ARC Giveaway! Fire and Ash by Jonathan Maberry

Fire & Ash by Jonathan Maberry
Publisher- Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Release- Aug 13th 2013
Purchase- Amazon / B & N / Chapters

Benny Imura and his friends have made it to Sanctuary, they've found the jet and they've discovered that civilization is struggling to regain its foothold in the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. Scientists are on the verge of finding a cure for the zombie plague. It should be time for celebration, but it's not. Benny's best friend, Chong, has been infected by an arrow dipped in the flesh of a zombie and he hovers between life and death and Dr McReady, a researcher who may have the critical formula for a cure, has gone missing. So Benny convinces Captain Ledger to mount a search and rescue mission to find the doctor and help Chong. But with the Reapers still pursuing their plan to turn all zombies into super-fast shock troops even if they can save Chong, can they save themselves? In the fourth book of the thrilling and emotionally charged Rot & Ruin series, the battle to end all battles is about to begin...

Fire & Ash is the heart-stopping, gripping and touching conclusion to a fascinating and desperate story of surviving against monstrous odds.
Jonathan Maberry turned a book about Zombies into an inspiring and emotional journey with flesh and blood characters that will fight till the bitter end. This is one series that I won't soon forget. Masterfully done!

Win a signed Arc copy of Fire & Ash!! The riveting last installment in the Benny Imura series by Jonathan Maberry. US/Canada only. Good luck!

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Cover Reveal: Stalked by Death by Kelly Hashway

We are so excited to participate in the cover reveal of Stalked by Death by Kelly Hashway!  Her first novel Touch of Death will be released in Jan next year and the sequel Stalked by Death will be released in July 2013.  I cannot wait to own both of these and add them to my shelves.  They are absolutely beautiful! Take a look!.

Stalked by Death 
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.

When the only Ophi Jodi can convince to come to the school and train with her is a gorgeous guy named Chase, it spells more than trouble for Jodi and Alex. Her mixed emotions for both guys send her powers surging out of control, and she begins raising the dead without even meaning to. Jodi doesn't want to lose Alex, but Chase is offering her something Alex can't. His very touch enhances her powers, making her stronger than any Ophi ever has been--maybe even powerful enough to stop Hades from threatening them all. But Chase's offering comes with a huge price. One that may cost Jodi everything she has.

Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
Title: Stalked by Death 

Series Touch of Death (#2)

Author: Kelly Hashway

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

ISBN: 978-1-937053-56-7 

Release Date: July 23, 2013

Formats: Paper, e-book

The first book of the series,Touch of Death, will be released in January 2013... and the launch party will be a ZOMBIE PROM in Boston! Keep an eye out for news of the coming aPROMcalypse (you know you want to be a "prombie"). 

                                           So what do you guys think??

 

Double Review: This is Not a Test

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

Thoughts:

 This book is insanely good. It was creepy, dark, terrifying, intense and just amazing.

Put simply this is about six teenagers who get stuck in a school after zombies take over the town. It is not clear where these zombies came from or even if the town was aware of them. Simple story not so simple characters. Each character has his/her own side story and not one of them is anywhere near happy. Sloane the main character has had a very hard life. Her father is abusive, her mother is gone, and her sister has left her alone with their father. Sloane is about ready to take her own life when the unthinkable happens and zombies invade her town. Left with no other option than to run from the house she somehow gets caught up with 5 other teenagers on the run for their lives. They all end up in a school that they barricade up and are lucky enough to have food and running water inside. At one point I did have a flashback to The Breakfast Club but that quickly changed to a Lord of the Flies vibe after several plays for power are thrown out. This book takes place mostly inside the school but don’t let that fool you into thinking there is no action.. There is plenty of drama, action, and mystery woven into this story and I am so glad that it did take place inside somewhere safe because if I had to deal with several zombie attacks I would have seriously lost my mind. I was trembling and glued to the pages as it was.

So much of what happened in this book shocked the poo out of me. After reading so many books that is very hard to do, but I found myself open mouthed at more than just one point throughout the story. Do not go into this thinking you will get a hea or that there will be rainbows by the end. This is Not a Test is a very dark and disturbing book. Ms. Summers is fearless with her characters and takes no shortcuts when it comes to the hard stuff. I even had nightmares from this book *shudders* If you have read my other reviews you know that I am loving the scary creatures and this book brought back the terrifying zombie. I hope she writes more in this genre.
Never Too Late by Three Days Grace
                                                            5 Snowflakes
                                          
                                 

                                                                      

Thoughts:

Well I’ve read a couple of books by Courtney Summers, including Cracked Up to Be and Fall for Anything; and if I’ve learned anything about this author it’s that she doesn’t go light on her subject matter. With Summers, you’re going to get an emotionally charged book that includes characters on the verge of collapse because of some pretty intense experiences.

