*REVIEW* Alice in Zombieland

Synopsis:

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real...

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies...

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 mom and my dad one last time.
I'd tell them I love them.
I wish... Yeah, I wish.

OMG, I love, love, LOVE this book! Alice in Zombieland is pure entertainment... I couldn't put it down! I have to admit that my memories of the Alice in Wonderland story are a bit vague so I can't really speak to similarities between the two, but I don't even care about that because THIS story was fan-freakin-tastic. Another solid win for Gena Showalter!

Alice in Zombieland introduces us to Alice and her family, a family that is slightly bizarre. See, Alice's dad sees monsters, monsters that terrify him and that have forced Alice and her sister, Emma, to grow up in a completely sheltered environment. They are locked up safe and sound in their house before nightfall every day, and Alice has missed out on all of the normal teenage stuff like football games, sleepovers, and even dates. The one thing she refuses to miss is Emma's dance recital. Emma wants to participate more than anything and Alice refuses to let her miss out. Alice's insistence is how she and her family find themselves in a car, at night, driving home. A night that changes EVERYTHING...

Alice moves in with her grandparents, dons the nickname Ali, and tries to assimilate into her new life. At school, she encounters a rough group of kids covered with bruises who have a terrible reputation for trouble. As her eyes lock with Cole, the leader, something extraordinary happens. Ali quickly becomes obsessed with Cole, and it seems as if he feels the exact same way. But Ali soon realizes that Cole is hiding some major secrets, dangerous ones that could end up getting her very hurt... or even killed.

As Ali becomes more enmeshed in Cole's world and learns more about the monsters, who turn out to be zombies, she develops a passion for vengeance and will not rest until she does her part to eradicate them all. If only she could have foreseen who her opponent would end up being... will Ali make it out alive? Or will she be turned into the very thing she fears?

*SQUEEEEEEE* I have to admit that I wasn't super jazzed about this one when I first heard about it but decided to give it a go and I am SOOOO happy I did. This book ROCKS! Zombies are of course awesomesauce but there's just so much in this book that is amazing. The characters... I LOVE them! And not even just the main characters, but the supporting cast as well. I want to know everything I can about all of them and that is so rare.

And then there's Cole. *dreamy sigh* There's just something about those bad boys! Cole is beyond sexy and I love his interactions with Ali. Seeing something develop between those two is a real treat! While romance doesn't play the number one role in this book, it's definitely there in what I think is just the right amount. Love it!

I really can't say enough about this book. Superb. 5 of 5 stars. It's pacing is great, the characters are relatable and engaging, the action is intense and frequent, and the romance is sizzling. Showalter is a genius! I can't believe I'm going to have to wait soooo long for book two! This is one I'll definitely be buying for myself when it comes out in September because I have to read it again! Soon! It's seriously that good. Make sure you do yourself a favor and snatch it up when it comes out. But go during the daylight hours... and if you see a rabbit shaped cloud, beware!! *XOXO*

Expected publication date: September 25, 2012 by Harlequin Teen