Review – The Weird Girls December 12, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Urban Fantasy.Tags: "book review", books, cecy robson, celia wird, novella, reading, the weird girls, urban fantasy
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Title: The Weird Girls
Author: Cecy Robson
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: December 4, 2012
ASIN: B008EXNZZM
Available at: Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
Celia Wird and her three sisters are just like other 20-something girls—with one tiny exception: they’re products of a backfired curse that has given each of them unique powers that make them, well, a little weird…
The Wird sisters are different from every race on earth—human and supernatural. When human society is no longer an option for them, they move in among the resident vampires, werebeasts, and witches of the Lake Tahoe region. Could this be the true home they’ve longed for? Um, not quite. After the sisters accidentally strip a witch of her powers in a bar brawl, they soon realize the mistake will cost them. Because to take on a witch means to take on her coven. And losing the battle isn’t an option.
Review:
Celia and her sisters tangle with the local witch’s coven and it’s up to Celia to protect her sisters. She takes on the head of the coven in one on one match. Over the next few days she’ll have to face a series of challenges. Never knowing what will arise, Celia will have to stay on her toes to survive.
This novella starts off with a bang and keeps on going. It’s a thrill ride that has just enough energy in it to keep you going. The witch that Celia takes on is a royal you-know-what. Cecy portrays her so perfectly. I wanted to smack her myself.
I loved that this was about Latina heroines. It’s so rare that authors write about anyone other then those of Caucasian descent. I love what it adds to the story and I wish more authors would write about heroines like Celia and her sisters.
I really loved Celia. She was protective of her sisters without being motherly. She was fierce without being masculine. She was strong without losing her vulnerability. I loved her to pieces. I loved that she was a weretiger! Something other then a wolf! The difference was slight but it was just enough to make it noticeable.
If there were weaknesses in the story it was that I felt like the background on the curse could have been developed more. After all it made the Wird girls who they were. I felt like it was a vital piece of who they were and would have provided a lot of more to the sisters characters.
Other then that, this was a strong prequel to a series and I’m truly looking forward to the first book in the series. (Sealed with a Curse comes out on December 31st.)
Review – Dearly, Beloved December 7, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Paranormal Romance.add a comment
Title: Dearly, Beloved
Author: Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: September 25, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0345523341
Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
Can the living coexist with the living dead?
That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.
Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.
Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.
As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.
Review:
There’s a new Lazarus virus. It’s sourced to Patient Zero. His capture sparks an anti-life movement by the zombies called The Change. Meanwhile there’s a group of young bloods out to prove their mettle by killing zombies at will. As Nora’s father desperately tries to find the cure for this new strain of the disease, Bram and Nora get caught in the web of strife that sweeps New Victoria.
Of The Changed, I really liked Laura. She was brave despite being beaten down several times by those stronger then her. She was kind and generous. I also loved her flowers. I thought that was a really nice touch. I wish there had been illustrations of her with her flowers on her body. Between herself and Dog, I think they stole the show.
Nora and Bram don’t really grow as characters. That doesn’t mean they aren’t any more enjoyable to read about, but their romance became rather monotonous. There wasn’t any real spice to it. I expected something more to it. It does progress towards the end of the book. I was just disappointed that there wasn’t any real conflict like there might be in a more realistic situation.
We find Michael Allister involved with The Murder. I enjoyed reading about Allister because he struck me as particularly well-developed for an antagonist. While there weren’t many surprises when it came to Michael it still gave me great pleasure to read about him anyway. The clashes he had with Nora were extremely entertaining.
There’s enough resolution in this book to satisfy. There’s also an opening for the next in the series. I’m looking forward to the next book with bated breath!
Review – Anumal Empire: Lazarball December 4, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Fantasy.Tags: "book review", anumal empire, books, darren jacobs, david ayres, fantasy, lazarball, reading
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Title: Anumal Empire: Lazarball
Author: David Ayres and Darren Jacobs
Publisher: Lazarball LTD
Publication Date: April 12, 2012
ASIN: B007VIGNW8
Available at: Kindle
From Goodreads:
The race of man is extinct…
A new breed has risen…
Anumalkind shall inherit the Earth…After merging human and animal DNA together, the Anumal race turned against their creators…and wiped them out.
