Review: Married with Zombies

Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a series that had moments where I would discard all the criticisms I'd built up. Then it would come crashing down again with ANOTHER moment that had me wondering what I'd done by ordering a few of these at one time. I am not one of those people who buys a book and then returns it to get my money/credit back. I made the commitment, and sometimes, you can bite the bullet.

So, here were the issues I had. The very first zombie encounter for Jesse and her husband happens in the marriage therapy office. They walk in to discover the therapist chowing down on the couple that had the appointment before theirs. Okay...how does that happen? Two people just sit around in a room and let the zombie get them? But I looked past it. Then, later in that battle between Jesse, David and the counselor zombie, she holds onto the therapist while David goes down, grabs her spiked-heel shoe from the zombie's foot, and kills the zombie. Do you see where I had issue?

Also, while there is some wit and appropriate snark in the series, sometimes it reads as a woman just angry with her man as she sat down to write the story. Not that I am any great knower of all things pertaining to the female mindset, but Jesse got to be a bit of a nuisance at times. I will move on to book 2 since I already bought it when I grabbed this one, and I will hope for improvement. Writers often get better as they trudge forward. So we shall see.

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Review: Twisted Magic

Twisted Magic by Claire C. Riley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Claire Riley proves she is not a one-trick pony with this offering. This is a paranormal romance with all the depth you expect from Claire. The tragic love story unfolds here as you meet Sarah and Peter. One is dark, the other...light.

In a short time, and using her exceptional skill at dialogue, Ms. Riley gives you a backstory and reason to care about the forbidden romance that burns between these two. If this is the prequel, I can't wait for the first full-length offering set in this world of witches, covens, romance, and magic.

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Review: Ship the Kids on Ahead

Ship the Kids on Ahead by Bill Stokes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to a simpler time. Granted, you might not think so as you journey through a world shared by Bill Stokes as he uses wit and humor to describe an era that is sadly almost forgotten.

Each one of these "columns" is delivered wonderfully and brought back memories of my childhood. This is something you should share with your children or even grandchildren. I can imagine that it will start a few engaging conversations versus the standard eyerolls you receive when recalling the days when you "walked to school five miles in the snow uphill both ways". Instead, you may be asked, "what did that mean?" or "was it really like that when you were younger?"

Whatever the reason, I would highly rec commend grabbing this clever collection and letting your mind wander back to a simpler time that might not have seemed that way to those who lived it.

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Review: The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so not perfect, but I don't think Amy Schumer ever set out to be. This is an interesting read, and comes across as very genuine. She does not hold back, and there are some moments that might make people uncomfortable, but the final results are well worth it. She is the perfect "everygirl" for a society that has gone off the deep end when it comes to what the perception is of what a woman should look/act like.
There is a lot here whether you are a fan of Shumer's or not. I was not all that familiar with her before, and while I may not actively seek out her Comedy Central show, I did enjoy her movie and will likely watch for more.

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Review: Z-Burbia

Z-Burbia by Jake Bible
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first half of this book did nothing but annoy and frustrate me. It was almost like the writer was trying to re-create Michael Talbot. (And I never really drank that Kool-aid), with a bunch of wisecracks and humor. The situations often seemed forced and the "hero" gets saved in the nick of time. The idea of an HOA in the ZA? I just wasn't buying it. And the ending made me throw my hands up in frustration. I'd almost been convinced to try another in the series until then...but that just felt like the writer wanted to ensure he had a built in foil for the main protagonist in upcoming books.

Bullhorn/Wallstreet shouldn't have made it past the introduction. A bad guy that comes to your gates and threatens to kill everybody inside? And the people on the wall are armed? If he is that brash to be so stupid, he should not have survived this deep into the ZA, and if nobody on the wall would take the shot? After killing a group with men, women, and children earlier?

Overall, I say 2,5 stars, but round up to 3.

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Review: Z Children: The Surge

Z Children: The Surge by Eli Constant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a series that has the potential to be one of the most horrifying in the genre. There is little that can be more horrifying than for the zombie apocalypse to come at the hungry mouths of children. Constant and Barr are not rushing this tale and, along the way, are introducing us to a variety of characters who you build attachments as well as dislike for. Each person feels three dimensional and very much like a person you may know. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

Just a note...if you don't get a bit antsy during the "wedding" scene...you may be a zombie your own self.

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Review: The Hunt Chronicles Volume 2: Revelation

The Hunt Chronicles Volume 2: Revelation by J.D. Demers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It will be tough to wait for the next in the series. That is where I want to begin. Now, for the misses before I get to the hits of this title (and yeah, there are both).

Christian became a bit less likable in this volume. It sis not help that he was basically shackled with an obnoxious teen girl for a bit. That whole bit with the two of them was perhaps my biggest fault. I get it that a teen girl may ask a lot of questions and talk incessantly, but at times it seemed overdone to the point of slightly distracting. Absolutely not enough to dissuade you from this book, but that was a blip for me during the story.

*****SPOILER*****
(sort of)
The fact that Christian waits so long to tell somebody he has been bitten also made me like him less. I felt he would've come clean sooner and that.

***end of SPOILER (sort of)****

Fish still has the ability to annoy me, but it is all in character so kudos to Demers for making me annoyed with that guy.

The story has a natural flow for the most part, but does seem to over-stereotype at times. I will say that there is one very well thrown curveball (nope...no spoiler this time) and it made this book go from pretty good to pretty DARN good on its own.

Overall, this is a series you will want to start adding to your list. And, as I said, I am anxious for the next volume.

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Review: A Discovery of Witches

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Okay, I really tried to like this book. It is one of my daughter's favorites. The more the story progressed, the more tedious it seemed to get for me. It was almost like Ms. Harkness wanted to create a "witches science" text. Yes, there was a"romance" undertone to the tale, but the story got bogged down with trying too hard to connect to things like Darwin's "Origins" text and other such things. I like a bit of "reality" in my fiction as well, but this just felt like it was trying too hard. The character of Diana is so wishy-washy that I could hear women around the world slamming the cover of this book shut in frustration. And I get it...sense of smell blah, blah, blah...and then special Yoga classes. Add in the Hatfield and Mccoy/Romeo and Juliet "our families will never approve of our love" angle and it just wore me down.

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Review: Bloodline

Bloodline by Claudia Gray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those adventures that sets up an obvious series of sorts. With Princess Leah as the central character, you get a better grasp on her overall. This is set a couple of decades after the Battle of Endor and it is clear that the Alliance has not fared as well as we'd hoped. The governmental turmoil is actually quite realistic. Once the big threat is gone, there is a tendency to start think with single-mindedness. The Galactic Senate has become useless and Leah is considering walking away...then STUFF happens. Secrets have a way of finding daylight and such. No spoilers here folks.

Overall, it is pretty good. Decent action. The strength was in the realness of the political side of things.

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Review: Z Children: Awakening

Z Children: Awakening by Eli Constant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this from the author. I am always ready for something new, but just reading the title had me wondering what sort of horrors were waiting. The wait is short.

Eli has a way about her when it comes to pulling real people into a horrific situation and making the reader see the world through the eyes of her characters. There can be nothing more terrifying that zombie children. It was one of those things that is as heartrending as it is terrifying. What really has me floored is that Constant co-wrote this with her dad. The pair work together to cobble together a seamless story that transitions smoothly as key characters are introduced in what has the potential to be a very engrossing series (after I reached the ending, I knew the ride was not over).

This book might be cruising under your radar, and let me tell you now that you will want to put it square in the cross-hairs. I don't do spoilers, I will just tell you that you need to be prepared to have your heart broken more than once.

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Review: Bitten By The Bad Boy: A Bad Boy Vampire Romance

Bitten By The Bad Boy: A Bad Boy Vampire Romance by Jasmine White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I started doing some research as I continue to try and improve on my That Ghoul Ava series. With a romance thread on the horizon, I felt it wise to grab a few of the better selling paranormal romances out there for some study material.

That said, the story is okay. The vampire angle seems a tad underutilized. However, I was impressed with the realism of the characters in reacting to the "vampire bite" sequence. I did believe that the ending was a teeny bit rushed and I had a hard time with how easy the female lead (Kyra) flip-flopped back into a romance with the vampire (Patton) who had treated her so poorly early on in the story.

On the technical side, Ms. White needs an editor. There are numerous mechanical errors in the dialog sequences. Very basic rules are being ignored, and if an "editor" is being paid to clean up this title and others in her library, then she is being robbed. I could point out a number of errors in just a single page that (as an editor) I would expect to be fired over if they were allowed in the final draft that went to print.

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Review: That Ghoul Ava...On the Lam: Book 5 of That Ghoul Ava

That Ghoul Ava...On the Lam: Book 5 of That Ghoul Ava by T.W. Brown
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

no ratings or reviews. I am the author and just doing some refresher work as I write the next adventure.

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Review: That Ghoul Ava & The Queen of the Zombies

That Ghoul Ava & The Queen of the Zombies by T.W. Brown
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

no ratings or reviews. I am the author and just doing some refresher work as I write the next adventure.

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Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a series (YA or not) I have to say that this one is/was exceptional to read. I realize I am late to the party on this, but still, a few points to share as to why. For one, there are losses on BOTH the good and the bad. I won't spoil it by saying who, but, suffice it to say, there is something about that sort of loss being felt on both sides that give this story more of a "real" feeling and it allows the reader to seep deeper into this world and experience true emotion. That alone should be the biggest goal of a writer...to have the readers experience true emotion over characters that they have created on paper. That is accomplished here, and for that reason, this story must go down in history as one of the great tales. It matters little if you feel that one story or another has been picked at to create this one. No story is totally unique and all writers are inspired by what came before them. Kudos to JKR for creating such a rich world.

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Review: Suicide Squad, Vol. 1: Kicked in the Teeth

Suicide Squad, Vol. 1: Kicked in the Teeth by Adam Glass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Besides getting the skinny on the genesis of the Suicide Squad, you also get to see the back story behind Harley and the Joker. The art is stellar and there is a darkness to this tale that has me hooked. I am not a comic book persona and know little about the depths existing in Marvel and DC. I am not brand loyal to either, and simply enjoy the story. Plus...I am a BIG Harley fan.

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Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so I am now deep into the part of this tale that I have not seen on film. And once I am done reading this, I intend to watch the series just because. That said, I was mildly disappointed in some of the aspects of this story. Caution...there may be SPOILERS AHEAD.

My biggest issue was with the cast of supporting characters NOT believing Harry when it came to Malfoy and some of the issues going on within the school.. Okay, I can be alright with Dumbledore having his reasons. He has a big picture and therefore, he may not have wanted to upset the plan he had in motion. However, Hermoine and Ron should have known better. They have seen all the stuff around their friend. To be so dismissive did not ring entirely true. Also, even the writing makes it hard to really be convinced that Snape is a bad guy. He could have killed Harry in the duel...Harry should be aware of that instead of becoming more set in his mind, not to mention what he has seen regarding his own father's past treatment of the man. Harry is not stupid and seems to be able to analyze everything EXCEPT that. Granted, if Snape turns out (in book 7) to be the evil person Harry is convinced that he is, then so much for my argument regarding that point.

Overall, there is a lot going on here and the story is moving along well. Looking forward to the conclusion.

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Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story gets a bit dark. I am outside my realm of knowledge as I have not seen this movie version or any of the others from here on out until the conclusion (which I sadly can't actually remember very well since I only paid half of my attention to it.) For a "YA" story, this dies not pull punches. My issues are with the fact that NOTHING seems to have been done to the followers of "HWMNBN". Potter knows who the enemy is. That means so does all the rest of the Hogwarts staff...yet Malfoy is not dealt with at all? And the Minister needs to be slapped. I guess that allows for a few more books in order to wrap things up. Still...I did find that little bit infuriating.

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Review: The Zee Brothers : Zombie Exterminators (Non-Illustrated Edition): Curse of the Zombie Omelet!

The Zee Brothers : Zombie Exterminators (Non-Illustrated Edition): Curse of the Zombie Omelet! by Grivante
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very good start. Sure, there are always little hiccups when a new author breaks onto the scene, but look past that and have some fun with this off-the-wall tale. You will find yourself grinning way too often once you let the story envelop you. I do suggest the illustrated version because I have seen the art work and it really adds a nice touch to the story.

Now I am off to listen to the audio version to further immerse myself in this tale.

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Review: I Am Legend

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I have been a fan of this classic for quite a while. I last read it back in the 70s and decided to revisit it to see if it was as good as I recall. Actually, it is much better. So much is in this story that you can see being borrowed by the post-apocalyptic writers of the modern era.

What I also wondered as I re-experienced this classic tale was just how can Hollywood mess this up so badly? The story does not need any special tweaks or re-writes. It is an amazing story about the mindset of a person left seemingly all alone surrounded by vampires (not zombies). This would be a wonderful movie...IF they actually did the story that was written.

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Review: The Sowing (The Seeds Trilogy)

The Sowing (The Seeds Trilogy) by K. Makansi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given this book as a gift. It does not fall into something that I would have grabbed on my own. I will say that, overall, the story is actually very enjoyable. It is set in a very human post-apocalypse where genetic and bio-engineering are part of what has destroyed as well as what keeps humanity alive.

It wastes no time getting the action started. I actually had to backtrack because it was so sudden that I thought I missed something. Actually, what you get is the crux of one of multiple driving story lines that run through book one and set the stage for what I imagine will be a very interesting series.

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Review: H.M.S. Surprise

H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So far, this is my least favorite offering. The first two have me invested enough to continue, but this just seemed to plod. A bit heavy on Stephen's journal entries and ruminations. Yes, there are some interesting moments, but for a book with such a good beginning simply faded for me and the middle had me almost putting the book down for good and actually skipping on to book 4 in hopes that it is better. Let's hope that it is.

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Review: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Before the daily soaps, there were stories like this.It is incredible how much culture has changed over the centuries. One instance in particular that is related in this "letter" format tale would be considered rape and child molestation by today's standards. No, there is nothing graphic, it is just an observation of the arc of the stories taking place in this classic. Overall, a fun diversion for a rainy afternoon.

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Review: The Chimes

The Chimes by Charles Dickens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I understand that Dickens is considered a literary genius. I get that he is almost hallowed ground for some. I just do not fall into that group. This story is fine. Read it around the holidays to get into the mood, but overall, I found this to be just okay. It is overdone in places and while it is a period piece, I simply cannot put it on the same shelf as "Christmas Carol."

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Review: Storm Front

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Semi-gritty, this is a Supernatural tale that kicks off a series. It has some good action and builds a mythology around the main character, Harry Dresden. He is a wizard of sorts and is brought in to help the police solve crimes that may not be "normal". He also has a past that apparently puts him at odds with some sort of wizard council. Overall, the story is okay...good, not great. I will venture forward with at least the next couple as this series was recommended to me by a friend whose judgement I trust.

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Review: Post Captain

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This entire book is so bleak and you really begin to feel for Capt. Aubrey. His reputation is trashed, he is on the run from the debtor's prison goons, and even his relationship with Stephen takes a bit of a beating. While it is not a "happy turn" it still gives some satisfaction in the end. I think the fact that there is still no magic fix given to our protagonist, the story holds just that extra bit of realism that makes this series so amazing.

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Review: Fight the MonSter: Find a Cure for MS

Fight the MonSter: Find a Cure for MS by Doug Dandridge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will skip talking about my own contributions and leave that to other reviewers, but I will say that the other tales in this little tome are VERY worth the time, and not only that, but all proceeds go to an excellent cause. If you are wanting "feel good" horror, skip the introductory tale. That story alone was worth this book and perhaps the most chilling tale I have read.

The audio version is a highlight reel of excellent talent and really displays the amazing narrators that make up the Falcon Sound team.

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Review: Reversion: The Inevitable Horror

Reversion: The Inevitable Horror by J. Thorn
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

This book is a bit cerebral in its approach to horror. It is not full of spine-tingling stuff that has you on the edge of yoru seat, instead, it has a lot to offer the mind as you journey through a very interesting take on "after-life"(?)

I did find myself wanting a bit more action at times, but once I got into the flow, I found this to be a very pleasant read that fit perfect in small doses during my day.

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