Vorodin's Lair (The Warminster Series Book 2)
by J.V. Hilliard
Ominous Omens
Daemus, a low Keeper of the Cathedral of the Watchful Eye, isn’t the only one having visions. His nightmares speak of the ageless sorcerer, Vorodin, who may be able to help. But the answers he seeks may bring him—and the realm—to the brink of war.
Elven princess, Addilyn Elspeth, must discover why she’s receiving visitations from a mysterious creature that shouldn’t exist. She combines forces with Daemus on their harrowing journey to the scholar city of Abacus, where Vorodin’s Lair awaits.
A Plot of Revenge
Their powerful adversary and fallen Keeper, Graytorris the Mad, continues to chase the young Keeper throughout the realm, seeking vengeance against his order while trying to find a cure for his own affliction.
Explore the realm of Warminster, as fantasy and magic mixes with epic adventure and romance. Omens, battles and plot twists await you in the pages of Vorodin’s Lair.
Robin's Review: As the next book in this world which could possibly be called a sequel but also considered a stand-alone Vorodin's Lair, following the Last Keeper, Dameus Alaric, and Princess Addilyn Elspeth of the Vermilion elves. Lair is a great read that continues the journey started in the previous book. It's full of suspense and excitement. I really enjoyed it. It's a well-written fantasy/science fiction book with great world-building, characters, and battles scenes. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes these genres.
I was given a free e-copy of this book, but that has not influenced my opinion in this review. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to others.
Sacrifice (Apocalypse #4)
by Hayley Anderton and Laura Swift
It's been over a month since the apocalypse began, and there are no signs of help on the way. While some are battling to stay safe and alive, others plot their path to power. With both rotters and humans to contend with, not everyone will survive this cruel new world.
The fallout has arrived.
Chaos has been unleashed.
Sacrifices must be made.
This is the apocalypse.
Robin's Review: I can’t believe how easily these kids have taken to the apocalypse. They just roll with the punches and plan for the long-term future. I love it. Oops not so fast.
I was going to write a long review, but I can't. I need some time to process the ending. I'm so invested in these characters that my heart is broken. This book is a more complicated story than the previous ones. It gets into the dirty, all-too-real side of life. It might not be as cozy, but I still loved it, except well, you know. Read it and you'll understand. Wow. Anyways, this is definitely a book series I recommend reading. And, um, authors, please hurry with the next book. Pretty please?
Here is the reading order so you can catch up:
Apocalypse: A Zombie Thriller
Fallout (Apocalypse Book 2)
Chaos (Apocalypse Book 3)
Great Quotes:
She would trade what was left of their humanity for her own in a heartbeat.
“Let’s squish them down and make some zombie soup.”
They’re just speed bumps, he told himself. Just speed bumps.
“Looks like you’ve got an uncontrollable pest problem now.”
“Then I guess we do shots of espresso and get on with it.”
“We’re not doing this again,” he hissed. “We don’t need any more newbies trying to get in our good books. Don’t we already have our hands full with Joe?”
“Pain is just weakness leaving the body,”
Apocalypse: A Zombie Thriller
Book 1 of 3: Apocalypse
Fallout: (Apocalypse)
Book 2 of 3: Apocalypse
Chaos: (Apocalypse)
Book 3 of 4: Apocalypse
Sacrifice: (Apocalypse )
Book 4 of 4
This title will be released on June 30, 2022.
#teen #youngadult #comingofage #horror #shortstory #postapocalyptic #sciencefiction #thriller #fantasy #cozyzombieapocalypse
Chaos
Book 3: Apocalypse
by Hayley Anderton and Laura Swift
Just as things seem to be calming down, the members of the farm are about to face their biggest challenge yet.
As a horde approaches, the team must fight in order to survive another night. But with their group vastly outnumbered and cracks beginning to show among them, survival seems to be slipping through their fingers.
Robin's Review: This a well-written and easy-to-read cozy zombie apocalypse story about young adults and teenagers surviving in a new and dangerous world. It seems like they're barely hanging on to their survival with their pinky fingers, or maybe that is just me. So now that we have all the players figured out, we jump right into it. I mean, a zombie horde, blood guts, gnashing teeth, and bodies everywhere. I don't want to give anything away, so I will stop there.
This a great zombie book. I love the authors writing style; that is not overly graphic but with enough description to understand what is going on. The characters are young and kinda snarky, which I enjoy. I see bad things coming up for the characters that are in the next book. (No, I haven't read it yet). So, an exciting and entertaining plot throughout the series. I am going to be sorry when this series ends.
Great Quotes:
She would trade what was left of their humanity for her own in a heartbeat.
“Let’s squish them down and make some zombie soup.”
They’re just speed bumps, he told himself. Just speed bumps.
“Looks like you’ve got an uncontrollable pest problem now.”
“Then I guess we do shots of espresso and get on with it.”
“We’re not doing this again,” he hissed. “We don’t need any more newbies trying to get in our good books. Don’t we already have our hands full with Joe?”
“Pain is just weakness leaving the body,”
Apocalypse: A Zombie Thriller
Book 1 of 3: Apocalypse
Fallout: (Apocalypse)
Book 2 of 3: Apocalypse
Chaos: (Apocalypse)
Book 3 of 4: Apocalypse
Sacrifice: (Apocalypse )
Book 4 of 4
This title will be released on June 30, 2022.
#teen #youngadult #comingofage #horror #shortstory #postapocalyptic #sciencefiction #thriller #fantasy #cozyzombieapocalypse
Gullonization
(The Fight or Flight Collection)
by Sean P. Gibson
Part of: The Fight or Flight Collection (3 books)
What would happen if humanity came to an end? Who would rise to the top of the food chain, who would dominate Earth?
Follow the STE Space Team as they return to their base in Edinburgh, now abandoned. A hundred years have passed on Earth. It’s not what they remember. Neither is a certain, predatory species whose murderous welcome makes it clear that this Space Team no longer has a home… nor a right to live…If you thought seagulls were already cruel omens, then get ready to see them at their worst.This novella marks the second in the 'Fight or Flight' Collection. Be sure to check out the others too; "The Pigeon Detectives," and "The Crow's Vengeance".
Robin's Review: This is a well written, quick, and easy to read short story that was crisp and straight to the point. It has some creepy world building that totally amazed me. The main characters are complex but relatable. And the “bad guys” are freaking nasty. Oh, my I will never forget them. This is such an enjoyable read that I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, but I have to go back to read book 1 first. Sean P. Gibson thank you for this surprising story boy do you have a wild imagination. I encourage everyone to read this whole series.
Favorite Lines: “Get your Grav injections ready so that your body can handle the gravitational shift! I want you walking on your feet when we land, not kissing the floor like starfish!”
“Don’t tell me that we’re the aliens on our own planet.”
#shortstory #bookseries #dystopian #sciencefiction #horror #postapocalypse #monster #space
Fallout (Apocalypse Book 2)
Book 2 of 3: Apocalypse
by Hayley Anderton and Laura Swift
A week has passed since the world turned upside down. Help isn't coming, communications are down, and a group of young teenagers remain isolated on a farm, awaiting rescue.
As they adjust to their new reality, the group must learn to fend for themselves. But with trouble brewing all around them, they’re about to discover that humans might be just as terrifying as the rotters plaguing their new landscape.Tensions are rising.Alliances are forming and enemies are being made.Humanity is slipping through their fingers.The apocalypse is here to stay.
Robin's Review: This is the second cozy zombie apocalypse book in this series. It picks up a week after where the previous book ended. This is a quick read, but I took it slow because I didn’t want it to end. Luckily the next in the series is due out soon. This book is well written with an interesting and entertaining plot. The characters are well developed, relatable and you could just feel their anxiety. I really enjoyed this book. It is not graphic so it could be for teenagers and up. I highly recommend this series to all ages.
It was my pleasure and privilege to receive a free copy of this book but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.
Some of the characters: There is a group at the high school consisting of Fletcher, Patrick, Charlie, Nora, Collin, Zoe, and they let in Ross. The group at the farm are Cassie, Luke, Heidi, Eliza, Poppy, Rori, Eliza, Warren, Ginge, Hannah, Billy and Cara have come a long way in a short amount of time. They have also picked up Joe along the way.
Zombie Nicknames: Zeds, Rotters and Munchers
Some of my favorite lines:
“Rule one; aim for the head. It’s the only thing that stops them.” He listed this off on his fingers. “Rule two; whatever you do, don’t let them bite you.” “Rule three; no jumping out of windows.”
“It’s character developing, you know, surviving coffee withdrawal.” “If I develop any more, I am going to develop into a villain.”
“It’s an apocalypse; I’d be concerned if you weren’t having an existential crisis.”
“I’ve got to keep myself looking good. Otherwise, how will the rotters know I’m the catch of the day?”
Zombie Tips from the book:
Use fencing masks to protect the face.
Use every tea bag twice to save on supplies.
“You think you’re just going to stroll into Tesco and grab whatever you fancy? Everyone is going to have the same idea. And a lot of those people are going to get themselves killed in the process. That means a buildup of rotters in areas of interest. And that is why it’s not a good idea.”
Learn to read maps and don’t rely on GPS.
“We do need to be careful. We can’t trust people the way that we have in the past. It brings out an ugly side to us all.”
Stay in the attic to sleep because it’s safe with only one way in.
Could also be bad because of only one way out.
Better to be the predator than the prey.
“You should make a big pit all around the farm. And then If anything tries to get close, it just gets stuck in the pit. The monsters aren’t very smart, are they? Maybe they won’t be able to get out.”
Apocalypse: A Zombie Thriller
Book 1 of 3: Apocalypse
Fallout: (Apocalypse)
Book 2 of 3: Apocalypse
Chaos: (Apocalypse)
Book 3 of 3: Apocalypse
This title will be released on June 30, 2022.
#teen #youngadult #comingofage #horror #shortstory #postapocalyptic #sciencefiction #thriller #fantasy #cozyzombieapocalypse
Alex Apostol
So Over the Undead
Book 2 of 2: Zooey Zombie
Zooey is back and she's learning how life is going to be for her now that she's Undead. There are laws to protect this new race of human and their rights, but she quickly realizes many don't want them to be able to go to school or work or even live in the same neighborhoods as regular people. As Zooey tries to piece her life back together she gets caught up in a social nightmare as the human race fights back against the Undead. Can Zooey stand up for her new race and be heard or will her voice fall on deaf ears? In light of recent attacks being blamed on the Undead reverting back to their zombie state, it's harder than ever to find support.
Robin's Review: Zooey Beckett is returning to Harvard University. She graduated in June of 2020 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. And then the zombie apocalypse happened. Now she is re-enrolling for her graduate studies in Cognition, Brain, and Behavior Psychology, but as an “Undead” this time.
What is an “Undead” you may ask?
It’s a new race of human called the Undead, people who had been changed into zombies by the rampaging virus and then brought back to life by what the government deemed the cure, but it wasn’t a cure, more of a suppression of one’s inner zombie. She’ll receive the “cure” twice a week for the rest of her life.
As Zooey tries to integrate back into society she is met with quite a few obstacles, prejudice and racism are just the tip of the iceberg that she is up against. Even her longtime friends Elizabeth and Oliver who have stood by her throughout everything, before and after the apocalypse, just can’t understand what she feels, let alone what she has gone through and is going through.
This is what I like to call a “cozy” zombie apocalypse story, that means is that I could read it again and again it’s that entertaining. The world building is different and exciting because it is post-apocalyptic, I loved this, and the world is rebuilding but with a twist. One of my favorite ideas in the story were the NATIONWIDE Z-ALERTS. The characters were your average snarky young adults with some good one liners. This was such an enjoyable story with the same underlying issues as we have today. What a compelling read for zombie readers and lovers a like.
It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this amazing story.
Apocalypse: A Zombie Thriller
by Hayley Anderton & Laura Swift
The virus has arrived. A deadly virus that destroys humanity. A virus that replaces the living with creatures that crave human flesh. As the human race dwindles, an unlikely group of young survivors battle against the odds to stay alive and avoid joining the ranks of the undead. Follow Cassie as she desperately searches for her brother; Heidi as she tries to cope with the consequences of her actions; and Ginge as she takes on a new role of keeping everyone alive. Lives will be lost. The army of the dead will keep on growing. Welcome to the apocalypse.
Robin's Review: Cassie, Luke, Heidi, Eliza, Poppy, and Rob all go to the same school. When the outbreak starts, they are separated but try to get back to each other. Picking up Toby, Rori, Heidi, Eliza, Gemma, and Warren along the way.
They make their way to their friends’ farm where Ginge, Hannah, Billy and Cara live.
Here I go again:
This is what I call a cozy zombie apocalypse story. Meaning I could read this again and again, it was that entertaining. It was fast paced with bits of action and a little gore but a quick and satisfying read.
The characters were your average snarky young adults with some good one liners. I liked how they understood that it was a zombie apocalypse and went with the flow. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Zombie Tips:
Doors won’t hold forever.
Always search for weapons.
“Time to adopt the mindset and move with the times.”
Don’t make noise so that the rotters pinpoint your location and trap you.
Of course, hit them in the head seems to work.
Close the door behind you so no one can sneak up on you.
Always collect food as you go when given the chance.
“This might be the end of the world. We’ve got to stick together now.”
Zombie Apocalypse Rules:
“Number one. Nobody goes out alone. Secondly, every single one of us needs to be armed. And thirdly…” His eyes grew dark. “Ginge did the right thing by Gemma. We all need to be prepared for more scenarios like this one. If anyone is bitten…we don’t hesitate. We don’t wait. We put the sorry bastard out of their misery.”
Favorite Lines:
“Wow, she’s got some impressive teeth on her…do you not feed her or something?” Heidi grinned to herself. “Did she bite off more than she could chew?”
“Haven’t you heard? The only people who survive the apocalypse are the psychos. And usually, the ones with a sarcastic sense of humor.”
“God, I’m so out of breath. If I’d known the apocalypse was coming, I might have done some more cardio.”
“This is the bloody apocalypse, Heidi. I wouldn’t call this the optimum environment for chilling out.’’
“This isn’t a bloody field trip!”
“We don’t know when we’ll be able to eat next. I doubt that the rotters will leave Tesco alone just for our convenience…”
“You did what you could in the moment you were given. That’s enough.”
“Like after you watch a horror film at a sleepover and then you can’t even face going to the bathroom?” “Oh God, I’m glad someone else gets it. I’ve needed to pee since dinner.”
“We have to plan for a new future. Forget everything you had planned. Forget university. We’re not students anymore. We’re hunters, fighters, survivors.” Eliza sniffed. “Not sure what employers would think if I put that on my CV.”
Next book in this series will be released March 31, 2022
It was my pleasure to receive a free copy of this book but that does not in any way affect my opinions in this review of this entertaining story.
#horror #humorous #action #adventure #romance #dystopian #sciencefiction #fantasy
Charlie: Zombie Slayer Book 1
by Gayle Katz
A snarky teenager. A new school to navigate. Can Charlie stop a zombie apocalypse in time for finals?
After she moves across the country and out of the hot zone, Charlie hopes to leave hunting behind. She's ready to make some friends at her new high school. But the past she hoped to bury rises again with a fresh, city-wide outbreak.
So much for settling into a normal life...
Desperate to stop the walking dead, Charlie enlists the help of some classmates to find patient zero. But as the scourge spreads, her talents may not be enough to keep them alive.
Will Charlie discover the source of the infection, or will she meet a gruesome end?
Charlie is the first action-packed novel in the Zombie Slayer apocalypse series. If you like sassy heroines, witty banter, and over-the-top zombie brawls, then you’ll love Gayle Katz’s tale of high school angst and flesh-eating walkers.
Zombie slayer or zslayer, Charlie Warner a 11th grade student moves from her hometown of Dallas, Texas giving up slaying to move with her Grandmother to Portland Oregon. Only her mentor, Stewart George follows her with bad news. The zombie leader, zleader bit someone before it died and that “person” came back to Portland and has started infecting others. So she must slay again. Not wanting to reveal her true calling to anyone in the beginning especially her friends Owen and Zan because that would put them in danger. As she searches for the new zleader and tries to figure out the supplier of the new drug, “zrug” she’s just your typical teenager. Yea right! What more could go wrong? Don’t ask just read it for yourself.
Robin's Review: I really loved this story and quickly became addicted. It’s fun and snarky but also, Zombies! The world that Katz has built, is a new and refreshing change from the usual zombie story. I’m a sucker for a strong female character with a kick butt personality and boy does this book have that in bulk. The characters are well written, and the plot was full of action and slaying. It was suspenseful, a real page turner, I was always ready to find out what happens next. The funny quips had me laughing from the get-go. I really, really, enjoyed this book. It was a lot of fun and hugely entertaining. Like some of my previous reviews, I would describe this as a “Cozy Zombie” apocalypse story. I could see myself reading it again and again, of course after I have read the rest of the series. Looks like it’s gonna be a few sleepless nights for me, and I hope for you also. Gayle Katz has authored a fantastic story and now, will be one of my go to authors. Will I read anything she writes? Books? Yes. Novellas? Yup. Cereal boxes? You bet!
Zombie Tips:
A zombie leader could mask as a human, but their eyes would still glow green.
Favorite Lines:
“Nope, this is a new drug. It’s believed that it’s manufactured from zombie blood and has a street name of zrug, at least that’s what I’m told.”
“It’s two grand for a finger,” he replied. “A finger?” she asked. “For real?”
“I’d feel more confident that you had the right equipment, than buying from some questionable Portland occult store for the tourists.”
“They had a peek, and then decided to leave. Wise move. If there were any more zombies here, they’d quickly be avocado toast.”
Next in the Series:
Second Strain: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 2)
Claw: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 3)
Conzpiracy: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 4)
Spell to Hell: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 5)
Good Zombie: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 6)
Exorcizm: YA Zombie Horror Story (Zombie Slayer Book 7)
Thanks so much for a review copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review of my personal opinion.
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