Hello, lovely people of the blogosphere! It's Hump Day already. Can you believe it? Today I'm bringing you a book review of a zombie apocalypse novel. Yes, I know I have a couple of Indie titles to write reviews for (and I'm about halfway through each of those), but when I get hold of a book by one of my favorite authors, all else becomes obscure. I read those as though they're gonna disappear any moment if I don't. Case in point: Tomorrow, you're getting a review for the latest Rick Riordan title. So, be patient, those Indie reviews are coming! Grab your comfy chairs, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let's get going!
A little about the title on the chopping block today:
Title:
Red Hill
Author: Jamie McGuire
Genre: Horror
Length: 369 printed pages
Links to buy:
Kindle $7.36 Paperback $11.67 Nook $7.99
Synopsis:
When the world ends, can love survive?
For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.
When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.
Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?
Red Hill grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.
On to the gnarly stuff!
I saw this title was released when it appeared in a weekly meme on
Heather's Book Chatter and just knew I had to pick up a copy. I loved
Beautiful Disaster and couldn't imagine a book that held my attention as much as that one did. Obviously, Ms. McGuire could. I ran out and grabbed a copy of
Red Hill from Amazon, only to devour it in one sitting. Time to move on to my review!
From a reader's perspective:
Holy moly, what can I say? This isn't your typical squishing of zombie heads kind of novel. Rather than focusing on the terror that would consume the planet if zombies rose, this one looked at the human element and the fallout of a disaster of this magnitude. When the whole world goes to crap, what are people thinking? What would they do for survival?
Red Hill delves deeply into what makes people tick during a crisis, and shows how they can rise up and be more than they ever thought they could. Some of the horrible things that happen during times of upset are brought to light, and the evil that lives inside some people is waved under your nose like a smelly rag. I found myself punching the air a number of times, and wondering how in the hell Ms. McGuire could describe two people in the story I could relate with so strongly (Scarlet and Nathan). I was kept sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and sobbing like a little girl. One of the things I love about Jamie McGuire's writing is her ability to not go on tangents with description; there's just enough so I can paint the scene and the characters in my own head.
From an editor's perspective:
One or two misused words (peak rather than peek), but everything else was brilliant.
My rating:
1 Star for giving me awesome zombie action
1 Star for those well-rounded characters I felt for
1 Star for great pacing and perfect word painting
1 Star for making me cry and showing truth
1 Star for the level of most excellent editing found in this book
Overall,
5 out of 5 stars! I'd give it ten if I could. Recommended to anyone who loves a nail-biter that will leave them with a book hangover because they were sad it came to an end.
I hope you all enjoyed that review! I
really hope you all pick up a copy of
Red Hill. Yeah, I know it's pricey as far as e-books go, but it was totally worth every penny.
While you're here, please go enter my giveaway on Goodreads for your chance to win a printed, signed copy of Mystic~Coralie, book five in the series. Here's the link:
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
Is it because you’re anticipating the sticky situations people will undoubtedly get themselves into and out of? Or, is it the mindless munching of brain matter by half rotted, animated corpses that gets your pulse racing?
How do you pull the trigger when you’ve had a conversation with the person staring back at you with those milky zombie eyes? What if it’s your child?
