Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland
White Rabbit Chronicles #1

Author: Gena Showalter

Publication Date: September 12, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult/Horror

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Synopsis:

She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

If anyone had told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

My Thoughts: I actually liked this book a lot more than I thought I would.  Normally, I hate anything to do with zombies.  I feel like they are overdone and, quite frankly, disturbing.  So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this new take on zombie-kind.

Now, be forewarned, this is no where near a clear adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, if that is what you are looking for.  There are definitely throw-backs to the books and Easter-Eggs if you know the original series, but this is definitely it's own story with it's own plot.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book.  Ali (or Alice) really surprised me a lot with her fortitude.  She was very reminiscent in a way of the Alice from Alice in Wonderland in that she sucked it up and didn't let people intimidate her or push her around.

I feel like the climax in this book may have been rushed a little and could have maybe been drawn out a bit more.  However, considering the fact that it is a multi-book series I am not surprised by the way it all went down.  I feel it has most likely set up for a more dramatic climax in other novels when we deal with the big bads of the series again.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  It was one of the ones that once I picked up I could hardly put down for anything.  I am typing this review up with the second book sitting next to me, begging me to crack it open and devour it.  I would totally recommend this one to any YA reader, especially the paranormal-loving ones - even if you hate zombies!

Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies

Author: Isaac Marion

Publication Date: January 1st 2010

Publisher: Vintage

Genre: Zombies/Post Apocalyptic/Romance

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Synopsis:

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead

My Thoughts: I will admit, and I'm sure you know, that my whole reason fro reading this was because I was planning on seeing the movie in theaters (and I did!) and I really don't like to watch a movie when I know it's based off of a book if I haven't already read the book. Well, I have to say I'm so glad that they made this into a movie, I might have missed it otherwise! It's too funny! I never thought I would say that about a zombie book before!

So why is this funny? Well because it's from a zombie's point of view! R in fact. All he can remember is that he thinks his name started with an R, so that's what he goes by. Not that he has many people to talk to, not really. Zombies don't really talk, they most grunt at each other and a few can get some words out, like R and M, his best friend. Since we're in R's head, we do actually get plenty of coherrant thought's from him, it seems to just be speaking that he has the most difficulty with. R doesn't like being a zombie, not really and he really doesn't like that he has to kill to survive. Because he doesn't just want to die, which can happen, so instead he is forced to kill and eat humans. Brains seem to be like a drug to zombies, it gives them the memories of their victims temporarily when they eat them and since they can't dream and have no memories of their own, it's something they enjoy.

So when R and some other zombies go on a hunt and find some humans, something weird happens and he brings home Julia, disguised as a new zombie. For some reason he couldn't kill her and didn't want anyone else to either. Can zombies really love? Something strange begins to happen to him and he can't figure it out.

Warm Bodies is very enjoyable. There were so many parts that had me laughing at R's antics. There is a bit of "zombie sex" in it, so not really good for younger teens. Although the image that was put in my head had me laughing hysterically (I have a bad sense of humour, but apparently Isaac Marion shares that with me). I enjoyed the writing style and the story is relatively short and quick to read. I read it in less than a day. I will say that the ending in the books is different from the movie in some ways, if you have seen it. Also, the boney's aren't as scary in the book as the movie. I've also just discovered that there is going to be a sequel, so I'll be looking out for that. Isaac Marion has a great writing style which I really enjoyed, so I have to check out more by him. I definitely recommend this one!

Review: Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

Dearly, Beloved
(Gone With the Respiration #2)

Author: Lia Habel

Publication Date: September 25th, 2012

Publisher: Del Ray

Genre: Science Fiction / Steampunk / Zombies

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Synopsis:

Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

As paranoia, prejudice, and terrorist attacks threaten to plunge the city into full-scale war, Nora’s scientist father and his team continue their desperate race to unlock the secrets of “The Laz” and find a cure. But their efforts may be doomed when a mysterious zombie appears bearing an entirely new strain of the virus—and the nation of New Victoria braces for a new wave of the apocalypse.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed Dearly, Beloved a bit more than Dearly, Departed. I will admit that I'm still grossed out by Nora and Bram's relationship. I can't get past the fact that he is slowly rotting. That being said, I do enjoy both of their characters. I am really enjoying Lia Habel's writing style, even though I know it's futuristic and Victorian at the same time, I can perfectly imagine the Victorian aspects of it, then someone will say something, like "trolling" and I'm confused, only to remember that this is the future. She does a great job creating the setting and characters. I will definitely be reading more by her.

Dearly, Beloved  begins about 4 months after the December events. Humans and Undead are attempting to coexist, for the most part it's going well, until there is a riot and a couple of people get bit and turn, even though they are vaccinated. There is a new strain of Laz. People start freaking out and zombies are disappearing, there are people who want them gone and will harm others to get to them. Of course it's up to Dr. Dearly to figure it out and while he's doing that, Bram and Nora are off doing what they do best, getting into trouble.

Once again there are a lot of different PoVs. Nora, Bram, Pamela, Michael, Vespertine and Laura. Laura being the only new character to the story, she's a zombie who plants flowers and other plants in herself. She's quite a peaceful character and more than once I found myself sympathizing with her. Pamela is just trying to hold herself together after the events of December, she pretty much has post-traumatic stress. Of course, being Pam, she puts everyone else first. Vespertine really steps up, it's hard to hate her as much as I did in the first book. Michael... he needs help. Nora makes me mad a few times when she doesn't believe that someone  who hates her would actually try to help her. Overall she is pretty awesome again though and her unladylike behaviours make me laugh. As for Bram, it might be weird, but I don't really connect with him at all as a character, everyone else I can understand why they make certain decisions, but not Bram. I mean he seems like a great guy and always tries to do the right thing, but I don't really know what it is.

So a lot of characters, but again, not at all confusing with them all. The plot was quite good, although some of the foreshadowing has made it a bit predictable. I've guess who is behind the Laz, even if it hasn't been confirmed. It totally makes sense though. I am looking forward to reading the next book because I must know what happens to certain characters. It's a very enjoyable read and a great step into the zombie genre for me. I might even brave looking into more zombie books. It's one that I will definitely be recommending!

A copy was provided by the publisher for review purposes*

Review: Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel

Dearly, Departed
(Gone With the Respiration #1)

Author: Lia Habel

Publication Date: September 29th, 2011

Publisher: Del Rey

Genre: Science Fiction / Steampunk / Zombies

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Synopsis:

Love can never die.

Love conquers all, so they say. But can Cupid’s arrow pierce the hearts of the living and the dead—or rather, the undead? Can a proper young Victorian lady find true love in the arms of a dashing zombie?

The year is 2195. The place is New Victoria—a high-tech nation modeled on the manners, mores, and fashions of an antique era. A teenager in high society, Nora Dearly is far more interested in military history and her country’s political unrest than in tea parties and debutante balls. But after her beloved parents die, Nora is left at the mercy of her domineering aunt, a social-climbing spendthrift who has squandered the family fortune and now plans to marry her niece off for money. For Nora, no fate could be more horrible—until she’s nearly kidnapped by an army of walking corpses.

But fate is just getting started with Nora. Catapulted from her world of drawing-room civility, she’s suddenly gunning down ravenous zombies alongside mysterious black-clad commandos and confronting “The Laz,” a fatal virus that raises the dead—and hell along with them. Hardly ideal circumstances. Then Nora meets Bram Griswold, a young soldier who is brave, handsome, noble . . . and dead. But as is the case with the rest of his special undead unit, luck and modern science have enabled Bram to hold on to his mind, his manners, and his body parts. And when his bond of trust with Nora turns to tenderness, there’s no turning back. Eventually, they know, the disease will win, separating the star-crossed lovers forever. But until then, beating or not, their hearts will have what they desire.

My Thoughts: I actually really liked this  book. I had a friend who asked me what genre is was and I described it as a "futuristic sci-fi, based in a Victorian era with zombies and romance". I really like sci-fi and the Victorian era. The only thing I had no experience with was zombies, but they turned out to be pretty ok. I really like the world that Lia Habel created. It's like nothing I've read before. She actually did really good mashing the different elements together to form a great story.  The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the romance. I guess I was just a little grossed out by the fact that Nora was kissing someone who was dead? I mean, I understand that Bram is a nice guy and all, but he's dead. There is just no way to get around that for me. Every time there was anything intimate I was slightly disgusted.

The setting for the book is in New Victoria and the government has been hiding the fact that there are walking dead out there. Nora is kidnapped from her home and then suddenly there is an outbreak in New London, the capitol and things just get crazy from there.

Dearly, Departed is told from a few different PoVs. There is Nora, Bram, Pamela, Wolfe and Victor (I think that's all of them). My favorite character by far was Pamela. She is the scholarship girl, who is also Nora's best friend, and she turns out to be pretty kick ass in the end. She's pretty tough and takes things as they come to her. She knows she can't really take anything for granted.

Other than the queasiness from the romance, I really enjoyed reading this  book and am looking forward to reading the next (which I actually already started) and finding out what happens next. It should be pretty interesting to see how New London copes with the knowledge that there are walking dead. It was a great intro into zombie books because it's not too scary, and the zombies aren't too disgusting (well the civilized ones anyways). I would definitely recommend this one!