The Wolves of Winter - Tyrell Johnson

Ahh, Tyrell Johnson, you had me at post apocalyptic. Johnson's debut novel is The Wolves of Winter - and it's one you're going to want to read.

Nuclear war and disease have decimated society and the world as we know it. Seven years on, Lynn McBride and her family are still surviving. They fled to an isolated area of the Yukon. and Lynn's hunting and survival skills are now finely honed. When a stranger named Jax stumbles into their part of the forest, Lynn is curious and does what she shouldn't - she approaches him and takes him back to the homestead. But Jax has brought trouble with him - and now it's on the McBride doorstep.....

Johnson has created a great lead character in Lynn - she's tough physically and mentally. But, on the flip side, she's lonely and isolated - and her world is about to change - again.

Johnson's post apocalyptic world building is believable and perhaps not that far away. The cold of the Yukon seeps into the reader's fingers with Johnson's detailed descriptions. But the beauty as well.

The Wolves of Winter is action packed - the tension increases with each new chapter and plot development. There's a great cat and mouse game played out and an epic battle scene. Johnson takes his plotting in an inventive direction that I didn't see coming, but was just right.

Comparisons have been made by the publisher to The Hunger Games. And I agree, it's in the same vein, but puts it's own stamp on world building, a strong female lead, supporting male characters, danger, survival, intrigue and yes, romance.

The Wolves of Winter ends on a satisfying note. But, I wonder Tyrell......could there be there be more to Lynn's story? Pretty please?

Read an excerpt of The Wolves of Winter. An excellent debut, and I look forward to Johnson's next book. You can connect with Tyrell Johnson on his website, like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.