Review: Fallen by Traci L. Slatton

Book Description:

When the world ends, all that is left is love....
As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other. Will Emma stay with him?
The first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times.

Review:

The world we know is no longer here. A strange mist has been traveling around the world killing people or making them out of their mind.  People who are left are either trying to hurt each other or trying to find safety in numbers and care for each other.  Emma is trying to survive with her own daughter and seven other children that she has found parentless, or all alone.   She knows how to stay safe from the mists but is unable to stop them if they get into her companions. She has made a vow that if anyone is attacked by the mists she will just kill them because she does not want them to suffer.   Emma is looking for a place to keep herself and her children safe when she meets Arthur. They strike a deal, he will take her and the children to his camp and offer them safety in exchange for Emma being his and offering him whatever he asks. She takes the deal and they are off.  While living in camp, Emma feels like she is part of the group and feels safer, she also feels that there is something about Arthur that she cannot trust. As she falls for him, complications arise that will test their relationship, she holds a secret and so does he.  Will they find a way to stop the mists, and be together or will they be torn apart?

                This was an interesting book.  I never knew what was going to happen from one chapter to the next. The whole time reading I kept thinking I had it figured out and then something would change.  I liked how the relationships among the survivors were played out. They were all trying to keep themselves safe as well as work somewhat together to continue the human race. There was one group camp of people that was only women because they did not trust the men in the world that were left, while until Emma and the children arrived Arthurs camp was just men.  It made me think about what would really happen if this story became true. Would people work together or would we naturally segregate ourselves into groups to feel safe.  There were also some unexpected secrets on the part of the two main characters that really threw me for a loop and made the book that much better. I really think that this book would be best for high school age and older readers, it deals with mature topics that are best suited for the more world experienced reader.  All in all this is a great read!!

Author website:

http://www.tracilslatton.com/index.htm

*Reviewed by Jenny O. for Bite Club