I'm planning ahead and want to pick out the buddy read for Halloween Bingo; any of these of interest?
In Darkness We Must Abide (or 2.99), Zombie Tales (or 2.99), The Last Bastion of the Living (or 2.99), Darkhouse (or .99), Donners of the Dead (or .99) are free from Kindle Unlimited. The Mesmerized is 2.99. Beyond the Veil and Corned Magic are free.
'tis free. This isn't my favorite Karina book, but it's worth the read. Especially if you like a little zombie with your romance.
* Disclaimer though, lots of people did not care for certain aspects of the storyline, primarily the racism against the MC.
Everyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with anything by Karina Halle, and Donners of the Dead is no exception. This book has everything- a main character who is very likable, a love interest that is rugged and manly and sexy as hell, and horrifying zombies!
Eve doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, her father was a Native American, and as was common in the 1850’s, she isn’t accepted for her mixed heritage, not even by the uncle who takes care of her. When offered to help a strange group of men track a man who went missing while searching for the Donner party, she hesitantly agrees. Cue horrifying events and total hotness in the name of Jake.
Although I didn't find this quite as scary as several of Karina’s EIT books, I was finding myself biting my nails the entire time. I didn't give it a total 5 starts just because there weren't many sexy times and it could have been a little longer.
As always, Karina Halle has me amazed. I would probably even read her grocery list with full attention.
My Eve and Jake:
Karina Halle has a knack for knowing how to creep me the hell out when reading one of her books. The foreshadowing had me on edge, the romance squealing and it made for a unputdownable read!
“Sometimes the truth is more gruesome than fiction.”
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♦︎ The Story ♦︎
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∙Recap∙
Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 and Eve, an 18 year-old half native girl known for her tracking skills, is asked to join a search party lead by Jake McGraw. They're to journey into the Sierra Nevada mountains where the Donner party once traveled years before, never to be seen again. Ignoring all the troubling signs, they forge ahead and come face to face with the frightening results of cannibalism. While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.
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It's amazing how quickly you're pulled into to story. There was no slow decent into the story, you're thrown right into the action. The foreboding and tension that surrounds this story is gripping and all you can think about is how the story is going to unfold.
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♦︎ Characters ♦︎
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∙Eve∙
“I’m not a savage.” He smiled handsomely and with a shake of his head said, “No, you aren't. And you’re not a lady either. I recon you just might be perfect.”
Eve was an innocent but strong heroine, especially for her time. I loved how sassy and brave she was. I know I definitely wouldn't have survived everything she went through... or even gone through with most of it. At the first sign of trouble I would've said hasta la vista, chicos, I'm out of here.
∙Jake∙
“Call it a hunch, but I’m starting to think you might even like me.”
Jake can come off as a little curt in the beginning but compared to the other guys, Jake was the least of Eve's problems. However, underneath that tough exterior he was kind and, dare I say... playful. He also had his head on straight. And trust me, that's noteworthy. You don't see a lot of those in this book.
∙Everyone else∙
We have an... interesting selection of side characters, to say the least. There are a few who are clearly crazy and some who know who to hide it better. They all had me on my toes and kept me guessing.
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♦︎ Overall ♦︎
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“Love is a wolf,” he said, the fire dancing in his eyes. “Perhaps that's why they howl in the dark of the night. Love drives them mad like it does to everyone. Fast or slow, whatever way it hits you, love will drive you mad.”
There was enough romance to keep any addict like me satisfied but not so much that it smothers the story. It was a nice side to the book and lightened the mood of the story, so you don't feel like you're constantly bombarded with all this creepy stuff. Donners of the Dead was a quick, thrilling read with awesome characters, a steamy romance and a creepy storyline!
“Men are the real monsters here. They often are.”
Buddy read with: MK~ Picky Girl ♦︎ Brandi ♦︎ Erin ♦︎ MOLLIE ♥ Take me to a stripclub, DEX!♥ ♦︎ Olga ♦︎ Kim B
**ARC generously provided by Rock Star PR in exchange for an honest review**
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