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The Last Orphans #2
The Harvest
In the wake of the apocalypse, nobody is safe.
Shane Tucker and his friends thought they managed to save the world from the destructive machine that killed off most of its adult population. Unfortunately, a war nobody was prepared for has only just begun. Now they find themselves joining ranks with a secret organization that will train them to fight for the right to survive. Taking refuge alongside other teenage survivors in a hidden base set deep within the mountains, they will learn how to repel an imminent attack by an ancient race of aliens.
Determined to safeguard the children under their charge, Shane and his friends compete for the ultimate prize—a suicide mission against the flagship of the alien fleet. While Shane's feelings for Kelly deepen, along with his need to protect her, he finds emotions clouding his judgment. He’ll gladly die for her. But he refuses to die with her. No amount of training can prepare them for what is to come. Everything the brave teenagers have endured thus far will be eclipsed, with the freedom of humanity hanging in the balance.
The Harvest is the heart-pumping sequel to The Last Orphans by N.W. Harris.
Shane Tucker and his friends thought they managed to save the world from the destructive machine that killed off most of its adult population. Unfortunately, a war nobody was prepared for has only just begun. Now they find themselves joining ranks with a secret organization that will train them to fight for the right to survive. Taking refuge alongside other teenage survivors in a hidden base set deep within the mountains, they will learn how to repel an imminent attack by an ancient race of aliens.
Determined to safeguard the children under their charge, Shane and his friends compete for the ultimate prize—a suicide mission against the flagship of the alien fleet. While Shane's feelings for Kelly deepen, along with his need to protect her, he finds emotions clouding his judgment. He’ll gladly die for her. But he refuses to die with her. No amount of training can prepare them for what is to come. Everything the brave teenagers have endured thus far will be eclipsed, with the freedom of humanity hanging in the balance.
The Harvest is the heart-pumping sequel to The Last Orphans by N.W. Harris.
362 pages, ebook
First published April 14, 2015
About the author
N.W. Harris
9 books225 followersBorn at the end of the Vietnam war and raised on a horse farm near small town north Georgia, his imagination evolved under the swaying pines surrounding his family’s log home. On summer days that were too hot, winter days that were too cold, and every night into the wee morning hours, he read books.
In addition to writing, he has been a submarine sailor, nurse, and business owner. His studies have included biology, anthropology, and medicine at UCSB and SUNY Buffalo. He is an active member of SCBWI and lives in sunny southern California with his beautiful wife and two perfect children. He writes like he reads, constantly.
In addition to writing, he has been a submarine sailor, nurse, and business owner. His studies have included biology, anthropology, and medicine at UCSB and SUNY Buffalo. He is an active member of SCBWI and lives in sunny southern California with his beautiful wife and two perfect children. He writes like he reads, constantly.
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November 10, 2015
The Harvest is book two in The Last Orphans series by N.W. Harris. The first book of this series, The Last Orphans swept me off my feet so I was nervous about the second book. How could Mr. Harris follow such awesomeness? Well, buckle your seat belts ladies and gents because book two is just as fantastic and will take your breath away, raise your heart rate and leave you gasping!
Shane and his friends have been through so much. They have lost their parents as all children of the entire world have. They have witnessed horrific scenes even the most hardened should never have to see. The group from Shane’s home town have banned together in search of finding help with Shane as their unofficial leader. Shane and a handful of his group have found and disabled the machine that was responsible for the events that have transpired. Injured and exhausted, Shane thought they were finally safe. But when he woke up on the couch in the house they were staying in, he was face to face with a woman, an adult, an alive adult!
Lily claims they want to help Shane, his friends, and the children they are protecting. At first, he is just glad to finally allow someone else to shoulder some of the burden he has been carrying. But as Lily’s story unfolds, he’s not sure what to believe. Lily claims that aliens or Anunnaki came to earth thousands of years ago and implanted humans with a slave gene that could be activated by them at any time. And they have decided now is the time. They are coming to earth to harvest the children to either turn them into slaves or soldiers. Lily and her group want to train Shane and his friends to fight the Anunnaki when their ships come to earth. How does Lily know so much about this alien race? Because she is one of them, although she claims she and her friends are rebels, wanting only to stop them from invading earth.
For the time being, Shane decides that he has no choice but to see where this goes. His team is joined with six other teams from around the world, both to train and compete. The winning team will be chosen to invade the largest of the ships while the other teams will be spread out around the world where the other ships will land. These seven teams soon learn to rely on one another, competitors soon becoming friends. They are pushed beyond their limits both physically and mentally, learning to fight, strategize, building endurance and learning to use weapons proficiently.
As their training progresses, Shane and Kelly are getting closer, finally expressing their feelings to one another. That’s the only thing I really miss in this series, that there isn’t very much romance, so I am grasping at the relationship between Shane and Kelly. There were some very sweet moments between them as Shane learns to deal with his overpowering feelings of love and protectiveness towards Kelly.
Do these kids really have a chance against an advanced race of aliens? Or is this a suicide mission? Shane’s group and two other groups are shipped off to Egypt to the pyramids where three of the ships will land. Everything has to go perfectly for this to work. But they have trained hard and are in the best shape they have ever been in. But, they are still just kids.
“Shane didn’t mind being the underdog and always felt it gave him an advantage when viewed as such. But this was more like an ant tackling an elephant.”
Throughout the book, Shane frequently has doubts about whether Lily and her friends are telling the truth as do I. Are they really just trying to save the human race or do they have some secret motives of their own?
The last twenty percent of this book about gave me a heart attack. When you get to this part, you will need to accept that you won’t be able to walk away until the end. You won’t be able to just stop reading. And oh my freaking gosh, what an ending. So did I love this book? What do you think? Yes, a thousand times yes. Except now I have to endure the torture of waiting for the next book to come out.
March 5, 2015
Okay, so I read N.W. Harris’ The Harvest twice, I admit it, why, you ask, when my TBR list is at least a mile long? It is THAT good, that intriguing, that powerful, and, yes, that frightening. Once again, N. W. Harris takes us back to his world without adults, where only the determination of youth and the will to survive exists. Mr. Harris has created a tale where honor and conscience still survive, where good versus evil will push the envelope of control for these kids, but never break it. Through all of the destruction and uncertainty, he allows his characters hope in the form of budding romances, because, if there is love, there must be a way to survive. He carefully details each scene, until the grit and grime, blood, sweat and tears feel like they are yours. As the tension builds to that final chapter, I could almost hear music rise in tempo and sound, feel the fear, the hope and the drive in these kids, all while being unsure if their efforts will succeed or if they will survive. But is this just one battle in a war of epic proportions?
Forced to take the weight of the world on his shoulders, Shane and his group of children and teens have survived the impossible, banded together and built a system of trust and reliance. The common ground besides survival is Shane, a teen himself, who has risen beyond his own grief, beyond what most could even endure and put the welfare of his new “family” first. Filled with his own self-doubt, he has mastered keeping it hidden from all but his closest allies and friends, but every decision is a crushing weight to carry.
After all these kids have faced, shouldn’t rebuilding their world be their only concern? Apparently not, the world is still roiling with danger, as alien clones, claiming to be allies, long hidden on Earth by the government warn them of an imminent attack from outer space. Their arguments make sense, they have shown nothing but kindness, but is their tale of human enslavement true? How does a teenager decide whether to trust them or not? Told they are the last defense against an advanced alien race, overwhelmed with too much information they do not understand, Shane and his top “people” become part of a training program against other teen survivors from around the world. Will being forced to compete against each other create enemies who cannot trust each other? Will they all learn that when the chips are down and the battle arrives, they will learn to work as a well-oiled machine designed to outwit, outlast and out fight their enemy? Are they sure they are fighting on the right team? Will Shane learn to recognize that his friends, his teammates, are there to help him? Will he see the potential and the strengths of those around him? In a world where trust is at a premium and answers are not easily found, these teens rise above and beyond their worst nightmares to become the definition of warriors and heroes.
Get ready to experience the fight for humanity, survival and renewal, The Harvest is upon us. If you breathe, you are in the right age group for this series! If you have teens and young adults, put this series in their hands.
I received an ARC edition from N. W. Harris in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Last Orphans - Book 2
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
ISBN-10: 1634220722
ISBN-13: 978-1634220729
Genre: YA Fantasy |Post-Apocalyptic
Print Length: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Forced to take the weight of the world on his shoulders, Shane and his group of children and teens have survived the impossible, banded together and built a system of trust and reliance. The common ground besides survival is Shane, a teen himself, who has risen beyond his own grief, beyond what most could even endure and put the welfare of his new “family” first. Filled with his own self-doubt, he has mastered keeping it hidden from all but his closest allies and friends, but every decision is a crushing weight to carry.
After all these kids have faced, shouldn’t rebuilding their world be their only concern? Apparently not, the world is still roiling with danger, as alien clones, claiming to be allies, long hidden on Earth by the government warn them of an imminent attack from outer space. Their arguments make sense, they have shown nothing but kindness, but is their tale of human enslavement true? How does a teenager decide whether to trust them or not? Told they are the last defense against an advanced alien race, overwhelmed with too much information they do not understand, Shane and his top “people” become part of a training program against other teen survivors from around the world. Will being forced to compete against each other create enemies who cannot trust each other? Will they all learn that when the chips are down and the battle arrives, they will learn to work as a well-oiled machine designed to outwit, outlast and out fight their enemy? Are they sure they are fighting on the right team? Will Shane learn to recognize that his friends, his teammates, are there to help him? Will he see the potential and the strengths of those around him? In a world where trust is at a premium and answers are not easily found, these teens rise above and beyond their worst nightmares to become the definition of warriors and heroes.
Get ready to experience the fight for humanity, survival and renewal, The Harvest is upon us. If you breathe, you are in the right age group for this series! If you have teens and young adults, put this series in their hands.
I received an ARC edition from N. W. Harris in exchange for my honest review.
Series: The Last Orphans - Book 2
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing
ISBN-10: 1634220722
ISBN-13: 978-1634220729
Genre: YA Fantasy |Post-Apocalyptic
Print Length: 300 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 5, 2015
I received a free copy of this e-ARC in exchange for honest review. Thanks so much for offering this opportunity!
Shane and company thought they saved what was left of the world after they shut down the limbic manipulator. However, there's a war on the horizon that no one expected or could in anyway prepare for what's coming - aliens. They find themselves working with a secret organization that's training them to survive the oncoming storm alongside other groups of teen survivors from around the world. Determined to keep the children in their care safe, Shane and his team take on a suicide mission to attack the main ship in the fleet, but no amount of training will be enough to ready themselves for a battle in which the freedom of humanity hangs in the balance.
I was absolutely thrilled when N. W. Harris contacted me to review the ARC of the sequel to The Last Orphans, The Harvest. The second installment begins immediately after the previous one ends with meeting some surviving adults who agree to help Shane and his friends. I liked the addition of these characters, Lily, the doctor, and Jones are great new characters. I don't really want to give too much away, but I was quite surprised with the sharp left turn the story takes in terms of the alien threat. But, this new development just adds a great new pulse-pounding level to what we learned in book one. In regards to a later twisty development, I had a feeling something like that would happen - I've just read and watched too much sci-fi, fantasy, and horror not to suspect something like that!
Like in The Last Orphans, the story at the heart of The Harvest is one of survival in times of great loss. It's a fantastic high-octane post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. Our main cast has developed well over the course of two books, too. We even get to see Shane's feelings for Kelly deepen in that he'll gladly die for her, but refuses to die with her. In fact, we see that thinking like this begins to cloud his judgment. All of the cast seems realistic in the way they deal with the hand they've been dealt regardless of how terrible or strange. Just as before Tracy still managed to steal the show as a standout character.
If you like The Walking Dead (the comics or tv series), the tv show Revolution, and the movie Edge of Tomorrow, you really need to read this series by N. W. Harris! I cannot wait to see where he will take the story in book three!
Shane and company thought they saved what was left of the world after they shut down the limbic manipulator. However, there's a war on the horizon that no one expected or could in anyway prepare for what's coming - aliens. They find themselves working with a secret organization that's training them to survive the oncoming storm alongside other groups of teen survivors from around the world. Determined to keep the children in their care safe, Shane and his team take on a suicide mission to attack the main ship in the fleet, but no amount of training will be enough to ready themselves for a battle in which the freedom of humanity hangs in the balance.
I was absolutely thrilled when N. W. Harris contacted me to review the ARC of the sequel to The Last Orphans, The Harvest. The second installment begins immediately after the previous one ends with meeting some surviving adults who agree to help Shane and his friends. I liked the addition of these characters, Lily, the doctor, and Jones are great new characters. I don't really want to give too much away, but I was quite surprised with the sharp left turn the story takes in terms of the alien threat. But, this new development just adds a great new pulse-pounding level to what we learned in book one. In regards to a later twisty development, I had a feeling something like that would happen - I've just read and watched too much sci-fi, fantasy, and horror not to suspect something like that!
Like in The Last Orphans, the story at the heart of The Harvest is one of survival in times of great loss. It's a fantastic high-octane post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller. Our main cast has developed well over the course of two books, too. We even get to see Shane's feelings for Kelly deepen in that he'll gladly die for her, but refuses to die with her. In fact, we see that thinking like this begins to cloud his judgment. All of the cast seems realistic in the way they deal with the hand they've been dealt regardless of how terrible or strange. Just as before Tracy still managed to steal the show as a standout character.
If you like The Walking Dead (the comics or tv series), the tv show Revolution, and the movie Edge of Tomorrow, you really need to read this series by N. W. Harris! I cannot wait to see where he will take the story in book three!
March 30, 2015
The Harvest is the incredible continuation of the refreshingly smart and powerfully captivating story that was started in The Last Orphans that opened up to a world that was experiencing a horrific shift in the human population on Earth. What a brilliant twist and excellent storyline that we are privileged to watch as it unfolds into an absolutely mind-blowing multiple genre adventure that will not let you go until the end! I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to experience something very different that is filled with enormous amounts of soul and determination.
The Last Orphans sucked me into a world that I cringed to experience and dreaded to explore and yet I couldn’t help as I continued throughout this adventure one word after another. Something about it would not let me go until it was finally over. Just when I thought I could relax, I find myself back wandering yet again inside this world full of deep despair and yet endless amounts of hope. No matter how many times I wanted to stop reading as I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I found something that kept me holding out for one more word, one more page, and one more chapter. Shane and his rag tag group of friends find an unexpected refuge from the madness and are given a compelling reason to keep going. They want more than anything to find some sense of normalcy after the nightmare they have lived through. However, sometimes what rescues us isn’t what we want or isn’t even good for us. It just hands us a purpose and serves as a distraction from the bigger problem at hand. What will Shane and his friends choose in the end? Will they blindly walk towards the first bright light they see, or will they hold out for a better option to come down the road?
Shane and his friends never cease to amaze me with their resilience and friendship, but it’s their stranglehold on hope and respect for each other that I felt down to the deepest parts of my soul. They refuse to compromise and instead choose to take the long, hard road of being there for each other and ensuring that what’s best for others is put before their own needs and wants. What a beautiful group of teenagers who know the value of hard work and reap huge benefits with the love and hope that they fill each other with. They carry extremely heavy burdens, but when they stand with each other, the weight of that burden is lightened to the point where they no longer feel it as they see the world around them change one smile at a time. This world is both enchanting and terrifying, but I wouldn’t miss experiencing it for anything!
N. W. Harris has proven yet again that he has the artistry and the heart to write big, bold stories that fill an entire world or two while gracefully capturing your attention and interest along the way. You can’t walk away from these books without feeling like something has shifted inside you. There is no way that Shane, Kelly, and Steve will not become a part of you as you walk side by side throughout this wonderful adventure. I encourage you to get lost inside this world and allow yourself to discover what truly makes life worth living. Whatever you do, do not miss out on this amazing series!
The Last Orphans sucked me into a world that I cringed to experience and dreaded to explore and yet I couldn’t help as I continued throughout this adventure one word after another. Something about it would not let me go until it was finally over. Just when I thought I could relax, I find myself back wandering yet again inside this world full of deep despair and yet endless amounts of hope. No matter how many times I wanted to stop reading as I thought I couldn’t take anymore, I found something that kept me holding out for one more word, one more page, and one more chapter. Shane and his rag tag group of friends find an unexpected refuge from the madness and are given a compelling reason to keep going. They want more than anything to find some sense of normalcy after the nightmare they have lived through. However, sometimes what rescues us isn’t what we want or isn’t even good for us. It just hands us a purpose and serves as a distraction from the bigger problem at hand. What will Shane and his friends choose in the end? Will they blindly walk towards the first bright light they see, or will they hold out for a better option to come down the road?
Shane and his friends never cease to amaze me with their resilience and friendship, but it’s their stranglehold on hope and respect for each other that I felt down to the deepest parts of my soul. They refuse to compromise and instead choose to take the long, hard road of being there for each other and ensuring that what’s best for others is put before their own needs and wants. What a beautiful group of teenagers who know the value of hard work and reap huge benefits with the love and hope that they fill each other with. They carry extremely heavy burdens, but when they stand with each other, the weight of that burden is lightened to the point where they no longer feel it as they see the world around them change one smile at a time. This world is both enchanting and terrifying, but I wouldn’t miss experiencing it for anything!
N. W. Harris has proven yet again that he has the artistry and the heart to write big, bold stories that fill an entire world or two while gracefully capturing your attention and interest along the way. You can’t walk away from these books without feeling like something has shifted inside you. There is no way that Shane, Kelly, and Steve will not become a part of you as you walk side by side throughout this wonderful adventure. I encourage you to get lost inside this world and allow yourself to discover what truly makes life worth living. Whatever you do, do not miss out on this amazing series!
March 17, 2015
Just wow! THE HARVEST is an action packed sequel that you definitely should not miss!!
The story picks up to where the first book stops. The first book ends with what could be a relief-giving scene, so this one starts on that note. Even though they were suspicious, our characters are taken somewhere else wherein they were told to be safer. Little did they know that the biggest challenge hasn't happened yet.
The teens are told about their situation. How they are about to fight for their home and that time is of the essence. Then the challenges begin. Our characters are put to tests, training, even simulations to fight of the enemy. It was very intriguing to read about teens from different countries interact with one another. There were less than pleasing scenes, teens clash, but I guess in real life, these things really happen... The difference is, in this book, everyone wants to be the best, but everyone's also scared to be the best. I liked reading about how they put aside their differences to ultimately do what should be done.
Shane has grown a lot from book 1 to this. I would definitely say that he's more badass that how he was in book 1. What happens when you thought you could already let go of all of the responsibilities tucked under you ... but wait.. NO, IT'S STILL THERE AND YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE. Shane shoulders on! He goes through one thing and another just to help keep everyone safe. I love it that his head is always all about their safety. It's so damn admirable.
Shane is a sure thing. I've read about him fighting mentally and physically. KELLY, however.... IS A DAMN BIG SURPRISE. Watch out for this girl! She won me over with her skills! I also can't believe that I'm starting to like Steve. He's such a big macho man. I like his determination together with his concern and humor. The others are also very good companions and comrades. I felt really scared while reading this because I'm kind of attached to everyone and I just know it would be so sad for me if one of them dies. :S
Ahhh!! this book is just... a revelation. Hold on tight people!!! These teens will definitely rock your world! They're amazing survivors and I know, I just know that they will continue surviving!!! They're badasses!!!!
The ending literally made me shout OHMYGOSH!!! It leaves something for all readers to look forward to. The thrill, the wait and all my theories... I know it'll all be worth it when the third book comes!
If you want to read a book with action, uniquely woven plot, mystery and of course.. thrill.. This one's for you!
So there. All in all, I am definitely satisfied with where the author took this story. I'm in awe and I'm definitely giving this a perfect 5!!!
An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
The story picks up to where the first book stops. The first book ends with what could be a relief-giving scene, so this one starts on that note. Even though they were suspicious, our characters are taken somewhere else wherein they were told to be safer. Little did they know that the biggest challenge hasn't happened yet.
The teens are told about their situation. How they are about to fight for their home and that time is of the essence. Then the challenges begin. Our characters are put to tests, training, even simulations to fight of the enemy. It was very intriguing to read about teens from different countries interact with one another. There were less than pleasing scenes, teens clash, but I guess in real life, these things really happen... The difference is, in this book, everyone wants to be the best, but everyone's also scared to be the best. I liked reading about how they put aside their differences to ultimately do what should be done.
Shane has grown a lot from book 1 to this. I would definitely say that he's more badass that how he was in book 1. What happens when you thought you could already let go of all of the responsibilities tucked under you ... but wait.. NO, IT'S STILL THERE AND YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE. Shane shoulders on! He goes through one thing and another just to help keep everyone safe. I love it that his head is always all about their safety. It's so damn admirable.
Shane is a sure thing. I've read about him fighting mentally and physically. KELLY, however.... IS A DAMN BIG SURPRISE. Watch out for this girl! She won me over with her skills! I also can't believe that I'm starting to like Steve. He's such a big macho man. I like his determination together with his concern and humor. The others are also very good companions and comrades. I felt really scared while reading this because I'm kind of attached to everyone and I just know it would be so sad for me if one of them dies. :S
Ahhh!! this book is just... a revelation. Hold on tight people!!! These teens will definitely rock your world! They're amazing survivors and I know, I just know that they will continue surviving!!! They're badasses!!!!
The ending literally made me shout OHMYGOSH!!! It leaves something for all readers to look forward to. The thrill, the wait and all my theories... I know it'll all be worth it when the third book comes!
If you want to read a book with action, uniquely woven plot, mystery and of course.. thrill.. This one's for you!
So there. All in all, I am definitely satisfied with where the author took this story. I'm in awe and I'm definitely giving this a perfect 5!!!
An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2021
If you've been my goodreads friend for awhile, you probably notice that I rarely give one star reviews, in fact, I've only ever given two of them, so this was quite a disappointment to me.
The first book in this series (The Last Orphans) was pretty good. The story was gritty, intense and overall exhilarating. A good apocalyptic story. This took a direction I REALY didn't want it to go. Super soldiers, training to defeat Aliens? So, the first book was a rip-off of Gone, and the second of Ender's Game?
The plot was just crap. So boring. Literally nothing happens in the book till the 60% mark. The rest is just soldiers training. But not likeably ones, no, no, no. We can't have that, we need bland, annoying, unrealistic characters to follow. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld: "That's what we like!"
I mean, is it that hard? Give them a bit of spice, a bit of humour, something, ANYTHING!
Every word that came out of their mouth was unrealistic. And if, by any stretch, they tried to be funny, it felt forced.
And the writing? Absolutely terrible.
Also, I found Tracy and Jules relationship to be very forced and annoying. Like, one minute they don't give a zit about each other, the next their sleeping together, and crying cause they might not see each other again?
Come to think of it, Shane and Kelly's relationship was irritating as well. I'm not going to say anything, except go watch the Seinfeld episode "The Soup Nazi." You'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it.
And, one last thing, I am, in no way, sensitive to violence. I'm fine with war violence or stabbings or decapitations and what not, but they was a part in this book that was just sick.
At the end, they go to Egypt and there are crazy, brain washed kids all over the place. And they were wearing peoples faces on top of their own! As in, they cut the face of dead bodies and now wear them. One 12 year old girl was wearing a bearded face of a man roughly in his mid forties. I'm sorry, but that's just gross.
Honestly, I can't even think about this book without feeling depleted. Absolutely horrible. Will NOT continue with the series. Write a better book, man. I feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire: "Help me, help you!"
The first book in this series (The Last Orphans) was pretty good. The story was gritty, intense and overall exhilarating. A good apocalyptic story. This took a direction I REALY didn't want it to go. Super soldiers, training to defeat Aliens? So, the first book was a rip-off of Gone, and the second of Ender's Game?
The plot was just crap. So boring. Literally nothing happens in the book till the 60% mark. The rest is just soldiers training. But not likeably ones, no, no, no. We can't have that, we need bland, annoying, unrealistic characters to follow. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld: "That's what we like!"
I mean, is it that hard? Give them a bit of spice, a bit of humour, something, ANYTHING!
Every word that came out of their mouth was unrealistic. And if, by any stretch, they tried to be funny, it felt forced.
And the writing? Absolutely terrible.
Also, I found Tracy and Jules relationship to be very forced and annoying. Like, one minute they don't give a zit about each other, the next their sleeping together, and crying cause they might not see each other again?
Come to think of it, Shane and Kelly's relationship was irritating as well. I'm not going to say anything, except go watch the Seinfeld episode "The Soup Nazi." You'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it.
And, one last thing, I am, in no way, sensitive to violence. I'm fine with war violence or stabbings or decapitations and what not, but they was a part in this book that was just sick.
At the end, they go to Egypt and there are crazy, brain washed kids all over the place. And they were wearing peoples faces on top of their own! As in, they cut the face of dead bodies and now wear them. One 12 year old girl was wearing a bearded face of a man roughly in his mid forties. I'm sorry, but that's just gross.
Honestly, I can't even think about this book without feeling depleted. Absolutely horrible. Will NOT continue with the series. Write a better book, man. I feel like Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire: "Help me, help you!"
March 9, 2015
The Harvest starts right off where the Last Orphans ended which I loved because after reading the first book, I needed an answer to the major cliffhanger ending that had me in a book hangover for days. You don’t know how excited I was when Mr. Harris contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing The Harvest. So…..was The Harvest everything I expected? Heck yes, plus more than I could have ever imagined. The Harvest took a direction I did not see coming after reading The Last Orphans and I liked it. A lot!
Two hundred thousand years ago, the Anunnaki (an alien race) mixed their DNA with that of the Neanderthals. The result? The human race as we know it. Six thousand years later they came back to earth and enslaved the humans. Now they are coming back and intend to enslave the human race for good. After terminating the adult population and leaving the younger, more impressionable inhabitants to live, the human crop is ripe and the Anunnaki are returning to Earth to collect their harvest.
With the help of rebel Anunnaki who have been on earth for quite some time helping our government advance in the technology field, it is now up to seven groups of seven kids each to make sure that the Anunnaki don’t get the soldiers and slaves they need in order for the human race to become the secret weapon they need to turn the age-old war in their favor. Shane, Kelly and the rest of the kids who have been recruited for this suicide mission go through vigorous training that will prepare them to take out the alien spaceships and ensure that the remaining human race does not get in the grips of the Anunnaki.
For this mission, few will live and many will die, but with an epic ending to book two that sheds doubts on the whole situation, questions come up that could change the whole situation for Earth. Who should be trusted and who is telling the truth?
This story is extremely well written and Mr. Harris does an awesome job with his descriptions. You feel as though you are right there with the characters experiencing the blood, sweat and tears. The characters have evolved so much during the course of this series and you can’t help but to care for them and pull for them as they face perhaps the biggest battle of their lives. In between all the action, there is a small bit of romance blooming in the air for our two main characters, Shane and Kelly, and I think it adds depth to the story as Shane struggles with his feelings of wanting to protect Kelly, but not wanting to die along with her.
The Harvest did not disappoint me at all. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and kept me interested throughout. Mr. Harris left us with another cliffhanger that I did not see coming, so I must wait (rather impatiently) for the next installment of this truly heart-pounding story, but you know what? I know it’s going to be worth the wait and be spectacular, because the first two books have hit it out of the park!
Quite frankly, this series is amazing and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intense action-packed science-fiction thriller.
See more at: The Avid Book Collector
Two hundred thousand years ago, the Anunnaki (an alien race) mixed their DNA with that of the Neanderthals. The result? The human race as we know it. Six thousand years later they came back to earth and enslaved the humans. Now they are coming back and intend to enslave the human race for good. After terminating the adult population and leaving the younger, more impressionable inhabitants to live, the human crop is ripe and the Anunnaki are returning to Earth to collect their harvest.
With the help of rebel Anunnaki who have been on earth for quite some time helping our government advance in the technology field, it is now up to seven groups of seven kids each to make sure that the Anunnaki don’t get the soldiers and slaves they need in order for the human race to become the secret weapon they need to turn the age-old war in their favor. Shane, Kelly and the rest of the kids who have been recruited for this suicide mission go through vigorous training that will prepare them to take out the alien spaceships and ensure that the remaining human race does not get in the grips of the Anunnaki.
For this mission, few will live and many will die, but with an epic ending to book two that sheds doubts on the whole situation, questions come up that could change the whole situation for Earth. Who should be trusted and who is telling the truth?
This story is extremely well written and Mr. Harris does an awesome job with his descriptions. You feel as though you are right there with the characters experiencing the blood, sweat and tears. The characters have evolved so much during the course of this series and you can’t help but to care for them and pull for them as they face perhaps the biggest battle of their lives. In between all the action, there is a small bit of romance blooming in the air for our two main characters, Shane and Kelly, and I think it adds depth to the story as Shane struggles with his feelings of wanting to protect Kelly, but not wanting to die along with her.
The Harvest did not disappoint me at all. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and kept me interested throughout. Mr. Harris left us with another cliffhanger that I did not see coming, so I must wait (rather impatiently) for the next installment of this truly heart-pounding story, but you know what? I know it’s going to be worth the wait and be spectacular, because the first two books have hit it out of the park!
Quite frankly, this series is amazing and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who enjoys an intense action-packed science-fiction thriller.
See more at: The Avid Book Collector
March 1, 2015
The Last Orphans Series: Book 2, The Harvest picks up the story right after the climactic ending of the series launch. Published by Clean Teen Publishing, this book limits language but still maintains its violence and death. Just wait until you get to the Skin Walkers. Yeah, paint that picture in your head before bedtime. Thank me later.
I started and finished this book before reading the actual description. Shortly into it, I was all jump-meets-shark, but I continued and ultimately enjoyed the second installment. Now, having read the description - I won't be giving anything away in the short words to follow. Oh, and disregard the shark comment.
The remaining group, battered and bloody find help and medical attention from an unlikely shadow group on Earth. Their group, and six other groups from around the world become the forward team of the Human's offensive against an ancient alien race that has been to Earth before - namely - those altering Neanderthals to create a slave-race of Homo Sapiens.
Trained by the rebels, Shane, Steve, Kelly and clan experience a crash-course in strategy, martial arts, weapons, and knowledge to do the unthinkable - attack and destroy ships and aliens so technologically advanced that it appears to be a one way ticket: Win and save Earth, or die trying.
I won't give any more of the book away other than saying that it has a conclusion and leaves the story wide open for Book 3. It was a quick, entertaining read. My nitpicks: Some of the inner thoughts are quite repetitive. Also, only at the end does Harris break narrative style and take on two points-of-view. Yes, they were different groups on attack and there are reasons for his choice, but at the same time I skimmed to get back into 'real-time' action in the story.
Read February 2015: Product supplied by author/publisher. Opinions, good are bad, are 100% my own.
I started and finished this book before reading the actual description. Shortly into it, I was all jump-meets-shark, but I continued and ultimately enjoyed the second installment. Now, having read the description - I won't be giving anything away in the short words to follow. Oh, and disregard the shark comment.
The remaining group, battered and bloody find help and medical attention from an unlikely shadow group on Earth. Their group, and six other groups from around the world become the forward team of the Human's offensive against an ancient alien race that has been to Earth before - namely - those altering Neanderthals to create a slave-race of Homo Sapiens.
Trained by the rebels, Shane, Steve, Kelly and clan experience a crash-course in strategy, martial arts, weapons, and knowledge to do the unthinkable - attack and destroy ships and aliens so technologically advanced that it appears to be a one way ticket: Win and save Earth, or die trying.
I won't give any more of the book away other than saying that it has a conclusion and leaves the story wide open for Book 3. It was a quick, entertaining read. My nitpicks: Some of the inner thoughts are quite repetitive. Also, only at the end does Harris break narrative style and take on two points-of-view. Yes, they were different groups on attack and there are reasons for his choice, but at the same time I skimmed to get back into 'real-time' action in the story.
Read February 2015: Product supplied by author/publisher. Opinions, good are bad, are 100% my own.
March 4, 2015
4.5 Stars
Shane and the other managed to turn off the device killing adults, but now they find out there's a bigger threat to their survival. Aliens aparently helped turn the cave men into a more moder society, now thousands of years later they are coming back to enslave humans. The device they leaked to the government killed all the adults because kids brains are easier to manipulate, Shane and the others from his group as well as 6 other groups of kids from around the world come together to learn how to fight against the aliens who want to enslave them.
Shane is still realing from everything that has happened and this new information is even more unsettleing that the prospect of raising a bunch of little kids. Although the adults that have found them are saying all the right things he still has reservations and with everyone still looking to him to lead he has to do what's best not just for himself, but everyone.
Shane is smart for his age and while he still acts it sometimes you also see him thinking ahead and trying to figure out all the angles of a situation. He may trust some but it's only after they prove themselves, and when it comes to his friends he'll do anything to protect them.
This book was even more intense that the first in the series and once you start it buckle up and get ready for quite a ride! I enjoyed seeing more of this group as they work survive and can't wait to see even more!
Shane and the other managed to turn off the device killing adults, but now they find out there's a bigger threat to their survival. Aliens aparently helped turn the cave men into a more moder society, now thousands of years later they are coming back to enslave humans. The device they leaked to the government killed all the adults because kids brains are easier to manipulate, Shane and the others from his group as well as 6 other groups of kids from around the world come together to learn how to fight against the aliens who want to enslave them.
Shane is still realing from everything that has happened and this new information is even more unsettleing that the prospect of raising a bunch of little kids. Although the adults that have found them are saying all the right things he still has reservations and with everyone still looking to him to lead he has to do what's best not just for himself, but everyone.
Shane is smart for his age and while he still acts it sometimes you also see him thinking ahead and trying to figure out all the angles of a situation. He may trust some but it's only after they prove themselves, and when it comes to his friends he'll do anything to protect them.
This book was even more intense that the first in the series and once you start it buckle up and get ready for quite a ride! I enjoyed seeing more of this group as they work survive and can't wait to see even more!
March 30, 2015
I was so excited when I was asked if I would read and review this book by the author since I loved the first one so much. I couldn't believe the turn this story takes verses the the last orphans. This series works in a way I wish more would. The last orphans introduced a world where are the parents were killed and a government machine was involved. Then you get into the harvest and find out there is a whole new story and adventure on its own. You get to be introduced into new characters and see how Shane's and Kelly's relationship changes and grows. The harvest is almost like a new separate book on its own with some links and characters that are what connect the two. The author doesn't remind everything all over again in the first quarter of the book. Instead he just gets into it and produces a new action story with an ending that will make you crave the next and question what you have learned about the harvest.
February 28, 2015
"THE HARVEST...of Sci Fi Book Fans"
I've heard some people say they were breathless after reading a great book and now I understand. This is a combination of Sci Fi, Action Adventure, Military-Management Training and a Mystery novel. While I'm a little frustrated the story hasn't finished, I'm glad it hasn't...I want More! I feel an odd sense of wanting to know how things turn out combined with wanting to continue the experience.
Having accidentally been in a position where some thought I was heroic, this story reinforces my belief that Hero's aren't born or made; often they just happen to be there. Sure, Shane, Kelly and their group are all being Heroic(while many others in the same situation aren't) but without the situation they'd still be awkward teenagers. But, what a situation and how they rise to they "rise to the occasion"! I can't wait for the next installment.
"THE HOLEY ONE"
I've heard some people say they were breathless after reading a great book and now I understand. This is a combination of Sci Fi, Action Adventure, Military-Management Training and a Mystery novel. While I'm a little frustrated the story hasn't finished, I'm glad it hasn't...I want More! I feel an odd sense of wanting to know how things turn out combined with wanting to continue the experience.
Having accidentally been in a position where some thought I was heroic, this story reinforces my belief that Hero's aren't born or made; often they just happen to be there. Sure, Shane, Kelly and their group are all being Heroic(while many others in the same situation aren't) but without the situation they'd still be awkward teenagers. But, what a situation and how they rise to they "rise to the occasion"! I can't wait for the next installment.
"THE HOLEY ONE"
March 14, 2015
I couldn't sleep, and decided to read a chapter or two of this to clear my mind of all the usual daily stuff. You know, help me relax. Next thing I know, I'm screaming, "NO! I did NOT give you permission to be over, get back here and tell me what happens next!", at my kindle screen. Needless to say, it just had to be stubborn and not give in to my whims.
I'm always a bit skeptical going into sequels, because it seems like every time I love a first book, the second one is terrible. Thankfully, that's not the case here! There's a mega plot twist, and I had no idea it was coming after The Last Orphans. So, bravo, Mr. Harris! That rarely happens to me! I was in the edge of my seat, barely breathing through the last part of this, and I cannot WAIT to for the next in the series!
Bob says: 7 (What? I can't do 7? Fiiiiiiine) 5 Platypires!
I'm always a bit skeptical going into sequels, because it seems like every time I love a first book, the second one is terrible. Thankfully, that's not the case here! There's a mega plot twist, and I had no idea it was coming after The Last Orphans. So, bravo, Mr. Harris! That rarely happens to me! I was in the edge of my seat, barely breathing through the last part of this, and I cannot WAIT to for the next in the series!
Bob says: 7 (What? I can't do 7? Fiiiiiiine) 5 Platypires!
March 3, 2015
Immediately upon finishing the first book in this series, I was already impatient to read the next installment, so when I got my hands on a copy (provided by the author in exchange for a fair review), my expectations were quite high. Happily, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.
This is the kind of book that, once you pick it up, you'll find it nearly impossible to put down - its non-stop action and world-changing information propels the reader through the book at a lightning-fast pace, because one is compelled to find out what will happen next.
The action picks up immediately after the events in the first book, in which our (mostly) intrepid band of teens find their world rocked yet again with an introduction to a secret faction that fills them in on an alien attempt to take over the planet, and trains the kids to fight for their lives, and those of everyone left on the planet.
Though Shane is somewhat more comfortable in his leadership role, he still finds that the constant need to step up and be responsible for his friends and myriad small children overwhelms him and weighs on him heavily. He can't help but wonder how much a person can take before reaching a breaking point, and that's a good question, since the life- and world- altering events of book one took place over the course of just a couple of days. Instead of getting any kind of respite, Shane and his friends are immediately thrust into what seems like it could only be a suicide mission against an ancient, and all-powerful alien race.
They are not alone in that mission, as six other teams from around the world are recruited for the cause. All of them are trained together and pitted against one another, as a spirit of competition is fomented by their trainer in order to ready them as much as possible for the violence and bloodshed that lie ahead.
There's so much at play here that it makes one's head spin: finding out about the alien race(s) and the genesis of the limbic manipulator that eradicated the adult population; learning about what really happened in Roswell and the true purpose (and number) of the pyramids around the world; discovering how technological advances really came to be; dealing with the religious implications of it all; having to contend with other groups of kids who seem bent on causing as much trouble and injury to Shane and his friends as they can; burgeoning friendships and romantic entanglements; rigorous and detailed physical and mental training (some of which is reminiscent of The Matrix, in a good way); in-fighting; and the list goes on and on. At times, it seems like there could almost be too much going on and one wonders how exactly teenagers could truly deal with such massive levels of responsibility and danger, but Mr. Harris juggles all of that information in such a way that the reader is both clued-in and believes that the kids could assimilate all of it and rise to the challenge facing them.
In addition to Shane, his friends are back: Kelly, the object of his devotion, who reveals hidden layers and common sense near the end of the book when some events are told from her point of view; Steve, Shane's fellow football player, who is always gung-ho for action and violence; Tracy, the military-minded, fierce girl whom no one wants to mess with; Laura, the goth girl who struggles with the insane physical demands placed upon them, yet steps up in significant ways when needed; and Maurice, the preacher's son who is a peacemaker and voice of reason. We don't get to know most of the others kids all that well, except to discover that several of the Russians refuse to play by the rules and revel in causing injury to those around them; the Koreans and Chinese are well-versed in martial arts and mostly keep to themselves; and the Australians are a friendly bunch, who join forces with Shane and the other Americans.
As in the first book, death finds the group of friends on more than one occasion, and they do contend with more than a little violence. I would say that the latter isn't quite as graphic and widespread as it was in the first installment, but it does still rear its head quite a bit, particularly as the book nears its end.
Something else that really ratchets up as the action progresses: a sense of unease. The faction that trains Shane and his friends seems well-intentioned and well-equipped to deal with the battle, yet questions arise immediately as to how large the group really is, and how they're able to handle the logistics of feeding/housing/training/equipping so many kids. As time goes on, the feeling that they may be too good to be true only increases in intensity, as Shane begins to wonder more and more whether or not they can truly be trusted.
The book ends on another intriguing and incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger, ensuring that readers - including this one - are anxious for the third book to be released (hopefully as soon as possible).
Now, all of that said, there isn't any such thing as a perfect book, and there are a few issues with this one. First, there is a fair amount of repetition in terms of things like the Russians being overly-aggressive bullies, Tracy and Laura fighting amongst themselves, etc. However, those issues eventually lead somewhere, so the repeated situations do have a point.
Then there's Shane's devotion to Kelly. He's had a crush on her for years, and now that she returns his affection, she's pretty much always on his mind. Additionally, since his entire family is gone, he does need someone to hold onto, someone to comfort him, someone who can provide some relief (mental and physical) from the never-ending danger, responsibility, and fear. That said, there are times his devotion seems a little too focused and intense. It does serve to help set up future events, so this is also not without a purpose, but it can be a little much to slog through sometimes.
Finally, as mentioned above, there is a lot of information that is given to the kids, and of course, the reader. There is a feeling, particularly when the major revelations first start to be explored, that it can all be a bit much: a whole bunch of sci-fi and twists and turns coming at the reader at a fast clip that test the limits of one's suspension of disbelief. After awhile, that feeling subsides and everything begins to gel and make sense, and then the ever-increasing suspense comes into play, which renders that issue effectively moot.
All in all, it's a suspenseful, thrilling, white-knuckle, compulsively readable ride. It's also an incredibly fast read: I sat down with it, intending to read just a few chapters. The next thing I knew, I was more than halfway through the story, and couldn't seem to put it down. It's such an entertaining book, and a wonderful follow-up to the first installment in the series, which was also eminently enjoyable. To all of those new this series, I highly recommend picking up the first book, and then you'll feel compelled to give this one a read, as well. To all those who liked book one, this continuation of the story is just as great a book. Upon finishing it, the reader is left with only one question: When can I get my hands on book three?
This is the kind of book that, once you pick it up, you'll find it nearly impossible to put down - its non-stop action and world-changing information propels the reader through the book at a lightning-fast pace, because one is compelled to find out what will happen next.
The action picks up immediately after the events in the first book, in which our (mostly) intrepid band of teens find their world rocked yet again with an introduction to a secret faction that fills them in on an alien attempt to take over the planet, and trains the kids to fight for their lives, and those of everyone left on the planet.
Though Shane is somewhat more comfortable in his leadership role, he still finds that the constant need to step up and be responsible for his friends and myriad small children overwhelms him and weighs on him heavily. He can't help but wonder how much a person can take before reaching a breaking point, and that's a good question, since the life- and world- altering events of book one took place over the course of just a couple of days. Instead of getting any kind of respite, Shane and his friends are immediately thrust into what seems like it could only be a suicide mission against an ancient, and all-powerful alien race.
They are not alone in that mission, as six other teams from around the world are recruited for the cause. All of them are trained together and pitted against one another, as a spirit of competition is fomented by their trainer in order to ready them as much as possible for the violence and bloodshed that lie ahead.
There's so much at play here that it makes one's head spin: finding out about the alien race(s) and the genesis of the limbic manipulator that eradicated the adult population; learning about what really happened in Roswell and the true purpose (and number) of the pyramids around the world; discovering how technological advances really came to be; dealing with the religious implications of it all; having to contend with other groups of kids who seem bent on causing as much trouble and injury to Shane and his friends as they can; burgeoning friendships and romantic entanglements; rigorous and detailed physical and mental training (some of which is reminiscent of The Matrix, in a good way); in-fighting; and the list goes on and on. At times, it seems like there could almost be too much going on and one wonders how exactly teenagers could truly deal with such massive levels of responsibility and danger, but Mr. Harris juggles all of that information in such a way that the reader is both clued-in and believes that the kids could assimilate all of it and rise to the challenge facing them.
In addition to Shane, his friends are back: Kelly, the object of his devotion, who reveals hidden layers and common sense near the end of the book when some events are told from her point of view; Steve, Shane's fellow football player, who is always gung-ho for action and violence; Tracy, the military-minded, fierce girl whom no one wants to mess with; Laura, the goth girl who struggles with the insane physical demands placed upon them, yet steps up in significant ways when needed; and Maurice, the preacher's son who is a peacemaker and voice of reason. We don't get to know most of the others kids all that well, except to discover that several of the Russians refuse to play by the rules and revel in causing injury to those around them; the Koreans and Chinese are well-versed in martial arts and mostly keep to themselves; and the Australians are a friendly bunch, who join forces with Shane and the other Americans.
As in the first book, death finds the group of friends on more than one occasion, and they do contend with more than a little violence. I would say that the latter isn't quite as graphic and widespread as it was in the first installment, but it does still rear its head quite a bit, particularly as the book nears its end.
Something else that really ratchets up as the action progresses: a sense of unease. The faction that trains Shane and his friends seems well-intentioned and well-equipped to deal with the battle, yet questions arise immediately as to how large the group really is, and how they're able to handle the logistics of feeding/housing/training/equipping so many kids. As time goes on, the feeling that they may be too good to be true only increases in intensity, as Shane begins to wonder more and more whether or not they can truly be trusted.
The book ends on another intriguing and incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger, ensuring that readers - including this one - are anxious for the third book to be released (hopefully as soon as possible).
Now, all of that said, there isn't any such thing as a perfect book, and there are a few issues with this one. First, there is a fair amount of repetition in terms of things like the Russians being overly-aggressive bullies, Tracy and Laura fighting amongst themselves, etc. However, those issues eventually lead somewhere, so the repeated situations do have a point.
Then there's Shane's devotion to Kelly. He's had a crush on her for years, and now that she returns his affection, she's pretty much always on his mind. Additionally, since his entire family is gone, he does need someone to hold onto, someone to comfort him, someone who can provide some relief (mental and physical) from the never-ending danger, responsibility, and fear. That said, there are times his devotion seems a little too focused and intense. It does serve to help set up future events, so this is also not without a purpose, but it can be a little much to slog through sometimes.
Finally, as mentioned above, there is a lot of information that is given to the kids, and of course, the reader. There is a feeling, particularly when the major revelations first start to be explored, that it can all be a bit much: a whole bunch of sci-fi and twists and turns coming at the reader at a fast clip that test the limits of one's suspension of disbelief. After awhile, that feeling subsides and everything begins to gel and make sense, and then the ever-increasing suspense comes into play, which renders that issue effectively moot.
All in all, it's a suspenseful, thrilling, white-knuckle, compulsively readable ride. It's also an incredibly fast read: I sat down with it, intending to read just a few chapters. The next thing I knew, I was more than halfway through the story, and couldn't seem to put it down. It's such an entertaining book, and a wonderful follow-up to the first installment in the series, which was also eminently enjoyable. To all of those new this series, I highly recommend picking up the first book, and then you'll feel compelled to give this one a read, as well. To all those who liked book one, this continuation of the story is just as great a book. Upon finishing it, the reader is left with only one question: When can I get my hands on book three?
June 19, 2018
http://fallenoverbookreviews.blogspot... received this book to give an honest review.
The best part about this book is that it is a good clean read. No cussing or sexual things going on just clean.
I have never been big on the whole alien thing in books as some times it is too much. In The Harvest it was actually done really well and it wasn't too much. The teens have now been recruited to put a stop to the ones who have started this all. What they learn is that this alien race has been here for a long time and not all of the aliens agree with what has happened. These teenagers along with others from around the world will step into this fight. They will learn so much and along the way just how much they can take. These teens have had so much taken away but they have conquered a lot in the small time they have been on their own and fighting. Now the fight will be even bigger and it will push them to their limits. Shane and his crew of friends are determined to stop this once and for all yet what will truly happen and who can you trust? I have to say the one scene towards the end where Shane is in the pod it had me cringing just a bit but I liked it!
I honestly can not wait to dive into book three because I really need to know will these teens set out to do what they needed to. Are the aliens really against the humans and want to slave them and suck our land dry?
If you are looking for something for your teenager to read this would be the book, but read the first one first.
The best part about this book is that it is a good clean read. No cussing or sexual things going on just clean.
I have never been big on the whole alien thing in books as some times it is too much. In The Harvest it was actually done really well and it wasn't too much. The teens have now been recruited to put a stop to the ones who have started this all. What they learn is that this alien race has been here for a long time and not all of the aliens agree with what has happened. These teenagers along with others from around the world will step into this fight. They will learn so much and along the way just how much they can take. These teens have had so much taken away but they have conquered a lot in the small time they have been on their own and fighting. Now the fight will be even bigger and it will push them to their limits. Shane and his crew of friends are determined to stop this once and for all yet what will truly happen and who can you trust? I have to say the one scene towards the end where Shane is in the pod it had me cringing just a bit but I liked it!
I honestly can not wait to dive into book three because I really need to know will these teens set out to do what they needed to. Are the aliens really against the humans and want to slave them and suck our land dry?
If you are looking for something for your teenager to read this would be the book, but read the first one first.
May 1, 2015
Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...
*****
My Thoughts:
Anyone who was around earlier this month may remember that I finally took the plunge and read The Last Orphans. I didn't know what to expect from the series and the synopsis really didn't tell me much. I didn't go in with the highest expectations, but by the time I closed the cover I knew I had read from one of my new favorite series. Holy smokes. A storyline beyond unique with equal parts sci-fi and horror, enough to make any reader interested. I was blown away. I was really excited to see where Harris went with book two, I immediately got my hands on a copy and wow was I impressed.
I'll go ahead and say that this book isn't really like the first one. In some aspects it was so different, it was though I was reading an entirely different series. While other haven't shared my opinions, I thought The Last Orphans was definitely a member of the horror subgenre (among others) so I was really shocked to see that The Harvest didn't carry over that horror-vibe. Instead, it went in a new direction, sci-fi, and knocked it out of the park. Whereas book one was a lot of flash and gore and shock (adding to the horror), book two was a lot of thoughts, technology, and paranoia (sci-fi at its' finest). This is definitely not a negative critique by any means, but merely my way of showing the contrast between the two novels. I am curious as to what vibe we may find in book three, but if I had to guess, I'd say more sci-fi than horror.
The Harvest focuses on our same cast of main characters for the most part, but we really see them grow as a team. While book one was all about survival, book two is really all about restoral. The survivors are on a mission to stop the Anunnaki and the youth they are controlling. The characters are written to perfection and were everything I was looking for. I was really pleased to see how our main characters Shane and Kelly continue to mature in such a short period of time. They truly are remarkable characters.
In an effort to avoid any major spoilers I will refrain from saying too much about the plot line of the end-game of any characters, but I can tell you that this one ends on a huge cliffhanger that I honestly didn't see coming. In retrospect, I probably should have guessed it, but I really didn't. I love when a story can surprise me and this one did, for sure! It isn't often I can say that about a novel and I embrace it when I can!
One of the coolest things I like about about this series is how Harris takes existing lore and history and turns it into an incredible story. Legends about the Anunnaki race have been passed down for years and remain some of the most interesting I have read. Rather than take and rewrite those legends, Harris has taken the groundworkings of history and molded them into a legend all his own. It's an incredible testament to his talent to see such an interpretation take hold and resonate with readers. Huge kudos to Harris for that.
The setting for The Harvest is all over the place. From Georgia to a mountain base in Appalachia to international destinations across the globe, our characters and their colleagues are on the move to take back their planet. Will they make it in time? I really enjoyed the vast differences in surroundings and how the authors was able to describe such settings with such vividness that I actually felt the sands of the Sinai Desert blowing in my face through my minds eye. How incredible, right?
I cannot wait to see what Harris has in store for this series next. Honestly with the cliffhanger ending we were given, the characters direction is clear, but I cannot wait to see how they get there. So many possible stories to be told here and I can't wait to see what direction Harris picks!
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I am granting The Harvest by NW Harris a near perfect 5-star review. This read was everything I was looking for, and more. I can honestly say I cannot think of a single thing I would have like to have seen changes. This series is among the most original and well-written that I have come across and I have found it a great honor to read and review them. As a male blogger, connecting with male authors is important to me and not something I get the opportunity to do often. Harris is definitely doing his part to show the world that male authors in this genre can make an impact. Huge kudos all around to NW Harris for this absolutely incredible series.
This series is perfect for readers of horror, sci-fi, dystopian, or fantasy. Ages young and old can appreciate the intricate web that Harris has weaved, but to be on the safe side, I'd advise this series to mature YA audiences.
*****
*****
My Thoughts:
Anyone who was around earlier this month may remember that I finally took the plunge and read The Last Orphans. I didn't know what to expect from the series and the synopsis really didn't tell me much. I didn't go in with the highest expectations, but by the time I closed the cover I knew I had read from one of my new favorite series. Holy smokes. A storyline beyond unique with equal parts sci-fi and horror, enough to make any reader interested. I was blown away. I was really excited to see where Harris went with book two, I immediately got my hands on a copy and wow was I impressed.
I'll go ahead and say that this book isn't really like the first one. In some aspects it was so different, it was though I was reading an entirely different series. While other haven't shared my opinions, I thought The Last Orphans was definitely a member of the horror subgenre (among others) so I was really shocked to see that The Harvest didn't carry over that horror-vibe. Instead, it went in a new direction, sci-fi, and knocked it out of the park. Whereas book one was a lot of flash and gore and shock (adding to the horror), book two was a lot of thoughts, technology, and paranoia (sci-fi at its' finest). This is definitely not a negative critique by any means, but merely my way of showing the contrast between the two novels. I am curious as to what vibe we may find in book three, but if I had to guess, I'd say more sci-fi than horror.
The Harvest focuses on our same cast of main characters for the most part, but we really see them grow as a team. While book one was all about survival, book two is really all about restoral. The survivors are on a mission to stop the Anunnaki and the youth they are controlling. The characters are written to perfection and were everything I was looking for. I was really pleased to see how our main characters Shane and Kelly continue to mature in such a short period of time. They truly are remarkable characters.
In an effort to avoid any major spoilers I will refrain from saying too much about the plot line of the end-game of any characters, but I can tell you that this one ends on a huge cliffhanger that I honestly didn't see coming. In retrospect, I probably should have guessed it, but I really didn't. I love when a story can surprise me and this one did, for sure! It isn't often I can say that about a novel and I embrace it when I can!
One of the coolest things I like about about this series is how Harris takes existing lore and history and turns it into an incredible story. Legends about the Anunnaki race have been passed down for years and remain some of the most interesting I have read. Rather than take and rewrite those legends, Harris has taken the groundworkings of history and molded them into a legend all his own. It's an incredible testament to his talent to see such an interpretation take hold and resonate with readers. Huge kudos to Harris for that.
The setting for The Harvest is all over the place. From Georgia to a mountain base in Appalachia to international destinations across the globe, our characters and their colleagues are on the move to take back their planet. Will they make it in time? I really enjoyed the vast differences in surroundings and how the authors was able to describe such settings with such vividness that I actually felt the sands of the Sinai Desert blowing in my face through my minds eye. How incredible, right?
I cannot wait to see what Harris has in store for this series next. Honestly with the cliffhanger ending we were given, the characters direction is clear, but I cannot wait to see how they get there. So many possible stories to be told here and I can't wait to see what direction Harris picks!
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I am granting The Harvest by NW Harris a near perfect 5-star review. This read was everything I was looking for, and more. I can honestly say I cannot think of a single thing I would have like to have seen changes. This series is among the most original and well-written that I have come across and I have found it a great honor to read and review them. As a male blogger, connecting with male authors is important to me and not something I get the opportunity to do often. Harris is definitely doing his part to show the world that male authors in this genre can make an impact. Huge kudos all around to NW Harris for this absolutely incredible series.
This series is perfect for readers of horror, sci-fi, dystopian, or fantasy. Ages young and old can appreciate the intricate web that Harris has weaved, but to be on the safe side, I'd advise this series to mature YA audiences.
*****
March 1, 2015
The Harvest
The Last Orphans Series Book 2
N.W.Harris's eagerly awaited sequel is here ! Book 1 recap Shane a sixteen year old teen has just seen his beloved Grandmother's funeral and suddenly it seems that everything is going crazy. Animals and insects are attacking adults, killing them. His race to get help becomes a rescue mission for High school classmates to elementary aged kids found along the way. He wants to keep the girl he's always liked and her little sister safe, his football team mates help watch his back. They must fight off attacks by teen gangs more then willing to rape and kill members of his small group, Shane must defend his small band of survivors more adult then he ever thought he'd be at his age. End of the world movies don't prepare him for Nature herself aiming to kill them. The needed priorities of save who you can and sustain them vs save them all is a heart breaking weight on his shoulders. They fight into Atlanta to turn off the deadly machine causing the Animal attacks and pick up some allies. Once back on familiar ground he finds his band has been attacked again and friends are lost, his desire understandably for revenge must take a backseat to the security of his survivors and their safety. Just when he feels he is losing the battles he is forced to face, an adult comes forward. There are survivors ! Slight issue They aren't human, Aliens hidden, just now coming forward, how much did the government know? Are the Anunnaki rebels the allies the kids hope for? Based on pyramid technology, which ties into the Alien God theirs around the world.
Shane's group is taken to the Alien encampment, they are assured that the Aliens will look for the tots and infants, they will help carry the weight, they offer food, clothing and medical attention. Ever heard 'if it sounds to be to good to be true it probably is'.. This group has it's issues. Aliens of a race that had merged DNA with Neanderthals and brought forth the modern man, answering the question of the missing link. That back on their world they had rebelled and crash landed of course in area 51. They claim to have assisted with all sorts of scientific outcomes. Can they be trusted? Can Shane and his band afford to question the assistance? Then comes the other shoe, their race will be coming to Harvest the teens as slaves and kill everyone else, unless the teens fight them. Shane's group finds themselves in boot camp against alien technology and a fight for their right to live, free and not as slaves.
Other teams of teens are brought to their encampment from around the world so they are all to train together under a Alien Drill Sargent, claimed to be a former Navy Seal. All the aliens are clones of the single crashed ship. They are trained using Alien technology and boot camp means. Then word comes they don't have the time they thought they had and the time to strike the Aliens coming to enslave them is upon them. Shane and his girl are placed in separate teams, into the belly of the beast they must go in an effort to kill and disable the Aliens coming to enslave them. Or are these Aliens coming to help them thinking they are under attack? Which group of Aliens is the one to trust? Is the Anunnaki home world actually sending a Harvesting mission? Or a rescue mission?
As with the first book the chapters are kept smallish so it makes it a very quick read. It is clean cut, cleaner language then a normal TV show and less sexual contact then any perfume commercial, it carries the message of fight for what is right but sometimes right isn't such a black and white issue. Shane's fellow teens are not out to kill for the sake of bloodshed, but have they been deceived? Is the fighting back going to cause them more harm then good later? This can be read by teens, tweens as long as someone stays near to answer questions, and that can be an older sibling that has read the book and can grasp and understand the message.
There is no manual for the end of the world as we know it. The Bible is a good guideline but doesn't tell you how to survive it..
The Last Orphans Series Book 2
N.W.Harris's eagerly awaited sequel is here ! Book 1 recap Shane a sixteen year old teen has just seen his beloved Grandmother's funeral and suddenly it seems that everything is going crazy. Animals and insects are attacking adults, killing them. His race to get help becomes a rescue mission for High school classmates to elementary aged kids found along the way. He wants to keep the girl he's always liked and her little sister safe, his football team mates help watch his back. They must fight off attacks by teen gangs more then willing to rape and kill members of his small group, Shane must defend his small band of survivors more adult then he ever thought he'd be at his age. End of the world movies don't prepare him for Nature herself aiming to kill them. The needed priorities of save who you can and sustain them vs save them all is a heart breaking weight on his shoulders. They fight into Atlanta to turn off the deadly machine causing the Animal attacks and pick up some allies. Once back on familiar ground he finds his band has been attacked again and friends are lost, his desire understandably for revenge must take a backseat to the security of his survivors and their safety. Just when he feels he is losing the battles he is forced to face, an adult comes forward. There are survivors ! Slight issue They aren't human, Aliens hidden, just now coming forward, how much did the government know? Are the Anunnaki rebels the allies the kids hope for? Based on pyramid technology, which ties into the Alien God theirs around the world.
Shane's group is taken to the Alien encampment, they are assured that the Aliens will look for the tots and infants, they will help carry the weight, they offer food, clothing and medical attention. Ever heard 'if it sounds to be to good to be true it probably is'.. This group has it's issues. Aliens of a race that had merged DNA with Neanderthals and brought forth the modern man, answering the question of the missing link. That back on their world they had rebelled and crash landed of course in area 51. They claim to have assisted with all sorts of scientific outcomes. Can they be trusted? Can Shane and his band afford to question the assistance? Then comes the other shoe, their race will be coming to Harvest the teens as slaves and kill everyone else, unless the teens fight them. Shane's group finds themselves in boot camp against alien technology and a fight for their right to live, free and not as slaves.
Other teams of teens are brought to their encampment from around the world so they are all to train together under a Alien Drill Sargent, claimed to be a former Navy Seal. All the aliens are clones of the single crashed ship. They are trained using Alien technology and boot camp means. Then word comes they don't have the time they thought they had and the time to strike the Aliens coming to enslave them is upon them. Shane and his girl are placed in separate teams, into the belly of the beast they must go in an effort to kill and disable the Aliens coming to enslave them. Or are these Aliens coming to help them thinking they are under attack? Which group of Aliens is the one to trust? Is the Anunnaki home world actually sending a Harvesting mission? Or a rescue mission?
As with the first book the chapters are kept smallish so it makes it a very quick read. It is clean cut, cleaner language then a normal TV show and less sexual contact then any perfume commercial, it carries the message of fight for what is right but sometimes right isn't such a black and white issue. Shane's fellow teens are not out to kill for the sake of bloodshed, but have they been deceived? Is the fighting back going to cause them more harm then good later? This can be read by teens, tweens as long as someone stays near to answer questions, and that can be an older sibling that has read the book and can grasp and understand the message.
There is no manual for the end of the world as we know it. The Bible is a good guideline but doesn't tell you how to survive it..
April 18, 2015
After a long few days and a terrible battle, Shane and his group believe that all of the adults are dead. After a brave attempt and success at shutting down the machine that rid the world of the adults, they just begin to catch their breath when some adults show up out of nowhere.
Of course the kids are skeptical and nervous, they watched all of the adults die, so how did this group of adults survive. They go with them, trying to trust them and partly relieved because they don't want to carry the burden of trying to help all of the younger kids survive. They aren't sure where to even begin.
After arriving on the base, Shane and a few in his group are informed that these adults are actually aliens and that more of their kind are coming to "Harvest" the kids from this planet to help them fight their war and that they all have a 'slave gene' in them allowing the aliens to control their minds.
Shane and 6 others from his group begin training with seven other teams from around the world to learn how to take down these alien ships from the inside. The kids are put through a military like boot camp, with many physical activities, running, push-ups etc, as well as learning to fight each other and playing a more intense game of 'capture the flag'.
This is a great continuation from the first book as it takes on a whole new premise and we watch these kids go from scared and relieved teenagers to soldiers who are willing to sacrifice themselves to save everyone else on the planet once again.
Harris really expands on the characters we were introduced to in the first book and we get to see more bonding and relationships develop amongst them. He also introduces many new characters with their own unique, sometimes likeable and sometimes not, dispositions.
Harris delivers the story in a enjoyable manner and the storyline is engaging and full of action. The details and description really place you inside the story. His creative alien technology is pretty darn cool too!
There were some twists in the book, especially towards the end that are utterly fascinating and have left me wondering....what next? I will be impatiently waiting for book 3 and the continuation of this group of teenagers story. I am curious to see where the story goes and what the truth really is!
Of course the kids are skeptical and nervous, they watched all of the adults die, so how did this group of adults survive. They go with them, trying to trust them and partly relieved because they don't want to carry the burden of trying to help all of the younger kids survive. They aren't sure where to even begin.
After arriving on the base, Shane and a few in his group are informed that these adults are actually aliens and that more of their kind are coming to "Harvest" the kids from this planet to help them fight their war and that they all have a 'slave gene' in them allowing the aliens to control their minds.
Shane and 6 others from his group begin training with seven other teams from around the world to learn how to take down these alien ships from the inside. The kids are put through a military like boot camp, with many physical activities, running, push-ups etc, as well as learning to fight each other and playing a more intense game of 'capture the flag'.
This is a great continuation from the first book as it takes on a whole new premise and we watch these kids go from scared and relieved teenagers to soldiers who are willing to sacrifice themselves to save everyone else on the planet once again.
Harris really expands on the characters we were introduced to in the first book and we get to see more bonding and relationships develop amongst them. He also introduces many new characters with their own unique, sometimes likeable and sometimes not, dispositions.
Harris delivers the story in a enjoyable manner and the storyline is engaging and full of action. The details and description really place you inside the story. His creative alien technology is pretty darn cool too!
There were some twists in the book, especially towards the end that are utterly fascinating and have left me wondering....what next? I will be impatiently waiting for book 3 and the continuation of this group of teenagers story. I am curious to see where the story goes and what the truth really is!
August 15, 2017
The Harvest starts where The Last Orphans ends. You are pulled right back to that time where Shane and his band of people are feeling a small respite against advanced technology only to be thrown into more. I'll be honest, I had some kind of book reading PTSD at first. I felt like I was back in my father in law's camper when I was reading this. I had to pause to make sure I was actually home. It was creepy. Never had that feeling before.
Anyway, I LOVED The Last Orphans. It was filled with action, death, and trauma. It was something that would give you crazy dreams, but keep you reading. As for The Harvest, I liked it. It wasn't as crazy filled as the first book and it felt more like a bootcamp book than anything else.
HOWEVER, you do learn more about what is going on. You find out who the enemy is . . . or do you? Once again, N.W. Harris succeeds in feeding you information and throws you for a loop. That's right, there is a cliffhanger that makes you wonder and want more.
I did love certain aspects of this book though. I loved that you can see the strength of the characters growing. I loved revisiting the teenagers I felt endeared to since the first book. I even loved the new characters that appear in the book (the Russians are pretty badass, by the way). The number one thing I absolutely loved, was the level of emotional trauma that we see.
Since we see the book through Shane's eyes, we experience every little terrible flashback that comes to him. It is probably the closest anyone can get to a person with PTSD. Which is hard, because that level of emotion and trauma is hard to explain. It was horrifying and sad. I found it wonderful to see that the character's did have problems with what happened in the first book. N.W. Harris, you translated that perfectly.
The voice of the book is different, but only because we aren't pushed this way and that with trauma. It is still easy to get into the book and just as easy to want to keep reading. I can't wait what N.W. Harris has in store for the children and the readers. I just want them to catch a break one day. Poor kids, really glad our life isn't like that.
Yet.
Anyway, I LOVED The Last Orphans. It was filled with action, death, and trauma. It was something that would give you crazy dreams, but keep you reading. As for The Harvest, I liked it. It wasn't as crazy filled as the first book and it felt more like a bootcamp book than anything else.
HOWEVER, you do learn more about what is going on. You find out who the enemy is . . . or do you? Once again, N.W. Harris succeeds in feeding you information and throws you for a loop. That's right, there is a cliffhanger that makes you wonder and want more.
I did love certain aspects of this book though. I loved that you can see the strength of the characters growing. I loved revisiting the teenagers I felt endeared to since the first book. I even loved the new characters that appear in the book (the Russians are pretty badass, by the way). The number one thing I absolutely loved, was the level of emotional trauma that we see.
Since we see the book through Shane's eyes, we experience every little terrible flashback that comes to him. It is probably the closest anyone can get to a person with PTSD. Which is hard, because that level of emotion and trauma is hard to explain. It was horrifying and sad. I found it wonderful to see that the character's did have problems with what happened in the first book. N.W. Harris, you translated that perfectly.
The voice of the book is different, but only because we aren't pushed this way and that with trauma. It is still easy to get into the book and just as easy to want to keep reading. I can't wait what N.W. Harris has in store for the children and the readers. I just want them to catch a break one day. Poor kids, really glad our life isn't like that.
Yet.
April 2, 2015
Contemporary, Sci-fi, YA, Romance
Tennessee & Egypt
Shane Tucker and his friends thought with the machined that killed the adult population now destroyed the world was now safe. Unfortunately what no one was prepared for is a war that is now about to begin. Shane and his friends find themselves joining a secret organization that will give them the ability to fight to survive by training them. With other teenage survivors they are hidden away at a base that is deep within the mountain and together they will learn to repel an attack by an ancient race of aliens.
Shane and his friends are determined to safeguard the children that are under their charge. To do that they must compete for the ultimate prize of a suicide mission against the flagship of the alien fleet. As Shane’s feelings for Kelly deepening he finds a need to protect her which causes his emotions to cloud his judgment. He will do anything for her even die. He just won’t die with her. Soon they find that even with all the training they have endured it isn’t enough to prepare them for what is coming. Even with everything they have faced so far all of that is going to be eclipsed by what is coming. The freedom of humanity is now hanging in the balance.
This is a series that is proving to get better with each book. The first book was excellent but the second one takes that and gets even better. It is proving to be an amazing mix of Red Dawn, War of the Worlds and Stargate. The story takes so many twists and turns that the reader isn’t able to guess what is going to happen next which makes for a story that readers won’t want to put down and will have them impatiently waiting for the next book to come out. The characters are written amazingly well and are so very relatable that it makes for a story that anyone can and will greatly enjoy. While it ends with a cliffhanger it actually ends up being better that way because it doesn’t give all the answers but keeps the suspense built up.
Receive a review copy
Tennessee & Egypt
Shane Tucker and his friends thought with the machined that killed the adult population now destroyed the world was now safe. Unfortunately what no one was prepared for is a war that is now about to begin. Shane and his friends find themselves joining a secret organization that will give them the ability to fight to survive by training them. With other teenage survivors they are hidden away at a base that is deep within the mountain and together they will learn to repel an attack by an ancient race of aliens.
Shane and his friends are determined to safeguard the children that are under their charge. To do that they must compete for the ultimate prize of a suicide mission against the flagship of the alien fleet. As Shane’s feelings for Kelly deepening he finds a need to protect her which causes his emotions to cloud his judgment. He will do anything for her even die. He just won’t die with her. Soon they find that even with all the training they have endured it isn’t enough to prepare them for what is coming. Even with everything they have faced so far all of that is going to be eclipsed by what is coming. The freedom of humanity is now hanging in the balance.
This is a series that is proving to get better with each book. The first book was excellent but the second one takes that and gets even better. It is proving to be an amazing mix of Red Dawn, War of the Worlds and Stargate. The story takes so many twists and turns that the reader isn’t able to guess what is going to happen next which makes for a story that readers won’t want to put down and will have them impatiently waiting for the next book to come out. The characters are written amazingly well and are so very relatable that it makes for a story that anyone can and will greatly enjoy. While it ends with a cliffhanger it actually ends up being better that way because it doesn’t give all the answers but keeps the suspense built up.
Receive a review copy
April 6, 2015
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Imagine the world you grew up in was suddenly void of all adults. This is the world Shane lives in. All the adults have been killed off. Shane has become the unofficial leader in is town. He comes across as very confident in his leadership abilities. Those who are real close to him really know the truth. Just when Shane thinks things will be okay, because they have managed to shut off the machine that created this havoc, Shane is given another surprise. Jillian, is an alien who claims to be here to help the teens. It seems that an ancient alien race came to Earth thousands of years before and implanted a slave gene. Then they did away with all of the adults because it would be easier to control the children. Shane wants nothing more than to trust Jillian. He, along with several other teams from around the world train to prepare for this invasion. However, no matter how much Shane wants to do what is right and protect those he loves; he just can’t seem to get rid of the feeling that what they have been told is not the complete truth. All he can do is his best.
This is a book that will definitely keep you on the edge of the seat just like the first book did. However, the author has really ratcheted up the tension in this book. We see the characters beginning to develop more. We can especially see this in the relationship between Shane and Kelly. For my taste there was just the right amount of tension and romance. This is a book I definitely recommend, but not until you’ve read the first book in the series.
Imagine the world you grew up in was suddenly void of all adults. This is the world Shane lives in. All the adults have been killed off. Shane has become the unofficial leader in is town. He comes across as very confident in his leadership abilities. Those who are real close to him really know the truth. Just when Shane thinks things will be okay, because they have managed to shut off the machine that created this havoc, Shane is given another surprise. Jillian, is an alien who claims to be here to help the teens. It seems that an ancient alien race came to Earth thousands of years before and implanted a slave gene. Then they did away with all of the adults because it would be easier to control the children. Shane wants nothing more than to trust Jillian. He, along with several other teams from around the world train to prepare for this invasion. However, no matter how much Shane wants to do what is right and protect those he loves; he just can’t seem to get rid of the feeling that what they have been told is not the complete truth. All he can do is his best.
This is a book that will definitely keep you on the edge of the seat just like the first book did. However, the author has really ratcheted up the tension in this book. We see the characters beginning to develop more. We can especially see this in the relationship between Shane and Kelly. For my taste there was just the right amount of tension and romance. This is a book I definitely recommend, but not until you’ve read the first book in the series.
April 14, 2015
Wow! Everything has changed. At the end of The Last Orphans we are left wondering about a new development, some adults have survived. Well, The Harvest picks up right where it left off. N.W. Harris takes us on a new journey of survival, trust and love. The friends find out there is more to the story then they thought. The machine is off, but the threat to humanity is still alive. The aliens are coming and the teens now have to train to protect everyone from being enslaved or slain. With teams from around the world they begin their fight for their lives.
The Harvest is an action packed sequel that kept me on the edge of my seat. A must read. It is an amazing book that is very well written. Mr. Harris paints the whole picture with his words so we can easily see it all and experience the emotions that go with it. He had me laughing and crying at times throughout the book. There were even parts that made me nauseous to imagine. I love how Mr. Harris added in the petty arguments and fights in the middle of all the impending doom. It just makes it even more real. I absolutely love this series and can’t wait to see where it goes next.
At the end of The Harvest we are left on a major cliffhanger and everything seems up in the air. This book answered many questions, but created many more. The next book should be out of this world! Congratulations N.W. Harris on a job well done!
The Harvest is an action packed sequel that kept me on the edge of my seat. A must read. It is an amazing book that is very well written. Mr. Harris paints the whole picture with his words so we can easily see it all and experience the emotions that go with it. He had me laughing and crying at times throughout the book. There were even parts that made me nauseous to imagine. I love how Mr. Harris added in the petty arguments and fights in the middle of all the impending doom. It just makes it even more real. I absolutely love this series and can’t wait to see where it goes next.
At the end of The Harvest we are left on a major cliffhanger and everything seems up in the air. This book answered many questions, but created many more. The next book should be out of this world! Congratulations N.W. Harris on a job well done!
April 29, 2015
Last year in 2014 I read The Last Orphans, which is the first book in the Last Orphans series. As I recall, I rated it 5/5 platypires, and knew I really wanted to read the sequel because of how much the story drew me in with it's YA based post-apocalyptic/science fiction plot. Not to mention the fact that The Last Orphans had some scenes in it that I still remember quite well just because of how vivid they were. I recently had my chance to read the Harvest, which is book two in the series. Yes, The Harvest does end on a cliffhanger, much like the first book did, and now I know for sure definitely want to read the third. So far, this series has been a great read, and I want to see where it ends up.
The Harvest picks up right where the first left off, and all the main characters – Shane, Steve, Laura, Kelly, Maurice, Tracy and Jules return in book two. There are new developments, and the continuation of the relationship between Kelly and Shane, but it's also interesting to see how some of the other characters are developed more as well. There's plenty of action, but it takes place towards the latter quarter of the book, and the build-up to get there was rather suspenseful. It becomes apparent that there's more going on than the first book hinted at. So there were some surprise developments. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and my rating is 5/5 platypries.
The Harvest picks up right where the first left off, and all the main characters – Shane, Steve, Laura, Kelly, Maurice, Tracy and Jules return in book two. There are new developments, and the continuation of the relationship between Kelly and Shane, but it's also interesting to see how some of the other characters are developed more as well. There's plenty of action, but it takes place towards the latter quarter of the book, and the build-up to get there was rather suspenseful. It becomes apparent that there's more going on than the first book hinted at. So there were some surprise developments. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and my rating is 5/5 platypries.
March 4, 2015
*possible spoilers*
In the first book of this series there was a group of teens and younger kids that banded together after all of the adults in their town were attacked or attacked each other. Suddenly they were alone. There were bodies everywhere and they had to figure out what to do on their own. But they figured out how it happened and they stopped it from progressing.
Now in this book their world gets thrown into chaos again when they learn the real reason every person over the age of 18 is dead. It isn’t the government conspiracy they thought it was. It's much worse. Now they must prepare for an otherworldly battle to defend the earth from a race of aliens intent on enslaving all of the remaining humans.
Most days I only have time to read right before bed. And by then I’m usually so tired I can only read 15 minutes. This book had me taking deliberate breaks from the kids and chores to pick it up and find out what happens next. I didn’t want to leave these kids. The strange tale of the adults from book 1 to the even stranger tale of the possible global enslavement, was one that really caught my attention! I’m going to give this book 4 stars! And then I’m going to be biting my nails till the next book comes out.
In the first book of this series there was a group of teens and younger kids that banded together after all of the adults in their town were attacked or attacked each other. Suddenly they were alone. There were bodies everywhere and they had to figure out what to do on their own. But they figured out how it happened and they stopped it from progressing.
Now in this book their world gets thrown into chaos again when they learn the real reason every person over the age of 18 is dead. It isn’t the government conspiracy they thought it was. It's much worse. Now they must prepare for an otherworldly battle to defend the earth from a race of aliens intent on enslaving all of the remaining humans.
Most days I only have time to read right before bed. And by then I’m usually so tired I can only read 15 minutes. This book had me taking deliberate breaks from the kids and chores to pick it up and find out what happens next. I didn’t want to leave these kids. The strange tale of the adults from book 1 to the even stranger tale of the possible global enslavement, was one that really caught my attention! I’m going to give this book 4 stars! And then I’m going to be biting my nails till the next book comes out.
March 28, 2015
Just finished this book, and I have to say it: NW Harris has rocked my world again! I was honored to be asked to read an early copy of this book for review, and I was not let down!
Just when you thought it was safe to trust the creatures of Earth again...
This book is a continuation of the adventures of Shane, Kelly, Steve, and their fellow teens and children as they struggle to find the truth, now that they've succeeded in shutting down the machine that killed all the adults on Earth.
Enter Lilly and Jones, the only ADULTS (or are they?) left on the planet. They've come to rescue the children, but they carry with them an interesting secret...
You DO NOT want to pass up this book! It has all of the characters you've come to know and love from the Last Orphans series, with all of the twists and turns you'd expect from NW Harris.
I would give you more details but I don't want to ruin the surprise, just believe me, you will NEVER look at humanity the same way again when you are finished with this book!
And the end?! Oh man! I am once again left breathless, waiting to see what happens next!!
Just when you thought it was safe to trust the creatures of Earth again...
This book is a continuation of the adventures of Shane, Kelly, Steve, and their fellow teens and children as they struggle to find the truth, now that they've succeeded in shutting down the machine that killed all the adults on Earth.
Enter Lilly and Jones, the only ADULTS (or are they?) left on the planet. They've come to rescue the children, but they carry with them an interesting secret...
You DO NOT want to pass up this book! It has all of the characters you've come to know and love from the Last Orphans series, with all of the twists and turns you'd expect from NW Harris.
I would give you more details but I don't want to ruin the surprise, just believe me, you will NEVER look at humanity the same way again when you are finished with this book!
And the end?! Oh man! I am once again left breathless, waiting to see what happens next!!
March 8, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The kids are really up against it in this story. They have to train for a mission that seems like a complete death trap and they aren't even sure that they can trust those that have saved them and are now training them. I have my doubts about trusting them!
Shane is a very mature, smart, capable and determined young man with good instincts and a natural ability to lead (even if he doesn't believe in himself at times). He will do anything he can to protect those he cares about. What a surprise when he finds he carries the fate of the entire earth on his shoulders.
I wasn't expecting the twist at the end of the story and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.
This is a great YA story. There is plenty of edge of your seat action, excitement and some very emotional moments. The writing style is very descriptive and the story moves along at a really fast pace. I highly recommend this series.
The kids are really up against it in this story. They have to train for a mission that seems like a complete death trap and they aren't even sure that they can trust those that have saved them and are now training them. I have my doubts about trusting them!
Shane is a very mature, smart, capable and determined young man with good instincts and a natural ability to lead (even if he doesn't believe in himself at times). He will do anything he can to protect those he cares about. What a surprise when he finds he carries the fate of the entire earth on his shoulders.
I wasn't expecting the twist at the end of the story and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next.
This is a great YA story. There is plenty of edge of your seat action, excitement and some very emotional moments. The writing style is very descriptive and the story moves along at a really fast pace. I highly recommend this series.
July 3, 2015
Harris has put a new supernatural twist on the apocalyptic world he introduced in book one. Aliens calling themselves Anunnaki are coming to Earth, and not the green 'I come in peace' aliens; the aliens from which we descend from and want to return to enslave us all.
Seven groups of teenagers from around the world have been chosen to train under the Anunnaki Rebels who have been hiding within our society. What are they training for? To destroy the Anunnaki before they enslave the world. It's not as cheesy as I just made it out to be... By focusing on the training and relationships between all of the teenagers, Neil has moved away from the cliché storyline.
New characters are introduced, new relationships are formed, new plot twists jump out at you but book two is even more captivating than book one!! And OMG that ending... You can't do that to us! So excuse me while I not so patiently wait for book 3, happy reading!! :)
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for a honest review.**
Seven groups of teenagers from around the world have been chosen to train under the Anunnaki Rebels who have been hiding within our society. What are they training for? To destroy the Anunnaki before they enslave the world. It's not as cheesy as I just made it out to be... By focusing on the training and relationships between all of the teenagers, Neil has moved away from the cliché storyline.
New characters are introduced, new relationships are formed, new plot twists jump out at you but book two is even more captivating than book one!! And OMG that ending... You can't do that to us! So excuse me while I not so patiently wait for book 3, happy reading!! :)
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for a honest review.**
April 2, 2015
The Harvest is the second book in The Last Orphans series. Sometimes I am wary about reading a series because there is not a smooth transition from one book in a series to another but The Harvest continues right where The Last Orphans left off.
The premise is what happens when all grownups are killed and only young teens and younger children are left. The first book was a fantastic introduction into this hypothetical world where the focus is how these children manage to survive.
The Harvest continues exactly where the first novel left off but begins to answer such questions as to why the adults of the world were killed and what purpose the young survivors have.
I found the book to be well written and very original. I stayed up very late at night because I had to know what was going to happen next. I am really looking forward to the continuation of this wonderful series.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise is what happens when all grownups are killed and only young teens and younger children are left. The first book was a fantastic introduction into this hypothetical world where the focus is how these children manage to survive.
The Harvest continues exactly where the first novel left off but begins to answer such questions as to why the adults of the world were killed and what purpose the young survivors have.
I found the book to be well written and very original. I stayed up very late at night because I had to know what was going to happen next. I am really looking forward to the continuation of this wonderful series.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2015
This book was given to me by the author N.W. Harris to read and review it with my honest opinion.
This book picks up right where the first one, "The Last Orphans" left off. I did not however expect the "adults" to be what they were. Shane and his friends find out a lot about where they come from and why this has happened to them. They are trained to fight a war that they are not certain to win. During this book other teens are introduced to the scene from around the country. They are supposed to be the best of the teenagers and are there to help with the fight they are going to come up against. Shane and Kelly grow closer and so does everyone else. They become each others family even if it didn't start off that way. This book was great and it was left wide open at the end for a third book!! Now I was a little mad at the fact that it was left wide open but that just means we, as readers, can continue on the journey N.W. Harris has set up for us.
This book picks up right where the first one, "The Last Orphans" left off. I did not however expect the "adults" to be what they were. Shane and his friends find out a lot about where they come from and why this has happened to them. They are trained to fight a war that they are not certain to win. During this book other teens are introduced to the scene from around the country. They are supposed to be the best of the teenagers and are there to help with the fight they are going to come up against. Shane and Kelly grow closer and so does everyone else. They become each others family even if it didn't start off that way. This book was great and it was left wide open at the end for a third book!! Now I was a little mad at the fact that it was left wide open but that just means we, as readers, can continue on the journey N.W. Harris has set up for us.
May 6, 2015
This story picks up right after the first book ends. The action intensifies as Shane and Kelly discover that a deadly countdown is in progress. Their group makes a grueling journey but then must face off against some of their toughest adversaries yet. Shane enlists the help of a rival group and undertakes the most challenging quest in a frantic race against time.
For me, this second book was even better than the first. The characters become even more sharply delineated with multi-faceted personalities and sometimes conflicting motivations and personal demons. The tension and horror kept me awake, unable to sleep until I reached that last paragraph. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment to find out where the story goes next.
This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
For me, this second book was even better than the first. The characters become even more sharply delineated with multi-faceted personalities and sometimes conflicting motivations and personal demons. The tension and horror kept me awake, unable to sleep until I reached that last paragraph. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment to find out where the story goes next.
This book was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
March 8, 2015
This was a great read, which makes an excellent addition to the series, though - like the first in this series - it's not one for those with weak stomaches. If you can handle gory descriptions, however, then you will be able to see that it's a well-written book, with a plot that moves at a nice pace, believable characters, and wonderfully detailed descriptions. The book isn't all blood and gore though, and it was fantastic seeing the relationships between the characters grow more in this book, which contained some touching scenes; all of which help to bring the characters to life.
*Note: I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This fact has had no influence on my opinion of the book, or the contents of the above review.
*Note: I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This fact has had no influence on my opinion of the book, or the contents of the above review.
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