PODS BY MICHELLE PICKETT

ISBN: 978-1937053284
ASIN: B00CXWC7IG
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages/File Size: 288pages/714KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book

BLURB from Goodreads
Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul. 

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters. 

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

MY REVIEW
First of all let me start with thanking Spencer Hill Press for sending me a paperback of PODs to read and review.
I was immediately attracted to the cover when I saw it. The female pictured is Evangeline, or Eva as she prefers to be called. She is looking hesistantly out of a very metallic looking habitat. I like the worn effect on the title. the placement of the title and author name works well and of course there's the byline. The byline says  "The end of the world is only the beginning" which sums things up perfectly. After seeing the cover and reading the blurb I didn't just want to read it I felt I had to read it!
A virus is spreading through the world, it cannot be cured, when a person gets the virus they  have just days left to live. The government realises something has to be done to save humanity, but what and who, as they cannot save everyone. It is decided that once the "important people" have been chosen, there will be a raffle. Everyone's national insurance number will be literally put into a hat and the numbers will be drawn. 
If your number is chosen, you will be "saved" and allowed to enter the governments secret POD system where you will live for at least 12 months. The government and powers that be think that the virus will be dead in just a year.
So like families all over Eva and her parents are sat around the TV (the only source of information) waiting for the raffle to happen, only it doesn't, they don't actually see the numbers drawn, all that is done in secret. They find out Eva is to be "saved" and is "a chosen one" when they receive a phone call. Eva is given instructions on what to do next. Eva is allowed just 2 suitcases, and has to report to a local school prior to being transported to quarantine. Once quarantine is over she will be taken to her POD and meet her fellow "pod mates" whom she will be spending the next 12 months with every day, all day! Obviously Eva doesn't want to leave her parents but they want her to go, to be safe in a POD.
The book goes on about life in the POD, the different pod mates in there together.
I really could go on and on about the book, the part I have explained about the book above really is only the first chapter or so. there's plenty happening. Life isn't as safe as everyone is led to believe. After the year has passed people are taken from the PODs to form villages that turn out to be more like military compounds. The freedom of being out of the POD isn't like freedom at all, your every move is dictated by those higher up in the chain of command. Then there's the big secret the government is trying to keep quiet, the virus hasn't died . . . it's mutated and seems stronger than ever. the infected continually attack the survivors, there's no where to hide from them. If an "infected" bites you, you become one of them. If you ingest the infected blood or it goes into a cut on you and mixes with your blood, you become one of them and die. The infected are basically monsters. To survive an attack from an infected you have to kill them, before they bite you. The monsters are large and very strong. On the outside of a compound you are constantly fighting for survival, to fins food and shelter as well as fighting off the monster attacks.
After a lot of different things happening (I'm not going to reveal as you need to read it yourselves) Eva is reunited with David, the guy she fell for in the PODs. They end up after an ardous journey with a group of topsiders who are virus free, hiding out in the PODs. . . . Should they stay in the PODs? Should they leave with there newly found friends? Will they live? Will the infected get in the PODs with them? Will a cure ever be found? What is happening back at the compound/villagers whilst they are hiding in the PODs. And sadly who lives and who dies?
This is a well written book, with great descriptions, so much so you can visualise it. There is always something happening, or building up to happening. 
So did I enjoy this book? Wow YESSSS! I had fallen for the cover and blurb as soon as I saw them so I really desperately wanted to read this book, and my instinct was 100% right I totally loved this book! Would I recommend the book? Definitely, I'm already nagging my daughter to read it so we can talk about it! It's a book you want to talk about, you want to think about what will happen next . . Would I read a Bk#2 in this Series? Er..Yes please when can I have it to read? I'd read it like now! if I could. Would I read other books by Michelle Pickett? Yes, I certainly intend to. I love her style and pace of writing. 

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