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The Salvation Plague #2
The Mutation
The survivors lived through the horrifying first days of the plague and its aftermath. They've found their friends, their family...but others are still missing. Finding them means leaving the only safety they have, which may not be so safe after all.
It's the dawn of a new era. One of violence, war, destruction, and horror. Just when they feel as if they've gotten a grip on the situation, fate throws another curveball their way. Every day is a new struggle, a new terrible reality. The only way forward is through it.
They have new allies at their backs, and the promise of answers just out of reach on the horizon. If they can just hold out, just hold on, just keep going...they have a chance.
But a chance isn't a guarantee.
Book Two of The Salvation Plague Series.
Language, violence, apocalyptic themes, and some non-explicit sexual situations.
It's the dawn of a new era. One of violence, war, destruction, and horror. Just when they feel as if they've gotten a grip on the situation, fate throws another curveball their way. Every day is a new struggle, a new terrible reality. The only way forward is through it.
They have new allies at their backs, and the promise of answers just out of reach on the horizon. If they can just hold out, just hold on, just keep going...they have a chance.
But a chance isn't a guarantee.
Book Two of The Salvation Plague Series.
Language, violence, apocalyptic themes, and some non-explicit sexual situations.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2021
292 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Masters
21 books50 followersA. L. Masters lives in rural America. She studied business and enjoys cooking, hiking, and photography. When she's not dealing with more mundane matters, she can be found hidden away with her laptop and a mug of coffee. She writes apocalyptic stories to satisfy her craving for adventure and disaster (without the risk of death).
Visit https://almasters.mailerpage.io/ for more information!
Visit https://almasters.mailerpage.io/ for more information!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 24, 2022
Worse than book one. Skim read through the second half.
January 9, 2022
Losing momentum
Anna, Jared and crew are hunkered at his house. Everyone is a little stir crazy after being shut in for 3 weeks after the missiles. Except for Stewart. He's still running a fever. And then just as they make the decision to start checking for fallout he changes. Sort of.
Spoilers ahead.
So, somehow, while everything is escalating, the story is losing momentum. It's an odd conundrum. Mutants are mutating. They're trying to fortify the house. They're communicating with Sten's and Harry's groups. And nothing makes sense. Jared wants to go look for Kate still. But why? They have radios, they're able to communicate. Why not ask around? Ask communities to let her know if they pass through. Especially as there's roving gangs, packs of various types of mutants, and other challenges. And they have people they need to protect. And I still don't know why they haven't joined one of the communities! They have kids and elderly. Other than the interesting story line involving Stewart, the rest is starting to become repetitive. They make bad choices, something bad happens, they go back home. The POV shifted from mostly Anna's to almost completely Jared's. His head doesn't match his previous personality. I know events like this are going to change people. But he starts beating his chest and calling Anna his. She is backing down and losing her independent spirit. She makes bad calls and puts others in danger on whims. The first book was exciting, it built slowly but expertly. People ignoring the obvious, questioning the news, the authority chain breakdown as things go FUBAR- all what you'd expect, and told with a humorous angle. I think my favorite characters are Jimmy Don, Violet and Stewart. If the story only focused on them from here on it would be about perfect. I think that scene with Grace just sort of ruined it for me. Trigger warnings for the aftermath of an earthquake in an abandoned nursing home being held together by 1 middle aged woman taking care of about 20 elderly all alone. The caretaker is mangled by a fallen beam and dies. Slowly. And Anna sleeps or ignores most of it. Doesn't check on the other elderly. Doesn't try to comfort Grace, even as she's holding out her hands for comfort, until about 10 hours afterwards and Grace is gasping her last. Shock might explain some of it, even unfamiliarity with Grace, but she tried taking care of others they'd found- it's how they assembled their group.
Anna, Jared and crew are hunkered at his house. Everyone is a little stir crazy after being shut in for 3 weeks after the missiles. Except for Stewart. He's still running a fever. And then just as they make the decision to start checking for fallout he changes. Sort of.
Spoilers ahead.
So, somehow, while everything is escalating, the story is losing momentum. It's an odd conundrum. Mutants are mutating. They're trying to fortify the house. They're communicating with Sten's and Harry's groups. And nothing makes sense. Jared wants to go look for Kate still. But why? They have radios, they're able to communicate. Why not ask around? Ask communities to let her know if they pass through. Especially as there's roving gangs, packs of various types of mutants, and other challenges. And they have people they need to protect. And I still don't know why they haven't joined one of the communities! They have kids and elderly. Other than the interesting story line involving Stewart, the rest is starting to become repetitive. They make bad choices, something bad happens, they go back home. The POV shifted from mostly Anna's to almost completely Jared's. His head doesn't match his previous personality. I know events like this are going to change people. But he starts beating his chest and calling Anna his. She is backing down and losing her independent spirit. She makes bad calls and puts others in danger on whims. The first book was exciting, it built slowly but expertly. People ignoring the obvious, questioning the news, the authority chain breakdown as things go FUBAR- all what you'd expect, and told with a humorous angle. I think my favorite characters are Jimmy Don, Violet and Stewart. If the story only focused on them from here on it would be about perfect. I think that scene with Grace just sort of ruined it for me. Trigger warnings for the aftermath of an earthquake in an abandoned nursing home being held together by 1 middle aged woman taking care of about 20 elderly all alone. The caretaker is mangled by a fallen beam and dies. Slowly. And Anna sleeps or ignores most of it. Doesn't check on the other elderly. Doesn't try to comfort Grace, even as she's holding out her hands for comfort, until about 10 hours afterwards and Grace is gasping her last. Shock might explain some of it, even unfamiliarity with Grace, but she tried taking care of others they'd found- it's how they assembled their group.
October 21, 2021
Surprisingly good
This book is full of surprises. I like the near death experiences they each have. Written with a little humor and a lot of twist and turns. But it has a lot of typos
This book is full of surprises. I like the near death experiences they each have. Written with a little humor and a lot of twist and turns. But it has a lot of typos
August 13, 2022
Whenever I see a series, I'm always hesitant to start it. It's a commitment that I'm finding is rarely satisfying.
I'm not sure what happened in the editing process, but the ones found in this book are more of a careless variety. Like quotation marks, adding or not having them.
For me, I can usually overlook grammar, spelling, and etc. But when there are so many, I get distracted and it holds up the story for me.
When you can focus on the story, the tstl moments just expanded to epic proportions.
6 weeks after the start of all of this, Anna now wants to rescue all of the animals from the shelters, farms, and whatever other places that could possibly house animals.
I don't even understand the purpose of this. Is Anna supposed to be an animal lover and AL Masters forgot to put it into the first book and we are making up for it now? I think instead of just randomly putting this in and forcing a narrative, it could have been done in a more believable fashion. All it did was irritate me about Anna, and annoy me about Jared entertaining even an iota of this idea.
But we can somehow get behind Jared acting all protective of her safety later on.
Continuity is a big thing for me, and while people do act outside their norm it has to be at least somewhat of a believable scenario and action. There's been mention about Jared's sister Kate growing from art student to insta-badass, and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm never been a fan of this trope.
And honestly, if it wasn't for Stewart I'd of DNF'd. Even now, I'm only considering the next book because I want to know about him. I'll be taking a break from this series and I don't know if I'll be returning to it.
I'm not sure what happened in the editing process, but the ones found in this book are more of a careless variety. Like quotation marks, adding or not having them.
“Jared shook his head. “I didn’t want that piece of junk anyway.”
You don’t know where I live,” Jared said.
For me, I can usually overlook grammar, spelling, and etc. But when there are so many, I get distracted and it holds up the story for me.
When you can focus on the story, the tstl moments just expanded to epic proportions.
6 weeks after the start of all of this, Anna now wants to rescue all of the animals from the shelters, farms, and whatever other places that could possibly house animals.
“Jared, I want to go to the pound and the vet clinics and farms around here. There have to be animals that need food and water. I can’t leave them to starve to death.”
Jared closed his eyes and sighed. “It’s been over six weeks, Anna…I don’t—”
“Please! I’ll go alone if I have to. We have to save the ones we can. I can’t believe we didn’t think of it sooner.”
I don't even understand the purpose of this. Is Anna supposed to be an animal lover and AL Masters forgot to put it into the first book and we are making up for it now? I think instead of just randomly putting this in and forcing a narrative, it could have been done in a more believable fashion. All it did was irritate me about Anna, and annoy me about Jared entertaining even an iota of this idea.
Jared jerked his head around and stared at her. “Us? US? There is no us about it. I’m going to find Kate by myself. You are not going, and neither is Stewart, and that is final.”
But we can somehow get behind Jared acting all protective of her safety later on.
Continuity is a big thing for me, and while people do act outside their norm it has to be at least somewhat of a believable scenario and action. There's been mention about Jared's sister Kate growing from art student to insta-badass, and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm never been a fan of this trope.
And honestly, if it wasn't for Stewart I'd of DNF'd. Even now, I'm only considering the next book because I want to know about him. I'll be taking a break from this series and I don't know if I'll be returning to it.
July 13, 2022
Used Bad Plot Devices
2.5 stars - The first book in this series was really good. I especially enjoyed the lack of several overdone apocalypse tropes and the right balance of humor and horror.
This second book started off well but quickly caved into a plot device that I absolutely can't stand...the selfish twit female trope. Book 2 is all about Jared deciding to go find his sister, while his sister couldn't possibly care less about discovering if her family is alive or about the bizarrely brainless levels of danger she is putting herself into for...politics??
That brings me to my least favorite of all gimmicks in book plots. The hysterical female who overreacts to everything and is portrayed as being entirely incapable of making a single smart or logical decision, because feelings. It was an especially bad direction to take in this book since the author chose to devolve Anna into an absolute shaking, shivering, crying puddle of useless. It got so bad by the final chapter that I almost didn't finish the book. I don't think I'll bother with the next one. It's too bad because there are some well done elements of originality to be found in this series and it is very well-written from a technical standpoint.
2.5 stars - The first book in this series was really good. I especially enjoyed the lack of several overdone apocalypse tropes and the right balance of humor and horror.
This second book started off well but quickly caved into a plot device that I absolutely can't stand...the selfish twit female trope. Book 2 is all about Jared deciding to go find his sister, while his sister couldn't possibly care less about discovering if her family is alive or about the bizarrely brainless levels of danger she is putting herself into for...politics??
That brings me to my least favorite of all gimmicks in book plots. The hysterical female who overreacts to everything and is portrayed as being entirely incapable of making a single smart or logical decision, because feelings. It was an especially bad direction to take in this book since the author chose to devolve Anna into an absolute shaking, shivering, crying puddle of useless. It got so bad by the final chapter that I almost didn't finish the book. I don't think I'll bother with the next one. It's too bad because there are some well done elements of originality to be found in this series and it is very well-written from a technical standpoint.
October 5, 2021
Spring Creek Long Term Care stood still and quiet.
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021
"Nearby the corpses of the defiled mutated lay. Their skin once a miasma of color and texture
lay in a gray repose on the old concrete. Their faces were alien under the harsh sunlight. Their limbs laid scattered like detritus across the lot. Arms, legs, torsos, none laid near their matching body parts. Stewart had done a through job but they did not decompose. Their cells were multiplying with terrifying rapidity".
This is an excellent story. Keeps you on the edge of your seat scared for these survivors. We have gotten attached to Jared and Creamed Corn along with the other survivors. Jared is on his way to try and find his sister who left with a platoon of soldiers. They have Stewart now who has turned into one of the Defiled but has his senses and connection to humanity. He has been helping them. I am on to the third book in the series. If this is your genre, it is not to be passed up. Enjoy.
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021
"Nearby the corpses of the defiled mutated lay. Their skin once a miasma of color and texture
lay in a gray repose on the old concrete. Their faces were alien under the harsh sunlight. Their limbs laid scattered like detritus across the lot. Arms, legs, torsos, none laid near their matching body parts. Stewart had done a through job but they did not decompose. Their cells were multiplying with terrifying rapidity".
This is an excellent story. Keeps you on the edge of your seat scared for these survivors. We have gotten attached to Jared and Creamed Corn along with the other survivors. Jared is on his way to try and find his sister who left with a platoon of soldiers. They have Stewart now who has turned into one of the Defiled but has his senses and connection to humanity. He has been helping them. I am on to the third book in the series. If this is your genre, it is not to be passed up. Enjoy.
Read
June 12, 2022An amazing follow up to the first book! as someone who absolutely adored the first book in this series, the second book did not disappoint! the only complaint that i have about the book is that it is EXTREMELY fast paced and so much happens in such a short amount of time. this may be one that needs to be read twice as it is easy for some of the smaller details to get lost in the chaos of the end of the world. Thankfully we do not see much change in the characters, but it does get a bit annoying when jared begins to nearly obsess about going to find his sister. He comes up with a very dangerous plan that even he admits is most likely a suicide mission. this is only annoying because after all the work they do to get themselves set up with a safer home, supplies, and comrades, he wants to put that in jeopardy to find kate. We get a severe twist in this one that ends up with the gang hanging out in the basement to escape radiation poisoning. Overall it was a great novel that is another quick and smooth read from a great author. hIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
August 7, 2022
Book 2 had a slower start, but I feel like that was the break the characters needed. I gave this 4 stars only because I’m not enjoying how Anna ( female mc) is being treated like a little girl amongst men. She’s an able bodied women who has kicked ass. They all know this yet they try and shelter her. It’s annoying & if I were Anna I would be insulted. It’s not a constant thing but it’s definitely a pet peeve/ small annoyance. Also I’m dying to know more about the mutants. All in all, I’m going into the 3rd book excited & ready! This series is definitely worth it.
July 20, 2022
I put a 1only because there was no zero
I already bought 2 so I tried but couldn't do it past the first chapters and just need need to take this author off of my follow list...since I am not interested in the Romance Genre...but if I ever change horror/Dystopian/zombies..as my very favorite books I still wouldn't add her to my auther list because As a strong I really don't like heroines that are dependant and frail
Amazon I need a refund!!
I already bought 2 so I tried but couldn't do it past the first chapters and just need need to take this author off of my follow list...since I am not interested in the Romance Genre...but if I ever change horror/Dystopian/zombies..as my very favorite books I still wouldn't add her to my auther list because As a strong I really don't like heroines that are dependant and frail
Amazon I need a refund!!
November 17, 2021
Better and better
Better and better. For us readers, not the heroes. I do enjoy the more grounded versions of how people deal with an apocalypse. Everyone wonders what they’ll do, but most books skip over the guilt of people who look after only themselves while others care for everyone else, thought that was a nice touch. Can’t wait for the next one!
Better and better. For us readers, not the heroes. I do enjoy the more grounded versions of how people deal with an apocalypse. Everyone wonders what they’ll do, but most books skip over the guilt of people who look after only themselves while others care for everyone else, thought that was a nice touch. Can’t wait for the next one!
September 21, 2022
Great continuation
Again, the characters are great and the world building/changing is done fabulously. I will be continuing with the series. In spite of the multiple POV's, the choppy feel from the first book is smoother. As we add characters and mutations, this continues to surpass regular zombie stories.
-ncv
Again, the characters are great and the world building/changing is done fabulously. I will be continuing with the series. In spite of the multiple POV's, the choppy feel from the first book is smoother. As we add characters and mutations, this continues to surpass regular zombie stories.
-ncv
July 24, 2022
So different
I love how different this book is. Sometimes I'm on the edge of my seat, only to laugh out loud by some witty banter. Most apocalypse books I read are extremely serious, not this one. It has humor throughout that makes it much more enjoyable.
I love how different this book is. Sometimes I'm on the edge of my seat, only to laugh out loud by some witty banter. Most apocalypse books I read are extremely serious, not this one. It has humor throughout that makes it much more enjoyable.
July 8, 2021
Scary scary scary
This is NOT your normal run of the mill zombie book. Scared the daylights outta me. Can't wait for the next book. Hopefully everyone makes it😬
This is NOT your normal run of the mill zombie book. Scared the daylights outta me. Can't wait for the next book. Hopefully everyone makes it😬
July 16, 2021
5 stars
Whew, another action packed book with great characters and dialogue and plenty of twists and turns to keep your adrenaline flowing.
Whew, another action packed book with great characters and dialogue and plenty of twists and turns to keep your adrenaline flowing.
November 19, 2021
Book 2
Still a good storyline. Still trying to figure out where the virus came from or if it is something else. On to book three.
Still a good storyline. Still trying to figure out where the virus came from or if it is something else. On to book three.
January 9, 2022
Best zombie book ever. Or should I say mutant
Funny'
Laugh out loud funny scary as hell great little love story and a zombie come back to life. Pricless
Funny'
Laugh out loud funny scary as hell great little love story and a zombie come back to life. Pricless
May 19, 2022
excellent
Second book in the plague series. Follow our trust survivors as they negotiate a world that is lost. Read how they work together to become a fighting unit
Second book in the plague series. Follow our trust survivors as they negotiate a world that is lost. Read how they work together to become a fighting unit
June 4, 2022
Excellent! My family read this immediately after finishing the first one. Solid characters, authentic dialogue, honest conflicts, and plenty of humor. We're on to the next one in this series!
July 3, 2022
This is series already starting to lose momentum….
July 25, 2022
Couldn't finish. I tried....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2022
Different
A really good spin on the zombie genre. Good characters, humour, action and horror. Lots of fun to read. Made me late for work because I stayed up late reading it.
A really good spin on the zombie genre. Good characters, humour, action and horror. Lots of fun to read. Made me late for work because I stayed up late reading it.
December 28, 2022
Frightening and stressful
I was on the edge of my seat at all times. If it wasn't for the humor I would have had a hard time sleeping.
I was on the edge of my seat at all times. If it wasn't for the humor I would have had a hard time sleeping.
January 18, 2023
The Mutation (The Salvation Plague Book 2)
Good Graciousness!! The survivors face battle after battle and if they caught a break, A.L. Masters forgot to write about it! ;-)
This series has got the most convoluted and twisted "not zombies" that I've read about! Can they be stopped? Will the mutations continue?Definitely a different spin, only thing close was The Tide series.
Good Graciousness!! The survivors face battle after battle and if they caught a break, A.L. Masters forgot to write about it! ;-)
This series has got the most convoluted and twisted "not zombies" that I've read about! Can they be stopped? Will the mutations continue?Definitely a different spin, only thing close was The Tide series.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews