zombie – Dab of Darkness Book Reviews

Audiobook Giveaway! Still Alive Zombie Series by Javan Bonds

Folks, please join me in the hilarious zombiedy (zombie comedy) series, Still Alive! Set in Alabama, there’s a pirate ship, nudist cannibals, a monkey, and the creepily accurate movie prophet, Smokes. I have thoroughly enjoyed all 4 books in this series, with Book 5 coming to audiobook any day now. Filled with diverse & interesting character, author Javan Bonds does a most excellent job at poking a little fun at all phobias and ‘isms’: homophobia, racism, sexism, ageism, etc. No prejudice is off limits in this series! Coupled with a gruesome reality of human-eating zombies, this series isn’t for fainting flowers. Prepare to be disgusted and also laughing your head off at the same time!

This talented author is also running a fundraiser for a special lift system that will allow him to move from room to room more easily. Check it out HERE. In fact, just by taking a peek at it, you will get a few extra entries in the giveaway. Did you donate (any amount)? Great, you get a few more entries. Scroll to the bottom to check out the giveaway Rafflecopter, or instructions for entering via comments on this post. Even if you don’t enter the giveaway, I hope you decided to share the fundraiser somewhere on social media. That alone really helps and makes you zombie awesome!

Lift system to make it easy to move from bed to chair to shower.

Javan Bonds and the talented narrator, S. W. Salzman, are generously offering up 10 copies of each book in the series via Audible US or Audible UK. Zombie Lake: Still Alive Book 1 took home the award for the Humor category at the 2019 Independent Audiobook Awards at the Hear Now Festival in Kansas City, MO on June 7th, 2019!!

Zombie Lake, Book 1

Mo Collins, the reluctant hero, has sailed around the country on board the replica pirate ship, the Viva Ancora, and now he finds himself only miles from his childhood home. But now the world has gone to hell. Hordes of naked, blue, biting zombies have flooded the now dead Alabama lake town. Mo and his only surviving shipmate, Crow, are surviving. They fish and watch the monsters roam the night; seeking untainted flesh and leaving a disgusting mess in their wake. But when a lone survivor stumbles upon Mo and Crow they gain a new crew member but also find much needed direction. The new comer, Smokes, will change Mo’s view of this zombie infested world forever.

As reality mimics fiction, an ever growing cast of crazy characters play out their role carving out an island sanctuary in a plague ridden world. The Expert, The Tech, The Oracle, The Sacrifice, The Old Friend, plus many more… Join us on this wild ride where the fish bite, the Zombies bite…sometimes life bites.

Welcome aboard, friend, to Zombie Lake.

Zombie Island, Book 2

Being the hero of a zombie apocalypse ain’t easy. People expect you to defeat lunatics, save survivors, and recover treasure when you would rather just make time with your girl. Mo Collins can’t avoid his scripted destiny; his personal oracle, Smokes, won’t let him. He can still bitch about it, though.

The crew of the replica pirate ship, the Viva Ancora, is growing, and the characters of this cast are fulfilling their roles toward destiny. As the group swells, the need to clear the town of the infected and secure Guntersville Island becomes paramount. Isolation from the world will protect them from the naked, blue, undead cannibals – or will it?

Something’s not right with these “zombies”; the script is verging into the unwritten. The more contact the team has with their predatory enemies, the less certain they are of their actions. Are they wiping out a plague…or murdering a new order?

Follow Mo and his crew as they try to skew fate and carve out their own society on an Alabama lake where the fish bite, the Zombies bite…and sometimes life bites. Welcome ashore, friend, to Zombie Island!

Zombies on a Plane, Book 3

For Mo Collins, surviving the zombie apocalypse isn’t getting any easier. Defeating blunatics, saving survivors, recovering treasure, and securing Guntersville Island has been taking up Mo’s time when he would rather just make time with his girl. But he can’t avoid his scripted destiny; his personal Oracle, Smokes, won’t let him. He can still bitch about it, though.

The crew of the replica pirate ship the Viva Ancora is growing, and the cast of characters are fulfilling their roles toward destiny. Having found his parents and assured their safety on the Island, there is still someone else missing: his brother, Easy.

So Mo, Smokes the pilot (Oh Dear God!), and The Expert are off to find Easy. His last known location? Birmingham, AL. Yeah, it total makes sense to fly off to Alabama’s largest city, which is assuredly overflowing with the naked, blue, undead cannibals. But The Hero’s gotta do what The Hero’s gotta do.

Follow Mo, Smokes, and the rest of the crew as they try to skew fate and risk life and limb again as they explore more of their new world and go in search of Mo’s lost brother, Easy.

All aboard Flight Z as we fly to parts unknown. In a world where the Zombies bite…and sometimes life bites.

Fasten your seat belt, friend; welcome to Zombies on a Plane!

Zombie Oasis, Book 4

Mo Collins is surviving the zombie apocalypse, but it hasn’t been easy. So far he has gathered himself a group of misfits, and one monkey, to help carve out an island paradise in the middle of a world turned blue and ravenous by an unknown plague.

Mo’s home, the Viva Ancora, a replica pirate ship, is filling up with a list of characters that would make George Romero proud. Along with the guidance of Smokes, his personal Oracle and direct link to what seems to be a scripted reality, he has saved his parents, broken his perfect brother and future sister-in-law out of prison, fought off a crazed military wannabe dictator and survived a plane crash. All in the same day!

So now that things seem under control on Guntersville Island you would think maybe life could begin to take on some sense of normalcy and he could settle down with his girl and live out his life on this island oasis. Guess again. Life just isn’t meant to be easy when you seem to be the hero of a predestined movie script.

So hang on! The ride is about to get wilder and travel into uncharted territory. Next plot point of this movie: A cure? (Saw that one coming didn’t you?) New faces? New adventures? New villains? Does it ever end? Mo the reluctant hero can’t help being just that, The Hero.

So here we are again on that same Alabama lake, where the fish bite, the zombies bite…and sometimes life bites.

Welcome ashore, friend, to Zombie Oasis.

Zombie River Run, Book 5 (coming to audiobook soon!)

Mo Collins survived the beginning of the zombie apocalypse by doing nothing but staying on the replica pirate ship the Viva Ancora. But after what he thought was a chance meeting of another survivor, Smokes, everything changed.

Mo has become The Hero in a story seemingly channeled by Smokes. Following what sounds like a prewritten script, Mo and Smokes gathered a motley crew of typical zombie apocalypse survivors. Well, typical, except the zombies in this screenplay are called peevies, and are not dead but blue, naked, shit spewing infected humans who are rapidly evolving into sadistic monsters that will rip you apart and eat you slowly.

With the help of The Expert, The Tech, The Old Friend, and The Oracle they have defended their new island home from zombie hordes, betrayers, and villainous dictators. Oh, and they survived a plane crash while rescuing Mo’s brother. Who said being The Hero would be easy.

But now this group of Protagonist has set sail on a quest to find a supposed cure for the infection. What new adventures will they encounter? What new dangers will they find? Will they find new friends? New foes? Will Smokes find more Newport’s?

Follow Mo and his crew on their continuing adventures as they try to tempt fate and chart their way down the river.

In waters where the fish bite, the Zombies bite… and sometimes life bites.
Welcome aboard, friend, to Zombie River Run!

Check out the series at these sites!

Amazon ~ GoodReads ~ Audible

A Bit About the Author Javan Bonds

Javan Bonds is the Amazon Best Selling author of the Zompoc series, Still Alive. This series includes Book One: Zombie Lake, Book Two: Zombie Island, Book Three: Zombies On A Plane, Book Four: Zombie Oasis, and Book Five: Zombie River Run. Upcoming books in the series yet to be released include Zombie Paradise Lost, Zombie Insurrection, Zombie Deliverance, Zombie Tide, Zombie Bay, and Zombie Gulf … just to name a few.

The Still Alive series follows a group of survivors in small-town Alabama trying to keep their wits about them while making a new life in a world overrun by naked, blue-skinned, yellow-eyed, nocturnal zombies that spew vile shit everywhere. Also, these former humans attempt to devour every last morsel of flesh on any uninfected as they become increasingly more intelligent and sadistic. Fun times! Think WW-Z, Zombieland, and Shaun Of The Dead, only better.

Bonds has had to overcome numerous obstacles in writing, as well as to live his daily life. Diagnosed at the age of eleven with Friedrich’s Ataxia (FA), (a progressively degenerative neuromuscular disease under the umbrella of Muscular Dystrophy), FA has slowly robbed him of his physical abilities through the years. Bonds started using a wheelchair in 1999, but that was only the beginning of his setbacks. In 2010, his sight started diminishing, to the point he is now legally blind. Now, because of his deteriorating hearing, he can’t pick up individual voices in a noisy room.

In spite of all of this, he continues to work tirelessly… seven days a week on his writing. Bonds, never letting his disability rule him, has lived, loved, and laughed often. Reading and writing have long provided Bonds with both pleasure and a creative outlet. At a very young age, he began blogging and has written articles and letters for local newspapers. In 2010, he discovered a passion for writing novels. With the help of Nuance’s Dragon Naturally Speaking, he continues to write every day.

Check out my interview with Javan.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Audible

A Little Bit About the Narrator, S. W. Salzman

This is serious business but it is the most enjoyable thing in the world. I have been doing voices since I was a child, recreating episodes of Scooby-Doo with my old GE tape recorder in hand. After high school, I bought into the rubbish of “you can’t do that voice and art stuff and expect to make a living”, so I became a blue collar man, spending many years in factories, behind the wheel of a tractor/trailer, etc.

But, the voices never stopped…

I have the best job in the world now and what makes it great is being able to work and collaborate with some of the best people ever, from up-and-coming authors and established authors to animation directors and so on and so forth.

I specialize in audiobook narration and character voices. Give me your words and I’ll create a vivid, “living world” for your listeners/viewers. That’s my guarantee to you.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

The Giveaway!!!

Javan Bonds and S. W. Salzman are generously giving up 10 Audible (US/UK) copies of each book in the Still Alive series (books 1-5). Yep! And it’s possible to win all 5 books! Make sure you check out Javan’s fundraiser. Do the Rafflecopter this below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) What is your favorite humorous zombie story? 2) Did you check out the fundraiser? Shared the link to it anywhere (if so, provide a link to your share). 3) Did you donate (any amount)? *you don’t have to donate to be entered into the giveaway. 4) Which audiobooks do you want to win? Audible US or Audible UK? 5) Leave a way to contact you if you win (email, twitter, etc.). Giveaway ends July 31st, midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: Nathan Sumsion, Author of Necropolis PD

Please give a warm welcome to author Nathan Sumsion. He’s going to share a bit about himself, as well as his book Necropolis PD.

If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?

Ever since I started watching horror movies as a kid, I’ve wanted to be in one. I think I would make a great zombie. I’ve love to be an extra in a zombie movie or TV series. First of all, it would be great to have all the make-up work done on me. Second, that would probably stretch the limits of my acting range. It would be best to keep me in the back of a pack of zombies, far away from the camera. If the director thinks I still can’t pull that off, I’d happily play one of the corpses lying on the side of the road.

A toy company makes a replica action figure of your likeness. What 2 accessories do they include?

Bottle of Mountain Dew and a messenger bag with my laptop, notebook, pencils and dice. I never travel far without some way of writing down or recording story and game ideas.

