Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Sinners & Saints: A Patriot's Manifest Book Blast

Blurb:
My name is Zoey Major and I live in Fort Star, New Jersey. I am also a survivor in the zombie apocalypse. Seems very cut and dry but I have been hiding something- like really huge. My secret is game changing. I am not like the others... I know, what a surprise twist! Unfortunately, I can’t tell you why I am different. If you really want to know, you have to figure it out. Hey, even in these dark times, a girl needs her secrets.


Excerpt:
United we... united we... we were supposed to stand together as a society but it did not work out like that. The United States and much of the world, actually went to sh*t for a little bit when the zombies came. Perhaps the only saving grace was the fact that man learns to adapt. We always do. A prime example would be the invention of the wheel, the television or even a toaster pastry because why the f*ck not eat something bad for you?

For you see, if man has a want or desire, it may take years, but he'll invent it. One thing I am still waiting on is that damn time machine. I am looking at you, Doc Brown. Ha! However, not all inventions should ever leave the paper. Sometimes an idea is just an idea as biological weapons rarely ever make anything better. Yeah, perhaps not every weapon should be tested or even used, as the results can't always be contained. United we... united we... we were supposed to stand together.

Present Day, June 30, 10:25 pm
Catey: "So is it cool that I sign you up for speed dating?"
Zoey: "What? No, f*ck no."
Catey: "Why not?"
Zoey: "There should be no speed dating in the zombie apocalypse."
Catey: "It's post apocalypse so get it right."
Zoey: "For now."
Catey: "And this is why you are single. You are so negative."
Zoey: "Huh, I didn't know that was the reason. I just thought it was because every eligible bachelor who isn't a toad has been either taken or eaten but hey, maybe I am wrong."
Catey: "I think it's because you put up a wall."
Zoey: "Stop analyzing me, or at the very least give me a Rorschach test or at the very least a crossword puzzle to pass the time then."



My Review:
3 stars

I had a hard time reviewing this book. On the one hand, it is very unique and an interesting storyline. On the other, there were some serious flaws that kept me from enjoying the story as much. To start with, this is unique in that the book is written as a mix of a play and a diary entry. This made for some interesting reading, and definitely kept me on my toes. I don’t mind reading a play/diary entry as long as it works, and the author does make it work. However, this format also hurts the story. Even though Zoey is the narrator and it’s her diary, I didn’t really get a great feel for her as a character and had difficulty connecting with her, something I thought would have been easier to do since these are her diary entries. Plus, the format did take a bit to get used to. I adjusted fairly quickly first because I’ve participated in several plays and because I read the most recent Harry Potter book, so it wasn’t too bad for me, but this could definitely throw some people off.

As for the plot, it was definitely a different take on the typical zombie novel, which I appreciated. Plus I loved the quirky writing style. It worked well with the story and helped keep the story moving and keeping me captivated. However, even on the writing I felt conflicted. Because while there were quirky and fun moments, there were also moments where the writing was awkward or there were grammar mistakes that took me out of the story. So again, I feel conflicted by this. All in all though, I enjoyed this book, even with its flaws. I could definitely see how this is a YA novel, and I think I might have appreciated it more if I had first read this in middle school, since I would probably have had an easier time of connecting with Zoey. If you can get past the format, I do recommend trying this book because it is unique and fun and I would love to see more stories like this.


*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*






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Author Bio and Links:
Kristina Garlick lives in Warren County, New Jersey. She holds a Masters in Parks & Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. While she loves the outdoors and has many hobbies such as soap making, writing has always been her passion. Kristina wrote her first full length fantasy story at ten and had her first book published when she was fourteen. She has a unique style of writing, which she calls Diary-Play format. Kristina is also available for book signings, panels, discussion groups and other special functions.

Website where you can buy Kristina’s books
Email: authorkristinagarlick@yahoo.com                                              

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