Mercy Mode (Contaminated) - Softcover

Now in paperback! Just right for fans of James Dashner, Jonathan Maberry, Carrie Ryan, andThe Walking Dead, a gripping survival story, the second in a series by a best-selling author, of a strong girl rebuilding her life in a post-apocalyptic society where a contaminated drink makes victims act like zombies.

Seventeen-year-old Velvet, her little sister, Opal, their mom, who is recovering from the Contamination, and Velvet's sweet boyfriend, Dillon, are attempting to build a new life amid the rationing and regulations of the post-outbreak nation. But the outbreak isn't over: more people turning into "Connies," more madness erupting, more killings occurring. And what they are being told is not the truth; the truth is far darker and more threatening: the government is experimenting on the Contaminated, and it is searching for Velvet.

Praise for Contaminated:

"Garner focuses less on the immediate horror of a zombie invasion, and instead shifts her focus to the after effects...This has plenty of suspense--it's not a book to read at bedtime . . . not your average zombie story."--Booklist

"...speaks to a wide range of readers, including reluctant ones."--Kirkus Reviews

"This suspenseful series is rooted firmly in the real world: ours. . . . this dystopia speaks to a wide range of readers, including reluctant ones."--Kirkus Reviews

"Velvet may have a softer name than her literary predecessors Katniss (The Hunger Games), Cassie (The 5th Wave), and Kaelyn (The Way We Fall), but like them she has been forced to take on adult-sized responsibilities within her repressive society . . . . The plot moves quickly, with moments of horror . . . but this is more of a relationship-based book than many other teen dystopian novels."--The Horn Book

"Absolutely unputdownable . . . will leave you reeling."--Jennifer L. Armentrout,New York Times best-selling author

"Relentlessly horrifying . . . a bone-chilling, riveting debut."--Ann Aguirre, USA Today best-selling author

"Riveting, relentless . . . the most human, heartbreaking dystopian I've ever read."--Jeri Smith-Ready, award-winning author of the Shades trilogy

Praise for Contaminated 2: Mercy Mode:

"...a strong follow-up, keeps the pace active, and sets up a new direction for the series."--School Library Journal

"Volume 2 of this smart series builds momentum and suspense, raises stakes and expands narrative scope--in short, plan on a marathon, up-all-night read."--Kirkus Reviews

Adulterated products are constantly in the news now; everyone has heard of problems with Chinese infant formula, US energy drinks, even popular US sports drinks. The diet drink that sets off this epidemic is inspired by these chilling, real stories.

You may visit Em Garner's website at www.emgarner.com, or follow her on Twitter @EmGarnerBooks, or on Facebook, Em Garner.

Em Garner is the pseudonym of a New York Times best-selling author of romances. The author of more than 50 books, she made her YA debut with this series. Em started writing as a child, originally about the scary things that hid under her bed. She never lost her taste for scary stories, or for fantasies with a dark twist.

Em loves the beach, where she often writes, but is afraid of sharks. She lives in Pennsylvania, where this series is set. The author lives in Lebanon, PA.