This book was a rollercoaster when it came to rating. It left me feeling I wanted to give it 4 ⭐s and next chapter I was desperately looking for a thing to like. The overall plot and story idea was really good. Apocalyptic setting, a man on a quest to let humanity suffer because of what they did to earth, it sounds great. And was also well implemented. But in between it was so boring. It starts of really suspending, and then it just stops, except for a few situations. Overall it felt a lot more like a romance book, and I have to be honest I would’ve liked more of the end of the world vibes. In the end I did like the characters, but couldn’t decide often if Pestilence was too much of a 🚩 for me or if it just fit the character well. The other books from that series are supposed to be better so I’m looking forward to stay in this world (Laura Thalassas writing though 🤌🏼).

I really didn’t know what to expect! I read a couple reviews before hand and they really varied from awful to exceptional. So as always I opened my kindle to make my own decision. At times and especially in the beginning it felt a bit shallow and repetitive. Still the story intrigued me and later on you could really feel and see the evolvement of the characters and the reason why they had such a slow start. Then there was that scene… I rarely cry when reading but this had me padding one or two tears away. Also it made my heart throb with heartache and I mean it literally! Again a point made to just pick up that book yourself and make your own judgement. Tastes and people are different and that’s great - imagine how boring it would be, if we would all like the same things, but than we’d might redeem ourselves before the second rider arrives 😉🤓

Gosh, this was a thirst-trap of a book I didn't know I needed right now. Cross your heart it's super predictable, but I couldn't stop reading because the story was unique and fresh. It was enthralling to get to know Pestilence's thought process. Some tiny details don't add up, and it's really sad that Pestilence isn't backed up with more lore. I'm left with the nagging urge to deep dive into this world and get to know more. It satisfied my every reading need in terms of Fantasy Romance with apocalyptic vibes.

⤷‧₊˚ 3 ⭑ „because naming things humanizes them. and once you humanize something, you are essentially recognizing it‘s existence.“ this was the first laura thalassa book i read. it was so fun and easy to read. some of sara‘s action’s were really relatable which made me like her so much. the building of their relationship was amazing written & pestilence character development was so great to follow through out the book.

Okay, this was a strangely fascinating read. Definitely not the best book I've ever read, but far from the worst. I probably should say that I am not religious at all and thus have no qualms whatsoever to read something like this and treat it purely as entertainment (as it should, I guess, this aspires to be nothing else). The male love interest is continuously called by his purpose and that is a tad annoying. The female MC cusses like a sailor and her thoughts can be a bit exhausting. Trying to keep this spoilerfree: I was entertained and I am now curious about the following book (truth be told, I really want to read #4, solely based on this book), so ... Mission accomplished?

Alright, another book from the famous booktok or bookstagram. I had this series longer in mind but after all books are completed and saw a fantastic fanart, I gave it finally a go. First things first: this book is not amazing and not meh. It's in the middle and a nice read. It has definitely more potential, some of the chapters could be gone but otherwise you need them to understand the history. There are not a lot of books wich are using the four horsemen as the actual love interest. And hello... Pestilence is blond. And we know, what we think about the blond type, eh? Back to the story: The end is nigh, the four horsemen have come to earth to bring about the apocalypse; Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. 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 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. 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. More than that, I loved the inner and outer dialogues and the banter between the two. How it grows and Pestilence learns how to love as a human and what feelings are. In short: the characters were complex, the intimate scenes not over the board with graphic details and impossible acrobatics which I really liked. Sometimes a good story with a little bit of

Okay, ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass mir das Buch am Ende doch so gefällt. Das Cover hat mich sehr abgeschreckt... ist jetzt in meinen Augen nun mal nicht das schönste. Aufgrund des Covers dachte ich auch, dass es sehr smutty wird, ist es aber gar nicht. Vom Spice-Faktor würde ich 1/5 verteilen, also es enthält relativ wenig Spice, was gar nicht schlecht gemeint ist. Im Gegenteil, mehr Smut hätte die Geschichte zu plump werden lassen. Der Schreibstil ist wirklich so gar nicht meins und sehr unreif (?). Hier ein paar Beispiele: “An arm tightens around my stomach, feeling like a band of steel. … Waitonefuckingmoment. My mind screeches to a halt. No. Nononononononono. Nooooooooo. “ Beispiel 2: “I study his features, my heart unwillingly picking up speed because my body is an idiot that cannot discern evil mo-fo from hot male human.” ("mo-fo"... ernsthaft?) Ich konnte die Geschichte daher auch nicht wirklich ernst nehmen und Sara (die Protagonistin, aus deren Sicht das ja erzählt wird) nicht wirklich leiden, aber irgendwann habe ich dann doch gelernt darüber hinweg zu sehen. Und wenn man sich einmal an Sara gewöhnt hat, kann man sich entspannt zurücklehnen und die Story genießen. Die vier apokalyptischen Reiter sind auf die Erde gekommen und haben diese lahmgelegt. So plötzlich sie auftauchten, so schnell sind sie wieder verschwunden. Bis plötzlich der erste Reiter, die Seuche, zurückkehrt und die Seuche verteilend durch die Welt reitet. Sara versucht ihn aufzuhalten und hat ihm eine Falle gestellt. Sie hat ihn erschossen und verbrannt (und sein armes Pferd auch). Natürlich sind der Mann und sein Reittier unsterblich und heilen sich wieder von alleine. Er nimmt Sara als seine Gefangene, um ein Exempel zu statuieren. Sie wird hinter dem Pferd hergezogen, schürft sich alles auf, bis sie davon in Ohnmacht fällt und wird auch sonst schrecklich behandelt. Aber was erwartet sie? Sie hat ihn bei lebendigem Leib verbrannt. Und auch wenn Pestilence nicht sterben kann, so fühlt er doch den Schmerz davon. In der Zeit, die die beiden zusammen verbringen, lernt Pestilence mehr über die Menschen und vor allem über Sara. Und, Überraschung, irgendwann entwickeln sie Gefühle füreinander. Aber wie soll das gut gehen? Er ist unsterblich und bringt die Seuche über die Menschheit. ___________________________ Ja, es klingt alles so abwegig, aber ich habe das Buch (ab ca. 35 %) echt genossen. Es hat mich unterhalten und es war schön zu sehen, wie sie Vertrauen und die Beziehung aufgebaut haben, wie Pestilence sich verändert hat. Es ist kein smutty Buch, aber es kommen intime Szenen vor, die sehr gefühlsvoll sind. Ich bin mir unsicher, ob ich eine Empfehlung aussprechen kann. Einerseits ist die Story echt nicht schlecht, andererseits kostet es echt Überwindung den Schreibstil zu ignorieren. Entscheidet selbst, ob ihr damit klar kommt. Falls ja, lest gerne rein.

Brandee: I found the premise for Pestilence (and this series) intriguing. I mean, a romance with a horseman of the apocalypse? But I couldn’t have imagined how gripping and thought-provoking it ended up being. I think the most provocative element was that love, although it’s supposed to bring out the best in us, sometimes awakens the worse. But even through that, we’re all capable of change. What did you find most thought-provoking about the book? Nadene: Knowing what the horsemen of the apocalypse signifies, I must admit the premise intrigued me. Having never read the author before, I was curious as to what creative licence she would take with this prophesied biblical event. Never, had I imagined such an engrossing and thought-provoking tale. The thing that stood out most for me is how we has humans tend to be judgmental of things which we have no knowledge of. Sara judged Pestilence unfairly without trying to understand his purpose. She in turn was judged by others because of her association with him. Brandee: We humans really do tend to judge that which is different and we don’t understand. A true human failing. Brandee: One of my favorite elements in the book is the playful banter between Sara and Pestilence. It didn’t start out fun, that’s for sure. But as they got to know each other, their interplay was fun and often had me laughing. Here are a few of my favorite quotes: I run a hand down the steed’s neck. “You know, beneath your hardened exterior is just a woman who wants love and acceptance,” I say to Trixie. ”My steed is a man.” Pestilence says as he enters the room. ”You’re human,” he says. “I don’t like your kind. I’m not supposed to like you.” I don’t breathe for a second. Don’t ask the question, Burns. Don’t— “But you do?” I say. His eyes drop to my mouth. He touches my lower lip with his thumb, rubbing it gently. “God forgive me, I do.” ”I cannot decide if you are a toxin or a tonic,” he says, lifting a hand to my cheek. “Only that you plague my thoughts and fill my veins.” Pestilence would really work on his compliments. Your favorite quotes? Nadene : I too enjoyed their banter. Pestilence is honest to a fault. He speaks exactly what is on his mind. No diplomacy for this horseman. Sara is definitely a riot. She has no filter and each time she speaks or thinks to herself I cannot help but laugh. However, I also enjoyed the moments where Pestilence never failed to let Sara knew exactly how he felt. “What are you speaking of?” Pestilence asks. “I’m quoting ‘The Raven.’ It’s a poem by Edgar Allan Poe.” Pestilence makes a noise at the back of his throat. “I should’ve known that brief flash of eloquence was not your making.” “Do you even have the ability to speak without insulting me?” I say. I swear this bastard is just trying to kill my morning buzz. “Of course.” I can hear the smug smile in his voice. “It is just that there are so very many things about you worth insulting.” “You’re human,” he says. “I don’t like your kind. I’m not supposed to like you.” I don’t breathe for a second. Don’t ask the question, Burns. Don’t— “But you do?” I say. His eyes drop to my mouth. He touches my lower lip with his thumb, rubbing it gently. “God forgive me, I do.” “Amongst my growing list of flaws is cowardice,” Pestilence says in the darkness. “I come to you now like a thief in the night, for I fear you’ll never listen to me under the light of day,” his voice is whisper soft, “and I must confess all the things in my heart.” Allllright. This should be interesting. “I find you beautiful, dear Sara, so beautiful. But it’s such a sharp, scathing beauty—like the edge of my arrowheads—because I remember you are not like me. One day, you will die, and I am growing anxious of that fact.” “And I cannot figure out what this is,” he continues, “only that I feel it when I see you and when I think of you. When we ride together and I hold you, I feel as though all is right. And when you laugh, I think I might truly die. This is an agonizing sort of pleasure, and it’s ever so perplexing. I don’t understand how pain and affection can coexist alongside one another.” “When you ignore me, I burn with restlessness; it feels as though the sun has turned its back on the world. And when you smile at me—when you gaze at me like you can see my soul—I feel … I feel like I am lit on fire, like you have been called by God to raze my world.” Brandee: I did find myself frustrated with Sara’s hesitation in admitting her feelings for Pestilence. I understood it at first because she (and the world) saw him as a monster. But then, once she’d seen he was more than meets the eye – despite his insistence otherwise – it aggravated me that she couldn’t verbalize what she felt. How did you feel about Sara’s hesitancy? Especially after Pestilence admitted his emotions? Nadene: I too understood her reasons for hesitating. After all, how would it look for one to be in love with the person responsible bringing death and sickness to the world. However, after awhile her hesitancy grated on my nerves – even after she saw the goodness within him. I believed that hesitancy was due in part to her fear of what others might think. Brandee: My favorite scenes were probably those with Ruth and Ron. These two were special human beings and definitely helped in getting Sara and Pestilence to see each other’s point of view. Your favorite scene(s)? Nadene : I loved several scenes, including the one with Ruth and Ron. It resonated with me. The scene which also resonated with me was when Sara finally came to terms with her feeling with Pestilence. It was where they came under attack and the lengths, she went through to protect him. Brandee: Overall, Pestilence ticked all my boxes. Nadene : Yup! One of the best books I’ve read since the start of the year. Brandee: My last question for you is WHEN CAN WE BUDDY READ WAR?

Ich habe mich so auf die Reihe gefreut, weil ich sowas in der Art noch nicht gelesen habe. Und es konnte mich überzeugen. Es hatte Humor, zwischendurch war es etwas derb und war einfach mal was Neues. Das Ende kam überraschend schnell und so hatte ich es auch nicht kommen sehen. Ich kann es auf jeden Fall empfehlen und freue mich auf die Folge Bände ❤️

Für ein Fantasy Buch sind meiner Meinung nach zu wenige durchdachte Teile der "Welt" erklärt. Es hätte deutlich ausschweifender sein können, auch was die Handlung betrifft. Man erfährt immer nur mehr über Sara und Pestillence, aber es gab so viele andere potentielle Charaktere und mögliche Storylines, dass ich von dem bisschen tatsächlicher Story etwas enttäuscht war. Alles andere hat mich dagegen überzeugen können. Pestillence ist ein sehr tiefgründiger Charakter, der mich mit seinem neuen Blick auf die Menschheit mehr als ein Mal zum Lachen gebracht hat. Abgesehen davon ist er sehr "schön anzusehen", was die Autorin vielleicht 1-2 mal zu viel erwähnt hat. Sara hat alle, was eine tragische Heldin braucht. Sie ist moralisch in der Zwickmühle und handelt meist menschlich und verständnisvoll. Das bedeutet nicht, dass die damit immer die richtigen Entscheidungen trifft, aber das ist wohl im Leben selten so. Im Großen und Ganzen habe ich es genossen das Buch zu lesen, aber es wird mir wohl nicht besonders in Erinnerung bleiben.

First, I think Laura Thalassa's idea is genius. (The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse falling for mortal girls? Perfect. Immaculate. I was sooo looking forward to reading this!s) The execution...not so much and so I had some major issues with this book: The story. It was repetitive and dragging. Riding, spreading the plague and crashing in dying people's houses isn't exactly what I would call a great plot. Sara. Pestilence literally just tortured her and promised her (like 1000 times) to make her suffer and still she more or less immediately falls for him because he's pretty? Have some self-respect! Also her language was a massive let down for me, the excessive use of swear-word didn't make her look sassy and badass but rather juvenile and immature and I couldn't take her seriously. Pestilence. For a divine, otherworldly, terrifying horseman he seemed awfully mundane and boring. The ending. WHAT WAS THAT??!! I was HOWLING! But what I really don't understand is that even though I have so much to nag about, I still somehow enjoyed the book - it ist just so hilarious. I genuinely felt entertained and so much so that I want to read the next book in the series!