Review: Dark Bloom by Molly Macabre
Blurb:
When a disease runs rampant, turning people into cannibalistic horrors, society comes to a halt. Kate manages to escape the sadistic captivity she has endured and collides with Nick, a Marine haunted by the scars of war.
They join forces to navigate a treacherous landscape, battling the undead and hostile survivors. But what happens when the monsters outside are the least of their worries?
Nick’s shame is crushing, and Kate’s distrust is swallowing her whole. Will they overcome the darkness that threatens to consume them from within? And what will become of a world overrun with creatures that cannot seem to stop…laughing?
Review:
I have always been a sucker for zombies and post apocalyptic type of stories. I really enjoy them in video game format and the occasional movie. I have tried a couple of books, but the heart thumping suspense that I have come to expect from them usually falls a little short as I am able to anticipate and there just isn’t the same thing as a jump scare as in the other two formats. Then I see Dark Bloom burst into my life. It was a book that kept popping up and I knew that I had to give it a shot. I am definitely glad that I did! It definitely captures the feel of some of my favorite games, which is a difficult thing to do, and has some memorable moments all on its own. I was glad to see that the author made it so that it did not rely upon those comparisons to make it seem like it belonged, instead carving out its own niche that will allow it to be remembered as a staple in the zombie apocalypse handguide.
The strength of the novel is the heart pounding action scenes of the zombies. They are intense and make a reader want to scream over and over again! These are the moments that really came to life for me, easily seen in the mind as if unfolding one step at a time. The sounds are what made it come to life for me, knowing that the creepy “laughs” will be something that would be in the nightmares of many to come. The action is really easy to read, flowing effortlessly. It raises the heart rate naturally, not forcing anything at all. The pacing of the novel is where I struggled. I enjoy a fast pace, as I feel it allows me to read them much faster. This novel is fast!! I felt that a few more slower moments between the characters would have helped me connect to them more. There are a few and they are actually some of my favorite moments from the entire novel. There are a couple of instances that call out some of the music that is highlighted in the novel. It makes you want to put on some of that music and get lost with the characters, feeling their pain and memories as a part of the story. The majority of their story is told through flashbacks, which are great, but the action is almost non stop. Some readers may find the flashbacks hard to read, as it focuses on some subjects that can be hard to read or hear about. I found myself disconnecting from the characters a bit because of this pacing. I did find it engaging for the majority of the novel, never finding it to pull me all of the way out of it.
This novel will definitely have a wide audience that will find it extremely enjoyable, full of intense zombie fighting moments. The characters will break your hearts, will make you cheer, and make you scream from what happens in these pages. This book deserves the hype that it has received and I know that the author definitely has a future in writing zombie horror books. It will cause nightmares, it will cause heart racing, and who knows what else could happen! In fact, I believe all of the readers will be out in hoards screaming for brains waiting until the next one comes out! Do yourself a favor and make sure to check this novel out. You won’t be sorry that you did.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
