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Death Fields #1

Zocopalypse

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Not Every Girl Can Be Katniss Everdeen. Did she learn to hunt and survive in a post-crisis world? No. Her father was a scientist. Her battle is with a parasitic virus that is threatening to wipe out all life on the planet. The world needs her data before it's too late. There's just one problem... ...she's three hundred miles away from the people that can do something with it. You'll love this post-apocalyptic thriller because it will take brains, trust and a whole lot of courage for Alexandra to save the world.

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2015

231 people are currently reading
668 people want to read

About the author

Angel Lawson

150 books4,012 followers

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5 stars
158 (38%)
4 stars
132 (31%)
3 stars
98 (23%)
2 stars
16 (3%)
1 star
9 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Profile Image for Kelli W.
622 reviews171 followers
August 30, 2019
3.25 with room to grow. Looking forward to next book to see where it goes!
Profile Image for Mandy Reads Indie.
1,988 reviews91 followers
April 11, 2017
The problem is that with so much time is that there is nothing to shut off these thoughts. No new things to focus on. The only new things are terrifying things that I don’t want to think about either. Eaters. The military. Crazy post-apocalyptic crazy people. My dad. My sister. What to do next. Where to go…

It’s easier to think about before, when things were better even if it does make me sad.

***

After finishing up the most wonderful contemporary romance, I needed a little gore to balance me out. I'm like that. I need romance, then zombies, contemporary, and then back to rotting flesh. I like to think it keeps me grounded.

But here I am, only 60% done with this book, and I felt the need start the review up just so I could gush for a second. Lawson is a genius when it comes to writing a zombie read. One that feels like it could very well play out in real life (and come off believable) the way she wrote it. I have ranted and raved with her a few times about The Walking Dead and this lady knows what she is talking about. She has done her research, watched zombie related shows, and keeps up with current events. So I guess I shouldn't be so surprised with this being such an amazing read.

Ok, now I am 100% done and I gotta say this book was fabulous. So much so! And so much happens in the story. We are taken back and forth from the present to the past right before everything went to hell. Before people became infected and started munching down on their friends and family. And I actually loved that about the book. I loved seeing how it all went down, unlike some shows and books that leave you always questioning the how’s and why’s to the start of the end.

And the different array of characters was definitely a good mix for the story as well. I enjoyed the roles that each one played and what they brought to the story. I love Cole and will be keeping my fingers crossed there.

The start roped me in quickly. The whole plot had me reading, reading, reading until I quickly devoured the whole book. The ending was such a surprise and one that has me eager to read the next in line. All in all, this book is registering up there as one of my favorites. 5 Freakin’ Stars!
Profile Image for Azbaqiyah.
1,004 reviews
August 22, 2022
Plot - 4.8 🌟
Character - 3.5 🌟
World Building - 4.8 🌟
Writing Style - 3 🌟
Cover - 4.8 🌟

Overall Rating - 4.18 🌟
Profile Image for Tanya.
8 reviews
March 11, 2019
Death Fields series has kept me wanting more! All five books ( just starting the last book #6) have kept me wanting more! Can’t stop reading!!
Profile Image for Rachel Bowen.
Author 1 book3 followers
July 26, 2017
I loved this book. I wanted to simultaneously reread this book after I read it and read the second in the series. I’ve already ordered all the available books in this series before starting the second, that’s how confident I am in this series. Aside from a few typos, the writing was good. The plot was captivating, fast paced, and original. Not only did it suck me in and keep me intensely focused, it managed to surprise me with the direction the author took the plot.

I’m not the best at always predicting future outcomes in books, but I can hold my own against the normal reader. There were ideas in this book that I hadn’t even started to predict. Maybe it was because I was so caught up in the moment of the scene that I didn’t think too far ahead, or maybe it was just that well written. Either way this is definitely worth a read. If it’s not well known, it should be. By far the best survivalist/post-apocalyptic story I’ve read in a very long time. The characters are real and sparked an interest in me that I find harder and harder to find with books, at least the ones I’ve read recently. The main character is strong but not in the ‘in your face’ way where you roll your eyes because she can do everything. She’s real, and her voice was very enjoyable for me to read. If you’re having second thoughts about starting this series, don’t. Take a chance and you might find yourself as addicted as me.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
135 reviews3 followers
February 4, 2019
My friend loaned me this book, telling me that it's a really great read, even though the grammar is bad. I'm not great with grammar myself, so I didn't mind it because it's fairly easy to read. I pretty much read it all in one day and it kept me interested.

