The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Summary from Borders.com – Gabry lives a quiet life. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry's mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry.

Rhia’s Review – This books picks up several years after the events of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and the protagonist of that book has become a minor character in this one. That was a concept I really loved, and it hasn’t disappointed me yet in this series. Another thing I loved about this book this book was that it kept you in suspense to hear the answers to questions left at the end of FOHAT, as well as keeping you in suspense with a whole new story and characters.

Carrie Ryan really expanded on the world she created in The Forest of Hands and Teeth, by introducing new places, new rules and peoples, and also new concepts (Concealing a spoiler here) that really keep the story going, and stop it from becoming a clone of the first book. There are plenty of tense, zombie filled fights and escapes to an action lover happy,  but there is so much more to this book than a monster factor. Gabry’s emotional journey is really captivating and enjoyable to read.

The Recommendation – All zombie fans will love this series, and fans of Ryan’s first book will not be disappointed by this one. In fact, it may be even better than the first!

The Other Books – The Dark and Hollow Places came out March 22nd. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, and the review is coming soon!

The Vitals* – The Dead –Tossed Waves is available in hardcover for $17.99 and paperback for $8.99. Go get a copy!!

The Links – Carrie Ryan's Official Website

*=All prices are from Borders.com and are subject to change without notice, and without this page reflecting those changes.

the Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Summary from Borders.com - In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Rhia’s Review – I started reading the Forest of Hands and Teeth the day before I met Carrie at DBF. I was really blown away! I even went ahead and bought the second book at DBF for her to sign before I finished this one! I was pretty confident that I’d want more, and I was right!

I really loved the mood of this book, and Mary’s voice really spoke to me throughout the whole book! While maybe the premise of Mary’s village isn’t totally original (fenced in tiny community with zombies or other evil creature raging outside),the story that takes place in it is something new. I loved the premise of the unknown breaching into Mary’s world, and her seizing chances and embarking on the adventure she did. While the ending leaves you hanging, with many unanswered questions, Carrie’s cliffhanger is done with finesse that enhances reading the second book, where old mysteries are slowly solved as they mingle with new ones.

Also, while being about zombies, the book didn’t read like a slasher film, with character being disgustingly killed off along the way. As someone who loves zombies, but not movies where the object is kill off all but one or two people, I really applaud that!

I am also among the people who are pleased with Carrie’s decision not to use the word ‘zombie’. It lends the book it own credit without being tied so much to the pop culture movement of brain eating zombies.

The Recommendation – I’d recommend this book to any zombie lover, and lovers of horror. The atmosphere is really great in this one!

The Other Books – The Dead-Tossed Waves, the second installment of the series, is already out. As I said, I couldn’t resist it, and the review is coming soon. The Dark and Hollow Places, book three, comes out later this month. I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy!

The Vitals* – The Forest of Hands and Teeth is available in paperback for about $9.99, and also hardcover for $16.99.

The Links – Carrie Ryan's official website

*=All prices are from Borders.com and are subject to change without notice, and without this page reflecting those changes.

Decatur Book Festival – Mini Wrap up

 

Just got home from the Decatur Book Festival! Here’s a quick little wrap up of how things went!

Saturday:

I got to meet Carole Marsh! I bought a one of her new books and she signed it for me! I met Jessica Verday(She regocnized my name from facebook!), Cinda Williams Chima, Kethleen Duey, Saundra mitchell (At the ‘Method in the Magic’ panel) and Carrie ryan and Alyxandra Harvey (At ‘Vampires vs. Zombies’ panel)! While I really only went to see Jessica and Carrie, I thought the others were so cool, and I got better insight into their books, so daddy bought me copies of one book for each author, and I got them all signed! I also got a little swag from most of them! They’re all very nice, and I’m so glad I got to meet them.

Sunday:

I saw Cassandra Clare’s presentation, got to ask a question, picked up my copy of Clockwork Angel, and got ALL OF MY BOOKS by her signed, along with a poster, and I picked up some bookmarks and a teaser from her story in ‘Zombies vs. Unicorns’. And i got a picture with her!

Then I went to panel called ‘Sibling rivalry of the Best and Worst Kind’ to see Jackson Pearce, Michelle Zink, and robin Benway. It was a fun panel! Jessic Verday was there, she sat right in front of me, and she recognized me from yesterday! (Squee!)

then I met Michelle Zink and got my books signed! She knew me from the internet and it was AWESOME! She gave me big hugs and I got some bookmarks, and an exclusive soundtrack for her books! (I got the last one on the table!)

So I had a very exciting weekend! It was just too awesome! Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get around to uploading all my photos and video, and post a more thorough wrap up! Right now, I’m off to read, but I bet you could have guessed that!