Must-read romances: 'Queen of Zombie Hearts,' 'Unmarked,' 'Chained by Night'
The Queen of Zombie Hearts by Gena Showalter
What it's about (courtesy of Harlequin Teen):
I have a plan.
We'll either destroy them for good, or they'll destroy us.
Either way, only one of us is walking away.
In the stunning conclusion to the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, Alice "Ali" Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's ready to take the next step with boyfriend Cole Holland, the leader of the zombie slayers…until Anima Industries, the agency controlling the zombies, launches a sneak attack, killing four of her friends. It's then she realizes that humans can be more dangerous than monsters…and the worst has only begun.
As the surviving slayers prepare for war, Ali discovers she, too, can control the zombies…and she isn't the girl she thought she was. She's connected to the woman responsible for killing—and turning—Cole's mother. How can their relationship endure? As secrets come to light, and more slayers are taken or killed, Ali will fight harder than ever to bring down Anima—even sacrificing her own life for those she loves.
Why you should read it: If you haven't read Alice in Zombieland already, I recommend starting it. Gena Showalter has added some really unique ideas to the zombie genre. I also liked the loose connection to Alice in Wonderland. This is the series finale and without posting spoilers … it was pretty epic! All the loose ends were tied up, and Ali and Cole had to fight through zombies, tears and sadness to earn their right to live and love. Gena also shocks readers (and me) with a few things, but I liked the way the book went. I especially liked the addition of River and his slayers, the secondary characters were one of the strongest parts of this series, and I really liked River. This is my favorite installment in the entire series. Readers and Ali get to see more of her family's history, and it's a doozy. I will say that some readers are going to hate how parts played out. It was bittersweet, but it worked.
What Gena Showalter has to say …
Favorite zombie?
Gena: A dead zombie.
Favorite zombie weapon?
Gena: The slayer light, the only true way to kill a zombie in the White Rabbit Chronicles series. Or maybe Ali's new explosive ability.
Which of your characters would die first in a zombie apocalypse (from any book series)?
Gena: William from Lords of the Underworld. He'd be so busy shoving both his enemies and his friends at the zombies — and laughing so hard he pulls a muscle — he'd be unable to outrun an oncoming horde.
What are you working on now?
Gena: I'm working on The Hotter You Burn, the second book in my new contemporary series, The Original Heartbreakers, featuring three not quite reformed bad boys and the Southern belles who bring them to their knees.
Epic one-liner from The Queen of Zombie Hearts?
Gena: War and Pieces.
Unmarked by Kami Garcia
What it's about (courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers):
He is here... and he could be anyone.
Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free.
Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?
Why you should read it: I loved Unbreakable, and the hot twins, and Unmarked was even better than book one. Kennedy, though, is not doing well, especially since she's the one who freed Andras (awful demon) from his prison. She and Legion also come face-to-face with an enemy organization (Illuminati) and the way the "game" is played is changing. Who is the real enemy and who is actively working on the side of good? The setting also has to get a shout-out because Kami really gives readers eerie … I mean, a taxidermy museum??? I loved that there was also a lot of action, I'm a blood-and-violence girl, so this kept me interested and happy. I also liked that readers get to see into Kennedy's past, her mom and dad … wow … I do wish Jared and Kennedy would get their act together, though, because the two of them have chemistry and I need more of that! I love the Legion series, it's dark eerie and well written.
What Kami Garcia has to say …
Favorite ghost story?
Kami: Bloody Mary — it's a classic.
Any interesting family secrets/heritages from your family?
Kami: I think every family has secrets, especially a family with Southern roots — which is one of the reasons I gave Kennedy's mother so many secrets in the Legion series. I'm sure my family has plenty of secrets, but until I get attacked by a vengeful spirit and rescued by hot identical twins, I doubt I'll find out any of them.
What are you working on right now?
Kami: I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you, and I like you too much for that :). I'm actually working on proposals for two different projects, but I can't share any details just yet (or my agent will kill me).
Epic one-liner from Unmarked?
Kami: Technically, this is a two-liner, but they go together: "My mother used to say that girls should be seen and not heard. I say we should be seen and feared."
Chained by Night by Larissa Ione
What it's about (courtesy of Pocket Books):
The future of his tribe
Leader of the vampire clan MoonBound, Hunter will do what he must to save his people from extinction—or worse, a torturous eternity as vampire slaves and subjects of human experimentation. To keep his enemies at bay, he has agreed to mate a rival clan leader's daughter in return for peace between the clans and an ally in the looming war with the humans.
The lover of his soul
But survival comes at a price. First, Hunter must break an ancient curse by successfully negotiating three deadly tests. Then he must resist the searing passions of the gorgeous vampire warrior he despises but is bound to mate. Will Hunter stay true to his word? Or will he risk everything for the woman he really loves: the vampire seductress's identical twin sister?
Why you should read it: This is the second book in Larissa's Moonbound Clan Vampires series and is very steamy. It all starts out when Hunter saves some of his clan members by agreeing to marry a rival clan's daughter … then said bride-to-be gets attacked by Vampire Hunters and he has to rescue her … only to realize it's the wrong twin (long story). What follows next is Hunter and Aylin falling in love, and questing to save Hunter's future children (long story) together. What I loved was the questing and the deadly tests. Larissa is a master storyteller and I found myself falling for Hunter and Aylin (through Hunter's eyes). I definitely recommend reading the first book, Bound by Night, because the background information is already set. I found that since I had an understanding with the way the world worked, I wasn't so bogged down with details and information, and I really liked this one even better than book two.
What Larissa Ione has to say …
Favorite vampire of all time?
Larissa: Angel from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and the spinoff, Angel.
What character (from any book) would make a great vampire in your universe and why??
Larissa: Erik from the Sookie Stackhouse series. He's cocky, handsome, ruthless ... basically, he'd fit in anywhere! :)
What are you working on right now?
Larissa: I've got multiple projects in the air right now. I'm working on two Sydney Croft projects (my pen name with Stephanie Tyler,) an m/m Demonica novella due in December to Riptide, and Myne's book, which is currently not titled, but as soon as I have more news, I'll be sure to let everyone know!
Epic one-liner from Chained by Night?
Larissa: Since most of the good one-liners are major spoilers, I'll give you this one ...with a little context. See, Hunter's father was a monster. Literally. And this is something that Hunter has always worried about ... he's afraid that inside, he's just like dear old Dad. That said, here's the line: "NightShade's chief was about to understand that Hunter was his father's son."
Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine and works in the submissions department at Dreamspinner Press. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).