October 25, 2015

Review: The Infected by Michelle Pickett

The Infected (PODs #2)
Author: Michelle Pickett
Publisher: Hayes Publications
Publication Date: October 12, 2015
Pages: 364
Format: Kindle

From the author of the award winning Unspeakable, and the best selling PODs, comes the highly anticipated sequel to PODs. A world where death stalks the unsuspecting, and this time even the PODs might not save them.

A virus nearly wiped out humankind...

Months have passed since a human infection has been reported. Survivors of the deadly pandemic have finally started to build a life in a world left devastated by plague.

Ironically, for nineteen-year-old Eva, life made more sense when she battled the deadly Infected than it does in the serenity of her new home in Rosewood. Separated from fiancé and former POD-mate, David, after an impossible ultimatum, Eva finds her life a little lonely and a lot confusing.

But as troubled as Eva’s life is, it's about to take a turn for the worse as untold dangers watch and wait for the right moment to attack…

The virus refuses to die quietly.

Review: I'm SOOOOOO happy this finally came out! I loved PODs and I seriously couldn't wait for the next installment! The Infected lived up to my expectations! I really like how there is a genuine picture of an infected on the cover of the book. Blue veins and everything! I know a lot of people said the blurb for PODs gave away a lot of the story and I can say that the blurb for The Infected definitely doesn't! In fact, the blurb is only a tiny piece of the story. 

I had a love hate feeling for David in this book. If you recall from my review of PODs, I actually really liked his character. I ended up not liking him about a chapter in to this book and I felt like that for over half the book. Some stuff happens in between when PODs ended and The Infected starts that is explained in the first chapter that really changed how I felt about David for a while. Eventually I came back to liking him again, but not as much as I did in PODs. I also really enjoyed Eva's development in this story. She decided that absolutely no one was going to tell her what to do or how to do it and I loved it! She gets told to stay behind on a mission while the boys handle it or not to take on the infected and she says HECK NO! She stood up for herself and showed the men just what she was capable of doing and how well she was capable of doing it. 

We also got to get to know some new characters such as Devlin and his sister Jessica and some other people from Rosewood, the village Eva was assigned to live in. Devlin was generally a nice guy and I quite enjoyed getting to know more about him throughout the book. I also enjoyed the friendship he formed with Eva. We also got to see more of Tiffany and George and see how their relationship has grown and developed. 

I have to say the story went in a different direction than I was expecting. I was not expecting David and Eva and the group that got stuck outside of Rosewood to make a trip to the main settlement to get stuff. I was also not expecting them not to just up and leave Rosewood for good so easily. I was expecting a little more time and thought to be put in that decision. I was also surprised at how many people decided to leave with Eva and David and their group. It's really sad when so many people put their faith in a 19 and 20 year old over the military. That says something. 

I have to say I was super happy with the ending! Eva got something back that is so precious to her and I couldn't be happier! And Eva and David finally got their happiness as well after all that happened throughout the book.

5 Stars!

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June 12, 2013

Blog Tour + Giveaway: PODs by Michelle Pickett

PODs (PODs #1)
Author: Michelle Pickett
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Pages: 312
Source: ARC from Spencer Hill Press

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Review: I absolutely loved this book!!! I felt like it was very well rounded. It had a fantastic mix of sadness, romance, fear, absolute terror and even happiness. It is one of my favorite reads of the year so far!!! I definitely suggest it to all dystopian fans out there!!! I absolutely loved Eva! I thought she was an awesome lead character! She is strong yet sensitive, but also very independent. She wouldn't let anyone but herself make her decisions for her. I really loved that. She knew what she wanted, and she never gave up on getting that, even if it went against what other people thought would be better for her. Though she did do what she needed to do when she absolutely had to do it. 

