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The Sinking Man #1
Sheltered: Part 1 of the Sinking Man Series
Ben and his wife Sarah had a front row seat for the apocalypse. Unfortunately , they were from different sides of the country. Separated by a ravaging virus, the couple finds themselves struggling to reunite during a time that feels like the end of days.
While Ben sat in his secluded upscale riverside house, infected people ravaged the countryside. The Plan was simple. If either of them ever got separated, they would make their way home.
While Ben sat in his secluded upscale riverside house, infected people ravaged the countryside. The Plan was simple. If either of them ever got separated, they would make their way home.
- GenresZombies
127 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2020
23 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 7, 2023
Sheltered: Part 1 by Justin Leslie
The Sinking Man series, Part 1. Horror. Zombies. Written in episode fashion.
Ben and Sarah bought an upscale, secluded riverside home. One night, celebrating and drinking, they fell into a “survivor’s sale” and bought the ultimate package with food for two years, generators, batteries and everything they’d need for an apocalypse. After being refused a refund when they sobered up, they decided to lean into it and make a plan for “just in case”. When the virus hit, Sarah, being a doctor, was on the other side of the country. Ben is secure at home, self sufficient, because of their plan. Waiting for Sarah. While Zombies ravage the countryside.
Exciting and immediately gripping. Ben ventures out into the new “strongest survivor” world, knowing he needs to help Sarah by following the plan.
Lots packed into this first episode. I wanted to immediately binge the rest of the books (5 in total) but have other commitments that take priority. But, guaranteed, the rest will be read before the end of this month! I just have to hope they won’t be nightmare inducing.
The Sinking Man series, Part 1. Horror. Zombies. Written in episode fashion.
Ben and Sarah bought an upscale, secluded riverside home. One night, celebrating and drinking, they fell into a “survivor’s sale” and bought the ultimate package with food for two years, generators, batteries and everything they’d need for an apocalypse. After being refused a refund when they sobered up, they decided to lean into it and make a plan for “just in case”. When the virus hit, Sarah, being a doctor, was on the other side of the country. Ben is secure at home, self sufficient, because of their plan. Waiting for Sarah. While Zombies ravage the countryside.
Exciting and immediately gripping. Ben ventures out into the new “strongest survivor” world, knowing he needs to help Sarah by following the plan.
Lots packed into this first episode. I wanted to immediately binge the rest of the books (5 in total) but have other commitments that take priority. But, guaranteed, the rest will be read before the end of this month! I just have to hope they won’t be nightmare inducing.
March 22, 2021
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this story! If you follow my reviews, you have probably noticed that I am a rather eclectic reader. There just aren't a lot of genres that I won't read but there are a few that I tend to enjoy more than others and I cannot resist a good end of the world story. Throw in some zombies and I am even happier. I was really excited to read this novella-length piece and I ended up having a fantastic time with it.
Ben has spent the past year in his house in a wealthy neighborhood. Ben and his wife were prepared for an apocalypse with a nice cache of supplies and an extensive solar power set up. Ben has been alone this whole time as his wife, Sarah, was needed to help with the outbreak. Ben decides that he needs to leave his isolated safety and leave a message for his wife whom he thinks is on her way back home.
I really liked the setup of this story. Instead of a desperate person with no supplies, Ben is a well-prepared man whose biggest problem during the apocalypse has been a case of loneliness. When he heads out, he does not know what he is going to find. He has encountered zombies in his neighborhood but in a limited number. Ben was a great character and I thought that he was more than capable. There were a couple of additional characters introduced and I found them to be very likable as well.
Jarret Lemaster did a wonderful job with this story. I don't believe that I have had the opportunity to listen to this narrator before but I really liked what he did with this story. I thought that he was able to bring Ben to life quite well and that he added a lot of excitement to the story. He had a very pleasant voice and I believe that his narration added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. This was a great start to a very promising series. I thought that this book had great characters with enough action (and zombies) to keep things very interesting. I cannot wait to see what happens to this group of characters in the next installment.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author.
Initial Thoughts
I enjoyed this story. I liked that it was short enough to listen to in a single day but it didn't skip over any details. I liked the characters that we met in the story and thought that Ben's point of view was somewhat unique. The narration of the audiobook was very well done and added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I am looking forward to checking out the next installment sometime soon.
I really enjoyed this story! If you follow my reviews, you have probably noticed that I am a rather eclectic reader. There just aren't a lot of genres that I won't read but there are a few that I tend to enjoy more than others and I cannot resist a good end of the world story. Throw in some zombies and I am even happier. I was really excited to read this novella-length piece and I ended up having a fantastic time with it.
Ben has spent the past year in his house in a wealthy neighborhood. Ben and his wife were prepared for an apocalypse with a nice cache of supplies and an extensive solar power set up. Ben has been alone this whole time as his wife, Sarah, was needed to help with the outbreak. Ben decides that he needs to leave his isolated safety and leave a message for his wife whom he thinks is on her way back home.
I really liked the setup of this story. Instead of a desperate person with no supplies, Ben is a well-prepared man whose biggest problem during the apocalypse has been a case of loneliness. When he heads out, he does not know what he is going to find. He has encountered zombies in his neighborhood but in a limited number. Ben was a great character and I thought that he was more than capable. There were a couple of additional characters introduced and I found them to be very likable as well.
Jarret Lemaster did a wonderful job with this story. I don't believe that I have had the opportunity to listen to this narrator before but I really liked what he did with this story. I thought that he was able to bring Ben to life quite well and that he added a lot of excitement to the story. He had a very pleasant voice and I believe that his narration added to my enjoyment of the story.
I would recommend this book to others. This was a great start to a very promising series. I thought that this book had great characters with enough action (and zombies) to keep things very interesting. I cannot wait to see what happens to this group of characters in the next installment.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from the author.
Initial Thoughts
I enjoyed this story. I liked that it was short enough to listen to in a single day but it didn't skip over any details. I liked the characters that we met in the story and thought that Ben's point of view was somewhat unique. The narration of the audiobook was very well done and added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I am looking forward to checking out the next installment sometime soon.
September 15, 2020
Zombies! This is the kind of zombie book I wish they would make a TV series about. First, I found this through another of the authors books. This is a short novella. It took me around 4 hours to read. It looks like an audiobook is about to be released as well! It even notes its part one of a new ongoing novella type series. Each book is an episode type of thing. We will see.
The story follows a well off married couple Ben, and Sarah during the zombie apocalypse. They are separated and working to get back together. The first chapter is what really grabbed me here. The story is different, it’s not complete doom and gloom. There is light humor, and more importantly how I feel most real people would truly act in Ben’s situation. Also, the zombies as the author notes are the real problem. At least for now, I have a feeling that may change. It always does in these type books.
I will say the series title ‘The Sinking man’ by the end of the book fits perfectly.
Lastly this is in the third person different than the authors other series. I think he does a better job here telling the story. I recently found Justin as an author and hope he keeps this up. I found this writer while my other dedicated series were between books. I’m looking forward to the audiobooks.
The story follows a well off married couple Ben, and Sarah during the zombie apocalypse. They are separated and working to get back together. The first chapter is what really grabbed me here. The story is different, it’s not complete doom and gloom. There is light humor, and more importantly how I feel most real people would truly act in Ben’s situation. Also, the zombies as the author notes are the real problem. At least for now, I have a feeling that may change. It always does in these type books.
I will say the series title ‘The Sinking man’ by the end of the book fits perfectly.
Lastly this is in the third person different than the authors other series. I think he does a better job here telling the story. I recently found Justin as an author and hope he keeps this up. I found this writer while my other dedicated series were between books. I’m looking forward to the audiobooks.
January 8, 2022
Fun book
This is an interesting story. It's rather different from other zombie tales. The characters are interesting and maybe just a little bit odd. I'm looking forward to the next one.
This is an interesting story. It's rather different from other zombie tales. The characters are interesting and maybe just a little bit odd. I'm looking forward to the next one.
November 27, 2023
"Sheltered" by Justin S. Leslie was such a good start to a series. This book was filled with a lot of action. It is about Ben trying to make it through a zombie apocalypse and be reunited with his wife Sarah. He comes across radios that he is going to put at bridges along with a note for Sarah to find. She left when everything started happening to help out because she is in the medical field. They have some contact with each other by messaging once a week. As he is going to leave some of the notes and radios, he comes across Ian and Kelly and has them come back to his house for them to stick together and help each other out. I really enjoyed this book and will continue in this series.
December 1, 2023
While I don't do well with zombies, I enjoyed Part 1. Ben and Sarah are prepared for an apocalypse after making a nonrefundable drunken purchase. When the virus hits, Sarah is called away since she is a doctor. While the zombies are destroying the countryside, Ben is living alone waiting for Sarah to return. The excitement starts when Ben leaves home for the first time. It does end with a bit of a cliffhanger.
January 1, 2024
A different zombie story. I was intrigued by how Ben and Sarah came to be prepared for the zombie apocalypse and anxious to find out if Sarah and Ben would be reunited. This was an interesting start to a series I want to read more of!
Read
February 20, 2025This was really good. I am not a zombie fan, so I was very skeptical when it was recommended but I am so glad I read it. I feel like this was very grounded, based in actual real world. I will be reading the rest of this series for sure.
February 6, 2024
A warning this book does end in a cliff hanger so be prepared. This is a haunting tale of the world turned upside down in a plague/zombie kind of way. Ben has been holding down the fort waiting for his wife to return. But suddenly things take a sudden turn. There is action, heart, and some nasty fluids. Not my normal go to but his story is well written and did draw me in. Now I just have to decide if I can handle the rest of it. The audio version was very well done. #CMCon24
September 26, 2021
Really enjoyed this shorter story. Designed to be a TV episode it was an interesting take on the zombie genre.
Relatable characters and lots of mystery. A must read for fans of the walking dead
Relatable characters and lots of mystery. A must read for fans of the walking dead
November 4, 2023
Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I never saw myself enjoying a zombie story!
The Sinking Man series definitely isn't the kind of book I would normally pick up to read or listen to. But a few factors found me listening to the audiobook of Sheltered, the first book in the series. First, a book friend highly recommended this story, second, the author is attending Coastal Magic Convention in February 2024 and I will be there, too, and third, the author offered a free audio code for the boxed set of the first three books.
I've got to say that my book friend (that's you Jodi!) didn't steer me wrong. The voice actor performing this book was fantastic and the story itself also compelled me to keep listening. While this isn't a romance in the strictest sense of the word, it is about a married couple separated from each other when the unthinkable happens and a virus is causing people to turn into zombies.
Ben is doing everything he can to find Sarah. He's gotten some communication from her that lets him know she is back in Florida but they still can't reach each other. Along the way to finding Sarah, Ben meets a young couple. While they were all wary of each other, they end up joining forces.
Sheltered is the first in a series of novellas about Ben and he quest to find his wife. There's not exactly a cliffhanger but Ben has yet to reconnect with Sarah so I'm moving on to the next book in this series.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I never saw myself enjoying a zombie story!
The Sinking Man series definitely isn't the kind of book I would normally pick up to read or listen to. But a few factors found me listening to the audiobook of Sheltered, the first book in the series. First, a book friend highly recommended this story, second, the author is attending Coastal Magic Convention in February 2024 and I will be there, too, and third, the author offered a free audio code for the boxed set of the first three books.
I've got to say that my book friend (that's you Jodi!) didn't steer me wrong. The voice actor performing this book was fantastic and the story itself also compelled me to keep listening. While this isn't a romance in the strictest sense of the word, it is about a married couple separated from each other when the unthinkable happens and a virus is causing people to turn into zombies.
Ben is doing everything he can to find Sarah. He's gotten some communication from her that lets him know she is back in Florida but they still can't reach each other. Along the way to finding Sarah, Ben meets a young couple. While they were all wary of each other, they end up joining forces.
Sheltered is the first in a series of novellas about Ben and he quest to find his wife. There's not exactly a cliffhanger but Ben has yet to reconnect with Sarah so I'm moving on to the next book in this series.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
July 25, 2024
I had heard wonderful things about The Sinking Man Series, and Justin S. Leslie did not disappoint! Our main character, Ben, finds himself one year into a zombie apocalypse. Up to this point, he has been quite “sheltered” at his home in Florida from the grittier aspects of the world’s end. Ben’s wife, Sarah, however, had traveled to Denver for work with the CDC. She has yet to make her way back to him. Based off a rare communication he receives from Sarah, Ben decides he needs to venture out of his safe haven.
I absolutely loved this story! From the author’s note, each novella in the series is set up like an episode of a TV show that will span a larger overall story. This first installment to the series had me hooked. Ben is such a believable character in how he would act and what he would be doing at this point in the apocalypse. The book was perfectly paced and had me literally on the edge of my seat during the time he is away from his home. Amazing descriptions throughout the book! I would highly recommend this novella to anyone who likes zombie books or shows. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!
I absolutely loved this story! From the author’s note, each novella in the series is set up like an episode of a TV show that will span a larger overall story. This first installment to the series had me hooked. Ben is such a believable character in how he would act and what he would be doing at this point in the apocalypse. The book was perfectly paced and had me literally on the edge of my seat during the time he is away from his home. Amazing descriptions throughout the book! I would highly recommend this novella to anyone who likes zombie books or shows. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!
November 18, 2023
Spouses Ben and Sarah got drunk one night and ordered an apocalypse prep kit. When they sobered up they tried to cancel it but couldn't. When a virus hits turning those infected into zombies, their house is perfectly set up for it. Sarah is a doctor with the CDC and is on the other side of the country when things get really bad. Ben and Sarah had a plan for this though - each would make their way home and wait there. Although Ben's set up is luxurious for the post apocalyptic world, he is lonely with only his smart watch for company. When Ben ventures out beyond his neighborhood for the first time he meets two other survivors and they band together. The series is episodic so the storyline continues in the next book. I am not a fan of zombie and post apocalyptic stories but this one focuses more on Ben's reaction to the situation instead of the zombies.
I listened to the audiobook. Although I did not care for the narrator's voice for Ben, he did a great job of everyone else's voice.
I listened to the audiobook. Although I did not care for the narrator's voice for Ben, he did a great job of everyone else's voice.
January 26, 2024
Fabulous start to this zombie tale! You meet Ben who is holding down the home front while waiting for his wife Sarah to make her way back home. Sarah was working on the virus in Denver. They had made a pact that they would make their way to the house if they were ever separated. On a drunken night they ordered some survival gear, solar panels and a water filtration system. They should be all set – except Sarah hasn’t made it back to the house yet. We are getting great insight into Dan and how he has been surviving. Looking forward to see how this plays out. Absolutely love his watch!
August 27, 2023
This is my first time reading this author for a story I wouldn't normally read. First chapter in and I was sucked in. While I am not a zombie fan, I found his take on the levels of infected and the apocalypse a little too close to our modern day world wide climate. I'm looking forward to seeing how Ben, and his 2 new friends, Ian and Kelly, navigate their friendship as they search for Ben's wife Sarah.
October 1, 2023
OMG…not one for creeping stuff I didn't think I woujld be able to read this book. OMG, the suddle action was great. The writing was awesome. The book was out of this world. PLEASE READ!! Great job Justin!!!
November 26, 2023
Sheltered isn't my normal go-to book, but I'm happy I picked it up. I was quickly sucked into Ben's world and I thought the world building was great. For a Zombie book, it wasn't all gloom and doom. I appreciated the humor Ben brought to the situation.
September 19, 2024
My Book Journal states "Basic Zombie story. Bit Mary Sue."
February 9, 2025
Very quick read, wanting to continue to the next book in the series! Way to go Justin Leslie for making zombies cool again!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews