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The Starborn Ascension #1
Anywhere But Here
What if you could see the future with a single touch? What if that touch revealed someone’s death, and that person was someone you loved? Would you do everything you could to change it?
In a post-apocalyptic world, where danger roams in many forms, seventeen-year-old Waverly seeks protection in the town of Crestwood after her boyfriend is ruthlessly killed by lawless raiders. But what she finds is a place wrought with mystery, shady dealings, and more instability than she anticipates.
The Starborn Ascension takes place 57 years before The Starborn Uprising, and can be read independently.
In a post-apocalyptic world, where danger roams in many forms, seventeen-year-old Waverly seeks protection in the town of Crestwood after her boyfriend is ruthlessly killed by lawless raiders. But what she finds is a place wrought with mystery, shady dealings, and more instability than she anticipates.
The Starborn Ascension takes place 57 years before The Starborn Uprising, and can be read independently.
ebook
First published March 7, 2014
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About the author
Jason D. Morrow
30 books181 followersJason D. Morrow is the author of the Prototype D series, The Starborn Ascension, The Starborn Uprising, and The Marenon Chronicles. He enjoys playing guitar, shooting videos, and spending time with his lovely wife, Emily.
Currently writing: The Starborn Redemption
Currently writing: The Starborn Redemption
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
April 27, 2015
Overall, this was a good book with an awesome story line but...
I found the beginning a bit confusing with the time jumps and POV changes. I got confused with the characters but after a few chapters, I finally realized who everyone was and where the story was going.
I did like the fact that the death came at the beginning so I didn't have a chance to get emotionally attached to someone before they were killed.
I guessed the twist pretty early on in the book but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the story.
I will definitely be moving on to read the next books in the series!
I found the beginning a bit confusing with the time jumps and POV changes. I got confused with the characters but after a few chapters, I finally realized who everyone was and where the story was going.
I did like the fact that the death came at the beginning so I didn't have a chance to get emotionally attached to someone before they were killed.
I guessed the twist pretty early on in the book but it didn't take away my enjoyment of the story.
I will definitely be moving on to read the next books in the series!
April 30, 2016
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A review copy of this book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Zombies. There are zombies in this book.
Despite being a fan of The Walking Dead, you all know how I feel about zombies. Even though I can be a bit of a killjoy about this particular genre, I’m not so obstinate that I won’t give zombie books a chance. Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised, and sometimes, I’m left thinking: “Well, that was… a zombie book.”
Anywhere But Here follows a teenaged girl named Waverly and a young woman named Remi as they navigate the zombie-infested wasteland they’ve been living in for the past three years. Waverly has been fortunate that she’s hasn’t been alone during those years, even if they’ve been unable to secure a community to live in while Remi has been living on her own wits during that time, longing for somewhere to stay. Remi’s story starts in Crestwood, a town know for taking in strangers. Waverly arrives at the town much later in the book after dealing with raiders and the death of someone close to her. The leader of Crestwood poses an interesting question to both on their arrival, “Do you have special abilities? Powers? Supernatural?”
This was not a bad book. In fact, I enjoyed it far more than I was expecting given the genre. My Kindle clocked it at about 454 pages, but the story moved quickly and didn’t dawdle about much. Even the back stories that we’re given for context are presented during points where the story is moving rather than giving readers a wall of exposition. It’s concise, to the point, and moves on with the story. The plot is familiar. Zombie stories often explore things such as morality because people and their machinations are scarier than mindless zombies. It’s typically bleak with the constant threat of raiders and starvation. There are some amenities still around such as fuel used for vehicles, electricity, and weapons, but everything is measured and used with care as you’d expect in the situation. There’s a little bit of romantic fluff in the book, but nothing that’s overwhelming. I did feel like maybe one character too easily started crushing on another character, but love in the time of zombies may warrant being hastier in these things.
Morrow does try to give some explanation for what caused the outbreak instead of just dumping readers into the story where no one knows what happened which I appreciated. (Not that I necessarily have anything against stories using the “origins unknown” angle.) He did add a twist by adding characters who have developed “powers” during this outbreak. These people are called Starborn. Calling anything Starborn during a zombie apocalypse feels a bit frilly, but thankfully, that name isn’t overused in the story. How–or why–they developed these powers isn’t explored in this book, but since this is a series, I’m expecting we’ll get an explanation in later books.
Remi and Waverly were interesting as characters. There was a little more time invested in Waverly’s story. For this reason, I connected with her more than I did Remi. This book was more focused on the “in the now,” so there isn’t a ton of character development. The action makes up for it, though. There’s always something going on in this book. One thing of note, I would’ve liked if Remi and Waverly’s stories converged a bit sooner than they did. It’s fairly easy to spot the significance the characters have to one another early in the story, but I felt like I was just listening to two separate stories about two people who happened to be inhabiting the same world for most of the book. I’m sure that was intentional, but it didn’t really work for me. It also made some of Remi’s parts feel like filler.
The narration by Sophie Amoss was top-notch. She voiced Waverly’s kindness and Remi’s tenacity well. Her characterization of other characters worked, too. You could hear the roughness in her voice with the raiders and more curmudgeonly characters. There were a couple of production quality issues in this, but nothing that was so glaring that I stopped listening.
If you regularly read zombie fiction, this may be a bit too formulaic for you, especially if you’re always looking for something innovative in the genre, but if you don’t mind tried and tested plot points coupled with fast action and a little bit of a twist, this book is worth checking out.
A review copy of this book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Zombies. There are zombies in this book.
Despite being a fan of The Walking Dead, you all know how I feel about zombies. Even though I can be a bit of a killjoy about this particular genre, I’m not so obstinate that I won’t give zombie books a chance. Sometimes, I am pleasantly surprised, and sometimes, I’m left thinking: “Well, that was… a zombie book.”
Anywhere But Here follows a teenaged girl named Waverly and a young woman named Remi as they navigate the zombie-infested wasteland they’ve been living in for the past three years. Waverly has been fortunate that she’s hasn’t been alone during those years, even if they’ve been unable to secure a community to live in while Remi has been living on her own wits during that time, longing for somewhere to stay. Remi’s story starts in Crestwood, a town know for taking in strangers. Waverly arrives at the town much later in the book after dealing with raiders and the death of someone close to her. The leader of Crestwood poses an interesting question to both on their arrival, “Do you have special abilities? Powers? Supernatural?”
This was not a bad book. In fact, I enjoyed it far more than I was expecting given the genre. My Kindle clocked it at about 454 pages, but the story moved quickly and didn’t dawdle about much. Even the back stories that we’re given for context are presented during points where the story is moving rather than giving readers a wall of exposition. It’s concise, to the point, and moves on with the story. The plot is familiar. Zombie stories often explore things such as morality because people and their machinations are scarier than mindless zombies. It’s typically bleak with the constant threat of raiders and starvation. There are some amenities still around such as fuel used for vehicles, electricity, and weapons, but everything is measured and used with care as you’d expect in the situation. There’s a little bit of romantic fluff in the book, but nothing that’s overwhelming. I did feel like maybe one character too easily started crushing on another character, but love in the time of zombies may warrant being hastier in these things.
Morrow does try to give some explanation for what caused the outbreak instead of just dumping readers into the story where no one knows what happened which I appreciated. (Not that I necessarily have anything against stories using the “origins unknown” angle.) He did add a twist by adding characters who have developed “powers” during this outbreak. These people are called Starborn. Calling anything Starborn during a zombie apocalypse feels a bit frilly, but thankfully, that name isn’t overused in the story. How–or why–they developed these powers isn’t explored in this book, but since this is a series, I’m expecting we’ll get an explanation in later books.
Remi and Waverly were interesting as characters. There was a little more time invested in Waverly’s story. For this reason, I connected with her more than I did Remi. This book was more focused on the “in the now,” so there isn’t a ton of character development. The action makes up for it, though. There’s always something going on in this book. One thing of note, I would’ve liked if Remi and Waverly’s stories converged a bit sooner than they did. It’s fairly easy to spot the significance the characters have to one another early in the story, but I felt like I was just listening to two separate stories about two people who happened to be inhabiting the same world for most of the book. I’m sure that was intentional, but it didn’t really work for me. It also made some of Remi’s parts feel like filler.
The narration by Sophie Amoss was top-notch. She voiced Waverly’s kindness and Remi’s tenacity well. Her characterization of other characters worked, too. You could hear the roughness in her voice with the raiders and more curmudgeonly characters. There were a couple of production quality issues in this, but nothing that was so glaring that I stopped listening.
If you regularly read zombie fiction, this may be a bit too formulaic for you, especially if you’re always looking for something innovative in the genre, but if you don’t mind tried and tested plot points coupled with fast action and a little bit of a twist, this book is worth checking out.
April 17, 2015
Was not what I expected. It was actually a good read. Good plot, good charcters, overall, pretty good.
June 23, 2019
A classic story of a zombie apocalypse and a group desperate for survival. Except this is no normal group. The leader, Waverly, can see the future. As she learns the ins and outs of her gift, the truth of who she is will affect the future of those who depend on her the most. The road to survival is not an easy one and although zombies lurk in every corner, it’s other humans that they need to fear the most.
This story was told from two different POVs, both from Starborn characters which I thought added an interesting twist to the story because we got to see what it would be like to be in a situation where you have slight leverage against the zombies. In the second POV, we are introduced to a Starborne with the ability to hear things, anything so chosen, and I thought that would be a particularly interesting ability to have during such an event.
Suspenseful right up to the end. Narration was both smooth and dramatic.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This story was told from two different POVs, both from Starborn characters which I thought added an interesting twist to the story because we got to see what it would be like to be in a situation where you have slight leverage against the zombies. In the second POV, we are introduced to a Starborne with the ability to hear things, anything so chosen, and I thought that would be a particularly interesting ability to have during such an event.
Suspenseful right up to the end. Narration was both smooth and dramatic.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
April 28, 2016
Flesh eating Greyskins walk the earth and all Waverly and Remi want is safety. But before they get there, they have to not only deal with Greyskins, but also humans, which is worse though??
At first, I struggled to get into this, because the story felt disjointed. It wasn't till I was a ways in that I realised it was being told from 2 different peoples POV! Then it fell into place. The audio never specified who was talking and both characters were similar which is why I had a hard time realising who was talking! That's why it's a 4 star instead of a 5 star review, because other than this, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The plot was relatively fast paced and entertaining. It held my attention throughout and I loved that the author added in an extra something to the Zombie apocalypse. I loved the powers the people had!!
In all, this was a great read that could have been brilliant if the characters were expanded more. Despite that niggle, this is a unique and captivating read and I'm really looking forward to the next one.
Sophie Amoss did a good job with this, though the main problem I had with her was that she didn't give Waverly and Remi distinct enough voices to not be confused. If they were more distinct, then I think I would of enjoyed it more.
*I received a copy of this for review. This in no way affected my thoughts.*
At first, I struggled to get into this, because the story felt disjointed. It wasn't till I was a ways in that I realised it was being told from 2 different peoples POV! Then it fell into place. The audio never specified who was talking and both characters were similar which is why I had a hard time realising who was talking! That's why it's a 4 star instead of a 5 star review, because other than this, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The plot was relatively fast paced and entertaining. It held my attention throughout and I loved that the author added in an extra something to the Zombie apocalypse. I loved the powers the people had!!
In all, this was a great read that could have been brilliant if the characters were expanded more. Despite that niggle, this is a unique and captivating read and I'm really looking forward to the next one.
Sophie Amoss did a good job with this, though the main problem I had with her was that she didn't give Waverly and Remi distinct enough voices to not be confused. If they were more distinct, then I think I would of enjoyed it more.
*I received a copy of this for review. This in no way affected my thoughts.*
March 18, 2015
Jason D. Morrow’s Anywhere but Here is a fast, compelling read, especially if you don’t immediately dislike zombies. Well-timed flashbacks give a picture of how one teenager perceives the world falling apart. Characters who come to her aid are quickly made real through the language of remembered feelings, and there’s an immediate pain conveyed through scenes of cruel loss. But this isn’t just a run-away-from-the-zombies tale. These people really do have hope, but struggle to know how much faith to place in human institutions, how much trust to place in law, and how to plan for an uncertain tomorrow.
