- Written by: Adam J. Whitlatch
- Narrated by: A.W. Miller
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:10-09-15
- Publisher: Adam J. Whitlatch
- Matt Freeborn is a weller, one whose job is to seek out the most valuable commodity in the wastes: clean, potable water. The weller's precious cargo makes him a prime target for attack from savage road pirates, grotesque mutants, ravenous cannibals, and ruthless private armies. Armed with his trusty sidearm, the Well Digger, Freeborn is fully prepared to handle any of these terrors, but there are still things even the weller fears: the bogeymen of the wastes...distillers.
My Thoughts:
The cover initially drew me in for this book, but it was the description that hooked me. The idea that water is a thing that isn't freely available was fascinating.
Matt Freeborn is a Wellar. It's his job to find clean water in a world devastated after a nuclear war. It's a thankless and deadly job. He is constantly on alert for road pirates, cannibals, mutants and even private armies, but the one thing he dreads above all are the distillers. These "people" literally drain whatever water a body holds and uses that as their water. Matt has never encountered these but on his current journey, he not only faces them, but he has to escape from them.
This. Was. Freaking. Awesome!!!! Not at all what I was expecting but absolutely brilliant. I love anything post apocalyptic or dystopian and this has a bit of both in it. It's also a really unique and entertaining story. I loved the overall Mad Max feel of the desert chases with the pirates, they were action packed and engrossing!
The plot was interesting and gripping. I absolutely hated the distillers yet they sent a shiver down my spine every time they were mentioned. They are a terrifying and quite disgusting thought but it added to the overall feel of the book.
The characters are all well written and developed and I loved each one. Matt is a no nonsense, kick ass man with a very cool weapon! He doesn't take any prisoners and isn't afraid to do what's needed!!
Everything about this entertained me and I really really hope we see more set in this world and these characters. It's a fast paced and delightful read and one I'd recommend highly!!
A.W. Miller did a great job with the narration. He had the right tone at the right time and was able to ramp up the tension when needed. I will have to check out more by this narrator!
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review, via Audio Book Blast. This in no way affects my thoughts."
- Written by: Rick Chesler, David Sakmyster
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:07-10-15
- Publisher: Rick Chesler and David Sakmyster
- An Antarctic research team hoping to study microbial organisms in an underground lake discovers something far more amazing: perfectly preserved dinosaur corpses. After one thaws and wakes ravenously hungry, it becomes apparent that death, like life, will find a way. Environmental activist Alex Ramirez, son of the expedition's paleontologist, came to Antarctica to defend the organisms from extinction, but soon learns that it is the human race that needs protecting.
My Thoughts:
OK, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this!! I mean zombie dinosaurs!!! How can that not be fun ;) Lol. No really, I did end up enjoying this because I went into it with no expectations and with the idea that this is like those b list horror movies that my parents used to watch! I knew it wouldn't be believable, I knew after reading some of the negative reviews not to expect much, but despite my apprehensions of it being a flop, I really enjoyed it. It grabbed my attention from the very first page and I was hooked the whole way through.
I'm not going to summarize this because I really think it's better not knowing, all I'm going to say is there are zombie freaking dinosaurs in it!!!!! Oh and we have regular old zombies too, but the main attraction is zombie dinosaurs!!!!
The plot, despite being way out there, is fast paced and entertaining. I had a hard time taking out my headphones because I wanted to see what would happen next. At times I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see would the humans make it!!!This would make for a very entertaining movie ;)
The characters were all well written and developed. There wasn't one I disliked and the main character Alex really grew throughout the story. I was rooting for him and Veronica the whole way through.
In all this was an entertaining and quite addictive read! I think if you go into it expecting nothing then you will enjoy it. I am eagerly awaiting book 2 and really hope it comes to audio soon!!!
Andrew Tell was fantastic. He had a range of accents and gave each character their own voice. I had no problem following who was talking and he kept my attention throughout.
- Written by: Belinda Frisch
- Narrated by: Julia Farmer
- Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:04-17-15
- Publisher: Belinda Frisch
It's not just the house that's haunted.Harmony Wolcott has lived her entire life on the fringe, wishing more often than not that she could end it all. After a failed suicide attempt heightens her visibility in the Child Protective Services system, she has no choice but to hide the details about the home life she's run from.Adam, Harmony's formerly homeless boyfriend, has learned to fend for himself. Despite a past he's reluctant to talk about, Adam has risen above his circumstances and is trying to get Harmony to do the same.Only loving someone so damaged isn't easy.A recurring nightmare chips away at Harmony's facade of normalcy, reminding her of a time hidden so deep in her memory that it blurs the line between dream and reality. Convinced the nightmares are an otherworldly attempt at telling her something, Harmony employs the help of a spirit board and her best friend, Brea, to uncover a secret she's kept even from herself.Brea, who is trying to piece together the mystery of why her father walked out on their family 14 years earlier, knows it's something to do with Harmony's mother and a night no one is willing to talk about.A tragic discovery threatens to unravel Harmony's patched-together life, dragging both Brea and Adam down with her and proving, with devastating consequences, that sometimes the past is better left buried.
My Thoughts:
Harmony is living with her boyfriend Adam, since her mom is an alcoholic and abusive. She is trying to live her life as best she can but its hard! She runs around making sure her mother doesn't kill herself, while trying to keep out of the spotlight so social services doesn't make her go to a home. She also seems to be plagues with nightmares at the exact same time every night. The one good thing in her life is her friend Brea. But Brea is finding it hard to help Harmony when it seems that she is on a path of destruction. Also Breas mother doesn't want her near Harmony! Can Harmony figure out what her nightmares mean before it's too late??
This was one heck of an intense read. was really torn about Harmony. Despite rooting for her, she was a hard character to like. I felt sorry for her and just wanted to wrap her up in a cuddle with all she went through, but she was self centered, and toxic to Brea! Harmonys life has been far from easy but some of the decisions she made just had me liking her less and less! Saying that now, she is still an extremely well written and fleshed out character.
Brea is one of the good ones, a friend who is always there no matter what. I loved that she tried with Harmony though was glad in a way that she woke up and saw Harmony for who she was. I'm also glad that she was there for Harmony though when nobody else was. I wanted her to try to wake Harmony up yet also wake up herself!!
The plot was fast paced though predictable. I was expecting a bit more scary and for some reason thought there was a paranormal element but what I got was a slightly dark mystery. I was a little disappointed with that but didn't let it detract from the story.
In all I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's an intense and emotional read and one I devoured. Don't go into it expecting horror and I think you may enjoy it more.
I enjoyed Julia Farmer narrating the story. She was clear and concise and pulled me into the book.
Mini Review: A masterful imaginative retelling of Frankenstein!
I find that the steampunk genre is hit or miss with me, so I went into this a little hesitantly but also eagerly to see how the author can mix Frankenstein with steampunk! It turns out that she can do it awesomely!!!
It took me a little while to get fully into the story but once I did, I devoured it. All the characters are well written and developed and the plot moves along nicely. It's hard to believe that this is the authors debut novel and in my opinion, makes her one to watch. This had a lot going for it, it was intriguing, captivating and imaginative and I can safely say that it's one to read.
Mini Review: A unique and engaging read.
This sounded so so good and it was one of my highly anticipating reads. I went into it eagerly and while I enjoyed it, I also felt disappointed. What let me down the most was the love triangle, sigh!! I hate them so much and tend to steer clear from them but didn't know this had one! I get what the author was doing but the love triangle was unnecessary.
Other than that, I enjoyed this. Loved the idea of the human zoo and the idea that they had to solve puzzles inside to earn things. I also loved the idea of the other places people were kept, it was unique and brought something new to the book. The setting was another plus for the story, though I wanted a little bit more otherworldly feel to it.
In all a unique read and I will definitely keep reading the series to see what happens.
- Written by: Jeremiah Knight
- Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:09-21-15
- Publisher: Breakneck Media
Desperate to solve a global food shortage, ExoGen scientist Dr. Ella Masse oversees the creation and release of RC-714, a gene that unlocks millions of years of adaptation and evolution, allowing crops to use long dormant junk DNA to rapidly adapt to any environment. The world's food supply grows aggressively, occupying every inch of earth, no matter how inhospitable. World hunger is averted. Humanity flourishes. RC-714 is digested, absorbed and passed on.The Change affects small, fast breeding mammals first. They multiply with the same aggressive speed as the ExoGen plants, but a new, insatiable hunger drives them to violence. War between species breaks out. And then RC-714 reaches humanity, along with every other large creature on the planet. Civilization implodes, as every living thing that consumed the ExoGen crops begins to adapt to a world full of predators, accessing genes dating back to the beginning of life itself.Peter Crane and his son Jakob survive the Change, living in their family farmhouse and eating non-ExoGen food from a biodome, one of many provided by Ella Masse, who discovered the ramifications of her breakthrough too late. The pair ekes out a living in a world full of monsters, surviving until Ella shows up on their doorstep with her daughter, pursued by desperate predators and men alike.As the farmhouse falls under attack, Crane learns that the end of humanity, of life on Earth, can still be averted: if Ella Crane and her daughter survive, and if they make it to the other side of the country without being captured...or consumed.
My Thoughts:
This was freaking ah-maz-ing!!!! I absolutely adored everything about this, I mean it has deadly rabbits in it!!! How can something like that not be all types of awesomeness. ;)
Well the summary pretty much says it all so I'm just going to get to my gushing about this wonderfully unique and scary book.
Right, character wise each of them were well written and developed. First we have Peter and his son Jakob, who are (as the summary says) "living in their family farmhouse and eating non-ExoGen food from a biodome, one of many provided by Ella Masse, who discovered the ramifications of her breakthrough too late. The pair ekes out a living in a world full of monsters, surviving until Ella shows up on their doorstep with her daughter, pursued by desperate predators and men alike." Both of these were strong capable characters. I liked Jakobs spirit and I liked how he knew his weaknesses too. He wasn't afraid to say that he knew he was slowing them down! It's a nice change from the gung ho type of character, that thinks he is invincible! Jakob knew his limits yet did everything he could to help.
Peter mean while, was more than capable. He was such a take charge, tough, smart and brave character, that it was hard not to like him. He had a relationship with Ella Masse but married someone else. He still mourns his wife but when Ella turns up, he can feel some of the old feelings still there. Being Ex-Military, he is definitely someone you want on your side, which is why Ella Masse turns up!
Speaking of Ella. Her team was the one that started all this. They created the GMO and pushed it into development without knowing the full scale of the side affects. She turns up at Peters door with her daughter and some unwelcome, deadly creatures chasing her. She is intent on undoing the wrong but can she make it to the lab in time??
Plot wise, it's extremely fast paced and intense! It's also quite scary and makes you think! The fact that so many artificial things are put into food, you could totally relate to what happened here. The GMOs caused animals and people to mutate!! It cause prey to become predator!!! It's scary to even think about still!!! Yet totally engrossing. I started listening to this and honestly couldn't stop. I needed to see what happened. It's definitely a book you don't want to start late at night though, because it will keep you up, both with the scary factor and the way it will grab you and not let go.
In all, this was an amazingly addictive read. It's one I can't recommend enough and one I hope to see everyone try! It's movie material!!!! In case you can't tell with all the exclamation points in my review, I loved this!!! It's a unique and brilliant post apocalyptic read, and one with man eating bunnies!!! ;) Bring on book 2!!
The audio was fantastic also. Jeffrey Kafer never fails to deliver with his performance! This isn't my first book read by him, and definitely won't be my last. He always knows how to tell the story, be it calmly, happily or in this case, tensely.
*I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
- Written by: William Massa
- Narrated by: James Foster
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:10-05-15
- Publisher: Critical Mass Publishing
Technology engineered to battle the spirits of the dead....In Spirit Breaker, Mark Talon must confront an evil psychic and the terrifying forces of the afterlife in his most heart-pounding adventure yet.Contain the bonus short story "Coffin Collector"!Talon heads to Italy to face a chilling coffin maker who has acquired the casket of a famed practitioner of the dark arts.
My Thoughts:
Talon is back and as bad ass as ever! In this edition, he has to battle an evil physic and his force of ghosts. He needs some special equipment though, so we get to see some awesome new additions to his armory!! That's about all I can say about the plot because I don't want to spoil it, so I'll get down to my thoughts.
There isn't much more I can say about Talon either, that I haven't already. He is such a bad ass!! Here we get to see him dealing with something totally new, ghosts. To do that, his mentor and benefactor has created. It's always nice to see Talon with machines, but to experience the newness with him was awesome! He was enthusiastic about them, as was I ;).
Everything about this series rocks. It's hard to review each separately because of spoilers, but each one brings something new to the table. Poor Talon has so much to deal with, yet each time he never fails to try. He is a hero through and through!
Added extra to this one is a bonus book called Coffin Collector. This was quite a creepy one because of the buried alive in the coffins!!! Lol. A great novellete and bonus, but so short!!
In all this book was so good. Action packed, intense and brilliant. This series is a must read!!! I do so hope that the author will expand the books and make a novel rather than a novella. I want more from this world and characters and would love to read a longer version. Saying that though, even with the length, each of these read like a novel! They are always packed full and entertaining, I'm just being greedy!!!
James Foster has captured my attention already with some of his previous works, and this just cements it. He is absolutely fantastic. So easy to listen to!! He tells the story perfectly and always delivers. He is quickly becoming one of my go to narrators.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review, via Audio Book Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
- Written by: Mike Pace
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:09-30-15
- Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
- Tom Booker is a new attorney at a powerful Washington law firm. Texting while driving across Memorial Bridge, he loses control and crashes into an oncoming minivan carrying his own daughter and three of her friends. The minivan tips up on two wheels, about to flip over into the Potomac. Time freezes; he's alone on the bridge. A young couple approaches and offers him a rewind. The crash would be averted, the children saved. All he must do is kill someone every two weeks - anyone - a "soul exchange". A moment later Tom is back in his spinning car but avoids the deadly crash. He laughs about the hallucination, attributing it to bumping his head on the steering wheel when his car came to an abrupt stop. But his encounter wasn't a hallucination. Two weeks later the minivan driver is brutally murdered. Tom receives a text: one down, four to go. He has never shot - much less owned - a gun in his life and now must turn himself into a serial killer or his daughter and her friends will die.
My Thoughts:
This one took me by surprise. I read some of the reviews, and because they were so varied, I was hesitant to read it, but since I liked the sound of it I decided to give it a go. Well, I'm so glad I did because I ended up loving it!
Tom is in a rush and is texting while driving. Next thing he knows, while drifting out of his lane, he sees a car coming straight for him. With no chance to avoid collision, he braces for impact. Right before they crash though, he sees his daughter is in the other car!! He wakes up from the crash but something seems wrong. Everything looks frozen excaept for 2 people coming towards him. These 2 people tell him that they can rewind time to before the crash and save everyone, only thing is, in exchanges for saving the 4 lives, Tom has to kill 4 other people! Each month, one soul is due and if he doesn't pay, then the 4 lives that were saved will die!
While reading, the first thing that came to mid was, what would I do! Obviously I would do all I could to save my child, but could I actually murder someone by my own hand!! It's a hard decision but one Tom has to make! He knows that he will save his daughter but can he kill someone to do it? I actually really liked Toms character. He felt real in his emotions and thinking. He struggled with what had to be done! Initially he thought, how hard can it be to murder someone, people do it all the time, right? He soon finds out what's involved!!
The plot was really fast paced and quite unique! It's a thriller with a supernatural edge. It was nice to find this little gem!! Plus the action starts straight away and pretty much continues to whole way through!
Anyway, this was a fantastic read! I loved everything about it and am so happy I gave it a chance. Now, I will say that this is a book that defies disbelief. Go into it with your mind wide open, and you will love it!
Andrew Tell was great. He has a smooth, easy to listen to voice and kept my attention throughout. It's my first book narrated by him but I will definitely check out some more.
"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the producer in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast"
- Written by: Chris Philbrook
- Narrated by: James Foster
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
-
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:06-18-14
- Publisher: Chris Philbrook
For the first time, the Internet phenomenon is now in print! Beheading a zombie isn't easy in a world where you're more afraid of the living than the dead. Adrian Ring's simple life is thrown into chaos when the world is ripped apart by a plague of undead and legions of desperate survivors. Retreating to Auburn Lake Preparatory Academy, Adrian attempts to rescue friends and family on the way while dancing around his impending insanity over who and what he left behind, and evading maniac survivors. He saves his cat Otis, but shoots his mom. Pretty successful, all things considered.Dark Recollections is the first part of Adrian's own story of how he survived after "That Day". Told through his eyes as he talks to his laptop, affectionately named 'Mr. Journal", and through short stories that entwine with his tales that bring forth dark visions of a world being eaten alive by an unimaginable evil. Adrian's Undead Diary is an eight-part epic about a solitary, guilt-stricken man who didn't think he deserved to live, but realized very soon that he survived and suffered for a reason. Dark Recollections is the first book in the AUD series. It covers Adrian's journal entries from September 21st 2010, to December 1st, 2010. Intermingled with his personal diary entries, book one also contains the short stories "Phil's Story", "McGreevy's Report", and "Soccer Mom".
My Thoughts:
OK, this was seriously brilliant!!! I flew through it and listened to it in a day! When you think of a zombie book, it feels like nothing new can be added, but Chris Philbrook manages just that! The story is told in diary format, which I found highly entertaining!! It added that extra bit of uniqueness to the story. Also, when you think of zombie books, you don't think of laughs, but again, Chris Philbrook delivers. I found myself laughing and sniggering a lot while listening.
This part of the blurb sums it up perfectly "Dark Recollections is the first part of Adrian's own story of how he survived after "That Day." Told through his eyes as he talks to his laptop, affectionately named 'Mr. Journal," and through short stories that entwine with his tales that bring forth dark visions of a world being eaten alive by an unimaginable evil. Adrian's Undead Diary is an eight part epic about a solitary, guilt stricken man that didn't think he deserved to live, but realizes very soon that he survived, and suffered for a reason" so I'm going to try and gather my thoughts and try not to ramble too much ;)
Adrian was such a fantastic character. He was resourceful, ex-military, brave (mostly) and very funny. The journal entries gave such an in depth look at his character, that you can't help but adore him! He talks to his friend "Mr. Journal" to keep sane and to document things for future generations. The journal goes back and forth between present and what happened "that Day". I loved this because it really felt like you were listening to a real diary entry!
Not many people can pull off a full book written in diary format but this author does. He knows that a true diary wouldn't just be action packed, but it would be more thoughts, feelings and emotions. This is what we have here. We don't just have a story written in journal format, we have a proper journal told to us in story format. We get a real sense of who Adrian is and of his feelings at both the time it happened and each day after.
In all this was a fan-Freaking-Tastic book and I really really need to get book 2 soon. I finished this about a week or so ago and I'm still thinking about it! The author really captured my attention with his writing style and wit, and I know I will definitely be checking out more by him!! There's only one thing left to say, and that's go buy it NOW!!
I've listened to a few books narrated by James Foster and he never fails to deliver!! He has such an easy going voice, that he immediately draws you into the story. He knows to use the right tone at the right time, and gives each character their own personality! I'd highly recommend his work.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review, via Audio Book Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
- Written by: E.G. Foley
- Narrated by: Jamie du Pont MacKenzie
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
-
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:01-30-14
- Publisher: Foley Publications
From the imagination of New York Times best-selling author, E.G. Foley, comes Book Three in The Gryphon Chronicles, a rollicking, adventure-filled historical fantasy series that's as much fun for grownups as it is for kids.The Pickpocket Who Inherited a GoldmineAfter his harsh beginnings as a rough-and-tumble orphan on the streets of London, Jake Everton takes his rightful place as the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family with magical powers - his personal quest, to follow in his slain parents’ footsteps as a Lightrider in the age-old battle of good versus evil. In the fantastical nooks and crannies of the Victorian Age, Jake and his friends (including his pet Gryphon!) find no shortage of adventure - righting magic-related wrongs, solving supernatural mysteries, and exploring wondrous new worlds.A Dark Presence…Something stalks a quaint town in the misty mountains of Wales, attacking humans and magic folk alike. Jake and his friends must get to the bottom of it - and in the land of deep, dwarven mines, the bottom can be very dark, indeed."A wonderful novel in the same vein as Harry Potter, full of nonstop action, magical creatures, and the reality that was Queen Victoria’s England." (The Reading Café)
My Thoughts:
This series just gets better and better with each book! It's fast becoming one of my favourites, and indeed, on of my kids favourites!
