Dark Bloom

I enjoyed this book! Kate is resilient and strong and Nick is an absolute heartthrob. The ending has me excited to see what new adventures await the two characters!

I hope this is a series. Thank you Molly. I went through every emotion!!! Just a great read. I was in a slump, now I feel refreshed

I don't typically read post-apocalyptic sci-fi but with its compelling plot, relatable characters, vivid imagery, and realistic dialogue, Dark Bloom is definitely a must-read!

I honestly could not put this down! I read this amazing book in 2 days time because I was so consumed by the story I had to know what would happen next! The combination of romance in a world full of horror was just the thing this reader needed. I found myself rooting for Nick and Kate these two imperfect strangers just trying to survive their haunted pasts and their current Infected filled present. Page after page I turned because I couldn't stop without finding out what would become of their fate. One of the best books I've read in so long and I'm so hoping for more Dark Bloom to soothe my soul!

This book was one of my favorite reads. I had a hard time putting it down. It was so well written and captivating!

I am not generally a fan of zombie books and shows, however, I am a fan of kick-ass take care of business type of people. In support of authors in my various networks, I do find myself committed to new themes and such to read and review. I actually fell into liking the main characters, applauding their bravery and hoping for the best. It was a fast-paced read, and who knows, it could be a shadow of things to come.

Saw the authors tiktok video a day before the release and wanted to give it a try and man am I glad that I did!! This book is written so well and I love how the pov is told. It's so different than basically every book I have read so far. This book was a roller-coaster of emotions! Never knowing what to expect next or what would happen! I instantly connected with Kate's past and traumas. These two characters were beautifully broken in their own ways and my heart shattered towards the end of the book but so glad it ended beautifully and in as much as of a happy ending you can get when there's an apocalypse! Can't wait to see if the story continues! Even if it doesn't Can't wait for more amazing work from Molly!

5 Stars 🌟

Let me start by saying that I am a romance reader. Scary novels are not my thing because they tend to leave me in a dark place
(Hello? Real life is dark enough so….yeah)

With that being said, I 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 this book in record time!!

I was scared to read it, but I absolutely love Molly and I can read 10-20 books a month (ʸᵉᵃʰ, ᴵ’ᵐ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵉⁱʳᵈᵒ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ʳᵉᵃᵈˢ ᵐᵘˡᵗⁱᵖˡᵉ ᵇᵒᵒᵏˢ ᵃᵗ ᵒⁿᶜᵉ) so I decided I would just read an hour or two a day to keep myself sane.

Turns out, I went all Zero Dark Thirty on this book and stayed up 𝐚𝐥𝐥 hours of the night/morning binge reading!! I literally struggled to put it down! And this is coming from a person who does 🅽🅾🆃 read horror!!

So here’s a little about the book:

The main character in this book, Nick & Kate, are two broken souls just trying to survive.

Nick rescues Kate and she timidly begins following him and they agree to pair up because there is safety in numbers

But who can they trust?
Rules no longer apply and it’s every (wo)man for themselves

Staying safe & protecting one another brings them closer than even they thought was possible

There’s only 1 rule Nick and Kate follow:

𝓓𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓮!

I ʟօʋɛ how understanding, empathetic, and respectful Nick is towards Kate. Even when Nick didn’t know about Kate’s past, he always treated her with the same kindness. Nick’s dark history stems from his deployment in the Marines and the terrible things he witnessed. He hasn’t been the same since.

Then there’s Kate. God, where do I even begin?!?! This woman has been through and survived so much in her short life. My heart physically breaks reading about her past. It’s the stuff of nightmares❗️
And she actually experiences frequent nightmares putting herself in constant danger every time she falls asleep 😮‍💨

The way Nick protects Kate is just 🤌🏼💋
The way Kate is able bring Nick out of his shell and back to life is perfection 👏🏼

The zombies, or the Infected as they are referred to, are terrifying! That actually cackle!! Scared the bejeezus outta me when it was silent except for that damn cackling 😩

Then there’s the humans! I swear, they were worse than the Infected!! At least with the zombies 🧟 you knew what to expect. It was the humans you needed to be careful around. Never knowing if they are good or bad was like a complete mindfu€k

There are triggers that need to be divulged so you aren’t caught off guard and some are pretty intense
* Death (obviously)
* Murder
* Rape (history/past)
* Attempted rape
* Physical violence
* Mutilation
* Blood & Gore
* Mental health struggles
* Suicide (in the past) & thoughts of suicide
* Captivity

On the other side of that nightmare are the tropes 😍
* Gentle hero
* Touch her and die
* Slow burn
* Friends to soulmates
* Protective MMC

The story is told from a third-person (limited) perspective and I actually found that quite enjoyable! I don’t recall ever having read from that perspective but it was an awesome break from my usual dual POV

As incredibly terrified as I was to read my first horror novel, I’m happy to say that I actually loved this one!

Yes, there is an HEA 🥰

It took me a second to understand the flashbacks but after that first flashback I gobbled this book down. I was up all night reading it. The main characters are well written and with enough backstory I understood where they were coming from. Both characters coming from a heartbreaking background and learning to trust and love was a wonderful read. Ill be checking out more of Molly's books!!! Definitely a favorite author.

Zombies are not my thing. However, Molly’s storytelling skills are exceptional, keeping me engaged and on the edge of my seat throughout the book. The intense and well-written action sequences, with just the right amount of gore, would satisfy fans of the genre. The ending leaves me wanting more, eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series.

For fans of Resident Evil and The Walking Dead or similar, this is a perfect read. Great storytelling mixed with right amount of action and gore, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Can't wait for what the author does next!

In a word of self published, subpar nonsense I have been craving a genuinely well written story and this is it. Molly Macabre perfectly captures the terror of the zombie apocalypse with the horror that humans are capable of. I loved it.