Book Review: Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

Young Adult > Fantasy > Zombies

After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

Book 1: Alice in Zombieland review

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Thank goodness Cole Holland pulled through. =)

I’m beginning to think that Gena Showalter is my type of author. The entertainment when I read her books is on a totally different level. It is just enjoyable and fun to snuggle up reading Through the Zombie Glass!

The plot developed a little bit, the characters advanced too. Cole is the problem, though. All the jealousies and unwarranted silent treatments towards Ali were irritating. I liked that Ali is more matured than him, more levelheaded in a way that despite her being caged most of her life, shut out from the world, Ali is wiser and less socially inept than Cole. Where’s your head, man? Buried in your *ss?

Finally, when Cole regained his senses, everything fell into place. The story progressed just the way I wanted it. And the swoon is back. Thank heavens Cole Holland was back. Woot!

Through the Zombie Glass is a good sequel. Friendships and relationships are tested, secrets about families are revealed. I will continue watching out for this series. I would not want to miss out on the fun. 😉

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THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS by Gena Showalter

Ebook, 480 pages

Published September 24th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

4/5 stars

Book Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Young Adult > Fantasy > Zombies

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

Had anyone 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.

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…so good. Oh, so chocolatey good! It has flaws, yes, but who cares!
Gimme, gimme, gimme COLE HOLLAND!

By the way, Ali? You rock. 😉

WARNING: This is not a retelling. As far as I know, there are no similarities between them. Having said that, I just realized that it could be a gimmick to incorporate Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in a zombie-themed book. Nonetheless, I enjoyed every bit of Alice Bell‘s (violent) adventures. It was awesome!

The concept of zombies here are waaay different than the usual. It takes some getting used to, but I got there. And Ali is more than capable of taking the zoms down! It’s action-packed, that’s why Alice in Zombieland is right up my alley.

Now, I’ve seen Gena Showalter Adult (Paranormal?) books out there, so it comes as no surprise that Ali and Cole have… uhm… sexy scenes. hot. smoldering. *fans self* I believe YA no longer covers these smexy books. Rather, New Adult is more like it. Along the lines of the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. =)

Those five stars came from the continuous entertainment I got all throughout by reading Alice in Zombieland. Don’t get me wrong. The plot has several holes, some are not even explained in the end. But. But. It was so much FUN to read! Especially the sparring sessions. Hee.

I won’t gush over Cole Holland. I won’t. Because I will keep him to myself. 😀

If you are a fan of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, don’t expect any resemblance because you won’t find it here. Pick up Ali’s story if you want some gob-smacking good time with the zoms.

OFF WITH HER HEAD!

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ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND by Gena Showalter

Ebook, 304 pages

Published September 25th 2012 by Harlequin

5/5 stars

Book Review: The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell

RATING:

Genre: Young Adult > Dystopia | Post-Apocalyptic

(Reapers Series)

Zombies have infested a fallen America. A young girl named Temple is on the run. Haunted by her past and pursued by a killer, Temple is surrounded by death and danger, hoping to be set free.

For twenty-five years, civilization has survived in meager enclaves, guarded against a plague of the dead. Temple wanders this blighted landscape, keeping to herself and keeping her demons inside her heart. She can’t remember a time before the zombies, but she does remember an old man who took her in and the younger brother she cared for until the tragedy that set her on a personal journey toward redemption. Moving back and forth between the insulated remnants of society and the brutal frontier beyond, Temple must decide where ultimately to make a home and find the salvation she seeks.

Literary Awards: Philip K. Dick Award Nominee (2010), ALA Alex Award (2011)

*****

It will always be the zombie books that will make me cry. So strange. But it’s true. There was Feed, then Dust & Decay, and now, The Reapers are the Angels. two days has passed since i finished this book and yet… i was still devastated. =(

Temple is uniquely at home at zombie-infested America. Even more fascinating is her being uncomfortable in those enclaves filled with people trying to just get by. She rather be travelling and smelling the rotted and acrid smell of the undead. She’s going to my list of the best kick-*ass heroines ever! Another strong-willed and skilled girl who I will worship for her tenacity and guile to stay alive.

Somehow, Temple and Moses Todd has what I call a weird and f*cked-up relationship. It is by no means friendly and yet there’s a mutual respect. How the author develop their relationship is unbelievable. It was my favorite aspect of the story. =)

The Reapers are the Angels hit me hard. Darkly humorous and grotesquely satisfying, it will make any zombie fans ask for more gore. and some. Mr. Alden Bell, you made me cry. But I still want more.