Early Review - Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter

Title: Alice in Zombieland

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: 1st

Pages: 404

Published:  September 25th 2012 by Harlequin Teen 

ISBN: 9780373210589

Source: Around The World Tours

Description: Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.  Her father was right. The monsters are real….  To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I Give This ...

I'm not one for mash ups, which is what I thought this was going to be.  But, I love Alice in Wonderland and I enjoy most books about zombies.  I thought this was a win win for me.  Interestingly, this is not a mash up.  There's hardly any correlation with Alice in Wonderland.  Once, I got over that realization, I ended up really liking this book.

I liked Alice right from the start.  Her dad sounded like a certifiable nut job (although, we know he wouldn't be in the end).  I completely understood her position for wanting a normal life, or even an evening resembling it.  I also understood her guilt she assumed after the accident.  I'm glad we don't get much of her grandparents because I think they might have been a little overbearing (although in their defense they are dealing with their own loss).  I liked how in denial she was about what she was seeing every night outside her window.  When she truly figures out what is going on, she demands to be on the same training and schedule as everyone else.  She wants revenge, no matter what the cost.  Plus, she wants to understand why she can see the zombies and her abilities that seem to be above and beyond what the other zombie hunters can do.

I loved the other characters in this book.  Alice's little sister Emma is sweet and I loved that we get glimpse of her throughout the book.  Alice swiftly makes a die hard friends when she moves in with her grandparents.  Kat is exactly the type of person that Alice needs.  Her no nonsense, tell it like it is attitude is awesome!  The band of zombie hunters was an interesting mix to the story.  They kind of blend together with the exception of Kat's ex boyfriend, Makenzie, and Cole.  Cole...wow.  He seemed like the stereotypical bad guy that the good girls are always attracted too.  I was afraid of the insta romance between Alice and Cole.  But, then I realized it's hard to call it that.  When visions occur every time you meet, it's hard not to feel the heat behind them.

There's some myth behind this story that hasn't been fully explored.  I don't think we truly no why Alice is special.   Plus, I just really enjoyed the story and look forward to what comes next.  

Review - Twisted (Intertwined #3) by Gena Showalter

Title: Twisted

Author: Gena Showalter

Series 3rd (Intertwined, Unraveled)

Pages: 304

Published: August 30, 2011 by Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373210381

Source: Around The World Tours

Description: SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD ADEN STONE HAS HAD A HELL OF A WEEK. HE’S BEEN:
Tortured by angry witches. Hypnotized by a vengeful faery. Spied on by the most powerful vampire in existence. And, oh, yeah. Killed – twice. His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last. Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.  Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

I Give This ...

 

I wasn't sure what to expect from book 3 in this series.  I've been up and down with this series so far, and wasn't sure were the author might take me with this one.  First off, if your expecting to this to be the last one...it's not.  I thought it was going to be a trilogy for some reason, and was really worried that the storyline might be rushed because Aden still had 3 souls.  I am relieved to find that there is at least one more.  Second I'm curious about how this book might have changed from ARC to final copy.  You see, the ARC was almost 600 pages long.  And while I enjoyed it overall, at time I thought it was never going to end.  I see the finished copy has just over 300.  I would be curious to see it.

The beginning of this book is ... intense.   I felt like I was intruding on somebody's private life.  Aden and Victoria are basically fighting to survive and to keep from killing each other.  They take turns feeding off each other, but it feels like so much more than that.  When they finally seem to gain control of themselves, I was intrigued to  discover that they seem to have swapped personalities.  Aden is the hardcore vampire while Victoria is the vulnerable human.  They've switched powers too.  I liked watching Aden struggle with his conflicting emotions.  He's human memories keep clashing with his vampire instincts.  I also really liked watching him stake his claim as the Vampire King.  I also really felt sorry for him when they discover his real father.  Turns out the missing dad is a real a*$hole.  

With as much going on in Aden's life, you might thing that Riley and Mary Anne might have an easy go of things.  Not on your life.  Mary Anne might be trying to protect everyone by running away, but she doesn't know that she has witches and fairies following her.  When they try to kill her, Riley has to do something extraordinary to save her life.  And it has dire consequences.  I'm hoping it doesn't mean the end of Mary Anne and Riley.  They can figure it out.

This book is a never ending ride of twists, intense actions, and those emotional moments.  It's not surprise that I'm also left with a giant cliff-hanger.  I'm curious at who had caused the chaos, and what will happen next. 

Unraveled (Intertwined #2) by Gena Showalter

Title: Unraveled

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: 2nd in Intertwined

Pages: 572

Published: August 2010 by Harlequin

ISBN:  9780373210220

Source: Won

Description: Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he's supposed to be crowned Vampire King—while still a human! Well, kind of.  With four—oops, three now—human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been "different" himself. These souls can time-travel, raise the dead, possess another's mind and, his least favorite these days, tell the future.The forecast for Aden? A knife through the heart.Because a war is brewing between the creatures of the dark, and Aden is somehow at the center of it all. But he isn't about to lie down and accept his destiny without a fight. Not when his new friends have his back, not when Victoria has risked her own future to be with him, and not when he has a reason to live for the first time in his life…

I Give This ...

 

I'm beginning to think I need to eat my words when I say that the second book usually disappoints.  As of late, that has so not been the case.  After reading Intertwined, I might not have read Unraveled had it not been for that fact that I won a copy of it. I would have missed an excellent addition to a series I will be continuing!

Poor Aden!  All he wants to do is have a normal life, attend high school, etc.  But, now he's the king of the vampires.  He has to make decision regarding blood-slaves, challenges, and finding a Queen.  It was not surprising no one would accept that all he wanted was Victoria.  Not to mention he has to deal with the witches.  His abilities are really starting to come through, and I find him a really interesting character.  It's no wonder everybody wants a piece of him.  Speaking of Victoria, I liked learning more about her and why she is the way she is.  She seems more like a person now and not just a character throw into the story.

I LOVED Mary Anne and Riley in this story.  Their romance is sweet and sometimes raw and emotional.  I like the new development of what Mary Anne really is.  I also really loved how that didn't matter to Riley.  I wonder how much trouble he will be in for what he has done to protect her.  It should make for some interesting subject matter in the next installment.

I also enjoyed the involvement of the witches and the fae in this one.  I love it when a story twists how you normally think of a mythical creature (although the fae weren't that different).  I did think the ending with the witches was really anti-climatic.  It was way to abrupt, but I guess the author felt there were more pressing matters at hand.  I really enjoyed the ending.  It was not I was expecting!  I can't wait for the next one! 

Intertwined (Intertwined #1) by Gena Showalter

Title: Intertwined

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: 1st in Intertwined series

Pages: 440

Published: September 2009 by Harlequin

ISBN: 9780373210022

Source: Personal Copy

Description: There’s something about the new guy at Crossroads High . . . Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him: One can time-travel. One can raise the dead. One can tell the future. And one can possess another human. With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now, they’re causing him all kinds of trouble. Like, he’ll blink and suddenly he’s a younger Aden, reliving the past. One wrong move, and he’ll change the future. Or, he’ll walk past a total stranger and know how and when she’s going to die. He’s so over it. All he wants is peace. And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Well, for as long as he’s with her. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. He’s a loner; she has friends. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks; she tries to make everyone happy. And while he attracts the paranormal, she repels it. For her sake, he should stay away. But it’s too late. . . Somehow, they share an inexplicable bond of friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf shape-shifter who wants Mary Ann for his own and a vampire princess Aden can’t resist. Two romances, both forbidden. . . doomed. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger. . . but not everyone will come out alive. . .  

I Give This ...
 

I admit, I haven't read anything but Gena Showalter until now.  I also admit I probably should have read something else by her first.  There's isn't anything wrong with this book per say, I would just be willing to bet that her adult series are better.

I've noticed that first books in paranormal series have a lot of characters you have to get straight.  This one is no exception.  There's a lot of paranormal beings introduced, including, zombie, vampires, and werewolves.  I was never really sure what one had to do with the other.  And then not only to you have Aden, but also the four souls living inside him.  They all have separate names and identities.  Plus, Aden has a tendency to have conversations with all four souls at once.  That's a lot of dialogue to keep track of.  I actually liked the idea of the four souls.  It was a different paranormal aspect that I haven't read before.  I also liked how they were linked to him.  

I wasn't sure about the supporting characters.  For the longest time I just didn't get the connection Aden had to Mary Anne.  I thought it was going to be a love triangle thing, and I just wasn't feeling it.  When it wasn't, I admit I was relieved, but I still didn't get it.  When their connection is more adequately explained, it made sense.  I did like Riley and Mary Anne's relationship.  It felt the most real out of all of them.  I disliked Victoria and Aden's relationship the most.  It felt forced and I think it's because of the vision.  

It's an interesting start to the series, and I admit I'm curious.  I think that now that most of the characters are introduced the story might flow a little better.  Plus, I want to see Aden have some peace I think he deserves.