en-US Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:05:10 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 60965424 Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. During a hasty escape from a secluded boarding school, her coach careened over a hillside road during one of the year's heaviest snowstorms, trapping her inside with a handful of survivors, a brewing virus, and no way to call for help. If she and the remaining few want to make it out alive, with their sanity--and secrets--intact, they'll need to work together or they'll be buried alive with the rest of the dead.

A former detective, Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car suspended far above a snowstorm and surrounded by strangers in the same uniform as her, with no memory of how they got there. They are heading to a mysterious place known to them only as "The Retreat," but when they discover a dead man among their ranks and Meg spies a familiar face, she realizes that there is something far more insidious going on.

Carter is gazing out the window of the abandoned ski chalet that he and his ragtag compatriots call home. Together, they manage a precarious survival, manufacturing vaccines against a deadly virus in exchange for life's essentials. But as their generator begins to waver, the threat of something lurking in the chalet's depths looms larger, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails--for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater threat--one that threatens to consume all of humanity.]]> 340 C.J. Tudor 059335656X Dennis 4
THE DRIFT is not a thriller, but more so a dystopian/post-apocalyptic horror novel. Taking place in a world ravaged by a deadly, highly contagious virus (cough cough), the world has been decimated and civilization is on the brink of extinction. The story focuses on three lead protagonists - Hannah, Meg, and Carter. Each of the three leads are struggling to escape certain doom (you'll find out what's going on in the story), but with this world in shambles, a virus isn't the only thing they have to worry about.

This book is kind of a mess at times, but I had so much fun. It's messy and chaotic, but a wild fast-paced ride. Is it the most exquisite piece of fiction literature ever? No. Are there some plot holes? Yes. Were there moments that didn't make sense because there needed more world building? Sure. Did I have a blast reading it? Absolutely. This is a perfect example of a bare bones locked-room mystery. I think people will either love or HATE this book, but honestly that makes the best discussions. I think CJ Tudor just sold me on reading her next book.]]> 3.67 2023
author: C.J. Tudor
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/13
date added: 2023/01/13
shelves: 2023-pub, 2023-read, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, horror
review:
CJ Tudor is a very popular thriller author, but I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of her books. They're either just ok for me, or I love them (The Hiding Place, which seems to be everyone's least favorite of hers, is my favorite). Her upcoming novel, THE DRIFT, is definitely one of my favorites, but it's not what you'd expect.

THE DRIFT is not a thriller, but more so a dystopian/post-apocalyptic horror novel. Taking place in a world ravaged by a deadly, highly contagious virus (cough cough), the world has been decimated and civilization is on the brink of extinction. The story focuses on three lead protagonists - Hannah, Meg, and Carter. Each of the three leads are struggling to escape certain doom (you'll find out what's going on in the story), but with this world in shambles, a virus isn't the only thing they have to worry about.

This book is kind of a mess at times, but I had so much fun. It's messy and chaotic, but a wild fast-paced ride. Is it the most exquisite piece of fiction literature ever? No. Are there some plot holes? Yes. Were there moments that didn't make sense because there needed more world building? Sure. Did I have a blast reading it? Absolutely. This is a perfect example of a bare bones locked-room mystery. I think people will either love or HATE this book, but honestly that makes the best discussions. I think CJ Tudor just sold me on reading her next book.
]]> 53329296
Robbie lives by his gun and one hard-learned other people aren't safe.

After a brutal accident entwines the three of them, this found family of survivors must navigate murderous TERFs, a sociopathic billionaire bunker brat, and awkward relationship dynamics―all while outrunning packs of feral men, and their own demons.]]> 296 Gretchen Felker-Martin 1250794641 Dennis 4 Gretchen Felker-Martin's upcoming dystopian, science fiction novel, Manhunt is quite literally the most bizarre, yet ultimately gratifying journey I've ever taken with a book. Without giving too much away, the story focuses on a world in which men are turned feral. Beth and Fran are the two main characters and they work together to hunt feral men and harvest their organs. In doing so, this helps the duo survive. In this world, not only are feral men a danger to those who have survived this apocalypse so far, but there's also a group of murderous TERFs coming after them. Beth and Fran have a lot of hope, but they will need to organize and establish ways in which they can defeat the growing number of adversaries.

Manhunt is not sci-fi lite, aka the science fiction novels I like. It touches on the ridiculousness at times with some of the world building, but at the same time, doesn't most dystopian/apocalyptic novels do that? This book; however, touches on many types of societal issues that trans women and men face in today's current political and social climate through symbolism and metaphorical writing. While reading this book, although we aren't going through an apocalyptic world, I could understand and appreciate how the author was conveying this story. If you pick up this story, I urge you to also note that on 카지노싸이트, many transphobic readers are giving this book 1-star with zero review. I urge you to all keep that in consideration while reviewing to combat hate. This book probably was a 3 star read for me, but I am bumping it up to 4 to try and combat the hate shown in the feed. If you enjoy heavily sciencecy science fiction novels (wow, I'm such a way with words), definitely pick this one up!]]> 3.51 2022
author: Gretchen Felker-Martin
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/09
date added: 2022/01/10
shelves: 2022-pub, 2022-read, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, queer, sci-fi, body-horror
review:

Gretchen Felker-Martin's upcoming dystopian, science fiction novel, Manhunt is quite literally the most bizarre, yet ultimately gratifying journey I've ever taken with a book. Without giving too much away, the story focuses on a world in which men are turned feral. Beth and Fran are the two main characters and they work together to hunt feral men and harvest their organs. In doing so, this helps the duo survive. In this world, not only are feral men a danger to those who have survived this apocalypse so far, but there's also a group of murderous TERFs coming after them. Beth and Fran have a lot of hope, but they will need to organize and establish ways in which they can defeat the growing number of adversaries.

Manhunt is not sci-fi lite, aka the science fiction novels I like. It touches on the ridiculousness at times with some of the world building, but at the same time, doesn't most dystopian/apocalyptic novels do that? This book; however, touches on many types of societal issues that trans women and men face in today's current political and social climate through symbolism and metaphorical writing. While reading this book, although we aren't going through an apocalyptic world, I could understand and appreciate how the author was conveying this story. If you pick up this story, I urge you to also note that on 카지노싸이트, many transphobic readers are giving this book 1-star with zero review. I urge you to all keep that in consideration while reviewing to combat hate. This book probably was a 3 star read for me, but I am bumping it up to 4 to try and combat the hate shown in the feed. If you enjoy heavily sciencecy science fiction novels (wow, I'm such a way with words), definitely pick this one up!
]]> 57739876 From the author of the classic A Little Life, a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia.

In an alternate version of 1893 America, New York is part of the Free States, where people may live and love whomever they please (or so it seems). The fragile young scion of a distinguished family resists betrothal to a worthy suitor, drawn to a charming music teacher of no means. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner, hiding his troubled childhood and the fate of his father. And in 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist’s damaged granddaughter tries to navigate life without him—and solve the mystery of her husband’s disappearances.

These three sections are joined in an enthralling and ingenious symphony, as recurring notes and themes deepen and enrich one another: A townhouse in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village; illness, and treatments that come at a terrible cost; wealth and squalor; the weak and the strong; race; the definition of family, and of nationhood; the dangerous righteousness of the powerful, and of revolutionaries; the longing to find a place in an earthly paradise, and the gradual realization that it can’t exist. What unites not just the characters, but these Americas, are their reckonings with the qualities that make us human: Fear. Love. Shame. Need. Loneliness.

To Paradise is a fin de siècle novel of marvellous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. The great power of this remarkable novel is driven by Yanagihara’s understanding of the aching desire to protect those we love – partners, lovers, children, friends, family and even our fellow citizens – and the pain that ensues when we cannot.]]> 720 Hanya Yanagihara 0385547935 Dennis 4 To Paradise is not, and will never be, A Little Life. Do not even think to compare the two books before jumping into Hanya Yanagihara's 2022 novel or you will be disappointed.

There's a new trend that I'm seeing lately—first with Anthony Doerr's Cloud Cuckoo Land and now with Hanya Yanagihara's To Paradise , where the story is an epic tale told across multiple timelines and characters, separate from each other, but providing major themes and takeaways for the reader. With To Paradise , we are given three stories, separate from each other, but provided in alternative universes from each other.

Book 1 takes place in 1893 and is ultimately my favorite section. In a world where the United States is broken into the "Free States" of the Northeast and "The Colonies" of the South, the story focuses in the North where gay and queer people are celebrated and able to marry whomever they want. We follow David Bingham and his family's legacy in the Free States. David is the only unwed Bingham out of his siblings, with his grandfather aggressively pushing for David to marry. David's dilemma in a world where marriage and love may feel free, he ultimately is given choices that say otherwise.

Book 2 takes place during the HIV crisis between a couple with a major age discrepancy. The younger partner, with a heritage and life that his partner and friends can't relate. I don't want to give up anything with this section, but I will say that this section felt most like the world in which we live in, but during the 1980s.

Book 3 is the biggest portion of the book, about half of the entire book takes place during this time. This world is in the future—their current day is 2093, with flashbacks from 50 years ago and so on. This section is a destitute place of totalitarian rule. A world in which climate change, pandemics, hunger, and the lack of freedoms have run rampant. This world is a dark perception of what may possibly come in our world's progression in time.

Without giving anything away, To Paradise is a book in which characters are hypothesized to be parts of different "universes" and in different versions of themselves with the worlds they are given. The book at times may seem like a work of fiction, but the topics in this book are very relatable (race, sexuality, family, financial security). I still am unsure quite honestly about what I read, but I read over 700 pages so I definitely think this book was ultimately a winner from me. You will not cry like you did in A Little Life, nor will you ever feel personally connected to the characters, but you will be hypnotized by Yanagihara's compelling storytelling. I did not expect this book to turn out the way it did, which is definitely a gripping way for anything I like to read. This book will have a lot of lovers and haters, and I can't wait for the conversations. ]]> 3.74 2022
author: Hanya Yanagihara
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/11
date added: 2021/11/11
shelves: 2022-pub, 2021-read, dystopian, gay, queer, historical-fiction, literary-fiction, mm-romance, post-apocalyptic, slow-burn
review:
Before I get started. To Paradise is not, and will never be, A Little Life. Do not even think to compare the two books before jumping into Hanya Yanagihara's 2022 novel or you will be disappointed.

There's a new trend that I'm seeing lately—first with Anthony Doerr's Cloud Cuckoo Land and now with Hanya Yanagihara's To Paradise , where the story is an epic tale told across multiple timelines and characters, separate from each other, but providing major themes and takeaways for the reader. With To Paradise , we are given three stories, separate from each other, but provided in alternative universes from each other.

Book 1 takes place in 1893 and is ultimately my favorite section. In a world where the United States is broken into the "Free States" of the Northeast and "The Colonies" of the South, the story focuses in the North where gay and queer people are celebrated and able to marry whomever they want. We follow David Bingham and his family's legacy in the Free States. David is the only unwed Bingham out of his siblings, with his grandfather aggressively pushing for David to marry. David's dilemma in a world where marriage and love may feel free, he ultimately is given choices that say otherwise.

Book 2 takes place during the HIV crisis between a couple with a major age discrepancy. The younger partner, with a heritage and life that his partner and friends can't relate. I don't want to give up anything with this section, but I will say that this section felt most like the world in which we live in, but during the 1980s.

Book 3 is the biggest portion of the book, about half of the entire book takes place during this time. This world is in the future—their current day is 2093, with flashbacks from 50 years ago and so on. This section is a destitute place of totalitarian rule. A world in which climate change, pandemics, hunger, and the lack of freedoms have run rampant. This world is a dark perception of what may possibly come in our world's progression in time.

Without giving anything away, To Paradise is a book in which characters are hypothesized to be parts of different "universes" and in different versions of themselves with the worlds they are given. The book at times may seem like a work of fiction, but the topics in this book are very relatable (race, sexuality, family, financial security). I still am unsure quite honestly about what I read, but I read over 700 pages so I definitely think this book was ultimately a winner from me. You will not cry like you did in A Little Life, nor will you ever feel personally connected to the characters, but you will be hypnotized by Yanagihara's compelling storytelling. I did not expect this book to turn out the way it did, which is definitely a gripping way for anything I like to read. This book will have a lot of lovers and haters, and I can't wait for the conversations.
]]> 44510181 Bird Box. This time, Malorie is front and center, and she will confront the dangers of her world head-on.

Twelve years after Malorie and her children rowed up the river to safety, a blindfold is still the only thing that stands between sanity and madness. One glimpse of the creatures that stalk the world will drive a person to unspeakable violence. There remains no explanation. No solution.

All Malorie can do is survive.
But then comes what feels like impossible news. And with it, the first time Malorie has allowed herself to hope. Someone very dear to her, someone she believed dead, may be alive.

Malorie has a harrowing choice to make: to live by the rules of survival that have served her so well, or to venture into the darkness and reach for hope once more.]]> 301 Josh Malerman Dennis 5 Malorie in one sitting. When I read Bird Box prior to the Netflix film release, I was stunned at it's atmospheric, claustrophobic horror and couldn't put it down. To say that Malorie is similar would be an understatement. Taking place immediately following the end on the first book, we then flash-forward a decade into the apocalypse and see the world in different light. With Malorie, Tom, and Olympia working together as a family, they get peculiar, yet intriguing evidence about some findings that force the trio to investigate for themselves. I will not spoil anything for you, so that's what you get from me.

Once I turned to first page, I could not put Malorie down. Josh Malerman's level of psychological panic (as I'd like to describe it as) is deeply unsettling and yet, so cinematic in the best way possible. It's no wonder that Bird Box did so well, both as a book and as a movie. I just know horror fans' expectations will be fulfilled with Malorie . I couldn't recommend it enough. Let's hope they make a Netflix sequel, I'm going to be holding out hope!]]> 3.78 2020
author: Josh Malerman
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/13
date added: 2020/05/13
shelves: 2020-pub, 2020-read, post-apocalyptic, apocalyptic, horror, suspense
review:
Just like it's predecessor, I finished Malorie in one sitting. When I read Bird Box prior to the Netflix film release, I was stunned at it's atmospheric, claustrophobic horror and couldn't put it down. To say that Malorie is similar would be an understatement. Taking place immediately following the end on the first book, we then flash-forward a decade into the apocalypse and see the world in different light. With Malorie, Tom, and Olympia working together as a family, they get peculiar, yet intriguing evidence about some findings that force the trio to investigate for themselves. I will not spoil anything for you, so that's what you get from me.

Once I turned to first page, I could not put Malorie down. Josh Malerman's level of psychological panic (as I'd like to describe it as) is deeply unsettling and yet, so cinematic in the best way possible. It's no wonder that Bird Box did so well, both as a book and as a movie. I just know horror fans' expectations will be fulfilled with Malorie . I couldn't recommend it enough. Let's hope they make a Netflix sequel, I'm going to be holding out hope!
]]> 41088582
Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there.

On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers.

A compulsively readable novel of dark despair and soaring hope, After the Flood is a magnificent, action packed, and sometimes frightening odyssey laced with wonder—an affecting and wholly original saga both redemptive and astonishing.]]> 448 Kassandra Montag 0062889397 Dennis 5 After the Flood , I was hesitant. I feel like 2019 is the year that killed thrillers, so authors are branching out to other genres, and dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels are popping out all over. After being told by the lovely Chelsea that this book is unputdownable, I decided to give it a go. Folks, she has never been more right in her life. Montag's debut novel is dripping with action, but it's also a beautifully tragic character study about peoples' will to survive after a chaotic natural disaster.

With the Amazon Rainforest currently burning up in flames, it's no shocker to anyone that climate change is very real. Without diving too much into the past of how and why, After the Flood takes place in the future where a majority of the world is now decimated by intense water level rising. With only the highest points of mountains left as fertile and inhabitable land, many survivors live on boats or ships, trying to survive with the basic necessities. With all dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels, this new world is far from perfect, with crime and corruption running rampant. Our main character, Myra tries to take care of her young daughter Pearl, while also providing a life where the two can not just survive, but try to flourish. Years back, her husband and oldest daughter were taken from her and she's still not ready to give up the search. When she gets information about the possible whereabouts of her family, Myra will stop at nothing to find them. Will this new world allow Myra to reunite with her family or does she have to give up hope and just accept this reality?

After the Flood is the best dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that I've ever read. There I said it. It's heartbreaking, real, dark, and truly mesmerizing. It's over 400 pages and I finished the entire book in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't put it down! If there's one book that I could tell you to put on your radar this fall, it's After the Flood . I can totally see this becoming a Netflix film and I see big things coming for Kassandra Montag!]]> 3.65 2019
author: Kassandra Montag
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/08/23
date added: 2019/08/24
shelves: 2019-pub, 2019-read, contemporary, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, thriller, horror
review:
When I stumbled across Kassandra Montag's debut novel, After the Flood , I was hesitant. I feel like 2019 is the year that killed thrillers, so authors are branching out to other genres, and dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels are popping out all over. After being told by the lovely Chelsea that this book is unputdownable, I decided to give it a go. Folks, she has never been more right in her life. Montag's debut novel is dripping with action, but it's also a beautifully tragic character study about peoples' will to survive after a chaotic natural disaster.

With the Amazon Rainforest currently burning up in flames, it's no shocker to anyone that climate change is very real. Without diving too much into the past of how and why, After the Flood takes place in the future where a majority of the world is now decimated by intense water level rising. With only the highest points of mountains left as fertile and inhabitable land, many survivors live on boats or ships, trying to survive with the basic necessities. With all dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels, this new world is far from perfect, with crime and corruption running rampant. Our main character, Myra tries to take care of her young daughter Pearl, while also providing a life where the two can not just survive, but try to flourish. Years back, her husband and oldest daughter were taken from her and she's still not ready to give up the search. When she gets information about the possible whereabouts of her family, Myra will stop at nothing to find them. Will this new world allow Myra to reunite with her family or does she have to give up hope and just accept this reality?

After the Flood is the best dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel that I've ever read. There I said it. It's heartbreaking, real, dark, and truly mesmerizing. It's over 400 pages and I finished the entire book in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't put it down! If there's one book that I could tell you to put on your radar this fall, it's After the Flood . I can totally see this becoming a Netflix film and I see big things coming for Kassandra Montag!
]]> 42881101 A postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood", about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....]]> 293 Christina Henry 0451492285 Dennis 3 Chronicles of Alice duology was widely received and her other works have been enjoyed by many fans for years. I always think a good retelling, mixed with a little horror and fantasy could be fun, but I never seem to feel connected to them. Henry's The Girl in Red changed that for me.

Cordelia, nicknamed Red, is on an mission to get to her grandmother's remote cabin in the woods. Society has fallen, due to a mysterious viral outbreak that has decimated society. She's alone in this journey, but she is prepared to defend herself anyway possible. With society on the brink of extinction, survivors are desperate for survival, and Red's biggest threat isn't the virus—it's who's out there left.

The Girl in Red was a fun survival novel, and it wasn't as gruesomely dark at Alice, which was nice because it didn't have gratuitous rape or violence for no reason. I enjoyed following along with Red and her adventures, and the story ends on a note that could be interpreted in multiple ways. I did not love how the story ended, but I will probably be in the minority with that critique. As Red set out in her adventures, the characters crafted to keep the story going were enjoyable and personable—everyone served a purpose. The story has Before and After POV's, and I really enjoyed the After POV, but respected the author's choice to show how the outbreak crumbled society. If you enjoy dystopian novels, and want to read an interesting retelling, The Girl in Red may be your best bet. ]]> 3.69 2019
author: Christina Henry
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/03/21
date added: 2019/03/21
shelves: 2019-pub, 2019-read, post-apocalyptic, retelling, dystopian
review:
Christina Henry is well-known in the publishing world for her dark, apocalyptic retellings of some of our favorite fairy tales. Her Chronicles of Alice duology was widely received and her other works have been enjoyed by many fans for years. I always think a good retelling, mixed with a little horror and fantasy could be fun, but I never seem to feel connected to them. Henry's The Girl in Red changed that for me.

Cordelia, nicknamed Red, is on an mission to get to her grandmother's remote cabin in the woods. Society has fallen, due to a mysterious viral outbreak that has decimated society. She's alone in this journey, but she is prepared to defend herself anyway possible. With society on the brink of extinction, survivors are desperate for survival, and Red's biggest threat isn't the virus—it's who's out there left.

The Girl in Red was a fun survival novel, and it wasn't as gruesomely dark at Alice, which was nice because it didn't have gratuitous rape or violence for no reason. I enjoyed following along with Red and her adventures, and the story ends on a note that could be interpreted in multiple ways. I did not love how the story ended, but I will probably be in the minority with that critique. As Red set out in her adventures, the characters crafted to keep the story going were enjoyable and personable—everyone served a purpose. The story has Before and After POV's, and I really enjoyed the After POV, but respected the author's choice to show how the outbreak crumbled society. If you enjoy dystopian novels, and want to read an interesting retelling, The Girl in Red may be your best bet.
]]> 18498558 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062259653

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it's time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children's trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

Interweaving past and present, Bird Box is a snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.]]> 262 Josh Malerman Dennis 4 Bird Box is a short, fast-paced read that packs a punch, and I don't think you need me to tell you that! A mysterious force has arrived on Earth, and one look of it will forever ruin your mental state. You will become suicidal and homicidal—you will think irrationally, and will go mad. This force does not discriminate, and anyone in its path will be destroyed. As the world as we know it is decimated and left in destruction, a few survivors begin thinking of new ways to survive. All windows and anything in the outside world has been boarded up and covered, and people are blindfolded when walking outside. These creatures seem to only affect people while they are looking at them, but there hasn't been any other physical threat.

Majorie is pregnant, and is given shelter by this small militia, run by this man named Tom. Tom is nurturing, but a powerful force in the group, providing shelter and help for those who need it. Four years later, Marjorie is by herself with two children, and she's decided it's time to make a trip that she's been dreading since the children's births. Why'd Marjorie leave the militia? She must take them outside and travel to a new undisclosed location. Marjorie, and two four year olds will make a trip that could possibly end everything for them. Will they survive or will the path be led to destruction?

The reason why Bird Box is so intense and brutal (I mean this in the best way possible), is that it's supernatural enough to be original, but it doesn't go too into the story to make it a ridiculous plot ploy. We only touch the situation at surface level, which leads us to our own imaginations as to what is actually going on—and that, my friends, is what will scare us the most. This book was fun, and very binge worthy, so I recommend picking it up before the Netflix movie is released. We all know the adaption is never as good as the book!]]> 4.02 2014
author: Josh Malerman
name: Dennis
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/29
date added: 2018/10/29
shelves: 2018-read, dystopian, horror, post-apocalyptic, suspense
review:
This will be a mini review from me, since Bird Box is a short, fast-paced read that packs a punch, and I don't think you need me to tell you that! A mysterious force has arrived on Earth, and one look of it will forever ruin your mental state. You will become suicidal and homicidal—you will think irrationally, and will go mad. This force does not discriminate, and anyone in its path will be destroyed. As the world as we know it is decimated and left in destruction, a few survivors begin thinking of new ways to survive. All windows and anything in the outside world has been boarded up and covered, and people are blindfolded when walking outside. These creatures seem to only affect people while they are looking at them, but there hasn't been any other physical threat.

Majorie is pregnant, and is given shelter by this small militia, run by this man named Tom. Tom is nurturing, but a powerful force in the group, providing shelter and help for those who need it. Four years later, Marjorie is by herself with two children, and she's decided it's time to make a trip that she's been dreading since the children's births. Why'd Marjorie leave the militia? She must take them outside and travel to a new undisclosed location. Marjorie, and two four year olds will make a trip that could possibly end everything for them. Will they survive or will the path be led to destruction?

The reason why Bird Box is so intense and brutal (I mean this in the best way possible), is that it's supernatural enough to be original, but it doesn't go too into the story to make it a ridiculous plot ploy. We only touch the situation at surface level, which leads us to our own imaginations as to what is actually going on—and that, my friends, is what will scare us the most. This book was fun, and very binge worthy, so I recommend picking it up before the Netflix movie is released. We all know the adaption is never as good as the book!
]]> 29456569 402 Jay Kristoff 1524713929 Dennis 3 LIFEL1K3 is one of those truly original books that I just know will make an epic movie someday #FirstInLine LIFEL1K3 is a dystopian futuristic novel taking place in a new era of pollution, civil unrest, technological advances, and conflict. We are given a world of cyborgs, machinas, automatas, and logikas. Each of these artificial intelligent bots have a different range of power, intellect, and sovereignty in this new world—living among the human race. The main character, Eve, battles robots in challenges, but is supported by her friends Lemon and robot Cricket. The trio are attached at the hip—doing everything together and protecting each other in a world that is more unsafe than ever before. After a victorious battle, Eve and team stumble across the ruins of an android boy. Quick on her feet, Eve decides to rescue this android in hopes of salvaging his life. When she brings this android back home to her grandpa's house, all hell breaks loose. Eve has just opened the pandora's box of secrets, and they aren't ready for what's to come.

LIFEL1K3 is so rich in it's atmospheric content that it's nearly impossible for anyone not to feel immersed into the story. This world is truly remarkable to read about! As everybody who follows me knows, I am viciously strict on my reviews for science-fiction/fantasy novels— LIFEL1K3 is a strong story, with a childlike banter. I understand that this novel was written for young readers in mind, but after getting immersed in the setting and time period, I wanted more. I wish the story was darker, with a sharper, deeper dialogue. The story felt a little campy to me, and I had definitely rolled my eyes several times throughout the story. However, this does not take away from the fact that Jay Kristoff has created a world in which people will love to read about, watch about (I'm telling you, this movie deal is coming folks!), and learn more about. I'm definitely going to continue on with this dystopian futuristic world, and I hope you will come along for the ride with me.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review.]]> 3.92 2018
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Dennis
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/05/22
date added: 2018/05/22
shelves: 2018-read, 2018-pub, adventure, fantasy, dystopian, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic
review:
LIFEL1K3 is one of those truly original books that I just know will make an epic movie someday #FirstInLine LIFEL1K3 is a dystopian futuristic novel taking place in a new era of pollution, civil unrest, technological advances, and conflict. We are given a world of cyborgs, machinas, automatas, and logikas. Each of these artificial intelligent bots have a different range of power, intellect, and sovereignty in this new world—living among the human race. The main character, Eve, battles robots in challenges, but is supported by her friends Lemon and robot Cricket. The trio are attached at the hip—doing everything together and protecting each other in a world that is more unsafe than ever before. After a victorious battle, Eve and team stumble across the ruins of an android boy. Quick on her feet, Eve decides to rescue this android in hopes of salvaging his life. When she brings this android back home to her grandpa's house, all hell breaks loose. Eve has just opened the pandora's box of secrets, and they aren't ready for what's to come.

LIFEL1K3 is so rich in it's atmospheric content that it's nearly impossible for anyone not to feel immersed into the story. This world is truly remarkable to read about! As everybody who follows me knows, I am viciously strict on my reviews for science-fiction/fantasy novels— LIFEL1K3 is a strong story, with a childlike banter. I understand that this novel was written for young readers in mind, but after getting immersed in the setting and time period, I wanted more. I wish the story was darker, with a sharper, deeper dialogue. The story felt a little campy to me, and I had definitely rolled my eyes several times throughout the story. However, this does not take away from the fact that Jay Kristoff has created a world in which people will love to read about, watch about (I'm telling you, this movie deal is coming folks!), and learn more about. I'm definitely going to continue on with this dystopian futuristic world, and I hope you will come along for the ride with me.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
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