Shadow

Marinah and the Apocalypse, Book 1

By: Holly S. Roberts

Narrated by: Elizabeth Grulke

First came the magnetic pulses, wiping out the world's defenses. Then came war, turning cities to wastelands. And when the dust settled, the hellhounds arrived; merciless creatures bent on erasing what little remained of humanity.

Marinah never asked to be part of the fight. Yet, against all logic, she’s been named Secretary of Defense by the new U.S. government, the Federation. She doesn’t know why they chose her, but one thing is certain, she’s the last person for the job. Tasked with negotiating with an alien force known as the Shadow Warriors, Marinah isn’t expected to last a day.

King, the ruthless leader of the Shadow Warriors, has every reason to hate humans. His people once saved them from extinction, only to be betrayed. Now, he wants nothing to do with them, except for one last chance at vengeance. He demands a single human woman as a peace envoy, believing she’ll break easily under his rule.

But Marinah isn’t what he expected. Clumsy, stubborn, and utterly unprepared, she’s the wrong woman for diplomacy and the only one who awakens something buried deep inside him.

Trust is a dangerous game in a world on the brink of destruction. And sometimes, the greatest threats aren’t the monsters outside, but the ones we can’t resist.

A genre blender for romantic paranormal thriller fans!

©2025 Holly S Roberts (P)2025 Holly S Roberts

Shadow

I enjoyed this first story of the series, the characters are interesting and their tale kept me intrigued until the end.

The narration was good.

A good listen!!

The beginning was rough—long, repetitive, and felt like one big info dump. I almost quit after the first chapter. But I’m so glad I pushed through! Once the story settled, it got really good, y’all. Marinah and King's dynamic totally pulled me in, and the tension and emotion kept building in the best way.

By the time I was fully hooked, I’d forgotten all about my frustration at the start. Great listen overall, and I’m absolutely in for the rest of the series. Don’t sleep on this one!

Mixed but Worth Continuing

Overall rating: 3.5/5

A real mix of genres, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. I enjoyed the story overall, though it could have flowed more smoothly—the beginning felt a bit fragmented and choppy, and it took me a while to settle into it. I even bumped up the listening speed to get through those early sections. Still, there was enough intrigue and substance to keep me going, and I’ll be picking up Book 2.