- Noser introduces us to the New Order, a world built out of the rubble of WWIII. Here citizens live within walled cites and are kept safe from the wilds. Each citizen receives free health care, food, and housing. Placement tests assign each citizen with a career/job assignments. They live in a stress free society where crime, war, and hunger have become a thing of the past. Of course with these provisions come a handful of restrictions, and concessions. Noser did an excellent job of fleshing out the world, and sharing life within the city. However, the more she revealed, the more we as the reader could begin to see the cracks.
- We meet Silvia Wood who works in Mortuary Sciences. Her mother is disappointed as she hoped Silvia would follow in her father’s field of Botanical Sciences. Silvia has been classified as difficult, after a few failed suicide attempts following the accidental death of her father. I loved the morgue. I know what you are thinking, but I loved spending time in the morgue with Silvia and her boss and friend Gus. In a showing, not telling manner their conversations shed light on the world they live in, the past and more. Gus was cool, and allowed us to see the real Silvia.
- The Race for Citizen Glory is a New Order sponsored event that allows citizens to compete in a race. The winner gets privileges for both themselves and their families. While the storyline sounds a little familiar Noser’s story felt fresh and original. To make her mother proud Silvia enters and begins training with Liam Harman. Liam is popular in the community and Silvia soon discovers his father was also killed in the same accident. As they train, Silvia meets Liam’s older cousin and it is his paranoia that makes Silvia begins to question. All of the characters were developed and I quickly became attached.
- The romance is clean, sweet and triangle free. Noser shared first love, but kept the thread planted firmly on the side as we along with Silvia begin to question her father’s accident, the race and the New Order.
- In Dead Girl Running Noser first shows us the world and then begins to share its flaws as we delve further into current events, deaths, the accident that killed Silvia’s Dad, and more. The story was well paced with twists, turns and reveals that kept me fully engaged. I will warn you though, that the tale escalates and ends with a cliffhanger. While it really was the perfect place to end this chapter, it will certainly leave readers eager for more.
Copy provided by author. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer