Radioactive Evolution | Richard Hummel | Review

Thursday, 1 August 2019

Radioactive Evolution | Richard Hummel | Review

Cropped cover shot from Word of the Nerd

Before this book I hadn't knowingly stepped into the genre that is LitRPG. You heard that right, books that are based around RPGs (role-playing games for those of you who don't know). To be honest with my love of video games I'm amazed I haven't stumbled into it before, the closest I've probably gotten is Ready Player One which isn't classed as LitRPG but is probably borderline.

Basically, LitRPG's are when games or game-like challenges form an essential part of the story and visible RPG statistics (for example strength, intelligence, damage) are a significant part of the reading experience. The first chapter of Radioactive Evolution* ends with the initial look into this game like form when Jared unlocks a dragon?!?!?

Sidekick Unlocked: Dragon

The idea of the whole story is so gamelike, from beating creatures and levelling up your skills to fighting the 'boss' creatures. Jared and Scarlett are on a big quest to unearth Scarlett's family of fire dragons from where they've been hiding in the earth's core, and on the way come across various obstacles to overcome from people, giant rats, and another dragon?!?! I will say that although I enjoyed the whole gamelike aspect it did give me the kind of stress that video games give you. Stressed throughout a fight in case you lose and have to redo the level, however, Jared can't redo the level he'll just die a regular human death because 'LIVES' DON'T EXIST! Super stressful.

The basis of this dystopian world is a virus has taken out most of the human race and in order to stay alive you must inject yourself with boosters every few months but of course the boosters are running out. The nanites from the boosters can allow you to connect with a creature, like Jared and Scarlett are connected, and allow you to increase your stats and you can even obtain special abilities from killing and extracting nanites from boss creatures. This may sound a little confusing but trust me Richard Hummel explains it much better throughout the book. I think the coolest part though is being able to connect with another creature, there's another bonding you meet further into the book which I won't go into too much as spoilers, but they bond with a big cat called Kitty - so it's not just dragons!

If you like any aspect of video gaming or dystopian stories with dragons I totally recommend Radioactive Evolution. Now I'm going to move onto the second book and the rest of the LitRPG genre.

If you could connect with a creature of some kind, what would you choose? I think I'd choose a big cat like Kitty!

*This book was given to me to review, but all opinions are my own

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Grave Predictions | Anthology | Review

Monday, 17 October 2016

Grave Predictions | Anthology | Review

 *Image and book provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

This book is a collection of short stories, all of them previously published, about all the ways the world could end. 

Review:

I knew, going into this book, that there would be no happy endings in any of these stories. A handful of them I had read before (i.e. 2BRO2B) some others I had heard referenced before. But nothing could have prepared me for the almost overwhelming doom and gloom I ended up feeling. If you want to read this anthology of classic stories, I highly recommend that you have something cheerier to counter the depression and anxiety this book can inflict. 

The pacing of the stories seemed to be a good fit. Some stories are noticeably longer than others while others only seemed to be a few paragraphs. The editor did a good job of making sure they are in a readable order. I really only had problems getting interested in one of the longer stories (I'll admit I ended up skimming quite a bit of that one). 

Again, if you want to read it, I recommend have some kind of mood booster to help you out. This anthology really messed with me and my general mood. Read with caution. 

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The Sabbath | Nsenga & Francis | Review

Monday, 24 August 2015

The Sabbath | Nsenga & Francis | Review

*Image and eBook provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

The morning after witnessing a spectacular meteorite shower, humanity wakes up immortal, but still susceptible to diseases and even more sensitive to pain. News bulletins claim the meteorites released a chemical compound, called ATHENS, that caused the mutation. Now the majority of food supplies are contaminated and the rich are controlling what little is left. Lana and Corey accidentally discover a secret government device and find themselves caught up in a diabolical plot to control the future of humanity.

Review:

I enjoy reading short books like this, less than 200 pages. I enjoy these because it means there are no words wasted. Everything written is meant to aid the story, not distract or bore. Nnsenga & Francis do not disappoint. There are no extraneous details, there are no long, boring monologues, and the exposition is kept in good pace with the action. And there is a lot of action, something else I enjoy in my stories that have romance.

There are few characters we actually get to know in this book. It's from the point of view of the main characters of Lana and Cory. They knew each other before The Sabbath (the meteorite shower) and remain together in the aftermath, keeping themselves and Cory's sister, Isabel, safe. Their relationship isn't perfect, but neither is the environment they're in. I will admit, there were a few times I thought "can we please put the relationship drama aside until the action is over?" But I've been told, several times, that it's actually more true-to-life than I give it credit for.

