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The JAK2 Cycle #1
Book of the Dead: AESLI-00
Azzie Vokaty is living a perfectly normal life in a perfectly normal small town in the midwest, dealing with a rare blood disorder alongside rude classmates and distant foster parents.
Except there is no “normal” anymore, not since the JANUS-23 pandemic decimated the world’s population.
And it isn’t a town, it’s a military base.
And Azzie isn’t exactly thrilled with the golden cage she’s living in.
The same day that sketchy, middle-aged men in cheap suits show up at her door, new faces appear in her orbit: a set of gorgeous, identical triplets at school, and a nosy new tech at the hospital…
All incredibly handsome faces. All of them seeming to pop up wherever she is.
Seriously, do they think she’s stupid?
Except there is no “normal” anymore, not since the JANUS-23 pandemic decimated the world’s population.
And it isn’t a town, it’s a military base.
And Azzie isn’t exactly thrilled with the golden cage she’s living in.
The same day that sketchy, middle-aged men in cheap suits show up at her door, new faces appear in her orbit: a set of gorgeous, identical triplets at school, and a nosy new tech at the hospital…
All incredibly handsome faces. All of them seeming to pop up wherever she is.
Seriously, do they think she’s stupid?
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
727 people are currently reading
1505 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
September 21, 2023
Rating: 5 stars
The book has its flaws. There are so many caps I felt yelled at and a bunch too many named backrground characters that added like tequila shots.
Yes, the author tells us to wash our hands.
Yes, we are reminded that Covid 19 is not a drill and it's time to grow the fuck up and take things seriously.
But seriously, this book? Probably the best RH I've read so far this year and I'm pretty sure I read both Hannaford Prep and Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac earlier.
Because when you think you've read everything and nothing can surprise you anymore, life throws at you a new book that low key leaves you speechless. Book of the Dead and its sequel were pretty damn impressive and I can already tell you it will join my all time favourite shelf.
First came COVID-19, then came JANUS-23. And here we are, in 2027, following Azzie in a post pandemic bubble of a city. And everything around everything is a mystery.
For one that usually do not crave ultra secretive stories, I have to say I was seriously impressed by how invested in the book I was. I legitimately enjoyed picking up clues and reaching to my own conclusions along the way and by the end of the second book, I am grateful I still have so much to learn and discover.
Book of the Dead was different. The author used the current situation to smack me in the face and wake me up from my privileged slumber while entertaining the heck out of me with a ridiculously amazing heroine.
Because Book of the Dead is both heavy handed and thrilling and Azzie is one hell of a main character.
Wise beyond her years, capable to lash out like the angry teenager she is, dealing with a rare form of blood cancer and able to put even the bravest man back in its place, she was hella refreshing despite her uber tragic life. A feminist in the making with a deadly tongue and that did not need pretty boys to give her a purpose in life.
All hail Azzie, the DM queen. And I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book.
> 17 then 18 years old main character,
> No MM
> No FF
> Five guys
> Multiple POVs
> Who falls first?
Trigger warning:
Pandemic, lots of dead, lots of grief, manipulation, very sick heroine.
booked.unicorn
The book has its flaws. There are so many caps I felt yelled at and a bunch too many named backrground characters that added like tequila shots.
Yes, the author tells us to wash our hands.
Yes, we are reminded that Covid 19 is not a drill and it's time to grow the fuck up and take things seriously.
But seriously, this book? Probably the best RH I've read so far this year and I'm pretty sure I read both Hannaford Prep and Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac earlier.
Because when you think you've read everything and nothing can surprise you anymore, life throws at you a new book that low key leaves you speechless. Book of the Dead and its sequel were pretty damn impressive and I can already tell you it will join my all time favourite shelf.
First came COVID-19, then came JANUS-23. And here we are, in 2027, following Azzie in a post pandemic bubble of a city. And everything around everything is a mystery.
For one that usually do not crave ultra secretive stories, I have to say I was seriously impressed by how invested in the book I was. I legitimately enjoyed picking up clues and reaching to my own conclusions along the way and by the end of the second book, I am grateful I still have so much to learn and discover.
Book of the Dead was different. The author used the current situation to smack me in the face and wake me up from my privileged slumber while entertaining the heck out of me with a ridiculously amazing heroine.
Because Book of the Dead is both heavy handed and thrilling and Azzie is one hell of a main character.
Wise beyond her years, capable to lash out like the angry teenager she is, dealing with a rare form of blood cancer and able to put even the bravest man back in its place, she was hella refreshing despite her uber tragic life. A feminist in the making with a deadly tongue and that did not need pretty boys to give her a purpose in life.
All hail Azzie, the DM queen. And I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book.
> 17 then 18 years old main character,
> No MM
> No FF
> Five guys
> Multiple POVs
> Who falls first?
Trigger warning:
Pandemic, lots of dead, lots of grief, manipulation, very sick heroine.
booked.unicorn
September 8, 2020
oh man...I want to give this 4 stars for the story, and feel like I have to give it 3 for the writing, but there were so many problematic things going on with the characters.
Okay lets back up first- In this story we have out h Azzie who has a rare blood disorder, and we meet and follow her along in her day to day life living on a military base. Things start out a little normal- we see her joking with her friend working at the lab- Mouse while her blood is being taken, and we see her going to school (filled with the typical teenage jerks).
And while Azzie may be a little checked out on life- having to spend most of her energy just trying to survive- she is also on one hand very sarcastic and outspoken, while on the other painfully shy.
But things aren't exactly as they seem- with the arrival of a bunch of new people (who happen to be a few pairs of twins, and a group of tripplets) in Azzie's life we start to see the break down of what exactly is going on in this base, who Azzie is, and what shady shit the powers at be are planning.
So that out of the way--SPOILERS!
Like I said I had some major character problems--Chiefly- is that the h is a 17 year old hsc student whose "love interests" are all (yes theres 7 potentials) older ranging from 21-24.
And yes, I read the second book- and I'm glad I did bc the story is really interesting and Azzie's character is a fucking champ. But the whole "she's more mature than her years" and explanations and justifications about how things have changed in this post-virus world to somehow make this age gap less morally creepy --didn't work for me.
I mean 4 years isn't exactly enough for me to forgive the apparent complete break down of thinking that grown men shouldn't be lusting after a teenage girl who, yes, has gone through a lot of shit- but still has no stable family base, friendship base, or any romantic or sexual experience to speak of- making her more vulnerable than her peers- and I would say maybe less adept at handing a relationship with 5 grown men.
Maybe because I was that 16-17 year old girl thinking it was totally normal to date a guy in his 20's- only to realize finally when I reached his same age that it was totally gross and predatory to even think about dating or being sexual with a teenager in hsc- and made me realize I was being taken advantage of. Yeah so sue me- this felt like grooming/ephebophilia shit to me. I mean they even call her Kid a few times...you know what- moving on.
Personal experience just made this a difficult read.
Not to mention all of the guys POV's left me thinking these are our romantic leads?
I mean calling her a skinny bitch, or saying that they've had way better looking "strange" on the outside and that she wasn't exactly anything special, or fucking around with other girls doesn't really endear me to them.
Actually, maybe this is just a realistically painful view of how some trash guys act- treat girls like shit, fuck around, demean them, and then expect everything to go smoothly. I get it, but it's not really making me into them- at least give me a love interest to at least like *crying*
Ugh- like I said the premise is really interesting so if your not bothered by teen h/adult men aspect then go for it- its on KU- and I did read the next book for Azzie and the plot if that says anything.
Okay lets back up first- In this story we have out h Azzie who has a rare blood disorder, and we meet and follow her along in her day to day life living on a military base. Things start out a little normal- we see her joking with her friend working at the lab- Mouse while her blood is being taken, and we see her going to school (filled with the typical teenage jerks).
And while Azzie may be a little checked out on life- having to spend most of her energy just trying to survive- she is also on one hand very sarcastic and outspoken, while on the other painfully shy.
But things aren't exactly as they seem- with the arrival of a bunch of new people (who happen to be a few pairs of twins, and a group of tripplets) in Azzie's life we start to see the break down of what exactly is going on in this base, who Azzie is, and what shady shit the powers at be are planning.
So that out of the way--SPOILERS!
Like I said I had some major character problems--Chiefly- is that the h is a 17 year old hsc student whose "love interests" are all (yes theres 7 potentials) older ranging from 21-24.
And yes, I read the second book- and I'm glad I did bc the story is really interesting and Azzie's character is a fucking champ. But the whole "she's more mature than her years" and explanations and justifications about how things have changed in this post-virus world to somehow make this age gap less morally creepy --didn't work for me.
I mean 4 years isn't exactly enough for me to forgive the apparent complete break down of thinking that grown men shouldn't be lusting after a teenage girl who, yes, has gone through a lot of shit- but still has no stable family base, friendship base, or any romantic or sexual experience to speak of- making her more vulnerable than her peers- and I would say maybe less adept at handing a relationship with 5 grown men.
Maybe because I was that 16-17 year old girl thinking it was totally normal to date a guy in his 20's- only to realize finally when I reached his same age that it was totally gross and predatory to even think about dating or being sexual with a teenager in hsc- and made me realize I was being taken advantage of. Yeah so sue me- this felt like grooming/ephebophilia shit to me. I mean they even call her Kid a few times...you know what- moving on.
Personal experience just made this a difficult read.
Not to mention all of the guys POV's left me thinking these are our romantic leads?
I mean calling her a skinny bitch, or saying that they've had way better looking "strange" on the outside and that she wasn't exactly anything special, or fucking around with other girls doesn't really endear me to them.
"...my brain trying to make sense of getting drawn in to some bullshit competition with Callis over a girl none of us would pay five seconds of attention to on the outside."
Actually, maybe this is just a realistically painful view of how some trash guys act- treat girls like shit, fuck around, demean them, and then expect everything to go smoothly. I get it, but it's not really making me into them- at least give me a love interest to at least like *crying*
Ugh- like I said the premise is really interesting so if your not bothered by teen h/adult men aspect then go for it- its on KU- and I did read the next book for Azzie and the plot if that says anything.
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August 26, 2020
This book has left me SO insanely conflicted.
There are parts I adored, and parts I disliked, and they just jarred together in such an intense way. So I've gone for a 3 stars which doesn't really adequately capture how hooked I was by this story.
Plot
The plot isn't 100% original, but it's executed flawlessly. Azzie (short for Azrael, which is an EPIC name) is a 17-year-old orphan girl living with her foster family in Salem, a military base in the US which is one of the few places that manufactures effective doses of the JANUS vaccine. JANUS is a virus that appeared in 2023, three years after Covid-19; it has a far higher mortality rate, and virus is basically doled out by the government in a Hunger Games-style lottery. None of that touches Azzie, though. Salem is safe, and she has personal things to worry about: she suffers from polycythemia vera, a blood cancer in which your bone marrow makes too many blood cells and it thickens your blood to the point where the heart struggles to pump it. Every morning, she meets her only friend Mouse, a lab tech who draws her blood and does some other stuff to it to make sure she can survive a little longer. Azzie's life is incredibly tough.
One morning, her routine is shaken up a little. First she meets Tai, a Native American ex-soldier who's Mouse's new lab partner. Then at school, she meets the triplets Sasha, Luka and Sev, who at first nearly run her over in their truck and then end up having to take her to their house to sleep off another accident. Also in the mix is Spider, Tai's twin brother who's actually her teacher. The rest of the book is part extremely slow-burn romance, part suspense novel, part sci-fi; Azzie befriends the guys - with a few hiccups - but she's suspicious as to why so many multiple births have suddenly shown up in her school. And when she finds out the truth, all hell basically breaks loose.
Now let's talk about the good, which there was a LOT of.
✔️ Azzie is a SPECTACULAR heroine. Truly incredible. She has an innate wellspring of bone-dry sarcasm that made me smile like crazy. She's well-rounded, realistic, vulnerable but tough, totally relatable and witty as hell. Also, when she's ignoring the heroes, she's really ignoring them. It's brilliant - it drives them mad when she doesn't seem to notice them, but she genuinely has so much on her plate that sometimes they don't even register on her radar. I was totally here for it.
✔️ Her PV is described so amazingly that it broke my heart. I felt everything, her pain, her sadness, her loss - those passages are saturated with so much raw emotion that I'd have teared up if there had been any more of it.
✔️ The plot is awesome. A little uneven at times, but strong enough to hold the entire book together.
✔️ You know how 99% of RH books have the heroes keeping some massive, life-impacting secret from the heroine and it drives her crazy because she's the clueless one? (Cough, Madison Kate, cough). This one features an awesome role reversal where it's Azzie who knows all, the heroes are clueless, and she schools them completely.
✔️ Azzie is so damn intelligent. The author never makes her wilfully dumb just to draw out the story further.
There was, however, stuff I turned my nose up at.
❌ Heavily saturated in OW drama. I have never liked OW drama and I'm not going to start now, not even for a book this good. A lot of it felt highly unnecessary and contrived, and some of the female characters were villainous to the point of being complete caricatures. There was also a heavy dose of misogyny in some of the heroes, which to its credit is called out slightly within the book itself: they suffer strongly from the Madonna/whore complex, where they'll get off with various slutty girls but Azzie is their 'friend' and on a pedestal. Wow.
❌ Some of the relationships moved extremely and unbelievably quickly. For instance, out of literally NOWHERE, Luka announces Azzie is his best friend, and I just felt like in general the connections came super-fast. For a book where , they acted with off-putting levels of immaturity.
❌ A bit of the plot was too neat - I didn't understand
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
Plot
The plot isn't 100% original, but it's executed flawlessly. Azzie (short for Azrael, which is an EPIC name) is a 17-year-old orphan girl living with her foster family in Salem, a military base in the US which is one of the few places that manufactures effective doses of the JANUS vaccine. JANUS is a virus that appeared in 2023, three years after Covid-19; it has a far higher mortality rate, and virus is basically doled out by the government in a Hunger Games-style lottery. None of that touches Azzie, though. Salem is safe, and she has personal things to worry about: she suffers from polycythemia vera, a blood cancer in which your bone marrow makes too many blood cells and it thickens your blood to the point where the heart struggles to pump it. Every morning, she meets her only friend Mouse, a lab tech who draws her blood and does some other stuff to it to make sure she can survive a little longer. Azzie's life is incredibly tough.
One morning, her routine is shaken up a little. First she meets Tai, a Native American ex-soldier who's Mouse's new lab partner. Then at school, she meets the triplets Sasha, Luka and Sev, who at first nearly run her over in their truck and then end up having to take her to their house to sleep off another accident. Also in the mix is Spider, Tai's twin brother who's actually her teacher. The rest of the book is part extremely slow-burn romance, part suspense novel, part sci-fi; Azzie befriends the guys - with a few hiccups - but she's suspicious as to why so many multiple births have suddenly shown up in her school. And when she finds out the truth, all hell basically breaks loose.
Now let's talk about the good, which there was a LOT of.
✔️ Azzie is a SPECTACULAR heroine. Truly incredible. She has an innate wellspring of bone-dry sarcasm that made me smile like crazy. She's well-rounded, realistic, vulnerable but tough, totally relatable and witty as hell. Also, when she's ignoring the heroes, she's really ignoring them. It's brilliant - it drives them mad when she doesn't seem to notice them, but she genuinely has so much on her plate that sometimes they don't even register on her radar. I was totally here for it.
✔️ Her PV is described so amazingly that it broke my heart. I felt everything, her pain, her sadness, her loss - those passages are saturated with so much raw emotion that I'd have teared up if there had been any more of it.
✔️ The plot is awesome. A little uneven at times, but strong enough to hold the entire book together.
✔️ You know how 99% of RH books have the heroes keeping some massive, life-impacting secret from the heroine and it drives her crazy because she's the clueless one? (Cough, Madison Kate, cough). This one features an awesome role reversal where it's Azzie who knows all, the heroes are clueless, and she schools them completely.
✔️ Azzie is so damn intelligent. The author never makes her wilfully dumb just to draw out the story further.
There was, however, stuff I turned my nose up at.
❌ Heavily saturated in OW drama. I have never liked OW drama and I'm not going to start now, not even for a book this good. A lot of it felt highly unnecessary and contrived, and some of the female characters were villainous to the point of being complete caricatures. There was also a heavy dose of misogyny in some of the heroes, which to its credit is called out slightly within the book itself: they suffer strongly from the Madonna/whore complex, where they'll get off with various slutty girls but Azzie is their 'friend' and on a pedestal. Wow.
❌ Some of the relationships moved extremely and unbelievably quickly. For instance, out of literally NOWHERE, Luka announces Azzie is his best friend, and I just felt like in general the connections came super-fast. For a book where , they acted with off-putting levels of immaturity.
❌ A bit of the plot was too neat - I didn't understand
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
August 17, 2020
In saying that I FRIGGAN LOVED THIS BOOK IM Off TO read the second IMMEDIATELY and procrastinate my responsibilities. The first book was worth giving up sleep. Let’s see what the second one brings
rest of the review
ok i enjoyed this book because
A) the MC has an incurable chronic life blood condition - this seperates her from other MC;s simply by not being a secret all powerful being, also inclusivity, also its actually real and i appreciated that.
B) the MC (azzie) is really down the earth, i love her thinking, her stubbornness, her complete independence and her ability to 2100% stand up to her harem. she puts grown ass men in their place and i frikken LIVED FOR IT.
C) she is as emotionally mature as she can be her for age. yes she is 17. yes i had a problem with 17 yr olds "being with"21-24 yr olds. however nothing sexual even remotely happens in the first book. like im pretty sure she doesnt even kiss any of them.
D) the harem are for the most part all indidivudals. no i cant remember their names. sasha... tai... yep thats it. i still liked them, they have a group chat and you read it and they talk about how they have fucked up and how to fix it.
E) i loved the post covid setting. i love a good post apocalytic world.
F) its funny!!!! sooo funny, i really laughed out loud and chortled to myself. honest to goodness laughed.
ok. i totally reccomend this book
October 30, 2024
AHHH I LOVED IT !!! I guessed the plot twist early but the reveal was still cool 😭😭
I am a biiiiig fan of the plot. And also the title?? It's all making sense now and it's so cool and so sad and also disturbing??
── .✦ This is a post-apocalyptic/pandemic romance, about this girl Azzie who lives in this very sus military base, and is very sick and weak, she has to have her blood drawn every morning, and is on a special diet otherwise she'd be in agony. Her life is miserable.
And then one day there are a few newcomers in town and while Azzie does not give a single fuck about any of them, some of them (like, five, to be precise, or maybe even seven, hehe) can't help but like her.
I love this energy honestly, I decided to read this book exactly for this trope - a female main character that just minds her own damn business while the guys try to get her attention lol and it's done pretty well in this I'd say. BUT...
The book is too short. The pace is too fast because the book is too short. Everything is happening in the span of like what, a week? Maybe almost two? It's frustrating because I really like where everything is going with their relationship, not only Azzie and the guys but also the guys with each other.
But then I remember they only know each other for like a week and ??? realistically you can't form any meaningful bond with anyone in that short of a time......right? It's frustrating bc if oooonlyyyy the author made the timeline a little bit longer... this would've been perfect.
I do appreciate that this is a slowburn though. The guys get obsessed quickly but even then they still want to manage distance because of their circumstances and I like that. Also no smut yet in this and I like that even more.
But still, sometimes I forget it's a slowburn because wait... this is all happening in the span of a week!! 😭 what a CRIME
Oh and sometimes the writing feels a little bit to ✨wattpady✨ Not every time, just sometimes.
Anyways,
Azzie's story hurts and if anyone deserves to be looked after and loved it's her. GIVE THE GIRL A GODDAMN HUG FFS IT'S STARTING TO BREAK MY HEART
I am a biiiiig fan of the plot. And also the title?? It's all making sense now and it's so cool and so sad and also disturbing??
── .✦ This is a post-apocalyptic/pandemic romance, about this girl Azzie who lives in this very sus military base, and is very sick and weak, she has to have her blood drawn every morning, and is on a special diet otherwise she'd be in agony. Her life is miserable.
And then one day there are a few newcomers in town and while Azzie does not give a single fuck about any of them, some of them (like, five, to be precise, or maybe even seven, hehe) can't help but like her.
I love this energy honestly, I decided to read this book exactly for this trope - a female main character that just minds her own damn business while the guys try to get her attention lol and it's done pretty well in this I'd say. BUT...
The book is too short. The pace is too fast because the book is too short. Everything is happening in the span of like what, a week? Maybe almost two? It's frustrating because I really like where everything is going with their relationship, not only Azzie and the guys but also the guys with each other.
But then I remember they only know each other for like a week and ??? realistically you can't form any meaningful bond with anyone in that short of a time......right? It's frustrating bc if oooonlyyyy the author made the timeline a little bit longer... this would've been perfect.
I do appreciate that this is a slowburn though. The guys get obsessed quickly but even then they still want to manage distance because of their circumstances and I like that. Also no smut yet in this and I like that even more.
But still, sometimes I forget it's a slowburn because wait... this is all happening in the span of a week!! 😭 what a CRIME
Oh and sometimes the writing feels a little bit to ✨wattpady✨ Not every time, just sometimes.
