Working Stiff ( Revivalist 1) by Rachel Caine

HAPPY  HALLOWEEN!!!

The special party will start soon so i have to get ready but first i wanted to share with you one last review this month.... i tried to read different paranormal creatures and i discovered some i love to read about, other i don't mind and some... that yes i don't like. I found fitting to give you a review today for a book that put me quite ill at ease since it fit the night. After all a lot  of people want to get afraid even before the dark fall on the city and this book would help them.


Today topic is: Zombie

( remember to enter the GGMMMU hosted by Brenda on carzy four books, low entries means bigger chance to win^^)

Happy reading!

Publisher: Allison & Busby

Publication: 2011

ISBN:  0749040815

Genre: urban fantasy, zombie
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: gifted
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn't the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment--until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele as part of an extortion racket. Now, Bryn faces being terminated--literally, and with extreme prejudice.


Wit the help of corporate double-agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem--pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She'd better do it fast, before she becomes a zombie slave--a real working stiff. She'd be better off dead..

My opinion:

          Giving you my opinion on this specific book isn’t such an easy task as I’m quite undecided on what I’m feeling now that I have finished it.  I didn’t hate it but I didn’t loved it…it’s the first book I’m trying that focus on zombies and perhaps I’m not ready for that paranormal creature. It’s hard to explain because while I wasn’t at ease with the story right at the start –I couldn’t understand why normal procedures wouldn’t have worked ( though we get the answer later) for example- I was still interested enough to keep reading with as less break as possible.

I did love the thriller part and the investigation, I guessed some events but they were twists that kept the story fast paced and a page turner.

Perhaps I pitied Bryn, she was so full of dreams and so happy about her job when everything change… I don’t like when characters dies  and with zombies is quite a mandatory step…perhaps a part of me would have wished for a reverse system as unbelievable it could be, even worse I know it should not exist  but it just sounded too unfair for my sensibilities.

Now you can also forget, for this book, the zombies decaying, trying to eat brains etc… it’s different. They are in fact the result of the use of a specific drug “ Returné” that if they keep using it make them appear completely normal. They can eat, sleep etc but they are dependent on the drug because if they stop taking it their body starts the natural process again.  While taking the drugs, they are kind on stand by on the door step and the drugs make their body regenerate so they are really hard to kill ( be disposed of being more accurate), even head injury heals on its own with enough Returne and time.

However what is even more important to note is that those who take it  are completely conscious, they are not normally robot like they can feel and think.

Aside from the action, which is fast and without a lot of moments to take a breath there are also some romance. Oki yes that felt strange to me because as Bryn knows she is dead It didn’t feel natural she could fall in love. Or that someone knowing the truth could loves her… The romance is only starting and only kisses are exchanged so it’s not too bad but I wasn’t at ease and preferred the action part.

That being said Rachel Caine did manage to write a really good story, in the horror genre yes but not too dark despite some events not easy to read.  I did prefer this book to the other one from her I’ve read but at the same time I’m not sure I want to continue the series which is complete with 2more books. It’s a possibility for later if I come across the last 2 books really cheap but I’m really unsure….i’m quite satisfied with how this book ended and I fear more would be too much for me.

Score:  2,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenge:

Bloodstone ( Deadtown 3) by Nancy Holzner

Hi!

i know i've already posted something today but it wasn't book related so i decided to give you this bonus^^. Like i said precedently, at the moment, i'm ejoying browsing in my TBR pile to find books with druids, Celtic Legends or Magic ...special time of the year for me^^....( Blame Saint Patrick if you want ;) ).

So far, i started new series, or i read stand alone but today i go back to a series i put aside a little ( still need to get the more recently released books) the Deadtown series. At first i discovered and started it because it included zombies and it was a topic for challenge i entered...not my favourite subjet i admit but then... i remembered from where the main Character got her special talent ^^; and yes it fits what i'm looking for  right now^^ thus here comes my opinion on Bloodstone by nancy Holzner


Happy Reading

Publisher: ACE

Publication: 2011

ISBN:  044102100X

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Boston’s diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer—dubbed the South End Reaper—uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there’s no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston’s human and inhuman residents.


As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood…

My opinion:

          What I really enjoyed this time is that even if it has been ages since I read the precedent book I fell immediately back in the universe Nancy Holzner created. There were enough info to put us back on track especially since the events in Bloodstone are deeply linked to those in Hellforged, some are related to events from book 1 because we see again Vicky’s family and her niece Maria but even those are detailed enough so a newcomer to the series wouldn’t feel completely at loss starting here ( though I don’t recommend missing the first 2books)

This story focus on demons yes plural because Pryce is still around but he isn’t the only one sadly and we discover how deeply rooted in the celtic legends both his and Vicky’s family are. We knew she is Cerddorion and that’s what makes her a shapeshifter but we didn’t know a lot apart that…since this book involve all her family  we learn a lot more and while some were predictable it still surprised me quite a lot. Maria is starting to show sign of the awakening of her powers and that frighten her mother Gwen more than anything so she ask Vicky help.. then Mab the elder of the family and master at demon hunting come to the rescue (or intented to^^) and we discover a complete new side of the family and it helped me to understand Gwen a little more…if the past had been different she would perhaps not have chosen the same path ( or not so quickly)

We also learn quite a lot about the Old Ones, the special vampires (though I won’t tell more because it’s complicated and I must keep the surprise twist^^). It was deeply interesting and I really thought the series reached another level.

I loved that we saw a lot of precedent characters like Daniel, Tina, Norden, Gwen, Juliet etc and for those who follow the series we finally discover what species Axel the bar owner is^^…;it was the funny part I guess.

The investigation does come to a conclusion, there is no cliffhanger but you feel the series isn’t finished far from it and it was really well done. You can take a break after this book or continue the series immediately by jumping in the next book one way or another you won’t feel bad in my opinion.

Now this book is also darker than the precedent ones, I had to shed a little tear here and then too but the rhythm is really well paced, not rushed. All is linked and fall into place. So I can only recommend this book if you love zombie, vampires, shapeshifter, magic  because this book has a lot of it^^, action and dark ambiance^^.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges: