Darker than pitch and beautiful as hell. I cannot honestly ever recall reading something quite like this before; a captivity drama that spirals into a murder-spree love story between and infernal man and bewitched woman. Two fragmented hearts and souls pieced together to make something too terrible and too wonderful for this world to bear. An exquisite fairy-tale blend of beauty and horror ( )

Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu is a tale about two crazy kids in love that reminds me of Natural Born Killers. It’s not exactly a conventional relationship since Lulu kidnaps Montessa with the intention of killing her. But all relationships must start somewhere. The story mostly takes place in a truck, which Lulu drives as part of his job. Montessa is a stripper involved in an abusive relationship with the worlds biggest a***ole, so in comparison to that creep, a serial killer truck driver isn’t so bad.

What most impressed me about this story was the quality of the writing. It’s hard to describe, but the writing had an almost lyrical quality to it. The flow of the sentences, the language being used, the way it’s all put together, is done in such a way that evokes the right atmosphere for this story. The author hit all of the right notes in putting this story together. As a fellow writer, I can appreciate the skill level seen in the writing, and found it to be an enjoyable read.

You might have a hard time getting over the fact that a woman would be willing to have a romantic relationship with a person who kidnapped her and wants to kill her. I know that I did. So, there needs to be a certain level of suspension of disbelief that has to be applied in order to get into the story. But if you can get past that, there is a lot to like inside of the pages. I would suggest giving it a read. You won’t regret it.

Carl Alves - author of Battle of the Soul ( )

Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu is a tale about two crazy kids in love that reminds me of Natural Born Killers. It’s not exactly a conventional relationship since Lulu kidnaps Montessa with the intention of killing her. But all relationships must start somewhere. The story mostly takes place in a truck, which Lulu drives as part of his job. Montessa is a stripper involved in an abusive relationship with the worlds biggest a***ole, so in comparison to that creep, a serial killer truck driver isn’t so bad.



What most impressed me about this story was the quality of the writing. It’s hard to describe, but the writing had an almost lyrical quality to it. The flow of the sentences, the language being used, the way it’s all put together, is done in such a way that evokes the right atmosphere for this story. The author hit all of the right notes in putting this story together. As a fellow writer, I can appreciate the skill level seen in the writing, and found it to be an enjoyable read.

Carl Alves - author of Battle of the Soul ( )

Ragnarok Publications is a publisher newly founded in 2013, but I'd heard of them prior to receiving a copy of Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love. These are the amazing folks behind the Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters anthology Kickstarter, which was successfully funded this fall and quite possibly one of the coolest projects I've ever backed! It was thus an honor and a pleasure to be offered a chance to read and review their inaugural title by Mercedes M. Yardley.

Don't let the quirky title fool you; this is one dark and disturbing tale of supernatural love and horror...because after all, even killers and monsters can fall in love. Montessa Tovar, an exotic dancer who has only known a life of hurt and abuse is abducted one night while walking home by Lu, a serial killer whose unusual power has led him to be labeled a demon. But in time, the victim becomes the accomplice. As the two continue to form the deepest of connections, Lu leads Montessa on a cross-country tour of blood and vengeance.

Have you ever asked yourself if you believe in the concept of soulmates? Of finding that one person out there who completes you? This is the idea explored in the book, though if you find the notion utterly romantic, be sure to brace yourself because the author does not do it in a conventional way. It is far from idyllic; characters are depicted in extreme or frightening situations, and there is blood and violence and killing aplenty. It is, however, still a love story, and everyone knows how much I enjoy those. Most surprising of all is that in the darkness, there is also a heart-wrenching beauty.

Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu is one of the most interesting and deliciously twisted takes on soulmates I've ever read, and I think it perfectly embodies what the publisher is going for. The reader may never truly come to sympathize with the pair of lovers/killers, but I looked at their heinous crimes separately from the depth of feeling which the author has created. It is the storytelling that matters, and Yardley has accomplished something truly impressive by writing about a love that feels convincingly powerful and real at the same time, all in the short span of a novella. One thing's for sure: it will be hard for me to forget this tale between two horribly damaged people, who somehow find that the pieces of their broken souls fit and complete each other. ( )