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Undead

(Undead #1)

Kirsty McKay

3.89 · Rating details · 3,355 ratings · 557 reviews

Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smit ...more

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Hardcover, 263 pages

Published September 1st 2012 by Chicken House (first published September 1st 2011)

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May 21, 2012 Giselle rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, ebook

What started off as a laugh-out-loud funny zombie book/parody, ends up losing its flair about half way through, when the humor turns from funny to exhausting. I can see this book garnering a certain fan base, especially those who get a kick out of B-rated horror films and parodies. To me it was just too… dumb. This book was dumb. I can't lie.

When a school-trip zombifies, Bobby and a couple other fortunate classmates who are still alive, are trying to escape their friends who suddenly want to ea What started off as a laugh-out-loud funny zombie book/parody, ends up losing its flair about half way through, when the humor turns from funny to exhausting. I can see this book garnering a certain fan base, especially those who get a kick out of B-rated horror films and parodies. To me it was just too… dumb. This book was dumb. I can't lie.

When a school-trip zombifies, Bobby and a couple other fortunate classmates who are still alive, are trying to escape their friends who suddenly want to eat their faces. This book is definitely meant to be funny, even bizarre, and I did laugh quite a bit, especially at the beginning when Bobby's sense of humor makes the best of things. I knew before going in that it wasn't a serious zombie novel, I mean, just look at this cover, what I didn't expect was the extent to which it would get ridiculous. I wanted to lay off the funny just a notch, and get some good story building at the very least to give the humor something to hang on to. For the most part, we go back and forth with no real goal or significance in the story, causing me to get restless and jittery, and eventually lethargic. The book zombiefied me! Bravo! Finally, when the plot got some traction, I was too anxious to get the book over with to enjoy the story developments that followed.

There are a lot of characters that come into play in this novel. Bobby being the narrator, we obviously get to know her the most. I did like her, but I also got irritated by her more than I can count, mostly because of her annoyingly flippant attitude about the situation. What I did like was her determination and take-charge attitude. She's not one that needs a hand to hold. Along with Bobby, we meet a slew of "survivors" that I can't say are very memorable. When a name was mentioned, I kept having to do a mental-check to recall who they were. This is the type of characterization that you come to expect from horror films, but in a book I like to get distinct personalities that I can get to know and care about, at least to some extent.

Also, for the love of god, zombies are called zombies, not zoms. *cries*

Will I tell you not to read this book? Not at all. It has tons of humor that ranges from hilarious to stupid to just plain ridiculous that I'm sure some people will enjoy. It will probably even gain its own cult following. But if you're looking for any type of substance other than mindless entertainment, walk away, and let us never speak of this again.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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May 27, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-e-book

Undead was a heart-pounding, action-packed, zombie tale that took off and never stopped! I dare you to catch your breath while reading it!

Bobby is on her way home from the school-trip from hell (little does she know! Haha!). The school bus has stopped at the “Cheery Chomp” café (great name for a zombie tale) so they can all get off and have lunch. Bobby, being the new girl and class outcast, is tired of the mean-girls, and decides to stay on the bus. Her are her ominous opening words: “I woul Undead was a heart-pounding, action-packed, zombie tale that took off and never stopped! I dare you to catch your breath while reading it!

Bobby is on her way home from the school-trip from hell (little does she know! Haha!). The school bus has stopped at the “Cheery Chomp” café (great name for a zombie tale) so they can all get off and have lunch. Bobby, being the new girl and class outcast, is tired of the mean-girls, and decides to stay on the bus. Her are her ominous opening words: “I would rather die than face them all again. Die horribly. In a messy, fleshy, blood ’n’ guts kind of way. It is a total no-brainer.”*

Stuck on the bus with her is the rebel-without-a-cause, complete with inky black hair and leather jacket, Smitty. He’s been busted by one of the teachers for buying smokes and vodka with a fake ID. But the teacher can’t deprive him of food, so Mr. Taylor makes his way to the café to grab a sandwich for him. This leaves the bus driver, Smitty, and Bobby to wait while everyone eats. Within no time, Alice or Malice, as Smitty calls her, runs back to the bus in a panic. It seems when she came out of the restroom, the whole class, including Mr. Taylor, was dead as doornails. Well, at least for the time being……

Robby was the perfect heroine for this tale, the ordinary girl stuck in extraordinary circumstances rising to every challenge with courage. A zombie uprising brings out the best in this girl. I instantly loved Bobby from the beginning with her snarky and humorous internal commentary that had me laughing throughout the story. Smitty is all kinds of fun, and full of hilarious one-liners. He is the hero to Bobby’s heroine, and between the beheadings and vomit, there’s a sweet little romance brewing. There’s Pete, the class geek and brain who manages to survive somehow. And the last of this mismatched quartet is Alice, the gloriously shallow mean-girl who manages to still have her lip gloss and mascara carefully applied in all the chaos. This beauty of a quote comes from her: “It’s such a nightmare!” Alice cries. “They want to kill us!” Her eyes narrow. “And Shanika’s got my CoutureCandy bag, the bitch!” she says to the driver. “Run them over!”* Kirsty McKay’s wickedly wonderful humor is laced throughout.

This story was non-stop action, terror, and ironically, fun. It had my heart pumping from the anticipation of what was around the next dark corner. But this was more than just a mindless romp; there is a mystery behind this outbreak that these four slowly uncover, and it hits close to home for one of them. I totally recommend this story to adrenaline junkies and zombie lovers alike. This ends on sort of a cliffhanger, but not the tear-your-hair-out kind. With that said while I was typing up the review for Undead, I ordered Unfed (Undead #2). I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to Netgalley and The Chicken House for allowing me to read this.

You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.

*Quotes are taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy. ...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: zombie

How can a ski “school trip from hell” to the snow covered hills of middle of nowhere Scotland get worse? Just add zombies, blood, bitchiness, and conspiracy theories galore! :D

The Undead by Kirsty McKay wastes no time getting to the action. We jump in with both feet right along with our heroes running, swinging, bickering, and armed to the teeth. At a roadside diner just asking for a zombie blood bath, the Cheery Chomper, Bobby witnesses a whole new side to her classmates. Bobby is the new kid i
How can a ski “school trip from hell” to the snow covered hills of middle of nowhere Scotland get worse? Just add zombies, blood, bitchiness, and conspiracy theories galore! :D

The Undead by Kirsty McKay wastes no time getting to the action. We jump in with both feet right along with our heroes running, swinging, bickering, and armed to the teeth. At a roadside diner just asking for a zombie blood bath, the Cheery Chomper, Bobby witnesses a whole new side to her classmates. Bobby is the new kid in school, an outsider, trying to find her way and perhaps a friend or two when her schoolmates begin zombie-ing out, hunting for bloody bits to nibble and suck on. Instead of cracking the social status bubble of the queen bees, Bobby could end up cracking skulls instead! :) So how does one stay alive and kicking in a moaning, groaning, leg dragging zom world?

Teamwork! I liked Bobby from the very first glare and snarky comment, but humor and wit is nothing without sidekicks to bicker and banter along with. The gang soon forms filled with strong, likeable characters—Pete, Alice, Smitty, and more—each adding a new layer, style and skill to the pile of fun. I loved the whole gang, but Smitty stole the show! This leather-jacket clad hero throws a wicked one-liner, swing, and flirty comment out with such a fun-wink-of the-eye humor, warmth, and charm. He leads alongside Bobby with intelligence and strength. Both willing to allow the other to take the lead and share responsibility. A true gutsy team filled with possibilities. Bobby and Smitty’s chemistry was intimate, sweet, and down right swoon worthy. I loved the slow build up with quick looks, touches, compliments, and jabs. They made me laugh out loud throughout.

“What the--? Smitty doesn’t finish his sentence. The power cuts out, plunging us into darkness. Alice gives another yelp, there’s a thud, and Pete cries out, too. I grab at Smitty, and he at me, and for one horrible, desperately embarrassing second we fly into each other’s arms like Shaggy and Scooby Don’t.”

My absolute favorite part of the group’s chemistry and magic though was the growth and changes along the way. Ms. McKay allows each character to really develop and adapt to the deadly circumstances in their own time and way. The simpering wad of nerves and tears in the corner may not remain curled up and immobile for long. Hell, he or she just might end up kicking some ass!

Now I know I have said this before, but I’ll say it again—I’m a word junkie! I live and breathe off of them. So the language, humor, and words here were a true treat for me. Every page held lines that had me giggling, highlighting, or looking up.

“With knobs on!” or “Going all fruit-loopy now is not going to help.”

Words that jumped out and made me smile—tosser, crumblies, pavement pizza, and flabbergastery. Haha…Love it!

The whole gory, giggle fest was a pure joy to experience! Lightning quick banter, action, and humor propelled this story along with force and fun. But it was the action packed ending that had this horror fan swooning! I could feel the slick, cold fear and tension in my gut. Bloody beautiful! Color me very impressed. A snow covered horror tale brings out my full wattage smile! The splashes of color against the pure, white snow provide such a gruesome image in my head. All my senses jumped to attention with this final confrontation. Twists and turns that had me biting my nails til the end! :D

I highly recommend this dose of horror fun. I had a blast here!

Can’t wait for more!
...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Ashley - The Bookish Brunette rated it it was amazing

Shelves: zombies, 2012-release

Okay... FIRST, I feel it DETRIMENTAL to my very existence to mention the dedication in this book! (which for the record, I rarely notice- but it appears I may have to start paying more attention.)

For John

Gobble, gobble, gobble

Hehe... I feel like this is made of win! I don't know who John is, and I don't know if Kirsty McKay was referring to turkeys or zombies- but I don't care because either way, that's an epic dedication.

Moving on.

Bobby is a super, epic chick of AWESOME... Wrapped in witty sarc ...more

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Oct 29, 2017 Lexxi Kitty rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, setting-country-scotland, reviewed, best-by-author, setting-country-uk, series-book, genre-disaster, genre-horror, zombies, age-013-to-19

Told from the point of view of a young woman named Bobby, a native of the UK who has spent enough time in the USA to mess up her accent and therefore be made fun of by co-students, who is now returning from a school ski trip (a school Bobby has not yet joined, but will shortly since they have just moved back to the UK (they being Bobby and her mother, 'mum', but not dad since dad's dead - though glimpses of him are seen in flashes - ETA: flashes = flashbacks. ETA added because remembered this be Told from the point of view of a young woman named Bobby, a native of the UK who has spent enough time in the USA to mess up her accent and therefore be made fun of by co-students, who is now returning from a school ski trip (a school Bobby has not yet joined, but will shortly since they have just moved back to the UK (they being Bobby and her mother, 'mum', but not dad since dad's dead - though glimpses of him are seen in flashes - ETA: flashes = flashbacks. ETA added because remembered this be a zombie book, dad not zombie).

The book opens with Bobby resting her face against a bus window watching as her classmates head to a café through the snowy-blizzard like conditions to eat some food. She's tired of being near people who make fun of her, had prepared a sandwich for herself before the bus trip started (the bus trip, by the way, to take the kids from the ski location to . . . well, never actually stated). Eventually she's left on the bus with only the bus driver, one of the teachers, and Smitty, a young rebellious man - co-student. Smitty is being forced to remain on the bus due to . . . um, reasons (stuff he did or didn’t do or whatever). He, Smitty, convinces the teacher to go get him a sandwich. Leaving the bus down to the bus driver, Smitty, and Bobby.

Somewhere along the line, either before or after the bus experiences a few bumps, a car slams into the back of the bus. The bus driver exits to investigate. Leaving Bobby and Smitty alone. But not for long, for suddenly one of the more popular girls on the trip, Alice, ends up on the bus, collapsed on the stairs in her skirt (like on the cover of the book – re: cover, Alice is not the main character, who is wearing pants, and neither Alice nor Bobby ever weld an axe (though Smitty does at some point). She’d been yelling at them. Something about all of them being dead and to close the bus doors.

And so, things proceed. The people on the bus gaze at the café through binoculars, see everyone slumped over (everyone they can see). Then Smitty remembers the bus driver is out there somewhere and goes and gets him – only to find him slumped over injured. Alice locks Smitty, the driver, and Bobby out, but the driver revives enough to indicate how to open the door from the outside.

Meanwhile, many attempts are made to make phones and/or radios work. None of the attempts work. Eventually it is decided to attempt to go the gas station. Which is where Gareth and … um, Pete, I think his name is Pete, are added to the small group of people wondering just what is up, what’s going on. Mind I’ve already overlooked the fact that the teacher had returned to the bus at some point, pounded on the door, and wanted in. Many indications, though, were there that the teacher was no longer human. As happens more times than I’d like to see, one of the characters is reluctant to use the Z word, you know, Zombie. But he’d been zombified.

Right, so – everyone but a few school students, and a gas station attendant had been turned into zombies. In their set of resources the kids have everyone’s luggage, and a bus. And no way to contact anyone. And so they wander around attempting to figure out how to save themselves, exploding things, picking up other live humans, getting trapped, escaping, etc. etc. All against the backdrop of some snowy location in Scotland.

Interesting enough zombie book. I suppose the one negative I can immediately note is the part where the author was good at creating teenage characters (as opposed to a bunch of adults in teenage bodies). A negative because . . . well, it’s exhausting reading a bunch of whiny, posing, vicious people interacting and attempting to live. (But then I remember the few scenes I’ve caught here or there from that Walking Dead show and . . . well, heh. Actually, I’m thinking more of the 14 or 15 graphic novels I’d read in that series before the show ever aired, but I have seen a few episodes from that series).

There is a sequel. I’ve no idea what the sequel is about and/or if the same characters are in it. I do not know if I’ll read that sequel.

Rating: 4.15

January 5 2018 ...more

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Mar 23, 2019 Jessica (The Psychotic Nerd) rated it liked it

Shelves: series-books, book-series-that-are-over-with, debuts, pov-girl, i-read-a-book-and-i-liked-it-3-star, read-in-2019, released-in-2012, zombies, covers-redness, scholastic

This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

MY THOUGHTS
I read this book as part of my Cleaning Out My TBR challenge. I originally added this book to my TBR in 2012 and lately, I've been wary about those books on my TBR added in 2012 because my tastes have changed a lot since then and I haven't had a whole lot of luck with them. With this book, I'm glad to say that I actually did enjoy it. It was an entertaining and thrilling read!

Bobby has recently moved back to the UK and what This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

MY THOUGHTS
I read this book as part of my Cleaning Out My TBR challenge. I originally added this book to my TBR in 2012 and lately, I've been wary about those books on my TBR added in 2012 because my tastes have changed a lot since then and I haven't had a whole lot of luck with them. With this book, I'm glad to say that I actually did enjoy it. It was an entertaining and thrilling read!

Bobby has recently moved back to the UK and what better way to get to know her school classmates than to join them on a ski trip? At least, that's what Bobby's mother thinks. So far, no one seems to want to talk to her and the trip is feeling like hell. On the way back from the trip, their bus stops by a cafe. Bobby decides to stay inside the bus, but her classmates wander off for lunch, with the exception of Smitty, the trouble maker who is told to stay on the bus. Things seem normal until their classmate Alice comes running back to the bus claiming that everyone else is dead and one of their newly dead teachers tried to grab her. This can't be believed until they see for themselves that their classmates and everyone else in the cafe is dead, but is walking towards them. They have to find a way to escape, but that's easier said than done when you're in a snowstorm, in a bus running out of gas, and no way out of town to escape the surrounding zombies.

I admit that I was surprised by how entertained I was from this book. The plot sounds like it comes straight from a cheesy horror movie. The book does feel at times like you are reading a cheesy horror movie, and it does start out that way. Our main cast is isolated, in a snowstorm, with no way to get help. Bonus points that they are young people. The longer in the story, though, the more complicated the storyline gets. I just kept wanting to turn the pages in this book because I wanted to see the characters make it out of this dangerous situation. There was never a break in the action in this book and the thrill level just went up and up and up.

The story also takes the typical zombie plot into absurd directions. Sometimes the absurdity of the book was difficult for me to take in or believe (that's what makes it absurd!). Oddly enough, though, it worked for the book. For instance: (view spoiler) The absurdity also brings some humor into the story, from the witty banter between the characters to the unconventional methods the characters use to kill the zombies.

The characters in the story seem to be, at first glance, the stereotypical characters. Smitty is the rebel, Alice is the princess, and later we also get the nerd. Bobby, our main character, is likely considered to be the average one, which works for the story because we need someone who we can relate to because we certainly can't relate to the situation, but as the story continues Bobby becomes more than just the average girl. One of the difficulties I did have with Bobby's character, though, is her history. Her history eventually becomes important, but for most of the story we don't know her history or it is vague. This is understandable since we don't want to take a break from the action to learn her story, but some parts of her history seem to affect her deeply and have changed her. Not knowing much made her feel less developed.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did enjoy this book. I found it to be very entertaining, equal parts thrilling and absurd. I give this book a rating of three stars, which is my "I liked it" rating. While I enjoyed reading this book, the book did not make me think or make a huge connection with me, it was just a fun read. The book ended in an abrupt way that made me immediately put the next book on hold, so I will be continuing this series. ...more

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Jun 27, 2014 Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies, young-adult, post-apoco-loco, high-school

3 1/2 Stars

I didn't LOVE it but I didn't HATE it....it fell in between for me. I enjoyed the story line but was able to put the story down and out of my brain when I wanted.

I think what fell flat for me is the age bracket of the characters. I am not a huge fan of YA books unless the story grips me completely.

So that being said...I will use the age old cliche "It's not you - it's me."

If you enjoy YA Zombie books - then this is definitely right up that alley - because not only does the story tak ...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Discombobulatedbooks rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Zombie fans, YA readers, people who don't throw up on reading about blood and guts

Shelves: favourites, 5-stars, amazing-books, reviewed, zombies, apocalyptic

OMG. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!!!! I AM SO SHOCKED. I AM NEVER GOING TO DRINK CARROT JUICE OR TAKE FREE SAMPLES EVER AGAIN. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT… and what’s worst… is that it could happen… - but I have a big imagination, so don’t worry!
Anyway, back to writing the review… This book is by Kirsty McKay, and it is the first in a series called Undead. The next book is called Unfed and it’s going to come out in the August of this year… ;(. Undead ended on a really big cliffhanger… and I CAN’T WAIT FOR UNF ...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it really liked it

Shelves: pn-zombies-biters, young-adult, 2012-publication, heroines-butt-kicking, brain-candy, uk, read-2012, maybe-review, 2012-favorites, action-packed

4.5 stars Vomitously good. Review to come.

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Jan 27, 2016 Rachel Patrick rated it it was amazing

This review (and others) can be seen in all its properly formatted glory on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.

I wouldn't say this is a 5-star novel, but I enjoyed this so damn much that I'm saying to hell with it and giving it 4.5 stars.

Undead is a book I read as part of a reading challenge for one of my book clubs. I wasn't expecting much from it. Like, at all. I picked it up in the hopes that it'd be a meaningless, shits-for-giggles novel that you read just because, like when you eat food you'r This review (and others) can be seen in all its properly formatted glory on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.

I wouldn't say this is a 5-star novel, but I enjoyed this so damn much that I'm saying to hell with it and giving it 4.5 stars.

Undead is a book I read as part of a reading challenge for one of my book clubs. I wasn't expecting much from it. Like, at all. I picked it up in the hopes that it'd be a meaningless, shits-for-giggles novel that you read just because, like when you eat food you're not the fondest of just because it's food. I mean, come on: this is a zombie novel and the cover has a cheerleader on it with a bloody ax. So I wasn't expecting much except for a fun, quick read that's just a read. But here's the deal: I liked it. Like, a lot.

This book was totally better than I thought it'd be. I'm not saying I expected it to be bad--if I'd have thought that then I wouldn't have actually wanted to read it. But there's something about Undead that just hits the damn spot. It's a zombie novel in the vein that Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland are zombie movies: it leans more toward the comedic, mocking side, more laughs than screams. There's still seriousness and substance though, and something about it just works. I think I loved this book. And I'll be completely honest when I say that I wasn't expecting to be such a big fan of Undead, but I am.

Undead begins after a high school ski trip, when the bus stops at some random cafe for lunch. Bobby decides to stay on the bus to eat because she's the new girl from America (this is set in England), she has no friends, and she's the queen bee's favorite person to sting. With her on the bus are the bus driver and Smitty, the resident bad boy who's not allowed off the bus because he's the resident bad boy. (More on him later.) Fast forward a bit and something's gone wrong--the people are wrong--and Bobby, Smitty, queen bitch Alice, and ultimate nerd Peter are fighting for their lives and in the snow.

I kind of adore these characters, okay? This is Bobby's story and it's all in her point of view, but Kirsty McKay does such a good job of fleshing out her secondary characters and in a way that works for this kind of novel. I liked being in Bobby's head and seeing how she'd describe the unfortunate things happening around her. She's a total teenager bitter about being the picked on new kid and she's suffering from the loss of someone, but she could be snarky and grounded, mean and kind, all at the same time and when necessary. She had no idea what the hell was she doing, but she would still try to be fierce and not sit there crying like a baby and peeing her pants (like I would). Where Bobby's the best, most headstrong leader (everyone else's heads may be a little off kilter), Peter's the necessary brains of the group. He might pick using his brain over worrying about his own being eaten, but he's smart and techy and a large part of what the little ragtag group needs to survive. Alice is so perfectly the high class, oh-dear-gosh-I-broke-a-nail, forget-the-zombies-look-at-my-hair, queen bee, mean girl bitch. Sometimes that gets so overdone and is so obnoxious I can't stand it, but Alice and her character work so perfectly in Undead. I mean, occasionally you just wish someone would bash her over the head and shut her up, but she's rather tolerable. And there's Smitty. SMITTY SMITTY SMITTY. He is the comic relief, occasional voice of reason, possibly the most logical of the bunch--thought not the most serious--and just the best. He and Bobby definitely take the reins the most (how fitting). I love Smitty. He's got that whole punk rock, rebellious, I-hate-the-world vibe, and it is so wonderfully Smitty. If Smitty's not on a page then what's the point of reading it? (Also, I totally pictured him as Dalton Rapattoni from American Idol.)

Now, the zombies. They're kind of your average dumb, braaaaaain-addicted zombies, except where the hell did they come from? Don't worry--we actually get an explanation of sorts! (I feel like so many zombie stories avoid that but we want to know, damn it.) But with zombies also comes the whole people vs. people, trust no one concept, so that takes a bit of a play here, too. It has zombies, but it's not overly zombie-fied. It's a story about teenagers trying to survive not just zombies but being stuck with each other, and it is such a thrill to read. Undead has, like, everything, and it's the kind of book that could overdo it and get away with it, but McKay keeps most things at just the right level.

Undead is definitely a book you want to read, whether you like zombies or not. My gosh, it's just so fun and I adore it. Like, okay, zombie book, let me snuggle with you. It's very much on the lighter side and can be rather comedic and utterly ridiculous, but it still has that fine mix of panic and thrills and oh my gosh DID THAT JUST HAPPEN? Seriously. Perfect blend of everything. There are even feels and romance and I SHIP IT, so brain-filled brownie points to you, book. It's light and fun and, yes, kind of meaningless, I guess (I mean, it's not going to win any awards or anything; it's not that kind of book at all), but WHO CARES. Let me tell you: I read Undead and its sequel Unfed over the course of a couple days (I freaking devoured Undead in like a day), and books haven't been doing that to me lately and it was so nice to be all over a book again and just want to smile because of it and just writing the review for it is getting all me excited and filled with glee and it's been over a month since I've read it. Thank gosh I had Unfed on-hand or else I would've been in pure agony because SEQUEL, NEED. (Especially after that ending WHAT WAS THAT.) Now, give me all the Kirsty McKay books, please. ...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Kristin (Blood,Sweat and Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Reviewed originally @Blood,Sweat and Books

Undead is a book that is part bad 80's movie and part badass Zombie splatter fest. Think The Breakfast Club meets Resident Evil. What can I say though, this book works! I loved the blending of this sort of b-plot storyline filled with sort of cliche characters (the jock, the outcast, the popular girl etc..) and that of a Pharmaceutical Company gone corrupt. Alone each might have made a decent story but together it makes it great!

One of my favorite parts Reviewed originally @Blood,Sweat and Books

Undead is a book that is part bad 80's movie and part badass Zombie splatter fest. Think The Breakfast Club meets Resident Evil. What can I say though, this book works! I loved the blending of this sort of b-plot storyline filled with sort of cliche characters (the jock, the outcast, the popular girl etc..) and that of a Pharmaceutical Company gone corrupt. Alone each might have made a decent story but together it makes it great!

One of my favorite parts about Undead was its pacing. This story flew by so quickly and yet the Author knew exactly when to give us the readers breathers that really built up the tension for the next big scene. My only small complaint was the ending. The story felt finished but yet continued on several pages longer showing viewpoints of events from around Scotland. It was interesting sure but also felt a bit like it didn't belong in the book. I might be grasping at straws here but I think this might of been at one point a short story meant to bridge the gap between Book #1 & Book #2 but when the book was republished it instead became part of the main book.

Another thing I really liked were the Zombies. I expected them to exist and be scary but I never really expected the Author to show as much carnage as she did. I am a believer that you can't have a good Zombie story without showing the details. That means heads being lopped off, neck wounds gushing blood and Zombies chowing down on any body part they can grab. Since this was a YA book I sort of expected it to hold back on the gore but instead was pleasantly surprised to see that the Author wasn't afraid to show what needed to be in order to highlight the danger they were all in. Good for her!

Lastly, I liked the characters. Bobby was smart and resourceful. She was in short a survivor. My only disappointment with her character was she let everyone else treat her like she was expendable. Grow a backbone girl! I also liked Smitty. He was obviously the rebel of the group but when it came down to it he was a valuable member of the team putting his own life in jeopardy time and again to ensure the others safety. The only character I disliked was Alice. She treated everyone piss poorly and they all took it (although Bobby certainly received the most jabs). I just wanted someone to tell her to get off her ass and be helpful but they never did. I'm hoping in the next book she has some character growth. Although Zombie chow is looking better and better if you ask me!

Overall, I really liked Undead. The story was fast paced, well written and had the perfect blend of humor and horror to keep me engaged. If you like films like Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead or books like Monument 14 or The Way We Fall then I highly suggest picking Undead up and giving it a go. With that being said, I'll be rating Undead by Kirsty McKay ★★★★.

*Copy owned by me. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any which way for providing them. ...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Jack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

They’re not exactly the friendliest of creatures; fiercely aggressive, rancid in appearance and always paired with an insatiable hunger for ‘Braaains ...’ but zombies have somehow found themselves at the height of popularity these days. So, when a novel comes along featuring the shambling, reanimated corpses the world is so used to watching/reading about/ blowing up in video-games, it really does need to be something rather special to raise more than just the most dedicated zom-buster’s eyebrow. They’re not exactly the friendliest of creatures; fiercely aggressive, rancid in appearance and always paired with an insatiable hunger for ‘Braaains ...’ but zombies have somehow found themselves at the height of popularity these days. So, when a novel comes along featuring the shambling, reanimated corpses the world is so used to watching/reading about/ blowing up in video-games, it really does need to be something rather special to raise more than just the most dedicated zom-buster’s eyebrow.

A YA novel at heart, Undead begins in a suitably teenage fashion as heroine Bobby, the new girl with the foreign accent, tries to deflect the unruly attentions of her rowdy schoolmates. No easy task as the book starts on a crowded bus pulling into a rest stop in deepest darkest Scotland. Even more tricky when, after Bobby elects to stay behind whilst everyone else ventures outside for a refresher, her schoolmates return to the bus as groaning, walking corpses intent on tearing her limb from limb.

It’s perhaps lucky then that Bobby is not alone on the bus; rebellious class clown Smitty has been ordered to stay behind with her although, right from the start, it’s clear he’s more intent on throwing out one-liners rather than taking the situation (or anything else for that matter) particularly seriously. And this is Undead’s greatest strength: the slick dialogue, as well as Bobby’s internal thoughts, are both wonderfully sassy and frequently laugh-out-loud funny, despite the relative horror of the situation. Things soon become even more spirited, too, as popular girl Alice (quickly nicknamed Malice) joins the pair, shortly followed by class know-it-all, Pete.

With the gang set firmly in place the zingers continue to fly but that’s not to say that Undead is all fun and giggles. The zombie threat is not watered down at all and the descriptions of the ferocious living corpses are graphic, grizzly and often very, very bloody – this is no story for the faint-hearted and, as one might expect in any such plot, people (minors included) frequently meet horrible ends.

Whilst the book’s main story centres on survival (the gang have several colourful discussions concerning what they should do and where they should go) the final act, a superb series of set pieces taking place in a moody Scottish castle, introduces the protagonists to the sinister plot behind the outbreak. Add to the mix a torrent of cliff-hangers, a host of excellent supporting characters (special mention to the divine yet devious Grace) and this really is a novel that anyone, undead or not, would no doubt be delighted to sink their teeth into. ...more

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Mar 04, 2020 Ian rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was a really good, very entertaining YA adventure story involving a group of students on a school trip, zombies, mad-scientists, drugs, death, blood and gore and would certainly appeal to most 11-18 year olds who are interested in enjoying an easy 'monster' read which is fast paced, well written and certainly quite unusual. It reminded me of a detective 'Famous 5 (UK)' tale but about teenagers, written for Zombie crazed teenagers whilst being set in modern day society up in the snowy Highla ...more

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Oct 14, 2020 Katelynn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I don’t know how this has managed to be the best book I’ve read in months, but it is, and I loved it. I just love a good zombie story and this ticked off every dumb box! So much fun. Now I’m off to find the second one.

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Nov 09, 2014 Silver Thistle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: post-apocalyptic

Two words - Scotland. Zombies. I was all over it! Zombies on my home turf?! I'm in!

What I didn't realise going into this was that it's probably what's known as a 'middle grade' read (I think) and that definitely had a bearing on how I was feeling towards the book before I figured it out. I had wrongly thought this was at least a YA so when the zombie's were few and far between and there was a general 'tameness' to it overall I was feeling unsatisfied. But then it clicked...it's for kids. Or is i Two words - Scotland. Zombies. I was all over it! Zombies on my home turf?! I'm in!

What I didn't realise going into this was that it's probably what's known as a 'middle grade' read (I think) and that definitely had a bearing on how I was feeling towards the book before I figured it out. I had wrongly thought this was at least a YA so when the zombie's were few and far between and there was a general 'tameness' to it overall I was feeling unsatisfied. But then it clicked...it's for kids. Or is it? I think so...I'm conflicted...

Okay, so my uncertainties aside I'll be assuming this is for kids and that being the case I thought it was great! It's scary enough without being too scary. For the intended age group that is.

I don't like including synopsis in my reviews but just a quick overview would be - School bus trip to Aviemore, Scotland and a handful of teens are left to survive after making a rest stop at a cafe where almost everyone in the vicinity drop's dead and rises again as a zombie.

I loved the characters and they were really well written and believable. What really brought them to life for me was the dialogue. The dialogue was spot on and the interaction of the mismatched band of survivors really worked. I had no problem 'hearing' their voices in my head as I was reading. The characters are stereotypes 101 but I loved them all anyway.

If you've ever watched 'The Breakfast Club' there's a line at the start that goes, "We're a princess, a jock, a brain, a basket case..." or something like that and Undead's characters reminded me of those. They're all so different but they're thrown together in something that none of them asked for or wanted and they're getting along and getting though it as best they can.

Considering it's a zombie book it's actually quite a funny book too. It's not a joke a minute type thing but the characters can find humour even in terror. For example they give names to the zombies (booby woman springs to mind, ha!) and there is lots of observational humour and wise-assery scattered about too. I like that.

The only downside I found was that I wasn't overly fond of the ending. It felt a bit rushed compared to the rest of the book and left me wondering what just happened but there's another book to follow so I'll be checking that out and looking forward to continuing the story, and maybe getting some more answers to the questions I have about the ending.

I'm not the target audience but I do love a zombie book and this one is still a 4 star for me, regardless of whether or not I'm in the correct age bracket for it. ...more

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Jul 09, 2015 Ryan Buckby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

school trips. pack a lunch and pick a weapon.

I really enjoyed this book, it was fast, action packed and it was very funny most thanks to the character of smitty that had the funny streak all through the novel even when times were serious. i had trouble putting it down because the book was a heart-pounding, action-packed, zombie tale that took off.

We jump in with both feet right along with our heroes running, swinging, bickering, and armed to the teeth. At a roadside diner just asking for a zom ...more

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Jun 19, 2012 BrocheAroe rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, funny, teen-ya-age-16-18, paranormal, teen-ya-age-14-18, zombies

The best way to describe this book is The Breakfast Club meets zombie slasher flick - and if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you should read it anyway for a surprisingly funny teen romance/adventure. Bobby, formerly of the UK, then the US, now back to the UK, is frustrated, sad, lonely, pissy, and SO very tired of her perky classmates on the pre-school year ski trip. When everyone gets off the bus at a rest stop on the way home, Bobby stays on-board, and unfortunately, so does Smitty, t ...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Elizabeth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: humour, zombie, apocalyptic, ya, horror, faves

Although this is a light read, that doesn't mean it's a lightweight.

I read this in less than a day, and enjoyed every minute of it. It was fresh, snarky and exactly what I was looking for - an easy read with lots going for it.

I'm looking forward to the sequel being released in ebook format soon.
...more

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Mar 24, 2014 Mizuki rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-books, zombie

It's a 3.5 stars read. funny and eventful, reading this book reminds me of Return of the Living Dead, but this book clearly isn't the best of its kinds. ...more

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Oct 29, 2017 Kirsti rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

I am super weird about zombies. I absolutely hate the idea of them, am completely terrified of them, but the only way I can deal with the thought of them is reading. Movies and games about zombies beyond terrify me, and yet in book form I not only deal, I rather enjoy the chase. Weird, hey?

I picked this up at an op shop a while ago, and finally decided to give it a go this morning. Luckily (or unluckily?) my doctor was running late so I had plenty of time to chomp into this, and then finish it w ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 Christina T rated it it was ok

Shelves: zombies, ya, 2-5-stars, library-find, 1-in-the-series, paranormal, 2013

A disappointing YA book that even my love of zombies couldn't fix.

What Worked: There were some parts I actually did find humorous. For example this quote: “I saw a bear once. I was peeing then, too.”(for some reason that really cracked me up!) and this one: “I grab at Smitty and he at me, and, for one horrible, desperately embarrassing second we fly into each others arms like Shaggy and Scooby Don't.”

The zombies were sufficiently gross and zombie like (no super fast uber zombies here) which was A disappointing YA book that even my love of zombies couldn't fix.

What Worked: There were some parts I actually did find humorous. For example this quote: “I saw a bear once. I was peeing then, too.”(for some reason that really cracked me up!) and this one: “I grab at Smitty and he at me, and, for one horrible, desperately embarrassing second we fly into each others arms like Shaggy and Scooby Don't.”

The zombies were sufficiently gross and zombie like (no super fast uber zombies here) which was nice that it was traditional in that sense. It was also nice that the ending was a big shout out to cheesy horror flicks of yesteryear where the characters think they're safe and (cue the ominous music) Dum-dum-DUUUUMMMMM.....oh no they aren't...the end?

What Didn't Work: The humor...OK I know I said I thought some parts were funny but for the most part they weren't. Our 'heroine', Bobby is so snarky that after awhile of being in her head I kind of wanted to choke her. Her humor was her entire reaction to the zombie outbreak. Not many other emotions were involved in regards to her. Which leads me to....

The characters....Not one of them was interesting enough to make me want them to survive the zombie apocalypse. Not. A. One. Our 4 teenage 'heroes' are not friends and their constant bickering should have got them killed right away. In addition, these kids should have some knowledge about surviving a zombie outbreak. Granted, it's not a subject taught in school but when the opportunity arose to gather supplies and food they all sat around to watch surveillance tape of the last 24 hours. Um...Hello!!! Food and supplies first...then television. Any good teenager knows television comes after chores!

The first person present tense narrative also worked against this book because spending so many hours in Bobby's head was just annoying. This also lead to a big debate I had on Facebook with my friends on "Do teens today really use text talk in conversation?" I've heard people using OMG (oh em gee) a lot but do they really say "LOLZ" and "ROFL" in conversation? After talking with real teens I was told only douche-canoes do. Don't be a douche-canoe!

Two more things that worked against this book. 1) the gestation period on becoming a zombie was inconsistent. Those who ingested the 'virus' turned to zombie at different rates depending on the amount of zombie virus they ingested. This ranged from immediately to 2 days. OK got it. Now those who did not ingest but who were ingested (aka bitten) also seemed to gestate from immediate to 2 days. Consistency would have been great but sadly, it just wasn't there. AND B) No matter the situation, the kids managed to escape from being killed by extremely convenient circumstances. The topping on the flesh eating cake was when Bobby's mom, who apparently was not worried that her daughter was in the middle of ZombieFest for days, swooped in at the end and saved the day just in time, providing her daughter could follow through with getting her what she wanted first. Way to go mom! Gold Star for parenting!

In A Nutshell: Perhaps a teenager could enjoy this book, I am, after all, a grown-up. However, I have to mention that there are far better YA paranormal books out there that are written better and are more interesting. Zombie factor aside, if you're looking for a paranormal YA I'd check out Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor or The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting before Undead. ...more

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Feb 20, 2014 Inês rated it liked it · review of another edition

Combining the chill of THE SHINING, the thrill ride of SPEED, the humor of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the angst of THE BREAKFAST CLUB...

The breakfast club? And wait...did you say Shaun of the dead?

I love Shaun of the dead, it's the perfect combo between zombies and comedy, so I had to read this book.

The story starts with Bobby's school ski trip, and I was very confused in the beginning because she kept thinking she didn't belong and I couldn't understand where she was exactly and where she was fro ...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Serendipity Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Now you know I really struggle with zombies and steam punk. I am honest, I hold my hands up and normally avoid these books like the plague. Yet everyone kept telling me that Undead would change my views on zombies. So always eager to give a genre another go, I dived into Undead and rose to the service practically wetting myself with laughter.

This is a serious zombie book but with severe humour on each page. All I kept thinking of was Shaun of the Dead mixing with the teenage cast of Eastenders! ...more

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Sep 25, 2013 Tanja Berg rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, zombies

Rating 3.4* out of 5. I loved this book. :) It's not original or profound, it's just good, unpretenious fun with a bit of blood splatter. Exactly what you need after yet another hard day's work.

Bobby has returned to Scotland after a few childhood years in the United States. Her accent is all wrong and of course she's an outcast. So on her way home from a school trip, she doesn't join her classmates in the cafe when the bus stops fro a break. She remains in the bus with a rebellish boy who isn't ...more

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Sep 16, 2013 Angie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: zombie fans

Shelves: own-book, zombies, young-adult, 2013-gr-callenge

I didn't think there was anything wrong at all in this book. The POV was a teenager called Bobby, and this worked out ok. A school trip sking in Scotland goes wrong when on the way home all but four kids are turned into zombies by drinking poisened veggie juice. The teenagers are all good fun but stereotypes, one bad boy, a vapid vain blonde, a nerd/geek boy and an outsider New girl. They all manage to work things well with Bobby and smitty doing all the running and getting the zombies attention ...more

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Dec 20, 2013 melydia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

New girl Bobby is on a ski trip with her high school class to Scotland. Shortly after they stop at a cafe in the middle of nowhere, her classmates all turn into zombies. From there they all run for their lives, and it's actually quite clever and funny. Bobby has typical teenage girl concerns without being obnoxious, the zombies are gross and scary without being gory, and the scenery changes more frequently than your average horror movie. The humor had me laughing out loud in places, and there we ...more

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Mar 23, 2014 Mykia rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, started-but-will-not-finish

This book was worse than I could have ever imaged it would be. The story seems interesting but the narrator ruined everything. This is a great example of terrible YA writing that made me want to claw my eyes out. The author tried too hard to be funny and the story progression was just completely unrealistic (I mean, I know it's about zombies, but still). I made it 100 pages in before I couldn't do it anymore. Another one bites the dust. ...more

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Jan 28, 2015 Roberta Jayne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was the zombie book that got me hooked on zombie books. Oh man the cover is just so cool, the red-edged pages are just SO COOL and the main character has the same name as me so clearly I'm biased, but she is SUPER COOL.

If you like quirky characters and general I-could-be-eaten-by-a-zombie-at-any-time stuff then this book is wonderful. ...more

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Jul 13, 2017 Chris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, zombies, young-adult, thriller

This book surprised me; I honestly had low expectations going in since it kind of sounded like a cheezy generic YA zombie book. I figured it'd be a quick read with lots of smart ass quips. And while it definitely was that, it was quite fun and enjoyable. The characters weren't anything to speak of, fairly generic archetype teens - the loner girl, the popular cheerleader type, the nerdy techie, the tough badass trouble maker - but they were still decent. But the action and the pacing were really ...more

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Sep 14, 2018 Gayle Noble rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zombie, horror, young-adult

A school trip ends in disaster when Bobby, Smitty, Alice, and Pete find their classmates are rapidly turning into the undead. If that's not enough, a snowstorm is about to hit and their mobile phones can't find a signal.

Cast-wise we have Bobby (outcast), Smitty (rebel), Alice (prom queen), and Pete (nerd/brain). We're just missing a sports player and we could have had a full set. I wasn't expecting much, but it was an enjoyable read and it had moments of horror balanced out with moments of humou ...more

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About Kirsty McKay

Kirsty McKay

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Quotes from Undead

“Alice's face widens in horror. I left my candy Coture bag on the table!' 'Oh, the tragedy! Smitty joins in, girlying it up. The dead people might be.... touching it!” — 31 likes

“i open my eyes and blow a straggle of hair out of my face. Not my hair, smitty's. his head is buried in the crook of my neck and he's out cold. he uses raspberry shampoo? what a big girl.” — 22 likes

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