Aftertime

By Sophie Littlefield

THE WORLD IS GONE. THE DEAD ARE WALKING. HER DAUGHTER IS MISSING.

Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Around her is barren wasteland where cities once stood. Her body is ravaged. Her daughter has disappeared. Her eyes are unwilling to believe what they see… People turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.

Packs of cannibalistic Beaters prowl the desolate landscape. Everyone is out for their own survival. There are no rules. No morals. No hope. And for Cass, with a body scarred by a zombie attack, the nightmare has only just begun.

‘Grab a Littlefield pronto.’ – Kirkus Reviews

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Sep 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781408970096

Sophie Littlefield

Sophie Littlefield grew up in rural Missouri. She writes the post-apocalyptic Aftertime series for LUNA Books. She also writes paranormal fiction for young adults. Her first novel, A Bad Day for Sorry, won an Anthony Award for Best First Novel and an RT Award for Best First Mystery. It was also shortlisted for Edgar, Barry, Crimespree and Macavity Awards, and it was named to lists of the year's best mystery debuts by the Chicago Sun-Times and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Sophie lives in Northern California. Sophie loves to hear from her readers via her email: [e-mail]

Reviews for Aftertime

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes I kind of think I should have made my blog dystopia themed, since so much of what I read these days falls into that category. This one is a pretty interesting world, although vaguely reminiscent of some others I have encountered. The story was relatively slow moving at several points, despite the thrilling content. It wasn't a bad read, but did not leave me wanting more.

The biggest problem I had with this book was Cass. I just could not relate to her. She is a recovering alcoholic, a bit of a nymphomaniac and a mother. The way she thinks often makes me want to knock some sense into her. She is incredibly mistrusting, and yet entirely willing to take advantage of those who are helping her. Her actions in the last chapter struck me as inconsistent; she suddenly stops worrying about all of that and embraces a new path. Too sudden!

On the other (well-gnawed) hand the zombies in Aftertime are definitely amongst the scariest I have read about. For one thing, they are super extra creepy. They do the usual zombie things, like continuing to follow a food source, even when they have missing limbs. What really freaked me out though was the progression of the disease that made humans into Beaters. First the Beaters eat whatever of their own flesh they can reach (their arms) and then they discover fresh human flesh. When they catch a person, they like to eat the flesh off of their backs while they are still alive. Yikes! Plus, these zombies are learning how to strategize. Now, that's just not fair.

Aftertime is sort of like a combination of Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth and Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower. If you liked the aforementioned books or some terrifying zombie action, this book's for you!

[nikk1s · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. The characters are so complex, and I became emotionally invested very early on. Cass is so complicated and interesting. She is strong and capable but broken and on a journey for peace in a world of chaos. You want her to succeed and to keep fighting. The characters are always moving to stay alive and so the action of the story keeps pace realisticaly. This story is dark and somber and the ending is hopeful but not in the traditional way of happy endings. This has become one of my favorites and I highly recommend to anyone looking for something new.

[mbg0312 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I kind of skimmed this one on my Android phone, but I regret not paying more attention to it. I'll probably re-read it at some later date, and I'm going to pick up her other novels - A Bad Day for Sorry and A Bad Day for Pretty. I quite enjoyed what I read, but I think I needed the dead-tree version to pay maximum attention. I'm definitely looking for more of her stuff.

[readaholic12_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Aftertime held great promise in the early chapters and quickly deteriorated into a rushed, formulaic, unsatisfying read. After reading Zone One and World War Z, my expectations were high, and this book and author disappointed. I'm surprised at the number of reviewers raving over this book on Amazon, and wonder what I'm missing. I feel this book is missing character development and plot structure in the second half, and perhaps cover art with a bare chested, long haired male model to help steer away readers like me who don't enjoy pulpy romance and with their apocalyptic reads.

[titania86_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

California has been reduced to a barren wasteland by a failed scientific experiment that created horrific creatures called Beaters. They are people who have turned savage, mutilating themselves, eating skin (both theirs and others’), and generally spreading around their sickness. Because of these creatures and the bioterrorism that created them, the government has fallen apart, leaving people to form their own factions and live by their own laws. Cass Dollar woke up horribly scarred and alone with no memory of the injuries, where she is, or how much time has passed. She also doesn’t know where her daughter, Ruthie, is or if she’s ok or if she’s even alive. Her daughter is everything to her and her main goal (besides, obviously, surviving) is to find her at any cost. Cass’s journey will take her to unlikely places and encounter many different types of people, but she will never stop trying to get to Ruthie.I wasn’t expecting a lot from Aftertime because it was published by Luna, an offshoot of Harlequin. I figured the zombie aspect would take a backseat to the romance because of this and prepared myself accordingly. I was completely wrong and I am very impressed with Aftertime. Although there is some measure of romance with Smoke, the sexy, mysterious man who helps Cass, the real story of the novel is about the love of a mother for her child and the lengths she will go to protect her. Cass hasn’t always been a great mom. Before the Beaters, she was a promiscuous alcoholic and, as a result, Ruthie was taken away from her. When she woke up, she tries to turn it all around with perseverance and will alone. She still isn’t a perfect character, but I think anyone could relate to her (well, except maybe super judgmental people) because we all make mistakes. Even with her colorful past, I like Cass and I admire that she braves death and dismemberment to make amends and protect her child where so many other people would just stay save and give up.This post-apocalyptic world is unique to others of its kind. Different factions argue for power and some stay neutral to befriend both sides. The Rebuilders try to take supplies and locations from people in the name of the government which no longer exists. They intimidate and harm people in the name of their false cause and make a lot of enemies. The Box is a small slice of hedonism that will sell drugs, booze, music, and sex in exchange for supplies. I’ve never really seen something like it in post-apocalyptic books, but it makes sense. People want to escape reality and drown their sorrows and now there are no laws in place to stop the drug and sex trade. The third faction is the Convent, a mysterious sect of religious women. Although devout in their own brand of religion, there is something weird about them, but they keep in the good graces of the Box and the Rebuilders to do trade and preserve their safety. They are incredibly creepy, but you’ll have to read to find out why.The zombies in Aftertime aren’t they typical undead variety, but they are frightening nonetheless. They only like to eat skin, instead of indiscriminately chowing down on any given body part. I think this is even more frightening because chewing off your skin isn’t likely to kill you. You will be slowly tortured by being flayed and then turned into one of them. They are alive, so are frailer than the undead, but they don’t seem to feel pain the same way and can push their limits beyond what normal humans can. I really like this new take on zombies and I can’t wait to see where else Sophie Littlefield takes them, especially if the virus evolves.Aftertime is an excellent zombie novel that surprised me with its realistic characters, post-apocalyptic societies, and crazy reimagining of zombies. The only negative aspects of the book were some editing problems, but I barely noticed them because the writing and story were so engaging. I would recommend this to any zombie fan and I eagerly await the next book, Rebirth.

[themusescircle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

**The following review may contain SPOILERS** I'm not sure what is going on with me recently, but it's apparent that I have become obsessed with apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic novels as of late. From Ann Aguirre's Enclave to Daniel H. Wilson's Robopocalypse, I have a pretty vivid picture of what it would be like if vampires or robots took over the world. Now I can add zombies to the list! So here are a few things I loved about Aftertime. Cass, our protagonist, is more of a relatable character than a likeable one. She is a recovering alcoholic who allowed men to use and abuse her body because of her low self-esteem and lack of self worth. Cass has never really been good at anything except for 2 things-- loving her daughter and surviving. We've all heard stories on the news or read about people getting second chances after experiencing some kind of tragedy. Cass easily falls into this category. It's as if she's been asleep for a really long time and suddenly snaps awake. Speaking of waking up abruptly, that leads me to another thing I liked about the book. The story doesn't start before the apocalypse or way after. It starts with Cass walking after waking up without any recollection as to where she is or how she got there. But there is one thing she can't deny-- the fact that the "Beaters" (aka zombies) had somehow gotten to her and she survived. The proof was the torn, half eaten skin on her back...and the new growth of skin quickly regenerating. Creepy right? I give Sophie Littlefield a lot of credit for taking a different approach in hooking the attention of her readers. I also admire the author's zombie mythology. While it may not be wholely unique, there are still a few things that set it apart from zombies in other stories. The zombies or "Beaters" as they are called in Aftertime, only like eating skin. They don't get off on eating body parts or tearing out your internal organs to have a feast. Nope, these guys love skin, hence the reason why Cass's back is torn to shreds when we are first introduced to her. Also, these zombies are not stupid, mindless creatures. Some of them have retained knowledge from their pasts, which is why 1 may try talking while another might try pushing a wheel barrel down the street, etc. While they may try biting you on the spot, they much rather take you back to their "nest" so they can feast on your flesh without being interrupted. Yuck! Even though this story is about Cass and her grim determination to find her daughter and come to terms with her past, Littlefield brilliantly shows us the deterioration of human society through Cass's journey and the people she meets along the way. From those who rather live in isolation and fend for themselves to the Rebuilders who feed off people's fear in order to rebuild society in the way they see fit, to the junkie camps-- a place for people to trade things in order to get their next fix and rather drown themselves in alcohol and drugs then face reality. And lastly, the religious fanatics. Let me not forget to mention Smoke. Sexy, mysterious Smoke, the man who helps Cass continue her search for her daughter and stirs something deep within her heart... Okay so now for my dislikes. I can honestly say that my issues with this book has nothing to do with the author, but whoever was her editor. The editor did a shitty job for several reasons. One is the ungodly long run-on sentences here and there, the major one being on page 102. The sentence goes on for 12 lines and is marked as if it is one big paragraph. Sometimes run-on sentences work, but not in this case. There are also parts in the book where the author contradicts herself. For example, on page 123, Cass takes her shirt off, looks at her back in the mirror, and comes to the conclusion that the wounds weren't as bad as she expected and that they are healing fast. Then on page 140, Cass acts like she never had looked at herself in the mirror 30 pages before and is completely horrified by what she sees. Another contradition is when Cass and Smoke reach the library where there are other survivors. Smoke is only patted down to make sure he is not carrying any weapons. Cass, on the other hand, is taken into a bathroom by a woman who used to be her friend. There, Cass has to completely strip out of her clothes. Now, I get the trip to the bathroom was so that her friend could have a moment of privacy to tell her important information about Cass's missing daughter. I even get that the author needed a way for Cass's friend to see the scars on her back for a specific plot purpose. However, it makes no sense for Smoke only to be patted down while Cass has to get completely naked in order to prove she has no weapons on her. While you might think the run-on senstences and contradictions may be the author's fault, I put the blame more on the editor since they are the ones who are supposed to read the book for the sole purpose of correcting errors such as these. Overall, this was a solid first book in what I believe is going to be a trilogy. The second in the series-- Rebirth-- is already out. So if you are having trouble weeding through the hundreds of zombie themed books in search for something different, Aftertime is definitely worth it.

[cmwilson101 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Several elements of Aftertime (Luna Books) by Sophie Littlefield elevate the book far above standard dystopian/post-apocalyptic literature:1. Beautiful, gorgeous, lyrical prose2. Interesting, complex, complicated three dimensional characters3. Plausible, unique setting -- bio terrorism has ended the world as we know it and created "Beaters" (mindless zombie-like creatures)4. Interesting plot.Recovering alcoholic Cass wakes up alone with huge wounds on her body, strange physical attributes, and a burning desire to find her toddler daughter -- whatever it takes. Her journey leads her through a landscape devastated by bio terrorism and rift with danger. Excellent, interesting, exciting story. Highly recommended.

[stephy5g_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Exciting, rush of a read. This book keeps hooked until the end. You follow the characters through a journey of addiction and abuse to finally finding what she needs to make a her life right for her. The author uses great details to leaving little to the imagination but keep you coming back for more.

[c5ibarra · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow, wow, wow! After reading numerous young adult dystopian tales, it was refreshing to read about survival in a post-apocalyptic world from an adult's point of view. Cassandra Dollar wakes up with injuries consistent to those usually inflicted by the Beaters (AKA flesh eating zombies) that are roaming the world since a government mission gone wrong. She vaguely remembers being attacked, but knows people can't recover from the infection that ravages the body after coming in contact with an infected's saliva. At least until now she had thought it impossible. Quickly the desire to reunite with her young daughter, Ruthie, sets Cass into motion and on a long and difficult journey. The need to know her baby girl is safe is the force pushing and driving Cass to continue even when the outlook looks hopeless. She finds an ally in a man named, Smoke, who puts his faith in Cass, even though she doesn't feel she deserves it. Together they search for Ruthie in a world defined by Before and After, and discover along the way that the Beaters aren't the only threat to humanity. Cass is one of the most damaged heroines I've ever met. She has suffered a difficult life littered with addiction and abuse, but not once does her maternal instinct falter. That is what made me love her. She is an amazing woman who I felt a connection to almost immediately. This book is gritty and violent. I was concerned during the first chapter that the gruesome and gory details would be too much for me to continue, but Cass makes you want to keep reading. The author's writing teamed with a fast paced plot, and relatable characters made is painfully difficult to put Aftertime down once I started reading. The romantic elements involving Cass and Smoke, was a nice addition to the plot. I like that the author incorporated tender, and sometimes not so tender, moments between the two without detracting from the action and survival that I've come to expect from dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels. Smoke is a man with so many layers, and I think we only saw a brief glimpse of who he is (and why) over the course of Aftertime. As far as Smoke is concerned, chivalry is not dead in Aftertime. He is always ready to sacrfice himself for the greater good. He is one of those men who is difficult not to love. I hope we'll learn more about what he is hiding, and his life Before. All around this is just a great read. Not for the faint of heart as the author touches on sensitive topics and doesn't spare readers the gruesome details. This is a book that will take root in your head and leave you pining for more. I'm eager to read more from the talented author!

[nanajlove_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

WOW WOW WOW. I can't wait for more! Through some snafu, I received Aftertime and the sequel Rebirth for review and I'm so glad I did. Both books are amazing reads, with rich descriptions of struggle in a post-apocalyptic world. Aftertime follows Cass as she struggles with her self, her alcoholism, her past abuse, and her sexual proclivities. Add to the mix the implosion of society and a mutant genetically engineered plant that turns people into flesh-eating zombies, and most people would willingly give up the fight. Cass is stronger than that, she lives for the chance to re-rescue her daughter and provide a better childhood than the one she had for herself. Along the way, Cass encounters Smoke, who is willing to help her on her journey, for no other reason than he is a good man. Finally finding acceptance from someone without an ulterior motive, Cass fights the zombies, the cult, and the criminals. Wow what a heroine.

[dgoo_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Aftertime was an engaging and exciting read with a strong and very flawed female heroine, a compelling story and, somewhat surprisingly for a post-apocalyptic novel with zombies, beautiful prose. I haven't read a book involving zombie like creatures before, but this story did not follow the path of zombie storylines that I think most people would be familiar with. The story was frightening, often chilling, with it's post eco, bio and energy terrorism world, one that didn't seem too far fetched given our current global political, bioengineering, and GMO climate. Highly recommended to science fiction or future dystopia fans.

[amanderson_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Powerful characterization of a haunted, former alcoholic heroine whose one obsession is finding her little daughter in the messed up world of a near future California, post-bioterrorist attacks. She wakes up in a field after several weeks of memory blackout, during which she was a zombie, as the terrible scars on her back prove. She seems to be the first person to ever recover from the disease, which is pretty horrifically described. I will spare you all, but it's the stuff of nightmares. It seems to be caused by eating a fairly poisonous plant, a highly nutritious biologically engineered plant's hybrid cousin which causes euphoria but then turns people into flesh eating vicious zombies. Oh, you government and your unintended consequences. They also seem to be contagious zombies. Not quite following the science there, but the main concern is whether Cass wil survive and find her daughter amidst the wasteland of a dystopian, zombie filled California. Pretty good stuff.

[margk_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When the world falls apart and all you've ever known is taken away--your life turned upside down--how will you survive?How will you adapt?Will you change, and if so, who will you choose to become?What beliefs will you hold on to?What will you be willing to fight for?Will you lead or will you follow?These are the questions that I look for in dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction. It is the exploration of human nature & behavior that fascinates me.One of the strongest of all animal instincts is the drive to survive. Unlike with other animals, however, the human struggle for survival is far more complex than just a hardwired fight or flight response. People are capable of awe-inspiring feats of bravery & ingenuity in the face of danger. They can be confronted with insurmountable odds and still refuse to give up. Some can even challenge that biological instinct for self-preservation and risk their own lives in order to protect, help, or save others. On the flip side, people are also capable of horrific acts of selfishness & brutality in order to preserve their own well-being. Some people will cheat, lie, steal, and kill--do whatever it takes, no mater who it hurts--so that they may live & prosper.Then there are those who choose to survive through blind acceptance of a path set forth by others who assume leadership & control. They accept & adapt to whatever social structures, conditions, rules, and expectations are set before them no matter how unfair or outright wrong they may be. They do so because they don't feel that they have the strength to survive on their own. They do so because they are afraid to challenge the status quo. Thus, they adapt to things like militant law, unjust persecution/punishment, segregation, and oppression.Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield addresses all of this and much more without any reservation. It does so by taking the reader on a fast-paced, action-packed journey through the eyes of a mother determined to be reunited with her daughter at whatever the cost.The story of Aftertime takes place in an unspecified near-future (probably about a couple of decades from now) in which international conflict between nations has reached a fever-pitch and bioterrorism has run rampant. With advancement in technology, biological weapons have been designed to attack livestock & vegetation with deadly precision. Consequently, widespread starvation forces scientists to artificially create a dietary substitute called K7 (kaysev)--a plant that is composed of essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Not long after crops of it are established, however, a new variety referred to as blueleaf starts to grow. As it turns out, when ingested, blueleaf causes a disease marked by delirium & high fever. Many die from the fever alone, but those that survive enter into the next stage of the disease. This stage results in gradual loss of almost all cognitive ability, fixed pinpoint pupils, and an insatiable hunger for human flesh. The infected slowly turn into zombie-like creatures called Beaters and spread the infection through their saliva.Be forewarned, Aftertime is not a light read by any means. It is not for everyone; it's certainly not for the faint of heart. There is some heavy stuff dealt with in this book and some very graphic imagery. And both the very best and the very worst of humanity is put on display.With that said, I will admit that I completely, unexpectedly fell in love with this book. Here are three most significant reasons why: (1) it made me think, (2) it made me experience a gamut of emotions, and (3) it gave me goosebumps.Need more reasons? Okay, here we go.I loved Cass. She was such a damaged, complicated, multilayered character and the epitome of a fighter. She reminded me of why I have such a deep respect & admiration for mothers. In fact, her unwavering determination and unmeasurable love for her daughter reminded me of my own mother. The combination of inner strength & selflessness that mothers possess is a painfully beautiful thing, and Cass continuously exuded it throughout this book. Despite her pain, fear and self-doubt, she never stopped pushing herself forward; never gave up on Ruthie. When I finished reading Aftertime, one of the first things I did was go over to my mom, give her a hug, and tell her that I love her. I was that moved by Cass's story.Then there was Smoke. As his name implies, he was a very mysterious, intriguing character. At first, I didn't know how to feel about him. I was a bit suspicious actually. I was worried that he had a not-so-nice ulterior motive for helping Cass. My distrust & fascination with him was fueled by the fact that he was very secretive and had a hard, dangerous, alpha male edge to his personality. I also initially thought that he had a bit of a White Knight complex...and maybe he did. Nonetheless, the way he helped and took care of Cass totally made me fall for him. Plus, there were moments when he was damn sexy.As for the writing, it was wonderfully descriptive; the imagery so vivid. Like I pointed out earlier, there were some gruesome, bone-chilling scenes in this book. There was blood, gore, and violence abound in Aftertime, but it wasn't simply for shock value. No, it was used in such a way as to make the reader experience the horror of Cass's dangerous reality; to make you feel her fear, panic, and disgust at what she witnessed & encountered throughout her journey.The depiction of Beaters and the way they fed on their victims was especially well-detailed. And I appreciated the twist on zombie lore. In Aftertime, Beaters did not simply kill their prey. They would subdue victims and then bring them back to the nest, where they would feed as a pack. Another difference was that Beaters only ate their victims' skin; they would tear it off bit by bit with their teeth and leave the rest of the body mostly untouched. They would also have superhuman speed & strength when in a feeding frenzy. Furthermore, to the characters' dismay, it was slowly revealed that the Beaters were evolving & becoming smarter--organized and almost strategic in their hunting. This added to the level of danger & excitement in the story.Finally, I'm sure Aftertime has its share of flaws and based on the Goodreads rating, there were quite a few people who didn't like this book, but I honestly find myself hard-pressed to pick out things I didn't like or felt were flawed. So there ya have it; different strokes for different folks.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a fan of Sophie Littlefield's YA thriller Banished, I thought it only made sense to check out her new adult post-apocalyptic series, Aftertime. Though a far cry from Banished, Aftertime offered a new adventure for readers to enjoy filled with emotion, redemption, family and even zombies...Cass lived through the apocalypse, only to wake up in a devastated California filled with zombies and without her daughter, Ruthie. Without any knowledge of what's going on, Cass sets out to find her daughter, and ends up finding Smoke, a man who dares to trust Cass, and maybe even to love her. As Cass journeys through the new world, she finds that things aren't way they were before.Aftertime is a heavy-handed read filled with emotion and even more redemption for our main character. Probably the best thing the story has going for it is that it's more original than most post-apocalyptic novels out there I've read, with a realistic and honest plot that's still possible to relate to, despite the grim, dark future. However, I'll admit that at times the plot felt a little angsty, put the overall originality of the plot was worthwhile.Cass is also an honest character that I found myself rooting for. While she annoyed me at points, I grew into her story and wanted her to succeed in her quest -and even get the guy in the end. While I wouldn't say that this the best novel I've read in the genre, it's good for something different, and a quick read.

[elizabethjh_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a thrilling and haunting read! I loved the world descriptions, and really thought the idea of blueleaf was very fascinating and original. The talk and stories of the beaters left me on the edge of my seat as well as finding out what happened to Cass. The ending is what sealed a 5 star rating opposed to 4 stars for me. The ending was very shocking and suspenseful and wrapped this book up nicely as well as leaving the reading wondering....what will happen next?

[tlm0000 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I was very excited when I found out I would receive this book to review. The book didn't materialize when it was supposed to and I guess that should have been a sign. Two things will peak my interest; Zombies & End of Civilization books. This book has them both. The story line is interesting, the characters could be interesting, but they're not. The main character spends so much time remembering things that the story at times seems to move backwards instead of forwards. I understand the reason, filling in the back story, but I do not appreciate the way it is done.I did not like the pace of this book nor did I find any character to latch on to.

[alleycatfish_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this dystopian zombie novel. It is pretty much similar to many other novels of this type. You have your 'normal' survivors banding together, the crazy religious nuts being crazy, and the others who decide that they should start civilization over and be the leaders. I did find the origin of the Beaters to be an interesting take on zombies. I found it to be well written and am looking forward to reading the next book.

[crazybatcow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

 The "romance" between Smoke (stupid name for a grown man - just because the world has gone to hell doesn't mean people would be taking on silly nicknames) and Cass is stretching it - 24 hours in and she's smitten with him? Yeah, whatever...Anyway, for the first 1/3 of the book, in the back of my mind, I was thinking "finally, a post-apocalypse story that doesn't have the women being herded for rape or the men creating gangs and shooting everyone who's not in theirs". Then we see the development of the "cliques" (no, none of them are original - the "militants", the "sinners", the "religious", the "hermits") but at least none of it devolved into the post-apocalyse serial rape "farms".As another reviewer suggested: this story is not as much about an apocalypse but more like the redemption of a woman, set in an apocalyptic environment. I liked the apocalypse - the origins, the response, the solution... it was all very believable and realistic. Even the zombies struck me as believable, for the most part (I'm still not sure why they are super fast).I did not relate to Cass on any level (and this is the main reason why this book only gets 3 stars) - there was some sense that her deep desire to find her daughter was more related to her addiction (and her need to redeem herself from it) than because she wanted to find her daughter. I see now that this novel is a Harlequin production, which means the personal redemption thread, and the quick romance, and Cass's sexual background make MUCH more sense now. As long as you keep in mind that this book isn't trying to tell you about surviving the apocalypse as much as it's trying to tell you about a woman's survival and redemption, you should like it. Oh, and there is no supernatural root to any of it - it's all a manmade tragedy.

[23blue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Through this entire book I felt hope. Hope that our main character Cass would find her daughter, hope that there was some way the world would survive, and hope that there was somewhere safe. Despite the horrors of the world of this story I wanted her to make it and for there to be a chance at something more. This story does get resolved but is left open enough for her to write another which I would certainly read. Even through all the bad things people are banding together and making things work. A few twists take place with Cass being taken and recovering, scared but still recovering, the goofy my way or the highway reunification guys, the religious cult, the compound of safety and vice. One of the things I liked about this book was the ability of people to clear out an area and make it safer.

[dasuzuki · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So I don't know how I missed the fact that this was a zombie book even though when I re-read the synopsis it says it right there. I thought it was just a dystopian story so I was doubly happy to start this book since I love zombie books. Sophie Littlefield's take on zombies is the perfect balance between traditional zombies but also some unique traits that make her zombies stand out. If you are looking for zombies that are somehow sexy or a romance between a zombie and a regular person go look for a different book. I don't know where the idea of sexy zombies came from but I want my zombies shuffling and flesh eating. There are some points where it can get a bit squeamish as the characters describe exactly how the zombies attack people and tear at their flesh as well as some of the cannibalistic actions they perform on themselves.Cass can come across as a little harsh because of all she has had to overcome and has learned to depend only on herself but you get glimpses at her vulnerability as people like Smoke, a fellow survivor who is helping her to find her daughter, begin to get beyond the shell she's built around herself. Smoke has his own mysterious past that we only get glimpses of but there are still a lot of unanswered questions that I suppose will be revealed in a sequel. The fascinating part of this book though were the different groups that evolved after most of the population fell prey to the beaters or sickness. You have those that believe prayer can cure the beaters, those that take advantage of people's need to escape reality for a few hours and those that want to create a new world order.The story dragged a little but next thing you know the story starts zooming along and you are at the climax before you even realize it. I enjoyed this book but it didn't enthrall me so although there were enough unanswered questions to make me think there will be a second book I'm not sure I will read it.

[alishaneedstoread · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quick Take: This book had my pulse racing for much of the time I spent reading it. The lush visuals, the emotions, the mystery and (of course) the high chill-factor made this an absolutely wonderful read. I was so spooked and unnerved, but absolutely could not tear my eyes from the page.Review:So, this book has an official blurb and all, but really I think the story as a whole somewhat defies brief description. The best that one can do is to describe the beginning, which is intentionally disorienting; the protagonist herself can barely gather her wits about her enough to make coherent thoughts, and even has a chunk of time missing from her memory. What's immediately clear is that the world--at least from the protagonist's perspective--is different; something hugely substantial has happened, and the desolate landscape is almost unrecognizable.From the moment Cassie began describing her surroundings and checkered memories, I was hooked. She's a very emotionally (and physically!) damaged individual, and spend a lot of time thinking about her failings. Her main source of guilt is the fact that she does not know where the whereabouts two-year-old daughter, Ruthie. This in fact becomes the main driver of the story; Cassie will stop at nothing to find her child. Politics related to a post-apocalyptic environment? The fate of the world? Not the focus here; it's barely even addressed, actually. This book is all about the emotions, motivations, and perseverance of the main character. Most other characters are unimportant, save for the contributions they make to Cassie's journey; in this way, this book is very much an odyssey in the vain of...well, The Odyssey. ^_^What's also found in spades is horror. The imagery used in this book ranges from violent and gory to chilling and quietly moving. Yes, there are zombies here, called Beaters. Indeed, there is much flesh being rent from bones. ..and yes, it all freaked the living daylights out of me. I contemplated putting the book down in a fit of whimpiness, but found it was difficult to do so; Littlefield really manages to draw the reader in with her descriptions, even the intensely grotesque ones.The pacing of this book feels effortless; as in any good odyssey, there are moments of high-tension punctuated with some emotion and personal development. Cassie is sympathetic, and her internal struggles resonated easily. There is a romantic element in this book, though it by no means overtakes the story. I found that it was developed in a believable and understandable fashion; I appreciated that it wasn't overly sweet and dramatic, which might not have fit in with the tone and focus of the book.So. If you decide to read this book, what can you expect? You'll find a fair amount of gore, violence and human desperation. You'll also find a vast physical and emotional journey that is both touching and haunting. This book will be the first in a series, though I'm not clear on how many books there will be in total or whether it will continue its focus on Cassie. Regarding the latter, I sure hope she remains the protagonist; I'm hooked on her personal story and will gladly freak myself out on flesh-thirsty zombies to find out how she fares.

[suetu_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The past was Before. The present is Aftertime. Once upon a time, monsters were the stuff of b-movies and campfire tales, and could safely be ignored. And ignore them I did. Last year, a slew of authors got me to believe enough in their science-based vampires to be frightened. It seems that this may be the year of the zombie for me. Not the Voodoo, risen from the dead, magical kind, but the scary, all-too-real, disease-transmitting kind. Sophie Littlefield’s kind. Ms. Littlefield, it seems, doesn’t want to be pigeonholed. Her latest novel, Aftertime, is a radical departure from anything we’ve seen previously. The first-person narrator is Cass Dollar. Cass has awakened after an indeterminate period of time, badly wounded, in clothes she has never seen before. As she seeks to orient herself, so does the reader. We discover that Cass lives in the near future in Northern California . The details of what happened to Cass, and to the country, are somewhat sketchy, and sussing them out is part of the pleasure of the novel. (There are details, but I don’t want to spoil them for you.) What is clear is that something led to a disease. Many of the old and young died outright. But surviving the initial fever was a far worse fate. It is the diseased survivors that have become zombie-like cannibals, predators, killers, and spreaders of disease. Cass awakens in a terrible state. She partially remembers being attacked, and given her appearance, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that she was turned. Certainly, she has lost time. But far, far worse, she has lost her three-year-old daughter. Finding Ruthie is Cass’s quest. The reader navigates this altered, post-apocalyptic landscape alongside her, and Cass’s voyage of discovery becomes ours. In many cases, empathy with the central character will carry you through a book. I have to admit that I didn’t really relate to Cass. I share neither of her most distinguishing and motivating characteristics: motherhood and addiction. Cass isn’t a warm and fuzzy character. (I’m pretty sure the warm and fuzzy have died off in this harsh world.) But I cared about her, and I cared about her quest. I was with her in horrified fascination every step of the way. Leading up to the startling final pages of this book, I thought to myself: All bets are off. I had no idea what Littlefield was going to do, up to and including kill off her narrator. She managed to pull off one of those great endings that made me feel completely satisfied as though the story had been told. And yet… I wondered. Has the whole story been told? Certainly, I’m still curious about a lot of what went on Before. And while Cass’s tale came to a satisfying conclusion without annoying hanging threads, it’s a brave new world. There are surely more tales to be told. I was curious enough to make inquiries, and I learned that Aftertime is, in fact, the first of a trilogy. Excellent!

[jamesterck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My opinion: First off we meet Cass, who is wandering by herself alone. She has no recollection of what happened to her, but she has scars all over her body. A new plant species was introduced to the U.S. and by eating it, people developed a severe fever. If they survived that initial fever, they would slowly develop into what we would consider zombies; they are driven by the need to eat human flesh and only that. Cass knows she was attacked by these creatures, called Beaters, and she did get the disease for a while, but somehow her body fought it off. The attack happened two months previously and now Cass has no idea where her 3 year old daughter Ruthie is, but she knows she needs to find her. Due to the scars though, she knows it will be hard to prove to anyone that she isn't a Beater, so luckily she wanders across a young girl. The girl takes Cass back to the place where she's staying and is able to plead her case. There she meets a Smoke, a man who is determined to help keep people safe and help keep sort of an order. He agrees to take her to the Library where she lived with her daughter before she was taken, to see if by some miracle Ruthie is still there. Cass hates relying on other people, but she knows early on that she can trust Smoke. When they get to the Library, Cass is treated as a stranger. A woman she used to know there confides that if they know that she was attacked by Beaters, she will most likely be disposed of. She also learns that her daughter was bitten and developed a fever and signs of the disease too, but like Cass she recovered. But Ruthie is not there anymore, she has been sent to a place called the Convent where they believe their faith will cure anything (but to a lot of people it seems more like a cult). So Smoke accompanies Cass on her journey, and they find themselves growing closer and closer with each passing day. But Cass knows that her ultimate goal is to find her daughter, and she can't let anything distract her...not even the man who would give his life for her.I really, really liked this book. Cass was definitely tough; living in times like that would be hard enough, but not to know what happened to your child was be impossible. I really liked Smoke too, he was so confident and kept his morals even when the rest of the world was becoming almost barbaric. It was obvious he would do whatever he had to to keep Cass safe and help her in her mission. She held back from him a lot, because she was afraid that she could be a carrier for the disease and infect him somehow. Cass had a rough time growing up; her dad was suddenly gone, her mom remarried and her stepdad sexually molested her. Then she ended up becoming an alcoholic and sleeping with lots of different men. She got pregnant and still had trouble changing. Her mom took Ruthie and then Cass became obsessed with getting her child back. So she cleaned herself up, which is really admirable, but still her mom would not give Ruthie back to her. So when the disease started changing people and chaos erupted, she took Ruthie, and that's how they ended up at the Library. I think she constantly feels like she has to make up for the bad choices she made earlier in her life, make it up to Ruthie for not being there for her like she should have been the whole time. It's easy to believe that this is what the world would look like if something like this happened; it reminded me of a lot of the zombie movies I have seen, half of the U.S. was blocked off to contain the disease from spreading. It also reminded me of the game Fallout; while not the same premise, the outcome was much the same, groups of people forming their own societies with different rules and ideals and having to trade items for other items since money became worthless. It was a really good book, keeping you guessing on what will happen at the end and a lot of suspense. I look forward to reading more from this author!My rating: 4/5 stars

[pollywannabook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyI’m unabashedly obsessed with the new AMC show The Walking Dead about the zombie apocalypse and the few remaining human’s struggle for survival. It’s shocking, and heartbreaking, and so beyond words awesome that my love for zombies has reached an all new high. I can’t get enough. Which is why I’m geeking out of my mind after reading AFTERTIME because I felt almost the same way reading it as I do watching The Walking Dead: Captivated.The story follows Cass, a young mother and recovering addict, as she searches desperately for her daughter mere months after the mysterious infection set in and turned most of the population into ravenous, cannibalistic zombies. Her only companion is a reclusive man known simply as Smoke. He agrees for his own reasons to help Cass and together they brave a world that is barely recognizable anymore. Zombies carry off children to feast on in their nests, power hungry men seize what little society is left and begin Rebuilding it to suit themselves, cults thrive, oblivion is sought after by anyone sane enough to know what’s happening on the streets each night. The horror is unimaginable. This is the world the Cass wakes up in. Alone and nearly skinned. Desperate to find her daughter, terrified of what she can’t remember, and fiercely determined to survive. She’s like Terminator’s Sarah Connor and Downside Ghost’s Chess Putnam rolled into one. A deeply damaged woman with a seedy drug and alcohol hazed past full of dark alleys and strange beds. She’s clawed her way out of addiction and has only one care in the world: her daughter. The story is epic in scope. We get a real sense of the entire world ending and waking up to a nightmarish reality that few could have imagined. We never leave the POV of Cass, yet the people she encounters, both friend and foe, add their own piece to the Aftertime world. The dialogue in the first half of the book is understandably scant, but the story itself is startling and unputdownable from beginning to end.AFTERTIME is hands down the best zombie book I’ve read all year. Hide your wife, hide your kids, and hide your husbands ‘cause they eating everybody out here. Seriously. No word on the sequel yet, but AFTERTIME is the start of a planned series. So please go buy this book when you can. I have to know what happens next.Sexual Content: Two graphic sex scenes