Book Review: My Dog, My Cat by Ashlee Fletcher

My Dog, My Cat by Ashlee Fletcher
Genre: Children's, Picture Book
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon ebook, Amazon Hardcover

Summary (on Goodreads): In this bright new picture book, the author describes all the differences between her dog and cat, who don't always get along. Her dog barks; her cat meows. Her dog likes steak; her cat likes tuna. Her dog's tongue is wet; her cat's tongue is rough. But the story ends on a delightfully sweet note when the author reveals what her dog and cat have in common — a love of pizza and a love of their owner. The strong lines and fresh colors make this book an appealing read as young readers learn about normal behaviors for the two most popular pets, and that even the most different of creatures can find things in common.


Review

Two straight weeks of picture books? Yes I have another picture book review and this is yet another winner. It is for children ages three and up but with the many pictures and simple fun wording, I'm sure children ages one and up can enjoy this book as well. In this book the author describes her dog and cat. Using vivid pictures and short sentences she creates a delightful world where the dog and cat are seen as individuals. At first it's all about the differences and the pictures show not just what they don't have in common but what they like or dislike. For example when she says the cat would rather be dry, the picture shows how upset the cat is at the very idea of being wet. Secret lesson, don't drench your cat. But in the end their common love is revealed which includes loving her the owner. I believe this book is both a fun read for little kids and a lesson how to take care of a pet and the love you get in return. I recommend this for any parent who wants to introduce their child to animals in a safe way and also those looking for a nice easy read for their small child.

Rating: 4 Stars

Celebrate the end of August

I have a couple of things to celebrate and I hope you do too.

1. My joint pain is simply a weight issue. Glad it's not more serious.

2. My cover reveal is coming up. There is still time to sign up here.

3. Had a nice summer.

4. God proved he's by my side. *Smiles*

5. Won lots of giveaways...especially in august. Who gets $100 worth of Amazon Gift Cards within days of each other? Me! That doesn't count the multiple paperbacks I won. *Cheers*

6. Having my bloggie buddies! *Virtual Hug*

7. Seeing Mortal Instruments over the weekend. Even though it got panned, based on what I've checked it, it's still a movie I will like. Plus it will be my only August movie since I missed Kick Ass 2.

8. Seeing Monsters University and Smurfs 2 in July (if only they kept Turbo for one more week).

9. The Marketing Package I won. Yes! I won;t have to promote my upcoming novella alone!

10. Being alive and ready to continue tackling the job hunt.

11. Sunday will be the start of a new month and new opportunities. Amen.

Have an excellent day everyone and even though summer is pretty much kaput, fun and happiness is not.

Express Yourself Meme and Double Cover Reveal

Today I'm tackling last week's and this week's question.

Last Week: What is your comfort book/movie?

Book: Harry Potter Series

Movie: X-Men movies, The Avengers

This Week: Favourite Childhood Book/Movie

Book: Sweet Valley High, Enid Blyton books (short stories), V.C. Andrews, (before Harry Potter)

Movie: My Little Ponies Movie (made in the 80's)

Double Cover Reveal

Now for the reveal of two givers by two very talented ladies. Enjoy.

It is with great pleasure and a thrill in our hearts that Gwen Gardner and I (Angela Brown *hugs*) reveal the covers for our follow up stories to our currently available novels: Givin' Up the Ghost (Gwen) and Neverlove (Angela)



*cue drumroll*

...

..

.



A GUILTY GHOST SURPRISED by Gwen Gardner (Add to Goodreads)

An Angel Among Us

Paranormal happenings at the Eady household are the norm. Recently,
things have become downright peculiar. Childish giggles at odd hours of the
night lead Indigo Eady to her little cousin, Bryan, a guileless cherub spirit,
complete with Spider Man pajamas and a set of faux angel wings. The problem is
that Bryan died nearly three years ago in a hit and run that killed him and his
mum. The driver was never found.  Now the
gang must solve the mystery of his death in order to send him back to heaven.  But where to start when the trail is three
years cold?

Indigo Eady

Indigo
Eady is not clumsy. At
least, that’s what she keeps telling everyone. Can she help that the overactive
spirit community of Sabrina Shores causes her psychic abilities to
short-circuit? It’s unfortunate that her cute friend Badger is often on the
receiving end of her mishaps. At times, she is positively hazardous to his
health. Even so, sparks fly in more than one direction.



THEY ALL FALL DOWN by Angela Brown (Add to Goodreads)

Abby and Basil: New love reaches new heights as they finally
give in to their lust and desire for each other.

Q: Consumed by the Devourer within and his base need to
claim Abby as his own.

The crave: What it all boils down to. A crave for souls. A
crave to keep love intact beyond betrayals. A crave for a second chance. A
crave for power and The Fall of mankind.

“Love can conquer all” is put to the test and salvation may
be impossible when it’s “ashes, ashes…they all fall down.”

About Gwen

Gwen Gardner is a native Californian living in sunny San
Diego, where her love of reading and writing led to a BA in English literature.
Life is now complete with her husband, two dogs and a daily call from her
daughter.

Since ghosts feature prominently in her young adult Indigo Eady Paranormal “Cozy” Mystery
series, she has a secret desire to meet one face to face - but will run
screaming for the hills if she ever does. Gwen adores travel and experiencing
the cultures and foods of different countries. She is always up for an adventure
and anything involving chocolate - not necessarily in that order.

Haunt at the following: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

About Angela

Angela is a lover of Wild Cherry Pepsi and chocolate/chocolate covered delicious-ness. Steampunk, fantasy and paranormal to contemporary - mostly young adult - fill her growing library of books. Mother to a rambunctious darling girl aptly nicknamed Chipmunk, life stays busy. Her favorite quote keeps her moving: "You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Haunt at the following: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Getting Personal: Doctor and Summer's End and Ashes Giveaway

I'm doing Getting Personal early this week. Yesterday I went to our family doctor to diagnose the source of my joint pain and fatigue. While the joint pain was regulated to a weight issue, she decided that my ongoing fatigue was the real problem. She couldn't figure out the source so she's put me down to visit the lab for some blood work and other tests. My red and white blood cell count will be tested along with my glucose levels. There is one thing ticked on the lab sheet that concerns me though because it's a test for a particular disease that I wondered if I had it in the past. Hopefully I don't have it because this disease has no cure. All I will say is that it's not HIV or any other sexual related disease. Also so far there is nothing saying I have cancer which killed at least two of my grandparents. So if I lose some  weight the joint pain in my knees at least should go away along with the concern that my left knee is acting a bit arthritic. Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes and here's to my lab results which I'll be taking late September or so (got to save since I don't have medical insurance).

Now August is almost over and September will bring a new month of both joy and disappointment. What we need to remember is no matter what a new month means we have lived to see a new day. Be grateful for the new days you see because someone else never got the chance. Hope you had a great summer and while Summer's End is practically upon us, the fun of life is still before us.

Ashes Book Release and Giveaway

Ashes by S.K. Anthony is out and you can read more about it below.

Purchase: Amazon

Summary: A year ago, Sophia would have told you monsters existed only in the movies. That the world is easily understood and life has a way of making sense. A year ago, Sophia would have been wrong. 

Her world had changed and she'd seen behind the curtain. With Aiden and the others by her side, all she wants now is answers. The monsters were gone, but in their absence new questions about her past were left to haunt.

As the search for answers begins, a remnant from her nightmares returns. Her new understanding of the world is once more shaken and she finds herself on the opposite side of powerful Elementals.

When those sworn to protect humanity are your enemies, the lines of right and wrong become blurred. One wrong choice and she could be left with ashes.
Giveaway

There is also a giveaway that you can enter by clicking here.

Upcoming Cover Reveal and Strength Re-Release

As many of you know my cover reveal for Sacrifice Her is September 11. Sacrifice Her Cover Reveal Sign Up Page is still open and I want to thank all of you who have already signed on. My journey to become a published writer as been an eventful one and I can't wait for December when my novella is released to the world. Funny how when I started this blog that while I was interested in self-publishing, a big goal of mine was a traditional publisher and now I'm holding off even looking for an agent until 2015. Things change and 2014 will be spent publishing the five novellas in The Sacrifice Series as well as a surprise book for December 2014. More on that in October.

Strength Re-Release

Cassie Butler parted ways with her publisher and decided to self-publish her novel Strength. It is now an affordable $2.99 and you can also win A Mark of Nexus Postcard.

Purchase: Amazon

Summary: When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she's stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she's ever wanted in a man--except he can't touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there's no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.

New Adult/Upper YA

Note: Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) was originally published by Sapphire Star Publishing in March of 2013. This independent re-release features a bonus glossary--which should only be read after the book--and a sneak peek of Courage (Mark of Nexus #2)!

Book Review: Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully by Audrey Penn

Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully by Audrey Penn
Genre: Children's, Picture Book
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon

Summary: In this latest addition to the Kissing Hand book collection, Chester Raccoon must learn to deal with another common problem of childhood: a bully at school.

When Mrs. Raccoon learns that there is a bully problem at school, she decides to investigate the situation. But after seeing the bully for herself, she shares a story about a forest that was full of smooth yellow stones, and how the animals living there changed a pointy stone they found into a smooth stone so that it wouldn't hurt any tender paws.

Chester, Ronny, and Cassy follow the spirit of Mrs. Raccoon's story when they next encounter the Bully. Approaching him as a group, they invite him to play, proving that the best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him or her a friend.

This book encourages children to understand that many child bullies are themselves unhappy and gives readers a good example of settling differences by peaceful means. Educators will embrace this story about a positive strategy for dealing with a bully.

Review

This book is perfect for small children, especially this five years old and under. Chester and his friends are scared of a bully from school. Not only does he tease them but he physically scares them as well. While the children are afraid and unsure what to do, it is decided that telling an adult is a good idea. Not only that but Mrs. Raccoon uses a story, kisses and kind words to encourage her children as well as the other kids to be kind to the bully instead of bullying him back or just running away.

I enjoyed this book because it was a nice short read and even though some reviews think it's too long for children ages 3-4 I disagree. The author clearly thought a book longer than five-twelve pages with lush visuals and a beautiful story is a great read for small children. It's time adults and publishers stop treating kids like they're too dumb to learn and I believe this book does this. Also a moral that doesn't preach at kids but invites them to make the right choices and show kindness is a read any adult would be willing to share with their child. Highly recommend. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Getting Personal: Doctor's visit

This month end I plan to visit two doctors. First the eye doctor to replace my glasses and also our family doctor because I've been having ongoing joint pains and feeling lightheaded or fatigued. Wish me luck that it's something minor. Love you guys.

P.S.: No Friday post this week but Saturday I will be back to posting book reviews.

Book Blitz: Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert

Please Note: Woven by co-author David king has been cancelled by it's publisher. But what is truly awful is the reason behind it. I will discuss my feelings in another post but click Amber on Woven Being Unfairly Pulled for more details.

Today I'm participating the Book Blitz for author Juliana Haygert. A fine blogger and novelist, her latest book is sure to be both pleasing to the eyes and the reader soul in all of us.

Breaking the Reins

by Juliana
Haygert

Release Date: 08/19/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Horses,
mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To
others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the
truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate
life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her
grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business;
Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away
even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett,
a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her
best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.



Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a
messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it,
even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep
it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when
Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.



But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her
attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from
abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.



**New Adult Contemporary Romance Novel**

Available from:

 

Praise for Breaking the Reins:

 “Breaking The Reins by Juliana Haygert is a
real treasure. It’s a sexy, heartbreaking and romantic ride you won’t want to
miss.” —Sawyer Bennett, USA
Today Bestselling author of Off Side, Off Limits, Off
the Record, and Off Course.

“A breath of fresh air in the New Adult market.
Juliana Haygert’s new contemporary novel is one not to be missed!” —Magan Vernon, international
bestselling author of The Only Exception

“A swoonworthy love interest and a fantastic
backdrop make Breaking the Reins a New Adult read you don’t want to miss!”
—Alyssa Rose Ivy, bestselling
authorof The Crescent Chronicles, Clayton Falls Series,
and The Hazards of Skinny Dipping.

About the Author:

New
Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf
shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of
a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in
Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about
kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Author Links:

    

***GIVEAWAY***

2-ebook copies of Breaking the Reins (INT)

1-ebook copies of Destiny Gift (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Book Blitz hosted by:

The Next Big Thing....is Monsters?

Please Note: I have been behind on my book reviews. While I will try to post this Saturday, there won't be one tomorrow. So my next post will be Wednesday where I'll be participating in a book blitz. See you there.

I was tagged by Nancy Laronda for The Next Big Thing. The last time I did this it was fun and today I hope this one will be as much fun for you to read as it was for me to write.

1. What is the working title of your book.

Monster City.

2. Where did the idea come from for your book?

In May while reading Best/Worst Movie Blogfest & Monster Madness Day 7 on Dani's blog I saw an image which was just a white box with the words 'I just told the monster under my bed that rent is due'. And because my brain is a crazy idea generator what do I get? An idea for a novel? But not just any novel, it turns into an MG novel which I was always terrified of writing. Why? Because I'm uncomfortable with the restrictions in writing MG. They're things you can do in YA that you can't do in the same way with MG. So for a long time I refused to touch that genre.

But this idea wouldn't go away and at first was going to be about kids hiding monsters under their bed in exchange for valuables. Sadly this hit some snags and eventually was scraped. Yet that was how I went back to the drawing board and came up with Monster City. I kept the kids and monsters but replaced the valuables with a special connection that could make the monsters invisible. Add a city that mostly hates them and the few humans who want to change that and a W.I.P. was born.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Middle Grade Fantasy

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in the movie?

                                                       








Thomas Horn as Jupiter

Jupiter's twelve and has dark hair but Thomas is a close match.

Joey King as Max Butters (one of two of Jupiter's best friends). Add darker hair and you have the perfect lively girl who can roughhouse with any boy and has a heart of gold.  While her rich parents want to tame her this girl finds a friend and confidant in Jupiter and a unique friendship with Bo.

Samuel Joslin as Ian, Jupiter's other best - and oldest- friend. While they are close unlike Max he doesn't know about. Also he fears monsters and think they should just be gotten rid of. Shy and kind he might not seem like the top choice for an active boy like Jupiter but neither care about that.

Samuel Joslin as Daniel, Ian's twin brother. While both are handsome boys their similarities are obly skin deep. Daniel has a mean streak he hides it well from teachers and adults alike. Jupiter sees a darkness  in Daniel and so does his own mother and brother Ian.

Emily Skinner as Pristine Myers' who is Jupiter's crush. While this actress is nine right now I think she's perfect and she was in Lifetime Movie 5 (2011).

Zoey Dechanel as Jupiter's mom. She's a great choice.

Oh where did this photo come from? Moving on.

Sorry no photo of Dad. But he was the one who raised Bo and kept him hidden after the laws changed.

5. What is the one sentence synopsis for your book?

(A) Jupiter wants Monster City to be Monroe City again, but to do that he needs to prove a monster didn't murder a child decades ago.

(B) In Monster City no human is allowed to harbour monsters yet Jupiter and his parents harbour Bo, who can't come out in the open until citizens believe monsters aren't a danger or child murderers.

(C) Jupiter is determined to prove monsters aren't evil, all he needs to do is disprove findings of a decades old murder while keeping the fact he has a monster hidden in a world where kid's are heavily protected and monsters locked away and used as slaves.

I will digress though that C sounds more YA. But these are my best ones.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency.

I'd like to try for an agency first and since I put off looking for one until around 2015, I have time.

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Haven't finished in yet. Started in June but now I'm on a break as I prepare to self-publish my first book this December.

8. What other books would you compare this to in your genre?

At first I couldn't think of any books but now I think ParaNorman. Both star a boy trying to do the right thing. While Jupiter isn't an outcast like Norman both have tough odds to face to achieve their goal. Also Norman's openness about his ability to see ghosts is in beautiful contrast to Jupiter's secrecy about having Bo (his monster).

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book.

Aside from Dan'i's post I must say my willingness to face challenges no matter my initial hesitation. If I didn't decide to venture into MG this novel would never had gotten started.

10. What else about your book might pique the readers interest?

You get to read a Middle Grade book that moves along the edges that keeps it from going YA. In other words while kids can read it there is room for adults and also no character will be cuddled. Bad things will happen and some of it will come from those you least expect.

Hope that was good. Now to tag five people and I'll go by their blogs.

Entertaining Interest

Panda Ninja

David Powers King

Simply Sarah

The Character Depot

Express My Fantasy

This week's question:  Which book/movie do you wish you lived in?


Harry Potter for books and X-Men for movies. Both of these worlds are rich in setting and character. Who wouldn't want to use a wand or hang out with Wolverine? Bad news? Voldemort and Mutant Bashing/Sentinels respectively.

Still sick but on the bright side I got the games I ordered from Amazon. Including Final Fantasy IX since from last year it's nearly impossible to find PS1 games in local stores. Enjoy your weekend and no review tomorrow so see you Monday when I will be doing The Next Big Thing that I was tagged for by Nancy.

Out of Play and Big News

Please Note: Due to life and a bad afternoon of the flu I will not post tomorrow. Will be back on Friday.

I had planned to post about this book on it's release day but life got in the way. I purchased my e-copy last Tuesday August 6 after 3:00 a.m. and can proudly say I grabbed a copy right on time on release day. Congrats Jolene and Nyrae on your newest collaboration! So without further ado.

Blurb: Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a drug problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—just need a little help taking the edge off sometimes. After downing a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.　

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers to all the best schools, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absentminded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered to come home from work, let alone deal with their new tenants next door.

Penny’s not interested in dealing with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps and begins to see what he’s been missing. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time.

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Big News!

I have won a Marketing Package from Black Firefly. When I found out I'd won the giveaway I was so and even better got the package I had hoped for. Today I've started discussion with Courtney, the representative who will be helping me market Sacrifice Her and I couldn't be happier. She is a YA fan herself (and a Harry Potter fan, how can this go wrong?) and her emails are so fun and professional you feel like you're communicating with a really good friend. She is ready to not only help me with Facebook and Twitter but to also make my promoting blog posts SEO friendly (when I tried understanding SEO it felt like swimming in seaweed so I just focused on writing my posts to the best of my ability instead). There is so much more available to me now and since I'm no marketing whiz this makes me so happy. Check out Black Firefly's Marketing Package for yourself. Enjoy your day and like London from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody says, "Yay Me!"

 Lastly I have 5 likes on my Author Facebook Page. Thank you to those who have liked so far and to those who will like my page in the future.

Switched Cover Reveal and Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest

*Drumroll* The cover for Switched by Cassie Mae will be revealed....now.

Blurb:

Kayla likes Talon, who's dating her best friend Reagan. Wesley likes Reagan, who's dating his best friend Talon.
Complicated? Just a little bit.

Kayla and Wesley have only one thing in common: loving their best friend's significant other. So when they've had enough lonely nights, they contrive a plan to switch it up. By the end of the year, all four friends will be happy, nestled in the arms of their soul mates. They just need to pull it off without their best friends catching on.

But as their plan unfolds, guilt sets in, and Kayla wonders if Talon is more important than her friendship with Reagan. It doesn't help Wesley is questioning whether Reagan is the girl for him, or if he's meant to be with someone else.

Switching partners looks possible, but it may not be the perfect ending Kayla and Wesley had planned.

Purchase: Random House

About The Author: Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. She’s the author of the Amazon Bestseller REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, and is the debut author for the Random House FLIRT line with her New Adult novels FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI and SWITCHED. She also has a three book deal with Swoon Romance Publishing, including her book HOW TO DATE A NERD. She spends time with her angel children and perfect husband who fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Today I'm taking part in the Anti-Blogfest Gary Fest hosted by  Mark Koopmans, Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, Tina, Rockin’ Robyn Engel and Morgan Shamy. All you have to do is give the titles of three made up blogfests you'd never join and a short description.

Snuff You Out Blogfest

What I'd do if I met you on the street.

Me: O-kay. I'm going to go.


Hackers Unite Blogfest

Where hackers converge.

Me: Yeah, good to know where not to go so I can protect my information.


Forever Mine Bloghop

Want to make someone yours forever? Come and learn how to serenade, seduce or tie the resistant to a metal chair.

Me: No. Should I call the police on this hop?

So that's my three everybody. Probably pushed the appropriate level a bit but what edgy post doesn't. Right. Have a great day and seriously, stay away from these creepy events.

Book Review: Undead and Unfed by Kirsty McKay

Undead by Kirsty McKay
Genre: Horror, Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository

Summary: Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty. 

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back. 

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

Combining the chill of THE SHINING, the thrill ride of SPEED, the humor of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the angst of THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Kirsty McKay's UNDEAD is a bloody mad mash-up, a school-trip splatter-fest, a funny, gory, frighteningly good debut!

Review

A ski trip goes wrong in a horrible comedic way in this novel that crosses zombies and comedy into the perfect read that will make you both laugh and cringe. Bobby can't get a break this London transplant is made fun of in America for her accent then when she gets the hang of an American accent her family moves to Scotland where her accent is yet again a reason for laughs. This school trip starts with her staying on the bus while the rest of the class goes in for a bite to eat at the Cherry Chomper. But she's not alone, trouble making Smitty is sentenced to stay on the bus after causing one annoyance too many. Then the antics between the two are broken by Alice who runs in to say everyone is dead. Too bad she's wrong, when the undead start coming these kids have to go on the run and their numbers increase it includes the shifty Pete who unlike Popular Alice proves useful as more than a screamer and a me-first survivalist. As the mystery behind the zombies, often called zoms in this novel, it's found out that a company Xanthro is behind the outbreak and worse Bobby's mother is smack dad in the middle. As trust gives way to betrayal and additional numbers flit between advantage to mistakes can these teens make it to the other side not just zombie free but with any semblance of their old selves left?

I really enjoyed this book. Bobby shines as she tries to survive like any typical teenager would when being chased by zombies, she's no genius or has some secret special power. She's a real girl who won;t go down without a fight and has humor to spare. Smitty brings a new level of comedic gold and attitude which comes in handy when you're trying not to get bit by zombies and save the girl you've fallen for. Peter and Alice each have their uses. Pete can drive a bus and is also really smart, even though he's a scaredy cat, that doesn't stop him from trying to help when he can. Alice is Miss Popular and pretty much will stick with you as long as you're not bit. She is the Queen of Sarcasm in this book and won't let anyone tell her what to do, unless a zombie is about to bite her then she's ready for some good run-for-life advice.

In closing this book is for anyone who is a fan of comedic horror and even if you're not this book might just convince how great it is to read. It converted me.

Rating: 4 Stars

Unfed by Kirsty McKay
Genre: Horror, Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Summary: Fresh meat! From a hospital of horrors to a runaway zombie train, it's an all-new onslaught of the slavering undead in the sequel to Kirsty McKay's killer debut!

Just when you think you're out...it's the morning after the night of the return of the living dead. Or something like that. After running/bus-driving/snowboarding for her life alongside rebel Smitty, geeky Pete, and popular Alice, Bobby thought she'd found the antidote to the Carrot Man Veggie Juice that had turned the rest of their classmates into zombies. When Smitty (mmm...nom, nom) got chomped, Bobby pumped a syringe full of it into him herself.

But now Bobby's a prisoner in some hospital of horrors, with no clue how she got there. And Smitty is missing. What if he isn't cured after all? Bobby knows she's got to find him, even if it means facing Scotland's hungry hordes -- plus Alice's buckets of snark -- again. And this time, zombies aren't the only evil stressing her out. The brain-dead are bad enough, but how can Bobby stop the big pharma business behind the epidemic? Especially when her own mom works for the company?

Review

They're back! Just when Bobby wakes up in a hospital it seems that maybe she can finally catch a break. Yeah right! Now bald, Bobby finds herself yet again on the run from the undead and who should be her first running mate? None other than popular Alice. Thankfully she soon finds Pete and new comer Russ 'from the bus'. Smitty is missing and even better he carries the antidote to zombie-dom in his veins. This terrific starts goes deeper into helldom when it's discovered that not only is the hospital some secret underground zombie experiment station but also that zombies are not all they have to worry about. As they make their way out with clues Bobby's mom left behind, help comes in the form of traitor Grace. Then she dies and the teens are left running from soldiers clearly working for Xanthro who wants Bobby's mom and the antidote. As terror and hilarity ensues these teens fight their way above ground only to find out Scotland is quarantined and that humans are not the only thing to go zombie in this crazy world of theirs.

When I saw this book available on netgalley I knew I had to have it. I didn't even know there was a sequel coming at all. Poor Bobby goes from Bobby outsider no care to Bobby Oh Crap I'm Bald and stuck next to Perfect Alice with lots of hilarity and of course zombies in the mix. Happy bald girl she is not but what she always will be is a girl not willing to go down without a fight or take Alice's crap (or whining, you pick). Pete is back and ready to help with anything typical teens will go huh? about. Anybody remember basic geography? Can you read the degrees on a map, use longitude and latitude to help find your way around and....gibberish? No? Neither can I but Pete can! Yay Pete. Russ is all muscle and if you find yourself in a pinch, he can punch, push, jump, rappel down...is he a robot? No but he definitely is useful and there is some friction between him and Bobby who likes to help herself. Alice on the other hand wouldn't mind some help and boy does she need it. Falling off stuff (with zombies around), getting herself knocked out (while being chased by soldiers) and other calamities would have you thinking she's doing it on purpose except for the fact that there are zombies trolling around and Alice aint getting bit for no guy, no matter how handsome. 

As things go even more insane and Smitty is found there's a new level of nuts as a train gets involved and gets into a disagreement with zombie freeloaders on the track and on yeah a helicopter filled with deadly trained soldiers. Oh goody. Can Bobby and the group find her mother and get the hell out of Scotland? How did Kirsty actually make a zombie goat horrifying? Yes you read right, the scene with the zombie goat wasn't funny at all. You'll have to read to find out and I must say that this sequel is better than the original and has so many resurrections of assumed dead characters from book one and this one that you'll wonder if Jesus was one of the editors. A must read of anyone who loves zombies, comedies and the crazy. Oh yes, the crazy.

Rating: 4.5 Stars and a WTF where's the next book!

Time To Celebrate and Express Myself

Celebrate the small things is a weekly meme hosted by VikLit. Today I have a few things to be grateful for.

1. For August I won $100 in Amazon GiftCards. $50 from one giveaway and two worth $25. Putting them to good use I bought loads of ebooks including Pop Travel, Friday Night Alibi, Secondary Characters and all the books by Jen Nauman that I still hadn't purchased. I'm waiting for a win from a few TBD giveaway entries to get Paperback because it cost over $10 at Amazon just for me to ship one book Jamaica. Sometimes it cost more than the book, no way am I doing that again (did it once years ago to get Catching Fire and the worst part was that it arrived late and even Amazon was starting to wonder if it got lost in the mail. NEVER AGAIN). Anyway, I'm super grateful for these wins and thank God for giving me the chance not to just get more books that I love but also purchase books my talented blogger friends have written.

2.  I bought From the Ashes by Jessica K. MCKendry. Why does this get it's own spot? She's sixteen and decided to put herself out there this year! If that doesn't deserve some praise I don't know what does. Move over Veronica Roth, here's a real YOUNG writer. Congrats Jessica on self-publishing your book and making your own dream come true.

3. My cold didn't give me much fatigue this week. Still clinging on but I will beat this sucker.

4. For announcing my plans to create a new genre called AYA (Adults for Young Adults). It's in it's pre-birthing stage but I told you first.

5. For you guys! I love you all!

This week's question: What book/movie character do you relate to most?

In books (and the movie) I relate most to Ridley from Beautiful Creatures. No I'm no secret sex goddess or have powers...or a bad reputation (well...not Ridley's version anyway). My point is I'm the black sheep of my family. Funny that black sheep would usually associate with you being someone wild or forbidden but no. I'm the black sheep because I'm interested in the arts. Well in love with writing. I've been told things by people close to me that well...things you shouldn't tell people because they have a dream that doesn't co-relate with your expectations. After years of trying to force me into the mold of the great Graham family (or whatever it was, I just don't like talking about it)...they've pretty much finally let me do what I want now. Sadly it's the passive ignoring stance that actually hurts a lot. When I see my younger sibs achievements get the attention I wish I could get sometimes it's hard not to get bitter. Getting published in a literary magazine isn't exactly the 'in thing' so other than some brief glance, it's forgotten. So yeah I'm super grateful for my online friends who remind me that writing in general and my writing isn't something to be ignored. Thanks so much guys.

Ridley just clicks because she became something she didn't even chose. Not just that she still cares about her family despite being taken in by the dark. I will always love my immediate family as well. Sorry if that was a bit of a downer guys. Chin up and enjoy your weekend.

No Post Today

I'm not posting today so until tomorrow you can either read my IWSG Post or if you have already please read and comment on my post about Secondary Characters by Rachel S. Thank you.

Faerie War Cover Reveal and IWSG: Doing Good and New Genre

Today I'm participating in the cover reveal for The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan. The Creepy Hollow series continues and while her books never disappoints, the covers are always find a way to astound us. Just look below and see for yourself.

The fate of the faerie world is in her hands...

Title: The Faerie War

Series: Creepy Hollow, Book Three

Author: Rachel Morgan

Cover Designer: Morgan Media

Publication Date: Oct 2013

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Find the Creepy Hollow series on Amazon

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Insecure Writers Support Group is hosted by Alex Cavanaugh and once per month on the first Wednesday we meet and reveal our insecurities to fellow bloggers for release and support. This month I'm doing fine, I do have a stubborn cold but it doesn't make me unable to go about my day. Just a random annoying cough and some fatigue. Also I won three amazon gift cards and bought a huge stack of e-books including those by some of my blogging friends (: I even reviewed one yesterday if anyone knows a certain Rachel Schieffelbein author of Secondary Characters. Read review here. But I do want to share something I'm considering.

 I think the claim that teens won't read books featuring adults as the main characters is hogwash. The author of Paranormalcy had to make her main character younger to fit in the YA mold for publishers. But what if you didn't? My proposal is AYA (Adults for Young Adults), a genre with adults in the main role but written for a teen audience. Seriously look at the cartoons some of us watched growing up. Justice League, Batman: The Animated series starred adults but as kids we didn't care. We just loved watching them use their powers and skills to beat the bad guys. My idea just really formed on Monday but I've been thinking of this for over a year. Two novel ideas I have floating in my head star adult characters but always felt like YA stories. So my idea might just be in my head right now but wasn't New Adult just a concept before it exploded on the scene like it has now? And I think it might be great for teens having books with older characters written for them without looking for adult fiction to fill a non-teen staring book fix. So what do you think? Let me know and remember my novella Sacrifice Her will have a cover reveal in September and there is still time to sign up. Have an excellent day.