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Anna and the Apocalypse
School's out for the end of the world.
Anna and the Apocalypse is a horror comedy about a teenager who faces down a zombie apocalypse with a little help from her friends.
Anna Shepherd is a straight-A student with a lot going on under the surface: she's struggling with her mom's death, total friend drama, and the fallout from wasting her time on a very attractive boy. She's looking forward to skipping town after graduation--but then a zombie apocalypse majorly disrupts the holidays season. It's going to be very hard to graduate high school without a brain.
To save the day, Anna, her friends, and her frenemies will have to journey straight to the heart of one of the most dangerous places ever known, a place famous for its horror, terror, and pain...high school.
This novel is inspired by the musical feature film, Anna and the Apocalypse.
Anna and the Apocalypse is a horror comedy about a teenager who faces down a zombie apocalypse with a little help from her friends.
Anna Shepherd is a straight-A student with a lot going on under the surface: she's struggling with her mom's death, total friend drama, and the fallout from wasting her time on a very attractive boy. She's looking forward to skipping town after graduation--but then a zombie apocalypse majorly disrupts the holidays season. It's going to be very hard to graduate high school without a brain.
To save the day, Anna, her friends, and her frenemies will have to journey straight to the heart of one of the most dangerous places ever known, a place famous for its horror, terror, and pain...high school.
This novel is inspired by the musical feature film, Anna and the Apocalypse.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2018
55 people are currently reading
1927 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
October 21, 2018
So the thing about this book is that it's a novelization of a movie. A British zombie movie. For teens. With singing. And jokes. And one that seems for all intents and purposes to be made up mostly of scenes in which brains get smashed.
Here are some things that don't translate so well into books and/or in general:
- stories that fit into a 90 minute timeframe
- male best friends who are in love with their female best friends and will not take no for an answer
- musicals?? especially when very little singing is ever mentioned???
- plotlines that prioritize the aforementioned brain-smashing over any kind of characterization or relationship-building
- really intense, uh, satire (?) that has no grounding in reality so instead you're just dealing with a ridiculous unhinged vice principal for 250 pages and being like "Is this real? Is this in an actual book?"
- just getting dropped into a very crazy narrative with no explanation or worldbuilding
I wanted to like this book, because it is a horror comedy about teens fighting zombies at Christmas and that sounds fun. And I believe that the movie version of it probably is fun.
I'm just kind of at a loss for why that movie got published as a book.
Bottom line: This wasn't, like, bad? It's just that its very existence is kind of strange and confusing.
Thanks to Imprint for the advance copy!
Here are some things that don't translate so well into books and/or in general:
- stories that fit into a 90 minute timeframe
- male best friends who are in love with their female best friends and will not take no for an answer
- musicals?? especially when very little singing is ever mentioned???
- plotlines that prioritize the aforementioned brain-smashing over any kind of characterization or relationship-building
- really intense, uh, satire (?) that has no grounding in reality so instead you're just dealing with a ridiculous unhinged vice principal for 250 pages and being like "Is this real? Is this in an actual book?"
- just getting dropped into a very crazy narrative with no explanation or worldbuilding
I wanted to like this book, because it is a horror comedy about teens fighting zombies at Christmas and that sounds fun. And I believe that the movie version of it probably is fun.
I'm just kind of at a loss for why that movie got published as a book.
Bottom line: This wasn't, like, bad? It's just that its very existence is kind of strange and confusing.
Thanks to Imprint for the advance copy!
December 24, 2018
This book was...interesting. I kind of enjoyed it. but it all happened too fast and not everything was certain.
I guess watching the movie would be better plus it's a musical.
November 12, 2018
"Uh, sorry, St. Peter, she whispered, fighting with the on/off button. But I was trying to save my friends’ lives and instead, I accidentally switched on a huge vibrating dildo and dropped it on the floor and then I got eaten by zombies. May I come in?"
I love zombies. Always have and always will. When I get something in my hand that promises laughs and zombie slayings like Shaun of the Dead, I drop everything to start reading it. I should have known better about letting a fantastic cover talk me into something. Anna and the Apocalypse was a very sad take on the zombie takeover. It’s also a few years too late.
We all saw the preview for this movie and it looks something dreadful. But I thought that the book would be better because that’s how it always turns out. Nope, I was wrong. Soooo wrong.
Nothing is explained, kids kill zombies, people act like trash bags, and then it ends. It ends quickly and nothing happens. Some kids ride off into the sunset and others are dead. That sums up this entire book. Oh, oh! Let’s not forget the two times I awkwardly chuckled at some oddly placed jokes.
My rating was rounded up higher because of those two odd jokes and the amazing cover.
Who knew that zombies could be a disappointment? 🤷♀️
I love zombies. Always have and always will. When I get something in my hand that promises laughs and zombie slayings like Shaun of the Dead, I drop everything to start reading it. I should have known better about letting a fantastic cover talk me into something. Anna and the Apocalypse was a very sad take on the zombie takeover. It’s also a few years too late.
We all saw the preview for this movie and it looks something dreadful. But I thought that the book would be better because that’s how it always turns out. Nope, I was wrong. Soooo wrong.
Nothing is explained, kids kill zombies, people act like trash bags, and then it ends. It ends quickly and nothing happens. Some kids ride off into the sunset and others are dead. That sums up this entire book. Oh, oh! Let’s not forget the two times I awkwardly chuckled at some oddly placed jokes.
My rating was rounded up higher because of those two odd jokes and the amazing cover.
Who knew that zombies could be a disappointment? 🤷♀️
February 22, 2020
i’m not sure why i thought a book based on the screenplay to a movie musical set during the zombie apocalypse at christmas time was going to be good. like...to be fair the movie is dumb (okay it’s a guilty pleasure) but the soundtrack is ridiculously catchy so i wanted to give this a go. there are some concepts that just DON’T work well as a book and trust me, this is one of them
March 12, 2020
I bought this book after seeing that it was a movie available on Netflix. But I really shouldn’t have bothered. The book is actually a novelization of the movie & has put me off so badly, that I may not even want to watch the movie now. For real. The award for shittiest book I’ve read in a long while, goes to this one. Extremely juvenile writing (even for YA), coupled with cliche, one-dimensional characters, ALL of which deserved to die at the hands of zombies. There was not a single character that I rooted for to make it to the end. In fact, I was a little disappointed that 3 of them made it. The only reason I read till the end was because it was such a short book - it really shouldn’t have taken me this long to finish it, but every time I put it down I delayed picking it back up again. So save yourselves some wasted time and steer way clear of this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2019
This is definitely a book for fans of black humor. If that isn't your thing, and you're expecting straight-up horror, this is not for you. I personally loved it, and found myself trying to avoid laughing out loud as I read it at work. I wasn't completely in love with the ending, but the humor makes it well worth the quick read.
November 5, 2018
This was so much fun, I loved it to bits.
I literally had to stop walking (my dog) and almost peed my pants laughing during the reindeer discussion. I also whatsapp voicemessaged that to everyone I knew loves that kind of humor.
If you loved Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, chances are very high you‘ll enjoy this book as well. If that humor is not your cup of tea, stay faaaaaaar away from this.
I literally had to stop walking (my dog) and almost peed my pants laughing during the reindeer discussion. I also whatsapp voicemessaged that to everyone I knew loves that kind of humor.
If you loved Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, chances are very high you‘ll enjoy this book as well. If that humor is not your cup of tea, stay faaaaaaar away from this.
December 6, 2018
Like another reviewer said: complete brain candy, nothing nutritional but deliciously fun.
Sometimes there just books meant to be fun with no need for hard critiquing and this is one of those books. I love zombie novels but I needed something light and festive and this gave me just that. Loved it.
Sometimes there just books meant to be fun with no need for hard critiquing and this is one of those books. I love zombie novels but I needed something light and festive and this gave me just that. Loved it.
