Nemesis (Project Nemesis, #1) (2024)

It was good at first and then it just fizzled out for me which sucks!!

I'm glad others loved it though!

Happy Reading!

Mel 🖤

I received this arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book has made me realise how important it is to know whether I’m reading a standalone or a series from the very beginning. I was treating Nemesis as a standalone and had some particular expectations. Like, for example, I wanted a well-balanced structure: an intriguing beginning that introduces us to the setting and the problem, then action/plot-twist/character development/world-enriching elements -packed middle part, followed by the climactic or at least a bit surprising reveal in the ending.

Nemesis did please me with its intriguing premise (which I knew from the blurb) and several first chapters were great. Alas, the magic was soon ruined by many, many pages of awkward dialogues, long and boring trains of thoughts and, well, detailed accounts of deaths. It was dragging and uneventful till the last third of the book - and at that point I almost lost interest in the "great reveal". Which, honestly speaking, wasn’t really satisfying. Nor was it unexpected or dramatic. Or, maybe, it was the writing style that has spoiled the reveal for me... I don’t know.

What I am certain of is that after everything I’ve found out at the end of this book there’s almost no chance that I’ll be reading the sequel. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention: this is not a standalone. While I haven’t found anything on the author’s page, some sources (like Kirkus reviews) hint that this is just a beginning of the series. Or so they hope - as this is the only way for Nemesis to have any sense at all.

The book ends almost right after the "thrilling" reveal, with the main characters suddenly coming to terms with themselves, deciding between hate and love and going all "lord of the flies" over. Now that I’ve said it, I begin to see the appeal of this open ending - if you got hooked, you’ll want more.

So, while I believe many readers will enjoy the read (especially knowing that this is a series…if it is), I, unfortunately, am disappointed to the point of no return.

Now, one last line on what I did like: once again, the premise (really intriguing and promising concept) the dark feel of the story (the girl is killed repeatedly since she turns eight, loved it) and the setting (a small town surrounded by mountains with a bridge as the only connection to the big land).

Am torn between:

WHAAAAAT.

And:

DAYUM, SON.

I will say no more.

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/03/26/...

On the surface, this book had everything going for it: an original premise, a tantalizing mystery, a very promising plot. By all accounts, I should be extremely pleased with it, so why then can I not seem to shake this vague sense of discontent? Perhaps it is precisely because this book had so much potential, and knowing that it could have been even better is the source of my disappointment. Had the author carried out his ideas more effectively—and not tried to do too much all at once—the story might not have started fraying at the seams as it did.

Nemesis introduces us to two main POVs, the first of which belongs to Melinda “Min” Wilder, a teenage girl who has been experiencing a frightening occurrence every two years ever since she was eight years old. Every other year and always on her birthday, a strange man in a suit with glasses finds her alone and kills her. Whether it’s throwing her off a cliff or bashing her skull in with rock, he never fails to show up and do the job. And as if that isn’t horrifying enough, what happens next is even more disturbing—after dying, Min always finds herself waking up again, alive and whole, in the same spot in the middle of the woods of her small rural Idaho town. The first time it happened, she walked home to find that only a few hours have passed since her death. During that time, all evidence of her killing had been erased. The second time it happened, on Min’s tenth birthday, the town psychiatrist diagnosed her with a dissociative disorder. Min was prescribed medication that she has been taking every day for the last six years, but without fail, the mysterious suited man still always shows up on her even-numbered birthdays and kills her.

Our second POV character is Noah, and though he doesn’t get to chime in until later, we first get to meet him through Min’s eyes. As the son of the richest man in town, Noah appears to have it all: money, good looks, and popularity. However, the truth is a lot more complicated. Despite being surrounded by friends, Noah is often emotionally aloof, quiet, and generally unassertive—pretty much the complete opposite of Min and her best friend Tack. Publically, Noah puts on a stoic face, but privately he is haunted by nightmares of violence and death. For almost all his life, his father has been telling him what a weakling he is for not being able to overcome the hallucinations and bad thoughts in his head. After so long, Noah has even started to believe that he is useless and weak. When his jerk friends start bullying Min and Tack, all he can do is stand silently by and watch, too timid to speak out against Ethan, the leader of the popular kids.

By the way, in the middle of all this, the rest of the world at large is facing bigger issues. At the beginning of the book, we’re made aware that earth is in danger of being in the direct path of a huge asteroid hurtling through space. The Anvil is deemed a planet-killer, and as the story opens the whole world is holding its breath for a press conference in which NASA will announce whether or not the asteroid will make impact. Scientists are putting the odds at 50/50.

With all this going on, how could I not think Nemesis would be great? And indeed, at least in the first half, the book lived up to the potential promised by its synopsis. The suspense was bolstered by the intrigue and all the questions of which there were plenty, such as, just what the hell is going on with Min? Assuming she is right in her convictions and that none of this is all in her head, how is what’s happening to her even possible? Is there a significance in the fact that she and Noah share the same birthday? And what does all this have to do with the giant asteroid threatening to end all life on earth?

The good news is, we get the answers to all these questions by the end of the book. The bad news though, is that explanations seldom live up to the hype generated by the mystery in these sorts of situations, and this can’t be more true in the case of Nemesis. I also didn’t really enjoy how the story took a turn in a completely different direction around the halfway point, when we abandoned the mystery and things sudden devolved into a Lord of the Flies meets The Hunger Games fiasco. It felt like an attempt to make this book conform even further to YA conventions, which of course never makes things more interesting.

That said though, overall Nemesis was an enjoyable, entertaining book. I liked that about it. But somewhere along the way, I also felt the story lost sight of its goal to be different and unique and exceptional, reverting back to the usual tropes to order get in on the teen dystopian boom. To be fair, I rarely take issue with the tropes themselves, which can be fun. But a lot of books seem to fall into this trap, and quite frankly I’m really starting to get tired of it. I also felt somewhat let down by the ending, which offered an explanation for everything but had more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese. After all the buildup and anticipation, I honestly expected more, and the scenario we got struck me as absurd and not well thought out.

All told, Nemesis could have been great, but halfway through I felt it started to become a different book. The premise was also fantastic, but for all the intriguing questions it raised, the answers offered at the end made me think Reichs might have bit off more than he could handle. Still, I’m not closing any doors to the possibility that I’ll read the sequel. Like I said, this book was overall fun and entertaining, and I think there’s also a good chance the next one can turn things around and bring us back to the suspense and mystery we first saw in the intro, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for it.

WHAT!?
HOW!?
HUH!?
YES!?
NO!?
WOW!?
OKAY!?
SO!?
URM!?
WORDS!?
FEELINGS!?
ANSWERS!?
SHOCK!?
CONFUSION!?
ANGER!?
RAGE!?
FURY!?
SURPRISE!?

How do work sentences? Words not working. Brain broken.

Fascinating! Throughout most the book I really thought, "Oh look... Fire Lake, Idaho is full of the worst parents and adults in America, and at the same time is the home of some of the most awful teenagers also!" Then Reichs adds a very late twist in the story which makes you question the parents and adults but solidify that these teens are still some pretty awful creatures.

Overall, I was completely excited about this book and it lived up to my expectations and then some! I cannot wait for book two in 2018!

I just finished reading Nemesis, and I'm feeling pretty frustrated

I PUSHED to get halfway through this book. At about page 284, there was still nothing to go on. It felt like the same conversations between characters happened every few pages, and no new information was provided to make this title anything close to a thriller.

Enough information is provided by the end of the story to answer some of the questions that arose, but that wasn't enough to lessen the blow of discovering this is not a standalone novel but a sequel.

The biggest thing for me were the characters - I didn't feel like there was much to hold on to. Having a temper can't be the only personality trait someone has. There has to be more for readers to connect to.

And the twists were built up and built up and built up to only be explained in about 4 paragraphs. Then more chaos and build up. Very disappointing.

***3.5 stars***

I think I went into Nemesis with too high of hopes. From the blurb this looked like it was going to be an intense mystery about two kids who are murdered every other year on their birthday and then wake up like nothing happened. I thought that was the story I was getting. Turns out, the real story is mostly not even about that. So maybe it’s just I was confused when I was expecting one thing and then got something else entirely. It’s like I thought I had co*ke in my cup but when I took a sip it was orange juice. It’s not a bad surprise but it’s still jarring.

First, let’s talk about what I liked. Nemesis gets all the points for originality. This was definitely one of the most unique stories I’ve read and that’s saying something since I obviously read a lot of books. Finding something that’s truly original is very rare and luckily Nemesis had originality in spades. Also, Nemesis is basically about the APOCALYPSE and Brendan Reichs makes the carnage truly terrifying. Even the mystery is well wrought. Everything feels incredibly sinister the entire time and you can feel a malevolence seething under the surface.

My issues boil down to the bait and switch story line I mentioned earlier, not being really invested in the characters, and the big reveal being illogical. I really wanted to like the main characters but I didn’t. I didn’t understand their emotions. Tack has a smart mouth and not a lick of common f*cking sense. Min is incredibly self-righteous. Noah is such a “follower” that I think it’s impossible for him to have an original thought. I think the problem was that so much effort was put into building the mystery and the story that the character development fell a little by the way side.

Let’s talk about the big reveal because when I got there I was like:

Since I don’t want to spoil things I’ll discuss here: OK so I get that there was no way to save the planet and so now humanity is basically extinct. But why save a random group of kids in Idaho? They downloaded a bunch of asshole teens into a computer and then set them against each other Hunger Games style? WHAT POSSIBLY COULD EVEN BE THE POINT OF ALL THIS? I’m sure it will be “explained” in the next book but I can’t fathom a possibility to make this at all a good idea. Also, these kids’ consciousness’ were downloaded into a physical computer underground on Earth which is basically a wasteland of lava and sh*t now. Like…. What would happen if the computer broke? What is powering it? Who is left to manage the place where they’re housing the computer? This seems like a super flimsy idea with too many variables where something could go wrong.

Structurally, I think the story lends itself to a trilogy more so than a duology. It just made the story even weirder because now we have 2 completely different stories happening in the same book. However, side note: this would make an excellent TV show. Overall, I enjoyed the originality of the story but I wasn’t really thrilled with it. I may read the sequel, Genesis, but I’m not exactly holding my breath to find out the conclusion… you know?
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I thoroughly enjoyed Nemesis - really fast read, thrilling and engaging, if with somewhat of a convoluted plot - but for me in a good way.

So poor Min gets murdered every other year on her birthday. Then POPS awake again, unharmed as if nothing has happened. An asteroid is hurtling towards the earth and strange weather is everywhere, the locals are acting strangely and well, that town is just plain weird! Then Brendan Reichs takes you on a journey towards certain understanding (although as this is part one its really just a set up for what promises to be a great part two) and as a reader you barely get to draw breath.

There are elements of everything I enjoy in a good YA tale here in Nemesis - the author kind of mashes things up, the romance is low level which frankly I prefer, too much gazing into each others eyes rather than dealing with the issues can get wearing - and Nemesis starts off as one thing and ends up as quite another.

I loved main protagonist Min who dealt with things reasonably logically, we have a few bad guys lurking around of various types, Min's friend who just can't keep his mouth shut and made me laugh, then Noah. Well ok Noah drove me crazy - good Lord man get a grip - his constant insular whining was perhaps the only thing that brought this down a notch, but you can't love everyone.

I liked the premise which was layered well - the reasons behind all the shenanigans well imagined again in a kind of mash up type way that works really well, I imagine that book 2 will have a different level to it and I'm looking forward to finding out.

Overall a high octane, high energy, rush of a read that I fully immersed into.

3.75 stars

This is one of these books when I am stuck thinking, “Do I like this book? Do I not like this book?” But in the end when I look at the way it was wrapped up, I decide that it is a book that I respect and will read on with the series. I can only hope that this won't turn out as the next Divergent (hated that series.. Sorry!). Meet our two heroes, Min Wilder and Noah Livingston. Min has been murdered five times. Every two years on her birthday, a man in a black suit comes for her and kills her. But the second everything goes black, she wakes up in a clearing just outside the town. Noah is having murderous dreams. After each one he wakes up in a deserted cave north of the town. Project Nemesis causes all of this. As the murderous Anvil descends towards Earth, Min and Noah find themselves in a rave against time to figure out and stop Nemesis… Will they succeed?

My advice for reading this book is get through the beginning. Take breaks every 50 pages to think about what is happening. I'd recommend this book for someone who is on a reading spree. This is not a book for people who are in a reading slump. While reading it, you must think about a lot and it is just generally slow paced. But if you are on a spree then go ahead! Read and enjoy it!

The only thing that bothered me in this book was that it was so darn sloooow. I was falling asleep. It was very complex, and since it was so slow, it was hard to get through. If it was only a bit more fast paced! I'd probably rate it like 4.5 stars… But this just made it so freaking hard to get through.

I found the plot to be so interesting! If you are to read this book, please please please, try to figure out what Nemesis is! It is the most fun element of the whole novel. I liked how everything was intertwined. The comets to Nemesis to Min and Noah. This novel was obviously well thought out and planned. This made the characters more materialistic, but it made the world more interesting. The ending made me want to cry but also stalk the author for updates on the next novel in the series. The ending wowed me and it opened a window for a very interesting story in the next book. Can't wait for 2018!

Read this. While you do, try to figure out what is really going on. I couldn't.

anyone who thinks this is a bad book is wrong.

i was entertained for about 80% of this novel. as i was reading the chapters, it felt like i was reading pretty quickly but the book was still fairly slow. i don’t remember how many chapters there were but i think there was 50? but it does have 2 point of views.

speaking of pov’s, noah’s chapters were pretty boring when he wasn’t with min and tack because—no offense—he literally has no life and all he ever did was talk about his problems. we literally heard about it in every chapter noah, we no longer care!

tack carried this book, by the way.

Check out this and other reviews (as well as more fun bookish things!) on my young adult book blog,
Here's to Happy Endings!

As a reader who is incredibly fond of YA thrillers, when a copy of Nemesis fell into my hands, I was beyond excited to start reading. Having never read anything else by Brendan Reichs, I wasn't sure exactly what I was in for, but once I started reading, I knew there was absolutely no way I was putting this book down until I finished it!

"The sun rises. But not for me.
I know what day it is.
Will he come sooner, or later?
I don't know, but it doesn't matter.
He'll come.
And when he does, I'll die."

As Min goes through her everyday life, she makes sure not to tell anyone what happens to her - after all, no one believed her as a child, so why would they believe her now? But she's still stuck dealing with the confusing situation that she finds herself in every other year - the man in the suit and glasses shows up and kills her. While she has been seeing a psychiatrist and taking medication for this for years, she definitely knows that all of this is real, even if no one else believes her.

When things start to get a little strange, she gets her best friend, Tack, to help her break into her psychiatrist's office, only to find out some weird stuff on Project Nemesis - a strange thing that she is part of, along with the rest of her class. She finds out that her psychiatrist has a special file on her, though, along with another student in her class - Noah.

Noah and Min don't really talk, as they run in different social circles (well, to be honest, Min and Tack hated Noah's group, because they were the jocks and cheerleaders that treated the two of them like trash), so when Min decides to talk to Noah about what's going on, she isn't surprised that he doesn't really want to talk to her. However, after a while, when weird things start happening with him, too, he's more than willing to talk to Min to try and get to the bottom of things. After all, the man in the suit and glasses shows up every two years to kill Noah, too - and he and Min share the same birthday.

So what is Project Nemesis? And who is the guy who has been murdering both Min and Noah every other year on their birthday?

"The world might be about to end, but what did I care?
My world ended all the time."

Nemesis is a dark and moody thriller that I thought was exceptionally enjoyable. I loved the characters - even the popular kids like Ethan and Sarah, who made Min and Tack's life miserable in school, because they were the "rich" kids and Min and Tack lived in a trailer park. Tack was such a great best friend, and he wasn't your typical "cookie cutter best friend" character like you see in so many books. He actually had a really great personality that added a lot to the book.

Nemesis is told from two different viewpoints - Min and Noah. The first section of the book is told from Min's point of view, the second is told from Noah's point of view, and the rest of the book has alternating chapters between the two. This was such a great way to write the book, because it gives us a deeper look into both Min and Noah's worlds, allowing us to see the common ground that connects them. While their personalities seemed somewhat similar, I had no problems figuring out which character's viewpoint I was reading.

The book ends with an explosive conclusion that doesn't really answer many questions at all, which leaves plenty of room for the story to continue in the next book. The mystery will hopefully unravel itself a bit more in the next book, and I really do hope that all the characters from this book will be back, and that it will continue where it left off. The answers that we did get I honestly didn't see coming.

In terms of YA thrillers, Nemesis is probably one of the best that I've read to date. It not only brought me out of a reading slump, but I think it may have put me back in one because it was so amazing! I rarely rate a book 5 stars, but I can't recommend this one enough!

Also, check out the nifty mood board that I made for the book and get a feeling for the overall vibe of the story!

Note:I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much, Penguin Teen!

Okay, in all honesty, I probably would have given this two stars if it weren't for all the hype and the major letdown. But...as it stands.

Okay. So the premise is cool and unlike other books I've read. When the book starts out, it's got this wonderful weirdness to it...but after about 70 pages, it starts to get stale. The characters are so desperate to figure out what's going on, so we watch them sneak around and covertly gather information... but there are no stakes. There's no sense of urgency. There is terrible stuff happening all around them, but it's not like figuring out the puzzle will make any of it stop. The book floats at a static level of tension for basically the whole story: the author clearly tries to add in some dimension by putting in some interpersonal tension (in the form of two-dimensional bully characters, among other things) but even that gets repetitive and dull.

And speaking of the puzzle, the way the characters "solve it" involves a whole lot of just...being told the answer.

Beyond the mess this book is structurally, my biggest problem is that the characters lack agency. They just react to what's going on around them, but their actions have very little impact on what's happening. They could just give up and eat macaroni and cheese for the first 75% of the story, and they'd have still wound up in the same situation.

And that twist? Pretty weak in my view. I can't claim I figured out the ins and outs of it, but the basic idea? You can see it coming from a while away.

Giving it 2-- coz the premise was interesting otherwise I was just so bored. This book was just not for me :(

You can read my review here: http://storypals.net/book-report-neme...
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One day, I was waiting for my friend and I decided to pay a visit to the bookstore and you know how that story goes forward, right? I went in, bought 2-3 books which I wasn’t going to read until next three years.

Nemesis was one of that wait-go-to-the-bookstore-impulse-buy but it was lucky enough to be read in the span of three months I had bought it.

Could it be it’s well thought of cover or it could be red pages?

Also- He killed me.

He killed me not.

He killed me.

I mean who is not intrigued?

WHAT IS NEMESIS ABOUT?

He killed me.

He killed me not.

He killed me.

It’s been happening since Min was eight. Every two years, on her birthday, a strange man finds her and murders her in cold blood. But hours later, she wakes up in a clearing just outside her tiny Idaho hometown—alone, unhurt, and with all evidence of the horrifying crime erased.

Across the valley, Noah just wants to be like everyone else. But he’s not. Nightmares of murder and death plague him, though he does his best to hide the signs. But when the world around him begins to spiral toward panic and destruction, Noah discovers that people have been lying to him his whole life. Everything changes in an eye blink.

For the planet has a bigger problem. The Anvil, an enormous asteroid threatening all life on Earth, leaves little room for two troubled teens. Yet on her sixteenth birthday, as she cowers in her bedroom, hoping not to die for the fifth time, Min has had enough. She vows to discover what is happening in Fire Lake and uncovers a lifetime of lies: a vast conspiracy involving the sixty-four students of her sophom*ore class, one that may be even more sinister than the murders.

LET’S DISCUSS NEMESIS
To be honest, I read half the book so very excited and the other half in pain. I wanted it to be over so I could move on with my life. I wanted it to be over to know what the hell was happening, I just wanted to know. The book just didn’t give anything relatively important to the plot and I was then just skimming through the pages.

Yes, I know a lot of books take time to build the characters and the plot but I HAVE NO PATIENCE, my hyperventilating heart wanted action and killing and chase and romance on the side, not stress and slow-moving characters! Sigh.

But, it did have a lot of good things going on for it. Let me put that out for you. I am a nice person, I cannot just say all bad stuff about it because I am sure this book can be loved by a wider audience who are patient with their stories.

P.S. it is very important for everyone to know it isn’t a stand-alone, it won’t have a very compact structure but rather spread out.

WHAT DID I LIKE ABOUT NEMESIS?
Two POVs, I love different POVs and different perspective on one thing, it just makes the story so freaking interesting to me.
An original premise. To be honest, Young adult books these days– do we have anything fun going on except our characters trying to save the world? This did sound very very different and kudos to the author for writing something completely original.
Even though the book isn’t a stand-alone nor is the structure of the book but all the questions that you might question throughout the book, you will be answered to all of them, which is so very satisfying– also just when the questions are answered you feel okay, at least all my hard work with this long book has been worth it.
The potential of the storyline. It could have been so many things, it could have been one of the best books I read this year…
WHY SUCH A LOW RATING?
By all means and love, I am not forcing my ideas or expectations on this book but rather thinking of how maybe if the storyline was a bit different, I could have enjoyed the book and also maybe keep up with the series.

Why am I in a low energy and look so disappointed? Because the book had so much potential to be something great and yet.

The want for well-balanced structure. three-fourth of the book was just dragging itself and then all the action happen. It did make me interested in the next book but the experience I had while reading the current book just asked me not to.
I didn’t really see a lot of character development? They were just the same with some new information in hand, with things to know.
The ending, even though surprising and a big plot twist didn’t surprise me, I rather just sat there staring at the pages and thinking to myself, hmm oh okay???? Now?
The dialogues were awkward?? I mean I was awkward while reading them? :/
Min was hard to like and the only character with a brain! 😐 She used to slip into her thoughts, which were so boring, I just wanted to skip it and go forward with the plot. I really could not relate to her at all.
I think the story started with a great premise but somewhere down the lane, they thought it to be a series and then just dragged the plot. What I mean to say is the story lost its sight and I completely lost interest. 🙁 The book felt completely different as to what it was.
And that is all. I don’t think I will be picking up the second book, but if you do and you like it. Let me know. 🙂

🍪🍪🍪
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After I thought about this and my review, I actually started to forget everything about the book...

Story:
The story started really strong. It was good, and then all of a sudden it just seemed that the author didn't know what to fill in the middle so it was kind of all fluff. I needed more information with the actual Nemesis project. I know its the first book, however it was just lacking the bare minimum of information. All we really know is that it was a experiment or project. We didn't really learn anything other then that. However, the major twist was super interesting and I loved it.

Characters:
This story mainly follows around three characters. Min, Noah, and Mins friend. (I ACTUALLY LIKED HIM I TOLD YOU! IM FORGETTING EVERYTHING!) I really didn't feel any connection with the characters. I found them kind of boring. Min was fun to read about, but Noahs point of view was lacking. He was always scared to act on ANYTHING. He just didn't really grow which was super obnoxious to me.

Sci-Fi Elements:
This was more of Dystopian then anything. It had some sci-fi elements with the world change, but it was mainly the storyline had major Dystopian vibes.

Final Thoughts:
The actual story was super fun to read. I found that the big twist was actually a big twist. There were other little twist here and there, however with that middle part of the story... I'm not sure. It just didn't really satisfy me enough to give it a higher rating.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight I gobbled this book up. It was so good! It kind of mixes genres in a really unique way, and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I would think I knew where the story was going one minute and then the next... mind BLOWN. I adored Min so much, and the banter among the characters was fabulous. The atmosphere of the book was so on point too. I seriously cannot wait to see where this series goes next, because honestly, I feel like I have no idea- which is the BEST feeling as a reader, yes?

Project Nemesis... i figured i would like Noahs perspective/side of the story better because he is the one that remembers every little thing that happened to Min. He relives her death as if it was his own in his dreams... in his nightmares. The author shows Noahs fear and anxiety very well, and shows Mins bravery and care free attitude almost flawless. Every two years on Mins birthday since she was 8 a man has come and killed her. She is ready to die because she comes back to life... she cant fight it, she doesnt understand it. Noah, poor Noah doesnt die but has to live her deaths over and over.

It was an interesting book and last chapter was damn good. I am your Nemesis.

This book will weigh you down with questions. The good news is...some of them are answered. =) There is more to come, obviously and, like me, you won't want to wait. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, needing to know what's going on with these kids. This one would make a great movie.

That ending though

Full review now posted

THE SUN RISES. BUT NOT FOR ME.
I KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS.
WILL HE COME SOONER, OR LATER?
I DON’T KNOW, BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER.
HE’LL COME.
AND WHEN HE DOES, I’LL DIE.

I’m sitting here with this stupid look on my face and I don’t know how to process what the hell I just read. I’m not even sure I understood that final reveal or explanation. I’m sure I was looking stupid throughout the whole book because I don’t know what the hell I just read and what was that ending by the way? I don’t know I’m not even sure I liked that ending or hated it.

This was different from what I’d been expecting, and I didn’t know how to react.

Anyway, let’s start from the beginning and see what happens as this review takes a shape.
Min and Noah, out two main protagonists has a lot in common. They live in the same time, go to the same school, and are the exact same age. They even share the same birthday. They are both feeling trapped in this life and they don’t know how to escape it. but they also has something else in common, something more dangerous, something more sinister, something no mind can imagine or comprehend: Since they were eight years old and on the day o their even birthdays, they get killed in the most gruesome way and then they came back to life in another place like nothing bad even happened to them. Min knows that she is not imagining anything but Noah thinks he’s been losing his mind since he was a boy. But when things start happening all around the world and the situation keeps getting more sinister with every passing day, these two along Min’s best friend will take matters in their own hands in order to discover what’s been done to them all these years.

A lunatic hunts and kills me every two years, yet I come back to life.
The adults surrounding me are hiding things.
Those facts have to be connected. Or am I really crazy after all?

I was hooked in the story right from the first chapter, I was all in and I was really interested in everything that was happening to the characters and their hometown. The book is divided into five parts and every part follows a direction that’s kind slightly different from the last part and the five parts are extremely entwined together to give us one solid story that never wobbles or loses its momentum.

Now, I’m trying this year to read more science fiction books but I also appreciate when the books is blending genres together in an effortless way that feels natural and that’s why nemesis was such an enjoyable read for me because it is a SYFY story that has a mystery elements to it that kept us guessing till the last bloody reveal. Not only that but despite this book being a YA book, it is not holding any punches. I find it extremely dark and disturbing at times. The story in some way portray what happens when you put all these people who don’t care about each other that much in a sh*tty situation an order them to take control in all means necessary. It depicts human nature and the way we behave when there are no laws and rules to bind us and all we really want is to take power and keep it. It was a fascinating part of the story for sure and I’m sure the sequel will portray it in more vivid and profound way.

I always say in my reviews that I like a book that challenges me every step of the way and that’s what nemesis was doing. I did not have any clue where the next chapter will take me or how any of what’s taking place will be explained. I had some theories but I was wrong most of the times. I don’t think I could’ve guessed that final reveal even if I tried for years. It just was not what I expected at all. And let me tell you, the story is multi faceted and it has the potential to be explained in many different ways and that’s why I’m not sure I’m that satisfied by that final twist. Don’t get me wrong, it was a brilliant twist but in my mind it makes a lot of things that could’ve have a very important emotional weigh seem irrelevant. I mean would you really care about the characters if they die or stay alive when every time they get killed, they just came back to life like nothing happened, and that start happening to all the characters by the end of the book. the stakes should’ve been higher than ever by the final chapter but that reveal, as much as it was logical in a scientific kind of way, ruined that for me. and that’s way I’m not really that crazy about picking the second book anytime soon, maybe I’ll read it next year but I’m not anticipating it that much to be honest. I still like to read it and see for myself what Phase two of nemesis project is all about but not anytime soon.

Now, the characters of the book were really a surprise for me. They are all different ad they all serve a purpose in the narrative. And even those who are not really that important, they still play an important role in portraying the theme of the book. I’m going to be concentrating on five characters because in my opinion, they are the most important ones and they are the one to watch for in the sequel.

The first character I’m talking about is Mia. She is of course the main protagonist of the book and I really found her very well written. Her character is consistent and she has this strong attitude that I like about her. I found her really determined, strong and very loyal. She sometimes makes these dangerous decisions but only because she has nothing else so even I find her reckless sometimes, I understand why she is that why. She is also extremely conflicted, especially by the end of this book because she has a strong moral compass in one hand, but in the other hand if she wants to survive, she needs to be doing all these wrong things that go against what she believes in.

Min always made me uncomfortable. I don’t know why, but I felt like she could see right through me. Her gaze had a penetrating quality that made me feel like a fraud.

Noah starts the book being this weak lonely and lost boy who believes he is worthless, spineless and just downright crazy person has no one understands or loves. He was rather a complex character that went through many developments and by the very end of the book; he is not the same person at all. Actually, he is the one with the most character development and ends up in a place that’s the opposite of what I wanted for him but I understand the way he navigated all the things that happened to him and I find it a genius creative move to change him in that radical yet understandable way.

Nemesis.
I considered the word.
The inescapable agent of someone’s downfall.
A long-standing rival; an archenemy.
I thought of the murders I’d endured. Deaths that made me question my sanity, even the fabric of reality itself.

Mia’s best friend is also a very important character that helps to ground Mia many times in the book. He is the only one left that cares about her and that’s make him a weakness for her. I love how he is always there for her and how he believes I her but I hate that he does not know where to quit. He is the most frustrating one for because what I hate about him is exactly what I love about him. I don’t know if I’m making any sense but the truth is I don’t know how I feel about him precisely, he is that frustrating and contradictory.

The two other characters are Nathan and Sarah. We don’t get to see a lot of them in this book but they are vital to the story. Sarah is a mystery to me but I have a feeling she is one to look out for. She seems an intelligent one who knows what it takes to win the game and she’s not willing to lose and I have a feeling she’ll play a very important role in the coming book. Nathan on the other hand is a more straightforward character. He wants to be in control and the only think he thinks that can ensure that is installing fear in others and taking out any threat to his rule.

Extremely entertaining, dark and mysterious, I highly recommend this book not only for science fiction fan but also for anyone who loves unpredictable storytelling, complex character and engaging ending that leaves room for more darkness to come.

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Life After Life meets Maze Runner meets Lord of the Flies.

If you're into governmental conspiracies with a touch of sci-fi, thriller, and a story that keeps you wondering what's happening, this might be the book for you!

Overall, I found the story interesting, but everything else only mildly so. I think it has potential, but could use more believable character development and stronger narration.

(Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook, so I might misspell names).

Probably my biggest problem with the book was with the characters. I didn't buy the "love" between Min and Noah, nor the rivalry between Tac and Noah. I believed that those things COULD be possible, but the way it was written didn't lead me there itself. I was really excited to see a male MC with intense doubt and anxiety, but for a series, the switch to the dark side at the end felt way to rapid. I read somewhere once that villains can jump mountains in character development (go from bad to good in an instant) because the readers want that resolution, whereas good guys have to decline more slowly because readers need to adapt to each new stage. This was attempted in Nemesis #1, the slow decline of MC Noah, but I wouldn't say it was executed in a realistic way. It felt fake and forced. I didn't buy that suddenly Noah would shoot Min for power. Again, I COULD see that happening, but the way it was written and the events leading up to it weren't believable for me. Something about Reich's style of writing.

What I will say is that ending had me VERY intrigued and I can't help but wonder where the heck Reichs is going to take this story next. How do you build a story on the basis that everyone is already dead? It feels like no resolution can be obtained that way, but who knows.

So I gave it 3 stars. It wasn't one of my favorites and I don't think it was an entirely well-written or developed book. But it also wasn't awful and the plot is intriguing. If I get another free audible credit, I'd give Nemesis #2 a shot.

[RE READ UPDATE:
I still think Tack is a bit strange. Sure, I get that HE MIGHT have a crush on Min, but some of his comments just come across really weird... ALSO THAT ENDING NEVER FAILS TO LEAVE ME SHOOK! Still 5/5]

I LOVED this book! It was just... wow... I can't seem to get my brain together to write this review. I saw this book advertised about a year ago and I had read all of the hype that surrounded it. But when I looked on Amazon to buy it, it was £53 for the Audio CD and £35 for the hardcover. I was beat. But luckily, I waited and Nemesis was finally sent to me from the publisher so for that, I'll be forever grateful!

It’s been happening since Min was eight. Every two years, on her birthday, a strange man finds her and murders her in cold blood. But hours later, she wakes up in a clearing just outside her tiny Idaho hometown—alone, unhurt, and with all evidence of the horrifying crime erased.

Across the valley, Noah just wants to be like everyone else. But he’s not. Nightmares of murder and death plague him, though he does his best to hide the signs. But when the world around him begins to spiral toward panic and destruction, Noah discovers that people have been lying to him his whole life. Everything changes in an eye blink.

For the planet has a bigger problem. The Anvil, an enormous asteroid threatening all life on Earth, leaves little room for two troubled teens. Yet on her sixteenth birthday, as she cowers in her bedroom, hoping not to die for the fifth time, Min has had enough. She vows to discover what is happening in Fire Lake and uncovers a lifetime of lies: a vast conspiracy involving the sixty-four students of her sophom*ore class, one that may be even more sinister than the murders.

What I loved the most about this book was that it just kept you guessing the whole way through. If you liked a character, something would happen and suddenly you wouldn't like them and if you didn't like a character, something would happen for you to like them. It was pure craziness. I was forever being turned this way and that to guess what was going on and when the mystery slowly revealed itself with the big finale reveal at the end, I was left in shock. I.DID.NOT.SEE.THAT.COMING. Some character behaviour at the end of Nemesis as well left me shook and I wanted to scream and cry but also punch the character.

Before I even started reading this book, I thought it was an adult book but once I started reading it, I realised that it was like a bridge between young adult and adult. It pretty much had all of the themes that are in a young adult dystopian novel, but the way that the book was written came across as very adult. However, on Goodreads, the category that this book has been put in the most is actually young adult so I'm guessing that's what most of the audience classes it as.

"Why is that lunatic smiling?" Tack demanded, shaking his head. "He's talking about the apocalypse like it's a freaking One Direction concert. Weirdo."

- Brendan Reichs, Nemesis

I also thought that the characters were really well written. Although I really didn't like Tack. Even though he was Min's best friend, I just couldn't get past all of the sarcastic remarks and the snide comments that he made. He was just so irritating and I wanted to see him gone. Every time a sentence left his mouth, I just got automatically annoyed. And that went for Ethan as well... GOD! HE WAS SO ANNOYING! His whole friendship group was though to be fair. They knew they were popular and just thought that they owned the school because of it and thought that they could treat people how they wanted. No. Doesn't work like that. There was some fantastic character development though of both Min and Noah but I liked Min the best. She wasn't going to let what was happening to her control her life anymore and she risked her life over and over again to find out what was happening to her. She stuck-up for herself and for her friends, she was stubborn, she was loving, frightened but brave, she was everything that I look for in a YA female protagonist.

Overall, this is a fantastic sci-fi/thriller/dystopian/mystery novel. Yes, it is all of those things wrapped in one. But don't be put off! That doesn't mean that too much is happening at once and it's confusing; it isn't! It just has elements of all of those genres. Now that I've finished Nemesis, I cannot wait for Genesis (book two) to come out! I need it in my life, and it doesn't come out until March 2018 so looks like I'll be waiting a very long time...

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Paperback is released 13th July

Ingenious premise.
Interesting execution.
Now I am confused

This is what all english education has boiled down to folks.

But in all seriousness, the premise is certainly a hooker. And Reichs does a lot to keep the suspense, which is what really motors this book.

There's not a whole lot going on. The characters really find out a couple of things about their situation. But even after the 'info' dump I'm still very confused. And I said 'info dump' like there was only one. There were at least three.

Noah's character also gets hella confusing by the end. This man's a little sheep, then he goes and comes back with some claws. Min is still Min.

And I think she is quite a great character. While her viewpoints are right, I think her execution could use a little work. But at this point I'm just judging Min, and from what I read, I think she's hella great.

Clearly, I'm this series for the long run. (AKA: I'm reading the others in this series)

RTC.

All in all this was a fun, but not entirely original story for the most part... but it did manage to surprise me with the twist, and that's saying something!

It could be that I listened to the audio of this with a longish break partway through, but for whatever reason, the actual twist didn't enter my mind as a possibility. Normally I'm throwing ideas on the table as I go, and I usually mention the twist somewhere in there, but this time I didn't... perhaps because I thought I knew where this one was going, but I was wrong.

Definitely want to read the second book to find out how it all comes together, and if it explains the twist a little better, though it's not at the very top of my must read list.

Wow! So this book has soooo many more twists and turns than I expected. Min is killed by a man every 2 years on her birthday. Now she is 16 and is trying to figure out what is going on. While trying to understand what’s going on the world around her is in danger of being destroyed by natural disasters. It is so hard to explain everything in this book without giving spoilers so all I have to say is READ IT FOR YOURSELF! The second half of this book really took me by surprise and I had no idea what to expect.

3.5 🌟 rating.
Although I enjoyed the initial story, I had a hard time connecting to the characters and I felt it could have been written differently

It's pretty intense at the start! The story of the two teens, Min and Noah made me curious. It caught my attention to make me want to read the book!

The author had done a great job on letting the reader want for more, read for more to know what would happen next.

I love the mystery of the book. I wanted to know how and why Min and Noah kept dying on their even number birthdays. What happened to them and why it's happening to them?

What was Project Nemesis all about?
These are the questions I have in mind while reading the book.

The plot was good, and as what I said above, it's making me curious. But there were some parts that I felt like the mystery was gone? Or the plot had suddenly changed? It's like from the mystery beginning it became an End of the world, catastrophe, apocalypse book.
I want to explain why I had said that. The mystery of Min and Noah's murders were pretty amazing, but as I continued reading, especially on part 4 onwards, it more focused on what happened to the Earth and those 64 kids trapped in Fire Lake. But still no explanation on why those murders were happening and what was really Project Nemesis, what's it's purpose, objective, motto or whatever.

Although it was explained at the end part by the "guardian" but I felt like I need more explanation. I didn't understood that part fully. It was written and explained so fast. Somewhat like the Project Nemesis that they had been doing was just summarized in few sentences. Like really? Can you please explain more? Also Min and Noah's murders were really not explained. It's just them who made the conclusion for themselves. My left and rightcerebral hemispheres were still battling against each other on whether they were really dead already, was that a good project and were they really saved for the future earth? What their parents did was right? They were saved by the project? I felt like something was lacking, I still had lots of questions in my mind unanswered.

I had my own theory on why those murders were happening. Since Min and Noah were experimented I was thinking that maybe there was some kind of substance injected to them when they die so they will wake up again and continued to live their lives. I also think that those kids were not really dead! What they were experiencing were just simulation all in their head. Maybe they were all just in one laboratory sleeping while the simulation happened. So I don't know. I am hoping there will be more explanation on book 2.

For the characters. I like Min, she's smart! Made the decision for herself not to trust her psychiatrist about what's happening to her. She was braved too! Noah was the most useless person in the book. Lol although I am rooting for Min-Noah-Tack team and thanks Noah for saving Min. But he's really the weakest! Their kind of love story didn't click to me too. Not so fun of love story so I will not talk about it. Haha

I kind of like Tack though, bullied but stands for himself and his beliefs. Although he's weak and can't fight but I always laugh whenever he fights back or rather talks back to the people who would hurt him. Well, still fighting!
Ethan and Sarah the least favorite characters. I just really hate them! When Ethan killed Tack I was so mad and I don't want to continue reading the book lol, I really sleep after that scene. (Very affected haha)

For the principal, psychiatrist, sheriff and Min's mother I think they need more exposure. No one really explained what they did, they said that they did what's good, believed in Min and whatever. I don't get it.
I hate how it ended, obviously it has book 2 but really not a good ending. Noah became weird or in my terms he became crazy after hearing his purpose or what he's destined too, and really killed the person he loved? I really hated his character in here. And I already read the book 2 synopsis lol I think I would hate him more but we'll see. He will just not hope that I will be liking him lol

Still 4 stars for this book though. I hope it will have more mysteries and I can't wait to read it. See you in book 2!

um. anyways…

Hi this book was bad byE

-just kidding im still heREeee EEK there’s just no way i’m not ranting about this!! i despise giving bad reviews but i’m just so thoroughly disappointed that i can’t just leave this book alone even after i’ve went through a whole process to get rid of it best as i can to make sure i never see it again yeet

basically the story was way too long and draggy and had too much suspense that eventually became really irritating. siGhh.

there’s so much build up for basically nothing. in other words, it’s anti-climatic (should’ve said that at the start instead of an entire paragraph but i uh need to show how disappointed i am).

i probably would’ve have given it four stars if it wasn’t like that. aaaaand also, I didn’t like the characters. i don’t like being so harsh but, just, yuck ok~~

Min/Melinda Wilder:

i guess she’s okay but why would she be the main protagonist? of all the characters, she didn’t stand out.

“Min wasn’t weak. Her struggles had made her fierce.”
she wasn’t at all fierce. she was just *fiercer than the rest*. there’s a difference!

Noah Livingston:

i don’t understand this boi. i mean i know what his life had been like and and all that, but I don’t get him as a person, ya know. like as a an actual human being. he had absolutely nothing for me to connect to. the author definitely didn’t develop his character enough, which was tiring because he was basically everywhere.

i also keep getting confused when he’s being described!

“He was tall and strong, but so vulnerable, too. Sweet. Not at all the person I’d thought him to be.”

i mean, WHUUUUT? HOW?!???? if you haven’t read the book then let me tell you that is NOT noah lmaoo

Tack/Thomas:
uh nothing much to say about him because he’s nothing much either. i mean, he’s a major character of the book, but is he anything more than a bad-tempered and extremely stubborn delinquent? there must be something else...right?

*heavy sigh*

this book isn’t for me, though i gave it two stars instead of one because of the premise. it was not like anything I’ve read before and was the only thing that drove me to reach the end of the book.

Ohhh, this book was not at all what I expected it to be. (I don't know if it is good or bad.)

First of all, when I bought it, I thought it will be standalone. Yet it isn't. Good thing is that I found that out before reading it, so I could mentally prepare myself for it.

Second... I also found out about the change of POV before I read it - wasn't that prepared for that one. That took a massive hit because in a way it felt like I had to reread the whole story and same experiences again.

The intriguing description, the title and cover all sucked me in and made me dream up scenarios that I hoped would come true. In the end, though I was left slightly disappointed because it felt like the book did not fulfil it's potential. It could have been so much more but turned out to be just... this.

The book was too slow for me, I was bored several times. I think we can all agree that is not really the way suspense thrillers usually go. I didn't like any of the characters, personalities, actions and attitudes which I think is connected with how American the setting in this book was. Often books that use America and Americans are strange to me, so I have a hard time connecting to such stories. I find that slightly annoying and limiting as if my mind would refuse to accept that some stereotypes I know about, actually exist in real world and are not just... you know... stereotypes.

I'm still not sure if I liked it or not. I suppose that means "not really"? When I was over the 2/3 mark I was sure that I won't pick up the sequel, but after I finished the book, I think I actually might. So there you have it. It is definitely different from anything else I have read, which is the coolest bit about this book.

the f*ck?

i saw 'girl gets killed every two years but wakes up fine' and i was like YAS this sounds interesting.... and i will admit, i skimmed/didn't really read the rest of the synopsis.

i don't know wtf i thought i was getting, but it was NOT this.

there was way too much going on, not enough answers, lazy explanations of the answers we do get.... i just don't have enough f*cks to give. also, i would not have picked it up had i known it was a series. i thought i was getting a standalone. i was not.

i would have DNF'd this except i was reading it with someone else, who thankfully also hated it with me. at the end, i was a mixture of huh and thank zeus it's over and i can go back to the world of good books.

But you guys, it ends on a cliffhanger with one character now a bad guy - wait, a NEMESIS (omg, do you, like, get what he did there? like, with the title you guys? do you get it?) and there are so many unanswered questions and omg now what are they going to dooooooooooo

i know a lot of people are stingy with their 5 stars, but i am stingy with my 1 star. i hate rating books 1 star. that's how much i disliked this book.