Laura Thalassa is one of my favourite authors for NA fantasy romance, I’ve read these previously when they first came out I devoured each one and I was happy to see a new release in paperback too, I will be getting these definitely as I only have ebooks. I loved my reread, the descriptions, the chemistry and her wonderful storylines. Pestilence was probably my 3rd favourite of the 4 books, but they are all 5 star reads so that’s just personal opinion and taste. You need to read these books they’re brilliant

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow, what a book. I love post apocalyptic movies/ TV shows and that definitely translates into books as well, so reading the blurb of this, it seems right up my street!

The story follows Sara a human who is currently living through the apocalypse. Five years ago the Four Horsemen came through Earth starting a chain reaction for the apocalypse, they then disappear. Just as the world starts moving forward again, Pestilence makes a return, and is slowly moving through the US. Sara bravely volunteers to kill the horsemen but ultimately doesn’t succeed and is held captive by the Horsemen as he makes his way through the US to complete his destruction of humanity.

This book definitely held me in its grip, and once I got more than halfway, I read the rest in one sitting! It’s not as easy read and is definitely quite dark in certain areas, but I think that is partly why this was such a compelling story. It really showed all the different parts of humanity and what happens when civilisation breaks down! I loved how you could see the disconnect between the Horsemen and how he considered humans, and how this opinion slowly changes throughout the story, as he encounters almost every aspect of humanity.

The mental resilience of Sara was absolutely amazing in this story, I definitely would have broken down way sooner than her! But she was the perfect counterpart to Pestilence, I think sometimes the main characters can be too fluffy and almost be too naive. Sara instead was rooted in reality, and recognised that there are good and bad parts to us, and I think it was good that she showed a true reflection of what we’re like as humans, which made the story infinitely more believable.

Overall, would thoroughly recommend this book to read especially if you love darker romances, or gritty stories about humanity. I wouldn’t recommend if you’re after a lighthearted book though!

DNF’ed at 14%

After reading the Bargainer’s series by Laura Thalassa I thought I should give this book a shot. It feels like it was written by a totally different author??

The Bargainer’s series is sorta half urban fantasy and high fantasy so I thought I would enjoy this one since it’s urban fantasy. Only Pestilence lacks the appeal and mystery that drew me to her Bargainer’s series. Pestilence felt like every other MMC I’ve read in rom-coms. I think with some more world building and fleshing out these characters more there could be something good on these bones. Alas, this one isn’t for me.

Laura Thalassa is one of the best writers of dystopian, apocalyptic romance. At the beginning of this story I found it hard to root for Pestilence, but Thalassa does such an excellent job at slowly introducing humanity to her characters that begin with none. Sara was a fantastic heroine and I appreciated her grit and empathy throughout the entire book. I recommend this book to so many people and am so excited that it is getting the opportunity to reach even more readers.

thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this arc.

3 stars.

i won't beat around the bush; i finished this book in a single day. it was that easy to read. i liked the slowburn of it, the pacing of the story was just right, and yet i can't bring myself to give this a higher rating.

the enemies-to-lovers in this book was good, but despite his redemption arc, i really can't see past all the fucked up things pestilence did. straight up. i'm not even talking about the literal torture he inflicted on the mc before they liked each other, but also about everything he did after. the romance in this was so toxic, i couldn't find it in myself to really enjoy it.

apart from all that, this story was just a lot of the same. and despite my love for extensive traveling in books, when i reflect on everything that went down in this one, it was a little too repetitive. and not just the way all they really did was travel from city to city, but also the events that took place. i can't go into too much detail because i wouldn't want to spoil anything, but much of the elements kept repeating themselves.

so, yes, i finished this book because that's what i always strive to do with arcs, but i don't think i will read this one again. personal taste and all that.

This was a perplexing book.
I didn’t realise it was an urban fantasy/dystopian type book. That was fine.
What threw me was the pacing.
The plot plodded along for so much of the book, then finishes in a massive rush.
I liked the questions it threw up, even if times I felt it got preachy.
But really, what was the point of pestilence? They travelled from whistler to somewhere south of Seattle. Lots of people died. I guess the love story was the story, but I wish there was more outside of that going on.

This was my first book by Laura. I like to say it was a happy accident.

Pestilence is amazing! Sara is badass. She did everything she could to make a difference, and honesty, she faired far better during the end of times than I think I ever would. Then again, if Pestilence felt some need to keep you alive, you know you're something special.

Man, what a story!!

Excuse me while I go order myself a Paperback of this, while I anxiously wait for War to wake.

I absolutely loved this book from their character development and how they grow with one another to their love story and how it ends up. It was beautifully written. The steamy parts are just steamy enough. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

So I’ve had this on my TBR for a minute now. I loved The Bargainer Series! So it’s no surprise to me that I loved this book!

So I never read the self published version, so my review is based solely on this version.
(I don’t know if they differ)

Sarah was a great FMC. I loved her strength. I also love how she draws lines that are hard boundaries.

Pestilence was such a sexy sweetheart. I loved watching him learn humanity! Some parts were so cute and others so funny.

Okay, I was raised in a religious school. So I found some hidden gems in this that I loved… such as the apple pie (like eve’s apple)

The spice in this was 🥵
The ending was so satisfying. I want to know about them! And OMG… war!

There’s no OW/OM drama and no cheating.

I’m definitely excited for the next book.

Five years ago the four horsemen of the apocalypse appeared, destroying power grids, crashing computers and internet, and eventually making human innovations useless. Five years of hoping humanity can redeem itself, but finally Pestilence has had enough. A deadly incurable plague infects everyone in towns where the horseman rides. Sara Burns volunteers to destroy him in order to save her loved ones. But noone knew he can't be killed, and he comes back angry, keeping her alive to make her suffer. But as they spend time together riding throughout the country Sara realizes she may be the only hope for humanity... and she might be falling for a monster.
I liked seeing the horseman develop from an unfeeling cold monster gradually to a man that could feel compassion and even love. Sara was a kicka$$ female heroine that never gave up hope on the goodness she saw in him. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa takes readers on an enthralling ride through a post-apocalyptic world where the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse descend upon Earth. In this first instalment of the Four Horsemen series, Pestilence, the harbinger of a deadly plague, encounters a fierce and determined heroine named Sara Burns, whose actions set the stage for a captivating enemies-to-lovers romance.

Thalassa's storytelling prowess shines through in this unique and immersive tale. From the very beginning, the book grabs your attention with its intriguing premise and expertly crafted world-building. The author's ability to weave together elements of romance and fantasy while exploring themes of immortality and morality adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

The character development in Pestilence is exceptional. Pestilence, initially portrayed as a fearsome and unstoppable force, undergoes a remarkable transformation as he spends time with Sara and witnesses her compassion for others. The gradual softening of his heart and the questioning of his purpose on Earth make him a surprisingly endearing character.

The romance in the story is a slow burn that tugs at your heartstrings. Thalassa skillfully builds the connection between Sara and Pestilence, showcasing their evolving relationship with tenderness and care. The innocence of Pestilence's personality is reflected in the sweet and subtle nature of their interactions, which adds to the overall charm of the story.

The book's pacing keeps you engaged from start to finish, with well-timed twists and turns that heighten the tension and emotional impact. Thalassa's writing style is captivating, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears. The author effortlessly blends heartwrenching moments with passionate encounters that will leave you breathless.

One aspect that stood out to me was the book's ability to explore deep human emotions and universal themes despite its apocalyptic setting. Loss, courage, determination, and love are beautifully intertwined throughout the story, resonating with readers on a personal level.

This is my first book by Laura Thalassa and I found myself well and truly entertained from the first page. Laura's writing was easy, funny (which isn't easy for a post-apocalyptic book) and captivating.

I didn't know Plague Daddy was a thing, but clearly I've been missing out. Pestilence was such a great character and I honestly enjoyed him so much, also a lot more than the FMC Sara.

The first part of the book flew by and then it slowed a bit in the pacing for me. Not in a bad way, just it's very character driven so I felt it got a bit repetative. I do wish the conflict in the end would have been resolved more, don't want to say more about it because spoilers.. But maybe the second book gives us more on that, because I will definitely continue reading this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 36%. I don’t normally DNF the ARCs I receive on netgalley but I couldn’t push through this one any longer. I remembered seeing this title around when it was self-published, so I decided to give it a shot, but it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect with the characters so I found I didn’t particularly care how their story ended. I also never fully grasped the world they were living in, and I think some more in-depth worldbuilding in the earlier pages would’ve helped.

Over all one of my favorite random reads of the year! I was not sure how I was going to feel about an modern
dystopian telling of the four horsemen of the apocalyptic as a spicy romance but let me tell you I am now such a big fan.

Laura Thalassa made me laugh out loud with this one and I can not wait to pick up the next book in the series. From the questionable fell in love with my chapter vibes to the very twisted I killed millions of your friends and you still want me thing she had going with Pestilence, I really did enjoy the questionable setting to this romance.

I can see it not being for everyone and check out the trigger warnings before picking it up, as it is one of the darker romances I have read this year but overall I had a lot of fun with the premise, I ended up loving both the main characters and I can already tell it is going to be such a hit series.

- Big Thanks to Laura Thalassa and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for a review!

Full disclosure: I’d already read this book back in August 2021 before requesting this ARC. I remember really enjoying Pestilence but never reading the rest of the series so I took this as an opportunity to re-read the first book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the re-read just as much as the first read. Pestilence is a unique take on the Four Horseman of the apocalypse. This paranormal romance is an enemies-to-lovers, torn between love and purpose romance which is thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the progression from enemies, to friends (kinda), to lovers.

“No One Knows where the Four Hoursemen came from, only that one day they appeared on their steeds, riding through cities and wildlands alike.”

Pestilence the Conqueror has one job - destroy the habitants of the world. Make sure they all die - one city at a time. His plans are slightly hindered when Sara tries to murder the horseman, but ends up his captive instead.

I read Pestilence in one sitting - the writing was smooth and the progression of their relationship kept me hooked throughout. It was one of those books where you miss the characters after you finish. However, I will say this - I was so disappointed with the ending. Many things are left unanswered and I wanted more of an explanation to some loose ends. Overall, the ending felt unfinished and I felt frustrated, and it dampened my desire to read book two a little.

Ok when I read the blurb I was expecting something different but the author totally caught me off guard and I loved it. The FMC tries to kill the MC and fails so he takes her captive, but slowly and surely you see them start to fall for each other while trying not to. While he has a job to do and is trying to do while juggling his feelings for her while seeing the world through her eyes and realizing there is more to the world than what he thought. And then he gives up his job just to be with her until his brothers come to do their job. If you like religion based books that blow your mind and keep you hooked then I recommend you give this book a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of the book. Unfortunately this read was a DNF for me at 70%. I struggled with getting into the book. I also had a hard time connecting to the characters. There were some interesting themes to the story but I was not very invested in the characters. Also I found it to be a bit repetitive in a way. It was a cycle of going town to town, spreading the plague and then spending the night together. It was interesting to see some of the changes that started taking place for each of the characters as they got to know each other more. But I still struggled with reading the story. Maybe this is just not a story for me. But I would be interested in trying a different story by this author outside of this series.

I loved this slow burn! Laura Thalassa is one of my favorite authors and this one did not disappoint. I thought of this as a romantic “last of us”. You’ve got the apocalyptic doom, with a heroine trying to show the good in humanity. The romance was sweet, slow, and tender. Nothing too spicy which fits the innocence of Pestilence’s personality. This ends with cliffhanger that leaves you needing the sequel fast!

I love the new cover for Pestilence. The crown and arrows go perfectly with the main characters and story line. I appreciate the more discrete covers and am looking forward to purchasing the entire series.

This book is definition of you really shouldn’t fall for this guy along with pining and internal conflict. Also it’s forced proximity, road-trip, and enemies to lovers.
I mean it’s a horseman of the apocalypse. What did you expect? Rainbows & bunnies?
For such a fraught angsty story, this book is a quick read. It is so well written.
I am so CONFLICTED. It opens with her being tasked with killing him and it’s real gruesome. Then he’s determined to make her suffer. How does that turn into a love story? I do not fucking know but here we are.
I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.