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Hearing Red
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9798988226031
In a world overrun by an unprecedented outbreak, two young women find themselves on opposite sides of the struggle for survival.
Saff, a determined new doctor in the first year of her internship, had clawed her way out of a tumultuous past, only to be dragged back into it when the zombie outbreak hits. Forced to join her estranged father and his band of raiders, she’s confronted with the harsh reality that desperation can make monsters out of anyone—even her.
Maddie, on the other hand, lived a surprisingly easy life after the zombies first appeared, safe behind the walls of the community at her parent’s lake house. That is, until they’re attacked, and she’s ripped away from everything she’s known. Now, she’ll do anything to make it back to her family.
And when Saff’s father dies, she finally has the chance she’s been waiting for. The chance to escape. But only if she can steal the medication she desperately needs and survive long enough to get to safety.
With both girls fighting their way to stay alive day by day, in a world where every circumstance is against them, they realize that maybe travelling together can help them both get what they need.
But Maddie doesn’t know Saff’s secret. She doesn’t know where she came from—what she was. And Saff will do anything, especially lie, to get the medication she needs.
The absolute last thing she needs is to fall for some smart ass rich girl who will get in the way of that.
In a world overrun by an unprecedented outbreak, two young women find themselves on opposite sides of the struggle for survival.
Saff, a determined new doctor in the first year of her internship, had clawed her way out of a tumultuous past, only to be dragged back into it when the zombie outbreak hits. Forced to join her estranged father and his band of raiders, she’s confronted with the harsh reality that desperation can make monsters out of anyone—even her.
Maddie, on the other hand, lived a surprisingly easy life after the zombies first appeared, safe behind the walls of the community at her parent’s lake house. That is, until they’re attacked, and she’s ripped away from everything she’s known. Now, she’ll do anything to make it back to her family.
And when Saff’s father dies, she finally has the chance she’s been waiting for. The chance to escape. But only if she can steal the medication she desperately needs and survive long enough to get to safety.
With both girls fighting their way to stay alive day by day, in a world where every circumstance is against them, they realize that maybe travelling together can help them both get what they need.
But Maddie doesn’t know Saff’s secret. She doesn’t know where she came from—what she was. And Saff will do anything, especially lie, to get the medication she needs.
The absolute last thing she needs is to fall for some smart ass rich girl who will get in the way of that.
536 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2024
1256 people are currently reading
13208 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,210 reviews
April 16, 2024
Sapphic Walking Dead ... I'm sold!
Only downfall is that this book isn't 1000 pages long because I couldn't get enough of Maddie and Saff.
Only downfall is that this book isn't 1000 pages long because I couldn't get enough of Maddie and Saff.
May 12, 2024
4.75 🌟This right here is the blueprint for my kind of slowburn ✨
The pacing was so masterfully done, there was not a single moment that felt rushed even when it picked up in the second half. The book took it’s time to build the characters up before anything significant happened between them which made their chemistry even more electrifying ❤️⚡️
While the writing itself didn’t blow my mind, I really liked Maddie’s pov. Because she was visually impaired, her pov focused on sounds, touchs and her feelings and thoughts. I found that it created an even better imagery than Saff’s pov! I was also impressed by the way that her visual impairment was never seen as a burden or a defining characteristic by herself or any other characters 👑
And there is something that I found really interesting with the writing, there was very minimal description of appearances, like almost none! If the two main characters were not on the cover, I would probably not able to imagine how they look like from the book, and I have 0 clue on how everyone else looks. So, it was a bit hard to get my head cinema going at times.
The storyline was gripping (sometimes too gripping honestly, I was STRESSED 🥲) and contributed to Maddie’s and Saff’s relationship progress. Ugh I love them both so fiercely ❤️ They saved each other again and again, and it created such a strong bond between them 🫶
This is one of those fictional relationships that I think would last through anything thrown at them (including a zombie apocalypse obvy 🧟♀️)
The pacing was so masterfully done, there was not a single moment that felt rushed even when it picked up in the second half. The book took it’s time to build the characters up before anything significant happened between them which made their chemistry even more electrifying ❤️⚡️
While the writing itself didn’t blow my mind, I really liked Maddie’s pov. Because she was visually impaired, her pov focused on sounds, touchs and her feelings and thoughts. I found that it created an even better imagery than Saff’s pov! I was also impressed by the way that her visual impairment was never seen as a burden or a defining characteristic by herself or any other characters 👑
And there is something that I found really interesting with the writing, there was very minimal description of appearances, like almost none! If the two main characters were not on the cover, I would probably not able to imagine how they look like from the book, and I have 0 clue on how everyone else looks. So, it was a bit hard to get my head cinema going at times.
The storyline was gripping (sometimes too gripping honestly, I was STRESSED 🥲) and contributed to Maddie’s and Saff’s relationship progress. Ugh I love them both so fiercely ❤️ They saved each other again and again, and it created such a strong bond between them 🫶
This is one of those fictional relationships that I think would last through anything thrown at them (including a zombie apocalypse obvy 🧟♀️)
March 28, 2025
**'Putting those narrative thoughts on paper can sometimes be a detriment, literally. But if you're being specific, knowledgeable and a little impersonal then your storytelling will surely be accepting..'
4.5 stars!
It's long but really good zombie-ish plotline -- think a little like 'The Walking Dead': well-developed romance, nicely fleshed-out secondary & supporting characters,well-paced and even well written.
Highly recommended book!
4.5 stars!
It's long but really good zombie-ish plotline -- think a little like 'The Walking Dead': well-developed romance, nicely fleshed-out secondary & supporting characters,well-paced and even well written.
Highly recommended book!
September 13, 2024
All, All The Stars!!! ✨ ✨
What an emotional journey—from the first to last page! 🙌🏾 ❤️💔
What an emotional journey—from the first to last page! 🙌🏾 ❤️💔
September 20, 2025
Let’s go lesbians, let’s go! This is perfect for sapphic The Walking Dead fans.
Give me zombies, romance, and a slight enemies to lovers storyline and I’m here for it.
I was worried that this would be too fluff / romance centric but Maser does a brilliant job of mixing romance with action that is apt for the dystopian environment.
The story kept me gripped the whole way and I breezed through it in two days. Not only is the romance this captivating slowburn but the story of survival around that was fast paced and gripping.
And yes- it even has a dash of spice.
Rep// Sapphic Asthmatic MC, Sapphic Blind MC. Romance featured is sapphic / WLW.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// death of parent (past), parental abandonment (past), death during labour (off page), burns, fire, explosives, guns and bullet injuries, lack of access to medication in a dystopian setting, sex on page.
Give me zombies, romance, and a slight enemies to lovers storyline and I’m here for it.
I was worried that this would be too fluff / romance centric but Maser does a brilliant job of mixing romance with action that is apt for the dystopian environment.
The story kept me gripped the whole way and I breezed through it in two days. Not only is the romance this captivating slowburn but the story of survival around that was fast paced and gripping.
And yes- it even has a dash of spice.
Rep// Sapphic Asthmatic MC, Sapphic Blind MC. Romance featured is sapphic / WLW.
TW’s listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw// death of parent (past), parental abandonment (past), death during labour (off page), burns, fire, explosives, guns and bullet injuries, lack of access to medication in a dystopian setting, sex on page.
February 5, 2025
This had potential to 4-5 star, and i'm going to be kind and round up to 4, but I'm also going to be honest as well, because I don't know how to not do that.
Amazing things about this book:
-Blind MC
-Realistic struggles
-The writing is good, the dialogue flowed and felt pretty natural
-No instalove/insta attraction
-A connection between two women that feels 100% realistic
-Great Sapphic rep, with a... I'm not sure if I'd call it slow burn, but it took them awhile to realise their feelings which was really nice.
-Enjoyable MC's
-You wanted these MC's to get together
-Good time to build the connection
Irritating things about this book:
-Felt 144 pages too long
-At times, veeeeeeeeeery repetitive
-"But she didn't have the energy" written twice on the same page.
-Some basic editing/removal of large parts that didn't add anything to the story should have been removed.
-Basic plot was basic-ing so hard. Books do not need to reinvent the wheel.... I am aware of that. But other than the sapphic and blind MC addition to this, NOTHING ORIGINAL was done here, i'm sorry.
-Saff's asthma seemed to absolutely fucking ruin her one minute, and then disappear for chapters at a time.
-Repetitive scenes but with different characters. Did we NEED two scenes of characters falling in the river crossing??
-COMPLETE lack of zombies..... considering it's a book........ about zombies........
Take 1 basic plot of any basic zombie movie ever produced and put some lesbians in it.
✨Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa✨
But also, did love Saff and Maddie alot still.
I just felt conflicted.
I feel this would make a better movie than it did a book?
The word 'folds" can fold off the face of the planet, never to be seen again because 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
Amazing things about this book:
-Blind MC
-Realistic struggles
-The writing is good, the dialogue flowed and felt pretty natural
-No instalove/insta attraction
-A connection between two women that feels 100% realistic
-Great Sapphic rep, with a... I'm not sure if I'd call it slow burn, but it took them awhile to realise their feelings which was really nice.