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

I love going to book signings. Some of my favorite possessions are books that have been signed by authors I admire. I have books signed by Brandon Sanderson, Michael Moorcock, Neil Gaiman, Robin Hobb, Jim Butcher and several others. To answer the question, I’d have to declare a tie, I can’t narrow it down to just one. I would really like to add The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss to my collection, it is such an amazing book and I love getting lost in it. But I also love reading The Black Company books by Glen Cook, they are a big influence on me. He does such an amazing job writing so much story in so few words. I also keep an eye out for book signings by Joe Abercrombie, Dan Simmons and William Gibson anywhere near me.

If warning labels and safety features didn’t exist, what would be the likely thing you’d die from?

I’m pretty sure it would be choking on the toy inside a Kinder egg.

What book should be made into a game (card, PC, board, etc.) and why? Is there a specific character you would want to play in this game?

I want to see the Stormbringer books by Michael Moorcock turned into an open world RPG. Elric of Melnibone is an amazingly complex character, and I love the possibilities that book series would present on today’s game systems.

If you could Vulcan mind-meld with anyone and instantly have one personality trait or skill from that person, who would it be and what trait or skill do you pick up?

I would want to mind-meld with any number of current illustrators and artists. I wouldn’t want to instantly learn their art style, but I would like to learn their dedication to putting in time to hone their skills. Many of my favorite artists are creating new content on a daily basis, constantly improving their abilities, and I would like to learn that dedication. I try to write something every day, I would love to find the time to apply that same effort into art.

What is a recurring or the most memorable geeky argument or debate you have taken part in?

I got into an argument about flying cars. Someone stated that Harry Potter should be classified as science fiction because it had a flying car in it. I countered that Harry Potter is a fantasy book because magic was used to make the car fly, while something like Blade Runner is science fiction because it is futuristic technology that makes the car fly. It’s not the flying car itself that determines the genre of story. I’m just going to declare publicly that I’m right about this.

You are stuck in a computer game world in immediate danger. Which LitRPG authors would you want with you?

I would want Neal Stephenson with me. I’ve read debate as to whether or not Snow Crash qualifies as LitRPG, and I fall into the category of saying it is a precursor of the LitRPG genre. He is wildly creative and talented and I’d feel in good hands to work with him to save a world in immediate danger.

You have to run an obstacle course. Who do you invite along (living or dead, real or fictional)?

I’d need a wizard of serious magical power to help me through an obstacle course. Maybe even a necromancer to help me keep going after I collapse partway through.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

The big event I would like to share with readers is the release of my debut novel Necropolis PD on April 2! I’m very excited to share this book with the world.

Book Blurb for Necropolis PD

How do you solve a murder in the city of the dead?

Jacob Green was just an average college student. But three months ago, he ran through the wrong door and found himself trapped in the city of Meridian – a literal necropolis, concealed from the modern world, made up of forgotten places and populated entirely by the dead.

As the only living, breathing resident, Jake has struggled to scrape out an existence while waiting for the Necropolis Police Department to decide his fate, and it’s not looking good. But when an unusual string of crimes hits the city, Jake’s overseer and tormentor, NPD Detective Marsh offers him a deal: Jake’s life in exchange for helping them solve the worst series of crimes in the necropolis’ history.

Someone, or some thing is killing the dead, and if Jake can’t figure out who’s responsible, he could be next.

Necropolis PD is a hidden world fantasy that combines mystery, horror, magic, and more than a little humor. This book is perfect for the living and recently-departed alike.

GoodReads ~ Amazon

About the Author

My name is Nathan Sumsion. I’ve been a professional video game designer since 1998. I’ve helped design several successful video games with companies that include KingsIsle Entertainment, Disney (Avalanche Software), Vicious Cycle, Crytek, Kodiak Interactive and Acclaim. I’m also an author. My debut novel Necropolis PD will be coming out soon from Parvus Press.

I’m married and we have three great kids. I met my wife in Salt Lake City and we lived there off-and-on for six years, but we now call Round Rock, Texas our home. In between we’ve lived in Germany and North Carolina as well.

I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. I have many fond memories and great friends from my years there. Go Huskers!

I graduated from Utah State University in 1999 with a BA in Graphic Design, with a French Minor. But I actually started my first job in the industry a year before this (that senior year of school was brutal, with a 90-minute commute each way to Logan from Salt Lake City while I was working).
I’ve managed to keep myself connected with education whenever I can. I taught some game design courses at ITT-Tech in Salt Lake City, and I’ve given lectures about game design at schools such as Utah State University, University of the Incarnate Word, and Iowa State University.

I grew up with a love for old monster movies, science fiction and fantasy stories, role-playing games and comic books, and I knew that I wanted these interests to be more than simply a hobby. In addition to creating video games, I’ve written comics (one even got published), created role-playing games, worked on various board games and card games, and recently I’ve started a push to write some stories and get them published.

Website ~ Facebook

Interview: Skylar Hoffman, Author of I Kinda See Dead People: A Spiritual Memoir

Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Skylar Hoffman. He’s hear to introduce us to this first book, I Kinda See Dead People as well as chat about his dream library, phobias, and much more!

If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?

If I could be an extra in a movie, I’d like to be in a gritty war movie like 300. I think being in a slow-motion fight scene would be amazingly cool and it would give me an excuse to get shredded. That’s a win, win situation. I would love to do an action scene. I think it would also be cool to be in a zombie TV show. I would be a character that sacrifices himself for the betterment of the group. But, I don’t want to come back as a zombie because I can barely get contacts inside my eyes. That’s not for me!

What makes you cringe?

Awkward social interactions make me cringe. Like when people talk with their mouth full or I see someone stick out their hand for a handshake and it isn’t ever received.

If you could pick a fictional character to officiate at your wedding or renewal vows, who would it be?

I would pick Morpheus to officiate my wedding. He speaks with power and eloquence. The shades and black trench coat add to his aura of being mysterious and lethal. That’d be the best wedding that I could ever imagine.

The public library of your dreams has arrived! What special collections does it hold?

My library would have a diverse horror section and that’s about it. Maybe the occasional adventure/drama wing, but only if there’s a big and fun twist. I don’t care for any regular story clichés.

You land that most wanted stage role: what character are you playing and why does this role hold such significance to you?

I would like to play Doctor Jekyll & Hyde. I feel that it is a unique role because I’m playing the same character but the demeanor changes. One moment I’d be human and the next I would be a monster. This would be a fun challenge and the fast clothing changes would be intense!

If you had to choose someone to rescue you from the jaws of certain death would it be a superhero, supernatural creature, or a space alien?

My book is about ghosts. It would be so cool to escape from death by a ghostly individual. I see them but never have I seen them stem in the way of my most certain doom.

If you could, what book or movie or TV series would you like to experience for the first time all over again and why?

I would like to experience the old IT miniseries again. At the time it was immensely frightening, but now with the remake, I’m not very impressed. I didn’t think it was scary at all. But, that’s because I had already experienced the frights as a child.

Do you have any phobias?

I have a handful of phobias. For one, when you hear sounds in the dark or reach into somewhere dark and have now idea what is near. I have a phobia for having my blood drawn. I also am not a fan of spiders and weird insects that have feelers and tentacle things.

If you could sit down and have dinner with 5 dead authors, who would you invite to the table? What would they order?

If I had to invite five deceased authors to dinner I would invite Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, John Steinbeck, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Louis Stevenson. I’m not a cook so we would have to eat something cheap. I like these authors because they are great story tellers and have a dark aspect that is in each of their stories respectively.

What is the first book you remember reading on your own?

I’m pretty sure that the first book I read alone was “Night of the Living Dummy” by R.L. Stine. I was a huge Goosebumps fan back in the day.

Finally, what upcoming events and works would you like to share with the readers?

I just released my first ever ebook on Amazon. I’m here to tell my story about being a psychic. I would really appreciate it if you could support me. I did this all by myself, no marketing team, no optimized keywords, and no ghost writers. (no pun intended). I hope you enjoy. I some way, somehow made it up to #2 on the best seller list for biographies. I’m going to be someone and teach everyone about their purpose in life. See ya on the Other Side.

Where to Find Skylar

Website ~ GoodReads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Book Blurb for I Kinda See Dead People:

“I Kinda See Dead People: A Spiritual Memoir” is an autobiography by Skylar Hoffman, a college student with ties to a world beyond. Growing up, he realized he was a little different; he saw, heard, and felt things that others did not. In this book Skylar recounts his run-ins with the paranormal, from reporting an apparition to his elementary school principal, to how he was changed by a near death experience, to a chance encounter with a man who would become a catalyst for the author’s own spiritual awakening. Now a college senior, Skylar is being pushed towards normalcy but is unwilling to give up on following his bliss. The spirits say that he will drop out of school to follow his dreams. Only time will tell and the clock is ticking! This true story is one that is sure to entertain, enlighten, and frighten. We are all here for a reason and Skylar wants to tell you his.

Amazon

Summer of 68 by Kevin Millikin

Narrator: Rick Gregory

Publisher: Kevin Millikin (2017)

Length: 6 hours 27 minutes

Author’s Page

Book Blurb:

When the world ended some people believed that it was the fault of a failed space probe, others – an act of vengeance from an angry God. No one knew the reasons why but across the globe, millions of the recently deceased rose from the dead, possessed with one singular goal: To eat the flesh of the living. Over the course of a few short hours the world was lost.

In the Northern California town of Red Bluff, a Sheriff struggles to grasp this strange and hellish turn of events that have ravaged his small town and maintain order as it all falls apart.

Two brothers struggle to make sense of this new world, traveling through the putrid remains of their beloved town – torn between survival and the love their mother. The world has ended and soon they will learn that all they need to survive is each other.

My Review

This story started with reports coming in to radio stations across the USA reporting the dead rising and eating the living. Of course, few believed it was possible. Since this is set in 1968, zombies and how to combat them wasn’t on too many people’s minds. In California, a small town is hit with this strange occurrence. I was really drawn into the tale at this point especially because I wanted to see how these two kids, Jake and Russell, fared.

First we get a glimpse into their everyday lives. The kids’s dad is off in Vietnam and their mother is trying to take care of everything – all the parenting duties, working, and trying to be both mom and pop to the kids. She was a very realistic character, sneaking smokes when she could. The neighbor offers to take the kids off to the fishing hole. Lucky for them, this gets them out of town for the initial outbreak.

Meanwhile, the town’s sheriff, Sheriff Baker, has been called out to deal with some lazy jerks terrorizing this farmer’s animals in the barn. She tried to scare them off with a few shots but when they started to kill her animals, she called in the police. Baker arrives there and expects drunk and belligerent drifters or farm hands. What he and his deputy find is far, far worse. Wow! It’s totally logical that animals locked in a barn wouldn’t fare well but still, that was tough. Baker was kinda boring at first but he really shined in this scene. This is where I started paying attention to him.

Once the kids get caught up in the zombie apocalypse, they have some choices to make – head for town or head for home. I found this part of the story a bit wonky. I felt it was more logical for them to head home instead of to town and the older brother even weighs out this argument in his head… and then seems to go against his own logic.

This story starts off pretty gender balanced but as things progress, the tale focuses only on the male characters. I would have liked a bit more from the ladies, especially as they are written quite well in the first half of the book. If the world is going down, I want to hear from everyone, not just the guys.

For the entire story, I was hoping but not expecting all my favorite characters to get out alive. This is not a happy conquer all the dead kind of tale. I respect that. As the book blurb strongly hints, this is not a happy ending story. Still, the tale left me wanting a little more. Yet overall, it kept me entertained and I was invested in the main characters.

I received a free copy of this book.

The Narration: Rick Gregory did a decent job with this book. His kid voices for Jake and Russel start off great. He sounds like a kid and keeps the two voices distinct. However as the story progresses, they sound more and more like the adult characters and they aren’t always distinct. That said, the pacing is good and there were no technical issues I noticed. His female voices are believable and I especially loved his voice for the old grumpy neighbor that takes the kids to the fishing hole.

What I Liked: Setting of 1968 California; Sheriff Baker; the kids’s mom and her stress reliever; Jake and Russel versus the zombie world!; that scene with the barn animals – chilling!; tough but realistic ending.

What I Disliked: Could have used some gender balancing; that wonky bit where the brothers have to decide where to go; I wanted a little more from the ending.

What Others Think:

Lomeraniel

Shadow Play by Domino Finn

Narrator: Neil Hellegers

Publisher: Blood & Treasure (2016)

Length: 6 hours 56 minutes

Series: Book 2 Black Magic Outlaw

Author’s Page

Note: As Book 2 in this series, it works best if you’ve read Book 1. I wouldn’t recommend reading this as a stand alone.

Cisco Suarez, a dead necromancer, has his hands full with this one. He’s cursed into serving a group he doesn’t like and which he wants to bring down. Also, he’s dealing with some serious ghosts from his past horrific deeds. Toss in whatever that thing is with glowing red eyes, and Cisco could really use a vacation. No such luck for him!

With Book 1, Dead Man, I had one quibble and that was that the ladies were these throw away characters that were mostly comforters or sex symbols. Well, Domino Finn has definitely corrected that with this book. The ladies play larger roles and Cisco’s machismo has to deal with it.

I really enjoyed the quest for the Horn of Subjugation and what that could mean for Cisco long term. Also, those red eyes that follow him turns out to be a scary and interesting treat for us readers. Not sure Cisco is so stoked about it though. Ha! I love the mix of cultures that are brought into play in this series and this book doesn’t disappoint in this. With info about the Horn of Subjugation comes info about the Taino culture from Cuba and how that’s tied to Cisco.

In Book 1, Cisco destroyed the villain he believed responsible for killing him and turning him into a murdering zombie. Well, we learn that there’s a little more to that in this book and Cisco is dead set on tracking down whoever was controlling that villain. They are just as responsible, if not more so, for all the deaths Cisco was forced to do as a zombie.

Now this is an urban fantasy that features a necromancer, so of course we have to play with dead things. I like that the cat from Book 1 could be used as a scout of sorts with Cisco being able to peer through its eyes. Now Cisco needs the memories of the dead and that involves little graveyard worms. Poor Cisco! I really felt for him when he digs into the deaths of his family. He has to defeat whoever masterminded this tragedy in order to put their spirits to rest.

He also has to try to reconnect with his best good buddy Evan Cross, who heads up a special police squad that investigates and takes down organized crime. Things are strained between the two, as we learned in Book 1, partially because Evan married Cisco’s old girlfriend after Cisco disappeared for 10 years. Awkward. Plenty of intense feelings in those scenes.

All together, it was a great follow up to Book 1 and I look forward to more Cisco adventures.

I received a free copy of this book.

The Narration: Neil Hellegers makes the perfect Cisco Suarez. He does such a great job with the variety of accents throughout this book. Also, there were plenty of intense scenes with both bullets and emotions flying around hitting things. Hellegers was great at voicing these scenes.

What I Liked: Excellent narration; Cisco has to deal with fallout from Book 1; the Horn of Subjugation and all that entails; Cisco going after the mastermind; leaves me ready for Book 3.

What I Disliked: Nothing – quite the wild ride!

Ebook Giveaway & Interview: Eva Gordon, Author of The Alpha Wolf’s Pet Trilogy

Folks, please give a warm welcome to Eva Gordon. She kindly let me heckle her with questions and is also offering up an ebook set of The Alpha Wolf’s Pet trilogy to one lucky winner. Scroll to the end of the post to check out that giveaway!

If you could be an extra on a TV show or movie, what would it be and what would you be doing?

Wow. There are so many. How can you make me choose? I would love to be on any Lord of the Rings movie, perhaps a hobbit. Or a rogue fighter on Star Wars. A zombie on The Walking Dead. However, since I’m a big fan of Outlander that’s the one I would choose. Being in Scotland and wearing period clothes would be a dream come true.

What’s the most interesting gross fact you know?

You do realize you are asking a former anatomy/physiology and biology teacher? So many so little time. I’m a big fan of scatology or the study of feces. I was once part of a mountain lion study and we were able to determine what they fed on and their health based on analyzing their poop.

If you were sent on a magical quest which other 4 fantasy authors would you take with you?

I would make sure I was the alchemist and take along Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth series) Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel’s Legacy series), Neil Gaiman, and throw in Diana Gabaldon (because she might bring along Jamie Frasier from Outlander). Maybe put them in my fantasy novel, The Stone of the Tenth Realm.

Do you have any phobias?

I don’t have any phobias, however I do suffer from a different neurological condition known as Misophonia. Not a phobia. Triggers such as chewing noises, gum popping, slurping and sniffing for example drive me crazy. I’m not alone; celebrities Kelly Ripa and Kelly Osborne are misophones. Authors Franz Kafka and Anton Chekov also suffered from this condition. Ear plugs help.

What were you like as a kid? Did your kid-self see you being a writer?

As a kid I was a tomboy who wanted to be an explorer and animal behaviorist like Jane Goodall. Hence, my degrees in Zoology and Biology. Although, I was a bookworm I never thought about writing until later.

The Desert Island Collection: what books make it into your trunk and why?

Survival books and my iPad filled with plenty of science fiction and fantasy novels. Naturally, I would have a solar charger for my device.

Which favorite bookish worlds would you like to visit?

The world of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, Tolkien’s, and shamelessly, my novels. My worlds can be dangerous, but I’m smart and there is always a gorgeous hero will give me a hand. Winks.

What is a recurring or the most memorable geeky argument or debate you have taken part in?

The Debate of All Time, would you rather live in the Star Trek or Star Wars universe? I think I would have to choose Star Trek where I would be a science officer. Safer. Although, it would be cooler to be a Jedi master in the Star Wars Universe.

About Author Eva Gordon:

Eva Gordon writes genre bending paranormal/fantasy/steampunk and historical novels with a strong romantic element. Alpha heroes and brilliant feisty heroines. HEA with a kick. She loves to create stories that combine her passion for mythology, steamy romance, and action/suspense. Her imagination takes her from one universe to the next. Thus far, she has several series up as well as single titles waiting in line for production.

Eva has a BS in Zoology and graduate studies in Biology. When not in her den writing, she can be found teaching animal lore at writing conventions, at work at the raptor rehabilitation center, wolf sanctuaries, or to satisfy her inner Hemingway on some global eco adventure.

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Places to Stalk Eva Gordon

website ~ blog ~ Amazon ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ goodreads ~ pinterest

Book Blurb about The Alpha Wolf’s Pet Trilogy:

The Alpha Wolf’s Pet Collection includes the entire trilogy. Each book is a different stage in the romantic relationship between alpha werewolf, Dominic and Mia, his human lover. Paranormal steamy romance and page turning suspense. Alpha Wolf’s Pet series introduces the universe and some of the characters in the offshoot paranormal romance suspense series: Team Greywolf, Slade, Book 1 and Chernobyl Werewolf, Book 2.

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ kobo ~ Audible

GIVEAWAY!!!

Eva is graciously offering up one ebook set of The Alpha Wolf’s Pet trilogy to one lucky winner [OPEN INTERNATIONALLY]. Do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) What geeky argument have you been a part of? 2) Where do you live? Giveaway ends May 4th, 2017, midnight.

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Audiobook Giveaway & Review: Speakeasy Dead by Vicky Loebel

Scroll to the bottom for the GIVEAWAY!

Narrators: Emily Beresford & Nick Podehl

Publisher: Pentachronistic Press (2013)

Length: 12 hours 49 minutes

Series: Book 0.5 Demonic Intervention

Author’s Page

Note: This book and it’s loosely tied-in sequel, Keys to the Coven, can each work just fine as stand alones.

Set in Falstaff, Arizona in the 1920s during Prohibition, the Woodsens run a speakeasy bar and also sell some of their surplus alcohol to others. Now a Chicago-based mob is trying to move in and run the alcohol trade. They will be surprised at how little pushing it takes to upset a witch. Meanwhile, the youngest of the Woodsen cousins, teen Clara, is desperate to save her beloved movie star Beau Beauregard. She’s willing to break some rules in the name of true love (or her first crush). Her older cousin, Bernard (Bernie) Benjamin, is just the guy to help her out, even if he has to be lured to the basement and tied to the center of a pentagram. Demons and zombies have never had so much fun as they will during the dance competition!

Once again, Vicky Loebel has given me something original and very funny. There’s a bit of sexy (though it’s pretty PG-13 for this book) as well. Clara is a driven character who’s young enough to not know to look at the bigger picture when it comes to love, yet old enough to have just enough responsibility and autonomy to get into big trouble. She’s dead set on saving her ‘beloved’ Beau even if he has no idea she exists (and that’s because they’ve never met). She’s even willing to become a warlock by summoning a demon and striking a bargain with it. Hans is the handsome demon that appears and somehow he talks things around so that his demon familiar, Ruth, will enter a dance contest. The pit just gets deeper from there on out.

With the Chicago mob, Bernie and his personal schemes, Gladys the Golem, Beau’s resentment over the whole mess, zombies, stolen booze, and an older Woodsen sibling arriving soonish, Clara really does have her hands full. It was so funny! There’s plenty of clever lines and each person really has their own agenda in mind. Clara wants love from Beau, and to not get caught. Bernie doesn’t want to die a horrible death (which is surely what will happen when Clara’s older witch sisters find out about this whole mess). The mob want their booze, the money, and control (and they seem constantly surprised when that doesn’t happen easily). Beau is quite angry with his situation and Clara is totally surprised by what he truly wants. Gladys just wants to get back to housekeeping.

I really enjoyed the various magical elements. There’s the demon Hans and his familiar Ruth which have their intricate little dos and don’ts. Then Gladys who is a Golem and rather protective of young Bernie. One of Clara’s best friends is a ghost whisperer and she has a ghost familiar (Gaspar, complete with Spanish accent). Loebel manages to pull each one into the storyline seamlessly. Moreover, she gives each one rules to work with and she keeps them within those rules. With a comedy, it would be easy to have these various magical folk breaking rules, so I appreciated that once the author laid down a law of this is how this type of magic works, she kept her characters in line.

I did quite enjoy all the flirty, sexy behavior that popped up here and there. Demons love to trade on sex because it builds up their karma, which is basically spiritual coinage. Clara knows all this from her older witch sisters and her book on demons. Yet when the offers are made to her, she’s tempted. Bernie isn’t as naive but he’s not as well-schooled as he likes to pretend either. Ruth, being a large hunting cat most of the time, has a sexy confidence all the time, even when she’s totally mangling her dance partner’s foot during practice. There’s plenty of wit and humor with the sexy bits, making them just as fun as the rest of the book.

Having listened to both audiobook set in this urban fantasy world, I really hope Loebel gives us more. The humor is a bit unique and I love the mix of serious situations, magic, and laughter. Not everyone makes it out of this story unscathed. In many ways, Clara comes of age in this tale. Loved it and looking forward to more of it!

I received a free copy of this book.

Narration: Emily Beresford and Nick Podehl once again did a great job on this book. Even though they voiced totally different characters for Keys to the Coven, I read them far enough apart that I didn’t have character echos in my head, as can sometimes happen when you listen to books set in the same universe that have different characters yet the same narrators. These two are great with all the emotions and also delivering straight lines so the humor is left hanging there for the reader/listener to catch even as the story moves onward.

What I Liked: Arizona!; the Prohibition era; silly mobsters being all tough and hard to take a hint; Clara’s first real crush; Beau’s reaction to that crush; Bernie’s role in all this mess; Gladys is probably the most dangerous one in the mix but knows when to hold back; Ruth is a sexy beast; Gaspar and his Zorro sword; how it all ends with a Charleston.

What I Disliked: Nothing – so darn funny!

GIVEAWAY!

Vicky is generously offering up 3 audiobook copies of her book Speakeasy Dead! The audiobook is available through both Audible.com and Audible.UK. To enter the giveaway, do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer these questions in the comments: 1) Do you have either an Audible.com or an Audible.UK account? 2) What attracts you most to this book? Zombies? Prohibition? Demons? Dance Contests? 3) Leave a way to contact you if you win. Giveaway ends April 4th, midnight, 2017.

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Dead Man by Domino Finn

Where I Got It: A gift

Publisher: Blood & Treasure (2015)

Length: 296 pages

Series: Book 1 Black Magic Outlaw

Author’s Page

Cisco Suarez, necromancer and a wee bit of a dumb ass, wakes up in a dumpster. Wait. Can the dead wake? Cisco is full on dead and he’s none too happy to learn about it, especially since a variety of folks are set on seeing him dead. Again.

The Miami heat can be harsh, especially if you’re already prone to giving off body odor. Cisco needs info and the first person he runs into that he knows is Milena, who was his sister Seleste’s BFF. Cisco soon learns what tragedy befell his family and he’s heart broken and ticked off all at the same time.

The Haitian gang, The Bone Saints, are after him and he’s not too sure why. They have a new leader, Baptiste, who is dead set on ending Cisco’ second life. Cisco has few options so he calls upon his friends for info and aide. There’s the Norwegian biker tattoo artist Kasper, his boyhood school friend Evan Cross (who’s as straight laced as you can get), and his buddy in studying the dark arts Martine. Unfortunately, Cisco will get less aide tham he hoped for and more info than he can easily handle.

This is a wonderful nitty gritty urban fantasy detective story. Miami provides the author with the opportunity to mix in several cultures and languages. Of course, I loved all the food references. Cisco has that interesting mix of boyish charm, machismo, underdog, do-gooder, and more power than he can easily handle. It made for a fascinating character set in a place that ties together several cultures, and hence, several mythologies.

I often found myself cheering on this necromancer, which is not something I have done often. I mean, it’s just wrong to mess with the dead, right? But Cisco made me see the right of it. After all, there’s utilizing the dead for a higher purpose and then there’s abusing your necromancer privileges. Cisco sometimes walks a fine line, but that only added to the tension and enjoyment of the story.

My one quibble is the ladies. They are few and far between and mostly are comforters and sex objects. Now part of that is how Cisco sees the world, so I can see that adding to the character’s personality, but the ladies as a whole aren’t well represented. Martine has some skills in necromancy, but she has a pretty small role. Max, a body guard, I think has like 5 lines for the entire book and is one-dimensional. Seleste gets a nod and Milena has the largest role mostly because Cisco spends plenty of time admiring her figure. There’s an od girlfriend who also gets a nod but must be protected from the truth as she’s too fragile to handle it. It’s modern-day Miami, which is known for a lot of things, including their bad ass women (for example the numerous ladies from the series Dexter). Alas, this book was lacking in this regard.

With that said, it was still a very engaging story and an excellent addition to the urban fantasy genre. Apparently, the dead can be used more creatively than I expected. The balance of humor and serious points kept me on Cisco’s side throughout the book.

I received this book as a gift from the author with no strings attached.

What I Liked: Almost a noir detective feel to it; the cover art; Cisco is a very interesting character; great mix of cultures and mythologies; food references; the humor; the serious points; ready for Book 2.

What I Disliked: The ladies are little sidenotes in this adventure.

What Others Think:

James A. Hunter

Giveaway & Interview: Elizabeth Jeannel, Author of The Travelers

Folks, please give a warm welcome to Elizabeth Jeannel, author of The Travelers, to the blog today.

If you had to choose someone to rescue you from the jaws of certain death would it be a superhero, supernatural creature, or a space alien?

As a child, I definitely would have chosen a space alien because superheros were real to me, actively saving the world, I just hadn’t met them yet. As an adult, I’ve somewhat grown up. I currently think superheros just live among us waiting for their time to shine. I’d have to say Batman would be my chosen hero because, lets face it, there’s enough billionaires out there that someone could realistically step up and do the job. Until then, my life will not be complete. So, someone who knows a billionaire needs to tell them its Batman time; we are all waiting.

Myths and beliefs that we would consider fiction or fantasy in modern literature once upon a time shaped history (think of all the hunts for unicorns & dragons). Do you see modern fantasy fiction affecting human cultures today and how?

Modern fantasy definitely affects human cultures today. People are constantly stepping up as they prepare for the zombie apocalypse (which is inevitable, might I add), some are even claiming to be vampires, others are searching for vampires, whether it be lover or hunter, people still look for Big Foot, and the age old Loch Ness, and we all know that the idea of time travel is secretly on the mind of everyone who can comprehend the idea. We want to believe what isn’t real because if the imaginary stay imaginary, life is just too normal.

Conventions, book signings, blogging, etc.: what are some of your favorite aspects of self-promotion and what are some of the least favorite parts of self-promotion?

I think my favorite aspect about the self-pro process so far is that I’ve really had full control. I decide where to go, what to talk about, who to talk to, and why. No one tells me where I have to go or what I have to do. Ultimately, its up to me.

My least favorite part is that I’m alone. Everything I do is sort of in my hands, and its a learn as I go experience. Most of the steps I’ve taken so far have really come from reading the experiences of others, and trying my best to learn from them. The writing world is so vast, and unless you make the right friends, you aren’t really going anywhere. I’m still trying to make friends in general, but those that I have are amazingly supportive.

If you were sent on a magical quest which other 4 fantasy authors would you take with you?

When I read this question, I imagined that each of us would have the ability to use our writing freely. I.e. we could magically create things and change things just like we do in the word world. So, that being said, I would definitely bring J.R.R Tolkien back from the dead because who doesn’t love classic, by his side C.S. Lewis would be kicking it, I’d definitely add Jim Butcher along for the ride, and finally I’d add one more female to this group of manly men with Lauren Kate. I feel like I’d definitely be the weakest link with this group of literary geniuses, but I still think we would take that magical quest by the horns.

What does your Writer’s Den look like? Neat and tidy or creative mess? Can you write anywhere or do you need to be holed up in your author cave?

Sadly, I do most of my writing at my day job. Between caring for my spoiled cat, spending time with my disabled girlfriend, and doing that real work thing, I just don’t have a lot of spare time, except when work is slow. However, I typically leave an earthquake wherever I go, so if I had a Writer’s Den, it would most likely be a beautiful disaster. In all honesty, I’ve written at work between 911 calls, the park, school, the library, Starbucks (because I am a typical white girl and I don’t care), and even in the car at one point, BUT I prefer to be curled up with a blanket, munchies, and my favorite drink by a rainy window. I think that’s when I have my best creating juices flowing.

Care to share an awkward fangirl/fanboy moment, either one where someone was gushing over your work…..or one where you were gushing over another author’s work?

I can actually honestly share two of these moments because both are equally worth it.

Since my first book has not been released, and a recent accident forced me to put it off, I’ve had some of my friends and family in full suspense waiting for the release since the spring of this year. Well, about a month ago, I bumped into an old high school friend at our local mall, and she had to stop me and beg me to release my book soon. She even said she checked my facebook page regularly to see if I had posted any tidbits about the book. It was the first time that I realized that other people actually do care about my work, and I can’t get over that day.

My second story flashes back to the dark days before my self publishing adventure began. These were dark times, Susan, very dark times. I was doing the unthinkable and querying like crazy, when I stumbled upon the agent of one of my favorite authors (who shall remain nameless for lack of ridicule from the general public). I literally squealed, scaring my cat, my girlfriend at the time, and my in laws. Quickly, I began forming a query letter, without explaining my outburst, and clicked send. Of course, I never received a response, and it just so happens now that I’m glad about it, but at the time, the idea of having the same agent as one of my favorite authors was something beyond my wildest dreams.

Thank you for the interview, and I hope you have an amazing day!

Book Blurb for The Travelers:

The town Alex calls home has always felt safe to her, until three girls her age are found dead. When Alex’s father forces her mother to skip town with him, possibly for good, they leave Alex behind to fend for herself and unfold years of lies they have built her life upon. Jaze, who has been invisible by her side for months, appears just in time to eliminate any normality that remained in her life. He’s tall, dark and terrifying, though that wasn’t his intent. Just as Jaze is earning Alex’s trust, the Council, a feared and powerful group of leaders from his world, orders him to protect her with his life.

Jaze quickly becomes torn between his duty and his love for Alex. When her real memories of her childhood return, Alex tumbles head first into Jaze’s strange world and into his arms. While Jaze soon finds that Alex may not be the ordinary girl he had originally assumed her to be. Together the two of them discover that sometimes love and simplicity aren’t always options in life.

Places to Find Elizabeth

GIVEAWAY!!!

Elizabeth Jeannel is offering up 2 ebook copies of her book The Travelers. This giveaway is open International! To Enter, do the Rafflecopter thing below or answer the following in the comments: 1) Do you think fantasy fiction affects modern society? 2) Leave a way to contact you! Giveaway ends December 7th, 2015, midnight.

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ZDate: A Zombie Romance by Charley Allen

Where I Got It: Review Copy

Narrators: Angel Clark, Melissa Chatwood, Ray Greenley, David Dietz, Andrew Wehrlen

Publisher: Charley Allen (2015)

Length: 39 minutes

Author’s Page

Gary is a programmer and has been hired by zombies to create a zombie dating website for them. Gary is not too enthused at first, but then begins to see the monetary advantages to such a website. Meanwhile, Greg and Amy have met through the website and are trying to meet in real zombie life.

This was a fun audiobook with a fun cast. There are basically only 5 characters – Gary (evil programmer), Amy (hottie zombie), Greg (another hottie zombie), Stef (Amy’s BFF who would like to be more), and Zed (Greg’s wingman). Being zombiefied is just a new way of life that the young generation has gotten use to. Zombies hold jobs, go to college, and date. Hence, the need for a zombies-only dating site.

The story is told in a humorous fashion, often breaking that fourth wall and talking directly to the listener. Occasionally, the humor was a little overdone, a little over accentuated. But for the most part I was found it amusing and engaging.

My favorite character was Stef (with Gary being a close second). Stef chose to go zombie in order to stay friends with Amy. And I do believe Stef wouldn’t mind if things became more than friendly. Alas, I think she is in for heartache in the future as Amy seems completely oblivious.

Gary was fun partly because he is still human and partly because he is an ass. He really doesn’t like zombies and thinks of them as subhuman. Yet he will take their money to go start a website. He continues to be a jerk throughout the story, but his jerkscapades grow proportionately throughout this short tale. I loved the anticipation of watching him fall!

I received a copy of this audiobook at no cost from one of the narrators (via the GoodReads Audiobooks group) in exchange for an honest review.

Narration: The narration was tip top on this book. The full cast, not something you usually see for such a short story, really made this book work. Obviously, each character had their own distinct voice and each narrator did a great job of giving them attitude and emotions (even the zombie characters).

What I Liked: Fun, humorous zombie tale; zombie dating!; interesting evil character; my favorite character was Stef; fun ending.

What I Disliked: Occasionally the humor was a little overdone.