WILL THEY SURVIVE?

Days of Blood and Love: R.S. Carter

The world changed for Carson and Ronan as a deadly virus invaded the bodies of so many. Eating away at the person’s brain, body and creating devastating effects across the world, this deadly virus indiscriminately  took the lives of so many unsuspecting people. But, that’s not all. Those that survived would be stricken in other ways. Their sanity gone, their paranoia in full force, their fear of others in place and the end result would be more than catastrophic. As the harsh reality set in and Carson and her family tried to outrun the virus and those that survived that were coldblooded killers, they tried to escape the small town they lived in, stopped for a moment and the end result was the death of her husband Ritchie at the end of these killers. Beating people to death, stabbing them, anything to survive those that were afflicted has no and showed no remorse for their actions. As Carson tried to defend her husband and hopefully safe him she had to make a life altering choice and let him go for the sake of her son. Finding herself alone with Ronan they left their home, took her RV, the gas cans she had filled and hopefully could make their way to her parent’s home not knowing what she would find if and when they arrived. Days of Love and Blood: A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel for Women days the reader inside a world where a Demon Virus seems to have overtaken the population, those that are uninfected need to escape those plagued with the disease as author R.S. Carter refers to them as the homicidal. Driving across the country, hoping to find her parent’s alive at their farm, Caron comes face to face with a post-apocalyptic world filled with people like herself that were lucky enough to be uninfected. Can she build a new life without Ritchie? How will she come to terms with her choice? When memories of Ritchie, how they met and their life together come flooding back at different moments throughout the novel will it make her stronger and hopefully enable her to survive or will it detract from her real goal to make a new life for her and her son?

Friendships and relationships change and often come into play when times are difficult or situations merit it. As Carson and Ronan near her parent’s house they are forced to stop for a short time. Surprised to see her childhood friend, Ivy, they rebound, work together and convince others to fight off what is about to happen. As Carson relates what she saw before arriving there the others become hostile when realizing that the homicidal are just a few minutes away. Battle lines drawn, weapons in hand and what is described might be considered a holocaust of its own. Bodies buried, families alerted and one woman who stands up to it all to prove that courage, persistence and diligence must prevail. Staying with those that are alive for a while, joining them for dinner Carson bonds with a man named Cooper who seems to be looking out for her but why? Next, we learn the fate of her parents, the end result tragic and her hope to reconnect with her friend, and create a new life where she came from has some disheartening moments but is not forgotten.

Meeting more people brings to light many different perceptions of Cooper who seems to be right there when Carson is in trouble, gets hurt or just needs some basic help. But, undefined as he is, fluctuating between kind and difficult no one really knows too much about him. Things changed, solar power was on option, finding a cure for the homicidal you never know but Carson seemed to find a certain pleasure in killing them but why? But, secrets come out and tempers rise as Carson endangers Ronan, Cooper lashes out and a harsh reality about him comes to light. Just how will all of these people survive? What will happen if they don’t kill all of the infected? When will it end or will they end? Author R.S. Carter may be writing about zombies but there is much more to the messages being conveyed. What happens when the world that you lived in is gone and you have to survive in what is left? What happens when all that is left are strangers and you survival depends on them? What happens when the only way to get supplies is to raid stores, steal them and hope you don’t get caught by those that want to kill you? What happens when you have to spend every waking hour defending your life?

Enter Ben another stranger that everyone befriends and makes a part of their community. But, Carson’s behavior becomes questionable to some, her best friend wonders if she is changing and her relationship with Cooper becomes strained. The author flashes back to her life with Ritchie, the birth of Ronan, many incidents she remembers as we learn just why losing this man was so great or hard for her. In between we learn more about Cooper, his problems, his son Cameron and Ben. But, Cooper and Carson finally deal with their feelings and what happens will definitely change things for both. But, what about Ben is he determined to take Carson for himself?

As things began to heat up and Carson and Cooper go out for a raid something happens that will change everything for both of them. Will the community accept her actions? Will they remain or leave like some of the others? What about her relationship with Cooper and what about her feelings and memories of Ritchie? An ending that you will not expect and one woman who will fight all odds, and go up against anything to prove that she can and will survive. Days of Love and Blood: It is exactly that! To find out the true meaning and more you need to read the book. Zombies try and take over the survivors but they are missing determination, persistence, love, understanding and the true bonds of friendship.

Characters that are well developed. Some that change over time in the novel and others that become stronger as things happen. One boy named Ronan that will endear you to him from the start and two old friends that have to decide what the future holds for them both.

Where will life take them? What is the end result for the survivors? Don’t ask the homicidal because they are too deranged to answer? Find the answers when you read the novel for yourself.

Fran Lewis: Reviewer