I’ve read all of Anthony’s books so you could say I’m a fan!
And I’m so stoked he is offering his books in print now. I can’t wait to get my hands on all of them.
I’ll let Anthony take it from here!
I know it isn’t the most grandest of designs, but it gets the colors and mood right for the Thanksgiving holiday. I honestly love simple covers like this. I think that these days people let all these fancy software tools throw up all over their covers. Most of them look cheap or too busy because of it. Sometimes simple is much catchier.
Anyway, this is a long short story turned into a small quirky novel. If you prefer paper and have wanted to read it then now is your chance. I’ve included A Vampire at Christmas as a bonus short story for this one. So you not only get one short story, but two.
They say the holidays are no longer celebrated because of the zombie apocalypse.
Try telling that to Dawn. All she wants is to bring a little bit of normalcy into their lives. To remind them they are human, that they are still alive, that there is hope.
Guns and knife in hand, Dawn sets off to the grocery store to see if she can find a turkey. I know, this sounds nuts. But people get desperate for the old days, the easy days.
As Dawn stumbles over dead bodies and crashed, abandoned vehicles, she inevitably runs across some shufflers. She takes care of them coldly, efficiently. This is the new way of life.
Meanwhile, back at the safe place, George is handed a note by another survivor in their group. It appears Dawn has left to get food. Fool girl. Doesn’t she know there are zombies out there. What is so important she’d risk this by herself?
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but somehow the author had me feeling the warmth of Thanksgiving. Even As Dawn and George fought off the ravenous zombies that want them for dinner.
Dawn’s fierce determination has me adding her to my list of top female protagonists. She’s not going to stop until she finds that bird!
And George is just as determined. Determined to find Dawn and get her safely back where she belongs. All limbs attached. I liked how his initial frustration turned to alpha male, to lover, as he set out to find her.
I had my fingers and toes crossed for these two. The ending was not set in stone just because it’s Thanksgiving. Maybe the zombies got a nice dinner. Nobody told them they don’t celebrate the holiday.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
(Revised and Updated 2015) A short story about a woman who risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.
Bonus Short Story: A Vampire at Christmas
A short story about a Vampire who uses his riches and immortal skills to bring joy to those in need during the Christmas Season.
The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from
The Captive Condition
by Kevin P. Keating
My 56
…he applied for a library card at the college and ordered stacks of books. Sometimes he requested mystery novels and studied their plots, which like the streets of town were straight, perpendicular, Euclidean in their logic and predictability, cobbled together with fabricated blocks of prose, a black-and-white world that was precisely structured, carefully framed, and inhabited by characters as flat as the surrounding country-side. In those stories death was a farce, an amusing way to pass the time, but the Gonk, who was building something grandiose and dangerous in his mind, read these novels the same way he might read books on carpentry and electrical wiring – with a craftsman’s keen eye for detail and with the implicit understanding that he was bound to run into unexpected problems somewhere down the road.
I know this a bit long, but it’s only two sentences, and it says so much.
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
A seemingly idyllic Midwestern college town turns out to be a nexus of horror in this spellbinding novel—emotionally and psychologically complex, at once chilling and deliciously dark—from a thrilling new voice in fiction.
When Emily Ryan is found drowned in the family pool, pumped full of barbiturates and alcohol, a series of events with cataclysmic consequences ensues. Emily’s lover, a college professor, finds himself responsible for her twin daughters, whose piercing stares fill him with the guilt and anguish he so desperately tries to hide from his wife. A low-level criminal named The Gonk takes over the cottage of a reclusive elderly artist, complete with graveyard and moonshine still, and devises plans for both. His young apprentice, haunted by inner demons, seeks retribution for the professor’s wicked deeds. The town itself, buzzing into decadent life after sundown, traps its inhabitants in patterns of inexplicable behavior all the while drawing them toward a night in which the horror will reach its disturbing and inevitable conclusion.
Delving into the deepest recesses of the human capacity for evil, Kevin P. Keating’s masterful novel will captivate readers from first to last.
I have two more for you today. Your next choice was The Witches Protection Program. And Michael just released his newest story, Monsterland. I had to grab it and will be sharing my review too.
Come on in and get your scare on!
The Witches Protection Program
My Review
Poor Wes. He’s failed again and now he’s been given one last chance to prove himself qualified to be in law enforcement. He’s sure it’s a prank when he’s assigned to the Witches Protection Program.
It’s no hoax. But it takes some convincing for Wes to believe in witches. He gets it in spades.
His first assignment, protect a witch, heiress Morgan Pendragon, from her evil aunt. Her aunt is cooking up a diabolical scheme to rule the world.
Wes will have to catch on quick if he’s to save Morgan and himself from a witches brew of trouble.
This was a fun story with some likable and not so likable characters. Got to take the good with the bad.
Wes is a pain in the beginning. Then he finds his place and becomes someone to cheer for.
Morgan is a reluctant witch, wanting nothing to do with her aunt or the other witches and their schemes. They’re not going to give her a choice though.
There’s some cool weapons, compelling characters, and a showdown at the end that I wish I could see for myself. Just imagine the pile-up when drivers look up and see witches flying in the sky.
I like a good witch, but I have a thing for the bad ones too. There’s one, Morgan’s aunt, who will chill you to the bone. Too powerful for anyone’s good.
Grab a broomstick and hang on tight. It’s a bumpy ride.
4 Stars
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Synopsis
Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program. His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself. Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.
Trailer
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Monsterland
My Review
The blurb ends with this question, “What could possibly go wrong?” Well, plenty can and does.
The zombie apocalypse has come and gone, for the most part. People now know vampires and werewolves exist.
Zombies are in camps, kept contained for our and their protection.
The vampires live in poverty, struggling just to exist as their numbers dwindle towards extinction.
And the werewolves live deep in the swamps and jungles, trying to avoid man at all costs.
When one man’s vision offers all of these beings a safe place to live and improve their station, they take his offer, one way or the other.
Imagine Jurassic Park, but not dinosaurs. Instead you get zombies, werewolves, and vampires. I don’t know about you, but I’d probably buy a ticket.
When you add important people and a bunch of kids to opening night, your mind should buzz with what could happen. With what could go wrong. That’s where it gets wild.
Take a walk with the zombies in Zombieville. Meet real vampires in Vampire Village. And run with the werewolves in River Run.
But beware, ye who enter. The monsters aren’t happy and you don’t ever want that.
I ate this story up in one sitting. The minute it was available to purchase I grabbed my copy and opened it immediately. I knew it was going to be great, and it was. I loved every bit of it. Michael gave me everything I was hoping for and expecting.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.
Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?
Trailer
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And…That’s all folks! I’ve now shared all of Michael’s books that I could by the time Halloween rolled around.
Now it’s here and it’s time to bump into the creatures of the night.
Life After The Undead byPembroke Sinclair
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: October 27th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult, Zombies
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My Review
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I’ve become fascinated by zombies and apocalyptic stories. I love The Walking Dead and the show has helped me to visualize lots of scenes. From funny to gruesome.
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The author yanks you right into the apocalypse. Barely time to breath before they are everywhere.
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While I love the zombies, what really grabbed me in this story was the group dynamics. Ever seen the movie The Postman with Kevin Costner?
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Similar to the movie, you have opposite sides on the apocalypse. Those who want to help others and those who want to use others to save themselves. It comes as no surprise that some people choose to force their will on others, even to the point of killing.
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Krista lost her parents to the zombies and was out there alone. When she does find a safe haven, she feels lucky, even though she’s assigned a job as a maid to one of the top governing families. Anything is better than being out there, right? And the zombies don’t like the humidity and heat of the south, so there aren’t many around.
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She can’t believe her luck when she finds she has a living relative. He’s an officer in the military, if you can call it that anymore, and she jumps at a chance to go with him and fight for her new world.
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This is where the dynamics come in. Either place might have been safe for a while. But with leaders who are looking out for themselves first, trying to lord it over everyone else, and practically relegating them to slaves, there’s bound to be some discontent. And sooner or later something has to give.
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There’s plenty of zombie action and intrigue to keep the story moving quickly. Genuine characters that you’ll like or loath. And a satisfying ending. Not that it’s really the end. The author wraps up this chapter, but from the conclusion, I figure there will be more stories to come. I sure hope so.
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4 Stars
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. Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Krista must quickly figure out how she’s going to survive in the zombie-destroyed world. The one advantage humans have is that the zombies hate humid environments, so they’re migrating west to escape its deteriorating effects. The survivors plan to construct a wall at North Platte to keep the undead out, and Krista has come to Nebraska to start a new life.
Zombies aren’t the only creatures she has to be cautious of—the other survivors have a dark side. Krista must fight not only to live but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately, those she loves.
Join Krista in her quest to survive in this thrilling apocalyptic novel by Pembroke Sinclair.
Jessica Robinson is an editor by day and a zombie-killer by night (at least in her books). Since the first time she watched Night of the Living Dead, she has been obsessed with zombies and often thinks of ways to survive the uprising. In addition to her nonfiction book, under the pen name Pembroke Sinclair, she has written YA novels about zombies and the tough teens who survive the apocalyptic world. She has also written nonfiction stories for Serial Killer Magazine and published a book about slasher films called Life Lessons from Slasher Films.
You can learn more about Pembroke Sinclair by visiting her at:
Most of you know of my love affair with horror. LOL
Well, I have some fantastic news. Anthony Renfro is celebrating Halloween in a big way.
Looking for something to read for Halloween? I’ve read all of these and can assure you, they fit the bill.
AND THEY ARE FREE! Yep, You heard me correctly.
Get your scare on ya’ll!
This: Straight to you from Anthony!!!
I decided to giveaway my “Halloween” related stories for free this week. Check out the schedule below if you want to add some spooky to your haunted holiday this season. After this, be on the lookout for my holiday themed horror stories most of which will be running free off and on from November through December.
Click on the covers to grab yours!
The Living Sand: October 27-31
Joyride: October 27-31
Killer Treads, Demon Energy, and Need to Feed: October 29-31
That’s it.
Happy Halloween!
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What? Are you still here? Get over there and grab your copies!
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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My Teaser for this week is from
Maplecroft
The Borden Dispatches #1
by Cherie Priest
My Teaser from page 53 in the Paperback.
First I would pound a million nails into the house, and do it gladly. First, I would let the whole town think I’m a madwoman and a murderer, let it scorn and reject me, let its children compose hateful rhymes to be sung whilst jumping rope, let the entire Atlantic bubble and boil and storm against our shores – throwing up with the tides a thousand such inhuman, unholy creatures as the one I killed that night.
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks; and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one….
The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny.
But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean’s depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness.
This evil cannot hide from me. No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it. With an axe.
If you ask Harry why he went in the store, he’s tell you it’s because he’s always wanted a dog. And the kids would love it too. He figures he can get around his wife’s objections with this dog.
Queenie is a robot. She looks and acts like a dog. The plus is she doesn’t eat or drink, so Pam won’t get stuck having to take care of her. She doesn’t pee or poo so there are no accidents to clean up. And she comes fully programmed so you don’t have to train her.
There’s still a problem though. Queenie doesn’t seem to like Pam. How can that be? And the robot dog comes with a warning. Don’t ever over charge her battery.
Well, you know what happens don’t ya? Queenie is left on the charger too long and has a melt down and starts to act weird. This is where Pam can and does say, I told you so.
A robot dog sounds ideal. Until you start thinking about all of those movies you watched and books you read. Nothing good can come of it.
I really got creeped out by this story. Once Queenie went bad, the horror began.
Imagine this cute little doggie, hiding in the shadows, setting traps, luring you into the dark. And then…..
I could see it. Lured outside by a sound, seeing this tiny dog appear from the shadows. It steps towards you. So little. So cute. So dang scary.
I almost felt sorry for Queenie, Almost. Then the terror began and all I wanted was to run her over with a big piece of farm equipment. Smash her flat. But I had a feeling she’d be too slippery for that to happen.
Queenie is a Baad Dog. If something seems to good to be true, don’t buy it!
There’s plenty of chills and hair raising scenes to make any horror fan a happy camper.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
Don’t let the cute face fool you
Cujo has got nothing on this cute fuzzy faced little mongrel… or should I say fuzzy faced little killer?
Harry wanted a dog. He’d wanted a dog ever since his mother gave away the pup they’d adopted when he was a kid. She gave her away because Harry and his brother, Lenny, wouldn’t take care of her. Now Harry is a grown man with children of his own. He brings home, Queenie, a miracle of modern robotics that looks and behaves just like a real dog. Big Mistake. Harry’s wife, Pam, feels there’s something off about Queenie right from the start. But will Harry see the light before he and his entire family become dog food?
Excerpt
Some dogs are dangerous…
You can’t deny it. Everyone’s heard a story or two about the friendly pit bull, or the loveable Rottweiler who was the treasured family pet until the day he was playing with the kids in the yard and chewed little Liza’s fingers off.
But truth be told, those dogs— Rottweiler’s, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, aren’t born mean, they’re mean because they’ve been mistreated. A mistreated dog is nothing more than ticking time bombs just waiting for the right moment to go Cujo on an unsuspecting public lulled into a false sense of confidence by their giant gentleness.
But my, dog… my dog, the man thought. His dog was loved and cared for right from the start. His was a lap dog, cute and cuddly, and… perfect, which is why he was having the damndest time accepting the bitter truth— that his cute, cuddly, well treated dog was also a murderer.
So he lay there, his legs rendered useless, feeling as if they’d been set on fire like Christmas kindling. His world was spinning, spinning, spinning as if he’d been set down on a runaway merry-go-round. Through the pain and the spinning he heard the dog coming for him, coming to finish him off, her soft, doggie footsteps scratching gently toward him on the dust covered road.
Then she climbed up onto his body as he lay, eyes gazing up at the moon. She stood on his stomach, and teetered for a second before looking into his eyes.
Go get help, he thought. I need help. Of course, he knew better. She was the reason he was in this position in the first place. As the little dog began moving up his torso toward his chest, he thought of all the killer dogs he’d heard about or seen on the news over the years, and as his dog closed in for the kill, he wondered: since when did man’s best friend become his very own worst nightmare?
About the Author
Sal Conte is the horror writing alter ego of Amazon #1 Teen Horror author, E. Van Lowe. As Sal Conte, the author turns his talents to gruesome horror with stunning results. Sal Conte is the author of 80s pulp horror classics “Child’s Play” and “The Power,” as well as recent shorts “The Toothache Man” and “Because We Told Her To.
With Halloween fast approaching, I’ve amassed a bunch of creepy stories to share with you.
Recently I showcased several books I won from Michael Phillip Cash and I asked you to help me choose which order I should review them in.
The Flip was the top choice and you can read my review HERE.
Next up was The After House. Check out my review HERE.
Third up was The Hanging Tree. Check out my review HERE.
And now for Brood X.
Come on in and get your scare on!
Brood X
My Review
I swear I was itching all over after reading this book. I’m not crazy about bugs and Brood X are huge cicadas.
I’m sure you’ve heard them in the summer, calling each other from tree to tree. They can get so loud it drives you indoors.
A lot of the people in Long Island heeding the warnings and packed up, heading to somewhere safe until the outbreak is over. The cicadas, Brood X, are due to hatch and they’ll number in the trillions.
Some people scoff and say it’s just bugs. Well, try this. Hold out your hand. Now picture a cicada as long as that hand. Have you ever seen one up close. They’re not pretty. And though they aren’t known to bite, the bugs don’t know that.
One bite from these buggers is excruciating. Imagine a swarm covering your body. And the females are the worst. They have stingers, and will try to lay their eggs in any available orifice.
So, in the beginning. Seth and his pregnant wife aren’t leaving. He blows it all off as nonsense. This didn’t sit well with me. What if it gets bad? No water. No electricity. No one to rescue them. And his wife is very pregnant. He came off as selfish and and a boor. I never did warm up to him.
And sure enough, things get really bad. The neighborhood is unrecognizable. It’s coated with crawling cicadas. They are clogging up the water supply. Chewing through the electric wires. And are so thick you can’t see to drive, even if you dared to go outside.
This story moves quickly. It doesn’t take long for you to get to know the characters and once the cicadas enter the tale things go bad fast. You’ll think of this book whenever you hear a cicada’s call.
Are you itching yet?
4 Stars
Synopsis
Seth is laid off from work. His wife Lara just found out they are expecting a baby this summer. Seth plans on documenting the entire pregnancy with his brand new digital camcorder.
During an evening home watching television, the news reports that a swarm of cicada (Brood Ten) are expected to overwhelm the entire Northeast.
Brood Ten is vicious and ready to invade.
During a sweltering summer night, Brood Ten emerges and wreaks havoc with the electric grid, phone and cell service, wi-fi, food and water supply. Civilization as they know it is gone.
Seth and Lara are thrown back to the stone age in their own home with trillions of cicada trying to deposit their eggs and breed.
Fast paced and filled with tension, Brood Ten is the perfect summer read when you’re sitting outside listening to the cicadas sing.
Click on the cover to get your copy.
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EXTRA! EXTRA!
And I have one more I want to squeeze in before Halloween is over.
I’ve read all of Anthony Renfros’ stories and I’m thrilled to share his newest collection with you.
***And Anthony has a giveaway on Goodreads.***
Go HEREand scroll down for a chance to win a print copy!
Nightlight Tales
My Review
It’s been my pleasure to read all of Anthony’s stories and now he has gathered them together in one volume.
I’d love to share my reviews of each story individually but that would be one huge review. So I’ll tease you instead.
Looking for some scary good reads?
From demon possession to fanatics.
From a cave dwelling monster to a haunted house.
From zombies to she devils.
There’s daylight vampires and sunrise werewolves.
And all things haunted and beastly.
There are plenty of ways to get your fright on in these pages.
These stories, spun from Anthony’s imagination, will fill you with wonder and hope and the darkness beyond.
Lots of action. Lots of suspense. Well developed characters. And terrific plots. There’s something for everyone in this collection.
5 Stars
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Synopsis
13 tales of terror.
13 tales that will have you reaching for the nightlight before you go to bed tonight.
The stories in this chilling collection are as follows.
1. The Man from the Road: A man suddenly appears on a road. He’s lost, confused, no clue as to how he got there. He starts to walk and stops suddenly. There’s a bonfire in a field nearby. He sees people dancing around this fire. They are performing some kind of ritual. He turns to flee, but he’s captured. No chance of escape. He hopes he is only dreaming, because all of this seems a bit too real.
2. The Living Sand: Two boys discover a hidden beach and the evil deadly secrets that lie within its soft white grains of sand.
3. SHe: A monster stalks the city of Tampa Bay. This monster is only attacking women taking only the one thing it needs. Tim Roberts, a detective, is hot on this monster’s trail. Will he catch this monster in time or will this monster feed until it has its fill? Be careful Tim, this monster has a secret yet to be revealed.
4. A Zombie Christmas: Three men risk life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to bring happiness to surviving kids on Christmas Morning.
5. Need to Feed: Another year. Another massacre looming. When the sun rises on the Old West town of Saltwater Junction this town will face head on two fierce predators. Vampires who stalk you in the sunlight and werewolves that transform with the sunrise. This short story rewrites the legends and all you’ve ever known about these creatures of the night. Where do you go when there’s no place left to hide?
6. A Haunted House Tale: Five college students on Halloween night set out to discover the secrets of the town’s most infamous haunted house. Will these students live to see the morning or will this house claim five more victims?
7. A Zombie Thanksgiving: A woman risks life and limb in a Zombie Apocalypse in order to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.
8. Sandy and The Stranger: A road racing champion meets his match in the form of a stranger who may or may not be the ghost of James Dean himself.
9. Demon Energy: A short story about 1 man possessed and tormented by a 1000 demons who must fight for a soul he is starting to lose. Will he ever find salvation or is his body now an eternal host of hell?
10. Killer Treads: A short story about a man who sees a flashy ad online advertising a twenty dollar treadmill. He buys the machine, too cheap to be scared, and realizes much to his dismay that this machine has a taste for blood. Big Bob better run like his life depends on it because in many ways it does.
11. A Zombie New Year’s Eve: Becky and Joe are separated in a Zombie Apocalypse and risk life and limb in order to reunite for their New Year’s Eve kiss.
12. Joyride: A Joyride in a Chevy Chevelle. The car was just sitting there for the taking. What could possibly go wrong? Vinnie and Mike are about to find out what can and will go wrong once they turn the key. Evil awaits.
13. A Vampire at Christmas: A Vampire uses his riches and immortal skills to bring joy to those in need during the Christmas Season.
Click on the cover to get your copy.
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You can click on the covers below to read my reviews.
Be sure to stop back by for next Saturday’s choice.
The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader and find a sentence or a few (no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Then go over to Freda’s Voice and leave your link so we can visit your 56!
My 56 for this week is from
My Life As A White Trash Zombie
by Diana Rowland
My 56
Usually if I craved something, I ate it. Simple. I didn’t need anyone else to tell me it was okay and that I should go for it.
But I’d been craving brains. The smell was like chocolate and cookies and biscuits and gravy and everything else that was delicious. It damn near drove me crazy every time I had to touch one. I’d been fighting the cravings the way I’d never fought the urge to take drugs or get drunk.
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My Review
Angel is no angel. She’s a pill popping addict with a felony record and she can’t hold down a job. She’s also a zombie.
When she wakes up in the hospital, she thinks she’s lucky to be alive after overdosing on pain pills. But then she starts getting these weird cravings, and she can’t seem to eat enough to get full.
An anonymous note leads her to apply for and land a job at the morgue. That’s when her craving shows it’s true colors. That sweet smell that’s making her stomach growl in hunger is brains.
What better job for a zombie than to work at the morgue. Nobody will miss a few brains here or there. I suspect any zombie would want the job. Another advantage is not having to worry about being so hungry you lose control and attack someone.
But someone does notice the missing brains. And someone made Angel a zombie for a reason. And even worse, there’s a serial killer racking up a body count and taking the heads. No more brains means Angel will have to find out who the killer is or she might graduate to full dead.
Angel isn’t the most likable character at first. I have little sympathy for drug addicts. Especially when they do harm to others to get their next fix. Once she was turned into a zombie, I hoped she’d take the second chance she’d been given and do something good with her “life.” She has her work cut out for her.
And there’s a possible romance with a sexy deputy. I wondered what he’d think if he knew Angel craved brains.
Angel made me laugh. She made me shake my head in exasperation. Then she grew, accepted the role life gave her. She slowly won me over and made me care about her.
Looking for your next zombie fix. Try this series. It’s fun, kind of gross, (well, it’s about zombies and zombies eat brains), and has a killer plot. And there’s no cliffhanger ending, even though this is the first book in the series. Everything gets wrapped up. Yet it leaves you curious to know where Angel goes from here.
4 Stars
Read on if you want to know more.
Synopsis
Angel Crawford is a loser.
Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she’s a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who’s been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.
That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn’t have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there’s a job waiting for her at the parish morgue—and that it’s an offer she doesn’t dare refuse.
Before she knows it she’s dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey—just when she’s hungriest!
Angel’s going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn’t, she’s dead meat.
Welcome to my tour stop for Four (Their Dead Lives #1) by Zack Scott. This is a zombie apocalypse horror, comedy, action & adventure. The tour runs October 12-23 with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.
FOUR
Their Dead Lives #1
by Zack Scott
A tragic past. A destined reunion. A decaying hope.
In Southern California, four friends must face a haunting nightmare from high school in order to save the future of humanity. But will their personal conflicts get in the way? Battling for survival, these fated four will choose whether to follow a destined path or continue their dead lives, while the zombie apocalypse feeds them one cliche after another.
Enjoy this glimpse inside Four from the Evans Chapter!
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Roaring, Evans rolled on his side and unloaded most of his clip as the zombies neared. A few rotting corpses teetered off the dock, while too many others kept their pursuit.
Rolling back to the ocean, Evans reached in. Waves slapped his face. A hand broke the surface, snagging his wrist. He heaved to his feet and yanked Erica back on the dock with one tug. Thank you for being so light. Her body shivered against his and her lips shook the words, “We have to keep moving.”
Evans glanced at the sprinters closing in on them. A wave dragged a few more into the sea.
Erica’s body went weak and limp against him. He said, “We have to go!” But she seemed ready to pass out. He needed her alert, so he grabbed her head, wrapped his fingers through her drenched hair, and with his other arm outstretched, he aimed his pistol steadily, firing at the incoming sprinters.
Blocking out the storm, the bullets, and the onrushing undead, Evans pressed his lips to Erica. The world stilled as they stood in the eye of the storm. If only forever. The kiss seemingly helped Erica focus.
Feet slipped, moans swarmed, waves crashed, and then he finally saw it: the yacht at the end of the dock. Erica’s hand tightened around his, taut with hope. They glanced at one another and her wet lips parted into a beaming smile.
A strong urge gave him the desire to kiss—
The largest wave of them all rose high above the dock, then washed the yacht from their eyes.
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Author Zack Scott
Zack Scott is the author of THEIR DEADS LIVES, ONE PISSED OFF SHARK, and several short stories he wrote for the 2013 Flash Fiction Challenge, where he made it to the final round.Although he’s visited many areas in the world, Zack has lived in Southern California most of his life. He grew up in Los Angeles, attended undergrad at CSUCI in Ventura County, and completed law school down in sunny San Diego. More recently, he was living the startup life in Silicon Valley with the 500 Startups accelerator program. He is licensed to practice law in California, but more importantly he likes to hang his pants on his desk chair rather than his closet.
When he’s not writing stories, Zack can be found in a never-ending wrestling match with his dog Leo or cooking pasta while wearing a Chargers apron.
