OUTBACK OUTBREAK by Frank Tayell

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read a lot of books by this author, so Amazon recommends others!

In a Nutshell: Beginning of zombie apocalypse, in Australian Outback.  

Frank Tayell has written extensively about the same zombie apocalypse, a main series (Suviving The Evacuation) that started about ten years ago and is up to Book 21, and the other related collections, set in different places.  Kind of like The Walking Dead with all its spin-offs!

This first book of the Surviving The Evacuation: Life Goes On series is set in Australia, in which a carpet salesman from Indiana called Pete Guinn goes on a mission to find his oddly elusive sister, where she works mending fences in the Outback.  The events of the first chapters were labelled as '18 hours before the outbreak', etc - the suspense building even though Pete didn't know it!  As well as breakdown of civilisation and the zombies, rich evil cartel type people provide Pete, Corrie and their friends yet more headaches.

I very much liked going back to the beginning of the apocalypse (I've only read up to about Book 8 of the original series), and enjoyed Pete's shock at the reality of trying to exist in the Outback, even before the zombies appear.  It's a good story and I did like it, but my interest waned with the original because the characters' conversations became too information-dump-ish, as though the dialogue is being used primarily as a vehicle for giving information to the reader, rather than as an expression of character, and I felt the same creeping in here.  This can result in the characters coming across a bit one-dimensional, or all speaking in the same 'voice'.  This wasn't the case in the earlier books (my review of Book 1, written 9 years ago, HERE).

Anyway, I still liked it!  Mr Tayell is a fine judge of pace, creator of plot, builder of suspense, etc - and, in case you ever read this, Frank, I laughed at this: He didn't know much about hotels, motels or any variation in between, but he knew carpet and the one beneath his feet was expensive.  A hard-wearing, two-ply, eighty per cent wool mix with a polyester coating to ease cleaning.  I used to know a chap who sold carpets, and he was not dissimilar.  We'd be watching telly and he'd point at the screen during a really dramatic scene, and say, "That's a nice bit of Worsted fibre bonded.  Made by Danflor, if I'm not mistaken'.

DEAD MEAT: DAY 1 by Nick Clausen #RBRT

3 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Beginning of zombie apocalypse

This is a long short story, possibly a novelette, illustrating Day One of a zombie apocalypse; I read it on a long train journey.  It is described as a novella in the blurb, but it didn't feel that long. 

What I liked:

• The basic premise: a day-by-day account of the zombie apocalypse.
• How the outbreak was supposed to have started; an unusual and clever idea, not one I'd read before.
• The characterisation was good, with each of the three protagonists clearly defined, in their dialogue, actions and (most importantly) their inner thoughts; the relationship between the three is explained early, and works well.
• The pace is good, and the writing mostly flows well. 
• That the book was written in the present tense, which I always prefer for more suspense and immediacy.

What I was not so sure about:

• One of the main three characters is supposed to have seen loads of zombie films and every episode of The Walking Dead, but, when his group are trapped in a room with a zombie the other side and discussing their options for escape, does not appear to have learned how to kill them.  They devise complicated plans that involve throwing stuff over them; they seem to think it more important to cut their arms off rather than kill the brain—the emphasis is on not getting scratched (which may but may not kill you) as opposed to getting bitten (which means a painful death and reawakening as a zombie).
• I was confused earlier on because Thomas, Dan and Jennie were talking about the police not existing any more, and their family and friends possibly having become the walking dead, yet I thought the zombie they encountered in this house was supposed to be Patient Zero.  This is resolved to a certain extent, but at first I kept flicking back because I wasn't quite sure what was going on.
• Flashbacks are written in the present tense, which I don't think worked.
• Too much use of the present continuous: 'the heat wave is going on' and 'the windows are sitting high', instead of 'the heat wave continues' and 'the windows sit high', for instance, which would have read so much better; some of the sentences were a little flat or clumsy.

Basically, it's a great idea and reads fairly well, but I think it needs some more redrafting and fine-tuning to make it live up to its potential.

MOUNTAIN MAN: PREQUEL by Keith C Blackmore @KeithCB1

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read the rest of the series, so this one appeared to me on Amazon!

In a Nutshell: Prequel to the 5 book Mountain Man series - the outbreak

I was so pleased to discover this - the first Mountain Man book starts a while into the zombie apocalypse, so it was great to find out how Gus got to where he is in Book #1.  Also - and I am sure I am not alone here - I always find the most exciting part of any post apoc series to be the very start, when people think 'something is happening, but maybe it'll be okay' - then come to the slow realisation that it's the very opposite, and life as they know it was breaking down even as they were kidding themselves.

In this prequel we see Gus in his pre-zombie days as a painter (of the decorating sort), on an emergency job during what will be his last normal evening of his life.  We see the night turn to shit as he is stranded in a shopping mall with a couple of work friends and a bunch of random people, wanting only to get back to the woman he loves.

The main characters (Gus and his friend Toby, mostly) are well-rounded and realistic, and the dialogue is great.  During the first half of the book I felt certain parts could have been edited down a bit, or just given a bit more spit and polish, but as Gus's plight gains momentum in the second half of the book I no longer cared; the last thirty per cent, in particular, is riveting.  

I still think Books #1 - #3 are the best of this series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, too.  If you love zombie series, or any post apoc, I can't recommend this series too highly.  Definitely going to have a crack at some of Mr Blackmore's horror books, too :).

MAKE ME KING by Keith C Blackmore @KeithCB1

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com

How I discovered this book:  Had read the rest of this series, so Amazon 'told' me when this one was out.

In a Nutshell: Book #5 of a zombie apocalypse series (Canada), but I'd say it stands up fairly well as a stand alone.

I read the first 4 books of this series some time ago and have a pretty lousy memory (I can't remember how book #4 turned out at all), but this was still fine to read on its own—however, I would most certainly recommend reading the first 3 books first, in particular, as they are a stunningly good example of their type, and steer away from many of the genre standards.

In Blackmore's post zombie apocalypse world, several years on, the 'mindless' have faded out... most of them, anyway.  All that's left is an empty world... or not so empty.  Gus, Scott and his friends are living on an island, but supplies must still be found.  Which is where the trouble starts.

I adored the first half of this book, with its sinister alternate chapters from the point of view of some bad guys - later, it features some of the best escape-from-zombies chapters I've read.  I was not so keen on the last 30-40%, which takes place in a bunker inside a mountain, because I could no longer picture it, despite there being much detail; a lot of this-happened-then-that-happened; scenes that would have worked brilliantly on screen but I didn't think translated so well to a book.  However, there were still some great plot developments, and it kept me reading.

If you like the horror end of the post apoc genre, I can't recommend Books #1 and #3 highly enough. 

THE LOUDEST SILENCE by Kate L Mary

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read stacks of this author's books and actually can't keep up with the rate at which she writes them!

In a Nutshell: Zombie apocalypse, nine years in, set in Oklahoma.  Possibly YA.

A new zombie apocalypse series, set in the same world as the fabulous Broken World series, but in Oklahoma, starring Reagan, a 21-year-old who has been taken care of by her brother's best friend, Kellan, since the collapse occurred, nine years before, when their families all died.  They're now in a secret underground shelter, with four others - I liked that three of the characters actually come from one of the short stories in Broken Stories - love this sort of detail/connection.

Kate Mary is as readable as ever, and this story zips along, with some great new plot ideas that make it stand out from the usual collapse/survival/fight off zombies and scary people scenarios - I liked, too, that it started nine years in.  

Ms Mary does incorporate a fair bit of romantic suspense into her post apoc stories - a warning for those who don't like this element.  Whereas I was mostly fine with it in the Broken World series, because Vivian and Axl's relationship was so heartrendingly real, I wasn't so keen in this one.  Like, we knew they were going to end up together, so I didn't need to read about Reagan's frustrated hormones and Kellan's avowals of 'I have to keep you safe' every few pages; I was keen to get back to the survival/danger aspects.  But perhaps that's just me, not being into romantic suspense.  If you are, you'll love it.

I didn't find the characters quite so compelling in this story as the previous series, but I still kept reading because I loved the setting, the plot is excellent, and she writes so well.

AFTERMATH (Invasion of the Dead Book 1) by Owen Baillie

3 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Amazon browse.

I'm always looking for good new post apocalyptic/zombie books to read, so thought I'd give this a go. I thought it was really promising at first; I liked that it's set in Australia, and the scenario about the five friends coming back from a trip into the wild, not knowing that the outbreak has taken place. I loved their first realisation that something was amiss, when they got to the petrol station. At that point, it was most atmospheric, and building up nicely. I also liked that the author gave background about the relationships between Callan, Kristy, Sherry, Greg and Dylan, so they weren't just a bunch of random names.

Alas, the first 15% was the best bit. The characterisation was reasonable, but a little bit stiff. I felt we were supposed to like Kristy the most, but she was just irritating in her 'oh my God, I've got to go and help because I'm a doctor, even if it means great danger' - and, hang on, yet another zombie survival group who just happen to have a qualified doctor amongst them? No, really? 

Then the group were driving through their devastated hometown with the possibility of finding their loved ones turned into flesh eating monsters, and a couple of them were talking about their love life....once it started getting into the zombie fights I'm afraid I began to lose interest - they're supposed to have seen all the films/TV series, but didn't know about bashing them in the head... then it's zombie fight followed by zombie fight, and it all got a bit samey; I couldn't picture the town. I started skip-reading at about 40%. Having said that, I might go back to it, if only to find out what happens with Callan and Sherry, which was by far the most interesting of the human sub-plots, and to see how the sinster beginning with the guy in the bunker whose name I can't remember, plays out.

I think it would have been better if the beginning was twice as long, so we really got to know the characters and thus cared more what happened to them, and if the uncovering of what had gone on in their absence had been slower. It's not a bad book, it's quite good, but I think 3* is a reasonable rating; if I had nothing else to read I'd have persevered with it. Possibly.

TWISTED MEMORIES by Kate L Mary @kmary0622

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read all the other books in this series, links at bottom of Twisted World review 😀 Genre: Zombie Apocalypse.

The first book in this series takes place 20 years after the group from the Broken World series, Vivian, Axl and co, finally find perceived safety in Atlanta.  I liked it very much, but was longing to know what happened in those intervening 20 years.  This is the book I was waiting for!

Best of all is the character of Angus James, the Merle Dixon of Kate L Mary's zombie world, who is imprisoned for experimentation at the CDC after it's discovered that he's one of the few people in the world who are immune from the virus.  I felt every tear he cried, I'm sure I did, and his strange relationship with the icy cold Dr Helton kept me completely engrossed.   It's one of those books that's so frustrating, because you, as the reader, can see the peril that the cast are in, and you want to scream at them, 'Go back to Colorado!  Now!  Just go!'  Of course, that I felt so strongly shows how good the characterisation and general storytelling is.

I very much liked some elements of the sinister practices going on behind the Atlanta population's back, such as the orchestration of an uprising, leading to a couple of deaths, so that the evil Star's government could put new, restrictive laws in place under the guise of keeping the people safe.  Something that *many* think happens in the real world....

The pain of the characters I've grown to know so well was heartrending, and some of this book was the very best stuff I've read by this author.  She has a real knack of choosing exactly the right POV for each part of the story, and really seems to understand that sometimes a not fully informed, third party account of another character's situation can tell the reader so much more than the actual words.

This is an excellent book; my only slight complaint is that it seemed a bit rushed at times, with some areas needing more detail; I thought it might have been better stretched over two books, as I didn't get a feeling of time passing.  But I still loved it, and the fact that I would have liked it to be two books instead of one says it all, really. 😌

PLAYING THE ODDS by Kate L Mary @kmary0622

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I've read loads of Kate Mary's zombie apocalypse novels, novellas and short stories (click tag at end of review for more), and downloaded this one when I fancied a nice, light, entertaining book that I was pretty sure wouldn't be a disappointment.  I first discovered her via an Amazon browse, and this is the third in her series of novella-length, zombie apocalypse love stories.  Yep, you read that right.

Cole is (was) a professional poker player who breaks into a winery in the Napa Valley, which happens to be already occupied by Alessa, who happens to be totally hot and the only survivor of her Italian vintner family, aside from Antonio, her over-protective, football playing cousin who is built like a brick s**t-house and resents Cole's interest in Alessa.

Enter zombies, and several waifs and strays who are invited to join them at the vineyard, including dodgy Daren, who Cole is suspicious of from the word 'go'.  

Kate Mary's characterisation is always spot on.  This is told from alternating points of view of Cole and Alessa, and I like the way she made Alessa's attraction to Cole sexually orientated but romantic, whereas Cole was initially just doing the sexual bit; she never falls into the trap of writing men out of the head of a woman.   There's more pulsating desire/rampant pheromones and less post apoc survival in this novella than in the first one of this series (More Than Survival, which I loved), but it's still a well-told story, and I enjoyed it.  

Two other points I liked; firstly, the grapes and dice graphics at the beginning of each chapter.   Also, there are instances of spoken Italian in this.  The author's note says that she did this by internet translation as she doesn't speak it or know anyone who could help her with it, so apologises if she has made any errors.  I wouldn't have a clue if she has or not, but I thought this was a nice touch.  Like, "I did my best, and if there are errors, so be it, but please don't complain; you have been warned."    

IRELAND: Surviving The Evacuation Book 9 by Frank Tayell @FrankTayell

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I came across Frank Tayell's zombie apocalypse series during an Amazon browse, and have since read most of them; for other reviews of books in this series, please click the 'Frank Tayell' tag at the end of the review.

I've missed a few of the more recent instalments, simply because of the 'so many books, so little time' factor, but wanted to catch up with it.  Although these books are not stand alones, it was easy enough to get the basic gist of the story threads I've missed, and enjoy the book for itself; might be useful for other readers to know.

I enjoyed Mr Tayell's writing, as ever, and I'm a total post-disaster/danger survival addict, so loved all the detail about what Bill, Kim and their friends must do, to this end.  In Book Nine of the series, they're in south west Ireland, and need to get back to the safe haven of Anglesey - but this means travelling across a couple of hundred miles of zombie infested country.  Sailing seems like the best option.  One thing I really liked was the way that every time Bill's group came upon a new situation, any large building where it was obvious that people had sought refuge, they assessed what happened to those people and how they might have been killed.  Later, they meet a new group, amongst which is Siobhan, a former policewoman, who is able to suggest exact time frames to him from her experience in forensics.

I felt this book could have done with a better edit; there are lots of instances where the word 'I' has been used when it should have been 'me', which drives me nuts ('she'd refused to let Sholto and I row from Menai Bridge to Bangor'), and much of the conversation is unrealistically information heavy, but that mattered to me less than it would normally, possibly because it gave me the information I needed, even if it wasn't how people really talk to each other.  There is a section late in the book in which Bill talks to himself a lot, which was completely unrealistic and would have been better written as inner dialogue.  All this being said, though, I still enjoyed the book; these comments go to show how much dodgy stuff you can get away with, if you're basically a talented writer with a great story.

I'm looking forward to the Book Ten, which I have already bought and hope to get to before long.

TWISTED WORLD by Kate L Mary

4.5 out of 5 stars

Post Apocalypse/Zombies

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I was so looking forward to this after reading the eight Broken World books.  This takes place twenty years later, when Megan, the daughter of the heroes of the previous series (Vivian and Axl) is struggling through her days in the dark and sinister New Atlanta.  Her father is missing, her mother has lapsed into a strange twilight zone, and so many questions are going unanswered as she begins to realise how corrupt and dangerous the government of the new settlement truly is.

The story is in some ways the opposite from those currently in vogue, with unforeseen twists (not least of all those written by me....!); I liked the way Kate Mary has done this, so that the reader knows more than the two narrators, Megan, and haunted convict and fighter, Donaghy.  It really works, as gradually they begin to piece together what we can already see, and Megan finds out some of the stuff we read about in the previous series.  There's plenty of new intrigue to keep those pages turning, too!  

I guessed the identity of the mysterious gray man immediately, but it didn't spoil it for me at all (and I was wrong about Glitter!).  I liked the brief inclusion of one of my favourite characters from Broken World, Jim; he said what I was just thinking, ie, that the survivors' old homes in Colorado had been, on the face of it, more basic and more dangerous, but seem like paradise in retrospect, when compared with the dark and depressing new civilisation.  I loved seeing all the old gang together at the end, but I shall say no more for fear of 'spoilers'.

Any negatives?  I found some of the dialogue a little unrealistically information heavy at the beginning, but when considering how difficult it must have been to weave in the back story of a whole series, I could deal with that.  My only other very slight complaint is that there wasn't much difference between the 'voices' of Megan and Donaghy, who take the helm in alternative chapters, to the extent that once or twice I forgot which point of view I was reading from, which was a little confusing.  Generally, Kate Mary's characterisation is excellent, though, and I still loved the book ~ and can't wait to see what happens next.  I daresay I am one of the readers to whom Kate referred in her author's note at the back, who badger her for more; I shall unashamedly continue to do so!  That's me drumming my fingers on my closed Kindle, waiting for the next one....

Reviews for the first six Broken World books can be found HERE 

...and for Silent World and the excellent Broken Stories (short stories related to the series) HERE

 

HELLIFAX (Mountain Man #3) by Keith C Blackmore

5 GOLD stars

Zombie Apocalypse/Horror

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

What a belter of a book this was!  I've reviewed part one of the series HERE, and part two HERE, loved them both but suspected this one might be even better, and it was.  I believe it could be read as a stand alone, as any info needed from the other books is given, and this is a whole new adventure with many new characters.

The main character is Scott, who became friends with mountain man Gus in the first book ~ this follows his fortunes as he sets off for Halifax (Canada, not Yorkshire!) to seek out the evil Tenner, who massacred his friends.  In 'Hellifax' Scott meets up with a new group, martial arts student and teacher Amy and Vick, and former cop Buckle, amongst others.  The book's written partly from his POV and partly from that of psychopath Tenner ~ and, talking of psychopaths, we also meet the terrifying Norsemen, a group of road warriors who know no fear and have an alternative strategy when it comes to keeping themselves fed and alive.

Then there are the rats....

This is not a zombie apocalypse book for the faint of heart, and there are no nice little groups of survivalists.  It's horror, from beginning to end.  Absolutely gripping, I loved it from start to finish, one of the best books I've read this year.  The story itself is multi-faceted and unpredictable with never a dull or safe moment, and the characterisation is terrific, too.  There are a few editing 'glitches' but they're minor, and didn't spoil it at all.  At the end there's an author's note saying that Blackmore was not sure if there would be a book 4, but happily there is.  I am now going to start reading it. :)

SAFARI (Mountain Man #2) by Keith C Blackmore

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse/Horror

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I loved the first book in this series, reviewed HERE, and this one was great, too - I read it all in one go.  

Aside from the odd brief guest appearance, the book features only one character, Gus, a chronic alcoholic survivor of the zombie apocalypse, in Canada.  As far as I'm concerned, anyone who can write a book featuring only one character and make it a real page turner is a pretty smart writer.  This was gripping, and gathered pace as Gus discovers the mystery of the missing zombies (see book one) ~ I wasn't expecting that!  

Keith Blackmore is one of those rare writers who manages to make intricate practical detail interesting to read, and he can do mounting terror and suspense with the best of them.  I actually wasn't sure if the last invasion by the new foe at Gus's house on the hill was just the imagination of a drink addled and traumatised mind, or not ~ I've only just finished it, I think I need to go back and read the bit about 'what anyone would have seen if they'd been watching' again.  But I liked the end very much... and am going to go straight on to read Hellifax, the third book in the series now.

If you love zombie apocalypse books and if you liked the film 'Castaway' that featured one man and his imaginary friend, you'll love this :)

THE WALKING DEAD: THE FALL OF THE GOVERNOR Part Two by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga

4.5 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I didn't think much of Part 1 of The Fall of The Governor (too much grisly brutality for the sake of it, I thought, not enough story, seemed rushed) and nearly didn't bother to read this one, but I'm glad I did, because it was WAY better.  I really enjoyed it and read it nearly all in one go, late at night when my eyes were saying 'go to sleep'.

Taken from the original comic books rather than the TV series, it was interesting to see how the TV series took ideas from this and turned them into different story lines; plot lines in this story were included in both the Woodbury story in Season 3, and Season 4, when The Governor teams up with Tara and co in his new camp.  The Philip Blake of these books is much more overtly terrifying and psychotic than David Morrisey's version, and my only disappointment with this book is that the residents of Woodbury did not learn how he had duped them all into thinking that Rick's group were a bunch of bloodthirsty assassins, as they did in the TV series.  

The second half of the book was absolutely riveting; a continuity error was annoying, as the Woodbury militia seemed to multiply; they started off with 24 but still ended up with about 8 of them going into the prison, even though more than 16 had been killed beforehand - but never mind!  It's very good - if you love the series, you'll like these. 

The Road to Woodbury is reviewed HERE 

MOUNTAIN MAN by Keith C Blackmore

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse/serial killer/thriller

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

Well, I wanted a new zombie apocalypse series to get stuck into, and I saw this one mentioned in a review for one of The Walking Dead books (the reviewer thought the TWD book was rubbish and suggested Mountain Man as something much better).  So I tried it, and loved it. 

I wasn't sure at first, because the first few pages included much talk of bodily functions and too many sentences starting with 'He'; I thought it was going to be grisly realism for the sake of it and not very good writing, but within a few pages I changed my mind.  The story is set in Canada and starts over two years after the zombie virus hit the world.  Gus has found himself a house up a mountain which he has made safe, and got the scavenging for supplies thing down to an art.  Only trouble is, he's got an alcohol problem (which he doesn't see as a problem) that needs constant feeding, and doesn't realise how much he's missed other people, until he saves someone who becomes his companion.  Later, another new friend is not all she seems, and lurking in the background is a danger more sinister than the walking dead....

One of the things I love about this genre is reading about how the characters survive, on a day to day basis, and there's plenty of that, but also lots of thrilling and well-written human and zombie showdowns.  It's quite a brutal sort of book, not for the faint-hearted, but the characterisation is great (I really liked Gus's friend Scott), and the characters' thoughts on their present situation versus the old world, versus just dying, are interesting.  I read it over a period of a couple of days, definitely recommend it if you like this genre, and am looking forward to starting book two.

THE ROAD TO WOODBURY by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Being a Walking Dead obsessive, I was pleased to discover these books; no, they're not those awful books-from-the-TV-series written by some-screenwriter-who-can't-get-any-screenwriting-work, but actually written by the man himself, Kirkman, the creator; they're not the story you see on the AMC series but the one in the comics, which has certain similarities to the TV series and some same/similar characters.  I was glad about this in many ways, as I haven't read all the comic books so I didn't know what was going to happen.

This story is much, much darker than the one on TV, and Woodbury a much more scary place, as though all the worst characters have got themselves in one place.  Not so viewer-friendly at all!  The book starts off with main character Lilly in a camp that goes wrong, then leaving to go on the road with Josh (who reminded me of Tyreese) and Bob Stookey, who is nothing like the Bob Stookey in the AMC series apart from the fact that he's a nice guy who has a drink problem.  Eventually, they end up at Woodbury.  It's all most sinister and dangerous, but I was glad to see Martinez there as a 'goodie'; I always thought he would have been one of the decent guys if fate had dumped him with Rick's crowd instead of The Governor's.

I really enjoyed this book, the tension and suspense made me abandon the other things I should have done this afternoon, and I'm now going to start the next in the series - The Fall of The Governor, in which, I believe, some of the characters we know and love will appear.

The first book in the series, The Rise of The Governor, is reviewed by me on Amazon UK HERE

MORE THAN SURVIVAL by Kate L Mary

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse Novella

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I love Kate Mary's zombie apocalypse books, and this one is every bit as good as my favourites in the Broken World series.  

Lucy was nine when the virus hit, and has spent the past eleven years in relative safety in a mountain cabin with her uncle.  During that time, she's grown from child to woman without having experienced any of the 'normal' growing up stuff that girls do.  Then she meets Sawyer....

I knew this was a zombie apocalypse book (favourite genre) crossed with romance (one of my least favourite genres), and feared there might be too much emphasis on the latter, with not enough to satisfy my devastated world/survival cravings, but this was not the case.  It's a terrific story and so well written, I read it over the space of three or four hours, and found it completely unputdownable.  The relationship between Lucy and Sawyer was totally believable, and there was lots of info about what the world is like eleven years on - fascinating, and all possible.  

There's no indication that there will be more about Lucy and Sawyer, but they make a great team, and there is some unresolved stuff going on in the settlement down the mountain, so I hope Kate M is going to tell us what happened next!  Great stuff, and nothing to do with the Broken World series, so you can read this without having read any of her other books.  

Broken Stories is reviewed HERE, leading to links to my reviews of the rest of the Broken World series.

SILENT WORLD by Kate L Mary

4.5 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse, US

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

'For all the fans who aren't ready to let go of the Broken World series yet...'

You know a series is working for you when you've read the 8th book in it! I was so pleased to spot this on Amazon, a 'side' story about Jim and new character Amira from Kate Mary's Broken World series ~ I'd wondered what happened to Jim!  Good to see a bit more about the sinister, terrifying group called The Watchers, too...

I bought this yesterday afternoon and finished it at 10 this morning, couldn't put it down.  I loved Jim in the last book, and Amira is great, too, a deaf girl who was waiting for her father to return from a food run.  I would have given it the full five stars because I think the writing in this series is getting better and better, if it wasn't for the slightly overdone sexual tension thing between Amira and Jim; Kate Mary writes it very well, it's realistic, and the growing love between them makes their quest for safety more urgent, but there's just too much of it in this book.  I like zombie apocalypse series because I want to read about survival, adventures, extreme circumstances, the worst of humanity and the best pulling through; if I wanted pages of love and desire I'd buy romantic suspense!  But it's mostly concentrated in the middle, after which it's back to the story.

The popularity of these books indicates how good they are ~ and I am still not ready to let go of the Broken World series, Kate, so any time you feel like writing a bit more....(especially about The Watchers!) :)

Review of Broken Stories, and links to all other books in the series can be found HERE