Audio Book Review: Compound 26 By Krista Street

Compound 26
(Makanza #1)
By Krista Street

Narrator: Vanessa Moyen
Length: 8 hours and 56 minutes

A deadly virus. A brilliant, young researcher. And an infected survivor who threatens to steal her heart.

In a society ruled by sanctions and curfews, Dr. Meghan Forester emerges as the youngest and most promising scientist to join the fight against Makanza - the deadly virus that's ravaged the world.

Inside Compound 26, a giant government-controlled research facility, Meghan's new job involves studying the Kazzies, the rare survivors who carry the virus and now exhibit supernatural powers. But as her work enfolds, Meghan's horrified at the brutal and unethical practices the Kazzies are subjected to. And most surprisingly, she falls in love with one.

Faced with growing conflict over helping the Kazzies versus following the Compound's strict policies, Meghan must choose: obey the government's unethical practices or risk everything to save the only man she's ever loved.

Compound 26 is the first book in The Makanza Series - a Sci-Fi Dystopian Romance with strong fantasy elements. This series is filled with strife and intrigue, and questions what it truly is to be human. Fans of Stephenie Meyer and Jennifer Armentrout are sure to love these books!

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

I have the WORST timing. I don't think I thought through reading this book. Reading a book about a pandemic while living through one in real life was not a good idea. Real-life should never imitate my fictional books, especially where a freaking pandemic is involved!

After I hopped over that very real and uncomfortable realization the book was just okay. I was expecting something completely different than what I got. For some reason, I got it in my head that this story would be an escape from the laboratory scenario and that the virus would be hocus pocus. Don't ask me how I came to that conclusion. All I know is that that was not the way this story played out and I can't help but think that my version was more exciting. 

Meghan was an okay character. She's super smart and has I-don't-know-how-many-degrees at 23 years old. She's never really had time to live life because she's always wanted to work to find a cure for this virus. Overall, she was rather uninteresting aside from being smart. Her relationship with Davin was barely there and I just wanted more development with that particular plot point. 

We barely got to know Davin. We got to know a lot about his past and who he was before the virus from another person but not who he is now. It's clear he's stubborn and headstrong but the way he opened up to Meghan felt off. I want to know more about him. I wonder what will become of him in the future as this series progresses.

One thing that really bothered me was Dr. crap-for-brains. I don't care to remember his name at this point. He kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for him to do something hurtful/insane and it never happened. He turned out to be mean just for the sake of being mean. That does not a good plot device make.

The ending was a bit surprising and then it wasn't. Meghan was overly careful throughout the entire novel and when things really matter she gets complacent. She's supposed to be smart that was a rookie mistake. I think lost brain cells with how much I was rolling my eyes at this situation. I may or may not pick up the next book in this series. Only time will tell!

The Audio Book:

The narration was great! Though it was on the slower side so I sped this up to x1.25 and things were awesome! All the characters were distinguishable from each other throughout the novel.

My Rating: