Devoured The Hunger Book 1 by Jason Brant Book Review

Devoured The Hunger book 1 by Jason Brant

Blurb

Day One: A series of terrorist attacks spread a cloud of noxious gas over highly populated areas.
Day Two: Higher brain function erodes in those exposed to the gas. Their bodies begin to distort, faces distending, skin sallowing, teeth elongating.
Day Three: The infected disappear into the shadows, fleeing the harsh daylight which has begun to sear their flesh.
Day Four: The world is DEVOURED.

Life isn’t kind to Lance York. A full-time job has eluded him for years, his wife loathes the sight of him, his bank accounts are empty, and his wealthy father-in-law revels in his failures.
After he lunges in front of a car to save a sick and disoriented woman, Lance awakens in a quarantined hospital. A devastating plague is spreading worldwide, driving those infected with it insane. Their bodies begin to mutate into horrors that have haunted mankind’s nightmares for centuries.

The world descends into chaos as the infected flee to the shadows, emerging at night to devour the remnants of civilization.
With the help of an unlikely ally, Lance must navigate through the collapsing city of Pittsburgh, striving to escape the madness of the apocalypse that unfolds around them.

 This was the first book Ive read from Jason Brant and it wont be my last. I had downloaded this for free quite awhile ago but only just got round to reading it. What a fantastic fast paced read, I was hooked and completely sucked into this fast paced storyline from the very first page...why on earth...hadn't I read this earlier...doh!

If you love your zombie dystonian horror and gore you so need to read this next as its quite different to your normal zombie-esk reads. These monsters are a horrific combination of zombies and vampires similar to those of the Blade trilogy with larger bodies and more grotesque features making these creatures almost impossible to fight and so much more terrifying.

What's great about this book is that most of us can relate to or know someone like Lance who is in a really bad place, with a nagging wife, not enough money and is feeling quite down.  Jason has made us as the reader really feel for this guy as he's so realistic and completely believable. I was almost shouting at the screen when I discovered more about his scheming wife...no more spoilers here...grrr.

Its been brilliantly written and I was completely sucked into this storyline and I absolutely loved watching Lance develop naturally throughout the book from this downtrodden guy to a more confident ass-kicking hero which is so convincing. Part of the reason for this new found confidence was Cassie who saved his butt from not just the night and day-walkers but the Militia (its not just monsters to be scared of out there).

She is a likable, cocky young woman who is confident and strong not scared to  kick ass when needed. Girl power at its best...yesss! However her constant use of the word "dumbass" aimed at Lance was actually getting on my nerves as funny, quirky and likable as she is; even though it ends up as a term of endearment.

We watch Lances confidence grow as the two of them fight together to get to the national safety point and of course this isn't going to go easy or is it even going to be safe?

I found myself speeding through this book unable to put it down; another 6am finish on this lol! 
Go grab this you've no excuse as its FREE as I type here for kindles.

Loved it and I cant wait to read book 2.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Goodreads

Author Bio

Jason Brant is the author of thrillers and horror novels. His works include Devoured, The Gate, The Dark, the West of Hell series, and multiple novellas and short stories.

A job led him from the mountains of western Pennsylvania to the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. For a little over half a decade, he held the position of Digital Forensics Analyst for the Department of Defense. He escaped that post to write novels, watch movies, and drink microbrews.

 

Time of Death Book 1 Induction and Book 2 Asylum by Shana Festa Book Reviews.

 Time of Death Book 1 Induction and 

Time of Death Book 2 Asylum
By Shana Festa

I just discovered Shana Festa through her amazing site The Bookie Monster and she kindly sent me both her Time of Death books to read.

 One of my all time favorite authors Mark Tufo also recommended this book and wrote a great forward to Book 1 Induction; Shana's very first book and of course he was absolutely right.

Blurb
When no one or nowhere is safe, where do you go to escape the monsters?

In a few short days, 37 year old Emma Rossi’s hard work will finally pay off. She will don her cap and gown and graduate with a degree in nursing, but not before she loses her first patient and is confronted with a new reality. In Cape Coral, Florida, a storm approaches. The dead are coming back to life.

And they’re hungry.

Infection ravages the Eastern Seaboard with alarming speed while attempts to contain the spread of infection fail. Within days, a small pocket of panicked survivors are all that remain of civilization. Fighting to survive the zombie apocalypse alongside her husband Jake and their dog Daphne, Emma comes face-to-face with her worst nightmare.
Relying on snarky wit and sheer determination, she is forced to commit atrocious acts to protect her family and avoid joining the ranks of the undead.

The difference with this read is you finally have a female main character that is a kick ass, dog loving student nurse after my own heart with a great sense of humor. Emma Rossi is a brilliant well defined character who is definitely the female version of Mike Talbot from Zombie Fallout (those of you that are zombie-aholics will not need anymore explanation). Like Mike in ZF I found myself laughing out loud with her witty wisecracks and fab sense of humor; but also feeling the fear and sorrow in others, its the sign of a great writer to make you feel so many emotions. You can tell Shana's own medical knowledge as she allows Emma to show her medical expertise throughout. Emma is so realistic and reminds me of me when I was nurse training with their jokes with certain patients.
Daphne the Yorkie is another fab character...yes a dog can have character...before you all yell at me...sheesh! Shana has named the dog after her own pet dog at home; which of course I love but I have been living in fear of her being eaten alive...every time I turn the page... Shana...what you doing to me eeep!
My only niggle was I found Jake to be the weaker, more annoying character so I hope we get to see him step up more in book 2.

So what starts as a familiar day as a student nurse; turns into a apocalyptic chaos with Emma and Jake her husband fighting for their survival. If zombies ar'nt enough they have a hurricane to worry about too.
We get to see them reunite with other members of the Rossi family and also have to act on horrific acts to stay alive which would have been unthinkable the day before. Its a fast paced convincing, realistic gory read you simply cannot put down to the end. They found sanctuary on Sanibel Island where they all finally found safety and could relax without fear; but it only takes 1 person to change everything!
I'm just about to start book 2 as I just cant stop reading, I need to know what happens next...right now!

Time of death Book 2 Asylum

Blurb
Surviving the journey is just the beginning.
The last two months have brought nothing but death and destruction for Emma Rossi. She survived the initial zombie outbreak with her husband, Jake, and their dog, Daphne, but the cost was steep: Sanibel has fallen.

In a world where the only constant is change, the group is pushed to their limits before reaching the gates of Asylum, a coastal stronghold in Sarasota, Florida.
Once again, Emma must navigate an apocalyptic wasteland filled with relentless hordes of the undead and other menacing horrors that threaten her survival.

Only thing is certain. No one is safe from what lurks on either side of Asylum's gates. Asylum may offer more than just safety.
Sanity will be tested; and many won't live to tell the tale.


The Rossi's have only just escaped Sanibel and find themselves back to life on a boat. More deaths more very close shaves as they continue to fight for their lives Daphne included...phewey....thank goodness.

We get to meet some new fab characters. Striker a tough cop who helps them get to safety or is it....? The Asylum is a large group of survivors who are living together, run by creepy Mack the self promoted president of US who Emma discovers has the basement off limits. Yeah it'd drive me nuts too but curiosity killed the cat an all...it maybe the best idea to leave it alone but....hey it wouldn't be an exciting, scary e-read if you weren't yelling at the screen....don't do it.
I love this book as Shana isn't scared to kill off popular characters...loving the shock value; she has alot of new characters that stand well by themselves making it so realistic as we are swept along on a compelling and intriguing read too. Why do only some parts of the Asylum have electric, why are the men separated to work during the day.
Those of you that love Walking dead will find this on a similar line to Woodbury or The terminus you know something is wrong but don't know what...yet...!
I'm also gutted Em and Jake are at loggerheads as he is working with the other guys; so hopefully book three brings them back together...I'm gagging for book 3 now with a brilliant cliffhanger; what have Em and Meg have stumbled across and have they been rumbled too; is Jasper friend or foe....so many questions...I cant wait!

I would highly recommend reading book 1 Induction first so you can appreciate Asylum so much better and you would get to know the characters more deeply too. Its so refreshing to have a female main character as most authors seems scared to go to there with horror and you've made it work beautifully with a great balance of toughness and femininity.

Keep up the fab writing Shana..Im hooked!

Author Bio

Shana Festa was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 17, 1976 and grew up in Northboro, Massachusetts. She currently lives in Cape Coral, Florida with her husband and two dogs, Daphne & Casey.
Shana is a registered nurse with clinical experience in mental health, geriatrics, HIV and substance abuse. In addition to her clinical background, Shana possesses over 15 years of experience with project management and data analytics.
She has been heavily involved in the collection and dissemination of the ICD-10 clinical and coding analytics across multiple projects including the NCHICA ICD-10 Pilot, the HIMSS WEDI ICD-10 Pilot and commercial testing programs.
Under her alter ego, The Bookie Monster, Shana reviews horror and paranormal books, with an emphasis on (but not limited to) zombie fiction. With a background in Psych Nursing, Shay brings her unique perspective to the online reading community.

All my thanks goes to the lovely Shana for sending these books for this review.

My views and opinions are my own.

Review coming soon.

FREE Zombie & Apocalyptic Books on Amazon today!

Today is a quick post for those of you who love zombies and apocalyptic reads. 

I went in search on Amazon for new zombie and/or apocalyptic reads and discovered to my surprise 10...yes I said 10 books from authors Ive not read before.

To top it all they were all FREE at the time of posting this; so I just had to share these amazing finds with you all. Its an early Christmas pressie for me I cant wait to start reading them. Its a perfect chance to try some new authors you wouldn't normally read.

Just click the books to take you directly to Amazon UK

I also bought these 2 books as well, as they were under a pound so still an amazing bargain.

Make a zombie/dystonian-aholic happy this Christmas with any of these books they will think you've spent a fortune on them. ;-)

Which books take your fancy or if you've read any of these books let me know what you think? Plus you will of course be seeing my own book reviews as I read them.

Bye for now!

Ravage by Iain Rob Wright Book Review

Ravage by Iain Rob Wright

Blurb

 FIRST PEOPLE GOT SICK. THEN THEY GOT VERY SICK..
Nick Adams is just a normal guy. He loves his family, appreciates his home, and covets his car. But he absolutely hates his job. Which is what makes it so difficult that not a single customer has come by his store today. It seems as though there’s a bug going around, something that has come out of nowhere and is keeping people at home. Still, it’s probably nothing to worry about. People get sick all the time.

And besides, things are finally starting to look up. Nick’s first customer of the day has just stumbled through the door…

HIS DAY IS ABOUT TO GET WORSE..
It won’t be long before Nick’s entire life is turned upside down, sending him on a frantic journey through a ravaged world that will ultimately lead him 500 feet upwards to a hilltop amusement park. Is it the last safe place on Earth, or are the monsters at the top of the hill even worse than the ones below?

WELCOME TO RIPLEY HEIGHTS. WHERE THE FUN NEVER STARTS.

I have been reading zombie books this year like there's no tomorrow...end of the world...pun intended lol. So certain books stand above the rest in keeping you on your toes; Ravage is one of those. Its extremely fast paced and I couldn't stop turning those digital pages till the end.
I found this book when it was free on Amazon and I have to say I loved it, this is the first Iain Rob Wright book Ive read and I'm now looking into getting the next.
I would always recommend trying new books when they are free as you get read to try new authors which you wouldn't normally read.

Iain writes with gusto and realism; as a group of strangers from all different walks of life find themselves in 2 separate groups which will lead them to Ripley Heights amusement park and zoo high up on a hill away from the town.
At the beginning the book is divided into 2 main groups that we follow, the first group starts in the town.
I immediately related to Nick the phone salesman, likable, funny and just one of us; whose last customer isn't what it seems and he is eventually rescued by Dave the bus driver and a few others he picked up along the way including some escaped prisoners...which is never going to end well is it!

The second group has Annaliese a young vet called to help out a foal being born at Ripley Heights zoo. I really love this tough kick ass no nonsense young woman with a huge love of animals. I can see alot of her in me...yay girl power!
She accidentally encounters some trapped residents of Ripley Heights and helps them escape to safety risking her own life in the process. This group is run by the abrupt power hungry manager Shawcross; who is so dis-likable and you love to hate.
The two groups eventually combine; but its certainly not what it seems; there's thieving, murder and deceit amongst the newly formed group; with strong characters clashing who want to be in charge....god help those who don't follow them.
Iain has produced some brilliant evolving characters that are realistic and believable; plus one of my favorites; Lily a welcome addition to the book who lost her mate and baby too....
I loved the 2 different types of zombie; the infected newly turned who were fast and the walking dead slow lumbering both still deadly.
Iain's creativity throws you into many twists and turns bringing out the worst of human nature and engages you with your favorite characters; its fast paced as you are swept along not knowing who to trust with an unexpected thought provoking ending.

Buy yours from Amazon UK and US



Author Bio

Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, THE FINAL WINTER; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, THE HOUSEMATES.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He is an active member of the Horror Writer Association and a massive animal lover.
Check out Iain's official website for updates at: http://www.iainrobwright.com or add him on Facebook where he would love to meet you.

More book reviews I have read from Iain Rob Wright below.

Zombie and Apocalyptic Survival Book Reviews

I had to celebrate Halloween as its my favorite time of the year; yes I even prefer it to Christmas!

So to kick off my Halloween Spooktacular this year are a couple of books from my Zombie apocalypse collection. This is slightly different to my zombie novels Ive been bringing you; as they are complete guide's to surviving the Zombie Apocalypse....you know just incase!

Read on after the jump for more info on these fab, fun books.

Zombie Survival Guide by Sean T Page

 and published by Haynes manuals.

My first book is actually published by Haynes as in the Haynes manual; nope its not a car manual; instead of Rover, BMW or Ford its one for Surviving against zombies...you know...just incase!

So would you know what to do in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse?

Could you protect your family, forage for food and hold your own if confronted by a horde of the walking dead?

I absolutely had to have this book as you know I'm addicted to zombies; I think the whole front cover design is brilliant at keeping with the zombie blood and gore theme right from the outset.

Small splashes of blood across the cover and Workshop crossed out and Apocalypse written in blood...yess love it!

The back cover is the same and gives you a full explanation of whats inside.

This book is packed with vital information about how to prepare yourself (mentally and physically) and your surroundings for an attack.

If you are an Unbeliever there are still other things in the world which could cause an apocalypse not just zombies. So even though the information in this book is aimed at zombies it could be put to real life if necessary...no seriously it could, start hording tinned goods now people!

Back to the book

This is a brilliant comprehensive guide with a huge range of illustrations, diagrams, maps and step by step instructions for everything you need to know to protect yourself.

The well detailed coloured diagrams are outstanding here are some examples eg; to protect your home, how to fight, collecting the right types of food and the ultimate zombie safe-house.

The obligatory blood hand print!

It may be a fun book to read but the amount of information collated in this book is amazing.

Examples of just some of the info inside;

• Zombies explained.
• The science of Zombieology, the facts every Zombiologist need to know.
• The apocalypse what is it and when?
• Zombie history.
• Becoming a zombie survivalist.
• Home preparation and defense. Securing your home and a 90 day plan.
• Foraging and transport.

Some examples are;

 At the very end you even have the chance to take your own Zombie survival exam at Advanced level.

After you take your test you even get a basic and advanced certificate right at the back of the book to cut out and frame. It now has pride of place on my desk.

If you need to get rid of some zombies just ask Gadget Girl or better still go get your own Zombie survival guide.

Loved the paragraph at the back saying

I quote;

Warning

There is no guarantee that you will survive a zombie apocalypse we do however offer a full refund if you are eaten within 30 days of a major zombie outbreak.

Opinion

This really is a brilliant book for anyone who is a super fan of the Walking Dead like me or loves their zombie apocalyptic films and reads or is genuinely interested in prepping; as it has some seriousness to it too and above all it makes you think..what if...?

But its a really fun, tongue in cheek coffee book read; after reading a few other zombie guides this is my favorite with the brilliant outstanding illustrations on every page.

Its a large sturdy A4 hardback it has 126 excellent quality glossy pages; which is perfect to use as a weapon too, should you need it. A firm whack to the head should be enough to put your attacking zombie to the ground them crush its skull with your boot till his eyeballs pop out. You can then wipe the book clean to keep safely in your bug-out bag next to your lip gloss, well I'm still a girl after all.

With Christmas creeping closer and Halloween in a few days time this would make an excellent gift.

Author bio

Sean T Page is a zombie survival expert and has provided consultancy to private industry and governments around the world on what to do in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Admittedly, few of them actually asked for the advice in the first place. His qualifications include a 25-metre swimming badge from school and several merits for good attendance. He launched the Ministry of Zombies in 2009 to raise awareness of the zombie threat and has published The Official Zombie Handbook UK and War Against the Walking Dead. He is banned from most government buildings now and some people think he is a bit weird. 

Buy yours from Amazon HERE

My second book is the author of the best selling film World war Z

The Zombie Survival guide by Max Brooks

Complete protection from the living dead.

This is a smaller paperback which will fit easily into your jacket or bug-out-bag; keep this with you at all times you never know when you may need this.

Blurb

Don't be reckless with you most precious asset – life. This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is a book that could save your life.

About the Author

Max Brooks lives in New York City but is ready to move to a more remote and defensible location at a moment's notice. His book World War Z was hailed by fellow zombie expert, Simon Pegg, as 'an absolute must have', and is now a major motion picture starring Brad Pitt.

This book is another incredibly well written book by Max Brooks; if any of you have read his first zombie fiction book of World War Z you will know what a great read that was. This survival guide blurs fiction and non fiction and really makes the reader think.

With over 2 million copies sold worldwide

Ive read this book completely cover to cover too many times to mention and it absolutely covers everything you will ever need to know about zombies.

Max has added extremely detailed well written chapters on being prepared;

• Myths and realities.
• Weapons and combat techniques.
• Defending the home.
• On the run looking for safety- this is just a genius chapter and also quite scary if this were reality.
• On the attack- weapons, transportation, terrain, strategies this chapter is so detailed it will really make you think about what  if...
• Historical recorded attacks through history- yes real...are they...I hope they are!

Plus so much more as its not a thin book, it has 246 pages and will take you several days to read from cover to cover. Max has seriously thought of everything...but of course he would after writing the amazing film with Brad Pitt WWZ.

Opinion
This book is again for those of you that are Zombie-apocalyptic-aholics and its just fab to have in your collection; especially from such a great writer like Max Brooks.
This comprehensive, well detailed book will give you the confidence to take on the world...ok just the zombies...lol! Max breaks down every element you may need to survive in a fun easy to read way. I couldn't tear myself away from this and have since been returning regularly to it as there are so many interesting chapters; particularly "On the run" a fascinating chapter about surviving when things go bad..ok...even worse than being over run by zombies. Its military style ideas could most certainly be applied to emergency situations of any kind and allows the reader to get into that mindset to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Another brilliant read which will suddenly make you think has he made this up or is this real...does he know something we don't...gulp.......!

Buy yours from Amazon Uk HERE

I hope you enjoyed reading about these zombie survival guides to bring you something different for Halloween or Xmas.

So start getting your Bugout bags ready, sharpen those gardening tools, building your fences higher and start collecting tins of food and you will become a full blown prepper ready for anything.

Have a great Halloween Everyone!

The Last Infection: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller by Michael Garza Book Review

 The Last Infection: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller by Michael Garza

 Goodreads

 Blurb
 The Last Infection chronicles the fall of civilization and the rise of the dead and the evolution of the infected.
The infection swept across the country like a tidal wave. Survivors cling to life as the infected own the night and the dead walk the streets. Chris has endured on his own and bumping into Jake and Alicen weren't in his plans. The young brother and sister have plans of their own, but Chris has heard too many promises of sanctuary and infection free zones. Jenn's arrival turns his attention to the one thing he never thought he would face again, hope. They make a pact to reach the kids safe haven, but only time will tell if anyone can survive the last infection.


A fab zombie read as we follow Two kids; Jake Bradly twelve and his kid sister Alicen whose eight who are trying and get to their Aunt and Uncle in Catalina island to avoid the outbreak.
But things never go to plan do they......

Chris an ex-drug addict who has never cared for anyone but himself has survived well during the outbreak by keeping to himself. Then he met the starving twosome as he broke into a sweet vending machine and he felt sorry for them and split the goodies. That night they ran out on him stealing some more of the food while he slept. He later bumped into them with a young woman called Jenn and from here they join forces and tough guy loner Chris decides to get the kids to Catalina safely. Jenn becomes the heart and soul of the little group and encourages Chris to help more despite his dislike of being with people.
They head to Vegas to look for Jenn's parents to see if they are still alive...does it go according to plan...of course not....!

Its fab fast paced read as we escape with them as they run from one horror to another. The different take in this book is that the zombies are learning and the foursome are faced with two types of horror. The infected who are fast and deadly; still having the strength of a healthy human as long as they feed; and of course the zombies which have discovered they can learn tactics and are evolving in their new world.

But its not just the dead they need to be afraid of...?

Michael writes with fluidity and his characters are believable and convincing, with brilliant character development. We watch the group all start to evolve to fit their new circumstances and difficulties and the action scenes are excellently described as you are swept along until that last digital page.
This will really appeal to those zombie-holics out there as you get a slightly different perspective, a childhood one to the normal zombie reads.


Author Bio

Michael W. Garza often finds himself wondering where his inspiration will come from next and in what form his imagination will bring it to life. The outcomes regularly surprise him and it's always his ambition to amaze those curious enough to follow him and take in those results. He encourages readers to peek at his latest work as well as the material he's published in the past. He sincerely hopes that everyone will find something that astonishes, surprises, or simply scares the heck out of you.

www.mwgarza.com
facebook.com/mwgarza
twitter.com/@mwgarza

All my thanks goes to Michael for sending me this book for this review.

All my views and opinions are my own.