Bonus Joint Review: Fallout Family
Note: Sometimes there will be a book that one of us reads that is so good that we both read it and give our feedback. No set schedule, so this will happen infrequently, unlike our individual reviews, which we plan to post every month. Anyway, here’s our joint review!
The Fallout Family: Book 1: Wasteland Woes
By Isaac Cooke-Khan
Back Jacket Synopsis: You have heard of a nuclear family, but a fallout family? In a world where humanity has been brought to its knees by apocalyptic disaster, survival is the only thing on James's mind. Determined to protect his sister Piper, James will stop at nothing to ensure her safety. But when a dangerous encounter leaves him injured and stranded, Piper must take the reins and embark on a treacherous journey to roam the ruins to find him. With the help of their trusty dog companion Miss Bella, Piper will discover her own strength and resourcefulness as they fight to be reunited. Will they make it in time or will the wasteland claim another victim? Join James, Piper and Miss Bella in their heart-pounding quest to survive in a world where only the strongest families survive.
**A portion of every sale will be going to the The Grand Appeal charity to support the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children's neurosciences (Bluebell) and neurorehabilitation (Sunflower) wards.
Nikki’s Review: This was a fun, quick read with a lot of great themes. I absolutely loved the characters and can’t wait to read more.
Things I loved: I connected with Isaac on TikTok and we found that we shared a joint interest in disability representation in the media. When he told me about the Fallout Family having a main character with a prosthetic leg, I was intrigued.
I think that chronic illness, disabilities, and the like are so misunderstood. I love the fact that Isaac had a character in his story with a prosthetic leg that was kicking butt all over town. He took the role of caregiver for his sister, just like any big brother would do, and he did it better than others had in the wasteland. His prosthetic was part of him but did not define him.
I also loved that the story had different points of view- including one from Miss Bella, the sweetest little dog. I had not yet read a book from an animal point of view and I have to say- I am a fan!
Constructive comments for future works from this author:
POV can be tricky and really subjective based on the reader’s preference. My personal preference is one POV per chapter, and this story switched POV between a few characters throughout each chapter.
Both a compliment and a constructive comment: Some of the writing was so gorgeous (especially the quotes I pointed out below) and some writing was more basic “we did this.. then this”. I want to see more of the vivid descriptions in future works! Keep up the great work!
Great quotes from the book:
“With a savage lunge, the mutant rat sunk its jagged teeth into James, anticipating a satisfying bite. However, to the creature's surprise and agony, James had positioned himself for this very moment. A metallic clang filled the air as the rat's teeth collided with metal, the force chipping its razor-sharp incisors. The rat squealed in pain, its agony echoing out, as it recoiled from the unexpected resistance of the prosthetic leg.”
“James watched in disbelief, his mind racing with the possibility that the woman possessed this power. Real magic. Were his parent’s stories true?”
“The tiniest things now appeared menacing, casting creepy, elongated shadows that reached out like fingers threatening to grab her. With each step she took, the shadows seemed to grow and shift, leaving her feeling exposed”
“Movie” Rating: PG. The book was appropriate for all ages but had some scary/gorey parts that I would caution for very young children.
Overall Recommendation: If you're a parent, teacher, or have some kids in your life, I recommend this book series! It is a fun, quick read with more stories to come. You can also feel good knowing that proceeds from each book go to a good cause.
Lee’s Review: Riveting, exciting, and emotional, Book 1 of the Fallout Family is a standout story of a dog, Miss Bella, who befriends teen James and young Piper, parentless children living on their own in a post-apocalyptic world, and they become a family as they face terrible dangers together.
What I Liked:
Isaac uses the third person to effortlessly move from the point of view of Miss Bella, James and Piper throughout the story, giving emotional depth to all three characters.
The relationship between James, the overprotective teenage older brother, and Piper, the curious and confident little sister, felt believable and real. I also loved their deepening relationship with Miss Bella and how the dog became an essential third member of their family.
The description of the post-apocalyptic world was very detailed, and so many dangers! Raiders, mutant animals and mutant people all pose a threat to our three young heroes.
The backstory is not dumped all at once at the beginning of the story but is weaved very effectively throughout. Good job!
I really loved Piper. Curious and compassionate, she quickly bonds with Miss Bella, names her, and then goes out on her own to save James! Midway though the story, Piper proves she is more than capable of defending herself on her own. Fantastic character-building moment!
James more than holds his own with a prosthetic leg. While it is an important part of the story, what I loved most about James is his character: he loves his sister (and ultimately, Miss Bella too), he’s not perfect but he’s smart and resourceful and doesn’t give up easily.
What I Disliked:
There were some minor grammatical errors but nothing that was too obvious or glaring.
The resolution at the end was just a tiny bit too convenient in wrapping up the story. But to me, that was just a minor quibble.
The level of violence is too high for me to personally recommend to middle-grade readers (though that may not have been the target audience for this book).
Favorite Quotes:
Miss Bella could tell Piper was scared and nuzzled her head into Piper’s side to give her the confidence to continue.
Piper to James: “You and Miss Bella… you’re my family.”
“Movie” Rating: PG-13: Violence in several scenes. In the opening scene, Bella’s former owner gets shot with an arrow. James uses a sword in several scenes and Piper uses a BB-Gun, including one against a dangerous raider (that scene is especially intense). My bestie actually thinks that it’s more like PG-level violence, so maybe I’m judging the content too harshly. Still, I feel like I need to give my opinion as well. :)
Overall Rating: If you’re an adult or young adult who is a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre, this little book is fantastic. I absolutely loved all three main characters and the world Isaac Cooke-Khan created. I can’t wait to read Book 2! Highly Recommend!
If you would like to purchase The Fallout Family: Wasteland Woes on Amazon- follow this link
The Fallout Family: Wasteland Woes: Cooke-Khan, Mr Isaac: 9798391973881: Amazon.com: Books
Disclaimer: *Our reviews are solely our opinions and not swayed by any outside factors. The reviews are for fun and not meant to be taken as a professional book endorsement, review, or advice.