200 Followers Giveaway (International)!!!

I finally have this up. Took a while, but I got it done. I want to give a HUUUUUGE thanks to all my Vagabonds. You all have been so incredible to me. Even though things have slowed down a bit with technology acting like a jerk towards me lately, you guys have been awesome. So I put together this giveaway just for you amazing people. If there is one thing I love more than my books and movies, it is you guys. Hope you all enjoy the prizes I have put together for you guys. Thank you so much. Okay, I will stop the babbling, let's get to the prizes!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Prize Pack #1: Urban Fantasy

Winner's choice: ebook version of Katie Salidas' Immortalis series + Swag!

My review for Immortalis Carpe Noctem!

Winner's choice of Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series!

My review for First Grave on the Right!

Prize Pack #2: Paranormal Romance

eBook version of Night Walker (The Night Series #1) by Lisa Kessler!

Winner's choice of Laura Wright's Mark of the Vampire series!

My review for Eternal Hunger and Eternal Kiss!

And I will throw in Eternal Blood (Mark of the Vampire #2.5) from Amazon

Prize Pack #3: (even more) Urban Fantasy

Signed copy of Deliverance (Mortal Path #3) by Dakota Banks

Paperback copy of Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniels #5.5) by Ilona Andrews

My reviews for Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Bleeds, and Magic Slays

Prize Pack #4: Young Adult

Paperback copy of A Ripple in Time-Angel of the Titanic (Celtic Cousins' Adventures #1) by Julia Hughes

My review for A Ripple in Time!

Paperback copy of Foolish Games by Leah Spiegel

My review for Foolish Games!

Kindle version of Lonely Souls (The Witch Avenue Series #1) by Karice Bolton

Prize Pack #5: Contemporary/Mystery Young Adult

Paperback book bundle of the South Hills Sidekicks by Leah Spiegel and Meg Summers

My review for Uninvited!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Big thanks to Darynda Jones, Julia Hughes, Leah Spiegel, Meg Summers, Katie Salidas, Dakota Banks, and Laura Wright for providing the books! You all are amazing!!!

*Must be a Follower to win
*Five winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter
*Contest ends August 10th!
*Open Internationally! Check BookDepository to make sure it delivers to your country!
*Books provided by Darynda Jones, Leah Spiegel, Meg Summers, Lisa Kessler, Katie Salidas, Laura Wright, Julia Hughes, Dakota Banks and me

Book Review: Eternal Kiss (Mark of the Vampire #2) by Laura Wright

Author: Laura Wright
Series: Mark of the Vampire
Number in Series: 2
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Pages: 359
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy/Erotic Romance

Buy here:

Amazon|  Barnes & Noble  |  BetterWorldBooks  |  The Book Depository  |  IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

Sacrifice will be their downfall. And their resurrection.

Family is blood.

His father unknown, his mother dead, Nicholas Roman was raised by the vampire Breed with one wish: to live as a normal vampire. But once he's transformed against his will into a gifted immortal, Nicholas now has one goal: to stop the Eternal Order of vampires from controlling his life and from transforming more males from his bloodline for their vicious reign. Then comes a beautiful stranger with a startling secret.

Vampire Kate Everborne claims she's sheltering Nicholas' long-lost son. If this is true, then who is the mother? And how endangered are they if, indeed, Nicholas does possess the bloodline so coveted by the Order? These are questions that with every seductive whisper, every silken touch, draw Nicholas and Kate intimately closer and nearer still to the truth. But aroused too are Nicholas' fears that this tantalizing woman has even more secrets—both dangerous and provocative—she has yet to share.

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     Oh Nicholas, how I love thee? I am absolutely obsessed with this series. Alex's book was a great debut and this sequel was even better. I couldn't put this book down. It was such a rush, a very sexy rush. If you are a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, you will be a fan of the Roman brothers.

      I love that this book really gave us more backstory. I felt like we missed some of that from the first one with Alex. We heard a little bit of Nicholas' story in the first book. Here, we get a bunch more of him and his past. We find out his past was very dark and destructive. What's worse, is that he hasn't really escaped his past and he has kept it from his brothers specifically Lucian. He was the one who saved Nicholas in the first place so many years ago. I really enjoyed the first book, but due to the intensity of this story, this one was much better.

     We also have our heroine, Kate, who is definitely going on my badass chick list. She is a prisoner at a place named Mondrar, but they let her because she teaches in their vampire-gated community. Tragedy strikes when looking over one of her students who is Nicholas' long lost son. She escapes to take his son to him, but Nicholas doesn't believe her. I love how tough Kate is. Nicholas was giving her a lot of crap and she manages she give it right back to him. She may not be a trained warrior like him, but she was very smart and cunning. I love how we see her transition in the story and hearing her story about how she ended up in prison. Kate and Nicholas aren't all that different. They were an amazing match, truly perfect for one another.

    Besides the story of Kate and Nicholas, we have more from creepy Ethan and from his master. His master will do whatever it takes to force the Romans through Morpho (the change that makes them Breeding Males and makes them full vampires). We do learn who it is and I was correct in my assumption of the culprit. We just need to know why he wants them changed so badly. He is definitely planning something, we just don't know what.

   Now this may be Nicholas' book, but the highlight for me was Lucian. I knew from book 1 he would be a favorite. That couldn't be more true now. The dialogue between him and his brothers is just so much fun. He cracks me up even though his brothers talk about how dangerous he is. He definitely seems more bloodthirsty than the others, but we are yet to see why they call him the devil. I love how he keeps fighting his feelings for Bronwyn. She is the scientist we meet in book 1. They have great chemistry even though they act like they hate each other. But given the way this book actually ended, I think eyes will be opened. Seriously, that was a great ending. My jaw dropped then I burst out laughing.

    This is a wonderful sequel. It was better than the first book. The storylines were amazing and flowed together beautifully. We get a couple of twists that are very exciting and I can't wait to see how they will develop. We get more laughs and amazing steamy scenes that will have you fanning yourself. Whether you are a hardcore BDB fan like myself or you really love PNR, I highly recommend you check this series out. You are sure to get a treat.  

Some of my favorite quotes/moments:

"You're talking about the fruit, right? Because you've clearly already served up your balls to that veana of yours." -Lucian

"Hot date with your bait?"

Nicholas jacked up an eyebrow, "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Just came to me on the fly." -Nicholas and Alexander

"I'm going to work out in the tunnels. Smash some heads down there. Hey, if you're interested in joining me, Nicky, I'd love to reintroduce you to my fist. Maybe I can reconnect some wires or something." -Lucian

Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenges*

BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012 

BCC's Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2012 

BCC's Speculative Romance Challenge 2012 

Indie Book Review: Larby Lodge (The Sword and The Flame #1) by Gail and Paul Gallacher

Original cover

Authors: Gail and Paul Gallacher
Series: The Sword and The Flame
Number in Series: 1
Format: Kindle
Release Date: June 2, 2012
Pages: 331
Publisher: Self-published
Genre:Young Adult/Paranormal/Fantasy/Mystery/Urban Fantasy

New cover

Buy here:

Amazon

Synopsis from Amazon

2065 A.D.

It is 48 years since the change. A time of great chaos and upheaval, when millions of teenagers across the globe, developed magical powers. Still, no-one knows why it happened. For years a fragile peace has existed. But now a divide is forming...

And 14 year old Eve Rivers is about to find herself caught up in the middle of the battle. A battle fought between those who embrace the change, and those who will do
anything to stop it. A battle that will forever alter the lives of everyone Eve holds dear.

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    Wow! This book definitely took me by surprise. Thanks to the authors Gail & Paul Gallacher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. What a ride this was. Larby Lodge was Harry Potter meets Carrie. If that doesn't grab your attention, I don't know what will.

