This review was written in conjunction with Celeste and Amy at thebookhookup.com 
 First Thoughts: 
 Celeste: I'm OBSESSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
 Amy: Whoa. Just WHOA! 
 Ana: More than I expected!! 
 Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: 
 Celeste: This was a new adult story in an apocalyptic setting...so not only were Maddie and Ryder dealing with their issues as friends/lovers, they also had to fight for their lives. I was hooked! The pacing was 100% perfect; the burn was exquisite and I may or may not have been fanning myself as my stomach did flips the entire book. I love the way Ms. Weaver tells a story and I will now read ANYTHING she writes. 
 Amy: This book was written SO.DANG.WELL! This may sound silly, but the background details of this story reminded me a lot of the TV series, The Walking Dead (BEST SHOW EVER!), just without the zombies.. Maddie and Ryder are trying to survive in a devastated world where the odds are constantly against them. Everyday is a fight to exist and there's always another challenge behind every move they make, including the whiplash rush of emotions that consumes these two characters. The pacing was perfect and the storyline flowed along flawlessly. Paige Weaver definitely has a way with words.. her writing style is both captivating and addicting! 
 Ana: I really enjoyed the storytelling. This book felt different from others of it's type. Even though some of the elements felt familiar, the author was able to put a spin on the situations and make them feel unique. The writing was smooth and the plot flowed well, making it easy and fun to read. 
 The MCs: 
 Celeste: I'm in love with Ryder, Maddie, and the both of them together. I felt like I was Maddie. She wore her heart on her sleeve and didn't played games. Of course Ryder was tougher to reel in, but man oh man, that was the beauty of him. I loved how they could never say no to each other. 
 Amy: Awesome pair of characters! I so love when that happens! Both Ryder and Maddie's characters were so well developed and perfectly complimented the story and each other. Ryder Delaney is an emotionally charged bad boy that wears a suit of armor over his feelings and his heart. And boy, oh boy, is this guy a handful to deal with! He's fiercely protective, jealous, moody, confusing, dark and overwhelming and I'm TOTALLY in love with him. (Lol) Ryder is willing to give his own life to protect the one woman he felt he didn't deserve.. the woman that is also one of his best friends, but throughout the story, he painfully struggles tamp down and deny his feelings for Maddie because he doesn't do relationships or love.. Or does he? *evil laugh* Maddie's character, as well as her dialogue, really had an affect on me. I felt her pain and confusion. And her love and need for Ryder. I understood her and the reasons for the way she felt and found myself rooting her on to fight for both herself and the man that had always been "the one." 
 Ana: I liked Maddie and found myself on her side in almost every situation. She's intelligent and stronger than she appears. I must admit that I was torn by Ryder...I loved him, I hated him, I loved him...no...really!! He's definitely swoonworthy! A bad boy fighting his own demons and denying himself what he want because it's what he thinks is best...gets me every time! But he did confuse me. I'm not sure why he felt unworthy of Maddie, after all, he's a good guy from a good family and they've been friends forever. Could he have low self esteem while still being cocky?!? At times it made me sad for him because he blocked his own path to happiness. 
 Quote: "I keep telling myself to leave you alone, that once was enough but I don't think it will ever be enough. I need you. I need you under me. On top of me. In front of me. I just fucking need you." 
 Romance /Chemistry/ Cold Shower Level: 
 Celeste: hot hot hot!! 10 cold showers! Sweet lawd, that was smoking. I'm pretty sure I could feel the hormones jumping out of my kindle. 
 Amy: Holy heart palpitations! SO HOT! The chemistry between Maddie and Ryder is insanely delicious! (and tastefully well written too!) Just like them.. I couldn't get enough! 
 Ana: Definite chemistry...the push and pull, the strong emotions, the angst and the passion...it was all there! 
 Title/Cover: 
 Celeste: The cover is stunning and the title is amazing. I think I actually like the title of the next book a little more, Promise Me Light. 
 Amy: Beautiful and perfectly fitting. 
 Ana: Pretty cover and the title is a perfect fit for the book. 
 Ending: 
 Celeste: How am I supposed to wait for the next book? 
 Amy: Brutal! I need book 2 NOW. 
 Ana: Really?!?! This is where you leave me?!?!? 
 Gripes/suggestions: 
 Celeste: Honestly, I loved the entire thing, but if I were to nit-pick it was the overuse of some words, like bottom. Did that affect my love for the book? No way! Still awesome! 
 Amy: Ok, anyone that knows me, is irritatingly aware of my love for tattoos.. Dark, troubled, ripped, gorgeous dude with (meaningful/well placed) tattoos = me, puddle on the floor, (seriously) but I felt like the amount of times that his tattoos were mentioned was actually a wee bit excessive. Rather than having Maddie always internally expressing her attraction to Ryder's body and his tattoos, I would of liked for her to actually tell him how she felt and maybe even shown him (while telling him) .. I know I would of! GAH! 
 Ana: What made this book good is what also made it frustrating for me. Ryder! More specifically, Ryder's emotional rollercoaster. There were times I wanted to yell at him stop sulking, stop being angry, stop being over-protective...and, for gosh sake, make up his bloody mind already! But then, in the next chapter, I was OK with him again...so maybe I'm the one who needs to make up my mind! lol 
 Final thoughts/rec it? 
 Celeste: A million times yes!! 
 Amy: Most definitely! 
 Ana: Yes!!