More like 3.5, but I did enjoy it. ( )

While the writing was ok, sadly most of the story was pointless. We just watch three characters bumble along as they travel together. We don't really learn too much more about them, they don't really talk, the bad guys are beyond stupid... and then the story goes and ends on a cliffhanger.. but the characters never felt real enough for me to really care what happened to them or to want to read the sequel. ( )

For fans of Gone, the Last Girl and Road to Winter. Dystopian novel set in Australia which starts in Adelaide and moves North. Callie lives in a world where spores have infected the tropical regions of the planet ( from the equator outwards). These spores change the DNA of everything they come in contact with - plants, animals and humans. In an effort to stop the spread a wall has been built to keep everything infected in The Zone and anything crossing that Zone is incinerated immediately.
Callie's father was working on a cure when he became infected with The Change as it is called and was dragged away by Quarantine officers. Now Callie's 5 year old half sister is infected and Callie decides to take Gracie to the Zone. As she travels she meets Matt who is also travelling North and is keeping secrets from her. Not only must they out run Quarantine officers they must also run from people who hate anything to do with the Change and others who will just take advantage. Callie falls in love with Matt and will do anything for Gracie even though she is slowly losing her to an alien collective consciousness.
For mature readers as it contains sex and animal torture ( of a Changed animal). Well written and gripping has an awesome cliffhanger ending that makes me wish the second one was available now! ( )