Her stories are contemporary novels that hit some heavy subjects head on… pretty clear cut. So when I heard her new release This is Not a Test was about zombies I was a bit taken aback to say the least and I don’t think I’m the only Summers fan that felt that way. What a stretch from her typical style! Part of me was put off because of the zombie bit… not a fan really. But then again I recall being drawn in by this author’s writing so I gave it a try. So glad I did!

Now, I’m definitely not going to be the first one to say this is a book about zombies, but it’s really not about zombies. Don’t worry, I was perplexed when I read that too. But it’s so spot on! This book is about six teenagers that come together in the most unlikely of circumstance. They are trying to survive the demise of society that has fallen victim to a zombie attack. They take shelter in the high school and baracade themselves from the outside world in the hopes that help will soon come their way. All of them are fighting to survive… except for one.

Sloane’s life fell apart long before the zombie epidemic. She comes from a highly abusive family and her only hope for survival (her sister) escaped the clutches of their brutal father six months prior which left Sloane to fend for herself. So, she has no reason to survive, but every hope to end her life. However, when she stumbles upon this group, she finds a reason to hang on just one more day… just one more day.

I’m not sure what grabbed me so profoundly with this book. Possibly the writing, the shocking events, the fragile world building that kept me curious of how this all happened and how it would end, the continuously moving plot… it all blended perfectly together to have me hooked to the pages of this book. I have to say again, the zombie factor was such a miniscule part of this reading experience. There wasn’t a ton of gore, but watch out because those zombies just don’t quit… not for one moment.

This book really left an impression on me, but I can’t say that’s the first time Courtney Summers has done that, and I’m sure it’s not the last.

Well here’s my playlist song. I went with this one because Sloane was the focal point of this book and her agony really shook me in a way I wasn’t expecting. To me this book was more about Sloane fighting the pain within her rather than the threat surrounding her.
Dear Agony – Breaking Benjamin

                                                                  4 Stars

                                               
                                                                         

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Review: WANTED: Dead or Undead by Angela Scott

WANTED: Dead or Undead by Angela Scott
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Release Date: March 19, 2012
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Trace Monroe doesn’t believe in luck. He never has. But when a fiery-headed cowgirl saunters through the saloon doors, wielding shotguns and a know-how for killing the living dead, he believes he just may be the luckiest man alive.

Trace wants to join "Red’s" posse, but she prefers to work alone—less messy that way. In order to become her traveling companion, Trace has to agree to her terms: no names, no questions, and if he gets bit, he can’t beg for mercy when she severs his brain stem. He agrees, knowing only that Red is the sharpest shooter he’s ever encountered. The fact she’s stunning hasn’t escaped his attention either.

What he doesn’t know, is that Red has a very good reason to be on top of her game. She not only has the answer for how they can all outlive the plague taking over the wild, wild west, she is the answer.

Can I get a WOOHOO!!!!  This book was one of the funnest reads I have read all year!!! 

Red is not your typical quiet law abiding cowgirl.  She is rough, tough, and what every cowboy wishes they were.  I fell in love with her character from the start when she walked into a tavern and shot the zombie that no one else managed to take down.  I mean come on who wouldn't love her just for that??!!  Not to mention her hilarious honesty about making sure you have something to protect yourself even while taking a tinkle (she uses another word here, but I am trying to keep it clean lol).  Seriously I love her!  Her path crosses with another whom she calls Cowboy and they go on the run together to outrun the plague that has taken over the US.  Along the way they meet a few friends and a few foes and one very, very scary woman.  I not only loved Red, but I loved Cowboy and her their companions as well!  Every character was unique and I am already so invested in every single one of them.  Don't be fooled by my simple summary, the story is full of twists and turns that I can promise you you won't see coming at all.  I was floored more than once and it was amazing!  

I really cannot wait for the sequel!  There are so many loose ends involving everybody that I am seriously on the edge of my seat!!  I will say that westerns typically are not my thing.  I usually pass them on by when I choose a new book to read, but I am so glad that I was handed this one.  I can't say that I will pick up a western outside of this series anytime soon, but this has definitely changed my view point on them.  I loved the setting so much!!  Of course the whole zombie thing was really fun too, gruesome and scary but fun none the less lol.

Angela thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to read your amazing book!!  It was fantastic and you are incredible!

5 Huge Snowflakes!!

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