Promo - Dust by Joan Frances Turner

Dust
Joan Frances Turner
Ace
ISBN# 978-0441019281
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Read an Excerpt: Here

About the Book:
What happens between death and life can change a girl. Jessie is a zombie. And this is her story...

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. After she was buried, she awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. Now Jessie's part of a gang. They fight, hunt, and dance together as one-something humans can never understand. There are darkplaces humans have learned to avoid, lest they run into zombie gangs. But when a mysterious illness threatens the existence of both zombies and humans, Jessie must choose between looking away or staring down the madness-and hanging on to everything she now knows as life...

About the Author:
Joan Frances Turner was born in Rhode Island and grew up in the Calumet Region of northwest Indiana. Dust, her first novel, will be published by Ace Books on September 7, 2010. She is currently at work on a sequel, tentatively titled Frail.


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen

Married with Zombies
Jesse Petersen
Orbit Books
ISBN: 978-0316102865
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Excerpt: Read the First Chapter

About the Book:

Meet Sarah and David.

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they’re on the verge of divorce and going to couples’ counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things – the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client’s throat.

Meet the Zombies.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn’t mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don’t eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Married With Zombies is a heartwarming tale of terror set during the time of the zombie uprising.

About the Author:
Jesse Petersen was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Idaho and got married in Washington. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Washington and has been writing for twelve years. Currently, she lives in the Midwest with her husband and two cats. When not writing, she enjoys reading, bike riding and volunteering at her local zoo.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Dark and Disorderly by Bernita Harris

Dark and Disorderly
The Adventures of Lillie St. Claire, Book 1
Bernita Harris
Carina Press
eISBN# 9781426890338
Release Date: June 28, 2010
Excerpt: from the book

About the Book:
"I was standing there naked when my dead husband walked into my bathroom..."

Lillie St. Claire is a Talent, one of the rare few who can permanently dispatch the spirits of the dead that walk the earth. Her skills are in demand in a haunted country, where a plague of ghosts is becoming a civic nuisance.

Those skills bring her into conflict with frightened citizens who view Talents as near-demons. Her husband comes to see her as a Freak; so when Nathan dies after a car crash, she is relieved to be free of his increasingly vicious presence. Lillie expects to be haunted by Nathan's ghost, but not to become Suspect #1 for her husband's murder and reanimation.

But what's most surprising of all is the growing attraction between her and psi-crime detective John Thresher. He thinks that Lillie killed Nathan—and Nathan must agree, because his zombie is seeking revenge. Now she and Thresher must work together to solve her husband's murder—before his corpse kills her...

About the Author:
Bernita Harris worked as a short-order cook, a library assistant and a less-than-serious actress before winning a university fellowship and earning a master's degree in English literature. Subsequently, she worked in public affairs and later as a forensic consultant in occult-related material, events, practices and beliefs.

A Libra and left-handed, she is drawn naturally to the sinister side of justice. She has grown four splendid children and now lives in an old house in the Thousand Islands with a German shepherd, a "mostly" corgi and ten thousand books. A Canadian who hates the cold and thrives on spring, she spends her time writing, tending her herb and flower gardens and negotiating with the dead.

Previous to Dark and Disorderly, her first novel, she has published occasional pieces of nonfiction, poetry and several short stories. You are invited to visit her blog at http://www.bernitaharris.blogspot.com/.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Promo - Beyond Exile by J.L. Bourne

Beyond Exile
Day by Day Armageddon, Book 2
J.L. Bourne
Permuted Press/Gallery Books
ISBN# 978-1439177525
Release Date: July 13, 2010

About the Book:
The first book of Day by Day Armageddon took us deep into the mind of a military officer and survivor as he made a New Year's resolution to start keeping a journal. The man kept his resolution and brought to us the fall of humanity, day by day. We see the man transition from the life that you and I live to the prospect of fighting for his very survival against the overwhelming hordes of the dead. We see him bleed, we see him make mistakes, we witness him evolve. The highly anticipated sequel to the bestselling underground cult classic, Day by Day Armageddon begins where the first novel left off.

BEGIN INTERCEPT
Armies of undead have risen up across the U.S. and around the globe;there is no safe haven from the diseased corpses hungering for human flesh. But in the heat of a Texas wasteland, a small band of survivors attempt to counter the millions closing in around them.
INTERCEPT COMPLETE

Day by day, the handwritten journal entries of one man caught in a worldwide cataclysm capture the desperation--and the will to survive--as he joins forces with a handful of refugees to battle soulless enemies both human and inhuman from inside an abandoned strategic missile facility.

But in the world of the undead, is mere survival enough?

About the Author:
J.L. Bourne began the Day by Day Armageddon project in 2002, posting regular serial updates on his website, JLbourne.com. Soon after self-publishing, he had sold one thousand copies, which quickly became two thousand. In conjunction with Permuted Press, Gallery Books re-released Day by Day Armageddon in October 2009, on a 50,000 copy first print run.

Collaborating with the popular metalcore band, The Devil Wears Prada, J.L. Bourne has written a bonus comic chapter that takes place in the DBDA: BEYOND EXILE universe, featuring members of the band and available in their upcoming EP. A commissioned U.S. military officer on active duty, J.L Bourne is available for interview, and members of The Devil Wear Prada are available for interview with him, to talk about their collaboration.*

J.L. Bourne is on active duty as a commissioned U.S. military officer. Born in Arkansas, he resides in Washington, D.C. Visit him at http://www.jlbourne.com/.


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry

Road Trip of the Living Dead
Amanda Feral, Celebrity Ghoul, Book 2
Mark Henry
Kensington Books
February 24, 2009
ISBN# 978-0-7582-2524-5

Book Blurb:
Celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is back from the dead, and hungrier than ever for a good time. With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy gay sidekick Gil, this stone cold fox is dressed to kill, on the prowl, and ready to take a big juicy bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife. But what's a zombie chick to do when her "Mommie Dearest" gets sick? If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch-or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it. Amanda's not thrilled about the idea of crossing three states just to be criticized. But Wendy, who's always looking for fresh meat, is up for the adventure. And Gil, who just launched his "luxury" resurrection business, needs to disappear because a pissed-off client is out for his blood.

First, they pack their stiletto pumps and plasma into a skeevy rattrap on wheels that used to be a Winnebago. Then, with a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a masochist named Fishhook, and a slew of "moderately accurate" psychics, they hit the highway-their way. Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop (who could pass for an underwear model) and an unsightly horde of Kmart shoppers. But for this glamorous gang of ghouls this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning.

My thoughts:
When an unforeseen incident with Gil’s business venture sends him on the run, and Wendy’s badgering on why she should make peace with her mother before her impending death starts to get to her, Amanda agrees to a road trip. Seeing Ethel, the mother she despises, will give her the opportunity to tell her exactly what she thinks of her one last time. With chaos and death following them from state to state, facing her mother briefly takes a back seat as the trouble making trio picks up new passengers, solves a mystery, and hunts down psychics along the way.

This is the second installment in the Amanda Feral, Celebrity Ghoul series. Mr. Henry has an incredible talent for keeping his characters unique and making them impossible for readers to forget. Road Trip of the Living Dead offers all of the ghastly death and dismemberment that fans are expecting, along with more humorous scenes than ever. If you can stomach a bit of gore with your giggles then this fiendishly fun story and its footnotes are sure to be a hit.

To learn more about Road Trip of the Living Dead, please visit Mr. Henry’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Review - Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley

Wait till Your Vampire Gets Home
Broken Heart, Oklahoma, Book 4
Michele Bardsley
Signet Eclipse
November 4, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-451-22550-4

Book Blurb:
To prove her journalistic chops, Libby Monroe ends up in Broken Heart, Oklahoma, chasing down bizarre rumors of strange goings-on—and finding vampires, lycanthropes, and zombies. She never expects to fall in lust with one of them, but vampire/single dad Ralph Genessa is too irresistible. Only the town is being torn in two by a war between the undead—and Libby may be the only thing that can hold Broken Heart together…

My thoughts:
Chasing down a lead for Paranormal Research and Investigation Services (PRIS), Libby Monroe travels to Broken Heart, Oklahoma and finds more than she ever imagined she would. Her mother has had books published on everything from werewolves to aliens and Libby believes those stories are true. Still, she’d like to experience the paranormal first hand.

Hiding in the cemetery and spying on a man tending to a grave may have been wrong, but it leads to Libby meeting Ralph Genessa. Their introductions have to wait as vampires, werewolves, zombies, wraiths and dragons are soon added to the mix leaving Libby and Ralph to fight for their lives. While the cemetery battle may be short lived, the war within the community continues.

Ralph Genessa is not only a vampire, he’s a single parent of twin boys. From what Libby sees he’s doing a pretty good job of taking care of them considering his condition. What starts out for Libby like a prison sentence within the town of Broken Heart changes when Libby’s forced to face her feelings. Life as she knew it will never be the same.

This is the fourth book in the Broken Heart, Oklahoma series, and the first that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Ms. Bardsley pens a paranormal tale that’s an enjoyable mix of humor and romance. Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home is fast-paced, steamy and an all-around entertaining read. If you’ve missed any of the previous books and run into a question of who or what someone is, the author has provided a handy list of the Ancients as well as two glossaries at the back of the book

To learn more about the Broken Heart, Oklahoma series, please visit Ms. Bardsley’s site: Here


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Razor Girl by Marianne Mancusi

Razor Girl
Marianne Mancusi
SHOMI – Dorchester Publishing
August 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-505-52780-6

From the back cover:
THE WORLD HAS ENDED, MOLLY.
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WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?
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Molly Anderson is not your average twenty-one-year-old. It’s been six years since she and her family escaped into a bunker, led by her conspiracy theorist father and his foreknowledge of a plot to bring about the apocalypse. But her father’s precautions didn’t stop there. Molly is now built to survive.
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Yes, Ian Anderson’s favorite book gave him ideas on how to “improve” his daughter. Molly is faster, stronger, and her ocular implants and razor-tipped nails set her apart. Apart, when—venturing alone out of the bunker and into a plague ravaged, monster-ridden wilderness—what Molly needs most is togetherness. Chase Griffin, a friend from her past, is her best bet. But while he and others have miraculously survived, the kind boy has become a tormented man. Together, these remnants of humanity must struggle toward trusting each other and journey to the one place Molly’s father believed all civilization would be reborn: a magic kingdom, where everyone knows it’s a small world after all.
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My thoughts:
After six years of being hidden away in a bunker, the time-locked door has opened. The date is July 1, 2036 and Molly Anderson has just said goodbye to her mother and to her captivity. She’s free to follow through with the plans her father set out for her, and her journey to reach him will soon begin.

The world is a different place now, with humans turned zombie looking for their next meal there are few untouched people remaining. Having been altered by her father to improve her chances of survival in the plague wasted world, Molly is fortunate to meet up with Chase, someone she knew before. Her destination is Florida, where her father believed that Magic Kingdom was the place for humanity to once again flourish. What they find when they arrive isn’t quite what she bargained for.

Ms. Mancusi fast forwards time and plunges readers into what appears to be the aftermath of armageddon. As the heroine’s father predicted, she has an important journey to make, but it may not be the one he had planned. Razor Girl combines science-fiction, horror, romance and more. The author does a fine job of telling the story in alternating segments between the years 2030 and 2036. The storyline is written in a believable manner, but I did have a hard time with Molly following her father. At her age, and knowing that her father was fanatical in his theories, she shouldn’t have been naïve enough for things to play out the way they did. The matured Molly on a mission was much improved in character. The overall story moves quickly and has some unique qualities that are often quite humorous. I won’t hesitate to read another of Ms. Mancusi’s books, and will continue to enjoy Dorchester’s SHOMI line.

To read an excerpt from Razor Girl, visit Ms. Mancusi’s website: Here

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu

The Iron Hunt
Hunter Kiss, Book 1
Marjorie M. Liu
Ace
June 24, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-441-01606-8

Maxine Kiss is a demon hunter and the last of her kind. Her body is covered in tattoos that provide her with armor during the day, but when the sun sets the demons she wears on her skin separate and become living creatures. Bound to protect and fight by her side, they’ll be together until the day that Maxine passes them on with her death. For now they’re the closest thing to family that she’s ever known.

Grant, a former priest who runs a homeless shelter, is Maxine’s boyfriend. While that’s something she never thought she’d have, their relationship is as close as she’s come to trust with someone other than the ‘boys’. Grant also has a supernatural talent of his own, one that’s powerful enough to offer some protection from the demons.

The Veil has weakened through the years, and something new has been freed from the prison to walk the earth. Humans made zombie by the demons using their skin are fairly common to see, but an entity wearing a familiar face has appeared and it’s unlike anything Maxine was prepared for. Angry after so long imprisoned, the avatar has plans to regain what was taken from her and to take so much more. Maxine’s job is to prevent that from happening at nearly any cost.

This is the first novel in the Hunter Kiss series, but there is a prequel with the series name in Wild Thing, a Berkley anthology, and this may explain a slightly disorienting feeling at the beginning of the story. Ms. Liu does a lovely job in getting readers up to speed and preparing us for the high-speed action in her demon filled adventure. A creative and well-written storyline provides a strong backbone for this new urban fantasy series, and the unique characters in The Iron Hunt will charm, tempt and surprise readers into coming back for more.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin

Biting the Bullet
Jaz Parks, Book 3
Jennifer Rardin
Orbit Books
February 11, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-316-02058-9

Jaz Parks is a Sensitive and part of a special CIA team where her talents can be utilized. She’s also been given the extra duty of keeping her boss, Vayl, alive. He’s a vampire who’s on their side, and the CIA’s favorite assassin. Protecting the humans from the often dangerous others, he and Jaz also share a special connection, one that has yet to really be explored.

Their new mission has taken them to the Middle East where their current target, the Wizard, is using his skill as a necromancer to achieve his goals. They’re meeting up with another team whose leader will come as a shock to Jaz, a fact that Pete, their boss back home, failed to share. It seems that there’s a mole in the team, and together they plan to find out who is betraying their every move.

Vayl has found another Seer who insists she has information about his sons, an obsession he’s held on to since their deaths. The price this woman expects him to pay for her talents may mean the end of the already fragile relationship between Vayl and Jaz.

With reavers using a mark she carries to target Jaz, zombies whose agenda they can’t quite determine, and Asha, the Amanha Szeya whose help with both the Wizard and the mahghul has assisted them in surviving, this has been one difficult assignment.

Biting the Bullet is the third book in the Jaz Parks series and just as thrilling as the previous installments. Jaz will do whatever it takes to keep her family and friends alive and safe. She’s about to have those she loves put in a life threatening position and not even a trip to Hell will stop her from saving them. Ms. Rardin has used her fabulous imagination to create a storyline that’s fresh and exciting. The characters are strong, their enemies are vicious, the chemistry is delicious, and their assignments are packed with danger in every direction. While you could read this as a stand-alone story, the series as a whole is just too good to miss. The fourth book, Bitten to Death, is currently scheduled to release this August (2008).

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry

Happy Hour of the Damned
The Chronicles of Amanda Feral,

Celebrity Ghoul, Book 1
Mark Henry
Kensington Books
February 26, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-7582-2522-1

At the top of her career in advertising, with the corner office and partnership to show for it, Amanda Feral has everything to live for. It’s too bad that after an up-close and personal elevator ride Amanda finds she’s a flesh eating zombie. Still, there’s no reason not to live her not-quite-dead life to the fullest, and Amanda plans to do exactly that.

Quickly adjusting to a shocking new pallor, and the dining preferences that make those among the living run screaming, Amanda dons her favorite designer clothes, matching footwear and accessories to head out for a night on the town. It seems that the supernatural community has a nightlife all their own.

When a new friend, Liesel, sends her a message asking for help, Amanda and her closest friends, Gil and Wendy, set out on a mission to find her. Something big is going on around town, and as zombie outbreaks escalate their group begins to suspect that someone has their own plans for the local population. Now they’ll have to discover the source of the grisly outbreaks and track down those involved before the residents of the supernatural community are exposed. If they fail, the hunters could soon be the prey.

Happy Hour of the Damned is a marvelously unique debut novel that follows the glamorous, and often gruesome, life and death of Amanda Feral, a flesh eating zombie. With an obvious skill in graphic description, Mr. Henry will have readers cringing at the gore while laughing hysterically thanks to the sharp wit used to deliver his tale. A well-developed world makes for easy visualization, and the fabulously original storyline will keep reader’s rapt attention from the first page. A beautifully bizarre, and uproariously fun read.

Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews