Brad About Books: Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter

Read on June 20, 2013

THROUGH THE ZOMBIE GLASS
Expected Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: ARC
Page Count: 480 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: White Rabbit Chronicles, #2

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't read book one, Alice in Zombieland.

Gena Showalter nailed it with this sequel! Not only was Through the Zombie Glass even better than its predecessor, it blew it out of the water! Woah. This book was awesome.

I absolutely love the way Showalter bends the classical and timeless Alice in Wonderland and makes it her own. While the series isn't a direct re-telling (it doesn't always follow the essential plot of AiW), it has the lyrical and epic twist on it that draws the reader in and never lets them go. Who doesn't love a good zombie story now and then? The White Rabbit Chronicles has rapidly become one of my favorite paranormal series. With a tough and awesome heroine, vicious zombies that can't be controlled, and just the right amount of romance, Through the Zombie Glass is phenomenal!

Such a clever plot twist, Gena Showalter! I didn't expect the turns and twist that this novel took, and page after page, something continued to shock me and made me read even further on into the book. I couldn't control myself from flying through these pages! The zombies in this book aren't your typical zombies, which I absolutely loved. Through the Zombie Glass veers away from the norm of supernatural creatures and molds it into its own vivid, awesome creation. I applaud Showalter for that - it's stunning, unique, and all-around epic. Also, the stakes are so much higher in Through the Zombie Glass. There were times that I was on the edge of my seat and had my stomach in my throat, just because Showalter masterfully weaved together a high suspense that left me hanging and consumed me whole. I still think about this book to this day. That dreaded "Sequel Syndrome"? Totally passed right over this series's head! So good!

Two letters: ZA. OH MY GOSH YES.

Endings are very important to me with a book - I love a fast-paced, thrilling ending that will make the story complete. And I totally got that from Through the Zombie Glass. While I did enjoy Alice in Zombieland, I definitely could have used some more action and zombie-goodness in it. However, Through the Zombie Glass absolutely made up for it. The scenes are quick, and you feel like you're on the battlefield with Alice and Cole. Such a fantastic sequel! Even better than book one!

Overall, Through the Zombie Glass is a brilliant and daring sequel - and I loved every moment of it. Sure to be a mega hit!

M Y   R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Read on June 19, 2013

ALICE IN ZOMBIELAND
Published: September 25, 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 404 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: White Rabbit Chronicles, #1

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…

Off with their heads.

Alice in Zombieland is a fresh and chilling read that had me creeped out and the sudden urge to fight some zombies. This is the zombie story I've been waiting for!

Let me begin by saying this: this book was not what I was expecting. I was expecting an Alice in Wonderland re-telling where our beloved heroine tumbles down the rabbit hole, finds the magical and dark world of Wonderland, and must stop the Queen of Hearts from taking over the land. That is not what I got from Alice in Zombieland. But you know what's the craziest thing? It actually worked. AiZ is more of a zombie story than anything else - but honestly, it's addictive! I couldn't dare set this book down at any time, because I was so intrigued and enthralled by the world that Showalter wove together. A new gem in YA!

Ali is such a great character. I loved her right from page one, and she never let me down. I was so happy to go on this haunting and out-of-this-world creepy journey with her. I mean, come on! Fighting zombies with Alice? Yes please. And the whole entire ensemble was great! A character that sticks out, of course, is Cole. I didn't trust Cole in the beginning (I just KNEW something sinister was swirling around him), but as Alice in Zombieland progresses, his character development skyrockets. Showalter puts Ali and Cole's bond to the test (I mean, how could it not when fighting zombies?), and I really appreciated that! 

Woah! Talk about a crazy ending! I was literally on the edge of my seat for the last 50 pages - they were insane! I tore through the last portion of the book, and I was devastated after I turned the last page. I need more right then and there! My only question is: why did I wait so long to read this?! I loved it so much!

Overall, Alice in Zombieland is a unique and enthralling take on the timeless story, but with a dark and haunting twist that seemed almost impossible to pull off. But Gena Showalter totally does. Absolutely loved this book!

M Y    R A T I N G