REVIEW: Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer

Title: Zombies Don’t Cry (Living Dead Love Story #1)
Author: Rusty Fischer
Publisher: Medallion Press
Publication Date: March 2011
Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal / Teen / Young Adult
Buy The Book: Amazon

Description: Maddy Swift is just a normal girl—a high school junior surviving class with her best friend and hoping the yummy new kid, Stamp, will ask her out. When he finally does, her whole life changes.

Sneaking out to meet Stamp at a party one rainy night, Maddy is struck by lightning. After awakening, she feels lucky to be alive. Over time, however, Maddy realizes that she’s become the thing she and everyone else fear most: the living dead.

With no heartbeat and no breath in her lungs, Maddy must learn how to survive as a zombie. Turns out there’s a lot more to it than shuffling around 24/7 growling, “Brains.” Needing an afterlife makeover is only the beginning of her problems. As Barracuda Bay High faces zombie Armageddon, Maddy must summon all of her strength to protect what matters most—just as soon as she figures out exactly what that is.

My Thoughts: Enjoyable story directed to the teen generation about a normal girl trying to live through puberty and survive high school where several students have died suddenly. After sneaking out to meet the cute new guy at a party, Maddy is struck by lightning and wakes up face down in the mud, only to discover that passing Home Ec is the least of her problems. Maddy is dead and now thanks to electricity and the gaping hole in the top of her head, she’s now a member of the living dead.

Learning how to eat brains and arranging her appearance so normal breathing humans don’t catch on become Maddy’s priority with the help of a couple of students who are also zombies. Maddy learns there are rules and laws in the zombie world that are strictly enforced if she fails to abide by them. She also discovers the existence of evil zombies, known as zerkers, who are hunting her and pretty much everyone she cares about. I’m starting to think my high school experience was a walk in the park compared to Maddy’s.

This story hints at a romance, but that may be explored in more depth in the rest of the series. Personally, I believe Maddy has more than enough on her plate without adding relationship drama to the mix.

This story was engaging and held my interest. As a fan of zombie fiction, I enjoyed the theory that electricity can create and kill zombies and they retain their minds, memories and emotions, but zerkers are bitten and lose pretty much all traces of any humanity they had.

My Final Verdict: A good start to a series that I recommend to fans of zombies, be they teenage or adult. This story had a few surprises towards the end that I wasn’t expecting but found entertaining.

REVIEW: Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt

Title: Dog Eat Dog (Andy Carpenter #23)
Author: David Rosenfelt
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: July 2021
Genre: Mystery / Humor
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his golden retriever, Tara, work to free a man who risked it all to help a dog in need.

Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie, enjoy walking their dogs, Tara and Sebastian. By this point in their marriage, it's routine. When out for one of their strolls, their simple ritual isn't so simple anymore. Across the street, a man is mistreating his dog. Three things happen at once: Andy yells, Laurie runs to stop the abuse, and so does a closer passerby, who so thoroughly beats the owner that both are arrested when the cops arrive.

Andy scoops up the dog and takes him to the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization that's always been his true passion. Meanwhile, at the police station, the passerby is identified as Matthew Jantzen, and he's wanted for murder. Andy and Laurie are struck by the fact that Jantzen, a man on the run, would nevertheless intervene to help a dog, and decide to find out more.

Dog Eat Dog, the twenty-third installment in the Andy Carpenter series, features the charming cast of characters - old and new - that David Rosenfelt is known for and the dogs that accompany them.

My Thoughts: First time reading this author and I found Dog Eat Dog to be entertaining despite not having read the first twenty-two installments of this series. I liked Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie. They were easy to relate to and I quickly came to care about them and what was happening to them. Additionally, as an audiobook, I loved Grover Gardner’s narration. The ease in which he breathes life into the characters made it easier for me to be pulled into the story.

The story was interesting too. I cannot imagine a man who knows he’s wanted in connection with a double homicide would do anything that would draw attention to himself, but Matthew Jantzen does when he steps up to intervene on behalf of a Pug who is being abused by his owner. There was no way in my mind I could be convinced this guy was guilty of anything other than punching the awful man who was kicking Hunter the Pug.

I really enjoyed that this story centers around animals, particularly dogs, and the author gives many moments of pleasure to the reader by including Tara, Sebastian and Hunter in many of the scenes.

My Final Verdict: Like me, I think any reader would enjoy this story without having to read any of the other installments, but this is a series not to be missed, whether you share your life with four-legged furry friends or not. Fans of mysteries as well as fans of humorous stories will enjoy this book as it delivers both.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Dog Eat Dog from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Veronica and the Vampire by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Title: Veronica and the Vampire
Author: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
Publisher: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
Publication Date: June 2011
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Veronica Davis is a woman with a desperate need.

If she doesn't bring a date to her big sister's wedding, the L for loser that's imprinted on her forehead will become permanent, as far as her family is concerned. And heck, she's started to believe it, herself.

Why else would a girl end up at a Los Angeles escort agency with the strange acronym V.A.M.P. Inc? Where you pick your date from a row of coffins in the agency's basement. Guys who can't meet you at lunch time, due to the fact that they sleep until sundown.

You know . . . . vampires.

And when she meets the unearthly handsome Christian Dale, the agency's odd acronym begins to take on a whole new meaning. Tackling her sister's wedding actually starts to seem like a piece of cake . . .

My Thoughts: This story was a fun read and I loved the premise of a vampire escort service, but this story left too many loose threads hanging for my liking. I think there was a lot to unpack, especially regarding Charlene and her knowledge of the agency. I also would have enjoyed meeting some of the other vampires, or at least knowing it’s an option with future books.

I felt immense empathy for Veronica, not because she is single and must resort to the undead for a date to her sister’s wedding, but because her family is that horrible that Veronica showing up dateless would be considered unacceptable in their eyes. Personally, she should tell them all where to stick it while turning up the volume on her middle finger.

Of course, no vampire escort agency will have ugly vampires to present to their clients and Christian is swoon worthy in looks and physique. The sexual tension and chemistry between Veronica and Christian is white-hot and I would have voted to skip the wedding entirely and explore that all over the place.

My Final Verdict: Though this was a fast read and I liked this story, I wish it had been a little longer. I recommend this book to fans of paranormal romances, especially those involving vampires.

REVIEW: Once Upon A Royal Summer by Teri Wilson

Title: Once Upon a Royal Summer
Author: Teri Wilson
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
Publication Date: June 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A theme park “princess” meets a single dad…who turns out to be a real prince!

Lacey found her dream job: playing a princess character at a popular fairytale theme park in sunny southern Florida. Her diamond tiara might not be real, but the smiles of the children she meets every day certainly are. It’s just too bad that her ex-boyfriend was never impressed with her career choice.

Henry, the crown prince of Bella-Moritz, is trying to fulfill his young daughter’s birthday wish: to be a normal girl with a normal life. That’s why they’re pretending to be ordinary tourists at an American amusement park. Henry lost his wife four years ago, and he’s been going through the motions ever since. But could a meeting with a make-believe princess lead to real love?

This enchanting romance includes a free Hallmark original recipe for Cucumber Dill Tea Sandwiches.

My Thoughts: Upon first meeting the main character, Lacey Pope, one could experience a toothache with the sugary sweet persona that is Lacey, but you can’t help but like her. She has a heart and soul of gold and is such a kind and caring person. The crown prince of Bella-Moritz is also a kind and caring man raising his daughter after her mother died. He is determined that his daughter, Rose, experience life and all its wonder and glory outside the castle walls.

I enjoyed seeing the bond develop between Lacey and Rose, which created a bond between Lacey and Henry and though this story didn’t contain any white-hot passion escapades, I was completely immersed in the joy of the story and the numerous references to various fairytales.

This story delivers many memorable characters besides Lacey, Henry and Rose. I enjoyed the camaraderie Henry has with his security officer, Ian, Lacey’s friendship with Ava who accompanies her to Bella-Moritz and appears to be having a romance of her own with Ian. I would love to revisit these characters to see what happens there. I absolutely loved the bond that Lacey and Henry’s mother develop over Lacey’s ballgown crisis.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to readers looking for a sweet romance that confirms fairy tales do come true.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Once Upon a Royal Summer from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.