Hello friends, and welcome back to the blog and my 31 Days of Halloween.
BOOK QUOTE
“In the apocalypse, sin is made up and stupid. It doesn’t exist” — C.J. Leede“
It’s Day 25 of the series and the end of the week, which was everything in books. I shared a list from a few genres and shared some of the titles I’ve read. Tomorrow is the last day, and I’ll share one more book list as I wrap up this 3rd week.
Today, I’m sharing a quick review of an ARC title I recently finished called American Rapture.
Book Details
Title | American Rapture
Author(s) | C.J. Leede
Format | E-Book (Kindle)
Pages/Hours | 372 pages
Published | October 2024
Publisher | Tor Nightfire
Genre | Horror, SciFi, LGBTQ+, Post-Apocalyptic
GR Rating | 4.37
Purchase | Amazon
Storyline
A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. A good Catholic girl, Sophie must traverse the Midwest’s hellscape to try to find her family while the world around her burns. Along the way, she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin…
5.0 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!
Where to begin with this review? It’s the zombie apocalypse turned on its head. Talk about the most disturbing and dangerous virus to take hold; this is it.
Characters
Sophie (“The Sheltered protagonist”)
Noah (Sophie’s twin brother)
Vargas (“The Beast” and man’s most faithful best friend)
Mary (turned friend and protector)
Ben (Sophie’s friend and resilient)
FIRST OFF
Let’s be clear that this story starts slow and gains momentum as any zombie story does. Sophie’s parents are part of an “extreme” religious community living in Wisconsin. They believe living for God will bring them closer to God (which most Christians believe). Let’s pray the evils of the world away or completely ignore them because that’s always worked right. LOL 🤣
WHAT GOT ME
People are aware of this “new” virus. It’s been on the news, and the larger cities are starting to prepare by informing residents. Her parents are aware of the virus and ignore the warnings because (you guessed it)…living on the fringes of society and living for God will protect them. So they hide the newspapers, and Sophie isn’t allowed to watch TV or have a phone and no social media.
Her parents are (literally) trying to stifle her physical growth and puberty under big clothes and ignorance. They say, “Her burgeoning womanhood is sinful, and if she tried harder, then this wouldn’t be happening.” (Wow!)
PAUSE…at this point, I’m thinking, are they stupid?🤦🏾♀️ Considering they did have a life before having children.
Sophie, however, is smart, so while she can’t see the news, she reads everything from the library she can find. All those instructional manuals would prove helpful throughout this story, which (interestingly enough) parallels the pandemic outbreak and how information is disseminated throughout different regions. People don’t want to believe it’s real until it is.
THE VIRUS
This virus is maddening, and much like a typical zombie Apocalypse, this is not. This virus affects the part of the brain and releases your sexual inhibitions. People are (literally) feverish and screwing themselves to death and trying to burrow into every orifice until there is nothing left. Sexual orientation doesn’t matter. Once the virus takes you. You desire anyone and everyone.
50% Mark
Wow!!! I don’t know what’s (more) maddening, this virus and the hysteria surrounding it or Sophie herself. I didn’t think at this point she would survive because she knows nothing, but I’ll give her this: she’s learning quickly. Her only goal is to get to her brother, Noah. Who, of course, has been sent away because he’s sick. (not hardly) Let’s pray the gay away, ladies and gentlemen, because, oh yeah, that works. 🤦🏾♀️ We’ll pretend we only have one child and drive that one crazy.
WHAT WE KNOW AT THIS POINT
🧟♂️ At least 1000 people are dead because you die of a fever or screwing to death.
🧟♂️ There is a vaccine, but it’s unclear how well it works or if it works at all.
🧟♂️ The virus is spread by coming into contact with an infected person or bodily fluids. (yes, gross…LOL)
🧟♂️ We don’t know if Noah is alive.
🧟♂️ Sophie’s hometown and many other small towns are under quarantine.
This novel (by far) is much more terrifying than any other zombie apocalypse title I’ve seen (or read). And a new human threat has been introduced, killing off survivors in the name of Jesus. (really?) So to put it this way…the infected are not just trying to “eat your brains and steal your knowledge.” 🎶🎶 😂🤣🤪😁
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
5.00 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hands down the best zombie 🧟 apocalypse book I’ve read in a while that I (actually) finished. (That means you, World War Z…LOL)
It’s gory, graphic, and violent. Friendships and bonds are made; people you care about and get attached to don’t make it (like every zombie story). I loved it. This book is worth all the hype. Highly recommended!!!
Good Reads Challenge Progress
Where I’ve posted a link, I’ve created a podcast on that review, which is a little more detailed than the written review and, of course…commentary. All my other reviews can be found ➠➠➠ here.
What Moves the Dead (read)
Leslie F*cking Jones (read)
The Cousins (read)
September House (read)
The Echo Wife (ARC: read)
Her Lost Soul (ARC: read)
The Black Girl Survives This One (ARC: read)
The Bad Ones (ARC: read)
The Eleven (ARC: read)
The Sundown Motel (read)
We Lie Here (read)
The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar (read)
Kill The Boy Band (read)
I Need You to Read This (ARC: read)
The Wishing Game (read)
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide (read)
The Kind Worth Killing (read)
Home is Where the Bodies Are (read)
My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones (read)
Mary: An Awakening of Terror, Nat Cassidy (read)
Houses of the Unholy (ARC: read)
Suck-U-Bus (ARC read)
Antenora (ARC read)
Sadie (read NOT REVIEWED)
The Night She Disappeared (read)
Sleep Tight (ARC: read)
Wasp in the Ice Cream (read)
William (ARC: read)
The Afterparty (read)
The Hitchcock Hotel (ARC: read)
Sleep Tight (ARC: read)
The Book of Witching, C. J. Cooke (ARC: read)
William (ARC: read)
Wasps in the Ice Cream (read)
Middle of the Night (read)
The Moving Finger (Read)
Good Read Challenge (Currently Reading)
Holly (reading)
Horror Movie (reading)
For my partial Good Reads Challenge list, check out this ➠➠➠ post. For all the other posted reviews, check out my page. For the review podcast, check out my Spotify.
Bonus: There is still time to take this challenge I found on The Nerd Daily that I think you’ll enjoy. Click on the image for the PDF version. How many can you fill out?
Thank you so much for visiting my blog today…stay tuned and stay spooky. — Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🍬🦇💀🧡