I wasn’t able to get this to play on my phone - I am disappointed as I was very much looking forward to it

I'm a huge zombie fan but I enjoyed this even more than I expected. Layla was a great main character, showing the strength and adaptability someone would need to survive after the apocalypse. The world was really interesting and I'd like to see more stories with Layla. The narration was also great, and helped to add to the suspense.

In a post apocalyptic setting Layla must join an elite cadre of people called "crossers" in order to retrieve meds for an ailing father.

Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 10 hours 13 minutes
🎤: Devon Sorvari
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Format: Singular POV/Timeline
I found the narrator to be clear and concise in her narration. I never had to adjust my speed and was able to listen within my typical range. Well, I found her perfectly suitable to listen to and enjoyed my reading experience. Nothing really set her apart from any other narrator for me.

Themes:
🧛🏾‍♂️: Love of family
🧛🏾‍♂️: Rebuilding after destruction

Representation:
🎒: Queer side characters

Tropes:
💗: Found family
💗: Trust no one

🥵: Spice: 🚫
Potential Triggers: violence and gore **check authors page/socials for full list.

Short Synopsis:
15 years in the past, the Feeders rose up and demolished civilization. Now the remaining humans are forced into settlements that are surrounded by high walls. An elite team of people called "crossers" we often cross the wall in groups and meet with other settlements within the wasteland to trade supplies for survival. But less and less of the crossers are coming back. Layla decides to join the crossers to try and retrieve essential meds to save her dying father. Will anybody return?

General Thoughts:
I am already a fan of Anthony Ryan, and this is a deviation from his typical fantasy into something more dystopian and thriller based. I definitely missed his unique characterization and development as I did not see that present within this novel. However, the setting and overall atmospheric grittiness of this novel made up for what I was missing with the character development.

This is the type of novel where it's highly suggested not to get attached to any character. The overall violence and gore was enough to lend a desolate viewpoint of the setting in this book, while not bad enough to feel gratuitous or extreme.

While the other characters mostly remained superficial, which I imagined was mostly due to their super unreliable chances of survival, we do get a pretty good picture into the head of Layla. Even with the deep dive into Layla's thought process, I still don't feel like I really got to know her on a deeper level. This is probably just a "me "thing, but I never felt endeared toward her character or her cause.

Where the story shined for me was the storytelling and plot line. As well as the very interesting setting and the mystery surrounding the desolate wasteland involving the feeders. They seemed like some sort of cross between zombie and vampire, and it was extremely interesting to me.

Disclaimer: I read this audiobook via free ALC through NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

As a fan of most post-apocalyptic zombie tales, The Feeding, Anthony Ryan's latest novel peaked my interest. I'm always interested in seeing how authors put their own spin on this horror sub-genre, and The Feeding delivers with a fresh take on a familiar premise.

Fifteen years ago the feeders rose from the shadows to transform the world into a graveyard. The few survivors exist in fortified settlements surrounded by the empty ruins of a destroyed civilization. For years the citizens of New City Redoubt have relied on an elite cadre of Crossers to navigate the feeder-infested wasteland between settlements in order to trade for vital supplies. But the Outside is becoming ever more dangerous, and the ranks of the Crossers grow thinner with every crossing.

Layla, only a child when the Feeding destroyed the old world, spends her days scavenging the ruins for valuable scrap and her nights helping her adoptive family eke a living from the Redoubt’s only movie theater. Now, with her father slowly dying, Layla resolves to join the Crossers to retrieve the medicine that can save him. Smart, ruthless, and fast on her feet, Layla quickly gains the respect of her fellow Crossers. But, in a world lost to the deadliest predators, can even the most cunning prey survive?

Anthony Ryan's The Feeding blends elements you might find in The Last of Us, The Walking Dead, The Maze Runner, and even a touch of classics like Mad Max. However, it's not a copy of any of these, but echoes of each can be felt through the book. Fans of those series can likely find something to enjoy when reading The Feeding. While the premise is not groundbreaking at first glance, Ryan really brings a fresh take with his story including some unique characteristics we have not seen much in other stories.

As a longtime fan of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comics and Jay Bonansinga novels, I occasionally found myself wishing The Feeding took place in that universe. But that's more about my personal feelings to those other books than any fault of the author's story. If fact, Ryan's writing is strong enough to stand on its own, it even reminded me of other fantastic post-apocalyptic zombie novels that I love.

The Feeding delivers of ton of action, gore, loss, intense competition, and even at moments some heart. This blend made for a wonderful journey that was as thrilling as it was heartfelt. The fast pace kept me hooked and hit all the marks I look for in a post-apocalyptic tale. For me, I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook, narrated by Devon Sorvari, which added another level of immersion to the story, making it great for those on the go.

The comparisons to Justin Cronin and M.R. Carey made me eager to listen to this book. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I really just could not get into this story. I felt like I was reading the second book in a series, and I came in cold, not knowing what it happened in the first book. I think the premise is great, I just wish there had been more explanation of how the characters and the world they live in, came to be