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After the Cure #5

The 40th Day

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"Everyone here is already exposed. Don’t come here. Your family is dead. Your friends are dead. Do not trust anyone from the City. There may already be people out there who are infected and don’t know it. Do not let them in. Do not let yourself be moved by pity. They are deadly."

In the concluding novel of the After the Cure series, a small splinter colony of surviving humans struggle to protect themselves from a devastating plague. Without modern medicine, without electricity or hope of outside aid, the only resort is quarantine. But when even that proves not to be enough to protect the remaining healthy population, a tiny group of Infected race against their own bodies to destroy the Plague at its source.

The 40th Day is the fifth and final novel in the After the Cure series.

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2016

36 people are currently reading
222 people want to read

About the author

Deirdre Gould

24 books154 followers

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5 stars
169 (53%)
4 stars
93 (29%)
3 stars
41 (13%)
2 stars
9 (2%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for Stevie (Books & Barks).
174 reviews4 followers
December 10, 2021
I took a deep sigh when I completed this book, it was so good and I was sad it was over.

This has been one of the best apocalyptic series I have read in a long while.

The series is not your typical 'zombie books' and the characters....oh the characters! One thing I found in this whole series is I was sucked into the characters. Whether I loved or hated them, I could wait to see how they progressed, they were all so well written. The fact that the biggest aspect of the story as a whole (in my opinion) was going through the roller coaster that this life gave to these people, from being infected to surviving to learning how to move on and to hope that life can be more. I absolutely enjoyed these characters and found myself happy, heartbroken and hopeful over and over again for them.

With regards to this final story itself I was surprised with how things ended but understood why choices were made. It really made me think about the 'what ifs' and how I would put myself in their shoes.

I can't say enough about this series. If you are into the gore and zombies of typical apocalypse books this might not be for you BUT if the idea of the who/what/why of an event that devastating interests you or how you would feel truly being there please read these, you will not regret it.
Profile Image for Dani.
4 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2016
I have left a more detailed review on Amazon. I was happy to see a follow up to the after the cure series but this book seemed quite clinical. I really wanted to know more. It's an extended epilogue but can leaves room for further installments. Keep it up!
Profile Image for Tracy  Clark.
16 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2016

I'm not ready to say goodbye to this world! "Stop reading so fast!" I said to myself. "I have to!" I answered back.
3 reviews
January 6, 2017
This is part of a series of well written zombie books, and once you start the series, you thirst for more. You become involved with the characters, look for them throughout each new book, really CARE what happens as if they were friends that you've know since childhood. I've already reread the entire series again, because, well, I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything (I did LOL. I enjoyed the second time around every bit as much as the first!) Thanks Dierdre, looking forward to another.... soon, please!!!!
Profile Image for Richard  Gilbertson.
194 reviews
April 30, 2021
Ah well, think me and this series have sadly come to a parting of the ways. This book was a real slog with none of the promise of the first two. All filer and no thriller, the 40th day has gone the way of the latter seasons of The Walking Dead - all maudlin and preachy - and the protagonists all seem to have lost their ‘characters’, it was just a mess of Interchangeable names ‘doing it for the future’. I battled to the end in hope but abandon hope all ye who enter
Profile Image for Elizabeth S.
27 reviews4 followers
June 30, 2021
Amazing book. Everything unfolded so nicely, and I kept wanting more.
The story doesn't end the way that it began. It brings you into this heartache that it pulls out this sorrow for Frank, knowing everything he already has lost, and would continue to loose.
It would have been nice to know from a single scene of what happens after this book, because I wonder where the characters go, and the way that it ends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Belynda.
257 reviews
June 29, 2017
As with all these books, you get attached to the people and are always sad when sometimes luck is not in their favor.
I enjoyed this series and was happy with how the ending played out... I will look for additional books by Deirdre.
2 reviews
November 30, 2017
Awesome Read!

This series was terrific. I really enjoyed reading the different stories within this world. It was refreshing to read a book that kept you on your toes and didn’t stick with the expected.
15 reviews
April 25, 2018
Very well done!

Bravo and encore! What a fantastic finish to a beautiful series! I encourage the writer to do as hinted at and give us more on the other characters in the book. I'd love to read more...
18 reviews
March 27, 2019
Cured

Absolutely enjoyed reading the series. Heart broken the Nella and Vincent passed. Really makes you think how important to have survival equipment and foods in your home, never know what the future holds for us. Send me a note if there will be a new series. Thanks
8 reviews
April 12, 2019
Excellent, Gripping

I read every book straight after each other, this series was unique, not your typical boring repetitive end of world Apocalypse stuff, I loved every bit of it & felt the sadness when I finished the final book because it was a story that had me gripped.
Profile Image for Elisa Liana Mendoza.
17 reviews
October 29, 2019
All Cried Out!!!

I was a little disappointed at first, things went in a way different direction and I wasn't expecting that at all. Very good though up until the very end. Extremely moving and emotionally charged conclusion I wish hadn't come so fast. Good author!
16 reviews
December 28, 2023
emotional read

Great end to the series. Emotional read as the stories were being wrapped up. Remain hopeful there will be more added to either this series or it’s partner books. Fantastic emotional reads all of them
Profile Image for Deborah  Colgrove.
116 reviews2 followers
June 10, 2017
Great writer. Good book.

I loved this series of books. I was hooked when I picked up the first book. So sad to read the last one. I will miss the characters.
Profile Image for Melody Jones.
4 reviews1 follower
Read
July 14, 2021
Good

I've enjoyed this series. I had a hard time putting the book down. Then I'd immediately add the next. Enjoy?!
Profile Image for Alice Anne.
162 reviews
October 10, 2022
Really unfortunate but realistically portrayed reality. Wish story gets picked up again someday.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Saba  Sitter.
195 reviews1 follower
April 24, 2023
I enjoyed this by far the most out of the whole series. The characters are all somewhat intertwined and it is super interesting to see how everyone interacts and what place they have in the society. This is probably the best post-apocalyptic series I've read.
Profile Image for Lucas Hamasaki.
378 reviews5 followers
February 16, 2016
Well. Well, then.

I would not recommend these books to anybody. I'm sorry. I'm sure the writer did their best and all. But... wow. No.

Frank is probably one of the characters I hated the most. Ever. I'd rather read about Umbridge than him. That's how bad it is. But you see, we're supposed to hate Umbridge. Frank is one of the heroes here. That makes him worse. He's stupid. He's selfish. He's misogynist. He's weak (emotionally). And yet, he's St. Frank. Fuck him. Seriously. Fucking asshole.

Nella was pretty great. But of course, she had to everything Frank told her. And be there for him. CAUSE OH NO NELLA WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT YOU I MEAN YOU'RE DYING WHAT ABOUT MEEE!?

Fuck.

Henry and his people were okay. Vincent was obviously the best, I loved him. Marnie was super cool too. But the books are too frustrating. Not even the good characters could make them worth reading.
170 reviews3 followers
February 8, 2016
As the small colony of people that left the city work to create a safe home, a new group that arrives is causing problems. And one of them is not who he claims. He is found out after Nella and Frank return to the colony to help and to rescue a friend from the city. Only to find that they may have been safer just staying away. Between the threats in the small colony, the infected and the need to destroy the new infection in the city, survival is far from guaranteed.
Profile Image for Carly Kirk.
829 reviews9 followers
July 14, 2016
Pretty satisfied

Well, I'm kinda torn about how I feel about this last book in the series. Mostly I'm happy that things were taken care of as much as possible so that life can go on as well as it can for those left....but considering all the horrible people that cropped up and took advantage of the nice people in each book - I just don't know that I can believe in a good long happy-ish life for the characters....
Profile Image for Jacqueline Walton.
25 reviews
February 8, 2016
After the cure series

This book, just like the ones before it, was very good. I enjoyed catching up with the characters. This series shows you both the good and the evil in our society. It gives you people to root for. It also gives you evil people to root against. I do hope that the author revisits this world someday.
8 reviews
April 6, 2016
A good in betweenner

OK so what I call an in betweenner is, is it is a good one to read if your waiting on a four or five star book. I got through the series which means it's worthy of Reading just not A four or five star*read and it's different from the standard "zombie" tale. Happy travels!!!
Profile Image for Joyce A. Wendeln.
132 reviews2 followers
June 22, 2016
How Does It End?

We have looked at the Immune's version, the Infected's version, the City's version and the Colony's version with the addition of the incurable Plague. Now how will it end? Will mankind go out with a whimper or a bang or will they slowly struggle back up to try again to make a world of good?
171 reviews3 followers
July 5, 2016
This was a great ending to a really unique series of zombie novels. I loved how everything was tied together so well. The characters are really fleshed out well in this novel. Some of the more minor characters are given personality and we get to see the growth of other characters. I`m glad that I stuck with this series.
Profile Image for Jennifer Cannon.
9 reviews
October 18, 2016
Dark and realistic plague world

I couldn't put the books in this series down! It's a post apocalyptic world that is completely relatable. I was drawn in by the characters and writing style. The struggles and rewards feel so real, I was totally engaged in the After the Cure world. Good read.
4 reviews6 followers
February 7, 2016
What a phenomenal series this has turned out to be. This book had so many twists and turns that I actually found myself shouting at the book a couple of times! One of my favourite series ever, I think.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

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