4.5 stars

It's been a while since I've truly read an entire book in one day. This book was impossible to put down. It's a fast paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller that'll keep you flipping pages until the very end. I loved it so much I want a finished copy for my collection as well. Bravo to Phillips for writing such an emotional, gut-wrenching roller-coaster ride!

4.5 STARS!!!

Wow, I literally held my breath pretty much through most of this book. A story of a mother, Joan, and her 4 year old son, Lincoln, who are on a normal trip to the zoo. It's a pretty regular trip for them, as they do it a lot. They have their special places and animals to see. Lincoln is a very creative child coming up with all kinds of stories with a very extended vocabulary.

On this visit to the zoo, they are preparing to leave, as it is closing time, when Joan hears gunshots coming from the entrance of the zoo. Then . . . prepare to take your last breath. The action and suspense that follows while Joan and her very rambunctious son spend over 3 hours trying to hide from the shooters. They pass fallen lifeless bodies, both human and animal. Lincoln, true to his age, has a very hard time keeping quiet, especially after several hours and he is hungry.

This book at me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and zipping through the pages. A well written story that will definitely make you stay up past your bedtime.

Thanks to Penguin Group/Viking and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

"Fierce Kingdom" is a gripping, insightful story about the lengths a mother will go for her child when trapped in a zoo with active shooters on the loose. The plot is that of a thriller, but it becomes so much more as it unfolds mainly through the actions, reactions, and thoughts of the mother, Joan, in a realistic and relatable way. As a mom, I found myself immersed in Joan's mind, wondering if I would react in the same way, torn when she was torn, desperate when she was desperate. I was impressed with the nuanced depiction of this mother thrust into an extreme situation.

This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Disappointing. The synopsis to this book was so good I almost thought this could be one of the best book of 2017. Well, not gonna happen. Fierce Kingdom is a lot of things: intriguing, boring, confusing but definitely not a good read.

Well that was quite the ride. I raced through this book in just a few hours, HOLY HELL. As a mother, this book shook me to my core. I think this story will illicit a wide range of emotions and debate due to the choices that Joan made during the hours she spent running from the shooters. I was absolutely riveted to the pages and found myself holding my breath several times as Joan attempted to keep her 4 year old quiet. I don’t want to give too much away here for those who have yet to read it, but you absolutely need this book on your shelf. Heart pounding, page turning and intense, The Fierce Kingdom is a book that will make you examine yourself and the lengths that you would go to in order to protect your child. I can not recommend it enough!!

The premise of this book was great. It started off with showing the closeness of Joan and her son and builds the suspense as they near the gate to go home. From there on I was a little disappointed as the story bogged down in unimportant details or repeating an event more times than needed. I thought the action when it happened was well written. This book encompasses just a 4 hour stay in the zoo and with her cell phone available I don't understand why she didn't just call the police.

When I started reading this one I immediately regretted requesting the Advance Reader Copy. I almost had to force myself to keep reading...until the gunmen appeared. From that point until the end I was rooted in place, unwilling to close the book because I absolutely HAD to know what was going on. I felt as though I might miss something if I closed the book and came back to it later.

Phillips has created very real characters trapped in the new American nightmare of being caught in the center of a random mass shooting. She manages to convey fear, moral struggles, and the uncertainty of it all; Joan's questioning of every decision and her hope that the decisions she makes will save her son.

This was definitely a thrilling read, and I recommend it to fans of the genre.

Do not read right before you go to bed, or you'll stay up all night devouring this novel. A fast-paced engaging read that tears at your heart. My bet it's gonna be the next big "book club book" this fall.

Throughly enjoyed the wild ride of Fierce Kingdom. Fast-paced thriller which is reminiscent of Emma Donahue's Room (I'm not the first to make this observation, but it's accurate in several ways). The action takes place over just a few hours in the evening when shooters trap visitors to a local zoo. Great summer read!

After reading this in one night, I feel like I watched a movie of myself riding on a roller coaster. From the first page to the end, I could not put this book down. The premise of the story is Joan and Lincoln are quickly leaving the city Zoo at closing time and they witness something which causes Joan to run back into the park. From this moment on, the reader is on a loopy-loop ride of suspense, as Joan finds safety for her son and others trapped in the zoo. Amazing how this author brought me through this horrifying two hour experience where I may now be more concerned about my safety as well as my family when entering a public place. She touches on the frightening events and prejudices which have occurred in America where we do not have control and how these situations can happen to me or anyone at any time.

If you like a "sit on the edge of your seat" nail biting thriller, than put this one on your must read list. Thank you Netgalley.

A mother’s animalistic instincts to protect her child come to the forefront in the latest literary work by Gin Phillips. “Fierce Kingdom” is the fifth novel by this award-winning Alabama native.

​The zoo is a frequent escape for Joan and Lincoln, her 4-year-old son. After visiting the animals, they end most of their visits in Lincoln’s favorite spot under the trees and off the beaten path. It’s a quiet spot near the back of the zoo where his imagination can run wild with his little action figures and his mom can kick off her flip-flops.

​After what has been just another day at the zoo, it’s time to leave. The facility is closing soon, so Joan and Lincoln make their way to the front gate. Like most kids, Lincoln is no hurry to leave, so he dawdles and literally drags his feet as others rush past them.

In a blink, however, fun turns to terror. To describe this novel as “ripped from the headlines” would be an understatement considering recent news events.

​Someone, perhaps more than one, is shooting people. Not only can Joan hear distant shots, but she sees bodies on the ground and blood on the pathways. Her only safe route is to return to the depths of the zoo, a place she knows intimately from their frequent visits, and hopefully wait out the bad guys.

​Mother and son now are entrapped within the same fences that cage the animals. What was once a peaceful place is now a killing field where no human or beast is safe from human predators.

​Joan doesn’t know what’s happening outside the fences. Are the police coming? Do they know the shooters are several young men with a fondness for guns?

She knows her surroundings, but that’s all. Where are the gunmen? Are she and her the only survivors? How many have been killed or injured?

​A mother’s instincts to protect her child are all that Joan has to keep her son safe. For three hours, she runs, often with her son in her arms. Not only does she have to find hiding places, but she must keep her talkative little boy quiet and calm under extraordinary circumstances. Even as they come across a few survivors, including a baby placed in a trash can for safekeeping by another desperate mom, Joan must keep going. Shoeless and injured from falls in the dark, Joan seeks safety deeper and deeper into the zoo’s darkest and guarded areas.

​That sense of desperation comes across strongly in Phillips’ writing. The novel takes place over only a few hours, but the fear and tension feel timeless. With sharp descriptions and attention to detail, this skilled writer gives voice to what definitely is one of a mother’s worst nightmares.

The author gives depth to her characters through her words, but she also allows readers to ponder that animal instinct to survive as well as protect one another. Once a reader starts to read “Fierce Kingdom,” there’s no putting it down until the last page is read.

My apologies - I was unable to finish this book. I am sure it is wonderful, having read excellent reviews, but having lost my own mother recently, I just could not continue with a book on the parental bonds as it was too painful.

I read this wonderful book in one sitting, and was blown away by the beautiful depiction of that incredible bond between mother and young child. Gin Phillips captures that pure love and fierce determination to protect so perfectly. I found this book delightfully original in that it takes what’s unfortunately become an all-too-familiar situation but sets it in an unusual location - the zoo, as night falls. Three young gunmen have entered the zoo, just before closing time, to massacre people. Joan does absolutely everything in her power to protect her child, four-year-old Lincoln; all her mothering instincts kick in as they find themselves in an utterly terrifying situation. Can Joan save Lincoln from these Columbine-style youngsters who are out for notoriety? Gin’s portrayal of Lincoln makes him totally real; his speech, the way he thinks and behaves are absolutely spot-on and I really felt I knew this little boy. As she tries to save herself and her son, Joan faces some horrific choices – at one stage she has to choose whether or not to help a mother with a screaming baby, who might just get them killed. This is a fast-paced read. It spans only about three hours during one horrific evening but left me drained and breathless. 5 stars.

Joan hears gunshots as she is leaving the zoo with her young son; she has no choice but to run back into one of the exhibits and hide. What follows is a real time account of Joan and some of the other people within the zoo during the active shooting situation. Fierce Kingdom is an emotional, high-drama tale of a mother trying to survive for her son. The relationship between mother and son is admirable, and the precise details of the environment (or lack thereof at times) allow the readers to feel as if they are in the zoo with the characters.
While slow at times, the novel seemingly offers a real-world depiction of what this situation would be like; Joan has scattered thoughts and a sense of fear in every action. Readers will engross themselves in this contemporary thriller.

This gripping thriller explores a shooting spree at a zoo and the characters that are caught in it. It describes just a couple of hours, little of the reasons, none of the aftermath - and it will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The suspense starts early on and continues throughout. Gin Phillips did an especially good job with the pacing, alternating fast chases with calm moments of waiting and no real action. She also succeeded in capturing the scattered thoughts of characters during high stress and panic. There are a few different points of view, with some surprises, but the main focus is on a mum and her young child. That only adds to the suspense we feel as readers, because children caught in such situations are always an additional reason for worry. The novel showcases what human beings are capable of - both the victims, and the perpetrators. Through the added view of an elementary school teacher of one of the shooters, there is also the dimension of questioning why someone would turn so violent. Overall, with its diversity, amazing writing and pacing and so much suspense, this is certainly a must-read for the summer!

A well-written page-turner. I couldn't put it down!

It took me a long time to come back and actually write this review after I finished the book. Although I think the writing is excellent, it was too tense a story for me to give more stars. My heart would literally pound the whole time I read this. It is the story of a mom and her young son trapped at a animal park while some young active shooters are running around killing everyone in their path. They literally are hunting people down like animals. I was so upset and tense throughout. The book vaguely delves into the shooters mentality, but does not focus on them too much. Then the book just ends. After being so emotionally drained from reading this story, I was even more upset to not have a conclusive ending. Too much for me.
I received a complimentary ebook from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Be prepared to skip meals, avoid chores and read late into the night! This is an intense and thrilling story! Imagine you are at the zoo with your 4 year old son. The zoo is closing shortly so you are both on your way home after a long and tiring day. You hear gunshots, see bodies on the ground and realise a gunman is shooting people at random. You hide, but what do you do now? How can you protect your son and yourself?

Fierce Kingdom, by Gin Phillips
Joan is leaving the zoo with her four-year-old son at closing time when a series of gunshots interrupts the quiet. For excruciating hours, she struggles to protect her restless child from the gunmen. A beautiful exploration of maternal love, as moving as it is suspenseful, on shelves July 25th.

So I've just finished this, like really only about 10 minutes ago, so I think my feelings may change over time, but wow. WOW!

It was intense, and boring at the same time. And I don't mean boring in a bad way at all, I mean in a mundane, this might be the end of your life "is this really fucking how I die?" kind of mundane. A real life mundane. I hear the complaints about there not being more "action", and I do get it, especially in the age of grip-lit and fantastical twists, but I just loved how real this felt.

The scenes with Robby and Mrs. Powell, where he's just another little boy who notices things like that his teacher cuts her orange peel, the way they bring him a personality, a humanity. The way there isn't some grand reason for what is happening, there isn't some revenge plot, it just...sucks. I think that's a lot more common than we think, and we try and avoid thinking about it because then we know that we are more vulnerable. That it might just happen to us and not someone else, who was being unsafe, or making bad choices or hanging out with "the wrong crowd". It might just be stupid bored teenagers while we go on a playdate with our kid.

I loved the ending, I loved that we have no idea what happened to basically, everyone. But I want to know what you think happened...