I love that the romance wasn't the main plot in this story, it just kinda helped it along. The story and the action was believable to a point. I mean there were a few plot holes, but I'm sure they will work themselves out in the next books. The only thing that didn't make sense to me was

I also loved that Alex doesn't have any special hidden talents with weapons or training. That she has breakdowns like any normal human would in those situations. I know she fared a lot better than I would have.

It's not he most original story line, but I'm very interested to keep going and see where it all ends up.
Profile Image for Adriel Wiggins.
68 reviews4 followers
February 5, 2018
Oddly enough, I didn't pick up this series first. I picked up Angel Lawson's book FanGirl. It was a cute romance about a girl obsessed with a zombie comic book getting to meet the comic book's author and their falling in love. Angel published the romance in 2012, with lots of little scenes from the zombie comic book interspersed in the story. Then the fans must have cried out. Because in 2016, Angel published The Girl Who Shot First. It IS the zombie comic book story, in novel form. I thoroughly enjoyed FanGirl, and give it a 5/5 stars. It doesn't matter whether or not you read FanGirl with the Death Fields series. But any "spoilers" in FanGirl all appear in the first book, so don't worry about knowing too much about later books.

Although I am not typically a zombie fan, I did enjoy The Girl Who Shot First. I enjoyed the plot (which I had roughly known from reading FanGirl) and the descriptions and the characters. I was thoroughly satisfied when I got to the end of the book, but I debated picking up the others. I really, really enjoyed The Girl Who Shot First. But I was ambivalent about continuing the series. This rarely happens with me, but to be fair, it usually happens in a genre I don't read often, like zombie apocalypse. 

While I can heartily recommend The Girl Who Shot First, I cannot tell you about any of the other books in the series. I thought, "Well, I'll go read something else, and if my curiosity kills me, I'll come back to this series." It never killed me, so I never went back. Like I said, I was thoroughly satisfied at the end of The Girl Who Shot First. However, if you really love zombie apocalypse books, you'll most likely enjoy the entire series because the first one really was very good. 5/5 stars for The Girl Who Shot First.
Profile Image for Margaux Espinosa.
1,301 reviews21 followers
August 6, 2018
This was a great read with tons of action. Alex is brave, smart, witty and strangely street smart. She's gone through a lot since the start of the virus spread, being experimented on by her father, having to get her mother through the country to find her sister, and all the horror in between. Just when she thought she's lost everything that mattered to her, she makes an unlikely friend in Wyatt. When they find themselves in tight spot and needing help they get a leg up from a brother and sister duo, Cole and Chloe. But sticking together doesn't help as much as they hoped it would, when Alex and Cole get captured. They bond while in captivity and Alex learns some unsettling truths about Cole, but in the end it brings them closer together. The Zombie Apocalypse is more difficult than just dodging the eaters. Can't wait to read what happens next, in book two. After all the crud poor Alex has gone through in book one, the hardships, family and new found friends, finding danger in every circumstance she gets into I hope she at least finds an ally maybe even some romance while helping to find the cure.
Profile Image for Kate Mary.
Author 88 books796 followers
July 25, 2018
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was exactly what I was in the mood for and for the most part I felt a good connection with the characters, and thought the world building was decent. I liked that everything didn't fall apart in the blink of an eye, it drives me nuts when that happens, and that there was a slow build. Having said that, I agree with reviewers who said it needs editing. While there weren't a lot of typos, the author constantly flips back and forth between past and present tense and seems to have no real understanding of when she should use commas. It's very obvious it wasn't professionally edited, which is disappointing because overall it is a good story. It just desperately needs someone who can edit to give it a once over. I noticed that she updated the cover and title of the book since it was first released, and it's just a shame she didn't take the time to have an editor look it over. I definitely would have given it more stars if I hadn't felt like I was editing the entire time I read it.
Profile Image for Kit.
1,517 reviews16 followers
February 26, 2019
Zocopalypse ( death fields #1)

Read : February 26th 2019
Rating : 4 Stars

Well, this was way more exciting than I thought and with a LOT of twists and turns, some that came completely out of left field and some that were glaringly obvious.

What I liked
• The way the zombies are written.
• Good amount of action and suspense.
• That Alex is pretty damn kickass and doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done but still has her humanity.
• Cole, awsome, I like him so I really hope he doesn't get killed in one of the next books!

What I didn't like
• That people easily found each other, in a country of massive size(that is almost more unbelievable than a zombie apocalypse).
• The big bad army dude who feels like a pretty cart board cutout version of "the typical badguy" and a plot device to get Alex where the author wants her.

48 reviews
March 11, 2019
Took me a while to read this book, I got bored and read a book in-between… But when I returned, I was shocked I left, it was pretty good.

The grammar and storytelling, I personally think is a little relaxed, but I think it works with this book. Mostly because of the main character, I think she helps carry the utter random-ness that happens in-between.

But I loved the girl power vibe. Just a normal girl, no special power, or random fighting know how knowledge. Kicking ass, but also being human, I find a look of books give a girl loads of powers and then she’s not human. This kept it real and I really liked that. Slight love tringle thing going off, but it was just an extra part of the overall story, not the main story line.
Profile Image for Koa Feliciano.
67 reviews
February 3, 2025
It's a zombie book. Kind of.

With a plethora of zombie books under my belt, finally, one with genuine heart and grit. This story comes across like an accident.that was meant to happen and lucky for us, it did. It's easier than most to read and the primary characters are easy to like. It has some welcome and unexpected twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged. Watching Alex grow from a privileged teenager to a full on responsible adult in a matter of weeks is interesting as the change is subtle but empowering when it finally reveals itself. One of the better Post Apocalyptic book which involves creatures which can pass off as zombies. This is the book for you if you enjoy quick paced storytelling with likeable characters.
Profile Image for Cecilia.
271 reviews7 followers
August 13, 2017
90% of the time I read romance or mystery books but every once in awhile I enjoy a good apocalyptic zombie story and I've definitely found one here! I love that the main character is just an 18 yearold nerdy girl. She has no special powers or training and has more than a couple of (justifiable) breakdowns but through it all, she steps up and handles stuff. She is an amazing character! This one kept me up late and now that I've finished book one, I'm not hesitating to dive into the rest of the series!
Profile Image for Shoni Wake.
371 reviews18 followers
September 16, 2020
I think I had too much hope for this book because I love Angel Lawson style of writing. It is fast, straight to the point and doesn't waste your time. Usually. For some reason I found this book boring. I didn't enjoy the form of the narration. The whole Now and Then didn't get to me. I didn't enjoy reading 'Then' moments. I have no idea why. The plotline is boring, love interests are bland. Also, MC is annoying and too good with her hatchet, like extremely badass for an eighteen years old girl. Yep, I had too much hope for this one.
Profile Image for Lyn Mckenzie.
874 reviews16 followers
March 7, 2017
This is the first book i have read by this author and omg i loved this book!! This book was so unbelievably addictive and i just couldn't stop reading once i had started! If you have never read any of this author's work then you must pick up this book. As the story is happening at the end of the world as we know it you know you are going to get a lot of action and this did not disappoint, add to the twists and turns, betrayal and forgiveness and surprises around every corner and you have amazing story written by a highly talented author that you won't regret reading, it will make you just want to read more of her books!

The storyline to this book...wow! Being an end of the world story you know that literally anything can happen, i thought this was a very clever story and while you are reading it you feel that you are watching a film, it's that vivid with the descriptions that are so accurate and out of this world! I really don't want to spoil this storyline for anyone by giving details but i will say that i can't recommend this book highly enough, it is amazing!g

The thing that i love about Alex is how resilient she is, she takes on so much in this book, not just physically but emotionally too and she handles it so well, especially with the fact that she is only 18, she acts so much older and there is something in her that comes across as a natural leader. She is such a strong woman and the more the book goes on the stronger she gets, i just think that she is amazing and in a way she is a brilliant role model. I took to Cole as soon as he entered this book, there was something honest and pure about him that draws you to him, he is another character that is emotionally strong and he is very protective of the people he cares about nd love and this comes across so well in this story. There are many other characters in this book that i could mention as i loved reading them all but again i don't want to give too much away but these are my two favourite chracters.

