User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
The Darkest Winter: An Ending World Novel, is book one in the Savage North Chronicles by Lindsey Pogue. This is a spin off series from Lindsey’s previous The Ending Series. You do NOT have to have read The Ending series to enjoy this book. Not in the least. But I have read it. I was obsessively in love with it while I was reading it so it made me that much more excited about this book and going back to that world. And wow, was it worth the wait. Every single page of it!
Eleanor (Elle) St. James lives a solitary and somewhat transient life working aboard a cruise ship, only returning to Alaska between cruises. She has a twin sister who lives a few towns away in Alaska. Elle has gotten word that her step father has died and she was named in the will. Her presence is needed to take care of matters.
Jackson Mitchell is a cop in Alaska. His wife is eight months pregnant. Both Jackson and Elle have a darkness in their pasts that haunts them in different ways. They have not yet met, but both of their lives are about to change in a way that will test both of them in every way possible.
A virus has been sweeping the nation and has now found its way up to Alaska. It initially was thought to be a flu virus of some sort but it’s soon evident that this is not the flu. Everyone is dying. Only a few seem to survive. And of those few, some come out the other side insane. Of those few that managed to survive with their minds intact, they soon realize that they possess an ability, a power, different for everyone.
Both Jackson and Elle have lost their families. When Elle travels to try to find her twin sister, what she finds instead are a group of orphaned children, two siblings, Beau, nine, and Thea, six. Also, seventeen year old Alex and eighteen year old Sophie. At this point, none of them understand what is happening. Only that they are alive, alone and scared. Elle takes them with her as they try to find somewhere safe to go while they figure things out.
Jackson happens upon the group when they need him most and agrees to accompany them until their paths separate. Jackson is dealing with his grief in his own way but a funny thing happens over time when you put this group of people together in such desperate times. They begin to care for one another. They begin to form a bond, and become a family of sorts.
This group of six is in constant danger from both the elements of an Alaskan winter and from the crazies in this post apocalyptic world. At the same time, they are each discovering that they are capable of something they don’t understand. Is it a gift or a curse? Why are they suddenly able to do these things?
Wow, what a crazy wild ride. I loved every page of this. This is not a cliff hanger, mostly. This is told alternating in both Elle and Jackson’s point of views. This summer, a novella, The Longest Night, will be released which will be the origin stories of Alex and Sophie. Then this Fall, Midnight Sun will be released which will be Alex and Sophie’s story in the present as they and the rest of the group fight for survival and answers.
I love everything about these characters and this world. I would classify this as YA/NA. There isn’t any romance in this book until close to the end. Coming from me, a romance junkie, it’s pretty shocking that I loved it so much since I normally don’t even pay attention to a book unless it is romance. But believe me when I say you won’t even have time to think about it. Plus the fact that the connection between Elle and Jackson was enough to keep me hooked. If this is a trope you enjoy, I hope I have convinced you to give this a try. And that you love it as much as I did.
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Rating: really liked it
Holy Disasters! This is fabulous!
As if the savage and often harsh beauty of Alaska isn’t enough to test one’s fortitude, the Virus came and the world as we know it ends with billions dying. Now there are few left of humanity and they are uniquely changed with superhuman abilities. Are those abilities a gift or a curse?
Welcome to Lindsey Pogue’s latest test for survival,
THE DARKEST WINTER. Get ready for frigid weather and both the best and worst that humanity has to offer as one woman discovers there is more to fear than the ghosts of her past, one man finds a reason to live and life for four young orphans will never be the same again. Together this ragtag family will fight to survive in a world now peppered with superhuman abilities and death and darkness around every corner. Who can be trusted? What secrets must be kept which should be shared?
Lindsey Pogue knows how to create a world with a believable atmosphere of desperation and doom all while balancing it precariously on a ledge of hope. Post-apocalyptic tales test both the strength of survivors and the author’s ability to bring us into a world that may or may not ever happen, but we feel every emotion, see every event and become part of the world we have entered. Her writing is filled with well-thought action, scenes that can be chilling and terrifying and characters that will wither steal one’s heart and loyalty or make one rage with contempt, all while making each page disappear in a non-stop need for more!
In a world filled with end of times reading,
THE DARKEST WINTER is a cut above the rest and a brilliant foundation for a new series that can only get even better!
I received a complimentary copy from Lindsey Pogue!
Series: Savage North Chronicles - Book 1
Publication Date: May 9, 2019
Publisher: Lindsey Pogue
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic | Science Fiction
Print Length: 501 pages
Available from: Amazon
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Rating: really liked it
Started at the end of August, finished at the end of October.
It's not bad but I never felt like I just had to read it. I'd walk away for a few days, return and read a few chapters, or even just a few pages, then put it down again.
I don't mean to damn it with faint praise, I actually loved the characters and I think there is a 5 Star story in this book with about 200 pages that a good editor would have nixed.
It's kind of X-Men in Alaska with bandits and bad guys.
Rating: really liked it
The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began.
A group of orphaned misfits.
The wild lands of the last frontier.
Superhuman abilities, harrowing adventures, and heartbreaking secrets.
Elle - Haunting shadows are nothing new to Elle St. James, she’s been running from them all her life. But since the outbreak spread from the lower forty-eight, new monsters lurk in the darkness. After Elle wakes from The Fever, capable of horrific deeds, she fears she’s one of them. When she stumbles upon four orphans, Elle’s forced to discover what happens when her greatest fear becomes her darkest secret and her only hope of surviving.
Jackson - After the world goes mad and takes his family with it, Jackson decides a bottle of bourbon and the depths of despair are preferable to any semblance of living. But when Jackson wakes from the black hole of oblivion with a gun in his face, he must choose whether he wants to die or fight to find something worth living for.
Brought together under the worst possible circumstances, Elle and Jackson must face the inexplicable realities of the new world. Their past lives are over, and the arctic isn’t all that’s savage anymore.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 StarsWow...when I first started reading this, I had no idea I already read this authors other series that coincide with this. And I kept thinking to myself...wow, this is kinda close to home with everything we are going through with the COVID-19...oh boy...I kept imagining what would we do today if there were the same results...then anxiety set in!
Well, this story is about Elle and Jackson separately at first until they meet up. Each with their skeletons from the past, they along with 4 kids Elle picked up on the way, learn about the reason for the virus, the abilities they picked up , how to deal with the crazies, and especially how to survive on the land in Alaska.
Rating: really liked it
You Guys! I have so much to say about this book. Let me start with how I discovered the author. I follow another author who I’ve discovered this year on Instagram, Kandi, who allowed Lindsey to do a Instagram takeover, which I loved! Community and boss babe friendships is something I LOVE and strive for in my own life so I was drawn to Lindsey because of this.
Because I followed her, I had entered myself into a giveaway where I earned a free copy of either this book or one called “Nothing But Trouble.” And because I’m a romance junkie, I went with the second option. And loves every second of it! I discovered how amazing Lindsey is at setting the story off with a bang, paying attention to all the details, and creating characters who are easy to fall in love it.
After finishing Nothing But Trouble I knew I had to read another one of her books and she had spoke so highly of her Savage North series and how much hard work she put into building the books. So I was excited to adventure from my norm of romance and dive into a post-apocalyptic world.
I have to admit, it took me several chapters to get hooked into the story and it had nothing to do with Lindsey’s writing and everything to do with me and fighting against the urge to pick up a romance novel. I’ve been so used to reading them that reading something so different was harder to enjoy than I expected.
But I pushed through and boy, am I glad that I did. This book is crammed with action, with enjoyable characters, and wow what an amazing story line. After I got about 10 chapters deep, I was swept away and forgot all about romance lol.
The story follows two main characters; Ellie and Jackson. It begins in the very beginning of the virus attack. Everything seemed as normal as it could be until one day the whole world took a huge hit. People started getting sick, some were going crazy, and others began to die. Ellie and Jackson both lost those who were closest to them and right when they both felt like they were going to completely break down, they found each other and restores purpose and hope into their lives.
But the story doesn’t just follow Ellie and Jackson. There is also Sophie & Alex, the teens, and Thea and Beau, age 6 & 10 who are brother and sister. Together they worked together to survive daily and along the ride, you can’t help but just fall for this founded family.
The virus wasn’t all they had to worry about. Ever since the virus, they each have noticed a change within themselves and began to notice through out the book. They could do remarkable things that they later called their “Powers”. But they weren’t the only ones in the world with these powers. There were crazies out there, lurking & hunting.
Towards the end there was a little bit of romance which set my heart on fire. It was so worth the wait! And I love that this story didn’t just focus on the romance or even the survival. It focused on the importance of family and being there for one another. I just loved that so much! And I’ll say it again, I fell in love with all of these characters.
That is all I will share for now. I urge you to pick up this book! It is so good and has easily became one of my top favorites. Lindsey is an incredible writer and I look forward to reading the next book of this series.
Rating: really liked it
I actually enjoyed this apocalyptic story of plague survivors banding together quite a bit. I thought the idea was pretty well executed and I liked the characters and their back stories. However, I felt that the writer could have done a better job with revealing the characters’ secrets, as in many cases I had to make assumptions that were never made clear but from then on presumed. Also, editing is needed for punctuation and grammatical errors.
Rating: really liked it
I have read the entire Ending Series that takes place in another part of the country but resulted from the same flu epidemic so I love this post-apocalyptic world. We are introduced to Alex, Sophie and the two kids in the prequel, The Longest Night, and now Elle and Jackson.
Elle is just trying to survive after discovering her twin didn't make it through the flu and takes on a maternal role for the four orphans she encountered when trying to get to her sister. As they are making their way to what they hope is a safe place, they come across Jackson who unwillingly takes on a paternal role with a definite time limit in his mind. He's a cop who has suffered unimaginable loss and just wants to escape into a bottle to blunt his pain in this new world. He certainly hadn't planned on caring for this group that has become his family.
There isn’t any romance in this book until close to the end. It's all about survival and reaching a safe place they hope they can finally start building a new life. Plus most of them are slowly realizing they have new abilities as the story unfolds and trying to manage them and understand what it means to their futures.
I'm really looking forward to the next story in this world, Midnight Sun.
Rating: really liked it
I chose The Darkest Winter on a whim, because the synopsis sounded interesting. But overall, I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. I'm a little hesitant to read things that involve pandemics right now, because it hits close to home (obviously), but this book was just
so good.
I loved getting to know all the characters and watching them come into their own in this new, harsh world, but one of the most refreshing parts of this book was how clear it was that the author knew what she was talking about. She clearly did extensive research on Alaska and its people. The story, the setting, all of it feels
real.
I can't wait to read book 2.
Rating: really liked it
I’m giving this 5 stars Bc i couldnt put it down. The characters acted believable, and i grew to love them quickly. If your on the fence about this book, i say give it a shot. I deff and going to continue on with the series!
Rating: really liked it
One day Elle’s worst nightmares were from her past, the next she was living them. A simple virus signaled the end of the world. One minute she is all alone in the world estranged from her identical twin, the next she’s a pseudo mother/big sister to four orphans and accompanied by Jackson, a broken-hearted, drunken man. Brought together at the end in the worst possible circumstances, these six discover that it’s just the beginning. They must brave the harsh Alaskan world, face the cruelty and insanity of other survivors, and deal with the changes to their bodies after surviving the virus. The past is forever gone in the broken aftermath of the virus. The future is uncertain. To survive they must work together, to thrive they must become family.
I am a huge post-apocalyptic fan and one of my favorite series is The Ending. It is so well written, so creative, and so character driven. Obviously, I was thrilled that the original series was continuing with a spin-off of sorts with a new set of characters. The Alaska setting adds yet another dimension. You do not need to read the original series before this one but you should. It’s awesome. The original will also provide additional background for the virus that make parts of this story scarier. I am amazed with the ingenuity of this story weaving itself in with the other in such an original way. When I opened page one and discovered that the ending began on my birthday I was thrilled. While I may not admit it and there may or may not have been witnesses, I might have squealed. You can have your normal presents on your birthday; I will take the apocalypse! This book is outstanding! It is such a perfect essay of how much we stand to lose after we’ve lost everything. Life at the end is deadly, harsh, and unforgiving but there is beauty still. And family. And love. The characters are all so normal. They could be your neighbors, your co-workers or mates. They each had a set of baggage prior to the end and each had to find a way to move on in this new world. The dynamic of strangers of different ages with different backgrounds and life experience created a dynamic that was so realistic amid their new reality. I was captivated from the first page and had difficulty putting the book aside until I was finished. In times of great change and trauma people show their best or their worst. They discover previously hidden strengths or they perish. The chance encounters in this book must have been fated. These six strangers became the family they never expected to have. Their emotions became my emotions, their daily ups and downs, their small victories and defeats, and their milestones and events became my own. I celebrated and mourned with them, feared with them and for them. I became their seventh family member.
This is a large book. It’s absorbing and satisfying. It’s not enough. I am now invested in Elle, Jackson, Sophie, Alex, Beau, and little Thea. I can’t wait to see how they learn to manage their powers, where they decide to settle, and what the next part of their lives will be like!
Rating: really liked it
5 star! - Suspenseful & Emotional📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
❄️🔥❄️
Darkest Winter is a an excellent end-of-the-world tale that kept me riveted and warmed my heart. It’s a story of the best and worst mankind has to offer. It’s a story of adventure and suspense. Most of all, it’s a story of hope and the meaning of family.
🔥❄️🔥
An apocalyptic virus annihilates most of humanity and our heroine, Elle, finds herself taking care of four orphaned children. Elle is strong, kind, and so relatable. I absolutely loved her character! Jackson enters the story and they all bond while negotiating this new world and working to survive the “savage north.”
❄️🔥❄️
This story is well-written with great character development and the author does a particular good job of keeping the tension ramped up throughout the story. I found myself tensing up as I turned the pages! There’s not much romance but I didn’t find it lacking because there’s so much connection between the characters.
🔥❄️🔥
This is the first book of the Savage North Chronicles, which is a spin-off of The Ending series. You do not need to have read The Ending, but I bet you will after you read this one. 😁 It’s not a cliffhanger, as the plot resolves with satisfaction, but you know there’s more story to be told! The Longest Night, a novella, will be released this summer. 🙌🏽
❄️🔥❄️
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#apocalypticfiction #survivalfiction #dystopian #theendingseries #savagenorthchronicles #darkestwinter #lindseypogue
Rating: really liked it
The Darkest Winter (Savage North Chronicles Book 1) - a review by Rosemary Kenny
*slight spoilers*A solidly-written, totally engaging, apocalyptic what if...? near future story, The Darkest Winter is Book 1 in Lindsey Pogue's epic new spin-off from the Ending World Novel /Savage North Chronicles series that will keep you gripped for many hours with its dramatic scenes.
MC Elle is separated from her twin sister after a stupid falling out, only to risk her safety when a deadly virus kills 90% of the World's population and leaves her to make a desperate bid for survival in Alaska's far North. A vivid picture is painted in a two-person narrative by MCs Elle and Jackson, of the way civilization could destroy itself even more quickly than global warming, due to man's reckless and dangerous mistreatment of his environment. Compare this present reality,with the deadly virus that strikes silently and contrast the way humanity is being thrown back to the previous century. This includes the total loss of utilities and basics like food and health care. As she travels north towards Alaska and hoped-for safety, Elle encounters four orphaned youngsters, ranging in age between 6 and 18, taking on the additional stresses of becoming an instant 'surrogate Mom'. Will she be able to cope against not only the savage elemental weather changes, but also predators, both animal and human, who stalk or attack along the way?A chance meeting with ex-cop Jackson Mitchell, (a drunk who's grieving the loss of his wife in late pregnancy),helps the unlikely duo to start to work together, meld their enhanced abilities, (which seem to be a side-effect of being immune to the virus) together with those of their charges, to battle for survival against the odds and become a family, with a safe haven.
How will the epic journey in The Darkest Winter by Lindsey Pogue end? Can Elle and Jackson find solace and comfort each other after their losses? What will their orphan charges think of the frozen homeland their new 'parents' have brought them to? Will the six refugees survive the predators who hunt them?
Only buying a copy of The Darkest Winter will give you the answers -plus the satisfaction of knowing that more books in the series are not too far off - go for it!
Rating: really liked it
Such an awesome first of a new spin-off series.
The Darkest Winter is the first book of the new Ending Series, The Savage North Chronicles. It takes place in the last frontier of Alaska and parts of the Yukon territory, Canada.
The two main characters are Elle and Jackson. Both characters experienced trauma and together, work through the scars to save and protect 4 orphan children as the world ends.
This book gives you a peek into the Alaska experience. How much people do rely on the land. Especially everyone is dealing with a mystery virus and experiencing new "abilities."
I was sucked in from page one. Being an Alaska raised girl, this book gave me a taste of home.
The suspense of the illness and the development of each character is spot on. The Savage North Chronicles can be read with The Ending series, or it can be a complete stand alone series.
Great job and I can't wait for book two!!!
Rating: really liked it
The end of the world is here will you survive the virus? The Darkest Winter is set in the same world as Lindsey Pogue and Lindsey Fairleigh's After The Ending series but does not need to be read after these books, it can be read as a standalone.
Adults Elle and Jackson, teenagers Sophie and Alex, and young siblings Beau and Thea are all strangers to each other but become a family after surviving a virus that virtually wipes out 90 percent of the human population leaving civilization in shambles. The survivors struggle to live in the extremely cold and inhospitable environment of winter in Alaska as the old world has died violently... and the new world that replaced it is incredibly dangerous with animal predators and human predators; those who have gone insane from the virus and are hunting survivors!
