This started off intense and set the stage for a thrilling read, but it dragged a little in the middle. I also thought the setting never played into the story. With the setting being in the zoo, I was expecting tense moments with wild animals on top of the tense moments of the danger, but that was missing. I did enjoy the relationship between Joan and Lincoln and the struggles Joan had with protecting her son and also saving herself. I gave this 3 stars on goodreads.

First of all I would like to thank Netgalley for a free digital copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
I had such high hopes for this one. It sounded promising and I read several raving reviews on Instagram.
However this story just wasn't for me. I find it hard to pinpoint the exact reason but I think the main thing is that I didn't feel connected to the main characters. I remember thinking who are these people? This goes for both the victoms and the killers. As a reader I felt a bit lost, wanting to make sense of what was going on in that zoo but not finding the answers I was looking for. I was all but immersed in the story. I guess the fact that the story was told in "real time" didn't work for me and I have to admit that I only made it halfway through the book. Nevertheless this book has received nothing but good reviews so please don't let my opinion stop you from picking it up.

Joan and her young soon are about to leave the zoo at closing when she hears gun fire. I loved this book! I loved that it took place in real time, each move was thought out with emphasis on the fact that Joan's four year old was the key factor. I could not put this down, read it in one sitting.

Fierce Kingdom was truly a joy-ride of a read. I simply could not put it down! It tapped into the very core of just how far a mother would go to protect her child, how people react in such a tense and terrifying situation. The REALITY of it, the raw terror and emotion. What a wonderfully executed story, I sincerely hope to read more from this author!

I'm definitely glad I took the time to read Fierce Kingdom. Despite the fact I didn't give it the highest rating on the planet, Fierce Kingdom is without doubt a very suspenseful, refreshing and entertaining psychological thriller that reads like a train. I found myself literally flying through the pages and finished it in less than a day! The writing has a way of drawing you in and I loved the setting in a zoo. Very refreshing and original! The story follows Joan, her son and a bunch of other characters trying to find a way to keep safe in a very chaotic and dangerous situation. There are quite a few twists involved and danger is never far away, but Fierce Kingdom isn't just about the suspense. It is also about the bond between Joan and her son and how far she will go to protect him. And there is were the part comes in that made me lower the rating: the credibility. I'm not sure if the whole situation is actually credible and I wasn't sure about the decisions Joan made either or how things developed. Some of it just felt pretty chaotic and all over the place... BUT. Somehow I still managed to enjoy reading this story anyway. This has a lot to do with the writing, the refreshing and original plot and the constant presence of danger and suspense as you keep reading to find out what will happen to them. So while I ended up giving Fierce Kingdom 'only' three stars, it is a very good three stars for me. And I'm sure this book will be a right fit for those who are not affected by the credibility and are looking for a refreshing psychological thriller with a healthy dose of suspense and a touch of drama.

This storyline was so intriguing and I was excited to read the book; however, it fell flat. The story of the zoo shooting was spread out way too long with too much detail that I found wasn't important. There were so many loose ends that the book didn't have an ending, and I'm still not sure if some of the characters made it out alive or not. I enjoyed experiencing the bond between the mother and son, and some of the other characters along the way. This story was an excellent idea that wasn't excecuted to my liking unfortunately.

I just couldn't love it. Gin Phillips writing is solid, and sublimely detailed. The fault lies not in the story telling, rather in the fact that I found myself skimming entire pages, waiting for the next change of pace. Development is slow. And while we learn plenty about the protagonist, Joan, and her delightful son, Lincoln, it's not enough to carry the novel. The final third of the book outshines the rest by far with the introduction of several new characters. Unfortunately, the ending fell enormously short and ruined the small part of the book that had been redeeming.

Interesting premise with moments of anxiety, but constant flashbacks and long musings on movie and superheroes affected the tension.

Joan and her 4 year old son, Lincoln, are at the zoo nearing closing time when Joan realizes she's living every parent's nightmare: shooters are on the prowl in the zoo.

Joan scoops up Lincoln and gives in to her first impulse: run. Eventually she can’t continue and must find shelter and hide. As she hears the gunmen closing in she uses her ingenuity to find shelter in varying spots. As a mother, I physically felt Joan’s terror, my muscles tensed, and I found myself holding my breath until I knew they were safe again. Along the way, she meets other zoo visitors who create complications and/or moral dilemmas for Joan.

Although Lincoln is precocious, he’s also a typical 4 year old. He gets hungry, he has to use the bathroom, he forgets to whisper, all the things that can draw the attention of the shooters. And speaking of precocious, are there really 4 year olds who have his vocabulary and reasoning skills? I admit as my eyes were rolling and I was thinking “this doesn’t sound like any 4 year old I’ve ever known”, my heart was melting at how sweet and precious he was. He stole my heart in ways that perhaps a normal fictional 4 year old wouldn’t, so I understand why the author created him this way.

Joan’s instinct to protect her son was pure animal instinct and I felt for her as she had to make some heartbreaking choices. It made me think about what I would do to protect my own. How far would I go? And that’s what sets this apart from so many disaster/terror books that have come before it. As a mother and grandmother, I could put myself in Joan's shoes. Rarely are moral dilemmas a simple case of black and white.

One complaint is the narrative was interrupted by the backstory of not only Joan, but of several secondary characters. As my heart was pounding, I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough and it was jarring to be pulled out of the story into the past. I didn’t care. I only cared about the now so I found myself skimming to get back to the present situation at the zoo.

I also would have preferred to get closure on a few loose threads (view spoiler). And then there’s the matter of the cell phone. I wanted to reach through the pages and slap her for her stupidity. But despite these few quibbles I found the book to be a riveting page-turner that I devoured in one sitting.

This was a book I was very excited about. Unfortunately, I found it extremely slow and boring. And the whole situation just seemed too much of an impossible situation.

I received an e galley of this book for an honest review. Thank you so much for allowing me to read it. I gave this book 2.5 stars and bumped it up to 3 stars. I enjoyed this book at first but I found myself disliking it more and more as the story went on. I wasn't attached to any of the characters except the 4 year old Lincoln.. Also the ending left me very unsatisfied.. The premise had a ton of potential but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. I did enjoy seeing the lengths a mother would go to keep her child safe. Lincoln was my favoritte and I enjoyed Kaylin's character for the most part. Joan was willing to do just about anything to keep her child safe, it never ceases to amaze me the length a mother will go to ensure her children are safe. I found myself at times annoyed by her actions but with that being said I am not a mother nor do I know how I would act in a situation such as this one. I was hooked from the beginning but I kept getting pulled out of the story by things that I thought were just filler and not necessary. I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it lacked depth and left me wanting more from the characters, also the ending was less than desired. I will talk about this on my youtube channel during my August Wrap Up and I will link my video once it's live.

A woman and her small son are caught up in a shooting at a zoo. What will she and other people do to survive this horror? I liked the way the author expanded into multiple POVs, but frankly I didn't care enough about the main characters to fully engage in this story and it seemed there were a lot of plot points that were left hanging. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Galley.

The primal instinct of a mother's love for her son is the most powerful force of nature.

After a fun day at the zoo, Joan and her son find themselves in grave danger at the closed gate. Families are running, and three gunmen are actively shooting at anything moving. Joan's intimate knowledge of the zoo and running skills puts her at an advantage as she finds a remote place in the zoo the hide.

Overall, this was an intense novel but the story line at times dragged on during the flashbacks while Joan and her son were hiding. Several questionable actions by the protagonist left me with a feeling of implausibility, especially when it related to her cell phone. However, the descriptions of the zoo at night were eerie, and Joan's fierce love of her son was palpable. An excellent premise for a novel that fell slightly short on execution.

When I started reading this book I knew it was going to be good, but let me just say it exceeded all my expectations! The story flowed beautifully and I literally could not put it down. Joan took her son to the zoo for some quality time and what ended up happening flipped her world upside down. She and her son were literally trapped in the zoo where someone was shooting people. As a mom myself this book hit so close to home. Joan did exactly what I would do and she did what she needed to do to protect her son. If you love a fast paced thriller you really need to read this. I was literally on the edge of my seat and my heart was racing in parts. This is definitely a top read of 2017 for me!

A terrifying thriller! Full of excitement. It will make you question what would you do, if you found yourself in a dangerous situation.
Wanting to do the right thing, but will a mother's instinct and love prevail?
Exciting story, but I would have liked one more chapter, or epilogue tying up some unanswered questions.

Joan and her four-year-old son. Lincoln, have enjoyed one of frequent visits to the zoo. It has been an uneventful day, quiet except for the noise of popping in the distance (fireworks?) near closing time. Now, though, it is time to leave. However, on the way to the exit, she spots first some bodies on the ground and then a man with a gun outside the cafeteria. Praying that he has not spotted them and thankful that they know every inch of the park as well as that she is a dedicated runner, she grabs Lincoln and heads to a hiding place she hopes will provide cover from the shooter or shooters. They will spend the next three hours hiding, not an easy thing to do with a youngster. But Joan is a fierce mother who will do anything to ensure his safety even if it means she will put herself in even more danger to do so.

Hitchcock once said that ‘there is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it’ and author Gin Phillips understands this very well and uses it to great advantage in her novel, Fierce Kingdom. Most of the action happens off the page and the events, as horrific as many of them are, are not portrayed graphically which has the effect of making them that much more shocking and disturbing. Much of the tension is built and accelerates around Joan’s attempts to keep Lincoln quiet without scaring him too much, with the sound of approaching footsteps and of voices that she can hear taunting her when she is unable to judge how close they are, whether they know where she and Lincoln are or are just trying to flush them out.

Fierce Kingdom will resonate with anyone who loves a well-written and heart-pounding thriller and it gets a high recommendation from me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Viking for the opportunity to read this nook in exchange for an honest review

I can't wait to recommend this book to my readers who love suspense and women's fiction. The relationships are believable and the feelings are visceral.

A mother and young son are exploring the zoo as they often do most late afternoons. Suddenly gunshots and screams fill the air and Joan turns into a tiger mom whose only thought is to protect her son. As they run into a more remote area of the zoo, four year old Lincoln thinks they are playing hide and seek but then the game turns into a run for their lives as gunmen roam the grounds taking out anything and anyone that moves. The story shows ordinary people put into an extraordinary situation and makes for one heck of a thrill ride. It starts off with a bang (pardon the pun) and never slows down for a second. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy and high blood pressure.

How do i even begin this review?
I was not at all prepared for what I was getting myself into by reading this book. I started it earlier this morning around 11 am and finished it by 3 pm. I could not read this book fast enough!

Fierce Kindom wastes no time in diving into the story of Joan and her 4 year old child, Lincoln, spending an ordinary day at the zoo. As they are leaving and nearing the exit, they come upon men with guns and dead bodies on the floor. A cheerful day at the zoo quickly distorts into a nightmare as we find out what lengths a mother will go through to protect herself and her son as she tries to get them out of the zoo alive.

This wasn't just a thriller. Gin Phillips expertly weaves a believable story with characters you can't help but feel attached to and root for their safety. This book took me to that zoo and their fear was so palpable that they became my fears as well. The entire novel is set to only take place within a few hours and i really enjoyed how the author split that time by giving perspectives through the eyes of different characters, but stil mainly leading with Joan. I never felt that the story dragged on in places, as i struggle with this issue in many books, and the different viewpoints worked wonders in keeping me intruiged.

You know an author does an amazing job of storytelling when you can't stop imagining yourself in the main characteres shoes throughout the whole book. It would be terrfying enought to be trapped inside a zoo when armed men decide to start randomly mass murdering anyone they can find. I could only imagine its a whole new level of terrifying if i had my 4 year old child with me. Everything from hiding, to fleeing, to just trying to stay calm and level headed would be so much more difficult.

Overall this book definetely earns a solid 4/5 from me. It was an easy "read in one sitting" type of book. I would gladly recommend it to friends who are looking for an intense and fully immersive read.

I really struggling with a rating for this book. I decided on three stars because I was caught up in the story and had to know how it was going to end. However, I did have some issues with it.

Joan is relaxing with her four-year-old son, Lincoln in one of their favorite areas of the zoo. She is listening to him chatter about Dr. Doom and Batman. It's near closing time and so they start to head for the exit....the next moment she hears what sounds like popping balloons or firecrackers. As she continues to head towards the exit she sees something that makes her turn around and run.

For the next three hours she must run, hide, and make some tough decisions to keep herself and her son safe.

When the book started off it was really intense. I can't imagine being in such a terrifying situation. Trying to keep yourself AND your child calm at a time like that would be extremely stressful. Even though I am not a mother myself, my heart was literally in my throat as I wondered where I would hide/whatt would I do?
Most of the story is told from the mother, Joan's point of view, but we do hear from teenager, Kailynn who works in the zoo's restaurant and a retired schoolteacher, Margaret Powell. As the story grows we discover information about Lincoln and the relationship between mother and son. We also hear about Kailynn's life and her relationship with her father. and the teachers life and feelings towards her students
The mid section of the book seemed to slow down too much although it did pick up towards the end but this was such contrast to the beginning of the book which was pacy and tense. I had a few issues with believability - why would you throw your phone away to hide the light - why not switch it off? Also before she threw away said phone, she spoke to her husband on the phone but I was a bit confused as to why she wouldn't just call the police? If you were that scared, feared for the life of your child, would you not call the police immediately and scream "Get me out of here!" down the phone?
There were also a few unanswered questions for me in the book . . . I don't want to say because of spoiling the story for others . . . but there were a couple of people still left unaccounted for at the end which I found a little annoying.

All that being said, I felt compelled to continue reading to the end. I was engrossed by it and desperate to find out what happened in the end. I have to admit, I didn't like the cruelty parts of the book (again don't want to go into detail about this) but it didn't sit right with me. I am an animal lover but I didn't see the point in putting this cruelty in to demonstrate a psychopathic nature of a character - it could have been handled differently. Plus, in the writer's thank you's, she mentions the cat escapades and it filled me with horror; did someone she know actually do this and she was thanking them? I shuddered at that. I just don't like things put in for shockability factor and I felt this was why it was there. I can cope with most things and animal cruelty isn't one of them, although I am aware that is my personal preference and it may not bother others. However, I do feel there should be a warning about this in the front of the book.
Overall a great concept, good pace at the beginning and end, a bit lacklustre in the middle. I was compelled to keep turning the pages and finished the book in two sittings, but there were a lot of unanswered questions and the cruelty didn't agree with me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy.