The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; Sgd Ltd edition (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1476763518
• ISBN-13: 978-1476763514
• Buy the book: Amazon
• Listen to the book: Audible

When the world ends, can love survive?
For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.
When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.
Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

The Good

I like Jamie McGuire, she really tells a good story. She is one of my favorite new adult authors. Her previous books Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster are romance, smut fiction, contemporary books and I really enjoyed them. McGuire's most recent book Red Hill is completely different than the Disaster series. It is faced pace, gory, gross, very descriptive in all it's bloody zombie glory. I really enjoyed the way this book was written. Each chapter went back and forth between three different characters (Scarlet, Nathan, Miranda) with their own point of view. McGuire writes about their horrific journey to get to safety in one piece, while keeping their loved ones close. Then about to the middle of the book, these strangers all end up together at Red Hill Ranch. 

This story was seriously nerve-wracking. I mean it is one bloody ride, so very detailed. Not for the faint of heart! I found this book to be very enjoyable, fun and intense. Plus, no cliffhanger. This is a stand-alone-book, all wrapped up nicely at the end.


The Bad

The only thing about Red Hill that turned me off was the romance. There wasn't any. Yeah sure, couples got together, but the whole romance part was MIA. One moment they are struggling to survive, stabbing zombie skulls in, and then the next moment a couple is in love. Bam! I wasn't buying it. I know it's natural to fall for someone during extreme situations, that survival bond and all, but I think McGuire waited too long to write the romance in the book. It was last minute and felt very rushed to me. I'm sure it wasn't McGuire's intention for this to be all gooey romantic, only gooey bloody. So I'm willing to overlook this, if I ever decide to read it again.

I wouldn't read this book, if you are just looking for that Jamie McGuire romance she does so well. Go into it with only one thing on your mind... Zombies!


The Ugly

Flesh eating Zombies.
Definitely not for the youngins.
Heavy language.
Extreme content.