Pestilence (The Four Horsemen Book 1) Kindle Edition

The amount of physical and psychological torture he (Pestilence) puts her through is revolting, and yet we're supposed to believe she fell madly in love with him because of his abs and high cheek bones and pouty lips (which are described in detail no less than five times every chapter)? Not only that but almost every other character we meet ends up dead. This 'romance' had more on-screen deaths in it than some of the dystopian novels I've read and a majority are described in graphic detail. The main character is a foul-mouthed bratty teen in an adult body and we're supposed to take her side (I think). Just... wow. The plot, if there was one, is weak to the point of being almost non-existent. The ending is abrupt, the resolution poorly explained, and the epilogue is literally only there to introduce the next book, not to tie up any loose ends.I'll say one good thing about it, though: it had a horse in it. Unfortunately, said horse didn't escape the torture porn but he's immortal & can walk on water. If only it was written for his POV...

I won’t waste time explaining everything that is wrong with this book. The other reviews have already perfectly captured that.What started out somewhat decently, quickly turned into a horrendous, disgusting, cringy, tedious story.I am the last one to complain about a dark or twisted romance story, so trust me when I say this was 100% disgusting abuse. I loathed both characters a third in, and I cannot believe how anyone with a brain could find this romantic.Nothing the guy did was redeeming or kind or charming. Nothing. He treated her just as horribly as everyone else. But the worst about it is that she doesn’t mind that. That she still picks him. It’s unbelievable. Her stupid “I’m tired of feeling guilty” statements are the only feeble attempt at trying to make her seem normal, but she doesn’t act on any of these statements, so they mean nothing. This book belongs under Erotica/Torture Porn. I’m not kidding. Within that context, I could even rate it high.Also, there was like no plot whatsoever. Not even any secondary characters.

5 INFERNAL STARS!Hello. Let me introduce you to my newest OTP."And so it was, and so it shall be, for the Age of Man is over, and the Age of the Horseman has begun. They came to earth, and they came to end us all."Sweet baby Jesus this was everything I needed, hoped it would be and more. Laura Thalassa sprung this one on us last minute and she has done it again. Nobody quite does enemies-to-lovers stories (best trope ever) quite the way Laura does and boy did she hit the mark this time. I think this may be tied for my favorite 2018 read now.First of all, I love the originality of this story. Four Horseman of the Apocalypse? Yes, please and thank you, take my money. The plan is for there to be four books in this series, each one focusing on one of the horseman in a world caught under the wrath of God. This first book focuses on the first horseman of the apocalypse, Pestilence and his duty to spread plague across the world.Enter Sara Burns, a firefighter living in British Columbia with a penchant for cussing too much and the will to save the world. It's in her selfless act to stop the horseman that she instead finds herself an unwilling passenger with a front row seat to his apocalyptic quest. As they ride across the land, Sara finds that she may be the only one who can save humanity, even if she must suffer for it."His eyes find mine, the flames dancing in them. Even lit by fire, he looks like an angel.The devil was also an angel."Did someone say slowwwww burn? I thought I may die of anticipation. Let's face it, that's what we are here for, right? Boy, does it pay off. You will not be disappointed. However, there is so much more to this story than the romantic aspect of it.It's rare for me to feel such a range of emotions for a character like I did for Pestilence. There were many times I felt nothing but contempt for him, but I also felt sympathy and he found ways to make me laugh, cry and feel giddy. There were times I was right there with Sara and wanted him to burn for everything he had done. On the other hand, there were times I just wanted to stare at the fire and share my pie with him. It says something when an author can make you feel so much for a character. His transformation through this story is both a beautiful and tragic thing to witness. Eventually, I found the fondness he expressed endearing and came to love his gallantry, no matter how troubled he was.Sara herself was funny, somewhat crass and totally relatable. I mean, I get it girl. He sucks big time, but damn ... we can still enjoy looking at him. I loved how she slowly corrupted Pestilence (as he would claim), introducing him to human pleasures such as alcohol, poetry and ... more. I also found it interesting how Sara herself changed throughout the story, finding humanity where it shouldn't belong and inhumanity where it should. There were times I felt as though Laura must have been living inside my mind because I'm pretty certain Sara had the same reaction I would have had to every situation she found herself in. Sara isn't perfect, she's normal. And I loved that about her.This book has few secondary characters, with the story focusing primarily on Sara and Pestilence's travels together. However, each of the secondary characters left a deep impression and each helped to transform the two main characters. I'm certain the words unicorn pajamas and the names Ruth and Rob will forever cause a tear to well up in the my eye when I hear them. This story does not hold back and it will tug on your heartstrings until they are frayed.The atmosphere was also befittingly apocalyptic, right from the first chapter. Laura set this book and series up perfectly and I still feel the ominous and chilling nature of it. There were times my emotions were running on high and I had to set the book aside to collect myself. After all, while Pestilence and Sara are learning more about each other, he is also killing humanity off by the thousands. There is no sugarcoating the brutality of what is happening and how wrong it feels. Nobody is safe from the suffering Pestilence has to offer up.All of that said, this story depicts a love of epic proportions. One I will endure for!AND THAT EPILOGUE! My heart is frozen in anticipation for what is to come. Holy cheeseballs, this is one of those books that you need the sequel to immediately. Please?I received this copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I was recommended this by Amazon because of my purchase of The Red Winter Trilogy, which was quite fantastic.The premise of the book seemed interesting and for under $5, I was willing to see where it would lead. I use obsenities in every day life, but I do not find it necessary in writing. Especially with overuse, which this book uses. The writing style isn’t my cup of tea. It comes off as choppy. I can understand a Horseman being beautiful, but the fact the ‘heroine’ is into him after trying to end him, seems too quick and a little much. For being a heroine, she’s very immature and doesn’t grow. And I agree with other 1 Star reviews, it is quite Stockholmy.All in all, I’m very disappointed. Sorry to say.

The end is nigh, the four horsemen have come to earth to bring about the apocalypse; Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. Sara’s town in next on Pestilence’s list, determined to bring him down Sara attempts to kill him not knowing that he is in fact indestructible. After Pestilence recovers from Sara’s attempts to kill him, he takes her as his prisoner as punishment, after all, suffering is made for the living. But the longer they travel together the less Sara feels like a hostage and soon she must face her feelings.I’m trying to find a way to adequately convey how much I loved this book. I have been highly anticipating the release since I first heard about this book at the end of last year and the cover is just so beautiful too.I loved everything about Sara’s Character, she is stubborn, brave, determined and compassionate and most of all not whiny or boring which was a refreshing change. I found connecting with her really easy. I liked how she was written, like an everyday run of the mill person who was living a normal life and until the world turned to shit. Lots of her inner thoughts had me laughing on more than one occasion.Pestilence… damn.. he is such a complex character, sent to earth with one mission: to spread the plague which he does and it’s his singular focus until Sara. I liked the pacing the relationship between him and Sara, it was just right, I didn’t begin to like him until Sara did. Seeing him (through Sara’s eyes) slowly beginning to understand that humans aren’t just two-dimensional beings was really something.The story itself was addictive I finished it in a day it was that good. There are many ups and downs, you get to see a variety of ways mankind acts when the worst has happened and they are not all good reactions and I really think that gave this story a real believable feel to it.Overall this was a really epic read, one of my favorites of this year so far and I really can’t recommend this enough

When reading the reviews for this book before purchasing, they did stir up a bit of doubt about my feelings towards what it would be like. Thankfully, I thought it was a great book, with many highs and a few lows too.The main characters are beautifully described, and their relationship is questionable but as the story develops, so does the relationship. The fact that she falls for the guy who's killing off human-kind seems to be the big NO-NO for some people. One reviewer somewhere once put it simply; would you really feel like humans deserved a place on this earth after what they have collectively done to it, and doomsday was around the corner? I have to say, that as much as it would pain me to die and lose everything, if judgement day was upon us, I could definitely understand.The book is beautifully written, with laugh-out-loud moments. I found that I could really relate to Sara, and you really do feel involved with the complexity of the relationship. I particularly loved Ruth.I would definitely give this book a read, even if you find yourself on the fence.

