The Aftermath

A Great State, Book 2

By: Shelby Gallagher

Narrated by: Lessa Lamb

In The Aftermath, Julie Atwood is settling into a new normal in remote Smoky Flats, along with her son and father. While the US continues spiraling into violence and instability, Julie and her family hone their survival skills as they prepare to endure their first harsh winter in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Joining with others and building new friendships, Julie bolsters Smoky Flats' security, sense of community, and commerce among residents. Together, they protect themselves from outside intruders, mountain lions, and food shortages.

Meanwhile, back in Oregon, life for Julie's ex-husband, Steve, and his new infant worsens. He falls victim to a crumbling employment sector and housing crisis, and is forced to live in horrendous conditions while working to further a radical liberal agenda. His money and supplies are quickly dwindling, and nearby protests are becoming more violent. Before long, Steve is beholden to a local gang and their demands on him become a matter of life or death.

Although hundreds of miles apart, Julie and Steve's worlds collide when circumstances become so grim that he is forced to ask for Julie's help to save his daughter's life. Julie is now faced with a dilemma. She must weigh her moral obligation to help an innocent person against putting her own life in danger to do so.

In this second book of the A Great State trilogy, the everyday realities for those who prepared clash with the realities of those who did not. Lives are lost, and danger and uncertainty creep around every corner. Despite it all, there remains a sense of hope and renewal, and a vision for a future when people and the country can thrive again.

©2018 Peanut Butter & Jelly LLC (P)2019 Peanut Butter & Jelly LLC

Great continuation to the story.

Author really starts to hit her stride in this 2nd book of the trilogy. Expanding the story with more relevant characters and locations, drawing a sharp contrast of the different worlds being born during the crisis. I absolutely love the view points of the characters, each with their own mentality and growth. So ready to start the next book!

So much better than the first book

The story continues and the character development improves dramatically. There's less male bashing and more realistic emotional reality. This sequel had me holding my breath more than once and the ending was not what I was expecting.

I don't know how I would react in some of the situations portrayed in the book, but I know I kept wishing some of the characters would develop a backbone. There's a bit of redemption at the end. The depravity of human beings boggles the mind and I lack the imagination the author used in several scenarios.

The author found her groove in book two and the story flowed well. The way Shelby ended it left me wanting to know to know more. Though I have to wonder if a professional editor was used because there was a stark contrast between books 1 and two. Regardless, they were both good listens (Audible version). On to book 3.

Such a unique and realistic take on a societal collapse!

This book/series is 5 stars all the way. As I’ve said before in other reviews, I’ve read over 100 PA books and this book/series is in my top 3 of all time. Possibly top 1! This is the most unique take on a collapse I’ve ever read and recommend this to all who enjoy this genre.

The narrator completes the package and is fantastic!

I hope to read more from this author soon!

Excellent Story

This is the best prepper story since Rawles "The Patriots". I plan to purchase the rest of the series.

perspective

Good perspective. I think people constantly underestimate how truly uncivilized these people are once the cover of civil society drops. Ned and Julie should have slept and had security watch on their way instead of both sleeping at the same time. Other than that I was worried this was just going to be a bash on men. It is not, it is a bash on weak men. Don't be a weak man. this stuff already happens its just kept under the radar to maintain the fallacy of a civil society.

Fantastic!

I really loved this second book in the series. I love the strong female character though the way she was forced to be strong really sucks. I also like that the male character was allowed to me a masculine man with a soft, loving and respectful side to him.

I really am looking forward to book three and the merging of this series with the 299 Days books.

Keep up the great work Shelby.

Loved this one.

If this book won’t wake people up to the reality our country could face by allowing lawlessness then nothing will.

Fantastic

This book was written well - especially in terms of getting the facts right. When it comes to doomsday books, many authors are unrealistic with self-defense and firearms. This book hit a home run. I didn’t find myself having to critique it as I read it. Definitely intense and not for the faint of heart as it does get graphic.

A great new series by Shelby Gallagher

The story centers around a woman that is broken due to a event that happens in book 1. The 2nd book is the tale of her recovery and her choice to not be a victim ever again.

The back drop of the story is the collapse of the nation basically due to differences in ideologies that cannot coexist. She starts in Portland and moves for Oregon to Colorado to a safer location.

She seems to be haunted by her past a beta husband that is more likely to breakdown crying than man up and deal with his life issues. She has trust issues with men as well due to bad events with men detailed in book 1. This leads to her having difficulty forming relations with males beyond the superficial

The story is an interesting one as its really a tale of a woman reinventing herself from the victim to a strong and confident one and that makes her interact with all sorts of interesting people from her father to son and men that find her interesting

There are some people I don't like in the book which makes it fun. They tend to have a common theme manipulators. They use what attributes they have to take advantage of others and some pay a heavy price for doing so.

Its not your typical dystopian series that involves some special forces fellow and a help me, help me female that has trouble deciding which shoes to wear to the end of the world as we know it.

If your interested in a female centric view of a potential dystopian world were everything is falling apart slowly ( no EMP, Nukes etc ) this is a good listen. There is some graphic violence , but it fit the storyline so its not gratuidious

The narrator is good she does a thing that is hard ; projection of emotion

Great premise

Great story teller. The story is very believable as it seems to be ripped from the headlines. A surprising spin on the apoc genre.