She is born as the world is dying. A woman with no memory wakes to a nightmare. A strange new virus is sweeping the planet, killing millions.
And a vast majority of those that die come back as mindless creatures intent on devouring their prey - humans.
In this desolate new reality there is only one person she can trust; a fellow captive of the ravenous hordes. And when they get separated she will fight both the living and the dead to get back to her friend.
On her journey from the untamed mountains of Wyoming to a ruined city in Colorado, she must also fight with an unexpected foe: the wild wolf with which she shares her body and mind.
First of a planned trilogy.
Publisher: Toni L.H. Boughton; 1st edition (May 13, 2014)
Print Length: 161 pages
Review
I gave Wolf Running 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads
This book was obtained through Kindle Unlimited (30-day trial)
Toni Boughton approached me via email to ask if I would read and review her book. I had never heard of her before, so I took a look at Wolf Running on Amazon. I do this with all the books I review, since, like most people, I don't like to read books that don't appeal to me. I thought the synopsis looked very interesting, so I agreed. I'm happy to say, my pre-assessment that the story would be interesting was correct!
While the story takes place during the onset and aftermath of the zombie apocalypse, it is more than a zombie versus survivor story. The main character is... hmm... I wouldn't really call her a werewolf, at least not in the way I think of werewolves. She's also not really a shapeshifter. Whatever she is, it's pretty darn cool! The not-really-a-werewolf aspect complements the story nicely and doesn't overshadow the zombie apocalypse. The zombie purist in me appreciates that.
There is plenty of action and enough gore to keep fans of zombie fiction satisfied. If you're looking for a story filled with guns, shooting, military operations, or survival tips for future apocalypses, you're not going to find it here. What you will find is a story of how one woman, with a unique ability and seemingly no past, manages to survive in a world overrun by the dead. The reader gets to travel along with the main character, Nowen, as she learns to control and eventually work cooperatively with the wolf inside her.
In addition to Wolf Runner being a great story, Toni Boughton can write! I was impressed with her style of writing immediately. Her imagery flows smoothly, painting the scenes of the story very clearly. At the same time, she does not go overboard on the details. It's surprising to me that this is her first novel because she writes like a veteran author.
There are a few proofreading/editing errors in the book, but not enough to be a distraction.
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and will definitely be reading the sequel to Wolf Running when it is available.
If you found my review of this book helpful and decide to purchase it, I'd appreciate it if you would use the link above. Amazon throws a few pennies my way when purchased through my blog. Thank you!
About the Author
Toni L.H.Boughton has been reading since she was four years old. She grew up in libraries and bookstores; in fact, her one and only rebellious act during her teenage years was to run away from home - to the library! Other than a one year stint in a craft store, Toni has worked around books all her life, and for many years longed to be a writer. Finally she decided to stop making up excuses not to write and just write.
Reading The Stand at an early age inculcated a love of apocalyptic fiction in Toni. Reading The Shining at an even earlier age set in stone a love of horror novels. Some of her favorite authors include Stephen King, Jeff Long, Justin Cronin, Robin McKinley, and Ben Tripp. She never misses an episode of The Walking Dead and is addicted to MST3K.
