World for the Broken

by Elexis Bell

Can one broken soul mend another when even the world itself has given up the ghost?

Fading into unconsciousness, Christian watches psychotic thugs drag his sister-in-law and nephew away to suffer in the city they just escaped. Left for dead near his brother's corpse, he has but one hope for survival, rely on the pretty stranger who stumbled across him. Not exactly smart after the apocalypse.

Encumbered by the lingering effects of her own violent past, Chloe struggles against her need for independence. Trusting a stranger found lying in the snow is risky, to say the least. Yet, she patches him up.

As they strive to rebuild their hearts, the harsh world they've been thrust into promises to tear them apart. Because Christian's rescue attempt can't wait. Every second in Chloe's idyllic hometown means another second of pain for Christian's family, leaving Chloe with a choice. Risk her life to help Christian save his family? Or condemn them all to a slow death?

Fans of gut-wrenching drama and dark humor will love this tongue-in-cheek post-apocalyptic romance.

Genres: Dystopia, Romance

328 pages, ebook

First published April 21, 2020

About the author

Elexis Bell writes literary fantasy and science fiction with a bit of romance and a lot of grit. She focuses on character development and the impact of trauma and mental health.

Amazon: http://author.to/ElexisBell
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/elexis_bell
Facebook: https://fb.me/elexis.bell.author
Newsletter (free short story at sign-up): http://eepurl.com/gnTZwf

Reviews

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Enticing Journey and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.


World For The Broken
By: Elexis Bell


REVIEW ☆☆☆☆

I bet you, at some point in the last couple of months, have thought, however briefly, about the end of the world. How? By pandemic? Nuclear weapons? EMP? What would you do to survive? In World For The Broken, civilization destroyed itself via WWIII, frighteningly plausible. I'm glad there are no zombies because I'm burnt out on the whole zombie scene. We pick up about two years after the end of humanity with a paltry number of survivors. Just staying alive each day means running, staying out of sight, from the power hungry spawn of the devil. If they catch you, cyanide might be your best option. In this wasteland, foraging for anything is risky, and a young woman, Chloe, chances upon a guy lying injured in the snow. Chloe is kind and big hearted, and she brings this stranger to her community for help and healing. Turns out, his name is Christian, and he was brutally torn from his family. He's hot, too, just saying. As a strong, intelligent, fearless, reckless young guy, his priority is locating his family. But, he and Chloe begin to see more than friendship between them. Now, do you find your family or remain with a girl who has stolen your heart? What the heck would you do? Chloe and Christine have don't give up spirits in a world that wants them to capitulate at every turn. They are genuinely good in a reality that scorns the good. No spoilers here! This story is many things-much too close to reality, gritty, raw, brutal and truly disturbing at times (a 4 year old is involved). It's an unflinching unapologetic scenario of a what if. I found it unnerving, so very dark, tense and terrifying. But, there is, within small communities, a sense of belonging and connection that pushes out that palpable fear and lets in a little spark of hope. I love reading survival stories anytime, and Elixis Bell has written an amazing new addition to the genre. If this book sounds to your liking, I highly recommend reading it because you will not be disappointed.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny thing about the apocalypse, that. It brings out what's hiding underneath the surface.

Dark, disturbing, gut-wrenching and brutal. Just as the apocalyptic world it describes.

World for the Broken is not a book for the faint of heart. Both due to the themes it portrays, as well as its raw descriptions.
Here, within the pages of this book, Elexis Bell brings out the worst in human nature. It lays it all out for the whole world to see. Without any coddling or filter. Straight out and brutal, in rip-the-band-aid-off-the-festering-wound style.

Fading into unconsciousness and left for dead, Christian watches psychotic thugs drag away his sister-in-law and 4 year old nephew, to suffer in the city they just escaped. Found and patched up by a pretty girl - Chloe, Christian needs to rely on her and her friends to get well. Something not exactly smart after the apocalypse. After all, it is the end of the world. Everyone expects something in return.
Chloe, in turn, has her own demons to fight, due to a violent past that seems to haunt her still.
So, they both need to take a leap of faith and trust. Christian, that he will be helped and also allowed to rescue the family he left behind and Chloe, that she won't get hurt again.

