Wendy reviews Dead Things by Meredith Russell. Published by Love Lane Books, Ltd 2nd edition August 27, 2014, 288 pages.
Why I read this story:
I wanted to read a book that put me in the Halloween spirit. I saw this book and thought that there couldn’t be a better title to do just that.
We were given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Book 1 in the Dead Things Series
Please note, this is a re-release of a title originally published with Silver Publishing. It features new cover art but the story remains the same.
Devin never thought he could find hope or love among the ruins of a broken world. Not until he found Noah.
When Devin Reid returned home from his final tour in Afghanistan he thought he’d seen the worst of what people could do to other people. It turned out he was wrong.
The life Devin knew is gone. A deadly virus has infected the world’s population, leaving in its wake two types of people—survivors and monsters. Devin is a survivor, a man almost as broken as the world he struggles to survive in. Devin is part of a group who have found refuge in a high security penitentiary. Resources for the group are limited, but outside the safety of the prison walls, the newly-made undead monsters are hungry and hunting. It’s down to a handful of people like Devin to risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways to meet the demands on food and supplies.
On one fateful venture, Devin finds someone with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.
Together, Devin and Noah work to keep the monsters at bay, but do they have the strength to overcome the hurt and loss they’ve both suffered in the fight for survival? And find love in this harsh, unloving world?
Right from the start this book gets you in the mood for thrills, heartbreak and horror. I immediately felt for Devin and his situation. Living with a handful of people at a prison and trying to find the resources to survive while zombies are killing almost everyone he holds near and dear. His character is understandably closed off and seems to only be open with his twin sister who is blind. Once he meets Noah, I got a better feel for how he really was though. A soldier with the need to protect people and a man who really does feel much more than he will even admit to himself.
Noah was a character that I connected with right away. He’s lost his family but he still wants to live and love and see the best in any situation. He’s one of those characters that you want to hug tight and tell him that everything will be okay.
There was a lot of suspense and thrills and horror in this book. It has some not so pretty parts that broke my heart, but it also had some moments of hope. I liked the secondary characters just as much as the MC’s in this story and they were just as important.
While it was a love story with a HFN it wasn’t a romance and the sex was secondary in the book but done well.
I enjoyed the book and will read more in the series.
Where to buy:
Where to add:
Meredith Russell lives in the heart of England. An avid fan of many story genres, she enjoys nothing less than a happy ending. She believes in heroes and romance and strives to reflect this in her writing. Sharing her imagination and passion for stories and characters is a dream Meredith is excited to turn into reality.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 