{Cover Wars} Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Come one come all, welcome to Cover Wars, where covers go all in and expect us to decide who wore it best, and yes it's that time again let's see which cover got more loving in the Beta smack down. The winner for the Beta cover wars is....

Hardcover Cover

After basking on the glory of the winning cover I thinks it's time to move aside and make time for this week's competitors, so join us as we move from laboratory born girls to a steampunk zombie novel.

The world descended to madness, between wars and natural disasters, we must count ourselves lucky that humans still exist. In the year 2195 people have settled near the Ecuador, the nation of New Victoria has risen taking in the good of technology with the values of the Victorian era.

After school ends Nora and Pamela find themselves packing and getting ready to go back home to enjoy the holidays. Nora returns home only to find out that her only living relative her aunt Gene has spent all the family money and plans to marry her off to the highest bidder. Nora's anger towards her aunt is tossed away when she is being kidnapped by the walking dead. 

Now Nora is brought into the middle of the war, what at first seemed like a fight between Punks and the people of New Victoria turns out to be one of the biggest government cover ups, there is a virus called "Laz" that turns humans into zombies. Nora starts to turn for answers to Captain Griswold, also known as Bram, a soldier with the patience of a saint, a good sense of humor, a noble man, some would called him handsome but most would call him dead. 

In the middle of all the chaos Bram and Nora's relationship soon evolves from trust to something else, they know that their path is not one with out obstacles and that someday the "Laz" will win and their love will end. In spite of it all they will try to stay together until the very end.

Now that we all have a sort of sense about the story maybe we might feel a little better picking a cover that fits it best.

First we have the american edition of "Dearly, Departed" a lone girl who confuses me, is she looking down on her past or is she taking one last glance before moving on?

Then we have the UK version of the cover, the one with our dear Miss Dearly and the man that showed her that there is more than meets the eye.

Let me guess you thought we where done well... it's from the UK Random House and this is how they decided to move things around by giving Bram a cover to call his and his alone.

So tell me guys which one do you like best? Did any of our contestants made you just want to pick them up and give them a place in your beloved bookshelves? Yes? No? please share the why's and remember to vote on the poll below.

{Trailer Sunday} The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. 
She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her.
 And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

{Audio Book Review} World War Z by Max Brooks

Publication date: August 30, 2006

Publisher: Random House Audio

ISBN-13: 9781415933510

Synopsis

The world is settling back again, I’ve been hired to get the stories of what happened to let the world know and hopefully never forget what we’ve been through.

Now I am trying to keep the voices of the survivors from getting lost forever, after all the data and stories I’ve collected throughout the United States and the world has been crushed down into facts and statistics, that left my boss happy and me feeling like the “human factor” should never be lost, especially after all we’ve been through, especially when that is what separates us from the Z’s.

Review

I really enjoyed the audio book version of this book, it only had one mayor flaw this version is abridged, for those of you that don’t know what that means it is fairly simple when you see an audiobook saying it is abridged it means it is shortened so you don’t get the full story.

This is really a pity because if this audiobook had been unabridged with this type of production it would have been perfect!!

When I saw the number of voice actors that where working on this book and got into the first our I thought “this is what I’ve always wanted in an audiobook” I’m not saying that other narrators haven’t done a good job with their own books, all I am saying is that when I first started listening to audiobooks this is what I was expecting, more than one voice sucking the listener in and making him/her feel what the characters are experimenting.

I loved every minute of it, each survival story was unique Max Brooks did a great job writing this story and I believe that it’s in part because he is involved in the audiobook that this story has such an impact to it. I love the goosebumps it gave me and how I ended up wishing the person telling his/her story would survive when it was obvious they did because hey they are telling their story (yes it might just have been my having an airhead moment, but still…).

I would really recommend this book, but remember this is not an unabridged version, so you won’t get the full scoop like all the cool kids that decided to read the book.

Rating:

            Production:

            Because it’s an abridged version:

{Books Into Movies} February 2013

warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion 
In theaters: February 1rst
Book Blurb:                         

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving.

Movie Trailer:  

Want to know more about Warm Bodies the movie? Then check out http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588173/

Beautiful Creatures

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 
In theaters: February 13

Book Blurb:

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Movie Trailer:  

Want to know more about Beautiful Creatures the movie? Then check out http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1559547/

{Blog Tour Review} Survivor Roundup by Angela Scott

Series: The Zombie West Series #2

Publication Date: October, 2012

Publisher: Evolved Publishing

ASIN: 1622538560

Synopsis

Nothing ever goes as planned, after cursing off company and mistrusting everyone Red now finds herself with a family to protect her own little band of misfits that are just trying to survive the zombie apocalypse that has befallen them.
And so, in order to survive Red and Cowboy venture outside the safety of their new home. Provisions are running low and if they want everyone to survive they most leave in hopes of finding more supplies to get the through. 
But things never to as planned and not only will the love for the ones they left be tested, but so will their own will to survive. They might even bump into some demons from Red's past.

Review
I liked Survivor Roundup a lot more then Wanted: Dead or Undead. Because of the part that made me lose interest but also we got to see more action and to know the characters not feeling like we sacrificed one for the other.
It is a pity that some of the questions left from the first book haven't been answered, even if it feels like they should have been answered on the first book. And in my humble opinion there isn't a real link between where the first story left and the second started or maybe Angela Scott was trying to do something poetic in the end of the first book and I just didn't get it, if you deed get it I would love to hear it.
Two things that feel like the wouldn't mix well now work perfectly in my mind thanks to Angela Scott and the Zombie West Series, I do believe you should check this series out, specially if you are int the marking for a taste of something different.

Rating:

{Review} Wanted: Dead or Undead by Angela Scott

Series: The Zombie West Series #1

Publication Date: March 30, 2012

Publisher: Evolved Publishing

ASIN: 1622538501

Synopsis
She only had two rules, the first one was to always double tap, make certain her pray was truly 100% dead and with not other unwanted resurrection. Her second rule: she traveled alone, safety in numbers and trusting others hadn't played well with her before and had no intention to try again.
He was content with his life, playing cards, collecting bounties, getting in trouble as little as possible and always having some money on his pockets. That was until she walked into the bar and killed a "walker" her red locks and pretty face catch him and following his gut he decided to follow her.
Now two strangers that only know each other by the nicknames they gave one another a fighting chance against this infested Zombie west.

Review

When this book started there was an air of mystery, the constant looking behind your back and a sense that the characters wouldn't make it to the end of the book. I loved that.

Then the book shifted it's focus, there where bigger fish to fry the past of Red and Cowboy where being less of a mystery and they both became more and more human as the book progressed, it was a nice change of pace. 
Somewhere along the story I lost interest, somewhere along the paragraphs they lost me this book that had made me laugh, snickered and feel the joy of reading a book with cowboys suddenly didn't capture me. 

This story was fun to read, enjoyable, fun and captivating, until for some reason it lost me. 

I have to thank Angela Scott, before this book I hadn't really wondered about cowboys, they had been stereotyped by the covers with bare chested cowboys that probably held a damsel in their arms. Thank you Angela Scott for showing me that there is more to cowboys and the wild west in books then Romance Novels.
P.S. I like your version better.

Rating:

Perseverance: A Zombie Tale by James Lacey {Promo}

Publisher: 23 House Publishing 

Genre: Horror

Book Description

It didn't happen the way it was supposed to...

I am a teacher. At least, I was before it all happened, before I was forced to survive. I taught social studies at the high school. I was also the coach of the school's successful debate team. It was a cold Saturday in January when I heard the first rumor of trouble...

You know, pop culture had defined the zombie apocalypse time and time again, all coming from the minds of horror writers, film producers, and video game designers. Who knew that when it really happened, it wouldn't be anything like they all predicted. Oh sure, the dead reanimated, and they were certainly hungry for living flesh...but what were the mysterious red-eyes, zombies that moved faster than their stumbling counterparts and seemed to not only communicate, but to exert some kind of control over the others.

"James Lacey takes the classic zombie story that we all know and love, and then twists it off into the new directions and unexplored territory. Perseverance is fresh, exciting, and edge-of-the-seat spell-binding."

- Samantha Murphy, 13 Nights of Blood: Legends of the Vampire

Book Excerpt: 

It is close at hand...

Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:

let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: 
for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness,

as the morning spread upon the mountains:
 a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.


A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth:

the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; 
yea, and nothing shall escape them.

Joel 2:1-3

When it happened I was excited – at first. I was a fan of the movies, the books, the games...all of it. So when those first reports came on the television and hit the net I was probably the most excited person on the planet. I mean, you always wonder “what if” when you see it in films, but then to have it actually happen, it really gets you going. That is, until they’re banging on your front door. Or the door of someone you really, truly care about. Someone you love.

That is when the excitement fades to fear. The fear can turn to horror. But right before that there is a brief moment where human instinct takes over and you choose to either fight or run. You don’t think, you just act. That is how I’m still alive. And it is probably why she is dead.

My story is not a happy one. It is not about heroics or unity or the fight to persevere. It is the story of survival. The only thing a person could really do during the crisis. It is the story of trying to protect someone you love and failing. It is a story of love, friendship and ultimately death. I’m not holding back. I am going to tell you everything. For some, this story will be harder to read then it was to write. For others, it won’t. Either way, this is my story. This is my account of the zombie apocalypse. 

I was trying to be reassuring and bring my students back to the mood they were in before we stopped to eat, which not many were doing. But I knew there was something big going on.

I could hear the words “ bio-terrorism,” “widespread” and “thousands dead.” I could hear people talking about countries all over the world. CNN had this gorgeous new anchor,

Rebecca Mailey and I had a sort of boyhood crush on her. I was 29 and still entitled to fantasize about celebrities. So when she was the one who sent a chill down my spine, I thought it was sort of ironic and could not help but laugh. I’ll never forget the colorless look on her face when she uttered, “We are now getting scattered reports of incidents here in the United States.”

I never finished booting up my laptop. My instincts told me to get everyone out of the rest area and back on the bus. It was a quiet on the way home. I told everyone to call their parents and let them know that they were okay and would be home soon. As we boarded the bus two police cruisers went speeding in the opposite direction, sirens blaring. It was unnerving, given what we just heard. The rest of the ride home was dead quiet.

“It’s happening everywhere.”


“What is?”


“This...thing. People are dying. Riots happening everywhere. They said that there are drugs in the water supply that makes you want to hurt others. Then they said it wasn't drugs, but a massive psychological event caused by a solar flare or something. Another guy said it’s been happening for a few weeks, but until now the government had it bottled up. And then...”

“Keith.” I had to stop him. The talking heads on TV had him all turned around.

“Yeah?”

“Take a breath. Clearly they don’t really know what is happening. So the question remains. Now, what do you know for sure? What do they know for certain? Think simple, Keith.”

“I don’t know. People are killing each other, I guess. They haven’t really said why or how, just that it’s happening.”

That part bothered me. If it were a terrorist event, then someone would be taking credit by now. If it were a disaster, then they would know the cause. Not knowing information...that is when I became hooked. That is when it became...interesting.

I looked up at the clock on the microwave. It was almost 10 AM. I really slept in late. I went and checked my cell phone. Seven missed calls? I realized then that I still had the phone on silent from the tournament. One call from Keith’s mom. Two from my parents? That was odd. Four from Ashley. Damn...I had promised to go over early this morning. She’s probably pissed right now. I went back into the bedroom and turned the TV on as I checked my voice-mail.

“Hi, it’s Keith’s Mom. Sorry I’m home so late. Thanks for watching him.”

All over the country people are fighting against...

“It’s mom. Calling to see if you’re okay. Call me back.”

Military response is beginning to organize...

“I need you! Now! Please hurry! Call me back!”

We have confirmed video reports of...

“Why aren’t you answering?! Oh good...I hope...call me back...”

Rising from the dead and attacking...

“They’re outside! Help me! I need you! I need to hear your voice!”

All over the world people are coming back from the dead and killing others.

“I love you...Mom! Look out!” There’s a crash of glass on the phone.

Stay indoors. Lock your doors. Board up your windows. Do not go outside.

No words on the last message...just another crash and the sound of a scream.

I was paralyzed.


The phone fell from my hand.

About the Author:

James Lacey lives in the Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  When not writing, he works with disabled adults and children as a paraprofessional and Special Olympics coach.  James also enjoys hiking, camping and watching football.

http://www.jameslacey.net/

Twitter

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Amazon

Movie Trailer: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.
R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.
Those of you that have read the book, will you be re-reading this book before watching it? do you even want to watch it? 
I am seriously thinking of reading it before it hits the big screen, are you??

{Audio Book Review}My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland

Series: My Life as a White Trash Zombie #1

Publication Date: July 7, 2012

Narrated by: Allison McLemore
Duration: 8 hours and 44 minutes

Synopsis
High school drop out Angel Crawford didn't love her life but was ok with it, sure some things could improve like her father could stop getting drunk and for once find a steady job, her boyfriend could stop cheating on her any chance he gets and she could stop being her pill popping habits and expanding her criminal record.
One night she wakes up in the hospital with little to no idea how she got there, the doctors said she overdosed with painkillers, but that is not what Angel remembers, she is certain she was in a car accident and has no idea on what to say when they tell her they found her in the middle of the road.
To make things weirder someone is sending her strange letters indicating that she is to work in the morgue and last but not least Angel seems to have changed, her addiction to pills seems to have been cured, her view of life seems to be changing, she is feeling better, but everything comes with a price in this case is an overbearing crave for brains...

{Review} The Zombie Story and Dead Relatives by M. M. Shelley

Series: The Chronicles of Orlando #1

Publication Date: May 10th, 2011

ASIN: B0050DEHYM


Synopsis
After moving to L.A. Orlando's life spiraled into a world he never thought could exist, after seeing what he thought was just murder on his street Orlando's view of the world is roughly changed by one of his grandfather's old friends and so he is launched into the streets as the newest zombie hunter in L.A. where he will find out that not everyone is what they seem.

Series: The Chronicles of Orlando #2

Publication Date: January 13th, 2012

ASIN: 9781468144021


Synopsis
After getting one of the big shots that have plans that involve playing with zombies, Orlando and the crew seemed to have gotten lucky and found another one of the big 6 they where looking for, only for the whole operation to go wrong and to find themself's in more danger than what they may be able to handle.


Review
The Chronicles of Orlando go by as a compressed book, the author had great ideas for the book but was in such a rush to maybe not make you loose interest or keep the reader high on action that she forgot to give a soul to the characters and leaves a lot of loopholes in the story.
The basic story of the book is really interesting but it's the quickness in which it is told and the lack of layers in the characters that takes the taste away from the story that is being told and makes the characters look like puppets and not people you could relate too.
I can see the potential in it, if the author could take some time to really look at the story and inject some life to it, we could have a really good story with interesting characters and also something fresh for the zombie genre, only time will tell what is to happen to The Chronicles of Orlando and only M. M. Shelley can decide its fate.

Cover Reveal of Taste by Kate Evangelista

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Taste is to be published by Crescent Moon Press and its release is slated for Fall 2012.

{Review} Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Series: Gone With Respiration #1

Publication Date: October 18th, 2011

Publisher: Del Rey

ISBN-13: 9780345523310


Synopsis
The world descended to madness, between wars and natural disasters, we must count ourselves lucky that humans still exist. In the year 2195 people have settled near the Ecuador, the nation of New Victoria has risen taking in the good of technology with the values of the victorian era.
After school ends Nora and Pamela find themselves packing and getting ready to go back home to enjoy the holidays. Nora returns home only to find out that her only living relative her aunt Gene has spent all the family money and plans to marry her off to the highest bidder. Nora's anger towards her aunt is tossed away when she is being kidnapped by the walking dead.
Now Nora is brought into the middle of the war, what at first seemed like a fight between Punks and the people of New Victoria turns out to be one of the biggest government cover ups, there is a virus called "Laz" that turns humans into zombies. Nora starts to turn for answers to Captain Griswold, also known as Bram, a soldier with the patience of a saint, a good sense of humor, a noble man, some would called him handsome but most would call him dead. 
In the middle of all the chaos Bram and Nora's relationship soon evolves from trust to something else, they know that their path is not one with out obstacles and that someday the "Laz" will win and their love will end. In spite of it all they will try to stay together until the very end.

{Review} Working Stiff by Rachel Caine

Working stiff is the first book of the Revivalist series that Rachel Caine has for us, you may know Rachel Caine from her previous work in the Morganville Vampires, Weather Warden and the Outcast Season series.

Series: Working Stiff #1 

Publication date: April 2, 2011

Publisher: RoC

ISBN-13: 9780451464132

Synopsis

In her new book we get to know Bryn Davis a former military that wants a stable life, so she decides to enter the business of the dead in Fairview Mortuary but after one of the worst first days ever, everything changes for her and now she is own by the pharmaceutical company Pharmadene and she must work with Patrick McCallister (her new boss) and Joe Fidelli trying to find a dealer that is selling Returné that brings the dead back to life and the illegal operation down Bryn must adjust herself to all the new changes in her life without forgetting about her old responsibility's such as taking care of Mr. French her dog.

It's important for them to know how is selling the drugs because they have this particular side effect it can turn you into a zombie slave.

Review

I love that when I was reading this book it was hard to put down it felt like I was going to miss part of the action in the story.

 I liked the characters specially Patrick McCallister whom you can't help but love even when he isn't that nice to Bryn. Joe Fidelli is just a lovable character his personality makes you like him almost immediately. I believe it's a really good it’s fun, entertaining and with a good amount of action with a spice of mystery.

The only thing I would like to change about the book is the physical form of the book it just feels like I could hurt the book if I opened it completely and honestly it’s not something I like to do with my books. Besides that I wouldn't dare to change a thing. 

My only doubt are... what happened to Mr. French?? And what happened to all the special training Bryn got while in the army??

Rating: