Virtual Rebel – J.Z. Pitts
Tyrannical aliens. A rebel father. Deadly virtual worlds. One girl’s choice could alter humanity’s fate.
My name is Ava McNealy, and I’m addicted to The Haven, an immersive virtual reality program. Who cares if tyrannical aliens rule the Earth when there are endless digital worlds to explore, monsters to fight, and team-ups with friends.
But when my father is arrested as a rebel, everything changes. Desperate to save him from execution, I embark on a perilous journey through treacherous levels and uncharted realms within The Haven, where everything is not as it seems.
Will my audacious quest be successful? Can I unravel the secrets of The Haven in time? The fate of my father, and perhaps the course of history itself, hangs in the balance.
Review
About a year ago I came across a book service called Paper Quest which focused on self-published and independent authors. I’ve read both periodically but never really dedicated time to them – so I thought I would give this service and try. While I no longer maintain my subscription, I’ve enjoyed several of the books that I’ve read from them. So when it came time to pick my book for the current Bee Hive Book Club cycle, I figured why not look at one of the books received through Paper Quest. After digging through my stack of books (well, maybe literal stacks around the house), I came across Virtual Rebel and was like yep, I think this is it. I picked it in part because I loved the concept behind Ready Player One and virtual worlds and wanted to read more books with that kind of theme/plot through out.
Virtual Rebel delivered on that concept and while it took me until nearly the end of the month to actually pick up the book and get it read (because as you know, too many books, too little time), I vastly enjoyed myself when I did get a chance to read it. I thought Ava, while maybe not totally unique, seemed like someone I would want to be friends with. I thought that the author nailed the societal and group dynamics that occurred in the story and the action kept me on the edge of my seat in places. I also found the ending to be satisfying in that it didn’t really leave as loose ends (or wanting a sequel), I was happy where Ava ended up and how she ended up there. That being said, it looks like this might be the first book in a trilogy, so I’m curious to see where the author is going to take the plot in these future books (maybe her friends?)
Overall, I got exposed to a new author and found someone that I will likely seek out their books of more in the future. I can’t wait to see what my fellow hive members say about it when I get my journal back at the end of the year.
Final Rating: ★★★ 1/2
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