bookishbrunette

A mutated rabies virus plagued the country, wiping out nearly the entire human race… now almost four years have passed since the CDC told everyone to take shelter until given further instructions. Stir crazy and on the verge of starvation with no news from the government or anyone else in MONTHS- Sherry and her father venture out of their bunker in search of food and supplies.“I’m going to leave this damn bunker and find food. I won’t watch my family starve.” -Richard (Sherry’s dad)Los Angeles is desolate when they finally emerge from the shelter. Neighbors and friend’s houses are empty of life. Bunkers are either open and bare or remain closed tight with no answer from within.Hoping against all odds that they may find SOMETHING at the grocery store, Sherry and her father get a car running and truck it to the closest Wal-Mart. Situation: Outlook Not so Good.“Never run from a predator, or you turn into their prey.” ~SherrySherry and her father are separated, she goes back to find him GONE and the Weepers attack her! Luckily Joshua shows up to save her, just in time!(Alright, so the “Weepers” are the zombies in this story… technically they AREN’T really zombies at all… since they aren’t DEAD. OR undead, I suppose. But due to whatever insanely crazy mutation of rabies that infected the United States, these Weepers EAT humans and spread the “virus” by biting, chewing…and such. That is PLENTY zombie-liketo ME, even if they aren’t ever CALLED zombies!They’re called Weeper’s because their eyes LEAK this white *grossness*)Broken and BLEEDING (blood attracts the Weepers like moths to a flame dude) after LOSING her father somewhere in the Weeper infested WalMart, Joshua takes her to his “home” where she meets ex-scientist, Geoffrey, who’s calmly explaining to her that “It started out innocently….” then government decides to use this “innocent” altered virus as a biological weapon!I REALLY loved the characters in The Other Life! Not just Sherry and Joshua, but Larry and Karen, even Geoffrey, although he makes me nervous and I’m not so sure I trust him. But you know who really stood out to me? TYLER. I have know more about Tyler…He. Broke. My. Heart. Prepare to hold your breathe for 150+ pages… I honestly wasn’t prepared for how hard hitting and emotionally heavy The Other Life would be. I LOVED it. Joshua was a great character but I felt like the romance between him and Sherry was forced. Not SO much that it ruined the book, I REALLY think that they’d have been better as ‘friends’ or partners and if romance were to bloom it would’ve held more of an impact for ME if it happened in the next book.Winnacker made me FEEL every bit of Sherry’s despair as if it were my own, the desolate and hopeless LA landscape like a weight on my chest. The Other Life was devastation and bitter sweet youth all rolled into one. Now we have to wait until next year for The Life Beyond (The Other Life #2)!