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The Salt Line
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
36 posts | 35 read | 59 to read
In the spirit of Station Eleven and California, award-winning novelist Holly Goddard Jones offers a literary spin on the dystopian genre with this gripping story of survival and humanity about a group of adrenaline junkies who jump "the Salt Line." How far will they go for their freedom--once they decide what freedom really means? In an unspecified future, the United States' borders have receded behind a salt line--a ring of scorched earth that protects its citizens from deadly disease-carrying ticks. Those within the zone live safe, if limited, lives in a society controlled by a common fear. Few have any reason to venture out of zone, except for the adrenaline junkies who pay a fortune to tour what's left of nature. Those among the latest expedition include a popstar and his girlfriend, Edie; the tech giant Wes; and Marta; a seemingly simple housewife. Once out of zone, the group find themselves at the mercy of deadly ticks--and at the center of a murderous plot. They become captives in Ruby City, a community made up of outer-zone survivors determined to protect their hardscrabble existence. As alliances and friendships shift amongst the hostages, Edie, Wes, and Marta must decide how far they are willing to go to get to the right side of the salt line.
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review
Soubhiville
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

This was a pretty good dystopian tale. I was surprised how political it got, I was expecting a little more horror. Not that the idea of an extreme pandemic of ticks isn‘t scary enough, it definitely gives me the heeby-jeebies!

Still, if you like dystopian political stories and can stomach creepy crawlies, this was a good read!

Hooked_on_books Ticks?!? Eeekkkkk!!!!! 😱 4y
69 likes1 stack add1 comment
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stuck.in.the.stacks
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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It's Monday, which means its time for another #makeithappenmonday where we offer book recs for reading challenges. Today Haley is recommending a handful of of books for the #popsugarreadingchallenge2020

Check out her picks and let us know yours in the comments.

https://stuckinthestacks.com/2020/04/06/make-it-happen-monday-popsugar-2020-reco...

#bookrecommendations #readingchallenges #bookishalgor

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IamIamIam
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

Amazing! The world is divided into walled zones after a tick infestation and the wealthy live dangerously through excursions past the Salt Line, which is a chemically treated expanse beyond the zones. One particular trip goes awry and you see best and worst of human nature and the complexities that drive it. I didn't know what to expect with this but sometimes you take the plunge and it's all worth it!

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IamIamIam
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Less than 15 minutes in and I've gagged twice... LOL, this will be interesting!!! Anyone who's had a tick pulled out of their skin should think twice about this book. 😖 I even had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever as a kid so I am understandably skeeved handed a world where ticks are the enemy!!!

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AshleyC816
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

America has been divided by a killer tick infestation. Rich people live tick free behind the salt line and spend huge amounts of money to vacation on the infested side. Of course things go wrong! I really enjoyed this one! Though the ticks brought on some body horror, it wasn‘t over done. Great suspense/creepy read.

IamIamIam Ugh, did someone write that about New York last summer??? Lol, this sounds gross and creepy and wonderful! 5y
JoScho Your pup is adorable! 5y
britt_brooke Hi cutie! 💚🐾 5y
See All 6 Comments
Sace What a cute puppy face! 5y
brit91 😍🐶 5y
kspenmoll Sweetie! 5y
45 likes1 stack add6 comments
review
AudiobookingWithLeah
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

MY RATING⇢ 4 STARS | GRADE B+
FEATURING⇢
Apocalypse/Dystopian
Character Driven
Burrowing Ticks W/ A Killer Virus
Light Horror
Suspense Thriller
Survival

See my review here: https://leahsbookishobsession2.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-salt-line-by-holly-godda...

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PJPeski
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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This summer I‘m hosting a Speculative Fiction book club. Our first read was The Salt Line, a literary, dystopian future, suspenseful thriller not quite like anything else I‘ve read. The characters are vivid and true. Even the “villains” are well-rounded enough that they feel real: they love their children and that makes them empathetic even while their actions are despicable.
For more info on our summer book club reads, visit www.thebookloft.com

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TEArificbooks
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

If you like Station Eleven you will like this book. Dystopia book where a new disease carried by ticks kills you quickly. Most people live behind The Salt Line the ticks can‘t cross. The mega rich pay mega dollars to go on camping trips with the latest tech and maintained camp sites to keep the ticks away. One of those trips goes awry.

20 likes2 stack adds
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Godpants
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

This one was super fun. Good little dystopian tale that still felt fresh (even though I seem to read this genre a whole lot.)

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Godpants
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Starting this one today. Anyone else read this?

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TheSpineView
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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#OctoberPutASpellOnYou @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

Has anyone read The Salt Line? Thoughts?

