Review: The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead

The Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead
Instructions By: Stacey Graham
Illustrated By: Paul Kepple & Ralph Geroni of Headcase Design
Set includes: Instruction Booklet, Illustrated Box and 78 Cards (no jokers)

Summary via Amazon:
You’ve never seen tarot cards quite like these. Imagine the celebrated “Rider Deck” infused with the horrors of Night of the Living Dead, and the result is The Zombie Tarot—a crazy, campy interpretation of a classic divination system.

In this zombified parallel universe, wands become limbs, pentacles are biohazard symbols, and the Major Arcana is full of shambling corpses. Along with the 78-card deck, readers will receive instructions in a 96-page full-color book; its contents explain how to survive the zombie apocalypse and forecast your future using one of three different card layouts.

The secrets of The Zombie Tarot await you!

Review:
This deck is very 1950's but with zombies, which is very reminiscent of Fido. Like Fido it is hysterical, weird, but all around great. The illustrations are a very well done photo montage of Americana meeting the terrible tragedy that is the zombie apocalypse. Each card contains a great deal of symbolism that is common to that era with it's use of cold war imagery and technology. I also particularly want to note the Magician and the High Priestess cards. These were very well done because depending on your zombie story, zombies are usually created by science, or magic and these two cards recognize that.

I enjoyed the very idea of this deck as it ties in the idea of mortality, quick exchange of information, with a  very in your face attitude. It has a great tone that you will not find in a more serious tarot deck. The Zombie Tarot is also commendable for not de-fanging the monsters. There is always that undercurrent of danger when there are zombies about in this deck even in the more cutesy cards.

When it comes to tarot the cards must contain all the symbolism it can so that the reader and the client can understand the meanings of the cards to give a good reading. As a tarot reader, I must point out that the symbolism in the cards doesn't always at times relate to its meaning that has been established for centuries. This could makes things quite difficult for a tarot reader who is established and knows his/her cards backwards and forwards. This discrepancy with the symbolism may cause misunderstanding in the card's meaning for a client. For those that don't read cards for others, many clients jump to conclusions based on the card's image until the reader either agree or clears up the meaning for them. For instance many people get scared if the Death card appears. The Death card is not a bad card and actually represents change. However it has a bad reputation due to Franciscan monks a few centuries ago misunderstanding that the card.

As a zombie fiction lover and a tarot lover I couldn't wait for this deck to come out! I had it on hold way before release date and then Quirk Books contacted me and I couldn't have been happier! I am so glad that I was able to see this deck up close, have fun with it and work with it. I gladly give this deck a three rating. As a zombie fan I would highly recommend this deck! It has all the wonderful and terrifying things that make up the zombie genre. As a tarot reader this set was great fun and a definite must-see but I wouldn't recommend it for serious use. 

Pictures of some of my favorite cards:

Review: Dreadfully Ever After

Dreadfully Ever After
By: Steve Hockensmith
ISBN: 978-1594745027
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy

1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary:
When we last saw Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy—at the end of the New York Times best seller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—they were preparing for a lifetime of wedded bliss. Yet the honeymoon has barely begun when poor Mr. Darcy is nipped by a rampaging dreadful. Elizabeth knows the only acceptable course of action is to promptly behead her husband (and then burn the corpse, just to be safe). But when she learns of a miracle antidote being developed in London, she realizes there may be one last chance to save her true love—and for everyone to live happily ever after.

Complete with romance, heartbreak, martial arts, cannibalism, and an army of shambling corpses, Dreadfully Ever After brings the story of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to a thrilling conclusion.

Review:
Dreadfully Ever After out shines the others completely as far as I am concerned. (Not Jane Austen, of course, but still great.) The reason this one is so amazing is that it is so well thought out, so clear and multi-leveled, you can read it over and over again, and every time gleam something new from its pages. What also put this book on the map is that even without the zombies, it could stand on its own. Each and every character grew in a way that made sense while at the same time still being surprising. We are even privy to some of the Elizabeth's thoughts regarding her now much calmer married life and how her skills have influenced her new life as Mrs. Darcy.

We finally have answers to all of the hanging questions from the previous books, of which I felt there were many. The level of complexity in this story that we just didn't see in the previous books is astounding. There are themes we recognize but at the same time they are given a very different type of spin. You have a love story, unrequited love, lost love, etc. all of which we have come to expect from this type of story. The conflicts are just mind boggling and you really feel for Elizabeth as she tries to make sense of the world. What I didn't expect is the science fiction, the politics, the subterfuge, the twisted family history and so much more.

The Elizabeth Bennet we have known is an amazingly spunky woman but as she blossoms here in Mrs. Darcy, she becomes so much more. She becomes a hero I have been hoping for since the beginning. She defends her love, her family, and her life even as it goes so far beyond anything she could have ever imagined. We are even so fortunate as to have the whole Bennet family involved throughout the story in brand new ways. There are so many things with this book that just make it a joy to read. My darling readers you really just need to pick up a copy for yourselves. I just had to give this book a five because ladies and gentlemen, this story will knock your boots off. One second you think you know what is going on and the next its not even close.

Happy Reading and here's the book trailer for Dreadfully Ever After to enjoy!

Review: How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew

How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
By: Erin Bried
ISBN: 978-0345525093
Other books by Erin Bried

1. How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
2. How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
3. How to Rock Your Baby: And Other Timeless Tips for Modern Moms

Summary via Amazon:
A handy guide full of How-To tips and Sage Advice from Grandfathers.

As members of the Greatest Generation, our grandfathers were not only defined by the Depression but also by their heroic service to the country in World War II. Courageous, responsible, and involved, they understand sacrifice, hard work, and how to do whatever is necessary to take care of their loved ones. They also know how to have a rollicking good time.

Sensible, fun, and inspiring, How to Build a Fire offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of grandfathers near and far by sharing their practical skills and sweet stories on how to be stronger, smarter, richer, and happier. Inside are more than one hundred essential step-by-step tips for fixing, leading, prospering, playing, and hosting, including how to

• buck up and be brave in the face of adversity
• play hard and break in a baseball mitt
• bait a hook and catch a big fish
• look dapper and tie a perfect tie
• get a raise and earn more
• write a love letter and kindle romance
• change a flat tire and save the day
• stand up and give a sparkling toast
• play the harmonica and make your own music

Loaded with charming illustrations, good humor, and warm nostalgia, How to Build a Fire is the perfect handbook for guys or gals of any age. The first of its kind, this collection of our grandfathers’ hard-earned wisdom will help you build confidence and get back to what’s really important in life.

Review:
In my review of this book's mate, How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew I stated all my thoughts on how important a series like this is. These books aren't just about our connection with our predecessors, or survival. They are about living and being better through respecting what has come before so that we are ready for the future.

What this book brings to the table what the other book didn't is the voice of the grandfathers. Grandfathers for many people are these amazing patriarchs who have seen everything but don't talk about the ugly aspects, which unfortunately for them, has been a good portion of their lives. (From experience, I find grandmothers are more willing to talk about everything.) The grandmothers showed us how to live and keep the home alive regardless of the trials and tribulations. Our grandfathers now show us what it was like to provide and protect the home in a different way. (I'm all for girl power but the times were different so no one jump on me.) These men show you not only how to keep the home provided for with food and shelter but also how to be a gentleman and a good friend. All these things at some point got lost along the way and too many men and women out there are wishing for these ideas to come back. (I count myself and my new husband among these). I think this is a great book to help!

The greatest thing about these books is that their voices are so clear that it almost seems like the person is talking right to you. Their is so much heart in these pages that the book just about glows. Erin Bried did it again and secured another five rating. Not just for her ability to evoke the grandfathers' voice but also with the selection of how-to's and sense of fun.

My Top Ten for zombie survival tips are:

1. Aim True: How To Split Firewood
This is important because you can't have a fire without wood and axes don't run out of bullets

2. Stay Afloat: How to Paddle a Canoe
I live on an island (that if it became zombie ridden we are all screwed) which means canoeing is a really good way to get our of dodge.

3. Know Your Kingdom: How To Read Animal Tracks
   Delicious, delicious venison. You need to eat and at the same time avoid zombies.
   
4. Soldier On: How to be Brave
   Let's be honest the walking dead is a terrifying concept. I don't care who you are your balls aren't that big.
   
5. Switch Hats: How to Leave Work at Work
   You need to know when its time to stop obsessing about what is going on. Sometimes obsessing about a negative thing will just get you killed and annoy the crap out of everyone around you.
   
6. Cope Well: How to Handle Bad News
   Zombie are all around... If you can't find a way to cope well... good luck!
   
7. Command A Room: How to Give a Speech
   We all need someone to give the believable pep talk now and again. Or at the very least a good 80's montage
   
8. Circle Up: How to Ask for Help
   Knowing when to ask for help in a group trying to survive is probably a good idea because one bad apple can get everyone killed.
   
9. Smoke It: How to Make Beef Jerky
   You will want to eat in the winter or can't have a fire right?
   
10. Pump Iron: How to Season a Cast-Iron Skillet
    Whoever invented this amazing device deserves a medal. The classic cast-iron skillet can do just about anything and its a great weapon if needed (though I would thoroughly clean and re-season in that case)

Happy trails!

Review: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
By: Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith
ISBN: 978-1594743344
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy

1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary via Amazon:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.

Review:
When Seth Grahame-Smith brought zombies to the Jane Austen world, I knew just had to read it. Not so surprisingly, I loved it and not just because Jane Austen is amazing but because Seth Grahame-Smith melded this story in such a fun way. As we have all read Jane Austen (or at least I hope so) I won't spend too much time on the base story line and her complex characters. What I believe Seth Grahame-Smith brought to this story was the unveiling of the subtleties and a large dose of action. This is great for modern audiences whom at times don't always understand the quips and nuances of the Georgian era (unless of course, you read The Jane Austen Handbook). Mostly what made this book a success in my eyes is how true to the original it kept while still bringing in the new view of their world. The characters, as we saw in the prelude Dawn of the Dreadfuls, have a ton more spunk and are not ladies to be trifled with. This makes the Bennet ladies more understandable and easier to relate to for modern girls and women as we are more used to a direct approach rather than a more light approach. I also enjoyed their new reactions to the situations they were put in. Most notably is the scene in which Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth. She feels she must avenge her honor by putting Mr. Darcy through the ringer but this is quickly squashed by an attack of the "unmentionables". These new takes on age old scenes always made me giggle. The original scene though not as "fun" as there were no "unmentionables" mentioned was quite clever all on its own.

What I didn't like about this was that, all though the bringing together of the wonderful world of Austen and zombies was a brilliant idea, the language gets warped. Austen was so well spoken and stylish in her use of language that once the modern tongue joins the party, well its kind of like ice cream and pickles. Unless your pregnant or weird, not such an amazing idea as a whole and it creates a disjointed kind of read. While I mentioned this as a strength earlier, the clearing of the subtleties also takes a little of the old magic out. Which means that if you are looking for the classic characters of the original story you won't find them here. If you are okay with that (and I am as this is a new take on the classic), then you will grow to love our new Bennets (with the except of Mrs. Bennet, hell and high water couldn't change that woman).

I gladly give this book at rating of four for its fun and terrifying zombies. I would recommend it to any Austen lover who wants a new approach on an old favorite as well as those trying to bring a little class to the end of the world as we know it. I particularly found Mrs. Bennet hysterical (both old and new) as she tries so hard to cling to her view of the world even though the world has most assuredly changed.

Review: How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew

How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
By: Erin Bried
ISBN: 978-0345518750
Other books by Erin Bried

1. How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew
2. How to Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew
3. How to Rock Your Baby: And Other Timeless Tips for Modern Moms

Summary via Amazon:
“Waste not, want not” with this guide to saving money, taking heart, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Nowadays, many of us “outsource” basic tasks. Food is instant, ready-made, and processed with unhealthy additives. Dry cleaners press shirts, delivery guys bring pizza, gardeners tend flowers, and, yes, tailors sew on those pesky buttons. But life can be much simpler, sweeter, and richer–and a lot more fun, too! As your grandmother might say, now is not the time to be careless with your money, and it actually pays to learn how to do things yourself!

Practical and empowering, How to Sew a Button collects the treasured wisdom of nanas, bubbies, and grandmas from all across the country–as well as modern-day experts–and shares more than one hundred step-by-step essential tips for cooking, cleaning, gardening, and entertaining, including how to

• polish your image by shining your own shoes
• grow your own vegetables (and stash your bounty for the winter)
• sweeten your day by making your own jam
• use baking soda and vinegar to clean your house without toxic chemicals
• feel beautiful by perfecting your posture
• roll your own piecrust and find a slice of heaven
• fold a fitted sheet to crisp perfection
• waltz without stepping on any toes

Complete with helpful illustrations and brimming with nostalgic charm, How to Sew a Button provides calm and comfort in uncertain times. By doing things yourself, with care and attention, you and your loved ones will feel the pleasing rewards of a job well done.

Review:
One may question why I have included this book in zombie week, but one of the most important things about a zombie apocalypse is... survival! Some of the best survivalists in the world are our grandparents and great grandparents as they have lived through some of the most tumultuous times our country has seen. They have seen the Great Depression, World Wars, etc. and have always made it through (otherwise we wouldn't be here). That is how this book first caught my attention.

What kept me reading though was the spunky banter and clear directions! Erin Bried included wonderful quotes that really brought the time and the feel for how our mother's mothers lived and how different it was. I personally felt how warm and family oriented their time was and how today is so focused on work/school and technology. Overall, Erin did such a wonderful job not only with her choice of how-to's but also in her tone and respect to those who came before us and that's why she gets a rating of 5 for How to Sew a Button!

I fully recommend this book to anyone first moving out or even for anyone wanting to see a new/old way of doing things. And most definitely if your neighbors start too look at you more like a chicken nugget than a friend.

My Top Ten for zombie survival tips are:

1. Be A Good Catch: How to Fillet a Fish
   Most zombie books say large animals can also zombify but I have never heard of a zombie fish
2. Stay Sharp: How to Hone a Knife
   Knives never run out of bullets and the sharper the better
3. Grow Your Own: How to Plant a Vegetable Garden
   We all need to eat and its not like the supermarket is going to be getting a new shipment
4. Stash Your Bounty: How to Can Your Own Fruits & Veggies
   Once again we all need to eat especially in the winter
5. Harness The Wind: How to Install a Clothesline
   Mostly cause the smellier the human the more likely a zombie will find you as you smell meaty
6. Get Stoked: How to Build a Fire
   Fire is good for all kinds of things but remember a zombie on fire is just that a ravenous zombie on fire still trying to eat you.
7. Shoulder Up: How to Be a Strong Partner
   I don't know how anyone can survive without finding a serious backbone and survival instincts
8. Drive A Bargain: How to Negotiate a Better Price
   Great for if you meet people and need to trade for supplies (think Oregon Trail, hopefully without the dysentery)
9. Get Heard: How to Speak Your Mind at a Town Hall Meeting
   Group dynamics are always hard but once you add flesh eating zombies I am sure tempers fly even higher
10. Quench Your Thirst: How to Brew Your Own Beer
    Beer because at some point you will need to relax but only while there is someone watching your back.

Good luck with your survival and enjoy!

Review: Dawn of the Dreadfuls

Dawn of the Dreadfuls
By: Steve Hockensmith
ISBN: 978-1-59474-454-9
Series: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies Trilogy

1. Dawn of the Dreadfuls
2. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
3. Dreadfully Ever After

Summary via Amazon:
Readers will witness the birth of a heroine in Dawn of the Dreadfuls—a thrilling prequel set four years before the horrific events of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. As our story opens, the Bennet sisters are enjoying a peaceful life in the English countryside. They idle away the days reading, gardening, and daydreaming about future husbands—until a funeral at the local parish goes strangely and horribly awry.

Suddenly corpses are springing from the soft earth—and only one family can stop them. As the bodies pile up, we watch Elizabeth Bennet evolve from a naive young teenager into a savage slayer of the undead. Along the way, two men vie for her affections: Master Hawksworth is the powerful warrior who trains her to kill, while thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny seeks to conquer the walking dead using science instead of strength. Will either man win the prize of Elizabeth’s heart? Or will their hearts be feasted upon by hordes of marauding zombies? Complete with romance, action, comedy, and an army of shambling corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls will have Jane Austen rolling in her grave—and just might inspire her to crawl out of it!

Review:
First off, when I started reading this series in the order of publication, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as when I read them in story line order. I think this had a lot to do with the story jump from book to book as well as character development. Plus there is the added bonus of seeing how the stories really fit together.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls starts with a funeral and just keeps running. As we are first introduced to all of our favorite characters as we all know and love them, they are sent on their way by a sound none have heard in the longest time... the sound of the undead. What I particularly enjoyed about this book in particular is that the "dreadful" epidemic isn't something new. It is something they have seen and survived before and Mr. Bennet, in particular, has faced them head on. I really fancied how Mr. Bennet's character really shines in this book. He was always such a gem in the original Pride and Prejudice but didn't get enough play time and here he just about jumps off the pages. My other favorite (and to be honest who doesn't love her) Elizabeth Bennet is younger and even spunkier than the original. The battle cry scene really brings out their amazing qualities and it is within the first 50 pages.

"Mr. Bennet assumed the Spread Eagle Stance, scowled, and bellowed,
"HAA-IEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
It was a very good battle cry indeed. So much so that Kitty instantly burst into tears. Once her father had her calmed, he asked Jane to try a cry of her own.
"Haiee," she said.
"Did you hear that, girls?" Mr Bennet cupped a hand to his right ear. "I do believe a mouse just coughed."

Jane tried again.
"Haiee!"
"A consumptive mouse," Mr Bennet said.

"Haa-ieeeee!"
"Which has stubbed his toe."

Mr. Bennet held up a hand and shook his head before Jane could unleash another of her half-hearted squeals.

"Your battle cry does more than announce you presence," he said. "It prepares you for combat by shattering the shackles of good manners and gentility. It is not a sound a gentleman or lady would choose to make. It is an animal sound-the roar of a killer stalking the jungle. As Master Liu used to say, a good battle cry 'unchains the tiger within.'"

"Perhaps I don't have a tiger inside me," Jane said.
"Everyone does, daughter. Everyone." Mr. Bennet turned to Lizzy. "You try it."

Elizabeth spread her legs, turned her feet outward, bent her knees, and took a deep breath, closed her eyes-and split the world in two.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
When she opened her eyes again, Elizabeth found her four sisters gawping at her, slack-jawed.
"She certainly has a tiger," Lydia muttered. "and it's rabid."
"No," Mr Bennet said, "It is hungry."...

There are so many amazing things in this book! It shows such an amazing new perspective on the time and the characters. I really loved the training and battle scenes were not only stimulating but also illuminating. These scenes bring a new perspective you just don't get from the original Pride & Prejudice. The animalistic side of the characters brought all their traits into sharp focus where there used to be a great amount of subtlety. As far as the new characters, you will just have to discover them for yourself but they are certainly an interesting lot. The reason being that its difficult to not give away the story line when speaking about the characters in depth as these books are definitely character driven and rely heavily on the decisions and reactions of the characters rather than conflict and battles.

This book was so much fun and excellently written but it does have a couple of negatives. Continuity and Time Period. This book and the third book are obviously written by a different person and I am not talking about Jane Austen. I don't expect anyone to completely meld with the great Jane Austen but I did expect there to be a little more synergy with Seth Grahame-Smith. Also the way the story is done in regard to reactions and the syntax comes off as a little more modern than period appropriate. Both of these discrepancies are minor but are still noticeable.  That was my same view as with Jane Slayre so maybe that's just my view of this style.


All in all, Steve Hockensmith really told the story wonderfully because he managed to make the characters sweet but raw, delicate but also savage. He kept true to form as well as fitting the growth of the characters with Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. However since this prelude was written after Pride & Prejudice & Zombies there is some disjointedness but it quickly finds pace. The rating on this beauty is a 4 because it was well written but lost points due to the above. I would definitely consider this a must read especially for a zombie or Jane Austen fan. Happy Reading!

Dawn of the Dreadfuls Trailer!

Welcome Back Ladies & Gentlemen

We had all kinds of craziness but now we are back and better than ever.

For the curious lot: your reviewer Beth has recently gotten married and has definitely had a few run-ins with the zombies of the New York DMV which has inspired....

a Zombie Marathon!

Image owned by Rob Sacchetto on Zombie Daily

No matter where zombies come from they are all terrifying and you must defend against them!

We will be featuring:
Dawn of the Dreadfuls (Steve Hockensmith)
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies (Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith)
Dreadfully Ever After (Steve Hockensmith)
The Zombie Combat Manual (Roger Ma)
How To Sew A Button (Erin Bried)
How To Build A Fire (Erin Bried)
And the doomsayer Zombie Tarot (Stacy Graham & Headcase Design)!

This will all be starting on Monday July 23rd!

So stay tuned and maybe you will survive...