Paul is Undead

Paul is Undead. Alan Goldsher. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 310 pages.

For some, the most indelible memory of their television-viewing lives was the moment Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963. For others, it was Neil Armstrong's 1969 moon landing. For today's generation, it might be the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, or the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.
I realized television was more than sitcoms and sporting events on December 8, 1980, the night Mark David Chapman tried to lop off John Lennon's head with a silver scythe.

Paul is Undead is strange, no question. The premise is simple enough: what if three of the fab four were undead? What if John, Paul, and George were zombies? (What about Ringo? Well, he's a ninja.) The format is slightly unusual. The book is an oral history of sorts. A collection of interviews. So readers will "meet" John, Paul, George, Ringo, and many of the men and women whose lives were changed--for better or worse--by knowing the Fab Four. The novel focuses mainly on the past--1958 through 1970--through John's meeting with Paul one summer day to the band's breakup. Of course, the later years are touched on here and there.

This one made me uncomfortable in places. Though to be honest, reading any Beatle biography is likely to make readers uncomfortable to some degree. It won't be for everyone. But. That's only to be expected. If you like zombies--brain-eating zombies--then this one might appeal. It's definitely violent--in places. (Funny in others.) If you like the Beatles, and, if you can tolerate the wild premise of this one, then it might appeal to you as well. Though the facts have been changed--greatly changed--you'll find many familiar elements of the story. These basic events do make up the band's history.

Did I like it? Not particularly. I kept reading because I was curious. I wanted to know how the author chose to imagine certain events. It was violent, funny, and completely irreverent.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Jane Slayre

Jane Slayre. Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 396 pages.

There was no possibility of continuing my walk that night. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour after dark, but since Mrs. Reed had picked up a scent (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, hunted early), I was sent home so the others could stalk their prey. I was glad of it. I never liked long walks, especially on chilly evenings. Dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw midnight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the death of the poor thing they'd dined on, raw, right in the middle of the wood. Not that I frequently watched as they took their meal. I avoided accompanying them on the hunt as often as I could.

Jane Slayre has every reason to dislike her home with the Reeds. For one, they're vampyres. And while Mrs. Reed, Georgiana, and Eliza don't thirst for her blood--too common--'Master' John Reed does. It is his attack which prompts her trip to the red room. She's not sent there to recuperate, to heal. No, she's sent there as punishment for tempting John to bite her and drink her blood. While there she encounters her uncle's ghost who tells her she must fulfill her family's legacy--to slay the monsters of the world. That is how her parents were killed--in the line of duty. Jane does "escape" Gateshead Hall when she is enrolled in Lowood. But Lowood has dangers of its own. There is a reason--a good reason--the children aren't allowed meat. (She becomes suspicious when some of the children don't eat anything! She also notices that they're a bit too obedient!) But Lowood does introduced her to two of the people she'll come to love best. Her classmate Helen. Her teacher Miss Temple. (Miss Temple definitely has great influence on the young Jane Slayre. For it is from this beloved teacher that she receives her first training.) Jane remains six years as a student at Lowood--after the first year, things are less monstrous and more routine--and two years as a teacher. But then Jane Slayre seeks employment as a governess. She meets Mrs. Fairfax, Adele, Grace Poole, and, of course, Mr. Edward Rochester. And her life will never be the same.

Jane Slayre is a paranormal retelling of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. I don't always love like paranormal fiction. Vampires, zombies, and werewolves don't typically thrill me. But. I really enjoyed Jane Slayre. I thought it was clever. I thought it worked well. It's not that I think the original needed improving. But the changes seem more natural than I ever would have thought possible. I liked Sherri Browning Erwin's Jane. She was strong and fearless. (She saw her slaying as a gift.) Yet she was tender too. She fell in love with a man with a past. And she had a few tough decisions to make. I definitely recommend this one!


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Emma and the Vampires

Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson. 2010. Sourcebooks. 304 pages.

Emma Woodhouse--handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition--had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress her. Until the vampire attacks began.

I did enjoy reading Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. But I didn't enjoy Wayne Josephson's Emma and the Vampires.

Do I love Emma? No. I've never loved Jane Austen's Emma. I'm not sure a love for the original would have solved all the book's problems. But. It might have helped.

Emma is still Emma. Clueless as she ever was. True this Emma has had to defend herself and her friend, Harriet, from a few attacking vampires. But the addition of vampires--practically every man of her acquaintance (with the exception of her father) is a vampire--failed--for the most part--to add charm or wit to the original. There were a few clever moments here and there. (I loved it when Frank Churchill (a vampire) squealed in fright when other vampires attacked.) But the constant reminders that these characters are vampires on every other page (so it seemed) failed to entertain this reader at least. The plot/plot details seemed a bit messy.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Soulless

Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2009. Orbit. 384 pages.

Miss Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her evening. Private balls were never more than middling amusements for spinsters, and Miss Tarabotti was not the kind of spinster who could garner even that much pleasure from the event. To put the pudding in the puff: she had retreated to the library, her favorite sanctuary in any house, only to happen upon an unexpected vampire.

I wanted to love this one. I did. I wanted to feel something close to love. But I didn't. That's not to say I thought it was awful--it wasn't. I think the very things that I didn't enjoy will be the very things that other readers will love most.

Soullless and I got off to a good start. I loved the early scenes in the novel: Alexia in the library confronting the vampire, Alexia dealing with the aftermath of the vampire's death, Alexia battling it out verbally with Lord Maccon. I enjoyed the world-building of the first hundred pages--seeing how Alexia fit in (and didn't quite) with London society, and not just Alexia, but how vampires and werewolves fit into London society. I loved the writing too. There were places in the text where I felt certain that this would be a book I loved.

Alexia doesn't quite fit in with the mortals or the supernaturals. She's soulless; her soullessness neutralizes the "superpowers" of vampires and werewolves. (Her touch can take away a vampires fangs, or change the werewolf back into human form. Temporarily of course.)

There is a mystery to be solved. There is danger too. But for me this danger, this threat, almost takes a backseat to the romance. Because a little over hundred pages Soulless turns into a romance book. You know, a romance book.

For readers who love romance novels, for readers who really love romance novels--especially paranormal romances--there is much to love in Soulless. And this new direction will probably be a very welcome one. You may even think, finally, this story is getting somewhere. It's about time.

Mini-spoiler.

It becomes more about how long can Alexia keep her hands off a certain someone--or a certain someone keep his hands off her--than anything else.

Bigger spoiler.

After Alexia is caught in a compromising situation, it becomes the oh-so-familiar story of:

Well, I don't want to force you to marry me against your will.
You're not forcing me to marry you.
No, you're just saying that, you don't really want to marry me.
Yes, I do.
No, you don't.
Yes, I do.
No, you don't. I'm not beautiful enough.
Yes, you are.
No, I'm not...

And, for me, once it goes there...it doesn't really matter that Alexia has fallen for a supernatural. Soulless could be one of a hundred romances. Not that Lord Maccon is like every other hero in a romance novel, he's not. He's Scottish. (A plus in my books). And he's a werewolf. (I'm indifferent to werewolves, so no plus for me. But hey, for some readers, maybe this appeals?) And Alexia isn't quite your typical heroine. She is brave and fierce in some ways. But why does she have to be so down on herself? Why can't she realize her own value? her own worth?

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to be worried while reading a romance book. Mystery or no mystery. Danger or no danger. I'm not really worried about any "threats" to the happily ever after ending. I suppose, there may be romance novels out there that have surprises, but I haven't found many.

Expectations. I think I expected Soulless to be more of a fantasy than a romance novel. The clever cover may have contributed to my expectations. (There wasn't a half-dressed couple on the cover. And it wasn't filed in the romance section of the library.) Reading is subjective, and this may be more than enough fantasy for some readers. And other readers may see it as more balanced than I did.

In conclusion, I liked it enough to finish it. I wanted to know what happened. But I'm not sure I'll continue on with this series.

Other reviews: Booklust, Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog, Steph Su Reads, Sam's Book Blog. Biblio File.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Thirsty

Thirsty. Tracey Bateman. 2009. Waterbrook Press. 376 pages.

Thick bass blared through amped-up speakers and drew Markus from his slumber.

Meet Nina Parker. She'd be the first to admit her mistakes. Her life has been full of mistakes. And it's cost her. Her husband has divorced her. He has full custody of both of her children. Her daughter, Meg, doesn't want anything to do with her. She's been arrested several times. She doesn't have a job or a place to live. At the start, anyway. But Nina Parker is being given a second chance. She's moving in with her sister (who is a sheriff) and returning to her hometown of Abbey Hills, a small town in the Ozarks. She'll be waitressing at Barney's, the local diner. And for this first week back, she'll have her daughter, Meg, with her. Can this week start the two on a new path. Can this relationship begin to heal? Can they learn from each other and begin to understand one another?

Unfortunately, this week isn't going to be easy on either of them. In fact, they may not survive the week. You see, there's a murderer on the loose in Abbey Hills. And victims (both human and animal) are being discovered: their bodies drained of blood, their hearts cut out. Who is the murderer, the monster, in their midst?

Thirsty--in case you couldn't tell by the cover alone--is a vampire novel. A so-called Christian vampire novel. You can read an interview with Tracey Bateman here.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Evermore (MG, YA)

Noel, Alyson. 2009. Evermore.

Can you guess what kind of book this is based on the cover? What do those red tulips mean?

Ever Bloom, our sixteen-year-old heroine, has a gift--secret of course like most paranormal gifts are. She hasn't always had this gift--the gift of seeing people's auras, of reading their thoughts with just the simplest, barest trace of a touch--but since her near death experience, well, she's different. (Her parents, her sister, her dog--all died in a car crash.) Now, Ever is living with her aunt. And she has ever material reason to be happy. But guilt haunts her--well, guilt and her little sister. Yes, her ghost-of-a-sister still pops up ready to chat and giggle. She's got two friends to chat with as well. One, Haven, an attention-hungry twelve-step addict. The other, Miles, a gay sidekick who always knows just what to say.

What is Evermore about? Well, it's focus is on the strange new boy who comes to town. His name is Damen Auguste. And he's the only person whose thoughts (and aura) she can't read. He's her silence. He is also oh-so-dreamy. All the girls (and some of the guys) think he is ever-so-hot. But not Ever. Well, at least that's what Ever claims. She's not interested in having a boyfriend. Do you believe her? Or are you a skeptic like Haven?

Who is Damen interested in? That's a good question...since judging purely on appearances...he's an ultimate player. But there is only one girl he's giving red tulips to. And that's Ever. Is that enough for her?

Some of you may be wondering how much does Ever whines? Well, less than Bella. But she's not whine free.

First sentence: "Guess who?"

Here are a few of my favorite bits:

"Haven is what you'd call an anonymous group addict. In the short time I'd known her, she's attended twelve-step meetings for alcoholics, narcotics, codependents, debtors, gamblers, cyber addicts, nicotine junkies, social phobics, pack rats, and vulgarity lovers. Though as far as I know, today is her first one for overeaters. But then again, at five foot one with the slim, lithe body of a music box ballerina, Haven is definitely not an overeater. She's also not an alcoholic, a debtor, a gambler, or any of those other things. She's just terminally ignored by her self-involved parents, which makes her seek love and approval from just about anywhere she can get it.
Like with the whole goth thing. It's not that she's really all that into it, which is pretty obvious by the way she always skips instead of skulks, and how Joy Division posters hang on the pastel pink walls of her not-so-long ago ballerina phase (that came shortly after her J. Crew catalog preppy phase.)
Haven's just learned that the quickest way to stand out in a town full of Juicy-clad blondes is to dress like the Princess of Darkness. (31-32)

I see dead people. All the time. On the street, at the beach, in the malls, in restaurants, wandering the hallways at school, standing in line at the post office, waiting in the doctor's office, though never at the dentist. But unlike the ghosts you see on TV and in movies, they don't bother me, they don't want my help, they don't stop and chat. The most they ever do is smile and wave when they realize they've been seen. Like most people, they like being seen. (47)

"I know what it's like to lose the people you love," he whispers, reaching across the table and placing his hand over mine, infusing me with a feeling so good, so warm, so calm, and so safe--I close my eyes and allow it. Allow myself to enjoy the peace of it. Grateful to hear what he says not what he thinks. Like an average girl--with a much better than average boy. (49)

If I thought his voice was amazing with the way it envelopes me in silence, if I thought his touch was incredible with the way it awakens my skin, well, the way he kisses is otherworldly. And even though I'm no expert, having only kissed a few guys before, I'm still willing to bet that a kiss like this, a kiss this complete and transcendent, is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. (82)

What did I think of this one? I'm undecided. Part of me thinks that as light entertainment, it does the job just fine. I think if I was fourteen or fifteen, I probably would think it much more entertaining that I do now. (In some ways, it's clean enough that it could even go more towards middle school. A Twilight-esque book that serves a definite need for readers.) Is it original enough? Yes and no. I think some readers find originality overrated. They just don't care if it's all been done before. They want a book that fits a formula, a mold, that they like. In this case, it's the incredible paranormalness of it, this true-love-for-eternity theme. I think this one *may* be a book that teens love more than adults. But that isn't a bad thing. I think any book that gets people reading can be a good book.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Grange, Amanda. 2009. Mr. Darcy, Vampyre. Sourcebooks. 308 pages.

December 1802

My dearest Jane,

My hand is trembling as I write this letter. My nerves are in tatters and I am so altered that I believe you would not recognize me. The past two months have been a nightmarish whirl of strange and disturbing circumstances, and the future...

Jane, I am afraid.

If anything happens to me, remember that I love you and that my spirit will always be with you, though we may never see each other again. The world is a cold and frightening place where nothing is as it seems.

It was all so different a few short months ago. When I awoke on my wedding morning, I thought myself the happiest woman alive...

In this imaginative sequel to Pride and Prejudice, Amanda Grange introduces a new mystery--full of a few twists and turns--to the story as her Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a creature of the night, a vampire. Oh, her Mr. Darcy still loves Elizabeth. (She hasn't committed that sin in her work, have no fear, this Mr. Darcy isn't viewing Elizabeth like a hamburger.) But let's just say Mr. Darcy is having problems showing his love to Elizabeth in the way that she expects...and that readers expect. The novel begins--after a very brief prologue, a flash-forward, if you will--with the two couples (Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth and Darcy) saying 'I do.' After a celebration--a celebration without any major embarrassments from Mrs. Bennet to spice things up, I might add--the two couples go their separate ways. But Darcy has a surprise for his bride. He's changed the destination of their wedding trip without telling anyone. Instead of that trip to the Lake District, they'll be going abroad, going to the Continent, their first destination: France.

From the very beginning, Elizabeth is suspicious of Darcy. He isn't acting happy or pleased. You'd think that he'd be the happiest of men, newly married to a beautiful and intelligent woman. But this Darcy seems preoccupied and moody. Like he's got something BIG bothering him, distracting him. And much to Elizabeth's surprise, Darcy is not interested in consummating their marriage, he avoids any and all intimacies with her. She's beginning to feel ashamed and frustrated. What is his problem? Why isn't she able to capture his attention? Why isn't he interested in her?

As the pair travels Europe--France, the Alps, Italy--they meet many people. Darcy is showing off his bride to his European relations--some mighty strange relations at that, a few that just out and out give Elizabeth the creeps.

What's in store for these newlyweds? Will Darcy ever come clean to Elizabeth? What will she do when she learns the shocking truth? Will she stand by her man even when her man has fangs?

What did I think of Mr. Darcy, Vampyre? I thought it was fun. It was silly in places. The action is of that grinning variety where it's hard to take it completely seriously, but at the same time, you have to keep reading. I couldn't have put this one down for anything. Seriously, I opened it and became so absorbed in it that I lost hours of time without realizing it... and without regretting it. And when you think about it there is no better compliment than that.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Summoning (YA)

Armstrong, Kelley. 2008. The Summoning. HarperCollins. 390 pages.

