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Day Zero Duology #1
Day Zero
If you're going through hell...keep going.
Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.
But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.
In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?
Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up spending weekends drilling with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her favorite MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.
But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.
In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2019
About the author
Kelly deVos
6 books317 followersKelly deVos is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart husband, amazing teen daughter and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the "50 Best Summer Reads of All Time" by Reader's Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins.
Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
Kelly's work has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Salon, Vulture and Bustle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
November 22, 2020
Re-read 11/22/2020: So dramatic and just as awesome as the first read!
WARNING! THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
I generally hate anything that even hints at involving politics, whether it be a political thriller, a political scandal story or even a romance involving any sort of politician. Frankly it all bores me. However I really liked this survival/chase story coming on the heels of a politically based attack on the country’s banks. It sort of reminded me of the Terminator movies. There was no evil Sentient machines trying to take over, but the main characters are running for their lives and being chased by a foe that can’t seemed to be stopped.
In this story the evil sentient machine was replaced by the new president of the United States, Ammon Carter. The book takes place in the not too distant future and there are two political parties that exist. One is called “The Spark” whose candidate was David Rosenthal, his campaign slogan was “Everyone’s for Rosenthal”. The Spark was all about everyone being equal. The Spark has been in power for ten years and that party is all about taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
There are still rich people, but it seems that the party has done so much giving to the poor that the country is now in a New Depression and some people are disgruntled. President Carter’s party is called “The Opposition” and since “Everyone’s for Rosenthal”, it is widely known that Ammon Carter and the Opposition cheated to get into power.
Jinx Marshall is the main character. She is a 17 year old girl from a broken home. Her Dad Max Marshall was a genius that got obsessed with the end of the world as we know it and got really int survivalism. He taught his family all sorts of survival skills, took his family along to survivalist conventions, simulations and gave them constant drills until Jinx’s Mother couldn’t take it anymore.
Her Mom is now married to the Head of Security at a large bank. Jinx and her younger brother Charles live with them and her stepsister Mackenna. The three are together when banks across the country are blown up. They have to get back together with their family, including Mackenna’s brother Toby who is at the University. Jinx finds some code in a computer that has something to do with the attacks and they end up running from an agent of the Opposition who is singular in his mission to find them.
There are so many twists and turns in this book, but it is a book I couldn’t put down until I literally fell asleep reading. The characters are awesome, Jinks was trained for the situation so she can handle weapons and can fight, but she is still a teenage girl so she just wants things to go back. Charles is a kid with type 1 diabetes who will eat sweets whenever he can, he also has a fascination with growing things and is so cute at times when talking about gardening or species of plants. Mackenna wants to be a journalist and was a huge supporter of Rosenthal.
The book was just very good. It kept me guessing the entire time. I had no clue who was good and who was bad. The parents were keeping secrets from the kids and I was getting so frustrated but loving it also. There wasn’t really a cliffhanger, it was one of those things where you could technically consider it an end but also a new beginning, sort of like the Terminator movies. I will definitely read Day One!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Harlequin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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WARNING! THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
I generally hate anything that even hints at involving politics, whether it be a political thriller, a political scandal story or even a romance involving any sort of politician. Frankly it all bores me. However I really liked this survival/chase story coming on the heels of a politically based attack on the country’s banks. It sort of reminded me of the Terminator movies. There was no evil Sentient machines trying to take over, but the main characters are running for their lives and being chased by a foe that can’t seemed to be stopped.
In this story the evil sentient machine was replaced by the new president of the United States, Ammon Carter. The book takes place in the not too distant future and there are two political parties that exist. One is called “The Spark” whose candidate was David Rosenthal, his campaign slogan was “Everyone’s for Rosenthal”. The Spark was all about everyone being equal. The Spark has been in power for ten years and that party is all about taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
There are still rich people, but it seems that the party has done so much giving to the poor that the country is now in a New Depression and some people are disgruntled. President Carter’s party is called “The Opposition” and since “Everyone’s for Rosenthal”, it is widely known that Ammon Carter and the Opposition cheated to get into power.
Jinx Marshall is the main character. She is a 17 year old girl from a broken home. Her Dad Max Marshall was a genius that got obsessed with the end of the world as we know it and got really int survivalism. He taught his family all sorts of survival skills, took his family along to survivalist conventions, simulations and gave them constant drills until Jinx’s Mother couldn’t take it anymore.
Her Mom is now married to the Head of Security at a large bank. Jinx and her younger brother Charles live with them and her stepsister Mackenna. The three are together when banks across the country are blown up. They have to get back together with their family, including Mackenna’s brother Toby who is at the University. Jinx finds some code in a computer that has something to do with the attacks and they end up running from an agent of the Opposition who is singular in his mission to find them.
There are so many twists and turns in this book, but it is a book I couldn’t put down until I literally fell asleep reading. The characters are awesome, Jinks was trained for the situation so she can handle weapons and can fight, but she is still a teenage girl so she just wants things to go back. Charles is a kid with type 1 diabetes who will eat sweets whenever he can, he also has a fascination with growing things and is so cute at times when talking about gardening or species of plants. Mackenna wants to be a journalist and was a huge supporter of Rosenthal.
The book was just very good. It kept me guessing the entire time. I had no clue who was good and who was bad. The parents were keeping secrets from the kids and I was getting so frustrated but loving it also. There wasn’t really a cliffhanger, it was one of those things where you could technically consider it an end but also a new beginning, sort of like the Terminator movies. I will definitely read Day One!
Many thanks to Netgalley & Harlequin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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November 21, 2019
This book turned out to be great. It literally had me on the edge of my seat!
The main character is Jinx Marshall. She's like any other typical teenager and enjoys her junk food and playing video games after school. What makes her different is that she's the daughter of a genius: her father who is a survivalist and has spent years preparing her for doomsday.
After an explosion puts her in danger along with a few members of her family, she's trapped in a burning building and all the survival skills her father taught her will finally get put to good use. Jinx discovers that her father is said to be the cause of all of this, and now she's on the run with her siblings trying to survive, while simultaneously struggling to uncover the truth.
This book is twisty and I came close to reading it in one sitting. The characters were well-developed and I was totally invested in these kids from start to finish. Despite the politics (which I normally try to avoid), this turned out to be an enjoyable thriller that was never predictable. There were some far-fetched parts in the book, but it didn't bother me that much. I have no doubt I'll be reading more books by this author in the future and can't wait to see what happens next.
4****
I won this book in a giveaway and would like to thank the author and publisher for sharing it with me. This is my own, honest review of the book.
The main character is Jinx Marshall. She's like any other typical teenager and enjoys her junk food and playing video games after school. What makes her different is that she's the daughter of a genius: her father who is a survivalist and has spent years preparing her for doomsday.
After an explosion puts her in danger along with a few members of her family, she's trapped in a burning building and all the survival skills her father taught her will finally get put to good use. Jinx discovers that her father is said to be the cause of all of this, and now she's on the run with her siblings trying to survive, while simultaneously struggling to uncover the truth.
This book is twisty and I came close to reading it in one sitting. The characters were well-developed and I was totally invested in these kids from start to finish. Despite the politics (which I normally try to avoid), this turned out to be an enjoyable thriller that was never predictable. There were some far-fetched parts in the book, but it didn't bother me that much. I have no doubt I'll be reading more books by this author in the future and can't wait to see what happens next.
4****
I won this book in a giveaway and would like to thank the author and publisher for sharing it with me. This is my own, honest review of the book.
November 9, 2019
Day Zero by Kelly deVos is the first book of the young adult apocalyptic thriller Day Zero Duology. The duology is set in a future version of our world when political parties have divided folks. One side known as the Spark had taken over and tried to make everyone in the world equal, dividing supplies and goods among all citizens. This however had created a depression in society so you also have the Opposition who are opposed to the Spark’s methods.
Jinx Marshall is anything but an average teen no matter how much she wants to be and would love to just bury herself in her video games. Jinx’s father though is famous, and that is not necessarily a good thing as a lot think her father is crazy being an overly zealous doomsday prepper.
After her parents divorce Jinx thought she was going to be that normal teen however one day when out with her stepsister and younger brother she has to rely on those survival skills her father had taught her when a bomb explodes in the building next to them. Once they hear the news that these explosions are world wide and her father is being blamed Jinx and her siblings end up on the run.
Day Zero is one of those young adult novels that take an apocalyptic world and once the story is established the author hits the fast forward button and proceeds into the action and adventure. Sure, even the idea of kids being chased and needing to save the world is far fetched and in turn a lot of the action but it’s still a fun read watching it all happen. With some twists along the way this of course ends a bit up in the air leading into the second book of the duology.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Jinx Marshall is anything but an average teen no matter how much she wants to be and would love to just bury herself in her video games. Jinx’s father though is famous, and that is not necessarily a good thing as a lot think her father is crazy being an overly zealous doomsday prepper.
After her parents divorce Jinx thought she was going to be that normal teen however one day when out with her stepsister and younger brother she has to rely on those survival skills her father had taught her when a bomb explodes in the building next to them. Once they hear the news that these explosions are world wide and her father is being blamed Jinx and her siblings end up on the run.
Day Zero is one of those young adult novels that take an apocalyptic world and once the story is established the author hits the fast forward button and proceeds into the action and adventure. Sure, even the idea of kids being chased and needing to save the world is far fetched and in turn a lot of the action but it’s still a fun read watching it all happen. With some twists along the way this of course ends a bit up in the air leading into the second book of the duology.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 12, 2020
You guys may know that I'm not the biggest fan of YA literature - more accurately, it's just not a go-to genre of mine. But, I was really intrigued by this one when HarperCollins asked me to read it. I have to say, this is a phenomenal, roller coaster of a ride! The twists and turns are endless and you WANT to root for these kids - well, teens. :-) It goes for a dystopian-esque sort of feel, while still being very contemporary and modern-day. In fact, the political infrastructure of this novel is very sophisticated for YA, and this book has some good moments of social commentary.
I've never read Kelly deVos' work before, but I was thrilled to be a small part of the process for Day Zero, and I HIGHLY recommend it to lovers of YA. ****
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I've never read Kelly deVos' work before, but I was thrilled to be a small part of the process for Day Zero, and I HIGHLY recommend it to lovers of YA. ****
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November 20, 2019
This book is a good read. I'm not into the political portion of it but that's great that 17 year-old girls (characters) have strong feelings for it. I sure enjoyed the humor in this story though. It's interesting how Jinx's mom expect her ex-husband to help out her new husband. Who in this day and age would do that especially when she's the one who left. Jinx's brother has to watch out for his blood sugar all the time so I like that Jinx is a great sister to care for him. Their dad's prep is unbelievable. The insulin medicine for example, how long has it been there? All of the high tech and survival tactics are great, an adrenaline rush reading their actions and adventures evading captures.
This book is told in the first person point of view following Susan aka Jinx, 17 who likes computer codings just like her dad. Though her dad, a computer professor who not only focus on hacking but also doomsday. He preps his family on what to do when the world ends. Her mom got fed up of the paranoia and got remarried. Jinx's stepsister is MacKenna, 17, who is opposite of prepared. The political troubles are hot on the news and attacks started to happen. All of a sudden, Jinx finds herself, her brother, stepsister, and stepbrother having to utilize her dad's end of the world rule book for survival.
Day Zero is well written and a fast paced read. In reality, when end of world happens, the last thing I expect is for the parents to run off to save themselves and expect a 17 year old daughter to take care of her 8 year old brother, constantly checking his blood sugar while on the run. But yeah, Jinx is definitely a multi talented teen who can pretty much do anything, even work with gunshot wound. I like that Charles, 8 is smart with his interest in plants. I do like those twists, especially when comes to trusting people. Pretty sucks to be in MacKenna's shoes because she has to go along with whatever Jinx says since she doesn't have prep knowledge and Jinx's mom & dad only communicate to Jinx. I like how step-family is portrayed in this book as getting along, more well than not.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
This book is told in the first person point of view following Susan aka Jinx, 17 who likes computer codings just like her dad. Though her dad, a computer professor who not only focus on hacking but also doomsday. He preps his family on what to do when the world ends. Her mom got fed up of the paranoia and got remarried. Jinx's stepsister is MacKenna, 17, who is opposite of prepared. The political troubles are hot on the news and attacks started to happen. All of a sudden, Jinx finds herself, her brother, stepsister, and stepbrother having to utilize her dad's end of the world rule book for survival.
Day Zero is well written and a fast paced read. In reality, when end of world happens, the last thing I expect is for the parents to run off to save themselves and expect a 17 year old daughter to take care of her 8 year old brother, constantly checking his blood sugar while on the run. But yeah, Jinx is definitely a multi talented teen who can pretty much do anything, even work with gunshot wound. I like that Charles, 8 is smart with his interest in plants. I do like those twists, especially when comes to trusting people. Pretty sucks to be in MacKenna's shoes because she has to go along with whatever Jinx says since she doesn't have prep knowledge and Jinx's mom & dad only communicate to Jinx. I like how step-family is portrayed in this book as getting along, more well than not.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details
August 24, 2020
This was a crazy thrill ride cross between a disaster prepper’s YA dystopia, computer hacking and bombings, and politics gone mad. I read Kelly Devos’ “Fat Girl on a Plane” which I also loved, and all I can say is, this book is completely different, and equally amazing. Jinx has grown up in a house with a dad who is constantly prepping for the apocalypse, is friends with a resistance leader and former presidential candidate and may be in trouble. Now her parents are divorced, she and her stepsister MacKenna don’t always get along, and the apocalypse is here in the form of government anarchy and rebellion. But who is the real enemy, who can be trusted, and who is after them? This was a high-octane ride that never slowed down from start to finish, and I loved every second!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
February 10, 2023
Interesting format… each chapter starts with a blurb from Dr. Doomsday’s Survival Guide, written by Jinx’s dad. Jinx and her younger brother spent their entire childhood preparing for a catastrophe and they find it!
Definitely a young adult / middle-high schooler book and I almost stopped reading very early on. But I found the story intriguing and stuck with it! Little heavy on politics, and you can see the separations and current world comparisons frequently and early on in the story.
Overall decent read for a book I picked at the library, based on the tree on the cover. 🌳 I may check out the sequel. 🙂
Definitely a young adult / middle-high schooler book and I almost stopped reading very early on. But I found the story intriguing and stuck with it! Little heavy on politics, and you can see the separations and current world comparisons frequently and early on in the story.
Overall decent read for a book I picked at the library, based on the tree on the cover. 🌳 I may check out the sequel. 🙂
October 23, 2019
Raised to survive, no matter what, trained to defend herself for Doomsday, Jinx Marshall is ready for something…but what happened is almost too “science fiction suspense” for her to believe, and it started with an explosion her father is blamed for creating.
As the world crumbles all around her, Jinx must lead her siblings on a deadly journey to safety, weaving their way through the clutches of military might, the vigilante opposition and the minefield of deceit from those she should trust the most.
Hang on for a terrifying and twisted tale of oppression, lies, double-crosses and survival against all odds, as Kelly deVos takes us into a world where no one can be trusted in DAY ZERO!
Perfect for young adults who want some larger than life characters, some moments of quirky humor, and proof that teens can be almost totally invincible in an action –packed tale. Jinx is a pretty good teen heroine, her younger brother is an adorable Brainiac and her step-family seems pretty stereo-typical, but the intrigue and political machinations are pretty calculating.
A great read that never takes a straight path to resolution! Well-written reading for all ages!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Inkyard Press. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Day Zero Duology - Book 1
Publisher: Inkyard Press; Original edition (November 12, 2019)
Publication Date: November 12, 2019
Genre: YA Post-apocalyptic
Print Length: 432 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
As the world crumbles all around her, Jinx must lead her siblings on a deadly journey to safety, weaving their way through the clutches of military might, the vigilante opposition and the minefield of deceit from those she should trust the most.
Hang on for a terrifying and twisted tale of oppression, lies, double-crosses and survival against all odds, as Kelly deVos takes us into a world where no one can be trusted in DAY ZERO!
Perfect for young adults who want some larger than life characters, some moments of quirky humor, and proof that teens can be almost totally invincible in an action –packed tale. Jinx is a pretty good teen heroine, her younger brother is an adorable Brainiac and her step-family seems pretty stereo-typical, but the intrigue and political machinations are pretty calculating.
A great read that never takes a straight path to resolution! Well-written reading for all ages!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from Inkyard Press. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Series: Day Zero Duology - Book 1
Publisher: Inkyard Press; Original edition (November 12, 2019)
Publication Date: November 12, 2019
Genre: YA Post-apocalyptic
Print Length: 432 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
November 21, 2019
The story concept held a lot of promise, but, sadly, this one fell short for me. Jinx was a lackluster as a main character to me. Didn't stand for anything, and for supposedly having tons of Doomsday training and drills she made so many stupid mistakes. She didn't take charge and most of the time I wanted to shake some sense into her. I won't be reading the second book.
A copy was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A copy was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2021
Wish it had been slightly more adult. Extremely politically based book. Not just characters, the basis for entire story is the current political system and the people running each party, election tampering, one party is evil, the other is good, etc. I think I could have overlooked the politics if the book had been more mature. It does have a lot of excitement. However, I'll not be continuing onto the next book in series.
November 29, 2019
𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓪𝓼 𝔀𝓮 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓲𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓮!
Kelly de Vos has written a fast paced, action packed, compelling dystopian thriller. It is sometime in the future and Susan better known as Jinx is walking home from school with her siblings, Charles and Makenna. When they stop at a local market to pick up some snacks on the way home all heck breaks loose. The adjacent imposing Bank building is blowing up and the kids are in the path of the destruction. Fortunately Jinx was raised by a doomsday survivalist, so she knows just what to do. What follows is a thrilling game of cat and mouse filled with action, suspense, secrets, and lies. The story is tense and riveting with some political overtones. The book was definitely a little far-fetched at some points, but this did not bother me in the least. My heart was pounding, my palms were sweating, I was all in!
A book like this with teenagers saving the world can go terribly wrong,, but fortunately this book was an exceptional gem. The main reason for this I think was the characters, they were also well developed and authentic. Jinx was a typical teenager with all the insecurities and angst that go along with it. She just knew how to hack a computer, handle a gun, and survive on next to nothing. Makenna her stepsister was her perfect counterbalance, I thought these two had such a realistic typical relationship. Little brother Charles stole the show, he was so adorable and his love of plants was endearing. I appreciate it that the adults were involved in the story, but very rarely overshadowed the teens. The story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but nothing too major. However I am definitely eagerly awaiting the next book in this duology!
This book in emojis 💥 🎒 💾 💉 🏜
*** Big thanks to Ink Yard Press for my copy of this book ***
December 6, 2019
Read more about Day Zero, as well as an excerpt of the book on my blog illbefinealone reads.
This book turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for.
First and foremost, the pacing was great. I like books where something I find intriguing is happening throughout them, and Day Zero was that to me. The twists were exceptionally fun, they kept the plot unpredictable and me on the edge of my seat.
There was something about the writing too, it sucked me in and kept my attention from the start all through the end. It felt dynamic, so did the characters that were masterfully developed.
Day Zero is one of my favorites that I've read this year, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
This book turned out to be exactly what I was in the mood for.
First and foremost, the pacing was great. I like books where something I find intriguing is happening throughout them, and Day Zero was that to me. The twists were exceptionally fun, they kept the plot unpredictable and me on the edge of my seat.
There was something about the writing too, it sucked me in and kept my attention from the start all through the end. It felt dynamic, so did the characters that were masterfully developed.
Day Zero is one of my favorites that I've read this year, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
*Copy received through NetGalley
*Rating: 5/5 stars
June 8, 2021
DNF @ 45%
The main character should have been the opinionated, asshole, step-sister. Instead, we get to be in the head of a lump who can’t communicate any ideas or information to anyone. She can’t even get her step-siblings to take her little brother’s type one diabetes seriously, which is life or death important.
None of the characters were interesting or responded realistically to events. Not worth the boredom and frustration to keep going.
The main character should have been the opinionated, asshole, step-sister. Instead, we get to be in the head of a lump who can’t communicate any ideas or information to anyone. She can’t even get her step-siblings to take her little brother’s type one diabetes seriously, which is life or death important.
None of the characters were interesting or responded realistically to events. Not worth the boredom and frustration to keep going.
October 31, 2019
Jinx is just a typical teenager. She just wants to go home from school, play video games, and indulge in soda and junk food. But unfortunately, Jinx is also the daughter of high-profile Max Marshall, a computer genius and doomsday prepper. A lot of her childhood has been spent running survival drills in the case of a catastrophic event.
What starts out as a normal school day turns out to be the end of the world as they know it, as Jinx and her siblings try to navigate the dangerous political rhetorics, bombings, betrayals, and a Terminator-like government official who will not die, and will not stop his mission to capture Jinx.
I really like dystopian fiction, and I thought the politics were interesting, if not a little confusing. I also really liked many of the characters, particularly Jinx, her younger brother, Charles, and stepsister, MacKenna.
Jinx's father also turned out to be a really interesting character, too. There were also some great twists at the end of the novel, making the second book a compulsory need!
I did have issues with how tied in Jinx's family was with the highest level of officials. It was explained that Jinx's father was instrumental in Ammon Carter's rise to presidency. But some of the other events (no specifics, so I don't spoil anything) seemed almost too convenient, especially for a family not living in DC, with no prior ties to politics. Was it so implausible I didn't enjoy reading this book? No, definitely not. But it was a stumbling block.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
What starts out as a normal school day turns out to be the end of the world as they know it, as Jinx and her siblings try to navigate the dangerous political rhetorics, bombings, betrayals, and a Terminator-like government official who will not die, and will not stop his mission to capture Jinx.
I really like dystopian fiction, and I thought the politics were interesting, if not a little confusing. I also really liked many of the characters, particularly Jinx, her younger brother, Charles, and stepsister, MacKenna.
Jinx's father also turned out to be a really interesting character, too. There were also some great twists at the end of the novel, making the second book a compulsory need!
I did have issues with how tied in Jinx's family was with the highest level of officials. It was explained that Jinx's father was instrumental in Ammon Carter's rise to presidency. But some of the other events (no specifics, so I don't spoil anything) seemed almost too convenient, especially for a family not living in DC, with no prior ties to politics. Was it so implausible I didn't enjoy reading this book? No, definitely not. But it was a stumbling block.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
November 19, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Post-apocalyptic
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Day Zero is the first installment in author Kelly deVos's Day Zero Duology. 17-year old Susan "Jinx" Marshall is the daughter of Dr. Maxwell Marshall aka Dr. Doomsday who wrote the book called Doomsday Guide to Ultimate Survival. Jinx and her brother Charles grew up spending weekends drilling with their paranoid father for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult, Post-apocalyptic
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Day Zero is the first installment in author Kelly deVos's Day Zero Duology. 17-year old Susan "Jinx" Marshall is the daughter of Dr. Maxwell Marshall aka Dr. Doomsday who wrote the book called Doomsday Guide to Ultimate Survival. Jinx and her brother Charles grew up spending weekends drilling with their paranoid father for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
October 6, 2019
3.5 stars. Okay, you had me at Krav Maga, and prepping. If I’m going to read a doomsday book, having a character who knows that they are up against is my kind of book. Day Zero has all the destruction, terror and political unrest you would expect from a book about the end of civilisation as we know it. Along with lots of action and tension, Day Zero plunges readers into a world that is scarily similar to our own, as political fractions rip society apart.
Jinx doesn’t much care for politics, history or who won the recent election. She’d rather focus on her upcoming campaign in her favourite computer game. But then she, her younger brother and her step-sister are caught up in one of five building explosions that kills thousands and sends the population into a terror-driven run on the banks. When her step-father is arrested for the explosions and her mother taken as part of the investigation, Jinx knows their only chance of survival is finding her father, a doomsday survivalist expert, a computer genius and best friend of the man who is currently trying to hunt her down.
The terror and emotions in Day Zero are very authentic. Jinx and her siblings spend the majority of the first half of this book either freaking out, trying to figure out what to do next or arguing. The stress-induced tension was very realistic. And despite all of Jinx’s training with her father, including Krav Maga, weapons handing, drills for survival and exit strategies, she doesn’t get much time to get her head around what’s happening or what to do next, so she and her siblings spend a lot of time bouncing from one near miss to another. Along the way, we readers learn a little about the political climate of the book’s setting. The political unrest is the basis for the societal meltdown - two political parties, one newly elected president who seems to be there because of a rigged election, the other side in hiding in fear for their lives, explosions attributed to the losing political side, martial law declared, and a hunt for those deemed responsible. Jinx and her family are the targets and she must do everything she can to survive.
Day Zero is the first book in a planned duology and the conclusion of this first book gives readers an exciting climax and a big twist to set the scene for book two. Day Zero is the perfect book for readers who love action-drive YA.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
Jinx doesn’t much care for politics, history or who won the recent election. She’d rather focus on her upcoming campaign in her favourite computer game. But then she, her younger brother and her step-sister are caught up in one of five building explosions that kills thousands and sends the population into a terror-driven run on the banks. When her step-father is arrested for the explosions and her mother taken as part of the investigation, Jinx knows their only chance of survival is finding her father, a doomsday survivalist expert, a computer genius and best friend of the man who is currently trying to hunt her down.
The terror and emotions in Day Zero are very authentic. Jinx and her siblings spend the majority of the first half of this book either freaking out, trying to figure out what to do next or arguing. The stress-induced tension was very realistic. And despite all of Jinx’s training with her father, including Krav Maga, weapons handing, drills for survival and exit strategies, she doesn’t get much time to get her head around what’s happening or what to do next, so she and her siblings spend a lot of time bouncing from one near miss to another. Along the way, we readers learn a little about the political climate of the book’s setting. The political unrest is the basis for the societal meltdown - two political parties, one newly elected president who seems to be there because of a rigged election, the other side in hiding in fear for their lives, explosions attributed to the losing political side, martial law declared, and a hunt for those deemed responsible. Jinx and her family are the targets and she must do everything she can to survive.
Day Zero is the first book in a planned duology and the conclusion of this first book gives readers an exciting climax and a big twist to set the scene for book two. Day Zero is the perfect book for readers who love action-drive YA.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
October 30, 2019
This review and many others can also be found at Musings of a (Book) Girl.
Content Warnings: violence, bombings, medical procedures, classism, death of a parent
Day Zero started out so great! And then kind of fizzled off…
Kelly deVos puts us into the action pretty quickly but not before properly introducing us to the characters. This was something I greatly appreciated because it helped me form a connection to the story from the very beginning. Everybody had their own unique personalities that stayed until the end.
Other than Charles, though, I mostly felt very meh about the characters. None of them really stuck out to me long-term and they were forgettable. They easily could have fit into any other post-apocalyptic story and not felt out of place.
The beginning action was incredibly exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down in order to go to sleep. This definitely isn’t a story you want to start at midnight unless you’re already planning on staying awake all night. deVos’ writing kept me on the edge of my seat and I really didn’t know where she would take things.
I wish the entire thing had the same excitement as the start of the story but it didn’t. This is clearly set up to be a two part series and it feels forced. Around a third of the way into it I started to lose interested – things were dragging on too much.
The arguments between the characters and action scenes started to feel too repetitive. And during the major times that politics were discussed it became a major info dump. I definitely wish that had been weaved more seamlessly into everything. The story could have easily been just one book and I think it would have worked better.
This is also a book that clearly does not need romance thrown into it. Both instances were awkward and unnecessary – adding more clutter and complicating things. It didn’t feel natural for the characters and the way it was brought up so sporadically felt jarring.
Overall, if you enjoy post-apocalyptic books then give Day Zero a try! I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book when it comes out but if it were adapted onto the screen I’d definitely be interested.
A digital ARC was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings: violence, bombings, medical procedures, classism, death of a parent
Day Zero started out so great! And then kind of fizzled off…
Kelly deVos puts us into the action pretty quickly but not before properly introducing us to the characters. This was something I greatly appreciated because it helped me form a connection to the story from the very beginning. Everybody had their own unique personalities that stayed until the end.
Other than Charles, though, I mostly felt very meh about the characters. None of them really stuck out to me long-term and they were forgettable. They easily could have fit into any other post-apocalyptic story and not felt out of place.
The beginning action was incredibly exciting and I had a hard time putting the book down in order to go to sleep. This definitely isn’t a story you want to start at midnight unless you’re already planning on staying awake all night. deVos’ writing kept me on the edge of my seat and I really didn’t know where she would take things.
I wish the entire thing had the same excitement as the start of the story but it didn’t. This is clearly set up to be a two part series and it feels forced. Around a third of the way into it I started to lose interested – things were dragging on too much.
The arguments between the characters and action scenes started to feel too repetitive. And during the major times that politics were discussed it became a major info dump. I definitely wish that had been weaved more seamlessly into everything. The story could have easily been just one book and I think it would have worked better.
This is also a book that clearly does not need romance thrown into it. Both instances were awkward and unnecessary – adding more clutter and complicating things. It didn’t feel natural for the characters and the way it was brought up so sporadically felt jarring.
Overall, if you enjoy post-apocalyptic books then give Day Zero a try! I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book when it comes out but if it were adapted onto the screen I’d definitely be interested.
A digital ARC was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2019
Trapped in a never ending series of catastrophes, Jinx and her siblings must rely on her father's prepper training to help get them to safety.
This is an odd one, and difficult to rate. Although on the surface there's nothing wrong with it, it's a perfectly good adventure story, the more I think about it, the more problems appear. For instance, when is it set? Presumably it's some way in the future; cars have autodrive and all the textbooks seem to be on tablets. The American parties have given way to The Opposition and The Spark with no hint of any other options. However, there are still books around, there doesn't seem to be any other especially impressive tech, and Mac needs "several tablets" to handle one class, rather than multitasking as we can nowadays.
I didn't think much of Jinx. Granted, things were going wrong everywhere she turned, but she was disdainful of Mac, who didn't have any of her training, for not reacting well in crisis, and even as her father's training and supplies repeatedly saved her life she was still complaining about them. I actually thought Mac had the better storyline, going from pampered to willing to do whatever it took.
I'll pick up the next book, because it's an interesting storyline and I like that it doesn't (quite) demonise preppers. I hope it clears things up a bit.
This is an odd one, and difficult to rate. Although on the surface there's nothing wrong with it, it's a perfectly good adventure story, the more I think about it, the more problems appear. For instance, when is it set? Presumably it's some way in the future; cars have autodrive and all the textbooks seem to be on tablets. The American parties have given way to The Opposition and The Spark with no hint of any other options. However, there are still books around, there doesn't seem to be any other especially impressive tech, and Mac needs "several tablets" to handle one class, rather than multitasking as we can nowadays.
I didn't think much of Jinx. Granted, things were going wrong everywhere she turned, but she was disdainful of Mac, who didn't have any of her training, for not reacting well in crisis, and even as her father's training and supplies repeatedly saved her life she was still complaining about them. I actually thought Mac had the better storyline, going from pampered to willing to do whatever it took.
I'll pick up the next book, because it's an interesting storyline and I like that it doesn't (quite) demonise preppers. I hope it clears things up a bit.
November 12, 2019
DAY ZERO is fascinating! I've been devoted to Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic genres since I devoured Philip Wylie's TOMORROW at the age of ten and was rendered permanently terrified. DAY ZERO has been compared to Susan Beth Pfeffer's LIFE AS WE KNOW IT Series, but I am pleasantly reminded of Emmy Laybourne's MONUMENT 14. Two siblings (one diabetic and likely Asperger's) and their stepsister; teacher mom; emotionally distant stepdad; and prepper-survivalist dad--in a world suddenly erupting in inexplicable violence, anarchy, and chaos. Tell me: what is there NOT to love?
Absorbing in-the-midst-of-Apocalypse Dystopiana: find it right here. It is Day Zero, indeed.
Absorbing in-the-midst-of-Apocalypse Dystopiana: find it right here. It is Day Zero, indeed.
May 13, 2019
I received an arc of this book from Net Galley and will post my full review closer to its release date.
November 24, 2019
3.5 stars.
Susan ‘Jinx’ Marshall is your average seventeen year old girl who is addicted to junk food and just wants to play her beloved video game rather than focus on school work. Jinx is the daughter of Dr. Maxwell Marshall who is a famous computer genius and self-proclaimed doomsday expert. Much of Jinx’s childhood consisted of constantly running survival drills in preparation for catastrophe. Jinx’s mom finally had enough of the paranoia, so she remarried and took Jinx and her younger brother Charles with her.
Following a pretty typical school day, Jinx, her stepsister MacKenna, and Charles make a pitstop at the local convenience mart on their way home. That is when life as they know it is completely turned upside down. Now Jinx and Charles are forced to rely upon the survival skills that they were taught if they are going to live through the political turmoil, bombings, and the infamous Mr. Tork who is hellbent on capturing Jinx.
I haven’t read a post-apocalyptic story in quite some time, and this one starts off with a bang (quite literally). The beginning of the story is nonstop action as Jinx, MacKenna, and Charles are running for their lives. Everytime they thought they were one step ahead, Tonks is right there behind them to shake things up. This guy reminded me of something out of Judge Dredd or Terminator. He just doesn’t let up.
The politics in this book were a bit confusing to follow along with at first because it isn’t really outlined who did what and why. There are two opposing forces, and you really aren’t sure which side is responsible for all of the unrest and turmoil.
When it comes to characters, I really enjoyed both Jinx and Charles. At only seventeen, Jinx constantly steps up in order to make sure that her brother is safe and protected. Charles suffers from type I diabetes, and no matter what, Jinx is constantly checking on his health and well being so that he doesn’t suffer from an episode. If the end of the world was upon me, I don’t know that I could be as cool, calm, and collected as her in order to survive, but I also wasn’t raised by a dad who constantly made me run survival drills.
Overall, if you love a good post-apocalyptic survival adventure then definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and Inkyard Press for my tour invite and providing an eARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Susan ‘Jinx’ Marshall is your average seventeen year old girl who is addicted to junk food and just wants to play her beloved video game rather than focus on school work. Jinx is the daughter of Dr. Maxwell Marshall who is a famous computer genius and self-proclaimed doomsday expert. Much of Jinx’s childhood consisted of constantly running survival drills in preparation for catastrophe. Jinx’s mom finally had enough of the paranoia, so she remarried and took Jinx and her younger brother Charles with her.
Following a pretty typical school day, Jinx, her stepsister MacKenna, and Charles make a pitstop at the local convenience mart on their way home. That is when life as they know it is completely turned upside down. Now Jinx and Charles are forced to rely upon the survival skills that they were taught if they are going to live through the political turmoil, bombings, and the infamous Mr. Tork who is hellbent on capturing Jinx.
I haven’t read a post-apocalyptic story in quite some time, and this one starts off with a bang (quite literally). The beginning of the story is nonstop action as Jinx, MacKenna, and Charles are running for their lives. Everytime they thought they were one step ahead, Tonks is right there behind them to shake things up. This guy reminded me of something out of Judge Dredd or Terminator. He just doesn’t let up.
The politics in this book were a bit confusing to follow along with at first because it isn’t really outlined who did what and why. There are two opposing forces, and you really aren’t sure which side is responsible for all of the unrest and turmoil.
When it comes to characters, I really enjoyed both Jinx and Charles. At only seventeen, Jinx constantly steps up in order to make sure that her brother is safe and protected. Charles suffers from type I diabetes, and no matter what, Jinx is constantly checking on his health and well being so that he doesn’t suffer from an episode. If the end of the world was upon me, I don’t know that I could be as cool, calm, and collected as her in order to survive, but I also wasn’t raised by a dad who constantly made me run survival drills.
Overall, if you love a good post-apocalyptic survival adventure then definitely check this one out!
Thank you to the Harlequin Publicity Team and Inkyard Press for my tour invite and providing an eARC for review. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
November 11, 2019
First things first, thanks to NetGalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
All Susan "Jinx" Marshell wanted to do when she got home from school was get her guild ready for battle and maybe finish her history book report. The only thing she needed to grab was some Strawberry Jolt and salty snacks from the minimart to complete her weekend plans. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. During their shopping trip, the bank next door explodes and she is forced into survival mode to protect her step-sister and younger brother. Thankfully she's had years of training from her father, Dr. Doomday. Susan's whole life begins to spiral and she must adjust because that is all her father would allow her to do.
A fantastic action-packed book that kept me turning the pages (or in my case, swiping right)! Very rarely was there a dull moment in this novel. I loved Jinx and how overprotective of her brother she was. Being the eldest sibling, I can definitely relate to her. The huge, crazy plot twist at the end had my jaw dropping to the floor. I had my suspicions but clearly was off my game. Great read and I can't wait to see what MacKenna and Jinx decide to do in the next novel.
The only thing that confused me was how long Carver was in office. I was expecting this election to have been long done and over with, but in the book, it stated that he was in office for only three days. It could very well be my interpretation, but if that is my only issue with this then Kelly has done brilliantly!
All Susan "Jinx" Marshell wanted to do when she got home from school was get her guild ready for battle and maybe finish her history book report. The only thing she needed to grab was some Strawberry Jolt and salty snacks from the minimart to complete her weekend plans. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems. During their shopping trip, the bank next door explodes and she is forced into survival mode to protect her step-sister and younger brother. Thankfully she's had years of training from her father, Dr. Doomday. Susan's whole life begins to spiral and she must adjust because that is all her father would allow her to do.
A fantastic action-packed book that kept me turning the pages (or in my case, swiping right)! Very rarely was there a dull moment in this novel. I loved Jinx and how overprotective of her brother she was. Being the eldest sibling, I can definitely relate to her. The huge, crazy plot twist at the end had my jaw dropping to the floor. I had my suspicions but clearly was off my game. Great read and I can't wait to see what MacKenna and Jinx decide to do in the next novel.
The only thing that confused me was how long Carver was in office. I was expecting this election to have been long done and over with, but in the book, it stated that he was in office for only three days. It could very well be my interpretation, but if that is my only issue with this then Kelly has done brilliantly!
October 30, 2019
Warning: Only read this book if you have several uninterrupted hours. Otherwise, you'll forget or ignore everything else requiring your attention.
It all starts out normal enough with Jinx and her stepsister picking up her brother after school and stopping for an errand before going home. Minutes after, life will never be the same for them. Political unrest (eerily similar to our current political climate), a rigged election, a country torn apart by differing viewpoints, doomsday prep, twists that jump out of nowhere - I flew through this book in two days. These characters are on the run almost immediately, and there's rarely any downtime. Jinx's father, "Dr. Doomsday", had prepared her and Charles (the adorable younger brother you just want to hug) so well, I was tempted to write down and laminate his rules for survival and stick it on my fridge.
Jinx and MacKenna's character arcs are fantastic. When pushed to unfathomable limits, they discover what they're capable of and the lengths they're willing to go to survive. The relationships between the siblings and step-siblings is done extremely well. Something I missed was a bit more explanation on the connection between Navarro and Jinx, but maybe it's something that will be expanded on in the next book.
Day Zero is a thrilling whirlwind of intrigue that grabs hold of you from the first page. The next book can't be released soon enough for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It all starts out normal enough with Jinx and her stepsister picking up her brother after school and stopping for an errand before going home. Minutes after, life will never be the same for them. Political unrest (eerily similar to our current political climate), a rigged election, a country torn apart by differing viewpoints, doomsday prep, twists that jump out of nowhere - I flew through this book in two days. These characters are on the run almost immediately, and there's rarely any downtime. Jinx's father, "Dr. Doomsday", had prepared her and Charles (the adorable younger brother you just want to hug) so well, I was tempted to write down and laminate his rules for survival and stick it on my fridge.
Jinx and MacKenna's character arcs are fantastic. When pushed to unfathomable limits, they discover what they're capable of and the lengths they're willing to go to survive. The relationships between the siblings and step-siblings is done extremely well. Something I missed was a bit more explanation on the connection between Navarro and Jinx, but maybe it's something that will be expanded on in the next book.
Day Zero is a thrilling whirlwind of intrigue that grabs hold of you from the first page. The next book can't be released soon enough for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 19, 2020
An exciting, dystopian thriller that seems a bit too real given today's political situation. What I really liked is that the female lead, a 17 year old techie, is a strong, intelligent protagonist while also still dealing with regular insecurities of being a teenage girl. Having been raised by a survivalist father, she has the knowledge and skills to survive a totalitarian uprising, and yet she is still struggling to find her own place in the world. I can't wait for the sequel coming out this December!
September 25, 2020
You can find this review and others like it at aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com
A special thank you goes out to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for giving me an opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
tw: bombings, graphic depictions of death, death (including child death)
I’m really quite disappointed by this book. I truly thought it was going to be something different than what it was. I expected some truly thrilling dystopia or at the very least, some action/adventure but I didn’t get that at all. I had to go back and read the synopsis of this book because I write out my reviews and then type them out later. I couldn’t remember what this book was about. That’s how unremarkable this book was. I am not trying to be mean at all but when I don’t remember what a book is about and have to look it up, that is not a good sign.
One of my problems with this book was that I didn’t quite care of any of the characters. The main character, Jinx, was okay but I didn’t have any particular feelings for her. I didn’t bond with her even though she shared similar interests with me, such as being a gamer and interest in martial arts. She was just alright. *shrugs shoulders*
As for the other characters, they were meh. They were just there. They didn’t push the story forward. I couldn’t stand Mackenna, Jinx’s stepsister, for most of the book. She was whiny, nossy and very demanding along with being incredibly demeaning. She never listened to Jinx when it came to survival, even though Jinx clearly knew what she was talking about when it came to that. I was frustrated with her. The only positive about her was she was interested in politics, which you don’t see a lot of in young adults, especially for girls.
The political parties, Spark and Opposition, confused me and they were a big part of the plot of this book. I think the Opposition was bad but I really have no idea. I just got this big paragraph about the history of the Spark and Opposition. I didn’t retain much of it so during the whole book, I was pretty confused. It’s unfortunate because it would have been such a cool thing but when you info dump things like that, the reader isn’t going to get the information they need for the story to make sense.
One last thing that bugged me about this book was the potential love interest. I won’t say who it was is as to not spoil it for anybody wanting to read the book. Although, when I went to look up the synopsis of this book to do this review, the author herself named the love interest so I guess you all can find it on the Goodreads page if you truly want to know. But wow, did it feel incredibly forced. Jinx and the love interest had no real chemistry and barely knew each other. Why can’t there be a young adult action/adventure/dystopia book without a love interest? It’s so very tiring.
Okay, so overall, this wasn’t the worst book I’ve read but as you all could tell, I had a lot of problems with it. However, this book piqued my interest just enough that I might (and that’s a big miiiiiight) read the second book. I’m curious to know how it all will end. As for recommendations, if the problems I listed don’t bother you or they actually appeal to you (I won’t judge you, pinky promise), then have at it. Maybe this book will be right for you. It just wasn’t right for me.
A special thank you goes out to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for giving me an opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
tw: bombings, graphic depictions of death, death (including child death)
I’m really quite disappointed by this book. I truly thought it was going to be something different than what it was. I expected some truly thrilling dystopia or at the very least, some action/adventure but I didn’t get that at all. I had to go back and read the synopsis of this book because I write out my reviews and then type them out later. I couldn’t remember what this book was about. That’s how unremarkable this book was. I am not trying to be mean at all but when I don’t remember what a book is about and have to look it up, that is not a good sign.
One of my problems with this book was that I didn’t quite care of any of the characters. The main character, Jinx, was okay but I didn’t have any particular feelings for her. I didn’t bond with her even though she shared similar interests with me, such as being a gamer and interest in martial arts. She was just alright. *shrugs shoulders*
As for the other characters, they were meh. They were just there. They didn’t push the story forward. I couldn’t stand Mackenna, Jinx’s stepsister, for most of the book. She was whiny, nossy and very demanding along with being incredibly demeaning. She never listened to Jinx when it came to survival, even though Jinx clearly knew what she was talking about when it came to that. I was frustrated with her. The only positive about her was she was interested in politics, which you don’t see a lot of in young adults, especially for girls.
The political parties, Spark and Opposition, confused me and they were a big part of the plot of this book. I think the Opposition was bad but I really have no idea. I just got this big paragraph about the history of the Spark and Opposition. I didn’t retain much of it so during the whole book, I was pretty confused. It’s unfortunate because it would have been such a cool thing but when you info dump things like that, the reader isn’t going to get the information they need for the story to make sense.
One last thing that bugged me about this book was the potential love interest. I won’t say who it was is as to not spoil it for anybody wanting to read the book. Although, when I went to look up the synopsis of this book to do this review, the author herself named the love interest so I guess you all can find it on the Goodreads page if you truly want to know. But wow, did it feel incredibly forced. Jinx and the love interest had no real chemistry and barely knew each other. Why can’t there be a young adult action/adventure/dystopia book without a love interest? It’s so very tiring.
Okay, so overall, this wasn’t the worst book I’ve read but as you all could tell, I had a lot of problems with it. However, this book piqued my interest just enough that I might (and that’s a big miiiiiight) read the second book. I’m curious to know how it all will end. As for recommendations, if the problems I listed don’t bother you or they actually appeal to you (I won’t judge you, pinky promise), then have at it. Maybe this book will be right for you. It just wasn’t right for me.
December 29, 2019
not good. far too much telling, almost no showing. characters lecture the reader. it's tacky and i hate it. did not give one singular crapola about any of the characters. also, vomit at the instalove. just, yikes. 2/10 do not recommend. DNF'd at the 75% mark.
May 27, 2019
Just finished this sci/fi dystopic political thriller and all I can say is - this author has Meryl Streep level RANGE. Her last book, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, was a witty, scathing look at the fashion industry and a feminist call-to-arms over the need for a revolution when it comes to body positivity. DAY ZERO is something COMPLETELY different (which has cemented deVos as one of my favorite authors, not only for how smart her writing is, but because I know I'll never be able to predict what genre she'll master next). DAY ZERO is a fast-paced thrill ride that follows teenaged Jinx's evolution from a passive high schooler during a time of dangerous unrest in the U.S. (with the nation split into two diametrically opposed factions - sound familiar?) to a kick-ass political revolutionary bent on revenge and social change. There were poignant (and sometimes cleverly hilarious) parallels to real-world politics sprinkled throughout this ambitious novel, and the action scenes were Bourne-level exciting (this would make a really good movie/graphic novel). Highly recommended - looking forward to the sequel (and to see what the cover will be - because DAY ZERO's cover is one of the best I've seen).
November 1, 2019
It was the cover of this book that originally attracted me to it, along with the title, Day Zero. I wanted to know why it was Day Zero and what Day Zero was too, so this curiosity led me to read the blurb. I find prepping fascinating, so when the blurb says that the main character whose nickname is Jinx is used to doing drills that her father thinks necessary for an impending doomsday that interested me even more.
I like the rather desolate looking cover, with the one female character on it, whom I would say is Susan, the main character in the book. Though throughout the majority of the book she is being called Jinx by her family and friends even though she hates the nickname and what it suggests. The genres I have seen listed for this book are Teens and YA, which though I agree with, as an adult reader I have to point out I really enjoyed reading this book, so think Adults would read this book too, I would also add post-apocalyptic to the genres.
The books main character is Susan Marshall, but everyone calls her by the nickname of Jinx even though she really hates it. Susan/Jinx lives with her younger brother Charles, her mother and her new husband Jay and his two children from his previous marriage, Toby, who is older than Susan/Jinx and Mackenna who is the same sort of age as her. Jinx takes refuge in her own room a lot and plays video games such as Repulicae. Jinx has been planning a marathon session with her computer and Republicae all day at school, right down to calling at the Halliwell’s store for snacks and energy drinks. It’s whilst she is at the Halliwell’s with step sister Mackenna and little brother Charles that there is the first indication that something strange is going on. Their biological father Dr Maxwell Marshall is a computer science professor and is really into “being prepared” and as part of their childhood both Jinx and Charles have re-enacted so many possibilities for natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Dr Maxwell Marshall has even written a book on the subject called Dr Doomsday’s Guide To Ultimate Survival. So, when there’s an explosion nearby, whilst everyone else panics, Jinx and her brother Charles slip straight into “drill mode.” However, this is only the very beginning of things turning bad for the combined Marshall-Novak family.
Jinx see’s a cryptic message, and
It seems with all evidence pointing towards Jay Novak being the guilty party that sent the computer malware to the bank along with being involved the bombing of the bank, he will be charged and convicted. When he is arrested and his wife Stephanie Stephanie (Jinx & Charles mum) decides she goes wherever he is being taken, it leaves Jinx, Mackenna and Charles to fend for themselves and try to keep one step ahead of those trying to capture them too. Stephanie manages to call Jinx and instructs her to stay on the move and find her father, apparently Maxwell Marshall may be the only one who can help Jay and restore the banks to what they were before the political terrorist attack. Stephanie seems to think that her ex-husband Maxwell can help to clear Jay’s name somehow, or knows someone who can help.
The book covers the journey, adventures and misadventures that Jinx, Mackenna, Toby, Charles have whilst trying to lay low, yet find their way to Dr Marshall.
Their odds of staying hidden do improve when Dr Marshall aka Dr Doomsday sends them some help and an evacuation plan in the form of Gus Navarro. Navarro attended a convention that Jinx was at with her father and had kept in touch with Dr Doomsday ever since.
My favourite character was of course Susan aka Jinx, the way she slips straight into the drills her father has had her and her younger brother doing is what protects her and those around her. Jinx and Mackenna begin their journey being at odds and having lots of differing opinions. When it comes to Charles, the two girls do come together to protect him, though Mackenna and her older brother Toby tend to let him eat whatever he wants despite the fact he has type 1 diabetes. Jinx ends up having to be the bad guy and try to find healthy food, test his insulin levels and give him his injections too. Jinx and Mackenna do end up coming together and displaying a united front when them and their little family are under threat. In fact, Jinx has to do something she would have never thought herself to be capable of to save her step sisters life at one point in the book.
I immediately loved the character of Gus Navarro, and was hoping he would feature more as the book and plot developed. I loved the relationship slowly blossoming between him and Jinx. I hope there is much more of this couple in the next book.
The character I enjoyed hating was of course, Tork, the ruthless guy who is tracking Jinx and her group, as well as seemingly wanting to speak to her father too. He always seems to be that one step ahead. At one point the possibility of “someone on the inside” the banking system is mentioned, and yes, I did have that in the back of my mind as well as thinking that Dr Maxwell was too obvious to be the culprit. Having said all that, when it gets to a certain point in the book when the “insider” is revealed I was, like wow! I hadn’t thought of that, but it is an amazing twist.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were Wow I really didn't see that end coming! Seriously looking forward to reading more!! Brilliant, this book held me firmly from first word to the last.
To sum up I really did enjoy this book, it grabbed my attention within the first few words and kept a hold of me until the very last words. I honestly did not see that ending coming at all. I felt so sorry for Jinx, she had lost a lot by the end of the book. I can’t wait to find out what she will do in the next book. She has proven herself more capable than she ever thought she was in this book, and hopefully she will have the help of Navarro as well as her step family.
I like the rather desolate looking cover, with the one female character on it, whom I would say is Susan, the main character in the book. Though throughout the majority of the book she is being called Jinx by her family and friends even though she hates the nickname and what it suggests. The genres I have seen listed for this book are Teens and YA, which though I agree with, as an adult reader I have to point out I really enjoyed reading this book, so think Adults would read this book too, I would also add post-apocalyptic to the genres.
The books main character is Susan Marshall, but everyone calls her by the nickname of Jinx even though she really hates it. Susan/Jinx lives with her younger brother Charles, her mother and her new husband Jay and his two children from his previous marriage, Toby, who is older than Susan/Jinx and Mackenna who is the same sort of age as her. Jinx takes refuge in her own room a lot and plays video games such as Repulicae. Jinx has been planning a marathon session with her computer and Republicae all day at school, right down to calling at the Halliwell’s store for snacks and energy drinks. It’s whilst she is at the Halliwell’s with step sister Mackenna and little brother Charles that there is the first indication that something strange is going on. Their biological father Dr Maxwell Marshall is a computer science professor and is really into “being prepared” and as part of their childhood both Jinx and Charles have re-enacted so many possibilities for natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Dr Maxwell Marshall has even written a book on the subject called Dr Doomsday’s Guide To Ultimate Survival. So, when there’s an explosion nearby, whilst everyone else panics, Jinx and her brother Charles slip straight into “drill mode.” However, this is only the very beginning of things turning bad for the combined Marshall-Novak family.
Jinx see’s a cryptic message, and
It seems with all evidence pointing towards Jay Novak being the guilty party that sent the computer malware to the bank along with being involved the bombing of the bank, he will be charged and convicted. When he is arrested and his wife Stephanie Stephanie (Jinx & Charles mum) decides she goes wherever he is being taken, it leaves Jinx, Mackenna and Charles to fend for themselves and try to keep one step ahead of those trying to capture them too. Stephanie manages to call Jinx and instructs her to stay on the move and find her father, apparently Maxwell Marshall may be the only one who can help Jay and restore the banks to what they were before the political terrorist attack. Stephanie seems to think that her ex-husband Maxwell can help to clear Jay’s name somehow, or knows someone who can help.
The book covers the journey, adventures and misadventures that Jinx, Mackenna, Toby, Charles have whilst trying to lay low, yet find their way to Dr Marshall.
Their odds of staying hidden do improve when Dr Marshall aka Dr Doomsday sends them some help and an evacuation plan in the form of Gus Navarro. Navarro attended a convention that Jinx was at with her father and had kept in touch with Dr Doomsday ever since.
My favourite character was of course Susan aka Jinx, the way she slips straight into the drills her father has had her and her younger brother doing is what protects her and those around her. Jinx and Mackenna begin their journey being at odds and having lots of differing opinions. When it comes to Charles, the two girls do come together to protect him, though Mackenna and her older brother Toby tend to let him eat whatever he wants despite the fact he has type 1 diabetes. Jinx ends up having to be the bad guy and try to find healthy food, test his insulin levels and give him his injections too. Jinx and Mackenna do end up coming together and displaying a united front when them and their little family are under threat. In fact, Jinx has to do something she would have never thought herself to be capable of to save her step sisters life at one point in the book.
I immediately loved the character of Gus Navarro, and was hoping he would feature more as the book and plot developed. I loved the relationship slowly blossoming between him and Jinx. I hope there is much more of this couple in the next book.
The character I enjoyed hating was of course, Tork, the ruthless guy who is tracking Jinx and her group, as well as seemingly wanting to speak to her father too. He always seems to be that one step ahead. At one point the possibility of “someone on the inside” the banking system is mentioned, and yes, I did have that in the back of my mind as well as thinking that Dr Maxwell was too obvious to be the culprit. Having said all that, when it gets to a certain point in the book when the “insider” is revealed I was, like wow! I hadn’t thought of that, but it is an amazing twist.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were Wow I really didn't see that end coming! Seriously looking forward to reading more!! Brilliant, this book held me firmly from first word to the last.
To sum up I really did enjoy this book, it grabbed my attention within the first few words and kept a hold of me until the very last words. I honestly did not see that ending coming at all. I felt so sorry for Jinx, she had lost a lot by the end of the book. I can’t wait to find out what she will do in the next book. She has proven herself more capable than she ever thought she was in this book, and hopefully she will have the help of Navarro as well as her step family.
October 3, 2020
So this was a really confusing book. I wasn’t even sure how to rate it, and I might need to come back to it eventually.
I mean, the fast pacing and the action were great. I thought the doomsday rules were super interesting and the tension kept me reading. This was an entertaining read for sure.
But in terms of the world-building and political parties, I have to admit I was pretty lost at times. For a book that was so centred on its politics it didn’t seem to have a clear message, and the parties/national situation/timeframe felt seriously under-explained given how relevant they were.
I don’t know, maybe I’ll come back and review this book again at some point—maybe there’s just something I’ve missed. But for now I genuinely don’t know how to feel about this read—at any rate it was pretty interesting.
I mean, the fast pacing and the action were great. I thought the doomsday rules were super interesting and the tension kept me reading. This was an entertaining read for sure.
But in terms of the world-building and political parties, I have to admit I was pretty lost at times. For a book that was so centred on its politics it didn’t seem to have a clear message, and the parties/national situation/timeframe felt seriously under-explained given how relevant they were.
I don’t know, maybe I’ll come back and review this book again at some point—maybe there’s just something I’ve missed. But for now I genuinely don’t know how to feel about this read—at any rate it was pretty interesting.
March 26, 2021
I usually like a good apocalyptic story, but this one just kinda dragged and I didn't find myself caring about the characters. The premise was definitely more interesting than the execution - I can't see myself reading the sequel unless I get really bored, but I digress.
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