BkRv: Zombies love women for their brains

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Austen | Zombies

First Line: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. Never was this truth more plain than during the recent attacks at Netherfield Park, in which a household of eighteen was slaughtered and consumed by a horde of the living dead.







It is quite safe to say that Darcy's proposal looks a lot better in light of a zombie epidemic, though not by much...

I may be wrong, but in my mind, this is the book that started the whole monsterical Austen retellings. With a pretty striking and unforgettable cover (not to mention amazing), I am not alone to admit that I got really excited when this appeared on the shelf!

Most of us knows something about Pride and Prejudice: The Original. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy do not see eye-to-eye when they first collide, and it seems that Miss Bennet has a bad case of prejudices and Mr. Darcy pride. Neither seem to care for the other much. However, while Elizabeth continues to think the worst of Darcy (within good reasons as told by other sources), Darcy can no longer deny his feelings for Elizabeth although she is undeniably well below his station.

Now this love story has satisfied many a girlish reader, and the film adaptations have caused many to sigh and swoon. However, there are the few who need a little more spice in this classic novel to keep their eyes opened, or even those who loved the story may want to see the romance from a wildly different angle.

Enter the zombies.

Seth Grahame-Smith goes through the beloved text and inserts "zombies" tidbits in unexpected places. The Bennet girls have all become impressive zombie fighters, particularly Elizabeth - in fact, I would say that zombie-slaying has become included in the curriculum for becoming a well-rounded lady or gentleman. I know, strange, but drastic times require drastic measures.

From page 9
The business of Mr. Bennet's life was to keep his daughters alives. The business of Mrs. Bennet was to get them married.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies seemed like a novel idea at the time, but when I actually seized a copy and read it, I have to admit that I am somewhat disappointed. Some really fun zombie scenes, but not enough to quench my hunger! Not enough to live up to its gory-fantastic cover. *Spoiler: Lizzy and Darcy do not get bitten. I'd been hoping for a little star-crossed love* However, you have to wonder know - in lieu of the zombie epidemic, Lizzy does not want to marry Darcy if he was the last man on earth, do you think she would marry a zombie first? Talk about a slap in the face for Darcy!

From page 151
As she pronounced these words, Mr. Darcy changed colour; but the emotion was short, for Elizabeth presently attacked with a series of kicks, forcing him to counter with a drunken washwoman defense. She spoke as they battled:

"I have every reason in the world to think ill of you. No motive can excuse the unjust and ungenerous part you acted there. You dare not, you cannot deny, that you have been the principal, if not the only means of dividing them from each other."

One of her kicks found its mark, and Darcy was sent into the mantelpiece with such force as to shatter its edge.

If you like a little bloody novelty with your Austen, then this may be your next best friend! I kinda envy those who may read this first and experience both zombies and Austen at the same time. That would be like having your cake and eating it too! :)

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Zombies, zombies everywhere, but never enough to quench my bloodthirsty nature! Lizzy and Darcy never gave me enough time to delight in their demise - so skilled in zombie-slaying were they!




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Disclosure 10/7/09:
This has been bought with my hard-earned money.

Feast upon...Adam Selzer

Adam Selzer - author, tour guide, ghost buster, smart aleck - was born in Des Moines and now lives in Chicago, where he writes humorous books for young readers by day and runs ghost tours by night - if you can find two cooler jobs than those, take them! For more random facts about Adam, see here. He has an upcoming zombie book - maybe you're heard of it - I Kissed A Zombie And I Liked It (January 2010)

It is a known fact that I get all heartsick when it comes to zombies, but do you suppose zombies get a little gutsy when they encounter me?! To become a zombie, to not become one - what a dilemma. How do you love something so much, yet not want to be one when given a chance? I don't know, I just don't know...

---And now, give a warm eeeeeeeeeeeergh to Adam!

ADVICE FOR GIRLS WHO WISH TO BECOME ZOMBIES

Every year, thousands of girls – lured, perhaps, by romantic visions of life as a “post human” but unable to find a vampire to “convert” them – attempt to become zombies. It’s a dangerous, illegal process, and very few girls are thought to have been successful. More often, the “zombie maker” hired to turn the corpse into a zombie turns out to be a fraud. Occasionally, girls who didn’t tell their families they planned to be resurrected have been cremated, not buried.

But let’s say YOU want to become a zombie. Perhaps you have a zombie boyfriend. Perhaps you just want “a change.” Whatever your reasons, let’s say you’ve arranged for a zombie maker to visit your grave to cast the rites immediately after your funeral, and that you’re confident that this zombie maker is the real deal. There’s still a very important question to consider: how do yourself in?

Obviously, you can’t become a zombie if you don’t die in the first place. But there’s really no “good” way to do it. All of the standard methods of suicide have major drawbacks that will impact your “life” as a zombie; most zombies crumble into dust within 2 years of being reanimated. Those who live beyond two years are almost always people who died of natural causes and were reanimated before they could decompose much. Your best chance to survive is for your body to be in the best shape it can after your demise - the fewer working organs you have at death, the more painful your life as a zombie will be. Consider the drawbacks of the following methods of offing yourself:

1. Firearms. The most common method of killing oneself tends to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. If you choose this method, the zombie version of you will have a big hole in its head, and probably won’t be able to see or hear well, if at all. Bad idea.

2. Hanging. Breaking your neck can be quick and painless IF you do it right (and you probably don’t), but believe me, you do NOT want to be a zombie with a broken neck. You will not be able to hold your head upright – it will just hang limply on your shoulders as you lurch around.

3. Gas. Poisoning yourself by leaving the car running will do less external damage than most methods of killing yourself, but it can really screw with your internal organs. Trust me on this one – if you want to be brought back to life, you’ll want your internal organs in the best shape possible. Just dying and being embalmed will do enough damage. (and, while we’re on the subject, make sure BEFORE dying that you are NOT AN ORGAN DONOR, or there’s no way the zombie operation will work.

4. Jumping off a building. Come on, now. This’ll kill you, all right, but it’ll also wreck your body – probably beyond the point that it can possibly be made into a zombie at all.

So, which way SHOULD you use? None of them. Take my word for it – life as a zombie is NOT the life for you. If you have a zombie boyfriend who asks YOU to become one, too, you need to have a serious talk about whether he really loves you for who you are. Asking someone to become a zombie or vampire isn’t just wrong – it’s dead wrong.

For more information, including a FREE brochure and video testimonies from girls who have undergone the “zombie operation,” log on here.

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Thank you, Adam, for discussing this very interesting dilemma - how to become a zombie and yet remain semi-attractive without any gaping wounds - always important to discuss, especially for the female persuasion! How embarrassing to have your entrails flung about like toilet paper stuck to your shoe! But as they say, love goes beyond the grave - where there is a will, there is a way.

So, riddle me this: To zombie, or not to zombie? Why or why not?

+5 for the Zombie GRaB if you answer (no reason = no extra entries)

Teasing you with...Zombie Blondes

From page 95 of Zombie Blondes by Brian James

My soda ends up in the hands of one of the football players when it rolled under his chair. I'm ready to abandon it, figure it's lost now that it's in his possession, a jock, an ally of The Blondes.

I walk past him with my head down.

He touches my elbow as I do and I yank my arm away violently.

"Hey," he shouts in response. "This is yours, isn't it?" The can of soda resting in his hand, held out toward me. I narrow my eyes and search for him for any sign of a trick. Any clue that he's only waiting for me to get close enough so that he can open it in an explosion of shaken carbonated foam that will rain down on me, but as far as I can tell he seems sincere and I step cautiously closer.

This Teaser Tuesday meme is courtesy of MizB @ Should Be Reading

Watching...Shaun Of The Dead

I.

Love.

This.

Movie!!!

It was seriously love at first bite when I finally had the chance to see it, and I was 100% Team Zombie ever since (not to mention Simon Pegg officially rocks my socks) :D This trailer does it no justice, but if you do watch this movie, you will be clutching your stomachs from laughing too hard (not because zombies may jump from the TV screen to eat you)!



Giveaway!

One lucky commenter will win a copy of Shaun Of The Dead (DVD)

+1 for telling me how you would remove the head or destroy the brain
+5 for posting about Zombie Appreciation Week or any of its festivities in a blog post or sidebar
+5 for commenting on each zombie-related video posted on The Epic Rat this week
+20 for telling me what made you join Team Zombie (or Unicorn, Ninja, Pirate, etc) Note: No reason = no points!

Open WORLDWIDE

Ends SEPTEMBER 6

Teasing you with...The Forest Of Hands And Teeth

From page 163 of The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan

"It's an easy choice," she says without looking up. "We should take the path that leads us away from her." She points at where Gabrielle throws herself at the fence with the same furor as the first time she found us. She is the reason we've been forced to walk single file down this narrow path, fearful that if we walk side by side she would be able to reach one of us.

[Edit 8/30/09: Oh, man - why didn't anyone tell me earlier that I messed up on the title? Teeth, not feet! X/ A common mistake, but I definitely knew better! I better check my review to make sure I didn't make such a similar embarrassing error! Thanks, TJ!]

This Teaser Tuesday meme is courtesy of MizB @ Should Be Reading

Get the Scoop on...Heather Duffy Stone

The Epic Rat interrupts this zombie program to partake in the T2T tour for the following book. No zombies are present. Your brains are safe...for now. :}

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Please give a friendly, non-zombie welcome to Heather Duffy Stone, author of This is what I want to tell you, who bravely ventures through the zombie wreckage that is The Epic Rat as part of a blog tour - who knew it could get so dangerous? ;)

What inspired you to write about twins, especially of a brother and sister variety? Did you plan on having Keeley play a pivotal role in the twins' relationship?

When the story came to my mind, it was always about twins. I knew I wanted to write about the first time you fall in love. And in my experience, that sort of happens one of two ways. It's either surprising and sweet and mutual... or it's this sort of life-sucking, one-sided exhilaration. So I thought, what better way to do this than twins, sort of two sides of one person. Also, I'm a Gemini, from what it's worth, and I really feel there are two sides to every experience :)

Keeley was always there, always pivotal. In the beginning stages, she was even a narrator.

How did you choose the names of your main characters - Noelle, Nadio, and Keeley?

I don't know! They just came to me. Keeley Shipley was first. The name felt perfect and I could see her so clearly and then the twins... they literally just came to me.

What would be the theme songs for your characters?

That's a good question. I also like to keep that to myself a little bit, because I like the readers to imagine their own soundtrack. But there is a scene near the end of the book, where the three characters have sort of reunited and they are driving and the windows are open and they're listening to the radio and stop and sing along, just watching the road and driving and singing... the song the are definitely listening to is Just Like Heaven by The Cure.

The cover of This Is What I Want To Tell You is very striking and hard to forget. Is this the cover that you had imagined for your book? Where there other cover ideas tossed about?

Flux has AMAZING covers. It is part of what drew me there in the beginning. That said, this is not at all the cover I imagined, but I love it now, so much, exactly because it is striking... I actually told the story to Melissa Walker recently-- because it was a traumatic experience with a happy ending. Check it out here.

