Emma's Rose: A Zombie Tale: Book 1: The Cave (2024)

The Scabs trilogy is among some of my favorite books. I admit I put this book off for so long because I wanted the series to be completed, but I couldn’t wait anymore and I’m so glad that I read this! From the start, the story hooks you in with Arthur and his family visiting Romania and him discovering a rose in a cave that he brings back to America.

I love the way Shelman writes his characters, I always find myself rooting for them. This book had the perfect amount of action, interaction between the characters and of course zombies to keep my eyes peeled to the pages. I loved the different take on zombies used in this book and how the “virus” was spread. I really really hope there are more books in this series, I can’t stop thinking about these characters and their journey. 4.5 stars

New series from Eric A Shelman

What would you do if you found a new plant no one has seen before? For Arthur the answer is simple...smuggle it back to the United States...only after he does he realizes he's made the worst mistake of his life and it may just cost the rest of the world theirs!
Exciting new series, looking forward to book 2

I READ IT IN ONE EVENING!!!!!

I could not put this book down to even use the bathroom, it's THAT awesome!!! This doesn't feel or read like the same author of all the other Eric A. Shelman books I've read. His talent just keeps growing. I won't give a synopsis of the book because it's already been written for the potential reader. What you need to know is that this is not your typical "zombie" novel nor is it beyond reason because he uses nature, and there are no rules in nature. It's amazing, he's done it again; hooked me into finger tapping impatiently while I stalk his name for the next one!
Do yourself a favor and read EMMA'S ROSE , then PLEASE do Eric a favor and REVIEW. Reviews are the way these great Indie authors get themselves around and noticed.. Good, bad or indifferent, they need to know what you think and how you feel about their stories.

Ok I have read almost all of Eric's books and was excited to read his new zombie book . Emma's Rose . I was blown away with the book started out . In a cave in Romania where it has been hidden from the world . With its toxic ecosystem not many people have ventured down there . While on a holiday Arthur and his family decide to head to Constanta on the black sea coast . After venturing down into the cave he is in awe of the life that is surviving down there . Most of the specimens have never seen the light of day . When stumbles into part of the cave that have never been opened before . He finds a beautiful flower which he decides to take home, hoping that it will bring the cure to cancer or some other deadly disease. But what he inadvertently done is, well not going to tell you, you have to read the book .
In this series , just like all his series , you will find characters that are relatable to you and you will start to really care for them . In this book it is Arthur , this man was so full of himself at the start of the book . He came off as kind of arrogant and he thought he could do anything . But as his world is falling apart around and his family is dying . You see a change in him you see him become a more humbled man that wants to stop what ever is happening in the end of the world . You also see him toughen up as he is humbled . The other two relatable characters are Ramona and Harvey . April is another character you will like . She gets tougher and stronger as the story goes on . But the main character the rose is one sinister flower. Trust me after reading this book I am going to look at roses differently from now on .
This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time . The author has built a different type of zombie that really works and also the new delivery system of the virus makes you never want to get flowers again . Just trust me on this one people .
The book is character driven you will cheer for them and you will laugh with them . Most definitely you will cry for them and with them . I read this book in one sitting, well into the night . I just couldn't put it down , it kept calling me back just to read a couple more pages and 3 chapters later I was like wow . I so can't wait to find out what happens with these characters . So when is book two coming out , can't be soon enough for this girl . So if you want a good start to a hopefully great new series . Check out EMMA'S ROSE the Cave by Eric A Shelman . I promise you , you will not be disappointed and you will be begging Eric for the second book .

Imagine an organism that is able to destroy the world as we know it. A creature so destructive that God buried it way underground, lost to the world in order to protect it. Now imagine that this creature is released. That’s exactly what happens when philanthropist Arthur Wells decides to take his family to Romania for a getaway. Arthur bribes the Romanian authorities to allow him to explore a cave that very few have been in. He had a couple rules and he did not follow them…….Now Hell has been unleashed on earth. Enter the “Zombies”. These zombies are not your average brain eaters. They will eat every bit of you. Then you don’t even get to die in piece. You will also reanimate even if you’re half eaten.

I really enjoyed this book. It easily earned a five star review from me. Eric makes all the characters so relatable that you want to just keep reading. The suspense is not over the top but still keeps you guessing what will happen next. If you like zombie stories, or simply like reading about man’s struggle to survive then you will love this book. When Eric narrates his own books the characters come to life in a way that you never expected. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to book 2

Arthur Wells is a multi-millionaire who has never wanted for anything in life. He's basically a decent man who while investigating a recently discovered cave in Romania, decides the rules and regulations don't apply to him. He discovers a beautiful rose in a cave he had no business being in and he wants to take it home. That decision will end up costing him and the world in the most horrifying way.
The rose causes a virus which turns it's victims into zombies but in pure Shelman style these are not your run of the mill zombies. While trying to get the rose to the CDC hoping to find a cure, the world as he knows it goes to hell.
Shelman has done it again. His character driven story has you sitting on the edge of your seat reading page after page as fast as you can.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the zombie genre and if that's not what you like, pick up one of his other books, as this man can really spin an awesome tale.

With a new and very different take on the start of a zombie apocalypse, Eric A. Shelman has a winner with Emma’s Rose! This is the first book in a new series by the author and it is a good one.
The saying…money can’t buy happiness can’t be more true when it comes to one of the main characters who has more money than he knows what to do with. A philanthropist, Arthur, his wife and daughter go away on vacation and come back with what should never have been touched by human hands and that is how it all began…
I can say that from the beginning of this story I was totally engrossed, turning page after page faster and faster¬¬¬ as more of the story played out in my mind! Mr. Shelman has a way of writing a story that is very descriptive and vivid which makes it seem as though you are watching a movie in your mind. I know I can add this to my list of favorite stories and cannot wait for the next book to come out to see what and where we will be taken next in this amazing story!

Talk about burying myself in a book! Emma's Rose from the very beginning kept me totally enchanted- can you be enchanted in a book with Z's, well kind of like Zs, but kind of different? Grab it, love it, review it! it is unique, scary, freaky (I hate dark, scary caves) and hope you are as enchanted as me!!!

A tragic story

As always the characters in this book are wonderfully well done. Eric makes his people so like you and I that it's easy to feel what they feel. This story is so exciting and heartbreaking all at once. I hope the next one is it soon because I'm really anxious to get started on it. Hint hint Eric.

I just kept hoping it wouldn't end.

This book is amazing. There is nothing not to like about it. .the characters are diverse and well developed. Quite likeable. The story line, as zombie tales go, is very different as are the zombies. This is a well thought out novel with attention to detail that I very much enjoyed reading and am eagerly awaiting book 2.

Another great one!

Of course another great read by Eric. I'm going through his entire lists and this is one of the last ones on to read and I am so glad I did. Enjoyed it immensely and waiting on the next one!

An excellent story. A different take on the origin of Zombies. The main characters are well developed with very diverse backgrounds. Well written, this book will not disappoint. A Must Read

Amazing

This book captured me from the beginning and did not let go. A must read for zombie fans and anyone looking for a fantastic read!!

This is first of Eric Shelman for me and I loved it and very much recommend it!!

I dont know why it took me so long to read this book but I am glad I did it was an excellent read

awesome author

Great story, can’t wait for the sequel. Every book/series I have read by Eric Shelman has been amazing, great character development

Wow! Mr. Shelman does it again! I see a new series just as good as Dead Hunger although it will be hard to top that one since it was one of my favorites. I love the way he starts out showing us how this whole thing got started. I love beginnings like that rather than just jumping off straight into the gore. Not that there's anything wrong with gore. Pick this up today, you won't be sorry; after all, it's an Eric A. Shelman book! :)

•audiobook•
Worst. Book. Ever. And to think I wasted an Audible credit on it! I value my time more than my money, but both were wasted on this slop. Even if you have both to spare or splurge, avoid this.

So this multi millionaire/billionaire decides to buy his way to explore a newly discovered cave in Romania and sneak out a specimen, unleasing a deadly virus to most of the population. Oh, he also took water. But without testing, we KNOW it's the centipede who is the mastermind culprit of this apocalypse. He transports it back to the US, shares it with his family. Because customs rules and regulations don't include him.
The media picks up the "Emma's Rose" name, but it takes a while for them to determine WHO named it, yet they know who Patient Zero/One is. He walks (or runs, rather) around with the specimens. He tells EVERYONE who will listen his sob story (it infected his wife and daughter) and admits his wrongdoing. NO ONE blames him or tries to beat the shyt out of him, although everyone is dying and in fear of their lives.
If he is so remorseful, stay da f*ck still and get tested and find out WHY you are immune, you moron.
This infection supposedly has an eight hour incubation, yet the world is infected ... imagine: Romania to any place is less than eight hours .... because planes aren't falling out of the skies from the dead coming to life ...
So many plot holes and unrealistic reactions and reasonings qualify this to be a brain dead reader's pick of the week. It's baffling how a series could be spun off or forwarded with the thinly threaded ideology.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
I found no redeeming qualities of the book nor plot. Enjoy the book description and I promise your imagination could put the actual story to shame.

I am totally turned off by this author and appalled by the high rankings of the book and audiobook.