Posts Tagged ‘zombies’

WWW Wednesday #13 ~ Zombie, Zombies, and, you guessed it, Zombies

Posted: August 7, 2013 in apocalypse, horror, WWW Wednesday, Zombies
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WWW Wednesday

looking out a window photo: girl looking out the window girl-looking-out-the-window.jpg

Hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

 Zombie Cruise by Janiera Eldridge

Zombie Cruise (Zombie Vacations #1) 

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Brenda Lawson signed up for a relaxing cruise but never thought she would be sharing the sea with the undead! As Brenda’s paradise turns into a nightmare, she must care for a little girl who lost her mother to the darkness. Will Brenda be able to save her life and the life of a precious child or will the new monsters of the sea have two new members?

Zombie Cruise is the first short story in the Zombie Vacations serial series, which features relaxing vacations that quickly turn into zombie hells!

~~~~~

What did you recently finish reading?

Piercing Undead by T L Decay

Piercing Undead

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“So you think you know how the world ends? Think again! With Piercing Undead, T.L.Decay offers an alternative look at a very different apocalypse scenario. Tom and Melisa return from a week long camping trip to discover a world very different from the one they left behind. Narrowly escaping the claws of the Undead, they find themselves at a local Race track where they meet fellow survivors, Shawn and Kara. And it is here that they begin to realise that, in order to stay one step ahead of the piercing claws of death, they need to band together in order to survive…

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Rizen: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse

by Kirk Anderson

RIZEN: Tales of the Zombie Apocalypse

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RIZEN is a chilling collection of stories that will have you on the edge of your seat!A plague has caused the dead to rise and stalk the living…
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THE CHOSEN: Ten years after the zombie apocalypse, Dan and his family try to stake out a new life for themselves in rural Wyoming. When he encounters a mysterious group of survivors who call themselves The Chosen, Dan is unsure whether he can trust them.
THE WHITE FIST: Five years after the first of the infected reach Texas, pockets of survivors are reminded that the living can be even more dangerous than the dead.
ROAD TRIP AT THE END OF THE WORLD: A middle aged couple, cut off from civilization for months, decides to strike out into the ruined world and make for the West Coast.
FLIGHT 124: Air Thailand Flight 124 threatens to bring a gruesome and unwelcome passenger to Los Angeles International Airport.
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So, whatcha readin?

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Thursday Theatre #13 ~ The Walking Dead ~ Season 4 Trailer

Posted: August 1, 2013 in apocalypse, Theatre Thursday, Trailer
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theatre stage photo: Theatre Stage TheatreStage.png

Welcome to Thursday Theatre

Here is where I’ll be posting video clips about books and movies and fun stuff.

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If this trailer is any indication, it looks like season four is going to be darker and more intense.

You’ll need to get in shape to watch it.

Get out your grips and start working those hands so you can get a firm grasp of the edge of your seat!

~

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSi2fJALDyQ]

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I can’t wait for Season 4 to begin!

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Book Nerd Blast and Giveaway ~ Desolation by Travis Simmons

Posted: June 30, 2013 in Blog Tour, giveaways, Series, Uncategorized, Zombies
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TSblast

Welcome to my stop on the blitz for Desolation by Travis Simmons

Thanks so much to Book Nerd Tours for organizing this exciting event!

I just love the cover art for Desolation.

The colors are eerie and do you see what’s in the background?!

Read on to learn more about Desolation and Travis and don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

desolation cover

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Asher St Paul thought it was just a typical zombie apocalypse like in the movies, until the necromancers crawled out of the woodwork. Since the undead have chased the living into hiding, the necromancers are able to roam freely in a new America of their making. Asher is seeking safe harbor. The need for safety is what drove him from his home in Philadelphia Pennsylvania before it was shelled. He has searched from quarantine to quarantine, always finding them overrun with zombies until he hears of The Refuge, a military compound in Binghamton New York. With his family and lover lain to rest by his own hand, he has nothing left to lose and gives everything he has to reach the safe haven. But questions arise when he reaches The Refuge, mainly, how has he been able to sustain multiple zombie bites and not change? He thinks he has found safety in the military compound turned quarantine, but he was wrong. Even now there is a necromancer trying to make The Refuge their kingdom of the dead.

BUY DESOLATION HERE

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desolation author pic

About Travis Simmons: Website – Facebook

  

I have always been a do-it-yourselfer. I haven’t had any formal education on writing, and I haven’t been raised around writer types. For that matter, I wasn’t even encouraged to read when I was a kid, even though plenty of people in my family read. When I was a teenager, I discovered Cliff’s Notes on Mythology, and it sparked something in me. It was like a floodgate had been opened, and all of these stories started rushing in. I would get ideas at random times, and I would jot them down. I have a pretty big file system of everything I have ever written. Someday I will get to them and put them all into electronic files. There is some good material in there, but there are a lot of bad stories too.

I started writing when I was thirteen or fourteen. At an early age I was already writing books of Saracin (the world The Bonds of Blood takes place in). The first book I wrote of that place was “The Calling of the Two” (not yet released). While I was writing that, I kept thinking of these characters Jovian and Angelica. I knew they had a part to play in the storyline, but they weren’t going to be in the same series. For that matter, they weren’t even going to be in the same age. As I finished the first draft of “The Calling of the Two” I went on to write the first book of Angelica and Jovian’s story. At that time it was The Mirror of the Moon. Later an editor told me it was so massive that I should make the one volume into two, and so The Bonds of Blood was born, and The Revenant Wyrd Saga went from a planned three to six.

That story has taken many forms until now, and I am sure if I didn’t declare that it was “done” it could continue to transform.

Along the way, I discovered my passion for research. I absolutely love researching. It would be nothing for me to sit for days on end, barely eating, just getting up to take care of necessities, and research really odd theories and stories. I get my ideas from them to be honest. Of course, my idea’s are never the main theme of the research I am doing, but it always seems to come from some obscure topic mentioned while I am researching. For instance one book I am outlining now is based on something I heard while watching Ancient Aliens.

Unlike most authors, I have not always loved reading and writing. I hated it until I was in 7th grade. My teacher wanted us to read the entire semester. We would read a book and write in a journal about it. Back then the teachers were allowed to spend more time on what their passions were, and actually foster something in their students, and she did just that. She made me love reading and writing. She told me to go to her book shelf and pick out a book that I was interested in. I found one of my first loves: David Eddings’ Pawn of Prophecy.

Back then I was in remedial reading, and my teacher (Mrs. Peters) would sit with me for the time I was in her classroom, taking turns reading the story out loud with me. We would read where the adventure was taking Garion, and then we would flip to the beginning and look at the map so we could follow them as well.

I think it was at that point, getting lost in a book I love to this day, that I knew I had to do this. I had to create the same magic for others that Mr. Eddings created for me.

At times it is boggling. I have three series of books started, and 2 more forming in my mind (and outlined on the computer). At this point I have to step back and finish the ones I have started before I can let myself move forward.

I feel that I am blessed in being able to write, and forging a life of my passion. It is tough at times, but that is what makes the payoff all the sweeter. The writing business is a huge adventure, trying to figure out what to do and what not to do; when to do things and when not to do anything. Currently I am planning the release of the second book to “The Bonds of Blood”. This is the first time I am armed with the knowledge of what I must do for a book release, and I finally understand why it nerves so many authors up, but it is that excitement that makes me love writing. Every time I hear a reader I don’t know praise my work, it makes my heart race and brightens my day.

Travis is the author of The Bonds of Blood, the first book in his epic fantasy series The Revenant Wyrd Saga. He has also written a young adult novel called A Lament of Moonlight which is book one of his pre-apocalypse series The Harbingers of Light. He is currently seeking publication for the first book of a third series, a zombie novel called Desolation. When he isn’t writing he is helping his family and trying to live a normal, under the radar life. His interests lie in cooking, gardening, green living, and human rights advocacy. He is a huge supporter of the Trevor Project and all agencies that seek to preserve natural resources and protect pets from abuse.”

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Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win:

Giveaway Open Internationally. Must be 13+ to enter
1 Winner will receive a $15 Gift Card to Amazon
1 Winner will receive a $10 Gift Card to Amazon

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Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

Freakin Friday #9 ~ Mortality by Kellie Sheridan

Posted: May 11, 2013 in apocalypse, Fantasy, Freakin Friday, reviews, Romance, YA, Zombies
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Freakin Fridays!

Freakin Fridays is my own little meme. I’ll be posting about books, movies, and all things scary.

Feel free to join in and do your own Freakin Fridays posts!

Tune in every Friday. Get your scare on!

Let’s have some fun!

I signed up to read and review this book through my Goodreads group.

I haven’t done that in a while, and after reading Mortality, I’m wondering what other wonderful books I could be missing.

This cover art is awesome.

Once you read the book, you’ll see how it ties into the story.

~

Mortality

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The zombie apocalypse has already happened. People are now living in small groups, struggling to survive. They have not one, but two kinds of zombies to fear.

You have your typical, shambling, mindless, rotting dead and then you have the living ones. Victims of a supposed vaccine, the Hitchhiker Strain.

If you’ve been given the vaccine, it’s supposed to protect you if bitten. Instead, once bitten you don’t die, but you do develop an uncontrollable urge to munch on anyone near you.

One town has gathered its survivors and taken refuge in the highschool. The adults do the supply runs and clear out any zombies that get too close, while the children and teens are restricted to the school.

Savannah chafes to do something, anything besides sitting and waiting, feeling useless. When given a chance to take some friends and go for more medical supplies, she’s all for it.

What should have been an easy task causes consequences and when they get back, the school has been overrun and those still living have fled.

Now Savannah wishes for those days of boredom.

Mortality is actually about two young women and two separate stories.

Savannah and her friends are now without a safe shelter and on their own, trying to find the rest of their people.

Zarah has seen her parents killed right before her eyes. She’s finally found her aunt, but loses her when she’s attacked and bitten.

Savvy and Zarah’s personalities are as different as night and day, but as you read their stories, you’ll see them become more and more alike as they both try to stay alive and protect the ones they love.

When their stories finally do come together, it won’t be the way you expect.

With each zombie story I read, I wonder how the author will hold my interest, will make me want to keep on reading a plot that has been written so many times.

The main characters may be younger people, but the author wizens them up fast, taking you with them as they are forced to make intelligent decisions. No more brash moves.

They stumble now and then, doing the wrong things, unsure of themselves and scared.

That’s what kept me reading, kept me wanting to know more. I became attached to these characters and feared what was going to happen to them.

And the ending! What an ending. I was so deep into it that I really didn’t see it coming.

Do yourself a favor and try Mortality. I’d love to see your face at the end. The author doesn’t disappoint.

4 Stars and ready for more.

I hear Duality, the next book in this continuing story is expected to be released later this year!

I’ll be waiting.

About Kellie Sheridan

Kellie Sheridan

I have been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as I can remember. Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been my true love. In early 2011 I began writing a book blog in order to share my favorite reads with book lovers. From there, the bookish community encouraged me to stop sitting on my own stories and share them instead. Since then I’ve been madly devouring everything I can about digital publishing.

For the past two years I have been mainly obsessed with young adult books, but my favorite stories still come from the adult fantasy genre. As far as I’m concerned, Briggs, Bishop, Vincent and Vaughn are all must reads.

I spent part of my twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but am now back home in Ontario, Canada. My family includes two Glen of Imaal Terriers and a Green Cheek Conure.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

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Freebie ~ Lady of Chains and A New Release Freebie

Posted: April 24, 2013 in apocalypse, Creatures, Freebies!, horror, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, Short stories and collections, steam punk, Vampires, Zombies
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To kick off the release of The Fragile Things, V. Shaw is giving away free ebook copies of the dark fiction collection, The Lady of Chains and Other Stories.

This offer is only available via Amazon,

and will run between April 23rd – 27th.

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Description from Amazon:
“Remember; you have seventy-two hours to do the deed and not a moment longer. Cut her throat and remove her heart. That, my girl, is the only way to destroy the wretched creature.”
Greylock. A city supported by a network of scaffolding, bleeding rust and wheezing steam.
Patrolled by an army of ‘metal men’ – creatures who’re designed for nothing more than to kill and destroy. Nothing grows. Nothing truly lives.
Viola, a young orphan girl, has been thrust into this nightmarish world by the devious Mrs Casket, caretaker of the mysterious tower and maid to the Lady of Chains, a woman imprisoned without a sentence. A woman who almost single-handedly destroyed the world . . .
Viola has been gifted with a task which could either see her demise or be her salvation.
But who is the Lady of Chains? And why does she insist that she is connected to Viola? With the clock ticking and the metal men drawing near, Viola is about to learn that not everything in Greylock is what it seems.
A spellbinding novelette with elements of steampunk.
****
ALSO INCLUDES THE SHORT STORIES; Hansel and Gretel Rogan and the Gargoyle The Silent World
BONUS MATERIAL: Also contains a preview of the up-coming horror serial, The Fragile Things.

You can read my review here.

The Fragile Things

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Two girls on the road to self-destruction.
A village upon the brink of collapse.
A past which refuses to die.
The beginning of an epic four-part horror serial.
At seventeen-years-old, Jennifer should have the world at her feet. Instead, she’s an ex-heroin addict living in a council estate with Tony, her boyfriend and former dealer. Shunned by her family and friends, she dreams of something greater than she’s been given.
Beautiful and strange, Ebony has moved in across the street. She’s just lost the one person in her lonely existence to cancer. She’s also a centuries-old vampire, struggling to cope with murderous outbursts and the desire to be something more.
When these two lost souls meet, an unusual friendship begins.
But with the news of Morris, Tony’s sadistic best friend and drug-dealing partner, being released from prison, Jennifer knows it’s only a matter of time before his path of vengeance leads to her and Ebony, too.
With a cast of memorable characters, a village full of secrets, and a gripping story, The Fragile Things is a layered tale of friendship, hope, survival and what it truly means to be human.
Part I of The Fragile Things is available on Amazon on April 30th, 2013. And will be FREE  April 30th – May 2nd.
Mark your calendar and as soon as links are available, I’ll add them.
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For my giveaways go here.
For list of free e-books go here.
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To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World ~ $100 Giveaway Blast

Posted: March 12, 2013 in Blog Tour, Creatures, giveaways, otherworldly, Short stories and collections, steam punk, YA, Zombies
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To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World
10 Tales of Steampunk Silliness and Spookery

In the cozy seaside village of Steamville, New Hampshire, an unfaithful zombie, out of control werebots, succubi in corsets, and more wreak havoc in this short story collection from the author of Elemental.

Purchase
Just .99 cents

Praise

“Well written and very fast paced. You won’t get bored or find your mind wandering. I’d love to see a sequel to this collection and see what happens next. I give this book five out of five donuts.”

“This book starts off dipping its toe right into the heart of the story, not unlike Ms. White’s YA novel Elemental, and the story never really slows down to a lazy pace; making it a very easy and fast read.”

“Ms. White wonderfully succeeded in instilling humor into ten short stories about vampires, zombies, ghosts, and one mad scientist. Each story is brilliantly linked. The Victorian era setting delightfully adds to the humor.”

“This is a wonderful mix of Steampunk and Horror written in Emily White’s unmistakable brilliance and style. Does it get any better than that?”

About Author Emily White

Emily White lives in NY, wedged between two of the Great Lakes and a few feet of snow and ice. She’s spent most of her life running away from the cold, and even spent a year in Iraq, but now contents herself with writing her characters into warm, exotic places in faraway galaxies. When not tapping away at her computer keys, she can be found reading, reading, and reading some more. And when she’s not doing that, she’s usually playing video games with her husband, peek-a-boo with her kids, or walking through her garden, wondering why the bugs insist on eating all her vegetables.

Also by Emily White

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Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/24/13
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go here.

Death’s Awakening ~ Cover Reveal ~ Got to have this!

Posted: March 5, 2013 in apocalypse, Cover Reveal, Magic, New Release, Paranormal or fantasy, Romance, Series, YA, Zombies
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I just love this cover. Check it out! Stumblin zombies, a screaming ax wielding woman and the girl, aah, the girl. There’s definitely something up with her. She doesn’t mind a little blood spatter and her eyes are just telling me “Make My Day!”

I’ll be watching for this on March 28th!!

DA-highres deaths awakening cover

Title: Death’s Awakening

 

Author: Sarra Cannon

Expected release date: March 28, 2013

 

Genre: Paranormal

 

Age Group: Young Adult

 

Cover Designer: Renu Sharma – http://www.thedarkrayne.com/

Reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17164944-death-s-awakening

 

Book Description:

For sixteen-year-old Parrish Sorrows, life is about to become a nightmare.

This is the night she’ll wake up to her mother’s convulsions. The night she’ll lose contact with her father and sister in New York. The night 911 will stop answering the phone.

This is the night a mysterious supernatural virus begins its deadly rampage across the globe, killing billions in a matter of days. And just when things can’t get worse, the dead begin to rise.

Parrish must embark on a perilous journey to find what’s left of her family. Along the way, she’ll team up with the gorgeous boy next door she’s always been drawn to, the snobby ex-bff she’s hated for years, a genius computer nerd, and a young boy who never says a word but is somehow a kindred spirit.

DEATH’S AWAKENING is the first book in Sarra Cannon’s new Eternal Sorrows series. Told from alternating points of view, this story is packed with action, magic, and romance that will leave you begging to find out what happens as this group of teens struggles to survive the zombie apocalypse.

They are about to find out zombies are the least of their problems.

 

About the Author

sarracannon deaths awakening

 

                       

Sarra Cannon grew up in a small town in Georgia where she learned that being popular always comes at a price. She is the author of the young adult paranormal Peachville High Demons series, which she first began self-publishing in October of 2010. Since the series began, Sarra has sold over 120,000 copies and recently signed a contract with Sea Lion Books to create a graphic novel adaptation of Beautiful Demons, the first book in the series.

Sarra lives in North Carolina with her amazing husband, her new baby boy, and her teeny tiny Pomeranian, Snickerdoodle.

Sarra Cannon | Facebook | Twitter

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Book Two in The Famished Trilogy ~ Check this out!

Posted: February 16, 2013 in Action/Adventure, Adult Fiction, apocalypse, Cover Reveal, Dark Fantasy, horror, Humor, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews, Series, Zombies
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Taking on the Dead Series by Annie Walls

The Famished Trilogy

I’m so excited!

Contolling the Dead, Book Two in the Famished Trilogy, is coming soon!

I loved Taking on the Dead and Kansas stole my heart!

Check out the cover art. Doesn’t it just grab you and make you want to rush out and get this.

Hope to have it in my hands soon!

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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.

Check out this cool trailer!

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXQS95eJsME]

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I have to have this! Gimme! Gimme!

Check out Annie’s Blog for more about The Famished Trilogy.

Earlier, I read Taking on the Dead, the first book in this amazing series. I’m going to go ahead and repost my review so you don’t have to leave this page!

I really wanted to hurry and get this read for release day, but I forced myself to take my time. I did not want to miss one tiny bit of it!

Taking on the Dead (The Famished Trilogy, #1)

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I love the grainy image of the cover. It sets the tone for the story and this girl is perfect for the protagonist, Kansas. I am loving her dreadlocks and she knows how to use that machete, as you will see when you read Taking on the Dead!

Let’s get to the book shall we?

So here you are at the carnival, walking hand in hand with your boyfriend, anticipating a night of rides and games, taking in all of the sights, sounds and smells. Suddenly, zombies are everywhere, and you are in for the fight of your life.

That’s what happened to Kansas. She survived that night, but paid a heavy price.

Fast forward to four years later. Kansas City Sunshine Moore, also known as Kansas or Kan for short,  has been surviving, hiding out in her family’s underground bunk all alone. A betrayal by a group of people she offered shelter to forces her to leave her home and search for a new one. She quickly discovers there is much she doesn’t know about the zombies. There are the fresh ones, the Famished, and they are very fast and strong. What else doesn’t she know? She has been secluded for four years and now it looks like that wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

The first time Kansas meets Rudy, they don’t actually meet. With the long reach of his compound bow, he helps clear zombies from her path, but Kan is still wary of strangers and jumps in her car and races away. It’s a good thing Rudy decides to follow her, because the next time they meet he saves her life.

Kan comes to in the back of Rudy’s van. Well actually, it is an armored truck, the kind used to transport money, and it’s perfect for keeping out the pesky zombies. It can also mow them down easily. After a brief scuffle, Rudy convinces her he means no harm. Through conversation, Kan learns about the Famished, the dangerously fast zombies, and how different they are from the others. She learns a lot about what’s been happening while she was isolated in her bunker the first four years. Staying with Rudy, at least for now, is her best bet.

My thoughts and Ramblins

I’m going to warn you, I feel this story is for the older reading audience. There are no graphic sexual scenes but there is some mature content.

I love my zombies and I sure did get plenty of them in Taking on the Dead. I also got one heck of a great story about survival and humanity, and the lack of it. Not everyone that survives is nice, just like before the apocalypse. The characters are diverse and all too human.

Of course, there is some romance in the story. It is subtle, creeping up on you, just like it does to Kansas. It is not the focal point, but it definitely makes the story better. Wouldn’t you want someone to have and to hold when your world is overrun with zombies? I know I wouldn’t mind having someone to care about, otherwise, what’s the point of surviving?

Kansas is strong-willed and independent, but not necessarily a loner. Enter Rudy and her life gets complicated. Who could resist a man like him. Strong and gentle, with a large dose of sexiness and endearing humbleness. They are a good fit.

Here are some of my favorite scenes:

I almost elbow Rudy to wake him until I see how he looks when sleeping…Despite all the fighting, his nose is straight. Small scars from past fights etch his skin. A small, wide one dresses his lower lip. One much longer goes from his lower jaw to underneath the chin, his stubble efficiently covering it up. A chipped tooth adorns his bottom row of teeth.  The scar on his right eyebrow no longer allows hair to grow, splitting the eyebrow in half. He might get another scar on his left eyebrow, the cut is scabbed over now, and it’s wider then the scar on his left side. Very small imperfections, not even noticeable unless you look closely. It doesn’t take away from his handsome face. It enhances his masculinity, as if he needs it. The small flaws have history and give him character. Flaws I want to know about, and could grow quite fond of if I’m not careful.

Jesus. This chivalrous barbarian is beautiful. What am I getting myself into?

And of course some humor

“I’m thinking of naming your truck. I must be out of it.” I prop my head on the pillow against the window.

There’s slight amusement across his features. “What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Something domineering and associated with a big ass.” I motion with my hands.

He surprises me by saying, “Agatha. I had a teacher in the sixth grade, and that was her first name. She liked her power over us weaklings and she had a gigantic ass.” He starts laughing and shaking his head as if to clear the thought.

“Yeah, that fits. Agatha.” I say, trying it out.

“She was scary. I was glad when sixth grade was over.” We both laugh at this. I can’t picture him afraid of anything. It feels good to be laughing about something completely stupid. I can see he needed to laugh too.

The humor is well placed throughout the story, lightening the mood and giving you a break from the stress of survival, just as it would in real life. You know the scenes, where the cop makes a joke in poor taste about a victim?  That is a coping mechanism, and everyone needs one. The humor makes this story believable.

In one part Kansas poses an interesting question about zombies. One I am now curious about as well.

Do the souls get stuck to watch and feel their bodies decompose, all the while having an uncontrolled, insatiable craving? I guess that’s why I like killing them, just in case. No one deserves that fate.

There are some colorful characters you’ll be meeting.  There are the good, the bad, and the ugly. They all play their part, keeping you entertained and engaged.

This is my stopping point. I don’t like to tell much about the story past the one-third point. I like to draw you in and get you interested, much the way Annie Walls did to me.

I loved every second I was in it, and yes, it felt like I was a part of it. Fantastic job Annie!

Just one more thing and then you can go get Taking on the Dead.

About the ending!

I was talking to Mandy over on Goodreads. She is right about the ending! That’s all I’m saying.

  Still loving it and feeling it!!

More good news! There are two more books in this series coming out.

Controlling the Dead, Book Two

Living with the Dead, Book Three

Annie Wallsr

About Annie Walls

Author of dark fantasy and sub-genres of horror. Voracious Reader and Googler. Lover of dark humor. Horror Buff. Zombie Apocalypse Enthusiast. Loyal Cracked follower. Pinterest Addict. Wife of adoring husband. Mother of a five year old Bruce Wayne. Cook. Maid. Kisser of boo-boos. Ultimate Time Waster. Perfect Procrastinator. Lolly Gagger. Trubie. Cake Decorator. Tea Drinker. Sculpey Sculptor. Girl Gamer. Perfectionist in the art of Facebook stalking. And now, God help me, a blogger. Oh yeah, and a twitter, twatter, tweeter. Well yeah, I’m one crafty bitch

You can find Annie here:

http://www.AnnieWalls.com

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Giveaway The Lady of Chains~And Other Stories

Posted: January 6, 2013 in Adult Fiction, apocalypse, Creatures, giveaways, horror, Mytery/Thriller, reviews, Short stories and collections, suspense, Vampires, Zombies
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I love reading and reviewing short stories and collections. You get a little bit of everything and they are a challenge to review.

For today, I’m reviewing The Lady of Chains ~And  Other Stories by V. Shaw. Read more to enter the giveaway.

The Lady of Chains and Other Stories

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NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER READERS

The Lady of Chains

“Remember; you have seventy-two hours to do the deed and not a moment longer. Cut her throat and remove her heart. That, my girl, is the only way to destroy the wretched creature.”

Viola knew she shouldn’t have taken Mrs. Casket’s offer.  Viola’s heart stutters with each step up the long winding staircase. She really needs the money, but can she actually do this?

Greylock is a city of rust and steam, patrolled by metal soldiers who’s only purpose is to kill . They are best avoided. Nothing ever grows here and being an orphan, Viola struggles just to live.

It’s been chained up in the tower for years. If It ever escaped, it would finish what it started.

Mrs. Casket’s proposition seemed like a great opportunity, but now that she’s about to come face to face with The Lady of Chains, the Destroyer, Traitor of Greylock, Viola’s having second and third thoughts.

There is all kinds of weird in this story. A lady immobilized with chains, a machine with gears and valves that controls her movements, and a mysterious connection between Viola and the Lady. This novelette has depth and excitement.

I love the steampunk flavor and the well placed scenes of horror make this an edge of your seat read.  The author’s ability to develop her characters in-depth, describe the city as if I could see and smell it, and create a unique and startling plot just blew me away.

Hansel and Gretel

You know the story. Brother and sister tricked into the woods and abandoned there by their parents. They stumble around, lost and afraid.

In V. Shaw’s version of this tale, things are quite different. As time passes, Hansel and Gretel begin to change, to become a part of the forest. They are becoming.

This one surprised me. It started out familiar but then took a turn to the mysterious. It’s not the witch, eating children, you have to worry about.

The author got creative and gave you a whole new spin on an old fairytale.

Rogan and the Gargoyle

Megan regains consciousness, a peculiar metallic taste on her tongue. Probing her mouth, she pulls out a lump of flesh.

Then she recalls everything. The gargoyle grabbing her, taking flight, and the taste of its skin when she bites it.

They’d all been a part of the Health and Fitness class and went to the Highlands of Scotland to enjoy some rock climbing and camping. The lodge was isolated and outfitted with the barest of necessities.

Megan wishes she’d never went into the barn. That’s where she discovered the hideous statue.

When night fell, the statue came to life and picked them off one by one.

Big Dave, Meg and Rogan are all that’s left now.  If the stories are true, it turns to stone during the day. What should they do, run for it or try to hunt it down and destroy it?

If they’d had that one piece of necessary, need to know information, their decision might have been different.

Silent World

All the adults are gone along with most of the children. Alex and Thorn live in the farmhouse he was raised in. After taking her in, Alex tries to make life for her as normal as possible, as safe as possible, in a world of extreme winters and blistering hot summers.

They’ve been doing okay, keeping up patrols to destroy the Carpathians and meat-sacks that stumble upon the farm. Thorn is very good at taking them down. She’s very agile and ferocious for such a young girl. For all they know, they could be the only humans left.

Then there’s a knock on their door, more like a thump and a scrape. When Alex hears the faint cry for help, he risks opening the door. Standing there, in the white out of the winter storm, is a figure clad in fur and leather, face not visible . He rushes to catch the stranger when Thorn sidles up and conks the visitor on the head.

Alex stops Thorn from shooting the stranger and they put him in one of the kennels in the basement.

At first the young man wants nothing to do with them, but his infected wounds make him too weak to leave. Slowly nursed back to health, Finn begins to come out of his shell.

As the days pass, Finn grows stronger and becomes friends with Thorn. He treads lightly around Alex, not sure of how to act around him. Living in close quarters, they all begin to bond, to work as a team.

But Alex has a secret, a terrible one. One that puts them all in danger.

I’m still wondering if the beings are vampires or zombies or both. They don’t play a big role in the story though. Alex, Thorn and Finn are the major players and the author shows you their flaws, vulnerabilities, and loneliness. I enjoyed reading about them as they began to become friends. The relationship between Alex and Quinn left me curious. Not sure how I should interpret it. The hope the characters bring to each other, along with their struggle to survive allows you to bond with them and their story. You can’t help but care what happens.

All of these stories would be great as full novels. I’d love to know more. Each one has an element of horror but V. Shaw also brings to the table the fragility of human nature and our strengths when faced with impossible situations.

I gave this a Five for keeping it real.

Praise for Lady of Chains ~ And Other Stories

“V. Shaw’s talent for writing a good story is apparent in her very first book. The Lady of Chains and Other Stories doesn’t disappoint.” KDH Reviews
“The story is written to captivate the reader and it does this with the greatest of ease . . . I loved it and couldn’t put the book down.” Amazon.com
“A definite must read! Each story is a gateway into another world which takes your imagination to a whole new place with engaging & quirky characters. Very intriguing stories. Hard to put down.” Amazon.co.uk

About the author

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V. Shaw is the author of the short fiction collection, The Lady of Chains and Other Stories. Born in Scotland, she studied Film and Media at Stirling University. Having reviewed horror films for the now defunct FatallyYours.com, she has turned her attention to creating her own stories.

Writer. Urban explorer. Climber. Horror junkie. Beer guzzler. Book obsessed.
Cinema and television fiend. Nerd for life.

Her debut horror novel, The Fragile Things, is due to be released in March.

The Fragile Things

Her blog

Goodreads

Giveaway

V. Shaw is offering five e-books for the giveaway.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What do you like about short stories and collections?”

Contest ends Jan. 16th.

Thank You and Good Luck.

Click on the cover to purchase your copy.

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She’s Giving Away Bad Juju

Posted: January 5, 2013 in Alert!!, Freebies!, horror, Humor, Mystery, otherworldly, Paranormal or fantasy, suspense, Zombies
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Dina Rae is giving away Bad Juju for free right now. Get it now. I don’t know how long it’ll be free.

Go here to get yours.

Bad Juju

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A Haitian bokor mentors two teens in the dark arts. Their spells backfire.

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo.
Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.
Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite.
Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

This is a great book. You can read my review here.

Other books by Dina Rae

I really enjoy Dina’s writing and I’m working my way through her books. Right now, I’m reading Halo of the Damned. As soon as I’m finished I’ll be back here to tell you about it.

Click on the covers to purchase the books.

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