Showing posts with label Gena Showalter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gena Showalter. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - THE QUEEN OF ZOMBIE HEARTS by GENA SHOWALTER - WHITE RABBIT CHRONICLES # 3 - YA PARANORMAL ROMANCE - HARLEQUIN TEEN

By: Gena Showalter
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Released : Available Now
Details: Paperback purchased, 464 Pages

RATING: 5 COLE, FROSTY, BRONX & GAVIN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

I thought I had nothing left to give. I thought wrong. They started the war. Now I will end it.
In the stunning conclusion to the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, Alice "Ali" Bell thinks the worst is behind her... until Anima Industries, the agency controlling the zombies, launches a zneak attack, killing four of her friends. It's then she realises only the worst has only begun.

As the surviving slayers prepare for war, Ali discovers she, too, can control the zombies... and she isn't the girl she thought she was. She's connected to the woman responsible for killing — and turning — her boyfriend's mother. How can their relationship endure? As secrets come to light, and more slayers are taken or killed, Ali will fight harder than ever to bring down Anima — even sacrificing her own life for those she loves.



BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:


I just adore this series.

Gena goes in hard on the emotions and she brings that teetering on the edge of adult/new adult sexual content that I love to read. She knows how to tone it down but she really does push the YA level.

And I likey!!!

Cole is a brilliant book boyfriend and all the other lads in this series are pretty cool too.

Frosty is a fave and Gavin...I really could see a Gavin spinoff.

I love all the sub characters.

Kat with her straight dark hair and hazel eyes, was girl-next-door lovely. Reeve, with her brown waves and doe eyes, was traffic-stopping stunning. Mackenzie, with her black curls and emerald eyes, was child-of-an-angel exquisite. And Trina, with her short spikes and black-rimmed eyes, was punk-rocker cool. I was the oddball, with pale hair and eyes so blue they were freaky.

Kat and Frosty

“Get lost, Frosty.” She made shooing motions over my shoulder. “You can remind me of my affection for you later.”

“But, kitten,” he said, his tone beseeching. And it was funny, hearing one of the biggest, baddest Z-killers in Birmingham, Alabama, reduced to begging, all because a tiny fluff of nothing had decided not to play with him. “I have a fever, and the only prescription...is more cow-kat.”


Gavin

“So...you want any tips for taking things from ordinary to extraordinary?” he asked. “I’m something of a sex-pert.”

“Actually, you’re something of a slut-pert.”


“Fine. Be that way. Fumble around in the dark. See if I care.”

“You totally shouldn’t care!”

“Well, I do. You’re my cupcake. I happen to think you deserve to be frosted just—“




I studied his profile. He could have been plucked straight out of a magazine. An underwear ad. Hence the nickname I’d given him. He was pretty-boy beautiful, with blond hair and sparkling eyes of green and gold.

“You’re staring,” he said. “Thinking about doing me now? Well, I hate to break it to you, cupcake, but that ship has sailed.”




This is such a cool YA series full of action and Cole and Ali moments and the sidekick that is Kat. I love how Gena has brought her own thing to the zombie/paranormal romance genre.

I was very surprised when what was thought was a trilogy, grew to four books.

Looking forward to reading A Mad Zombie Party and it looks like we are gonna get to be in Frosty’s head and some other characters. OO that blurb has me wondering about something too. Gah! Could it mean...??? Well, I won’t voice my thoughts aloud.

I might have to say off with his head...I better read and see... I can be convinced.

I highly recommend this series. I turned every page of this book with excitement.



Michelle


Friday, February 14, 2014

BOOK COVER REVEAL - THE QUEEN OF ZOMBIE HEARTS by GENA SHOWALTER - WHITE RABBIT CHRONICLES # 3 - YA ZOMBIES - HARLEQUIN TEEN

I have a plan.

We'll either destroy them for good, or they'll destroy us.

Either way, only one of us is walking away.

In the stunning conclusion to the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, Alice 'Ali' Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's ready to take the next step with boyfriend Cole Holland, the leader of the zombie slayers; until Anima Industries, the agency controlling the zombies, launches a sneak attack, killing four of her friends. It's then she realizes that humans can be more dangerous than monsters; and the worst has only begun.

As the surviving slayers prepare for war, Ali discovers she, too, can control the zombies and she isn't the girl she thought she was. She's connected to the woman responsible for killing and turning Cole's mother. How can their relationship endure? As secrets come to light, and more slayers are taken or killed, Ali will fight harder than ever to bring down Anima even sacrificing her own life for those she loves.

******

I cannot wait for this book. Sadly it is the end of the series. I love this cover. It is showing a much more grown up looking Alice.

DUE FOR RELEASE : SEPTEMBER 30TH 2014

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

ARC BOOK REVIEW - THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS by GENA SHOWALTER - WHITE RABBIT CHRONICLES # 2 - HARLEQUIN TEEN AUST - YA ZOMBIES

By: Gena Showalter
Published By: Harlequin Teen Aust
Released: 24th September 2013
Details : Paperback from publisher for review, 444 Pages

RATING: 5 COLE, FROSTY & BRONX & GAVIN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I was so excited to get this book in the mail from the publisher that I ripped the pack open like a rabid zombie .

Yes. I . Did.

I am a fan.

I am even more of a fan of Gena’s White Rabbit Chronicles after reading Through The Zombie Glass.

I LURVVEEDDD Alice In Zombieland. 

I could not put down Through The Zombie Glass.

I am giving you fair warning , clear your schedule because when you start this book, you won’t put it down, except for pee pee breaks. Get your drinks, your snacks lined up or summon your butler when you need sustenance. This feels like deja vu for me when I read Alice In Zombieland. 

I planted it and read.

I LOVED THIS INSTALLMENT. 

Gena will grab hold of your heart and almost leave you breathless with Cole’s character. I am not joking. What she did to me with Cole. I really needed somebody to talk to while reading this book. I wanted to cry. I was gripping my book and just feeling, FEELING, FEELING.... 

You have to read to understand what I am talking about.

“I will put my boys in the hospital if they come near you. I don’t share my toys.” 

Kat and Frosty, I swear I love these two, even more now. Kat is such a great character.

Kat toyed with the ends of her hair. “I don’t think Frosty will be willing to become a girl for me, and right now I’m totally giving up on dudes.”



“Kitty Kat,” Frosty said.

“Jerk Face,” she retorted , surprising me.

His eyes frosted over in tribute to his name, “What’d I do this time?”

“Nothing. I thought I’d be mad just to be mad and liven things up. We were getting stale.”



Reeve and Bronx. We get a nibble in Alice in Zombieland, we get more in TTZG. Love these two.

Alice and Cole, O.M.G. Gena, you were killing me. I really felt what you did in this book. It hurt me. I was yelling at my book at one stage.

NoooOOooOOooOOooooo!!!

Bottom line is we know Gena can write. We know she is a seasoned author and we really shouldn’t expect anything less than an awesome read from Gena, but this book really out did Alice In Zombieland.

This is not a middle book.

This book will grab you by your heart and wring it out.

It will excite you.

The emotions you will feel are, anger, frustration, sadness, upset, laugh, cry, intense, heart breaking, fear...

This book takes off from the first page and Gena can be quite relentless with her characters. She gives Alice a good working over. I loved Alice in this installment. The girl has balls. She is a tough cookie. I don’t know how, emotionally, she could go through a couple of the things she went through and come out the other end.

Gena was uber tough on her.

There are some new characters brought into the story line. I got to say, somebody needed a stinky dead fish slap from me.

Big time!

I was like grrrrrrrrGGRRRRRgrRRRRR!

Another will grow on you and is quite funny. I got some funny quotes from this person.

“Will you please stop forgetting you’re into brunettes?”

“I realized I can’t see hair color in the dark.” 

Some enemies could possibly become frenemies, when the shoe is on the other foot, the picture is clearer.

I love Emma, she is a life saviour.

If you could see my notes, you would see all the emotions I was feeling at all the different, very cool named chapter titles. I have exclamation marks with LOL!! or NO!!!!!!!! or WT!!!! plus a few I shall not repeat.

This is such a clever idea having zombies in spirit form and teenagers who are all fit and smexi and tattooed who fight for good.

You can honestly forget how young they are.

Though he was only seventeen years old, he seemed far older. He had major experience on the battlefield, had fought in human/zombie war since he could walk. He had experience with girls, too. Maybe too much experience . He knew just what to say ... how to touch... and we melted. I’d never met anyone like him. I doubted I ever would again. 

Gena has this really cool way of bringing in that adult aspect to her writing but keeping it in the YA genre. I said it after reading Alice In Zombieland, she knows how to write guys. Visually this would be quite a cast of eye candy.

Oh and that nipple ring.

The blade-sharp cut of his body always stole my breath, and now was no exception, regardless of the horror of our conversation. I drank him in -- the delightfully wicked nipple ring, the sinewy chest and washboard abs covered with a plethora of tattoos. Every design, every word, meant something to him, from the names of the friends he’d lost in the war to the depiction of the grim reaper’s scythe. Because that was what he was. A zombie killer.

Humma! Humma! 

I love the cover art on this series. It really is stunning. It took my 11 yr old daughter to show me some of the things that are on this cover. Take the time to really look and you will get that ahaaa moment when you are reading. It may not be obvious at first.

I am sooooo bouncy for # 3. It was rather hard to come down from Gena's world of zombies and kickass smexi characters once I had finished. This book just kept me captive until the very last page. Such a rollercoaster of emotions and quite a ride with a few curveballs thrown in along the way.

I highly recommend this YA series for adults too. Gena knows how to be versatile and keep older readers turning the pages. 

The things I haven't told you  because I want you to feel it like I did. This book really had 3D moments for me.

Strap yourselves in.

I will leave you with a quote from Nana.

A few seconds later, her reply came in. WTF an A!

I blinked , sure I was misreading. But no, the letters didn’t change.

ME: Nana, do U know what WTF means??

Her: Of course, silly. It means “well, that’s fantastic.”


I laughed so hard at that bit J





Michelle






Friday, September 21, 2012

BOOK TRAILER - ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND by GENA SHOWALTER

"Off with their heads."

I am a fan of Alice In Zombieland by Gena Showalter, I was rather addicted to her original tale with a nod to Alice in Wonderland, and I am loving this book trailer!



DUE FOR RELEASE - Harlequin Teen 

September 25th 2012 - According to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Michelle


Sunday, August 12, 2012

BOOK REVIEW - ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND by GENA SHOWALTER - WHITE RABBIT CHRONICLES # 1 - HARLEQUIN TEEN - 5 COLE STARS!!


By: Gena Showalter
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Released : 25th September 2012
Details: Paperback, 404 Pages

Received from publisher for review, THANKYOU!

RATING: 5 ' MANIMAL'  COLE ' BOOK BOYFRIEND'  STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….


I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.
I'd tell my sister no.
I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.
I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.
Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

BOOK REVIEW by Michelle :


I feel a bit like the Mad Hatter after reading ‘Alice In Zombieland’, I am all bouncy and NEEDING , like NOW.... ASAP, ‘Through The Zombie Glass’. I feel like I have been on a caffeine binge. I am so grabby for more, it is going to be very painful waiting for book 2, due for release 2013.

Gena Showalter has written an outstanding YA story. Now we all know Gena has written many an adult book, it shows. She knows how to write guys.

Cole Holland, the boy with the violet eyes, oh boy is he going to be gate crashing the ‘YA Crush Tourneys’ and most probably battling and winning against some of our fave boys. I am sorry, but Cole is......... well you need to read this book. Think of everything you like in a guy and he pretty much covers it all. Oh, and that piercing..........and.......

Oh sweet heaven, Cole has run off with my heart.

He is a manimal .

Gena has such fun with her chapter titles and the originality of weaving a little piece of a favourite children’s story into her tale. The unique and refreshing take on zombies, is brilliant. These zombies will blow your mind.


 Clever!

Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! 

Gena’s character’s are well written and interesting. I love Frosty, I want to know more about him. I think he has a story to tell.

Kat is a wonderful friend and she is there for Alice. I loved her from the minute she inserted herself into Ali’s life. Her dialogue is gutsy, loyal and emotional. She will stop you in your tracks.

Gena has thrown in some great twists, emotion that will have you feeling sad, and boys, boys , boys ,who are badass and cool. Bad boys who are oh so drool worthy.....and......protective.....and.....

I love Bronx, and he only said about 3 words in the whole book. I kid you not.

Grandma and Grandpa, their dialogue is absolutely hilarious. They are like the comic relief without trying to be.

This whole book is a ‘fave quote’. That is how much I enjoyed Gena’s tale. I have sticky flag note thingys stuck all over the pages with all my fave scenes and quotes, it looks like a rainbow chucked up on my book. It’s ridiculous how much I loved this story.

The smexiness of Cole is so well written you will be drooling all over the place. I suggest you wear a bib!

I have two fave scenes in this book, one involves a kind of ode to spiderman, and one involves dancing. A couple very smexi, yet fun scenes.

Gena pulls the reader in from the get go. You go from ‘feeling’ tense and afraid of what you don’t understand, to ogling a guy you have this weird thing with, to more ogling of said guy you have this weird thing with....time to wipe your mouth.... and then ........

Gena’s YA voice is refreshing and original. You will reread this book over and over for the story, and to get a Cole fix until the next instalment.

Visually this story will play like a movie through your mind. You won’t want to even take a pee break. Get everything you need.... snacks, drinks......heck bring the mini bar to your reading ‘cosy spot’ and READ!

Don’t forget your bib.....hehe!!

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff, Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry and Alice In Zombieland by Gena Showalter are my three top 2012 YA book picks, for very different reasons , I highly recommend them all.

Go on now, throw this onto your TBR pile for 2012. I don’t want to hear, ‘I don’t like Zombies’....trust me, you will like this tale, for it is a different tale and Cole will protect you.... honest!

FAVE QUOTES:


“I don’t think you’re cold,” he rasped, “ I think you’re scared. You’re right to be scared.”

I gulped. “I’m not scared.”

“Let’s see what I can do to change that, shall we? We’re going on a little adventure, you and I. When I give an order, you’ll obey it. There will be no asking politely, no matter how much you bat your lashes at me.”




“You tell me.”

Not that crap again. “Cole. Please. Act like you’ve never been to juvie and let me down.”

He sighed, and it was not a patient sound. “Ali has a mean streak. Good to know.....”



His pupils expanded, black overshadowing all that beautiful purple. “Most people are so afraid of me they jump to obey the moment I speak.”

Just a guess , but most people hadn’t imagined his tongue inside their mouth. “ I’m not most people.”




“As you so eloquently pointed out in the forest, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but we almost...you know... in public!”

You know. That’s what you call it?”

Was that amusement in his tone? “Do you want me to punch you in the face?”

“No, I want you to be still and listen to me.”

“That’s not happening.”
He sighed, a wary sound. “Even if I promise not to you know in public again?”



“Should I put on a shirt?” he asked with a hint of amusement.

I will not blush. “No.” He’d be doing the world a favour if he never wore a shirt again, but I wasn’t going to tell him that part. “You’re fine.”

“I’m glad you think so.”




Michelle

WHAT'S ON ALICE'S IPOD?







Monday, October 3, 2011

BOOK REVIEW - THE DARKEST NIGHT by GENA SHOWALTER - LORDS of the UNDERWORLD # 1

By: Gena Showalter
Published By: HQN Books
Released : Available Now
Details : Paperback, 374 Pages

RATING : 4 MUSCLEY MADDOX STARS!!!

Book Blurb : Taken From Goodreads

His powers -- Inhuman
His passion -- Beyond immortal . . .


All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love . . .

Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful . . . Don’t miss this incredible new paranormal series from Gena Showalter!


BOOK REVIEW:



This is my first ever, Gena Showalter novel, I have read. I really enjoyed it. I had my reference page , #15 as I used it to remember what these lads/warriors and their demons were. Here’s a run down:


Torin , Keeper of Disease. This pretty boy you don’t want to be touching.


Lucien, Keeper of Death. Now, there’s a fun lad.


Reyes, of Pain. Hide the knives.


Aeron , of Wrath. Well he has been known to lose total control of his spirit, give mortals a good thrashing for their sins and kill.


Paris, of Promiscuity. Trust me at this stage he got the better deal.


Maddox, of Violence. Oh, did that boy have it messy and painful and just not nice, every Midnight!


There are more, but this will do for starters.


The Greeks/Gods , due to an incident with Pandora, another warrior, a female warrior, who was entrusted with a job that upset Maddox, he thought it should have been his, well all broke loose and now these warriors have a demon as part of their soul , something not so nice to live with.


Enter Ashlyn who has been stumbling about in the forest, she hears voices, she wants help. Maddox decides he will go and sort this little problem out but finds himself on time restraints so plops her over his shoulder , dashes back to the Fortress and then all hell breaks loose as this is a strictly boys club at the Fortress.


The Titans, whoever they are, have decided to over throw the Greeks/Gods, not sure why, but they did, anyhoo they have given Aeron a job to see out and it doesn’t really make sense, but if he doesn’t do it..........


The Darkest Night has these warriors on unchartered ground, having to defend who they should be killing, questioning the powers that be, trying to stop the hunters and aiding their friend who will do anything for Ashlyn’s survival.


Ashlyn is a sweet character who has a smexi vixen hiding on the inside, waiting to be let out.


I found a lot of Black Dagger Brotherhood style in this book, I am not complaining, just saying. If you like BDB you will enjoy this book. I think this series will get better. Book # 1 did have some things that I wanted to understand better, but really, who cares, Maddox and the boys are gorgeous and I want to know more about each of their stories.


I don’t think anybody writes quite like The Warden, but I will be giving this series a read and finding out more about the rest of these warriors and who they claim as ‘mine’.



Michelle

Friday, April 29, 2011

BOOK COVER RELEASED - TWISTED by GENA SHOWALTER

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN: Tortured by angry witches.


Hypnotized by a vengeful faery.


Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence.


And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice.
His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he’s never felt more out of control. There’s a darkness within him, something taking over . . . changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.

Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker – just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.
Life couldn’t get any worse. Could it?
 
 
'Twisted',  is the 3rd book in the 'Intertwined' series.  I love the cover .
Book # 1 'Intertwined', Book # 2 'Unraveled' are the other 2 bokos in the series, currently available. I have book 1 and 2 sitting on my bookshelves to read. I haven't read any Gena Showalter yet, so I am looking forward to getting to know her works. 

Gena Showalter's works:



 Lords Of The Underworld series
Atlantis series

Alien Huntress series

Tales Of An Extraordinary Girl series

Young Adult Alien Huntress series

Intertwined series
 
 There's a whole ladycation of reading there.
 
Twisted is released September 11th 2011
 

 
MICHELLE