The Scourge (The Scourge, #1)

May 02, 2013 ♥ Marlene♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: friends who like this genre

Shelves: fiction, kindle, dystopian-utopian

What a surprise!
It has been a long time ago since I really liked a YA Dystopian book. So many authors nowadays try to be the new Suzanne Collins, or Stephanie Meyer. The only thing that differs is the circumstances and the dystopian world they create but they all copy the 3 persons relationship. One girl who loves 2 boys. Two boys love that girl. So I have read a lot of disappointing YA books because of that.

This time I was not disappointed though. Yes it is maybe in some eyes not the same genr...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Emily (Falling for YA) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, e-book, reviewed

I once got scared because my room was “too warm”, I thought maybe a ghost was using reverse psychology and making the room cold was too obvious. I think this explains why I tend to stay away from Zombie novels. I get freaked out easily and do not like to be scared. I am so glad I got over my fears and read The Scourge though, because it is now one of my favorite reads of 2012!

The novel follows Fennel, a Groundling, who because she is blind is tasked with gathering water for both The Lofties, who...more I once got scared because my room was “too warm”, I thought maybe a ghost was using reverse psychology and making the room cold was too obvious. I think this explains why I tend to stay away from Zombie novels. I get freaked out easily and do not like to be scared. I am so glad I got over my fears and read The Scourge though, because it is now one of my favorite reads of 2012!

The novel follows Fennel, a Groundling, who because she is blind is tasked with gathering water for both The Lofties, who live in the trees and her people during attacks of the Scourge. Because Fennel is sightless she is immune to the Scourge. To protect her during water gathering Fennel has a Lofty protector, Peree, who she begins to trust despite all of the terrible things that have been said about his people.

The plot twists in The Scourge kept me on my toes at all times. Just when I was starting to get used to the world Henley pulled the rug out from under me. I was forced to reevaluate everything I thought to be true about the society. This happened to me more then once and showcased Henley’s talent as a storyteller.

The characters in The Scourge immediate sucked me in to the story and instantly had me rooting for them. I have never read a book written from the perspective of someone who is blind. It was refreshing to read about how Fennel perceived the world without ever being able to see it. Despite Fennel’s lack of sight I felt like she saw more then those around her. Peree was incredibly likable. I loved listening to the stories he told and his strength. His dedication to Fennel felt completely natural and melted my heart.

The romance was one of my favorite things about this story. It was sweet, slow, and didn’t overshadow the plot twists. The romance complemented the story and was believable. The Lofties and Groundlings have spent generations resenting each other, Fennel and Peree are not going to instantly put that behind them. Fennel’s mixed feelings were natural.

Overall, I loved this novel. If you are nervous about picking up The Scourge because it is self-published do not hesitate! I mean it run to your e-reader and download this novel. It was amazingly well written and completely addictive. I could not stop reading until I was finished and even now I am eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel!
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Dec 24, 2012 Diayll rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Blog Tour
Reviewer: Bailey

The Scourge by A.G. Henley is the tale of a post-apocalyptic society struggling for survival, while facing a plague of humanoid monsters called the Scourge. The protagonist is a teenage Groundling called Fennel. Because she is Sightless, Fennel is protected from the Scourge and must gather water for her community as the rest of its members hide in a cave from the Scourge. With her com...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Corinne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

In Fenn's world, you can be one of three things. Either a Groundling, forced to live on the forest floor, a Lofty, who lives up high among the trees, or a Fleshie, a zombie-type creature that wanders the forest in search of prey. While the Lofties can easily protect themselves from the Fleshies, the Groundlings, Fenn among them, are forced to deal with occasional and deadly onslaughts of "the Scourge" and somehow stay alive in hiding whenever they arrive.

Fenn is special among the Groundlings. Bl...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my 100th book this year - and while the book snob in my thinks I should have picked a deep, wise novel that was both inspirational and compelling for my final book in my challenge this year, I'm glad I ended with this one.

The writing is great, the characters likeable, the storyline fascinating. The main character, Fennel, is one of the "Sightless" (or in other worse, she's blind). Her community consists of two types of people - Groundlings (those who live on the....ground) and Lofties (...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Yoon-Ji rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

When people find out that a book is self-published, they tend to naturally shy away from it. I guess they think, if a publishing house rejects a manuscript, it's probably not good enough. The truth is that sometimes, the story isn't what they're looking for at the time, or they've already signed a similar story. Whatever the case is, just because a book is self-published, it doesn't mean that it's bad! When I picked up "The Scourge", I didn't even know that it w...more http://theinkgobbler.blogspot.com/

When people find out that a book is self-published, they tend to naturally shy away from it. I guess they think, if a publishing house rejects a manuscript, it's probably not good enough. The truth is that sometimes, the story isn't what they're looking for at the time, or they've already signed a similar story. Whatever the case is, just because a book is self-published, it doesn't mean that it's bad! When I picked up "The Scourge", I didn't even know that it wasn't published by Random House or Penguin or what have you, and it didn't come through at all when I actually read the book either--in fact, it's one you should check out.

Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless, but she knows how to survive in the dangerous forest. When she's called by her people to begin her lifelong task of braving the Scourge--flesh-eating creatures that haunt humans--to collect water for both the Groundlings and the Lofties, Fennel is anything but fearless. But she won't be alone. Fenn's Lofty Keeper, Peree, a boy who smells like summer, protects her from the trees. When the unlikely pair uncovers a secret that shatters the truths they thought they knew, Fenn must decide who and what to protect--her people, her growing love for a boy she thought she'd never fall for, or the elusive dream of lasting peace in the forest.

I don't know whether this sounds strange or whatever, but the fact that the protagonist is blind just made the story all the more interesting. It presented all sorts of challenges, but Fennel deals with them in a way that makes her likable and extremely believable. Rather than presenting her readers with a two-dimensional, archetypal 'strong' heroine with a single weakness she has to overcome, Ms. Henley weaves in layers to Fenn's character that make her anything but boring. There were times, however, when her blindness wasn't entirely believable in some of the descriptions--they were almost too visual, and it would've been interesting to craft images in your head while reading relying solely on smells, sounds and textures. Nonetheless, Fenn is a unique heroine that I enjoyed being with throughout the book, and I definitely see potential for development in sequels!

Another aspect that was helped by Fenn's blindness is the romance between her and Peree. In a lot of YA books, you'll see the protagonist madly falling head over heels for a super hot boy with piercing eyes, and sometimes it makes me wonder whether it's more of a physical attraction than a deep, real love. And that's something that really bothers me, since romance is a huge element to the YA genre. If the relationship between the so-called star-crossed lovers comes across as shallow, it just ruins it. But in "The Scourge", because Fenn can't just fall for Peree because of his looks, but instead ends up being attracted to him because of his actions and his personality, their romance adds another layer of sweetness and believability to the story. I liked the way their relationship developed, though maybe it could've been stretched out a tad longer.

That being said, I think one thing that put me off just a little was the plot development. The ways the twists in the storyline were introduced to the readers were clumsy and way too sudden, and it just didn't seem too realistic to me. If Ms. Henley had dropped a few hints that led up to these surprises, the plot would've run a lot smoother. Towards the middle of the book, it was pretty much twist after turn after twist, and it was just too much and too out-of-the-blue to work really well.

Nevertheless, "The Scourge" is definitely worth reading, especially if you love realistic romances, or a believable, unique character. Peree and Fenn really tugged on my heartstrings, and I look forward to the sequel to see how things unfold.

Rating: 4/5(less)

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Dec 12, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-read-in-2012, paranormal-read-in-2012, read-in-2012

Fennel lives in an apocolptic world were she is a Groundling. She and her people live on the ground or sometimes in caves. The Groundlings have a rival counterpart to them call the Lofties. The Lofties live high above in the trees. They most of the time keep to their own groups only interacting when they have get togethers to have competitions to celebrate another year passing or for the leaders to talk. They also get together when the Scourge come. The Scourge are mindless beings only after one...more Fennel lives in an apocolptic world were she is a Groundling. She and her people live on the ground or sometimes in caves. The Groundlings have a rival counterpart to them call the Lofties. The Lofties live high above in the trees. They most of the time keep to their own groups only interacting when they have get togethers to have competitions to celebrate another year passing or for the leaders to talk. They also get together when the Scourge come. The Scourge are mindless beings only after one thing any kind of living flesh. They ususually only stay a few days or a week at most. During this time it becomes Fennel's job to get water for the people. The Scourge doesn't bother her for some reason because she is blind.She is still protected by a Loftie called Peree. It is his job to shoot any Scourge who gets to close to Fennel. Together they must get the water their people need to survive in the times of the Scourge. For some reason the Scourge don't seem to be in any hurry to leave and Fennel and Peree must go look for something special to help their groups. What they find may just shatter everything they have known.

Fennel is the type of character you really get to know and love as you read about her. She is blind but doesn't let that slow her down or stop her. She will even risk her life to help people when she can't even see the danger coming. Going to gather water she is scared but doesn't let it keep her from doing her duty. She holds it in until she can let it out. You see her character really grow as you read this story. Peree here is another boy destined to be a few peoples crush. He is very strong and protective. He has a job to do and he does it well. You also get to see the sweeter side of him as he and Fennel get to know each other. The love between these to is so sweet and one you grow to love even if they shouldn't be together you want them together. The book does have zombies but they are more in the background so don't let that put you off if that is not your thing.

This is a great edition to the dystopian world of books. If you like those type this is one you need to pick up and try. It stays a good pace the whole way through the book. Once you pick it up you won't want to put it down. I loved reading about Fennel and Peree growing closer. It really is a type of Romeo & Juliet match. You can see it. Fennel has to make some very hard decisions about what she should do. As you know I don't do spoilers but several things are revealed that makes her question all she has ever known and makes it hard to pick which path to take. Some of these secrets you can kinda see coming but really it doesn't take anything away from the book at all. It is a great read and I will look for more of the Authors work. I have seen people compare this book to others like the village and even tho I usually never compare books I think they hit it right on the head. To me The Scourge feels like the love child of The Village and The Forest of Hands & Teeth. Be sure to check it out.(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Kutter200 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this one - yes, it's another YA post-apocolyptic novel, and how many of those can a person read? Yet I loved the characters (flawed, and real), the story zips right along, and I could NOT put this one down. It's a nice mix of a zombie story, "The Village," and "By the Waters of Babylon." My only real gripe is the ride ended too soon and a bit abruptly - after the well paced action, reveals, and story, the last few pages felt out of place. But given that this was a $4 book (or borr...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Cherish rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading the reviews for this book, I had to give it a try. I was lucky enough to get to read it for free (even though it is very inexpensive on amazon) because I am a Prime member. I began reading it at 10:00pm last night, and stayed up past midnight to get to 50%...then had to force myself to sleep so I wasn't worthless today.
This was one of those (digital) page turners that I thought about all day until I could finish it. At first the writing seemed similar to my first creative writing c...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Suzy Bushman rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 21, 2012 Meghan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll be the first to admit, I never read independently published books. Scratch that--I NEVER read them. For one thing, I'm one of those grammar Nazis who can't handle a few errors (per page). For another, I'm tired of unoriginal YA stories that are all trying to be replicas of Twilight or the Hunger Games. So imagine my surprise when I started reading this book on a whim, more because of its stellar reviews than because of its plot, cover, or price tag.

For the record, this book was nothing like...more I'll be the first to admit, I never read independently published books. Scratch that--I NEVER read them. For one thing, I'm one of those grammar Nazis who can't handle a few errors (per page). For another, I'm tired of unoriginal YA stories that are all trying to be replicas of Twilight or the Hunger Games. So imagine my surprise when I started reading this book on a whim, more because of its stellar reviews than because of its plot, cover, or price tag.

For the record, this book was nothing like Twilight or the Hunger Games--and I mean that in the best way possible.

I don't want to give anything away, so for a synopsis read the blurb or other reviews (that's what I did). I'm writing this in case someone else like me happens along. And because, as a (hopefully) budding author myself, I felt a bit obligated to encourage readers to pick up this hidden bit of literary beauty.

The plot is original and creative--I loved the idea behind the Scourge and being sightless, although parts were slightly unbelievable even in the context of the story. That's probably why I took away a star (although if it were a perfect world, I'd only have taken away half a star). Fennel is an extraordinary character--she is strong, witty, funny, imperfect in all the right ways (meaning she isn't an obnoxiously and unrealistically perfect person), and she grows. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a character remains static throughout the story, like some famous ones I could name. She is afraid and doubts herself at times, but what teenager wouldn't? The supporting cast was nearly as fantastic, but Fenn is the real treasure here.

Error-wise: I found one or two errors and a few things I'd fix, but all in all this book is very clean. It feels a bit unfinished--doesn't have that nice, squeaky polish that big publishing companies add--but it passes muster and should be priced much higher if you ask me. The story brought me out of my own editing mode (which is hard to turn off once it's on), and had me longing for more. The story is fantastic as a stand-alone (and I DON'T think there should be a sequel), but I will be keeping my eye out for more of Henley's work regardless.

Cute story, a bit cheesy at times (I've always had a soft spot for cheese), a tiny bit predictable, but overall a fantastic read and well worth the metaphorical leap into independent territory.(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was unexpectedly good and not something I would have picked normally. Honestly, I only picked it cause it cheap in the kindle store and had pretty measurable reviews on goodreads. I wasn't exactly attracted by the cover (let's be honest, it could use some work) or the summary provided, which didn't exactly grab my attention. But I have to say, I'm glad I bought it.

"The Scourge" is a dystopian young adult novel but to me it felt more fantasy-like young adult book, the kind where there i...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Between 3 and 4 stars.

This is an enjoyable dystopian story centered around a blind protagonist, the "water bearer." The writing is excellent and there are not any glaring grammatical errors. (This is huge - most independent books are riddled with them and make reading painful.) I recommend this book to anyone that wants a fast, light read. This is a great summer pool or rainy "I want to escape" book.

The story is somewhat conventional and predictable - but that is part of what is enjoyable abou...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I finished this book in less than 24 hours which I have never done. Maybe it's a short book I don't know (I have percentages on my kindle) or maybe it was that good. I couldn't put it down. It's written in first person which is my preferred choice in the way a book is written. I like being able to hear the MC's thoughts rather than someone explaining it to me. The MC is Fennel and she is a very likable character as is Perree who is supposed to be her enemy by tradition but it turns into somethin...more

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May 29, 2012 D.M. Dutcher rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult

Nice take on traditional YA dystopia tropes. Fennel is a young woman who belongs to the Groundlings, a small village of people who live in a shattered, post-apocalyptic world. They live next to water, and Fennel is one of a few people chosen to gather it. It is because she is immune to the Scourge, packs of feral zombie-like creatures that beseiged the small lake and cave system where the Groundlings live. Only she can gather the water, as she is aided by other humans called Lofties, who live in...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Can I just say AMAZING!! This book isn't like normal zombie post-apocalyptic books. I loved how it was almost set back in time in a sense. There were Groundling and Lofties. You were either one with the forest floor or with the trees, like an animal or a bird. These people were raised and based on skin and hair either given to the trees or the ground as foster children. They all had different responsibilities and there was always one who was sightless, they were protected from the scourge.

I love...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Thank you Amazon for sending a link to this book as a recommendation for me, I am forever grateful! From the moment I started reading this book I was hooked, I could barely put it down. I'm not going to give a synopsis, there are many other reviews to read if that's what you're looking for. I just want to state how much I LOVED this book. Granted it wasn't perfect, but overall, it was a great, fast paced read for me. I loved Fenn and Peree. LOVED. Their characters were likable, believable and ve...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Kristina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult-fiction

I found "The Scourge" through an Amazon recommendation and after seeing all of the great reviews for it, I decided to pick it up. I'm very glad that I did! Is there anything that the great Amazon computer doesn't know?

This is one of those post-apocalyptic YA novels, kind of in the vein of "The Hunger Games." The story centers around a teenager named Fennel. She belongs to a community called the Groundlings. They live on the forest floor and spend their lives in fear of "the scourge," a pack of...more I found "The Scourge" through an Amazon recommendation and after seeing all of the great reviews for it, I decided to pick it up. I'm very glad that I did! Is there anything that the great Amazon computer doesn't know?

This is one of those post-apocalyptic YA novels, kind of in the vein of "The Hunger Games." The story centers around a teenager named Fennel. She belongs to a community called the Groundlings. They live on the forest floor and spend their lives in fear of "the scourge," a pack of roaming zombie-like creatures. Above the Groundlings live the Lofties, in the tree tops. They are safer from the scourge due to their height. They won't let the Groundlings up into the safety of their trees, which creates a ton of bad blood, as you can imagine. Whenever the scourge appears, the Groundlings have to retreat to caves, which the creatures won't enter, and wait until they move on again. Fennel is sightless (i.e. blind). Since the sightless are for some reason immune to the scourge, she is tasked with taking daily trips to the nearby lake to bring back water to her community while they hide in the caves. A Lofty named Peree is assigned to be her keeper. He stays up in the trees, acts as her eyes and shoots any of the scourge who get too close with his arrows in exchange for half of Fennel's water, which he is able to take to his community. When the latest scourge visitation starts dragging out too long, Fennel volunteers to venture deep into the caves and try to find a fabled, protected water source for her people. What she finds changes everything she knows about her community.

This is the first book I have read in which the protagonist is blind. It was very interesting to read a novel from that perspective. A.G. Henley does a really good job conveying how a person who can't see interprets the world. You don't feel like you're missing anything while reading, and it actually adds to the suspense in several situations.

The characters are well written and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. This is one of those books you don't want to put down because you're anxious to see what happens next. I think that both kids and adults will find something to enjoy in this novel. As a teacher, I'm already thinking of several students I want to recommend this to when I get back to school. This was a good one! (less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Sophie rated it 5 of 5 stars

The main character and narrator, Fenn lives in a world that is surrounded by these zombies, or fleshies as they call them. The people in her community are separated by where they live, the groundlings live, obviously on the ground whereas the lofties live in the trees. These two types of people are constantly at odds because the lofties are safe from the fleshies in the trees and refuse to share their haven with the groundies. Every so often, the fleshies come and the groundies are forced to hid...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Vidya-BooksAreMagic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, blog-tour, horror, series, start-of-the-series, young-adult, zombie

For full review & more - Books Are Magic.

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In this novel, A.G. Henley has created an amazing world with her imaginations. After the apocalypse (The Fall), there are some survivors who live in a forest depending on a single water source. They are divided into two communities, Groundlings (who live in caves) and Lofties (who live on tree tops). As soon as a baby is born, fair coloured and light eyed babies are given to the Lofties to raise...more For full review & more - Books Are Magic.

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In this novel, A.G. Henley has created an amazing world with her imaginations. After the apocalypse (The Fall), there are some survivors who live in a forest depending on a single water source. They are divided into two communities, Groundlings (who live in caves) and Lofties (who live on tree tops). As soon as a baby is born, fair coloured and light eyed babies are given to the Lofties to raise in their community, while dark coloured babies belong to Groundlings. These two communities doesn't go well with each other.

Fennel, a Sightless 17-year old, is a Groundling and also the Water Bearer of the community - meaning she is the one who fetches water to both Groundlings and Lofties in their time of need. This need comes when the flesh-eaters - Scourge are there in the area. During this time, there will be a Loftie Keeper as a companion, who protect the Water Bearer from the Scourge with their skill in archery. Fennel's Keeper is Peree, a Loftie who has crush on her since his childhood. The novel starts with the arrival of Scourge and Fennel's first duty commences.

Fennel soon realizes that Lofties aren't so bad and she may even 'like' Peree. When the Scourge doesn't leave for a long time, Fennel volunteers to find the legendary Hidden Waters, so that she can save her people. Peree accompanies her, in spite of the fact that there will be a punishment to him if his community knows about this. What happens next and what the duo finds is nothing the readers will expect.

Another book, another new world and another unforgettable read! This is one of those amazing reads that is worth your every penny. The series of twists in the plot will keep you awake for long hours during the night with the Kindle clutched tightly in your hand. (I even thought of applying for sick leave in my office.) The romance between Peree and Fenn is cute. The terror and truth of the Scourge is delivered well. The characters and world building are just "WOW"! The author definitely knows how to write and more that that, she knows how to maintain the suspense and essence of the novel.

The small stories that Peree tells to Fennel are adorable and I started expecting the couple's next move every time. Fennel is a strong heroine - never thought one could deliver a heroine who is blind as a Savior Peree is strong and so romantic. I started liking more of Peree's scenes that when Peree is not in many parts in the middle of the novel, I started fidgeting. Beautifully written and well delivered!

Amazing YA post-apocalyptic page turner! Loved every minute of it.

Highly recommended!(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adults, Readers 12 and over

Recommended to Lisa by: Amazon

I read this book together with my advanced reader daughter. Well written, it's a great read about a symbiotic but tenuous balance between two groups living in a post-apocalyptic world and their prejudices against one another. Grown from this is a relationship between the fiercely loyal and sightless Water Bearer from one group and her protector or Keeper from the other, and whether or not they will allow those prejudices to color their feelings for one another or let themselves feel what they fe...more

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May 18, 2012 Leann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-want-to-put-it-down, ya

The Scourge is a very well-written YA post-apocolyptic dysptopian novel written in first person POV with a great romance, and you won't want to put it down until you finish it. Do I even need to say anything else? I mean, that's like my list of all of my favorite things in a book. So if you don't want to go read it based on that sentence, then ... well... your loss.

Actually, I do have two more things to say.

(1) I wasn't sure at first if I would like reading an entire book through the POV of a b...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Pam rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm another one who never reads self-published books. I found this while browsing the Fantasy list at Amazon. It was way down on the list but had a lot of very positive reviews -- 136, all of them 4 or 5 stars -- so I tried a sample. It hooked me right away.

The story is predictable, but predictable in a good way. Henley writes what I want to happen, what should happen -- she goes where I want to go.

I'm not finished yet but I'm enjoying the story immensely. It's simply told but involving. Young...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Riana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-dystopia-eutopia

I really loved this book. At first I was hesitant, because the protagonist (Fennel) is Sightless (blind) and I am hugely into descriptions, as it paints a mental picture for me. Henley was phenomenal at describing the scenery with sounds and smells, light and dark, that it painted that clear picture for me. Rather refreshing point of view actually.
The story is one of those post zombie apocalypse types, but with a Romeo and Juliet twist. In this setting, there are two villages, one on the ground...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Top Pick: Review of The Scourge by A.G. Henley

When I saw the cover art for The Scourge at the bottom of my own novel's “Customers who purchased this book also purchased...” page, I knew I wanted to read it. The haunting description of Fennel, a sightless girl who must be the water bearer for her people during the time of the scourge drew me in. The scourge are basically zombies, humans turned flesh-eaters who attack the healthy, turning them sick as well. For some reason the scourge do not atta...more Top Pick: Review of The Scourge by A.G. Henley

When I saw the cover art for The Scourge at the bottom of my own novel's “Customers who purchased this book also purchased...” page, I knew I wanted to read it. The haunting description of Fennel, a sightless girl who must be the water bearer for her people during the time of the scourge drew me in. The scourge are basically zombies, humans turned flesh-eaters who attack the healthy, turning them sick as well. For some reason the scourge do not attack the sightless, so Fennel is tapped to take an agonizing walk down to the water through the throng of fleshies everyday.
Then enter Peree, a tree-dwelling hunter, who has been given the task of being her keeper. Peree is her eyes and ears while she slips through the masses of sick ones. Fennel's people and Peree's people live in an uneasy alliance. Yet, somehow these two find an instant connection, one that concerns both of them. Groundies and Lofties do not mix. Fennel agonizes over the bond that grows between her and Peree.
When the scourge doesn't leave after a few days like normal, Fennel's people get desperate. Fennel volunteers to search for the Hidden Waters supposedly buried deep within the caves in which they are staying. Peree slips away to guide her. The two embark on a nail-biting journey through pitch-black caves where they are tested to the core of their being.
I was instantly jealous of the premise of this novel. What can be more terrifying than walking into a mob of flesh-eating monsters with no sight? Henley is a master of upping the terror, bringing us in to Fennel's haunting journey to the water hole. And here's the amazing thing, Henley cannot employ any visual imagery. No visual imagery! It's amazing. I thought for sure the book would flounder and die in a sightless world, but no. As a reader, I got used to wandering around a world without sight. Somehow Henley uses surrounding sounds, smells and touch to make a world as vivid as any with sight. I was in awe of how easily she accomplished something that even master writers would not attempt.
I went online to look for a publisher for the novel. I was sure because of the quality that it had been picked up by one of the big six. However, as far as I can tell it is self-published. There are gems out there in the self-published arena and this is one of them. I highly recommend this book to fans of speculative Young Adult fiction. You won't be disappointed.
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Aug 15, 2012 Courtney Reads A Lot rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fennel has never actually seen the Scourge, but she's heard they are walking corpses that roam the forest, reeking with festering flesh, hungry for the living. Fennel is one of the Groundlings that live on the ground and hide in the caves when the Scourge come. She is Sightless, relying on her other senses to get by. But now that her foster mother Aloe has become one of the Council, Fenn has to take her spot as the Water Bearer when the Scourge arrive.

Fenn is nervous about leaving the caves to g...more Fennel has never actually seen the Scourge, but she's heard they are walking corpses that roam the forest, reeking with festering flesh, hungry for the living. Fennel is one of the Groundlings that live on the ground and hide in the caves when the Scourge come. She is Sightless, relying on her other senses to get by. But now that her foster mother Aloe has become one of the Council, Fenn has to take her spot as the Water Bearer when the Scourge arrive.

Fenn is nervous about leaving the caves to gather water while the other Groundlings stay in the safety of the caves. But as one of the Sightless, she is somehow protected from the Scourge's hunger. She is also concerned about trusting one of the Lofties to be her Keeper as she collects the water sacks. The Lofties live in the trees above, only leaving their safety to bathe and gather water. The Groundlings and Lofties have an uneasy truce, and Fenn doesn't know if she can trust her Keeper Peree, even if he seems to want be friends. Or something more than friends.

When the Scourge lingers longer than ever before, violence increases between the Groundlings and the Lofties. With little hope left for her people stuck in the caves, Fennel volunteers to search for the legendary Hidden Waters, which is rumored to be free of flesh-eaters. But what she finds changes everything.

**3.5 stars**

There's some books that I'm indecisive about in regards to rating. This one was one of them. I mean, the book was a great read. Very enjoyable. It had so many unique elements. The civilization of Fennel's world lives a simpler life after sickness and war. There is something amazing about a whole world that lives as if in the past. The Groundlings and Lofties rely on primitive skills and handmade weapons to hunt. They dance with their intended and offer bonding bracelets instead of expensive diamond rings. Their ancestors lived in an advanced time, I'm assuming those ancestors are us, but The Scourge shows how all of these advancements and accomplishments have been reversed. While there is suffering and hardship, the simplicity is almost comforting and beautiful. It's not a fast-paced read full of action, but it is written beautifully.

There are many deep messages that run throughout this book. It's less about the Scourge themselves and more about the people. How they struggle with mistrust. How prejudice divides them when they need each other most. How blind hatred can be. The plot really speaks to any struggle between races or any war that has ever occurred. But despite all this animosity, we have our star-crossed lovers. The romance is phenomenal. I love the trust that develops between Peree and Fenn. They also banter with each other, which is amusing and sweet. I adore Peree. (Yes, it's another Peregrine. Just like Under the Never Sky. Weird coincidence.) I was a little frustrated with Fenn and how she pushed away Peree occasionally, but I can understand her fear in giving so much of herself to one person.

I did not like the love triangle. Or should I say awkward triangle. I hate when one guy is so besotted with the protagonist, but he's clueless that she prefers the other guy. I think Fenn led Bear on a little as well, and her indecision hurt both men. I would say that's selfish of her. It's the same reason I was annoyed with Katniss. And Elena from The Vampire Diaries. I was never into the whole two guys fighting over one girl, and the girl having trouble deciding. Sure, I'm Team Will and Team Ky and Team Damon, but I'd rather not have teams. Despite Fenn's indecision, I did love her bravery, especially since she's Sightless. Her Sightlessness made her a stronger individual, and I loved how her other senses had strengthened in result.

I found the explanation behind the Scourge (no spoilers) unsatisfactory. It didn't appeal to me. It worked, but I just felt some other explanation would have been better. That might just be me. And some of the plot developments confused me. The ending was a little abrupt, but I was happy with its closure until I realized a sequel is planned. I was really hoping to escape another series, but I will most likely read the sequel.

My favorite part about this book was the storytelling. It was beautiful and creative. All of the animal fables really brought something to the story, and they were so wonderfully imaginative.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an original zombie read, some wonderful storytelling, and a touching romance. Despite my complaints, it was an enjoyable read.(less)

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Dec 16, 2012 Madie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would give a genuine review, and analyze everything and give depth, but I'm crap at that. So no.

I wasn't expecting much from this; I figured it'd be a really crap romance trying to be action-y. I was genuinely surprised though, to see it wasn't. I really liked the story, and the characters themselves. There was romance, yeah, but more than that. It didn't become too sappy, and it didn't become so serious to the point where you're like "okay please stop." I liked the ending. It actually ended....more

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Jan 12, 2013 Christina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Holy smokes I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book! I was hit over the head with how amazing this book is! I read this small summary and figured, well lets give it a go. I waited maybe two months to start it, with other books grabbing my interest. This book is go good! (Why, oh why, did I wait?) I read it in ONE DAY!!!!

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian world which centers around 2 two social classes the Lofties who live in the trees and the Groundlings who...more

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Nov 29, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debut-author-challenge

The Scourge is told from the first-person point-of-view of Fenn, a sightless teenaged girl who has to face and overcome tremendous fears to do her job; bearing water for both the Groundlings and the Lofties. She is watched-over by Peree, her “Keeper,” whose job it is to keep her safe from the scourge of zombie-like people that make their world a treacherous place to live.

I should have been reading historical novels to research my next book, or failing that, sleeping. Instead, I went to bed readi...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Jenifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, dystopian, young-adult

I first heard of this book from my best friend, Kristen. She had me so intrigued about it that I actually contacted A.G. Henley to see if she would give me a review copy. She did (Thanks, A.G.!). I didn't know much about the book at the time other than that my friend said it was similar to The Hunger Games (it isn't). I think the main similarity is that both books are dystopian in nature.

When trying to decide on what to rate The Scourge, I wavered between a 3.5 and a 4. I was leaning towards the...more

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The Scourge (The Scourge #1)

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