by: K.A. Gandy
Series: Populations Crumble: Resurgence
Genre: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi Romance
Release Date: March 28, 2023
Publisher: Thigpen-Gandy Publishing
On the run from the men who murdered her parents, there's only one way to save herself. Marriage to a genetically-matched stranger.
Demy has been on the run since she was thirteen years old. Mysterious men in black cloaks have been chasing her, and so far she's evaded them. Something, though, has changed since she turned eighteen. Their attempts to capture her have gotten closer and closer, until she's only got one option left: turning herself over to the NLC, for the compulsory marriage program.
She doesn't want to get married, but with her would-be captors on her heels, she's got no choice but to hope the NLC's strict security protocols will be a safe haven. Marriage is a small price to pay for her life, after all. And maybe, just maybe, she'll finally have the space to discover why she's being hunted.
Marked is a new entry point in the Populations Crumble world, but many familiar characters will be present from the original trilogy.
Hey, Kim!
The Populations Crumble world is a dystopian one, in which the human population has declined to a dangerous level—we're in danger of dying off as a species. The government has stepped in to prevent this, and in the process wrenched reproductive control away from the people. Women no longer have the choice of who or when they want to marry and start having kids. They're assigned a match based on genetic compatibility, and ONLY genetic compatibility. As you can imagine, this might be great for the population, but the women? It's awful.
The original Populations Crumble trilogy follows Sadie, a small-town girl raised on her family's ranch as she's pulled into the New Lives Program, and matched to her best genetic complement. She uncovers a lot more than just a simple reproductive matching program, and has to stand up and fight for women all over the world to have a choice in their reproductive decisions. All while getting married to a virtual stranger, sent on a government-mandated honeymoon, and being expected to start having babies, stat.
In the Resurgence series, we meet a new main character, Demy. Her parents were murdered when she was thirteen, and she's been on the run ever since. The problem is, they've been gaining on her, and she's running out of money and options. So, she turns to the New Lives Program, where she'll be assigned a husband, and under top-notch security during the match process. Marriage is a small price to pay for her life, right? It will give her time to figure out who's hunting her, and why . . . but is that all she'll find out? As she navigates three new relationships, she'll have to choose between sparks she didn't expect or the safety she so desperately craves.
Sadie has worked to make changes to the program, so we'll also be exploring how the program has changed since the first trilogy, and what the world looks like four years later as they continue to fight for reproductive freedom. All of the favorite characters from the first three books will be back, but with all new problems to solve, and relationships to build. It's a wild ride.
There is a large tablet lying on top of an armoire, blinking with a silver play button. I hadn’t even noticed the tiny, carved armoire next to my seat when I climbed aboard, but sure enough I not only have an oversized plush recliner, I also have a small cabinet with more things than I could ever think to want. One by one, I pull out each drawer, finding hair ties, palettes of makeup, headphones, and at the very bottom, a teeny-tiny fridge with bottled waters and fruit.
I snatch a piece of fruit—I haven’t eaten since yesterday—and the headphones. Three bites into my banana, I take a deep breath through my nose and press play on the tablet.
A beautiful young woman with deep chestnut hair pulled away from her face and a delicate, white gold floral circlet on her head appears on the screen. She gives the camera a warm smile, and then speaks, her light country accent surprising me.
“Hello, and welcome. My name is Sadie, and I wanted to give you some more information about the program you’re embarking on and check in with you about how you’re feeling. I recently found myself sitting exactly where you are today, and the experience has changed my life forever.” She bit her lip, and dropped her hand to her belly, and I realized she was pregnant when this was filmed.
“For me, it turned into a beautiful love match. However, we now know that not everyone had that same experience. That is why Patrick and I are working to change that. There are some key things you need to know. But first, I want to tell you that no matter how you feel today, it is going to be okay.”
There is a firm conviction on her face that I want to admire, but also distrust. The idea of her being able to just declare everything okay is ludicrous to me. My life has never been okay, not for going on six years. Though, I have to begrudgingly admit that fresh food, a comfy recliner, and a mountain of unexpected luxuries could mean my life is taking a turn for the better.
I snatch a piece of fruit—I haven’t eaten since yesterday—and the headphones. Three bites into my banana, I take a deep breath through my nose and press play on the tablet.
A beautiful young woman with deep chestnut hair pulled away from her face and a delicate, white gold floral circlet on her head appears on the screen. She gives the camera a warm smile, and then speaks, her light country accent surprising me.
“Hello, and welcome. My name is Sadie, and I wanted to give you some more information about the program you’re embarking on and check in with you about how you’re feeling. I recently found myself sitting exactly where you are today, and the experience has changed my life forever.” She bit her lip, and dropped her hand to her belly, and I realized she was pregnant when this was filmed.
“For me, it turned into a beautiful love match. However, we now know that not everyone had that same experience. That is why Patrick and I are working to change that. There are some key things you need to know. But first, I want to tell you that no matter how you feel today, it is going to be okay.”
There is a firm conviction on her face that I want to admire, but also distrust. The idea of her being able to just declare everything okay is ludicrous to me. My life has never been okay, not for going on six years. Though, I have to begrudgingly admit that fresh food, a comfy recliner, and a mountain of unexpected luxuries could mean my life is taking a turn for the better.
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The Populations Crumble: Resurgence Series:
Captive releases February 20, 2024
Find out where it all started with The Populations Crumble Series:
K. A. Gandy was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and is married with two kids. She has worked as a restaurant hostess, library book shelver, ranch hand, tour guide, Realtor, tech whiz, landlord, and small business consultant, all in addition to pursuing her passion of writing. She likes to write late in the evenings and thinks drinking hot tea and baking great cookies fuels hopes and dreams. If you would like to find more of her works, you can sign up for her newsletter.
Places to find K.A. Gandy:
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ReplyDeleteI like the excerpt and cover.
ReplyDeleteHow did you come up with such a unique story?
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read. I like the cover and excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt sounds really good.
ReplyDeletewhat a gorgeous cover!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteSounds very intriguing!! Can't wait to read it!!
ReplyDelete