Toward the Brink (The Apocalyptic Plague Survival Series, Book 1) by Craig McDonough

     Toward the Brink, The Apocalyptic Survival Series by Craig McDonough, snatched my attention from the moment I opened the newsletter!  If you've been with me a while, you know I'm a sucker for a good looking book cover.  This one caught me instantly...      This story was very interesting, but it wasn't implemented well.  The story had bits and pieces that appeared to place well together but didn't quite fit; the first being Elliot; the boy hero. Because this is a New Adult novel, I can't beat it too badly; people want to see the kids of today save the world.(just like YA). I get that, but this was just silly!  The boy who has to help dad run the surplus store was suddenly an expert, because his mom said she'd seen first-hand proof of what was happening in town. All he ever shared was here-say, but evidently in Twin Falls, that's enough!

     Then there were parts like, kissing amidst people being green-foamed to death.  Finding romance in the worst of places; it was very foolish to me.  Then Cindy, the love interest, was a feeble-minded ninny one minute, and a shotgun blasting maniac the next- how in the world!?  Okay, that's the simple stuff. Now  ​to get to the Goo-Shooters. to the rumors and monsters,

     Baer Industries (I think that was the name) created a hormone that was used on spuds all over Idaho and possibly nationwide.  They had spuds in their pockets and brought about brief illness. But after a scare, the goo came back, with a vengeance.  I didn't understand it, due to lack of detailed information, but it did.

     First the green, foamy goo was vomited.  Anyone near to smell or be touched by it was immediately infected.  They in turn, spewed it on to others - instant plague.  BUT, then somewhere in there, some people were changed by it.  They began to either cry green tears of goo, or attacked people covered in the stuff.  Then, out of nowhere, they began to eat. People.  I was confused by what McDonough wanted them to be!  And since the boy wasn't military, the cover was deceptive.  I just got too confused.

​     There are two other books to this series; maybe you'll enjoy them, but sadly, I was not.  I'm off to the next read!   Toward the Brink
The Apocalyptic Plague Survival Series Book 1
Craig McDonough
Amazon Digital Services, LLC
April 22, 2015