As The World Dies: Untold Tales Vol. 1
As The World Dies Untold Tales Series #1
by Rhiannon Frater
Publisher: Self Published (March 2012)
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, Adult
Format: eNovella (158 pages)
Source: Free book from blog tour for honest review
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
THE FIRST DAYS: AS THE WORLD DIES introduced Jenni and Katie and their harrowing journey to the makeshift fort in the Texas Hill Country. But theirs is not the only tale to be told. In the first volume of the AS THE WORLD DIES UNTOLD TALES experience three terrifying tales of those who are forced to face the unrelenting and hungry walking dead.
Discover what happens on the first day to Katie’s beloved wife, Lydia, as the world dies…
On a deserted highway slicing through the desolation of West Texas, a woman struggles to survive as she faces the horrifying aftermath of the rise of the zombies…
Deep in the Texas Hill Country, a man and his little dog takes refuge in a bed and breakfast located in the hills above a doomed town where an infested rescue center might unleash the hungry undead…
Story #1
Katie and Lydia are an amazing couple. Even with this very short story, I could see the love they shared for each other. You can’t help but want to have a love like theirs. Even though I knew it was coming, I was devastated with what happened to Lydia, but her story was inspiring even with the short amount of time she had left.
Story #2
Monica was pretty badass. Another very short story but it packs one hell of a punch. She is just trying to survive, but some of the other survivors can’t handle the new world they live in. So they do some crazy things. Monica, unfortunately, has to deal with one such crazy survivor, and you won’t believe how that one ends. Wow.
Story #3
Now this is the story that you want to buy this book for. It is pretty long, which I loved after the others were so short. Eric is planning on proposing to his model girlfriend, Brandy. We learn pretty quickly how nasty Brandy can be but it’s also understandable why Eric doesn’t see it. Then the zombies strike and Brandy heads one way while Eric and his dog Pepe stay at the bed and breakfast they had been vacationing at.
I was completely enthralled by Eric’s story. He doesn’t seem like the hero type. And he breaks down just like many would after the zombies come, but he does pick himself back up. He’s smart. He finds a way to survive, he plans and prepares. I loved Eric and his relationship with his dog. It really brought a heartfelt element to the story.
When Ashley shows up and brings Eric’s life further upside down, they head out on a journey full of despair, hope, and friendship. I am so happy with how their story ended. It was scary, exciting, and all around entertaining.
Verdict
This was the best book in the Untold Tales. I loved every story so much. 
As The World Dies: Untold Tales Vol. 2
As The World Dies Untold Tales Series #2
by Rhiannon Frater
Publisher: Self-Published (March 2012)
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, Adult
Format: eNovella (175 pages)
Source: Free book from blog tour for honest review
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Katarina is just finishing her shift at a roadside café when a badly injured man stumbles through the front door. She quickly realizes that to survive she must learn to kill…
A trapped family must face the fearsome truth that sometimes zombies are not the worst monster they have to fear as the world dies…
In a nearby town Ken and Lenore have started their regular routine at Ken’s Beauty Salon. A terrible accident brings the undead plague to their front door and soon the best friends are scrambling to escape their overrun town…
Story #1
Katrina is a kickass chick and you would have never known she had it in her. Her background is pretty grime and sad. You feel for her right away. Then everything changes while she is finishing her shift at a café. A man comes in injured and dies. But he comes back biting. Katrina is shocked by the turn events…for like 3 seconds. Then so goes all Rambo and kills that mofo. And then she kills more zombies, but with a sense of detachment. I am pretty sure she was in shock when she does all this, but whatever it was, it helped her survive. With her on a mission, nothing can stand in her way.
Story #2
This story gave me the chills. A husband, a soon to be ex-wife, their twin boys and baby girl, a secretary, and a manager are all trapped in an orange juice factory. They might make it out of this zombie invasion if it wasn’t for the psycho wife. She is convinced her husband is cheating on her with the secretary. The wife was simply horrible, as both a mother and a wife. She makes up stories in her head and does some crazy crap because of her delusions. I felt so bad the rest of them. None of them deserved the kind of hate she spewed and she only made a bad situation worse. I was shocked by the lengths she went to get “revenge.” This is a shocking story that will leave you with your mouth hanging open.
Story #3
This was the longer story of the three. For some reason I could never quite get into the characters of Ken and Lenore. Their story started out great. It was exciting and scary, and the ending made me almost crap my pants, but the middle was pretty boring. Ken just got on my damn nerves the whole time, and Lenore was pretty blah the whole way through.
Verdict
If it wasn’t for Ken and Lenore’s story, I would have given this book 4.5 stars. But the other two stories made this worth the read.
As The World Dies: Untold Tales Vol. 3
As The World Dies Untold Tales Series #3
by Rhiannon Frater
Publisher: Self-Published (June 2013)
Genre: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, Adult
Format: eNovella (Novella length)
Source: Free book from blog tour for honest review
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Returning to Texas after celebrating his divorce in Vegas, Rune, a biker cursed with the ability to see ghosts, discovers that the world is being taken over by the hungry undead. Soon he realizes he will have to depend on all his abilities to survive not only the ravenous zombies, but the dangerous men lurking on the back roads of Texas.
