The Hollow by Anthony Izzo

Posted on June 17, 2013 by
Amazon Kindle/paperback

Amazon Kindle/paperback

Twenty years ago a pair of serial killers terrified the nation. Their crimes made national headlines.

Their final target was The Hollow Campground. An entire family was dragged from their cabins and slaughtered. Then the killers vanished.

Now they’re back. And ready to hunt again.

The Hollow has recently re-opened, but people haven’t forgotten the carnage that took place there. Liz Mallory is taking a weekend camping trip to the Hollow with her old college friends.

Liz doesn’t know they’re being watched. The Hollow killers have come home, and the weekend plans are about to take a turn for the worse.

When the killers descend on the campground, Liz and her friends must wage a desperate battle to survive.

The Hollow. How long could you survive?

Heading out to the wilderness is a fun and peaceful way to enjoy time with friends and family. But when the cabins you are staying in have a macabre history, that little piece of heaven that looked so good can become a nightmare come true. A getaway from it all vacation is exactly what Liz and her small group of friends were hoping for, but it is far from what they got when the Hannah’s husband and Sonya’s fiancée are brutally murdered by the same group who wrecked havoc 15 years ago in the very same spot and now they are after the survivors.

Within the pages of The Hollow we are introduced to quite a few additional characters other than our group of campers, a gentleman, Jacob, who is in search of the murders of his wife and child. A few minor characters who were included to merely be redshirts introduced just long enough to be mutilated and,  of course, the psychopaths themselves play a prominent part in the gruesome action.

The attention to detail and setting is superb and the action is practically nonstop. To be sure, Anthony Izzo pulls no punches when it comes to violence. We get very detailed and grotesque scenes of what is happening to the victims.

I have to say the only real issue I had with The Hollow is some of the behaviors of the characters, particularly their internal monologue. For example, one girl has just witnessed a man be brutally killed and eaten when she is captured by the same group and is being led to the area where she witnessed the murder, all she is thinking about is how she wished she was wearing a winter hat because it’s cold? There were, also, several times where one of the survivors finally gets the upper hand and kills her attacker, but comments or thinks about how bad she feels. They have killed your family and friends and countless other people…they deserve no mercy. Like I said, it just seemed to be odd thinking on the part of the good guys.

If you  want to read something similar to Texas Chainsaw Massacre then hop on over to Amazon by clicking the cover image above and pick up your copy of The Hollow today.

Learn more about Anthony Izzo’s thrillers by giving his Facebook Author page a LIKE, following him on Twitter at @AIzzo or by checking out his blog The Horrible Truth

Espresso rating: Double with a splash of milk

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Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture

Posted on May 31, 2013 by
Amazon Kindle/Hardcover

Amazon Kindle/Hardcover

THE GEEKS HAVE INHERITED THE EARTH.

Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”), television (“Now we know—and knowing is half the battle”), literature (“All that is gold does not glitter”), games, science, the Internet, and more. Now these beloved pearls of modern-day culture have been painstakingly interpreted by a diverse team of hardcore nerds with their imaginations turned up to 11. Yes, this collection of mini-essays is by, for, and about geeks—but it’s just so surprisingly profound, the rest of us would have to be dorks not to read it. So say we all.

‘”You have no power over me” Sarah, Labyrinth…She wasn’t just a babe-she was the babe with the power.’

‘”Snozzberries? Who ever heard of a snozzberry? ~Veruca Salt, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory….Being a know-it-all isn’t smart, it’s a sign of closed-mindedness.”‘

These two statements are merely just a taste of the thought-provoking and highly entertaining essays that you will find within the pages of Geek Wisdom. Some may consider some of the exposition to be obvious analysis’ of certain quotes from the geek pop culture, but I still found the various authors ideas refreshing and fun.

The sayings and quotes in Geek Wisdom come from a variety of pop culture references…books, TV, movies.  The chosen statements are organized into sections that allow the reader to examine the wisdom about the self, wisdom about the universe, and wisdom about the future, etc just to name a few. Leading the reader on a quest to discover more about themselves, the world and their inner geek.

In this reviewers opinion, Geek Wisdom is a perfect bathroom reader. Not because it deserves to be in the crapper, but because each essay is rather short and to the point. Geek Wisdom was a fantastically well written book that I highly recommend to all those who proudly wear the title of geek and for any who think that deep down they just might have a bit of an inner geek in them.

So, may your mutton always be lean, your  power convertors always be working , and your cylons always respond with “By your command” and go buy Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture.

 

Espresso rating: Quad

 

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Metal and Ash by Jake Bible

Posted on May 28, 2013 by
Amazon paperback/Kindle

Amazon paperback/Kindle

What began in the wasteland of DEAD MECH, continued alongside in Europe and Asia in The Americans, now has its epic conclusion in Metal and Ash! Commander James Capreze and his team of mech pilots no longer must battle just zombies, cannibals, religious cults and the ever dreaded dead mechs. Now they will be put to the test by the forces of the Three as the evil alliance bent on dominating every inch of the world attacks from two fronts, forcing Capreze to split his forces and make alliances with those he had been sworn to defeat. The wasteland becomes the setting for an epic fight for basic human survival like it hasn’t seen in hundreds of years. Will fifty foot battle mechs be enough against hundreds of thousands of techno-zombies ready to wipe everything living off the scorched map that is the wasteland? Join Capreze, his mech pilots, the refugee Americans, end every denizen of the wasteland as they make one final stand to keep the Three from bringing humanity’s downfall. Alliances are formed and broken, mech pilots are made and murdered, secrets are revealed and agendas destroyed, and thousands of bodies fall and rise again in the Apex Trilogy finale: Metal and Ash!

Metal and Ash is a nonstop, action packed, hold onto your seats cause it’s gonna get bumpy, conclusion to the Dead Mech trilogy. The survivors from both book 1 (Dead Mech) and book 2 (The Americans) come together to fight for the survival of the human race. The finale takes the Americans to the Wasteland and well, heck I really don’t want to get too into what happens because it is all over the place…in a good way. Suffice it to say the story progresses and wraps up nicely. There is much action and violence and lots of fun and entertaining dialogue, which is one of my favorite things about Jake Bible’s writing. The conversations between his characters are fantastic and quite often full of hilarity.

I will warn of one thing, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, especially if it’s been a while between reading Dead Mech and getting to Metal and Ash. I had to go back and refresh my memory on who a few of the characters were and how they connected. I will give the author props, however, because while there are a lot of characters, Bible does a very good job keeping them “organized”.

Assessment, the Dead Mech Trilogy, as a whole, is a must read for all who enjoy zombie, mechs, survival, violence and all the other things that go along with that world. Metal and Ash is the fantastic conclusion of the trilogy and makes the journey definitely worth your time.

Metal and Ash can be purchased for Amazon Kindle by clicking the cover image above or by heading over to Barnes & Noble (HERE) for you nook owners.

Learn more about Jake Bible over at his blog Brain Squeezin’s . By following him on Twitter @jakebible or “liking” his author page Jake Bible’s Wasteland

Espresso rating: Triple

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The Becoming: Revelations by Jessica Meigs

Posted on May 16, 2013 by
Amazon Kindle/paperback

Amazon Kindle/paperback

Brandt Evans is floundering. Leadership of their dysfunctional group wasn’t something he asked for or wanted. Their problems are numerous: Remy Angellette is grief-stricken and suicidal, Gray Carter is distant and reclusive, and Cade Alton is near death. And things only get worse.

While Brandt and Gray are on the hunt for supplies, a still-recovering Cade is kidnapped by a militant group of survivors. On Brandt’s return, he’s told of a conspiracy involving test subjects, pathogens, and CDC doctors.

Brandt’s race to save Cade takes him back to the dangerous streets of Atlanta, where not all is as it seems. And with a horde of infected closing in and the rescue mission in jeopardy he comes tantalizingly close to a cure that might save what’s left of humanity from the ravages of the Michaluk Virus.

The Becoming: Revelations is book 3 in The Becoming series being brought to us by author Jessica Meigs and published by Permuted Press. Yet again, readers are sent hurtling head first into the hordes. We gain friends, we loose friends and in between zombies are killed and one of the many secrets of the Michaluk Virus begins to reveal itself.

To say that Jessica Meigs has kept me enthralled in the world of The Becoming is an absolute understatement. The plot of the story keeps moving forward with very little down time. It’s kept me on my toes and only rarely did I have even a guess as to what was coming next. The characters, both new and old, continue to grow and change. The dialogue between the various characters, for the most part, is relevant to the situations at hand. There were a few times when, while I understand using humor to alleviate a stressful situation, I did not find it appropriate. This, however, may just be a matter of opinion and other readers may not feel the same.

Journeying from relative safety into the city where the Michaluk Virus was created our friends must look inside themselves to find the courage, honor and strength within to keep going and fight for their lives and the lives of those who have become family.

The Becoming: Revelations, in this readers opinion, is another action packed must read from author Jessica Meigs. The characters I have come to love and hate continue to fight for their survival with some meeting an untimely end and others find a new beginning.

Learn more about the author, Jessica Meigs, and what she is currently working on by following her blog BecomingZombies.com or stalk her Twitter feed at: @JessicaMeigs

Espresso rating: Quad

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Avery Nolan, Private Dick of the Strange: The Case of the Zombie Menace by Tony Faville

Posted on May 10, 2013 by
Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle

It’s the 1950s in New York City – the Cold War is in full bloom and the Red Scare is everywhere. Private Investigator Avery Nolan is hired by the daughter of a missing research scientist to find him. What he finds instead is the menace of the KGB, a possible U.S. government coverup, and the undead ready to tear America apart from the inside.

Equal parts detective noir and “Night of the Living Dead,” the story is carried into fascinating territory by the title P.I. and an eclectic cast of characters. Avery Nolan is a Lucky Strike-smoking, scotch-drinking, hard-fighting, straight-shooting private investigator from NYC. Sure, he takes his lumps every now and then, but he is always the first in line when payback is due. Add in a who’s-who of side characters, including plenty of dames with great gams, good-guy cops whose moral virtues may not be quite as shiny as their badges, egghead scientists who spout enough geek-talk to make Einstein’s head spin, a hot librarian with a cool hand – and, of course, the walking dead – and you’ve got yourself one killer mystery on your hands.

**Unbiased review from guest reviewer author, Tonia Brown

Hard boiled crime never looked undeader.

I must admit, I have a soft spot for the whole crime noir scene. Some of my favorite films are of the genre, but I must confess I had never really had the chance to read such a thing … until now.

Avery Nolan, Private Dick of the Strange: The Case of the Zombie Menace, is everything a gal could want in a noir story, with the added benefit of zombies. (Zombies! I know, right?) Toss this together with a well written story, superb pacing, awesome characters and amazing action scenes, and you have one hell of a tale. Faville sets out to explore the noir scene but does so much more. His characters are all typical of the genre, yet each one somehow manages to transcend the two-dimensional molds of which they were born. Especially the lead, Mr. Nolan. I have to admit, I fell head over heels for the big galoot. With his no nonsense attitude and quick on his feet thinking, Avery is the kind of guy who could have my back any day. Though, being the gentleman he is, he would probably remind me I am married and move along.

What moved me most about the story was the sense of realism. Not just the slang or metaphors remaining so true to the era, no, I mean the little touches and details I couldn’t help but feel came straight from Faville’s own personal history. The military references. The passionate concern for local characters. The well described action sequences. Even the epilogue gave me pause, and in that pause I wondered if perhaps Mr. Faville had drawn that story from his own life? Perhaps, but either way, such things gave it a memorable personal touch.

If I had one complaint about the tale, then it would be the style in which it was written— present tense. I am not a huge fan of present tense stories, but that said, Mr. Faville held his own. I can’t complain too much considering the thing, regardless of its style, was outstanding.

Thanks, Mr. Faville, for giving us Mr. Nolan. I not only recommend reading this adventure, I will be first in line for the next installment!

Learn more about Tony Faville and his other works by visiting and hitting the LIKE button on his Facebook fan page (HERE)

Espresso rating: Triple

Doubleshot Reviews wants to extend their appreciation to Ms. Tonia Brown for taking time out of her busy schedule to read and review Avery for us. Several of her books have been reviewed by this blog and I highly suggest you hunt down a few for your own reading pleasure. HERE is the link to her blog where you can find some of her books

Posted in Uncategorized, Zombies, Mash-Up, Mystery, Noir, Supernatural | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Contest! Win a copy of The Resurrectionist

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

ResurrectionistWant to win a copy of E.B. Hudspeth’s The Resurrectionist?

Choose one of the reviews from this site of a book that sounds interesting to you and share it on your Facebook wall stating why. Don’t forget to tag Doubleshot Reviews Facebook page (HERE) so I can keep track. If you prefer Twitter over Facebook, then share your review of choice on Twitter with the hashtag #DoubleshotReviews. Share on both Facebook AND Twitter and you are entered to win twice.

Winner will be randomly selected on May 15, 2013 at 6pm PST.

(This, hopefully, will generate some traffic on my blog AND get one lucky person a pretty awesome book)

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The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth

Posted on May 3, 2013 by

ResurrectionistPhiladelphia, the late 1870s. A city of gas lamps, cobblestone streets, and horse-drawn carriages—and home to the controversial surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a grave robber, young Dr. Black studies at Philadelphia’s esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world’s most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs—were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind?
 
The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from a childhood spent exhuming corpses through his medical training, his travels with carnivals, and the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black’s magnum opus: The Codex Extinct Animalia, a Gray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts—dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus—all rendered in meticulously detailed anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. The Resurrectionist tells his story.

This book was received as an ARC (Advanced Read/Review Copy) from Quirk Books. It is set to be released on May 21, 2013

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black is essentially two books in one, the first being The Life of Dr Spencer Black.  Believing that mythological creatures are our (human) ancestors, Dr Black proceeds to embark on a journey of scientific discovery. A journey that seems to slowly drive him into madness and ruins any credibility he may have had within his field of study. I will give word of warning, this section is most definitely not for someone with a weak stomach. It is very descriptive and there is a good portion dealing with vivisection, which is essentially surgery/dissection of a living creature. While it is very descriptive and gruesome, I found it also very intriguing and actually wish this section was longer.

The second section is The Codex Extinct Anamalia in which Dr Black documents and illustrates his findings of the lesser known species of the animal kingdom. This section is mostly illustrations of various species muscular and skeletal structure done very similarly to Gray’s Anatomy. It is well done artwork and for those with great interest in the structure and anatomy of mythological species this is a wonderfully detailed and well done section. I could even see tattoo artists using this as inspiration for pieces.

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black is a very unique piece of work that would fit very well as a coffee table book in the right household. Filled with highly imaginative and detailed illustrations and a disturbing view into the psyche of what I view as a highly intelligent doctor turned mad by his obsession.

The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black is available for pre-order by clicking the cover image above to be directed to Amazon for either a Hardcover copy or to purchase for your Kindle. Release date is May 21, 2013.

—OR—

Want to win a copy of The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black? Head over to Doubleshot Reviews Facebook page (HERE) and give it a LIKE. I will post how to win your very own hard copy of The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black in the next day or so.

Espresso rating: Triple

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