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Humanity
Five gunshots were all it took to end everything Candace had ever cared about; now, falling in love with her parents’ killer might give her everything she never knew she needed.
Candace has been raped more times than she cares to remember –this is a normal lifestyle for a pretty eighteen-year-old girl surviving the expiration of the United States. When her parents are shot before her eyes, the deer that would have sustained them stolen, she knows their deaths would have come eventually – that’s simply how life is lived. This doesn’t keep her from plotting the murder of the man who shot them. As soon as she gets the chance, she opens fire on him – running out of bullets after only two shots. But Gideon’s not going to make things too easy on himself; he refuses to kill her until she’s a true threat. Paradoxically, she can’t leave his side for fear that he might disappear in her absence; she insists on following him until provided with an occasion to kill him.
Circumstances change when Candace’s opportunity is almost stolen from her; three travelers shoot Gideon. She rescues him out of the supreme aspiration that it be HER who ends his life. However, him being injured and unable to defend himself isn’t exactly what she had in mind. As a result, she finds herself getting to know him better than she had planned. What surfaces is a poignant statement on love, forgiveness, and humanity.
HUMANITY is a romantic survivalist novel for new/young adults. Topics such as rape and sexual abuse are involved, amidst lighter but also serious matters.
Candace has been raped more times than she cares to remember –this is a normal lifestyle for a pretty eighteen-year-old girl surviving the expiration of the United States. When her parents are shot before her eyes, the deer that would have sustained them stolen, she knows their deaths would have come eventually – that’s simply how life is lived. This doesn’t keep her from plotting the murder of the man who shot them. As soon as she gets the chance, she opens fire on him – running out of bullets after only two shots. But Gideon’s not going to make things too easy on himself; he refuses to kill her until she’s a true threat. Paradoxically, she can’t leave his side for fear that he might disappear in her absence; she insists on following him until provided with an occasion to kill him.
Circumstances change when Candace’s opportunity is almost stolen from her; three travelers shoot Gideon. She rescues him out of the supreme aspiration that it be HER who ends his life. However, him being injured and unable to defend himself isn’t exactly what she had in mind. As a result, she finds herself getting to know him better than she had planned. What surfaces is a poignant statement on love, forgiveness, and humanity.
HUMANITY is a romantic survivalist novel for new/young adults. Topics such as rape and sexual abuse are involved, amidst lighter but also serious matters.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 16, 2015
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Knutson
2 books16 followersJ. D. Knutson graduated with a History degree from Brigham Young University. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children. She uses writing as her excuse for everything.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2015
***Note: I read this prior to publication, so it's probably better now. I will be reading it again now it's polished***
This book had me hooked from page one. Candace has such an amazing voice, and her struggles feel so alive and real. The anger she feels to act out and take on someone much stronger than her physically is so believable.
As the story progresses, you start to realize this man, Gideon, who killed her parents isn't a murderer. She resists seeing his good nature because she, obviously, harbors a great deal of hate for what he did to her parents.
The story unravels her conflicted feelings in a way that's completely understandable. Without revealing too much and spoiling it, she starts to understand her humanity through him.
As a fair warning, the book does talk about rape and has some violence in it. But there's nothing graphic. All "rape" isn't shown, just mentioned, and is frowned upon, especially when Gideon says he'd never do that to anyone.
I couldn't stop reading as I bonded with these characters and their unique perspectives in such a harsh world. There's so much hope, and deep, real love comes to surface.
This book had me hooked from page one. Candace has such an amazing voice, and her struggles feel so alive and real. The anger she feels to act out and take on someone much stronger than her physically is so believable.
As the story progresses, you start to realize this man, Gideon, who killed her parents isn't a murderer. She resists seeing his good nature because she, obviously, harbors a great deal of hate for what he did to her parents.
The story unravels her conflicted feelings in a way that's completely understandable. Without revealing too much and spoiling it, she starts to understand her humanity through him.
As a fair warning, the book does talk about rape and has some violence in it. But there's nothing graphic. All "rape" isn't shown, just mentioned, and is frowned upon, especially when Gideon says he'd never do that to anyone.
I couldn't stop reading as I bonded with these characters and their unique perspectives in such a harsh world. There's so much hope, and deep, real love comes to surface.
June 23, 2017
This is my first book by this author and I got it because the description intrigued me from the get go. I loved the revenge idea but knew it would be so much more then that.
Candice was one tough cookie. She fought for survival and wanted to make Gidioj pay, but sometimes things happen for a reason. I'm so glad she wasn't one of those weak females that couldn't do things for her self.
Gideon was strange. I wish we had gotten into his head most of the book to know what he was thinking, or not thinking in some cases. For growing up how he did and win alone for so long, he was so smart and the words he spoke..... it was beautiful and insightful.
The plot was fun. It was post apocalyptic, with bits of revenge, steam, and tons of humor. It was really fast paced, which I loved, lots of dialogue between the characters. The banter was fun and never seemed like it was forced or just added to be used for filler.
A few things annoyed me about this book. First, it was made to seem darker then it really was. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, because I found it funny and entertaining. The second was the lack of back story on why the world is the way it is. We just get pushed into what's going on, again, not a horrible thing, I just spent a lot of the book wondering.
Overall, while I loved the overall concept of the story and the plot, I felt that it was lacking history. I spent the whole book trying to figure out what happened to the United States, only to be left wondering. It took away from the story. I did love the characters and the banter, the setting and such, but it was lacking for me. I would love to read more on this setting in the future as the post apocalyptic is one of my favorite themes. 3 stars #2OCCJD
Candice was one tough cookie. She fought for survival and wanted to make Gidioj pay, but sometimes things happen for a reason. I'm so glad she wasn't one of those weak females that couldn't do things for her self.
Gideon was strange. I wish we had gotten into his head most of the book to know what he was thinking, or not thinking in some cases. For growing up how he did and win alone for so long, he was so smart and the words he spoke..... it was beautiful and insightful.
The plot was fun. It was post apocalyptic, with bits of revenge, steam, and tons of humor. It was really fast paced, which I loved, lots of dialogue between the characters. The banter was fun and never seemed like it was forced or just added to be used for filler.
A few things annoyed me about this book. First, it was made to seem darker then it really was. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, because I found it funny and entertaining. The second was the lack of back story on why the world is the way it is. We just get pushed into what's going on, again, not a horrible thing, I just spent a lot of the book wondering.
Overall, while I loved the overall concept of the story and the plot, I felt that it was lacking history. I spent the whole book trying to figure out what happened to the United States, only to be left wondering. It took away from the story. I did love the characters and the banter, the setting and such, but it was lacking for me. I would love to read more on this setting in the future as the post apocalyptic is one of my favorite themes. 3 stars #2OCCJD
April 28, 2015
I wrote this book, so of course I'm going to give it five stars :)
June 22, 2016
Loved this book!!! Completely recommend!! And not just because the author is my best friend!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews