Resilient

The blurb said medical horror, and my thriller-y heart said - let's read it. And I was so happy, almost in bliss when a virus outbreak killed everyone in the country barring a few survivors. Erika had flu, was in bed for 2 days in agony, and when she got up, her life had changed. She was the sole survivor of the outbreak which took her parents and loved ones away. Till she found a few good survivors and some not so good ones.... Or should I say something else was prowling the streets. <br /><br />My first book by author Toni Cox had my heart pounding so hard that I felt it would jump out in terror as I read the book. Some of the moments of the struggle to survive caught me by chains. I couldn't seem to let go of my kindle. Erika's pain when she buried her parents had my eyes misting over. This was Erika's story completely, and it kept me totally engrossed, the way she survived it all. Make no mistake, it is a thriller with some friends, some bad guys, and many bad things. But at the heart of it all, there was only - PURE COURAGE. <br /><br />The only teeny tiny niggle I could say was that the beginning was a bit slow and had some brand names I knew nothing about. But those were minor stuff and takes nothing away from the story. <br /><br />At 160 pages, it was a fun, fast read. And I loved it completely... Any book which can make my pulse spike with excitement is a thriller indeed.

First of all, I love the poem at the beginning. It really sets the tone and mood of the story for me. Plus, I personally love poems and/or generally, epigraphs. <br /><br />The story started showing Erika’s usual day but there’s already a hint of some kind of virus on the sideline dominating Internet and News TV. Then she got sick and woke up, discovering that the world was not what it used to be. And I swear, my heart skipped a bit and my eyes widen when she realized what day it is already. Turned out, it’s been few days since she got sick. <br /><br />Everything that happened after that truly made me feel icky and horrified which is a great thing for this kind of novels or stories. And from that moment, the suspense and thrills didn’t wane till the end. Of course there are times, I felt like the suspense became flat, but that’s only because I’m already used to it. I was already absorbed in the world and like Erika, accepted the new condition of the world she’s living in. By the way, I didn’t know this was set in Africa, or I knew it because I read the blurb, but somehow forgot about that fact and upon reading and realized it is set in Africa, I was really happy. Like I discovered something great and I did, didn’t I? It’s not every day I get to read a dystopian novel sets in Africa. <br /><br />I like the whole concept of Resilient. Generally, it’s not something new but it seemed like a new one because the author has a lot of new concepts (which I won’t mention in fear of spoiling anything) added to the already-known concept. The author succeeded at making the concept of a medical horror slash apocalyptic dystopian genre as if it’s her own. That’s a compliment, I just gave. ? But my favorite part of this novel is the title itself – Resilient. It’s very empowering especially after reading the whole story. Erika’s character is the embodiment of the title and I like the development her character had shown. She really grew a lot while trying to adapt in her new environment.<br /><br />The only reason I didn’t give this a perfect five star rating is because I think some of the characters, especially the ones who were introduced later in the story could have used more development, or more time for development. Also the romantic relationships happened so fast. But overall, I highly recommend this novel. ?

This read was an unexpected pleasure that manages to infuse the modern dystopian fantasy with new ideas, novel characters and a storyline that is equal parts hopeful and hopeless. Indeed, 'Resilient' transcends it's genre to become a book that will be enjoyed by those who are drawn to good writing, strong characters and and descriptions that drag even the most jaded readers into a world gone mad.<br /><br />The story explores the eponymous resilience of Erika, a young woman confronting a new existence where humankind has been virtually eradicated and everything she knows has been turned into the fearful unknown. Drawing on her extensive pedigree as a fantasy writer, Cox's strength lies in creating new worlds in which the reader comfortably, almost seamlessly, immerses themselves.<br /><br />Cox displays her continued development as a writer in 'Resilient', being unafraid to tackle new themes and ideas with her prodigious talents that are further refined with each new project.<br /><br />

Resilient is a horror story about a virus outbreak that kills mostly everyone except for a few random survivors. Erika is one of those survivors. She was in bed with the "flu" for two weeks.. When she awoke, she found her family and loved ones all dead. We watch her have to bury and asy goodbye to her parents and move on. She finds some other survivors... some good and some bad.. <br /><br />This book was a very interesting story. I know some epidemic/outbreak books can get repetitive but this one definitely held my attention.<br /><br />I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thoroughly enjoyed this! The first few chapters were a bit freaky considering the happenings of last year. Even had to check when it was published! (2019 so pre COVID.) That should be enough info to hint at what the main event is. It's a story of hope, adventure, humanity and resilience. And there's a cool dog.

<strong>I almost DNF’d but I’m glad I didn’t </strong><br /><br />This book sounded so interesting that I had to pick it up. It’s always wonderful to read novels set in less used counties, so South Africa was a first for me. <br /><br />So if you’re wondering why I almost didn’t finish...well, some irritating (to me) tropes, not-user-friendly slang, and untranslated non-English conversation. The latter throws a reader out of the story with crazy confusion. I can’t stop and Google every ten seconds and still keep in the zone. There are many foreign authors who stick to a universal slang OR put asterisk footnotes. So. Very. Helpful. <br />That’s my con list, as it were. <br /><br />The rest of the book shines. The main protagonist is a woman alone, surround by corpses, scared, and traumatized. So believable and on point. Erika grows, adapts, learns, and...enter stage right The Primals #ZombieThings. Time to WOman up and she does. The protagonist is smart and ready to do what needs to be done, yet she has FEELINGS. Guilt, fear, depression - look Mum, a “real” girl! I won’t give out spoilers, it’s not my style, but keep reading. The plot thickens. The pace quickens.<br />Then suddenly the last page turns and you’ve gobbled this book down. Yummy :-)

As a South African I enjoyed the familiarity of the local dialect and scenery. But when the sickness came all my comfort disappeared. I was slammed into a sense  of panic made worse by the fact that in other parts of the word there is a crisis. This book is a startling look at what it could be like to live with a crisis. Worthy read.

<strong>Am I resilient? </strong><br /><br />That’s the question I’m left asking before I head to the chemist to stock up on supplies. Cox has outdone herself with a brilliant story of love, loss and resilience. I highly recommend this on the edge of your seat read!

This was one heck of a book to be reading in the midst of a pandemic. Just wow! <br />Erika was a force to be reckoned with and she didn't let a little thing like seemingly being the only person left alive stop her from trying her best to survive and thrive. Many scenes in this book were eerie and chilling as I read and observed her doing her best to stay prepared. Her strength was definitely admirable. I was so anxious with every chapter and new situation she would find herself in. <br />This was an incredible story from start to finish that had my anxiety peaked the whole way through.

<strong>Frighteningly Realistic </strong><br /><br />I couldn’t stop thinking at every turn that this could happen. The pain the main character faces repeatedly is palpable and makes her empathic. Great job!