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When Everything Ends
Practically a zombie, Bennett Larson has died and returned to life. Now his morals are much greyer and he’s suddenly dripping in wealth, power, and secrets that one woman is close to figuring out.
You get fame one of two ways.
You do something to earn it or you die more dramatically than you lived.
I did both, but wallflower perks—only one of those was noticed.
The day I died was the day I was truly born. I woke up from what I assumed would be my eternal slumber covered in a thick muck in the middle of the woods. It wasn't long afterward that I found out what I could do. The things I was capable of would lead me down a path I never wanted but quickly grew to like.
I liked all of it—the fame, the power, the money—right until I met her. Nothing I did worked. She was immune to my abilities. I should have let it go, but my curiosity got the best of me, and she had me right where she wanted me.
"This is such a unique and wildly good ride! Whenever I thought I might have the story figured out, I was proven wrong."
● a morally grey dark sci-fi romance
● mysterious, secretive, twisty
● tension and angst
● colliding personalities
● unconventional enemies to lovers
● a fake dating arrangement
● a dual point-of-view told in first AND second-person
You get fame one of two ways.
You do something to earn it or you die more dramatically than you lived.
I did both, but wallflower perks—only one of those was noticed.
The day I died was the day I was truly born. I woke up from what I assumed would be my eternal slumber covered in a thick muck in the middle of the woods. It wasn't long afterward that I found out what I could do. The things I was capable of would lead me down a path I never wanted but quickly grew to like.
I liked all of it—the fame, the power, the money—right until I met her. Nothing I did worked. She was immune to my abilities. I should have let it go, but my curiosity got the best of me, and she had me right where she wanted me.
"This is such a unique and wildly good ride! Whenever I thought I might have the story figured out, I was proven wrong."
● a morally grey dark sci-fi romance
● mysterious, secretive, twisty
● tension and angst
● colliding personalities
● unconventional enemies to lovers
● a fake dating arrangement
● a dual point-of-view told in first AND second-person
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2025
10 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
K.R. Brendlinger
6 books39 followersK.R. classifies her writing style as easy to digest and raw between the lines. Her stories are character-driven with the same packed and fast-paced pep as plot-driven stories.
K.R.'s undeniable Pisces energy emotionally steers her when the pen hits the paper, writing stories with realistic characters you can relate to and plots that submerge you.
Join the newsletter:
http://www.krbrendlinger.com
K.R.'s undeniable Pisces energy emotionally steers her when the pen hits the paper, writing stories with realistic characters you can relate to and plots that submerge you.
Join the newsletter:
http://www.krbrendlinger.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 3, 2023
The beginning I had a bit of a hard time keeping up with it, and kinda had me thinking do I want to finish.
But I pushed on. I've read plenty of books like that and I ended up loving them.
I wasn't so sure about the flow. It seemed to jump from past to present without warning, but once I really realized what was happening, I understood.
It's written as first person, but you're also a part of the story. At least from Bennett's POV. He acknowledges that your reading this book. Which is kinda cool. I found myself smiling at some of those moments where he's like, " Now don't fall in love with me."
Books that make me smile or laugh are just (chef's 💋).
Once there was more interaction between Cherry and Bennett, I was a goner. The tension between them was just uugghh. I was so on edge.
While I could guess Cherry was there for nefarious reasons, I was not expecting what happened, to happen. And I loved it. I loved being thrown for a loop.
And the addition of these characters at the end, I'm really interested to hear more about them. Where they go, how they got where they are. At least shifter. And the 🌶️ scenes. Gimme all the dark 🌶️ scenes.
But I pushed on. I've read plenty of books like that and I ended up loving them.
I wasn't so sure about the flow. It seemed to jump from past to present without warning, but once I really realized what was happening, I understood.
It's written as first person, but you're also a part of the story. At least from Bennett's POV. He acknowledges that your reading this book. Which is kinda cool. I found myself smiling at some of those moments where he's like, " Now don't fall in love with me."
Books that make me smile or laugh are just (chef's 💋).
Once there was more interaction between Cherry and Bennett, I was a goner. The tension between them was just uugghh. I was so on edge.
While I could guess Cherry was there for nefarious reasons, I was not expecting what happened, to happen. And I loved it. I loved being thrown for a loop.
And the addition of these characters at the end, I'm really interested to hear more about them. Where they go, how they got where they are. At least shifter. And the 🌶️ scenes. Gimme all the dark 🌶️ scenes.
January 23, 2023
This was one of my ARC reads and I loved this book. My first five stars for 2023! I don’t know what it was but the writing style captivated me from the very beginning. I’m not sure if the was combination of the writing style paired with this story that made it so unique and refreshing. Bennett is your lovable asshole and Cherry doesn’t take his shit. I’m not sure if this is going to be a series or not but if there is a book two, sign me up!!
January 23, 2023
This book was a little hard to follow and get into at first, but just a few chapters is and you are locked into it!! It absolutely turned around for the better and I was loving every second. I loved the dynamic that Bennett and Cherry had throughout
January 17, 2023
“She doesn’t run through the forest trying to slaughter all my demons. She’s out there trying to make friends with them.”
This was such a unique and wildly good ride! Every time I thought I might have the story figured out I was proven wrong.
Bennett is twenty different shades of morally grey-twenty might be undercutting it actually and our leading lady Cherry thrives off his darkness.
You read primarily from Bennett's POV with doses of Cherry's splashed throughout but for the most part...think of yourself as tagging along and witnessing B's inner voice and musings at an unfiltered level.
Thank you for allowing me to be one of your Arc readers, loved this!
This was such a unique and wildly good ride! Every time I thought I might have the story figured out I was proven wrong.
Bennett is twenty different shades of morally grey-twenty might be undercutting it actually and our leading lady Cherry thrives off his darkness.
You read primarily from Bennett's POV with doses of Cherry's splashed throughout but for the most part...think of yourself as tagging along and witnessing B's inner voice and musings at an unfiltered level.
Thank you for allowing me to be one of your Arc readers, loved this!
February 12, 2023
Going to try to avoid any spoilers!
Received an ARC for an honest review.
This book was initially challenging to follow. I think this book would best be read as a one-night binge. I enjoyed the breaking of the fourth wall but that made it a little tricky to always follow who was speaking and in what context.
Both characters are flawed and eventually both embrace that and lean into each other. Always a fan of morally gray. No cookie cutter characters here.
The overall plot is really interesting. The author set it up nicely for sequels and for other characters to have their own books.
(Also, a "Boondock Saints" reference? Always great.)
My biggest complaint was that I think the topics/experiences in this book needed more time. I'm glad there is a sequel because I'm definitely not done with these two. I would have read 500 pages to get to where book 1 ended. A lot was covered in under 250 pages. I think the author did a nice job making the characters really interesting during that amount of text but I think I would have felt a better connection to them, their history, and their relationship if more details had been provided.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The style is really unique. The twist is not something I saw coming (which is rare). Great debut from this author! I looked forward to picking up book 2.
Received an ARC for an honest review.
This book was initially challenging to follow. I think this book would best be read as a one-night binge. I enjoyed the breaking of the fourth wall but that made it a little tricky to always follow who was speaking and in what context.
Both characters are flawed and eventually both embrace that and lean into each other. Always a fan of morally gray. No cookie cutter characters here.
The overall plot is really interesting. The author set it up nicely for sequels and for other characters to have their own books.
(Also, a "Boondock Saints" reference? Always great.)
My biggest complaint was that I think the topics/experiences in this book needed more time. I'm glad there is a sequel because I'm definitely not done with these two. I would have read 500 pages to get to where book 1 ended. A lot was covered in under 250 pages. I think the author did a nice job making the characters really interesting during that amount of text but I think I would have felt a better connection to them, their history, and their relationship if more details had been provided.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The style is really unique. The twist is not something I saw coming (which is rare). Great debut from this author! I looked forward to picking up book 2.
March 4, 2025
While I initially struggled to get into this book I’m glad I stuck with it and finished it. I’m not a fan of the switching between narrations (first person, third person) and that made the story feel jumpy and hard to follow at first. However, the story was captivating and eventually I adjusted to the switching between first and third person and characters. I was constantly trying to figure out what happened and what was going to happen. The plot kept me hooked and I’m glad I finished this book.
February 17, 2023
A great debut
I’ve been tearing through this book and loving every second. It’s spicy, it’s intriguing, and I recommend you pick up a copy!
I’ve been tearing through this book and loving every second. It’s spicy, it’s intriguing, and I recommend you pick up a copy!
January 15, 2023
This was dark, and had you going "Whats going to happen next?"
I loved both main characters and how when it picks up - you dont have any idea whats happening but as the story continues you get all these bits and pieces and as the story comes together, you get the spice and the layers and all the small moments where you wanna laugh and you smile to yourself.
Enjoyed it for sure!!
I loved both main characters and how when it picks up - you dont have any idea whats happening but as the story continues you get all these bits and pieces and as the story comes together, you get the spice and the layers and all the small moments where you wanna laugh and you smile to yourself.
Enjoyed it for sure!!
February 7, 2025
No spoilers in this review- so it may not make sense but hopefully i can give you the gist of what your getting into. You def have to read it to understand what I am saying.
I had to think about the review for this book for a few days after finishing it. My rating for it is 3.75 which I suppose could be rounded to 4 since most sites don't do half or quarter stars. First, I will start by saying, this book is DARK sooo please read the trigger warnings. The author does not hold back and does a really good job at capturing the dark aspects of human nature. This may be a hard read for some people for that reason and it may be a hard reason for the simple fact that it kind of starts chaotic. It was all over the place but once I figured out what was happening with the writing style I was hooked. By the end of the book, the beginning made WAAAAY more sense and I actually really liked how the author wrote this book. I rated it lower because I was confused at times with the FMC and the way the story kind of jumped around at parts. BUT, I really couldn't stop reading it because I had to know what happened next. The development by the end of the book had me wanting more and I'd love to see what happens next.
I had to think about the review for this book for a few days after finishing it. My rating for it is 3.75 which I suppose could be rounded to 4 since most sites don't do half or quarter stars. First, I will start by saying, this book is DARK sooo please read the trigger warnings. The author does not hold back and does a really good job at capturing the dark aspects of human nature. This may be a hard read for some people for that reason and it may be a hard reason for the simple fact that it kind of starts chaotic. It was all over the place but once I figured out what was happening with the writing style I was hooked. By the end of the book, the beginning made WAAAAY more sense and I actually really liked how the author wrote this book. I rated it lower because I was confused at times with the FMC and the way the story kind of jumped around at parts. BUT, I really couldn't stop reading it because I had to know what happened next. The development by the end of the book had me wanting more and I'd love to see what happens next.
February 5, 2025
K.R. Brendlinger's novel "When Everything Ends" is a gritty and unflinching exploration of the darkest aspects of human nature.
This book is not for the faint of heart, as it contains graphic depictions of criminal activity, explicit sex scenes, and traumatic experiences including rape, drug use, suicide, and abuse.
Brendlinger pulls no punches in her raw and honest portrayal of these heavy themes. Her writing style is unique and can initially come across as somewhat garbled or stream-of-consciousness, requiring the reader to adjust to her distinctive voice and narrative flow. However, there is a strange, poetic beauty to her prose that shines through, especially in touching moments like her dedication page.
"When Everything Ends" is a challenging but impactful read that will leave you pondering the complexities of the human condition long after you turn the final page.
While certainly not suitable for all audiences given the disturbing content, those who can stomach the darkness will find an authentic, if at times ugly, mirror held up to the hidden underbelly of society.
This book is not for the faint of heart, as it contains graphic depictions of criminal activity, explicit sex scenes, and traumatic experiences including rape, drug use, suicide, and abuse.
Brendlinger pulls no punches in her raw and honest portrayal of these heavy themes. Her writing style is unique and can initially come across as somewhat garbled or stream-of-consciousness, requiring the reader to adjust to her distinctive voice and narrative flow. However, there is a strange, poetic beauty to her prose that shines through, especially in touching moments like her dedication page.
"When Everything Ends" is a challenging but impactful read that will leave you pondering the complexities of the human condition long after you turn the final page.
While certainly not suitable for all audiences given the disturbing content, those who can stomach the darkness will find an authentic, if at times ugly, mirror held up to the hidden underbelly of society.
February 21, 2025
I have never read a book quite like it. So uniquely written with a story I’ve not seen done before. You never see the twists coming (as it should be)
Bennett is 50 shades of morally grey and I am here for it. Cherry might seem like the girl next door but she’s thrives off the darkness deep down.
First couple of chapters I was so confused but once I clocked into what was actually happening I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going. The last few chapters really ramped things up and made it impossible to put down and made me just want to read and read and then bam ending. This book has dark themes and grasps human nature in a wonderful, haunting way.
I loved the writing and the POVS in this book, I’m usually a multiple POV, one chapter each kind of girl but I think this way was so awesome. There is no doubt these characters are grey/black and there’s no trying to convince you otherwise. I want all of the books and all of the stories after this read.
Bennett is 50 shades of morally grey and I am here for it. Cherry might seem like the girl next door but she’s thrives off the darkness deep down.
First couple of chapters I was so confused but once I clocked into what was actually happening I couldn’t wait to see where the story was going. The last few chapters really ramped things up and made it impossible to put down and made me just want to read and read and then bam ending. This book has dark themes and grasps human nature in a wonderful, haunting way.
I loved the writing and the POVS in this book, I’m usually a multiple POV, one chapter each kind of girl but I think this way was so awesome. There is no doubt these characters are grey/black and there’s no trying to convince you otherwise. I want all of the books and all of the stories after this read.
February 19, 2025
This book was so different from what I normally read. The beginning of the book was weird I probably read it like 3 times to se if I was comprehending the paragraphs. But I pushed through. The whole book is like a monologue going from past to present making it difficulty to understand. But once I understood what was going on it was a really interesting story. Cherry’s twist in the book was really good! All in all this book was rated a 3- just because it wasn’t an easy read for me. Plot was good!
February 23, 2025
This one hits the ground running—with so much happening at once, it was a bit overwhelming. Coming in blind left me confused, but I tried to stick with it, hoping things would start to click.
The story is told through Bennett’s train of thought, which felt scattered and hard to follow. His erratic mindset made it difficult to track what was going on, and honestly, it gave me a headache.
While it’s quick-paced and intense, I ultimately did not finish. It might work for some, but it wasn’t for me.
The story is told through Bennett’s train of thought, which felt scattered and hard to follow. His erratic mindset made it difficult to track what was going on, and honestly, it gave me a headache.
While it’s quick-paced and intense, I ultimately did not finish. It might work for some, but it wasn’t for me.
June 11, 2025
I almost DNF this book, but I’m glad I continued reading and finished! First off, this book is DARK. So please check the trigger warnings, your mental health matters! Honestly, it jumped around a lot and I struggled with the switching narrations (first/third person) but after a while you get used to it and the plot was sooo good and I couldn’t put it down!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review completely voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review completely voluntarily.
November 20, 2025
I got this book at a small town vendor event from the author-FIRST was very confused as to what the actual storyline was until I hit about halfway through the book. That was the most shocking part, I do have the second book of the series and I will be continuing on to see how that one plays out. Spice level is pushing 3/5 due to the sporadic and quickness of it, not to mention lack of description in some scenes.
April 6, 2025
This is in no way what I thought I'd read appeared - we received some true beauty with her writing. I think the best of all is the literally story. The telling of Bennets story, input, and a direct speaker? It's punny and I'm a fan!
I did receive an advanced reader copy of this piece but it has not affected the end result.
I did receive an advanced reader copy of this piece but it has not affected the end result.
February 19, 2025
The book is very confusing for the first few chapters and I almost dnf the book. I did like the 1st person and talking to the reader. That always is fun to read. It's like you truly get to interact with the character. Overall it's a good book
March 17, 2025
This book is one rollercoaster, with all the interactive narrative, shift in POV, the insights, the language, writing style… Everything was just a whiplash. I enjoyed the banter, the narration, it was like no dull moment. Enjoyed it.
April 24, 2025
Bennett Larson is an asshole. His words, not mine. From the very first page, Bennett's raw honesty grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. The story kicks off a bit chaotically. Bennett’s direct conversations with the reader blend with scenes playing out in the background, and the timeline bounces between past and present. At first, it’s dizzying. Wait—he died? He lay in the woods for over a year? How is that even possible? But trust me, stick with it. The pieces start falling into place, and what unfolds is nothing short of gripping. Enter Cherry. When Bennett meets her at the airport, he has no idea how profoundly she’ll disrupt his life. But Cherry isn’t just a beautiful stranger, she’s hiding something. Is she really just the lead in his latest film, or is there something darker at play? And how does she know Bennett so well? The tension simmers with a tantalizing air of mystery, keeping you on edge and desperate to learn more. Through it all, reality hits hard. Bennett’s self-awareness is brutal—he calls himself a "sober psycho," but sobriety is a fragile thing when betrayal cuts deep. Can he hold it together as the truth unravels? This book is a wild, unforgettable ride—dark, twisting, and utterly compelling. You won’t shake it off anytime soon.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews