Blog Tour: The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak – Review with G1veaway

January 16, 2013

Blog Tour: The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak – Review with G1veaway

Welcome to our Tour Stop for

The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up undead.

Though Layla reluctantly returns home to rural Hamletville after a desperate call from her psychic grandmother, she could never have anticipated the horror of what Grandma Petrovich has foreseen. The residents of Hamletville will need Layla’s help if they are to survive the zombie apocalypse that’s upon them. But that is not the only problem. With mankind silenced, it soon becomes apparent that we were never alone. As the beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power, Layla must find a way to protect the ones she loves or all humanity may be lost. “To label this a zombie book would be a false pretense . . . this is so much more than that. What you start out with and what you end up with are very different, and those twists and turns in the middle will make your heart beat faster over and over again.”– Colossal Pop

The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak Publication Date: September 18, 2012 Publisher: CreateSpace

Available for Purchase: | | |

I couldn’t find a trailer, so here’s a song!

** This title was provided to us by the author for an honest review. We were in no way paid for our opinions **

I love apocalyptic and dystopian reads. Throw in some zombies and you have got my full on attention. The best combination if you ask me. But if you throw in yet another curve ball into this mix and you have The Harvesting (Volume 1) by Melanie Karsak. Reading The Harvesting had was reminiscent of a mixture of The Walking Dead (woot!) and the movie 30 Days and 30 Nights, with a writing style that reminded me of one Rhiannon Frater, zombie apocalypse writer extraordinaire!

After not having gone back home for about a year, main protagonist Layla, has received a phone call from her Grandmother to come home immediately. What Layla finds upon her return is something that she never dreamed would happen. It seems Grams is getting ready for the end of days. Not only does Layla have to deal with her grandmothers cryptic messages, but she must also face a past that she had, long ago, left behind.

An outbreak takes over the world and turns the living into the walking dead. It is now up to Layla and her old neighbours to battle the oncoming onslaught of the horde and survive their new, unexpected lives together. But fighting the dead bodies of her old neighbours isn’t the only thing that Layla and her crew must face. It seems that there has always been “something” living amongst the, and the end of days has brought their existence to the surface.

Now Layla and her friends must now decide what is “safe” and who they can trust. Loyalties will be tested, survival is more urgent than back in their little town of Hamletville, and a new beginning is a faint spark in this new world where the undead rule and come out to play.

I was a little leery in starting The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak. After having read many books with the subject of a zombie apocalypse, I had it firm in my mind that this would be the same as the rest. As well, after having read a series about this very same subject, which was epic beyond all else, I was pleasantly surprised that The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak was an thoroughly enjoyable read!

I was instantly gripped by the oncoming storyline. The writing style presented by the author was one where I found easy to follow and very entertaining. I felt as though the characters and their surroundings were easily visible in my mind, and there were times where I felt like I was right in the moment with these characters. The characters all had their own personalities where readers everywhere will find one that they will be able to relate to.

I loved the spiritual aspect that was thrown in to the story. Layla finds herself able to communicate with spirits in the forest as her Russian born grandmother was able to. It brought a whole new element to the whole end of days storyline. And with a past that Layla had runaway from, it was interesting to see how, when having to face her past, how Layla was able to confront it and move past it. Layla is a strong, independent, female lead who can really kick some undead ass. I love female characters who can kick ass, and have the male populace stare wide eyed and open mouthed.

Add in the dark twist found within these pages, and readers everywhere will be in for an unforgettable thrill ride. Once you think that things just couldn’t possibly get worse for these survivors, author Melanie Karsak throws in a curveball. The different twists and turns found in The Harvesting will have readers on the edge of their seats, and its these elements that will make this book unputdownable.

Fans of apocalyptic reads and zombie lovers everywhere will find a new book to devour in The Harvesting, and will also find an author that will quickly rise high on the list of unforgettable horror writers. Pick up a copy and discover this awesome read for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

About the Author:

Melanie Karsak, steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, resides in Florida with her husband and two children. Visit the author at her blog to learn more about upcoming projects, book signings, and other neato things. A Walking Dead fan, check out her blog for recaps!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads Be sure to check out the other awesome blogs participating!

1/7/2013	Moosubi Reviews!
1/8/2013	A Purrfect Read
1/9/2013	Contagious Reads
1/10/2013	Books Beside My Bed
1/11/2013	A Dream Within A Dream
1/14/2013	Delirious About Books
1/15/2013	Romancing the Dark Side
1/16/2013	Chapter by Chapter
1/17/2013	Book Me!
1/18/2013	Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Reviews

1/23/2013	Book On A Wire
1/24/2013	Sweet Southern Home
1/25/2013	Vampandstuff
1/28/2013	Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer