It Came From the Kitchen
Monstrously Delicious Celebrity Recipes From Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Assorted Aliens and Beyond!
By Geoff Isaac & Gordon Reid
Greetings Shamblers! The Zombie Queen here again with a book that brings together two of my favourite things – cooking and movies!
It Came From the Kitchen is collection of recipes and recollections of industry faves (writers, actors, directors, special affects) from Sci-fi, Cult and Horror films. Filled with stories and food from the stars, filmography and fun facts this cookbook is a devilishly delicious read.
Highlights for me were the introduction by Ingrid Pitt , P.J. Soles Banana Pancakes, Vincent Price’s Risotto and Ray Bradbury’s Peach Kuchen. I spent several hours poring through it and have even made a few of the fantastic recipes. Even if you don’t cook, this book is worth buying…AND it will teach you to cook, so… you know, win-win. You can tell that the authors Geoff Isaac and Gordon Reid are real fans of the genre and did a lot of research for this fun book. Hope to see a sequel! (Zombieking interrupts- ‘Anything that keeps her feeding me is a-ok in my book… and it also keeps me from eating cheerleaders and girl guides!’)
As for my rating, I have to give this another 5 out of 5 eyeball martinis… 2012 has had a great start on reviews so far!
I’m ‘the Zombiequeen’…and this topic is dead, and BURIED!
Vanishing Hope
by Tobin Elliot
Burning Effigy Press
Greetings Shamblers! After a hiatus the Zombie Queen is back from the grave and ready to party in 2012! …or at least get back to doing the book reviews.
My first review I can dig up for 2012 is Vanishing Hope by Tobin Elliot. This micro-press story is brought to you from the fine folks at Burning Effigy Press (including Rue Morgue alumni Monica S. Kuebler!).
The first half of the story presents us with a young girl (Talia) unhappy with her current lot in life. She feels that the arrival of baby sister Alex ruined everything and drove her dad away. She hates the fact that she has to compete for the attention of her mom, and wishes Alex would just disappear. Well, be careful what you wish for! This story takes a dark and twisted turn when Talia finds a book (or does it find her?) that helps her develop her already creepy nature as she plays out her revenge on any and all who displease or disagree with her.
Dark, delicious and maddeningly short (I wanted to read SO much more about Talia’s exploits!) It felt like I some kind of reading addict lining up to a new dealer in Tobin, and the first hit was free. I was craving MORE! This is the first published book by author Tobin Elliot and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of his work. Rumor has it that Burning Effigy may have a full length novel coming out from Tobin, so keep your eyes out for it at www.burningeffigy.com!
So, what should I give a micro story with a maximum impact? 5 out of 5 eyeball martinis of course!
I’m ‘the Zombiequeen’ and this story is now dead…and buried!
The Zombiequeen returns! Been very busy reading while I was away, and I’ve got some great stuff for you here, and coming up… so let’s not sit around here and rot… let’s get to it!
College-professor-cum-zombie Jack Barnes is a different breed of undead—he can think. In fact, he can even write. And the story he has to tell is a truly disturbing—yet strangely heartwarming—one.
Convinced he’ll bring about a peaceful coexistence between zombies and humans if he can demonstrate his unique condition to Howard Stein, the man responsible for the zombie virus, Barnes sets off on a grueling cross-country journey to meet his maker. Along the way he recruits a small army of “super” zombies that will stop at nothing to reach their goal. There’s Guts, the dreadlocked boy who can run like the wind; Joan, the matronly nurse adept at reattaching decaying appendages; Annie, the young girl with a fierce quick-draw; and Ros, who can actually speak. United they embark on an epic quest to attain what all men, women—and, apparently, zombies—yearn for: equality.
Brains is a smart and sassy take on the sentient zombie leading a bunch of misfits on a doomed journey to meet their maker (the creator of the zombie-making virus) and convince humans that they can co-exist with the living dead. The characters are engaging and the story is humorous and full of sarcasm, pop culture references and spot on social commentary with brain munching and bullet-dodging action mixed in . A great ghoulish read that leaves you wanting more!
I give Brains 4 out of 5 bloody eyeball martinis!
I’m the Zombiequeen…and this review is DEAD and BURIED!
First off… I READ AGAIN!!! YAY! As indicated in my last review…I read PAINFULLY slow, but this one I just BREEZED through!
How to speak Zombie, A Guide for the Living is by Steve Mockus and Illustrations by Travis Millard and someone tried to tell me this is a kids book…pffft. Zombies are for adults! Besides, I don’t read kids books…
Here is the description: “In a world overtaken by zombies, the only hope for survival lies in learning the language of the undead. How to Speak Zombie demonstrates how to blend in and avoid being eaten while carrying on with everyday activities like ordering a latte from a zombarista and shopping at a zombie-infested mall. This essential guide features an electronic sound module that demonstrates proper zombie pronunciation (‘RAHHHhh!’), helpful text that explores the customs and etiquette of the zombie world, and detailed illustrations that show the undead doing everything from pumping iron to dancing the night away. Deeply informative, this handbook also includes an all-purpose BRAINS button that can be used in any situation, deadly or otherwise.”
Kids book… my ass! It’s like a survival guide! I GUESS your kids might like it… I liked it… and it makes noises so it’s like TV …but slower.
Listen, I don’t care what you say- I liked this book, and it was fun and I’m gonna enjoy pressing the ‘BRAINS’ button a lot…kids book or no!
Again…I have no book rating scale, but I’d go for 4.5 out of 5 … just because I found it short, then again I probably just wanted more cause it was funny.
