Back of Book: 

The infected aren’t the only ones who should be feared.

Dr. Lucilla Castillo was never supposed to leave Sanctum Medical. Not after the outbreak turned her research lab into the last line of defense against the virus that hollowed out humanity, but when a vaccine of her creation proves to work, she is thrusted into a world far more dangerous than the flesh eating monsters outside.

Accompanied by Alejandro Ramirez, a soldier with too many scars and Luna, the dog who’s followed him through hell, Luci must journey west to the only facility left that might help mass-produce the cure. But freedom has a price, and trust is a currency no one parts with easily.

Prometheus, the institution that raised and educated her, claims to serve the greater good, but as Luci digs deeper, she begins to realize that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the greatest threats come from the very people who swore to protect you.

The Hollowed is a heart wrenching tale of love, resistance, and what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself, even after everything’s already been lost. 

Book Number: One 

Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Thriller | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A new adult apocalyptic thriller featuring a hearty helping of romance, positive Latinx rep, and a lovable German Shepherd. 

After a viral outbreak that turns humans into zombie-like creatures called the Infected, humanity is quarantined for good. Dr. Lucilla "Luci" Castillo is determined to find a vaccine and save humanity though. When she creates something that she thinks will be viable, she is thrust into the dangerous outdoors with only her best friend, Alejandro "Alex" Ramirez, and his trusty team of soldiers to get her to a neighboring facility. The team sets off with the hopes of getting the vaccine into the hands of those that can replicate it, but they soon learn that there is a darker side to Prometheus, the prevailing government, than even they could have imagined. 

I have been following Perez for a bit now on Instagram and thought her first fantasy duology looked very intriguing, so when I saw ARC sign ups for this new sci-fi series she is starting, I knew I had to give it a go. I'm usually a big fan of romantic science fiction stories and I am always down for a good apocalypse story (as long as it's not too gory), so I'm glad to report that I enjoyed this one. 

Perez's story definitely reflects much of the current political situation going on in America today. This book obviously draws some inspiration from the pandemic, but it is more a reflection on how Latine people are often viewed poorly despite all of their contributions to society. Luci is a doctor/scientist and Alex is a soldier, so the ways that they contribute to their quarantined society is quite obvious. 

This book did have a nice thrill to it. There are many parts of this book in which Luci, Alex and the crew are trying to escape the Infected and some of them get to be quite intense. Also, the one scene where they were in the vents was so freaky, and I was not ready for it at all. 

The found family vibes of this book are so sweet. In a dystopian future run by a corrupt government, one has to form some strong bonds if they want to survive. Luci, Alex, Luna, Myra, Grayson, Cipher, and Jace are such a tight crew. I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow together more in future installments of this series. 

The romance in this one is also pretty peak. Alex is one of those wholesome "touch her and die" book boyfriends, so he was a joy. Luci definitely has a caring nature and tends to want to nurture those around her. Pairing these two natures together makes for a cute and wholesome relationship. I'm not saying that these two don't get down and there aren't steamy scenes between them, but these two are so sweet together. 

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with "The Hollowed." It is a great romantic sci-fi thriller with an awesome found family and a really adorable German Shepherd. I love how this apocalyptic world mirrors much of what America is facing today, both in society and politics. The positive Latine representation is great; I love seeing more Latine characters in literature. I really enjoy both Alex and Luci as characters, so I'm very excited to read the next installment in this series!