In the After (In the After #1) by Demitria Lunetta

In the After by Demitria Lunetta

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

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Totally enjoyed this read recommended by my 14 year old daughter. Wonderful post apocalyptic story that was just right for both teens and adults. Amy is a wonderful main character, the story line is intriguing and I can not wait to read the sequel!



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My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Lisa Cach, Mari Mancusi

My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Four women who are about to dig up the truth!

Tired of boyfriends who drain you dry? Sick of guys who stay out all night howling at the moon? You can do better. Some men want you not only for your body, but your brains. Especially your brains.
It's true! There are men out there who care--early-rising, down-to-earth, indefatigable men who'll follow you for miles. They'll take the time to surprise you, over and over. One sniff of that perfume, and you'll have to use a shotgun to fight them off. And then, once you get together, all they want is to share a nice meal. And another. And another.

Romeo and Juliet, eat your hearts out.

"Bring Out Your Dead" by Katie MacAlister
"Gentlemen Prefer Voodoo" by Angie Fox
"Zombiewood Confidential" by Marianne Mancusi
"Every Part of You" by Lisa Cach

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Decided to read this since Valentine's Day was around the corner. I enjoyed all of the stories but my favorite had to be 'Every Part of You' by Lisa Cach. Not a typical zombie story but an interesting one nonetheless. How can you not love a zombie who craves sweets and not brains? lol

I liked 'Zombiewood Confidential' by Marianne Mancusi simply because it was more of a typical zombie story with the brain eating zombies of horror novels as opposed to the lovestruck zombies in the other stories. The story itself was a bit cheesy, but it is Valentine's Day after all.

Though I have not yet read any of Katie MacAlister's 'Dark Ones' books, (I do have them on my TBR mountain though) I still enjoyed 'Bring Out Your Dead'. I look forward to reading more about the characters that I met briefly in this story.

'Gentlemen Prefer Voodoo' by Angie Fox was a sappy love story, but perfect for a Valentine's Day read.




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The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell

The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Zombies have infested a fallen America. A young girl named Temple is on the run. Haunted by her past and pursued by a killer, Temple is surrounded by death and danger, hoping to be set free.

For twenty-five years, civilization has survived in meager enclaves, guarded against a plague of the dead. Temple wanders this blighted landscape, keeping to herself and keeping her demons inside her heart. She can't remember a time before the zombies, but she does remember an old man who took her in and the younger brother she cared for until the tragedy that set her on a personal journey toward redemption. Moving back and forth between the insulated remnants of society and the brutal frontier beyond, Temple must decide where ultimately to make a home and find the salvation she seeks.

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Maybe I was expecting too much going in because of the rave reviews that I have read but I was a bit disappointed with this book. The prose was bit too much. The author seemed to be trying too hard to make this a deep book, but it is about the end of the world as we know it and it did not fit for me. Another thing that bugged me was that the main character was a 15 year old girl, born 10 years after the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, who is not educated, in fact does not know how to read, but has a very extensive vocabulary. Overall it was an okay read, but not the best zombie novel I have read.



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Dead Sea by Brian Keene

Dead Sea by Brian Keene

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


With zombies taking over the cities, a group of humans escapes the carnage by taking a small Coast Guard ship out to sea, but there's no getting away-even in the wide ocean.

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Interesting zombie book. A few differences that make it interesting. First that Hamelin's Revenge(the disease that creates the zombies) is able to cross species. This makes the struggle to survive even more dangerous as the survivors are not only running from the human dead, but also the dead from the animal kingdom. Zombie dogs, tigers, bears, etc make for a greater struggle to survive. Also the survivors take to the sea in an old coast guard ship to try to escape the dead. Of course it is never that easy. The ending for me was a perfect ending for the zombie apocalypse.

My only complaint would be that Keene has a few philosophical rants in the story that I would zone out on while reading. It was like when you are watching a good movie and there is a boring scene and you find yourself drifting off till the next action scene wakes you up. Other than that a very interesting take on the zombie apocalypse.



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Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez

Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Bloodier than Fried Green Tomatoes!
Funnier than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Welcome to Gil's All Night Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurrence and you never know what might be lurking in the freezer. . . .

Duke and Earl are just passing through Rockwood county in their pick-up truck when they stop at the diner for a quick bite to eat. They aren't planning to stick around--until Loretta, the eatery's owner, offers them one hundred dollars to take care of her zombie problem. Given that Duke is a werewolf and Earl's a vampire, this looks right up their alley.

But the shambling dead are just the tip of a particularly spiky iceberg. Seems someone's out to drive Loretta from the diner, and more than willing to raise a little hell on earth if that's what it takes. Before Duke and Earl get to the bottom of the diner's troubles, they'll run into such otherworldly complications as undead cattle, an amorous ghost, a jailbait sorceress, and the terrifying occult power of pig Latin.

And maybe--just maybe--the End of the World, too.

Gory, sexy, and flat-out hilarious, Gil's All Fright Diner will tickle your funny bone--before ripping it out of its socket!

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I really enjoy Martinez's writing. Considering that this was his first novel I have to say well done. What a fun read. I fully intend to find more of his books to read soon.



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Keep Mama Dead by S. James Nelson

Keep Mama Dead by S. James Nelson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


In 1905 of this alternate history, in a country located between Arizona and Utah, 19-year-old Thomas Baker has accepted that his mother won't last out the day. She's used up all her second life days, and won't live again.

People should respect someone's wishes to stay dead, but Thomas's family will try to resurrect her. They need her to work the farm and cook their meals. They need her for a slave--a companion to Thomas out in the fields.

So Thomas has to stop them. He has to keep his mama dead.

Not a problem--at least, not until Mr. Milne arrives with Miss Sade. She's Thomas's age, and wears a white dress and hat. She has a face like an angel and hair like a halo. But she's also a zombie raiser--which means the barrier has fallen. The Moabites can invade with their undead army.

And no doubt they will. They want to own the sacred land of Zion's Canyon--the very location where Thomas's family will try to resurrect his mama. But he'll stop his family. Even if that means facing an army of zombies. Or his brother and father.

Or a zombie-raising belle.

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I really quite enjoyed this book. The idea was an interesting one. The author could have done a little better job with explaining more about the blessings and second life days, but other than that the story moves at a good pace and has a very interesting story line. I have read several reviews that complained about the ending so I kept expecting some horrible ending, but I was actually quite please with the ending. Everything came together and the story worked itself out. I will definitely be keeping my eye on this author.



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**Kindle edition

The Undead: Zombie Anthology by D.L. Snell, Elijah Hall

The Undead: Zombie Anthology by D.L. Snell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


"The Undead" is a stunning collection of 23 tales of the living dead by zombie fan favorites and up-and-coming authors. "The Undead" includes classic tales of survival in a world populated by the living dead as well as an array of unique takes on the zombie genre: zombies as reality entertainment, glimpses from inside the "life" of the undead, intergalactic war with
humanity's own dead turned against us, and everything in between. "The Undead" will leave zombie fans hungry for more!

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A very wide selection of Zombie stories. As with all anthologies some stories are more memorable than others. There were some good stories in here, but nothing absolutely fantastic. I did however enjoy Brian Keene's afteword.



A couple of the more interesting stories for me



Undead Prometheus by Rob Morganbesser

Chuy and the Fish by David Wellington





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Dark Nights, Dark Dreams (Sisterhood of the Sight, #1) by Savannah Russe

Dark Nights, Dark Dreams by Savannah Russe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Introducing the sisterHOOD of the sight
The first in an all-new series featuring sexy paranormal romance, government secrets, and female special-ops with very special talents.

Government agent Susan Chase always kept her psychic abilities a secret. Now her secret is out and the C.I.A. needs her help. A highly classified all- female team of paranormal agents, Susan and her squad are now entrusted with the government's most unusual and dangerous assignments.

~~~

I really enjoyed this book. Look forward to more in the series so we can learn more about the other women in the group.



This book is a lot like Russe's Darkwing Chronicles, in that it deals with modern day terrorism and plots. I loved the supernatural twist, especially since it was more about psychic phenomena rather than the typical vampires.



The storyline was a bit odd and really was a little erratic, I guess, but it did come together and sets us up for more of a series about the AngelWay group and their future adventures. Looking forward to reading more about them.



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Dying to Live: Life Sentence by Kim Paffenroth

Dying to Live: Life Sentence by Kim Paffenroth


At the end of the world a handful of survivors banded together in a museum-turned-compound surrounded by the living dead. The community established rituals and rites of passage, customs to keep themselves sane, to help them integrate into their new existence. In a battle against a kingdom of savage prisoners, the survivors lost loved ones, they lost innocence, but still they coped and grew. They even found a strange peace with the undead. Twelve years later the community has reclaimed more of the city and has settled into a fairly secure life in their compound. Zoey is a girl coming of age in this undead world, learning new roles-new sacrifices. But even bigger surprises lie in wait, for some of the walking dead are beginning to remember who they are, whom they've lost, and, even worse, what they've done. As the dead struggle to reclaim their lives, as the survivors combat an intruding force, the two groups accelerate toward a collision that could drastically alter both of their worlds.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absolutely loved this sequel to Dying to Live. This story of the survivors takes place 12 years after we left them in the last book. The story is told by Zoe, who is the baby that was rescued in the first book, as well as by Truman, a Zombie who retains the ability to read and write. Unlike the first book this one is not so much a story of survival as it is a story of hope.



I really look forward to finding more work by this author as I was very impressed with his talent as a writer.






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Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth

Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth


Jonah Caine, a lone survivor in a zombie-infested world, struggles to understand the apocalypse in which he lives. Unable to find a moral or sane reason for the horror that surrounds him, he is overwhelmed by violence and insignificance. After wandering for months, Jonah's lonely existence dramatically changes when he discovers a group of survivors. Living in a museum-turned-compound, they are led jointly by Jack, an ever-practical and efficient military man, and Milton, a mysterious, quizzical prophet who holds a strange power over the dead. Both leaders share Jonah's anguish over the brutality of their world, as well as his hope for its beauty. Together with others, they build a community that reestablishes an island of order and humanity surrounded by relentless ghouls. But this newfound peace is short-lived, as Jonah and his band of refugees clash with another group of survivors who remind them that the undead are not the only-nor the most grotesque-horrors they must face.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was an excellent zombie read for Horror month!



I was curious when I ran across a review for this book that stated that it was Christian Fiction but I now see where that comes from. While this book takes us on a very scary journey into a world overrun with undead zombies, there is a lot of theological references. It creates a very thought provoking read that I totally enjoyed.



This really is one of the scariest Apocalypse/Zombie books that I have read, because I found myself imagining exactly what a world overrun by the undead would be like. This book really makes it more real than others that I have read, thus making it very scary.



The comparison of human evil versus undead evil that we encounter at the end of the book is very insightful and thought provoking. We hear about horrors everyday that are often worse that what this author has created with his undead, but we are so accustomed to hearing about it that we have almost lost our ability to be horrified by them.



All in all this was an excellent read and I am very much looking forward to the sequel -- Dying to Live: Life Sentence -- as soon as I can get my hands on it!


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Dead City by Joe McKinney

Dead City by Joe McKinney


Synopsis: After the Gulf Coast is battered by three tremendous hurricanes, a deadly virus breaks out, turning the infected into mindless, blood-thirsty zombies.

Within hours, the plague has spread throughout most of Texas and shows no signs of slowing down.

San Antonio police officer Eddie Hudson finds himself in the middle of the outbreak, along with a few other survivors.

Eddie does his best to fight off the zombie horde and locate his wife and son, who he believes still are safe and haven’t been infected by the virus.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Completely enjoyed this book. I stayed up late into the night to finish it because I did not want to put it down.



I enjoyed the fact that the author even made us think about the ethical side of zombies. What if zombies were living human beings who had caught a virus and turned into cannibalistic killers? That is they question that we left to consider after reading this book.



Over all a great read and I am really looking forward to more books by this author.


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#61 -- Resurrection Dreams by Richard Laymon

FROM THE PUBLISHER
A man discovers he has the ability to bring people back from the dead, and he's determined to work his magic on the girl of his dreams--but first he'll have to kill her.


My Opinion
One thing I can say for Laymon, he can be counted on to deliver if you are looking for sick & twisted.

Melvin Dobbs is the kind of guy that no one likes and everyone likes to pick on and for good reason. Melvin's obsession is to resurrect the dead. After a high school stunt to resurrect a dead cheerleader backfires, Melvin is sent away to an institution where he is 'cured' of his obsession, or so he says.

Vicki was the only girl in high school who ever stood up for Melvin. Now she is back in Elsworth after completing her medical school and residency, to practice medicine in her hometown. But along with her education she brings nightmares of Melvin 'resurrecting' the dead cheerleader. She knows that she is going to have to face Melvin again, but she never dreams that she will become the driving force behind his obsession.

Melvin is determined to prove that he is 'Melvin the Magnificent' and bring back someone from the dead. The lack of cadavers to experiment on does not stop him either. He just creates his own. After many tries he is finally successful in resurrecting a nurse that he has murdered. The ensuing horror that comes with his success is a sick and twisted ride through the imagination of Laymon.

A good zombie story, with interesting characters. I quite enjoyed it!