*BOOK BLITZ* Dark Days Remy Broulette by: Hargrove Perth + Giveaway!

synopsis

The constitution of a man is not always defined by his destiny but occasionally by the circumstances of the life he has lived. Part Choctaw Spirit Walker and part French, Remy is born into two worlds belonging to none. Such is the life of Remy Broulette. An unfortunate series of events leads to his eventual demise and rebirth - a rebirth which resulted in his immortality. Condemned to feed on the souls of others for all eternity, Remy lives a life of uncontrollable, wanton lust and debauchery without regret, and is bent on destruction over what he cannot forget and what he cannot forgive - until the young Revel DeMarquis enters his life. What will happen when immortal becomes pitted against immortal when the fight for Remy's soul begins and who will be left standing in the aftermath as the immortals of New Orleans are forced to choose sides?

excerpt

The constitution of a man is not always defined by his destiny but occasionally by the circumstances of the life he has lived. Revel DeMarquis stood watching as the waves lapped against the shore depositing copious amounts of shells and seaweed now that the storm had lessened. The sun was beginning to rise as he lifted the window allowing the salty scent of the ocean to fill his room. The air was heavy and dense as it rolled through Royal Street and into the French Quarter, nearly so thick it was difficult to breathe. The heaviness of the waves had ceased and was replaced with the placid rolling of the inward bay. Beams of the breaking dawn shed their light across the caps coloring them with tinges of red, crimson, and orange.

His moment of bliss, enjoying the city as it was meant to be enjoyed, was broken by the harrowing screams of Remy Broulette. It was common and occurred every morning with the same result. Revel hastened his pace, picking up a towel before exiting his room, to walk the long corridor to the room of his friend.

Remy stood in the corner gasping for air. His eyes were wild, nearly feral, as they swept the room. The full length of his hair was dripping with sweat. It was a scene Revel DeMarquis had witnessed a million times before. Remy seized the towel from his hand and stormed out of the room, slamming the door to the lavatory behind him. The sound of water was not enough to drown out his angry screams.

Revel walked to the end of the corridor and stood at the top of the spiral staircase looking at the fortune they had amassed during their lifetime.

“It means nothing without your happiness and peace remaining elusive,” Revel whispered before descending the staircase and meeting their butler at the base of the stairs.

“Ambrulle, please make Master Remy his usual breakfast.”

“Yes, sir, and what do you wish for breakfast this morning?”

“I will have the same as Remy, if you please.”

“Certainly, Master Revel; do you wish me to bring it to his room or will you be serving Master Remy this morning?”

“I will accompany you to the kitchen. It is not necessary for you to bring our morning meal upstairs.”

“As you wish sir,” Ambrulle replied courteously.

Revel followed closely until they reached the kitchen where he choose to sit at the small table that was usually reserved for the servants. “How long have you been with us now, Ambrulle?”

“I cannot say I have tallied the years, sir. My life with you and Master Remy has been a pleasant one. The years only need be counted when the memories are unhappy ones, sir.”

Revel reached across the table, laughing loudly, and set the percolator on the silver breakfast tray.“Is it French Roast this morning?” He asked.

“No sir, given how much alcohol Master Remy consumed last evening, I made the choice to brew coffee that is a bit more robust. It is recently arrived yesterday from Jamaica.”

The aroma filled the kitchen with a hearty bouquet that was somewhat pungent and slightly sweet. Royal Street was beginning to bustle as the city awoke. The sounds of women chatting as their laundry was hung on the balconies filled the air along with the scent of fine cigars being smoked by their husbands as they stood outside.

Ambrulle placed two linen napkins on the tray before handing it to Revel.

“Thank you, Ambrulle, I do not know if it is said enough, but you are our family.”

“Thank you sir, I shall be along with Master Remy’s suit in an hour.”

Revel’s thoughts drifted while ascending the stairs, considering how much longer they would remain in the French Quarter. It seemed they had outlived their welcome in the heart of New Orleans and were now nothing but relics. Few of the people they had once known were still alive, even fewer had stayed on in the city since the outbreak.

book info & buy links

Title: Dark Days Remy Broulette (Dark Days, #1)

Author: Hargrove Perth

Genre: Paranormal, Horror

Publisher: Ink Smith Publishing

Release Date: 19th June 2014

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | Ink Smith

about the author

Hargrove Perth writes dark romance, horror, and young adult horror. Her inspiration comes from the classic authors of the Victorian era who pushed the borders of writing through their semi-erotic dark novels. With a penchant for writing all things dark, her novels are an unusual blend of historical and fictional characters set in the past where her creations come to life in ways un-imaginable. A resident of the Mid-West, she refers to herself as a bit of a gypsy, never residing in one place too long to get bored. She currently has two books published with four more due to be released in 2014 and is an Amazon Top 100 Seller as well as an Award Winning Author.

Connect With Hargrove Perth

Website | Facebook (HP) | Facebook (CB | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads (HP) | Goodreads (CB)

Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win a signed print cover of Dark Days Remy Broulette + an ecopy of her previously published novel Memoirs of an Immortal Life (under her author name Candace L. Bowser) US Giveaway ONLY. Ends 7/8. *note* Click HERE to read more about Memoirs of an Immortal Life.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

good luck,mia

BOOK BLITZ & GIVEAWAY- Wolf by: Jim Ringel (Blog Tour)

synopsis

Johnny Wolfe carries his dog Sindra in a vial that he keeps in his pocket. He carries her out of loyalty. He carries her out of guilt. He carries her because there are no more dogs in this world. And he carries her to connect to her feral nature, so that he might take her inside himself and feel her animal wildness.

Johnny’s life is in shambles. His sales career at Bulldog Enterprises is on the blink. On his way to work one day he comes across a colleague who is killed by a dog. But with dogs now extinct, how is this possible? Going through his colleague’s dead body, Johnny discovers the colleague is carrying a rather sizeable sales order. Figuring “he’s dead, I’m not”, Johnny decides to place the order as his own.

Except he can’t figure out what product the colleague is selling. As he gets closer to understanding the product, Johnny starts to realize it has more and more to do with why the dogs might be returning, and why they’re so angry.

Then he starts to wonder if maybe the dogs know more about him and Sindra, and if maybe they’re angry with him.

teaser excerpt

Johnny stepped into the hall and looked down it. "Who’s there?" he whispered.

His words echoed in the silence, and no one replied.

Johnny turned back to the failed printout. The roll of paper it had spit out flopped from the tray like a dried tongue lapping for water. He walked the hall and tipped his head inside Jackson’s door.

"Who’s there?" he asked.

Again, no answer.

Johnny stepped into the office and rounded the desk. He stared at the monitor. It winked Print Job canceled. Resume?

Johnny pulled the mouse across the computer screen. His heart wheezed empty. He minimized the print request, and saw now, the JPEG was no longer on the screen.

Johnny sat and leaned back into Jackson’s chair. His back ached. He brought the print request back into display and clicked Yes. The icon disappeared, and then popped up again, mockingly. Print Job canceled. Resume?

An itch crept down Johnny’s forehead. It burned like a thousand heated needles being pushed into his face. The computer screen stared, quiet and empty, and in its silence he heard panting. He opened up the Evergreen folder on the desktop once more, but the spreadsheet–it too had been erased. And now he felt certain―he heard panting, and the panting came from the corner of the room.

Johnny tipped the desk lamp. The light outlined two extended ears, the gleam of salivating teeth, sitting obediently alongside the conference table.

book info & buy links

Title: WOLF

Author: Jim Ringel

Genre: Literary Horror

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Release Date: 13th May 2014

Buy Links

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | B&N | Kobo

about the author

Jim Ringel lives in Boulder. When not writing fiction, he can be found hiking, biking, and skiing in the Colorado mountains, or sitting still and meditating at home. He also does a lot of reading, and is a long-standing member of Denver’s Lighthouse Literary Workshop.

Connect with Jim

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: SICK by: Tom Leveen

Title: SICK
Author: Tom Leveen
ISBN: 1419708058
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: YA, Horror
Theme(s): Zombies
Length: 288 pgs
Binding: Hardcover
Published: 2nd October 2013
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

Breakfast Club meets The Walking Dead as a group of unlikely allies tries to survive a deadly outbreak.

Brian and his friends are not part of the cool crowd. They’re the misfits and the troublemakers—the ones who jump their high school’s fence to skip class regularly. So when a deadly virus breaks out, they’re the only ones with a chance of surviving.

The virus turns Brian’s classmates and teachers into bloodthirsty attackers who don’t die easily. The whole school goes on lockdown, but Brian and his best friend, Chad, are safe (and stuck) in the theater department—far from Brian’s sister, Kenzie, and his ex-girlfriend with a panic attack problem, Laura. Brian and Chad, along with some of the theater kids Brian had never given the time of day before, decide to find the girls and bring them to the safety of the theater. But it won’t be easy, and it will test everything they thought they knew about themselves and their classmates.

My Rating:

My Review: Zombie books are hitting bookshelves left and right and are being snatched up just as quickly. The problem is finding one that stands out from the rest. When I came across the synopsis for SICK by Tom Leveen, I was instantly intrigued. Leveen usually writes contemporary YA and has a knack for portraying angsty, teenage characters in a realistic, genuine way, such as his novel ZERO (you can read my review for Zero HERE). So when I heard that Leveen was writing about a group of misfit friends that must survive a zombie outbreak, I couldn't have been more excited. This should have been an easy slam dunk for him. Unfortunately, SICK is his first novel that misses the mark.

Here is what I liked about the novel. First, I think Leveen did a great job with...

Book Review: FIEND by: Peter Stenson + World War Z Poster GIVEAWAY!

Title: FIEND

Author: Peter Stenson

ISBN: 0770436315

Reading Level: Adult

Genre: Horror Fiction

Theme(s): Meth Addiction, Zombies, Apocalypse

Length: 304 pgs

Binding: Hardcover

Published: 9 July 2013; Crown

Buy: amazon.com

Synopsis 

There’s more than one kind of monster. 

When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations.  

But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived. 

The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves. 

And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins. 

But is salvation just another pipe dream? 

My Rating:

 *GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

My Review: Unless you've been living under a rock, zombies have made a comeback in popularity. They are everywhere-- in books, at the movies, and on television and they are here to stay...at least for a little while. And with this influx of zombie mania comes those individuals who just want to jump on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. The hard part is to weed through the coal to find the hidden gem. FIEND by Peter Stenson is one of those gems, a novel that borrows bits and pieces from material of the past (such as Shaun of the Dead) to give us that familiar feel yet somehow is able to maintain a sense of originality. Strangely enough, as I sit here and attach a zombie label to this book, there is a hesitation. One can argue that FIEND is more a story about addiction that just so happens to have zombies in it (I made a similar comment awhile back when I reviewed another "zombie" novel called This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers). Think Trainspotting meets Shaun of the Dead. And let's not forget there is a love story here as well. Because FIEND can fall into more than one category, it was a little challenging for me to review. Hopefully my analysis below makes sense and doesn't come out a mess.

Here is what I liked about FIEND. The story takes place within the course of a week. Instead of chapters, each section is broken up by a day of the week. Combined with Chase's (our main character) first person narration, it was a very quick read and gave it a journal like feel.

To add to Stenson's unique style of writing is his imaginative use of figures of speech, in particular similes, and sensory details. Here are a couple of examples:  
"Blood spouting like Old Faithful."  
"She pulls at the intestines like saltwater taffy."  
"She's still there and her dress isn't a Jackson Pollock anymore, just red. So's her hair."  
"I turn to see Typewriter at the top of the stairs and then look back to the girl sitting there like a used tampon." 
If you haven't figured it out yet, let me clarify. This novel is not for the faint of heart or for those who are easily offended due to offensive language. The story and images the author creates with words are raw and dirty. Some parts are so vivid that I seriously felt sick to my stomach at times, and I'm not even talking about blood and guts. I'm talking about the effects of being a hardcore meth addict and the way Stenson uses the senses to describe these habits, the picking of scabs, their bodies and hair greasy and filthy because they haven't bathed in days (and that's before the zombies make an appearance), smelling like "period blood". Hey, his words, not mine!

What I really liked about FIEND and what makes this novel stand out is its unlikely hero, or I should say antihero. Chase is a meth addict and what I like even more is that Stenson didn't make him a stereotypical addict. Most people assume that if a person is on drugs it's because they had a shitty childhood, come from an abusive home, or maybe their parents battled addiction and they are just a product of their environment. But we rarely get to see the other side. As the story unfolds, Chase reveals that his family had money. His parents loved and supported him and did everything within their power to help him get clean. While I did sympathize with him at different parts in the story, I found it harder to find sympathy for a person who had a pretty decent life but pissed it all away because he wanted to rebel as a teenager. And even Chase felt shame at times because of this very fact.

Stenson also interjects well-paced humor throughout FIEND and has created quite a few interesting characters. Chase's best friend is nicknamed Typewriter and he just so happens to be the only fat meth addict that he knows. There are quite a few cinematically funny (at the same time nail-biting) moments when zombies are bearing down on them, Type gets physically stuck, and Chase has to help him out. Yet just when you think Stenson has stereotyped him as the fat, wimpy best friend that is scared of his own shadow, Type does something courageous. He's the one who teaches Chase how to shoot a gun. He's the one who drives them out of more than one sticky situation and waits for Chase even when zombies are snapping at their heals.  But if I had to pick a favorite character, it must be the Albino, Chase and Typewriter's meth cook. Yes, I said THE Albino because that is how he prefers to be addressed. Not only is he one of the most paranoid, smartest, and eccentric of the bunch (he's the only one who prepared years in advance for a zombie apocalypse), he also serves as the comic relief in the story. I'm not going to give you any examples since the majority of his comments are quite vulgar and I don't want to offend anybody (which really makes no sense if you plan to read this book, but whatever), suffice it to say that THE Albino is one character you will not soon forget.

I don't want to get into too many details about the zombies themselves as I don't want to spoil everything, but I do like that Stenson tries to inject some unique qualities. The one thing I will say is that they...chuckle or...giggle instead of the moaning we are used to. This is why Chase and his little posse call them "Chucks". It may sound silly but imagine a little girl covered in blood and dog intestines coming at you while giggling. Creepy, right? 'Nuff said.

Another thing that I found interesting and probably is the most important aspect of the novel is the philosophical questions that Chase ponders throughout the story. For example, Dead vs. Undead. Aren't they already dead, living that kind of lifestyle? What makes them any better than zombies? At first I didn't quite get it because even though he is an addict, how can you compare a living, breathing human being to a zombie? But oh was I wrong. Just when I started to like Chase, there would be a flashback scene or a part where he remembers something horrifying that he did in the past in order to get high. And let me not even get started with some of the things he does and choices he makes throughout the novel that shocked and disgusted me. But that is what I think the point of the story is. How far will an addict go to get their next fix? What this story left me asking is this: are they trying to survive the apocalypse or are they doing it for their next fix?

So here is what I had issues with. There were a few minor things that I still feel torn about and it really all depends on how you look at it and what the author was actually trying to convey. While I did like Stenson's unique writing style, it took some time getting used to. As I stated above, it is written in first person narration but here is the problem: there are no quotation marks used with the dialogue. A part of me liked the unstructured format because it made me feel like I was reading Chase's personal journal. But because no quotations were used with the dialogue, there were times when someone was speaking or multiple people were having conversations around Chase and I couldn't figure out right who was saying what. I had to stop occasionally and reread to figure it out. At times even Chase's thoughts got jumbled up when other people were talking. Thankfully, Stenson gave each of his characters distinct voices, so it wasn't too hard to figure out. But confusion did happen and who wants to get pulled out of a story because they have to stop and reread a section since they can't figure out who said what?

It probably is no surprise that characters start to be picked off towards the end. I really can't get into too much detail here because I don't want to spoil anything. But my issue lies with the hot and cold feelings I kept getting with certain characters. There are times throughout the story where I felt I had a good sense of the type of characters I was reading about. But then they would do something that seemed way out of character. At one point I got so angry that I wrote a list of things I wanted to call the author out on but then I started to wonder. Is it the addiction that caused these characters to do random things that were shocking and unexpected? I'm still torn on this one.

My last issue is the way FIEND ends. I would have to agree with other reviewers that it was almost as if Stenson got tired of his own characters and just walked away. It ends so abruptly that I thought the galley I had received was an unfinished draft. But no, it's the way the story ends. Sometimes ambiguous endings are cool and thought provoking. But I fail to see the ambiguity. I was at first extremely distraught, and felt like I had invested my time yet was rewarded with no type of closure. But again I am torn because...I have this feeling that...this is not the end. I won't say any more but after I had some time to calm down and think, I do see the potential for a sequel. I can only hope that is why Stenson ended things the way he did.

Some may argue that FIEND by Peter Stenson is not a zombie book but rather a story about addiction that just so happens to have zombies in it. I can see this novel appealing to those who are interested in learning or reading about meth addiction. Also, if you are like me, FIEND may appeal to those zombie fans that are looking for something different, a new way of looking at things, a fresh pair of eyes to see a zombie apocalypse through. However, if you like zombie novels that reveal the who, what, where, and how-- how they turned into zombies, what caused it, where is the cure--you may be disappointed. Because none of these issues are the focal point of this story. The only thing that is figured out rather quickly is how to prolong NOT turning into a zombie...the rest I will leave for you to figure out. But I will give you a hint. If you've had the chance to see the movie version of World War Z,  then you know it's not so much about finding the cure, but something that can buy them time. But these...revelations that give Chase in FIEND and Brad Pitt's character in World War Z time are equally as dangerous and life threatening. But hey, comparing FIEND and WWZ is a whole different can of worms better explored another day.

