Review: Radio Silence (Off the Grid #1) by Alyssa Cole

Arden Highmore is majorly cynical, but even she wouldn’t have predicted the end of the world–or at least the world as she knew it. One winter day, everything modern society has grown to rely on–electricity, cell phones, and, unfortunately, plumbing—stops working. Arden and her best friend, John, flee to his family’s cabin near the Canadian border. On the way there, they’re assaulted by scavengers, but saved by John’s hot brother, Gabriel, who takes an instant dislike to Arden.

The duo think they’ve finally found refuge at the Seong’s cabin, but things aren’t quite as peaceful as they seem: John’s parents are missing. Maggie, their teenage sister, resents Gabriel for treating her like a child. No one knows what, exactly, is going on in the outside world, and in the midst of all that, Arden and Gabriel are finding that there’s a thin line between love and hate, indeed. ~ Goodreads


Source: Purchased

Review: I can’t tell you how excited I was to read this one. Post Apocalyptic Romance!The cover is amazing and everyone is always raving about it on Twitter.

Radio Silence starts off with a bang! Arden and her best friend John are trying to find their way home to John’s family after a cataclysmic event that has knocked out all electricity. As we all know, it’s always our fellow survivors that we have to fear the most, and they see that first hand when two men corner them. It’s a pretty chilling chapter that had me hooked but then…. nothing.

Once John and Arden are rescued and make it to John’s home with his surly older brother, Gabriel, and teenage sister, Maggie, things just stagnate for most of the book. Gabriel has a savior complex and is all growly with Arden. Maggie is a surly, bratty teen and they all…argue…and argue…get on each others nerves and…argue again. At first I didn’t really mind because I thought it was an interesting dynamic and kind of cool to show the reality of being stuck together post apocalypse. When you’re smelly, cranky and bored to death. But after that I needed more and didn’t get it.
 
The problem for me, is that it seems Cole couldn’t find the right balance between world building, action and romance. Only one theme could take place a time – so the whole story felt kind of choppy.
 
Add in the grumpy hero who the heroine can’t help but lust after because he’s hot and meh…

Awesome premise – just wish the author followed through with it.

I guess if you like post apocalypse light maybe with more romance than action this might work better for you. It has RAVE reviews on Goodreads so check it out.

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Radio Silence is part of my Blogger Shame reading challenge hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup

Blogger Shame Review Challenge Progress  

  4/12 books