Thursday, August 13, 2015

Beneath Blood and Bone

Welcome back to the zombie apocalypse already in progress!

Madeline Sheehan and Claire C. Riley pick things up from the perspective of Eagle. You met him in "Thicker Than Blood," he was the devil.

Anyway......

The story picks up with Eagle dealing with the aftermath of letting Evelyn and her crew leave Purgatory (the little slice of heaven it is). He's told the public face of Purgatory isn't happy with what he's done and his cotton candy trollop isn't thrilled either.

Soon we meet Autumn. She's been surviving in the only way she knows how- avoiding everything. She's caught outside the gate while foraging for food and gets dragged to Eagle. The cotton candy trollop has decided he gets to sort the nooblets.

Initial suggestions go awry, and Eagle meets back up with Autumn while she's trying to get the heck out of Dodge. In her own way, she knows what was planned for her and she really wants no part of it. Something clicks and Eagle decides to take her home and keep Autumn.

It takes a little time and a few mishaps, but Autumn gets a grip and starts to figure out some form of normal in Purgatory and that really doesn't sit well with the cotton candy trollop. She's got it figured out that she'll be replaced and no one really has time for that nonsense.

While fighting the reoccurring demons that led Eagle and his friend to create Purgatory, Eagle begins to realize what Autumn means to him and vice versa. Soon it becomes evident that with these feelings, they're not going to be safe for much longer in Purgatory.

Gut instincts prove true and while some obstacles stand in their way, Eagle and Autumn manage to free themselves from Purgatory and set off on their own, in search of their own form of happy. Good luck!

Loved the first book, devoured the second book and will likely now start stalking the Kindle page on Amazon waiting for book 3 to go on pre-order. The world these ladies created, while bleak like most things post apocalyptic, is still rich and makes you want to be there. Awesome. Simply awesome.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Thicker Than Blood

Welcome to the end of the world as presented by Madeline Sheehan and Claire C. Riley. They very clearly explain that we saw the end coming and did nothing about it, which let's face it, is completely correct. For every person who claims they're ready to go when the shit hits the fan, by the time they're really ready, it'll be too late.

Meet Leisel and Evelyn. They're the best of friends making things work in the new world. They live in a community of survivors who seem to continue on living while the undead roam around them. They're married, they have jobs and golly gosh doesn't that seem great?

Wrong.

When we meet Leisel, she's dealing with the ramifications of her most recent actions- killing her husband. No, he wasn't infected, he was just a wife beater and she had reached her limits. Normally, it would be considered self-defense, but not any more. Not only is it just outright death, but Leisel's husband was the leader of this community. Knowing what's going to happen, Leisel gives up and allows herself to be arrested.

When we meet Evelyn, she's getting it on with someone who isn't her husband because she finds her husband to be repulsive and someone she never wanted in the first place. Evelyn's fun is broken up by someone in the community telling her what Leisel has done. Evelyn tries to help her friend, but it falls on fat deaf ears.

Luckily, there are others on their side and now the only option is to escape from the community before Leisel's execution in the morning. This isn't fairy world you know.

The group of four becomes a group of three with Leisel and Evelyn learning life on the outside isn't much better than life had been on the inside. Life happens and soon Leisel is becoming more than what she had been before and Evelyn learns her friend may not always need a protector.

After a mishap and an encounter with a broken yet decent person, the group finds themselves in a place called Purgatory. It's pretty much what you'd expect, but it works just as well as any community. Everyone finds a "place" and they try to make things work until they can get what they need to continue on. They grasp pretty quickly that Purgatory lives up to its name and they won't be safe for long.

It takes some time, but a deal with the devil sealed in blood allows them to escape Purgatory. Soon it's just Leisel and Evelyn and their memories of the before times.

And then it's just one.



I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see how the rest of the series unfolds!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Godhead

Imagine, if you will, a world where the gods of Olympus are real. They went to war, they lost the war and the survivors came to live among us.

Now imagine the lineage of those survivors and what hunts them.

This is the world that Ken Mooney presents to us in the book Godhead, the first novel in The Last Olympiad series.

In this telling of the Greek myths, demons have laid siege to Mt. Olympus, Zeus has been killed and the land is in ruin. Other gods have been killed in the ensuing battles with these demons and what set in motion the ruin of Olympus falls on one of their own- Aphrodite (guess this really means love is a bitch).

The story picks up many many years later with the descendants of those who survived the slaughter and sealing of Olympus working to keep Aphrodite from getting what she wants and that's where The Circle comes in. They're a group made of up of the surviving lines- the gods who made it out of Olympus and managed to blend in with mortal society. Their purpose is to ensure Kaos remains right where it is and Aphrodite does not carry out the full weight of her revenge. Her revenge against the gods that never truly accepted her and whose leader sent her beloved husband into a war he never should have been a part in.

While we're spared recruitment and training montages, there is still betrayal to be had. We get to see the extent a person is willing to go for their own selfish means. All it really takes is one wish of selfishness seen through the eyes of righteousness.

As this chapter closes, one wish is granted, one wish is denied and a whole lot of hell has broken loose.


I was a little skeptical on the premise of the book, but the way everything was presented was really well written. In mythology, Aphrodite was a bit of a wild card when it came to her origins and she really wasn't the most stable (but then again most of the Greek gods were a little off in their own ways), so it's easy to see her losing it and causing mayhem on an epic scale.

Can't wait to see how this story continues and book 2 is already out, so happy reading ahead!


Saturday, August 8, 2015

The Secret Life of H.P. Lovecraft

Based on a tweet, I found this book was trying to be funded over at Indiegogo. I checked it out and the premise sounded interesting enough, so I added my 2 cents (not literally, but you get the idea) and waited for the funding period to end.

I received the book in the mail today and sat down to read it.

Well........

The book is more like a novella. It insinuates another side of H.P. Lovecraft- one where he was living the very things he wrote about. Where he was surrounded by so much death that it left him a hollow shell of himself. It's written from the POV of Lovecraft himself- how he keeps getting mysterious letters that lead him to different people in different locations with different outcomes.

It reads like a season of the Twilight Zone.

I'm not sorry that I decided to support the author's effort to get their words out there, but I think there is so much more that could have been done with it. It just felt lacking and I have no real emotions about reading it.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Creeping Death

Armand Rosamilia puts together a collection of tiny stories to give tiny glimpses into the horror the mind is capable of producing.

Dead Grass- Susan is alone with her mother. Everything is dying around them. It's all because of Justin. He says he has it under control. He wants to cure her. They're all alone now.

Creeping Death- Remember all those things your mom said would happen if you went listened to heavy metal music? Enjoy the artist's rendition found here!

God's Will- They say there are signs all around us put there to be a divine message to guide us, but what if they guided us to kill? And what if they guided us to our replacements?

Obsessed With a Song- Have you ever loved a song so much that you center your entire world around it? Commit murder for it?

Last Cigarette- Meet Daniel and Samantha, a couple having a nice conversation in their home. Then the dinner guest arrives. Welcome to the end of the world as they know it.

Rarest of the Rare- What would you do if you were given the rarest of the rare to read? Would you skip ahead? Read the ending before you should?

Tears of Blood- A happy story about getting rid of sparkly things.

Necromance: Bad Omen- The NSFW adventures of a necro bounty hunter.

Undead On Arrival- Working in a hospital can be pretty stressful, but when there are zombies involved, it's a whole new level of stress. Can the undead exact revenge on living?

'Til Death Do Us (Body) Part- A twist on what happens when you don't take your vows seriously. How long would it take you to listen?

Anger Issues- If you have trouble controlling your temper, then the zombpocalypse is just for you!

Three In the Morning- Sometimes you learn you're observing the wrong things at the wrong times, even early in the morning.

Armed and Dangerous-  In summation: Trophy wife puppet master

Whipporwil Valley Road- There are things that haunt us from our youth, some more literal than others. There are sacrifices that need to be made in order to move forward.

First Settlement- The zombie apocalypse started in Virginia and toddlers were the root cause. Google it!

Annie Morgan- Annie is just your average girl trying to make her way in a zombie filled world. She's managed to avoid any real killing, but nothing lasts forever.

Stories don't need to be very long to scare you. Fear of the unknown comes in all sizes. Once you are pointed in the right direction, your mind will fill in the blanks.........what was that bump in the night?

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The Dead Walk

So here we have a collection of zombie stories, a veritable zombie-o-rama if you will!

The Walking Man- Our collection kicks off with a story from Guy Burtenshaw. He tells us about a man surviving in the wake of the zombie apocalypse. During his routine trip to a nearby liquor store, he encounters the wrong type of survivor, but manages to escape and be rescued by a group living in a mall. There he learns that some of the undead have been continuing what they did when they were still alive. What follows is very unexpected.

Spiders in from the Garden- Jason R. Davis tells us about George. He's a simple man who's lived a simple life and is enjoying his retirement. Until his gardening is interrupted by the undead. His wife finds him at the back door trying to get in. She lets him in and seals his fate. The cause of the undead? Well there's just no newspaper big enough.....

Afterlife Death- Jeremy Thompson gives a cautionary tale of science going a little too far. Sign your body over to science and you run the chance of coming back in a way you never expected. Don't let it get you down though. If you can survive long enough, people don't want to touch you, but I hear the buffet is amazing.

Plague Ferry- Matthew Pedersen presents zombies in space! One of the last sane people left in the ship realizes what the plague victims are doing to the other people on the ship. The captain won't listen and when the sane person's ray of sunshine goes away, so does his sanity. And that's what you get for not listening to reason.