I wanna talk about the PODs. These things were interesting. First of all, I know it definitely wasn't an accident that only younger people got chosen in the raffle. I just didn't make the other connection that Eva did in regards to their grades in school. But after finding that out, it definitely made sense. I have to say. I think I'd go nuts if I was locked in a POD with like 9 other people I didn't know. I just wouldn't adjust well to that at all! Though Eva did a fine job of it. She made friends really quickly and adjusted really well despite the pain of leaving her family behind. Almost everyone in the POD did really. They all were hurting after having to leave their families behind but they made the best of it! I found it really interesting how when everyone started schoolwork in the PODs they were slowly being pushed towards what their career would be when they left the PODs. Like Eva was slowly being pushed towards becoming a teacher even though that was something she never considered before being put in the POD. The government pretty much had control over what everyone in the PODs would be doing once they were chosen to be in it. I didn't exactly like that but at least they were taking into account what subjects the people were good at and chose a field for them that coincided with their strong points. That at least was better than being put in a field you know absolutely nothing about! On another note, I was absolutely horrified at what happened to the people in PODs that had people who showed signs of the virus! Everyone in the POD was killed!!! The POD was shut off and crushed!!! It was just horrible knowing that those people that didnt show signs of the virus in those certain PODs never had a chance. They had to die with the others who were showing signs!!! I know the government did it for containment measures, but why not give the people who were still healthy a fighting chance? 

People time!!! Ok. I absolutely loved David!!! He was such a sweet guy! He really cared for Eva and did whatever he could to protect her from the bad, whether inside the PODs or out. I was totally getting annoyed with him though closer to the beginning. He was such a freaking chicken about telling Eva his feelings. There was so many times when he just started to, but then shut up and chickened out! I was seriously freaking happy when he finally just kissed her!!!! I was seriously thinking "ABOUT TIME" in my head! Lol! I also loved though, that David was also a typical teenage boy with hormones as well. He was a great guy, but he also couldn't help the fact that he was attracted to Eva either. But I do have to give both David and Eva credit. Despite the fact that they really wanted to take their relationship to an intimate level, they still had enough common sense to realize the consequences of doing that would make their survival in the world that much more complicated. So they still managed to control themselves and that, that definitely wasn't easy for either of them. Now onto the others. I loved almost everyone in Eva's POD except Josh. He was just a massive pain in the butt! My favorites though were Tiffany, her baby Faith and George. Tiffany was such a nice girl! I really liked her and the friendship she formed with Eva. And George was definitely one of the nicest guys in the POD! I thought the whole thing with George and Tiffany liking each other, but not even realizing it until like 2 months before they left the POD was funny. I mean I swear it was painfully obvious to everyone but them! It was funny. But I was also happy that they had each other to lean on and look out for each other! I thought the whole thing with Tiffany going into labor was weird though! No doctors from the main POD came to help! They pretty much forced those in the POD to deliver her baby! That was ridiculous!! I still don't understand that one! I also really liked Katie. She was the youngest of the 10 in the POD. She also developed a good friendship with Eva. I do feel bad for her though because being the youngest she had the hardest time dealing with leaving her family and then knowing people in other PODs were being killed including someone she got to know. 

I do have to say I did kinda see the virus mutating into something worse than the original virus happening 100%. Virus's usually mutate into a new form after some time, so I knew it would and not just die like the government thought it would. It just how much it would mutate, no one knew. Definitely made life living outside the PODs more interesting if you weren't in a village. Having to hide and run from the Infected. The one thing I'm still wondering about though is why does the Infected's blood sting if you get it on you? What makes it sting so much??? I really hope we get that answered in the next book! I definitely cant wait to see what will happen on the next book!!!

5 Stars!

Favorite Quote:

I had to concentrate on what David was saying, "I know what you said about a relationship down here not being a good idea-"

Yeah, I take that all back. I think a relationship down here is a great idea. 

"-and you're probably right. But I don't give a damn about the POD. I don't care where we are or where we end up. I just want you to be mine. I don't want to wait until we're out of here." - pg. 110 of ARC

About this author

:

I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. I've been an avid reader since a young child. I began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a degree that didn't encourage creativity is a mystery to me.

I'm addicted to Reese's peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write. I have a weird obsession with hoodies and can't write without wearing one. I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows.

I'm an unabashed romantic and love swoon-worthy happy endings that give me butterflies for days.

Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a cat that thinks she's queen.

I write adult and young adult Sci/Fi, urban fantasy and paranormal romances.

I love to hear from readers and other authors, so drop me a note and say "Hi!"

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