Twisted World: A Broken World Novel

Twisted #1

by Kate L. Mary

Twenty years ago a deadly virus swept the globe, ravaging the population. People died and came back as monsters, and through the tragedy that rocked the world survivors were born. Megan James is the product of survivors. Her parents crossed hundreds of miles of dangerous countryside to reach Atlanta, and the promise of a real future.

Now, two decades later, Meg is facing a crisis of her own. Her father has vanished and is presumed dead, and her mom is teetering on the edge of insanity, but all Meg really wants is to return to the safe world she always thought she was living in. Only Atlanta isn’t everything her parents thought it would be. The slums have grown and corruption is rampant, and despite the promise of democracy the new government has been slow to change. Through it all, the only consistency seems to be the zombies. Decayed and barely more than skeletons, there is no reason they should still be moving. But they are.

Facing the harsh world alone, Meg gets a job in the entertainment district of Atlanta where she meets convict fighter Donaghy. Angry at the world and his circumstances, all the fighter really wants is to be left alone. But when he gets swept up in Meg’s problems, he finds it impossible to turn his back on her.

When a mysterious note resurrects old rumors about what the CDC is really doing, Meg can’t help wondering if her father might have met the same fate that her uncle did twenty years earlier. With the help of Donaghy, she will search for the truth among the darkness that has settled over Atlanta, where they’ll soon discover that the mutated virus has brought forth creatures nobody could have imagined, and the evil intentions of the men in charge are much more sinister than anyone ever thought possible, making the future look harsher than ever before.

***This novel is the first book in a new zombie/dystopian series, set twenty years after the final book in the Broken World series. While reading the first seven books will be helpful, it is not necessary to follow the plot of Twisted World.

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Dystopia, Romance, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Science Fiction

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2016

About the author

I'm a mom of four, Air Force wife, and author of adult and young adult dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and science fiction. I love intense world building and character driven stories that feature strong female leads - as well as a side of romance - and any end of the world scenario. Zombies, aliens, a distant future where people have no clue how the world ended in the first place, you name it, I will create a story there!

Having lived in a lot of different places after more than a decade as an Air Force wife, I love setting my books in cities I've actually lived in to give them authenticity. I've resided in: Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, and Oklahoma but am currently back in my home state of Ohio where I live with my husband, four kids, two dogs, and three cats.

When I'm not writing, you can find me by my pool (in the summer), getting lost in some binge-worthy show or at a play with my husband, patronizing one of the great restaurants in my small town of Troy, Ohio with my family, or traveling. I want to see everything and make a point of visiting a new place every year!

Some of my favorite books are The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, The Host, and The Stand. My favorite movies are Aliens, Jaws, Signs, Say Anything, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and The Greatest Showman.

Awards:

Outliers
Winner in the 2018 Kindle Books Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree
Finalist in the 2018 Wishing Shelf Book Awards For Adult Fiction
Top 10 Finalist in the Author Academy Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
Cover Finalist in the 2019 RONE Awards from InD'tale Magazine

When We Were Human
2015 Children's Moonbeam Awards Silver Medal winner for Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction
2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Science Fiction

Tribe of Daughters
Winner in the 2020 RONE Awards for Time Travel/Science Fiction
Bronze Medal Winner in the 2019 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Science Fiction
Honorable Mention in the 2018 SPR Book Awards

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Reviews

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I had a great time with this audiobook. I recently read six of the seven books in Kate L. Mary's Broken World series and really enjoyed myself. When I saw that there was another series set in the same world, I knew that I needed to read those books. Once I started listening, I couldn't stop and ended up finishing the book in just a couple of days which is pretty fast for me with a book this length. It is safe to say that I enjoyed this book.

As I mentioned, this book is set in the same world as the Broken World series. I was happily surprised to find that many of the characters that I had grown to love in the first series were back in this book, just twenty years older. I think that readers could start with this book without any issues but readers of the earlier series will have some additional background information that could be helpful.

This book is partially told from Megan's point of view. Megan is Axl and Vivian's daughter and it was really nice to get to see her all grown up and navigating the world as competently as her parents had done in the previous series. Megan's father is missing and her mother isn't dealing with things very well so it is up to Megan to keep things together. She gets a couple of jobs in order to keep the bills paid. One of her jobs is in the entertainment district where she meets a convict fighter named Donaghy. It quickly becomes evident that there is more going on than Megan originally realized. I really liked both Megan and Donaghy's characters and I thought that they made a wonderful pair.

I liked the mystery in this book. The zombies have changed and it seems that there may be a whole mystery around those changes. The CDC was the organization that saved the world from the zombies but it seems they may be involved in a whole lot more. There were a few characters that I spent a lot of time trying to work out their true identities. There was a lot of action in this story to keep things very interesting.

Heather Firth did a great job with the narration of this book. I thought that she did a fantastic job with both the female and male points of view in this story. Her reading helped to bring this story to life by adding a lot of emotion to it. Her pacing was very well done and I found her voice to be very pleasant to listen to for hours at a time.

I would recommend this book to others. I think that this is a very well done story set in an interesting world. I thought that this book had a wonderful combination of action, mystery, and great characters. I cannot wait to start reading the rest of the series.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author.

Initial Thoughts
I loved this! I loved the Broken World series and it was great to check in with all of the characters to see how time has treated them. This book is told from Megan's perspective who was born after the world fell apart. Things aren't looking great for Megan and her family and it was interesting to see the pieces of the puzzle start to come together. I thought that Heather Firth did a good job with the narration. I definitely plan to continue with the series.

[Kelli W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not very good in my opinion. The main character felt very whiny and immature. This series is a continuation of the "Broken World" series, set 20 years later.

I should add that as of this review I also finished the second book in series and it was much better. All the other characters from original series are the main focus in second book. The next book saved the series in my opinion. I will be reading the final book.

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book – Twisted World
Author – Kate L. Mary
Series – Twisted #1
Publication Date – October 18, 2016
Genre – Zombie Apocalypse
Type – Part of Series
Cliffhanger? - Yes
Rating – 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts - Story
I have to let you know that I actually *squeed* and did a happy dance when I received an email from Kate asking to read and review Twisted World!!

I loved her series “Broken World” and jumped at the chance to read more of her imaginative world with zombies and love in the post-apocalyptic world!

And woooo….our old favorites are back in this series too!! What a freakin’ huge plus it is to catch glimpses of my old buddies from “Broken World”….

And the shock factor??? OMG…I just have to say without spoiling it…that I acted like a little child on Xmas morning when a favorite of mine from the Broken World series showed up!

Oh yeah…right – I ‘m supposed to be reviewing Meg and Donaghy’s story.

*DEEP BREATH*

Ms Mary doesn’t disappoint in her spin off novel from the Broken World series with Meg being the PERFECT protagonist in this series and I can’t say enough about Donaghy’s character…these two are perfect together and I found myself sighing constantly at his personality and his back story.

Ms. Mary sucks us back in to this world 20 years after…everyone is safe (well at least from zombies) and life is as normal as it could be. OK…I kinda smoothed that over a bit. There are tons of stuff going on behind the scenes with this colony that I think I would rather be out fighting zombies than fighting each other.

Now, that brings me to the point of why I left off a ½ star…there isn’t much fighting zombies in this book or survival skills in the post-apocalyptic world, but honestly…it didn’t deter me from loving this!

Re-Cap
I can’t give anything away because it would ruin either the Broken World series or this story…so I’ll just say to start at the beginning and continue reading until you get to this book!
Meg’s life isn’t what she believes it is – everything is falling apart after her father disappeared. Friends she thought she had – may be deceiving her and the money is running out in order to survive.

She takes a job at a fighting ring and meets Donaghy, a prisoner on a bit of a work release program.

There is fighting…loving…some more fighting…deception…politics ---- oh, so much more for me to list…so just go pick up the book when it’s live!

Reason for Reading – Author Request
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? DEFINITELY
Recommend To – Zombie Fans who love a bit of romance mixed in!!

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect when I started this audiobook but I was immediately drawn in. The dystopian world is well built. The book is a zombie novel but it’s character driven and those characters are all nicely developed and fleshed out. Meg the main character was likable and relatable. I love Donaghy, the ex-con, zombie cage fighter. There was so much depth and so many layers to him. The plot is well paced and keeps you wanting more. It’s unique and has quite a few twists to it. The end left me dying for the next book. Overall this is a solid start to the series. I’m eager to continue with it and will likely go back and read the series that came prior to it. 4 stars.

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

I actually didn’t even read the synopsis of this book before I started reading it. I just knew that it took place twenty years after my adored Broken World series ended and that Kate L. Mary wrote it. That was pretty much all I needed to know in order to decide to read it. So, I was delightfully surprised to discover that this new series is told from Meg’s perspective, adopted daughter of Vivian and Axl (birth daughter of Hailey and Jon).

Unfortunately, despite Angus’s sacrifice in the Broken World series, the zombie apocalypse was not quite thwarted. Sure, when this book starts, things have gotten a little better, and hope is certainly on the horizon, but the miracle cure that everyone was hoping for wasn’t as completely miraculous as everyone had believed it would be. When this book starts off, we see that the fortified city in Atlanta (where the CDC is housed) is becoming overpopulated and overrun, but it’s still not safe to leave the walled cities, so people crowd in anyway. Meg has lived a somewhat charmed life because of her status as the niece of the “savior” (Angus, who is now actually worshipped in many ways), but when the book starts we see that her somewhat sheltered life is starting to fall apart. We find out that Axl is missing and Vivian seems to have gone slightly crazy with the pressures of it all.

