The Blood Will Dry

by Kate L. Mary

Five years after an alien invasion, the earth is unrecognizable. The human race has been decimated and the sun completely blotted out by dark clouds that bring constant rain. All indigenous plant life has been killed off and replaced by vegetation that has proven to be as deadly as it is invasive, and the aliens that have taken over the planet are seemingly invincible.

Living in a crowded building with other survivors, Diana Foster wants nothing more than to forget what she lost the day the aliens arrived. But an incoming platoon brings a familiar face, one that not only opens old wounds, but also forces her to deal with the painful memories she's worked hard to forget. Bryan may not be the same cocky kid he was before the invasion, but his sudden appearance still turns Diana's world upside down in ways she never expected. When he showed up she knew it would mean finally facing her past, but she never thought she’d find a future that was actually worth living.

After years of struggling to find a weakness in the aliens' defenses, Diana stumbles upon a solution just as a new and more deadly threat surfaces. Faced with an attraction she never expected and a battle that most believe can't be won, Diana must work through her painful past as the survivors mount a battle that may determine the fate of mankind. If her plan fails it very well could be the end of humanity, but if works it will mean having a real future, and a chance to allow the blood to dry once and for all.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Romance, Post Apocalyptic, Aliens, Apocalyptic, Horror

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2017

About the author

I'm a mom of four, Air Force wife, and author of adult and young adult dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and science fiction. I love intense world building and character driven stories that feature strong female leads - as well as a side of romance - and any end of the world scenario. Zombies, aliens, a distant future where people have no clue how the world ended in the first place, you name it, I will create a story there!

Having lived in a lot of different places after more than a decade as an Air Force wife, I love setting my books in cities I've actually lived in to give them authenticity. I've resided in: Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, California, and Oklahoma but am currently back in my home state of Ohio where I live with my husband, four kids, two dogs, and three cats.

When I'm not writing, you can find me by my pool (in the summer), getting lost in some binge-worthy show or at a play with my husband, patronizing one of the great restaurants in my small town of Troy, Ohio with my family, or traveling. I want to see everything and make a point of visiting a new place every year!

Some of my favorite books are The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, The Host, and The Stand. My favorite movies are Aliens, Jaws, Signs, Say Anything, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and The Greatest Showman.

Awards:

Outliers
Winner in the 2018 Kindle Books Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree
Finalist in the 2018 Wishing Shelf Book Awards For Adult Fiction
Top 10 Finalist in the Author Academy Awards for Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction
Cover Finalist in the 2019 RONE Awards from InD'tale Magazine

When We Were Human
2015 Children's Moonbeam Awards Silver Medal winner for Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction
2016 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner for Young Adult Science Fiction

Tribe of Daughters
Winner in the 2020 RONE Awards for Time Travel/Science Fiction
Bronze Medal Winner in the 2019 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Science Fiction
Honorable Mention in the 2018 SPR Book Awards

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Reviews

[Coco.V]

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[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

Kate L. Mary has once again managed to pull me into a unique post-apocalyptic world with her newest book. If you’ve been on my blog for any length of time, you’ve probably seen my reviews of her Broken World zombie series (a definite favorite of mine). This new book delves into a world of aliens instead of zombies, but it’s just as heart-stopping.

At the beginning of the book, we meet Diana and see how she struggles to get past the losses she endured when the aliens invaded. She hasn’t been able to open herself up to anyone in years and can’t bear to even tell anyone about her life before. Diana is an incredibly relatable character that you can’t help but feel for. Her circumstances are painful, and it’s easy to see how she’s turned that pain to strength in some ways and denial in others. When she meets someone from her past, she can’t avoid her pain any longer, though—she has to face it.

