of him. Gay kid: super flamboyant, Kid in wheelchair: supersmart and referred to as Hawking (again when asking them not to), etc. This all just really got under my skin to an extreme.
The worst part of this book (besides the ending but I won't even touch upon that) is honestly this stupid romance, triangle, thing. It's instalove, with the same guy, TWICE (because of their alternate selves!) And then she can't choose which one! I certainly wouldn't want her problems. I can see the predicament she was in: in danger of never getting home and dying OR choosing which of the two Johnsons she should love more (having never spoken to EITHER of them ever before that very day). Hold on one sec.
Yup. Definitely.
I have so much more to say but I am about to explode just thinking about it.
Overall this is all I can do:
May 14, 2023
Omg, where to start! This read was amazing. Great consept, lots of twists and turns, relatable characters and a juicy plot! Pace never faultered, kept me glued to this book from the moment i opened it. Will definatley be reading the sequels as i need to know what happens to this lovely bunch of people next!!!! 💗
May 1, 2014
This book is not my usual type of book, however there was something about it that made me give it a go and I was glad I did!
The book starts rather strangely in a detention room, where there is Ape - who I thought was an ape, but was actually the nickname of a pupil. Something strange happens while they are in that detention because when they leave, there is no one else around, the whole world's population appears to have disappeared.
As I said this is not my usual genre of fiction but I did enjoy the book in some ways. I liked that the characters were average school children, nothing special about them - although they had been given detention so I suppose they were all 'unruly children'. The fear that they felt when they left the detention and realised that there was no one else around was real - some showed it while others went on a rampage around the local supermarket, where others still thought it was wrong to take items and therefore left IOU's at the supermarket.
I must admit I was not keen on the descriptions of the burning flesh etc when other people were discovered - however they were not overly graphic, just not what I like to read and should not deter others from reading.
I would recommend this book to fans of Antony Horowitz and Charlie Higson. It is a great read for young adults - and I think that this is a series that will grow in popularity.
The book starts rather strangely in a detention room, where there is Ape - who I thought was an ape, but was actually the nickname of a pupil. Something strange happens while they are in that detention because when they leave, there is no one else around, the whole world's population appears to have disappeared.
As I said this is not my usual genre of fiction but I did enjoy the book in some ways. I liked that the characters were average school children, nothing special about them - although they had been given detention so I suppose they were all 'unruly children'. The fear that they felt when they left the detention and realised that there was no one else around was real - some showed it while others went on a rampage around the local supermarket, where others still thought it was wrong to take items and therefore left IOU's at the supermarket.
I must admit I was not keen on the descriptions of the burning flesh etc when other people were discovered - however they were not overly graphic, just not what I like to read and should not deter others from reading.
I would recommend this book to fans of Antony Horowitz and Charlie Higson. It is a great read for young adults - and I think that this is a series that will grow in popularity.
May 9, 2014
I'll admit it, I read this book purely on the strength of the blurb saying it's for anyone who loves Misfits or Shaun of the Dead! And I can see why that was said, but I didn't love it. I didn't hate it either, it just wasn't quite my kind of thing. I can definitely look objectively and say this is a really good book however. I wonder if it would appeal to guys more than girls, being written by one. I do find as a woman I tend to enjoy books written by women more than those written by men, but that's a whole massive discussion I'm not going to get into right now!
Shift was a very interesting idea, but I couldn't help getting a bit confused now and again. To be honest, I'm surprised it didn't happen more. When there's two set of the same characters, things are bound to get pretty confusing at times aren't they? So hats off to Povey for keeping things mostly straight. It's the kind of book I can imagine would translate well to the screen, so I'll be watching out for it at some point in the future.
Shift was a very interesting idea, but I couldn't help getting a bit confused now and again. To be honest, I'm surprised it didn't happen more. When there's two set of the same characters, things are bound to get pretty confusing at times aren't they? So hats off to Povey for keeping things mostly straight. It's the kind of book I can imagine would translate well to the screen, so I'll be watching out for it at some point in the future.
March 1, 2014
I was really looking forward to reading this book, especially when I first read the blurb, which, mind you, sounded really, really awesome and seemed right up my alley.
So after reading the book itself, all I have to say about this book was that it was a little . . . odd. And yet somehow I also liked the book as well. While some parts of the book did get a little confusing for me at times and while the book was not as awesome as I hoped it to be, but once you understand the story and the characters, and pretty much everything else that is going on, you'll definitely get a lot of enjoyment out of the book and find the end interesting.
Overall, 'Shift' was a very, very different book. Whether it might work for you or not, I still found this book to be quite unique and, on a whole, enjoyable for the most part.
* Thanks to the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
So after reading the book itself, all I have to say about this book was that it was a little . . . odd. And yet somehow I also liked the book as well. While some parts of the book did get a little confusing for me at times and while the book was not as awesome as I hoped it to be, but once you understand the story and the characters, and pretty much everything else that is going on, you'll definitely get a lot of enjoyment out of the book and find the end interesting.
Overall, 'Shift' was a very, very different book. Whether it might work for you or not, I still found this book to be quite unique and, on a whole, enjoyable for the most part.
* Thanks to the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
March 10, 2014
A brilliant sci-fi premise; a strange event causes some high-school kids in detention to "shift" to a parallel world which is occupied by evil, mutant versions of themselves. I enjoyed the plot, Moth was a great character and his importance in helping the others ascertain what was going on and to work out how they were going to get home.
It was strange that I sort of enjoyed the other characters more than the main character; I loved Moth, GG and the Ape but wasn't that fussed on Rev and her Johnson/Other-Johnson obsession...that was just a personal preference though I think and obviously I wouldn't want that to sway anyone's opinion. It's definitely a great introduction into the sci-fi genre and would work well as a film too.
I'd be interested to see what he comes up with next :)
It was strange that I sort of enjoyed the other characters more than the main character; I loved Moth, GG and the Ape but wasn't that fussed on Rev and her Johnson/Other-Johnson obsession...that was just a personal preference though I think and obviously I wouldn't want that to sway anyone's opinion. It's definitely a great introduction into the sci-fi genre and would work well as a film too.
I'd be interested to see what he comes up with next :)
April 28, 2021
Relentless, break-neck paced tale of misfit teenagers trying to cope with friendships, falling-outs, first-loves and the END OF THE WORLD. I raced through it in about two sittings. Expertly paced, each chapter throws up more twists, questions and peril for our gang of heroes as they try and make sense of the world they've fallen into. And it's bloody and violent and unflinching too, when it needs to be. Definitely the sort of thing my inner 13-year old loves.
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July 30, 2014Great read, fun and gripping, can't wait for the next installment. Favourite character is the Ape!
April 28, 2016
I enjoyed this book however I didn't really like the main character and only found her tolerable for the second half of the book but it was good overall.
August 11, 2016
Alright. Might just read next book to see what happens
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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