A fun take on the genre
587215
I thought that this was a very interesting take for this genre.  I don't want to give anything away.  But if you are into magic, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night... then you need to read this series.  I am a very fast reader.  I was able to finish this in less than a day.  And then turned around and bought book 2 and 3.  I was really upset that I had to wait 3 months for book 4.
162729
A fun and jolly steampunk romp ... enjoying the series so far.  As my first (2nd?) foray into this genre and world - I quite enjoy it
2757159
I approached this book with trepidation for two reasons: one, I'm generally not a fan of paranormal story-lines, and two, the quality of self-published books is often disappointing. Elemental Magic was a welcome surprise on both counts. It's well written, cleanly edited, and while I can't speak to the accuracy of the Coast Guard research, it certainly read as plausible. Characters are lively and likeable, development is well-paced, dialogue flows, and the storyline makes for a fun, escapist read. It's a lot like what would happen if Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt met Charmed, and the result is great fun.
4515035
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book; science fiction/fantasy is not a genre I typically read.  It requires a level of suspended belief I am not usually able to attain, but in this case I was able to go with it.  The sex scenes are well written and plentiful, and there is a good supporting story.  Although the element of suspense could have developed a bit more, I still found it an entertaining read and would recommend it to both existing fans of the genre and those willing to give something new a try.
4830335
I bought 'The Colony: Genesis' on a whim after finishing Collings' 'The Longest Con.' That book was enjoyable and very funny, so I wanted to read more of his stuff. He has a lot, including multiple series, so I flipped the proverbial coin and chose this series.

I'll keep this short and sweet. If you like zombies, you'll enjoy this book. Like Peter Clines' Ex series, Collings offers a fresh take on the genre. Well, at least in this first book. I haven't read the others yet, but I fully intend to. We'll see if the series stays strong or peters out. There is gore aplenty, but Collings doesn't dwell on it. He describes it pretty matt-of-factly and to show the level of disgust and horror his characters feel, and it works. So, if you're not normally a zombie fan, but do like post-apocalyptic stories, you might still enjoy this.

I also like how Collings doesn't skip over the actual collapse of civilization (i.e., it doesn't start six months later and show how things happened in lots of flashbacks). You're thrown right into the thick of things at the start of the zombie outbreak. Like the characters, you're not sure *why* it's happening, but you do see *what* is happening. At least, for our characters, that is. For the rest of the world, there are glimpses, but Collings wisely avoids trying to make the story too epic in scope.

There are mysteries to be answered, for sure, but I knew that going in (it's a 7-book series, after all) so I'm cool with some of the things remaining unanswered. For now. Again, time will tell. All 7 books have been published, so I'm not worried about mysteries being resolved; at this point, my concern would simply be pacing. So far, though, Collings seems to have that down pat, so I'm hopeful.

The chapters are short and Collings employs a terse and to-the-point writing style. Collings uses the third person POV (instead of the first person narrative in 'The Longest Con), which means there is a level of suspense as you really don't know who's safe at any given moment. Each chapter ends with a hook that makes you want to read more. It worked. I kept reading. And reading. And reading....

In fact, I just bought Book 2, so I better get started.
3902737
The Way of Shadows was a surprisingly fun read. It's not the most polished book ever, as it's Brent Weeks' first novel, but the plot is lots of fun, has some good twists and climactic moments. Most of all, it has some great characters - particularly Durzo Blint and Logan Gyre. If you like fast paced action in your fantasy, you'll probably enjoy this.
2097066
I really enjoyed this book, and the thing is, I didn't expect to. But Cross does a great job blending well-known stories and concepts into her narrative and making them her own. I didn't expect to like Finley, her main character, but Cross balances her strength and vulnerability really well; although Finley can kick butt and take names, she's still only a sixteen year-old-girl. Overall, I found the book to be lighthearted fun, and the characters to be realistic and relatable.

A few issues I did have with the book: the plot seems a bit formulaic and easy to decipher. I guessed the villain's identity and his intent long before it was revealed. Plus, some events seem to occur out of nowhere and could have used a bit more foreshadowing to blend the narrative together. Overall, though, it didn't detract from my enjoyment; it just seemed a bit awkward sometimes.
705794
An enjoyable quick read. I liked the wacky/fantastical take on a noir story! It's easy to imagine a lot of stories happening with this setting and these characters. I especially enjoyed the calendar/weather idea. The story moves at a very quick pace and packs in a lot of ideas, I could have used more time just bopping around the setting and exploring things in more detail.
2627065
Undead Cheesehead is a fun, wonky take on the zombie genre. Author Scott Burtness continues his successful run of melding horror and comedy with this third entry in the Monsters in the Midwest series. This time around, long suffering sidekick Stanley finds his life turned upside down by paper salesman and monster maker Jerry. As the band gets back together to deal with the effects of a zombie outbreak in Trappersville, we get treated to the characters we've come to know over the series. Seeing them rally to try and save the town is a hoot and just the thing if you're looking for horror that doesn't take itself too seriously. This one is highly recommended.
2010822
This was good fun.  Surprisingly graphic and sexually violent, not my kind of thing.  The depth of genre exploration, excellent writing, and gripping plot made it a fun couple days read.
3050451
If your a fan of the Hellboy series and Mike Mignola, I found this to be a fun deviation from that series but still with the same flair that I like about it. The time setting is fun and the characters are interesting, I found it to be a great read overall, I would definitely suggest it to others.
3998433
A fun read, especially if you are a fan of horror movies. The plot is completely derivative and mixes numerous story threads and scenes (I think deliberately) from famous books and movies. I found it fun to "name the movie or book" as each scene transpired. There really isn't anything original here, and West keeps the story light, but I still enjoyed it because I could sense that the writer has a deep affection for the movies that I have enjoyed over the years.
4460994
Full disclosure: I was given a copy to review. As such, I did not expect much from the work and was very pleasantly surprised.

Im a long-time Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, etc. fan. I enjoy the genre, but rarely give anything more than 3 stars to it as these are fun reads to me and not moving or compelling literature. But this plot deserves the extra star for originality both in plot and envisioning the new dimensions coming to modern warfare and spy craft. It kept me wanting to turn the next page to see how things would unfold next. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys this genre. Personally, Im looking forward to starting the new book in the series that has just come out!
2478504
For starters, this is not my usual genre to read in, so I was a little nervous.  I picked it up on a recommendation from a friend.  And... I am glad I did.

The author's style is light and fun.  The characters are well developed and seem to spring to life as you read them.

The cinematic style lends itself to a cross between a Harry Potter film and a tv show on the CW.

I am anxious to see what else she has to offer!
4925779
Not ashamed to admit that I enjoy the Calliope Reaper-Jones (aka Death) series, Amber Benson's take on the paranormal romance/supernatural/urban fantasy genre. The characters are imaginative, sarcastic and interesting and the stories have a creative playfulness that I really enjoy. Plus they're quick, fun reads.

This book read as more of a straight-up "whodunnit" than the last few, borrowing some of the more popular murder-mystery motifs (locked room mystery, retired policeman to solve the crime and plenty of femme fatales), while also adding to the Death-lore of the series.

Will now wait patiently to find out what happens next to Calliope and Death Inc.
3605188
A great spin on the series and a great crossover between homage and pastiche of the whole genre and its authors and readers.
2961262
Conyers' fiction has a wonderful vibe about it - it's fast paced with short, snappy novellas (four of them) that make up the whole. It's Lovecraftian/Cthulhu mythos with its own spin. Harrison Peel, the hero, and his Australian colleagues, battle monsters from other dimensions. Stylistically, it reminded me more of Robert E. Howard than Lovecraft himself, but that's no bad thing. More accessible than Howard, almost like reading a Clive Cussler novel - easy to read and damn good fun.

Liked it a lot, and I'd recommend it to fans of action and horror and adventure. Just readers in general, really!