White Trash Zombie #6
Angel is finally back in one piece and it's not a moment too soon. Now she just wants to try and get the rest of her life back together as much as she can but things are just never that simple for her. The zombie shambler she made by accident before her dismemberment seems to have made friends and it's spreading by some vector that isn't just being bitten by other shamblers. Angel and the rest of the real zombie crew need to figure out what is going on and how they can not only stop it but if possible, reverse it's course on those who they have tied down and still 'alive'. For Angel, this is an absolute necessity now that Nick has been affected as well.
I continue to really enjoy this series. Angel is easy to relate to in her earnestness and desires and how she beats herself up but then picks herself up and works hard to make amends. She continues to grow and learn and make mistakes and try again. My only wish is that it wasn't so long between books!
Page count: 354p/19,487p ytd/290,890p lifetime
Showing posts with label Rowland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rowland. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Saturday, July 8, 2017
49:120 Urban Allies edited by Joseph Nassise
An interesting concept where 20 urban fantasy writers were paired up and wrote stories with their partner utilizing a main character from their own series. Rather than going into detail about each story, I'm going to focus more on how well I think the concept worked for that pair.
Jaye Welles & Caitlyn Kittridge - I've only read the Prospero Wars books by Jaye Wells and nothing by Caitlyn Kittridge so I had no idea about the characters in this story but it didn't matter. One set was sent on a wild goose chase to hopefully take out the other set but the fur flies and it gets figured out so they team up to find the person who betrayed them both. The story swings back and forth between Sabina and Ava and it mostly works. Even without knowing anything about any of the characters, enough was given so I had a clue (and I'm now very interested in the Sabina books and might check out the Ava books as well) and didn't feel lost but I don't think it was so much that it would annoy someone who was already familiar with those worlds.
Seanan McGuire & Kelley Armstrong - This story right here was the thing that pushed me over the edge into buying this book. I LOVE both of these authors and their worlds and the thought of them being combined might have made me squeee. Unfortunately, the story did anything but. They "paired" up Verity from Seanan's Incryptid series with Elena from Kelley's Otherworld series but only sort of. They were both in the same NY forest and stumbled upon the same poacher but their entire interaction was a brief moment when Elena was kicking the guy's ass and Verity says 'Hi'. Really?! I know both characters are cagey by nature but this story could easily have not had the other character and it would not have changed anything so in terms of being a collaborative effort and putting the characters really together it fell enormously flat and was very disappointing.
Steven Savile & Craig Schaefer - This is the first story that has more of what I was expecting in terms of a collaborative effort. It does swing from what I'm assuming is one author's characters to the others but in a way that was naturally flowing and then flowed back to a cooperative narrative. It blended all the characters well and if I did not know this was a joint effort with characters from two different universes, I would not have guessed it to be the case.
Joseph Nassie & Sam Witt - I knew nothing of either of these writers or their universes before this story. There was enough backstory in there that I didn't feel totally lost although there were definitely pieces of backstory that were hinted at but not explained which for a short story I think is actually good as it works as a hook to get people to go check out their other books which I totally get. The story and characters worked well together on the whole.
Diana Rowland & Carrie Vaughn - Ok, I have to admit that the White Trash Zombie and Kitty Norville books are both ones that I really enjoy so I was pretty happy to see these characters mashed up together. Unfortunately, this one didn't have a whole lot of backstory so I can easily see people not familiar with the worlds not really getting the characters. They felt a bit flat and the story was predictable with little detail in any sense. Why do the ones I'm so looking forward to in this book end up being the more disappointing ones?!
Weston Ochse & David Wellington - I really enjoyed this tale and had I not known it was a collaboration, I never would have guessed it to be one. It flowed very well between the two characters who both seemed at home in the universe. There was enough background for me to not feel completely disorientated but definitely left me knowing there was a lot more and what was it?! I might be looking into these authors a bit more.
Charlaine Harris & Christopher Golden - I didn't know either of these characters although I did recognize the name Niall from the Sookie books so that's the only way I was able to tell whose character was whose. They did a nice job of melding the characters together in a world that neither was wholly familiar with which put them on more even footing and allowed a bit more exposition to sound natural as they are figuring everything out. Well done mashup in my opinion.
C.E. Murphy & Kat Richardson - I've heard of C.E. Murphy but hadn't even added anything to my wishlist. I think it was more a "If you like xxx" kind of thing. I've read most of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series so I knew one of the characters in this. I have to say this was the most interesting way of combining two characters from different universes. Instead of just throwing them in together and calling it the same universe, they end up in a pocket dimension that is bridging the two and Jo Walker and Harper Blaine end up there from their respective sides. The mystery is resolved only when each person takes a spirit into themselves that harnesses the power of the other so Jo and Harper both get to experience the magic of the other. Quite interesting and well done.
Jeff Somers & Stephen Blackmoor - I'd never heard of either of these authors going into. It was pretty easy to differentiate between them (although I couldn't tell you who went with which character) but I felt like Lem's story gave a bit more back story to that world and fleshed things out more which definitely made it more interesting to someone with no idea about the characters or worlds.
Larry Correia & Jonathan Mayberry - I've heard of Jonathan Mayberry (one of my kids reads his zombie books) but otherwise, I came into this cold. There was precious little exposition so I really only figured out that we were dealing with two military people who deal with different types of supernatural. I didn't get a good feel for either of the characters, the story was pretty simple and typical of the other types of stories in the book but it wasn't anything that made me want to go pick up anything else by these authors.
Page count: 410p/10,378p ytd/284,397p lifetime
Jaye Welles & Caitlyn Kittridge - I've only read the Prospero Wars books by Jaye Wells and nothing by Caitlyn Kittridge so I had no idea about the characters in this story but it didn't matter. One set was sent on a wild goose chase to hopefully take out the other set but the fur flies and it gets figured out so they team up to find the person who betrayed them both. The story swings back and forth between Sabina and Ava and it mostly works. Even without knowing anything about any of the characters, enough was given so I had a clue (and I'm now very interested in the Sabina books and might check out the Ava books as well) and didn't feel lost but I don't think it was so much that it would annoy someone who was already familiar with those worlds.
Seanan McGuire & Kelley Armstrong - This story right here was the thing that pushed me over the edge into buying this book. I LOVE both of these authors and their worlds and the thought of them being combined might have made me squeee. Unfortunately, the story did anything but. They "paired" up Verity from Seanan's Incryptid series with Elena from Kelley's Otherworld series but only sort of. They were both in the same NY forest and stumbled upon the same poacher but their entire interaction was a brief moment when Elena was kicking the guy's ass and Verity says 'Hi'. Really?! I know both characters are cagey by nature but this story could easily have not had the other character and it would not have changed anything so in terms of being a collaborative effort and putting the characters really together it fell enormously flat and was very disappointing.
Steven Savile & Craig Schaefer - This is the first story that has more of what I was expecting in terms of a collaborative effort. It does swing from what I'm assuming is one author's characters to the others but in a way that was naturally flowing and then flowed back to a cooperative narrative. It blended all the characters well and if I did not know this was a joint effort with characters from two different universes, I would not have guessed it to be the case.
Joseph Nassie & Sam Witt - I knew nothing of either of these writers or their universes before this story. There was enough backstory in there that I didn't feel totally lost although there were definitely pieces of backstory that were hinted at but not explained which for a short story I think is actually good as it works as a hook to get people to go check out their other books which I totally get. The story and characters worked well together on the whole.
Diana Rowland & Carrie Vaughn - Ok, I have to admit that the White Trash Zombie and Kitty Norville books are both ones that I really enjoy so I was pretty happy to see these characters mashed up together. Unfortunately, this one didn't have a whole lot of backstory so I can easily see people not familiar with the worlds not really getting the characters. They felt a bit flat and the story was predictable with little detail in any sense. Why do the ones I'm so looking forward to in this book end up being the more disappointing ones?!
Weston Ochse & David Wellington - I really enjoyed this tale and had I not known it was a collaboration, I never would have guessed it to be one. It flowed very well between the two characters who both seemed at home in the universe. There was enough background for me to not feel completely disorientated but definitely left me knowing there was a lot more and what was it?! I might be looking into these authors a bit more.
Charlaine Harris & Christopher Golden - I didn't know either of these characters although I did recognize the name Niall from the Sookie books so that's the only way I was able to tell whose character was whose. They did a nice job of melding the characters together in a world that neither was wholly familiar with which put them on more even footing and allowed a bit more exposition to sound natural as they are figuring everything out. Well done mashup in my opinion.
C.E. Murphy & Kat Richardson - I've heard of C.E. Murphy but hadn't even added anything to my wishlist. I think it was more a "If you like xxx" kind of thing. I've read most of Kat Richardson's Greywalker series so I knew one of the characters in this. I have to say this was the most interesting way of combining two characters from different universes. Instead of just throwing them in together and calling it the same universe, they end up in a pocket dimension that is bridging the two and Jo Walker and Harper Blaine end up there from their respective sides. The mystery is resolved only when each person takes a spirit into themselves that harnesses the power of the other so Jo and Harper both get to experience the magic of the other. Quite interesting and well done.
Jeff Somers & Stephen Blackmoor - I'd never heard of either of these authors going into. It was pretty easy to differentiate between them (although I couldn't tell you who went with which character) but I felt like Lem's story gave a bit more back story to that world and fleshed things out more which definitely made it more interesting to someone with no idea about the characters or worlds.
Larry Correia & Jonathan Mayberry - I've heard of Jonathan Mayberry (one of my kids reads his zombie books) but otherwise, I came into this cold. There was precious little exposition so I really only figured out that we were dealing with two military people who deal with different types of supernatural. I didn't get a good feel for either of the characters, the story was pretty simple and typical of the other types of stories in the book but it wasn't anything that made me want to go pick up anything else by these authors.
Page count: 410p/10,378p ytd/284,397p lifetime
Thursday, June 15, 2017
New Releases I'm Looking Forward To: 3rd Quarter 2017
My usual disclaimer:
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
I'm still falling behind on my reading goals for this year. But then again, I feel like I'm behind with everything these days so I guess that's not a surprise. I'm hoping to be able to find time to get more reading in this summer to maybe start gaining some ground on my To Read list. *crossing fingers*
Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price starts off the quarter. I'm really happy that whatever caused the long break between books 3 and 4 seems to be resolved and we have a new one so soon. I like the magic/Fae stuff in this world a lot so it's nice to be able to return.
Also coming that day is Wildfire by Ilona Andrews, the third book in the Hidden Legacy series. Book two was delayed and I haven't read it yet so I need to catch up on what is going on between Rogan and Nevada since it looks like things are getting more interesting between the two of them with this book.
Release Date - July 25
Only a week later and there are another two books out that are on my radar. The Urban Enemies anthology collects stories from 17 authors including some of my faves like Seanan McGuire and Kelley Armstrong and lets them tell tales from one of their villains points of view. Since villains rarely see themselves as such, it should be interesting to see how each of these see themselves.
Release Date - August 1
I'm less excited about this one. Ride the Storm by Karen Chance is the latest in the Cassie Palmer series and I just didn't enjoy the last one very much. I feel like we are in some sort of static bubble where nothing really happens or changes with the plot or the characters. I've been hoping for the last couple of books to see things move forward and it looks like this might finally be doing that. Here's hoping.
Release Date - August 1
Rituals by Kelley Armstrong is the final book in the Cainsville series which I have been really enjoying but am unfortunately a book behind in. Need to hurry up and fix that because I'm dying to see how all this resolves!
Release Date - August 15
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
I'm still falling behind on my reading goals for this year. But then again, I feel like I'm behind with everything these days so I guess that's not a surprise. I'm hoping to be able to find time to get more reading in this summer to maybe start gaining some ground on my To Read list. *crossing fingers*
Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price starts off the quarter. I'm really happy that whatever caused the long break between books 3 and 4 seems to be resolved and we have a new one so soon. I like the magic/Fae stuff in this world a lot so it's nice to be able to return.
Release Date - July 4
Two are coming out later in July. Buried Heart by Kate Elliot is the conclusion to the Court of Fives trilogy. War is coming and Jessamy must try to bring the two sides of her country together to save those she loves.
Release Date - July 25
Two are coming out later in July. Buried Heart by Kate Elliot is the conclusion to the Court of Fives trilogy. War is coming and Jessamy must try to bring the two sides of her country together to save those she loves.
Release Date - July 25
Also coming that day is Wildfire by Ilona Andrews, the third book in the Hidden Legacy series. Book two was delayed and I haven't read it yet so I need to catch up on what is going on between Rogan and Nevada since it looks like things are getting more interesting between the two of them with this book.
Release Date - July 25
Only a week later and there are another two books out that are on my radar. The Urban Enemies anthology collects stories from 17 authors including some of my faves like Seanan McGuire and Kelley Armstrong and lets them tell tales from one of their villains points of view. Since villains rarely see themselves as such, it should be interesting to see how each of these see themselves.
Release Date - August 1
I'm less excited about this one. Ride the Storm by Karen Chance is the latest in the Cassie Palmer series and I just didn't enjoy the last one very much. I feel like we are in some sort of static bubble where nothing really happens or changes with the plot or the characters. I've been hoping for the last couple of books to see things move forward and it looks like this might finally be doing that. Here's hoping.
Release Date - August 1
Rituals by Kelley Armstrong is the final book in the Cainsville series which I have been really enjoying but am unfortunately a book behind in. Need to hurry up and fix that because I'm dying to see how all this resolves!
Release Date - August 15
September starts off with what I'm sure will be a good laugh with White Trash Zombie Unchained by Diana Rowland. These books have amazed me with the fact that they are so much fun but at the same time, the character growth and development is phenomenal! Not what I would ever have expected from a zombie series, let alone one titled as White Trash Zombie.
Release Date - September 5
Release Date - September 5
The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire finishes out the 3rd quarter and I can't wait to see what trouble Toby gets into this time. With her mother demanding that she find her long lost sister, I mean really, what could possibly go wrong?
Release Date - September 5
Release Date - September 5
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
131:120 White Trash Zombie Gone Wild Vol. 5 by Diana Rowland
The 5th book in the White Trash Zombie series. In the last book, Angel had to take an experimental zombie drug in order to help save the group against Arbitron in NY. Now she is back to her junkie ways, stealing from the lab and Baby Z's doses to get her fix. Of course, all of this is bound to backfire on her but it does so in some of the most unexpected ways. While she is dealing with that, there is also the ZombieFest that is going on in her hometown to help celebrate the release of the zombie movie that was filmed in her high school but then weird stuff starts happening around that as well. Angel needs to get her head on straight since everyone else in the Tribe is off dealing with other crisis in other states which leads pretty much just her to deal with the stuff going down there. But hey, she's Zombie Angel and she doesn't know how to go down without a fight.
I have enjoyed this series more than I ever thought possible because I loved seeing the growth of Angel as a character so having her back on drugs made me really, really sad because while I get that it's common, I had so been hoping that she was beyond that now but I admit to it being more realistic that having had to take something she would get hooked again. What helped make it easier to handle was that the people who cared about her, didn't just condemn her (as she had figured they would) but were there to actually support and help her through it. I'm really glad it went that direction because I'm not sure I could have handled it had the author chosen to have them all turn their backs on her.
Page count: 325p/33,396p ytd/248,312p lifetime
I have enjoyed this series more than I ever thought possible because I loved seeing the growth of Angel as a character so having her back on drugs made me really, really sad because while I get that it's common, I had so been hoping that she was beyond that now but I admit to it being more realistic that having had to take something she would get hooked again. What helped make it easier to handle was that the people who cared about her, didn't just condemn her (as she had figured they would) but were there to actually support and help her through it. I'm really glad it went that direction because I'm not sure I could have handled it had the author chosen to have them all turn their backs on her.
Page count: 325p/33,396p ytd/248,312p lifetime
Monday, September 28, 2015
New Releases I'm Looking Forward To: 4th Quarter 2015
My usual disclaimer:
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
Still running behind in a few series. I've gotten a few under control but still quite a few that have gotten away from me. *sigh* Eventually I'll get caught up on those but it doesn't matter, I'll still be buying in my current series plus other things that catch my eye. I'm thankful that this quarter is fairly light though since the 12th grade English is definitely on the heavier side.
Appropriately enough, October starts off with White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland, the 5th book in the series. When we last left Angel, she was becoming a true member of the zombie mofia. There have been a lot of changes for her, mostly for the good, since she became a zombie but all of that is in jeopardy as she uncovers a plot to expose zombies to the public. Can she and undead friends put a stop to it or are they in serious danger of losing their heads?
Release Date: October 6
Yasmine Galenorn has a new series coming out as well with Autumn Thorns. Meet Kerris Fellwater, a former resident of Whisper Hollow, who ran away 15 years ago but can no longer ignore the signs that it's time for her to return and replace her grandmother as the spirit shaman of the town where the dead don't always rest easy.
Release Date: October 27
So speaking of series I really need to get caught up with, Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger is the fourth book in the Finishing School series and I've yet to even read the first book. That being the case, I really can't say much about this one except I am going to get to this series sooner rather than later!!!
Release Date: November 3
Reap the Wind by Karen Chance was significantly delayed but after two years with no Cassie, she's back! This time she is searching through time searching for Pritkin, with his dad in tow, to save him, hopefully without pissing off too many more demons or creating time paradoxes that are too awful.
Release Date: November 3
Amazingly enough, Chimera by Mira Grant is the last book in that trilogy and the last book I'm really looking forward to this year. The implanted tapeworms are awake and taking over the human race. Sal and her family must come to terms with themselves and their nature if they are to have any chance of saving themselves. I will admit, I found the last book a bit slow but am hopeful that this one where things have to wrap up will be better.
Release Date: November 24
Let me state, this is really based on authors or series that I'm already reading since those are the things I follow. I'm not paid to write this blog nor do I have any affiliations with any publishers so I don't receive free books or advance notice of things except what I glean off Facebook from people who do have those contacts or what I research on my own (which again, leads back to authors that I'm already reading). Maybe someday I'll be one of those who has the contacts and gets ARCs but it's not today.
Still running behind in a few series. I've gotten a few under control but still quite a few that have gotten away from me. *sigh* Eventually I'll get caught up on those but it doesn't matter, I'll still be buying in my current series plus other things that catch my eye. I'm thankful that this quarter is fairly light though since the 12th grade English is definitely on the heavier side.
Appropriately enough, October starts off with White Trash Zombie Gone Wild by Diana Rowland, the 5th book in the series. When we last left Angel, she was becoming a true member of the zombie mofia. There have been a lot of changes for her, mostly for the good, since she became a zombie but all of that is in jeopardy as she uncovers a plot to expose zombies to the public. Can she and undead friends put a stop to it or are they in serious danger of losing their heads?
Release Date: October 6
Yasmine Galenorn has a new series coming out as well with Autumn Thorns. Meet Kerris Fellwater, a former resident of Whisper Hollow, who ran away 15 years ago but can no longer ignore the signs that it's time for her to return and replace her grandmother as the spirit shaman of the town where the dead don't always rest easy.
Release Date: October 27
So speaking of series I really need to get caught up with, Manners & Mutiny by Gail Carriger is the fourth book in the Finishing School series and I've yet to even read the first book. That being the case, I really can't say much about this one except I am going to get to this series sooner rather than later!!!
Release Date: November 3
Reap the Wind by Karen Chance was significantly delayed but after two years with no Cassie, she's back! This time she is searching through time searching for Pritkin, with his dad in tow, to save him, hopefully without pissing off too many more demons or creating time paradoxes that are too awful.
Release Date: November 3
Amazingly enough, Chimera by Mira Grant is the last book in that trilogy and the last book I'm really looking forward to this year. The implanted tapeworms are awake and taking over the human race. Sal and her family must come to terms with themselves and their nature if they are to have any chance of saving themselves. I will admit, I found the last book a bit slow but am hopeful that this one where things have to wrap up will be better.
Release Date: November 24
Thursday, September 11, 2014
94:120 How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back by Diana Rowland
The 4th book in the White Trash Zombie series. Angel finally seems to have her life on track. She has a job she enjoys not only at the funeral home but also helping out a little in the zombie labs. She's passed her GED and is now contemplating taking some college courses. Things are a bit rocky with Marcus but she is sure enough in herself to speak up about what she wants. Yep, things are going pretty well until Pietro and several other high ranking people in the Zombie Mafia are kidnapped and it looks like Sabertron is behind it. Now it's her, her zombie baby, the defector, and a guard to try and get them back from inside Sabertron's HQ. While there is definitely an element of the kind of trouble that Angel excels at, there is also a lot that sees her completely out of her depth and being forced to grow in unexpected ways.
I continue to really enjoy this series and this one was no exception. My only disappointment was with the ending. We saw Angel who is starting to earn positions of trust and power backslide towards her previous life and it really saddened me. I'm hoping this is not a preview of things to come.
Page count: 328p/25,252p ytd/206,290p lifetime
I continue to really enjoy this series and this one was no exception. My only disappointment was with the ending. We saw Angel who is starting to earn positions of trust and power backslide towards her previous life and it really saddened me. I'm hoping this is not a preview of things to come.
Page count: 328p/25,252p ytd/206,290p lifetime
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