Review: The Queen of Zombie Hearts - Gena Showalter

Alice Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's fought zombies and won. Now she's ready for a peaceful life with boyfriend Cole, the leader of the zombie slayers . . . until the dangerous agency controlling the undead launches an attack with devastating consequences.

Humans can be more dangerous than monsters . . . and the worst has only just begun.

They've started a war. Alice is determined to end it.

The White Rabbit Chronicles:
Alice in Zombieland
Alice Through the Zombie Glass
The Queen of Zombie Hearts
A Mad Zombie Party

Visit Gena Showalter's website for more information

Review:
If you thought the stakes were high in Alice Through the Zombie Glass that's nothing compared to what Ali and the slayers are facing in this instalment. Zombies may be evil but they're mindless creatures that act on instinct and it turns out that humans are far more dangerous. Anima doesn't want to see the slayers wipe out the zombies, not when they've worked so hard to find a way to control them, so they will do whatever it takes to wipe out Ali and her friends.

Right from the beginning of The Queen of Zombie Hearts the action is off the charts and the slayers are really up against it. Anima is always one step ahead and they're willing to act with lethal force to get rid of everyone Ali cares about. I was on the edge of my seat for much of the story, there are some great twists and a couple of shocks that I would never have spotted coming. I actually came pretty close to tears at one point thanks to one unexpected and utterly heart wrenching event. In fact, I'm still not quite sure I believe that I read that part right, I kept hoping it would all turn out to be some kind of horrific misunderstanding.

I was pleased to see that Ali and Cole had got their relationship back on track but then there is one moment where Cole reverted to his foolish behaviour and pushed Ali away again. It was in a particularly emotional situation so part of me could understand his reaction but I was annoyed that once again he turned his back on her when she needed him the most. I think I find it more frustrating because most of the time he's such a great guy and I'm generally really happy to root for them as a couple. I just wish he wouldn't have these stupid moments.

There are a lot of changes in this book, a lot of revelations about characters we know and love and we get to meet a whole new group of slayers who added an interesting dynamic to the story. The two groups don't really trust each other but Anima is causing so much trouble that they have to work together if they're going to have any chance of stopping them. The story has definitely ramped up on all levels and I can't wait to see how things play out in the next book. Ali has been through a lot already but I think she's still got quite a battle ahead of her before she can let her guard down.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Alice Through the Zombie Glass - Gena Showalter

Alice Bell has lost so much.

Family. Friends. A home.

She thought she had nothing else to give. She was wrong.

After a new zombie attack, strange things begin to happen to her. Mirrors come to life, and the whispers of the dead assault her ears. But the worst? A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do very wicked things. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more, but ultra bad-boy Cole Holland, the leader and her boyfriend, suddenly withdraws from her… from everyone. Now, with her best friend Kat at her side, Ali must kill the zombies, uncover Cole’s secret and learn to fight the darkness.

But the clock is ticking… and if she fails at a single task, they’re all doomed.

The White Rabbit Chronicles:
Alice in Zombieland
Alice Through the Zombie Glass
The Queen of Zombie Hearts
A Mad Zombie Party

Visit Gena Showalter's website for more information

Review:
Sometimes it can be a nerve racking experience to pick up the second book in a series, I'm sure we've all been in the situation where the sequel to a much loved first book ends up being a terrible disappointment and leaves us wondering whether it's even worth continuing with the rest of the series. Well I know I have anyway so I was slightly worried when it came to Alice Through the Looking Glass, what if it didn't live up to my expectations? Thankfully my fears were unfounded and within a couple of pages I was completely hooked. This story had everything I loved about the first book and then some and I loved every minute of it.

I don't want to talk too much about the plot but Alice Through the Looking Glass was darker and grittier than the first book, Ali is facing a far more dangerous enemy than she has before and it's one that she doesn't have much hope of defeating. The life that she has worked so hard to rebuild is starting to fall down around her ears and it's going to take every bit of courage and determination she has if she wants to hold things together. I love how strong Ali is, she has been through so much but she never gives up hope and she never stops trying to make things better for her friends and the people she cares about. I also love the great friendship between her, Kat and Reeve. The three girls are always there for each other and it's a refreshing change to have strong female friendships in a YA novel. It's actually quite sad that I feel the need to mention that fact but I'm so sick of reading stories where females treat each other as enemies even when they're supposed to be "best friends". I even found myself liking Mackenzie and Trina in this story and that's definitely not something I saw coming.

I have been a huge fan of Cole since the beginning but I have to admit I was more than a little irritated by his attitude for the majority of this book. The visions he has always shared with Ali have dried up and now she's experiencing something similar with Gavin, a new hunter on the scene. Cole is jealous and upset which was understandable but he uses the visions as an excuse to treat Ali really badly and I was incredibly angry with him because of that. I liked the way Ali called him out on his behaviour and I'm glad he eventually apologised and started to try and make up for his bad behaviour but I think I would have liked to see Ali make him suffer a little more before she forgave him. To be honest, as much as I still like him I'm now a little wary of him and I really hope he proves himself in the next book. They do have such great chemistry that it would be a shame for their relationship to be ruined. I was worried at one point that Gena Showalter had introduced a love triangle to the story but I'm pretty pleased with the way things turned out in the end and I'm glad it wasn't dragged out for several books.

Although the romance may have been a little lacking in this instalment the plot was on top form and there was plenty of action to keep me turning the pages. There is also some fantastic character development and I loved catching up with the hunters and seeing how they're all getting on now. There were some lovely scenes between Ali and her grandmother and some very sweet moments with her little sister too. We also get to meet some great new characters and it looks like things are about to get really interesting in the next book. I'm definitely excited to continue reading the series and I'm glad I already have the next two books so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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Review: Alice in Zombieland - Gena Showalter

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.

I'd tell my sister no.

I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.

I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.

Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mum and dad one last time.

I'd tell them I love them.

I wish . . .

The White Rabbit Chronicles:
Alice in Zombieland
Alice Through the Zombie Glass
The Queen of Zombie Hearts
A Mad Zombie Party

Visit Gena Showalter's website for more information

Review:
I love Gena Showalter's adult books and I love the original Alice in Wonderland story so there was no way I could resist reading Alice in Zombieland! I have to admit that I was expecting a retelling of the original tale with added zombies but I really enjoyed the way Gena Showalter has come up with something unique and original but with hints at the original story woven throughout. I love a book about scary, people eating zombies (I can't be doing with this new trend for zombie romances!) and these zombies are particularly frightening. I don't want to spoil things by explaining what makes them unique so you'll have to read the book to get the details but trust me it won't be what you're expecting!

Alice has led a very sheltered life thanks to an incredibly overprotective father who claims that there are monsters out to get them. The rest of the family think her father is crazy but they have to be very careful to stick to his rules to keep the peace. After a losing her family in a tragic accident Alice has to move in with her grandparents. She is devastated by her loss and starting at a new school where she doesn't know anyone only makes things worse. As more and more strange things start to occur around her Alice starts to question her sanity - has she inherited her fathers madness or was he right all along?

I don't want to say too much about the story so I'm going to talk about why I loved the characters instead. Alice is a great heroine, she is smart and determined and although she is devastated by her loss she picks herself up and keeps going. It isn't easy to start over but once school starts she makes an effort to find friends. She has a very supportive friendship with Kat and I loved the way they stood by each other no matter what happened. Alice's grandparents were two of my favourite characters in the book - they tried so hard to make Alice feel welcome and their attempted use of teenage slang was hilarious. They never manage to get their words quite right but their attempts were so sweet. Parents I advise you to take notes as they interview Alice's date before he takes her out - that is how you scare boys senseless!!

Now this wouldn't be one of my favourite books if it didn't have an excellent romance and anyone who has read anything by Gena Showalter before will know how good she is at creating heroes to fall for! The first time Alice sets eyes on bad boy Cole something strange starts to happen to her, no it isn't a case of instant love - it's much more unusual than that! Cole is a bit of a moody bastard, he is constantly skipping school and when he does turn up he is covered in bruises from fighting. He isn't the kind of boy that Alice would usually be interested in but he might be the only person who can give her the answers she needs. I love the fact that they have such a love / hate relationship, they spent a lot of their time bickering but you just know the chemistry between them will be off the charts when they do get together. Although Cole can be arrogant and standoffish he does have a much softer and very caring side. He is protective when it comes to those he cares about and will do whatever it takes to keep his friends safe. Alice may be drawn to Cole and she may have the hots for him but that doesn't turn her into someone who is willing to go along with whatever he tells her to do, in fact there are plenty of times where she does the exact opposite. In Alice's words "I wasn't going to jump when he said jump. I was more likely to give him the finger." I do love a heroine who stands up for herself!

Although there is a hint of romance that is by no means the main focus of the book. The story is action packed and left me breathless. It's the kind of book that makes you irritated when real life intrudes and you have to put it down even for a minute. From beginning to end I was hooked on Alice in Zombieland and I will be buying my copy of Through the Zombie Glass the moment it becomes available!

Just in case my review hasn't convinced you that you need to read this book I'm going to leave you with the awesome book trailer:



Source: Received from Mira Ink in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: