Readers who enjoy books packed with mystery and intrigue will devour this book! Paused is a horror thriller novel by author Stephanie Ellis. The way that this story is structured is meant to pull you in from the first moments
If you are a cover person, at first glance, this book’s cover probably won’t have you racing to pick it up. However, before you dismiss this book off-hand, we advise you otherwise, and for very good reasons. Give it a second, closer look. What lies between the covers will surely settle the deal.
Starting out, the main character, Alex, is driving to work when he notices something amiss. A man from the neighborhood he knows. You’d think seeing someone sitting on the same bench, in the same bench, in the SAME clothes as the last time you saw him wouldn’t be that strange. However, Alex gets a feeling that something just isn’t right.
As he investigates, Alex makes a dire discovery and a barrage of questions will plague your mind as you wonder – what has happened? Is this an isolated incident? How far-reaching is this? Is it something that is spreading like a virus? Or is this something being propagated by the powers that be? However you look at it, this will be the moment that the book grabs you and wraps you up in its pages to the end.
The deeper you delve into this book fellow reader, the more intrigued you are going to become. The author paints a picture of calm for a time. There is little change with Patient “zero” (Sam). Three weeks have passed since his admittance to the hospital, but the number of similar patients? They’re beginning to grow. One particular patient is going to pull at your heartstrings due to one simple fact – it’s a child. You imagine the fear choking the parents as they have no idea how to help their little one.
The numbers are growing, but as to be expected, the government is trying to keep a lid on it in an effort to “not panic the people.” Yeah, we all know how well that goes. While government officials take steps to attempt to protect themselves, it’s the average person or the “little people” who will suffer the most.
As you progress into this novel the horror element is going to creep on you. The author chooses to utilize in this book the social media aspect and how it dominates the world. Individuals looking to become “social media famous” have no qualms about taking videos and posting them of the victims of the “freezing.”
When you think that you know what is going to happen next, the author takes things a step further, shocking you and leaving you shaken. Trust us though when we say that the horror doesn’t end. There is an insidious truth waiting for you deeper into the story – so keep reading.
Page by page the author carefully details the disintegration of humanity in the face of this unknown “disease” that is quickly spreading. When faced with the unknown, panic ensues and people react in the way that is most predictable. With the added element of social media and portable cameras everywhere, everything is now being recorded and put out for mass consumption. Stephanie Ellis details how humanity’s behavior is even shifting as new cases crop up in certain areas.
The author grips you with intrigue as you dig deeper to find out what is going to happen next. Who will be impacted next? How the characters in the story are so dismissive of an unanswered text in the face of everything that is going on. It makes you think – wouldn’t you be prone to being more concerned for your family in light of what’s happening? Wouldn’t fear creep up your spine if you sent a loved one a text and got no response?
The main character, Alex, is dedicated to his job. He knows what is at stake as around the world governments are looking to take draconian steps. Scientists are falling victim as this…thing…shows that it is non-discriminating. The ever-impending clock is ticking as one by one, humanity falls.
Alex is the main character of this story and the one that the author mainly focuses on. Readers view the story through his perspective for most of the book. He isn’t the only character who gets the spotlight though. We also get chapters with other members of his family as well. While the branch-offs will be brief, they bring both a new perspective and some insight into the individuals that they focus on.
Alex is an interesting character, but he’s not perfect. This will draw readers to him based on his imperfections. Despite the fact that something truly horrifying is going on, he keeps pushing forward. He’s one of the characters focused on trying to find a cure to save the frozen victims. He knows all too well that those who have no one to care for them will die within a certain amount of time. So the sense of a proverbial “clock of doom” is there every step of the way.
Paused flows smoothly from beginning to end. The author paints a vivid picture of the world falling apart a person at a time as a mysterious “illness” sweeps the world. The truth behind it all? Well, you’ll just have to read and piece together this intricate puzzle for yourself. Paused by Stephanie Ellis is a riveting novel that will surprise readers at multiple turns, and keep you page-turning to learn what happens next and how it all turns out.
The fear that the story inspires will have you rethinking a few things but beware of the “red herrings” that the author places in the story. They just might lead you astray, but for sure this book will make you think.
An engaging novel that takes readers on a deep dive into the race against the clock as a “disease” runs rampant while the author embraces the horror and amplifies it with multiple levels that you won’t see coming until you are neck-deep in them.
While the ending of this book isn’t certain, it does offer a glimmer of hope. You just have to reach out…and take it.
Pros:
- Thrilling
- Engaging
- Page-turner
- Teases the mind
- Reflective of humanity in times of crisis
Cons:
- The conclusion to story is open-ended
Scribble's Worth 
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