"Affliction" by Laurell K. Hamilton is a zombie apocolypse wrapped in love
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For readers new to the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, Affliction will read like a stereotypical zombie apocalypse that just-so-happens to take place in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. They'll miss the interplay between characters that references previous books, and, without this understanding, entire subplots will have little-to-no meaning.

Dedicated LKH fans will discover that this twenty-second volume of the series gets off to a slow start in the action category, but the novel makes up for this in strengthening the emotional bonds between the main wereanimals and master vampire Anita has grown to love. In other words, they work through more "issues" and anxt, treating each other like therapists, until there is a huge announcement. Expect Anita's usual pithy comments and growth in power.

My one complaint about this installment of the series has to do with the final face-off with the enemy. The victory was accomplished too thoroughly, with Anita's plan working exactly as expected. There just wasn't any surprise or suspense at the end, as there had been through the rest of the prose.

I am concerned that, with "Mommy Darkness" dead and the triumvirate's power so strong, no enemies can be found forceful enough to pose a credible threat for the continuation of the series. This zombie apocolypse was messy, but still felt like Anita's "routine", not a "challenge". Also, Anita is simply too accepting of her lifestyle and choices to fuel more stories. When the main protagonist is happy, what is left?

If the sexual content of the previous Anita books bothered you, you'll have the first half of this one clear, before you run into the initial romantic interlude. Two more follow later in the pages, but they are generally shorter in length and less consequential to the plot than in LKH's prior works.

The audio CDs allowed for reasonable music during romantic and fight scenes. Gun shots and other sound-effects were added when applicable.

This book was a sequel to Kiss the Dead (#21):
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Another worthy zombie thriller is Rise Again by Ben Tripp:
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Have you read the Vampire Empire series by Clay and Susan Griffith?
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I think I have a new favorite genre: Post-Apocalyptic Erotica.  Flesh is a well-written, witty, action packed and highly erotic story of basic survival and raw gritty love. Daniel, Ali and Finn stick together and fight against Zombies. And soon form an unconventional relationship that includes a lot of, yep... guess *sizzle*

Daniel and Finn both love Ali and she loves them and the relationship the three of them have is the heart of this story. It moved me, I loved their commitment to one another and the sacrifices they made for companionship and love, even in a scary world full of the "infected"

Zombies ain't pretty- but the scene with the balloons is VERY PRETTY *panting heavily* *heartbeat like a rabbit*

Read Flesh and find out what I mean!
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I can't express how much I adored this book.

I've never been a huge fan of zombie apocalypse stories (that seem so incredibly prevalent lately), but there's something about this one that had me enthralled from the first chapter. If you're a fan of The Walking Dead, you seriously need to check out this novel.

Rachel Aukes takes the daunting work of Dante's Inferno and makes it her own, with a little Zed infusion. Mia Ryan is at work the day the world as she knows it ends. A strange virus pandemic has turned the world upside down, quickly forcing Mia to learn to survive or die. With the help of Clutch, the gruff truck driver/former Army Ranger who helps her escape Zed-infested Des Moines while giving her the moniker "Cash", she soon discovers that there are two types of people left in the world: Survivors and Victims.  Determined to be a survivor, she deals with loss and tragedy, while clinging to hope that the world isn't completely overrun by monstrous undead Zeds and power hungry Militia leaders.

This book is a triumph of the human spirit when faced with overwhelming odds as everything Cash knows is turned solidly on its ear and she's forced to fight or die.

Truly an amazing story.
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Alison lives on the fringes of society as she refuses to be cattle for the vampires that rule the city. To survive, most humans allow themselves to be branded and their blood taken in exchange for rations of food and safety. However, Alison knows better. That promise of safety is just empty words as registered people still go missing daily. Life is hard for her as she starves a little more each day scavenging for food, but at least her life belongs to her. That all changes when she is brutally attacked and given the choice of becoming the very thing she hates, or to die with her soul intact. In her moment of weakness she chooses immortality. With nothing more than a crash course in survival with her new status, she is forced out beyond the walls that protect them from the rabids, mindless beasts who kill vampires and humans alike. Her only hope at survival is to join a rag tag team of humans with their own mission. It will take everything she has to ensure her true nature isn't discovered, for that would mean an instant death, and this time there's no coming back.

Now that I've gotten the description out of the way, let me just start off by saying that I absolutely loved the mythology behind this world. The Immortal Rules has two of my favorite paranormal elements, vampires and zombies. In fact it takes things a step further by having zombie vampires. Yep, that's right ZOMPIRES! The funny thing is that I didn't put that together in my head at first. I just saw the rabids as nasty, killer creatures to be feared. Then all of a sudden it clicked in my head that they were Zompires and I was instantly in love. Seriously, when you picture Vamps, you typically expect them to be the top of the food chain, so it was really great to see them at risk too. Granted, they still lorded over the humans, who were treated no better than glorified cattle, but that didn't make them any less trapped behind the city walls.

I really loved watching Allie's character progression in The Immortal Rules. I found it a little ironic that she seemed more human by the end of the book than she did at the start, especially since she was still mortal at that point. Granted, she did want to do anything she could to help humanity overcome their oppression, but that really was only a pipe dream, as she was really only focused on her own survival. Although we do get a glimpse of her sacrificial nature early on, it isn't until the end that it really shows. Well, perhaps that isn't true either as that protective nature is pretty consistent throughout, it's just that it gets a little overshadowed by her battle with controlling the monster inside her. Her guilt at becoming what she hated the most won't let her see past the bad, to all the good she can and will do with her new found strength. In fact, I think she may now be in a position to actually make the changes for humanity that she desired early on, but only time will tell.

I'm not really sure why, but I somehow expected The Immortal Rules to be similar to Julie's other series, The Iron Fey, when the actuality is that they couldn't possibly be more different. The Immortal Rules is so much darker, and has a gritty, raw, bare bones aspect that will literally grab a hold of you with an iron fist. I was utterly captivated from the very start, and couldn't recommend it any higher! With a killer mythology (literally), awesome characters, a little romance, and heart pounding action, what isn't there to love about The Immortal Rules? This series will definitely be going on my auto-buy list!
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Review also  on My Book Addiction part of #zOctober2013!

Until the End of the World is very different from the zombie books I have been reading lately. It's not horror, per se, but more of a post-apocalyptic chick-lit zombie tale.. and I was perfectly happy with that. This character driven story is told from Cassie's POV. The beginning was slightly clumsy, but it did smooth out about a quarter of the way in. I really dig stories that begin when life is normal so we can find out how the shit hits the fan along with the characters. It's suspenseful because I know it's coming, but they don't yet. It's like watching a horror movie and knowing the monster is hiding behind the door. You begin biting your nails, then start screaming at the screen, wishing they could hear you and run the other way, but they can't hear you and before you know it.. BLAM!!

This post-apocalyptic tale begins with an introduction to our main character, Cassie, and her closest friends, Penny and Nelly (Nelson). The three of them work in the same building and find out about the infection hitting their city together. Other parts of the country had been dealing with this strange affliction, but it hadn't come near them.. until now. We learn that Cassie has some major drama from her past that she has yet to overcome. It's not just one thing either; her baggage would never get checked for free with how heavy it is!

There's a hefty amount of backstory mixed in with the present day apocalyptic chaos which I rather enjoyed. I was able to get to know the characters, and not just one or two people, but a handful of them, in a very intimate way. I chuckled at their quips and cried with them through their pain. I also wanted to beat the piss out of Penny's sister, Ana, and Cassie's ex-boyfriend, Pete (I'm calling him Pete because he hates it. hehe). Having so much information to process did make it a slower read for me, but I honestly didn't mind. I've been reading some seriously fast-paced, over-the-top craziness this month so the change of pace was really nice. Some people prefer non-stop action and having every other page dripping with guts and brain matter when it comes to zombie fiction, and to those people I have to warn that this may not be your speed. This is more contemporary/apocalyptic than horror, but it's not without awesome moments of gore, suspense and action. And we all know there is more to fear in the zombie apocalypse than just the undead.

What I really fancy is the amount of prepping content in this book. I am fascinated with prepping and although I tell certain people it's for any potential disaster, most people know it's all about the zombie apocalypse for me. I'm not the queen of prepping by any means. I don't have a gravity-fed water supply or intricate things of that nature, but I do have food, water, medical supplies and even weapons stored securely in my basement. I was happy as a lark reading about how prepared some of the characters were in this story, and could relate to some of the eye-rolling going on.

Overall this is a solid four "zombie head" read for me, and that is no easy task to accomplish with a debut novel. Kudos, Sarah! You have a fan for life. I recommend Until the End of the World to all fans of post-apocalyptic zombie fiction mixed with suspense, drama and a dash of romance.

** UPDATE ** It's been days since I finished reading this book yet the characters and their story continue to resonate in my mind. I love this book enough to read it again, and for me to read a book more than once is almost unimaginable. For these reasons I am changing my rating to FIVE zombie heads!
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I adore this book! The name had me wondering what it was about, and thankfully I bought it! This is a fun and terrifying story with unforgettable characters in which author Linnea Sinclair has chosen our Solar System for this fabulous adventure. Imagine being a detective leaving a crime scene where a recently deceased man looked like a dry husk similar to a body left in the desert for 6 months. Then find yourself fighting off a monster from your darkest nightmare with the most beautiful woman that you had ever seen appearing and helping to destroy the creature that could not possibly exist! Then it really gets exciting! The Down Home Zombie Blues is a perfect blend of sci-fi, humor, adventure, love, treachery, and courage that I have read in a LONG time. I want more!
Susiq2, Reviewer, Cata Network Romance
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I did not expect this book to be better then the first one, but it managed to surpass its predecessor and it literally stole my sleep as I was not able to put my kindle out of my hands before I read the last page.

Since a year I am on a zombie novel trip and I read a lot of great series so far, but Loureiros "Apocalypse Z" is - in my opinion - truly the best one. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I am European and so I can connect to the story, the location and the circumstances way better.

*Minor spoilers*
In this sequel the group reaches the "Save Haven" on the Canary Islands but the welcome is not as warm as expected and a series of happenings changes everything and crushes the hope for relative safety.
*End*

The events are dramatic, the characters grow even more on you and Loureiros way of writing hooks you instantly. Short chapters that usually stop in the most thrilling moments let you continue and as both connected story lines are simply breathtakingly thrilling, you just go on and on reading.

I loved the fact that this is one of the rare books that explains the unfolding of the horror in a way that only Max Brooks managed it so far. The political mistakes, the media idiocy, the panic, the medicinal background: it is all there and it makes the story way more believable. There is action non stop without the usual glorification of weaponry and that tiring military jargon of so many other Z-Novels. But still military plays a huge role.

The fact that he also includes political rivalry between monarchists and democrats, that - at the end - f***s it all up sounded a bit far fetched at first, but thinking about it and looking at today's society: it just makes sense. We don't need Zombies to destroy ourselves. We manage that by our own, even in a crisis. Sure, people want to read about heroic deeds and glorious survivalists, but lets face it: humans are humans and even if there is so much beautiful about us: politics, religion, greed and basic instincts are a huge task to deal with...

But let's stay with the novel itself: "Dark Days" is a worthy sequel, adrenaline pushing, with characters growing on you and the tragedy of events unfolding in that thrilling and grabbing story will not only satisfy Zombie lovers, but EVERYBODY who likes a thriller or a good horror novel. You should read the amazing first book, though, so you can really connect.

I am happy that the translation of the third book is already in the works and got a release date here on Amazon, as the end of that one was so good and and exiting, that you simply crave for a clue to what could have happened.

Don't let some of the reviews drag you down and give it a try. And a big compliment to the translator. She did an amazing job!
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I was provided a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Into the Darkness by Kira Adams: It was supposed to be a way to end the devastation in the Middle East, but instead a darkness has been unleashed unlike anything the world has ever seen. Phoenix finds herself in the middle of a giant mess filled with the walking dead, depraved criminals and a General hell-bent on having her blood. You see, her blood holds the key, and while she is very attached to it, others are after her and her little gang of rag-tag survivors.
Let me first say that I LOVE Zombie stories! This book is filled with the decaying, putrid walking dead that make up nightmares. The characters (Phoenix, Ike, Cullen, Rian) are all so great. I never wanted to put the book down, and every time I did I found I was still thinking of what could happen next.
Im lucky to have also been provided with Book #2, Emerging from Darkness, and I cant wait to get started on it!
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Can there still be romance after zombies overrun the world? If you want the answer to be yes then don't hesitate to grab a copy of WAKING UP DEAD. I've been dying (no pun intended) for this book to come out and since I first saw Shortt share the cover months ago. Sometimes you just know a book is going to be your thing and if you like your romance novels to have heroines who aren't shrinking violets in the face of life-or-death danger as much as I do this book is for you.

Jackson could be any girl. She's been through hell and in the two years since the end of the world began she's become the girl no one wants to be, yet hopes they could if they had to. She's a fighter. When she and her traveling companion get separated and she crosses paths with Luke she's tearing through town without her pants. I wish I could say I'd be as much of a warrior in my undies while running from zombies. Luke's had it a lot easier holed up in someone's bunker but they've both discovered that something new is happening with the zombies. Their only chance is to head South in search of a rumored stronghold of survivors. Along the way they face more horrors and find that maybe the best part about the old world isn't gone for good.

If you hate summer because you need your weekly dose of The Walking Dead you will love the constant tension and fear that Jackson and Luke must survive in. I absolutely loved that she was the more experienced of the two when it came to dealing with the zombies. It's a great change of pace from the Alpha-male-saves-the-day-like-a-bulldozer stuff. That Luke was never threatened by it made him especially cool in my eyes. That Shortt addresses the idea that they might be interested in one another because they have no other option is important and she does it in an organic way that makes it good. The sexual tension is great and the added tension of the setting makes this a delicious read on so many levels.

The only thing holding me back from a full five stars was that it didn't end anywhere near when I expected it to. I don't want to spoil anything but there's a lot more story than I anticipatedand it's GOODbut it also puts Jackson into a place where she's a little tough to like for a while. If you ever want to bonk a character in the noggin for being stupid about something you'll get what bugged me when you read it. By no means a deal breaker, just hit one of my peeves as a reader.

From start to finish this is one heck of an adventure with a great romance element that is sure to delight urban fantasy and horror fans who also dig romances. Love paranormal romances but in need of something a bit meatier? I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy Lisa Kessler or Devon Monk's work. That this is just the first in a series delights me to no end, enjoy!

Notes: ARC received via publisher.
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Review:

I love pandemic stories. Call it morbid fascination but to me pandemics really are the most likely scenario for global breakdown of society. The author Alex Adams paints a world slowly being ravaged by a disease called White Horse. This isn't your normal plague, no this one attacks at a genetic level. For those not immune from white horse they are left with two options either die miserably or suffer mutations that range from growing second hearts, scales, or even fins and that's if your lucky. Needless to say White Horse is unique all its own and is a disease I hope to never encounter in this lifetime.

One of the things I really appreciated about White Horse was the incredible world building. Through a series of flashbacks and flashforwards we get to see Zoe's life before, during, and after White Horse takes hold. While I could of done with less time jumping (sometimes it would happen 2-3x per chapter) I definitely appreciate all the details we get to see because of it. Now as much as I loved the world building it would be nothing without the incredible writing. To say this book was beautifully written wouldn't do it justice. Ms. Adams fine tuned the art of playing with emotions. I laughed, I cried, I raged in horror even but to her credit I couldn't stop reading. Like Zoe and the jar, I felt ominous tidings gnawing at the back of my brain demanding I read this in one sitting.

Speaking of the characters I love Zoe!! She is compassionate, smart, brave, and an eternal pillar of hope and goodness in a world that is quickly filled with much cruelty and depravity. Zoe is one of the nicest characters that I've had the pleasure getting to know in a long time and I truly hope this isn't the last we see of her in this series.

On the flipside I hated The Swiss probably as much or if not more than Zoe even did. What an awful human being he was which you know bad for the characters but a great villain for us to hate on. That being said OH MY GOODNESS the twist at the end involving his character took me by complete surprise, like damn I didn't see that one coming at all. Well played Alex Adams, well played indeed.

Overall I have to say that I loved this book. White Horse is one of the best pandemic based apocalyptic books I've read in a very long time. I will definitely be picking up Red Horse when it releases in August that's for damn sure!

I suppose the question that remains is Would I recommend White Horse? Yes, yes, I would. In fact, go buy it now I promise you won't be disappointed. In the end, I will be rating White Horse by Alex Adams . White Horse is definitely worth a read, worth your time, and completely worth the price!

*Read through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any which way for them.
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Never one to disappoint,  Adrienne Lecter is a GOD writing zombie apocalypse stories. Affliction definitely has a twist and turn that simply I didn't see coming. I have never been so in love with someone's style of writing in my life.  I can't wait to see want Europe has in store.  I must say I did miss andrej and the ice queen but I'm glad we didn't loose Bree which is where I thought we were heading.  Anyway thank you for another amazing book.  Still waiting on news about my TV series!!
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Wow. Just wow. Kate L. Mary has created a world that is terrifyingly realistic and very exciting. If you like "The Walking Dead," you will love this book. I read it in two days because I could not put it down. I definitely lost MANY hours of sleep on this one.

The main character, Vivian, is very well-developed and believable. What's refreshing is how different she is than typical heroines you'll read about. She's an ex-stripper who's pretty down on herself, but she's a survivor. I was pulled into her plight right away and really appreciated her toughness and the real-world hardships that have made her who she is. When she meets up with Axl and Angus, the tension is ratcheted up a notch. I loved the differences in the brothers, and Axl was one of those leading men who grows on you slowly and then wins you over all at once. Angus is disgusting, but he grows on you too once he gets his pig-like tendencies out of his system.

There's a big cast of characters in the series so far (I've read books one and two), but it isn't overwhelming. It feels a lot like "The Walking Dead" in the respect that they pick up some stragglers along the way, and those minor characters grow on you as the story goes. Just don't get too attached because I would bet we've only seen the beginning of the carnage!

The plot moves fast, and I like how the author gradually introduced details of the zombie epidemic and the characters' past. Very well done.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

I had my doubts about how it would play out when and if Vivian managed to find her daughter. I was really in this for the adventure and the budding romance between Vivian and Axl, and I was wondering how a little tot crawling around during the zombie apocalypse would dampen the adventure. But the author handled it really well, and I was satisfied with her solution to the issue. I personally loved that Vivian didn't magically become the perfect mother overnight, and all the emotions she went through felt very real.

As far as the author's writing style, she has clearly refined her craft. Her prose is mature, there are no wasted words, and her descriptions (and even the characters' dialects) felt very real.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, well-written zombie adventure, truly unforgettable characters, and a slow-burning romance, you have to get this book! (Just don't expect to get a lot of sleep!)
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I love reading zombie books written by women, and Shana Festas Time of Death: Induction was no exception. Festa offers a unique take on the zombie apocalypse. The main character, Emma Rossi, is perfectly flawed in a way that makes her endearing to readers. You cant help but root for the clumsy protagonist and her yappy dog, Daphne. I must say that I cant stand zombie stories that kill dogs (Im pointing my finger at I am Legend  shame, shame). Ill try not to include any spoilers in my review, so I won't give away what happens to the dog, but I will admit there are several nail-biting (paw-biting?) moments in the book.

Emma and her husband, Jake, are at home when a zombie infection spreads through their city. The couple is soon forced to leave their house and venture into the dangerous streets to find another safe haven. Oh, did I mention theres also a hurricane pummeling their town? The couple and their dog run into quite a few snafus but are fortunate enough to come across a group of soldiers. They work constantly to keep the group of civilians safe, but they are no match for the undead.

The writing is solid and the plot moves along quickly. Emma is a strong character with a snarky attitude but is determined to find the silver lining in the darkest of times. A lot of the book is Emmas inner monologue about whats happening around her. In my opinion, the most important aspect of a zombie book is having a likeable main character. If readers don't love the protagonist then the story is going to be difficult to get through. Shana Festa has done a brilliant job of creating a character whos loveable, and you cant help rooting for her.

Zombie books rarely have happy endings, but there was a bit of hope at the conclusion of Time of Death, leaving room for the sequel. The second book in the series, Time of Death: Asylum, was published in December of 2014. Im looking forward to cracking open the next book. If you're a fan of action-packed yet character-driven zombie tales, then I highly recommend you read the Time of Death books.
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Can also be viewed at my blog, Now is Gone, a link to which may be found in my profile.

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Zombies Reading Level: Adult

Disclosure: I purchased this book for myself, as a birthday present; I'm under no obligation to anyone, but I wanted to read something fun, something that I wanted to read, and I'm always happy to provide an honest review.

Synopsis: Angel Crawford is finally starting to get used to life as a brain-eating zombie, but her problems are far from over. Her felony record is coming back to haunt her, more zombie hunters are popping up, and she's beginning to wonder if her hunky cop-boyfriend is involved with the zombie mafia. Yeah, that's right--the zombie mafia.

Throw in a secret lab and a lot of conspiracy, and Angel's going to need all of her brainpower - and maybe a brain smoothie as well - in order to get through it without falling apart.

My Thoughts: I really loved the first book in this series,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/My-Life-as-A-White-Trash-Zombie/dp/0756406757/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">My Life as A White Trash Zombie</a>; it completely changed the idea of zombies, and my thinking about them as well. Angel is a wonderful character, and I've been looking forward to this book with eager anticipation. I'm also looking forward to next year's next book in the series," White Trash Zombie Apocalypse". And from the events in this book, I think it's going to be epic!

This plot continues on shortly after the events at the end of book 1. Angel thought they had solved their zombie hunter problem when they ran off Ed (despite some lingering doubts that he did leave - maybe he's still around? They don't know), and now weird events are haunting Angel again.

Angel is one urban-fantasy heroine who deserves to have a low self-esteem; she's had a hard life. Her anxiety at meeting Marcus's uncle and his rich and powerful friends was completely understandable, and Uncle Pietro is actually rather a jerk in his smug self-complacency when she first meets him. Since Marcus, and his folks, are so nice, that rather surprised me. Then again, Marcus is really quite weak-willed - he's nice, but he's not willing to stand up for himself, or for Angel when it matters, and that makes me like him a little less. When Pietro talks down to Angel at his party and Marcus just sits there, I want to smack him. Fortunately they do redeem themselves, but I don't want to add too many spoilers, so I'll leave it at that.

I am loving Ben Roth more and more - he's the only member of the sheriff's department who treats Angel really well. We also learn some interesting facts about him in this book that made me admire him - but I'm not gonna tell you! I've given too many minor spoilers already! Speaking of nifty things we learn in this book, we also get a great lesson in Zombie Biology 101 and learn the theory behind why zombies exist in this universe, as well as exactly how zombies are made - and it's not at all as easy as in traditional zombie literature. Very cool stuff.

All in all this is a wonderful follow-up in the White Trash Zombie series - even if you are not a fan of zombie literature, I think you will enjoy this unique and nontraditional take on zombie lore, and I think Angel is a zombie that anyone can love. Highly recommended for all fans of urban fantasy!
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If ever my faith was shaken on finding another amazing zombie book, THE FIRST DAYS has renewed it tenfold and I am definitely itching for another bloody good time in ye olde zombocalypse! At first, I imagined THE FIRST DAYS as something similar to ZOMBIELAND - a tragically scary Twinkie filled with hilarities for comic relief - but it is actually more DAWN OF THE DEAD where a zombified Bill Murray isn't necessary to make this unforgettable.

Rhiannon Frater captured my attention from the very first line (see above) - and held me as a oh-so-willing captive throughout the entire book! I don't think I have ever gripped a book as crazily - or put my entire life on hold to solely devote all my time and energy to this book! The writing simply flows and never lets up on its intensity as the characters struggle to accept zombies as a new reality and figure out how to stay alive. I constantly marveled at how easily one scene melted into the next. I felt like I was watching a movie except obviously THE FIRST DAYS is very much all book!

What makes THE FIRST DAYS memorable is the cast of characters who lucked out and somehow escaped the flesh-eating jaws of death. Jenni, Katie, the couple who holed up in the hunting store, and the city who used their construction project as a barricade all had stories to tell - and they all carved a place in my heart. Some were die-hard zombie fans who recognized what was happening and noted how these zombies were breaking all the rules establised by classic zombie movies. Others had a hard time with killing their bitten loved ones because they were in denial of the truth. I cannot imagine how hard it was for Ms. Frater to decide who lives and who must die because, in truth, not even the good guys are guaranteed a "get out of zombies" card forever.

THE FIRST DAYS is the first in the As The World Dies trilogy - and I absolutely cannot wait for the rest of the series to release because this is definitely one to look out for! I am ecstatic that TOR snatched up this zombie gem up because I probably would not have discovered it otherwise!
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Kat and Dylan are determined to get to Washington, where Kat hopes to find a safe haven with her uncle, a man who lives off the grid. But the further north they travel, the more trouble they find, from mysterious ravens to dangerous survivors to the chilling and deadly Pestas. With Blue as their protector and companion, the obstacles they face become more and more dangerous as they creep toward their destination, and with the sickness mutating, it's only a matter of time before their luck runs out.

The Verdict:  Simply incredible. Shauna Granger has created a world so realistically desolate and horrifying, so vividly the world I know mixed with the world I fear, that even after finishing it, I find myself on edge.

After leaving the encampment we saw in World of Ash, Kat and Dylan are slowly and dangerously venturing north toward Washington, surviving on a combination of caution, determination, and dumb luck. Having been stripped of their supplies by the pox-ridden kids in a destroyed city from which they barely escaped, their situation is more dire than ever, and things are only getting worse. From page one until the very end, the tension rolls off the pages in gripping scenes of abject desperation and narrow escapes, and each time Kat worried, every time she hid or pressed on, each moment she spent in fear of losing Dylan, every muscle in my body tensed.

As you can no doubt tell, dystopian is not my usual genre, and anything supernatural is usually so far off my radar that I don't discover it until well after the avalanche of reviews have been posted. I normally read contemporary romances with anticipation and angst and chemistry and happily ever afters. But after reading World of Ash, there was no way I was going to go without reading Time of Ruin.

Kat's relationship with Dylan is both heartbreaking and beautiful, the kind of love borne of desperation, dependence, and that need to cling to one small ray of hope in an ever darkening world. But the story isn't about romance so much as it's about a relationship and a determination to survive. That Kat and Dylan have managed to stay alive is no small miracle, but it's eclipsed by their having found each other. Their devotion to each other bleeds thick in every gesture, and the sacrifices they make to protect each other are both terrifying and inspiring.

I don't want to give away the details or spoil the ending  it's far too great a story to whittle down in a short review. But there was not a word I didn't want to devour and not a single second that I was willing to skip ahead, even as I was dying to confirm that they  at the very least might find some safety in what little world remained. It's sad and scary and sweet, written with just the right amount of detail to practically illustrate each apocalyptic scene in the reader's mind. Kat and Dylan are so clearly lost in this terrifying new world, though together they are adapting as best they can, and no matter how many guesses I made, each new turn was a surprise. There's romance and danger and white-knuckle suspense, and now that I've finally stopped holding my breath, I'm dying to get my hands on book #3.

***FicCentral received this book from *the author* for free in exchange for an honest review. Even so, we're far too opinionated to let a freebie influence our thoughts or the contents of the reviews we post here.
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Had this book recommended by a friend, and I didn't regret reading it. It was AWESOME.

The narrative voice is powerful and the world-building is amazing. Most zombie stories are set in post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-ish, Fallout-style worlds. It was a breath of fresh air to have this zombie story not only set in a recognizable and believable world, but to have the zombie "plague" explained so thoroughly. The writer obviously studied virology.

Love the characters! I can't wait to see what happens to the crew of After The End Times in book 2 and 3.