Tag Archives: horror

World Between (by Sarah Lyons Fleming)

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Dystopian / Zombies

Rose, Tom, Clara, Holly, Mitch, Jesse and Craig return for book two of the Cascadia series.

They have settled into the fairgrounds in Eugene, OR and they are making the most of it. But Rose’s relationship with her ex-husband is hostile and the soldiers who control the safe zone are little more than feudal overlords. And with hundreds of people all crammed together and living on top of each other the zombies are the least of their problems.

One crisis follows another and before the end they will once again be fighting for their lives.

World Between continues what will eventually be a four book series. Sarah Lyons Fleming is a master of this particular sub-genre and her books are all entertaining page-turners that flip between urban fantasy, science fiction, horror and perhaps just a little romance. She somehow manages to make it work.

5 Stars.

Reckoning in an Undead Age (by A.M. Geever)

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Horror / Speculative Fiction

Every genre / sub-genre has rules and tropes. Coded language that readers of the genre intuitively understand. One example would be the covers of the books in this series, they speak to readers of dystopian fiction right down to the colours chosen. There are things you expect, shortcuts in telling the story that rely on the readers understanding of the genre.

Any good author will know the rules, but a great author will know how to get away with breaking them.

And that brings us to the Undead Age series. I’ve read a lot of books in this genre, but I haven’t read any books that have broken this many rules.

And somehow A.M. Geever gets away with it. I’m the first to admit that it took me a while to figure out what the hell was going on in book one, but once I figured it out, it blew my mind.

Reckoning in an Undead Age is the last book in the series. The events of book two destroyed lives and ruined those who were left behind. Miranda and Mario are grieving, trudging through depression and both are coping in different ways. Miranda has pushed those she loves away while Mario has stepped onto the path of revenge.

And that is what this book is about. Grief, depression and ultimately redemption. But more lives will be lost a long the way.

Many thanks to the author who provided me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Damage in an Undead Age (by A.M. Geever)

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Horror / Zombie Apocalypse

Miranda, Mario and Doug left San Jose (Love in an Undead Age Book 1) with a mission. To find a vaccine for the zombie virus and make it available for all.

In Damage in an Undead Age they have managed to set themselves up in an abandoned university where Mario can work on the vaccine. But there are enemies everywhere and the price demanded of them might be too much for anyone to pay.

It’s easy to forget that zombie apocalypse books are a sub-genre of horror. Over the years they have fallen into a predictable pattern and when you pick one up you can check off all the tropes. 

Escape the city – check
Visit Walmart – check
Build a fort – check
Battle a zombie horde – check

Not so here. This series is completely original and it turns the genre on its head with a bit of a nudge back towards the horror end of the spectrum.

Honestly, it’s brutal in parts and difficult to read at times –– and it’s completely brilliant. Can’t wait for book 3!

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Lumière (by Jacqueline E. Garlick)

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Steampunk

When her father disappeared, Eyelet and her mother eked out a life in Brethren, all the while hiding her affliction from the authorities lest she be sent to an insane asylum. Then her mother is accused of being a witch and executed and Eyelet must escape or suffer a similar fate.

With her only guide a cryptic message from her mother that she needs to find one of her father’s inventions she sets off to the town of Gears where her father hid the machine. But just as the machine is in sight it’s whisked away from her by the enigmatic Urlick.

Reluctant allies, they find themselves right in the middle of a plot to turn her father’s invention from it’s intended use and make it into a super weapon.

 
This book is quite surprising. I honestly don’t quite know where to put it. It’s YA, definitely steampunk, but there is enough horror in there to make me leave on a light or two. It really isn’t like any other book I’ve read. I can see that there will be no middle ground with this book, you’ll either love it or hate it. I loved it.

And the ending is perfect in it’s breathtaking simplicity!

Screen Shot 2014-02-27 at 9.12.41 pmMany thanks to Skyscape and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC

Orange, Red, Yellow. What it means:   red-orange-yellow-guide