What Lurks in the Shadows by S.C. Shannon is a survival tale set in a post-apocalyptic world full of terrifying monsters. Twenty-year-old Grace Baker's humdrum life in the southern California suburbs turns upside down when the entire world seems to come to a grinding halt, with unexplained power outages. Soon, human civilization enters a futuristic dystopia as the nations across the planet become embroiled in a full-scale nuclear war. As Grace and her family try to survive and acclimatize themselves to the new normal, another far greater threat emerges that splits their family wide apart. With survival skills honed into her psyche by her father, Grace battles thugs and monsters alike to make it to the next day. But as survival becomes increasingly difficult, the emergence of an old friend infuses Grace with renewed hope.

If movies like A Quiet Place are your jam, you'll have a blast reading What Lurks in the Shadows. S.C. Shannon weaves a gripping survival tale filled with tension and intrigue that will have you biting your nails in anticipation of what's going to happen next. The narrative is divided into two timelines. One follows Grace with her family before the dawn of the apocalypse, and the other is set in the present. There is a sense of dread and terror permeating each scene that keeps your eyes glued to the pages. Grace is a likable protagonist you find yourself easily attached to, and her relationship with Nick drives the second half of the narrative. Recommended to fans of post-apocalyptic stories.

Told from an alternating view of the past and the present, What Lurks in the Shadows is a perilous tale of apocalyptic romance featuring a 20-year-old American young woman, Grace, as the protagonist. It was a laid-back easygoing life for Grace before the terrorist attacks started and the nocturnal man-eating creatures showed up, but her strong ties to her parents and older brother are what keep her going. With her dad’s help and preparation, she becomes capable of much more than she can imagine. Grace struggles to survive but somehow finds hope and even love amidst the madness.

I loved reading What Lurks in the Shadows. I found myself wishing the book had not ended so soon. The apocalyptic fiction genre is dominated by male protagonists, so the fact that the protagonist was a female was very attractive to me and it made the book interesting. It would make a fantastic film! I would be thrilled to see it made into a screenplay. Overall, the work is quite well written, and S.C. Shannon truly did a great job writing it. The chapters switching back and forth from Grace’s past to the present time was a unique and stimulating aspect. There are many action scenes and tense moments that had me on edge, which is good because it means that S.C. Shannon was able to keep me entertained and emotionally connected. I thoroughly enjoyed What Lurks in the Shadows, and I was surprised at the impression it has left on me.