My Favorite Zombie Story of All Time

This is my very favorite zombie series of all time. Okay, I’ll admit, it’s the only zombie series I’ve read. Truth be known, I’m not usually a zombie fan, but Elle Klass is one of my very favorite authors and thus I’ll give just about anything she writes a try. Her characters absolutely jump off the page,  plots complex and full of surprises, writing style saturated with luscious descriptions and subtle humor.

This is the final episode and completes the Zombie Girl trilogy. This exciting conclusion is loaded with suspense regarding the fate of the numerous characters after they leave the African continent bound for the USA through various means. Tidbits include fascinating explanations regarding what caused the lethal pandemic that resulted in some people turning into zombies while others recovered or were immune. If you liked the movie “World War Z” you’ll probably love this story.

The action never stops, the suspense sustained beautifully. It had been a while since I read the previous books, so it took me a while to remember who some of the characters were and where they joined the story. This is a series best read straight through, which can now be done with all three books now available.

Whether or not you’re a zombie story fan, I definitely recommend this series. I’m usually pretty bored by the usual zombie tale, but Elle’s characters are so real, the personalization of the plot so well done, that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The descriptions are gross enough to make a point, but not so disgusting as to be too much. Some are downright funny, actually, and make perfect sense with the primary character, Maddie, a teenager who would undoubtedly see the humor in it to maintain her sanity. She’s a great kick-ass heroine who refuses to cave into the worst of circumstances and definitely runs the show.

Now that this entire series is available, grab the three of them and get ready to enjoy a great tale that keeps you turning the pages from start to finish.

You can pick up a copy on Amazon here.

Conclusion to Elle Klass’ “Zombie Girl” Series coming soon!

I’m excited the final book in this series will be out soon so I can read it. When you read the following guest post, particularly the excerpt, from fellow author, Elle Klass, you’ll probably be able to figure out why. I’m really not a big vampire or zombie fan, but Elle creates vivid and endearing characters along with clever plots with new twists on what are often worn-out themes. This one has a fair share of humor, which will draw me in every time since I can use all the laughs I can get. Check it out! –MF

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Maddie is my kinda girl. She’s tough, feminine and even when afraid does what needs to be done. It’s always tough saying goodbye to characters, probably why I have such difficulty in ending a series.

If you’ve been reading you know she started out as a 14 year old girl who hated science and everything related to it until one day when the unthinkable happened.

With the whole apocalypse thing and zombies trying to eat her and the group she’s with they’ve traveled over seas and lived through some extremely treacherous times.

No matter what, the humor was always there and it gives the entire series a light heartedness that makes it memorable. It’s more like Zombieland than The Walking Dead.

I had a ton of laughs writing the story and learned a lot developing a story in a genre I wasn’t real familiar with. Writing horror for kids is different than for adults. I had to watch my words and their words. That’s where the humor comes in. I’d also never dabbled in sci-fi or post apocalyptic fiction. It was a first and I’m proud with how it turned out.

No spoilers here! Read the series. Try the game and see which character you are, share your results on social media and feel free to comment below. Click here to play.

Book 1 Premonition is now free!  (Read my review)

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Book 2 Infection is at .99 through August 1st. (Read my review)

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Book 3 Retribution is on pre-order for .99! That will only last through release day August 1st!

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Excerpt: (one of my favorite parts. Hehe!)

Two dead zombie eyes stared at me. I knew that was more a reflex. It couldn’t see me. Its long gray hair hung limp on its shoulders as it clicked its tongue, blood dribbling from its mouth on its way towards me. Its drip drag stagger-walk was impressively quick. A flowered sundress covered in sprays of blood, chunks of human skin clung to the fabric.

On the floor behind her was a man in a black robe. His mouth was in an O as he screamed, “No!”

I swung the blade of the katana towards her dirty, slimy neck when she came within a few feet of me. It nearly connected then something I’d never seen, nor imagined, happened. The zombie blew apart from the inside out. I was glad my teeth were gritted as I’d have had a mouth full of deader if I hadn’t. Chunks and blood sprayed the walls. It was a definite ten on my disgusting scale.

Chunks of her blew into the man’s mouth. He gagged and spat to rid his body of the nasty zombie meal. His face met mine and he scooted backwards on the floor. His eyes barely visible through the zombie mess covering it. I moved closer to him. He was living. “Are you hurt?”

“You killed her!” he growled. “You are a murderer!”

What? I hadn’t expected that one and I hadn’t killed her; she blew up like one of Deavers’ grenades. “I didn’t kill her. She was infected and there’s no cure. Did she bite you?”

“You killed my wife.” He continued sliding backwards.

That’s when I noticed it. The beam from my flashlight caught the silver barrel of a gun, only a couple feet from him. I moved towards him. “Don’t think about or you’ll be dead like your wife.”

He scooted again and I moved quicker now and jabbed the end of the katana’s blade into his chest. Keeping it centered on him, I side-stepped and kicked the gun. It flew across the floor.

“Get up!” I ordered with a sneer.

He pushed his back against the wall and slid up it. His short, dark hair was coated in zombie film. I jabbed the blade lightly into his chest so he knew I meant business. When I did, it slid through a hole in the dark robe hanging around his shoulders. “Did she bite you, Professor?” I didn’t know what else to call him and it looked similar to a graduate’s robe.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “That makes no difference. Go. Go now!”

Well, this wasn’t going well. The patter of rain stopped, meaning the worst of the storm was over. I glanced over the hallway. A collar of sorts clung to the wall in the muck. I grabbed it. “You’ve been keeping her alive, treating her like a pet?” That was sick. Really sick and morbid.

He narrowed his eyes into tiny slits. A chunk of deader flesh dropped from his forehead. “She was my wife.”

The memory of my father turning seemed like a million years ago but it was still fresh in my head. I knew he was turning and that I should kill him, but I didn’t. Instead we tied him up. This guy did the same thing. He put a collar around her neck. I brought the katana to my side. “I don’t want to kill you and I didn’t kill her. She exploded. I’ve never seen that before. When did she turn?”

“In the beginning. The very beginning.”

That begged a lot of questions like how did you get her past the military? What has she been eating? Was that why her drip-drag was so quick?

The rain stopped and I was on a mission. “We have to go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I rolled my eyes. I needed some answers and he would provide them. “Yes, you are. Remember I have the weapon and you don’t. I also have your wife’s collar and I bet it’s a shock collar. The kind used for training dogs.” I smirked.

“Fine,” he seethed.

I lifted the katana towards his chest again and spread the cloth of his robe. What I saw didn’t surprise me. A set of round, fresh, human-deader teeth marks. I lifted the collar towards him with my free hand. “Put this on just in case.”

Reluctantly he grabbed the collar and wrapped it around his neck. The motion caused a chunk of flesh to fall from his robe, revealing a name tag.

“You first, Mitchem.” I read the tag.

For the next hour we steadily walked towards the marina and I pried all sorts of information from him. He was a Duval County judge. That explained the black robe. He and his wife were visiting family in Gainesville when the end of the world went down. She was exposed immediately but didn’t turn until a couple days later. Dumb luck saved them from the military. They’d spent the night in their RV deep in the woods. When he woke up the next morning his wife, Gloria, was eating their Pomeranian. I imagined large puffs of fur stuck between her teeth and chuckled.

“It’s not funny!” he growled.

He was wrong. It was funny. In this new world I had to find humor where I could and that was hilarious. However, I stopped laughing out of respect and let him continue his story.

“I tied her up with bungee cords and glanced a peek out of the window. I would have waved my hands and let them take me, but they’d have killed Gloria. I couldn’t have that. A soldier approached the RV, I stood inside with my gun loaded and waited. A radio voice came through, “Need help now! Surrounded by them.” That was it. They never returned and I got us out of there.”

Copyright Elle Klass 2018 Retribution

“The Ghost Within”: Series Conclusion Features a Maelstrom of Supernatural Characters

This story is the conclusion to a trilogy that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. Klass has the ability to create such engaging characters that they seem not only real, but as if you know them personally. Her plots are loaded with twists and turns, her ability to build suspense exceptional.

Before reading this story, however, I highly recommend reading the first two episodes of the “Bloodseekers” series, i.e. “The Vampires Next Door”, and  “The Monster Upstairs.” (Links take you to my reviews.) While those two stories stand alone, the various characters introduced in those two all show up in this one, making it easier to follow the individuals involved as well as the story’s context. Without reading the other books, it could be difficult to keep up with all of the characters, their respective talents, and their relationships with each other. I suggest looking upon the trilogy as a single book, best read one after the other. Hopefully soon they’ll be a boxed set, making that even easier.

As the series progresses, you meet each Slayer, each possessing a specific talent that’s amplified by an amulet handed down from an ancestor. Each character goes through a transformation as they discover their talent, its companion amulet, and ultimately connect with the others. They depend on each other for their respective abilities, whether it’s teleporting, telepathy, remote viewing, prescience, or empathy, to name a few, plus there’s a synergistic quality to their combined energies which gives them the power required to fulfill their combined mission to destroy the Seekers.

One clever twist besides the fascinating background of the characters is the fact the stories all take place in St. Augustine, Florida, one of the oldest cities in the USA, which has an interesting history. The author includes snippets of the city’s historical background in the context of the tale, even providing photographs of various sites where certain fictitious scenes allegedly took place. This story and St. Augustine are so deeply intertwined it’s hard to imagine it taking place anywhere else.

Each of the three books includes plot details and characters that enrich the tale, piece by piece, eventually evolving into a complex interaction of characters, cultures, and supernatural circumstances from which they derived. Not only are there the slayers and bloodseekers, but witches, both light and dark, shifters, boggarts, ghosts, humanoids known as the Begotten, and numerous other interesting creatures that create a supernatural maelstrom of competing magic that any paranormal fan will thoroughly enjoy. I particularly loved the felidavian, a giant flying cat, whose backstory would make a great addition to the series, should the author decide to pursue it.

This episode delivers the final Slayer as well as the inevitable confrontation between the Slayers, Seekers, and various other supernatural creatures leading to an unexpected and startling conclusion.  Don’t miss it!

You can pick up your copies of this clever series on Amazon at the following links:

The Vampires Next Door (Bloodseekers #1)

The Monster Upstairs (Bloodseekers #2)

The Ghost Within (Bloodseekers #3)

Guest Post: New Release from Elle Klass!

Award winner, Elle Klass, is one of my favorite authors. She has a gift for creating characters who jump off the page then dropping them into plots saturated with nail-biting suspense.  Fortunately for her fans, she’s extremely prolific, so keeps ’em coming.

Her other works include the Baby Girl series, which I absolutely loved, as well as the ongoing Zombie Girl series, Bloodseekers series, and Ruthless Storm trilogy.  Another one I love is As Snow Falls, which is entirely unlike the others,  yet a classic in its own category, showing her talents span numerous genres.

As she’s gravitated toward the horror genre, her writing easily compares with greats like Mary Higgins Clark. She has just released her latest in that category, Scarlett. Check it out! –MF

Mistress of Death may be strong language, but it’s a title that describes my thriller/horror books well. Today I’m celebrating the release of Scarlett, Book 1 in the Evan’s Girls series.

The writing that comes easiest to me is dark, demented, and terrifying. Scarlett is a girl who, under other circumstances, might be quite normal. She seeks that balance anyways, but life has something else in store for her. She is surrounded by death. It follows her and yes, many people die.

At one point in the story she goes to Mystics and Broomsticks, a metaphysical store, and buys materials to protect her from malicious spirits. I guess I forgot to mention, not only do lots of people die, but she see’s spirits. She buys a bracelet made with a dark stone. It isn’t specified in the book, but my research led me to magnetite. 

This doesn’t end the drama in her life because it only wards off evil spirits, not evil people, and her life is filled with them. Scarlett faces more than her fair share of weirdo’s, one after another, while she fights for normalcy. At some point, she just accepts the strange and wicked, but not after her most terrifying ordeal.

Reading the reviews I’m a proud Mama. There are two points they all agree on:

1. The book is seriously twisted.

2. There are some very high points and really low points. I encourage you to read them. Click here.

The best news is the book will remain $.99 for the first few days of its release!

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“Infection” is out! Another page-turner from Elle Klass

If you were left gasping by the ending of “Premonition,” then you’ll want to grab your copy right away of its sequel, “Infection,” latest of Elle Klass’ thrillers in the “Zombie Girl” series. While I’m not particularly enamored by zombies, I do enjoy and appreciate a good story, which the author never fails to produce. As always, her characters come to life before your eyes, the plot’s believable yet full of surprises, and the imagery gripping, to say nothing of plenty of breath-taking action.

In this episode Maddie finally meets Bryce, face-to-face, their first encounter in a shared dream you can read about in “Premonition.” After that, she sees him at the hospital where recognition strikes them both. They marvel that they’ve shared the same dream about the coming apocalypse and ponder its meaning. Were they supposed to somehow prevent it? Before long they find out it’s too late, it has already begun. Having been prepared by their premonition, they gather Maddie’s parents and her friend, Sarah, and head for their boat, picking up the neighbor’s cat and a strange and somewhat unstable but non-zombified man named Jack along the way.

The group heads toward Italy in her father’s sailboat, Earnest Earl. Maddie’s father, who has been failing since leaving the hospital following his accident in “Premonition”, appears to be turning into a zombie. Unable to accept the reality and dispose of him, Maddie and her mother tie up his unconscious and seemingly dead body with pantyhose, hoping they’ll be able to help keep him alive with love, encouragement, and some gentle physical therapy.

They proceed across the Atlantic, Bryce and Jack taking turns at the helm. For a while they have TV and radio reception, but before long, that, too, is lost, just in time for them to face a nasty storm in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. They survive and eventually reach Italy, where even Mother Nature is rebelling, resulting in more page-turning hazards and adventures I won’t spoil by revealing.

The best part of this vividly portrayed story and what makes it so convincing are the familiar daily activities the characters engage in while they deal with this crisis, albeit with a fair amount of luck. Personality clashes, disagreements, and simply surviving in a world that is falling apart make the story memorable and thought-provoking. Everything they do is well-motivated and it’s easy to picture yourself in a similar position, sometimes agreeing with their decisions and others advising “No! Don’t do it!” Yet it has a somewhat fantastic “Super Girl” feel which is fun, even if some elements stretch credibility. Maddie definitely has all the makings of an everyday girl turned “super heroine.”

I see zombies as an adept analogy for the “walking dead” among us, i.e. those who are so stuck on their daily treadmill that they fail to notice either the little joys in life or the effect their attitude is having on the deteriorating world around them. Their negativity attempts to pull everyone down to their level, even as they feed on those who still know what life is all about. If only it were as easy to get rid of these real-life figurative “zombies” as their fictitious counterparts.

That may sound a bit heavy and beyond the comprehension of most who indulge in the YA genre, but sometimes I can’t help philosophizing. All that aside, this story as well as its precursor make excellent beach reads or a grand escape into a world that will make your own seem like Utopia. Don’t miss it!

You can pick-up your copy here.

Guest Post from Author Elle Klass!

A little over a year ago I released Zombie Girl, a short story in the Once Upon a Zombietale Anthology. You can still buy the anthology and read the original story as well as all the other fabulous zombietales in the book.

 

Readers came to me after reading asking about the story which ends on a bit of a question. I write series so naturally leave a story open for possibilities but hadn’t planned on expanding it. 

 

Zombies were something I never really planned on writing about even though I’ve watched Dawn of the Dead, the Resident Evil movies and 28 Days Later series countless times. In fact all the movies are in my collection.

 

I’m not a stranger to zombie horror or the fun movies like Zombieland and Warm Bodies. In my own series, Zombie Girl, I incorporated both horror and silliness.

 

Premonition, the first book just released!

 

Buy Links:

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Blurb: 

Maddie’s parents flip when they find out she’s failing science. That’s her worst problem until she wakes up and finds they’re zombies. Now she must escape them and her house. With nowhere else to go, and the keys to her parents’ sailboat, she makes her getaway. Finding Bryce was a fortunate circumstance and the two take on zombies and set sail for parts unknown.

Excerpt from Premonition

Annoyed and scared, I cranked the motor and pressed the gas
pedal to the floor. The car plowed forward, hitting the lead zombie. It
thumped, flew, and slid beneath the car. More zombies hit the car; body parts and blood covered the windshield.

I fumbled with the dash, depressing buttons, looking for the wipers. Once I found them and turned them on, they swiped away the blood, leaving streaks on the windshield. Stuck in the pasty, bloodied streaks were little black dots. I looked closer, squinting my eyes. They were lovebugs; horrible little insects rumored to be created in a lab at the University of Florida to control the mosquito population in the state. Twice a year, spring and fall, they marred every vehicle on the road and were a complete nuisance.

I was thinking science again! And the thoughts kept coming. The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Did the zombies’ hearts still work? Did I kill them?

Slamming on the brakes, I wanted to know. I turned the car around, hitting the side of a truck’s bumper as I did. I drove by slowly. The body parts were still moving, and a couple whole zombies struggled to get to their feet. So how do I kill them?

With the car running, I considered my options and owned up to my morbid curiosity about them. I rifled through the contents of my mom’s car. No weapons. Disappointed, but not stupid, I turned and ran over the zombies struggling to get up and turned around again, the car thumping over
their wriggling bodies and crunching away at their bones. I got back onto I-95 and headed towards the Marina.

Infection, the second book releases July 10! Pre-order it now. The .99 price tag won’t last.

Buy Links:

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Blurb:

When Maddie and Bryce touch, she knows her zombie dream wasn’t simply a dream but a premonition. It’s up to her and Bryce to save the world from the doomsday sickness that will kill everyone – in a manner of speaking. They soon learn the zombies aren’t the only horrors that await them in the new fight-or-die world. They battle by each other’s side as the infection spreads globally.

Excerpt from “Infection”

Bryce and my father were in trouble. I had to do something, so I grabbed the gun, twisted in my seat, and brought it to my face. I’d never shot a gun other than in video games, but I’d seen tons of movies. It couldn’t be that difficult. I clicked the lever thing on the topside of the gun. I knew that was the safety.

“Maddie, your father can handle him” she said, her voice quaking. I imagined her wringing her hands together like a dishrag.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Sarah lift her eyes off the cat and stare towards me. I met her gaze and she nodded her approval then mouthed, Be careful.

The men drew closer to the boat with each second I wasted. I pushed the door open, snuck around the side and observed my surroundings. I felt like a hunter in the wild carrying the big shotgun, but acted more like a detective on a cheesy cop show. As I moved around the van, I spotted a crate identical to the one where I found Bryce in my… our dream.

I scurried towards it, doing my best to step over and around the large puddles so as not to make splashing noises that would catch the creepy bald man’s attention. Upon reaching it, I crouched. Placing my back against the wet wooden side, I slid around it and onto my knees and peeked out.

Bryce and my father stepped onto the boat, I used the man’s shining head as a guiding light. He was still behind them. Taking a deep breath, I moved back around the side and out of their view. The nose of the shotgun rose over the top as I held it straight and fired. Its recoil hit my upper thigh and I screamed as I doubled over, the gun hitting the ground. My leg throbbed and I knew I’d have a nasty bruise.

Disclaimer:

Both stories end with a tad of a cliffhanger.

 

I Don’t Love Zombies but Loved this Story

I’m not a big zombie fan in that I’ve never been drawn to shows like “The Walking Dead” and so forth. I’m prone to look upon zombies and vampires as analogies. To me, zombies represent those around us who simply go from day to day in a daze, missing what’s really going on around them, lacking joy and enthusiasm, and trashing those around them who have a life. Vampires are even more obvious, being the bloodsuckers that expect others to take care of them emotionally or financially. Since I’m not amused or entertained by such individuals, I’m likewise not usually attracted to such stories.

However, as a writer myself I enjoy a well-crafted story, regardless of genre. I especially enjoy award winning author, Elle Klass’, tales because they’re populated with well-developed, intelligent, gutsy, and engaging characters while her plots are original and full of surprises. Thus, for her books I’ll always make an exception. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her “Bloodseeker” stories and now Zombie Girl because they’re well-written with lots of action involving memorable, believable characters as well as surprising and often intricate plot twists.  A dose of Elle’s creative genius is the ultimate prescription to escape the figurative zombies and vampires in your own life.

I recently finished “Premonition” where the heroine, Maddie, is in trouble with her parents because she’s flunking science. Pressured to improve her grade, she reluctantly agrees to study more diligently. That night she experiences a vivid dream in which her parents have turned into zombies, so she flees her home. She meets a boy named Bryce, the two of them battling zombies, trying to survive.  When she wakes up to a normal Saturday morning, she realizes it was only a dream, yet remains troubled. Not only was the dream itself far too real, a physical object Bryce gave her in the dream is still in her possession.

Huh? How could it be?

This physical evidence tells her for certain it was more than a dream–it was a warning. Nonetheless, months pass, and everything seems normal. Until another vestige from the dream becomes reality.

Elle knows how to build nail-biting suspense and “Premonition” is no exception. The story is relatively short, but sets the stage for what you know is going to be an exciting adventure with a generous sprinkling of dark humor. Fortunately, the sequel, “Infection,” is coming soon.  Preorder now so you don’t miss it when it comes out in July!

Pick up your copy of “Premonition” here.

Preorder “Infection” here.

“This website may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a link and ultimately invest in something, that I may get a commission. If the item is one of my own books, that should be intuitively obvious.”

“The Monster Upstairs” –Another YA Paranormal Hit from Elle Klass

Elle Klass fans will undoubtedly love “The Monster Upstairs”,  latest in her “Bloodseeker” series set in historic St. Augustine, Florida.

This heart-stopping sequel to the first book in this series, “The Vampires Next Door”, provides a wild ride (some onboard a rather hot werewolf) as the lethal conflict between Bloodseekers and Slayers intensifies. Slayers aren’t alone in their quest; in case you haven’t already guessed, werewolves are likewise engaged in this timeless battle, as well as Light witches and Dark witches, their mysterious ties revealed in this suspenseful Young Adult thriller.  I’m not normally a vampire fan, but Elle’s have a slightly different twist and culture, that makes them more interesting. Especially the Slayers, tasked with keeping them under control or, better yet, eliminated, through individual powers endowed through their amulets.

The author continues her enviable ability to bring vivid and memorable characters to life, as she has with all of her series. In this story we meet teenage Mandy, who’s suddenly confronted by unexpected and daunting challenges associated with her fated destiny. Previously unaware she’s the product of a forbidden liaison, she discovers family secrets in a shocking turn of events that change her life forever. Whisked away to Wolf Manor, she discovers the true nature of the mysterious man named Joel and his mother as well as the fateful roles they’ve played in her life.

Each supernatural entity has its own fascinating agenda as the forces of good and evil battle for dominance. The author brings refreshing new twists to classic supernatural beings you only thought you knew and understood. Their respective cultures and the relationships between them, both as individuals and groups, are nicely developed, bringing depth and credibility to their intriguing world.

Alison and Rodham, along with the other amulet-wielding Slayers you met in “The Vampires Next Door”, return, their fates converging with Mandy’s and Joel’s, as this clever tale gathers momentum and complexity, ultimately converging in a clash between powerful supernatural forces in historic, mystery-laden Saint Augustine. And there’s more in this series to come!

This Teen/Young Adult thriller is a fast read, but in spite of the paranormal subject, not overly graphic or so scary you can’t read it at night. I’m a real coward when it comes to such stuff, but had no problems being creeped out. I recommend reading “The Vampires Next Door” first, if you haven’t already, so you can follow more easily how the two books and characters fit together.

You can preorder your copy here.

While you’re waiting, get your copy of “The Vampires Next Door” here.

New Thriller in Elle Klass’ “Ruthless Storm Trilogy” Just Released!

The Mind boggling conclusion to the Ruthless Storm Trilogy. Release date October 14, 2016.

My characters are fictional but crime, murders and serial killers are real. No crime is victimless. Buy In the Midst of the Storm during October and every cent Elle receives will be donated to victimsofcrime.org to help real victims.

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The thrilling conclusion is filled with suspense! Here’s an excerpt:

The cold air chilling her to the bone, she walked swiftly towards her apartment. Her mind cloudy from too many beers. A trail

through the woods surrounding her apartment complex opened up to her left. If she stayed the course of the street-lit sidewalk, it’d take her longer to get home than if she took the path through the woods that led almost directly to her door. Her body shivering, she decided to take the chance and cut through the woods. Really, it was just a small chunk of trees with a well-worn path that most people used for walking their dogs.

Halfway through the shortcut, she heard voices talking. She slowed her pace and listened but assumed it was a couple walking their dog.

“What the hell are you doing?!” yelled a male voice.

She jumped and on instinct plastered herself against a large tree and scanned the area. Hoping she was fully camouflaged by the thick trunk. She peeked her head around it and spotted two young men. One had jeans sagging past his buttocks and a red jacket. The other wore all black and he held a glinting silver object. Her mind flashed back to the shining object and black eyes that chased her within her nightmares. She breathed deeply, trying to stay calm, and considered her options. The last time she’d run through woods didn’t fare well for her and she ended up in a coma for a week.

Running was out of the question. Going forward was out of the question. She felt the cool metal of the pendant against her chest and remembered its soothing qualities. Taking a deep breath, she

crouched, using the trees for cover and squat-walked towards the next tree. She couldn’t avoid the piles of leaves littering the ground, but hoped her steps were gentle enough the guys would consider them an animal.

The voices moved closer to her and she went into near panic mode. Breathe, breathe. They’re probably just smoking pot and mean no harm, she soothed herself, but the feeling in her gut sent shivers of horror flying through her body. Bad memories resurfaced and she saw his face, the monster, Evan’s face. She closed her eyes, attempting to gather her courage.

Leaves rustled beneath their pounding footsteps, growing closer with each one. No longer able to control her fear, she took her chances and ran.

“Who’s there?” called one of the men, as Eilida sprinted through the woods. Not watching where she was going, she ran smack into broad shoulders and a rock hard abdomen. Waves of horror shuddered throughout her body.

Listen to the In the Midst of the Storm Soundtrack!

It’s sexy!

He wanted to make all the bad in her life disappear and he wanted her. The vibes bouncing off Eilida suggested she desired him just as much. Setting his plate on the table, he turned to face her and cupped her face in his hand. Then he brought his lips to hers. His sexual hunger matched by hers.
When they released the kiss, she set her plate beside his and brought her body closer to his, melting in his arms. Their mouths met again as their hands explored the other’s assets. His hand lingering on her perky breasts as he lifted her shirt and drew his tongue closer to them for a taste…

Review of Elle Klass’ “Baby Girl 6: Return to the Bay”

Cleo’s saga continues in another suspense-filled episode. If you’re a Cleo fan like I am, you won’t be disappointed in this latest segment of her ongoing story. This one picks up where Baby Girl 5: Caribbean Heat drops you off with a nail-biting cliffhanger. Cleo, her best friend, Kacy, and La Tige have been ambushed and left in dire straits in a warehouse. Upon surviving this ordeal, the set out to figure out who the culprit is and his possible motive. More of Cleo’s family secrets are revealed in the fast-moving sequel. As always, the characters are convincing and endearing and by the time you make it this far in this enjoyable series, they’re like your own family. Cleo’s story just gets better and better.

Pick up your copy on Amazon here.