REVIEW: The Aftermath by Jen Alexander

Sometimes, I dream that I'm someone else.

A girl with dark hair who doesn't worry about hunger

or thirst or running from flesh-eaters.

In her world, those sorts of things don't exist.

Since the spring of 2036, when the world changed forever, Claudia and a small clan of survivors have roamed the streets of a very altered Nashville: polluted and desolate, except for the ever-present threat of cannibal Hoarders. Together they must undergo punishing tests of endurance and psychological challenge sometimes with devastating consequences all just to live another day.

With food and water in dwindling supply, and with danger lurking around every corner, no one can be trusted. And as her world starts to make less and less sense, Claudia begins to realize something terrifying: she is just a pawn in some sort of game, and all of her actions are being controlled from afar by a mysterious gamer. So when she meets a maddening and fascinating outsider named Declan, who claims to be a game moderator, she must decide whether to join him in exchange for protection and access to the border.

If they play the game right, they are each other's best hope for survival and a life beyond the only world Claudia's ever known: the terrifying live-action game known as The Aftermath.

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MY THOUGHTS
I went into this book with no clue as to what it was about. I had the vague idea that it was dystopian and had something to do with videogames, but that was it. And yes, both of those were involved, but there was so much more to it!

This was a very unique book and yes, it had some videogame inspiration, but the idea is new and very interesting. The  I'm sorry if I'm being vague, but it's much more exciting to go into this book knowing as little as possible (Though, you can always read the synopsis if you want to see how original of an idea this book has). The world-building involved in creating The Aftermath and the dystopian society is amazing!  So much is involved in the creation of this world and you do actually feel like you are within it!

I, honestly, don't have very many issues with this book. Some of the characters felt a bit flat, but that's understandable due to the situation and many of the characters grew rounder as the story went on. There were some things I had a hard time believing, <highlight to view spoiler>Like the fact that Claudia took until now to figure out that she was being controlled by someone else. It was mentioned that she was already somewhat aware, so why didn't she realize this?<end of spoiler> but they were easy to ignore.

IN CONCLUSION
A fast-paced, suspenseful dystopian with a very unique plot! While this book has some video game inspiration, you don't have to be a gamer to enjoy it! I'm not a gamer, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
I do recommend it to those who want to read a brand-new take on dystopians!
And I will definitely be reading the sequel! Especially after that ending!

I hereby give this book

4 Wheels!

Meaning: It was amazing!