Passing Strange by Daniel Waters: Review

Passing Strange (Generation Dead #3)

By Daniel Waters
Published June 1st 2010 by Hyperion
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not. All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school. Passing cost her the love of her life. And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing this time, as alive.
Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is because the consequences would be even worse than death.

Darkfallen's zombie squee again:

So when I first started this book I was under the impression that it was the last book in the series. After reading it I was left searching to find out if there was another one. Need less to say I was able to find out that there might, and should be, a fouth and even a fifth book. That being said I give this book 4 stars. However if this book turns out to be the last and final book then it is more like a 3.

I only say this because for every question this book answers it leaves you asking 2 new ones, making it a good "bridger" book. Not so much a good final book.

You with me?
In the book we learn A LOT about our little Miss Karen DeSonne. Most of this book is from her perspective. While I was left missing Phoebe and Adam a lot during this book I really grew to love Karen even more. We already learned that Karen committed suicide, but we never knew why until now...

As we grow to learn more about Karen we also learn more about about our villian Pete.
With Tommy off to Washington Karen and Tak are left to take care of the others. Since Tak is forced to hide underground Karen really steps up. She has spent her whole life pretending to be something that she is not. So why not spend her undead "life" pretending to be alive? Pretending to be a "trad" girl Karen uses Pete to clear Tak and the other zombies names from a murder case they didn't commit. But it takes alot more than pretending to be "trad" to be with Pete.

What else is Karen pretending to be?

Well if you wanna know that then you are going to have to pick up the book. You didn't really think that I would spoil it did you?

 I will say this....in most books there is some hidden message. Like: Don't have sex or Don't do drugs or Stay in school, and so on. The issue that Daniel Waters presents us with in this book is one that I haven't seen anyone touch. My hat goes off to him. It is about time that someone addresses this issue and the consecqusenses that it threatens when people don't think it is all right to accept it. I know that I sound criptic but I really don't waant to give anything away. Trust me once you read this you will understand.

All I can leave you with it that I REALLLLLY want to give our girl Karen a hug and tell her that everything is going to be ok.

Until my next breath...

Kiss of Life by Daniel Waters: Review

Kiss of Life (Generation Dead #2)

By Daniel Waters
Published May 12th 2009 by Hyperion
Pick up your copy at B&N, Amazon, or your local indie today!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

The phenomenon that’s been sweeping the country seems to be here to stay. Not only are the teenagers who have come back from their graves still here, but newlydeads are being unearthed all the time. While scientists look for answers and politicians take their stands, the undead population of Oakville have banded together in a group they’re calling the Sons of Romero, hoping to find solidarity in segregation.


Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels just as lost and alone as her dead friends. Just when she reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie — her Homecoming date Tommy Williams — her friend Adam is murdered taking a bullet that was meant for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has romantic interest in two dead boys; one who saved her life, and one she can't seem to live without.

Darkfallen's thoughts of zombie SQUEE:

Oh the land of the not-so-dead, how I have come to heart you so....

This is one of those series where the 2nd book is actually better than the first. Whereas the second book in most series is what I call a "bridger" this was not. It was SOOOOOOO much more than I thought it was going to be.

In fact this series has completely suprised me in the most fantastic way. I picked Generation Dead up in the clearance section at my local book store for 1 reason, the cover was ironic and cool. I didn't expect much out of it however. Just a little light reading to break up the heart renching series that I've been reading. Boy I couldn't have been more wrong. Daniel Waters has not only introduce my into the world of zombies, he has left my in love with them.

Phoebe is lost as usual in this book. Not knowing which way to go or what she is supposed to do. But who can blame her? Poor Phoebe almost dies because of her living impaired boyfriend Tommy, but instead Adam steps up to the plate and saves the day. The price Adam payed was his life....well his "living" one that his. Since Adam has come back Phoebe is trying to help him find is way all the way "back". He like so many living impared kids has trouble talking, walking, and just about everything else we "living" people take for granted. She doesn't know how to juggle both Tommy and Adam so she pushes Tommy away.

I loved how the point of views switched back and forth giving us an inside look into Adam. Seeing inside Adam's head, hearing the world as he perceives it, well it broke my heart. I spent the majority of this book feeling like I couldn't breath, especially when reading Adam's thoughts. It literally felt like someone had put my heart in a vice. With every thought he had for Phoebe the vice squeezed tighter.

This isn't just your typical love story. There is alot of twists and turns and I still HATE Pete. I locked him in a cage and threw away the key in the first book and I assure you that I set his cage on fire during this one, but he wasn't the only one in that cage if you know what I'm saying;)

Now that you have heard what I had to say I will leave you with this....

Buy it, borrow it, rent it, steal it if you have too, but you need to READ this book!!!
But if you are one of our "differently biotic" friends maybe have a breather steal it for you...since you can't outrun the cops!
*winks*

Until my next breath...

Teaser Tuesday: Kiss of Life

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday!

This meme is sponsored by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

(wanna learn more about how you too can join in and play along? click here)

This weeks teaser is from....

"Lift leg leg answer speak Phoebe help Phoebe help. Don't want help no help no FrankinAdam" page 86

OK look this is the part where I tell you this series took me by suprise. I read this over a year ago. I a lifetime where I didn't have a blog of my own, but now that I do I needed this series to have it's place in it.

Like I said it's been a year since these pages have flipped in my hands and yet here I am on the brink of tears again just from reading what poor Adam was going through trapped inside his zombie mind and body. Unable to function like he used to. Feeling completely stupid. In fact when I read this here is one of my status updates on Goodreads:

"* deep painful sigh* My heart is breaking. It's literally pulling itself apart piece by piece. I never expected feeling much for this series. I was wrong. So very very wrong. My heart is breaking. It hurts to breath. I'm talking physical pain here. (wants to hold Adam and never let him go)"        

That's why you need to pick this up....to fall in love again. To come back to life and FEEL something again.

Until your heart stops beating and then some...

       

Wanna join the Zompacolypse hop? Want all the Wastelanders to trick or treat at your blog this Halloween? Then why don't you join the most awesome party around?! Details are Here but beware of the zombies!! Remember.... we warned ya -- muhahahahas!