Genesis Blog Tour: Book Review — The Thrilling Sequel Filled with Danger, Death, and Destruction that Raises the Stakes to a Whole New Level

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!

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About the BookGenesis

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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4 Stars

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 AuthorBrendan Reichs

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.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads


GiveawayGenesis 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

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule

WEEK ONE
MAY 7th MONDAY Insane About Books REVIEW
MAY 7th MONDAY Books A-Brewin’ EXCERPT
MAY 8th TUESDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW
MAY 8th TUESDAY Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews INTERVIEW
MAY 9th WEDNESDAY Reading for the Stars and Moon REVIEW
MAY 9th WEDNESDAY My Book Addiction EXCERPT
MAY 10th THURSDAY Here’s to Happy Endings REVIEW
MAY 10th THURSDAY The Book Enigma GUEST POST
MAY 11th FRIDAY RhythmicBooktrovert REVIEW
MAY 11th FRIDAY LILbooKlovers REVIEW
WEEK TWO
MAY 14th MONDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & INTERVIEW
MAY 14th MONDAY TFAULC Book Reviews EXCERPT
MAY 15th TUESDAY Bibliobibuli YA REVIEW
MAY 15th TUESDAY Book Briefs REVIEW
MAY 16th WEDNESDAY Casia’s Corner REVIEW
MAY 16th WEDNESDAY Book Lovers Life EXCERPT
MAY 17th THURSDAY Jump Into Books REVIEW
MAY 17th THURSDAY The Cozy Reading Corner TENS LIST
MAY 18th FRIDAY A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW
MAY 18th FRIDAY Bri’s Book Nook REVIEW

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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Reading Recap for April 2018!

Hi guys! This school year is quickly wrapping up, and right now I have so much end-of-school events going on right now. My five (yes, five!) AP exams are starting this Friday, and next week is lined up with so much from concerts to graduation. I am NOT graduating this year, but I will sing with my choir for one of the last times then. Today, I have for you a reading re-cap for the month of April, in which I finished 10 books! For May, I know that number is going to be cut in half, haha. I hope you enjoy!


5 Stars

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Fish in a Tree

Goodreads

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help

Goodreads

Ahimsa by Supriya Kelkar

Ahimsa

Goodreads


4 Stars

The Changelings by Christina Soontornvat

The Changelings

Goodreads

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Brightly Burning

Goodreads

Kat Greene Comes Clean by Melissa Roske

Kat Greene Comes Clean

Goodreads

Onyx and Ivory by Mindee Arnett

Onyx and Ivory

Goodreads

Genesis by Brendan Reichs

Genesis

Goodreads


3 Stars

Fighting Fate by Shaila Patel

Fighting Fate

Goodreads


2 Stars

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel of the Sands

Goodreads


In Case You Missed It

Author Interviews

Jessica Pennington, author of Love Songs & Other Lies

Melissa Ostrom, author of The Beloved Wild

Melissa Roske, author of Kat Greene Comes Clean

Patrick Moody, author of The Gravedigger’s Son

Author Guest Posts

Bridget Hodder, author of The Rat Prince, on “Why Fairy Tales? A Theory of Magic”

LILbooKtalk

“Portraying Pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement” with Alice Faye Duncan and Andrew Maraniss

Book Reviews

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Circle of Ashes by Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh

Fighting Fate by Shaila Patel

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier

Blog Tours

Isle of Blood and Stone by Makiia Lucier: ARC Review and Top 10 Quotes

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington: Tour Announcement and Schedule

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington: Author Interview

Misc.

March Reading Recap


Happy Reading!

+ J.M.J.

~ Kester

Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?

Comment below, or find me in one of my social media pages, and let’s chat!

Email | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Bloglovin

 

First Post of 2018: My 18 Most Anticipated Releases of the New Year!

Hi guys! Happy New Year!!! It’s 2018! It’s another year full of new opportunities and new books to read! For the first ever post of the year, I am going to list my 18 most anticipated releases (get it, since it’s 2018!), which includes debuts, sequels, and ARCs I have already read (but you still need to read nonetheless). Certainly check out the books below, for many of the authors here are amazing people, and they would love your support! Enjoy!


Dazzling Debuts

Gunslinger Girl by Lyndsay ElyGunslinger Girl

Release Date: January 2nd

James Patterson presents a bold new heroine–a cross between Katniss Everdeen and Annie Oakley: Serendipity Jones, the fastest sharpshooter in tomorrow’s West.

Seventeen-year-old Serendipity “Pity” Jones inherited two things from her mother: a pair of six shooters and perfect aim. She’s been offered a life of fame and fortune in Cessation, a glittering city where lawlessness is a way of life. But the price she pays for her freedom may be too great….
In this extraordinary debut from Lyndsay Ely, the West is once again wild after a Second Civil War fractures the U.S. into a broken, dangerous land. Pity’s struggle against the dark and twisted underbelly of a corrupt city will haunt you long after the final bullet is shot.

Goodreads

Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth MeyerBeneath the Haunting Sea

Release Date: January 9th

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea.

It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods’ history—and her own—the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

Goodreads

Blood Water and Paint by Joy McCulloughBlood Water Paint

Release Date: March 6th

A stunning debut novel based on the true story of the iconic painter, Artemisia Gentileschi.

Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father’s paint.

She chose paint.

By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome’s most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.

He will not consume
my every thought.
I am a painter.
I will paint.

Joy McCullough’s bold novel in verse is a portrait of an artist as a young woman, filled with the soaring highs of creative inspiration and the devastating setbacks of a system built to break her. McCullough weaves Artemisia’s heartbreaking story with the stories of the ancient heroines, Susanna and Judith, who become not only the subjects of two of Artemisia’s most famous paintings but sources of strength as she battles to paint a woman’s timeless truth in the face of unspeakable and all-too-familiar violence.

I will show you
what a woman can do.

Goodreads Continue reading “First Post of 2018: My 18 Most Anticipated Releases of the New Year!”