I knew it wasn't in my best interest to tackle an alien novel, because they never end up working for me, but I thought (hoped) Zero Repeat Forever would be different.

Unfortunately I found the world-building far too simplistic and lacking to establish a world I could immerse myself in, and combined with characters who were more one-note than anything, I had little reason to continue reading this book after the 50% mark. I tried to like it but it felt like it was hitting too many YA tropes (in a bad way) and I had zero interest in continuing it, especially when given the option to read other titles.

DNF at 50%

I absolutely love this cover. I ended up receive a finished arc but I didn't enjoy the book very much. It was not for me at all.

I appreciated what this book brought to the table. We had a gay couple in this story! And we had different characters from different ethnic groups! And they even used sign language! I appreciate that and that the author brought that to the table. But I did find this novel a bit of a drag in a way. Again I had issues wanting to read it, and I think it was because the pacing of this book felt slow. I think also my issue was that the characters don't really meet each other until like half way though the novel and I felt like they could have interacted sooner in a way. I felt though that this was a solid novel and such, and I highly recommend it if you're into Sci-Fi, but yeah this was just okay for me overall. I might reread it and give it another shot but not for a while.

I am a little sad that I did not enjoy this as much as I wanted to. I thought this was going to be a super cool sci-fi with some elements of dystopian that I like and unfortunately it just didn't work for me. The writing seemed quite redundant and the characters were honestly super boring. i will not be writing a full review on this.

This one probably has the most valid reason for a DNF - my adobe digital editions file expired, and I don't have enough interest to go seek it out on my own

He has no voice, or name, only a rank, Eighth. He doesn’t know the details of the mission, only the directives that hum in his mind.

Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall.

His job is to protect his Offside. Let her do the shooting.

Until a human kills her…

Sixteen year-old Raven is at summer camp when the terrifying armored Nahx invade, annihilating entire cities, taking control of the Earth. Isolated in the wilderness, Raven and her friends have only a fragment of instruction from the human resistance.

Shelter in place.

Which seems like good advice at first. Stay put. Await rescue. Raven doesn’t like feeling helpless but what choice does she have?

Then a Nahx kills her boyfriend.

Thrown together in a violent, unfamiliar world, Eighth and Raven should feel only hate and fear. But when Raven is injured, and Eighth deserts his unit, their survival depends on trusting each other…- Goodreads

1 Pickle

I normally do not provide a rating for a book nor would I normally review a book that I rate lower than 2 Pickles but this was an arc and I feel that a review is needed for this one.

This read started off okay. It was pretty obvious where the author is going in regards to growth of the characters the moment you start reading. Eighth and Raven have a chip on their shoulder even before they both go through their life changing situation. Which is fine but when reading Raven's point of view, I didn't like anything about her. She was clingy/needy and she has tools to stand on her own and she acts such like a badass but none of it is real. 

Eighth's character made more sense. His reactions, thoughts and movements made complete sense and it match the story or at least the summary much more than Raven. However, because the author switches between Eighth and Raven, I felt that there was a lot of story lost. What drove the story was emotion, be it rage, sympathy or love, I didn't feel like the world was ending and that  Eighth and Raven were the ones that were going to change it. 

It was weird because a majority of the book I was waiting for that explosive intensity to make me want to dive into the book. But it never came.

The story felt dragged out, Raven was unlikable, not enough meat to the story and not enough depth. 

I did not like this book and that is unfortunate because there was a lot the author could have done to make this spectacular.

This book was just not my cup of tea and I was not able to finish it. Thank you for this opportunity, though!

I found this book difficult to read. I kept losing interest and putting it down. I think it has a worthwhile story and mostly interesting characters, but I couldn't quite connect with it.

I will not be providing a review for this novel at this time, but I thoroughly thank the publisher for the ability to read the novel before the publication date.

I really wanted to like “Zero Repeat Forever.” It has so much that I love: aliens, survivalism, nightmare-inducing scenarios. Unfortunately, it fell very flat. The chapters featuring Raven seemed to drag on in an effort to make the “forever” in the title seem literal. I also did not find her character likable at all. The only redeeming parts of the book were Eighth and diversity. I can’t recommend it to even the biggest of alien invasion fans.

Zero Repeat Forever is one of those books that takes a little while to really get going. I want to tell you that up front because if you ever decide to read this book you need to know not to give up.Trust me when I say that the book starts off slower for a reason and as you learn more about the characters, their world, and their struggles it makes a lot of sense for the story. The pacing picks up a lot as the story moves along. By the midway point everything comes together in a big way and the pace picks up from there.

Your patience really will pay off!

But let’s talk a bit more about Zero Repeat Forever.

The book follows two main characters: a rebellious teenager named Raven and an almost robotic alien invader initially known only as Eighth. For much of the first half of the book these two characters experience life separately. Raven and her friends try to find safety and survive in a world overrun by aliens hellbent on ‘darting’ (aka basically killing) any humans they find. Meanwhile Eighth is leading a much different life running from his own kind as he struggles with his own budding ‘humanity’ so to speak.

Their stories are told in alternating chapters with the characters essentially telling their own story in first person. They both end up growing as the book progresses with the most changes being seen in Eighth. I’m not going to lie to you guys. I found his chapters rather boring for the first maybe fifth of the book. That’s because he’s still essentially a mindless drone operating under very strict orders.

But as the book progresses he becomes so much more.

And being able to read their thoughts and feelings really helps readers recognize that.

I think that the author did a really great job of making Eighth seem very alien in his voice and thought processes. And I think that she did a really great job showing how he begins to become more of a rounded, emotional character.

While Zero Repeat Forever may be a book about two different characters it always felt like more of Raven’s story to me than anything. And she’s pretty great as far as lead characters go. She’s smart and capable even if she’s dealing with a lot after her world is invaded and her boyfriend killed by aliens.

Don’t get me wrong – Eighth is a huge part of the book. He’s basically half of the book.

But Eighth’s development in large part relies on his interactions with Raven and she plays a big part in his eventual transformation. Meanwhile it’s her needs, her wants, and her pain that end up driving a lot of what she does and what they do when their paths finally cross in a more permanent manner. And it’s her story that really keeps you going since, as I’ve said before, the first half of the book moves pretty slowly and Eighth’s ability to tell his side of things is limited until he starts to really make sense of his changing thoughts and increasingly complex emotions.

Their relationship is a little weird and if you’re expecting something super romantic you’ll maybe want to envision something more along the lines of Beauty and the Beast. I really like the characters and I love how much Eighth grows throughout the book but I still don’t entirely know how I feel about their relationship.

But it’s okay – I have all of the next book to figure it out.

Zero Repeat Forever gets big props from me for a variety of reasons.

First off, it’s always good to see a young adult science fiction series with a young woman of color as the main characters. Science fiction is finally coming around and embracing a more diverse cast of characters and Raven is such a strong, determined character. I think it’s really awesome.

Secondly, the book is set in Canada and everyone is Canadian. It’s a nice geographic shift from basically every book ever being set in the United States.

And, lastly, I’m just excited to see a unique alien invasion story being told. The Nahx – the robotic seeming alien invaders – are scary and there’s some great work that’s gone into their development and characterizations. Plus by the end of the book you’re left with a lot more questions about them that you’ll desperately want answered! That’s always a good thing.

Really, the thing that bothered me most was that the book ended in a cliffhanger – and of course the next book won’t be out until probably sometime next year at the earliest!

All that said, Zero Repeat Forever is an entertaining read with a unique take on alien romance and, well, alien invasions. I usually hate when books are marketed as ‘the next ______’ or ‘perfect for fans of_____’ but even I have to admit that the reviews comparing it to The Fifth Wave are spot on. This is a great book for fans of young adult science fiction and especially people who enjoyed that series.

Oh, and if you think Zero Repeat Forever is a weird title don’t you worry. It’s all explained in the book and you’ll come to really appreciate it as a clever little twist once you know it’s origins, I promise!

---

A REVIEW COPY WAS PROVIDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW. OUR OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN.

***4.5 STARS***

PLOT

Zero Repeat Forever is THE book that demanded patience of me in return for a nice pay-off. Slow paced yet instantly addictive, I couldn’t quit this book. The story follows Raven, her boyfriend Tucker, his twin brother Topher, and a few other friends who were sent away to Summer Camp after getting into some trouble back home. While away, planet Earth is invaded by the Nahx aka alien forces. The killings begin and don’t show any sign of stopping. Humans are hit with darts that turn their veins black & rob them of life. Raven & her friends were informed to stay in place until they can be rescued however, that seems less likely with each passing hour. Opting instead to move in order to survive, their group finds that they know very little of the Nahx. Gathering info from Kill videos circulating on the web, they know the Nahx can be killed with much difficulty. Getting close to a Nahx however proves to be near impossible until Raven gets injured & captures the attention of one Nahx soldier. Eighth has been one directive...”Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall.” & yet the sight of Raven is enough to make him go against his very nature. Not only is he unable to dart Raven…he sets out to protect her from his own.

CHARACTERS

The heart of this story lies within its characters, with wonderful character development Zero Repeat Forever was achingly beautiful to read. Raven is considered to be a bit of a troublemaker but she’s really just your average teen. She wants to do better for her parents especially now that the world has been taken over but she’s also a free spirit. Raven is loyal to those she cares about & she also harbors a ton of anger towards the Nahx (rightfully so). Raven meeting Eighth wasn’t easy & I loved seeing the progression of their very complex relationship. I don’t want to reveal too much about Eighth for fear of spoilers so I’ll just say, this character broke my heart with his sadness and guilt. Some scenes are hard to get through because there’s a communication barrier (the Nahx can’t speak) & Raven has a ton of anger. What I loved about their story is that it wasn’t rushed & it went through stages making the reader feel all of the emotions both characters are trying to cope with.

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS

Told in alternating POV chapters between Raven & Eighth, Zero Repeat Forever is not your typical fast paced action packed sci-fi. Instead we get a heartbreaking story of death & destruction, friendship, love, and the unlikeliest of bonds. Prendergast also covered some serious topics such as suicide & racism. Raven our MC is bi-racial & she does bring up (via internal monologue) the racism she’s experienced back home. Suicide does get introduced in the latter part of the book as a thought both Raven & Eighth have struggled with. I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did because of the slow pace. However, when I finally reached the last page I was left flipping blanks looking for more story. Zero Repeat Forever with it’s melancholy tone & Edgar Allen Poe quotes sprinkled throughout is now in my very top Sci-fi favorites. I recommend to all who enjoy a good sci-fi (think SyFy’s Falling Skies), love good character development, & don’t mind a bit of melancholy every once in a while ;)

*HUGE Thanks to Simon & Schuster, Netgalley, & Gabrielle Prendergast for the eGalley of Zero Repeat Forever in exchange for an honest review

"Maybe the world will end, he signs. Maybe the sky will fall... Maybe snowflakes will rise and time will stop moving."



I have mixed emotions on this one, probably would've only given it 3 stars if the last 1/4 hadn't made me want to read the next one. I was expecting Defy the Stars meets the post-apocalyptic setting of Angelfall , something along the lines of "alien/other boy no one thinks could possibly be capable of human emotion is teamed up with supposed enemy who is a badass girl trying to save everyone"... But that's not what I got. I partially blame the misleading synopsis for my disappointment on that front.

Okay, to be fair, the synopsis was accurate on a bare-bones level, but perhaps what really threw me off was all the ways this book defied the norms of others like it; in ways that were both good and bad. My main grievance was that I'm pretty sure I wasn't even a big fan of the "heroine" Raven most of the time. Instead of the badass hero of the apocalypse I was expecting, she was just a kinda mean and selfish problem child with anger issues, who just "happened" to know martial arts. I wanted someone a bit more noble, but perhaps that this is a more realistic representation and that's why I was unnerved. I have mixed feelings about how the Nahx were described as well, mostly because they weren't actually described very much at all. It mentions the full body armor that obscures there face briefly, but not in depth. On one hand, I like that it gives readers a bit of freedom of imagination, but on the other I really wanted answers and waiting until the end to "see" Eighth's face nearly killed me.

If anything, there were several parts of this book that reminded me of the movie Warm Bodies most of all. One of the shining aspects of this piece is that is the farthest thing from insta-love that I've ever read. It's definitely a slow burn "romance" whose flames were almost snuffed out on several occasions. I love this because it let the main focus be what it should be: survival. It was very refreshing to see a "relationship" go at a normal pace for the situation it was in, instead of immediately jumping on the "star-crossed lovers" bullshit bandwagon or looking like a case of Stockholm Syndrome. I'm very curious to see how the next one continues to play out! Personally, I'd love to see things move a little faster in different areas now that the stage is set!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The pitch for this is Beauty and the Beast meets The Fifth Wave. I liked one more than the other but was still an optimist about reading this because with life happening I needed a fun escape. I liked this take on aliens and mythology (I've read enough alien fiction in my teens since Roswell to have a grasp of what's new or not and what's been done before), that I hadn't considered and I liked the authors take on aliens for Nahx. Raven, the main character was a tad all over the place (maybe it was the pacing of the novel) but I did enjoy the originality of the novel and how it unfolded. I'll look forward to the second one because even though I wasn't shocked by the twist it's still a good novel.

For some reason, I thought that Zero Repeat Forever would be a fast-paced action-filled science fiction adventure. It was a low slower than I had expected but I loved how the author delved into the inner turmoil of both Eighth and Raven, exploring how the invasion affected both of them. There is still some action but it takes backseat to the emotional journey of the characters. This riveting series debut ends with a bang. There are just enough unanswered questions that readers will be anxiously awaiting the second installment.

Zero Repeat Forever begins as the alien, or Nahx, invasion begins. The invasion is utterly brutal and essentially happens overnight. Raven, her boyfriend Tucker, and his twin Topher all survive the initial invasion because they were working at an extremely remote summer camp. However, they're now trapped with the other counselors, waiting for the day when the Nahx find them. After Tucker's death, they decide to see other survivors and set off into the wilderness surrounding them. The plot alternates between Raven's journey and that of Eighth, one of the invading Nahx. After the death of his commanding officer, Eighth wanders alone, attempting to fulfill his directives to dart the humans, until he first sees Raven. In that moment, everything changes for him and he starts to question his orders, struggling against his suit's mind-control.

Even though I was surprised at the direction the book took, I really enjoyed seeing the emotional turmoil of Raven and Eighth as their worlds changed. With more action-based novels, the reader is more distanced from how the characters feel about the drastic changes. Additionally, it was intriguing to see the invasion from both perspectives, particularly since Eighth also didn't know why the Nahx were invading. Despite the more introverted approach, there was still enough action in this book to keep me constantly engaged and entertained. I did have a lot of remaining questions about the world, the aliens, and the invasion so hopefully there will be more answers in the sequel.

Although I liked both Raven and Eighth, Eighth absolutely became my favorite. His thoughts are so jumbled and murky that I really admired the strength and willpower that he showed in order to even think his own thoughts. I think it was good that the author included both viewpoints because it allowed the reader to understand the intentions behind each action. I wasn't a huge fan of Raven at first but she really grew on me during the last fourth of the book, after she came to terms with herself and let go of a lot of anger. The secondary characters didn't really stand out to me but, after that ending, I have hopes that they'll be more developed in the sequel.

Overall, Zero Repeat Forever was a very solid YA science fiction debut that balanced high-stakes action with an exploration of the emotional turmoil induced by an alien invasion. I would recommend to readers who enjoy more character-based novels. While there are some aspects of science fiction, I think this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast is a contemporary sci-fi told from the perspective of Raven and Eighth. A nameless faceless force has come from the skies. Humanity doesn't know what hit them. 

"Dart the humans. Leave them where they fall." is Eighth's directive, and from the perspective of humanity, that is what all the invaders, the Nahx are doing. Raven is a troublemaker, a delinquent whose acting out has gotten her and her friends in trouble. To keep her, and their, records clear they are given the opportunity to volunteer as camp counselors for younger kids. The Nahx invade while she, her friends, and the other counselors are doing outdoor training in advance of their campers joining them. For a while they subsist on their existing resources, ignored for the most part by the Nahx, but eventually they have to move, find other survivors and do something.

Eighth has no memories, only directives. He protects his "offside", Sixth. She does the thinking, he does not. But buried inside Eighth is confusion and brokenness. When Sixth is killed, Eighth's directives lose some of their cohesive force on him. When he sees Raven fighting fearlessly those directives come under more of a hit and his brokenness and lack of cohesive direction increases.

Zero Repeat Forever is definitely one of those stories that is more about the journey than the destination and has a feel of blending Red Dawn with the borg/cylons. Over the course of the book both characters develop and change significantly due to their shifting and changing circumstances. I really felt a love/hate relationship with both of them throughout the book, both are very flawed people who are lost and finding both themselves and each other. Though Raven loses the majority of the people she knows to Nahx darts, I almost feel more for Eighth, his brokenness, curiosity, innocence and brutality make him hard to define.

Overall, Zero Repeat Forever by G.S. Prendergast brings the dynamics of a brutal invasion story and highlights one unique pair of individuals and their quests to find themselves...and if you want to find out what/who the Nahx are and why those darted do not decay, you are going to have to finish the book. I happily recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

WELL THEN...

There were many times I wanted to drop this book. The concept itself is interesting: the planet is being attack by overly powerful beings and no one knows why and no one can stop them. I'm totally down for trying that out... until it seems hopeless and slow.
The pacing was so very slow for me (personal problem, I know). At 20 pages in, I was done, BUT I've DNF'd many books this year, so I thought I should try to persevere!

It was so slow and I had no idea where it was going -- "weren't they supposed to meet?" I kept asking myself. Then "what was the point of them meeting?" and "Oh, this isn't the end? WAIT, this is a series?!" I groaned as I noticed the Goodreads entry for it.
And, once I realized it was a series, the slow-pacing and non-action action made sense-- this is the set up. *sigh*

I still gave it three stars...
Why?
Because the mystery and the fear is real. The actions of the characters seem pretty realistic to me and I liked the twist (even if I saw it coming haha). I like that the MP is a POC... thought it was weird how she was the only MP who wasn't white... although I think Xander is Chinese so... that is something and hopefully he will have a bigger part in the next book.
In the beginning of the book I felt just thrown into this world with no idea what was going on--confused-- and I didn't like it, until I realized it was a way to connect with the humans, who were also confused. So, the emotions the book tries to make the reader feel I think can get through which was interesting.

I did end up skipping a lot of internal dialogue, because I felt it to be repetitive and unneeded. The book actually went faster and I enjoyed it more when I started skipping big paragraphs, so in the end I realize this writing style might not be my thing! Another reason why I brought it up from 2 stars. If it is a 'just me' kinda thing, then I can't really blame the book for it. AND I still thought it was interesting.
I would totally watch this movie.


I would recommend this to people 14+, who don't mind a slow burn, like invasions, but don't need tons of action. Possibly also people who enjoy light horror because of that feeling of fear that permeates throughout the book. Oh! and Beauty & the Beast fans.

Though the story moves slowly (and I mean VERY slowly), it's a slow pace that I can appreciate because it forced me to devour the story more wholly, which caused me to enjoy it so much more that I would have. Prendergast's writing is truly incredible, and she did such an amazing job not only building the world, but creating the characters. Raven is such a bad ass POC, and I really think more books need characters like her. Throughout the entire book I just wanted to reach through the pages and give Eighth a hug. Both main character's were so heartbreakingly real, and I truly loved that their relationship wasn't always sunshine and daisies because that added another layer of realness for me that other books just don't have. I though the story over all was very reminiscent to The Fifth Wave, but I didn't mind that all too much because I enjoyed it over all, and that cliffhanger at the end!! I need book two to come out ASAP so I can find out what happens next. In conclusion, I really enjoyed Zero Repeat Forever, and I can't wait to see what Prendergast comes up with next.

Eighth has no voice or name, only an offside who it is his duty to protect. When a human kills her the directives that hum in his mind loose their power... Sixteen year-old Raven is away at court mandated summer camp where the outdoors life is meant to get her head on straight. Instead the armored Nahx invade and they are left with the instructions to "shelter in place." Everything changes when Raven's boyfriend is killed by a Nahx. Thrown together when a mission goes wrong Raven must learn to trust the enemy or risk her survival.

The title totally drew me in and I was NOT disappointed!! The cover was really intriguing to me because I wondered at the stark black cover with the fragile dandelion and encasing silver muck. The thing it does well is inspire questions that lingered with me and caused me to question and think about how they apply.

My connection to the character was polarizing... I loved the dual POV but wanted to stick with one character over the other! I ADORED Eighth and would follow him anywhere. His emo attitude and ingratiating ways were spot on. His struggles with his offside, without his offside, alone, with Raven, as Raven's partner and then finally as Raven's guardian all WORKED! I was moved and compelled and FEELING every step of the way! 5 STARS FOR THE WHOLE JOURNEY!! I didn't much like Raven. I understood her, I liked that she was diverse, I felt she was REAL but she was more an anti-hero for me... I wouldn't have followed her anywhere and I am always shocked when characters like her have LOYALTY listed as their one redeeming quality. It's hard to earn but its there for life, no matter what was the kind of girl she was.

Post apocalyptic books are ALL about the world building and contrasting how things were before the traumatic world event with after... That was well done in this story...

The creativity came into play with the nahx. Their development was spot on. I especially loved the armor and the way Eighth communicated. Some special moments were developed around the way he saw words. I loved how we built up what we knew slowly as if we were gathering information from the world as we experienced it. I loved thinking about those details and how they fit together and what their implication meant. I was about to foresee the end because of this but I didn't mind that so much because the journey was so fun. Everything is NOT explained but this is only books one... we're given enough to tantalize and guess but it's obviously only the beginning!

The plot was a little ho-hum. It showcased the new world well and every opportunity to show an aspect of their situation was utilized. It didn't wow me though. There was nothing shocking or surprising. Even the twist at the end was foreseen.

There is a passage of time where I COULD NOT IDENTIFY WITH RAVEN. Not that I wanted her to grovel but I wanted her to BE HUMAN. We can't help but feel certain emotions when another creature or being shows emotion to us... Eighth was like a dog that Raven kicked repeatedly. As I read I thought it would be really great for women to be so hard and steely in the face of mercy but this isn't a 30 year old accountant... this is a 16 year old! Their emotions are always changing!! This passage is essential to you understanding her change of heart toward Eighth yet I didn't get that at all... Because of this passage their relationship developed unevenly to me, it was hard to buy Raven's emotions in the end. Eighth never really seemed to win her over. This passage also slowed the pacing down to a crawl. Pacing which worked well in all area except this one!

As a writer I would love to see some better storycraft and development in "the" passage between Raven and Eighth. The other parts of the book were really good and I enjoyed them... I don't think it needed much changing. It's not a huge overhaul aspect to the story but some of the emotional beats didn't ring any sort of developmental arc. It went from zero to sixty on the turn of a dime... and this isn't how humans are... If this were fixed the book would definitely be a 5 star ALL the WAY even with me not loving Raven... because then at least we could experience her change of heart toward Eighth.

So if we take 5 stars and 3 stars that is where I get 4 stars. Raven dropped everything down a notch. Her narrative wasn't irritating for the most part otherwise it would be an even lower rating. She just wasn't pleasurable to follow. But Eighth's narrative was compelling... I was totally enthralled how we learned about the nahx through him and his struggles without info dumping all over the place. He more than anything else built up the world for me.

Overall I loved this book! I feel like EVERYONE should read it EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO LOVE FOR ALIENS! Eighth will change your mind... he is such a sweet heart, big and powerful and angry at times but trying to find his way... What is right? Where should he go? Who can help him be different? All questions we as humans face as well and not nearly so bravely.

I'm really looking forward to the future of Raven and Eighth... I want to see her loyalty in action for Eighth and learn more about the creepy nahx! I'm dying to understand some of their peculiarities! I have my suspicions but reveal them to me slowly through more adventures with our unlikely partnership...

⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆⋆⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Feelings

BOTTOM LINE: An Alien Emo worth following as he falls for a Diverse Human!

I really liked this book! Kept me hooked from page one!