Day 4 of The Other Life Blog tour – Joshua’s diary

Joshua's Diary
1140 days since our other life ended

Tyler went missing today. He didn't come back from his stroll in the vineyard. Sometimes he takes longer than usual so we never worry when he isn't there for dinner. But it got later and later until there was only dark outside. And even though we're far from the city, darkness is the enemy. It brings out many dangerous and ugly things. Not just Weepers but memories and nightmares. And they are the worst. They can be uglier and deadlier than any predator, can tear at you until there's nothing left. Especially if you're Tyler.

Karen wanted me to take Larry or Geoffrey with me. I think she was worried what I’d find in the vineyard, and I don’t mean Weepers. She’s waiting for Tyler to go off the deep end – I can see it in her eyes when she watches him. But Larry would have slowed me down with his limp and Geoffrey’s analytical mind isn’t always the best company. I went alone and they didn’t stop me.

There was only blackness in the paths between the vines. I didn’t take our flashlight with me as the dark can be useful – it makes you focus on your other senses. I knew I wouldn’t find Tyler with my eyes. I heard him long before I saw him. It was a noise you wouldn’t expect a human to make, but I’d heard it before. Whimpers from somewhere deep inside the body where the darkest memories were buried. He crouched on the damp soil, back pressed against the vines, eyes shut tight, rocking back and forth. I sank down beside him without touching, without speaking, just being there, like I always do when he’s like that. The smell of overripe grapes hung over us as I listened to his whimpers going quiet, as I clutched my gun in my cold fingers, wishing I could shoot the moon. The moon with its crooked, crescent smile.

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Day 5 of Joshua's Diary going up on Friday at Books 4 Teens: http://www.books4teens.co.uk/

A Review for The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

Posted by Donna
Expected Publish Date: February 1st, 2012
Finished Date: November 2nd, 2011
Publishers: Usborne
Source: ARC, For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
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The Blurb from Goodreads: 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life. 98,409,602 seconds since the heavy, steel door had fallen shut and sealed us off from the world

Sherry has lived with her family in a sealed bunker since things went wrong up above. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find a world of devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage, mutant killers. When Sherry's dad is snatched, she joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers. But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all?

The Review: After being asked to review The Other Life by the publishers, I jumped at the chance because how awesome does it sound? Yep, it sounds awesome! After reading it, I generally did like the story.

Sherry and her family have been living in a sealed bunker ever since things went wrong in the world. The US Government told everyone there was a dangerous disease going around --Rabies, and it was infecting people. So until the situation was resolved Sherry and her family were to hide underground.

It’s just over three years later and Sherry and her family are still hiding, well that is until they run out of food and Sherry and her dad must go outside to try and find supplies. They soon realise things aren’t what they seen and when Sherry’s dad is snatched by mutants, which Sherry will come to know as the Weepers, she has no other choice but to trust a young boy named Joshua who will try and help her get her dad back.

I hadn’t heard much about the book before I started it and it was safe to say I was more than surprised that it was about Weepers aka Zombie’s. Zombie’s aren’t really my favourite thing to read about especially with their eating people and their weeping skin etc… it honestly grosses me out but it was very easy to picture the world Susanne Winnacker has created especially if you’ve watched television programmes like The Walking Dead.

The Other Life was a good and easy read, one that kept you turning the pages and looking forward to finding out more. It had very likable characters, ones you immediately fell in love with. It also had the fear element to the story which keeps you on your toes and also the romance element which was very sweet at times and will satisfy any young adult lover’s needs. A major highlight for me was how the author used the numbers in the book; it definitely bought on the realisation of how intense Sherry’s life was living in the bunker.

Even though I rated the book 3 out of 5, don’t be put off by this. I gave it that rating because even though I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it. Not because the author had done anything wrong, she didn’t but because I personally think there is only so far you can take a Dystopian Zombie book that it somehow became that bit predictable.

Overall, The Other Life was a good start to a promising series and one I will look forward to reading more about when the sequel The Life Beyond.

Thank you to Usborne for giving me the opportunity to review this book.