Blog Tour: Lily Herne's Top Five Tips for Surviving a Zombie Apocolypse (Deadlands)

On the blog today is Lily Herne, mother and daughter duo from South Africa, who’s debut Deadlands was published by Constable and Robinson last Thursday, April 18^th. As part of their UK blog tour, I have a fabulous post on the top five tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse.

1.    At the first sign of the inevitable zombie apocalypse (we all know it’s going to happen someday), don’t immediately flee to the countryside, thinking that you’re going to hole up on an organic farm and live off the land – everyone will have the same idea. You’ll be facing long traffic jams where you’ll be trapped in your SUV, becoming an all-you-can-eat brain buffet for the infected. Rather sit tight and head for a:

2.    Shopping mall. Sorry to be smug, but the ones where we’re based – in Cape Town, South Africa – come equipped with generators and tight security (thanks to our erratic electricity provider and high crime rate), but you’ll have similarly secure malls in your area. Barricade the entrance immediately and prepare to wait out the apocalypse in style. If you’ve chosen wisely, you should have an Apple store, high-end supermarket, book shop, computer game outlet and furniture retailer. However, try to avoid a Dawn of the Dead remake scenario and attempt to discourage:

3.    Gun-toting hotheads. There’s always one in every survivor group. Rather pick low-key but intelligent survivor-mates: accountants, interns, a doctor or two. You’re locked in tight with ample supplies, who needs a vigilante in that situation? They’ll only start customising one of the cars in the underground car park for a totally unnecessary escape attempt. And while you’re in the mall, pick up some:

4.    Leather trousers. For some reason, in any apocalyptic situation, a Mad Max outfit is a necessary part of any survivors’ kit. Perhaps because they cut down on the laundry (you can wear them for years without washing them, apparently). However, it’s possible that you might eventually get bored of eating your way through the luxury food aisle, playing Grand Theft Auto against your posse of professionals, watching Breaking Bad box sets, and holding more and more outlandish dressing-up competitions (you have to do something with all the free outfits in your mall’s boutiques). If this is the case, why not just go outside and:

5.    Become infected. Who says being a zombie is so bad anyway? The living dead have no career pressure, are singularly unconcerned about their appearance, never have to go to the dentist, take exams or file tax returns, and on the whole, have a rather stress-free existence. Our advice is: If you can’t beat them, join them.

Thanks for a fantastic post!

Sophie

In My Mailbox 154

This meme was started by Kristi of The Story Siren who was inspired by Alea from Pop Culture Junkie. Check out their blogs for more information. All summaries are from the book jackets unless otherwise stated.

For review:

Shipwrecked – Siobhan Curham

Betrayal and forbidden love, beneath a seething sun...

Grace Delaney and her fellow dance students are en route to perform on a South Pacific cruise ship when a freak storm hits and they find themselves stranded on a seemingly deserted island.

With the tropical heat rising, passions and tensions swell to breaking point. And the island itself is quietly steaming with a terrible secret...

YAY! So looking forward to this! Thanks Electric Monkey!

Deadlands – Lily Herne

Since the apocalypse, Cape Town’s suburbs have become zombie-infested Deadlands. Human survivors are protected from the living dead by sinister, shrouded figures – the Guardians. In return, five teenagers are ‘chosen’ and handed over to them for a mysterious purpose: this year, Lele de la Fontein’s name is picked. But Lele will not stick around and face whatever shady fate the Guardians have in store for her. She escapes, willing to take her chances in the Deadlands.

Alone, exiled and unable to return home, she encounters a misfit gang of renegade teens, Saint, Ginger and Ash – aka the Mall Rats. Joining them, Lele learns how to seriously destroy zombies, and together they uncover the sickening truth about the Guardians... and themselves.

This sounds great and I love that it’s set in South Africa. Thanks Constable and Robinson!

Because of Low – Abbi Glines

Marcus Hardy is stuck in Sea Breeze – something he’s really not happy about. The only good part of his life is the hot redhead who sleeps over regularly. There’s just one thing – she’s sleeping in the bed of his roommate, Cage York.

Willow “Low” Foster knows that running to Cage every time her sister kicks her out isn’t ideal, especially when he wants to be more than just friends. and his new roommate, Marcus, is making things even more complicated by checking her out like he wants her there too.

But then a shocking revelation forces Marcus to choose between Low and his family, because now the truth is out...there’s no other choice.

Just For Now – Abbi Glines

Preston Drake is one bad boy. He has a different girl in his bed every night, which is just how he likes it – no strings, no issues, just fun. The problem is, he just keeps finding himself thinking about the one girl he shouldn’t...his best friend’s little sister, who’s suddenly all grown up.

Amanda Hardy has had a crush on Preston for ever, but his reputation always kept her away. Now that it seems the attraction might be mutual, it’s getting harder to ignore her feelings...

No one wants them to be together – but their attraction is too strong to keep them apart.

While It Lasts – Abbi Glines

Trouble follows Cage York around. Usually his charm gets him off the hook, but this time his recklessness means he’s spending his summer sweeping out barns and babysitting cows, instead of enjoying late-night hook-ups.

The only bright spot is Eva, an uptight, snarky brunette who seems immune to Cage’s advances. Behind those big blue eyes and fiery temper, Eva is nursing a broken heart and the last thing she needs is a player like Cage flashing his irritating (though admittedly gorgeous) smile in her direction.

But as the humidity rises, Cage begins to crack Eva’s carefully built walls as the two of them learn that what they want, and need, may be something they never expected...

Now, I wasn’t a fan of The Vincent Boys and The Vincent Brothers, but I’ve heard these are a lot better so I’m going to try at least one of them. Thanks S&S!

Bought:

What Really Happened in Peru – Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

From Goodreads: There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’ Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.

My first e-book! I had to read it.

Crossing the Line – Katie McGarry

From Goodreads: Lila McCormick first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters – or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness – and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

I’m a massive Katie McGarry fan so I’m really looking forward to this!

The Prince – Kiera Cass

From Goodreads:

Before thirty-five girls were chosen to compete in the Selection...

Before Aspen broke America’s heart...

There was another girl in Prince Maxon’s life...

Thought this would be good to read to get me back in the world of The Selection before The Elite comes out!

Bitterblue – Kristin Cashore

Eight years have passed since Princess Bitterblue and her country were saved from the vicious King Leck. Now Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea, and her land is at peace.

But the influence of her father, and his mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers believe in a forward-thinking plan: to pardon all of those who committed terrible acts during Leck’s reign; and to forget every dark event that ever happened. Monsea’s past has been shrouded in mystery, and it’s only when Bitterblue begins sneaking out of her castle – curious, disguised and alone – to walk the streets of her city, that she begins to realise the truth. Her kingdom has been under the spell of a madman, and their only chance to move forward it to revisit the past.

Whatever that past holds.

Gah, so excited! I love this trilogy so much.

The Lucy Variations – Sara Zarr

Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.

That was all before she turned fourteen.

Now, at sixteen, it’s over. A death, and a betrayal, have led her to walk away, leaving her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family’s expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, handsome, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of the piano – on her own terms. But when you’re used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?

The Lucy Variations is the story of one girl’s struggle to retain her love of music and herself; because life isn’t a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.

I was so excited to spot this in Waterstone’s a few weeks early and I snapped it up!

Because It Is My Blood – Gabrielle Zevin

When Anya Ballanchine is released from jail, she’s determined to put her life in order. She’s going to get over her ex, turn her back on her criminal family and concentrate on her siblings and her studies.

But her murdered father’s family have a different idea. They’re not going to let her walk away so easily.

When they take a hit out on her life, Anya’s forced to flee to Mexico. There she discovers that life isn’t all bad – but she also finds that, so far from home, it’s impossible to protect those she loves.

Doing nothing isn’t an option. But going back to New York could kill her. Literally.

The same story as The Lucy Variations  for this one really!

Sophie

Men of the Month Blog Tour: Nicole Williams on Self-Publishing

As part of the epic month-long Men of the Month tour with Simon and Schuster new adult authors I have Nicole Williams, the author of Crash and Clash, here to talk about self-publishing.

The term self publishing terrified me. Not because of the stigma behind it, but because of the whole “putting-yourself-out-there” idea. It was a paralyzing feeling to realize I could publish a book and, within twenty-four hours, the entire world would have the potential to download a part of my soul. Or at least that’s the way it felt the first time. It’s been two years since I published my first e-book, ETERNAL EDEN, and two years later, I’ve hit that publish button eight more times. For me, it gets a bit easier every time, but there’s always a bit of anxiety involved.

The concept of self publishing was foreign to me until I received a Kindle for Christmas one year and started to discover some books and authors I’d never heard of before or seen on the bookstore shelves. After a bit of research, I discovered these authors had independently published their books without going through the traditional process and that got me thinking. A lot. ETERNAL EDEN had been finished for a couple of years by then, and after a lot of support from my husband and a whole heck of a lot of feigned courage from myself, I did it. It took a few weeks for EE to gain some traction, but once it had, I remember thinking to myself; this has got to be too good to be true. And you know what? I still say this to myself. Almost every day. My entire journey has surpassed one hundred times over what I anticipated. I’ve never regretted my decision.

The self publishing journey hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies, of course. There have been growing pains and hiccups along the way, but nothing that’s ever made me want to throw in the towel and never write a word again.

Self publishing has opened so many doors for me. No matter what it evolves into, or what my writing career does, self publishing will always hold a very special spot in my heart.

Make sure you follow the rest of the tour and read some fantastic posts from Jennifer Echols, Simone Elkeles, Abbi Glines and Steph Campbell.

Sophie 

This is What Happy Looks Like - Jennifer E Smith

Pages: 404
Publisher: Headline
Release Date: 4^th April 2013
Edition: UK proof, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

In This is What Happy Looks Like, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O’Neil meet – albeit virtually – when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic comedies You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don’t even know each other’s first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don’t tell each other everything; Graham doesn’t know the major secret hidden in Ellie’s family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in LA.

When the location for the shoot of Graham’s new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production moved to picturesque Henley, Maine where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Ellie have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie’s mom want her to avoid the media’s spotlight at all costs?

This is What Happy Looks Like is a sweet, romantic and thoughtful novel that brightened up an early, rainy commute to London. I loved it!

I love the entire premise of this novel and the way that Jennifer E Smith began it with some of their email exchanges really set up the whole atmosphere and the connection between Graham and Ellie perfectly.  The fact that there was an email from one of them to the other at the beginning of each chapter which set up what might happen in the next or reflected what happened in the chapter before and I adored it.

I enjoyed This is What Happy Looks Like more than I did The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. There was a lot more character development and depth to this novel than TSPOLAFS and it was so much more my kind of novel. The romance had more of a foundation and the characters had more time to get to know each other than Hadley and Oliver did.

Ellie is a brilliant heroine and I connected to her straight away. I love the way that she didn’t fall all over herself when she found out who Graham was and she went out of her way to avoid all of the attention that followed him around. It endeared her to me even more and when Graham tried to protect her from it, swoon! All of the troubles that were thrown at the two of them made me champion then even further and every time someone or something threatened to stop them in their tracks, I nearly squealed in frustration.

The conclusion and resolution of This is What Happy Looks Like was perfect. I’m so glad that it wasn’t neatly wrapped up and there wasn’t the expected cheesy movie conclusion. I loved it and can’t wait for whatever Jennifer E Smith writes next.

For my 2013 YA Contemporary Reading Challenge

Thanks to Headline for sending me a copy to review.

Sophie

The Hit - Melvin Burgess

Pages: 301
Publisher: Chicken House
Release Date: 4^th April 2013
Edition: UK paperback, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: Junk, Doing It, Sara’s Face, Nicholas Dane, Kill All Enemies, Hunger and many more

A new drug is out.

Everyone is talking about it. The hit.

Take it, and you have one amazing week to live. It’s the ultimate high. At the ultimate price.

Adam is tempted. Life is rubbish: his girlfriend’s over him, his brother’s gone. So what’s he got to lose? Everything, as it turns out. It’s up to his girlfriend, Lizzie, to show him...

I’m a big fan of Melvin Burgess and I always expect fantastically involving and controversial things from him. The Hit was a little bit disappointing for me.

As ever, Burgess delivers on the controversy and relevance comments and discussion of euthanasia, wealth, revolution, drugs, love and sex. I think the idea of revolution is especially relevant at the moment with the how increasingly hard it is – money wise - to live in the UK and I think that a revolution could totally be on the cards in a few years. The spark of a drug that gives you the week of your life is strangely appealing and I can see why so many teens would be drawn to it.

The brutal truth about the repercussions of the drug and the panic, pleasure and fear that the final week provided was done brilliantly and what I’ve come to expect from such an author. The violence and the dirty truths weren’t flinched away from and I loved that, but it still didn't blow me away like I wanted and anticipated. I didn’t really feel anything for any of the characters and though I wanted things to end right for them, I wasn’t really that bothered either way. I found the ending a little disappointing as well. I wanted a more controversial and powerful ending than I got and it feel a little with me.

Though I wasn’t the biggest fan of The Hit, I’m a die-hard Melvin Burgess fan and this won’t stop me from reading everything else he writes.

For my 2013 British Books Challenge

Thank you to Chicken House for providing me with a review copy.

Sophie