Deadly Dee's Review of "Broken World"

Broken World by Kate L. Mary

Book Summary

When a deadly virus sweeps the country, Vivian Thomas sets out for California in hopes of seeing the daughter she gave up for adoption. Then her car breaks down and she’s faced with a choice. Give up, or accept a ride from redneck brothers, Angus and Axl. Vivian knows the offer has more to do with her double D’s than kindness, but she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to reach her daughter.

The virus is spreading, and by the time the group makes it to California, most of the population has been wiped out. When the dead start coming back, Vivian and the others realize that no electricity or running water are the least of their concerns. Now Vivian has to figure out how to be a mother under the most frightening circumstances, cope with Angus’s aggressive mood swings, and sort out her growing attraction to his brooding younger brother, Axl.

While searching for a safe place to go, they pick up a pompous billionaire who may be the answer to all their problems. Trusting him means going into the middle of the Mojave Desert and possibly risking their lives, but with the streets overrun and nowhere else to turn, it seems he might be their only chance for survival. 

Deadly Dee's Review

It's not often that I read and review two books in a row favorably, and I'm almost afraid to admit in (like if I do, I'm gonna jinx myself and the next gazillion books I read will totally and completely suck ass) but Kate L. Mary's Broken World rocked. Yes, I said it. It rocked.

To begin with, Mary doesn't rely on blood and guts to draw you in like so many other "end of the world" novelists. Don't get me wrong, the book has plenty of action and excitement. There are some unexpected twists and turns as you get deeper into the story, but it doesn't rely on everyone blowing people's brains out or bludgeoning one another to death right from page one to grab your attention...

The book opens with Vivian, her protagonist, stopping at a nasty greasy spoon in the middle of nowhere to use the restroom, and hovering over the commode (something many of us can well relate to!)

As the story unwinds, even as she finds herself in increasingly more desperate and dangerous situations, there is a sense of reality to what's happening, (unlike some other zombie novels I've read where I'll read a passage and think "wtf?!?") and I found myself growing attached to the characters. Often even if I like a novel, I'll find myself thinking, "Yeah right - that's the first time s/he's ever shot a gun in his/her life and they managed to shoot 8 zombies in a row in the head. Yeah... totally believable!" Instead of asking the reader to suspend their intelligence, Broken World has scenes where characters turn down the offer of a gun because they're too shaken up and afraid to use one, and chose a knife instead (now THAT makes sense to me!)

The editing was tight (hooray!) and there weren't any glaring typos or misspelled words (by now you all know how much I hate when I'm totally into something and have to stop and edit in my head - if it happens more than once...toast. Mary's book flowed... I didn't stop once. To be honest, I forgot I was reading an Indie novel. (I honestly had to double check my email to see if I was reading the right book!)

The only downside to Broken World is that book 2 isn't due out until October...

Maybe a favorable reviewer might get an advance copy...??? Hint, hint, double clue????

Go read Broken World. You won't regret it.

***Where Zombies Come to Read was provided with a free copy of this book for an honest review.