GIVEAWAY

Since it is "Zombie Week" on my blog, I have a treat for everyone! Enter below for a chance to win 1 of 3 17 x 10 inch Limited Edition World War Z movie posters! I have 3 of these posters to give away, so 3 winners will be announced. Sorry, but this giveaway is for US residents ONLY. Good luck!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This Is Not a Test

Author: Courtney Summers

ISBN: 0312656742

Reading Level: Young Adult

Genre: Horror, YA, Contemporary

Theme(s): Suicide, Zombies

Binding: Paperback (ARC)

Length: 336 pages

Published: 19 June 2012; St. Martin's Griffin

Buy: amazon.com

 Synopsis: It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

My Rating:  

My Review: This Is Not a Test absolutely blew my mind. There is no other way to say it. I actually went into this book with low expectations. Come on, 6 students stuck in a high school while a zombie horde tries to find a way in? A protagonist who no longer wants to live? In the wrong hands, this story could have turned out a complete mess. But thanks to Courtney Summers, This Is Not a Test is a gripping, frighteningly realistic portrayal of not only human survival, but of finding the will to live.

There have been a few reviews floating around that have basically said that This Is Not a Test is not a zombie book, but a story that just so happens to have zombies in it. I would say that there is some truth to this statement. You could take the zombie aspect out and replace it with a natural disaster, an alien invasion, etc. HOWEVER, if you think this somehow makes the book less scary, think again. I had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on how you look at it) of reading the novel during a storm that knocked out my power for about 12 hours. I couldn't sleep since it was so unbearably hot, so I lit some candles and decided to give the book a shot. I finished it in less than 6 hours and it left me shaken. The title of the book combined with the eerie, blood splattered cover only intensified what lie between the pages. To put it bluntly, I was thoroughly creeped out and the feeling didn't leave me right away.

Every protagonist in a story has issues to face or overcome. And most of the time, these issues are revealed methodically and are carefully paced to keep the reader engaged. Courtney Summers does something quite different with her protagonist. Before jumping into the novel, I pretty much thought I had the story figured out. Zombies take over, Sloane's whole family is killed, therefore, she has no reason to stay alive. I couldn't have been more wrong because Summers drops a bomb on us within the first few pages of the story. Sloane's nightmare began way before zombies ever entered the picture. It started when her father began physically abusing both her and her sister Lily. What kept Sloane going was her sister's promise that they would one day run away together. However, she was never prepared for Lily to betray her by taking off and leaving her with their monster of a father.  We learn this within the first few pages of the book as well as the fact that because of this, Sloane has given up on life. She is ready to commit suicide, preferring to face death than be her father's punching bag. But before she can follow through with her plan, the world as she knows it comes to an end. The dead roam the streets looking for human flesh. If it wasn't for a small group of survivors, she would be zombie food or become one herself.  But did them saving her only prolong the inevitable? I guess this is why I find Sloane such an interesting, complex character. While the others have fond thoughts of their parents or a sibling or a significant other, all she has is the painful memories of her dead mother, abusive father, and selfish sister.

One of the most heartbreaking parts in the story is when Sloane is talking to Rhys after he discovers her desire to end her life. She says to him, "I wouldn't have left you like that. Not like [Lily] did to me...She always said I'd die without her and she left anyway."

"But you didn't die," [Rhys] says.

"I did," I say. "I'm just waiting for the rest of me to catch up.”

Here is another line that gives you a clear view of Sloane's despair. “Waiting around to be saved is like waiting to die and I have done more of both than anyone else in the room.”


This Is Not a Test is an extremely well written story that has a beautiful flow to the writing style. The chapters are short which compliments its somber tone. What absolutely amazed me about this book is the fact that not once did I wonder how the epidemic started nor was it ever mentioned or explored. 9 times out of 10, when I am reading an apocalyptic tale, I want to know why, when, and how. I think the reason it never crossed my mind with this book is because the story's main focus is not on the zombies scratching at the door. This is Not a Test is a character driven novel that focuses on the human psyche in extreme circumstances. It's about the decisions and sacrifices that have to be made, the trust that is formed and broken, etc.

That being said, I must warn you this book is not for the faint of heart. It will test you emotionally, ethically, and morally. It covers an array of controversial topics such as abuse, suicide, abandonment. But as the story progresses, and hidden truths come to surface, a whole new set of topics are introduced. If pushed to the extreme, would you sacrifice one life for another? Would the guilt of split second decision making be too much weight on your shoulders? Would you rather take your own life than try to survive in a world overrun by the dead?

If you are looking for a book that will give you a few hours of mindless entertainment, this one is not for you. However, if you want a story that will touch you emotionally, challenge you morally, and keep you on the edge of your seat, then I recommend This Is Not a Test. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead tv series or the Aftertime book series by Sophie Littlefield, then you are in for a treat. If you haven't, you definitely need to check them out, especially since Sloane reminds me of both Andrea (The Walking Dead) and Cass (Aftertime). I thank LibraryThing.com and St. Martin's Griffin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this riveting novel.