High Striker by G. T. Rigdon

This is the story of Amos Konklin. He is a gifted neurosurgeon who stands accused of a double homicide. Told in flashback for much of the story, it is set in a world of carnivals and the sideshow 'high striker' in particular. Amos tells his story to a local reporter, and the story that emerges is a story of serial killing, intrigue and suspense....

This was an interesting story. At first glance it appears to be a muddled mish mash of serial killing and carnival shows but stick with it and it will all come together and make sense in the end - trust me! It was a nice fast paced read and the characters were solid and well rounded. I really enjoyed this, it was unusual in its approach but it worked and I would be interested to read more from this author.

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin

This is the story of Mildred Dunlap and her cousin Edra. Set in Red River Pass, Nevada during Oscar Wilde's prosecution and incarceration for 'indecent acts', it tells of a time of intolerance and prejudice. Mildred and Edra find their lives and 'special friendship' turned upside down by small minded townies. Mildred concocts a plan to take the spotlight off them but all too soon new and ever more malicious rumours start up and Mildred and Edra must look to unlikely sources for friendship and stability.

This was a wonderfully written written story, a female take on Brokeback Mountain. Both heart-warming and heartbreaking in turn, I was taken along on an amazing ride. It was at its core, a love story but it was also so much more than that. it showed all too strongly the damage prejudice and small minded gossip can cause. The descriptions were vivid and the characters solid and utterly believable. I found myself in tears on more than one occasion. Well done to the author for tackling an emotive issue with such compassion. I will certainly be looking out for more!

The 8th by Matt Shaw

This is the story of a boy - an ordinary boy - pushed to his limits by bullying at school. He tries to put up with it and ignore it but in the end it gets too much and over the course of one fateful lesson his resolves to make every one of the people who bullied him and his friends pay...

This was a very thought provoking story. It could happen to anyone pushed enough and fragile enough. Bullying is a terrible crime and not enough is done to stamp it out of our schools. The sad fact is, although extreme, the story was all too realistic, and that made it all the more chilling. Well done Matt, for addressing a subject that is all too often ignored and brushed under the carpet.

Affairs of the Heart by Borislava Borrisova

This is two novellas in one volume with the theme of love running through them.

I initially found these hard to get into. I had to keep stopping and starting, but once I had got past the 'sticky' bit I started to enjoy the book. The first novella concentrated on the secrets of a town in Bulgaria and was steeped in history. The second told of the trials and tribulations of everyday love. The pace was initially slow, but then picked up in the second story to almost breakneck speed! The characters were solid and believable, and I identified well with them. The stories themselves were bitter-sweet but enjoyable. A very good effort from the author.

ASBO by Iain Rob Wright

This is the story of Andrew and his family who run foul of a local troublemaker. Andrew goes out for fish and chips and bumps into Frankie. Fresh out of a young offenders institution and looking to make trouble, he asks Andrew to buy him a packet of cigarettes, Andrew refuses. Soon though he comes to wish he had just bought the cigarettes as over the course of a week Frankie unleashes a reign of terror and brutality on Andrew and his family. It all culminates on one fateful night that none of them will forget for a very long time...

Sadly this is an indictment of today's Britain. It was a non-stop horrific ride of terror that left me gasping at the end. Andrew and his family were just an ordinary Joe family that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart went out to them as they were being terrorised and I could feel their pain. I totally understood Andrew's actions and I think if I was in his position I would not hesitate to do the same. The story was very descriptive and the characters true to life. The pace belted along and the book was hard to put down. This is the first book I have read by this author and judging by this standard I will be reading more.

Dead Veil by Ian Woodhead

This is the fourth instalment in the Zombie Armageddon series, and eagerly awaited by myself! This time around the action is set a year on from the initial outbreak and centres on a dictatorship based at a tower block and delusional characters holed up in the supermarket.

I loved this. Ian never fails to amaze me with his imagination and detail. I have been waiting a while for this one and I certainly wasn't disappointed. The action as usual was fast paced and relentless. The zombies have evolved and are now almost super-'human' with somewhat vampiric qualities. Being able to read minds and heal themselves, the Hunters are top of the 'deadie' food chain! The gore was top notch and the characters were familiar and solid. This is a series that just keeps getting better and better. I do recommend that the others in the series are read first, if only to familiarise yourself with the characters and areas, although this isn't strictly necessary.

Meta-horde by Sean T. Page & John McCuaig

This is the story of a world ravaged by zombies. Only a very few outposts survive holding out against the zombie armies. Now an eminent scientist in the outpost of Carcassonne in France has predicted that the zombies will band together in 'meta-hordes' (millions of zombies together) and storm the last few outposts. Desperate to wipe them out before they arrive, a few plucky survivors decide to blow up a nuclear power plant. Sadly they are sabotaged by an infiltrator from a group bent on creating Armageddon. Will they survive long enough to wipe out the meta-hordes? Will the plan work, and will the earth be saved?

I must admit, I have reviewed so many zombie books now I am honestly starting to enjoy the genre! This was no exception. I enjoyed the gritty dystopian horror that the world has been left in - with life just existing from day to day. The action was relentless although the zombie gore was played down. This to me was more about the survival than the blood and guts. The characters were easily identifiable with and seemed very human to me. I found the pace just right - a great page turner for a spooky winters evening or two.