Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah 
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 When I love a book as much as I loved this one, it is so hard for me to review it. But, here go my ramblings. 
 Cass wakes up brutally scarred and without memory of how she came to be this way. Worse than this, her daughter Ruthie, is missing. So on she goes to the last place she saw Ruthie. We follow her on this journey. 
 (view spoiler)[A little backstory: This book takes place in California awhile after world wars, plagues, terrorism, etc. The worlds food sources have been pretty much wiped out by said wars, plagues, & terrorism. A plant called Kaysev was created & spread by plane to sustain humans. People who consumed a strain of said plant (dubbed 'blueleaf') became infected, and ended up as Zombies (dubbed 'Beaters' in this story). 
 However, the Beaters are not the only danger out there. This land is mostly barren. A militia group called the Rebuilders is out to replace the lost government and pretty much control everything they possibly can. The Resistance is the group working against the Rebuilders. There are squatters, lone souls wandering around, and then you have your religious cults as well. 
 In the beginning of her search for Ruthie Cass meets up with Smoke (a member of said Resistance), and there you have your traveling companion and love interest. (hide spoiler)] 
 I like the characters of this book greatly. Cass is a strong woman, not without her flaws, but determined to do whatever needs to be done to find out what has happened to her daughter. Throughout the story, Cass learns more about what happened to lead up to her waking up, alone, and brutalized. 
 Smoke is a leader, and I must say - if I was alone in a Zombie ridden world full of crazies - he is who I'd want protecting me and leading me. He is fantastic and sexy. 
 In the end, there are little beacons of hope for the future, and thus book 2, and hopefully 3? :) 
 This book is NOT YOUNG ADULT. I don't know why it is in that category (since that refers to teens), but I'd consider this an adult novel. It has explicit sex and gore.