They Walk the Night- Kevin A. Harris introduces us to Seymour, an anthropologist, visiting Haiti to learn about creatures called zombie. Seymour talks to locals, reads some local books on the subject and encounters a zombie. Then the dreams start. Seymour even thinks he encounters a zombie. Then one night it all becomes clear before it goes dark. A man, a plan, a zombie, Haiti!

Thirty Seconds- Eugene Gramelis talks about what it would be like to bring someone back from the dead, if only for a little bit. That's what Bob and Malcom have done. The effects only last for about 30 seconds, but sometimes that's just enough time to learn of betrayal. It was never a life for a life, it was just revenge. Time for you to go home to your wife. She "needs" you.

Requiem for the Living- Timothy A. Wiseman kicks things off with a man devouring his wife. Now before you just go ick, there are a few things to consider. The man had been traveling and came home to his family. He knew he didn't feel right, but he kept going along with the daily grind until it was clear something was wrong and he was admitted to the hospital. He makes a recovery, but just not in the way that was expected.

A Flash of Light- Stuart Conover's Justin has just woken up in a hospital after being sick. Justin thinks this is a fine thing but soon starts to realize that everything might not be ok. His roommate keeps groaning, but no one has really come to check on them. After a slightly comedic thump to the floor, Justin checks on his roommate. Before everything comes to a head, Justin realizes he may not be fully in control of himself. Bright light bang!

Zombi 6: Salvation- James Park pens an open letter from a survivor to the rest of what remains of humanity.The undead are winning and so now is as good a time as any to reflect on some observations about the undead and their habits, the world at large's situation and some of the more mundane things about survival. Salvation will come from Charlene.

Survivalism- Amy Braun's survivor is a running for their lives while strapped into a straitjacket. It's not what you think. They're just really intense. When it really comes down to it, no matter how much you prepare and get ready, there's always some variable you can't prepare for and you might as well go out swinging.

Six- Daniel DeLong's story finds two survivors in a basement while the undead are trying to get in. It takes a little time, but they focus and find they may have a chance at salvation. We leave them as their attempt is under way, but you can't help but feel a little hope for them.

The Season- Brendan Wilhelm talks about a community where the dead come back to life once a year to roam their town. Sometimes they're let in, sometimes they're blocked. Sometimes they're the love of your life and you're truly good and ready to spend eternity with them.

The Le Ka Massacre- Joseph Rubas talks about an incident during the Vietnam War. The unit was supposed to go check out a disturbance in a village, but they weren't expecting what they found. They didn't expect the outcome that followed. It was their own. It was their own!

Zen and the Art of Bicycle Delivery- Michael Seese presents a fun twist on zombies. Our delivery person talks about the before and after and what led them to their present lot in life. Hurry with that delivery, but hold the anchovies!

Virulent- Eric Morgner ends this anthology with a cliffhanger entry about a group of survivors trying to escape and find a brighter future. What a cruel way to end things.






Sunday, July 26, 2015

Zombie Tea Party

Zombie Tea Party sounds like it should be a retelling of Alice in Wonderland with zombies (oooo, would the caterpillar be smoking brains?), but instead we're treated to a collection of zombie stories by Armand Rosamilia!

Zelebrity Money- The things you'll do for money, even when zombies are about, will inevitably lead you to screw over family when they don't see things in the same way you do.

Zombies, Dogs and Old Bones- We join the start of the zombie apocalypse already in progress. Safety should be of the utmost concern, but it can also lead to some strange strange places. Welcome home!

First Settlement- A theory on what lead to the demise of the Lost Colony in Virginia. That's right- Toddlers.

Manhattan Is A @#$%^&* Island- Survival works when you have a shred of hope to hang onto. Like finding your brothers......just not like that. Never like that. Bang.

Southern Barbeque- Delusions of family gatherings while zombies are "attending" church.

Trail of the Undead- Hillbillies! Hiking! Lack of neighborly concern! Hillbilly zombies!

Swim Out Past The Breakers- Further proof there are all sorts of idiots when stuff starts going down. Zombie surfers. Cowabrainga dude!

Blind In Texas- When you find yourself injured and a liability, folks are going to get what they can out of you and no amount of praying or bargaining is going to fix that.

Caution, Smoke Ahead- The strength of a mother's love will make her do anything for a child. Unless mother's intuition gets jammed by zombies.

This Is The End- We won! We won! Come join us! Come survive! Headshot. It's the principle of the thing you know.

Sanctuary- If you're going to face the end of the world with someone, make sure that you can really stand that person and anyone they bring with them.

The tea party winds up with a note from the author explaining how he got into the world of zombies, as well as an extended peek into the life of everyone's favorite Zombie Killer- Darlene Bobich.

Until next time, toodles!