Series: The Dead Saga #2
Author: Claire C Riley
Published: May 2014
Format: Ebook received for review
Fortune favours…the DEAD!
Some secrets are too horrific to ever be forgiven, and some people should never be trusted.
Tortured, starved and on the run, Nina thinks she’s faced the worst that mankind has to offer, but she’s wrong. She may have survived this long, but she’s not come out of it unscathed, and there’s worse to come.
Nina’s trusty Doc Martins are showing signs of the zombie Apocalypse, and she isn’t faring much better. With her snarky attitude guaranteed to get her in trouble, Nina needs to forgive the past, and to live once more in the present, and learn that sometimes she needs to place her trust in other people.
Because when people are faced with the end of times, they’ll do anything to survive.
Last night I finished Odium II by Claire C Riley and I loved every freaking minute!! This book got back to Nina, and her point of view. I really enjoyed getting the backstories of other characters in Odium Origins, but I really was happy to get back to Nina. She is the hero, afterall.
So much happens in this book!!! The Forgotten are still a big issue, they are definitely worse than the zombies when it comes to danger. But I was happy to see that they weren't the focus of the story. Nina, Mikey, Emily, and Emily's new beau, Alek, are taking a bit of a journey in this book - in more ways than one. Emily is growing up fast. She might look like a teenager, but no one is worried about prom and their hair in the zombie apocalypse, ya know? I'm glad she's found company in a gorgeous young stud named Alek. He's mature and capable of protecting her, so he is all aces in my book.
Mikey... sigh Mikey. I know the man has a checkered past, but listen - I don't fault him one bit. The man has climbed his way back from hell, and if it were possible, I'd hope for nothing but happiness for him. Plus he is good for Nina, and vice versa. You hear me Claire Riley?!? I like them together!!! Mikey is a good guy. He thinks ahead and he is putting plans into action, it seems like all of the time.
"Fuck me," I whisper to myself.
"Say what now?"
I look at Nova, my face white. "I just realized that I give a shit. Like, really give a shit."
Now Nina... she is really evolving. Self centered crazy bitch turned.... well, not as self centered, but certainly still very much a live wire crazy bitch. I imagine her "resting bitch face" could scare the heck out of anyone. What can I say, I dig her. She can take care of herself, and anyone else who comes along. Sure, she's not a superhero with a weapon, but she is learning. In fact, she is learning a lot in O2. Like how to keep her mouth shut at times when I really don't want her to! I swear, if there was ever a time for her to keep talking, it's in this book - but obviously she couldn't hear me yelling at the pages, eh? Either way, she's good with me - but she'd be better off if she would listen to me. Plus she loves her Docs as much as any woman can love a pair of shoes - a woman after my own heart!
Like I said, there is a lot going on in this book. Zombies, of course. Gross, putrid, hungry zombies. They rock. And of course, lots of travelling. Camaraderie. Relationship building. A few flesh wounds. Secrets come out in this book, and it costs people their lives. Surviving ain't easy, but you have to do it, and that's all there is to it. The secrets are.... well, they're huge. And those secrets will definitely clue you in on some other things happening in the book. It all ties together perfectly, and just when I thought I couldn't take the mystery any more, Ms. Riley tied it up nice for us!
"Nova?" I say again, just as quietly as the first time.
She looks at me, pulls her cigarettes out of her pocket, and lights one up with a sad shrug. "Bitches be crazy," she says sadly and walks away.
Claire C Riley also introduces us to a slew of new characters. Some we get to know reasonably well, some are just introductions - and I hope we get to see them more in the upcoming story. There is one woman who is really catching my fancy, and her name is Nova. I kind of picture her like a futuristic, kind of crazy Lara Croft. The woman is badass, and she's a soldier basically. She's got a crazy sense of humor, but once you get past her defenses, I'm pretty sure it's like you are VIP.
This book kind of ended on a cliffy note, and I kind of wanted to threaten Claire Riley. I am not sure when book three comes out, but oh man - I hope it's soon (just checked, it's this winter - whew!). I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS! I mean seriously, it's not nice to toy with my emotions. I have a real bad feeling about what's coming, and I can only hope I am wrong!
Zombie fans, if you haven't picked up the Odium books, you need to hurry. This author writes a fantastic story that felt like I was fully immersed in through the entire way. Everything is vivid, even when I'm not so sure I want it to be (hello, zombies aren't exactly good bathers, ya know!??!) This series will definitely satisfy the horror lover in you. There is lots of action, some great kisses, some awesome revelations, and hey - a jackpot of a scavenger trip. Claire C Riley writes with intelligence, snark, and a healthy dose of humor in a dark apocalyptic world, and I just adore this series to pieces. Five stars!
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