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Dark Days
The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future.
Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.
Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 3, 2014
17 people are currently reading
3,219 people want to read
About the author
Kate Ormand
8books272followersKate Ormand is YA author of Dark Days and shape-shifter circus series, The Wanderers (winner of the USA Best Book Awards in the young adult fiction category) and The Pack. Kate lives in the UK and graduated from university with a degree in Fine Art Painting. It was during this course that Kate discovered her love of reading YA books, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing.
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March 27, 2014
"I see more in you than you’ll ever know. You’re so special, so extraordinary."LIES! LIES!
This is the worst dystopian book I have read this year. It's not even the so-bad-it's-good type of book, because I feel like I lost IQ points reading this. It is not just some elements, it's the entire book. I hardly know where to start because this book was so terribly written. This is the Advance Review Copy, and I can only pray that the book gets severely edited before it is published.
The plot can only be described as "deranged." The setting and background are generic and nonexistent. The entire book is filled with deus ex fucking machina. Despite the fact that there's a countdown until the day you die, there is no sense of urgency in the book. There is no characterization for the main characters, there is no depth to any of the characters, adults are portrayed as one-dimensional idiots or as severe masterminds who just really, really need a kid to school them on how to do things.
And the villains? They say things like this:
“We’ll catch you, you stupid girl! You will die! Painfully and slowly!�My main complaint is the plot. It is ludicrously bad. There is no sense in the pacing. A good chunk of the book is devoted to absolutely nothing, while what should have been a core element of the plot was executed and completed in about 15% of the book. The plot meanders. It focuses on irrelevant things, and completely skips over the essential bits.
The Summary: This is the end of the world, as we know it.
And man, is it boring.
Sia has 15 days to live. It's not just her, it's everyone in the "sector," a grayscale planned community surrounded by walls. For some fucking reason, the government had decided that worthless people (those deemed to be noncontributors) are going to be abolished. Specially selected people are going to be airlifted into a blissful compound known as the New World. But for the rest of the unfortunates not good enough to make it? It's death by cyborg.
He told me that those who aren’t chosen will be slaughtered by an army.Sia only has 15 days to live, and so she's pretty limited to what she can do with her time. On her list:
A cyborg army.
4. Kiss a boy and fall in love.As Justin Bieber says, "never say never."
It sounds so stupid, but I want to meet a boy. I want my first kiss, and I want to fall in love. But nobody can meet someone and fall in love in fifteen days, right?
Next thing you know, she meets a mysterious boy. Who's a liar with a gun. And he makes her feel all fluttery inside when he winks.
Wow.OH CRAP, RIGHT. We're in a dystopian novel, guys! We should probably move along with the...plot?
My knees actually wobble beneath me. My breath catches in my throat. All for such a small, insignificant gesture.
Apparently, the boy (whose name is Mace, as in the stuff girls carry around in their purse who spray into would-be-thief/rapist/stalkers' eyes) is interested in her. O_ô He hands her a note, a cryptic note.
I saw something in you. Something more than I see in most. At 9am, meet me where you fell the first time we met. I will explain more when I see you.Sia breaks her promise to her father and sneaks away to meet Mace, because it's so completely safe to meet a strange gun-toting guy who lies about his name all alone, if he happens to be cute.
It turns out that, ah ha! Mace isn't just interested in Sia for her body! He wants something from Sia, Mace thinks she's capable of helping his Secret Army. Sia is just fucking offended because he's not interested in her.
I thought he liked me. I thought he’d asked me to meet him because he liked me and wanted to get to know me. But now it seems as though I’m only here because he wants me to fight with some group he’s involved in.Apparently, the people in their sector aren't going to take the cyborg invasion lying down! They're going to start an army (with 24 people. Yes, I'm dead serious.). This grand army is going to train, they're going to work out, they're going to get into fantastic physical shape in order to BEAT THE CYBORGS!!!!!!!
Naturally, there's not a whole lot of time left! The cyborg army is going to invade and tear them apart in less than 2 weeks!!! They have to make excellent use of every moment of their time to prepare themselves for the invasion. They have to do things like...visit a flower field. Wait, what?
The land is made up of only lush, green grass and red, yellow, and white flowers.Let's try this again. Time is of the essence, so they must...have a romantic swim in the lake. Um.
We stay on the hill for hours, enjoying the fresh air and staring at the beautiful landscape.
Mace holds my arm and spins me around so that we are face-to-face. My hands are still looped around his neck, my fingers brushing against the bottom of his hair. We’re inches apart.NEVER MIND. They have to learn how to be deadly killers! Yes, that's it!
“What are you trying to do?� Cass says. “Kill her with kisses?�Amidst all this snuggling, embracing, and kissing, Sia is actually trying to save the world. You see, she met someone, a girl named Lilly. Lilly was originally picked to go to the New World, but she refuses. Why?
“Because it’s an evil place, run by evil people,� she spits.It's evil. Not sure why the New World is evil, but you know, we just have to take the random-ass word of a random-ass stranger in order for something to be true.
Since it is so hard to be selected, Sia must surely have so much trouble infiltrating the New World.
I clear my throat. “My name is Lilly Tanner,� I say. “There has been a mistake. My family is in the New World, and I’ve been left behind in the sector.� Lilly’s eyes fill up and I look away from her.Maybe not.
“Oh you poor, poor dear!� The cheery voice returns, startling me. “You must be terrified, all alone in that place. Well, don’t you worry for one second, I will send out an aircraft to collect you."
There's a secret place in the secret New World where all the secrets are held. It must be so hard to find the Chamber of Secrets (so sorry, Harry Potter).
I find a small separate room, deep in the lab, where the cyborgs are tested. Right where Finn said it would be. The door is locked: Restricted Access printed in bold type and underlined on the door.
Or not.
Will Sia be able to defeat the bad guys, the father and son duo of...
“I’m Cain, Damien’s son.�No points for originality in naming.
Will Sia be able to stop cat-fighting with the "tough" bitch in time to save the world?
Cass snarls and clears the distance between us in two quick steps. I duck as she lashes out at my face and my hands connect with her middle. I push her backward, but she doesn’t go far. Her face is red and she’s panting. Her hands whip out for my face again and I jump to the side. She screeches with frustration.The Background of the Setting: Generalized nonspecific dystopian nonsense. The setting is initially lazily built, told through an internalized story.
I think about what they’ll teach in history classes in the New World when all of this is over. I’m guessing they’ll start where we do—climate change and the reduction of the population and extinction of most of the world’s species. Then they’ll discuss how the people were spread out on what was left of the planet. And then how the sectors came about, to round everyone up and create communities where people could stay together, stay safe.The thing is that it just doesn't make any fucking sense. That is the limit of this book's backstory. Generalized war, disasters, blah blah blah. We don't know how many people are left in the world. We don't know how many sectors there are (and surely there must be so many since there are only 416 people in Sia's sector). The past is poorly built, the government completely unexplained, the system of the "Sectors" is merely limited to the fact that walls were built to protect people (or to keep people from getting out. Dun dun DUUUUUUUUN!). Why would people accept this?! How did people react?! How did this all happen in the first place in, presumably, 'Murica?! Wars? Tell me more. Climate catastrophes? Bullshit, unless this is in year 3000, and we don't know what the fuck year this is. This book is so utterly vague.
The Book's Current Setting: Clumsily built and full of holes. It doesn't make any sense. For one thing, it was mentioned that the population was decimated, ok. So where's all the food coming from? And why are there packaged cereal? Why are there snack bars? Where's all this very 21st century junk food coming from if there aren't many left to create them? Why, if there is such a food shortage, are we not devoting ourselves to farming instead of manufacturing processed food-like-things?
Why, if there's a food shortage and the world is ending in 15 days, are there STILL FOOD in the food store? Let me tell you something about human psychology, people freak the fuck out when something major happens. They stock up on food. They riot. They will kill each other for the last can of beans on the shelves. When the world is going to end in 15 days and people are rioting for food, I don't expect there to be still food on the shelves. Specifically, I don't expect Sia to be able to go around grabbing stuff and able to fill an entire fucking shopping cart in a largely-empty food warehouse.
I run up and down the aisles, grabbing at anything, hardly glancing at what I am picking up. The shopping cart gets heavier and harder to push and I decide I’m done.And especially not when two people were fighting over a box of cereal in the next aisle when there are better pickings elsewhere.
Where are all the fucking riots? You remember that picture I posted up above? Of the gray planned urban development? That's it. The community is THAT nice and calm. When there's going to be a fucking death call in your community, you bet your ass people are going to freak the fuck out. There are no mentions of people besides, you know, when they actually need to be there for the one sole riot. The book is all Sia, Sia, Sia. The community, the people, how they are reacting to all this, is hardly worth the breath, and they are not mentioned at all. There is no realism in this book's community and psychology.
Why is the government (what government?) so insistent upon killing people off when the entire fucking world has been decimated?
The authorities murdered many of the citizens in the walled sectors, cutting the population down even more.It's crazy! And the book actually SAYS it's crazy, but then there's just no explanation for it, so that rather defeats the purpose, doesn't it?
But numbers aren’t their concern—quality is. The New World wants to start afresh: rebuild the world and do it better. They want to start again, take control, and make this world the very best that it can be.Not even the New World makes sense. They want useful people, productive people. People like...musicians.
"We were chosen,� she says, like it’s nothing. It means a lot to be chosen. It means you’re worth something. “My mom and dad are musicians. They’re really talented. My two younger sisters play, too.�With all due respect to musicians out there, sorry, but you guys are really useless when it comes to rebuilding a new world. This New World needs useful people, valuable people like scientists, engineers. Why the fuck did the New World choose MUSICIANS over DOCTORS?
Sia: No personality, no realism, no development. Sia never felt like a real character. Her development is nonexistent because she's able to pull unicorns and rainbows out of her ass any time she needs to. Which is to say, Sia is capable of nothing initially, but she becomes instantly perfect when the situation calls for it. Sia has never fought a day in her life, but the first day of training, she automatically proves herself a Mary Sue when she kicks the tough girl's ass.
I’m pitted against Cass. She’s fierce and never slows. I jump left and right, dodge her, and avoid what would have been some pretty nasty blows. I even get one in myself, winding her. I try not to smile when she doubles over, clutching her stomach.Sia is hated by evil Cass for no reason at all that I can see except to elicit sympathy for poor, sweet Sia.Sia has no emotion, even when her mother dies at the beginning of the story. Sia tells us that she screamed endlessly for her. That's it. No emotion, no pain, no true sense of grief.
Whenever Sia is in trouble, magical dragons and rainbows will appear to save her ass. If there is a riot, a boy will appear to save her.
I nod. “Thanks. For helping me, I mean. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you hadn’t been there.�Even out of nowhere, in the strange New World, ANOTHER boy appears out of thin air to rescue her. Why? She's special. Amazing.
He eases me back, feels for my face in the dark again, and brushes tangled hair out of my eyes. His touch is so gentle, so careful. “Would you like to go home instead?� he whispers.Deus ex fucking machina is the plot of this book.
November 6, 2017
Interesting premise. The world was not built as much as I hoped.
Need to process and think..
Need to process and think..
February 10, 2014
Dark Days is not a long read. The story flies by in 250 hardcover pages and left no lasting impression on me. It was very similar to The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker as it too features a young girl faced with the decision of how to go on for the remaining time left to live. But whereas The Age of Miracles was a stunning, unforgettable and intense futuristic young adult fiction about the last days on Earth, Dark Days only falls flat and ultimately digresses to the usual Young Adult misconceptions of insta-love, lazy world-building and bad writing.
A world that makes no fucking sense � at all! It’s a shame so many authors these days put no effort at all into world-building. Dark Days follows YA clichés like a pro: Earth as we know it doesn’t exist any longer. There was some kind of a totally unexplained “natural disaster� a few years/decades/centuries (totally not mentioned in order to avoid info-dumping) back and only a few have survived. For their own good the survivors were put into closed of sectors (kind of your usual suburbia surrounded by thick walls. There is conformity, restricted freedom, censorship, key life choices (like work assignment) are decided for you by some totalitarian, far-far-away government and of course there is constant surveillance. Very original, indeed! Now this sectors are going to be eliminated just because a totally random guy had an idea of a new world. People are selected to join; the other 90% are going to be destroyed by a cyborg army. I don’t get it? Why is it necessary to kill 90% of the people in the sectors? Why not just leave them to their own devices? And there is this big clock counting down the days and hours until the Cyborg army arrives. Makes no sense at all. Why not just surprise the hell out of the people with an attack? Why give them the possibility to group and rebel?
The world in Dark Days is painfully one-dimensional and more than a little logically handicapped. There was virtually no world-building and NOTHING was ever adequately explained and the logic behind the concept was so full of holes that it was basically Emmenthaler cheese.
Those sectors are practically small or large villages with factories, schools and hospitals. Sia, our main female character, has never seen crushed flowers in her hands or climbed trees. Everything in her sector is grey. Yet, how come she eats fucking oatmeal every morning, bagels, pancakes and juice !!!!!!???????!!!!!! She has a flowery shampoo to wash. Where does this all come from? Synthetic?
Her mother takes her own life as the countdown to complete destruction (15 days remain) progresses. And the next morning Sia wakes up and dead Mom � forgotten, impending death � forgotten, best friend with problems � forgotten, hot guy � yeah that is important! Right, put on make-up, describe in detail what you are going to wear and how you are wearing your hair and progress to have your stupid thoughts about how you “crave� him already after seeing him for 2 times. Mace, hot 18-year old boy, heavily tattooed (how would that even be possible in this dystopian colony that praises conformity above all else) bad boy walking around with a gun in his jeans. He of course thinks she is special! She blushes furiously and gets dizzy every fucking time! Romance to die for!
Thus Sia suffers from a sudden change of heart and joins the rebellion. Not because her need for survival drives her but because of her sprouting hormones.
Knives and baseball bats against a cyborg army with automatic weapons and bombs. What a promising rebellion!
Those 250 pages are definitely 200 pages too long.
A world that makes no fucking sense � at all! It’s a shame so many authors these days put no effort at all into world-building. Dark Days follows YA clichés like a pro: Earth as we know it doesn’t exist any longer. There was some kind of a totally unexplained “natural disaster� a few years/decades/centuries (totally not mentioned in order to avoid info-dumping) back and only a few have survived. For their own good the survivors were put into closed of sectors (kind of your usual suburbia surrounded by thick walls. There is conformity, restricted freedom, censorship, key life choices (like work assignment) are decided for you by some totalitarian, far-far-away government and of course there is constant surveillance. Very original, indeed! Now this sectors are going to be eliminated just because a totally random guy had an idea of a new world. People are selected to join; the other 90% are going to be destroyed by a cyborg army. I don’t get it? Why is it necessary to kill 90% of the people in the sectors? Why not just leave them to their own devices? And there is this big clock counting down the days and hours until the Cyborg army arrives. Makes no sense at all. Why not just surprise the hell out of the people with an attack? Why give them the possibility to group and rebel?
The world in Dark Days is painfully one-dimensional and more than a little logically handicapped. There was virtually no world-building and NOTHING was ever adequately explained and the logic behind the concept was so full of holes that it was basically Emmenthaler cheese.
The future world has been divided into sectors - each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out (�)
Those sectors are practically small or large villages with factories, schools and hospitals. Sia, our main female character, has never seen crushed flowers in her hands or climbed trees. Everything in her sector is grey. Yet, how come she eats fucking oatmeal every morning, bagels, pancakes and juice !!!!!!???????!!!!!! She has a flowery shampoo to wash. Where does this all come from? Synthetic?
Her mother takes her own life as the countdown to complete destruction (15 days remain) progresses. And the next morning Sia wakes up and dead Mom � forgotten, impending death � forgotten, best friend with problems � forgotten, hot guy � yeah that is important! Right, put on make-up, describe in detail what you are going to wear and how you are wearing your hair and progress to have your stupid thoughts about how you “crave� him already after seeing him for 2 times. Mace, hot 18-year old boy, heavily tattooed (how would that even be possible in this dystopian colony that praises conformity above all else) bad boy walking around with a gun in his jeans. He of course thinks she is special! She blushes furiously and gets dizzy every fucking time! Romance to die for!
“The more I get to know you, the more I don’t want you to join us. I want to keep you safe.� My cheeks and the tips of my ears burn red-hot. (�)
I’m just glad he still wants to be around me. I find myself craving to be near him too. I want to be with Mace. I want to fight. I want to live.
Thus Sia suffers from a sudden change of heart and joins the rebellion. Not because her need for survival drives her but because of her sprouting hormones.
Mace smiles. “Why the change of heart?�
“Yesterday, when the sector rebelled, I needed you. I don’t want to always need saving. If you’re going to fight for your life, why shouldn’t I? I guess I’m curious about what I can do other than stand there and let them kill me.�
“Training sessions are scheduled once a day. We have weapons � tools, baseball bats, knives (�) And we have a couple of guns, but not a lot of ammunition, so we’re selective about who will use them.�
It’s clear, from the amount of information he has, that Mace is high up in this group. Maybe even its leader. And he’s one of the few trusted with a gun. If his team knew he’d been firing it to scare off thieves a few days ago, what would they think? Still, I smile internally. He must care to risk using what little ammunition he had to save me even though he’d only just met me.
Knives and baseball bats against a cyborg army with automatic weapons and bombs. What a promising rebellion!
Mace rubs my arms. “You have no idea how happy it makes me that you want to live. I promise I will protect you.� Butterflies explode in my stomach, and I wrap my arms around him, molding my body with his.
Those 250 pages are definitely 200 pages too long.
March 5, 2014
***This review has also been posted on
You know what sucks? When you know the author of a book is a really nice person but you end up absolutely hating the book. I was looking forward to this one, the premise was intriguing and well the cover was amazeballs, so yes, when I dove in, my expectations were high, but when I read the book, they hit rock bottom. This book was awful. It pains me to say that but less than 10% in and I was counting down how much longer it would take me to finish it.
I think one of the biggest drawbacks of this book is its length. The final copy has around 250 pages and well that doesn’t do the book any favors. Everything is crammed into those pages. Events occur one after the other with no real emphasis put on any of them. For example, her mother dies and she cries but thats about all we see in relationship to her mother's death. Also, I felt no connection with what was going on in the book and the characters did nothing for me.
Sia is one of the worst characters I’ve encountered. She is impulsive and never thinks things through. She never thinks about how her actions would affect people or if her plans would even work out. She is incredibly self-centered in that way and honestly, I think she had everything bad that happened to her coming. I really did not like her character. She was not brave, she was not smart. She was STUPID. She was IMPULSIVE and really, she was a clueless teenager given the situation she was in. She basically goes along with people she just met because she assumes they’ll be safe since they don’t look like they could do her much harm. Honey, did no one teach you that looks can be deceiving? Hell the cover of this pretty book was deceiving.
Mace is just as stupid. He ‘chooses� Sia because he saw something special in her but is surprised when she doesn’t readily jump at the chance to join a revolution. Yeah, when you pick people of the street without actually getting to know them, you’re probably going to be in for a shit load of disappointment son.
Did I mention Mace’s stalkery habits that are waived off because ‘at least he was being honest�. Yeah no, if a guy is following you around and you aren’t even aware of it, something is absolutely wrong here.
None of the other characters are developed enough for me to even say anything about them. For the most part, they didn’t even register on my radar. I could say that I enjoyed the fact that Sia and her dad shared a good relationship but really I didn’t care. I was completely detached from the book and the characters and just everything.
There are 15 days to live. 15 days until she and everyone else in her sector will be dead and she has already embraced that. Now that isn’t a bad thing, what is a bad thing is how her will to live makes an entrance overnight and that to because of guy she JUST met. I get what the author is trying to do here but because of the length it becomes an issue and it almost seems like the character underwent a personality transplant, and honestly the end result wasn’t someone I could like. It didn't make Sia a more enjoyable character, if anything, it made her a bigger pain in the ass.
The romance in this book was a nightmare. My insta-love alarms were set off and they were ringing really loudly (ouch). I mean seriously. She started having feelings for him without even having a decent conversation. The two times the conversed before she becomes aware of her feelings, he was basically trying to get her to join a rebellion and she ran/hid away from him EACH TIME. How does she suddenly care for him? At the rate they are going, they’ll probably be married in a couple of days (after the end of the book).
Both the villains and the rebels have no sort of logic to them. The villains are evil for the sake of being evil. When you find out their reasons for doing what they were doing, it just feels so fake. Oh, I am going to only pick the cool humans to hang out with me. Nobody else is worth it. Ugh. I am such a special snowflake. Stop. No seriously. If there was a legit reason as to why they were doing what they were doing, their actions would have been easier to swallow. The rebels were just wannabes. I can see why they feel the need to rebel. Obviously. But there are only 20 rebels in total. And they’re going to have to fight against cyborgs. Pray tell me, how they’re even going to survive. Yeah they mentioned recruiting more people later but uh. No. If they were talking about saving themselves they would have thought things through and would have been more organized but as it is, they’re just a rag tag group of wannabes.
The world building sucks. These citizens were closed inside the walls for some reason and are now going to be killed for another. I have no idea why any of this happened/is happening (well we do know the reason for the latter but as I mentioned earlier, it all felt very fake). This book was a very odd sort of dystopia where I didn’t even understand the basic mechanics of how the government worked. The world building had a lot of potential from what I saw but it needed so much more development.
The plot. No let’s not go there. Everything is so rushed that I can hardly discern the plot from the tangles of everything else. It’s not paced well enough and really, I just didn’t care about what the hell was going on. Hell I was practically rooting for everyone to die instead of getting the happy ending they all desperately yearned for.
The ending is probably the best part about the book, I liked how the author ended the book with an open ending giving us the choice to imagine what would happen afterwards. Not that I actually cared. I was just happy the book was over.
I am sorely disappointed by this book and really it sucks that I didn’t enjoy this more. I really wouldn’t recommend it to anybody unless you’re looking for a quick read to help you catch up on your reading challenge.
You know what sucks? When you know the author of a book is a really nice person but you end up absolutely hating the book. I was looking forward to this one, the premise was intriguing and well the cover was amazeballs, so yes, when I dove in, my expectations were high, but when I read the book, they hit rock bottom. This book was awful. It pains me to say that but less than 10% in and I was counting down how much longer it would take me to finish it.
I think one of the biggest drawbacks of this book is its length. The final copy has around 250 pages and well that doesn’t do the book any favors. Everything is crammed into those pages. Events occur one after the other with no real emphasis put on any of them. For example, her mother dies and she cries but thats about all we see in relationship to her mother's death. Also, I felt no connection with what was going on in the book and the characters did nothing for me.
Sia is one of the worst characters I’ve encountered. She is impulsive and never thinks things through. She never thinks about how her actions would affect people or if her plans would even work out. She is incredibly self-centered in that way and honestly, I think she had everything bad that happened to her coming. I really did not like her character. She was not brave, she was not smart. She was STUPID. She was IMPULSIVE and really, she was a clueless teenager given the situation she was in. She basically goes along with people she just met because she assumes they’ll be safe since they don’t look like they could do her much harm. Honey, did no one teach you that looks can be deceiving? Hell the cover of this pretty book was deceiving.
Mace is just as stupid. He ‘chooses� Sia because he saw something special in her but is surprised when she doesn’t readily jump at the chance to join a revolution. Yeah, when you pick people of the street without actually getting to know them, you’re probably going to be in for a shit load of disappointment son.
Did I mention Mace’s stalkery habits that are waived off because ‘at least he was being honest�. Yeah no, if a guy is following you around and you aren’t even aware of it, something is absolutely wrong here.
None of the other characters are developed enough for me to even say anything about them. For the most part, they didn’t even register on my radar. I could say that I enjoyed the fact that Sia and her dad shared a good relationship but really I didn’t care. I was completely detached from the book and the characters and just everything.
There are 15 days to live. 15 days until she and everyone else in her sector will be dead and she has already embraced that. Now that isn’t a bad thing, what is a bad thing is how her will to live makes an entrance overnight and that to because of guy she JUST met. I get what the author is trying to do here but because of the length it becomes an issue and it almost seems like the character underwent a personality transplant, and honestly the end result wasn’t someone I could like. It didn't make Sia a more enjoyable character, if anything, it made her a bigger pain in the ass.
The romance in this book was a nightmare. My insta-love alarms were set off and they were ringing really loudly (ouch). I mean seriously. She started having feelings for him without even having a decent conversation. The two times the conversed before she becomes aware of her feelings, he was basically trying to get her to join a rebellion and she ran/hid away from him EACH TIME. How does she suddenly care for him? At the rate they are going, they’ll probably be married in a couple of days (after the end of the book).
Both the villains and the rebels have no sort of logic to them. The villains are evil for the sake of being evil. When you find out their reasons for doing what they were doing, it just feels so fake. Oh, I am going to only pick the cool humans to hang out with me. Nobody else is worth it. Ugh. I am such a special snowflake. Stop. No seriously. If there was a legit reason as to why they were doing what they were doing, their actions would have been easier to swallow. The rebels were just wannabes. I can see why they feel the need to rebel. Obviously. But there are only 20 rebels in total. And they’re going to have to fight against cyborgs. Pray tell me, how they’re even going to survive. Yeah they mentioned recruiting more people later but uh. No. If they were talking about saving themselves they would have thought things through and would have been more organized but as it is, they’re just a rag tag group of wannabes.
The world building sucks. These citizens were closed inside the walls for some reason and are now going to be killed for another. I have no idea why any of this happened/is happening (well we do know the reason for the latter but as I mentioned earlier, it all felt very fake). This book was a very odd sort of dystopia where I didn’t even understand the basic mechanics of how the government worked. The world building had a lot of potential from what I saw but it needed so much more development.
The plot. No let’s not go there. Everything is so rushed that I can hardly discern the plot from the tangles of everything else. It’s not paced well enough and really, I just didn’t care about what the hell was going on. Hell I was practically rooting for everyone to die instead of getting the happy ending they all desperately yearned for.
The ending is probably the best part about the book, I liked how the author ended the book with an open ending giving us the choice to imagine what would happen afterwards. Not that I actually cared. I was just happy the book was over.
I am sorely disappointed by this book and really it sucks that I didn’t enjoy this more. I really wouldn’t recommend it to anybody unless you’re looking for a quick read to help you catch up on your reading challenge.
December 22, 2014
I didn't love this book, but I had the very sweet and lovely Kate Ormand for an interview on the blog. (Open internationally!)
1.5 stars
To be honest, I went into this hoping for a mindless, action-packed dystopian read. Well, I did get that, but it wasn't executed the way I hoped it would. I did get the idea and I think this book has potential, but I had a lot of issues with it.
Wait... Where's the plot again?
This book is only a whopping 250+ pages, which was mostly used up for themost irrelevant things, like the heroine fussing over her bitchy mom, pitying herself for not being able to see her best friend, and denying that she couldn't find love in fifteen days.
OH YES--you heard me right. If the world was going to end in fifteen days, would FALLING IN LOVE be on your bucketlist? Not on mine. Maybe kissing, or doing the deed, I would understand. But falling in love? That's a whole different thing, and I don't see the point.
That romance... JUST NO.
I'm not sure I can explain how much the romance bothered me. Take a look at thesequotes andsee for yourself:
I know I wouldn't be willing to potentially kill myself to save a guy who I've only known for two weeks.
What's with the extra half star?
Like I said, this book had potential. If it had been stretched out to, maybe, 450+ pages, it could have been so much better. Another good thing about the book is that it was definitely action-packed towards the end--it was kind of like watching a movie. A cheesy, stereotypical, cliche movie. But hey, it still gives you a visual of something.
1.5 stars
"We can see it, but we'll never be able to reach it. So what's the point in looking at it and wanting it?
To be honest, I went into this hoping for a mindless, action-packed dystopian read. Well, I did get that, but it wasn't executed the way I hoped it would. I did get the idea and I think this book has potential, but I had a lot of issues with it.
Wait... Where's the plot again?
This book is only a whopping 250+ pages, which was mostly used up for themost irrelevant things, like the heroine fussing over her bitchy mom, pitying herself for not being able to see her best friend, and denying that she couldn't find love in fifteen days.
OH YES--you heard me right. If the world was going to end in fifteen days, would FALLING IN LOVE be on your bucketlist? Not on mine. Maybe kissing, or doing the deed, I would understand. But falling in love? That's a whole different thing, and I don't see the point.
That romance... JUST NO.
I'm not sure I can explain how much the romance bothered me. Take a look at thesequotes andsee for yourself:
"I've wanted to kiss you like that since the first time I saw you."
"I push Mace (the love interest) out of the way, and the machine catches me instead."
I know I wouldn't be willing to potentially kill myself to save a guy who I've only known for two weeks.
What's with the extra half star?
Like I said, this book had potential. If it had been stretched out to, maybe, 450+ pages, it could have been so much better. Another good thing about the book is that it was definitely action-packed towards the end--it was kind of like watching a movie. A cheesy, stereotypical, cliche movie. But hey, it still gives you a visual of something.
July 29, 2014
What will you do if you only have 15 days to live?
A world divided according to sectors, but few are chosen to live in the New World. Sia Morgan got 15 days to live. She wants to spend that number of days wisely until she met Mace. A mysterious, attractive boy who teaches her to be brave and fight back against the New World with the rest of the rebels in their sector.
Chances are very minimal since they don't have enough weapons to stand against their opponents: Cyborgs. These machines are beyond ruthless than what she imagined. Is 15 days enough to trained themselves against these machines? Sia's Dark Days have only just begun.
I heard this book from Megan Olivier's channel on YouTube and it piqued my interest. The book isn't available here yet in my place and decided to get an ebook instead. The book was unimaginable, scary and uniquely written. I love the characters and its plot twist. It may be a short read, but it's worth reading. I really enjoy it. Kudos to Kate Ormand for writing this book. I will be looking forward on her future novels.
A world divided according to sectors, but few are chosen to live in the New World. Sia Morgan got 15 days to live. She wants to spend that number of days wisely until she met Mace. A mysterious, attractive boy who teaches her to be brave and fight back against the New World with the rest of the rebels in their sector.
Chances are very minimal since they don't have enough weapons to stand against their opponents: Cyborgs. These machines are beyond ruthless than what she imagined. Is 15 days enough to trained themselves against these machines? Sia's Dark Days have only just begun.
I heard this book from Megan Olivier's channel on YouTube and it piqued my interest. The book isn't available here yet in my place and decided to get an ebook instead. The book was unimaginable, scary and uniquely written. I love the characters and its plot twist. It may be a short read, but it's worth reading. I really enjoy it. Kudos to Kate Ormand for writing this book. I will be looking forward on her future novels.
May 7, 2016
Read as digital ARC.
Now here is a book that's doing everything right.
5 Reasons to Read:
1) It's a book with a deadline. (A main character who's going to die in 15 days is not going to waste your time.)
2) Bucket list! (Set with realistic expectations! Bucket Lists are the it-accessory for YA books right now.)
3) All of the fun and reflectiveness of a zombie book, without the zombies. (Mass hysteria, looting, attic vs. basement as hiding places debates (okay, not really). Zombies are not the only reason to panic and question the meaning of life; you can do that without the threat of being eaten, and, sometimes, you should.)
4) The twist. (You think the story's going in one direction, but then something else happens--a new plan emerges--but you'll be cool with it. Because it's freaking awesome.)
5) I super liked it. (Characters are introduced smoothly. We get to hang in a 1984-esque society (what is there not to love about that???). Sia knows what she wants and who she cares about, and she'll make you care too. This baby is on my wishlist, and I knew it would be since I was about a page in.)
Dark Days was a pleasure for me to read; I was never disappointed, only thrilled with new developments and Sia's determination to live her life. With a nice, low page count, there is no reason for this book to not be on your to-read list.
Now here is a book that's doing everything right.
5 Reasons to Read:
1) It's a book with a deadline. (A main character who's going to die in 15 days is not going to waste your time.)
2) Bucket list! (Set with realistic expectations! Bucket Lists are the it-accessory for YA books right now.)
3) All of the fun and reflectiveness of a zombie book, without the zombies. (Mass hysteria, looting, attic vs. basement as hiding places debates (okay, not really). Zombies are not the only reason to panic and question the meaning of life; you can do that without the threat of being eaten, and, sometimes, you should.)
4) The twist. (You think the story's going in one direction, but then something else happens--a new plan emerges--but you'll be cool with it. Because it's freaking awesome.)
5) I super liked it. (Characters are introduced smoothly. We get to hang in a 1984-esque society (what is there not to love about that???). Sia knows what she wants and who she cares about, and she'll make you care too. This baby is on my wishlist, and I knew it would be since I was about a page in.)
Dark Days was a pleasure for me to read; I was never disappointed, only thrilled with new developments and Sia's determination to live her life. With a nice, low page count, there is no reason for this book to not be on your to-read list.
April 21, 2014
'Dark Days' is a debut YA, dystopian novel by talented author, Kate Ormand. Set in a hostile future, 'Dark Days' follows Sia, a feisty teenage girl, who lives in a town surrounded by steel fences. In just fifteen days time, a cyborg army will be sent from The New World to destroy Sia and everyone she knows. There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Sia has to stay and watch the town's digital clock count down to her death.
First of all, I read the majority of this book in a day because I couldn't stop (which is just not something that tends to happen to me). Ormand's writing is seamless and perfectly paced. The action scenes in this novel amazed me - they were so well executed, and never felt tedious or confused. The world depicted in the novel was also outstanding. It felt very real and I could easily visualise the environment and setting.
But the characters stole the show! Sia was wonderfully feisty and tough, yet so relatable and likeable. There was a particularly dreamy guy (the love story in this novel is so cute and heart-warning) but my all time favourite character had to be Sia's dad! The father-daughter relationship in 'Dark Days' was so refreshingly different to most YA, which tends to focus on the love story. I so enjoyed reading about Sia and her dad, Len - I think that I would probably ship them ;).
I would recommend this book to everyone! It was so good!
First of all, I read the majority of this book in a day because I couldn't stop (which is just not something that tends to happen to me). Ormand's writing is seamless and perfectly paced. The action scenes in this novel amazed me - they were so well executed, and never felt tedious or confused. The world depicted in the novel was also outstanding. It felt very real and I could easily visualise the environment and setting.
But the characters stole the show! Sia was wonderfully feisty and tough, yet so relatable and likeable. There was a particularly dreamy guy (the love story in this novel is so cute and heart-warning) but my all time favourite character had to be Sia's dad! The father-daughter relationship in 'Dark Days' was so refreshingly different to most YA, which tends to focus on the love story. I so enjoyed reading about Sia and her dad, Len - I think that I would probably ship them ;).
I would recommend this book to everyone! It was so good!
January 1, 2015
ARC provided by Sky Pony Press through Edelweiss
Some vaguely alluded event related to climate change happened and almost all the world's species went extinct - the human race also suffered severe losses that number in the billions, seeing its population greatly reduced.
Right here it's already bad. This world building, if you can even call it that - I mean, it needs to be the absolutely basic foundation for a good book, not this indefinite mess!
Then walls were built when Sia was a baby to protect them from... something. Thus dividing populations into non-self-sufficient sectors in which more people were killed by the government because that makes sense?
These sectors are predictably conformist: a curfew where people are trapped inside of their houses for a specific length of time, same houses for everyone, same décor, same pay checks. Equality and no deviance from the norm.
The usual dystopian clichés.
Then it's announced that a New World (read: a new sector), better, more advanced than the rest is being built. People will be selected to find the best possible humans, who will then be moved to this New World. The rest of the human population will be slaughtered by a cyborg army. Sia's sector has been informed it'll be slaughtered in 15 days.
First of all, I'm already laughing, which isn't good. Slaughtered by a cyborg army?!
LMAO okay.
But let's analyse the glaring scientific inaccuracies. They are going to select the best humans? What makes the best humans? Natural selection (which this isn't, this is selective breeding, which doesn't necessarily mean
"the best") has taught us that what makes an individual fit for survival depends on its ecological niche.
They're selecting a small part of an already small population, effectively creating a genetic bottleneck which will inevitably end up in a genetic homogeneous population.
What happens if a new disease breaks out? What happens if another vague catastrophe hits them and no one has the necessary traits to adapt and survive it? You've already killed the rest of the population therefore cutting off your access to genetic diversity and the chance to save the human race...
How fucking stupid is this dystopia?!
So this book is already a failure when it comes to basic scientific research vital to its setting. But there are also huge plot holes:
- Why is the government so stupid when it comes to the survival of the human race?
- What happened for everything to end up like this?
- Why the fuck would you tell people with nothing to lose you will slaughter them in 15 days? So they can organise a rebellion? Even Princess Bubblegum knew not to make that mistake!
Of course we have to have the usual YA trope of absent (or as good as absent) parents. Sia's father is literally absent most of the time. Her mother cracked under the pressure and just watches people in the other sectors being slaughtered every day on tv. Yes, on tv. They're showing it on tv. I guess to make the inevitable rebellion's recruiting job easier?
Sia goes out by herself to get food. They haven't been getting any supplies from outside. Obviously everything is a mess, with people fighting for the last resources.
Even so Sia is amazed, she didn't think that, in this situation, going out for food would be dangerous. This is the first of many tstl moments for Sia.
While getting food she meets the supposedly hot - but instead extremely creepy Mace or Kline. You see, we don't know his name because he starts lying from the beginning. Mace or Kline is a special, special snowflake of a guy. In a dystopian walled up sector which enforces conformity in every way, this 18 year old has full tattoo sleeves. Because what this book needed was to sacrifice what little world building consistency it had just to have a faux-bad boy for the main character to lust after.
This creep, who is also a complete fucking stranger, immediately offers to walk Sia home and, being tstl, she agrees. Halfway through the walk she seems to come to her senses a bit, shoves this dude to the ground and runs for her life.
Here's the thing: if a girl feels so threatened by you that she pushes you away, then runs from you in fear, the correct response is NOT to chase her then tackle her to the ground, making her bleed.
But wait! He was actually justified in this full-on creepiness because there were people about to shoot them down.
Why? It doesn't matter.
Where did they get the guns in a literally walled in society? Irrelevant.
Because I'm betting this is just to set the precedent that, no matter how psycho and creepy this Mace or Kline acts, he will be justified in doing so.
This is a sector housing 416 people, yet Sia is constantly meeting new people. The average high-school has about 1000 students and you know almost everyone at least by sight. So wtf?!
Bear in mind that, this being an ARC, I am not allowed to quote any part of it - so you're spared my bitching about the endless "My Immortal" fanfic-worthy descriptions of what everyone is wearing, everyone's face shape, and the exact shade of everyone's hair, skin, and eyes. Be thankful, I guess...
But on that subject, basically everyone is white, of course.
Kyra, Sia's best friend, is under lock and key - her family still hopes to be selected and Sia hanging around their daughter is sure not to help matters.
But anyway, as soon as Sia is kicked out of her bff's house, guess who is there, waiting, like a spider. That's right. Mace or Kline. He straight up admits he's been following her and her reaction is to just shrug it off and be happy that at least he's being honest with her. More importantly, he winks at her and her knees wobble,
her breath catches, her cheeks flush, plus several other physiological reactions indicating lust.
Because of a wink? What kind of wink... what.
Anyway, she has an awkward conversation with her dad where he asks her not to go out at night because it's dangerous. But she makes not promises. And here I thought the book told us people were literally locked into their houses at night.
After this Sia decides to read the note that creep Mace or Kline gave her. In it he writes that she's omg so special and he really saw something in her, perhaps a special snowflake like himself and she should totally meet him, a fucking stranger - more specifically at the precise spot he tackled her to the ground because if you can make things creepier, why hold back, you know?
Not that there was any need to hold back because, being tstl, Sia is going to meet him anyway.
But before the meeting she decides this is the perfect opportunity to "save" her bff and kidnap her from her family. And is all amazement when said bff thinks she is crazy and has no intentions of leaving her family when there is still a chance her family might be chosen for the New World, and even if they aren't... she's not
leaving her family. This is seen as crazy behaviour instead of its more usual name: common sense.
Her mum finally cracks and kills herself. Sia is sad for about 3 pages but then it's time to put on make-up and choose the perfect outfit to meet Mace or Kline! A dead mum can't kill romance ;)
This book, however, is killing my spirit.
But anyway, it's time for fun races, and relaxing on the grass on top of the sector's hill, watching the lake, in the comfort of Mace or Kline's arms, while holding hands. With a creepy stranger. When your mum just died.
Mace or Kline is, of course, part of the rebellion and tries to recruit Sia, who is upset because he is totally ruining the moment! Besides she's accepted to die, and it's super rude that he hasn't and is trying to find a way to survive. Boys, am I right?
While running away from him, Sia meets Lilly. Lilly's family (Lilly included) were chosen for the New World. But Lilly is totally legit, you know? She's not about to survive to fight things from within and build a better society. No! She's staying here and totally dying with the non-chosen to prove a point: that she has integrity or whatever.
Basically what I call Ned Stark-stupid.
I don't need to go on with the review, anyone can guess that Sia is going to join the inept rebellion because of Mace or Kline (not because of any survival instinct), goes through training and blah blah blah.
None of this is original, of course, it's basically Under the Never Sky, with a touch of The Hunger Games, and Terminator - but without any of the interesting plots.
This book needs a better editor - not for the writing, the writing is technically skilled, but for the plot holes, for the glaring scientific inaccuracies, for the weak and inconsistent world building, for the tstl main character.
The book is not awful. It's just that it's not special either, it borders on mediocre, even if you're okay with all the YA dystopian tropes and the predictable plot.
But if I have to end a review with, "hey, it's not awful"...
May 4, 2014
"You were somewhere I couldn't get to you and that... that kills me. If anything had happened to you there, I wouldn't have been able to protect you from it."
It's no surprise to anyone who knows me how much I adore a good dystopia novel. It's one of my all time favourite genres and if I had to choose one genre to only read that genre for the rest of my life Dystopia would probably be the one I choose. I've been looking for a really unique dystopia book to get my hands on for a while. After reading so many dystopia books you find that some of them start to seem the same and have the same kind of storyline... Dark Days is one of the most unique and fresh dystopia novels I have ever read. I loved every single second of it.
The world has been split into sectors. Each is the same as the others and they are all equal. They are surrounded by steel walls with no way in and no way out. A new world has been created and those who are not chosen for the new world will be destroyed by the new worlds cyborg army. Sia lives in a sector and has been given 15 days before the cyborg army descend. Sia has a list of things she wants to do before she dies. Just when she has resigned that she is alone and living her last days she meets Mace, the mysterious and strong boy who gives her a reason to live. Will Sia give up and wait to die or is life worth fighting for?
Dark Days is such an amazing book. I do admit there is one thing that is similar to other dystopia books and that is the fact that the world was split into sectors. There is a few other YA dystopia novels that have that happen but that is where the similarities start and end. The rest is just pure originality. I loved that we don't actually see what leads up to the announcement that the cyborg army is coming. When we start the story they are already counting down to the end.
Sia is such an awesome character. I really loved her and she grows so much throughout the book. She goes from being pretty resigned over what is going to happen to wanting to fight for her life and will even sacrifice herself if it means she can save the rest of the sector.
Mace is awesome. I loved him. He is most definitely the character that all of the girls will love. He gives Sia a new lease of life and gives her something to fight for while also wanting to protect her. He accepts that she doesn't always need protection but wants to save her anyway.
Dark Days is pure originality wrapped up in a well-written package that is everything that a dystopia fan could wish for. Kate's writing is so amazing and completely entraps you from the start and keeps you hanging on so much that you finish the book in one sitting. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen and I couldn't put the book down.
Dark Days is without a doubt a must-read. It's jampacked with heart-stopping action that has you on tenter-hooks, not able to turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen and breathtaking romance that will leave you breathless. I was sucked in and took on the journey of my life. Kate Ormand had me completely and utterly in love with this book. She sucked me in right at the start and kept me enraptured until she spat me out at the end begging for more. I'm still not sure what 'more' is. The end of the book is perfect. I'd love a sequel but if there wasn't one then that would be okay too as it really is a fantastic well-rounded ending. I just want more writing from Kate.
Dark Days is a must-read. Add this one to you pre-order lists people as this one is not to be missed.
"But now I've met you, and now I have something to live for again. I don't need to go back home. You're all I want. I'll do everything I can to keep up both alive. Everything. I can't lose you."
February 19, 2023
I have had this book on my shelf for years now. The mentions of cyborgs and comparison to Divergent were apparently intriguing enough for me to pick it up but boy oh boy, it did not age well.
The world-building was poor. I had little idea how this society operated or was formed. There were too many inconsistencies and little atmosphere. The explanations for the antagonist's motivation to commit genocide were so weak and illogical that it made the entire story lose its edge.
I didn’t connect with Sia, the protagonist, on any level. Her impulsivity was infuriating. She needlessly put herself in danger repeatedly, never bothering to step back and assess a situation before diving headfirst into trouble. She was constantly being saved by the men in her life and never seem to learn from her mistakes. Her reactions to her mother’s suicide and the loss of her best friend were so subdued if you blinked you would have missed it. Maybe I could have understood her reaction if there had been some nuance to its portrayal. Instead, she spent more time trying to fall in love than grieving. She romanticised the fact that Mace stalks her. She was endeared that he saw ‘something special� in her and wanted to protect her - ignoring that he literally followed her without her knowledge.
Overall? This story was unoriginal and messy. Its short page count accelerated the plot and development of the romance, making everything rushed. I didn’t care about the characters and was disappointed by the romanticisation of the love interest's stalking. A lot of these problems could have been solved with a longer page count.
� Trigger warnings for .
� �
The world-building was poor. I had little idea how this society operated or was formed. There were too many inconsistencies and little atmosphere. The explanations for the antagonist's motivation to commit genocide were so weak and illogical that it made the entire story lose its edge.
I didn’t connect with Sia, the protagonist, on any level. Her impulsivity was infuriating. She needlessly put herself in danger repeatedly, never bothering to step back and assess a situation before diving headfirst into trouble. She was constantly being saved by the men in her life and never seem to learn from her mistakes. Her reactions to her mother’s suicide and the loss of her best friend were so subdued if you blinked you would have missed it. Maybe I could have understood her reaction if there had been some nuance to its portrayal. Instead, she spent more time trying to fall in love than grieving. She romanticised the fact that Mace stalks her. She was endeared that he saw ‘something special� in her and wanted to protect her - ignoring that he literally followed her without her knowledge.
Overall? This story was unoriginal and messy. Its short page count accelerated the plot and development of the romance, making everything rushed. I didn’t care about the characters and was disappointed by the romanticisation of the love interest's stalking. A lot of these problems could have been solved with a longer page count.
� Trigger warnings for .
� �
June 3, 2014
I loved Dark Days. Loved, loved, loved it. The idea of the clock counting down the days in the sectors is fantastic � it creates such a strong (and frightening!) image in your mind. I love the way the chapter headings reflect the countdown, too. The world building is fantastic � I felt it really worked, and the reasons for the creation of the New World and the sectors are chilling and all too plausible. The cyborgs are terrifying and the battle scenes are fantastic. The mix of fast-paced scenes and quieter moments is perfect and they sweep you effortlessly through the story.
Sia is tough and brave, but has a vulnerability that makes it really easy to empathise with her and warm to her. And Mace is the perfect sidekick � the chemistry between him and Sia crackles off the page and their romance is sweet and realistic, providing a perfect counterpoint to the darker themes of the novel.
I think readers are going to love Dark Days, especially fans of Divergent or The Hunger Games, and I hope it enjoys the success it richly deserves.
Sia is tough and brave, but has a vulnerability that makes it really easy to empathise with her and warm to her. And Mace is the perfect sidekick � the chemistry between him and Sia crackles off the page and their romance is sweet and realistic, providing a perfect counterpoint to the darker themes of the novel.
I think readers are going to love Dark Days, especially fans of Divergent or The Hunger Games, and I hope it enjoys the success it richly deserves.
June 25, 2014
This book was Fabulous! I give it 5 STARS and I cannot wait..... let me repeat that..... I CANNOT wait for a sequel.First and Foremost, Dytopian novels are quickly becoming my new favorite reading choice and secondly I could not put this book down. I basically read it in about 14 hours.... only because I had to take a break here and there. :) Here is the synopsis for you from ŷ to get started......
The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future.
Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.
OK..... sounds pretty good right? OK first I have to state that I hope there is a sequel and fast and when there is PLEASE let there be more Mace and even more of Finn's character. I liked Mace's character a lot, but there was something about Finn and a few short moments where I was hoping that a possible "love triangle" would develop. I am sure the possibility still exists and normally I hate love triangles and am kind of a "pick your man and stick with him throughout the entire book kind of reader..... but in this case there is just something about Finn. I know he had a crush on Sia before their troubles began with the 15 day countdown and life was normal for them,if you can call that normal. But you really have such short moments with him that I really want to get him and Mace's characters more fro sure. :) But again this is yet another reason that I cannot wait for a sequel. There are so many possibilities and I want to know it all! Oh, and do not forget you have Damien's son Caine on the run at the books end and you know that he will rear his ugly head sooner or later too. This was a fast read( I wish it had been longer for sure) and then because it was so good, I could not put it down and finished it with ease. I really did not want it to end and as I read in another review..... I simply want more. A prequel, sequels.... Give it to me Kate Ormand. Loved this! Lovers of YA and Dystopian books, if you need a new read this is it!
Here is an excerpt or two that I LOVED!
I want to live.
Ten days ago, I was resigned to die. I'd accepted my fate, knowing there was nothing I could do about it. Then I met Mace, and he told me that there was something I could do. He told me I could fight. Mace gives me hope. He makes me want to try. He makes me want to live.
And here is a FINN moment.....
I shouldn't have fallen asleep.
I don't know how I did. I don't know how I closed my eyes. I don't know how I could relax for even a second in this awful place.
Outside the cell door is the sound of jangling keys and groaning metal. They're here for me. It's time. I hear the door open, but I can't see a thing. I can only just make out my own pale hands in front of me. There are no windows in this cell. No moonlight shining through bars to give me even a clue of what time it is or who's standing in the cell with me.
"Who's -?" I begin
"Shhh."
I tense. I'm scared, so scared. I sit up straight, listen. Thousands of scenarios flash through my mind: I'll be publicly executed, or the guards will shoot me here, or they'll do to me what they did to Mr. Tanner with the cyborg, or they'll leave me here and let me rot and waste away until I'm nothing but a pile of bones.
Hard, calloused hands rest on top of mine. I jump at the sudden contact. "Shh," the voice says again. Lips touch my hair. Warm breath weaves through each strand. "It's me, Finn. You're okay. I'm here for you," he whispers.
He laces his fingers through mine. "Sia, say something."
I can't.
"Did they hurt you?" Finn runs his free hand up my arm, slowly, carefully, until it finds my neck, my ears, my face. He touches my cheek, wipes away the wetness from my tears with his fingertips. "Sia," he breathes. "Sia, it's all right." He guides my head to his shoulder and strokes my hair.
I choke. "Finn?"
His face is pressed against mine and I feel him smile. "It's me, I'm here," he soothes.
I hug him harder. "I thought they'd come to kill me."
He eases me back, feels for my face in the dark again, and brushes tangled hair out of my eyes. His touch is so gentle, so careful. "Would you like to go home instead?" he whispers. His face is closer than I thought. I nod, and my forehead rubs against his. His breath catches and there's no sound at all in the cell. No noise at all around us. Until sharp stilettos crack the silence. The unmistakeable sound of pointy heels clicking on concrete.
Finn hoists us both up and guides us out of the cell. He navigates to the front of the building and into the first cell by a side entrance. He pushes me up against the wall, in the corner beside the metal door, and presses his body into mine. Finn's breath tickles my neck, shallow and fast.
Felicity steps into the jail and Finn stops breathing altogether. The dull footsteps of guards follow her. I'm stiff, rigid, my limbs tense up tight against Finn's body. Then he pulls away. Cold air slaps me. Without him I'm vulnerable, exposed.
He holds my hand and crouches low, pulling me down into the same position as him. His footsteps are careful, cautious, silent.
Felicity and her guards are at the back of the building now. I see the bright yellow beam of a flashlight bobbing around as they approach what was my cell. She says my name and I freeze. "The decision has been made as to what to do with you," she continues.
I want to hear more.
Felicity's footsteps stop. There is a moment of silence, then she shrieks. Finn tugs at my arm and we slip out through the open door. We straighten up but don't let go of each other.
And then we're running.
And a little Excerpt with Mace......
There's a tap at the door.
"Come in," I say.
Mace hovers near the open door.
"Hey," he says.
"Hey."
He closes the door and sits beside me on the bed. Our thighs touch. He smells of smoke too. mace tucks a small piece of loose hair behind my ear. "I was so worried about you these past two days," he whispers. "I can't believe you were in The New World the whole time. I looked everywhere for you and I couldn't find you. But you weren't even in the sector. You were somewhere I couldn't get to you and that....that kills me. If anything had happened to you there, I wouldn't have been able to protect you from it. I wouldn't have even known."
SIGH...... I cannot choose and I love them both I think! Enjoy the Awesome read!
The future world has been divided into sectors--each the same as the other. Surrounded by thick steel fences, there is no way in and no way out. Yet a cyborg army penetrates each sector, picking off its citizens one by one, until no one is left. Behind the sectors' thick walls, the citizens wait to die. Few will be chosen to survive what's coming; the rest will be left behind to suffer. A new world has been created, and its rulers are incredibly selective on who will become a citizen. They want only those with important roles in society to help create a more perfect future.
Sixteen-year-old Sia lives in one of the sectors as part of a family that is far too ordinary to be picked to live. According to the digital clock that towers high above her sector, she has only fifteen days to live. Sia has seen the reports and knows a horrific death is in store for her, but she is determined to make the most of her final days. Sia refuses to mourn her short life, instead promising herself that she'll stay strong, despite being suffocated by her depressed mother and her frightened best friend. Just when Sia feels more alone than ever, she meets Mace, a mysterious boy. There is something that draws Sia to him, despite his dangerousness, and together, they join a group of rebels and embark on an epic journey to destroy the new world and its machines, and to put an end to the slaughter of innocent people.
OK..... sounds pretty good right? OK first I have to state that I hope there is a sequel and fast and when there is PLEASE let there be more Mace and even more of Finn's character. I liked Mace's character a lot, but there was something about Finn and a few short moments where I was hoping that a possible "love triangle" would develop. I am sure the possibility still exists and normally I hate love triangles and am kind of a "pick your man and stick with him throughout the entire book kind of reader..... but in this case there is just something about Finn. I know he had a crush on Sia before their troubles began with the 15 day countdown and life was normal for them,if you can call that normal. But you really have such short moments with him that I really want to get him and Mace's characters more fro sure. :) But again this is yet another reason that I cannot wait for a sequel. There are so many possibilities and I want to know it all! Oh, and do not forget you have Damien's son Caine on the run at the books end and you know that he will rear his ugly head sooner or later too. This was a fast read( I wish it had been longer for sure) and then because it was so good, I could not put it down and finished it with ease. I really did not want it to end and as I read in another review..... I simply want more. A prequel, sequels.... Give it to me Kate Ormand. Loved this! Lovers of YA and Dystopian books, if you need a new read this is it!
Here is an excerpt or two that I LOVED!
I want to live.
Ten days ago, I was resigned to die. I'd accepted my fate, knowing there was nothing I could do about it. Then I met Mace, and he told me that there was something I could do. He told me I could fight. Mace gives me hope. He makes me want to try. He makes me want to live.
And here is a FINN moment.....
I shouldn't have fallen asleep.
I don't know how I did. I don't know how I closed my eyes. I don't know how I could relax for even a second in this awful place.
Outside the cell door is the sound of jangling keys and groaning metal. They're here for me. It's time. I hear the door open, but I can't see a thing. I can only just make out my own pale hands in front of me. There are no windows in this cell. No moonlight shining through bars to give me even a clue of what time it is or who's standing in the cell with me.
"Who's -?" I begin
"Shhh."
I tense. I'm scared, so scared. I sit up straight, listen. Thousands of scenarios flash through my mind: I'll be publicly executed, or the guards will shoot me here, or they'll do to me what they did to Mr. Tanner with the cyborg, or they'll leave me here and let me rot and waste away until I'm nothing but a pile of bones.
Hard, calloused hands rest on top of mine. I jump at the sudden contact. "Shh," the voice says again. Lips touch my hair. Warm breath weaves through each strand. "It's me, Finn. You're okay. I'm here for you," he whispers.
He laces his fingers through mine. "Sia, say something."
I can't.
"Did they hurt you?" Finn runs his free hand up my arm, slowly, carefully, until it finds my neck, my ears, my face. He touches my cheek, wipes away the wetness from my tears with his fingertips. "Sia," he breathes. "Sia, it's all right." He guides my head to his shoulder and strokes my hair.
I choke. "Finn?"
His face is pressed against mine and I feel him smile. "It's me, I'm here," he soothes.
I hug him harder. "I thought they'd come to kill me."
He eases me back, feels for my face in the dark again, and brushes tangled hair out of my eyes. His touch is so gentle, so careful. "Would you like to go home instead?" he whispers. His face is closer than I thought. I nod, and my forehead rubs against his. His breath catches and there's no sound at all in the cell. No noise at all around us. Until sharp stilettos crack the silence. The unmistakeable sound of pointy heels clicking on concrete.
Finn hoists us both up and guides us out of the cell. He navigates to the front of the building and into the first cell by a side entrance. He pushes me up against the wall, in the corner beside the metal door, and presses his body into mine. Finn's breath tickles my neck, shallow and fast.
Felicity steps into the jail and Finn stops breathing altogether. The dull footsteps of guards follow her. I'm stiff, rigid, my limbs tense up tight against Finn's body. Then he pulls away. Cold air slaps me. Without him I'm vulnerable, exposed.
He holds my hand and crouches low, pulling me down into the same position as him. His footsteps are careful, cautious, silent.
Felicity and her guards are at the back of the building now. I see the bright yellow beam of a flashlight bobbing around as they approach what was my cell. She says my name and I freeze. "The decision has been made as to what to do with you," she continues.
I want to hear more.
Felicity's footsteps stop. There is a moment of silence, then she shrieks. Finn tugs at my arm and we slip out through the open door. We straighten up but don't let go of each other.
And then we're running.
And a little Excerpt with Mace......
There's a tap at the door.
"Come in," I say.
Mace hovers near the open door.
"Hey," he says.
"Hey."
He closes the door and sits beside me on the bed. Our thighs touch. He smells of smoke too. mace tucks a small piece of loose hair behind my ear. "I was so worried about you these past two days," he whispers. "I can't believe you were in The New World the whole time. I looked everywhere for you and I couldn't find you. But you weren't even in the sector. You were somewhere I couldn't get to you and that....that kills me. If anything had happened to you there, I wouldn't have been able to protect you from it. I wouldn't have even known."
SIGH...... I cannot choose and I love them both I think! Enjoy the Awesome read!
March 28, 2014
Read as a digital advance reading copy
Okay where do I start with this one!
If you are familiar with my blog then you will know that I am huge fan of the dystopian genre, I love books set in a disturbing future, I like an unseen threat, I like a little romance and I also like a trilogy.
This book has most of those things!
Set in the future, where people are living in sectors, time is running out for Sia and her parents, in 15 days she will die and the clock is ticking.
The residents of the sector live in terror of this day coming, surrounded by thick walls they hide away, thinking they can lie low, hidden away from the terror they know will be coming when the clock runs out.
The lucky ones are the families who have been deemed useful enough to go the new world, where they live comfortably not like in sectors where people rob each other for food and a curfew keeps everybody at bay.
Sia has a list of things she wants to do before she dies and she goes about checking them off. Along the way she meets Mace, despite not trusting him at first they set off on a journey to survive along with those close to them, to fight back against what is coming.
Whats coming is cyborgs and they are the cause of this book being extremely bloody in places - the cyborgs kind of remind me of a cross between the Terminator as portrayed by Arnold Schwarzennegger and the latest incarnation of the cylons in Battlestar Galactica, they are really quite terrifying.
I think the most terrifying thing of all is knowing that something like that is coming to kill you and there is nothing you can do about it apart from try and hide, which as you read on you will discover that ain't gonna happen!
Also this book shows how people behave when faced with an imminent threat - fight or flight? Unfortunately some people choose the flight option which is helped along by the continuous showings of other sectors being destroyed on the television.
I wont say anymore as I will spoil the read for you!
The only thing I would note is that I would like to know about how this came to be in the first place, a back story. What happened to the world to make people live like this? Could this be something we learn of in the future?
Now as I mentioned above I like a trilogy, the end of this book I feel sets it up for another journey in to this world.
There will be comparisons against other dystopian novels but I think this is a really good book, I certainly enjoyed reading it. Its available from the 3rd June 2014.
Okay where do I start with this one!
If you are familiar with my blog then you will know that I am huge fan of the dystopian genre, I love books set in a disturbing future, I like an unseen threat, I like a little romance and I also like a trilogy.
This book has most of those things!
Set in the future, where people are living in sectors, time is running out for Sia and her parents, in 15 days she will die and the clock is ticking.
The residents of the sector live in terror of this day coming, surrounded by thick walls they hide away, thinking they can lie low, hidden away from the terror they know will be coming when the clock runs out.
The lucky ones are the families who have been deemed useful enough to go the new world, where they live comfortably not like in sectors where people rob each other for food and a curfew keeps everybody at bay.
Sia has a list of things she wants to do before she dies and she goes about checking them off. Along the way she meets Mace, despite not trusting him at first they set off on a journey to survive along with those close to them, to fight back against what is coming.
Whats coming is cyborgs and they are the cause of this book being extremely bloody in places - the cyborgs kind of remind me of a cross between the Terminator as portrayed by Arnold Schwarzennegger and the latest incarnation of the cylons in Battlestar Galactica, they are really quite terrifying.
I think the most terrifying thing of all is knowing that something like that is coming to kill you and there is nothing you can do about it apart from try and hide, which as you read on you will discover that ain't gonna happen!
Also this book shows how people behave when faced with an imminent threat - fight or flight? Unfortunately some people choose the flight option which is helped along by the continuous showings of other sectors being destroyed on the television.
I wont say anymore as I will spoil the read for you!
The only thing I would note is that I would like to know about how this came to be in the first place, a back story. What happened to the world to make people live like this? Could this be something we learn of in the future?
Now as I mentioned above I like a trilogy, the end of this book I feel sets it up for another journey in to this world.
There will be comparisons against other dystopian novels but I think this is a really good book, I certainly enjoyed reading it. Its available from the 3rd June 2014.
May 19, 2015
Fast paced, thrilling and very enjoyable, Kate Ormand’s Dark Days is a YA dystopia story that everyone should read!
The clock is ticking for Sia. She only has two weeks left before the Cyborgs come invade the sector that she lives and destroys everyone who hasn’t been picked to go live in the New World because her and her family have been deemed to be too ordinary. Determined to spend her last days enjoying life by doing the things she’s never done before, Sia isn’t prepared to meet a boy called Mace, because Mace makes her start questioning things and opening her up to what’s really going on around her. Suddenly Sia has to do the impossible and try to stop the Cyborgs before they invade her sector, but it is a job that is doomed from the start?
I loved the concept of Dark Days! When you first meet Sia she already knows her fate, so we don’t actually see the announcement about Sia’s sector being the next to be destroyed. The ticking clock at the start of each chapter really pumped up my excitement levels, because with each day you know that time is running out for Sia and her family and I so desperately wanted her to have a happy ever after. I really enjoyed the entire story, there’s always something going on and Kate Ormand wrote it in a way that makes you question even the smallest things and by trying to figure out how the story will end. The plot was fast paced and intriguing, and there wasn’t a dull moment.
I really liked Sia and Mace. I thought they were great together � not just romantically � but as friends too. I liked that they could open up to one another and experience new things together. But what I loved was how Mace introduces Sia to a new life, one she’s never really wished for until she met him because she didn’t think that hope existed. For a young girl, Sia goes through so much. Most of the people she loves have been taken away from her and I really felt for her situation. It really makes you hate the bad guys in the story even more.
What else I loved was the fact that this is a standalone book. There are simply just not enough standalone dystopia stories, they all seem to be trilogies and I’m glad Kate Ormand decided on just the one book. I think it worked well and ended well enough that as a reader I was very satisfied.
In all, Dark Days was a pleasure to read and a great addition to the dystopia genre. Welcome done Kate and I can’t wait to see more from you!
Thank you to Sky Pony Press for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
The clock is ticking for Sia. She only has two weeks left before the Cyborgs come invade the sector that she lives and destroys everyone who hasn’t been picked to go live in the New World because her and her family have been deemed to be too ordinary. Determined to spend her last days enjoying life by doing the things she’s never done before, Sia isn’t prepared to meet a boy called Mace, because Mace makes her start questioning things and opening her up to what’s really going on around her. Suddenly Sia has to do the impossible and try to stop the Cyborgs before they invade her sector, but it is a job that is doomed from the start?
I loved the concept of Dark Days! When you first meet Sia she already knows her fate, so we don’t actually see the announcement about Sia’s sector being the next to be destroyed. The ticking clock at the start of each chapter really pumped up my excitement levels, because with each day you know that time is running out for Sia and her family and I so desperately wanted her to have a happy ever after. I really enjoyed the entire story, there’s always something going on and Kate Ormand wrote it in a way that makes you question even the smallest things and by trying to figure out how the story will end. The plot was fast paced and intriguing, and there wasn’t a dull moment.
I really liked Sia and Mace. I thought they were great together � not just romantically � but as friends too. I liked that they could open up to one another and experience new things together. But what I loved was how Mace introduces Sia to a new life, one she’s never really wished for until she met him because she didn’t think that hope existed. For a young girl, Sia goes through so much. Most of the people she loves have been taken away from her and I really felt for her situation. It really makes you hate the bad guys in the story even more.
What else I loved was the fact that this is a standalone book. There are simply just not enough standalone dystopia stories, they all seem to be trilogies and I’m glad Kate Ormand decided on just the one book. I think it worked well and ended well enough that as a reader I was very satisfied.
In all, Dark Days was a pleasure to read and a great addition to the dystopia genre. Welcome done Kate and I can’t wait to see more from you!
Thank you to Sky Pony Press for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2015
I took Dark Days on holiday with me, and what a great choice. Dark Days is a fast, entertaining, adrenaline-packed read. It isn't the longest of books, but I actually really liked that - the story is succinct, neat, and satisfying.
The premise to Dark Days sucked me in - fifteen days from the start of the story, cyborgs are going to brutally kill everyone in an enclosed sector. It's just as terrifying and gruesome as it sounds! Written from the main character, Sia's, point of view, we don't know what the cyborgs look like or how they kill, which makes it all the scarier when we find out. The characters' situation seems impossible, which kept me flipping pages furiously to discover how it would all end.
One of my favourite parts of the story was the changing relationship between Sia and her dad. I also thought the characters' varying responses to their impending deaths was both really interesting and chilling. Well worth a read!
I read an uncorrected proof.
The premise to Dark Days sucked me in - fifteen days from the start of the story, cyborgs are going to brutally kill everyone in an enclosed sector. It's just as terrifying and gruesome as it sounds! Written from the main character, Sia's, point of view, we don't know what the cyborgs look like or how they kill, which makes it all the scarier when we find out. The characters' situation seems impossible, which kept me flipping pages furiously to discover how it would all end.
One of my favourite parts of the story was the changing relationship between Sia and her dad. I also thought the characters' varying responses to their impending deaths was both really interesting and chilling. Well worth a read!
I read an uncorrected proof.
March 18, 2014
My only problem with this book was... I want more.
I want more Mace. I want more Finn even though we didn't see him much.
I want more of this world if it's possible I totally want a sequel... or a prequel or anything set in this world because i just want more.
I loved the premise of this book and as soon as I heard about it I knew I was going to read it, then I was granted a copy on edelweiss and I almost screamed with Joy.
Sia is a lovely character and the only thing I felt this book was lacking was in it's length as it's quite a short book a lot was fitted into a short space of time and since Sia only had 15 days to live she did some pretty stupid or reckless things and there was a bit of instalove but I think it was believeable in a i've only got 15 days to live so I'm going to enjoy those days and fall in love quickly type of thing. I LOVED THE ENDING. but I hope there's a sequel because more stuff should go on.
I will be doing a video review of this so stay tuned for that!
I want more Mace. I want more Finn even though we didn't see him much.
I want more of this world if it's possible I totally want a sequel... or a prequel or anything set in this world because i just want more.
I loved the premise of this book and as soon as I heard about it I knew I was going to read it, then I was granted a copy on edelweiss and I almost screamed with Joy.
Sia is a lovely character and the only thing I felt this book was lacking was in it's length as it's quite a short book a lot was fitted into a short space of time and since Sia only had 15 days to live she did some pretty stupid or reckless things and there was a bit of instalove but I think it was believeable in a i've only got 15 days to live so I'm going to enjoy those days and fall in love quickly type of thing. I LOVED THE ENDING. but I hope there's a sequel because more stuff should go on.
I will be doing a video review of this so stay tuned for that!
May 10, 2014
I'm usually not a huge fan of dystopian books, but I couldn't put this down. The MC Sia was very likeable (unusual in this genre), it was fast paced and it had cyborgs! What more can I say without giving away the plot. Just read it, it's great.
June 2, 2014
Review originally published at .
Sia knew this day was coming, and she’s going to make the best of her final days. Her world is divided into sectors, the occupants of which are imprisoned and at the mercy of their leader Damien Hoist. He decides their fates � who is worthy of being selected to move to the New World and who will remain behind to watch the clock count down to their death. A vicious mass murder carried out by machines that leaves no one alive. There is no escape; nowhere to hide; and for Sia and her family, absolutely no chance of survival.
Sia has a list of things she wants to do and experience before the machines come � but things are not going according to plan. Her dad’s keeping her in the dark about something, her mom has completely lost it, her best friend has shut her out, and she has a new friend who’s made it his sole purpose to protect her. But Sia is not helpless � she wants to learn to protect herself, and she soon realizes that she is not without hope after all. She has some dangerous ideas and concocts a daring plan that could very well save her life and all those she loves. If her plan works, it will be a new beginning� but if she fails, it could be the end of them all � even before the clock runs out � and Sia may find out that there truly are some things worse than death.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that, instead of the usual chapter count, each chapter title is a countdown to how many days Sia and her sector have left before the machines come to destroy everything. This was a brilliant way to channel Sia’s fear and desperation into the reader. Every time I’d begin a new chapter and see that we were another day closer to doomsday, my heart would beat a little faster and I would feel as panicked as Sia did.
Even though the attraction between the two MC’s felt rushed at times, I wasn’t completely turned off by it given that these characters have only days left to live. They want to experience things they’ve only dreamed about, and well� no time like the present. Mace is a very interesting character; and although there is more to him than good looks and gorgeous tattoos, I did find his ink very intriguing � especially the one depicting a butterfly whose body is that of a warped old-fashioned clock. It represents the two things they don’t have: time and freedom.
I’ve been on a contemporary romance kick lately, so Dark Days was a nice change of pace for me. It’s been a while since I’ve read a dystopian, and this was an enjoyable read. I really liked the author’s writing and the vivid details used to describe Sia’s final days before the destruction of her sector. So many Young Adult novels lately really push the boundaries on what’s appropriate for younger teens. I’m happy to report that Dark Days is ideal for those young readers who crave an action-packed story with light romance but are far from being ready for more mature scenes. This is perfect for my teenager and I can’t wait to grab this one for her shelf. I appreciate that even though there is more story to tell, the author gives a good conclusion with no irritating cliffhanger. I recommend this to young fans of dystopians, and I look forward to reading more of ’s work.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Sia knew this day was coming, and she’s going to make the best of her final days. Her world is divided into sectors, the occupants of which are imprisoned and at the mercy of their leader Damien Hoist. He decides their fates � who is worthy of being selected to move to the New World and who will remain behind to watch the clock count down to their death. A vicious mass murder carried out by machines that leaves no one alive. There is no escape; nowhere to hide; and for Sia and her family, absolutely no chance of survival.
Sia has a list of things she wants to do and experience before the machines come � but things are not going according to plan. Her dad’s keeping her in the dark about something, her mom has completely lost it, her best friend has shut her out, and she has a new friend who’s made it his sole purpose to protect her. But Sia is not helpless � she wants to learn to protect herself, and she soon realizes that she is not without hope after all. She has some dangerous ideas and concocts a daring plan that could very well save her life and all those she loves. If her plan works, it will be a new beginning� but if she fails, it could be the end of them all � even before the clock runs out � and Sia may find out that there truly are some things worse than death.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was that, instead of the usual chapter count, each chapter title is a countdown to how many days Sia and her sector have left before the machines come to destroy everything. This was a brilliant way to channel Sia’s fear and desperation into the reader. Every time I’d begin a new chapter and see that we were another day closer to doomsday, my heart would beat a little faster and I would feel as panicked as Sia did.
Even though the attraction between the two MC’s felt rushed at times, I wasn’t completely turned off by it given that these characters have only days left to live. They want to experience things they’ve only dreamed about, and well� no time like the present. Mace is a very interesting character; and although there is more to him than good looks and gorgeous tattoos, I did find his ink very intriguing � especially the one depicting a butterfly whose body is that of a warped old-fashioned clock. It represents the two things they don’t have: time and freedom.
I’ve been on a contemporary romance kick lately, so Dark Days was a nice change of pace for me. It’s been a while since I’ve read a dystopian, and this was an enjoyable read. I really liked the author’s writing and the vivid details used to describe Sia’s final days before the destruction of her sector. So many Young Adult novels lately really push the boundaries on what’s appropriate for younger teens. I’m happy to report that Dark Days is ideal for those young readers who crave an action-packed story with light romance but are far from being ready for more mature scenes. This is perfect for my teenager and I can’t wait to grab this one for her shelf. I appreciate that even though there is more story to tell, the author gives a good conclusion with no irritating cliffhanger. I recommend this to young fans of dystopians, and I look forward to reading more of ’s work.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 11, 2014
15 days. 15 days to accept your fate. 15 days to do all the things you have ever wanted to do... before you die.
Taking off a break neck speed, reader are introduced to Sia, her family, and the gruesome future that awaits them all. Sia and her family live in the safety of the sectors. Life here is equal for everyone. Same pay. Same house. Basically same everything. Time is running out. In 15 days, the sector will be destroyed by cyborgs. Sia and her family will be dead, and the select few will be living in the New World. Sia has accepted her fate. Has a bucket list of all the things she wants to accomplish before the end. She accepts it all until she meets Mace. With Mace, she begins to wonder if things can be different... if she could survive through what no other person has before.
Dark Days was a little bit of an odd book for me. There is a lot to love here, but also a lot to leave you scratching your head.
Let's start with the good. The concept. Dark Days has a fantastic concept. 15 days to live. A countdown to the end. And while the people of the sector know what is coming to destroy them, they have no real clue what they are capable of. Can they hide? Can they outrun the cyborgs? The Reports (news channel?) run constant footage of previous sectors being destroyed, but never any survivors. Knowledge is power, and these people have almost zero knowledge. Is there any true hope for the people of this sector? No one knows. For me, Dark Days was just about perfect with building up to the destruction, at least with the tension surrounding the cyborgs.
Fast pacing. Now, this one is a little bit of good and bad. Zipping from one thing to the next, I have to say, Dark Days was never boring. Readers are quickly introduced to Sia, the countdown, and zip off to watching Sia look for a way to survive, with a little bit of romance thrown in, of course. While I really enjoyed how fast paced Dark Days was, it is also the book's biggest problem.
Lack of info. Lack of world-building. Lack...lack...lack.
Let me start off by saying, I really liked Dark Days. However, it does have quite a few issues. Namely the lack of... well, lots of things. Dark Days, in some ways, feels like it should be the second book. The world-building, how everything got to the point that it is at, why things are the way that they are, and even our villain gets glossed over. There are a few instances of reveal, but not enough to really give this place the attention it deserves. To make it feel like a real place. To understand the true terror of what they have had to live through. Even how many sectors there are. How does a sector get chosen? Sia's and other parents have been living in the sector for decades, so why now, why them? Obvious questions to really understand Dark Days were missing, which, in the end, made Dark Days sadly feel incomplete.
Verdict:
Enjoyable. Fast paced. But lacking lots of the answers to some pretty important questions.
Taking off a break neck speed, reader are introduced to Sia, her family, and the gruesome future that awaits them all. Sia and her family live in the safety of the sectors. Life here is equal for everyone. Same pay. Same house. Basically same everything. Time is running out. In 15 days, the sector will be destroyed by cyborgs. Sia and her family will be dead, and the select few will be living in the New World. Sia has accepted her fate. Has a bucket list of all the things she wants to accomplish before the end. She accepts it all until she meets Mace. With Mace, she begins to wonder if things can be different... if she could survive through what no other person has before.
Dark Days was a little bit of an odd book for me. There is a lot to love here, but also a lot to leave you scratching your head.
Let's start with the good. The concept. Dark Days has a fantastic concept. 15 days to live. A countdown to the end. And while the people of the sector know what is coming to destroy them, they have no real clue what they are capable of. Can they hide? Can they outrun the cyborgs? The Reports (news channel?) run constant footage of previous sectors being destroyed, but never any survivors. Knowledge is power, and these people have almost zero knowledge. Is there any true hope for the people of this sector? No one knows. For me, Dark Days was just about perfect with building up to the destruction, at least with the tension surrounding the cyborgs.
Fast pacing. Now, this one is a little bit of good and bad. Zipping from one thing to the next, I have to say, Dark Days was never boring. Readers are quickly introduced to Sia, the countdown, and zip off to watching Sia look for a way to survive, with a little bit of romance thrown in, of course. While I really enjoyed how fast paced Dark Days was, it is also the book's biggest problem.
Lack of info. Lack of world-building. Lack...lack...lack.
Let me start off by saying, I really liked Dark Days. However, it does have quite a few issues. Namely the lack of... well, lots of things. Dark Days, in some ways, feels like it should be the second book. The world-building, how everything got to the point that it is at, why things are the way that they are, and even our villain gets glossed over. There are a few instances of reveal, but not enough to really give this place the attention it deserves. To make it feel like a real place. To understand the true terror of what they have had to live through. Even how many sectors there are. How does a sector get chosen? Sia's and other parents have been living in the sector for decades, so why now, why them? Obvious questions to really understand Dark Days were missing, which, in the end, made Dark Days sadly feel incomplete.
Verdict:
Enjoyable. Fast paced. But lacking lots of the answers to some pretty important questions.
June 2, 2014
Dark Days is a book that I wanted to read because of how differently it sounded from most of the dystopians on the market today. It's not often you see killer cyborgs in young adult fiction and I thought that was very bold of the author to attempt.
One of the best parts about this story was the way the events unfolded. Were really thrown headfirst into things and we get to experience the breakdown of Sia's society alongside with her. I really thought that was cool and also helped move things along briskly.
Another thing I really liked about the story was the way the cyborgs killed indiscriminately. Once you were caught by them you were done for. No hiding, not no amount of pleading with them would spare your life. The only way to survive was to bring them down before they could grab you. Anything after that and a painful death awaited you.
Lastly, I really liked Sia's dad. He really tried his best to help Sia survive even if he was tight lipped about how he'd actually do it. I just sorta wish he had let her into the plot a bit sooner. It would've spared that Zone living in discomfort their final days if he did.
Now even though I enjoyed most of the story, I did find a few things lacking which kept me from rating this book higher.
First off, I really felt Sia was a bit obnoxious at times. She just seemed to be a bit of a brat and that made her a bit unlikable in my opinion.
Secondly, I wish that we had seen a bit more from other sectors. Yes, we see the destruction on the news but after Sia's sector is wiped out who comes next?? Even just a glance of someone watching the news feeling hopeful would've been a powerful image to behold. It would make them surviving that more meaningful.
Lastly, I really didn't like the romance. It was way too insta love for my liking. Plus what about Finn?? I feel like they only included him to give the main characters a potential love triangle in future books. He could've remained a friend but they specifically mention him having a crush on her which means that he will play some sort of significant part in Sia's romantic future.
Final Thoughts
Dark Days might not have been exactly the book I set out to read but it was still very enjoyable nonetheless. I am certainly curious how the Author will move on with the story after that conclusion as it did really feel complete. With that being said, I'll be rating Dark Days by Kate Ormand ★★★★.
Reviewed originally @
*Copy reviewed provided by Edelweiss All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any which way for providing them. .
One of the best parts about this story was the way the events unfolded. Were really thrown headfirst into things and we get to experience the breakdown of Sia's society alongside with her. I really thought that was cool and also helped move things along briskly.
Another thing I really liked about the story was the way the cyborgs killed indiscriminately. Once you were caught by them you were done for. No hiding, not no amount of pleading with them would spare your life. The only way to survive was to bring them down before they could grab you. Anything after that and a painful death awaited you.
Lastly, I really liked Sia's dad. He really tried his best to help Sia survive even if he was tight lipped about how he'd actually do it. I just sorta wish he had let her into the plot a bit sooner. It would've spared that Zone living in discomfort their final days if he did.
Now even though I enjoyed most of the story, I did find a few things lacking which kept me from rating this book higher.
First off, I really felt Sia was a bit obnoxious at times. She just seemed to be a bit of a brat and that made her a bit unlikable in my opinion.
Secondly, I wish that we had seen a bit more from other sectors. Yes, we see the destruction on the news but after Sia's sector is wiped out who comes next?? Even just a glance of someone watching the news feeling hopeful would've been a powerful image to behold. It would make them surviving that more meaningful.
Lastly, I really didn't like the romance. It was way too insta love for my liking. Plus what about Finn?? I feel like they only included him to give the main characters a potential love triangle in future books. He could've remained a friend but they specifically mention him having a crush on her which means that he will play some sort of significant part in Sia's romantic future.
Final Thoughts
Dark Days might not have been exactly the book I set out to read but it was still very enjoyable nonetheless. I am certainly curious how the Author will move on with the story after that conclusion as it did really feel complete. With that being said, I'll be rating Dark Days by Kate Ormand ★★★★.
Reviewed originally @
*Copy reviewed provided by Edelweiss All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any which way for providing them. .
August 10, 2016
The world has been divided into sectors. Each one is surrounded by thick fences with no way in or out. As the citezens of each one go about their lives they are just waiting. A cyborg army is going sector to sector and destroying everything in side. Unless you are lucky enough to be special. If you are special you are picked to be removed before the cyborgs get there. Sia is sixteen years old and an ordinary girl. Her family has no way or hope of being picked. The clock has started ticking and she only has fifteendays left before the cyborgs show up. Her mother is depressed and barely living only watching tv, her father disappears constantly and her best friend is locked away at home. She meets Mace and he begins to give her hope. Hope that they can stop the cyborgs and have a life. She joins the rebels and will do anything no matter the danger to help.
You feel sorry for Sia from the start. She knows she only has a limited time left and she has things she wants done before she is killed along with everyone else. Her bucket list is the stuff we take for granted everyday and shows you how little she has lived. I liked how she really isn't ready to give up like most have. She uses her head and tries wit her all to figure a way to save everyone. Her dad seems like he doesn't have time for he. He is always gone and never around. You wonder what he has going on for the longest time. Her mom I did not like at all. She just gives up and doesn't really care about anything anymore. Mace may seem dangerous but he is so good for Sia and in many ways gives her something more to fight for.
I liked this plot. Everyone living in walled sectors with only a few chosen to live. Yeah it may seem like a lot of other books but it does have a different feel to it. The sectors have a clock showing them how long they have left to live. Cyborgs destroy anything and everyone left. They don't leave anything behind. The people not chosen are like cattle who have been herded up to be slaughtered. Sia is a great character as she is pretty much on her own but she still steps up and does stuff beyond her years. She thinks of plans and goes into danger to try and save everyone. I really liked her. The book throws a few surprises your way and does keep you on your toes. I look forward to reading more form this author.
You feel sorry for Sia from the start. She knows she only has a limited time left and she has things she wants done before she is killed along with everyone else. Her bucket list is the stuff we take for granted everyday and shows you how little she has lived. I liked how she really isn't ready to give up like most have. She uses her head and tries wit her all to figure a way to save everyone. Her dad seems like he doesn't have time for he. He is always gone and never around. You wonder what he has going on for the longest time. Her mom I did not like at all. She just gives up and doesn't really care about anything anymore. Mace may seem dangerous but he is so good for Sia and in many ways gives her something more to fight for.
I liked this plot. Everyone living in walled sectors with only a few chosen to live. Yeah it may seem like a lot of other books but it does have a different feel to it. The sectors have a clock showing them how long they have left to live. Cyborgs destroy anything and everyone left. They don't leave anything behind. The people not chosen are like cattle who have been herded up to be slaughtered. Sia is a great character as she is pretty much on her own but she still steps up and does stuff beyond her years. She thinks of plans and goes into danger to try and save everyone. I really liked her. The book throws a few surprises your way and does keep you on your toes. I look forward to reading more form this author.
June 19, 2014
The blurb pretty much tells you everything so I'm not going to rehash it. I love Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic books and when I read the blurb I was sold. Well Dark Days was awesome.
I loved the fact that the book is set to a deadline. They have 15 days left to live and the clock shows it. Every chapter was a new day so we had the added suspense of seeing the time tick down. You see Day whatever on the chapter header and as it gets closer and closer to Day 0 I was like, uh oh!! Whats going to happen today.
Sia was a very real character. She knows how long is left and after the initial crying etc, she decides to be resigned to her fate. She makes a list of the top 5 things she wants to do before she dies. Like spending time with her mother and father and climbing the forbidden hill. Will she get these things done though??
I loved seeing how much her character grew through out the book. She is resigned to death but after meeting Mace and seeing that there may be hope after all she decides that, yes, life is for living! She started out as weak but slowly came out of her shell and grows a backbone!! She doesn't need anyone to protect her now.
*Sigh* Mace!! He meets Sia in the supermarket and walks her home. She doesn't trust him at all and when he gives her a note and tells her to meet him the next day she doesn't even read it. She cant stop thinking of him though and finally he gets to tell her that he is part of a resistance. He is a recruiter and wants her to be part of it. He is strong, tough but yet oh so sweet with Sia. I loved seeing their friendship grow.
I went into Dark Days with high expectations and they were more than met. Kate Ormand has created a unique setting fraught with danger. Its faced paced and action packed. In it we get to see the reaction of people when faced with certain death. Do they fight or hide? She has created a world where the "special" people are chosen to live in the New World and the other lower ones get murdered, and not just murdered but torn apart by cyborgs. Its chilling to think about!! Dark Days was an impressive debut an I look forward to reading more from this author. The ending hinted to maybe another addition to this dark and dangerous world!! Im hoping so anyway ;)
I loved the fact that the book is set to a deadline. They have 15 days left to live and the clock shows it. Every chapter was a new day so we had the added suspense of seeing the time tick down. You see Day whatever on the chapter header and as it gets closer and closer to Day 0 I was like, uh oh!! Whats going to happen today.
Sia was a very real character. She knows how long is left and after the initial crying etc, she decides to be resigned to her fate. She makes a list of the top 5 things she wants to do before she dies. Like spending time with her mother and father and climbing the forbidden hill. Will she get these things done though??
I loved seeing how much her character grew through out the book. She is resigned to death but after meeting Mace and seeing that there may be hope after all she decides that, yes, life is for living! She started out as weak but slowly came out of her shell and grows a backbone!! She doesn't need anyone to protect her now.
*Sigh* Mace!! He meets Sia in the supermarket and walks her home. She doesn't trust him at all and when he gives her a note and tells her to meet him the next day she doesn't even read it. She cant stop thinking of him though and finally he gets to tell her that he is part of a resistance. He is a recruiter and wants her to be part of it. He is strong, tough but yet oh so sweet with Sia. I loved seeing their friendship grow.
I went into Dark Days with high expectations and they were more than met. Kate Ormand has created a unique setting fraught with danger. Its faced paced and action packed. In it we get to see the reaction of people when faced with certain death. Do they fight or hide? She has created a world where the "special" people are chosen to live in the New World and the other lower ones get murdered, and not just murdered but torn apart by cyborgs. Its chilling to think about!! Dark Days was an impressive debut an I look forward to reading more from this author. The ending hinted to maybe another addition to this dark and dangerous world!! Im hoping so anyway ;)
June 28, 2014
I am always cautious about reading back to back books in the same genre. I have always found that if you read contemporary back to back, the stories end up jumbling together up together, I start mixing up the characters names and to top it off I start being able to predict the plot and the twists and the book does not end up becoming as enjoyable as it would be.
In the month of June I had 3 Dystopian books I had to read to review: Branded, The Murder Complex and then Dark Days. And I am proud to report, did my usual issues with reading boos in the same genre back to back was not an issue. In fact I actually really enjoyed all 3 of them.
Dark Days is one of those books that grabs your attention from the very first page and keeps it to the very end. The whole idea of premise of the story is so enticing. What if you only had 15 days to live? How would you spend those days? Would you make a bucket list of things to get done? Stay closed off until the inevitable occurred or would you go out fighting? These are exactly the choices that Sia has to figure out.
In addition to the amazing action packed pace, but I really enjoyed about this story was Sia. She is faced with the the fact that she has only 15 days left to live before the government sends out cyborgs to end everyone but the chosen ones for the New World. She must figure out how to live the last days of the life. I loved the fact that she didn't just crawl up into a fetal position and wait for the inevitable. She is a fighter and tried to make the best of the days she had left and when the time came to fight for what she believed in, she fought harder then what was expected.
Some of the more negative reviews wanted more world building and more explanation to why things were happening. But I honestly enjoyed that aspect of it. This book is meant to be a stand alone therefore didn't need too much build up and unnecessary explanation of why things were the way they were. I loved that from page 1 we were immediately drawn into the sad and sometimes gory reality that is Sia's life.
If you're looking for a action packed dystopian that keeps you engaged throughout and has a great conclusion, than this is the book for you!
In the month of June I had 3 Dystopian books I had to read to review: Branded, The Murder Complex and then Dark Days. And I am proud to report, did my usual issues with reading boos in the same genre back to back was not an issue. In fact I actually really enjoyed all 3 of them.
Dark Days is one of those books that grabs your attention from the very first page and keeps it to the very end. The whole idea of premise of the story is so enticing. What if you only had 15 days to live? How would you spend those days? Would you make a bucket list of things to get done? Stay closed off until the inevitable occurred or would you go out fighting? These are exactly the choices that Sia has to figure out.
In addition to the amazing action packed pace, but I really enjoyed about this story was Sia. She is faced with the the fact that she has only 15 days left to live before the government sends out cyborgs to end everyone but the chosen ones for the New World. She must figure out how to live the last days of the life. I loved the fact that she didn't just crawl up into a fetal position and wait for the inevitable. She is a fighter and tried to make the best of the days she had left and when the time came to fight for what she believed in, she fought harder then what was expected.
Some of the more negative reviews wanted more world building and more explanation to why things were happening. But I honestly enjoyed that aspect of it. This book is meant to be a stand alone therefore didn't need too much build up and unnecessary explanation of why things were the way they were. I loved that from page 1 we were immediately drawn into the sad and sometimes gory reality that is Sia's life.
If you're looking for a action packed dystopian that keeps you engaged throughout and has a great conclusion, than this is the book for you!
August 4, 2014
This is a dark and gloomy tale about a teenage girl living in a generic world, resigned to the fact that she, along with everyone she loves, is about to die in a horrible and painful manner.
Sia is drowning in the pool of depression that surrounds her; her spirit is broken after years of being penned in and controlled, and the countdown to the end of her life is just another example of society’s superiority at it’s worst. But as the end draws nearer, Sia doesn’t have to wait to begin losing those closest to her as residents of her sector begin to go mad with the ominous waiting. However, once she’s given a sliver of something other than impending doom, you begin to notice a difference in Sia, you see how brave and extraordinary she is when her wings are unclipped and the shackles of her life come loose. The action really kicks off about 50% in and it’s pretty much non-stop from there, making you hesitate to put the book down.
Ultimately I think this is a story about hope, about never giving up even when the odds are stacked impossibly high against you. Dark Days is a great YA book, the writing is excellent and you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend it for those dipping their toes into the world of dystopian reads.
Review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
Sia is drowning in the pool of depression that surrounds her; her spirit is broken after years of being penned in and controlled, and the countdown to the end of her life is just another example of society’s superiority at it’s worst. But as the end draws nearer, Sia doesn’t have to wait to begin losing those closest to her as residents of her sector begin to go mad with the ominous waiting. However, once she’s given a sliver of something other than impending doom, you begin to notice a difference in Sia, you see how brave and extraordinary she is when her wings are unclipped and the shackles of her life come loose. The action really kicks off about 50% in and it’s pretty much non-stop from there, making you hesitate to put the book down.
Ultimately I think this is a story about hope, about never giving up even when the odds are stacked impossibly high against you. Dark Days is a great YA book, the writing is excellent and you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next. I highly recommend it for those dipping their toes into the world of dystopian reads.
Review by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com
February 11, 2017
“Staying here means you’ll die, though.�
One word. FAST. A fast-paced, grimy story that will leave every reader wanting more. Events happened so fast that pages utterly flew by. I want this story to continue. I want the characters to live longer, to continue the tale.
15 days. 15 days to wait, to live, or to accept the death that waits.
I love how the heroine’s character was developed, from naive 16-year-old girl to hopeful 16-year-old lady.
Every page gets darker and darker leaving me wonder if there is still light and hope. Dreary, thrilling, and gruesome setting plus the terrifying cyborgs that no one knows what they look like. I don’t think I’ll ever imagine cyborgs the same way.
I loved the ending though it seems like there is something missing or it lacks something. This novel proves the saying, “After the rain comes a rainbow.�
I am honestly disappointed how the novel turned out that’s why I only gave it 3 stars. But more or less, Miss Kate had done a wonderful work.
Read the whole review on my blog, . I also made some edits of the quotes I loved. Enjoy!
May 18, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
The sole reason I decided to pick this book and read it was because my little sister urged me to. This book gave me the science fiction dosage I needed but it wasn't to the point where I LOVED it- that's why I gave it 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it regardless of my rating as it was fast-paced and gave me the science fiction I needed. If you just got into reading and would love a YA/ science fiction book; then this is for you.
(you will understand the gif if you have/will read it)
"How exactly do they decide who is good enough to live there, and who's unworthy and must stay and die. Who are they to decide? What makes them so special?"
The sole reason I decided to pick this book and read it was because my little sister urged me to. This book gave me the science fiction dosage I needed but it wasn't to the point where I LOVED it- that's why I gave it 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it regardless of my rating as it was fast-paced and gave me the science fiction I needed. If you just got into reading and would love a YA/ science fiction book; then this is for you.
(you will understand the gif if you have/will read it)
"How exactly do they decide who is good enough to live there, and who's unworthy and must stay and die. Who are they to decide? What makes them so special?"
February 26, 2015
To fit everything into this book, I did find it lacked some world-building and parts were rushed however it also meant that I sped through it in one sitting and didn't want to put it down! A flawed book, but still interesting enough that I'm looking forward to more from the author.
August 16, 2015
Well that was a poor excuse for a novel....
I will warn you from the start, this review will contain many spoilers.
To start, I really do think the author didn't care for the outcome of this horrendous and obnoxious book. I deserve a prize for finishing this.
The book as a whole has NO development of any kind.
World Development, or rather lack thereof: The world, for some reason, has demolished for reasons that might have been explained in the book if I did not skim over it, but I honestly do not believe there was a reason. Anyways, Sia, the main character, lives in a world with few people, due to whatever phenomenon that I cannot phantom, and because of this, some group of higher-power people, people whom I'll talk about later, built up walls around communities. Now this all happened within Sia's 16 years. I honestly can say that that is some fast building of such vast and great walls.
In these communities, everyone is given equal of everything (money and homes), no matter what job they hold. However, they are surrounded by cameras. Being watched and observed 24/7.
Now these higher-power people choose which people can move on to the New World, a little cheesy and desperate name, don't you think? and continue to live, however the ones left behind, die from cool robots, ones that are never fully clarified. Sia's world has 15 days left until her community is obliterated, yet she is not one of the chosen people. Nor, at the start of the story, did she care. As long as she checked everything on her pathetic list, she was a free woman.
Character Development, or rather, nonexistent personalities and uniqueness: Sia as I said before, is the main character. She lives with her mother and father in a home like everyone else. Sia's mother is a little off the normal person scale.
From the start, Sia's mother was like a little child off her wacko meds. She would just sit in front of the TV and watch the Reports. These report show the destruction of the old community that was obliterated, Sia's mom went crazy and could not stand such a thing happening to her. So why watch the news? Why starve and distant yourself from your family? Why become an insomniac? We never really know. All we know is that all Sia did to stop this was "try" to pull away the remote from her weak mother who is starved, dehydrated, and exhausted. When she lost that fight *rolls eyes* she would just give up and continue her last days alive. Sia you do realize that there is a power button on the TV and an electrical cord you could just pull off?? No of course your self-centered self would not have thought of such an obvious thing. What is more confusing is that Sia's mothers reaction happened to other women when watching these reports, so me thinking this means something, was sadly rewarded with the author being ignorant to her own words.
When Sia's mom was randomly found dead, all Sia did was cry for a few hours and yell hysterically a few times, then went on with her day. Her dad, yeah he showed no emotion. Wasn't that your wife? Your daughter's mother? Sia did not even seem to notice the lack of care her father showed. It was more like relief to him that she was finally out of his life. Who knows, maybe he killed her and made her starvation as an excuse. But really, I think it was the author getting rid of an unnecessary character early on in the novel.
Sia's dad. The typical secretive father who is really the resistance leader of a sad group of nobodies who did not want his daughter to find out that he might create hope for the people not to give up, but after two little nos, he let Sia join, and shockingly, like oh em gee I would never have guessed, Sia does a secret, confusing mission that helps the resistance fight! Whoot Whoot!!, yeah no.
So remember when I said there are cameras? Yeah well these all powerful people never once caught on to a group of people training, for what I am not so sure, during their last days on earth?
So Sia. She made this list of four things she wanted to do before she died. Really one was just strange to have to add: Family time with mom and dad. Ummmm, shouldn't that be an everyday thing in a situation you are in??????? Another was to swim in a filthy lake, another was to kiss a boy and fall in love, and something else. So what happens? (This is top secret, promise no telling because I'm not sure the author even knew this, so shhhhh.) Sia meets Mace, this hot tattooed boy who saves her life and sees something different about her and wanted to kiss her from the first time they met, failed to swoon here. And guess what, he's part of the resistance and brings Sia in because she's not like everyone else! But little did he know, the man that took him in is no other than Sia's father.... Ooooo what nonexistent drama *eye roll*.
So they "fell in love," do all two things on Sia's list and train together. Oh and they hardly know each other but her dad is okay with her sleeping in Mace's room after only like 5 days of meeting each other.
So what about this resistance? Well they train everyday, but for what? They do not even know what they need to fight for. My questions to the author are: Why not establish this resistance a while ago? Why not take down the camera's by hacking into the systems? Why not destroy the wall? There are a lot of Whys that were much better thinking than practice fighting and laps around a school. And this, from my understanding took place around 9AM to 2PM everyday, but Mace was always meeting Sia around 9, so again, the author forgot about her own story, she possibly got bored with it too.
Skipping through a few characters and scenes, Sia sneaks into the New World. There she meets the "evil" people. She discovers a boy there who has a crush on her. Luckily, he is part of the resistance and is helping on the other side. Oh and he saves her life and never once made us think he likes her. There, Sia meets the head of the "evil" people, Daniel, and his son. And is blushing form their looks *cough cough, typical hot villain*
So she again magically gets back to her sector and tells her dad about these robots that the higher-power people will use to kill Sia's community members. But I guess there was an issue with a problem I never deemed to be real, but this author is just full of surprises! This book has a lack of word development, yes that's exactly what I said, word.... Sia never really explained the machines, just overreacts to her hardships in the New World. I don't think this girl has ever firsthand or secondhand witnessed a tragedy, because that adventure was more like child's play. At the end, Sia tells her dad she wants to kill Daniel and her dad lets her. Why? I don't think the author even knows, just thought it might create more coolness to her boring book.
So skipping some more, the Robots come early by a day and the resistance saves the day, travels to the New World, kills the leader after he blurts out "How else to you control people" when Sia asked the stupid question "why?". The vilan does not just come right out and says this! He gives a lie he believes to be true and the MC says the obvious.
In the killing of Daniel, the resistance lose his son, but make it back to there sector while they just sit and relax and TALK about needing to hide. These camera's suck if they still have not been able to discover their location and kill them.
So the author seems to have an issue here. Not only does she lack her own abilities to think as a writer, but she lacks writing skills. This book was just a regurgitation of unoriginal work with boring, flat characters, an un-clarified world, and lack of dialogue. A+ for creating a miserable read.
I will warn you from the start, this review will contain many spoilers.
To start, I really do think the author didn't care for the outcome of this horrendous and obnoxious book. I deserve a prize for finishing this.
The book as a whole has NO development of any kind.
World Development, or rather lack thereof: The world, for some reason, has demolished for reasons that might have been explained in the book if I did not skim over it, but I honestly do not believe there was a reason. Anyways, Sia, the main character, lives in a world with few people, due to whatever phenomenon that I cannot phantom, and because of this, some group of higher-power people, people whom I'll talk about later, built up walls around communities. Now this all happened within Sia's 16 years. I honestly can say that that is some fast building of such vast and great walls.
In these communities, everyone is given equal of everything (money and homes), no matter what job they hold. However, they are surrounded by cameras. Being watched and observed 24/7.
Now these higher-power people choose which people can move on to the New World, a little cheesy and desperate name, don't you think? and continue to live, however the ones left behind, die from cool robots, ones that are never fully clarified. Sia's world has 15 days left until her community is obliterated, yet she is not one of the chosen people. Nor, at the start of the story, did she care. As long as she checked everything on her pathetic list, she was a free woman.
Character Development, or rather, nonexistent personalities and uniqueness: Sia as I said before, is the main character. She lives with her mother and father in a home like everyone else. Sia's mother is a little off the normal person scale.
From the start, Sia's mother was like a little child off her wacko meds. She would just sit in front of the TV and watch the Reports. These report show the destruction of the old community that was obliterated, Sia's mom went crazy and could not stand such a thing happening to her. So why watch the news? Why starve and distant yourself from your family? Why become an insomniac? We never really know. All we know is that all Sia did to stop this was "try" to pull away the remote from her weak mother who is starved, dehydrated, and exhausted. When she lost that fight *rolls eyes* she would just give up and continue her last days alive. Sia you do realize that there is a power button on the TV and an electrical cord you could just pull off?? No of course your self-centered self would not have thought of such an obvious thing. What is more confusing is that Sia's mothers reaction happened to other women when watching these reports, so me thinking this means something, was sadly rewarded with the author being ignorant to her own words.
When Sia's mom was randomly found dead, all Sia did was cry for a few hours and yell hysterically a few times, then went on with her day. Her dad, yeah he showed no emotion. Wasn't that your wife? Your daughter's mother? Sia did not even seem to notice the lack of care her father showed. It was more like relief to him that she was finally out of his life. Who knows, maybe he killed her and made her starvation as an excuse. But really, I think it was the author getting rid of an unnecessary character early on in the novel.
Sia's dad. The typical secretive father who is really the resistance leader of a sad group of nobodies who did not want his daughter to find out that he might create hope for the people not to give up, but after two little nos, he let Sia join, and shockingly, like oh em gee I would never have guessed, Sia does a secret, confusing mission that helps the resistance fight! Whoot Whoot!!, yeah no.
So remember when I said there are cameras? Yeah well these all powerful people never once caught on to a group of people training, for what I am not so sure, during their last days on earth?
So Sia. She made this list of four things she wanted to do before she died. Really one was just strange to have to add: Family time with mom and dad. Ummmm, shouldn't that be an everyday thing in a situation you are in??????? Another was to swim in a filthy lake, another was to kiss a boy and fall in love, and something else. So what happens? (This is top secret, promise no telling because I'm not sure the author even knew this, so shhhhh.) Sia meets Mace, this hot tattooed boy who saves her life and sees something different about her and wanted to kiss her from the first time they met, failed to swoon here. And guess what, he's part of the resistance and brings Sia in because she's not like everyone else! But little did he know, the man that took him in is no other than Sia's father.... Ooooo what nonexistent drama *eye roll*.
So they "fell in love," do all two things on Sia's list and train together. Oh and they hardly know each other but her dad is okay with her sleeping in Mace's room after only like 5 days of meeting each other.
So what about this resistance? Well they train everyday, but for what? They do not even know what they need to fight for. My questions to the author are: Why not establish this resistance a while ago? Why not take down the camera's by hacking into the systems? Why not destroy the wall? There are a lot of Whys that were much better thinking than practice fighting and laps around a school. And this, from my understanding took place around 9AM to 2PM everyday, but Mace was always meeting Sia around 9, so again, the author forgot about her own story, she possibly got bored with it too.
Skipping through a few characters and scenes, Sia sneaks into the New World. There she meets the "evil" people. She discovers a boy there who has a crush on her. Luckily, he is part of the resistance and is helping on the other side. Oh and he saves her life and never once made us think he likes her. There, Sia meets the head of the "evil" people, Daniel, and his son. And is blushing form their looks *cough cough, typical hot villain*
So she again magically gets back to her sector and tells her dad about these robots that the higher-power people will use to kill Sia's community members. But I guess there was an issue with a problem I never deemed to be real, but this author is just full of surprises! This book has a lack of word development, yes that's exactly what I said, word.... Sia never really explained the machines, just overreacts to her hardships in the New World. I don't think this girl has ever firsthand or secondhand witnessed a tragedy, because that adventure was more like child's play. At the end, Sia tells her dad she wants to kill Daniel and her dad lets her. Why? I don't think the author even knows, just thought it might create more coolness to her boring book.
So skipping some more, the Robots come early by a day and the resistance saves the day, travels to the New World, kills the leader after he blurts out "How else to you control people" when Sia asked the stupid question "why?". The vilan does not just come right out and says this! He gives a lie he believes to be true and the MC says the obvious.
In the killing of Daniel, the resistance lose his son, but make it back to there sector while they just sit and relax and TALK about needing to hide. These camera's suck if they still have not been able to discover their location and kill them.
So the author seems to have an issue here. Not only does she lack her own abilities to think as a writer, but she lacks writing skills. This book was just a regurgitation of unoriginal work with boring, flat characters, an un-clarified world, and lack of dialogue. A+ for creating a miserable read.
February 17, 2019
No. NO.
This is a hugely frustrating book and I’m trying to channel my thoughts into coherent sentences but I kind of feel like throwing something on the floor and stomping on it. But as I read this on an iPad, that may not be the most productive course of action.
This book had all the elements of good dystopia: the summary sounded so dark and intriguing, and that cover! LOOK AT THAT COVER. So good. So ominous.
And the “fight the establishment� vibes. And the female MC. Yaaassss, GIMME.
However.
*Pauses, closes eyes, counts to 10*
*sigh*
This was not what I signed up for, Joe.
Not the insta-love.
Not the cookie-cutter, cardboard shape of a villain.
And especially NOT the lame MC, spending the first several chapters putting herself in situations where she needs to be rescued AGAIN AND AGAIN, and letting herself be pawed by whomever is rescuing her at the time.
And then snapping at people that she doesn’t need to be protected. (I beg to differ, boo.)
And going off on her own without telling anyone , and needing to be rescued again.
And just being incredibly annoying and giving me a headache from constantly clenching my jaw and rolling my eyes at her in frustration.
NO.
Look, I’m on board with people finding their strength in difficult situations. That’s awesome. But an MC that changes from helpless and pathetic, with zero personality, to kickass heroine with a strategic mind and perfect aim all of a sudden in the last few chapters? No.
So this is getting 2 STARS from me, with prejudice . I don’t even care if this is a series or stand-alone, because I’m deleting it off my kindle and don’t want to see it again. Even though I’ll miss that cover. *sigh*
This is a hugely frustrating book and I’m trying to channel my thoughts into coherent sentences but I kind of feel like throwing something on the floor and stomping on it. But as I read this on an iPad, that may not be the most productive course of action.
This book had all the elements of good dystopia: the summary sounded so dark and intriguing, and that cover! LOOK AT THAT COVER. So good. So ominous.
And the “fight the establishment� vibes. And the female MC. Yaaassss, GIMME.
However.
*Pauses, closes eyes, counts to 10*
*sigh*
This was not what I signed up for, Joe.
Not the insta-love.
Not the cookie-cutter, cardboard shape of a villain.
And especially NOT the lame MC, spending the first several chapters putting herself in situations where she needs to be rescued AGAIN AND AGAIN, and letting herself be pawed by whomever is rescuing her at the time.
And then snapping at people that she doesn’t need to be protected. (I beg to differ, boo.)
And going off on her own without telling anyone , and needing to be rescued again.
And just being incredibly annoying and giving me a headache from constantly clenching my jaw and rolling my eyes at her in frustration.
NO.
Look, I’m on board with people finding their strength in difficult situations. That’s awesome. But an MC that changes from helpless and pathetic, with zero personality, to kickass heroine with a strategic mind and perfect aim all of a sudden in the last few chapters? No.
So this is getting 2 STARS from me, with prejudice . I don’t even care if this is a series or stand-alone, because I’m deleting it off my kindle and don’t want to see it again. Even though I’ll miss that cover. *sigh*
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