     Larby Lodge takes place in the year 2065 AD. Magic is now a norm. Once you hit your preteen/teen years, you have your Awakening. This Awakening is when you powers come into play. Our main character Eve is fourteen and is yet to gain her powers. Her younger sister Bronwyn, however, has her powers. The power of flight, just like their father. Eve's father treats Bronwyn, she is the favorite and Eve wants the same kind of approval but is afraid she won't get it because she may be a Dud. But after numerous tragic accidents that lead to a lot of pain and heartache, Eve gains her power, but not in the best light. So she is sent to Larby Lodge. A school that teaches girls how to control their magic so they won't be at risk of hurting anyone else. But while at the school, Eve slowly uncovers things about the school and its visitors.

      I really enjoyed our main character Eve. I am so surprised by how strong was especially for a fourteen year old. She truly had the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she didn't give up until justice was served. Definitely a character worth rooting for. Her dad pissed me off so much. The way he acted and treated her after things went down made me resent him. Then we have Swoosie. She is the home wrecker basically. But we start to see she may not be as awful as Eve thinks she is. But that is all I will say about that.

      I love all the side characters. I really enjoyed Eve's new.found friend Iris and how easily they connected. And even some of the villains specifically Bitch (yes, that is what she named herself). I wish we had a backstory of hers, but we see more near the end of the book what her problem really was. It was truly sad and traumatic and just downright wrong. There was one character, Irina the replacement teacher (something else I can't spoil), that I hope we see more of in the next book. She comes along and sheds light on the dark secrets of the Lodge and then we never hear from her again really. That was a tad disappointing. Out of all the adults, she was one of the few helpful ones.

       I love the story and how it progresses. It really grabbed my attention from the beginning and I love the turn of events. I love how we see life at the Lodge and the friendship Eve has with Iris. We also see how Eve copes with her new powers which gets her into a lot of trouble. We even have a little romance that brews between her and one of the fencing assistants, James. But it doesn't come to light until near the end of the book.

        It actually near the end when we get the real impact of the story though. During and after Bitch's traumatic scene, we get plenty and I mean plenty more development in the story. There are twists and turns in the plot that leave you breathless. Again, I wish I could say more, but I can't. Big spoilers.

        This is a high recommendation from me. The story was easy to dive into because the Gallachers created such an incredible world. It was an exciting book full of emotion and magic. I would have liked to find out more about a few characters, but my fingers are crossed for book 2. Either way, I am dying for book. No way you can make an ending like that without a sequel. Seriously, that was quite the bomb to drop. Definitely have myself a couple of authors worth stalking and can't wait to see what their brains will come up with next.

Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenges*

BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012
BCC's Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2012 

BCC's Mystery & Suspense Challenge 2012

BCC's Speculative Romance Challenge 2012

Indie Book Review: Once We Were Like Wolves (Tears of Rage #2) by M. Todd Gallowglas

Author: M. Todd Gallowglas
Series: Tears of Rage
Number in Series: 2
Format: Kindle
Release Date: December 21, 2011
Pages: 253
Publisher: Bard's Cloak of Tales
Genre: Dark Fantasy/Epic Fantasy

Buy here:

Amazon

Synopsis from Amazon

In this second volume of TEARS OF RAGE, while fleeing from the followers of the God of Death, Julianna encounters her new god's followers for the first time. While battles rage and loyalties are tested, Julianna learns that being the first chosen comes with a higher price than she expected.
 
And so Continues, TEARS OF RAGE, a dark, epic fantasy saga about the power of faith and belief, where even though the gods can inspire these qualities in mortals, it is those same mortals that truly control the religions that form from any god's divine inspiration. It is also a swashbuckling tale of political intrigue where men scheme against each other and the gods, and how friendship, loyalty, and faith can help people persevere through the darkest times.

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     Finally! It has taken me forever to get this here. I am glad I finally can share this. Once We Were Like Wolves is the sequel to Tears of Rage and I am glad to report, I think this was better than book 1. The story is amazing and we get more characters that are very interesting. One in which I think I have a crush on. Oh yes, I have a big smile on my face.

     This story continues to follow our main character Julianna who has just become the new Lord Morigahn. Grandfather Shadow has just been released from his prison and he has plans. But in order for those plans to go through, Julianna must truly embrace what she is now and how to handle her new powers. Everyone, gods and humans alike have their own agenda where Julianna is concerned. So she has a lot of growing to do and she must do it quickly because lives are on the line.

     Gallowglas did such a wonderful job with this story. I love our main character Julianna. All this power has basically fallen into her lap and she doesn't go nuts with power. I love that we see a vulnerable side to her. That she is as scared about what she is and is trying to accept that she won't have a normal life. I love that we get more of Faelin, Julianna's best friend. He knows more about what it means to be the Lord Morigahn and helps her great deal in the book. I both love and hate that we see they have an attraction to each other, but they can't be together because of what she is. I hope we can see more of that in the future.

     I love that this time around we have a lot more story. We have different subplots and they all flow together beautifully. I had a little issue with that in the last book. We had a lot of characters, but we didn't learn a lot about them. In this one, we have those characters and more, and we get a taste of all of them and what they are about. I am especially excited over the new character Damian. He seems to find himself in interesting predictaments, but he thinks fast on his feet which really saves him. He definitely has luck on his side (that is what I call it) and he has some connection to the higher ups, but we don't know yet. One thing I will say is that he doesn't seem to fit in with the time of the book. Damian has this sort of Old Western cowboy feel to him. Definitely an adventurous one, that is for sure.

    The only complaint I have is that there are quite a bit of grammar and spelling issues. There seems to be a tad more in this book than the first book, but I was invested enough in the story so it didn't take much from it. But it was a bit distracting. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book. Like I said, it is better than the first one. And again, if you are a fan of Game of Thrones like me, you will eat this book up. The story is rich and keeps you on your toes. There is even more action in this book mixed with plenty of magic. So if you are looking for a read that will keep you guessing and take you on an epic ride, check this out today.

Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenge*

BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012

Guest Post + Giveaway with Laxmi Hariharan

Welcome fellow Vagabonds! Please give a huge welcome to author Lazmi Hariharan. Her new book The Destiny of Shaitan that has just released. Hariharan is here with us today with a great post talking about how Western Science Fiction is actually inspired by Indian Mythology. So check out this very intriguing post and see how you can win a $15 Amazon Card!

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The Inspiration Games

“It was India which invented the bow & arrow” my Dad blustered over the phone from Bombay, “remember Arjuna’s skill at archery? How he could concentrate till he saw nothing else but the target and shoot it with unerring precision time after time….”  He had just returned from seeing the Hunger Games at his local multiplex, when my weekly Sunday phone call had sparked off this conversation; with him insisting that the cross-bow was an Indian invention.  “Uh! Dad,”  I protested, “not everything in science fiction comes from Indian mythology….” I was, as usual, embarrassed by his well known theme of India shining and claiming ownership of emerging trends. Yet his comment gave me pause for thought. I began to wonder if he had a point?

Lord Rama with his bow from centuries ago!

Katniss in The Hunger Games

Cut to a few years back, when, on one of my annual trips to Bombay, the extended family had trooped off en masse to see Avatar in 3D at the brand new IMAX theatre in Bombay. I sat next to my father enjoying his excitement as he leaned forward to perch precariously close to the edge of the seat, fascinated by the incredible images flashing across the cinema screen.

Avatar inspired by Indian mythology? Who would have thought!

And as the scene with the Tree of Souls which has a neural link to the Na’vi uniting them all as one, unfolded, he gasped in surprise shaking his head; explaining to me later that Ayurveda the Indian system of traditional medicine had a very similar concept of unity.  That, all living creatures are linked to this planet and are one with Earth. The concept of blue people itself was familiar as many Indian Gods are depicted in similar fashion.Flying chariots, Gods teleporting at will across dimensions, powerful weapons of war that could destroy entire armies, revolving discs & guided swords spewing fiery sparks which would return to their owners after hitting its target, illusions which could frighten without hurting, and the massive bow which only Rama could string to win the heart of the beautiful Sita… Hmmm! I had seen these scenes countless times over the years.

Tiina inspired by Goddess Uma (The Destiny of Shaitan)

Amar Chitra Katha(Indian comic books) took over where my grandmother left off, yet what chance did a teenager’s raging hormones stand against tight bodysuits, plunging necklines, fanatical crime fighting and passionate love stories. With the first Superman movie I was in love with caped crusaders – Spiderman, Legion of Superheroes(my personal favourite) Green Lantern, Wonder Woman not to mention Tarzan&Phantom and much later Conan the Barbarian – I lived happily with them for a very long time. And then I stumbled across the gaming world which is proud to borrow from Indian mythology. Take for example Asura’s Wrath an action video game released February 2012. According to the game’s producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya, “Asura’s Wrath takes elements from Hindu mythology and blends them with science fiction. In the game, Asura is a demigod fighting to reclaim his daughter from the deities who kidnapped her and banished him from earth.”

Or for that matter Xena the Warrior Princess’trademark chakram which looks and acts very similar to the famed sudarshan chakra (Lord Vishnu’s deadly weapon of choice – a golden discus which cuts through the target and returns to owner.)

Xena's Chakra

VS.

Lord Vishnu's Chakra

Over the years I realised that Hollywood and the West have looked to Indian mythology for inspiration. But time has come full circle, with a brave new breed of Indian fantasy writers seeking to carry on the tradition of the ancient epics. Check out the brilliant Ramayana 3392 AD from New York based Liquid comics and the seductive Devi.

Do you have more examples of western science fiction drawing from Indian mythology? Do let me know.

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Info at Goodreads

Blurb courtesy of Laxmi Hariharan

Kindle bestseller The Destiny of Shaitan is a delicious blend of gods & humans, sacred & profane; a gripping ride offering a glimpse into your own power. 

Partially set in a futuristic Bombay, this coming of age story is painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. 

When Tiina accompanies Yudi on a mission to save the universe from the ruthless Shaitan, she seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Driven by greed and fear for his own survival,Shaitan bulldozes his way through the galaxy, destroying everything in his path.  Tiina wants Yudi to destroy Shaitan, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Shaitan being killed by his son. But she finds that Yudi is hesitant to do so. The final showdown between Tiina, Yudi, and Shaitan has unexpected consequences, for Shaitan will do anything in his power to win the fight.  The stakes are high and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan's ultimate destiny be fulfilled?

Release Date: March 17, 2012

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Laxmi Hariharan Bio:

Laxmi Hariharan was born in India. She lived in Singapore and Hong Kong and is now based in London. She is inspired by Indian mythology. When not writing, this chai-swigging, technophile enjoys long walks in the woods and growing eye catching flowers. Her debut novel The Destiny of Shaitan is available on Amazon here: http://tiny.cc/szqsew

Follow Laxmi Hariharan here:

Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Website 

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Don't forget to visit the rest of Laxmi's tour schedule for more great posts and interviews!

The Destiny of Shaitan Tour Schedule

For everyone that leaves a comment on a post, you are entered to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card! So make sure to check out that schedule. Just leave your email address in the comments section. Good luck everyone and thank you!

Book Review: Queen of Shadows (Shadow World #1) by Dianne Sylvan

Author: Dianne Sylvan
Series: Shadow World
Number in Series: 1
Format: Paperback
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Pages: 389
Publisher: Ace
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy

Buy here:

Amazon |  Barnes & Noble  |  BetterWorldBooks  |  The Book Depository  |  IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

View our feature on Dianne Sylvan's Queen of Shadows Meet Miranda Grey—music and magic are in her blood. Overwhelmed by her uncanny ability to manipulate people's emotions through her music, Miranda Grey comes to the attention of vampire lord David Solomon. Believing he can help bring her magic under control, David discovers that Miranda's powers may affect the vampire world too...

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     Another book that once I started it, I wanted to punch myself for waiting so long to read it in the first place. I wanted to read this because I love my Urban Fantasies and I love my badass heroines. But I had no idea how dark this book would be. It definitely grabbed my attention quickly and didn't let go until the end.

     The main character Miranda isn't your typical heroine. Due to her power, she can read and control people's emotions, she is very isolated. She keeps to herself because everyone effects her. She is a very depressed woman with one thing to love; her music. After a performance on stage, she experiences something dreadful and tragic night, she finds out she has more power than she thought. She finds her will to live and she finds that she shares the world with vampires. Our other main character David is definitely high on my list of book boyfriends. He is what I always wanted to see in a alpha male, but I never have. A vampire who is super hot, super powerful, super nerdy, loves video games and is obsessed with Ben and Jerry's ice cream. How can you not love that?!

     I love the connection between David and Miranda. Lots of chemistry even though they both fought it. I love that Sylvan takes the time out to really let us know her characters. We get so much insight into our main characters, we love them seperately just as much as we love them together. And I also love that it didn't happen immediately. They had some bumps to go over first and that was a great experience to see.

     I really love the story. It was paced very well. Someone is killing of vampires and humans and it just seems like random killings. But there is a connection that was interesting considering it is something you would expect from humans, not vampires. It was definitely a unique concept that was great to read.

     I also like Sylvan's take on the vampire world. It was so structed and run well. David truly is a genius. I love how they choose the warriors to be a part of the team. It is nice reading that because with a lot of other books, it is all about who bit you first. This was different.

     Overall, this is going the favorites list. I loved the characters. Miranda is such a wonderful heroine. She is strong and powerful, but very vulnerable and Sylvan did a great job showing us all those angles. This book is dark and action-packed. I couldn't ask for anything more really. Definitely recommended. I have book 2 with me right now and plan on starting it tonight.

Rating:

*This book belongs on the following challenges*
BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012
BCC's Horror & Urban Fantasy Challenge 2012
BCC's Speculative Romance Challenge 2012

Book Review: Married With Zombies (Living with the Dead #1) by Jesse Petersen

Author: Jesse Petersen
Series: Living with the Dead
Number in Series: 1
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 1, 2010
Pages: 224
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Humor, Horror

Buy here:

Amazon |  Barnes & Noble  |  BetterWorldBooks  |  The Book Depository  |  IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.
Meet Sarah and David.
Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.
Meet the Zombies.
Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

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    My zombie needs have been neglected. But thanks to Heidi over at RainyDayRamblings, she has got me on board to be a part of this amazing book discussion featuring this book. I had such a blast with this book. I got blood, guts, brains, laughs, tears and anything you can think of in between. I am one satisfied zombie nut right now.

     Married With Zombies is about a married couple, David and Sarah. They have only been married for five years and they want to kill each other. On their way to see their marriage counselor, the notice the streets oddly empty. They don't think much of it, but once in their counselor's office, they notice something even weirder. Their counselor is snacking on the neck of someone from one of the perfect couples. David and Sarah are now fighting for their lives and wanting to get the hell out of town. They have to survive the zombies as well as each other.

     I love our main characters David and Sarah. They may argue a lot and have problems with each other, but they had a great dynamic. They both had me cracking up especially Sarah. They do what they can for each other. The further you get into the book, you see how they work together and work with easing the burden off one another. This specifically during the more emotional scenes. They may not see it, but they suit each other very well and it is nice to see.

     The story is all about basic survival. They want to get out of town to visit David's sister to make sure she is okay. But getting their, they meet some very interesting characters. Some of which scared me enough that I would rather take my chances with the zombies. And again, this is all about survival and finding survivors.

     Married With Zombies will make you laugh and cry. It is usually just one or other with most zombie books or movies/tv shows, but this one definitely has a balance between the two. Like I said, this was Zombieland meets The Walking Dead. Petersen did a great job giving us both worlds.

     I highly recommmend this to zombielovers. And maybe even non-zombielovers as well. This book was a good read for sure. A perfect mixture of light and dark. It has some "Oh shit!" moments that definitely had me at the edge of my seat. The characters are so likable and the book is very informative about relationships and zombies. Those headlines were incredible. Book 2 is already in the library queue. I am definitely going to continue this series.


Rating:

*This book belongs to the following challenges*
BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012
BCC's Horror & Urban Fantasy Challenge 2012
BCC's Zombie Challenge 2012

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies #0.5) by Steve Hockensmith

Author: Steve Hockensmith
Series: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Number in Series: 0.5
Format: Audiobook
Time: 8 hrs. and 56  mins.
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren
Release Date: May 1, 2010  (Audiobook version: March 23, 2010)
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror, Humor, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Buy here:

Amazon |  Barnes & Noble  |  BetterWorldBooks  |  The Book Depository  |  IndieBound

Synopsis from Goodreads

Readers will witness the birth of a heroine in Dawn of the Dreadfuls— a thrilling prequel set four years before the horrific events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As our story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands—until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry. Suddenly corpses are springing from the soft earth—and only one family can stop them. As the bodies pile up, we watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. Along the way, two men vie for her affections: Master Hawksworth is the powerful warrior who trains her to kill, while thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny seeks to conquer the walking dead using science instead of strength. Will either man win the prize of Elizabeth’s heart? Or will their hearts be feasted upon by hordes of marauding zombies? Complete with romance, action, comedy, and an army of shambling corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave—and just might inspire her to crawl out of it!

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    Jane Austen plus zombies? What a dream come true for a girl like me. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls had me scared and laughing all at once. This is a prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. This is the one and only time I have read book 2 in a series before book 1. But I was lucky this was a prequel. I absolutely love this concept. We get to see how the Bennet family handles the zombie apocalypse. And they do it all with class, a little clumsiness and a lot of laughs. What exactly happened to the production for this movie? This would look and feel amazing on the big screen.

     This book immediately jumps into the action. The Bennet family is at a funeral that turns into a "reawakening". The Bennet daughters soon find out that their father is quite the warrior and expects them to follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately, given the society, the girls battle with being outcasts or fighting the coming zombie apocalypse. I love the whole setting of this book. I got the chance to listen to the audiobook version to this and the narrator Katherine Kellgren did such an amazing job. She captured the spirit of the characters beautifully. The snooty ones, the pompous ones, the very eccentric and everything in between.

    The range of characters in this book is incredible. They will stick with you long after you are done reading it. Both for good and bad reasons. My favorite was the lead Elizabeth. She is the middle Bennet daughter and she may be scared but she takes zombie killing seriously. I can't wait to go back and read her story from book 1. And it will most likely be on audiobook as well. Kellgren has quickly become a favorite. Her take on Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Keckilpenny were just a couple of many highlights. Mrs. Bennet has to be the most wretched woman in history. Goodness, I would gladly take on zombies before I have a conversation with that woman. I imagined Mr. Keckilpenny to be a younger David Tennant. He really did remind me of the Doctor. He was a fast talker, very lively and eccentric, and a little nerdy. I was attracted to him instantly.

     I love that this book has many characters and subplots, but they blend together beautifully. I did love the little love triangle between Elizabeth, Mr. Keckilpenny, and Mr. Hawksworth. But it won't go how you want it to. So I like the unpredictability, but was a little disappointed especially given the very end. I don't even want to talk about it.

    I love that zombies weren't the only villains in this book. To be honest, the zombies were good guys compared to the character I am referring to. Mr. Lumpley. Dear Lord, Mr. Lompley! He was a super gross, creepy rich man. You know Quagmire from Family Guy? You know, he will literally do the most disturbing and obscene things for sex? Well, that is Mr. Lumpley and his sights are Jane, the oldest Bennet daughter. I really wanted to slap her throughout this book. I know she isn't stupid, but her mother coddled her to the point that she was overly trusting. There was one scene where she had to be in Lumpley's house and it was clear Mr. Lumpley had plans. You knew what was going to happen. I was truly screaming at my stereo, "No no no no no!" I was frightened out of my mind for her. All because of damn Mr. Lumpley. Seriously, thank God for zombies!

    I love that Mr. Bennet is trying to toughen up his daughters. That is what this book is really about. Following their journey from being high society ladies who go to balls to be courted by rich men, to seeing them become warriors against zombies was a very fun ride. There are scenes in this book where seeing them shed their ladyness almost had me in tears. Like one of the Bennet girls taking five minutes to sit down on the ground "properly". Just imagining that drove me nuts. I honestly didn't think any of them had any hope except for Elizabeth.

    Dawn of the Dreadfuls was a great read. It is impossible to be bored by this book. It does have a few questionable moments and characters specifically with Mr. Bennet. He does things that I wasn't sure if he was the good or bad guy. But the book is still loads fun without being silly. Hockensmith did a great job with this book. I love the Victorian era with zombies as much as I love the Victorian era with a steampunk twist. Again, these are ideas I don't understand why Hollywood isn't persuing. Ridiculous if you ask me. I can't wait for more, I am hooked.

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*This book belongs to the following challenge*
BCC's 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2012

Movie Review: The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Synopsis from IMDB

Five teenagers head off for a weekend at a secluded cabin in the woods. They arrive to find they are quite isolated with no means of communicating with the outside world. When the cellar door flings itself open, they of course go down to investigate. They find an odd assortment of relics and curios but when one of the women, Dana, reads from a book she awakens a family of deadly zombie killers. There's far more going on however than meets the eye as the five campers are all under observation. 

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     Now I have said many of times before, being a horror movie fan is tough work. We are handed so much crap and still watch that crap for some resemblance of what we love. Now there have been a couple of exceptions to this recently, but none that have knocked my horror-loving ass out of my seat. Until now. I loved the hell out of this movie. Not only has Whedon and Goddard made a horror film that is genuinely scary, but also loads of fun. Thank you guys for showing people how it is done.

     This movie was so clever, I am sure it will be stolen and repeated by other directors in the future. I love the idea of a whole company creating situations and people to serve a bigger purpose. This company controls these young college students who are all fun and smart. They have degrees and all. But the company makes them into the regular cliches we see in every horror film to cheat their way out of not having the world destroyed by these ancient badass gods. I love the variety of monsters in this movie. There was more than just the gods. The way they were unlocked was genius. It is so true, always draw the line at the Latin.

      The charaters in the film were amazing. They were all close and knew each other very well. Everyone's favorite character was Marty (Francis Kranz), the potsmoker. He is the funniest character in the movie and he is the one with all the government conspiracy theories. He may have been high most of the time, but he figures things out a lot more quickly than everyone else. You also had Curt (Chris Hemsworth) the jock, Jules (Anna Hutchinson) the whore, Dana (Kristen Connolly) the virgin, and Holden (Jesse Williams) the scholar. The company made sure they all played into their game and they didn't even know. They were puppets. Goodness, this movie was brilliant!

      The pace of the movie is great. When it starts you are really thrown off guard because it makes absolutely no sense. I actually thought I walked into the wrong theater for a second. But once the ball starts rolling, it makes so much sense. Creepy and devious as hell, but it will make sense. And the whole movie works that way. Everything that appears to have no meaning or is confusing will knock you over the head later.

      For those that don't know, this film was shelved for about 4 years and was only now released. But what really sucks about that is the wait and the fact that when this finally came out, it wasn't advertised enough. This is a horror movie everyone of age should see and not enough did. I mean with all the time that has gone by, why not make the best of it? I just find that odd.

      The only complaints (not much but something) I have with this film is that they don't explain how this company came about. How did they know about all those monsters? There was also a scene in this movie that needed explaining as well. There was a scene where the company got sabotaged, but they never went into who did it. I have a very strong suspicion of who it was, but they never returned back to that. It would have made an interesting subplot is all. But none of that really matters because the ending result will still be the same which was insane and bloody to say the least.

     Overall, I recommend this to horror and nonhorror fans alike. The Cabin in the Woods is a super fun ride full of laughs and scares. We get everything from zombies to a homicidal unicorn (I know someone from Supernatural had to be connected to this) and many more monsters in between. Some of which I don't even have a name for (what the hell was that guy with razor thing going through his face?) Definitely check this movie out. You won't be sorry, just be cautious of any elevators.

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