I tried so hard, to enjoy this book. From the premise it has the makings of a really amazing read. But for me, it fell a little flat.
I found the writing style quite stiff, which made reading feel like a chore.

I did enjoy the MC, bright, brave and strong

I adored this book! Such a sweet love story and a fun and different premise for YA - loved it! Will definitely be pushing this into customers hands asap

Where should I start with this one? Maybe with the plain and simple fact that I adored this book; the story and the characters have my whole heart. Wranglestone is the perfect balance of horror and heartwarming! I knew October would be full of scary reads for me, be it horrors or thrillers, so this was the perfect book to break them all up. And I am so, so, so happy I picked it up when I did!

Wranglestone follows Peter, who lives in a refuge along with the Lake-Landers in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. It's a small community, everyone looks out for one another as the Dead are never far away! When their safe haven is compromised, Peter finds himself at the centre of it all, struggling to listen to his head over his heart and left questioning everything he knows!

This is so much more than a zombie story. There is mystery and twists, aspects of classic dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction, and I love to see it but there is also so much heart and humor! I absolutely adored the characters we meet in this novel (for the most part, there are some bad apples!) Peter is a kind and thoughtful soul, a boy in love with fellow Lake-Lander, Cooper. I loved this guy! A rough and ready zombie wrangler with a heart of absolute gold! These two had my heart exploding throughout, not something that happens often! A lot of relationships/friendships are beautifully written, one of which that stood out was between Peter and his father. The two of them are adorable and the love you feel from it, ugh, it actually hurts my heart. In a good way!

This is probably one of the longest reviews I have written but it's justified. One of my favourite books of the year and I cannot wait to read book two, Timberdark!

Wranglestone is a post-apocalyptic zombie YA novel that takes place within a community based on a lake in a national park. The protagonist, Peter, must prove himself useful to the group, while uncovering some dark truths about the zombies.

First of all, I'm so happy that this is written in third pwrson. I'm so tired of first person narration being the default for YA fiction. As Charlton demonstrates, you can write in third person and still limit the perspective to the central character while putting across their thoughts and feelings. This also meant that we got some nice visual descriptions in the process which really helped with the world building.

There were some hints of social commentary which I liked. For example, one of the characters expresses how he's better off than he used to be, or at least that's what he believes. He used to work a dead end job, trying to make ends meet, but now feels like he has a purpose, keeping people safe and fighting against the zombies that have taken over. It makes you question modern day capitalism and working class struggles.

The romance was sweet and I liked that the fact that they were gay was just accepted. It reminded me of Wolfsong by T.J. Klune in that way and I hope this trend in YA fiction continues. It doesn't have to be doom and gloom when it comes to gay relationships. I just wish we got to spend some more time with Peter and Cooper to show their romance blossoming.

Otherwise, I got through the story very quickly, and I wasn't sure if this was because I was super into it or if the narrative was simply fast-paced—perhaps a little bit of both. There were definitely times when the events of the story developed quickly. Certain conflicts are resolved before you even have time to feel the full weight of them. With that said, there were also some suspenseful moments and I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as Peter uncovered the reality of the world around him.

Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.

DNF'd at 42% I really, really wanted to enjoy it bc the concept was so interesting, but the pacing was so slow and i was just not really into it at all, i just couldnt click with it, i couldnt click with the characters, i didnt connect with any of it at all, and i tried to keep reading in the hopes I would eventually like it, but whats the point of forcing yourself to read something youre not enjoying, esp when youre already struggling to read
The writing style itself was good tho, and I did like the concept, if not the execution, so it still gets 2* for that

I did like this book but I was expecting to love it. I think the pacing was a bit strange and I would have preferred a slower build to the romance. However, I did enjoy the storyline and will probably read the sequel when I can.

Wow I absolutely loved this book. Such a gripping dystopian story with a heartbreak love story thrown in. I can't wait to buy thunderous school libdary!

Wow! Just wow! I could not put this down at all! Wranglestone has got to be one of my reads of the year so far and possibly my favourite Young Adult book ever! If you read one book this summer let it be this!

Thrilling zombie apocalypse meets a truly gorgeous gay love story; it’s perfect for fans of Walking Dead and Steven King’s The Stand. My heart pounded throughout, not only at the chilling zombie action but for Pete and Cooper’s genuinely tender romance and their overwhelming love for each other.

Winter was the only season every Lake-Lander feared…


In a post-apocalyptic America, people have fled the cities and set up communities in the mountains and national parks of Yosemite and Yellowstone. Lake Wranglestone is one such community; surrounded by water its inhabitants live on small islands, the water keeping the Dead or ‘Restless Ones’ at bay. But when winter comes and the lake freezes over, there’s nothing to stop them from dragging themselves across the ice searching for flesh.


Peter lives with his father, his mother a casualty of the Dead. He’s very much a homebody, darning socks, making quilts and keeping the tree house the two of them share neat and tidy. He’s a gentle trusting soul who always sees the good in people but one day, this is his undoing; he puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore with catastrophic consequences…

An emergency meeting is called on the Sky Deck of the lake’s Watchtower and the community of Wranglestone decide he must make up for his carelessness. He will act as bait, going into the forests and leading the Dead away from the lake.

Cooper, the boy he’s always admired from afar, is the polar opposite of Peter. Rugged, handy with an axe, machette, shotgun and accomplished on horseback, Cooper is no stranger to staring death in the face. He wrangles the Dead, herding them from their shores and out onto the plains before the lake freezes over. They say opposites attract and this couldn’t be truer; Cooper and Peter are made for each other and after a narrow escape from a frenzied attack of the Dead, Cooper confesses he’s also had feelings for Peter for some time. The pair share a the most beautiful night together in the boathouse – a safe haven between the lake and land – and from that moment, they belong to one another.


Every minute Pete is away from Cooper is agony and their love blossoms as Cooper takes Pete out riding across the plains. I was completely in love with them falling in love – Darren Charlton has written their story to perfection – and their story is for everyone. It’s for everyone that has loved another person so much that it hurts. But danger and the Dead are never far away and in a chain of events that will shock you to the core, their relationship faces truly devastating complications…

I’m bursting to say so much more but this is a book where there are so many special little moments (and utterly horrific and shocking ones!) that every reader deserves to discover for themselves. I wish I could read Wranglestone again for the very first time – there’s so many parts I keep going back to and re-reading that give me goosebumps and so many sections I assure you that you will read through your fingers or with your heart in your mouth.

A absolutely cannot wait to read the sequel Timberdark which publishes on 1st September.

Wranglestone is a post-apocalyptic novel centred around a group of survivors who live out on islands in the middle of a lake. The lake offers a great natural defence during the summer months, but when the lake starts to freeze the Dead are able to walk across it, and safety becomes a distant memory…

Unfortunately, protagonist Peter is extremely naive, and he accidentally endangers the lives of his fellow Lake-Landers when he puts his trust in a stranger. The leaders come down hard on Peter, deciding that he needs to grow up and start contributing more to their community fast. Thankfully ranger Cooper is on hand to help, and it doesn’t take long for their friendship to develop into a romantic relationship.

I definitely seem to be in the minority by not absolutely loving Wranglestone. I found the setting atmospheric, and loved the idea of these islands which are a haven of safety in the warmer months but are completely different during the winter. I also really cared about the characters of both Peter and Cooper, and found the development of their relationship to be very authentic.

Sadly, something about the writing style just didn’t work for me. At times Wranglestone reads as more of a teen book because of Peter’s naivety. However, there are also overly long sentences and convoluted descriptions which feel as though they’re edging into the literary fiction genre. It is a strange contrast, and it consistently threw me out of the story, causing me to reread sections over and over again to fully understand what was going on.

Even though I had problems with certain aspects of Charlton’s writing style, I’m still looking forward to reading the sequel, Timberdark, when it publishes next year.

I started off my spooky October TBR with Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, a novel set in post-apocalyptic America where Winter brings the Dead knocking on your door. I've never read a novel featuring zombies of any kind and after starting Wranglestone I remembered why!
The first half of this novel terrified me, I'm such a huge wimp so there's no surprise there really but the scenes introducing the Dead who attack the living were so creepy.
This novel did take me by surprise however, I was fully expecting a dystopian love story as the main duo fought off the Dead, I wasn't expecting the interesting twist that changed everything I thought I knew about Peters world!
Wranglestone is an amazing dystopian LGBTQ+ novel that I highly recommend.. but read it in daylight!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and I'm afraid it didn't quite hit the mark. It was quite slow to start, with little world building and no proper explanation for the zombies / restless ones / dead (there were several names for them and that got confusing at times too). Things started to pick up at the end but it was then rushed and felt a bit cluttered. I love that it's a gay zombie thriller, but the romance seemed a bit flat and I didn't believe the connection between the characters.

This is a beautifully written, emotional reimagining of a zombie apocalypse! I really liked the prose and its vivid descriptions of nature. Peter is the kind of teen male protagonist we don’t often see. He loves to sew, hates fighting, and close to his father. He’s naive yet full of empathy and kindness. His budding romance with Cooper moves fast but I thought their scenes are so sweet that I didn’t mind!

The plot is quite predictable though. I had issues with the pacing, and some things aren’t clearly explained. One of the confusing choices was that the zombies had too many names – the Dead, Restless Ones, Pale Wanderers, Zees. But I liked the theme of Us vs Them and how fear causes characters to make terrible decisions. This is a fitting read during our time of self-isolation. I can’t wait for the sequel!

I have never read a zombie book before and I can tell you, I am now hooked! This book by Darren Charlton was incredible. I liked the fact that Wranglestone started off all calm and idyllic, giving the illusion of peace and tranquillity before very quickly picking up pace, and ending up in chaos.

The introduction of LGBT characters Peter and Cooper is so sweet and wholesome amidst a whole lot of ugly, and I was rooting for them the whole way through. It was also cute watching them figure out their feelings even as Peter's dad kept pushing him in Cooper's direction.

I loved the zombies in this book. They were all different and varied, just like their living human counterparts. Some seemed very traditional, some were almost shades or shadows of their former selves, and others were definitely not what I was expecting.

Wranglestone was such a fun, fast-paced book full of love, unwavering trust and determination to do what's right in the face of adversity, fear and uncertainty. This was a debut for this author, and I think he did amazing, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series as, and when it comes out

Wranglestone is an amazing YA horror and it ticks all of my boxes: it pulls together elements from my favourite genres, has a great cast of characters and a sinister setting.

The genre elements were probably my favourite part. Wranglestone has the feel of a western, with its remote setting and characters a lot like cowboys, but also has truly terrifying horror and the sweetest romance at its core. The book executes all of those elements really well, so that the action is balanced out by lovely (and sometimes heartbreaking) moments between characters.

That leads me another thing I really loved: Peter and Cooper. They're great characters as individuals and I rooted for them so much as a couple! All of the characters are well-drawn and I think that's what engaged my emotions so much – I cared what happened to them.

I also have to talk about that location. A remote national park is the perfect setting for this novel, with the zombies lingering on the fringes of the community and the cold descending upon them.

I loved everything about this book and I'm so glad it's the first in a series!

This book was brilliant. A fresh take on post-apocalyptic zombies that had me gripped, the world that the author has crafted is interesting and really well thought out. The book takes a little while to establish itself but once it does the pace of the plot really kicks up and I found it hard to not keep turning the pages. On top of this the romance at the centre of the book is a sweet first loves type romance between Peter and Cooper, two boys from the tiny community that the book focuses on who've had feelings for each other but until the book never actually explore these.

I love this book and it’s now our bestselling teen title at the shop. As well as being a deeply romantic LGBT love story, an intelligent and thought provoking look at prejudice and society and a successful horror story , it also has a beautifully evocative description of National Parks. Incredible book!

I. Love. This. BOOK!

Oh my gosh, it's SO eerie! Like this is a gooooood zombie book and I'm SO glad it's not a stand-alone. 

And so topical! I mean, I doubt the publishing companies predicted the medical predicament our world finds itself in currently, but the social commentary in this book is so good! (Not entirely on point because a common enemy has not quite brought countries together the way one might hope but topical nonetheless!)

The characters were all great. Not saying they were nice, but they were great. You could recognise each of them, even though - my god - some were just SO cruel, sometimes in the most subtle ways. 

Peter's character was the best though, without question. Time and again, it's easy to find a book that you love but couldn't care less about the narrator and it ruins the book. In the first chapter or so - maybe only the first chapter - I knew Peter was going to piss me off. He sounded so meek, so mild, so naive for the world he lives in. He is, as the blurb says, a homebody and it was like 'Uuuuugh, ok, let's see you fumble your dainty way through this - I swear if you stay nice the whole way through and still survive all this though... -.-'

Peter stays nice the whole way through and grows in the most glorious way. He solidly becomes a sturdy, brave survivor who remains compassionate and rational. He is, without doubt, a natural leader if only given the time. I love the kid and cannot wait to see him in the next book. 

The story was so solid, and so creepy. There was just an air was '.... I don't like this' through the entire book. The description of bright eyes in the darkness and waving to each other from across the lake - no, it's so creepy (especially the wave when you realise what's going on). 

And you know, this is one of those books where I read it and thought 'This would make a great movie or TV show.' I would 100% watch it as a TV show. It's just action after action after action after action and it never feels like it's TOO much. It never needs to just slow down because, even though it's BAM BAM BAM BAM!, it's all perfectly balanced and written so clearly that you can envision every episode. 

Also, everything that I expected to happen in the plot happened, but not how I expected!! I LOVE that! That I could hit the middle of the book and just be like WTF?!!! NOOOOO!

Just... basically it's a great book and you should read it.

ARC provided by Stripes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lake Wranglestone is one of the most isolated refuges built against the invasion of the Restless Ones and only truly safe in the summertime, because when the cold comes, so does the ice and the dead.
There, Peter lives in a tight-knit community with his dad and another small group of survivors, including Connor, the handsome blonde he looks from afar. One honest, yet dangerous mistake, though, forces Peter out of the lake’s safe haven and into the Dead-ridden mainland, still unaware of Wranglestone’s secret past.

I’m really thankful to Stripes Book and NetGalley for the chance to review this book: Wranglestone by Darren Charlton is the queer zombie thriller a gay horror-fanatic like me ever wished for! Its plot’s twists and turns, the unsettling atmosphere and the marvellous romance is what I loved more about it. It captivates you from the beginning and it compels continuation until you know how it ends.

Wranglestone is fantastic. A gay romance, a zombie horror, an end of the world thriller, all rolled up in exciting adventure.

To start with, it's a fascinating and original setting for a post-apocalyptic thriller. I loved the idea of a cluster of little islands on a large lake, and the blend of isolation and independence with a loosely knitted community. Throw in the vulnerability of the lake freezing in winter and you've got something novel and exciting.

The zombies themselves have that slow, unstoppable menace to them, the way one really isn't a threat, but there's never just one, and you only need to be bitten once. A very real sense of menace and peril pervades most of the book.

I'm not going to go into any detail about the later parts of the book, because spoilers, but I loved the twists and turns in direction that the story took us in, with an enthralling mystery to unfold and make sense of. It's definitely not just a clever setting, there's a very strong plot backing it up.

Strong characters too. I loved poor Peter, the hapless innocent at the centre of the story. I loved watching him develop and find his strength and his place in this new society and really felt for him. The gay romance elements of the novel worked really well, with Cooper being very crush-worthy and watching his relationship develop with Peter was quite an emotional journey.

Love in the Time of Zombie Apocalypse. I loved it.

This another post-apocalyptic Zombie book but this time it's Queer, therefore better than all the other zombie books. This book did take me a while to read, not the book's fault. I found myself enjoying the book but also having no will to physically read, which is how things go sometimes. I only say that as an excuse to as why I'm realising this review a day away from the publication date and if I get the beginning blurry.

I love zombies and love stories with Queer stories. Okay, I don't love zombies, but I'm was excited to see a Queer genre YA book. I do like zombie stories if done well. It's nice that the characters being queer isn't made a big deal of, and never comes into the plot. It's just character trait and just happens to be a Queer romance. This is M/M I have seen most reviewers calling this book "Gay" but no labels are used within the text and M/M doesn't make the characters gay. LGBTQ+ people, or Queer as an easy, assessable umbrella term when describing people's whose labels you don't know. It's not discussed at all in the book, but its apocalypse you would hope that people would just get on their lives in the best way possible.

Though, don't worry it does sticks to the zombie format of humanity being capable of terrible things.

The romance is really good, even some hot moments which makes me feel odd now that I'm so much older than the characters. I wished we spent more time with character development which I guess is kinda odd for a genre book. I just want character development in the backdrop of zombies waiting to eat everyone.

Peter is a Soft boy who is good at sewing (important skill once clothes shop stop being a thing) and not so much Survivalist skill, despite having spent most of his life during the zombie apocalypse, not remembering a time before.

The setting is a natural park, where people were evacuated to during the start of the outbreak. More specifically, the community lives on a lake in still houses, to keep the zombies away from them. So definitely cool.

This book is set up for a series, with a lot of plot elements that happen m. There are things I would like explored.

I can't comment on how gory this book is because I don't notice gore unless someone is being distractedly over the top with it. This is a zombie apocalypse so there is some gore.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for Car Holes. This a debut and I know I didn't read it in the best way for full enjoyment. I will stick with the series, a book two has been confirmed by the author and will buy my own copy of this book once I recover from investment in concert tickets.