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The Makanza #1

Compound 26

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A deadly virus. A brilliant, young researcher. And an infected survivor who threatens to steal her heart.

In a society ruled by sanctions and curfews, Dr. Meghan Forester emerges as the youngest and most promising scientist to join the fight against Makanza - the deadly virus that's ravaged the world.

Inside Compound 26, a giant government-controlled research facility, Meghan's new job involves studying the Kazzies, the rare survivors who carry the virus and now exhibit supernatural powers. But as her work enfolds, Meghan's horrified at the brutal and unethical practices the Kazzies are subjected to. And most surprisingly, she falls in love with one.

Faced with growing conflict over helping the Kazzies versus following the Compound's strict policies, Meghan must choose: obey the government's unethical practices or risk everything to save the only man she's ever loved.

Compound 26 is the first book in The Makanza Series - a Sci-Fi Dystopian Romance with strong fantasy elements. This series is filled with strife and intrigue, and questions what it truly is to be human. Fans of Stephenie Meyer and Jennifer Armentrout are sure to love these books!

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2018

969 people are currently reading
1471 people want to read

About the author

Krista Street

46 books1,879 followers
Krista Street loves writing about coming of age characters who fight to find their place in this world while also finding their one true mate.

Krista Street is a Minnesota native but has lived throughout the U.S. and in another country or two. She loves to travel, read, and spend time in the great outdoors. When not writing, Krista is either chasing her children, spending time with her husband and friends, sipping a cup of tea, or enjoying the hidden gems of beauty that Minnesota has to offer.

To connect with Krista more, you can join her newsletter at www.kristastreet.com/contact

You can also find her on:
Facebook (@authorkristastreet)
Instagram (@authorkristastreet)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 200 reviews
Profile Image for Mikky.
982 reviews284 followers
May 13, 2020
Originally posted at:


I have the WORST timing. I don't think I thought through reading this book. Reading a book about a pandemic while living through one in real life was not a good idea. Real-life should never imitate my fictional books, especially where a freaking pandemic is involved!

After I hopped over that very real and uncomfortable realization the book was just okay. I was expecting something completely different than what I got. For some reason, I got it in my head that this story would be an escape from the laboratory scenario and that the virus would be hocus pocus. Don't ask me how I came to that conclusion. All I know is that that was not the way this story played out and I can't help but think that my version was more exciting.

Meghan was an okay character. She's super smart and has I-don't-know-how-many-degrees at 23 years old. She's never really had time to live life because she's always wanted to work to find a cure for this virus. Overall, she was rather uninteresting aside from being smart. Her relationship with Davin was barely there and I just wanted more development with that particular plot point.

We barely got to know Davin. We got to know a lot about his past and who he was before the virus from another person but not who he is now. It's clear he's stubborn and headstrong but the way he opened up to Meghan felt off. I want to know more about him. I wonder what will become of him in the future as this series progresses.

One thing that really bothered me was Dr. crap-for-brains. I don't care to remember his name at this point. He kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for him to do something hurtful/insane and it never happened. He turned out to be mean just for the sake of being mean. That does not a good plot device make.

The ending was a bit surprising and then it wasn't. Meghan was overly careful throughout the entire novel and when things really matter she gets complacent. She's supposed to be smart that was a rookie mistake. I think lost brain cells with how much I was rolling my eyes at this situation. I may or may not pick up the next book in this series. Only time will tell!

The Audio Book:

The narration was great! Though it was on the slower side so I sped this up to x1.25 and things were awesome! All the characters were distinguishable from each other throughout the novel.
Profile Image for TP.
1,039 reviews48 followers
October 23, 2019
The first book Compound 26 in the Makanza series by Krista Street, has an interesting premise, good characters but suffers tremendously under a boring plot and repetitions. The cliffhangers in all books are overdramatised and lacking any suspense.



I have read all 3 books in this series.
And it is safe to say, the whole story is exceptionally boring. Which is sad, because like I mentioned above, the idea and the basis were interesting, the characters as well. This could have been a really good book series. All the ingredients were there, but all we got was a bland story in the end.
There was no tension building, there was no grant finale... nothing. The books were badly structured and each main conflict had no build up, no tension, nothing outstanding. The confrontation with the so called villain in both cliffhangers, in book 1 and 2 were laughable at best.


Boring doesn’t even cover it.
In short, book one builds the background, has a good basis, good characters, good fantasy elements, a villain and all.
And puff ends in a “dramatic” cliffhanger ... the heroine gets fired from her job. Yep, it is a ridiculous and overdramatised ending not deserving the title cliffhanger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Olivia Wildenstein.
Author 48 books5,242 followers
June 27, 2019
Wow. Just wow.

This pulse-pounding dystopia was such a great read. Between the extremely well-woven plot, the unexpected twists, and the slow-burn romance, it’s a wonder I managed to get any sleep at all. I’m now dying to see what happens next!

Off to read book 2. Krista Street, you got yourself a new fan girl.
Profile Image for Paul (Life In The Slow Lane).
881 reviews68 followers
November 7, 2023
There’s a whole lot of fingering going on!

Nasty virus breaks out and kills 70%, or so, of the population. The survivors struggle to find a vaccine. This story, prophetically written in 2018, could have been about Covid… but wasn’t. It was vapid and slow-moving with the author repeating herself many times. There was much “eye widening” and for some reason, “fingering” going on. I kept thinking, “C,mon. Get to the point.”

Have you ever watched Days Of Our Lives? You know how you can come in at any point in the series, and you find yourself thinking, “This is crap,” but strangely, you find yourself watching it the next day to see what happens? (But you still think it’s crap.) Well, this is like that.

Too much teenage angst for my taste. I think I gave up about 70% of the way through, but I might come back and finish it when I’ve got absolutely nothing else to do.
Profile Image for K. Lincoln.
Author 18 books93 followers
February 13, 2018
4.5 stars, actually.

Meghan lives in a post-Makanza virus ravaged Midwest United States. She's lost alot along with most of the world to the virus that took out a huge percentage of the population and changed the few survivors to something other than entirely human. Now's a woman with a mission-- get a job at one of the Compounds that studies the survivors--the Kazzies-- and find a vaccine. But what she finds at the Compound may change her view of Makanza, and herself, forever.

So there are two things that Krista Street does really well-- one is the compelling, slightly naive, super-well meaning but anxious narrator voice. Meghan draws you in right away and takes you along with her on her first day at her new job. She's so relatable and so easy to root for.

The other thing is the science. There's nothing better than science fiction with great characters that sneakily teaches you a bit about the world you live in. Here there is some great ideas about how viruses might affect the U.S., infection vectors, government response, vaccine creation, and different virus strains. Very cool stuff.

And then there's the central romantic relationship in the book...which after writing that sentence I realized is actually more of a central emotional relationship between Meghan and the mother of the Kazzie she is involved with just as much as the Kazzie himself. Never read a romance story where the courtship begins with tea and photos with the mom! But it totally works. And there's all that juicy "can't touch him through my bio containment suit" angst that Street milks really well. And the answer to the central scientific problem of how to obtain a dna sample from the Kazzies that didn't degrade totally made me smile. So elegant, so lovely.

There's just a few little nitpicky things that brought it down half a star for me that most likely wouldn't bother other people. There's a couple times where one character says something and then a different character says almost the same thing soon after. I was also a bit-- and this is entirely on me, folks, and not probably reflective of the story, and who am i to say anything anyway because I am whitey white European mutt-- uncomfortable sometimes of the images Meghan associated with her Kazzie because of his partial First Peoples ancestry.

Regardless of the nits I picked, Meghan's got me hooked. I'm going to have to find out what happens to the Kazzies now that there's an actual possibilty of a vaccine.
Profile Image for Angie.
1,406 reviews234 followers
December 23, 2018
This wasn't what I'd signed up for. This was not what I'd spent the last six years working toward. I hadn't known what the Compounds did. If I had, I never would have dedicated my life to this. --Meghan

This was a solid 4.25 star read with an interesting premise and exploration of human nature. The year is somewhere in the near and possible future where a horrible disease has wiped out a large portion of the population. International borders are on lockdown, no trading between countries is allowed, and curfews are in place to prevent citizens from spreading and contracting the highly contagious disease. However, not everyone who is infected with the Makanza virus dies a horrible death. Some are able to overcome the virus but--depending on which strain they encounter--develop other "powers" or experience some sort of evolutionary Change. Some develop superhuman speed and strength, others are telepathic, while others are able see and produce different wavelengths.

And this is where our heroine, Dr. Meghan Forester, comes in. She is the youngest PhD in her field and the youngest scientist to be selected to work in the Makanza Research Institute (MRI) in order to develop a vaccine for the virus. Her group is selected to work with Davin, a Makanza survivor who has super speed and strength. When Meghan first meets Davin, he is hostile and in a permanent state of rage as he is constantly tortured and forced against his will to "donate" intramuscular samples for vaccine research by Meghan's evil supervisor, Dr. Roberts. As Meghan continually witnesses Dr. Roberts' abuse of power, she is forced to realize that the MRI isn't as innocent as it seems and is forced to choose who and what she is truly fighting for.
"The thunderbird sings in Sweden." --Davin

I really enjoyed this novel and the different layers to the story. Although the beginning was a tad slow for me, Meghan's unique voice and newbie enthusiasm for her new job was successful in pulling me in from page one. But as her rose-colored glasses become tainted, she is forced to make a life-altering decision for her and the other Kazzies (the "mutants"). Davin was also a great and vulnerable and strong hero. He was so formidable and determined in the face of everything he has endured since he survived the virus and lost the majority of his family, and my heart hurt for him and the others. I would have loved for half of the novel (or at least a couple of chapters) to have been from his POV as I think it really would have helped the story flow better, especially in the last 15% or so when things were happening so fast. Overall, a great new novel for me, and I cannot wait to continue this series and see where the gang ends up!

My Davin Kinder, gorgeous Kazzie with unmatched determination and strength..
Profile Image for Cliona Walker.
129 reviews4 followers
July 17, 2024
This was a fun little dystopian killer virus read. It had some interesting aspects with the super powers & that the MC fell in love with someone who was infected. Kinda boring overall though.
Profile Image for G.K. DeRosa.
Author 83 books1,530 followers
November 14, 2018
I was intrigued from the blurb and had to read it and I wasn't disappointed! The beginning was a little slow for me but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. The story is well written with vivid characters and details and a really fantastic plot. The characters are likable and of course the guy is super swoon worthy! Don't miss out on this one!
Profile Image for Anna Hargett.
166 reviews7 followers
July 10, 2022
****Small Spoiler Alert****

This. THIS BOOK. This book is why my favorite genre is Dystopian fiction. The storytelling in this book was phenomenal. I do not give out 5 stars lightly but this book absolutely deserved it.

Dr. Meghan Forester, the main character, is a young female Doctor (girl power!) and with 2 Ph.D.s!. She is extremely brilliant as she has an unusually well-developed memory (kind of like a photographic memory) and can remember mostly anything and everything she reads, studies, or things that others tell her. She works in a building, Compound 26, and researches and studies those who had contracted (but survived) a deadly virus, and they are referred to as Kazzies. They are kept in this compound where the researchers conduct experiments to learn more about their DNA in order to create a vaccine.

At one point, the author was describing what happened during the first and second waves of the deadly virus; talking about lockdowns, businesses shuttering, children unable to attend school, and I thought the author had been inspired by the Pandemic of 2020 when she wrote this book. I was shocked to discover that the book was written before 2020 and published in 2018. The way the author described the after effects on society because of the virus was very eerie as it felt as if I was reading about what was experienced from the 2020 lockdowns.

The character development was written so well and truly kept me engaged. This was one book where I felt somewhat connected to the character as Meghan was somewhat of a recluse and struggled with social anxiety. I related to that so well! I enjoyed reading about the connection she had with one of the Kazzies, Davin, and the way the author described her emotions and feelings toward him and how she fell in love with him. They had a very strong connection, and yet there was no sexually explicit material. To me, this shows talent in story building, writing, and character development as it takes more of an imagination, and a gift, to describe such emotions well rather than simply resorting to people having sex (in my opinion!)

It did get a little science fictiony towards the end as it dealt with telepathy and how Meghan could "mind talk" with one of Kazzies and who would also help connect others to talk to each telepathically. I don't care too much about that kind of science fiction story line, but it was woven really well into the story, and I didn't mind reading it as it was written and done extremely well.

I typically do not like reading series so much as I like to read stand alone books because once I finish a book, I like to go on to the next one. But after Compound 26, I immediately purchased Reservation 1 (book #2 in the Makanza series), and I cannot WAIT to begin it!
Profile Image for Pitoufa's Bookish Corner.
243 reviews4 followers
January 6, 2024
I am O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D!!! I haven't felt so hooked on a dystopian series since Divergent and The Maze Runner and mind you, I only watched the movies! I'm currently trying to finish writing this review as fast as possible to dive into the next book, Reservation 1!! 😍❤❤ So if like me, you loved the two previous sagas but haven't found any other series that made you feel just as excited, you NEED to check this one out because I'm simply out of words to describe how GOOD this was!!! 😭❤❤

Davin was one of the Kazzies, the people infected with the Makanza virus, who consequently developed superhuman abilities. He was impulsive and spent his time either ignoring lab employees, preferring to either do pushups, watch the news or read — how can you NOT fall in love 😫😭❤ — or expressing his anger using his telekinetic skills, which drove the boss manic with the, dare I say, unethical ways he proceeded with tests and samples. Davin had not only lost his freedom as a result of being infected, but also all of his siblings, destroying him in a way 💔 he'd found solace in writing letters to his mother for a while, but even that was taken from him. All changed when Meghan showed up in his life 😍❤

Meghan had no life outside working towards her goal of earning a position at Compound 26, a governmental facility set to study the Kazzies and discovering a cure for the vicious, yet extraordinary virus that changed their lives forever. I was not ready for the big revelation she shared with Davin! I think I spent a good half hour trying to stop the tears from falling 💔 I swear just thinking about it makes me want to bawl my eyes out again 😭😭😭 her relationship with her mother was anything BUT affectionate! And on top of that she had no friends at all 😞 it was no surprise she focused all of her free time on work, as a sort of coping mechanism. Before meeting Davin, her life seemed so lonely and filled with sorrow 😭💔

I LOVED this book and seriously CAN'T WAIT to continue reading!!
Profile Image for Brittany.
1,305 reviews203 followers
July 28, 2023
4.5 Stars ✨

Clean Dystopian/Sci-fi

A deadly virus. A brilliant, young researcher. And an infected survivor who threatens to steal her heart.

Inside Compound 26, a giant government-controlled research facility, Meghan's new job involves studying the Kazzies, the rare survivors who carry the virus and now exhibit supernatural powers. But as her work unfolds, Meghan's horrified at the brutal and unethical practices the Kazzies are subjected to.

Faced with growing conflict over helping the Kazzies versus following the Compound's strict policies, Meghan must choose: obey the government's unethical practices or risk everything to save the only man she's ever loved.

Compound 26 was such a good quick read that didn’t take a lot of thinking to get caught up in. It took me forever to decide to read this one though , because of the name- it just didn’t grab my attention and it seemed so bland. Lo and behold it ended up being a compassionate story with a main character who cares deeply for those she is researching.

From the start, I was fully immersed the whole way through. The storyline was a bit different than most dystopian novels, it focuses on the infected more than anything. Drs and researchers (some good some bad) are on a race to find the cure. I enjoyed the characters, the writing and the plot and appreciated that it was a clean read. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
Profile Image for Wealie.
439 reviews48 followers
March 3, 2024
2 🌟 🌟 - Not my cup of tea, couldn’t connect with the protagonist, not enough going on to drive the plot forward, very little romance and not a great deal of interaction with the love interest. A little too melodrama and not much dystopian urban fantasy.
Profile Image for Angela.
115 reviews2 followers
July 1, 2018
Original story

I've not read this author before, but this sounding interesting so I downloaded it. Turned out to be a great story, one I struggled to put down! My only complaint was there was alot of dialogue that wasn't necessary and at times dragged story out, so I ended up skimming several pages to get back to heart of the story. I thoroughly loved the characters and rooted for them out loud while reading!! I had no idea what to expect and couldn't put it down, finished in two settings!! Already downloaded book two!
Profile Image for Amber.
18 reviews2 followers
October 23, 2019
This story is probably a 3.5/4, but I’m rating based on the series as a whole. I very much Enjoyed this book, but none of the others from this series.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
420 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2020
I would just like to say that when starting these books, i fully recommend starting at the very beginning with book 0 " The second wave" this little gem of a book sees things through a certain main characters eyes. You get to know him before we plunge into compound 26 which is from Meghans P.O.V. It doesn't have to be read to begin with. but knowing Davin before staring Compound 26 gives everything a different light.

These books are fantastic! Highly addictive. I thoroughly enjoyed each book in this breathtaking series. there is nothing to dislike about these books. I can't recommend them enough as a 5 star thrilling read!

Update as just read this series a second time. I desperately wanted to come back to thos series. And so pleased I did.

I truly love these books. They're fantastic reads
Completely gripping. And I have flown through each one at a remarkable speed.

Again i cant recommend these enough.
Profile Image for Qwncy.
128 reviews5 followers
July 6, 2023
Just want to come on here to say that this was an audiobook…from Spotify…don’t judge me, I was on the brink of death.

Anyways, this book was both interesting and boring. That’s it.
Profile Image for Momof3.
725 reviews5 followers
January 16, 2019
Compound 26

We start with Dr Forester on her first day of work at the compound. We see how the kazzie’s are being treated. Kazzie’s are survivors of the makanza virus. Almost all who get it die, those who survive are somehow mutated or have abilities. At the compound they do experiments on the kazzie’s to try and find a cure. This is where Dr. Forester meets Davin and the other Kazzie’s. It’s a great read! On the next one.
80 reviews2 followers
September 29, 2018
classic romance

well written with engaging characters. more a romance story then anything else but because they cant touch the emotions are that much more intense. ive already downloaded the next instalment
Profile Image for Britan.
264 reviews7 followers
July 18, 2018
Good book

I liked this book. The dystopian part was interesting and made sense. The characters were fleshed out and I liked davin.
Profile Image for Jude.
100 reviews
March 24, 2019
Great Read

I enjoyed this opening to a new series. It kept me interested, the plot was believable, and I look forward to reading the next book
Profile Image for Blair.
27 reviews
November 6, 2022
Length: 241 pages (ebook)
Time Read In: 2 Days
Genre: Adult Scifi
Swearing: No
Spoilers: No

Facebook ads for a free read lured me into this book, which is fine. The premise isn't overly unique - virus wipes out a lot of the population, but gives super powers to a few individuals and now scientist want to study them to save the rest of the world. A tale as old as time. Which is hard, I have to be honest, because with a premise as overdone as this one in various forms of media - TV, movie, literature, fan fiction, ect - you really have to have stellar characters and plot points to stand out.

Unfortunately, this book does not so that. Our mc, Meghan, kills me. Literally kills me. Meghan is obviously the youngest, smartest person ever. At 23-years-old she has 2 PHDs and is known for completing a bachelor's degree in 18 months. A bachelor's degree. A 4 year degree. In 18 months. I REALLY had to suspend some disbelief on that because I genuinely don't know if that's physically possible. The colleges around me - both state and private - have a credit cap per semester. So even with winter and summer classes, 18 months is pushing the realms of possibilities.

But do you know what really killed me about Meghan? The way she's written in regards to her love interest. Meghan has never spoken to Davin, assumes he'll remember what she was wearing when he was probs about to be tortured, and literally trips over her own to feet bc he's so *dreamy*. It makes her feel so incredibly childish and young.  (I could have justified her worried about triggering him bc he got TORTURED on the day she was wearing that outfit. That would be a real and genuine thing that does happen to trauma victims. But that's never brought up. Its literally a high school mindset of "omg! I wore this exact outfit last week. What if everyone makes fun of me?")

The other characters are very flat. If you stuck them all in a hat and drew a name at random, I wouldn't be able to tell you what they did or what the point of them was. One of the other lab workers, Amy, is meant to be the new work bestie and they go out to dinner and stuff. But I can't tell you anything about her. And I can't tell you any of the rest of the lab workers. Or the science experiments.

Davin, the love interest, can be summed up in four words, "sad piece of cardboard". He's angry and traumatized - but also doesn't really act traumatized in a realistic way. We know he's traumatized because Meghan tells us. Repeatedly - that's really the only characterizations we get for him.

Dr. Robets, who is our antagonist, is evil for the sake of being evil. There is honestly no reason behind him wanting to ignore the scientific results to keep doing what he's been doing with no results. There's no backstory of cruelty or that at one point it got results. There isn't even a flash of "he's jealous and angry because these people lived and his entire family died". He's just evil for the sake of being evil.

Overall, this is a slow read. It can be expected because this is a science heavy book. But, the characters don't carry the story, which is where the problem lies. The story is so slow. Nothing seems to happen. Its very repetitive and by the books. And I just wasn't invested in the characters enough to care.

I didn't hate this book. It just left me feeling very, meh. I think that it really just needed a lot of character work. If I've said it once, I've said it again, good characters will carry a bland story. And that's what this was missing. All of these characters are one note and very forgettable. If I can get the second book for free, I might read it, but I doubt that will happen. So this forgettable read will sit in my nook library for the rest of its days.
Profile Image for Liv.
298 reviews7 followers
May 21, 2024
Join Dr. Meghan Forester, a young and talented scientist, as she embarks on a mission to combat the deadly Makanza virus that has caused widespread devastation globally. Dr. Forester is welcomed to the esteemed government research facility, Compound 26, where she collaborates with a team of experts to study the unique survivors of the virus who possess extraordinary abilities. These survivors have ben coined as Kazzies.

Throughout her tenure at Compound 26, Dr. Forester is troubled by the inhumane treatment inflicted upon the Kazzies. Complicating matters further, she develops a personal connection with one of the subjects. Will Dr. Forester uphold the questionable practices in place, or will she take a stand to protect the man she has grown to care for deeply?

I have mixed feelings about this book; the concept and some aspects of its execution are appealing to me. However, I find Meghan’s character to be somewhat lacking. It is understandable that her dedication to her scientific career may lead to a single-minded focus, but overall, I feel her personality is not fully developed or expressed.

Additionally, the relationship between Meghan and her love interest needs further enhancement, exploration, and development. While we are provided with some background information on him before he contracts the virus, his current character, motivations, and development are not clearly defined. There is a sense of determination and stubbornness in him, but his emotional connection with Meghan seems somewhat lacking in authenticity. A deeper exploration of his character would improve the storyline and make the romance between them more believable.

My favorite character in the book is Amy, hands down, as I feel she had the strongest personality of all the characters in the book. She is headstrong, resilient, enthusiastic, and friendly, with a kind heart that shines through in her unwavering support for Meghan throughout the book. I really hope we see more of Amy in future installments, as she brightened up the chapters she was in!

Despite my criticisms, I appreciate the concept of this book and intend to read the second installment. I am particularly interested in learning more about the different strains of the Makanza virus.

I listened to this in audiobook format. The narrator demonstrated strong performance skills but spoke at a slower pace than I am normally accustomed to. I typically prefer listening to audio books at speeds ranging from x1.4 to x1.6, and this narrator’s slow reading speed had me falling towards the higher end of that range. That said, she effectively portrayed the different characters and elicited their emotions efficiently.

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574 reviews1 follower
January 5, 2018
Compound 26 was great. I love that Krista Street made a dystopian novel about a virus that did not turn all of its victims into zombies or freaks. While changes and death did occur due to this virus, those who survived it could be members of society and have a life again if Meghan and the other researchers around the world are able to find a vaccine which could lead to a possible cure. This book also shows how even in the harder of times, under the worse of conditions, there are still good moral people who don't believe that cruel behavior of someone different is a justified means to an end. This book goes to prove that you often can get better results, both externally and internally, when you treat people with respect and compassion.

Meghan is a genius that has dreamed of nothing but working at a compound since the second wave of the makanza hit. She managed to get a bachelors, masters, and 2 PhDs in 6 years. She does have her problems and secrets but really only wants to figure out a way to let people live in a world they can trust in again instead of a world with borders and curfews everywhere.
She starts working for compound 26 and meets Amy, Mitch, Charlie, and the Kazzies. Two Kazzies in particular strike a chord with her, Sara and Davin. No spoilers so that is all I'm going to say about that.

Her boss Dr. Roberts is a sadistic jerk. Read it to see why.

Krista does a great job of giving just enough information that you feel you know the main characters and even some of the minor characters. I really had trouble putting this book down and wanted to finish it the same day I started it which is why I think I am still up at 3 a.m. She had me feeling all of the emotions a person could feel, love, anger, fear, happiness, sadness, despair, anxiety,and so much more. Her writing showed me what the characters were going through instead of just telling me. As a teacher I have always tried to tell my students that a really good writer shows the reader what is going on instead of just telling them. With Krista's writing I knew how each of the characters felt and what was going on even before or without her telling me.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was not a problem for me with this book as I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read more from Krista Street.
Profile Image for Lulu.
390 reviews
September 20, 2025
(hoopla) Super fun dystopian story. Interesting characters and premise. Really great world building! Easy to imagine, especially post-covid. The martial law, quarantine, distance learning, and food rationing is very realistic!
I, personally, wish it would concentrate more on a "cure" than on a "vaccine" only because it doesn't make sense that a vaccine would actually help anyone in this case. (If you understand the science behind vaccination - you know it doesn't cure an active infection, nor does it prevent transmission). So it would not help the Kazzies. The book also says there are 41 strains of Mankanza so they "need 41 vaccines". . .would they seriously expect people to go out and get that many shots? Even if you did combinations (similar to an MMRV or DTaP), the more viruses you add to a shot, the more dangerous it becomes in terms of adverse reactions that lead to autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, chronic illnesses, and even death. So they could be setting the world up for a whole host of new problems by trying to deal with one. I feel a simple CURE would have been a brighter goal to work towards, but I understand this is FICTION and not actually based in science...😅 So with that, I really enjoyed the idea of the super powers that survivors came out with. FUN concept. The virus was unique in thought. I love the romance that blossoms between 2 characters that were always loners before. The book is clean in language and action. We know characters are mistreated, but it doesn't go into many graphic details, so it shouldn't be triggering. I am excited to start the second book! Well done!
Profile Image for a collective of books.
1,523 reviews4 followers
April 17, 2020
At the time I decided to read this, we are going through a COVID-19 pandemic. States on stay at home orders and infections spreading all over the world. Who would have thought that this book has so many accurate predictions on current events.

Anyway, I thought the book was great and well written. Dr. Meghan Forrester is the youngest scientist to have graduated and start working for the government to develop a vaccine for an unstable virus that has nearly wiped out the entire population. Those who survived, Kazzies, has developed enhanced physical or physiological senses depending on the strain of Mackenzie. It's sad that the Kazzies no longer have lives or freedom because they can still spread the virus. They become lab rats to study their mutation and find a way to stabilize their DNA. Their DNA is too unstable to research outside of the body so it's been difficult to develop a vaccine. The group Meghan works with studies Davin who has super strength and speed.

I like how the author brings to light the PTSD and other issues people have from losing loved ones, even entire families to the virus. I didn't care for Meghan's obsession with Davin. Her thoughts are constantly filled with Davin and nothing else. It's clear she developed feelings for him, but it gets redundant and boring. I did enjoy reading their slow progress and connection. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Kazzies lives pan out and if a vaccine is developed.
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43 reviews
January 6, 2025
It was alright, definitely took until about chapter 6 to get interested in it.

I think it was until about chapter seventeen before mc actually finally allowed it to click in her head that the people in the compound were in fact lab rats that they experimented on.

If the whole
- talking about them like test subjects
- forcibly holding one down to tattoo them without sedation
- starving another for 6 months then a year later another 2-3
- forcibly taking samples

Ect. Which was basically all mentioned by chapter 3 I don’t know wtf was going on in her head. Not to mention the whole Love at first sight thing, holy! Not even a week before she’s making googaly eyes at him and a month later professing her love (not to him but really honing in on it) and the “special bound” they shared as if it wasn’t just her actually actively putting him into contact with his mother instead of just notes.

Seriously, she was really creepy about it. Constantly mentioning his muscles and stuff. Not broching on the, trying to “get through to him” and going at his pace when in reality she looked up a bunch of shit about him and then TRACKED DOWN HIS MOTHER and made a SURPRISE VISIT?!?! Weird af.

Anyways, other than that it was pretty good and I might read the next books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
110 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2018
The end of our modern society....

Meghan a young researcher, finds her confidence and drive to find a vaccine to heal the Makanza infected . The story was excellently written and therefore a delight to read. We can only imagine the difficulties of society where a virus kills many thousands of people. Those who survived the disease are cast into another time, one unlike anything they have known.
Those who have the Makanza virus are isolated from family and society was a whole. The disease manifests itself differently for each "kazzi" with unusual side effects for each individual. They are deadly, hated by many, and mistreated. Then a breakthrough in " kazzi" treatment leads to other compounds changing tactics. If only Compound 26 would adopt the kinder treatment toward isolated "kazzi's". The compound changes it's tactics and a breakthrough happens. The unstable specimens become stable. The risks taken by the young researcher that could get her job terminated are worth taking for Meghan. The trust between Meghan and Cabin builds slowly because of the risks taken.
I enjoyed the story immensely and would highly recommend it to anyone.
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