Consumption

Over the weekend, I went back to NetGalley to get some information about this book and noticed that it's coming out in May (May 26th) and not March, like I originally thought. I thought about doing a different book, but then I finished reading this on Saturday and knew I had to get my review down right away.

To be honest, I requested this book because it said for fans of Stephen King and Joe Hill, and those are two of my favorite writers. Also, they're kind of big shoes to fill. Luckily, Heather Herrman does not disappoint.

John and Erma Scott are on a trip across the United States in order to start over. While their marriage is falling apart, they both deal with it in different ways. But then they come across quaint Cavus, Montana, and they're suddenly fighting for something bigger than just their marriage. An evil sickness, older than time itself, is spreading through this town, and the infected are trying to make sure that it moves outside the borders, all across the world. John and Erma are quickly joined by an unforgettable band of characters: Riley, the local sheriff who just wants to make a wonderful home for his young daughter; Javier, an undocumented immigrant that lives for his mother and sister; Star, a teenage girl trying to deal with the death of her mother and the mentally checking out of her father; and Pill, an old man that knows way more about Cavus than he's letting on.

When I first started this book, it reminded me a little of Desperation by Stephen King, but then it took its own unique twist. Where, at first, I was so concerned with Erma and John being okay with each other, soon I was concerned with them just surviving the little town. Every character that the author added suddenly became both a survivor and a carrier in my eyes. I did know who to trust and who was already infected. The sickness that invades Cavus is relentless and terrifying, because anyone can contract it and all it takes is a little mistake.

One of my favorite things in this novel was that no one was exempt from getting this disease. The old, young, men, women, children, they were all susceptible. The author also didn't shy away from describing what happens to them. It's not gory, but very disturbing. For example, one of the teenagers that contracts the disease suddenly becomes a completely sexual being and rather forcefully hits on poor, bewildered Javier. Then she starts eating candles. It's insane, but in the best way possible. I found myself laughing at certain parts, and then becoming absolutely horrified with myself for laughing, because it's not funny. It's shocking and surprising, and I think I had to laugh if I didn't want to curl up under my blanket and hide for the rest of the book. 

I recommend this for anyone who likes a good horror story. Heather Herrman knocked it out of the park.

Rating: 4.5/5