October 27, 2018
This novel is inspired by the coming movie, and I do say, I am sure this is loads better because the movie is a musical, which just sounds weird. This was so much better.
Anna is bored with her little Scottish town. She is bored with high school. Just the same people, the same idiotic teachers, but hey at least she had her pun loving best friend.
Christmas is coming, and zombies.
Suddenly there is a zombie apocalypse! And then it started to feel very Shaun of the Dead. There was humour, witty remarks and for me it worked splendidly. I like dark humour. I like that they had time to joke in the face of danger and death. It made me think I would have really liked the movie (except it is a musical, so random, but will still watch it.)
Fun, and an apocalypse to die for. Pun intended.
Fiona Hardingham is a great narrator. She brought life to the characters and their snark. She kept up the danger, the wisecracks and the ugliness of it all.
Anna is bored with her little Scottish town. She is bored with high school. Just the same people, the same idiotic teachers, but hey at least she had her pun loving best friend.
Christmas is coming, and zombies.
Suddenly there is a zombie apocalypse! And then it started to feel very Shaun of the Dead. There was humour, witty remarks and for me it worked splendidly. I like dark humour. I like that they had time to joke in the face of danger and death. It made me think I would have really liked the movie (except it is a musical, so random, but will still watch it.)
Fun, and an apocalypse to die for. Pun intended.
Fiona Hardingham is a great narrator. She brought life to the characters and their snark. She kept up the danger, the wisecracks and the ugliness of it all.
December 19, 2018
I bought this book because I thought the concept of the zombie apocalypse at Christmas time would be a festive read for the holidays. While this book was pretty quick and easy to read, there wasn't any actual zombie action until at least 80 pages in, with minor hints beforehand here and there. The characters and plot were rather bland and there wasn't really anything unique about this book to highlight the very overdone use of the apocalypse.
April 4, 2023
It's the end of term, coming up to Christmas and Anna can't wait to finish school. When zombies attack she must do her best to survive and get back to her loved ones. This was a good romp although nothing special. A few annoying details, mostly John, Anna's best friend who kept trying to push her into something more and epitomizing the whole Nice Guy crap.
dnf
May 8, 2023DNF page 16.
The writing is just not good.
The writing is just not good.
December 5, 2018
While this was quick and rather hilarious, it wasn't something that I plan on reading again. I felt it took FAR too long to get to the zombies and killing (boo).
February 16, 2021
the last 100 pages were so sad, like next level. i didn’t cry bc i am a ginger therefore i have no soul, but wow this book was something else.
the writing itself was bland, nothing too crazy. the story was fast paced, and there were multiple villains in the story. i was very upset about some of my favorite characters dying, that wasn’t cool at all.
other than that, i loved this. it was a super fun read!
4/5 stars
the writing itself was bland, nothing too crazy. the story was fast paced, and there were multiple villains in the story. i was very upset about some of my favorite characters dying, that wasn’t cool at all.
other than that, i loved this. it was a super fun read!
4/5 stars
March 26, 2021
Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2.25/5
Genre: Teen & YA zombie horror comedy
Length: 270 pages
Age recommendation: 14+
Author: Katharine Turner
Overall story telling: ⭐️⭐️
Plot concept: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character development: ⭐️⭐️
Diversity: ⭐️
Synopsis: Anna and the Apocalypse is a teen & YA comedy fiction stand alone novel based on a screenplay for a movie musical. Anna and her friends are expecting to have a normal Christmas break from school, but they wake up to their town being overrun by zombies. Anna, her best friend, and an unlikely group of various other students must fight their way to school, where the majority of the survivors, including Anna’s dad, are waiting for help.
Likes: I feel like the overall plot concept was wonderful, but the beginning of the book was rushed. You’re introduced to 10+ characters within the first few chapters and are bombarded by their backstories, etc.
Dislikes: Everything felt rushed, the characters were not very well developed. All of their emotions felt dull and forced. On top of that, not a single character was very memorable. There is an option narration situation going on, where you have insight to all the characters and their feelings. There was also one chapter where the authors refer to the MC’s dad by four different names/titles and I was confused about who they were talking about. I feel as though the authors rushed their story telling during the first few chapters and it took nearly 100 pages to really start getting good. I felt like I rushed to finish this book just so I could be done with it. I had such high hopes for the book and it definitely fell short.
Favorite line/phrase: “Sexy jazz beat”
Genre: Teen & YA zombie horror comedy
Length: 270 pages
Age recommendation: 14+
Author: Katharine Turner
Overall story telling: ⭐️⭐️
Plot concept: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character development: ⭐️⭐️
Diversity: ⭐️
Synopsis: Anna and the Apocalypse is a teen & YA comedy fiction stand alone novel based on a screenplay for a movie musical. Anna and her friends are expecting to have a normal Christmas break from school, but they wake up to their town being overrun by zombies. Anna, her best friend, and an unlikely group of various other students must fight their way to school, where the majority of the survivors, including Anna’s dad, are waiting for help.
Likes: I feel like the overall plot concept was wonderful, but the beginning of the book was rushed. You’re introduced to 10+ characters within the first few chapters and are bombarded by their backstories, etc.
Dislikes: Everything felt rushed, the characters were not very well developed. All of their emotions felt dull and forced. On top of that, not a single character was very memorable. There is an option narration situation going on, where you have insight to all the characters and their feelings. There was also one chapter where the authors refer to the MC’s dad by four different names/titles and I was confused about who they were talking about. I feel as though the authors rushed their story telling during the first few chapters and it took nearly 100 pages to really start getting good. I felt like I rushed to finish this book just so I could be done with it. I had such high hopes for the book and it definitely fell short.
Favorite line/phrase: “Sexy jazz beat”
January 4, 2019
2 Stars
Review:
This Christmas zombie apocalypse story was a great idea, but the execution was a letdown for me. This was adapted into a book from a movie musical, from what I understand, but I don't think it translated very well into this medium. And maybe that's not even the author's fault; there are certain elements and types of humor that work better in movies than in books, and vice versa. But since this is a book review... The POV was omniscient, but I was constantly being thrown out of the story while trying to figure out who's thoughts I was getting. Some of the characters were TSTL, and their actions/reactions were not believable. None of the characters were particularly developed and it felt like not much happened because the book was such a quick read; it kind of just skimmed the surface of everything. And in the end, it was a real downer. As a movie musical, I think this could be fun. As a book though, this wasn't right for my taste as I prefer more depth to my stories. But if you just want a quick read about some high schoolers slaughtering zombies on Christmas, you may enjoy this more than I did.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
This Christmas zombie apocalypse story was a great idea, but the execution was a letdown for me. This was adapted into a book from a movie musical, from what I understand, but I don't think it translated very well into this medium. And maybe that's not even the author's fault; there are certain elements and types of humor that work better in movies than in books, and vice versa. But since this is a book review... The POV was omniscient, but I was constantly being thrown out of the story while trying to figure out who's thoughts I was getting. Some of the characters were TSTL, and their actions/reactions were not believable. None of the characters were particularly developed and it felt like not much happened because the book was such a quick read; it kind of just skimmed the surface of everything. And in the end, it was a real downer. As a movie musical, I think this could be fun. As a book though, this wasn't right for my taste as I prefer more depth to my stories. But if you just want a quick read about some high schoolers slaughtering zombies on Christmas, you may enjoy this more than I did.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
April 7, 2021
Typical zombie book. I had this on my TBR for so long expecting something awesome, but it was pretty much exactly as you would expect. As it is a book made from the screenplay of a movie/musical - I would probably be better off looking into that.
December 1, 2018
Check out my review over at Word of the Nerd
December 21, 2018
Enjoyable read, but seemed hastily done. Room for lots of improvements, but still a fun read. Would almost be better if someone was reading it to you it seems, so you can close your eyes (hard to do when reading haha) and imagine the scenes.
December 27, 2020
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
July 11, 2023
While I liked the background information and some more detailed context, the movie was still way better. 3.5 stars
January 30, 2024
what the fuuuuucck
December 24, 2025
There’s a lot of heart and candy cane violence.
December 10, 2022
It pains me to say thus, but I’m going to be brutally honest here, this book doesn’t work as a book. Seriously. Just. Watch. The. Movie.
October 17, 2018
Three and a half stars: A slapstick zombie book with a touch of holiday cheer.
Anna is tired of the small town life. She is counting the days until she can leave Small Haven after she graduates and travel. She already purchased a ticket to Australia, she just needs to get her dad on board. Then all her plans go out the window when a zombie apocalypse hits on Christmas Eve. Anna and her friends find themselves in a fight for their lives. Who will make it out alive?
What I Liked:
*For those of you who like zombie books, this is one to check it out especially if you like them on the lighter side. This book brings forth the zombie apocalypse without all the nasty horror and over the top blood and guts. Yes, there are zombies and battles with zombies, but there are also some heartfelt moments as well.
*Amid all the zombie carnage there were some touching moments as people showed immense courage, while others gave the ultimate sacrifice. I was moved by several of these heartfelt scenes.
*I liked Anna the main character. She is a girl confused about her future, one who has conflict with her dad even though she loves him whole heartedly. She is also a girl who makes mistakes. When the apocalypse hits, Anna steps up and shows heart and courage. She was a formidable character.
*Nick is another interesting character. At first, he is portrayed as uncaring, obnoxious and immature, but as the book progresses, he steps up to the plate and delivers. I really liked him by the end.
*There is a villain in the book even more vile than the zombies. It was an interesting addition to have a character who depicted the ugly side of humanity when the apocalypse hits. This guy was one crazy dude.
*I appreciated that there was humor peppered in to lighten the mood. The scene with the ball pit was particularly funny.
And The Not So Much:
*I felt like this one took way to long to get going. The book is only 272 pages long, and it wasn’t until page eighty before the zombies appeared. The first seventy pages were wading through character descriptions and mundane detail. I kept expecting something to happen, I was bored with the first third of the book.
*I thought there was going to be a romance in the story since one of the characters has been pining over his best friend for years. I kept waiting and waiting, but alas, there is no romance. I was so disappointed.
*The book incorporates several points of view. I wasn’t a fan of the shifting viewpoints, especially since the book utilizes a third person narrative. It felt choppy and disjointed at times.
*I felt like the authors didn’t do a good enough job establishing the setting. I couldn’t figure out where the book was set for a long time, then it was revealed that it was in Scotland. It never felt like it was in Scotland.
*The ending was troubling. While I appreciated it didn’t end with a cliffhanger, it is open, so I am not sure of the fates of some of the characters, I guess I expected more after all the death, destruction and loss. Will there be more?
Anna and the Apocalypse is a zombie book on the lighter side. Prepare for zombie carnage and death as well as courage, heroic sacrifice, humor and some holiday cheer. If you want a zombie book that isn’t overly the top scary or gory, this is one to try.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Anna is tired of the small town life. She is counting the days until she can leave Small Haven after she graduates and travel. She already purchased a ticket to Australia, she just needs to get her dad on board. Then all her plans go out the window when a zombie apocalypse hits on Christmas Eve. Anna and her friends find themselves in a fight for their lives. Who will make it out alive?
What I Liked:
*For those of you who like zombie books, this is one to check it out especially if you like them on the lighter side. This book brings forth the zombie apocalypse without all the nasty horror and over the top blood and guts. Yes, there are zombies and battles with zombies, but there are also some heartfelt moments as well.
*Amid all the zombie carnage there were some touching moments as people showed immense courage, while others gave the ultimate sacrifice. I was moved by several of these heartfelt scenes.
*I liked Anna the main character. She is a girl confused about her future, one who has conflict with her dad even though she loves him whole heartedly. She is also a girl who makes mistakes. When the apocalypse hits, Anna steps up and shows heart and courage. She was a formidable character.
*Nick is another interesting character. At first, he is portrayed as uncaring, obnoxious and immature, but as the book progresses, he steps up to the plate and delivers. I really liked him by the end.
*There is a villain in the book even more vile than the zombies. It was an interesting addition to have a character who depicted the ugly side of humanity when the apocalypse hits. This guy was one crazy dude.
*I appreciated that there was humor peppered in to lighten the mood. The scene with the ball pit was particularly funny.
And The Not So Much:
*I felt like this one took way to long to get going. The book is only 272 pages long, and it wasn’t until page eighty before the zombies appeared. The first seventy pages were wading through character descriptions and mundane detail. I kept expecting something to happen, I was bored with the first third of the book.
*I thought there was going to be a romance in the story since one of the characters has been pining over his best friend for years. I kept waiting and waiting, but alas, there is no romance. I was so disappointed.
*The book incorporates several points of view. I wasn’t a fan of the shifting viewpoints, especially since the book utilizes a third person narrative. It felt choppy and disjointed at times.
*I felt like the authors didn’t do a good enough job establishing the setting. I couldn’t figure out where the book was set for a long time, then it was revealed that it was in Scotland. It never felt like it was in Scotland.
*The ending was troubling. While I appreciated it didn’t end with a cliffhanger, it is open, so I am not sure of the fates of some of the characters, I guess I expected more after all the death, destruction and loss. Will there be more?
Anna and the Apocalypse is a zombie book on the lighter side. Prepare for zombie carnage and death as well as courage, heroic sacrifice, humor and some holiday cheer. If you want a zombie book that isn’t overly the top scary or gory, this is one to try.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
December 13, 2022
After reading two boring Christmas themed novels, I picked this one up hoping for something different and fun. The truth is, zombie apocalypses are not my thing. I guess I can appreciate the dark humor but I can do without the blood and gore.
I actually watched this movie last year. It pulled me in because it was a musical about Christmas…the zombies were just a bonus. It was enjoyable but I didn’t put in on my annual Christmas movie viewing list.
I think I enjoyed the novel about the same. I could catch the funny one liners and the humor better from the pages than I could on the screen but the musical numbers were definitely missed.
I give it solid 3 stars just because it was something completely different. Now I need to get myself a big plastic candy cane with a sharp point at the end to kick some zombie butt.
I actually watched this movie last year. It pulled me in because it was a musical about Christmas…the zombies were just a bonus. It was enjoyable but I didn’t put in on my annual Christmas movie viewing list.
I think I enjoyed the novel about the same. I could catch the funny one liners and the humor better from the pages than I could on the screen but the musical numbers were definitely missed.
I give it solid 3 stars just because it was something completely different. Now I need to get myself a big plastic candy cane with a sharp point at the end to kick some zombie butt.
June 11, 2025
Giving 3 feels generous. I didn't think a book about the zombie apocalypse could be so boring. the jokes were dumb and the mix of humor among so much death and gore didn't do it for me. The ending redeemed some of the beginning but ultimately I didn't really enjoy this. The 6 hour audiobook runtime felt like 20 hours.
Edit: 3 was too generous. I decided to demote this to 2 because some of my other 3 star reads were way more enjoyable.
Edit: 3 was too generous. I decided to demote this to 2 because some of my other 3 star reads were way more enjoyable.
April 10, 2021
I enjoyed this story of Anna, a high school senior in Scotland, who ends up fighting zombies during the Christmas holidays. But the author didn't deliver on the plot as fully as I had expected. The book gave some character development for the main character, but the rest of the characters seemed somewhat two dimensional. The stock worrying father, nerdy best friend, annoying boy in school. Overall, a relatively light foray into the zombie horror world.
January 1, 2019
I loved the film so naturally the next step was to read the book. It's good. Fills in some of the gaps in the film & gives some extra details about the characters. It was fun.
March 26, 2019
Less than 10% through and didn’t bother to finish. I won’t be watching the movie
Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews