Interesting and quick zombie tale that feels like the slow build into an actual tale of zombie woe. Characters are enjoyable if a little thin, but still kept me into the story and wanting to see them succeed. B is a complicated person and this story holds so many social commentaries within it that it suits today’s atmosphere perfectly. Lots going on that I did not expect from this series. Sadly the first one is just a bit small and light on really meaty info, but the series is promising.

Listened to audiobook. I would say it's a 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the second half of the book more. Slow start.

Let me preface this review by clearly stating that I am not the author’s targeted audience. Zombies and YA are both fine, but I typically don’t shop those shelves anymore. That being said, I’m compiling a list of YA dystopians and this was one of the books that ended up on my radar.

Now, onto the spoilers:

This book is an amalgamation of plot holes. There is a creepy man with large eyes that has been known to survive attacks, but we don’t know how. B had gotten vaccinated as a child and has a scar that still bothers her years later. Even more strangely, the creepy man is apparently interested in a man-eating baby dream B has been having since childhood. Also, there are people that appear to be partially infected that can make conscious decisions, but there is also an apparent pattern to zombie attacks when they’re left to their own devices. Maybe these issues are explained away in later books, but there were too many loose ends at the end of this one. I wasn’t interested to read more, I was frustrated that I’d read over 170+ pages for the book to cut off without a resolution.

Unfortunately those loose threads were about as interesting as the book got. Our main character, B, is the child of an abusive racist. He beats his wife, he beats B. He’s respected in his circle of fellow racists for, I don’t know, having “guts”? He’s known for spouting racist propaganda and goes to respective rallies, sometimes dragging B with him. All of this man’s hate has apparently been internalized by B; B recognizes the hate and racism, but is prevented from speaking up due to “fear.”

The thing that was so frustrating for me, though, was how long the author toes the line. Is she actually a racist? Will she call out her father’s behavior? B internally acknowledges that her father’s way of thinking is disgusting, but jumps to fall in line with his ideals whenever she’s uncomfortable. Sees a kid that’s called her out on her delinquent behavior? Reverts to being a racist asshole. Is challenged by someone that sees through her thinly veiled racist remarks? She makes derogatory animal noises and spews more racist bullshit to provoke the person. When one of the only teachers she respects calls her out on having a fascist for a father, her first thought is to get him fired. B is not a nice character. Her abusive home life does not excuse her behavior. She makes her own decisions to be an awful person and bullies those that don’t follow suit.

While I appreciate that this book TRIED to demonize racism, it didn’t do enough. It’s one thing to repeatedly think “this is wrong” and another to stand up and fight against the issue. B’s biggest defiance is running the other way. If you haven’t read this book yet and you’re waffling, I would say to pass on it.

Can somebody just tell me whether B is a boy or girl?

Not a fan of the racial undertones and will not be reading the series which is a bummer because the rest of the story really works.

I would give this a two or three. But because it left me surprised at the ending I give it a four.
Usually you think the first person you see will be a main part to the end. Not so with this book. And you think the main character will live. Definitely not here. That is why I gave it a four. And you think B is a boy until the end and you find out it is a girl named Becky.
B's father is racist and abusive. B goes along with it to keep the peace but can't tell where the acting stops and the real her begins. B and her father and the type of people are some of the most hypocrite evil type of people there are. When zombies become something real in the school and not just questionable viral videos you see B's dad as one who sacrifices other races to save his own hide. And B takes orders just to avoid his fist. Only at the very end right before her death does she let him know he is a monster and she wants to be nothing like him.

I finished it in less than 24 hours, so it's clearly an interesting read. The first 60% read like a contemporary novel about a girl trying to deal with her racist, abusive father, and the last 40% an action-packed zombie thriller, which is what I was in the mood for. B is awful, and I think her dad is supposed to be her excuse for things she does, but I had a hard time sympathizing with her. I was glad when the kid she fed to the zombies ate her heart. Since there are more books in the series, I'm guessing she's not dead (unless she's undead), so hopefully we'll get more development of her character in the next installment.

B is a pretty typical teenager. She has a close group of friends that she likes to hang out with. She tries to deflect her father's abuse and racisim. When reports start filtering in from other parts of Ireland about zombie attacks, no one knows if they are real, hoaxes, or part of a marketing ploy. Then, zombies attack the high school. B tries to escape with her friends and a group of strangers they meet on the way. When they come face to face with the zombies, B must make a terrible choice.

B struggles between trying to live up to her father's expectations and example of being racist and trying not to be

As a first part to a longer series, this was a good start. All the brain-eating zombie gory stuff one might wish for, along with an interesting set up and characters.