Red Hill by Jamie McGuire ~ Review

  Red Hill

By Jamie McGuire

 

Synopsis:

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Red Hill grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.

 Review:

Why did I decide to read a book about zombies when I have such an over active imagination? Oh right, because it was written by Jamie McGuire. Red Hill definitely wasn’t my normal romance/erotica fair, but it had some heat to it. There wasn’t any zombie sex (sorry), apparently they’re pretty uninterested unless they want to eat you (& not in the good way).

I will admit I don’t read horror. I don’t read anything but smut. It’s my escape, and I want to read about enjoyable things, not things that give me nightmares. But after hearing other members of the board discussion board talk about it, I decided to give it a try. I wasn’t sleeping much anyway, so worries about the nightmares. I have to admit I enjoyed the book. It definitely stuck with me, and not just for the reasons I thought it would.

Red Hill had a little bit of everything; horror, suspense, angst, and even a little romance. We meet the main characters on the day the zombie apocalypse starts. As we follow them through all of the tragedies they form a bit of a family. Some people live, and some people die. I don’t want to give too much away, but the books was more than I expected. Jamie wrote some realistic people and what, I imagine, could happen to them.

I have a really hard time focusing on the entire book, because one storyline really resonates for me. The parts about Nathan and Zoe really struck home. Nathan’s daughter needs a routine, and the zombie apocalypse is not part of her routine. I can’t imagine dealing with everything that would be going on and trying to take care of a child that has no way to process what is happening around them. That right there made me heart sick. I felt for them so much.

I rooted for all of the characters we meet in Red Hill. Well, except one, I was a little happy when he got taken out. The story was compelling, and I am definitely still thinking about it. All I can say is, hubby better hope he doesn’t nibble too hard, since all it takes is something sharp. I’ve got plenty of high heels laying around…and I’m not taking any more chances. According to Jamie, my house would not hold up to a zombie attack.

But at least I could finally get use out of the treadmill…

This review was prepared by Liz.