38 books
—
40 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Past This Point” as Want to Read:
Past This Point
by
Karis Hylen has been through the New York City dating wringer. After years of failed relationships, she abandons her social life and whittles her days down to work and spending time with her dog, Zeke. Her self-imposed exile ends up saving her life when an untreatable virus sweeps the east coast, killing millions.
Alone in her apartment building, Karis survives with only ...more
Alone in her apartment building, Karis survives with only ...more
Get A Copy
Kindle Edition, 326 pages
Published
September 3rd 2019
by Red Adept Publishing, LLC
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Past This Point,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Past This Point
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Past This Point
4.5 I stayed up till 3am reading this, I had to know what happened to the characters. This book shadows the current events in the world with the coronavirus worldwide outbreak. It was so creepy, I had goosebumps on more than one occasion with newscaster saying almost the same words, the government saying the same things, the reality of the characters actions we spot on. While reading this I kept hoping this wasn't a premonition, it's that realistic. I was riveted by her story, scared, and horri
...more
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
‘Past this Point’ is a post-apocalyptic novel by American-based author, Nicole Mabry. At the time of reviewing, this scenario is extremely topical with coronavirus still proving difficult to contain. The story is told in the first person and the past tense.
We meet our main character, Karis, just before she becomes holed up in her apartment with only her dog for company, due to a killer-virus sweeping the east coast. Inevitably Karis, has problems with lo ...more
‘Past this Point’ is a post-apocalyptic novel by American-based author, Nicole Mabry. At the time of reviewing, this scenario is extremely topical with coronavirus still proving difficult to contain. The story is told in the first person and the past tense.
We meet our main character, Karis, just before she becomes holed up in her apartment with only her dog for company, due to a killer-virus sweeping the east coast. Inevitably Karis, has problems with lo ...more
How many post-apocalyptic books can say they are fresh, have taken a slightly different turn from the usual “virus killing off the population,” tale? Nicole Mabry has one that is sure to surprise many with her take on survival as one woman, burned in love, manages to become a strong survivalist in a world being decimated by a mysterious virus. Trapped in a quarantined area, Karis Hylen learns to be self-sufficient, show immense compassion and ingenuity when she realizes she only has herself and
...more
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
What an incredible story. I am floored by the emotions this book elicited. Two—almost three—times, I was moved to tears. The main character, Karis, experiences so much in the few months this book covers. A huge, grateful thank you to Hidden Gems for providing me with an ARC of this novel. It is truly a hidden gem and needs to be more widely read.
A deadly virus has been unleashed in New York City and quickly spreads across the Eastern U ...more
What an incredible story. I am floored by the emotions this book elicited. Two—almost three—times, I was moved to tears. The main character, Karis, experiences so much in the few months this book covers. A huge, grateful thank you to Hidden Gems for providing me with an ARC of this novel. It is truly a hidden gem and needs to be more widely read.
A deadly virus has been unleashed in New York City and quickly spreads across the Eastern U ...more
ARC REVIEW
Wow!
A pervasive outbreak of a new virus from the viewpoint of a civilian. Nicole Mabry captured the intensity, the paranoia, and the heartbreak perfectly. The main character Karis I felt really connected to, I don't know if it was just the similar heritage, or the fact we are the same age, or the fact that she kind of reminded me of my sister but I really felt like I was experiencing this with her from the initial stages of the outbreak and through the quarantine.
Karis' self imposed i ...more
Wow!
A pervasive outbreak of a new virus from the viewpoint of a civilian. Nicole Mabry captured the intensity, the paranoia, and the heartbreak perfectly. The main character Karis I felt really connected to, I don't know if it was just the similar heritage, or the fact we are the same age, or the fact that she kind of reminded me of my sister but I really felt like I was experiencing this with her from the initial stages of the outbreak and through the quarantine.
Karis' self imposed i ...more
This is a great read. I found myself rooting for Karis through thick and thin: her anxieties, fears, and the very real dangers lurking outside of her apartment. Will she find love in the mysterious young man that has appeared in her life at the worse possible time? Will her self-imposed exile after a series of heartbreaking failures dating men in New York really save her from being contaminated by the virus that has killed millions? Against all odds, as the world crumbled around her, Karis finds
...more
In terms of "apocalyptic" type books, I have to say I have never been a big fan. I can watch an apocalyptic show all day, but reading about it just hasn't been my thing. This book was crazy from start to finish, and I LOVED it.
Karis is living in New York when an outbreak of an unknown virus starts spreading. As the disease spreads further, the city is evacuated, and she is left alone in her apartment except for her dog, Zeke. Soon the only thing she wants is to get to is her family in California ...more
Karis is living in New York when an outbreak of an unknown virus starts spreading. As the disease spreads further, the city is evacuated, and she is left alone in her apartment except for her dog, Zeke. Soon the only thing she wants is to get to is her family in California ...more
I’m not sure that it is indicative of anything, but Nicole Mabry, the author of this book, Karis (the protagonist of the story), and I all look to the children’s book The Boxcar Children as one of the more significant reads of our life. While my memories of the plot details of that tale of four orphaned siblings who end up living in an abandoned boxcar are skimpy for me more than a half-century after my Mom read it to my siblings and I, I can’t help but compare that book to this one. Sure, the s
...more
I picked this up two weeks ago because I loved the cover and because someone on BookLikes enjoyed it.
I didn't realise how much of a topical read it would turn out to be. "Past This Point" is about the struggles of a woman in self-imposed exile in a New York City after the Eastern Seaboard has been quarantined following the outbreak of a killer virus. The day I started it, the Governor of New York declared a state of emergency because of the rate of COVID-19 infection.
At the start of the book, I ...more
I didn't realise how much of a topical read it would turn out to be. "Past This Point" is about the struggles of a woman in self-imposed exile in a New York City after the Eastern Seaboard has been quarantined following the outbreak of a killer virus. The day I started it, the Governor of New York declared a state of emergency because of the rate of COVID-19 infection.
At the start of the book, I ...more
I love apocalyptic stories and Past This Point hooked me fast with its fatal flu sweeping through New York City. Thanks to her antisocial lifestyle due to a series of failed relationships, Karis manages to avoid being infected and finds herself trapped in her apartment with only her dog for company. As she watches her neighbours and friends die off and her food supply starts to dwindle, can she risk her life to make it across the quarantine border to safety? Author Nicole Mabry does a great job
...more
I couldn't stop reading. I had to know what happened to the main characters, Karis and Oliver. This is a book that will make you feel right along with the characters - the fear, the hope, the friendships and the love. The characters felt that real.
...more
Highly recommend this atmospheric and heartfelt page turner!
Karis Hylan is a 30-something New Yorker who has settled into an isolated life in her apartment and her office at work; when a deadly virus sweeps the east coast, Karis's reclusive tendencies make her one of the few survivors. Confined to her apartment as the days turn to weeks and then months (and with little company save her dog, Zeke, occasional phone calls to her mother on the west coast, and conversations through the windows with t ...more
Karis Hylan is a 30-something New Yorker who has settled into an isolated life in her apartment and her office at work; when a deadly virus sweeps the east coast, Karis's reclusive tendencies make her one of the few survivors. Confined to her apartment as the days turn to weeks and then months (and with little company save her dog, Zeke, occasional phone calls to her mother on the west coast, and conversations through the windows with t ...more
Sep 16, 2019
Suanne
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romance,
post-apocalyse
I read this book because I’d heard that it was apocalyptic fiction from a woman’s point of view, which seems to be relatively rare. I enjoyed it thoroughly. As a physician, I’ve been trained to anticipate influenza epidemics and pandemics. The medical aspects were plausible enough that I could suspend disbelief. Karis Hylen has essentially become a hermit, trying to recover from her latest failed relationship. That antisocial trait, however, keeps her from being infected with a fatal influenza s
...more
Past This Point by Nicole Mabry
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
Past This Point begins with the lead character, Karis, cutting herself off from friends, coworkers, and the rest of the outside world in order to save herself from any more disappointment or heartache. She spends all of her time either closed in her office at work or at home with her dog Zeke. During her self-imposed seclusion, there is a virus released on New York City.
With NYC, the eastern ...more
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
Past This Point begins with the lead character, Karis, cutting herself off from friends, coworkers, and the rest of the outside world in order to save herself from any more disappointment or heartache. She spends all of her time either closed in her office at work or at home with her dog Zeke. During her self-imposed seclusion, there is a virus released on New York City.
With NYC, the eastern ...more
This is one of the best books I've read in a while! I like post-apocalyptic fiction and this book was an amazing take on that. We start following along with Karis while the outbreak of the "flu" is just starting to get worrisome along the east coast. Being a bit of a germaphobe, she has been taking extra precautions and manages to keep herself from getting sick. The story follows her through trying to survive the aftermath in New York City. I know it sounds similar to all the others but this boo
...more
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I love apocalyptic storylines, but most books were written for and about hound adults. This one isn’t, that’s a nice change.
Karis, the main character, is a troubled woman in her thirties (aren’t we all?). She gets stuck in NYC after a deadly virus breaks out. She is confined to her apartment building for months. You would think this wouldn’t make a compelling read, but it does. She makes friends with neighbouring girls, and helps them. In ...more
Karis, the main character, is a troubled woman in her thirties (aren’t we all?). She gets stuck in NYC after a deadly virus breaks out. She is confined to her apartment building for months. You would think this wouldn’t make a compelling read, but it does. She makes friends with neighbouring girls, and helps them. In ...more
Past This Point reminds me of Stations Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel in all the good ways.
Karis Hylen survived tragedy only because she gave up on society. That’s what makes this story so appealing: she survived based on a decision that had nothing to do with what she would eventually encounter. Kind of like that feeling you have when your cat throws up and in the time you take to clean up the mess you miss your plane and the plane lands in the Pacific and there are no survivors.
Nicole Mabry t ...more
Karis Hylen survived tragedy only because she gave up on society. That’s what makes this story so appealing: she survived based on a decision that had nothing to do with what she would eventually encounter. Kind of like that feeling you have when your cat throws up and in the time you take to clean up the mess you miss your plane and the plane lands in the Pacific and there are no survivors.
Nicole Mabry t ...more
3.5 Stars (rounded up for readability)
Past this Point was a quick pandemic read that I enjoyed. It was fairly realistic and I could see myself doing many things that Karis did to survive. It was fast paced, but not as tense as I’d hoped. Although I did appreciate the growth of the character as someone who was withdrawn, but later realized she was responsible for her life being like that.
Considering we’re currently in a pandemic, (even though it hasn’t escalated as deeply as in the book) I enjoy ...more
Past this Point was a quick pandemic read that I enjoyed. It was fairly realistic and I could see myself doing many things that Karis did to survive. It was fast paced, but not as tense as I’d hoped. Although I did appreciate the growth of the character as someone who was withdrawn, but later realized she was responsible for her life being like that.
Considering we’re currently in a pandemic, (even though it hasn’t escalated as deeply as in the book) I enjoy ...more
The story line of this book is weirdly timely given world events. Our MC Karis finds herself alone as all her friends and co-workers die from a flu like pandemic after she chooses to self isolate with her beloved dog Zeke as this deadly illness continues spreading across the country.
She is afraid to leave her home but eventually begins to here strange noises and suffer from hallucinations.
Her isolation is almost compete except for small conversations over the rooftops and through windows talki ...more
She is afraid to leave her home but eventually begins to here strange noises and suffer from hallucinations.
Her isolation is almost compete except for small conversations over the rooftops and through windows talki ...more
Perfect read for 2020
Mabry pens a unique but relatable story due to our current state of pandemic in Past This Point. I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. The story brought the character to life, and going from social to antisocial with just the comfort of her dog, ends up saving her life. It was very realistic for a contagious virus that until recently seemed a bit far-fetched or something in the movies, or in this case, a work of fiction. It was a v ...more
Mabry pens a unique but relatable story due to our current state of pandemic in Past This Point. I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. The story brought the character to life, and going from social to antisocial with just the comfort of her dog, ends up saving her life. It was very realistic for a contagious virus that until recently seemed a bit far-fetched or something in the movies, or in this case, a work of fiction. It was a v ...more
News reports of the flu virus outbreak all over the media prompted a hypochondriac like Charlotte to practically barricade herself and bathe in sanitizer. Every sneeze was just terrifying to her. Anxious, she felt trapped. The flu was everywhere, and the death count was rising.
Alone—that’s what she was. No way in. No way out. Charlotte had no choice to live in self-imposed exile, while the city broke out in pandemonium.
Story was well-written overall with a steady stream pace. The reader follows ...more
Alone—that’s what she was. No way in. No way out. Charlotte had no choice to live in self-imposed exile, while the city broke out in pandemonium.
Story was well-written overall with a steady stream pace. The reader follows ...more
What a great book. I really connected with the main character Karis. I loved her ingenuousness when times got tough, and I learned some survival skills if ever needed.
Nicole Mabry did an excellent job of bringing all the characters to life, and they all felt so real. The events in the book moved from heart-pounding action to super tender, tear-jerking moments. Having two dogs of my own, I understood how Karis felt about not leaving Zeke behind and risking her life to stay.
The book grabbed me f ...more
Nicole Mabry did an excellent job of bringing all the characters to life, and they all felt so real. The events in the book moved from heart-pounding action to super tender, tear-jerking moments. Having two dogs of my own, I understood how Karis felt about not leaving Zeke behind and risking her life to stay.
The book grabbed me f ...more
While reading ‘Past This Point’, I was reminded of two things, a book I read years ago called ‘Alas, Babylon’, by Pat Frank, and more recently of a TV show called Last Ship. Both the book and the show focus on the effects of a deadly virus that attacks and ravages the citizens. Hundreds of thousands of people die. Those that survive live in a nightmare, trying to find food and shelter. As supplies run low, brutality takes over. It quickly becomes a matter of life and death.
Nicole Mabry’s story f ...more
Nicole Mabry’s story f ...more
This book is so good! It surprised me with how good it was! No zombies, no monsters, no magic. Just a 'real-life' look at post-apocalyptic living.
I was immediately pulled right into the story and never wanted to have to put it down. Karis is such a great character! She is smart and resourceful, kind and brave.
The girls across the street... they had my heart!
And Zeke, I am such a dog lover so I completely felt the struggle that Karis had when she was told she would have to leave Zeke behind in or ...more
I was immediately pulled right into the story and never wanted to have to put it down. Karis is such a great character! She is smart and resourceful, kind and brave.
The girls across the street... they had my heart!
And Zeke, I am such a dog lover so I completely felt the struggle that Karis had when she was told she would have to leave Zeke behind in or ...more
I read a lot of apocalyptic fiction, nearly all of them with zombies, so this book was unusual for me and it took me a while to really be sure there isn't a twist with the dead rising ;)
This, actually, might be why this book was so good. It fully focused on the believable mental and physical growth of the female MC. The most emotional part for me was the friendship with the neighbouring girls. And although the end was a bit sappy, I found Ollie well deserved and not a knight in armor to rescue a ...more
This, actually, might be why this book was so good. It fully focused on the believable mental and physical growth of the female MC. The most emotional part for me was the friendship with the neighbouring girls. And although the end was a bit sappy, I found Ollie well deserved and not a knight in armor to rescue a ...more
Excellent post-apocalyptic novel. Karis lives in New York, and after a series of failed relationships, has more or less withdrawn from the world, or at least that portion of it. Everyone seems to be getting sick, so she closes herself up in her office at work and practically bathes in hand sanitizer.
As time goes on, it becomes apparent that the sickness isn’t some garden-variety bug, and her self-imposed exile ends up saving her life.
She makes do for herself and her dog by finding food in the ...more
As time goes on, it becomes apparent that the sickness isn’t some garden-variety bug, and her self-imposed exile ends up saving her life.
She makes do for herself and her dog by finding food in the ...more
Talk about a book being relevant. This turned up in my TBR pile 3 weeks into this social distancing , home alone sage of 2020. Karis is a loner who lives with her dog, Zeke and has been preparing for the flu season. With people coming into work sick she decides to stay close to home. It saves her life when an out of control virus is killing off people on the entire east coast. Now she needs to escape New York City as her supplies are running out and the smell is making life impossible. When she
...more
I received a copy of this book from the author. What an incredible and talented author Nicole Mabry is! I really enjoyed this story. I felt like I was a part of the book, as an observer. It starts out with a virus plaguing the East Coast of the USA. Karis is 38 years old, unmarried and living in NYC. She has become an introvert after having some relationships with men that keep ending. She has a dog named Zeke and her parents live in California. She befriends 2 young girls as their mom gets sick
...more
Past This Point by Nicole Mabry is a fun, fast read. I worried for Karis living alone in New York City as a fatal virus swept through the population, cried with her as the death toll claimed her neighbors—two young children—and cheered her on as she survived one harrowing experience after the other, all while planning a dangerous cross-country trip to the safety of the west coast. And though Karis finds companionship in another survivor, she never needs rescuing. Engrossing, addictive, and hard
...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Nicole Mabry spends her days as the Senior Manager of Photography Post Production at a television network. Her nights are reserved for writing novels. At the age of seven, she read The Boxcar Children, sparking a passion for reading and writing early on. Nicole grew up in the Bay Area in Northern California and went to college at UCLA for Art History. During a vacation, she fell in love with New Y
...more
News & Interviews
Bestselling author Jeff VanderMeer is perhaps best known for his creepy sci-fi thriller Annihilation, which was made into a movie and kicked...
109 likes · 26 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