As the book progresses, we learn about the strangeness of the world now that the aliens have taken over. There’s a lot of suspense built up over the aliens because they haven’t been seen for so long, but they’re always a threat, out there, lurking. I love the bizarre alien world that the earth has become in this book—it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and there are so many details that make it both incredible and terrifying. The romance in the book is important but it doesn’t overwhelm the plot (always a good thing in a book like this, in my opinion), and I couldn’t help but root for Diana and Bryan—both for their romance and for them to outlive their painful past. The book is about surviving against insurmountable odds—but it focuses even more on getting past the pain of past heartbreak and fighting to truly live.

The Blood Will Dry is a post-apocalyptic tale with a unique take on aliens and a highly shippable romance. I give it a very solid 4/5 stars!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Bruce McLennan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The blurb for this one suggests this might be an interesting read but it is a very basic dystopian sci-fi romance that will leave you very disappointed.

The basic premise it that civilization as we know it dramatically succumbs to an alien invasion that starts with the bombing to near extinction of major human populations. The firepower of the aliens is obviously so overwhelming that there is very little fightback and five years on humanity consists of isolated pockets eking out an existence in the ruins of cities, the rest of the land having been overrun by alien vegetation, the product of a massive terraforming effort.

This story revolves around Diana, an embittered woman who lost a husband and child to the initial onslaught, her friend Daisy and her lover, and Brian. Brian is Diana's love interest and the brother of the husband she lost. Much of the story revolved around the Mills and Boon style hot and steamy relationship which started with deep resentment for past wrongs and progressed to a soulmate type bonding. The romantic stuff is pretty pedestrian and depressing in an odd sort of way.

The sci-fi component of the story is unimaginative. It borrows heavily from the B Grade sci-fi and horror movie industry and the plot has logic holes you could drive a semi trailer through. It doesn't take long before you start to ask the obvious question, why do the obviously technologically superior aliens revert to zero technology within 5 years of invasion? A space travelling species that can bomb humanity to near extinction is suddenly an enemy that uses no technology and lives in hives. It makes no sense. Diana discovers a weakness that the aliens apparently possess, they can be killed using their own claws as weapons where bullets can't penetrate their shells. Whats more, they are susceptible to poison flowers that are a product of their own terraforming. What the hell? What sort of aliens are these guys? Really stupid ones I'd suggest.

Sorry, but this story doesn't work. This is the first of Kate L. Mary's books I have read and will be the last I suspect.

[Giselle]

Request an ARC here [closed - other review opportunities found here]

[Shellie Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it and figured I would since I love everything Kate Mary writes. Second time reading about aliens and did not disappoint at all. Lots of gore and fighting. A love story that’s very complicated and not rushed. Love it!

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been five years since the aliens attacked earth and the aliens bug thingies have taken over covering the earth with alien vines. Humans are forced to stay inside. Groups of people band together living in old abandon office buildings.

Diana Foster lost something very dear and close to her heart the day the aliens attacked, her husband and baby daughter. Diana has been in morning ever since just living day by day just putting one foot in front of the other with no plans for the future. With losing her whole life that day she no longer feels as if she has anything to fight for.

She has a wonderful friend Daisy who has been there for Diana for a long, long time. Diana is a private person and has never told anyone what she lost on that eventful day.

When a guy, Bryan from her past walks in the door one day everything changes for Diana. Diana and Bryan didn’t get along to well in the past. Bryan didn’t treat Diana very well the first time she met him at a birthday party for her husband. But Diana and Bryan are not the same people they were before the aliens attacked. But things start to heat up between Diana and Bryan pretty quickly.

Diana, Bryan, Daisy, Tyler and the rest of the team need to come up with a way to fight the aliens so they can win this war and stop the aliens so they can start to rebuild their lives. They need to find a way to fight the aliens.

Diana and Daisy are two tough chicks that don’t need a man to fight their battles for them but they probably need a man to keep them warm at night among other things. Diana and Daisy the double Ds as their friend Alex calls them and will not go down without a fight. Those two find themselves in places they never wanted to be but they don’t lie down and give up. No they pick themselves up and fight their way through.

I love me some dystopian books and one with an alien or two is just up my ally. When I read the summary for The Blood Will Dry I knew I had to read it the question was just a matter of when. I love the world that the author created in The Blood Will Dry with the aliens and vines growing everywhere and the alien bug creatures. When I was reading The Blood Will Dry I would get lost in the story and I would see what I was reading in my mind and for a little bit it felt as if I was watching a movie or living it myself. It was like I was seeing everything through Diana’s eyes. This is one book I would love to see on the big screen. It reminded me of the Alien movies.

The Blood Will Dry is the first book by Kate L. Mary that I have read but it won’t be the last or so I hope. I can’t wait to read more of her books especially the Broken World novels as I love me some zombies too.

If you like aliens or end of the world kind of books then you are going to fall in love with The Blood Will Dry. So pick up your copy today to start on your journey with Diana and the aliens in The Blood Will Dry.

[Katherine Paschal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana was spending the day with her husband and daughter at the mall when she had to run out to the car for something. Next thing she knows, the mall had exploded, destroying her family along with the world as an alien species took over earth. Now, five years later, she goes through the motion of living with the other survivors, but an empty shell of a person. When she encounters a face from her past, she is freaked out to let herself feel again. But there seems to be more to the alien attack than she could have ever expected, and this is just the beginning.

I am a huge sucker for dystopian books, always up for some new end of the world survival action. Add in aliens, action, danger, and some romance and I knew I had to read this book. This was a new twist on the classic theme and I appreciated that. I liked how there was so much action within the pages, not a dull moment to make me bored. Mixed in with the alien stuff was character development, giving personality and depth to the people that come together in the story.

The story is narrated by Diana, started five years previous so the reader can learn what Diana lost before the alien invasion occurred. Diana started the book as an emotionless shell of a person, weighed down by her history and with no care for her life. I was expecting this to be overwhelming with despair after the first few chapters, but the actions of the bug aliens allowed me and Diana to be swept up in the battle instead. Diana was a tough person, never one to crack despite all she went through and willing to fight to the death if it meant helping her people. She was a warrior woman and I appreciated it. Diana is so luck that she found Daisy, or rather that Daisy was perceptive enough to see that Diana needed her persistent cheer. I really liked the friendship between the two, showing how important all types of relationships in this apocalyptic world are- you need people and and to care about said people to survive total destruction.

I was a little concerned that her new, end-of-the-world beau was her dead husband's brother Bryan. Out of all the people that were still alive, it had to be a guy who treated her poorly and was kinda sorta related to her... Yep, I was uncertain how this was going to play out. Also, they were instantly connected, which sent up another read flag for me. But rest assured, the author did a nice job of slow building the relationship, where the two got to know each other as people without the baggage of the past interfering. I really liked Bryan and vote for him to be my end-of-the-world-book-boyfriend, with his rugged manliness and strength, as well as the fact he was happy with Diana fighting by his side is she wanted to. Go team!

The way the beginning started so depressing and made me concerned for how the story would play out, but the last fourth of the book was surprisingly uplifting and full of hope. The author was able to create a dangerous action packed world with creepy descriptions and scenes as well as balancing a sweet romantic relationship. This was the first book that I have read from Kate but I will pick up more from her to come. This felt like a standalone, the way everything wrapped up well enough, so I think this will be the end of this adventure, but I want to pick up the Broken World series she wrote to see the other worlds she has created.

I received this title for reviewing purposes. Visit me http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ at for more book fun!

[Vettech · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a few books by this author, but this one is a little different. In this tale the bad guys are, ready for this? The baddies are "BUGS"! That's right folks, earth gets invaded by aliens in the form of what I can imagine are giant ants...maybe! Our heroine is Diana Foster, who lost her family in the attacks. Now five years out from when her whole world was turned into a nightmare, Diana is pretty much in robot mode. Not really caring about anything or anyone. The invaders stay away from the humans and the humans stay away from "them". However that all changes one day. Oh also Diana runs into a person she thought long dead along with everyone else she ever knew.....her brother-in-law. Bryan is all grown up now and a different person. Does Diana now have a reason to live? Someone she can actually say she cares about in all this terror and uncertainty? Who will win in the end.....the bugs or the humans? Read this really cool take on what could be called a new version of the movie Aliens!!

[Jennifer Foor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book and was immediately captured by the idea of this new post-apocalyptic world. It's well written and a change from the normal zombie stories I normally devour.
I enjoyed the characters and the chemistry. There were a few tears. Well worth it!

[Fawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blood Will Dry

This was a book I didn't want to put down. All I could think was how did it take me so long to find this story? There are some steamy scenes along with action and danger. An excellent dystopian read.

[Mrs LIR Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stand alone story that is well plotted.

The cover picture does not really depict that this is a story set in an apocalyptic world that is really several very well written love stories.
Diana is a young mum who has married the father of her baby, despite being from different sides of the wealth divide they love each other greatly. Suddenly the world changes in an instant and Diana's baby and husband perish. Diana drifts into a survivor's settlement with Daisy and their odd friendship is also true love story - the true meaning of friendship. The girls survive and fight together and find love again. A truly vicious Alien species is taking over their world.....
This book is unusual as it does not end with a cliffhanger that means buying sequels - it stands alone and the end is truly inspirational.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alien apocalypse with a touch of romance. I have enjoyed this authors Broken World Series and jumped at the chance to receive an arc of The Blood Will Dry for review.I'm not a fan of romance books,yet I loved this book.The author created a unique and frightening future for the survivors to struggle through.While the romance is an important part of the book Kate L Mary includes a healthy dose of alien apocalyptic strife to to satisfy this horror lover.

[Kendall {Book Crazy} · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this author's Broken World series and I freaking loved that series, so I couldn't wait to read more from her! I then saw this book available for review through Xpresso Book Tours and I instantly knew that I wanted to read it! The synopsis definitely made me want to find out more! I started this book as soon as I received my copy and I read the first 70% in one sitting and then read the remaining 30% the following morning! It's fair to say that I zoomed through it lol! I was sucked right into the plot and I loved the paranormal side to it! The paranormal aspect was aliens and I love alien books, so this book was perfect for me! The plot also had romance, action and some suspense in it too! All these elements added so much and there were plenty of big action scenes! There were some seriously hot scenes in this book too, which I wasn't expecting! The characters were also amazing and made this book even better! Diana was the main character, and in this book she had suffered a massive loss and she was still dealing with that loss years later! My heart did go out to Diana because she had suffered through a lot, but I also respected her a lot because she kept going and she was a very determined, smart character! Diana was also kick-ass in this book and she got more kick-ass as the book developed! I loved her strength and she did come a long way in this book and she grew a lot! Bryan was the love interest of Diana in this book! It did take a while for Bryan to come into this book, but he caused quite a stir with Diana when he did lol! I could understand why the two of them didn't really want to start a relationship, but it was inevitable because they were drawn to each other! I also wasn't expecting their history to be what it was, but it was different! Bryan was quite the character and he helped Diana a lot! He supported her and it was easy to see his feelings for her grow! Bryan was very protective of Diana too, which was completely understandable considering the danger they faced! This book was only written from Diana's point of view, which I was expecting in a way! I mean, I wasn't sure whether it was going to be written from dual point of view or not after I read the synopsis, but then it was only one point of view! I did love this book only being written from Diana's point of view! I was still able to connect with the other characters and it did help me understand Diana more! I wouldn't have minded a few chapters being written from Bryan's point of view though! I can also completely understand why this book is a standalone! Everything was wrapped up nicely and all the questions raised were answered! The ending was also left at the perfect place and summed up the story nicely! I wouldn't mind reading another book on Diana and Bryan though! I also can't wait to read this author's other books that I haven't read yet and see what she's going to release next! The cover for this book does make more sense after you read it! I can understand it more and I can see how well it suits the book! I love it and the model is also the perfect Diana!

