BOOK REVIEW - ANGELFALL by SUSAN EE - PENRYN & THE END OF DAYS # 1 - YA APOCALYPTIC

By: Susan Ee

Published By : Skyscape

Released : Available Now

Details: Kindle, 228 pages

RATING: 4.5 RAFFE & CRAZY MOMMA STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :

Admittedly I have had Angelfall sitting on my Kindle for a few years. I received book three from the publisher last year and I decided it was time to crack open a book that has been so well received.

Over 100,000 ratings on Goodreads.

Holy mac and cheese! 

The apocalypse has happened. 

We meet Penryn, her sister and mother as they are leaving their home.

Angels have taken over.

A gazillion lives lost.

Shiz is real and gangs are adding to the problem of trying to survive. You know all that good apocalyptic shiz where humans turn on each other and the weak get picked off and the strong turn into kings of their small territories.

Penryn saves an angel. She saves Raffe. And there begins this odd friendship between these two, but something happens...which leads Penryn on a search party.

Is there a romance?

Ummmm...not really. There is a passionate kiss. It is all a bit forbidden with the rules of human female and angel being a BIG no no. All that nice forbidden stuff to deter any romance from getting its wings.

We are introduced to more characters and creatures.

For me this story really kicked off at around the last twenty percent.

Now the first eighty percent was good. I liked it, but shiz hit the fan and all kinds of GAHHHHH was going down in that last twenty percent. It got a wee bit gory and ewww and a bit more ewwww.

Love the sub characters tweedle dee and dum. Clever lads, where all is not what it seems.

I am curious about Obi. Even his name.

Now the mum.

GOOD LAWD!!

She has me confused with her behavior.

She is one mixed up can of three beans. 

She is creepy and a bit insane. 

But is she?

She just kept on disappearing and then her behavior around certain individuals was almost to be revered. I have my thoughts on her and all her ramblings. We get told things which I believe are seeds for future growth. Definitely an odd character to watch out for. I think? 

Rotten eggs anybody?

Susan really does visually depict an apocalyptic world in her story telling very well.

I am rather eager to know more in World After.

I am sort of in the 4.25 – 4.5 star range for this one. I think I wanted a bit more from Penryn and Raffe and what was slowly going on between them, but that is just me. I do like a little romance or something to go on by the time I finish a book. They had their sarcasm rocking between them but I wanted to feel a little more with those two.

I can see why Susan nailed the 100,000 plus ratings on Goodreads.

Michelle

BOOK REVIEW - DEAD OF WINTER by KRESLEY COLE - THE ARCANA CHRONICLES # 3 - YA APOCALYPTIC PARANORMAL - SIMON & SCHUSTER

By: Kresley Cole

Published By: Simon & Schuster

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from publisher for honest review, 303 Pages

RATING: 5 ARIC  & JACKSON STARS!

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions
Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, the Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory
Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on the Lovers. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned
There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first...?



BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

For some bizzaro reason, I thought this was a trilogy. It wasn’t until I was getting to the last few pages of this book that I was thinking, dude, somethings going on here.

Bahaha.

I loved this instalment, it was a little gory. Oo yes the visuals I had, nasssty. Ms Kresley pulled out all the torture yummys.

Gahh!

It took off running from where Endless Knight finished, even though a year has passed since Evie has seen our Cajun boy.

I got reacquainted with the other cards pretty quickly. The Lovers are such a disgusting set of characters, love what they bring to this installment.

Now I can’t help thinking something with Jackson, he is being a little bit too Arcana...ish. Theories are bobbing about in my brain. I know other readers on Goodreads have this theory too.

Time will tell.

Aric is such a great character because we feel sorry for him. He has one filly in the whole messed up apocalyptic world that he can do the horizontal Lambada with and she is umming and ahhing about her love life.

Frustrating much for Death, he must be feeling a bit frisky by now.

Jackson aka Jack, my Cajun boy, who is turning into quite the man and all things masculine in this instalment, he wants Evie.

Heart feels sad, who will Evie choose?

Who do I want her to choose?

Well, Kresley has made me feel a bit of sympathy for Aric as his wifie, who really isn’t his wifie now because she is not THE Empress he married, she is a reincarnated version, so the fine print is a bit sticky there, she is pining also for Jackson.

I want Jackson, but dang it, my heart hurts for Aric.

Gabriel has the hots for Selena, Selena has the hots for Jackson and both Jackson and Aric want the girl.

“If all I wanted was a bedmate, then why do I feel such jealousy? Why was I racked with misery to be parted from you? For one like me, a week is a blink of an eye, yet it felt interminable.”

...”By all the gods, I desire you, but you must know that you have my love. It’s given, sieve. Wholly entrusted to you. Have a care with it.”

... "Tell me you’ll be mine. Tell me I’ll never have to know this desolution again.”



Lordy, Kresley, you are killing me.



Matthew, you pop up to give us words of riddles as per usual.



“All is not as it seems. What would you sacrifice? What would you endure?”

“To end the game?”

His voice grew thick as he said, “Things will happen beyond your wildest imaginings.”

“Good things?”

His eyes watered. “Good, bad, good, bad, good, good, bad, bad, good-bye. You are my friend.”



So there you go. All is not as it seems. We have been fair warned.

There are seeds that have been dropped so if you are paying attention you can start to make some pretty good theories about what might be going on further down the track.


The game is changing. The cards are becoming more sympathetic and dare I say becoming a group of friends.

Now that blasted ending.

Crikey!!! Mind you I don’t have any worries there. Just hurry up and bring on # 4!!!

This series would make a pretty cool set of movies. The costumes and characters like the Bagmen would be very cool to see up on the big screen.

I sit now and wait for 2016 to roll on by.

I'm getting older, people!!!

Michelle

ZOMBIE APOCALYPTIC AUTHOR - JONATHAN MABERRY - SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 4 - BENNY IMURA SERIES - YOUNG ADULT - SIMON & SCHUSTER

SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY # 4

JONATHAN MABERRY

BENNY IMURA SERIES

I love me some Jonathan Maberry, especially his Benny Imura series. This is his YA zombie apocalyptic/dystopian series and it is soooo good. I started this series back in 2011. I have Fire And Ash from the library to read next.

Goodreads shows you the order and any novellas.

You can scroll down and read my reviews HERE . I also have information on one of Jonathan's other series, Joe Ledger.

I have to admit looking at the cover of Rot & Ruin and the title when I first laid eyes on it, I got a not so YA feel about it on first sight. I got a bit scared.

But!

Once I opened the book up and started reading.

OMG!

Jonathan is brilliant. 

Rot & Ruin had me totally loving Tom, Benny's brother. Now I know it is the Benny Imura series, but Benny and his mates are fifteen years old in the first book and act like fifteen year old boys, and...well... Tom stole the limelight for me. For many reasons.

I won't spoil.

Rot and Ruin was an awesome introduction into Jonathan's zombie world.

Dust & Decay, was simply brilliant. 

O.M.G.

Brilliant.

Jonathan brings in J-Dog and Dr. Skillz who are the funniest characters in an apocalyptic world.

It was also a book where I cursed Jonathan ( in my marshmallow way ) cause, he really and I mean really crushed my heart with his characters. What he did in that book, is still killing me to this day.

I got MAJOR feels. 

But, this is a zombie apocalyptic series, so shiz is going down.

What I loved about this series is, it is not what you will think when you think of zombie apocalyptic. 

That whole, Walking Dead theme is not what Jonathan does.

Jonathan brings really great sub characters , humor, sad, sad moments, he brings hope and crushes you, he will rip out your heart and dice it up. He has a lot of heart and soul in this series which I wasn't prepared for. 

Tom is like the wise older brother who is not like Daryl from Walking Dead.

Tom is Tom. Tom has a Katana.

Flesh and Bone # 3 just took off on a non stop ride. I'm not sure if any of the gang stopped to eat, it was that full on. I was hanging on to my book. 

My review was full of quotes. I love quotes and Jonathan gives me a bag full every book.

You will watch Benny and the crew learn how to survive and you will see the change in their characters from Rot and Ruin.

There are also naturally, the villains in this series, who are true villains. They don't hold back.

There are also the unlikely sub character survivors who are doing it their way,  trusting only in themselves and then there are the alliances who you hope to trust in. 

Let's not forget the religious nuts thrown in for good measure. 

There are very intense moments and there are I Am Legend moments. 

A fantastic YA series I highly recommend. I think it will truly surprise even the readers who THINK they aren't into zombie reads. I wasn't particularly either until I read how Jonathan writes them. 

I became addicted to Benny Imura.

So to all you non zombie readers...TRUST ME, check this one out, book two had me totally sold and immersed in Jonathan's apocalyptic world. 

All Jonathan's books rate really well on Goodreads. The reviews are glowing.

Jonathan's Goodreads

******

This image was taken from Gena Showalter's page on facebook.
Gena and Kami Garcia are either side of Jonathan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror and thriller author, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. His books have been sold to more than a dozen countries.

You can find out a lot more about Jonathan over on his web page. It is worth a look at all of his pages within it.

I'm just butting in here in the middle of About The Author. I have just watched this vid for the first time properly and I totally got what Jonathan was saying in this. He started off wanting to write a gritty zombie read, but along the way it turned into something else. It got heart. That is why this is a book for readers who don't think they are into zombie genre, because it is so much more.


He writes a variety of projects for Marvel Comics involving CAPTAIN AMERICA, BLACK PANTHER, DOOMWAR, WOLVERINE, DEADPOOL, THE X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, the NY Times bestselling MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN, MARVEL UNIVERSE vs THE PUNISHER and MARVEL UNIVERSE vs WOLVERINE. All of Jonathan’s comic book collections are released as Graphic Novel collections within a month or two of individual comic publication.

Recent short stories include “Pegleg and Paddy Save the World” (HISTORY IS DEAD, Permuted Press 2007), “Doctor Nine” (KILLERS, Swimming Kangaroo Press, 2008; and reprinted in THE STORIES (in) BETWEEN Edited by Greg Schauer, Jeanne B. Benzel, and W.H. Horner. Fantasist Enterprises, 2009), “Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Greenbrier Ghost” (LEGENDS OF THE MOUNTAIN STATE 2, Bloodletting Books, 2008), “Clean Sweeps” (AND SO IT BEGINS, Dark Quest Books, 2008), “Family Business” (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin’s Press, 2010), “Like Part of the Family” (NEW BLOOD edited by Patrick Thomas and Diane Raetz, Padwolf Press, 2010), “Zero Tolerance” (THE LIVING DEAD 2, Night Shade Books), “Flint and Steel” (GI JOE: COBRA WARS, 2011), “Saint John”(THE MONSTER’S CORNER, 2011, St. Martin’s), “The Death Song of Dwar Guntha” (Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom, 2012, Simon & Schuster), and “The Wind Through the Fence” (an original e-story available for all e-readers). His essay, “Take Me To Your Leader” will be included in the nonfiction book, TRIUMPH OF THE LIVING DEAD: Robert Kirkman's Zombie Epic on Page and Screen edited by James Lowder (BenBella Books/Smart Pop, 2011).

All of Jonathan’s novels are available on audio, including the audio-only collection, JOE LEDGER: THE MISSING FILES (Blackstone), which includes the short stories “Countdown”, “Ze

GUEST POST with AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR MICHAEL ADAMS - THE LAST TRILOGY - FLYING PIRANHAS, ANCIENT PRAWNS & SERIES SECRETS - ALLEN & UNWIN - YA APOCALPTIC

I would like to welcome Australian Author, Michael Adams to Novels On The Run. 

Michael is the author of the YA trilogy - The Last, published by Allen & Unwin in Australia. 

Michael has a written a guest post for you all to read that I totally dug, sit back and enjoy. An interview I had with Michael also HERE .

Michelle

Flying Piranhas, Ancient Prawns & Series Secrets

It’s The End Of The World But Not As We Know It

In The Last Girl I wanted to create an apocalypse unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Hence, the Snap, in which it’s sudden global telepathy that sees civilisation split apart at the seams. What terrifies me about the idea is that there’d be no defence. People couldn’t band together, raise an army against the zombies, blow up the approaching asteroid or build an ark to ride out the floodwaters. The problem’s inside them and it sets them against themselves and each other. Game over, mofos.

Media Blackout

The Snap also allowed me to do away with the usual scenes in which the media relay what scientists and generals and politicians have discovered about the threat as they tell the population how they’re trying to save the world. The Snap happens so fast there’s no time to get answers. The people in power are as vulnerable as the rest of the population. So we’re with Danby, seeing it from the ground up, with no authority left to explain anything or provide any salvation.

Extraordinary Ordinary People

I’m interested in writing about ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances that force them to do extraordinary things while remaining ordinary. That’s what’s heroic to me. So Danby isn’t the “Chosen One”. Similar stories to hers might be playing out in what remains of Chicago or Copenhagen, but what matters is her corner of the world, where she has to go from suburban teen to survivalist tactician. If she doesn’t act fast, she and her brother will die, but she also can’t just pick up a gun and start dropping one-liners like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Danby’s learning curve is a steep one and it takes a tremendous toll. That’s not me being all deep with a “war is hell” theme. It’s me trying to be realistic about how it’d be for any of us seeing most of our loved ones die – and then being forced to fight for our lives against a vastly superior enemy in a world reduced to rubble.

My Ancient Muse

I was given Pepe for my last birthday. He’s a little shrimp who died about 100 million years ago and got fossilised in sediment so he could wind up on desk duty as a constant reminder of the epic scale of time, life and death. “Don’t take it all so seriously,” this tiny prehistoric pizza topping seems to whisper from his ancient sandstone square whenever I wonder whether what I’m writing is any good. “It’ll probably turn out all right. I mean I thought my destiny was to be Plesiosaur poo – and look at how far I’ve come, baby!”

Everyone Has To Start Somewhere

I’ve got a poster on my study wall for the 1981 film Piranha II: The Flying Killers. I love it because it’s a hugely cheesy piece of movie art but also because at the bottom it reads: “Directed by James Cameron.” So that’s where the creator of The Terminator, Aliens, Titanic and Avatar got his start. Flying freaking piranhas. Who knows what’s leading where?

Think Inside The Box

As much as I love books and film, my major inspiration in the past few years has been… television. More specifically: Breaking Bad and now True Detective. These shows are from writers whose visions feel as much like genre entertainments as they do literary fiction. While we’re intrigued by their premises, what really hooks us are the complexities of character, story and theme. This is what I’ve tried to do in The Last Girl and The Last Shot – create a series that rockets along as an action adventure whose realistic characters face unpredictable events that cause them and us to consider very big questions.

But Don’t Think Inside This Box

Just as I take inspiration from awesome TV, I also look to The Walking Dead as a constant source of inspiration for what not to do. It’s populated by characters that almost always choose the most stupid course of action imaginable – and then wonder things turn out so predictably terrible for them. For example, in a world where one zombie bite can turn you into the most abominable creature possible, why would you get around in singlets and shorts rather than, say, mechanics overalls and body armour? Just freakin’ sayin’. I hate it. And yet I watch every week.

Cluetopia

What I love about Breaking Bad and True Detective (and what you’ll never find in Walking Dead) is that they give attentive viewers a lot to obsess over when it comes to clues pointing to the ultimate outcome. The shows encourage and reward reflection and analysis. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy that from a medium we’ve been brought up to think of as disposable.

I’ve seeded a layer of clues into The Last Girl and The Last Shot. Some shed light on character and others predict events. Some do both. For instance, Jack tells Danby he was singing The End by The Doors when the Snap happened. Okay, so the title of the song’s obvious. But if you know the track, you know it’s the sort of song a brooding douche like Jack would embrace – and the incredibly menacing tone it sets. Then there are also lyrics that describe a landscape where all the children are insane, where a killer wakes before dawn, rides the king’s highway west and wants to murder his father. That’s literally the post-Snap environment and Jack, who, after busking in the first light of day, travels west on Parramatta Road (which was built under mad King George III) in order to do something pretty bad to his dear old dad. The song’s also associated with Apocalypse Now, which was based on Heart Of Darkness, both of which also permeate the series, from helicopter attacks to taking boats upriver. There are a lot of other references like that - some are more obvious, Some are buried so deep I’d be surprised if anyone ever digs them up. You don’t need to get any of them to understand the story and character but it’s possible to “unlock” the books by investigating them. And a few even point to real-world theories about how something like the Snap might happen.

About Author

Michael Adams has worked as writer and editor for newspapers, magazines, websites and television. He presently contributes to YEN, Rolling Stone, Empire and Men's Style.

Michael is the author of two non-fiction books: Showgirls, Teen Wolves and Astro Zombies, a memoir about a year spent watching bad movies, and Shining Lights, which profiled Australian Oscar winners. He lives in the Blue Mountains with his partner and their daughter.

ARC BOOK REVIEW - THE LAST SHOT by MICHAEL ADAMS - THE LAST TRILOGY # 2 - ALLEN & UNWIN - YA APOCALYPTIC

By: Michael Adams

Published By: Allen & Unwin

Released : March 2014

Details: From Publisher for honest review, Paperback 407 Pages

RATING: 4.25 APOCALYPTIC STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

I glance at my fellow fugitives in the glow of the fire: black-streaked, white-eyed, faces fearful but fierce. Whoever any of us were a week ago, we've now become people we could never have imagined.

After facing the heartbreaking truth in Shadow Valley, Danby is determined to have her revenge on Jack.

With Jack dead, her little brother Evan and hundreds of other Minions will be free of his control. With Jack dead, she and her friend Nathan will be able to revive thousands more from the millions of catatonic Goners.

But what if she's wrong - about everything?

After Danby confronts Jack on a dying stretch of highway, all of her beliefs are turned inside out. Not only are his feelings for her real, he's working against the clock to save lives and rebuild society. To Danby's horror, it's Nathan who appears to threaten the new order.

With her emotions raging and blood on her hands, Danby has to take a side in a deadly battle that'll decide the future of the world. And as allies become enemies and foes turn into friends, she'll have to embrace methods so dark that the price of survival may be her very soul ...

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Michael Adams really puts the A in apocalypse. 

