The Four Horeseman Series by Laura Thalassa is such a fun unique genre-bending ride. It's a dystopian apocalyptipc paranormal spicy romance that skirts lightly religion for the frame work (managing to be a respectful and true to tradition), but spares no punches. While you can read them individually as quite a bit of time passes between each book, they meld together into an overarching story cherishing love and respect as central to each relationship.

Because they work so well together and when you finish one you will need to delve right into the next one I'm going to give you the four book run down. They are each similar in that you'll see an enemies to lovers arc. However, each woman and horsemen is unique in their background and worldview. We travel the world with them crossing continents and cultures.

The first to arrive is Pestilence and he is out to ravage the land.

Following is War, and it starts in Jerusalem. Appropriate. This couple is definitely different but I think I liked them even better than the first two.

After, Thalassa definitely mixes things up with Famine. In fact, it begins in a most unexpected way with a most unexpected character in South America.

Finally, Death. This one is probably best read after you've read the first three as the band does get back together to do some end of the world stuff. But, again, this book stands on its own as not only has Death come but he has found the one person who won't stay dead.

This series is completely additcting! Expect each book to be devoured in one sitting.

A Captivating Tale of Love Amidst Desolation – Famine by Laura Thalassa

The third book in Laura Thalassa’s compelling series about The Four Horsemen of the apocalypse, Famine, presents an original and captivating interpretation of the enemies-to-lovers cliché. In this bleak and forlorn land, where Famine wreaks havoc and misery, Thalassa deftly crafts a story of passion, survival, and a surprising bond.

Famine ♦ Laura Thalassa

Opinion

The intricate bond between Famine and Ana, two characters who perfectly capture the terrible reality of their post-apocalyptic world, is what makes this book so strong. Readers are kept on the edge of their seats by Thalassa’s deft handling of the delicate balance between their competing positions. Every exchange between Famine and Ana is emotionally fraught because of the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, which heightens the intensity and unpredictability of their interactions.

The unique quality of Famine is Thalassa’s ability to humanize a character that appears to be the epitome of destruction. Famine is portrayed as both vulnerable and menacing, but as the story progresses, it takes on a profoundly different meaning. Ana, who is just as captivating, shows herself to be a strong and tough heroine who challenges the horseman and their desolate surroundings.

The post-apocalyptic landscape is vividly and evocatively described by the author, drawing readers into a world of desperation and deprivation. Also, the world-building done by Thalassa is exquisite and eerie, providing a setting that deepens the protagonists‘ emotional journey.

The novel moves along at a good clip, with thrilling passages that hold the reader’s attention throughout. Famine and Ana’s connection builds gradually in a way that is both convincing and alluring, providing a rewarding slow burn that culminates in a stirring and moving finale.

Famine delves into somber subjects, yet in the end, it conveys a message of redemption and hope. Readers are left feeling satisfied and eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this gripping series by Thalassa’s deft handling of the thin line between hopelessness and resiliency.

Conclusion

In conclusion, readers who enjoy dystopian fiction and paranormal romance should not miss Laura Thalassa’s Famine. This novel stands out in the genre because of the author’s ability to combine a distinctive love tale with the harsh reality of a post-apocalyptic society. The witty arguments and sarcastic verbal slug fest was very entertaining.

I received an advance review copy for free by Bloom Books through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

This was a difficult book for me to read…
When Laura announced the the FL was Brazilian, I was over the moon, but the execution felt a little flat for me. Ana sounded too much of a stereotype and in some parts too vulgar.

Ana’s character aside, Famine, from all the horseman, was the most cruel and vile, which made the book a little too dark for my taste. And for that reason, it took me the longest to read Famine.

Not all bad, but not my favorite.

<b><i><u>please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers</b></i></u>
<i><u>I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. </i></u>
<b>HEA:</b> yes (HFN)
<b>spice:</b> several open-door spicy scenes
<b>TWs:</b> graphic depictions of murder, graphic depictions of torture, death, gore, kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, attempted SA, SA (recounted, nongraphic), child abuse, (mostly unwilling) sex work, underage sexual encounters (recounted, nongraphic), captivity, Stockholm syndrome vibes
<b>standalone:</b> book 3 in The Four Horsemen series – could be read as a standalone, however there is a HFN (happily for now) cliffhanger which I think will be satiated in book 4 Death
<b>final thoughts</b>: 3.4⭐ bumped up to a 4. a quick read with moderate world building, lots of banter, and a dark and brooding MMC that only has eyes for the FMC. The tension between the MCs was so good that I didn’t mind some of the eh banter they had. It was fun to watch Famine struggle with being confined to a human body and have curiosity for human customs while also hating humanity and wanting to hate the FMC.
The FMC was both hit and miss for me. I loved that she read as (mostly) age-appropriate with her responses to murder, torture, and suffering. I liked how she was salivating over the guy/God/Reaper that she knew she shouldn’t and wasn’t shy about her flirting. However, the flirting itself was kind of one-note for most of the book. That being said… I’ll be reading book 4 and I intend to go back and read books 1 and 2 and some point too.
The MMC was a big hit for me and was ruthless, cold, and unapologetic and we got to see a lot of small growths throughout the book (and we even got some snippets of his POV!!). I loved seeing him reluctantly falling for the FMC and becoming increasingly possessive over her as the book went on.

read this book if you love

🏝️ forced proximity (captivity)
💓 slowburn
☠️ “touch her and die”
🔮 supernatural creatures- Reaper/Horseman
🪄 magic
💖 paranormal romance
🌍 world building
🥰 nicknames
🫡 big MMC
🤜 enemies-to-lovers
🖤 dark romance

3 ⭐️

I really enjoyed this book, which, while keeping the basic plot intact, spices things up a bit. Famine is currently the meanest of the Cavaliers, but you can understand his cruelty from the rough life he's had dealing with people. On the other hand, Ana is a real charmer, funny, and genuine to the core. She's been through her fair share of hardships but never took the path of cruelty. These two characters? They make a great team, their personalities just click.

I really enjoyed this book! I took a break from the series after finishing the second book, and I’m really glad I did. I found the start of the book to be a bit slow and hard to get into, but I quickly got into it. I also like how the author deviated a bit from the first two books and the the main characters had a prior connection to the start of the book. I also felt like we spent more time with the characters before we started getting the “I love you” and admitting to their feelings. I really enjoyed the fact that the “spice” doesn’t come in until the last third of the book. I also felt like these characters had more to their personalities and how they learned to heal and overcome their past traumas. I will definitely recommend this book to others.

Laura continues to impress with her four horseman series! Despite the books have similar premises, she makes them feel unique and Famine is no exception. I definitely enjoyed it and can’t wait to finish the series.

Dystopian dark urban fantasy romance

Famine is the wind, the clouds, earth and plants. Human nature is alien to him. So, how can humans stop him? Teach him desperation, pain and making powerless, until he's saved by her.

What always strikes me in the Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa is how much we don’t want to accept the horsemen as a love interest and end up understanding them enough to wish their redemption for all the atrocities committed against humans and eventually their happiness.

Pestilence and War do not hate humans, but Famine has all the reasons to.

I was so excited to meet Ana da Silva! I expected what I love about Brazilian women. But I was a bit disappointed. However, the things that I recognized was the perseverance and a strong heart.
The little girl that saved famine, is no longer. She's now an unapologetic s£x worker and uses her tools on famine in every turn. That human side is still alien to Famine.

So, how Ana, that knows the worst of human nature, can save the world from Famine?

At least Ana did what I was expecting, kept me focused on her character change. Not growth, because there was nothing wrong or to grow, Ana has a beautiful soul and Famine knows it.

The ending was intense... because Death is here.

The violence including children and families made me distance myself from the storyline and characters. As it is a sensitive topic to me.

Content Warnings:
• Mention of death of parent
• Cursing
• Extreme Violence
• Violence against children
• Torture
• S£x work
• Religious topics
• PTSD
• Death of loved ones

Series with overarching plot, but can be read as standalone.
Each book focuses on one couple with HEA.
POV count: 2

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC - these opinions are my own!
This is Book Three of the Four Horseman Series:

Similarities:
- Plot: main characters ride from town-2-town while the Horsemen eradicate humanity one settlement at a time.
- Enemies-to-lovers dynamic where the FMC is a fighter who tries to kill the MMC.
- The Horseman thinks he sees some kind of “divine sign” from God yet spares the FMC.
- Slow burn where the (anti-) hero falls first while the heroine takes convincing before she falls, too.

Differences:
- Each horseman has been sent to earth for a different divine purpose, in this case Famine is destroying the life and plants he encounters - he can also control the weather and call the bugs (locusts?)

Famine might be the cruelest of the four horsemen. While the rest gave hints that they didn't actually like nor want to destroy humans and earth (it was just their destiny) - Famine seemed to enjoy it.
FMC, Ana, was a prostitute and gave a lot of sexual innuendos - sometimes relevant and humorous and other times it felt forced.

This is certainly a unique series with a dark villian love trope - the series was definitely different and kept the pages turning - If I were to give my most honest wish about this series - I'd wish these four books were ONE book - edit them down a bit and then we could read all at the same time.