I LOVED seeing the situation twenty years after Broken World ended, even if the world wasn’t as rosy as I had imagined it to be. At first, I was very nervous that Mary had destroyed Vivian, a beloved character, but it became evident as the book went on that something was amiss—and that we needed to give poor Vivian the benefit of the doubt. Most of our other old friends were involved in this story as well, though most of the action centered around Meg and other new characters. There were LOTS of twists and turns in this book, and plenty of mysteries for Meg to try to sort out—a few of those I had ferreted out ahead of time, but there were some definite surprises.

I was completely invested in Meg’s story and in the romance between her and Donaghy, who was a bit rough around the edges (but understandably so, considering the world he was living in). My one and only complaint about the book is that it ends pretty much mid-action on a major cliffhanger. I’m not a fan of books that end this way because it feels like you get an unfinished story arc. (I don’t mind cliffhangers when there’s a natural ending to the book’s arc and then something that happens to propel us into the next book, but this didn’t really work that way. It did, however, end with some interesting surprises.)

Kate L. Mary has written another winner, and I’m eager to find out what she has in store for us with the next installment. I give this book 4/5 Stars.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensley.Having read and loved the Broken World series it was a real treat to delve back into that world.Yet this book could be read and enjoyed as a standalone story.I have always wondered what would happen after the initial zombie apocalypse, and this is a great story about the possible future.We meet new characters and are able to enjoy the familiarity of characters from the Broken World books.I can't wait to see what book two holds for these survivors futures.The narrator has a pleasant voice and does a good job portraying the story.I purchased the ebook,but received an audible copy from the author for review.

[Gail Ritter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Kate L. Mary:

Write faster !!!!!!!

Thank you very much!

[Vettech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted is a very appropriate title for this extension series to the Broken World series. In Twisted World we travel twenty years into the future. Some of our favorite characters have pasted on while others are now grown up or aged gracefully. We get to see Megan come of age in this first book and come to find out that risking their lives to get to Atlanta and the CDC wasn't such a great idea after all. In New Atlanta a whole new crazy environment run by some pretty sick tickets are in charge. Giving our group a false sense of security. Could they really have been better off "out there" with the undead?

Author Kate L. Mary just keep bringing us even better tales of what it could be like if the dead came back after dying from a terrible man-made virus! This was such great fun to read, can't wait for the next book!

[Melissa Levine · Rating 3 out of 5]

At I state in most of my reviews, I’ve listened to or read many stories by Kate L. Mary. The majority I’ve loved. The last couple not so much. I’m thinking I’ve stuck with her too long, like going through one book after another with no other authors in between, so little similarities are being caught by my brain, which results in me getting annoyed. I still have books 2 and 3 in this series and then “Moon Child” book 3 that I need to listen to/read. Yeah…

I think the worst part of this story was the fact the “Gray Man” was never a mystery character, at least to me. I mean, given everything going on, the rumors of Angus still being alive… A random older man shows up and repeatedly helps Meg… Yet, it isn’t until years later that this mystery man is revealed. I think the author dragged that out way too long.

I really wasn’t a fan of Meg. She annoyed me because she came across as a stupid character, like she did a lot of questionable things (for example, never bringing up her mother’s drugged-out-like situation or the issues with the water to anyone else). Other issues will be brought up later in this review.

This is the second time I’ve listened to a book by this narrator (by the same author). Overall, she does a great job. It’s just there are a lot of times when she pronounces a word exactly how it’s spelled – meaning it doesn’t sound natural. The most annoying of words is “tightened.” In reality, tightened doesn’t seem like a word that would be used that frequently in a story, but it is in this one! It’s such a random verb that most people probably wouldn’t even notice her pronunciation of it, but I do. She says it as “ti-tenned.” I also noticed several times when the narrator was using a side character’s voice (during both Meg and Donahue’s POVs) and continued to use it with the narrative part of the story.

Questions/Comments:

When Meg and Donahue are talking about her theory, how was it far-fetched? The govt taking over… they’d already taken her uncle, why not her sister and father? It made total sense to me.

Annoyance #1: I swear the majority of Kate L. Mary’s book has a character (repeatedly) have the hair on their scalp prickle. I admit I get goosebumps all the time! But rarely does it occur on my head. Just saying. This is just one of the random things that stick in my brain.

Annoyance #2: Similar to the “prickled scalp” comment, here’s another female character that constantly chews on her lips.

Annoyance #3: How many times does Dragon’s missing teeth, dark gap need to be brought up as though each time it’s said is the first time? It seemed just about every time Dragon was in the scene talking, his lack of teeth was mentioned.

Annoyance #4: Ticker constantly staring at her chest and it talked about for a good while… I was over that the first time it was said.

Annoyance #5: We get it! Helen smokes a lot! Why when Helen’s smoking do both Meg and Donahue describe it as her sucking in a mouthful of chemicals or her swallowing chemicals? It’s strange given they never said it out loud or while together.

Questionable detail #1: When Meg starts working at Dragon’s Lair, she wears a dress that is two inches passed her butt, leaving her knife to “peek” out. How tiny is her knife to where only a tiny bit is seen given how short the dress it?

Questionable detail #2: I found it strange that prior to Donahue and Meg’s first kiss, he’d brought up the fact she’d almost been raped, yet she was still all eager to make out with him. Like there were no negative emotions brought upon her part, except horniness. The fact this same thing happened twice in one book, hard to believe? Meg is again almost raped, but the very next day she has sex with Donahue. She wasn’t traumatized at all?

Questionable detail #3: Meg’s mom tells her about the dream where Angus showed up (the first one). She tells Meg that it’s like something was missing in her life. How about her family member Angus? Such a strange comment.

Questionable detail #4: Why does Meg refer to Angus as being a loud-mouth asshole? Did I miss something? I swear whenever his name was brought up prior, it was in a positive light.

Questionable detail #5: Meg ends up retelling the whole story involving her sister Margo to Donahue. Why? She said it the second time as though she’d never told him about it before.

Questionable detail #6: Meg thinks the best way to gain Jackson’s trust is to kiss him…something she’s never done. Right…

Questionable detail #7: After their kiss, Jackson tells Meg that they’re bringing in newer, better zombies for Donahue to fight and then tells her to wish him luck. Yet when Meg relays this info to Donahue she only mentions the “good luck” part. Then seems surprised when he tells her about the new zombie that was brought in.

Questionable detail #8: When Meg started at Dragon’s Lair, we’re told she carries a knife with her. Yet, on two separate occurrences, when she’s about to get raped, she never once goes for it. Yet, later on, she describes the knife as being insignificant. Maybe you should have used it! Or at least attempted to use it. Either way, prior to her getting the gun, why after her first attack and knowing people were out to get her did she not automatically carry it?

I received a free audiobook code for this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! That was amazing. Kate Mary does it again. I cannot wait for the next book. This is killing me!!! 5 Stars!

[Carly Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was upset that it had been 20 years since the previous series.... but the way the story moved along won me over.... (spoilers) Then I wasn't happy that Vivian had so lost it completely over Axl, so realizing she was being drugged into that state was a big relief. There were a few twists that I saw coming and one I thought I had figured out that surprised me. All in all I'm very much looking forward to the next book, just wishing it was already out.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

20 years later and it's still broken.......

Read my full take here: Twisted World

[Aleisha Clark]

loved it! can't wait for more!

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"Crumbling buildings and broken lives."
Twisted World is this reader's first encounter with books by author Kate L.May, It is also the first part of a serial continuation of the Broken World novels, and set some twenty years after the conclusion of the last book in that series. It is not necessary to have read any of the earlier books: although some of the older characters are revisited, many of the protagonists are new and they are all now living in New Atlanta, a fortified city protecting the inhabitants from the still pervasive zombies groups outside. How had they survived for two decades? That just one of the mysteries which engages our new characters.

Intended to be a new beginning of hope for the original survivors New Atlanta, and the others like it, has failed to bring the Democratic haven that was promised. In the intervening twenty years, the virus has But after and periodic outbursts of flu devastate the population on average every five or so years. Whilst some of the citizens are comfortable, many more live in filth and poverty. Megan James has been one of the lucky ones, protected by her family name, but with the recent death of her adoptive father and her mother's descent into saddened grief, she needs to get work to maintain their apartment and finds it as a waitress in a bar. Donating is not so fortunate. Previously arrested, he tours the settlements with a two guard escort, fighting zombies for the amusement of a paying audience and one of the fight arenas is in the same bar at which Mayan gets a job. The story is told from the alternating first person perspective of these two characters. Narration is by Heather Firth, who does a stalwart job performing all characters with distinctive and appropriate voice. However, this was made decidedly more difficult for her given that one of the two story tellers is male. Ms.Fifth does well to give the impression of a more masculine timbre but perhaps a dual male and female narration would have been better employed here.

Although a zombie story, these living dead play only a peripheral background role to the emotional tale of friendship, betrayal, family secrets, loss and love, political shenanigans, deaths and downright evil combined with a romance which is Twisted World. It is a story which holds the reader tight (even if the desire to shake a character briskly and tell them to use their wits sometimes erupts) until the sudden disconcerting ending: to be continued! If course this reader wants to have it all nicely tied up so that means getting book two, Twisted Memories.

I was fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of Twisted World, by the rights holder, following my request via Audiobook Boom. Thank you. I did enjoy the book, the characters were growing in personality and a reality which created an empathy for them, even if they did sometimes seem to act totally irrationally - but then, who doesn't, sometimes? And, as previously mentioned, I will be moving on to book two in the series. For those who enjoy dystopian stories, especially those involving zombies, this book is recommended. Reader, beware, however. This story is incomplete, ending on a cliffhanger.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted World in the first novel in the brand new series, Twisted by a very favorite author. Twisted World is like a spin-off from Kate’s Broken World Series. Twisted World takes place twenty years after a virus has swept through the nation killing almost everyone in its wake leaving behind a world filled with the undead or zombies. The zombies are still walking around after twenty years. You would think that the survivors would have taken care of this zombie problem by now but unfortunately, they are still walking around.

Twisted World brings back some of our favorite characters from the Broken World series but its main focus is the next generation. We still have Vivian with us from Broken World but Axl is not. Poor Vivian is having the worst time of getting over Axl. She doesn’t work any longer, She doesn’t even step foot outside.

Meg one of our main characters from Twisted World and Vivian’s daughter is doing everything she can to keep them afloat but it is very hard all by herself. They are in danger of losing their apartment. They live in an apartment in Atlanta inside the walls. Living inside the walls is like living in luxury especially compared to living outside the walls.

With no other options, Meg finds a job working at this place where zombies are brought in for entertainment. The prisons are becoming over crowed and in order to thin out the population, prisoners are given the choice to fight a zombie for their freedom.

Meg receives an anonymous letter, its contents lead her to wonder if her father, Axl may still alive and if what happened to her Uncle Angus could have happened to him. With the help of a man, she meets at the fighting ring where she works she starts searching for her father. Something is happening to the zombies. They are changing. Why are they changing? Who is responsible for this change? Has the virus mutated?

Twisted World leads you on one long twist that keeps on turning and turning and twisting as the story progresses and it reveals its secrets one at a time and the tension builds as Meg takes you on one dark road after another. Twisted World is filled with one surprising twist after another, that kept me hooked page after page.

Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down until I had read the last word. I just had to know how it all turned out. I can’t wait to dive into the next book in the Twisted series, Twisted Memories to see what comes next.

I highly recommend Twisted World to all those zombie fans out there who just can’t seem to get enough of this world. For a better more enjoyable experience I do suggest that you read the Broken World series before reading Twisted World but it is not required. Love zombies? Yeah, well then I guess your best bet is to start one-clicking your copies of this zombie-infested world, that is Twisted World and Broken World series today!

[Scarlet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book via a promo code and this is my voluntary review. Okay, so I found this series after having devoured the Oklahoma Wastelands series (Which based on the time period I'm guessing is set a few years prior to this story happening) I know this series is an off-shoot of the broken world series and this story centres around Meg, the adoptive daughter of Axl and Vivian from that story, but I haven't followed it yet, just jumped right in with Regan and Kellan's series first. Anyhoo.... where to start? Regans group runs into trouble with a CDC hunter looking for those immune to the zombie virus but we never got to see what happened in New Atlanta hence the reason I loved this book so much, we are following the neice of the holy Angus James, the first known immune human to the zombie virus, he died about 20 years before Meg was born, or so she was told. Her dad's just gone missing and her situation keeps getting more and more desperate as her best friend Jackson pressures her into developing their relationship into something deeper, bringing out sides of his personality that frighten her. To keep a roof over their heads since her Mother is physically present but checked out she takes up a second job in a night club in New Atlanta... here she meets a prisoner of the new government whose forced to battle zombies gladiator style to earn another day of his life. Donaghy saves her from an attack and since then keeps getting embroiled in the mystery surrounding the misfortunes befalling Meg. Conspiracy theories start not to sound so strange when several attempts are made on her life and Jackson becomes increasingly unhinged (He has his own short Novella Twisted Mind which I seriously reccommend following up on before moving onto Twisted Memories) Romance blossoms, Meg falls for the D... Donaghy and gets help from her new boss Dragon in chasing down the clues to find her father Axl. This book ends on a cliff hanger but in an awesome way that leaves you eager to hear the rest of the story. I reccommend getting the boxset or getting all of them at once to avoid missing out on the pace of the story. I devoured this in rapid succession to the entire Oklahoma Wasteland series also narrated by Heather Firth in under 2 days and I'm moving onto Twisted Mind, then Twisted Memories followed by Twisted Fate and I've enjoyed Kate L Marys zombie universe so much I'll be going back to its origins and starting the Broken World Saga from the beginning of Angus James first bite.

[Tina G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted World: A Broken World Novel (Twisted, Book #1) by Kate L. Mary and narrated by Heather Firth is a chilling zombie tale of humanity at its worst. I recommend this book if you enjoy darker stories or are a fan of zombie/post-apocalyptic books.

Twisted World is a dark book with bad people doing bad things while a small group of good people try to do better/survive. The world now contains settlements where the non-infected live, some sanctioned, some unsanctioned. Corruption runs deep. Meg meets Donaghy while he is fighting zombies in a cage for his freedom from prison. Family, old friendships, and new friendships come into play. It will keep you on the edge of your seat- I couldn’t stop listening. The viewpoints switch between Meg and Donaghy (not confusing and straight forward). Despite this being the first book I’ve listened to by the author, I had no problems knowing who was who/what was going on (my understanding that this is a spin off from a previous series). I anticipate the next books in the series will be exceptional.

Some may not be happy with the cliffhanger ending, but good news- the other books in the series are out, so quit your complaining.

The narrator, Heather Firth, did a great job with this one. Transitions were easy and voices great. Would definitely try another of hers.

I have not read/listened to Kate or Heather’s books before and I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to the rest of the series. Overall, I recommend, especially if you are a fan of zombies/post-apocalyptic books.

Parental guidance/trigger warnings: religious fanatics, multiple rape scenarios (attempted rape multiple times, talk about a girl’s previous rape), some swearing, drinking, death (this has zombies in it, so use your imagination), knifes, guns, sex (not graphic), and experiments done on people. As I’ve stated before, this is a darker book meaning it contains darker themes. This is not for the faint of heart.

*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you for allowing me to listen and review the book!

[Shayay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the premise! The writing was great, and the whole story was entertaining and interesting.

I listened to the audio, and the narrator did an amazing job. I'd recommend the listening experience if you have the chance. She has a strong smooth voice. This book has 2 POV's; one female and one male, she did a good job with both. This is the first book I've read by Kate L. Mary, and it won't be my last.

I loved the dystopian world, and I love zombies! I actually would've loved more zombie action. Twisted World mainly shows how people can be the true danger in a zombie apocalypse. Meg's life has taken a turn for the worse. Her father is missing and presumed dead, her mother is acting crazy, and there's tons of secrets she is unaware of. There's people in Meg's life that can't be trusted, and she finds herself in a very dangerous situation as she digs for the truth. I liked Meg, but she can definitely be frustrating. She's they type that needs things spelled out for her, and even then she doesn't get it at times. She's bad at reading people; she's not observant, and she overreacts. I figured since she's 20 years old, and there have always been zombies since she was born, that she would've been a little more tough. She should've had self-defense training, but it seems that she grew up in a bubble of sorts. She should've put things together a lot quicker than she did. She does have her moments though, so I still liked her. There is a bit of romance, which I loved. Donaghy is great, and I loved the fighter angle. I enjoyed the connection between Meg and Him. I found the whole story very engaging, and I wanted to keep listening. This does have a cliffhanger ending, and it looks like the next book is a different POV and sort of a prequel, so I'm a little disappointed with that. It looks like it's back to Meg's POV after that though, so I look forward to getting the rest of Meg's story. Wonderfully entertaining story!

[Courtney Odor · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, I have to state that this book was given to me for free in exchange for a review.
I always like to state that this does not impact my review or my opinion of the book. My reviews are honest and my own opinion of the story, performance, and overall thoughts on the book.

I read another book by this author and the narrator threw me off, this one was MUCH better.

Great potential spoiled by shotgun delivery and egregiously bad editing.

The story is in some ways the opposite from those currently in vogue, with unforeseen twists; I liked the way Kate Mary has done this so that the reader knows more than the two narrators, Megan, and fierce convict and fighter, Donaghy. It really works, as gradually they begin to piece together what we can already see, and Megan finds out some of the stuff we read about in the previous series. There's plenty of new intrigues to keep those pages turning, too!

I guessed the identity of the mysterious gray man immediately, but it didn't spoil it for me at all (and I was wrong about Glitter!). I liked the brief inclusion of one of my favorite characters from Broken World, Jim; he said what I was just thinking, ie, that the survivors' old homes in Colorado had been, on the face of it, more basic and more dangerous, but seem like paradise in retrospect, when compared with the dark and depressing new civilization. I loved seeing all the old gang together at the end, but I shall say no more for fear of 'spoilers'.

Some may not be happy with the cliffhanger ending.

The narrator, Heather Firth, did a great job with this one. Transitions were easy and voice great. Would definitely try another of hers.
I have not read/listened to Kate or Heather’s books before and I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to the rest of the series. Overall, I recommend, especially if you are a fan of zombies/post-apocalyptic books.

[Amber Bedgood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Megan James is a young adult, raised in a post apocalyptic Atlanta, Georgia. A virus, having wiped out much of the world's population, is being researched by what's left of the CDC. The James family is notorious for being comprised of some immune members of which the CDC is very interested in. Meg having been adopted into the family as a baby, nevertheless must face the ramifications of that notoriety. Her father goes missing, mom goes crazy or into a catatonic shock from losing her husband and Meg must do all in her power to take care of them both. Her best friend just happens to be the city officials son and a guy with a troubling reputation. He wants her, but the feelings are reciprocated. She thinks its just a matter of an innocent crush where it might be more sinister than that.

The city is made up of the upper class living in select apartments and a whole slum district surrounded by walls that keep the viral infected zombies out. Meg's family is lucky having an apartment but she must get her hands dirty in the slums and outside the walls and in the entertainment district to make ends meet when her mother refuses to work and becomes a catatonic recluse. At her new job bartending at a sleazy fighters club, she meets Donaghy, a convict fighting for his chance on a work/release program in prison.

Unlikely allies are made and truths uncovered all the while Meg starts making enemies and ruffling the wrong feathers. The end leaves you hanging for book two with just enough wrap up to satisfy you but coming back for more.

Great narrator. Only a few hints of a Canadian accent here and there. Very pleasant to listen to with all the voices. On to the next book!

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I did not read the Broken World series, but I’m going to have to because I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It begins 20 years after the zombie apocalypse, so I was curious what the world would be like after so many years. Would her post-apocalyptic world be anything like The Walking Dead?

Meg’s adopted father is missing, presumed dead, and her adopted mother is acting crazy. She gets 2 jobs in order to pay the bills and keep the apartment she and her mom are living in. The first job working on a clean up crew is dangerous enough. Her second job is working as a cocktail waitress on the seedy entertainment district. Who knew she’d meet Donaghy, a man she’s falling in love with quickly?

Then there’s Jackson. Meg has known him since he saved her and he expects her to return his feelings, but she’ll never think of him as more than a friend. And is he really a friend? He sure doesn’t act like it sometimes…

Obviously, there’s a lot going on in Twisted World and once I started listening to it, it was difficult to stop. There’s suspense, danger, and a touch of romance. What else could you ask for? I’m already listening to the next book, Twisted Memories, which tells how things got to where they are now. It’s good, but I want to know what happens after Twisted World!

If you like post-apocalyptic stories, this is definitely worth your time. It’s more about the characters within the walls of Atlanta and the zombies outside the walls are just a part of life.

[Nicole Dunton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg has learned to live in a world forever altered by a virus that turned many people into horrible monsters. She has lost many people in life and now she may be losing her mother too. Her mother seems to be losing touch with reality more and more each day. Donaghy is a prisoner. He was arrested for defending his sister by almost killing the person who attacked her. He's accepted his fate as being forced to live his life fighting zombies for other's entertainment until he meets Meg.

I have never really been a fan of the Zombie fanatics. I won't go as far as to say I hate it. I don't. It has just never been my thing. I don't see it as something that would really interest me. And yet here I am gushing over this book. Here I am looking to find a way to get the next book! It's amazing. I love it and can't wait to see where it goes from here.

There's only one real big issue I had with this story. There was a smoker in the story. How do I know this? Because every time she was in the narration and that she was spoken it was brought up. A lot. In a very negative way. I get that smoking is bad. I get what smoking does to you. I quit smoking. But the very opinionated descriptions of the smoking got very redundant and annoying very quickly.

This was overall a very good story. I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Especially with my stance on Zombie movies and books. It had a very unique twist to it that I enjoyed a lot. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. It's amazing!

[Bikram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had requested and received audiobook version of this book for free from the narrator / author / publisher, in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is apparently starting a new series named "Twisted" as a continuation of the author's earlier Broken World series. I was skeptical whether I will be able to understand what was going on in this book, since a lot must've happened in the 7 books in the previous series. Fear not. Even if you haven't read the previous series, starting from this series is fine. You won't be lost. You can read this book as a fresh start of a Post-Apocalyptic world story and think of the Broken World series as a prequel.

This is a very engrossing book and kept me captivated throughout. I wanted to listen to it in one sitting, but 12 hours.... I had to listen to it over 3 days. The book spends some initial chapters on introducing the characters and plotting their back stories. And once the story takes off, it doesn't plummet. The twists n turns, the suspense and the revelations of the "real" monsters... everything is well timed.

The narration was perfect match for the story. All characters had a distinct voice and I had no issues identifying one from another.

Get this book.

[Mv · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical zombie story. Audible’s synopsis is pretty thorough. I can’t say without divulging too much, but we learn there are politics and scientific motivations. The story is centered around the CDC and two main families. One is Meg and her mom, they are barely hanging on to support themselves, yet, their name and status in the community helps protect them. The other is Megs best friend and his father who is the political leader. As Meg learns more about her other family members, the possible fate of her father, and her relationship with her friend evolves, things become more dangerous for them all. The book is not a stand alone, it does end with an obvious lead into the next book.

This is the first book I’ve read/ listened to by this author. I’d love to get the next book to learn what happens. The characters are well written and the story engaging. It held my interest until the end.

This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator (Heather Firth) and I would listen to another. All the characters had individual voices and their personalities came out in the narration.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review

[buzy_reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by Heather Firth. Heather is the voice of all characters. She has a nice tone to her voice. Her vocal style matched the female character roles. Heather’s voice is appropriate casted to portray the female characters. However, Heather’s voice doesn’t portray the male character voices with that deep ember that a man can. Dual narration would be preferable.

A plan twenty years in the making. A settlement controlled by one man. Inside the walls the living are separated by walls from the zombies. Outside the walls the disease continue to turn any unprotected humans. The virus has mutated and progressed over the years.

Meg and Jackson are products of a new generation. They never knew what life was like outside the walls. They are aware of the other settlements in other states, but traveling between them must be approved by the regulator.

Character driven story about the survivors living in New Atlanta. Living in a false reality. Since this is a character driven story it’s a lot for one narrator to perform. It really needed a male narrator to take on the male characters voices.

I found the characters entertaining and the storyline plausible.

[Emily Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted World is another wonderful post apocalypse novel by Mary. Twenty years after the world ended, Mary brings some new faces into her newly established world of New Atlanta. Our band of survivors have called this place home and added a few more faces to their gang as they've had children and prospered.

Megan, Hadley and Jon's daughter is now grown up and navigating a new threat. The one that exists inside the walls. As she feels her way through this new world, she relies on her aunt's and uncles to help her through.

You don't necessarily have to read all of Broken World series to follow along, but I really recommend it. Mary weaves an unbelievable tale that you'll miss the tiny details that will make this novel by not reading it's preceding series.

Twisted Memories is another wonder tale by Mary. These characters new and old have a way of getting under your skin. Mary is an impeccable storyteller and although I'm several novels in at this point her story has yet to feel repetitive.

If you are looking for an exceptional series I highly recommend this one.

[bluepits73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this book.
This was my first time reading or listening to a story that featured Zombies, and I loved it! It has new adult romance components but they're really only a part of it. The whole book was intriguing and I really enjoyed the world building as well as these characters. Fascinating listen for sure! 

I have listened to Heather Firth before and I have really enjoyed her performances; this performance was just as excellent as the others others. What impressed me the most was how different she made herself sound for these characters. I probably wouldn't have known it was her narrating if it didn't say her name in the narrated by line. To me it shows that she has a wide range of voices and we also see it in her voice differentiation for every character. She really captured the overall feel of the story in this performance.

I received a review copy at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.

[Amber Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!!!

At first I was so upset that The Broken World series ended with book 7 the way it did and there was this whole Twisted series going on. I wanted answers from where things left off. Then I got further and further in the book and some were answered. Then more and more questions came from the answers!!! I love how Megan is a survivor, just like both sets of her parents. I'm loving This 20 year time jump and catching up with the main characters from The Broken World series. It was heart breaking that not all of them made it, but realistically it makes sense. I am so glad book 2 is already written, because I am starting it right away. Kate L Mary was devious with the clues she put out there, but in a good way. I definitely recommend you read this series, but after you read The Broken World series. Trust me, you won't regret it.

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted World: A Broken Worls Novel: Twisted Book One was a great read by Kate L. Mary. The world's population has been ravaged by a deadly virus that spread twenty years ago. Many people had died and came back as zombies. Megan is a product of two survivors that crossed the country to go to Atlanta for a real future twenty years ago. Meg's father has now vanished and they unfortunately presume that he is dead and her mom has began to lose it. Meg just wants to be safe but Atlanta isn't as safe as everyone believed. She gets a job at a club where she meets Donaghy, a convict fighter. Their path's crossed and now he can't turn his back on her. Meg is faced with the reality that her father may be alive and her father may be alive. Her and Donaghy search for the truth. I loved reading this book and can't wait to read more in this series.