[2OCC Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a novella series from this author following the apocalypse and I really enjoyed it: there's not nearly enough books like this and to say I'm an addict was an understatement. I was so excited for her to have another one like his out.

I loved Diana. Everything she went through made her the person that she was when they world and hero world ended. My heart truly broke for her but her strength was beautiful and I'm glad she didn't act broken

This is a romance and the romantic interest for Diana was Bryan. I really liked him and how hard he worked to keep people safe. You could feel him try to atone for the past. It was really hard to connect with him. Maybe if I had known what he was thinking it would have been better.

Daisy was an amazing secondary character and best friend to Diana. She put the fire in her when she needed it and was a shoulder when she needed it too. She made me laugh so hard,

I really love the whole post apocalyptic plot line. Add in Romance and I am truly one happy camper. This one was different though. It had aliens and crazy crap that happened through out the whole book, but I was truly hooked.

The world that the author built was very believable and seemed to have the perfect description that you could picture it. That's one thing I love about this author. Her writing is amazing and she has a very vivid imagination. The action scenes were amazing too. I could feel the struggle that Diana was going through but she didn't give up.

Overall, it was different then what I've normally read when it comes to post apocalyptic and/or Aliens. Never the less it was still sure enjoyable and I can't wait for more from this author. 4 stars #2OCCJD

[Bikram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer.
I had requested and received audible version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.

What I liked about the book -
Very interesting premise and a strong lead character is the backbone of this book. Once the story gets going, it doesn't slow down or get boring. Subsequent portions are written very well and keep you totally engrossed. Diana Foster is one of the strongest characters I've read in recent times. Her traits made me root for her throughout. The journey towards the end was an eventful one and the climax was satisfying.

What I disliked about the book -
The start of the book is pretty slow and almost nothing happens for a long time. It tested my patience, but I powered through. Thankfully, once the action took off, it got exponentially better.

Narration -
Narration by Natalie Duke was well done. All the different voices and afflictions were perfect and added value to the overall story.

[Heather Vern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. This new world that Kate L Mary brings life to is just amazing. It is exactly how I would picture an alien world. The story was amazing also, I loved watching Diana become the person that she wasn't meant to be. Took the world coming to an end, losing her family, and a few years later... but with the help of a old yet new acquaintance comes a whole new person.
If you like aliens and a little romance then this is the book for you.

[Jennifer Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Mary has done it again! I don't know how she keeps pumping out these heart-stopping, post apocalyptic tales, but this was easily one of my favorite. With a very subtle vibe of Aliens and a another fierce heroine, I had a hard time putting this one down. I don't normally read this genre, but Ms. Mary has a way of weaving in romantic subplots that I always adore.

[Debbie Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blood will dry

Awesome awesome, l love the broken series, but so wish there was more to this one,love the characters, the bravery,the love .another wonderful book
By a wonderful author

[Shannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Loveeeee! I hope it’ll be another book but if not this book was awesome!!

[Melissa Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve listened to by this author. Overall, I’ve liked both stories (both were post-apocalyptic but different).

The narrator did a great job. It was easy to tell who was who when talking. I would definitely listen to her again.

Questions/Comments:

What was going on in the outside world? Given there were groups of soldiers/people going from group to group, how was there nothing about the government mentioned? Like the higher up people in the world, in the US?

A questionable phrase: “The next word came out sounding like a plea, ‘please.’” Um…that’s because it was?! Or “It had nothing to do with the past. It had to do with keeping the past where it was.” So…it did have to do with the past…

One area in any story that really screams gross to me is when characters have sex or make out and haven’t showered, washed/cleaned up in any way. Barf! The fact that Brian and Diana had sex and hadn’t showered in a week (at least), then oral sex (on her part) a few days later (still no cleaning up) was disgusting! Would any female feel confident enough to let another person go downstairs when they haven’t cleaned themselves in over a week and have had sex during that time (with no cleaning!)? Seriously. I don’t think so.

