The Fallout

by S. Everest

Thomas Diesel
Everything changed the night I turned eighteen. I was given a gift, an ability to save one person’s life with a kiss. Every bone in my body told me it wasn’t real, that it was all a joke. But when I saw her die right in front of me, I had one chance to see if it was all true.
And it was.

Anna Sunfield
Waking up in a stranger’s arms was surreal. My head throbbed, my body ached, but the man holding me somehow made me feel at peace. There was something about him that I couldn’t get out of my head, even in the days that followed. We were two souls suddenly aligned through my tragic event.

We were destined to meet, to connect, to love.

Until it all fell apart.

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2023

About the author

an author who firmly believes in italicized words and sentence fragments.

Reviews

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fallout
By: S. Everest
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Where do I start. S. Everest has a way with words that just sucks you in. Her writing is beautiful. Following the story of Anna and Thomas has made it nearly impossible to put this book down. It’s such a tear jerking, beautifully written masterpiece. Seeing all of the pain both Anna and Thomas have gone through and somehow manage to be pushed together by an almost catastrophic accident. Flawless. The ability Thomas has to just save Anna’s life is amazing… and then part two happens. In part two we come to figure out all of this was just a veil pulled over Thomas’s eyes. The truth comes out in the most beautiful but messed up way possible. As always S. Everest never disappoints. I’m excited to start the second book when I get the chance!

[Kayla Chitwood Harned · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
I wasn't prepared!! Everest warns us at the beginning of this story that it's not a HEA kind of story, but I wasn't prepared. The Fallout starts out strong and draws you in, but around the middle of the book, it began to lag for me for quite a bit, which is why I'm giving it 3.5 stars. With that being said, overall, I enjoyed reading this book.The plot twist and suspense at the end, though. That's where it was at.
Thank you to Booksirens for gifting me this book. My opinions and thoughts are my own and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[RebelLoveReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown Away!!

Amazing debut, sucked me in and still hasn’t let me go. One of the more gritty, emotional stories I’ve read in a long while

[tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love reading books with happily ever after endings but… books that don’t end in happily ever after are my absolute favorites. something about having your heart ripped out but in a twisted way gives me the satisfaction of a good book. the ending of the fallout was definitely bitter & I want more!! I thought picking up this pnr was going to be a fast read & sweet - i was wrong. the author’s writing style in my opinion was perfect. A lot of details but not overwhelming to create a visual storyline in my head & reading the ending gave me chills. it was a mix of dark romance, paranormal, and creeps. all the characters were well written & i loved both the mmc & fmc. the plot was what kept me going cause i had so many questions that needed to be answered. i forgot how much i love pnrs’ & this book reminded me why i love reading it. there was also some spice to it! definitely a twist & took me by surprise. one of my favorite reads this year! I can’t wait for the next book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a rite of passage, the night Thomas turns 18, his friends take him to the local strip club to celebrate. He received a gift that night, he thought it was a joke. Until the night he witnesses a hit and run. In his mind, Anna, our victim, is dying when he reaches her side. With one last attempt at saving her life, he leans down and kisses her. And that is where our love story begins.

“Life has a continuous flow, through us, through nature, through science, through the unexplainable.”

I was very unprepared for this story. It is not a romance with a happily ever after attached, in fact the author lets you know that right at the beginning of the story. It is an emotional ride, from both sides, as these two gravitate towards one another. Even knowing that the story was not going to end in an HEA, I desired that they would both grow from their love for one another, but there were still details that were not being revealed. Part two of this story will BLOW YOUR MIND and the story transformed and became a love story gone wrong. I was engaged with the story up until Part two, and then I was just horrified, as most will be. I understood where the author was going with this tale, but I have no words. If you are into dark romance, gothic tales, horror romance, or even like your stories a little strange, this might be the one for you.

TW/CW: Death, Cancer, Death of a parent, alcohol abuse, drunk driving, extreme violence/gore
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

S Everest is the Queen of mind fucks mixed in with religious aspects. I fell for her writing since reading Between and this book does not disappoint. She starts off with a warning that this book does not have an HEA and I thought I was prepared but I wasn't. That plot twist shook me to the core. I am hurt about how its all played out but I understand.

This book follows between Thomas and Anna's POV. The timetable in which the story is told is very back and forth from present day to past until eventually the past catches up with present day. Anna is a sweet thing and such an innocent bystander in all that's played. I felt for her because everything was so much out of her control. Thomas, however, I am in between he was not so bad and I want to throttle him. I loved him and Anna together. They are a beautiful match. But Thomas has some darkness in him and his actions very much made me want to throat punch him sometimes.

Eve and Thomas's dad are also people I would like to add to the list of people I want to punch. There weren't many genuine side characters and I think the point was to prove how deep corruption can go but at least there was one good one in Anna's beauty school friend. So I'm taking that as a win.

My mind is still in a bit of a whirlwind from this one but I definitely recommend this book. Just make sure to read the trigger warnings before reading and head the authors warning in the beginning seriously.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bikergirlauthor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read I liked the way how the author went from past to present to show the characters in their own little world.
Thomas who is the mmc of the book sees Anna getting hit by a car in the most horrific way possible to the point where she was nearly dying. A woman came to him on his birthday when he was celebrating in a club he goes into one of the rooms awaiting for one of the dancers to give him a dance. This woman in particular was a strange one but he thought nothing of the sort because of attractive she really was. The two of them engaged in a kiss where she bites his bottom lip, and explicitly tells Thomas that she has given him gift that in order to save a life he must kiss them as a result he kisses Anna who survives her accident.


I really liked the chemistry between the two love interests and their story together was riveting to read how it progressed through the book. And the spice was something else entirely. This book has some plot twists and a strong plot that kept me reading more.

[Afra Binte Azad · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Fallen" begins with a promising start, gripping readers with its deliciously intriguing premise. The plot, as a solitary entity, holds a great deal of interest, offering a narrative that combines elements of mystery and the paranormal aspects. The story can feel a bit jumbled and incoherent at times. The abrupt pacing shifts honestly didn't do any justice to the plot, and the intrigue that initially captivates readers also felt fizzled out in the middle. Fortunately, the story manages to redeem itself in the second part, coming back stronger and more captivating than before. The execution could have been better, but it's important to note that it doesn't fall into the realm of being a bad experience either. While it may not be flawless, it offers enough intrigue and potential to keep readers invested in its unfolding narrative.





I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Holy heck! This book was a wild ride, and I absolutely ate it up. This is my first ever non HEA and it delivered all I expected plus some. Whilst this didn't finish on a cliffhanger, it definitely left ample room to continue to series and see where this leads our MMC, Thomas. There was a beautiful amount of spice, and it was done tactfully, and the plot didn't disappoint either. Often it can be a careful balancing act between the two but this author did an amazing job delivering on both counts. The ending and its rollout, I didn't see coming - and that made it even more shocking. I cannot wait to read the next instalment!

[Paige Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential. The beginning starts off strong and really draws the reader in. The descriptions are so vivid and haunting. The in between was really slow and dense. There wasn’t enough dialogue and overall could have been bulked down. Some of the context was just overkill and repeated information of what was already established. The ending is where it really picked up again and peaked interest. We learn more about Eve/Laila’s character and how it ties in with Thomas’s gift given to him by her. Overall, this was a decent like-able read. The story was a nice combination of dark romance, paranormal and the occult. There was a nice twist where everything connected more clearly.

Thank you to BookSirens and S. Everest for this ARC!

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fucked me up for real.

I am so impressed that this is S. Everest’s debut novel. It is so so different and written so beautifully, and as someone who has read a LOT of dark books, this one came out of left field completely and had me wide eyed and jaw-dropped.

I don’t even know how to categorize this book. Did it have very romantic parts? Yes. But would it be fair for me to tell people that this is a romance…I don’t know. But holy hell. Thomas and Anna’s love was (…is?….) so so beautiful and they were each others’ rock. The plot twist had me by the neck and I truly don’t know how to process what I just read. All I know is I can’t wait to start the next book asap.

[chesirern · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fallout (The Veil book 1) by S Everest is a paranormal suspense story. I picked suspense because the whole story had me in sense of suspended belief trying to grasp what was going on. This was a very gripping novel. It was a hard read at first especially for someone who has experienced great loss. I found myself with many emotional moments throughout the beginning of the story.
Then it hits you and it’s a whole different story. It’s like the name of the series „The Veil“ and it’s gone. Suddenly this sweet sad tale is a whole new tale.
I enjoyed this book. Check tws but definitely give it a go!

