The Holdout - A Novel
A unique reading experience
Only for iPhone
Free · Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS.
iPhone
Don’t you wish your brain would let you read books as easily as you scroll through social media feeds? The Holdout is an experiment designed to do just that. It’s an intriguing science fiction mystery novel that I’ve spent years writing, presented as a scrollable feed that mimics the look and feel of a social media app. Is that weird? Absolutely. But hopefully, it’s also kinda cool and fun.
THE STORY:
James is a shy, socially-awkward kid from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. He has near-perfect recall of everything he’s ever seen or heard, which is both a blessing and a curse. His extraordinary memory makes him unusually intelligent, but it also leaves him constantly overwhelmed by the looping memories replaying in his mind.
When James uncovers a secret at the heart of his town's very existence, it launches him into a world that he didn't know existed. In this new world, the wealthy pick the physical and mental traits of their children off a menu using a CRISPR-like genetic editing technology and violent AntiGen activists seek to halt scientific advancement. Can he uncover what AntiGen is up to and stop a mysterious threat to his friends and school?
THE APP:
The app includes features similar to a social media feed. As you read, each character’s dialogue is broken into posts with their avatar images, just like in a real social feed. You can bookmark, share, or leave private notes on any post in the book. I find this format to be an interesting and engaging way to experience my novel, and I hope you agree!
Ratings & Reviews
- This app hasn’t received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
More minor copy tweaks and post fixes.
The developer, Joshua Johnson, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Joshua Johnson
- Size
- 115.2 MB
- Category
- Books
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 17.6 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 17.6 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 14.6 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.3 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
18+
- 18+
- Frequent
Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Infrequent
Realistic Violence
Profanity or Crude Humor
Horror/Fear Themes
Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug Use or References
- Copyright
- © 2025 Josh Johnson