As they strive to rebuild their hearts, the harsh world they've been thrust into promises to tear them apart. Because Christian's rescue attempt can't wait. Every second in Chloe's idyllic hometown means another second of pain for Christian's family, leaving Chloe with a choice. Risk her life to help Christian save his family? Or condemn them all to a slow death?

Written in the POVs of Christian, Chloe and Karen, the sister-in-law dragged back by the thugs, along with her little son, World of the Broken will give the reader the tale of 3 broken souls.

A tale that exposes the lowest levels to which human beings can sink and shows you the truly evil people in the world - those who keep on going, scraping some sort of existence from the bottom of every barrel, exploiting and using whoever they can.

A tale where you will see a woman start hating her body, because its beauty is the reason for all her suffered grief. And your heart will cringe with hers at the pain she endures.

A tale in which a mother is determined to NOT allow the world to make a monster of her, too. Because she has a little son to care for. And for him she should be able to smile, despite all the sorrow that burdens her heart.

The tale of a world in which hope is sometimes the only thing you have. Because... 'Maybe, just maybe, a little soul hasn't been broken yet.'

Fast paced, well written, gritty and full of darkness, World of the Broken is one of those novels that will stay with you for a long time after turning the last page. Because it provokes and makes the reader feel. Outrage, sorrow, suffering and pain, they are so damn well depicted! We do get light parts to. Healing, hope and love - just as strongly shown. But they are not quite enough to balance the darkness. Fitting perhaps, since, in a way, an apocalypse is probably meant to bring out the darkest side of human beings.

All in all, World for the Broken is a strong, emotional, thought provoking read that makes the reader cringe and shudder. Because of the ... What if....?!

I highly recommend it to all those in search of a good apocalyptic read that doesn't gloss the bad stuff over.
Happy reading Bookdragons!
And remember:

It's ok to be afraid. It's ok to worry.
That's normal.

[Puss'N'Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by PussnBooks.net



Review by Puss’n’Books. Reviewing the darkest, most erotic and taboo books we can find. Click HERE for your next disturbingly sexy read.


I’m really into post-apocalyptic books right now. Go figure, lol!
I feel like it’s homework in a way :-)

Elexis Bell is a ‘new to me’ author and when I was asked if I wanted to review this book I was all for it.
It’s really good! It’s dark and thought-provoking at a time when all of us have considered what we would do and how we would cope during the apocalypse, lol.

It’s been a little over two years since WW3 happened and there are few survivors, no electricity and no gasoline etc.
There are gangs and bullies all over (think Negan from The Walking Dead) and it’s pretty much a dog-eat-dog world.
Absolutely brutal.

CHLOE

This lass is pretty cool. She knows how to handle herself and is the first one to offer to help her small community.
The reason she knows how to fight etc. is a dark story. She survived a horrific attack when she was 16 that almost broke her. And she swore never to be vulnerable again. Tat’s all I’m gonny say about it. I’ll let her tell you the story.

Anyway, she’s out with her brother and some other dude, gathering whatever they can find to take back to the group when she finds a guy unconscious in the snow.
Having a big heart, she decides to help him and convinces her pals to bring him indoors so she can patch him up and help him out.
Once she gets a good look at him she realises that he’s actually quite a hotty!

CHRISTIAN

I like this lad. He’s strong, intelligent (mostly, lol. Not great with the words when it comes to the ladies though), brave and, of course, hot.
When he comes to and sees Chloe tending his wounds he’s a little out of it, concussion and all.
He takes them up on their offer to bring him back to their wee community but only until he heals enough that he can go back and attempt to save his sister-in-law and nephew from a bunch of nasty arse holes.
Thing is tho...he starts to fall for Chloe and now things aren’t as simple as sacrificing his life to save his family.
Now he has someone he wants and doesn’t want to hurt her by not surviving.

SEX SCENES

Okay...this is the main issue with this book.
Are you ready for this?
Brace yourselves…

THERE IS NO GRAPHIC SEX IN THIS BOOK!!!!

I know!

I am utterly heartbroken...and possibly suffering a little from withdrawal!
My Devil’s doorbell is like, “Wtf, lady? You still alive?”

Now let me say though, the story is still good. Great, in fact! And the act still happens but it just fades to black.

*deep sigh* I’m so sad and a little lost though.

What I have got for you though is a paragraph of one of the darker scenes where The Wolf has the mother tied to his bed and is forcing her 4-year-old son to hurt her.
Yeah...it gets nasty in there.

The Wolf shoves Tate toward the bed, and my heart falters. He takes a few steps, but his footing is unsteady. He nearly slips, drawing my attention to the blood trail leading over the edge of the bed to the floor just behind The Wolf. Billy lies in shadow, eyes wide and vacant, in the floor. Tate hesitates, and I try to reassure him. My attempts come out muffled. Another shove knocks Tate into the bed, and my face contorts with rage as I try to scream at The Wolf. All my threats come out like so much garbled nonsense thanks to the disgusting cloth in my mouth, held firmly in place by a musty, silk tie. My hands ball up into useless fists. Stooping to hiss in Tate’s ear, The Wolf says, “Do you want to be pathetic like her? Do you want to be weak?” Grabbing Tate’s tiny hand, he lifts it to poise the blade over my thigh. “Or do you want to be strong? To get what you want?” His voice drops lower, and he spits, “Do you want to live?” Panic spills from Tate on frantic cries as he faces a dilemma far beyond his meager years. Lamenting the carefree boy he once was, I try to tell him to go ahead. Anything so that he lives. But the gag stops me. Little, blue eyes disappear behind lids, and he tries to turn away. Strong hands hold him in place, forcing his little fist to press the knife into my flesh. It bites hard, pulling tears to my eyes instantly, but I clamp my lips shut, determined not to scream. I won’t fill his nightmares with my pain any more than The Wolf already has. The knife slices through my skin easily and catches muscle as The Wolf uses Tate’s hand to drag it down toward my knee.

Final Thoughts on WORLD FOR THE BROKEN by Elexis Bell

I did enjoy this story but I would have loved it if there was more hot and heavy action to go with the dark, ye ken?
But the dark parts? Yeah, they were awesome. Gritty and emotional and spot-freakin’-on!
It really made me think. What if..?
Can you imagine bringing a child into a world like this?
Made me shudder a couple of times, that’s fir sure.

4 Stars


GET IT FROM AMAZON UK HERE

GET IT FROM AMAZON USA HERE

GET IT FROM AMAZON AUSTRALIA HERE

GET IT FROM AMAZON CANADA HERE

[Ga Books LoverX · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love apocalyptic books, they are intriguing and interesting and if there is ever one available, then I want to read it ASAP. World for the Broken was a pleasant surprise that I REALLY enjoyed reading! The author does a great job of drawing you into the world with giving just the right amount of details to have you intrigued and caring for the characters. There are emotions and situations that will hit you and could be a trigger warning, but it was strategically done!

I was absolutely blown away by this book and highly recommend it for anyone who likes to read books that are a little more gritty. Seriously impressed by this author and book- I was hooked from the very beginning. I give this 4.5 outta 5 stars, definitely check it out if you are thinking about it!

PS: Thank you to Elexis Bell and Enticing Journey Book Promotions for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!

[Martine Carlsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read with an unusual portrayal of women in a post-apocalyptic world. We follow Chloe, a tragedy survivor who lives in a sanctuary with a group of families. Though a fighter, Chloe has to overcome her insecurities to be able to trust a man again. Meanwhile, in a city controlled by a gang of criminals, the young mother Karen has to trade her body for the survival of her son.
Throughout the story, both women are allowed to show emotion, strength, fear, weakness, but never are they perceived as victims. What happened to them doesn't define them and even if they need help to achieve their goals, they invested every bit of strength from their souls to be an active part in their own rescuing. In its worldbuilding, World of the broken has something of a Walking dead without the zombies. It's grim, realistic, but with a touch of hope created by the romance between Chloe and Karen's brother-in-law, Christian.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

World for the Broken by Elexis Bell

Bombs dropped
Disease raged
People died
Some survived
Evil thrived
Life changed
Some had it better
Some did not

What would YOU do to survive?
Would you risk your life to help save someone else?
This story was dark and gritty but filled wit hope.

What I liked:
* The theme, story and writing – it drew me in and kept my attention from beginning to end
* The way it made me think, “What if?”
* That the darker more gritty bits were not glossed over but dealt with in realistic ways
* Christian – a good man with a band hand to play. He never gave up and stood up for what was right. Family meant everything to him.
* Chloe – a woman who suffered and became strong. A leader, forager and good person who knew what she wanted
* Karen – widow, mother and woman who did whatever it took to keep her young son alive
* Tate – a four year old boy that saw things nobody should see
* Jackson – a good man with a sense of humor. He loved his sister and was there for her when she needed him
* The sense of hope at the end – community, togetherness, romance and family.

