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Devils Unto Dust
Life out here is hard.
So you have to be harder.
Willie has always survived. No matter what life in Glory, Texas, has thrown at her. The sickness that swept through the state and turned most living creatures into terrifying shakes. Her own mother succumbing to the disease. Her father disappearing into saloons and gambling and liquor. Willie survives. And she'll make sure her younger brothers and sister do, too.
Then her good-for-nothing father steals a fortune from one of the most merciless shake hunters in town, and Willie is on the hook for his debt. With two young hunters as guide, Willie sets out across the desert to find him, and make him pay up.
But the desert holds many dangers—and the shakes are only a few of them. This is no place for the weak.
So you have to be harder.
Willie has always survived. No matter what life in Glory, Texas, has thrown at her. The sickness that swept through the state and turned most living creatures into terrifying shakes. Her own mother succumbing to the disease. Her father disappearing into saloons and gambling and liquor. Willie survives. And she'll make sure her younger brothers and sister do, too.
Then her good-for-nothing father steals a fortune from one of the most merciless shake hunters in town, and Willie is on the hook for his debt. With two young hunters as guide, Willie sets out across the desert to find him, and make him pay up.
But the desert holds many dangers—and the shakes are only a few of them. This is no place for the weak.
488 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
94 people are currently reading
4122 people want to read
About the author
Emma Berquist
2 books223 followersEmma Berquist grew up in Austin, TX and currently lives in New Zealand. She likes horror movies and dogs and dislikes brushing her hair and writing bios.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
March 26, 2018
It isn't often that you get a mesh of genres that blend together so seamlessly and yet, Dust Until Devils did it and did it well.
A mix of western, dystopian, and a bit of this and that, and this novel truly stands out and shines.
It was fun, adventurous, enthralling, and unbelievably hard to put down. With a rough and tough no nonsense heroine that you can't help but instantly like in a setting that is every bit as rustic as it is horrifying, this truly was a read that I did not want to end.
With it's short but riveting chapters you can't help but be sucked in by the action, the adventure and the western feel of it all. I absolutely adored this and even though I believe this is a stand alone novel, I can't help but want a sequel.
This seems to be the year for YA. It is not only bigger and badder than it ever has been before but undeniably easy to fall in love with all over again.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
A mix of western, dystopian, and a bit of this and that, and this novel truly stands out and shines.
It was fun, adventurous, enthralling, and unbelievably hard to put down. With a rough and tough no nonsense heroine that you can't help but instantly like in a setting that is every bit as rustic as it is horrifying, this truly was a read that I did not want to end.
With it's short but riveting chapters you can't help but be sucked in by the action, the adventure and the western feel of it all. I absolutely adored this and even though I believe this is a stand alone novel, I can't help but want a sequel.
This seems to be the year for YA. It is not only bigger and badder than it ever has been before but undeniably easy to fall in love with all over again.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
April 17, 2017
I mean, I like it
April 11, 2018
The desert is still, no sign of movement, not even dust. But it’s a calm stillness, ancient and unchanging. The desert was here before us, and it will be here long after, watchful and patent and unmoved.
I’m a total sucker for “infection” horror stories—if you’re unfamiliar, they’re plots with creatures similar to zombies but not quite there—and when I heard about this western-horror mashup, it caught my interest right away. I don’t read many westerns, but I like them from time to time, and I have to say that this one was truly an enjoyable read. If you’re not comfortable with strong horror in books, this was probably 70% western and 30% horror, and despite a few gruesome moments, I think it would be a good read for anyone who doesn’t like their stories overly spooky.
If I could, I would turn my back on this town and start walking, leaving behind the unbearable weight. But I know better than that; the desert may have my heart, but this town will take my bones.
The first thing I noticed about Devils Unto Dust is that it is a phenomenally atmospheric read. As someone from the east coast, the desert of the southwest is something I’ve only witnessed once in my life, so it’s foreign enough to me that I’m always attracted to it as a setting. Emma Berquist’s descriptions are so spot on, I felt like I was right there in the dirt and sand with Willie and her posse.
No one will hold my hand, no one will weep over my body. Maybe we get the deaths we deserve.
Willie is a really enjoyable narrator; she’s tough as nails because she has to be, and the maternal aspect of her fierce protectiveness over her younger siblings immediately made me fond of her. She’s quick-tongued and a little rude at times, but never unlikable, and her responses always felt authentic and reasonable. The sibling relationships she had with her brother Micah, and the twins Catherine and Calvin, were so absolutely precious and checked every last one of my checkboxes for lovable bookish families.
“And I already had to make my peace with you dying. I ain’t interested in doing it again.”
Willie and her brother Micah also travel with Micah’s friend Sam, who is precious and sweet, and the Garretts brothers, Curtis and Ben, who I loved to pieces. Curtis is in his late twenties or early thirties, and is such a sweet, tenderhearted “big brother” sort of character, while Ben is the quintessential angsty, brooding young man with a teddy bear heart hidden behind his scowl. I genuinely loved all four of the primary side characters in this book, and wouldn’t have minded learning more to each one’s history. (I also appreciated the fact that the “romance” in this book is so incredibly understated and subtle, it’s barely there at all, which is a nice rarity in YA books!)
Maybe we have it wrong. Maybe this is what humans are truly like, when you take away reason and control and hope. Maybe the shakes aren’t sick; maybe they’re just honest.
Finally, the “shakes” (or the zombies/infected, if you will) are done fairly enough, but they were probably the only thing I didn’t care much for in the book. They never felt scary or threatening enough to really convince me that I should be concerned, until the very end of the book, so I kept feeling like they were just a little too mild. There were some hints dropped that the government had all but abandoned the towns in Willie’s area, and I would’ve really liked more information about that and how the sickness originated. While the shakes weren’t a bad addition, I would definitely not market this as an “infection” book nearly as strongly as I would market it as a suspenseful YA western.
All we have are bad options, and you pick the one you can live with.
All in all, this wasn’t a perfect book, but I did enjoy it tremendously. I read most of it in one day, as once I hit the 30-40% mark, the suspense caught me enough that I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the characters, and they are fleshed out enough that when tragedy struck one of them (no spoilers!), I was actually rather devastated and shed a few tears. If you enjoy westerns, or especially if you’re looking for a “light” horror read, I would highly recommend giving this book a try!
All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Greenwillow for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!
April 25, 2018
But I know better than that; this desert may have my heart, but this town will take my bones.
This is a tough book to review because 1. I just read another YA zombie book that ventures into western territory also set within the same decade (1877), albeit different in concept but reading these close together made it hard for this one to feel quite as fresh. 2. I predicted the biggest twist in the novel the second it happened which severely affected the pacing. I did, however, manage to trek through and finish. This may have been because of the very short chapters.
Ten years ago, an infectious disease began to spread causing the infected to attack the living. No one survives infection. The disease in incurable. Parts of Texas have been completely cut off from the rest of the world leaving them to deal with their problem on their own. Our story is set in Glory, Texas - a walled-in town to keep those with the shakes (the disease) out. The town is run by the Judge who acts as governor making everyone pay him dues to live in his town. He allows criminals to seek refuge here in exchange for hunting the sick. So this town isn't exactly a safe-haven. It's full of criminals, gamblers, and murderers.
Our very own MC, Daisy Wilcox - goes by Will. Well her father is a good for nothing gambling drunk. It's up to Will to take care of her three younger siblings ever since their mom died of the shakes. But when Will's dad steals $400 from one of the shake hunters and skips town, the shake hunter demands Will pay him back within a week. So Will has to go out in the desert in search of her dad & the money she almost just knows is already gone. Problem is...the desert is filled with shakes and it's beyond dangerous to go out there. Will hires two shake hunters to join her on the journey.
I enjoyed the setup of the story. And I liked the short chapters. It made the book more readable. At times, I felt there was more tell and less show. I didn't find myself really caring about most of the characters. My main issue is the twist that was highly predictable and actually infuriating that it took the rest of the characters that long to figure it out.
April 4, 2018
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Let's just break this one down in a "yay versus nay" fashion, mostly because I said so.
The Stuff I Liked:
The setting was pretty great. I mean, Western stuff is cool. And then you add this sickness, and undead humans, and yeah. That's as messy as you'd expect, especially when you're talking about a time when technology and life comforts are in their infancy. Basically, it ups the stakes at every turn while still seeming realistic.
Willie is such a great protector- even when she doesn't want to be. Man, she's honest. Sometimes she wishes she didn't have to be responsible for her family, but she also loves them and cares for them wholly and completely. The family dynamic is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book.
I love an adventure trip! I mean, I just do. People on a journey, especially in a life-or-death situation, just makes me excited. And I liked that the addition of zombies brought an extra level of fear for our characters.
On that note, there was a lot of action on the trip. A pretty solid portion of the book takes place "on the road", and the stakes are high- both during the journey, and for the outcome. And there are a lot of harrowing decisions that the characters have to face, including a lot that will test their resolve to even accomplish their mission.
I enjoyed the rapport the characters had together. The interactions with the brothers that Willie hired to help her, along with some other travelers, kept things light when they could otherwise have been very, very bleak.
The Stuff I Didn't:
I did find parts of the story to be predictable. And that isn't always great when you are trying to be on an adventure, right?
I like to know backstory, and I really don't fully get these "shakes". I mean, are they zombies? Are they say, zombie-adjacent? No idea. And I wanted to know, really.
Bottom Line: Quite atmospheric and definitely full of adventure and peril, this was a fun journey even if I may have guessed a few plot points along the way.
Let's just break this one down in a "yay versus nay" fashion, mostly because I said so.
The Stuff I Liked:
The setting was pretty great. I mean, Western stuff is cool. And then you add this sickness, and undead humans, and yeah. That's as messy as you'd expect, especially when you're talking about a time when technology and life comforts are in their infancy. Basically, it ups the stakes at every turn while still seeming realistic.
Willie is such a great protector- even when she doesn't want to be. Man, she's honest. Sometimes she wishes she didn't have to be responsible for her family, but she also loves them and cares for them wholly and completely. The family dynamic is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book.
I love an adventure trip! I mean, I just do. People on a journey, especially in a life-or-death situation, just makes me excited. And I liked that the addition of zombies brought an extra level of fear for our characters.
On that note, there was a lot of action on the trip. A pretty solid portion of the book takes place "on the road", and the stakes are high- both during the journey, and for the outcome. And there are a lot of harrowing decisions that the characters have to face, including a lot that will test their resolve to even accomplish their mission.
I enjoyed the rapport the characters had together. The interactions with the brothers that Willie hired to help her, along with some other travelers, kept things light when they could otherwise have been very, very bleak.
The Stuff I Didn't:
I did find parts of the story to be predictable. And that isn't always great when you are trying to be on an adventure, right?
I like to know backstory, and I really don't fully get these "shakes". I mean, are they zombies? Are they say, zombie-adjacent? No idea. And I wanted to know, really.
Bottom Line: Quite atmospheric and definitely full of adventure and peril, this was a fun journey even if I may have guessed a few plot points along the way.
Read
January 27, 2023I'm a sucker for YA western-ish reads, and so even this wasn't totally a western (zombie-like creatures abound) and the time period was unknown, I did enjoy it from start to finish. The protagonist reminded me a bit of Saba from Blood Red Road (one of my favorite books) and the pacing reminded me of Erin Bowman's Vengeance Road series (loved the first book to death).... that said, I wouldn't recommend this to readers who like a bit of romance in their YA as the romance in this one was basically non-existent (though technically it was there). Like the second book in Erin's Vengeance series (Retribution Rails), this had everything I love in a YA western except the romance which kept it from being a 5-star read for me -that's a personal preference thing as the rest of the book was spot on perfect and I really liked the take on westernish zombies/setting/protagonist. That said, I'd only hesitate to read the author's future works because I like more romance, other than that the book was perfect and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it!
October 21, 2018
4.5 stars
An excellently written debut novel about family, friendship, love, loss, death, rebirth, and growth. For a "simple" horror book, Devils Unto Dust is incredibly textured and complex. I am officially a fan of Emma Berquist and will absolutely sign up for whatever she writes next.
I thought the desert was immobile, a fixed place that I moved through, but that's not the case. The desert is a shifting thing; the cracks widen and the shadows shrink, burrs scatter and plant and grow. The sand moves itself from one spot to another, bones and bullets are covered and uncovered. Nothing is ever lost here, only buried; only waiting for the sand to shift, waiting to be found.
An excellently written debut novel about family, friendship, love, loss, death, rebirth, and growth. For a "simple" horror book, Devils Unto Dust is incredibly textured and complex. I am officially a fan of Emma Berquist and will absolutely sign up for whatever she writes next.
I thought the desert was immobile, a fixed place that I moved through, but that's not the case. The desert is a shifting thing; the cracks widen and the shadows shrink, burrs scatter and plant and grow. The sand moves itself from one spot to another, bones and bullets are covered and uncovered. Nothing is ever lost here, only buried; only waiting for the sand to shift, waiting to be found.
September 28, 2017
WELL, get ready for an adventure and hold onto your feels--woops too late Emma already shot them.
-Willie is 10000% everything
-Bearded Ben is like *effortless swoon*
-adorable little twins
-ALL THE SIBLING LOVE
-Curtis is such a sweetie
-ADVENTURE
-Sam, Sam the little doctor nerd.
