By: Mark Henry
Publisher: Kensington Fantasy
Publish Date: March 2008
Format: Paperback, pocketbook size 295 pgs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: 1st book in Amanda Feral series
Recommendation: Oh Yes! This is full of zombie fun, but you have to have a sense of humor. Enjoy!
Book Synopsis:
THE THING NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT DYING IS JUST HOW MUCH FUN IT CAN BE.
Alive, ad exec Amanda Feral worked hard to wring enjoyment out of her days. Now that she's a zombie, it's a different story. Turns out, Seattle is home to glamorous undead of every description, and Amanda - stylish and impeccably groomed even in the afterlife - is swigging cocktails and living large (so to speak) among its elite. But there are downsides. Not being able to stomach anything except alcohol and human flesh, for instance. And the fact that someone is targeting Seattle's otherworldly inhabitants for their own sinister reasons.
Preying on the undead is seriously uncool. The only option is for Amanda and her zombie BFF Wendy and gorgeous gay vampire pal Gil to unearth the culprit among the legions of Seattle's bloodsuckers, shapeshifters, reapers, succubi, and demons - before they all meet a fate a lot worse than death...
First Sentence:
Saturday night is all about the Well of Souls - see and be seen is the rule - there is no excuse for an absence, least of all a bad hair day.
My Review and Summary:
Amanda's had a rough life, and it's not held her back one bit. She's serious about life and a successful partner in an Advertising firm and is serious about life. Until she smells the stinky breathe of that man in the elevator and has a clumsy accident afterward. All to find out... she is now a zombie. So what is a beautiful, successful woman to do now that she is one of the undead? Why, enjoy life to the fullest! But first, to find make-up to take care of the pasty pale skin. But when a friend goes missing will Amanda go in search or try to save her drying skin? Amanda ends up on a mystery case looking into the incidents of what happened to her friends, just to stumble upon a bigger mystery with the pesky mistake zombies showing up in herds at Starbucks.
Amanda is a character I enjoyed. She is hard, bitchy, and self-centered. Amanda makes flying leaps at growth in her character in this book. She makes friends with others similar to her in her manor of thinking. We learn how Amanda meets each of these characters through their fun incidents in the first section of the book. Then after we get to know them we find somewhere along the way Amanda has started to worry about them. And starts to enjoy life. Amanda and her friends make comments and jokes of things that many might find mean, but it is said in fun with these characters. I had to chuckle many times with the jokes made and the priorities of the characters. Oh, and who would want to break into a funeral home? I loved that scene.
I enjoy the writing style in this book. Mark Henry uses a unique writing style as we are getting the story from Amanda's view. There are footnotes sporadically through the book in which Amanda makes comments to add her inner thoughts at the moment. For me this was fun and a humorous way to get to know Amanda's character a little better.
I will definitely be picking up the second book, Road Trip of the Living Dead.
I purchased this book on my own for read.
This book qualifies for the Horror & Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.
Hey! I thought you didn't like zombies?! ;) lol This one sounds like fun. I think I'll have to get tis one.
ReplyDeleteBrrrraaaiiinssssssssssss!
ReplyDeleteI hope to never find myself in a situation where I have to break into a funeral home. LOL
Melissa (Books&Things) - Yeah, crazy huh. :D I really don't care for zombies, and was worried getting into this one. But I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteMissie - lol. I hear ya. I don't want to have to break INTO a funeral home either. :) Thanks for stopping by!
Hey honey, popping in to see how things are going?! I hope all is well and I hope the house is settling!
ReplyDeleteHugs and love!
Cecile
Mark Henry also writes at Danial Marks in YA I'm excited to read his books. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteCari - Yeah, I've heard of the anthology and books he has going as Danial Marks. :) I'm curious about them too! Can't wait. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a real fun read, I'm not too sure about the footnotes though as generally speaking I find them distracting. Are there many of them?
ReplyDeleteZombie books tend to be a little serious but I love to idea of someone taking a slightly more hearted approach to the genre!! Will have to check it out...if I can find it in my local shops! :)
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about these books but I still can't myself to read a book about zombies. I suppose everyone has to draw their line somewhere and that is my line ;)
ReplyDeleteCecile - Hey Hon! Sorry it took a while to get back to you here. And I will be stopping by. :) Its been busy at work and running around with the kid for basketball as they are trying to make up their games that where canceled from the weather. :) Other than that we are doing very well. I am trying to think of a way to do a tour of the house and post it on here. :) I was thinking of a quick virtual tour with my cell phone camera. But I'll see how it turns out. :) Hope you are doing well. Hugs to you.
ReplyDeletePetty Witter - It was a fun read. :) As for the footnotes, in the beginning there are more, then it lessens as the book goes. But it seemed to add character to Amanda, at least for me. :)
Mel - So true! The zombies are usually taken as a serious threat. But Mark has done a wonderful job of making it all fun. :)
Simcha - I hear you. I really don't pick up books if there are zombies, but I really heard great things on this one and that it sounded fun, so figured I'd give it a try. But we all do have our lines. :) I know I do as well. Thanks for stopping by!