Into this mix, add the curious powers of characters who aren’t quite superhuman, just as the grayskins may not be entirely subhuman. Does seeing the future mean it’s set in stone? Is hearing (even super-hearing) the same as understanding? And what secret are leaders and hunters hiding?
The dialog’s convincing, the voice is natural, the tale has a powerful immediacy, and the ending, while clearly the start of something more, comes in a well-chosen place, with one mystery solved in the defining of the next. I would certainly read more.
Disclosure: It was free, and I really enjoyed the earlier series.
Into this mix, add the curious powers of characters who aren’t quite superhuman, just as the grayskins may not be entirely subhuman. Does seeing the future mean it’s set in stone? Is hearing (even super-hearing) the same as understanding? And what secret are leaders and hunters hiding?
The dialog’s convincing, the voice is natural, the tale has a powerful immediacy, and the ending, while clearly the start of something more, comes in a well-chosen place, with one mystery solved in the defining of the next. I would certainly read more.
Disclosure: It was free, and I really enjoyed the earlier series.
June 19, 2016
A dystopian future where people are infected by a disease that turns them into the walking dead. It is hinted that a university experiment got out of hand but is not confirmed. The city of Oakridge Anywhere USA is the epicenter of the outbreak that spreads like lightning through the city and beyond reducing people to hunters, raiders, the hunted or grayskins. The story is told between two young lady's points of view and between a stretch of three years. Both girls are from Oakridge but have been down interesting and unique paths in the last three years.
We begin with Waverly who is taking cover from some raiders along with her partners Lucas, Ethan and Gilbert. When the raiders have spotted them and there seems to be no way out Waverly grabs Lucas' hand and is jolted into a vision of the near future. Throughout the book she must decide if these visions can be altered or if they are an unchanging horror that she (and the reader) must live through twice. The common theme of the story seems to be a town called Crestwood. It is said that an old man told the group that it is a community where you are given safety room and board in exchange for work and participating in the good of the community.
We move on to Remi, who has already fought her way through the violence to reach Crestwood three months prior. She is waiting to be questioned by the community leader Paxton. She is now safe from the constant dangers of the grayskins and raiders but has been changed so much over the years that when she is given a safe place to stay she still doesn't feel safe because her weapons were confiscated at the gate. Most of what we learn about Remi is current day but you know she has seen many horrors in this new way of life.
She has also acquired a special talent to hear nearly anything she concentrates on. This is what has kept her alive when so many others have been killed or infected. She befriends a guard named Gabe and is told about a secret that will change everything.
We learn that young Waverly is from a very affluent family in Oakridge. Her mother and father spend most of their time working leaving the 14 year old to be raised by the housekeeper Hattie. I really enjoyed the dynamics of having Waverly so closely connected to Hattie, so that she actually sees her more as a mother figure than her actual mother.
I also like the fact that the stories details are limited to the information you would typically get if this happened in real life. There is no all knowing sense that some books give you. Waverly only knows there is a problem when her father calls and tells them to take cover in the basement. She turns on the news and we are given the details that the reporters have discovered in the short time since the outbreak. The next 3 years people have either banded in small groups to share abilities and resources. They gather in smaller groups to constantly be on the move scavenging for food, supplies or weapons. Or they gather in groups of raiders who hunt the scavenger groups to take what they have found. All of these groups are hiding from the ever increasing number of grayskins.
The other thing unique in this book are the grayskins. They are not your typical zombie in the sense that they rise from the grave. Instead they are normal people "infected" by a virus. There is never a resolution on how this began only that it did. Once someone is attacked they have about 24 hours before they "die" and are reanimated as walking rotting beings with a craving for flesh. You can be infected by a bite or scratch from another infected person. The grayskins hunt in packs and are smarter than the average zombies in that they are attracted to the sound of gunshots. They also hang out mostly in places where people would look for supplies.
This all leads up to an action packed adventure and intrigue.. It also makes me wonder what-if. What-if I were in a populated area when this happened? What-if I suddenly had to fight for my own survival? What-if the love of my life were infected and I knew in one day they would try to eat me if I didn't kill them first? Who do you trust? How would civilization change?
All this along with a shocking revelation at the end will keep you engaged and guessing right up to the very last sentence. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good 'monster could be your best friend' thriller in a modern real world setting. Once you get into the first chapter it's hard to put down so start reading early and watch your back. The monster could be your own mother or your first grade teacher!
We begin with Waverly who is taking cover from some raiders along with her partners Lucas, Ethan and Gilbert. When the raiders have spotted them and there seems to be no way out Waverly grabs Lucas' hand and is jolted into a vision of the near future. Throughout the book she must decide if these visions can be altered or if they are an unchanging horror that she (and the reader) must live through twice. The common theme of the story seems to be a town called Crestwood. It is said that an old man told the group that it is a community where you are given safety room and board in exchange for work and participating in the good of the community.
We move on to Remi, who has already fought her way through the violence to reach Crestwood three months prior. She is waiting to be questioned by the community leader Paxton. She is now safe from the constant dangers of the grayskins and raiders but has been changed so much over the years that when she is given a safe place to stay she still doesn't feel safe because her weapons were confiscated at the gate. Most of what we learn about Remi is current day but you know she has seen many horrors in this new way of life.
She has also acquired a special talent to hear nearly anything she concentrates on. This is what has kept her alive when so many others have been killed or infected. She befriends a guard named Gabe and is told about a secret that will change everything.
We learn that young Waverly is from a very affluent family in Oakridge. Her mother and father spend most of their time working leaving the 14 year old to be raised by the housekeeper Hattie. I really enjoyed the dynamics of having Waverly so closely connected to Hattie, so that she actually sees her more as a mother figure than her actual mother.
I also like the fact that the stories details are limited to the information you would typically get if this happened in real life. There is no all knowing sense that some books give you. Waverly only knows there is a problem when her father calls and tells them to take cover in the basement. She turns on the news and we are given the details that the reporters have discovered in the short time since the outbreak. The next 3 years people have either banded in small groups to share abilities and resources. They gather in smaller groups to constantly be on the move scavenging for food, supplies or weapons. Or they gather in groups of raiders who hunt the scavenger groups to take what they have found. All of these groups are hiding from the ever increasing number of grayskins.
The other thing unique in this book are the grayskins. They are not your typical zombie in the sense that they rise from the grave. Instead they are normal people "infected" by a virus. There is never a resolution on how this began only that it did. Once someone is attacked they have about 24 hours before they "die" and are reanimated as walking rotting beings with a craving for flesh. You can be infected by a bite or scratch from another infected person. The grayskins hunt in packs and are smarter than the average zombies in that they are attracted to the sound of gunshots. They also hang out mostly in places where people would look for supplies.
This all leads up to an action packed adventure and intrigue.. It also makes me wonder what-if. What-if I were in a populated area when this happened? What-if I suddenly had to fight for my own survival? What-if the love of my life were infected and I knew in one day they would try to eat me if I didn't kill them first? Who do you trust? How would civilization change?
All this along with a shocking revelation at the end will keep you engaged and guessing right up to the very last sentence. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good 'monster could be your best friend' thriller in a modern real world setting. Once you get into the first chapter it's hard to put down so start reading early and watch your back. The monster could be your own mother or your first grade teacher!
January 29, 2015
I don't know where to start with this review. I guess I'll start with how I felt while reading it. I felt everything the characters were feeling. This is the first apocalyptic Zombie novel I have ever read and I am not disappointed at all. It was suspenseful and heart retching. The writing was smart and clean. The MCs have depth beyond anything that I had expectations for. Everything felt balanced, yet full of chaos. There were moments of reflection that felt so realistic and terrifying. Ok, this review is going to be all over the place, because I'm just going to let it all hang out. This author knows how to write. He didn't focus on prose so you're not going to get a beautiful work of literature, but what you're going to get is extreme depth, pulse-pounding action and suspense, and heart-shattering twists. This writer knows people. Even though there is an element of the supernatural and you'd think that it wouldn't work in a zombie book, you'd be wrong. It worked! The writer obviously knows how to not overdo anything, like the supernatural aspect or the affections the MCs have (love interest). It's a book about survival, about loss, coping, rebuilding. You get all of that. It's deeply emotional and disturbing in that "I can't look away". Yes! Yes! Yes! I need to read more by this author!! One thing I'm excited about are the abilities our characters have. And I have a question: Are they a result of our species evolving to survive? Woah! Hopefully, mind blown!