Now, millennia later, an ancient pact between warring clans has been broken. Dark powers are surfacing, threatening the survival of this hybrid race…and the fate of the Anumal species lies in the paws of a single lion…Clinton Narfell.
Hailing from the desert village of Wooburn, Clinton’s meager life is catapulted out of control the day he steals food to feed his younger brother. As an extraordinary chain of events begins to unfold, Clinton is forced to use skill and cunning to keep himself alive…and is hurtled towards a destiny he did not realize he was born to fulfil…
Facing savage scavengers, vicious anumal clans, and worse, Clinton soon realizes that power does not come from books or spells, but from something far deeper within us all…
Review: *A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review
Clinton and his brother have been orphaned and turned out of their homes. The Narfell name is dirt. Clinton is doing all he can to feed the two of them. Yet still he dreams of not only restoring the family name by winning the Lazaraball tournament but winning the prize money.
I was surprised by this book. I thought it would be quite juvenile with animal figures in it and it was a little, but it was much better then I thought it would be. The writing is engaging and smooth. Clinton is easy to like and he’s very appealing. In fact all the “good guys” were very likable. This was a feel good book.
Dallas was a relatively complex antagonist giving the book more depth. The more I found out about him, the more I thought that he could have been saved there or there or there. But that’s not how the story goes. I got shivers reading about the Seeress. She was a very spooky entity.
The dynamics of Wooburn were intriguing. The different anumals all had their place. I especially liked the giraffe court. It was easy to immerse yourself into this world and go along with Clinton on his adventures.
The one flaw this book has was how it ended. There’s a terrible cliffhanger. On one hand, you know it had to end that way. On the other hand, you really wish it had more resolution, you really wish it left you feeling more satisfied. It’s still very much worth the read. I look forward to the next book in the series.
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Review – Don’t Be a Hero October 26, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Fantasy.Tags: "book review", books, chris strange, don't be a hero, fantasy, reading, superheroes
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Title: Don’t Be a Hero
Author: Chris Strange
Available on: November 2nd, 2012
From Goodreads:
It’s a bad time to be a superhero.
When the world turned its back on metahumans, the golden age of superheroes came crashing down. But now a mysterious supercriminal is making one final bid for power, and with no one else left to protect the world, ex-hero Spook must risk everything to take him down. There will be no reprieve, no negotiation. War is coming.
Put on the mask. There’s work to be done.
Review:
Spook isn’t a classic hero. She’s not out to save the world. In fact she doesn’t like the world very much. What she wants is to go to the lunar colony that the metahumans have and the job she takes guarantees the money to get there. All she has to do is find a missing boy. Except it’s not so simple as that. It turns into something much more sinister.
Spook did have a classic sidekick in the hero named Carpenter. Carpenter has an affinity with wood as his superhero name would suggest. He can communicate with trees and manipulate wood to do what he wants. He’s also a prefect foil to Spook’s cynical outlook. He’s an idealist who believes that the world will always need superheros. Carpenter also believes it’s their duty to protect the normals from villains and criminals alike no matter how society views him.
Quantra is a complex supervillain. He is multi-layered and has many facets to his character. His motives were manifold and varies, too many to really penetrate and delve into in one review. It gave the story a lot of dimension and depth. I became very invested in finding out what made him tick and what his true objective was.
The world the story takes place in is a contradiction in itself. It has rocket ships yet it doesn’t have advanced computers. It has dirigibles and helicopters yet doesn’t have things like cell phones. I found it intriguing and different. It gave it a Sam Spade feel with a technological or “steampunk” edge.
Don’ t Be a Hero was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to be as great as it was. I thought it would be passingly entertaining. Instead it captured me and held me in its grips. I wasn’t completely sold on the concept of superheroes in a novel versus an action movie but I am now. I consider this book a win.
Review – Don't Be a Hero October 26, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Fantasy.Tags: "book review", books, chris strange, don't be a hero, fantasy, reading, superheroes
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Title: Don’t Be a Hero
Author: Chris Strange
Available on: November 2nd, 2012
From Goodreads:
It’s a bad time to be a superhero.
When the world turned its back on metahumans, the golden age of superheroes came crashing down. But now a mysterious supercriminal is making one final bid for power, and with no one else left to protect the world, ex-hero Spook must risk everything to take him down. There will be no reprieve, no negotiation. War is coming.
