Review: H10N1 by M.R. Cornelius

Title: H10N1 by M. R. Cornelius

Publisher: Self

Release Date: April 12th, 2011

Genres: Action, Horror, Romance, Drama

Medium: Paperback, Received for Review

Once again, Marsha Cornelius has blown me away with her writing. Her novels never cease to astound me. This novel is an emotionally gripping tale of survival in a post-apocalyptic wasteland devastated by disease, featuring two of the most addicting characters I have ever experienced.

The plot was perfect. As a die-hard fan of shows like The Walking Dead and Helix, post-apocalyptic themes are my favorite. I was really excited about reading this one, and I definitely was not disappointed! It lived up to every expectation I had, and entertained me so much, I simply flew through the pages. It's fast-paced, packed with unexpected plot twists, and full of humor, romance, and action that will all take your breath away. There were several instances where my jaw was literally on the floor.

The writing was also spot-on, as usual. I have come to expect nothing less than perfection from Marsha Cornelius! Her writing is so consistent and so descriptive. She is quite skilled at mixing several different elements into one concise story. She effortlessly crafts a novel with conflicting personalities, steamy romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and edge of your seat action. This exciting mix makes for incredible writing and some of the most original characters ever. This, added to the already eye catching and original plot, makes for an novel of epic proportions. No other writer, nor novel, can compare. Marsha Cornelius writes on a level few others can reach.

Overall, I was impressed beyond words. I enjoyed ever page of the story and didn't want it to end. This novel is one that will stick with me indefinitely and one I recommend to all readers. If the plot doesn't hook you, the writing definitely will. Be sure to pick up this novel and keep and eye on Marsha Cornelius for future works. 

ARC Review: The Lynchpin by Jeffrey B. Burton

Title: The Lynchpin by Jeffrey B. Burton

Release Date: February 24th, 2015

Publisher: MP Publishing

Genres: Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery

Medium: Received for Review, Via Author

The Lynchpin by Jeffrey B. Burton is an exciting and fresh serial killer thriller that offers new mystery and action at every turn of a page. It's a scarily-realistic novel that makes you want to check and double check that your windows and doors are locked, and leaves you with a suspicion that you should be checking over your shoulder. It brings new meaning to "scary good." It's an ingenious mix of a murderous thriller, FBI crime drama, and James Bond-esqe missions. The Agent Drew Cady series is one we all definitely will want to follow.

The plot of this novel is one of the most exquisite, detailed and thought-out plots I have ever had the good fortune to read. The plot is so rich and life like (quite scarily, at times) you feel like a special agent yourself. As you turn the pages in this novel, you delve deeper into a thought provoking thriller that has mysteries so entangled, you'll be thinking of every character as a possible suspect. It really makes you think and brings out the inner detective in all of us. This engaging, rollercoaster ride of a novel leaves no stone unturned and never seizes to surprise. Just as you get comfortable, you'll be thrown for a loop and be sucked right back into suspense. You'll never want to put this novel down. Even the most seasoned action/thriller/horror fans will be thrown off guard with this one, and will be swept into the addicting story of special agent Drew Cady, just as I was.

The characters of this novel were spot on. Burton managed to create a cast of characters with a multitude of varying back stories and waring personalities. Each character played a vital part in the plot, and all claimed a special place in my heart. The subtle romance and conflicting personalities are clear evidence of Burton's outstanding writing capabilities and imagination. His ability to craft characters and weave a fantastic story around them, with virtually no effort at all, simply astounds me, not to mention leaves me wanting more.

I am simply envious of Burton's writing. He is able to write flawlessly, weaving a flowing, exciting tale that leaves readers speechless. Clearly, he is a force to be reckoned with, and one we will definitely keep an eye on for future installments in the series or new works. Whatever the case, his (and I don't use this word lightly) perfect writing has definitely brought out the fan in me!

Overall, this flawless novel that is an exciting mix of thriller, horror, and action genres, is one to be greatly acknowledged. Please do yourself a favor and pick up this novel as soon as possible. You will not regret it.

Review: The World Without A Future by Nazarea Andrews

 

Title: The World Without A Future by Nazarea Andrews
Publisher: A&A Literary
Release Date: December 1, 2013
Genres: Horror, Romance, Drama, Post-Apocalyptic
Medium: Ebook, Received For Review via Author (Thanks Nazarea!)

The World Without A Future is an action-packed, zombie-filled, sexy drama that will have you unable to stop flipping pages. It's interesting, original, and definitely worth your time.

She was born the day the world ended…

Nurrin has lived her entire life with zombies—trapped behind walls meant to keep them safe. She’s mostly happy there. But when a zombie horde breach the walls of her Haven, she has to trust her brother, Collin, and his best friend to keep her alive.

He just wants his past to die…

Finn O’Malley has given up on voicing warnings that are ignored. No one cares that the zombies are changing. Now all that matters is keeping Collin and Nurrin safe from what’s outside the walls of a Haven. But when Nurrin’s best friend picks up a contact infection, he agrees to get the medicine needed to save his life. Forced together, relying on each other in a strange Haven, zombies aren’t the most dangerous thing they’re facing.

In their world, only one thing remains true: everything ends in blood. -Goodreads.com

The plot was very interesting. From page one, you are instantly enveloped in a completely different world, one were zombies run the earth and people live in Havens, some (like Nurrin) don't even remember the world before the biters. This world is slightly different from the usual post-apocalyptic novels. This is just one of the things that makes it original. The dramatic and almost romantic tension also makes this novel so good. When Nurrin and Finn are thrown together to go in search of medicine, it is sure to make things interesting. Two problems exist: 1) they hate each other and 2) the ever present zombies. This road trip creates an attention grabbing plot and brings all the characters, lead and supporting, together to make a novel well worth reading.

The characters were also very interesting. Nurrin is everything I like in a female character. She's independent, strong, and knows what she wants. She takes charge in this novel and really changes into the person she is destined to be. And Finn... Woah. Finn is the ultimate bad boy. In the beginning, we experience Nurrin's opinion of him through her point of view. She doesn't like him at all, hates him really, but when they are thrown together with unusual circumstances, things are bound to change. Their relationship is odd, yet sexy, as they must go in search of the medications to save her friend and brother. This relationship is one of the most interesting I have come upon, and definitely one I will follow throughout the series.

The writing was also very nice. It was concise with perfect flow; there was no unecasary wordiness and never a boring moment. This keeps the reader engaged at all times and makes it very hard to put the novel down. The author perfectly conveyed the feeling of the apocalypse and what would truly happen if zombies ever really were to happen in the future. You would have the fall out and the uprising of a new government, havens, and the real emotions you see in this novel. People would miss their lives from before the zombies, and so,e would be lucky enough to not know anything but their current life. People would change and resort to different things during the apocalypse. Some wouldn't change at all. Andrews writes this all in perfectly.

Overall, this novel is a fantastic novel, and one of my favorite zombie novels to date. The zombies are terrifying, the setting is great, the characters are interesting,and the romance is hot. I will say, some of the language and sexual scenes in this novel could have been too much at times, but definitely something you can look over if needed. Frankly I really enjoyed this novel and I cannot wait to see what happens in the sequel. Taking the great cliffhanger Andrews left us with into consideration, I can say definitely say the action isn't about to stop anytime soon.

Review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Title: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
Publisher: Little, Brown
Release Date: April 2nd, 2013
Genres: Action, Horror
Medium: Hardcover, Bought

I Hunt Killers is one of the first horror novels I have read in a long time. Taking that even further, I Hunt Killers is one of the best horror novels I have read in my life. It was that good.
This novel features the life of Jasper "Jazz" Dent, son of the world's most infamous serial killer. Now, with his dad caught and in prison, a new serial killer has just arrived in Jazz's small town- and seems to be copying all of his dad's murders, starting with murder #1 of 124. Murder after murder happens, and soon, the police realize that Jazz is the only one who can figure out the mystery and help them atch this copycat killer before he disappears. Teeming with pure horror and action in it's most realistic form, this novel is sure to keep you hanging on to your seat, and afraid to turn out the lights...

Honestly, I have said this before. I think it was the last horror novel I reviewed when I told you guys that I typically do not read horror novels based on the fact that they usually aren't scary. I mean, what's scary about reading about ghosts and vampires? What really is scary is watching a movie, with the lights turned low, the sound bar on, hearing the dramatic music and darkening screen, hearing the pounding of the heroine's heart, and then- BAM! Her scream as the killer thrusts a knife through her. Ahem. That is what is scary. Novels are not typically scary enough to interest me, considering how much I enjoy horror movies. (Is it weird that instead of flinching and cowering in fear during horror movies, I instead laugh? Well, it's true. Because it is all so typical and expected.

But with this novel, I was pleasantly terrified. I believe it is the realisticness of this novel, the believability, the raw, honest fear of knowing that everything in those pages could possibly happen. Because serial killers are real and they are around you, and you don't even know. That's what makes this story scary. And at times, it does have the same instances of a classic horror movie, and a few scenes really did make me sort of "scared." I am not embarassed to tell you that yes, this novel did scare me. The author should be proud.
Now, speaking of the author, his writing is great. It's descriptive, horrific, gripping, and downright creepy. I wonder if he wrote this novel with the intentions that everyone would believe that he himself was a serial killer! He must have put alot of time into researching this novel, otherwise I don't see how he could have known everything in this novel (except maybe the fact that he is a serial killer himself...)

Anyway, this novel is definitely one of my favorites of all time and I cannot wait to read the sequel. Kudos to the author for actually frightening me a little, and not boring me. I love this novel and all of it's creepiness, and I recommend it to any fan of horror and action-packed thrillers. Five stars.

Review: Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer

Title: Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer (Twilight #1.5)
Publisher: **Stephanie Meyer
Release Date: **Released In 2008
Genres: Romance, Drama, Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror
Medium: **PDF Released Via Author's Website

**First of all, I must state that I read and reviewed the unedited partial draft of Midnight Sun, that was illegally leaked onto the internet in 2008. Soon after, Stephanie Meyer released a legal PDF draft of the unfinished novel so that readers could obtain it with her permission. She has put the project on indefinite hold. You can find her statement and read the novel for yourself here.

Second of all, I must state that I beg for Stephanie Meyer to take this novel off hold and finish it immediately. Us readers are dying for the end of this novel.

And now, I must explain this novel. It is basically Twilight, written from the point of view of Edward. Through this unique perspective, we get to relive Twilight in a completely different way that is interesting, thought-provoking, and richly written. That being said, I enjoy Edward's perspective way more interesting and exciting to read. With Bella's point of view, everything was a little gloomy and boring, but with Edward's, you get to finally get inside of his head (similar to the way he gets into everyone else's) and get to see his insight and opinion on things. With this POV, you get to experience his emotions throughout all the situations we were met with in Twilight. We witness his guilt, his sadness, his horror, his falling head-over-heels for Bella- all through the eyes of a handsome vampire with conflicting thoughts that war between good and bad. Edward sees most everything in a grayscale, no black and white. He sees how certain situations lean from morally right and wrong, yet infuses his personal choice in with his decisions. The highlight of this novel is his emotional take on his life, and most of all, Bella.

The writing was still as delicious as the original Twilight series was. It brings you back to the setting of the first novel and begins to lead you into the unique world that is Edward's. Of course, we don't get to find out his reaction about everything, because, as it was leaked as a partial draft, the released version stops just after 12 chapters, a measly 264 pages that majorly leave you with a book hangover and a roaring hunger for the rest. The writing in this novel was as educated and spell binding as the rest of her works, including descriptive scenes, emotional reactions including the addicting internal voice of the character, and the everpresent setting of Forks, Washington. It so similar to Twilight, as it is almost identically the same story line, yet so different at the same time. This is why I recommend that all Twilight fans read this one, as it immerses you in the addicting series once again.

I personally enjoyed Edward's point of view more than Bella's, although I probably wouldn't recommend new readers to start with Midnight Sun over Twilight. If you are new to the world of Twilight, you need to start with Twilight, because it sets up the rest of the series. Midnight Sun makes a great prequel to read that gives you all the special little extras that were missing from Twilight. It's almost a behind the scenes version of Twilight, as it tells you things that will surprise the most dedicated Twilight reader.

Overall, the addicting storyline is still present, along with an interesting new point of view and mesmerizing new insight into the background characters. A definite must-read for all Twilight fans and even those who are new to the series (and let's just say, who has never heard of Twilight??) and even if you never have, you still need to read the Twilight series first. Make Midnight Sun a little dessert piece for you- delicious and leaving you wanting more.

*To whoever leaked this draft onto the internet, I both love and hate this. I hate that you illegally released her masterpiece onto the internet when she wasn't even finished with it (I mean, come on, even I could have waited until she finished and published it) and I love Stephanie Meyer for being such a good sport about the whole situation and kindly posting it to her website so all of us good (mostly) law-abiding fans could read it with her permission. So kudos to her.

Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve by Anna Carey
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: July 13th, 2012
Genres: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Action, Horror
Medium: Hardcover, Bought

I began reading Eve with slight doubt. It wasn't that popular, yet was still relatively new, which seemed unusual to me. The cover was also very boring and uninteresting, and lacking that extra umpf. It looked very much like every other dystopian novel you see everyday on the shelves. Yet, the synopsis still interested me, so I took a chance and decided to pick it up. Let me say, I was hooked from chapter one. The plot is new, fresh, and interesting. It features the usual dystopian background a disease-ride place now called New America. The only difference is that the new government is taking the girls to schools to supposedly "learn" while the boys go to labor camps. The girls are being treated as little more than sows as they are sent to a permanent maternity ward where they are forced to repopulate the new world. Eve escapes along with Arden and another girl and soon they come across a troop of boys who have also escaped from their prisons. They meet Caleb and go in search of a refugee camp in on the coast. This plot keeps you hooked from chapter to chapter, playing with your senses as you face the complications of hunger, thirst, trust, being in hiding, sickness, all while heading to a camp you know very little about. It also has the underlying message that knowledge can sometimes be dangerous.

The writing was great, yet lacking in certain realms. Simple, yet interesting, making it easy to fly right through, because ultimately, it's impossible not to. It is action-packed and filled with fighting and running, as they fight to escape the king if New America. The writing has very little thinking, though. It is almost completely action scenes and dialogue (very little dialogue!) and no transition, emotions, or thoughts from the characters. There is no thinking behind their actions. The characters also evolve very little. If you likes stories like this, completely actions with little emotional reaction from your characters, then you will enjoy this novel. I however, wish their could have been more response from the characters, and less reacting like robots.

The characters (as you read above) have very little evolvement. But besides this, they are interesting. Eve, a simple, sometimes annoying girl, is often kind of dumb. I didn't like her character as much as I would have liked to. Arden was more like my type of character: a real bad-butt if you know what I mean. Caleb was also a different type of character. He was the strong, living-off-the-land type, protective with a soft side. He was a super cool character to get to read from, whereas Eve was one dimensional, slightly boring, and had the dumb-girl effect in me. Her character could have been developed a bit better.

Taking all of this into account, Eve was the beginning of a great trilogy. Although I had a few qualms with the first book in this series, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. It was well thought out, creative, and thought-provoking about what decisions you would make if you were in the situation. It was interesting and a completely different world, keeping romance alive and other factors in play, while not overshadowing the action-packed dystopian world. A great story. 3.5 stars.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay (Book review)

Title: Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: September 11, 2011
Genres: Romance, Drama, Horror
Medium: Hardcover, Bought

Juliet Immortal is the modern retelling of a a classic love story, except with a little twist. Instead of Romeo & Juliet committing suicide to be with each other, Romeo instead kills her, and they both come into another body every century and try to kill each other.

The idea for this novel is most original and interesting.  Even if you haven't read the famous Romeo & Juliet play by the great William Shakespeare, this novel is still a pleasure to read. It mixes mild horror (ghosts and rotten Romeo corpses, of course) drama (literally, she's involved in the drama department; Oh the irony) and lots of romance. This novels weaves an intricate tale of a hundreds-year-old romance torn apart by lies and mistrust, and instead replaced by hatred and anger. Full of suspense and true romance, this novel is one for the next hundreds of years.

The writing in this novel was also very nice, to match the plot if the novel. Very consistent. It is old-timey and Shakespearean at times, while modern and fascinating later. It's enchanting all the while, however. Magical, beautiful, and romantic meet horrific, action-packed, and creepy. A beautiful page-turner that captures the elegance of the original play, while still giving it a modern twist. The writing is polished, flows well, and manages the two POVs well, while giving both main characters emotion and depth.

The characters are also a key point to why this book is such a treasure. Juliet's voice inside of Ariel is magnificent, and her character clearly expresses her reasons for mistrusting Romeo and his antics, thought she soon learns she may not hate him, but hate herself. This much character realization here and character change. Romeo through Dylan was also very interesting to experience, as he comes to terms with what he's done, including what he's done to Juliet, and begins to change from his pompous self just the slightest bit. Then it is gone. Ben was probably my favorite character, as he was inspirational in the way that he learned from his mistakes and how to move on from them, not dwelling on the past and letting them dictate his life.

Not everything is like it seems in this novel. A beautiful spin or the Classic Shakespeare tragedy, this novel brings you in their world and won't let you go.

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel (Book review)

Title: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: October 18th, 2011

Genres: Horror, Action, Romance, Fantasy

Medium: Hardcover, bought

Dearly, Departed is a timeless love story set in the year 2193, in New Victoria, where ball gowns, bonnets, and carriages are reinstated. Graceful and beautiful, Nora Dearly and her family and friends live in a world where marriages are assigned,  women are expected to agree and be tranquil, and daily life is to be peacefully, perfectly, boring. That is, until zombies begin to roam the world.

The plot is very intricate and well-planned in this novel. Similar to steam punk, this novel is a royal love story set 180 years in the future, featuring the Victorian age of simplicity and timeless beauty, and of course, the "ageless" beauty of zombies. War ensues between New Victoria and the Punks, a group of pro-zombie, good-guy-zombies who guard the borders. When a new breed of killer zombies attacks Nora and her family, she is kidnapped to safety by the Punks, as they hunt for her father, who may hold the cure to the zombie disease being spread. While war ensues, the women become strong and fight alongside the good zombies, fighting against the bad guys who have taken her father hostage. With an unbeatable army-themed plot mingled with family, romance, friendship, survival, and war, this novel is sure to keep you on edge.

The writing is very systematic and interesting. Great dialogue and switching of point of views. With an original plot and setting, and characters who demand your attention, it makes for a great zombie-action-romance. A perfect mix of Warm Bodies, The Walking Dead, etc. and Twilight. The romance in this novel is not that of Twilight, however, in the way that this romance slowly transforms from repulsion to attraction, and creates a hardened couple bonded through the apocalypse. The writing is very detailed and interesting, creating a whole new world and variation on the topic of zombies. I can't get over how detailed this plot is, and how thought out the sci-fi-turned-Victorian principle is. Action-packed and yet pretty at the same time, with both strong male and female main characters, it makes for a great unisex read. 3.5 stars.

Dead River by Cyn Balog (Book review)

 

Title: Dead River by Cyn Balog

Publisher: Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers 

Release Date: Publisher: April 9, 2013

Genres: Horror, Romance

Medium: ARC via Random House Publishers

I don't usually read horror novels, to be completely honest. But this doesn't mean I hold grudges against books. I read every genre. The only way I can explain it is that I love horror movies and TV shows, things of that nature. I am addicted to them. But when it comes to horror books, a good one comes few and far between, and even then, I feel like there is so much missing. Most commonly, I feel as if they are not scary, and that is a key point a horror novel has to have. I have read books before that make me feel as if the horror genre is just something a novel cannot put into words. In a movie, there is so much more that is added in: creepy suspenseful music, unusual actors, dark sets and dark theaters, and just the overall exhilaration of watching a movie. I have felt as if horror is just a little too much for literature.

 

Then I read this book. This book is creepy, not too overwhelmingly horror fiction, but keeping it slightly scary. It also has us genres of romance and some slight drama, while staying a very true horror thriller. Sometimes, people write a novel and try to add in every sub genre they can. Cyn Balog manages to add these sub genres in without covering up the main one: horror. The plot was fast-paced, full of twists and turns, and always susepnseful. This novel is a nice, creepy thriller that is perfect for this time of the year as we draw closer to Halloween...

The writing was very complimentary to this plot. It was descriptive, colorful, and always keeping with the tone of the novel. She managed to create a world beyond ours that enticed you in and kept you wanting more. The characters were believable, relatable, and interesting. Their stories were short and sweet, intriguing, yet not being overpowerful and covering up the plot. I really did enjoy this novel, and can't wait to see more from this author.