Special Guest: Book Review - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Hi everyone! I am so super excited to bring you all a book review written by my younger sister, Rachel. She has recently gotten into reading books again. (courtesy of moi, haha) She and I both adore the book Warm Bodies and recently went to see the movie in theaters. O.M.G. - To Die for!! Anyway, Rachel has written a review for the book and will hopefully be a special guest book review on my blog. ;)

If any of my readers are interested in also being a "Special Guest Book Reviewer" here at Bittersweet Enchantment you can send me a e-mail @ ChiKittie(at)gmail(dot)com and I will send you all the details about it. I would love to have my readers review for me. 

Title: Warm Bodies
Author: Isaac Marion

Number of Pages: 239
Published: Published April 26th 2011 by Atria
Source:  Hardcover (library)
Genre: Fantasy > Horror > Zombies
Reading Level: Young Adult - Adult

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R is a young man with an existential crisis--he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse. Just dreams.

After experiencing a teenage boy's memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and strangely sweet relationship with the victim's human girlfriend. Julie is a burst of vibrant color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that R lives in. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world.

Scary, funny, and surprisingly poignant, Warm Bodies is about being alive, being dead and the blurry line in between.

Warm Bodies Movie Trailer:

First off, let me begin this review by saying that I've never been much of a zombie fan. Yummy bloodsucking vampires and sexy brooding demons have always been more my thing. I mean, seriously, what could possibly be sexy about a rotting, flesh-eating, brain-munching zombie?
And then I met R.
Warm Bodies is told from R's point of view, a deep thinker who is filled with thoughts and dreams....oh, and did I mention that he's DEAD? The book is set sometime in the future in an apocalyptic setting, though the exact time frame is never mentioned. Society has separated into the humans, the “Living”, and the zombies, or the “Dead”, and....well, let's just say they don't get along too well. But then R meets Julie, a human who seems just as determined to change things.
I found it interesting that the book was a bit of a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, with R being Romeo of course, and Julie being Juliet. And I assume that R's best zombie friend, M, was meant to be Mercutio as well. The “star-crossed lovers” have discovered that they're not so different after all, aside from the whole breathing and not-breathing thing, and now must fight to change the war that has emerged between their kinds.
But the thing that really hooked me on Warm Bodies was the hidden meaning beneath the story. With texting and social media now dominating our daily communications, we are slowly becoming a society who doesn't really TALK to each other anymore. And according to the book, over time this lack of communication and true interaction with each other is what has slowly brought us to become “dead”. Okay, so maybe in real life we won't literally become brain-eating zombies if we text too much, but I think the underlying meaning is to appreciate life and love, to embrace our loved ones and never take anything for granted. Because true love can overcome anything....even bringing the dead back to life. Or as Marion states in one of many beautiful quotes from the book:
“We smile, because this is how we save the world.”
So now that I've covered what I DID like about the book, let me next go into what I DIDN'T like.....when I turned to the last page and it was over. I love LOVED this book and would have to say it has been my favorite read so far this year. The dark humor throughout it had me laughing out loud several times, and the ending left me with lots of warm fuzzies. Even if you're not a huge zombie fan (like me!), I highly recommend checking out this book. I give Warm Bodies 5 out of 5 brains...just for you, R. :)

Special Guest: Book Reviewer

Find Rachel @
The Grell Show / Facebook / Youtube

Ray has been involved in theater and the performing arts since she was a wee little kindergartener and has done it all. Seriously...from being cast in community and school plays, appearing as an extra in a few movies (seen Patch Adams? She was in the crowd at the graduation scene XD), took vocal lessons, and even did professional clowning for about ten years. Though she was a gamer most of her life, she didn't discover the magic of anime and cosplay until about 3 years ago. Her friends took Ray to her first con in 2008 (Animazement) and she's been hooked ever since. She currently has about 20 cosplays and counting, but her absolute favorite character is Grell. He's just so much fun, and has become a part of her soul (no pun intended, hah!). In addition to Kuroshitsuji, other favorite animes include Chobits, Vampire Knight, and Elfen Lied.

Thank you Rachel for writing such a beautiful review. It's a pleasure having you on my blog. 

I hope everyone enjoyed Rachel's review. Please leave comments for her if you'd like.