The Afters: Book One

This is what a good post-apocalyptic zombie novel should be! You get a good background story, a how shit hit the fan explanation not just thrown into the middle guessing what it could've happened, you get some of the best characters with actual personalities, a plot that evolves and engulfs you, a unexpected twist of events and a great adventure of growth and choosing your family. This overall has been one of my favorite reads of the summer and I can’t wait to dig into book two. If you’re a fan of zombieland, the walking dead and the anime/manga I am a hero this book right here is for you. This is a solid 6/5 for me. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. This is a delight and will be ordering a physical copy. Now ya’ll go read this one!

Charles Gilbert Billingsworth the VIII is living his best life during the zombie apocalypse. He has a house on an island, plenty of guns, and a feisty, take-no-crap neighbor named Bertha. All that changes when he rescues two children from the zombies while out on a supply run. One of the children has a very special ability.

Kalila is not fairing as well as Charles. After watching her family be murdered by a group of people loyal to their leader, "King George," she goes on a war path for revenge. When Charles' and Kalila's paths cross, they decide to ban together for revenge and survival. What they didn't plan on was a new variant of zombies that are smarter and quicker than anything they have ever seen before.

This was a 5 star read for me. There was humor to Charles that I related to. There was action sequences that got my heart racing. The character had just enough development and background to them that I cared what happened to them. This gave me "The Last of Us" vibes with the subtle humorous scenes mixed in with action, sadness, and loss. Very well written and I will definitely be continuing to Book Two.

The Afters: Book One by Christopher O'Connell was such a blast!
I’m a major zombie apocalypse fan and this story was a fun one to read.
This book has an easy to follow plot and interesting characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Fun zombie end of world book. Loved the main characters and the side characters. Definitely had a “OMG” & "WTF" moment that came out of nowhere but it made the story even better. Can’t wait for a second book!

It is well executed and a great read.

This was such a fun read. I really loved the slightly different take on zombies and the world the author created. I enjoyed how everything came about, how there are different levels of infection and immunity and everything. I also loved the voice of our main character Charlie. He is more laid back, having fun in the zombie apocalypse kind of person but also a super sweetheart. I loved that. He was so kind and caring and was great to read. He was so much fun to read.

Now when the book opens he is living in this loose knit community of survivors and scavenging for things they need. Of course some issues come up and I loved the ending, though I am hoping we find out more in the next book because I do have some questions. But the zombies were really interesting and I loved all the characters. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens.

I found it to be an engaging read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The world-building is one of the book's standout features. O'Connell crafts a vivid and immersive seting that feels both familiar and refreshingly unique. The characters are well-developed, each with their own distinct motivations and arcs, which made me genuinely care about their journeys.
However, I did find some pacing issues in the middle of the book, where the plot seemed to drag a bit, making it hard to maintain momentum. While the dialogue is often sharp and witty, there were moments where it felt a bit forced.
Despite these minor drawbacks, the intriguing premise and the emotional depth of the story more than made up for it. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant and somewhat light hearted zombie tale. I really liked the new type of zombie the author introduced. Well told, with some likeable and hateable characters. I honestly cannot wait to start book 2.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Zombies are not really my thing. I love a horror novel, but I tend to avoid zombie stuff. That said, I really enjoyed this book. Charlie was an excellent MMC, and I really appreciated his humor (particularly internal), there was a lot of comedic relief through his inner monologues. Also, I really appreciated the attention to detail by the author. Everything was so precise - the sounds described, the weaponry - it all felt like it could be a true account, not something you have to really suspend belief to enjoy.