Zombie Tunage (part 2)

Hello, and welcome to Part 2 of our zombie music adventure!
Today we'll be exploring MZU ("Metaphoric Zombie Usage" to you civies). These artists employed the use of zombies as a metaphor for the emptiness, mediocrity, or injustice of life.

Our first song is brought to by The Cranberries. You may know this Irish band for its more popular song Linger, but this is Zombie Week, so I'll not assail your ears with break-up music. According to SongFacts.com, Zombie is, "-Inspired by the IRA bombing in Warrington, Cheshire in 1993. Two children, Jonathan Ball and Tim Parry, were killed. The IRA (The Irish Republican Army) is a militant group determined to remove British troops from Northern Ireland."
Sadly, the embed option has been disabled on YouTube, so here's a link to the video.

Second MZU song is Black Zombies by Nas. I think this song is far more self-explanatory than the other one; you just gotta listen to the chorus:

"Walkin talkin dead, though we think we're livin (black zombies)
We just copy-cat, followin the system (black zombies)"

Tune in tomorrow for (Un)Death Metal!

Happy Zombie Appreciation Week!

Zombie Girrrl

Zombie Tunage (part 1)

 In celebration of Zombie Week, I've put together a playlist of zombie inspired music. After hours of research I've identified six different uses for zombies in music, and now I'm gonna bring it to you in a six part series that will end in (wait for it) MY PERSONAL ZOMBIE SURVIVAL PLAN! Now you, too, can be prepared for the end with my fool proof, two-part plan!

 We'll be starting our musical oddesy with two specifically zombie songs. These were written with the explicit purpose of capitalizing on or spreading the current zombie phenomenon. I think these are very good, and they represent the same slant on zombies that the vast majority of YA books do.


 First up on the menu is Aim for the Head by Creature Feature. I don't know where these guys have been all my life, but they are amazing! And not only is it a really good song, it's also instructional.

 Next on our list is Zombies Everywhere  by Karate Hisghschool. An instant classic with a lot of subtext, this song puts me in mind of Generation Dead.

Tune-in tomorrow when we'll be delving into the subgenre of MZU.

Happy Zombie Week!

Zombie Girrrl

My Take On The Giver by Lois Lowry

 Upon closing this book, the first thing out of my mouth was, "Wow, that was good," but what I should have said was, "Wow, that was really, really good!"
 This wasn't really a coming of age story so much as a coming of knowledge story1.
 The society depicted in The Giver was so close to ideal, I found myself in agreement with their methods in regards to all but the infamous Release. I had an idea of what it might be2, but the truth was far more horrible than I had suspected.
 It was like this: Imagine the most perfect utopian society you can. No hunger, no pain, no war. Perfect, right?
 Now drain away all color and remove all profound emotion. Take away everything that makes us different. Everything that makes life worthwhile. Voila! You have The Giver.
 I loved Jonas, it was a treat to watch him grow into awareness and to see what life was really like, or at least what it could be like.
 The ending was cathartic, but oddly delusional. You could take it as what it was, or look beyond it to see that it might not have been that happy of an ending after all.
 I give The Giver3...

...Five Zombies.

A seriously good read.

Happy reading!

Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_____________________________________________________
1  It occurs to me, though, that those might be the same thing...
2  Perhaps it was more of an inkling. Or maybe even a premonition.
3  Haha, give the giver.

My Take On Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

 Yet another take on zombies; American teens spontaneously reanimating after death. It doesn't happen anywhere else in the world or to any other demographic. Just American teens. No one knows why or how1. But everyone does know they don't want them around. Upon dying, they are no longer citizens, and no one appears to be moving toward acceptance. Zombies are attacked and destroyed in heinous ways; burned alive, torn apart, and hacked to pieces in a hushed up, nationwide series of hate crimes.
 The best part of this book was definitely the subtext of acceptance and various isms2. The characters were a little... cliché. You had Jerky Jock, Bubble-Headed Cheerleader, Golden Heart Jock, and Goth Girl Next Door. At least they seemed that way for the first five chapters or so. It wasn't until chapter six that they to started show their true colors and step out of the box of preconception.
 The ending was a little predictable, but still left me wanting more. The sequel has its work cut out for it; there are zombies to rehabilitate, mysterious "augmentations" to investigate, and white vans popping up all over. I can't wait to see what happens between Adam and Phoebe in Kiss of Life!
 I give Generation Dead...

...Three and a half Zombies.

Happy reading!

Zombie Girrrl

Footnotes_________________________________________________________

1  Many theories abound, fast food preservatives being my favorite followed closely by parasites.

2  To quote Ferris Bueler, "I quote The Walrus, 'I don't believe in 'isms', I just be believe in me.'").

Weekly Book Round-Up

Only one book to report this week1.

From the Library:

Mysterious and utterly mesmerizing, this graphic-novel-within-a-novel pairs the extraordinary prose of David Almond with the visual genius of Dave McKean.

Blue Baker is writing a story — not all that stuff about wizards and fairies and happily ever after — a real story, about blood and guts and adventures, because that's what life's really like. At least it is for Blue, since his dad died and Hopper, the town bully, started knocking him and the other kids around. But Blue's story has a life of its own — weird and wild and magic and dark — and when the savage pays a nighttime visit to Hopper, Blue starts to wonder where he ends and his creation begins.

 
I loved the artwork in this book, it's so gritty and raw. It makes me wanna try my hand at illustrating my own stories!

 

Happy reading,

ZG

 

footnotes___________________________________________________

1  Props go out ot The Story Siren for inspiring and promoting the In My Mailbox meme!

My Take On World War Z by Max Brooks

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie War
The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

 This book was as intense the second time around as it was the first, and it totally appealed to my nerdy side because it was delivered as an actual historic event, the author never broke character, not even for the synopsis. Plus it had footnotes1!
 The story of the most catastrophic event to never befall mankind is written from the point of view of the survivors, the result is something visceral and frighteningly believable. Max Brooks traveled the world over to interview the hardened survivors and preserve their experiences of the war in their own words.
 I loved the type of zombie employed by Brooks. They were the result of an incurable virus that turned the victims into autonomous flesh-eaters, and they weren't picky about what they ate. These zombies were out to eat anything alive; people, horses, grizzly bears, everything! The zombies not only brought about the near extinction of the human race, they also caused an ecological disaster. Brooks covered every possible angle. Political, ecological, economical2, but don't get me wrong! This was no dry, faux-textbook. WWZ was never dull!
 I'd say WWZ is required reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in zombies, alternate reality fiction, or speculative fiction3. This book was so far beyond "good" that I can't even think of anything else to say about it! It had an arm load4 of my favorite things: viruses and the havoc they reap, zombie battle scenes, the psychology of war, survivalism, post apocalyptic society, etc.
 My only complaint has to do with what also made this book so amazing: the number of characters. There was a wide variety of voices and points of view, so many in fact that it was a little tough to keep them straight at times. Brooks had no trouble keeping them straight in the narrative, though. They were all very well developed characters with unique, if somewhat explicit, voices.
 I give World War Z...

... Five Zombies!

All in all, World War Z was a thougroughly realistic take on a terrifying (non)event. I also recommend reading his companion book The Zombie Survival Guide which also gets Five Zombies. Two word review for the Survival Guide, "Weirdly practical."5

Happy reading!
Zombie Girrrl

footnotes_____________________________________________________________
1  You all know how fond I am of footnotes!
2  ...Gramatical...
3  A few of my personal favorites in respect to themes.
4  Perhaps even a barrel full.
5  Or perhaps6, "Bizarrly employable."
6  Synonyms for "perhaps" include: conceivably, maybe, mayhap, perchance, and possibly.

Another Fantabulous Contest!

This one is brought to us by the fantabulous Taschima of Bloody Bookaholic!
Here's the prizes!
- Signed copy of Dreaming Anastasia + Goodies
- Hardback Another Faust
- Hardback Prophecy of the Sisters
- ARC Eyes Like Stars + Backstage Pass Bracelet and some Theater-Theme Swag.
- ARC The Dark Divine
- ARC Hush Hush
- ARC Give Up The Ghost
- ARC Ash
- ARC Behind Every Illusion
- ARC Shiver
- ARC The Demon's Lexicon
- ARC Betraying Season
- ARC Any Given Doomsday
- Dead Until Dark
- Gossip Girl 1st Book
- The Black Tatto + poster
- Vampire Academy
- Frost Bite, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Shadow Kiss, a Vampire Academy Novel.
- Blood Promise, a Vampire Academy Novel.
RULES:
20 books, and she's going to have 3 winners.
Winner number One gets to pick 7 books out of the bunch.
Winner number Two gets 3 books out of the bunch.
Winner number Three gets 1 book out of the bunch.

Sounds good, no?
ZG out!

Fantabulous Contest (but sadly not my own)

1. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick ARC
2. Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen ARC
3. Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters ARC
4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ARC
5. Troy High by Shana Norris ARC
6. Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott ARC
7. Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn ARC
8. Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker
9. Death by Series by Linda Gerber (3 books total)
10. a 5 dollar giftcard from Walmart (you can buy yourself half of a book with it, lol)
11. 3 Sarah Dessen books ( Just Listen, This Lullaby, Someone Like You)
12. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
13. Fire By Kristin Cashmore ARC
14. Last but not least, I have some extra amazon cards, so I will also include a preorder for CATCHING FIRE BY SUZANNE COLLINS. It will be shipped to on or around Sept 1st (whenever they ship it)
AND a book of your choice (under $15.00 please and it can be a preorder as long as it comes out in September-so many good books get released)

What do all these things have in common? They're being given away at Princess Bookie, that's what!

Run over there right this instant and sign up! And don't forget to tell her who referred ya! (That would be me) ;)
Tootles,
 Zombie Girrrl

My Take On Wicked Lovely

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
 Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
 Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
 But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale.

 The thing that really sealed my decision to read this book was the blurb on the back cover from Tamora Pierce, one of my all time favorite authors. If Tammy says it's cool, then, chances are, it is. And it was really good! I loved the characters and how balanced they were. Faeries are big on balance, and I thought it was very clever of Marr to enforce that by having such a balanced cast. Patient and sweet Seth counterbalanced fiery and tempestuous Keenan, Ash was balanced by Donia, even Biera's Stepford Wife demeanor was balanced by Grams's modernism. The characters were by far my favorite thing about this book. For the sake of balance, I feel I must tell you my least favorite thing about the book too. The pace. It was slow. While I enjoyed the very original story, writing style, and especially the cast, it took me twice as long to read it because it was such a languid pace. There was a lot of life and death stuff, but the story just kept truckin' along at the same speed. It did pick up a little near the end, though.
 I aslo really admired Marr's approach to teen sex. She handled it very responsibly by emphasizing the importance of waiting, being safe, and the fact that you don't have to! It was awkward when Seth decided to talk to Ash about his history, but it was necessary and I applaud Marr for not glamorizing the situation or skimming past it. Personally, I believe in waiting till your married to do the deed, but given other books where it's treated as a recreational activity, this was a huge step forward.
 I heard somewhere that the next book is even slower, so I'm not sure I'm going to read it, but the good news is that I don't really have to. The story was tied up enough at the end to give you the option of letting it rest. There was definitely room for more story, but it wasn't, like, a cliffhanger. If I ever feel like revisiting the characters, which I very well might because I really loved them1, then I'll read the next book, but for now I'm happy with where we stand.
 I give Wicked Lovely...

...Three Zombies.

A good place to start if you've never read anything faery-ish before2.

Happy reading,

  Z.G. 

footnotes________________________________________________________
1  Especially Seth, he was so unexpected!
2  I've read plenty of fairy tales, but this was my first faery tale.

My Take On Vanish by Bruce Brooks

 Standing at a meager 103 pages, Vanishing is a quick read that nonetheless paints a revealing and thought provoking portrait of one girl's protest to regain control of her life through the only means she can. By going on a hunger strike.

 Eleven year-old Alice's life has been out of her hands ever since her parents divorced1 and her alcoholic mother remarried a Southern bigot who can't stand her. Her mother doesn't get her, and her weak father doesn't have it in him to stand up to his overbearing mother to take care of her. When Alice develops a persistent cough, her cold fish of a grandmother kicks her out of her crowded home, and before she can say, "I swear I'll, like, never cough again!" she's being shipped off to Mommy Dearest's house on a red eye flight. Before she lands, however, she spikes a fever that lands her in the children's ward of a hospital with a diagnosis of severe bronchitis. It's here that she meets Rex, a completely hairless, totally frank cancer patient going through a miracle remission, and decides that she's not going home. Ever. Alice embarks on an odyssey of bed ridden weakness and trippy hallucinations and discovers that she has one power: the power to give something up. But what she doesn't appear realize is that this can't go on indefinitely. Alice feels like she could last forever without food so long as she doesn't have to go home, but while forever may be an abstract idea for her, it has a definite "deadline" for the medical community.
 The children's ward never had more than three patients at a time, and this gave Rex and Alice a lot of time to get to know each other, though Alice spent a lot of her free time tripping out on her increasingly intense hallucinations. Rex was a great character; he kept Alice's grandiose, poetic self grounded. Literally. Whenever she'd go floating off into Lala Land, he'd be the only one who could bring her back down to reality. It would have been romantic if they weren't so young.
 This book, while it is about deliberate starvation, is not about eating disorders2. It's a short but detailed look at a kids struggle to regain some control. The writing was nice and vivid, totally dated, but still really good. It was like a flashback to my childhood when everyone said "like" instead of "um." I still, like, do that, like, all the time when I, like, speak and junk3.
 I give Vanishing...

...Four Zombies.

A tasty little read with a poignant message.

Happy reading,

Z.G.

footnotes________________________________________________________
1  Divorce was a common theme in the '90's, no? Either the parents were divorced or the mother was dead. People used those situations like they were going out of style.
2  Thank God. I was not in the mood to watch someone starve themselves for something as trivial as a dress size.
3  Little known fact: I am fluent in Valley Girl.

My Take On The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

 The book was plain enough by all appearances. No text on the back at all. Only the title and author's name on the front. Two-tone striped fabric as the jacket image. Even the synopsis on the inside gave very little away.

"The story of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is very difficult to describe. Usually we give some clues about the book on the jacket, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about.

 If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn't a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.

 Fences like this exist all over the world. We hope you never have to encounter such a fence."

 I couldn't agree more with this, but they've made it into a movie so now we all know what it's about. Or at least we think we do.

 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas tells the story of a small German boy named Bruno and the year he spent living in a new house far, far away from his beloved home in Berlin. Bruno doesn't like living in Out-With where there are no people to play with, but the Fury has big things in mind for his father, so he, his mother and father, and his sister, who is a Hopeless Case, pack all of their belongings, even the things Bruno had hidden in the back of his wardrobe that belong to him and are no one else's business, and take a train which has much more room on board than the other train that pulls out across the platform which is packed full of sad looking people with haunted eyes.

 Bruno's narration was straighforward, skewed as it was by the veil of innocence. There were many things he didn't understand, like why is there such a large fence behind his new house? Why are all the small boys and big boys, fathers and grandfathers, uncles, and people who live on everybody's road but don't appear to have any relatives at all on the other side of the fence wearing the same striped pajamas? Why does his new friend Shmuel who is so much like himself, they even have the same birthday, fear his father so much when he, Bruno, knows that he is a very kind, albeit strict, person?
 The glimpses of what is truly going on that you percieve from his simple interpretations are enough to make your stomach knot. Bruno never correctly names any of the horrors he encounters, but you know what it is he's talking about anyway from your greater depth of knowledge.

 Bruno and Shmuel spend a year sitting cross-legged in the dust on opposite sides of the vast and imposing fence talking. It's the strangest friendship either of them has ever had. They never play. They never see each other without the fence between them. They just talk. But it is the most important friendship either of them has ever had.

 I've read a bunch of Holosaust and WWII books, The Book Thief, For Freedom, Stones in Water, plus innumerable war movies with my dad, my favorite being the visceral Band of Brothers miniseries, but The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was totally different. It was a tale of innocence in an age of utmost evil. I think Bruno and Shmuel will stay with me forever.

 I give The Boy in the Striped Pajamas...

... Five Zombies.

 A book apsolutely worth reading. If you are looking for every side of the story like myself, this is one book you can't miss out on.

Z.G.

Weekly Book Roundup

 As we are all well aware, In My Mailbox was inspired The Story Siren, bop on over on Sunday for a list of IMM posts or to add yours to the Mr. Linky1.

 So this week, I again have some that ACTUALLY CAME IN THE MAIL! I recieved my paperback copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows which I won from Reading Rocks. Thanks, guys!

Library Finds:

 Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

 It starts when Alexandria, a poor, plain goose girl, offers her own bread and water to a hungry old woman-who just happens to be a witch in disguise. Poof! Alexandria is suddenly heartstoppingly beautiful. Her hair rains down gold dust, and the tears she sheds turn to diamonds. Soon a prince and a king are fighting for her hand, and they've locked her in a tower to keep her "safe." How Alexandria wishes she was a goose girl again! Clearly the only thing to do is escape-which is when her problems really begin! Patrice Kindl's inimitable voice and craft make this take on the classic fairy tale extraordinary-and extraordinarily hilarious.
 I've been living under the misconception that this book, which I've read before and enjoyed immensely, was Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Glad I got that straightened out.

 Phoebe Kendall is just your typical Goth girl with a crush. He's strong and silent.and dead.

 All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occurring. Some teenagers who die aren't staying dead. But when they come back to life, they are no longer the same. Feared and misunderstood, they are doing their best to blend into a society that doesn't want them.

 The administration at Oakvale High attempts to be more welcoming of the "differently biotic." But the students don't want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn't breathing. And there are no laws that exist to protect the "living impaired" from the people who want them to disappear-for good.

 When Phoebe falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids, no one can believe it; not her best friend, Margi, and especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Adam has feelings for Phoebe that run much deeper than just friendship; he would do anything for her. But what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

 I read a good review the other day, so I couldn't pass this up! Although I've also read that the portrayal of the goth kids was anything but accurate. I'll just have to see for myself.

In his million-copy bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond examined how and why Western civilizations developed the technologies and immunities that allowed them to dominate much of the world. Now in this brilliant companion volume, Diamond probes the other side of the equation: What caused some of the great civilizations of the past to collapse into ruin, and what can we learn from their fates?

 I have Guns, Germs, and Steel on my shelf, still need to read it, but this one sounded really interesting. I've always felt a sort of spooky wonderment when I see ruins on TV, this title really caught my eye.



 That's all the books for this week which means that I've finished all of last weeks books, so expect many reviews in the near future!
Happy reading!
Z.G.
footnotes_________________________________________________
1  Teehee, Mr. Linky, it makes me giggle!

My Take On {Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

 Firstly, I found Kate1 to be an immensely relatable protagonist; she does The Right Thing most of the time all while griping inwardly about the injustice of taking care of her father and brother full time. She does the laundry, cooks, cleans, gives her younger brother his meds, feeds the cat and dog, runs track, takes AP classes, and works at the pharmacy. Her plate is full. Add to that the stress of having no safety net by only applying to one college, and it's no wonder she can't sleep. Laurie has succeeded yet again in writing a character that is real to the core with a uniquely quirky view on the world around her.
 The story starts off quickly enough, introducing all the secondary characters as Kate sees them and then picking up the main thread about a quarter of the way in. The book changes themes a few times. First it's about Kate; how she deals with the world's stress2. Secondly it's about putting up with situations beyond your control3. And thirdly it's about dealing with grief. 
 Have you ever read a book that threw such a horribly unexpected twist at you that you felt like Wile E. Coyote when he runs off the cliff and he just keeps running for a bit before he looks down and realizes that he's hovering over open air then he holds up the "Yikes" sign and falls? That's what {Catalyst was like. There came a point in the story where I was completely taken aback by what the author had done. I had no idea it was coming4, and it left me feeling that the bottom had fallen out, that I was stuck in the air about to fall. Laurie holds nothing back to reveal the awful truths of life. She chooses a stage we can all imagine, because we've all seen it, and characters we can all relate to, because we've either met them or are them, and then she throws the worst case scenario at you and gives you a chance to see how you might handle it. I like that about her books.
 I give {Catalyst...

... Four Zombies.

 A very real account of very real events told from a witty and very real perspective. I love that Laurie takes such a benign setting as Average American Suburbia and peels away the manicured lawns and Neighborhood Watch signs to reveal the truth of human nature. Both the Good and the Bad.

   Happy reading,

   Z.G.

footenotes____________________________________________________

1  Both Good and Bad.

2  Mostly she runs away from it.

3  Her former bully's house burns down and she and four-year-old Mikey move in because her father is A Really Good and Generous Person and not an Understanding Father.

4  Although things were going suspiciously well considering how much book was left. Maybe I should have seen it coming. Maybe I fell into the lull that was purposely put at that point to add to the OMG Factor when Laurie pulled that awful rabbit out of her hat.

In My Mailbox/ My Take on Hush, Hush

 It's not exactly been a week of plenty, but it has been a great week nonetheless! Earlier this week I received an ARC of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, and it was awesome! No other books acquisitions to report, I still have a big stack from last weeks excursion to the library, and those should keep me occupied for the upcoming week.

__________________________________________________________

 (From the back flap) Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. Patch has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora.

 After getting paired with Patch in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from him, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her bedroom. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?

 __________________________________________________________

 Hush, Hush surpassed my1 expectations because it was so much more than just another teenage, supernatural romance. Hiding within the main plot of a dark love story was a mystery that kept me guessing and turning pages well into the wee hours. I had to see how it ended! The climax was unexpected, fully satisfying, and left me hungry for more2.

 I loved the characters; they ran the gamut from blatantly pernicious to deceptively benign. Dark and dangerous Patch with his closet full of skeletons3 and his rogue’s smile was by far my favorite, I felt like he was pulled straight out of my daydreams4. Cautious and reliable Nora with her own shadows lurking in her past rang true as a wonderfully relatable protagonist, and her BFF and soul sister Vee had more than a flare for the dramatic. She livened up the dialogue with flashes of humor that had me laughing out loud or shaking my head along with Nora.

 The relationship between Patch and Nora was gripping to read; I was glued to the page to see what would happen next and was very pleased with the realistic pace it took to develop. While I was a little thrown by the awkward timing that their relationship coalesced into something tangible, I was more than happy to reach that point. Possibly against my better judgment, I was rooting for Patch and Nora.

 Overall this is a book worth reading twice, once at top speed to see what will happen next, and once at a more leisurely pace to enjoy the flow and style with the benefit of seeing how all the subtle hints fit into the big picture. This means that Hush, Hush receives…

…Five Zombies!

This is a book well worth the wait5!

Happy reading,

 Z.G.

footnotes___________________________________________________
1  ...admittedly high...
2  I can't believe I have to wait another year for Crescendo, I don't know if I can make it!
3  Possibly real.
4  A realization that leaves me pondering my ratiocination in respect to fantasy me.
5  You can tell how much I liked this book by how many big words I used!