Excited for more!

This book was a joy to listen to and I enjoyed all the characters. The story drops you immediately into a post apocalyptic world but not one we’re use to imagining. The monsters are creative and every time the characters figure one out a new one seems to leap out and challenge the very existence of humans on earth. Looking forward to the next volumes.

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Strong story except for the Narrator

If your a fan of Starship Troopers, Love and Monsters, or Silo this book might be for you. Its got a little of something of each wrapped all in one. The story keeps you engaged while not droning on. The only draw back to this book is the narrator in the first half of the book. He speaks in a very monotone voice with no clear differentiation between character. Which makes the switches of perspective hard to pin down. He does find his stride midway through. Other then that small hiccup I loved this book and eagerly await the next one.

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A good story, but needs better narration

This gave me immediate City of Ember and Silo vibes.
Pn Earth, the survivors of an alien insects invasion live in underground cities located in various locations. Each year, a group of young adults are sent from one city to other for training while dealing with the invaders.
while the plot line and story was interesting
I could fully embrace the book due to the narration issues. The narrator seemed to just read the works. Very little was done to differentiate the characters. often, I wasn't sure which character was speaking.
I don't think I will continue with the series

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Survival hinges on grit, wit, & daring alliances!

Release Day delivers an adrenaline-packed journey through a decimated Earth, where survival hinges on grit, wit, and daring alliances. Ryan Matthews crafts a gripping narrative of humanity’s fight against extinction, perfectly brought to life by GM Hakim’s dynamic and immersive narration. A thrilling mix of high stakes, intense action, and unforgettable characters—this audiobook is an absolute must-listen!

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Quite Compelling Plot

I have met the author on a few occasions, and own physical copies of the books, and there is nothing to complain about with this series. It's engaging, suspenseful, and humourous! the narrator is great and the writing style is easy to follow and smooth to read or listen to!

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Engaging

Well written and narrated. Kept my attention. Some humorous sections and riveting. Narrator GM Hakim has a captivating voice.

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Underground human survival after alien invasion - count me in!

Interesting sci-fi post-apocalyptic concept. Leaves me interested in subsequent books in series. Narration was just so-so for me. Somewhat monotone unless he was imitating accents. I almost gave up but got used to it and am glad I stuck with it because I enjoyed the story.

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A Familiar Dystopian Ride with Giant Insects

I'd like to preface this review by saying I was given a copy for review. As with all my reviews, I try to go in as blind as possible. I just have the title, author and narrator. I avoid reading the description or anything else that could give away the details of the overall story.

🔹 Recommended for fans of: The Hunger Games, Starship Troopers, Silo, and dystopian survival stories.

Release Day treads well-worn dystopian ground, drawing heavy inspiration from The Hunger Games, Starship Troopers, and Silo. The premise is intriguing—humanity, driven underground after an Arthropod invasion, faces dwindling resources and internal corruption. Our protagonists, Huck, Ariadne, and Hemant, must navigate government-imposed death trials and a perilous journey across a hostile Earth to destroy the enemy hive.

While the book delivers on action and tension, it falls short in character depth. The leads feel interchangeable with those from any other post-apocalyptic series, lacking unique voices or compelling development. That said, if you're looking for an entertaining dystopian read with giant insect warfare to pass a weekend, Release Day fits the bill.

The biggest drawback, however, is the audiobook narration. While GM Hakim maintains a steady cadence and tone, character differentiation is lacking—male and female voices blend together, making it difficult to track perspective shifts. Even with chapter labels indicating the viewpoint character, I often found myself guessing whose head I was in. This significantly hurt the overall experience.

Would I continue the series? Probably not. But if you enjoy fast-paced dystopian action and don't mind some rough edges, Release Day might be worth a shot.

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A great book

I really love the concept of this book- but even more than that love the found family that develops throughout the story.
There are a lot of real life issues interwoven in this dystopian story that makes the story really come to life. I enjoyed reading the book from multiple points of view. This book is unique to me because in my opinion there are not many books like this, it took risks and it paid off. If you love survival stories where the underdog is fighting against corruption then this story is for you.

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Captivating story - can't wait for book 2!

This story was right up my alley! I found the entire concept and exectution to be very engaging and finished it in two sessions. I love the progression of the more intense survival elements of moving through this kind of apocolyptic world and all the horrors of running into the different creatures. I felt like the decisions and reactions made by the characters were very believable and it was easy to relate to how they felt. The last 2 hours were so intense I was big time panicking myself! I loved the narrator's performace and while I wish there was a bit more of a distinction between the voices of the main characters I didn't find it too difficult to get into the story after a couple of hours. Some characters were distinct enough that I could intantly know who was talking and some charaters weren't different at all and I was relient on the author telling me who was talking or responding to who. Fortunately his voice is very easy to listen to and other than that small critique, I could still listen to his absolutley incredible voice for hours on end and very much look forward to listening to the next installment of this series. Consider me a new fan of both Ryan Matthews and GM Hakim..please release book 2 soon!

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