[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Drifters

John L. Campbell is the author of the zombie apocalypse series, OMEGA DAYS from Penguin Random House. Book One, "Omega Days," was an overnight Amazon Horror bestseller, and remained on the list for 17 weeks. In addition, he is the author of two collections of short horror stories, RED CIRCUS and IN THE FALLING LIGHT, and a novella based upon actual events, THE MANGROVES, which chronicles the most horrific crocodile massacre in recorded history. His short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies, literary magazines and ezines.

John has lived all over the U.S., and has worked as everything from a limo driver to professional investigator and executive. He currently resides with his family in New York, where he is hard at work on the next novel in his Omega Days series.

Campbell is an Active Member of the HWA; Horror Writer's Association, and is represented by the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency in New York.

Coming soon, DRIFTERS.

Keep up with John online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / GoodReads

Drifters

OMEGA DAYS #3

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The survivors of the Omega Virus make a desperate effort to find the living. But the walking dead aren’t done with them yet…

Helicopter pilot Vladimir Yurish is a man of his word. The last thing he wants is to abandon the safety of the U.S.S. Nimitz and his newly adopted son Ben. Still, a promise is a promise, no matter how close to death it brings him…

Angie West has fought hard to keep strangers alive, but now it’s time to tend to her own. Only, when she finds her family missing and their hideout burned and looted, she realizes the threat to her family isn’t just the undead—the living can do so much worse…

Halsey has done well for himself, given the circumstances. Between his secluded ranch and precise shooting, the plague hasn’t touched him. Until a Black Hawk crashes on his property, bringing the war to his front door…

Amid the chaos of a destroyed civilization, the survivors encounter a new threat. And these new monsters can’t be outrun—or outwitted…
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle:
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review

I adore zombie fiction. And I have read some good one and some terrible ones. When I discovered John L. Campbell's Omega Days series, it was all I could do to wait for the next installment.

Campbell has, in my mind, proven himself a force to be reckoned with in modern zombie apocalypse tales, and the dissected storylines of the series, while something that usually annoy me to no end, lent to a beautifully robust tale from multiple perspectives while still keeping the story arc whole.

Drifters was a bit different than the first two installments, wherein we finally get to find out what happened to the ones that our previous 'main' characters were trying to get back to, specifically, Angie West's husband and daughter, along with the rest of her family. I enjoyed every single page and devoured it in two sittings, but I must admit, I missed the rest of the cast from the U.S.S Nimitz for a good majority of the book, and that is only because Campbell had made me miss them by drawing me in so thoroughly in books #1 and #2.

While Omega Days and Ship of the Dead were slightly more real-time, Drifters takes the reader back to the things that happened during the time that Angie and her family were separated, while uncovering yet another sick and twisted group of survivors, proving once again that all monsters are human.

In keeping with the tone and tension of the series, Campbell holds no punches when it comes to disturbing action, and piles on the grit in a most wonderful way. Nobody is safe in these novels, and I couldn't be more excited about that. :)

If you like The Walking Dead and have a soft spot for horror novels that delve into the human psyche and the darkness that exists within us all, then I highly recommend the Omega Days novels.

Postscript: I was completely saddened because I thought this was the final novel of the series, though I had wondered if John might write a spin-off. I've now heard that there will be more, and after that ending, I absolutely cannot wait!

Drifters

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Wicked Wolf

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first. 

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is a bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens. 

Feel free to stalk Carrie Ann at the following places online – 
Facebook, Twitter, Website, Blog, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page and Pinterest.

Wicked Wolf
A 1,001 Dark Nights Novella and a story of the Redwood Pack

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The war between the Redwood Pack and the Centrals is one of wolf legend. Gina Eaton lost both of her parents when a member of their Pack betrayed them. Adopted by the Alpha of the Pack as a child, Gina grew up within the royal family to become an enforcer and protector of her den. She’s always known fate can be a tricky and deceitful entity, but when she finds the one man that could be her mate, she might throw caution to the wind and follow the path set out for her, rather than forging one of her own.

Quinn Weston’s mate walked out on him five years ago, severing their bond in the most brutal fashion. She not only left him a shattered shadow of himself, but their newborn son as well. Now, as the lieutenant of the Talon Pack’s Alpha, he puts his whole being into two things: the safety of his Pack and his son.

When the two Alphas put Gina and Quinn together to find a way to ensure their treaties remain strong, fate has a plan of its own. Neither knows what will come of the Pack’s alliance, let alone one between the two of them. The past paved their paths in blood and heartache, but it will take the strength of a promise and iron will to find their future.
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Bewitching Bella - Charity:

*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review

Wicked Wolf is a novella that takes place 15 years after the official Redwood pack series ends. I was slightly skeptical at first to dive into this book not knowing what to expect especially since the Redwood Pack had technically officially ended. I enjoyed the beginning, Carrie Ann has a way of hooking a reader at the very beginning so that you want to keep reading to find out the answers to the questions that are spinning around in your head. By the time I got to the plot twist I felt I was immersed enough into the short story that my emotions went on a roller coaster along with the characters. It's amazing how Carrie Ann can do this in so few pages, that's one of the reason she is always on my auto buy list and is in my top 10 favorite authors of all time.

One of things I really have to point out is, as diehard long time Redwood Pack Series fan, I was very curious to see how Carrie Ann was going to bridge the Redwood Pack and the Talon Pack, I wholeheartedly believe that Carrie Ann did a beautiful job using Wicked Wolf as that bridge between the two series and the two packs.

One thing that has me very excited about the Talon Pack is that Wicked Wolf gave us a mystery and a whole new story line that has me intrigued and excited to see what's going to happen next in this world and with this new pack.

Gina is a strong wolf with a damaged past but that has not stopped her from becoming an important part of the Redwood Pack and their future. When she meets Quinn she faces feelings she did not know she could have. Unfortunately because of Quinn's own damage past he will ignore his feelings until he realizes that Gina is the only answer to fix his future. With these two strong wolves the future of two packs lay in the balance. And with an unknown danger lurking in the future the two packs need to be united now more than ever. Can Gina and Quinn put aside their damage pasts to ensure not only their packs futures but their own?

Again this short novella had me on an emotional roller coaster along with the characters that had me intrigued and enticed enough to open myself up to fall in love with a whole new pack.

I will forever be a diehard Redwood Pack fan but there is definitely room in my heart for another pack, and that pack will be the Talon Pack. Great Job Carrie Ann!!
Wicked Wolf

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Tattered Loyalties

Carrie Ann Ryan is a bestselling paranormal and contemporary romance author. After spending too much time behind a lab bench, she decided to dive into the romance world and find her werewolf mate – even if it’s just in her books. Happy endings are always near – even if you have to get over the challenges of falling in love first.

Carrie Ann’s Redwood Pack series is a bestselling series that has made the shifter world even more real to her and has allowed the Dante’s Circle and Holiday, Montana series to be born. She’s also an avid reader and lover of romance and fiction novels. She loves meeting new authors and new worlds. Any recommendations you have are appreciated. Carrie Ann lives in New England with her husband and two kittens.

Feel free to stalk Carrie Ann at the following places online –
Facebook, Twitter, Website, Blog, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page and Pinterest.

Tattered Loyalties

TALON PACK Book #1

Buy from Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Apple

When the great war between the Redwoods and the Centrals occurred three decades ago, the Talon Pack risked their lives for the side of good. After tragedy struck, Gideon Brentwood became the Alpha of the Talons. But the Pack’s stability is threatened, and he’s forced to take mate—only the one fate puts in his path is the woman he shouldn’t want.

Though the daughter of the Redwood Pack’s Beta, Brie Jamenson has known peace for most of her life. When she finds the man who could be her mate, she’s shocked to discover Gideon is the Alpha wolf of the Talon Pack. As a submissive, her strength lies in her heart, not her claws. But if her new Pack disagrees or disapproves of fate’s choice, the consequences could be fatal.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Bewitching Bella - Charity:

Have you ever read a book that shook a part of you on a very human level that you didn’t realize a book could do that to you? Well that is exactly what Tattered Loyalties did to me and for me. Without spoiling the Meta Arc of this series before a reader gets the chance to read it for themselves I am going to try to give you the best review that I can and explain why I felt a connection to this book like never before.

First I am a huge Redwood Pack Series fan and was thrilled to hear that Carrie Ann Ryan was going to allow those fans to see the future of the kids we saw born in that series and in the war throughout that series. Having said that you DO NOT need to read the Redwood Series in order to start The Talon Series, Carrie Ann Ryan does a very good job of explaining the history of the world so that readers can start with Tattered Loyalties and feel just as immersed in the world without having to read anything prior. But of course I highly recommend reading the Redwood Series just for the experience.

The Talon Pack is led by An Alpha named Gideon that came to be the alpha through nontraditional means but in doing so gave his pack the only chance of survival from itself and the evil that was living within it. Now Gideon must face his past and the future that he feels is looming over his pack, with all the plans he is putting in place to protect his pack from what could possibly be coming for them he never thought that what could be the answer to his biggest problem, himself, would be a mate. Especially a mate that he thinks could never handle the evil he feels he is surrounded by.

Brie is a Redwood; she has always known where her place has been within her pack and has always known that it was important and needed in its own way for the survival and moral of the pack. It’s not one of strength in the traditional manner but one of love and softness, within that love and softness comes its own strength that not all wolves appreciate or see as valuable as traditional strength. When she realizes that she is the solution to one of Gideon’s biggest problems, Brie decides she would rather sacrifice her need for “happily ever after” for duty, in the hopes that she can be exactly what the Talon Pack needs to really heal and move forward and survive whatever may be coming in the future.

Things don’t go very smooth, there are members of the Talon pack who do not think a submissive wolf can be the Alpha Female and will go to any length to make sure she will not be for long. But Brie’s strength doesn’t come from her skill in fighting it comes from her sheer will to strive in life and in whatever role the Fates believe she is fit for and she will prove to the pack that she is the Alpha Female they need and deserve.

I was very pleased that Carrie Ann gave us a few glimpses into the next couple whose story will be told next in the series, it had me intrigued and captivated and a little restless to be honest, in a good way of course for the next installment.

The only thing that I did not like about Tattered Loyalties was I felt utterly unprepared for the emotional roller coaster I was on especially in the last chapter, I felt like I was hit by a mack truck and it’s rare that Carrie Ann leaves the reader feeling that way in the end of her books. In that sense I feel that her writing has grown a bit darker and has gotten heavier and to be a long time Carrie Ann Ryan fan that shows me some growth. It scares me a little thou because I am afraid to see what the Brentwood family’s future holds.

Now on to why this book rocked me, the meta arc of this series that the Talon Pack and the Brentwood family will have to face throughout this series is something that I fear daily in my life. I am afraid to see the true nature of this evil written on the page. I think that’s says more about my humane side than it does about the books and I am curious to see how others feel about it after they read it as well. I know that IN THE END there will be a happily ever after but I can only imagine what this family and these character will have to go through to get there. In my opinion I believe that this series will be an emotional investment but one that will be well worth it.

I Give Tattered Loyalties (Book One in The Talon Pack Series) by Carrie Ann Ryan 5 out of 5, solely because of the impact it made on me and as a reader that’s what we want right? For a book to impact us and stay with us and I have a feeling this book and this series will stay with me for many many years.

Tattered Loyalties