Title: Dead Things
Author: Meredith Russell
Genre: m/m paranormal romance
Print length: 163 pages
Publication date: August 12. 2012
Rating: Three Stars
Blurb: A deadly virus rages indiscriminately across the United States and then beyond. The survivors face a new terror--the undead creatures created in the wake of the infection.
Devin Reid is part of a group surviving out of a high-security penitentiary near Kansas City. Resources are limited and it's down to a handful of people like Devin to meet the demands on food and supplies. The newly-made monsters are hungry, and the survivors risk their lives scavenging the cities and highways.
On one fateful venture, Devin finds something, someone, with the potential to change a dark future, destined for blood and heartbreak, into one of hope and second chances. He finds Noah Weber.
Review:
Being that Walking Dead is currently one of the most popular shows on television, I can see how this story would appeal to a large group of readers. As an action novel it's well done. There's blood, guts, death and all sorts of similar excitement. The plot line is solid, and not only because it's been done before. However, I do have a few complaints.
Noah was never actually developed as a character. Even when we heard the story from his perspective, everything about him seemed hollow. I kept waiting for him to solidify into an actual person and all I kept getting were these bits and pieces of bizarre, unconnected personality traits that just didn't up. It was very frustrating, especially since Devin and Emily were much more solid and easy to connect to. Emily was especially well done. At least all of her emotions always came across as genuine. Devin on the other hand was likeable up until the point where he seemed to slip into an emotional instability of a teenager. I'm very well aware that the idea was to show him as a man battling with his past and afraid to invest in the future, but none of his emotions connected to his ex or to Noah seemed genuine. It was all kind of muddled and shallow. Maybe if Noah was a stable character, Devin's attraction to him would not have come off in such a way. Either way, the 'romance' between them really didn't do much for me. On top of that, Corden just made me cringe. He was a complete and utter cliche. I mean, I understand that he was supposed to be the stereotypical bad guy but it would have been nice if he had a personality.
All in all, it was a decent action flick. I've read much worse. But I was disappointed because I expected more from this book.
Noah was never actually developed as a character. Even when we heard the story from his perspective, everything about him seemed hollow. I kept waiting for him to solidify into an actual person and all I kept getting were these bits and pieces of bizarre, unconnected personality traits that just didn't up. It was very frustrating, especially since Devin and Emily were much more solid and easy to connect to. Emily was especially well done. At least all of her emotions always came across as genuine. Devin on the other hand was likeable up until the point where he seemed to slip into an emotional instability of a teenager. I'm very well aware that the idea was to show him as a man battling with his past and afraid to invest in the future, but none of his emotions connected to his ex or to Noah seemed genuine. It was all kind of muddled and shallow. Maybe if Noah was a stable character, Devin's attraction to him would not have come off in such a way. Either way, the 'romance' between them really didn't do much for me. On top of that, Corden just made me cringe. He was a complete and utter cliche. I mean, I understand that he was supposed to be the stereotypical bad guy but it would have been nice if he had a personality.
All in all, it was a decent action flick. I've read much worse. But I was disappointed because I expected more from this book.
Buy it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Things-ebook/dp/B008YGN3EM/ref=cm_cr-mr-img
More titles by Meredith Russell:
Title: Sex and Cocktails
Author: Meredith Russell
Genre: m/m romance
Print length: 54 pages
Publication date: July 28, 2012
Overall reviewer rating: Four Stars
Blurb: Daniel Rawlings is happy with his nine-to-five life in Chicago. He has an office job, a mortgage, and he's about to turn thirty. He's happy, or so he thought. During the last night of a sun-filled vacation in Miami, he meets wild-haired, free-spirited Ty. With the help of some summery cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate one night stand, though neither man really wants it to be just one night.
With a thousand miles between cities, it may be harder than either man could have imagined. In the end, Daniel and Ty have a decision to make: Is what they have when they're together worth the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again?
More titles by Meredith Russell:
Title: Sex and Cocktails
Author: Meredith Russell
Genre: m/m romance
Print length: 54 pages
Publication date: July 28, 2012
Overall reviewer rating: Four Stars
Blurb: Daniel Rawlings is happy with his nine-to-five life in Chicago. He has an office job, a mortgage, and he's about to turn thirty. He's happy, or so he thought. During the last night of a sun-filled vacation in Miami, he meets wild-haired, free-spirited Ty. With the help of some summery cocktails, Daniel and Ty embark on a passionate one night stand, though neither man really wants it to be just one night.
With a thousand miles between cities, it may be harder than either man could have imagined. In the end, Daniel and Ty have a decision to make: Is what they have when they're together worth the heartache of saying goodbye over and over again?
Review by Tam Ames:
Daniel has been dragged by his friends to Miami for vacation just before his 30th birthday with the intent of him finding some sex and sun. Daniel is quite determined he's not playing their games. Sleeping his way through South Beach is not his idea of a good time. On this last night, they head to a bar and after a few too many virulently colored cocktails, he finds himself chatting with Ty. Ty is not his type. Ty is young, free-spirited, not as pretty as Daniel usually dates, but after a few cocktails, he starts to think Ty may not be so bad, and before long they can't even wait to get to Ty's place, but are in a back alley having sex.
The next morning he wakes up with Ty in his bed and little memory of how they got there, although he finds he likes the guy. Before he even gets to the airport, Ty is suggesting he come visit. The visit goes well, but everyone knows long distance relationships can suck. I really liked the first part of the book. I think the author did a great job of getting that feeling across when Daniel is tipsy and deciding whether to pursue Ty or not. I think we've all been there, and it had that kind of sideways view of things you get when you are starting to lean a bit too much to the side after a few too many cocktails. The alley sex was frantic and desperate and a hot drunken mess (which has its place). The next morning, when Daniel wants to die of embarrassment because he now has a stranger in his bed and his friends are going to know what he did was cute and amusing without being awkward.
My biggest issue was Daniel's behaviour after Ty came to visit. He spent most of his time going "Is he making a move?" (while the guy is touching him or practically kissing him) or worrying that there is no way a long distance relationship would work and trying to push Ty away. I get it, long distance is tough, but they hadn't spent more than 8 hours in each others company and Ty was angsting over how this would work. It was Ty who was encouraging him to chill out and just see what happened. Daniel came across as very old and set in his ways, which in a sense he was, but I started to get frustrated with him and wanted to smack him upside the head a few times when he started getting all angsty and maudlin.
Still, thankfully Ty is a good influence on him, and it was a very sweet and romantic ending. Besides the fact that they live far apart, there is not much drama in this story, but it is a light summer read, and as I said, I particularly liked the first part where the guys get together. It really worked particularly well and resonated with me. And who doesn't love bright green cocktails with fluorescent pink straws when on vacation?
The next morning he wakes up with Ty in his bed and little memory of how they got there, although he finds he likes the guy. Before he even gets to the airport, Ty is suggesting he come visit. The visit goes well, but everyone knows long distance relationships can suck. I really liked the first part of the book. I think the author did a great job of getting that feeling across when Daniel is tipsy and deciding whether to pursue Ty or not. I think we've all been there, and it had that kind of sideways view of things you get when you are starting to lean a bit too much to the side after a few too many cocktails. The alley sex was frantic and desperate and a hot drunken mess (which has its place). The next morning, when Daniel wants to die of embarrassment because he now has a stranger in his bed and his friends are going to know what he did was cute and amusing without being awkward.
My biggest issue was Daniel's behaviour after Ty came to visit. He spent most of his time going "Is he making a move?" (while the guy is touching him or practically kissing him) or worrying that there is no way a long distance relationship would work and trying to push Ty away. I get it, long distance is tough, but they hadn't spent more than 8 hours in each others company and Ty was angsting over how this would work. It was Ty who was encouraging him to chill out and just see what happened. Daniel came across as very old and set in his ways, which in a sense he was, but I started to get frustrated with him and wanted to smack him upside the head a few times when he started getting all angsty and maudlin.
Still, thankfully Ty is a good influence on him, and it was a very sweet and romantic ending. Besides the fact that they live far apart, there is not much drama in this story, but it is a light summer read, and as I said, I particularly liked the first part where the guys get together. It really worked particularly well and resonated with me. And who doesn't love bright green cocktails with fluorescent pink straws when on vacation?
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