This one is a bit darker and scarier than the rest but I loved that! Jake finds himself in Wales this time, visiting his mine, when strange things start happening! One thing I love about these books is the settings. The authors manage to pick the perfect setting for each story. This is no different, Wales is a beautiful place, add in a spooky mine, small village and you have a winner!
Jake once again is such an exceptional character. He struggles with a lot of things but always does his best. At first he struggles with his wealth and finds it hard to deal with, but because of his friends, he snaps out of it. The character development from a pickpocket to what he is now is phenomenal.
The plot is, once again, amazing. As I said, it's a bit darker and scarier than the rest but I think it needed to be. Jake always finds himself in trouble so a little scary is needed! Even though it's darker, it doesn't loose its trade mark wit, that I've come to love! We still get the funny, we just have an added tenseness this timw, which makes the story extraordinary.
There isn't a lot more I can say about this without spoiling it, other than if you haven't read these books then you really need to! It has everything an amazing book needs! The authors have really captures my attention and my heart with these books and I can't recommend it enough! From it's fantastical creatures, to it's phenomenal writing, this is a must read for any age!!
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
- Written by: Adam Millard
- Narrated by: Luke Smith
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
-
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:09-18-15
- Publisher: Adam Millard
The world ended on October the seventh, 2011. Not with a bang, as some theorists predicted, but with a whimper. There was no fruition of a Mayan prophecy, no alien attack, no terrorist uprising, and no supervolcano eruption. It was a simple virus that finished mankind off; a superflu that couldn't be cured once it had been contracted.A small group of survivors find themselves struggling to come to terms with the new world around them. Living in a disused army barracks, the group survive in relative safety, sending scavengers for food and supplies only when necessary. Shane Bridge had, until recently, been incarcerated in a maximum-security prison, but now that he is out, and the monotony of day-to-day life has become unbearable, the time has come to abandon the confines of the barracks and begin the search for his family. But death is never far away, and the flesh-eating hordes are the least of Shane's worries.The Frost has begun....
My Thoughts:
For me anyway, this was better than the first. We get a better look at the characters and the plot development was also better.
This is book 2 so may contain spoilers for book 1!!
Shane has escaped the prison and is now entrenched in a camp of other survivours. He isn't happy at the camp though, and is waiting for an opportunity to go find his family. He just needs to gather supplies and transport and he can leave. But the "leader" of the camp has other ideas, he is bidding his time also and using the camps facilities as a means to an end. He plans to take nearly all the supplies and head to safety somewhere else, leaving the others to the zombies. But Shane steals the only armoured vehicle and leaves! Can he survive, not only the zombies, but also the vengeance of the camp?
Shane is once again a great character. He hates the way the camp is being run and decides that now is the time to find his family. He can only hold out the hope that his wife and daughter are safe. Shane, along with some of his friends, head out to try to see if rescue is needed.
We also see another POV in this, that of a girl who ends up hiding out in a museum. She is by herself, fighting and foraging. This girl may be young but she is well able to handle herself. My heart broke for her because of her loneliness but I was also impressed with her skill! I'm eager to learn more about her in future books.
The plot was, once again, fast paced and action packed. There was a lot more zombie action, which was good, but we also see more character development, which I loved! I know there are more books in this series and I can't wait to read/listen to them. I need to see what happens with these characters!
In all, a good zombie book. I listened to it within 2 days and it held my attention throughout.
Once again, Luke Smith did a great job. He is really easy to listen to and grabs your attention.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
- Written by: Adam Millard
- Narrated by: Luke Smith
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
-
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:03-13-15
- Publisher: Adam Millard
- As a prisoner in one of the most brutal facilities imaginable, Shane Bridge thought that he'd seen it all. Surrounded by murderers, rapists, gangsters, and pedophiles, Shane had managed to survive his three years in one piece. With parole just around the corner, and his wife and daughter at home awaiting his return, Shane has high hopes for the future. When a new inmate is brought in, carrying with him a deadly virus, Shane soon realizes that his plans, his release, and his very survival are in jeopardy. With the virus spreading, turning guards and inmates into flesh-eating zombies, it's up to a few survivors to figure out how to escape the facility, how to get along - and how to stay alive.
My Thoughts:
Shane is an average man. He's never been in trouble before but now finds himself in prison. One stupid action has caused him to spend time in jail with murderers, rapists, gangsters
and paedophiles. He is up for parole soon and looking forward to getting back to his life with his wife and daughter. But when a new inmate arrives, bringing with him a deadly virus, it's up to Shane and a handful of survivours, to get out alive!
I have to admit that the concept of an outbreak in a prison really enticed me. Despite reading a lot of Zombie books, I never gave any thought to what would happen in a place where you are locked up! This is a new aspect of the genre for me, and I totally loved it! Imagine having a Zombie outbreak happen but you are locked up in a prison, with no hope of escape!! That is exactly what happens to Shane. He has to navigate the locked rooms and find an escape before it's too late.
I really liked Shanes character. He made one stupid decision but is paying the price. Despite his stint in jail, he wants nothing more than to put the past behind him and look after his wife and daughter. When the outbreak happens, his one thought is always of his family. That's what sees him through, and I admired his strength and tenacity.
The plot was fast paced, though I would of liked a little more back story on the origins of the virus. It just kind of happens and we get no idea from where or how? I also wanted a little more of an in depth look at the characters. There are quite a few but we don't get a sense of who they are. Also the time it took people to turn to zombies changed all the time, some changed quickly, while others it took days. Now I know that maybe the virus progressed but it should of been explained more. Other than that, I loved the idea of the outbreak in the prison. Even with the things I wanted, the story kept my attention throughout, and I was rooting for Shane all the time.
In all this is a action packed and addictive read. The setting was perfect and added extra tension. There were plenty of edge of your seat moments! I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to book 2!
This is my first listen by Luke Smith, and thought he did a great job. Easy to listen to and follow, he held my attention throughout.
*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
- Written by: Michael O'Neal
- Narrated by: Robert Martinez
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release Date:06-30-14
- Publisher: Michael O'Neal
Yesterday they were five ordinary friends. Today they are all that stand between us and extinction...Havenbrook, Iowa. Typical small town America, nestled in the rolling plains of the Midwest. Life is simple here. But for high school senior Jay Anderson, it's about to get a whole lot more complicated. Accused of a crime he didn't commit, he is shocked to become an outcast throughout this small community, and becomes suspicious of the townspeople's suddenly strange behavior. Only his friends believe in his innocence, and set out to prove it......only to find out there is something far more sinister going on here. Who are the mysterious men who have suddenly appeared around town? What is the government hiding at the town's reservoir? Pursued by shadowy forces that would kill to keep the secrets they discover - and the secret Jay holds unknowingly within himself - he and his friends embark on an epic adventure. From the steps of Capitol Hill to the walls of the Kremlin; from the unfriendly skies over Eastern Europe to the treacherous waters of the Caribbean; danger lurks around every corner as these five teenagers seek to uncover what was created on...
My Thoughts:
This is a fast paced and quite enjoyable listen. While there may have been some plot flaws, overall it was really good. This reminded me of one of those movies, where there is a ton of things missing from it, yet you can't help but watch it till the end, because you need to know what happened!!
I don't want to say much about the plot because it's hard to without spoiling something, so all I will say is that there is a lot going on, from a boy being framed to alien life forms detected!
Character wise, we have a fair few of them in the book, though they were all likable and well written. Poor Jays life turns upside down, though he remained steadfast the whole way through, I think in part that's thanks to Kathy, his best friend.
The book starts in a small town but travels as far away as Russia. You could just picture the Russian prison and imagine the horrors of a place like that!!
So in all, it's an action packed and entertaining listen. We have teens, aliens, mind control, government conspiracy, deception, deceit and friendship, all rolled into one easy listen.
Robert Martinez did a good job differentiating each character! I didn't get confused once while listening to him. He had a clear and concise manner and I enjoyed listening to him.
*I received a copy of this in exchange from an honest review, via Audio Book Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
