Title: Rot & Ruin

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Series: Benny Imura, #1

My rating: 5 of 5

(Book re-read on October 21st-22nd, 2013, for a read-along.)

Summary:

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human. 

 

  

 

 My Thoughts on the Book:

I first read Rot & Ruin in 2010 when it was published, and I totally fell in love with it, and I've wanted to read it again since then, and I finally did, and I'm so glad that I did. Even though Rot & Ruin for me was one of those memorable books that left me remembering lots of details about them, even after years of reading them, I loved reading it again because of all those tiny details I didn't picked up on the 1st time, because it was my 1st Jonathan Maberry book, but now I totally did.

In Rot & Ruin, we meet Benny Imura, who just turned 15, and now has to find a job, so through his & his best friend's eyes (Chong), we see how their town survives in this post-apocalyptic world. Benny has an older brother Tom, who is a bounty hunter, but because of his own reasons, Benny doesn't like his brother, so he doesn't want to work for him. But, when he ends up not having a choice, he agrees to be Tom's apprentice.

Everything outside their town they call Rot & Ruin, and there's no law in the great rot & ruin, only danger, zombies, and just about everything out there wants to kill you, and when Tom takes Benny outside for the 1st time, Benny's world changes forever.

I love how the author starts gradually introducing Benny's world, and how he thinks everything works & what he thinks about everything & everyone, so you can say Benny is your typical teen in an untypical world, he thinks he knows best and that he's right, while not realising that he's naive when it comes to some things, so that's what makes him quite a realistic character. Also, I love how much Benny changes & grows up through the book, I really love him as a character.

And then there's his brother Tom Imura. Oh, how I love Tom Imura - without doubt Tom is one of my most fav characters ever, he's just so amazing, and I can sing his praises quite a lot, so I'll stop here.

I also really liked Nix, Lilah, Chong, and even Morgie, they were fun & interesting characters, as for the villains in the story, they were quite villainous, and once again I loved seeing them get what they deserved.

Once again I was wrapped up in this story, and couldn't stop reading it, even though I already knew how it ends since I've read it before. Rot & Ruin is one amazing post-apocalyptic YA book, filled with amazing characters, action, zombies, suspense, adventure, heartbreak, and I know it will always be one of my favs, so I can't recommend it enough!

 

 

 

Challenges:

2013 Books-In-A-Series Reading Challenge

2013 Read-along Challenge

Title: Patient Zero

Author: Jonathan Maberry

 

Series: Joe Ledger, #1

 

My rating: 5 of 5

(Book read from April 5th to April 8th, 2013)

Summary:

Monday, 1300 hours: Joe Ledger kills terrorist Javad Mustapha, aka Patient Zero, with two point-blank shots from his Glock .45. 

 

Wednesday, 0800 hours: Patient Zero rises from the dead... 

 

When you have to kill the same terrorist twice in one week there's either something wrong with your world or something wrong with your skills... and there's nothing wrong with Joe Ledger's skills. 

 

Ledger, a Baltimore detective assigned to a counterterrorism task force, is recruited by the government to lead a new ultrasecret rapid-response group called the Department of Military Sciences (DMS) to help stop a group of terrorists from releasing a dreadful bioweapon that can turn ordinary people into zombies. 

 

The fate of the world hangs in the balance...

 

My Thoughts on the Book:

The first time I found out about Jonathan Maberry was some time in 2010 when I came across Rot & Ruin - his first YA book. At the time I was just getting hooked on zombie books, so I was looking into some new zombie books to read, and Rot & Ruin just came out, so I read it and absolutely loved it, so I knew I have to read Jonathan Maberry's other books. But, unfortunately, although I read Dust & Decay since then, I never seemed to get around to his other books, but finally that changed.

And what did I thought about Patient Zero? I was definitely surprised, but in a good way & I loved it of course! I guess it's my fault ;) I knew that the author connected the Joe Ledger series & the Benny Imura series in Flesh & Bone, so I knew they're set in the same world, so I was expecting a similar novel, only pre-apocalyptic, but I was so wrong.  

What I got was a non-stop action-adventure thriller full of suspense & awesomeness. It reminded me a little of James Rollins's Sigma Force series, only with a different type of threat, and I love those books! So, of course, I absolutely loved Patient Zero. From the moment I started it, I didn't want to put it down. I'm usually a multiple-books-reader, but this was one of those rare times when I didn't pick up anything else until I finished Patient Zero (and don't you just love it when that happens). 

In Patient Zero we follow Joe Ledger (the main character), as he gets recruited into a secret government organization called the Department of Military Sciences a.k.a DMS. Joe Ledger is one awesome kick-ass character. He's sarcastic, smart & quick on his feet, and one hell of a fighter. I couldn't help but love him as a character, and he's definitely now one of my fav heroes! I can't wait to read more of his adventures in the future. 

Other thing I loved about this book is that we follow multiple other characters, including the bad guys, so we get the complete story. And the story itself was freaking terrifying, because it felt so realistic. And it was full of suspense, action & horror because of the things the DMS teams had to do, as well as what the bad guys did, I'm thinking of Generation 12 of the virus of course. There's also some mystery & betrayals, some I guessed, some surprised me, but overall it was done perfectly. Jonathan Maberry is definitely a master at what he does, he will wrap you up in the story with his words, and before you know it, the book has ended, and you will be eager for more. 

So, if you enjoy thrillers full of suspense & action, great characters & great story, then Patient Zero is a book you wouldn't want to miss, and I highly recommend it!  

 

Challenges:

2013 TBR Pile Challenge

2013 Books-In-A-Series Reading Challenge

Title: Dust & Decay

Author: Jonathan Maberry

Series: Benny Imura, Book 2

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: August 30th, 2011

Copy acquired from Simon & Schuster GalleyGrab!

My rating: 5 of 5

Summary:

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them. Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland – where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?
In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive.

My thoughts on the book:

So, where do I start? I'll start with the 1st book: Rot & Ruin. It's amazing book that was one of my favourite reads last year & one of the best books I read last year, probably the best. So, when I finished it, I couldn't wait to read the sequel, but at the same time I was thinking that Jonathan Maberry had set a really high standard, so the sequel can't be as amazing as Rot & Ruin, but, he did it again. Dust & Decay's storyline went different then I thought it will go before I start reading it & after I read part one, which was around 100 pages. But, than I realized how wrong I was. All the characters were just as amazing & lovable & we get to know Chong as well & now I love him as a character, too! It was filled with lots of action, lots of twists & turns, a little humor and with so much emotion & surprises, I just couldn't guess what will happen next & I was literally on the edge of my seat & I loved every second of it! Tom Imura, one of my all-time favourite characters was amazing character again & I know that I'll enjoy re-reading Rot & Ruin and Dust & Decay again & again. And the ending was just - I cried & I cried - so sad, but I think it had to happen. Dust & Decay is emotional & brilliant rollercoaster that you'll wish it will never end! Jonathan Maberry is brilliant & the series is  must-read for everyone & I can't recommend it enough. Best book of the year!

Challenges:

• 2011 YA Reading Challenge 
• 100 Books In A Year Reading Challenge 2011 
• 2nds Challenge 2011 
• Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge 2011 

Summary:

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

 

My rating: 5/5

 

My thoughts on the book:

Rot & Ruin is amazing book! I haven't read a lot of zombie books, so I can't compare it to them, but this one I think everyone would enjoy, even the people who don't like zombie books! It's definitely one of the best books I've read this year! The story was great & I was wrapped-up in the world from the beginning! Most of the time I didn't know what will happen next. But it wasn't only the adventure that I loved! The characters were well developed & I absolutely loved  both Benny & Tom. Actually, Tom Imura is now one of my favorite characters ever! The book was fun, sad, heartbreaking, suspenseful and full of heart & soul! This is the first book in the series & I'll be waiting for the next one :) In the meantime, I'll just read some of Jonathan Maberry's other books, 'cause they all sound really good! I highly recommend this book!

Challenges:

• The 2010 YA Reading Challenge
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010
• Summer Reading Challenge 2010
• The Hogwarts Reading Challenge 2010 (Defence Against the Dark Arts) 
• New Authors Challenge 2010
• Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge 2010
• Monthly Mixer Mele
• Fall Into Reading Challenge 2010