This book was absolutely not what I was expecting. I was expecting some light plot, heavy smut, think the stripper version of the four horsemen. But this book was a deeper, jarring commentary on the duality of humanity.

I will admit, I didn't like the fmc for most of the book. I loved her compassion, but her indecisiveness was getting to me. I kept having to remind myself that it I found myself alive in a post-apocalyptic world (couldn't be me, kill me in the first wave y'all), I would also struggle with the idea of falling for the dude who seems to be causing the apocalypse.

Similarly, with Pestilence, his stubbornness led to him feeling a bit flat to start with, but I feel like that was intentional because y'all, I swear he grows on you.

Overall, this book made me feel things I did not sign up for, but I tend to love introspection so I'm not actually mad at it. I can't wait to pick up War now that I know the vibes I'm going into!

Laura Thalassa's novel "Pestilence" presents a captivating and thought-provoking take on the concept of the Four Horsemen, infusing the narrative with elements of intrigue, growth, and unexpected beauty. Through its exploration of the Horseman, Pestilence and the development of its characters, the book offers readers a unique and engaging perspective on the apocalypse.

As someone who is obsessed by the end of the world ideas and the 4 Horsemen, it was interesting to see what possibilities could come from a story told in Revelations.

The way Pestilence is portrayed in the book departs from the repulsive and monstrous depiction often associated with pestilence, allowing readers to see him in a new light. Thalassa skillfully transforms his purpose into a compelling exploration of mercy and kindness, raising questions about the deeper meanings behind his actions. This unique perspective challenges readers to reconsider their preconceived notions about destruction and the forces that drive it.

The heart of "Pestilence" lies in the enthralling growth of its characters. The protagonist, with their blend of literary wit and unwavering determination, brings a refreshing dynamism to the story. Their interactions with Pestilence, marked by a slow-burning connection, serve as a central driving force of the narrative. The book's strength lies in its exploration of character development and the evolving relationship between these two main characters. While the world-building may not be as intricate as in some other novels, Thalassa's emphasis on the characters' growth and the evolution of their dynamic compensates for this by immersing the reader in their journey.

The absence of extensive environmental descriptions in the book serves an interesting purpose. Rather than detaching readers from the narrative, this approach encourages them to use their imagination and experiences to visualize the post-apocalyptic setting. As the story takes place in a version of our own world, this technique invites readers to easily place themselves within the story, further enhancing their engagement with the characters and their experiences.

While "Pestilence" earns high praise for its innovative take on the Four Horsemen concept, the character-driven narrative, and the imaginative engagement it fosters, it is not without a minor drawback. The limited depth of the world-building might leave some readers yearning for more intricate details of the post-apocalyptic landscape. However, the novel's strengths far outweigh this aspect, providing a rich and enjoyable reading experience.

I am SO excited for the next book and cannot wait to see what happens next and what romantic endeavors will come from each of the horsemen.
(I am especially intrigued to meet Death!)

Thank you again to NetGalley for the book & to Laura Thalassa for the writing!
I was looking forward to reading more since having finished The Bargainer series.

2.5/5 stars

Honestly, I think this is one of those books you read for fun and not so much for its literary merit.
It was a very quick and easy read, and is definitely a good book to get you out of a reading slump.
Overall, I did enjoy this book.
However, I am not sure I will finish reading the series.
I also wasn't a huge fan of our love interest, which probably plays a huge part in the lower rating.
Be aware it is a dark story (so be sure to check the trigger warnings), with a little bit of borderline Stockholm Syndrome romance.


Thank you Netgalley for a copy in exchange for a honest review.

As an avid fantasy reader, I knew that I would need to shift my mindset while reading PESTILENCE. I loved being able to read for the pure enjoyment of the story, as there wasn't a need to understand a complex magic system. The premise itself was what drew me in. I've always found the concept of an apocalypse is fascinating. The way that Thalassa utilized the Four Horsemen (or in this case, Pestilence) was fresh for me, and I was pleasantly surprised by the discussion around humanity/what it means to be a human. That said, I wish that the FMC would have been older. At twenty-one, I didn't think that she had enough experience yet to be the driving force for Pestilence's monumental change. Overall, I found that I enjoyed my reading experience, and I'm intrigued enough to want to continue the series. Thank you, Bloom Books, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. I love the revised cover!

Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC!

Pestilence is the first book in The four Horsemen series. If I had to describe Pestilence in one word, I would say tempestuous. It's not an easy book to read for sure. It's dark, gritty, violent, an anti-hero you'll love to loathe, a strong heroine you'll cheer for in the sidelines, a romance that'll test your morality and brain (LOL).

Pestilence is a great start to the series. As the name suggests, it's an apocalyptic romance with the horsemen hell-bent on destroying the world. They have judged humans to be selfish and it's time to end their reign on Earth. The first person to start his task is - obviously - Pestilence. He's spreading his disease far and wide, killing off people in the worst way possible. Some humans try to fight him off but to no avail.

And one such warrior is our heroine Sara. Their first meet starts off violently, which sets the pace for the rest of the book. Sara doesn't go easy on him, but when she finds out that he can't die, she's already his prisoner, facing his wrath.

And it's DARK. He is cruel to the heroine and isn't sensitive. He tortures her and I wondered how their romance would pan out. I mean, no one with a sane mind would ever ever love him.

But of course, over the course of their journey, Sara begins to understand him, Pestilence learns more about Sara. They already had chemistry, but with their emotions changing towards one another and the attachment forming, Pestilence, turns more and more human (which is wonderful to see).

I loved the story, it's unique and I loved how the author stayed true to her characters, even though it made me not like Pestilence that much. The world building is fantastic and the first book sets up the entire storyline for the other three horsemen.

Overall, a good read.

This book really surprised me. I didn’t know much about it and was super keen to read it. Thanks to @read_bloom @netgalley and @laurathalasa for a review copy.

We have all heard of the four horsemen - Pestilence, War, Famine and Death and the power they have to destroy all of humanity.

I really loved this book. It was a quick easy read with the classic enemies to lovers and kidnapping. There is a good level of spice throughout the book as well.

Will I be reading the rest of this series? YES! I can’t wait to dive into the next one which we were given such a great intro into at the ending of this book.

I loved the characters is this book. The banter between the two was great. I also enjoyed that the main female Sara was a fan of Edgar Allen Poe and other poets. The internal debate that Sara has throughout the book felt so realistic. I loved how through out the book Pestilence almost represents the worst of humanity while Sara represents the best and by being together they almost balance each other out. Laura also was really able to show how through small actions and conversations you can unknowingly start to change an individual. Whether that was intentional or not, I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. Laura’s writing was also very easy to get into and the plot was intriguing. However, I did want a bit more from the book plot wise. I felt like some of the repetitiveness could have been broken up with something a bit more than just riding on a horse, stopping for night in a house, waking up and doing the same thing over. Also, this was a very realistic approach to the apocalypse. I could see this happening in the sequence of events. I couldn’t put the book, every spare moment I had I was reading this book. This was a fun and dark read. I can not wait to continue on in the series.

Thank you Sourcebooks/Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

I love Laura Thalassa and the characters she creates! This was a great dark fantasy romance with all kinds of tension and excitement. If you enjoy her Bargainer series then you’ll definitely want to pick this one up because it’s just as thrilling!

What. A. Book!

The Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa has been on my TBR since the first time I heard about it on BookTok so basically since TikTok became a popular thing.. I thought it perfect to read this series during the week that Bloom released the new covers!

This enemies to lovers romance will have you interchangeably taking sides with one or the other main character because they are both so freaking stubborn! I swear multiple times I wanted to shout at both of them to get it together.. I could not have asked for a better series opener and I cannot wait to read more!

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Sara, our bratty FMC, gives Pestilence a run for his money. Going from a plan to finish this particular horsemen off, to being his prisoner whom he would like to see suffer. After all, if she wouldn’t grant him mercy why should he? He’s only here doing his job — to see the end of humankind.

Sara is likable, stubborn as ever, and has the drive to help if possible. With them being in such forced close quarters, they genuinely do slowly let their walls melt as they seemingly share their differences. The portions where Sara shares good and the like had my heart warm even with those dark, detrimental moments where they’re traveling. The bleak moments where Sara had no true choice but to suffer with her fellow humankind dying from the plague were absolutely devastating especially after knowing how Pestilence’s ‘gift’ works.

This enemies-to-lovers with just one horse is a great darker contemporary romance. I love a post-apocalyptic dystopian novel — the dash of fantasy only made it sweeter. The slow burn made the payoff all the more worthwhile.

For what it’s worth, Sara may have suffered in this novel through out, but I suffered all the same. For Laura Thalassa, I’ll suffer eternally with all of the horsemen.

In this book, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse are real, and they are not happy with humanity. I went into this book expecting a pretty dark romance given the subject. I don't dislike the writing, I didn't dislike the idea! Both I think are quite good, but they don't match. I think the readers that would enjoy this book won't find it, and readers who are looking for dark romance will likely be disappointed in the tone. The idea of the horsemen being real, physical beings, is a great premise for a dark book ala JR Ward, but it needs to have a matching dark tone. Pestilence is actively killing off hundreds, tortured our FMC at the beginning, but soon switches to a cute and unaware guy. The writing is also done a disservice by not being highlighted in a cuter storyline. I think it needed to lean in one way or the other. The book raised some interesting plot points, the angelic language tattooed, the idea that maybe he is being compelled rather than wanting to wreck havoc, but the mismatched tone and premise was a big problem for me.

"Morality, and not a faith.. is what matters to God."
I just finished Pestilence this morning and OMG so intense and full of sorrow and the best and worst of humanity.
Loved how the fmc who started off trying to end him started to teach him secondhand about humanity.
I didn't think it was possible for them to fall for eachother but their slow horse ridden progression across Canada and the Pacific northwest and the forced proximity helped them to grow close. He had a pretty stellar grand gesture at the end. Can't wait to read the others!
Also that quote resonates with me cause there seems to be a big distance between those two terms. Kindness and treating others as yourself is a hard ask for many.

Thank you readbloom for the new cover editions and my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this book in different ways than I did War. The plots had a similar feel, but the little differences heavily impacted my enjoyment of the story. Once again, this was a very messed up and toxic romance, which was hard to support. This was true, especially in the first half of the book. I did appreciate that we saw a lot more emotional change through the story with Pestilence. And it was that which made me engaged and interested in where the story would end. I felt the final romance between Pestilence and Sara was very sweet, and I enjoyed the story as a whole. I give this book 3.5/5 stars and look forward to reading the final two books in the series.

The best part about reading Pestilence was envisioning Pestilence. As soon as his character is revealed I imagined him to be much like Geralt from The Witcher. I mean, Laura Thalassa was practically throwing this sexy human into our consciousness with every description of Pestilence.

Moving onto the actual contents of the story…
Pestilence is one of the “Four Horseman” that will end the world we know. Thus, setting up a series with this book being the first brother’s story. Pestilence is plaguing the world. Society has fallen from grace, and most of humanity that is left is trying to remain hidden from him. He rides along on a horse with no other action necessary to slowly kill humans with the plague. You don’t even have to see him to catch the plague. He has a duty to ride until his job is complete. Of course, he is distracted by a human woman on his quest to end the world.


Sara Burns is a fire fighter in a small town that has been evacuated. She’s hoping to take out Pestilence and his horse, even though it goes against her very nature to hurt others. She’s a likable character, and I admire her determination and mental strength. Being married to a fire fighter myself, I felt like the depiction of Sara was accurate to the duties and mental health of a real fire fighter/paramedic.

Pestilence had a lot of potential, but it wasn’t a home run.
I’ll stick to the non-spoiler things that took away from the story. First of all, the last name Burns. Is that an intentional pun because she’s a fire fighter? Second of all, sticking to the burn theme here, their slow burn romance wasn’t filled with enough substance to warrant true love (in my opinion). It felt as though they were just forced to be around each other but she never really learned about Pestilence as a person. He’s not a person, I know! It’s just that he really had no redeeming qualities. He travels through towns on a horse to kill off humanity. Sure he doesn’t like it, but what else does he have to offer?

Sara introduces him to human things like food, beer, coffee, and those moments are funny and sweet. It all gets thrown out the window when it’s time to mount their horse and ride through towns. They just keep traveling the world spreading the plague. That back and forth between good and bad is jarring and I can’t really get down with how it all plays out. Laura Thalassa wrote some dark and traumatic moments that are true to the darker side of human nature. Those were harder to read and did make me feel some sympathy to Pestilence and Sara.

While Pestilence was overall a great read, it wasn’t exactly my cuppa tea. Believe me, I appreciated the steamy love scenes. I just need slightly more convincing to love the bad guy in an enemy-to-lovers romance.

Based on the synopsis, I knew that I'd like this book! When I first picked it up, I only planned to read a chapter, and what happened was that I actually finished it in about two days? That's pretty fast for me. It was a fun and entertaining read for me. If you like new adult dystopian novel, pick this up!

The dystopian part of the story was fun, I enjoyed the world-building and the characters. We get Pestilence in this book! He's the first of the Four Horsemen in the Apocalypse. There's this enemies to lovers trope happening between Pestilence and Sara. Remember that Sara tried to kill him before? Even though Sara could be a little irritating at times, somehow as the story progresses I actually found the romance did get rather funny and cute at times. Of course, there's a happy ending for them. And there's grovelling and redemption!

CW. There's a part of the story that might put people off though. The romance gives off Stockholm syndrome vibes, which may not be for everyone.

What to expect in this book..

*Slow Burn
*Enemies to lovers
*Banter
*Post-apocalyptic
*Dark fantasy romance

I'm on the fence with this book. Could it be that I'm still fairly new to the fantasy world? Possibly.

You have the typical strong-willed heroine, almost so that she sometimes comes off as cold and emotionless. Then you have the hero that doesn't express his feels until way late in the book. However, that also makes for an interesting story. How can two people fall in love that doesn't have the faintest idea how to express their feelings.

I personally felt like the world and character building in this book is fantastic. It sets up a great foundation for the next few books in the series.

The slow burn in the book way definitely slow, almost so much that I was skimming chapters. But i personally need a fast pace book or ill loose interest.

Thank being said I did find this book rather refreshing in the aspect that I don't know of many books that deal with spreading of a plague while also kidnapping someone. It is still to be determined if the heroine had a classic case of Stockholm syndrome or if she really fell in love. Ill be looking forward to the rest of the series in hopes that the story will get better as time goes on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Black means… black means death.”

They came to earth—Pestilence, War, Famine, Death—four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

Until he Mets Sara burns… a women who puts it all on the line to try and slow him down to save everyone.

My thoughts

If hell came to earth this author would know what to do. Well written and captivating.

Slow Burn
Enemies to lovers
Banter
Post-apocalyptic
Dark fantasy romance

This book isn’t my typical book that I’d read, but the description pulled me in, and I love it. I’ve never read post-apocalyptic sci-fyi and now I’m second guessing myself as to why I never have.

The authors descriptions are amazing. The plot pulls you in. I want to know what’s going to happen next. I feel like I’m on the edge of my seat.

I absolutely love Sara. She makes me laugh and someone I’d hang out with. Our humor and comebacks are too much alike.

Her inner dialogue is amazing and makes her character believable. She fights herself around every corner. Always thinking, doubting, questioning… wondering.

Head says one thing but heart says another.. she’s a healer.

Pestilence - the first of the four horseman - he is an interesting character - he grows and learns a lot but also has a lot of wisdom.

I love his character arc in this story.

The Ending

The ending was satisfying and kept me on edge. Making me want more. I have to know what happens next. I can not wait to continue this series. Amazing job.

I originally DNF but then decided to give it another try. I don’t know what I was expecting but the writing isn’t great and the plot is nonexistent. There is virtually no dialogue beyond Sara asking Pestilence “why are you doing this?” And him responding “suffering is for humans”. They eventually graduate to arguing over whether humans deserve to die or not. Sara also spends a lot of the book in an existential crisis over the fact that she is attracted to the guy who is killing all of mankind (except for her). There is a surprising number of pretty grotesque and descriptive scenes of people dying from the plague. It’s a hard sell to root for Pestilence as a romantic hero and Sara was a very unappealing heroine. Overall, just not a very enjoyable read. I’ve committed to reading the next book in the series so we’ll see how that goes.

Imagine: You’re an atheist, but one day the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse show up, essentially take away any and all modern technology in one fell swipe (killing an untold number of people in the process), and then disappear into thin air without an explanation. Five years later, the earth stirs, and word carries that Pestilence, the first of the Horsemen, is on his horse, and he carries plague with him as he rides. You’re one of the only four people in your community without a spouse or children of your own and you drew the short straw on being the one to stay behind and try to kill Pestilence while the rest of your community evacuates far into the rural wilderness.

Only, Pestilence doesn’t die. And when he pleads for mercy, you don’t give it. And now you're his prisoner, so he can see you suffer like you made him suffer.

I read Pestilence once before when it was still an independently-published novel. I loved it then and I love it now. It’s enemies-to-lovers, medium burn, medium spice, dark, violent, and has a terrific storyline. The worldbuilding is outstanding, which is necessary with it being the first of a four book series. The first book sets the tone, and Pestilence has a lot of stuff to do and say to set up the series while also building the complicated and fascinating romantic relationship between Pestilence and Sara (our FMC).

My favorite part of the dynamic between Pestilence and Sara is the interplay between her endless human compassion and compulsion to try and save people and/or to soothe people because she’s a first responder and Pestilence’s insistence that he can’t and won’t stop doing his job but admits he doesn’t like having to kill people and doesn’t enjoy watching them die. Neither one of them can help who they are, and for most of the book neither one of them is able to change it. And therein lies the conflict between the two, and that’s where the sparks fly.

You want to know if there’s an HEA? I would call it HFN. After all, there are three more horsemen to come. But the book does end on an up note. It’s a great read!

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

I have previously read this title when it was independently published. This review is for the 2023 Bloom Books edition.

File Under: Book Series/Dark Fantasy/Dark Romance/Post-Apocalyptic/Romantasy/Kindle Unlimited/Science Fiction/Spice Level 2/Supernatural Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for letting me review this series!

I knew about The Four Horsemen series prior to it getting picked up by the publisher but hadn't quite jumped yet to read it! I loved this apocalyptic romance! These women were badass and it was great to start off with Pestilence!