Barely Alive

Barely Alive #1

by Bonnie R. Paulson

In twelve weeks, seventeen-year-old Paul Ledger will be dead. At least he hopes so.

Paul is trapped in the worst cult the United States has ever seen. Infected with a zombie virus, symptoms culminate in a dead body but thriving mind over a course of twelve weeks. If he doesn’t earn the final death he longs for, he’ll be chained in a basement facility, moaning for human flesh for eternity.

Sent out to kidnap girls for food, toys, or whatever the boss wants, Paul nabs Heather McCain. He’s not a fan of humans as a general rule, but even his graying skin and insatiable hunger for her flesh don’t stop her from reaching out to him. Give him the second chance he doesn’t know he needs.

Overcome by his cravings, Paul bites her delectable skin. Amazingly, she doesn’t develop the zombie-like side effects. When the boss discovers Heather’s immunity, he gives Paul an ultimatum – deliver up Heather and her family to continue the research or watch as Paul’s brother suffers the zombie fate.

Paul has a chance to endure his short zombie existence knowing his brother is safe. But he’ll have to sacrifice Heather to do it.

Genres: Zombies, Young Adult, Paranormal, Horror, Romance, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic

290 pages, Paperback

First published March 23, 2012

About the author

USA Today Bestselling author, Bonnie Paulson focuses on the drive of sweet western romances and the heros who ride for justice and the love of their lives. Living with her own cowboy helps keep things real!

Some of her favorite authors are Robyn Carr, Liz Isaacson, and Linda Lael Miller!

Sign up and get a free Paulson western romance!
http://www.bonniepaulson.com

Reviews

[Wulfwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different zombie book than I am use to. The idea of zombies having thoughts and feelings was strange. It works in this book. The story captured me. I liked the characters. I listened to it on Audible. The narrator, Aaron Landon, did a good job with the narration. I enjoyed his performance. If you are looking for a quirky zombie tale, you might want to give this book a chance.

[Ashley Byland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barely Alive is not like any other zombie book that you will probably ever read nor is it like any other zombie book I have read. I got this book because I very much love zombie books and the description of this book intrigued me, it was definitely a different zombie story. I have to say I LOVE how these zombies were written, zombies with a brain and a heart and a conscious!? Weird but works SO WELL!!

Paul is a normal, teenage guy, except for the fact that in 12 weeks he will become a mindless, feeding zombie. Right now, he still has his humanity. I love this angle on zombies. You see the struggles that Paul is having with his own transformation but also the struggles he sees others like him go through and what their “creator” is putting them through. From the beginning you can tell that Paul does not like what has become of himself and that he wants to try to stop it and once Dominic makes him go kidnap girls for whatever reason Dominic has, that seems to be the final straw for Paul. It also doesn’t help that he has the hots for one of the girls, both his human self and his zombie self. After taking a bite of her, he realizes she is immune and she maybe the one to end this madness, that is if can figure out how without losing her.

I was completely enthralled with this book. I could not put it down. This was another book that I pretty much read on my phone's kindle because I needed to constantly know what would happen next. This is the first book I have read by this author and I simply love her writing style. This maybe be the first but definitely not the last book I will read by Bonnie. The ending of this book was perfect! Best type of cliffhanger. It makes me very excited for the next book in this series!! Amazing job!

[Erin Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those of you who know anything about me know that I don't do Zombies - never have. I can honestly say I have never picked up a book about Zombies in my entire life. Whereas Lily can't get enough of them. When this book came across our e-mail from Supagurl Blog Tours I thought 'Hmmm...this one sounds interesting' so I grabbed it and here I am today.

I actually liked it! Now, I don't know if it was because it was a YA zombie book, with some romance (because I certainly am a sucker for romance)...but regardless I actually liked it! I am so impressed with myself!! In saying that...I am not completely changed. I don't think I would pick up an adult zombie book...there would have to be some aspect to draw me to it because blood and guts just is not my thing!

The story line was awesome, very intriguing. Character development was very strong, and I grew to really like the main character, Paul. As a 'zombie virgin' I didn't really know much about them...just that they ate human flesh and brains. I really appreciated that the author helped me fully understand what a zombie was. Told from a teenage boys point of view, what he saw, thought and felt really helped connect the dots for me.

There was a little bit of the gory 'zombie' type scenes, but not as much as I would imagine a more adult zombie book would play out. (From what I have read from Lily's experience with Zombie books...there is usually little left to the imagination).

Unfortunately I didn't pick up the next two books in the series for the tour as I am a new first time Mom and didn't want to commit to reading something within a certain time frame until I get myself into a routine with the little one...but you better believe I will be picking the last two books up as soon as I can!

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's no secret


And what's better then a good zombie book a free zombie book so off course I had to try this one.

Paul Ledger has made some pretty stupid decisions and trying out some new drugs/virus to become a superior human/zombie is one of them.
He is being commanded by Dominic the leader of the zombie boys, he can be compared by a mad scientist psycho. His latest task is to find/kidnap 5 girls and bring them back. One of the girls is Heather she is a fighter, brave and wants to live. Paul bites her while she's unconscious and she doesn't turn into a zombie meaning she's immune. Now Dominic wants her and will do everything to get his hands on her. Paul only has 12 weeks before he fades away. Paul's brother is being hypnotized by Dominic and he controls him. Paul wants to keep his brother and Heather alive, but Dominic is hot on their trail.

This was a nice read not the best zombie read but not so bad. The story has some loop holes and some things don't make sense. The fight Paul has with his mother that leads up to him becoming a zombie.
The love building was o.k, pretty instant attraction. I like that these zombies still can think but the book didn't suck me in like I wished it did so 2.5 stars for me.

[Jill Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barely Alive is not your average take on zombies. I love zombies and I thought I knew what direction the story would take, but I was wrong.

The characters are strong, especially Heather, and are all well done. The novel starts with Paul a young guy who has 12 weeks to live before he becomes a full blown zombie. He was injected by the virus by total creeptsti dude Dominic, who create the virus. What a nice guy, right?

Paul and his buds are supposed to go out, grab some girls, and bring them back. But they don't expect that once they have the girls they'll fight back. Paul has an instant attraction to Heather and so do we. She is definately the girl to stand up to these people.

Once it comes about that she's immune to the virus, true love is born.

A surprising read with enough twists and turns to keep you interested and reading in bed until you can't keep your eyes open any longer. A keeper of a book with a great plot, and characters you can root for.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This novel is unlike any other zombie novel I have ever read. Paul, although being transformed into a zombie staves off his cravings to save Heather. Although when sent to kidnap the girls, he'd bitten her, somehow she didn't transform. Could she be the key for a cure to save him and those like him? I guess you'll have to read it to find out. This book was awesome and so difficult to put down. It held my attention throughout, I can't wait to read book two to see what happens next.

[Danielle Frappier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your typical zombie book, but really a nice change. I got sucked into this book from the first page and couldn't put it down. Looking forward to the next book,

[Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I'm not that into zombies, but I have to say, these zombies are the coolest ones I've seen in a long time. Definetly looking forward to reading the next book.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

My original review for this title can be found HERE at The Book Hookup.

**Note:** An e-copy of this novel was provided by this author for this blog tour; however, that did not influence this review in any way.

With this novel, you become immediately immersed in Sin City, where a demented man named Dominic has unleashed a virus on his recruited minions. He delivers on his promises of them obtaining super-human strength, sight, and speed, but doesn’t fully divulge on the negative side effects. You see, an adverse reaction to becoming infected means that the person will thirst and hunger for human flesh and blood. Told through the eyes of seventeen-year-old Paul Ledger, we experience firsthand his inner battle between holding on to certain aspects of his humanity, like his morals, and the ever-present waging war inside himself to give into his zombie instincts and devour people at the first hint of blood or delicious-smelling skin. While out on a run to pick up more test subjects for Dominic, Paul encounters a girl named Heather, and her smell is just a little too tempting. After sinking his teeth into her, he’s appalled at how far he’s fallen. But more surprised is Dominic at that fact that she didn’t change, which means that her immune DNA could hold the key to A) staving off the twelve week life cycle of these zombie beings, B) cure those that have already been turned- willingly or not, or C) completely eradicate the virus by providing a vaccine. Dominic knows her significance and will do anything to get his hands on her. But, somewhere along the way, Paul started developing feelings for her, so he’ll do everything within his power to keep her away from Dominic and thus potentially saving the world, as well as himself.

Becoming a huge The Walking Dead (tv show) fan over the past two years, I’ll say that the premise of this story was what originally caught my attention, and I was excited to read about zombies, especially a younger male one. As a matter of fact, I really enjoyed reading about the transition from Paul’s perspective. With an authentic male teen voice, it was interesting to follow how he was first subjected to the virus and the subsequent events that followed- his initial burst of super-human abilities, how flavors of regular food were amplified until it eventually changed to desires for body parts.

However, aside from his character and maybe his brother’s, I had a harder time connecting to any of the other characters in the book. I also had some difficultly understanding some of the technical, scientific terms in the story. Usually, I’m okay with over-my-head information when it’s broken down further in simpler facts, but I was left pretty much blank-staring at some points in the story. Lastly, and not really anything you couldn’t actually disregard unless you’re a real stickler, there was a good bit of repetition in certain words or phrases that I thought having another round of edits could have benefited this novel.

Verdit: All in all, it was a good story with an engaging plot and the series holds a lot of potential. For 99¢, I’d say you’re getting way more bang for your buck.

♥ A very special thanks to the author and Heather from Supagurl Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

[Amy Fournier · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely pass up a chance to read a zombie book so I was looking forward to this one. I thought it was a great take on zombies and survival. It's not your typical zombie book at all. These aren't your mindless, just want to eat your face variety. These are regular people, injected with a virus that slowly kills them, but makes them stronger, faster, and smarter in the process. Their bodies may start to die and will continue to over twelve weeks, but their mind doesn't. They are capable of still having their humanity, though the need for meat and blood is definitely there. Added bonus, it's a male POV and I totally love those.

Paul is a smart kid who is stuck in a crap situation because of a stupid and impulsive decision he made. He joined up with Dominic not knowing what he was getting into exactly. One night on a mission he and his group have to gather some girls at his bosses order and things change for him then. Heather, one of the girls makes him rethink things. Not at first of course, but he finds out some information from Paul and it makes him question his motives and want more than ever to protect this human girl. I suppose if you are dying anyways, survival shouldn't seem like a big deal, but say that the virus can be reversed. Then you have a very determined boy who also happens to start caring for the girl who is their only chance at a cure.

Heather is a tough, tough chick!! She stays strong through so much. I mean if you and a group of six other girls got kidnapped by zombies, wouldn't you freak out!! Not her, she actually tries to attack Paul since he is the one in charge of them. When things go bad, she still sticks by him. She keeps a level head most of the time, and only breaks down a few times. She is also determined to help find a cure for the virus and will do what she can to help. At a few points she is actually even willing to give herself to the enemy as long as her family will be safe.

This was a very quick read and I loved that it was different than so many other zombie books. That the zombies and humans are working together for the greater good. I thought the book moved along at a great pace. I would have liked to connect with the characters a little more, but in general I did like them. Especially Connie, the Dr.'s wife. I thought that it ended rather abruptly too. I know it's a series, but it just kind of... ended. I will definitely continue on with this series though. I like that it was different and it's not just about the humans surviving the zombie apocalypse, but also the zombies wanting to find a cure to reverse the virus that will eventually kill them

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barely Alive was not at all what I expected it to be. Based on the blurb, I anticipated a somewhat run-of-the-mill zombie tale with a splash of romance. What I didn't see coming was the humor in which it would be told. Paulson masterfully spins this web with voice of a teenage boy who can't decide what he wants more, food or sex. You so easily fall into his head and thought process. Or, lack there of, as the case so often is with Paul.

Paul was having a rough time of life and during a downturn he fell into the glamorous cult life created by a man name Dominic. Glamorous in the way of being injected with a virus that will kill you in twelve weeks and while you wait for your inevitable end you will be ordered around and tortured in numerous ways. Your body begins to die but your brain and strength get a strong boost right after injection and with every time you eat fresh flesh. Paul is fighting through it when he is ordered to take a group of other infected out to kidnap girls for Dominic's needs.

One of the girls they pick up is Heather and Paul just can't resist taking a little nibble. Finding her immune to the virus that was now beginning to take over Las Vegas, Dominic finds he needs Heather more than he needs Paul and he's willing to go to all lengths to get her. Including grabbing Paul's younger brother James as hostage.

Paul is a smart guy but so easily looses track of his thoughts. His inner monologues were hilarious. He easily jumps between finding a cure for the virus, to lusting over Heather, to fresh meat (preferably cow), back to the virus then right back to meat, meat, meat. He struggles with that, doesn't want to be one of the mindless killing fiends but needs meat to keep his body from quick degeneration. I am a huge fan of Paul.

Heather is a somewhat reserved girl but when she get riled up she's quite spunky. I think as she develops more in the series, I'm really going to enjoy her. The other sideline characters promise to be great, as well. They too are smart and funny and take the responsibility of, well basically saving the world, with a mix of calm collection and murderous importance.

Really my only qualm with Barely Alive was the end. As in, there really wasn't one. It's very abrupt. I see where it's headed and understand that it's a series and you have to end it somewhere. I just wish there had been either a little closure and a cliff hanger.

Regardless, I will be diving right into Falling Apart (book #2) and right back into the mind of a very funny seventeen year old sex addled, meat craving boy. Happily.

[Piseog · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I really liked this book in the beginning. It had an interesting and light-hearted take on the whole zombie thing and I enjoyed it. However, the further the book went the more I disliked it. Maybe around halfway through, around the time the characters started their road-trip, I really started to get tired of it. There were a lot of flawed plot points. For example, if Dominic knew that the guys could pass on the zombie virus through their saliva, knew they were starving for human flesh and were uncooperative, WHY OH WHY did he not say more than "don't hurt anyone now" ?! It made no sense! Shouldn't he have been incredibly careful about sending hungry zombie teenage boys out to capture young girls? How does a character who invented this virus be so stupid? I also couldn't understand how quickly Dominick got to James, turned him and hypnotised him.

I feel like the author couldn't make up her mind about what zombies were like in this book. The main characters were fine, in that they could consciously stop themselves from eating someone, had a conscious and could think. Everyone else was a crazy hungry zombie. It had to have been more than someone just telling them they are going to be okay when they first turned. Also, we had dead zombies and living zombies? One zombie gets shot and everyone is worried about him losing blood an getting an infection...it just seems weird to me. The author needs to make it clearer about what her zombie world is like. I also thought the fact that the world was crumbling under this virus would have been a bigger deal to the characters. I didn't get that feel of doom.

Unfortunately, for me this book reinforced the negative reputation some paranormal YA books have. The main zombie (Paul I think) is totally normal looking except for grey skinned fingers and a "cool" yellow ring around his eyes. So thankfully he's still a hottie! Paul is also seems really immature. He got into a fight with his mother, ran away from home and for some reason decided to become a zombie. Good decision making. The main girl, Heather, has really unrealistic reactions to things. How can she interact normally with Paul, let alone fall for him? And two seconds after telling her grandma that her parents are dead she asks what is for dinner and laughs. Very weird.

So I was disappointed at the turn this book took. I probably won't bother with the other books in the series, but it is a nice fun easy read if you don't expect too much.

[Shy The WidowMaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I went into this book not really knowing what to expect but I do know now that I am in love with the author's writing abilities. This book was like one of my favorite zombie reads that I have read this year. It was fast paced and just really well written. I don't think I can gush enough about how much I loved it. Ok let me start off by saying I loved that this book was told through the point of view of Paul. It;s not often we get the story told through a males point of view and I loved it. I loved learning more about how guys really think and the author knew just how to have it come across. Paul was a character that you wanted to not like because I mean he is a zombie but he was so much more than that. He was truly a zombie with heart.

When I say the author took an average story that has been done many times and made it her own she really did. She gave us the back story on how Paul became a Zombie and showed us that Zombies can make choices and don't have to just succumb to their hunger and needs. I loved Paul but oh I loved the character of Heather even more. Heather was such a kick butt take charge kind of girl. In short my fav type of heroine if you have seen me gush about them before. I love for my heroine to be able to hold her own and not just need to depend on a guy and Heather delivers. She has such a strong will and I loved that about her.

I loved how the author made Paul's feelings for Heather fuel him to want to do and be more than just your average Zombie. He realized that he wanted more so he could keep Heather safe. I also loved how Heather pushed Paul to be better. They had a truly weird romance going but it worked for them and I loved that it was different and original. It was great seeing them work together to try to bring down Dominic who I have to say was my type of villain. He was just so evil but yet you still found yourself understanding why he was the way he was and feeling sorry for him at some parts in the story.

Overall I loved this book and was so glad I had the next book on hand so I could jump right into the next story. The author really has a hit on her hands as this book has something for everyone with romance,action,zombies and plot twists galore. I think all readers would enjoy this one and would love to read the rest of the series because I will warn you this book will have you hooked and leave you wanting more.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

With the deluge of zombie books out there, one kind of book particularly grabs my attention, and that's the story told from the zombie perspective. There a few of those books out there, but I believe this is the first one I've read from the perspective of a teenage boy, which makes it even more unique.

Barely Alive is the story of Paul - a typical teenage boy who also happens to be a zombie. And this particular zombie virus isn't your normal quick-turn-into-brain-muncher virus - it's been engineered by a particularly shady scientist, Dominic, who is using the virus to create an army of the nearly-undead to capture teenage girls for his own creepy needs. The hunger is preset from the beginning, but gradually their bodies waste away, leaving just their mind trapped inside the shell of a zombie.

It did take me a little while to get into the story, and also to feel connected to the characters. I liked Paul straight away, and Ms Paulson did an excellent job in writing a realistic teenage boy - after he meets Heather he struggles with keeping his need for flesh from driving him to eat humans and to keep his lust for Heather from distracting him on their attempt to escape the clutches of Dominic. After gathering up a few more zombies and the good-guy scientist that Dominic used to work with, they set off to find the remnants of their families and to try and find a cure.

Barely Alive is a mixture of zombie apocalypse survival, zombie perspective and road-trip as Paul and his gang attempt to get from Vegas to Idaho, all the while with Dominic on their tail. Ms. Paulson does a fantastic job of balancing the science behind the virus with a good post-apocalyptic story, right down to the effects of the virus on the infected.

Although it took a while for the story to really pull me in, Barely Alive was so unique and interesting that I tore through the second half of the story within a couple of hours, and I'm looking forward to reading more of the series, and finding out more about the virus and if the characters can actually find a cure.

Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie

[Cori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barely Alive (Barely Alive, #1)

Despite my crippling fear of zombies, I’ve read my fair share of post-apocalyptic books where zombies play a distinct role; apparently I’m sadistic like that. But I have to say Barely Alive is the first zombie book I’ve read where the zombies are necessarily the bad guys, or rather three of them aren’t. I really enjoyed this book, it was different and almost logical to a point that scares the crap out of me.

I can totally see a “zombie-like” virus being formed out of our need to cure disease or in the name of scientific exploration, which is one of the reasons zombie stuff, scares me so much. That and I have an overactive imagination, but I digress. Paul, the main character has been injected with the virus and is slowly dying even while his mind and sense grow.

Dominic, the guy behind the virus or the guy I like to call the donkey, yes that’s one of my favorite Christmas songs, is creating this crazy army of zombie people. At first Paul seems to sort of be his right hand guy, but all that changes when he meets Heather. Well, he kind of kidnaps Heather and a few other girls. She’s the only one who survives though.

I don’t want to give too much of the story away because this is really different from the normal zombie book and I enjoyed it so much that I want everyone else to read it too! There’s a lot of action, a bit of people eating, a ton of snark and sarcasm, my personal favorite, and a bit of romance sprinkled in to top it all off.

Bonnie Paulson does an amazing job with showing us what is going on physically and mentally inside the zombie people and her plotline is great. It’s rare that I find a plot that doesn’t have holes in it, but Paulson is flawless in this first book. She’s got a little bit of everything to make a compelling story and when you throw in someone immune to the virus, two scientists trying to find a cure, and Paul trying not to eat he girl he’s fallen for, you’ve got a recipe for success.

I would absolutely recommend this book! Now on to read the book two because I need to know what happens with Paul, James and Heather!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Barely Alive” by Bonnie R. Paulson asks “can a zombie have a good heart?” This novel, unlike many others of the zombie genre, actually takes the reader to the beginning of the zombie virus and how it started. The main character, Paul, is our zombie with a heart. He has been injected with the virus and only has 12 weeks to live (the typical lifespan for a zombie). When he is sent out by the boss to pick up girls for food, he didn’t imagine that they would come back with a feisty one named Heather, and Heather is about to change things for Paul. She reminds him of his goodness, but that is not the main reason Paul wants to save her. Paul ends up with a huge crush on Heather and wants to protect her at any cost, especially when his boss finds out that she has a natural immunity to the virus.

I had a hard time getting into this story, I don’t know why. It is well written and interesting. I think it may be due to the fact that we really don’t know a whole lot about Paul or his past. It is kind of hard to sympathize with him. He is funny, especially when he vacillates between wanting to eat Heather and wanting to date her. Heather does have spunk. The creator of the virus, Dominic, is a creep. Everyone is playing their part.

I think that this book definitely would appeal to the teenage reader. It has an interesting premise. I had read Ms. Paulson’s novel, Into the End, which I thought was very good and perhaps I was hoping that this would move along at the same pace at that novel. This novel takes it time getting warmed up, but don’t let that stop you. Zombie stories are all the rage now, it is nice to get one where you learn the origin of the virus and find a zombie with a sense of humor and chivalry.


**This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads. That in no way influenced my review.**

[Lynn Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a must read for Zombie enthusiasts, young adult and adults. YA, Teen almost zombies, action, suspense and more...


My son read this book and absolutely loved it! I've been dying to read it LOL) and have finally gotten the chance.


Paul is a disgruntled teen who runs away from home trying to find a better life. Unfortunately he finds Dominic. Dominic promises him the world for a price. A injection of a virus. While paying the price back to Dominic he finds Heather. Heather intrigues him so much he refuses to give her to up.


When Paul realizes the mistakes he's made and the power he wields he goes on the run with Heather in search for a cure for the virus. But to find the cure he must find Dr. Duncan and figure out how to save his brother too....

[Step Into Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barely Alive is not like any other zombie book that you will probably ever read nor is it like any other zombie book I have read. I got this book because I very much love zombie books and the description of this book intrigued me, it was definitely a different zombie story. I have to say I LOVE how these zombies were written, zombies with a brain and a heart and a conscious!? Weird but works SO WELL!!

Read full review at Step Into Fiction

Review completed by: Ashley

[Michel King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously fresh take on young adult romance and zombies. I am not a zombie fan, but I have read the entire series and LOVE these books! The characters are multidimensional and stay with you long after you close the cover. Bonnie Paulson's medical knowledge brings the plot to life in a terrifyingly realistic way. Just enough science to make the story plausible, but not so much that it leaves you behind, coupled with the accurate portrayal of teenage romance makes these books hard to put down and impossible to forget.

[Carlie K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is SO different from the usual zombie books I've read.

I love how some of the zombies are able to maintain their consciousness and feelings even
they have been affected by the "virus".

Love the main character, Paul, who's so caring and strong and protective even he's a zombie.

Love the writing style. The pace is really fast and it gives a feeling like you're
watching a movie by reading words. Not many books have given me feeling like this before,
but this book is truly one intriguing read and it has the charm to make people wanting more.

[Shelley Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced mixed with teen hormones. The is the best book Paulson has written so far!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super LOVE this book. Definitely a must read. I can't wait for the next in the series to be available. If you liked Twilight, you'll love this!

[Kilikina]

Love this cover!!

[Melissa Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fresh and fun writing. Love the first person zombie romance.

[Mike Foley · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I wanted to backhand her just to take her down a notch" (mc to love interest)

Added a star for the unique idea of the story. I love zombie stories and even I prefer dead mindless zombies to living reasoning and loving zombies like these, it's still a fun newish perspective (reminded me a lot of Warm Bodies)

But unfortunately thats the only thing I liked. The main character is a supposedly feeling zombie who doesn't want to kill Heather, a human girl and decides to protect her. That's cool and a'll but I prefer my romance plots less abusive. I say this because he bites her, which is the basis for his love, constantly puts her down (like calling her cute when she tries to save herself from him) then thinks he wants to backhand her (above quote) just to keep her in place. On top of that we have a MC who doesnt seem to mind his underlings raping teenage girls.

I realize thats a plot point, giving boys a virus that makes their urges uncontrollable, but
1) not the kind of story I want
2) I now kinda hate the MC
3) what if one of these zombies is gay?
4) I'm sorry if I sound antifeminist, it makes me feel like all guys are just a step a way from raping except the 8 pack super hot guy of course, he just doesnt stop rapists.


We also have a super bland girl with no personality and severe Stockholm syndrome who falls for this guy despite him putting her down, being condescending and just an asshole who almost kills her then saves her only because she's the one he likes.

Its hard for me to word but I think my biggest issue is a love story between a PTSD bland girl and a guy whose inner monologue makes him sound like the stereotypical rapist mysoginistic jock. Just not what i want.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this book was totally morbid, I was so into it and the chemistry between the main two characters. I winced so much through this book, but not in a bad way. The descriptions were so vivid for the "zombie" feeds and such. I also thought how it was interesting that the whole apocalypse started because boys can't keep it in their pants. lol. Seriously though, this book kept me well entertained. I also thought it was interesting that if you were related to a zombie, there is some type of connection that keeps your love ones from smelling good...unless it's your significant other. But parents and children should be good. I am intrigued enough to want to pick up the next book in the series, but it's not at the front of my list. It's something that I will go back to if I need a break from the redundancy of the same type of books that I read. Just enough variety to keep my interest: supernatural and romance.

[Megan Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I really loved the character development and the author uses a smattering of twisted humor throughout. Dominic is a character I love to hate. Paul is hilarious. The fact that the book takes place in my hometown area is just awesome. Probably inappropriate for younger audiences, but not worse than some books I've read. I'd feel comfortable approving this book for my 16 year old. There are only a few "bad words" and none of the graphically explicit "sexy scenes" that are in other teen-oriented books.

Overall, I really love this book. I can't wait to start the next one.

[Jericho McKraven]

This was a DNF at 57%.

It kinda felt like Twilight with Zombies. Which makes no sense because they're nothing alike 🤣 I just mean the actual *vibe* felt like that to me.

Maybe it was too ya for my tastes. Or maybe I was just apathetic towards the characters. Idk what it was but this read just wasn't for me. 😔

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Interesting Take The Zombie Genre

There’s one instance where Paul is talking and calls his brother James “Paul” and I know it says YA but no way would I allow my 12 yo read this.
I enjoyed the way they made zombies different and I’m off to read book 2.
Also, I grabbed the audio narration - definitely worth it.

[Sandra Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good!

This fits the times. A virus, turning people into zombie like creatures. Las Vegas, is where the virus started. The person, who made it, did so on purpose.
Only a few escaped from Vegas. Three infected, and two not.
They are trying to figure out a cure.