The Way by @carygroner
Dystopian wasteland where the natural world has taken back its territory with a few of mankind's twists mixed in. A journey across the country with mule power proves treacherous not only physically but emotionally. A witty narrator with an affinity for books and knowledge, with gifts that verge on the line of insanity, makes you question him along with the world as it could be. A quest that in itself may seem mundane but brings many trials requiring fast thinking and a sprinkle of luck entertains the mind. This story has many lovable characters including Cassie, the strong willed cat companion who isn't afraid to speak her mind and Peau the free spirited bird with an excellent sense of direction. I loved the interactions between the characters and the plot was very gripping.

Unfortunately, I gave the book until about halfway through, so a decent try but ultimately had to DNF. The premise sounded very interesting, but the story was so drawn out and just very dull. It took a good chunk to figure out what the virus was that wiped everything out and by then I just really was not interested. The narrarator did not help matters either as his voice was droning and did not contribute any livliness to the story.