Wisteria (Wisteria, #1)

Apr 25, 2013 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wisteria is lucky really. In a time when a plague has ravaged the planet, she has managed to find a relatively safe place to live. True, she has to go out and track the zombie-like biters, but she has managed to make a relatively good life with her family. Things change one day though as she is trying to safe some people her age from biters. She is almost taken by them, but then she is rescued by a mysterious young man named Bach. Suddenly Wisteria's life is taking an interesting turn, and thing...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Tammy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wisteria is the first book in this exciting new series. Our main character Wisteria Kuti is adjusting to life on the Isle of Smythe. Surrounded by water this is the safest place for her and her family to protect themselves from the biters, the zombie people who have been infected by the Nero virus. Her and her mother work together as trackers (zombie hunters). During a blotched mission, Wisteria is attacked by biters and saved by the handsome and mysterious Bach, who takes her back to his home....more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Stephanie Ward rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, ebook, for-review

4.5 Stars

'Wisteria' is the first book in a new YA paranormal/horror series. It follows the main character, Wisteria Kuti as she struggles to adjust to her new life after Nero disease changed the world as she new it. Wisteria must either fight the ones infected around the safe haven of the Isle of Smythe or risk her life by going outside it's borders and into a land full of flesh eating biters. Enter Bach, a mysterious stranger from a race known as The Family - one of the few who can live among t...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Kazhy (My Library in the Making) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, from-author

Actual rating: 3.5

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

It might have been another case of my skim-through-the-blurb disease, but I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I opened Wisteria. Now, I can say that I am pleasantly surprised.

Right off the bat, we learn about the danger of Wisteria's world that is crawling with flesh eaters, but she chose to be useful to her community instead of keeping herself safe inside the Isle of Smythe, and I really ad...more Actual rating: 3.5

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

It might have been another case of my skim-through-the-blurb disease, but I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I opened Wisteria. Now, I can say that I am pleasantly surprised.

Right off the bat, we learn about the danger of Wisteria's world that is crawling with flesh eaters, but she chose to be useful to her community instead of keeping herself safe inside the Isle of Smythe, and I really admired her for that. Because of her job as a tracker, she was deadly with a gun—she had a sword, too, but she kept it as a last resort—making her a badass. But even with the undead, she also had to face the usual teenage problems: unrequited love, mean girls, and insecurities. These just served to endear her even more.

The pace is quite slow at first, but it picks up when Wisteria gets into danger and is saved by Bach, a gorgeous boy who feels an eerie sense of familiarity to Wisteria the moment he sees her. Coming from a race that is somehow immune to the flesh eaters and looks down on humans, he tries to keep Wisteria at a distance, but his concern for her often gets past his cold exterior.

There are many layers to this story, from the flesh eaters to cannibals, secrets and betrayals, surprises and revelations, all happening in an excellently fleshed-out (no pun intended) post-apocalyptic world. I never found it hard to imagine or understand what was going on where and when, so there was no hindrance to the action and suspense that filled the story.

Although Wisteria's intermittent naivete and Bach's indecision irritated me, I think it just added to their roundedness as characters, making them as real as possible. And right after that big reveal as to their history, I just stormed through the pages until I got to that satisfying last one. Still, a lot of issues are left unsolved for the next book, which goes straight to my TBR list!

MY FAVORITE PART was, well, the ending XD(less)

like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Maghon Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, horror, review-4-author

I’m enamored! I love this book. It was something that was so different so I’m sure that’s why!! First it’s like aliens meets zombies meets slayers, except it’s a little more complicated than that, but how cool is that concept!! Lets just say it’s a thrill ride!!

Wisteria is a girl who lives on an island that is trying to survive from a zombie out break. She wants to be a tracker, to help keep the “biters” away and their town safe. Except things go a little amiss when she gets separated and almost...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 24, 2012 Mary Loesch rated it 3 of 5 stars

I felt like this author had a marvelous idea that was exciting and fun to read. She had some character development going with Wisteria who comes off as being a nice mixture of strength under pressure and vulnerability when it comes to the heart. I also really liked the idea of the alien race looking down on us as our planet is being destroyed by zombies due to the Nero virus. The end of the book hints at all sorts of possibilities as to the origin of the virus and the possible implications of it...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 21, 2012 Kristy Centeno rated it 4 of 5 stars

A zombie novel unlike any I’ve read before.

I’m going to say that although I’m not a big fan of zombie novels, this one I really enjoyed. The opening scene, which happens to be the prologue, caught my attention right away. From then I just had to find out who Wisteria was and what her purpose entailed.

One of the things I loved the most about the story was the fact that Wisteria is a strong female character that can hold her own and kick some serious zombie butt. Her life is a little chaotic thoug...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 20, 2012 Books Mom rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, dystopian, science-fiction

I wasn't entirely certain what to expect with this book. It sounded as if it was full of twists and turns and secrets and, as it turns out, it was!

Wisteria is an impetuous teenager, full of all the angst most have, especially as she's not part of the "in" crowd, but has a crush on one of them (which is well known and mocked). Her family is splintered, father presumed dead, and they survive in a safe haven called Symthe. Outside of Smythe are the infected. Zombies.

Wisteria is a tracker, like her...more I wasn't entirely certain what to expect with this book. It sounded as if it was full of twists and turns and secrets and, as it turns out, it was!

Wisteria is an impetuous teenager, full of all the angst most have, especially as she's not part of the "in" crowd, but has a crush on one of them (which is well known and mocked). Her family is splintered, father presumed dead, and they survive in a safe haven called Symthe. Outside of Smythe are the infected. Zombies.

Wisteria is a tracker, like her mother, and they go outside to track the movements of the infected, count their numbers and, when necessary, "cure" them (slang for killing them). Even here, where it is most dangerous, Wisteria is impetuous and her youth and inexeperience shows. And once, it gets her into serious trouble, surrounded by infected and a certain death.

Until Bach sees her. Bach: arrogant, entitled, and not the nicest of boys. Part of The Family, they see Terrans as slaves to be "refreshed" (or brainwashed) and used how they see fit. He doesn't want any Terrans around him, though. They killed his mother and he despised them all, which is why his feelings (and, oddly, memories) of Wisteria make no sense.

And so begins their adventure.

This story was a good one, with plenty of plot points to keep me intrigued. The author's skill is certainly with description and she's able to clearly paint pictures of all the people and places Wisteria and Bach encounter. However, this is also the one drawback of the story. There are places it drags and I'd end up skimming pages waiting for the action to start again. It always did, and it was frequently heart-stopping. Wisteria and Bach are in nearly impossible-to-survive situations more than once and I had to find out how they'd make it through.

So, regardless of the slow spots, there were so many questions posed that I needed to know that I couldn't stop reading. How did Bach remember Wisteria when they'd never met? Who was the person who betrayed them to the Red Phoenix? What was really going on at the Isle of Smythe?

The ending leads me to believe there may be more books forthcoming, and I look forward to seeing what this talented author will come up with next.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Judy Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a debut novel and the first book of a series--a dark dystopian novel. The storyline is good--the world has been decimated by a virus that creates zombies (known in the book as Biters). There is a safe haven on an island--trackers attempt to keep it safe by scouting around and "curing" any Biters they find--with a bullet or arrow to the head.

We're also introduced to Bach, a member of an off-world race known simply as The Family, along with his best friend and his steward, a half human/hal...more

like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Loves To Dive rated it 3 of 5 stars

In a world taken over by a deadly virus known as Nero Disease which turns people into flesh eaters, there are pockets of uninfected people living in isolated areas. One such group lives on the Isle of Smythe in England. Smythe is not a democracy; there is a council to make the laws and the military to enforce them. Everyone is expected to pull their own weight, man, woman or child; it makes no difference. Sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti is a tracker, along with her mother Lara and her partner, Lt...more In a world taken over by a deadly virus known as Nero Disease which turns people into flesh eaters, there are pockets of uninfected people living in isolated areas. One such group lives on the Isle of Smythe in England. Smythe is not a democracy; there is a council to make the laws and the military to enforce them. Everyone is expected to pull their own weight, man, woman or child; it makes no difference. Sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti is a tracker, along with her mother Lara and her partner, Lt. Andrew McDowell, her job is to go outside the walls of Smythe and into the deserted town of Norton to track, count and “cure” biters (as the infected are called) if necessary. On one such mission, Wisteria ends up getting separated from her mother and Andrew and cornered by biters. Thinking she is going to die, she tries to fight but she’s lost her gun and only has her sword. All seems hopeless and Wisteria is sure she is going to die. Out of nowhere, a teenage boy comes to her rescue. She passes out and wakes up surrounded by luxury in a beautiful penthouse in London. Her rescuer, Bach, lives here with his steward, Felip, and his best friend, Enric. Soon Wisteria will find that Bach and company are not normal teenage boys. Circumstances soon change for the worse, and Wisteria and Bach find themselves on the run. Without the help of Bach’s friends or Wisteria’s family, Bach and Wisteria will learn to rely on each other as they face biters, cannibals, and a mysterious paramilitary unit known as Red Phoenix. Wisteria learns that no one can be trusted. Things are not as they seem on the Isle of Smythe, and even though she knows she has never met him before there seems to be some strange connection to Bach.

Ms. Leyton drops the reader into a world gone mad where people live in fear of becoming infected, everything is rationed, and there seems to be no hope for mankind. This is a gritty, dark world, where there is very little beauty and children grow up much too soon. We see it through both Wisteria and Bach’s eyes, each with a different view, yet both strangely connected to each other.

In some ways Wisteria is your typical teenager. She goes to school every day, she has a crush on the popular boy, and is picked on by the popular girls. She also is one of the few who have been off the Isle of Smythe. She carries a sword and she knows how to use it. Poor child was obviously having hormone issues since one minute she was thinking Bach was all that, and the next she was mad as a wet hen at him. And speaking of Bach, slight spoiler alert here, he is not of this plane, which might excuse his less than pleasant personality. He redeemed himself every once in a while, but he certainly put Wisteria through the wringer more than once.

There are a number of secondary characters who round out the cast. From Bach’s life there is Enric and his Thayn, Piper, who is a sort of human servant that has basically had her brain reprogrammed to live to serve her master. Bach’s manservant is Felip, who is part human and takes care of Bach and Enric. Neither Enric nor Felip come across as likeable, but of the two, Felip was the more likeable. Bach and Wisteria meet up with a young teenage boy named Garfield who ends up helping them out of a tight spot and who from time to time provides us with some comic relief. Back home on the Isle of Smythe, we see a good bit of Wistera’s mother, Lara and occasionally get glimpses of her brother along with the kids from school and the head of the military, Major Coles pops in and out.

