Tour Review: Barely Alive by Bonnie R. Paulson (Character Bio+Giveaway)

Title: Barely Alive
Series: Barely Alive #1
Author: Bonne R. Paulson
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Horror Fiction, Supernatural Fiction

Elements: Zombies
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: PDF, 113 Pages 
ISBN: 9781475078480
Release Date: March 26, 2012
Source: Tour Host {SupaGurl Book Tours}
Rating:

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: In twelve weeks, seventeen-year-old Paul Ledger will be dead. At least he hopes so.

Paul is trapped in the worst cult the United States has ever seen. Infected with a zombie virus, symptoms culminate in a dead body but thriving mind over a course of twelve weeks. If he doesn’t earn the final death he longs for, he’ll be chained in a basement facility, moaning for human flesh for eternity.

Sent out to kidnap girls for food, toys, or whatever the boss wants, Paul nabs Heather McCain. He’s not a fan of humans as a general rule, but even his graying skin and insatiable hunger for her flesh don’t stop her from reaching out to him. Give him the second chance he doesn’t know he needs.

Overcome by his cravings, Paul bites her delectable skin. Amazingly, she doesn’t develop the zombie-like side effects. When the boss discovers Heather’s immunity, he gives Paul an ultimatum – deliver up Heather and her family to continue the research or watch as Paul’s brother suffers the zombie fate.

Paul has a chance to endure his short zombie existence knowing his brother is safe. But he’ll have to sacrifice Heather to do it.

Review:

REVIEW WILL BE POSTED AFTER 12PM.

James Character Bio:

Everyone has heroes. Some like Spiderman, Batman, the Avengers, sure, even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are awesome, but James’s hero is a bit closer to home. His big brother Paul. And when Dominic changes James to match Paul, a small part of James is glad – another trait he and Paul have in common.

They’re different in looks like peanut butter and jelly. James is tall and thin – a runner, while Paul is huskier like a football player. Girls like muscles and, oh man, the girls like Paul. 

James’s favorite memory with his brother involves dirt biking. They rode all over the place as kids and James missed their time together. Since the escape to Idaho, James has enjoyed more time with his brother. He’s not too fond of the virus, but hunting together and fighting Dominic has made him feel like his family is on the mend. 

Favorite song: Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas – don’t tell anyone.

Favorite color: Since contracting the virus – red, blood red.

Nickname growing up: String bean.

About this Author:

Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.

Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bonpaulson
Twitter: @bonnierpaulson
www.bonnierpaulson.com
Goodreads: Bonnie R. Paulson

Amazon links: 

Barely Alive http://www.amazon.com/Barely-Alive-Series-ebook/dp/B007O48SCW/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351714133&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=barelu+alive
Falling Apart http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Apart-Barely-Alive-ebook/dp/B009I4U59A/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3
Mostly Dead http://www.amazon.com/Mostly-Dead-Barely-Alive-ebook/dp/B009Z68MDW/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1351714397&sr=1-3&keywords=mostly+dead

Barnes and Noble links:

Barely Alive http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/barely-alive-bonnie-paulson/1109848733?ean=2940015524666
Falling Apart http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-apart-bonnie-r-paulson/1113071430?ean=2940015524680

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Tour Review: Consumed by Love by Pavarti K. Tyler (Giveaway)

Title: Consumed by Love
Author: Pavarti K. Tyler
Genre: Horror Fiction, Erotic Fiction
Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press
Format: PDF, 24 Pages 
ASIN: B004PYDQBC
Release Date: February 27, 2011
Source: Tour Host {FMB Book Tours} 
Rating: 3/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Consumed by Love is the story of a couple who must face one partner’s supernatural transformation. This short piece is written in the style of a classic horror story with a dark take on the addictive nature of love.


Review:

Consumed by Love is a short story about the lengths one will go for love. Bree watches as her husband slowly changes into Something Else. What that is, I can't really tell you, but it drives Hugo to cannibalism (which is gross, ew). Hugo's sister warns Bree not to let it go too far and to bring him home to the reservation where they can help him, but the warnings are not heeded.

I could tell you what happens after that, but then there would be no surprises! I'm not sure I'd say that Consumed by Love is "scary," but it's definitely very disturbing. That factor makes this short story perfect for October reading lists, with Halloween on its way. 

About this Author:

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is the Director of Marketing at Novel Publicity and busy penning her next novel.

Find the Author: 

My blog is all ages | My Tumblr is 18+ only | My Fan Page needs your likes | My Twitter likes friends | My Google+ is random |

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Review: Frost by Marianna Baer

Title: Frost
Author: Marianna Baer
Genre: Horror Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Elements: Ghosts
Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Harper Collins
ISBN-13: 9780061799495
Release: September 13, 2011
Rating: 3.5/5

Tagline(s): ~None~


Summary:

Leena Thomas’s senior year at boarding school starts with a cruel shock: Frost House, the cozy Victorian dorm where she and her best friends live, has been assigned an unexpected roommate—eccentric Celeste Lazar. 

What Celeste lacks in social grace, however, her brother, David, a recent transfer student, makes up for in good looks and charm. But while he and Leena hit it off immediately, Leena finds herself struggling to balance her growing attraction with her fear of getting hurt.

As classes get under way, strange happenings begin to bedevil Frost House: frames falling off walls, doors locking themselves, furniture toppling over. Celeste blames the housemates, convinced they want to scare her into leaving. And although Leena strives to be the peacekeeper, soon the eerie happenings in the dorm, an intense romance between Leena and Celeste’s brother, David, and the reawakening of childhood fears all push Leena to take increasingly desperate measures to feel safe. But does the threat lie with her new roommate, within Leena’s own mind…or in Frost House itself? 

Frost is a stunning and surprising tale of suspense from debut author Marianna Baer.

Review:   

Characters

Leena Thomas was looking forward to living her senior year in Frost House with her best friends, but a classmate's unfortunate accident caused her to be assigned to Frost House, too. Celeste Lazar is known for her eccentricities. While collecting a bird's nest for a project, Celeste broke her leg causing her to need a first floor room and was assigned to Frost House as Leena's roommate. When Leena goes to check out her room she meets David Lazar, Celeste's brother, while he was setting up Celeste's side of the room. David recently transferred to Barcroft and he immediately hits it off with Leena. As strange things begin happening in Frost House; stress, jealousy, and fear put an strain on the relationships of the dorm residents and those around them.

Theme

At the core of the story, the theme of Frost is fear. Each character is driven by their fear of events happening around them. Leena's fear of being hurt and the stress of Celeste's situation cause her to take drastic measures to calm down. Celeste fears Frost House itself and the strange things happening there and to herself. This fear causes her behavior to become even more erratic. David fears what people will think of his sister and himself considering their family's history of psychosis. To prevent that and protect his sister, David plans something potentially dangerous to get her moved out of Frost House.

Whether these fears are caused by something supernatural or psychological, the outcomes are dangerous and potentially life-threatening.

Plot 

Told from Leena's point of view, Frost takes us through her first semester of senior year and the strange happenings at Frost House. We never really find out whether the cause of the events is supernatural, psychological, or some other factor. Some could argue that it was the ghost of the woman who died there trying to get Celeste to leave and Leena to stay. Or some could argue that it was totally psychological and their minds were playing tricks on them. Frost keeps you guessing well after the last page. 

Setting

Frost House is an old Victorian house that was later converted into a boy's dorm. After feeling a need to live there, Leena talked to the dean to see if her and her friends could be assigned to live there their senior year. Permission was granted and Frost House was changed to a girl's dorm, but they also got an unexpected roommate in Celeste.

For Leena, Frost House is a refuge. She feels comfortable and safe there.The place she's most drawn to in Frost House is the closet in her room. The smell and feel bring feelings of nostalgia; memories of a better, happier time. 

For Celeste, Frost House is hell on earth. She's tortured and abused by unknown forces. It gets to the point where she feels she'll die if she stays and believes the house is haunted by the woman who had died there so long ago. 

For one girl, Frost House brings peace and safety, for the other it brings only fear and torment.


My Final Thoughts:

I like how we are left to come to our own conclusion on what was really causing the events in Frost House. We are never told one way or the other. I think it was a little of both: part supernatural, part psychological, with a little help from some carbon monoxide. I think the CO weakened Leena and Celeste's minds so much that it opened a doorway for the ghost to communicate. But that's just my opinion. 

Quote:

Chapter 42, Page 396

Part of me is still there, I believe. In that way, Frost House will always be my home. But not the rest of me.

About this Author:

Marianna Baer received an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and a BA in art from Oberlin College. She also attended boarding school, where she lived in a tiny dorm called Frost House, which was subsequently torn down. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. Frost is her first novel.