christmas break TBR | ❄️
💻Attachments: Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.
Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now—reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers—not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.
When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained—and captivated—by their stories. By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.
📲Cell: Graphic artist Clay Riddell was in the heart of Boston on that brilliant autumn afternoon when hell was unleashed before his eyes. Without warning, carnage and chaos reigned. Ordinary people fell victim to the basest, most animalistic destruction.
And the apocalypse began with the ring of a cell phone...
📈One In A Million: Annie Higgins has given up on love: she’s too busy trying to get her tiny business off the ground. Infuriated by the advertising agency across the hall making fun of her job, Annie accepts their crazy challenge – to make a random stranger Instagram-famous in just thirty days.
And even when they choose Dr Samuel Page PhD, historian and hater of social media, as her target, Annie’s determined to win the bet – whether Sam likes it or not.
🧟♀️Mountain Man 1: It’s been two years since civilization ended in an unstoppable wave of chaos and blood. Now, former house painter Augustus “Gus” Berry lives a day-to-day existence of waking up, getting drunk, and preparing for the inevitable moment when “they” will come up the side of his mountain and penetrate his fortress.
Living on the outskirts of Annapolis, Gus goes scavenging for whatever supplies remain in the undead suburbia below. Every time he descends the mountain could be his last. But when Gus encounters another survivor, he soon realizes the zombie horde may not be the greatest threat he faces . . .
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Okay, so let's dive a little deeper into one of my most anticipated reads for this Christmas break, and honestly, one of the most talked-about books in my recent book club discussions: Mountain Man 1 by Keith C. Blackmore. If you're anything like me, you've probably seen this title pop up when searching for gritty, realistic survival thrillers, especially those with a zombie twist. And let me tell you, it absolutely lives up to the hype! When I first picked up KEITH C. BLACKMORE'S MOUNTAIN MAN 1, I was a bit skeptical. The zombie genre can sometimes feel a bit saturated, but Blackmore brings such a fresh and intensely personal perspective to it. The story introduces us to Augustus “Gus” Berry, a former house painter who’s managed to survive two years post-apocalypse. But this isn't your typical hero; Gus is flawed, he's human, and he's coping with the end of the world in his own unique (and sometimes self-destructive) way – mostly by getting drunk. This raw, unfiltered portrayal of a survivor is what immediately drew me in. You really feel for Gus, even when he's making questionable decisions. He's not just battling the undead; he's battling his own demons, isolation, and the crushing weight of what he's lost. The setting itself is incredibly vivid. Gus lives on a mountain, observing the chaotic remnants of civilization below. The descriptions of his scavenging trips into the 'undead suburbia' are chilling and suspenseful. Every trip is a gamble, and Blackmore does an amazing job of building tension without relying on cheap jump scares. What really sets Mountain Man 1 apart for me, though, is the psychological depth. It's not just about fighting zombies; it's about what happens to humanity when everything is stripped away. What defines survival? Is it just staying alive, or is there more to it? Gus’s internal monologue and his encounters with other survivors force you to ponder these questions. And here’s a little spoiler-free tidbit that makes it even more compelling: the zombies aren't always the biggest threat. That's a line from the synopsis, but it rings so true throughout the book. The real dangers often come from unexpected places, forcing Gus to confront moral dilemmas and make choices that blur the lines between right and wrong. It’s a fast-paced read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but it also has moments of profound reflection. So, if you're looking for a book to completely lose yourself in this holiday season, especially if you appreciate a well-crafted post-apocalyptic narrative with a complex protagonist, then you absolutely have to add KEITH C. BLACKMORE'S MOUNTAIN MAN 1 to your TBR. It’s a powerful start to a series that promises even more thrills and emotional depth. Trust me, you won't regret it!
I’ve only read Cell out of these and I read it several years ago. It’s a story that has stayed with me for a long time though! It’s crazy how it could still applicable and just as scary in 2024/2025.