So...I just finished a book that I think all of you who are fans of The Ending Series would totally adore: Until the End of the World, by Sarah Lyons Fleming. Sarah's an indie author friend of mine, but that in no way sways my opinion of the book. It's really, really, really, really good. It's filled with so many interesting, sometimes heartbreaking relationships that run the gamut from siblings to friendships to romances. The characters are truly the heart of the book, and Sarah did a fantastic job of making me really care about them and want them to succeed, to keep on surviving.
Since it is a zombie book, there were some scary bits, some gory bits, and a whole lot of shambling dead people, but I definitely think the overall story would still appeal to people who aren't into zombies. The zombies seem more like an element of the setting than like characters or villains, and overall, the book's themes lean much closer to hope than to horror.
I loved all of the "prepper" and survivalism elements. I think that aspect, along with the genuine-feeling relationships is what made the book so enjoyable to me.
Alright, so...you should definitely check out Sarah's book(s). There's a companion novella (So Long, Lollipops) that you should only read after you've read the first book (Until the End of the World) and she also just released the sequel (And After). Details and links for all of the books are below. :)
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UPCOMING GIVEAWAY: Both Sarah and I (and LP) are participating in a ginormous apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic giveaway coming up in June.
Here's a pic of the ridiculously fabulous Grand Prize...
There's so much good stuff in there, it's insane...and that's only the Grand Prize - there are at least two more fairly hefty prize packages. And all you have to do to enter the giveaway is join the event on Facebook: Cruel Summer Giveaway.
From June 13 - June 30, the event will be hosting a series of spotlights on the participating authors, including yours truly on the 18-19 and Sarah Lyons Fleming on the 20-21. There'll be excerpts, Q & A sessions, news on upcoming releases...so much fun stuff!!!
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Title: Until the End of the WorldSeries: Until the End of the World (book 1)
Author: Sarah Lyons Fleming
Genre(s): Apocalyptic, Post-apocalyptic, Romance, Chick-lit?
Main Character(s): Cassie Forrest
Rating: 5/5 stars
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Audible
Sarah Lyons Fleming's website
Blurb:
Cassie Forrest isn't surprised to learn that the day she’s decided to get her life together is also the day the world ends. After all, she’s been on a self-imposed losing streak since her survivalist parents died: she’s stopped painting, broken off her engagement to Adrian and dated a real jerk. Rectifying her mistakes has to wait, however, because Cassie and her friends have just enough time to escape Brooklyn for her parents’ cabin before Bornavirus LX turns them into zombies, too.
This is difficult enough, but Cassie’s tag along ex-boyfriend and her friend’s bratty sister have a knack for making everything, even the apocalypse, more unpleasant. When the two attract a threat as deadly as the undead to their safe haven, Cassie’s forced to see how far she’ll go to protect those she loves. And it’s a lot farther than she’d anticipated. This, coupled with Adrian’s distant voice on Safe Zone Radio and, of course, the living dead, threaten to put Cassie right back into the funk she just dragged herself out of.
Survival’s great and all, especially when you have leather armor, good friends and home-brewed beer, but there’s something Cassie must do besides survive: tell Adrian she still loves him. And to do that, Cassie has to find faith that she’s stronger than she thinks, she’s still a crack shot and true love never dies.
side-quel novella: So Long, Lollipops
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book 2: And After
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
