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The Scattered and the Dead by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus

3/12/2016

Author: Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus

Title: The Scattered and the Dead

Pages: 162

Genre: New Adult Dystopian

Publisher: Smarmy Press

Date published: February 2, 2016

Format: ebook

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Synopsis:
"All my friends are dead. Everyone I've ever cared about is dead."

Loneliness drives an introvert to write a letter to the girl in the apartment across the hall. He is anxious. Reclusive. Desperate for a friend. The apocalypse interrupts this attempt at human contact.

Now he watches out the window as the world gets cut to pieces by plague and riots. Buildings burn. Pedestrians vomit blood.

Soon the bodies line the streets. Rumors of zombies spread. And then the power goes out.

Getting to know someone could be harder than he thought, let alone surviving in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

He might even need to leave the apartment.

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*Some spoilers*
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Wow, what the heck.

It isn't a question. It's a "my mind is blown" paraphrasing statement of awe. I watched Decker become a creature fully adapted to cope with a post-apocalyptic world filled with lonely violence and cold-blooded, instinctual killing.

The book was written in first-person, which I never have a problem with; I've always found it to be easier to immerse myself and relate to the character.

I enjoyed, thoroughly, the suspense the countdown in the letters gave. One usually reads books and stories about After the apocalypse, but not the months or weeks leading up to it. The idea is a terrifying one that resonated once I read the part about the Florida zombies. I remember that being in the news and I believe the link between reality and the surrealistic world in this novel made it even more immersive. That was my "Oh crap!" moment.

I'm head over heels for this book and I really want the second one and all the others that will ever exist to be in my hands right now. This novel made me horrified to watch as Decker became some sort of sociopath after having been a complete nerd. Reading this.... Did I become as crazy as he is? As ruthless? As insanely pragmatic?

I'm questioning my sanity after reading this; it seemed so easy for him to become this beast. Could I?

I bought this book via Kindle Unlimited, recommended by the author. In exchange for this happily traumatic experience, I am giving an honest review. Thank you Lex T. Vargas!

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Wolf Land Book One: Bluebells

3/7/2016

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Author: Fiona McShane

Title: Wolf Land Book One: Bluebells

Pages: 182

Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Paranormal & Urban

Publisher: Red Amazon Digital Services

Date Published: April 16, 2015

Format: Mobi

Source: Author

Read: Feb

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Review

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WL: Bluebells was truly a great book. I had read no synopsis beforehand and was pleasantly surprised to find it written in a style befitting its setting. The speech patterns were all there as well. I also appreciate that McShane didn't attempt to emulate the accent for the era as it could have come off as cheesy considering the time the story was set.

The flow the story was very good and each chapter, if it was set in another character's point of view, was clearly labeled for less confusion.

As for the characters, I loved Sorcha! Her reactions were realistic with a proper amount of courage and I'm fascinated by her history. The lore in the book is more than interesting and the mysteries are worth trying to unravel! Rory will become more interesting, I'm sure, as the series progress. He's been through some trials but I would enjoy more development of his personality. The book doesn't really center on him as much as Sorcha, however, so it is not anywhere near a grievance for the story.

I highly recommend this book as a historical fantasy for my friends and family sincerely for the romantic setting and course of events that don't just happen in a week, but over the span of years! *That* is a realistic timeline and I enjoy it!

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Squirrel Bait by Chip Davis

3/3/2016

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Author: Chip Davis

Title: Squirrel Bait

Series: Chip's Dollar Dreadfuls, #1

Pages: 89

Genre: Paranormal, Humor

Date published: February 21, 2016

Format: ebook

Source: Amazon

Synopsis:
Tonya the librarian has an unusual passion for books, even for a librarian. When her books are harmed she takes it personally. When people turn up dead over damaged books, there are questions to answer. When the killer is a weresquirrel, the questions become more confusing.

There is a certain pretentiousness in classical literature. Elegant writing filled with meaning both astounding and sublime. This is not that. Not horrific enough to be horror, nor humorous enough to be comedy, welcome to Chip’s Dollar Dreadfuls. There may not be any fundamental truths, but there will be blood...so much blood.

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Review

I can't unread this. It's taken an hour and a half of my time I can't get back and I wish it had been more! When is the sequel??

Fast-paced rhythm and turnabouts that keep you on your toes, this story has much potential for sequels, prequels, and any other -quels! Fantastically silly/serious, the amount of tongue-in-cheek makes only *typing* this review possible.

I want to know more about the "Slenderman" in the book and his deathly hallowed book!!

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Niko by Kayti Nika Raet

2/29/2016

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Author: Kayti Nika Raet

Title: Niko

Series: The Outsiders Chronicles, #1

Pages: 231

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

Date published: April 28, 2013

Format: ebook

Source: review request

Synopsis:
One can live for several weeks without food but only a few days without water, a fact seventeen year old Niko is only too aware of as she struggles to provide for her two younger brothers in a post apocalyptic landscape where the rain burns like acid, food grows increasingly scarce and any Slither that crosses her path is laid low before it can sink its teeth into her.

Then one night everything she'd ever worked for and loved is consumed by a raging fire, leaving her with one brother missing, the other dead and herself gravely injured.

She's rescued by the Rose Circle, a rogue group of Slither hunters. They sneak her into Amaryllis City, a decadent metropolis where those able to pay the exorbitant entrance fee live a life of relative ease.

But for Niko, Amaryllis City is not the haven she grew up believing it would be and her unique abilities as a Slither hunter make her a particularly visible target to a city with hopes of experimentation, replication and other nasty bits.

All Niko ever wanted to do was find her baby brother, but that's proving to be harder than expected.

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Review

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told in a unique way that I found myself getting used to quickly in order to absorb more of the events happening in the book. I will mention that since I don't happen to read books with a lot of diversity, I was happily surprised to find the main character is a black teen female. I loved it. I found myself paying special attention to the hinting discriptors for skin color for each character, which is not something I've ever been prone to do. Seems like every other novel is lead by a white/perfectly tanned person, and it's boring!

The action in Niko is fantastic and engaging! And there weren't any leaps of logic that shook me out of the book either, something I appreciate greatly!

I definitely recommend this to other readers who are tired of the same old drivel and looking to diversify their reading selection

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Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel

1/24/2016

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Author: Karissa Laurel

Title: Midnight Burning

Pages: 288

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC.

Date Published: July 7, 2015

Format: Mobi

Source: Author

Read: January 22, 2016

Synopsis:

Solina Mundy lives a quiet life, running the family bakery in her small North Carolina hometown. But one night, she suffers a vivid nightmare in which a wolfish beast is devouring her twin brother, who lives in Alaska. The next morning, police notify her that Mani is dead. Driven to learn the truth, Solina heads for the Land of the Midnight Sun. Once there, she begins to suspect Mani’s friends know more about his death than they’ve let on. Skyla, an ex-Marine, is the only one willing to help her.

As Solina and Skyla delve into the mystery surrounding Mani’s death, Solina is stunned to learn that her own life is tied to Mani’s friends, his death, and the fate of the entire world. If she can’t learn to control her newfound gifts and keep her friends safe, a long-lost dominion over mortals will rise again, and everything she knows will fall into darkness.

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Review

"Midnight Burning" by Karissa Laurel was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I will forgo the traditional synopsis and dive straight in! *Some Spoilers*

I am a sucker for anything supernatural, mythological, historical, and, generally, feels like a learning experience. The story starts off slow and is clearly set up as a mystery, but is otherwise, quite mundane. Just a young woman looking for her brother's murderer, right? I was more than happy to learn I was right and wrong! The hook for me was subtle: Solina's visions of her twin brother's murder. Other than that one mention, I didn't read anything with supernatural undertones for a few chapters! The author was clever enough to leave it at that one line and didn't go into detail so I was left wondering to myself if maybe it had only been a fluke, maybe leftovers from a previous editing session?

I was hooked, line and sinker! I thought I was the fisherman, all the while being silly enough to not notice when I was the one being reeled in. The story unfolded at a great pace and I always appreciate a strong female protagonist point of view.

There is a bit of romance, befitting any story written. Solina's romantic interest seems obvious at first, but again, Laurel comes in with an unseen hook. I enjoy surprises like this talented author has been giving me.

My only disappointment with this novel is my own fault: I hadn't been anticipating the end of it until the last words. Another surprise! Time to get the next in the series!

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Finding Forever by Linda Oaks

1/24/2016

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Author: Linda Oaks

Title: Finding Forever

Pages: 206

Genre: NA Romance

Publisher: Blue Tulip Publishing

Date Published: October 29, 2015

Format: Mobi

Source: Author

Read: January 15, 2016

Synopsis:

What if forever was never meant to be?

Kara Thorn had always been the confident one until the fateful day her heart was shattered. She lost the one person she thought would never walk away….

Devon McGraw, the man who had promised her forever.

When Kara returns to her hometown for a wedding, fate intervenes throwing her and Devon together once again. Their chemistry is stronger than ever before, but Devon is not the same guy that Kara fell in love with. The man he’d become had a past, and it was complicated.

He wanted a week, but Kara wants forever.

Will Kara forgive Devon’s past or will her own ruin any chance of her finding forever?

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Review

*Some Spoilers*

I was given this book free in exchange for an honest review. Assuming you have read the other reviews given about this book, I'll leave out the synopsis. I have not read the first book in the series.

This author is up-and-coming into her own in the romantic genre. Oaks has the erotic scenes down pat and her supporting characters have true depth. For a short novel, that is a great accomplishment. Many short novels have names for plot devices rather than characters and history. I also really loved that the main character spoke in first person, a tactic that usually helps me put myself into the main character's shoes.

On a purely technical note, there were a few grammar mistakes; no big deal. Even George R. R. Martin has those. The transitions between chapters were great, each end leaving you with a tasty bit of information, enticing you to read another.

The main characters, Devon and Kara, in my opinion, have little maturity when handling the situation in which they find themselves. And Blair could have been a masterful opponent to Kara if Kara had a bit more spine. This is my main issue.

However, I understand heartbreak; I understand trauma. The only thing you can do when you've been blasted with headliner news about your loved one is *maybe* breathe. But then, Kara is very different than the woman I am. No doubt, I've handled stress as badly as she did when I was her age. (She's 24 and I'm 28.) Kara is super sweet, endearing, and beautifully kind. Noting those characteristics, I understand her sensitivities and reactions. I do not have the same reactions and I'm afraid it held me back from immersing fully into the book. She doesn't have the experience to react to her trauma in any other way, hence the emotional rollercoaster.

Devon is a statuesque piece of man flesh that sometimes speaks enough to drive Kara to the nutty house. He is the second main character of Finding Forever, next to Kara. There are some rationales given to the reader for Devon's actions: stubbornness, feeling responsible to a fault, guilt. Besides being a somewhat decent father, he does not seem to have a personality beyond his lust for Kara. However ideal, his motivation for pushing Kara away in the first place seems decent, it truly speaks to how weak he believes Kara is at handling stressful situations. Overly protective, much? Conversation between Kara and Devon feels lackluster, but the reader can easily feel the love that Kara has for him.

Reading the first book in the series is on my list of things to do since I seem to have a difficult time understanding the "Why" behind their love.

I have read hundreds of romance novels and I recognize this plot line. I truly don't mind the story or how it is told. There is a great blossoming talent in Linda Oaks. I enjoyed the story very much, despite my nit-picking and cried a few times. (Father abandonment issues, anyone? Just me? Okay...) I don't believe in-depth psychology is a field in which every aspiring writer should be a professional, but I hope that the main characters have another novel coming their way where they have a chance to develop into the heroes they could be!

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Rising Darkness by Shannon Mayer

1/24/2016

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Author: Shannon Mayer

Title: Rising Darkness (Rylee Adamson #9)

Pages: 270

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy

Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing

Date Published: April 28, 2015

Format: Kindle edition

Source: Amazon

Read: November 11-13, 2015

Synopsis:

“My name is Rylee and I am a Tracker.”

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I’m the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

One last salvage and the final battle with Orion and the demon hordes will be upon me. I don't know the name of the person I'm Tracking, or what she looks like so finding her is going to be . . . impossible. But she is the key to defeating the demons.

The world has been swept with a plague that is killing not only the humans, but every supernatural it touches. While I’m out Tracking, my allies are being wiped out.

Worse than all of this? I am losing Pamela to the darkness with every second that passes.

I'm not sure even I can control any of these outcomes

But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try.

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Review

This series is seriously frickin' fun! If anyone reads this review before reading any of the books, I highly recommend just buying them all outright--you'll do it eventually anyway. The jokes, the cussing, the priceless emotional roller coaster is the joy and despair of any avid reader. Rylee Adamson is straightforward, practical, and violently lovable. To read these books is to become part of the family, and you are welcome to it. It's a hodge podge of characters!!

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Leverage by Nancy S. Thompson

11/2/2015

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Author: Nancy S. Thompson

Title: Leverage

Series: The Mistaken, #2

Pages: 433

Genre: Thriller & Suspense

Date published: April 24, 2014

Format: ebook

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Synopsis:
Four years ago, Tyler Karras' quest to avenge his wife's death led to all out war with San Francisco's Russian Mafia. With the Bratva's collapse and its king long dead, all Ty wants now is to put it behind him and enjoy a second chance at life with his new bride, Hannah. But the Bratva's heir has returned, bitter and determined. He wants his kingdom back, and he's more than willing to leverage Ty's new family to get it.

First he targets Conner, Ty's brooding nineteen-year-old stepson, manipulating the boy into a vortex of sex, drugs, alcohol, and gambling. Then he turns his sights on Hannah. At eight months pregnant, she's the ultimate bargaining chip. With all their lives in jeopardy, Ty has little choice but to do as commanded. But Tyler swore he'd never kill again. He buried that monster years ago and means to keep it that way.

With his family on the line, Ty crosses further into the dark side than ever before, challenging everything he believes about himself and forcing him to face the ghosts of his past. Only then will he discover if he has the strength to sacrifice his last chance at redemption in exchange for the lives of those he loves most.

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I enjoyed Leverage by Nancy S. Thompson a bit more than I did her first installment of the series, Mistaken. The twists in the story were pleasant and happily unexpected.

That said....Would have appreciated fewer self-tortured inner dialogues after the first dozen. In addition, the romance felt forced, the love felt immature, and the characters were underwhelming. Perhaps I'm jaded but a thriller/suspense novel should have me invested by hour three.

And it should be noted that no one can learn to snipe professionally in just 18 hours. That seemed like a cheap plot device, like a montage from an 80s movie.

Perhaps the most personally offensive part in this series is how weak the main female protagonist is. She's survives; that's awesome! But at nearly every turn, she panics and screws things up. There is nothing wrong with being a victim to traumatic events but she learned kickboxing in the last book and she used none of those skills in this one. Even pregnant, she should have kicked some serious bad guy ass.

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The Mistaken by Nancy S. Thompson

10/24/2015

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Author: Nancy S. Thompson

Title: The Mistaken

Series: The Mistaken, #1

Pages: 420

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

Date published: December 9, 2013

Format: ebook

Source: KU

Synopsis:
Tyler Karras is an honest man, a transplanted Brit living the American dream, but his charmed life takes an unexpected turn when his brother, Nick, is coerced into joining ranks with San Francisco's Russian mafia. Ty intervenes to secure Nick's freedom, yet only succeeds in incurring their wrath. With no choice but to accept Nick's new life, Ty returns to his own, but his dreams are dashed when his wife, pregnant with their first child, is killed, the victim of a reckless crime.

Despondent and bitter, Ty macerates his grief in alcohol. From the depths of the bottle screams a voice, howling for vengeance. His target is a stranger, the woman who drew his wife toward her death. He doesn't know her, but he'll find her, and when he does, he will make her pay, for a deal has been struck with Nick's Russian associates, Nick's freedom for hers, enslaving her into a life of sexual bondage. But as Ty moves forward in a cloud of alcohol, he mistakes the wrong woman for his intended victim, and now all his plans have gone straight to hell.

With his eyes made clear by the stark reality of his mistake, Ty is driven, compelled by remorse and a relentless sense of guilt to make amends and protect Hannah Maguire, the innocent woman whose life he has derailed. He vows to keep her safe and out of the Russian's hands, but they're holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal and turn over the girl. Once again, he must fight to free his brother, miring all three lives in further jeopardy. But Ty can't do it all, save the girl, his brother, and his own soul. One of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.

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Review

I downloaded this book for free from KU and am reviewing it honestly, without compensation, as a member of Platypire Reviews. I did not read any reviews before reading this book.

Mistaken by Nancy S. Thompson has good intentions going in. I started reading it, feeling that it was climbing its way to a great climax in plot twist. I've read books enthusiastically and when I find a great book, I devour it. No such thing as wasting time if I spend 10 hours straight reading a book, simply because I'm experiencing that world and I don't hold back. Unfortunately, three hours in, the story feels like it has yet to hook me, but I'm stubborn so I keep going. As soon as it comes to the point where Hannah looks eerily similar to the woman Ty wants to kidnap (no, it's not spoilers, it's in the description), I see exactly where the entire book is going. And, of course, Hannah suffers a big ole case of Stockholm Syndrome that dances on the lines of worship. Ty is no better towards Hannah and they fall into a desperate love (read: obsession) with each other. The biggest twist is at the end and I'm finally surprised, but only because there had been nearly no indication it was possible to begin with. After reading everything, I was okay with that twist though it changed nothing on the happily ever after ending. Perhaps the best part was when Ty showed some character development and killed. The story didn't feel real. The Russian Mafia didn't feel wholly present except as a plot tool.

As for the writing itself, the story was mechanical. A cookie cutter plot with nearly no emotional investment despite the tragedies that were written. The story tends to wander in setting up the background of the characters without giving a feel for who everyone else. The story was a long shot from poetry but it did get the point across, however falteringly.

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Shadowed Threads by Shannon Mayer

10/17/2015

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Author: Shannon Mayer

Title: Shadowed Threads

Series: Rylee Adamson, #4

Pages: 270

Genre: Paranormal

Publisher: HiJinks Ink Publishing

Date published: August 15, 2013

Format: ebook

Source: Amazon

Synopsis:
"My name is Rylee, and I am a Tracker."

When children go missing, and the Humans have no leads, I'm the one they call. I am their last hope in bringing home the lost ones. I salvage what they cannot.

O’Shea is AWOL, and Tracking him is proving to be harder than I expected.

Not to mention the small fact that I have the Beast of Bodmin Moor chasing me across Europe, in a race against the odds, and my life as the prize.

But those things are minor compared to the secrets that finally come to light.

Secrets I wish had stayed hidden in the darkness . . . .

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Review

So much more put together and solid than the other novels, I'm excited to watch this author bring this story to life! I'd recommend to anyone that enjoys light romance and snarky commentary from the feisty main character Rylee!

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PaperVida

The Scattered and the Dead by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus

Review

Wolf Land Book One: Bluebells

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Squirrel Bait by Chip Davis

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Niko by Kayti Nika Raet

Review

Midnight Burning by Karissa Laurel

Review

Finding Forever by Linda Oaks

Review

Rising Darkness by Shannon Mayer

Review

Leverage by Nancy S. Thompson

Review

The Mistaken by Nancy S. Thompson

Review

Shadowed Threads by Shannon Mayer

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