Frenzy (Book One: The Frenzy Series) by Casey L. Bond Review

Hello readers! I am back from yet another long break (which I'll address in a later post) with my first of several reviews from my February reads. February was a really rough month for me so I only got a a handful of reads in. Thankfully they were all amazing and I'm so pumped to share my thoughts. Kicking off this review spree? Frantic, the latest thrilling release from the amazing Casey L. Bond! Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:

After the world was ravaged by a viral apocalypse, Blackwater is one of the only colonies that remains. The survivors came together to create this safe haven. Nestled between a fierce river and a city’s flood wall, the well-being of its residents hangs on a long-established treaty with the night-walkers. Sounds simple enough, but lately, the people of Blackwater have been dying, and the humans believe the night-walkers are to blame.

Porschia Grant starves for more than her parents’ affection. Forced to enter the rotation, she will be given extra food rations in exchange for becoming a vampire’s breakfast and dinner for a week. The rotation has an extra responsibility as well: leave the colony and enter the dangerous forest to hunt for food. A night-walker will protect the hunters from the infected that roam the woods. But with the treaty hanging in the balance and tension between the humans and vampires rising, anything could happen in the darkness.

What would you do if your only chance at survival might kill you?

     

Casey L. Bond

Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters.
When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.

In 2003, Bond graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University in the field of Criminal Justice. 

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*****

My Thoughts:

As anyone who follows this blog will well know, I am a huge Casey L. Bond fan. Admittedly, I haven't read her entire backlog and just recently jumped on board the Bond Bandwagon, but even based on the few works I have devoured, I can say with confidence that she's one of the most talented writers I've worked with as of late. Her stories are full of gripping emotion and such vivid plots and settings that really leave a lasting impression on the mind of her readers. 

Anyone who knows me also knows that I am absolutely obsessed with anything paranormal. And vampires? My favorite. Bring it on. But what happens when you miss the living dead with the undead? Can a novel with both vampires and zombies work in a post-apocalyptic setting? Hell yes. And so much more. 

When it came to the plot of Frenzy, Bond really knocked it out of the park. It's extremely fast-paced and reads much like her previous Harvest Saga. A crippling dystopian future full of family struggles and more emotions than you can imagine, Bond crafted one of the most unique and original plots I have seen in quite some time. It was such an interesting twist on vampire lore that I couldn't devour it fast enough. Truly a testament to the power of Bond's writing talents. 

The characters in Frenzy were more than intriguing. They are all well rounded and left me feeling whole and more than satisfied with their character arcs and development. Filled with plenty of unexpected moments, Bond was able to really dig deep into the psyche of her character, both mortal and paranormal, to provide her readers with exemplary examples of how the genre should be tackled. 

The setting for Frenzy was probably my favorite aspect of the story. Maybe setting is the wrong word. Let's say tone. The story has this entire 'black and white' feel to it. It played out like a dark, Frank Miller-esque tone and setting that I could not get enough of. I had chills and could feel the tension in each scene Bond crafted. Truly a landmark in its' genre, Frenzy is a powerful beginning to a groundbreaking series. 

Speaking of series? Let's talk about the potential of this one. Bond end the first novel with quite the bang. One I can honestly say I didn't see coming. I am so anxious to see where Bond takes this story and to see if she can continue to build the momentum as she has in Frenzy.

Look out Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer, you've got competition in a big way!

It should come as no surprise that I am granting this spellbinding read from Casey L. Bond a near-perfect 5-star review. It was everything I didn't even know I wanted, and then some! Don't miss your chance to pick up this read today. It's free for KU subscribers, what are you waiting for?! I know this guy cannot wait for more from Bond and this series!

*****

Alright readers, that's all I have for you on the topic of Frenzy by Casey L. Bond. It was a fun, fast-paced read that I couldn't put down. I have yet to read something from Bond that I didn't love from the very first sentence. I know this guy will be anxiously awaiting the release of Frantic later this week. Be on the look out for my thoughts on it soon! Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan