Just the perfect romantic zombie story
591263
Just the perfect romantic zombie story.

Yes, Im being ironic.

you can read it, but don't look for anything special in it.
1218574
The House of Gray and Graves by C. M. Stunich

Rating 5*****

This book was provided from the author in exchange for honest literary review.

  So after Georgette drown in her boyfirend' s swimming pool, her life tragically ended after 26 years, right? Not for this girl!  George was fished out of the pool by a necromancer and brought back to earth....as a zombie. Not just any zombie though, somehow she has become the only undead zombie walking around with a soul.
  George's story takes the reader on a whirlwind trip through the land of Faerie.  Both fae queens have plans as to what to do with her.  Most of the breeds of fae creatures want to kill her. Only one sidhe seems to have her best interest at heart. Georgette must learn what her path is meant to be before it is too late for her and the lost in Faerie. The question us who is on her side, because everyone know that you can't trust a deal with a fae creature or a supe....
  Ok, so I am so not a zombie girl usually. However, this book is amazing.  It is a combination of hot steamy romance/sex scenes, thriller, and action. The characters are so well described and portrayed the reader feels as if we can see each one. The book encompasses everything from kelpie to fae to hellhounds. I found the descriptions of each to be very vivid and helps the reader to understand the role they play.  The interaction between characters often had a fair amount of sarcastic humor, which had me rolling. You can't go wrong with a smart-aleck zombie who is walking around in glamour.  Aside from all of the neat things above, George's attempt to run from the true death and resurrect the House of Gray is a nailbiter of a story!!!!
  The only thing I didn't really like was the first couple chapters are a bit descriptive of a zombie meal.  Please push on past those, because after that the story just keeps getting better and better.  This is one of those books that once you pick it up, you just have to finish. Even if you aren't a zombie fan like myself, the land of the fae that she weaves in this story is amazing.  I will add editing was superb here as well.
  Overall this is a definite recommended read, and another serious hit from this author. I while heartedly recommend this novel to any reader over 18, due to context and sexual content.  It is one I will revisit again, and I believe there is a few.more books to follow this one.  Happy Reading!!!!!
1895139
If you like Zombie/Infected stories, you need to buy this immediately! I took a chance on this book without really knowing what I was getting into, but I am hooked now. I have recommended this to a few people already, and they now own all of the books that are available so far. I hope they make a movie out of this story.
461778
An amazing addition to the undead family or a fantastic stand alone novel. I can'trrecommend this book enough if you enjoy zombie fiction with great characters and loads of humour wrapped up in a surprisingly touching love story then this is the book for you.
3993248
You never know what to expect with zombie romance. I am a horror movie fan and I love The Walking Dead on AMC. I tell be the reason I like TWD is because is examines the survivors and their relationships, not just the zombies. Tera Shanley wrote a book with the same qualities. It is not cut a dried romance that puts your hero in this box and your heroine in this box. Laney has a few very viable romantic options. Keeps you guessing as to who will be in the epilogue. I cheated and flipped to the back to make sure my favorite won. Laney's relationship to the Deads (as they call them) is very unique. I was intrigued by her. I could not help but want to know more. I won't spoil it for you. Laney is a seriously cool heroine.
1745011
Love the characters.  Loved the Romance.  Enjoyed this novel a lot.  Immediately bought the second in the series.  The zombies were a variant of the rage zombies from 28 days, which was perfect; we don't see that enough.  The human bad guys were cliche, tho, and both zombies and human adversaries were too easily overcome, imho.  (That's why 4 states rather than 5.  I'd honestly give this more 3 and two thirds.)
522409
I am extremely pleased with this book and totally excited to start the next in the series.  I don't want to give anything away but this is what we would all want to be in a world gone bad.

As usual when I love a book it is never long enough because I don't want it to end and this was way to short!  I recommend this for all who love the zombie/ apocalyptic theme!
2563586
Who would have thought that I would completely fall head over heels in love with a book about zombies? Certainly not me. And yet, The Dead-Tossed Waves reeled me in with the wonderful writing. Carrie Ryan managed to make me fall in love with her characters while unapologetically plunging me deep into her twisted, apocalyptic world. This series is phenomenal, and the second book is even better than the first.

This novel revolves around a new character: Gabry, who lives in a lighthouse with her mother in the town of Vista. Honestly, it took time to warm up to Gabry. She was amicable and pleasant, and reminded me of myself with her hesitant, quiet, comfortable ways. But I spent at least half of the book frustrated with her inability to simply allow herself to let go and do things. I understood the fear and the rule-following habit, but I wanted more from Gabry. Thankfully, she does grow up a bit in this novel. And the courageous, loyal, stubborn girl that we catch glimpses of early on finally makes an appearance and stays.

Apart from our heroine, there are a few secondary characters of note. The ones that stand out the most in my mind are Catcher and Elias. Catcher is the boy she's known for her entire life, who she grew up with, who she could possibly have feelings for. Elias, on the other hand, is the boy who appears in her life when she most needs him to and affects her in ways that she could never have imagined. Both the boys are important in Gabry's journey, and play a role in who she has become at the end of the novel.

As with The Forest of Hands and Teeth, the idea of the zombies definitely scared me. In the first, they were referred to as the Unconsecrated; in this one, they're called Mudo. This time around, they weren't just scary; they were actually beings I felt sorry for. There are questions about them raised here, questions of whether or not they should be outright killed on the spot or given a chance to prove their humanity. While my knee-jerk reaction is obviously to get rid of them, there's something to be said for those who have Returned - especially as they were once family, friends or someone familiar.

But the Mudo were not the scariest beings in this book. That honor belongs equally to two groups that we become familiar with - the Soulers and the Recruiters. The Soulers are a religious group who appear to worship the dead, with some members even believing that becoming Mudo is a form of immortality. The Recruiters are the military group who basically control resources and the fight against the Mudo. Obviously, they're of opposite extremes - and just seeing their actions was scary. I was fascinated to learn about them, but the things both groups were capable of is truly disturbing and left me with a bad taste in my mouth (as they were probably meant to do).

Story-wise, I can't reveal much for fear of spoilers. The one thing I will say: it is good, solid storytelling. The link between this novel and its predecessor is well-done, but it is a completely different story than before. I liked that it felt original and fresh as I read it, and not just a rehashing of the same story as the first one.

The book drew me in completely, and that's certainly a credit to Carrie Ryan's writing. She managed to get to me to care about the characters as much as I cared about the ones in The Forest of Hands and Teeth, or perhaps even a little bit more. I experienced so many emotions - anger, sorrow, joy, fear, pain - as I read, and it was one of the books that invited me to experience them especially intensely.

I loved, loved, loved The Dead-Tossed Waves. Carrie Ryan has managed to write a book about zombies that's enjoyable and gripping and really, really great. It was a book that surprised me with how intensely awesome it was, and I would highly recommend it.
2588254
Let's just call this book what it is - Brilliant! Speakeasy Dead is full of humor, the subtle intelligent kind, and it is a fast paced read with witty characters that are absolutely endearing. Vicky Loebel is a writer I greatly admire because her writing reads effortlessly. This was my first time reading anything zombie related but I picked it up because I enjoyed Loebel's other book, Keys to the Coven, so much. I surprised myself by how easily I could slip into the world of zombies and demons, witches and warlocks, so I can only imagine how much other readers who like anything zombie related are going to love this. Read it. You're in for a treat.
4893487
I absolutely loved every page of this book. Its great that Tufo makes reference to zombie films and the inner geek of Talbot. (Already discussing what he would do if there was a zombie apocolypse before it happens, which zombie fans completely understand!) I'm sure its not the first book that has gone into such detail about the state/smell of zombies, but for me it was. I love the attention to detail even if it did turn my stomach! (Weird thing to point out but I thought this was fantastic) I can't
 really do this justice, but if I were to ever have written a zombie book, I wish it was this one. Perfect.
162606
I'm a big historical fan, so when I saw that Karina Halle was combining Historical with Zombies I was super excited! This book was such a fun, scary, sexy read & I devoured it (no pun intended).
Let's start with the heroine, I adored Eve & loved how strong she was. Even though her life wasn't easy she never let it get her down or expect someone else to pick up the pieces. The prejudice she faced was rough to read at times but she handled it really well & it made me respect her more.
Jake the Hero was hard to warm up to at first. Before you learn of his past you hate the way he treats Eve & want to slap him many times. But once his heartbreaking past comes to light you can sympathize with him and your heart goes out to him for all he endure. I still didn't like the things he would say to Eve though and a good smack would have made me feel better ;)
This book is categorized as "Romantic Horror" & let me tell you it fits them both perfectly. This book really scared me at times, and had me hiding behind my hand worried what would jump out next. It kept me on my toes and was a wild ride. The descriptions of the zombies were so vivid I could picture them with such clarity I was nervous I would have nightmares come bedtime. The author definitely knows how to write scary!
The romance was an added bonus & just made me love this story more. Like I said before Jake was hard to like at first but once his heart came through I fell hard for this rough, gruff man. The things he would say to Eve had me melting & I was so happy they both found their perfect match. The story did include an epilogue which I was very happy about but because I loved this book so much, I was greedy for more. I really hope we get more of Eve & Jake in the future. That would make this bookworm very happy!!
So to wrap this up, if you love scary zombies, strong heroines & hard as nails heroes with heart then this book is for you! My advice, don't read right before bed!! ;)
2708339
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Sarra's books  and feel so honored to get my greedy little hands on one of her books early! I am such a zombie nerd, this series has been one of my absolute favorites. This story picked up where the last book left off and was wonderfully written with different  POV. I would write all about this book, but I'm afraid I might give away too much. All I can say is that YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! :)
4440312
I read this pretty quickly, but can honestly say I want to read more. So glad there's more to the series. Part of the reason I like zombies so much is that people twist it and make it their own. Like in this book there's zombies who think and can talk.( And have sex haha). With that being said, the sex scenes were unexpected but enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone who likes zombies. It was well written, and it leaves you wanting more.
1472299
Im not saying that Im looking forward to the zombie apocalypse, but if that dark day comes, I definitely want to make sure Im on the good side of Cassie Forrest. Sure, Cassie is a little clumsy (or way clumsy if were being honest), and the current scariest thing in her life is breaking up with her cad of a boyfriend, but within her beats the heart of a heroic and loyal friend who also happens to know how to live off the land. When a mysterious illness rages across the country turning the infected into Lexers, (aka zombies), Cassie and a small group of friends (unbearable ex-boyfriend included) make it out of New York just in time and go searching for a safe haven.

Like Cassie, Until The End Of The World, is much deeper than it may appear on the surface. This is not your typical zombie thriller. Yes, there are zombies. Yes, Cassie and crew shoot, stab, behead, and generally get gory along the way, but the true gems in this book are the moments in between when this small group of survivors must come to terms with their new and horrifying world.

Author Sarah Lyons Fleming does an incredible job of breathing life into the characters of this book. The story is filled with beautiful, quiet moments. We watch James savor his last cigarette, Ana complain about the lack of shampoo, and Nelly crack jokes because everyone desperately needs him to. Through Cassies eyes, this devastated world is real and so is her longing to keep her friends safe and her wish to see the one she foolishly let get away.

I loved, loved, loved this book! I laughed. I fell head over heels for a character I hated in the beginning of the book. I criedtwice. This book gripped me. I felt like I was part of Cassies crew. Even if it was only in my head, I was with them planting tomatoes in the ground, digging zombie ditches, learning to shoot, and always worrying about if/when the undead would come.
3606583
I've read many Zombie fiction books and by far this is my favorite of them all so far. I literally could not put these books down. The character development is outstanding and the journal style of the writing makes you feel like you actually know the characters. I would recommend this series of books to anyone interested in a great Zombie story! I am looking forward to reading the third book that is scheduled to be released in June.
3348989
Very captivating.  I have read multiple zombie books/novels/stories and I found myself completely enthralled with this series.  The story has the perfect balance between zombies, humor, action, love, friendship, and zombies. The fact that I read this book almost 8 months ago and can still remember the details says a lot.  Absolutely worth the read.  Give it a try.  You will NOT regret being pulling into this series!
366087
Benny Imura and his brother don't get along. He blames his brother Tom for the events of First Night when their parents died during the zombie uprising. Even though Toms supposedly a badass zombie hunter, Benny hasn't seen any evidence of this and insists Toms a coward. Instead he hangs out with his friends a listens to tales from much cooler zombie hunters who help keep his small town safe. But when he starts asking questions about a young girl supposedly living in the wild, things go a little crazy. Now Benny and his brother are on a desperate mission to save their friends and they have no choice but to trust each other.

Guys, I love me a zombie book. Some of my favorite books ever are zombie books. Theres just something about the way they bring up questions about what makes someone human and what makes someone a monster that I find hugely compelling and this book was no different. It doesnt help that it feels a lot like an episode of Supernatural either. Maberry creates a desolate wasteland in which America has succumbed to the zombie apocalypse and its such a haunting setting for the story and an apt metaphor for life. Survivors have created small towns to live in, away from the rest of the world which has been dubbed The Rot and Ruin. These settlement camps are actually tight knit communities of people trying to move on with their life, but having no idea how to do so. Most of the time, people live and die in these small spaces without ever trying to find something better out there and its heartbreaking, but also very real. Because who wants to tempt fate when a zombie horde could come along? People have a hard enough time breaking out of their comfort zones and trying to do something scary without a bunch of flesh eating monsters to worry about.

This book hits you heard with FAMILY FEELS. Tom Imura is one of the best characters Ive come across in a while. Hes such an interesting mix of grace, honor, and obligation. He genuinely loves his little brother and wants to help build a world for him that will actually mean something in the end, that can offer him something more than just waiting to die. He serves as a great mentor and is a fully fleshed out almost main character. Hes the yin to Bennys yang and its a truly wonderful and interesting dichotomy thats explored between the brothers. Benny is a good protagonist in his own right and we spend most of the time in his head and you can actually feel and see him growing as a person as his journey into the zombie wasteland continues. He learns a lot about himself, his brother, and what it means to be a human being in a world of the dead. It brings up complex moral dilemmas in a very organic, beautiful way. There are times it doest even feel like a young adult novel to me and instead reads like a haunting treatise on the human condition and the choices we make in order to live.

The pace is also pretty action packed and there were moments where I found myself holding my breath wondering what was going to happen next. The heart of this book, really, is the family aspect and the bond between brothers as they learn things about each other they didn't know before. Its of note that Benny and Tom don't really know each other well at all in the beginning of this book even though they're the only family they have left and they live in such a confined world and it really speaks to Maberrys credit as a storyteller that their relationship progression was so rewarding and finely revealed. There is a bit of romance in the book as well, as Bennys longtime friend Nix is a secondary character with a crush that becomes pretty complicated, but its by no means a focal point of the story. So if you like your YA novels with a little more emphasis on love of the romantic persuasion, you might be a bit disappointed. However, Im sure this aspect is going to come into play in a much bigger way later in the series. All in all, I really enjoyed the book and have already Kindled the second installment.