{Review} The End Games by T. Michael Martin

The End Games
by T. Michael Martin
Series: The End Games #1
Pages: 369
Release Date:  May 7, 2013
by HarperCollins

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It happened on Halloween. The world ended. And a dangerous Game brought it back to life. Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks. In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good But The Game is changing. The Bellows are evolving. The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules. And the brothers will never be the same.
T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance.

Wow.  Wow wow wow.  This book was something.  Haha.  Definitely not what I was expecting.  It’s so hard to describe it, but I’m gonna try.  It was dark.  It was dark humorous.  And it was scary.  Freaking scary.  I don’t usually read books by guys, and even fewer with male protagonists written by a guy, so this one was very different from what I usually read.  For one, the whole feel of the book is different.  It’s so hard to explain, but the writing and characters and humor are just so different from books written by women.  I absolutely loved the idea for this book, and I loved the story line, and I loved the creepiness, and the writing.  This book was addictive.  There were a few slow places, but right after it picked up again.  And gosh, once it got intense, it was almost dangerous intense.  As in, if you were walking around the city reading this book and you had to cross a street and there was a car coming towards you you wouldn’t look up from this book because it was so gripping and you would get hit by a car dangerous.  Yeah.  I’m gushing right now, I know, but it’s just so hard to write a review for this book.  Ugh.  The world building was great, and the twists were great!  I loved how Martin went above and beyond what authors usually do and just made this a phenomenal book.  AND THAT ENDING!  OH MY GOD! I nearly had a heartattack.  I’m only 15, and my heart nearly stopped.  “My heart stopped” (quote from Ceaser Flickerman.  If you don’t know who that is, I can’t help you).  That ending wrapped up the book so well but at the same time set up for a second book perfectly.  AND MAN WAS IT CRAZY! 

These characters are great.  If you’re gonna have a great book, you need great characters with a ton of personality.  I give you: Michael.  This guy is awesome.  AWESOME!  His sense of humor is great to read, but he’s also very strong, brave, and messed up.  He has issues, he has responsibilities, and he’s struggling.  But he has to stay strong for Patrick, his little brother.  Patrick’s nickname is Bub.  *I only mention this because my dad calls me Bub lol.*  OK BACK TO THE REVIEW!  Patrick was a very good addition to the cast, because he’s only 5, but man does he have issues.  He made the story so exciting and very crazy haha.

I’m going to have a huge book hangover after this book.  I won’t be able to read a book for forever because I’ll still be stuck in this amazing book.  Wow.  Wow.

By the way (and I thought this was really cool) this book reminded me so much of Zombieland.

5 pink flowers