"Red Hill" by Jamie McGuire

Series: Red Hill #1
Genre: Zombies/ Romance
Format: Audible
Publication: October 2013 by Simon & Schuster
Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

My Thoughts: I wanted so much to love this book. When it first came out (five years ago) I was so excited to read it, but because my TBR shelf is never ending it kept getting pushed back and pushed back. Finally I ran across it on my Audible wish list and decided I wanted a GOOD Zombie book. Well, I'm sorry to say that this was not that for me. My first problem with Red Hill was the THREE POV we're given. It felt like a little much. I honestly feel like this book would have been 50% better with just one POV and 90% better if that POV was Miranda's and not Scarlet's. Which brings me to my second problem: Scarlet. I don't know the last time I hated a main character more. She was one of the most selfish, and at the same time boring, characters I have ever read about. And speaking of boring... this story dragged on and on. There were so many times when I almost stopped listening, but I was already four hours in and I kept thinking it would get better. I was wrong. The reset of my issues are big time spoilers so if you plan to read this book you need to stop reading my review now (just know that I rated it 1 Star and do not recommend it to anyone).

!!!!!SPOILERS!!!!!

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SPOILERS AHEAD....
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Okay, now normally I do not write reviews with spoilers in them, but I'm so pissed off at this book I needed to. Warning, this is more of a rant than a review. Seriously, this is your last warning. SPOILERS. The only TWO characters in the whole novel that kept me reading she killed off at the end. And they didn't even get an epic death. One second I'm listening to Miranda get turned away by Joey and the next second BAM he's dead. Oh, and we don't even get to see it. We just hear about it from douchebag Scarlet on one of her  stupid selfish "clear" missions. THEN Miranda dies trying to save Scarlet's kids or trying to help Bryce. It's a little unclear, but it is so stupid and not the ending Miranda deserved at all. By the time this book was over I was ready to throw it at a wall and set it on fire.


Bottom Line: I love Jamie McGuire, but this book missed the mark for me.

My Rating: 1/ 5 Stars