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The Winter Plague #1
Winter Plague (Complete Collection 1-4): A Dark Apocalypse Romance
If you tried to run, you know what would happen, Winter. I would hunt you down and burn the world to find you...
The world has gone to shit.
All that's left are a few bands of rogue survivors, more dangers than ever, those violence-loving rotters, and me and my dog, Cleo.
Well, it should just be Cleo and me. And it was, until-- I found them. A group of mercenaries in this plagued, wintery world. Once high-ranking soldiers, something has turned them dark in this new life we all lead. And my darkness calls to theirs... Leo saves my life, Castle keeps me safe, and I'm torn between the two.
Only, it's more than returned feelings that have them watching over me, and I quickly learn that my place in this group is not optional. I can't leave any time I want.
I've been taken captive. And I see no way out. Not without breaking my own heart in the process.
The world has gone to shit.
All that's left are a few bands of rogue survivors, more dangers than ever, those violence-loving rotters, and me and my dog, Cleo.
Well, it should just be Cleo and me. And it was, until-- I found them. A group of mercenaries in this plagued, wintery world. Once high-ranking soldiers, something has turned them dark in this new life we all lead. And my darkness calls to theirs... Leo saves my life, Castle keeps me safe, and I'm torn between the two.
Only, it's more than returned feelings that have them watching over me, and I quickly learn that my place in this group is not optional. I can't leave any time I want.
I've been taken captive. And I see no way out. Not without breaking my own heart in the process.
730 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2020
269 people are currently reading
818 people want to read
About the author
Quinn Blackbird
34 books749 followersQUINN BLACKBIRD is a wanderer, a caffeine addict, a concern to her teachers & a bit of a dork.
You can find Quinn buying gym equipment she never uses or being dragged out of the writing cave by pesky friends.
Mention "margarita" and she'll come ah-runnin.
QB's goal is to live on a farm with rescue animals and write!
Now beware!! Blackbird writes about everything she loathes. This makes for books that are darker, grittier, anti-heroes, messed-up characters, and dark worlds. It's not a guarantee you'll find redemption in her pages. Because, as Gaslight Her warns, 'sometimes, the villains win.'
popular questions answered:
*there is no reading order to the dark fae universe books ~ and yes, another dark fae book is coming!*
CONTACT:
FB Quinn Blackbird
FB READER GROUP: Quinn Blackbird and Her Blackbirds
You can find Quinn buying gym equipment she never uses or being dragged out of the writing cave by pesky friends.
Mention "margarita" and she'll come ah-runnin.
QB's goal is to live on a farm with rescue animals and write!
Now beware!! Blackbird writes about everything she loathes. This makes for books that are darker, grittier, anti-heroes, messed-up characters, and dark worlds. It's not a guarantee you'll find redemption in her pages. Because, as Gaslight Her warns, 'sometimes, the villains win.'
popular questions answered:
*there is no reading order to the dark fae universe books ~ and yes, another dark fae book is coming!*
CONTACT:
FB Quinn Blackbird
FB READER GROUP: Quinn Blackbird and Her Blackbirds
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
April 8, 2021
I actually loved the first half. But then my expectation were not met.
April 13, 2021
I don't know why I enjoyed this so much?!!? I've read other works by Quinn Blackbird, namely the fae stories, but was not a huge fan. But this story was so good.
Although it was rather depressing. It was kind of like the Maze Runner world, but without all the friendships, coupled with the survival in the Hunger Games.
There was a love triangle though, but it was actually done well. When I read in the description there was going to be a love triangle I was worried, but it doesn't take over the story and it's one of those love triangles where we all know who she is gonna end up with but just to make things interesting I guess?
→ 4 stars for the whole series
Although it was rather depressing. It was kind of like the Maze Runner world, but without all the friendships, coupled with the survival in the Hunger Games.
There was a love triangle though, but it was actually done well. When I read in the description there was going to be a love triangle I was worried, but it doesn't take over the story and it's one of those love triangles where we all know who she is gonna end up with but just to make things interesting I guess?
→ 4 stars for the whole series
January 9, 2021
Can we all just agree that Quinn is amazing with apocalyptic romances? Yes? Ok, thank you. While I am not a fan of love triangles, I did enjoy this one! I was disappointed in the zero steam love "scenes", it was still a really good series
March 15, 2021
The dog ruined it
Usually I write a review if the book was amazing or absolutely terrible. This is the first time I have written one for a book somewhere in between. The writing wasn’t awful and the plot was entertaining. Two big things put me off though. One, if your character is an American in America, at least have the decency to research common terminology. Nobody here says jumper or petrol or even muesli bar. And wtf is a singlet? Yea bad research, writer. Don’t be lazy next time. The second thing is that I spent a good portion of the book hoping that damn dog would die. Or even for the main character to die and put me out of my misery. I think I could have enjoyed the series if she killed off the dog early. I feel guilty for even saying that, but any believability died a painful death by book 2 just because they girl and dog were still alive. Overall, if you have nothing better to do and are ok with a British person pretending to be an American while surviving unrealistic odds with a purse dog that should have died in the first couple chapters, go ahead and read it.
Usually I write a review if the book was amazing or absolutely terrible. This is the first time I have written one for a book somewhere in between. The writing wasn’t awful and the plot was entertaining. Two big things put me off though. One, if your character is an American in America, at least have the decency to research common terminology. Nobody here says jumper or petrol or even muesli bar. And wtf is a singlet? Yea bad research, writer. Don’t be lazy next time. The second thing is that I spent a good portion of the book hoping that damn dog would die. Or even for the main character to die and put me out of my misery. I think I could have enjoyed the series if she killed off the dog early. I feel guilty for even saying that, but any believability died a painful death by book 2 just because they girl and dog were still alive. Overall, if you have nothing better to do and are ok with a British person pretending to be an American while surviving unrealistic odds with a purse dog that should have died in the first couple chapters, go ahead and read it.
March 12, 2021
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Winter Plague is the complete collection of the series and I absolutely devoured it. This series was so addicting that I binge read the entire collection in three sittings. It's a post apocalyptic read filled with action, adventure, horror, survival and slow burn romance. I'm a great fan of books that has survival themes, and this book was a total delight to read.
The story follows Winter who's been surviving on her own with her little dog Cleo after a deadly virus spread around their world. The virus turns the infected into mindless blood thirsty Zombies attacking every human that comes in their way. Winter knew that she wouldn't survive much longer with dwindling resources and human population. When her luck finally runs out, she was saved by a group of mercenaries who were once high ranked soldiers. Winter gets torn between her savior, and her protector who seems to hate her. Joining the group was easy but leaving them was not an option because the group's been hiding many secrets and freeing her would jeopardize everything.
I absolutely loved Winter and her cute little furbaby Cleo. She's selfless, and a brave heroine. I admired the way she was protective of Cleo, her little Chihuahua. Even in dangerous situations, he's always her first priority because he's family. Every pet parent can easily connect with her character. Leo is a pretty likeable character. He's sweet, handsome, and caring. He's very approachable and friendly person unlike the other guy who's quite the opposite. Castle was very intriguing and complex. He's my favorite character because I'm sucker for characters who're broody, guarded, and complex. As stated, there's a triangle in this book but it's really not frustrating. The slow burn romance was well developed. I'm glad it's not another insta-love romance. Enjoyed the chemistry between the characters. It was emotional, angsty, dark, and heartfelt.
The plot was engaging throughout the series filled with right amount of action, adventure, suspense, and romance. I enjoyed every minute of it. The pacing was great. There're so many surprising twists which kept me hooked till the end. The survival themes were well executed. The author is definitely talented in that part. The romance didn't overshadow the plot and everything was well balanced. So even if you're not interested in the romance, you're still going to have a good time with this book. The author's writing was simple and easy enough to understand. The book was written in Winter's first person pov. I loved the world building! It was brutal, violent, and horrifying! It's like living in the Walking Dead series.
Overall, I immensely enjoyed reading this series! During this pandemic, it was a very satisfying read! So far, I've read many books by Quinn Blackbird but this would be my top favorite.
Winter Plague is the complete collection of the series and I absolutely devoured it. This series was so addicting that I binge read the entire collection in three sittings. It's a post apocalyptic read filled with action, adventure, horror, survival and slow burn romance. I'm a great fan of books that has survival themes, and this book was a total delight to read.
The story follows Winter who's been surviving on her own with her little dog Cleo after a deadly virus spread around their world. The virus turns the infected into mindless blood thirsty Zombies attacking every human that comes in their way. Winter knew that she wouldn't survive much longer with dwindling resources and human population. When her luck finally runs out, she was saved by a group of mercenaries who were once high ranked soldiers. Winter gets torn between her savior, and her protector who seems to hate her. Joining the group was easy but leaving them was not an option because the group's been hiding many secrets and freeing her would jeopardize everything.
I absolutely loved Winter and her cute little furbaby Cleo. She's selfless, and a brave heroine. I admired the way she was protective of Cleo, her little Chihuahua. Even in dangerous situations, he's always her first priority because he's family. Every pet parent can easily connect with her character. Leo is a pretty likeable character. He's sweet, handsome, and caring. He's very approachable and friendly person unlike the other guy who's quite the opposite. Castle was very intriguing and complex. He's my favorite character because I'm sucker for characters who're broody, guarded, and complex. As stated, there's a triangle in this book but it's really not frustrating. The slow burn romance was well developed. I'm glad it's not another insta-love romance. Enjoyed the chemistry between the characters. It was emotional, angsty, dark, and heartfelt.
The plot was engaging throughout the series filled with right amount of action, adventure, suspense, and romance. I enjoyed every minute of it. The pacing was great. There're so many surprising twists which kept me hooked till the end. The survival themes were well executed. The author is definitely talented in that part. The romance didn't overshadow the plot and everything was well balanced. So even if you're not interested in the romance, you're still going to have a good time with this book. The author's writing was simple and easy enough to understand. The book was written in Winter's first person pov. I loved the world building! It was brutal, violent, and horrifying! It's like living in the Walking Dead series.
Overall, I immensely enjoyed reading this series! During this pandemic, it was a very satisfying read! So far, I've read many books by Quinn Blackbird but this would be my top favorite.
November 30, 2020
If there's one thing to take away from this apocalyptic survival tale of love and hate, it's this: The end of the world doesn't change people, it just makes them show who they really are. And it just so happens that narrator Winter Miles, anti-social self-confessed coward and hard-nosed realist, was always who she said she was. It's everyone else that is the problem.
We follow Winter as she starts off on a normal sort of day, packing up her car for the long trip from LA to D.C to visit her sister Summer (yep, their parents had that sense of humor). It's just her and her little dog Cleo on the gridlocked road, ignoring the news about some weird strain of rabies... Until it stops being just another news story. Those infected mindlessly attack anything that moves, but Winter's a survivor. She'll cling on to the hope that somewhere out there her sister is still alive, and that she'll make it to her. What luck then that she runs into a group of survivors, both civilian and military. They're going to D.C. They've got road vehicles, safety in numbers, and a whole load of secrets and heartache to serve up along the gore-slicked way.
This is one of those indie books that doesn't fit the standard published tropes. It doesn't go for all the romance plot-points or push hard on the tension (though sometimes I wished it would just a little more to feel satisfying). It goes for nitty-gritty realism rather than taking pages out of the usual narrative play book. It's also a re-write of a previously published series; I read the original some time ago so there's a chance my views are influenced by my foreknowledge of the general plot and perhaps by how attached I was to that version.
I wasn't 100% sold on the pre-apocalypse prequel section as it seems a little jumpy narrative-wise, but once we get into the main story told from Winter' sort-of autobiographical narration (it reads like normal for the most part, but with little asides to remind you that it's being recorded after the fact) things really pick up.
I loved her cool assessments of her new companions, and how unlike so many post-apocalypse tales, she doesn't go for blind trust or complete mistrust. Despite her assertions, I figured her more for a selfish person than a coward; she handles herself pretty darn well even if her methods are definitely flight rather than fight. As the story progresses at a slow-burn (road trips take time y'all, with or without zombie attacks), we come to see her past and present relationships unfold.
There's a diverse cast of major players, and Cleo aside, I think Vicki was my favorite. She and Winter have this understanding that could be borderline friendship, but neither of them are written as the girly hugging type. It's something that doesn't get shown often, this cool but friendly companionship between female characters. They also jab home another important point in terms of realism: feminine hygiene products are the third necessity after food and water. I wish we'd gotten to see more of her relationship with Mac, seeing as it's such a big part of who she is. Also: shout out to Oscar who I so wanted to have more glittery airtime.
There is romance, and it is sort-of a love triangle. But wait, what's this? It's not all screaming and shouting and hysterics? They guys aren't murdering each other for the girl, and the girl isn't mooning for pages on end about which one do I pick? I really liked that while it is technically a love-triangle, it avoids pretty much all the tropes associated with it. I didn't always get the chemistry I expected from the encounters, and sometimes wondered why Winter said she felt more for one guy than another , but nothing felt rushed or out of place for the characters. They're all quite cold characters at heart, so it was never going to be fiery passion.
There are also twists. Big ones. You might see them coming, you might not, but they're steered more towards gritty realism than high tension dramatic action sequences which stick to the tropes. It deals with some pretty difficult topics, including mental health struggles and "female" problems. They aren't written in as "issues" to be made a point of, just things the characters have in their lives. The ending especially goes down the emotional hurt route that neither glosses over nor goes into excessive detail.
Overall a solid 3.5-rounded to-4 stars: while I found the beginning a little difficult to get into and the lack of the usual tension point strange, I ended up feeling a part of this road trip of doom and liked that Winter really isn't like the other girls. I'm not a big zombie novel fan, but the horror ends up more of a backdrop to a New Adult+ story about socially difficult characters stuck in the post-apocalypse. Maybe it could have had more tension, but it's the weaving together of these unusual characters and their unexpected behaviours (and maybe a little lost chihuahua) that made it something I just had to finish.
-I received an ARC edition of this e-book from the author. This does not influence my review-
We follow Winter as she starts off on a normal sort of day, packing up her car for the long trip from LA to D.C to visit her sister Summer (yep, their parents had that sense of humor). It's just her and her little dog Cleo on the gridlocked road, ignoring the news about some weird strain of rabies... Until it stops being just another news story. Those infected mindlessly attack anything that moves, but Winter's a survivor. She'll cling on to the hope that somewhere out there her sister is still alive, and that she'll make it to her. What luck then that she runs into a group of survivors, both civilian and military. They're going to D.C. They've got road vehicles, safety in numbers, and a whole load of secrets and heartache to serve up along the gore-slicked way.
This is one of those indie books that doesn't fit the standard published tropes. It doesn't go for all the romance plot-points or push hard on the tension (though sometimes I wished it would just a little more to feel satisfying). It goes for nitty-gritty realism rather than taking pages out of the usual narrative play book. It's also a re-write of a previously published series; I read the original some time ago so there's a chance my views are influenced by my foreknowledge of the general plot and perhaps by how attached I was to that version.
I wasn't 100% sold on the pre-apocalypse prequel section as it seems a little jumpy narrative-wise, but once we get into the main story told from Winter' sort-of autobiographical narration (it reads like normal for the most part, but with little asides to remind you that it's being recorded after the fact) things really pick up.
I loved her cool assessments of her new companions, and how unlike so many post-apocalypse tales, she doesn't go for blind trust or complete mistrust. Despite her assertions, I figured her more for a selfish person than a coward; she handles herself pretty darn well even if her methods are definitely flight rather than fight. As the story progresses at a slow-burn (road trips take time y'all, with or without zombie attacks), we come to see her past and present relationships unfold.
There's a diverse cast of major players, and Cleo aside, I think Vicki was my favorite. She and Winter have this understanding that could be borderline friendship, but neither of them are written as the girly hugging type. It's something that doesn't get shown often, this cool but friendly companionship between female characters. They also jab home another important point in terms of realism: feminine hygiene products are the third necessity after food and water. I wish we'd gotten to see more of her relationship with Mac, seeing as it's such a big part of who she is. Also: shout out to Oscar who I so wanted to have more glittery airtime.
There is romance, and it is sort-of a love triangle. But wait, what's this? It's not all screaming and shouting and hysterics? They guys aren't murdering each other for the girl, and the girl isn't mooning for pages on end about which one do I pick? I really liked that while it is technically a love-triangle, it avoids pretty much all the tropes associated with it. I didn't always get the chemistry I expected from the encounters, and sometimes wondered why Winter said she felt more for one guy than another , but nothing felt rushed or out of place for the characters. They're all quite cold characters at heart, so it was never going to be fiery passion.
There are also twists. Big ones. You might see them coming, you might not, but they're steered more towards gritty realism than high tension dramatic action sequences which stick to the tropes. It deals with some pretty difficult topics, including mental health struggles and "female" problems. They aren't written in as "issues" to be made a point of, just things the characters have in their lives. The ending especially goes down the emotional hurt route that neither glosses over nor goes into excessive detail.
Overall a solid 3.5-rounded to-4 stars: while I found the beginning a little difficult to get into and the lack of the usual tension point strange, I ended up feeling a part of this road trip of doom and liked that Winter really isn't like the other girls. I'm not a big zombie novel fan, but the horror ends up more of a backdrop to a New Adult+ story about socially difficult characters stuck in the post-apocalypse. Maybe it could have had more tension, but it's the weaving together of these unusual characters and their unexpected behaviours (and maybe a little lost chihuahua) that made it something I just had to finish.
-I received an ARC edition of this e-book from the author. This does not influence my review-
February 2, 2023
i really liked this, cant wait to read book two, i loved the characters, and i hope Winter finds her dog Cleo, in the next book, that would be sad if the dog dies.
August 11, 2025
I stayed up so late reading for that ending?!
CLIFFHANGERS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. Wtf is that ending.
Great plot, great characters, but I am mad as hell at that ending
CLIFFHANGERS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. Wtf is that ending.
Great plot, great characters, but I am mad as hell at that ending
Want to read
January 6, 2021
→ Just released! Grab your copy now! ←
→ Submit or subscribe to The DARK Newsletter! ←
Blurb:
If you tried to run, you know what would happen, Winter.
I would hunt you down and burn the world to find you...
The world has gone to shit.
All that's left are a few bands of rogue survivors, more dangers than ever, those violence-loving rotters, and me and my dog, Cleo. Well, it should just be Cleo and me. And it was, until--
I found them.
A group of mercenaries in this plagued, wintery world. Once high-ranking soldiers, something has turned them dark in this new life we all lead. And my darkness calls to theirs...
Leo saves my life, Castle keeps me safe, and I'm torn between the two. Only, it's more than returned feelings that have them watching over me, and I quickly learn that my place in this group is not optional. I can't leave any time I want.
I've been taken captive.
And I see no way out. Not without breaking my own heart in the progress.
Merged review:
→ Just released! Grab your copy now! ←
→ Submit or subscribe to The DARK Newsletter! ←
Blurb:
If you tried to run, you know what would happen, Winter.
I would hunt you down and burn the world to find you...
The world has gone to shit.
All that's left are a few bands of rogue survivors, more dangers than ever, those violence-loving rotters, and me and my dog, Cleo. Well, it should just be Cleo and me. And it was, until--
I found them.
A group of mercenaries in this plagued, wintery world. Once high-ranking soldiers, something has turned them dark in this new life we all lead. And my darkness calls to theirs...
Leo saves my life, Castle keeps me safe, and I'm torn between the two. Only, it's more than returned feelings that have them watching over me, and I quickly learn that my place in this group is not optional. I can't leave any time I want.
I've been taken captive.
And I see no way out. Not without breaking my own heart in the progress.
December 3, 2020
Walking dead eat your heart out! I absolutely loved this series! It's a phenomenal zombie apocalypse type book that just grips you and you won't be able to let go. Winter, Leo and Castle are memorable, loveable and interesting right from the start. We get to follow their journey as they travel across the country and just wanting to survive. There's so much action, some romance and lots of touching moments. Quinn has created a world that you'll be holding your breath and unable to blink incase you miss something. The story played out like a movie, giving us a wonderful plot, full with twists and turns and characters that you watch grow from strength to strength. Any fan of zombies and end of the world scenarios will adore this book series. The ending gives you closure and a sense of belonging. I loved every second, knowing that it's definitely one of those book series that I'll reread over and over!
December 3, 2020
Blackbird consistently blows me away with her stories and the characters in them. This collection is all four books about Winter's journey through the release of a deadly disease that decimates the world's population leaving those infected alive but in a homicidal rage willing to each those who aren't fast enough to get away.
Winter is easy to relate to if you aren't a particularly brave person. Yet, even in her fear she develops a strong sense of survival that eventually finds her in the company of a group that will eventually get her where she wants to be.
I definitely recommend this series, as I am a huge fan of everything Quinn Blackbird writes. She does apocalyptic storytelling like no other.
Winter is easy to relate to if you aren't a particularly brave person. Yet, even in her fear she develops a strong sense of survival that eventually finds her in the company of a group that will eventually get her where she wants to be.
I definitely recommend this series, as I am a huge fan of everything Quinn Blackbird writes. She does apocalyptic storytelling like no other.
February 26, 2024
this book was so
splendorific i can’t even explain
i love how the main character isn’t all brave and a baddie like main characters normally are, she’s a normal teen girl who is just trying her best to survive and keep her dog safe 😭 love cleo by the way
and i really hope she ends up with castle idc what yall say
splendorific i can’t even explain
i love how the main character isn’t all brave and a baddie like main characters normally are, she’s a normal teen girl who is just trying her best to survive and keep her dog safe 😭 love cleo by the way
and i really hope she ends up with castle idc what yall say
February 28, 2024
I loved this book, it was an amazing. It’s not exciting or action-packed but it is a compelling read. Our main character, Winter and her chihuahua Cleo, are the reason it is a page-turner. It’s a must read.
November 28, 2024
Dismal
So this book is meant to be post apocalyptic/plague right.... So one expects a gory and survivalist kind of read. There are zombies. Which I don't mind all that but I like my stories to have a bit of romance in them. The issue I had with this book is that it failed to tick any boxes.
The writing style really didn't work for me. It's written in a detached sort of way that I didn't feel a lick of care about Winter (heroine). I found the journal entries annoying "this is when I died" every other chapter makes the whole thing pointless.
I never thought I'd say this but the closed door/steel door smut really let the whole thing down even more. I kid you not "She finally gave him what she gave no other" I was like What??? I went back a few pages thinking, did I miss something.... No I didn't. There was no lead to the "romance" No holding hands, hugs, eye contact nothing. They shared a bed and supposedly got really close because the rest of this mess is Winter "heartbroken" To be honest maybe it was all about the dog more than anything.
I've said this before, I'm not a Bio Chemist nor do I work for CDC or whatever body would know these answers however..... In this book you catch an infection by bites and scratches. Winter has had ingested contaminated blood, has had open wounds bled on by the infected yet our girl is fine.... Again Whattt!!! Are we then saying if you picked up a BONE from the infected you could run around poking people and infecting them lol
The zombies are attracted to noise.. yet they are driving cars, shooting, also talking as though there is nothing to be afraid of but they don't seem to attract zombies. I've never read about such lazy zombies.
The worst thing about this series is not the lack of an apocalyptic plot or romance or actual sense (don't get me started on the shoulder bullet wound) but the fact that Winter picks up zero survival skills. All I know for a fact is she really loves her dog. Do I buy that she survived on her own, No!
So this book is meant to be post apocalyptic/plague right.... So one expects a gory and survivalist kind of read. There are zombies. Which I don't mind all that but I like my stories to have a bit of romance in them. The issue I had with this book is that it failed to tick any boxes.
The writing style really didn't work for me. It's written in a detached sort of way that I didn't feel a lick of care about Winter (heroine). I found the journal entries annoying "this is when I died" every other chapter makes the whole thing pointless.
I never thought I'd say this but the closed door/steel door smut really let the whole thing down even more. I kid you not "She finally gave him what she gave no other" I was like What??? I went back a few pages thinking, did I miss something.... No I didn't. There was no lead to the "romance" No holding hands, hugs, eye contact nothing. They shared a bed and supposedly got really close because the rest of this mess is Winter "heartbroken" To be honest maybe it was all about the dog more than anything.
I've said this before, I'm not a Bio Chemist nor do I work for CDC or whatever body would know these answers however..... In this book you catch an infection by bites and scratches. Winter has had ingested contaminated blood, has had open wounds bled on by the infected yet our girl is fine.... Again Whattt!!! Are we then saying if you picked up a BONE from the infected you could run around poking people and infecting them lol
The zombies are attracted to noise.. yet they are driving cars, shooting, also talking as though there is nothing to be afraid of but they don't seem to attract zombies. I've never read about such lazy zombies.
The worst thing about this series is not the lack of an apocalyptic plot or romance or actual sense (don't get me started on the shoulder bullet wound) but the fact that Winter picks up zero survival skills. All I know for a fact is she really loves her dog. Do I buy that she survived on her own, No!
not-for-me
April 15, 2023The writing doesn’t work for me.
December 31, 2023
ifyitms coded aw
August 11, 2024
Wow!
This one surprised me!
I was NOT expecting to love this as much as I did.
I really enjoyed the plot and character building! This book had me hooked from the very beginning.
And to say this is not my usual genre, but here I am!
That ending had me like wtf?!
Safe to say I am excited to continue this series to find out what happens to our main FMC.
This one surprised me!
I was NOT expecting to love this as much as I did.
I really enjoyed the plot and character building! This book had me hooked from the very beginning.
And to say this is not my usual genre, but here I am!
That ending had me like wtf?!
Safe to say I am excited to continue this series to find out what happens to our main FMC.
September 12, 2024
Twas a good book.
April 6, 2024
FL's team got outsmarted and defeated by the villain groups, 1st book ended on a cliffhanger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2023
kept me up all night!
Very well written, and a fantastic plot. I enjoyed every word. A real nail biter. Can’t wait to see what else is out there.
Very well written, and a fantastic plot. I enjoyed every word. A real nail biter. Can’t wait to see what else is out there.
February 15, 2023
braindead fmc and disgustingly annoying mutt to go with her
February 5, 2021
Winter Plague was not the guilty pleasure romance I expected. It was brutal, so emotionally raw and I adored it. I couldn't stop reading, during the single break I took from it (which says a lot considering how long it was) I was plagued (pun intended) w/ anxiety over getting back to it. I was so invested in the mission, the characters, the romance, all of it. So beautifully written, I had an instant connection w/ this story, and I loved it so so much
January 17, 2024
This is a gripping read with a heroine unwittingly thrown in the middle of a zombie apocalypse who get drawn into a soldier group who has their own secret mission (which is not revealed in this book). My major issue is that the there is a lot of passages where the heroine's bond with her Chihuahua, Cleo is described in detail. It looks like the whole point of this book aka heroine's mission is to keep her dog safe even at the cost of her own peril and those of others including children's.
September 2, 2023
As an apocalyptic thriller, this novel kind of works, but it completely fails as a romance. This has to most tepid, underwhelming love triangle of all time. I know it's unpopular, but I adore the love triangle trope. I just want all of the drama.
It doesn't matter how bad this trope is executed, 9/10 times I will enjoy it anyway. But it seriously felt like Winter, Castle, and Leo barely cared about each other. Winter ended up with her final love interest because she was basically forced into choosing him. It honestly felt depressing. There was no passion, no tenderness, no friendship, no nothing.
I'm usually incredibly invested in Quinn Blackbird's novels. The lowest rating I've ever given a book by her is three stars. I really love her atypical, "unlikeable" heroines. I love that she lets women have complexities and flaws.
But try my hardest, I could not stand Winter. She was unbearable as a protagonist. I don't know what it was about how she was written, but I just couldn't with her. She was so annoying for no reason. Her main personality traits (being combative and nosy) got her into so many bad situations that could have been avoided. I hated reading about her going on and on about different she was than everyone else, when she seriously was the most normal person alive.
The only thing I found relatable about her was how much she loved her dog. She was ready to risk it all to save her little chihuahua from a horde of zombies, and throughout the whole book that is all she would talk about. Where is my dog? Is my dog okay? I need my dog. It was so funny and exactly how I would act. (except I have three extremely loud dogs and two cats, so I definitely wouldn't survive in this scenario).
Lastly, Leo and Castle as male leads were almost interchangeable. I didn't care which one of them Winter ended up with because they were exactly the same personality wise, and both so boring. It sucks because I love a stoic, emotionally repressed hero but there was nothing to either of them.
Two stars.
It doesn't matter how bad this trope is executed, 9/10 times I will enjoy it anyway. But it seriously felt like Winter, Castle, and Leo barely cared about each other. Winter ended up with her final love interest because she was basically forced into choosing him. It honestly felt depressing. There was no passion, no tenderness, no friendship, no nothing.
I'm usually incredibly invested in Quinn Blackbird's novels. The lowest rating I've ever given a book by her is three stars. I really love her atypical, "unlikeable" heroines. I love that she lets women have complexities and flaws.
But try my hardest, I could not stand Winter. She was unbearable as a protagonist. I don't know what it was about how she was written, but I just couldn't with her. She was so annoying for no reason. Her main personality traits (being combative and nosy) got her into so many bad situations that could have been avoided. I hated reading about her going on and on about different she was than everyone else, when she seriously was the most normal person alive.
The only thing I found relatable about her was how much she loved her dog. She was ready to risk it all to save her little chihuahua from a horde of zombies, and throughout the whole book that is all she would talk about. Where is my dog? Is my dog okay? I need my dog. It was so funny and exactly how I would act. (except I have three extremely loud dogs and two cats, so I definitely wouldn't survive in this scenario).
Lastly, Leo and Castle as male leads were almost interchangeable. I didn't care which one of them Winter ended up with because they were exactly the same personality wise, and both so boring. It sucks because I love a stoic, emotionally repressed hero but there was nothing to either of them.
Two stars.
April 2, 2023
I didn’t want to like this story. It’s dark, depressing, and hits too close to home. Plus, there are revenants. Eww. But I like Quinn Blackbird’s Dark Fae series and finally decided to read the “prequel”. In this post-apocolyptic novelette, Winter sees news about the apocalypse and immediately panics, thinking about her sister in D.C., across the United States, and decides to leave on their family reunion early. Good thing. She discovers that people are turning into ravenous zombies and that her life is quickly becoming a desperate attempt to cling to life with her chihuahua Cleo.
On one such foray into a city for supplies, she gets surrounded by zombies, but is rescued by a paramilitary group. Leo allows her to come along but tests Winter. Because they face opposition not only from zombies, but from other humans desperate for their supplies. While Winter wants to reach her sister, she doesn’t know why the group is going to D.C. What she does know is that Rose hates her for being with Leo, and later, so does Castle.
The blurb is inaccurate for the first part of the story. There is only one romance, and two kisses. Also, there were times I started to feel bored, but the horror show kept me reading. Very creepy.
Smut level: 2 🌶️s
Gore
WTF-back-stabbing
Series beginner
Could be standalone
Single pov
Cute puppy
January 6, 2024
I tried really hard to like this book and even stopped myself dnf-ing like 3 times before eventually giving up around 70% of the way through.
The pacing is really odd and there are time jumps in the beginning that just come out of nowhere and just seemed like the author just wanted to progress without having to fill in the 5 month period of time with any content.
I hated the dog. She was just annoying and was not helpful and there is no way they would have been able to stay alive by themselves this long.
The love story has barely any build up and out of nowhere they just fall into bed together? Very confusing that they barely have any dialogue together and then their time spent together kept being referred to rather than us experience it with them.
I really wanted to love it but I was just disappointed unfortunately
The pacing is really odd and there are time jumps in the beginning that just come out of nowhere and just seemed like the author just wanted to progress without having to fill in the 5 month period of time with any content.
I hated the dog. She was just annoying and was not helpful and there is no way they would have been able to stay alive by themselves this long.
The love story has barely any build up and out of nowhere they just fall into bed together? Very confusing that they barely have any dialogue together and then their time spent together kept being referred to rather than us experience it with them.
I really wanted to love it but I was just disappointed unfortunately
November 24, 2025
Another book that I feel conflicted on. Ends on a cliffhanger of sorts.
A exciting more 28 Days Later take on zombies rather than the Walking Dead type. It had some nice action, suspense, and what could have been the beginning of a little tiny hint of romance (no spice in this book)....good except for that ending..... I know I know it is to encourage the reader to continue the series but damn that was a cruel way to leave me hanging.
What frustrated me most (besides that cliffhanger) might have been Winter's dog Cleo (or just Winter's action involving the dog). It wasn't that she loved and wanted to protect her, no that in itself is fine it was more the execution of said protection. I swear the dog was running off at any chance it got and honestly endangering all of them with the running and sometimes barking. Winter even gets injured running recklessly after the dog. If she spent any of the journey training the dog some of this would be avoidable. Winter was not making good survival decisions because of the dog majority of the time.
Will I finish the series... maybe I am still trying to figure out if this is turning love triangle-ish with Castle, because I won't continue if this is, or if it is going to stick with Leo?....or if that ending was truthful does she moves on with Castle?? I don't know, that probably bordered on a spoiler, sorry.
A exciting more 28 Days Later take on zombies rather than the Walking Dead type. It had some nice action, suspense, and what could have been the beginning of a little tiny hint of romance (no spice in this book)....good except for that ending..... I know I know it is to encourage the reader to continue the series but damn that was a cruel way to leave me hanging.
What frustrated me most (besides that cliffhanger) might have been Winter's dog Cleo (or just Winter's action involving the dog). It wasn't that she loved and wanted to protect her, no that in itself is fine it was more the execution of said protection. I swear the dog was running off at any chance it got and honestly endangering all of them with the running and sometimes barking. Winter even gets injured running recklessly after the dog. If she spent any of the journey training the dog some of this would be avoidable. Winter was not making good survival decisions because of the dog majority of the time.
Will I finish the series... maybe I am still trying to figure out if this is turning love triangle-ish with Castle, because I won't continue if this is, or if it is going to stick with Leo?....or if that ending was truthful does she moves on with Castle?? I don't know, that probably bordered on a spoiler, sorry.
May 23, 2024
4⭐️ just go ahead and download all 3 on KU
it’s shorter than I wish it were but omg it’s good. I was GRIPPED the whole time. The romance elements were somewhat slower burns than most apocalypse stories, and the love interests were so believable! Side characters had storylines and motivations! The more I think about it the better it was!
It had all the elements I love in post apocalyptic love story AND a pretty unique take on zombies.
I actually finished all three books today. This one will sit with me for a while.
it’s shorter than I wish it were but omg it’s good. I was GRIPPED the whole time. The romance elements were somewhat slower burns than most apocalypse stories, and the love interests were so believable! Side characters had storylines and motivations! The more I think about it the better it was!
It had all the elements I love in post apocalyptic love story AND a pretty unique take on zombies.
I actually finished all three books today. This one will sit with me for a while.
January 27, 2024
1. Get American beta readers.
2. I don’t need color description of hair and eyes every other page. I get it.
3. The dog is annoying.
4. No chemistry. Apparently it’s a love triangle so I’m extra not up for that.
2. I don’t need color description of hair and eyes every other page. I get it.
3. The dog is annoying.
4. No chemistry. Apparently it’s a love triangle so I’m extra not up for that.
March 22, 2024
there was potential for sure. the plot is promising but the writing is a bit repetitive. I’m coming into this off of a jaw dropping 5 star series so it’s hard to say if I’d be disappointed in anything right now but I don’t hate this
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