Anyways,
Azzie's story hurts and if anyone deserves to be looked after and loved it's her. GIVE THE GIRL A GODDAMN HUG FFS IT'S STARTING TO BREAK MY HEART
August 21, 2020
Series Review (Book 1 and 2)
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5 for both books.
I picked this one up because it was suggested by RHR mods in the newsletter, so figured I would give it a try. I was a little hesitant at first since the heroine (Azzie) is supposed to be very sick, so was wondering how she was going to be doing anything exciting that was still believable due to her condition. But never fear, the whole thing is extremely well written and very believable.
The story is good and incorporates a lot of current events into it, building off of it to create an "apocalyptic" event and the post-apocalyptic world that follows (redundant, lol). But it starts in such a way that the world still seems whole, not broken, and then the layers get peeled back one by one until you see the full picture. It is masterfully done. The world is very compelling and built in a very believable way which frankly makes it pretty scary to read, since this COULD happen, and in some ways it IS happening. We don't have shambling zombies in this story, but we do have greedy politicians and systemic racism and xenophobia resulting in the death of many sectors of the population (sounds familiar?).
Azzie is awesome. She is so very smart, a little feminist in the making, and so kick-ass (not physically since she is sick). She is 3 steps ahead of everyone at all times, she is not afraid of putting her guys in their place and can do so extremely well. She is incredibly strong and wise beyond her years.
The guys are good, there is depth to their characters. The story gets told in multiple point of views so you get to know what they are thinking. They have a lot of learning and development to do, and they grow and change as the story develops. They are not interchangeable, but sometimes you have to go back to see whose point of view you are reading since there are 5 of them. They also act younger than their years sometimes, but I think that plays into the conflict of the story.
The one thing I had a "love-hate" relationship with is how descriptively verbose the story could get at times. Some times I loved it because it was much needed insight, background, and realism. Sometimes I hated it because it was a bit of a tangent and I just wanted to get back to the exciting part or the dialogue between the characters.
All in all a very well crafted story, worth the read, and I can't wait for the next one to come out!
Rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5 for both books.
I picked this one up because it was suggested by RHR mods in the newsletter, so figured I would give it a try. I was a little hesitant at first since the heroine (Azzie) is supposed to be very sick, so was wondering how she was going to be doing anything exciting that was still believable due to her condition. But never fear, the whole thing is extremely well written and very believable.
The story is good and incorporates a lot of current events into it, building off of it to create an "apocalyptic" event and the post-apocalyptic world that follows (redundant, lol). But it starts in such a way that the world still seems whole, not broken, and then the layers get peeled back one by one until you see the full picture. It is masterfully done. The world is very compelling and built in a very believable way which frankly makes it pretty scary to read, since this COULD happen, and in some ways it IS happening. We don't have shambling zombies in this story, but we do have greedy politicians and systemic racism and xenophobia resulting in the death of many sectors of the population (sounds familiar?).
Azzie is awesome. She is so very smart, a little feminist in the making, and so kick-ass (not physically since she is sick). She is 3 steps ahead of everyone at all times, she is not afraid of putting her guys in their place and can do so extremely well. She is incredibly strong and wise beyond her years.
The guys are good, there is depth to their characters. The story gets told in multiple point of views so you get to know what they are thinking. They have a lot of learning and development to do, and they grow and change as the story develops. They are not interchangeable, but sometimes you have to go back to see whose point of view you are reading since there are 5 of them. They also act younger than their years sometimes, but I think that plays into the conflict of the story.
The one thing I had a "love-hate" relationship with is how descriptively verbose the story could get at times. Some times I loved it because it was much needed insight, background, and realism. Sometimes I hated it because it was a bit of a tangent and I just wanted to get back to the exciting part or the dialogue between the characters.
All in all a very well crafted story, worth the read, and I can't wait for the next one to come out!
June 1, 2021
This was pretty good!! Super addictive and with lots of interesting plot twists, I quite enjoyed it. I also loved the change in attitude, with the chick not giving a crap about the guys!
Onto book 2 ;)
Onto book 2 ;)
August 29, 2021
Very good start to this series
This is one of those books that I was constantly whispering, "WTF?" And, "What is going on?" I felt like that blonde girl from that 90's commercial (if you're old enough to remember it) twirling her hair, saying, "I don't get it!"
And then it all came together at the end, as my jaw hit the floor with a great big OMG.
I'm not sure how to describe this book. Post-pandemic, dark, slow burn, reverse harem? 🤷🏼♀️ As confused as I was for a good portion of it, I couldn't put it down...it kept me turning the pages, wanting—no, needing—to know what was going on.
I need book 2, stat.
This is one of those books that I was constantly whispering, "WTF?" And, "What is going on?" I felt like that blonde girl from that 90's commercial (if you're old enough to remember it) twirling her hair, saying, "I don't get it!"
And then it all came together at the end, as my jaw hit the floor with a great big OMG.
I'm not sure how to describe this book. Post-pandemic, dark, slow burn, reverse harem? 🤷🏼♀️ As confused as I was for a good portion of it, I couldn't put it down...it kept me turning the pages, wanting—no, needing—to know what was going on.
I need book 2, stat.
November 21, 2021
This was an interesting story! I really liked the set up of everything, even if there were some mysterious aspects to it that kept us guessing.
Azzie was cool, she sometimes got on my nerves with her rage moments but i could understand her other times and she was smart.
I really liked the twins! They were solid. I didn’t really care for the triplets, I just can’t take characters who purposefully use other girls to make the fmc jealous seriously. They were dumb little moments and they felt remorse after but they should’ve known better anyway.
This had a solid build up and was an enjoyable read!
Azzie was cool, she sometimes got on my nerves with her rage moments but i could understand her other times and she was smart.
I really liked the twins! They were solid. I didn’t really care for the triplets, I just can’t take characters who purposefully use other girls to make the fmc jealous seriously. They were dumb little moments and they felt remorse after but they should’ve known better anyway.
This had a solid build up and was an enjoyable read!
August 24, 2020
4.5 Stars
RTC
RTC
September 12, 2022
DNF @ 61%. This book was ...weird. It just didn't work for me and left me with so many unanswered questions that by halfway should've at least STARTED to be answered. A lot of scenes were super confusing - we went back to the past, then we were in the present, then we were suddenly learning more about D&D than I'd ever wanted to read in my entire life. There were super strange outbursts by the FMC Azzie at times that made her seem super childish and a mental case, which may have been the author's goal?
I think there were also missing pieces to the story when it came to the MMCs. I love reverse harem, but I wasn't sure I understood the instant connection the guys had with the FMC. There were also way too many love interests introduced at once. I wish we had gotten a little more backstory on the world, the virus, and why there were so many sets of twins. It was a very interesting premise at least, I just lost patience for the story.
I think there were also missing pieces to the story when it came to the MMCs. I love reverse harem, but I wasn't sure I understood the instant connection the guys had with the FMC. There were also way too many love interests introduced at once. I wish we had gotten a little more backstory on the world, the virus, and why there were so many sets of twins. It was a very interesting premise at least, I just lost patience for the story.
April 24, 2022
DNF - quit at 34%
I have no idea what I just read actually was. There’s mention of a virus, bunches of random “new” people showing up in this town/military base, which also has a set of triplets & a set of twins in that mix, absolutely no world building, no explanations for things happening, no idea what happened to the FMC to put her into a foster home, way too much inner dialogue from the FMC. Not to mention that she seems a little bit of mental case. Not sure what all the high ratings came from, cause it wasn’t what I read.
At my age (60), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
I have no idea what I just read actually was. There’s mention of a virus, bunches of random “new” people showing up in this town/military base, which also has a set of triplets & a set of twins in that mix, absolutely no world building, no explanations for things happening, no idea what happened to the FMC to put her into a foster home, way too much inner dialogue from the FMC. Not to mention that she seems a little bit of mental case. Not sure what all the high ratings came from, cause it wasn’t what I read.
At my age (60), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
September 16, 2020
I am in awe of this story.
Azzie is one of the best FMCs out there and this book literally has me in awe. Brilliant storytelling, in depth relationship building, a complex plot... and so much to come I hope.
Gotta thank the ladies in RHR on GR for this buddy read. Amazing choice.
Love it! It's definitely a book I will recommend, especially for fans of TVD.
Azzie is one of the best FMCs out there and this book literally has me in awe. Brilliant storytelling, in depth relationship building, a complex plot... and so much to come I hope.
Gotta thank the ladies in RHR on GR for this buddy read. Amazing choice.
Love it! It's definitely a book I will recommend, especially for fans of TVD.
September 27, 2020
Okay, I'll give this book a B+, only because the author was long-winded and repetitive that it became a bit aggravating and time-consuming. However, it was the heroine and the heroes' clever and disdainful rapport that really saves this book and keeps, the audience/readers captivated.
So now that I'm aware of this author's written habits I know what to pay attention to and what to skim over so I won't get too bored with this growing book series... So off to book 2!
Side note: I must mention that the author's storyline was on point with some of her subject matters and background situations ... damn it's kinda creepy how close she was that it tiptoes on our current reality... hmmm
Overall rating:
4* ~ A Very Good Read
So now that I'm aware of this author's written habits I know what to pay attention to and what to skim over so I won't get too bored with this growing book series... So off to book 2!
Side note: I must mention that the author's storyline was on point with some of her subject matters and background situations ... damn it's kinda creepy how close she was that it tiptoes on our current reality... hmmm
Overall rating:
4* ~ A Very Good Read
December 25, 2020
I’m uncertain how I feel about it so far, but it’s interesting enough to continue on to the next book.
July 22, 2020
Can’t wait for the next one
This is the first booked I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. I don’t even know how I came across this book but I so happy that I did!
The story is intriguing and I think I have a girl crush on the MFC. She’s awesome!
Really looking forward to the next one.
This is the first booked I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. I don’t even know how I came across this book but I so happy that I did!
The story is intriguing and I think I have a girl crush on the MFC. She’s awesome!
Really looking forward to the next one.
August 23, 2020
Pages: 214
My rating: 4.5
Read other books by this author in the future: yes
MC: Azzie (Aesli Azrael Vokaty), Sasha, Sevastian, Luka (Hellspawn Triplets), Tai Chandler, Spider Chandler Jason Callis, Ryan Callis
This was a RHR recommendation turned into a RHR Buddy Read.
I actually did not want to read this at first, but then the first reviews of friends started to appear on my gr feed and after reading those and some other RHR buddys suggesting a BR I joined then. I actually ended up reading the first two books back to back, along with my RHR buddies.
At first I had trouble to get trough the first 50% of book 1. There is a lot of highschool stuff and bullying going on. But then it started to get interesting and I could not put it away.
There are a lot of secrets in this book, why a lot of twins and a triplet come to town? What’s the secret of the FMC? And I can’t say a lot about this, because it will just give away a lot of the good stuff in the book. But at the End of the book shocking things are revealed and both questions get answered. And the answers are heart breaking and reminded me of a discussion I had a few year back, which you can describe in one sentence: People will do a lot of things because they can and because they get a lot of money or power when they do it.
The second book was easier to read. I was hooked from the start and had trouble to put it down. More secrets are revealed and it was good book. But there are passages where the MCs text each other that get awfully long and sometimes boring.
August 22, 2020
5 stars for being hella intriguing
The book deals with some serious and depressing shit but for the most part keeps it from being too heavy. There are enough fun characters and chuckle inducing dialogue to balance things out.
Man this was just fun to read; I had a feeling about the big picture, but the author didn't bash you over the head with overly obvious foreshadowing like some books, which I totally appreciated. It kept me guessing just enough to keep me curious and interested.
Highly recommend.
The book deals with some serious and depressing shit but for the most part keeps it from being too heavy. There are enough fun characters and chuckle inducing dialogue to balance things out.
Man this was just fun to read; I had a feeling about the big picture, but the author didn't bash you over the head with overly obvious foreshadowing like some books, which I totally appreciated. It kept me guessing just enough to keep me curious and interested.
Highly recommend.
August 13, 2020
3,5 stars
Omg i really like this series , even tho i got annoyed every single time the guys mentioned that the mc didn´t know the real world and lived in a bubble. And that she was so inexperienced in life.. bish no
Omg i really like this series , even tho i got annoyed every single time the guys mentioned that the mc didn´t know the real world and lived in a bubble. And that she was so inexperienced in life.. bish no
May 29, 2021
Wow
Yep sucked in from the first word couldn't put it down literally fell asleep reading it can't wait to start book two
Yep sucked in from the first word couldn't put it down literally fell asleep reading it can't wait to start book two
November 17, 2023
I think I’m one of those people that needs a spider diagram at the start of all reverse harems, just so I know who the main players are. Even if it ruins potential romance for me I badly need it. The start of this did confused me with who the potential harem was.
For clarity (spider diagram not included)we have :
Sev - hot nerd (21)
Luka - hot joker (21)
Sasha - hot, but in denial (21)
Tai - hot kinda doctor
Spider - hot teacher
Ryan and Jake are also mentioned but I don’t think they are potential love interests.
I have to say the plot in this is intricate and kinda confusing at times. For some at least. I went thought the whole thing thinking they are all undercover soldiers which they aren’t. A lot of the time I was pretty confused and I felt like the characters enjoyed confusing the shit out of me. You can’t spill a little info and then not mention anything again until we are at 80% of the book. I need all the secrets … preferably now.
I did really enjoy reading the text exchanges between the boys & their light hearted banter. They are all very playful together (not in that way) and constantly saying the wrong shit to her, which made me like them even more.
I think I definitely have a lack of patience with most books, especially ones that have a mystery, but I will continue with this one. The FMC’s banter is hilarious and you want to me her friend. The guys are also all adorable & I don’t yet hate them.
For clarity (spider diagram not included)we have :
Sev - hot nerd (21)
Luka - hot joker (21)
Sasha - hot, but in denial (21)
Tai - hot kinda doctor
Spider - hot teacher
Ryan and Jake are also mentioned but I don’t think they are potential love interests.
I have to say the plot in this is intricate and kinda confusing at times. For some at least. I went thought the whole thing thinking they are all undercover soldiers which they aren’t. A lot of the time I was pretty confused and I felt like the characters enjoyed confusing the shit out of me. You can’t spill a little info and then not mention anything again until we are at 80% of the book. I need all the secrets … preferably now.
I did really enjoy reading the text exchanges between the boys & their light hearted banter. They are all very playful together (not in that way) and constantly saying the wrong shit to her, which made me like them even more.
I think I definitely have a lack of patience with most books, especially ones that have a mystery, but I will continue with this one. The FMC’s banter is hilarious and you want to me her friend. The guys are also all adorable & I don’t yet hate them.
August 18, 2020
Diabolical
This book has utterly blown me away! It is so well crafted and the layers of the story so precise. The ending is a big massive info dump that I was not expecting. Some of the things I had started to assume, but it completely flipped it around where you no longer trust what you think you. Diabolical. Azzie is amazing and I totally want to be her friend. She is clever, kind, strong, but also alone. She knows things that her peers are clueless on. She lives a life each day that they don’t even have to think about doing, and yet each of her choices is paramount. Her wit is so comical and I wish I could retort the way she does. The fact that they also play dnd was just the icing on the cake. It made my geek heart happy and I definitely have a girl crush. The guys are interesting and yet you can tell or except there is more to the story. It is all laid out in the epilogue so hold on to your pants! I can’t wait to see what happens and how this will play out more. Read this book! It is one of a kind. Multiple POVS. Slow burn.
This book has utterly blown me away! It is so well crafted and the layers of the story so precise. The ending is a big massive info dump that I was not expecting. Some of the things I had started to assume, but it completely flipped it around where you no longer trust what you think you. Diabolical. Azzie is amazing and I totally want to be her friend. She is clever, kind, strong, but also alone. She knows things that her peers are clueless on. She lives a life each day that they don’t even have to think about doing, and yet each of her choices is paramount. Her wit is so comical and I wish I could retort the way she does. The fact that they also play dnd was just the icing on the cake. It made my geek heart happy and I definitely have a girl crush. The guys are interesting and yet you can tell or except there is more to the story. It is all laid out in the epilogue so hold on to your pants! I can’t wait to see what happens and how this will play out more. Read this book! It is one of a kind. Multiple POVS. Slow burn.
July 27, 2020
Great Banter!
I LOVED this book! The world is post pandemic and outside of the little bubble of the base the world is bleak. The main character, Azzie, has an extremely difficult life. She is shunned by her peers and has almost no friends or loved ones. I would have expected a depressing read but it wasn't or at least it wasn't always. There were many light and humorous scenes that had me laughing out loud. Azzie's comebacks and the banter she engages in was hilarious and so much fun to read. So many authors miss the mark here, in my opinion but this author nailed it. Azzie wasn't perfect though which is good, realistic even but was frustrating at times because she could be brutal with her words. The author did such a good job of showing the torment of being her though so it made sense. I also liked the guys but they made some dumb moves that made me want to strangle them. I can't wait to get more clarity regarding the world outside of the base. Overall this was a wonderful read. If there hadn't been some sections that were confusing towards the end, this would have been a 5 star. I would absolutely give this a 4.5 though if such a rating existed.
I LOVED this book! The world is post pandemic and outside of the little bubble of the base the world is bleak. The main character, Azzie, has an extremely difficult life. She is shunned by her peers and has almost no friends or loved ones. I would have expected a depressing read but it wasn't or at least it wasn't always. There were many light and humorous scenes that had me laughing out loud. Azzie's comebacks and the banter she engages in was hilarious and so much fun to read. So many authors miss the mark here, in my opinion but this author nailed it. Azzie wasn't perfect though which is good, realistic even but was frustrating at times because she could be brutal with her words. The author did such a good job of showing the torment of being her though so it made sense. I also liked the guys but they made some dumb moves that made me want to strangle them. I can't wait to get more clarity regarding the world outside of the base. Overall this was a wonderful read. If there hadn't been some sections that were confusing towards the end, this would have been a 5 star. I would absolutely give this a 4.5 though if such a rating existed.
January 21, 2023
2.75 ⭐️. I absolutely loved the concept of this, but it really needs an edit to take out the spelling and grammar mistakes, and to correct the back and forth between tenses. Some of the dialogue was a little cringe, and the scene with the teacher was completely unbelievable and out of the blue. Considering this book takes place over about a week, I felt the characters relationship progressions were not realistic but more instalove. I also found the introduction of a couple of the characters slightly confusing, but that was only because so many were introduced in a small time period. I didn’t love the way the triplets talked about the MC and viewed her solely in a physical way making some problematic comments.
My last comment is that there were quite a few unknown acronyms used when describing dungeons and dragons, for people like myself who don’t know anything about it.
My last comment is that there were quite a few unknown acronyms used when describing dungeons and dragons, for people like myself who don’t know anything about it.
September 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this series starter in a post-pandemic, slow-burn reverse harem series. I found it very interesting that the heroine has the same rare condition/genetic mutation my boyfriend does (one I rarely hear about outside our own experience) and I've always been a sucker for sci-fi/dystopian type elements in stories. Of course, considering what is going on in the world currently it isn't quite as far-fetched as it might have once been, but I do enjoy the plot even so. I could definitely use more relationship development (as usual) and there are too many characters for the limited amount of page time they get in this relatively short book, but I liked everything that was there and am looking forward to the next books to see more of that growth, as well as more of what the main characters are going to do about the situation they are in.
September 3, 2020
Holy moly, I was blown away by this. When I started this book this afternoon, I was not expecting this. I love every single one of these characters (except maybe Ryan, but that's only because we haven't gotten to know him well) and reading how they interact with each other was fun. Aside was fun to read. It's literally 5 'til midnight, and I'm seriously considering starting the second book tonight.
April 12, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised by the writing and the plot of this book. You know something is off from the beginning but it's not super obvious exactly what it is. I enjoyed all of the main characters. I typically wouldn't enjoy a book with some of the far-stretched aspects, like a chick letting a random dude just take her to his house. BUT, as the series progresses it makes more sense.
If you enjoy dystopian novels that lead to a series with some hot RH, would recommend it.
P.S. Team Tai all the way.
If you enjoy dystopian novels that lead to a series with some hot RH, would recommend it.
P.S. Team Tai all the way.
October 21, 2021
Intriguing
First off, Azzie really is the only one that knows what the heck is going on - even over the reader. We (the readers) are clued in as the narrative builds, though it’s never expressly said to us as it is to the guys when they finally walk into a wall.
I love Azzie - she is who I want be when I grow up….
First off, Azzie really is the only one that knows what the heck is going on - even over the reader. We (the readers) are clued in as the narrative builds, though it’s never expressly said to us as it is to the guys when they finally walk into a wall.
I love Azzie - she is who I want be when I grow up….
January 19, 2024
I really do appreciate all the effort that went into creating almost a journal of sorts about PV , but this book as a whole was just skim worthy for me. There was a lot of thought into communication, building relationships, adding suspense etc etc blah blah but I have a 9 hr exam in 2 months so I reaaalllyyyy can't seem to care for any of it.
November 12, 2021
Just not sure why this is rated so high it was ok. Premise is basically what is happening now with Covid but I dunno I was never ravenous about this book.
I went on to book two and got a bit better but I dunno something isn't fully investing me.
I went on to book two and got a bit better but I dunno something isn't fully investing me.
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