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The Last City #1
The Last City
Alternate Cover Edition for B00ZUA2X3M.
Sixteen-year-old Liza was prepared to die from cancer, but instead she's been gifted super-strength. Since the undead plague, the world's gone crazy: Evil dictators, mad scientists, sick kids imprisoned on an island, and experiments that have created the stuff of myths and legends.
When Liza meets Jeremy Writer, an anarchist rousting the people to revolt, she has a choice to make. Risk imprisonment, or join the rebellion. And she finds she has a talent for enlisting allies to their cause.
Tommy's a normal seventeen-year-old boy, that is, until he's angry. The Underground's created super-soldiers to fight the regime holding the last city. But he struggles to contain his monster more and more, and Tommy wonders how much of himself will be left when they arrive. He's got too many who rely on him, to give up now.
If Liza can't help spark an uprising, and Tommy loses control before victory, then the last of the population will be purged, and freedom will be nothing but a memory.
The Last City (Formerly Gods of Anthem) is a young adult zombie dystopian tale that faces all odds in a post-apocalyptic world.
Sixteen-year-old Liza was prepared to die from cancer, but instead she's been gifted super-strength. Since the undead plague, the world's gone crazy: Evil dictators, mad scientists, sick kids imprisoned on an island, and experiments that have created the stuff of myths and legends.
When Liza meets Jeremy Writer, an anarchist rousting the people to revolt, she has a choice to make. Risk imprisonment, or join the rebellion. And she finds she has a talent for enlisting allies to their cause.
Tommy's a normal seventeen-year-old boy, that is, until he's angry. The Underground's created super-soldiers to fight the regime holding the last city. But he struggles to contain his monster more and more, and Tommy wonders how much of himself will be left when they arrive. He's got too many who rely on him, to give up now.
If Liza can't help spark an uprising, and Tommy loses control before victory, then the last of the population will be purged, and freedom will be nothing but a memory.
The Last City (Formerly Gods of Anthem) is a young adult zombie dystopian tale that faces all odds in a post-apocalyptic world.
257 pages, ebook
First published April 18, 2015
220 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
Logan Keys
56 books273 followersLogan Keys says she’s not so much a writer as she is a soothsayer and preparer for those who are still blissfully unaware. Her stories aren’t dystopian but rather a warning for the next generation. When she’s not writing zombies, vampires, superheroes, and robots, she’s fighting against government over-reach and oligarchy using military tactics mixed with a little bit of poetry.
Logan’s currently on her little farm in Kentucky typing away on many projects at once.
To keep up with her insanity, as she moves often, become a VIP member by copying and pasting this into your browser. Join the resistance today!: https://wordpress.us9.list-manage.com...
Logan’s currently on her little farm in Kentucky typing away on many projects at once.
To keep up with her insanity, as she moves often, become a VIP member by copying and pasting this into your browser. Join the resistance today!: https://wordpress.us9.list-manage.com...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
February 7, 2017
This is a call out to all those lovers of genre-bending! We've got a zombocalypse, an enormous fight for freedom from an authoritarian regime, cancer victims, hulk-outs, and even a bit of poetry and music.
What more could we ask for in a YA?
Um, we could always ask for and receive some actually nice romance. Yeah! Romance! Liza and Jeremy are so cute together! Maybe I'm just a sucker for writers who love musicians. Or maybe it's the purple eyes or the nigh-immortality or the sweetness in the face of all these hungry shambling hoards (and even the zombies!)
Of course, this book isn't all about the list of cool features or even the fact that we even get time to wage war with Tommy and hulk out as if we're all playing an awesome game of Resident Evil with a very, very generous dose of Alice In Wonderland. Cool, right?
And all the while Jeremy is out to free them all from the terrible yoke of the elite rich and their dangerous survival techniques. Come on! I *love* body mods. Of course, these kinds of body mods are a bit extreme, but what can we do! It's an extreme kind of world! :)
This book has great pacing and a lot of fun characters and action and character development, but none of that is quite as amazing as the end. Fair warning, however... these kinds of reveals might absolutely prevent you from avoiding the next book in the series. :) :)
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book!
What more could we ask for in a YA?
Um, we could always ask for and receive some actually nice romance. Yeah! Romance! Liza and Jeremy are so cute together! Maybe I'm just a sucker for writers who love musicians. Or maybe it's the purple eyes or the nigh-immortality or the sweetness in the face of all these hungry shambling hoards (and even the zombies!)
Of course, this book isn't all about the list of cool features or even the fact that we even get time to wage war with Tommy and hulk out as if we're all playing an awesome game of Resident Evil with a very, very generous dose of Alice In Wonderland. Cool, right?
And all the while Jeremy is out to free them all from the terrible yoke of the elite rich and their dangerous survival techniques. Come on! I *love* body mods. Of course, these kinds of body mods are a bit extreme, but what can we do! It's an extreme kind of world! :)
This book has great pacing and a lot of fun characters and action and character development, but none of that is quite as amazing as the end. Fair warning, however... these kinds of reveals might absolutely prevent you from avoiding the next book in the series. :) :)
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book!
January 3, 2016
***** 5 Cranky Stars *****
Have you ever come across a book that crawls inside your soul from page one and obliterates your heart by the end? This book did that to me and so much more.
In Gods of Anthem, Logan Keys' debut novel, the world has been destroyed and people are still greedy for power. There is so little left in the world and instead of working together, the power hungry and avaricious are in control.
On an island of sick kids, who should be receiving the best treatment possible, they are treated like prisoners.
On the other side of the world, unstoppable monsters are created in order to gain more power.
In the city of Ashes, Anthem, people are stratified into haves and haves not, and strictly controlled. Fed up, they are ready to fight and when a girl comes back from the dead, a fire is lit.
This is not my usual genre and yet, it's now on my top ten favorite books list. The only issue I had with this book is it ended, leaving me a raw exposed blubbering mess.
I look forward to the next book as this one leaves you pining for more.
Have you ever come across a book that crawls inside your soul from page one and obliterates your heart by the end? This book did that to me and so much more.
In Gods of Anthem, Logan Keys' debut novel, the world has been destroyed and people are still greedy for power. There is so little left in the world and instead of working together, the power hungry and avaricious are in control.
On an island of sick kids, who should be receiving the best treatment possible, they are treated like prisoners.
On the other side of the world, unstoppable monsters are created in order to gain more power.
In the city of Ashes, Anthem, people are stratified into haves and haves not, and strictly controlled. Fed up, they are ready to fight and when a girl comes back from the dead, a fire is lit.
This is not my usual genre and yet, it's now on my top ten favorite books list. The only issue I had with this book is it ended, leaving me a raw exposed blubbering mess.
I look forward to the next book as this one leaves you pining for more.
February 9, 2017
You know how every once in a LOOOOONG, EXTREMELY RARE, while, you happen to just hit a steak where every book you read is absolutely magnificent?? Well, somehow, I've been in that wonderful place for something like 3 weeks, and maybe 5 or more books.
I got this book from NetGalley about a year ago. And it's just been sitting on my Kindle, gathering digital dust. But as soon as I started to read it, I simply could not stop. Not until I finished.
I'm surprised by a number of things as they relate to this book. For instance, it carries a rating average of over 4.5, higher than any book I've read. However, when I glanced through the reviewers' names last night, and again just now, I didn't recognize a single name. I am so curious about why that is.
Also, I haven't seen any discussion of this book. Now, maybe that's because I've been somewhat out of touch. Still, the book has been out for over a year, and it's one that should be read by ALL. Curiously, this author mentions she has a short story collection as well, Unhinged, but I'm unable to find it for sale anywhere.
But back to the book. It seems to be a debut. And holy SHIT, what a way to come out of the gate!!! The characters swallow you from the first page. And just when I thought there cannot possibly be another zombie-related book I could stand to read, along came this book. So yes, it has zombies, but it also has dictators, islands where the sick are housed, scary, seemingly less than human guards enforcing order everywhere in this failed utopia, trans-humans, worse-than-reeducation facilities for those who try to rebel, underground entertainment, and a revolution that tries to bubble up from below all this.
I'm thinking that to call this a sort of modernized 1984 reality is probably going over the top in my excitement from having just finished it. However, there are similarities. The ending, the last few lines, in particular. No neatly wrapped up story with a bow on top, although the entire journey is just magnificent.
I urge you to read this book for yourself. Perhaps I've read it after most of those who share here on Goodreads. But if that's not the case, if there are others like me who had not known of this book until now, disregard the weird and not very interesting book cover and RUN to obtain a copy. Download immediately. You will LOVE it.
I got this book from NetGalley about a year ago. And it's just been sitting on my Kindle, gathering digital dust. But as soon as I started to read it, I simply could not stop. Not until I finished.
I'm surprised by a number of things as they relate to this book. For instance, it carries a rating average of over 4.5, higher than any book I've read. However, when I glanced through the reviewers' names last night, and again just now, I didn't recognize a single name. I am so curious about why that is.
Also, I haven't seen any discussion of this book. Now, maybe that's because I've been somewhat out of touch. Still, the book has been out for over a year, and it's one that should be read by ALL. Curiously, this author mentions she has a short story collection as well, Unhinged, but I'm unable to find it for sale anywhere.
But back to the book. It seems to be a debut. And holy SHIT, what a way to come out of the gate!!! The characters swallow you from the first page. And just when I thought there cannot possibly be another zombie-related book I could stand to read, along came this book. So yes, it has zombies, but it also has dictators, islands where the sick are housed, scary, seemingly less than human guards enforcing order everywhere in this failed utopia, trans-humans, worse-than-reeducation facilities for those who try to rebel, underground entertainment, and a revolution that tries to bubble up from below all this.
I'm thinking that to call this a sort of modernized 1984 reality is probably going over the top in my excitement from having just finished it. However, there are similarities. The ending, the last few lines, in particular. No neatly wrapped up story with a bow on top, although the entire journey is just magnificent.
I urge you to read this book for yourself. Perhaps I've read it after most of those who share here on Goodreads. But if that's not the case, if there are others like me who had not known of this book until now, disregard the weird and not very interesting book cover and RUN to obtain a copy. Download immediately. You will LOVE it.
February 15, 2017
3.5 stars. The post apocalyptic setting is a bit different in this book which was a refreshing change. I found the mash up of ideas in this book a bit much and The the 'romance' between Jeremy and Liza was unconvincing. I think the sequel is where the real action will begin and am looking forward to seeing how events unfurl from the end point of this novel.
May 18, 2015
We meet Liza on a prison island, not far removed from Alcatraz. Only it’s for those children who are sick and dying. And Liza is ready. She’s accepted her fate and she’s ready to go. When suddenly, she allowed to go to Anthem. And things aren’t much better in Anthem. The authority have everything under a tight scrutiny, and there she meets Jeremy and her whole world turns upside down. She’s suddenly given purpose and a meaning. And it isn’t because she’s found a man, it’s because of this man’s purpose.
Then we meet Tommy Hatter. He’s a weapon. Not just that he uses one, but he IS one. Only Tommy’s weapon isn’t easily controlled and doesn’t discriminate when it’s set loose. Tommy’s only real friend is a young girl named Joelle. And she scares people more than he does.
These two stay apart throughout the whole book until the last couple of chapters. There isn’t much in the way of romance, but this cross-genre book still reads like one. These two people are destined for greatness, even if they are only friends. (which I’m thinking is possible.)
I can’t really discuss much in the book without giving away some major plot points. I will tell you, you’re set up for the next book. I will also tell you that once you start on this book, you WILL.NOT.PUT.IT.DOWN. For reals. I read it all in one day. Not even the full day. Just a chunk of it. I’m probably going to read it again because I just KNOW I’m going to find something new and awesome about it.
Ms. Keys immerses you deep into her dystopian/post-apocalyptic world full of insanity and heart-break and hope. It’s really hard to classify this book. It’s definitely YA. After that, it crosses so many genre lines that it’s almost impossible to just pick two or three other areas. I positively LOVE this book. There aren’t enough words. For reals. So would I recommend this book, you may ask…..Why you ask such silly questions?!?!?! Of COURSE I do. I just wish you could get it NOW (when I’m writing this blog entry) instead of having to wait for its release.
Then we meet Tommy Hatter. He’s a weapon. Not just that he uses one, but he IS one. Only Tommy’s weapon isn’t easily controlled and doesn’t discriminate when it’s set loose. Tommy’s only real friend is a young girl named Joelle. And she scares people more than he does.
These two stay apart throughout the whole book until the last couple of chapters. There isn’t much in the way of romance, but this cross-genre book still reads like one. These two people are destined for greatness, even if they are only friends. (which I’m thinking is possible.)
I can’t really discuss much in the book without giving away some major plot points. I will tell you, you’re set up for the next book. I will also tell you that once you start on this book, you WILL.NOT.PUT.IT.DOWN. For reals. I read it all in one day. Not even the full day. Just a chunk of it. I’m probably going to read it again because I just KNOW I’m going to find something new and awesome about it.
Ms. Keys immerses you deep into her dystopian/post-apocalyptic world full of insanity and heart-break and hope. It’s really hard to classify this book. It’s definitely YA. After that, it crosses so many genre lines that it’s almost impossible to just pick two or three other areas. I positively LOVE this book. There aren’t enough words. For reals. So would I recommend this book, you may ask…..Why you ask such silly questions?!?!?! Of COURSE I do. I just wish you could get it NOW (when I’m writing this blog entry) instead of having to wait for its release.
May 7, 2015
Oh, where to start, where to start with this book? A city of ash. An island of sick. A country filled with zombies. A girl that comes back from the dead, another that feeds on blood. A boy that carries a monster deep inside him, and another that wants to insight a revolution. If any of that gave you shivers, you are not alone.
Gods of Anthem was a YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that rolled together some of the most mysterious and exciting ideas out there and set it in a dystopian future where people survive but never thrive. While Gods of Anthem has all the elements of your traditional dystopian novel, it’s very unique. I swear I’ve read nothing like it, and I fell in love with the world and characters.
My favorites? Liza and Tommy—for their struggles (both inner and outer) and the depth and complexity of their personalities. I also had SUCH a soft spot for Jo-Jo; she was adorable. And Jeremy? Him, I’m still on the fence about. I want to like him—I definitely pitied him at times—but I don’t know. I’m still undecided. Cory can run straight into a zombie. That’s how I feel about that character.
And aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! That ending! I’m squealing. Actually, from 70% on, there were so many twists and turnsI was practically salivating, That climax! That ending! OMG. I need the next book nooooooow!
Gods of Anthem was a YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that rolled together some of the most mysterious and exciting ideas out there and set it in a dystopian future where people survive but never thrive. While Gods of Anthem has all the elements of your traditional dystopian novel, it’s very unique. I swear I’ve read nothing like it, and I fell in love with the world and characters.
My favorites? Liza and Tommy—for their struggles (both inner and outer) and the depth and complexity of their personalities. I also had SUCH a soft spot for Jo-Jo; she was adorable. And Jeremy? Him, I’m still on the fence about. I want to like him—I definitely pitied him at times—but I don’t know. I’m still undecided. Cory can run straight into a zombie. That’s how I feel about that character.
And aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! That ending! I’m squealing. Actually, from 70% on, there were so many twists and turnsI was practically salivating, That climax! That ending! OMG. I need the next book nooooooow!
April 17, 2015
This is the YA debut novel for Logan Keys, and YA readers are going to LOVE it! The book is written in dual POV, and the way Keys did this was absolute genius. It kept me guessing and wondering and reading along just to find out why she did what she did.
I'll be honest. It's been a very long time since a novel surprised me, and this one did it more than once. I never saw some of these twists coming, and Keys did it beautifully.
Gods of Anthem is YA Dystopian and book #1 of a series. And it's gearing up to be a series no one will want to miss! On release day--which is still TBD--make sure to GO BUY THIS BOOK! Then come back and tell me how far your jaw dropped at the end.
I'll be honest. It's been a very long time since a novel surprised me, and this one did it more than once. I never saw some of these twists coming, and Keys did it beautifully.
Gods of Anthem is YA Dystopian and book #1 of a series. And it's gearing up to be a series no one will want to miss! On release day--which is still TBD--make sure to GO BUY THIS BOOK! Then come back and tell me how far your jaw dropped at the end.
July 2, 2016
I was asked if I could read Gods of Anthem pre-publication and I agreed to do it without an aid of a blurb, review by other people who had read it, or even a whisper of what type of story it was going to be, and I can honestly tell you I was mind-blown.
I gave it 5 stars because:
1. It has great characters
2. It has a great plot
3. The storyline is moving
4. It has mystery
5. It made me beg for more.
I am not a professional reviewer but I consider myself a seasoned reader. Books, stories, ideas and imaginations come in different forms and styles. I enjoy all of them. Then occasionally a story like Gods of Anthem gets written and rocks me to my core.
It's a very well written love story. Not between two people but love for family, friends and for anything else that one believed in. It's not for the faint of heart, it's not a Sunday read, it also had its slow moments which tempted me to skip those parts but I persisted because that was when Anthem was created and molded into a real tangible place in my mind. The characters developed into real people and made me fall in love with them. And the story was woven until I found myself caught in its web of mystery full of action and suspense.
It tells of a girl and a boy, with two separate lives and different tales yet somehow intertwined with the other, who eventually finds one another in the book. (Read the blurb if you want the gist, but I'm not telling you anything else.) Whether there will be anything more between them than just being two great characters existing side by side, I have no idea. Because that is how great this writer is. She spun a tale of heartache so poignant it nearly broke my heart, then she injected adrenalin into my system that I wondered whether the world was still intact with every heartbeat, then she held my hand and told me to breathe, stop and smell the roses before sending me crashing to my final descent and wondering what the heck just happened and had I survived it because up until now I am still in limbo.
Did I like the book? No...I LOVED IT!
Will you love it like I did? BUY the book and find out for yourself!
I gave it 5 stars because:
1. It has great characters
2. It has a great plot
3. The storyline is moving
4. It has mystery
5. It made me beg for more.
I am not a professional reviewer but I consider myself a seasoned reader. Books, stories, ideas and imaginations come in different forms and styles. I enjoy all of them. Then occasionally a story like Gods of Anthem gets written and rocks me to my core.
It's a very well written love story. Not between two people but love for family, friends and for anything else that one believed in. It's not for the faint of heart, it's not a Sunday read, it also had its slow moments which tempted me to skip those parts but I persisted because that was when Anthem was created and molded into a real tangible place in my mind. The characters developed into real people and made me fall in love with them. And the story was woven until I found myself caught in its web of mystery full of action and suspense.
It tells of a girl and a boy, with two separate lives and different tales yet somehow intertwined with the other, who eventually finds one another in the book. (Read the blurb if you want the gist, but I'm not telling you anything else.) Whether there will be anything more between them than just being two great characters existing side by side, I have no idea. Because that is how great this writer is. She spun a tale of heartache so poignant it nearly broke my heart, then she injected adrenalin into my system that I wondered whether the world was still intact with every heartbeat, then she held my hand and told me to breathe, stop and smell the roses before sending me crashing to my final descent and wondering what the heck just happened and had I survived it because up until now I am still in limbo.
Did I like the book? No...I LOVED IT!
Will you love it like I did? BUY the book and find out for yourself!
April 17, 2015
I was lucky enough to beta read this book. I loved the back and forth narration, and I loved it even more when the pieces came together. I’m a sucker for character development, and I was not disappointed. IMO, the characters are one of the biggest strengths of this book. I felt like I could see all of them in my mind, and they are all sort of complicated so that you don’t know how to feel about them, especially Jeremy Writer. Wait, that’s not true, I love Jeremy Writer in all his complicated, revolutionary glory. I love his spark and passion, even if he takes it a bit too far. The author did a great job of choosing who to narrate the book, because I could identify with both Liza and Tommy in different ways, and through them a picture unfolds of the world around them. One of my favorite things in dystopian books is finding hope amidst madness, and the characters are for sure the hope here. Even if their stories break your heart, you’re better for having known them.
June 24, 2017
Zombies, Vampires, Shapeshifters, Conspiracy, and A fight for the people...you could say this has it all.
Book Title: The Last City
Author: Logan Keys
Series: The Last City #1
Genre: Dystopian, Zombie, YA
Publisher: Le Chat Publishing
Setting: Florida (I think) and Sweden
Source: I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
⇝Book Theme Song⇜
(this link will take you to my tumblr post with video)
♫Heroes by Generdyn Music ft. Zayde Wølf -- I seriously don't know how I came across this, nor have I ever heard of this Generdyn or Zayde Wolf...but really this goes with the book really well has all the feels for it. It's very inspiring and quite intriguing.♫
⇝My Thoughts⇜
The Last City formerly known as Gods of Anthem reads like two separate stories. One is Liza's and the other is Tommy's. Alternating between the two every so often, not necessarily at chapter breaks. Which maybe made the story more confusing for me, at least for first 2/3rd of the book. Although, I did prefer Liza's story over Tommy's because it was a little less complicated.
Oh yeah…there's zombies in this as well…which I'm usually freaked out by them, because they give me nightmares. These zombies, though, are sorta kept behind the walls so to speak, at least most of the time. The zombie theme is not overly prevalent, which I did like, because, I didn't have any sleepless nights while reading this.
Ultimately, though, The Last City feels more like a prequel because of it's rather anti-climatic ending. I felt like the story only became engaging within the last few pages. I think the series has the potential to be exceptional, I just don't know if the Author can pull it off, at least for me.
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 3.8/5
Main Characters: 3.8/5
Secondary Characters: 3.8/5
The Feels: 3.5/5
Addictiveness: 3/5
Theme or Tone: 4/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3/5
Backdrop (World Building): 3.3/5
Originality: 4/5
Book Cover: 4/5 My Cover is the one that says The Last City
Ending: 3.8/5 Cliffhanger: Yes, pretty much
Will I continue this series? I already have the arc of La La Land, and I feel like theirs potential for this to be a great story…so…yeah.
Book Title: The Last City
Author: Logan Keys
Series: The Last City #1
Genre: Dystopian, Zombie, YA
Publisher: Le Chat Publishing
Setting: Florida (I think) and Sweden
Source: I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
⇝Book Theme Song⇜
(this link will take you to my tumblr post with video)
♫Heroes by Generdyn Music ft. Zayde Wølf -- I seriously don't know how I came across this, nor have I ever heard of this Generdyn or Zayde Wolf...but really this goes with the book really well has all the feels for it. It's very inspiring and quite intriguing.♫
✧✧✧OVERALL RATING✧3.8/5 STARS✧B✧✧✧
⇝My Thoughts⇜
The Last City formerly known as Gods of Anthem reads like two separate stories. One is Liza's and the other is Tommy's. Alternating between the two every so often, not necessarily at chapter breaks. Which maybe made the story more confusing for me, at least for first 2/3rd of the book. Although, I did prefer Liza's story over Tommy's because it was a little less complicated.
Oh yeah…there's zombies in this as well…which I'm usually freaked out by them, because they give me nightmares. These zombies, though, are sorta kept behind the walls so to speak, at least most of the time. The zombie theme is not overly prevalent, which I did like, because, I didn't have any sleepless nights while reading this.
Ultimately, though, The Last City feels more like a prequel because of it's rather anti-climatic ending. I felt like the story only became engaging within the last few pages. I think the series has the potential to be exceptional, I just don't know if the Author can pull it off, at least for me.
⇝Ratings Breakdown⇜
Plot: 3.8/5
Main Characters: 3.8/5
Secondary Characters: 3.8/5
The Feels: 3.5/5
Addictiveness: 3/5
Theme or Tone: 4/5
Flow (Writing Style): 3/5
Backdrop (World Building): 3.3/5
Originality: 4/5
Book Cover: 4/5 My Cover is the one that says The Last City
Ending: 3.8/5 Cliffhanger: Yes, pretty much
Will I continue this series? I already have the arc of La La Land, and I feel like theirs potential for this to be a great story…so…yeah.
June 6, 2015
Gods of Anthem knocked me flat on my back, stole the breath from my chest and tore my heart out...and I loved EVERY damn minute of it! Logan Keys is to be commended for skillful manipulation of my ultimate favorite genre. Having read (literally) hundreds of dystopian, post-apoc and end of days novels and shorts, it is with the utmost confidence that I can say that Gods of Anthem is one of the greats. This story is more than words on paper--it has a pulse. GOA lives and breathes within your hands. The edges are sharp, the characters are raw and the story will gut you in the best of ways. The prose is immaculate and the pace is spot-on. Miss Keys, your words have left a scar that I am proud to display and I thank you for rejuvenating my own passion to create. One of my best book-hangovers of 2015!
June 10, 2015
I received this ARC from Le Chat Publishing via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
WOW! That ending was brutal but sooooo good!!!
"Aspirations are useless, because to aspire, is to reach. Dream, they say, but not too big. Laugh, they say, but not too loudly. Love, they say, but not too hard."
Rating- 4.5 stars.
I’ll jump right into the plot before I’ll tell you my thoughts!
Sorry I couldn’t help but go all dramatic there!
"I am not a nobody. I'm the daughter of a great dancer and a world-renowned composer. They may be dead, but I am very much alive. My name is Liza Randusky, and I come from a long line of somebodies."
Liza is dying of cancer. The government sends her to a Camp in a man-made Island to protect what's left of humanity. Camp Bodega is hell on earth.
The world has been torn apart by a great flood, the world is broken- ruined. However, genetic alteration has never been at its finest. Can perfection be attained?
The rich are the elite, the poor the downtrodden.
It is time to begin a revolution.
Thomas Ripley- Hatter has lost everyone and everything, he is haunted by the ghosts of his past. Thomas is a 'special' soldier, he lives with a monster inside him, ever lurking on the edge of control, waiting for Thomas to accidentally let it free. But Thomas won't.
He will fight against authority, the authority that destroyed his home and turned his loved ones into blue skinned, blood thirsty demons.
Jeremy Writer is a revolutionary at heart. He writes, he speaks and boasts of ideas long forgotten.
"The time is always now to declare your freedom!"
..."The Authority says that Anarchy is the devil. But I say that a man who's both an anarchist and a patriot has been ordained by God himself!"
This book is awesome!
I won't lie the first 60% i was like, man this book is genius, the writing, the world-building is fantastic...but nothing is happening! So i grew a tad bit bored at a point...and then i reached 70% and i nearly fell off my chair.
Holy Molly, Keys, don't do that to my heart! BUT THANK YOU THAT YOU DID! That last 40% was the best...ever!
The writing here is amazing, the ideas, the characters, the world- building!
This is probably one of the best 'Zombie' books I've read in a long time! However, it's not exactly a zombie book either, ITS SO MUCH MORE!
That ending is haunting me, I want the next book now!
I wonder how the two characters that meet at the end, how will they interact? what will happen?! I MUST KNOW!
Gods of Anthem people, read it.
Stay awesome!
-The Book Herald
Tweet me @thebookherald
WOW! That ending was brutal but sooooo good!!!
"Aspirations are useless, because to aspire, is to reach. Dream, they say, but not too big. Laugh, they say, but not too loudly. Love, they say, but not too hard."
Rating- 4.5 stars.
I’ll jump right into the plot before I’ll tell you my thoughts!
The world has come to an end.
Illness is on the rise.
Zombies are looking for flesh.
Cancer has emaciating the populace.
The government rules with an Iron first.
Human rights are a myth, we are all slaves.
Scientist are having too much fun experimenting on the young and turning them into something else. Into creatures of myths and legends…turning them into nightmares.
Lives are being torn assunder.
Jeremy Writer. Liza/ Mozart. Thomas/ Tommy. Vero. Cory. Joelle.
Remember these names for they shall be unraveled.
Welcome to Anthem.
Sorry I couldn’t help but go all dramatic there!
"I am not a nobody. I'm the daughter of a great dancer and a world-renowned composer. They may be dead, but I am very much alive. My name is Liza Randusky, and I come from a long line of somebodies."
Liza is dying of cancer. The government sends her to a Camp in a man-made Island to protect what's left of humanity. Camp Bodega is hell on earth.
The world has been torn apart by a great flood, the world is broken- ruined. However, genetic alteration has never been at its finest. Can perfection be attained?
The rich are the elite, the poor the downtrodden.
It is time to begin a revolution.
Thomas Ripley- Hatter has lost everyone and everything, he is haunted by the ghosts of his past. Thomas is a 'special' soldier, he lives with a monster inside him, ever lurking on the edge of control, waiting for Thomas to accidentally let it free. But Thomas won't.
He will fight against authority, the authority that destroyed his home and turned his loved ones into blue skinned, blood thirsty demons.
Jeremy Writer is a revolutionary at heart. He writes, he speaks and boasts of ideas long forgotten.
"The time is always now to declare your freedom!"
..."The Authority says that Anarchy is the devil. But I say that a man who's both an anarchist and a patriot has been ordained by God himself!"
This book is awesome!
I won't lie the first 60% i was like, man this book is genius, the writing, the world-building is fantastic...but nothing is happening! So i grew a tad bit bored at a point...and then i reached 70% and i nearly fell off my chair.
Holy Molly, Keys, don't do that to my heart! BUT THANK YOU THAT YOU DID! That last 40% was the best...ever!
The writing here is amazing, the ideas, the characters, the world- building!
This is probably one of the best 'Zombie' books I've read in a long time! However, it's not exactly a zombie book either, ITS SO MUCH MORE!
That ending is haunting me, I want the next book now!
I wonder how the two characters that meet at the end, how will they interact? what will happen?! I MUST KNOW!
Gods of Anthem people, read it.
Stay awesome!
