Book Review: Exhumed

Exhumed

By:  Skyla Dawn Cameron

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  July 10, 2012

Format:  eARC (gift)

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  4th in Demons of Oblivion series, 0.5 Novella ~ Whiskey Sour, 1st Book ~ Bloodlines, 2nd Book ~ Hunter, 3rd Book ~ Lineage

Recommendation:  Oh hell yes!  We continue with Zara and the gang. With their action packed story where the apocalypse was thought to be cinched, and maybe some love along the way.

Book Synopsis:
Zara Lain, narcissistic vampire and assassin, cleaned up after a crazy warlock tried to build a vampire army, made some cash when the North American covens were left in shambles, got away when framed for the murder of a Demon Hunter, and dealt with some idiots who tried to jumpstart Armageddon.  Non of that could prepare her, however, for the moment when her lover of the undead persuasion awakens...

And promptly tries to kill her.

She's raised a handful of orphaned baby vampires during the past six years and she knows the score: if they don't get sane again, they have to be staked.  And even if she can fix her would-be boyfriend, he's not the only formerly deceased one in town who wants to kill her.  Old enemies are back to put a cramp in her love life, ruin a good pair of heels, and just maybe end the world.

An apocalypse in nigh...and it gets a lot worse than having nothing to wear to the occasion.

First Sentence:
"Do I really look like the kind of girl who would kill someone for just fifty grand?"

My Thoughts and Summary:
***Warning, in reviewing this book, it contains spoilers for ending of first book***

We start, with Zara as she is released from Dragomir's basement, when she was cleared as "right of mind."  Now Ana and those she knew are of the past, dead by the demons hand.  The demon named Zara Lain.

Zara full of irritation looks at her annoying cell phone as it has not stopped ringing or vibrating while discussing price negotiations with a potential client, to eliminate his bosses older and not so human sister.  Nate is awake!  But alright?  That's another issue, his a mage turned vampire and that is not done with the dangers that come with the combination.  Now Zara needs to find a living mage-turned-vampire that is NOT crazy, to help her love.  Zara calls in her help, the ones she has brought into her "group" slowly over the last few books.  Her "friends," alive or dead.  All for Nate.  She would, and will, do anything for Nate, even tie her "friends" down until they help if not willing.  There are a few who won't stay dead, and Zara now has to battle for her love and sanity, along with the secret society that seems to not want Zara around, and a prophecy that is floating around.

I really liked the dreams and flashbacks of Zara as she was coming into existence.  This sheds a whole new light on Zara, her obstacles to being strong, and the insecurities she still doesn't realize she has.  Also it parallels with Nate and his new born days.  We get to see glimpses of when Ana turned and what she did, working to become Zara and where her name came from.  Zara also has flashbacks of her time with Nate, remembering the love and feelings between, fun, and more.  Then Zara's dark feelings from when she was turned seep in as well.

Chapter two is the short story at the end of Lineage, and still stunning to read the second time.  It is no secret, Nate wakes in this book.  But it's his condition that is questionable.  Zara has it bad for Nate.  She may not want to admit it, but the first two chapters prove it to me.  Can Zara do what seems, pretty well seems, needs to be done to her love, Nate?  Zara tries taking clues from the past Nate to help Nate through his condition when he wakes, but it might not help but confuse the poor man more.

Exhumed is a short seven months after Lineage ended, and we quickly learn where everyone is now.  Some not so good, and some happy as can be.  So many people come back in this book!  It's like a reunion from Oblivion; Fists, knives, guns, fast cars, magic, and fangs and claws.  I'll mention a few who return, but the others I'll leave out as it is best when you read it as a surprise, to get the full effect.  Toby is called in for help, well not called and asked, more called and demanded.  Toby has to work with Juliette.  Ha ha ha!   If you've read Whiskey Sour, with three short stories, you would laugh too.  These two don't *really* get along, but here they get the job done...one gets shot somewhere and the other stabbed, by the receiver of the bullet wound. ;D They are such a pair, and you get the feel for the relationship they have. LOL!  And of course we have all our regulars; Nicolette, Ryann, Ellie, Peri, and several others we came across before....you'll just have to read to see how.

I have to say, Skyla is such a powerful writer by pulling me into the main characters mind, that I keep siding with that character and their view and overflowing feelings.  But I want to know the others thoughts in the situation.  When I stop and sit back to take a breather and think, I wonder on the others' perspective and the feeling of... hope? lingers there, or at least I hope so.  Then back into the book again and I'm pulled back to the main characters side when reading again.  She's such a talented author that, not only did Zara leave me with battered bruised eyes, but a bruised heart as well.  I LOVE IT!  That is a book to hit me hard, and keep running.

Non-stop!  High speed car chases!  With guns.  Fighting, knives, bullets flying, magic whipping.  Then we have love.  Will love win out over all?  Who's the love for?  That will keep you guessing as there are several potential couples here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fated is the short story in the back of this book.  Now I'm not going to mention the name of the character as it might spoil the surprise for you...

She knows right away, half hour after actually, that she is pregnant.  She is NOT happy.  After leaving the doctors office she is approached in the subway, when everyone else is frozen, by a man who claims no harm to her but wants to keep her from...harm to come.  And maybe if she is strong enough, join his magic society.

We get to see a few distorted truths come to light here.  She is one to use enough of a truth and twist it so slightly to make things work the way she wants them.  But she is an amazing character to watch, and love as you hate her.  This story definitely sheds new light on a character and her motives along with some of her thinking process.  It also takes you back to book one, and answers a few questions we would only get from a different view.


You can order Print and any eFormat of all 4 books, and novella, at Mundania Press.

And to share with you, the first book Bloodlines is available for $2.99 in any format.  A WHOLE awesome novel for such a low price!  Why wait?

Have not started the series yet?  Well, you can find it at Mundania Press to order from them (note: ebooks come with short story at Mundania Press, where the ebooks don't on Amazon or other places.  All print books everywhere have the short stories.)

If you don't mind not having the amazing short stories at the end of the book, then you can order the book on Amazon in Kindle format now:

Or you can order the first book:

In Kindle Ebook:

In Print:

I read this book for my own enjoyment.