My Review

5 stars

My Review

5 stars

The lockdown has failed. But the government thinks they have a zombie free zone that if you can make it to the location you can live there. We will follow three people as they try and navigate this new world they find themselves in. First there is Ethan Watton who suffers from OCD. This guy was so focused on being a victim of AM13 that it’s hard to imagine how he is going to make it through the city let alone get to the safe zone.

Then there is Alyssa Turner. She is a teenage girl that has watched every zombie, read all the books, and is excited to use her zombie killing skills. Finally we have Dr. Jones. The doctor has been selected to find a cure and is worried about his family.

It was interesting following the different characters through the story. I felt sorry for Ethan trying to fight with his OCD. Then there are other times that he would irritate the heck out of me and I was wishing a zombie would finish his and my suffering.

Alyssa thinks she has this zombie survival down but there are many factors that she has never considered on her own and with a group of people. I liked her because she was a strong character and willing to fight. But survival is not always about fighting.

Finally there is Dr. Jones. His family and other survivors are sent off to a safe zone but he is left behind to find a cure. He is stuck around those infected but when things turn bad he starts reflecting on himself. But then he discovers a unique zombie and has a breakthrough.

There is a lot going on in this book. Not everything is as it initially seems and you are going to find those that are willing to help others and those that are out for themselves. Of course you are going to have this amazing twist at the end that it going to blow everything out of the water.

I loved this book and can’t wait to get into Extinct. The AM13 Outbreak is an amazing zombie series that I strongly recommend.

My Reivew

5 stars

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Dark Signal (Kate Fox – 2) by Shannon Baker

Reeling from her recent divorce, Kate Fox has just been sworn in as Grand County, Nebraska Sheriff when tragedy strikes. A railroad accident has left engineer Chad Mills dead, his conductor Bobby Jenkins in shock. Kate soon realizes that the accident was likely murder.

Who would want to kill Chad Mills? Kate finds that he made a few enemies as president of the railroad workers union. Meanwhile his widow is behaving oddly. And why was his neighbor Josh Stevens at the Mills house on the night of the accident?

While her loud and meddling family conspires to help Kate past her divorce, State Patrol Officer Trey closes in on Josh Stevens as the suspect. Kate doesn’t believe it. She may not have the experience, but she’s lived in the Sandhills her whole life, and knows the land and the people. Something doesn’t add up―and Kate must find the real killer before he can strike again.

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Author’s Bio

Shannon Baker is the author of the Nora Abbott mystery series from Midnight Ink. A fast-paced mix of Hopi Indian mysticism, environmental issues, and murder. Shannon is an itinerant writer, which is a nice way of saying she’s confused. She never knows what time zone she’s in, Timbuck-Three, Nebraska, Denver, or Tucson. Nora Abbott has picked up that location schizophrenia and travels from Flagstaff in Tainted Mountain, to Boulder in Broken Trust and then to Moab in Tattered Legacy. Shannon is proud to have been chosen Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 2014 Writer of the Year.

Website

My Review

5 stars

Kate Fox has just been sworn in as sheriff of Grand County, Nebraska. But a railroad accident is going to throw her head first into a job that some feel she can’t do since it’s a man’s job. Kate is not going to let that stop her from investigating. The death is questionable since it seem Chris Mills has made some enemies at work, his wife is acting strange, and his neighbor Josh Stevens was at Chris’ house the night of the murder. This is starting to look like a murder.

Kate has recently gone through a divorce so it seems everyone is trying to coddle her which is irritating the heck out of her. She may be a woman but she is not one of those floo floo girls. She has a job and is determined to prove she is more than competent to handle it. And when it is looking like an obvious suspect she listens to her gut and keeps digging.

I admit that I have not read the first book in this series, Stripped Bare but I had no problem jumping into this story. I loved Kate, she was so strong and determined to not let people tell her she can’t do something. It was a great mystery and I didn’t know who the killer was until the end. I will definitely be going back and catching up on what I have missed so far.

I received Dark Signal from Sami at Roger Charlie and Netgalley for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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An Honest Day’s Work by Brent Jones

Why is the right thing to do seldom the easy thing?

And are we, as people, as compassionate as we’d like to believe?

Jim Cooke, a baker, lends a helping hand to a homeless Vietnam veteran passing through the small town of Wakefield. But he soon discovers his good deed will test both his faith and compassion.

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Author’s Bio

From bad checks to bathroom graffiti, Brent Jones has always been drawn to writing. He won a national creative writing competition at the age of fourteen, although he can’t recall what the story was about. Seventeen years later, he gave up his freelance career as a social media manager to pursue creative writing full-time. Fender and The Fifteenth of June are his first two novels.

Jones writes from his home in Fort Erie, Canada. He’s happily married, a bearded cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, (sometimes) vegetarian, and the proud owner of two dogs with a God complex.

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My Review

5 stars

Jim Cooke is a baker that has his own business for 30 years in a little town. One day a homeless man comes in and asks to use the bathroom. While this is going on, a regular customer of Jim, Todd, throws a fit about Jim’s behavior. Jim then offers the homeless man, Bob some food. Bob wants to work off the food and Jim gives him some flyers to hand out. The next day Todd throws a huge fit when he learns about this and demands that he wants free food for handing out flyers too.

Jim has a good heart and wants to help out Bob but of course Todd thinks he knows more than Jim. Todd’s horrible attitude towards Bob leads to a problem arising and Jim having to make a tough decision.

This is a great short story. It’s quick and to the point about not judging a book by its cover and how everyone is a person and deserves to be treated that way. It was a great yet sad ending too. This short story has a strong message that a lot of people should read.

I received An Honest Day’s Work from Amazon and the author for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Strange Lands (Heroes of Distant Planets – 1) by Anderson Atlas

Ripped from his wheelchair by a massive flash flood, Allan drags himself through dense forest only to find himself surrounded by strange and ruthless creatures who are not from Earth. Allan can’t run away and has no means to defend himself. Instinct overcomes his terror and his cleverness blossoms, which is all he needs to survive the dark jungles, poisonous plants, Shadic hunters and the vile slave trader Killian Crow.

Follow Allan’s path of self-discovery, and watch him take back what he’s lost. Surviving the Improbable Quest is a spine tingling adventure, with exciting twists & turns. A perfect and inspiring read for 10 and up.

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Author’s Bio

I live in the hot Sonoran Desert among scaled survivors, steely eye hawks and majestic saguaros.

I’m inspired by crowded malls, streams that barely trickle, patches of moss, charred forests, and distant mountain ranges. The clacking of keys can be heard throughout my home late at night and I’m always drawing, inking or painting.

To date, I’ve written 4 books and illustrated a handful more, and I’ve only begun to speak.

Website

My Review

5 stars

Allan Westerfield’s day goes from bad to worse when the principal tells him that his math score disqualifies him from competing in the state swim meet but if Allan wins he will not say anything. Then Allan wins the swim meet yet his math teacher explains how he can’t compete and Allan is disqualified. On the way home, Allan’s parents are clearly upset with him. They are arguing when they are in a car accident. Allan wakes up to learn that his parents died in the accident and he is now a paraplegic.

Allan is resentful of the situation and refuses to talk to anyone, even his uncle Rubic his caregiver. Rubic is trying his best but it’s clear that both need a break so he sets up a fishing trip for Allan and himself. But a sudden flood has the trip taking a dangerous turn and it is up to Allan to get help for his trapped uncle. But on the way Allan notices strange creatures and finds himself about to be a slave and completing a quest.

I really enjoyed this story. Allan just wants to have an adventure and is not ready to apply himself to school. Then when he loses his parents you can completely understand how he is resentful about the whole situation. He really needed the retreat and the subsequent adventure to kick him in gear. I loved watching him grow stronger as the story went on. Although Allan was difficult at the start I can to care for him at the end.

This is a great story and the first in a series. I can’t wait to see what Anderson Atlas come up with next.

I received Strange Lands from the author for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Song Breaker by Annette Lyon

To Aino, the idea of spending her life warming the bed of a wrinkled old wizard—especially when it means life without her secretly betrothed love—is horrifying. When her brother Jouko foolishly duels Vane, the greatest wizard ever known, he finds himself on the verge of death and saves himself only by promising his sister as the old man’s trophy.

Furious, Aino refuses to be forced into marrying anyone. But with only two days until the wizard comes for her, she must find a way to break the curse, or she’ll end up his prisoner. She uncovers a possible solution, but while it may technically free her from the old man, her escape may mean exchanging one kind of prison for another.

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Author’s Bio

Annette Lyon is a USA Today bestselling author, a 4-time recipient of Utah’s Best in State medal for fiction (twice for novel-length works and twice for short fiction), and a Whitney Award winner for BAND OF SISTERS. She’s the author of over a dozen novels, at least that many novellas, a cookbook, a popular grammar guide, and over a hundred magazine articles.

She’s a founder and regular contributor of the Timeless Romance Anthologies line of sweet romance stories, which she served as editor for its first three years. She’s also one of the four co-authors of The Newport Ladies Book Club series. She graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.

Annette is represented by Heather Karpas at ICM Partners.

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My Review

4 stars

This story is based on Finnish mythology. Singers are essentially wizards that use song for healing and such. Vane is an old, powerful singer. He comes to town looking for a tool and is smitten with Aion but Aion is not about to be stuck with this old man when she has a young man of her own that loves her dearly and plans on marrying her the next year.

Jouko, Aion’s brother, is a singer too but is young and hot headed. Jouko decides to duel Vane and quickly finds himself in trouble. To dodge the bullet he offers Aion’s hand in marriage. Of course Aion is going to do whatever it takes to avoid being married to Vane no matter what the consequences are.

This was an interesting story. I would really like to see how it compares to the original myth. I liked Aion and how she was going to follow her heart no matter what. I would have loved to strangle Jouko but he did learn his lesson from the whole situation and ended up becoming a better person.

This is an enjoyable story and one that I think most will like. This is my first book of Annette Lyon’s and I will be keeping my eye out for other books from her.

I received Song Breaker from eBooks for Review for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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The Devils You Know by MC Atwood

Plenty of legends surround the infamous Boulder House in Whispering Bluffs, Wisconsin, but nobody takes them seriously. Certainly nobody believes that the original owner, Maxwell Cartwright Jr., cursed its construction—or that a murder of crows died upon its completion, their carcasses turning the land black. If anyone did believe it all, there’s no way River Red High would offer a field trip there for the senior class.

Five very different seniors on the trip—Violet, Paul, Ashley, Dylan, and Gretchen—have reasons beyond school spirit for not ditching the trip. When they’re separated from the group, they discover that what lies within Boulder House is far more horrifying than any local folklore. To survive, they’ll have to band together in ways they never could have imagined and ultimately confront the truths of their darkest selves.

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Praise for The Devils You Know

“The Devils You Know is a must-read for fans of adventure horror. With plenty of creep and plenty of humor, plus some wicked origin lore, Atwood has crafted the perfect demonic fun-house ride. When can I go again?”

—Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

“Creepy dolls? Check. Shameful secrets? Check. A sinister old house with a mind of its own? Check. I could keep listing The Devils You Know‘s enticing attributes all day long—ooh, can’t forget suspense, compassion, and deliciously wicked humor—but at some point you’ll just have to ignore me, pick up the book, and start reading. And once you do? Ha! Atwood’s got you. You’re trapped; you can’t escape. Or, I should say, you won’t want to.”

—Christine Heppermann, author of Poisoned Apples and Ask Me How I Got Here

“With The Devils You Know, M.C. Atwood proves to be a master at plotting insidious twists and turns—a Breakfast Club horror for the 21st century, albeit one best savored during daylight hours.”

—S.A. Bodeen, author of The Garden and The Compound

Author’s Bio

M.C. Atwood is a creative writing professor at Rowan University in New Jersey. She has been an active member of the kidlit community since 2000, speaking at conferences, leading writing workshops, and emceeing events whenever she can. She is a bona fide cat addict and a lover of all things horror. The Devils You Know is her first novel.

