Review: London Eye (Toxic City #1) by Tim Lebbon

Title: London Eye (Toxic City #1)

Author: Tim Lebbon

Published by: PYR

Released: 2012

Source: Library

Summary: In the year 2017, London was hit by a terrorist attack. An agent was released on the populace, and no one was allowed to go in or out of the city. Two years later, London is still sealed off, and nobody knows what happened to the people who were in the city that day. There are rumors of massive casualties and victims turning into inhuman mutants.

Jack, Sparky, Jenny, and Lucy-Anne were all impacted by that fateful day. Sparky, Lucy-Anne, and Jack all had family in London that day, that they've never heard from since. 

This group of friends is determined to enter the Toxic City, but they might not like everything they find there.

My Thoughts: Quite an enjoyable and intriguing book. I really loved the atmosphere of Toxic City London. Buildings being taken over by nature and the general emptiness of it all. I also really enjoyed the concept of these survivors of the Doomsday Attack changing and developing mutant powers from this drug called Evolve.

My only problem with this book is that it really didn't have enough backstory or character development. I didn't feel that I really knew the characters at first, they were sort of distant from me. I also really didn't like Lucy-Anne. She just annoyed me. When you go into a dangerous city, the smart thing to do is keep your head down and assess the situation, not flip out, and go running and screaming around the city like an idiot. I also hated how she just left her "friends" in the dust. Just how quickly she threw them away.

As for the backstory, I just wanted a better understanding of what led up to this new London. There were really interesting blurbs at the beginnings of each chapter, containing news stories on the day of the attack, I would have loved those little blurbs, and more, to be combined into a prologue or something. I also would have really liked to have seen the friendship development.

I really did enjoy this story. It had a great, cinematic feel to it that would be perfect for a television show or movie. And the ending was very intriguing. I now have to read on to find out what happens next.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Awesome Cinematic Feel. Make this into a show pronto!

Review: Flesh and Bone (Rot and Ruin #3) by Jonathan Maberry

Title: Flesh & Bone (Rot & Ruin #3)

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Published by: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Released: 2012

Source: Library

Summary: Another zombieriffic adventure for Nix, Benny, Lilah, and Chong. With the tragic ending that occurred in Dust & Decay, the gang are struggling to survive in the Rot & Ruin, and find the mysterious jet they saw in the sky. When Benny saves a little girl from zombies, the gang ends up getting split apart, and having to deal with the fanatical Night Church, run by Mother Rose and the scary Saint John. Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong have to evade the crazies, watch out for the zombies, and maybe find the rumored Sanctuary.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. The action started on the first page and never slowed down or took a break. Flesh & Bone is another terrific edition to the Rot & Ruin series.

I really love all the characters. Benny and Nix make a good pair, although Nix does have her problems. Lilah is awesome and her fighting skills are magnificent to view. Chong is the much needed sidekick and comic relief. If he dies, I would be so sad.

The introduction of the Night Church with Mother Rose and Saint John was creepy and terrifying. Their motivation and belief system were just so messed up and genuinely scary. Saint John is definitely a villain that should not be taken lightly.

That ending was tragic! I need the next book very soon, just so I can see what happens and see if my favorites survive.

The only thing that annoys me in this series is the thought process towards zombies. In my mind, zombies are not people. The greatest mercy that can be given to a zombie is by ending it. They have no feelings, no hopes, no dreams. They don't deserve the kindness Benny gives to them. I just think that a majority of the problems could have been solved if more zombies were taken out and not allowed to wander the Wasteland. Zombies are a threat, and will continue to be a threat until they are eliminated. So Benny, be a doll and just kill them, and refrain from saying sorry when you do. Some people might think me a monster for this opinion, but the way I see it, all the zombie is, is a shambling corpse, they are not your loved one anymore.

A great zombie series! I can't wait to find out what happens next, and I just ask Jonathan Maberry not to break my heart, and keep my little gang alive and well.

This book also fits into the Diverse Reads Category, if you are interested in that.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Zombies and Sweet Katana Skills!

Reading Right Now! (93)

This week I have a plan! A plan to hopefully get my library addiction back to being almost under control. This weekend, I'm going to try to read a bunch of the comics and mangas that I have checked out from the library. We'll see how this goes.
What I plan on Reading Right Now! is...

 

 

--Death Note, Volume 7: Zero by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

--iZombie, Volume 2: uVampire by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred

--Arata The Legend, Volume 3 by Yuu Watase

--Nailbiter, Volume 2: Bloody Hands by Williamson, Henderson, Guzowski, and Hill

So that is my Reading Right Now! plans. What are you reading?

Review: Mr. Monster (John Cleaver #2) by Dan Wells

Title: Mr. Monster (John Cleaver #2)

Author: Dan Wells

Published by: TOR (A Tom Doherty Associates Book)

Released: 2010

Source: Library

Summary: John Wayne Cleaver stopped a serial killer, but in the process, he let his own Monster out of the cage. John and Mr. Monster are fighting for dominance, and the public at large will only be safe if John wins. 

Just when John thought his town was safe, another killer makes himself known, leaving women's tortured bodies throughout the town. 

John must once again save his town from a killer, and figure out how a diagnosed sociopath can lead a normal, teenage life.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was super excited to pick up Mr. Monster, and it did not disappoint! This story was deliciously creepy. I was excited to be with John Wayne Cleaver again, and really did feel for him as he fought with his darker side. I'm really rooting for John to do the right thing, or the most right thing he can manage, and continue to be the hero I know he can be.

Dan Wells offers such a creepy and compelling character through John. The reader just feels like they are in the messed up head of John, and while we are totally appalled by his fantasies and thoughts, we are cheering him on in the quest to overcome them.

This was just another great book to the series and I'm excited to read more of John Cleaver's story. Also, the villain of this book was terrifying! I don't know how Dan Wells does it. Great book for readers who enjoy the darker, more dangerous side of reading life.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Creepy and Fantastic! Can't wait for the next book.

Top 5 Wednesday: Top 5 Books I Want To Finally Read in 2017

There are so many books that sit, and sit, and sit on my shelves without being read. I keep saying that I'm going to get to them, then new shiny books distract me, so I read them instead. I hope that 2017 will be the year that I finally cross some old books off my list. This week's Top 5 Wednesday topic is perfect for that. So here's the Top 5 Books I Want To Finally Read in 2017.

  

5. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: I need to finally get around to reading this, and 2017 is a good goal to shoot for. I never got on The Hunger Games train when the books came out, but I did get on the train for the movies. I thought the movies were awesome and I finally need to get around to reading the books.

  

4. The Across the Universe Trilogy by Beth Revis: I've just been getting the urge to finally read this series. I love space book and remembered hearing good things about this series, except for the uproar of that cover change. So I would like to read and finish this series in 2017.

  

3. The Starbound Trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner: Another series that I would like to finally finish in 2017. I hope to re-read These Broken Stars and then maybe marathon the rest of the series. I remember loving the first book and these covers are just beautiful.

  

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin: Yet another series that I would love to finally finish in 2017. I remember all the buzz that surrounded this series, and I guess I just want to be a part of it. I read the first book a couple of years ago, so I hope to re-read the first one and then marathon the rest of the series. We'll see how it goes.

1. The City of Bones/The Mortal Instruments Series/The Infernal Devices Series/All the Cassandra Clare books I can: I've had this whole series and other books by Cassandra Clare sitting on my shelves for far too long. I need to finally get around to reading them. It's getting pretty sad that I continue to buy each new installment without having immersed myself in any of the books. I really hope this happens in 2017. I hope, I hope.

AND SUPER #1: My ultimate goals for 2017 are to read more books on my shelves, to get my library addiction semi under control (that one might be pretty difficult), catch up with review books and e-galleys, and finally finish series that I have started years ago.

So those are some of my goals for 2017. I got a little off the Top 5 Wednesday topic, but it was a jumping off point for what I really hope for in 2017. So that was my Top 5 Books I Want To Finally Read in 2017. What are yours? Let me know. And if you want to join in the Top 5 Wednesday fun, you totally should! Each Wednesday is a new, fun topic to contemplate and consider. Check out all the other Top 5 Wednesday-ers Here!

Review: Fear (Gone #5) by Michael Grant

Title: Fear (Gone #5)

Author: Michael Grant

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Released: 2012

Source: Library

Summary: There's been four months of relative peace in the Dome. Sam has set up a lakeside community. Cain and Albert have been managing the kids in Perdido Beach. The Darkness has been taking a little bit of a break. But peace and safety never last very long in the FAYZ. The Dome is changing. An ugly stain is spreading across its surface. A Blackness so complete, that it threatens to block out the light. The kids of the FAYZ have survived Hunger, Plague, and Lies, but how will they survive absolute darkness and the gaiaphage's next move? Get ready for another thrilling and chilling book in the Gone Series!

My Thoughts: I know I say this with every book in the Gone Series, but it's the truth, so here I go with it again, I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES! It's such riveting, tense, thrilling, dramatic, gasp-inducing reading. I just can't get enough of this series. Fear is another great addition to the series, where more things start to go wrong for the kids in the FAYZ. 

One awesome thing about this series is that it doesn't have a dull or bad book in the bunch. It is all around great reading!

I'm so excited, yet anxious, to read the last book Light. I can't wait to find out how this whole thing ends, but at the same time, I don't want it to end.

I loved Fear. I can't believe that ending. I also really enjoyed getting viewpoints from outside the Dome. Poor Mary and Francis. I can't wait to see what happens next and recommend everyone to START THIS SERIES PRONTO!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 5/5

Fear is Fantastic!

Review: The Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom (#1) by Christopher Healy

Title: The Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom (Heroes Guide #1)

Author: Christopher Healy

Illustrations by: Todd Harris

Published by: Walden Pond Press

Released: 2012

Source: Library

Summary: Saving a princess and having it immortalized in song by bards should ensure that the public remembers your name, but for Princes Gustav, Duncan, Frederic, and Liam, the girls got all the glory, while they became stuck with the name Prince Charming. Although they all go by Charming, the princes are completely different people. Prince Frederic is scared by almost anything. Gustav goes out of his way to prove his strength and toughness. Liam works hard to be a hero each and every day. Duncan is just oddly lucky. When the kingdoms are threatened, these four Prince Charmings come together to save their kingdoms, and hopefully gain fame with their real names. Full of witches, dragons, giants, trolls, dwarves, sword fights, beets, and the occasional flute, this is one rollicking, medieval good time.

My Thoughts: I really loved reading this book! It is such a great middle grade adventure story, with tons of humor, action, and great characters. This story had so much humor in it, with so many funny and slightly ridiculous scenes and lines. I had such a good time reading this book, and seeing the four characters come together as princes, and eventually friends.

My favorite part was watching Gustav and Frederic become friends. So sweet. Duncan was always a good time, so odd and yet so enjoyable.

I also loved the illustrations by Todd Harris. Each illustration was so well done and matched with the story. While Healy's story was good, the added illustrations made it great!

I LOVED reading this adventure of four unlikely hero princes and their ultimate journey towards friendship. This story was full of humor and fun and adventure and awesome! A great story for readers of any age who fancy a good laugh. I'm excited to see what other adventures lie in story for these princes in the sequel.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.5/5

Go Read Now!