Title: Zero Repeat Forever
Author: Gabrielle Prendergast
Type: Fiction
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Date published: August 29, 2017

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

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…

– My Review –

I apologize for taking so long to put this review together! I really had to get my emotions in order before I could form something coherent, rather than emotional blubbering (although some emotional blubbering may still slip through). This book is for those who enjoy a complex world, complex characters, unique plot, and just…an all out creative story! This book is not for those looking for a fluffy, happy read, but those of you who enjoy a little (or a lot of) heartache while enjoying a good story.

I was excited to read Zero Repeat Forever since I first heart about it early this year, or late last year, because I loved the sound of the premise, I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, the author is Canadian, and the book’s setting is in Canada! Yas! This is so rare for YA! Or maybe I just haven’t come a across a lot of YA books which take place in Canada (and actually Erin Bow’s The Scorpion Rules and The Swan Riders are the only other ones I can think of off the top of my head). So hurray! Ohhhh Caaaandaa– Sorry. Back to the book.

Addressing the complex world first, I know that there maybe be some confusion about this, since I just mentioned that this book takes place in Canada. Some of you might be thinking that I shouldn’t commend Prendergast on the world in this story, per se, because it takes place in a real setting etc. etc. The thing is, that with this being a fiction book, and a science fiction one at that, what may have started out as Canada (and the area of Calgary in particular) completely changed over the course of the book because there was an alien invasion and war. This post-apocalyptic world which then emerged out of this conflict, is entirely Prendergast’s creation, and it felt so real! While reading this book, I pictured a lot of the scenes, and landscapes, etc. in such detail, that it was like a film being projected in my mind’s eye.

The characters were also unbelievably real, to the point where I felt as if they were people that I knew in real life. They made me smile, and they made my heart ache. Each character feels unique, and I never had the issue of having to tell them apart. I also really liked that most of the characters are diverse (and not just supporting characters, but main characters as well). The main characters especially, really stood out to me, and they will be staying with me in my heart for quite a long time. I will certainly not be forgetting about them any time before the release of the next book!

Some of you may be wondering how I can call the plot unique, while also saying that it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The reason why I am saying it is unique, is because I have never come across a plot quite like this before. There is one plot which maybe comes close, but was a lot less satisfying than this one (and I won’t name which book it’s from because that will spoil things for those of you who have not yet read Zero Repeat Forever). While being a sort of Beauty and the Beast retelling, Prendergast told the story in her own unique way, and other than maybe two similarities to Beauty and the Beast, there are no other parts that are alike. Again, I can’t say more.

This book was quite a roller coaster ride! It had me on the edge of my seat in certain instances, and just relaxing and taking in the use language and the amount of thought that went into this story. Other times it turned me into a blubbering mess, to the point where family and/or my boyfriend would have to ask me if I was okay. This was definitely one of my favourite reads of 2017, and I am suffering from one of the worst book hangovers ever! I would be re-reading this book right now, if my reading schedule allowed it. Definitely looking forward to the sequel, and will be keeping an eye on this author for sure!

– About the Author –

Gabrielle is a writer, teacher and designer living in Vancouver, Canada.  She is represented by Barbara Poelle at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. In 2014 she was the Writer in Residence at Vancouver Public Library. In 2015 she was nominated for the BC Book Prizes and chosen to tour the province to promote BC Books. In 2017 Gabrielle took part in the TD Canada Children’s Book Week Tour.

– Purchase Link –

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!