Seriously get this book!!! You won't regret it and it is a book that will stay with you forever!!
Profile Image for Kim Latham.
486 reviews3 followers
July 7, 2017
Different

In an Apocalyptic world where zombies are made into reality through a virus people struggle to learn the ups and downs of their new lives while sacrificing friends and family along the way. Friendships are made and loyalties are tested. Well written. Angel Dawson did an amazing job with this series. I should know I have spent the last three days reading the first 5 books and am waiting to read the 6th.
158 reviews6 followers
March 7, 2017
Intrigue, family betrayal and a virus to combat terrorism goes wrong.

A very well written tale of the apocalypse. Did a well intentioned idea for a virus get out of hand worldwide or was it unleashed? Are the military the bad guys or is it the family you thought you knew? A fantastic read.
122 reviews4 followers
August 15, 2017
I am normally not a big fan of Zombie books; but this was a great example of how to write an Apocalyptic story! Kept me reading...had a lot of trouble putting this one down. I do not like series books...prefer no more than 4 books..usually lose interest after 2 or 3..but this one might be my downfall! We shall see....! Loved this book!
Profile Image for T..
Author 13 books573 followers
December 1, 2019
I downloaded The Girl Who Shot First as a free book from Amazon. I'm pleased to write this book had a steady pace, intense plot, twisty-surprises, and a smart, savvy heroine in Alex. The layering of the survival challenges and the smart-yet-vulnerable nerdy-girl made the book exceptionally tense. I was pulled in during the first chapter and read this in one sitting.
Profile Image for LauraAnn.
514 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2020
Not bad. I am not a fan of zombie books. I clearly didn’t know this was one or I probably wouldn’t have read it, however I did like the fact the story didn’t revolve solely around the people eating people. There was more to it. I like the characters and the little twist and turns that came with it. I am curious to see where this goes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tanya.
64 reviews
February 17, 2025
It's between a 3 and a 4, leaning towards 3.

It was an enjoyable read for me and I'm looking forward to picking up the next book.

I liked how everything didn't immediately fall apart. It's fun being in the beginning instead of like years and years after the fact.

I'm holding out for Cole though. Labguy had me from the beginning <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
266 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2017
Recommended!

I have to admit, when a friend recommended this book and I realized it was a Zombie apocalypse book, I almost passed it by. If I had, I would have missed an excellent writer, and an equally impressive story!
1,267 reviews
July 26, 2017
Girl power

This was a great book. Thriller zombie'ish apocalyptic theme. It's action filled, has a strong heroine character, Love interest, and deception. Why didn't Wyatt help save her mom, he was right there? Now on to book 2.
Profile Image for Megan Murphy.
121 reviews
August 25, 2017
Well not what i expected

Honestly I didn't think I would finish reading this book but I'm so happy I did it turned out very well and the story is just building can't wait to see what happens next !!!
Profile Image for Jessica.
24 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2018
One of the best books I have read in awhile!! It's got that feel good-I'm deep into this story line feel that a true book lover searches high and low for! I got the 1-3 box set! I just love Alex! Cole, and Wyatt!
2,511 reviews13 followers
July 24, 2019
Wonderful story

Absolutely loved this book. The characters were real and the story keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Wish it wasn’t broken up into different books, but I am looking forward to reading the next in this series.
Profile Image for Caitlin.
528 reviews9 followers
November 23, 2021
*3.5 stars

Overall series review:
This was a really fun ride and really bingeable; I finished the whole series in a weekend. There were some problems with editing and continuity errors and the ending of the series is a bit abrupt considering we were building to it for so long, but it was just a good time.
Profile Image for Janet.
7 reviews
May 4, 2017
Fast read....

This book kept me on my toes and I enjoyed it very much. I will definitely watch for the second book.
Profile Image for Anna.
101 reviews2 followers
June 6, 2017
Wow

I'm stunned, this book captured me from the first chapter. Love the story line and characters as well as the twist and turns throughout!
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