Donners of the Dead

by Karina Halle

This book has since been unpublished because the author deemed it problematic. It may be republished at a later date with a heavy edit and all problematic material removed.
***A Standalone Horror Romance***

A note about this book: Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 – couples were often thrust into marriage together with short courtships, racism was widespread and not overly frowned upon, and women had little to no rights. What wouldn't fly in today's day and age was unfortunately the norm back then - it is worth keeping that in mind when reading this book.


Jake McGraw was unlike anyone I’d ever known. He was brash, rude, unapologetic and arrogant; chauvinistic, close-minded, and terribly stubborn. He was built like a tree, tall with a hard chest and wide shoulders and hands that looked like they could wrestle a bear. He was a cigar-chomping, scruffy-faced, beast of a man. I was pretty sure I hated him. And I know he hated me. But among the flesh-eating monsters in these snow-capped mountains, he was the only thing keeping me alive

The year is 1851 and pioneers in search of California gold are still afraid to travel on the same route as the tragic Donner party did years before. When the last wagon train to go into the Sierra Nevada mountains fails to arrive at their destination, Eve Smith, an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills is brought along with the search party, headed by an enigmatic former Texas Ranger, Jake McGraw.

What they find deep in the dangerous snow-covered terrain is a terrifying consequence of cannibalism, giving new meaning to the term “monster.” While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.

***This is NOT New Adult***

Genres: Horror, Romance, Zombies, Paranormal, Historical, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

287 pages, ebook

First published February 22, 2014

About the author

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.

When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

So there's some...



Chills gripped my chest with an iron fist the moment Isaac turned his head and stared down at me. Half of his face was gone, his eyeball blasted into his face leaving a dark red and black hole of bone, brain and blood.

and a bit of...



We were a tribe of two but a tribe all the same. Two broken people looking for their place in the world and finding each other.

Woah. That was one hell of a sexy, creepy rollercoaster. If Karina Halle set out to have us sleeping with the lights on with this latest addition to her impressive works, then she can consider it mission accomplished as far as I'm concerned. I hope you're not too hung up on the concept of genre because Ms Halle gives traditional genre boundaries the middle finger with this... historical zombie horror western romance. Somehow, she manages to bring sexy cowboys and flesh-eating monsters to the table at the same time and make it work. I don't know how she does it, but I couldn't put this book down.

There was a loud, solid thunk on the porch, followed by another. The house shook slightly. I kept my eyes trained on the outside but couldn't see anything. But I could smell it. It was blood and sweat and hay and horse and something unfathomable. A severe chill threaded down my back.

The dark, creepy, foreboding tone of this novel is set from the very start and it only gets scarier as the story wears on. It's an historical horror re-imagining of the true story about the Donner Party - a group of American pioneers who in 1846-7 became snowbound in the Sierra Nevada and had to resort to cannibalism to survive. I love love love it when a fictional story weaves in elements of truth - it makes the paranormal/fantasy aspects seem even more real and believable. And the author certainly knows how to use language to create a sense of impending tragedy: Autumn was at our doorstep and winter was lurking in the darkness behind it.

Then there's that whole steamy romance that is happening alongside the horror.



He's a broody cowboy and she's half-native american. He's seen the world and she's spent her entire life in a small town, working for her uncle. An expedition into the mountains forces the unlikely pair together and they soon find out just how much their survival depends on each other. What I really love about Halle's characters is how they're all often just a tiny bit nasty at times. They're all flawed, all troublemakers and rebels. No Mary Sues or whatever you want to call them. They're fleshed out and make mistakes and say the wrong things sometimes... but they're still likable. I think it's really great when an author can do that. When they can take people who you maybe shouldn't like and convince you to be on their side. It's one of the main reasons I loved Sins & Needles, it's one of the main reasons I loved this, and it's also the main reason I will continue to be excited every time I see Halle has an upcoming book release.

One final haunting piece of truth:

Men are the real monsters here. They often are.



Thank you to the guys at Rock Star PR for the ARC! Please note that all quotes are taken from the advance review copy I received and may differ from the final version.

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Do you see how you’ll lose?” he continued, his voice seething. “And I will win.”
“I reckon I can stop you,” came Jake’s voice.

In the nick of time, as always.

Oh, Christ. Save us from deus ex fucking machina.

This is not a bad book at all. It had its very creepy moments, and I enjoyed it for an entertaining read. It just didn't deliver what I wanted from the book. There were inconsistencies in the writing that made the book sound too modern. There was absolutely no relationship development. I wanted a kick-ass character; the main character in this book is more prone to shivering and letting a man help her out than in saving her own ass. I wanted a strong heroine, but the main character in this book, more often than not, was completely out of her depths and almost completely fucking useless 90% of the time.

And there's the racism. Yes, I read the book's disclaimer that racism is a necessary byproduct of this era. I understand that, my point is besides that.

I'm Asian. If a guy I like called me a Chink to my face, and then proceeds to nickname me "Ricey" for the rest of our time together, our relationship probably isn't going to last very long. Probably as long as it takes for my fist to reach his face.

And yet that's exactly what happens in this book, that's what happens in this excuse of a romance (and it is more romance than horror) and I don't find it acceptable at all.

First off: The racism

The summary of this book says that racism is a product of the time period (1850s America), it's common. I get it. Racism is alive and well and it was even more persistent in 19th century America. It doesn't mean the victim has to accept racism; it doesn't mean they like it.

But here's the thing, if you are the one being discriminated against, are you just going to lie down and take it? Are you going to love someone who thinks of you as inferior? Are you going to love someone who is going to mock your race? Fuck no. Have some fucking self-respect. If you are a person of color in that era, you can and probably will encounter racism. You're going to have to tolerate it. You're going to have to grit your teeth through it, but you are most definitely not going to fucking like it.

And yet this is what happens in this book.

The main love interest in this book is a white man named Jake. The main character in this book is a half-breed Native American girl named Eve. From the beginning, they clash. He is racist and sexist.

“Injun girl don’t speak English?”
No matter his age though, he was a rude bastard.
“Of course I speak English,” I snapped, refusing to be intimidated. “You’ve been hearing me speak all day.”
He scratched at his sideburns. “I tend to tune out when a woman’s speaking.”

He has a terrible view of Native Americans. He calls them---and her, "savages."

“Savages,” Jake snarled, holding up the hand and inspecting it while Avery and Tim were now trying to hold him down. He eyed me with hate. “Your kind of savages.”

Jake gives Eve a nickname, "Pine Nut." Which would be cute if the basis for that nickname did not come from a derogatory view of Native Americans. It's the equivalent of nicknaming a Korean person "Kimchi," a Mexican person "Taco."

It ain't cute.

Jake is of the racist belief that Native Americans eat pine nuts for dinner.

Jake raised his hand in a greeting, though his other one was now resting on his revolver at his hip. “Can you speak to them? They look like they eat pine nuts just like you.”

He proceeds to nickname her Pine Nut for the rest of the book.

“Picking anything up, Pine Nut?”
I ignored my new nickname.

And Eve is ok with it. She never tells him to stop. She never confronts him on it. She puts up with it. I'm not ok with that. It diminishes their relationship (what there was of it) furthermore to have the element of racism in the way, unresolved.

The Story: The story of the Donner party is pretty famous in the United States. For those living outside the US, this is what happened. In the 19th century, people living in the East often traveled out to the Western US to start a new life, to find their fortune. It was a dangerous journey, with inclement weather, and many dangers along the way. One of such dangers is the mountains. In 1847, the Donner party got stuck in the California mountains over the winter. Most of the Donner party didn't make it through the long, perilous winter. Those who did survived on cannibalism.

This story follows that event.

It is 1851, somewhere in present-day Nevada. Eve is an 18-year old half-breed Native American girl. She is fairly tough, she is knowledgeable about the environment, but she is not skilled as a tracker, by any means. A group of men arrives in her town, demanding her help, thinking she is a tracker who can help them locate the rest of the Donner party, long gone these past 4 years. Her uncle is greedy for money, and makes Eve go with them. Accompanying Eve from her hometown is another woman, and a childhood friend for whom she has long held an unrequited love.

They encounter no shortage of hardships in the mountains. Not just the weather, the snow, the blizzards that keep them stuck for days. There are people---less human than things lurking about in the dark.

I was hit with the intense aroma of rotting flesh, carried on a hot burst of air.
I opened my eyes.
A pair of pale blue eyes, lit by firelight, were leaning over me. A bloody mouth sneered.

Soon, it is made abundantly clear that these creatures are not a figment of the imagination. They are real, and they have a taste for human flesh.

There were over a dozen monsters standing outside the cabin, staggered about, all of them facing us with expressions of hunger and mindless hate. Their mouths were open, drooling, with grey tongues lolling around beside black gums.
All of them wanted to eat us.

Eve's Incompetence: She is more innocent, naive 18-year old girl in way over her head than the strong heroine that I wanted. A tracker is one who knows nature, who knows the lay of the land, who is experienced at finding a trail and following it through.

Eve is not a tracker. Jake has is doubts about her being a tracker, and he is absolutely correct.

“Is it?” He took a step closer to me. “Are you capable? If you ask me, I think inviting you along was the worst idea Isaac ever had, and the whole thing about you being a great tracker is a load of horseshit.”
"I never claimed to be a good tracker.”

Ok, so she's not a tracker. Neither is she a guide.

“Damn it, Tim, what’s the use in having a mountain guide if she can’t even talk to the locals?”
“I never said I was a guide,” I said quickly over my shoulder.

So therefore, Eve is pretty much fucking useless. She was forced by her uncle to go with the men. She didn't have to go with them, she could have told her "Sorry, I'm not who you're looking for, because I am completely inexperienced." Instead, we have a book on Eve's incompetency. She fucks up a lot. She barely knows what she's doing.

Many times I led everyone to a cliff face or an impassable river before we had to double back and find the way again. I knew they were getting impatient with me but I was trying my very best.

Trying is not good enough, not when you are stuck within the mountains, freezing your ass off from blizzards. This is where the Donner party died during the winter, 4 years ago. Their party could easily die here, too. They need competence. Eve is not.

Eve's Weakness: Eve jumps out of her skin whenever someone whispers loudly at her. She is such a weak, fluttery character.She "gasped," she "stammered," whenever someone uses profanity, she "gasped at his language" and "flinched," whenever a guy smells good, she "made a sound like a squeak," she can barely respond, she "blinked dumbly," she "gestured helplessly", she "widened her eyes." Hardly the strong heroine I wanted.

Deus ex fucking machina: Eve can't save herself; she needs a big, strong man to help her. It seems like every time she is in a corner, Jake is there to save her ass.

Jake rounded the corner, his revolver aimed straight at Hank, his dark eyes staring him down the barrel.

Improbably, Jake is always there, even when he's not supposed to be.

I quickly twisted around to see Trouble thundering toward me with Jake astride him, rifle pointing right at the creature’s mangled face.

Every.

Jake’s eyes flared and he quickly twisted at the waist, barely lining up his sight, and pulled the trigger.

Single.

It was going to eat me alive.
“Eve, don’t move!” Jake yelled, as if I could.

Time. Jake. Jake. JAAAAAAAKE! HEEEEEEELP!

I screamed for Jake as the knife came down again.

The Inconsistencies: There were things that just didn't make sense in this book, like the inclusion of a woman in the search party. A very, very religious woman, a more or less helpless one. Why the fuck would she agree to go with this party of unknown stranger---men, into the mountains? Donna is devout, she is traditional, it makes no fucking sense at all.

The characters don't behave like I would if I were to encounter canniballistic things in the depths of the mountains. I would be freaking the fuck out, questioning what the FUCK are these things, what in the name of hell is going on here?

[Removed] was lying in the snow in a pool of his own blood, his heart having been ripped out and eaten by the same creature, man, monster that Jake just decapitated, while [Removed] was unconscious in Tim’s arms having lost her whole damn hand to another one of the monstrosities.

Jake looked around, his hand flexing on the handle of the axe. “I’ll go gather up the horses, while you guys get the first aid kit and fix her up best you can.

These people? Oh, living dead? Just business as usual.

Wut?

There were figures of speech that were largely out of place. For example, "My heart skipped a beat. I blamed it on waning adrenaline." I don't think a girl in the 1850s wilderness would know about adrenaline. Neither would she know about a time bomb or testosterone: "a mounted time bomb of testosterone." I don't think soldiers in the 1850s would know about calories nor refer to them in casual conversation: " “Pine nuts are high in calories. It’ll get ’em through this if we can’t find grass.”

The Romance: There was just an overwhelming amount of it in this book, with no development whatsoever. We go from Jake calling Eve a savage Injun to saving her ass and making guilty lovey-dovey eyes at her. And his reason for being an asshole is pretty fucking dumb. For one thing, he hated her because he couldn't have her.

“When I first saw you,” he said, “I hated you. I hated you, Eve, because I reckoned you were the prettiest damn woman I had ever seen and there was no way you could ever be mine."

And the other "reason," he has for hating "Injuns" is pretty fucking dumb and reinforces all the stupid stereotypes of savage, murderous Natives raping and pillaging the Wild, Wild West. It's clichéd, it's hateful, it's racist, and I don't like it.

[Alejandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is freaking awesome!!!


WESTERN & ZOMBIES

This is a paranormal western story inspired on real events but with a twist, that in words of Karina Halle, the author...

... Hello! Zombies! .

Now that I got your attention, I can elaborate on my review of the book.

Eve Smith, a young girl of mixed origins, "white" & "indian", helps a search group made by former Texas Rangers and other people to look for the whereabouts of a failed expedition in the mountains. She is the narrator of this tale and it's wonderful to get it through her eyes and perspective.

Cool believable characters, wonderful atmosphere and lots of action.


REALITY & FICTION

I had the time of my life reading this novel.

Absolutely great!

The author did a wonderful work of research not only about the historic facts about the Donners' Party expedition but also about the ambiance, language and customs on that particular time, on the western territories leading to California in 1851.

One of best things in this novel is that while it can be fit in the genre of zombie books in a general sense, it develops its own rules, where while some stuff is what you can expect of zombie books, there are many other things that are different.

The novel explodes in a very inventive ways the legends and folkore from the Native-american culture along with the richness of the western tales.

While certainly there is the paranormal twist to increase the appealing of the story, that element isn't abused and you get only the right amount of it.

There are some cliché moments, but hey! what is a zombie book without those cliché moments?

Mmh? Right?

But I can assure you that there are many unexpected moments too, making it a truly entertaining western novel.

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Jake and Eve:


18-years old half-native tracker girl and arrogant former Texas ranger. It’s 1851 when Eve and Jack, together with a group of poeple, set up on dangerous search expedition into the local cold mountains. If only they knew what kind of evil would be awaiting them...



I’m not sure how Karina Halle does it, but all her books are 100% movie material. This book is no exception. Historical romance, fascinating Indian’s legends, a lot of action and zombies. Donners of the Dead is without a doubt my new favourite!

Adventure; the best word to describe this book. Captivating and thrilling adventure, amazing and unique setting, strong and lovable female lead. You won’t be able to put this book down.

Fear and gore. Another words that come to my mind when I think of this book. My heart was racing whenever something dangerous and scary was happening. And I love that feeling of being completely immersed in the story, when everything else fades away. I was glad to find it while reading Donners of the Dead.



Jake McGraw is the best example of true alpha male. Skilled, powerful, fearless, confident and capable of protecting and taking care of woman in all ways that counts. I just love those silent (but passionate) types who always goes straight to the point, not caring what others think of them.

"I’d seen bare-chested men before but none of them had ever appeared so…sexual. None of them were built like a house, strong and firm and wide, with muscles that didn’t end and a dusting of hair that screamed that he was nearly a beast himself."

But most of all, I loved the tension between Jake and Eve. To create feel of anticipation, that is what Karina Halle excels at. There was no insta-love and I had this warm tingling whenever Jake and Eve were having their moments. So do not hesitate, and pick this standalone novel yourself. I highly recommend it!

"We’re still human even in the face of beasts, even with our lives at risk. When you’re close to death, love is sometimes the only thing that makes sense in life.”

*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★☆ 4.5 zombies & sexy cowboy stars!

"There are only monsters inside of angels and angels inside of monsters. Choose wisely."

Horror + Romance + Karina Halle + standalone = pure awesomeness!

Set in 1851 - Eighteen year old Eve Smith, who is half Paiute Indian, is approached on her uncle's farm by a group of strange men. After the Donner Party incident, these men have taken it upon themselves to go on a search expedition into the cold local mountains and they have come to Eve because of her widely acknowledged tracking skills. After some coaxing from her uncle, who's blinded by the money being offered in exchange for his nieces searching skills, she joins the men together with her best friend, and secret crush, Avery.

As soon as they set out their search party though, strange things start to happen. And soon, they discover that the cold, foreboding mountains looming ahead of them are full of evil, the kind of evil neither of them could have ever imagined possible.

"We were surrounded by the living dead. How ever could we be all right?"

Eve Smith is our heroine and despite her young age, she had a really strong and courageous personality, especially considering the time period she was living in. I admired her strength and if it would have been me in her shoes, I'm not sure I would have been up to joining five scary-looking men in a deserted mountain area filled with evil beings.



Jake McGraw is our here. He's a dangerously looking Ranger and pretty much sane one of the group of men. At first, he came of as a bit of a jerk and he said some hurtful things to Eve, but after a while it became obvious his tough guy exterior was just that, an exterior. On the inside he was actually kind and protecting and he even had a playful side to him that came up whenever he was flirting with Eve.



Aside from Eve, her best friend Avery and ranger Jake, the search party also consisted of Donna, a religious woman in her mid-twenties who's there to help whenever anyone needs medical care or some pep talk. Then there were four other men of which Tim was the least "crazy", the others were mostly creepy looking, money hungry rangers who I, just like Eve, wouldn't have trusted for a second.

The story had a very foreboding feel to it from the moment I started reading it and as the story progressed, things kept getting creepier and creepier. Needless to say, this is not the kind of book you want to be reading late at night when you're home alone...

But luckily there were also some moments of unfolding romance and sexual tension-filled encounters in the woods that gave the story a "lighter" feel.

"We were a tribe of two but a tribe all the same. Two broken people looking for their place in the world and finding each other. "

All in all, Donners of the Dead was a fun, fast-paced, thrilling, unputdownable horror romance story in typical Karina Halle fashion, meaning that it had a kick-ass strong heroine, a bad-ass hot ranger hero, lots of action and suspense, tons of sexual tension and a plot that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you haven't read any of her books yet, do yourself a favor and give one of them a try! You won't regret it. ;)



**ARC courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review**

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/27/14 - Freebie AMAZON

4.5 Stars



Wow. This was one crazy ass ride. Fast-paced and intense. Donners of the Dead is an imaginative take on the story of the Donner Party (an actual group of Americans who were snowbound out in the Sierra Nevada back in 1846 who, in order to survive, resorted to cannibalism). An eerie and dark tone straight from the get go, that just continues to grow into a truly horrifying tale.

"You need to go. You need to find it. What's out there"



Set in 1851 - shortly after the Donner Party incident, Eve, an eighteen year old half Paiute Indian is sought out by a group of men. They are hoping her tracking skills, will help them on an expedition looking for possible survivors. Her uncle, who only sees the money being offered, leaves her no choice. She and her close friend, Avery, set out with the men. But things are not what they seem.

"There are only monsters inside of angels and angels inside of monsters. Choose wisely."

As they embark on their journey, strange things begin happening, and Eve finds herself drawn to Jake, a broody Texas Ranger. I LOVED the chemistry between Eve and Jake - they have this fantastic banter, filled with sexual tension. The romance is light, but perfect.



As strange occurrences continue, the group struggles to survive and secrets are revealed. This book rates high on the creepy scale, it's gruesome, and freaking disgusting at times. But I absolutely loved it! Seriously I would read anything Karina writes, I am such a fangirl. If you are looking for something entertaining, scary, different, and aren't afraid of a little flesh eating, you should check it out!

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SCARY STARS!!!!

Wow that was a creepy rollercoaster ride! This is different from Karina's other books, it's a historical romance. It's full of action, zombies and there is also romance. Omg this book it was really scary! I'm not sure if I can sleep the nights without thinking about this book... It was absolutely fantastic!

This book is based on actual events! I loved when a fictional story weaves in real events!

Did you know about the Donner Party? I didn't know..and for me it was really interesting! I want to know more about the actual events that transpired with the Donner party!!

This book takes place in 1851 soon after the Donner Party rescue.. Eve is an 18-year old half-native girl with immense tracking skills..Her father disappears into the mountains.Then one day a group of rough men come into town seeking Eve for her tracking skills to track and look for possible Donner Party survivors.This group is inclouded by five men..and one of them is an enigmatic Texas Ranger Jake McGraw.
The mountains hide secrets...

The creatures in these mountains were called many different things... and, it was a mystery as to where they came from originally. The only truth is that it's really scary!!



Eve and Jake were an unexpected couple... At the beginning you are not sure if there will be anything between them. I loved how things developed between them. While at first they seem to hate each other, Jake and Eve come to need each other in more ways other than just staying alive. ..
There is tension between them..



Eve was a strong and capable heroine like all Karina's heroine! I liked and admired Eve from the beginning. And Jake was mysterious and sexy! I liked him from the time he called Eve Pine Nut :))



The action in this book will keep you interesting from the beginning until the end! If you are looking for a romantic thriller this is what you need.

*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ 'NOT GOING TO EAT MEAT ANYTIME SOON' STARS



I think it’s safe to say that out of all the dark, gruesome, sickening things I’ve read, cannibalism tops it all and I’m not ashamed to admit I was flailing like a chicken at 2 AM reading this.

Horror + romance = Karina Halle Awesomeness!

**The author warns you that while this book does have some facts about the Donner party and the landmarks, it is not to be taken as historically accurate (and definitely not those flesh-eating, nightmare-inducing, ax-deserving zombies!!)**



So our heroine Eve is asked to be a tracker for a search party whose goal is to find a missing family member who was part of the Donner group. Her skills and her native Indian culture are assets to the them and so she, along with her best friend and crush, Avery, set out with the men into the Nevadas.

The expedition (aside from Eve and Avery) consists of these lovely *snort* people:

Tim: Nice guy - the mayonnaise holding the group together when it's tense (which is pretty much all the time).

Meeks: Money dude - the main person funding the expedition

Jake: Former Texas Ranger *swoon* and the best shot and best horseman of the group. Also the hero of the book.

Isaac: Weird dude - not going to say much about him as he's pretty much an eccentric poopyhead.

Hank: Mr. Scar - the scariest looking beast man in the group and emanates a bad vibe....

Donna: The Company - Religious, a spinster, and very knowledgeable about medicine. Poor girl...

So this group sets out deep into the Nevadas and along the way, they encounter one hardship after another and most terrifying of all are the human looking but flesh eating creatures that stalk silently through the woods...to say my heart was beating at 200 per minute is an understatement O____O

The only thing I struggled with was Jake and Eve's relationship. I suppose that in extremely dangerous and life-threatening situations, there is no room for relationship development and what Jake says here is very true:



But from despising one another to loving each other so soon? Now affection and lust I can understand but the love part was a bit unbelievable and this one scene had me scrunching up my face. They have sex in a cave where these monsters are lurking around?! How do you have the time and the courage to get naked when you can get bitten anytime?! But that is the beauty of stories as they can be molded into whatever you want: realistic or fictional.

Aside from that, this book was absolutely riveting! The perfect blend of thrilling suspense, yucky gore, and a unique romance bred in the darkest of times!

P.S. If you're trying to become a vegetarian and lack the motivation, read this book.

ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews, freebie lists, & giveaways visit my blog!

[destini · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes the truth is more gruesome than fiction.”

Karina Halle has a knack for knowing how to creep me the hell out when reading one of her books. The foreshadowing had me on edge, the romance squealing and it made for a unputdownable read!
____________________________________________

♦︎ The Story ♦︎ 

____________________________________________

∙Recap∙

Donners of the Dead is set in 1851 and Eve, an 18 year-old half native girl known for her tracking skills, is asked to join a search party lead by Jake McGraw. They're to journey into the Sierra Nevada mountains where the Donner party once traveled years before, never to be seen again.
Ignoring all the troubling signs, they forge ahead and come face to face with the frightening results of cannibalism. While the search party is slowly picked off, one by one, Eve must learn to trust Jake, who harbors more than a few secrets of his own, in order to survive and prevent the monstrosities from reaching civilization.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's amazing how quickly you're pulled into to story. There was no slow decent into the story, you're thrown right into the action. The foreboding and tension that surrounds this story is gripping and all you can think about is how the story is going to unfold.


____________________________________________

♦︎ Characters ♦︎ 

____________________________________________

∙Eve∙

“I’m not a savage.” He smiled handsomely and with a shake of his head said, “No, you aren't. And you’re not a lady either. I recon you just might be perfect.”

Eve was an innocent but strong heroine, especially for her time. I loved how sassy and brave she was. I know I definitely wouldn't have survived everything she went through... or even gone through with most of it. At the first sign of trouble I would've said hasta la vista, chicos, I'm out of here.

∙Jake∙

“Call it a hunch, but I’m starting to think you might even like me.”

Jake can come off as a little curt in the beginning but compared to the other guys, Jake was the least of Eve's problems. However, underneath that tough exterior he was kind and, dare I say ... playful. He also had his head on straight. And trust me, that's noteworthy. You don't see a lot of those in this book.

∙Everyone else∙

We have an... interesting selection of side characters, to say the least. There are a few who are clearly crazy and some who know who to hide it better. They all had me on my toes and kept me guessing.
____________________________________________

♦︎ Overall ♦︎ 

____________________________________________

“Love is a wolf,” he said, the fire dancing in his eyes. “Perhaps that's why they howl in the dark of the night. Love drives them mad like it does to everyone. Fast or slow, whatever way it hits you, love will drive you mad.”

There was enough romance to keep any addict like me satisfied but not so much that it smothers the story. It was a nice side to the book and lightened the mood of the story, so you don't feel like you're constantly bombarded with all this creepy stuff.

Donners of the Dead was a quick, thrilling read with awesome characters, a steamy romance and a creepy storyline!

“Men are the real monsters here. They often are.”

Buddy read with: MK~ Picky Girl ♦︎ Brandi ♦︎ Erin ♦︎ MOLLIE ♥ Take me to a stripclub, DEX!♥ ♦︎ Olga ♦︎ Kim B

**ARC generously provided by Rock Star PR in exchange for an honest review**

Final rating: 4.5 stars ★★★★☆

[Karina Halle]

Thrilling, romantic and fun. That pretty much sums it up.

*wipes hands*

[Chelcie Dacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karina-Fucking-Halle!!!

I like to pride myself on not being a pansy ass bitch. I can hang with the best of them and watch a scary ass movie and not be the coward in the corner begging for them to turn it off.

Karina-Fucking-Halle!!!

I am not a big fan of reading about zombies. I am a fan of watching movies about them, but when it comes to reading about zombies, I'm like hmmm there are way more books out there begging me to read them. I'll just skip this one.

Karina-Fucking-Halle!!!

I have read every single book that Karina Halle has published. I own all of the EIT paperbacks. I am obsessed with the TAT series and I am women enough to say that I have the biggest girl crush on Karina Halle. Yes, if she were to come to me and ask me to be her sister wife, I would drop every fucking thing and apply for my Canadian Residence Card.

But, with that being said when I saw that she was writing an historical zombie book I was a little apprehensive.  I wasn't sure if it would grab ahold of me like all her other work. I was worried she wouldn't be able to make me love zombies.

Karina-Fucking-Halle!!!

Why do I keep screaming Karina-Fucking-Halle at you, you ask?

Because KARINA-FUCKING-HALLE did it again. She blew my mind. She scared the living shit out of me. I was terrified, cowering under the blanket, all the lights in my house were on and I was hiding with my iPad. I screamed, SCREAMED people while reading. I mean who fucking screams when they read a book? Karina-Fucking-Halle readers do, that's who.

This book has her brilliant writing skills, her amazing talent of making you want to jump in the book and become part of the characters. She is an author that can write amazingly fierce heroines. Maybe that's because Karina Halle is a fierce author and she puts a part of herself in her heroines.

Jake McGraw. Sign me up for a piece of him. OMG. This man is just swoon-fucking-worthy. I mean. I wanted to just jump on the back of his horse and ride off in the sunset. He came across so guarded and distant. But his protective side and need to be the savior was just panty dropping.

You are trapped in this historic place, with these amazing characters, you are begging for things to happen, gasping for air because you know that something evil is out there and you know its about to jump out and make you piss your pants. She will scare you right out of your fancy Victoria Secret Thong one moment and then have you needing to take a cold shower right after.

Only Karina Halle has the writing skills to do that shit.

I have been KARINA-FUCKING-HALLED after this book and I am addicted to her writing more than ever now.

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Human & Inhuman Stars

God didn't create monsters. Monsters created themselves.



As Eve's mother plainly stated there are angels inside of monsters and monsters inside of angels. Nothing to warn you of human nature and the sheer evil that can be hidden inside. But it is not the supernatural. It's our choices, the world we build for ourselves, our ambitions and dreams, prejudices and fears that shape us. And if we end up monstrous.... It's our hell to pay.

Enter Zombies

Or Wendigos. Or Chinokas. Or whatever the hell you want to call them. I am horrified and spooked enough to not want to even think about them anymore.

Blue eyes.
Pale skin.
Inhuman strength.
And a craving....

...for fresh human flesh. The more alive, the better. But scavenging is OK, too. A zombie has to do what it has to stay alive.





But this book doesn't invest on cheap horror.
Yes, you want to hide under your blankets and sleep with your lights on but there is so much more to it.

Enter Jake and Eve

Two broken people looking for their place in the world and finding each other.



Eve is a young girl living a life of prejudice because her father was a Paiute Indian that fell in love and married a white girl. Now, he is gone, her mother has withdrawn inside herself and she can't find her place.

Until a search party knocks on her door asking for the best tracker to help them find signs of the missing Donner Party. An expedition that was lost in the snowy mountains and the only thing that was ever known, are some horrific tales of death and cannibalism.



You need to go. You need to find it. What's out there.

Her mother's ominous warning, the first words she has spoken in years, drives her to accept and she finds herself plunged in a world of danger and irresistibly drawn to a pair a dark eyes.

He was such a man, a mounted time bomb of testosterone.



Jake an ex-army Ranger, has lost everything. Dangerous and a survivor, he sees in Eve the thing he has come to hate. Overcoming his prejudice and fighting to keep them all alive, he will fall deeply in love and he will do anything to protect her.



A fast-pacing, gripping, unique and just plain awesome story. Karina Halle proves once again that she just got it. Taking a risk and writing a historical novel, staying true to the era and depicting multi-layered complex characters. She is not in for the fleeting thrill of the scare either. She searches deep, in the dark corners of the human soul that hide monsters more fearsome than zombies or ghosts. She has a talent of making us rooting for the bastard, the unconventional, the anti-hero, if you prefer. Her heroes are mean but protective, dangerous and appealing, perfect in their imperfect glory. Wounded souls looking for solace that didn't know they needed. This novel has it all, and YOU have no excuse not to read it. The haunting, chilling setting will keep you glued to the pages, tearing your eyes away only to look over your shoulder, hoping not to see a set of pale, lifeless eyes staring right back at you.





Waiting for the book to be released....

A horror/romance standalone novel

In a nutshell it's ZOMBIES vs PIONEERS with a swoony Hugh Jackman-esque cowboy and one kick-ass female MC on the snowy, bloody trail of the fated Donner party.



UPDATE

Karina stated:
Jake McGraw is the most ALPHA MALE leading man I've ever written (so far). It's kind of fun. He also looks like Hugh Jackman



SWOON & FAINT!!!

Thank you my beloved Jo for the recommendation!!! Mwaaaah!

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!!!

Perfect book for when you're in the Halloween mood!!! Or just want something thrilling and scary. I know one thing with any Karina Halle book, and it's that I'll be entertained from the beginning until the very end. I love that Halle took genres I wouldn't normally read (horror and historical) and combined them to make a thrilling and terrifying tale. Some parts were a little bit too gross for me, and I did skim some of the violence because I am squeamish, but otherwise this book was fantastic!

[Duchess Nicole]

Why in the world would you rate a book two stars that you HAVE NOT READ? I understand the idiots rating books one star because they have mommy issues and need to be hateful or something, or the fangirls rating a book five stars before publication just so we ALL know how much they OMG love the author, but...two stars? Someone please explain. As for the rater, whoever you are...

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

WARNING: I AM GOING TO STRAIGHT UP SAY WHAT THE BAD/SCARY/KILLY THING IS IN THIS STORY – CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED. HOWEVER, THE AUTHOR FLAT OUT SAYS IT HERSELF IN THE SYNOPSIS CONTAINED ON AMAZON, SO IT’S OBVIOUSLY NOT A SPOILER. ALSO, THE TITLE???? I’M PRETTY SURE MOST OF Y’ALL ARE BRIGHT ENOUGH TO HAVE FIGURED IT OUT ON YOUR OWN ANYWAY.

I could say this was a case of “it’s not you, it’s me” when it came to this book . . . but I’m not going to. I picked Donners of the Dead up once it finally became free for me to do so. It had been on my TBR for quite some time (it’s got a goooooood title and premise, after all), but I was leery to read it because I usually fall into the "not a fan" category when it comes to authors known for writing “New Adult.” I’ve dabbled in that genre a time or two and have found it to be really hit or miss for me. However, this book had a big ol’ disclaimer on Amazon saying it was definitely NOT New Adult. Too bad for me I didn’t check the smaller disclaimer contained on Goodreads that said it was a “horror romance.” WTF is a horror romance????

The whole idea behind the story is that a wagon train (following the same route as the Donner party from years before) has failed to reach its final destination. A relative of said missing party wants to find conclusive evidence of what happened to the pioneers and hires Eve Smith, a young half Native American girl known to be the best tracker in the area, to assist his group.

Okay, there’s the basic idea. Now, not only is this group on a quest to find a bunch of more-than-likely dead folks who were following the trail of another group of dead folks who had such a great journey they ended up EATING EACH OTHER, but they are also about to encounter some super scary bad guys . . .



What’s the obvious thing that should happen? If you’re thinking “those poor bastards better figure out how to nut up super quick in order to fight the undead or else they need to hightail it back to where they came from pronto,” well unfortunately you would be wrong. But if you’re thinking “Eve should totally act like a damsel in distress 99% of the time and focus on perchance hooking up with one of the sexy strangers who is a member of the search party and thank her lucky stars there aren’t bazillions of these creepers roaming around the woods so there’s plenty of time to chop off evil undead heads AND bump uglies,” then you’re right (and also super good at guessing storylines!).

Me no likey : (

Oh and one other thing that needs to be mentioned about this plot – there must have been some serious backlash from people who called out the author on the racism contained in this book ‘cause there is a big paragraph explaining about the time/place/mindset/etc. Although I like to think that I would have stabbed every single one of these guys in the face were I in the same situation as Eve, if some fictional dumb broad wants to fall for a fella who spends the majority of the book referring to her status as an “Injun” (and other derogatory terms), that’s on her.

So yeah, obviously I’m not a fan of mixing my horror with romance and this one did not work for me. I can say, however, that Ms. Halle is not a terrible writer and I will probably give her another shot in the future.

And Anne???? Here’s a half-naked frontiersman getting carried out of . . . a train tunnel (????) by another half-naked frontiersman (more than likely in order to save him from being eaten by evil zombie critters) …



Two for two on the posting relevant semi-naked .gifs challenge! I rule!!!!

EDIT: ^^^^IMAGE ERROR MY ASS!!! GRRRR. I promise I'm not lying - here's a link . . .

http://giphy.com/gifs/black-and-white...

In case you don't want to link, here's the same sexy pioneer bathing in a pond . . .



And if you STILL aren't satisfied, well then here's a sexy cowboy . . .



Ha! Totally tricked you!!!!

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Scary Stars

Wow. That was creepy, gross, scary and a definite page turner of a read!



I survived!! Karina Halle delivered a fast pace, action packed, scary ride and I couldn’t but it down.

Eve Smith, a girl who is half Indian, half white, made for a fantastic lead character. Her strength, hope and courage was seriously amazing. I sure hope that I would possess such characteristics put in the same situation.

Eve is sent to help a rough group of men from Texas search in the Sierra Nevadas for a missing man. Her skills as a tracker and the promise of money have her uncle packing her bags and sending her off with her friend Avery, and neighbor Donna to assist these men.

”You need to find it,” she whispered. “What’s out there.”

In these life or death situations, some of the men go crazy, monsters are lurking, body parts are eaten and LOVE blossoms. The love of course was my favorite part of the story, but the fear and excitement had me turning the pages.

”I never thought the horrors could get any worse, but they were, day by day.”

Just to warn a reader you will be grossed out! I mean seriously grossed out...

"He looked at *** who was now very slowly chewing ***'s cut-off nose."

[image error]

I’m not looking forward to bedtime tonight and will be aware of all surrounding sounds and smells.



I would have liked more on Eve and Jake without their lives being danger, but that maybe the rommance reader in me. Overall, a good read for those who can stomach cannibals and monsters.



”God didn’t create monsters. Monsters created themselves.”

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

fulfilling my 2019 goal to read (at least) one book each month that has been digitally moldering, unread, on my NOOK for years and years and years.

[La-Lionne · Rating 2 out of 5]

***2.4 stars***

I have a like-hate relationship with this book. I'm actually surprised that I didn't enjoy this book as much as KH's other books.

I liked the first half of the book, a lot. I loved the fact that author chose mixed race female character from 18th century as a heroine. It made her interesting. I wanted to get to know her and how she came to be, about her family history, and was looking forward to reading about her journey.

When I got to know Jake, Eve's love interest, I thought "Let the fun begin."
Jake is an ass, he's a racist, condescending douchebag and overall just a giant bowl of dicks. Which I understand was common for that time period, so I tried not to sweat the fact. Actually, I was looking forward to learning more about him and seeing how Karina will redeem him.

Their first meeting wasn't all hearts and flowers. He looked down on her, made snarky and downright insulting comments about her as a woman and being a half Indian. Which made me want to punch him in the nuts. There were parts where I wanted to choke her too, for not telling him to fuck off. She just stood there and took it. But then I thought, women back then weren't suppose to talk back or think that they were something, or that their opinions matter. Especially with the background like Eve's. So I brushed it of for the time being.

They were about to go on the journey to find out what happened to a group of people that vanished into a thin air. She was picked to join his crew because she's the best tracker and knew the area pretty well. The pay was good, and the fact that her mother wrote her a note saying "You have to find what's out there" made me very intrigued.

Let me tell you, Karina Halle has scary stuff down and locked. This she writes well and doesn't hold back. Can't say the same thing about the plot and the romance in this particular book. I was actually really surprised at how weak and barely there it was. I've read all of her previous books and the buildup, the seduction, chemistry between her main characters, everything that leads to romance and love, is always solid. At least in my opinion. However, in this book... I don't know. It wasn't there, or it wasn't enough, or it was too much of one thing and not enough of the other.

* * * WARNING SPOILERS * * *

Now, the second half of the book was something entirely different. There were some minor (minor -ish) hick-ups in the first half, too, but the second half was a bit of a mess and made me rethink everything I read before that, and kind of ruined the first half.

Here are my issues with this book:

1. Eve being the best tracker in the area.
In the beginning Jake said that the reason they wanted her help was because on their way there, her named kept coming up, when they were asking around about who could help them in their search. Eve, herself, said that she was surprised that her name even came up, because she felt like she barely existed most of the time. She's quiet, shy and not a show off. How did anyone know about her being the best. It was never explained what made her the best, simply that she was. My guess was that she was good because of her father. Apparently Indians were good at this sort of thing. Tracking. Did it run in the blood? Did the people simply assumed that because her father was good, she must be too? It didn't make sense to me. I would have loved an example or two of her previous tracking adventures.

2. Jake being racist and making derogatory comments.
I understand that the racism was well and thriving back then. That's not what annoyed me. What pissed me off was the fact that even after he developed feelings for her, he never eased up on the insulting comments. The nickname he gave her. I hate it. I didn't mind at the beginning, because he was being an ignorant bastard. But I thought that later, after he had realized that he had feelings for her, he would cut the shit out. He did not! He called her a Pine nut. She got the nickname after his comment “Can you speak to them? They look like they eat pine nuts just like you.” I kind of get why he called her that at the beginning (being racist and all), but there was no need to call her that after he proclaimed his love for her. That made no effing sense to me.
Also, I did read the whole book without skimming, but I feel like I missed the part, that crucial moment, when Pine Nut stop being an insult and became and endearment.
He hated Indians and Mexicans. But hey, he was man's man, hot, tall, dark masculine and handsome/beautiful. Who cares, right? *growl*

3. The authenticity of the time period.
It's 1851. I'm not a history nerd. I know even less when it comes to American history. I only know what I learned in school (and some of the books I've read), which is pretty much the basics, major events. But even I thought that this particular era was poorly researched.
After I finished the book and thought back about what I read, I thought that the reason this time period was chosen was simply to make it easier to get away with certain things.

Eve used the word "testosterone" which wasn't discovered until late 18th century!

The use of word "calories". No one knew about calories in US back in 1851. The word came to America in 1860's. Cowboys have said that they have been around the block and have seen and hear a lot, but I doubt they've heard that much.

Then we have adrenaline. Adrenaline was discovered in Poland in late 18th century. 40 years later after Eve mentioned it!

Then we have a character using ammonia-scented liquid to wake the person up. I know ammonia was discovered way before 1851 (not in the US, but still), but I haven't found any info about it being used in medicine, even back then. You are more then welcome to correct me if I'm wrong :).

4. Rushed and not well thought out.
Eve's father - went missing few years ago. No one knew exactly what happened to him. Some thought he was dead, Eve thought (feared) that he turned into a zombie, like the Donners party. Throughout the book there were thoughts and dreams about him that implied he became one of them. The message from her mother, the stories about Donners and Eve's dreams about him implied that he turned into a zombie. For that reason I was certain there will be a confrontation between her and her father (or Jake and her father) at some point, and one of their heads will be rolling off. No such luck. He was simply killed because some people disagreed with his way of living. Which made all Eve's thoughts and dreams about him pointless and a waste of a digital space. And that's why most of the story was anticlimactic.

The condition of her mother. We are introduced to her mother, who is often locked in her room, doesn't speak and can't take care of herself, because of what happened to her husband, Eve's father. She's either that heartbroken, or that physically il (consequences of a depression) that she can't function as a normal human being. Which is fine, human emotions can be complicated and often is either your savior or your destroyer. That's not why I had problems with her. My issue with her was her quick recovery. Remember the note she wrote to her daughter at the beginning of the book? Go find what's out there? She had no problem encouraging her daughter to travel with a group of unknown men (it's 1851 for fucks sake!). But one day suddenly, when Rose's life was in danger, she simply decided that she had to speak, that she couldn't be quiet any longer. Um, okay. "My voice. I didn't know how... " then, only few sentences later "When I saw what was happening, I couldn't be quiet any longer." She held back just fine when her brother, Eve's uncle, where smacking her around/being obusive. Don't tell me she had no clue of what was going on.

5. The romance - rushed and barely there. Insult, insult, insult, kissing, insult, insult, sex, insult, cliche HEA. "I hated you because of how beautiful you were." Mother F*cker, WHAT???

6. The ending - very anticlimactic. They decided not to speak of what happened! Them two, being heroes of the book and all, chose not to warn other about the dangers out there. Wtf?

Rose and what's his name, had five kids in 5 years. I guess it's doable, but still, I felt like author went a little overboard with that. Plus, her mother moving in with Rose and her family, instead of helping her own daughter, didn't help the case either.

My perfect ending would have been Eve confronting her uncle, telling him f*ck off, taking the money/gold and riding into the sunset with Jake (with Jake easing up on a douchiness much earlier in the book and being an alpha male he was suppose to be). A girl is allowed to dream :(.

* * *

Sorry, but this was my least favorite book by Karina Halle.
I'm still a fan though. I can't wait for the next book in EIT series and Love, in English :).
---------–-------------------------------------------------------------
It's that time!

[Patrycja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Donners of The Dead
Series: Standalone
Author: Karina Halle
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Cliffhanger:. No
HEA: Yes





"We were a tribe of two but a tribe all the same. Two broken people looking for their place in the world and finding each other."

Karina Halle’s books are always drastic and out of this world frightening and yes, I freaking love it. Every time she hits publish I am dying from the anticipation and I’m more than a little bit scared of what I will find when crack her book open. I know that I would be probably having serious problems with sleeping for at least a week after finishing, but I just can’t stop myslef. Being terrified while reading her books is addictive feeling. The perfect adrenaline rush I got while reading Donners of The Dead is still circling in my blood. How this woman write and from where she gets her ideas is something spectacular as well as very creepy. Still I will sign myself up with my blood for reading every book she publishes.



Donners of The Dead is no exception. It was creepy, petrifying and gross. I’m still shivering on the thought of someone eating human eye that is compared to an egg. I won’t be able to eat eggs for ages, now. Still the unique, phenomenal way the author mixed historical romance, true events and zombies is something worth appreciating! I really don’t remember the time when I was so creep out, and I still have the Goosebumps to prove it!




As much as I loved the horror part of the story, I was a little bit disappointed by romance. Don’t get me wrong, the hero was swoon worthy bad ass ranger and some things were blazing hot, the sexual tension was building and building, but in comparison to the other couples’ Halle created - Eve and Jake just didn’t stand out for me. I liked them together but not loved as much as Dex and Perry. Jake was charming in the ‘rough around the edges’ way, which made me and my ovaries very happy. Eve and her sweetness as well as innocence was a nice match for him, but they were not EIT couple with their craziness, which I missed.



I also hoped the book could have at least thirty pages more. I would love to see more sexy times between Jake and Eve as well as have a little bit more swoon worthy moments to nicely erase all the gore and blood from my mind.

"There are only monsters inside of angels and angels inside of monsters. Choose wisely."

Still, Karina Halle done awesome job and I felt extremely pleased with overall story. I was kept on the edge of my seat till the last sentence and the fix of horror I got will last me for a very long time.

Summing up, Donners of the Dead was super freighting, extremely heart racing and blood pumping story with a very decent addition of sweet romance in historical setting all written in Halle’s favorite fashion.


FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donners of the Dead was an exciting spin off of the horror that happened to The Donner Party back in the 1800s. Most people know of that horrific chapter in American history, but leave it to Karina Halle to use it for a sinister tale sure to spook and frighten. Add in an unlikely romance and I’m one happy girl. I was glued to the pages! This is one of those read-in-one-sitting books.

Eve Smith is a young woman considered a “half-breed” born to Native American father and a white woman, in a small settlement below the Sierra Nevada Mountains back in the 1800s. Her father has gone missing so she and her mother live at her aunt and uncle’s, but Eve is not treated as a complete equal. Instead of going to school like her cousin, Rose, she works on the ranch with Avery, a ranch hand and her best friend. Avery doesn’t treat Eve like an unequal; rather he helps her, tutoring her after their chores are done.

When a rough bunch of men ride through looking for a tracker, all the town people point them into the direction of Eve, since her father is no longer around, she’s the next best thing in their minds. These men are looking for another search party sent after the Donner Party who disappeared a year back. Eve’s uncle practically shoves her out the door when he hears the large payment offered for her service.

This is where the excitement begins. The group of men is a motley crew, but “Mr. Snarly” as Eve first thinks of Jake, seems to stand out as the most interesting of the group, and he is all big burly man! He’s hostile to Eve at first, but he’s smart, good with a gun, and also strangely protective of her. These two verbally snipe at each other, stirring up all kinds of sexual tension.

I suddenly became acutely aware that he had ever so subtly pressed himself up against me until we were almost in an embrace. I didn’t want to say anything—and I didn’t want him to move. There was something about the way his rock hard, strong body was encompassing mine that made me feel more combustible than the rifle in my hands. *

More than romance sent my heart racing as the situation turns from a simple search into a nightmare of danger and horrors, when we get a glimpse of what “really” happened to the Donner Party. Eeeek! As a reader, you wonder if Eve and the others will come out alive.

Eve was a mixture of innocence and bravery; a character I immediately bonded with and felt protective over. She never quite fit in because of her mixed heritage, but wasn’t bitter or whiny about it. Jake was a bit of a jerk at first, but the sort of scoundrel to leave you weak in the knees! As his story is revealed, you can understand his early hostility. Eve and Jake’s romance is developed in amongst danger and death, but I felt it was weaved in perfectly, and was enough to satisfy this romance junkie! This is an action packed read, but I felt the characterization was well balanced, not sacrificing one over the other.

Karina Halle’s writing is captivating, and Donners of the Dead was riveting from the first page. And I’ll tell you one thing, I’ll be thinking of a few scenes the next time I go camping! *shivers*

A copy was provided by Blond Metal Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

*Quote take from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.

[☆ Sammy ☆彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"There are only monsters inside of angels and angels inside of monsters. Choose wisely"

What. A. Ride.

Donners of the Dead is not your typical zombie book and doesn't really compare to any zombie movies and/or TV shows I have seen either. Not that my zombie knowledge is all that encompassing as I tend to avoid this genre in general because quite frankly, the gore freaks me out a bit. But since Karina Halle wrote it, I went against all of my preconceived notions and gave it a chance anyway.

What It's About
Set in the 1850's, this story follows 18 year old half-native Eve Smith on a journey into the Sierra Nevada mountains. She is hired by a group of men as a tracker to search for a lost wagon train that never made it to its destination. The group is being led by Jake McGraw, a snarky, rugged, bull headed, former Texas Ranger who seems to dislike Eve from the moment they meet.

As the group travels deeper into the mountains, they discover that not only will they be battling the brutal winter conditions and wildlife, but there are also man-like monsters that are crazed to eat human flesh as well. Despite her dislike and unwanted attraction to Jake, Eve must learn to depend on him to keep her safe and to help her make it through their journey alive.

"This is a danger unlike any I've ever seen. And believe me darlin', I've seen a world of horror."

My Thoughts
Even though I found a few of the scenes downright gag worthy at times, I could not put this book down! It kept me terrified, on the edge of my seat, wanting to punch a few of the characters in the face, and swooning over Jake <3 I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to any fans of the zombie genre as well as any Karina Halle fans brave enough to give this genre a chance! You will fall in love with the characters as well as become so engrossed in the story and horror that you won't want to put it down.

[Megan • Reading Books Like a Boss (book blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karina Halle does not shy away from writing books that go against the grain. She writes unique, distinctive works that leave me and thousands of other readers coming back to her novels time and time again. Just for one day I'd like to live inside her brain just to see what kinds of creepy and exciting things are stored up there. I was intrigued to read this book for its historical tie-in to the famous Donner party story. In the mid-1800's, a group of pioneers got trapped in the harsh, snowy conditions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Out of pure desperation and starvation, they resort to eating those who had passed. Halle puts her own sexy and scary spin on the true tale, adding in zombies.

After her father mysteriously disappears and is presumed dead, Eve Smith and her mute mother move in with her uncle and his family on his farm. Born to a Native American father and a white mother, Eve isn't offered the same basic rights that white people get, like a chance to go to school or even respect. To earn her keep, she works alongside her best friend and fellow ranch hand, Avery, whom she secretly desires. Her comfortable and safe world is shattered when a search party wanders onto Uncle Pat's farm. Hungry and tired, this group of strangers are looking for a tracker by the name of Eve Smith. When Uncle Pat hears of the monetary reward, he orders Eve, Avery and god-fear Donna to join the search party on their venture into the harsh wintry condition. But what lurks in the cold, bleak forest is not what any of them expected.

" The air around us smelled like sorrow."

Eve isn't like other girls in her time, wearing dainty dressing, fainting, and sewing doilies. For living such a sheltered life, Eve was extremely brave and lionhearted. She was thrown into the fire, so to speak, when her uncle compelled her to be the "tracker" for these group of strange men. She was clearly apprehensive and fearful about going — for one because she lacked the expert tracking skills these men hired her for — but she didn't let that show on the outside. I found her to be a very resilient young woman. Perhaps her outward display of strength was a means to prove her worth to her uncle, win over Avery's affections, or just to see what's outside the confines of the farm. In any event, I can't say that I could show the same bravado in such circumstances.

Among the search party was Tim, an old man who seemed to be running the show. Out of the lot, he was the most talkative and was the nicest to Eve, Avery, and Donna. There is also Isaac, who's the nephew of the man the search party is looking for. Then there's Hank, whose shifty eyes and piercing stares gave me (and Eve) the creeps. We have Meeks, who was a jolly character along for the ride he was the pocketbook of the expedition. Lastly, we have Jake McGraw, former Texas Ranger and all-around cowboy badass.

Jake is one hundred percent 1851 American man. The guy is a jack of all trades and is clearly the one that holds the group together. He is the strong protector, hunter, and cook. His attitude towards Eve wasn't exactly friendly, which in all honesty I loved. His and Eve's conversations were full of passion and I don't mean passionate love. No, this was a meet hate.

“I think I’ve had just about enough of you,” I told him as I started to leave. “Oh darlin’. You’ll never get enough of me, I promise you that.”

His clear prejudice towards Eve led him to call her "Pine Nut," which only fired Eve up more. Jake could easily be construed as a chauvinist pig based on some of his comments and behavior, but it's important to remember that his is a historical novel. What was acceptable, and even normal, back then isn't the status quo today. Throughout the novel, his opinions change.

There was something so wonderfully solid about the gesture, the feeling of him behind me, that it made me momentarily forget who this was. He may have just “saved” me but it was still Indian-hating Jake McGraw and we mixed about as well as oil and vinegar.

Eve and Jake learn to lean on each and trust each other while those around them are picked off one by one by the mysterious pale monsters. As the danger around them grew, so did faith in each other. While the time-span in this novel is long, their relationship did not feel like it there was instant attraction and instant love. Halle did a good job at building the underlying foundation of trust and friendship between them. Jake opens up to Eve and explains why he is the way he is.

I think I liked it. I liked this kind of fear. It was doing curious things to my insides, putting me through a beautiful sort of pain that was so very foreign to me. “Because,” he went on with a gruff voice that warmed my stomach, “the longer you touch me, the more scared I get.”

Jake's conversion of prejudice into affection was one of the things I liked most about Donners of the Dead. I really liked that this testosterone-driven, gruff, harsh, strong man had a soft and needy side.

“My innocence is gone. But whatever I do have left, I want you to have it.”

Halle has ruined all bathrooms for me after reading her Experiment in Terror series. She has also ruined all outhouses for me. Not that I would ever use one, but still. She builds fear and suspense in Donners in a way only she can. Halle had me on the edge of my seat and looking over my shoulder. With Jake and Eve braving the elements and the mysterious human eaters coming out of nowhere, I had no idea how the duo was going to get out of the mountains alive and with all of their limbs intact.

I am a zombie book novice. Aside from reading Warm Bodies, I haven't read any zombie novels. In fact, the horror genre is quite foreign to me. Admittedly, zombie horror novels are not at the top of my to-read list, but maybe they should be because I really, really enjoyed Donners of the Dead. This standalone is a quick and thrilling read that is a great intro into zombie fiction for novices like me.


3 stars
* I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.



_________________________________________

Find more of my reviews and other bookish things here:
✥ Read this review on my blog
✥ My blog Reading Books Like a Boss
✥ Like on Facebook
✥ Follow on Twitter
✥ Subscribe by Email


Donners of the Dead is one of my most anticipated books of 2014!!

[Angie **loves angst** · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You need to go. You need to find it. What's out there."

Do you like historical romance?
Do you like scary on the edge of your seat stories?
Do you like opposites attract romances?
Do you have a strong stomach?
You'll find all these elements in Donners of the Dead.



The story starts out in 1851 with Eve Smith, a half white half American Indian girl, who is basically treated like Cinderella by her aunt and uncle. She works hard doing different tasks on her uncle's ranch, while her pampered precious cousin Rose is allowed to go to school and does no work. Even though her mother lives with the family, she's mute and stays alone in her room most of the time. Instead of being visited by her fairy godmother, she instead receives a visit from a group of five men. They arrive at her uncle's ranch searching for Eve. The group wants her to join their search party, since she is considered a great tracker. Her uncle leaves her no choice, and greedily accept the monetary promise in exchange for Eve working for these five strange men.



One particular guy in the group catches Eve's eye, Jake McGraw a former Ranger. He's aloof, alpha, dark and dangerous. They embark on their journey, but very soon strange things start happening. Skeletons turn up, and blue eyes glow in the dark. This is where the terror begins...

Is it a man?
Is it a zombie?
Is it a monster?

"My curiosity about the creature was both eating me up inside and filling me with fear."

They are down right spooky, disturbing parts in this book. The flesh eating monsters are truly terrifying, and I was entertained from the first line to the last. Karin Halle painted such a vivid picture of the dangers the band of travelers faced in Sierra Nevada. There isn't a lot of romance, the story focusses on the characters, and their struggles in the mountains while fighting these "creatures." There's lies, deceit, and betrayal. I must say the relationship between Eve and Jake felt a little bit rushed, but I still enjoyed these two together. I love how it ended with a lovely epilogue.

"To get out of these mountains alive was all we could wish for."

Rating: 5 Scare Your Pants Off Stars

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I received this book free from the Author for the Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

‘It was more than a sense or a smell, picking up on who was here before. There was a feeling that something terrible happened here and that feeling was snaking up my body, intent to drown me in it.’

It’s 1851 and in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, 18 year old half-native Eve Smith is approached by a group of men requesting her assistance in tracking evidence of the Donner Party. A seemingly simple excursion quickly turns into a nightmare brought to life.

Growing up in Northern California, I learned a lot about the Donner Party early on and even went on a few field trips to visit the sites. The information I read about never bothered me too bad because the issues these people faced seemed like such an alien concept. Donners of the Dead really brought that concept to life and I’m going to be hard-pressed to ever get it out of my mind.

‘It raised its head and looked at me. There was no air in my lungs now, the whole forest seemed to still at that moment, as if it too were chilled by the monster’s presence, the smell of evil. It was when it smiled at me with bloodstained teeth that I snapped out of it.’

The monsters that Eve and her party discover in the woods seemed at first to be some type of zombie but Karina Halle applied the Algonquin based Wendigo legend to explaining these creatures. The following is a line from a website explaining the Wendigo legend which describes these gruesome creatures perfectly: “By eating another human being, even out of necessity for survival, a human can be overcome by these spirits and be transformed into one. The fear of turning into this creature was so strong that it was preferable to kill one’s self rather than resort to cannibalism.” -Source

“We’re still human even in the fact of beasts, even with our lives at risk. When you’re close to death, love is sometimes the only thing that makes sense in life.”

The romance between Eve and Jake was a bit out of left field for me considering Jake’s racist leanings toward Indians due to them being responsible for the death of his family. Seeing him overcome his issues in order to be happy with Eve was touching but didn’t strike me as being very likely especially how quickly his feelings develop. The perilous positions they continued to find themselves in the middle of do enough to justify these doubts though seeing as they needed someone, anyone, to rely on.

Donners of the Dead is an eclectic mix of cannibalistic horror and romance but is an enjoyable, thrilling and unforgettable read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS


“There is no me. There are only monsters inside of angels and angels inside of monsters. Choose wisely.”

Another knockout by Karina Halle!!!! This one takes us back to the 1850’s, set in the newly settled western US territory, deep in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is an extremely creative story about a young half breed girl commissioned as a tracker by a small search party of men heading into the mountains looking for a group of settlers who were lost in the mountains there.

There were rumors about the notorious pioneers and how the entire lot of them disappeared, but no one as of yet had discovered what had truly happened to them up in the mountains. And the previous attempts at finding them only led to more disappearances.



Our heroine, Eve Smith, is an eighteen year-old half white, half Paiute Indian girl, who has been living with her Aunt and Uncle after her father took missing, and was presumed dead. Her mother, also living with them, no longer speaks, and has left Eve’s care in the hands of her relatives. But she has never really felt welcomed.

There was tremendous animosity between the whites and the Indians, and Eve found that she had no place among either of them. Luckily, her uncle Pat took her and her mother in, gave them a roof over their heads, food to eat, and helped her continue her learning. It was the best that she could ask for.

Then one day, a her life changed in the blink of an eye, as a group of riders approached their ranch. A bit menacing in appearance, the group of five men came asking for an Injun’ girl named Eve Smith… they were looking for her.

Desperate for a tracker, the men offered her and her escort a small fortune to join their search party into the mountains. And without any other real prospects, Eve decided to accept their offer. Bringing her uncle’s ranch hand, Avery, and a neighbor girl, Donna Young along as escorts.

“You need to go. You need to find it. What’s out there.”



But what she didn’t know was that there were things in the mountains that she would find… things she should fear… evil things. And she wouldn’t have to look for them… they would be looking for her.



Horrible things… with an unspeakable hunger for flesh… human flesh. And as things started to fall apart, so did the group. And more she got to know them, the less she trusted them. And even as their lives were threatened from the beasts outside, the danger shifted inside, until they were at each other’s throats. Was there no place safe to go?



Eve found her only ally in Jake McGraw, the tall dark and snarly guy, with the broad shoulders and a huge scowl on his face. It seems that Jake was NOT a lover of indians, and he seemed to have no love of her either… until she was in danger. And then, he always seemed to be there to take her back. But could she trust him?

And then it all changed…

“When I first saw you, I hated you. I hated you, Eve, because I reckoned you were the prettiest damn woman I had ever seen and there was no way you could ever be mine.”

This subtle and off-handed romance seemed to spark up, the instant Eve found herself in danger. And as things degenerated amongst the group, Eve and Jake found themselves closer and closer to one another. Hoping to survive, the two banded together fighting these horrific monsters and the men who would become them.



When you’re close to death, love is sometimes the only thing that makes sense in life.

I really loved the relationship between these two characters. It was gritty and unpredictable. The sexual tension building with off handed glances and rude remarks. Eve and Jake seemed to get off on enflaming each other, but then would jump to defend and protect each other at the first sign of threat. It was as if they both knew what was to come for them.



“I’m not a savage.” He smiled handsomely and with a shake of his head said, “No, you aren’t. And you’re not a lady either. I reckon you might just be perfect.”

One thing that I think caught me off guard with this book… was that it was FUCKING SCARY AS HELL!!!!!! I mean, I know what Karina is capable of… but HOLY CRAP, I thought I just might pee my pants reading this!!!!!! I think zombies in general scare the crap out of me… and this book sealed the deal. If it wasn’t for the building romance to keep me grounded, I don’t know if I could have slept at night after reading this. What an adrenaline rush!!!!!

Great job Karina!!!! Loved the story, loved the characters, even the evil ones…*cough*HANK*cough*!!!! Your creative mind knows no bounds!!!

I look forward to your next release!!!

[Rhiannon Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just got horror fix and it was oh-so-good!

First off, I love Karina Halle's Experiment in Terror series so hard. She does scary very, very well. Though she's become immensely popular for her contemporary new adult Artist Trilogy, I honestly believe her voice excels when it comes to horror. Red Morning Sky (#3 in Experiment in Terror)is one of my all-time favorite horror novels. It scared the ever loving life out of me.

Therefore, when I heard she was doing a standalone horror novel and it would have zombies, I was thrilled.

Donners of the Dead takes a true life event, mixes in some Native American folklore, old West flavorin', and a heap of terror to deliver one of my favorite zombie reads in a long while. The whole story has a very nice Old West meets Night of the Living Dead feel to it. It's like a John Wayne movie directed by George Romero. You have the young, pretty half-Native girl, the rogue with a heart of gold, villains with secret agendas, a dash of romance, and plenty of monsters.

To our modern sensibilities, there will be some aspects of the story people won't like, but are true to the time period. The racism and sexism the main character faces throughout the book is unsettling. She's not only in danger because there are undead creatures stalking her party, but also because of her heritage and her gender. Our "cold-hearted" rogue tosses some pretty unseemly comments her way. Even when he starts to show there is more to him than a snarl, he continues to make comments that tend to reinforce their gender roles. It really did remind me a lot of John Wayne movies in that regard. Yet, it adds to the conflict of the story because Eve doesn't have an easy time of it. She really is set apart and alone in the world.

I've heard some criticism from others about the romance, but I didn't have a problem with it. Considering the time period, circumstances, etc...I could see emotions developing at an accelerated pace. Besides, most of the couples I know were instantly attracted to each other and that's why they started to date. In the time period the book was set, people courted with the intention of marriage, and young women often were married off in their teens to much older men. Eve acknowledges that her life is ruled by her uncle and that she'd even have any sort of say who she married wouldn't be expected.

Would I want to get hot and bothered if being stalked by zombies? Who's to say? If facing an inevitable death, I may just grab what little joy has left to offer.

I gobbled the book up and really enjoyed it a lot. Yes, there were a few things that made me scratch my head, but it was nothing that distracted from the story as a whole. Because we're locked into the first person perspective of the female protagonist, we are dependent on a narrator who does not have all the facts. This also applies to our lead male character. She misinterprets a lot of his actions in the beginning of the book because of her limited world view.

All in all a solid zombie book with plenty of chills and thrills.

P.S. I wrote this while in the throes of a migraine. I hope it makes sense!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

BR with Her Grace. :D <3



Karina Halle?


Supernatural?


Romance?


SOLD!

I devoured this book! I loved everything about it. No, I don't give a fuck about historical inaccuracies! I read fiction to relax. If I want to find out when words like "testosterone" or "calories" were first used, I'll refer to a dictionary, thank you very much!

I mean, I can just imagine readers googling all kinds of historical information from this book and then complaining they didn't enjoy the reading experience?


I believe one of the purposes of reading is escapism. Google that! It's not like people learn their history from fiction, do they? They don't go to high school or college and say "According to Karina Halle's supernatural romance novel, zombies did in fact exist in the 19th century and were extremely violent." Come on...

5 stars

[Beatrix · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Review posted on Way Too Hot Books.



Donners of the Dead was good. I was not blown away by the awesomeness like with other Karina Halle’s books, but this one was very good too.
Why I liked it, well this is a historical novel (but hey you, history haters, don’t give up on this yet), with some supernatural elements thrown in (zombies), horror (you will be creeped out) and of course, some steamy romance.

Why I was particularly looking forward to this novel was because it was based on real events: Donner party was a group of real people who got stuck in Sierra Nevada in the 19th century and had to resort to cannibalism in order to survive. A history fan that I am, I found it fascinating.

The main reason why I didn’t fully enjoy this book is probably because I had high expectations. And the book didn’t fully live up to those. I’m a huge Karina Halle fan and I think this book is not her best one. This is a standalone, fast paced books, and I guess I missed Karina’s traditional way of slowly revealing things to us, making us love her characters that are always a bit on the flawed side. Characters that you’d usually hate, but Karina makes you care for them. (That is why I loved The Artists Trilogy and EIT.)

So yeah, that didn’t really happen here. I did like Eve, she’s quite a likeable character. A half Native girl, not really accepted in a society, not even her own family. She’s strong, but not in that aggressive sense; and very clever, with survival instincts.

Jake, main male hero, on the other side, I did not find all that appealing. Sorry to say, but I don’t see attraction there. He’s your typical alpha male and let’s just say he’s not my type. I found him annoying and chauvinistic.

So, I guess the main reason why this didn’t quite work for me is the romance part. Whereas I found the bits about cannibalism and the whole zombie thing fantastic, all the more because it was based on real facts, and it really adds the credibility. Halle works her magic once again to spook you out big time.




*ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Before reading:
A new book by Karina Halle? Gimme right now!!

AND it's about the Donner party and the westward expansion; who knew my history course would come in handy ;)

[Plamena · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

“God didn’t create monsters. Monsters created themselves.”

Okay…Apparently I like reading about zombies. That is seriously weird because I can’t even watch scary movies. Also... my favorite book series is EIT so yeah…Karina Halle is THAT GOOD!!!



Eve Smith is the only hope for finding what Jake McGraw and his men are looking for. The half-native girl is known to have the best tracking skills in the area. But is this going to enough when the monsters come out?!



Jake is a jackass and a liar. Or at least that’s what Eve thinks. But soon she will need to learn to trust him because he might be her only chance to survive.

“I’m not a savage.”
“No, you aren’t. And you’re not a lady either. I reckon you just might be perfect.”

I liked the story (no surprise here). The characters are interesting and story is fast- paced. I like the mix of a romance and horror. It makes the super scary parts worth reading (and not just sitting in the corner and crying). LOL

“Love is a wolf,” he said, the fire dancing in his eyes. “Perhaps that’s why they howl in the dark of night. Love drives them mad like it does to everyone. Fast or slow, whatever way it hits you, love will drive you mad.”

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book I thought would be better than it was. The premise of the book sounded great. A group of people out on a quest, a bit romance and some monsters. It wasn't bad, don't take me wrong, a solid 3 star rating right through, and that's was my problem, I thought it would be much better. The cannibals added a bit of spice to the story, but my main problem was the relationship between Eve Smith and Jake McGraw, it was so cheesy. He is a grumpy ranger than suddently falls for this young girl after just a couple of days. I don't want a chic-lit, I want a monster story with some sexual attraction between the main characters. Not a romance novel with some horror...