Clock zero by Nawa Alsaadi.
Clock Zero has been released on Kindle and Kobo for a test run on November 24th 2016. The official release will take place on January 17th 2017 with the publication of the paperback version.

I'm very much interested in a bottom up marketing approach consisting of word of mouth, reviews on relevant sites such as Amazon and Goodreads, and giveaways of signed paperback books on various venues. I'm hopeful the NetGalley community will assist in this effort.

Clock Zero has the potential to become a cult book, and potentially a movie. I'm pursuing venues to turn the book into a motion picture.



A good read. 4*.

Clock Zero in an interesting look on social media and how it dominates our lives and the negative repercussions it can have on our lives.

Unfortunately this book failed to pull me in, I found that I couldn't engage with the plot or the characters.

DNF

I knew this book was either gonna speak the truth about today's society or it would be total crap. Unfortunately, I couldn't decide which one was true.

The writing style is so dry, and wordy, and just plain annoying. Don't get me wrong, I knew from the moment I read the synopsis that there would be a lot of complaining about today's society's dependence on technology. However, it got to the point that there was too much complaining and not enough story. (FYI, Huge rants do not move the story along). The characters were so flat that I couldn't even tell you their names.

There were also too many "current" references (mostly) to pop culture that dated this book extremenly. It's really hard to get lost in the story when the book itself tells you everything supposedly already happened just a few months ago.

I was ready to be convinced that we needed to destroy technology (something that I already think about every now and then), but this was ultimately a dissapointment.

Here we are writing on a social, although a bit particular, about a novel about the socials, to the point of declaring in the title "I'm not my social feeds". In fact, the main character is a social junkie, but not only that, he is one so predisposed to addictions to depend on anything that enters his 'bloodstream', including a heralded battle precisely against those socials from which he is addicted, launched by a character of which you would suspect the intentions even if he wishes you a good day. So, in a swirl of events that also involve the Trump presidency and the massacre of Bataclan, our protagonist slips inexorably, and at great speed towards the end that it is up to people like him: to be a lab rat.
Not bad, although perhaps too confusing ... how the mind of those suffering from addictions, one might say.
Thank CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I completely understand the point of the book, but it felt so unnecessary.

It had so much potential in the dystopia field, but like I said, I understand why this is labeled humorous. The pacing is pretty quick, which is very good for Nawar Alsaadi's style of writing in this novel, and it can help you move along in the story.

Wouldn't say it's something that'll be hard for you to get into, though. It's easy to read. Might have a bunch of things you might think are offensive, but aside from that, if you get it, it can definitely hold your interest.

I can't even tell you how many paragraphs I skipped over. Felt that a lot of the text was completely unnecessary; like a bunch of rambling. It got to the point where I almost DNF'ed only 20% in. Due to the potential I think the book had/had, I can't rate it no lower than 3 stars. It was an okay read.

Oh and the random twist at the end. I still don't know if I like/accept it or if it was another unnecessary thing.

It started off well but from there it went downhill. I found the layout of the text being constantly broken up with hashtags and lists distracting and it interrupted the flow. I also found the profanity unnecessary and it became boring. I didn't finish the book, which is rare for me, but I couldn't bring myself to continue reading.

Quite an interesting story, with likeable characters—possibly a like goofy, too, but I was in the mood for that, and also, taking jabs at helpdesks/customer service? Count me in, I’ve been in that kind of jobs that for some time now, and we all need to find our fun somewhere, otherwise we’d just get bonkers.

Anyway. That was for the fun parts, enhanced with the way the narrator swipes at social media, the amount of time we spend checking Facebook and Twitter, and how it’s so easy to get lost in it. Not that I don’t like my little FB time, but I know what it feels like to turn your computer on at the end of the day and realise you’ve spent the past two hours going through clickbait crap when you could’ve been doing something else. (Like reading, and reviewing, and therefore catching up on your backlog of NetGalley books, so that you can then post your reviews on your blog and FB page and... Wait a second.)

There are less fun parts, too, closer to actual terrorism, with a plot meant to destroy cell towers, satellites, etc., through a virus uploaded on everybody’s smartphones. A revolution of sorts, to force people to look up from their phones and enjoy life again. Kind of extreme (I’m trying not to spend too much time on social media, but let’s be honest, if internet and networks in general are gone, I’m out of a job). One will like this idea or not. It’s probably a case of ‘doing the wrong things for the right reasons’. In the light of recent years and the growing amount of terrorist attacks, this commentary is not, well, enjoyable, yet one can also (unfortunately) relate to it while reading about it (my main Tube hub is closed today because of that, now let me tell you that’s one instance I was glad to hang on FB instead of being out socialising!).

Style: the writing is OK, some typos now and then (it was an ARC so hopefullyl those were corrected in the final version), and at first the narrator alluding to hashtags and emojis was a little confusing. Nothing too bad, though.

I’m torn about the twist in the end—can’t decide whether I like it, or would have preferred the story to end one chapter earlier. Still unsure as well if the book was meant to be totally satirical, and if I should get angry at it (I preferred to treat is as satire and fun, because I’m too lazy and it’s too hot outside to waste energy into such feelings).

Conclusion: Maybe not the best read you can find when it comes to taking jabs at social, yet enjoyable nonetheless.

An important social message that is much needed and makes you think about your online habits...my review is up on Amazon under my name Kimberly-Aisha Hashmi

Although I've only given two stars for this novel, I'm torn. On one hand, this novel is unbelievable, sometimes crass and spends a little too long rambling on about seemingly unimportant themes and topics. On the other hand however, I couldn't stop reading it, despite all of the above, and I cannot for the life of me figure out how I feel about it! The rambling historical references and crassness of the narrator, although a little pointless or crude at times, did a good job of characterising him and seemed honest, new and engaging. Despite this however, I feel the novel may have worked better as a short story, short story collection or even an essay - it didn't need to be as long as it was, although the themes and idea behind it are interesting and current.

I did not enjoy this at all. All of the characters were quite flat. The only reason that they had any other interesting traits were to further the story. The plot was confusing, overly violent and sexual. I remember reading another review that said something that I quite liked. It was that it is funny how this is about the death of all cellular devices and social media when it is on Netgalley for electronic review. Over all this was not something I enjoyed or will be picking up again.

Thought it was a pretty unique book quite funny in parts though in all not my cup of tea and I struggled to stay interested. Sorry.

thank you.
enjoyed it,
will get copies for family and friends.

The book reads like a script for an action movie and honestly would make a great movie. It starts off very action packed, the dialogue is believable and its very descriptive so you can already see this playing out in your head like a movie. It’s REALLY descriptive, the author made sure to leave practically nothing to the imagination as they created the whole world right for you on these pages.

The way the author writes I can’t help wondering if it’s written by a millennial or someone who has way too much experience with them and not the good kind. The dialogue is written very well but at times it almost seems a cliché of what you hear people complain millennials sounds like which may be the whole point actually.

I had to laugh at the description of needing ‘likes’ on social media because I’m pretty sure I have had those days. I thought most of it was funny actually, the way he writes, he descriptions of his job, his thoughts on customers and people he has to interact with, I found myself laughing quite a bit.

I have a brother who talks a lot like this so I guess I’m more used to the way this is coming off than other people so I didn’t have a problem with the book. I took it as satire and a funny self-depreciation view on society’s social media addiction.

The name of the book, the premise and the cover got me excited for this story. In the end it is a disappointment.

It started with a being a drag and too many words than were required and very many tangents for no reason at all. I thought that was it and I could not read anymore but I persevered anyway.

Then came the revolution of people not being their newsfeed and it perked me up as I thought the action will happen. But nothing happened, really. I kept reading, reading, reading (that is a bow to words being used thrice in the story itself) and nothing happened.

I did learn how to make heroin and facts about Greek mythology and incidents in history. But again, if it was mythology or history or chemistry I wanted to read, why would I pick up a novel?

The ending was thoroughly anticlimactic (with many cliffhangers) that I wanted to bang my head in the nearest wall.

I could not finish this book. Perhaps it could use another round of editing? I lose interest when an Author writes in the style of, "We stood there like two Olympic swimmers, my heart beat like...the water moved liked..."

does fiction have to make you think to be good? no but it's a bonus. this book is smart without being overly cerebral and has some dark humour throughout

this title feature likable characters and a fast paced plot the fact the reader may rethink the amount of time they spend on social media is a bonus.