I am absolutely speechless right now... This book took my breath away, it was so raw and poetic (ehem pun wholly intentional 😉), no but seriously this is the kind of book you compare when searching for another great book.. if that makes sense.Basically this book was the mofoing BOMB! Like literally blew my mind away... I'm just so gutted it ended but I'm so glad the story stayed true to the characters and world building, I'm running out of ways to describe just how good this book made me feel and I would so re read this all over again (when my heart eventually recovers... Hopefully someday 😭♥️)There is absolutely nothing I would do to change this story and the book, the cover for starters HELLOOOO art ! Love it! Then the story ... Gurrrrrl I can't even... This gurl just wrote her bloody socks off and you need to read it, like now!Anyways I'm just going to go into a corner now and contemplate how any other book is going to even stand next to this... Ughhh what have you done Ms Laura !? 😂♥️For real I wasn't expecting this AT.ALL... if you couldn't already tell, I have read some of her other books before (queen of all that dies, also another banger ! ) And was so gobsmacked with how good they were that I didn't imagine anything to top them but there I go underestimating this amazing author ! So now she has a fan for life hunnies 😂😂 thank you so so much for this and all your other amazeballz books and banter, love them, don't stop writing ♥️♥️♥️

So I enjoyed Pestilence, it wasn't my favourite of this authors work but still had more positives for me than negatives.As usual, this was excellently written and this author does have a style of writing that I find ever so easy to get lost in.This is set five years into an apocalypse and I really appreciated the dystopian end of days vibe this had going for it.I do think more could have been made of this particular backdrop and this is where this lost points for me.I myself would have prefered less of the morality discussions and what is right and wrong good versus evil and more of a survivalist and action mindset to the narrative.The constant ongoing journey at times could become monotonous as I felt we were reliving the same script on a continuous loop.So this has Sara drawing the short straw and receiving the unwanted and unpleasant job of taking out pestilence who is sweeping the country spreading his plague far and wide.As the Horseman, himself is actually the Almighty's holy weapon and himself immortal and as punishment for her actions, she now finds herself at his cruelly sadistic mercy, a prisoner of Pestilence's whim's made to pay by the object of her murderous intentions.Initially, the interactions here between the two were extremely violent and cruel on both sides.I think this was to showcase the gradual slip into something more than mutual apathy.Sara is almost Pestilence's teacher on humanity he himself seems to have a limited understanding and empathy on the humans he is tasked with annihilating.Up until now, he has only seen the bad never the good and as Sara slips under his skin he finds himself questioning his task much more.At the onset here it's almost like he is just doing a job, an unpleasant one but a task that needs completing.As he gets to know Sara and experience what it is actually like to live as a man and as a result become more human in the process experiencing his own emotions and longings he slowly starts to evolve into something more.Despite his vast age at times he is almost like a child being slowly educating and breaking free from the parent, finding his own way, making his own decisions and starting anew.This in itself was a journey of discovery as through Sara Pestilence learns Mercy, compassion, hate, Love and all that makes us human and fallible.At times this was such a bleak tale with its utter hopelessness and heartbreak but this was then counterbalanced by the slowly emerging love.This was also very slow burn which it did need to be due to Pestilence's lack of experience which also fit within the narrative.The romance experienced here was really well done but I did sometimes feel a slight disconnect from it, I think maybe not having pestilence's POV contributed to this for me, I much prefer and appreciate if both sides are included in my romance.I also wasn't a massive fan of the eventual conclusion here either and another observation I myself would have like Pestulance to be more bad-ass, the dude kept getting himself shot-up.I would have imagined an age-old entity would have better self-preservation skills myself.Also on a final note whats with that eventual name choice?Finally, I did enjoy this and am most certainly planning to read the next in this series War and despite this not being my top book from this author it's still a solid well-written read that I am happy to recommend.

I promised myself I would make this book last at least a few days. I failed. I read it all in one evening. What can I say about Pestilence. It was an interesting story about the first horseman of the apocalypse. At first I hated him but as with Sara over time I came to like him and before I knew it I was shipping their relationship. Laura yet again delivers a story that makes me laugh, feel anger and frustration and cry tears of sadness. This is a story of forgiveness, hope, survival, sacrifice and love. I am so looking forward to meeting brother number two!