What I did not like:
* Those that abuse power and use the misery of others for personal gain
* The twisted thinking of Wolf and his Fangs

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find the book to be well-written. As the opening tale unfolded in the dark apocalypse world, I was glad that it was as dark and gritty as it likely would be when people fight over what is left. It no YA girl romance. Its hard core. The overall story is nothing new, but what is belongs to the main character. She witnessed the death of her parents at the hands of attacker before the world ended and that has carried through. As I said this is what gives the story its own perspective. Just because the world ended doesn’t mean trauma heals. And likely wasn’t don’t healing when the world ended. Its what gives this tale a different perspective from most end of the world lit.

[Nicholas Gagnier · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read from Elexis Bell. I really enjoyed the story and her style. Look forward to checking out more. This post-apocalyptic read was enjoyable, the dialogue was well-crafted and the end-of-the-world aesthetic executed with flair.

[Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never heard of this author, but I am so glad that I came across her on Booksprout. Otherwise, I’m not so sure I would have found this story on my own, sifting through Amazon.

I absolutely loved all of the main characters and hope Jackson and Karen get their own book soon!

Grammar/Editing - I only noticed a few grammar errors, but it didn’t detract from the book at all.

Plot - Very well written and thought out. I didn’t notice any plot holes.

Length - Ended at location 3481 on my Kindle. Nice and lengthy.

Romance - Focus is mainly on the emotional aspect of the relationship...intimate scenes were fade-to-black.

Profanity - Quite a bit of language...on a scale of 1 to 5, I’d place it at a 3.

Violence - Good bit of fighting and hints of domestic abuse and forced prostitution, the latter of which is also fade-to-black.

Cheating - None

Cliffhanger - None

Overall, this was a fantastic read. I would have preferred more detailed romance, but the book carries on just as well without it. Sometimes the hint of romance is better because it allows the reader to use his or her own imagination as to what is about to happen. There were multiple points of view (which I typically don’t care for), but they were necessary for the story to progress the way it did.

Final rating - 4.5 stars. If the author continues the series, I would most definitely read the next one!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Domi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a few chapters to get into this book but I did and overall liked it. It has gruesome scenes and it's a dark world Christian and Chloe live in, but with hope at the end of the tunnel. After an apocalypse the best and the worst of people can come out and in this book they are depicted as a safe community with people who are sustaining themselves and working together while on the other hand the big city is controlled by a psychopath and his followers. The writing is clear, the action scenes well done and once the big final is upon us, it's a thrillride to the end. The pov switches between Chloe and Christian which is fine, yet also a bit annoying because you get all the significant looks, touches etc twice. I didn't like the romance..or I did like them finding eachother but it was a bit too much for me. At the first meeting there was this instant attraction with eyes meeting and holding, touches, smelling and all that while we were in the middle of a fight for survival. I think this insta-love romance doesn't fit in this specific backstory.
The other major stumbling block for me was: in a big city nobody stands up and fights back when your wifes get used in a brothel, children die or get killed? Absolutely no other person at all?

Still, the book is a fast action-packed read with romance and family loyalty woven in, if it's your cup of tea you won't be disappointed..

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

[Joyffree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted more! This wraps up with a HEA but I'm hoping some of the characters will get a chance to tell their story. I sorta kinda got attached to them.

I liked the way the foundation was set for the story line and how the character's personality traits were explained. We were transported to the past pre-apocalypse and given snippets of history in the form of cast members' memories.
This was done almost flawlessly easy to follow and definitely had an emotional impact on me when it came to how I connected with each of them
The multiple characters POV is something I liked. For me, it allowed a stronger emotional attachment

The difference in towns - WOW
This is a slow build romance but I felt it was more of an IDK (?) story of human kindness, survival, the will to go on
The contrast between the possibilities was frightening. We were given multiple looks at very possible realities both physically, emotionally and socially.

Definitely recommend.
There are some pretty graphic moments as well as some very emotional scenes. But they are not gratuitous IMO - just a necessary evil.

[Kendra Chanmanivong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was literally a breath of fresh air!
In a post-apocalypse a family tries to escape a murderous gang. After a blizzard the gang catches up and everyone is cast into their different roles of this book.
You follow three characters in this book and you grow so attached.
It’s full of twists and turns and hardships.
It’s exactly how you would imagine the post-apocalyptic world. People with real problems. Even the things we take for granted now plunged into nothing. People with problems before the world ended now faced with difficult and impossible choices.
Everything you could want in a book! I devoured it within 24hrs and I loved it!!
Nothing is sugar coated in this book and you follow mature 27-30 year old characters. If you are sensitive be aware there are some triggers but by the end it’s worth every moment!

[Twilla Wickedly Sweet and Synful Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love this heroine she’s got some inner strength. The hero Christian was very loyal to his family, most people would have just gone on about their life. He truly cared.The warning at the beginning of the story says “ If your easily upset then don’t read this book”. I guess I’ve been reading too many dark books. I was not upset at all. I loved the cover. it stopped me in my tracks. It was a nice change that this wasn’t about zombies. I felt like this story had too many POVs. I wish they had cut Karen’s and found another way to tell her side. It still was a good story. So if your into post apocalyptic reads then check this one out.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the epitome of a Post Apocalyptic novel. Elexis Bell has done a fantastic job of highlighting the characters and their personalities and motives.

This story had a lot of heart and a lot of action. Both Christian and Chloe are each wonderful leads in their own rights. While being easy to understand and be captivated by, they each had their own issues and challenges to overcome.

Plenty of twists and turns, drama, and much more along the way. I am glad I took this journey with Chloe and Christian.

[Valerie Arias]

I was blown away by the quality of writing! I enjoyed that the setting was a few years after the apocalypse. The characters had a depth to them that I found very human and real. My heart was definitely pounding during the action scenes and the storyline was not predictable. One of my favorite parts was the ingenuity of using non-working vehicles as greenhouses. Genius! Can’t wait to see what she writes next!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read from Elexis Bell and I would read more of her stuff.

This story drew me straight in. The world building is so imaginative. Tbe story is fast-paced and exciting.

The characters interweave with each other so you get to know every character.

This book ended on a HEA but I am hoping the writer will explore some of the other characters and give them their own stories.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! I was not expecting this book to be this good. Just when I thought the book was already wonderful, it became even more so with twists towards the end that completely blew me away.

I was captivated by the story the action and wanting to know what happened next. This book took my mind through highs and lows. This author has great description of the action scenes I could imagine everything that was happening. It was a fresh unique story.

I would definitely recommend this book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading this author and she has done a wonderful job with this book. I loved the story, it’s one of survival and holds no punches. Great characters that are very well written and easy to picture. A fantastic story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J.L. Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

World for the Broken is a novel that pulls you in and doesn't let you go. The story is well thought out, and the character arcs interweave well. Vivid storytelling, I felt like I was there with them. Can't wait to see what else Elexis comes out with!

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian wakes during the middle of the night to the sound of snow crunching just in time to see his little brother’s lifeless body lying next to him. He watches as he is fading into unconsciousness as his sister-in-law and nephew is taken away by their attackers.

Later Christian awakens to a pretty face staring down at him and attending to his wounds. The pretty face staring down at Christian was Chloe. Chloe is a 27-year-old woman who went through of tragedy of her own a while back. Chloe was attacked in her home just as her parents were leaving. Luckily for Chloe her mother came back as she forgot her purse.

Chloe is left with the memories of that day playing over and over in her head. She watches as her mother and father fight for their lives and she is attacked. Chloe lost both of her parents that day plus a piece of herself, a piece that she will never get back.

As Christian makes plans to rescue the only family he has left Chloe has a tough choice to make, help Christian save his family or not.

World for the Broken is told from multiple points of view giving you a better chance at getting to know more about different each character and who they are. It also gives you a look at the story from different angles and more about each ones story.

World for the Broken is a beaten down and desolate world where each and every character is just trying to survive in more ways than one by putting one foot in front of the other, living day to day. They are trying to survive the tragedies, loss, and heart ache, finding enough food, and even having to fight their fellow humans just to stay alive.

World for the Broken is a heart wrenching and intense read filled with tragedy and enough twists and turns that will keep you glued to turning the pages until the last one has been turned and there is no more. I would like to see more books from this world and its characters.

I love post-apocalyptic books and can’t seem to get enough of them so with saying that I definitely highly recommend World for the Broken to all fans of post-apocalyptic worlds.