An action-driven, emotional and complex story.

The story takes place seven years after the EVO virus. Some people died from this virus, others were gifted extraordinary powers. Superhumans quickly became the norm.
Our main character - Sophia Dennison (most powerful being), lives in solitude after the events of the first book. But unfortunately for her, she can't just disappear, she needs to fully embrace her identity and her powers.
This audiobook is narrated by Ozzie Jacobs, who has done an incredible job.

If you like fantasy/sci-fi with a bit of thriller mixed in, this book is perfect for you!

Terrible. Written by a man writing women and it reads like it. So much profanity and racial slurs in the opening pages that I struggled to even get to the incredibly boring exposition/information dump which would have been better served as a "previously on" prologue. Then it got followed up by extreme sexual violence described in detail peppered with more racial slurs. Unreadable dreck.

Having enjoyed The First, when the updated version of the sequel, Evo Uprising, came across my eyes, I knew I had to give it a try. What I got was an action packed thriller with intriguing characters and kept me engaged throughout the story, despite some of it’s flaws.

Again, this book is NOT for everyone. Like the first book, it’s loaded with graphic violence, description of sex crimes, profanity, and other things that might not be suitable for some readers. There’s also some ablelism, mostly related to autism that was not fully my jam, but for me was mostly lingering as the story went on, but didn’t diminish my enjoyment as much as I feared. Also, this was originally published in 2015, so some cultural references might feel a bit dated.

The story takes place seven years after the end of the fist book, and triggered lots of changes for the world at large, meaning more superhumans running around, aka the Evos. Unlike the first book, this is more of a superhero action story, with well done action scenes were really well done, with plenty of weight and tension to each of the sequences that had me pay full attention. There is plenty of political and character building throughout as well, spaced pretty well between the action. I do like how the mystery this time came together eventually, though the pacing was off, likely due to the sheer amount of characters and plot lines we’re following, which made some segments feel like they dragged. I did get lost and confused by some of the smaller details, but I was able to sort most of it out. Fair warning, some of these chapters are LONG, several of them are over an hour on the audiobook.

The new character additions were all pretty interesting and I believe that most of them got a good amount of development, but I can see some readers being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers, and likely gravitate toward a few favorite characters over others. Erica was among my favorites (besides the whole autism ableism thing), as well as Kimberly, and of course Sophia. The villains were also intriguing, and I was surprised by a few of them being rather fleshed out.

Once again, Ozzie Jacobs (who I mistakenly credited as Tyla Collier in the first review) was fantastic on narration. Her normal tone was very easy on the ears, and I loved her voices for the other characters, with distinct tones for most of them (there were a lot of characters, so there was some overlap). It immersed me into the story and had the feel of an audio drama, especially during the action sequences.

Like the first book, it could have used a little more editing, but mostly on making the prose sound a little more smooth. The timeline was better than the first book though.

This is the second book of a trilogy, and while all are out now, I will await for the re-release of the finale to see how the story ends, especially with the few unresolved elements and the epilogue hinting of things to come and all sound really exciting. If you’re okay with the content, and a big fan of superhero stories, this is a book to take a look at.

Full of action from start to finish you get to follow a crew of evos on a mission to save the world! The narrator brings the personalities of the characters to life and was an enjoyable listen.

This book seemed especially long and wordy. I feel like it could've been shorter and there could've been less story lines. I liked the premise of the story but at times it just seemed like a lot going on.

Quick Summary: A spectacular, action-driven, emotionally staggering whirlwind of a ride

My Review: Evo Uprising by Kipjo Ewers is book #2 in The First series. It is a sci-fi/fantasy thriller that is out of this world.

About the Book: "Seven years after the Judgment Virus - also known as the EVO virus - swept across the globe, humanity finds itself divided. Some have perished, while others have emerged with extraordinary powers, transforming into superhumans. These beings now walk among us, shaping a world where heroism, villainy, and superhuman military units become the new norm, hinting at the possibility of a Cold War on the horizon.

At the epicenter of this transformed reality stands Sophia Dennison, the inaugural and most potent superhuman on Earth. Unintentionally altering the course of history, she grapples with a sense of alienation from the humanity she once belonged to and an aversion to fully embracing the race she inadvertently created.

Choosing a life of partial isolation, Sophia wields her extraordinary abilities to aid humanity on her own terms, eschewing the conventional roles of hero or villain. However, a looming threat to the planet forces her out of the shadows, compelling her to confront not only the diverse spectrums of her past but also the potential destiny she may hold."

About the Audiobook: This book was narrated by Ozzie Jacobs. The voice play and character representations were so diverse. From the youngest characters to the oldest characters, the narrated presentations were riveting.

My Final Say: Where do I begin? This book was brilliant! There were so many layers to it. After reading book 1 , I thought I had an idea of where the story was heading, but I never could have imagined what was to come. There were new threads, there was darker messaging, and there were a whole lot of stances taken, which gave some serious food for thought. It's like this book was an education on transformation, choices, personal truths, and overcoming the impossible.

The thing I most appreciated about this installment was the fact that it had such rich emotional arcs, especially related to Sophia and Kimberly. With that said, I must say that I was also really pulled into the young team members backgrounds and their overall storyline. The drama, the dynamics, the challenges , the threats - it was next level.

In terms of the villains, MAN OH MAN!

Other: The books in this series includes the following:

Book #1: THE FIRST
Book #2: EVO: UPRISING
Book #3: GENESIS

* A word of caution: Readers should definitely read any and all author's and/or publisher's notes about this book. There are a number of triggers.

Rating: 4.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status: M
Level: 🚨🚨🚨
Triggers: Yes
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media, Dreamscape Lore), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to this incredible title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own and have been voluntarily submitted. I look forward to continuing this amazing series.