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because the blurb pulled me in, and I read the sample first chapter before I decided to get it. But then I read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, and thought, 'oh, (expletive)' so I feel the need to warn you that this is not a Happily Ever After book. The story was good, intriguing even. It got creepy at the end, but overall, if I'd known the trigger warnings beforehand, even just that there is no HEA, I may have rated the book more favorably.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sailed through this book, and I’m ready to read the next one! I am someone who tends to get bored when I can figure out the plot, and I was NOT bored with this book! The main characters were well written, and I loved the format of the dual POV in the first part that helped fill in the back story while taking you through the present. This was definitely not a HEA, but it was perfect for spooky season and I am so glad I picked it up!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh my heart! S. Everest always causes all the feels when I read her books. I couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day because it is perfection. The way she has Thomas' POV in past tense to show how things led up to his meeting with Anna as well as how it impacted his present state of mind was done so well and it made their relationship that much more addicting to read about! Anna and Thomas were just perfect together! I'm usually all about the HEA, but this ending has me wanting more and I can't wait to read The First Blood.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was not what I was expecting. I figured with the name The Fallout, something bad would happen, but it was just a mostly normal romance with a supernatural twist.
I loved Anna and Thomas. They were both lost until they found one another and had such a great relationship, until the last part of the book.
I was really thrown for a loop and had a hard time putting this book down until I was done. Such a great ending and I look forward to the second book!

[Kristi Schatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!! I am so heartbroken right now, but I loved this book. From the very beginning, I was sucked in. The plot of the story was great, and then shit hit the fan!! I'm still shaking my head over it. Thomas what do I say, could that guy have any more bad luck, I don't think so, my heart aches for him, and I just want to throat punch Eve or Laila or you know who she is. I'm so invested in this story I can't wait for book 2. I hope I am able to arc read that one as well.

[❀Lysithea❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The atmosphere in this book was just breathtaking! This is the second time I've read a book from this author and it still gave off the same vibes I loved about the other book. On one side you feel like you are reading but on the other the book feels like something you could have dreamt somehow.
Be warned that this story will tear at your heartstrings but its definitely worth it!!


*I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[FlahertyRising · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark romance book with an ending that you should prepare your heart for - The Fallout was a wild ride with a bit of spice thrown in. Readers be warned, this is not a happily ever after book, and while that is normally my preference, I was able to take this ride and somewhat recover. The chemistry between the two main characters was something I liked watching grow throughout the story. I am excited about the next book and where it takes us!

[Faithanna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m received this book for free from booksirens. This book was amazing. The author made the time jumps easy to follow. You got to know each character and some of their backstory which was great. The plot twist at the end was completely unexpected. The spice for this book was really good. There was definitely a good balance between plot and spice. I cannot wait to read the second book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

I loved the two main characters. This authors writing is very easy to read and follow. The plot felt so compelling in that I honestly just wanted to know what was going to happen to them as it is not a HEA.
Not sure I’m going straight into book 2 because my spooky season TBR is distracting me.

[Kaylareadsallthetime · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wild! Like did not see what came, coming at all! Such a unique concept and I was here for it all. Absolutely loved Thomas! I was hooked on this book right away. 3 chapters in you're head is already spinning with so many things making you WANT MORE answers. More wtf is going on! Couldn't put it done. Check tws with this one. Onto book 2!

[Sydnie Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting one thiing and it ended up being a bit different than what I expected but in a good way. I appreciated all the dark elements that made this a great story and am very eager to continue learning about what is going to happen in the second book!

[Brianna Makae · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fallout
The Veil: Book 1
S. Everest
3/5 Stars
I was hooked just from reading the sample of this book. I believe it had all the makings of a very intriguing story.
However, all the parts of this story felt disjoined and very rushed. I didn’t feel connected to the characters, or the relationship between them. So when the twist happens at the end, I was more disgusted as apposed to the heart ache or empathy that I’m supposed to.
The ‘paranormal’ aspect, was such a small portion of this book, I’d hesitate to even put it in the genera. It’s a thriller, with a slight twist.
I finished this quite fast, and I did enjoy it as a book to read while waiting for the train, but I won’t be continuing to the next book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Smutty Demi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a compelling and beautiful way. Characters are well developed and the world-building is also nothing to complain about. The ending is bitter, so don't expect HEA, haha. Definitely recommended! I'm going to start on the second part.

[Lorraine Whiteley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowzer, this I did not expect. The twist and plot was set out brilliantly and I cannot wait to read the next book!! Absolutely riveting! I received an ARC and leave this review voluntarily.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF