How far would you go to survive the apocalypse? As the only child in an upper-middle class family, Rowan has had it easy. Doted on by a mother who never wanted anything but a child to love, she’s never wanted for anything. Kiaya’s life, however, has been anything but easy. Parents who didn’t want her, followed by being torn away from her only sibling by the foster care system, she knows what it … system, she knows what it means to have to work hard for the things she wants.
When a deadly virus sweeps the country, Rowan and Kiaya are away at college and far from everything they love. Desperate to make it home, they team up, but as the world around them dies, an unexpected detour leaves them stranded in Vega, Texas where they stumble upon a shocking discovery. The virus isn’t just killing people. It’s changing them.
When muscle bound former cop Devon sweeps in to save the day, it looks like their luck has shifted. With hundreds of miles left to cross and the dead taking over, the trio is determined to do whatever it takes to get home. Traveling historic Route 66, Rowan, Kiaya, and Devon fight for survival as they struggle to come to terms with their changing world.
Written in the tradition of the Amazon bestselling Broken World series, Far From Home follows a group of survivors through a zombie infested country as they search for safety, all the while growing and changing with the world around them.
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Far from Home (Far #1) was a good read by Kate L. Mary. Rowan has had an easy life as the only child in an upper middle class family. Kiaya’s life was difficult with parents who didn’t want her. She was then torn away from her only sibling due to the foster care system. Rowan and Kiaya are away at college when a deadly virus sweeps the country. They try to return home when they get stranded in Vega, Texas. The virus seems to be changing people not killing them. Devon is a former cop who comes in to save the day. The three of them fight for survival and must come to terms with this ever changing world. I enjoyed reading this book and cant wait to read more in this series.
A new story of survival with the main character who has no prepping or training in survival. A bit of romance tucked in in just the right way. This series will get you invested in the characters and their journey.
5 Cranky stars
“We figure out a way to survive in this world. It’s all we can do.”
Rowan is a typical 20 year old college student at the University of Phoenix. She has lived a sheltered life, never wanting for anything, protected by her doting parents. When a deadly virus attacks, Rowan’s mother tells her to stay in Phoenix, far away from the worst of the outbreak in NYC. However, Rowan is determined to make her way cross country to her parents in Ohio.
Since she can’t imagine making the trip by herself, she searches for others wanting to go East. Soon, she is joined by a bookish, quiet girl named Kiaya and a boy named Kyle. As the trio starts their journey, they soon learn that the virus isn’t just attacking people “back East”, but has arrived much closer to them. A bathroom stop exposes them to the virus and they soon find themselves stuck in a motel room with one of them dying from the virus.
They meet up with a cop named Devon who is also stranded in the small town of Vega, Texas and decide that the best option is to join forces and travel together. “Traveling across a zombie-infested country is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” They soon find out that not only is there a virus that is killing 85% of the population, but those who die from the virus don’t stay dead. “The world has turned into a horror movie.”
“Amarillo. Shit. This could be bad.” I found this quote to be especially funny since I lived in Amarillo for two years. The author does a good job in describing the journey along Route 66 and you could almost see the things she mentioned along the Route. The group is saved in Amarillo by a boy named Hank who thought he was all alone in the world.
They soon arrive in Shamrock and meet up with another group of survivors, including a (supposed) Army Corporal, a nurse, a slighlty retarded man and his young niece and nephew. After several close calls with zombies, the group again hits the road toward Ohio. “At this point, I’m going to assume anything is possible.”
At first, Rowan thinks that Devon is an arrogant ass, but soon finds herself attracted to him. “The idea of a post-apocalyptic romance seemed absurd.” But, who knows what might happen when the world as you know it is coming to an end?
They finally arrive in Indianapolis, where Kiaya hopes to find her sister, then travel to Rowan’s home in Troy, Ohio. But, will they find their loved ones alive and well or turned into one of the walking undead? “This world, this new reality, was just too painful.” There is plenty of emotion and sadness as they learn the truth.
I enjoyed the fact that the author intertwined this book with her other series, “Broken World” when Rowan meets one of the characters from that book. It just added another element of enjoyment to an already wonderful book.
The characters were well-written and believable and the author does a good job with slowly introducing them to each other and to the reader. The book had plenty of action and tension for the diehard zombie lover and plenty of human interaction for the rest of us. By the end of the book, I was emotionally exhausted and deeply saddened by the events of the story. But, I also felt hope that life would continue, even in the face of a zombie apocalypse. I look forward to continuing this series and hope that the author keeps writing for a long, long time.
Far from Home (Far Series, Book 1) by Kate L. Mary and narrated by Nicole Jones is a good start to a new series- looking forward to where it goes. 4 stars for story, 3 for narration.
What’s it about? At the beginning of the outbreak, Rowan and Kiaya are trying to make their way home but end up in a small town and meet up with Devon. From there, it’s life or death as they move (or not move) through the newly infested zombie world. They meet some new folks along the way (some good, some not so good). Love that it ties into Agnus’s world. Yes the characters do some not-so-wise things at times but it’s the beginning of the outbreak and the full dangers aren’t known yet.
The narrator, Nicole Jones, was ok. Sometimes there was a lack of emotions and monotone. With that being said, she has potential to become a great narrator, but needs a bit more practice.
I recommend this is you are a fan of Kate’s work or are looking for a new zompoc series.
*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you for allowing me to listen and review the book!
This book caught my attention right from the start, the characters and story completely enthralled me. I didn’t think I would like Rowan much but it wasn’t long until I was soon wrapped up in Rowan & Kaia’s partnership and appreciating how they complimented each other. I’m still shocked at the ending, but can’t wait for book 2, I really enjoyed Nicole Jones’s narration.
Yet another winner by my favorite Zombie author. The Far series has some new and amazing characters, but we also get a visit from a few characters from her other zombie series Broken World. Our story starts at the beginning….when the virus first hits. It’s great to see how the virus affects a different set of people. The main female character is Rowan, a collage student from Ohio, attending a school in Arizona. Desperate to get home to her family she sees another student needs a ride east too. Kiaya is a very secretive quiet girl from Indiana. Under Martial Law the girls are restricted to driving the historic Route 66 (I really loved this idea for the book). Along the way they team up with Devon, a cop, which will be handy later.
I loved how these characters developed through out the book. Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse is no east feet and this group is off to a roaring start. This author does a great job of keeping the readers attention throughout the book, which made it an exciting journey I felt like I took along with our characters. Kudos to Kate L. Mary for making this reader a lover of zombie books! Can’t wait for the next book in this thrilling new series!!
After a virus with flu like symptoms sweeps through their college and dormitory three students want to go home. One of the students wants to go to Indiana and the other two to Oklahoma.
Tragedy strikes the three students that leaves them stuck in Texas for a spell. One of them contracts the virus leaving the other two to look after the sick.
After Kyle succumbs to the virus and dies Rowan and Kiaya must trudge on to their destination. But first they will need a few supplies and gas for the car before continuing on their journey home. While out gathering supplies the girls soon see the dead up and walking.
The girls make their plans and prepare to leave the next day. While taking a swim in the pool after a long walk from obtaining a few supplies Rowan runs into a strong muscular man Devan who joins them on their journey. The girls are not sure at first if they can trust this dude but after a few run ins with zombies they soon figure out they need all the muscle they can get if they are going to survive the zombies.
Kate L. Mary is an awesome writer and knows how to make zombies come alive on the pages. Oh I love me some zombies I can’t seem to get enough of them. Kate L. Mary made the world of Far From Home come alive as well.
The characters all felt as if I had known them all my life. Well there was this one character who I had pegged from the get go. Now he was something else hiding behind his mask. But I do have to say he fit it with the group nicely and I do imagine he has a role to play.
You know Far From Home reminded me of Stephen King’s The Stand and The Walking Dead. We need more zombie TV shows and I do believe that Far From Home would make a great one. I hope to see it on the big screen in HD one of these days. I will carry Far From Home with me for a long, long time. These characters have a special place in my heart now and I will carry them with me too.
I love this Zombie Apocalypse world so hard! From beginning to end this new series set in the same world as the Broken World series had me hooked. The characters and their stories, the way they interact and how quickly thru bond to each other is awe inspiring. In a world where the dead come to life and nothing is certain, they don’t crumble, they don’t succumb, they don’t surrender to despair, they keep fighting, they keep surviving and mist importantly, they stick together. Family is not just what your born into, it can become a group of survivors that can’t imagine leaving a single person behind. Well maybe one…. A surprise encounter with some characters I adore made it impossible to forget and I cannot wait for the next installment! Well done again to the author on another five star read in her zombie infested world!
5 Zombie Filled Stars!!!
Woohoo Kate L. Mary is headed back into the zombie apocalypse world!!! I read her Oklahoma Wastelands and I’m kicking myself for not knowing about her Broken World Series until after it was finished.
Rowan is away for college. She was adopted and her parents are very involved in her life, ESP her mom. Which is why she chose a college so far away.
There’s a deadly virus spreading across the U.S and people are dropping like flies. Rowan just wants to go home and be with her parents even though they’ve told her to stay there bc it’s safer. Rowan decides to take matters into her own hands.
Rowan gets cleared for traveling. Then she meets Kiaya and Kyle and together they start their travel home. Kiaya’s very quiet and Kyle seems to be the talkative one. Until he starts getting sick and they’re forced to pullover in Vega, Texas and get a hotel room.
Almost instantly Rowan meets Devon and she def doesn’t want anything to do with him. Rowan and Kiaya take turns looking after Kyle until he passes away.
Rowan gets some helpful information from a stranger and it gets her thinking things are definitely going to get worse before they get better. It’s a matter of survival of the fittest.
Before they can gather supplies and get outta there they learn the dead are coming back from the dead as zombies. Luckily for them Devon was there just in time.
They’re three strangers trying to survive. They agree to travel together. The plan is go get Kiaya’s younger sister and go to Rowan’s house and then they’ll figure out what’s next afterwards.
Getting to the endpoint is proving harder then they ever thought possible. Who can they trust on their travels.
OMG!!! I’ve read a decent amount of apocalypse and zombie books. Every book it’s happened awhile ago, some their entire lives. This is entirely different then every book I’ve read!!
You see the first zombies along with Kiaya and Rowan. See how they go from doing things by the book to “stealing” supplies. Learning just how to survive and to trust complete strangers.
Kate L. Mary did such an amazing job writing this story. She has such an amazing way of writing that you find yourself wanting to be friends with the characters. Which is crazy bc they’re fighting zombies but Kate’s just that good of an author.
I read it in one day bc I was hooked from page one to the ending. By the last chapter I was crying right along with Rowan. I’m invested in Kiaya, Devon, Rowan and their friends getting their HEA. I hope book two releases soon bc I’m dying to know what happens next.
I did enjoy this end of the world zombie adventure! A good & interesting group of characters & a well paced story! An overall very good fun read if you love this genre! I do recommend this & hope to read more by this writer in the future!