Traci L. SlattonBesprekingen

La pintora Tessa Barnum está atravesando un momento difícil. Su marido la dejó, está a punto de ser desalojada y ha cometido errores muy graves en su carrera artística. Cuando el desgreñado Brian Tennyson irrumpe en su vida, y le dice que viene de un universo paralelo, Tessa piensa que es un loco que vive en la calle, aunque no puede negar su innegable y misterioso atractivo. Luego Brian le informa que, en este mundo, están casados. Cuando recupera la verdad del amor y la pérdida, el triunfo y la humillación, y la dulzura de las segundas oportunidades, el universo de Tessa se da vuelta. Debe elegir el amor sobre la lógica, para poder alcanzar el estado de expectativa en el que nacen los milagros. El secreto de la felicidad siempre estuvo en su corazón.

En un momento de desesperación apocalíptica, el amor se pone a prueba .... Nieblas letales han azotado el planeta, matando a miles de millones de personas. Cuando el caos y la locura desciende, una mujer con poder curativo misterioso guía a siete niños a la seguridad. El carismático Arthur les ofrece a ella y a sus pupilos un refugio. Lentamente, Emma se enamora de él. En el momento de su dulce amor, revela su secreto devastador, y se pierden el uno al otro.

Alia is a fallen angel living in Paris and facing a rapidly-changing world as the Nazis begin to take over. Grieving for her lost child, she's living the life of a human in a world that's being increasingly possessed by an evil, and enjoys both men and newfound friendships in this alien land: both of which are soon to change with the forces at work.

Ever hopeful of the winning power of love even under impossible situations, Alia nonetheless faces something she's never experienced, and finds her new life just as broken as the old one.

It's hard to neatly 'peg' this absorbing story: a little bit historical fiction, a dash of spirituality, some steamy romance, and philosophical self-reflection about the worth of individuals and their choices against evil forces - all this makes for a complex literary work that is a cut above your usual read, and recommended for any who want a moving saga of redemption, loss, renewal, and courage on the parts of man and angel alike.

Cold Light continues the 'After' series and relates the saga of Emma, Arthur, and other survivors of the apocalypse. Here the fight for survival and love continue as Emma and Arthur become part of a group that continues to face challenges and changes in a post-Apocalyptic world.

It's encouraging to think that in even the bleakest of worlds and circumstances, not only hope but love can still exist. It's about saving lives, handling underlying judgment, embarking on a mission to raise children in peace and safety, and organizing survivors. It's also about burying the dead and accepting the fates of those who cannot be reached in time.

As in any dystopian story, it's the protagonists and their reactions that 'make' the saga, and the 'After' series proves a compelling, involving survey of what it means to be a survivor, both initially and in the ongoing progression of challenges that makes up a new life.

Two titles in 'The After' series provide a gripping story of apocalypse and its aftermath, starting with Fallen, which documents what happens when deadly mists kill billions on Earth, leaving the survivors struggling in a chaotic new world.

Here a woman with a strange healing ability leads eight children to safety where Arthur offers them all a haven - and Emma falls in love with him. For a woman whose world has ended and whose heart has shattered, all this seems nothing short of a miracle - but within the miracle lies danger, and when she comes to understand Arthur's closely-held secret, everything falls apart once more.

Fallen is about faith, disaster, and redemption. It's also about love, betrayal, and uncovering hope in the face of the end of all good things. At the heart of it all are children and the truth behind a natural phenomenon which has changed the world: a truth that will either rebuild or finish breaking Emma's heart and world.

I've been following Slatton's After Series now since the first book was released and, frankly, surprised the heck out of me. The first book in the trilogy, Fallen, had me frantically turning pages and thoroughly enjoying a setting that was not only post-apocalyptic, but also more adult in nature. When Fallen was provided to me, I had spent so much time reading Young Adult fiction that I had been craving something more mature and Slatton provided that in spades. Far Shore, the third installment of the trilogy, was no different. Slatton thrusts her readers back into the bleak world and brings all of the major players together in a way that had me wondering just how it would play out.

Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 14, 2013.

DNF.. this just wasn't my kind of book.

This is such a great series. I fell in love with Emma and Arthur, as individual characters and as a couple, about the time they started to realize their love themselves in Fallen. Theirs is a powerful, soul shattering kind of love that only happens once in a lifetime. A love that can cause even the most pragmatic mind to act in a completely illogical fashion. Ms. Slatton left me heartbroken with the endings of both Fallen and Cold Light and the plight she left for these two. I so wanted Emma and Arthur to find happiness, only to have my hopes dashed on the rocks time and time again. But… that just makes for a better experience- where you come back for more, because you just know- with characters that speak to a writer as eloquently as these two, she is incapable of leaving them be. There will be happiness and peace eventually. As readers, we just have to wade through the complications and perils life keeps throwing at them, and persevere until we reach that point with them.

As with both previous books, I was unable to put it down. I love when I can read a book in one sitting, even though it created a physical longing for the epic conclusion that is coming. And I have no doubt that it will be epic.

The usual cast of characters is present, each growing and evolving in their personalities and depth of character. Theirs is a unique, thrown together family that will do everything in their power to protect one of their own. I truly hope that if humanity is faced with something of this magnitude one day, that some will pull together and help each other as this group has done. A great story, with a great cast that is a definite must-read for Slatton fans, and those looking for an exceptional dystopian sci-fi series.

Rating: 4.5

HEAT Rating: Hot; graphic violence

Reviewed By: Daysie W.

Review Courtesy of: My Book Addictions and More½

I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. This review is also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

I debated for a while over the rating for this book. As I have not read the first book in the trilogy, there were some elements of the story that made no or little sense to me. But it seems unfair to rate the book down for that reason, when it is not the author's fault at all.

The very opening of the story cuts straight into a short battle, painting a picture of this post-apocalyptic, and frankly rather horrifying world. A world where people group together for safety, safety from the rest of their own race, who pillage and ruin. Near the beginning of the story, there is a small flashback which was very handy to me, not having read the first book, but which I also imagine would be a good reminder to all those who have, as it is not too detailed.

At the start of the book, I saw Emma as a brave woman, determined and selfless. But this soon turned out to be very wrong - she is actually incredibly selfish in my eyes. Despite the fact that her husband is completely devoted to her and she loves him, she cheated on him. These events happen in the first book, but she explains that she began sleeping with Arthur so he would protect her and the girls she was caring for. So why is Arthur portrayed as some sort of Lothario, some irresistible man, when Emma had to resort to sleeping with him in order to keep herself safe? Part of the reason I do not feel this book deserves a five star rating is because of Emma and Arthur. Their relationship makes me angry: it sounds like he originally forced her to sleep with him, yet she is deeply in love with him, despite being married. He also seems quite threatening towards her at times, for example when she tries to sleep in a separate room to him. The only time Emma feels any sort of guilt about this twisted relationship is when she thinks that others will perceive her badly for it. Hence her need to 'disguise' herself in order to sleep with him, so their friends would not realise it was her. I did not understand that scene at all. It felt a bit gratuitous to be honest.

The rest of the characters were a mixed bunch, and I didn't get to learn much about them. The only one I had any sort of feeling for was Haywood, Emma's husband, and that was mostly just because I felt very sorry for him. His daughter has just been kidnapped by raiders, and all his wife seems to be able to think about (on her journey to rescue her daughter, no less), is when she'll next be with this other man, Arthur. I have the feeling that most of the character development happened in the first book, when we first met this motley crew.

However, the rest of the book made up for the characters. The world building wasn't too complicated, and quite standard in a way - post-apocalyptic world, people divide up into groups, resources are scarce etc - but Slatton's writing ensured that the story was continually exciting and well-paced. It generally flowed very well, perhaps with a few clunky bits here and there, but it was generally easy to read.

I do want to raise a few questions - if Arthur controls the mists, why does he not just disperse them all? Why does Irish Robert speak with a Scottish accent? (haha) Why on earth is Emma attracted to Arthur? I award it a very solid three stars, the reason I changed my mind from four stars being Emma/Arthur's relationship. But I did enjoy the book, despite getting angry at Emma at times, and that's what matters.

I liked the premise of this book so much, but the execution? Not so good. So it only gets 1.5 from me.

I'll start off by saying what I liked about it.

The other Brian - he was a great character. I liked that he could actually distinguish between two Tessas, but he was still such a man about it (and desperate, I think.) I loved him with the other Tessa, he was quirky and eccentric in a great way and I can definitely see why she loved him.

It wasn't very long, or at least it reads really fast, and that's a blessing in disguise.
It's written in dual POV - Tessa's in 1st person, and Brian's in 3rd person. I loved this, it somehow distinguished this from that and it really worked well with the story. And I loved the format of short chapters.

Unfortunately, I hated Tessa's character. She is extremely immature for a 33 year old - she gets herself into this ludicrous mess and then acts like it was forced upon her. I just wanted to punch her, repeatedly.
She contradicts herself all the time. First she says Brian looks like a homeless person, tries to shake him off every chance possible, then she sleeps with him. Then she's disgusted by sleeping with someone like him, only she does it again. Then she says it will never happen again, except it does.
Her whole "my art is more art than your art" speeches were annoying the hell out of me. Let the people create and like what they like. I hate art snobs, but it wasn't just that. She was so self righteous like only she knew what should be called art, it came off as extremely conceited and pretentious.

The writing isn't really good.
The dialogue had me cringing, a lot. At one point you get to read this gem:

"Nice!" Brian ejaculated.

I sprayed my drink all over my Kindle when I read that. I need to clarify that they are having a conversation about a painting. They are most definitely not having sex.
edit: I was just informed that this is, in fact, a speaking verb, which is so awesome. But I still think it doesn't work in modern literature.

I don't even want to think about the whole porn video fiasco. Why that was in this book is beyond me, it was a completely ridiculous subplot that had absolutely nothing to do with the story.

There was some physics and art speak that I wasn't familiar with. Well, most of it, really. It felt like an inside joke that I just didn't understand.

There are no graphic sex scenes, but there's some talk about sex in the book. The cover is completely inappropriate for what the book is about. Don't think it's erotica, because its not.

Overall, I wouldn't say that it was a waste of time because I read the book really fast. And I'm giving the book an extra half a star for the good idea. But I wouldn't read it again, and I don't think I would recommend it, either.

**Free copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I liked the premise of this story; it seemed like a unique plotline that would be a quick and easy read. It was quick, it was easy, I liked most of the plot ideas and the characters, but pieces of the story left a little to be desired. I definitely liked the alternate universe Tessa better than the present universe version. That probably had more to do with their respective life choices than anything else, though. I also think I would have rather read the (other) love story, including more of Bryan’s ways of wooing. (Maybe there should be a companion book??) There was just something about this Tessa’s dialogue and thought processes that I didn’t get, although I can’t quite put my finger on what it was. Bryan was funny and engaging and a much more likeable character overall, in my opinion.

There were quite a few good scenes between them and I think they made a great pair. I wish Bryan had been a little more forthcoming on who he was and why he was there from the beginning. This would have allowed them to get the unbelievable-ness and explanations out-of-the-way quicker and the story could have moved on more expediently. I’m glad that even though the alternate universe Bryan had to return to his dimension, that he engineered a way for the present universe Tessa and Bryan to unite and become acquainted. I do wish that their story had continued a little longer or maybe had an epilogue.

Rating: 3

HEAT Rating: Mild

Reviewed By: Daysie W.

Review Courtesy of: My Book Addictions and More

Cold Light picks up over a year after Fallen left off. Emma has made it back to the Safe Zone in Edmonton, Alberta with Haywood and the girls, and quickly brings the reader up to date on how it happened. Even though my heart broke at the end of Fallen when she left Arthur, I understood her reasons. The story begins with Emma facing yet another hardship as her oldest daughter is kidnapped by raiders, and she realizes she must be the one to go after them. The rest of the story follows Emma as she treks across Canada and down into the US following the band of raiders while meeting new friends and being reunited with old ones.

Although I didn’t find this second installment quite as engaging as the first one, it is still an excellent story that I wouldn’t hesitate to re-read in the future. New characters are introduced early, and many of them are easy to like and amazingly relatable considering the circumstances of. My favorite early on was Gaff but edged over to Kangee by the end. Emma is still the survivor, Arthur is still the leader, Gaff is the resourceful kid, Kangee is the enigmatic mystery; the rest have their own unique attributes as well. Ms. Slatton did an excellent job creating believable characters and situations based in a hard to imagine post-apocalyptic world. It still impresses me that she can write these characters that despite everything that has happened and continues to happen to destroy the world and humanity as we know it continue to be positive and look for good in the world to help reshape mankind. Yes, there are the cynical characters that are only out for themselves, but she makes it easier to believe that if our world goes to hell in a hand basket one day, all hope may not be lost on humankind.Received for an honest review

Rating: 4.5

HEAT Rating: Hot more violence than sex, but a little of that too

Reviewed By: Daysie W.

