Domino Falls I have to mention that I didn't read the first book in the Devil's Wake series, but honestly Domino Falls reads just fine as a standalone. I was instantly impressed by the writing style, and by the simple ways that Barnes and Due separate this from other zombie books out there. I'm a huge fan of a good zombie story, and this fit the bill perfectly.
 
The story opens on the characters from the first book and they are traveling across the perilous landscape in a battered bus. Attempting to find a safe haven, they arrive in Domino Falls. On the surface it looks like the ideal place to survive: quiet, well-stocked and safe. However the longer they stay, the more they see beneath the grime under the shiny layer on top. This isn't just a town, it's a cult, and their buried secret is a crazy one.
 
I loved how easily I was able to fall into step with the characters, despite not having read the first book. This is a very character driven story. Domino Falls pulls the reader into the lives of normal young people that are just trying to survive. If I had to pick a favorite? Terry wins hands down. As the leader of the group, and an amazing individual, I couldn't help but adore him. If you're a reader who loves to feel invested in the characters when they read, you'll love this writing style.
 
Now that I've finished, I know I'll go back and read the first book! I'm excited to get more of a back story on the characters that I fell in love with. Being totally honest, this is a book that is well worth your time. The twist might throw you a bit, but trust me when I say it's such a fresh take on the zombie novel! Give this one a shot. ( )

Domino Falls by husband and wife writing team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due is a sequel to the story they began in Devils Wake. In this post-apocalyptic thriller, Zombie-like freaks abound as a small rag-tag group makes it to Domino Falls, California. Along their trek they have heard broadcasts from Joseph Wales, the leader of the Thread group. He has a Threadie sanctuary/compound in Domino Falls. After the group manages to gain admittance to the town it almost seems too good to be true - and that may, in fact, be the case. Could fighting the freaks on the outside be preferable to the sanctuary Wales' group provides?

An infection has caused the outbreak of freaks. One bite from them and a healthy person is infected. Once the freaks fall asleep, they turn into the dangerous runners. After that they change into the slower shambling freaks. Although Domino Falls doesn't quite have the full, detailed explanation of what happened, it certainly provides enough information to enjoy the novel. The explanation given is that the freak outbreak was caused by receiving a flu shot after eating a certain mushroom. After that the freaks infected people through their bites.

Characters include: Kendra Brookings, Terry Whittaker, Sonia Petansu, “Piranha” Charlie Cawthorne, Corporal Ursalina Cortez, Darius Phillips, Dean Kitsap, and Hipshot, a black terrier mix. (Dogs can detect freaks before people can.) These characters are well-drawn in this novel especially for the second book in a series. Actually Domino Falls is more of a character driven novel and the freaks are simply there, as an ever-present threat that everyone must consider. But there are other threats in this novel that may be just as creepy.

Clearly, from the ending, there will be more books in the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was engaging and the plot was gripping from beginning to end. I haven't read the first book in the series, but if it is close to the quality of Domino Falls, then I'd very highly recommend it too.
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Disclosure: My Kindle edition was an uncorrected proof courtesy of Atria Books and Netgalley for review purposes.



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Alright, well, I got to directly into Domino Falls upon finishing Devil’s Wake, which was a rare treat, since I’m usually reading series about a year apart these days, and that’s when I’m lucky. Domino Falls picks up right where the prior novel left off, with the group having reached a potential safe haven. Though I’m rating this one the same, I almost rated this one up, because I think it’s getting more original and there’s awesome cult-y business in Domino Falls.

Read the full review at A Reader of Fictions. ( )

Accidentally picked up book 2 in this series about a zombie apocalypse, with a mostly-PoC cast that begins the book tightly bonded together, having survived various horrific traumas as the world around them degenerated. In this book, they find a refugee community led by a charismatic figure who believes in the “Thread” that links everyone together—which may have something to do with the strange dreams one of our protagonists has been having, and may also have something to do with the red vines that start to grow out of the zombies if they stay in one place long enough. Although all the elements are familiar, the execution is engaging, so if you like zombies this one would be worth a try. ( )

When I saw the book cover for Domino Falls by two award-winning authors, Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due, I thought it might be a vampire novel. When I read the publisher’s extremely short description, I realized it was going to be much more interesting than that. What I didn’t realize until I had finished reading is that this is the second book in this paranormal series. It reads quite well as a stand-alone novel. If you’re into dystopian novels, zombie novels, horror novels, or novels about mysterious illnesses – with some romantic interest thrown in for good measure – then you’ll want to learn more about this one. Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=5466. ( )