Now the good, the bad and the ugly. The ugly – There are some scenes that are a little disturbing and quite a bit of violence, normally I would say this is no problem given the story line but some are pretty graphic for a YA book. There were times when they were with Garfield’s people that I had to “look away”. The bad – the world that Ms. Leyton built for Bach and company is a little complicated; I never did truly get a handle on it. The good – at its core this book has a good story and for the most part, kept me interested. I think the book could have used another pass with a good editor but for a first book, Ms. Leyton has done well.

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 22, 2013 Zed Whisper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wisteria lives in one of the few safe havens left. She is training as a tracker, which involves shooting those infected with the Nero disease: something her people call 'curing'. The disease is caught by someone who already has the disease biting you, and then you become one of them; a flesher.

Then enters Bach, one of the 'Family' who stumbles against Wisteria as she is fighting off the fleshers that are trying to eat/kill her. Bach is generally disgusted by humans, or 'Terrans' as they are know...more

like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mallory Anne-Marie by: Innovative Online Blog Tours

Reviewed for Innovative Online Blog Tours for Nov. 26

Review or Wisteria by Bisi Leyton
An Innovative Online Blog Tours Hop
5 stars

A complexity of world-building structures the foundation of this novel, first in a series. First of all, this “post-apocalyptic,” very Dystopian, society exists in the midst of (or around the edges of) “The Infected,” sick individuals who suffer from a type of virus that renders them zombie-like, determined to consume human flesh-live human flesh. Often called “Fleshers...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 24, 2012 Nickle [NightOwlReads] Love rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debut-authors-challenge, 2012-dystopian-challenge, 2012-paranormal-fantasy, 2012-reading-challenge

Originally posted in Night Owl Reads

This is the first zombie-themed novel I've read and I'm proud to say that it didn't disappoint. It was full of action and suspense, and an even greater mystery that was barely answered when the story reached its end. I am left wondering what the big secret is, and how it will be resolved. I must learn more about this world.

I love the cover, I even made it my Facebook profile photo. It's pretty creepy and I'm inexplicably drawn to it. I'm not a big fan of scary...more Originally posted in Night Owl Reads

This is the first zombie-themed novel I've read and I'm proud to say that it didn't disappoint. It was full of action and suspense, and an even greater mystery that was barely answered when the story reached its end. I am left wondering what the big secret is, and how it will be resolved. I must learn more about this world.

I love the cover, I even made it my Facebook profile photo. It's pretty creepy and I'm inexplicably drawn to it. I'm not a big fan of scary/creepy stuff but the cover of this book was one of the reasons I signed up to read it.

There's a glossary of terms in the beginning of the book, the author has created a world quite different from ours and it helped that she provided the glossary aside from describing some of the words used in the story. I liked that the main character, Wisteria, is unlike other female characters. She's average, more realistic, or I'd like to think she is based on the descriptions. I also liked that she acknowledged the fact that there are far more important things to worry about than having an intimate relationship with a guy. That was a big plus for me. I love reading intimate and romantic scenes but sometimes in dystopian settings, it's like the characters forget that they are fighting for their lives, that was not the case in this book.

I liked the idea of the Family - or at least, I enjoyed reading about Bach. There's still much I do not understand about them, maybe we will know more in the next books, but they do seem like obnoxious beings - so full of themselves. It's a world I am very much interested in learning more about. Here's to hoping Bisi Leyton would write a spinoff or something.

The twist near the end caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting it to be that way...but it explained some things that I didn't notice when I was reading. I should have known! Guess I was fooled too. But it wasn't mentioned anywhere in the end though so I do not know what happened to that.

All in all, it had a great ending but presented more problems and questions than resolutions and answers. I will definitely wait on the second book and be on the lookout for more works by Bisi Leyton.(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Michelle Cornwell-Jordan rated it 5 of 5 stars

MY REVIEW

Wisteria is the tale of a sixteen year old girl called Wisteria, who lived in a dystopian society. The Governments failed after the Nero disease came amongst humans and infected 80 percent of the population. The infected was basically the walking dead, who eats the flesh of healthy, uninfected humans. These “biters” have overrun society, causing many pods of communities such as the Isle Of Smythe, where those not affected, gathered together behind fence, with armed guards to live.

Wister...more MY REVIEW

Wisteria is the tale of a sixteen year old girl called Wisteria, who lived in a dystopian society. The Governments failed after the Nero disease came amongst humans and infected 80 percent of the population. The infected was basically the walking dead, who eats the flesh of healthy, uninfected humans. These “biters” have overrun society, causing many pods of communities such as the Isle Of Smythe, where those not affected, gathered together behind fence, with armed guards to live.

Wisteria lived in one of these communities with her mother, and brother. Wisteria is trained as a tracker, which means her job was to go out with other trackers, and to “cure” the infected which the only cure was to terminate them.

Wisteria, is out one day, and when attempting to save members of her community who had went into the town which was overrun with infected without permission. Wisteria is separated from her group and saved by a mysterious boy who is part of the Family. The Family is a race of being who lived in a somewhat alternate universe, who are immune to the biters, and who basically keeps humans or who they call terrans, “dirt people” as Thayns, mindless servants.

The Family basically detests humans, and the mysterious boy and his companions were here on earth to watch the humans destroy themselves, but really not realizing why, Bach, one of the Family and the who also was one of the leaders sons, saves Wisteria. He brings her back to his “den” and allows her to remain until it is safe to return to her guarded community. During this time together, the two begin to share a bond, that reflects a stronger union, that supersedes bother their cultures. Many twists and turns happen and secrets are revealed involving the past and present which will affect the future for both Wisteria and Bach.

Wisteria was such a refreshing, unique read! I enjoyed this story so much, I am somewhat wistful, that I cannot experience the reading “for the first time” again. Ms. Leyton’s account has excelled at combining paranormal and science fiction, coming forth with a wonderful elixir of entertainment, seasoned with a dash of enlightenment into a different society and custom. Wisteria’s home before the downfall of society was Lagos, Nigeria which adds a unique and interesting texture to the story.

This was a well written action packed adventure, that kept me glued to my seat, and having me anxious to turn the page to see what happens next! I loved this book so much I read it in one sitting!

Oh my goodness Wisteria was a fantastic read, and I suggest you do yourself a favor and pick up the Next Big Thing!
(less)

like · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Lissette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wisteria's life has been anything but normal. For several years, she and her family have had to scavenge for whatever they need in hopes of surviving amongst the undead. Nero, a medicine that was meant to help people all over the world, has inadvertently turned everyone into flesh-eaters. Everywhere she looks, biters lie ready to pounce and feed on the unsuspecting.

Determined to not become one of them, Wisteria has decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a tracker. Their job is to...more Wisteria's life has been anything but normal. For several years, she and her family have had to scavenge for whatever they need in hopes of surviving amongst the undead. Nero, a medicine that was meant to help people all over the world, has inadvertently turned everyone into flesh-eaters. Everywhere she looks, biters lie ready to pounce and feed on the unsuspecting.

Determined to not become one of them, Wisteria has decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a tracker. Their job is to note and catalogue the undead's movements in hopes of gleaning as much information as possible in order to find a suitable cure for the disease. Every now and then, they'll need to 'cure' the biters if they get too close. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. The biters aren't your normal every day zombies. They're relentless and hungry and are quite agile.

When an ordinary mission goes awry and she finds herself miles away from her beloved safe haven, the Isle of Smythe, Wisteria soon realizes she'll need to use her wits and skills to survive the onslaught of biters intent on making her their meal. Help arrives unexpectedly in the form of a dark-haired, green eyed boy by the name of Bach. Part of her acknowledges that she finds him to be quite familiar. Unfortunately, the holes in her memory prevent her from remembering that which she needs to know.

As the situation becomes dire, Wisteria and Bach do everything possible to survive the nightmare they now find themselves in. In addition to the biters, they now have to fend off the Red Phoenix, a group intent on doing away with Bach and their friends, once and for all. Bach, on the other hand, refuses to fall prey to their machinations and tries to stay one step ahead of them.

When secrets of their past begin to surface, they soon realize there's more at stake than they knew. Those they love and care for are intent on keeping them from ever knowing who they really are. Fighting their growing attraction, Bach and Wisteria do everything they can to make the most of the situations they find themselves. Despite the secrets they've discovered, neither can deny that they're made for one another. Love is just around the corner, a certainty both are aware of. But first, they must deal with the obstacles that have cropped up a long the way in hopes of finding that light at the end of the darkened tunnel.

I found this book to be highly delightful and entertaining. Bisi has some great ideas going on. She really does. This isn't your ordinary zombie story, that's for sure. The alien theory adds a certain amount of intrigue to the mix and I find Wisteria's vulnerability in the face of such adversities a little endearing.

The book does have quite a bit of editing issues that need to be fixed. If you don't mind that and can allow yourself to read past them, this is definitely a story worth reading. I do wish that the history of the Family was expanded upon a little more. At times, it felt as if not much was explained about them or about how Bach and Wisteria truly came to meet one another. I felt that portion of the story would have benefited from a little more information. All in all, it's still a good read.(less)

like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Stephanie Cover2CoverBlog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-library, early-review, ya

Background: Wisteria is living on a island with her mom, brother, and a community of scientists and soldiers, attempting to survive the Nero disease. The Nero disease hit and made everyone biters, flesh eaters, and Wisteria is just a teenage girl trying to live a semi-normal life. One day she is attacked by too many biters while out of the compound, and she awakens in a strange home with very beautiful teenage boys taking care of her. These are a strange group and she only wants to get home, but...more Background: Wisteria is living on a island with her mom, brother, and a community of scientists and soldiers, attempting to survive the Nero disease. The Nero disease hit and made everyone biters, flesh eaters, and Wisteria is just a teenage girl trying to live a semi-normal life. One day she is attacked by too many biters while out of the compound, and she awakens in a strange home with very beautiful teenage boys taking care of her. These are a strange group and she only wants to get home, but there is something about these different people that intrigues her.

Review: I have been on a zombie book kick apparently... which works well because it is October and Halloween is right around the corner. Wisteria was a great read, it had some of the things that I love about zombie books and movies, but also had some good twists. So my likes-- Wisteria is a strong female who can use a weapon and hold her own, but she is also the outcast and she is bullied non-stop throughout the book, and I think that made me relate to her more than just having a strong girl lead. The Nero premise was very cool and creepy, the community if afraid of being attacked and torn apart by flesh eaters, but it also had a very Resident Evil feel, always someone fighting their way through. There were some wonderfully written creepy survivor parts. Then there was the main story- line of Wisteria and Bach (one of the strange boys), this was by far the most interesting part, Bach and his companions are nor from Terra (Earth) they are just here to watch it die, and Wisteria and he have met before but neither of them can figure out when or where. This is what kept me reading,I needed to find out.
Some dislikes- very typical zombie, dystopia-- ahh there are zombies, we have to survive! I get it, there are flesh eaters and you are striving to live...sadly this has been done...a lot. So if it had not been for the weird alien boys I would not have read to the end.

So if you have a thing for zombie books, you should obviously go get this one same if you like green-eyed boys that aren't from Earth.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 18, 2012 Rute Canhoto rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OPINIÃO
Concluí a leitura deste livro a 17 de setembro de 2012 e dou-lhe quarto estrelas, muitoooo perto de cinco.
A autora criou um cenário apocalíptico muito bem conseguido, em que os zombies são o maior pesadelo dos poucos sobreviventes.
Gostei de Wisteria: é humana, tem os seus medos, mas também é uma personagem forte que não se deixa ir abaixo e está sempre pronta a lutar se essa for a única saída. Bach também é interessante e gostei de o ver lutar por Wisteria depois de ultrapassar os seus pr...more OPINIÃO
Concluí a leitura deste livro a 17 de setembro de 2012 e dou-lhe quarto estrelas, muitoooo perto de cinco.
A autora criou um cenário apocalíptico muito bem conseguido, em que os zombies são o maior pesadelo dos poucos sobreviventes.
Gostei de Wisteria: é humana, tem os seus medos, mas também é uma personagem forte que não se deixa ir abaixo e está sempre pronta a lutar se essa for a única saída. Bach também é interessante e gostei de o ver lutar por Wisteria depois de ultrapassar os seus preconceitos. Admito que gostaria de os ver triunfar enquanto casal, embora calcule que deverão encontrar ainda muitos obstáculos.
Quanto à Família, gostaria de saber mais sobre eles e o seu funcionamento enquanto sociedade; talvez a autora fale mais sobre isso no segundo volume. Suspeito igualmente que Felip deve regressar neste livro, mas é melhor não me tentar antecipar. Com tudo isto, é claro que pretendo ler o segundo volume. Aliás, “Wisteria” foi um livro caído do céu. Vinha de uma série de leituras a que dei uma classificação baixa e estava mesmo a precisar de algo um pouco melhor. Foi uma lufada de ar fresco.

REVIEW
I finished reading this book on September 17, 2012 and I rate it four stars, reallyyyyyy close to five.
The author has created a very successful doomsday scenario, in which the zombies are the worst nightmare of the few survivors.
I liked Wisteria: she is human, has her fears, but she’s also a strong character who doesn’t go down easily and is always ready to fight if that is the only way out. Bach is also interesting and I liked to see him fighting for Wisteria after overcoming his prejudices. I admit I'd like to see them succeed as a couple, although I figure they should still find many obstacles on their way.
As for The Family, I’d like to know more about them and their functioning as a society; perhaps the author will talk more about that in the second volume. I also suspect that Felip should return on that book, but I better not try to anticipate. With all this, of course I want to read the second volume. In fact, "Wisteria" was a book that fell from the sky. I’d come from a series of lectures that I gave a low score and I really needed something a little better. It was a breath of fresh air.
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 22, 2013 Myra (Pieces of Whimsy) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-let-me-count-the-ways-reading, 2013-read-a-latte-challenge, for-review, e-book, 2013-ya-reading-challenge, reviewed

Review first published on my blog, Pieces of Whimsy

Ooh.. I loved this book! [insert happy face here] I wasn't really sure what this was about, preferring not to finding out much in case I ruined the story, so the fleshers were a surprise! I've never been a big fan of zombie books but they may just be because I didn't enjoy my first zombie book and judged the rest by it. Since then, all the zombie books I've read have been really good, so I think my zombie-hating days are over.

Mixing zombies, sec...more

like · see review

Nov 05, 2012 April rated it 3 of 5 stars

My Review as posted at http://www.myparanormalbookreview.blo...

Leyton creates a world destroyed by Nero Disease, which turns individuals into flesh eaters (more commonly known in the world of fiction as a zombie). The world she creates shows most humans as only caring about their own safety and survival. Of course, Wisteria is different than most individuals. She is a caring teenager who risks her life multiple times throughout the story to save others from flesh eaters. Wisteria, her mother and...more My Review as posted at http://www.myparanormalbookreview.blo...

Leyton creates a world destroyed by Nero Disease, which turns individuals into flesh eaters (more commonly known in the world of fiction as a zombie). The world she creates shows most humans as only caring about their own safety and survival. Of course, Wisteria is different than most individuals. She is a caring teenager who risks her life multiple times throughout the story to save others from flesh eaters. Wisteria, her mother and brother live on the Smythe Island, a small community of survivors. The leader of the community is Major Coles. He has created an orderly community in which all residents must pull their weight or be exiled beyond the walls of the island. Throughout the book, Wisteria, is exposed to cannibalism, human trafficking, and bullying. Yes…teenagers will be teenagers no matter the circumstances surrounding them. In times of survival, humans will do unspeakable things to ensure their own safety. I must say, Wisteria is a very resilient young woman.

Wisteria is herself saved by a mysterious teenager, Bach. He takes her back to his apartment where he and two friends live. He is not human and not from this realm. He and his people view Terrans (humans) as animals. Bach is only here to witness the death of Terra (earth). Soon, Bach realizes Wisteria is a girl from his past. However, she doesn’t remember him. This is where the book starts to really become interesting. How does he know Wisteria? Why doesn’t she remember him? Why are they drawn to each other? Then, they are attacked by a group known as Red Phoenix. Who is Red Phoenix? After the attack, Wisteria returns to Smythe Island with Bach. Finally, both of them realize they love each other. However, Bach knows they cannot be together as it is forbidden for his people to be with a Terran. If they continue their relationship, he is placing Wisteria in grave harm. The ending climax reveals so much. Bach learns of a heartbreaking betrayal and Wisteria begins to learn a lot about her parent’s involvement with Red Phoenix. Is Red Phoenix responsible for the Nero outbreak? How is Bach’s people involved with the outbreak? I’ve a ton of questions I’m sure will be answered in the next book or books. I must say this is a great start to a new series. My only constructive criticism of the book is the need for more editing. I rated the Wisteria 3 STARS!(less)

like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Nancy (The Avid Reader) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: innovative-online-book-tours, bisi-leyton, read-in-2012

The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I received a copy of Wisteria from the author via Innovative Online Book Tours.

Wisteria is a sixteen year old girl whose life has all but been taken away from her. Almost everyone she knows has succumbed to the "Nero" disease. The Nero disease is where humans are turned into "flesh eaters" also know as zombies. Wisteria, her mother Lara and brother David have made it the Isle of Smythe a safe place where every man, woman and child has to...more The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I received a copy of Wisteria from the author via Innovative Online Book Tours.

Wisteria is a sixteen year old girl whose life has all but been taken away from her. Almost everyone she knows has succumbed to the "Nero" disease. The Nero disease is where humans are turned into "flesh eaters" also know as zombies. Wisteria, her mother Lara and brother David have made it the Isle of Smythe a safe place where every man, woman and child has to do their part in helping to make things run smoothly on the Isle. All children have to go to school and when they reach the age of sixteen then they are given a job to do.

When Wisteria turned sixteen and it was time for her to start helping out in the community she was given the opportunity of becoming a tracker or a rat catcher. She chose to be a tracker like her mother. A tracker goes outside the walls of the Isle to scout and study the zombies to help find a cure for the disease. Wisteria was very good tracker she knew exactly how to use her sword when the need arose for her to have to "cure" a zombie. She would swing her sword right at the zombies neck and chop it off.

Wisteria was not a very popular girl on the Isle of Smythe. She was always having problems with the girls at the school. You see Wisteria was the kind of person that thought surviving and learning how to protect yourself was more important than dating or going steady with a guy. But the other girls thought guys, makeup and pretty clothes was more important. So on the day that Wisteria caught in the middle of a large group of zombies and almost died was not her fault. The girls that were always bullying her were in a store "shopping" for new clothes and makeup. She was trying to save these girls lives and would have gotten eaten by the zombies. But Bach saw her jump off the top of the fire escape and when she hit the ground she passed out. Bach took her back to where he was staying with his friends.

Bach and his friends are not who or what you would think they are. Bach can't stand Terran girls which means earth girls or human. Bach and "The Family" think that humans are dirt people. Bach and his friends came to earth to watch the earth people kill their world. Bach hates Terrans because they killed his mother. He doesn't want them nowhere near him but when he meets Wisteria he feels as if he knows her. But he is not sure why or how he knows her.

Wisteria finally makes it back home to the Isle of Smythe with Bach's help. After their arrival on the Isle of Smythe, Wisteria finds out that there are a lot of secrets being kept.

I love reading books about zombies and Wisteria was no different I loved it too. Although it did differ from a lot of the zombie books that I have read. But it being different is what makes it such a great read. If you like reading about zombies then I don't think you would be disappointed with reading Wisteria.(less)

like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wisteria and her family are struggling to survive after the world has been devastated by the nero virus. Those infected by the virus are mindless and feed on those who are not infected with the virus. In an effort to face her fears Wisteria becomes a tracker and when faced with the decision she will “cure” any infected that crosses her path. Wisteria and Bach’s paths cross and an instant connection is developed between them.

I haven’t read many zombie themed books and was pleasantly surprised wit...more

like · see review

Sep 18, 2012 Naomi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

What a great start to the Wisteria series!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! Bisi Leyton has written a fabulous novel, showing us what life would be like if a plague hit the earth and if you were bitten you turned into a flesh eating biter. There are Supernatural people who can cross into our world and the disease has no effect on them. Those of the unaffected people who remain are all in colonies so that the ‘biters’ can’t get in. If you have seen the movie ‘I Am Legend,’ this could be the sequ...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour-review, zombie-obsession

First of all, when I was invited to read this book on a blog tour I saw the cover and immediately read the blurb. As soon as I read “flesh eaters” as my readers know, I had to jump at it. I love all things zombie and when presented the opportunity to read a zombie book I cannot say no.

Wisteria, her mother and brother live on the Ilse of Smythe, a small city of people who have survived the Nero disease outbreak. Protected by the military the isle doesn't see many biters. Wisteria works with a gro...more

like · see review

Nov 24, 2012 Mel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Mel by: I.O. Book Tours

Shelves: io-book-tours, indie-authors, 4-stars-books, aliens, ebook, fiction, horror, humans, mobi, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, zombies, young-adult, paranormal-romance

This book is classified as Young Adult Paranormal Romance, and although it fits the bill, the story itself pulls from a wider set of norms. In fact, the novel has many elements of the horror and the sci-fi genre. To begin with, the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a scientifically created virus has turned most of humanity into flesh –and brain– eating zombies. Sprinkle the mix with a healthy dose of mostly older sexy teenage aliens and inter-dimensional traveling and you have...more This book is classified as Young Adult Paranormal Romance, and although it fits the bill, the story itself pulls from a wider set of norms. In fact, the novel has many elements of the horror and the sci-fi genre. To begin with, the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a scientifically created virus has turned most of humanity into flesh –and brain– eating zombies. Sprinkle the mix with a healthy dose of mostly older sexy teenage aliens and inter-dimensional traveling and you have the recipe for great entertainment.

We follow Wisteria and Bach as they go back and forth between regular teenage problems –such as love, high school, mean girls, the outcast, family expectations vs. their own desires, etc. – and the more serious, much more pressing (and oftentimes depressing) matters of living in a zombie infested post-apocalyptic era. Wisteria is a strong minded teenage girl that has seen the worst of what humanity can offer. She believes in always being ready and never being a victim. For me, both qualities are huge pluses to have in a female lead; it just makes you love her and root for her even when she is being idiotic. This, coupled with her flaws, makes Wisteria a more believable and interesting character. On the other hand we have Bach, a conflicted, angsty, moody, and most times a downright jackass alien boy whom you’ll probably develop a love-hate relationship with his decisions. Throughout the tale he battles with his personal demons and his desire to possess and love Wisteria. As I was reading the book, half the time I was waiting for the plot to finally get them together, and the other half I just wanted to smack Bach hard enough to shake him.

I ask to review this book from the Innovative Online Book Tours’ tour catalogue and I can’t be happier that I did. I really enjoyed this story, and I’m looking forward to see how the series, as well as the author, grow and develop. If you enjoy reading YA books within the Paranormal genre or you just like your books with a good pace but very little to no smexiness, then you might want to give Wisteria a try.(less)

like · see review

Sep 03, 2012 Monique Morgan rated it 5 of 5 stars

The first thing that struck me as I read this book was that the main character was unlike the majority of female characters, she was not the prettiest, the skinniest, the deadliest, etc. She is what I would like to call an average, all around girl. This was refreshing to read about a character like this.

I enjoyed the dystopian setting of the book, as well as the communities that Wisteria comes in contact with along the way. I wont go into too much details, as I hate spoilers, but the synopsis wi...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 17, 2013 Anatea Oroz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, young-adult, romance, paranormal, aliens

This review is also posted on my blog, Anatea's Bookshelf

Wow! Let's talk about surprises! I thought this would be a great book, but it was even better. It has aliens, it has zombies and it has romance. What else could we possibly wish for?

Most of the humans are infected by Nero disease which turns them into biters. Wisteria is living on the Isle of Smythe with her mother and her brother and she is a tracker. Her job is to kill all the biters that threten the Isle of Smythe, one of the last known...more

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 01, 2013 Jennifer Bielman (Reading and Writing UF and PNR) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, young-adult, horror, aliens, paranormal-romance, reviewed

From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....

3.5 stars.

At A Glance
Wisteria was a zombie, alien, post-apocalyptic mind explosion. However, the writing wasn't great.

The Good
The concept of Wisteria is what drew me to this book. Aliens and zombies? I am so there. But I never expected the lengths this book went. I was sickened, excited, and terrified with every word, every page. I never knew what to expect next. I love a book that can keep me guessing.

The world Wisteria lives in is horrifying. The...more

like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 Ariella rated it 3 of 5 stars

More of my reviews at Secrets of Lost Words

You can also read this review here

*A review copy was provided by the author for reviewing purposes*
Thank you, Bisi Leyton and YANR Blog Tours!

Wisteria takes place in a world taken over by the Nero disease. The Nero disease creates biters, which seem like zombies to me. They bite and infect more people. The world is almost completely infected by it and there are a few small pockets of the world left that are save havens. But no place is ever completely s...more More of my reviews at Secrets of Lost Words

You can also read this review here

*A review copy was provided by the author for reviewing purposes*
Thank you, Bisi Leyton and YANR Blog Tours!

Wisteria takes place in a world taken over by the Nero disease. The Nero disease creates biters, which seem like zombies to me. They bite and infect more people. The world is almost completely infected by it and there are a few small pockets of the world left that are save havens. But no place is ever completely safe. Not even the Isle of Smythe where Wisteria lives.

Wisteria is a pretty average girl who goes to school. Has the crush on the most popular boy. Gets bullied by the most popular girls. Wisteria is a tracker. Trackers are basically people who patrol the surrounding area and makes observation about the biters. They also kill the biters if any get too close.

Bach is the featured hottie of this book. He is eighteen and comes from a race known as The Family. He despises humans and is the Sen Son (the leader's son). The Family thinks humans are dirt and thinks of them as slaves. But Bach gradually falls in love with Wisteria.

I'm very neutral about this novel. There's nothing that really wowed me as far as this goes. I think I've seen biters in another book before.. I think it's called Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen if I recall correctly.

As the book progresses, we see more of Wisteria and Bach's love for each other. In the end, we actually find out why Bach thinks Wisteria is familiar.

I think this novel dragged on too long. There were some places where I think it could've ended. And there were also some scenes where I feel like the book just babbled to me. Like, just extra info and it didn't really keep the suspense going.

There was only one character I didn't like. That is Enric. He is such a bastard. I mean, he treats Piper so badly I don't even know what to say. Seriously, it's like Piper is lower than a slave to him. Like, she is replaceable (she is, but she's still a human being!). I think some of The Family treat their Thayn (human/Terran slaves) too harshly. I get that they're supposed to be lowlives to them, but Enric is too harsh. He might as well have spat in Piper's eyes. And Piper does nothing about it because she is enchanted to her master, Enric. Ugh.. talk about inhumane treatment.

Overall, I think this book is quite interesting with a few issues. Like the one above. If you still feel like you want to read this, go ahead. I'm not stopping you.(less)

like · see review

Jan 15, 2013 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: earc-have, read-in-2013, paranormal-reading-challenge-2013

I need to start by saying that this was one of the craziest books I've read in a long time. There is lots of action, plenty of gore, secrets, aliens, zombies, people out for revenge, and groups just in search of violence. I didn't love everything about the book but it was certainly an entertaining ride! At under 300 pages, the story never slows down and packs as much action into those pages as it can. I was able to read the book in a day because it moves so quickly and just begs you to keep read...more I need to start by saying that this was one of the craziest books I've read in a long time. There is lots of action, plenty of gore, secrets, aliens, zombies, people out for revenge, and groups just in search of violence. I didn't love everything about the book but it was certainly an entertaining ride! At under 300 pages, the story never slows down and packs as much action into those pages as it can. I was able to read the book in a day because it moves so quickly and just begs you to keep reading. And while I didn't always seem to be on the same page as the book and got lost a little bit with everything that was going on, it was still highly entertaining.And I just have to say that I really love the cover of this book.

We meet Wisteria right off the bat in the middle of a swarm of biters (zombies). She's living in a self-sustaining society on the Isle of Smythe and works as a tracker to try to learn the patterns and numbers of the zombies around their community. We learn that her mother is one of the best trackers but isn't too happy that Wisteria also desires to be one and sneaks out on a surveying mission. It doesn't go well. But Wisteria is young. A couple of years later, she's worked back up and is being trained as a tracker again. While out on a simple protection job, everything goes wrong and she becomes separated from her group. The rest of the book follows Wisteria as she survives on the outside with help from Bach, a boy quite different from her who is on a quest of his own to prove his worth to his own race and who Wisteria seems to be inexplicably connected to, and what happens when they finally reach Smythe again.

The biters in this story are only part of what's threatening Wisteria. She must also escape from cannibals, figure out who the Red Phoenix are and why they attacked her, and decide who she can trust within her own society. I won't give away any of the secrets or twists that this books has hidden within its pages but I will say that almost all of the characters will surprise you at some point. And most definitely not in the way you will be expecting. It was one of the more enjoyable parts of the book, just trying to figure out who should be trusted and who to stay away from and finding out whether I was right or not. Leyton certainly kept me on my toes!

One of my favorite parts of this book was Wisteria. She was a completely normal teenage girl who lived in abnormal circumstances. She was not the prettiest, strongest, thinnest, bravest, or most talented girl but she knew how to survive and was willing to put her life on the line for those around her. She made mistakes and got angry, she was made fun of and even had an embarrassing crush on a classmate. She was completely relatable and that helps make a great MC. She did, unfortunately, have a sort-of insta-love moment which I wasn't too fond of, but I'm forgiving her because of her circumstances and things that I won't spoil for you. It was just nice to see a female main character that didn't automatically have all the answers because she was the best at everything.

There were a few frustrating parts for me. In the beginning, I had a hard time with the quick turnarounds. I often felt thrown from one story line to the next without much, if any, transition. When Bach first appeared, I was so confused I had to go back and read the whole section a second time. But once I got into the rhythm of the book, the transitions became easier. Another aspect I wasn't too fond of was Bach's story line. There was so much that frustrated me about him but mostly it was just that I didn't fully understand him. I wanted more description of him, his abilities, where he was from, and an explanation of renewal earlier in the book. When we do learn about his past, so much becomes clear. His history and how it relates to the entire story is really interesting, I wish it had been discovered earlier or hinted at sooner.

Final Thoughts: This book was a crazy ride full of paranormal creatures and societies that are full of secrets. Wisteria was a fast read that fans of zombie and alien books will probably enjoy. There are some confusing moments but also some very interesting characters and some action packed scenes. While this book combines both science-fiction and paranormal elements, it doesn't really add much to either genre. There's nothing too deep hidden within these pages, but someone looking for a fun, fast, action-packed story with some intrigue should find it enjoyable. I gave Wisteria 3 stars. (less)

like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Alicia Batista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-must-read, action, adventure, amazing, can-t-wait-for-the-sequel, dystopia, fav-s, infected, post-apocalypse, romance, strong-female, virus, you-ll-be-sorry-if-you-miss-this-bo, zombie-apocalypse, young-adult, famila

5 Stars

First I have to say this novel has left me speechless!

I have NEVER felt a thrill, like I did when reading this novel! This book had me on the edge of my seat with NON-STOP action, adventure, and drama, that I Craved for! Their was SO MANY twist and turns that I NEVER seen coming and was SO MANY parts that absolutely BLOW MY MIND!

I was turning the pages faster then I could read them because I wanted, NO I NEED MORE and I had to know what happened next!

I haven't found too many books that...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Wisteria
avg rating	preview: Wisteria Goodreads rating: 3.78 (93 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15830181-wisteria?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345057377l/15830181.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15830181-wisteria?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Wisteria by Bisi Leyton[/url]

Wisteria (Wisteria #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Bisi Leyton

Books by Bisi Leyton

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wisteria

Wisteria (Wisteria #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Bisi Leyton

Books by Bisi Leyton

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wisteria

new topic
Discuss This Book