Book Blitz & Giveaway: Dead New World by Ryan Hill

Title: Dead New World
Author: Ryan Hill
Publication Date: October 13th 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Pages: Unknown
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Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

Before the world fell into chaos, the undead existed only in the imagination. Now, more of them walk the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans entomb themselves inside concrete barricades to stay alive.

All that, while the leader of a powerful cult - known only as Reverend - becomes the next threat to the rebuilding United States. Believing zombies to be God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With his combined army of humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose…though he survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.

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Excerpt

“Thanks. For helping me with, you know,” I said in a hushed voice. The Lancasters, or Baker, for that matter, didn’t need to hear me thank my friend for saving my life. Again. “Been a while since one of them got within spitting distance of me, and that includes last night.”

“No problem,” Ambrose said. He kept his eyes on the terrain for potential threats.

“Why did it listen to you?”

Ambrose looked at me funny. “What are you talking about?”

Ray cast a suspicious look back at us. I managed not to laugh when he bumped into the corner of a car. Scowling, Ray faced forward, rubbing his leg.

“The zombie. It was trying to bite off my face when you yelled ‘no.’ It stopped and stared at you. Like it understood what you said.”

“I didn’t notice.”

Just like him, to play dumb.

“Probably because you were busy blowing its head off. But it did look at you. I know you can kind of sense when they’re around, but maybe there’s more to it than that.”

“You saying I can talk to them? Ask them what they like to do when they’re not trying to eat people’s brains? That’s stupid.”

Was it, though?

“I mean, maybe you can control them or something, like the Reverend.” I kicked a piece of burnt metal off the road. “I don’t know. That kid did say you were one of the chosen ones. And, if you can, that could be useful.”

“Shut up. That’s an order.”

“Yes, sir,” I said in a snarky tone, and I mock-saluted. If he didn’t want to talk about it, fine. Two could play that game.

About the Author

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

Author Links

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Waiting on Wednesday #19: Save Me by Jenny Elliott

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is: 

Save Me
by Jenny Elliott

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Something strange is going on in the tiny coastal town of Liberty, Oregon. Cara has never seen a whale swim close enough for her to touch it—let alone knock her into the freezing water. Fortunately, cute newcomer David is there to save her, and the rescue leads to a bond deeper than Cara ever imagined.

But then she learns something about David that changes everything, and Cara is devastated. She turns to her best friend for support, but Rachel has changed. She’s suddenly into witchcraft, and is becoming dangerously obsessed with her new boyfriend….

Cara has lost her best friend, discovered that her soul mate is off limits, and has attracted the attention of a stalker. But she’s not completely alone. Her mysterious, gorgeous new friend Garren is there to support her. But is Garren possibly too perfect?

Save Me looks like a pretty awesome book (in my opinion) and somehow I haven't seen it until now. The cover caught my attention and I was pretty excited when I read the description. I've been meaning to read more witchy books and this one definitely fits the bill! 

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"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Top Ten Tuesday #15: Bookish Travels

Today's Topic: 

Ten Places Books Have 
Made Me Want To Visit

Another fun topic! Hurray! I've rarely read a book and thought "I want to go there!" so I kind of had to think about it... I should probably preface my answers with a disclaimer: I have a really weird mind. When I looked at the question, my first thoughts were about post-apocalyptic worlds. I have a fascination with urban exploration, which kind of falls into line with dystopia. So... anyway.

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Some huge English estate
The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

This book is a Downton Abbey-esque tale of an American woman who goes to England to marry for a title. The book is an excellent quick read and the setting is one of the only real world (book) locations I'd love to visit. 

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The Eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano
Ashfall by Mike Mullin

I think watching a supervolcano erupt and destroy half the country would be kind of epic. Of course, I wouldn't want people to get hurt and I'd need to be in a bubble in the sky or something, but I'd love to see it. 

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City of Sand, New America
Eve by Anna Carey 

This is another weird one. Of course, I wouldn't want to see people die, but I would love to see Las Vegas being rebuilt from the ruins. I have a weird fascination with abandoned buildings, so I couldn't help but add this one to the list. 

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Hogwarts Castle
Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Um... do I eve have to explain this one? Who among us has read Harry Potter and NOT wanted to spend some time in the castle? That's all I have to say about that. 

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The Arena Control Room
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Well, if you guys don't already think I'm a terrible person after Ashfall and Eve... I guess you will now. But come on! If you had the chance to see how the arena was run, wouldn't you?? Okay, only if the players volunteered - like Survivor!

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Lothlorien
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

One word: Lothlorien. Galadriel has always been kind of awe inspiring to me. If I could visit ANYWHERE, Lothlorien would be the very top of my list. I would love to spend a day with Galadriel and Celeborn in the trees. 

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The Overlook Hotel
The Shining by Stephen King

Time for some honesty. I hate haunted houses, but I love them too. Mostly I hate them. Books and movies can't touch me! All of that being said, I would definitely love to check out this hotel. With my husband's protection, of course. 

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Wonderland
Splintered by A.G. Howard

Wonderland! Who doesn't want to go to Wonderland? Okay, so A.G. Howard's Wonderland is a little... different. So? I'd still love to visit! Not to mention Morpheus is there... That's all the incentive I need!

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The World of Star Trek
Star Trek by Alan Dean Foster

This one is just really cool. The Enterprise is really just awesome and the 2009/2013 movies made it that much more awesome! Oh, and Spock. Yes, Spock is there. I'd love to visit the world of Star Trek. 

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Chester's Mill
Under the Dome by Stephen King

Last, but most certainly not least, is the town of Chester's Mill. This is another one of those weird ones. I'd want an escape plan, obviously, but I would love to be inside the dome for just a little while! Books have all the fun. 

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish -  a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers. Each week they post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. Click here to get involved!

Audiobook Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve (Eve #1)
Author: Anna Carey
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 336
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Review for 2

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?

Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth's population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school's real purpose and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she's ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In this epic new series, Anna Carey imagines a future that is both beautiful and terrifying.

Eve kind of happened to me unexpectedly. I stumbled across it and, though I'd heard of it before, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into. I was intrigued by the synopsis so it immediately jumped to the top of my audiobook reads list.

From what I've gathered, Eve is a story that takes a lot of its cues from The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and this seems to irk a lot of people. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) for me, I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale so I didn't have anything to compare this against. Knowing what I do know about the book, however, tells me that this might be a decent comparison for today's young readers. I'm just not sure if it teaches the same lesson that the "original" is known for. In any case, it was an entertaining read, and perhaps that is what today's authors are most concerned with.

The story begins in a school where all girls are sent for training to eventually contribute to the City of Sand, the last remaining (known) human settlement. The king runs the show and everyone else falls into line without question. It's only after Eve discovers that training is not what she's heading towards that the story really picks up. Upon her escape, she meets Caleb and becomes unlikely friends with Arden and the three of them set out on a mission to stay alive and free.

I actually really enjoyed the characters in this story - even Eve, for the most part. I didn't find her particularly whiney, although she is undoubtedly a little naive, which sometimes comes back to bite all of them. I really liked the progression of the friendship between Eve and Arden. Watching Arden's walls come down was somehow really satisfying. The relationship between Eve and Caleb was convincing enough and progressed at a believable rate. I really loved his character! He was sensitive without being ridiculous. He did bother me a little by being one of "those guys" who feel like they should decide the woman's fate because, well, he's a man... But overall, he was a good guy.

One thing that really did irritate me about all of the relationships was the way that Eve allowed others to sacrifice themselves over and over. While I maintain my opinion that she wasn't overly whiney, she did come off as pretty selfish at times, repeatedly letting others put themselves in harms way for her as if she was a gift to humanity that needed to be protected at the cost of all others.

Even with this issue, however, Eve was a great read! The suspense was palpable at times and the the world building was pretty excellent, in my opinion. The bad guys were likely enough to be pretty terrifying. The ending was pretty gut-wrenching, although it also made me want to punch Eve in the face and explain to her what love really means. I'd highly recommend Eve to any fan of post-apocalyptic fiction - especially the kind that might actually be possible.

Notes on the Audiobook

Tavia Gilbert is easily the best narrator I've ever listened to. Sure, she might be a little overly dramatic at times, but that's way better than monotone! She creates distinct voices for each of her characters. I'd love to listen to more by her!

Feature & Follow Friday #19

Happy Friday, fellow book lovers! Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The goal of Feature & Follow is to meet new bloggers, make friends, and gain readers.

This Week's Question: 

Book Merchandise - show off some of
your stuff - posters, t-shirts. Whatever you got!

Ooooh! This is a super fun question! Props to Becky's Barmy Book Blog for suggesting it! So I have decided to stick to two particular series of books this week (or at least book topics) - Disney and The Lord of the Rings. These were my first nerdy loves.

So Disney isn't technically a book series... BUT I have a ton of books about Walt Disney and Walt Disney World, so I'm running with it. Mostly I just want to show off my collection... This started in 1994 with the release of The Lion King. I was totally obsessed... It carried over to adulthood. Here are some of my books, blu-rays, and other collectibles. I didn't pull out my t-shirt collection.

My Tolkien obsession is a little less severe, probably because it didn't start until 2002. I'm patiently awaiting The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition in 3D! I also have Nenya (Galadriel's ring), but didn't get it out for the picture.

Waiting on Wednesday #18: Frostfire by Amanda Hocking

Happy Wednesday, fellow book lovers! This week's "can't wait to read" is: 

Frostfire
by Amanda Hocking

Publication Date: January 6, 2015

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes. Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royalty. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden. But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero who she once loved – appears to be up to something dangerous, kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

That cover... that description... how am I just now hearing about this?! This book looks amazing and I can't wait to get my hands on it!

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"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.