Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
Free on Kindle Unlimited or 99 cents – Limited Time Only!
Synopsis
Papa says everyone has a story that deserves to be told.
Most begin years ago, after the second bomb hit, unearthing a deadly contagion that divided the population into the pure, the infected, and the Ragers.
Many recount the moment we rose up from the ashes and started anew.
Others tell of the day we built a wall to keep them out.
For some, they’re nothing more than the vestiges left behind—a simple name carved into the knotty bark of a Juniper tree.
My story begins with a boy. A mute, from the other side of the wall, known only as Six, who touched my heart in ways that words never could, and gave me the courage to face my darkest truth.
Review
“When the world is at its darkest, somehow love still carries the light.”
4 stars!
Wow, what a read! I’m a big fan of Keri Lake’s dark and gritty romances, and she’s definitely delivered that, but this time she’s added a dystopian/post apocalyptic twist, giving us a fully immersive story that completely captivated me from start to finish. It’s violent, twisted and brutally disturbing, but there is also a beautiful story of hope and a gorgeous romance, and with wonderfully descriptive writing I feel like I’ve been on an adventure with these characters and I feel like I need a nap after it’s all over. .
The story is set in central USA that has been decimated by bombs and a deadly contagion that has wiped out half of the population, leaving behind a collapsed society that is ravaged by zombie-like ‘Ragers’. The book begins with the story of two teenage girls – one who lives in a community behind the relative safety of a wall, and the other who has been taken into a ‘research’ facility where torture and experimentation of the worst kind is inflicted upon the innocent. Side by side these two stories play out, showing different aspects of the world the girls inhabit, a beautifully innocent and heartfelt love story, and giving us a wonderfully in-depth (if slightly horrifying) set-up to the main part of the story which takes place in the second part of the book.
Falling in love means you have to be brave enough to accept the pain when it comes to stake its claim. Whether it’s the love of a father, or the love of your life, pain is inevitable.
And the heart is forever drawn to it. Or maybe that’s just mine.
I’m not going to give details, because you need to experience this one, but again… just wow. Action, intrigue and terror are constant in the background of a story of survival and love, and in the middle of it all is fantastically strong heroine and, of course, a brutal, scared and tortured antihero that will absolutely steal your heart. OMG, I loved him and all of his darkness, and the love story that develops is intense, passionate and gorgeously romantic.
Through a fog of pleasure, I stare up at his face, framed by the endless sky … and its right then I realize, there is still beauty left in this world. There are still amazing things to behold.
“Come war, or the fires of hell, I’m not losing you.”
I found this book to be shocking in places. Lake never holds back on the violence and brutality in her books, and this world that she has created provides plenty of opportunity to explore that. The characters endure extreme situations, and the vivid descriptions are stomach-churning at times so beware scenes of death, violence, torture and sexual assault (including violence towards young children), but it certainly sets the scene and shows the horrific nature of the world that the characters inhabit.
Safety is an illusion … survival is a reality.
But despite all of the gore and violence, this is ultimately a story of hope. Of fighting for what you want, and not giving up on yourself, your loved ones, or the possibility of something more.
When the world is at its darkest, somehow love still carries the light.
Keri Lake has done a great job with this book. It’s unique, engaging and exciting, and it took me on a wild ride with the characters as I got completely sucked into their world.
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Giveaway
There is a giveaway for $25 Amazon gift card PLUS signed paperback of Juniper Unraveling.
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE
The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway
About the Author
Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees. When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | FB GROUP | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER