E-Volve Books, 2011
ASIN: B004OR1G8A
Available: Multiformat digital

With a plethora of both zombie fiction and self-published author samplers popping up, it’s often hard to cut through the chaff to get to the good stuff. Dead Girl’s Blog is the good stuff; two emotionally satisfying zombie tales that don’t have to resort to the weary format of plucky survivors getting picked off one at a time. Burgess’ characters stand off the page, reaching out and giving an often-missing soul to zombie stories.
There are only two short stories here, “Dead Girl’s Blog” and “Under a Blanket of Blue”. But it’s a perfect short read for those looking for a distraction in a waiting room, before bed, or on a car or plane trip. Highly recommended for quality and tasty pricing.

Contains: Language, sex, violence

Flux, 2012
ISBN: 0738730408
Available: Print and multiformat digital

Billed as Kill Bill meets Buffy Katana is the story of an ordinary skater teen with a gay BFF who, after being attacked in a mall parking lot one night, discovers she’s the reincarnation of a 500 year old samurai (yes, there are famous female samurai). The idea of a modern Japanese paranormal is enticing. The execution, however, was disappointing.
There’s a number of things to throw readers out of the book, things that are such glaring issues it’s hard to maintain a suspension of disbelief. Ri having the knowledge of ancient martial arts is acceptable, but her untuned body being able perform them? Not to mention a hospital releasing her after a mysterious attack and unconsciousness into the care of another minor (ahem, lawsuit) and Ri choosing to confront a boy stalking her by driving alone, without telling anyone, across state lines to the dojo the boy owns? It’s hard to get to the good bits when you find yourself so dismayed by things like this.
The premise is interesting, and there are certainly sparks of good writing, but they’re buried under events that have little logic and feel like author intrusion for the sake of drama. Hopefully we can find more to love in further books.
Contains: violence

Karen’s just starting to get her life back on track after the disappearance of her twin brother months ago. Until a strange voice on the phone tells her ″Two men have the carcass.″ When a man calls claiming to be her brother’s partner, both romantically and in a budding B&B in Fallen Trees, Washington Karen feels the overwhelming urge to travel to the small town in the middle of nowhere and retrace her brother’s last steps. But what she finds at the House of Fallen Trees is a classic creepy ghost tale that might have killed her brother.

House of Fallen Trees is a fast, compelling read. It’s dark, twisted and will have readers questioning Karen as much as the strange happenings the giant ship built in the middle of the woods. Creepy and fun it’s a stellar ghost tale in a thin market. A definite good choice for horror collections.

Contains: Sexual language, foul language

Andy is at rock bottom. He lives in his parents’ wine cellar, has no social life other than weekly support group meeting and appointments with a therapist who can’t be bothered to care. Worse, because he’s dead he has no rights to reclaim any semblance of a life. While it has threads of zombie apocalypse, Breathers is remarkably different because of its lead. First, Andy spends most of the book mute. Second, being an intelligent and overall nice guy it makes his journey to reclaim his life and deal with the seriously impairing injuries left behind by his death (including the mental ones and a few nasty revelations about his relationship with his parents, even before his death) means this zombie is an easy to relate to Everyman on a journey.

Breathers is a deeper read than your average zombie tale, but doesn’t forget its genre roots. Fun at times, terrifying at others and absolutely compelling. Highly recommended for public collections and an essential addition to modern zombie collections.

Contains: Sex, gore, language