When the Rain Falls

Black Skies #1

by Sasha A. Linderson

"The soldiers came with the storm. Our people didn’t stand a chance. But we were lucky."

Under darkening skies, a group of teens must fight to survive a war no one saw coming. Their families are taken. The citizens, imprisoned. As they hide in the thick native bush they begin to realize they’re alone—no help is coming.
In their never-ending struggle for freedom, one question remains:

Who started this war?

They must discover the truth before war’s fingers reach farther afield.

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2021

About the author

Sasha A. Linderson is the joint pen name for collaborative authors Ashley Lindsay and Sarah Anderson. Ashley and Sarah grew up together in the small city of Tauranga, New Zealand, and in high-school they began co-authoring the first draft of the Black Skies series.
Soon, their lives took some major plot twists—Sarah moved halfway across the world and is now an operating room nurse in Canada, and Ashley completed a PhD in Chemistry and became a researcher for the University of Auckland. But despite the distance, after a hiatus of several years they returned to writing with fresh eyes and new determination. Their passion for writing and co-authoring has remained strong, and along with the Black Skies series, they have a number of other writing-related pursuits in progress.
For writing tips from Ashley and Sarah, visit the blog, or tune into their podcast by the name of Dear Writer, available on your podcatcher of choice. Join the tribe and sign up via their website for new blog posts, and be the first to learn when the next installment of Black Skies is expected.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heard about this book from the writers podcast "Dear Writer". Great podcast and well worth a listen if you are just starting your writing journey, or are just interested in the writing. They also have great interviews with various authors.

As a huge fan of the podcast I wanted to try out their debut novel. As a grown man I was a little hesitant as its YA, but having started it today I've been really surprised how much I enjoyed it.

No spoilers, the story follows a group of teens with each chapter being from one of the teens perspectives. I've enjoyed this dynamic a lot more than books like Game of Thrones as the action is shared between the characters so you don't have long sections where your just hoping to get back to your favorite character.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can definitely see this being a hit with teens. It's totally got that teen drama vibe to it. I like what the author's done with the characters. Each chapter is from a different characters perspective, with there being about 5 main characters. It would be interesting to know who everyone's favorite is. It's similar to Twilight in the sense that your either team Edward or Jacob. I can imagine there being some heated debates about who should get with who. I'm definitely team Grace and Levi.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really enjoyable YA read! I liked that it started out in New Zealand, a shock as they seem one of the most stable countries in the world. So a good twist for the start of an apocalyptic story. Good ideas, interesting group of kids as the main cast & a completely mad, international adventure to boot! A good fun read & I will look for more by this writer.

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel two is being extremely generous. It is more honestly a one, but I did finish it so I don't feel I can give it a one.

This felt like a terrible imitation of Tomorrow When the War Began. A terrible, wish.com imitation.

Which I could have accepted, until the plot goes completely off the rails and requires you to suspend all disbelief. There is nothing remotely believable about how the plot unfolds, how it is resolved or the characters abilities and traits. It gets more unrealistic as it goes on.

[Lucas McIntyre]

This book made more sense for me to read than most books. I think that’s because it is a New Zealand written book, so most of the terms used are ones commonly used in NZ. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it sort of refreshes the fact that this book is a lot closer to me than others I have read. This book is a nice introduction to things focused around government, which is something I have gotten into more as I have gotten older. The author had a clear intention to show the bad things that become more present through having a greedy and uncaring leader, as all the way through the book, there are references to the state that is New Zealand, and only New Zealand. “Beneath the weed choked lawns, pot-holed roads, and houses crumbling from disrepair lay a country that could have been rebuilt if it was given the chance. But we were left to rot, shunned by the rest of the world.” The people living here are forced to live in a run down version of a once lovely country, by their prime minister who is greedy and self-centered. His care for the state of NZ is non-existent, obviously, otherwise the place wouldn't be in shambles and in the middle of a war. I feel like the author mostly tries to express the state of other parts of the world that are living with these problems every day. It makes sense for this book to be set in New Zealand, which is a developed country, so people aren’t used to the thought that this place could possibly become run down and constantly fighting to survive. It does make you think about the other parts in the world that fit the description that the book entails. And although this isn’t a true story, it kinda feels like it is in a way, because of the fact that everything in this book has happened before, or is happening right now, just somewhere else. And although I do think this book is trying to be alot like tomorrow when the war began, it still was an enjoyable experience.

[Kaitlyn Legaspi · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5

I'm sad to say I didn't enjoy this book as I thought I would, but it's highly likely a preference thing. I absolutely loved all the characters (some more than others, but that's because the teenagers are just that different), and I found the plot really interesting! Did I find it a bit unrealistic at times? Yes, but I guess anything can happen in a world where tensions are high and a country experiencing times of war. The characters and their development were my absolute favorite parts of this book, and I'm curious to see what happens in the next one!

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Survival Is the Only Choice
This story pulls you straight into chaos and doesn’t let go. I felt the fear, the confusion, and the desperation of these teens as their world collapses overnight. No warnings. No protection. Just loss and the need to survive.
What stayed with me most was the question behind it all, who started this war, and why them? It’s tense, emotional, and unsettling in the best way. A powerful read about resilience, courage, and fighting back when everything is taken from you.
If you want, send the next summary, and I’ll match this exact tone again.

[Susana Serna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drags a bit. Unrealistic -- 6-19 year old, male and female humans are never tempted with having sex? Really? Ending was designed to get the next in the series. Don't recommend.