Thicker Than Blood

Not sure how I kept going...but I did.

So, I usually give books 4 or 5 stars, then move on to the next book. If a book doesn’t hold my attention I never finish it and it never receives a review. If I love a book, I fail to leave a review since I am quickly downloading all other books by the author:). I felt like this book made me frustrated enough to say something this time. To be clear, I don’t think I am a writer myself and I think to write a story from start to finish takes some skill. I am however an avid reader and listen to at least 4 books a month on audible and it has made me that irritating person that can always predict what will happen next. So enough groundwork has been laid on my qualifications as a reviewer...
I think this book would have been better if it didn’t seem like every chapter wasn’t filled with hysteria, self-blame, guilt, and/or the never ending CO-dependency of these two women. The first several chapters I kept reminding myself that it is an apocalypse book so people would be scared, shocked, and feel despair about their lives. I even told myself that it is possible that it is more realistic that people would be on a nonstop emotional rollercoaster if they had no security in their life. After all, I may be a little too clinical about what I would be like in an apocalypse after all the books and movies I have read. Truthfully though, even if all the screaming, crying, meltdowns, and internal thought monologues about how they were feeling (usually guilty, depressed, angry, ready to die for each other, mad at each other, love for each other), it was too hard to listen too. Maybe if I read it instead the voices would have been different and less panicked or hysterical. I don’t want to blame the narrators because they did a good job sounding like it was the end of the world. I just would have thought the women wouldn’t be so surprised or be so overwhelmed all the time, 4 years into an apocalypse. Yes, they spent most of their time behind protective walls, but there wasn’t any real humanity there, so why the surprise when it was worse outside the walls. Why were they on such a moral high horse with other survivors? The fact that they screamed whenever they had any fear in a zombie apocalypse, knowing that they would attract more trouble seems like they don’t have a clue how to survive. The fact that they never scout out towns prior to strolling down the middle of the street...I could go on but will leave it with they would have been killed off in 1 episode if they were in The Walking Dead. I listened all the way though because I kept thinking they would pull through stronger and reach a point when them surviving would bring them inner strength, that the emotional craziness would be something left behind. Will not spoil the ending but I felt it didn’t fit in with the story. Almost like it was rushed to be done.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Powerful post apocalyptic story!

The story of Evelyn and Leisel is one of devoted friendship. This post apocalyptic world is not really a "zombie" story ... the "infected" are eluded to, fought every once in a while, but as a whole is a back drop to the story of the friendship that endures. I was unsure if I would enjoy this story. I read previous reviews and was hesitant to try it. I do like a well written story and this one was very well done. This is kind of a love story in a post apocalyptic world. It is a brutal, ugly world where women are viewed as commodities. In my opinion, it is a good story. Not my normal genre but I do know that Madeline Sheehan can pen a good story. This story is not for everybody. You have to be able to cope with a Mad Max world ... that is dark and violent. I used a credit and recommend this book for a credit or sale.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Intense and heartbreaking

Claire C. Riley and Madeline Sheehan will rip out your heart, drop it on the floor, stomp on it a bit - then pick it up, dust it off and hand it back to you.

The character development in this book is amazing. They make mistakes and bad decisions at times, but to me that makes them more human. You are drawn in to this world, you fall in love with the good guys and you really, really hate the bad guys. You are kept on the edge of your seat all through the book as they try to find somewhere safe.

Evelyn is the ballsy, take charge, speaks what is on her mind half of the duo that will sacrifice anything to keep Leisel safe. Leisel is the timid mouse that has been broken over and over again, but she is much stronger than even she knows. Polar opposites, they are best friends that keep each other going during the zombie apocalypse.

It is very dark at times, but that makes it realistic. All this and you still get zombies!

CJ Bloom did a wonderful job with the narration. She has a pleasant voice, good pace, you can easily distinguish the characters and she put so much emotion into the parts that called for it.

Audiobook purchased by reviewer.

4 of 7 people found this review helpful

Survival

I love The Walking Dead, I love zombies and I love survivor stories. That's the reason I picked this book up. Even though it has all of those things in the book, it is actually a story about love. Not a romantic love but a bond of sisterhood and survival. I actually wanted more zombie action and less of the crappy people.

I'm not even sure if I liked it or not. But you gave it 4 stars, you say... This is true. The fact is, I couldn't put it down. I had such strong emotional reactions to the events and characters that it stayed with me for days. I was just so angry and disgusted with humanity and the outcome that I couldn't give it less than 4 stars.

Without giving too much away, I will say that I hope to never live in a world like this. This is not a happy feel good book that leaves a smile on your face after finishing it. It's depressing. In fact, the thought that crossed my mind the most was "What. The. %$#@. is wrong with people!"

There is another book in this series that focuses on one of the secondary characters from this one. I hated that guy. Why does he get his own book?? Will I read it? Heck no! I mean, yeah probably.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Hmmmm !

The story never made any sense or rhyme or reason. Did not enjoy. It was not a good zombie storyline .
It seem like nothing was ever finished. I found their friendship and compassion for each weird. It seem like they should've been in love and had a physical relationship with each other other than men just very strange relationship. Although they did truly loved their deceased husbands and current boyfriends. It would've been a better book if they started from the beginning when they were with their husbands and when the virus started and how their husbands got sick and died then ended up at where the book started.. Sorry I found the book very depressing but this is my review.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

WOW!!!

Very gripping! I loved the characters! I didn't want it to end! Onto book 2!

2 of 4 people found this review helpful

Nope.

Would you try another book from Claire C. Riley and Madeline Sheehan and/or CJ Bloom?

Nope.

What was most disappointing about Claire C. Riley and Madeline Sheehan ’s story?

It's a ROMANCE. The zombies were superfluous. I would NOT have bought it if I knew that.

How could the performance have been better?

The performance was fine.

What character would you cut from Thicker Than Blood?

All of them.

Any additional comments?

This book is not what I thought. It's a romance novel (exactly the kind of harlequin-type stories I tend to loathe) that happens to have zombies. I thought there were going to be strong female characters who survive and kick-ass on their own, who weren't dependent on the male characters. Nope. There is a potentially good story in this book, but it's completely overshadowed thrown aside by romance. I'm sorry, but I just can't believe that you're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and all you think about is boys and sex and how the boys are going to help you. Again, nope.

This is not a bad book if you're looking for a romance (I think - I'm not a credible critic of romance novels). This is just not a book for me, and the two-star rating is a reflection of that. If the book description focused more on the fact that it was a romance (don't get me wrong, I knew there would be some, I just didn't think it'd be the driving theme), I would not have bought or read it.

1 of 3 people found this review helpful

DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Hmmm. I think this book caters to a reader that doesn't like to read about strong, kick ass women.

Has Thicker Than Blood turned you off from other books in this genre?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I LOVE THIS GENRE! There are some amazingly written zombie apocalypse books and series.

What didn’t you like about CJ Bloom’s performance?

I didn't like the voices of the men and Leisel was almost painful to listen too.

What character would you cut from Thicker Than Blood?

I wouldn't cut just 1 character. I would ONLY KEEP 1.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Worst. Narrator. EVER.

What disappointed you about Thicker Than Blood?

I couldn't continue listening after the third chapter, the narrator was too grating and I gave up.

Would you ever listen to anything by Claire C. Riley and Madeline Sheehan again?

I like Madeline Sheehan's Undeniable series, they were great, the narrator (Tatiana Sokolov) was great. This book may have been great, but I am just not willing to subject my ears to this narrator any more than I already have.

How could the performance have been better?

If you put a cat in a bag and swung it around, that would have been a better performance.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment and red hot, murderous irritation.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Meh

I really wanted to like this book. But ultimately it just ended up frustrating me. I thought a zombie apocalypse book written by women might be refreshing. Instead the perspective just pissed me off. And I'm a woman lol. The performance was good tho.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful