Are You Even Human: Volume 1

Are You Even Human, Book 1

De: Natalie Maher

Narrado por: Sarah Beth Pfeifer

In 2025, the moon hatched and its child died. Things have since gotten worse.

Some people have superpowers now, but so do the extradimensional invaders slowly wiping humanity out. By Julietta's eighteenth birthday, the war has been loss after loss for far longer than she's been alive, so she can't bring herself to be terribly shocked when the sky splits in half and weeps death. Surviving is the real surprise.

Unexpectedly gaining the powers of a shapeshifter, Julietta can change into any living thing she has touched, mixing and matching parts with flesh as mutable as flowing water... Except when she tries to return to her original form. Trapped behind enemy lines in someone else's skin, Julietta must adapt to new powers, new bodies, and new threats, all just to survive. But when she makes it out, will she still be Julietta?

©2024 Natalie Maher (P)2025 Podium Audio

this was amazing

the story is super well done and written. very interesting Alain monsters. I cant wait for the next book hopefully it won't take long. Great voice acting for this book. I liked her in bio shifter book series. this is one of my favorite authors.

Another wonderful anxiety induce monster girl story

I love thundamoo work and as soon I saw the cover I thought "why dies Fate Parallel cover look different"? Then I realized it just the same artist as Fate Parallel doing a cover for Thundamoo.

A post apocalyptic alien Earth society with people gaining power and of course our main character has the ability to shapeshift and all the exetential crisis that come with it.

The first half was amazing while the second half is military training with the character getting a handle on their power. I definitely enjoy the first half more but some of the world building at the end does make me want to see what next.

Dystopia done well

It's what you expect from Thundamoo. Female cast. Solid characters. Moral grey zones. Voice acting is excellent. Really brings the story together.

10/10

I loved both Vigor Mortis and our hyperdimentional spider friend. So I figured this book would be a safe bet...I was right. I will eagerly await the next book in the series.

Actually kinda upbeat? Sorta?

If you haven't read or listened to anything by Natalie a.k.a. "Thundamoo," then this is a pretty great place to start. *
The setting for the book is weird, but mostly grounded in common themes: a looming apocalypse and fading human society under alien invasion. Humanity has been in a state of total war for longer than any of the characters have been alive and only the simultaneous occurrence of super powers amongst the "lucky few" helps to stem total collapse. That said, this IS a Thundamoo book, so it isn't really about war or powers so much as it is about themes of found-family, confronting inner trauma, and learning to accept yourself even as the world, the people around you and your own body seem to shift and grow into something you never expected.
* 😉 and yeah, not to spoil anything, but the story manages to keep from lingering overlong in anything depressing. The main character is basically awesome.

Natalie once again reminding me why she's my favorite author!

It's hard to pick out things specifically I love, given that I really loved it all. The setting was super interesting, the characters were all incredible, the MC was amazing. I was never not completely hooked with the story, only taking breaks either to make the experience last longer or for sleep. So, yet another unbelievably good Thundamoo series that I can't wait to read the next book of!

A masterpiece!

I am going to preface this by saying something. Thundamoo / Natalie Maher has developed a reputation for writing LGBT fiction, and that turns some people off, fairly or unfairly. I'm writing this review as a straight guy, boring old, nowhere on that spectrum. While I'm friendly to the community, I don't seek or shy away from representation in stories, as long as any representation there is, is respectful and not some insulting caricature.

So, the fact that characters in her books are often (usually lol) gay, trans, non binary, asexual just doesn't factor into it for me. What does factor into this is that they're masterfully written, complex, realistic people I feel like I can empathize with.

This story is an absolute gem. I would recommend it to anyone who can even tolerate horror content in a story. It is engaging, well written, grammatically flawless, with fantastic pride and an engaging concept. The villains, and they are many, are complex and have realistic motivations, and the conflict between humanity and the aliens is far more complex and interesting than you would at first assume.

If you like action, there's excellent action. The MC is a badass, she fights in realistic ways which show her strengths and limitations. Enemies feel realistic and challenging. Conflicts are exciting.

If you like interpersonal scenes, the found family built in this story is adorable. Maher does heartwarming, complex relationships better than almost anyone else. You will love all of the characters.

I recommend that literally anyone read literally anything she writes. She's that good. I would buy any book she made on any subject.

Second guessing/angst

I couldn’t listen to this book for more than an hour at a time because of the relentless angst and internal dialogue. I wanted to like it. Although I read a fair amount of YA, this one is too child centric for me.

Nothing but a series of whiny mental breakdowns (series dropped)

I hated literally every single character its just a bunch of whiny girls being passive aggressive to each other while the MC acts like a total doormat to be used by everyone else. I truly believe she and the story would have been better off if she just bailed on that group of crazy bi...I mean unkind girls and went out on her own. Honestly in her place I might have gone full anti hero but whatever it's a missed opportunity and a wast of a good story premise maybe do way less whiny passive aggressive banter and gross sexual tension who knows it might help.