Senator Paige Brightman abandoned the Madison Mall and its inhabitants to the hungry hordes, but her journey did not end there. Her attempt to reach the president’s safe haven called Central has far reaching ramifications for her and the people she abandoned.
The final in the three stories reveals the aftermath of the great battle in SIEGE as one woman faces the ultimate decision whether to live or die in a world of the undead.
Story #1
Another heartbreaking story. I pretty much cried with this one. Rune can see and talk to ghosts. And during a zombie apocalypse, that can be a hard burden to carry. Especially when your family could be those spirits. But despite the trauma Rune goes through in the beginning, he is a resilient man. He knows how to take care of himself. He’s a good guy but he can also be bad when he needs to be.
I was shocked by what he did to get revenge for the spirits who died in ways no one should, ways that can be worse than zombies eating you alive. He will not stand for the evil humans left in this earth, and he is making his displeasure for them known in a big way.
The best part was Rune being able to talk to ghosts. That really changed things up. I love how they could help and guide him. In the end, every zombie book needs that scary hero that has no limits.
Story #2
I almost gave this book 3.5 stars because of this story. I know Senator Paige was suppose to be a badie, and that’s fine and all, but dedicating such a pretty big part of this book to her story irritated me. I didn’t like her, and I didn’t care about her story. I ended up skimming a lot of this one. But I can say she is deliciously evil.
Story #3
This story made me want to read the original series so bad. This shows us the aftermath of the final battle in Siege, the last book in the As The World Dies Series. And I loved every minute of it. But before all that we meet Emma, a great mom. After the zombies come, she becomes a major zombie killer. Her story is pretty heartbreaking in the beginning. No mother should have to go through that. But it did make her a stronger, more resilient person. And she needed that to survive the things she did. I am still awed by what she accomplished. Emma is one amazing woman.
Verdict
Despite the annoying Senator story, the other two stories were amazing. I think this book made me get a better idea of what to expect in the original series.
Author BioRhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including the As the World Dies zombie trilogy (Tor) , as well as independent works such as The Last Bastion of the Living (declared the #1 Zombie Release of 2012 by Explorations Fantasy Blog and the #1 Zombie Novel of the Decade by B&N Book Blog),and other horror novels. Her next novel for Tor, Dead Spots, will be published in 2014. She was born and raised a Texan and presently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and furry children (a.k.a pets). She loves scary movies, sci-fi and horror shows, playing video games, cooking, dying her hair weird colors, and shopping for Betsey Johnson purses and shoes.
Tour Wide Giveaway
Melanie
I’ve heard a whole lot about this author! I’m really tempted to read one of her books, they sound great however not sure it’s my genre–adult. 😐
Fabulous reviews, Jennifer! <33
Jennifer Bielman
Well, it may be adult, but it’s not strictly adult. It just has hardcore themes that a YA audience might find…you know.
Laura Thomas
Loved your reviews! I just did mine and it looks like we are in agreement on a lot of it. It shows great writing when the author gets a similar response from her readers. After reading these Untold Tales I have to read the complete series. I have no doubt I’ll enjoy them.
Jennifer Bielman
I know. There is no way anyone can read these and not get the other books. Happy to hear we had the same views.
lindalou
Great review! I’d never heard of this series, but I’m definitely a fan of apocalyptic-themed books! AND my son and I LOVE The Walking Dead series. Thanks for the giveaway!
Jennifer Bielman
The Walking Dead is really amazing. It brought zombies back. lol
Giselle
Great reviews, Jennifer! I think Emma’s story was my favorite and it made me want to re-read the series! – on that note you HAVE to read the original series it’s epic! I think you’d also like Senator Paige’s more once you read the original she’s an evil bitch in the books too so it was bittersweet to see her death go down hihi.
Jennifer Bielman
You are the reason I want to read this series. You speak so highly of it. And I hope I can like Paige more once I get into the series.
elisa
I love zombie short stories, well, I love zombie stories in general. I need to read these. I read one of Frater’s vampire tales, dark, twisty and kind of old school. I liked them and think I will love these. Great review and thanks for the chance at a giveaway!!
Jennifer Bielman
I have loved almost all of Frater’s books so far. So I was not surprised she did zombies so well.
kimbacaffeinate
Awesome reviews Jennifer and I cannot wait to read these!
Jennifer Bielman
I think you would love them.
Sienna Snow
Amazing giveaway, thanks so much 🙂
Jennifer Bielman
Good luck!
Braine TS
I’ve been wanting to read her work but I’m too sissy to fall into her world. I love gore but I think Ms. Frater takes it to another level and I’m not quite ready for that kind.
Jennifer Bielman
Oh yeah, a whole other level. I hope you try them one day.
Meghan
Thanks for the giveaway!
sherry fundin
Great reviews, Jennifer. Makes me want to run right out and buy them. Well done.
Jennifer Bielman
hehe, happy you enjoyed my reviews.