As much as I love the shorter book format, it does come with a challenge for authors: world building is incredibly difficult. Unfortunately, the world The Sabbath takes place in is difficult for me to picture. When they talk about the government controlling everything, it seems to big for any one country's government to do.* The coalition of rebels makes me wonder if "The Government" is just one country or a new world-wide government that took over in the year after the Sabbath. There are a lot of questions about this world that the authors just don't have the time to answer, though they did leave things open for a sequel.

If you enjoy apocalyptic books, government conspiracies, and/or survival stories, you will like The Sabbath. There are questions about the world, but the characters are real and the implications of immortality being too-good-to-be-true are interesting. The different lengths people will go to in order to provide for themselves and their families are central to the story and accurate. Overall, it's a good read.


*There is a hint that it's actually another group controlling everything but that still seems out there.

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The Book of Phoenix | Nnedi Okorafor | Review

Monday, 29 June 2015

The Book of Phoenix | Nnedi Okorafor | Review

*Image courtesy of Ann Arbor District Library

Summary:

This book is a prequel to Okorafor’s Who Fears Death. It covers the story of a woman named Phoenix who, though she looks 40, is actually only a few years old. She and the few friends she has were created or enhanced by science and kept in Tower 7 to be experimented on. When Phoenix discovers she has abilities that mimic her namesake, her thoughts focus on escape and freedom.

Review:

I love this book. It answered all the questions I had about the history of the world created in Who Fears Death. It answers my questions about who wrote The Great Book, how the world became one giant desert, and how the Okeke people became subservient to the Nuru, even if some of the answers come indirectly.

The Book of Phoenix is a moving story. There is so much loss in Phoenix’s life. But also so much rebirth. This book feels like it is designed to awaken the fires of your soul and move you to action. I’m not sure what that action is, but I definitely feel determined to do it. Okorafor has a talent for writing strong, female characters and it is impossible for me to not be affected, even inspired, by their strength.

The most tragic part of this story comes in the final chapters and reflects the nature of stories based on oral histories and translations: they’re always changed or adapted to reflect the nature and beliefs of the storyteller. I cannot say much more on this topic as it would be labelled “spoilers”, but I feel it is a lesson that we must all take to heart; that stories, no matter how grandly told, no matter how believable, sometimes only hold a grain of truth.

I am happy to recommend this book. There are some “experiments” described that are disturbing to think about, but nothing too graphic. You do not have to have read Who Fears Death first, though I would still recommend it. I really have no reason to give this book less than 5 out of 5. Okorafor is an author whose writings stick with you hours after you’re done reading them.

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The 100 & Day 21 | Kass Morgan | Reviewed by Erin

Monday, 15 September 2014

The 100 & Day 21 | Kass Morgan | Reviewed by Erin

*Review copy c/o Netgalley, images via Goodreads


The idea behind the 100 series may seem rather familiar to some of you as it has recently been adapted into a TV series by US network The CW but today I'm going to be discussing the original books. The novels follow a group of teen criminals living in space years after a nuclear apocalypse left the Earth uninhabitable. Although the ship has been home to several generations the real story begins when 100 of the teens are chosen to be sent back to Earth to investigate as oxygen on the ship is running out quickly, putting everyone's lives at risk.

At first I found it difficult to get into the story of The 100 which is a shame as I thought the premise sounded intriguing. I had expected it to be more of a survival story but instead found it to be very focused on the various relationships between the main characters. The teens we meet are Clarke, Wells & Bellamy who are all sent down to Earth, and finally Glass the only one of the group who remains on the ship. The chapters alternate between these four characters who are all connected in some way and although I thought it was interesting to include perspectives from both on and off the ship, in this case I didn’t feel that the multiple points of view on the ground necessarily added much value to the story.

Something else I was disappointed in was the lack of solid world-building which definitely contributed to the fact that I didn’t feel like I could really invest in the characters and their stories. In addition it didn't feel like much actually happened in the book plot-wise and sadly overall it left me feeling underwhelmed and with a lot of unanswered questions.

In an attempt to enjoy The 100 more I also dipped in and out of the first few episodes of the new TV adaptation but sadly I couldn’t muster up much enthusiasm here either. Still, I persevered and picked up the second book in the hope that it would contain more answers, and more of the survival tale I was hoping for.

Newly released sequel Day 21 picks up where The 100 left off and whilst still fairly focused on the relationships between the characters also starts to give more of an insight into what’s been happening on Earth and how the Colony became to be. For me the fact that the world-building was stronger and new elements were added meant I enjoyed the second book more than the first.

Although overall this series isn’t one of my personal favourites I still believe the premise has a lot of potential and perhaps a third instalment could be very interesting. Fans of the TV adaptation may be surprised at some of the changes from the original novels but will most likely enjoy these reads!

This post was written by regular reviewer Erin, get to know her here

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Guest Post | Zombie Fiction

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Guest Post | Zombie Fiction

My fascination with zombies started when I watched my first zombie movie many, many years ago. I'm a bit sad that I can't remember which movie it was (it might have been Dawn of the Dead) but I remember getting a bit too excited about the concept of a zombie apocalypse. My love for zombie movies naturally also turned into a love for zombie fiction.

Sometimes people look at me funny when I tell them that I read zombie fiction, because people in general seem to think that I'm in it for the blood and gore. Sure, I usually don't mind the blood and gore, but that's not what makes the zombie apocalypse interesting. It's the humans in the stories that makes the whole concept fascinating! I love stories about survival and coping with extreme situations and I think it's pretty fair to call a zombie apocalypse an extreme situation.

It's pretty easy to be a zombie fan these days, because zombies seem to be quite a thing at the moment (thank you The Waking Dead, I love you!). So there's a lot to choose from. So I thought it would be appropriate for me to tell you about my favorites books in the zombie genre!

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry: When Benny Imura turns 15 he joins his brother in the family business. Benny thinks that the only thing his brother does is to go outside the city's fences to kill zombies. But on Benny's first trip out in the big rot and ruin he learns that the family business is about so much more... I thought that Rot and Ruin had an interesting concept because it tells a story that takes places years after the first zombie outbreak. The main character Benny has pretty much grown up in a world with zombies. The book is fun and fast paced but also touches some important issues about humans and humanity! It's the first book in one of my favorite young adult zombie series (read my full review here).

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell: The Reapers are the Angels is something so unusual as a beautiful zombie story. The novel is actually really beautifully written and is filled with unique and quirky characters. It tells the story about Temple's journey through a zombie infested country, but Temple is just not any fifteen year old girl, she's one of the most interesting and engaging characters I've ever read about. The Reapers are the Angels is one of my favorite books of all time, it's amazing (read my full review here)!

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion: This is the novel made famous by the movie with the same title (that came out last year). The movie is good, but the books is better (as always). I was actually surprised that the movie was a comedy because I didn't get that vibe from the book. Sure, there's many funny parts in the book as well but it has a much more serious undertone. I love this book because I just think it's genius to write a love story between a zombie and human and make it believable (read my full review here).

World War Z by Max Brooks: This is a book for hard core zombie fans. It's written like a non-fiction book with interviews with people that had an active part in the war against zombies. It's a believable and amazingly detailed book. But some parts of the book suffer from too many military terms. But over all it's a really fun and interesting book, a must read for true zombie fans (read my full review here).

Feed by Mira Grant: Feed is the story about two siblings, Georgia and Shaun that are bloggers in a post zombie apocalyptic world. They get the big opportunity to be the official bloggers in one of the presidential candidates campaign and during this process they all learn that humans can be scarier than zombies. This book is so much fun! Zombies, politics, blogging and kick ass characters, what more can you ask for? (Read my full review here).

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Dark Inside | Jeyn Roberts | Review

Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Dark Inside | Jeyn Roberts | Review

“They knew this—survival came at a price. Over the past few weeks they’d all survived a Bagger attack. Or two. Or three. They knew the consequences. Not everyone got out alive. They’d seen loved ones die. Even worse, some had watched the people they cared about turn on them. But as long as they stuck together in a group, they were still human. As long as they were human they were still alive.” - Jeyn Roberts, Dark Inside

A series of earthquakes rock the world and for reasons unknown people start to turn on each other. People start moving in packs killing and destroying everything on their way. The people who're not affected by the earthquakes have to start hiding and running from people who once were their friends, neighbors and family members. In this new terrifying world four teenagers, Mason, Aries, Clementine and Michael have to do their best to survive.

I started reading Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts thinking it was going to be a zombie novel. Not that it's that different, it's an apocalyptic novel about people trying to kill other people. The difference is that the monsters in this book aren't dead, they're alive but gone crazy. If you've read a few of my previous reviews you probably know that I'm a big fan of apocalyptic stories. They're alway fast-paced, action filled and I find the concept of people surviving and dealing with extreme conditions interesting. Dark Inside does live up to those things. It's fast-paced, action filled and tells the story about people trying to survive in a world gone mad. So yes, this novel was a fun read according to me. I also enjoyed the slightly unique concept of living people turning to crazy murderers.

Even if I really enjoyed reading Dark Inside there was one thing that really bothered me. I had a pretty hard time keeping the characters apart. The chapters in this novel are narrated by different characters, so the story line jumps between the four main characters. If the concept of jumping between different narrators is going to work you need to have unique characters that are very different from each other. I had a hard time remembering which one of the characters I was reading about at the moment (that the two main characters Michael and Mason have pretty similar names is also bit of an issue). This wouldn't have been a problem if the characters would've been a bit more unique and had a bit more depth to them so I go to know them better.

Over all this is a fun, fast an enjoyable read and I'm pretty sure I'm going to pick up the sequel. But the novel does lack in character building. I didn't quite feel for the characters and I had a hard time keeping them apart from each other. That's a shame because with well written characters this would've been a really good apocalyptic young adult novel. But I still think that you should give this a go if you like the genre! I give Dark inside 3,5/5 stars.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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The Road | Cormac McCarthy | Review

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

The Road | Cormac McCarthy | Review

“People were always getting ready for tomorrow. I didn't believe in that. Tomorrow wasn't getting ready for them. It didn't even know they were there.” - Cormac McCarthy , The Road


The Road is a story about a boy and his father and their journey heading for the coast through a burned and abandoned country where the few surviving people have started to turn on each other...

I have to start this review with admitting that I watched the movie before I even knew the book existed (shame on me!). And I also have to tell you that I think it's an excellent movie...Now when I have those things off my chest, let's move on to the actual book review...

Some people might think that this story is slow and that the language is a bit sparse. But I think that the story is honest and heartbreaking and that the language is beautiful. The You guess it right, this is a pretty sad story set in a really depressing world. But it's also a beautiful story about the relationship between a father and his son. I know what you're thinking. It sounds like Niina is describing a 5 star book. And yes, you're almost right. But not quite. I did really think that this was an amazing book and a really interesting and enjoyable reading experience but I personally had two small issues that I have to share with you;

1. I wish I didn't watch the movie before I read the book! I know that this is my own fault but the movie is actually really accurate if you compare it with the book and I missed the excitement of not knowing what would happen next. I know that this has nothing to do with the quality of the book but it did really affect my reading experience.

2. I read too many post apocalyptic novels written for young adults so I'm used to a different pacing. I told you before that I appreciated McCarthy's writing style and the beautiful language. But some parts of the books were just a little bit too slow for me.

That being said, The Road is an excellent novel and I recommend you to give it a try (if you haven't seen the movie read the book first! Then watch the movie because it's also really good!) The only thing missing for me to give it 5 stars is that feeling that keeps you up all night just to read one more page because that didn't quite happen for me. I give The Road 4,5/5 stars.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Rot & Ruin | Jonathan Maberry | Review

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Rot & Ruin | Jonathan Maberry | Review

“Often it was the most unlikely people who found within themselves a spark of something greater. It was probably always there, but most people are never tested, and they go through their whole lives without ever knowing that when things are at their worst, they are at their best.” - Jonathan Maberry, Rot & Ruin

Yes! I finally have another zombie review for you! It's been too long since I last reviewed a zombie novel, because we all know that it's my favorite genre (okay, maybe you didn't know that, but now you know). And do you want to know what the best thing is? It's a review of a really good zombie novel! I guess that kind of spoiled the surprise, but oh well, I guess the five stars at the bottom of this post are pretty revealing as well...

Rot & Ruin is the first book in the series about Benny Imura by Jonathan Maberry. The story is set around 15 years after the zombie apocalypse in a small town in central California. There isn't a lot of people left in the world and most of those people live in small towns behind fences and high walls. When Benny Imura turns 15 he's required to get a job so he can earn his rations of food and necessities. After a few failed attempts on different jobs Benny gets asked by his older brother if he wants to join the family business. Benny thinks that all his brothers job is about is hunting down and killing zombies. But when Benny gets to tag along one of his brothers trip out to the world on the other side of the fences, the rot and ruin, he realizes that there's so much more to his brother and the job he calls the family business.

Like I've already admitted, I truly enjoyed this book! Rot & Ruin consists of everything that makes a good zombie novel! It's fast paced, exciting and filled with action. But it also touches important issues about humanity and about how people face extreme situations. I also really enjoyed the characters in this books. I think the main character Benny Imura is a really good example of good character development. The other characters are also well-written. They're different, interesting and have a lot of depth to them and they're never predictable or too stereotypical. I also like Jonathan Maberry's writing-style. He doesn't try too hard, but he never gets sloppy. To be honest, I don't have anything negative to say about Rot & Ruin. It's a well-written young adult book filled with interesting characters. It also have an interesting story-line and good pacing. It's a book that keep me up all night so I could read just one more chapter...

If you are a fan of zombie fiction and you haven't read this book yet I recommend that you pick it up right at this moment! Because I'm pretty sure you're not going to be disappointed! And if you're not into zombie fiction, why not give it a try? There's actually a chance that you might like it as well! So, it's not a surprise to anyone that I give Rot & Ruin 5/5 stars!

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War | Max Brooks | Review

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War | Max Brooks | Review

"They say great times make great men. I don't buy it. I saw a lot of weakness, a lot of filth. People who should have risen to the challenge and either couldn't or wouldn't. Greed, fear, stupidity and hate. I saw it before the war, I see it today. [...] I don't know if great times make great men, but I know they can kill them.” - Max Brooks, Word War Z

If you have read a few of my posts here at Blogger's Bookshelf you know that I'm a big zombie fan. I want you to keep that in mind because I'm pretty sure that is going to reflect this review. But now when you're aware of that, let's roll...

World War Z has a really interesting concept. It's written like a documentary book even if it's obviously based on fiction (there hasn't been a world war against Zombies that I know of). The book consists of interviews with people that in different ways played an important role in the World War Z (yes, that was the world war against zombies that I just talked about). That pretty much concludes what the books is all about.

This is not my favorite zombie novel, but it's one of the most interesting ones I've read. Max Brooks truly knows his zombies and the details in this books is massively impressive. If you find yourself in a zombie apocalypse you would love to have Max Brooks number, because he would know what to do! Max Brook's sense of detail is amazing. This man have thought about everything! It gives you the feeling that you're reading about something that have actually happened. It's kind of scary sometimes... I really found many of the chapters really intriguing and interesting and I had to discuss many of the scenarios with anyone who was around to listen. It really gets your head spinning and that my friends, that's always a good thing!

But even if I'm a die hard zombie fan I have to confess that there was a few things that I struggled with while I read this book. The book is divided into so many different chapters and every chapter is an interview with a new person. That makes the characters a bit alienated from you. You never get to know them and you never start caring about them (there's a few exceptions though, there was a few stories that actually touched my heart on a more personal level). And in the same way as I found many of the interviews interesting I also struggled with quite a few. Not having any interest in anything that has to do with the military I found the chapters that were full of military terms and strategy quite boring and hard to get through.

Over all I really enjoyed many aspects about this book and I really admire Max Brooks for his work. This is a must read for every zombie fan! But there was also too many parts that I actually struggled with to give it a 5 star rating. So I give World War Z 4/5 stars.

And by the way, I'm really excited to see the movie that's based on this book and that's coming out this summer. I've been excited about it since I first saw the trailer a few months ago. You can go and watch the trailer here.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Under The Never Sky | Veronica Rossi | Review

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Under The Never Sky | Veronica Rossi | Review

“And in life, at least her new life, chances were the best she could hope for. They were like her rocks. Imperfect and surprising and maybe better in the long run than certainties. Chances, she thought, WERE life.” - Veronia Rossi, Under The Never Sky

Somewhere, sometime in a dystopian or post-apocalyptic world Aria lives in a safe and protected life inside a dome. She's happy and content with her life inside the dome until one day when her mother goes missing. While searching for her mother But in this dangerous place she gets help from a outsider called Perry,who's also searching for someone he has lost.

Under the Never Sky kind of sounded like a lot of young adult dystopian stories to me. But the fact that the Internet is filled with reviews raving about this book made me interested enough to pick it up! And to be totally honest with you, Under the Never Sky is a lot like many other young adult dystopian novels. There's an emotionally withdrawn but pretty girl, a mysterious but romantic guy and then there's always some mean people that are out to get them! But there's also something different about this book. 

First of all I actually felt like the love story was somewhat believable (I'm not going to go as far as saying that it's totally believable, but it's believable enough). I'm usually not the one that picks up a dystopian novel for the love story, I only go there for the action and excitement But I did enjoy reading about the development of the relationship between Aria and Perry. For once it's a relationship that forms over time instead of some dystopian kids falling head over heels for each other in three days. I also felt that the world building and story-line was somewhat unique and original (I'm using the word somewhat again because I wouldn't say it's totally unique but you get the point!)

So , I thought the story-line was a bit different and I kind of enjoyed the love story. What else? I guess you've guessed that I mostly enjoyed Under the Never Sky. I thought it was a fun and well-written dystopian YA novel and I liked the character development. But the problem for me was that it took me ages to get through this book! I'm not quite sure why! Help me! I seriously don't know why!? My first thought was to give this book 3 stars because it was a good book but it took me millions of years to read!. But then I thought about it again and thought that there was really no obvious reason for me not to really like it. And to be honest, I did! I think there was something missing to make it perfect but it was overall good enough to deserve 4 stars/5 stars. Under the Never Sky is definitively a good dystopian/post-apocalyptic read!

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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The First Days | Rhiannon Frater | Review

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

The First Days | Rhiannon Frater | Review

“Well," Jenni said with a wry smile, "at least we live in Texas, where people actually own guns and hunt.” - Rhiannaon Frater, The First Days

The First Days (As The World Dies) by Rhiannon Frater is the first book in the As The Wold Dies series. Yes, that's a pretty dramatic title right there...as the world dies. In this book we get to know Katie and Jenni, two totally different women who end up in the same car fleeing from a city infested by zombies. It's a pretty classic zombie roadtrip  about Katie's and Jenni's journey to find safety and a new life in a pretty messed up world. The main theme like in most zombie novels is survival but it's also a story about a friendship that probably would never exist under different circumstances. 

Well, you all know me (you probably don't, but lets pretend), I love my apocalyptic zombie stories. I've always just been a bit too fascinated about how people get on when the world falls apart (especially if the falling apart part contains some flesh eating people). And yes, The First Days did fulfill my need of action, excitement and apocalyptic survival. This is a pretty classic zombie novel. Some people in a car who has to learn to use dangerous weapons and raid supermarkets (I just always enjoy the parts in apocalyptic stories when they get to raid a supermarket). I would say that it reminded me a lot of The Walking Dead (and that's a good thing because I'm a The Walking Dead fan, no surprises there).

But...Yes, there is a but, there was something missing for me to completely fall in love with this book. I never felt the urge to run home from work just to read another page. I think my main concern was that I never really cared that much for any of the characters.  I guess I found the characters a bit too stereotypical for my taste. The author made some desperate tries to make them original and surprising, but they never really surprised me. My other concern with this book was that I didn't find the story original enough. Yes, there's a few key elements that a zombie story has to consist of and they were all there but I also like a zombie novel to consist of something new. An original twist, a surprising fact or something that throws me off my feet and this book doesn't really have that. 

So my final verdict is that The First Days gives you that exciting and action filled ride you expect from a zombie story and it does that part pretty good, but that's pretty much it. I just wish there was something different or that the characters had more depth to them or...because I did enjoy this story and it had a lot of potential and I will most probably give the sequel a go sometime in the future. So, I give The First Days by Rhiannon Frater 3/5 stars.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Ashfall | Mike Mullin | Review

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

Ashfall | Mike Mullin | Review

“For the first time ever, I felt ashamed of my species. The volcano had taken our homes, our food, our automobiles, and our airplanes, but it hadn't taken our humanity. No, we'd given that up on our own.” - Mike Mullin, Ashfall

Alex gets to stay home alone for the first time when his family goes to visit his uncle and his family over the weekend. But Alex only gets to enjoy his new found freedom for a couple of hours. With a loud bang his house gets hit by something and Alex barely gets out of his partly collapsed house. Something called a super volcano has erupted in Yellowstone National Park and leaves big parts of the country in a grey, devastating ashfall. In the middle of this chaos Alex decides to go out on the road and look for his family. On his journey through the changed landscape Alex soon learns that in a world in chaos, people change. Some change for the better and some change for the worse. But at least he finds one travel companion that he can trust, Darla, and together they set out on a journey to find safety and Alex's family.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin is a pretty classic apocalyptic novel. Yes, I have to admit that some parts of it remind me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy, but in some ways it’s also completely different. You might have already seen the 5 stars in the end of this review so I’m not going to keep it secret that I truly enjoyed this novel. I think that Ashfall had all the elements that I need to really like (or should I say love?) a book. First of all I enjoyed Mike Mullin's writing style. I wouldn't call it that original or spectacular but it makes the story justice. I also really liked the characters and the character's development through the book. Both Alex and Darla and their relationship feels genuine and believable. And the most important thing for me is that the story kept me captivated and interested through the whole novel. I never lost interest or felt bored with the story-line.

I always enjoy good apocalyptic fiction about survival and the human relations in a world that turns upside down. And even if I'm a hardcore fan of zombie fiction I really liked the fact that the scenario in Ashfall felt quite realistic. That made the story even more interesting and a bit disturbing (in a good way). So I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the apocalyptic genre! You won't be disappointed! Ashfall by Mike Mullin easily gets 5/5 stars from me!

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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The Reapers Are The Angels | Alden Bell | Review

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

The Reapers Are The Angels | Alden Bell | Review

“...a noisy parade of memories that frustrate her because of the way they play themselves out. These memories-it feels like she's back there in the moment, like she has the moment to do over and make different choices than she made. But she can't, because they're just memories and they're set down permanent as if they were chiseled in marble, and so she just has to watch herself do the same things over and over and it's a condemnation if it's anything.” - Alden Bell, The Reapers are the Angels.

The Reapers are the Angels is a story about a fifteen-year-old girl's journey through a country that has turned into a zombie-filled wasteland. But this story is so much more than what meets the eye, because this is not your classic zombie novel about gore, action and a desperate fight for survival. This story is about such more...

