Dust and Decay - Book Review

Dust & Decay (Benny Imura #2)
by Jonathan Maberry

What is it about:
In post-apocalyptic America, 15-year-old Benny Imura and his friends set out into the great Rot & Ruin hoping to find a better future but are soon pitted against zombies, wild animals, insane murderers, and the horrors of Gameland.

What did I think of it:
The action and the zombies in this book were absolutely amazing!

Still I didn't love this book as much as I loved Rot & Ruin. Where Rot & Ruin was a story about growth, family and finding your way in life and would still have been beautiful without the zombie mayhem, Dust & Decay needs the action to keep standing.

I also once again was reminded why I should pick my YA reads with care: the teenage drama and stupidity in this book grated on my nerves and I would happily have shoved some of the characters in front of a horde of zombies to make the drama stop.

In the end I enjoyed this book because of the action and because of a couple of adult characters who brought some well needed level-headedness to the story.

I'm not sure if I will read the next book in this series, because it looks like my favorite character will not return in book three.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool, action-packed Zombie book.

RAK Round-Up, Signing up for Another Month and Teaser Tuesdays

Another RAK month is drawing to a close.

I send out a couple of books and I received a really cool Birthday RAK myself from Aleksandra.

And as I just started reading it I will share a bit with you for Teaser Tuesdays:

Benny's breath caught in his throat as he saw the figure emerge from the doorway in a slow, uncertain gait, his legs moving stiffly, his hands out and reaching for Tom. It was Grandpa Houser.
(page 23, Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry)


I'm still very much enjoying RAK, so I'm signing up for February for sure!

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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RAK:

The RAK movement (=Random Acts of Kindness): it is an initiative organized by the Ladies at the Book Soulmates where everyone posts their whislists and then other people realize one (or more) wishes of a person. Meaning that they send some books to the lucky person they picked! Doesn't it sound fabulous?

Rules:

• Sign up each month you'd like to participate in.

• Show off your participation! Grab one of the buttons available :)

• Create a wish list and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
{Post on your blog, Amazon, where ever as long as there's a link to it.}

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

• Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Rot and Ruin - Book Review

Rot & Ruin (Benny Imura #1) by Jonathan Maberry

What is it about:
In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

What did I think of it:
Can I just say: Awesome!!
Seriously, this book is amazing. Part of the story I already knew as this book expands on the novella 'Family Business' that was published in The New Dead: A Zombie Anthology, but I totally didn't mind as Maberry's writing, world building and characterisation are wonderful and because this book gives so much more. I admire how Maberry manages to write a kick-ass zombie story that at the same time tackles issues like family, coming of age and human nature and does so in a totally natural way. I also really like how Maberry sets the story in a time frame where zombies have become a fact of life instead of during the first outbreak. As I already mentioned the world building is amazing: Maberry creates a very believable post-apocalyptic society filled with people who feel so real and familiar you have an instant connection with them. Although Benny Imura is the lead character I will confess that his brother Tom was my favourite character from the start: Tom rocks! That being said, Benny certainly is a cool character as well and I will keep an eye out for the next book as I want more!

Why should you read it:
It's got zombies and zombie hunters!