Book Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Title: Alice in Zombieland
Author: Gena Showalter

Number of Pages: 404

Published: September 25th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

Source: Own a copy

Genre: Urban Fantasy > Horror 

Reading Level: Young Adult

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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….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.I'd tell my sister no.I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.I'd tell them I love them.I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Alice in Zombieland was a very long anticipated book of 2012 for me to read. I was literally counting the days until I could get my hands on a copy. So when my sister, Rachel ended up gifting me the book for a early birthday gift I was soooooo uber excited. I just couldn't stop staring at the cover, so beautiful. 

Okay, I am going to start out with what I did not like first. Normally I don't begin this way but I feel my readers should understand one major thing about the book. Even before I got the book I knew I would love it. Why? Because of what I intended Alice in Zombieland to be about. The cover is very deceiving. I thought that the book would be a dark retelling of the Alice in Wonderland with zombies in the mix. Sadly no. Yes, there is a girl named Alice and yes she does fight zombies in the book but the only thing that does represent that "Alice in Wonderland" feel is a cloud in the sky shaped like a rabbit. Which does have a significance in the book. So this was somewhat of a let down even thought I was disappointed at first I ended up totally in love with it and the characters. Here why...

Let's talk about Alice, for one I have never read a book with such a strong willed, kiss ass heroine. No matter what life threw at her she would get right back up and do her thing. In the beginning of the book Alice and her sister Emma try to convince her Mother and Father to go to Emma's dance recital but because the event is taking place a night she knows this task will be a hard one. Alice's father has always seen "things", monsters that no one else in her family has even seen. Alice thinks he is "off his rocker" per say and never understood why her father thinks the way he does. Alice talks her way into heading out that night to Emma's recital come hell or high water but little does she know the events that will take place will change her world forever. 

The so called monsters or zombies ARE in fact real and because of Alice's desire to go out one night she is now is faced with these undead creatures which have taken everything she loved. In this sad turn of events (won't spoil what happens) Alice is now on her own and must find a way to cope while fighting the very monsters that she never believed in. 

I don't want to give anymore away. There is a TON of stuff that happens in the book all at once and some being good, some being very evil. It is very hard for me to write this review as I feel if I tell you anymore it will spoil the book. So let me say this...

OH. MY. GOD!

This book totally blew me away!! I was so very shocked how much I loved it. The characters, main and secondary were all spot on amazing. Alice and Cole made the perfect couple. Their relationship throughout the entire book was at the right pace and developed perfectly.

I enjoyed immensely how action packed the story was from beginning to end. The ideas and plot was so very unique with many twists and turns throughout.  Which gives the reader a fun thrilling ride with never a dull moment in sight. Zombie book fans, this is one not to miss and I am beyond proud to have a copy on my book shelve. Gena Showalter is one of my very favorite authors. Or course she has done it again and totally rocked my socks off.

Yes, Alice in Zombieland was not the book I expected it to be going into the story but coming out was even better!

See? Barney agrees.

4 Cupcakes

Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Book Review: The Possession of Cassie Quinn by Kathryn Knutson

Title: The Possession of Cassie Quinn

Author: Kathryn Knutson 
Number of Pages: 200

Published: June 1st 2012 by North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc

Source: Author (paperback)
Genre: Paranormal Romance > Horror

Reading Level: YA

Star Rating: ★★★★

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A long, dark driveway towards an old farmhouse. A new stepsister with a nasty streak. A little sister who runs off. Something sinister lurking in the woods. Cassie Quinn's new home comes with . . . complications. Cassie never believed in ghosts before. But now she is receiving strange messages, telling her to stay out of the woods. Are the messages just a ploy by her stepsister? Or are they warning her of an evil that stalks the shadows of the woods beyond her home?

I am slowing becomes a huge supernatural horror fan. The Possession of Cassie Quinn just reminds me of why I fell in love with this type of book. Honestly this book just totally freaked me out and made me have goosebumps most of the way through. So if your like me and like a good scare than I would definitely read this one but be sure to keep one eye open when you sleep. I know I did. 

As the book begins we learn that Cassie's Mother has just gotten remarried to a man named Dave and is now stuck with a new step-sister, Ashleigh. Cassie and her little sister, Andie are forced to move away and live in a large house in the country with her new family. Cassie just wants to be done with the move and carry on with her now fractured life the best she can. Cassie begins having frightening and confusing dreams about something that happen in the house years ago. She'll find out that the house holds many secrets, ones too dark to be told. So when things become even weirder for her upon moving it she is all but happy.  In her bedroom she receive terrifying messages that is from beyond the grave. LEAVE! Someone or "something" does not want Cassie and her family to live there. With no one to turn to she begins to make friends with the local kids and discovers they are the key to finding out what really happen and what she can do to end this. But finding the truth may end up killing her or..... worse! 

No spoilers there because I don't want to give away any of the good scary parts. I must say I was very surprised but how amazing the story was. I love a good scare but this just has me looking over my shoulder for a week after. The Author Kathryn Knutson really did a excellent job at making the me feel like I was right there with Cassie while the events were taking place around her. Cassie is a strong female protagonist and reading from her POV was much more thrilling than it would have been from a 3rd person POV. The book was short read but all the more reason to want to reach the end. The last few pages I found to scare me the most and was definitely a conclusion I was not suspecting. 

The one and only thing that I did not care for was the pace of the book. I found myself stopping and coming back a lot. While the author's writing was very edgy and predominant it got a little choppy at times during the book. Other than that I would say I truly enjoyed the book and would love to read the next installment.

The Possession of Cassie Quinn is a beautifully hunting tale. A thrilling ride from start to finish. A MUST read for all supernatural/horror fans. This book left me with the chills long after the last page.

Find Kathryn @ Website | Facebook | Goodreads

I am so excited to have my first book published with North Star Press!  I have been writing stories since I was five years old and it has always been my dream to be an author.  I love to write for children and teens.  I have two boys who keep me very busy, but somehow I find the time to write.  I hope to meet you at one my events (check out the Events page) or you can follow me on Facebook or email me at author@kathrynknutson.com.

If you live in the St. Cloud area and you are a kid who loves to write, consider joining the Teen/Tween Creative Writing Club.  It is a club I started and it is offered through St. Cloud Community Education.  

Thank you for reading! ; )