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Ordinary
419 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2026
About the author
W. Pearl
3 books54 followersWhitney is author of The Telophase Series.
She lives on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four remarkable children. Her fire for expression through the written word has been an unquenchable constant all her life. When she is not busy writing or wrangling animals, she enjoys a variety of hobbies, including hiking, painting, photography, gardening, and playing with her kids.
She lives on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four remarkable children. Her fire for expression through the written word has been an unquenchable constant all her life. When she is not busy writing or wrangling animals, she enjoys a variety of hobbies, including hiking, painting, photography, gardening, and playing with her kids.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
THIS SERIES IS SO UNDERRATED!
Ok… now that I got that off my chest… let’s talk about Ordinary. I want to thank author W. Pearl for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC before the release. This is book 2 in a series (but is really kind of book 3 since there is a prequel), so this review will contain spoilers for the previous two books.
This series is straight heartbreak and devastation and I love it! I was a big fan of Obedient when I stumbled across it about a year and a half ago. Then I read The Boy in the Box and was completely blown away. Gabriel Malek. My heart has never hurt so much for someone I despise. 5 stars, no notes.
And then we get to Ordinary. The way W. Pearl has expertly laid out multiple intertwining POVs and realistically described their experiences and very human reactions to them is masterful. This book does require some brain power to juggle the different story lines, but it is very well done. The way she artfully demonstrates that everyone is capable of both good and evil, and how she depicts each character’s circumstances and inner turmoil forces the reader to really examine what actions cross the line to make someone irredeemable. Some of these characters commit acts that should never be forgiven, and yet I find myself wanting to forgive them.
This book explores feminine rage, grief, indoctrination, toxic relationships, mental health, and the duality of man in an extreme dystopian society reminiscent of The Handmaids Tale and Gattaca. It is dark and it is heavy. Seriously, check the triggers. I’ve never had so many conflicting feelings about characters and their actions, while feeling so much empathy for each of them.
And Gabriel Malek? Sir. After Obedient, and even after his villain origin story in TBITB, I thought he was irredeemable. My heart broke for young Gabe and the good natured side of him, and I cried for who he could have been under different circumstances, but I could not forgive the things he had done. And yet, after Ordinary, I want to forgive him.
And Eve. Ever. Everest. Her grief. Her rage. Her love. Her light and her darkness. The things these characters go through….
This book hasn’t even released yet and I need book 3.
Favorite quotes (I’ll ad more once the book has released):
🚨Quotes are out of context but if you prefer to go into a book completely blind, this is your warning of potential light spoilers.🚨
He was too beautiful. Almost too bright to look at. He was music notes and wet paint on canvas and conversations before dawn. He was coffee and chess and books and books and books. He was a starry night and I love you and pleasure so intense it rewrote the meaning of the word. He was the sun. And then she was Icarus. And all of that light went out.
And he was there. And then he was gone.
And he was bruises and cruelty and hope dangled on a barbed wire thread. He was harsh words and lies and betrayal. He was hurt.
She was the bright spot in his darkness. She was the only star in the eternal night of his soul.
She kissed him like he was the beginning of forever. He kissed her like she was his inevitable end.
They were human-all of them. Flawed, broken, beautiful humans. And they would not go down without a fight.
The death of his soul, chipped away a little at a time. Every drop of blood on his hands was absent of absolution, instead filling a pool of guilt until he was drowning in it.
Ok… now that I got that off my chest… let’s talk about Ordinary. I want to thank author W. Pearl for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC before the release. This is book 2 in a series (but is really kind of book 3 since there is a prequel), so this review will contain spoilers for the previous two books.
This series is straight heartbreak and devastation and I love it! I was a big fan of Obedient when I stumbled across it about a year and a half ago. Then I read The Boy in the Box and was completely blown away. Gabriel Malek. My heart has never hurt so much for someone I despise. 5 stars, no notes.
And then we get to Ordinary. The way W. Pearl has expertly laid out multiple intertwining POVs and realistically described their experiences and very human reactions to them is masterful. This book does require some brain power to juggle the different story lines, but it is very well done. The way she artfully demonstrates that everyone is capable of both good and evil, and how she depicts each character’s circumstances and inner turmoil forces the reader to really examine what actions cross the line to make someone irredeemable. Some of these characters commit acts that should never be forgiven, and yet I find myself wanting to forgive them.
This book explores feminine rage, grief, indoctrination, toxic relationships, mental health, and the duality of man in an extreme dystopian society reminiscent of The Handmaids Tale and Gattaca. It is dark and it is heavy. Seriously, check the triggers. I’ve never had so many conflicting feelings about characters and their actions, while feeling so much empathy for each of them.
And Gabriel Malek? Sir. After Obedient, and even after his villain origin story in TBITB, I thought he was irredeemable. My heart broke for young Gabe and the good natured side of him, and I cried for who he could have been under different circumstances, but I could not forgive the things he had done. And yet, after Ordinary, I want to forgive him.
And Eve. Ever. Everest. Her grief. Her rage. Her love. Her light and her darkness. The things these characters go through….
This book hasn’t even released yet and I need book 3.
Favorite quotes (I’ll ad more once the book has released):
🚨Quotes are out of context but if you prefer to go into a book completely blind, this is your warning of potential light spoilers.🚨
He was too beautiful. Almost too bright to look at. He was music notes and wet paint on canvas and conversations before dawn. He was coffee and chess and books and books and books. He was a starry night and I love you and pleasure so intense it rewrote the meaning of the word. He was the sun. And then she was Icarus. And all of that light went out.
And he was there. And then he was gone.
And he was bruises and cruelty and hope dangled on a barbed wire thread. He was harsh words and lies and betrayal. He was hurt.
She was the bright spot in his darkness. She was the only star in the eternal night of his soul.
She kissed him like he was the beginning of forever. He kissed her like she was his inevitable end.
They were human-all of them. Flawed, broken, beautiful humans. And they would not go down without a fight.
The death of his soul, chipped away a little at a time. Every drop of blood on his hands was absent of absolution, instead filling a pool of guilt until he was drowning in it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received this book as an ARC reader, after ARC reading the author’s previous 2 novels in the same series. This offering was quite compelling and took me a bit more reflection than the previous ones. I have to say, this book was quite a bit darker and less hopeful than the others and also ends leaving many things hanging, as the first did. Ethics in science is a large issue in this dystopian nightmare. Genetic engineering is conducted, and many problems arise from this practice. I really appreciated how thought provoking this work of fiction is, in addition to being an interesting tale. I will be looking forward to seeing if the pervading evil can be overcome by the small faction of good people left.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is an amazing story! I have honor of getting an ARC for this book and craving for the 4th book. A continuing story with multi POVs in The Telophase Series. This is a heartbreaking, devastatingly good book. A story with twist and turns I did not see coming but instantly wanted to know more. It’s beautifully written with great details. A dystopian future with modified beings, humans and other classes in a search for what humanity is and living in a world created by others. I can’t wait for the next book. (Note: Ordinary is the 2nd book in series with Obedient the 1st and The Boy in Box 1.5 as a villain origin story.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mrs. Pearl!! You did it again. You never seem to not amaze me and leave me speechless after reading one of your books. This book in the series was phenomenal. I cried, literally almost screamed and was totally engrossed in every word. These characters are developing in a way I did not see coming. You are the Master of Deception with words and I love every moment. Until the next book, which I hope is soon, because I don’t want to wait to know what havoc and destruction will befall those who deserve it. And I NEED TO KNOW!! Wonderful job.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What can I even say. Like the other books in this series, this one made me bawl my eyes out. Only, it managed to do so within record time.
I was lucky enough to get to read books 1 and 1.5 close together, and then very quickly got blessed with the ARC for Ordinary. Now I have to.. wait? For more? This series has dragged me in, completely. I need to know what happens to these characters. I need to know what happens to this world.
10/10 would cry again.
I was lucky enough to get to read books 1 and 1.5 close together, and then very quickly got blessed with the ARC for Ordinary. Now I have to.. wait? For more? This series has dragged me in, completely. I need to know what happens to these characters. I need to know what happens to this world.
10/10 would cry again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for my ARC!
I am obsessed with this series! This dystopian novel has ALL the POVs, a very intense caste system, so many twists, and yearning! Every time I read a book from W. Pearl I am not able to put it down. She is one of those authors that gives me that feeling of I can't stop reading but I don't want it to end at the same time. Can't wait for the next book, I have so many questions and concerns for these characters. 😭
I am obsessed with this series! This dystopian novel has ALL the POVs, a very intense caste system, so many twists, and yearning! Every time I read a book from W. Pearl I am not able to put it down. She is one of those authors that gives me that feeling of I can't stop reading but I don't want it to end at the same time. Can't wait for the next book, I have so many questions and concerns for these characters. 😭
August 4, 2026
Review of Advanced Copy received from author
This is book 2 in this dystopian, emotionally devastating series that I just can’t get enough of! W. Pearl writes these complex, nuanced characters that really make you think about the duality of man and what makes actions good vs evil. Every single one of these books has been amazing and I very much look forward to the next one!
Please do read the content warnings for her books. If you find you can handle it, you won’t regret reading them!
This is book 2 in this dystopian, emotionally devastating series that I just can’t get enough of! W. Pearl writes these complex, nuanced characters that really make you think about the duality of man and what makes actions good vs evil. Every single one of these books has been amazing and I very much look forward to the next one!
Please do read the content warnings for her books. If you find you can handle it, you won’t regret reading them!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you W. Pearl for the ARC copy. Wow. I have sat on this for two days. My mind is blown and my heart is in a thousand pieces. The emotional trauma is so addicting. The way that W. Pearl writes is so mesmerizing. The attention to detail and the development of the characters is perfect. Don't get attached to any character because she is not afraid to make them the worst or make something bad happen to them. There is nothing Ordinary about this book! Go pre order it!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First of all, you must read Obedient & The Boy in the Box before starting this book. Second, if you enjoy emotional devastation, this is the series for you. You will laugh, cry, and get angry. Probably all in the same chapter. I will be impatiently waiting for the next in the series (for however long it takes)!
September 18, 2026
ARC received from author
Another amazing book from the author. Love the writing style and how the threads of the story are woven together. Even though this is intended to a be dark dystopian novel, it sucks you in and makes you want more.
I definitely enjoyed reading this more than I did the audiobook which I think spoiled book one a bit for me.
Check your triggers if you planning on reading the series as there are a lot of things going on. That being said, the way the topics are handled, still makes it very readable.
Another amazing book from the author. Love the writing style and how the threads of the story are woven together. Even though this is intended to a be dark dystopian novel, it sucks you in and makes you want more.
I definitely enjoyed reading this more than I did the audiobook which I think spoiled book one a bit for me.
Check your triggers if you planning on reading the series as there are a lot of things going on. That being said, the way the topics are handled, still makes it very readable.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have loved this story all the way through. Ordinary was no different. It was a spectacular weaving of stories between the different characters. Walking their own journeys while colliding into one another. I can't wait for more! I need her to start writing the next one right now!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gimmie book 3 right now.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews