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Apocalyptia #1
Outcast
When the world collapses, the only person who comes looking for Niki Mathers is the loser who made fun of her in high school. JC Phillips saves her life, so she can’t really tell him to get lost. And he is keeping her from being alone at the end of the world…
JC will never forgive himself for choices he made the night before the earthquake. Rescuing the girl he’s been crushing on for the past year doesn’t bring atonement. Maybe making the world safe for Niki will take away his guilt.
The world they know is dying. All they want is to find their place in it before it does.
JC will never forgive himself for choices he made the night before the earthquake. Rescuing the girl he’s been crushing on for the past year doesn’t bring atonement. Maybe making the world safe for Niki will take away his guilt.
The world they know is dying. All they want is to find their place in it before it does.
- GenresPost Apocalyptic
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2012
401 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 20, 2012
This is one of the most exciting books I have read in a long time. I couldn't put it down because I just had to know what was going to happen next. "Outcast" is a great take on the Apocalypse; as Antwon says, "Zero zombies." I really felt for JC as he dealt with Niki coming to terms with the situation around them. She is a strong character and I could really identify with her emotions. I'm excited to see what is coming in Book 2.
February 6, 2014
Title: Outcast
Author: Aileen Fish
Rating: 2/5
Warning: review might contain slight spoilers.
First off, let me start with the synopsis (copied from Goodreads): “When the world collapses, the only person who comes looking for Niki Mathers is the loser who made fun of her in high school. JC Phillips saves her life, so she can’t really tell him to get lost. And he is keeping her from being alone at the end of the world…
JC will never forgive himself for choices he made the night before the earthquake. Rescuing the girl he’s been crushing on for the past year doesn’t bring atonement. Maybe making the world safe for Niki will take away his guilt. The world they know is dying. All they want is to find their place in it before it does.”
Now, let me write my own version of the synopsis: this Young Adult novel begins when Niki’s apartment crumbles after a quake and she is immediately found by JC Philips. Within the next few chapters she switches between chewing him out and kissing him while they stumble from one place to another, trying to find stability in an apocalyptic world. Thankfully, they each develop supernatural powers in this terrible time to help them through the crisis.
I think what ticked me off was how the book’s synopsis led me away from what the book actually was. If I had known that this book had visions of dead people, aliens from other planets, and a protagonist and two supporting characters with suddenly-developed superpowers, then I wouldn’t have picked it up. The synopsis is literally the first chapter or two of the entire novel. I expected a lot of angst and struggle and a slow progression of love, if you will… But it all came too abruptly for my taste. Even the relationship was rushed, developing all of a sudden and becoming very emotionally charged much too rapidly.
However, I found the concept of Aileen Fish’s end of the world really nice. It’s the book’s saving grace. I appreciated that it wasn’t, all of a sudden, the total end of the world. The synopsis seems to imply that Niki and JC are alone in the world, but what the synopsis means is that their family is not with them (I won’t spoil anything here!). They are followed by Antwon, a friend of JC’s, and there are many refugees and survivors out there, so don’t expect a “Niki and JC against the elements” type of novel. I liked that the authorities and stores got together and helped the survivors – there isn’t as much crime and extreme panic as your typical apocalypse novel. I absolutely loved the part where JC and Niki work in the refugee camp. That was well-thought of and very realistic, which counters the fantasy feeling of perpetual earthquakes and creates a lovely balance for the middle part of the book.
A big problem in the novel is the utter lack of time management. At one point, a character claims that electricity should’ve been brought back months ago, and my reading stopped completely. To me, all these had happened within the span of a few days, a month at most… I wish the author had worked a bit more to create a timeline of events in her prose so the readers could follow along.
JC and Niki were fine characters. I really liked JC; Niki was average. I have nothing great to say or nothing bad to say. I was ready to move on from them at the end of the book; I’m not really interested in knowing what happens after the strangeness of the last few chapters. The book does foreshadow that conclusion, but it wasn’t an ending I would’ve chosen for it at all.
To be honest, unless the book (especially the synopsis!) goes under revision, I wouldn’t recommend this book. I doubt I’ll keep reading into the series. Overall, it wasn’t a terrible story, but the above reasons just made it forgettable to me.
I would like to thank Aspendawn Books, as well as Netgalley, for the free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Aileen Fish
Rating: 2/5
Warning: review might contain slight spoilers.
First off, let me start with the synopsis (copied from Goodreads): “When the world collapses, the only person who comes looking for Niki Mathers is the loser who made fun of her in high school. JC Phillips saves her life, so she can’t really tell him to get lost. And he is keeping her from being alone at the end of the world…
JC will never forgive himself for choices he made the night before the earthquake. Rescuing the girl he’s been crushing on for the past year doesn’t bring atonement. Maybe making the world safe for Niki will take away his guilt. The world they know is dying. All they want is to find their place in it before it does.”
Now, let me write my own version of the synopsis: this Young Adult novel begins when Niki’s apartment crumbles after a quake and she is immediately found by JC Philips. Within the next few chapters she switches between chewing him out and kissing him while they stumble from one place to another, trying to find stability in an apocalyptic world. Thankfully, they each develop supernatural powers in this terrible time to help them through the crisis.
I think what ticked me off was how the book’s synopsis led me away from what the book actually was. If I had known that this book had visions of dead people, aliens from other planets, and a protagonist and two supporting characters with suddenly-developed superpowers, then I wouldn’t have picked it up. The synopsis is literally the first chapter or two of the entire novel. I expected a lot of angst and struggle and a slow progression of love, if you will… But it all came too abruptly for my taste. Even the relationship was rushed, developing all of a sudden and becoming very emotionally charged much too rapidly.
However, I found the concept of Aileen Fish’s end of the world really nice. It’s the book’s saving grace. I appreciated that it wasn’t, all of a sudden, the total end of the world. The synopsis seems to imply that Niki and JC are alone in the world, but what the synopsis means is that their family is not with them (I won’t spoil anything here!). They are followed by Antwon, a friend of JC’s, and there are many refugees and survivors out there, so don’t expect a “Niki and JC against the elements” type of novel. I liked that the authorities and stores got together and helped the survivors – there isn’t as much crime and extreme panic as your typical apocalypse novel. I absolutely loved the part where JC and Niki work in the refugee camp. That was well-thought of and very realistic, which counters the fantasy feeling of perpetual earthquakes and creates a lovely balance for the middle part of the book.
A big problem in the novel is the utter lack of time management. At one point, a character claims that electricity should’ve been brought back months ago, and my reading stopped completely. To me, all these had happened within the span of a few days, a month at most… I wish the author had worked a bit more to create a timeline of events in her prose so the readers could follow along.
JC and Niki were fine characters. I really liked JC; Niki was average. I have nothing great to say or nothing bad to say. I was ready to move on from them at the end of the book; I’m not really interested in knowing what happens after the strangeness of the last few chapters. The book does foreshadow that conclusion, but it wasn’t an ending I would’ve chosen for it at all.
To be honest, unless the book (especially the synopsis!) goes under revision, I wouldn’t recommend this book. I doubt I’ll keep reading into the series. Overall, it wasn’t a terrible story, but the above reasons just made it forgettable to me.
I would like to thank Aspendawn Books, as well as Netgalley, for the free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2014
Niki is taking a shower when the earth starts shaking. A terrible earthquake has rocked California, and Niki is trapped under the caved in ceiling from her apartment. Facing her death, she is rescued by JC, a guy she never gave a thought to. They end up traveling together as the world around them shakes and erupts, having no idea what they are traveling towards.
This book was a complete mash up of everything. There was natural disasters, the Mayan end of the world calendar, Native American mythology, religion, supernatural, survival, death, a dash of romance. There was so much going on I had no idea what to expect next.
At times I felt like some details were left out, somethings completely skipped over that left me feeling a little confused as to the plot. Also, there was almost no descriptors of people and what they looked like. I personally love details since I picture everything in my head as I am reading. The supernatural elements were surprising, and I am not sure if there are aliens or if this is a spiritual thing. I guess I will have to read the next book to see if my questions are answered.
I felt kind of blah about Niki, I could take her or leave her. She was incredibly angsty, and lashed out at everyone around her regardless of what they did for her. JC saves her life and she thinks of him as a hoodlum and wants nothing to do with him. What? I personally feel that she should do some major thanking. She did grow up a little as the story progressed, and I found I liked her better as a person.
JC on the other hand was an amazing character and I loved him from the beginning. Yes he screwed up, but he admitted his flaw and did everything he could to make up for it. He was a rock that saved Niki repeatedly no matter what she did in return. He is the reason she is alive at the end of the book. I just wanted to give him a hug most of the time. He is a hero regardless of how he feels. Add in Anton, who risks his life for others, and we practically have superheros.
Overall it was an interesting book that could have used some editing, but the plot was very unique. I will read more in the series to see what will happen next.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a complete mash up of everything. There was natural disasters, the Mayan end of the world calendar, Native American mythology, religion, supernatural, survival, death, a dash of romance. There was so much going on I had no idea what to expect next.
At times I felt like some details were left out, somethings completely skipped over that left me feeling a little confused as to the plot. Also, there was almost no descriptors of people and what they looked like. I personally love details since I picture everything in my head as I am reading. The supernatural elements were surprising, and I am not sure if there are aliens or if this is a spiritual thing. I guess I will have to read the next book to see if my questions are answered.
I felt kind of blah about Niki, I could take her or leave her. She was incredibly angsty, and lashed out at everyone around her regardless of what they did for her. JC saves her life and she thinks of him as a hoodlum and wants nothing to do with him. What? I personally feel that she should do some major thanking. She did grow up a little as the story progressed, and I found I liked her better as a person.
JC on the other hand was an amazing character and I loved him from the beginning. Yes he screwed up, but he admitted his flaw and did everything he could to make up for it. He was a rock that saved Niki repeatedly no matter what she did in return. He is the reason she is alive at the end of the book. I just wanted to give him a hug most of the time. He is a hero regardless of how he feels. Add in Anton, who risks his life for others, and we practically have superheros.
Overall it was an interesting book that could have used some editing, but the plot was very unique. I will read more in the series to see what will happen next.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
January 3, 2013
I was very up and down with this book. At moments I was in love and at other points I was bored out of my mind. The story goes into how the world ends on 12/21/12 and JC saves Niki from her apartment then they go on this journey together to find Nikkis sister but along the way there are earthquakes, flooding, and meter showers.
The idea of the book was great and I liked the end perspective of why the world was coming to an end on that date. It was very creative. If you read the book you'll know what I'm talking about.
Nikki is one of those level headed I dont give a fuck type of people and speaks her opinion throughout the book. Which doesn't make sense to me because she was suppose to be an Outcast in her school. That's kinda the point in the title of the book. She got made fun of and tormented. Then all of a sudden shes this person that gets heated and is bitchy all the time, especially when she is around JC.
JC is the jock/cool kid in the book that is secretly in love with Nikki. Hes your casual popular high school guy. He drinks and parties and such but his world gets turned upside down when his family dies. I think the book would have been better if it was in JCs perspective.
Okay.. so... There was one issue in this book were I was just like why..!? *face palm*
Near the end of the book. Everyone gets these powers! Yep thats right I said powers. It's completely ridiculous. Nikki can all of a sudden see ghosts and hear ghosts and blah blah blah. Your just kind of there reading it like... WHY! WHAT! UHHH... Also.. They pick up one of JCs friends throughout the journey and he has Super Strength or some shit. *face palm* *face palm* *face palm*
The idea of the book was great and I liked the end perspective of why the world was coming to an end on that date. It was very creative. If you read the book you'll know what I'm talking about.
Nikki is one of those level headed I dont give a fuck type of people and speaks her opinion throughout the book. Which doesn't make sense to me because she was suppose to be an Outcast in her school. That's kinda the point in the title of the book. She got made fun of and tormented. Then all of a sudden shes this person that gets heated and is bitchy all the time, especially when she is around JC.
JC is the jock/cool kid in the book that is secretly in love with Nikki. Hes your casual popular high school guy. He drinks and parties and such but his world gets turned upside down when his family dies. I think the book would have been better if it was in JCs perspective.
Okay.. so... There was one issue in this book were I was just like why..!? *face palm*
Near the end of the book. Everyone gets these powers! Yep thats right I said powers. It's completely ridiculous. Nikki can all of a sudden see ghosts and hear ghosts and blah blah blah. Your just kind of there reading it like... WHY! WHAT! UHHH... Also.. They pick up one of JCs friends throughout the journey and he has Super Strength or some shit. *face palm* *face palm* *face palm*
April 7, 2014
It's Dec. 21, 2012, a fact that we don't learn until later. Nikki is trapped in her apartment after a massive earthquake and is rescued by JC, a guy who used to bully her when they were in high school. His family has been killed and she and JC travel together along with a friend of his in this now post-not-quite-apocalyptic world. There are earthquakes, tsunamis, meteor strikes, the possibility of aliens, doomsday preppers, superpowers like the ability to talk to ghosts and superhuman strength, Mayan prophesies and Anasazi Indians from another time period. In a "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" like way, JC is mysteriously pulled to go over the mountains. I found myself looking back repeatedly to see if I had missed some details and nope - they just are not there. The characters are not well fleshed out and the lack of description and details makes the book rather jumpy and confusing. It sounds interesting, but is really lacking in details and descriptions. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.
January 19, 2014
ARC provided by NetGalley:
Outcast is another end of the world as we know it story but with a slightly different twist. This time the earth is devastated by a series of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The story begins with Niki being trapped as her apartment building collapses. Her neighbor JC rescues her, and they begin their journey to find out what's happening around them. The basic story is a decent one but I was confused more than once by time lapses that weren't identified beforehand. I had to go back and reread to find out how far in time we had skipped ahead. Towards the end of the book the story took a strange twist that I'm not sure truly fit with the plot. At times I felt as if there were too many things going on. Just a so-so read for me.
Outcast is another end of the world as we know it story but with a slightly different twist. This time the earth is devastated by a series of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The story begins with Niki being trapped as her apartment building collapses. Her neighbor JC rescues her, and they begin their journey to find out what's happening around them. The basic story is a decent one but I was confused more than once by time lapses that weren't identified beforehand. I had to go back and reread to find out how far in time we had skipped ahead. Towards the end of the book the story took a strange twist that I'm not sure truly fit with the plot. At times I felt as if there were too many things going on. Just a so-so read for me.
December 6, 2012
so-so read. The story was a bit bare..no real action or drama even in an end of the world scenario. Kind of felt "off" while reading it. Then the weird stuff - I wasn't expecting it and I didn't really think it was all that well done.
January 20, 2014
*ARC given by Net Gallery*
I couldn't get into this one, I tried but I found myself skipping bits and just seeing how it would end, i'm still grateful to have been requested it, but unfortunately this one wasn't for me.
I couldn't get into this one, I tried but I found myself skipping bits and just seeing how it would end, i'm still grateful to have been requested it, but unfortunately this one wasn't for me.
December 20, 2012
I think this is going to be a great read with some great reviews as well. This book sounds more for the teenage genre but for adults also. I look forward to reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews