Demon Dawn (Resurrection Chronicles #7) by M.J. Haag

  Demon Dawn (Resurrection Chronicles #7) by M.J. Haag

Survival requires sacrifice. 
 

The world irrevocably changed after the hellhounds and fey appeared. Most people didn’t survive that first night. Dad had said we were lucky we did. I’m not so sure about that anymore.

With her father murdered before her eyes and her faith in the remaining humans shaken, Brenna reluctantly accepts sanctuary in Tolerance, a safe zone managed by the fey. The wall keeps the infected out. But it also keeps the humans in…with the very creatures that caused the world to break.

Big, grey, and ruthlessly deadly, the fey strike fear in the hearts of men and women alike. But Brenna finds one more intimidating than all the rest. Scarred and angry, Thallirin watches Brenna with an intensity that makes her relive the events that followed her father’s murder. She knows what Thallirin wants, and she’s never going to be used like that again.

Tormented by her past, Brenna sees no possible future other than eventual infection or starvation. There is hope, though. Her community is abuzz with a newly discovered way to protect women against the disease that’s turning people into zombies. However, it doesn’t come from a needle.

It comes from sleeping with the dark fey.


Oh my god, somehow these books keep getting better and better! I absolutely loved Demon Dawn and can't wait for the next book in this series to come out. I've read all of the books in this series and loved each and every one. They are funny, captivating and amazing, even though I must admit that at first, I wondered if it was really such a good idea to read a book set in a kind of zombie-apocalypse at a time like this when we have our own kind of apocalypse waiting outside but, well, it was the resurrection series, right? I couldn't resist!

Brenna is another wonderful character who has fought hard to survive in this new world and like many others, she had to learn that the monsters are not always those who look like it. After everything they have been through, I loved how Brenna slowly learned to love the one guy who has been waiting patiently for her to love him back - and I also loved to see her mother find someone to love as well.

If you've read the other books in this series, you will have met Thallirin already. He has not always been one of the good guys but he has worked hard to be accepted by the others again. Oh, by the way - I hope that you've read the other books already because even though most of the books apart from the first three can be read as standalones, you'd miss the world-building and you'd lack some information. It's just more fun if you read them in their order or at least read the first three before you read any of the other books.
And now - just dive in, this book is amazing, I hope that you'll love it as much as I do!

★★★★★

Moon Cursed (Wolf Hollow Shifters #4) by Nikki Jefford

Moon Cursed by Nikki Jefford

Synopsis 

Time is running out for Elsie.

Elsie's coven always believed that she was moon cursed. Promised to the bear shifters before she was ever born, the witch wolf shifter has until her twentieth birthday to outsmart Brutus, her would-be mate who only wants her as payback.

To save his coven, her father made a terrible, magically binding agreement decades ago, never dreaming he'd have children, especially not powerful wolf shifters. Luckily, he never specified what type of shifter Elsie must claim.

Zackary doesn't believe he deserves love or forgiveness.

Ever since he betrayed a packmate, Zackary has been making up for his sins. No matter what, he knows the truth. Once a mongrel, always a mongrel—just like his father always told him. Now the mad wolf has returned to torment Zackary and the pack.

Not one to be scared off, Elsie, the sweetest and loveliest of all females, refuses to believe he's no good for anyone—especially her.

Fated mates or doomed lovers?

Zackary and Elsie never knew how strong their love would grow … until they're in too deep.

Zackary betrayed Elsie's brother once before. If the wizard shifter knew what he was doing with Elsie in private, Tabor would kill, maim, or use that dick shrinkage spell he once threatened him with.

With a meddlesome ex from her coven, who won't let go, and a brute of a bear shifter intent on trapping her inside his cave forever, it will take more than magic to save Elsie from her curse.

Do these star-crossed lovers stand a chance?

 

Oh my, this series just keeps getting better and better! I remember that it took me some time to get into it when I read Wolf Hollow, the first book in this series because I thought that it was all so foreseeable and ...yep, forget about that. It wasn't. And Moon Cursed, the latest book in the Wolf Hollow Shifter series, also kept me on my toes, made me scream with frustration, sob, laugh, swoon - oh, don't forget to stock up on Kleenex before you start...yep, just saying, you'll want to be prepared, trust me.

Elsie is running out of time and things seem to progress the way she hoped, even though it takes a bit to convince Zackary to take a chance on her, I mean - her brother? This big bad and powerful wizard? Riiiiight... That's exactly what everybody dreams of when they think of their future brother-in-law. Not. And those of you who have read the other books in this series might remember that her brother Tabor and Zackary don't have the best history, considering all that happened when Zackary and his father tried to prevent Tabor from mating with Sasha in Wolf Hollow.
With Elsie fighting against time, a feral wolf on the loose, her meddlesome ex trying to help and everything else, things get rather tight. Will Zackary be able to overcome all the obstacles that prevent him from claiming the woman he loves?

Cocky purebloods, meddlesome and furious wizards notwithstanding, there are a lot of wonderful and interesting friends, old and new, to meet, a love to pursue and a damsel in distress waiting to be saved. Throw in a brutal and revengeful bear shifter biding his time and, oh, yes, don't forget that feral wolf and you know that you are in for a ride! 

🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺 

Red Zone (Red Zone #1) by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

  Red Zone (Red Zone #1) by Janet Elizabeth Henderson

 SYNOPSIS

Welcome to the new world. Things have changed just a bit. Big Brother’s not only monitoring important things like what toilet paper you buy—it now has direct access to everything you see thanks to the mandatory implant you get at birth. And Friday Jones has seen something she wishes she hadn’t.

Now she has all kinds of undesirables after her—some to straight up kill her and others who want to steal what’s locked in her head. So, she’ll need the help of a ruthless mercenary, Striker, if she has any chance at survival. That he’s a jerk, who she wants to punch in the face, well…a dying woman sometimes has to make tough choices.

Striker’s special abilities have kept him in the shadows for a reason. He has no interest in getting mixed up with the smart-mouthed, hard-headed women no matter how his body reacts. But then he discovers what’s in her head and all bets are off.


Wow, what a pleasant surprise! I just saw the cover and, well, being a cover-lover I went for it. I bought this book and "just browsing" immediately turned into reading intensely and not putting it down. This imaginative, fantastic story full of suspense, action and romance drew me in from the first page on.

I loved Friday so much, she is a wonderful character, full of quirks and when she starts to think and, yep, chocolate... I laughed so much and I mean, who could resist that talking, hitch-hiking handbag with an attitude to match its....partner's? Did I forget to mention that the talking handbag is also lethal? Well, yeah, it is. And it loves to cuddle - go figure.

Though I forgot to mention our hero, Striker. Friday and Striker are an amazing couple, you can feel not only their chemistry but even more their love right from the start. You get it, you can feel why Striker, the hard, capable Striker falls for Friday with all her quirks and her open heart who embraces everyone. At first she seems weak though the reader very soon realizes how intelligent and strong she really is, how capable and courageous. She is not fearless but no matter what happens, she pulls through, she fights, she cares even with a death sentence hanging over her head and things very soon going to hell, she still cares for others and never gives up.

Did I mention how much I loved this book?

★★★★★

Cover Reveal - Moon Cursed by NIkki Jefford #MoonCursed #WolfHollow

Do you remember the wolf shifters of Wolf Hollow? 

I already loved the first book - and they just kept getting better and better ... 

We left our wolves with Wolfrik and Kallie happily mated but there was the one who wasn't just a 

 wolf and whose fate looked rather dire... 

This is Elsie's story and I can't wait to get my hands on it, I really loved these books! 

And now look at this gorgeous cover:

Moon Cursed by Nikki Jefford

And that's the story:

Time is running out for Elsie.

Elsie’s coven always believed that she was moon cursed. Promised to the bear shifters before she was ever born, the witch wolf shifter has until her twentieth birthday to outsmart Brutus, her would-be mate who only wants her as payback.

To save his coven, her father made a terrible, magically binding agreement decades ago, never dreaming he’d have children, especially not powerful wolf shifters. Luckily, he never specified what type of shifter Elsie must claim.

Zackary doesn’t believe he deserves love or forgiveness.

Ever since he betrayed a packmate, Zackary has been making up for his sins. No matter what, he knows the truth. Once a mongrel, always a mongrel—just like his father always told him. Now the mad wolf has returned to torment Zackary and the pack.

Not one to be scared off, Elsie, the sweetest and loveliest of all females, refuses to believe he’s no good for anyone—especially her.

Fated mates or doomed lovers?

Zackary and Elsie never knew how strong their love would grow … until they’re in too deep.

Zackary betrayed Elsie’s brother once before. If the wizard shifter knew what he was doing with Elsie in private, Tabor would kill, maim, or use that dick shrinkage spell he once threatened him with.

With a meddlesome ex from her coven, who won’t let go, and a brute of a bear shifter intent on trapping her inside his cave forever, it will take more than magic to save Elsie from her curse.

Do these star-crossed lovers stand a chance?

Moon Cursed is a steamy, second chance romance about a bully longing for redemption, and a brazen she-wolf-witch who goes after what she wants—even after the entire pack warns her against following her heart.

  

Demon Night (Resurrection Chronicles #6) by M.J. Haag #DemonNight

  Demon Night (Resurrection Chronicles #6) by M.J. Haag

Blurb: 

Every secret has a price.

It’s a truth that Angel knows too well. Since the hellhounds and infected started to roam, Angel has guarded her secret carefully. But, she’s growing weaker by the day and needs help. In this new plague-ravaged world, the weak don’t survive long, and the useless are quickly abandoned. That’s why Angel’s secret needs to stay secret. If anyone found out about the baby she carried, they’d ditch her in a heartbeat to save themselves.

To make herself an asset, she offers her services as a relationship expert to one of the dark fey, who rose with the hellhounds, in exchange for food. Shax is eager to win over Hannah, and if Angel can help make that happen, just maybe she won’t be kicked out when she has the baby.

Falling for her "client" was never in her plans. 



Once again the author drew me in and held me captive till the very end of this amazing book!

This story about Angel and Shax fits right in with the other stories in this series but at the same time, it is absolutely unique and different. Two people of two very different races finding their way to each other - yeah, we heard that before, right? We did but Angel and Shax's story is not only different because of the fact that Angel is pregnant and trying to hide it but also because of their characters. At at a time where food and everything else is scarce and people tend to divide those around them in people who are useful and those that aren't, it is not easy to be pregnant and looking for a safe haven. And even when you think you have found it, well, you can never be sure that it stays that way. Not in those days after the earth quakes, in the days when hell hounds and infected roam our earth and the dark fey came back.

I don't think that I ever put the book down while I was reading it, I just took it everywhere and read while walking around and doing my chores till I reached the last page. And now I can't wait for the next book to come!
If you haven't read any of the other books in this series, I'd recommend reading from the first book on, because you'll need it to understand everything that happens. Every book can be read as a stand-alone and is complete in itself but it's much more fun to read them all because they are based on each other.

★★★★★

Demon Deception by Melissa Haag

 Demon Deception by Melissa Haag

Blurb:

Cassie Feld’s world is falling apart. Grieving from the loss of her husband and youngest child, she lives in fear of losing her remaining daughter. She knows she can't protect her alone. There’s a solution, as terrifying and as heartbreaking as she finds it, that will ensure she never has to suffer such a devastating loss again. She needs to sleep with one of the dark fey who rose with the hellhounds. More than that, she needs to become his. She has to give him the one thing she isn’t sure she can. Her heart.


Cassie must figure out a way to set aside her grief long enough to get the deed done. After all, what wouldn’t a mother do to protect her child? Even risk falling in love again.


Oh My ..wow. This book was so amazing! I so felt with Cassie and.....well. And. And who? Find out for yourself!

Every mother can imagine what it must be like to not know whether your child is still alive while still fearing for the safety of your other child each and every day. When a solution presents itself that is as terrifying as the one that seems to be her only option...  Not an easy choice but if you fear for your child, everything is possible. Maybe it is even possible to learn to love again and to lose your fear of the unknown. I loved to see Cassie find love and to start to trust again and I loved to see her overcome not just that fear of the unknown but also her fear of falling in love again.
When she left with some of the fey to search for her son and her husband, I felt with her when they were attacked and had to learn that the Infected were getting more dangerous, I cried with Cassie and I laughed with her and the others when things were finally, finally looking up.

This book drew me in from the first page on and I didn't put it down till the end. Once again the story was unique and completely different from the other stories in this series. Even though every book tells the story of some of the survivors, every books tells its own story.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I also enjoyed everything that I read about Mya and Dray or Eden and Ghua and their life now very much and I laughed so hard because, well, Ghua being Ghua, right? Just remember  - his....collection...?

By the way, if you haven't read the other books yet - read them. Now. And then come back and read this one. Even though this can be read as a standalone, it is much more fun to read when you know more about this world and the people you meet!

Once again an amazing book and a briliant sequel - and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series! I can't wait!

★★★★★

Born Wild (Wolf Hollow Shifters #3) by Nikki Jefford

 Born Wild by Nikki Jefford

Blurb:

FOR THREE YEARS, HUMANS FORCED THE PUREBLOODED WOLF SHIFTER TO FIGHT HIS OWN KIND

After escaping his human captors, Wolfrik returns to Wolf Hollow covered in scars and hostility. He wants nothing to do with pack politics and refuses to play nice.

AN INJURY ISOLATED THE SHE-WOLF AND LEFT HER VULNERABLE

Ever since Kallie’s foot was permanently maimed in a vulhena attack, she’s been relocated to the den where Palmer—the pack’s elder and council member—is after her to become his third mate.

A heated encounter with Wolfrik gives Kallie an idea. If she can convince the wild wolf to be her bedmate, Palmer will finally leave her alone.

But when an unexpected bond forms between the pair, Kallie may have bitten off more than she can chew. Is the aggressive pureblood too damaged to settle down with a mate?

REDEMPTION MAY COME TOO LATE

Forced to face his inner demons, or lose the woman he loves, Wolfrik must confront the past he’s tried so hard to forget. But the past is about to catch up to him and old enemies could doom the entire hollow.  

What a ride! I loved the first two books in this series but "Born Wild" might be even better than those!

Kallie and Wolfrik, our hero and our heroine are damaged and hurt and you just want them to be happy again. Reading about Wolfrik and his time with the humans, his final fight and everything that led to his escape makes you feel with him and hope that finally his life might take a turn for the better. Might. If there wasn't his past coming to visit...or rather haunt him. And Kallie? Well, nobody likes to be pressured into an unwanted relationship but the way Palmer pursues her - yeah, I got so mad at him! He was simply disgusting. Not taking no for an answer, thinking himself the answer to every woman's dreams....nope. I really didn't like him. Not. At. All.
When Wolfrik entered the scene and a certain bond formed between him and Kallie, I started to hope that those two would heal each other. Kallie's injury left her with a lot of pain and a bleak future that might turn into something much better - if those two can overcome not only their personal demons but also the threat from Wolfriks past.

Well written as always, this book is another one in a great series that I really loved reading and that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

★★★★★

 

 

Demon Escape (Resurrection Chronicles #4) by M.J. Haag

 She did it again!

  Demon Escape by M.J. Haag

 Blurb:

 Eden Terry survived the first ring of hell only to end up in the second one.

With nothing but a trowel and her wits, she's determined to escape the work camp holding her prisoner. She dreams of finding a safe haven and living in the new, devastated world on her own.

However, surviving alone after she escapes proves more difficult than she ever imagines. While running from zombies and hellhounds, a new creature emerges. This one isn't after her blood. He wants much more.

Eden must decide who the real devils are between man and demon. Choosing wrong could cost her life; choosing correctly could lead her to the haven she's been searching for.


Okay, this book is amazing! I laughed so hard sometimes and I giggled and gasped and, once again, loved every single page of it! I loved reading about Mya and Drav in the other books (and I also loved to learn more about them as well) but Ghua and Eden are also a very sweet and entertaining couple.

 Drav was sweet and protective, Ghua is even more loving and also a fierce protector. Even though he is still a bit naive, he understands her well and respects her efforts to be independent and in charge of her own life while still keeping her safe.
Edens stubbornness and her fear of being hurt and robbed of her freedom, again, don't make things easy for them but Ghua wouldn't be fey if he would give up on her just because of some minor obstacles (no matter how big they may turn out to be...).

If you want to know how a book set in a world of destruction, where hellhounds and zombies walk around threatening the lives of everyone, can make you laugh out loud and giggle the whole book long and if, by chance you have a weakness for grey-skinned fey aka demons, well, this is the right book for you.
Truth to tell, I still haven't fully recovered from the other books in this series and still start to giggle whenever I see any bee-related books but this book made me even laugh more. I'm not sure if I'll ever fully recover from some of the scenes .... in a totally good way. ;-)

This book might be read as a standalone but it'll be much more fun if you read the others first.
And I can't wait to read more of these books....

★★★★★

 

 

Schattenhauch von Tanja Bern

  

Schattenhauch by Tanja Bern

Inhalt:

Vor 30 Jahren löschte eine Katastrophe die moderne Welt nahezu aus. Die wenigen Überlebenden sind gezwungen, ein Leben wie in vergangener Zeit zu führen – naturverbunden und ohne technische Unterstützung.
Die siebzehnjährige Amelie ist behütet in einer von riesigen Festungswällen umgebenen Siedlung aufgewachsen.
Eines Tages wird ein Mädchen vermisst und Amelie wird gezwungen, hinter die Barriere zu gehen – in den undurchdringlichen Urwald, in dem unheimliche Schatten lauern. Begleitet wird sie von einem jungen Mann, den man einst am Rand der düsteren Wälder gefunden hat. Auf ihrem gefahrvollen Weg entdecken die Suchenden die Ruinen einer untergegangenen Stadt – und dort lauern namenlose Schrecken ...

"Schattenhauch" überzeugt durch eine gelungene Story in Verbindung mit gut skizzierten Charakteren und einem fesselnden Schreibstil. Dass es außerdem auch noch mit einigen Denkanstößen aufwartet, macht es nur noch runder.

Kaum angefangen, ist man sofort in der Geschichte drin und es fällt schwer, das Buch, bzw. den Reader wegzulegen.

Mit Derlyn und Amelie, zwei Jugendlichen, die durch die Umstände gezwungen sind, die sichere Welt ihres kleinen Dorfes zu verlassen und sich durch den Urwald zu schlagen, der nach einer großen Umweltkatastrophe vor etlichen Jahren das Land erobert hat, hat Tanja Bern zwei sehr sympathische und liebenswerte Protagonisten geschaffen, mit denen man sich gut identifizieren kann. Ihre Begegnungen mit den Schrecken des Urwalds und den Wesen, die durch die Umweltkatastrophe geschaffen wurden, halten den Leser in Atem.

Mir gefiel sehr, wie gekonnt hier ernste Inhalte und eine fantasievolle Geschichte miteinander verwoben wurden und ich habe die beiden Protagonisten sehr sehr gerne auf ihrer Suche begleitet.
Die lebendige und flüssige Schreibweise und die gut konstruierte Geschichte sorgen dafür, dass es ein rundum gelungenes Lesevergnügen ist, das ich guten Gewissens empfehlen kann!

★★★★

Mating Games by Nikki Jefford #MatingGames

 Mating Games by Nikki Jefford

Blurb: 

 A FEMALE GUARDING HER HEART . . .

Hot-tempered, agile, and jaded, Jordan spurns the match her father is pushing between her and the swaggering mammoth, Raider. She'd happily let one of her fawning sisters have him, but her packmates are taking bets on who Raider will ultimately claim. Jordan wants nothing to do with the insufferable beast . . . until he saves her life.

A MALE CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF HIS PACK . . .

All brawn and no brains, that's what most male shifters think when they see Raider. The females treat him as a strong, attractive prize they want to sink their claws into. Only one female avoids him, which is fine with him until they are paired up for patrol. The hot-blooded she-wolf doesn't have to like him, but she'll have to find a way to perform her duties.

ENTANGLED IN A WEB OF DECEIT . . . AND DESIRE

When Jordan’s life is threatened, along with several packmates, the mating games take a dangerous turn.

Something sinister is happening in Wolf Hollow and outside forces threaten the impassioned bond forming between two shifters fated to be together.

It did take me a bit longer to get into it again and I needed some time to sort through the characters in order to find out who was who and what was his or her role in the story. It would definitely have been better if I had re-read Wolf Hollow before starting on Mating Games.

Once I got into the story again, I really loved it. I loved the characters and the story even though some parts seemed a bit drawn out but that might also have been my impatience for Raider and especially Jordan to finally accknowledgewhat I already knew. 

This new world, built on the remnants of the old one, is no safe place to be, not even for someone as strong as our shifters of Wolf Hollow and not always does the threat come from the outside but sometimes also from inside of the Hollow and the members of its pack.

While Jordan and Raider try to sort out their feelings, they not only have to fight off their enemies but they also have to fight against their pack's exectations and some potential mates who have a problem with the concept of the word "no" or "I'm not interested".
I loved Jordan and Raider. Raider is much more than people give him credit for and Jordan, well, the more you get to know her, the more you have to love her.

This book and its story keep you on your toes. It is fast-paced, sweet and sexy and will keep you glued to your reader till the end. 

★★★★

PURCHASE TODAY:

Amazon Universal: myBook.to/MatingGameNJ

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More Amazon INT links: http://nikkijefford.com/wolf-hollow/

Demon Ash (Resurrection Chronicles #3) by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

  Demon Ash by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

Blurb:

 The world is nothing like Mya remembers. While in Ernisi, cities have been bombed and burned in an attempt to stop the hellhounds and the plague. The survivors are doing everything they can to win back their world from the hell that was unleashed with the first quake.

With Drav's help, Mya reunites with her family, but they are far from safe. Marauders, hellhounds, and the infected are doing their best to destroy what's left of the world, and it's up to Mya and Drav to save it.


You know this feeling of dread when you start the last book of an amazing series? The feeling that this book has the power to destroy it all? No matter how good the other books were but a bad or even mediocre last book will bring them down. So, naturally, every last book in a series that I love, is something that I long for while fearing at the same time that I might be disappointed when I get it.

Do you know that feeling? Well, you can stop worrying, "Demon Ash" doesn't disappoint at all. It is simply amazing! From the first page on I was captivated by it and couldn't put my reader down. I loved meeting Mya and Drav again, getting to meet her family and see them interact with Drav and his friends. I laughed and giggled a lot, especially when Mya's mum was around, I stopped breathing, I might have shed a tear or two - and I absolutely loved every single page of this book.

This book was perfect, it was the perfect ending to a wonderful story. It took me on a long journey, getting to know Drav and his friends much better, seeing them interact with children (soooo cute) and women (even though they still have to learn the there are some questions....wellllll..... ), protecting those around them and of course, protecting Mya.
The whole series is amazing. It is funny and captivating and I loved each and every one of those books.

★★★★★

 

 

 

 

Underneath the Sun by Shannon Dermott

 Underneath the Sun by Shannon Dermott

Blurb: 

Scientist warned this day was coming. And it’s finally here.

Harlow Forde, a nursing student, is used to giving up the things that matter most to her like her dreams of becoming a doctor because financially she couldn’t swing it. And letting go the only boy she’s ever loved, Jackson Ryan. The small town sport’s hero left at her urging for dreams he could achieve by utilizing a full scholarship at a prestigious university hours away.

But Harlow’s a fighter and shows no fear when the sirens begin to blast warning that the rays that brighten the sky and created golden tans will now blister skin on contact. She grabs her bag, like the rest of the residents of her town, and gives up the only home she’s ever known to make the most of her new underground one.

Even though everything has changed between them, Harlow still holds out hope that Jackson will arrive before the doors close as world hides from the brightest star in the sky which has become the Earth’s most dangerous adversary.

Only Mother Nature turns out not to be the only foe. The residents of her town will have to band together to survive as Harlow finds her place, her voice, and her love underneath the sun.

Somehow...I can't really say why, but somehow I couldn't get into this book.
Part of the problem may have been the fact that I expected more of the dystopian story but mainly it was about Harlow and Jackson. I like Jackson and Harlow, really but the world just became inhabitable, everything was lost and we heard just a teeny tiny bit about that but we read dozens of pages about their love for each other in the past.

Things happen but they don't seem to be very important, even the whole apocalypse stuff is just, well, not that important. It happened, okay, let's go on and find Jackson and dream of him and the time with him.

I couldn't really identify and feel with the hero and the heroine. Somehow I felt that there was a whole lot of misunderstandings and presumptions and whatever going on, that made things unnecessarily difficult. Jackson remained a stranger, at least to me, and you never really got to know him but Harlow wasn't that easy to understand as well.
Apart from that, Harlow just seemed to be a bit too perfect, she never made a mistake, she was beautiful and bad-ass and at least theoretically every guy was interested in her and she never knew it and... well, you get the gist, right?

Don't get me wrong, I liked the idea of the story and it is not a bad story just very different from what I expected because the focus seems to be almost exclusively on the love story.

 ★★★

 

Demon Ember (Resurrection Chronicles Book 1) by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

  Demon Ember  by M.J. Haag and Becca Vincenza

Blurb:

Mya’s world is falling apart. After a series of earthquakes, deadly animals with glowing red eyes begin attacking people and start the spread of a zombie-like plague. Safety is just a memory as she tries to make her way home. When a different creature attacks the people helping her reach Oklahoma City, Mya is sure she’ll never see the light of another day.

Despite his eerie yellow eyes and very sharp teeth, the grey-skinned creature is more intelligent and humanlike than he first appears. He’s determined to keep Mya by his side and protect her from the new world’s dangers. When his path starts taking her further away from home, she must choose between safety and her family.

**Recommended for adult readers
***Part 1 of 3


Wow, this book drew me in from the first page on! I couldn't put it down till the end, taking my reader with me everywhere I went. It was really amazing! At the beginning, I didn't really know what to expect but having read other books by Melissa Haag and Becca Vincenza, I knew that I love her books so I just trusted that this one would be as good as the others.

I don't know how many times I did burst out laughing and that night found me lying in my bed and giggling everytime I thought of the book. And...bees. Definitely bees. And other b-related things.

That part was amazing, obviously, but the story is not just funny but also thrilling and captivating and I just read on and on and couldn't stop because I had to know... Right. I had to know.
I like the way the authors build up the tension, like our heroine Mya, you only get glimpses of what is happening, and believe me, there are some seriously strange things going on.

Strange earthquakes? Check.
Zombie-producing attacks by deadly dogs? Check.
Strange, equally deadly creatures turning up? Check.

Okay, when one of those strangers is interested in Mya, she (and I with her) is a bit wary of him because, well, let's just say that people who can kill other people that easily are usually the kind of people that you should be wary of. At least - under normal circumstances, right?
Only there is nothing normal when you are in the middle of a Zombie-Apocalypse.
Traveling with a travel buddy like Drav was definitely nothing that Mya could have imagined a few days earlier but with Drav protecting her, she might even make it to the place where the rest of her family is waiting for her alive. Perhaps.

The next book in the series can't come soon enough because I can't wait to see what happens to Mya and Drav whom we left in a rather ...difficult... place at the end of the book.

★★★★★

Slumber by J L Weil

  Slumber by J L Weil 

Blurb:

There is no such thing as happily ever after. Everything Charlotte Winston thought she knew has been thrown out the window. From the moment she opens her eyes, the world she remembered ceases to exist, and in its place is a post-apocalyptic realm filled with unimaginable dangers. And one very smoking hot guy who has an uncanny ability to make her blood sing, then boil in a blink of an eye. Dash Darhk is everything her parents would hate. He's six feet and two inches of dark temptation and a killer smile, that's surely left a stream of broken hearts in his wake. But her parents are nowhere to be found. Charlotte is alone in this new world. Destroyed by a toxic mist, the land isn't the only thing altered, but the inhabitants as well. As Charlotte begins the hunt for her family, gifts she's never fathom awake inside her. And with the gifts come problems. Enormous ones. Charlotte is running out of options and places to hide. If she can't figure out who to trust-and fast-she will lose more than her heart. Fans of Hunger Games, The 100, and Divergent will fall in love with Slumber.

How many colors does a rainbow have - or what are you capable of once the mist has worked its magic?


Wow, I really enjoyed reading this book!
When I started to read the book, I put it down very soon because I just couldn't get into it. The next time I tried to read it - I didn't put it down till I had read the very last page.
Okay, there were times where I could have thrown my reader away because I was so furious and times were I was really, really upset but once I'd got into the story, it just kept me glued to the reader. Captivating and original and at the same time well written with a great story line - sounds good? Read it! It is that good!

When Charlotte wakes up "Snow White-stylish", everything is different. More than a hundred years have passed since the mist invaded the world and the world has changed - and not only the world, Charlotte herself is different. But, well, first of all, she has to survive traveling in this new world with Dash at her side, without getting her heart broken! Okay, that may not be the most important part, considering the fact that they are fighting to survive and are hunted by the Night Guard while searching for Charlotte's family but believe me, it might just turn out to be the most difficult part...

I loved the story and I loved that characters and I definitely can't wait to read the next book in the series! My first book by J.L. Weil but not my last one!

★★★★★

 

Elias & Laia - Die Herrschaft der Masken von Sabaa Tahir

Uff, manchmal passt es irgendwie so gar nicht, egal wie gut das Buch eigentlich ist. 

Bestimmt habt Ihr alle schon Elias & Laia entdeckt, oder?

Es klang so gut, dass ich es unbedingt lesen musste...

Elias & Laia - Die Herrschaft der Masken von Sabaa Tahir 
Verlag : Lübbe ONE in der Bastei Lübbe AG 
ISBN: 9783846600092

Inhalt:

Wie überlebt man in einer Welt, in der Männer mit silbernen Masken jeden Tag den Tod bringen können? Wie kann man sich selbst treu bleiben, wenn die Herrschenden des Imperiums alles dafür tun, voller Grausamkeit ein ganzes Volk zu unterjochen? Elias und Laia stehen auf unterschiedlichen Seiten. Und doch sind ihre Wege schicksalhaft miteinander verknüpft. Während Elias in der berühmten Militärakademie von Schwarzkliff dazu ausgebildet wird, als Elite-Krieger die silberne Maske der Macht voller Stolz und ohne Erbarmen zu tragen, muss Laia täglich die Willkür der Herrschenden fürchten. Als ihre Familie ermordet wird und ihrem Bruder die Hinrichtung droht, schließt sie sich dem Widerstand an. Als Sklavin getarnt, dringt sie in das Innerste von Schwarzkliff vor. Dort trifft sie auf Elias, den jungen Krieger, der eigentlich ihr Feind sein müsste ...


Wie gesagt, ganz ganz viele positive Rezensionen hatte ich zu diesem Buch gelesen, allein das Cover fand ich schon toll und irgendwie schwärmten alle von diesem Buch und ich verstehe ja eigentlich auch, wo diese ganzen positiven Eindrücke herkommen, aber  - meins ist es nicht.
Ich hatte das Gefühl, von einer Grausamkeit zur anderen zu eilen, so dass es mir teilweise unmöglich war, das Buch in der Hand zu behalten, wodurch ich das Buch letztlich nur in vielen Etappen lesen konnte.

Es ist nicht schlecht geschrieben, im Gegenteil, es ist spannend, es liest sich gut, die Charaktere sind interessant, von daher kann ich auch nachvollziehen, warum es so viele extrem positive Rezensionen gibt, aber ich musste halt leider feststellen, dass mein Magen und ich ein kleines Problem mit beschriebenen Grausamkeiten hatten, die ich doch als sehr intensiv empfand. Immer wenn ich vorblätterte, um zu gucken, ob es irgendwo etwas leichter wird, schwups, passierte wieder etwas, was mir zu schaffen machte. Der im Klappentext beschriebene Hoffnungsschimmer glomm in meinen Augen immer nur leicht, um gleich wieder von der nächsten Grausamkeit erstickt zu werden.

Da ich die Panem-Bücher ohne große Schäden hinter mich gebracht habe, hätte ich nicht gedacht, dass ich mit diesem Buch so ein Problem haben würde, aber irgendwie war es mir hier zu viel, auch wenn das für viele vermutlich nicht nachvollziehbar ist.
Wie erwähnt, ist die Geschichte in sich rund, das Buch ist spannend und gut geschrieben, es stimmt eigentlich alles - nur lesen mochte ich es nicht.

 ★★★

Schattenhauch: Ruinen der Dämmerung -Tanja Bern

Schattenhauch: Ruinen der Dämmerung von Tanja Bern 
Verlag : Impress 
ISBN: 9783646600391


Inhalt:  


Die siebzehnjährige Amelie ist einer der wenigen übrig gebliebenen Menschen einer veränderten Welt. Umringt von riesigen Festungswällen führen sie und die anderen Dorfbewohner ein einfaches naturverbundenes Leben ohne Strom, Gas und allem, was seit der zerstörerischen Chemiekatastrophe vor dreißig Jahren vernichtet wurde. Amelie kennt es nicht anders, sie ist glücklich. Mögen da draußen im undurchdringlichen Urwald die Schatten lauern, sie weiß, dass ihr nichts passieren kann, so lange sie hinter den Barrieren bleibt. Aber dann geschieht etwas, was sie zum Verlassen des Dorfes zwingt. Und zwar ausgerechnet mit dem Jungen an ihrer Seite, den man einst in den düsteren Wäldern gefunden hat...


"Schattenhauch" überzeugt durch eine gelungene Story in Verbindung mit gut skizzierten Charakteren und einem fesselnden Schreibstil. Dass es außerdem auch noch mit einigen Denkanstößen aufwartet, macht es nur noch runder.

Kaum angefangen, ist man sofort in der Geschichte drin und es fällt schwer, das Buch, bzw. den Reader wegzulegen.

Mit Derlyn und Amelie, zwei Jugendlichen, die durch die Umstände gezwungen sind, die sichere Welt ihres kleinen Dorfes zu verlassen und sich durch den Urwald zu schlagen, der nach einer großen Umweltkatastrophe vor etlichen Jahren das Land erobert hat, hat Tanja Bern zwei sehr sympathische und liebenswerte Protagonisten geschaffen, mit denen man sich gut identifizieren kann. Ihre Begegnungen mit den Schrecken des Urwalds und den Wesen, die durch die Umweltkatastrophe geschaffen wurden, halten den Leser in Atem.

Mir gefiel sehr, wie gekonnt hier ernste Inhalte und eine fantasievolle Geschichte miteinander verwoben wurden und ich habe die beiden Protagonisten sehr sehr gerne auf ihrer Suche begleitet.
Die lebendige und flüssige Schreibweise und die gut konstruierte Geschichte sorgen dafür, dass es ein rundum gelungenes Lesevergnügen ist, das ich guten Gewissens empfehlen kann!

★★★★

 

Gated - Die letzten 12 Tage - Amy Christine Parker

Gated - Die letzten 12 Tage von Amy Christine Parker
Verlag : DTV 
ISBN: 9783423760980

Der Klappentext:

Bis vor Kurzem glaubte die siebzehnjährige Lyla, die Gemeinschaft von Mandrodage Meadows, in der sie mit ihrer Familie lebt, bewahre sie vor dem Bösen in der Welt und dem bevorstehenden Weltuntergang. Dann trifft sie Cody, einen Jungen von außerhalb, und stellt fest, dass sie in Wahrheit in einem perfiden Unterdrückungssystem gefangen ist. Doch Lylas Versuch, gegen Pioneer, den ebenso charismatischen wie gefährlichen Führer der Gemeinschaft, zu rebellieren, führt zum Kampf . . .

Zum Inhalt dieses Buches möchte ich mich eher vorsichtig äußern, da es mich insgesamt doch überrascht hat. Ich hatte eine "simple" Dystopie erwartet, um dann auf etwas deutlich komplexeres zu stoßen.

"Die letzten 12 Tage" - das sind die letzten Tage vor dem Untergang der Welt. Lyla und ihre Familie und alle anderen Einwohner der Gemeinschaft von Mandrodage Meadows bereitet sich auf das Ende der Welt vor. Sie sind bereit, bereit zu überleben, bereit für ihr Überleben zu kämpfen.
Geführt wird ihre Gemeinschaft von Pioneer, dem recht charismatischen, sehr überzeugenden Mann, der den Kontakt zu den sogenannten Brüdern hält, die ihn über das bevorstehende Ende der Welt informiert haben. Die Brüder haben ihn ausgesucht, um die Gemeinschaft auf den Untergang vorzubereiten.
Nicht alle fühlen sich in der Enge der Gemeinschaft wohl, zumal es recht strenge Regeln gibt.
Doch dann bekommt  Lyla Kontakt zur Außenwelt und muss erkennen, dass nichts so ist wie es scheint. Plötzlich ändert sich alles und Lylas Welt bricht auseinander.

Ich empfand das Buch nach einem bedächtigen Einstieg als sehr intensiv, streckenweise war es auch recht heftig, es sollte also tatsächlich eher von der angepeilten Altersgruppe ab 14 gelesen werden und nicht von jüngeren Lesern.
Als Leser ist man gefesselt und verfolgt gebannt das Geschehen, teilweise fassungslos, manchmal in wütender Ohnmacht, manchmal geschockt.

Ich fand es unwahrscheinlich spannend, darüber hinaus wirft es auch noch einmal einen Blick darauf, was Stärke in einem Menschen bedeutet, was bedeutet es, sein Leben zu leben, wie geht man mit Hindernissen im Leben um.

Mir hat es auf jeden Fall gut gefallen und ich kann es empfehlen!

 ★★★★

Teaser Tuesday #22

Hilfe, geht die Zeit schnell herum, schon wieder Dienstag und schon wieder ein Teaser Tuesday!

Erinnert sich noch jemand an meinen wunderschönen Buchgewinn von neulich? Und es sieht nicht nur schön aus, es liest sich auch noch gut:

My brain hurts. I am so far out of my comfort zone that I might as well be in the Amazon, swimming with piranhas. This girl somehow just broke my phone and now she's telling me to drive her to Mount Rainier. And I'm actually arguing with her over directions, like we're some geriatric married couple. 
S.88, After the end von Amy Plum




Der Schreibstil gefällt mir auch hier und ich hoffe, dass es so gut bleibt, wie es sich bis jetzt anlässt.