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Dec 07, 2011

Karin rated it:

Olivya, a young African-American woman in a near-future Chicago, lives in a world devastated by a plague of cancer. Her mother runs a hospice, where Olivya is forced to witness the slow consumption of patients by this terrible malignancy. Olivya’s ability to see auras once painted the world in vibrant colors of light, but now only drags her into the heart of death and despair. Looking for an escape, she agrees to meet Mikah, her virtual friend and the object of an intense attraction, in person More...

3 comments like (5 people liked it)

Nov 23, 2011

Rain rated it:

Oh wow! That ending! Can you believe it!? It was like, "Bam!" Then it was like, "Bang!" And then it was like, "BOOM!" Phew! That was a lot of action! But let me calm down now and actually give you a proper review. This book is an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat kind of read. The story was very unique and invigorating! Most of the characters are very relatable and fun to learn more about. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the lore of this novel. There were things More...

4 comments like (3 people liked it)

Nov 26, 2011

Ritesh rated it:

Posted here: http://riteshkala.wordpress.com/

When I picked up this book after looking at the description, I thought that it would be a run-of-the-mill dystopian novel. Boy was I wrong!

There were parts of the book which had me going, “What? That did not just happen! This is impossible.” There are some hard-to-believe segments in the book if you are expecting a normal story grounded in reality. But once you accept the fact that this is mainly a science fiction / fantasy novel, More...

5 comments like (6 people liked it)

Feb 22, 2012

Experiment rated it:

The Apocalypse Gene (TAG) is a work of speculative fiction. It's dystopian because the neighborhoods are community hospices where law-abiding citizens are either government-paid health caretakers or terminally ill patients. It's apocalyptic because there is an incurable plague and a looming future for the extinction of the human race. It's young adult because the main characters are teenagers. It's cyberpunk because the internet is a virtual reality world of its own. It's urban fantasy because More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 14, 2011

Sheena rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Oct 20, 2011

L.E.Olteano rated it:

Action-packed and dynamic, this novel is a total rush, with a rich world and a plenitude of spectacular ancient and yet fresh beings, filled with tension but also humor and a whole lotta funny (to me) slang! I very much so enjoyed the diversity of the environment the authors have built, and the element of originality that clearly permeates Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark’s writing.

The first pages set a rather gloomy and deeply touching mood, I was totally taken with Olivya and the sit More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 31, 2012

Baisakhi rated it:

I feel bad giving a low rating to a book, but, in this case, though I liked the concept, the, The Apocalypse Gene by Suki Michelle failed to hold my attention.

From the start, book invited me in with its vast array of potential. The possibilities of this story were indeed great. And just the first chapter showed just how good the author’s imagination can be.

Set in an apocalyptic future, the authors capture the gritty scenes beautifully. The hard choices one has to make, t More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 12, 2012

Heidi rated it:

Three and a half stars: A book that is a blend of dystopian, science fiction and mythology all in one!

Olivya wakes to another day of stink and death in her own home. Outside a global pandemic is raging. Healthy people are succumbing to all forms of cancer and dying within weeks. All existing cures and medicines are ineffective against the deadly disease. No one can explain why cancer is ravaging through the population. Olivya's mother to make ends meet, converted their home in More...

6 comments like (3 people liked it)

Feb 01, 2012

Melissa rated it:

I always feel bad giving a book a low rating because I don't want to discourage others from reading it. Just because I didn't enjoy it doesn't mean someone else won't. With that said...I found it very hard to get through this book. I think mainly because I was expecting more of a dystopian type book and instead found myself in a Science Fiction world. I was confused by all the lingo and the various unique names. Since each chapter rotated between the two main character's perspective, I foun More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 05, 2012

Rachel rated it:

This is a fun, action-packed YA novel that takes a dystopian future and gives it a fantasy twist. The characters are sharp and funny, and the plot races along at an incredible pace from an intriguing beginning to a satisfying end. (Plus, there's definitely scope for a sequel.) I was given a review copy through WLC.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 23, 2011

Lee rated it:

Very interesting book....and very different. I am not a techno geek so the whole lingo thing did not resonate with me, nor did the slang talk, but that said, the story and characters DID! Where I thought it was a bio-medical thriller in the beginning with characters who possessed special powers, it turned into something much more with and interesting "ancient aliens" type of twist. The story really takes flight in the second half...I can't wait to see what the sequel will hold with More...

4 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 26, 2012

Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it:

The description of The Apocalypse Gene made me want to read it immediately. Sometimes it’s better not to go on just that. I had a hard time adjusting to the world that Olivya lived in and couldn’t finish reading the book.

People were sickly and dying and apparently the world was not the same as it was before. I got the vibe that there was more unemployment and homelessness because of the technology that didn’t need actual people working, but I don’t see how after a global pandemic th More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 23, 2012

Summer Ellen rated it:

The Apocalypse Gene. It has infected the world - killed off most of its population through a killing gene known as cancer. As the citizenry of post-apocolyptic Chicago struggles to survive, Olivya is living with her mother in a house-turned-hospice ward. Surrounded by death on all sides, Olivya also has the Sight - she can see peoples' auras, a psychic ability that she believes is unique to her. Until she meets Mikah. And everything changes. The dystopian thriller takes a dark turn as the world More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 19, 2012

DelSheree rated it:

Some people love the paranormal powers of psychics and auras. Others are devoted science fiction fans. Still other readers fall to the lure of fantasy, angels, demons, and gods. And who doesn’t like a good action adventure? The Apocalypse Gene is a book that takes elements of paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, and action adventure and weaves them into a tale that readers of all these individual genres can enjoy.

Olivya sees auras, something she has always tried to control and keep from interf More...

0 comments like

Jan 19, 2012

Patricia rated it:

Olivya Wright-Ono is in a crappy situation. The world has been taken over by a cancer like plague, her once nice home is now a hospice for the dying and her mom’s more than a bit cranky at times. Not that I’d blame her all things considered. Then Olivya meets Mikah, an Empath who may be linked to the cause of the cancer plague. Now she has to depend on him to help save her mother’s life.
Pros: I love seeing a non-white, non-blonde, non-conventionally beautiful YA heroine. The dreads rather More...

0 comments like

Jan 16, 2012

Sheila rated it:

Authors Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark create a fascinating near-future world in their dystopian young-adult novel, The Apocalypse Gene. Technologically believable and mythologically fascinating, the story blends well-drawn science fiction, myth, folklore and romance, peopling a futuristic Chicago plus it’s cyber-image with intriguing characters, human and otherwise. Livvie, whose mother has converted their home into a hospice for the dying, struggles to balance school and lessons with knowledg More...

0 comments like

Jan 20, 2012

Trace rated it:

Young Adult Romance, dyastopian novel, fantasy? The Apocalypse Gene contains elements of all three plus more. But fantasy definitely wins out- big time. Suki Michele and Carlyle Clark are very talented when it comes to writing and coming up with fantastical ideas, but I couldn't help be feel let down in the end. Maybe the fantasy genre is just not my cup of tea. I longed for the story to concentrate on the hospice and the plague and apocalyptic Chicago society. But all of this seemed more o

More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 28, 2011

CanaryK rated it:

Eeeeeehhhh. I don't know, maybe I'm too old to read this book? I probably would've liked it better in elementary school/early middle school.

This book seemed like it would be interesting, started off sort of interesting (I did like the idea of a pandemic that doesn't involve a contagious disease), but really degraded as I was reading it. The further I got, the less I wanted to read -- by the end, finishing the book felt more like an obligation than anything. All of the "secrets" More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 07, 2011

Linda rated it:

A real page-turning urban YA fantasy novel with some teen angst and teen romance thrown in. Of course, there's the whole world-is-going-to-end issue, too. Read my full review October 7, on the novel's blog tour, at http://mrsulleseit.wordpress.com (Note: some spoilers in the review)

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 21, 2012

Jill rated it:

This was a wonderfully original story. It blends myth and religion into a tale of an alien invasion set on destroying not only the world but the galaxy. It is extremely well written since I could take the hokey idea of "combat feathers" yet suspend my disbelief because the story meshed so well together.

Even though this was intended to be a YA book, it reads well enough for adult readers. The authors were trying for some teen sounding speech and angst which wasn't their fine More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 25, 2012

Rhia rated it:

In The Apocalypse Gene nothing is what it seems. And I mean it. The cancer it's not actually a disease, it's a mythical alien body, Mikah's parents are not dead, he is Prime's son, the Neo-Twins are in fact good guys that want to save the world, and I could go on with the list... Anyway, I’ve had my ups and downs with this book.

I loved the descriptions of the world. Beautifully done. Also, I liked the suggestive titles for each chapter, even though there were times when I thought the More...

0 comments like

Jan 26, 2012

Betsy rated it:

It took me 9 days to complete this book. It is highly unusual of me to read a book that has short pages in 9 days. That does not matter now, what matters is my review of this book. What did I think of this book? It ultimately is a very good book. I actually enjoyed reading it.

At first when I started reading, I was a little bit confused and noticed a lot of misspelling but I thought it may be appropriate to come up with a unique term to explain what it supposed to mean. It has many More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 18, 2011

Donna rated it:

Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark have created a thrilling post-apocalyptic world. From the first chapter, I was immediately fascinated with Olivya’s world and was drawn into this dystopian adventure. This is literally an edge-of-your-seat kind of read with more and more of the inner workings of this society revealed through each action packed chapter. From the mysterious and compelling Kindred to the strange Doom-criers, there are so many unique characters each with their own stories, legends, an More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 08, 2012

Krissy rated it:

A wonderful and fast-paced book, The Apocalypse Gene is centered in post-apocalyptic Chicago, where a super-cancer has infected or killed off most of the population. The book centers on Olivya, a teenage girl who is anything but ordinary, and Mikah, who is not a human, but a member of an ancient clan of demons. They meet for the first time in their cyber-school, and end up having to work together to prevent the total destruction of the world. The authors were fantastic with the amount of deta More...

0 comments like

Dec 10, 2011

Kat rated it:

Full review on my blog: http://theaussiezombie.blogspot.com/

Fantasy is not a genre I read a lot. Why? Because I like the basis of reality (yeah yeah, I know I read Zombie books but they are possible, honest!) and sometimes find it hard to wrap my head around the whole deal. However, although The Apocalypse Gene is a fantasy novel, I didn’t find it difficult to be drawn into, and believe in the world created.

The characters are three-dimensional and real, and by the end of th More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 05, 2012

Susan rated it:

A MUST READ: The Apocalypse Gene is fast paced, action packed, and laugh out loud funny, with vivid imagery, all set in a 'spanky', futuristic world. Innovative characters jump off the pages with such amazing clarity and snappy dialogue that it makes this a very enjoyable read. Olivya is definitely a character you can't help falling in love with.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 15, 2011

Su Yin rated it:

The Apocalypse Gene is a heady mix of sci-fi, urban fantasy and manga. Set against a stark, post-apocalypse world filled with Doom Criers, Shivpaks and the Kindred, two brave and endearing protaganists with special gifts are drawn to each other in a virtual school in Cyber-Chicago, called Cy-Chi, and decide to meet face-to-face.

Their meeting is masterfully handled, with danger and surprises meshed into fast action sequences, so vivid it gives the experience akin to watching a movie More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 16, 2012

Sarah rated it:

I enojoyed this book more when I looked back at to write my review than I did while actually reading it. This was largely due to the fact that most of the explanations and world building occurred in the later half of the story. In the beginning, you are thrown right into the action with little to no explanations about what is going on. I found this confusing, which hindered my enjoyment of the story.

My favourite character was Ayvilo. She was lively, feisty and really came to life, wh More...

0 comments like

Feb 12, 2012

Amy rated it:

Olyvia is a young woman living in a near-future Chicago which is ravished by cancer, the newest form of plauge that is sweeping the world. Her mother runs a Hospice from their own family home where the sick come to die. Each day Olyvia is forced to witness the auras' of the sick wither and fade away. Wanting to find an escape she agrees to meet her virtual friend Mikah in person for the first time. But Mikah isn't as normal as he seems. Bound to a world of the supernatural, Mikah is stuck in a l More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 22, 2011

Lindsay rated it:

What a fantastic read. This book kept me hooked from beginning to end, and it’s rare for a story to do that.

We open with Olivya doing her daily duties as part-time caretaker in the hospice her mother runs from their home in Hospice Row. After the Pandemic has riddled the world with a super cancer with no known cure, many are left with no choice but to relegate themselves to a Hospice to live out their last days.

Very quickly, we’re introduced to Olivya’s fiery personality. She More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

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