Put on the mask. There’s work to be done.
Review:
Spook isn’t a classic hero. She’s not out to save the world. In fact she doesn’t like the world very much. What she wants is to go to the lunar colony that the metahumans have and the job she takes guarantees the money to get there. All she has to do is find a missing boy. Except it’s not so simple as that. It turns into something much more sinister.
Spook did have a classic sidekick in the hero named Carpenter. Carpenter has an affinity with wood as his superhero name would suggest. He can communicate with trees and manipulate wood to do what he wants. He’s also a prefect foil to Spook’s cynical outlook. He’s an idealist who believes that the world will always need superheros. Carpenter also believes it’s their duty to protect the normals from villains and criminals alike no matter how society views him.
Quantra is a complex supervillain. He is multi-layered and has many facets to his character. His motives were manifold and varies, too many to really penetrate and delve into in one review. It gave the story a lot of dimension and depth. I became very invested in finding out what made him tick and what his true objective was.
The world the story takes place in is a contradiction in itself. It has rocket ships yet it doesn’t have advanced computers. It has dirigibles and helicopters yet doesn’t have things like cell phones. I found it intriguing and different. It gave it a Sam Spade feel with a technological or “steampunk” edge.
Don’ t Be a Hero was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to be as great as it was. I thought it would be passingly entertaining. Instead it captured me and held me in its grips. I wasn’t completely sold on the concept of superheroes in a novel versus an action movie but I am now. I consider this book a win.
Review – Flicker October 23, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Fantasy, Young Adult.Tags: "book review", books, fantasy, flicker, kaye thornbrugh, reading
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Title: Flicker
Author: Kaye Thornbrugh
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: May 26, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-1477479292
From Goodreads:
When sixteen-year-old Lee Capren is spirited away to Faerie, she is forced to serve capricious faeries as a prized portrait artist… and live as their prisoner.
A chance encounter with the charming Nasser grants Lee a chance for freedom—but what felt like mere days in Faerie spanned years in the human world, and Lee no longer has a home to return to.
Nasser is a Seer—a human with magical powers—and Lee is quickly plunged into his world: a sprawling city teeming with magic and mystery, where supernatural creatures walk hidden among humans. With the help of a rag-tag group of teenage Seers, Lee must master her newfound magical talent and outwit a cunning faerie determined to destroy her.
Review:
After reading the premise for this book I had high hopes for this book, I was not to be disappointed. The writing was smooth and breezy. The characters were well developed and the plot was well paced.
Lee in particular reacted just like any other 16-year-old would react when confronted with the sudden knowledge that shape-shifting faeries existed. She reacted badly. One part of me wished she had shown more mettle, another part of me realized that she was only sixteen! She’s just a kid! Naturally she’s going to freak out a little.
The character I liked the best was Filo, which may come as a surprise. He was bristly and moody. Yet he was badly used by the fae so there was just cause for his behavior. He had to harden himself to the abuse he had suffered. He also felt he had been abandoned by everyone he had ever cared about. Bottom line was he was damaged.
Jason was a bit of a wild card. He was unruly and impetuous. He really was spontaneous, but I also wished he would grow up a little. I also wished he’d be more understanding of his brother, Nasser. Of course he acted just like any teenager would though. Once I had that understanding I was able to tolerate him a little better.
Nasser was like a rock. He was steadfast and comforting. I really responded to him. He had a gentle, caring nature. I liked how he’d show Lee how he felt in little ways. I really liked the romance between Lee and Nasser. It was sweet and very romantic. I thought it might have been a bit like insta-love? But the explanation that went into it made it seem acceptable.
All of the teenagers in the book had qualities that were endearing. I took to them well. It was fun reading about them and by the end of the book I had a lot invested in them. The antagonists were equally fleshed out. None of them were shallow, cardboard cut-outs. Byrony in particular was well-rounded and that gave the book a lot of depth.
The empathy with the characters was great. You could really feel the tension the characters felt when they were in danger. That added a lot of excitement. Except there was one point when the characters were bored. I felt the pace slow down considerably at that point. I did think that served a point though. When the action revved back up again, it was even more exciting then it was before.
This was a very strong debut novel. I was sorry to see the book end. I hope there are more adventures with the Seers from Flicker in the future!
