The days are blurring together. I can’t seem to keep my eyes open at night. Terror follows us everywhere we go. Nowhere is safe. It’s spreading. Thriving. We can’t outrun it. All we can do is bunker down and pray it passes us by. But that’s wishful thinking. The ravaged will find us and there’s not a thing we can do to stop them. They are everywhere.I haven’t seen him. I haven’t spoken to him. … to him. But I know he’s there. I know he’ll be there if I need him.
It’s not long before I do.
My name is Willow.
His name is Jason.
I hate him—or I used to. Now I just need him. Want him. Miss him.
The ravaged are coming. They always are, and he’s always there to stand between them and me.
But the Ravaged aren’t the only dangers lurking behind every corner. There’s something more sinister stalking me. And when it finds me, I’m on my own.
This story ends in a cliffhanger
Warning. For readers 18 years and older. Contains explicit sexual situations, possible triggers, dark themes, language, and violence.
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After the first book, I quickly had to start reading the second. I had waited to start reading these till they were all out because I knewi was going to binge them and boy was I right. Though there were times I had hoped that Willow would grow a little more backbone, her character through this journey doesn’t annoy me much. She isn’t a bratty know-it-all (but not really know-it-all) girl. She isn’t running her mouth with constant contradictions that drove me batty, so yeah I could handle her.
As to where story is taking us, I don’t know but I want to. These stoic vets have wormed a place in my while I was reading this book, so I’m rooting for them as they face off against the Ravaged. I hope the ladies get better armed in the next book – I would never pick a kitchen knife to go up against a zombie with
This starts off exactly where the last book left off and here the group are now holed up apparently in the safe zone in an old university under military rule.
But nowhere is safe in this new blood-soaked reality and events again force the group forward and on the move.
Jay and Willows’s relationship has now progressed to the next level and I was also so pleased that Willow finally got her deserved apology from him.
The group as a whole has also now started to accept her presence and treat her better.
The finale here was again dramatic leaving me wanting the next instalment right away.
The books themselves are not very long in length but they are jam-packed throughout and this reads to me almost like a serial-type of story.
Enjoying this one a lot it’s an imaginative story and I’m interested in seeing where this heads next.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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I usually wait until the whole series is out before continuing with the next book in the series. However I am really glad I broke that rule this time. Thrive followed Willow beautifully, and while it was shorter than what I would have liked, it gave me exactly what I missed in the first book.
Finally that confrontation between Willow and Jason that I craved in the first book happened and it was much more impactful than I could have imagined. I loved the depth it gave to their relationship and the apology Jason gave her for years of his bad attitude towards her. I also enjoyed how this made them closer and showed a more fun and carefree side in their relationship with them feeling confident in where they stood with each other and being able to joke around and being playful in public.
I am still waiting for some sort of acknowledgement or confrontation from the other characters who treated her unjustly since this have yet to happen. Sadly, I don’t think it will since the other characters throughout the series has slowly thawed towards her. Willow also seemed to be just okay with not acknowledging it and acted like there was nothing to forgive, which annoyed me a bit. I get that she is painted as a compassionate character which I like, but I feel that it would be much more realistic if she held some sort of grudge for the years of their crap. I don’t think anyone could blame her if she did.
Still, I understand that in the middle of a zombie apocalypse a confrontation might not be first priority, especially if you have no choice but to get along and stick together to survive. And boy, was there a lot to survive from, both from zombies, a maniac and ordinary people fighting for their own survival. Having so many different fronts to protect the group from other than just zombies gave the story something extra and so much more complexity, which was impressive considering how short the book was. With all the action, unknown agendas and a beautifully developing romance I was, just as in Willow, hooked from the get go.
With a climatic ending, Fin probably stalking them and the military’s agenda and questionable actions not fully explored (and of course, the amazing romance. Can’t forget that) there is so much that I am excitedly anticipating in book three. I can barely wait until November to find out what will happen. E.M. Raegan, you have gotten yourself a new fan!
In this second book of the Defy the Ravaged series, we continue to see how Willow and Jay struggle to survive with the new reality that zombies have invaded. The group, led by Paulie, leader of a biker group, have made their way to a military stronghold. Though they have overcome so many difficulties to make it to safety, unfortunately danger follows them. This time the zombies are not the only danger; there is a stalker set on getting his way with Willow and to top it all off an invasion that proves fatal. All the meanwhile, Willow and Jay are further cementing their budding romance. We get to see how possessive Jay can be with Willow and the sexy steamy scenes leave us feening for more. Tensions among the biker club family and Willow seem to have simmered down as everyone is focused on surviving. And it is this instinct to survive that propels the group to venture off on their own and seek safer grounds. However what awaits them is no less menacing than the dangers of the ravaged.
Clearly I am super hooked on this series. This book was way more action-packed and even more sinister in its plot twists. I was on edge all the way to the end which sort of felt like a cliffhanger. I want more!!!!! E.M. Raegan