Xpresso Reads

OFF WITH HER HEAD!!Alice in Wonderland with zombies? Not so much. Creative zombie ghosts lore (… you heard me. Zombie. Ghosts) with great humor and charming characters? Definitely! Despite the title, Alice in Zombieland really has nothing much to do with Alice in Wonderland. There may be some scattered references, but it's really a unique story all on its own. While some may be disappointed, I wasn't terribly familiar with the specifics of the classic tale, so I found myself having a lot of fun with this non-retelling. Really, all I need are zombies. Wouldn't every fairy tale be much more interesting with zombies? I think so! :DCharming, this book absolutely is! Which is funny to say for a zombie book. Ali leads this story with a tough, head held high attitude; she's feisty with a great sense of humor that I got a kick out of. Then we have her friend Kat who really completes the show. Spunky, wild, and lots of fun, Kat is a fabulous girl who I came to adore. She has a very attractive confidence and qualities that everyone would want in a best friend. Plus, she has secrets of her own that add depth to the story. And of course, we have boys; most prominently - Cole. The leader of the bad boys, Cole is sexy and fierce with a mysterious agenda of his own, and Ali hopes she won't regret putting her trust into him. His irksome attitude towards Ali motivates some pretty humoristic dialogue/banter between them; their opinions tend to clash more than harmonize. Let's just say, the tension between them is just as adorable as it is frustrating. While the romance isn't my favorite aspect of this novel--the constant back and forth between them can get a little exasperating--they do have great chemistry to work with. Set at the perfect pace, the plot is centered around these zombies that are not your run of the mill zombies, these exist in the spirit world. While I love the traditional zombie, and at first I wasn't sure how I would enjoy this bizarre re-imagining, it's simply too creative to not have me fascinated by it all. I was a little confused with the specifics, however: Who can see them and who they can hurt exactly, is not made very clear. But we still have time to get into these details. Zombies: meet the Hazmats, a villainous company looking to experiment on your rotted ghost person! And their intentions? Duh duh duuuuuh! The Hazmats add a great mysterious edge to the plot which also opens up intriguing possibilities for its sequel. All of this adds up to a refreshingly unique little paranormal romance.There is humor, there are zombies, there are witty characters, even the chapter titles are hilarious! What else do you need? Oh, and the sequel is called "Through the Zombie Glass". Win? Yes! Yes it does!--An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads