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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.
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.
- GenresDystopia
426 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 4, 2026
DNF @57%.
After watching Ziam (God, that movie was AWFUL, even as a fellow Asian, I can’t defend it 😭), I was craving a good zombie read, and Burn came in with a promising trope: golden retriever MMC.
That’s it. That’s my weakness.
But for a book that’s supposed to be about zombies (called "lurkers" here), they barely ughhh show up?
We follow Alexandra "Xandra" Holden, the FMC, who’s described like your standard American model: smol, blonde, green eyed. But, plot twist!!! She’s also supposedly a highly skilled hunter with an impressive kill record.
"𝗠𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱."
And yet, when she actually faces a youngling lurker:
"𝙄𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝, 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙚. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙄’𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙯𝙚𝙙?"
For context, these lurkers are basically a mix of The Walking Dead walkers and I Am Legend zombie: slow but strong, light sensitive, and only killable by fire. The one she faced was alone. ALONE. And she still froze.
Then later she had the audacity to says:
"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜."
I raised my eyebrows so high they nearly reach heaven.
Sure.
I love strong women. I love overpowered women. I love women, period. But what doesn’t work is when a character is told to be badass without the buildup to support it. Alexandra loses credibility fast, especially when her first real encounter ends in failure, a burned arm, and her twin sister Hallie dead.
One of the best hunters ... According to who?
Turns out, while she was busy grieving, her title was taken by Chase Knight, our MMC, who also happens to be Hallie’s ex fiance. And because Hallie and Alexandra are identical, ofc Chase gravitates toward Alexandra. Up until 25%, he’s still calling her by the wrong name, then he disappears for the next quarter of the book while Alexandra teams up with another guy, Maverick, who shows up like, heyya, let’s blow up a zombie nest hehe! And she’s just like, hell yeah let's gooooo!!!
Maverick is an ex cop. Quiet, mysterious, doesn’t talk much, which can be frustrating, but it works. He gives off strong Daryl from TWD energy. Him and Alexandra could’ve been such a solid duo: Mav already knows how to survive out there, and Alexandra ... Suddenly develops some kind of sensory ability.
Don’t ask me how. Main character privileges, I guess.
So now we’ve got this petite, pretty girl who can sense and kill zombies, whose only visible flaw is a burn scar, paired with an ex cop with a gun. They could’ve been the next iconic duo after Daryl and Judith, Joel and Ellie, Arya and Jaqen. But no. Chase has to wedge himself right in between them 🙂
He follows them after they leave.
He shows up exactly when they run into trouble.
He becomes the hero Alexandra conveniently needs.
Meanwhile, I’m sitting here not believing for a second that he actually cares about her as Alexandra. We’re told they slept together (some alcohol fueled ONS) but it’s completely skipped. SKIPPED. We only hear about it through Alexandra’s memories. And I’m supposed to buy into this romance?
Skipping that scene was a huge mistake, IMO. If it’s the foundation of their relationship, then show it. It’s not even about needing smutty detail I’m fine with fade to black. But show me how they felt before and during the moment, what led up to it, the emotional state they were in. Just SHOW ME.
"𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙯𝙚, 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣… 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧."
That’s not enough.
Chase had all the ingredients to be a great book boyfriend, but I can't bring myself to like him. He disappears for long stretches, then reappears right on cue to save the day. It all feels engineered for a dramatic reunion. You’re telling me he tracked her into a dangerous zone and just happened to show up exactly when she was being auctioned? No one questioned him? No one checked where he got the thing to bid? The villain didn’t even blink at a new face?
Alriiiiiiight then.
At some point, it stops being tension and just becomes a string of convenient coincidences.
So yeah, I’m out. Looks like I’m having terrible luck with zombie books lately, because this one crashed just like the last. I could’ve pushed through since the writing itself is solid, but then I saw another review mentions blood as lube thing and nope :)) Not gonna read that. That completely killed any remaining interest.
That’s not edgy or romantic, it just sounds like a one way ticket to infection in a world where antibiotics are scarce. Hope the dick was worth it, girl.
After watching Ziam (God, that movie was AWFUL, even as a fellow Asian, I can’t defend it 😭), I was craving a good zombie read, and Burn came in with a promising trope: golden retriever MMC.
That’s it. That’s my weakness.
But for a book that’s supposed to be about zombies (called "lurkers" here), they barely ughhh show up?
We follow Alexandra "Xandra" Holden, the FMC, who’s described like your standard American model: smol, blonde, green eyed. But, plot twist!!! She’s also supposedly a highly skilled hunter with an impressive kill record.
"𝗠𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱. 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱."
And yet, when she actually faces a youngling lurker:
"𝙄𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝, 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 𝙁𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙚. 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙄’𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙯𝙚𝙙?"
For context, these lurkers are basically a mix of The Walking Dead walkers and I Am Legend zombie: slow but strong, light sensitive, and only killable by fire. The one she faced was alone. ALONE. And she still froze.
Then later she had the audacity to says:
"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜."
I raised my eyebrows so high they nearly reach heaven.
Sure.
I love strong women. I love overpowered women. I love women, period. But what doesn’t work is when a character is told to be badass without the buildup to support it. Alexandra loses credibility fast, especially when her first real encounter ends in failure, a burned arm, and her twin sister Hallie dead.
One of the best hunters ... According to who?
Turns out, while she was busy grieving, her title was taken by Chase Knight, our MMC, who also happens to be Hallie’s ex fiance. And because Hallie and Alexandra are identical, ofc Chase gravitates toward Alexandra. Up until 25%, he’s still calling her by the wrong name, then he disappears for the next quarter of the book while Alexandra teams up with another guy, Maverick, who shows up like, heyya, let’s blow up a zombie nest hehe! And she’s just like, hell yeah let's gooooo!!!
Maverick is an ex cop. Quiet, mysterious, doesn’t talk much, which can be frustrating, but it works. He gives off strong Daryl from TWD energy. Him and Alexandra could’ve been such a solid duo: Mav already knows how to survive out there, and Alexandra ... Suddenly develops some kind of sensory ability.
Don’t ask me how. Main character privileges, I guess.
So now we’ve got this petite, pretty girl who can sense and kill zombies, whose only visible flaw is a burn scar, paired with an ex cop with a gun. They could’ve been the next iconic duo after Daryl and Judith, Joel and Ellie, Arya and Jaqen. But no. Chase has to wedge himself right in between them 🙂
He follows them after they leave.
He shows up exactly when they run into trouble.
He becomes the hero Alexandra conveniently needs.
Meanwhile, I’m sitting here not believing for a second that he actually cares about her as Alexandra. We’re told they slept together (some alcohol fueled ONS) but it’s completely skipped. SKIPPED. We only hear about it through Alexandra’s memories. And I’m supposed to buy into this romance?
Skipping that scene was a huge mistake, IMO. If it’s the foundation of their relationship, then show it. It’s not even about needing smutty detail I’m fine with fade to black. But show me how they felt before and during the moment, what led up to it, the emotional state they were in. Just SHOW ME.
"𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙯𝙚, 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣… 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧."
That’s not enough.
Chase had all the ingredients to be a great book boyfriend, but I can't bring myself to like him. He disappears for long stretches, then reappears right on cue to save the day. It all feels engineered for a dramatic reunion. You’re telling me he tracked her into a dangerous zone and just happened to show up exactly when she was being auctioned? No one questioned him? No one checked where he got the thing to bid? The villain didn’t even blink at a new face?
Alriiiiiiight then.
At some point, it stops being tension and just becomes a string of convenient coincidences.
So yeah, I’m out. Looks like I’m having terrible luck with zombie books lately, because this one crashed just like the last. I could’ve pushed through since the writing itself is solid, but then I saw another review mentions blood as lube thing and nope :)) Not gonna read that. That completely killed any remaining interest.
That’s not edgy or romantic, it just sounds like a one way ticket to infection in a world where antibiotics are scarce. Hope the dick was worth it, girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2026
I received an advanced copy from the author, and this is my honest opinion, given entirely voluntarily.
This book had me going on a few ups and downs.
The first chapters were promising and gave a good idea of the context. As expected in a survivalist setting with limited characters, there are occasional slow pace sections.
At one point, the characters encounter a villain. I was excited for this scene to bring more action but also to introduce the dark romance aspect of the novel. In my opinion, it could have been darker and more twisted. It felt a bit soft and too easy giving the post-apocalyptic context.
After this, it went back to a slower pace where it was more about the characters than the action.
However, the ending got my attention. I can't say that everything was a big surprise, but still there was one thing that I hadn't seen coming. Even though the mix of dystopian fiction and dark romance seemed very interesting, I ultimately found the setting a bit odd for spicy romance. I really enjoyed the ending heading towards a different direction and environment and I will read the second book to find out how it all ends.
This book had me going on a few ups and downs.
