Book 8-Dead City by Joe A McKinney

Wow...the crypt is white today. After an easy winter here in Canada it looks like Mother Nature has put the joke on us. Snow fell yesterday, not a little bit of snow, but something around the amount of a foot. It's white and fluffy and painful to the eyes when you go outside.

But anyway onto my reason for this blog post, book #8 of the 100 book challenge Dead City by Joe A. McKinney! After wandering though the crypt library for a while, I was stumped on what to read..I have lots of horror novels, but nothing was really peaking my fancy..so I went to find my iPad, where I have lots of novels (mainly those from my fav authors J.A Konrath, Jack Kilborn and Blake Crouch). I was scrolling aimlessly when I stumbled upon Dead City and realized I needed a whole heck of a lot of blood, innards and gore to settle my book needs (c'mon with a cover like that, who couldn't resist!)

Ok now let me say if your looking for a book with in depth characters, feeling or some sort of impact you will not find it in this book. This book is perfect for those of us who love to "roll" with the blood, brain eating, and all out carnage that zombies cause. It was an easy read with lots of rotting flesh, black vomit, and empty body cavities. Amazing!

Although I loved the gore factor in the book, I found myself not believing in the characters plights. They are almost hollow in a way...but the gore made up for it and kept me reading.

So now my appetite for gore is somewhat satiated..yeah right! I am able to move onto book #9. Hopefully it will have a bit more feeling, but the same amount of gore. I know...keep dreaming.

Til next time my little minions!

Book 7-The Presence by Heather Graham

Ever have an author that you purchase 90% of the books they write, and you never read them?? Such is the case for me with Heather Graham. I have purchased her books for years and never had the chance to read them...until I finally picked up Haunted (book #3 for this year). Now I wouldn't say I'm addicted to her novels, but I do enjoy story with some kind of supernatural elements to it. Heather Graham does not disappoint.

The Presence is the story of a bunch of friends that rent a castle in Scotland, hoping to turn it into a tourist attraction using a story that is generated by Toni Fraser, unfortunately her faux story is all to real. Toni as a child had dreams of murders that were going to be committed. With the help of Adam Harrison, a man who runs a paranormal investigation agency, she has learned to suppress her visions and learn to deal with them, but with the return of the current Laird of the castle, Bruce MacNiall (who looks exactly like the character she envisioned in her story for the attraction), she is finding she is unable to stop her visions. The ghosts of the castle are trying to tell her something...is it a warning about her sudden attraction to Bruce? Is it something to do with the current murders in the town of Tillingham? You'll have to read the book to find out.

The Presence is a book that intertwines romance, mystery, and paranormal suspense. I found the paranormal aspect of the story wasn't all that engaging, but the electricity between Toni and the Laird Bruce MacNiall is what kept me turning the pages. You can't help but wonder if they're going to kill each other or get together. The story was well paced, and somewhat intriguing. My only complaint is the paranormal aspect wasn't scary...I like it when ghosts can give you chills up your back or make you look over your shoulder. I didn't feel this with this novel, but it is interesting enough to keep you turning the pages.

I am not closing the doors of the library just yet..I am wandering around amid the pages and floating dust trying to find another book to read...think I might need to get a maid down here..

Til next time my little minions!

Book 6 Cinder-By Marissa Meyer

Ok, Ok, so I'm off to a bit of a slow start for this 100 book challenge, I have actually read 7 books, but haven't had the time to blog about them. My crypt, family and the working life have called a few to many times and not allowed me to nestle down in my reading coffin to really get into a book...until now.

After bumming around on Facebook one afternoon, I happened on a listing for Chapters.ca for a book called Cinder, I was instantly intrigued with the book. Having an immense desire to have the book in my dusty hands, I snuck out (little to the zombie dad's knowledge) and picked it up.

Now honestly after picking up the book I looked at the cover closely and kinda thought to myself WTF?? It shows a robotic leg inside a red high heeled shoe...Ok it was either robotic erotica, or sci fi type of story. I remembered just after thinking about the robotic erotica, that this is a young adult novel so erotica it is not...sci fi it is...bummer. :(

I am not a sci fi reader at all...honestly I find the genre boring, and not all that engrossing...unless it's has a lot of brain sucking, limb ripping aliens or something along that line (come on who in their right mind, doesn't love the game Dead Space?). Which really took me by surprise, when I couldn't put Cinder down.

Cinder takes place in the future after World War 4 and the entire world is nothing like we know now. Cinder is a teenage cyborg who is both ostracized by society simply because of what she is. She struggles to find her place, and runs her own mechanic shop in the market where she does repairs on androids, hovercrafts etc. for the people of New Beijing. She struggles with life at home with her stepmother, and two step sisters who are always against anything and everything she does.

The planet of Earth is struggling with a plaque-Letumosis, and people called Lunars that live on the moon and their Queen is hell bent on marrying the emporer. Doctors are struggling to find a cure for the plague, but cannot seem to pinpoint exactly what to do about the disease. And now the Emperor of New Beijing is dieing Letumosis.

On a somewhat happier note New Beijing is holding the annual Ball. Cinder would like to go, and her stepmother promises she can go if she finishes her chores, which strangely seem to add up as soon as Cinder finishes one. She is defeated and realizes that her dreams of going to the ball will not come to be...until the Prince Kai shows up at her repair business....

This is an amazing book. It is a retelling of the Cinderella story from a futuristic/science fiction angle. Marissa Meyers discribes her characters with such intense wording that you can't help but feel for everything they are going though. From Cinder, to her "wicked" stepmother you can't help but love and hate each and every one.

Closing the doors of the crypt library for now...Till next time my little minions!

Book 5-The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Wow..all I can say is wow, for this book. I never thought I would want to read this book...ever. The Help has no serial killers, vampires, werewolves, splattered brains/innards, and no blood..well maybe a little. Not exactly the genre of my choice, but with all the hype around the book my curiosity got the best of me and I picked it up.

The Help is the story of 3 women. Aibileen, Skeeter, and Minny...3 woman who have the times and their homelife to contend with, but who strive to do better for themselves and their families.

Aibileen is a middle age black woman in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, who has spent her whole life as a maid for white families. She has struggled with harsh treatment from her employers, loving the children she has brought up knowing they will eventually forget her and harbor the same feeling as their parents: "Black folk aren't equal to White folk"

Minny is another middle aged black woman, who is Aibileens best friend. The two have confided in each other about their employers, the good , the bad and the ugly. Minny is a strong woman, is an amazing cook, with a sassy tongue unafraid to tell anyone where to go and how to get there. This has caused many of her white employers to fire her, and start rumors around the town regarding her work ethic and her integrity.

Skeeter is a young white woman who has just returned from college, and would like to pursue a career in the area of writing or editing, but she is shunned due to the fact she has no husband. After witnessing how black people are treated Skeeter wants to create awareness about the atrocities being committed against Blacks, in Jackson and all over the country.

After contacting a publisher about a job opportunity, Skeeter comes up with an idea to write a book about the things maids are going through working with their white families. She teams up with Aibileen initially to write this book, but eventually gets the help of Minny and other maids, who are combating the fear of being caught to tell their story.

This book was amazing, it grabbed me right from the first page and kept me wanting to read it. Not having lived in 1962, I had no idea the trials of the African American people. Not only was this a heartwarming, and sometimes heartwrenching story, it opened my eyes to how life really was.

From someone who would not normally read a book such as this, I am telling all of you to go out and get this book, sit down with a coffee, tea, or a stiff drink and immerse yourself into these 3 womens story. You will not be disappointed.

Closing the doors of the Crypt library for now...Til next time all my little minions!

Book 4-Hold me Closer Necromancer by Lish McBride

Well...it's been a long time since I posted my last blog...now it is time for the catch up. After having my computer taken away for repair by my local apple store for 3 bloody weeks (I was originally told it would be 5 to 7 days..yeah ok), and going through multitudes of emails, catching up on my guilty pleasure of Frontierville-come on even the Zombiemom has to have some vices-I am ready to blog!

The fourth book in the 100 book challenge was Hold my Closer Necromancer by Lish McBride. I have had this book in the tomb library for some time, borrowed from the Banshee of Busby Dawn. I stood in amongst my library and debated what to read (trust me I have a TON to chose from!), finally deciding on this one...I was not disappointed.

Hold me Closer is the story of Sam, a normal everyday teen, working at a local fast food joint, hanging with friends, and playing potato hockey until he meets Douglas.

Turns out Douglas is a necromancer with a nasty temper. He runs into Sam after a bad round of potato hockey, and demands the Sam tell him why he is in "his" area, and does "the council" know. Sam is confused, and yes, a quite a bit scared, when he discovers he is also a necromancer. Douglas has given Sam one week to decide wether or not he will join forces with Douglas, and he better chose correctly or Sams whole world will fall apart.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book. It was written smoothly, allowing the reader to get engrossed in Sams plight. I found myself laughing at the funny parts, and feeling for Sam in the intense moments.

Each chapter in the book (and the title) is a reworked line from an 80's song. I couldn't help but sing "Hold me closer tiny dancer" every time I saw the title..Hell I'm still doing it!. It made me smile every time I'd start a new chapter and the song would go through my head (even though some of those songs I would rather forget).

This book was fun to read, and had quite a few plot twists that keep you guessing. I would seriously recommend picking it up

One down...two more to go. See you all in a little bit with the next blog. I hate catching up...