Hollowland (The Hollows #1) – Amanda Hocking

Started – 12/5/13

Finished – 16/5/13

Format – Kindle e-book

Synopsis – Hollowland – the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

“This is the way the world ends – not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door.”

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way – not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

My Thoughts – I downloaded this book when i got my kindle a couple of Christmas’ ago as i went on a bit of a spree and it was free at the time.

I downloaded it because i saw ‘young adult dystopian series’ in the description and this is my favourite type of book so what could go wrong?

This book is about Remy who we meet in a compound that is under zombie attack. The end of the world is upon her and all she is interested in is finding her younger brother whom there is some mystery about. She mangages to avoid getting bitten by the zombies and her begins her journey to find her brother who she believes has been taken to another govenment compound.

She meets other people along the way, a doctor, a young girl that comes out of the compound with her, a former rock star and some other surviours.

Well i did enjoy this book, kinda. I have realised that I’m not a huge fan of zombie books now, well you live and learn, as i found them quite gresome for my liking. I thought the story was a bit to simular for my liking. Everytime they met the zombies it was very predictable what was going to happen. I wasnt overally keen on the writing style either, it was a bit too raw for my liking.

This is not to say that its a bad book because it wasnt, it just wasnt a book for me. i dont think I’ll read anymore of this series but this book does end on a big cliffhanger so I can see why others might want to continue the story.

Rating – 3/5

The Woman in Black – Susan Hill

Started – 30/1/13

Finished – 1/2/13

Format – Kindle e-book

 

Challenges – Ultimate Teen Book Guide Challenge

 

Synopsis – Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House, unaware of the tragic secrets which lie hidden behind the shuttered windows. The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black – and her terrible purpose.

 

My Thoughts – I read this book as part of the February Reading Circle and its a book that ive always wanted to read and having got the chance to i was very excited to read it.

 

This book is about Arthur Kipps a young man who is a junior solicitor and as part of his job role he has to attend the funeral of an eldery client and sort through her house to get her affairs in order. While attending the funeral he sees a mysterious woman in black and having mentioned this to various people in the town they react quite badly. Its not revealed until the end of the book why this is the case, but i did find this part of the book the most upsetting, that is the part with the children.

 

While trying to sort out all the paperwork Arthur decides that it would be better for him to stay overnight in the house to get things sorted quicker, this is when the creepy things start to happen.

 

I did really enjoy this book however i didnt find it at all creepy or scary which did surprise me. I dont like scary movies and have stayed away from the genre as i thought that it might scare me but having read this book i think i will read more.

 

I also liked how the book started off in the present and events happened in the past which proved that nothing bad happened to the narrator.

 

This book is good, quite short but i liked it all the same.

 

Rating – 4/5