Speaking of sex, why was the fact she let him cum inside her, which could lead to pregnancy, never brought up? All the pregnancy talk was saved for her friend.

Still speaking of sex, they do it in the café, wait a bit, then move to the apt building where they have sex again. There was a sentence in which the author put, “Unlike yesterday, he moved slow and steady, drew out his strokes.” Meaning they stayed overnight. Did I miss something? Did they stay overnight at the café? Unless I’m mistaken, they left not too long after having relations, got dressed, and left because water was leaking in. I could be wrong…

In the beginning, how did they not specifically look for an apt building to live in as opposed to an office building?

How were the flowers that the aliens essentially brought with them deadly to them also? That was kind of strange and didn’t really make sense to me.

When Diana and Brian were at his house, there was a part when she compared Michael’s baby picture to Cassidy and was surprised that his parents hadn’t thrown his pictures away. The last time she was in their house was during Brian’s party (or so I believe), either way, I don’t think his parents ever knew that they’d had a child. Did they? I mean Michael never knew.

Why was it that just about every time they had sex, it wasn’t about lust…? It was about needing to be with another person. It was about needing to feel a connection with someone else.
Brain and a guy from Oakwood were fighting a beetle. For some reason, Diana thought that was a great time to throw one of her grenades…at that beetle, in hopes of killing it and some others. “Even if they got hit with shrapnel, that was a chance they’d have to take.” Um…

I was surprised when Diana thought of Anderson as an idiot because he didn’t want to go back for more people, prior to them heading to the queen. Was anyone else surprised? I mean, had they gone back, who knew if they would have made it back to the queen area or not.

Okay, so the queen had been totally focused on Anderson. Then she spots another guy and heads toward him and, apparently, she was able to catch up to him (as he hadn’t been able to take a single step) and she was able to kill him as well. I just thought that was a weird scene.

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[T.H. Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Kate L. Mary's Moonchild series, but this one didn't quite live up to my expectations. THE BLOOD WILL DRY is set in a near-future dystopian America after an alien invasion. Think the TNT series Falling Skies. The premise is fantastic with the survivors attempting to live beside the aliens they refer to as bugs. At least until something changes after nearly five years of peaceful co-existence. A ragtag group sets out on a suicide mission to reclaim their planet. At the heart of the story is Diana, who lost everything she loved on the day of the attack. Along with her friends, they discover the bugs' weaknesses and attempt to use those against them.

Plot
The plot is primarily the story of Diana and taking down the aliens, but there is a strong romantic subplot involving the younger brother of her dead husband. The romance didn't work for me, since it was nearly a love at first sight kind of thing. There was no build-up, no "will they or won't they", the kind of romance I've come to expect from Kate L. Mary. The alien plot, on the other hand, is a gripping, intense, rollercoaster ride of action and suspense. While there are no jaw-dropping twists or unexpected turns, the story is well plotted and entertaining.

Characters
The characters are where the book falls short for me. I loved the depth and development of all of her characters in the Moonchild series, so maybe I expected too much here. I found Diana to be exceedingly annoying, to the point that I had a hard time caring what happened to her. The romance between Diana and David was too fast and almost forced. Diana experienced very little growth, unless going from annoying to super annoying is considered growth. However, Diana's best friend, Daisy, was a breath of fresh air and I think this story could have been a solid 4 stars for me if she'd been the protagonist.

World Building
The world building is where the author shines in everything I've ever read of hers and THE BLOOD WILL DRY is no exception. The dark, post-apocalyptic world she creates is both depressingly awful and realistically hopeful. Her alien antagonists are well constructed and suitably evil.

What I Enjoyed About THE BLOOD WILL DRY
1. The setting. Having been born in Dayton, Ohio, I absolutely loved reading about so many of the local landmarks and neighborhoods of my childhood. I haven't been back in more years than I care to think about, but even covered in all those vines, I can still vividly picture many of the locations mentioned.

2. Daisy. Her bubbling optimism was a contrast to Diana's eternal pessimism. More than that, she's vulnerable, honest, and has a great arc.

3. The plot. The author does a great job of creating a well-plotted scifi adventure.

4. Aliens. Okay, I didn't LIKE the aliens, but I enjoyed the horrors the author showed us of their world, bringing an even darker element to an already bleak tale.

5. The strategy. Without giving anything away, I love the strategy the team comes up with to fight back against the aliens and the fact that it's been right there in front of them the whole time.

Bottom Line
A good scifi/dystopian/post-apocalyptic tale, but with a protagonist I had trouble connecting with or rooting for.

[Shayay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun alien invasion romance. Cool aliens and poisonous alien plants on the loose! Love the whole dystopian setting for these types of invasion stories! Enjoyed the connection between Diana and Bryan; sweet and I liked the backstory between them. It’s 5 years after the invasion, and society isn’t exactly doing well; they don’t really have a good way to combat the aliens, so casualties have been high. Diana, who is our only POV for this story, suffered a huge loss when the invasion happened. She’s dealing with the loss, but still holds a lot of grief. When a familiar face from before the invasion appears, she’s both happy and unsure because Bryan wasn’t exactly a nice guy to her before the invasion. I wasn’t a fan of how quickly things progress between Diana and Bryan; I felt like there needed to be more of a conversation about the past, but I do like them together. I also wasn’t a fan of how many times it’s mentioned that Diana’s best friend likes to sleep with lots of guys; once would’ve been sufficient or how about not having the stereotypical easy best friend at all. Other than those couple things, the rest of the story is an entertaining alien adventure! Loved Diana’s strength and how she handled things. Fun alien action too!

Listened to the audio on Audible. Narrator did a great job. She fit Diana’s character well and gave a performance that added to the story. Good listen!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I am a huge fan of this author's zombie series, her stand alone book When We Were Human and now The Blood Will Dry. Needless to say, Kate L. Mary is one of my favorite authors. Her imagination and creativity is top notch. She makes living in a Post-Apocalyptic world seem like a reality or something you can truly envision. Her ability to bring her characters to life and build the intensity of their circumstances makes for an exhilarating ride. You never know what amazing situations will come from her brilliant mind and that makes each book a huge adventure.

The Blood Will Dry brings an alien invasion to earth. Diana is a woman who has experienced great loss at the onslaught of the aliens arrival and even after 5 years she still cannot deal with the internal heartache. I felt such empathy for her and wanted nothing more than to see her find happiness again. Now don’t get me wrong, she was not a weak person. Her inner strength and ability to handle extreme situations made her a force to be reckoned with. I think this is what made me love her, plus her choice in a best friend like Daisy. Their connection and the commitment to their friendship made it all more real for me.

The Blood Will Dry will take you on a journey through heartache, redemption, fear and total kick ass bravery. I highly recommend this book!

[Jennifer Zamboni · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I’ve read a Kate L Mary novel and I had forgotten how wonderfully gritty her writing is!

I’ve read a good chunk of her zombie novels so it was fun to see her take the apocalypse in a new direction. Her aliens remain somewhat of a mystery throughout the book. They’re bug like creatures but it’s hard to gage their intelligence and even how they ended up on Earth. Did they intend to invade or did they crash land via asteroids? The mystery really amps up the horror aspect because you really can never know what to expect from these creatures.

The main character, Diana, had a plight I could understand. Her motivations and actions are so real I could feel them in my gut.

Bryan, the brother of her deceased husband, gives her a much needed reality check.

The best friend, Daisy, is probably my favorite character. The woman lives each day as if it’s her last and couldn’t give two poops what anyone might think about her life choices. She gives it straight. We all need a Daisy to help keep us grounded!

I do wish I could spend more time in this world. I want to know what happens next, especially what Daisy’s journey turns out to be. I hope the author will go back to her alien apocalypse a least one more time!

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re invited to another heart-warming story from one of my favorite authors, Kate L. Mary. This one is a stand-alone dystopian/sci-fi survival tale. Our protagonist, Diana Foster is a young woman coming to grips with the deaths of her husband and daughter in the opening volley of an alien invasion. Five years have passed since that day and the battle with the aliens has not improved since then. The survivor’s attitude towards the aliens has entered a state of lethargy, similar to Diana’s grieving process and feelings of remorse. As the story unfolds, we’ll see the comparison between the survivors dealing with the aliens and Dianas’ coping with her loss. It’s a wonderful story of devotion and strength; and why Kate L. Mary is one of my favorite authors. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf this one at 50%. For some reason the author liked to repeat things and that on top of the instalove was just too much. I had no problem with the love interest being the brother-in-law but the fact that she immediately wanted him… there was no build up. I guess just the fact that he was someone she had met before the aliens and that he knew her husband? I realized I didn’t care about what happened and I didn’t want to be told the same thing again and again. Each info dump seemed to have some repetitive elements. So this was a definite no for me. No real conflict (besides the obvious)… i mean, her best friend is taken right next to her snd she really has no reaction except an, oh that sucks attitude. No crying but that’s the point they have sex… annoying.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great zombie apocalyptic romance

Kate L. Mary did it again. Just Fabulous!!! This book was amazing! It's definitely a stand alone which is cool to even tho I'm used to reading series. The characters are awesome. I love Diana and Daisy. They are tough as nails. Diana is the main character and she had lost do much but still comes out so strong. This story has everything a story needs to make it great. There's it's action, horror, comedy, romance, sadness, & OMG the sex lol. There was literally everything in this book. I experienced so many different emotions. The aliens were hideous grotesque creatures and what they did to the human race is unspeakable. I Felt like I was watching a movie as I was reading this book. I could picture everything as if I was right there with the characters and experiencing everything they were experiencing. I loved Bryan, he was gift lol. Diana and him made a great couple and their history made it that much more interesting. Even daisy and Tyler were great together. I'm glad Daisy finally found her match. I know if an alien apocalypse happened I would want a best friend like Daisy by my side. Her and Diana were great together. Alex the gay guy was awesome and witty to. I loved when he spoke lol. The vines coming from the ground and the poisonous flowers growing everywhere were crazy. The aliens really made planet Earth their home, killing off everything and adding their own plants and etc. There were times I thought it was useless too, but I knew there had to be some weakness to the aliens. This book IS S MUST READ for apocalypse book lovers. It was great and had me on edge thru a lot of it.
Kate L. Mary is an amazing author. She knows how to write and make an amazing story. I read her broken world series and anything by her, I know will b amazing.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very well crafted world, with good characters...a little sexy time and a whole lot of alien weirdness!! Diana an her husband are young parents, then one day their world literally explodes...Diana is left alone in an alien invaded world and is just doing her best to survive...her and her best friend Daisy are in a secure location...surviving...and a troop of the resistance come through to rest and get cleaned up...he sees him,...her husbands brother and she has to relive that painful day again...but she also finds love!!! I hope we get a book 2!!!

[mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bring your box of tissues, the emotion this book provoked from the first page had me balling my eyes out! The heroine's Diana, story is beyond heart breaking as she relives the day of the attack, and how she has been 'numb' for five years, the arrival of Brian being the catalyst to shock her into facing her loss. I really liked Daisy, Diana's friend and the other half of the 'double d', together they stumble on the answer to their fight, after Diana goes full on 'rodeo' on a bug! This book is an emotional roller-coaster and a great read, and should not be missed!

[Ashley Hedden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blood Will Dry was a great read by Kate L. Mary. The earth is unrecognizable, five years after an alien invasion. The sun is completely blotted out by dark clouds that bring constant rain. All plant life has been killed and replaced by vegetation that is as deadly as the aliens. Diana Foster lives in a crowded building with other survivors. She just wants to forget what she lost when the aliens arrived. An incoming platoon brings Bryan, the brother to her husband who died. I enjoyed reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.