Official Review: REM by J.D. Valentine

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "REM" by J.D. Valentine.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Former LA police officer and recovering alcoholic, Danny Etter, has been working hard to redeem himself. His marriage is barely hanging on by a string, and he knows if he slips up again, it could mean saying goodbye to Anna and the kids. He is making progress staying on the straight and narrow by working an honest job as a community officer for a local college and avoiding temptation. He believes things are starting to look up; Maria may even be coming around, and he hopes with his continued therapy and AA meetings, he is on the road to redemption.

When Maria and the kids take off to Lake Tahoe for a vacation, Danny expects life to be pretty uneventful as he stays back in Orange County to work. But nothing could be further from the truth. After a friend of the family’s son, who is ordinarily a docile young man turns aggressive and hysterical, Danny knows something is up. Strange things begin to happen; people in the community are becoming unhinged—acting like deranged lunatics; dismembering each other’s bodies, and revealing sinister smiles with rotten teeth. Before Danny knows it, he is in the epicenter of a massive pandemic. Joined by his co-worker and friend, Eric, they realize they must flee the city and make their way north so Danny can be with his family. But everywhere they turn, these crazed individuals are ready to attack. Danny knows he must get to his family, but he is going to have to run for his life.

While I have never been particularly drawn to post-apocalyptic stories or movies, REM by J.D. Valentine has turned me into a fan. The book is told in the third-person perspective and follows Danny Etter as he embarks on the battle of a lifetime—both physically and emotionally. Not only must he fight off these relentlessly crazy swarms of infected people, but he must keep his personal demons at bay and focus on his sobriety during one of the darkest times in his life.

Like I stated earlier, it is rare for me to pick up a book that contains graphic scenes of brutality between humans and zombies. Still, the book held my attention, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. These “crazies” came in swarms, could contort their bodies in grotesque ways, and could literally scale the walls. J.D. Valentine was able to successfully create scenes that were both quietly terrifying and adrenaline-inducing, making for a truly immersive read.

Hands down, my favorite aspect of the book was the character development. The author did a fantastic job of reeling me into Danny’s life from the get-go, providing an adequate backstory. Readers are given a glimpse into the life of a recovering alcoholic who is trying to make amends with his wife after putting his family through immense turmoil. Addiction to alcohol is not just about the drink, and often, it is about being strong enough to face the reasons for picking up a drink in the first place. Throughout Danny’s journey, readers see him grapple with despair, isolation, and the psychological effects of life during a pandemic. I was never in the dark about how Danny felt because it was clearly depicted through his actions and inner dialogue.

Another thing that I thoroughly enjoyed was the brotherhood between Danny and Eric. They shared a deep connection due to their struggles with alcohol and used humor and sarcasm to get through the hard times when they were knee-deep in severed heads and dismembered body parts. I especially loved how they took turns lifting each other’s spirits when the gravity of the situation left them wanting to surrender.

REM was impeccably written; I can wholeheartedly vouch for the fact that it is both professionally edited and worthy of praise. With that being said, I chose to give the book a rating of four out of four stars.

Due to the majority of the book being infused with blood splatter, various f-bombs, and the throwing of severed heads, I would dissuade young readers from picking up REM. On the other hand, if you love post-apocalyptic thrillers with gruesome fight scenes and you find yourself rooting for the underdog, this book is for you!

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REM
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[hasincla]

Wow, this sounds like a chilling and exciting read! Like you, I'm not usually a fan of brutal, bloody dismembered bodies flying all over the place, but with the characters you described I think I can get into it. Putting on my to-read list. Thank you for your review!

[Adanna Inya]

Oh my goodness! I was cringing as I read. Sinister smiles, rotten teeth, dismembered bodies! What! Horror!

I'll pass. My heart can't take it.

Thank you for a chilling review.

[Splendour0606]

Huh! The storyline is really creepy but I am drawn to read this book because of Dannys character, fighting with alcoholism now being faced with a pandemic.You have a wonderful review.Thanks.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Wow, this sounds like a chilling and exciting read! Like you, I'm not usually a fan of brutal, bloody dismembered bodies flying all over the place, but with the characters you described I think I can get into it. Putting on my to-read list. Thank you for your review!

It's always a pleasant surprise when you pick something you wouldn't normally read and it's AMAZING! Thanks for your comment

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Oh my goodness! I was cringing as I read. Sinister smiles, rotten teeth, dismembered bodies! What! Horror!

I'll pass. My heart can't take it.

Thank you for a chilling review.

It was definitely a book I read with all the lights on!

Thanks for reading and commenting.

[JKO]

This genre is definitely my cup of tea. The 4 out of 4 rating also says a lot about how well this book was written. Thanks for this excellent review.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This genre is definitely my cup of tea. The 4 out of 4 rating also says a lot about how well this book was written. Thanks for this excellent review.

Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

Huh! The storyline is really creepy but I am drawn to read this book because of Dannys character, fighting with alcoholism now being faced with a pandemic.You have a wonderful review.Thanks.

Yes, the pandemic definitely added to an already challenging time in Danny's life. Thanks for your comment.

[nageena_rasheed]

As the world almost stands on the verge of outbreaks, this apocalyptic story is really relating to present scenario. I am very glad to read the detailed review of the book as it inspires me to read it as soon as possible. Blood, walking corpses and brutality are major part of such zombie outbreak and i dont mind it while reading. The important thing i learned from review is that we should never take a back seat in our lives when things are out of control, there are always chances of improvement and turning points. Most important is that families matter and they provide a spark or motivation for individuals having some meaning in life. Well written review and legit ratings, congratulations!

[NetMassimo]

In recent years, there's been an inflation of zombie apocalypse stories, so generally I don't read them. However, from what you wrote this one seems to be far better than the average of this subgenre. Thank you for your great review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

In recent years, there's been an inflation of zombie apocalypse stories, so generally I don't read them. However, from what you wrote this one seems to be far better than the average of this subgenre. Thank you for your great review!

Definitely one worth reading. Thanks!

[Melisa Jane]

This is a very interesting book about recovery and maintaining good family relationship. Thanks for the review.

[Tonika632]

This sounds very promising! I really like this kind of themes and the author made a great job with character development so that a plus. I can go over graphic scenes if the book keeps me on the edge of my seat. I am definitely going to give it a try since it is a post-apocalyptic thriller; something I actually like to read! Thanks for the review!

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This is a very interesting book about recovery and maintaining good family relationship. Thanks for the review.

Thanks for your comment!