I received this ebook from NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Hydra in exchange for an honest review.
~ After suffering a miscarriage, Emma Scott and her husband John are traveling west to start over. As they’re passing through small town Cavus, Montana, their car breaks down, and taken with the friendly residents, and bucolic atmosphere, they decide to stay a few days. Maybe in this idyllic setting, they can try to save their failing marriage.
But, underneath its charm, Cavus is hiding an ancient evil which is now consuming everyone in its path. Soon only a small group of people including Emma and John stand in its way, but what sacrifies will they have to make in order to destroy a malevolent force that’s determined to move its battle far beyond the outskirts of Cavus?
I haven’t had much luck with the last couple of horror stories I’ve read, but Consumption had everything I look for in a good scare! Cavus on the surface is this sleepy little town whose sole claim to fame is it’s annual Black Squirrel Festival. Sounds cute doesn’t it? Well then you find out the true history behind this mining town, and suddenly things get a lot more creepy. The monster, known by the catchy moniker “The Feeder”, is an intelligent and ancient being which slowly takes over it’s victims by bringing out their darker selves and giving them a taste for human flesh. This is a highly original spin on the whole zombie mythos. And it’s not just after adults. Nope. It REALLY loves children.
Thankfully one of the ways you can tell if a person has been infected is their extreme fear of dogs. This is because dogs are so pure of heart; which we all knew that already, right?
Poor Emma and John are just trying to make a last ditch effort to save their marriage when they stumble into this madness. They are saved several times by their sweet dog Maxie. Since I have a problem with cute pets being killed in the horror genre, I really appreciated that despite a couple of close calls, Maxie makes it. The other members of the intrepid band of heroes include: Jarvier, a young illegal immigrant working hard to help support his mother and baby sister; Star, a young teen who has lost her mother and now has lost trust in her father; Riley, the amiable sheriff; Izzy, Riley’s cute daughter; Bunny, Riley’ s rather weird aunt; and finally, Pill the elderly gentleman who has a journal belonging to his deceased wife, which is the key to their survival. As these characters come together, it’s fascinating seeing them move from distrusting one another to reluctant acceptance. The story builds slowly, but steadily as you get to know the town and its inhabitants. The chapters are told from different views, but in no way was this a distraction. Once Pill enters the picture and the journal entries unveiled, everything comes together. Consumption is disturbing at times both with the blood and gore, as well as the fate of some of the children. The only reason why I didn’t rate this 5 stars was because there were a few loose threads that weren’t completed. That said, this debut fully embraces everything fans of this genre want to see, and adds a unique flavor all of its own. Consumption has been billed for fans of Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Sarah Lanagan. After reading it, I have to agree. Just don’t read it right before bed! As it’s under 300 pages, you’ll have a tough time putting it down!
By Hook Or By Book 
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