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Rachel's Story: A Gripping Dystopian Saga about the Choices We Make Kindle Edition

by Leigh Russell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 168 ratings
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A girl struggles to survive in a dystopian world destroyed by war, where food is scarce, the government rules, and ordinary people only exist to serve.

As a child, living in a post-apocalyptic world, the only person Rachel can rely on is her mother. But when her mother is killed, Rachel is initiated into The Programme, where selected young girls are medicated to make them fertile.

Fearing for her future, Rachel escapes. But freedom comes at a price and Rachel must navigate through a terrifying landscape of persecution to survive.

What is on the other side of the city wall? Will the repressive government hunt her down? One thing is certain. Rachel’s world will never be the same again . . .

Rachel’s Story is the perfect read for fans of women’s fiction and dystopian novels, such as Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
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  1. Print length
    248 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Bloodhound Books
  5. Publication date
    April 6, 2021
  6. File size
    1571 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author


Leigh Russell, author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel crime series, has sold well over a million books worldwide. Her novels have been translated into Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Turkish. Reaching #1 on Kindle, her books have been selected as Best Fiction Book of the Year by the Miami Examiner, voted Best Crime Fiction Book of the Year in Crime Time, a Top Read on Eurocrime and shortlisted for the John Creasey New Blood CWA Dagger Award, long listed for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, and a finalist for the People’s Book Prize. Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English. She serves on the board of the Crime Writers Association, chairs the Debut Dagger Judges, and is a Royal Literary Fellow.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09C6NQF6M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloodhound Books (April 6, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 6, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1571 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 168 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell

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Leigh Russell has sold over a million crime fiction novels. Her Geraldine Steel titles published by No Exit Press have appeared on many bestseller lists, and reached #1 on kindle. Leigh's work has been nominated for several major awards, including the CWA New Blood Dagger and CWA Dagger in the Library, and her books have been optioned by major television production company Avalon Television. She chairs the CWA Debut Dagger Award judges and is a Consultant Royal Literary Fellow.

Leigh has also written stand alone thrillers, a dystopian novel, and a historical novel for Bloodhound Books, and the Lucy Hall international mystery series published by Thomas and Mercer.

Find out more about Leigh on her website http://www.leighrussell.co.uk where news, reviews and interviews are posted, with a schedule of Leigh's appearances. You can contact Leigh via her website, where you can subscribe to her newsletter and follow her on Twitter and facebook.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
168 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Josette Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
A dystopian novel, with many characters that stick out. The future looks bleak in this novel as he reader discovers how the Council maintains control over the city. The Programme sounds so frightening. Rachel was chose because she was beautiful and would make a good wife, if she could endure the whole program. Unfortunately or fortunately for Rachel, she realized how the girls were brainwashed into believing they have an important job. Once she escaped, she found out that outcasts existed, there were no monsters and there was real food to be tasted. This book was an experience I will not soon forget. I love dystopian novels and this one fits right up there with The Hunger Games. I am looking forward to reading more about Rachel and the survivors.
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Bobbi Jo Wagner
4.0 out of 5 stars great story
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2021
I enjoyed this suspenseful thriller. This is a newer author for me and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. This is a well developed story that has twists and turns that left me sitting on the edge of my seat. Ths characters are connectable and made the story fun to read. They made the story feel realistic and I had no problems imagining myself in the story. This is a fast paced story about normal people only exsiting to serve and are not allowed to be happy or find happiness. Rachel is worried about her future and the government is after her. What will happen with this story, I highly suggest reading this book to find out. This is a great story that I truly enjoyed.
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K. O'Connor
3.0 out of 5 stars Fem Dystopian
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2021
Rachel’a Story starts off at a fast pace without really giving the reader time to understand the context. It starts of fast, and then takes a very slow turn in the middle, and then ends with the same speed with which it started. The ending makes me wonder if this is part of a series and the next book will be from a different character’s point of view. This book isn’t my normal type of book, but it definitely kept me engaged.
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Dukemom2003
5.0 out of 5 stars If You Enjoyed The Handmaid’s Tale, Read This Book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2021
I have never read anything from this author, but I will be following her from now on! In this story, Rachel loses her mother to the Guardians and is moved the The Facility to enter The Programme. She is training to be a “wife” until her independent nature takes her on another path. Rachel soon learns the truth and discovers a new world. I thoroughly enjoy dystopian novels and have high hopes this story will be continued in another book! The characters are well thought out and the story flows at a enticing pace. The author builds this new world very convincingly. It is easy to fall right in!
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Really Big Dog Moms
2.0 out of 5 stars Mildly Entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2023
I ordered this book thinking it was another adult posts apocalyptic story but I'm convinced it is a Young Adult novel. Not that that's bad, just a book with more fluff then I'd like.
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Kindle Customer C📲📱🔖📚📖
5.0 out of 5 stars Rachel new life
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2021
This is a fantastic book with thrilling, suspense . The first page will get your attention with Rachel mother . Rachel ,and her mother lives in a society where Guardians which are the policies. The Guardians work for the City council ,and they know each person,or information on each person. And where they stay or housed, family members, how much you eat. There much more Rachel have something tragic happened. It's sad 😢, but the pace picks up. You will meet different types of characters in this novel with Rachel.
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Michelle
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2021
First off this book is touted as a “gripping dystopian” and I would have to agree 100%. This was right up my alley I love dystopian stories!

The Prologue came in with a BANG and I have to say that I did get a “Handmaid’s Tale” vibe from the story line. The MC is a young girl trying to survive in a world that was devastated and ravished by a sickness many many years before.

After being forced out on her own Rachel has to learn to navigate this new world and new rules to survive. This book was filled with love and hope and I am almost positive there is going to be another book due to the cliffhanger! I loved all the characters and really enjoyed the book and the atmosphere the author created. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
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Nikki R
4.0 out of 5 stars New dystopian novel
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
This dystopian novel starts off with a bang. The world the author built was very interesting, and I was always wondering what would happen next. This book definitely has the beginning of a series feel. I’d be interested to see the main character grow and mature; Rachel’s story seems far from over.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sean Talbot
5.0 out of 5 stars Dystopian
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
Dystopians are a very big part of my reading life. I love the strange ways and cultural norms that tend to be drawn for us. They constantly show that things could be worse especially when you are in a pandemic.

The fact that this is a new journey for Leigh Russell and it's her first dystopian. It shows a different style of writing as crime or thrillers while somewhat connected to dystopian there are more differences.

Rachel's Story is not hard hitting in your face style of book. It really seems more genuine as it shows that even though things aren't good that there is always something that you look forward to.

The character has a lot of heartache and it seems like Rachel is a person who just wants to belong but there wasn't a place for her it felt like.

Seeing her I could really feel what she was going through. I think that always makes a great character. Even if some of the points in this book seems very backwards to me it also shows that due to what happened they had to find a new simpler way of living.

Would I be able to live that way No but I guess you would adapt or die.

I also feel a great sense of regret for the character Rachel who wants freedom and seldom feels like she has it.

There has to be more books for this great story as it was the best dystopian I have read in close to 10 years
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mark
5.0 out of 5 stars An intensely gripping dystopian novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
The city where Rachel and her mother live is truly an abominable place, where after curfew the streets are patrolled by Guardians, the brutal and repressive arm of an allegedly beneficent state, who only seek to protect its immiserated citizens from the monsters beyond the city walls. Food and hydration are given via pill, again controlled by the government – the shadowy Council. Life is cheap in this city, and any disobedience might cost you the ultimate price.

Without wishing to give any major plot points away, Rachel finds herself training to be a prospective wife for one of the Council leaders – while undergoing The Programme at The Facility.

Superficially luxurious, it is a further place of command and control, where any individuality is quickly quashed, alongside the fledgling spirit.

So what does lie outside the city walls? Rachel finds out, and experiences things there other than she was expecting.

Throughout the remainder of the novel, we see her gain in confidence and courage, as the stakes for survival are raised once more.

A very well-crafted novel, with clear and resonant prose (sometimes folktale-like or allegorical in style) and surprising character development, Rachel’s Story also interrogates the meaning of individuality and the absolute need for personal sovereignty, set against seductive enticements, which will eventually be a person’s undoing.

The gradual emergence of backstory for how this city came to be as it is, as well as its hinted origins, is skilfully achieved, as is Rachel’s existential quandary – both knowing that life had at one point been very different (via her mother’s and a neighbour’s stories), and her own heart’s yearning for some vestige of happiness. The fleeting and soulless happiness of surface level beauty and pampering is minutely explored.

The drama and peril is ratcheted up over the final chapters, which are memorably depicted, and quite horrific. There’s an engaging and varied cast of characters throughout the novel, despite the monochrome and limited nature of both life in the city and life outwith it.

Rachel’s Story held my attention, and it touched on numerous topics – climate, disease, food-production, and the limitations of government control – which are much in the news of late. It would seem that this is an ideal novel for now, and aspects of it should be taken as a prescient warning, in my view.
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christie campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read.
Reviewed in Australia on May 3, 2021
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Loved the story. Hoping for a follow up. I felt there could have been more to it but in saying that it was also a nice wrap up to it. A few minor details bothered me, as the "symbols" not being known but the language and names of things being known. Could be explained. By stories of past I suppose. All in all good story and have recommended my daughter to read it.
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Monastic_Bacon1972
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully paced and engrossing.
Reviewed in Australia on May 24, 2021
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I mainly read classics and in fact this is the first 21st century novel I've ever read. I loved this book and loved Leigh Russell's sure hand at leading you through the different realities of Rachel's story. Well done. Consider me a fan. Simon, Melbourne
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Ruth
3.0 out of 5 stars A page-turner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
I think this would do well in the Young Adult category. It's a fast-paced story, easy and enjoyable to read. The plot is well-constructed to keep you turning the pages. Personally I would have preferred more depth to the characters and to have less spelt out for the reader. Let's hope this horrendous vision of the future doesn't come about, though the ending does allow for the possibility of something better.
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