Review: The Silenced

About the Book:

Jonathan Quinn never expected this. He planned for it, took every precaution possible, but he never though it would happen. But he was wrong.

Professional “cleaner” Jonathan Quinn has a new client and an odd job: find and remove the remains of a body hidden twenty years ago inside the walls of a London building now scheduled for demolition.

But Quinn and his team are being watched. Suddenly caught in the cross fire between two dangerous rivals, Quinn must unravel the identity of the body and why it still poses so great a threat even in death. Because a plot stretching from the former Soviet Union to Hong Kong, from Paris to London, from Los Angeles to Maine, is rapidly falling apart. And Quinn hasn’t been hired just to tie up loose ends — he is one.

My Review:

What can I say about this book other than it was awesome? I mean really, it had a LOT Of action! I can totally see this being made into a movie. One that I would WATCH! It's a very smart and clever action packed book, that is just fun to read! I am so glad that I was able to get my hands on it!

From page one to the very last page it's just oozing with coolness. I am probably a newb when it comes to these types of books, but I am not a full fledged fan of them! Mr. Battles has won himself over a new fan!

I highly recommend The Silenced if you want something smart and fun to read!

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Dell (April 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0440245672

Review: Zero Day

Goodreads.com Description:

An insidious cyber-terrorist attack threatens to destroy the Western World in this debut by a leading expert on cybersecurity

Over the Atlantic, an airliner’s controls suddenly stop reacting. In Japan, an oil tanker runs aground when its navigational system fails. And in the Midwest, a nuclear power plant nearly becomes the next Chernobyl.

At first, these computer failures seem unrelated. But Jeff Aiken, a former government analyst who saw the mistakes made before 9/11, fears that there may be a more serious attack coming. And he soon realizes that there isn’t much time if he hopes to stop an international disaster.

Zero Day presents a chilling “what if” scenario written in the vein of Richard A. Clarke and Daniel Suarez.

My Thoughts:

There is a crap ton of computer lingo in this book! I love my computer, but I don't know much about how it works. There are some very intense moments in the beginning, but unfortunately they are overwhelmed by the somewhat dull and computer-speak drenched parts. I tried to push through to the end but I just couldn't get into it. I tried to skip around to see if anything near the middle/end caught my attention, but alas this was one that I just could not finish.

I'm sorry Mr. Russinovich, you obviously know your stuff, but this wasn't my cup of tea.

To be fair and balanced, I have included links to other reviews that are more positive than mine.

Reviewed: You Gotta Read Reviews
Reviewed: My Book Retreat
Reviewed: Crystal Book Reviews

Book Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (March 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780312612467

Quick Review: The Radleys

About the book (from Goodreads.com)
Meet the Radleys

Peter, Helen and their teenage children, Clara and Rowan, live in an English town. They are an everyday family, averagely dysfunctional, averagely content. But as their children have yet to find out, the Radleys have a devastating secret

From one of Britain’s finest young novelists comes a razor-sharp unpicking of adulthood and family life. In this moving, thrilling and extraordinary portrait of one unusual family, The Radleys asks what we grow into when we grow up, and explores what we gain – and lose – when we deny our appetites.

My Thoughts:
This was definitely a fun read! A very balanced tale that had plenty for everyone. The vampire family fight their instincts and try to "blend" in with the human world. They want the best for their children and think that by denying their cravings and refusing to live as vampires that they will be able to provide that.

They eventually start to lose themselves and become people they don't recognize. I loved that dynamic and I loved the humor that was laced throughout. As I stated, I believe that there is plenty to satisfy in this one!

Blog Tour: Can You Survive The Zombie Apocalypse

About the Book:
Inside these pages lies unspeakable horror. Bloodsplattering, brain-impaling, flesh-devouring horror. You’ve probably read your fair share of zombie stories. But this time it’s different. No longer can you sit idle as a bunch of fools make all the wrong moves. All hell is about to break loose—and YOU have a say in humanity’s survival.

You have choices to make.

Moral dilemmas.

Strategic decisions.

Weapons. Vehicles.

Will you be a hero?

Or will you cover your own ass at all costs?

Can you withstand the coming hours, days, weeks, and months? Or will you die amidst the chaos and violence of a zombie uprising?

Or, worst of all, will you become one of them?

My thoughts:

I was one of those geeky kids that LOVED the choose your own adventure stories. I would sit for hours and "read" them! This is an awesome one FOR GROWN UPS! What?! Zombies? Yes! I love zombies, obviously. I loved the concept of this book. I mean ninja strippers? What? This isn't a serious book. It doesn't take itself seriously. This is definitely a keeper! I loved the zombie trivia shout outs scattered all over this book!

So yeah basically I say read this! It's funny, it's a cool concept, and it's totally worth the hour or so you'll sit there and flip through it!

Book Details:

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Gallery
Publish Date: February 8, 2011
ISBN-10: 145160775X

Quick Review: Cryer's Cross

From Goodreads.com:
The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

My Review:
Kendall has OCD. She has rituals that she must do everyday. Kendall lives in a small town and lives on a farm. I like Kendall..very much. She is a very well written character. I believe her. I loved this story. There was just enough creepy to make this a very awesome tale.

The "twist" I got near the middle of this book but when it was revealed it was still awesome! I really enjoyed this book! I know I've mentioned that before but I just had to say it as many times as I can. This was the first surprise book of the year for me!

I liked the characters, I liked the story, the supernatural element was very well done. I just liked this book! I read it in one day! That should say something! I recommend it!

Review: Across the Universe

From Goodreads.com:
A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Review:

Well I simply loved this book. I mean it was really good. I usually start off reviews by saying things about the characters, etc, but this time I will just say that this is a great book. I really enjoyed the back story that Revis created and the plot that she laid out.

There's mystery, suspense, love and scifi!

I'll make this a short review, because I've pretty much said what I want to say. This is an excellent book. I highly recommend it. The end.

Quickie Reviews

First up, The Distant Hours by Kate Morton. This is a HUGE book. I had to take it on in sections! This does not mean that there is anything suckish about this book! I really enjoyed it! The story is engaging and complex. There are so many THINGS going on in this book! Really, I recommend it. It's made me definitely interested in reading more by Madame Morton! Click the book to get the blurb from Goodreads! I gave this a 4/5 rating. The length is a challenge but definitely worth the effort!

This is a book that I picked up to read a long with a book group. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son and you can definitely tell that writing runs in the family. Occasionally I was reminded to King's work. I tried to "forget" that this was written by his son. I failed. I couldn't help it. The writing is very solid. The story was creepy and I did like it. I just didn't get the BEEP scared out of me. Now on that note, I will say it is pretty darn creepy at times. I will pick up more by Hill. He knows how to put a good story on paper. So with that said, I'll give this a 3.5/5 rating. The story was creepy but not crap your pants scary. The ending felt a bit too tidy..if that makes sense? Everything fit perfectly and that's not what you want out of a horror novel.


Last but not least we have, Feed by Mira Grant! I love zombies and I love blogging. This book combines them both! What more could you want? I loved how this was both a zombie book AND a political thriller in one. It definitely held my interest and kept me flipping the pages. I was not at all disappointed in this book! Each character was well written, and had multiple layers. It was amusing that in their future, George Romero is hailed as somewhat of a hero for giving the guidelines for surviving a zombie Apocalypse. This is the first of the NewFlesh series, and I cannot wait to get my paws on the next one! I give this a 4.5/5.