**WARNING** This novella contains major spoilers from the novel UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DX73ZPY It’s suggested you read the novel before you read SO LONG, LOLLIPOPS. Unless you’re someone who likes to read the last page of a book first—in that case, enjoy!
SO LONG, LOLLIPOPS description below * * * * * * * * * Peter watched his new family drive away, certain it was the last time he’d ever see them. But sometimes plans go awry in the best way.
Now, the plan is to get back to them. But sometimes plans go awry in the worst way.
Sometimes the only plan is to believe it will be all right, even when it’s almost impossible to believe.
I'm a wannabe prepper and lover of anything pre-apocalyptic, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic—-or anything in between. Add in some humor and romance, and I'm in heaven.
Besides an unhealthy obsession with home-canned food and Bug Out Bag equipment, I love books, making artsy stuff and laughing my arse off. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, I now live in Oregon with my family and, in my opinion, not nearly enough supplies for the zombie apocalypse. But I'm working on it.
Standing on a dumpster and surrounded by zombies, Peter watched the people who had become his family drive away. He laid down his life so they could live.
Then just when he was about to use his last bullet and end it all, a window opens and a ladder appears.
At 70 pages, So Long, Lollipops is a fairly short novella taking up Peter's story from when his new family drove away until they are reunited. I'm a bit ambivalent about the whole zombie genre...there are things I love and things that really bug me. Not with this little story, I have no reservations at all. It's pretty damned good.
I really need to warn anyone planning to read the first book in the series, Until the End of the World, to stop reading this review now. I cannot talk about this novella without spoiling the first book. It just cannot be done. This review could ruin one of the best moments in the first novel. You have been warned.
I enjoyed this novella quite a bit. I usually listen to audiobooks at work and only rarely listen to much at home. I decided to start this one on a Saturday while I was walking my dogs and planned to finish during the work week. I listened to the whole thing over the weekend because I couldn't get enough. It is rather short but it answered a lot of questions that I had from the first book in the series.
**Spoilers Ahead**
This novella tells Peter's story. Peter was a character that I wanted to feed to the zombies at the beginning of the series. You know, the one guy that you kind of hope will die quickly and painfully. Peter did what few characters are able to do. He completely redeemed himself in the first book. The same guy I wanted to see die a horrible death became a man that I got a little choked up over once I believed he had actually met that fate. Not to mention the surprise and joy when I realized he had survived at the close of the first book.
Since finishing Until the End of the World, I wondered how Peter could have possibly survived. When the group left him, he was in an impossible situation. This novella details what Peter goes through from the point the group left him until he is reunited and what a story it is. Peter has turned into a genuinely good guy that I would want fighting on my side. He encounters a few new characters and has some great moments with them. He also runs into more than a few zombies and things look dire a time or two. Of course, I knew he would survive and make it back to the group since I saw that in the first book from Cassie's point of view.
I think that Julia Whelan does a great job with this series. I am very happy to see that she narrates all of the books in the series. I think it would have been a huge mistake to switch to a male narrator for this one despite the fact that this story is told from a male point of view. She does a great job with Peter and all of the other characters he encounters. I look forward to listening to this narrator again very soon.
I would recommend this book to others. This is a series that really should be read in order. I think it would be possible to read and enjoy this as a stand alone but I don't think that it could possibly have the same kind of impact. I can't wait to read the rest of this touching zombie series!
Initial Thoughts So this answers the question in regards to what actually happened to Peter. I am really enjoying this series now that zombies are everywhere. I picked this one up as a freebie on Audible a while back but decided to listen to them in order which I think was a good choice. This could possibly work as a stand alone but so much of the book is directly related to the first that I do think it would be best to read this series in order. I thought that the narration was very well done.
This novella was free as an audiobook on Audible, and even though it warned me that I should read the first story in the series first, I went ahead and picked it up... and felt it worked perfectly fine as its own story. In the vein of The Walking Dead and The Last of Us, though with a more positive outlook on humanity and its perseverance, So Long, Lollipops follows Peter's journey to reunite with his zombie apocalypse family after selflessly attempting to sacrifice himself to save said family. His journey doesn't take him far, but when your facing off with hungry zombies and desperate men, meters can seem like miles and miles, well, they can seem like forever.
Well written, well characterized, and well plotted, this one is worth a listen. The protagonist has grown off-page and continues to grow on-page, one worth following. These elements are what separate it from otherwise typical zombie action.
A short science fiction novella that I found very entertaining. I've never seen an episode of The Walking Dead or been much into zombie type fiction but picked this when I saw it was read by Julian Whelan--a favorite of mine. I listen to a lot of audio and there are some narrators who draw me to a book just to hear their voice, Ms Whelan is one for sure. So I listened to this zombie story that is actually a teaser for the author's series, The End of the World. I can't say yet if I will begin the series but I did find this story very entertaining. The action never stopped and the characters were richly drawn, even for a non-zombie fan like me it was a great fun time. Never thought I would give a zombie book 4 stars but there you go--a great narration and good writing, made this a story I really enjoyed.
It is an audible only release (which I dislike since that means only Audible subcribers have access.) It is disappointing to me that then the book can not be found on library sites which is where I most frequent for my audio. A discussion for another time.
This was such a treat. It can be read between books one and two, but I chose to read it at the end of the series. I don't think it matters which way you go, but I'm glad I saved it for dessert, because I needed it.
This is Peter's novella, Cassie's ex spoken in his words, we meet him in the first book, this is his novella of what happened to him, it's only a few chapters. This showcases his bravery, his stance of taking one for the team knowing that he may never see them again.
I really liked this novella! In fact, I like this better than the first book. Getting to know this character and seeing the depth of his transition throughout this apocalypse was a beautiful thing.
So Long, Lollipops was a novella nestled between the first and second installments of Sarah Lyons Fleming's At the End of the World series. It delivered a riveting and heartfelt tale of survival and resilience set in a world being overrun by zombies!
This novella shifted the spotlight from Cassie to Peter who, after an act of heroism and self-sacrifice, was separated from the main group in the first book. It followed his journey of survival and his determination to reunite with his friends and companions.
Peter proved to be a remarkably likeable and engaging protagonist. Seeing the post-apocalyptic world through his eyes rather than Cassie's offered a refreshing perspective. His character development, which began in the first book, continued to unfold compellingly in this novella. His resourcefulness, courage, and unwavering determination were on full display, making his story both gripping and exciting.
The story had plenty of action and tension which kept it a pretty compelling read. Yet, amidst the horror and struggle, Fleming weaved in moments of heart and upliftment. These emotional beats provided a necessary balance which made the story not just about survival but also about humanity and hope.
The plot of So Long, Lollipops was thrilling and well-paced. The introduction of new survivors added depth to the world Fleming has created and proved that there are many stories worth telling beyond those of Cassie and her immediate friends. The encounters Peter had with other survivors enriched the story and expanded the series worldbuilding, hinting at the vast array of experiences and challenges faced by varying different people in this harsh new world.
All in all So Long, Lollipops was a fantastic addition to the At the End of the World series. It not only bridged the gap between the first and second books but also stood on its own as a compelling tale of endurance and personal growth. Sarah Lyons Fleming crafted a novella that was as thrilling as it was heartfelt and has definitely left me wanting more from this world!
Rating: 4.5 stars. This was short but really compelling. It was only 2.5 hours long in audio but made every second count!
Audio Note: Julia Whelan was fantastic as always with the audio
I was NOT expecting to get this story, but I am sooooo glad we did. I loved seeing Peter become more and more of a man of survival and how he was so much more than he was from book 1.
He gets tested a lot but comes out it stronger or at least I felt he does. Kinda loved that he read the twilight books in this one “for Bits.” ;) I liked that we also get a glimpse into other survivalists and what they are doing to keep going in such a trying time.
Sarah Lyons Fleming expanded on the already introduced Peter and made him more personable - something we didn't really see before because he was a secondary character (in my reference, we didn't get to hear things from his point of view). We also feel connected to some of the people he meets along the way.
This would be easy enough as a stand alone story, and was a great accompaniment to the series. Check it out if you have a chance.
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!!! Loved this short novella more than the 1st book!! But I really loved the first book too!
I will not say too much as there will be spoilers if you read anything about this book before reading Until the End of the World. This book is about a certain someone and the trek made to make it to Kingdom Come Farm. Wow, just wow! I have a whole new perspective of this person, whom I wasn't really liking in the first book, but facing the end of the world sure can change a person!! LOL!
When I realized what "So Long Lollipops" actually meant, I could not contain the grin on my face!! Priceless!!!!!!
Oh my goodness, this series is amazing. I adore all the characters and friendships! I have a terrible habit of starting series, which I will read until the end of the second book, but for some reason I never complete a series. However, this will be a series that I will finish, and I already have the next book started.
Please don't hate me for saying this but I'm not liking the current season, of the tv series The Walking Dead; I believe it's due to all the violence this year....anyway, I still crave great zombie story's and the "Until the End of the World" is the perfect solution for me to get my zombie fix.
Peter is such a nice guy. I have a bit of a book crush on him. This is well written, I love the title and the meaning of the same explained in the book.
I have not read or listened the series but guess what? I sure will invest in copies now. This is such a cool story with such an easy voice from the writer and the narrator rocked this.
This is a very enjoyable and well written zombie apoc novel. It does not go crazy with zombies ripping people apart on every other page. it is about the people. It is loaded with developing characters. As a preview to the series, it was certainly good enough to encourage me to pick up more work by this author. I suggest giving it a shot.
An interesting novella following Peter's journey after he sacrificed himself to save his family in Bennington, before meeting up with them again in Vermont.
The writing was brilliant, and the character development/evolution of Peter was even better!
Read again - the Audible version this time. Excellent narration.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
DNF at 38%.
This is literally the most confusing book that I've ever read. I wish that the author had filled in the audience at the beginning of the book with maybe a filler chapter or something. The characters weren't endearing or compelling to listen to and the book itself was disappointing.
I went into this book having no idea what it was about. And the last thing I expected was a Zombie story, I got the audiobook for free and was leaning more towards a coming of age story or something like that in what I thought I would get.
Now Zombie apocalypse is a genre I actually dislike, however this book was one of the best I've read in that genre so I had to give it 3 stars, which means I enjoyed it.
DO NOT READ MY REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK, UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD!!!! You have been warned!! * * * * * If you have read the first book you know that Peter dies. Well his family thought he died but in all reality he was saved. I guess you can say it was a Dumpster Glenn move (The Walking Dead). But Peter’s saving was a bit more realistic. Like for real. Don't get me started on Glenn's resurrection moment.
At the end of book one Peter makes it back to his family and it is a wonderful reunion. But this book is all about what Peter endured on his journey back to them and to Kingdom Come. And it ain’t pretty. There were many close calls with the Lexers and thoughts about giving up. Several moments had me catching my breath, only to remember he made it and was safe. For the present time being at least.
SO LONG, LOLLIPOPS was surprising yet fantastic short read. I didn’t realize until I read it how much I was interested in knowing what happened with Peter. Even though I didn’t care much for him in the beginning of book one, he really grew on me and even more so in this one. 5 Stars!
Don't even look at the book description if you haven't read book #1 yet! This is a follow-up to Until the End of the World with a little more backstory. Just as good as the first one, but much shorter.
There is just so much goodness in this series. I’m really glad the author chose to write a novella about Peter. So much insight into a character you started off hating.
Great novella! At the end of book 1 you find out someone made it, which is joyous but you cAnt help but wonder HOW??? this book explains that and intros 3 new characters I hope we will see again!
This is the novella between the 1st and 2nd book of the Until the End of the World Series. It's the filler story about how Peter managed to make it to the safe haven in Vermont after being left for dead. It reminds me of how this series goes down like a smooth, smooth drink. I'm not necessarily in a post-apocalyptic/zombie mood at the moment, but some authors compel you to continue to read after you've accidentally perused the first page. I'll definitely be reading book #3 at some point even thought book #1 has a satisfying-enough ending.
Ha, did I just claim that Until the End of the World was too long? I know, I know. I thought this one was too short, mostly because the last part of its space is actually devoted to a chapter of another book, and so the story cut out sooner than I anticipated.
Other issues: First, I wanted to knock Peter over the head when he couldn't piece together where to find water (so obvious!!), and second, I would like to mention that Nelly does not drink Pepsi. Oh, sure you can buy Pepsi in Texas, but we call it Coke down here for a reason, with the only acceptable alternative being Dr Pepper. Nelly was not longing for a Pepsi, and I demand that it be changed for future editions.
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2018:
I recently re-read this, and the point stands. In argument that Nelly drinks Coke or DP, I report this recent conversation.
Me: When you went on that drink run yesterday, what did you get? Co-worker: You mean the Cokes? Me: Yeah. Co-worker: Three Dr Peppers and two Diet Dr Peppers.
Drinking Dr Pepper is like the most Texas thing. Other impressions? It still felt too short, and this time Peter not figuring out the water quickly made sense to me due to the dehydration. I wonder if I was less worried because I knew he'd find it? If there's something to say about Fleming, it's that she really makes you care about the characters.
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2021:
Given that this is novella length, I think I may have read it more than the rest of the series. There's so much to love in it, and I find new things every time. This time? It's my joy that Peter becomes a romance reader (so much so that he takes the unfinished one from the trailer that he was trapped in), and that um...doesn't sesame oil go bad? Yes, the internet says yes, AND that the sesame oil I'm currently using is probably not great. That's 18 months sealed, and once opened 6 months in the pantry, 12 months in the fridge.