Hi guys! Today I am taking the first two of my five AP exams: US History and Computer Science Principles. I think I’ve prepared for them the best I could. My mind is currently filled with historical knowledge and computer facts, and I have three more to go! I will be really busy these next few days dealing with these exams and end-of-year activities, so if I’m very inactive, that’s why. Today I am reviewing one of my most anticipated sequels of 2018, and I hope you enjoy!
About the Book
Noah Livingston knows he is destined to survive.
The 64 members of Fire Lake’s sophomore class are trapped in a place where morals have no meaning, and zero rules apply. But Noah’s deaths have trained him–hardened him–to lead the strongest into the future . . . whatever that may be. And at any cost.
Min Wilder knows that survival alone isn’t enough.
Trapped in a violent world where brute force passes for leadership, it’s tempting to lay back and let everyone else fight it out. But Min’s instincts rebel against allowing others to decide who lives and who dies. She’s ready to fight for what she believes in. And against whomever might stand in her way.
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Disclaimer: I received a free hardcover finished copy of this book from the author and the tour host in exchange for an honest review. This will not affect my review in any way.
Once I had finished Nemesis last year, which I literally could not put down, I knew I had to read the sequel once I could get my hands on it. I needed to continue the story and know what happens next. Oh, that cliffhanger in book one! When I learned of this blog tour and the opportunity to read and review Genesis, I jumped at the opportunity — and was that such a great decision. Genesis, the second installment in Reichs’s masterfully crafted Project Nemesis series, does not disappoints fans of its predecessor. It raises the stakes of the conflict to a whole new level, transforming this post-apocalyptic, sci-fi thriller into a fast-paced story full of danger, death, and destruction at every turn. I was thrust onto the edge of my seat, and I felt as if I were actually a part of the Program.
As readers progress deeper and deeper into Reichs’s creepily surreal world — reminiscent of The Maze Runner and Lord of the Flies — they find themselves placed into the heart of an “every man for themselves” survival mode, ridden with twists and turns at every corner. With each page comes a new shocking revelation, many changing the entire course of the story. I could feel the impending sense of dread and fear and had even a bit of power-hungriness and craziness that almost everyone possessed, and the atmosphere was thick with chaos, leading to the degradation of the moral consciences of many characters. Genesis is one of those novels that makes you stay up, and either you are devouring the story or being haunted by it.
The story and actions of the characters make you question your morality at times. Often I felt drawn to justifying the killing of other classmates, blurring the lines between defense and murder. Is it every justifiable to kill a person, even if they could regenerate? What if it’s to protect your own self from elimination? Min examines this question along with many of the other major characters as the digital Fire Lake falls deeper into ruin and more classmates disappear. This is a true mark of a great book — for a book to be able to get readers to think more deeply on certain subjects and ultimately influence their viewpoints.
I fell in love with all — or most, really — of the characters. It is just so hard for me to resist not rooting for many of them to survive. The protagonists, especially Min, Tack, and Noah, are very dynamic and fully fleshed with their consciences and their flaws. You can see how conflicted they are between being moral and being murderous, between being good and being bad, between being meek and being powerful. The characters are truly human, and they are not fully devoted to being good or to being evil, and many times they believe what they are doing is right, regardless of whether it is or not. You can see their doubts and their fears. With 64 different students with an eclectic variety of personalities, characteristics, and motivations, Genesis thoroughly examines what it truly means to be human when faced with adversity, conflict, and challenges.
If you have not picked up Nemesis or Genesis, then you are missing out on a series that will blow your mind. Personally, I cannot state which one is better because both novels are so different yet so brilliant. They are very meritorious and possess a high literary quality in their own right. While I am sad that book two is over, there is going to be a third book in the series! I am so excited! I cannot spoil what it may possibly entail (since my speculation will give away the ending) but I can say that it is going to be EPIC! Genesis is the perfect read for thriller fans who love to become engrossed in an unpredictable plot full of suspense and action.
About the Author
Brendan Reichs was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 2000 and The George Washington University School of Law in 2006. After three long years working as a litigation attorney, he abandoned the trade to write full time. He lives in Charlotte with his wife, son, daughter, and a herd of animals that tear up everything.
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Giveaway
12 winners will receive a copy of Genesis by Brendan Reichs!
Giveaway is open Int’l
Must be 13+ to enter
Ends June 1st, 2018
Tour Schedule
Happy Reading!
+ J.M.J.
~ Kester
Have you read Genesis or Nemesis? Do you like YA sci-fi?
Comment below, or find me in one of my social media pages, and let’s chat!
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