I'm usually a stickler about Point of View and Tense in a book. This book is a perfect example of when you can use present tense and flip back to past tense, all in first person. It was so well executed! Memory chapters were done in past tense, and as subtle as it was, I noticed it! But in the way that I have to stand up and give this author a round of applause. It was flawless! The transitions were smooth!
I'm usually a stickler about Point of View and Tense in a book. This book is a perfect example of when you can use present tense and flip back to past tense, all in first person. It was so well executed! Memory chapters were done in past tense, and as subtle as it was, I noticed it! But in the way that I have to stand up and give this author a round of applause. It was flawless! The transitions were smooth!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2019
It wasn't bad, but I lost interest halfway through it and stopped reading.
January 19, 2015
I wanted to love this and in fact it was a good read. My main problem was that I didn't realize whose POV I was reading from.
Yes, I know there were titles at the beginning of each chapter, but that didn't make it easy to discern which character's head I was supposed to be in. (I didn't realize there was more than one until the end of the book)
One of the first books I've read on Kindle, so that might be part of the problem.
I didn't see any typos or glaring grammatical errors and the writing was good. I'm intrigued by what is going on so I want to read the next one.
Am I "dying" to read the next one? No, it wasn't a cliffhanger ending for me. Intrigued, but I didn't like the characters enough to want to find out more in book two.
Yes, I know there were titles at the beginning of each chapter, but that didn't make it easy to discern which character's head I was supposed to be in. (I didn't realize there was more than one until the end of the book)
One of the first books I've read on Kindle, so that might be part of the problem.
I didn't see any typos or glaring grammatical errors and the writing was good. I'm intrigued by what is going on so I want to read the next one.
Am I "dying" to read the next one? No, it wasn't a cliffhanger ending for me. Intrigued, but I didn't like the characters enough to want to find out more in book two.
April 26, 2015
To begin, let me start by saying that I am incredibly hard on zombie stories because I love them, and the tales that are weaved around them. Every novel I read that takes place during a zombie apocalypse, I read with the hopes of something new. This was not that novel. However, it wasn’t horrible.
To read more of this review visit http://wordgurgle.blogspot.com/2015/0...
To read more of this review visit http://wordgurgle.blogspot.com/2015/0...
May 2, 2016
I liked this book,but I had a really hard time connecting to one of the main characters.She seemed hostile towards everyone for no apparent reason and obsessed with obtaining a knife.The other female was more realistic and likable.Yet I won't be continuing with this series because I don't really care enough about the characters and their futures.The narrator was pleasant to listen too.I received an audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2019
Pretty good.
I didn't think I'd ever get into a book about zombies, but this one got me hooked. I liked that it kept me on the edge of my seat, but I did get a little bored with the long explanations of emotions here and there within chapters.
I didn't think I'd ever get into a book about zombies, but this one got me hooked. I liked that it kept me on the edge of my seat, but I did get a little bored with the long explanations of emotions here and there within chapters.
October 4, 2014
FREE 10/2/14
May 13, 2015
Awesome book!
Was hard to go to sleep at night, this book was so good! I can't wait to start another one!
Was hard to go to sleep at night, this book was so good! I can't wait to start another one!
November 27, 2017
Scarecrow & his raiders gang members were trying to intimidate Lucas (18, Waverly’s ex-BF).
Ethan, Gilbert, & Waverly “Remi” (17) managed to get away.
They were headed for Crestwood (town).
Professor Jeremiah Adams (U of Elkhorn) on the TV news was trying to explain to the public about the virus that has gone rampant.
The humans take on the form of greyskins.
The elders: Kenneth, Lillian, Gavin, Paxton, & Robert will hold a meeting.
What happened to Hank?
Later, Charles’ had died & Hattie got infected with greyskin.
Who will survive & who will perish?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written paranormal book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great paranormal movie, an animated cartoon or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; BookSends; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Ethan, Gilbert, & Waverly “Remi” (17) managed to get away.
They were headed for Crestwood (town).
Professor Jeremiah Adams (U of Elkhorn) on the TV news was trying to explain to the public about the virus that has gone rampant.
The humans take on the form of greyskins.
The elders: Kenneth, Lillian, Gavin, Paxton, & Robert will hold a meeting.
What happened to Hank?
Later, Charles’ had died & Hattie got infected with greyskin.
Who will survive & who will perish?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written paranormal book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great paranormal movie, an animated cartoon or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. It was just OK for me so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; BookSends; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 31, 2026
This is the kind of book that makes you hold your breath without realizing you’re doing it.
Anywhere But Here throws you into a broken, post-apocalyptic world where danger is constant and survival is never guaranteed. Greyskins lurk everywhere, but the real weight of the story comes from its emotional core. Waverly is only seventeen, yet she’s forced to carry impossible knowledge — the ability to see the future with a single touch, even when that future means death.
Her search for safety leads her to Crestwood, but safety in this world always comes with fear, loss, and hard choices. I felt the tension in every interaction, every decision, and every moment where hope and dread existed side by side.
The pacing kept me turning pages, but it was the emotional stakes that really pulled me in. The ending caught me completely off guard and left me sitting there for a moment, just processing everything.
A gripping, emotional read with strong survival themes and a lingering sense of unease. I’m absolutely planning to continue the series.
Anywhere But Here throws you into a broken, post-apocalyptic world where danger is constant and survival is never guaranteed. Greyskins lurk everywhere, but the real weight of the story comes from its emotional core. Waverly is only seventeen, yet she’s forced to carry impossible knowledge — the ability to see the future with a single touch, even when that future means death.
Her search for safety leads her to Crestwood, but safety in this world always comes with fear, loss, and hard choices. I felt the tension in every interaction, every decision, and every moment where hope and dread existed side by side.
The pacing kept me turning pages, but it was the emotional stakes that really pulled me in. The ending caught me completely off guard and left me sitting there for a moment, just processing everything.
A gripping, emotional read with strong survival themes and a lingering sense of unease. I’m absolutely planning to continue the series.
June 18, 2017
Good book.
Quintessential zombie horror and suspense story though, with a twist. A twist that isn't fully realized in this first book.
The author has a good writing style. The story is interesting and keeps moving. I started reading the second as soon as the first finished.
Plenty of gore of a war book and intrigue of a mystery book. The characters are believable but Waiverly is too wimpy and Remi is too bitchy. I understand why the author wanted to have dual lead characters and needed to have a yin and yang type mix but sometimes it's over the top. Not enough to make the book unreadable though.
Quintessential zombie horror and suspense story though, with a twist. A twist that isn't fully realized in this first book.
The author has a good writing style. The story is interesting and keeps moving. I started reading the second as soon as the first finished.
Plenty of gore of a war book and intrigue of a mystery book. The characters are believable but Waiverly is too wimpy and Remi is too bitchy. I understand why the author wanted to have dual lead characters and needed to have a yin and yang type mix but sometimes it's over the top. Not enough to make the book unreadable though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2019
I loved this book. Dystopian is one of my favorite genres and this book has everything and then more.
The story is told by two different and seemingly unrelated characters, both just trying to survive and find safety. My one critique, would be to have some kind of indication when the POV changes between Waverly and Remi, because it took me a minute or two to figure which POV I was listening to. This might be more clear in the book.
Overall the story has a great balance of action, plot and characters. And the narrator did a great job with all the voices, infusing enough emotion and creating unique voices. Great listen!
The story is told by two different and seemingly unrelated characters, both just trying to survive and find safety. My one critique, would be to have some kind of indication when the POV changes between Waverly and Remi, because it took me a minute or two to figure which POV I was listening to. This might be more clear in the book.
Overall the story has a great balance of action, plot and characters. And the narrator did a great job with all the voices, infusing enough emotion and creating unique voices. Great listen!
August 7, 2019
This is book 15 of my second sunmer of free amazon books. (2.15)
Action, romance, special abilities and zombies.
The book was fine. The prose is fine, and the tempo is fast enough and there is enough action to keep it interesting.
I just don’t like the classical zombie-thing. And it wasn’t quite gritty enough for my tastes. I think I might just be too old.
Also, i didn’t connect much with Waverly.
The most interesting thing in the book was the «starborn» thing, and the most annoying was the drama of the names... «Shadowface» - really ?
Anyway, theres nothing really bad about the book, it’s just not my cup of tea, so if you like YA zombie-books, you should give it a go. It’s free !
Action, romance, special abilities and zombies.
The book was fine. The prose is fine, and the tempo is fast enough and there is enough action to keep it interesting.
I just don’t like the classical zombie-thing. And it wasn’t quite gritty enough for my tastes. I think I might just be too old.
Also, i didn’t connect much with Waverly.
The most interesting thing in the book was the «starborn» thing, and the most annoying was the drama of the names... «Shadowface» - really ?
Anyway, theres nothing really bad about the book, it’s just not my cup of tea, so if you like YA zombie-books, you should give it a go. It’s free !
May 31, 2017
Not a fan of zombie books but this was not a problem in this story. It was about survival in a world where a virus got loose they think in a lab. The virus created greyskins or zombies. If infected they died and then reanimated. They would go after living humans and try to bite and eat them. Living humans had to worry about them as well as competing for the dwindling supplies of food and weapons. The story was interesting and went from Remi to Waverly's points of view from chapter to chapter. One girl could see the future and one could hear things far away.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
June 28, 2019
Very interesting
I was surprised by this one. I don’t normally like books about zombies and while the grey skins are not called that they are similar. I found this story very interesting, I like how independent, strong and determined Remi is and I love Waverly as well. Crazy good, sad and scary all at the same time.
I was surprised by this one. I don’t normally like books about zombies and while the grey skins are not called that they are similar. I found this story very interesting, I like how independent, strong and determined Remi is and I love Waverly as well. Crazy good, sad and scary all at the same time.
November 19, 2021
Would have given it a 3 but the storyline is actually pretty solid and didn't expect the twist. The cliché "all women fall in love with nice men despite everything" is a bit grating, but it's no surprise given it's a male author.
Not a bad book overall. It will be interesting to see how the story and characters hold up in books two and three.
Not a bad book overall. It will be interesting to see how the story and characters hold up in books two and three.
October 23, 2019
This apocalyptic story is told from two points of view in a first-person narrative. It's well-written, fast-paced with twists, turns and surprises.
A virus leaves the world with flesh-eating zombies, raiders and survivors but something more.
I really enjoyed it and am intrigued enough to read more - a little different from the norm.
Recommended.
A virus leaves the world with flesh-eating zombies, raiders and survivors but something more.
I really enjoyed it and am intrigued enough to read more - a little different from the norm.
Recommended.
January 5, 2020
Zombies
I’m not a fan of zombies or books about zombies, I have enjoyed read this one though. I like sci-fi and I thought that was what this book was about. I was disappointed when the gray skins came a about, but I was already hooked.
I’m not a fan of zombies or books about zombies, I have enjoyed read this one though. I like sci-fi and I thought that was what this book was about. I was disappointed when the gray skins came a about, but I was already hooked.
January 14, 2020
Good
Well, now I understand the two points of view. The cliffhanger at the end surprises me, more that I hadn't put it together. H
Glad to know that authors can still pull out a surprise.
Well, now I understand the two points of view. The cliffhanger at the end surprises me, more that I hadn't put it together. H
Glad to know that authors can still pull out a surprise.
August 5, 2021
Although the author breaks no new ground, it was a good, entertaining read. I cared about the characters and what happened to them. I was anxious to move on to the next book when I finished and to read the whole series.
July 6, 2023
interesting style
I enjoyed the book but did find the multiple first person view hard to work with for the first few chapters. I have never read multiple first person before and found it a little different to my normal preferred read.
I enjoyed the book but did find the multiple first person view hard to work with for the first few chapters. I have never read multiple first person before and found it a little different to my normal preferred read.
July 19, 2017
I am really enjoying this trilogy. The combination of zombie apocalypse and ancient aliens is magical.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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