Day Zero by @kresleycole {Review}

Day Zero by Kresley Cole
(The Arcana Chronicles, #3.5)
Release Date: August 1, 2016
Publisher: Valkyrie Press; 174 pages
Rating:

Arcana means secrets, and these Arcana Chronicles short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole are filled with them. Experience firsthand the beginning of the end and behold the apocalypse through the eyes of characters you only thought you knew.

Ashes to ashes . . .
Evie Greene's story of the Flash is just one of many. All over the world, those connected in some way to the lethal Arcana game--like Death, Jack, and Fortune--must first survive a horrifying night of blood and screams.

We all fall down.
Some will have to grapple with new powers; all will be damned to a hellish new existence of plague, brutality, desolation, and cannibalism. Find out who they lost, why they endure, and what they sacrificed in order to live past Day Zero. . . .

This is not to be read if you haven't read any of the previous books (The Poison Princess, Endless Knight or Dead of Winter). There are spoilers that could potentially ruin the enjoyment of those books. You've been warned...

I've been dying for more Arcana books for well over a year, like everyone else so whether you're a fan of novellas or not, this had to excite you. New content to read to hold us over until the next book. I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this since it's really just a bunch of a short stories about most of the Arcana players. I mean, I don't mind novellas but I usually hate short stories (because they're too short for me); however, this was done perfectly. It gave you quick, small glimpses in to some of the players lives. Some we saw before Day Zero and some we saw the day of but one thing that was interesting is we saw their situations and their lives before everything went to hell.

We saw attempted sexual assault, we saw falling in love, we saw a threesome, we saw true love, we saw protecting those closest to them, we saw freedom, we met a bride, we basically saw it all; the good and the bad. But it was fascinating and it gave a new depth to these characters. Some we already like, some we hated, some are dead already in the games. But we saw them for who they were before the game changed them to who they are now.

This is why I hate short stories; because now I wish for more of these stories. I would love to know more of who they are. Or rather, who they were. It was fascinating seeing some of these people know about their destinies and some left completely in the dark.

Is it necessary you read this? I don't think so but if you're a fan of this series (like I am), it's definitely something you don't want to miss. It's fascinating. You also see Aric, Evie and Jack in this novella and if you're like me, the more of Death, the happier the reader. My allegiance is with Death.

Thank you so much to Kresley Cole and her assistant for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. Their generosity did not play a part of my rating or review.