Paul Tremblay has written another masterpiece of slow burning suspense. Survivor Song is so relevant in these turbulent times. With believable characters and situations, this novel is a must read!

I absolutely loved this novel! Living through COVID-19, it was exceptionally poignant to read this story of a mutated rabies virus spreading throughout the animal and human populations of the U.S. It was eerie how closely the author nailed the very behaviors we are all witnessing now, with the exception of toilet paper hoarding which no one would ever have anticipated. The author always does an excellent job of character development which elevates this novel to more than simply the horror or thriller genre. I find his writing style to be very similar to Stephen King another of my favorite authors. As a side note, two of the characters from his earlier work, Disappearance at Devil's Rock, make an appearance in the current novel, which is a really interesting way for the author to tie these very different stories together. So if you can tolerate reading about a virus gone rampant amid all of the COVID-19 craziness, then I highly recommend this page turner for your next read.

I received an early copy of this book from William Morrow’s Scene of the Crime group in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first time reading a Paul Tremblay book. It scared the crap out of me in the best way possible. I had to split up my reading between two days only because of other demands on my time. It was a fast read though because the story moves quickly.

This book ties in slightly in some ways to our current conditions. There’s some kind of sickness spreading through Massachusetts. It’s all happening very fast, so there is a lot of misinformation swirling. People start to fight over provisions. Conspiracy theorists are going bananas. The hospitals are overrun, there’s not adequate PPE for the medical staff ... you can guess where this is headed. So it’s unfortunate for the main character, Natalie, who is 8 months pregnant and may be infected. Lucky for Natalie, her best friend Ramola is a doctor, but it still won’t be an easy road for them or for anyone else in this book.

If you like scary books you will love this one.

Great suspense keeping you on the edge of your seat with the horror mimicking what is happening now with COVID-19 pandemic. Received a free copy from Scene of the Crime Facebook Group along with NetGalley and the publisher HarperCollins. In the book the virus is a new rabies virus turning folks mad within an hour of being infected and an epidemic in one US state instead of the whole world. Massachusetts is over run with rabid animals and people foaming at the mouth and intently trying to bite others at a brutal animalistic level. Best friends, Natalie and Ramola are tested to the end when Natalie's husband Paul is violently attacked in her presence and dies. Natalie is bit trying to defend Paul and herself. What ensues is the survival at its best.

I didn't think Paul Tremblay could equal the suspense and story line of The Cabin at the End of the World, but I was pleasantly mistaken.
Facing a localized epidemic of a super rabies virus, Romala and Natalie battle time and obstacles to try and save Natalie and her unborn child. After losing her husband to a rabid neighbor and having been bitten herself, Natalie calls on her doctor friend, Romala, for help. The story, told from both of their perspectives, is a mad dash through the lunacy surrounding the epidemic and some of the helpful and harmful characters they encounter. At times the story is an eerie reflection of our current situation with COVID-19 and perhaps a peek into what may lie ahead for us.
This character-driven novel is an engrossing story reflecting the best and worst of human nature and how selfish or selfless we can be. Taut and excellently written, this was an easy 5-star rating for me. I look forward to more from Paul Tremblay.

Reading a book about a rapidly spreading virus that kills everyone may have not been the best reading choice during the current pandemic. That being said, Survivor Song is an adrenaline fueled, thriller that grabs hold immediately, with well defined characters you hope will survive. It was difficult to put the book down,

The book begins in a wotld where a plague of super rabies is running rampant. A doctor has yo save her pregnant, infected friend before the virus takes hold of her. Such a heartwrenching and edge of the seat read. This book fell so close to home right now that it was a surreal mirror to some of our plague experience.

Loved the fast paced book.
Only complaint was the conversations between Luis and Josh and saying ‘guy’ so much....
Very entertaining and enjoyable!

Thank you to Scene of the Crime Early Read program and the publisher for an early copy of this book.
Wow, this book was amazing. I was drawn into the story from the very first page. The two main characters were so well written. I felt like I was right there with them. It.was a very fast-paced book. The writing was excellent and the ending was perfect. Highly recommend!

Natalie and Ramola are racing against the clock. Massachusetts is overrun with an extremely viral and fast-moving strain of rabies. When a very pregnant Natalie and her husband Paul are attacked, Paul dies and Natalie is bitten. Not knowing what to do, she heads to her college roommate's house, begging Ramola to help her and her baby. Ramola is a doctor and while she fears the worst, she hopes that medical intervention can save her friend and her unborn child.
Told in a short time frame, not even one day passes from the time we meet Natalie until the story's conclusion. The hospitals are overrun, the public is panicked, and trying to get help for Natalie is doubtful at best. But Ramola is not willing to give up without a fight, and she will do whatever it takes.
The tension is over the top, as recent events show that anyone bitten will succumb to the virus within hours. I am sure that the author finished Survivor Song long before COVID- 19 became a global pandemic, but talk about timing! The book doesn't publish in the United States until July, and hopefully, we will be beyond this stay at home, social distancing new normal, and this story won't seem quite so possible. It would be a dark, disturbing, heart-pounding tale in the old days, but considering what the world is like now, it ratches up the feelings of terror and hopelessness to an almost unbearable level. Two months ago, I would have said this was solid, I liked this book, four-star review, but considering the world today, this was a four and a half star read.

Review of Uncorrected E-Proof

A virulent, rabies-like virus besets the populace of Massachusetts, compelling the infected to bite others before they succumb. The contagion acts rapidly and, spread by saliva, creates a dangerous populace. Panic runs rampant in hospitals flooded with the infected. In an attempt to limit the spread of the disease, curfews and quarantines are in place.

But as procedures fail, it becomes increasingly difficult for Doctor Ramola Sherman to find help for her eight-months-pregnant friend Natalie who watched her husband, Paul, die and who herself is infected with the virus. It’s a certain death sentence for Nats even though she’s received the first dose of the vaccine.

On their way to a hospital, the two women meet Josh and Luis, a couple of bicycling teens who try to help them. But there’s danger everywhere. Will “Rams” find a way to help her friend and save the child she carries?

In a harrowing story that, except for the Postlude, takes place over the course of a single day, the tension is often palpable and the unfolding events, despite being predictable, are truly horrific. Believable characters, a strong sense of place, and a powerful premise all add to the reader’s sense of dread. Heartbreaking events ramp up the anxiety while moments of humor offer a respite from the underlying sense of foreboding that permeates the telling of the tale.

Take-aways from the story? The bonds of true friendship, the nature of courage, the things done for love. But the unnecessary over-use of an offensive obscenity pulls the reader out of the story . . . every . . . single . . . time . . . and lowers the rating for this book.

I received a free copy of this eBook from HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley
#SurvivorSong #NetGalley

Not a bad book but I didn't really get caught up in the characters or their fate. The book flows nice & easy though, so it's a quick read. Definitely perfect for our current situation. If u wanna read a book that has the fear & helplessness we are feeling now, pick this one up.

*Received via NetGalley for review*

Truly a thrilling, action-packed zombie story. Unfortunately, that's about all it is - there's nothing new or innovative (and, oh, how I wish Rams had grappled more with her uncertainty and her promise to Natalie).

What it does really well is hammer home the merciless sense of anxiety and waiting for something to happen. The violence, when it does erupt, is thrilling and quick and devastating. The teenage slang is really excellent, believable and understandable.

Ok, I started reading this book in late February and I had to just . . . stop for awhile. Sigh. I couldn't read a book about a viral disaster (especially one set in Massachusetts, not too far from where I live) when we were already living with one. However, as the weeks wore on, I found myself returning to <i>Survivor Song</i>, because, sure the you-know-what is hitting the fan but at least we didn't have "SUPER RABIES" yet so, like, things could be worse.

<i>Survivor Song</i> is the story of a pregnant woman who was bitten by person infected with the super rabies, and her best friend, racing against the clock to try and get an emergency C-Section before the rabies can take hold.

I liked a lot of things about this book. Great pacing, a real edge of your seat read. Additionally, the two "randos" we meet, Josh and Luis, add some much needed comic relief.

I would recommend this book to anyone who need a "could be worse" read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love Paul Tremblay - Head Full of Ghosts was one of my favorite horror novels of all time. I don’t know that the COVID-19 pandemic was the correct time for me to read this, as the situations described were a tiny bit too similar for my liking. Not great timing for this book to come out - I’m curious to know if the virus had started spreading by the time he finished or if it was pure coincidence.

Our two main characters are strong, brave women, which I loved. Natalie is eight months pregnant and is struggling with her health and the loss of her husband due to an attack from an infected person. Rams is a no-nonsense pediatrician who becomes Natalie’s only hope for survival. The book takes place over just one day, and everything moves very quickly. It was very gory and quite upsetting to read at times, so if you’re squeamish I’d skip this one.

I enjoy Tremblay’s writing, and though this book could have become silly and full of horror movie tropes, it never crossed that line for me. I enjoyed the fast-paced plot and felt tense the whole time I was reading. Horror fans will love this one.

Well this was a book I definitely didn't NEED to read considering the times we are in right now.. but I certainly WANTED to read it. it's a pandemic book - for sure. I guess apocalypse genre-esque. Basically, the book takes place in Massachusetts and people are developing a rabies like illness. Saliva is how the virus is spread and the incubation period is extremely short.

This was a TERRIFYING read and all too realistic for what is happening right now. However, it did make me put things into perspective. With good hand-washing and social distancing practices, we can stop this. This book was a little cringeworthy.. but I'm happy I read it.

Two Thumps Up!

Big thank you to the publishing house, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

OMG this book! And at this precise time!
I love Paul Tremblay and I loved this book. This is the 4th book I've read of his and I have liked them all. But this book in the midst of our current reality of Covid-19. At least people are not eating eachother - yet.
I was hooked in the story the whole way. The author knows how to create some intense tension. I just don't want to give anything away,
Please Mr. Trembley, you have my attention. Please keep writing.

Massachusetts is under attack by humans who have been infected with a strange type of rabies and they’re on the attack. After 8 month pregnant Natalie watches her husband die from bites, she needs to get in touch with her doctor, as she too was bitten. She and Dr. Rams must get her help before it’s too late. Fraught with danger, and tension, I was kept on the edge of my seat.

Wasn’t sure what to expect after reading the description, but it was everything I hoped for lol.
Taking place in Massachusetts, a rabies like virus has taken over. It isn’t just affecting animals, and it spreads fast and viciously.
Pregnant Natalie has been friends with Dr. Ramona Sherman for years. But when Natalie has been bitten, their friendship is put to the test. Can Dr. Ramona get Natalie the help she needs before it is too late?

This is probably Tremblay’s best novel from the past few years. I absolutely loved it. It takes place over just a few hours, and with minimal chapters to break up the flow, you are transported. It is a fast-paced and exciting read with a few little things that’ll make you smile if you read Tremblay’s other books.