Wednesday, September 4, 2019

From my TBR shelf...

Title & Author:  When the Power is Gone by P.A. Glaspy

Why I bought it:  EMP, preppers, survival. Need I say more?

The premise:  Anne Mathews is trying to get her teen-age son out the door for school when the lights, the phones, and everything else goes dark. Anne immediately suspects an EMP, especially when she can't get her car started. And even though she never thought it would actually happen, she and her husband, and their close friends and neighbors, the Hoppers, have been preparing for this exact worse case scenario for years. Now they're going to have to put all those plans to the test, because their day to day life just became a fight for survival.

Favorite line:  "Yep, I knew exactly what this was. And it was going to really suck."

My thoughts:  I love reading books about preparing for and surviving unexpected disasters, especially when the characters are as likable as the ones in this book. They're practical, smart, and determined to survive. And even though they know they can't help everyone ,they do try to help the ones they can. I'd love to have them as my neighbors! And while the plot of this one is pretty predictable, I thought it was also well-written, fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining. I'll definitely be buying the sequel.

My rating:  4/5 stars.

Happy Reading!


31 comments:

  1. Oh this sounds like a good read and that's a pretty solid rating. Glad you enjoyed this one!

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    1. If you like this kind of book, this is a good one.

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  2. :) It is always fun to read about how people might react to disaster. I'll be checking this one out! Ted Koppel's nonfiction Lights Out is a frightening look at the consequences of an EMP.

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    1. I read Koppel's Lights Out, too, and it is very scary to think about how something like that can so easily happen here. It makes me shiver.

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  3. I think this one sounds good. Yes, Jenclair mentioned Ted Koppel's book and I've so far avoided that one because I thought I might be too anxious thinking about an EMP. Fiction on the other hand...might be OK. Ha!

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  4. An EMP is my worst nightmare. As Kay said up above, even reading about them now that I've read that Kopell book tends to make me a bit anxious. Having lived through enough hurricanes in Houston, I know how easily and quickly everything can fall apart when the power is out. Scary stuff.

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    1. I don't like to imagine how fast things would go downhill for us if an EMP really did hit. It is a very scary thought! And yet, I love to read fictionalized accounts of it. Go figure. :D

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  5. I like that line, I might just check out this book. I really do like survival stories and honestly, if anything like this happen, I think we're all going to have a very bad day because we depend on our electronics so much.

    Have a lovely day.

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    1. We do depend on everything electronic these days. I'm not sure how many of us could survive without them. Thanks for commenting! :)

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  6. This sounds like something I'd really enjoy. I love reading about stuff like this. It's terrifying to think of an EMP happening in real life, but it's always interesting to see how different characters react to it.

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    1. I think that's why I like reading these kinds of stories so much. They always make me think what I would do in similar circumstances, too. :)

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  7. This sounds like it is a slightly more positive take on the sub-genre with likable characters who are actually prepared.

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    1. That's one of the things I liked about it. Of course, you also have the requisite bad guys who are never prepared... except to take stuff from other people. :)

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  8. This sounds like a good read. It'd be too terrifying if in real life, isn't it.

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  9. I loved the Mercy Kilpatrick series, the first I've read with preppers, but my son and husband used to watch a bunch of YouTube videos made by preppers. Just about generators, power panels, wells, and such. Being self-sustaining. They were interesting, especially when I've read a bunch of end-of-the-world type scenarios, whether it be zombies or just crappy governments that bring about the end, I always wonder how/if I'd survive. This sounds really interesting. I'll have to check it out! :)

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    1. Every time I read one of these books it makes me want to go to the store and stock up on batteries and water bottles. :D

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  10. I can handle a predictable plot as long as everything else in a novel is well done. Sounds like I need to check this one out!

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    1. I thought the writing in this one was really good; it's better than a lot of other similar books I've read.

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  11. This sounds like a book for our friend Chuckles. I enjoy books like these and it has been far too long since I've read one.

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    1. Knowing her, she's probably already read it. :D

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    2. Read and reviewed this trilogy on my blog in 2018! I've been raving about it on the blog ever since!

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  12. Ooh I need to get this. I love stuff like this too. Especially when the people are decent (and try to stay that way) and don't just become savages lol.

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    1. Why do the 'savages' always outnumber the 'decent' people in these kinds of books?

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  13. I really loved this trilogy when I read it. I've been raving on about it for a couple of years!

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    1. I thought you'd read it...and that you really liked it. And I can see why. It's a lot of fun. And I can't wait to read the next one! :)

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  14. I enjoy books like this from time to time too. I probably wouldn't fare well if I was in this situation, admittedly, but I like to live vicariously through the characters. I am glad you liked this one!

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    1. I like to live vicariously through book characters, too. :D

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  15. I don't think I've read any books like this one but kinda curious now! Sounded like a good fast-paced story.

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    1. It's a good one to try if you've never read any like it before.

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