While I ended up reading Death as my first of the four books, I'd rank them in the following order:
Death, Pestilence, War, Famine.

This book is so invigorating, it’s like Laura manages to add this newness that one feels when reading the very first book in this series. The sass and banter is exquisite. I couldn’t recommend this series more highly because it’s such fun!

Famine might be my favorite of the horsemen. He is incredibly inhuman (I would say more inhuman than his predecessors) and w3atching him deal with and come to term with his imprisonment and subsequent nursing by the very thing he was sent to cleanse/rid the world of (a human) was powerful. Did the ending stress me out in this book too? You bet. This series is incredible and I am so happy Bloom is exposing the world to Thalassa's masterpiece(s).

This is my favorite book of the series so far. I'm so glad we got to see a little of Famine's perspective on the few chapters we get from his POV. I'm really eager to start the next a final book with that ending. This one felt a little better paced than the other ones and while I still think it was a little longer than it needed to be I didn't find nearly as many unnecessary scenes.




Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

From the moment I began this book I was enthralled. I absolutely loved the story line and felt such a deep connection in the writing style. Laura Thalassa has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to continue ready about Famine, Ana and Death!

Out of the three books in this series that I've had the pleasure of reading, "Famine" is probably the book I have enjoyed the most. Once again, Laura Thalassa demonstrates her skill in crafting a unique and captivating narrative, and this time, she takes us on an unforgettable journey with two protagonists whose dynamic shines above the rest.

The protagonist of "Famine" is a refreshing departure from the typical approach of trying to change the Horsemen from their purpose. Instead, she embraces his hatred for humanity, understanding the darkness within him, while never losing faith in the potential for goodness. Her unwavering belief in the right to live, even in the face of unimaginable horrors, serves as a beacon of hope in the desolation that Famine represents. Their dynamic is the true highlight of the story, where his cruelty and duty-bound nature collide with her sassy, strong-willed demeanor and her humor becomes a shield against her inner pain.

Thalassa once again proves her prowess in differentiating the protagonists, creating a wholly unique and engaging narrative. The diversity in characters ensures that each book in the series offers a fresh perspective on the apocalyptic world she has crafted.

While "Famine" might not delve deeply into world-building, it compensates with vivid imagery that allows readers to immerse themselves in the story. This book is undeniably filled with tension, both sexual and emotional, providing a satisfying level of depth to the narrative.

The unexpected twist in "Famine" caught me off guard and left me entangled in its narrative vines. It's a testament to Thalassa's storytelling skills that she can continually surprise and captivate her readers, even in a series with established themes.

Moreover, this series has rekindled my passion for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It has led me on an ADHD-fueled research journey, piecing together their possible purpose and the lessons they are meant to learn. Thalassa's unique take on these iconic figures adds new dimensions to their character, making this world feel like an intricate puzzle with ever-expanding pieces waiting to be discovered.

I cannot wait to read Death and look forward to other words written by Laura.

Thank you again, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, and to Laura Thalassa for their ongoing contributions to my TBR pile.

this book was such an interesting and entertaining read! i really loved famine and ana’s dynamic. i really liked her feisty nature and how she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. the banter, chemistry, AND tension in this book was amazing and made the book so much better! i really loved this ending too and it’s probably my favorite out of them all.

Of the four, this one is my least favorite, but still a solid book. The writing again was great. I loved the descriptions and was able to follow the story pretty well. I've seen that a lot of people liked Ana, but while these two did make a good couple, I wasn't a fan of either character. They just didn't speak to me as much as the others did, especially Pestilence and Sara.

I’m in love with this book. The slow burn and banter is to die for. Famine is the perfect amount of cruel and sweet. The back story was chefs kiss.
It’s got the tropes you’re dying for
Touch her and you die: check
Knife to the throat Enemies to Lovers: check
Take care of you while you’re injured: check

I fucked with it

Famine is the third book in The Four Horsemen series and wooooooow, it is good. This one adverts expectations though with how Ana and Famine end up, and you know, I kind of like it. Famine is probably my favorite of the horsemen just because of how snarky he is. I also love plant magic.

I just want to say that I loved this book so much that I finished it in five hours. If you have the chance to pick up this series, please do. Be prepared for all kinds of spiciness, though. These horsemen know how to get it.

The storyline is getting better and better with each book.

Ana comes face to face with Famine.

This book had a more metaphor kind of story and it was incredible.

Famine had a reason to despise humanity so it reached me more in a way.

I liked that Ana saves him repeatedly.

I am very curious to how this series will wrap up the apocalyptic tale.