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Mitch
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Mehso-so

I love the idea of people needing, so much, to be back in the wilds that they will pay and risk everything. However - the story never really materialised. There are lots of flashbacks to go deeper into each characters motivations. but this really effects the pace and thread of the story being told. There's a array of characters - none really to champion or deeply care for. So whilst I loved the idea - I didn't become invested in how it played out.

QueenJen I felt the same way! I lost interest shortly after they crossed the salt line and didn't finish. So glad it was a library book. 6y
Mitch Totally agree @QueenJen it was set up really well. In fact the first chapter had me hooked / intrigued really quickly. 6y
QueenJen @Mitch Same. Shortly after the first night past the salt line it started feeling like work. 6y
80 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Mitch
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Love it! I‘m reading this dystopian novel and two of the characters have rediscovered books! Jane Austen‘s Persuasion has survived the apocalypse and copies circulate in a small off grid community! #booksinbooks

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Mitch
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Enjoying a #staycation this week. Waking each morning & making a decision about the days plan. I‘m usually super planned - so this feels lovely / freaky! Today was a ‘don‘t move much, read & snack on mint Oreos‘ kind of a day! How was your day?

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Sounds perfect!! 6y
squirrelbrain How wonderful! 6y
CouronneDhiver Lovely! I‘m at home trying to stay peaceful and enjoy a quiet day. 6y
Mitch They‘re precious days aren‘t they @CouronneDhiver Life can be crazy sometimes and slowing the pace down feels soooooo good. Enjoy your day 🤗 6y
107 likes4 comments
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Mitch
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Early morning - great first chapter ... I‘ve got high hopes for this dystopian, near future, ‘Station Eleven‘ like book!

ReadingEnvy Is this the one about the bugs? 🤯 6y
Mitch Yes it is! @ReadingEnvy They need to stay within the cordon to avoid the mites! 6y
mklong Great photo! I‘m afraid the book would make me itchy though 6y
See All 6 Comments
Mitch I‘m hoping they‘re not too prevalent! @mklong 6y
Mdargusch I love this photo! 6y
Mitch Ahh.. thanks @Mdargusch It‘s my kitchen table with my propagation experiments! 6y
94 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Mitch
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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The joy of bookshop browsing - you find an unexpected gem and all of a sudden you‘ve made a purchase! Looks good and the blurb compares it to Station Eleven - so it was a no brainer!

78 likes2 stack adds
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JacintaMCarter
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

#2018Book63
This novel is set in a futuristic dystopia where your options are to live "in-zone" where life is perfect (if you're rich), or to live outside the Salt Line where you're likely to die from a disease spread through the ticks that are impossible to avoid. Those who are willing to pay for the trip can venture past the Salt Line for a guided adventure. But what happens when things don't go as planned and the adventure takes a dark turn?

minkyb I hate ticks but I think this is such a good idea for a book I may force myself to read it! 6y
JacintaMCarter @minkyb It made me super paranoid while I was reading it. I kept thinking there was definitely something crawling on me. 6y
66 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

This was a solid #borrownotbuy pick for me. In the future there are killer ticks outside the salt line. Most of the people live within the safe areas but people looking for adventure can “tour” the areas that are considered unsafe, for a hefty price. This is the story of one of the tours that goes horribly wrong. Lots of background on the characters and a little slow at times BUT I did keep thinking about the story when I wasn‘t reading it.

BarbaraBB Intriguing review! 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @BarbaraBB Thanks!💜 It was an interesting premise! 7y
71 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ElishaLovesBooks
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Also just started and am #currentlyreading I was in the mood for some dystopia! 😎

#4MoreDaysUntilSpringBreak #ICanDoIt

Cinfhen I love a good dystopian ~ curious to hear your thoughts🤓not familiar with this one 7y
ElishaLovesBooks @Cinfhen I‘ll let you know- I spotted it at the library. I‘m taking a risk! 😁🤷🏻‍♀️ 7y
Cinfhen Definitely keep me posted....sounds good!!! 7y
71 likes3 comments
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PJPeski
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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“There was no way to know what would happen tomorrow, where she‘d finish the day, how much living she had left to do. But she‘d like, if possible, to finish ‘Persuasion‘ before her time was up.”

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PJPeski
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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A wildly original dystopian nightmare of a book. But beautifully written with true depth of character and emotion.

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stuartjrodriguez
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

I enjoyed the heck out of this novel. It surprised me—in a good way—by subverting any expectations I had about a post-apocalyptic survival narrative. The characters aren‘t particularly original, per se, but I thought they were wonderfully rendered, and I cared deeply about them and what they were going through. Jones is a great writer: the plot is riveting, and the pacing zips at a great clip. Definitely recommended.

4 likes2 stack adds
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stuartjrodriguez
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Tfw a book on the unclaimed ARC shelf in the Bookshop break room grabs your eye and hooks you from the first line even while you're already reading two other books... Already digging this one. Solid characterization from the get-go and I love me some post-apocalyptic fiction.

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Happiestwhenreading
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Mehso-so

I liked this book. I‘m glad I read it, but it wasn‘t what I was expecting. From the jacket, I thought it was going to be a plot-driven novel full of survival and grit. It wasn‘t. In fact, it wasn‘t even the ticks the characters had to worry about – it was other humans. What?? The female characters were strong, but needed more development . The book has a TON of potential, but it‘s just not developed well enough. It left me wanting more.

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RanaElizabeth
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Today's reading.

71% excited. 29% percent disappointed that it's not slugs and a literal salt line.

rubyslippersreads 😂😂😂 7y
RealBooks4ever 🤣🤣 I'm curious to read this! 7y
RanaElizabeth @RealBooks4ever So far, it's a lot like Station Eleven (for once, a synopsis comparison seems right). Very character heavy. 7y
See All 8 Comments
Kaylamburson I really liked this one! Some surprising twists! 7y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk This one is on my radar. 7y
ReadingEnvy Hahaha 7y
readordierachel Ooh, I'm looking forward to this one! 7y
minkyb I hate ticks! 7y
53 likes8 comments
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skrishna
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick
vivastory Great article. Most of these are on my TBR. 7y
38 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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BookFreakOut
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

Luckily the descriptions of infected tick nastiness were kept to a minimum! This is definitely character driven, there's strong tension in that you hope there's NO action because action means gross things. I disagree w/the "adrenaline junkies" description, it's more that everyone is bringing secrets and hidden motivations on the trip outside the safe zone. No heroes here, everyone has a least one layer of fault, whether active or passive.

27 likes1 stack add
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MrBook
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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#TBRtemptation post 5! In a dystopian future, America's borders have receded behind a salt line--a ring of scorched earth protecting people from deadly disease-carrying ticks. The only ones who venture out are adrenaline junkies on tours. One group has a pop star, a tech guru, & a housewife. They become part of a murderous plot, held captive in Ruby City, a hardscrabble settlement. How far will they go to get back home? #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

8leagueboot Something about a tick borne apocalypse is extra horrifying. 7y
ReadingRover I've actually been eying this for a while now. 7y
Librarygal08 I need this! 7y
56 likes7 stack adds3 comments
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BookFreakOut
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Imma let you kill me, but first I just gotta finish "Persuasion."

If Edie were real, she'd be a Litten.

OSChamberlain 😂😂😂 7y
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookFreakOut
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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#currentreads featuring depressing scenery and people with lots of secretive secrets!

29 likes1 stack add
review
Reagan
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
Pickpick

Reasons for it being a pick: ticks! Super topical, I love anything plague related, original concept, great characters.
Reasons for a not completely enthusiastic pick: for me, the motivations of a couple of characters at the end were a bit muddled, not enough tick related misery.
Overall a super fun read, it was engaging, and well though out. I would love another book set in the same environment.

minkyb Even though I detest ticks, this really sounds fascinating. 7y
Reagan It is. It was a really fun read. Ticks gross me but there is really only one part that made me pretty squeamish. 7y
Jinjer Not enough tick related misery!!!😂 7y
28 likes3 comments
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Reagan
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Bedtime reading! The top two are ARCs and everything is so good so far. I wish I could stay awake later ☹️

minkyb I heard about this title on a podcast. I was quite intrigued. Will look forward to hear what you think. 7y
34 likes1 comment
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BookFreakOut
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Ew ew ew ew ew to all of this!

21 likes1 stack add
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LibraryReads
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

Imagine a future where a tick infestation has driven humanity to live in a series of safe zones. A group of wealthy individuals take an extreme adventure trip that ends poorly. In chapters written from their viewpoints, the reader comes to learn the motivations of these people. A story involving hostages, drug smuggling & the search for a solution to the bug problem, the novel raises the question of what we are willing to sacrifice for safety.

4 likes2 stack adds
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Kaylamburson
The Salt Line | Holly Goddard Jones
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Pickpick

Just finished this and there is action, adventure, kidnapping, and murder. I loved Holly Goddard Jones' first book, and although this is completely different, her writing style shines through and the story is riveting. It's long, but so easy to fly through.