Amanda M. (tapcat16) reviewed on 10/3/2011 + 150 more book reviews

Angel wakes up in the hospital to discover she was found naked and overdosed on drugs on the the side of the road in her small town after a fight with her boyfriend, Randy. Someone mysteriously drops off medicinal energy drinks along with a note that she must work loyally for at least a month at a job newly acquired for her at the city morgue. A high school drop-out living with her alcoholic and periodically abusive father, Angel decides that she should seize this opportunity. It certainly helps that pills and alcohol no longer seem to do anything for her. As her oddly gloppy energy drinks start to run out, though, Angel finds herself having cravings for something found in the morguebrains.

Its been a long time since I read a book that hits all the elements I love in literature like this oneurban fantasy style horror, a setting that rings familiar to me, a completely relatable main character, and a fun love interest. Most of what Rowland does is unique, particularly how she manages to make Angel simultaneously human and monstrous in a way we have not seen since vampires were first reworked. She also manages to address serious, real-world issues beneath the fun ridiculousness of the urban fantasy elements. Alas, I was a bit disappointed to see the common monster/sociopath works in a morgue and that's how they get by trope present in a book full of so many new ideas. Maybe if there's a sequel Angel can have a different job, eh?

Overall, this zombie book gave me thrills, chills, and laughs galore, but it also brought me close to tears. Its genre fiction with a heart, and I highly recommend it to anyone willing to see zombies (or white trash) in a whole new light.

Check out my full review.

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