Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway ~ Controlling the Dead (The Famished Trilogy #2) by Annie Walls

Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on the Controlling the Dead Blog Tour! I'm reviewing not only Controlling the Dead but also the first book, Taking on the Dead! (Surprise, Annie! lol) :D 

Title: Taking on the Dead 

Series: The Famished Trilogy #1

Author: Annie Walls

Published: September 20th 2012
Genre: Horror, Zombies, Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic
Source: Review copy

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~ Synopsis ~

Life for Kansas was perfect until the day the world changed. 

She has been hiding out for four years in solitude. It's the only way to survive. The only way not to draw the living dead. Helping out a small group of people, she learns the new world might not be what she assumes. Venturing out of her refuge and comfort zone, she meets Rudy, who helps her find a greater purpose. She realizes that the world has moved on without her. Only it's not what she expects. Her knowledge of the living dead grows and only makes her more curious as humanity continues to hang on by a thread. While on her search for answers she finds comfort in new friendships and love, but her past seems as if it will haunt her forever. 

Kansas takes it upon herself to help other survivors, which would be easy if the famished were the only obstacles.

In a trilogy plot thick with twists and turns, this adult dark fantasy is emotional as much as it is horrifingly gripping.

*Not intended for a young audience. Mature content.*

~ My Thoughts ~

My Rating: 5 / 5 

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Holy shit balls!! This is so much more than a zombie book. I was completely excited and happy to read this book 'cause I. Love. Zombies. I love dystopian, post apocalyptic stories - I can't get enough. If this had simply been a book about the world ending as we know it due to an outbreak turning millions of people into the undead, I would have been thrilled. But this story went way beyond that, and I was left with a dropped jaw. The characters! The plot! The writing! Read on, and you'll see what I mean. 

First of all, just look at that cover! If I had an ass like that, I wouldn't care if the world had ended!!! ;D The dreads are so awesome, too. I'd stop brushing my hair just like Kansas. Those kinds of details we learn about the characters make them and the story so much more real. I really want to BE Kansas.

The story starts off with Kansas and her boyfriend encountering the outbreak at the carnival. I think this was the perfect place to make an eerie beginning even more horrifying. Kansas seemed to know right away what was happening while Malachi was in denial. I'd probably be in denial, too, more out of panic than anything. Maybe not now. Like if this happened tomorrow, I'd probably say, "Oh god, zombies," right away due to all the zombie movies I've seen and books I've read, not to mention my Walking Dead obsession. I'd know right away to shoot zombies in the head.  

Kansas might seem to be weak having lived alone for so long without venturing too far from home, but I don't think this could be any farther from the truth. How did she not go crazy all of that time without anyone to talk to? Shit obviously went down, too, because from the synopsis you already know she's lost her loved ones. She had to be strong to survive not only emotionally but also physically. She has shelter, food, and clothing. She can kill the famished to protect herself. She seems to have it all handled. 

Once she does leave and meets Rudy, it comes as a shock to her that people are doing the best they can to keep on living. It was a shock for me, too, because it was the last thing I had ever expected. I think that's one of the aspects that makes Kansas's story so compelling. I felt like the true nature of human beings didn't change even after something so catastrophic as the outbreak of undead. 

It's so eerie, and I had so many feelings of horror and unease about some of the things Kansas sees. Annie Walls does a perfect job of making you feel the horror, and she does it in a subtle way that struck me much harder and was much more effective than if she had just come out and been explicit. 

Throughout Taking on the Dead, the question of where humanity goes from here haunted me. Can you truly live again after surviving something like the zombie apocalypse? Just when Kansas believes life can get better, and she can live, too, something even worse than zombies happens...you'll have to grab a copy of this book to find out!  

~ Purchase Links ~ 

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Title: Controlling the Dead

Series: The Famished Trilogy #2

Author: Annie Walls

Published: October 27th 2013

Genre: Horror, Zombies, Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic

Source: Review copy

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~ Synopsis ~

With the help of her new companions, the path Kansas follows leads to more knowledge of the ever adapting famished. 

The team finds help in unlikely places, meeting more survivors, and discovers the possibility of a new beginning.

When the team experiences a devastating loss, Kansas struggles to keep her humanity from fading and distorting like that of the surviving society around her. It begins with knowing who to trust and who to leave behind. First, she must trust herself - she won't make the same mistakes twice. 

As the answers to her questions are revealed, Kansas begins to understand that knowledge comes with a heavy price and great responsibility of controlling the dead. 

In a trilogy plot thick with twists and turns, this adult dark fantasy is as emotional as it is horrifyingly gripping.

~ My Thoughts ~

My Rating: 5 / 5 

To say that I've been woeful since reaching the end of the first book would be an understatement! I've been looking forward to Controlling the Dead - hoping for Rudy and Kansas to explore a relationship and getting ready to find out some answers along with Kansas to questions raised in the first book. I was anxious to find out about Mago being able to tell there's more to him than meets the eye. I knew an interesting story would be there, too, and I wasn't wrong. Along with excitement, I also went into this book with some trepidation as I knew it was going to be an emotional read, promised by the synopsis. 

First of all, Kansas is broken. There's just no other way to put it. In spirit, mind, body...you really just want to put her back together again. Her stubbornness and refusal to take care of herself until her friends see just how bad things are further prove how tough this girl is. And that toughness is how Kansas is going to make her way back to a healthy state of mind. Because no matter what, I had hope she'd be able to mend herself.  

I wanted her to put Rudy (as much as I love him) and Mac in their place for keeping secrets from her all the time. In the previous book, seemingly everyone wanted to keep her in the dark, and I didn't get why. She had obviously proven herself to be strong enough time and again to handle the truth of what is going on. In this book, however, I felt she needed time to heal herself before getting back into her role with the team. With that said, Rudy and Mac know she has found out things they kept from her, so why bother to continue now? Why not just come clean because she's going to find out eventually anyway. Each time she finds out another secret that's been kept from her, I felt the sting of betrayal as much as she did.

Controlling the Dead is a pulse pounding, eat your heart out gem of a book with characters I love and a plot I'm jealous I didn't dream up. It raises questions about humanity and what that would look like after a disaster of epic proportions such as the one in Kansas's world. Not only am I entertained by this story, but I also am given food for thought, too.  

I'm going to do my best to patiently wait for the third and final book in this trilogy, but it won't be easy! 

~ Purchase Links ~

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

~ Meet the Author: Annie Walls ~ 

Author of dark fantasy and sub-genres of horror. Voracious Reader and Googler. Lover of dark humor. Horror Buff. Zombie Apocalypse Enthusiast. Loyal Cracked follower. Pinterest Addict. Wife of adoring husband. Mother of a five year old Bruce Wayne. Cook. Maid. Kisser of boo-boos. Ultimate Time Waster. Perfect Procrastinator. Lolly Gagger. Trubie. Cake Decorator. Tea Drinker. Sculpey Sculptor. Girl Gamer. Perfectionist in the art of Facebook stalking. And now, God help me, a blogger. Oh yeah, and a twitter, twatter, tweeter. Well yeah, I'm one crafty bitch.

~ Social Links ~ 

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook   

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