In a world of suffering and brutality, she’s the key to his humanity …I was fourteen when I was sold to the men in black uniforms. Too young to understand I served a purpose beyond that of the other girls they’d taken.For the greater good.Now, after four years in Calico, I’ve seen more death and suffering than during my days of surviving out in the Deadlands against the threat of Ragers and … the threat of Ragers and famine. I didn’t think this world could get any bleaker. Didn’t think it could take any more from me than it already had.
Not until I finally learned my purpose.
That same day, I walked the dark halls in the bowels of this hell, where the suffering is in silence, and ghosts of the dead whisper through the walls. A place where nightmares are real.
A place where I met my Champion—the most revered Alpha in S-Block—locked away in his dark cell.
For the greater good.
He’s their weapon, their only line of defense against the mistakes of the past: the mutations that could wipe out all of what’s left of us.
Me, I’m his whipping girl. His reward for good behavior.
And his punishment for acts of defiance.
Calico Descending is the follow up book to Juniper Unraveling, a full-length dystopian post apocalyptic romance.
SERIES READING ORDER:
Juniper Unraveling (Book 1)
Calico Descending (Book 2)
Kings of Carrion (Book 3)
more
I absolutely love this series and can’t believe i forgot all about it! Granted there was a long wait but it was so worth it! Keri has given us a Resident Evil-ish series(loved that game as a kid!!) The characters are believable, the emotions are felt. Suspense, mystery and unexpected turn of events. She keeps us on our toes with this one and I can not wait for the next installment
This raw, emotional completely enthralling book is one of a kind!! It touched every part of my heart and created emotions in me that will forever stay with me. This author has such a way with words!! She has created a magical, and T-totally dark and declicious!!!
Keri lake – you are amazing!! That overwhelming obsession i felt for this book and these characters made me pretty much ignore every aspect of my life and just focus on reading. Who needs to eat and sleep?!? I would recommend this book to all romance lovers!!
Cali is going through some tough stuff. She has to deal with lots of things. Enter Valdys and it escalates even more. This couple endures and has to be strong admits the trials and troubles. It is a dark story that will have you begging for more. Literally!! Cliffhanger warning!!! I need the next one now!!
4.5 Stars!
I can’t believe I voluntarily put my one and only heart through that. I need answers and I need compensation for the emotional turmoil that I might have totally signed up for but still can’t believe happened to me.
The main events of this book are set around the same time as book 1 but we don’t get to meet those characters. These are completely new characters that I fell in love with almost instantly because Keri Lake.
I genuinely thought that the pain and suffering part of this story was behind us but Keri was literally in her house laughing at my naivety. The amount of pain, agony and loss were on these pages made my heart hurt for the characters. And best bit, it’s not over yet.
Keri Lake has such an absolute talent of giving you hope in the direst of situations but then also instantly taking it away? I love and adore how poetic and thought provoking this series has been and we are just only getting to the real deal.
I CANNOT wait to see what happens next. My body is ready. My heart is terrified.
This was AWESOME!!!!
But I also need the next book now. Like right now. Pretty please?
I would whole heartily suggest this book.
It’s a second book in a series, but it will also not affect your reading enjoyment if you haven’t read the first book. You’ll still get all the Cali and Valdys awesomeness.
Just prepare yourself for the story to continue in the next book…
Calithea is captured at 14 and forced to endure experiments at Calico hospital. She meets and bonds with Valdys, the most dangerous alpha in Calico. We have a dark, despairing, hopeless world. The human spirit is strong and giving up is not an option. Come along for another thrilling ride into this futuristic world. The next book will be coming in December and I can’t wait.
4.25 Stars
Set in the same dystopian world in Juniper Unraveling, the storyline continues a few years later where hives are still being raided and the unsuspecting are introduced to a tortuous life at Calico Hospital, all to find a cure against the Dredge contagion. At 14 years old, Calithea is captured and learns her new role at Calico. As years pass, she endures painful experiments, but she makes a connection with her Champion, Valdys.
As the timeline shifts between past and present, the narrative builds with Calithea’s immersion to a more realistic view of the hopelessness she is facing. However, with knowledge, the idea of taking a great risk comes to the surface. Together, Cali and Valdys fight for their freedom knowing there can be deadly consequences.
What I enjoyed most about this plot is the overarching theme of inhumanity versus compassion and how those who are corrupt also have much to lose. The circumstances of the Alphas is quite intriguing. I liked their camaraderie but also wanted more background about them.
Calico Descending is a dystopian romance with gripping action that pushes boundaries of physical and mental challenges. I look forward to reading the next book, in this series.
A simply powerful and emotionally stunning read.
Calico Descending is the type of story I only dare to hope for each time I crack open a book. It’s one of those rare stories that touches the soul and inspires the heart. I was completely immersed in it’s pages, affected deeply by the characters and horrified by their circumstances.
It is a raw and dark tale of perseverance, strength and hope, in the face of unimaginable circumstances. And as dark as this gets, the promise of hope and light is always there waiting. Waiting on these characters to find a reason and the courage to reach for it.
Any reader on the fence in reading this dystopian romance, needs to take the leap and jump down this rabbit hole and let Keri’s words work their magic.
I’m in awe of this author’s talent. Bravo, Keri, bravo.
I must say I was skeptical when I started this series. It’s not my usual format, but I was really wow’ed!!! This isn’t your typical dystopian story. It is filled with wild twists and turns that will leave you stumped, sometimes frustrated and mostly shocked. Keri did an amazing job of attaching you to these characters as she shines a light in their dark world divided by the weak and the strong. She lets love become the focus when they have no other hope. It is well worth the read. Make sure you read Juniper Unraveling before you read this one….again, Keri shines a light in the darkness. 🙂
I am absolutely in love with this series! It’s a dark, dystopian thrill ride which will have you completely immersed in that world from the first page! I highly recommend this series, and cannot wait for the next book!!
There needs to be a support group for us who need recovery time after living in the world of Keri Lake’s newest dystopian romance, Calico Descending! I keep walking to the kitchen for something only to forget why I’m there. It’s like a catatonic state, but with reeling emotions. All I can say is, I want more!!
Calico is the second book to Juniper Unraveling following the tortuous destiny of Calithea who is sold to Calico for a purpose. She is the enticing reward and threat of punishment to the superior Alphas. She is a pawn among giants to be used, prodded, and experimented. In this living hell there is no love, no gentleness, no calm in the dark, just pain, torture, death, and control.
After four years of preparation, Cali is forced to meet her Champion, Valdys. From that first encounter neither one is the same. And I promise you neither will you after reading this fantastically, gripping book.
Calico Descending was a gripping story that will hold your interest until the end. Set in a post apocalyptic future, this dystopian dark romance will evoke a range of emotions from you as its a story about survival.
With excellent world building, this author created a world so desolate and cruel that the romance that emerged from it was nothing short of stunning. The author gave us characters strong both physically and mentally as it took a certain level of strength to survive the world in which they were a part of. The story was raw, gritty and violent with some twists I did not see coming.
This was the first book in a two part duet and I cant wait to see what happens in the next book. This well-crafted page turner was a fantastic read worthy of a 5 star status. I enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to all lovers of dystopian romance.
Holy Hell! Keri Lake never ceases to amaze me with her brilliant story telling, her uncanny ability to create a world like no other, and her extraordinary characters. Calico Descending was dark, intense, and undeniably heart breaking. Valdys and Cali’s story will take you on a thrilling journey where everything isn’t as it seems and where bone chilling discoveries are made. Page after page, I devoured every word. I did not want to adult and put this book down! It was so hard to walk away from these two as they fell in love and fought for survival. Cali is feisty, strong, and determined while Valdys is broken, beautiful, and all alpha. Together with a few allies, they are in for the fight of their lives. I cannot wait for what I believe will be an epic conclusion in Kings of Carrion. November 19th cannot come soon enough!
Review by Lys
Welcome back to the dark, gritty, violent world that Keri Lake has created in the second book in the Juniper Unraveling series. The second book follows new characters in the same universe as the first book so that this book can be read as a standalone. This time we’re introduced to Cali, who readers will get to know how she ended up in Calico. Calico is not a safe place. It’s a place where young men and women are experimented on to find the cure of the ‘Dredge’ disease supposedly. Calico has some deep, dark secrets, though, and Cali is about to find out about some of those secrets.
Cali is one of the girls that will be lucky enough to be used for a more significant experiment for the Calico doctors. She is to help control Calico’s powerful weapons. Those powerful weapons used to be young boys and men and now are being used for horrible experiments and scenarios. Cali’s Champion, Valdys, is not someone she wants to meet at first, especially since she knows he’s dangerous. Cali is forced to and ends up hurt, but not as bad as another girl with her Champion. Both Cali and Valdys are being tortured in different ways by the Calico doctors. They will have to lean on each other through it all.
