Fallen

After Series #1

by Traci L. Slatton

When the world ends, all that is left is love...

As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides eight children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other. The award-winning first book in the acclaimed After Series.

Genres: Dystopia, Romance, Post Apocalyptic, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published July 12, 2011

About the author

Traci L. Slatton, author of FALLEN and COLD LIGHT, is a graduate of Yale (84) and Columbia (88). She lives in Manhattan, and her love for Renaissance Italy inspired her historical novel IMMORTAL and her contemporary vampire art history mystery THE BOTTICELLI AFFAIR. FALLEN is the first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times; COLD LIGHT and FAR SHORE further the dystopian tale. DANCING IN THE TABERNACLE is her first book of poetry. She also wrote a sculpture book, THE ART OF LIFE, with her husband. THE LOVE OF MY (OTHER) LIFE is a bittersweet rom-com that addresses the question: What worlds would you move to be with your soulmate?
Her latest book is a manual for do-it-yourselfers entitled HOW TO WRITE, PUBLISH, AND MARKET YOUR BOOK YOURSELF, A Manual for the courageous and persistent.

For more information please visit http://www.tracilslatton.com

Reviews

[Jenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
Ok well that ending pretty much guarantees you'll be one clicking book 2. I thought this was pretty unique for a dystopian, dissolving mists?! I don't think I've read one like that. I kind of thought it was a X-Men meets the Hunger Games kind of book. The author does a good job selling you on the characters. I loved them all and I even warmed up to the a$$hat Russian by the end of the book lol. I think if you like dystopians and soap operas lol you'd like this!

[R.S. Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexism is alive and well in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. Blatant, completely unchecked sexism. And our very strong protagonist doesn't seem to mind in the slightest.



Emma has many assets, but she secures a position of safety for her and her brood through sexual favors offered to the man in charge. I actually understood that part. She was desperate, she wanted her children to be safe - it was gritty and real. The domineering Arthur accepts her "contributions" in lieu of safety and there begins ... a love affair?

The character development was fine, but I was a little perturbed with Arthur's overbearing treatment of Emma. She was more a prisoner to his whims that a romantic notion. I think I would have been more satisfied if she gutted him in his sleep, but no. Emma seemed to be completely fine with his flagrant sexism. She seemed to enjoy it, in fact. Sure, he goes soft. But that wasn't enough for me.

I'll say it again - I wanted to see him gutted. He was the anti-romantic hero.

The apocalyptic event which had occurred and still presents a problem was a good twist. The paranormal is hinted at, but Slatton twists the plot to reveal pure science-fiction and a military experiment gone horribly wrong.

I'm going to stick with it.

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Re-Read on 8/14/15***

Imagine the world AFTER an attack decimates most of what we know as our world today. Well, the characters in this book characterize the events of their lives as things happened to them BEFORE or AFTER this apocalyptic event. This book was a really great read. I was glued to my kindle and couldn’t put it down.

This story starts AFTER by introducing us to Emma Anderson, her biological daughter, Mandy, and 7 other orphans that she has “adopted” while looking for shelter from “the Mists”. The Mists are a nomadic pocket of energy that looks like a white mist. It dissolves people and buildings as it is attracted to specific minerals. It is described as a painful death, so everyone is fearful of breathing when it comes around. Emma has the task of protecting the family from small pockets of rogue survivors as they try to travel to safety in Canada. Apparently there is a place in Canada not affected by the mists according to news reports before communication was completely down.

As Emma inherits these children, she finds that each one has a unique paranormal gift because of the event. One of her children tells her that an approaching convoy comes from a safe camp, so Emma decides to take the children there. After all, it has become increasing difficult for her to take care and provide for 8 children on her own. Emma meets the leader of the group, Arthur, and offers a proposition: shelter and protection in exchange for contributions to his community…including the personal kind from Emma.

Arthur agrees to the deal and adds her family to his existing group. Arthur is portrayed as innovative, resourceful, and a great protector because he can sense the Mists and he can control them by making them go away and he can also dissolve. (What? He can dissolve? How does he stay alive then?) For the first time in a long time, Emma and her children have some sort of shelter and collective harmony. The kids are laughing, reading, and eating decent food. Emma and Arthur start getting closer, but it is clear that they are both keeping secrets from each other. We soon learn that Emma has another reason why she is insisting on getting to Canada.

As they travel, Emma helps the camp with healing and hygiene issues (brushing teeth etc), while Arthur leads the camp with protection and rebuilding for the future. As the non-committal relationship grows into something much stronger, each person’s past begin to come to light. Little by little, the hidden secrets start unfolding, The BEFORE life becomes a barrier for the AFTER life, threatening to destroy what Emma and Arthur have built with one another.

The secondary characters in this book were very interesting. They provided a strong backdrop for this new movement. I loved Laurette, the camp herbalist. This sassy and competitive woman initially came on loan from the female camp. She ended up staying and she was as valuable to the camp as anyone. The female camp she came from consisted of women survivors, many who did not trust men due to crimes committed AFTER. They functioned just as well as the male camps and they ended up being a great ally to Arthur’s camp. It is nice to have a story where there are strong women characters. Emma, Tara, and Laurette were examples of the vast expertise that women add to society. There was a lot more to Alexei, the not-quite villain. He was brutal with glimpses of kindness and there was an inevitable confrontation with Arthur that kept me tense with anticipation.

I was completely engrossed in the story because I wanted to see how the relationship between Arthur and Emma would play out. I also wanted to see how Arthur would manage to create this new civilization he was dreaming of forming. I wanted to see Arthur defeat Alexei and I wanted to see Arthur defeat the mists. The ending was bittersweet, I didn’t get the resolution that I expected and that is okay because this book is the first one part of a trilogy.

I enjoyed the author’s storytelling because it was riveting, but the ending left me stunned. Emma’s last sight out of the plane is what I remember the most and it was not a good feeling for me. I can’t wait for the follow up book because my emotions are dangling on a cliff.


***Reviewed for the Paranormal Romance Guild***

[Catherine Keaton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here's an adult romance title that suffers from having a really good story to tell, but it is ruined by its intolerable main characters. And, it doesn't take long to see just how awful they really are, as you need only read into the book a few pages to see the main character, Emma, offering to prostitute herself to a man she barely meets in order to live in his camp with eight needy kids-in-tow. No, she is not already a prostitute, so, yes, this is very random and unnecessary behavior on her part. What's worse is that Arthur, the great “hero” in this story, decides to take her for a test drive before even asking for her name. What a love story this will be, right?

No, this isn't erotica, although with this type of set-up at the beginning, you'd think that's exactly what you were getting. Add up all the stupid things these two main characters do, who are supposedly in love with each other, and you get a book that makes me want to recycle it so it can be reborn into something better one day.

This review gets a wee bit SPOILERY, just so you know...

Emma leads Arthur on, even after he's clearly fallen in love with her, but she's still married to her husband from before the Apocalypse. I can't really sympathize with such an overt adulteress. Arthur rapes Emma in one scene, and is very controlling of Emma and won't let her do anything without his permission first. Controlling, much? When Arthur finally finds out about Emma still being married, he demands she divorce her husband. She wants to officially break it off with her husband, and Arthur agrees so long as she does it over the radio. But, she wants to see him in person, which could take ten years. Unreasonable much? I'm feeling the love, I really am.

These two characters are in their thirties, yet have the combined emotional maturity of one twelve-year-old. This is rather sad, and extra sad when you consider that this story has so much potential. It's actually a really good story with an interesting plot development and concept. There is this mysterious mist that has gone around all over the planet and it kills everything made of metal properties, including people (because people have metal in them, too). It's well-thought out and has great world-building. But, I hate these two characters so much, I could care less about them and their experiences.

* I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My score: 2.5 out of 5 stars. (I did not like it.)

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

I, quite simply, wanted to love Fallen. I'm often an easy sucker for a well-told post-apocalyptic novel full of second chances and "special abilities": the exact premise and subsequent hope I had for this one when I stumbled upon it browsing NetGalley one night. I wanted to be swept away into a story of love and hope in the ashes of a epic, world-changing disaster, and on some levels that is exactly what Fallen is. Though Ms. Slatton's novel is quite intense and emotionally gripping from the outset, I found something ineffable lacking from my reading experience with this story of survival in a world gone mad. Unfortunately glossed over in that romantic-sounding blurb for the novel are the extreme character personalities, the not-fully explained science ultimately behind everything, and the often harsh machinations of the plot or characters. Fallen certainly still has a lot to offer (Newt! Robert!), and I can say up front that no matter how dismayed I was by sections of this introductory novel, I most definitely will be reading the two planned sequels as soon as possible.

Emma is a tough but determined woman, alive when millions have perished in the mists that have destroyed her world. I found Emma to be quite remarkable, if sadly not a character that I would personally identify closely with for reasons I'll state later, in that she has not only lived but helped seven others do the same. I may not identify with her, but I certainly respect her: she's that kind of woman. Strong and willful, Emma is at her best with her "kids" as she calls them, though only one is her natural child. Emotionally drained from the destruction and separation from her other family, Emma is very cut off from any kind of emotion outside of the children: even when speaking of those she loves (Haywood, Beth, Arthur) it doesn't quite read that way on the page. She's just too removed, too clinical in all her decisions, especially regarding her situation with Arthur. When Emma prostitutes herself for food, safety and numbers within his militaristic camp after a chance encounter, it is understandable, especially within her world and means, but it happens far too quickly. Perhaps Emma's severely divorced emotions played into her lightning-quick decision to bargain her body, but even though it was based in altruism for her band of ragtag misfit kids, it left me with a dislike for Arthur. I wish that Emma was more fleshed out, beyond just her role: that there was more than just a Mama Bear-type personality at work.

Arthur is a tricky character, albeit intentionally. He's vague and brusque: he's not motivated by kindness or altruism.This is a man that emerged from the killing mists a bit mad, yes, but stronger and determined. Usually I like a strong, determined man, but when combined with "ridiculously controlling" the said main begins to lose his luster - and fast. For example, Arthur threatens Emma with: "You can't escape me. I know you too well. I know all your secrets, the secrets of your body, the secrets of your heart, the ones you think no one knows. I know them." How downright creepy is that to say within days of knowing someone? Given that I wasn't much a fan from the beginning, Arthur does very little to redeem himself over the course of the novel, so at least he is a consistent bastard. He almost shoots a friend for merely talking to Emma, he orders her in her clothing choices, tells her where she can and cannot go. . . I didn't like the power dynamic between the two at all. It was vastly unequal and obviously full of lies and secrets. So many painfully obvious hints and outright allusions are made about Arthur's past before Emma asks anything, and information is still a long time coming even after she finally (FINALLY) manages to dredge up some curiosity about this former brilliant scientist that doesn't see the merit in basic hygiene after an apocalypse. Yes, you read that right: Arthur is a "brilliant" man, who while rebuilding human society (that is his explicitly stated goal) believes hygiene is not important. That incongruity just drove me nuts: the eradication of germs, bugs, etc. leads to longer, healthier lives, aka exactly what Arthur is trying to reestablish . It just made no sense, even if it was a small facet of his otherwise large personality.

I disliked Arthur and Emma together immediately; it seemed an both an unreasonably hasty and a disagreeable arrangement. Emma was far too familiar and trusting with this unknown man right after providing information about how some people survived the mists only to become brutal, inhumane and capable of great violence towards anyone. For someone usually so protective, just taking Arthur at his word right upon meeting him seems very unlikely. Arthur is much too much the Dominant Alpha Male in Charge. Another part of their relationship that bothered me was Emma seeming and repeated insistence not to ask any pertinent questions about Arthur's clearly shady past. Her willing ignorance for most of the book concerning key, important issues about the disaster that killed millions denigrates a lot of the compassion she displays towards her gifted and strange children. Where this novel does get you on an emotional level, are those children. From the strange but kind Newt to the worrying Mandy, the children brought the best out in Emma, Arthur, Robert, etc. I cared the most for the band of teen and pre-teen survivors and was most invested in seeing them endure to the end.

This is most definitely not a young-adult post-apocalyptic novel. From the random, copious amounts of cursing, to the gore present in almost every encampment to Emma and Arthur's frequent, rough and frenzied couplings, all representations of sex, language and violence are quite mature throughout Fallen. Even if Fallen sadly can't escape the ubiquitous YA cliche of a love-triangle (you had to know it was coming from the beginning), this novel at least has the maturity to cast that unfavorable aspect to the background and the end. Though I fear the triangle will feature much more prominently in the sequels to follow this book, hopefully it won't be dragged out ad nauseam. The time spent in the Russian camp is also quite distasteful, especially when considering how women are treated within the extreme camp of the Russian antagonist Alexei. It's firmly and quickly established within Fallen that women survivors are somewhat less than the men: they are more likely to be cannibalized, used as live shields, discarded as useless. The rogue camp is even worse than Alexei's: I'd go so far as to label that "disturbing" and extreme example of the brutality brought onto some by the mists.

I was extremely frustrated by Fallen's ending. Emma spent the entire novel pining and wishing for one certain thing to happen, and as soon as it does, she is dissatisfied. She wants the previous situation back. It's just irritating that once Emma attains what she wants and has worked for the entire novel, she wants something different. There was no real disclosure on the mists and why they can affect some survivors the way the do - as in Newt or even Emma's own case can attest - and I felt the lack of closure was a big disappointment. Only tantalizing, science fiction-esque hints of a "biomind" and "collective consciousness" behind the almost sentience of the mists were bounced around as answers nut never solidified or thoroughly detailed. I wanted more from Fallen: more characterization, more information to make the science behind the mists at least seem viable, more emotion. While I wasn't the happiest reader I've been at the conclusion of this post-apocalyptic tail with slight supernatural elements, I will be continuing the series to see what Emma finally decides and does with her life.

[L.V. Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just throw this out there: I love dystopian books.

A few other things you might want to know about me is 1) I love science fiction, 2) I love the conflict of man against nature gone wrong, and 3) I love a hearty romance thrown in there for good measure. Fallen had all of these ingredients, and more.

In Fallen, author Traci L. Slatton has built a world where noxious mists have killed off a goodly number of the earth’s inhabitants, dissolved much of its commerce, and crippled civilization to the point where humans are forced to live as they had before the industrial revolution. Horses are again the mode of transportation, and those who’ve survived have had to learn to scavenge abandoned communities for food, or to live off the land again.

A New Yorker stranded in Paris, Emma, the book’s heroine has by default become the caregiver of seven other children besides her own child, Mandy. Through ingenuity and a bit of luck, they have learned to avoid the mists for a little over a year together in the Parisian countryside. The story opens with Emma believing that Mandy is about to breathe in and be consumed by the mist. As this harrowing situation plays out, a miraculous thing happens--a band of men on horseback ride up and drive the mist away.

Since the proliferation of the mists, human beings have acquired abilities they didn’t have before. For example, Emma has healing properties in her hands, her daughter Mandy sees shadows of people who’ve been in places before, her charge Newt is psychic and sees the future. Armed with knowledge from Newt that these men are good and not a group of marauders that rape women and kill children like some, Emma decides to proposition their leader, Arthur for food and shelter for her and the children.

Arthur agrees on the condition that she doesn’t expect commitment and doesn’t nag him. The story unfolds as Emma and her children assimilate into the camp community these men have created. Heretofore, the men kept to themselves out of fear that the mists might make them do unspeakable things to women and children. However, over time Arthur and his men grow to appreciate having a woman and children around and learn to live fairly well in this post-apocalyptic society.

The conflict in the story is caused by nature, by desperate people, by family thought to be dead still alive, and by old grudges borne by another charismatic leader who wants Arthur to suffer as much as he has. As the daily lives of the people in Arthur’s camp unfold, we get to see a relationship grow between Emma and the camp leader that neither of them expected. Word spreads that a woman who can heal is among the people of Arthur’s camp and this gift unwittingly makes Emma a target.

Will Emma be able to avoid being taken by other camps who covet her service? Or will she be lost to Arthur for an entirely different reason?

Full of action, adventure and a very intelligent read, I absolutely loved this story. There were only one or two things I could nitpick about it. The first being: although this is a dystopian trilogy, it is billed as a romance. The love that grows between Emma and Arthur is epic in nature and that should have been shown more. Most of their intimate moments were of the “fade to black” variety. As this is an adult dystopian book, I certainly could’ve handled a few more of their sexy times together. The emotion underlying could certainly have been shown more, as well.

The second was the handling of Mandy as Emma’s child by a husband she’s certain is still alive, yet there was no treatment of exactly how Emma explained her behavior with Arthur to this child. As time went on, she didn’t try to hide the fact that she slept in the tent with Arthur, nor did they hide their PDA from the children. It just would have been nice for that bit of conflict to be handled in some way and not ignored.

Fallen ends in a place where you know there will be a sequel, and this was fine by me, because I wasn’t ready to let go of this world Traci L. Slatton had created so beautifully.

I give Fallen 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious mist is devastating the world, humans caught in the mist are reduced to water and sand in an excruciating death. The survivors were left with little but their wits and luck in the cruel game of survival. True leaders are born who are not all bright and shiny, they are damaged, flawed and human, doing whatever they need to do to survive and provide relative safety for those in their care. Emma has been caring for a group of children in the months since the mist arrived, so when another band of survivors on horseback rescue them from the mist, she will do whatever it takes to join this group and keep the children safe and fed as she attempts to make her way to safety and her husband, thousands of miles away. Arthur, the leader of the group of men who rescued them seems to have some type of control over the mist, a power he has gained since the apocalypse. Others have also gained “powers,’ Emma can heal people; some have psychic abilities to read people and their intentions. Ask yourself, what would you do in order to survive? What would you expect of others?

Fallen by Traci L. Slatton, the first book in the After Series isn’t filled with the promise of a happy ever after. It is brutally dark, gritty and has a frighteningly realistic view of what a world-wide disaster could be like. The heroine didn’t start out damaged, but her determination to survive and keep those around her alive has caused her to do things she never would have dreamed of. Did it make her larger than life and completely likable? No, but Traci L. Slatton created her to be strong in a world filled with darkness, evil and people running scared. Emma does have a sense of loyalty, at time it seems skewed, but as I fell further and further into the story, I began to understand why, in a word - survival.
Arthur has secrets he is keeping, but as brutal and cold as he may seem, inside he has his own code of honor and a shroud of guilt he hides behind and he is falling for Emma. Should she tell him of her husband, who may still be alive?

Is the mist a product of nature? Science? Is it God’s wrath coming down on a power-hungry world? There are people who know the answers, people who seek retribution, who will pay the price?
Traci L. Slatton has stamped Fallen with her own style of writing, bold, thoughtful and driven by the characters as much as the plot. It is a story of survival in a world that seems doomed to succumb to the dark side. I was riveted to each dark page as my imagination went into overdrive ferreting out what I would do. This is not a traditional romance, so do NOT expect hearts and flowers, but do expect a story that will stay with you in that realm of “what if” long after the last page.

I need to thank the author for a review copy of Fallen in exchange for my HONEST review.

Series: The After Trilogy, Book 1
Publication Date: July 12, 2011
Publisher: Parvati Press
Page Count: 240 (Paperback-Amazon)
Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance/Sci-fi
Available to Purchase From: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma has eight children she is valiantly trying to keep alive. Most of the world is dead as a deadly mist has rose through-out the world. One breath of it and you die, horribly. There are a few places, like Canada, that haven't been affected, but trying to cross an ocean is deadly.

She's been dodging rebel gangs for weeks now, and she's tired. When a band of friendly men help her save her daughter from the mists, she knows this is her chance. They have a safe camp and she will do what it takes to ensure they are given access there. The leader of the camp, Arthur, doesn't want to take her and the kids - the camp only has men. But Emma promises to contribute to him only. Arthur's been without a woman for a while now and can't deny her.

The mists not only brought death, but they brought something other as well. Many have received supernatural abilities. Emma's hands heal, one of her kids can see the future and her own daughter can see into the past. It's helpful but also scary. Many would want to use those abilities for their own gain.

Emma and the kids settle into camp life and the relationship between Emma and Arthur blooms into romance. However, there is a secret Emma hasn't told Arthur and a devastating secret that Arthur hasn't told Emma. When they come to light, it isn't the mists that will break their bond.

Fallen is an apocalyptic romance that is a treacherous journey of choices. What may have been right in the Before, might be wrong in the After. With no power, no gardening because of the deadly mists, no transportation, it is a different world. It is to each man for himself. There are medical emergencies, action-packed raids, life and death moments that will have you breathless as you hurriedly turn the page to see what happens and more. The first in a new trilogy, I cannot wait to see where Slatton takes her characters next. You can read Fallen as a stand-alone, but I assure you that by the last page, you will desperately want the next installment. Dystopian fans will devour this one!

[JenniferJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God! This book was soooo so good! The first few sentences draw you in and take you on an emotional roller coaster ride and just when you think it's okay to uncover your eyes or quit screaming it takes off again!

Emma is a woman who has been separated from her husband and older daughter, been thru heck and saw so much pain and suffering from the mists that have taken over and killed most everything in their path. Strange things are happening because of the mists...the ones who have survived them are either going insane or have heightened abilities like Emma who has discovered she has a healing power in her hands since they came that she had not had before and one of the girls who she has taken under her wing has developed a sort of psychic ability and can fortell things that are to come.

They eventually meet Arthur and his men and Emma begs him to take her and the orphaned children she has taken into her care back to his camp so that they may have security and a sense of safety away from the rogues who so often abuse and torture the weak. He says his camp is all men and no place for a woman and children but she offers him a trade he cant refuse though he tries...It begins as a "business arrangement" but turns into so much more than either expected especially since they both had secrets they were not sharing.

This was just such a wonderful story that at times made me laugh, other times made me wonder what in heck I would do in Emma's shoes, and yes there was sadness in parts as well but I'll let you find those parts for yourself.

The only thing that I really hate about Fallen is how it ended. This is book one of a trilogy that ended like a soap opera on a Friday afternoon with a cliff hanger leaving me wanting more.

[WildAboutBones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a paranormal romance without any supernatural elements. I laughed a little, which may sound somewhat strange for a end of the world disaster story, and I cried several times. While it is a romance, it has a heart wrenching and depressing tone throughout and is not what typical paranormal romance fans are used to.

Almost everyone is dead, killed by a deadly 'pearlescent' mist which came up from the ground and then out of the oceans to kill by turning internal organs to mush, heating it up and exploding into steam, water and fine powder. Of the people who are left, many are insane and many develop physic gifts.

Emma's husband and one of her little girls are hopefully safe from the mist in Canada. She and her daughter Mandy were visiting family in France in the Before. She prostitutes herself to Arthur, leader of a large group of men, to have a place of safety, shelter and food for her and the 8 kids she has picked up along the way.

Both Emma and Arthur have secrets and it seems as if they are going to be able to overcome them with love.

There is a tribute to the Aliens movie starring Sigourney Weaver in Emma naming one of the kids Newt. If you liked the short lived TV program Jericho staring Gerald McRaney and Skeet Ulrich, you'll like this. If you liked I am Legend with Will Smith, you'll like this.

This has a good story line with somewhat interesting characters. If you like "the world as we know it has ended and now what do we do to survive" stories, you'll like this one.

Warning Spoiler Alert!!!
It does and does not have a HEA. You'll have to read it to figure this out.

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.romancenoveljunkies.com for readers

BRIEF SUMMARY
In a post apocalyptic world, survivors are trying to survive in France. Emma and her daughter are trying to survive along with seven other children that she has found along the way when they stumble across Arthur and his men. Both Emma and Arthur struck a deal in order to survive together until true intentions and secrets are revealed.

THOUGHTS

I found ‘Fallen’ to be a very interesting read. I haven’t really read apocalyptic sceneries but this book took me to a place that was different. Though the story is taking place in France, I felt as though it resembles a western feel to it, but not really and a sci-fi feel without having left earth. The author created a world that also fused a bit of fantasy and paranormal elements that I thought help to give the story a bit more creativity along with the mist that has killed millions. I enjoyed Arthur’s charisma in the beginning; it was not what I expected. However, his character is definitely important and I enjoyed his interaction with Emma. Emma was strong and likeable and I admire her a lot. The other characters brought out an interesting twist to the story.

The romance was good and a bit sad at times. Although this is going to be a trilogy and there will be a continuation, the ending was very much bitter sweet and I felt empty. Nevertheless, I think the author, Traci Slatton did a wonderful job creatively with details and characters.

Storyline: GOOD
Enjoyment: GOOD

Romance Novel Junkies

[K~Terror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well hell, Traci, you left me hanging...

I've downloaded book 2!

[TP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: the series includes 4 books so far, but the fourth ends in a cliffhanger as well. It was published in 2015 since then there is no news I am aware of when or if the story continues. So if you don’t want to be left hanging like I am, I recommend to not start this series. Besides the fact that the quality of the books decreases with every book after the first one. Ever more inconsistencies, decisions based on incomprehensible, silly, or half reasonings. I only kept reading, because I didn’t have a better option at the moment, because I was dead send on finally knowing how it ends, although I even kept scrolling half of the last book and last but not least it was free on kindle.


First review of book 1

Good one.
Was enjoying this book very much. Post apocalyptic world, slowly finding out what really happened, watching physically and mentally traumatised and damaged people of all nationalities surviving in an aftermath of epic proportions. Still trying to survive.
Barely couldn’t put the book down.

And I am off to the next book in this series...

[Anncleire · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fallen” racconta di un mondo distrutto da una specie di nebbia o vapore, mist che si nutre di metalli e va ad intaccare la biomind, quella parte del cervello che normalmente non utilizziamo. La protagonista è Emma, una donna che è bloccata in Francia con una delle sue figlie Mandy e che dopo il terribile attacco raccoglie un gruppo di bambini e cerca di mantenerli al sicuro, mentre suo marito e l’altra figlia Beth sono in Canada. Dopo mesi di vagabondaggi, in un villaggio abbandonato trova Arthur e un gruppo di uomini che hanno organizzato un campo sicuro e Emma decide di scambiare il suo corpo per la sicurezza che può fornire l’uomo per lei e i suoi bambini. Ma lo scambio diventa immediatamente qualcosa di più. Ma la loro relazione sarà ostacolata in mille modi, soprattutto dai segreti che nasconde Arthur.

Mi dispiace di aver aspettato così tanto per leggere questo libro, che è davvero molto interessante e scritto molto bene. Traci Slatton ha fatto un ottimo lavoro soprattutto con la caratterizzazione dei personaggi.
Emma è una donna molto forte, piena di coraggio e una madre che fa di tutto per tenere i suoi bambini al sicuro. Incredibilmente sicura di sé, sfida in continuazione l’autorità maschile e da donna non posso che apprezzarlo. Non tace, si mette in gioco, esprime le sue idee. Incredibilmente passionale, un artista nei giorni prima del disastro, fedele a ciò in cui crede, riesce ad adattarsi e a farsi accettare da un gruppo di uomini. E se all’inizio Arthur non vuole, alla fine cede non solo al suo fascino, ma anche alla sua mente. La mist ha cambiato le connessioni cerebrali dando delle abilità speciali. Emma può guarire malattie, ferite e agire sul corpo tramite il calore e una scarica di corrente benefica. E questo sarà uno dei motivi che più la metteranno in pericolo. L’ho adorata dalla prima riga per il suo spirito combattivo, per la sua capacità di ingoiare le lacrime e la sua empatia. Considerando che tiene in mano una pistola e la usa in modo appropriato. Per fare la cosa giusta anche quando il buonsenso le dice di andare da un'altra parte. Solo alla fine avrei voluto prenderla a calci.
Arthur è un altro personaggio incredibile. Sembra un duro ma in fondo è un tenerone, uno di quei romantici pieni di buone intenzioni ma che poi sanno tirare fuori le palle quando c’è da combattere. Incredibilmente bello e sexy, con tutte le caratteristiche per essere un leader, pieno di cultura e fascino, Emma è destinata ad innamorarsi di lui anche se lo respinge ogni volta perché attaccata a suo marito. Ma l’attrazione e il legame che forgiano è innegabile, e incredibilmente romantico. Un uomo con i controfiocchi ricco di idee, di buoni propositi e di speranze. Anche quando viene fuori quello che ha fatto prima non me la sento di condannarlo e anzi in fondo lo capisco e avrei voluto che le cose andassero diversamente, ma d’altronde c’è speranza. Ci sono altri due libri.
Il gruppo dei bambini è fenomenale, come stanno insieme, si aiutano a vicenda e cercano di tenere la loro presa sulla vita che scorre e il mondo distrutto e spazzato via.
Per non parlare di tutti i personaggi secondari che sono descritti in maniera molto convincente. E la vita nel campo che va vanti anche se in maniera complicata e messa in pericolo da più parti. Laurette, Roberto, Theo, il cuoco, Tara. Il campo dei russi e il super cattivo Alexei. Un caleidoscopio di umanità varia, un miscuglio di nazionalità e lingue come solo una catastrofe di immani dimensioni può portare.
E quando mancano le medicine e i metodi anticoncezionali ci vuole una donna capace di usare le piante e le erbe per infusi e rimedi naturali.

Il libro fa parte delle distopie, è un libro che parla di uno scenario post-apocaliptico, del modo in cui un gruppo di sopravvissuti cerca di andare avanti e ricostruire una parvenza di vita. Il passato li bracca, tutti hanno perso qualcosa di importante ma cercano di tenere fede alle loro vite, a quello che erano e sono diventati ora. È un libro che parla di speranza di amore e di rinascita. Lo stile della Slatton è incredibile, scorre veloce, mantiene alta la tensione e alterna momenti di quiete a momenti orribili di paura e ansia. Si rimane incollati alle pagine, seguiamo l’evoluzione della romance, ma ci rendiamo conto di come i due si legano, ma soprattutto come diventano un punto di riferimento per tutta la comunità del campo. Molto molto bello.
Anche la parte più propriamente scientifica, quella legata alla spiegazione della mist è molto interessante, ben curata, e anche se in qualche modo lontana da lui perfettamente verosimile. Le spiegazioni della biomind, quello che significa la coscienza collettiva, il passaggio delle informazioni e l’evoluzione è molto interessante e induce a riflettere su quello che sarà il nostro mondo.

Per chi ama il genere, questo è un libro che deve essere letto. Affrettatevi a procurarvelo. E io intanto non vedo l’ora di leggere il seguito. Arthur sono con te.

Intanto non mi rimane che ringraziare ancora una volta Netgalley e Telemachus Press per avermi concesso l’onore e il piacere di leggere questo libro in anteprima in cambio della mia recensione.

[Sandy S · Rating 5 out of 5]

FALLEN (After Trilogy #1) by Traci L. Slatton

FALLEN is the first book in author Traci L. Slatton’s After trilogy. Following an apocalyptic nightmare where most the world’s population has been eaten by the poisonous mists that seem to appear out of thin air, the remaining small pockets of survivors (throughout the world) fight to stay alive. With rations in short supply, and marauding bands of thieves and cannibals on the search for a new source of food, Emma Anderson and her little family of 8 surviving misfit children must find a way to stay alive in the once proud country of France. But when the mists encroach towards her young daughter, she is relieved and awed by a group of men and their leader when they are seemingly able to control the mists. And to ensure their continued safety, Emma offers herself up to the man in charge. But Emma was secretly hoping that one day she would find her husband and eldest daughter alive and doing well.

Arthur is a leader. An alpha male whose word is law and a once proud military man, Arthur must defend and protect his encampment in the outskirts of France. Daily he and his men must patrol and hunt for supplies as well as fighting the rogue band of cannibalistic warriors and ward off other encampments hoping to procure their supplies. But when a beautiful young woman with blonde hair offers herself up to protect the children, Arthur’s heart begins to thaw, if only for a short time. People are dying and they had to find a way to survive.

The poisonous mists are a mystery. Approximately eleven months earlier, a seemingly harmless mist appeared over the Arctic Circle, devouring everything in its’ path-everything that contained minerals. But a side effect of the mists was an increase in human psychic energy. Many of the survivors had developed some powers and that included Emma and her daughter Mandy.

Throughout the story we are taken on an adventure in survival 101. Death is always present especially when many of the people would quickly succumb to the mists poisonous side-effects. But Arthur had a secret and a few at the encampment and surrounding sites knew, and it was with that secret that many feared and hated Arthur for the man he was Before the Day. Now Arthur appears to be the only one who is able to control the mists and it was a secret that Emma wanted to know.

Emma and Arthur’s relationship begins as an exchange to keep the children safe-their safety is guaranteed as long as Emma remains as Arthur’s mate. But as the storyline develops, we are witness to a man who never believed he was able or capable of finding love with a woman such as Emma. As their love for each other grows, so does the distance between them with the knowledge that each is hiding something from the other. And it is Emma’s desire to find her husband that will set a series of events between she and Arthur on a road to heartbreak and horror.

Death is a fact of life among the encampments as madness and psychotic breakdowns begin to eat away at the surviving hordes. Day after day, people hoping to find safety are willingly offering themselves to the camp, in order to be shielded from the mists, because Arthur has somehow protected his camp. But over time the camp has amassed a group of people who were once professionals in the Before. Doctors, engineers, cooks and scientists will gather to determine is there is a possibility of life in the After. But Emma will learn that life as she now knew it, was not necessarily an act of God, but an act of war that went horribly wrong.

FALLEN is a remarkable and well-written story of what people must do to survive. Cannibalism aside, the small bands of survivors are determined to eke out an existence knowing that their lives could end horribly and painfully within a matter of minutes or days. Those with some psychic abilities are sought after and used, but it is Emma’s powers that find her imprisoned in another camp by a one-time associate of Arthur's.

There is plenty of science fiction and paranormal activity. The minds of the survivors begin to merge as the potential for a collective consciousness known as bio-mind grows stronger within the encampments, but Emma will discover that her abilities are stronger than she had previously proclaimed. And the origins of the mists will force Emma to make a decision that will leave a trail of broken hearts and the thoughts of betrayal foremost on her mind. Some may not agree with what the people must do to survive, but then again, most of us will never know what it is like to live in an apocalyptic nightmare.

Copy supplied by Author

see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com

[Stéphanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the end of the world. Probably. Mists appeared out of thin air one day, and they have brought destruction to the earth. The mists seem to have mind of their own and like sentient beings, they move around with a purpose, feeding on buildings, animals and humans, and eradicating them by turning them to dust. The whole world has been touched by these mists and from those who have survived, some have literally gone crazy while others have developed psychic abilities. At first, I really didn’t like the idea of having an apocalyptic phenomena create psychic abilities but the idea grew on me. Although the scientific explanations in the book aren’t exactly probable, they do add an intelligent layer to the story.

Emma is one of the few who survived and she has gained the ability to heal with the touch of her hands. I loved her as a main character because she is so solid and strong. She went through great lengths to find refuge for herself, her daughter and her adoptive kids and I strongly believe she made the right choice in joining the camp of a well organized men. Their leader, Arthur, is quite the character, but for some reason I had a love/hate relationship with him throughout the book. I loved him because he seemed like such a hero and such a do-gooder but at the same time, I hated him because I never really trusted him. His secrets and his inability to share with Emma more or less turned me off.

Obviously, some type of romantic relationship develops between Emma and Arthur. I love the basis of the relationship, although I totally didn’t expect what happened between them in the first chapter. I have to admit, their bickering and their fighting is quite engaging and it’s the reason the love story behind the book is so interesting. I don’t want to spoil any surprises but it’s quite obvious, as you read the book, that secrets will create a lot of tension, not only between Emma and Arthur, but between the whole group of survivors. Although I understand the secret Emma hid from Arthur was pretty huge and that he had the right to know beforehand, I despised Arthur for accusing Emma of not sharing, when his secret was obviously way bigger than hers.

As I mentioned earlier, the mists seems to have a mind of their own, and it seems they have preferences when it comes to what they “eat.” For example, butterflies are not on the menu since they don’t have the right composition of minerals. I like the symbolism behind this, since butterflies are very fragile creatures and it goes to show that beauty and simplicity can still be found in a world of darkness and chaos. Emma daughter’s, Mandy, finds pleasure in chasing butterflies, even when the world is in pieces. Chasing after butterflies can be childish, but sometimes, chasing after something beautiful and fragile can be worthwhile. It might be childish hope that keeps us chasing after the things we want, but humanity without its fragility and hope would be nowhere.

As a whole, I really enjoyed this novel. It’s quite dark at times with the death of so many people and the fighting amongst gangs of survivors, but it works for me! The survival aspect of the novel is very realistic. When an author goes into details, explaining simple things like living habits, hygiene and survival conflicts, it proves to me that the author has really put some extra thoughts into his or her story. And Traci L. Slatton added a great amount of these details, creating a realistic image of a brutal world.

Post-apocalyptic books aren’t my usual forte, but I must admit, there’s something quite special about this book. It’s a love story disguising as horror/post-apocalypse and I think the author did an awesome job in weaving together all the different elements. I will absolutely read the sequel some time in the future, but for those who can’t wait, the second book has already been released recently! I don’t believe this series has enough to go on, beyond a couple more books, so I’m actually glad the series will only be a trilogy. Slatton is a wonderful discovery and fans of the genre will be satisfied with FALLEN since, not only is it very original, but it also has a good solid love story at the heart of the book.

[Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for a honest review.

Fallen is set in a post-apocalyptic France. Our main heroine Emma was with her daughter Mandy on a business trip when the world ended. A mysterious and lethal mist came out of nowhere and devoured everything in its path. The mist seems to be attracted to metal; wiping out buildings, technology and even people that come too close to it. It’s been approximately 10 months since the mist emerged and Emma is doing her best to take care of her daughter and 7 other children that she found/rescued along the way.

The book grabbed my attention immediately when Emma’s daughter Mandy is cornered by the mist and Emma is prepared to shoot her if the mist touches her (once the mist touches you, you pretty much start to melt and die a slow painful death). Right off the bat you see how dreadful the situation is for Emma’s group; they’re trying to stay alive by finding whatever scraps of food that hasn’t been tainted by the mist and at the same time avoiding the band of cannibal rogue men. Emma is a tough character, and is willing to do anything to protect her ‘kids’. She pretty much puts everyone above herself, and I admire that about her but…within the first chapter or two she meets a group of men scavenging for supplies and bargains her body to the group’s leader. I didn’t like that. As much as it pains me to say as the book progresses, the character and story didn’t get much better…well not till the very end.

Arthur, the group leader takes Emma up on her offer and brings her and the children into his all male camp. Arthur at first treats Emma like a piece of object and his property( I mean, she did offer her body). Emma continues to take care of the children and tidies the camp here and there but for the most part I saw her as nothing more than Arthur’s sex slave. Speed forward a couple months in the book, Arthur and Emma’s relationship is still questionable. She sees their relationship as a means to an end, till she reunites with her HUSBAND in Canada but Arthur is falling for Emma and falling hard. Most reader thought their relationship was cute-sweet…I didn’t. Arthur is a controlling alpha guy; he makes Emma report to him everything she does, and gets scary jealous when she interacts with other male members of the camp. At one point when Emma reveals to Arthur that she is in fact still married, he tells her his word is law and if he deemed her divorced…she’s divorce. I don’t know. I just think it was a mess-up relationship to begin with and it didn’t help that both of them kept secrets from another. As for the other characters, they all didn’t make a strong impression as I hoped. The characters still needed a lot of development, but I expect it will be better as the series goes on…as this book was super short, only about 250 pages.

The most interesting aspect of the book is the mist and the different abilities that people inherited ‘after’ the world ended. For example Emma is able to heal people (to an extent) when she puts her hands on a person, Arthur is able to control the mist, Dermatologist/Doc James is able to see inside a person like x-ray vision and so on. Fallen sounded like a paranormal (IMHO when I first read the synopsis) read but once readers discover the truth behind the mist; people powers/abilities…it turned out to be scientific. I don’t really know how I feel about Fallen. It honestly didn’t start out so great, the middle dragged a bit and it wasn’t till the end that I found myself interested again (not since the first paragraph of the book). Fallen had so much potential to be that great story but it was missing something (what I’m not so sure) and the two main characters weren’t that likeable.

Bottom line, Fallen wasn’t bad or great. I like the idea of the book and some of the characters but I think that if the book was a little longer, it would have made a difference (like to get to know the other characters better…there were too many characters to keep track of, from different groups).

[Jael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking at the cover of Fallen by Traci L. Slatton, I thought perhaps this is a paranormal book. Are there vampires? Goblins? No and no. It's a post-apocalyptic world, where people have been stripped of everything. They have to rely on each other for survival. New alliances and intimate relationships are formed. But at the core of this book, is a love story. A love story that might not have happened if the entire world hadn't changed.

Deadly mists are killing billions of people. The poisonous gases strike without warning, consuming flesh before completely dissolving its victims into little droplets of water. If you do survive an attack, your mind descends into madness. Those lucky enough to still be alive band together. One woman, Emma, relies on her maternal instincts and her new healing powers to get her through. Emma was traveling in Paris with one of her daughters, Mandy, when the entire world changed. Her husband and eldest daughter were visiting family in Canada, the only safe haven left. Emma mothers not just her own child, but several others she encounters. Emma and her brood move from place to place, scouring the land for food and shelter.

It becomes more and more difficult for Emma to protect her children. Sometimes she is forced to put them out of their misery after a mist attack. Imagine growing incredible close to a child you consider to be your own, only to have kill them. It's painful to watch them suffer. You want so desperately to end their pain. It's an incredible burden to carry with you. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to share that burden with? Relief for Emma comes very early in the book. Arthur, the leader of an all-male camp, saves Emma and the children from the mists. An intimate alliance is formed. Arther provides food, shelter, and protection while Emma takes her place in his bed. No emotional attachments are necessary, this is just a relationship of convenience...or so they think.

Two people who don't really want to change, end up doing just that. Arthur is ridged. He loves being the protector and he loves being in charge. He is extremely jealous and sometimes views Emma as a possession rather than a person. But, Emma finds a way to soften Arthur. She makes changes to the camp. She insists on clean clothes, clean teeth, and makeshift bathrooms. Despite her present circumstances, Emma still dreams of her past. She wants to go back to her husband and daughter. She wants to go back to life Before the change. But Arthur wants to build a life After the change. He wants to rebuild society. He exudes confidence, but Arthur is hiding a secret. A secret that could shake Emma's faith in him. He does everything to protect Emma from his past. Arthur wants to build a life with Emma, who is resistant. Emma believes she's not in love with Arthur. But if you read the book, you will think otherwise. Over time she cares what Arthur thinks. She looks forward to talking with him, eating with him, and waking up to him. The numerous times they become separated, Emma is thinking about Arthur and Mandy. Her husband doesn't dominate her thoughts like Arthur.

Arthur and Emma are at the heart of the book, but the other characters are just as interesting. An herbalist, Laurette, from a rival camp comes to heal the sick, but she isn't afraid to put people in their place. Newt, a young girl who can not only see the future, but can connect with people deeply on an emotional level. Alexei, a rival camp leader who is determined to destroy Arthur. By the end of the book, I wanted to know more about everyone. What will they do? How long can they survive? Will they find happiness? The book ends with a very emotional cliffhanger. This is the first of a trilogy, and I can't wait to find out what happens.

Rating: Superb

Note: I received a copy of the book from the author (Traci L. Slatton) in exchange for an honest review.

[Evelyn Amaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review on Paromantasy

This book in three words: Amazing, Haunting, Suspenseful

Fallen is a book about survival, betrayal, love, secrets, danger and hope. It will instantly transport you to a post-apocalyptic world that is being terrorized by deadly mists and is filled with danger at every turn.

What would you do to save your family and ensure survival following the nearly complete annihilation of the world as you know it? Emma is faced with that question when she finds herself in charge of not only her daughter, but a number of abandoned children who have lost their families to the mists. When they are saved from near death by a mysterious stranger, Arthur and a few of his friends, Emma offers her body to him in exchange for protection and a place in his safe house. He agrees, but neither of them realized that this one exchange will cost them the one thing they cannot protect, the one thing they cannot hide from..their heart.

They soon find themselves growing closer to each other but each is harboring a major secret. One that can threaten not only their relationship, but change their lives forever.

This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, I cried, I was frightened and empowered...I was completely transported into their world. The characters become your friends and you soon feel like part of the gang. Arthur is male personified. He is strong, charismatic, loyal, yet has this mean streak that makes you love him even more. He is perfectly flawed and you can't help loving him for it. Emma is the perfect example of what it means to be a woman. She is determined, reasonable, intelligent, caring, incredibly strong and will do anything to protect the people she loves, including giving herself to a complete stranger. She is also confused about life, about this new found love for Arthur and what it all means. You empathize with her and root for her, hoping that she'll see the way to what is right. Together, these two shine! The sexual energy around them is through the roof and you have to laugh when these two bull headed people banter. You fall in love with both the individual characters and the couple. The other characters, including Emma's adopted children and the people of Aurthur's camp are all so different that you feel like you are making new friends. Along with the trial of facing a world destroyed by mists, we also see their struggle as many of them are left with magical powers that they try to harness in an effort to survive and beat the mists. The entire cast and the story is simply amazing!

The ending will leave your head spinning and Fallen will haunt you long after you finish it. I still find myself wondering about the characters and what is going to happen in the next installment of the After series.

Fallen is one of the best books I have read this year and encourage everyone to read it! You will not be disappointed - I promise!

This book is 5 Fangs, a MUST-READ!!

[Julie Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

From Goodreads: "As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other."

This was a good read for fans of post-apocalyptic stories. This isn't a paranormal book, but more of a "this is what could happen if the scientists of the world are not watched a little bit more closely" type of book. It was definitely a quick read as I read it in under 24 hours.

The book starts out with Emma, her daughter Mandy, and their "family," kids who have been orphaned as a result of the mysterious mists that devour buildings and people, but not before driving the people mad. Emma comes upon Arthur and his band of merry men and realizes that she must hook up with them in order to survive. She gives herself to Arthur in exchange for the safety of her group, and I have to admit that this bugged me a little bit from the get go. I really don't think this book is for teens because of this premise and lots of incidences of violence towards women, including rape. Women are definitely looked upon as second hand citizens in the new world, but Emma retained her strength throughout the book, which I admired. She was a very tough but fair character, and a good role model to the children in her care. The understanding with Arthur is that this is just a relationship of convenience, with no feelings getting in the way. As time goes on, though, both Emma and Arthur start to feel more strongly for each other, and that causes problems between them. The biggest obstacle, and one Emma conveniently forgets to mention to Arthur, is that she is married. When the mists arrived, Emma and her younger daughter, Mandy, were visiting Europe for business, while Heywood (Emma's husband) and their older daughter, Beth, were visiting family in Canada. Emma hasn't given up hope of finding a way to communicate with and hopefully eventually travel to Canada to reunite her family.

There is a lot of action in the story, and a lot of violence, but I don't really think the violence was extraneous. It definitely gave you the idea that there were some bad, bad people who survived the mists and who would kill to survive, and sometimes just to torture.

Traci definitely describes a very scary picture of a world without leadership, but there were also a lot of moments of tenderness thrown in to show that the human spirit can survive the worst life can give you.

In summary, I had a little trouble swallowing some of the actions of the men and women in this story, but I still really, really liked the book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series :D

[Moonlight Gleam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lethal mists have taken over the Earth, killing millions, destroying buildings, and dissolving all living things. Humans have become prey; once coming into contact with the mists, everyone and everything dissipates into a pile of water and dust. Very few have survived, those who are left must stick together to find food and shelter themselves against the mists.

Emma, her daughter Mandy, and a few several orphaned children are survivors. Some have developed supernatural abilities. Emma can heal people with a simple touch; however, she doesn’t have full control over her abilities, learning as she goes. When Mandy gets cornered by mists, fearing the worst, Emma is prepared to pull the trigger to take her daughter’s life, when a group of men arrive save Mandy.

To protect the children, Emma offers herself to their leader, Arthur, in exchange for food and shelter. Arthur also possesses a very useful ability, being able to sense when the mists are near. What once began as a business deal later turns into romance; however, Emma and Arthur are both hiding secrets, unable to fully give themselves to one another.

When rogue groups threaten to attack their safe haven, Arthur and Emma must make tough decisions to save themselves and protect the people they love. Will the rogue group attack their village and kill them all, or will the mists get to them first?

Emma is strong, protective, and she cares for the children as though they’re her own. She is definitely my favorite character in this novel. Arthur who’s dominant and possessive characteristics blossom into care and compassion towards Emma and the children adds some romance where in the face of death, some may think there isn’t any room for. There were also many wonderful secondary characters that bring the story to life. I wouldn’t remove any character as they all played an important role in portraying the impact of how severe the threat was to all humanity.

The beautiful cover is yet another added element in addition to the novel’s description itself, which really attracted me to this story. The cover has a creepy factor that captures some elements within the plot. Having covers stay true to the story is always appreciated! Although there were more than two characters shown on the cover, the woman and the distant horse rider, it was great to see that they were incorporated into the cover.

Fallen’s well developed plot and cliffhanger ending will have readers wanting to know what will happen in the next installment of this wonderful post-apocalyptic-romance trilogy.

With engaging characters, action, detailed descriptions, fear and a little hint of romance, readers are in for a fantastic adventure! I recommend this novel to those who enjoy Contemporary Fiction with a Post-Apocalyptic twist.

Must Read! Highly Recommended!

[Allizabeth Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Description:
In this fast-paced post-apocalyptic romance, the Earth is plagued by lethal mists that dissolve all living organisms and metal structures, excluding plants. Anything the mists touch, including humans, becomes a formless dead dust; and most of the human and animal populations have fallen prey.
Emma and her daughter Mandy have survived the mists, finding food and shelter in whatever places they can. There are several orphaned children in their group, a few with strange gifts that mysteriously manifested when the mists began. Emma can heal someone just by touching them, and one of the children is slightly clairvoyant.
When a group of men save Mandy from the mists, Emma must decide what is best for the children; traveling with no protection, or joining the new group? So she finds their leader, Arthur, and trades her "affections" for a safe haven.
Their bargain begins as necessity, trading her womanly goods for food and shelter, but Arthur and Emma eventually start to fall for one another. Unfortunately, as soon as they give in to their desires they are tested. The mists are getting worse, rogue riders are attacking, and the other survivors can't be trusted, especially around Emma and the children. Can Arthur and Emma protect themselves and everyone that's relying on them? Or will the mists claim everyone and everything they love?

Review:
Fallen definitely had my attention from page one. It is an intense post-apocalyptic action/romance that's so well written you feel like the mists exist; (and you will probably avoid fog after reading). Being a fan of the survival-horror genre, I didn't know how a "survival-romance" would mesh, but Traci Slatton made it work. Her writing style is really descriptive and has a great flow to it; one minute your heart is racing, and the next minute you can't help but smile. The characters, Emma especially, had an authentic quality to them. They weren't just cookie-cutter characters, but 3-dimensional, and the dialogue fit them perfectly. As for the plot, it was very well developed, fast-paced, twisty, unique, and you won't see the ending coming. I personally can't wait for the next book in the trilogy!

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from FSB Associates (Telemachus Press) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[J.C. Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book. I've read an awful lot of YA this year, so it was a lovely change to read something that is more for adults than teens.

Right from the very beginning of this book I was transported from the modern world into Slatton's post-apocalyptic vision of the future. A future that could happen, you just never know. Right from the beginning, you also can't help but connect with the main character, Emma, as she watches a situation unfold which, one way or the other, looks like it will lead to the death of her youngest daughter.

Thankfully, Arthur arrives and saves Emma's daughter, but that doesn't mean that danger has passed - this new world is rife with risk, and Emma, like everyone else, is doing her best to navigate her way through it with the least amount of trauma possible. There is so much emotional impact in this story, with many characters drawing you in and forcing you to see the world through their eyes. There is action, violence, romance. It's raw, beautiful and compelling reading.

I loved the way that Emma developed over the story, but most of all, I think I enjoyed the way she lied to herself throughout. And I loved the way that Arthur called her on that, until the point she knew he was right when he called her a liar. Emma refuses to believe the truths in front of her, as she clings dearly to the beliefs and goals that have kept her safe so far. I think Slatton did a wonderful job of portraying this, as it could have been easy to mess up - frequently in books where the truth is evident to the reader, the reader can get frustrated with the main character for their stupidity in not seeing what's before their eyes. That was not the case in this book.

I don't know what else to say without giving too much away, other than - read this book. I can't wait for the next novel in the series. I can't wait to see what happens next for Emma, and Arthur, and everyone else. Can the mists be stopped? Can Emma find happiness?

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fallen takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. The book is set in France. A toxic mist that instantly kills anyone who comes into contact with it is killing so many people. People are spending their time running from the mists and trying to stay alive in a very chaotic world. I would be terrified to live in this world. The premise of the story was very interesting.

Emma's, the main character, family has been torn apart by the mists. She is with her younger daughter while she's wondering what happened to her husband and her older daughter and if they are even still alive. Meanwhile, she falls in love with Arthur, a man who is hiding a major secret. I really did not like the romance. Even though Emma seems to really fall for him, you almost feel that it's because they are two consenting adults in the middle of a bunch of chaos and not because they really have any sort of connection. I did not like Arthur at all. Even before the secret came out, I thought there was something a little off about him and I just never really warmed up to him so I was kind of happy when his secret was revealed.

I thought the premise of the mists was very interesting. Since it's obviously a big focus of the book, I spent a lot of time wondering about the mists, specifically wondering about things like how the mists were created because no one seems to really wonder in the book. I don't know if that was a product of people just being so terrified that they didn't bother to wonder about this. You finally do find out what happened but not until the very end and then its all at once. I thought it would have been interesting if you found out little by little. It would have kept me in the story a little bit more.

The story line is definitely inventive and very interesting. This is one of the few adult dystopian books that I've read recently and I would love to see more!

Bottom line: An interesting look at a future!

[Heather in FL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting concept. (Not smutty at all for my smutty friends, but still a great story.)

The story opens After, in post-apocalyptic France, with Emma having acquired several children (including one of her own) to protect while trying to stay alive and safe herself. She was in France when the mists struck, while her husband and other daughter were over in Canada. Since the mists struck, people are just trying to survive. The mists have bestowed parapsychological gifts on some, made others go insane, and ended the lives of so many others. The world is completely different from Before. Some people are still good at heart, but many, in their struggle for survival, have surrendered to their baser urges. Men, of course, are strong. Women and children are expendable. Lucky for Emma, she meets Arthur, who is of the good variety. She offers her body to him for protection for her and the children, and he accepts.

Over time, Emma learns that Arthur can control the mists. She also cultivates the healing power the mists have given her. She's a really strong person, and her goal has always been to get to Canada, which was reportedly left alone by the mists, so she could reconnect with her husband and daughter. But something happened in the course of survival, and she and Arthur forged an odd connection. She's willing to leave her husband for Arthur, but she insists on doing it in person. And then she discovers something so ahborrent about Arthur at the same time she realizes her husband is coming for her, so she leaves.

This is only the first part of the story. The whole story was very unique. The different gifts given to different survivors are definitely interesting. The idea that some people who didn't know each other Before can share a consciousness to recreate technology is intriguing. Very little technology remains. Same with food. There are pockets of goodness, but so much horror otherwise. I have to continue the story to see where this is going.

[Andrea Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I’m afraid Fallen fell a bit short for me. Lots of action? You betcha. Lots of characters to remember? You betcha. Lots of ‘mist’ rules? You betcha. Protagonist catchphrase that drove me as crazy as the mists? You betcha. Post-apocalyptic bliss? Not so much.

The idea of the novel isn’t really unique. These “end of the world we are all so dead” novels seem to be pretty common nowadays, probably because of the doomsday tv of late; however, this one did, at least, have a novel method-o-destruction—the mist. This ubiquitous mist rises at unpredictable times and consumes everything in its path, buildings, people, and apparently sanity as well. If you are lucky enough to escape its insidious grasp, you could be left a few sticks shy of a campfire but not always. You see, that was my issue. There were lots of (for lack of better term) ‘rules,’ but those rules seemed to be as fickle as the mist itself. The mist kills but not everyone. The mist crazes but not always. The mist returns but not everywhere. The mist grants supernatural powers but only to some. Confused yet?

The character turnaround was overwhelming, too. Obviously, characters will come and go when you live with a semi-nomadic—but extremely intelligent—band of rag tags converging in France from all over Europe and Asia, but I became completely frustrated by all the names, backstories, and former occupations. However, I’m thinking this might not be such a terrible place to live considering the wealth of knowledge converged in camp. Emma seems to be the only useless character in the whole place; thank goodness she developed that whole healing thing, that and she’s apparently great in the bedroll. Otherwise, why would Arthur keep her around?
2.5 stars

[Lydia Presley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review posted here

So there is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of dystopia slash apocalyptic literature being published these days, especially for young adults. Now, don’t get me wrong – I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I have issues with the cut and paste stories of some of them, but as a whole they are fairly decent (and some even exceptional).

That said, I was missing reading it on more of an adult level – because there is no way that an apocalyptic word wouldn’t have some people doing desperate things to survive. Traci Slatton seems to agree with me.

Y’all, Emma is hardcore in this book. She doesn’t pull punches, she uses whatever she needs to use to guarantee safety for her kids and the thing that is causing pain.. it’s causing real pain. Not just the physical kind, it’s the emotionally scarring kind. I was horrified by what the mists did, as well as how they came about (which you’ll have to read to find out!).

What I loved about this book was the push and pull in it, the tension created by the relationship of Emma and Arthur, wondering what choice she’ll make, how she’ll survive, how the others will survive. I cried deep, gutwrenching sobs at certain scenes in the story, I found myself gasping for air at a well placed, light-hearted scene here and there, and overall.. I was gripped and on the edge of my seat dying (although not literally) to know what happens next.

My biggest disappointment? That I have to wait for the next one to come out.

This is a home-run if you are wanting a more adult “this is the end of the world!” type book. Until now, I honestly haven’t enjoyed a book of this type since reading Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.

[Carol Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love disaster movies - I think it has something to do with the way the survivors handle surviving. I love disaster/post-apocalyptic books even more, so it's safe to say I loved this book.

Fallen grabs you from the very beginning and only reluctantly lets you go at the end. Emma and her young daughter Mandy have been separated from the rest of their family by a very unnatural, world-wide disaster - a lethal mist that seems to come out of nowhere seeking metals to ingest, even the metals in humans.

One of the side effects of the mysterious mist that's enveloped the world - killing some people outright and sending others into madness - it the development of psychic abilities. Young Mandy is able to see shadows of those who lived before. Emma can heal with a touch. Others have even more amazing abilities.

We see this story through Emma's eyes and she doesn't pull any punches. When she first meets Arthur, she does what she needs to survive. As time goes by however, she becomes closer to Arthur than she ever expected. I love Emma, she is strong and determined, and not afraid to do what needs to be done. Though I think she should have shared her secret with Arthur sooner, it's not anything they couldn't overcome. Arthur's secret, however, is a different story. Although he did warn her in the very beginning: "I'm not . . . not a good bet. I've done things."

I read this book slowly, which is very unusual for me, because it's so rich in detail that I didn't want to miss a thing, but at the same time it never stops moving, it's packed full of action. And while the descriptions of the fighting are vivid, they're never overly graphic - there's never the gratuitous gore you find in so many post-apocalyptic novels.

[Annette M Guerriero Nishimoto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today's review is on Fallen (After) by Traci L. Slatton

Because I'm not a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic and/or dystopian genres, I was a bit hesitant to read Fallen. But once I got started there was nothing that could have kept me from finishing this fantastically written story. Packed with danger and excitement, twists and turns, and an amazing love story, Fallen is one of those books that you just have to have!

A strange mist has destroyed most of the earth and has killed millions of people. Those that have survived move from place to place trying to avoid the poisonous gas while scavenging for food, clothing, and shelter. They also try to avoid the hostile bands of rogues and those people who have been driven to madness.

Along the way Emma, and her young daughter Mandy, rescue several children. And though they are doing well enough for themselves, Emma needs to find a "safe" haven for her "family". She needs more than just her to protect all ten of them. So when a group of men ride into the town she is currently in, she singles out the leader and offers up herself in exchange for their safety. She had no way to know that in making this decision, she would face unparalleled danger from Russians and cannibal rogue's and could find, quite possibly the greatest love she has ever known.

Though Arthur is good at protecting the men in his camp and wants to rebuild a better world, will he be able to face the ramifications of what he's done in the past? More importantly, will Emma?

Fallen is an intense and wondrous ride that you won't want to end. Thank goodness book two, Cold Light is already out! Please Traci, write book three quickly!!

5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon

[Erica Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Fallen a long time ago but have never gotten around to writing its review. The first thing I will say is I almost gave up on this book. I really was not into in the beginning, but I figured I would give it 100 pages and if I still hated it I would move on. Well there hit a point and I was sucked in. This book is a story about the world post end of days. It centers around a mother who is traveling with her own daughter, and several other children she has picked up along the way. Each child seems to have a special ability (well everyone does it is a side effect of whatever brought the end of the world as they knew it). She comes across a tribe of men and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her band of children safe. This quickly turns into a love story, but it much more than that. It is a love story and a story of survival. What I think I loved most as although it was a love story, it wasn't your simple boy meets girl. It was much more complicated than that. The main character was still technically married and didn't know if her husband was alive or not, the man she fell for may or may not have helped bring about the end of the world, and there is the constant threat of death and destruction at every corner. It really picked up and was a nice quick read. It is part of a planned trilogy and I am eagerly awaiting the other two books. Although not a five out of five definitely a solid four out of five in the ratings and a great quick read.