-Enjoyable MC's
-You wanted these MC's to get together
-Good time to build the connection
Irritating things about this book:
-Felt 144 pages too long
-At times, veeeeeeeeeery repetitive
-"But she didn't have the energy" written twice on the same page.
-Some basic editing/removal of large parts that didn't add anything to the story should have been removed.
-Basic plot was basic-ing so hard. Books do not need to reinvent the wheel.... I am aware of that. But other than the sapphic and blind MC addition to this, NOTHING ORIGINAL was done here, i'm sorry.
-Saff's asthma seemed to absolutely fucking ruin her one minute, and then disappear for chapters at a time.
-Repetitive scenes but with different characters. Did we NEED two scenes of characters falling in the river crossing??
-COMPLETE lack of zombies..... considering it's a book........ about zombies........
Take 1 basic plot of any basic zombie movie ever produced and put some lesbians in it.
✨Tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa✨
But also, did love Saff and Maddie alot still.
I just felt conflicted.
I feel this would make a better movie than it did a book?
The word 'folds" can fold off the face of the planet, never to be seen again because 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
November 19, 2025
“I don’t think I can leave you.”
I didn't want it to end! God, I loved Saff and Maddie and their whole journey together. The pacing was excellent and it had the perfect blend of romance, angst and action.
I'm already looking forward to a re-read.
I didn't want it to end! God, I loved Saff and Maddie and their whole journey together. The pacing was excellent and it had the perfect blend of romance, angst and action.
I'm already looking forward to a re-read.
September 23, 2025
I kept postponing reading it... and hot damn... I couldn't put it down.
It's basically 1 am and 100% awake from the adrenaline. Oef the suspence!!!
It's basically 1 am and 100% awake from the adrenaline. Oef the suspence!!!
December 5, 2025
How did I wait so long to read this book?! I have no words. I can’t think. I just absolutely loved it. And I don’t even like zombie stuff!!! Thats it. That’s all I have in me from that wonderful, wild, wow factor story.
May 8, 2025
"Time seemed to slow, and with each passing moment, it felt as if the wounds deep in their souls were tangling together, healing each other with every touch."
Noooooo... I'm so disappointed!! 😢 I was really in the mood for a good sapphic read and had high hopes for this. Especially because it was giving The Last of Us TV series vibes and I'm totally into the new season that just came out! Goodreads, I enjoy a slow burn. But this book was like the author never even lit the match for the book to burn. At 537 pages, it could have easily been half that. Simply put, it was boring, repetitive, and didn't get a little interesting until the 75% mark. But unfortunately, by then my interest and attention had already cashed out because I had waited so long, I honestly didn't care what happened. Which is a shame because this story could have been amazing.
Noooooo... I'm so disappointed!! 😢 I was really in the mood for a good sapphic read and had high hopes for this. Especially because it was giving The Last of Us TV series vibes and I'm totally into the new season that just came out! Goodreads, I enjoy a slow burn. But this book was like the author never even lit the match for the book to burn. At 537 pages, it could have easily been half that. Simply put, it was boring, repetitive, and didn't get a little interesting until the 75% mark. But unfortunately, by then my interest and attention had already cashed out because I had waited so long, I honestly didn't care what happened. Which is a shame because this story could have been amazing.
October 5, 2025
Did I expect to love it so much? Absolutely not. Zombie anything isn’t my cup of tea because all the gore is...yuck. I’m glad I gambled on the book because it was so good, and definitely not yuck. I’m expanding my vocabulary...
Initially, Saff and Maddie agreed to stick together because it would be mutually beneficial for them, and it would only be temporary. Well, that's what it was supposed to be before the reasons for staying together changed over time. I thought a slow burn was needed in this case, and it was executed perfectly even though a small part of me died a little more inside. Saff and Maddie had strong personalities and at times were both stubborn, but I thought it added to their charm. Saff was tough and rough around the edges, but a complete marshmallow when it came to Maddie even though she tried to play it off. Maddie was caring and able to see past the grump that Saff presented to everyone. I loved that they were so fiercely protective of each other and I couldn’t get enough of the banter.
Thankfully, the attention to detail was in setting the scene of the post-apocalyptic world and not in when the infected decided to grab a bite to eat. Gross. I loved those two, and I swear even the infected rooted for them almost as much as I did! I’m glad this was another buddy read with Stuffl. Overall, the sapphic romance, well-developed characters, and suspense made this a page-turner for me. I highly recommend giving it a read.
Initially, Saff and Maddie agreed to stick together because it would be mutually beneficial for them, and it would only be temporary. Well, that's what it was supposed to be before the reasons for staying together changed over time. I thought a slow burn was needed in this case, and it was executed perfectly even though a small part of me died a little more inside. Saff and Maddie had strong personalities and at times were both stubborn, but I thought it added to their charm. Saff was tough and rough around the edges, but a complete marshmallow when it came to Maddie even though she tried to play it off. Maddie was caring and able to see past the grump that Saff presented to everyone. I loved that they were so fiercely protective of each other and I couldn’t get enough of the banter.
Thankfully, the attention to detail was in setting the scene of the post-apocalyptic world and not in when the infected decided to grab a bite to eat. Gross. I loved those two, and I swear even the infected rooted for them almost as much as I did! I’m glad this was another buddy read with Stuffl. Overall, the sapphic romance, well-developed characters, and suspense made this a page-turner for me. I highly recommend giving it a read.
February 15, 2025
Okay wow, I can't believe I waited this long to finally read this. This one is worthy of all the hype. I loved the main and side characters, the slow burn romance, the connection between the leads, and the overall vividness of the world the author created. I'm an instant fan, and will now follow her work closely.
December 31, 2024
This was exactly the kind of engrossing distraction I needed. I love Saff and Maddie and their beautiful love for one another.
I didn’t give it a full 5 stars because, at times, the angst dragged on a bit too long for me, and it was just too much for my tender heart to bear.
That said, Lori Prince delivered one of her best performances ever in this audiobook—and that’s really saying something because she’s always brilliant. She deserves ALL the stars. Her narration brought the story and characters to life in such a vivid and compelling way that I felt every emotion and fell deep into the book every time I picked it back up.
The perfect book for me to end 2024 on.
I didn’t give it a full 5 stars because, at times, the angst dragged on a bit too long for me, and it was just too much for my tender heart to bear.
That said, Lori Prince delivered one of her best performances ever in this audiobook—and that’s really saying something because she’s always brilliant. She deserves ALL the stars. Her narration brought the story and characters to life in such a vivid and compelling way that I felt every emotion and fell deep into the book every time I picked it back up.
The perfect book for me to end 2024 on.
January 10, 2025
ETA after audiobook re-read: LORI PRINCE’S PERFORMANCE MAKES THIS EVEN BETTER!! Bumping up a star because damn. She is good I
And I almost cried a few times.
ohh i loved this!! both MCs were lovable and fantastic and their dynamic was so good. i reaaaaaly fell in love with maddie, in particular, but i adored them both. the secondary characters, esp/mainly, maddie's family were great, and it has everything you could want from a zombie, road trip, sapphic romance novel. really great.
And I almost cried a few times.
ohh i loved this!! both MCs were lovable and fantastic and their dynamic was so good. i reaaaaaly fell in love with maddie, in particular, but i adored them both. the secondary characters, esp/mainly, maddie's family were great, and it has everything you could want from a zombie, road trip, sapphic romance novel. really great.
April 16, 2024
wow! This was one of the best books I've read this year with a perfect slow burn. I couldn't put the book down, especially towards the end I was literally at the edge of my seat.
October 9, 2025
I haven't read that many post apocalyptic novels and I've read even less zombie novels. With that being said, I loved this book and devoured it (no pun intended) with a passion. I loved the dynamic of the two MCs and couldn't get enough of them together. The book definitely kept me on edge with still enough breathers to have some solid character development.
April 20, 2024
4 Stars
Picture this, I was in a theme park when I read the remaining 7% of the book and I was full on crying - tissue, noisily blowing my nose and free flowing tears in the middle of families with noisy kids and nosier adults. With that reaction, I conclude that the author was spot on with pacing and characterisation.
The plot wasn’t bad either. It stays on point with most zombie apocalypse stories. With that type of subject, it falls on the characters and maybe twists to make the story memorable and stand out. The author definitely made this story different and with that up their sleeve, the slooooowwww burn was worth it.
Picture this, I was in a theme park when I read the remaining 7% of the book and I was full on crying - tissue, noisily blowing my nose and free flowing tears in the middle of families with noisy kids and nosier adults. With that reaction, I conclude that the author was spot on with pacing and characterisation.
The plot wasn’t bad either. It stays on point with most zombie apocalypse stories. With that type of subject, it falls on the characters and maybe twists to make the story memorable and stand out. The author definitely made this story different and with that up their sleeve, the slooooowwww burn was worth it.
March 21, 2025
The biggest strength of this novel is the dynamic between the two main characters — it’s a brilliant idea, and it works so well.
I knew nothing about the book going in, except that it had something to do with zombies, so I won’t say more than what I knew myself when I started reading. But seriously, what a great character Maddie is.
My reading experience was a bit difficult, because this isn’t really my usual style — I typically read to unwind, and I’ll admit that certain scenes (which I won’t spoil) really shook me. 💣 (really really really ) especially since I truly had no idea what to expect going in.
But yes, I’m giving it 5 stars, because I couldn’t put it down. The story was compelling, and the romance was genuinely touching and beautiful.
I knew nothing about the book going in, except that it had something to do with zombies, so I won’t say more than what I knew myself when I started reading. But seriously, what a great character Maddie is.
My reading experience was a bit difficult, because this isn’t really my usual style — I typically read to unwind, and I’ll admit that certain scenes (which I won’t spoil) really shook me. 💣 (really really really ) especially since I truly had no idea what to expect going in.
But yes, I’m giving it 5 stars, because I couldn’t put it down. The story was compelling, and the romance was genuinely touching and beautiful.
March 23, 2025
[1.5 stars rounded up]
I wish I had known going in that this was primarily a romance, instead of an action/adventure with romance.
If I had to sum up Hearing Red in just one word that would be... Derivative. No one is reinventing the wheel here, that's for sure. Not that I think it's strictly necessary, in zombie fiction, but still...
Its meta awareness of its place in the zombie apocalypse genre was kind of a let down. There is no time whatsoever dedicated to worldbuilding, nothing is established, the book just assumes you've seen The Walking Dead and know the drill. How long ago did the outbreak happen? How did it happen? When or where exactly did it start? Anything special about this particular brand of zombies? No? Alright then.
Speaking of which, I don't strictly love that zombies are called "zombies", immediately drawing from that pocket of pop culture in quite a genre-savvy way - I feel like it evokes a certain level of camp and self-awareness that I'm not sure was the vibe here. And yet... the characters manage to be be the absolute LEAST genre-savvy you could imagine. The second the book described Tyler scratching at his ankle I knew he was infected. Yet for Saff it takes him falling over and throwing up blood to even begin to suspect something might be off. Really? Not even a question? "Are you infected"? I thought the zombie apocalypse had been going on for a while, shouldn't this be standard practice? How long have you lived in the apocalypse again??? Right, we don't know.
I suppose that the characters are supposed to be the real stars of the show, and to some degree they are. I have to admit that after a weird start, the developing relationship really started to grow on me. The problem is that there is so much time dedicated to their domesticity and the ins and outs of daily life in the apocalypse that I found myself bored out of my mind half the time. Where are the zombies in this zombie book??? After a while it all really started to feel like an excuse to write forced proximity. Which, sure, go off, but I wish the book had be marketed as such. This is more of a romance than it is anything else, and I don't really vibe with the genre.
The writing goes from plain to...bad? I noticed repetitions and lacking syntax even in audio form. I'm told the written version is full of punctuation and spelling errors or typos. I would say this needed an extra round of editing, but to be honest I don't really know if it ever got one at all.
I also understand that the cover is AI generated. I only became aware of this midway through the book, which was a book club pick. Had I known it I would have advised against the choice. I docked a full star from the rating for this alone. I understand indie publishing is hard and costly, but this feels like cutting corners to get an unpolished, half baked book out. I don't think I'll be supporting this author going forward.
I wish I had known going in that this was primarily a romance, instead of an action/adventure with romance.
If I had to sum up Hearing Red in just one word that would be... Derivative. No one is reinventing the wheel here, that's for sure. Not that I think it's strictly necessary, in zombie fiction, but still...
Its meta awareness of its place in the zombie apocalypse genre was kind of a let down. There is no time whatsoever dedicated to worldbuilding, nothing is established, the book just assumes you've seen The Walking Dead and know the drill. How long ago did the outbreak happen? How did it happen? When or where exactly did it start? Anything special about this particular brand of zombies? No? Alright then.
Speaking of which, I don't strictly love that zombies are called "zombies", immediately drawing from that pocket of pop culture in quite a genre-savvy way - I feel like it evokes a certain level of camp and self-awareness that I'm not sure was the vibe here. And yet... the characters manage to be be the absolute LEAST genre-savvy you could imagine. The second the book described Tyler scratching at his ankle I knew he was infected. Yet for Saff it takes him falling over and throwing up blood to even begin to suspect something might be off. Really? Not even a question? "Are you infected"? I thought the zombie apocalypse had been going on for a while, shouldn't this be standard practice? How long have you lived in the apocalypse again??? Right, we don't know.
I suppose that the characters are supposed to be the real stars of the show, and to some degree they are. I have to admit that after a weird start, the developing relationship really started to grow on me. The problem is that there is so much time dedicated to their domesticity and the ins and outs of daily life in the apocalypse that I found myself bored out of my mind half the time. Where are the zombies in this zombie book??? After a while it all really started to feel like an excuse to write forced proximity. Which, sure, go off, but I wish the book had be marketed as such. This is more of a romance than it is anything else, and I don't really vibe with the genre.
The writing goes from plain to...bad? I noticed repetitions and lacking syntax even in audio form. I'm told the written version is full of punctuation and spelling errors or typos. I would say this needed an extra round of editing, but to be honest I don't really know if it ever got one at all.
I also understand that the cover is AI generated. I only became aware of this midway through the book, which was a book club pick. Had I known it I would have advised against the choice. I docked a full star from the rating for this alone. I understand indie publishing is hard and costly, but this feels like cutting corners to get an unpolished, half baked book out. I don't think I'll be supporting this author going forward.
October 4, 2025
I never would have thought that I would enjoy a sapphic romance in a zombie world. Oh my God, it was so good! Sometimes you just need someone with excellent taste in books to buddy read with. Thank you, Luna!!
The world is in chaos. Since the outbreak of an infection that turns people into zombies, nothing is the same anymore. Saff is traveling with looters, trying to escape them, when she meets Maddie. At first, they form a partnership of convenience, but soon it develops into something more.
Saff and Maddie are quite different. Saff in particular seemed very hardened, and it was nice to see Maddie gradually breaking down the walls around Saff. Maddie was simply amazing. Her humor and patience were admirable. The connection between the two was very special and provided some light and hope in these dark times. It was exciting, and I won't deny that I cried my eyes out. I fought, hoped, and cheered for them.
The writing was incredibly great and drew me deep into the story after just the first few chapters. The descriptions of the abandoned cities, the chaos, and the devastation were so detailed that I could picture everything very clearly. The pace was also great, and I enjoyed it very much.
This book totally surprised me and made it difficult to put down. At first, I was afraid that the action and the zombies would be more in the foreground. But that wasn't the case. I would even say that the romance between Maddie and Saff was the clear focus of this book.
Highly recommended—even by a softie like me!
The world is in chaos. Since the outbreak of an infection that turns people into zombies, nothing is the same anymore. Saff is traveling with looters, trying to escape them, when she meets Maddie. At first, they form a partnership of convenience, but soon it develops into something more.
Saff and Maddie are quite different. Saff in particular seemed very hardened, and it was nice to see Maddie gradually breaking down the walls around Saff. Maddie was simply amazing. Her humor and patience were admirable. The connection between the two was very special and provided some light and hope in these dark times. It was exciting, and I won't deny that I cried my eyes out. I fought, hoped, and cheered for them.
The writing was incredibly great and drew me deep into the story after just the first few chapters. The descriptions of the abandoned cities, the chaos, and the devastation were so detailed that I could picture everything very clearly. The pace was also great, and I enjoyed it very much.
This book totally surprised me and made it difficult to put down. At first, I was afraid that the action and the zombies would be more in the foreground. But that wasn't the case. I would even say that the romance between Maddie and Saff was the clear focus of this book.
Highly recommended—even by a softie like me!
June 21, 2025
I watched a few seasons of the walking dead, but I ended up being disgusted by humans more than zombies. The feeling here lingered but was quickly shadowed by Maddie and Saff’s story. I was hooked from page one and savored their whole journey. The relationship is slowly developed as it should be, in a world where survival is obviously the number one priority. I really liked that Maddie is a blind character, forcing the writer to describe her POV through noise, smell or touch. I liked that Saff never once underestimate her and that never treated her as a weight. Saff’s past made her a really layered and an attaching character. I thought the books was well paced and I was never bored. Overall, hearing red is well balanced with suspence, action and romance. Itight not be super original, but I had a great time listening to it.
June 9, 2024
Fantastic book.
Devoured it in two days and loved it very much.
Devoured it in two days and loved it very much.
June 16, 2024
To use Saffs words: it's fine.
April 30, 2025
This was my first sapphic zombie apocalypse book and I loved it.
I enjoyed Saff and Maddie so much - along with the side characters/main players. The playful banter and flirting between Saff and Maddie was really fun and cute. Their relationship had a nice slow build up which felt natural. The more they shared and grew closer in mental sense, the more they grew intimately and physically.
I would have loved to see a scene where Maddie asked to “see” Saff and had this intimate moment where she felt her facial features and that was a way to break down their guards but all of the touching and grabbing onto was so nice to see. Not just because of a “hey I’m seeing impaired and need help” sort of way but because of a “I’m really starting to grow strong feelings for you and I need to touch you” sort of way.
There were a lot of tense moments in the book and Nicole painted a fantastic picture of the bleak and uncertain world they lived it.
Definitely give this book a read.
I enjoyed Saff and Maddie so much - along with the side characters/main players. The playful banter and flirting between Saff and Maddie was really fun and cute. Their relationship had a nice slow build up which felt natural. The more they shared and grew closer in mental sense, the more they grew intimately and physically.
I would have loved to see a scene where Maddie asked to “see” Saff and had this intimate moment where she felt her facial features and that was a way to break down their guards but all of the touching and grabbing onto was so nice to see. Not just because of a “hey I’m seeing impaired and need help” sort of way but because of a “I’m really starting to grow strong feelings for you and I need to touch you” sort of way.
There were a lot of tense moments in the book and Nicole painted a fantastic picture of the bleak and uncertain world they lived it.
Definitely give this book a read.
May 29, 2024
I’m so sorry but what the fuck. The first EIGHT HUNDRED pages is THE SAME THING IVER AND OVER I might just be impatient but literally nothing is happening. I might come back to this a later time but I won’t rate it any higher than this, it had such good ratings I was suprised that it was so hard to get into. I read this genre all the time and my main issue was that every chapter was the exact same. Like no… we don’t need to know they brush their teeth and go to bed in a bunker everyday I ALREADY KNEW THAT???
June 12, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ for the ending. It made the book so much better.
Yeah it was pulp fiction but the slow burn and suspense kept me glued to it. For a new writer I think she did a great job on the last major scene before the epilogue type ending.
I hope to read more books by Maser in the future.
Yeah it was pulp fiction but the slow burn and suspense kept me glued to it. For a new writer I think she did a great job on the last major scene before the epilogue type ending.
I hope to read more books by Maser in the future.
May 9, 2025
I’m so glad Maser is working to replace the AI cover because I loved this book so much. The writing was so smooth and easy for me to read. I read it so much faster than I usually read books.
I love love loved the MCs and their grumpy/sunshine dynamic. And I’d die for Maddie, hundo p. I absolutely ATE up the bit where Maddie was jealous, nomnomnom, she was so cute.
I love love loved the MCs and their grumpy/sunshine dynamic. And I’d die for Maddie, hundo p. I absolutely ATE up the bit where Maddie was jealous, nomnomnom, she was so cute.
April 26, 2024
Lesbians + Zombies = a guaranteed hit. Right? Hell, you barely have to put in any effort!
At least, I think that's what happened here. First off, the story starts after the outbreak. This is fine, but you miss the perfect set-up for atmosphere and tension, plus you make more world-building and work for yourself. Well, Maser fails to gives us much of any of that. It's just lesbians and zombies, really. Plot is thin, character development is thin, it's all a little lacking. But that's just the start.
I noticed the punctuation first. Lots of missing or wrong punctuation. Okay, you skipped the editor, typical self-published shit. I hate it, but I tried to ignore it. But then came the spelling mistakes soon after. And not one or two, just repeating, page after page. Complete misuse of the English language! I know they weren't just simple mistakes, because she kept doing it, to the same words. My favorite, which I clocked twice within the first half of the book, was what should have been 'theirs' and was instead 'there's'. ..... Can we please have a moment of silence for the death of language and proper grammar?
I want to give kudos for having disability rep, I really do, especially in a zombie novel. As someone with health issues, I am quite sure (I've given it a disturbing amount of thought) I would be one of the first to die. But if you can't see the zombies?? Um, the already terrifying prospect just got a lot scarier. But Maddie was written well, in that respect, and as far as I know, medically accurate. It seems to be the one thing Maser put effort into! Why just that? No idea. But I will give credit where credit is due. Now if only that extended to the rest of the book! And I really wanted to see Maddie expanded upon more, as a character. This story would have had room to be fleshed out, and improved upon in the most bare minimum sense, if it had been at least two books.
At least, I think that's what happened here. First off, the story starts after the outbreak. This is fine, but you miss the perfect set-up for atmosphere and tension, plus you make more world-building and work for yourself. Well, Maser fails to gives us much of any of that. It's just lesbians and zombies, really. Plot is thin, character development is thin, it's all a little lacking. But that's just the start.
I noticed the punctuation first. Lots of missing or wrong punctuation. Okay, you skipped the editor, typical self-published shit. I hate it, but I tried to ignore it. But then came the spelling mistakes soon after. And not one or two, just repeating, page after page. Complete misuse of the English language! I know they weren't just simple mistakes, because she kept doing it, to the same words. My favorite, which I clocked twice within the first half of the book, was what should have been 'theirs' and was instead 'there's'. ..... Can we please have a moment of silence for the death of language and proper grammar?
I want to give kudos for having disability rep, I really do, especially in a zombie novel. As someone with health issues, I am quite sure (I've given it a disturbing amount of thought) I would be one of the first to die. But if you can't see the zombies?? Um, the already terrifying prospect just got a lot scarier. But Maddie was written well, in that respect, and as far as I know, medically accurate. It seems to be the one thing Maser put effort into! Why just that? No idea. But I will give credit where credit is due. Now if only that extended to the rest of the book! And I really wanted to see Maddie expanded upon more, as a character. This story would have had room to be fleshed out, and improved upon in the most bare minimum sense, if it had been at least two books.
May 20, 2024
Wow! What a ride! This was a ride I wouldn’t miss. A fantastic read that kept me on the edge more often than not. Love it! ❤️
August 31, 2025
5/5
Okay
Let's start by saying
Saff is a tough motherfucker 🤣
And it seems I'm out of my reader block . Thanks Nicole 🙂↕️
--- spoilers ---
The last 10% had me worried as hell— even though, some part of me knew they would survive, I still was clutching my head between my hands, every page filling my with dread.
I like the pacing of the book. It might be long but It felt right. I mean, if you are there surviving you don't really have time for romance.
Maddie character was splendid, I love her so much.
It amazed me that through all the book Maddie wasn't treated as a burden. Obviously, she had to deal with surviving in a different way but nor Saff or anyone tossed her aside.
I liked that.
Maddie accepting Saff past was also well done. She was struggling, having to come to terms with the fact the person she likes is what she also hates. However, despite her anger toward Saff, she realized her love/want was bigger and I honestly was glad they didn't make a bigger deal out of it.
It could have been more pages of Maddie being angry and ... Wait, Saff is not the type of character to grovel so I don't think I would have worked anyways.
!!
I wished Saff asthma issue and the amount of blows she received to the head were more important. We were always reminded of her asthma but aside from being her excuse to travel with Maddie, it wasn't really important.
Also! Either Saff has a rock instead of a head or that girl will develop some kind of cognitive problems because ain't no way anyone leave unscathed after that many hits.
Another thing I'd like to point out bc I loved it was how much Saff and Maddie cared about each other, it was heartwarming 😭😭 plz god when it's my turn
---
All in all, I had a such a nice time reading this story.
It's not perfect but for me was pretty close to!
Finally, a 5 star read !!
Okay
Let's start by saying
Saff is a tough motherfucker 🤣
And it seems I'm out of my reader block . Thanks Nicole 🙂↕️
--- spoilers ---
The last 10% had me worried as hell— even though, some part of me knew they would survive, I still was clutching my head between my hands, every page filling my with dread.
I like the pacing of the book. It might be long but It felt right. I mean, if you are there surviving you don't really have time for romance.
Maddie character was splendid, I love her so much.
It amazed me that through all the book Maddie wasn't treated as a burden. Obviously, she had to deal with surviving in a different way but nor Saff or anyone tossed her aside.
I liked that.
Maddie accepting Saff past was also well done. She was struggling, having to come to terms with the fact the person she likes is what she also hates. However, despite her anger toward Saff, she realized her love/want was bigger and I honestly was glad they didn't make a bigger deal out of it.
It could have been more pages of Maddie being angry and ... Wait, Saff is not the type of character to grovel so I don't think I would have worked anyways.
!!
I wished Saff asthma issue and the amount of blows she received to the head were more important. We were always reminded of her asthma but aside from being her excuse to travel with Maddie, it wasn't really important.
Also! Either Saff has a rock instead of a head or that girl will develop some kind of cognitive problems because ain't no way anyone leave unscathed after that many hits.
Another thing I'd like to point out bc I loved it was how much Saff and Maddie cared about each other, it was heartwarming 😭😭 plz god when it's my turn
---
All in all, I had a such a nice time reading this story.
It's not perfect but for me was pretty close to!
Finally, a 5 star read !!
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