The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 416

Publisher - Doubleday

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Set in a world where a virus stalks our male population, The End of Men is an electrifying and unforgettable debut from a remarkable new talent that asks: what would life truly look like without men?

Only men are affected by the virus; only women have the power to save us all.

The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland--a lethal illness that seems to affect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic--and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien--a women's world.

What follows is the immersive account of the women who have been left to deal with the virus's consequences, told through first-person narratives. Dr. MacLean; Catherine, a social historian determined to document the human stories behind the male plague; intelligence analyst Dawn, tasked with helping the government forge a new society; and Elizabeth, one of many scientists desperately working to develop a vaccine. Through these women and others, we see the uncountable ways the absence of men has changed society, from the personal--the loss of husbands and sons--to the political--the changes in the workforce, fertility and the meaning of family.

In The End of Men, Christina Sweeney-Baird creates an unforgettable tale of loss, resilience and hope.



My Review

I do like a book where we start at the beginning, the plague such as it is, we see the patient in A&E going from flu to at deaths door in under 4 hours. How the doctors review to see what they missed because patients don't deteriorate like that without warning (usually) and the doctor flagging the plague and being ignored.

I liked that you can see how easy something like this could happen and bizarre how she started this before covid kicked off yet you can relate to so much. We flip between characters, families, people dying, losing their loved ones. The governments responses, how people react/respond, it is really dark and dire in some places but also great shows of strength and I love how strong the women become. In a world where men are dropping like flies we need women to step up, quickly train and take the reins.

It took a bit to settle when the story jumped from different people and view points but it was interesting to see such far reach. Couples, the doctor, how the losses impact on relationships and individuals, the route to working on the vaccine. How scary it would be to loose so many specialised trained males and scrambling to get their replacements, women or the little surviving men, up to speed.

It gives you a lot to think about, I know for some it may be too close to the current pandemic but I think it highlights how much worse things could be and insane how there are similarities! 3.5/5 for me this time. It certainly doesn't read like a debut, it is very well rounded, I look forward to this authors next offering.

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The Dead Lands by Benjamin Percy

The Deadlands by Benjamin Percy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off for 4 days

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Pages - 416

Blurb from Goodreads

In Benjamin Percy's new thriller, a post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Lewis and Clark saga, a super flu and nuclear fallout have made a husk of the world we know. A few humans carry on, living in outposts such as the Sanctuary-the remains of St. Louis-a shielded community that owes its survival to its militant defense and fear-mongering leaders.

Then a rider comes from the wasteland beyond its walls. She reports on the outside world: west of the Cascades, rain falls, crops grow, civilization thrives. But there is danger too: the rising power of an army that pillages and enslaves every community they happen upon.

Against the wishes of the Sanctuary, a small group sets out in secrecy. Led by Lewis Meriweather and Mina Clark, they hope to expand their infant nation, and to reunite the States. But the Sanctuary will not allow them to escape without a fight.



My Review

A brutal opening, a woman in labour, her husband slaughtered and just after she gives birth she is dragged out and the child left alone on the bed. Chapter one takes us immediately inside the wall, guarded with knives and bows, there are no guns inside the wall, inside Sanctuary. Things of the world we know it is long gone, a museum holds items that once had value in the world. Since the super flu and nuclear fallout, humans are thin in number, mutants and the aftermath from both make it unsafe to be outside. Sanctuary is ruled by the new major, Thomas Lancer who pleases himself and cares not much about his people. His confident and childhood friend Lewis Meriweather is a master with creations and Thomas wants weapon to further his hold on his people. When a visitor comes from outside Sanctuary bringing hope that there is life outside of the wall, a small group led by Meriweather breaks out to what they hope is a better life, but is it?

Lewis has an inner power, he is intelligent and wants to believe Gawea, the outsider, that Aran Burr has sent her, can offer a new life and help him with his powers. The rest of his group want something better, freedom and follow him through danger to get it. The journey is dangerous, mutants will threaten their lives and the group will discover that Gawea may not have been 100 percent honest in what she claims.

The story is a post apocalyptic style story, it features friendship, love, betrayal, murder, loss, sex and violence to name a few of the themes. The story pulled me in to begin with and it takes you through an arduous journey for many of the characters. An interesting read although I would have enjoyed it more had there been a bit more story behind the powers, mutations, flu and construction of the Sanctuary. 3/5 for me this time, my first time reading this author, I would read this author again. Thanks so much to BookBridgr for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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NBR - Masque Of The Red Death by Bethany Griffin (book 1)

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 3 days

Blurb From Goodreads

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club--in the depths of her own despair--Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for--no matter what it costs her.


My Review

Imagine trying to survive a world filled with disease, fear, murder, drugs and ruled by a tyrant who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Araby is living as best as she can, trying to fulfill a promise to her brother whilst under the same roof as her scientist father and aloof mother (both who she feels wishes she had expired and not her brother). Whilst trying to find escape and peace at Debauchery with her best friend she can't help but notice Will, handsome and aloof who makes her feel something other than the effects of drugs or the sorrow for the lives lost with disease. Eventually she meets Elliott who is dangerous, sexy and ruthless and believes he can give hope to those left alive and save what is left of his city.

This is quite a story, Araby is a great character who has many levels to who she is and how she came to be the person she is. My problem with the story is that I felt I was missing something a lot of the time (although by the end of the story I had a better understanding on everything). When someone went missing and there was no interrogation or real answers given to what had happened and where they had went. Also it seemed some of it was in riddles, something would happen or be mentioned and we wouldn't discover why or what until later in the book (this does annoy me as I have to read and re-read in case I missed something).

The relationships between Araby and the boys had, for me, some highs and lows and I switched my opinion on them a few times. Near the end there is a few twists and it does keep your attention but I didn't like how I didn't get my answers until the end of the book and even then I was left with questions. This is the first in a series and I will look for the next book to find out what happens next with Araby. 3/5 for me this time and thanks to Newbooks for providing me with a review copy and introducing me to a new author.

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