Blackout (Newsflesh, #3)

by Mira Grant

[kimbacaffeinate]

Blackout the final novel in the Newflesh trilogy was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I preordered my copy shortly after finishing Deadline with its mind-blowing ending. I literally consumed this novel. Grant delivered everything I hoped for and more. Fans will be captivated by this brilliant action packed novel.

It’s the year 2041, the remaining “After the End of Times” team is in hiding. They are wanted by the CDC and US government for their part in exposing the truth in the previous novel. Despite this, they are still working to uncover more. The Kellis-Amberlee virus is mutating and spreading at a rapid pace. Florida is considered a lost cause and there are talks of shutting the boarder. Mahir’s sister is alive at a camp in Florida and will be abandoned. A rescue mission is formulated and a plan is established for getting them new identities. The tale that unfolds was pure perfection! It had narrow escapes, zombie bears, startling revelations and a mysterious patient known as 7B. My emotions were all over the place, as I shared this experience with characters I have come to love.

The characters in Grant’s novels are flawed, unique and so well fleshed-out that I feel as if I know them. I shared their pain, their joy and their fear. Shawn is still conversing with his dead sister Georgia, and now he is seeing her. I have really become attached to Shawn and I feel like I understand him so completely. He is getting ready to end this. He is prepared to expose the truth for Georgia and doesn’t think he will live beyond that. He is fearless, reckless, and loyal. Despite his fractured mind he is brilliant. Grant surrounds the Masons with the most loyal team. I loved each and every one of them. These characters were so real to me, I will miss them all. Typically I am a book gypsy, and never revisit the same tale twice. I can tell you without a doubt, that I will re-read the News Flash Trilogy again and again.

The world-building from the first page of the first novel to the last page of this trilogy was superb. Grant created a story-line that is out of this world crazy and made me believe it. I became wrapped up in the virus, the conspiracies, the technology and most of all the characters. I honestly feel like I personally know each and every member of the team. They are my friends and I feel such a loyalty to them. The tale that flowed from Grant’s pen took me on a ride I will never forget. I loved the way she broke from the story, giving us blog posts from the characters. They gave us incredible insight and made the characters up close and personal. She created ebbs and flows that sent my heart racing and then gave me time to absorb the enormity of what had occurred. Her writing style can be described as both frank and beautiful. I believed this story, I lived this story and I never wanted it to end.