Review Courtesy of: My Book Addictions and More½

Love this book, love these characters, love the plot, the action, the conflict, love… well just about everything about this story. The dynamics between Arthur and Emma are fantastic. They remind me so much of my favorite literary couple of all time- Jamie and Claire Frasier from the Outlander series. Actually, that’s probably why I like the entire story so much. It’s nowhere near the same, but there are a lot of similar elements between the two. The backstory is fascinating. Michael Creighton peaked my interest in nanotechnology with one of his books, and I’ve always wondered what could be some repercussions of similar technology. This story can give you a glimpse of one frightening possibility. I enjoy reading end-of-times, dystopian novels, mainly because I like seeing the parts of humanity that never give up, and strive to make the world a better place no matter how dire the situation gets. The book definitely delivers on all fronts. Ms. Slatton has found a niche with this story and these characters and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!

Arthur is a take charge, no-nonsense kind of guy with a commanding presence that brooks no argument who should be in charge. Emma is a survivor, first and foremost, but she is also a mother, guardian, caretaker, and protector. Her survival instinct enables her to do what she thinks is necessary to make sure she and those she cares for survive. I didn’t agree with the presentation of her bargain with Arthur at first, but the more I read, and the more I contemplated what my actions would be in that situation, the more I could understand how she could make that offer. As far as the ending, I wasn’t really surprised, but I didn’t need to be. This is not a story that needs twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat- the entire story does that for you.

Rating: 5

HEAT Rating: Hot

Reviewed By: Daysie W.

Courtesy of: My Book Addictions and More

The Love Of My (other) Life by Traci L Slatton.

My love of both sci. fi/fantasy and romance novels led me to review this book. A quirky fantasy-romance novel, gentle on the fantasy realm with sufficient helpings of modern day romance.

Tessa is a loveable character, caring for the elderly at her local church, foregoing payment in favour of looking out for those less fortunate. This doesn't curry favour with her landlord who wants her to pay up or kick her out.

Brian has come to Manhattan from a parallel universe where he locates Tessa, who is how wife in that other universe.
Of course Tessa doesn't believe him, thinking he is some loony stalker. He tries to convince her he is telling the truth by showing her a photograph of the two of them alongside Tessa's best friend in what is supposed to be their wedding photo.
Tessa rings her beat friend, a guy called Ofee, who is out of the country. Brian has knowledge of Ofee and this startles Tessa. But rather than putting her mind at rest Ofee tells Tessa that Brian is indeed a Professor, but has also had some kind of breakdown after stalking a woman he was obsessed with.
Eventually they learn that Ofee has got his wires crossed and they end up meeting the Brian of this universe.

Instead of running a mile, Tessa ends up falling for Brian an they end up stealing a piece of art, becoming a hit on YouTube and having a run in with a notorious criminal.
Tessa ends up in jail where she meets three prostitutes who have also been arrested. They give her some good advice and she manages to negotiate her release, set up a business deal and a sting-operation to ensnare the criminal.

But all good things must come to an end me Brian's limited time in this universe is at an end. Tessa doesn't want to lose him, but he insists he must.

After Brian has returned to his universe, Tessa gets her life back on track and plucks up the courage to meet up with the Brian from this universe.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

**** 4 stars.

Recommended.

The Love Of My (Other) Life by Traci L Slatton.

I requested this book from NetGalley as it combines two passions of mine - sci.fi/fantasy and romance.

Tessa is a struggling artist who helps out with the elderly care programme at her local church. She should get paid for this, but the church are lacking in funds and Tessa feels very strongly that this is something she should do, regardless of whether she gets paid or not.

Brian is a professor from an alternative universe. He has traveled to this universe via a decoherence device that he invented as he wanted to see Tessa. Tessa is his wife in the parallel universe.

At first Tessa thinks Brian is a crazy, homeless guy who is stalking her, especially when he he produces a photograph of the two of them on their wedding day. Also in that picture is Tessa's best friend, Offee. Offee is out of the country on a yoga retreat and when Tessa rings him up to ask about Brian he tells her that he knows who she means, claiming he is a crazy professor who had a breakdown after stalking a woman he was obsessed with. This alarms Tessa and she challenges Brian about this. He kisses her and she feels a spark of something between them, so instead of giving him a wide berth she starts a fling with him.

Tessa and Brian embark on a whirlwind adventure of art theft, becoming unlikely celebs on youtube, a run in with a very shady criminal which results in Tessa getting arrested. Whislt in custody Tessa meets three prostitutes who have also been arrested and they give her lots of advice, some of which she takes later on. She also negotiates her own release, a new career and a sting operation that captures the shady criminal.

Eventually Brian has to leave, by which time Tessa has become very fond of him. She doesn't want him to go but he tells her he must and asks her to live her life.
Once he has gone Tessa begins to enjoy her new career and the new life she has craved out for herself. She even plucks up the courage to approach the Brian from her own universe to ask him out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

**** 4 stars.

I finished this book a few days ago. I really enjoyed it. It was full of quick, witty, humor mostly from the character of Brian.
When Tessa meets Brian she somehow feels she knows the homeless looking guy in front of her but she doesn't. In this universe anyway. That's right. Brian knows Tessa from a different universe. They were married in that universe but in this universe they don't know each other. The reason he comes to see her will leave you a little sad but you will understand the love this man has for the woman that he knows (HIS Tessa in HIS universe).
Brian made me laugh so many times with his quirkiness. He was why I enjoyed the book so much and made me laugh so many times. And each chapter has a silly title such as Chapter 3, "Of dogs, chocolates, and monkeys flying kites in our universe." This book is silly and though it didn't have the hot sexiness I enjoy in a book I still liked it because it was romantic.

Book provided by Netgalley

Reviewed by: April
Book provided by: author
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

Fallen by Traci L. Slatton is a book unlike any other that you have read. It will keep you at the edge of your seat and unable to pry your hands and eyes away!

As off as it may sound, I love a great apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic story. It allows all of those theories and thoughts of “what ifs” to run through my mind and I love to have crazy things like that to contemplate. When I read the synopsis of Fallen, I was instantly intrigued and could not wait to begin reading. However, when I did begin reading, I was a bit let down in the fact that I felt as though I was missing something – like perhaps a previous book in the series. Fallen is, indeed, the first book of the series, so I had not found myself in the middle of a series – though it felt a bit like that. Also, (and this is not giving anything away, as it happens within the first couple of chapters of the story), the idea that a woman would make her way to a complete stranger during such a perilous time and offer her body in return for a safe place for her and her group of children to stay seemed a bit “out there” to me. Emma had never met this man and his group of men before and though there were band after band of rogue groups riding around killing, abusing and crazy, somehow Emma felt at ease to offer this proposal to Arthur.

Other than those two aspects that I mentioned, I really enjoyed Fallen. It was a story that gripped me and held tight as I read. There are several characters within the story, the main two being Emma and Arthur – both of which I liked and felt at least a slight connection to, allowing me to care for them. The idea that mists coming from the Earth itself and creating such destruction, devastation and mind-numbing deaths was intriguing and interesting to me. Personally, this idea did not seem that crazy to me, which lent to the credibility of the reality/possibility of such a thing truly happening. I was also gripped with what the world would be like if such a thing were to actually happen – how such simple things as water, medicines, food and basic every day necessities would be gone and/or very few and far between. Toss in the after effects that the mists left behind in people – such as healing abilities, abilities to see into the future and several other talents and you have one heck of an intriguing story that you will be hard-pressed to put down for any length of time.

In addition to the story line of living through an apocalypse, there is the strong thread of the romance that develops between Emma and Arthur. Emma has a husband a continent away, however the fact that she may never again see him plays heavily in the back of her mind. She must focus on the here and now, as well as what is best for her young five-year-old daughter. Survival is the most important priority. It doesn’t take long for the strong chemistry and bond between Emma and Arthur to come to the surface, however the Arthur of the present is not the same person as the Arthur of the past and once his secrets come out, they may shatter everything that Emma has come to gather and the slight security that she has found with him.

Fallen had me on an emotional roller coaster at times – warming my heart, bringing tears to my eyes, heart thundering in suspense and unease as well as the yearning of heat and passion simmering over me. Traci L. Slatton has an excellent story telling ability that allows the reader to fall right in to the story with the characters – bringing the characters to life and the surroundings to vivid reality within the reader’s mind. With the exception of the couple of issues that I had with the beginning of the story, I loved Fallen. The second in the trilogy, Cold Light is also now available and I cannot wait to dive into it. The ending of Fallen had my heart aching and my mind yearning for more.

This is one that I highly recommend and must warn you that once you start, you will be hard-pressed to step away from Emma’s story!

Traci Slatton nails it with her follow up to Fallen. In Cold Light Emma is faced with hard decision after hard decision - and we're not talking about decisions on simply where to live or who to be with. We're talking life and death decisions in a place that is just simply not pretty.

The end of Fallen leaves of with the reuniting of Emma with her family. She leaves behind someone she's grown attached to and does what is right and honorable. But now her life in Europe has followed her to Canada - in more ways than one.

What I appreciate about the After trilogy is how the world can be so bleak, but yet there is so much hope in the story. There's love, and thoughtfulness, and honor in a place where those just don't seem like they'd exist anymore. And what I love even more is how honest Traci's writing is. She doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done to move the story forward. When writing a story like Cold Light (or it's previous book), there are hard things which need to be done to give the story credibility. You cannot write about bad people and have them not do bad things. This is not a young adult dystopian or post-apocolyptic story - this is hardcore, knuckle-whitening stuff and it kept me riveted from page one.

The post-apocalyptic world of this story, set in France, resulted from the appearance of a mysterious and lethal mist, first released from the bowels of the earth ten months previously. These white miasmas continue to appear, scorching anything in their paths except plant life. For humans who breathe them in, they cause a slow and agonizing death. Emma, a woman in her early thirties trying to keep alive her five-year daughter Mandy as well as seven other orphans who have come into her care, has steeled herself to kill anyone struck by the mist, because it is better than letting them suffer. Emma only knew of one thing that could make the mists recede: thrumming percussive sounds, such as horse hooves or drumming.

As the book begins, Mandy is about to be overtaken by the mist when galloping horses approach and the noise saves them all. After the leader of this group of horsemen goes into a nearby building looking for items to scavenge, Emma follows him. She asks that he take her and the children into his camp, and help protect them. In return, she says, she will "contribute," and offers her body as payment. The man, Arthur, accepts on the condition of “a lot of contribution” and no attitude about it. Emma knew Arthur could keep them safe because one of her children, Newt, is clairvoyant. In fact, most of them have been changed in some way by the mists, which apparently have parapsychological effects on those who survive its onslaughts. Emma can heal with her hands, and this also becomes a “contribution” she gives to Arthur’s camp.

In time, Emma and Arthur develop strong feelings for one another, but as more mysteries are resolved about the origin of the mists, and about the existence of other survivors, the challenges they face are even greater with the threat of the crazed predators surrounding their camp. Can trust and hope and love survive the revelations of After? Or will they just be yet more casualties of the post-apocalyptic world?

Evaluation: At first I was horrified that this book was taking on a parapsychological orientation, but I think the author did a nice job of making it seem less "woo-woo" and more “scientifically” explainable. Some parts of the relationship between Arthur and Emma bothered me at first as well. But although sex was used for trade, and Arthur had expectations related to dominance, Emma was in no way submissive; rather, she could be seen as practical, and doing what she could to save her children. Fortunately, Arthur was not evil, or the entire tenor of the book would have been different. In the end, I came to enjoy the story a great deal, in spite of a particular expression Emma used a lot that got on my nerves (a very idiosyncratic quibble). But alas, although it’s not YA, it’s still a trilogy, and this is only book one! I am definitely interested in reading the next book of the series.½

This review is also on my blog at: http://abnormallyparanormal.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-fallen-by-traci-l-slatto...

Here's an adult romance title that suffers from having a really good story to tell, but it is ruined by its intolerable main characters. And, it doesn't take long to see just how awful they really are, as you need only read into the book a few pages to see the main character, Emma, offering to prostitute herself to a man she barely meets in order to live in his camp with eight needy kids-in-tow. No, she is not already a prostitute, so, yes, this is very random and unnecessary behavior on her part. What's worse is that Arthur, the great “hero” in this story, decides to take her for a test drive before even asking for her name. What a love story this will be, right?

No, this isn't erotica, although with this type of set-up at the beginning, you'd think that's exactly what you were getting. Add up all the stupid things these two main characters do, who are supposedly in love with each other, and you get a book that makes me want to recycle it so it can be reborn into something better one day.

This review gets a wee bit SPOILERY, just so you know...

Emma leads Arthur on, even after he's clearly fallen in love with her, but she's still married to her husband from before the Apocalypse. I can't really sympathize with such an overt adulteress. Arthur rapes Emma in one scene, and is very controlling of Emma and won't let her do anything without his permission first. Controlling, much? When Arthur finally finds out about Emma still being married, he demands she divorce her husband. She wants to officially break it off with her husband, and Arthur agrees so long as she does it over the radio. But, she wants to see him in person, which could take ten years. Unreasonable much? I'm feeling the love, I really am.

These two characters are in their thirties, yet have the combined emotional maturity of one twelve-year-old. This is rather sad, and extra sad when you consider that this story has so much potential. It's actually a really good story with an interesting plot development and concept. There is this mysterious mist that has gone around all over the planet and it kills everything made of metal properties, including people (because people have metal in them, too). It's well-thought out and has great world-building. But, I hate these two characters so much, I could care less about them and their experiences.

*I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 2.5 out of 5 stars. (I did not like it.)½

Fallen is set in a desolate post-apocalyptic world. The mists have killed millions, destroyed buildings and technology; the survivors fight to stay alive every day. It was refreshing to read a book in this genre that wasn't a young adult novel. I really enjoy dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels, and it seems that the young adult writers hold the corner on that market these days; still, I love them no matter what age they are geared towards.

The story takes place in France, although it feels like a wild west setting. The mist seems like tumbleweeds coming out of nowhere to hit the unsuspecting. Emma is a strong female protagonist with a powerful mothering instinct, as she gathers orphaned children along her journey.

Fallen is well written with twists that keep you reading. Traci L. Slatton does a good job describing the scenes, you feel like you're there with them. The characters were well-rounded, having good and bad sides, which helped make them feel real.

This is a solid, enjoyable story for fans of the post-apocalyptic and/or dystopian genres.

Imagine the world AFTER an attack decimates most of what we know as our world today. Well, the characters in this book characterize the events of their lives as things happened to them BEFORE or AFTER this apocalyptic event. This book was a really great read. I was glued to my kindle and couldn’t put it down.

This story starts AFTER by introducing us to Emma Anderson, her biological daughter, Mandy, and 7 other orphans that she has “adopted” while looking for shelter from “the Mists”. The Mists are a nomadic pocket of energy that looks like a white mist. It dissolves people and buildings as it is attracted to specific minerals. It is described as a painful death, so everyone is fearful of breathing when it comes around. Emma has the task of protecting the family from small pockets of rogue survivors as they try to travel to safety in Canada. Apparently there is a place in Canada not affected by the mists according to news reports before communication was completely down.

As Emma inherits these children, she finds that each one has a unique paranormal gift because of the event. One of her children tells her that an approaching convoy comes from a safe camp, so Emma decides to take the children there. After all, it has become increasing difficult for her to take care and provide for 8 children on her own. Emma meets the leader of the group, Arthur, and offers a proposition: shelter and protection in exchange for contributions to his community…including the personal kind from Emma.

Arthur agrees to the deal and adds her family to his existing group. Arthur is portrayed as innovative, resourceful, and a great protector because he can sense the Mists and he can control them by making them go away and he can also dissolve. (What? He can dissolve? How does he stay alive then?) For the first time in a long time, Emma and her children have some sort of shelter and collective harmony. The kids are laughing, reading, and eating decent food. Emma and Arthur start getting closer, but it is clear that they are both keeping secrets from each other. We soon learn that Emma has another reason why she is insisting on getting to Canada.

As they travel, Emma helps the camp with healing and hygiene issues (brushing teeth etc), while Arthur leads the camp with protection and rebuilding for the future. As the non-committal relationship grows into something much stronger, each person’s past begin to come to light. Little by little, the hidden secrets start unfolding, The BEFORE life becomes a barrier for the AFTER life, threatening to destroy what Emma and Arthur have built with one another.

The secondary characters in this book were very interesting. They provided a strong backdrop for this new movement. I loved Laurette, the camp herbalist. This sassy and competitive woman initially came on loan from the female camp. She ended up staying and she was as valuable to the camp as anyone. The female camp she came from consisted of women survivors, many who did not trust men due to crimes committed AFTER. They functioned just as well as the male camps and they ended up being a great ally to Arthur’s camp. It is nice to have a story where there are strong women characters. Emma, Tara, and Laurette were examples of the vast expertise that women add to society. There was a lot more to Alexei, the not-quite villain. He was brutal with glimpses of kindness and there was an inevitable confrontation with Arthur that kept me tense with anticipation.

I was completely engrossed in the story because I wanted to see how the relationship between Arthur and Emma would play out. I also wanted to see how Arthur would manage to create this new civilization he was dreaming of forming. I wanted to see Arthur defeat Alexei and I wanted to see Arthur defeat the mists. The ending was bittersweet, I didn’t get the resolution that I expected and that is okay because this book is the first one part of a trilogy.

I enjoyed the author’s storytelling because it was riveting, but the ending left me stunned. Emma’s last sight out of the plane is what I remember the most and it was not a good feeling for me. I can’t wait for the follow up book because my emotions are dangling on a cliff.


***Reviewed for the Paranormal Romance Guild***

So there is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of dystopia slash apocalyptic literature being published these days, especially for young adults. Now, don’t get me wrong – I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I have issues with the cut and paste stories of some of them, but as a whole they are fairly decent (and some even exceptional).

That said, I was missing reading it on more of an adult level – because there is no way that an apocalyptic word wouldn’t have some people doing desperate things to survive. Traci Slatton seems to agree with me.

Y’all, Emma is hardcore in this book. She doesn’t pull punches, she uses whatever she needs to use to guarantee safety for her kids and the thing that is causing pain.. it’s causing real pain. Not just the physical kind, it’s the emotionally scarring kind. I was horrified by what the mists did, as well as how they came about (which you’ll have to read to find out!).

What I loved about this book was the push and pull in it, the tension created by the relationship of Emma and Arthur, wondering what choice she’ll make, how she’ll survive, how the others will survive. I cried deep, gutwrenching sobs at certain scenes in the story, I found myself gasping for air at a well placed, light-hearted scene here and there, and overall.. I was gripped and on the edge of my seat dying (although not literally) to know what happens next.

My biggest disappointment? That I have to wait for the next one to come out.

This is a home-run if you are wanting a more adult “this is the end of the world!” type book. Until now, I honestly haven’t enjoyed a book of this type since reading Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

From Goodreads: "As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other."

This was a good read for fans of post-apocalyptic stories. This isn't a paranormal book, but more of a "this is what could happen if the scientists of the world are not watched a little bit more closely" type of book. It was definitely a quick read as I read it in under 24 hours.

The book starts out with Emma, her daughter Mandy, and their "family," kids who have been orphaned as a result of the mysterious mists that devour buildings and people, but not before driving the people mad. Emma comes upon Arthur and his band of merry men and realizes that she must hook up with them in order to survive. She gives herself to Arthur in exchange for the safety of her group, and I have to admit that this bugged me a little bit from the get go. I really don't think this book is for teens because of this premise and lots of incidences of violence towards women, including rape. Women are definitely looked upon as second hand citizens in the new world, but Emma retained her strength throughout the book, which I admired. She was a very tough but fair character, and a good role model to the children in her care. The understanding with Arthur is that this is just a relationship of convenience, with no feelings getting in the way. As time goes on, though, both Emma and Arthur start to feel more strongly for each other, and that causes problems between them. The biggest obstacle, and one Emma conveniently forgets to mention to Arthur, is that she is married. When the mists arrived, Emma and her younger daughter, Mandy, were visiting Europe for business, while Heywood (Emma's husband) and their older daughter, Beth, were visiting family in Canada. Emma hasn't given up hope of finding a way to communicate with and hopefully eventually travel to Canada to reunite her family.

There is a lot of action in the story, and a lot of violence, but I don't really think the violence was extraneous. It definitely gave you the idea that there were some bad, bad people who survived the mists and who would kill to survive, and sometimes just to torture.

Traci definitely describes a very scary picture of a world without leadership, but there were also a lot of moments of tenderness thrown in to show that the human spirit can survive the worst life can give you.

In summary, I had a little trouble swallowing some of the actions of the men and women in this story, but I still really, really liked the book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series :D

Description:
In this fast-paced post-apocalyptic romance, the Earth is plagued by lethal mists that dissolve all living organisms and metal structures, excluding plants. Anything the mists touch, including humans, becomes a formless dead dust; and most of the human and animal populations have fallen prey.
Emma and her daughter Mandy have survived the mists, finding food and shelter in whatever places they can. There are several orphaned children in their group, a few with strange gifts that mysteriously manifested when the mists began. Emma can heal someone just by touching them, and one of the children is slightly clairvoyant.
When a group of men save Mandy from the mists, Emma must decide what is best for the children; traveling with no protection, or joining the new group? So she finds their leader, Arthur, and trades her "affections" for a safe haven.
Their bargain begins as necessity, trading her womanly goods for food and shelter, but Arthur and Emma eventually start to fall for one another. Unfortunately, as soon as they give in to their desires they are tested. The mists are getting worse, rogue riders are attacking, and the other survivors can't be trusted, especially around Emma and the children. Can Arthur and Emma protect themselves and everyone that's relying on them? Or will the mists claim everyone and everything they love?

Review:
Fallen definitely had my attention from page one. It is an intense post-apocalyptic action/romance that's so well written you feel like the mists exist; (and you will probably avoid fog after reading). Being a fan of the survival-horror genre, I didn't know how a "survival-romance" would mesh, but Traci Slatton made it work. Her writing style is really descriptive and has a great flow to it; one minute your heart is racing, and the next minute you can't help but smile. The characters, Emma especially, had an authentic quality to them. They weren't just cookie-cutter characters, but 3-dimensional, and the dialogue fit them perfectly. As for the plot, it was very well developed, fast-paced, twisty, unique, and you won't see the ending coming. I personally can't wait for the next book in the trilogy!

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from FSB Associates (Telemachus Press) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.½