After Days: Affliction or America Falls: Hell Week by Scott Medbury

I read Affliction (After Days Book 1) as my A in my new A-Z challenge; however, when coming to write this review, I have discovered this series has been rebranded.  What was one book, Affliction, has now been split into two books in the America Falls series: Hell Week and On The Run, as such you can not read Affliction anymore, so I won't link to that.

This book is very timely and apt, though with some differences! It follows Isaac, a teenager, as he learns to adapt to the new world.  After a sudden outbreak of a deadly virus in Korea, the virus was contained before being discovered on American soil.  Unfortunately, it wasn't too long before it was obvious that the virus was a biological weapon, and only people of Chinese heritage or who hadn't finished growing (ie children) we safe from death - though arguably they may have a worse fate having survived.  Isaac meets other children on his travels, and becomes the natural leader of the group as they struggle to get to a safe haven in the Drake Mountains.

The blurb of Hell Week says:

Infection. Invasion. Chaos. A weaponized virus ravages the U.S. somehow leaving children and young adults unscathed. As hundreds of millions die, for those left, surviving the virus is only the beginning…

Isaac Race thought he'd found a new family and home. A new Life. He had, but it's all about to be snatched away. When an ambitious enemy launches a sneak attack on the USA, his peaceful life is shattered and Isaac, by his very nature a loner, must band together with a ragtag group of survivors to make their way to a sanctuary, three states away in the depths of a vicious east coast winter.

It won’t be easy, the invaders aren't the only dangers unleashed in a world suddenly turned upside down, and if they're going to survive, they'll need to be resourceful and ruthless and rely on others in a world where trust has been shattered.

I loved this book.  It is really gripping; I just hope that splitting it into two hasn't diluted it too much.  It has been written in a very clever way, in that it alludes to some horrific and gruesome things, but doesn't elaborate, so it is up to you what you imagine (and such, could be suitable for younger readers).  When I was looking for this book on Amazon, and initially couldn't find it, I was disappointed, as I would like to finish the rest of the series; so I am glad that the series is still there under an alternative name (even though I think there should be some reference to the change on at least Hell Week's write-up).
A good book.