I have read a lot of reviews that love the writing style used in This Is What I Want To Tell You. Personally I loved it : It felt like they were talking directly to me. Can you tell us more about why you chose to present this story in this manner?

Well, I love that you say that. That is exactly what I wanted. I did not want to be present at ALL, as an adult writer, in the telling of this story. It was all theirs. That is part of why I chose not to use quotation marks. Because I didn't want there to be distinction between the characters' narration to you as the reader and to each other. I really wanted the reader to be able to be in the story.

Tell us one random thing (publication, characters, etc) about This Is What I Want To Tell You that no one else may know about.

Hm. Well there is a part of Noelle's last chapter that I actually lifted right from a letter I wrote to someone once. I never sent the letter to him, but it's in the novel!

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Thank you, Heather, for stopping by! If I had planned better, I would have added more zombies to the mix, but my brain worked too slow and so no zombies :/ Maybe next time!

This is what I want to tell you Blog Tour
Sharon Loves Books And Cats (8/22) | Michelle (8/23) | What Bri Reads (8/24) | T.V. And Book Addict (8/25) | Steph Su Reads (8/26) | Alley Of Books (8/27) | Books By Their Cover (8/28) | Reverie Book Reviews (8/29) | The Epic Rat (8/30) | Hope's Bookshelf (8/31)

Watching...Zombie Haiku

I featured this video a looooooooooooong time ago, but in lieu of Zombie Appreciation Week, I wrestled from the Archives and bring it forth again for your viewing pleasure!

zombie + haiku = heart + brains :D

Write a zombie haiku and earn +20 bonus entries to be used toward any of my zombie giveaways this week (Please let me know how you want it dispersed by September 6!)

Feast upon...Ryan Mecum

Ryan Mecum is behind the genius that is Zombie Haiku and recently published a sebsequent book of poetry that is aptly named Vampire Haiku (but we will pretend it does not exist from this point forward). I apologize in advance if the photo (seen to the right) is not actually Ryan Mecum. I am not entirely sure if he is the one in the front or back of said image, but if you want to learn more about Ryan, click here.

Haikus are brain food
Good zombies eat healthy brains
Zombies love haikus

---And now, snap your fingers off for Ryan Mecum!

What would you put in a zombie survival kit?

1. Some sort of weapon that is not too heavy nor difficult to use that easily takes heads off of zombies.
2. A pill that when you put it in water turns into a treehouse, fully equipped 12 months food and dvds (treehouse should also have tv with dvd player).
3. Moist towelettes.

If you had to share your homecoming dance with zombies, what songs should they play?

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1. Thriller, by Michael Jackson. Not the most original choice, but how could you not?!
2. Sandstrom, by Darude. Not zombie related, but they would LOVE it.
3. Fade Into You, by Mazzy Star. Haunting, broken, sad, and oddly beautiful. Zombies would relate to this.
4. Hand Jive, from the Grease Soundtrack. ...just because it would be funny to see zombies attempt the hand jive, fingers flying everywhere.
5. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!, by Sufjan Stevens.

What are some of your favorite zombie links?

• Lost Zombies: A Community Generated Zombie Documentary
• Send More Cops: Zombie stuff for people who know their zombies
• Scott Kenemore's Zombie Blog
• The Zed Word
• Zombie Survival Kit
  

Favorite zombie haiku?

in the April rain
her book of zombie haiku
withered by the oak

it takes much longer
to cross a wheat field at night
walking on a nub

brains, brains, brains, brains, brains,
brains, brains, brains, brains, brains, brains, brains,
artificial hip?

If you had to kiss a zombie, what would they taste like?

Kissing a zombie
is salty, dirty, grainy -
frenching is not wise.

Top 10 reasons why you should join Team Zombie

1. Unlike vampires, zombies don't fake interest in you.
2. Unlike vampires, zombies tell it how it is.
3. Unlike vampires, zombies aren't drama queens.
4. Unlike vampires, zombies don't stress over appearance.
5. Unlike vampires, zombies do what they want, when they want.
6. Unlike vampires, zombies don't gossip.
7. Unlike vampires, zombies don't have dating problems.
8. Unlike vampires, zombies enjoy the summer sun.
9. Unlike vampires, zombies don't spend much money.
10. Unlike vampires, zombies don't sparkle.

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Thank you, Ryan, for providing us with many zombie goodies today! I agree that the hand jive would be quite entertaining - as long as fingers aren't flying towards me. Yeesh. I am a little sad that zombies don't sparkle, but other than that, clearly they are far superior beings than vampires and that is why they haiku-ed first!

For the fun of it, I will give ONE lucky commenter a copy of Zombie Haikus for their own personal enjoyment during the zombie apocalypse!

Rules are:

+1 for telling me one reason zombies rock harder than vampires (+5 for additional reasons, up to 4 more reasons total)
+5 for posting about Zombie Appreciation Week or any of its festivities in your blog or sidebar
+5 for commenting on my review here or anything else related to Ryan Mecum

Open WORLDWIDE

Ends SEPTEMBER 6

Don't forget to check out the main September Zombies page for more zombie goodness!

BkRv: Only time will tell...

The Epic Rat interrupts this zombie program to partake in the T2T tour for the following book. No zombies are present. Your brains are safe...for now. :}

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Book Review: This is what I want to tell you by Heather Duffy Stone (second time around)

YA | Girls

First Line (Noelle): I can't tell you exactly what happened, but I can tell you part of it. My part. I once read that you should always write about what you know, that what you know will tell the best story. What I know now is that the stories people tell are always about our insecurities, about the things we left behind, and about the things we wish we could do again. The real story isn't about what you know; it's about what you wish you knew then.








