Preview
  • Crumbling World

  • Surviving the End, Book 1
  • By: Grace Hamilton
  • Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
  • Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (52 ratings)

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Crumbling World

By: Grace Hamilton
Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
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Publisher's summary

Family comes first, and he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his from the looming storm.

Even before becoming a husband and father, safety had been Shane McDonald’s priority for most of his 45 years. As a nuclear engineer, it’s his responsibility to keep the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant functioning at optimum levels to avoid what protesters fear most: a meltdown.

But when a coronal mass ejection from the sun wipes out power across the globe, stopping a nuclear chain reaction is no longer his primary concern. Now, Shane must trek across hundreds of miles to ensure the safety of his loved ones in a world rapidly disintegrating into lawlessness. Yet, with few functioning automobiles and a blind teenage daughter to protect, it’ll require careful planning to reach his prepper mother-in-law’s and reunite with his family.

His wife has her hands full, as well. When her brother’s chemo drip suddenly stops working and her son gets stuck in the hospital elevator, all Jodi McDonald wants is the security of her husband’s steady presence. But with a weakened brother and inexperienced son to look after, Jodi must remain strong amid the chaos and help guide them to her mother’s.

However, even the best laid plans go awry as the miles stretch out between them. Supply thefts run rampant. Those who have necessities prey on those who don’t. Minds broken by hardship kill on sight. But the fatal mistake comes when thugs threaten the McDonald’s little girl.

Shane must find the strength to do the unthinkable...or watch his family suffer the consequences.

Warning: This novel contains violence, profanity, substance abuse, and scenes with referenced sexual violence.

©2019 Relay Publishing (P)2020 Relay Publishing
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What listeners say about Crumbling World

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

uuuugh

these types of books just remind me how many people are totally screwed if something like this goes down. Their utter "shock" at how hospitals, stores etc shutdown and how people turn on you in the blink of an eye, should NOT be that friggin shocking!! Come on people! if the world's going to shit, you best be prepared to fight for your life and the lives of those you love and NOT afraid to take the life of a scumb bag if needed and NOT feel bad about it! I just can't understand these people's stupid dilemmas when their families lives are hanging in the balance. "That's not right!" .... no it isn't "right", but when the world is ending, "right" doesn't factor in anymore. black and white turn to gray and you do what you've gotta do. Period.
Other than that nonsense, it was an ok book and I'm continuing the series regardless just to see if they smarten the Fu(k up.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A good opening book to the series

I will actually give this one 3 1/2 stars. I really like the idea and the storyline of this book. The characters are very diverse which was also a breath of fresh air. While listening to this book I really had to detach myself as I am a person with a visual impairment and one of the main characters also has a visual impairment and guide dog. At times, I could really relate to this character and some of the things she was feeling when others thought she was helpless, or how she did day-to-day tasks and accomplish them. On the other hand, I did think at times it was very unrealistic with how the guy dog and some of her behaviours were brought to light. That aside, I did enjoy this book. The storyline had a great pace and it almost rotate back-and-forth chapter to chapter with two different converging storylines. There is a cliffhanger ending but it is intended to be a series so I was expecting that. The performance was great and I enjoyed my first listen from this narrator. He even made it sound like he was talking on a telephone or was a recorded message when these came up from time to time during the story. He had different voices for each character no matter gender and you could definitely tell them apart. I will be continuing on with the series. I received a free copy of this audiobook and exchange for an honest review from audiobook boom. This in no way affected my opinion of this work.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Good start

Good solid start to the series! Has a few things other CME stories don't include. Nothing overly graphic to stay away from either. Storyline is well done & flows easily. Narration is well done & easy to listen to.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

I'm a huge post-apocalyptic fan, and Grace Hamilton always delivers with gripping plots and multi-faceted characters. She takes the readers/listeners on a harrowing and yet exciting journey. Crumbling World is a marvelous start to an exciting new series, Surviving the End. The narrative is descriptive with a premise that is wholly engaging and fascinating. The story is set in a grim world, festered with lawlessness, where survival is paramount. The diversity of the characters and different points of view allowed the readers/listeners to be further immersed in the story.

A stellar performance by Chris Monteiro. He portrayed the nuances of the characters flawlessly while capturing the emotions and intensities in the scenes. This was an utterly charming story with quality writing and narration, one I strongly recommend. I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook, and my unbiased review is voluntarily given.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Crumbling World

This was a very good book.We follow people trying to get to grannies house.It is too bad that bad men get there first.Chris Monteiro was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Start

I absolutely love Post-Apocalyptic books without zombies and military with good narration. Enjoyed this book due to the realistic characters of one family trying to get together at Grandma’s house, a prepper. The main characters are Shane and Jody McDonald, their children Owen, Violet and Kaylee, Jody’s mom Beth and brother Mike as well as the dogs Ruby and Bauer, there are a couple more likable one and few not likable. Cannot wait until next book comes on audible ASAP please. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. THANK YOU

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fast paced and entertaining EOTWAWKI

I enjoyed this post-apocalyptic thriller involving a family that is separated from one another when a CME hits. The story follows them as they struggle to get home. This book has everything you look for in the genre, from preppers and looters to heroes and villains. The story is set in Georgia, spanning from the north Georgia mountains to Albany, with Macon as their destination. The author’s description of the various locations is largely accurate, and the few minor errors would only be noticed by long-time residents or native Atlantans. I appreciate that the author did not turn the characters into caricatures and that the narrator did not use some absurd hillbilly accent.

Although there is an interesting mix of characters, including a blind girl and a man in chemotherapy, it is not a character-driven story. I only got a vague sense of the relationships and backgrounds of the characters. Instead, its focus is on the action. It’s the kind of book one can listen to while doing housework or running errands, as it doesn’t require focused concentration. If you’re looking for deep and thought-provoking literature, this is not the book for you. But if you want a fun, fast-moving, end-of-the-world adventure, you will enjoy Crumbling World.

Chris Monteiro did a fantastic job with the various character voices. Male narrators often struggle to voice female characters without sounding whiny or too masculine, but he was able to handle all of them in a way that made me forget I was listening to a narrator at all, much less a man.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I know some people are skeptical of such reviews, but I rely on reviews myself too much to be dishonest. I have over 1000 books in my library, so I take reviews seriously. I can also tell you that I liked the book enough to spend my own credit on Book 2 in the series. I look forward to finding out what happens next.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Post-Apocalyptic Family Story

'Crumbling World' is the first book in Grace Hamilton's post-apocalyptic series, 'Surviving the End'. In this story, the McDonald family are living lives of the typical busy modern family. They are scattered throughout Georgia when a coronal mass ejection from the sun destroys power across the country. Nuclear engineer Shane and daughter, Violet, are at the epicenter of a possible nuclear disaster. Can the nuclear core be shut down before meltdown? Wife Jodi and son, Owen, have accompanied her brother, Mike, to his final chemo treatment in Augusta. Jodi's mother is in Macon babysitting youngest daughter, Caylee, when the CME strikes. The family must now travel hundreds of miles to reach Beth's house in Macon where she has a well-stocked prepper home. Will the family make it there before chaos reigns?

I am a huge post-apocalyptic story fan. This book is the first I've read that uses a CME as the cause of the power outage, which presents its own unique effects. The author has written a believable tale of how this family attempts to reunite after being spread out over hundreds of miles. On their journeys, they encounter the quick devolution of society and find themselves in harm's way. There is plenty of action and suspense to be enjoyed. It has emotional moments that show character development. There are also some plot twists that I didn't see coming. Ms. Hamilton is quickly becoming a must-read author for me.

While it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book, it does end on a cliffhanger. This is a pet peeve of mine, so I mention it when I come across it.

I have not listened to a book by narrator Chris Monteiro before. His performance has nice emotional depth. I thought his interpretations were great, especially given such an age range among the characters.

This audiobook was provided at my request as a free review copy. This posting is my voluntary opinion.

Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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She’s done it again! 5+ star!

Grace Hamilton has done it again! I highly recommend this audiobook, as well as all of her other books and audiobooks! I haven’t read/listened to all of them yet, but I’ve loved the ones I have! She’s a master storyteller, and is definitely one you don’t want to miss! I cannot even begin to praise her enough! Every single one of her books has unique characteristics, unforgettable characters (that are easy to relate to), and different plot lines. Even though some of them have a similar topics (end of times/life after worldwide destruction), she has somehow found a way to show a high level of creativity while maintaining believable real-world scenarios in every single one! They stand out as some of the best books and audiobooks I’ve ever read/listened to! They are irresistible and impossible to put down. The suspense and thrill of “what’s going to happen next?” and “wow, I can’t believe that just happened!” will make you keep reading/listening much longer than you anticipated. 5+ star! Definitely worth the money/credit! Thank you to the author, publisher, and audiobook boom for allowing me to preview this for free. My review is voluntary and is my honest opinion.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Surprisingly good!

I had listened to another one of Grace Hamilton's apocalyptic books and it was so boring. I hadn't noticed this was the same author until I already had the book so I was ready for another snooze fest, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interesting twists and turns in this book. I actually am looking forward to the sequel to find out what happens next. My only criticism way that all of the main characters were painfully naive, especially in the beginning, it's the apocalypse for God's sake toughen up! I was given this audiobook for free in exchange for my unbiased review.

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