There might be a few new readers here so I have to start of by making one thing clear to everyone. I'm a huge fan of zombie fiction. That being said I really think this is a book that anyone could really enjoy (not only zombie fans). But you should still keep my zombie fandom in mind while reading this review, because to be honest, I get a bit excited even by the thought of a zombie apocalypse (I'm a bit weird like that). But I'll try my best to keep that excitement at a normal level and give you an honest and objective review of The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell.

Okay, so you might have already guess it. I really loved this book. Wow, It's honestly such a different, engaging, weird, wonderful, cruel and beautiful story (yes, I just used the word beautiful to describe a zombie novel). The whole book has a special, almost magical feeling to it. I've heard it being describe as a magical western roadtrip and I think I have to agree with that description. And let me tell you a little about the main character Temple. She's such a weird, smart, broken, wonderful, strong, confusing and awesome character! The characters are always a big part of me liking or not liking a book. I don't have to like the character's personalities but there has to be some depth to them and Temple is a perfect example of that. She makes sense to me but there's also some kind of mystery around her that I quite can't wrap my head around. The other characters in this book were portrayed in an equally enjoyable way. One other thing I really liked about The Reapers are the Angels was Alden Bell's writing. It's a very classic and beautiful kind of story telling and that's unusual and a fresh touch to the zombie genre.

So yes, I really loved The Reapers are the Angels and recommend it to everyone (like I said, it's not only for zombie fans)! So please give this a try because this is such a different and beautiful read. I can even go as far as saying that it's one of my favorite books of all time. So... I guess my rating of The Reapers are the Angels is pretty obvious, 5/5 stars.

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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This Is Not A Test | Courtney Summers | Review

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

This Is Not A Test | Courtney Summers | Review

“The thing no one tells you about surviving, about the mere act of holding out, is how many hours are nothing because nothing happens. They also don’t tell you about how you can share your deepest secrets with someone, kiss them, and the next hour it’s like there’s nothing between you because not everything can mean something all the time or you’d be crushed under the weight of it.” - Courtney Summers, This Is Not A Test

This Is Not A Test is about six students that are taking cover from a world infested with zombies in their High School. One of the students name is Sloane. But the difference between Sloane and the others is that she can't find a single reason to survive. She doesn't want to fight. She wants to die.

Yes, this is another young adult novel about zombies. And yes, this is yet another review from me about a book involving zombies. But I have to say that this is pretty different from everything else I've read in this genre! This story is not about the action, the danger and the survival. This story is about emotions. It's about fear, about guilt, about love and about hopelessness. And to be completely honest, at first, that kind of made me a bit bored with it. I'm used to those fast paced novels about raw and simple survival. And this is just not it. So, I struggled with the first part of this book. The thing that annoyed me the most was the main character Sloane. I don't know how many times I thought "If you want to die, just walk out that door and get it over with!". But you know what!? The story really grew on me. Even Sloane grew on me. And in the end I found it to be a really enjoyable reading experience.

I'm not saying that the book should be more action filled or violent to deserve a full 4 stars (I give This Is Not A Test 3,5/5 stars). But I think there's just something missing. Something that would have drawn me into the story straight from the beginning. I'm a bit of sad about the fact that that something is missing. Because maybe this book actually deserves 4 stars, because it truly has something that makes it worth reading. That being said, I'll certainly pick up the sequel and I hope it will get at least that full 4 star rating... And I think you should give This Is Not A Test a go!

This post was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Warm Bodies | Isaac Marion | Review

Wednesday, 2 January 2013

Warm Bodies | Isaac Marion | Review

“It does make me sad that we've forgotten our names. Out of everything, this seems to me the most tragic. I miss my own and I mourn for everyone else's, because I'd like to love them, but I don't know who they are.” - Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies.

Yes, here I am again with yet another review of a zombie novel. But I'm not going to start this review with a declaration of love to every zombie story on earth, because you can read that declaration here. Instead I'm going to start this review with saying; This is such a different zombie novel! This is a novel narrated by a zombie! Yes, that's right. This is a story about a thinking zombie.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion is narrated by "R" a zombie who has forgotten his name, but he think it started with an R. R lives in an airport and his days consists of mindless walking, simple conversations with his zombie friend "M" and the occasional hunting trip to town. But on one of these hunting trips everything changes. R brings a girl called Julie home. Alive. This is were the story about R and Julie starts. A weird yet beautiful love story, a story about how two people can change everything.

Warm Bodies was a really different read. First I couldn't decided if I thought it was brilliant or just plain weird and disturbing. Because to be honest, a zombie love story sounds pretty strange. But it ended up being such a heartwarming, funny and different story! And I have to say I loved how Isaac Marion portrayed R. He really succeeded with the difficult task to create a character who's mindless but still pretty brilliant. Isaac Marion also uses a whole lot of humor throughout this book and that's probably what makes this story work. Without it the book would end up being as disturbing as it first sounds. But this is not only a funny story. It's also a beautiful and though-worthy novel about what's really important in life.

As a zombie fan I was delighted to read a book that was so different from everything else in this genre! It felt like a really refreshing read! I laughed, I smiled and I might have cried a bit (don't tell anyone though) and that's the best review a book can ever get! The crazy idea to write a zombie love story didn't end up being as crazy as it sounded. It ended up being a pretty brilliant idea. Therefore I give this book 5/5 stars and I highly recommend it to everyone (not only zombie fans)!

And by the way, Warm Bodies is coming out as a movie this year (Yes, I'm pretty excited about it), check out the trailer here!

This review was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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Life As We Knew It | Susan Beth Pfeffer | Review

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Life As We Knew It | Susan Beth Pfeffer | Review

“I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonald's would still be open.” - Susan Beth Pfeffer, Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It is the first book in a series called Last Survivors by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I was really excited when I got my hands on this book because being a fan of the apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic genre I had heard a lot of things (both great and not so great things) about this book.

Life As We Knew It is a story about a girl named Miranda and how she and her family struggles with the extreme climate changes that occurs when the moon gets knocked closer to the earth by a meteor. The family struggles to survive on small rations of food, a limited water supply and and the heath from their wood-burning stove.

The story line is pretty limited to Miranda's family and their surrounding area and we never get to know what happens in the rest of the world. I guess this is an intentional choice by the author but it left me with more questions than answers. I think this is one of my main issues with the novel, while the situation Miranda's family is in is described in great detail I miss more details of a general nature. I need those details to truly absorb and believe in this story. I'm not saying that Susan Beth Pfeffer doesn't have her facts right but I wish she had shared a few more facts with the readers.

One other issue I have with the book is that it's written like a journal. It makes the language feel really simple and a bit juvenile. And I think that's a bit sad because that doesn't have to be the case with young adult literature (there's so many good examples of that).

That being said I don't think this is a bad book or uninteresting story because I did read the whole book in just a couple of days. Susan Beth Pfeffer still manages to keep my interest up through all of the 337 pages because there is a whole bunch of interesting elements that keeps the story going. 

So when I rate this book I'm going to take in consideration that it's written for a much younger audience (which really isn't an excuse for using a too simple language) because I think I might have enjoyed this a bit more if I was a few years younger (maybe 10-15 years). 

My final rating is 3/5 stars (based on my personal reading experience I would say it's more like 2,5 stars). 

This review was written by Niina. 

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Feed | Mira Grant | Reviewed by Niina

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Feed | Mira Grant | Reviewed by Niina

I should probably start this review with saying this; I have a pretty unhealthy relationship with zombies. Okay, maybe not zombies, but zombie stories. A lot of people even find the thought of zombies repelling (okay, I get that) and often dismiss zombie stories as gore. But let me tell you, they're so much more than that. First of all they're about survival, about people coping with a world in chaos That's what I find interesting about these stories; what people do and how people change when their neighbors start eating each other.

So, there, I've declared my passionate love for the zombie genre. Let's move on to the actual review of Feed by Mira Grant:

Feed is about Georgia and Shaun, two bloggers who live for reporting the news in a messed up world. A world were whole cities have been taken over by zombies, a world were you're required to give a clean blood test every time you enter a building and a world were blogs are considered to be the most trustworthy form of media. Feed is not an apocalyptic novel in the sense that we get to tag along when it all goes to hell, it's about a world that has to move on in the ashes of when it all went to hell. But in this new world they still got presidential campaigns and Georgia and Shaun are the lucky bloggers that get to report live from one of the presidential candidate´s campaign tour. But they get stuck in a pretty serious conspiracy and in the end I'm not sure if they consider themselves that lucky...(yes, there's a cliffhanger for you!)

First of all! Politics, social media and zombies! It's like a mix made in heaven! (Yes, you guess it right! I'm a bit ecstatic about this book). This book gives you a whole new point of view when it comes to the zombie apocalypse and I love that! It's always a plus when a book adds something new to a genre. Some of the other things I really enjoyed about this book was the characters and the world building. The characters are all imperfect but still really likable and there's also some kind of rawness about them that makes them believable. One other thing that really impressed me is all the details in the world building, yes my friends, the zombie apocalypse feels pretty believable as well. Some might even say there's too many details (I'm not talking about blood and gore people), but I enjoy that, I enjoy getting the feeling that there' s been quite a few hours of research behind a book.

So yes, I loved this book and I have to be true to my heart and give it 5/5 stars. And you know what!? You might actually enjoy this even if you're not a zombie fan, because like I said in the beginning, this is about so much more than gore and zombies...

This review was written by regular reviewer Niina, get to know her here.

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