The first chapters were promising and gave a good idea of the context. As expected in a survivalist setting with limited characters, there are occasional slow pace sections.
At one point, the characters encounter a villain. I was excited for this scene to bring more action but also to introduce the dark romance aspect of the novel. In my opinion, it could have been darker and more twisted. It felt a bit soft and too easy giving the post-apocalyptic context.
After this, it went back to a slower pace where it was more about the characters than the action.
However, the ending got my attention. I can't say that everything was a big surprise, but still there was one thing that I hadn't seen coming. Even though the mix of dystopian fiction and dark romance seemed very interesting, I ultimately found the setting a bit odd for spicy romance. I really enjoyed the ending heading towards a different direction and environment and I will read the second book to find out how it all ends.
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April 30, 2026
There's an anal scene where the hero's blood is used as lube. Do with that information what you will.
I've actually upgraded my rating from three stars to four stars because I LOVE the twist. And I can't believe I would never have encountered this book had I not decided on a whim to break one of my own long-held cherished rules: NEVER READ A BOOK WHERE THE HERO WAS INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH THE HEROINE'S TWIN SISTER.
The writing is actually so good - simple but enthralling - that I kept reading even without knowing... anyway. No spoilers outside the spoiler tag. But if you've read my reviews before and know what my non-negotiables are in terms of safety, but I've still given this four stars, you know you can rest easy.
Chase is a FABULOUS hero. I didn't know I needed this. Obsessed, gentle, angry - but never with the heroine - a golden boy with a streak of desperation. He'll kill for the heroine, die for the heroine, and push every boundary she has - but only to the extent she lets him. A truly incredibly well-written character. I generally loathe reading male POV, so I'm extra-glad this one is purely in the heroine's POV (bring back single POV books!!), but getting the bonus chapter from Chase's perspective afterwards was an absolute treat.
I am generally a romance-over-plot person so I won't pretend that the two are equally excellent, this can feel a little lacklustre if you only want raw zombie-fighting violence. But then again, if you do want that, there are plenty of other books you can get it from. I'm here for that romance, and the unexpectedly good characterisation. Looking forward to the next one - though now my hopes are high, so it'll be harder to meet them...
I've actually upgraded my rating from three stars to four stars because I LOVE the twist. And I can't believe I would never have encountered this book had I not decided on a whim to break one of my own long-held cherished rules: NEVER READ A BOOK WHERE THE HERO WAS INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH THE HEROINE'S TWIN SISTER.
The writing is actually so good - simple but enthralling - that I kept reading even without knowing... anyway. No spoilers outside the spoiler tag. But if you've read my reviews before and know what my non-negotiables are in terms of safety, but I've still given this four stars, you know you can rest easy.
Chase is a FABULOUS hero. I didn't know I needed this. Obsessed, gentle, angry - but never with the heroine - a golden boy with a streak of desperation. He'll kill for the heroine, die for the heroine, and push every boundary she has - but only to the extent she lets him. A truly incredibly well-written character. I generally loathe reading male POV, so I'm extra-glad this one is purely in the heroine's POV (bring back single POV books!!), but getting the bonus chapter from Chase's perspective afterwards was an absolute treat.
I am generally a romance-over-plot person so I won't pretend that the two are equally excellent, this can feel a little lacklustre if you only want raw zombie-fighting violence. But then again, if you do want that, there are plenty of other books you can get it from. I'm here for that romance, and the unexpectedly good characterisation. Looking forward to the next one - though now my hopes are high, so it'll be harder to meet them...
May 16, 2026
The world has gone crazy. Months ago a new vaccine was introduced that was supposed to make people stronger and live longer. People lined up to get it. Then suddenly everything went to, um, heck. Everyone who got the vaccine turned into a flesh-eating, super strong monster, and only the lucky survived the chaos. Now people are trying to find their way in this vastly changed world. And one of those people is Xandra.
Xandra lived in a colony with her father and twin sister Halley, until a terrible acccident killed her twin and she was left reeling. When a stranger came to the area offering a chance to destroy a nearby nest of monsters, Xandra volunteered. What did she have to lose?
I was impressed with this one. The author created a fascinating and fearsome world, populated it with multi-dimensional characters, and gave readers a good plot with twists and turns. In addition to Xandra, we also meet Chase, her late twin sister’s boyfriend, and Maverick, the stranger wanting to destroy the monsters’ nest.
Xandra and Maverick both seem to have a death wish, and it’s only through their journey together that they begin to see a reason to keep living. They are both keeping secrets, and the slow revelation of those secrets brings them closer and makes them believe they really have a chance at succeeding in their crazy ploy. Chase joins them along the way, showing up at a most convenient time, and the three strike a fragile balance while continuing their journey.
I enjoy dystopian romance, and this book had a lot going for it. In addition to the “end of the world, zombie-like creatures to avoid, other humans doing despicable things, danger around every corner” story, there was also something more insidious at play, and it added a whole other dimension to things. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.
Xandra was a particularly interesting character. She’s suffering so many losses, including that of her twin, which she blames herself for. She’s unexpectedly attracted to Chance and she’s wary of Maverick. Plus, she’s not just fighting the monsters wandering the wilds of the new world, she’s also fighting the monsters in her head.
This book ends on a cliffhanger, a cliffhanger I am eagerly waiting to be resolved. I highly recommend this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Xandra lived in a colony with her father and twin sister Halley, until a terrible acccident killed her twin and she was left reeling. When a stranger came to the area offering a chance to destroy a nearby nest of monsters, Xandra volunteered. What did she have to lose?
I was impressed with this one. The author created a fascinating and fearsome world, populated it with multi-dimensional characters, and gave readers a good plot with twists and turns. In addition to Xandra, we also meet Chase, her late twin sister’s boyfriend, and Maverick, the stranger wanting to destroy the monsters’ nest.
Xandra and Maverick both seem to have a death wish, and it’s only through their journey together that they begin to see a reason to keep living. They are both keeping secrets, and the slow revelation of those secrets brings them closer and makes them believe they really have a chance at succeeding in their crazy ploy. Chase joins them along the way, showing up at a most convenient time, and the three strike a fragile balance while continuing their journey.
I enjoy dystopian romance, and this book had a lot going for it. In addition to the “end of the world, zombie-like creatures to avoid, other humans doing despicable things, danger around every corner” story, there was also something more insidious at play, and it added a whole other dimension to things. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers.
Xandra was a particularly interesting character. She’s suffering so many losses, including that of her twin, which she blames herself for. She’s unexpectedly attracted to Chance and she’s wary of Maverick. Plus, she’s not just fighting the monsters wandering the wilds of the new world, she’s also fighting the monsters in her head.
This book ends on a cliffhanger, a cliffhanger I am eagerly waiting to be resolved. I highly recommend this one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 5, 2026
I’d been looking forward to a solid zombie story for a while, so I went into this one with fairly high hopes. While I did enjoy the experience overall, I couldn't help feeling that it was missing a certain something to truly make it click. My biggest gripe was probably the lack of actual zombie action. The undead didn't feel like a constant, looming threat because their scenes were over so quickly; it meant that whenever they did pop up, that sense of genuine anxiety or peril never quite had the chance to take root. Without that tension, the stakes felt a little lower than I’d expected for the genre.
The protagonist, Xandra, was a bit of a mixed bag for me at first. She’s introduced as this hardened, badass hunter, yet she freezes up when facing the younglings. Initially, it felt like a bit of a contradiction in her character, but as I got further into the story, those moments of hesitation started to make more sense. On the other hand, I took an immediate liking to Chase. He had that golden retriever energy about him that made him very easy to root for. The dynamic between them was also really compelling, especially the slightly messy complication of him having been engaged to Xandra’s late sister. The fact that he couldn't stay away and followed her to ensure her safety added a nice layer of protective warmth to the plot.
I also quite liked the evolving bond between Xandra and Maverick during their journey to hunt down a nest of Lurkers. It wasn't exactly a full-blown friendship by the end but you could see the foundations being laid and watching that build as they travelled was one of the more satisfying parts of the book. It provided a bit of grounded companionship amidst the chaos of their mission.
When it came to the big twist, I have to admit it didn't come as much of a shock. While it tied up some loose ends and made earlier events in the book make more sense I found myself feeling slightly disappointed by it. It felt like a bit of an easy way out, resolving the central conflict with a bit too much convenience. My main gripe was that the book lacked the emotional depth needed to make me truly care about the outcome. It was an entertaining read, but without that raw emotion it didn't quite leave the lasting impression I was hoping for.
The protagonist, Xandra, was a bit of a mixed bag for me at first. She’s introduced as this hardened, badass hunter, yet she freezes up when facing the younglings. Initially, it felt like a bit of a contradiction in her character, but as I got further into the story, those moments of hesitation started to make more sense. On the other hand, I took an immediate liking to Chase. He had that golden retriever energy about him that made him very easy to root for. The dynamic between them was also really compelling, especially the slightly messy complication of him having been engaged to Xandra’s late sister. The fact that he couldn't stay away and followed her to ensure her safety added a nice layer of protective warmth to the plot.
I also quite liked the evolving bond between Xandra and Maverick during their journey to hunt down a nest of Lurkers. It wasn't exactly a full-blown friendship by the end but you could see the foundations being laid and watching that build as they travelled was one of the more satisfying parts of the book. It provided a bit of grounded companionship amidst the chaos of their mission.
When it came to the big twist, I have to admit it didn't come as much of a shock. While it tied up some loose ends and made earlier events in the book make more sense I found myself feeling slightly disappointed by it. It felt like a bit of an easy way out, resolving the central conflict with a bit too much convenience. My main gripe was that the book lacked the emotional depth needed to make me truly care about the outcome. It was an entertaining read, but without that raw emotion it didn't quite leave the lasting impression I was hoping for.
April 28, 2026
I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Burn, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
The story started with a lot of promise, striking a solid balance between the overarching plot and the spice. I was genuinely looking forward to seeing how the world-building would develop; however, as the story progressed, certain elements became a bit distracting.
Specifically, the repetitive use of certain descriptors felt quite heavy-handed. This unfortunately made a major narrative reveal very easy to predict early on, which took away from the overall suspense. While the book certainly has its steamy moments, it felt like a relatively mild dark romance compared to others in the genre.
I found the core plot interesting, but the pacing felt uneven. The high-action sequences felt rushed, while the transition periods moved a bit too slowly, leaving some chapters feeling uneventful.
Overall, it’s an okay read with a strong start, even if it lost some momentum toward the middle.
The story started with a lot of promise, striking a solid balance between the overarching plot and the spice. I was genuinely looking forward to seeing how the world-building would develop; however, as the story progressed, certain elements became a bit distracting.
Specifically, the repetitive use of certain descriptors felt quite heavy-handed. This unfortunately made a major narrative reveal very easy to predict early on, which took away from the overall suspense. While the book certainly has its steamy moments, it felt like a relatively mild dark romance compared to others in the genre.
I found the core plot interesting, but the pacing felt uneven. The high-action sequences felt rushed, while the transition periods moved a bit too slowly, leaving some chapters feeling uneventful.
Overall, it’s an okay read with a strong start, even if it lost some momentum toward the middle.
April 28, 2026
This was honestly a really unique idea considering it was zombie like although they call them Lurkers. There are several twist i had no idea were going to happen. There are ofcourse triggers to check. The FMC Xandra has trauma and is trying to just charge forward to take out as many lurkers as possible. You have the MMC Chase who trys to put himself in front of his deceased fiancé twin who avoids him. There is alot of push and pull.... but considering Xandra is fighting this all because of her sister is understandable. Maverick which is a part of the trio traveling is a mystery to them and you eventually understand why. Carin Hart added elements such as some people having the ability to sense the lurkers that added to the overall neat dystopian world she created. When I finished it was excited at the path that these characters are going so far and look forward to book 2.
- Chase loves to chase 😉
- A Badass FMC
-Twists along the way
-Spice 🌶🌶🌶
-Artwork!!!! 🖤
-Great world building
*I had an ARC and am giving my honest review 🩶
- Chase loves to chase 😉
- A Badass FMC
-Twists along the way
-Spice 🌶🌶🌶
-Artwork!!!! 🖤
-Great world building
*I had an ARC and am giving my honest review 🩶
May 12, 2026
This book drew me in from the very beginning. I don't read a lot of zombie related books, but this one was good! Xandra and Chase will have you wanting more. Their connection is one that makes you want to keep reading. The twist in this book will shock you. With Carin Hart, plot twists are her thing. I really liked this book!
April 29, 2026
The story was easy to follow. The characters were like able. I liked the differences in traditional zombie end of the world. To the Lurkers in this story. The ending I kinda saw coming. I would definitely read book 2. Need to know what's going to happen next. Thank you to the author for ARC
May 7, 2026
This book had me on a ROLLER COASTER the whole way down and i can't wait to be ruined in book 2 Phoenix coming soon i am definitely recommending this one if you want to live trauma excitement sorrow love pain everything is in there i loved it!
May 1, 2026
Honestly soooo good. Carin hart always has a way of surprising me with her twist. Can never see them coming! So excited for book two in the series.
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