Second time's a charm!

So I'll be honest, I actually read This is what I want to tell you earlier this year and reviewed it here. I thought to re-read it, not because I thought it was absolutely re-readable, but specifically for the Traveling To Teens tour. Plus I did want to see how I felt about the book now, which if you see the improved rating, you can assume that I liked it a little more! :) However, do consider other reviews such as Sharon Loves Books And Cats and Steph Su Reads because there are some noticeable quirks about this book that may drive you nuts!

If you want the main gist of the story, then see my original review where I provide a synopsis. Otherwise, if you just want to hear my opinion the 2nd time around, feel free to read on without interruption:

1) I really really really like the writing style, though it definitely takes getting used to! It bogged me down somewhat when I first read the book, but I knew what to expect this time. I remain by my original statement that it truly feels like you are listening to the twins and Kelsey as they tell their stories. It was extremely easy to fall into the writing and become submerged with the emotions that resonated with the words.

From page 2 & 4 (Noelle)
I saw Parker when he came in; he was taller than everyone else and wore a black hat tilted low over the left side of his face. He swaggered. He knew people. His eyes pierced even from far away.

He looked like everything I wasn't.

The whole room was dirty and a little bit faded. I felt like I wasn't supposed to be there. I felt like in that moment I wanted to be the kind of girl that he'd want to talk to. I felt like I wanted to be a rock star...

I can't even tell you, that feeling when someone calls you pretty, your whole face feels hot and then the rest of your body gets hot and then everythign around you turns blurry.

2) Originally I had complained that Keeley did not receive much focus, but I retract that statement. Although she never directly spoke to us and hid within the twins' POV, I felt that she jumped out more when I re-read the book. It would be nice if she had her personal narration, but the nuances of the twins' observations somehow formed a picture of Keeley that I cannot get out of my head at the moment. The fact that you never hear directly from Keeley only heightens the intensity of what happened to her. You feel like she wanted to tell someone all throughout, but never does - things happen, wrong timing, desire to just forget about it...

From page 50 (Nadio)
What about this summer? I asked. I knew that, now, Keeley couldn't go anywhere unnoticed. Did you meet anyone?

Keeley's fingertips stopped scratching the back of my neck. I felt them rest, tense and cold, at my hairline.

You know what Nadio? I'm gonna be honest. I don't wanna talk about this summer.

The air felt heavy. We sat in silence. Keeley's whole body was like a knot.

From page 54 (Noelle)
I had the feeling that [Keeley] was going to say something big. One of us had to say it. What happened to us? Where are we going? It was like this silence between us was frozen and we were both feeling our way around it. How is it that two people can need each other so absolutely and then, in moments, not even know how to be next to each other and just be quiet?

3) I still don't quite get the ending or the involvement of the twins' father (or lack thereof. I just mean Nadio's unsent letters to their father). It feels kinda random to me - not sure what purpose it served beyond illustrating Nadio's coming-of-age and need of a male role model. We get to see the letters, but never what is done to them...

4) This is 100% serious / drama. I don't remember laughing much, which is unusual since I typically read funny books. So, warning to those who don't want to read anything too serious - this is not for you, don't say I didn't warn you!

From page 58 (Nadio)
It's like, it's not even about you and me. Do you think [Noelle] even knows? And it's not even like she's mean. She's just outright cold, like we were never even inseparable friends for our whole lives. It's like she's mad at me for everything that's wrong in the world. It's like she's mad at me for breathing. And there's nothing I can even say. I'm trying hard to keep our friendship. What happened to us? Where is she all the time?

So, long story short: This is a pretty good serious read if you aren't too bothered by the lack of quotation marks. The writing is still phenomenol with very real-sounding voices and a whole turbulence of teenaged emotions.

This is what I want to tell you Blog Tour
Sharon Loves Books And Cats (8/22) | Michelle (8/23) | What Bri Reads (8/24) | T.V. And Book Addict (8/25) | Steph Su Reads (8/26) | Alley Of Books (8/27) | Books By Their Cover (8/28) | Reverie Book Reviews (8/29) | The Epic Rat (8/30) | Hope's Bookshelf (8/31)


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Disclosure 10/7/09:
This has been bought with my hard-earned money.

Watching...What To Do In A Zombie Attack

Good morning - or, in zombie-ese, nnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh! I thought to start off with an 13-minute educational feast for the eyes that will provide practical tips on how to survive when zombies attack!



Keep this in mind when you go about this week - you never know when you may need to sever a limb and use it as a weapon!

Also, check out my review of Breathers if you have not already done so! :)

Teasing you with...Jailbait Zombie

From page 142 of Jailbait Zombie by Mario Acevedo

His aura was an undulating bubble of confidence. He stood as tall as his five-foot-plus frame would allow. After making an obvious adjustment of the drape of his jacket over what had to be a pistol, he started for me in a tough guy swagger. Cavagnolo's errand boy was as intimidating as a shih tzu wearing a spiked collar.

This Teaser Tuesday meme is courtesy of MizB @ Should Be Reading

BkRv: Just dance, gonna be okay

Book Review: Never Slow Dance With A Zombie by E. Van Lowe

YA | Girls | Zombies

First Line: "Do you think I'm a failure?"








What would Prom be without some Zombie? Lifeless. ;)

The zombie craze must be turning a whole new leaf. In one hand, you have the post-zombie apocalypse what-ifs; in the other, you have zombies crashing high school dances. Very unusual trends in zombieland, but I'm not complaining - all bite and no fluff would make zombies somewhat old news. ;)

High school equals a fresh start in changing the course of one's popularity rankings, but so far, Margot has failed to accomplish one item on her high school manifesto and no hope of winning the attentions of dreamy Dirk. Her best friend Sybil comes to the rescue and offers to ask Dirk to the school carnival on behalf of Margot.

From page 17
"There you have it. What are best friends for if not to do cool stuff for each other?"

Some days it seemed as if Sybil really was from Mars. Best friends rarely do cool stuff for each other at our age. High school is where best friends sometimes stab each other in the back.

Which should be awesome-amazing, but it turns out that Sybil also carries a torch for Dirk and thought that the three of them would be going to the carnival.

Too bad it turns out that Dirk is going with Amanda Culpepper, Margot's arch-nemesis.

Long story short, Margot ends up not going to the carnival. Sybil goes, but ends up leaving early out of boredom and guilt for fighting with her best friend. Hence, they escape the zombie fate that their fellow classmates undergo, only to find out about it the next school day when they are greeted by their zombified peers.

From page 61
I could hardly believe my eyes. The place was crawling with zombies. Zombies. It was a ridiculous thing to imagine, something out of a horror flick, and yet it seemed to be true.

It was then I noticed the zombies moving sluggishly through the halls were still among their normal circle of friends: popular zombies, Goth zombies, nerd zombies, all roaming in their close-knit groups.

Margot and Sybil see the golden opportunity in this situation, and instead of running for their lives, they blend in with the zombies and elevate themselves as the new popular kids with authority. They instigate "no zombies allowed" rules for extracurricular activities such as Prom Committee and running for Prom Queen. Life with zombies is not too bad - distract them with raw meat and Margot has them eating right out of her hands! Including Dirk who makes quite a hot zombie that may still be Prom-material.

From page 99
After that day life was even more perfect than before. Aside from the occasional boyfriend trying to kill me, I was living the dream. Most popular girl at school, chairperson of all the important committees, and to top it all off, I had a boyfriend.

Yet perfect soon turns into an ugly nightmare - a series of "accidents" that almost zombify Margot and Sybil suggest that someone had been behind the zombification of their high school and now want them undead! Who is behind all of this, and is there any hope of changing everyone back to normal?

Never Slow Dance With A Zombie is quite a fun read that is sure to bring some chuckles along with some incredulous looks at the things Margot does (e.g. "train" zombie-Dirk to being her boyfriend). I loved the lists that she made throughout the book including Top Ten Advantages To Having A Zombie Boyfriend and some of the forged parent's notes to excuse her from gym class. Great humor! I thought the college application cover letter at the very beginning was an excellent touch :D

From page 10
...if you are interested in a future college student with more flaws than a casaba melon, but one who is loyal, resourceful, never gives up, and who can learn from her mistakes, please read the enclosed essay. It tells in gory detail of my junior year in high school. It was a year during which I learned many painful personal lessons, not the least of which is why you should never slow dance with a zombie.

Margot's best friend Sybil was a pretty interesting character - she reminded me of Phoebe from Friends with her sometimes bizarre statements and passions. Even though she had a weak moment with the whole Dirk situation, Sybil turned out to be a really great friend even if Margo did not appreciate her. Sometimes I sided with Margot when Sybil was just plain cuckoo, but other times I can sympathize with her since Margot went too far with the superficiality schemes. When you try to teach a zombie to be a boyfriend, pardon Sybil and I for having skeptical looks on our faces.

The ending was a pleasant surprise in the whodunit department! Co-existing with zombies was a crazy set-up to begin with, and I never knew who was pure zombie, who acted the part, and who was in denial of living with zombies. And so it was hard - for me, at least - to narrow down the "zombie master" until the big reveal.

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If you can teach these zombies to slow dance or go Christmas caroling, it is safe to say that these zombies have been adequately people-trained. :)




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Disclosure 10/7/09:
This is a review copy sent by a fellow blogger as part of Zombie Appreciation Week.

Wake up and smell the ZOMBIES! :D

Hello, all!

The lovely Velvet of vvb32 reads has organized a weeklong Zombie Fest (August 29 to September 6) in honor of the recent release of Never Slow Dance With A Zombie as well as all the current and pending zombie releases.

You can find the main page here where links shall be shared and giveaways to be thrown about in mad frenzy! Everyone is invited to join in the fun and go all zombie-crazy with links, reviews, haikus, etc.

Expect all things zombie to be infecting my blog this upcoming week! :}

BkRv: Eeny meeny Mina...MORE!

Book Review: Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions Of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe) by Kimberly Pauley

YA | Girls | Vampires

First Line: My parents are trying to ruin my life. Oh yeah, I know that every teenager says that, but I really mean it. They want me dead. Or, actually, undead.








I vant to suck the life out of this book, down to the last juicy drop!

I just had the sudden thought that boys may think we girls are totally off our rockers, especially with this vampire and zombie craze. Wouldn't a story with basketballs or ponies be enough? Apparently not. There is just a whole kettle of fun ideas that come with all things supernatural - and a teenager sets the perfect tone and humor that is needed to keep all these stories fresh and alive!

Mina's parents put the cheese in cheesy. They may be vampires, but honestly Mina wouldn't be caught dead with them. Who names their kid after a character in Dracula? Who remains oblivious to the dreaminess of Edward Cullen?! Her parents, that's who. But she loves them even if they are a far cry from being remotely cool.

From page 1
My parents are vampires. Some people might think that sounds cool, but I'm not talking about those romanticized bloodsuckers, like in novels where everybody walks around in ruffled white shirts and can quote poetry. I don't know where people get that stuff. Nothing could be further from the truth. My dad couldn't quote a nursery rhyme if somebody paid him. He likes to watch football and CNN. He wouldn't know (or care) who Stephenie Meyer was if she came up and bit him.

But does Mina love them enough to become a vampire? She does not know, but the Northwest Regional Vampire Council prefers vampires to come in contact with humans only if they are interested in becoming undead. So, on top of her massive high school laundry list of English papers and boy drama, Mina has to attend vampire night classes to help her to make an educated decision. If she chooses no, well, let's just say that she may not be allowed to see her parents ever again!

I really loved Sucks To Be Me! Mina had such an awesome voice, full of sarcasm, and I laughed at all her random lists of vampire pros and cons! Each chapter opened with a small vampire myth debunked a la Mina - which often made me giggle at what a smart mouth she had!

From page 26
Myth: Vampires are so strong, they could pick up a bus.
Truth: Yeah, but when's the last time you wished you could pick up a bus?

To top it all off, there were the cutest doodles attached to these myths and lists that brought Mina even more to life! Who knew a decision of life and undeath could be so entertaining? :)

The rest of the characters were also great! I loved Mina's parents and uncle who definitely stood outside the usual vampire box of coolness and evilness. They were very supportive of Mina, regardless of what she chose, and it was obvious that they certainly cared about her life more than following the Council rules. I could sort of relate to Mina's best friend who pretty much followed whatever her heart desired, whether it be Goth, nerd, popular, etc. but she still ultimately stayed true to her core. Basically, expect a happy Goth who may want to put on a cute red sundress on occasion. The boys who snuck into Mina's life were also great - who to choose, who to not pursue - each had their good points and flaws, and I am glad to see that she ended up with He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless-Here.

No major bad guys or action in this book, but seriously I had too much fun with Mina that I did not even notice! Light, but not too fluffy. Dark, but not to the point where your stomach would turn uncomfortably. Cuteness with a humor that may leave teeth marks! Kimberly Pauley really had some clever vampire witticisms and concoctions that makes this book totally worth sinking your teeth into!
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Disclosure 10/7/09:
This was borrowed from the library.

GRaB: Zombie Edition

In honor of Zombie Appreciation Week, I will be conducting a zombified GRaB that includes ALL zombie books that I have reviewed in the past and will be reviewing this week! I know, please refrain from drooling all over your keyboards - this is only a feast for the brains, not the tummies! :}

Here's how we play:

+1 for each comment left on any zombie book review

+5 for the FIRST commenter of new zombie book reviews

+3 for the SECOND commenter of new zombie book reviews
(additional comments do not count)

x3 for commenting on ALL zombie book reviews
(old and new, and yes, any previous comment will count)

+10 if you comment on the zombie book review that has the most comments by the end of Zombie Appreciation Week

+5 for new and current followers

+10 for posting about the Zombie GRaB in a blog post or sidebar
(+5 for each referral - see immediate below)

+10 if you found out about Zombie GRaB from another blogger
(please tell me who - or no extra entries)

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THREE WINNERS

• The blogger who refers the most people to Zombie GRaB selects 3 zombie books

• One randomly-selected commenter selects 2 zombie books

• One "Surprise! You win!" commenter selects 2 zombie books

Secret criteria for this winner that will not be revealed until the end, but let me put it this way: HOW ZOMBIE WILL YOU GO THIS WEEK? :P

Open WORLDWIDE

Ends SEPTEMBER 6

My Rating System: Zombie Edition

In honor of Zombie Appreciation Week 2009 (or more like, inspired by), I have put together an additional rating system that will be applied to all zombie book reviews. So you can get a fair estimate of exactly how much zombie goodness - I mean, gore - there is :D

Just a friendly reminder from The Grapevine

I haven't done one of these in a while since I have long-since given up the hope of ever keeping up with all the many, many contests out there in Book Blog Land. The Grapevine, for all of you who did not know The Epic Rat in its infant stages, had been a sidebar feature that listed various giveaways with their respective deadlines. It fell by the wayside when I got more involved with other book bloggy things...

Anyhow, I just wanted to help out a blogger

Melissa at One Librarian's Book Reviews

to promote her current giveaway for

The Dust Of 100 Dogs

(which is a GREAT book, by the way)

Click here for more details!

The odds are astronomically amazing right now for the current participants (though I'm sure after this post, they may be slightly less amazing)

This ends SEPTEMBER 1. I'm not sure if it is open WORLDWIDE (not stated), but this book is worth a look! :) Seriously, if I did not already own a copy, I would totally sign up for this giveaway!

New Blogger On The Block: Hooked On YA Books

Hooked On YA Books

Alexa
Started June 19, 2009

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1) DESCRIBE YOUR BLOG IN 5 SENTENCES OR LESS.

My blog is mainly for YA books, but I sometimes throw in a stray non-YA book. I haven't done any interviews yet, but I hope to in the near future. I just created a new feature on my blog, Cover Compare Friday and I'm going to participate in "Waiting On Wednesday" and In My Mailbox. I've already held one contest on my blog, but I'm definitely going to hold more in the future.

2) FAVORITE BOOKS AND/OR AUTHORS?

I could go on and on for this one, but I'll just list the ones at the top of my list.

• The Blue is for Nightmares Series by Laurie Faria Stolarz (and all of her other books too)
• The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
• The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead
• The Night World Series by L.J. Smith
• All of Ellen Hopkins' books
• The Darkest Powers Series Kelley Armstrong.

3) IF THE WORLD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND ALL BOOKS BUT ONE WOULD BE LOST FOREVER AND ONLY YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHICH ONE TO SAVE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU RESCUE AND WHY?

That would be the hardest choice for me to make because I'm in love with soooo many books. If I HAD to choose, I would cheat and pick Night World #1 because it has the first 3 books in the series, the stories just melt my heart, and L.J. Smith rocks!

4) LAST BUT NOT LEAST, CARE TO SHARE ANY CORNY JOKES? xD

What has a spine but no bones?
A book.

Good thing I'm better at blogging than I am at telling jokes(I hope).

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YA is such a fun genre to read, even if you have long-since left the teenage years! My reading pile seems to consist of mostly YA, but I like to throw in some random "adult" books when I find one that I can stomach - which is mostly zombie books, wouldn't you know :D

Paranormal is like the new "IT" in el mundo del libros, and Hooked On YA Books would totally be the place to go if you are interested in what the latest vampire/zombie/ghost/werewolf/etc book is and if this book is worth your while! It is fun to see another blogger who also drools at the paranormal books - makes me feel less weird :D Can't say that I've ventured into non-zombie territory lately, but I just might! :P

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Reminder: +20 for the August GRaB to anyone who visits Hooked On YA Books and comments on Alexa's next 5 posts starting with Waiting On Wednesday: Hush, Hush

Waiting on...Ash (September 1, 2009)

The Book: Ash
The Author: Malinda Lo
The When: September 1, 2009
The What About:

I concur with several other bloggers who consider the cover for Ash as beautiful and haunting in its simplicity. And I hope that the story is as riveting as the cover makes it out to be! The summary definitely gives me reason to wish good things :)

From the publisher

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

This WoW meme is courtesy of Jill @ Breaking the Spine

BkRv: East Coast got a lotta souls...

Book Review: Another Faust by Dina and Daniel Nayeri

YA | Paranormal

First Line (ARC): Victoria didn't have time to play. She didn't have time for friends or laughing or jumping or any other thing little kids do. Victoria was ten, but she didn't like ten-year-olds.







One soul is enough for me, but who knows? I might change my mind later on!

What would you sell your soul for? I believe that is an age-old question, and while I would like to think no one really wants to sell his or her soul, it is a fun one to ponder. Wealth, beauty, intelligence, muscle, poetry, charisma, chocolates, true love... What is the cost of a soul? To you, it may be very little, but how come souls seem like a hot commodity to others?

From page 27 (ARC)
"Is that important?" Mrs. Wirth asked with that ever-clueless expression that annoyed Mrs. Spencer so much.

"Yes! Five kids moving here with their nanny in the middle of the year, suddenly gaining spots at the most selective school in the city - they must be special, or astronomically wealthy, or prodigies."

Along with their beautiful, enigmatic governess Madame Vileroy, five teens mysteriously arrive at the elite Manhattan Marlowe School and create quite a buzz within the gossip mills as they dazzle the school with their beauty and talent. Little does the New York elite know that these teens have sold their souls for their much-admired appearances and skills.

• Victoria has a mean, ambitious streak, and she will do anything to prove herself as #1 in everything. In exchange for her soul, Madame Vileroy has given her the ability to read other people's minds in order to steal information and use it to better her odds of winning. Knowledge equals power, but to what lengths is Victoria willing to go and who will she end up hurting?

From page 2 (ARC)
Because for Victoria, only one thing in life was valuable: winning - at any cost - and that she knew how to do. She spent her days in a blaze of activities, never fully enjoying any of them, just concentrating on her duty to win - bringing home prizes and certificates and good grades like a starved cat bringing a dead bird to its owner.

• Christian seems to be living the all-American dream as far as athletics go, but little does everyone know how exactly Christian achieves such a dream. He may appear like the quiet, dreamy hunk, but he can steal talent by simply bumping into you. He aches to score that touchdown, but what if winning is not worth the loss of a soul?

• Belle lives up to her name - gorgeous beyond imagination - but her striking appearance hardly disguises the ugly stench that seems to radiate from her body. Madame Vileroy says the smell is in exchange for such beauty, but how can Belle ever hope to ensnare the boy of her dreams if he can hardly stand next to her without passing out? All she wants is to be loved - but who will ever love her if she goes back to looking like a Beast?

• Bicé used to be Belle's identical twin until her sister sold her soul for beauty, but family is family and where Belle goes, Bice is sure to follow - even if it means Hell. At least she has time to study all languages, dead and alive, to her heart's content. She may not remember having Madame Vileroy as her governess or living with the other children all her life, but as long as Belle is safe, Bicé has no complaints.
  

From page 71 (ARC)
Without knowing it, Bicé left a trail of moments like this, when people came away from her feeling better somehow, carefd for - the kind of moments that were the very opposite of all those little evils that Madame Vileroy left in her wake.

• Valentin wants to be a poet - or rather, he is a poet but he wants to be famous. Which seems pretty easy when you take into account how personable he is with everyone. His charisma comes from the ability to reverse time and change the outcome with different actions and words. When push comes to shove, is it too late for him to turn back time and keep his soul?

I would not classify Another Faust as a light and easy read, but more of a dark and dense nature that befits the story that is presented. Each teen had a sordid secret that Madame Vileroy exploited and tried to make even more despicable. Of course, she made it easy for them to choose the road less complicated (which meant tarnishing their halo a little more). Why is being good always the more difficult decision?

Madame Vileroy's character proved to be the most mysterious character - I watched as she baited each teen with gifts and stories of glamour and fame, but never knew who exactly she was. Witch? Fallen angel? Devil in disguise? Not sure, but I do know that she is definitely up to no good. What is the purpose of entrapping 5 teens and unleashing them unto Manhattan Marlowe School? Where does she come from?

From page 31 (ARC)
She had chosen them for their potential, for their willingness, and most of all, for their weaknesses. In this, she was very unlike most mothers, who love their children even for their flaws and frailties, because Madame Vileroy loved only the weaknesses themselves. She loved Belle's hatred for her own true self. She loved Victoria's blind hunger for power and Valentin's quest for importance. She even loved Christian's dual nature, with ever-competing desires that left him always fighting with himself. And Bicé, well...perhaps with time, the governess would uncover some frailty to love.

Dina and Daniel Nayeri hint at providing more information on Madame Vileroy in the sequel, which I will be on the lookout for - because Another Pan sounds like it will be full of interesting characters and themes!

Another Faust Blog Tour
Green Bean Teen Queen (19th) | Karin's Book Nook (20th) | Sharon Loves Books And Cats (21st) | Book Chic (22nd) | Bookluver-Carol's Reviews (23rd) | Pop Culture Junkie (24th) | The Epic Rat (25th) | Books By Their Cover (26th) | Reverie Book Reviews (27th) | The Story Siren (28th)


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Disclosure 10/7/09: PUBLISHER > T2T tour

Get the Scoop on...Daniel Nayeri

The Epic Rat is more than pleased as punch to have the authors of Another Faust today as part of the 10-stop T2T tour! Even better is that I didn't have to sell my soul (which is great since I have long-since lost my soul)!

This is the 2nd part of my interview, and it is now Daniel's turn for the spotlight! :)

You can check out Dina's answers by scrolling down further...


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This is the first of your Another series. Any particular reason why you chose to start with a modernized version of the Faustian bargain?

One thing we've always emphasized is that the stories we want to choose to retell should be extremely "high-concept." They should have an iconic quality that makes their themes larger than just the plot points. So, for example, it would be pretty hard to "retell" "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" without basically going through each event in the story and twisting it slightly (set it in the future, or make all the characters woodland creatures, whatever). But with a story like Faust, you've got this central motif, the deal with the devil, and you can go anywhere from there (woodland creatures wouldn't have been a bad idea). Anyway, it gives more freedom.

As for your actual question, I have no idea. I've always been a fan of Dr. Faustus; he's like those overconfident scientists in sci-fi films who say, "Ze experiment eez fool proof. Nossing vill go wrong." And then the whole planet gets invaded by ooze or something. What were we talking about again?

Did you two write and illustrate stories when you were younger? What was the first story that you have co-wrote together?

Not at all. Dina and I kept to our own spheres as kids, so Another Faust was a unique experience. We had to learn how to work together as if we were just like any other pair of collaborators. It was rough for a while, but unlike most collaborations, we always had our mom as a mediator.

New York and private schools have become quite a popular hangout for YA novels. What made you choose a New York elite school as the location for your series?

Well, we needed a place where the kids were incredibly motivated to succeed in some capacity (whether on their own, or because of ridiculous helicopter parents), and we wanted to have access to all kinds of settings and resources. That way, we could keep things fresh and new with each story, while keeping it in the same place. As far as I know, NYC has the best variety per square mile ratio, so it seemed to make sense.

If you had been in your characters' shoes, what Faustian bargains would you have made as a teenager? What bargains would you make now?

Oh man, it's hard to say. By definition, it's a bad deal. But I think as a kid, I was most obsessed with my writing. So, maybe if Madame Vileroy offered me some kind of mutant power involving my vocabulary, then I'd be tempted.

Are any of the characters modeled after either of you, even in the remotest of ways? Did you favor any one character over another while writing?

I think I favored Buddy more than the five Faust children. He seemed to have the most soul. As for characters, I related most to Christian. I wrote a lot of bad poetry in high school, and played sports. Can't say I was any good at the sports, so I guess I needed stealing ability, but I was involved. Mostly, I was just as broody as Christian and not as good-looking (if the book cover is any indication).

Can you tell us a little more about Another Pan? Or what other Another books can we anticipate in the future?

Let's see, what has Dina told you...[scrolls down]...ah yes, okay, Another Pan picks up right after factory explosion at the end of Another Faust, that killed everyone and let out the radioactive bio-engineered super socialites--oh wait, spoiler alert. Eeg. Anyway, it picks up after the first book and features a mysterious labyrinth, a cursed Egyptian bloodline, the charming yet dangerous Peter and his international orphan syndicate, daring escapes, nerdy angst, lust posing as love, love posing as bad parenting, pretty much everything you could hope for in a second date with the devil.

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Oh, man, I think you have sold me for the sequel - and Another Faust is still fresh off the press - a 2nd date with the devil? Sign me up! :} And I think a mutant vocabulary would be worth the price of a soul! Then again, maybe not...

Thank you, Daniel, for stopping by! I hope you and Dina continue to find new ways to sell the souls of the students at Marlowe ;)

Another Faust Blog Tour
Green Bean Teen Queen (19th) | Karin's Book Nook (20th) | Sharon Loves Books And Cats (21st) | Book Chic (22nd) | Bookluver-Carol's Reviews (23rd) | Pop Culture Junkie (24th) | The Epic Rat (25th) | Books By Their Cover (26th) | Reverie Book Reviews (27th) | The Story Siren (28th)