End of Mercy
The Mercy Series #3
by C.C. Marks
Published July 14th
2015
Genre: Dystopian, Apocalyptic,
Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
BLURB:
After a treacherous journey, Charlie is finally safe behind
the walls of The Mercy Research Hospital. Yet, even as she’s relieved to be
free of danger, things aren’t all they seem inside this secure world.
Revelations about the research conducted in The Dead Forest and the role she
played flips her world on its head and makes her question everything she knows
as truth.
Once again, with much against her, Charlie must take action
for Star, Thomas, and all those she’s come to care about in order to prevent
the plan to wipe out everything…and everyone…remaining in the forest. And even
as Charlie allows herself to relax, she meets Dr. Drake, the medical researcher
who insists she’s creating a better world. Of course, once you’ve fought off
Draghoul and all the stuff of nightmares, a doctor with unclear motives is just
one more challenge to meet.
Purchase:
Other Books in the Series:
Read my Review of Edge
of Mercy
Read my Review of Heart
of Mercy
Read my Review of Mercy
EXCERPT:
As we walked freely down the open road, I realized I’d
forgotten the crisp smell of cold air and the security of sunshine on the top
of your head. Being outside without worrying about running for your life was
beyond fantastic, and I couldn’t erase the smile from my face as we walked in a
small group together. Nervous energy filled my abdomen at the thought of no
shelter once night began to fall, but in the fading light, we walked on.
As we traveled along the two-lane, paved road, we passed
several houses. All seemed completely abandoned. A large, faded-red barn loomed
ahead as I took everything in. The closer we walked toward the barn though, the
stranger its appearance became.
The road veered to the left away from the barn in a field to
the right. The rest of the group walked on, but I stopped and stared. A message
had been painted onto the side facing the road, and my mouth dropped.
TURN BACK! YOU WILL
DIE!
The words were clear and the message unmistakable. Who had
painted it? And why didn’t the others even pay attention to it? They passed by
it like they’d done it a thousand times, and it no longer meant anything to
them.
“Charlie, you coming?” Ben stood in the middle of the road,
looking back at me.
With a slow jog, I caught up to him but threw another glance
over my shoulder before keeping stride with him.
“What’s that about?” “What’s what about?” Such an evasive
answer. He didn’t even look back.
I pointed to the area now behind us. “Um... the warning on
the side of that barn.”
We’d caught up to the rest of the group by then. “Didn’t you
know? Mercy’s a dangerous place. Better go somewhere else.” Tyson laughed as he
met my gaze. “It was a well-executed public relations plan to keep people away.
Too many people kept showing up at the hospital’s doorstep for help. Can’t help
them all, so a few people went out and tried to find a way to keep people from
coming any further.”
I glanced around the group. Everyone but Ben nodded. His jaw
tightened noticeably as he avoided looking at anyone, and I got the feeling he
knew something the others didn’t.
Rachelle added, “There’s another one up here that says, ‘Your
children will be taken!’”
It did sound like scare tactics, but I still thought Ben was
avoiding the subject for some reason. He knew something about the messages that
he wasn’t sharing with the group. I was sure of it, but I just nodded and
walked on.
Sure enough, we turned the next curve and another barn
loomed beside the road. The words Rachelle said would be there were, but I
couldn’t believe the sense of dread seeing the words gave me. When I thought
back to the population of Mercy, it occurred to me that there were very few
adults. Though there certainly were a handful of adults, they were young, maybe
in their twenties but barely out of their teens. Much of the population were children.
I’d thought it was odd but figured many of their parents had been lost to the
Dead Forest. What if something else entirely were going on?
My Review:
Charlie Little and her baby sister Star have finally made it
to the safety of Mercy Research Facility. When Charlie finally steps foot in
the halls of Mercy she believes that she will now find the answers to all of
her questions and she does have a lot. She soon learns that the answers that
she has been seeking for so long just might not becoming her way after all or
will they? It would seem that Mercy may not be the place Charlie thought it was.
There is just something that is slightly off about the place. You know
something that is just not quite right. Whatever it Charlie is just the person
to find out. When Charlie sets her head to do something she usually does it.
Dr. Drake is just the person to give her all the answers she
is wants but Dr. Drake is not one to spill all of her secrets at once. She will
only give as much information as is needed at the time or as much is needed to
get someone to do what she requires of them. The answers she has for Charlie
though are probably not want Charlie has been looking for after all. But they
are the only answers there is. Charlie has survived The Dead Forest and the
Draghoul among other things so one more obstacle in her way is not going to
stop her from keeping Star and all of her friends back at the Community safe.
Charlie will do whatever it takes to keep Star safe and find her way back to
Thomas.
Thomas has known since the beginning that Charlie was not a
boy but he has kept her secret all this time. Thomas, Peter and the rest of the
people at the Community have run into a little trouble of their own. Someone in
the Community is trying to sabotage them and put them all in danger and without
a safe place to live. But Thomas is not going to let anyone else die if it is
in his power to stop it. Thomas must find a way to get everyone out and find a
safe place for them before it is too late. After saving everyone at the
Community Thomas has plans to go find Charlie and Star so they can be together
again. Thomas also has no intentions of letting anyone else on his watch die.
He is determined to find out who is sabotaging them and put a stop to all of
their shenanigans.
I have read all of the books in The Mercy Series and loved
them all. I love the new twist that Cherie has put on what we would probably
call zombies or undead but what she calls the Draghoul. Draghoul are people
that have changed with claw fingernails and razor sharp teeth. A bit or a
scratch will change a human into one of these monsters. I have enjoyed
following along with Charlie, Thomas, Peter, Star and all of the other
characters fighting and just trying to survive in a world that has been
overcome by Draghoul or undead. Each of the characters has a story of their own
and loved ones that they have lost in one way or another. They all have had
their own heartache. I can’t wait to read more of Charlie, Star and Thomas’
journeys and following along with them wherever they end up.
If you have not read End of Mercy then I strongly recommend
that you do. Warning it may keep you up at night. Not because it will scare the
living daylights out of you but of course it might. No not that no but because
you won’t be able to put it down. But I do suggest that you read book #1 Edge
of Mercy first and then go on to the second book. Oh and don’t forget about the
book that started it all the short story Mercy. There is also a shot story
Range of Mercy from Thomas’ pov you will want to check out as well.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
It all started with an old fashioned typewriter. When my
family brought it home, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling
around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were
satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew
this was for me. Since then, I’ve graduated to a laptop, but the stories still
find a way out.
I’m a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother,
and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to
a fault, I love to make people laugh, smile, and have “a-ha” moments. My goal
in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.
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