Freakin Fridays #53 ~ Spirits And Apocalyptic Nightmares

Posted: June 30, 2017 in apocalypse, Fantasy, Freakin Friday, horror, Science Fiction, thriller
Tags: , , , ,

18669609  34528793  28510140

Welcome to Freakin Fridays, where I share my reviews of books that scare you, thrill you, and get those endorphins pumping.

I’ve got a few good ones to share today.

~~~~~

After The Ending

The Ending #1

by Lindsey Fairleigh and Lindsey Pogue

18669609

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Post Apocalyptic

My Review

I enjoyed the dual points of view from best friend’s Dani and Zoe. They are far apart when the flu virus starts, killing off most of humanity. They struggle to stay in touch, traveling in two different groups, hoping to meet up later.

It was fun to follow Dani and Zoe as they try to survive and reconnect. And the groups they travel with add much to the turmoil and danger. They all need each other to survive but that doesn’t mean they don’t have their own agendas. This is my favorite part of this genre. The group dynamics. Who shines. Who falls short. And who goes homicidal. I like to pick one person I loathe and wait to see what happens to them. Sure adds to the suspense.

And while I expected to be left hanging in the end, with this being an ongoing series, I felt like it just stopped. Like it went to commercial and didn’t come back, right in the middle of the action. A good beginning and I’ll probably continue with the series as it’ll haunt me until I know what happens to who.

 3  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

THE FIRST BOOK IN THE EMOTIONALLY CHARGED POST-APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE SERIES, The Ending.

The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began. We may have survived the apocalypse, but the Virus changed us.

When people started getting sick, “they” thought it was just the flu. My roommate, my boyfriend, my family…they’re all gone now. I got sick too. I should have died with them—with the rest of the world—but I didn’t. I thought witnessing the human population almost disappear off the face of the earth was the craziest thing I’d ever experience. I was so wrong. My name is Dani O’Connor, and I survived The Ending.

The Virus changed everything. The world I knew is gone, and life is backwards. We’ve all had to start over. I’ve been stripped of my home, my dreams…all that is me. I’m someone else now—broken and changed. Other survivors’ memories and emotions haunt me. They invade my mind until I can no longer separate them from my own. I won’t let them consume me. I can’t. My name is Zoe Cartwright, and I survived The Ending.

We’ve been inseparable for most of our lives, and now our friendship is all we have left. The aftermath of the Virus has stranded us on opposite sides of the United States. Trusting strangers, making sacrifices, killing—we’ll do anything to reach one another. Fear and pain may be unavoidable, but we’re strong…we’re survivors. But to continue surviving in this unfamiliar world plagued by Crazies and strange new abilities, we have to adapt. We have to evolve.

And more than anything, we have to find each other.

THIS BOOK CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT AND LANGUAGE.

Amazon

~~~~~

Paranormal Painless

by Shannon Reiger

34528793

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: YA Paranormal Thriller

My Review

You know those stories that creep up on you? Where the author takes their time, slipping in subtle clues that you don’t always catch right away, and the atmosphere becomes darker and darker? I do, and I very much enjoy the slow build up as the author introduces the characters, fleshes them out so you connect with them, and then starts adding in some odd occurrences that keep you on edge. Like in a movie where the music builds and you know any second now something horrific is going to happen, you brace yourself for that moment. But it doesn’t come. Then it builds again, gets a little creepier, but doesn’t happen. You start to think it never will, and then you’re caught off guard and jump when the author yells boo. This is one of those stories. It’s edgy, suspenseful and so very creepy.

Christian Moore is a mild mannered English teacher and a self proclaimed loner. He’s got his routine and he’s content.  As such, he’s ill equipped when a strange package is left in his driveway. He opens it to find an enormous black cat with huge paws.  He brings it in out of the rain and the cat is so traumatized it won’t leave his side.  It’s odd behavior rubs off on him and he starts jumping at little noises and things moving in the corner of his vision. Soon he wonders what the cat dragged home as he becomes haunted in his own home.

So much to like in this one. Especially how Christian uses the students in his writing class. The students really like Christian and find it fun when he gives them a new assignment about ghosts and hauntings, hoping they don’t catch on that it’s really happening to him.

The cat, Pacman, is such an important part of the story. He’s one of my favorites. When reading this book, see if you pick up on something special about him.

As Christian is pushed into solving a serial killer cold case, his life changes quickly. The hauntings become the least of his worries when an act of kindness puts him in the local newspaper. Now he’s a target and those around him will suffer for it.

Such a great story. At times I smiled and laughed. Other times I felt so sad. And when things took the dark turn, I cringed, worried about these characters, and for good reason.

A slow burner but never boring, Paranormal Painless will haunt you.

5  Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Bewildered by an unexpected, peculiar package and disturbed by its accompanying antagonistic spirits, English teacher Christian Moore is shaken from his carefully crafted, cocooned existence and catapulted into the shocking reality of an unpredictable, haunted and sometimes evil world. With his own safety and sanity at stake, he must learn to embrace the paranormal when he is confronted by the serial killer of innocent children. To survive, Christian forms unlikely alliances with once feared intruders from the supernatural realm, as well as, a mysterious man with unique insight and abilities.

Just when he thinks he has solved the mystery of his chilling visions, he is propelled into a tomb of water where he is forced to unravel the heartbreaking history buried for years within the confines of those same walls.

While helping the unfortunate, trapped souls, he is compelled to examine his own traumatic past and to risk everything he knows for a life truly worth living.

Amazon

~~~~~

Ash

Wheels and Zombies #1

by M. Van

28510140

c8df8-add2bto2bgoodreads2bblack

Genre: Horror

My Review

This could be a refreshing twist for zombie fans. Our main heroine is a thirteen-year-old girl in a wheelchair. Ash is in the hospital fighting a losing battle with cancer when the world goes mad. A virus is killing people, but they rise again, rabid for human flesh. As the virus spreads through the hospital, Ash doesn’t have to worry about cancer killing her anymore. The zombies are the big worry now.

Ash is a resilient young girl, brave in the face of death, and refusing to be looked at as a weak victim. She has plenty of ideas on how to get out, to survive. And shes’ adept at reading people, which comes in handy when she discovers why the military want all of the patients on the cancer ward.

There’s lots of action, relentless zombies, and some intrigue for conspiracy fans. Not everyone is brave or good. And I was caught by surprise by a few of the characters. A clever way for the author to offer up more fodder for the zombies

I knew going in this was a novella for a continuing series, but I wasn’t too thrilled when I looked at my kindle and noticed I was 99% through the book and there was no end in sight. It ended on a zinger of a cliffhanger, but, since I enjoyed the characters, I’m encouraged to keep going.

  4 Stars

~~~~~

Synopsis

Facing the zombie apocalypse in a wheelchair might prove a challenge to others. For thirteen-year-old Ash it’s just another fight for her life.

When feeling deserted and alone with the knowledge that your days are pretty much numbered, you might decide not to be pushed around anymore. But stuck in a wheelchair with the risen dead on your tail—this might prove a challenge.

Ash’s stay at a hospital that for all intents might be her last, turns into a different nightmare when a killer virus overcomes the staff and her fellow patients.

With the walking dead roaming the hospital halls, Ash has to depend on the help of an old man, and a soldier who could turn out to be the enemy to survive. She not only has to use her head, avoiding zombies, but also to stay out of the hands of a shady government agency that wants to dissect her.

Amazon

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

Comments
  1. These all sound like interesting reads! 🙂

  2. I had considerd looking at After The Ending but as soon as reviews talked about a typical YA dumb love triangle, I bodyswerved it! I like the idea of the wheelchair zombie book as I’ve been crying out for that kind of diversity in zombie books! I’m a bit unsure about it being a 13 year old MC but I’ll try it as it’s free.

    • fuonlyknew says:

      Yep, the dreaded love triangle. LOL Ash is a resourceful young lady and there were some tense scenes with her and that wheelchair. She’s quite outspoken too which made me chuckle:)

  3. Some good looking books. LOL Especially Paranormal Painless.
    sherry @ fundinmental Friday Memes

  4. Lilyn G says:

    Paranormal Painless is available on KU, so I just checked it out after reading your review.

    (and I rhymed! Heheheheeh!)

  5. Drangonfly says:

    I have never read an apocalyptic wit dual points! and I have realized I kinda like dual points so I should try it even though I don’t like the fact it went all commercial on you 🙂 and an atmospheric book that gets darker and darker? HOLY SHSSSS Laura I almost want to read even with the Zombies and all ( I don’t read about Zs, I only watch them on TV 🙂 ]

    • fuonlyknew says:

      It adds to the intrigue as you get more than one person’s thoughts about events. I used to only watch Zombie movies, then I read a couple and got hooked. LOL

  6. Lelia T says:

    I had to run over and download Ash, drat your book-enabling soul 😉

  7. I love your Freakin’ Fridays and Screaming Saturdays, they should be blog hops! I’d join in 😀

  8. I have Ash on my October Zombiethon. Thanks for the warning about the cliffhanger!

Let's Talk

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.