I wrote in my review for The Last Girl that I wanted to read ‘more page turning adventure and action’ in The Last Shot.

I believe Michael delivered this.

There is shiz going down. 

The first hundred plus pages were a more slowed down pace as Michael has us spending time with Danby almost alone, she has Lachie and then Jack enters the picture. Mentally she is spending that time working through her theories. Trying to convince herself of what needs to be done.

Jack became so much more in this book. He is very cleverly written. I had to keep reminding myself of his age because he comes across as such a seasoned villain.

Man, he is manipulative and evil isn’t the word because in his mind he truly believes he is doing the right thing. Selecting the right people. He has a bigger picture in his head of the world and how he is going to recreate humanity and who he will allow to participate in it.

He is like a Messiah. A God in a teenagers body.

Quite frightening the influence, power he has over his minions.

Can he be trusted with the words he has for Danby?

“Danby,” he says, “I think you’re the only person who can stop a war that really might finish us all.”


Danby also has an ability to get people to help her with Evan, even though he is slowing them all down, could expose them and he is a type of baggage to be lugged about.

Why would they be invested in Evan?

But they all are. For Danby. So she too has her own influence, but it is for the good of humanity. She doesn’t make the types of decisions Jack does. He is filtering out the remaining humans.

It’s such an unfair playing field with Jack the ultimate puppet master and Danby who has a dwindling motely crew of rebels. I will call them rebels because they are rebelling against Jack.

What saddens me is that the people out there aren’t organized because ego and fear and selfishness and all the other species of silliness are still getting in the way.


My concerns are still that I am not feeling a great loss for the dwindling sub characters. I am still looking for that character connection to the reader that has me feeling emotion for these characters, whether it is anger or sadness.

Jack grabbed me so much more in this book. His villainess side is very well played out. He went from obscurity on the planet to something being bestowed upon him that has immense power and responsibility.

Jack nods. “Right--you’re reading, writing, researching, surfing websites, messaging people, talking on the phone, listening to music and watching videos -- whatever. Point is your brain’s multitasking like a mofo and your fingers and arms and muscles and bones are making it all happen seamlessly. You’re not even aware of them. You hardly thinking about any of it. What I’m doing with my guys is like that. Just bigger. Their brainpower and physical energy accounts for ninety-nine point nine-nine per cent of what needs to be done. The other bit’s me, when it needs to be. Does that make sense?’


Danby is surviving. Just. Her motley crew are putting their lives on the line for this tiny group that want to fight the good fight. 

Danby is stronger. In such little time, she has become quite hardened to the life she is living and the lives she must end.

A week ago she wouldn't have been packing a gun.

She has been given no choice.

Kill or be killed.

They are up against an almost impossible to beat villain who has such great resources and mind mojo power.

How do you fight that?

How do you overcome Jack?

Michael really does paint a most vivid picture of an apocalyptic landscape. He won’t let you forget the bodies strewn about the place and the decay and rot that comes with it all.

You can almost smell the stench of death. I don’t think I have read an apocalyptic read that paints such a vivid image in your mind as you are reading.

This takes work.

But again, I can understand why some authors don’t because it slows the story down, but at the same time it feels more real. More in the moment

I am there.

I do like Nathan, but I think I am missing an element from their character’s that connect me so I am more invested in their losses and pain. The parts of Nathan I got, I liked. I felt more endeared towards him in this installment.



“I got you a gift.” Nathan takes something from his jeans pocket. “Cosmetics.”

I laugh when I see he’s holding a little round tin of black shoe polish. “seriously?”

“You whiteys will all need it,” Nathan says with a laugh.



Nathan had his moments where he said what needed to be said and did what needed to be done, but Danby is the leader. Men twice her age and older are looking to her for answers. Leadership.


“Are you retarded?” Nathan’s knuckles are tight around his weapon. My friend is sweet, smart and sensitive but it’d be a mistake to think he’s soft. This is the boy I met seconds after he punched a nail through the skull of a maniac attacking me. “Well, are you?”

Alex swallows hard. “No, no, man, it’s like --“

“You think we’re not scared?” Nathan demands. “That this is something we’ve done before?”


Michael can paint the destruction of humanity very very well, but those main characters leading us on the adventure, I need to be more invested in them.

I really liked the book part titles.

1. Get Set

2. Ready or Not

3. Here I Come.

This was a great ride with a very clever ending.

O.M.G.

What does this mean?

Creepy. Much.

Michelle

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY - RECRUITZ by KARICE BOLTON - AFTERWORLD # 1 - NEW ADULT POST- APOCALYPTIC

RecruitZ by Karice Bolton 

(Afterworld #1) 

Publication date: December 27th 2013

Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic 

Synopsis: 

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18588895-recruitz?ac=1

Purchase From: 

-Amazon

-B&N

-Kobo

AUTHOR BIO: 

Karice Bolton lives in the Pacific Northwest and is a writer of Young Adult and New Adult books. She loves to read anything and everything. She also enjoys baking, skiing, and spending time with her wonderful husband and two English bulldogs.

Books currently available:

*Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) – Feb. 28th
*Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1)
*The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
*The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
*The Camp

Karice would love if you stopped by her blog or FB page to find out the latest news on giveaways and upcoming releases, or you can just send her an email. She loves hearing from her readers and responds as soon as she can.

Author Links: 

http://www.karicebolton.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5240334.Karice_Bolton

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karice-Bolton/218230041566833 

https://twitter.com/karicebolton

RecruitZ flash sale during the event! Only $.99!

Excerpt

I sat in the passenger seat horrified, but I didn’t dare drag my gaze away. The world had been told zombies no longer threatened human existence. Yet I was staring at an onslaught of them taking slow, deliberate steps toward our vehicle. We had barely pulled into our driveway when the horde descended out of nowhere.

I managed to slide my fingers along the door to the electric lock. I didn’t know why I thought that would save us. The undead had never let a lock deter them before. I looked around our house and it looked untouched. These creatures were only in our yard, coming for us at a most vulnerable time.

Gavin attempted to take the car out of auto-drive, pressing the buttons frantically and commanding it with voice controls. The car only responded with words. We didn’t control it. The car controlled us.

“Pedestrians within minimum safe distance,” the car said, acknowledging Gavin’s attempts to drive us out of danger.

No shit! We want to run the pedestrians over.

Tiny beads of sweat began forming at my hairline as I watched Gavin repeatedly engage and disengage various controls. Nothing would let us override the car’s safety features.

Gavin’s foot pressed on the accelerator trying to override the computer system, but the car still refused to budge. His foot slid off the pedal, and he quickly replaced it.

Damn these self-driving cars!

The engine red-lined with each attempt from Gavin’s override, but the brain of the car overruled Gavin’s actions with every rev of the motor. Gavin kept shaking his head as his finger slid up and down the dashboard. He glanced at me, his green eyes connecting with mine. I didn’t want to believe what I saw behind them so I turned to look out the window.


I gripped the console as I watched the twitches and spasms of the zombies’ movements closing in on us. They were everywhere…the grass, the sidewalk, the driveway. There was no mistaking the rotting, grey flesh that exposed the muscle and bone of the undead. They were something I’d run from countless times, but this time we had nowhere to run. The undead had us trapped. They would rip us to shreds in an instant.

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Playlist

Alive - Krewella 

All Good - Zeroleen 

Android Porn - Kraddy 

Animals Martin - Garrix 

Animals - Muse 

Apologize - OneRepublic 

Bad Girls - MIA

Beam Me Up - Cazzette 

Beast - Nico Vega 

Berzerk - Eminem 

Better Off Alone - The Black Angels 

Bird Machine (feat Alesia) - DJ Snake 

Black No. 1 - TypeO Negative 

Boneless - Steve Aoki, Chris Lake & Tujamo 

Born to die - Lana Del Rey 

Bright Stars Burning - Hey Marseilles 

Bullet Train (feat Joni Fatora) - Stephen Swartz 

Eclipse - MinecraftUniverse 

Eyes On Fire (Zeds Dead Remix) - Blue Foundation 

Fallen - Imagine Dragons 

Fineshrine - Purity Ring 

Flower - Moby 

Follow Me - Muse 

For What it’s Worth - Buffalo Springfield 

For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica 

Ghosts that We Knew - Mumford & Sons 

Gods and Monsters - Lana Del Ray 

Hide - N.A.S.A. 

Higher Ground - TNGHT 

Hold On - Alabama Shakes 

Honest - Band of Skulls 

Hurricane - MS MR 

I Can’t Stop - Flux Pavilion

Jawbreaker - The Dead Weather 

Liquid State - Muse 

Not Your Fault - AWOLNATION 

Original Don (feat. The Partysquad) - Major Lazer 

Porcelain - Moby 

Radioactive - Imagine Dragons 

Remember - Thomas Gold 

Romeo - Until the Ribbon Breaks 

Running to the Sea (feat Susanne Sundfør) - Röyksopp 

Sawdust in the Blood - Rob Zombie 

Sierra - Mt. Eden 

Sierra Leone - Mt. Eden 

Silver Scrapes - Chronic Crew 

Soldier’s Poem - Muse 

Sometime Around Midnight - The Airborne Toxic Event 

Sympathy for the Devil - Rolling Stones 

Team - Lorde 

Things We Lost in the Fire - Bastille 

This is What it Feels Like - Armin van Buuren 

Tidal Wave - Sub Focus 

Tiptoe - Imagine Dragons 

Tsunami - Dvbbs & Borgeous 

Wake Me Up - Avicii 

Where is my Mind? - Pixies 

Who Are you - The Who 

Y.A.L.A. - M.I.A

BOOK REVIEW - RED HILL by JAMIE MCGUIRE - YA ZOMBIE APOCALYPTIC - SIMON & SCHUSTER

By: Jamie Mcguire

Published By: Simon & Schuster

Released : Available Now

Details: Paperback from publisher for honest review, 368 Pages

RATING: 4.25 SHUFFLER STARS!

Blurb : Goodreads

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Red Hill grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I commend Jamie McGuire for taking a chance and doing something different to her smash hit contemporary, Beautiful Disaster. No matter what Jamie writes, those of us that are fans of her writing will simply pick up whatever she releases and read it.

Well, I will anyway. 

I have to read her Providence series. It rates so well on Goodreads.

I do love a good zombie read. Jonathan Maberry does a smashing job of his Benny Imura series.

Brilliant.

I enjoyed Red Hill but, I felt personally like it was almost a Walking Dead parallel. There is of course nothing wrong with that as zombie tales do have folks getting bitten, folks meeting up with other survivors, folks breaking our hearts when they get torn up and will turn. That is a zombie read.

The thing with Jonathan is he doesn’t do a Walking Dead parallel. He really does own Benny’s series. He spins it Jonathan style.

I can’t fault Jamie’s writing. I agree with another reviewer, it is five star writing. I will also agree with that same reviewer that I didn’t connect to the main characters as much as I should have.

Scarlet. Mother, survivor and in the end bad ass chick. I wasn’t getting the feels I should from her.

Move over Rambo.

Nathan. I did enjoy his character, I loved he was sensible and had his daughter Zoe to look out for who has a little learning difficulty. In time we meet his brother-in-law Skeeter who is a great character. I wanted to follow Skeeter about after something happened as I felt his character was more your Daryl from Walking Dead. I simply liked him.

Ashley and Miranda, Bryce and Cooper were a package deal for most of the book. Cooper I loved. I wanted more from him. 

Something Scarlet did with Cooper made me do a double take. I was like WT!

Whiplash.

Joey. I really like Joey. But, again, something gave me whiplash and I am still going WT!!

I think what I am trying to say is, this was a zombie story that had unexpected WT moments, which aren’t necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, it was unpredictable, but then the rest was a fairly normal zombie formula read.

I wanted to feel that emotion of great sadness and loss. I actually did feel it with Skeeter and his loss. Now that was undeniably sad.

* grabs tissue *

But some other character demises, were more WT just happened here people!!

WHY!!!!

NOoooooOOoooooo...OOoooo...OOOooooo!!!!!!

Yes, over use of exclamation marks is necessary.

I did like that hopeful ending. It could carry on, or it could be the last we ever hear from Red Hill.

I personally would totally dig a novella on Skeeter and Joey’s characters. If you have read Red Hill you will understand what I am talking about.

I did like the el creepo character. Not what the el creepo character did, but showing not all that you save are decent human beings.

We switch pov’s from start to finish so we are juggling several character pov’s in our minds.

The urgency of the survivors getting to Red Hill was undoubtedly a great part of the story. I felt the danger of the situations they found themselves in. I think I just wanted more feels from the main characters that were driving the storyline. I think a couple of demises were rushed and I wanted the sadness and hopelessness of the situation drawn out rather than being put down like an injured horse. 

I thought one character's could have been very tear worthy.

I totally get Scarlet’s crazed mother anguish. I have kids. I get that. I felt like a large puzzle piece was missing from when Scarlet gets her answer.

This is a strange review for me not slapping a five star down, because I love Jamie Mcguire's writing talent, she is very gifted. The new adult reading world knows the name Travis Maddox. I love that Jamie wrote something totally different. This is just my one personal opinion out of a world of opinions.

If you like zombie reads, well, this one has bite...I know , I need to hold off on the puns. 

I still rated it well and I loved the common goal everybody had to get to Red Hill!!!!

Michelle

BOOK BLITZ & HUGE GIVEAWAY - $100 PAYPAL CASH ETC... - RETURN - I AM JUST JUNCO # 5 by J.A. HUSS - NEW ADULT APOCALYPTIC SCI-FI

RETURN: I Am Just Junco, #5 

By JA Huss 

New adult apocalyptic science fiction 

Synopsis: 

Three years ago Junco Coot was an insane sniper. Three weeks ago she was a prisoner being tortured in a morph tank. Three days ago she was nothing but billions of molecules floating in a sea of darkness.

Today, Junco Coot is the key to saving or ending the world.

Three years ago Raubtier Aves was the captain of the Avian Military. Three weeks ago he was trying to forget Junco ever existed. Three days ago he was given a gift of eternal salvation.

Today, he will give that gift back.

The Angels are here, the end is coming, the Demons have been released and Lucan has a past that ties it all together. Seven thousand years of waiting for revenge is over and there’s just one more question that needs to be answered?

Who will be there at the end?

EXCERPT

Junco—The Stag

“Junco?” Tier whispers next to my ear. “Junco? Ya awake, darlin’?”

I tuck my head into my chest and whisper, “No,” so softly, even I barely hear it.

His arm slides underneath me and then pulls me towards him. He lets out the longest sigh I’ve ever heard and then kisses me on the back of the head. “I love you, Junco.”

My chest hitches as the tears build. “No, you don’t. You’re going to leave me.”

He stays silent and this is when it all becomes real for me. He’s leaving. I’m not sure where he’s going or how it will happen, but he’s leaving. He’s not staying, there’s no happy ending for me.

“Junco, listen—”

“No,” I say back quickly. “I’m tired of listening to all the bad things people want to tell me. I’m done listening. I wish I’d never come out of the Pillar. I wish I was dead. I wish someone would slice me into little bits and make it all go away. I wish my parents had killed me as a child. I wish I’d just let Matthew do it on the sniper range. I wish—”

“I wish I could stay, Junco.”

I say nothing. It’s the final straw for me. To have Tier admit that he’s leaving and there’s no way to stop him is the end of my sanity. I pull away from him and slide over to the wall.

“When I was a boy I lived in the clutch with Ashur.”

My interest picks up with this sentence.

“It was a small clutch, just us.” His chest shakes a little with a small laugh. “We’re twins, did ya know that?”

“I could sorta tell. You know, since you actually look almost identical.”

“Yeah, but not enough to be mistaken for one another, though, right? Not twins like that. We’re twins in that we’re Lucan’s made sons.”

“What’s that mean?” I ask with a sniffle to try to get my nose under control.

“We were engineered by Gib. One of many warriors who are made special. But I was the one picked out of the womb. Me. Ashur was chosen for something else, I’m not sure what. He has no idea what I’m doing here, I have no idea what he’s doing. Lucan makes it that way on purpose, just in case the High Order comes and tries to see our minds.”

He stops to let me think about this for a few seconds.

“But I’ve always known, Junco. I was never lied to, or forced, or asked to give more than I was willing. I’ve always been willing. This is my one true purpose, to save Lucan’s life, to end his punishment cycle, and to give this world a second chance once it’s all said and done. And I never knew that you’d be so… so… well, lovable. I’ve had”—he stops to think of a word—“girls. I’ve had that, but I’ve never had anything like you. I never even knew these feelings were possible. I love my brothers, and I miss Braun so much it hurts me inside to think about him. So I suppose that’s the closest I’ve come. But when you walked away from me out there in the mountains, I thought I died, Junco. That’s how much it hurt to watch you disappear. And then I had this little spark of hope, for the briefest of moments when Arel said you dissipated Inanna. I thought, She’s coming back, it’ll be OK.”

I swallow and then turn to face him. His eyes are a little bit watery and his mouth is just one long frown. I reach out and touch his lips and then lift my eyes to meet his. “I’m sorry,” I whisper softly.

“I know how you feel, Junco. Because that’s how I felt when you left. I understand that it hurts so much you just want to lie down and die.” He stops again and his eyes dart back and forth between mine. “But you just have to trust that Lucan knows what’s best.”

I turn away angry. “Fuck Lucan. He’s only out for himself. He used me, he’s using you!” I turn back. “He’s using us, Tier.”

Tier nods. “Yes, Junco. He is.”

I whimper a little as the tears build up so fast they are rolling down my cheeks before I can stop them. “Then why are we doing this?”

“Because I gave him permission, Junco. He’s planned for this day for thousands of years. He’s got an end beyond the ending in mind and you just have to have faith.”

“But that end beyond doesn’t include you?”

Tier shakes his head. “No, darlin’. It doesn’t.”

“Why?” I whine. “Why do you do it then?”

“Because Junco, there are more important things in this universe than me.”

Goodreads:

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18668302-return 

AUTHOR BIO:

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Author Links: 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Clutch - book 1 - is currently free on Amazon

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