Okay so I decided to give this one a try as I’m trying to expand what I read and OMG! I think this author is definitely someone to be spoken about with his writing. If you love end of the world and zombies and just all together apocalyptic story then this one is for you!

Phenomenally well written novella dealing with 6 friends during an apocalyptic event. Robinson does an extraordinarily good job on building the characters and their lives before the event. In fact, unlike most zombie or apocalyptic novels, the event doesn't occur until over halfway through. It is a different style of zombie, which I enjoy immensely.

I look forward to a continuation of the story..
Highly recommend!!

It's been a bit since I've read a zombie book.

This is...a basic zombie book.

The ensemble cast is good for the most part, but there's not a lot new here.

It's definitely readable, but the ending was a little unsatisfying.

Solid enough read, though.

The book has great bones and great potential but needs a little work. I felt the ending fell just a little short and was a little disappointed that it cut off so abruptly.

2.5 ⭐

Genre: action/dystopian
3rd person POV
Length: short

I'm sorry but this one didn't end up working for me. I really liked the overall idea and the setting but..

Very slow to start. We start with introductions of all the friends and some scenes of them together, supposedly to try and get to know them before the action starts but it didn't work for me.

I liked the idea of the group of friends but I missed the banter, the comradery.. they just felt very generic. I didn't care about any of them. Aside from the couples, they are basically strangers and that's what it feels like.

I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing what was going on and why their were 2 types of monsters. The best scene was the little girl in the street.. definitely creepy!

The highlight was finding out that (view spoiler on Goodreads)

So, a few good elements, but ultimately not for me

My thanks to RDS Publishing, Nicolas P. Robinson and Netgalley.
I was immediately drawn into this story. I thought the location was perfect. Having lived for 6 or more years in Northern Idaho, I was down with the setting. I adore N. Idaho. Beautiful country. Except for all those nutzo republicans.
Still, the story was damn near perfect....until the end. What the neck happened? I don't know.
Honestly, I'm not sure if Mr. Robinson is one of those authors who can't stick the landing, or if he just decided he was done. Either way, this story ended like it had more to tell. And really? Yeah, there was more, I just couldn't find it.
If this is a series to be continued, then he's already lost me. I'm seriously done with episodic storytelling. This is a 4 star book, but because of that open ending, I've reduced it to 3*.

Innocence Ends was such a great little read. It's shorter than most books I pick up, and I would have liked it to be longer to enjoy more of the post apocalyptic event, but it still definitely packed a punch with the storyline, characters, plot twists and gore.

Each character was unique and filled with story, personality and backstory. I loved the versatility in race and sexuality in the friendship group, making it was super enjoyable reading a horror story where the stereotypical character tropes don't come true (like the black person dying first).

It felt like I was watching a zombie movie while reading, and those close to me know that I have a little fascination with apocalypse movies, so I connected with the characters really well on their love of films!

The only thing holding this book back from a 5 star review for me is that the plot twist was a little predictable. I don't know if it was just the fact that I have watched so many zombie shows and movies or if my autism is really good at picking up various patterns from previous books with similar plot twists/betrayals. But I definitely saw this one coming from a mile away, and it made the book only slightly less shocking. However it didn't spoil the entire story for me, and I still enjoyed it thoroughly!

Nikolas P. Robinson just made another huge fan.
Innocence Ends is my favorite book I’ve read this year.
Scary and unsettling, this book is the perfect fix for Horror junkies..

I want to start my review by saying, that I probably wasn't the intended reader for this book, I do love an ending of the world story, and I enjoy zombies as much as the next apocalyptical reader, but I had so many things rubbing me the wrong way… I will explain further what I mean without giving the story too much away… I started reading this book with really high expectations, and I was curious why the book started 5 years early in the funeral of a friend, and to be honest there’s no real answer to that… I mean this friend is used as an excuse for what takes place in the center of the action of this book, but not really relevant to the story to be honest…

I got distracted too much with the going back to the past to explain something about the characters, but while I like books that focus more about characters grow and story I felt it was a bit too much in this book case… it didn’t really explain why the characters where how they were in the first place or why they took the decisions that they took… the way the book was written was distracting for me as well, it didn’t help me feel connected to the story nor to the characters… it didn’t really help that they “voices”, with this I mean the way each character talked was the same, so it was another way to feel disconnected with the story… the ending also felt rushed and not really revealing anything new… for me this book was 2,5 stars, I will round it to 3 stars, but to be honest I felt this was more like a chore than an enjoyable task.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocialRDS Publishing | Uncomfortably Dark, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

I really wish I could have given this book more than three stars, but taking into account its length, its large cast, and the hype about its author I expected more and ended up disappointed. At the start, I felt the story was awesome, and I had a hard time putting the book aside. 'Innocence Ends' is the kind of novel thriving on atmosphere and dialogue; Robinson is very skilled at both and it's not hard to feel you're massively enjoying the story, the characters, their predicament, and the (few) twists coming their way. The book brims with great characterization, dread, and a formidable sense of build-up! But towards the end it gives the impression the author got tired and had to end the book as soon as possible. Ultimately, there's no climax, no cashing-out of the skillfully built atmosphere of dread, just a hurried need for closure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an early read of the book, and all opinions expressed are my own.

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Innocence Ends by Nikolas Robinson
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

To commemorate the anniversary of a death, six friends come together in their honor. Five years later a mysterious invitation to memorialize and celebrate life arrives to all involved. Once arriving at the secluded mountainous location, an unexpected storm wipes out any kind of transportation and communication to the outside world. The horrific truth is soon revealed as to why they have been gathered.

Innocence Ends is an end-of-times post-apocalyptic look into an unfolding man-made biological horror. Seeking shelter and survival from a shuffling and shambling threat becomes a priority from an inhuman sinister evil. Amid the uneven surface of writing horror, Nikolas Robinson has an impressive way of creating his characters, storylines and plots. With that being said, his true talent resides within the unexpected horrors he bestows upon his characters as well as his readers. Obstacles of zombies and deranged locals is truly the meat and bones of this nightmarish novel.

Partnering up with Uncomfortably Dark, Robinson’s love of horror emerges from the pages and holds an unsettling ambiance that we all love. Hence, this is the reason why Mr. Nikolas Robinson needs to keep putting that pen to paper…pretty please.

Hell has somehow poured over into the real world. Homicidal maniacs and zombies are taking over the living, one human at a time. Are you down with the sickness? A Five Star Decline Of Civilization ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

The zombie apocalypse tale has been told many times, and in many different ways. Nikolas Robinson still found a way to tell a tension-filled story about zombies in a way that is fresh, scary, and original. The story revolves around a group of 30 somethings that have been friends since childhood. Some have remained closer than others, but they have all stayed in touch since going their separate ways after high school and college.

On the anniversary of one of their own dying by his own hands, the group heads to the remote home of scientist Gale in a secluded part of Idaho. Their relaxing week in the isolated wilderness around Gale's home is cut short by a severe storm. The sudden influx of rain floods the only road into and out of the small town. That's when all hell breaks loose, and the friends are forced into survival mode. No help is coming, and not only are there monsters on the hunt, the townspeople themselves don't seem to want the outsiders to stay alive, either.

Filled with action and suspense, Innocence Ends was an excellent introduction to the work of Nikolas Robinson for me. I really enjoyed his style, and had a very hard time putting this one down once it got ramped up. I was not 100% pleased with the ending, simply because I was left with many questions. If Nikolas would be so kind as to give me a sequel, that would be phenomenal. He left it wide open for this to be possible!

Highly recommend for readers that love apocalyptic stories, zombies, tales of friendship, and survival tales!

Robinson’s re-released apocalyptic story is certainly more unique than many others within the genre.

The reader follows a group of friends as they navigate the loss of a brother, the challenges of growing up and apart, and now, the end of the world. Brought together as part of a twisted plot, the characters enjoy a few days in a mountainous paradise before bloodshed ensues.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this zombie-esque tale, but the author definitely keeps the reader on their toes! Expect harrowing fight/flight scenes, complete madness, and total chaos!

The ending felt a little too ambiguous, so I’m wondering if the author has a sequel in the works. Loved the author’s note at the end detailing inspirations and how the story transformed from an idea to actual existing.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Uncomfortably Dark/RDS Publishing for a copy!

If you know me, you know I love a good zombie movie or book. For some reason, it absolutely fascinates me. The idea that we are our own worst enemy as we fight to survive. Sadly, this trope isn’t exactly popular within the literary realm. I’ve actually recently searched specifically for this trope to not true eval. I did not find anything that I hadn’t already read (Red Hill), that peaked my interest.

I didn’t immediately know this book was about zombies, but I guessed based off of the premise and was audibly enthusiastic when I did in fact confirm this was what I thought it was. Having finished the book and read the acknowledgements, the author had the exact thoughts of a perfect book for me personally. Zombies, vacations gone wrong, friend group, small town feels.

So let’s get into it. Let’s start with the pros:
-Zombies
-Edge of your seat action
-Detailed scenes
- Decent characters that are likeable and relatable.

As much as it pains me to do so, cons:
-The overuse of “It’s going to get worse before it gets better..”
- The lack of true emotion from any of the characters. It felt a bit hollow and procedural.
-Third person point of view. This was the worst of them all. I think it played a big part in making everything feel emotionless and procedural.

I am someone who loves to read what the narrators are thinking, the true inner workings of their thoughts and feelings. This just didn’t have that. With that said, the lack of first person lead to the lack of rambling inner monologues that can sometimes happen. It did leave more time for ZOMBIES and violent locals.

All in all, it is clear the author is talented. It seems like my cons are purely due to my own personal preferences while reading, so this book is 100% worth a read!