Keri Lake had my emotions go haywire in Calico Descendingwith this dark, twisted world. I felt like I was on a roller coaster the whole time while reading this book, and I’m petrified of roller coasters. If you read the first book in the series, you would’ve found out that the Ragers may be dangerous zombie-like creatures, but it’s the humans that are the bad guys. The doctors who have made the Champions and experiments on Cali are the monsters.
I felt for Cali and Valdys in different ways while reading this book. Cali for everything she went through before ending up in Calico and what happened while she was in the facility. There’s also Valdys and finding out about him. Let me not forget about the other Champions too, but I don’t want to give anything away.
Forewarning that Calico Descendingis Cali and Valdys’s first book. The next one will be out on November 19th. The reason why there is another book is that the ending of this book leaves us hanging. If you enjoy Dark Dystopian Romance books, then this book is for you. I’m anxiously waiting for the next book, so I can find out what happens next.
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Steaminess Rating: 4.5 stars
Standalone or part of series: Part of Series
Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I read other books from the author? Yes.
Tropes/Elements: Dystopian; Dark; Gritty; Violence; Zombies (Called Ragers)
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review
I was fourteen when I was sold to the men in black uniforms. too young to understand I served a purpose beyond that of the other girls they’d taken. For the greater good. Now, after four years in Calico, I’ve seen more death and suffering than during my days of surviving out in the Deadlands against the threat of Ragers and famine. I didn’t think this world could get any bleaker. Didn’t think it could take any more from me than it already had. Not until I finally learned my purpose. That same day, I walked the dark halls in the bowels of this hell, where the suffering is in silence, and ghosts of the dead whisper through the walls. A place where nightmares are real. A place where I met my Champion-the most revered Alpha in S-Block, locked away in his dark cell. For the greater good. He’s their weapon, their only line of defense against the mistakes of the past: the mutations that could wipe out all of what’s left of us. Me, I’m his whipping girl. His reward for good behavior. And his punishment for acts of defiance.
This is the second book in the Juniper Unraveling Series. You have to have read the first book Juniper Unraveling or you are going to not know what is going on. If you think that book one is mind blowing then you are really in for it with Calico Descending. It will have your head spinning. There is a lot of pain and inspiration in the pages of this book. It is also about perseverance. This is a dystopian world and I am so in love with it. It is dark and gritty and I am really in love with this series and the characters in it. I can not wait to have the next book in my hands and see what happens next.
I absolutely love Keri Lake’s words. She has such a phenomenal way of telling a story that you feel as if you are amidst the dark and gritty worlds she builds. I legit died for Juniper Unraveling as the story was so raw and powerful and filled with the dark dystopian edge that I love. For that reason Calico Descending was the absolute perfect follow up book in this world. This story was so raw, gritty and vivid. I was overcome with despair for Cali but could not be more in awe of her determination and dedication to live. Valdys and Cali were absolutely amazing! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
OMG I don’t think I could love Cali and Valdys any more than I do right now! Lord was this story epic. It was violent and edgy but filled with a prevailing sense of hope that these two people who found themselves in a bleak world could find their own happiness under the stars. I was addicted to every word!! I loved how the most dangerous and hardened warrior in S-block still had a speck of humanity in him when it came to his woman. I was swept away by this story and seriously can’t wait for book two.
Overall, Lake wrote an unbelievable sequel to Juniper Unraveling and in the process showed us that in every bleak existence and dark and dangerous underbelly, a small speck of hope can burn bright and provide the will to live. This is unique and powerful storytelling at its best! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
When Keri Lake announced the upcoming release of Calico Descending, I was giddy with excitement and anxious to see if it would live up to my personal expectations and if it would meet the bar set by its predecessor, Juniper Unraveling. I already knew what Lake was capable of, thanks to my numerous past reads from her, so I was still quite sure that this new novel would not disappoint…AND IT DIDN’T! I’m a voracious romance reader–think multiple books in one day–and I’ve liked countless ones and loved more than my fair share of the others that have passed through my hands. But then there are the extraordinary stories–the ones that work their way underneath your skin while you’re flipping through the pages and then stay with you long after you’ve closed the book. That’s what Juniper Unraveling was for me two years ago; and that is precisely what Calico Descending is for me this year.
I know that dystopian romances aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I implore those of you who are feeling iffy on this particular sub-genre to give the Juniper Unraveling series an honest shot. Keri Lake has created a world that feels so desolate, yet as the story evolves and Calithea and the cast of characters forge their respective paths, a spark of hope ignites. Cali may have only been eighteen for most of the book, but this young woman had the sort of courage and passion that made her an honest-to-goodness heroine in my eyes. Then there are the Alphas, particularly, Valdys, Cadmus, and Titus, and the other girls, specifically, Roz and Neela, who made their mark throughout the book and in Cali’s life. Calico Descending was a heartrending, five-plus-starred read and I can’t wait for Cali’s story to conclude and to finally learn everyone’s fate in the next novel, Kings of Carrion, out in November.
I am broken
Lake has always been one of my go-to authors when I need a read that guarantees to evoke all my emotions:
Something that will shred my soul then
maybe if the author is feeling generous put the scraggly bits back together –
possibly even a bit stronger in the end?
Something that will cause me to question my beliefs, my faith in humanity
That will give me a moment of darkness
That sparks my fear
yet not without a sliver of light –
Just enough that I can grasp on to Hope
Something that truly engaged me as a reader on every emotional level
Lake does that and so much more
Calico Descending did just that!
I broke
I can only wait now, passively, and hope that my friends find their way out of the he ll they call reality.
Calithea – I think she always knew but it is easier sometimes to live in the fantasy
The Champions
Valdys – Calm, Possessive, The Alpha – He knew
Cadmus – Dark, Heartless – I wept for him
Titus – Light, Hope – A fine line between the two
This is the second book in the series I guess it could be read as a standalone but I do NOT recommend it. The first book lays out the who’s and why’s and some of the what’s – This one not so much as the foundation is laid in Juniper Unraveling. This story takes place towards the end of Juniper – I say that because of the location of the “hospital” is at ground zero. Though the cast is inherently separate the stories intersect with regards to the Legion and the Ragers and well the Monsters.
I am not going to retell the story – it’s in the blurb
I am however going to strongly recommend this series to you
If you want a read that will truly test your limits –
That is more than a quick read to sate your palate –
Something that will give you pause to think, to question –
One that will have you asking who the real monsters are-
This is that read – That series –
The story, the cast, the emotions will stay with you long after you close the pages.
This is the second book of Juniper unraveling series that I have read from Keri Lake. I am not a fan of reading about demons and zombies. The thing is Keri had me on the first book Juniper Unraveling and I couldn’t wait to see how she brings darkest to Calico Descending.
I enjoyed reading this book much better then the first because it does have two parts in the first of the book but the author tells you the time line. Cali has to be brave for her sister Bryani. She thinks she is doing what best as the oldest but in the end they end up at Calico.
You already know if you read the first book about all the lab testing, brutal beatings, and starvation from the first book. This book adds another twist were they are keeping women and making them mate so they can test 3rd generation. Cali is chosen to mate with one of the Alpha males. The alpha males are the strongest in the camp. They are made to fight and kill for the Legions. Cali is put with Valdy as a campion or a puppet for the doctors. There is so much to their story but I do not want to spoil it.
What I like about this story is there are more characters brought in to make the story more real. Roz the helpful friend, Neala the bully that takes and two other Alpha males that falls in love with Cali. The only thing else that will be helpful is this has a cliffhanger.
You won’t be disappointed in this second book. I received this book for my honest review.
Calico Descending is brutal. The violence within or anything for that matter is not sugarcoated in any way, shape or form. I shouldn’t admit how much I loved it but I did, I loved it quite a lot. It had me completely invested from the very beginning. I practically devoured it in one sitting and cannot wait for the conclusion to this story. I highly recommend to those who love fucked up dark romance with a side of gory scenes.
Copy provided by author
Calico Descending was totally what I needed to get out of my head. Being immersed into the Calico world isn’t really a walk in the park but the journey is so worth it!!! With this second opus (after Juniper Unraveling two years ago), I loved going back to Keri Lake’s dystopian universe.
The atmosphere, dark and gritty, surrounds the reader right away. Simply put, Calico is such a powerful component of the story, that it could be a character on its own.
Infected by the Dredge, a disease that renders the population zombie-like, survival instincts kick in. People adapt, react, accommodate. I loved the questions about science that arose when I read that book. How far is too far? Science versus conscience?
The main characters were incredibly endearing. Calithea is a feisty and strong young woman who knows to choose her battles with intelligence. In the company of Valdys, a young man turned into a war machine, they formed a duo I loved to read about. The stress, danger, threats gripped me to no end. The unknown absolutely enhanced their connexion, their intimacy. Their feelings swirled and grew in spite of the the creeping doubts.
Calico Descending is a story about love and frienship that will make you think and will transport you in a ruthless world. Keri Lake once again beautifully played with the strengths and vulnerabilities of her characters. If you like possessive menacing Alphas and a resilient heroine, this read is for you.