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The Infidel Books #1
The Divided Nation
WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.
Three years after the USA 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the Second Civil War is raging. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful gang lord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy and rise to dictatorship. But to kill his father, West must play the role of the prodigal son.
When George wants West and his crew to kidnap the mayor’s daughter to hold hostage against the Union's general, West must rise to the occasion... and get the girl home alive once the game is over. If West fails, his father will learn of his treachery and an innocent girl will die.
If you love post-apocalyptic thrillers and want a fast-paced and gritty adventure, grab The Divided Nation and follow West into the Second Civil War.
Three years after the USA 2024 presidential election and the declaration of martial law, the Second Civil War is raging. West Johnston, heir to the most powerful gang lord in the country, refuses to continue the family legacy and rise to dictatorship. But to kill his father, West must play the role of the prodigal son.
When George wants West and his crew to kidnap the mayor’s daughter to hold hostage against the Union's general, West must rise to the occasion... and get the girl home alive once the game is over. If West fails, his father will learn of his treachery and an innocent girl will die.
If you love post-apocalyptic thrillers and want a fast-paced and gritty adventure, grab The Divided Nation and follow West into the Second Civil War.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
6 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Angela R. Watts
57 books233 followersANGELA R. WATTS is the bestselling and award-nominated author of The Infidel Books and the Remnant Trilogy. She’s been writing stories since she was little, and has over 28 works published. She also writes articles for a few magazines and publishers. When she’s not writing, Angela is a freelance editor, blogger, anime-lover, and artist. She lives in Tennessee with her family and many pets. Angela loves connecting with readers, and you can follow her on social media to stay up-to-date with releases, or contact her through her website. angelarwatts.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 17, 2019
If you know me, you know an important truth about me: I am extremely stingy with my 5-star review.
So that should say something about this book in and of itself.
The characters are the first point I'd like to mention. West, Alex, Gideon, Jack, Simon, Nate, Ed, Ty, Rene', Spencer...so many broken boys (and our one broken girl) and their lives are so compelling and so heartbreaking and so REAL. I know I'm forgetting some and there are a TON of bois in this story so I won't try to mention every last one of them, but I adore them all. I didn't have trouble remembering ANYBODY, and the whole thing is just so beautifully woven and emotional and just AGHHHH. I live for characters like this--real, broken, struggling, and ultimately, beautiful.
There are so many plot threads and POVs and struggles and deaths that it can all get to be a bit much, but I never found the content levels to be TOO much for me (although I understand that this is a place that will vary from reader to reader, and I will list some of the content at the bottom of the review ;)) There's real darkness in the world. It's a fallen place, and if we leave our world in the hands of sinful man, we're going to screw it up. That's just the truth. Angela doesn't shy away from that truth at all and I appreciate it. Immensely. <3
Descriptions: A+.
Emotion levels: A+
Fight scenes: A+
Grittiness: A+
Everything: PERFECTION.
Overall, I absolutely adore this book. ADORE. I need a sequel, please and thanks, Ang. <3
CONTENT
Language: some mild but real, written out cussing (d-word, h-word, a couple of others, but at about that level throughout. Things worse than that aren't written down.)
Sex: one very chaste romantic thread that doesn't really come to much in this book (but hey, I need it to be more in the sequel, thanks). This book doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of sex trafficking and slavery, so there's mentions of what goes on there as well as plenty of implied stuff, but nothing toooo graphic. I think that would be the best way to describe everything in this book: real, but not graphic. There is one scene where a young boy is rescued from a house full of older men, and it's implied that something was going on there, but not depicted. That's probably the most graphic scene in the book.
Violence: People get shot, there are wars, these guys are all gangsters, and it's not particularly tame. Torture sequences and poison galore are in this book, and it's all pretty intense, so...yeah. xD I didn't find it too much but I also have a tolerance for that sort of thing when it's written like this.
Other stuff: There's some drinking and stuff but the main characters don't do it much, and it's depicted as bad when it does happen. Overall just a lot of intensity, some violence that borders on graphic, and sexual content that is not graphic but is real and will probably make some people uncomfortable. NEVER depicted as good when it does, though.
Five stars, and GIVE ME BOOK TWO NOW ANGELA
So that should say something about this book in and of itself.
The characters are the first point I'd like to mention. West, Alex, Gideon, Jack, Simon, Nate, Ed, Ty, Rene', Spencer...so many broken boys (and our one broken girl) and their lives are so compelling and so heartbreaking and so REAL. I know I'm forgetting some and there are a TON of bois in this story so I won't try to mention every last one of them, but I adore them all. I didn't have trouble remembering ANYBODY, and the whole thing is just so beautifully woven and emotional and just AGHHHH. I live for characters like this--real, broken, struggling, and ultimately, beautiful.
There are so many plot threads and POVs and struggles and deaths that it can all get to be a bit much, but I never found the content levels to be TOO much for me (although I understand that this is a place that will vary from reader to reader, and I will list some of the content at the bottom of the review ;)) There's real darkness in the world. It's a fallen place, and if we leave our world in the hands of sinful man, we're going to screw it up. That's just the truth. Angela doesn't shy away from that truth at all and I appreciate it. Immensely. <3
Descriptions: A+.
Emotion levels: A+
Fight scenes: A+
Grittiness: A+
Everything: PERFECTION.
Overall, I absolutely adore this book. ADORE. I need a sequel, please and thanks, Ang. <3
CONTENT
Language: some mild but real, written out cussing (d-word, h-word, a couple of others, but at about that level throughout. Things worse than that aren't written down.)
Sex: one very chaste romantic thread that doesn't really come to much in this book (but hey, I need it to be more in the sequel, thanks). This book doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of sex trafficking and slavery, so there's mentions of what goes on there as well as plenty of implied stuff, but nothing toooo graphic. I think that would be the best way to describe everything in this book: real, but not graphic. There is one scene where a young boy is rescued from a house full of older men, and it's implied that something was going on there, but not depicted. That's probably the most graphic scene in the book.
Violence: People get shot, there are wars, these guys are all gangsters, and it's not particularly tame. Torture sequences and poison galore are in this book, and it's all pretty intense, so...yeah. xD I didn't find it too much but I also have a tolerance for that sort of thing when it's written like this.
Other stuff: There's some drinking and stuff but the main characters don't do it much, and it's depicted as bad when it does happen. Overall just a lot of intensity, some violence that borders on graphic, and sexual content that is not graphic but is real and will probably make some people uncomfortable. NEVER depicted as good when it does, though.
Five stars, and GIVE ME BOOK TWO NOW ANGELA
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July 31, 2019This novel comes out August 13th!
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August 13, 2019Wow. I’m still trying to absorb all that.
I stick with my first observation. This book is horrifying. The thing is, it tackles some very real issues that can’t be brushed aside. It’s horrifying in a way that was so realistic is made me squirm. Which means it's pretty impressive writing!
I’m going to be honest. While Angela is an amazing person and author, this book wouldn’t have been my usual cup of tea. I don’t recommend it to the sensitive or young reader. It’s SO intense, and it addresses some dark aspects of this fallen world we live in.
Of course, it did sprinkle some hope throughout the story and pages. There were characters who showed unimaginable strength and courage to protect their own and to fight for justice. Hardened warriors who stopped to show compassion at their own risk. And faith and hope even when things turned out awful. But none of it was cheesy or unbelievable or unrealistic.
The setting was always very vivid in my mind. However, to me, it felt slightly too near in the future. I can see these events happening, but in only 4 years? Maybe. I supposed that’s dystopian, though, and personal guessing. :)
My favorite part of this book was the brotherhood. The loyalty and love and fierce commitment the characters had to each other. There was only one female in this large cast of characters, and the brotherhood between all of these hardened warriors who had seen and done unspeakable things was beautiful.
I did have a hard time keeping track of who was who for most of the book, but the characters and their friendships were incredible. They would die for each other. They would kill for each other. They would fight a war for each other, even if the war meant nothing to them personally. I still find myself thinking about the characters, wondering what is going to happen next.
Content Warnings:
Like I said, this is not for the faint of heart. There’s physical and phycological torture. There’s a whole lot of blood. There’s punching a man to death. There’s a whole lot of shooting and explosions. I mean, it *is* a civil war after all. There’s poisoning. There’s vomiting. There’s rape. (A thought about the rape part — that was the part that hit me hardest. One young boy was raped by a man. It wasn’t on screen, but it almost was. The immediate after-effects were vividly portrayed.) There was one slight romance, but it was only a slightly subplot, and there was no physical affection outside of hugs.
I stick with my first observation. This book is horrifying. The thing is, it tackles some very real issues that can’t be brushed aside. It’s horrifying in a way that was so realistic is made me squirm. Which means it's pretty impressive writing!
I’m going to be honest. While Angela is an amazing person and author, this book wouldn’t have been my usual cup of tea. I don’t recommend it to the sensitive or young reader. It’s SO intense, and it addresses some dark aspects of this fallen world we live in.
Of course, it did sprinkle some hope throughout the story and pages. There were characters who showed unimaginable strength and courage to protect their own and to fight for justice. Hardened warriors who stopped to show compassion at their own risk. And faith and hope even when things turned out awful. But none of it was cheesy or unbelievable or unrealistic.
The setting was always very vivid in my mind. However, to me, it felt slightly too near in the future. I can see these events happening, but in only 4 years? Maybe. I supposed that’s dystopian, though, and personal guessing. :)
My favorite part of this book was the brotherhood. The loyalty and love and fierce commitment the characters had to each other. There was only one female in this large cast of characters, and the brotherhood between all of these hardened warriors who had seen and done unspeakable things was beautiful.
I did have a hard time keeping track of who was who for most of the book, but the characters and their friendships were incredible. They would die for each other. They would kill for each other. They would fight a war for each other, even if the war meant nothing to them personally. I still find myself thinking about the characters, wondering what is going to happen next.
Content Warnings:
Like I said, this is not for the faint of heart. There’s physical and phycological torture. There’s a whole lot of blood. There’s punching a man to death. There’s a whole lot of shooting and explosions. I mean, it *is* a civil war after all. There’s poisoning. There’s vomiting. There’s rape. (A thought about the rape part — that was the part that hit me hardest. One young boy was raped by a man. It wasn’t on screen, but it almost was. The immediate after-effects were vividly portrayed.) There was one slight romance, but it was only a slightly subplot, and there was no physical affection outside of hugs.
August 18, 2019
I'm not sure I'm ready for this review, but I might as well do my best.
This book is by no means a "delightful" read. Rather, it's real and raw and heavy and gritty and takes a definite plunge into darkness. But out of the darkness there comes light. That is how I would define this book-- because Angela Watts did an amazing job showing that even under the ugliest, dirtiest layers of rock and grime and dust, you can still find a gemstone that, when polished and cut and brought into light, can reflect a dazzling array of beauty.
Granted, in this book, they still have a long way to go, even as diamonds in the rough. Literally all of the main characters are males in the same gang, with the exception of one girl. There is death and sorrow and horror and bloodshed. Torture, human-trafficking, and rape are all presented, and although we don't see any of it on-screen (shudder) we read about the trauma and the nightmares that result. These men have yet to see a clear line between justice and revenge. Which is what makes the scenes of prayer, of hoping, of grasping for the light all that much more beautiful.
There's a major theme of loyalty and love in the bonds of brotherhood-- surviving, staying strong for each other. There's the matter of forgiveness and accepting that forgiveness. There's doing all you can to bear the present while longing for a better future.
Oh, and can I just talk about the characters a moment? There are a lot of different POVs, which can be very hard to keep up with. Also, nobody kill me, but I wasn't too invested in West's chapters until the end, when I was planning his demise for being such a ridiculously responsibly selfless brother. Also but like GIDEON HOCHBERG. And Alex (whose accent was so much fun to read!) neeeeeds a break in West Virginia.
I take that back. All the MCs need to up and steal a vacation in Bali. The villains just won't leave them poor scary gangster men alone!!!
The language is nothing worse than your average Marvel movie, with only two words I can think of which are fairly mild compared to others that overpopulate most modern YA novels. And the romance is only a smidgen. The faith theme doesn't come across as preachy. Of course, I've already mentioned the violence that should turn sensitive readers away.
Okay, overall... this was an amazing read. I'm equal parts thankful that Angela creates such nice-but-not-actually-nice characters and furious that she makes them go through so much. So, where's book two?
*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
This book is by no means a "delightful" read. Rather, it's real and raw and heavy and gritty and takes a definite plunge into darkness. But out of the darkness there comes light. That is how I would define this book-- because Angela Watts did an amazing job showing that even under the ugliest, dirtiest layers of rock and grime and dust, you can still find a gemstone that, when polished and cut and brought into light, can reflect a dazzling array of beauty.
Granted, in this book, they still have a long way to go, even as diamonds in the rough. Literally all of the main characters are males in the same gang, with the exception of one girl. There is death and sorrow and horror and bloodshed. Torture, human-trafficking, and rape are all presented, and although we don't see any of it on-screen (shudder) we read about the trauma and the nightmares that result. These men have yet to see a clear line between justice and revenge. Which is what makes the scenes of prayer, of hoping, of grasping for the light all that much more beautiful.
There's a major theme of loyalty and love in the bonds of brotherhood-- surviving, staying strong for each other. There's the matter of forgiveness and accepting that forgiveness. There's doing all you can to bear the present while longing for a better future.
Oh, and can I just talk about the characters a moment? There are a lot of different POVs, which can be very hard to keep up with. Also, nobody kill me, but I wasn't too invested in West's chapters until the end, when I was planning his demise for being such a ridiculously responsibly selfless brother. Also but like GIDEON HOCHBERG. And Alex (whose accent was so much fun to read!) neeeeeds a break in West Virginia.
I take that back. All the MCs need to up and steal a vacation in Bali. The villains just won't leave them poor scary gangster men alone!!!
The language is nothing worse than your average Marvel movie, with only two words I can think of which are fairly mild compared to others that overpopulate most modern YA novels. And the romance is only a smidgen. The faith theme doesn't come across as preachy. Of course, I've already mentioned the violence that should turn sensitive readers away.
Okay, overall... this was an amazing read. I'm equal parts thankful that Angela creates such nice-but-not-actually-nice characters and furious that she makes them go through so much. So, where's book two?
*I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*
August 19, 2019
Five stars
AHHHH!! This was such a good book I can’t even begin to tell you all of the amazing things! It is defiantly NOT for the faint of heart though. It’s dystopian, slightly different from my usual historical fiction although I do visit it once in a while. I’ll dive farther into the book itself in my review but I cannot express how much I loved this!
*this review is also posted HERE
Prose: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Prose:
REALLY good. Comparable to some of the best authors I’ve read, and it really fit the genre too. Angela really transferred between the multiple characters well.
Romance:
I WANT MORE OF RENE AND SIMON (next book please???)
Characters:
SO there were a lot of them! At first, I couldn’t really keep track of everyone, but after a while, I got the hang of it. I want everyone to have a happy ending but I know that isn’t realistic and they won’t necessarily all be happy/alive in the end. But…. I can hope? And some of them had such an amazing faith that carried them through and I just… wow.
Plot:
OH MY GOSHHHH so much going on! I loved this aspect. I didn’t entirely understand some parts but I think the next book is going to continue the storyline and I can’t wait! Also though kinda scary because this really doesn’t take place that far in the future. I really liked how it was a sort of warning.
Overall:
A really good book! I want the next one now, and I can’t wait until it comes out! I loved all the characters and Angela portrayed some of the trickier elements really well.
Content:Okay so here is where the book is tricky to review, and a little scary. There’s a lot of mentions of shooting/killing/people dying, usual warfare. Some assassinations. Mentions of girls being raped (does not happen on-screen, treated as wrong) Some mentions of how sexual assault is considered ‘okay’ even though all main characters don’t think it’s good. Mentions of drinking/getting drunk (treated as wrong)
WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.
AHHHH!! This was such a good book I can’t even begin to tell you all of the amazing things! It is defiantly NOT for the faint of heart though. It’s dystopian, slightly different from my usual historical fiction although I do visit it once in a while. I’ll dive farther into the book itself in my review but I cannot express how much I loved this!
*this review is also posted HERE
Prose: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Prose:
REALLY good. Comparable to some of the best authors I’ve read, and it really fit the genre too. Angela really transferred between the multiple characters well.
Romance:
I WANT MORE OF RENE AND SIMON (next book please???)
Characters:
SO there were a lot of them! At first, I couldn’t really keep track of everyone, but after a while, I got the hang of it. I want everyone to have a happy ending but I know that isn’t realistic and they won’t necessarily all be happy/alive in the end. But…. I can hope? And some of them had such an amazing faith that carried them through and I just… wow.
Plot:
OH MY GOSHHHH so much going on! I loved this aspect. I didn’t entirely understand some parts but I think the next book is going to continue the storyline and I can’t wait! Also though kinda scary because this really doesn’t take place that far in the future. I really liked how it was a sort of warning.
Overall:
A really good book! I want the next one now, and I can’t wait until it comes out! I loved all the characters and Angela portrayed some of the trickier elements really well.
Content:Okay so here is where the book is tricky to review, and a little scary. There’s a lot of mentions of shooting/killing/people dying, usual warfare. Some assassinations. Mentions of girls being raped (does not happen on-screen, treated as wrong) Some mentions of how sexual assault is considered ‘okay’ even though all main characters don’t think it’s good. Mentions of drinking/getting drunk (treated as wrong)
WHEN THE NATION DIVIDES, THE INFIDELS MUST RISE.
February 17, 2020
My rating 3.9
The book "The Divided Nation (The Infidel Books, # 1)" by Angela R. Watts is solidly written but in my opinion, is a bit slow. The writing style is great, the characters in the book are solid, but they need to be elaborated a bit more because they lack their past, which could explain their actions. The action should be expanded because we have several factions about which we know very little and do not know what their goals are. The most attention in the book is devoted to the mafia showdown and the survival of residents in Springtown. The real war for the divided USA is somewhere in the background, and I think the writer should pay more attention in that direction. Basically, this is a love story in impossible conditions. But here we still have the morbid characters of mafia bosses who create even more confusion with their crazy ideas that further complicate the dystopian USA in the new civil war. Throughout the story, there is a re-examination of the belief in God in the main characters. In difficult times, God shows His light and path to the characters who have lost their faith. Fans of Christian Dystopia will surely love this book because, in the most difficult times, we must not lose faith because without faith the world will disappear into chaos.
The book "The Divided Nation (The Infidel Books, # 1)" by Angela R. Watts is solidly written but in my opinion, is a bit slow. The writing style is great, the characters in the book are solid, but they need to be elaborated a bit more because they lack their past, which could explain their actions. The action should be expanded because we have several factions about which we know very little and do not know what their goals are. The most attention in the book is devoted to the mafia showdown and the survival of residents in Springtown. The real war for the divided USA is somewhere in the background, and I think the writer should pay more attention in that direction. Basically, this is a love story in impossible conditions. But here we still have the morbid characters of mafia bosses who create even more confusion with their crazy ideas that further complicate the dystopian USA in the new civil war. Throughout the story, there is a re-examination of the belief in God in the main characters. In difficult times, God shows His light and path to the characters who have lost their faith. Fans of Christian Dystopia will surely love this book because, in the most difficult times, we must not lose faith because without faith the world will disappear into chaos.
August 20, 2019
4 stars.
WOW my nerves are fried. If this book could be described in one word, it would be "intense."
L I K E S :
The characters. They truly were the heart of the book, and my own heart broke several times while reading their stories. West, Simon, Rene', Gideon, Alex . . . basically all of the characters were absolute WRECKS and I so hope they survive.
The intensity. I honestly can say that I have never read a book so intense before. I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised, given that it’s set in the middle of a WAR and there are GANGS, but . . . oh well. Needless to say, I was riveted.
The world. This is a realistic dystopian world, in my opinion. I could totally see this happening in the next decade or so, although I hope that it never does . . .
The hope. This is a very dark story. What I found most incredible was that Angela was able to shine hope into even the darkest corners. This is something I aspire to do in my own writing, and to see someone about my age pull it off so seamlessly is very inspiring.
The plug at the end for book 2. LITERAL CHILLS. I don’t quite know why, honestly.
M E H :
At times the plot felt all over the place for me. I was generally able to keep my bearings throughout it all, but occasionally the characters would say what they were doing and I would be very confused.
D I S L I K E S :
George Johnston. This should actually be a "like", but I HATE this man with a BURNING PASSION. What he does to his son . . . *shudders* Excellent villain, though!
Like I said before, the characters are the heart of this book. However, there are a LOT of characters, and I found myself losing track of who was who and what side they were on, etc.
C O N T E N T :
It has been stated before, but this book is NOT for the faint of heart. There is a torture sequence that is somewhat graphic (?? that might just be my own personal taste). Sex trafficking is part of a subplot, and Angela does not shy away. Lots of death, blood, and violence.
Overall, while it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed myself (when I wasn’t freaking out)! Can’t wait for book 2 to be released!
*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own. :)
WOW my nerves are fried. If this book could be described in one word, it would be "intense."
L I K E S :
The characters. They truly were the heart of the book, and my own heart broke several times while reading their stories. West, Simon, Rene', Gideon, Alex . . . basically all of the characters were absolute WRECKS and I so hope they survive.
The intensity. I honestly can say that I have never read a book so intense before. I probably shouldn’t have been so surprised, given that it’s set in the middle of a WAR and there are GANGS, but . . . oh well. Needless to say, I was riveted.
The world. This is a realistic dystopian world, in my opinion. I could totally see this happening in the next decade or so, although I hope that it never does . . .
The hope. This is a very dark story. What I found most incredible was that Angela was able to shine hope into even the darkest corners. This is something I aspire to do in my own writing, and to see someone about my age pull it off so seamlessly is very inspiring.
The plug at the end for book 2. LITERAL CHILLS. I don’t quite know why, honestly.
M E H :
At times the plot felt all over the place for me. I was generally able to keep my bearings throughout it all, but occasionally the characters would say what they were doing and I would be very confused.
D I S L I K E S :
George Johnston. This should actually be a "like", but I HATE this man with a BURNING PASSION. What he does to his son . . . *shudders* Excellent villain, though!
Like I said before, the characters are the heart of this book. However, there are a LOT of characters, and I found myself losing track of who was who and what side they were on, etc.
C O N T E N T :
It has been stated before, but this book is NOT for the faint of heart. There is a torture sequence that is somewhat graphic (?? that might just be my own personal taste). Sex trafficking is part of a subplot, and Angela does not shy away. Lots of death, blood, and violence.
Overall, while it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed myself (when I wasn’t freaking out)! Can’t wait for book 2 to be released!
*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own. :)
August 2, 2019
HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!! I prepared myself so well that I wasn't even shocked. I need a medal! And perhaps some tums. BUT NOTHING ELSE.
#soproud
Okay, really, though, real review to come later on.
BIG POINTS:
- This book is not for the faint of heart. Lots of torture. No, I mean ... like literally. There is literal torture.
- So. Many. Characters. How does anyone keep track of them all? (Basically, 'cause this is not my genre, I was confused. But I am always confused ... so that's no surprise?)
- I totally lost track of Gideon's story so I'm gonna have to reread it and watch for that.
- West. West. West.
- Rene' is just a great gal. :P But y'all knew that. She is super hardcore even though she's sort of thrust into this madness ...
- Realistic dystopian. This is how it should be done. It's scary how much of this I can envision ...
- I like Simon but I think I like other guy characters more ... maybe ...
- Alex is cool. Like in a ... big brother way. Or something. No, little brother. I want him to be my little brother even though he's eons older than me. (Actually, idk??? Given the fact that he's in the future he's probably my age ...? IDK.)
- I admit I didn't get into Nate for some reason??? IDK????? Must just be me.
- A part of me throughout the story was like, "I want to know how good my pain tolerance REALLY is ... time to throw myself into random dangerous situations." But the other part was like, "Time to create a bomb shelter where you can go so NONE OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS TO YOU." #idmakeagreathermit
- I think those are all my initial thoughts.
- Again, not for the faint of heart or those used to your typical Christian fiction fare (and this is not TECHNICALLY Christian fiction I believe according to the author's branding?), but it's good stuff.
- It's about people pushed to their limit who have to turn SOMEWHERE and where they turn ... it's about pain ... it's about life being so pitch dark that you can literally feel the black oozing around you ... and still living because we have to live ... and finding a kind of hope in all that.
Anyways, I'm gonna read it again soon, methinks, but until then. *bows* I'm out.
#soproud
Okay, really, though, real review to come later on.
BIG POINTS:
- This book is not for the faint of heart. Lots of torture. No, I mean ... like literally. There is literal torture.
- So. Many. Characters. How does anyone keep track of them all? (Basically, 'cause this is not my genre, I was confused. But I am always confused ... so that's no surprise?)
- I totally lost track of Gideon's story so I'm gonna have to reread it and watch for that.
- West. West. West.
- Rene' is just a great gal. :P But y'all knew that. She is super hardcore even though she's sort of thrust into this madness ...
- Realistic dystopian. This is how it should be done. It's scary how much of this I can envision ...
- I like Simon but I think I like other guy characters more ... maybe ...
- Alex is cool. Like in a ... big brother way. Or something. No, little brother. I want him to be my little brother even though he's eons older than me. (Actually, idk??? Given the fact that he's in the future he's probably my age ...? IDK.)
- I admit I didn't get into Nate for some reason??? IDK????? Must just be me.
- A part of me throughout the story was like, "I want to know how good my pain tolerance REALLY is ... time to throw myself into random dangerous situations." But the other part was like, "Time to create a bomb shelter where you can go so NONE OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS TO YOU." #idmakeagreathermit
- I think those are all my initial thoughts.
- Again, not for the faint of heart or those used to your typical Christian fiction fare (and this is not TECHNICALLY Christian fiction I believe according to the author's branding?), but it's good stuff.
- It's about people pushed to their limit who have to turn SOMEWHERE and where they turn ... it's about pain ... it's about life being so pitch dark that you can literally feel the black oozing around you ... and still living because we have to live ... and finding a kind of hope in all that.
Anyways, I'm gonna read it again soon, methinks, but until then. *bows* I'm out.
July 7, 2020
K I have feelingsss
Somehow I never wrote up my review of this? Abby of the past?? I have questions??
I'm here now though so let's goooo.
I can't think of the last time a book has made me so STRESSED but in the best way. I'm always a fan of found-families/"your family sucks so i'm your brother now" tropes, and this is stuffed full of those relationships. (also while there isn't a ton of romance, it's so sooooft) The boys (the sweet, sweet boys) deserve the entire world and I love them.
There's no shying away from the hard things in this book, which can make it hard to look at, but also makes it so powerful. The concept is so cool, even though it's scary. The characters truly struggle, and tbh, one can never trust that any of them will actually make it out of this alive. It's just got a really cool vibe, and I could totally picture the whole thing as a movie in my head.
My only complaint about this (which might just be a me thing, idk) is that I kind of lost track of who was who at a couple of points. It's a big cast of characters, which is fine, but they've all got a lot going on and it can be confusing. But the characters themselves are wonderful, and, as I've said, I love them. I'm looking forward to book 2 even though I know it's gonna break me, lol.
Four stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
Somehow I never wrote up my review of this? Abby of the past?? I have questions??
I'm here now though so let's goooo.
I can't think of the last time a book has made me so STRESSED but in the best way. I'm always a fan of found-families/"your family sucks so i'm your brother now" tropes, and this is stuffed full of those relationships. (also while there isn't a ton of romance, it's so sooooft) The boys (the sweet, sweet boys) deserve the entire world and I love them.
There's no shying away from the hard things in this book, which can make it hard to look at, but also makes it so powerful. The concept is so cool, even though it's scary. The characters truly struggle, and tbh, one can never trust that any of them will actually make it out of this alive. It's just got a really cool vibe, and I could totally picture the whole thing as a movie in my head.
My only complaint about this (which might just be a me thing, idk) is that I kind of lost track of who was who at a couple of points. It's a big cast of characters, which is fine, but they've all got a lot going on and it can be confusing. But the characters themselves are wonderful, and, as I've said, I love them. I'm looking forward to book 2 even though I know it's gonna break me, lol.
Four stars from me!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**
Read
April 19, 2019There are no words.
August 16, 2019
Wow. Wow, y'all. Now, that was a ride. Honestly, my first impression is that it's a replay of Angela's book Seek, but better. Is this a good thing? Yes and no. I didn't care for the fact that it seemed like she took Seek and just ballooned it up into something bigger. But the good thing was that it was better—her writing has definitely improved! (Not that Seek wasn't fabulous, but every author improves with each new book.)
The one other thing I didn't like was that it was so confoundedly confusing. As soon as I saw the glossary of characters, I knew that it'd be overwhelming . . . I just didn't realize how much so. Multiple different POVs, added to all the other side characters, was extremely confusing, and I kept mixing the characters up until I was over halfway into the book.
ALL THAT STUFF ASIDE. Now to the good stuff. *grins*
-The characters. Yes yes yes yes yes!! I know I just said all the characters were confusing—but it's the amount that was confusing, not the characters themselves. West (precious cinnamon roll!) was my baby. Probably my very favorite character (though so hard to pick!), but I also loved Gideon (why do I always love the bad guys??), and Rene' (though again, basically Angel from Seek), and Simon and Nate and Jack and *deep breath* I LOVE THESE PEEPS OKAY??
-Honestly I'm not a dystopian fan BUT this one was amazing. Probably because it only takes place 8 years into the future instead of 29128 . . . XD
-The themes of trusting God even when all else seems hopeless. Seriously, y'all, do I need to say anything else?? The book might've been a little preachy at times, but . . . I think for this story, it was good. Necessary even. In a story as blunt as this one, the salvation message also needs to be portrayed bluntly.
The one other thing I didn't like was that it was so confoundedly confusing. As soon as I saw the glossary of characters, I knew that it'd be overwhelming . . . I just didn't realize how much so. Multiple different POVs, added to all the other side characters, was extremely confusing, and I kept mixing the characters up until I was over halfway into the book.
ALL THAT STUFF ASIDE. Now to the good stuff. *grins*
-The characters. Yes yes yes yes yes!! I know I just said all the characters were confusing—but it's the amount that was confusing, not the characters themselves. West (precious cinnamon roll!) was my baby. Probably my very favorite character (though so hard to pick!), but I also loved Gideon (why do I always love the bad guys??), and Rene' (though again, basically Angel from Seek), and Simon and Nate and Jack and *deep breath* I LOVE THESE PEEPS OKAY??
-Honestly I'm not a dystopian fan BUT this one was amazing. Probably because it only takes place 8 years into the future instead of 29128 . . . XD
-The themes of trusting God even when all else seems hopeless. Seriously, y'all, do I need to say anything else?? The book might've been a little preachy at times, but . . . I think for this story, it was good. Necessary even. In a story as blunt as this one, the salvation message also needs to be portrayed bluntly.
Read
May 22, 2019Um . . . Wow! That was amazing.
FYI: I need the second book. Like, yesterday =) I'm sure, Angela, that you can just drop everything and work on the second book, right?
Right.
Sure.
Just know I have first dibs on a copy of the second one. And the third, m'kay? And any others that happen to be written.
In all seriousness, I was honoured to be able to read this and canNOT wait to read a finalized copy. Angela, please don't ever stop writing, girl. The world would lose a wonderful author.
A real review will come as soon as this is published.
FYI: I need the second book. Like, yesterday =) I'm sure, Angela, that you can just drop everything and work on the second book, right?
Right.
Sure.
Just know I have first dibs on a copy of the second one. And the third, m'kay? And any others that happen to be written.
In all seriousness, I was honoured to be able to read this and canNOT wait to read a finalized copy. Angela, please don't ever stop writing, girl. The world would lose a wonderful author.
A real review will come as soon as this is published.
August 12, 2019
Review coming on my blog, but it is a PG13 book.
August 1, 2020
I gotta say, I enjoyed it. I think I 10/10 like books with mostly boys. They're crazy! :D
I probably should dock the stars to 4.5 because there is a bit of cussing. I think like 7 times. Picture war movies where the guys talk like that, but spaced out throughout the book if that makes it better (so it isn't very often).
I wish the formatting for the ebook was better. At some points, I wasn't sure who was saying what, but I like the book so much I don't care.
Good stuff:
The characters! At first, I was a little overwhelmed because of how many there are. There is a page in the start with names and who the characters are. It is helpful. I got the main characters down soon enough for my taste.
Gideon -cold hard boi (protect him please).
Nate- I LOVE HIM, HE IS CRAZY. My favorite. He is 18. And he is all like: I'm going to fight everyone. I like pain and causing pain. And yeah, he can't let them know that he actually cares too much. Can't let them know that he actually wants his dad to love him.
Simon- quiet, pure. Probably the safest to be stuck with. He likes Rene'. 10/10 sweet/silly.
Alex -He is Australian. He doesn't like fire. Hacker? Good boi.
West- Son to the villain. Poor buddy.
Ty/Ed -Christian bros.
They all call each other brothers even though only a few of them are actually related.
EVERY single. One is like. "I'm going to do this, which will hurt me, to protect my brothers, so they don't get hurt. Okay?" And the others are like "NO! We will get hurt with you!"
Speaking of pain. If you can't stand torture and poison and shooting and death. Don't read this book. It takes place during a civil war and all that I mentioned (plus other dark deeds that are not in detail) is in it, quite often.
Rene' is also a main character. I think a lot of people will like her. I thought she was okay. She is kind and goes through struggles with her faith and she is realistic, I believe.
(Mini SEMI SPOILER here: WHY do all the bad dads think it is a good idea to torture and poison their sons to make them "better men" what in the world?! stop h.u.r.t.i.n.g them! I don't understand. END SPOILER)
This is a Christian book. The characters think often about God, and why He lets bad things happen. If He would care to save them (even with all the wrong they have done). It feels far more realistic than "cheesy Christian fiction." I think, it feels real 1. because not everyone accepts the truth and is a Christian (though most of them are). and 2. because the book is set in darkness and the light naturally shines out bright that way, like in the real world.
I'm excited to read book 2. If anything happens to Nate... If he ever dies.................. : )
I probably should dock the stars to 4.5 because there is a bit of cussing. I think like 7 times. Picture war movies where the guys talk like that, but spaced out throughout the book if that makes it better (so it isn't very often).
I wish the formatting for the ebook was better. At some points, I wasn't sure who was saying what, but I like the book so much I don't care.
Good stuff:
The characters! At first, I was a little overwhelmed because of how many there are. There is a page in the start with names and who the characters are. It is helpful. I got the main characters down soon enough for my taste.
Gideon -cold hard boi (protect him please).
Nate- I LOVE HIM, HE IS CRAZY. My favorite. He is 18. And he is all like: I'm going to fight everyone. I like pain and causing pain. And yeah, he can't let them know that he actually cares too much. Can't let them know that he actually wants his dad to love him.
Simon- quiet, pure. Probably the safest to be stuck with. He likes Rene'. 10/10 sweet/silly.
Alex -He is Australian. He doesn't like fire. Hacker? Good boi.
West- Son to the villain. Poor buddy.
Ty/Ed -Christian bros.
They all call each other brothers even though only a few of them are actually related.
EVERY single. One is like. "I'm going to do this, which will hurt me, to protect my brothers, so they don't get hurt. Okay?" And the others are like "NO! We will get hurt with you!"
Speaking of pain. If you can't stand torture and poison and shooting and death. Don't read this book. It takes place during a civil war and all that I mentioned (plus other dark deeds that are not in detail) is in it, quite often.
Rene' is also a main character. I think a lot of people will like her. I thought she was okay. She is kind and goes through struggles with her faith and she is realistic, I believe.
(Mini SEMI SPOILER here: WHY do all the bad dads think it is a good idea to torture and poison their sons to make them "better men" what in the world?! stop h.u.r.t.i.n.g them! I don't understand. END SPOILER)
This is a Christian book. The characters think often about God, and why He lets bad things happen. If He would care to save them (even with all the wrong they have done). It feels far more realistic than "cheesy Christian fiction." I think, it feels real 1. because not everyone accepts the truth and is a Christian (though most of them are). and 2. because the book is set in darkness and the light naturally shines out bright that way, like in the real world.
I'm excited to read book 2. If anything happens to Nate... If he ever dies.................. : )
July 19, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/PJJK-uUf7EE
Wow! What an action-filled, intense read!
This has probably been one of the most intense books I've read in a long time, but was very good. I have a fond spot for a mainly all male cast with lots of action. This one definitely delivered in those areas, especially with it being in a dystopian setting (one of my favorite genres).
All of the characters go through some brutal hardships that made me cringe in what they go through or have to go through. No one is left unscathed, whether that's physically, mentally, or both. There were a few times I felt internally very torn up for certain characters due to the situation they were in. Add in a strong layer of faith, it can quickly become inspiring, relatable, but scary too. Makes you think as a believer if your faith is strong enough to endure what the nation was experiencing in the book.
I will say the strong brotherhood is my faveeeeee. I LOVE Nate and Simon and totally ship a certain someone with a certain female. (Just let me let a bunch of squeals right quick.) There is a big cast, but even if sometimes I accidentally got people mixed up, there is no denying the love between brothers. So so so good! Also, West is probably my third favorite and a quick runner-up would be Gideon, even though I didn't really like him at first.
I do want to mention the villain…HE IS HORRIBLE!! Like a horribly good bad guy where you can't stand him and all your wanting is for him to go away, because by golly, STOP HURTING THESE CHARACTERS! I had to remind myself more than once this is a fictional book and he's not real. (He is officially in my top three least favorite bad guys. I'm sooooo over him. UGH!)
The only "warning" I would give for The Divided Nation is this story does not sugar coat war. It's not overly graphic, but there are a few scenes that made me squirm due to blood. (If this book were to be turned into a movie, which would be epic, I would say this would have a PG-13/R rating depending on personal tolerance for war/torture/blood.) It's the only reason I am giving TDN a four-star rating, rather than five-star.
Overall, I'm very much anticipating the second book in this series! I strongly liked the male cast and the gentle touch of what I hope is a blooming romance as well as the high action that followed. If you like gritty dystopian with a strong focus on friendship and faith, I highly suggest The Divided Nation.
Wow! What an action-filled, intense read!
This has probably been one of the most intense books I've read in a long time, but was very good. I have a fond spot for a mainly all male cast with lots of action. This one definitely delivered in those areas, especially with it being in a dystopian setting (one of my favorite genres).
All of the characters go through some brutal hardships that made me cringe in what they go through or have to go through. No one is left unscathed, whether that's physically, mentally, or both. There were a few times I felt internally very torn up for certain characters due to the situation they were in. Add in a strong layer of faith, it can quickly become inspiring, relatable, but scary too. Makes you think as a believer if your faith is strong enough to endure what the nation was experiencing in the book.
I will say the strong brotherhood is my faveeeeee. I LOVE Nate and Simon and totally ship a certain someone with a certain female. (Just let me let a bunch of squeals right quick.) There is a big cast, but even if sometimes I accidentally got people mixed up, there is no denying the love between brothers. So so so good! Also, West is probably my third favorite and a quick runner-up would be Gideon, even though I didn't really like him at first.
I do want to mention the villain…HE IS HORRIBLE!! Like a horribly good bad guy where you can't stand him and all your wanting is for him to go away, because by golly, STOP HURTING THESE CHARACTERS! I had to remind myself more than once this is a fictional book and he's not real. (He is officially in my top three least favorite bad guys. I'm sooooo over him. UGH!)
The only "warning" I would give for The Divided Nation is this story does not sugar coat war. It's not overly graphic, but there are a few scenes that made me squirm due to blood. (If this book were to be turned into a movie, which would be epic, I would say this would have a PG-13/R rating depending on personal tolerance for war/torture/blood.) It's the only reason I am giving TDN a four-star rating, rather than five-star.
Overall, I'm very much anticipating the second book in this series! I strongly liked the male cast and the gentle touch of what I hope is a blooming romance as well as the high action that followed. If you like gritty dystopian with a strong focus on friendship and faith, I highly suggest The Divided Nation.
July 2, 2020
The Divided Nation by Angela Watts is such a creative and bold story. Angela has such a way of creating a world where the U.S. is in another Civil War and tying in different people, perspectives and ideologies that it is something to behold.
One of the aspects of The Divided Nation are the characters, especially Gideon and his role in the story. The fact that he is willing, time and time again to risk his life for this small town situated between warring gangs shows something that is truly a great work of writing.
The Divided Nation is truly a great piece of work and I can't wait to see how Angela continues the story in the Infidel Books #2.
Overall, I'd give the Divided Nation a 5 out of 5 stars.
One of the aspects of The Divided Nation are the characters, especially Gideon and his role in the story. The fact that he is willing, time and time again to risk his life for this small town situated between warring gangs shows something that is truly a great work of writing.
The Divided Nation is truly a great piece of work and I can't wait to see how Angela continues the story in the Infidel Books #2.
Overall, I'd give the Divided Nation a 5 out of 5 stars.
August 21, 2019
The general premise made perfect sense with the way American society is degenerating in today’s world. It did get a a bit confusing as to who really was in control and who was on what side. Overall such a good book! Rich characters that really tug at your soul as they struggle to have hope in a hopeless, broken America.
May 24, 2020
Absolutely amazing, from start to finish! It sucks you in and keeps you wanting more.
Gideon stole my heart from the beginning. I felt like I knew every character in debth, amazing writing!
The focus was on many issues that can easily be a reality in today's world. It made you think. Lots of things in this book are based of realities and then shows you a big picture of what life could be like.
It also allows you to see how people can heal from the worse of the worst in life situations.
Gideon stole my heart from the beginning. I felt like I knew every character in debth, amazing writing!
The focus was on many issues that can easily be a reality in today's world. It made you think. Lots of things in this book are based of realities and then shows you a big picture of what life could be like.
It also allows you to see how people can heal from the worse of the worst in life situations.
August 19, 2019
I honestly have very mixed feelings about this book. I loved it but I also disliked for how real it was. It hurt me honestly. I cried, I cheered, and I cried some more. It's scary to see how far our country really could go. This could happen people, not saying that it will, but it could. That is a really scary thing.
My heart broke for every single character in this book, well not for George. George is a scumbag that I do not like at all. He can go away for all I care. All the boys, there are so many I won't list them all, are so broken and I wanted to take away their pain. I cried for them. Their pain and what they were going through was so real. It hurt y'all, it hurt to watch teen boys go through hell like these boys did.
Rene' was such a sweet, loving, but also broken character that I love dearly. Her and Simon's relationship made me smile. I am glad that Angela included their relationship because it felt real but it also was a small light in the midst of darkness. It made the book at times not as heavy of a read.
The faith content y'all was amazing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all the faith content. It wasn't too preachy, it wasn't watered down either. It was gospel driven and straight from scripture. Ugh, my heart leap with happiness every time the guys or one of the Fishers' mentioned anything about God. It was heartwarming to see the transformation of some of the characters throughout this novel.
Overall, I adored this book so much. Sure it was a very heavy read but it was so worth the tears and misery that I as a reader went through. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel!
The content was definitely more on the heavy side so if you are not good with lots of gore and just heavy war and gang violence then I would not recommend this book to you. This book as good as it is, is definitely PG-13 maybe even leaning more on the R scale a bit.
However, if you are like me and can handle it I HIGHLY recommend reading. This is a book that I am praying will make it big!
*FTC: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
My heart broke for every single character in this book, well not for George. George is a scumbag that I do not like at all. He can go away for all I care. All the boys, there are so many I won't list them all, are so broken and I wanted to take away their pain. I cried for them. Their pain and what they were going through was so real. It hurt y'all, it hurt to watch teen boys go through hell like these boys did.
Rene' was such a sweet, loving, but also broken character that I love dearly. Her and Simon's relationship made me smile. I am glad that Angela included their relationship because it felt real but it also was a small light in the midst of darkness. It made the book at times not as heavy of a read.
The faith content y'all was amazing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all the faith content. It wasn't too preachy, it wasn't watered down either. It was gospel driven and straight from scripture. Ugh, my heart leap with happiness every time the guys or one of the Fishers' mentioned anything about God. It was heartwarming to see the transformation of some of the characters throughout this novel.
Overall, I adored this book so much. Sure it was a very heavy read but it was so worth the tears and misery that I as a reader went through. I am anxiously awaiting a sequel!
The content was definitely more on the heavy side so if you are not good with lots of gore and just heavy war and gang violence then I would not recommend this book to you. This book as good as it is, is definitely PG-13 maybe even leaning more on the R scale a bit.
However, if you are like me and can handle it I HIGHLY recommend reading. This is a book that I am praying will make it big!
*FTC: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*
August 19, 2019
Full review to come when I actually have a few minutes to do so.
This was really good, dealing with the age old questions of "If God is so loving/good/merciful, why does bad stuff happen to the world/His people/good people. It was brutal and honest and there were some seriously messed up people in this, but people nonetheless. My only beef was the inclusion of cursing, which I understand that those using such language were unsaved, but I prefer not to have the curses written out.🤷
I'll go into more detail later, I'm heading out.
This was really good, dealing with the age old questions of "If God is so loving/good/merciful, why does bad stuff happen to the world/His people/good people. It was brutal and honest and there were some seriously messed up people in this, but people nonetheless. My only beef was the inclusion of cursing, which I understand that those using such language were unsaved, but I prefer not to have the curses written out.🤷
I'll go into more detail later, I'm heading out.
December 11, 2020
This Book says it is in the YA Christian Genre, BUT this book is so much more!! I absolutely loved this book. The characters, and there were many of them, were so well thought about and they were developed so, so well. The pacing of the book was action packed and made you keep turning the page!! I can not wait to start the next one!!
I follow Angela Watts on Twitter and on Goodreads and saw many people recommend this series and they were absolutely correct, that Ms. Watts is top notch writing and development!!.
Set after the election of 2024 the US is in the middle of a 2nd Civil War, and it is up to small groups of individuals to come together and find a common bond to get through it!
I follow Angela Watts on Twitter and on Goodreads and saw many people recommend this series and they were absolutely correct, that Ms. Watts is top notch writing and development!!.
Set after the election of 2024 the US is in the middle of a 2nd Civil War, and it is up to small groups of individuals to come together and find a common bond to get through it!
June 29, 2022
This was definitely an interesting book. It’s a gritty, political thriller. I don’t tend to read super political books. I wouldn’t have read this one if it wasn’t by Angela R. Watts. That said, I did enjoy it and I’m looking forward to continuing in the series.
I mainly liked the characters. If you were to ask me to dissect the plot…I wouldn’t know what to say. It’s people surviving and fighting for what they believe in. The characters are what really solidified this as a good book.
As a bonus, cover is so pretty. It’s gonna be gorgeous on my shelf.
I mainly liked the characters. If you were to ask me to dissect the plot…I wouldn’t know what to say. It’s people surviving and fighting for what they believe in. The characters are what really solidified this as a good book.
As a bonus, cover is so pretty. It’s gonna be gorgeous on my shelf.
August 14, 2019
So I can't say anything right now, but come August 13 (or maybe after) (probably after) I will spill all.
**UPDATE** 8/13/2019
Time for the review! And I won't exactly be spilling all, because SPOILERS.
*cough*
This book sucked-no, DRAGGED me in and had me slack-jawed and wide-eyed by page 34. It dragged me in so much, I lost sleep because of it. (Not recommended if you have a job you need to wake up early for)
I'll admit the cursing threw me off a bit (There's only 4-5 if you're wondering and they're all the 'd' and 'h' words), and it's definitely not a children's book. It's dark, it's gritty, it's painful, it's way too realistic...
But instead of continuously wallowing in self-pity and despair, the themes of hope and holding onto God's promises peek through like the sun peeks through the clouds. Even in the darkest of times, God is still there, just like the sun is still behind the clouds.
Also, all of the 'good' guys (putting it like that because hey, everyone's a sinner) need to be wrapped in fuzzy blankies, given hot chocolate, and lots of cuddles. (ESPECIALLY GRAHAM)
Meanwhile, the villains can be punched in their ugly faces and buried six feet under. They are SO SO SO detestable! ESPECIALLY G AND J!!!!!! (Tbh, I'm not sure what I think of K yet. On the one hand: HOW DARE YOU!!! On the other: Am I supposed to be sympathetic towards this guy?)
And do I detect some looooove? (In the romantic sense of the word, that is) I probably shouldn't get my hopes up too much though, lest my poor shipper heart be broken in the next book. (Who am I kidding, I'm totally getting my hopes up)
THE FRIENDSHIPS. SO MANY FRIENDSHIPS.
Oh, and I'll admit the plot twist flew over my head at the end. There was no dramatic GASP. I just read it and then I was like, "Wait...oh. Okay."
I am so reading this again once I have it in paperback form. Because that is the best form of a book and I WILL FIGHT! xD
**I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review**
**UPDATE** 8/13/2019
Time for the review! And I won't exactly be spilling all, because SPOILERS.
*cough*
This book sucked-no, DRAGGED me in and had me slack-jawed and wide-eyed by page 34. It dragged me in so much, I lost sleep because of it. (Not recommended if you have a job you need to wake up early for)
I'll admit the cursing threw me off a bit (There's only 4-5 if you're wondering and they're all the 'd' and 'h' words), and it's definitely not a children's book. It's dark, it's gritty, it's painful, it's way too realistic...
But instead of continuously wallowing in self-pity and despair, the themes of hope and holding onto God's promises peek through like the sun peeks through the clouds. Even in the darkest of times, God is still there, just like the sun is still behind the clouds.
Also, all of the 'good' guys (putting it like that because hey, everyone's a sinner) need to be wrapped in fuzzy blankies, given hot chocolate, and lots of cuddles. (ESPECIALLY GRAHAM)
Meanwhile, the villains can be punched in their ugly faces and buried six feet under. They are SO SO SO detestable! ESPECIALLY G AND J!!!!!! (Tbh, I'm not sure what I think of K yet. On the one hand: HOW DARE YOU!!! On the other: Am I supposed to be sympathetic towards this guy?)
And do I detect some looooove? (In the romantic sense of the word, that is) I probably shouldn't get my hopes up too much though, lest my poor shipper heart be broken in the next book. (Who am I kidding, I'm totally getting my hopes up)
THE FRIENDSHIPS. SO MANY FRIENDSHIPS.
Oh, and I'll admit the plot twist flew over my head at the end. There was no dramatic GASP. I just read it and then I was like, "Wait...oh. Okay."
I am so reading this again once I have it in paperback form. Because that is the best form of a book and I WILL FIGHT! xD
**I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review**
August 14, 2020
3.5/5 stars
The Divided Nation is an engaging read set in post-apocalyptic American in the year 2027. Overall, an enjoyable read. The characters were fresh and fun, the plot exciting, and the writing fast-paced. My favorite overall would probably be Gideon or maybe West, as their personalities shone through best to me.
There are a few reasons this book was three stars instead of four or five for me. First being that there are way too many POVs. Until about halfway I wasn't even able to remember most of them. Because of the amount of POVs, it made the plot confusing at times because it was hard to figure out what was going on. Another reason for the lower rating is that personally, a lot of the characters' personalities felt incredibly similar to one another to a point where I'd get them mixed up. That being said, I enjoyed seeing so many male protagonists in a mostly female-dominated genre and age-range. Some of the dialogue was very telly in places, and I did find some typos and formatting errors. I also couldn't figure out who the bad guys were--the confederates or the Union?
Angela is a talented writer. It's clear from the MANY quotable lines I found in the story and the raw depth to her words. I appreciated how there wasn't any fluff or shallow scenes, but everything truly moved you. But, because of clarification issues and overly large cast (along with some other minor issues) I wasn't able to enjoy this novel nearly as much as I would have liked. Still, I will be reading The Grim Alliance and am excited to see where this series goes.
The Divided Nation is an engaging read set in post-apocalyptic American in the year 2027. Overall, an enjoyable read. The characters were fresh and fun, the plot exciting, and the writing fast-paced. My favorite overall would probably be Gideon or maybe West, as their personalities shone through best to me.
There are a few reasons this book was three stars instead of four or five for me. First being that there are way too many POVs. Until about halfway I wasn't even able to remember most of them. Because of the amount of POVs, it made the plot confusing at times because it was hard to figure out what was going on. Another reason for the lower rating is that personally, a lot of the characters' personalities felt incredibly similar to one another to a point where I'd get them mixed up. That being said, I enjoyed seeing so many male protagonists in a mostly female-dominated genre and age-range. Some of the dialogue was very telly in places, and I did find some typos and formatting errors. I also couldn't figure out who the bad guys were--the confederates or the Union?
Angela is a talented writer. It's clear from the MANY quotable lines I found in the story and the raw depth to her words. I appreciated how there wasn't any fluff or shallow scenes, but everything truly moved you. But, because of clarification issues and overly large cast (along with some other minor issues) I wasn't able to enjoy this novel nearly as much as I would have liked. Still, I will be reading The Grim Alliance and am excited to see where this series goes.
August 19, 2019
Soo...I have some thoughts.
To start off, this was a really cool concept, and I did like the characters! it's the kind of story that I like - brotherhood, action, trying to do the right thing despite consequences. It reminded me a little bit of the show Jericho (with the Springtown storyline) and a bit of Sons of Anarachy (granted I've only seen a few episodes, but..) which is a cool mix!!
But...I was confused a lot of the time. Lots of characters to keep track of (yes, there is a cast list at the front of the book, but reading a ebook makes this a lot harder to flip back and forth on). I was able to keep the main guys straight, but anyone other than those like 5-6 dudes, I was totally lost. I couldn't even keep the gang leaders straight, which I was confused on the structure of the gangs anyway. Couldn't quite figure out if there was one big gang, or two, or what the hierarchy was within the gangs? And I just couldn't quite figure out how these "hardened gang members" were all so nice. Like there didn't seem to be any villainous person in the gangs other than the leaders (at least that we encountered)? Don't get my wrong, I really did like all the main guys, I just wanted to know more of the why they were always helping people, I guess? And what made them start helping all these people on the DL?
While I like the concept of another civil war breaking out, it seemed like the southern states were winning, but everyone is saying the northern states are winning, or are going to win. And then there's unexplained Jihadist groups running around, and where did they come from, and I feel like that's a bigger problem than mentioned in the book.
So, I really wanted to like it, but there was just too much that kept me confused, along with some plot points that didn't quite make sense. At least one that got a wtf from me, because I just couldn't figure out the villain motivations on it at all. Along with just being told information, sometimes multiple times, which got overwhelming when tons of names were dropped in a sentence and I can't keep all these names straight anyway.
I know a bunch of people have liked this book so far, and maybe it's just me. I also didn't have any problem with any of the content, and wouldn't really call it gritty or anything, but that's probably just my tolerance?
I'd give this book a chance if you're really interested. Again, it could just be me.
To start off, this was a really cool concept, and I did like the characters! it's the kind of story that I like - brotherhood, action, trying to do the right thing despite consequences. It reminded me a little bit of the show Jericho (with the Springtown storyline) and a bit of Sons of Anarachy (granted I've only seen a few episodes, but..) which is a cool mix!!
But...I was confused a lot of the time. Lots of characters to keep track of (yes, there is a cast list at the front of the book, but reading a ebook makes this a lot harder to flip back and forth on). I was able to keep the main guys straight, but anyone other than those like 5-6 dudes, I was totally lost. I couldn't even keep the gang leaders straight, which I was confused on the structure of the gangs anyway. Couldn't quite figure out if there was one big gang, or two, or what the hierarchy was within the gangs? And I just couldn't quite figure out how these "hardened gang members" were all so nice. Like there didn't seem to be any villainous person in the gangs other than the leaders (at least that we encountered)? Don't get my wrong, I really did like all the main guys, I just wanted to know more of the why they were always helping people, I guess? And what made them start helping all these people on the DL?
While I like the concept of another civil war breaking out, it seemed like the southern states were winning, but everyone is saying the northern states are winning, or are going to win. And then there's unexplained Jihadist groups running around, and where did they come from, and I feel like that's a bigger problem than mentioned in the book.
So, I really wanted to like it, but there was just too much that kept me confused, along with some plot points that didn't quite make sense. At least one that got a wtf from me, because I just couldn't figure out the villain motivations on it at all. Along with just being told information, sometimes multiple times, which got overwhelming when tons of names were dropped in a sentence and I can't keep all these names straight anyway.
I know a bunch of people have liked this book so far, and maybe it's just me. I also didn't have any problem with any of the content, and wouldn't really call it gritty or anything, but that's probably just my tolerance?
I'd give this book a chance if you're really interested. Again, it could just be me.
July 28, 2020
I never wrote my review for my first read through!!! That's okay, because I pretty well remember my thoughts and they've only intensified.
Dystopian is not really my genre but this sounded super real. Reading it last year, I was a little wigged out because it was the most realistic possibility that I'd ever read. I could see our country going that way. I never dreamed it might be this close.
I re-read it this year to get ready for book two. Angela has this being a few years after a 2024 election. I'm wondering if the 2020 election might be our last. This future might be coming faster than we can prepare for it. It's really scary.
This book is raw. It's real. It's rough and it's scary. It's dark and hopeless at times. Rene voices a lot of what I feel right now. But in the realness, you can connect to the characters. So much dystopian is so fantastical that it just seems like a story. This feels like it could be our lives in the not-to-distant future.
I was a little confused by the characters. There are a LOT of people and the relationships can be confusing because some are blood and some are chosen. What is so cool is how the boys, the sons of the ruthless leaders, somehow have kept their humanity and, in little ways, are fighting back. It's cool to see God working on and through them, even though they don't know Him.
It was even harder to read this book this time around and I wonder some days if I'll be able to get through book two. But I think fiction can help us prepare for life. Reading something before experiencing it, or experiencing it in a fictional way first. There might be days when it's too much (as you can see, it took me almost a month to re-read this book) but I think this is an important series to read.
Dystopian is not really my genre but this sounded super real. Reading it last year, I was a little wigged out because it was the most realistic possibility that I'd ever read. I could see our country going that way. I never dreamed it might be this close.
I re-read it this year to get ready for book two. Angela has this being a few years after a 2024 election. I'm wondering if the 2020 election might be our last. This future might be coming faster than we can prepare for it. It's really scary.
This book is raw. It's real. It's rough and it's scary. It's dark and hopeless at times. Rene voices a lot of what I feel right now. But in the realness, you can connect to the characters. So much dystopian is so fantastical that it just seems like a story. This feels like it could be our lives in the not-to-distant future.
I was a little confused by the characters. There are a LOT of people and the relationships can be confusing because some are blood and some are chosen. What is so cool is how the boys, the sons of the ruthless leaders, somehow have kept their humanity and, in little ways, are fighting back. It's cool to see God working on and through them, even though they don't know Him.
It was even harder to read this book this time around and I wonder some days if I'll be able to get through book two. But I think fiction can help us prepare for life. Reading something before experiencing it, or experiencing it in a fictional way first. There might be days when it's too much (as you can see, it took me almost a month to re-read this book) but I think this is an important series to read.
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March 31, 2020Feel free to message me directly if you want to know my thoughts on this book.
February 21, 2020
If you haven’t noticed, I tend to hand out 3-star reviews generously when it comes to fiction. I don’t really know why this is. For me, 3 stars is still pretty positive. It generally means the book was good, but it didn’t really hit the sweet spot for me, quite.
That said, I believe Divided Nation definitely would hit the sweet spot dead-on for a ton of readers I’ve encountered here on Goodreads. Here’s what you need to know about this book: first off, despite what you might have heard, it is blatantly and fully Christian in theme and message. There is a lot of talk about trust and faith and salvation and the way God works mysteriously in the darkness. Multiple characters, though in pretty rough places here at the beginning of the series, are clearly in the process of being transformed spiritually by their encounters with the love of God. This book is unambiguously Christian.
Secondly, this book is definitely not for younger readers, or readers who would be sensitive to violence and other rough content and mild language. If you read any secular fiction—like, at all—the swearing will not be worse than what you would expect to find. It’s just a bit jarring in Christian fiction, in my opinion. Double-standards, I know.
My biggest complaint is actually that the cast is huge, and I struggle to keep the characters straight. There are like…six? seven?? eight??? main characters. I honestly don’t know. And of them, there is only one girl. To me, a lot of them seemed to have very similar inner conflicts, and situations, and the writing style isn’t description-heavy, so I couldn’t tell most of them apart visually, either. And some of them are related, while others refer to each other as “brother” or “son” or “father” because of gang affiliations. Needless to say, I made heavy use of the character guide in front—though there were still more names dropped and cameos that weren’t even identified there. If you’re the kind who forgets names easily, just be warned.
I think the strong-point of this book, and probably the series, aside from the powerful Christian content is going to be the intensity of the plot. This will score high for a lot of readers who crave compelling combinations of high physical and emotional stakes. If you love hard-hitting books that will tangle your fangirly heartstrings and yank at them mercilessly on account of the struggles of suffering characters, this book is definitely worth a shot. I’m not personally the type that seeks out those kinds of stories, but I’m quite aware that I’m in the minority and I’m here to tell you THIS IS YOUR BOOK. This is the one you’re looking for.
There are a lot of story-lines in this book, and I had a little trouble focusing on them all. I think I would have liked to follow West the most. He wasn’t my favorite character (Alex probably was) but I think his story drew me in the most. It should be interesting to see how things unfold for him over the course of the series. I got the feeling I was supposed to be more invested in Gideon’s story, but I must not have been paying enough attention to him early on to get into it. Simon kind of felt like the main character, since he had the girl, and the role in the climax and resolution. I honestly can really figure Nate out, but that probably comes later.
There’s a ton of stuff I could say about this book. I think it’s going to be an interesting series that definitely deserves attention from Christian dystopian readers. Don’t let my coolness over it keep you from diving in. I think it has the power to speak to many readers in a deep moving way. I’ll probably check out the rest of the series when it comes out.
That said, I believe Divided Nation definitely would hit the sweet spot dead-on for a ton of readers I’ve encountered here on Goodreads. Here’s what you need to know about this book: first off, despite what you might have heard, it is blatantly and fully Christian in theme and message. There is a lot of talk about trust and faith and salvation and the way God works mysteriously in the darkness. Multiple characters, though in pretty rough places here at the beginning of the series, are clearly in the process of being transformed spiritually by their encounters with the love of God. This book is unambiguously Christian.
Secondly, this book is definitely not for younger readers, or readers who would be sensitive to violence and other rough content and mild language. If you read any secular fiction—like, at all—the swearing will not be worse than what you would expect to find. It’s just a bit jarring in Christian fiction, in my opinion. Double-standards, I know.
My biggest complaint is actually that the cast is huge, and I struggle to keep the characters straight. There are like…six? seven?? eight??? main characters. I honestly don’t know. And of them, there is only one girl. To me, a lot of them seemed to have very similar inner conflicts, and situations, and the writing style isn’t description-heavy, so I couldn’t tell most of them apart visually, either. And some of them are related, while others refer to each other as “brother” or “son” or “father” because of gang affiliations. Needless to say, I made heavy use of the character guide in front—though there were still more names dropped and cameos that weren’t even identified there. If you’re the kind who forgets names easily, just be warned.
I think the strong-point of this book, and probably the series, aside from the powerful Christian content is going to be the intensity of the plot. This will score high for a lot of readers who crave compelling combinations of high physical and emotional stakes. If you love hard-hitting books that will tangle your fangirly heartstrings and yank at them mercilessly on account of the struggles of suffering characters, this book is definitely worth a shot. I’m not personally the type that seeks out those kinds of stories, but I’m quite aware that I’m in the minority and I’m here to tell you THIS IS YOUR BOOK. This is the one you’re looking for.
There are a lot of story-lines in this book, and I had a little trouble focusing on them all. I think I would have liked to follow West the most. He wasn’t my favorite character (Alex probably was) but I think his story drew me in the most. It should be interesting to see how things unfold for him over the course of the series. I got the feeling I was supposed to be more invested in Gideon’s story, but I must not have been paying enough attention to him early on to get into it. Simon kind of felt like the main character, since he had the girl, and the role in the climax and resolution. I honestly can really figure Nate out, but that probably comes later.
There’s a ton of stuff I could say about this book. I think it’s going to be an interesting series that definitely deserves attention from Christian dystopian readers. Don’t let my coolness over it keep you from diving in. I think it has the power to speak to many readers in a deep moving way. I’ll probably check out the rest of the series when it comes out.
February 28, 2022
This was an interesting take on what could happen if the US got into a second civil war. With a focus on gangs, there were some parts that I found disturbing, but seeing the characters try to navigate their way through that life fascinated me.
As for the characters...well, there were a lot of them. It helped that there was a list of characters at the beginning of the book, but I still got confused from time to time in the first half. A little more info whenever characters were mentioned would've helped me out!
Also because there were so many characters, a lot of them felt sort of similar at first. After awhile though, I started to see differences in personalities. I grew to like most of them and their friendships with each other--even if it seemed a teensy bit unrealistic that the sons of gang lords would have such noble hearts.
The story hooked me after only a few chapters. I tried to slow down, but finished the majority of it in one day! I guess it's a good thing I have book 2 on hand!
As for the characters...well, there were a lot of them. It helped that there was a list of characters at the beginning of the book, but I still got confused from time to time in the first half. A little more info whenever characters were mentioned would've helped me out!
Also because there were so many characters, a lot of them felt sort of similar at first. After awhile though, I started to see differences in personalities. I grew to like most of them and their friendships with each other--even if it seemed a teensy bit unrealistic that the sons of gang lords would have such noble hearts.
The story hooked me after only a few chapters. I tried to slow down, but finished the majority of it in one day! I guess it's a good thing I have book 2 on hand!
January 7, 2021
I got this book thru an ARC, Advanced Review Copy wirh a review freely given.
I thought this book waas very good as the storyline was very good as it brought out the characters and had them handled very well.
I thought this book waas very good as the storyline was very good as it brought out the characters and had them handled very well.
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