Monday 16 March 2015

Review: Please Remain Calm by Courtney Summers

Please Remain Calm by Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: January 20th 2015
My rating: 4 stars 


In this gripping sequel to THIS IS NOT A TEST, Rhys and Sloane are headed for a safe haven when they get separated along the way. Rhys is determined to reunite with Sloane until he discovers people who might need him more--people who offer him the closest he'll get to everything he's lost, if they can just hold on long enough. Rhys thinks he has what it takes to survive and find the girl he lost, but in a world overrun by the dead, there are no guarantees and the next leg of his journey will test him in unimaginable ways ...

This book has made me so mad! Just when I thought we’d experienced it all with This is not a Test, I’m given this follow up novella and told to remain calm. Of course this was not going to happen, my heart had gone through a shredder in This is Not a Test, so I was preparing myself for the worst (sort of).

I was thrilled to be back with Sloane and Rhys once more, I’d grown so attached to these characters, that all I wanted to do was to keep them safe. My poor heart really couldn’t deal with it, if anything happened to them once again despite being only a mere 96 page novella. Please Remain Calm was layered with tension, if I wasn’t biting down my nails to the core; I was screaming “DID YOU GET BITTEN?” These rabid zombies used to just come out of nowhere and they were just super fast that you knew they could sneak in a bite any moment and it would all be over. Rhys and Sloane having been through it all just want to find some sort of safety, but is any place even safe?

I loved reading Please Remain Calm from Rhys’ perspective, like I said before Rhys had quickly become one of my favourite characters, so I enjoyed being in his head. I once again had hope that everything would be alright, Rhys and Sloane had been through it all, and Summers wouldn’t be that evil right? Right? Again with an introduction of new characters I was quick to form attachments (why did I always do this?) so I did find it a real struggle when things didn’t go the way I was expecting them to. *why Courtney why?* and that ending??!!!? You know how I detest neatly wrapped endings I was hoping just hoping that everything would be okay. We’re sort of left with the hope that things would end up that way, but sometimes you know when you just need things written out for you and some sort of closure? I sort of needed this with this book.

Overall Please Remain Calm was everything I was expecting it to be and so much more. Summers created that constant fear around the corner and built up the tension really well. And although I was dreading every single page, I would be back in this world with these characters again in an instant!



10 comments:

Allie @ Little Birdie Books said...

I swear you're having the best of luck with books lately. TELL ME YOUR SECRETS.

I haven't read the first book but it's always nice when novellas actually do something different and don't just rehash old 'scenes' from new perspectives. It's always good when they're used so you can learn more and experience different things!

Also: ZOMBIES

Anonymous said...

This sounds like an intense series, Jasprit. I have the first book just waiting to be read and it sounds amazing, but it does look like the book that would give me lots of mini-heart attacks. I do enjoy it when books stress me out though because it shows how involved I am in the story. I'll be sure to check the first one and the sequel too!
Lovely review, Jasprit!

Aimee (Aimee, Always) said...

I haven't read This is Not a Test yet, and I swear it's going on my Summer TBR pile and I'll read it the second I get a copy! I can't wait to meet both Sloane and Rhys and to be completely attached to them like you were. I'm definitely excited about all that Zombie tension as well! Fabulous review, Jasprit! <3

Anonymous said...

I've been wanting to read This is Not a Test for a while now, but waiting to be in the right mood. My co-blogger loved it, so I hope I'll love it too. Terrific review, Jasprit!

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings said...

Ugh... the ending sounds frustrating, I am like you and want everything spelled out. Still I would like to read this to see what happens.

brandileigh2003 said...

wonderful to hear that its met your expectations. I have read some of her other books, but not this one yet

The Readdicts said...

I was just thinking what book it was of Courtney Summers that we were all crazy about a few years ago, and then I see This is Not a Test. I still wish to read that book, so I didn't really read your review. It's so good to know that this is a very good read. Here's hoping I can read both really soon. Amazing review, Jasprit!

Sarika @ The Readdicts

Terra Heck said...

This sounds like a good book. I may just have to read it. Actually, I'd want to read the first book first, then this one.

Carina Olsen said...

Yess. <3 Awesome review Jasprit :D I loved this book SO MUCH. But damn. Yess. It was SO EVIL. Hmph. But I did like the ending. But oh. I need another sequel. There must be one :D I'm so curious! Love reading your thoughts about it. <3 Thank you for sharing sweetie :)

Lauren @ Love is not a triangle said...

I stil haven't read THIS IS NOT A TEST, but I like happy endings much more than you do, so I'm AFRAIDD these zombies sound SCARY. Plus this novella cover is frightening. I've not read anything by this author b/c she's so intense, but these are the ones I always hear about and I'd like to try them out sometime when I can get up enough courage.

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