Contest the First

Contest Closed

My first contest!!! I'm so excited! Firstly, I'd like to thank Park Avenue Princess for helping out with the drawing and for getting the ball rolling with her fabulous Spotlight Saturday which I have been featured on!

One lucky winner will have there choice of one of these fabulous prizes:
World War Z by Max Brooks
Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow
Terrier by Tamora Pierce
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Den of Shadows Quartet1 by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Da Rulez:

To enter, head on over to Park Avenue Princess' fabulous blog and follow the steps2!

(US mailing addresses only, please3. Ends November 214. Extras Entries are as follows: +1 For following5 , +1 For linking6)

Good luck, y'all!
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes______________________________________________
1 Yes, all 4 books (bound as one)!
2 Fear not if you've already signed up on this post! I took care of everything, so your still entered!
3 Sorry, globies, I can't afford the shipping at present!
4 The end date has been pushed back by one week, but that doesn't mean you should rest on your laurels! Sign up now! You know you want to.
5 Valid for Old and New followers. You might wanna do that now, you know, since your here already...
6 Sidebars are excellent!

My Take On Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

  First off, wow! This book was kinda scary in how dead-on it was. It was written in '53, right, so you wouldn't expect it to still be completely relevant, but it totally was!

  "It was a pleasure to burn."

  F 451 centers on Guy Montag, a fireman in The Future. As a fireman, it is his job to douse houses concealing books in kerosene and burn them to the ground. Burn them to ashes , then burn the ashes, that's their slogan. He's never questioned his comitmient to the firemen in all his years of blissful burning until, one day, he meets a most peculiar girl. Clarisse is unlike any person he's ever met because she looks at him like he matters and asks questions about everything and actually thinks about her answers. She opens his eyes to the world, and what he sees is his wife sitting in the "parlor" watching the "family" all day at which point he realizes that he doesn't even know her anymore, if he ever did know her; the world heading toward war, and most people not even caring; a complete lack of respect for life on the most basic level; basically, a world that's gone morally bankrupt. And how did this happen? It didn't used to be like this, or so he's heard. Children didn't used to kill each other. People used to sit in silence or talk about things, not hide indoors and assault theirs senses with mindeless TV. What's changed to make people into pleasure seekers with no conscience or morality? Answer: A lack of books.
  Due to a self-imposed censorship, the world has fallen into a hateful, mindless stupor. And where did this all start? Why, with the minorities! Every group finding some fault with a book would take that passage and tear it out until, finally, there was nothing left! Sounds familiar, no?
  Censorship is this books main theme, and Bradbury preaches it's dangers in elequent and passionate form. He refers to poetry and the Bible and his favorite writers for quotes. One that's stuck with me particurlarly is an exerpt from Dover Beach;

"Ah, love, let us be true
To each other! for the world which seems
So various, so beautuful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, now light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night."

  Never have I encountered someone with such a passion for books for what they are at their very core, fragrant stacks of paper filled with the marvelous thoughts of strangers, as Mr. Bradbury.
  Due to his innate love of every book for it's merit, I feel it would be wrong for me assign a rating to his work. Suffice it to say that it was a wonderful book well worth reading and pondering.

Happy reading,
Zombie Girrrl

Know Me meme

Here's a meme I snagged from Bites.

1. Do you like blue cheese?

I like blue, and I like cheese, but something horrible happens when you put the two together, so no. I do not like it, Sam.

2. Have you ever been drunk?

Nope, and I intend on keeping it that way!

3. Do you own a gun?

See question 9.

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite?

I was never that big on the artificial colors (and flavors), but put a little Sprite in it, and I was on that like white on rice!

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?

Always.

6. What do you think of hot dogs?

I think it's best not to think about them too hard.

7. Favorite Christmas movie?

I'm a traditionalist on this front, so I'd say anything with playdough.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?

I'd say coffee, but it gives me the jitters and don't like starting my day off like that, so chocolate milk.

9. Can you do push ups?

Yep, 30! *flex* Welcome to the gun show!!!

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?

I had a woven bracelet that my dad got me from Guatamala, but it recently broke. I wore of for five years and only took it off to have my appendix removed, so I feel kinda naked without it.

11. Favorite hobby?

Drawing.

12. Do you have A.D.D.?

My mom swears I do.

13. What’s your favorite shoe?

My Jesus sandals.

14. Middle name?

It's so boring, it's not worth mentioning. I wish I had a cool/embarrassing one like Beatrice or Mildred, but my parents were far too kind.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?

New computers are weird, I'm hungry, I really need to write that guest post.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?

Iced tea, milk, water

17. Current worry?

That I'll run out of time to finish this post (you can only use the library computer for an hour at a time)
18. Current hate right now?

I try not to hate, though right now I hate this weirdo mouse that's not my own!!!

19. Dum da dum dummmm what is that?

The Tumms theme song?

20. How did you bring in the new year?

Same way I have since I was born, with my family, Dick, and Koolade/Sprite.

21. Where would you like to go?

Alaska.

22. Name three people who will complete this?

I dunno.

23. Do you own slippers?

No, they're dangerous. I fell down the stairs too many times when I did wear them. I can't believe people give them to old ladies!

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now?

Old CBGB shirt.

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets?

Never done it, but they sound too slippery. I like jersey sheets, it's sleeping a giant t-shirt caccoon.

26. Can you whistle?

Dixie.

27. Favorite color?

Too many to list.

28. Would you be a pirate?

Uh, no.

29. What songs do you sing in the shower?

Halo by Beyonce, but only in my head. I'd scare my housemates otherwise.

30. Favorite Girl’s Name?

Top 3: Rivers Marin, Temperance Lucile, and Murphy Rose

31. Favorite boy’s name?

Top 3: Jude Makepeace, Prosper James, and Walter Goforth

32. What’s in your pocket right now?

My library card and ID. I don't like purses.

33. Last thing that made you laugh?

Scrabble with my sister. Is "trouplexog" a word?

34. Best bed sheets as a child?

Minnie Mouse.

35. Worst injury you’ve ever had as a child?

A concusion. A concusion.

36. Do you love where you live?

'Salright. Kinda out of the way, though.

37. Revenge of the Nerds or Fast Times at Ridgemont High?

Breakfast Club.

38. Who is your loudest friend?

Uh, I'm usually the one people would choose for that.

39. How many dogs do you have?

Sadly, none. :(

40. Does someone have a crush on you?

Probably not.

42. What is your favorite candy?

Anything chocolate!

43. Favorite Sports Team?

Westham Soccer.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral?

Another One Bites the Dust, acoustic of course. It's classier.

Zombie Girrrl :)

Nightmare Scenario #1

  It's finally happened; my worst tightmare's come true! My computer, ol' faithful herself, has crashed. For good. She's dead! No more! All my files; gone. Like the dousing of a candle in the cold, cold night.
  I'm now posting from my library, which luckily has quite a few computers available and is also very close to my abode. Posts will be slightly fewer and not have pics for the forseeable future, but I will still be here! I'll be pounding the keys for one hour every to every other day, so help me God1!
  And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming, already in progress.

  Zombie Girrrl

Footnotes____________________________________________
1  Seriously, though, Big Guy. A little help with the computer business, please?

You Likey?

  At long last, the transformation is complete! My blog has been zombified! It's based loosely on the gorgeous covers of the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. The protagonist is a necromancer1, so it fits the theme.
  Thanks to the few who voted pro-zombie on the poll!

  And now we return to our regularly scheduled programming.
  ZG

footnotes_________________________________________________
1  Necromancer- one who raises the dead.

Weekly Book Roundup (Oct #2) Plus Announcement

Is it Sunday again?!? I don't know where the times been going lately...
Anyhoo, here's what I got this week1!

In My Mailbox:
  I won the Catching Fire Giveaway at YA Book Realm, and the prize pack came in the mail this week from the publiser! I was so excited! I can't wait to read it! I need to trim down my TBR pile before tackling that, though.

2

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

3

  YA Book Realm is now participating in the Cirque Du Freak movie giveaway, which I'm sure you've all seen around town. The prize includes the first three Cirque du Freak books by Darren Shan bound as one, and a locker mirror! There will be two winners, and it ends October 23, so head on over and enter today!

  In other news, Dahlia of Dahlia's Eclectic Mind is havuing her first EVER giveaway in the form of a (possibly annual) Blogoversary Pumpkin Carving Contest! The prize is your choice of the following:

  All you gotta do is carve a BOOK THEMED pumpkin and send her the pic! I'm one the esteemed "celebrity" judges, so aim to impress me! Y'all know what I like. ;)

Happy reading!
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes____________________________________________________
1  Kudos to The Story Siren for starting and promoting the fantabulous IMM meme!
2  The book looks very small, but it's just because the shirt is very large.
3  See? I'm swimming in it! And that's after I cinched the back! It's really comfy, though. :)

More Awards!

Another batch of awards to accept and pass on! Most of these are totally new to me, so I'm super excited about them!

Thanks go out to Eli of The Tainted Poet for passing this award on to my humble blog1!

Great Look Award:
This award is meant to pat on the back the ones paying particular attention to their blog presentation, and God knows some of them look awesome! Of course none of them are pretty, empty shells, so there's no shame to mention how nice their blogs are!


Here are the rules:
1. Post the award on your blog, with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 5 other blogs that you particularly like. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I thought this one would be hard to pass along, but there are definitely some gorgeous blogs that stand out in my mind, so picking winners for this award was cake!

1. Park Avenue Princess2
2. Sarah's {random} Musings
3. Pirate Penguin
4. Haunting Orchid
5. The Tainted Poet (Yes, I'm regifting, but she deserves it!)


Honest Scrap3 Award:

This is the Honest Scrap award. It is for those bloggers who write from the heart. The rules are to pass it along to seven bloggers, and then list 10 honest things about myself. Here are those deserving of this honor; bloggers who write from the heart and touch me because of it!

Kudos to Velvet of vvb32 reads for this A.W.E.S.O.M.E. award! Usually, I don't take no scrap from nobody, but I'm more than willing to make an exception for this!

Winners:
1. Dahlia
2. Titania86
3. Orchid
4. Taschima
5. Misty
6. Reading Rocks
7. The Epic Rat
8. Park Avenue Princess
9. Bites
10. The Story Siren

Ten Honest Things About the Intriguing, Fantastic and Ever-Humble Zombie Girrrl:
1.  I'm Catholic.
2.  I've been everywhere in this here land (except the middle part).
3.  I first got hooked on zombies last spring after reading World War Z by Max Brooks from the library.
4.  My favorite food is roasted vegetables.
5.  I don't follow trends.
6.  I believe that you make your own happiness, and also your own misery.
7.  The only things that I get nestalgic about are books and music.
8.  My favorite book when I was little was Hop On Pop by Dr. Suess.
9.  I can raise my left eyebrow independantly.
10. Fall is my favorite season because it smells the nicest.

Dragon's Loyalty4 Award:

  Thanks to both Eleni and Velvet for passing this one along! I love y'all's blogs!

This award is for those followers who are the most loyal and give bloggers joy by commenting regularly and with their support. Pass it on to 3 to 7 followers who are as loyal as dragons.

Winners:

1. Velvet

2. Eleni

3. Taschima

4. Dahlia

5. Heather

6. Pirate Penguin

7. Orchid

8. Eli

The Splash Award:

This is the Splash Award, it is given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive, and inspiring blogs.

Thanks to Taschima for giving me this splashy little mermaid5! Her blog is all of the above!
Rules:
Put the logo on your blog/post
Nominate & link up to 9 blogs that you pick for this award
Let them know that they have been splashed
Remember to link the person that nominated and awarded you.

I've gotten this one before, but I've found a lot of new blogs since then, so I'll pass them one on to 5 blogs insted of 9.

Winners:
1. vvb32 reads
2. Fishmuffins of Doom
3. Park Avenue Princess
4. Tainted Poet
5. The Story Siren


  Whoo! That's the last of 'em! Thanks to everyone who thought my blog was worth the time and recognition! You make me smile! And ya'll better visit all those links because it took me forever to do them all!!!
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes____________________________________________
1  I was in the middle of my redesign when I got this one, so I guess I was being patted on the back for effort more than execusion. ;)
2  Note: Park Avenue Princess is having a fantastic contest! You could win a $50 giftcard to Lizzy Bleu, a super cute Etsy jewelry artiste! Enter HERE!!!
3  Honest Scrap was an Ohio based chewing tobbaco company. Smokeless tobbaco is no safer than cigarettes; it is addictive can lead to mouth and throat cancer.
4  I've never thought of dragons as being very loyal, most of the ones I know are just plain greedy.
5  The real Little Mermaid actually ended with Ariel commiting hairy carry. Shocking, no? Personally, I never liked her. She had nice hair, though.

My Take On The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

  Topically, this was a horror story that kept me from reading after dark1.
  Why was it so scary?
  Two words: Fast zombies.
  Yes, it was my worst fear; a zombie you can't outrun. But it was more than that, really. It wasn't just the ever-present horde just beyond the fence. Always menacing. Always threatening. Tingeing the air with fear. No, it was the type of fear that the Unconsecrated brought with them. Familial fear. The fear that comes with your family being in danger. The fear that you're somehow going to be separated at any given moment by distance or death that got to me the most. It was my worst nightmare played out over, and over. It was gripping and it was real. I was on the edge of my seat, never knowing what was coming next until it was upon me. I actually found myself holding my breath on occasions, and sometimes I just had to put it down so I could unwind. There were touches of reality that gave you a glimpse of the magnitude of the situation that were both wonderful and terrifying.
  Mary's dream of finding the ocean, which she learned of from her mother through the stories she passed down to her, is all consuming. It drives her to take chances and explore her village like nobody else ever has before. It emboldens her. It sustains her. She was an excellent character with a lot of backbone and will2. Her life is saturated with tragedy; her father becoming one of the Unconsecrated, her mother falling into despair at the loss and searching the fence line daily for her husband's face, her brother drifting away from her, and her loss of faith in God and the truths she's been taught since birth.
  Ultimately, this is a beautifully told story of hope and love. It’s dead scary, tragic, and made it hard for me to fall asleep some nights, but the message is one of never giving up your dreams and never giving in to fear. Even if that fear has teeth and a hankering for your flesh.
  I give The Forest of Hands and Teeth...

...Five Zombies3 for scaring the bajeezus out of me.

Maybe I'm a wimp, but I don't recommend this for babysitting gigs or camping trips. I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Hunger Games, but wished there had been more cannibalism4. It was similarly paced with a great protagonist and story.

Keep your night-light handy,
Zombie Girrrl
 
footnotes____________________________________________________
1  I also couldn't read this at lunch, like I normally do. It just wasn't happening.
2  She’s also pretty handy with an ax, but that’s another story.
3  Technically, it's four regular zombies and one Fast One.
4  Sicko, you wished there'd been more cannibalism?!?!
*** NOTE: I did not receive any product or monetary compensation for this post. This book was obtained through a contest from a fellow blogger. Individual results may vary. ***

Wondrous Words Wednesday!

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme (hosted by Bermudaonion's Weblog) where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. If you want to play along, grab the button, and join the fun! (Don’t forget to leave a link in your comment if you’re participating.)

  This is a new meme to me, and I couldn't pass it up! Whenever I come across a new or interesting word, I write it down to look up or work into my vocabulary later1.
 
  These wondrous words were found in the first half of The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carry Ryan. I'm sure to come across more as I continue to read.

Bastion:
"That the world ended with the Return and we are the last bastion."2
Pronunciation: \ˈbas-chən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from Old Italian bastione, augmentative of bastia fortress, derivative from dial. form of bastire to build, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German besten to patch
Date: 1562
1 : a projecting part of a fortification
2 : a fortified area or position
3 : stronghold 2

Acquiesce:
"Not having to acquiesce to the Sisters, to acknowledge that I'm wrong about them."3
Pronunciation: \ˌa-kwē-ˈes\
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): ac·qui·esced; ac·qui·esc·ing
Etymology: French acquiescer, from Latin acquiescere, from ad- + quiescere to be quiet — more at quiescent
Date: 1651
: to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively —often used with in and sometimes with to

The words listed below are some that stuck in my brain from the Twilight Saga4.

Sentient:
Pronunciation: \ˈsen(t)-sh(ē-)ənt, ˈsen-tē-ənt\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin sentient-, sentiens, present participle of sentire to perceive, feel
Date: 1632
1 : responsive to or conscious of sense impressions
2 : aware
3 : finely sensitive in perception or feeling
— sen·tient·ly adverb

Irrevocably:
Pronunciation: \i-ˈre-və-kə-bəl, ˌi(r)- sometimes ˌir-(r)ə-ˈvō-kə-\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin irrevocabilis, from in- + revocabilis revocable
Date: 14th century
: not possible to revoke : unalterable
— ir·rev·o·ca·bil·i·ty \-ˌre-və-kə-ˈbi-lə-tē, ˌir-(r)ə-ˌvō-kə-\ noun
— ir·rev·o·ca·ble·ness \-ˈre-və-kə-bəl-nəs, ˌir-(r)ə-ˈvō-kə-\ noun
— ir·rev·o·ca·bly \-blē\ adverb

Neophyte:
Pronunciation: \ˈnē-ə-ˌfīt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin neophytus, from Greek neophytos, from neophytos newly planted, newly converted, from ne- + phyein to bring forth — more at be
Date: 14th century
1 : a new convert : proselyte
2 : novice 1
3 : tyro, beginner

Knowledge is power! :9
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes________________________________________________
1  Yeah, I'm a nerd, so sue me!
2  Page 72
3  Page 100
4  I can no longer recall the passages featuring these words, so I won't attempt to quote them5.
5  I lied. Yes I will. "The neophyte opened her eyes and realized her conversion to vampirism was irrevocable. Not that she wanted to go back; no, from her first taste of blood to her first throw-down with a sentient being, Bella was hooked," or something like that.

My Take On The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

   Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.1

  Story:
  This story comes across more as a group of short stories that describe Bod's escapades throughout his childhood, which is interesting, but left me wondering what the significance of the man Jack was for a longer time than I would have liked. I felt that the story went nowhere in particular for quite a long portion of the book, just sorta meandering from tombstone to tombstone waiting for the time when the real story would come into play.
  The characters were interesting, I especially liked Silas, Bod's guardian. There was an air of mystery surrounding him that was quite enthralling. His true indentity came out as the book progressed giving you first an inkling, then a hunch, then a strong feeling before finally confirming what you'd always secretely suspected about him. His nature was revealed as Bod got older, so it was really like you were seeing Silas through his maturing eyes.
  My favorite aspect of this book was when a new ghost would be introduced. Gaiman would write their name, then put in parentesis what their headstone said, like, "Jane Doe (1886-1903 Nothing runs like a deer, the exception being a Doe.)." It was really fun to read.
 
  Illustrations:
  Dave McCean is amazing. I loved his work in The Savage, and he's basically the whole reason I checked this book out. His work here was a little more abstract and less raw than it was in his other book. It might have been the lack of coloration, but it didn't have the same wow factor for me as The Savage. I still really enjoyed his illustrations, they were a high point for me. I'd see a shadowyness coming through from the pages ahead, and I'd read faster to get to them and see what was next.
  Here's a sample of his work:

  I'd rate this book PG for the occasional scary monster-like thing and violents. No swearing2, so language gets a G. I'd say the age range given by the publisher is dead on, 9 to 12.

  Overall, I give The Graveyard Book...

...Two and a half Zombies3.

Not my cup of tea4.

Happy reading,

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_____________________________________________________

1  This book was procured from my local library. I was not in anyway coerced to review this book.

2  This is children's book, afterall.

3  This my lowest rating ever! It's a sad milestone.

4  Individual results may vary.

 

The Times They Are A'Changin'

 Just thought I'd give those of you haven't heard the news a heads up. The FTC has just made our lives a little more complicated by changing its policy on endoursement to include new media1. Some of the new ideas include counting books received from publishers as compensation, which will have to be included in your income taxes unless returned to the publisher2. The law will be enforced starting Dec1. If you have anyquestions you'd like to ask the bigwigs about this, head on over to Sarah's {random} Musings, she'll calling them up on Monday to see if they can't shin some light on the subject.
 Here's a link to an article at MSNBC that explains it better than I ever could, and one for an interview with one of the bigshots at the FTC.
 The main issue seems to be disclosing where you got the books. My question is: Does the IMM meme count as disclosure? Also, I do this for fun, not to make money! Why do they have to complicate my life by bringing income taxes into the equation?

Let me know what y'all think of this change in policy,
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes__________________________________________________
1  FYI: We're the new media.
2  You read right, they want us to return the books after we review them.

1 Week Till Hush, Hush !

 With just one week to go before the release of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, I thought it would be prudent of me to repost my review and make sure y'all haven't forgotten about this amazing book!

 For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.
 With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.
 But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
 For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.



 Hush, Hush surpassed my1 expectations because it was so much more than just another teenage, supernatural romance. Hiding within the main plot of a dark love story was a mystery that kept me guessing and turning pages well into the wee hours. I had to see how it ended! The climax was unexpected, fully satisfying, and left me hungry for more2.
 I loved the characters; they ran the gamut from blatantly pernicious to deceptively benign. Dark and dangerous Patch with his closet full of skeletons3 and his rogue’s smile was by far my favorite, I felt like he was pulled straight out of my daydreams4. Cautious and reliable Nora with her own shadows lurking in her past rang true as a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and her BFF and soul sister Vee had more than a flare for the dramatic. She livened up the dialogue with flashes of humor that had me laughing out loud or shaking my head along with Nora.
 The relationship between Patch and Nora was gripping to read; I was glued to the page to see what would happen next and was very pleased with the realistic pace it took to develop. While I was a little thrown by the awkward timing that their relationship coalesced into something tangible, I was more than happy to reach that point. Possibly against my better judgment, I was rooting for Patch and Nora.
 Overall this is a book worth reading twice, once at top speed to see what will happen next, and once at a more leisurely pace to enjoy the flow and style with the benefit of seeing how all the subtle hints fit into the bigger picture. This means that Hush, Hush receives…

…Five Zombies!

Only one week to go before you can read about Patch and Nora! I can't wait to read the new ending5.

Happy waiting,

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes___________________________________________________

1  ...admittedly high...
2  I can't believe I have to wait another year for Crescendo, I don't know if I can make it!
3  Possibly real.
4  A realization that leaves me pondering my ratiocination in respect to fantasy me.
5  If you've read the ARC and were thinking, "Well, I don't need to buy the book..." you would be wrong. Certain aspects of the story have been changed prior to publication. I can't wait to see what's different!
6  If you're interested in further Hush, Hush related reading, you can check out my (first ever) interview with Becca Fitzpatrick here.

Zombies Everywhere! (Seriously)

 Where's the last place you'd expect to see zombies? I'll give you some hints: it's a book, it's loved by millions, it's very, very old...
 Any guesses?
 The Bible.
 Yes, while flipping through ye olde family Bible, I stumbled across an illustration that left me both shocked and awed.

It's a kinda old Bible, like early '90's old, so the illustrations are typically kinda lame, but this scene is just... strange. I don't know what the relevance of this is supposed to be, but I assure you it has nothing to do with the second coming. That would be in Revelations.

Note the maggot in his nose; it's a very nice touch.

And the horror continues in the book of Jude! The zombie seems to have escaped and is rampaging through the city. Run, lady!

I dare y'all to top this odd zombie sighting!

Zombie Girrrl

Weekly Book Roundup (Oct #1)

 Another excellent week for books1!

Library:

 All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows.

 While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

 In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

 This series has helped to fill part of the gaping hole left behind by the ending of the epic Harry Potter series. It's a ton of fun, and I can't wait to see the movie!

In My Mailbox:

 This week, I received my last prize from Zombie Appreciation Week from Cecilia of The Epic Rat! She is made of awesome, and her reviews are always honest, so check her out!

 Anyway, I thought I'd won two books from the Zombie GRaB2, but I got three! Including my favorite, World War Z  by Max Brooks!!! Thanks bunches, Cecilia!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?
 

You Are So Undead to Me3

 Fifteen-year-old Megan Berry is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues.
 All Megan wants is to be normal—and go to homecoming, of course. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult when your dates keep getting interrupted by a bunch of slobbering Undead.
 Things are about to get even more complicated for Megan. Someone in school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies, and it's looking like homecoming will turn out to be a very different kind of party—the bloody kind.
 Megan must stop the Zombie apocalypse descending on Carol, Arkansas. Her life—and more importantly, homecoming—depends on it.

World War Z

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie War

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

 I'd also like to point out that I've cracked 50! 50 followers is kinda the first big milestone in the blogosphere, so expect something special in the near future... ^-^

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_________________________________________________
1  Kudos to The Story Siren for starting and promoting the fabulous IMM meme!
2  I think it stands for Go Read a Book.
3  I was wearing a pink striped shirt like the one on the cover when it came it in the mail. That was kinda weird.

My Take On Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow

 Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie1.)
 Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

 This book pulled me along with its fast pace, excellent writing, gritty narration, and realistic cast. Dru's voice was exceptional and raw, I loved her style and phrasing. The book was almost infinitely quotable with such gems as, "The mall was as brightly lit as heaven," and, "First one's free," and, "Running on rabbit." You got glimpses of Dru's past in brief descriptions and comparisons she made throughout the book, and what I saw in them was very similar to the first two seasons of Supernatural. I felt that Dru herself was an amalgamation of the two main characters of that show, Sam and Dean Winchester. She's a tough as nails, take no scrap from anybody, in your face, trash talkin', gunslingin', boogey man hunter.
 Other amazing cast members include: Graves, a scrawny goth boy she meets in school who takes it upon himself to look out for her, even though she needs no physical protection, and gets swept up in the mayhem; Gran, who, though deceased, plays a large roll in semi-flashbacks that Dru has to her childhood spent in the country and colors the book with her folksy wisdom; Chris, a suspicious character of undetermined allegiance who walks on top of the snow and smells like apple pie?; and Dear Old Dad, an ex-Marine who drags Dru all over the U.S. of A. hunting the things that go bump2 in the night in an attempt to avenge his late wife.
 The creatures featured herein were varied and very awesome. That was the only thing typical about this book was the choice of monsterage. There were suckers, werwulfen3, spooks, and, of course my favorite, zombies. But they were different from the usual sparkly-attends-high-school-for-all-eternity-monsters we come across all too often these days; these guys were scary. St. Crow's interpretation of them was thrilling and she threw in some creatures of her own to spice things up.
 I'd rate this book as PG 133 for strong language, violence, and scary imagery. In other words, it's an action packed, highly imaginative story with a lot of swearing, all in context, though. I felt that it livened up the dialogue quite nicely and added a level of realism and style that you couldn't have gotten any other way.
 I give Strange Angels...

...Five5 Zombies.

I highly, highly recommend this gritty, thriller. If you enjoy this, you'll also like the Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong.

Happy reading,

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes______________________________________________
1  Yes, I was very excited to see this.
2  Although "bump" is hardly the only sound they make.
3  Pronounced with a v sound.
4  I'll be rating books for content like this from now on. I really hope it catches on as I'm always wondering what books would be rated before I read them.
5  Five fancy zombies!