Aaron Dries

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Maybe I'm to blame for this one. It was a while since I got this book, and didn't remember what it was about any more and the cover is misleading. However, I don't believe it is just me, since the change in A Place for Sinners was so sudden, from a nice holiday in Thailand to doomsday kind of situations, that I actually had to go back and reread to make sure that was what was really happening.

It is also what continues on the second half. I like a good horror, and I understand there is some build-up where everything seems fine, but here it really was about half the book. With all the changing POVs (many of them delusional) and the non-stop action after the turning point I got lost and found it difficult to connect to the remaining protagonist.

Not for me, I'm afraid.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (mere)

I would like to thank Crystal Lake Publishing for providing me with an advanced reading copy of Where the Dead Go to Die, and for providing me with copies of the amazing art from within the book.

I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive going into this one. I usually avoid zombie books as I feel it's been done many times before - and to be honest I'm really rather bored of them - but Where the Dead Go to Die is a unique take and I was pleasantly surprised. I was intrigued by the concept. A hospice for zombies is a fresh twist that had me going against my usual rule of bypassing any book that has to do with zombies, and I'm really glad that I decided to give this book a try. However, this is more than just a zombie novel, it shines a light on the bond between family members and explores the different ways that people cope with tragedy.

We have hospices that provide care for many different illnesses, so why not provide the same kind of care for victims of a virus that slowly turns your loved one into a cannibalistic killer? How would you cope should you find someone you love infected? Would you fear for your own life and turn your back on them, or would you make sure they had all the love and care that they need in the time they have left? This is just one of the dilemmas you'll come across in Where the Dead Go to Die.

The storyline switches between two different timelines, one being present day, and the other being an earlier timeline that slowly reveals the background of the main character. I found this odd at first because the earlier timeline started off with just a few lines of text and didn't really make sense, but the sections gradually got longer as the book progressed and I quickly realised what the author was doing.

Where the Dead Go to Die really packs a punch. I don't want to say too much in order to avoid spoilers, but this was quite the emotional roller-coaster. By the time the book was finished I have to say I was both delighted, and gutted, by where the story went.

I never thought I would be typing this, but I'm actually recommending a zombie novel!

Definitely one I would recommend.… (mere)

Review copy

Been a while since I've read a great opening line, but this one drew me right in...

The dead roam those halls.

Emily Samuels is starting new job and the protesters were out in force, complete with signs reading, "LIFE IS 4 THE LIVING","BRING OUT UR DED", 'NO TOLERRENCE FOR BONE EATERS", "LET' FINISH THE JOB".

Where the Dead Go to Die is a decidedly different take on the zombie apocalypse...

"No, no, no! We don't say zombie here. Nor do we refer to our guests as 'smilers', or 'bone eaters' or whatever else it is you hear over there in the Russian quarter, it won't fly here, Emily. There's a reason those offensive B movies and trashy novels about the infected have been withdrawn from circulation and banned."

In the world created by authors Dries and Gunnells, once infected it can take years before the "dead' become hungry. As a result the ministry has established long-term care facilities where they can stay until they absolutely need to be terminated. It's not brains these zombies cry for. Here, the infected crave sugar, fats, and with time, marrow.

Where the Dead Go to Die is a captivating story, powerful in the way its told. In some ways a comment on elder care as much as it is a story about zombies. A story with a great deal of humanity, yet filled with gore and...hope. At one point I was actually moved to tears.

There are several illustrations interspersed throughout the the book. Each character was rich with authenticity and the storytelling is a cut above...

The pigeon rolled trying to flap itself right again. Only it was too late. It entangled itself in the barbed wire lining the lunch area fence. Meta thorns pierced the bird's fragile hulk, and the more it tried to fight the stronger that hold became. The pigeon screamed until the pain became too much, and the cooed itself into stunned resignation.

Using a zombie tale to tell a story of the turbulent times we live in seems nothing short of inspired

Not sure whose idea it was to use instructions on creating an origami crane to open each of the Interludes in the story, but that was really inspired.

Where the Dead Go to Die is published by Crystal Lake Publishing and is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

From the authors' bios...

Aaron Dries was raised in a small New South Wales town in Australia. Among his many jobs is a stint as an aged-care nurse, experience which came in handy in creating the backdrop for Where the Dead Go to Die. Aaron graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in creative writing and video production. As a filmmaker, he won a number of awards for his short films. When he is not writing, Aaron is thinking about writing, or upcoming film projects. He is also an avid traveler.

Mark Allan Gunnells loves to tell stories. He has since he was a kid, penning one-page tales that were Twilight Zone knockoffs. He likes to think he has gotten a little better since then. He loves reader feedback, and above all he loves telling stories. He lives in Greer, SC, with his husband Craig.… (mere)