Book Review #771 - Dust and Decay (Rot and Ruin #2) by Jonathan Maberry

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them. 

Sounds easy. Sounds wonderful. Except that everything that can go wrong does. Before they can even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town. But as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, insane murderers and the horrors of Gameland –where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all… could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive? 

In the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you. Everything…and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will make it out alive. 

My Rating: 4/5

Just like book one in this series Rot and Ruin this book is action packed and moves at such a break neck speed that I was unwilling to ever put it down.

I loved that the rot and ruin was explored more deeply in this book with the majority of the book set there as it is such a mysterious yet interesting place.

The relationships between all the characters continued to develop and I love the banter and camaraderie between them all. 

The main cliff hanger from the first book was not resolved nor was it ever really addressed but considering how much other stuff was happening it didn't really bother me.

This is definitely my favourite zombie series and I can't believe how underrated it seems to be.

Benny evolved so much in this book in stepping out of his brother's shadow and especially the way the book ended I can already see his development is going to be massive in the next book.

The romance in this books is so subtle and rather juvenile considering the ages of the characters. It is very much toned down as well considering the amount of action happening which I really like that it is not trying to take the main focus.

Book Review #715 - Strange Angels (Strange Angels #1) by Lili St. Crow

In Strange Angels, Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.) Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

My Rating: 6.5/10

I decided to read this book when I discovered that I surprisingly had the entire series on my shelves. I have found these books at thrift shops over the years and so this book has been on my TBR for a significant period of time. 

I'm a massive fan of the TV show Supernatural and there were very minor elements in this book that reminded of it, such as Dru's father being a hunter since her mother had died and him dragging her around the country to hunt monsters. 

Dru was a character I feel like I never really got to know. She went through so much in this book that she had to put on a strong exterior and I felt like this wasn't the real her, but we never really got to see past it.

I loved that this book creates its own lore when it comes to the monsters such as how Dru's father became a zombie. 

I really wanted to love this book more than what I did but I couldn't help but feel I would have loved it had I read it 5-10 years ago. 

Dru meets a mysterious guy called Graves who like Dru is all alone. I would have liked Graves to have had more character development as not much is explored with him especially as he is present for a significant portion of the book.

Dru also meets another mysterious guy called Christophe, but he is mysterious as in not human. 

Dru was very indecisive and I found that frustrating especially at the pivotal moments. 

There were also moments in the book especially the action scenes where I felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture. 

I had planned to marathon read this series but after reading this first book I already feel like I need a break from it which can't be a good sign. 

Book Review #676 - The Walking Dead, Book 2 (#13-#24)

My Rating: 3/5

I didn't like this book as much as the first one. This book contained way too much personal drama especially for a post-apocalyptic book. 

There was way too much focus on romantic relationships, some because of the portrayal of them on the TV show I couldn't get my head around like Carol and Tyreese. 

I loved that Michonne was finally introduced as she is one of my favourite characters. 

Overall I was a little disappointed with this one and am not sure I am going to continue on with this series. 

Book Review #672 - Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1) by R.L. Stine

11-year-old Josh and 12-year-old Amanda just moved into the oldest and weirdest house on the block--the two siblings think it might even be haunted! But of course, their parents don't believe them. You'll get used to it, they say. Go out and make some new friends. 

But the creepy kids are not like anyone Josh and Amanda have ever met before. And when they take a shortcut through the cemetery one night, Josh and Amanda learn why.

My Rating: 3.5/5

My brother and I used to love the Goosebumps series when we were growing up. A few weeks ago I was clearing out my childhood shelves and found our collection. I remembered how much I loved them, and so though why not read them now as an adult.

Like most Goosebumps books (the ones I remember anyway), the book starts off with a family moving into a new home. Neither of the children Amanda and Josh were too happy about the move, but it's the family pet Petey that takes the move the hardest. 

One difference I noticed reading this now is just how predictable it was. 

The house they are moving to is in a town called Dark Falls, oh and the house was given to them for free in a will of an uncle that no one has actually heard of. 

Anyway, I really did enjoy the 20 or so minutes it took me to read this book. Each chapter ended with a mini cliffhanger which used to keep me reading way past my bedtime as a child but definitely helps the pacing of the story as you simply don't want to put the book down. 

There were a few things that I thought were a little morbid for a children's book that probably wouldn't have been in the 1990's. 

The ending was open ended and I know there are a few Goosebumps books that have sequels, but this doesn't seem to be one of them which is odd considering how it ended. 

Book Review #431 - The Walking Dead (The Walking Dead #1-12) by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moor, Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn

The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled: no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. In a world ruled by the dead, the survivors are forced to finally start living.

My Rating: 5/5

This is the first full length Graphic Novel that I have read that hasn't been converted from another book. 

As a fan of the TV Show, I have been wanting to read the graphic novels for the longest time and had high expectations for it. 

Apart from character development I thought that it was equally as good as the show. Nothing could be done about the character development though because clearly it is easier for that on TV. 

There were a few main characters on the show that were noticeably missing such as Daryl, Merle and Beth but the plot was on a basic level the same. 

If these hardcover books weren't so expensive I would definitely be reading the second book right now.

Book Review #413 - Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse

Camille wants to find the perfect boy, with an athlete's body and a poet's brain. But when she's mocked at a college party, she knows there isn't a boy alive who'll ever measure up. Enter Zoe, her brilliant but strange best friend, who takes biology homework to a whole new level. She can create Camille's dream boy, Frankenstein-stylee. But can she make him love her?

My Rating: 3/5

I received this book for review from Chicken House for Scholastic Australia.

Because I had read and loved Rockoholic by the same author I had expected to like this book more than what I actually did.

The biggest problem I had with this book were the characters. Camille, the protagonist was so obsessed with popularity and getting a boyfriend that it made it impossible for me to like her at all.

Zoe was the only character that had any substance at all and even then she was as Camille says throughout the book "a psychopath".

The whole scientific side of their Frankenstein project was interesting and was my favourite part of the book.

Book Review #368 - Warm Bodies (Warm Bodies #1) by Isaac Marion

'R' is a zombie. He has no name, no memories and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Amongst the ruins of an abandoned city, R meets a girl. Her name is Julie and she is the opposite of everything he knows - warm and bright and very much alive, she is a blast of colour in a dreary grey landscape. For reasons he can't understand, R chooses to save Julie instead of eating her, and a tense yet strangely tender relationship begins.

This has never happened before. It breaks the rules and defies logic, but R is no longer content with life in the grave. He wants to breathe again, he wants to live, and Julie wants to help him. But their grim, rotting world won't be changed without a fight...

 

 

My Rating: 5/5

 

 

Ever since I watched the first three seasons of The Walking Dead in under a week I have been craving a really good zombie book. This book is exactly what I was after.

 

 

What is entirely unique about this book is that it is told from the zombie's perspective. R was an interesting protagonist, he had lots of thoughts, he just wasn't able to communicate efficiently.

 

 

What else is unique about this book is the conclusion. How the zombie infection is not a virus but was more a society issue.

 

 

I read this book in under an hour, it was really fast paced and witty and I just couldn't put it down.

 

 

I know this book is classified as Young Adult, but given that R has no idea how old he is and the content involved, I would probably say this is more general fiction. Adults would like this as well.

 

 

I watched the movie straight after I finished reading and was disappointed in how much they changed the story. My review of the film will be posted soon on my movie review blog.

 

Book Review #367 - The Zombie Playground (Grisly High #2) by Brian Rowe

 

Brin Skar has had a rough couple of weeks. She barely survived the grisly vampire attack in Bodie Ghost Town, the mysterious Paul is now a guest in her own home, and her dad Kristopher, dead for over a year, has emerged from the grave to try to kill his only daughter. After two somber funerals and the baffling disappearance of her Film teacher, Brin decides she needs a break from all the pain and heartache. And what’s a better escape than a round of golf at the brand new Macabre Golf Course? But as soon as Brin and her friends hit the links, strange noises and bizarre sightings begin to occur. And unfortunately for the group, the vampire encounter is going to seem like child’s play… especially when the zombies come out to play!

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from the author. The author's Goodreads page can be found here.

 

 

This is the sequel to The Vampire Underground a book which I really enjoyed. I didn't like this book quite as much as the first one.

 

 

I found this book as action packed and fast paced as the first. It carried on virtually seamlessly from the first one.

 

 

The Zombies were an interesting inclusion. They weren't as interesting as the vampires though. Probably because with the vampires, the characters had proper interactions with them unlike the zombies.

 

 

Again like with the first book, I really enjoyed the movie references throughout.

 

 

The only problems I had with this book were Paul and the plot twist right at the end.

 

 

Paul is a vampire, yet he doesn't act like one. He knows that the zombies can't hurt him, he even states that yet he still runs from them and acts scared. It was funny though when a zombie did try and eat him.

 

 

The final plot twist with (spoiler alert) the portal came completely out of nowhere and didn't really fit in with the theme.

Book Review #304 - Phoenix (Beautiful Dead #4) by Eden Maguire

Darina is in denial. Even after all she’s been through, the Beautiful Dead can’t be real. They must be a figment of her grief-stricken imagination. But visions of Phoenix and Hunter prove otherwise and soon she’s drawn back to Foxton, to the barn, to Phoenix - where they have, what may just be, their final reunion.

It’s the moment they’ve been dreading - time to solve Phoenix’s mystery. Everything has been building to this but Darina knows that revealing the true circumstances of Phoenix’s death will lead to their final parting. With this impossible mixture of emotions, Darina begins to unscramble the facts, but she’s up against mounting obstacles: the distraction of Hunter’s personal mystery, Phoenix’s returning father, threats of gang violence and conspiracies to blur and block the truth.

With time pressure mounting and the risk of Phoenix being sent back into unending limbo, Darina puts herself in danger, and so the mystery of the Beautiful Dead builds into a heart-breaking climax ...

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This whole series has been building up to this book. Phoenix's death has been mentioned numerous times over the previous three books and so I was really interested in seeing how it ends.

 

 

As I have previously stated in my reviews of the previous three books, the characters are not my favourite. I just never seemed to connect with them at all.

 

 

I found this book to be pretty predictable. I predicted the two big plot twists before they happened.

 

 

This is still probably my favourite book of the series by far, I thought that there was a lot more depth with the mystery and with the character development.

Book Review #294 - Summer (Beautiful Dead #3) by Eden Maguire

 

Six months have passed since the last Ellerton teenager died, but Darina is still traumatized by the stabbing of her own beloved Phoenix. But there's work to be done as Darina must now turn her attention to the shooting of Summer Madison - the beautiful and gifted, singer-song-writer with a heart of gold. It's been nearly a year since the random shooting in a shopping mall caused Summer's meaningless death.

 

Summer left behind recordings of her wonderful songs and a deep sadness amongst high school friends. Now Darina must act as Summerās agent to track down the psychotic killer in a clear search for justice. With the sound of Summer's music constantly playing inside Darina's head, recalling the wonderful months when she was alive and performing her first gigs, Darina, Phoenix and the Beautiful Dead are determined to catch the crazed killer. And all the while Darinaās love for Phoenix continues to beat ...

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

 

This book is slightly different to the previous two books as Darina was more involved in the actual death part not just the solving part.

 

 

Summer was less involved that I thought she would be considering the book is named after her.

 

 

Darina is a pretty frustrating character. From the way she treats other characters to the way she pines after Phoenix her dead boyfriend. Also when she finds out the truth about Brandon and her car she doesn't even care.

 

 

I liked the mystery aspect again with the book as I did with the previous books but I wanted there to be a greater emphasis on it. It was good how there were never any real suspects until the truth was revealed.

Book Review #289 - Arizona (Beautiful Dead #2) by Eden Maguire

 

There's been no sign of the Beautiful Dead for weeks. Darina achingly misses Phoenix all over again. But surely he will return with the rest of the Beautiful Dead as so much still remains unresolved. It's been ten months since Arizona drowned in Hartmann Lake. Suicide, it would seem. But something doesn't add up.

 

Drowning herself in a hidden - away lake does not sound like strong, confident, Arizona: Ellerton High School's high-maintenance drama queen. Darina needs to help Arizona the way she helped Jonas. But time is running out...

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This is the second book in the Beautiful Dead series and is the sequel to Jonas.

 

 

I liked this book equally as much as Jonas. I didn't think that the two books were all that different from one another.

 

 

As for the character, I still haven't completely warmed up to Darina yet but I did like her more than I did in the first book.

 

 

I am really enjoying this series because it has a really unique paranormal aspect whilst also combining with interesting mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.

Book Review #285 - Jonas (Beautiful Dead #1) by Eden Maguire

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances.

 

Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina, Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head! And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina.

 

Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' - a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth. Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This book was very intriguing and had a very unique concept. Given that the protagonist Darina's boyfriend had recently died, it does have a slightly dark undertone to it which I liked.

 

 

The whole paranormal aspect of it was what I liked the most. I am interested to learn more about Hunter and the others in future books, as their abilities weren't fully developed.

 

 

The characters all had unique names, which for a small town was pretty unrealistic. I didn't feel the connection between Darina and Phoenix. She kept on about how much she loved him, but I just didn't feel it.

 

 

A character that I did like was Zoey. I hope that she remains in the story even though Jonas's story is finished.

 

 

I didn't really like the ending. I thought that Darina would have needed more proof than to just tell Jonas's dad.

Book Review #284 - Unfed (Undead #2) by Kirsty McKay

 

The good news: Bobby survived her Undead school trip. Bad news: her best mate, Smitty, is missing. Bobby knows she's got to find him even if it means risking it all and going out into the starving-zombie-infested wastelands again. Even if it means taking fellow survivors including a couple of old frenemies along for the ride. And even if the zombies are not the only ones who are chasing them this time.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I received this book for review from Scholastic Australia. It is the sequel to Undead.

 

 

This book was equal to the first in terms of action and adventure although I didn't like it as much as the first.

 

 

The book is extremely fast paced especially the ending, which was completely unexpected.

 

 

Like the first book, I felt like I barely knew the characters. They are all likeable but I don't think that they develop at all.

Book Review #283 - Chasers (Alone #1) by James Phelan

FOUR TEENAGERS. ONE DESTROYED CITY. THOUSANDS OF INFECTED PREDATORS...

Jesse is on a UN Youth Ambassadors camp in New York when his subway carriage is rocked by an explosion. Jesse and his three friends, Anna, Dave and Mini, crawl out from the wreckage only to discover a city in chaos.

Streets are deserted. Buildings are in ruins. Worse, the only other survivors seem to be infected with a virus that turns them into horrifying predators ... Outnumbered. No sign of life. Just Them. And you... ALONE.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This was a very interesting book and completly different to any other zombie book I had previously read.

 

 

It was a bit slow paced and I spent the majority of the book waiting for something to happen.

 

 

The description of the setting was probably my favourite aspect as I could picture it perfectly which added to the horror of the story.

 

 

The cliff hanger at the end was something that I thought I would have been more shocked by but for some reason I wasn't.

 

 

I would have liked some definitive answers to some questions but am happy to just read the rest of the series to find out.

 

Book Review #278 - Rot and Ruin (Benny Imura #1) by Jonathan Maberry

In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn't want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash, but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

 

 

My Rating: 5/5

 

 

I have had this book loaned from the Library for a while now and the first time I tried reading it months ago I couldn't get further than the first chapter.

 

 

When I picked it up this time I never expected to like it as much as  did. Once I got into the storyline I finished it in less than a day.

 

 

It is really fast paced, and given that it is over 400 pages it contains alot of action.

 

 

The protagonist Benny was immature at times. Even though I found that annoying at times I could see that it was justified.

 

 

My favourite character other than Benny was his brother Tom. I would have liked to have seen some of the story from his perspective.

 

 

The only character that I didn't like was Nix. Given that she seems to be a main character, I hope I warm up to her in future books.

 

 

I really liked the setting, it reminded me at times of The Forest of Hands and Teeth with the fence keeping the zombies out.

Book Review #272 - Undead (Undead #1) by Kirsty McKay

 

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 Smitty.

 

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.

 

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This book is fast paced from the very first page. The action starts almost immediately and at first I liked that but I was soon overwhelmed.

 

 

I felt the characters were never properly introduced and so throughout the book I was never able to connect with any of them.

 

 

I haven't read very many zombie books and so I didn't have any expectations for this but now I want to read more zombie books.

 

 

There was a key plot twist that I did predict, but other than that it was never really straight forward. I especially liked the ending and can't wait to read the sequel Unfed.

Book Review #265 - Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter

She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave.

Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

 

 

My Rating: 4.5/5

 

 

This seems to be a book that people either love or hate. Whilst I can see why people might not enjoy it, I really did like this book.

 

 

The whole Zombie aspect was entirely unique. I liked how they could only fight the Zombies whilst in spirit form.

 

 

Plotwise, there were no real surprises until the last few chapters. Although the amount of action made up for it.

 

 

The characters all had strong personalities. I really did like Cole, but would have liked him to have developed more. Alice was strong and for the most part I did like her. Kat was a character that I had a love/hate opinion about.

 

 

I am curious to see where the author takes this story in the sequel Through the Zombie Glass.

Book Review #223 - Enclave (Razorland #1) by Ann Aguirre

New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20s. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters—or Freaks—who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight, in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs. As the two are guided by Fade’s long-ago memories, they face dangers, and feelings, unlike any they’ve ever known.

 

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

It took me quite a long time to read this book. Whilst I did enjoy it when reading, I found that I was constantly putting the book down.

 

 

The characters develop slowly, but they were by far my favourite thing about this book. I liked Deuce and Fade, but didn't care for Tegan at all.

 

 

The world didn't seem developed enough. This was probably the reason why I had a hard time getting sucked into the story.

 

 

Also, I'm not sure why the blurb said "For fans of the Hunger Games" as the only thing these two books have in common is the genre.

Book Review #148 - The Loners (Quarantine #1) by Lex Thomas

It was just another ordinary day at McKinley High—until a massive explosion devastated the school. When loner David Thorpe tried to help his English teacher to safety, the teacher convulsed and died right in front of him. And that was just the beginning.

A year later, McKinley has descended into chaos. All the students are infected with a virus that makes them deadly to adults. The school is under military quarantine. The teachers are gone. Violent gangs have formed based on high school social cliques. Without a gang, you’re as good as dead. And David has no gang. It’s just him and his little brother, Will, against the whole school.

In this frighteningly dark and captivating novel, Lex Thomas locks readers inside a school where kids don’t fight to be popular, they fight to stay alive.

My Rating: 4/5

I received this book for review from Netgalley. It is auto-approved so you can read it straight away. It will be published on 10 July 2012.

The beginning was very captivating and pulled you into the story instantly. I read about the first half of the book in one sitting and it was very fast paced.

I really liked the desciptions used to describe the school in which they are trapped. Also the gangs amongst the students in the school was very interesting and unique.

The only issue I had with this book were the characters. Towards the middle of the book they started to get on my nerves. It was mainly Will. I found him to be too whiny and jealous of his brother David.

The end of the book was almost as good as the beginning. I really liked the cliffhanger at the end and can't wait to read the sequel.

Book Review #81 - The Dead Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands and Teeth #2)

One night beyond the barrier. One boy she's known forever. One veiled mystery. One reckless moment.....and half of her generation is dead.

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of the lighthouse. 

Home is all she's ever known and all she needs for happiness. But life after the Return is never safe and there are threats even the barrier can't hold back.

Gabry's mother thought she'd left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth but now, to save the one she loves, Gabry must face the Forest of her mother's past. 

My Rating: 5/5

I found this book to be incredibly slow-paced, yet very exciting at the same time. 


The writing style the author uses is unique and it builds the world and the characters in such a way that they seem very real. 


When I first found out that the protagonist was not the same as in The Forest of Hands and Teeth I was a little hesitant that I would like that aspect, but Gabry is introduced in such a way that you forget that she is even a new character.  


For my review of the first book The Forest of Hands and Teeth click here.