llwilliams080117's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
mamat2's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sc104906's review
4.0
Find my original review on my blog: https://wp.me/p8jcuj-21q
Jinx's father takes doomsday preparation to an unhealthy level. As she was growing up, he would take their family on prepper drills, so that they would be prepared for when as they knew it finally ended. Jinx's mother couldn't handle it any more, so she divorced Jinx's father and married a new normal awesome guy. While Jinx loves her new stepfather, she has a crush on her older stepbrother, Toby, and can't stand her stepsister, MacKenna, whose only saving grace is that she loves Jinx's little brother, Charles, to pieces. Days after a recent contentious presidential election, bombs are set off in banks across the nation. Jinx, MacKenna, and Charles find themselves caught in the middle, but thankfully Jinx's doomsday prep work is there to save them. The government believes that MacKenna's dad is responsible for the bombs. Jinx's mom tells them all to go find Jinx's missing father, so that maybe he can use his government connections to save her stepfather. All of the adult's in Jinx's life seem to know more about the situation than they are staying, but she is determined to keep her brother alive. Along the way, the crew picks up a prepper boy who was sent by Jinx's father, to stay alive and out of the hands of the government.
Even as I explain the plot, I realize that there is alot going on. There almost seems to be too much story, and maybe certain readers will feel that way. I enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. I had to know what would happen next and how Jinx would address the next challenge. I can't wait for the final book in this duology because I had a great time with this one.
Jinx's father takes doomsday preparation to an unhealthy level. As she was growing up, he would take their family on prepper drills, so that they would be prepared for when as they knew it finally ended. Jinx's mother couldn't handle it any more, so she divorced Jinx's father and married a new normal awesome guy. While Jinx loves her new stepfather, she has a crush on her older stepbrother, Toby, and can't stand her stepsister, MacKenna, whose only saving grace is that she loves Jinx's little brother, Charles, to pieces. Days after a recent contentious presidential election, bombs are set off in banks across the nation. Jinx, MacKenna, and Charles find themselves caught in the middle, but thankfully Jinx's doomsday prep work is there to save them. The government believes that MacKenna's dad is responsible for the bombs. Jinx's mom tells them all to go find Jinx's missing father, so that maybe he can use his government connections to save her stepfather. All of the adult's in Jinx's life seem to know more about the situation than they are staying, but she is determined to keep her brother alive. Along the way, the crew picks up a prepper boy who was sent by Jinx's father, to stay alive and out of the hands of the government.
Even as I explain the plot, I realize that there is alot going on. There almost seems to be too much story, and maybe certain readers will feel that way. I enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. I had to know what would happen next and how Jinx would address the next challenge. I can't wait for the final book in this duology because I had a great time with this one.
tabatha_shipley's review
4.0
What I Did Like:
+The political side to this book makes it somehow more terrifying and relevant. I loved the detail put into crafting this world.
+The technology used feels realistic and possible in the best ways. Nothing feels too over the top.
+The cast of characters is wonderful. I love the inclusion of step siblings and a child who is a Type 1 diabetic. Too often dystopian books don’t consider those people on medications to live, this one does.
Who Should Read This One:
-Dystopian fans will enjoy the way this is crafted to be realistic and terrifyingly possible.
My Rating: 4 Stars
I will say that this one came up on my Goodreads as being shelved as “mystery/thriller” by previous readers. Respectfully, this is science fiction. With coding being so relevant and the technology experts the author had to consult, I’m not sure we could see this one as anything else. Add to that the fact that dystopian books are traditionally science fiction and I think my argument is made.
For Full Review:
https://alltherightreads.com/2023/06/12/2023-book-review-day-zero/
+The political side to this book makes it somehow more terrifying and relevant. I loved the detail put into crafting this world.
+The technology used feels realistic and possible in the best ways. Nothing feels too over the top.
+The cast of characters is wonderful. I love the inclusion of step siblings and a child who is a Type 1 diabetic. Too often dystopian books don’t consider those people on medications to live, this one does.
Who Should Read This One:
-Dystopian fans will enjoy the way this is crafted to be realistic and terrifyingly possible.
My Rating: 4 Stars
I will say that this one came up on my Goodreads as being shelved as “mystery/thriller” by previous readers. Respectfully, this is science fiction. With coding being so relevant and the technology experts the author had to consult, I’m not sure we could see this one as anything else. Add to that the fact that dystopian books are traditionally science fiction and I think my argument is made.
For Full Review:
https://alltherightreads.com/2023/06/12/2023-book-review-day-zero/
illbefinealone's review
5.0
Read more about Day Zero, as well as an excerpt of the book on my blog illbefinealone reads.
This book turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for.
First and foremost, the pacing was great. I like books where something I find intriguing is happening throughout them, and Day Zero was that to me. The twists were exceptionally fun, they kept the plot unpredictable and me on the edge of my seat.
There was something about the writing too, it sucked me in and kept my attention from the start all through the end. It felt dynamic, so did the characters that were masterfully developed.
Day Zero is one of my favorites that I've read this year, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
This book turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for.
First and foremost, the pacing was great. I like books where something I find intriguing is happening throughout them, and Day Zero was that to me. The twists were exceptionally fun, they kept the plot unpredictable and me on the edge of my seat.
There was something about the writing too, it sucked me in and kept my attention from the start all through the end. It felt dynamic, so did the characters that were masterfully developed.
Day Zero is one of my favorites that I've read this year, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
jaythereader1's review
4.0
I thought I wouldn’t like this since it talks about politics a bunch but it was a good read! I like that the “good guys” and the “bad guys” in their politics got more in the grey area during the book instead of staying black and white, that we see that even though people can have good motives they can still do bad things (un?)intentionally. I wished to see more Navarro and Jinx action, hopefully we get more in the next book! One thing I found odd is that if Jinx’s family loved her, why use a nickname she doesn’t like all the time instead of her name? I know I wouldn’t like that if I were her. The middle was a bit redundant, but the last quarter really picked up, all the twists and turns were very entertaining. The last plot twist at the end shook me so much! Can’t wait to get the next part!!
Spoiler
like objectively I should have guessed that it was the mom, since as it was said in the book, she had access to the info and the laptop, but like she seemed so innocent! And the poor dad who wanted to believe in her ‘till she shot him.. before kidnapping her own son for leverage… like??!! Mind. Blown.katkinney's review
5.0
This was a crazy thrill ride cross between a disaster prepper’s YA dystopia, computer hacking and bombings, and politics gone mad. I read Kelly Devos’ “Fat Girl on a Plane” which I also loved, and all I can say is, this book is completely different, and equally amazing. Jinx has grown up in a house with a dad who is constantly prepping for the apocalypse, is friends with a resistance leader and former presidential candidate and may be in trouble. Now her parents are divorced, she and her stepsister MacKenna don’t always get along, and the apocalypse is here in the form of government anarchy and rebellion. But who is the real enemy, who can be trusted, and who is after them? This was a high-octane ride that never slowed down from start to finish, and I loved every second!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
smpearce's review
3.0
So this was a really confusing book. I wasn’t even sure how to rate it, and I might need to come back to it eventually.
I mean, the fast pacing and the action were great. I thought the doomsday rules were super interesting and the tension kept me reading. This was an entertaining read for sure.
But in terms of the world-building and political parties, I have to admit I was pretty lost at times. For a book that was so centred on its politics it didn’t seem to have a clear message, and the parties/national situation/timeframe felt seriously under-explained given how relevant they were.
I don’t know, maybe I’ll come back and review this book again at some point—maybe there’s just something I’ve missed. But for now I genuinely don’t know how to feel about this read—at any rate it was pretty interesting.
I mean, the fast pacing and the action were great. I thought the doomsday rules were super interesting and the tension kept me reading. This was an entertaining read for sure.
But in terms of the world-building and political parties, I have to admit I was pretty lost at times. For a book that was so centred on its politics it didn’t seem to have a clear message, and the parties/national situation/timeframe felt seriously under-explained given how relevant they were.
I don’t know, maybe I’ll come back and review this book again at some point—maybe there’s just something I’ve missed. But for now I genuinely don’t know how to feel about this read—at any rate it was pretty interesting.
andreacaro's review
2.0
Yeaaaaah idk what to rate this.
Some pros - no one can deny this is a page turner. There's a crap-ton of stuff going on on every page.
I also like that this is about someone with at least a modicum of tech knowledge.
Negatives:
- I kind thought this would be more apocalyptic?
- It's also HIGHLY political and when I say political, there's an election and one side is a socialist side and the other side is the red hat-wearing opposition who cheated to win an election. And tbh with you, the writing had a fair bit of sympathy for the fake republicans to the point I wanted to one star this book. Though I will admit that it tried to look at both sides of the spectrum, but it was borderline preachy.
- Not rating the book down for this, but there was some preachy stuff about race and indigenous people andddd in general I don't now how I feel about that.
- MC's lil bro has diabtetes and a bunch of the drama in the first half was about that but then it didn't get mentioned much for the rest of the story.
- MC was stupid. Her stepsister was stupid. Her brother was stupid. And whiny, my god the whining.
- The real "villain" was kind of random and ridiculous and the MC just randomly put it together? And then the villain basically fucked themselves over ten seconds after talking about how bad they needed someone.
IDK weird book.
Some pros - no one can deny this is a page turner. There's a crap-ton of stuff going on on every page.
I also like that this is about someone with at least a modicum of tech knowledge.
Negatives:
- I kind thought this would be more apocalyptic?
- It's also HIGHLY political and when I say political, there's an election and one side is a socialist side and the other side is the red hat-wearing opposition who cheated to win an election. And tbh with you, the writing had a fair bit of sympathy for the fake republicans to the point I wanted to one star this book. Though I will admit that it tried to look at both sides of the spectrum, but it was borderline preachy.
- Not rating the book down for this, but there was some preachy stuff about race and indigenous people andddd in general I don't now how I feel about that.
- MC's lil bro has diabtetes and a bunch of the drama in the first half was about that but then it didn't get mentioned much for the rest of the story.
- MC was stupid. Her stepsister was stupid. Her brother was stupid. And whiny, my god the whining.
- The real "villain" was kind of random and ridiculous and the MC just randomly put it together? And then the villain basically fucked themselves over ten seconds after talking about how bad they needed someone.
IDK weird book.