Zombies in Art 2

More depictions of zombies by awesome artists!

* Raffle Zombie Bunny by *IckyDog

Do you like some creepy with your cute? Well, this adorable zombie bunny plushie should do the trick. It's hungry red eyes, bloodstained mouth, and exposed ribs are very well made and make for an adorable zombunny. I'm just sad it doesn't seem to be for sale anywhere.

* Zombunny Brooches by ~misscoffee

I would totally wear these adorable zombunny brooches to show my love for creepicute and zombies. Be careful. They may be cute, but they can swarm.

* ZOMBIE ME by *LordNetsua

This is one of the best zombie photos I have ever seen. The expression and the makeup are so awesome and  it looks like a screenshot out of a movie.

* Zombie... by *rylphotography

This is another phenomenal zombie portrait. The makeup work that went into that is so realistic and amazing and scary looking.

Have any favorite art that features zombies? Please share!

Waiting for Daybreak

Frieda suffers from a slew of mental illnesses including anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and depression. She finds it hard to interact with people without being consumed by her inner dialog telling her she is being too extreme or not doing enough. When she becomes overwhelmed and extremely angry or sad, she turns it on herself and self mutilates, either by cutting or by burning herself with hot pans. The zombie apocalypse suddenly happens and she finds herself without any other sentient human for a year. Her problems with her mental illnesses also cease. Suddenly, on a quest to get medicine for her sick cat, she runs into another normal person, a man named Mike, who has similar problems pre-apocalypse as her. Frieda immediately feels an attraction to him, but she doesn't know much about him. Only time will tell if he is one in the parade of losers she knew before or if he is actually worthy of her affections.

Waiting for Daybreak is an unexpected read and puts a new spin on old tropes in the zombie genre. I was expecting just things I've seen before because I have read a lot of zombie books, but Amanda McNeil surprised me. Frieda quickly became one of my favorite zombie survivor heroines. She is smart, resourceful, and fiercely loyal to the people and things she cares about. I loved that she risked life and limb to get medicine for her cat. Many would say she should just let it die or eat it, but, at least for me, cats are family. So she gets major brownie points in my book for that. Her mental illnesses constantly make her doubt her feelings and actions, but after the zombies appear and eat everybody, they cease to bother her. The question of what is normal is a central one in this novel. Is she normal now that she is more like people were before the zombies? Or is she still abnormal because the majority of people are clamoring to eat each other's brains? Frieda is never portrayed as crazy despite her mental state sometimes and has a quirky personality that I immediately related to. It shows that people with mental illnesses are not defined by them and there are more to them than just that illness.

The first half of the book is showing Frieda's day to day life with her cat during the zombie apocalypse. She looks after her roof garden, kills the occasional zombie (who she calls the Afflicted) that comes her way, cooks food, fortifies her apartment, stuff like that. This part of the novel also offers glimpses of her life before  and during the zombie apocalypse. It describes her last date that ended horrifically and the fact that she is only alive because she called in sick to work. It serves to let the reader know how she changed over time and fill in her background. Then she meets Mike. Attraction is instantaneous between them and they have a cute, slightly awkward romance because they both have their own emotional baggage. I want desperately for them to work out because I really like her and her last date ended in disaster. This relationship is the first she has even seen anyone and she's beginning to hope for the future.

I love the zombies (or the Afflicted). It's unclear what caused it. The news claimed it came from some sort of military facility, but it doesn't really matter because the effect remains. They start with a flu-like sickness and then crave brains, attacking whoever is closest. Pain and injuries don't phase them one bit and they are very resilient. What I find most creepy is that they still seem to keep some level of sentience. They can speak and even plead for help because of their hunger right before they attack and try to smash your brains. It makes me wonder how much they realize what they are doing and what their actual mental capacity is. Do they do that because they know they want to prey on sympathy or are they just doing it out of instinct because their hunger causes them pain? I would like to know more about these type of zombies.

Waiting for Daybreak is an amazing zombie read. The only thing I didn't like is the cover. It's a little generic and I think it might put people off.  I read it in about a day because I couldn't put it down. I really want to know more about this world and about what happens next. I really really hope there is going to be a second book because if any story deserves a series, it is this one.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

Internet Awesomeness: Zombie Edition 4

More zombies from the internets! They are infecting everything!!!!!

1) Play Dead



This Kickstarter funded short film is about dogs that are immune to zombie virus versus zombies as they roam in Miami. I like the little profiles at the beginning of the short film that tells each dogs name, their likes, their interest, and their temperament. After their owner's die, there are blissful moments of fun for them while humans are dying everywhere. I find it hilarious that one of the dogs is always pulling along their zombie owner. This film is extremely well done from the gore to the acting to the awesome dogs. It goes to a dark place fast, but still manages to keep the humor. The human's actions are understandable, but it's still sad. The post-zombie apocalyptic world is hard for a dog.

2) Zombie Call Center

This film is super short, but packs in good humor, satire, and zombie fun. I really really wanted her annoying co-worker to be eaten by a zombie. I just hate people that sit back and let everyone else do the work. In less than a minute, this guy annoyed the crap out of me and I really wanted Amy to succeed. The nonchalance that these people treat zombies with in this world makes me want to know more about how zombies effect their society and how many zombies there are. If satellite is a huge concern, then maybe it's not so bad.

3) Zombie Burger

There is a super awesome restaurant in Des Moines, Iowa that is zombie themed. This may seem kind of gross, what with zombies being rotting and all, but I find it cute and charming. Plus it features food with awesome names like the 28 Days Later Burger, The Boomstick burger, and salads called Soylent Greens. It is a little more expensive than just a burger place, but it's highly rated on Yelp by customers and it seems to be worth it. If only there were something like that here in California. I found out about it reading this months issues of Fangoria magazine where this restaurant was featured. 

More zombies soon!

Zombie Music: Aaron Stoquert

I posted about Aaron Stoquert last year about his zombie EP, Run for Your Life. This year (well it was really late last year), he has come out with a full length album called Remaining Days and it's about zombies and the apocalypse!! I am so excited about this album. The style is similar to his EP, kind of an indie folk feel. However, he has some great additions to the instrumentation and vocals. In addition to guitar and drums, there is also a cello. I personally love cello in anything and it really adds something extra even though it usually isn't seen in the folk genre. The addition of Krista Masino as background vocals and harmony is awesome. Her voice fleshes out the melodies nicely and complements Aarons voice. It gives this album a fuller sound than the bare bones EP. 

Now, on to some of the individual tracks. The first track has no lyrics, but has empty radio white noise and a piano playing steady chords in progression. It just really effectively sets up the tension and feeling of the album and the zombie apocalypse. It seamlessly segues into the first song, Flesh and Bone, one of my favorites. It captures the futility of living in this world. You will either become food a part of the zombie horde. Fields at Daybreak has this monotonous guitar  underpinning that reflects the monotony the people in the apocalypse experience, killing zombie after zombie. But to what avail? The Front Lines is a dark song that reveals the darkness and despair of fighting a war against the undead. The militaristic drum beats bring to mind war in a subtle way that also makes a slightly different style than the rest of the songs. A Lock for You is from the perspective of a zombie (or someone who is turning into a zombie) that features some of my favorite lyrics, like "A taste of you in me/ Ties us eternally." All of the songs have their own unique elements, but mesh well together to create a very successfully, enjoyable album. 

So many of these songs capture the emotion and feeling of a situation like this shockingly well. I like that Aaron writes from the perspective of both humans and zombies to get a full view of the world he's describing. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for anything else Aaron is involved in because these songs are not only part of a genre I love, but they are superb. I highly recommend both this album, Remaining Days, and the Run for Your Life EP. You can listen to them all in the widget above or on his bandcamp. You can also purchase the CD or digital album at his site. 

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins

My Wishlist: Zombie Edition 4

Kind of a hodge podge today, including video games and books.

1) I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus: A Breathers Christmas Carol by S.G. Browne

Synopsis from Amazon: He sees you when you’re sleeping . . . he knows when you’re undead.

How does the leader of a failed zombie civil rights movement from California rescue a group of his undead brethren and help a lonely Breather girl as he hides from a band of medical researchers while disguised as Santa Claus?

If you’ve never believed in Christmas miracles, then you wouldn’t understand.

Andy Warner has just escaped from a zombie research facility in Portland, Oregon, where he’s been subjected to experimental testing for the past year. With Christmas just days away, Andy figures that donning a jolly old St. Nick costume to throw off his would-be captors is just the ticket. But he never expects to encounter a sweet, lonesome nine-year-old girl who not only reminds Andy of the family he’s lost but who thinks he’s the real Santa. He also doesn’t count on being recognized as last year’s national quasi-celebrity by a clandestine group of decaying supporters who look to him for leadership. For the living and the undead, this unforgettable holiday tale will truly put on display just who is gnawing and who is nice. . . .

I had no idea Breathers was getting a sequel! Plus it's Christmas-y. The only other Christmas zombie book I know of is The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore. I will definitely be devouring this one. It comes out October 31.

2) ZomiU



A super gory zombie game for the new Wii? Shocking! Whenever I get the new system, I am so all over this game. I like that the new system will have more games appealing to adults than in years past.

3) Plants vs. Zombies 2

A new Plants vs. Zombies game is on the horizon! I love the original, which you can play on any platform imaginable, but I've already done it and the zen garden is just ok. It's set to come out next Spring and here is the accompanying message with the press release:

"Spring is crullest curlie ungood time, and plantz grow dull roots. So, we are meating you for brainz at yore house. No worry to skedule schedlue plan... we're freee anytime. We'll find you." 

If, like me, you can't wait for this new game, you can go their new store and buy the most adorable toys from PvZ or catch up by playing the game on Facebook, or the iPod and any other device.

4) Walking Dead Season 3

Season 3 is almost here!! This is one of my favorite of the comic book series and it's going to be fun seeing it unfold onscreen and seeing what changes are made. I am so excited for Michonne, the Governor, and the return of Merle Dixon. Check it out starting October 14 on AMC.

Share zombie stuff you want to see or read!

The Infects

** This review contains spoilers. **

Seventeen year old Nick Sole works in a chicken slaughter house for a famous fast food restaurant to support his deadbeat, lazy dad (who he calls the Dude) and his little sister. After a horrible (and embarrassing) accident, Nick is charged with felony destruction of property and sentenced to Inward Trek boot camp with a bunch of other juvenile delinquents, including the girl he really loves, Petal. Everything is going horribly, as expected, until things get a whole lot worse. The counselors turn into flesh-eating zombies and continually attack the group of mischief makers the first night of the trek. Now, Nick is stuck in the middle of a forest with other teen criminals, separated from civilization and technology, trying to survive the zombie outbreak.

The Infects is a very different type of zombie novel than I usually read. Most of them are fairly bleak and focus on harsh realities of zombie apocalypse life. This one focuses on dark humor and sarcasm over that depressing realism. The novel is peppered with fun horror movie and punk rock references. The delinquents realize fast that the zombie apocalypse is upon them and draw upon their zombie film expertise to formulate the "zombrules" to stay alive. The characters are delightful and varied. I like seeing this world through Nick's eyes. Teen books are very frequently told through the female perspective and it was nice to see the masculine side for once. Plus Dwayne "The Rock: Johnson gives him advice in his head. The other delinquents are interesting and some of them are very annoying. They do develop through the novel and are very memorable, so they don't get lost when the pace speeds up. I really like the end where we get to see what all of their crimes were, which fills out these characters. I'm tempted to reread the book so that I can keep their crime and past in mind when reading about them.

The social commentary underneath the satire and humor is fairly serious. The real life evils of big corporations and the fast food industry are portrayed with the over the top evil chicken company Rebozzo AviaCulture. They will do anything in their power regardless of its legality to make money and keep their misdeeds hidden. Nick's dad, The Dude, worked for them as a scientist and they took his invention for their own after kicking him to the curb. Their chicken also turns people into flesh-eating zombies. This concept isn't new and has been seen as far back as George Romero's classic zombie films, but that isn't the extent of the zombies here.

The zombies in this book are really different. They are the flesh-eating, violent variety, but keep some sort of sentience and intelligence through the seemingly mindless and very gory attacks. There are some glimpses of intelligence and even strategy on the part of the zombies throughout the book, but especially at the end. Spoilers ahead!!!! Rebozzo cures and rehabilitates all of the zombies they can find in the end that don't die from their wounds. Their solution is to keep them in a sealed facility for the rest of their lives. Nick understandably angry at Rebozzo (for this and numerous other things) and has his girlfriend infect him again. They reinfect everyone who wants to be and seek to join a the rest of the zombies that escaped Rebozzo's grasp to change the world. I really like this ending. Nick and his girlfriend Petal choose to be zombies and in essence join the winning team. Who's to say that it's any worse than being human? Maybe it's the next step in evolution. Whatever it is, I am convinced and I hope this book gets a sequel so we can enjoy Nick and Petal's adventures in the next book.

The Infects is a really fast read that makes homages to horror films, skewers big business and the fast food industry, makes me laugh, has some serious zombie carnage, and produces some quality characters. It manages to acknowledge the old, classic zombies and the tradition for social satire while reinvigorating the zombie genre with something new. I love the writing that is very easy to read and has its own stream of conscious like rhythm and style. I will definitely read all of Sean Beaudoin's other works and anything else he writes in the future.

My rating: 4.5/5 fishmuffins

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

The dead are walking the earth and eating the living. Stephen and his girlfriend Francine work at a TV station, where they decided to steal the station's helicopter to find someplace safe form the zombie menace. Roger and Peter are SWAT team operatives that are forced to kill the dead that a group of people decided to store in their apartment's basement instead of taking them to the authorities to be disposed of. Together, these two groups of people escape Philadelphia and stop at a shopping mall because it seems like a fortified, safe place to hide out for a while. Who knows how long the mall will remain a relatively safe place or how long it will take other people to discover it.

Dawn of the Dead is an interesting and important film in modern zombie history. There are things I love about and things I don't love about it. Let's start with what I like. It was made on a really small budget, but the effects and sets look pretty amazing. The zombie makeup ended up looking more blue than gray, but the blood and gore effects plus a lot of the stunts look really good. It's a pretty gory film compared to Night of the Living Dead and, thanks to the genius and ingenuity of Tom Savini, most of the effects look top notch. Many of them were improvised and some even use animal organs to create an authentic look. They also filmed on location in a mall in Monroeville that you can still visit today. The mall looks really creepy with no one in it but zombies. The mannequins look ominous and it just seems oppressive and overpowering.

I also really like the conflicting tones and the strong message within the film. One on hand, there are some really funny and lighthearted scenes with Roger and Peter messing with the zombies or all of them taking advantage of the luxuries in the mall. There are also scary and depressing scenes like the SWAT team raid in the beginning. Those people in the apartment building just wanted their dead to have some dignity and it backfired on them, getting them killed by their departed loved ones and the SWAT team. The difference in tone puts me a little off balance and feels different than zombie films today. Zombie films categorized as comedy tend to have some serious moments, but stay away from the truly depressing stuff. The commentary is biting and direct in its criticism of our society. The scene where zombies aimlessly mill around while the PA system tells them of deals is an obvious stab at the consumerism of our society and how it makes us no better than those brainless zombies. The four main characters aren't heroes, but are simply survivors. They don't really make an effort to save others and they use the mall as a way of escaping horrific reality in their moments of hedonism. They also tend to make their decisions based on emotion rather than logic, which proves never to be a good idea in a zombie apocalypse.

I did not like some aspects of this film. The pacing feels odd and there are definite plot holes. The acting leaves something to be desired, but it's kind of part of its cheesy charm. I really didn't like the woman or the way she was treated in the film. She, like Barbara from Night of the Living Dead, is completely useless and incapacitated by emotion to the point of literally doing nothing as a zombie comes near her. It's just frustrating to watch her not even move out of the way. She was left out of a lot of the action scenes because she stays behind, by herself usually with no weapons. I guess it's better than Barbara's constant hysterics, but it still irked me. The only intelligent thing she did was have her boyfriend teach her how to operate the helicopter in case something happened it him. There is a tiny scene that annoyed me because it didn't need to be there and the implications are troubling. Peter asks Stephen if he wants to abort Francine's baby. I thought it was weird and basically saying that these men are in control of her body. It's nice that the topic of abortion was brought up because Roe vs. Wade had happened not too long before that. However, the subject really wasn't explored or developed at all and this teeny tiny mention was just more problematic than it was worth.

This film and the original Night of the Living Dead set up many of the conventions and tropes we see even today in the zombie genre, both the good and the bad. So many of the zombie movies today have homages or responses to this film. I'm glad I watched it and it's important in the scope of the history of the modern zombie, but it wasn't my favorite film of the genre.

My rating: 8/10 fishmuffins

I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It

Alley (Algonquin) Rhodes is known as an ice queen that verbally cuts down anyone in her path. She writes cutting concert reviews for the school paper. Unlike everyone else, she isn't interested in dating the undead or anyone at all. The undead have revealed themselves to the world because Megamart raised  zombie workers from the grave to be exploited for slave labor. Obviously, vampires wouldn't stand for that sort of treatment, so they rose and up and fought for their rights. Unfortunately it's created this widespread enamor of vampires throughout Alley's school, much to her chagrin. On assignment for the school paper, Alley goes to a club to tear down a vampire band that really sucks. She is suddenly enamored by a guest singer, Doug, that steps in and sings one of her favorite songs with just the right feeling. Falling head over heels with each other, Alley and Doug start to date. They have so much in common, but it's kind of strange that Doug always wears the same clothes and has this weird disease...

I honestly wasn't expecting much from this book with the Katy Perry inspired title (I really hate that song), but it surprised me. It's a fun, tongue-in-cheek satire with biting humor and cute characters. If you are looking for super hardcore and serious zombies, you won't find them here. There was a pretty cool ravenous zombie scene, but it mostly takes place out of sight of Alley. I loved that Adam Selzer poked fun at pop culture and issues in our world today. Megamart and their shady business practices exploiting workers is a great stab at Walmart. If it were at all possible to raise free labor from the dead, I'm sure they would. The overall atmosphere of rabid vampire love skewered the ravenous and numerous Twilight fans. I'm sure there are many people tired of the fandom just like Alley. The overly dramatic and bossy demeanor of the vampire that has a crush on Alley really pinpointed just how creepy Edward in Twilight is, especially faced with skeptical Alley. The best thing that was portrayed through this supernatural world was the teenage experience, especially that special first love. Alley was willing to make huge life decisions based on her feelings for a guy she hadn't even known that long. The story did a great job showing how immature and crazy that is, unlike so many other teen books that glorify this ridiculous situation. The humor was pitch perfect and it made the book so much fun to read.

Alley, although at times annoying, was the star of the novel because she encompassed the teenage experience. She was a typical teenage girl: totally committed to being single until she meets the perfect guy and then ready to do crazy things to keep that love alive. She completely goes back on her convictions, but that's what teens do. It's easy to judge other people's relationships and dumb decisions, but it's different when it's your own. She started out treated practically everyone like garbage and put her ambitions over any relationship. Then she met Doug, the zombie, and was willing to throw it all away and become a zombie to be with him, the same thing she mocked the vampire groupies for before. I felt it was a good portrayal of a teen and how head vs. heart conflicts can change when they are faced with the situation themselves. Zombie Doug was pretty awesome too, providing Alley a kindred spirit. He had a good head on his shoulders and didn't encourage Alley to do anything irrevocably crazy to be with him.

I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It was a fast, funny read. I loved the satirical elements and of course I love zombies, even if they are the romantic type. Zombie violence wasn't completely absent, but it wasn't the focus of the novel. I would recommend this to those zombie fans looking for a fun, light read.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

Free Zombie Book Alert!

I was browsing around Amazon and I noticed that The Zombie Always Knocks Twice is available for free on the Kindle! If you have a Kindle or a device with a Kindle app, there is no reason not to get it. Hopefully I will be able to review it for this month. E always writes great books with an authentic voice and zombies are back! Get it now! 

Zombie Fashion

Do you want to advertise your love of zombies through fashion? There are a variety of super cute designs through retailers and people on Etsy that it's easy to find and sport creepy-cute designs whenever your little undead heart desires.

* I would love to wear this Creepy Exposed Brain Headband anywhere. It's super cute with just the right amount of cartoony gore and perfect for either every day wear or a light hearted zombie costume.

* These Iron Fist heels are decorated in squicky cartoony art, but are undeniably chic and fashionable. If I had the ability to walk in these heels without breaking an ankle, I would totally wear these.

* This Zombie Heart Locket Necklace is half brains, half zombie, and all awesome. It's hand carved clay and has a crazy amount of detail. Plus it matches the zombie shoes!

* These Zombie Cupcake earrings are good if you want subtle zombie jewelry. They are small and a lot of people might not notice that these cupcakes are less than wholesome unless they get a closer look. I love them!

* The Skull Cameo necklace is another one that is fairly subtle. People might think it's a regular cameo necklace if they don't pay close attention. It gives a new spin on a classic piece of jewelry perfect for zombie enthusiasts.

Have any favorite zombie clothes, costumes, or jewelry?

Blackout

** This review contains spoilers for the first two books in the series. **

Deadline ends with some huge revelations. Shaun is immune to Kellis-Amberlee and Georgia has been cloned for who knows what reason. Blackout continues right after those relevations. Georgia discovers she's a glorified lab rat in the CDC and has no idea why they would want to clone her, but she aims to find out and escape. Shaun has gotten a little better. He still talks to the Georgia in his head, but can act in a basically normal way when he absolutely has to. He and his faithful After the End Times crew are send on a crazy mission. The Kellis-Amberlee virus has mutated and it's now possible for insects to carry it. These particular insects are menacing Florida, which is a hair's breadth away from becoming a completely lost cause. Will Georgia escape the CDC and meet up with Shaun? Will Shaun and his bloggers save Florida from complete annihilation?

Blackout is told from two alternating points of view, Shaun and George's. This is necessary to get the full experience of both of their situations, but also gave the book a different feel. I like that it almost felt like reading two different books until they met up. I enjoyed seeing their inner mental workings as events progressed; scenes like when George came to terms that she wasn't really the Georgia Mason and what how Shaun's inner George behaved when he saw her again are unique and unexpected. Even though these characters change and go a little crazy and die, both of their goals never change: find out the truth and get it out to the public or die trying. Even when their lives have turned upside down and close friends have died in the process, their goal remains unwavering. Their close knit group of bloggers are like family and they are fiercely loyal. All of these characters are dynamic, interesting, detailed, and, above all, real. I feel for these characters more keenly than most I read and I think it's due to the writing. It can make me sob in public (which I totally did with Feed, in the computer lab at my school; it wasn't pretty) or laugh out loud.

Blackout is a lot different from the other books in the series. It has a less zombie action/carnage, but the action and pacing are not diminished in the least. I found myself trying to read slower only to prolong the reading experience. I would have devoured the book in one sitting if I could. The action scenes are tempered with calm ones in a way that feels organic and fluid. The twists and turns in this book are crazy. Some of them I saw coming, but most caught me by surprise. My only issue with the book is the ease that some situations were resolved. The ending felt an eensy bit less awesome then the last two books, but it may be because it's the last book in the series and there is no needed tension to get to that next book. I am trying really hard not to spoil anything in this book, so I'll just stop gushing here.

The Newsflesh series is one of the best zombie series ever and I'm sad to see it end. I wish I could explore more about this awesome world, but I understand why it ended where it did. So many facets of this universe are explored and explained that it seems like it should take a lot longer than 3 books to do it. Mira Grant/Seanan Mcguire is an amazing author and I will read anything she writes. I will be rereading this series for a long time to come.

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins

Bad Taste in Boys

Kate Grable wants to be a doctor and she's getting a head start helping out at school with the world's worst football team and their various injuries. She is shocked when the coach tries to get her to inject the players with a mysterious substance that the coach claims is vitamin B12 and refuses. Steroids are horrible and she won't have anything to do with them. Some of the players are injected even without Kate and they start to act strangely: black vomit, biting other people, parts falling off. It's not pretty. No one is immune and it's spreading like wildfire. Kate must create an antidote before the whole school eats each other and before it spreads further and further until it can't be stopped.

Bad Taste in Boys is good campy fun, akin to zombie flicks like Dance of the Dead. It features a great mix of horror and humor. The zombie violence is usually more comical than frightening, but the danger is still there for the characters. The gore and zombie carnage are pretty well described and gross, which is awesome and would probably scare away the more weak stomached. The characters' nonchalance at some of the situations, like carrying the coach's severed foot around, was hilarious and a bit unrealistic, but hey, it's a comedy. It's kind of like the love child of a John Hughes movie and a zombie movie together. You can't really go wrong there.

I really liked Kate. She was nerdy and really into medicine and science without being completely socially inept or awkward. Not only did she have her own friends and loving family, she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. She did have a stereotypical crush on a hot football player, but the romance aspect wasn't a central plot point. Her witty and odd observations made me laugh out loud more than once. My favorite aspect of the novel was that Kate did scientific experiments to beat the zombie virus instead of just trying to kill everyone who had the disease. Kate was a much more cerebral hero than usually seen in zombie novels and it was nice to read about more than just hacking and smashing through zombified friends, family, and classmates (although there was some of that too). She was a great example of a strong female character with brains, nerve, and strength.

I really enjoyed Bad Taste in Boys, but I really hate the cover. It's just weird, off-putting, and not indicative of the story at all. It looks like sugar/salt covered duck lips. Anyway, I would definitely read the next book in the series. I just hope that every book isn't going to have some weird disease outbreak because it would stretch the limits of my ability to suspend my disbelief.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

My Wishlist: Zombie Edition 3

Here are more zombie movies that I can't wait to see!

1) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I really love Pride and Prejudice and especially enjoy it when embellished upon by Seth Grahame-Smith. It was actually the very first review I ever posted on my blog 3 years ago. So I would love to see this on the big screen. Unfortunately, no information is available about it. I heard about a couple of actresses had signed on at one time or another to play Lizzie Bennet, but I haven't heard anything in a while. Hopefully this won't just languor in limbo forever.

2) Cockneys vs. Zombies

I saw the red band trailer (embedded below) on io9 and it seems super fun and gory. Zombies invade England and the people of East End are prepared with what seems like a large arsenal. These people gleefully mow down zombies in double decker buses and with automatic weapons. The old people in this situation are particularly hilarious, making jabs at each other in the midst of zombie mayhem. It came out in August in Ireland, but no word yet on a US release.



3) Zombieland 2

The first Zombieland was the most heart warming zombie film I had ever seen. I would love to see what comes next for Tallahassee, Wichita, Columbus, and Little Rock. There's no information available about this one either and it's rumored that there may be a TV show rather than a film sequel, which would be awesome.  So I guess we'll just keep a lookout!

4) Pontypool Changes

I just watched and reviewed Pontypool the other day and then found out that a sequel is in the works. I hope it sheds light on the exterior events and provides a little more detail on how the disease started. No word on a cast or release date, but the existence of a poster sounds promising.

Any upcoming zombie movies I should check out? Any thoughts on my picks?

Internet Awesomeness: Zombie Edition 3

More zombie songs!

1) Zombies Ate Her Brain by The Creepshow



This cheery brain-nomming song is super catchy and upbeat. The Creepshow feature their psychobilly fashion and aesthetic well with a bit of humor thrown in. The first part of the video is in black and white with a style like the old Universal monster movies, which was a nice homage to the original monster movies.

2) The Zombie Song by Lawrence Cockrill



This song is from Songbook for the Civilized Zombie series that takes place in an alternate Britain that suffered a zombie outbreak in 1984. So the beginning is a PSA for the Lazarus Quincy Institute that rehabilitates zombies to not be ravenous eating machines. I really like the animation style and the actual song is cute and educational.

3) Zombie Love Song by Ray Johnson



This sweet love song is about a zombie that meets a girl online and doesn't just want to eat her brains, but also wants to steal her heart. The braaaaaaaaaaaaains chorus is funny and like zombies trying to sing. The animation isn't super detailed, but illustrates the song well, especially the Pacman clip. Wouldn't you date a zombie if he or she sang this song for you?

4) Never Look Back by The Nearly Deads



I love this song! Their sound is kind of like an indie Paramore. The song is awesome and captures the zombie apocalypse well. Their video is full of zombies and zombie references. Did you notice the Umbrella Corp symbol? or the Zombie Survival Guide being read? I like that it starts of looking like a normal day, but then BAM zombies.

More zombies to come! Stay tuned!

Pontypool

** This review contains spoilers. **

Grant Mazzy is a shock jock who used to be big on the radio, but now is condemned to the purgatory of a small town local morning show. He wants to challenge people and incite a reaction like he used to, but his supervisor, Sydney Briar, is only concerned with the basics. Weird reports start coming in from various eye witnesses about riots outside of a doctor's office. Over time, the details come together and the picture starts to become clear: people have started to suddenly go insane and attack others. People are being eaten and killed out there. Their town has descended in to chaos and all they can do is try to report what they know, which isn't much. How long will they be safe holed up at the studio? What is really causing this frightening behavior in people?

I read the book this movie was based on and it was very strange and nonlinear. I didn't really know what to expect from the film version, but I braced myself for weirdness. The film is linear in its storytelling, but still has the ambiguity and odd feeling of the novel. The film is separated pretty clearly into 2 parts. The first part is simply establishing the characters and then throwing them into a crazy situation that they struggle to figure out. There are only three main characters: shock jock Grant Mazzy who is desperate to keep some of his edginess in a run of the mill job, Syndney Briar who is Grant's supervisor and sympathizes with him but also wants to keep the necessities in her show without alienating her audience, and Laurel-Ann Drummond who is the idealistic technical assistant and slightly enamored with Grant. The radio show goes on like normal for a little while until one of their reporters calls in terrified of a large crowd of people outside of a doctor's office, attacking and eating each other and gibbering incoherently. Then, thing hit close to home when their studio is attacked on all sides and Laurel-Ann becomes infected. They experience the horror first hand and try to not contract the disease themselves.

I really like the new concept of zombies in this film. The disease is a virus transmitted through speech and only exists in the English language. It manifests in three stages. In the first stage, the person gets stuck on a word and keeps repeating it over and over without even really realizing it. The second stage is where their ability to speak coherently at all fails and they get frustrating at not being understood by others. The third stage manifests in violence when the frustration gets to be too much to bear and the person with the virus has to attack and eat other people, usually one specific person whose speech they mimic until their victim is dead. The most frightening version of this in the film is when Laurel-Ann becomes infected and goes through all the stages in front of them. The way she continually throws herself against the glass of the sound booth to get at them with no concern for her own well-being is more frightening than a horde of zombies trying to get into the studio.

Three things worked extremely well for me in this film. One is the part where people are calling in and relaying the horrors they have seen to Grant. It's horrifying to hear and feel their terror without seeing what is causing it. The visuals we as the audience can conjure up in our minds are much more frightening than anything any filmmaker can put on the screen. This scene is quite disturbing and more effective than I thought it would be. The second is the claustrophobic setting. Except for the very beginning, the entire film takes place in the radio studio building with only 3 characters being the main focus. The studio itself is fairly small and gets even smaller when parts of it are inaccessible due to zombies. It makes it seem like their whole world is reduced to that small building (or just parts of it) because the world is no longer safe and the danger will eventually make its way to them. The third is the disease itself. It's so unique and weird, but is used as a commentary for our society. People in this film turn murderous when not understood, but language in American society is becoming more and more distorted and less important. The vast majority of people would rather watch a film than read a book and abhor watching foreign films because reading subtitles is too much of a chore. Language to a lot of people is reduced to 140 characters tweets, Facebook updates, and text speak. Discourse and real language is no longer a priority to our society when Jersey Shore is one of the most watched shows on TV.

I really like Pontypool. It is an unexpected film that is a great addition to the zombie genre. Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, and Georgina Reilly give great performances that really set this film apart from the shambling masses of zombies films. The only thing I didn't like about it was the very ending scene after the credits. It just served to confuse the audience. The story is undeniably unique and may not be for everyone, but I would encourage any zombie fan to give it a try.

My rating: 8/10 fishmuffins

Plague Town

In the small town of Redwood Grove, Ashley Parker contracted a mean case of Walker's Flu right at the beginning of the semester, causing her to miss the first couple weeks of school. Just as she recovered, everyone else seemed to get sick with it. Her classes are mostly empty and few of those that showed up seemed healthy. Everything goes to hell when the dead start walking, which Ashley discovers in the middle of a sexy, romantic picnic in the woods. Her boyfriend panics and leaves her while she is savaged by the dead. Instead of becoming a zombie like most other bitten people, she discovers she is a wild card, remaining immune with some cool perks like increased stamina and keener senses. The government enlists her to join their zombie fighting team with other wild cards in order to prevent the infection from spreading outside of their small town. Let's hope they succeed or the world may be doomed.

This book grabbed me from the first pages with the clear, sarcastic voice of Ashley Parker. Her point of view was a joy to read, peppered with pop culture references and humor. She is a formidable mixture of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ripley from the Alien films: kickass and strong without giving up her humanity. Dana Fredsti borrows the Buffy concept and makes it her own. Ashley has a romantic picnic with her boyfriend in the forest, a classic slasher film trope where her and her boyfriend would have been eviscerated within the first fifteen minutes of the film. Instead, she gains special powers and is trained to fight the undead hordes in order to save the world. The Ripley element comes in when Ashley accepts that physical survival is all well and good, but emotional and mental survival is just as important. One of my favorite parts of the novel is where Ashley goes with her friend Lili to save Lili's cats and bring them back. Even though it's a really stupid thing to do survival wise, I would probably do the same thing because I would be worried about them and it's my job to take care of them. I like that this novel definitely keeps humanity in an apocalypse setting.

The zombie situation in this novel is different than anything I've read before. The government across the world is aware of the existence of zombies and the periodic outbreaks over the centuries. Whole civilizations have been destroyed to stem the undead plague. Zombie films are either documentations of actual events to warn and prepare people or planted to make zombies a part of pop culture and convince people they are fictional. Our government has provisions and trained military for this, but it's different this time. People in staggering numbers get the flu first until they die and become zombies. The actual zombies are fairly normal types that shamble around and eat people. However, in large droves, they become almost intelligent and have strategy when individually, they are simply brainless. I liked this slight deviation from the normal mythos.

Plague Town is a fun, fast read that combines horror, humor, and zombies in an entertaining and engrossing way. I loved Ashley and the world Dana Fredsti created. The cause of the plague has far reaching consequences worldwide. I can't wait to see what they are in Plague Nation.

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins

Zombies in Art

Zombie art in all different mediums!

* Student Body by ~namesjames

I could totally see myself being the oblivious person listening to music until my brains get eaten by my zombified school mates. I love the serenity of her little world contrasting with the chaos and ookiness of the zombies about to strike.

* Zombie Alice in Wonderland by ~Zosomoto

This adorably creepy doll version of Alice as a zombie. I wonder of the book Alice in Zombieland will look anything like this? The amount of detail on this doll is amazing, from the blood splatters to the drink me tag to her jewelry.

* Appetite for Brains by Michael C. Hayes

This is the art for a Magic the Gathering card that is such a nice, simple depiction of the phrase. Just a zombie nomming on some brains, as it should be.

* Zombie-corns 2 by ~misscoffee

These creepicute plushies are just perfect for Halloween. Zombism mixed with sugary goodness can only be awesome. Their little bloodthirsty eyes and sickly color are just perfect.

* White Zombie by *tolagunesro

If you love fairy tales, this artwork brings the zombie apocalypse to the fairy tale world. I wonder if she's eating the prince's brain? The dwarves seem to want some too.

Do you have favorite zombie themed artworks or have you made any?

This is Not a Test + Giveaway!!!!!

Sloane is utterly alone in the world. Her father beat her and her sister for years and they told no one to stay together. Then one day, her sister just left her despite their plans to run away when Sloane turned 18. Completely abandoned and with no one else to turn to, Sloane considers suicide and would have succeeded had her sister left her prescription pills. Then the zombies come and the world is thrown into chaos. A few days later, Sloane is hiding out at her high school with five other students, waiting to be rescued by someone.  She still doesn't really want to live, but everyone around her does. They wait and wait, but no one comes. They only hear the zombies outside or just silence. Their survival depends less on the zombies outside and more about the conflicts between the teens inside the school. Who will survive and is anyone coming to save them? Is anywhere in this zombie infested world safe?

I read a lot of rave reviews before reading This is Not a Test, so my expectations were very high at the outset. It didn't live up to all of my expectations, but it's a formidable novel. It centers around the 6 teens holed up in the high school and how they interact day after day. Each of the teens comes from a different background and they all bring different baggage.  Their melodramas and conflicts are the center of the novel, not the zombies. Like many of the zombie stories I like, the humans can sometimes be more dangerous than the zombies. The characters are at first shell shocked and still reeling over the events leading up to their meeting: family members dying, chaos in the streets, cannibalistic living corpses, and the rest of the trappings of the zombie apocalypse. Then they start to argue, tempers run high, factions start to form, and new relationships are made.

I generally liked Sloane and felt her background gave the book a sense of realism and a glimpse into how abuse can effect someone. Some readers complain that she whines a lot and holds on to the past, but she is a victim of long term and violent abuse that obviously have long term psychological problems that can't really be dealt with in her current situation. She experienced not only the abuse of her father, but also her sister, who told her over and over not to tell anyone about their father's abuse using threat of being separated to scare her. She also told Sloane never to have any other friends or boyfriends, leading their relationship to be incredibly one sided (as she could have other people in her life) and codependent. After her sister left, Sloane was lost and literally had nothing to live for and no one to turn to. I'm sure the whole world falling apart didn't help either.

Although I greatly enjoyed most of the characters and Summers' writing style, there were annoying flaws. I hated that this zombie novel barely had any zombies in it at all. They were present through the first part of the book, banging on doors and trying to get in, but they went away when a gas station exploded. Then they never came back. I liked that they were at least an ominous presence, but then they were just absent. Then some of the characters were insufferably annoying and I kind of wish they were made zombie food. They held on to their little petty conflicts and moaned and whined over the dumbest things. Ugh. This aspect was the worst for me and I kept waiting for those characters to get better and unfortunately they never did.

This is Not a Test has a great flow and some good characters. If you're looking for zombies, you won't really find them here beyond a few scenes. However, if you like claustrophobic stories about where people are thrown together and become much different after society collapses, then this is the book for you.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

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Giveaway!!! I have one ARC copy of This is Not a Test. Just leave a comment below with your thoughts on this read and a way to contact you. Open internationally until midnight, October 15, 2012. Good luck!

Dust and Decay

Six months have passed since the destruction of Gameland, the deaths of the Motor City Hammer and Charlie Pinkeye, and the jet sighting. Benny Imura, Lou Chong, and especially Nix Riley are still reeling from these events and have changed so much because of them. Benny, Nix, and Benny's brother Tom decide to leave town in search of the jet after months of grueling training led by Tom. They decide to leave their town in search of the plane and aren't planning to come back. So they, plus Lou Chong, set out into the Ruin where everything goes wrong. They are attacked by wild animals, zombies, and crazy people. Plus Charlie Pinkeye may still be alive. The group gets split apart and have to face danger on their own or die.

I immensely enjoyed Rot and Ruin last year, but I was a little wary of its sequel because it could fall into the second book pitfall (where it just sets up for the next book) or just wouldn't be as good. Dust and Decay proved to be even better than Rot and Ruin. The character development and twists and turns are much better and more involved. Benny Imura grew out of being incredibly whiny and immature in the last book, but he still has a lot of growing to do. Dealing with the very harsh realities outside his town makes him realize what's important. Nix is much different. Her mother's death left her more somber and depressed than before and very eager to leave her home town forever. I really enjoyed her journal entries interspersed between chapters throughout the novel. They gave a lot of insight into her character and enlightened us about the science behind the zombies. Lilah has been one of the most consistently strong and stoic characters, but she breaks down and shows a softer side of herself. She has to come to terms with that fact that she can lose the people she cares about after not having anyone for so long. My favorite was the insight into Tom's character and how he did things to perpetuate love instead of hatred. He would examine his feelings to make sure he was in the right frame of mind and would give his all to protect those he loves and what is right.

Dust and Decay covers a lot of new territory. The Ruin is much more wild and dangerous than Benny ever saw. It's home to wild animals (even a rhino!) and zombies as well as bounty hunters and some very unsavory people. Every time these characters think they are safe, something else dangerous comes up that they have to deal with. The action is practically nonstop. Many new characters are introduced. The new villain is incredibly creepy on many different levels. He makes my skin crawl. Many of the bounty hunters from Benny's trading cards are introduced as well. My favorite of them are J-Dog and Dr. Skillz, who are cheerful with their obsolete surfer dude slang and laid back attitudes despite seeing horrible things and living in the wild.

Jonathan Maberry's strength is creating characters that I cared about and that were incredibly realistic. I could read about these characters all day and I found myself longing to read the book when I was busy. I am so happy Flesh and Bone comes out this month because I don't think I could have waited months for the next book.

My rating: 5/5 fishmuffins

Internet Awesomeness: Zombie Edition 2

Rock out to zombie songs!

1) Dead is the New Alive by Emilie Autumn



I love this song and it was the first one I ever heard by Emilie Autumn, linked through Facebook by Lia Habel, awesome author of Dearly, Departed and Dearly, Beloved. In the zombie context, this song is about accepting zombism as the new alive and embracing it instead of fighting against it and being miserable. Kind of like joining the winning team in Arkham Horror.

2) Zombie by Natalia Kills



It's nice when a boy loves you for your brains, but it sucks when he wants to nom on them. This isn't the type of music I would usually listen to (because it reminds me of Rihanna little bit), but it's about zombies.

3) The Zombie Song by Stephanie Mabey



This is a super cute song about a zombie in love with a human. It's a sweet song that features super adorable art to illustrate the story. Plus, you can download it straight from the artist for free here.

Do you rock out to any awesome zombie tunes? Please share!

Rebirth

In post-apocalyptic California, Cass Dollar lives in the Box, a haven for people with physical comforts, with her daughter Ruthie and her boyfriend Smoke. Everything is going well for them at first, but then lack of communication puts a strain on their relationship. Cass also senses the Box is declining, running out of reliable and safe places to raid and people simply straining to remain cordial in the face of despair. When word comes to the Box that the school where Cass went after recovered from her Beater attack was destroyed by Rebuilders. People who opposed or ran from the Rebuilders were killed and the rest were captured. Smoke's ex-girlfirend was included in the dead and Dor's daughter was captured. Smoke wants to exact his revenge. He leaves without saying goodbye and Cass is furious. She decides to abandon the Box with Dor, its leader, in a quest to rescue her from the Rebuilders and perhaps find a better, more permanent place to live with her daughter. They venture into the Beater infested wasteland and will hopefully survive their dangerous mission.

I enjoyed Aftertime and I was excited to get my hands on Rebirth. This book is much less action packed than its predecessor and the Beaters play a much smaller role. The whole tone is more contemplative and introspective. Cass has found her daughter and found love. She examines how her sordid life before Aftertime influences her actions and decisions now. Her narrative delves more into that past, including the rape she endured by the hands of her stepfather, the meaningless sex with hundreds of men as a teen and young adult, and the alcohol abuse she used to drown out her pain. In the last book, she was singlemindedly working towards her daughter and had no real time for introspection. Now, she is lost and some of those behaviors and horrible, self hating thoughts sneak back. I like that it shows that even in extraordinary situations, our pasts can still effect us. Just because there are new traumas doesn't mean that old traumas are magically gone. Cass's daughter Ruthie is a much more significant character and actual begins to speak. I really like her and her very serious, deliberate demeanor. I want to see how her character develops in future books.

The Beaters had a relatively small part in the story, but still were frightening when they appeared. More is revealed about their anatomy and they exhibit some new disturbing behaviors. This different type of zombie is particularly frightening because of the way they attack and eat in such a way that the person is alive for as long as possible. This narrative also reveals what some of the initial outbreak was like. Our human villains are as evil as ever. Where the last book focused on the Convent, this one focuses on the Rebuilders who kill, steal, and abuse in the name of a government that no longer exists. Their plan for the future and their leader Mary Vane are way more disturbing than any Beater could ever be. The fact that people can act so terribly when the whole world is desolate and barren is mind blowing to me.

Although I liked learning about Cass's past, I found the narrative prone to sidetrack very often and I just wanted the story to progress in an even way. The pacing felt stunted as a result until the end when all hell breaks loose. I didn't entirely like Dor because he changed his outward demeanor depending on who was around him and frequently belittled Cass. She wasn't entirely perfect, but she didn't deserve to be treated so badly. In turn, she acted weak for much of the novel. Sure, she was working through her issues, but she was so much more consistently stronger in the last book that I wanted to shake her. I don't like the developing love triangle between and I hope it doesn't become like so many other lame series out there. However, the ending was amazing and made me forgive every flaw about this book.

Rebirth is a great followup to Aftertime, even though it lacks a good pace. It does provide extremely evil villains, realistic emotion and character development, and a satisfying ending. I hope the next book brings more Beaters and less romantic drama. I will definitely be reading Horizon.

My rating: 4/5 fishmuffins

My Wishlist: Zombie Edition 2

This time, it's movies!

1) Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection (2012)

This is another remake of the original 1968 Night of the Living Dead. The story is transported to the present day and set in Wales instead of the US. I don't know much more about it, but it's got to be better than that horrible 90's remake. I will always cherish the original because it created zombies as we know it today, but I am curious about this film.

2) Warm Bodies (2013)

I loved the Warm Bodies book, so of course I want to see it on the big screen. I don't like the comparisons people have been drawing to Twilight because they aren't even in the same spheres of literature and it's frankly insulting to Warm Bodies. A zombie becomes involved with the girlfriend of one of his victims and world changing romance ensues. I realize how cheesy it sounds, but the book is amazing and I have high hopes for the film despite the horribly Twilight-esque poster, which was the only one I could find. :(

3) World War Z (2013)

World War Z is also one of my favorite zombie reads and I would love to see it on the big screen. It should be the recollections of various people's experiences during the zombie wars. However, the recent screenshots and reports have rapidly been turning this film into Brad Pitt goes around the world and kills zombies. Now, there are difficulties with the film and it's changed directors and is being rewritten. It's rapidly looking like it might not even be made at all, but we can hope!

4) I Love Sarah Jane (2013)

Last year, I watched the short film with the same title and I loved it. For a short film, it packed an emotional punch, eliciting disgust and sympathy. A group of children and young adults are trying to cope and live relatively normal lives during a zombie apocalypse situation. The IMDB page is practically blank and there is no discussion about the film or a poster (this one is for the short film), but I will definitely watch this when it comes out some time next year.  

Any zombie films you can't wait for? Please share!

The Edinburgh Dead

It's the year 1828 and Edinburgh is buzzing with scientific fervor as many scientists experiment on corpses. Other, more nefarious experiments are also being conducted on the dead, unbeknownst to the public until ravaged bodies turn up in the streets. Officer Adam Quire heads the murder investigation and is determined to solving the case even though the victim is of low class. Everyone else in the newly-formed Edinburgh police force is satisfied to chalk it up as an unsolved case and not waste any more time on it. Adam wants justice done no matter the class of the victim and decides to investigate further anyway, which leads him through the lowest class to one of the highest castes in Scotland.

I liked The Edinburgh Dead as a mystery, a period piece, and a thriller. The writing style is easy to read, but more formal than usual, reflecting a slightly modernized version of the writing style of the era. I really liked the  main character, Adam Quire. He had a rich back story and experienced the senselessness of war during his time serving in the Napoleonic Wars. The flashbacks to that time in his life were powerful and really captured the unpredictability and horror of war. He saw the poor and unprivileged fighting and dying for the rich and their sovereign. Because of his history, he had no tolerance for the poor being graverobbed in the name of science and constantly dismissed by the majority as unimportant. I also liked Adam's straight-forward attitude and manner. He did what needed to be done and didn't agonize or mope when things went wrong in the pursuit of doing what he believed in and what was right. He proved to be a great contrast to the villains and higher class people who only cared about status, power, money, and upward mobility.

Unfortunately, the zombie element in the novel is relatively small in the greater scheme of things. The main villain's evil sidekick manservant is a zombie, but really some sort of evil spirit possessing a dead guy. He could move from dead body to dead body for the rest of time if he wanted, making him pretty scary, but not too zombie-like. The only zombie beings were dogs that did the villain's bidding and got rid of people who proved to be a problem. They were scary, but didn't have the same effect as people turned into zombies.

The Edinburgh Dead was an enjoyable horror and mystery that incorporated a lot of disparate aspects and manages to make them all work fairly well. The change of locale to Scotland served the story well and gave the story a whole different feel than other books I have read. My only complaint was that there weren't more zombies and they did not play as big of a role in the story as I expected based on the title and the . If you are interested in a period novel about class warfare and magic, then this is for you.

My rating: 3.5/5 fishmuffins