-The Book Herald
Tweet me @thebookherald
March 16, 2017
*ARC provided by Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
I don't even know where to start in explaining how good this book is. I cried, had goosebumps, and clapped in excitement while reading it. It's told from the POV's of Tommy and Liza. Both amazing and inspiring people. There's also Jeremy (whose story takes place through Liza's POV). He's just all about freedom and justice, but he has his secrets. Then there's Joelle ( whose story is told from Tommy's POV). She's a last bit of innocence in this lost and dark world. There's action, romance, unbreakable loyalty, great sacrifice, startling revelations, and who could forget zombies, a vampire, and people who've been experimented on in the name of 'freedom'. I wouldn't say it ends in a cliffhanger because there's not a lot of questions that are left unanswered, but it's enough to leave you salivating for the next part of this amazing story.
I don't even know where to start in explaining how good this book is. I cried, had goosebumps, and clapped in excitement while reading it. It's told from the POV's of Tommy and Liza. Both amazing and inspiring people. There's also Jeremy (whose story takes place through Liza's POV). He's just all about freedom and justice, but he has his secrets. Then there's Joelle ( whose story is told from Tommy's POV). She's a last bit of innocence in this lost and dark world. There's action, romance, unbreakable loyalty, great sacrifice, startling revelations, and who could forget zombies, a vampire, and people who've been experimented on in the name of 'freedom'. I wouldn't say it ends in a cliffhanger because there's not a lot of questions that are left unanswered, but it's enough to leave you salivating for the next part of this amazing story.
May 19, 2015
Gods of Anthem by Logan Keys
***** 5 Stars *****
Gods of Anthem is the debut novel of Logan Keys. YA/Dystopian, the work is set in a post apocalyptic world where zombies roam the earth, people are sick, and hope is limited.
There is little humanity left on earth, both in terms of numbers and compassion. Opposing forces strictly control those remaining: one in the City of Ashes and a patriotic army in waiting overseas, setting the scene for confrontation and rebellion.
Told from the dual points of view of Lisa and Tommy: one of the sick and one of the specials. Their experiences are markedly different, but converge in a heart-stopping fashion.
Full of lovable characters, as well as ambiguous ones, and villains, I was engrossed in how events would unfold.
Logan hooked me with her lyrical prose and did a fantastic job of interweaving the strands and elements, drawing you in and driving the story home. I’ve read it twice and both times, it held my attention. Actually, I can still remember the horror of realising I was almost at the end!
I cannot wait to read the next instalment. Highly recommended.
April 23, 2015
When I was asked to beta read Gods of Anthem, I jumped at the chance for two reasons:
1.YA dystopian – need I say more?
2.It came highly recommended from a friend I trust.
I have one major complaint with this book and it is that it ended.
From the very beginning, Logan Keys grabs her readers’ attention and doesn’t let go until the last sentence. The writing was exemplary and as I read, it was like a movie playing in my head with characters I loved.
In true dystopian form, there was mystery, passion, and a revolution.
Liza’s back story broke my heart, but she doesn’t permit it to stay broken. Her strength is admirable. Her hope, awe-inspiring.
Jermey is an idealist with a secret that will floor you once it is revealed.
Tommy is my (yeah, I’m totally claiming him) tortured soul who just wants a normal life. He fights his monster, dreading it when it comes out and is left feeling guilty and exhausted in its aftermath of destruction.
“Monsters may have taken over the world, but the monster they’ve built in me—built in all of us—to fight back is far worse. What they do, what they’ve already done.”
But the one who irrevocably stole my heart was Joelle. She’s loyal, grounds Tommy, and is only a child, naïve and pure in a terrible world.
I highly recommend Gods of Anthem and can’t wait for it to be released so the rest of the world can get their hands on it.
1.YA dystopian – need I say more?
2.It came highly recommended from a friend I trust.
I have one major complaint with this book and it is that it ended.
From the very beginning, Logan Keys grabs her readers’ attention and doesn’t let go until the last sentence. The writing was exemplary and as I read, it was like a movie playing in my head with characters I loved.
In true dystopian form, there was mystery, passion, and a revolution.
Liza’s back story broke my heart, but she doesn’t permit it to stay broken. Her strength is admirable. Her hope, awe-inspiring.
Jermey is an idealist with a secret that will floor you once it is revealed.
Tommy is my (yeah, I’m totally claiming him) tortured soul who just wants a normal life. He fights his monster, dreading it when it comes out and is left feeling guilty and exhausted in its aftermath of destruction.
“Monsters may have taken over the world, but the monster they’ve built in me—built in all of us—to fight back is far worse. What they do, what they’ve already done.”
But the one who irrevocably stole my heart was Joelle. She’s loyal, grounds Tommy, and is only a child, naïve and pure in a terrible world.
I highly recommend Gods of Anthem and can’t wait for it to be released so the rest of the world can get their hands on it.
April 7, 2017
Actually, three and a half stars!
Revolutions are not as exciting or as easy to plan as some think. Raising people into great feeling is easy, but to plan it into a meaningful direction? That takes wisdom, foresight, and some luck. The Gods of Anthem is set in a time of a post-apocalyptic city that’s on the verge of bringing itself out of the military strict confines that bind it. We have a secret army. We have revolutionaries in town. We have some powerful people that obviously have some long term plans. Now all we need is a leader or leaders. But let’s look at the story. Spoilers ahead.
It starts out by showing how miserable the world is with an assault on our main character, Liza. Then we learn her and everyone around her at the hospital are dying from cancer due to radiation permeating the planet. Clearly, we are in dire need of some revival. It becomes evident that Liza is chosen to play some part in the revival of the human race as she miraculously starts recovering and is sent to the last real city, Anthem.
People are focused on surviving there and not thriving according to our man in the shadows, and Liza is meant to use her musical ability to turn things around. I waited to see what Liza was going to do to revive people. But Liza didn’t actively do a whole lot. I did not see her fight for freedom per say. I don’t really “feel” her passionately desiring freedom. Mainly, she seemed content as long as she had Jeremy and her music. The one time she did something was for Jeremy, not herself or for freedom.
As for Tommy, who is in the secret army training, I still don’t understand why he went into deeper training and why, at the end of training, it was decided he was ready to lead – he still had not learned to control his “monster” within. Also, I forgot what the book description had said about him being in a secret army and thought he was part of the Authority’s army or something. Therefore, I wasn’t invested in his story not seeing a point to his army experience. So don’t be put off from reading due to my opinion on Tommy. I think I may have just missed an important point at the beginning.
Then we have Jeremy. It will be interesting to see what becomes of him if he is in book two much. He is actively fighting for freedom. Driven men are fun. I liked the twists brought on by him later in this book.
Now, while it looks as though I view the characters unfavorably, the story was a great page turner. Always something going on. The ending was really interesting and indicates finally that Tommy and Liza are going to not just meet but will work together.
I will definitely be reading the next book with an ending like that! Cannot wait to see if Liza starts to feel the pull for fighting for her own personal freedom outside of Jeremy and her music. I want to see her become more active as a character.
142px-RATED_PG-13_svg I am adding this due to the assault on Liza on the very opening of the book. I know there are some kids on Facebook that read my reviews and thought it was a good idea. I know ratings and trigger warnings are a big controversy right now, but I am planning to use them starting now. I will be adding information to my rating page about how I will use them soon!
I received this book on Netgalley for an honest review.
Revolutions are not as exciting or as easy to plan as some think. Raising people into great feeling is easy, but to plan it into a meaningful direction? That takes wisdom, foresight, and some luck. The Gods of Anthem is set in a time of a post-apocalyptic city that’s on the verge of bringing itself out of the military strict confines that bind it. We have a secret army. We have revolutionaries in town. We have some powerful people that obviously have some long term plans. Now all we need is a leader or leaders. But let’s look at the story. Spoilers ahead.
It starts out by showing how miserable the world is with an assault on our main character, Liza. Then we learn her and everyone around her at the hospital are dying from cancer due to radiation permeating the planet. Clearly, we are in dire need of some revival. It becomes evident that Liza is chosen to play some part in the revival of the human race as she miraculously starts recovering and is sent to the last real city, Anthem.
People are focused on surviving there and not thriving according to our man in the shadows, and Liza is meant to use her musical ability to turn things around. I waited to see what Liza was going to do to revive people. But Liza didn’t actively do a whole lot. I did not see her fight for freedom per say. I don’t really “feel” her passionately desiring freedom. Mainly, she seemed content as long as she had Jeremy and her music. The one time she did something was for Jeremy, not herself or for freedom.
As for Tommy, who is in the secret army training, I still don’t understand why he went into deeper training and why, at the end of training, it was decided he was ready to lead – he still had not learned to control his “monster” within. Also, I forgot what the book description had said about him being in a secret army and thought he was part of the Authority’s army or something. Therefore, I wasn’t invested in his story not seeing a point to his army experience. So don’t be put off from reading due to my opinion on Tommy. I think I may have just missed an important point at the beginning.
Then we have Jeremy. It will be interesting to see what becomes of him if he is in book two much. He is actively fighting for freedom. Driven men are fun. I liked the twists brought on by him later in this book.
Now, while it looks as though I view the characters unfavorably, the story was a great page turner. Always something going on. The ending was really interesting and indicates finally that Tommy and Liza are going to not just meet but will work together.
I will definitely be reading the next book with an ending like that! Cannot wait to see if Liza starts to feel the pull for fighting for her own personal freedom outside of Jeremy and her music. I want to see her become more active as a character.
142px-RATED_PG-13_svg I am adding this due to the assault on Liza on the very opening of the book. I know there are some kids on Facebook that read my reviews and thought it was a good idea. I know ratings and trigger warnings are a big controversy right now, but I am planning to use them starting now. I will be adding information to my rating page about how I will use them soon!
I received this book on Netgalley for an honest review.
February 16, 2017
Books like these make are part of what make rating systems so difficult. I was in the mood for something a little lighter to balance out some of my other reading. I sampled and abandoned a few other books on my e-reader before settling on this one. ( Gratuitous use of words like critter as a simulacrum of character development is now officially one of my pet peeves.)
I found this more satisfying than most YA fiction that I have tried. Too much YA makes the dystopian setting an elaborate backdrop for not very compelling personal conflicts, and the story often eventually becomes a journey along well worn paths. I found myself caring about the characters which made the story compelling. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Back to the rating. For YA fiction I would give it 5 stars, for dystopian 4 stars, . . . but I just gave a Jim Harrison book 4 stars. I hate rating systems. I think Logan Keys delivered more than I expected, more than what the genre usually delivers, so 4 stars.
I found this more satisfying than most YA fiction that I have tried. Too much YA makes the dystopian setting an elaborate backdrop for not very compelling personal conflicts, and the story often eventually becomes a journey along well worn paths. I found myself caring about the characters which made the story compelling. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Back to the rating. For YA fiction I would give it 5 stars, for dystopian 4 stars, . . . but I just gave a Jim Harrison book 4 stars. I hate rating systems. I think Logan Keys delivered more than I expected, more than what the genre usually delivers, so 4 stars.
May 15, 2015
Gods of Anthem is a YA Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic novel.
A city of ash. An island of sick. A country filled with zombies. A girl that comes back from the dead. A boy that carries a monster deep inside him. A group that wants to start a revolution.
Liza was sent to an island for the sick when she was a child. She was sick with cancer and always knew she would die there. After being attacked she is told she died. She has memories of a man she calls 'Pretend Man' but no one knows of him. When Liza shows to be clean of cancer she is released back to Anthem. There she aims to survive while trying to understand the world around her. She chances upon the supposed leader, Jeremy, of a group the calls themselves the Skulls. The two work together to open the eyes and minds of those around them all while Liza learns of a secret Jeremy has keep from her. During an uprising Liza is taken by the Authority.
Tommy is a Special that has been made into a soldier. Along with an army of Specials he trains for the day they return to take back what was once their's. The day comes for them to make their way back to the home they left long ago. They are forced to fight their way to land but once there they are faced with zombies set with bombs. To save a friend Tommy uses himself as bait.
Liza and Tommy start oceans apart but their journey sends them on a course that will bring them together.
You won't be able to set this story down until THE END. This story is a major page turner. I can't wait for the story to continue.
A city of ash. An island of sick. A country filled with zombies. A girl that comes back from the dead. A boy that carries a monster deep inside him. A group that wants to start a revolution.
Liza was sent to an island for the sick when she was a child. She was sick with cancer and always knew she would die there. After being attacked she is told she died. She has memories of a man she calls 'Pretend Man' but no one knows of him. When Liza shows to be clean of cancer she is released back to Anthem. There she aims to survive while trying to understand the world around her. She chances upon the supposed leader, Jeremy, of a group the calls themselves the Skulls. The two work together to open the eyes and minds of those around them all while Liza learns of a secret Jeremy has keep from her. During an uprising Liza is taken by the Authority.
Tommy is a Special that has been made into a soldier. Along with an army of Specials he trains for the day they return to take back what was once their's. The day comes for them to make their way back to the home they left long ago. They are forced to fight their way to land but once there they are faced with zombies set with bombs. To save a friend Tommy uses himself as bait.
Liza and Tommy start oceans apart but their journey sends them on a course that will bring them together.
You won't be able to set this story down until THE END. This story is a major page turner. I can't wait for the story to continue.
April 23, 2015
I did not want this book to end; such a journey of strength in the face of adversity.
Set in a dystopian future, where even the young can still recall better days, it follows ves of two people whose lives are not their own; one controlled by the ruling tyranny, the other by the resistance.
Through horrific circumstance and against overwhelming odds they fight for a cause often beyond their understanding. And they drag the unsuspecting reader right along with them, wrenching emotions at a dizzying pace.
The prose style in this book is constant throughout; it's unique, raw and refreshing. And though it pulls no punches it is so mesmerising that you'll enjoy the story as much for the writing as you do for the plot.
I feel very lucky to have got my paws on this book for a beta-read, well ahead of release, so what I've read may not be the final version. But I can promise you, it will only get better.
Recommended reading for mid-teens and up.
Set in a dystopian future, where even the young can still recall better days, it follows ves of two people whose lives are not their own; one controlled by the ruling tyranny, the other by the resistance.
Through horrific circumstance and against overwhelming odds they fight for a cause often beyond their understanding. And they drag the unsuspecting reader right along with them, wrenching emotions at a dizzying pace.
The prose style in this book is constant throughout; it's unique, raw and refreshing. And though it pulls no punches it is so mesmerising that you'll enjoy the story as much for the writing as you do for the plot.
I feel very lucky to have got my paws on this book for a beta-read, well ahead of release, so what I've read may not be the final version. But I can promise you, it will only get better.
Recommended reading for mid-teens and up.
July 2, 2015
Pure genious! I was totally hooked on this story from the get go and didn't want to put it down. Such a unique and original story line. You can't help but be sucked into the story along with all the characters. The story from beginning to end was perfectly executed. The world build, spot on. Character depth, emotion, and action were perfect for the setting and you can't help but empathize. If your a fan of Legend or Fifth Wave, you'll definitely love this book, seriously. Go buy it and read it today, you don't want to miss it! I Absolutely loved it, and can't wait for more! Thank you for the Amazing adventure!
May 20, 2015
Wow!Wow!Wow! Great job Ms. Keys!! I absolutely love this world you've created of zombies and "specials"! I normally don't care for books with zombies but your portrayal and how they occur is more realistic and has won me over! I loved the clever writing of two different stories that came together at the end. I was so excited about the evolving love stories, and then you had a different twist in mind at the end of the story that was so cleverly done! If anyone is looking for a good dystopian story, you have GOT to read this one!! Your books will always be on my to-read list-I can't wait for the next one!!
April 22, 2017
“Those eyes, they were my own kind of madness.”
Last City, formalmente llamada Gods Of Anthem, es una novela juvenil de distopía sobre zombies. Personalmente, no leo muchas novelas de este género, ni tampoco me llaman mucho la atención los zombies (de hecho, creo que esta es mi primera novela sobre zombies), pero para ser la obra debut de Logan Keys, ha sido muy impresionante y la he disfrutado mucho.
Trama: Es emocionante. Cuando leí la reseña por primera vez, me llamó la atención de inmediato. Me pareció interesante, llena de suspenso y hasta un poco tenebrosa. Y no me defraudo. Muerte, monstruos, revolución, villanos, libertad, sacrificios, lealtad, amor. La trama es original y atrapante con elementos muy positivos como: el apocalipsis zombie, la descripciones del mundo y los personajes geniales. Además el libro está bien escrito y la forma en que está narrado, con los diferentes puntos de vista, es acertada.
Personajes: Son geniales y están muy bien caracterizados. Liza es mi personaje favorito. A pesar de todas las locuras y cosas terribles que ha vivido, ella es una protagonista femenina muy fuerte. Por otro lado, Tommy también es un personaje muy, muy interesante. Ambos son elementales para la historia por la complejidad de sus personalidades y sus luchas personales. En cuanto, a Jeremy, también ha sido agradable, él tiene sus propios objetivos, una misión, pero aun no he desarrollado un criterio concreto sobre él.
Romance: No es un elemento central en la historia, pero es bastante lindo. Liza y Jeremy son adorables cuando están juntos. Por otro lado, no es exactamente una relación romántica, quizás solo sean amigos en el futuro, pero me gusto como la autora escribió la historia de Liza y Tommy al mismo tiempo y como ellos se encontraron al final. Me hubiera gustado que aquello no tardará tanto, pero tampoco es algo negativo.
Final: Fue genial, lleno de tantos giros inesperados. No es exactamente un final inconcluso, pero estoy deseando leer la secuela.
Como conclusión, The Last City es una historia increíble en un mundo perdido lleno de oscuridad y monstruos. Tiene acción, romance, un apocalipsis zombie, personajes geniales y un estilo de escritura agradable.
*Recibí está novela gratis a través de NetGalley, pero eso no ha afectado mi opinión sobre ella. Muchas gracias a la editorial.
June 3, 2015
** Provided on behalf of the author for an honest review **
Imagine this just for a moment.
The world you once knew no longer exists.
Your family is dead.
You have nobody.
Your sick.
Your sent to an island to die.
You won't survive.
This is it.
You've accepted your fate.
You'll die.
It's just a matter of time.
And you'll be alone.
Forgotten.
Remembered by no one.
But what happens when you get better?
You get stronger. You go into remission.
Your sent back to the mainland.
This is Liza's story.
A story about giving up.
A story about survival.
A story about strength.
A story about will.
To be honest we have never read a novel of this calibre before. The genre of YA Dystopian is a genre that we have never read, so reading Gods Of Anthem was extremely new to us.
But are we glad we were given the opportunity to read it.
We were captivated from the very first page.
So brilliantly written we could feel the emotion pouring out of the pages. We laughed, held our breath and were blown away by the 'what the hell' and the 'omfg' moments.
We also loved the way is was written from different POV's (being that of Liza and Tommy).
Oh did we just mention Tommy.
Tommy.
A machine.
He's been built that way.
But all he really wants.
Is normalcy.
To feel normal.
Guys, you'll love him.
And Jeremy and Joelle.
Yep you'll love them too.
We honestly refuse to say anymore other than we cannot thank Logan Keys enough for giving us the opportunity to read Gods Of Anthem.
If YA Dystopian is your thing, then reading Gods Of Anthem is a big MUST read.
For us a definite 5 star read.
Imagine this just for a moment.
The world you once knew no longer exists.
Your family is dead.
You have nobody.
Your sick.
Your sent to an island to die.
You won't survive.
This is it.
You've accepted your fate.
You'll die.
It's just a matter of time.
And you'll be alone.
Forgotten.
Remembered by no one.
But what happens when you get better?
You get stronger. You go into remission.
Your sent back to the mainland.
This is Liza's story.
A story about giving up.
A story about survival.
A story about strength.
A story about will.
To be honest we have never read a novel of this calibre before. The genre of YA Dystopian is a genre that we have never read, so reading Gods Of Anthem was extremely new to us.
But are we glad we were given the opportunity to read it.
We were captivated from the very first page.
So brilliantly written we could feel the emotion pouring out of the pages. We laughed, held our breath and were blown away by the 'what the hell' and the 'omfg' moments.
We also loved the way is was written from different POV's (being that of Liza and Tommy).
Oh did we just mention Tommy.
Tommy.
A machine.
He's been built that way.
But all he really wants.
Is normalcy.
To feel normal.
Guys, you'll love him.
And Jeremy and Joelle.
Yep you'll love them too.
We honestly refuse to say anymore other than we cannot thank Logan Keys enough for giving us the opportunity to read Gods Of Anthem.
If YA Dystopian is your thing, then reading Gods Of Anthem is a big MUST read.
For us a definite 5 star read.
June 2, 2015
Book: Gods Of Anthem
Author: Logan Keys
Publication Date: 7/3/2015
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW
New to me author.
I will honestly say I don't read a lot of YA Dystopian but this book was freaking fantastic. There were times I found myself saying What"??????? Then I was wanting to throw my kindle across the room saying OH NOOOOO.
Liza oh poor Liza is a young girl who sent to some freaked out island for the dead basically. Led to believe she has cancer and that she has survived becoming a zombie a few times it’s a wonder the poor girl hasn't gone insane. But Liza is a very strong young woman.
Then the author gives us Tommy who is so twisted inside it's a wonder he knows if he is coming or going.
Well bring these two together and you get one hell of a story. Then add in Jeremy well we just get one heck of a story filled with monsters and zombies and one very screwed up government.
This book is very well written, the author does a fantastic job with the dual POV's I worry with POV books as some get me so twisted and lost but not this author she keeps me right on track and the story is wonderful. Very thrilling and very good story line and characters.
I was gifted a copy of this book for my honest review.
Logan Keys
Author: Logan Keys
Publication Date: 7/3/2015
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW
New to me author.
I will honestly say I don't read a lot of YA Dystopian but this book was freaking fantastic. There were times I found myself saying What"??????? Then I was wanting to throw my kindle across the room saying OH NOOOOO.
Liza oh poor Liza is a young girl who sent to some freaked out island for the dead basically. Led to believe she has cancer and that she has survived becoming a zombie a few times it’s a wonder the poor girl hasn't gone insane. But Liza is a very strong young woman.
Then the author gives us Tommy who is so twisted inside it's a wonder he knows if he is coming or going.
Well bring these two together and you get one hell of a story. Then add in Jeremy well we just get one heck of a story filled with monsters and zombies and one very screwed up government.
This book is very well written, the author does a fantastic job with the dual POV's I worry with POV books as some get me so twisted and lost but not this author she keeps me right on track and the story is wonderful. Very thrilling and very good story line and characters.
