When the influencers and live-streamers of Jackson High are selected as the winner of the Operation Gen Z contest, Craig Boucher and his friends can't believe their luck. Sure, it's a little awkward that Craig's ex is on the team – and so is the former best friend who abandoned him for the cool crowd freshman year. But at least Craig's got his BFF to lean on. And his hundreds of thousands of followers, of course. 
 
The Zoomers think they've been chosen to compete in a secret competition to win a million-dollar scholarship. But when they get to the site – the rundown building that used to be the Oakridge Academy, an infamous school shut down after rumors of torture and brainwashing – they discover that they're pawns in a brutal game of survival.

These social media ‘Hunger Games’ stories seem to be all the craze at the moment and I’ve read quite a few of them over the past few months, but this one initially intrigued me as it wasn’t solely focused on the ‘Zoomers’ generation but included characters from ‘simpler’ boomer years.

Nevertheless, this novel was a fast-paced, slasher-fest with blood and gore from the outset. I quite enjoyed it for what it was, if you’re looking for an easy read with not much character development, a silly plot-line and some cringy one liners that is exactly what you’ll get. This book is fun, fast and frantic… but it might just make you want to read the small print before entering any competitions in the future.

I'm a sucker for ensemble horror, especially when there's a larger group of people. It feels like the action lasts longer when there's a larger group and the torture isn't all on one or two people.

I like the premise of this book and thought it was a pretty good follow through, though I think the kills happened too close together in the beginning and it was a bit difficult to follow because of too much happening at once. It was weird for me that Zoomers was chosen as the name for the teens but I definitely believe that Boomers can be like Ray and Wilkie.

The epilogue felt too short and quick, but I did like that the aftermath for the survivor(s) was shown to have been difficult and not all cut and dried.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

DNF…

First of all, I want to say thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this.

I struggled so much with this style and format. It’s structured in a way I just couldn’t connect with.

What I found to be most terrifying was the generational differences highlighted in the book, and how reliant kids & teens have become on their social media & electronics. I still remember having to work hard to earn my first flip cell phone in high school! Sometimes I had to side with the boomers when the students were being straight up rude/disrespectful.

The “Zoomers” win the chance to participate in a contest for a million dollar prize, while at the same time getting to text out beta devices from the sponsoring company. They are soon dropped off at an abandoned military academy, and the death count immediately starts to rise.

The majority of the kids, despite raw carnage and terror happening around them, still focus on the contest/ their viewers. Everyone streaming the live feed thinks the whole thing is an act, and refuse to heed the participants’ cries for police.

There seems to be a lot of specific focus on the race/looks of characters, which may be part of our MC Craig’s arc, but isn’t really necessary for some of the side/minor characters. One of the other issues I had was the kids calling each other “fairies, ret*rds, fagg*ts”, etc. I think kids these days, while being rude and obnoxious at times, don’t speak like this to one another, specifically these words. There are so many anti bullying campaigns, and lgbtq+ folkx and ally clubs are in most schools.

Overall this is an interesting read that will surely pass the time, & may appeal most to angry boomers wanting to see bratty teens get what’s coming to them.

Zoomers vs Boomers by Sawyer Black was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I should have known from the title alone that I would not enjoy this book. It was fairly fast paced but the action was cliched, "read that before somewhere else." While I understand there are only so many ways to write a story, I still find many that I don't skim through, this one I skimmed in alot. If you, or your young adult enjoy the Hunger Games type books, give this one a read.

3 Stars

I liked this book, but feel it could have used a little more work. It was a quick and entertaining read but there wasn't much of a plot.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher Sterling & Stone for making this read possible!

Zoomers vs Boomers is a quick read!

Once the game begins, not much happens to bring the plot to a climax. Don't get me wrong, this book was entertaining, I wanted to know who was the mastermind behind the game. I liked the concept, however, it was missing that bang, that eureka moment!

I will seek out this author and read more of his novels based on his writing style.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book as I’ve never read anything by this author; but I was pleasantly surprised! This was a really good read—it kept me entertained the entire time and I could totally see this book becoming a movie. The plot is basically what the title tells you with more—old vs young in terms of a fake contest with money at the end that isn’t coming for anyone. The author’s writing style is fantastic and easy to read and the plot was great. I am looking forward to more from this author!

A fun, gory story about high school vloggers that win a chance to enter a contest and win 1 million dollars. It starts on the trip to the contest location and you are introduced to the high schoolers. A wide variety of characters, some are likeable and some, not so much.

They're dropped off at a condemned school, locked in and then the fun starts! I liked the characters and the action. A fast read, well worth the time.

Well written, but not much in the actual plot. The story is fun and seems fast, but I think there were parts that could have been bigger and better, adding a little something extra to the story overall.
Kids of today will get a kick out of it with the influencer aspect to it.

Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. Really great concept but I didn't really enjoy the execution.

Likes:
*individual livestreams
*valid points made about zoomers
*quick read

Dislikes:
*"inclusive" trendiness - author tried too hard.
*protag. He's gay & he's Asian! Absolutely nothing else.... Unless you include; annoying, weak, judgemental. Thinks every boy should be his for the taking and that any boy who doesn't like him must be homophobic.
*unlikable, shallow and empty supporting characters
*weak villains

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Zoomers vs Boomers by Saywer Black!

I was really looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint me! It was well written, there was LGBTQ rep, there was gratuitous violence, it was fast paced, what more could you ask for? I will definitely read more books by Sawyer Black!

This wasn't really what I was expecting, but it wasn't that bad, actually. It was quite an enjoyable read despite the satirical tones it gives off at first glance. I actually really enjoyed the author's writing style as well, so I'd be opened to reading more by him in the future!

I personally think this would make a great film. The characters, the plot in general, and even the references thrown in just tied together really well; I think it would be interesting to watch it on a big screen considering it was fun just reading it.

The scenes weren't too gory or gross in this book, so it'd be perfect for people either not interested in those types of thrillers or younger readers just starting out in the genre. I was a bit hesitant at first because I didn't think it would be serious, but it really was a great late-night read!

In Zoomers vs Boomers, Ray and Wink are boomers who attended Oak Ridge Academy in the 40s and 50s. It was run by an abusive man name Matherne, hooray idolizes. Craig and his friends or Zoomers who have plenty of likes and subscribers on live life and that is what won them the chance to compete in this Comtesse is called the GenZ contest and Ray believes he knows the teachings of his idol and a lot of death and violence will teach millennials the lessons that parents should’ve taught them long ago. What Ray doesn’t count on us there instinct and will to survive and unfortunately the lesson here is never underestimate a millennial. This book was so, so good! I received it yesterday and read the whole thing today it was that awesome! I can’t say enough great things about this book it was fast paced, action pack they would know dull moments. Just a great plot in an awesome execution of that plot. I already have downloaded other books by Sawyer Black and look forward to reading more from him in the future. I was given this book by net galley and the publisher and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammar or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review, But all opinions are definitely my own. If you love horror and the great plot you’ll love this book!

This was actually fun for what it is! It can be hard these days to decipher if something is satire.

Craig is an influencer. He runs a popular vlog on LiveLyfe, which I'm assuming is the YouTube(maybe TikTok? idk I'm a millennial, I have a side part and wear skinny jeans) of this fictional world. Craig isn't so bad for a Gen Z kid. He loves his family and wants to take care of them. He has a few true friends. What more could you hope for at that point in life?

With help from some beauty bloggers, Craig wins a viral video contest for his school put on by KyMera, another fictional company aimed at Gen Z that I don't understand(apparently it's tech).

They've competed in a contest to.. compete for a scholarship? Anyway, the book just needed a excuse to get all these silly influencers stuck together so the games could begin!

They've been duped by someone. They're basically on an evil, live-stream version of Survivor. They're live-streaming and racking up the likes and fighting for their lives.

Who's behind this?! Is it the boomers?!??? Is there a dastardly millennial behind this(me)? Who knows, read the book and find out.

This seems like it could be a movie on Shudder.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to check this out!

This felt like watching a horror movie and seriously reminded me of the horror movie unfriended which I know many people love. This was creepy but it hit all the right spots when it comes to my scare factor, so I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.

I received this for free via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I want to thank netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I gotta say, when I requested this book I thought it was satire. The description seemed really goofy. But this book was actually really good. It was like a slasher movie in book form, and it has LGBT+ rep in the main character, which is always a plus.
Sawyer's writing is remarkably similar to one of my favorite horror authors, Riley Sager. It really had me thinking the boomers were gonna win.

This story really does make you think about real life too. Zoomers and Boomers are constantly harassing each other and blaming each other for everything. I'm a zoomer, but I also can point out how ridiculous gen z can be, while also criticizing the boomer generation lol.

Great read, thanks netgalley 💘

To start off this review, I wanted to bring up the fact that this is the first book I've ever read by this author. The author, in my opinion, has very a great grasp on formats and a great ability at writing. The writing was to the point, thorough, and well-put together. It’s very reminiscent of what this generation’s writing would be like.

My reasoning for requesting this book was the description. It’s reminiscent of well known horror movies such as Saw. Also reminiscent of hit books such as Hunger Games. Battle Royale Games like Fortnite. There are a lot of references that this century would understand, which works perfectly for the format of the book. If you don’t like a lot of current century references, such as a play on streaming channels like Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, music bands in the KPOP world, LGBTQ+, and so on… This wouldn’t be a good book for you.

One thing that I will point out is that the author is inclusive when it comes to sexual orientation, as well as races. All the characters have their own, unique personalities, skin tones, exotic features. Many races are included. Nothing feels too “white-washed” in this world of the author’s book. That is something that is very appreciated, in my eyes.

The plot picks up fairly quickly. By 20% of the book, you’re thrown into the game. The characters are decent, some of them you care about living or dying, some of them you don’t. That’s very typical in a book. The story itself is fast paced and has its own exciting scenes. Some may feel it’s /too/ fast paced, but I personally enjoy books that pick up quickly. That being said, the book can easily be read in one sitting.

The scenes themselves aren’t too overly graphic or gory, so I would suggest reading for younger teens to almost adults who are okay with a few swear words here and there, but definitely /not/ young children.

I want to personally thank NetGalley, as well as the author, publisher, and anyone else involved in providing copies, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Reviews will also be submitted to Goodreads.

Zoomers vs Boomers is a standalone slasher-horror novel by author Sawyer Black. This is the first book I've read by this author. I was drawn in by the chilling blurb promising a deadly battle royale style thriller pitting the older and younger generations against each other. I am a huge fan of stories where people are trapped somewhere fighting for survival against deadly traps or challenges while also trying to decide to work with each other or against (think Saw, Escape Room, Hunger Games, Battle Royale). I found this book didn't live up to my expectations with the idea being better than the execution. I enjoyed the overall story and it had some tense and exciting parts. I found the beginning quite slow (nothing really happened until around 20% in). I feel the book could have benefited from a really suspenseful first chapter or prologue. The book was quite short and I was able to read it in one sitting. The characters were not very likeable and I didn't feel much of a connection to any of them and therefore didn't care if they lived or died. I was more interested in the overall story of who set up the contest and why and kept reading wanting to know more. It wasn't too graphic in content but I'd not recommend for very young readers.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Once able to review on Goodreads & Amazon Australia, I will leave a review on there.