Twitter

My Review

3 stars

The Boulder House in Whispering Bluffs, Wisconsin has a history of bad things, a curse, a death of a ton of crows, and many other creepy factors. But no one really believes them this why we find a bunch of teenagers on a field trip to the house to check out all the historical items that have been collected in it. This is the story of Violet, Paul, Ashley, Dylan, and Gretchen, all are teenagers from the different clicks in school that find themselves fighting together to keep from becoming one of the collections in the house.

You have five teenagers that are almost complete opposites with their own secrets and selfish desires. On the field trip they find themselves being targeted by the house and have to run for their lives. Like typical teenagers they are very drawn into themselves and their lives, what teenager is not, along with how popular they are and what others think of them. So, there were a couple I enjoyed reading about and others that drove me up the wall. But their interactions for the most part felt pretty basic for a horror story.

Now the story was pretty good but it seemed all the kids did was run and run and run some more. There were some startling spots but nothing that really scared the pants off me. This is a first book from MC Atwood and I think it was a good start. There is room for improvement and I will be keeping my eye out for future books from her.

I received The Devils You Know from Soho Press for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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Carbon (Watcher – 2) by AJ Eversley

Book Details:

Book Title: Carbon – Book Two in the Watcher Series by AJ Eversley
Category: YA Fiction, 300 pages
Genre: Sci-fi Dystopian
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: Sept 26, 2017
Tour dates: Sept 4 to 29, 2017
Content Rating: PG (No swearing and PG kissing scenes)

Book Description:

Sawyer has lost everything. Her family, the man she loves…her humanity. No longer a Watcher, Sawyer must now begin a journey to understand her new identity. Carbon.

With no where left to call home, and no one left to guide her, Sawyer must rely on the help of a stranger to learn who she really is now, and how to use it to her advantage. In a world where nothing is as it seems, and who to trust is a thin line between friend and foe, Sawyer will turn to the stars that have shaped her destiny long before she even knew she had one. And the man who fate has sent her.

Book two in this epic series, Carbon will answer questions you didn’t even know you had. And strangers will become the only ones who can help her. Join Sawyer as the journey to save humanity continues.

To read more reviews, please visit AJ Eversley’s page on iRead Book Tours.

Meet the Author:

AJ Eversley is the author of the WATCHER series. A true north Canadian girl, AJ currently lives in Central Alberta with her husband and dog. When she’s not writing, she can be found binge watching Harry Potter, quoting various movies in every day conversation, and eating copious amounts of candy.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

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 Watcher (Watcher – 1) by AJ Eversley

Book Details:

Book Title: Watcher – Book One in the Watcher Series by AJ Eversley
Category: YA Fiction, 300 pages
Genre: Scifi Dystopian
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: March, 2017
Tour dates: Sept 4 to 29, 2017
Content Rating: PG (No swearing or explicit sex scenes…there are kissing or romantic scenes that are considered PG. The word Hell or Damn is used only a few times.)

Book Description:

“I knew I was not alone. They would never leave until every last one of us was gone.” Sawyer Russo has sworn to protect humanity, and as a Watcher she’s done just that. But the Bots and Carbons that took her city are evolving, and they start picking the Watchers off one by one. One last rescue mission will change everything. When someone betrays them, the line between friend and foe is no longer easily drawn. Sawyer made a vow, and she will fulfill it, even if it means ending the person who deceived them, no matter who it might be. It all comes down to one choice… Who can she save? And who does she have to let go?

To read more reviews, please visit AJ Eversley’s page on iRead Book Tours.

My Review

5 stars

After World War III, the few surviving humans live in a couple bases. The world as we know it is gone and most humans have been destroyed by the Bots and Carbons. Sawyer is part of a small group that has been trained to kill the Bots and Carbons. She lives in a secret location with a couple other Watchers. But the Bots and Carbons have evolved and are on the hunt for the watchers. When the secret location is attacked it is clear that there must be a traitor in their midst. But who could it be and can Sawyer make the tough decision to save the group of Watchers.

Dystopian stories are one of my favorite genera so I couldn’t wait to get into this book. This is a beautifully created world that is in the deepest pits of despair. Things are going to hell and it looks like this is going to happen sooner than later.

Sawyer is a strong female character that is out hunting the Bots and Carbons. She is very protective of her little family of watchers. She comes across as cold as ice but when you get to understand her you understand why. I love how you learn about each person in her group and come to love them like her. So you question Kenzie’s arrival but I came to enjoy the light romance between him and Sawyer.

I loved this book. It is well written, draws you in, has lots twists and turns that keep you guessing, and will leave you rushing to get the next book in the series, Carbon.

I received this book from iRead Book Tours for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

Meet the Author:

AJ Eversley is the author of the WATCHER series. A true north Canadian girl, AJ currently lives in Central Alberta with her husband and dog. When she’s not writing, she can be found binge watching Harry Potter, quoting various movies in every day conversation, and eating copious amounts of candy.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway!

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The Importance of Hope in a Dystopian World

The Watcher Series is set in a dystopian world that leaves little hope in the hearts of readers. The city has been destroyed. Darkness literally hangs over the entire place at all times. It’s not an environment that leads you to think “there’s still hope!”

Because of this, it’s important to have a symbol of hope somewhere! In the Watcher Series I give readers a symbol of hope through a little dog named Chevy.  He has beat the odds by living in a world completely destroyed, alone and starving, but still happy. His little tail doesn’t stop wagging. And although Sawyer doesn’t fall for him immediately, he soon becomes her shadow and a picture of survival and strength. He represents that hope that maybe they can beat the enemy and maybe there is a chance they could live despite their circumstances.

Many books have these characters or symbols throughout their books to let the reader see the silver lining that the author might know, but sometimes can’t give away until the end.  And sometimes…those symbols of hope need to be lost in order for the main character to spring into action or make a meaningful decision.  We see this in the character of Dobby in the Harry Potter Series. He is a great representation of hope in their dark world, and his death becomes a turning point for Harry and really turs the tides of the story.

Hope can be lost in the dark and depressing worlds of Dystopian novels, but it’s important there be some sort of positivity, whether it be in the form of a character, item or thought. There are many times when we can get stuck in a feeling of despair, but if we focus on one positive symbol in our life we’ll see there is still hope in the world.

AJ Eversley

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A Day in the Life by Theodore Ficklestein

A Day In The Life is Theodore Ficklestein’s debut novel about Nickolas Cripp, a college student finding his way in the world. Although Nick won’t admit it, he is the main focus to a young adult book that follows him from his home to college to the city, where he wants to attend an open mic.

Along his path, he encounters a teacher who asks about the apocalypse, a drunk on the train and two friends who feel writing isn’t Nick’s strong point, among others. Nick soon finds out that the funniest things in life aren’t that funny at all, and the greatest comedians never go up on stage.

As he goes through his day, one oddball character at a time, Nick starts to question if the comedy club he dreams of being in, is really for him. Should he be who he wants to be? Or who the world thinks he should be? Neither of which, he is entirely sure about.

A personal journey of self-discovery through the eyes of a youth yearning for meaning in a meaningless world; Nick learns that in life, the joke is on you.

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 Author’s Bio

Theodore Ficklestein is an author, blogger and poet. His books include This Book Needs A Title Volumes 1 and 2 and I Killed the Man Who Wrote This Book. His first novel Day In The Life will be published by Gen Z Publishing in 2017. His multiple blogs include This Blog Needs Sports, This Blog Needs Poetry and This Blog Needs Movies.

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My Review

4 stars

Nickolas Cripp is a college student that has a lot of ideas but no motivation to actually do them. He has decided that he wants to be a standup comedian. This story is about Nick at home, school, home again, and in the city. We follow him as he comes across several people with different out looks on life and questions that make him think. In the end he learns that the things he tough was funny really are not and comes to have a different outlook on life.

This book is simplicity at its best. You follow a college kid around in his day as he snarks about things that happen around him and to him. But he does learn and gets a different perspective and grows in his own life.

This is a pretty cut and dry story that had me laughing, agreeing with him, and cringing at the same time. I really enjoyed the story but I can easily see how this book might not be for everyone. But I think it is definitely worth checking out.

I received A Day in the Life from Sami at Roger Charlie for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

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