I was gifted a copy of this book for my honest review.
Logan Keys
May 31, 2015
RATING: 5 STARS
Where does one start with this review, honestly? Logan Keys gave us a YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that was unlike anything I've ever read. Literally within seconds of finishing, I had to e-mail Logan and said "Holy hell in a hand basket. that was AMAZING!" If I could rate it 6 stars, I would. It left me with a deep book hangover, completely unable to read for a few days afterward.
Logan has expertly woven numerous elements into one grisly, heart-wrenching story. Romance, mythical beings, an island for the sick and a shady government provided us a plot with so many twists and turns there was no way to guess what would be coming next.
This story is given to us from two points of view, one is Liza, and the other is Tommy. Liza was a patient on the island for the sick and dying. Tommy is being used as a secret weapon for the government. There are so many secondary characters that we come across, some making their mark on my soul, while others, I'm still questioning. But Tommy and Liza, working on opposite sides merge together in a unique way in the last few chapters, that left me begging for more, needing the next book NOW.
Keri
(Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)
Where does one start with this review, honestly? Logan Keys gave us a YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that was unlike anything I've ever read. Literally within seconds of finishing, I had to e-mail Logan and said "Holy hell in a hand basket. that was AMAZING!" If I could rate it 6 stars, I would. It left me with a deep book hangover, completely unable to read for a few days afterward.
Logan has expertly woven numerous elements into one grisly, heart-wrenching story. Romance, mythical beings, an island for the sick and a shady government provided us a plot with so many twists and turns there was no way to guess what would be coming next.
This story is given to us from two points of view, one is Liza, and the other is Tommy. Liza was a patient on the island for the sick and dying. Tommy is being used as a secret weapon for the government. There are so many secondary characters that we come across, some making their mark on my soul, while others, I'm still questioning. But Tommy and Liza, working on opposite sides merge together in a unique way in the last few chapters, that left me begging for more, needing the next book NOW.
Keri
(Copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)
April 26, 2015
I'm not usually much for dystopian or YA, but Gods of Anthem had me hooked from the beginning. It's hard not to empathize with Liza as she struggles throughout the story to come to grips with her own existence, and Tommy, who wants nothing more than to be normal. The two of them redefine the term "unlikely allies" on their quest.
Rather than show us yet another band of survivors in a zombie apocalypse, we find the world having adapted to the crisis. Still, Gods of Anthem is no rosy, all-is-well, feel-good story, so brace yourself.
Logan Keys has penned an entertaining, cautionary tale about survival at any cost, with subtle jabs at the idea of totalitarian rule in the name of safety. A dark and disturbing, but still fun read that proves that not all YA fiction is light and without substance, Gods of Anthem will keep you enthralled from start to finish.
Rather than show us yet another band of survivors in a zombie apocalypse, we find the world having adapted to the crisis. Still, Gods of Anthem is no rosy, all-is-well, feel-good story, so brace yourself.
Logan Keys has penned an entertaining, cautionary tale about survival at any cost, with subtle jabs at the idea of totalitarian rule in the name of safety. A dark and disturbing, but still fun read that proves that not all YA fiction is light and without substance, Gods of Anthem will keep you enthralled from start to finish.
July 3, 2015
I was given a copy for an arc review for my honest review. Wow gods of anthem was not what I expected. Zombies the special ones the city of ash the island of sickness amongst all this chaos there's a story of survival story of friendship and the story of love. I love how she's taken two different stories of two different souls and made them work together in one story. And to see how intertwines together I did not want this book to and and when it did I just can't wait for another one to find out how the story ends. You can't help cheering on certain characters throughout the story because you just want to see them win so bad for the goal that they're fighting for. I would definitely recommend this book to read again awesome book great read
June 1, 2015
This is not a book that you need to read while at work, because you will get very annoyed if you have to put it down...
I LOVED this book!! They way it sucks you in and holds on until you make it to the end then leaves you wanting more. The build up of the characters have you falling in love from the start and wanting to know what they will do next in the face of extreme circumstances. Warning it leaves you on a hanger that will slowly drive you mad wanting to know what happens next.
I LOVED this book!! They way it sucks you in and holds on until you make it to the end then leaves you wanting more. The build up of the characters have you falling in love from the start and wanting to know what they will do next in the face of extreme circumstances. Warning it leaves you on a hanger that will slowly drive you mad wanting to know what happens next.
May 26, 2015
I have an absolute aversion to anything sci-fi or post-apocolyptic so when the opportunity presented itself to review a book in a genre I really had no care for I was both eager to step out of my comfort zone as well as anxious as I was pretty much prejudiced against it from the start. However, I made it through chapter one, more than eager and interested to continue on.
Gods of Anthem is a YA dystopian novel set in a fairly bleak world riddled with illness and ruled through fear but with a band of a few brave warriors set to make their mark against those oppressors. It's in this strange altered world that Liza is sent back to, after having been exiled on an island for the sick. what was incredibly original about Gods of Anthem was the dual points of view in this new age. Liza is the oppressed heroine while mutated soldier Tommy is in training for the dark side of the law, tortured and brainwashed. Logan is able to give these two brilliant and unique protagonists their own distinctive voice and experiences, thus giving the reader an all encompassing thrill ride of a read.
'...He told me I balance his life. This is worrisome. What I don't tell him is that he's like four people in one and I'm in no position to balance that type of chaos. What I don't tell him is that he cuts me deeply by punishing me with his lack of visits for asking him the tough questions as a real friend might. Or how I've never been so angry in all my life when I'd realise that's what he'd done. What I don't say is, "How dare you!" And what he doesn't say, I notice, is that he's sorry."
Logan is a magician with words, each sentence she creates and the inner musings from her characters lures you in, lyrical and masterful and emotive- you're angry when you should be and upset or annoyed where it's warranted. The storyline is everything I should hate in a book and have in the past but somehow I have found myself needing more, more of Logan's incredibly mature prose and more of the stalwart and beautiful Liza and misunderstood and complicated Tommy. It's dark and angst-filled and simply stunning in every way. I can honestly say this book would make a terrific movie someday.
Gods of Anthem is a YA dystopian novel set in a fairly bleak world riddled with illness and ruled through fear but with a band of a few brave warriors set to make their mark against those oppressors. It's in this strange altered world that Liza is sent back to, after having been exiled on an island for the sick. what was incredibly original about Gods of Anthem was the dual points of view in this new age. Liza is the oppressed heroine while mutated soldier Tommy is in training for the dark side of the law, tortured and brainwashed. Logan is able to give these two brilliant and unique protagonists their own distinctive voice and experiences, thus giving the reader an all encompassing thrill ride of a read.
'...He told me I balance his life. This is worrisome. What I don't tell him is that he's like four people in one and I'm in no position to balance that type of chaos. What I don't tell him is that he cuts me deeply by punishing me with his lack of visits for asking him the tough questions as a real friend might. Or how I've never been so angry in all my life when I'd realise that's what he'd done. What I don't say is, "How dare you!" And what he doesn't say, I notice, is that he's sorry."
Logan is a magician with words, each sentence she creates and the inner musings from her characters lures you in, lyrical and masterful and emotive- you're angry when you should be and upset or annoyed where it's warranted. The storyline is everything I should hate in a book and have in the past but somehow I have found myself needing more, more of Logan's incredibly mature prose and more of the stalwart and beautiful Liza and misunderstood and complicated Tommy. It's dark and angst-filled and simply stunning in every way. I can honestly say this book would make a terrific movie someday.
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