Mommy forgot to warn the new babysitter about the basement. (from the prologue)

I bolted up in bed, one hand clutching my pendant, the other wrapped in my sheets. (from the first chapter)

Chloe Saunders is having a bad day. Well, a series of bad days really. It all started when she sees a ghost. Of course, she doesn't know exactly what is happening. Just that a very scary looking, very-burned, very-persistent janitor is chasing her up and down the halls of the schools (and into empty classrooms) demanding to talk to her. Is it any wonder she freaks out? Wouldn't you? When teachers try to restrain her--they can't see why she's so hysterical--they assume she's mental and get her help immediately. Now, Chloe is spending time in a home for mentally disturbed teens--Lyle House. And her fellow inmates aren't all what they appear. She'll make a few friends, make a few enemies...

Chloe has a choice to make: accept the fact that she can see ghosts and commune with the dead...or accept the diagnosis she's been given and take her medications like a good patient. Which truth can she live with?

The Summoning is a dark and dangerous novel about secrets, lies, and a few undeniable truths...

My thoughts on the novel: I enjoyed this one. I wasn't sure that I would. I didn't know if it would be too scary for me. (I did read it during the day just in case!) But I liked it. The pace is exciting. And it is hard to put this one down. And there's an immediacy to it that makes you need the sequel...


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Liar (YA)

Larbalestier, Justine. 2009. (October Release). Liar. Bloomsbury. 388 pages.

I was born with a light covering of fur. After three days it had all fallen off, but the damage was done. My mother stopped trusting my father because it was a family condition he had not told her about. One of many omissions and lies. My father is a liar and so am I. But I'm going to stop. I have to stop. I will tell you my story and I will tell it straight. No lies, no omissions. That's my promise. This time I truly mean it.

Is Micah Wilkins, our narrator, a compulsive liar? Is she trustworthy? Is she sane? Divided into three parts, (Telling the Truth, Telling the True Truth, and The Actual Real Truth) Justine Larbalestier offers readers an always compelling, somewhat-unbelievable, but oh-so-thrilling read. When we first meet Micah, she's just learned something horrible: her boyfriend, Zach, is dead. Murdered. Everyone is stunned including Sarah, Zach's actual girlfriend, and Tayshawn, Zach's best friend. Who is Micah? Where does she fit in? Everywhere and Nowhere. As his after-hours girl--well, lover--she doesn't run in the same circles as Zach. She's little better than a freak at school. A girl with extremely short hair who doesn't wear makeup, who doesn't look or act like the other girls. A girl who once for a few days convinced everyone that she was a boy.

It's true that Micah feels out of sorts and all in-between. Not white enough to be white. Not black enough to be black. Not feminine enough to fit in with the popular girls, the gossipy girls. She doesn't feel pretty, that's for sure.

She is good at many things: lying, for one, biology, for another, and last but certainly not least, running. She is faster than fast. At least that is what she tells us. Why doesn't she have friends? Is it her appearance? The fact that she likes attention and tells outrageous lies?

What's her secret? Does that secret involve murder? What's the real story? Can we ever know the truth?

I liked this one mostly. It was definitely intense and suspenseful. It definitely made me think. It's a complex book, which is always nice to see. But I'm not sure I liked it, liked it. I'm not sure I want to hang out with Micah any time soon. I don't think we're meant to.

This is one of those books that could be easily spoiled for readers by too much description. So I'm purposefully keeping it short. The more I describe my thoughts (and reactions) about Micah, the more preconceived ideas and notions you might have to carry with you if you decide to pick it up on your own.

I am not quite sure I get the cover though. I'm not saying the US cover isn't attractive enough in its own little way. But it doesn't take the reader very long to discover that the main character, Micah, is black with very short, very cropped hair. True, the narrator is a compulsive liar, so maybe readers should doubt her when she says that she is black with short, cropped hair and can sometimes pass as a boy. But if this girl on the cover is meant to be Micah, well, there's nothing freaky or awkward about her. And even if you don't consider all that, I'm not sure that this cover matches the mood of the book. Do those eyes and that hair say it's a dark-mysterious-thriller?

The Australian cover.



© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Zombie Queen of Newbury High

Ashby, Amanda. 2009. Zombie Queen of Newbury High. Penguin. 199 pages.

Mia Everett was doomed.

Fun but ever-predictable, this one is a light-hearted read that I tended to enjoy. Predictability. It isn't always a bad thing. Yes, I knew who our heroine would end up falling for by page seven--and I can guess you might as well. But did I enjoy it? Yes. Mostly. Mia is a not-so-popular girl who wants to hold onto her popular boyfriend. Despite the fact that they've been dating for several weeks--five dates and counting--she's insecure in the relationship. Feels threatened, and perhaps rightfully so since her guy is being pursued by a cheerleader who doesn't know the word no. So Mia and her best friend, Candice, seek out a spell--a love spell--to keep Rob, her boyfriend, right where he belongs: by her side. But this spell has some unintended side effects. It's not a love spell at all. And it doesn't just effect Rob--it infects the whole senior class and the teachers who were present at the senior assembly. Fortunately for Mia, someone is there, a witness to it all. Someone who will do anything and everything to keep the situation contained. His name is Chase. And for better or worse, Mia and Chase have to work together or life could get very very messy.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

Softwire: Virus on Orbis 1

Haarsma, PJ. 2006. Softwire: Virus On Orbis 1. Candlewick. 272 pages.

I was surprised by this one. Perhaps it was the cover. Perhaps it was the name. I don't know. It just didn't scream out read me, read me. But. I was more than surprised by this one. I picked this up on a day when I was in a reading slump. Nothing was working for me. I was disconnected and cranky.

But I picked this one up--mainly because the third book in the series had come a day or two before--and was amazed. I picked it up and didn't want to put it down.

I was immediately drawn into this sci-fi world created by PJ Haarsma. It has an interesting premise. A star ship of children arrive on Orbis. Their parents--all the adults--are dead. Have long been dead. (The sleepers had failed. But the embryos (such as they were) survived. And with the help of the computer were hatched (terrible term I know!) in two batches (again horrible word) and raised by the computer. The original plan had been that the parents would work four years on the rings of Orbis thus earning their sponsors the cost of the flight. After four years of indentureship, they'd have the right to earn their citizenship on Orbis. But with the parents dead...how will the Keepers (and Citizens) react to their arrival?

Our narrator, Johnny Turnbull, has a gift. He's a softwire. The first of his kind--the first human to have this gift. He's able to connect with computers--interact with them using his mind. But I won't go into all the details of what other gifts he has.

If you like science fiction, you might want to give it a try. There are two more in the series so far. I hope to get to them soon.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
If you're reading this post on another site, or another feed, the content has been stolen.

Skeleton Creek

Carman, Patrick. 2009. Skeleton Creek. Scholastic. 185 pages.

I'll be honest. I don't do scary. Not really. If I did, I'm sure my reaction to Skeleton Creek would be more enthusiastic. But I don't need to love a book in order to blog about it! After all, I can recognize a good story when I see it, even if that story isn't for me. Skeleton Creek could probably be described as a deliciously creepy mystery about two teenagers--one boy, Ryan, one girl, Sarah--living in a mysterious town, Skeleton Creek, a town that has seen better days, brighter days. The town is becoming more and more abandoned. Sarah, the more curious of the pair, wants to find out why the town is so weird. Why is the town named Skeleton Creek? Why does the librarian have a shot gun? What is up with some of the adults in town? They're not making this up, right? Things are heading towards the Twilight Zone, aren't they? The book is very atmospheric. The videos help with creating and establishing this. And I think for people who love exciting adventures, who love the thrill of a fast-paced dangerous life-and-death-on-the-line adventure...this one will be right for you.

Ryan's story is told in the book. This "journal" that he is keeping. You've just got to supend your disbelief on this one. It's written in many places in the present tense. And no one--as far as I can tell--would really and truly be writing stuff down as it happens. Especially since there are some intense things going on. Would there really be people who'd write about danger right then and there instead of getting out of there and then writing it down? Anyway, if nothing else the tense keeps you right there in the midst of the action.

Sarah's story is told through a series of videos. Sarah is all about her camera.

Both Sarah and Ryan love to break rules. And they're both a bit reckless. So both are prone to rushing into danger with very little thought or preparation.

Personally, as an adult who is not into scary, I just see both as being incredibly stupid. Asking for it stupid. That's just me. I'm unadventurous.

Other reviews: A Patchwork of Books, Book Nut, Maw Books. Reading Rumpus.

Have you heard of this one? Read it? Reviewed it? If you have and you'd like me to include your link just leave a comment letting me know.



© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Generation Dead

Waters, Daniel. 2008. Generation Dead.

I read Leila's review of this yesterday--I was already a good ways through it--and I echo her sentiments in part. I wanted to really like this one. When you get the first part of the premise--zombies in high school--you think it would be a really fun novel. A novel where perhaps just maybe a girl (or guy) will fall in love with someone a bit unusual--a bit dead. Like Bella falling for Edward, maybe. Or one of those countless other books where teens are falling in love with vampires, werewolves, and such. But that's not what this novel is about. It's not romance exactly. And it's not horror either--zombies attacking. It's social propaganda 101. Sort've. Mostly.

Here's the basic premise--teens all over America are rising from their graves. For whatever reason--still unexplained by scientists--some (but not all) teens are coming back from the dead. Some zombies--aka living impaired aka differently biotic--are accepted by their families. Others are not so lucky. Some are rejected by family, friends, and former significant others. There isn't a lot of love going around for the undead among us. Far from it, hate and disgust reign supreme. And since their rights as human beings, as American citizens, died with them, the zombies are left to fend for themselves and make do best they can. There isn't really much support--so far--private or public for the zombies' cause and interests.

There is one school--I believe the novel is set in Connecticut--that has more living impaired students than most of the others. In fact, some living impaired are moving there just so they won't be so alone, so isolated. This is a good and bad thing. The more living impaired students there are, the more ticked off the living become. While the principal promotes loving acceptance and inclusion, the student body is far from treating their fellow classmates with respect and courtesy and dignity.

Meet Phoebe. Phoebe isn't quite like the others. She is a goth chick, for one, but she's different for another reason as well. She's not blind to the zombies. She notices them. She's drawn to one in particular, a boy named Tommy Williams. She feels the need, the desire, to become his friend.

Tommy. Tommy isn't like most zombies. He's the best of the best, you might say. He's more articulate, more graceful (less clumsy and awkward) than his peers. At one point in the novel, someone says he could almost pass as living. Almost. He "represents" the best of what a zombie can be. He does try out for the football team.

But his friendship with Phoebe will have consequences. Adam, Phoebe's best friend, learns to deal with it respectfully for the most part. He still wants her for himself. But he comes to like Tommy. They become friendly with one another. But Adam is almost the only one on the football team that treats Tommy as a human. The others are set to destroy. Most would kill him if they could. After all, killing the undead isn't a crime. Most would say Tommy doesn't have any right to be "alive" at all.

Here's the thing, you can support the message--really be more than fine with the message--and not want to read a 392 page novel that pimps that message in such a didactic way. It accelerates from subtle to didactic (preachy) very very quickly. You won't necessarily think this in the first few chapters, I know I didn't, but towards the middle it gets very bogged down with THE MESSAGE. The message here is on prejudice and discrimination and human rights. The zombies represent any and every minority group ever scorned and mistreated by society. This novel is the battle between tolerance and intolerance of love and hate. It's not quite a full parable, but it borders one so nearly with its in-your-face hitting you with a hammer style that it's hard not to feel it tries a bit too hard. Why be subtle when you can be IN YOUR FACE. Why say something once or twice when you can say it a hundred times in all caps?

I guess this is what it comes down to. I wanted more from this one, so I'm disappointed. However, that's not strictly fair to the book. It does offer something to readers. It does offer food for thought. It does offer a mix of dark sarcasm and wit with some rather serious overtones--bullying, hate, murder, etc. There were moments I smiled. There were moments I enjoyed it. There were places when I connected with the story. But it wasn't a completely satisfying experience either. It wasn't an I-loved-every-page kind of book. I liked it in parts and bits. Tommy is by far my favorite thing about the novel. Read his blog here.

The ending left me a little unsatisfied. It could have done more perhaps, and if there is a sequel, perhaps we'll see more resolution. By the way, most reviews seem to be positive and gushing praise. So I'm in the minority in being only "meh" about it.

Other reviews: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Just to name a few.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews