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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Keri Lake has officially become my favorite author. She not only got me into reading as an adult with the "Nightshade" series but also pulled me out of a nasty reading slump with "Juniper Unraveling". Her storytelling is incredibly captivating—I'm usually a slow starter with books, but Keri's writing grabs me right from the start. Even when tackling dark and uncomfortable themes, her prose remains stunningly beautiful, which is one of my favorite parts about her books.
Her characters are another gem. The depth of emotion she brings to them makes it feel like I'm right there with them, experiencing every moment. I adore how well she portrays these very dark, deep, and raw emotions. I find myself cherishing every word, not wanting the books to end.
And let's talk about the world-building—it's phenomenal. It effortlessly draws you in and keeps you engaged throughout. If I'm being honest, I wasn't sure if I would even enjoy reading about a post-apocalyptic world, but now I am certain that Keri is excellent and could make any kind of world she chooses extremely enticing.
While I'm sad to leave behind the characters from this book as the series continues, I'm certain that the other books will be just as, if not more, enjoyable.
Thank you, Keri, for this unforgettable journey of pain and epic romance. This book will stay with me for a long time! I can already see myself re-reading all of her books, as nothing scratches that itch as well as she does.
Her characters are another gem. The depth of emotion she brings to them makes it feel like I'm right there with them, experiencing every moment. I adore how well she portrays these very dark, deep, and raw emotions. I find myself cherishing every word, not wanting the books to end.
And let's talk about the world-building—it's phenomenal. It effortlessly draws you in and keeps you engaged throughout. If I'm being honest, I wasn't sure if I would even enjoy reading about a post-apocalyptic world, but now I am certain that Keri is excellent and could make any kind of world she chooses extremely enticing.
While I'm sad to leave behind the characters from this book as the series continues, I'm certain that the other books will be just as, if not more, enjoyable.
Thank you, Keri, for this unforgettable journey of pain and epic romance. This book will stay with me for a long time! I can already see myself re-reading all of her books, as nothing scratches that itch as well as she does.
"But there is no monster more terrifying than the human being who lacks compassion."
The minute I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it — Juniper Unraveling is the first in a post-apocalyptic dystopian romance series that spans across four novels with multiple character point of views and timelines.
This book is not for the faint of heart but it is so fucking good. If you can endure it, it's one of those stories that seeps deep down into your bones in the best way -- Juniper Unraveling takes place in a grisly post-apocalyptic world, where suffering knows no bounds, and I just can't see it working if it were watered down to make it more palatable for the reader. The bleak landscape offers a stark contrast to the flicker of hope, compassion and bravery that exists in the hearts of the main characters. I fell hard for these characters and rooted for them every step of the way!
This is definitely a book where the reader should check the trigger warnings because this post-apocalyptic world is full of pain and suffering. It’s a world where a zombie virus has taken over, and those in power take cruel advantage. It’s DARK.
In this book we follow Dani, Wren and Six. Dani is an infected girl trapped in Calico — a cruel and barbaric research facility for boys, run by those in power looking to combat the Rager virus. Wren, a teenage girl living in the safety of Szolen, the walled off city permitted only to the elite and uninfected. And Six, a mute teenage boy from Calico, who has been forced into becoming a soldier in the fight against the Ragers.
“When the world is at its darkest, somehow love still carries the light."
The relationship between Wren and Six is masterfully developed and many moments between them elicited such raw emotion in me. Their love is an unbelievable spark of warmth and joy in an otherwise cold, cruel world.
Keri Lake is a genius — she is so skilled at depicting hope and love against all odds, amidst chaos and despair. Her ability to craft an intricate and unpredictable plot though multiple point of views and timelines is just incredible. And the content is never watered down, she doesn’t “play it safe”. Beyond this first book, the structure given to the series as a whole as it develops seriously melted my mind !!
I actually gleaned some parallels between this love story and that of Nightshade, and I have to wonder if Wren and Six inspired Keri Lake in any way to write Farryn and Jericho.
The minute I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it — Juniper Unraveling is the first in a post-apocalyptic dystopian romance series that spans across four novels with multiple character point of views and timelines.
This book is not for the faint of heart but it is so fucking good. If you can endure it, it's one of those stories that seeps deep down into your bones in the best way -- Juniper Unraveling takes place in a grisly post-apocalyptic world, where suffering knows no bounds, and I just can't see it working if it were watered down to make it more palatable for the reader. The bleak landscape offers a stark contrast to the flicker of hope, compassion and bravery that exists in the hearts of the main characters. I fell hard for these characters and rooted for them every step of the way!
This is definitely a book where the reader should check the trigger warnings because this post-apocalyptic world is full of pain and suffering. It’s a world where a zombie virus has taken over, and those in power take cruel advantage. It’s DARK.
In this book we follow Dani, Wren and Six. Dani is an infected girl trapped in Calico — a cruel and barbaric research facility for boys, run by those in power looking to combat the Rager virus. Wren, a teenage girl living in the safety of Szolen, the walled off city permitted only to the elite and uninfected. And Six, a mute teenage boy from Calico, who has been forced into becoming a soldier in the fight against the Ragers.
“When the world is at its darkest, somehow love still carries the light."
The relationship between Wren and Six is masterfully developed and many moments between them elicited such raw emotion in me. Their love is an unbelievable spark of warmth and joy in an otherwise cold, cruel world.
Keri Lake is a genius — she is so skilled at depicting hope and love against all odds, amidst chaos and despair. Her ability to craft an intricate and unpredictable plot though multiple point of views and timelines is just incredible. And the content is never watered down, she doesn’t “play it safe”. Beyond this first book, the structure given to the series as a whole as it develops seriously melted my mind !!
I actually gleaned some parallels between this love story and that of Nightshade, and I have to wonder if Wren and Six inspired Keri Lake in any way to write Farryn and Jericho.
Wow talk about dark and gritty… but I just couldn’t put this book down.
I was looking for a good dystopian romance and this one checks off all the boxes. Definitely some Resident Evil and even The Walking Dead vibes with romance and even darker elements. The story is told in two parallel perspectives and it was done really well. I’m not usually a fan of parallel perspectives but it worked. The second half of the book takes place eight years after the first half, and while I may have liked the first half more I very much enjoyed the second.
The characters were both very likable and morally gray. They were interesting and drew me further into the story. I think everyone in these books is at least a little bit morally gray given the state of the world. Lastly, I can’t get over the sweet and tender romance between Wren and Six. My heart ached so much for them as I was reading.
Unfortunately, there’s really not a lot else I can say without giving away spoilers, but I’m definitely going to be reading the second book!
I was looking for a good dystopian romance and this one checks off all the boxes. Definitely some Resident Evil and even The Walking Dead vibes with romance and even darker elements. The story is told in two parallel perspectives and it was done really well. I’m not usually a fan of parallel perspectives but it worked. The second half of the book takes place eight years after the first half, and while I may have liked the first half more I very much enjoyed the second.
The characters were both very likable and morally gray. They were interesting and drew me further into the story. I think everyone in these books is at least a little bit morally gray given the state of the world. Lastly, I can’t get over the sweet and tender romance between Wren and Six. My heart ached so much for them as I was reading.
Unfortunately, there’s really not a lot else I can say without giving away spoilers, but I’m definitely going to be reading the second book!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Pregnancy, Classism
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let me start by saying, this book is not the typical genre of book I go for. I like fantasy, fae, magic, other worlds, things of that nature. This book is not that, yet I devoured this book in one day because I literally could not put it down.
Read the trigger warnings. This is not just a love story. This is a story about survival. This story is dark and some parts are extremely difficult to read. It is extremely well written. I did some a couple of the twists coming but only because of how well the story was written. It was like the author wanted you to piece it together. This book didnt make mr feel happy, but damn did it make me feel.
Read the trigger warnings. This is not just a love story. This is a story about survival. This story is dark and some parts are extremely difficult to read. It is extremely well written. I did some a couple of the twists coming but only because of how well the story was written. It was like the author wanted you to piece it together. This book didnt make mr feel happy, but damn did it make me feel.