Review: Mad World: Epidemic by Samaire Provost

The Black Plague is ancient history. It killed 100 million people nearly seven centuries ago, halfway around the world from the technologically advanced research center at Stanford University. Scientists there have recently begun examining samples of bone marrow from plague-infected corpses unearthed in Europe. All the necessary safeguards are in place. What could go wrong? Alyssa and Jake are away with their class on a highly anticipated year-end trip to Broadway with their senior acting class when all hell breaks loose at home. Traveling back, and trying to find their families, they encounter deadly results. Riots are breaking out. People are being evacuated. And they have no idea what's happening to their families. Horrific ordeals, heart-pounding tragedy, and chance encounters harden them for what lies ahead. Faced with tormenting decisions, they're forced to follow their instinct for survival at any cost - even when the cost is a heart-wrenching decision of life or death. A harrowing adventure of frightening discoveries, horrifying confrontations and narrow escapes in Epidemic, the first installment of the Mad World series. Find out what's got everyone so terrified.

** I received a paperback copy from the author. Thank you so much! :)**

Review:

I have to mention that when I first began the novel, the writing felt very amateur. But after a few chapters it really became fantastic. I felt the terror, lost, grieve and everything else in between. It was like Resident Evil, it made me scared of the dark. I did not
want to read this book at night. 

But the thing is about the book was that the characters didn't really connect with me. I didn't feel that they were real. The zombie and fear felt real but the characters just felt like they were paper dolls. I wanted to cut them, paint them, crumble them, just do something to them to make them different, and more than a blank paper doll. A particular thing to mention for the characters, I am not a fan of motherly characters such as Alyssa. I don't know why I don't like these type of characters but I just don't. (At least it provoked some feelings for me. Alyssa, I suppose, was the most connectable character? Though I did find her a bit unrealistic.)

Like most zombie-esque books, the plot was predictable. But also like most zombie-esque books, it was still scary as crap! I think that is the thing when an author can write good horror books, you know that something scary is about to happen but you always get scared by it when it is presented. This book was a great zombie book! It was bloody, intense and fearful.