* A free copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review – Incarnation October 16, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Steampunk.Tags: "book review", books, emma cornwall, incarnation, reading, steam punk, steampunk
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Title: Incarnation
Author: Emma Cornwall
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-1439190357
Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
In the steampunk world of Victorian London, a beautiful vampire seeks out the author of Dracula–to set the record straight . . . If one is to believe Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Lucy Weston is Dracula’s most wanton creation, a sexual creature of the night who preys on innocent boys. But the real-life Lucy is nothing like her fictional counterpart—and she demands to know why the Victorian author deliberately lied. With Stoker’s reluctant help, she’s determined to track down the very fiend who transformed her—from the sensual underworld where humans vie to become vampires, to a hidden cell beneath a temple to madness, and finally into the glittering Crystal Palace where death reigns supreme.
Haunted by fragmentary memories of her lost life and love, Lucy must battle her thirst for blood as she struggles to stop a catastrophic war that will doom vampires and humans alike. Ultimately, she must make a choice that illuminates for her—and for us—what it means to be human.
Review:
Lucy Weston awakes in the earth with a stake in her chest. All she can remember is a strange man luring her from her window one night. From there she discovers Bram Stoker has written about her plight in a grossly exaggerated tale. She goes on a quest to not only find out why Stoker has written such lies, but also to find out what he knows about the truth.
Along the way she comes across Marco di Orsini, a Protector who is sworn to protect humans from vampires. They become allies as the hunt for the vampire who incarnated Lucy takes on new meaning. Lucy also stumbles across Lady Blanche and Felix, fellow vampires. One of whom becomes her ally, the other becomes her enemy.
I instantly took to Lucy. She regretted her departure from her human life, but she didn’t let that stop her from accomplishing her goals. She was resilient and she had strength of character. Seemingly overnight she finds herself a vampire thirsting for blood and she adapted well. She did what she needed to do to survive even though there was no one there to show her how to survive in her new life.
Marco was another strong character and the romantic interest in this book. He was not without a certain mystery. Who was he really? How did his interests as a Protector coincide with Lucy’s? All these things ran through my head as I read on.
Lady Blanche was a consummate vampire. She truly had the sense of a creature who had lived for centuries. She also had more of Machiavellian mind. Felix was much more sympathetic and human. You could instantly tell which one to trust and which one not to.
I could never quite get a handle on Mordred, the vampire who incarnated Lucy. He was a complete mystery to me. Was he sympathetic to the human plight or was he impervious to human feeling after centuries of having seen their petty struggles? I was very conflicted as to which Mordred to believe in.
In the beginning of the book I found the prose a little cumbersome but I soon fell into rhythm with it and began enjoying it. The pace of the book kept up throughout the book. There’s enough happening to keep you engaged yet it’s not so much that you find yourself overloaded.
The London Lucy lives in is filled with Watchers on Teslaways and floating dirigibles. There are monstrous foundries where men slave their lives away. There are even more inventions then that. More then I can name, all adding to the wonderful steam punk feel of the novel. I truly enjoyed that facet of the book.
On the whole I enjoyed this novel tremendously. It was a fun adventure with a great romance. I loved Lucy and I hope there will be more books with her in the future.
Review – What’s Left of Me October 12, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Sci-Fi.Tags: "book review", books, dystopian, kat zhang, reading, sci-fi, what's left of me
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Title: What’s Left of Me
Author: Kat Zhang
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0062114877
Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.
Review:
In an America where the citizens are born with twin souls, Eva and Addie should have settled into one soul by the time they were twelve. But Eva doesn’t want to fade. She wants to see a thousand sunsets, experience a first kiss, and watch her little brother grow up. So Addie and Eva keep Eva’s presence a secret.
The relationship between Addie and Eva is special. They’re closer then sisters by necessity and by love. They help each other in ways too many to enumerate. When they do argue the silence between them afterwards is hard for Eva to bear. There are problems in their relationship as you can imagine. Eva can’t move or speak but she never once takes it out on Addie. The danger of being found out is a strain on both of them. I always got the feeling that Addie only started letting Eva try to move and speak reluctantly. It was as if she was forced to relinquish control and didn’t think there was ever a real possibility of Eva gaining it.
Ryan and Devon, on the other hand had a much different relationship. While Devon was dominate, Ryan was still able to control the body when he wanted to. There was no fighting for the use of the body. They were in much better harmony.
The America that Addie and Eva lived in wasn’t a friend to hybrids like themselves. In fact, it systemically weeded out hybrids as much as possible. Hybrids were public enemy number one. The Great World Wars were with other countries that allowed hybrids freedom. This America stood on its own against those countries.
There wasn’t a moment in this book when the action let up. It was pretty much non-stop. There was always something happening in rapid succession. I thought this was a good thing though. It kept things exciting and I loved it. I didn’t think the pace of the book was too fast or too rushed.
I really liked how complete this book felt. There was no cliffhanger to contend with. Everything wrapped up nicely enough within one book yet there was enough of an opening for another. This is book one in what I hope is a series but is most likely a trilogy. I can’t wait for the next book, but I’ll just have to wait!
Review – What's Left of Me October 12, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Sci-Fi.Tags: "book review", books, dystopian, kat zhang, reading, sci-fi, what's left of me
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Title: What’s Left of Me
Author: Kat Zhang
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0062114877
Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
I should not exist. But I do.
Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .
For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.
Review:
In an America where the citizens are born with twin souls, Eva and Addie should have settled into one soul by the time they were twelve. But Eva doesn’t want to fade. She wants to see a thousand sunsets, experience a first kiss, and watch her little brother grow up. So Addie and Eva keep Eva’s presence a secret.
The relationship between Addie and Eva is special. They’re closer then sisters by necessity and by love. They help each other in ways too many to enumerate. When they do argue the silence between them afterwards is hard for Eva to bear. There are problems in their relationship as you can imagine. Eva can’t move or speak but she never once takes it out on Addie. The danger of being found out is a strain on both of them. I always got the feeling that Addie only started letting Eva try to move and speak reluctantly. It was as if she was forced to relinquish control and didn’t think there was ever a real possibility of Eva gaining it.
Ryan and Devon, on the other hand had a much different relationship. While Devon was dominate, Ryan was still able to control the body when he wanted to. There was no fighting for the use of the body. They were in much better harmony.
The America that Addie and Eva lived in wasn’t a friend to hybrids like themselves. In fact, it systemically weeded out hybrids as much as possible. Hybrids were public enemy number one. The Great World Wars were with other countries that allowed hybrids freedom. This America stood on its own against those countries.
There wasn’t a moment in this book when the action let up. It was pretty much non-stop. There was always something happening in rapid succession. I thought this was a good thing though. It kept things exciting and I loved it. I didn’t think the pace of the book was too fast or too rushed.
I really liked how complete this book felt. There was no cliffhanger to contend with. Everything wrapped up nicely enough within one book yet there was enough of an opening for another. This is book one in what I hope is a series but is most likely a trilogy. I can’t wait for the next book, but I’ll just have to wait!
Review – Dearly, Departed September 28, 2012
Posted by thehypermonkey in 4 stars, Paranormal Romance.Tags: "book review", books, dearly departed, lia habel, paranormal romance, reading, zombies
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Title: Dearly, Departed
Author: Lia Habel
Publisher: Del Rey
Published Date: August 14, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0345523327
Available at: Amazon – Kindle – Barnes and Noble
From Goodreads:
Love can never die.
Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?
The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.
But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.
Review:
I was really skeptical about a zombie love story. I didn’t believe it could work, but so many bloggers loved this book I had to give it a try. I’m glad I did. It’s a really good book!
Nora is a petite, doll-like girl. Yet she’s full of fire and she can take care of herself. She meets Bram after he rescues her from the Greys, the bad, evil zombies. Bram is actually not a shabby zombie, he’s well-preserved. That helped win me over.
What really got me convinced is that after her initial fright was over, Nora started seeing Bram and the other zombies as people. Especially Bram in particular. She began to see past the fact that they were the undead and started to see the person underneath. Bram was pretty special. He was a gentleman, he cared about what she thought and felt. I even got a little crush going on for him.
The plot supports the romance as well. It’s not particularly genius but it’s still exciting and enjoyable. There’s enough of an opening in the end for another book and I look forward to reading it.
Even if you have zombie prejudices like I did, this book might surprise you. It puts them in a new light and it’s a good one. Give it a try!
The Akamai Reader 