Fictional Candy: Review: Survivor Roundup by Angela Scott

Monday, December 24, 2012

Review: Survivor Roundup by Angela Scott

Title: Survivor Roundup
Series: Zombie West Series, #2
Author: Angela Scott
Published: October 2012, Evolved Publishing
Tour: Yes, Innovative Online Book Tours
Format: Ebook provided for review

Red always knew she would have to face the man who nearly destroyed her. She just didn’t figure it would happen so soon...

With the plague sweeping across the nation, destroying many and turning others into walking corpses, survivors head West in search of a chosen land, a place designed to keep the infected out, while sealing survivors inside. In theory, the idea seems the only way to keep humanity alive. In practice, it doesn’t matter whether a person is on the inside or the out—there is no humanity.

...And even though John Gatherum hunted her down and instigated their reunion, Red’s no longer the passive girl he once manipulated. This time, she has a hidden agenda of her own.

Kill him. Save her family. Save herself.

A couple months ago when I read Wanted: Dead or Undead, I was excited about this fresh and unusual take on zombies and I couldn’t wait to read more. With Survivor Roundup I definitely got my wish granted.

This story takes place not too long after the first book in the series ended. Supplies are getting low so Trace and Red decide they will be the ones to go and scout for supplies. Any time they leave the confines of the fort they know they are taking a chance, and those odds haven’t lessened at all. The number of undead seem to be increasing. So they are off and running, and then the unthinkable happens – they are discovered and separated.

This book really tugged on my heart strings at times. I really love these two characters, and their happiness is important to me. They are so good together, that even when they are separated and they don’t even believe the other is alive – they are still acting like a married couple.

During their time apart they could both easily go their separate ways. There were definitely times I was fearful that’s what was happening. But their story definitely wasn’t over. This book has a multitude of different reunions – and it includes reuniting Red and Trace, thankfully. I’ve become attached to these characters, and I loved reading more about them.

The action was terrific in this story. There are monsters that are definitely more scary than the zombies, and that is the monster that is within the living. Everything was definitely amped up in this story. It was very engaging, and I was quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next. There are also some big surprises in this book. One of those looks like it could lead to a book three, so I am crossing my fingers. I definitely want to know how this will be handled, considering that Red is the person that she is. If you read the first book in the Zombie West Series, you will definitely want to continue on with this book.

Angela Scott hears voices. Tiny fictional people sit on her shoulders and whisper their stories in her ear. Instead of medicating herself, she decided to pick up a pen, write down everything those voices tell me, and turn it into a book. She's not crazy. She's an author. For the most part, she writes contemporary Young Adult novels. However, through a writing exercise that spiraled out of control, she found herself writing about zombies terrorizing the Wild Wild West--and loving it. Her zombies don't sparkle, and they definitely don't uddle. At least, she wouldn't suggest it. She lives on the benches of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with two lovely children, one teenager, and a very patient husband. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.A. degree in English, not because of her love for the written word, but because it was the only major that didn't require math. She can't spell, and grammar is her arch nemesis. But they gave her the degree, and there are no take backs.