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Burn
It’s the end of the world, and zombies are real… my love life should be the least of my worries.It all started with the Turning.
Nine months ago, everything went to hell. An injectable medicine touted as humanity’s savior turned one-third of the United States into ravenous monsters whose only vulnerability is fire. They killed more than a half of us, leaving the rest a group of shell-shocked survivors.
All we do now is band together in individual communities, working to push back against the lurkers — hooded, hungry creatures that lurk in the dark, eager to take a bite — and make it another day. Resources are scarce, and there is no one to help us. The government abandoned us all to the creatures. Phone and television and the outside world… they don’t exist.
Or do they?
After a tragedy in my settlement has me eager to leave, I’m willing to do anything to escape. Enter Maverick Brooks. A stranger with a suicidal plan to go after the lurkers head-on, he arrives at the Grave, stoic and mysterious, and looking for volunteers.
Of course I raise my hand.
My dad isn’t happy that I offer to go. Neither is Chase, but that is understandable. He wants me to stay so that we can talk about the night that changed everything between us. Only I… I can’t. We both need to forget it because there’s no way there can be anything between us at all.
Not when he was my dead twin’s fiancé.
Going on a dangerous mission with a stranger and killing as many monsters as I can in this dystopian world is a piece of cake compared to dealing with my love life…
***
The lurkers come at dusk.
The creatures live in the shadows and despise the light. Hooded, pale and ravenous, they lurk on the edge of the remaining encampments and settlements that used to be the United States, just waiting for the chance to feed. Fire is the only thing that can kill them—but first you have to get close enough to strike a match.
Alexandra Holden has fought her fair share of lurkers since the world went to hell and one-third of the population transformed into ruthless monsters, killing more than a half of the survivors those first few dark days. But when her twin sister is struck down during a routine flaming, she can't bring herself to blame the lurkers alone. And while her father pretends everything will be okay and Chase, her sister's fiancé, has even started to forgive her for the accident that killed his love, Xandra knows it was all her fault. And she'll do anything to make the guilt—and the haunting memory of Hallie—go away.
Even if it means she has to partner up with the first stranger she's met in close to a year. Because when Maverick Brooks breaks into their camp, talking about a wild plan that will lead to the destruction of the largest nest of lurkers on the East Coast, Xandra decides she is going with him. Whether her father, Mav, or... anyone at all thinks she should.
What happens next is a journey through a world she thought she knew, where the lurkers are supposedly the biggest threat—but torn between two very different men, Xandra would rather face off against the monsters than deal with her emotions and her past.
Too bad she's not going to have any choice about that.
* Burn is a dystopian/zombie romance told in 1st person POV. This is Xandra's story, and while it seems like there is a love triangle, she knows exactly who she belongs with -- even if it's the rest of this new world that barely makes sense to her.
Nine months ago, everything went to hell. An injectable medicine touted as humanity’s savior turned one-third of the United States into ravenous monsters whose only vulnerability is fire. They killed more than a half of us, leaving the rest a group of shell-shocked survivors.
All we do now is band together in individual communities, working to push back against the lurkers — hooded, hungry creatures that lurk in the dark, eager to take a bite — and make it another day. Resources are scarce, and there is no one to help us. The government abandoned us all to the creatures. Phone and television and the outside world… they don’t exist.
Or do they?
After a tragedy in my settlement has me eager to leave, I’m willing to do anything to escape. Enter Maverick Brooks. A stranger with a suicidal plan to go after the lurkers head-on, he arrives at the Grave, stoic and mysterious, and looking for volunteers.
Of course I raise my hand.
My dad isn’t happy that I offer to go. Neither is Chase, but that is understandable. He wants me to stay so that we can talk about the night that changed everything between us. Only I… I can’t. We both need to forget it because there’s no way there can be anything between us at all.
Not when he was my dead twin’s fiancé.
Going on a dangerous mission with a stranger and killing as many monsters as I can in this dystopian world is a piece of cake compared to dealing with my love life…
***
The lurkers come at dusk.
The creatures live in the shadows and despise the light. Hooded, pale and ravenous, they lurk on the edge of the remaining encampments and settlements that used to be the United States, just waiting for the chance to feed. Fire is the only thing that can kill them—but first you have to get close enough to strike a match.
Alexandra Holden has fought her fair share of lurkers since the world went to hell and one-third of the population transformed into ruthless monsters, killing more than a half of the survivors those first few dark days. But when her twin sister is struck down during a routine flaming, she can't bring herself to blame the lurkers alone. And while her father pretends everything will be okay and Chase, her sister's fiancé, has even started to forgive her for the accident that killed his love, Xandra knows it was all her fault. And she'll do anything to make the guilt—and the haunting memory of Hallie—go away.
Even if it means she has to partner up with the first stranger she's met in close to a year. Because when Maverick Brooks breaks into their camp, talking about a wild plan that will lead to the destruction of the largest nest of lurkers on the East Coast, Xandra decides she is going with him. Whether her father, Mav, or... anyone at all thinks she should.
What happens next is a journey through a world she thought she knew, where the lurkers are supposedly the biggest threat—but torn between two very different men, Xandra would rather face off against the monsters than deal with her emotions and her past.
Too bad she's not going to have any choice about that.
* Burn is a dystopian/zombie romance told in 1st person POV. This is Xandra's story, and while it seems like there is a love triangle, she knows exactly who she belongs with -- even if it's the rest of this new world that barely makes sense to her.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
8 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Lynch
21 books22 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
For other authors of this name, see:
see: Jessica Lynch - Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
For other authors of this name, see:
see: Jessica Lynch - Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 10, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It’s been a while since I had stumbled upon a good zombie apocalypse book and this one might actually be my favorite!
I loved the characters the plot twists the secrets and the romance everything was so well written I cannot wait for the next book especially after that ending! It was amazing!
I absolutely recommend this book to try out if you love zombie apocalypse, Plot twists, Badass FMC, Traumatised FMC, Good but also Badass MMC, Sectrets and Action!
I loved the characters the plot twists the secrets and the romance everything was so well written I cannot wait for the next book especially after that ending! It was amazing!
I absolutely recommend this book to try out if you love zombie apocalypse, Plot twists, Badass FMC, Traumatised FMC, Good but also Badass MMC, Sectrets and Action!
January 23, 2026
I have been in the mood for zombies for quite some time now. There's just something about a dystopian setting with those guys that make a book really intense. So when I came across this book, I was THRILLED to dive in.
Jessica did NOT disappoint. This book sucked me in immediately. Her zombies have a unique touch to them and I LOVED that part. Not only are there levels to these guys that make them rank from...WATCH OUT to RUN LIKE YOUR L!FE DEPENDS ON IT (well, because it does XD), but there is nothing simple or easy about them.
Then we've got the characters that all felt like their own unique voice -- even the feisty, sassy Xandra. She's also someone who has been dealing with a good chunk of tr@uma after a recent event took away someone from her that meant the world to her.
Then we have Maverick, who comes rolling into town with a request that anyone with common sense would balk at. Most did!
I LOVED getting a front row seat of what the world looked like outside of Xandra's home, especially when the world building was already so unique with the zombies. This book offers a perfect "what if?" possibility if this really did happen -- what we'd face in dystopian times. Because the zombies aren't the only thing to watch out for in this book.
I was on EDGE during this entire journey. Jessica threw some SERIOUS twists and turns at me. She even caused me to react out loud, too! (and I LOVE when an author gets me to do that!!)
We've got some steamy moments, we've got an endless supply of action and tension, and we have some MAJOR information to come to light! (IYKYK ;) ).
Jessica did an AMAZING job with this book. I can't wait to grab a paperback for future rereads and I can't WAIT for what comes next!!
(Obviously, I recommend this ;) )
Jessica did NOT disappoint. This book sucked me in immediately. Her zombies have a unique touch to them and I LOVED that part. Not only are there levels to these guys that make them rank from...WATCH OUT to RUN LIKE YOUR L!FE DEPENDS ON IT (well, because it does XD), but there is nothing simple or easy about them.
Then we've got the characters that all felt like their own unique voice -- even the feisty, sassy Xandra. She's also someone who has been dealing with a good chunk of tr@uma after a recent event took away someone from her that meant the world to her.
Then we have Maverick, who comes rolling into town with a request that anyone with common sense would balk at. Most did!
I LOVED getting a front row seat of what the world looked like outside of Xandra's home, especially when the world building was already so unique with the zombies. This book offers a perfect "what if?" possibility if this really did happen -- what we'd face in dystopian times. Because the zombies aren't the only thing to watch out for in this book.
I was on EDGE during this entire journey. Jessica threw some SERIOUS twists and turns at me. She even caused me to react out loud, too! (and I LOVE when an author gets me to do that!!)
We've got some steamy moments, we've got an endless supply of action and tension, and we have some MAJOR information to come to light! (IYKYK ;) ).
Jessica did an AMAZING job with this book. I can't wait to grab a paperback for future rereads and I can't WAIT for what comes next!!
(Obviously, I recommend this ;) )
October 17, 2025
Nice twist on post-apocalyptic zombie meets dystopia government.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews