Monday, January 6, 2014

Branded (Sinners #1)
by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: 06/28/13
252 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

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About the Authors

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

Author Links:

http://www.abiandmissy.com/

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded

https://twitter.com/AbiandMissy

http://facebook.com/AbiandMissy

http://abiandmissy.tumblr.com/

http://www.pinterest.com/abiketner3/boards/

MY REVIEW:

How much torture and degrading can one take before you want to call it quits and end their life? Here is one girl's story of abuse and betrayal.. Will she give in or will she fight?

There is a prison for sinners and you get to go there for any of the seven deadlies. Pride, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy or lust. What is yours? Now here's the catch. You don't even have to be guilty of the sin. You just have to be accused. No trial, no defense and no mercy.

The prison is really just a slum behind a tall wall with guards.. Most of the guards are cruel and depraved. They can beat you, rape you or brutalize you just for their entertainment. This is acceptable behavior, but it is a crime punishable by death, for a guard and sinner to be in love.

Prisoners are branded with their sin on arrival. The brand is placed on their neck so all the world can see your sin. Once you are imprisoned, there is no release. Lexi is accused, branded and imprisoned as sinner, because she told the truth about someone with wealth and power. She is the one who was wronged, but this doesn't matter. She could have proved that she was innocent, but was never given the Chance.

She is lucky enough to have a guard that is not like the others. Cole is a good person, just trying to do his job. He treats her kindly and along with his dog Zeus they protect her. Zeus is cool. He is a Great Dane with an awesome personality and he bonds with Lexi. Zeus will stand against anyone to protect her.

Lexi finds herself attracted to Cole or maybe, more than that. Has she fallen in love with him, even though it would be death sentence? Why is he so good to her? Could he care about her too?

Everyone in the prison must work. She is assigned a job in the hospital and works for a doctor that is compassionate and caring. Dr Sutton tries to help her and advise her like a father would.

MY OPINION

This book is amazing. Dark, emotional romance with forbidden love story. Who doesn't want what they can't have? This is a wonderful story that really sucked me in. I didn't want to put it down. Sorry kids, we will have supper and clean clothes when Mommy gets done with the book. I had to know how Lexi was going to meet everything this terrible place could throw at her. I had to know if she will get justice. I had to know if love could find a way for Lexi and Cole? I high recommend this book. Wished I could read it again for the first time. (Fingers crossed) Maybe there will be a sequel.

I haven't read anything by Abi Ketner or Missy Kalicicki before, but they are on my radar now. I look forward to reading much more from them. Don't miss this book, it is amazing.

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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Sixteen year old Jack and his siblings have been locked into a vault designed for them to survive the end of the world. Their father put them there and told them to stay as long as they can and wait for help. It has been months and no one has come to rescue them. They are out of food and out of options. They are going to have to leave to find food, water and hopefully other people.

They decide to open the door and take their chances. What they find when they exit the vault is unbelievable. Half their home is gone and they have to find a way down 13 floors with no stairs.

As they pick their way through the ashes that used to be the city they have grown up in they are pursued, hunted and attached. This would be a hard situation for adults, but these are children.

Their journey will keep you on your toes and biting your nails. I know it is hard to read this way, but I managed. It is fast moving and very exciting. These kids are smart and know how to take care of themselves, but they want answers. Where is everybody? What happen to the city and is it just here or is the whole world gone?

This is a very entertaining book and I didn’t want to stop reading for the things that are required of me, feeding the family, taking out the dogs, sleeping. You know the basics. This is the first book I have read of Jeremy Laszlo, but it will not be the last. I hope there will be a sequel to this book, because I was not ready to leave these characters.

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Monday, December 23, 2013

Nightmare of the Dead

By Vincenzo Bilof

Neasa awakens on a train, with her memory gone. She and a fellow traveler are attacked by savage flesh eating monsters after a green mist engulfs the inside of the train. Neasa discovers that she is a feared outlaw that has been responsible for the dead and destruction of many men.

As her memory starts to slowly return she learns that she is part of a secret order, and has been trained from birth to be dangerous and ruthless killers. This organization wants her back so they can use her as their most lethal weapon.

All around her the Civil War is raging, while Neasa is changed by the woman she loves. This romance is the ultimate taboo of this era, because not only is her love a woman, she is also black. They ride side by side in search of Neasa's brother. The brother is the responsible for Neasa's loss of memory and he is also the one who created the flesh eating monsters. He is a mad scientist and is planning to use his zombies to guarantee that his side wins the war. Neasa and her lover want to kill him. The kicker is Neasa’s brother is also looking for her. Neasa is not just a ruthless outlaw, but she is also immune to the gas he uses to turn people into zombies.

This book is a great read. It is very entertaining with an air of suspense that keeps you reading. I really enjoyed it. I love zombies and the Civil War backdrop gives it a different .perspective. Plus Neasa is one tough bitch and really kicks ass. There is so much more to this book, but I don’t want to give to much away

Vincenzo Bilof is a major talent. He writes of horror and gore, he does it elegantly with the words of a poet. I have said this about him before, but he is the Shakespeare of gore. I love reading his books. He paints a picture with his stories that is unreachable by most writers. He has moved up on my list of favorites with each of his books that I read. I am really anxious the read more of his stuff. Great job Vincenzo! I just bought GRAVITY COMICS MASSACRE and can’t wait to start reading it.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Nightmare City by Andrew Klavan

Nightmare City

by Andrew Klavan

From Goodreads:

Nightmare City

by Andrew Klavan

Release Date: 11/05/13

Thomas Nelson Publishers

Summary from Goodreads:

Tom Harding only wants the truth. But the truth is becoming more dangerous with every passing minute.

As a reporter for his high school newspaper, Tom Harding was tracking the best story of his life when, suddenly, his life turned very, very weird. He woke up one morning to find his house empty . . . his street empty . . . his whole town empty . . . empty except for an eerie, creeping fog and whatever creatures were slowly moving toward him through the fog.

Now Tom s once-ordinary world has become something out of a horror movie. How did it happen? Is it real? Is he dreaming? Has there been a zombie apocalypse? Has he died and gone to hell?

Tom is a good reporter he knows how to look for answers but no one has ever covered a story like this before. With the fog closing in and the hungry creatures of the fog surrounding him, he has only a few hours to find out how he lost the world he knew. In this bizarre universe nothing is what it seems and everything including Tom s life hangs in the balance.

My Review:

With the first few pages of this book I thought it was predictable. It's not. When with the fog was getting so thick, I thought I have been here, do this. I was very wrong. The creatures in the fog are terrifying. This novel is very intriguing and the fear of the unknown compels you to keep reading.

This book is very well written and has a chilling feel to it. I had to keep reading, because I had to know what was happening to Tom, the lead character. What would you think if you were to wake one morning to find that everyone else was gone? They have just disappeared. Adding to the mystery is your dead brother’s voice coming from the TV in the basement, the mysterious phone calls from you missing mom, and the weird creatures in the fog.

I am willing to admit that I had an uneasy feeling, while reading this in the dark, late at night with everyone else in the house asleep. This is a haunting and insightful read. It kept me wondering what would happen next. The author really made me care about The outcome and the lead character. I really look forward to reading more by Andrew Klavan.

Links:

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About the author:

Andrew Klavan is a best-selling, award-winning thriller novelist whose books have been made into major motion pictures. He broke into the YA scene with the bestselling Homelanders series, starting with The Last Thing I Remember.He is also a screenwriter and scripted the innovative movie-in-an-app Haunting Melissa

Author Links:

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Giveaway:

***GIVEAWAY***

3 print copies of Nightmare City (US only)

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Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Controlling The Dead

by Annie Walls

Amazon description:

With the help of her new companions, the path Kansas follows leads to more knowledge of the ever adapting famished.

The team finds help in unlikely places, meeting more survivors, and discovers the possibility of a new beginning.

When the team experiences a devastating loss, Kansas struggles to keep her humanity from fading and distorting like that of the surviving society around her. It begins with knowing who to trust and who to leave behind. First, she must trust herself – she won't make the same mistakes twice.

As the answers to her questions are revealed, Kansas begins to understand the knowledge comes with a heavy price and great responsibility of controlling the dead.

In a trilogy plot thick with twists and turns, this adult dark fantasy is as emotional as it is horrifyingly gripping.

For Mature Audience

My Review:

This is the second book of The Famished Trilogy by Annie Walls. I loved the first book, Taking On The Dead, but this new novel is amazing. Controlling The Dead shows how very talented the author truly is. I was spellbound from page one.

Traveling through a world of zombies, Voodoo priest and conspiracy plots is Kansas Moore. She is not your ordinary girl next door. Kan is a crossbow carrying, zombie killing, badass, that is trying to make a better life for the people who have survived. She wants answers about how the zombie virus started and knows that it was not an accident. This series is more than just another zombie horror story, even though it can be very gory and graphic. It is also an intriguing mystery, a comedy and a very hot love story. I can't get enough of this post zombie apocalyptic world.

Annie Walls writing skills makes this book come to life. Her description of Rudy, left me drooling over the hunk with an amazing body. He is Kansas’ lover, friend and combat comrade, but he is much more that it. His sense of loyalty is awesome. He is determined to always do what is right, even if it means sacrificing his own desires and needs.

Mago, is a Voodoo priest, from the swamps of New Orleans, who can control the dead. He is mysterious and spooky. He has a secret agenda which includes Kansas, even if she doesn't want it to. After Kansas seeks out Mago for answers, she discovers that she can do things she never dreamed possible. Is it a curse or a blessing?

Kansas doesn't listen to her friend Max that is trying to protect her. She charges in trying to gain the knowledge of what caused the end of the world as we know it. What she finds is more questions, than answers. When everything goes wrong she discovers she only has one friend that she can truly trust. Reece is like a big brother to Kan and is will to do anything needed to help her, just like always.

I am beyond words at describing the characters from this book. I feel my attempt does not do them justice. There are so many more that I didn’t even touch on here. They are all so well developed. I feel as if I know each and every one of them. I love the good guys, hate the bad guys and just want to slap a stupid princess, want-to-be chick, every once in a while.

I can't praise Annie Walls enough. She is absolutely brilliant. I will be anxiously awaiting the third and final book in the trilogy, Living With The Dead, but I also really want to see what Ms Walls will do next. Will there be other horror, mysterious venues to explore? I surly hope so!!!!

About author, Annie Walls

In Her own words: Author of dark fantasy and sub-genres of horror. Voracious Reader and Googler. Lover of Dark Humor. Horror Buff. Zombie Apocalypse Enthusiast. Amateur Photographer and Graphic Designer. Artist. Cake baker and decorator. Earning a BA in English concentrating in writing. Mommy. Wife. Friend. Well, yeah, I'm one crafty bitch

LINKS

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Thursday, October 31, 2013

The Black Parade

By Kyoko M.

Genre: Urban fantasy/Paranormal/Supernatural

ISBN: 1490911502

ASIN: B00E3HLHIK

Number of pages: 346

Word Count: 103,169

Cover Artist: Gunjan Kumar

AMAZON Barns & Noble smashwords Goodreads

Description:

One bullet is all it took to transform eighteen-year-old New Yorker Jordan Amador into the last hope for souls of the dead. However, it also transformed her into a cantankerous asocial waitress with a drinking problem.

Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can communicate with ghosts, angels, and demons. Worse still, she did so on the eve of her own awakening, making her the last Seer on Earth with no one to guide her. As penance, God gives her two years to help one hundred souls with unfinished business cross over from Earth to the afterlife or she will go to Hell. Just as she approaches the deadline, Jordan finds her hundredth soul: a smart-mouthed poltergeist named Michael whose ability to physically touch things makes him distinct from her usual encounters with the dead. However, the deeper she delves solving his sudden death, the more she realizes something sinister is on the horizon.　

With time running short, Jordan stumbles across a plot that may unravel the fragile balance among Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Her life is plunged into chaos as she is hunted by demons that want to use her valuable Seer blood to bring about the end of the world and discovers that these creatures have a frightening connection to her family bloodline. Plus, the budding romance between Jordan and Michael makes it harder for them to let go of each other so he can become part of the eternal black parade.

The Black Parade 1000 Word excerpt

My head throbbed. It felt like my brain was trying to hammer its way through my skull and into the outside world. A pained groan crawled out of my throat and escaped my dry lips. As I regained consciousness, I realized I was lying on a bed of some kind. The mattress had way too many springs in it so they poked my spine like needles. My eyelids fluttered for a second and a wave of nausea hit. I pressed my palm to my forehead as if it would help. That was when I realized the necklace around my wrist was gone.

“Sleep well?”

I heard a purring baritone voice from the corner of the white room. My eyes shot open. Ignoring the nausea and dizziness, I frantically pushed myself up to a sitting position. There stood the longhaired man who came to unlock Jacob’s files. He leaned his lanky frame against the far wall, smoking a cigarette. The black suit stood out stark against the pristine paint behind him.

I swallowed hard and tried to get a bearing on where I was. No windows. The door didn’t have a knob, either. From what I could tell, this was either an operating room or somewhere they put the patients who were a threat to themselves or the hospital staff. It was also rather small—no more than an eight by eight foot room, not much bigger than the bathroom in my apartment.

The man continued to watch me with a cool expression. The eerie patience on his face made me realize I hadn’t replied to his comment. As if I really knew what to say to the man who had just kidnapped me. I went for the casual approach.

“You’re not allowed to smoke in hospitals.”

He chuckled deeply enough to shake his broad shoulders. I took a moment to analyze his weight and strength. Could I take him? Most likely, no. Would I try it anyway? Hell yeah.

“You’re right, I suppose. Still, I can’t help loving these things.” He flicked the cancer stick to the linoleum floor and stomped it out.

“Humans come up with the most wonderful things to destroy themselves with.”

A red flag popped up in my mind. Please God, no. “Pardon?”

The man walked towards me and fear wormed its way up my stomach, settling in my chest. He had a heavy presence about him that confirmed my suspicion.

“I’m hurt, Jordan. You don’t recognize me?”

My whole body tensed. He leaned over the bed until our faces were level, placing his arms on either side of me. I had to ball my hands into fists to keep them from trembling. I looked into his eyes. They were a chillingly blue hue with reptilian pupils. I’d seen them before.

“Belial.”

He tilted his head to the side, and a sheet of that fine black hair slid across the side of his face. It brushed my cheek and made me flinch. “Did you miss me?”

“Not particularly.” I hated how afraid my voice sounded.

The demon smiled in a way I imagine a snake would at a mouse. “I suppose not. There’s no need for you to be scared of me this time. If I was going to kill you, I’d have done it while you slept.”

I licked my lips, mind racing to think rationally. “Like I believe that. Killing me while I was unconscious wouldn’t be any fun. You’d want to do it while I was awake and screaming, right?”

His sadistic smile widened. “My, my. We are getting to know each other, aren’t we?”

“If you’re not going to kill me, then would you mind getting the hell out of my personal space?”

“Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?” He tilted his head so that our lips were almost touching.

I took a deep breath, preparing to deck him if he dared kiss me. “No, I just hate that cologne you’re wearing. My ex-boyfriend used to wear it.”

Belial’s eyes widened like I’d surprised him. He stood to his full height, letting out another one of those creepy chuckles. “You really are an interesting girl.”

Now that I had my personal space back, the tension slid out of my rigid spine. I rested my feet on the floor. Whatever happened, I needed to be off this bed. It was clear that the demon had designs on my soul, but my body was a whole different issue. Better to play it safe. Or as safe as I could with a creature from Hell that wanted me to be his pet for all eternity.

“I aim to please,” I said. “Now get to the point. If you’re not going to kill me, what do you want?”

The smile remained intact, unnerving the hell out of me. He could give the Joker a run for his money with that thing. “The same thing I wanted before, my dear. Your soul.”

I glanced around the bare room. “I don’t see another spear lying around. How are you going to pull that off?”

“Persuasion.” To my surprise, he began unbuttoning his suit jacket, revealing a cobalt blue dress shirt beneath it.

I lifted an eyebrow. “No offense, but nudity is not going to win me over.”

Belial let out an amused snort after he tossed the jacket aside, rolling up the sleeves to the shirt. “As appealing as that sounds, that’s not what I’m going to do. I thought I’d give you a fair chance to fight for your soul. If you win, I’ll let you go. If I win, you agree to go through a ceremony that will bind us together for all eternity.”

There it was. He had a trap, a plan, and I’d played right into it by coming to this hospital.

I stood and crossed my arms underneath my chest. “Do you honestly expect me to believe a demon would keep his word? What makes you think I’d agree to something like this?”

“Because, dear Jordan, you are running out of time.”

My Opinion: This is an excellent read. The story is very intriguing. The characters are well developed. It is very well written. I look forward to more from Kyoko M.

About the author:

One bullet is all it took to transform eighteen-year-old New Yorker Jordan Amador into the last hope for souls of the dead. However, it also transformed her into a cantankerous asocial waitress with a drinking problem.

Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can communicate with ghosts, angels, and demons. Worse still, she did so on the eve of her own awakening, making her the last Seer on Earth with no one to guide her. As penance, God gives her two years to help one hundred souls with unfinished business cross over from Earth to the afterlife or she will go to Hell. Just as she approaches the deadline, Jordan finds her hundredth soul: a smart-mouthed poltergeist named Michael whose ability to physically touch things makes him distinct from her usual encounters with the dead. However, the deeper she delves solving his sudden death, the more she realizes something sinister is on the horizon.　

With time running short, Jordan stumbles across a plot that may unravel the fragile balance among Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Her life is plunged into chaos as she is hunted by demons that want to use her valuable Seer blood to bring about the end of the world and discovers that these creatures have a frightening connection to her family bloodline. Plus, the budding romance between Jordan and Michael makes it harder for them to let go of each other so he can become part of the eternal black parade.

website: http://www.shewhowritesmonsters.com

Blog: http://www.shewhowritesmonsters.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/misskyokom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/She-Who-Writes-Monsters/161227150647087

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Controlling the Dead Release Day Blitz!!

IT'S LIVE! IT'S LIVE!!!!

Remember this is a 48 hour release special for 2.99 plus bonus material, so grab it as soon as you can!! I'll add the link here when it goes live.

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Controlling the Dead (The Famished Trilogy #2) by Annie Walls