If the Chead came out of its trance, no one wanted to be caught in the open. While the creatures looked human, they possessed a terrifying speed, and had the strength to tear full-grown men limb from limb.

The Genome Project (once known as Rebirth) by Aaron Hodges

The Evolution Gene #1 (once known as Praegressus Project #1)
Release - March 27, 2017/second edition April 25, 2019
Genre - SciFi Dystopian Fiction
Multiple POV - 3rd person/Chris, Liz, Dr. Fallow
Heat Level - 1 out of 5/kisses
Format/Source - Kindle Amazon purchase
Length - 320 pages
Publisher - The National Library of New Zealand

In 2051, the Western Allies States have risen as the new power in North America. But a terrifying plague is sweeping through the nation. Its victims do not die—they change. People call them the Chead, and where they walk, destruction follows.

Runaway teenager Liz wants nothing more than an ordinary life. But when she’s abducted off the streets, Liz learns her government has other plans. In a future ruled by a ruthless dictator, there’s no place for the weak, and she’s spirited away to a facility deep in the Californian mountains. There, Liz wakes in an iron cage – and she’s not alone.

Beside her, eighteen-year-old Chris stands wrongfully accused of treason. The two are now volunteers in the Genome Project – an experimental program to enhance the human race and fight the Chead. Stripped of their rights, they will soon learn the true depths of human cruelty. The two must work together to survive, but even then, their chances are slim. Of course, only the lucky get to die.

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I don't know if it's because my mind was in the right place or if I was in the mood to be wowed, but this story, The Genome Project, it hit the right spot for me. It was intriguing and mysterious and horrific and wonderful!

So here's what it's about:
💉 it's the year 2051, the United States is no more, and the characters live in the Western Allied States.
💉 the world seems to be overrun by creatures known as Chead, who seem to be altered humans. I'm sure more information about them will come as the series progresses. All I know so far is that they're extremely terrifying.
💉 right from the start, Chris became a leading star of this story. My heart broke for this character and the many obstacles he had to face. What is the government doing with his mom and all of the other moms out there???
💉 in the beginning, Liz didn't come across as a sympathetic character. She grinned and smiled and smirked at the pain of others who happened to be in the same boat she was. Who does that??? However, by the end, she found an ally in me.
💉 the children of so-called traitors are 'saved from death' by being forced to act as lab rats. They are injected with an experimental serum and it seems that they will be used as weapons against the cheads.
💉 the kids are pitted against each other in a bid to see the strongest survive. I'm talking some seriously traumatic happenings here, people!
💉 and so much more!

I enjoyed the introduction to this series so much. In fact, I'll be reading book two in just a minute. The author's writing kept me engaged, the story was fast-paced, and the characters have begun to chip away at my heart. What happened to Sam and Ashley? What truths will the next book reveal? And is there a real romance brewing between Liz and Chris or was that just isolation talking and doing? So yeah, book two in my hands is a must!

The government had extended curfews across the entire country and increased military patrols, but the measures had done little to slow the spread of attacks. Last year, in 2050, the first Chead sighting had been reported in Los Angeles, and was quickly followed by attacks in Portland and Seattle. Fortunately, they had yet to reach the streets of San Francisco. Even so, a perpetual State of Emergency had been put into effect.

On the television, the SWAT team had reached the grocery store and were now gathering outside, their rifles trained on the entrance. One lowered his rifle and stepped towards it, the others covering him from behind. Reaching the door, he stretched out an arm and began to pull it open.

The Chead did not make a sound as it tore through the store windows and barrelled into the man. A screech came through the old television speakers as the men scattered before the Chead’s ferocity. With one hand, it grabbed its victim by the throat and hurled him across the street. The thud as he struck the ground was audible over the reporter’s microphone.

Aaron Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand. He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental consultant for two years, he grew tired of office work and decided to quit his job and explore the world. During his travels he picked up an old draft of a novel he once wrote in High School (titled The Sword of Light) and began to rewrite the story. Six months later he published his first novel, Stormwielder, and hasn't looked back since.

End times are here! Now you can eat whatever you want and not care if you gain weight.

The president has announced that Earth is going to collide with a rogue moon, and in the process, our entire planet is going to be smashed to bits. As one would expect, upon hearing this news, humans went ballistic. It was as if every sports team in the world lost their championship game at the same time. No car was left unrolled—but oddly enough, Taco Bell remained open and made unfathomable profits in the last days. Apparently, Doritos Locos® Tacos were a popular last meal.

Autumn (who for the purpose of this retelling asked to be portrayed as drool-inducing hot with kick-ass ninja skills) has just been handed the task of saving all of humanity. With the help of her unbelievably sexy alien boyfriend and her kleptomaniac friend with fire-retardant hair, Autumn races to save her fellow humans by using the Ark of the Covenant. Along the way, she discovers how sheltered people are from the truth of extraterrestrials and their power to either protect us or destroy us.

Stupid government.

Grab a bottle of wine, a shipload of snacks, and prepare to take a ride on this humorous chick lit romantic sci-fi paranormal adventure. If you’re into Ancient Aliens, conspiracy theories, UFOs, crave a little sexy time in your reading, are curious if we were genetically engineered (like the Sumerian cuneiform texts claim), and are dying to find out the meaning of life, then this book is for you.