-Sassysass
-yaaaaaasssssssss
sorry is this a helpful review? i am The Worst.
-Willie is 10000% everything
-Bearded Ben is like *effortless swoon*
-adorable little twins
-ALL THE SIBLING LOVE
-Curtis is such a sweetie
-ADVENTURE
-Sam, Sam the little doctor nerd.
-Sassysass
-yaaaaaasssssssss
sorry is this a helpful review? i am The Worst.
September 30, 2017
Once you have read the first paragraph you will be unable to stop turning the pages! It has everything I love in a book. A spunky and determined heroine on a quest to protect her family. You feel the desert and the dangers that lie ahead as the novel unfolds. I could not put the book down BUT at the same time I did not want the book to end. Bravo, to my daughter, on her first novel!
April 10, 2018
*4.5 Stars
I love a zombie western, it is quickly becoming my favorite subgenre within the zombie world. The western has taken a fabulous turn over the past few years, alright, a few decades if I go back to the Unforgiven. The black and white Stetsons don’t mean what they used to, there is a shade of gray that seems to cover all of the characters.
Emma Berquist avoided the term zombie like the plague, in fact, I think it was around the forty percent mark before we even encountered a monster. It was just Willie and the folks of Glory, Texas. Wait, come to think of it, some of the residents of Glory were the real monsters. Berquist embraced the concept that you can’t blame a zombie for doing what a zombie does, that’s just its nature. The real monsters come forward with how they react to the dynamic.
I had a fantastic voyage with Willie, her brother, and their hunter escorts as she tracked down her father. Willie is an endearing character, just trying to do her best with the hand that was dealt to her. She carried the story from the beginning to the very end.
Without saying too much, I reached a point in the story where I was good – it could have been over and I would have fully respected the author for her bravery to go there. But she didn’t. I kept reading and thinking, just don’t ruin this great story. Well, she did not! Emma Berquist even brought a tear to my eye.
Devils Unto Dust is a solid debut novel from Emma Berquist, and I’m looking forward to many more books from her in the near future.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via Edelweiss).
I love a zombie western, it is quickly becoming my favorite subgenre within the zombie world. The western has taken a fabulous turn over the past few years, alright, a few decades if I go back to the Unforgiven. The black and white Stetsons don’t mean what they used to, there is a shade of gray that seems to cover all of the characters.
Emma Berquist avoided the term zombie like the plague, in fact, I think it was around the forty percent mark before we even encountered a monster. It was just Willie and the folks of Glory, Texas. Wait, come to think of it, some of the residents of Glory were the real monsters. Berquist embraced the concept that you can’t blame a zombie for doing what a zombie does, that’s just its nature. The real monsters come forward with how they react to the dynamic.
I had a fantastic voyage with Willie, her brother, and their hunter escorts as she tracked down her father. Willie is an endearing character, just trying to do her best with the hand that was dealt to her. She carried the story from the beginning to the very end.
Without saying too much, I reached a point in the story where I was good – it could have been over and I would have fully respected the author for her bravery to go there. But she didn’t. I kept reading and thinking, just don’t ruin this great story. Well, she did not! Emma Berquist even brought a tear to my eye.
Devils Unto Dust is a solid debut novel from Emma Berquist, and I’m looking forward to many more books from her in the near future.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via Edelweiss).
April 11, 2018
Review Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
4.5 Stars!
****ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****
What an amazing debut novel! I can’t believe this is Berquist’s first book, she writes like a pro and honestly this book had pretty much everything I love and look for! This was just overall extremely well written and well executed, I could gush on and on!
Plot
First of all I’d like to say this is more of a infection-style book than a zombie book, they’re different trust me, and if you decided to give this book a try you’ll see why. I honestly prefer the whole “infected humans” thing over traditional zombies, I think it’s way scarier! On top of that it’s also a western, which can usually be a bit on the boring side for me but this one was action packed! There’s something happening almost constantly and my attention never wavered while reading, I was 100% invested in the story being told. The pacing is quite fast as well!
The story focuses on Willie as she sets out in search of her father to get back the money he stole, in order to protect her siblings from the “shake” (infected humans/zombies) hunters. This is more of a “journey” style plot but while others can get a little tedious and drag on, that wasn’t the case here. While she’s on the road there’s plenty of interesting happenings and when something isn’t happening, there’s a lot of character development. I would say this book was very well balanced, it was plot driven AND character driven, which in my opinion makes the perfect book!
I would say “Devils Unto Dust” is a bit more focused on the western aspect of the story instead of the horror side of the story. Which I was fine with, but I would have liked to have seen a teency bit more of the shakes. When the characters did have some run ins with the shakes, they were terrifying so I would have liked to have seen more of that. Seriously, I don’t know what it is but when zombies can run fast and reason they’re terrifying! As I said though this focused more on the western part of the story, with the six-shooters, tough as nails characters, and long walks through the desert. I thought the atmosphere was very, very well done, you really got a feel for the desert while reading. I think Berquist’s writing was especially good with this, she drew up so much imagery for the surrounding, it was fantastic.
I would have liked a bit more world building since it’s briefly mentioned how the plague started and how the rest of the country seemed to have abandoned the towns where the story takes place. Why? How? It really wasn’t too terribly important to the story but I personally would have liked a little more information on it!
And as I have already mentioned: the writing was great. Berquist did an amazing job setting the atmosphere and making me really feel for the characters and what they were going through. I have to say, without spoilers of course, there were more than a few times I teared up!
Characters
I always feel it’s sort of a rare treat for me to enjoy both a book’s plot this much AND its characters. With “Devils Unto Dust” I got just that! The characters were all just so adorable and amazing, I wanted to hug and protect them all!
Willie, the MC, is very tough and doesn’t take shit from anyone, she is also the eldest sibling and takes care of her three younger siblings. She will do ANYTHING to keep her siblings safe and I think that’s really a big part of why I loved her so much, her loyalty and determination. Also she’s just a straight up badass, but not too “in your face” if that makes sense because I feel like sometimes in YA authors try to make their heroines too “in your face badass”. She tends to be a little bit too quick-tempered and rude at times but I liked that she had her flaws, she was never unlikable to me though.
Willie’s siblings: Micah and the twins, Calvin and Catherine were all super adorable and endearing. If Willie didn’t already do a fantastic job of protecting them I swear I would jump straight into this book and do the job myself! Another side character is Micah’s best friend Sam, who is the town’s doctor’s son. Sam was also adorable, sweet, and a bit shy.
Then we have the Garrett brothers, Curtis and Ben, who Willie hired to escort her outside the town. Curtis is the oldest, I think he was described as being in his late twenties, and Ben is closer in age to Willie. Curtis is super cute and polite right off the bat while Ben is a bit more standoffish but he comes around! They definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to shake hunting, #1 badasses in the book in my opinion. Also I’d just like to go on record and say Curtis will forever be my book boyfriend now.
Overall every single character I just mentioned is extremely well developed, complex, and full of personality. I could probably gush about all of them forever!
Romance
I would say that “Devils Unto Dust” is very romance-free. There is a very small, subtle romance that sort of blooms but it’s more so a crush and it isn’t focused on whatsoever. I liked that it was there because I loved those two characters but I also really appreciate that it wasn’t focused on and never overtook any part of the plot. This is so unbelievably rare in YA books that I’m always SUPER happy when a YA book is romance free.
In Conclusion
What I Loved:
Action-packed, fast paced plot
The shakes were terrifying and more “infection-style” than traditional zombies
Great atmosphere and desert imagery
Fantastic writing
Lovable, adorable characters
Romance-free (for the most part)
What I Didn’t Love:
Could have used a bit more world building (not a big deal though!)
Would have liked to have seen a bit more of the shakes
Recommend?
Overall I highly recommend checking out “Devils Unto Dust” if you’re a fan of westerns, infection style zombies (or ya know just zombies in general), or if you like your horror books a little more on the mild side. Still it’s a great story with even greater characters and I think I’ll be trying to get you all to read it forever!
4.5 Stars!
****ARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****
What an amazing debut novel! I can’t believe this is Berquist’s first book, she writes like a pro and honestly this book had pretty much everything I love and look for! This was just overall extremely well written and well executed, I could gush on and on!
Plot
First of all I’d like to say this is more of a infection-style book than a zombie book, they’re different trust me, and if you decided to give this book a try you’ll see why. I honestly prefer the whole “infected humans” thing over traditional zombies, I think it’s way scarier! On top of that it’s also a western, which can usually be a bit on the boring side for me but this one was action packed! There’s something happening almost constantly and my attention never wavered while reading, I was 100% invested in the story being told. The pacing is quite fast as well!
The story focuses on Willie as she sets out in search of her father to get back the money he stole, in order to protect her siblings from the “shake” (infected humans/zombies) hunters. This is more of a “journey” style plot but while others can get a little tedious and drag on, that wasn’t the case here. While she’s on the road there’s plenty of interesting happenings and when something isn’t happening, there’s a lot of character development. I would say this book was very well balanced, it was plot driven AND character driven, which in my opinion makes the perfect book!
I would say “Devils Unto Dust” is a bit more focused on the western aspect of the story instead of the horror side of the story. Which I was fine with, but I would have liked to have seen a teency bit more of the shakes. When the characters did have some run ins with the shakes, they were terrifying so I would have liked to have seen more of that. Seriously, I don’t know what it is but when zombies can run fast and reason they’re terrifying! As I said though this focused more on the western part of the story, with the six-shooters, tough as nails characters, and long walks through the desert. I thought the atmosphere was very, very well done, you really got a feel for the desert while reading. I think Berquist’s writing was especially good with this, she drew up so much imagery for the surrounding, it was fantastic.
I would have liked a bit more world building since it’s briefly mentioned how the plague started and how the rest of the country seemed to have abandoned the towns where the story takes place. Why? How? It really wasn’t too terribly important to the story but I personally would have liked a little more information on it!
And as I have already mentioned: the writing was great. Berquist did an amazing job setting the atmosphere and making me really feel for the characters and what they were going through. I have to say, without spoilers of course, there were more than a few times I teared up!
Characters
I always feel it’s sort of a rare treat for me to enjoy both a book’s plot this much AND its characters. With “Devils Unto Dust” I got just that! The characters were all just so adorable and amazing, I wanted to hug and protect them all!
Willie, the MC, is very tough and doesn’t take shit from anyone, she is also the eldest sibling and takes care of her three younger siblings. She will do ANYTHING to keep her siblings safe and I think that’s really a big part of why I loved her so much, her loyalty and determination. Also she’s just a straight up badass, but not too “in your face” if that makes sense because I feel like sometimes in YA authors try to make their heroines too “in your face badass”. She tends to be a little bit too quick-tempered and rude at times but I liked that she had her flaws, she was never unlikable to me though.
Willie’s siblings: Micah and the twins, Calvin and Catherine were all super adorable and endearing. If Willie didn’t already do a fantastic job of protecting them I swear I would jump straight into this book and do the job myself! Another side character is Micah’s best friend Sam, who is the town’s doctor’s son. Sam was also adorable, sweet, and a bit shy.
Then we have the Garrett brothers, Curtis and Ben, who Willie hired to escort her outside the town. Curtis is the oldest, I think he was described as being in his late twenties, and Ben is closer in age to Willie. Curtis is super cute and polite right off the bat while Ben is a bit more standoffish but he comes around! They definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to shake hunting, #1 badasses in the book in my opinion. Also I’d just like to go on record and say Curtis will forever be my book boyfriend now.
Overall every single character I just mentioned is extremely well developed, complex, and full of personality. I could probably gush about all of them forever!
Romance
I would say that “Devils Unto Dust” is very romance-free. There is a very small, subtle romance that sort of blooms but it’s more so a crush and it isn’t focused on whatsoever. I liked that it was there because I loved those two characters but I also really appreciate that it wasn’t focused on and never overtook any part of the plot. This is so unbelievably rare in YA books that I’m always SUPER happy when a YA book is romance free.
In Conclusion
What I Loved:
Action-packed, fast paced plot
The shakes were terrifying and more “infection-style” than traditional zombies
Great atmosphere and desert imagery
Fantastic writing
Lovable, adorable characters
Romance-free (for the most part)
What I Didn’t Love:
Could have used a bit more world building (not a big deal though!)
Would have liked to have seen a bit more of the shakes
Recommend?
Overall I highly recommend checking out “Devils Unto Dust” if you’re a fan of westerns, infection style zombies (or ya know just zombies in general), or if you like your horror books a little more on the mild side. Still it’s a great story with even greater characters and I think I’ll be trying to get you all to read it forever!
March 2, 2018
Daisy Wilcox, known as Willie, is just trying to keep her brothers and sister safe from the "shakes". They live on the outskirts of Glory and that's the way she likes it. Since her mother was infected with the incurable disease and turned into a shake, her father has done nothing for them, only drink and gamble. But things are about to change for Willie when her father steals money from one of the most dangerous shake-hunters in town, and he tells her that she must repay his debt, or else! Willie has no choice but to hunt her father down and try to get the money back from him. She has to hire two other shake hunters to help her traverse the unforgiving desert, but more importantly, to keep her safe from the infectious shakes.
This book was all kinds of awesome!! I was seriously surprised when I saw that it's actually a debut author that wrote this. I feel like I found a diamond in the rough because I've read so many debut authors, and while their books have been good, they weren't ones that actually blew me away!! This one did, everything about it was brilliant!
I adored all the characters. They were extremely well written and developed and were also easy to connect with. Willie is without a doubt, kick ass!! She has a lot on her shoulders and has to keep her brother and the twins safe. Her first thoughts are always with them. I loved her spirit and her tenacity. I also loved Ben and how we see him come out of his shell throughout the story. In fact, all the characters were amazing!!
I loved the setting too, it had a wild west feeling. The author did a great job with the world building and gave vivid descriptions of the world, which made it extremely easy to visualise. She explained the infection perfectly and I had no problem believing how easy it spread and that it was incurable.
In all, this book was amazing. The writing was descriptive and the plot flowed nicely. The journey Willie undertook to save her family was fraught with danger, and I loved every minute of it!! I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author.
This book was all kinds of awesome!! I was seriously surprised when I saw that it's actually a debut author that wrote this. I feel like I found a diamond in the rough because I've read so many debut authors, and while their books have been good, they weren't ones that actually blew me away!! This one did, everything about it was brilliant!
I adored all the characters. They were extremely well written and developed and were also easy to connect with. Willie is without a doubt, kick ass!! She has a lot on her shoulders and has to keep her brother and the twins safe. Her first thoughts are always with them. I loved her spirit and her tenacity. I also loved Ben and how we see him come out of his shell throughout the story. In fact, all the characters were amazing!!
I loved the setting too, it had a wild west feeling. The author did a great job with the world building and gave vivid descriptions of the world, which made it extremely easy to visualise. She explained the infection perfectly and I had no problem believing how easy it spread and that it was incurable.
In all, this book was amazing. The writing was descriptive and the plot flowed nicely. The journey Willie undertook to save her family was fraught with danger, and I loved every minute of it!! I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author.
August 27, 2017
Mini Review: 3 1/2 stars for me personally (in a bit of a slump and having trouble getting into any books), but a four overall. The writing quality is fantastic for a debut. Rich character dynamics, and this is waaaay more interesting than most journey books. This is what Walk on Earth A Stranger should have been. Action packed from start to finish, this novel is plenty entertaining from the first page. Recommended if a YA western sounds interesting to you!
December 6, 2017
Our family loved this book; read it aloud on a road trip through west Texas. The story is riveting,
having engaging plot twists, beautiful description and characters that squeeze your heart. Be prepared for horror, humor, heartbreak and hope.
having engaging plot twists, beautiful description and characters that squeeze your heart. Be prepared for horror, humor, heartbreak and hope.
February 1, 2018
Absolutely gripping and deliciously, vividly creepy, with a sense of time and place you can practically taste and writing that gallops - I read it in one sitting and wanted to cheer. Knocks it right out of the park. Give me the movie (AND SEQUELS) now please!!
March 16, 2023
3 stars
Very unique and unputdownable but pretty forgettable once you're done with it. I enjoyed for the most part :)
Very unique and unputdownable but pretty forgettable once you're done with it. I enjoyed for the most part :)
March 13, 2018
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"What if it isn't the fever that sends them lunging at the healthy, teeth snapping and fingers tearing? Maybe we have it wrong. Maybe this is what humans are truly like, when you take away reason and control and hope. Maybe the shakes aren't sick; maybe they're just honest."
The sickness has been running rampant across West Texas for a century, wiping out small dusty towns with considerable speed. The shakes now rule the desert, eager to wreck havoc and destroy the few surviving pockets of the living. Willie and her three younger siblings barely scrape by in the outskirts of Glory, surviving off of selling snake skins. But when their drunk of a father steals another gambler's fortune and hightails it out of Glory, threats against her family force Willie to set out across the barren desert teeming with shakes to bring him to justice. Hiring two hunters to assist her in her journey, Willie will risk everything to protect her family, but few who step out of the protected boundaries of Glory return.
I typically avoid zombie/infection horror stories like the plague (see what I did there) and yet, here I am, writing another five-star review for a zombie book. If an author can make me fall in love with a book in a genre I usually hate, there must be some damn good writing/characterization happening. In this, Berquist delivers in spades.
Devils Unto Dust is primarily a journey book, which I know is a turnoff for certain readers, but the writing here is phenomenal for a debut author. The characters are rich, with Willie being particularly nuanced, and the action is high-stakes enough to keep you turning pages. This is technically what I would consider horror, so not for the weak-stomached, but if you enjoy westerns and zombies (or at least can tolerate them), this is a must-read. There is the slightest hint of romance, which adds a sweetness to an otherwise pretty dark story, but does not overshadow the primary focus, which is Willie's self-examination and personal development. I think Devils Unto Dust has something of a True Grit vibe, allowing for a harrowing, yet incredibly introspective story, as Willie considers what she's searching for and comes to terms with the death surrounding her. Highly recommended.
Quote was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.
"What if it isn't the fever that sends them lunging at the healthy, teeth snapping and fingers tearing? Maybe we have it wrong. Maybe this is what humans are truly like, when you take away reason and control and hope. Maybe the shakes aren't sick; maybe they're just honest."
The sickness has been running rampant across West Texas for a century, wiping out small dusty towns with considerable speed. The shakes now rule the desert, eager to wreck havoc and destroy the few surviving pockets of the living. Willie and her three younger siblings barely scrape by in the outskirts of Glory, surviving off of selling snake skins. But when their drunk of a father steals another gambler's fortune and hightails it out of Glory, threats against her family force Willie to set out across the barren desert teeming with shakes to bring him to justice. Hiring two hunters to assist her in her journey, Willie will risk everything to protect her family, but few who step out of the protected boundaries of Glory return.
I typically avoid zombie/infection horror stories like the plague (see what I did there) and yet, here I am, writing another five-star review for a zombie book. If an author can make me fall in love with a book in a genre I usually hate, there must be some damn good writing/characterization happening. In this, Berquist delivers in spades.
Devils Unto Dust is primarily a journey book, which I know is a turnoff for certain readers, but the writing here is phenomenal for a debut author. The characters are rich, with Willie being particularly nuanced, and the action is high-stakes enough to keep you turning pages. This is technically what I would consider horror, so not for the weak-stomached, but if you enjoy westerns and zombies (or at least can tolerate them), this is a must-read. There is the slightest hint of romance, which adds a sweetness to an otherwise pretty dark story, but does not overshadow the primary focus, which is Willie's self-examination and personal development. I think Devils Unto Dust has something of a True Grit vibe, allowing for a harrowing, yet incredibly introspective story, as Willie considers what she's searching for and comes to terms with the death surrounding her. Highly recommended.
Quote was taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication.
January 4, 2019
My first book read of the year...sadly an unfortunate start to my 2019
Someone, somewhere said this was similar to Dread Nation...for some reason, I thought no way could it be that boring...but it turns out they were right...this is, unfortunately, quite similar to that book.
I found myself not really caring if the Zombie-like creatures called "Shakes" bit or turned the characters or not. That coupled with a slow-moving, slightly underdeveloped plot, and the unrelenting harshness of this alternative historical and Devils Unto Dust failed to wow me in any significant way.
๏ Breakdown of Ratings ๏
Plot⇝ 2.5/5
Main Characters⇝ 2.7/5
Secondary Characters⇝ 2.5/5
The Feels⇝ 2/5
Pacing⇝2.5/5
Addictiveness⇝ 2.7/5
Theme or Tone⇝ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇝ 2/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇝ 2.5/5
Originality⇝ 3/5
Ending⇝ 2.7/5 Cliffhanger⇝ Nah...
๏ ๏ ๏
Book Cover⇝ I really like it...more than I like the book, anyway.
Narration⇝
Setting⇝ Texas (in an alternative history, following sometime after the Civil War)
Source⇝ Audiobook (Library)
Someone, somewhere said this was similar to Dread Nation...for some reason, I thought no way could it be that boring...but it turns out they were right...this is, unfortunately, quite similar to that book.
I found myself not really caring if the Zombie-like creatures called "Shakes" bit or turned the characters or not. That coupled with a slow-moving, slightly underdeveloped plot, and the unrelenting harshness of this alternative historical and Devils Unto Dust failed to wow me in any significant way.
๏ ๏ ๏ MY RATING ๏ ๏ ๏
☆2.5☆STARS - GRADE=D+
๏ Breakdown of Ratings ๏
Plot⇝ 2.5/5
Main Characters⇝ 2.7/5
Secondary Characters⇝ 2.5/5
The Feels⇝ 2/5
Pacing⇝2.5/5
Addictiveness⇝ 2.7/5
Theme or Tone⇝ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇝ 2/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇝ 2.5/5
Originality⇝ 3/5
Ending⇝ 2.7/5 Cliffhanger⇝ Nah...
๏ ๏ ๏
Book Cover⇝ I really like it...more than I like the book, anyway.
Narration⇝
Setting⇝ Texas (in an alternative history, following sometime after the Civil War)
Source⇝ Audiobook (Library)
May 2, 2018
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD, A MUST READ. The writing and plot and characters, it was all so masterfully done. The language blew me away.
April 30, 2018
I’m absolutely in love with this novel. The action, setting, suspense and characters were amazing. Usually with novels I’ll just read a couple pages a day before bed, but with this novel it literally kept me up till 6 am because I just couldn’t force myself to put it down. Willie Wilcox has become one of my favourite YA characters: she’s so badass and she’s been through a lot and lost a lot but still makes it in the end and recognizes how surviving life itself is an accomplishment. To be honest this may be weird but it was refreshing to read about the characters strained relationship with her “selfish” father and how that affects decisions as a daughter because it was relatable and as readers we don’t get to really read about that too much. To round off my review I’d just like to say the romance bit was sweet. It wasn’t the main focus which was also refreshing but there was just enough to convince me that Ben and Willie make an amazing pairing. One of the best books of 2018 so far, I’m so glad I preordered. 💕
August 21, 2018
4 stars
What a fun, atmospheric (if infected people zombies and Western desert is your type of atmosphere) survival story!
I mean, there were a lot of things to love about this, but my favorite part has just got to be the worldbuilding and atmosphere! It's that sort of timeless (is it dystopian? is it Western? is it historical?) atmosphere of the Wild West (think Gunslinger Girl) featuring Western feels but zombie-apocalypse type shakes.
I just love that feel and I mean, the bloody sands on the cover really captures the atmosphere of the story, so if that doesn't look like your jam (and a pluming mist of blood may not be your sort of book), then you might want to pass on this.
But, if you want the freaky infections of This Mortal Coil mixed in with the Western-dystopian feel of Gunslinger Girl, I definitely recommend this one! The shakes are seriously fear-inducing, and it's that type of Western historical horror feat. zombies that I enjoy! (Also, check out a potential comp in Dread Nation!
I guess what just didn't cut this for me is divided into 10% of the character relationships could have been stronger, and 70% of I wish the plot was a little more twisty, and 20% it was a little long.
Honestly, most of my problem is just me being picky about this book. I wanted something a little deeper in terms of the character relationships, because I really just felt like they were a little bland (especially the protagonist's bond with some of her younger siblings) except for near the end (because WHYYY NOOO).
The ending was awesome and I definitely liked how it ended, but I was totally wrecked over a few parts. So the last half of the book had awesome character relationships, but I felt like it was just lacking in the first half.
In terms of the twistiness of the plot--I was honestly just really intuitive about this. I kind of caught on really quickly (for a solid ten pages I was thinking "should X happen & she be worried about this?" and then it came true) but that's also because I'm a science nerd and I pay attention to the science in books.
And Berquist's science was solid, just kind of predictable. (I don't know why anyone in their day didn't do it? Maybe it is a regressive dystopia.) I thought a couple of red herrings or just being less obvious about the hints could have been a little beneficial, but I see how it brings the story together .
But really the thing that will get most people who read this book is just that it's kind of long. And I feel like it could have been polished and condensed more to be sleeker and fine tuned into a really strong debut, and it felt like some of those cuts in unnecessary information didn't happen to the extent I wanted them to.
Overall, despite good chunks of this being pretty predictable, I did enjoy this and all the action and the gritty Western, apocalyptic-ish world. I definitely recommend to those who find the cover appealing!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
What a fun, atmospheric (if infected people zombies and Western desert is your type of atmosphere) survival story!
I mean, there were a lot of things to love about this, but my favorite part has just got to be the worldbuilding and atmosphere! It's that sort of timeless (is it dystopian? is it Western? is it historical?) atmosphere of the Wild West (think Gunslinger Girl) featuring Western feels but zombie-apocalypse type shakes.
I just love that feel and I mean, the bloody sands on the cover really captures the atmosphere of the story, so if that doesn't look like your jam (and a pluming mist of blood may not be your sort of book), then you might want to pass on this.
But, if you want the freaky infections of This Mortal Coil mixed in with the Western-dystopian feel of Gunslinger Girl, I definitely recommend this one! The shakes are seriously fear-inducing, and it's that type of Western historical horror feat. zombies that I enjoy! (Also, check out a potential comp in Dread Nation!
I guess what just didn't cut this for me is divided into 10% of the character relationships could have been stronger, and 70% of I wish the plot was a little more twisty, and 20% it was a little long.
Honestly, most of my problem is just me being picky about this book. I wanted something a little deeper in terms of the character relationships, because I really just felt like they were a little bland (especially the protagonist's bond with some of her younger siblings) except for near the end (because WHYYY NOOO).
The ending was awesome and I definitely liked how it ended, but I was totally wrecked over a few parts. So the last half of the book had awesome character relationships, but I felt like it was just lacking in the first half.
In terms of the twistiness of the plot--I was honestly just really intuitive about this. I kind of caught on really quickly (for a solid ten pages I was thinking "should X happen & she be worried about this?" and then it came true) but that's also because I'm a science nerd and I pay attention to the science in books.
And Berquist's science was solid, just kind of predictable. (I don't know why anyone in their day didn't do it? Maybe it is a regressive dystopia.) I thought a couple of red herrings or just being less obvious about the hints could have been a little beneficial, but I see how it brings the story together .
But really the thing that will get most people who read this book is just that it's kind of long. And I feel like it could have been polished and condensed more to be sleeker and fine tuned into a really strong debut, and it felt like some of those cuts in unnecessary information didn't happen to the extent I wanted them to.
Overall, despite good chunks of this being pretty predictable, I did enjoy this and all the action and the gritty Western, apocalyptic-ish world. I definitely recommend to those who find the cover appealing!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
June 7, 2018
I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started this book. I am not a huge fan of zombies and I was a little nervous. I am very happy I read this book because it was not what I expected.
Set in a Dystopian world, it has a sort of western feel to it. I can't remember if it ever gave a time frame out year but it seemed like it was set more in the future.
I never experienced character build like this, it was really slow, the book almost revolved around the build of these characters.
The Story is told in Willies (Daisy Wilcox) POV. You are seeing the entire book through her eyes and learning about each character from her. You learn a lot about her and it's progressive, so it happens over the entire length of the book.
The Garrett Brothers and Willies brother Micah are traveling across the desert to find their father and bring him back to repay a debt that is making life for his kids worse than it is.
The "shakes" are the zombies, they aren't in the book a lot but the fear of them jumps from the pages.
The story is just a lot of walking and reflecting, explaining the surroundings and how Willie is feeling.
It had a lot of twists and turns. One of the twists, ripped my heart out. I was shocked. This happens almost at the end. I was also not expecting a lot of what happened to happen. This book had me on the edge of my seat.
I think the reviews on this book are mixed but for me, I loved it. One of the best character build in a book and this story had me on the edge of my seat and I was finding it very hard to put down. Emma Berquist is a new to me author and one I plan to keep an eye on, because, I would love to read something else from her. Highly recommend in my opinion. I really enjoyed this
Set in a Dystopian world, it has a sort of western feel to it. I can't remember if it ever gave a time frame out year but it seemed like it was set more in the future.
I never experienced character build like this, it was really slow, the book almost revolved around the build of these characters.
The Story is told in Willies (Daisy Wilcox) POV. You are seeing the entire book through her eyes and learning about each character from her. You learn a lot about her and it's progressive, so it happens over the entire length of the book.
The Garrett Brothers and Willies brother Micah are traveling across the desert to find their father and bring him back to repay a debt that is making life for his kids worse than it is.
The "shakes" are the zombies, they aren't in the book a lot but the fear of them jumps from the pages.
The story is just a lot of walking and reflecting, explaining the surroundings and how Willie is feeling.
It had a lot of twists and turns. One of the twists, ripped my heart out. I was shocked. This happens almost at the end. I was also not expecting a lot of what happened to happen. This book had me on the edge of my seat.
I think the reviews on this book are mixed but for me, I loved it. One of the best character build in a book and this story had me on the edge of my seat and I was finding it very hard to put down. Emma Berquist is a new to me author and one I plan to keep an eye on, because, I would love to read something else from her. Highly recommend in my opinion. I really enjoyed this
Thanks for stopping by to check out my review.
Have a great day and Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life
January 22, 2018
Couldn’t put it down
May 15, 2018
3-1/2 stars, but I'm rounding up to 4 because I just really enjoyed this YA "zombie western."
It took me a few chapters to really get drawn into this story, but once I did there was no turning back. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters in this book. Yes, there was some predictability to the storyline, but that honestly didn't bother me. There wasn't a ton of blood and gore in this book; just enough to remind the reader of what a threat the shakes are, as well as fellow mankind in this land of dust and desolation.
I believe a lot of the credit for liking this book so much is attributed to the author's writing style. This book just had a nice even flow to it, even during the less exciting times. At almost 500 pages, I am really surprised at how easily the pages went by.
I wouldn't exactly call this a zombie story. To me, it was more of a western that just happens to have an ever present threat of zombie-like creatures in the background that sometimes move to the forefront of the story.
I would definitely read more from this author.
It took me a few chapters to really get drawn into this story, but once I did there was no turning back. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters in this book. Yes, there was some predictability to the storyline, but that honestly didn't bother me. There wasn't a ton of blood and gore in this book; just enough to remind the reader of what a threat the shakes are, as well as fellow mankind in this land of dust and desolation.
I believe a lot of the credit for liking this book so much is attributed to the author's writing style. This book just had a nice even flow to it, even during the less exciting times. At almost 500 pages, I am really surprised at how easily the pages went by.
I wouldn't exactly call this a zombie story. To me, it was more of a western that just happens to have an ever present threat of zombie-like creatures in the background that sometimes move to the forefront of the story.
I would definitely read more from this author.
November 2, 2019
This novel had a slow start while it was setting up the background for the whole storyline. But I promise you that it gets MUCH better if you stick with it, through to the end.
I had a feeling about a couple things that might happen during this novel and I was correct about them. But the one twist that happened got me, and the aftermath had me tearing up here and there. (It was told so well and wish such feeling, I was kind of there, feeling it too. Not many novels make me tear up anymore, but this one knew how to do this).
If you give this novel a chance, I think you may like it also.
This review tells all I’d like to say, but better:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4 stars, and recommended.
I had a feeling about a couple things that might happen during this novel and I was correct about them. But the one twist that happened got me, and the aftermath had me tearing up here and there. (It was told so well and wish such feeling, I was kind of there, feeling it too. Not many novels make me tear up anymore, but this one knew how to do this).
If you give this novel a chance, I think you may like it also.
This review tells all I’d like to say, but better:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4 stars, and recommended.
October 20, 2018
4.5 stars
July 15, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.
By the end of this trip I'll be more dust than girl. The desert claims everything, in the end.
Summary: This was such a lovely surprise? I don't know what I was expecting but this was so much better. Fantastic characters, tense storytelling, A+ sibling dynamics, and I just really loved Willie and I'm just so hung up on this book that the rating might change. Zombies in the wild west? Fierce heroine? Protective siblings? A bearded and grumpy romantic interest? It has it all!
Full review: Ten years ago a disease spread across the West Texas desert and those infected – known as the Shakes – attacked the living and wreaked havoc. Daisy Wilcox, also known as Willie, has been protecting her younger siblings within the fences of Glory, Texas. But when her good for nothing father steals a large amount of cash from a dangerous shake-hunter, Willie has no choice but to leave the safety of Glory to search for her father and the stolen money, accompanied by two young shake-hunters. But the Texan desert is a dangerous place, and not everyone makes it across alive.
I will be honest and say that I had heard very little about Devils Unto Dust and so I didn't really know what to expect when I went in, but wow was this such a fantastic book. It's a mesh of genres – western meets horror – and it works SO WELL. Zombies in the Wild West? Like, it's amazing. But that's not even the best part of Devils Unto Dust because the characters are so standout. I adored Willie and her devotion to her family whilst also dealing with personal conflicts about freedom and responsibility and she was such a well-developed protagonist. I also really enjoyed the fact that, whilst protecting her siblings in the relatively safe town of Glory, Willie felt completely out of her element in the desert and it's so realistic. If all of that is not enough to sell you, there are some really great sibling dynamics too (which is totally my weakness). It's less about the zombies, and more about the characters and survival and I loved it.
There is also a hint, just a hint, of romance, but it's realistic, sweet, and doesn't overshadow the plot at all (also he's bearded and broody and what more do you want?) So win-win!
Devils Unto Dust is brimming with action. From start to finish we're treated with tense storytelling, chilling shake scenes, and short sharp chapters, and edge-of-your-seat moments, and rising emotional stakes. If you're a fan of historical fiction, westerns, zombies, then I would definitely recommend this book.
By the end of this trip I'll be more dust than girl. The desert claims everything, in the end.
Summary: This was such a lovely surprise? I don't know what I was expecting but this was so much better. Fantastic characters, tense storytelling, A+ sibling dynamics, and I just really loved Willie and I'm just so hung up on this book that the rating might change. Zombies in the wild west? Fierce heroine? Protective siblings? A bearded and grumpy romantic interest? It has it all!
Full review: Ten years ago a disease spread across the West Texas desert and those infected – known as the Shakes – attacked the living and wreaked havoc. Daisy Wilcox, also known as Willie, has been protecting her younger siblings within the fences of Glory, Texas. But when her good for nothing father steals a large amount of cash from a dangerous shake-hunter, Willie has no choice but to leave the safety of Glory to search for her father and the stolen money, accompanied by two young shake-hunters. But the Texan desert is a dangerous place, and not everyone makes it across alive.
I will be honest and say that I had heard very little about Devils Unto Dust and so I didn't really know what to expect when I went in, but wow was this such a fantastic book. It's a mesh of genres – western meets horror – and it works SO WELL. Zombies in the Wild West? Like, it's amazing. But that's not even the best part of Devils Unto Dust because the characters are so standout. I adored Willie and her devotion to her family whilst also dealing with personal conflicts about freedom and responsibility and she was such a well-developed protagonist. I also really enjoyed the fact that, whilst protecting her siblings in the relatively safe town of Glory, Willie felt completely out of her element in the desert and it's so realistic. If all of that is not enough to sell you, there are some really great sibling dynamics too (which is totally my weakness). It's less about the zombies, and more about the characters and survival and I loved it.
There is also a hint, just a hint, of romance, but it's realistic, sweet, and doesn't overshadow the plot at all (also he's bearded and broody and what more do you want?) So win-win!
Devils Unto Dust is brimming with action. From start to finish we're treated with tense storytelling, chilling shake scenes, and short sharp chapters, and edge-of-your-seat moments, and rising emotional stakes. If you're a fan of historical fiction, westerns, zombies, then I would definitely recommend this book.
April 18, 2018
*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult, Western, Dystopian
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Devils Unto Dust, by author Emma Berquist, is a Young Adult, Dystopian, Western standalone novel. Devils Unto Dust takes place in an alternative history reality right after the Civil War ended. Ten years ago, a disease spread across the West Texas desert and those infected – known as the Shakes – attacked the living and wreaked havoc. Parts of Texas have been cut off from the rest of the country thanks to a silver sickness. In fact, the rest of the country has pretty much left Texas to its own devices.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Western, Dystopian
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Devils Unto Dust, by author Emma Berquist, is a Young Adult, Dystopian, Western standalone novel. Devils Unto Dust takes place in an alternative history reality right after the Civil War ended. Ten years ago, a disease spread across the West Texas desert and those infected – known as the Shakes – attacked the living and wreaked havoc. Parts of Texas have been cut off from the rest of the country thanks to a silver sickness. In fact, the rest of the country has pretty much left Texas to its own devices.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
December 21, 2017
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
Even if this book releases on 2018 I could keep it down. The Wild West meets zombies in this engaging trip from one city to another and a girl's attempt to save her family.
Willie, her brother Micah and her twins brother and sister live in poverty in the small town of Glory. It's the 19th century and Northern America has literally abandoned everyone to the South after the terrifying disease of the shakes. If you come in contact, you turn into a zombie.
When Willie's dad leaves them with a debt and the fear of losing their house and lives, Willie will employ the hunter brothers, in order to travel through the desert and find him. The story was gripping, tragic and quite funny at sometimes. The description of the scenery and the strong physical emotions it causes are shown realistically and I could help but sympathise with Willie.
She tries everything for her family and has to be hard in order to survive. Not to mention that the name of the town Glory, reminded me of the Glory town of Rae Carson's series. In an alternative world.
There is also romance, even if it's subtle and gentle. The romance wasn't the focus of the plot but it worked perfectly. If westerns and zombies are your thing then "Devils Unto Dust" encompasses both of your preferences!
Even if this book releases on 2018 I could keep it down. The Wild West meets zombies in this engaging trip from one city to another and a girl's attempt to save her family.
Willie, her brother Micah and her twins brother and sister live in poverty in the small town of Glory. It's the 19th century and Northern America has literally abandoned everyone to the South after the terrifying disease of the shakes. If you come in contact, you turn into a zombie.
When Willie's dad leaves them with a debt and the fear of losing their house and lives, Willie will employ the hunter brothers, in order to travel through the desert and find him. The story was gripping, tragic and quite funny at sometimes. The description of the scenery and the strong physical emotions it causes are shown realistically and I could help but sympathise with Willie.
She tries everything for her family and has to be hard in order to survive. Not to mention that the name of the town Glory, reminded me of the Glory town of Rae Carson's series. In an alternative world.
There is also romance, even if it's subtle and gentle. The romance wasn't the focus of the plot but it worked perfectly. If westerns and zombies are your thing then "Devils Unto Dust" encompasses both of your preferences!
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