The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

If any of you are as geeky as some of my friends and I, you would be very keen for next year to arrive, solely to get your grubby paws on the excellent debut novel by Carrie Ryan. I was fortunate enough to receive a manuscript copy from the US publishers a week or so ago and immediately set about reading it.

What an amazing talent Ms. Ryan has! She writes fluently, beautifully, delves into the deepest survivalist emotions and writes action scenes like she works for John Woo or Ridley Scott. We've all resolved to dislike her intensely. But woefully failed. I can't gush enough about how well it is written - the atmosphere is tense, a sense of desolate horror prevails, as we follow the main character, Mary and a few other survivors, in a post-Apocalypse world where the Unconsecrated surround isolated villages, trying to break through, to devour the living. Do not let the dreamlike quality of the cover fool you - it is a tautly written book and would film beautifully!

I have my official review of it up over at Monsters and Critics - official review link - which in itself is an amazing site. I have recently been appointed reviewer and arts writer for Monsters and Critics which is hugely thrilling. I have done a few other reviews for them in the past few weeks and will no doubt do a few exclusives for them and then link it on here.

Pop by, have a look at the review at M&C and make sure to add The Forest of Hands and Teeth to your MUST HAVE list for 2009. It is currently only published in the States but hopefully someone here in the UK will pick up the rights and have it published here. Regardless, I know that I will be importing at least two copies.