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Review: A River of Ash and Bone

 


Title: A River of Ash and Bone

Author: Wren Cartwright

Release Date: November 2022




Twenty-four years after the outbreak…

River is shaken after her father’s death, adrift after the one constant in her life fell victim to the harsh landscape, just like so many others. She’s living day by day, dodging both the undead and the alive, and trying to find some sense of purpose or direction.

A single decision changes her life…

It should have been impossible for her life to get any worse, but upon scouting the city for resources, she finds herself in a situation that quickly turns sour. River commits the ultimate crime and, despite her protests, is brought back to a stranger’s camp in penance for her actions.

For the first time in forever….

She has friends, safety, and comfort. Can she really go back to sleepless nights spent alone, starving, and constantly on edge, when she’s found the shelter of her dreams? And what is she going to do about the four larger-than-life men that haunt her every move and make her feel things she never has before–the ones that took her in the first place?

As her relationships grow and secrets are revealed, River is left with a huge decision, all while battling an even bigger threat looming outside the walls of her refuge. One that has the power to take away all she’s come to care about.

*This novel includes content that may not be suitable for all readers. Content warnings are available in the beginning of the book, please don’t forget to check them! This is a why choose romance with plenty of spice.




So this is the first book I've read by Wren Cartwright. 

I've been in a reading slump & was just looking for something new. 

I have seen this book a few times on social media & figured I'd give it a try. 

River is trying to survive after her father's death, in a post-apocolyptic world, where zombies exist, before she is taken into a camp against her will. Can she trust the four men who are keeping her from escaping or will trusting the four strangers lead to trouble? 

So I go into books relatively blind. I don't read the blurbs, don't check out reviews or anything before diving in. And I was drawn in by this cover. Seriously, it's gorgeous! 

It is also a why choose romance, meaning the female main character ends up with multiple love interests in the end. I love why choose/RH so I figured it was right up my alley. I don't often read post-apocolyptic books, in fact I probably could count the ones I have read on one hand to be honest. But it definitely intrigued me. A new and unknown world with danger and zombies? How could that not? 

So, in the beginning I did enjoy the book. I mean, it was setting up for this new world nicely. The female main character was strong- she was on her own, doing everything she could to survive before the guys came along. They tried bossing her around and at first she held her ground. 

But it didn't take long for her to start falling for them. She was at the camp for a few days, still planning her escape away from her captures, but also resigning to her fate of staying. Of being with each of the guys. I just felt, it moved way to quickly from hate to acceptance for most of them. I just think, it should have taken maybe a little longer than just a few days and one nice thing, before she just accepted them. I just feel like we didn't get to know the MMCs enough in that short time before she accepted them, & a lot of what we know is what the fmc tells us, vs seeing it (if that makes sense?). I would have liked to see more from the characters than being told what they are like. 

Otherwise, I enjoyed the book. It was a good, fairly quick & easy read. It does touch in some dark topics so definitely check TW before diving in just in case, but overall it was a good dystopian/apocalypse read. 

3.5 ⭐ out of 5 ⭐. 

3🌶️ out of 5🌶️.- multiple detailed scenes throughout 


Tropes: 

→ dark romance 

→ why choose romance 

→ forced proximity 

→ enemies to lovers

→ post apocalyptic  

→ zombies 


Trigger Warnings

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