Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

Other Life (The Weepers, #1)

by Susanne Winnacker

The Other Life: who we were before the virus. How we'll never be again. It's been 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since Sherry has seen daylight. When things went wrong up above, she was sealed off from the world in a bunker with her family. But when they run out of food, Sherry and her dad must venture outside. There they find devastation, desolation...and the Weepers: savage mutant killers. When her dad is snatched, Sherry joins forces with gorgeous but troubled Joshua - an Avenger, determined to destroy the Weepers. But can Sherry keep her family and Joshua safe, when his desire for vengeance threatens them all? The seeds of first love are sown amongst the death and destruction of a nightmare future in this incredible debut novel. Beautifully formed and gut-wrenchingly gripping, it's essential reading.

Reviewed by Suz @ Bookish Revelations on

5 of 5 stars

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The Other Life is not your ordinary dysptoian thriller. It's incredibly action packed, fast paced, and cleverly written with wonderful originality. Winnacker paints a world so hopeless that readers will never know what's going to happen next, as she fills the pages with incredible survival, dangerous twists and turns, and intriguing arcs. The story she tells is unimaginably realistic and terrifyingly stunning, filled with stark imagery depicting the gritty and garishly haunting events happening. Readers will be clammoring for more, yet left with many answered and unanswered questions at every turn.

There is a world of total chaos and devestation going on outside the bunker that Sherry and her family have sealed themselves into for the last three years. It's filled with savage genetically mutated killers described as Weepers. They have become infected by a virus that has caused them to mutate into rabid humans that represent Zombie-like creatures who absolutely cannot be reasoned with and are extremely dangerous. They're hell bent on causing destruction and chaos with whatever they come into contact with. Avengers are determined to destory the Weepers, in order to survive living in this post-apocalyptic environment.

Winnacker's characters are wonderfully engaging and incredibly brave, full of survival skills, and determination to stop at nothing to protect those they love. Sherry is a wonderful example of this, such a strong, determined, and brave heroine in all of her attempts to find her father, save her family, and keep Joshua safe as well. She endures a lot, yet she has the tenacity and strength for reaching deep inside herself and pulling as much grit and determination to do what she knows is the right thing - protecting those she loves at all costs. Joshua, is the Avenger that finds her and manages to rescue her. Readers learn that he has absolutely nothing to and no one to lose. He is also fighting for his survival and is fueled by one thing, kill as many of the Weepers that get in his way, as possible. The romance that slowly blossoms between Sherry and Joshua, is very well balanced and developed. It's protective and filled with heartaching passion. It doesn't over shadow the main plot of the book, which is definitely a refreshing element.

The Other Life is wildly gripping and filled with incredible daring suspense and dangerous chaos. It leaves off on a major cliff hanger that will have readers craving more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark and gritty dystopian novels or post-apocalyptic story arcs. Fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Article 5 would definitely enjoy this highly suspenseful, intense, and intriguing novel.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 21 February, 2012: Finished reading
  • 21 February, 2012: Reviewed