Library Book: Warm Bodies

I've been waiting to read Warm Bodies for a few months now. Unfortunately the library only has one copy though, meaning I've had to wait. But I got it yesterday and started reading it today. It's a pretty quick read; I think it took me maybe six hours total, which was a lot quicker than I was expecting. It's well written though, making me want to just keep reading.

Warm Bodies is the story of R, a zombie. R eats the brain of a young man and inherits his memories, most especially his love for a girl named Julie. And so R strives to protect her, starting one of the strangest love stories I've ever read.

I don't want to give spoilers here so I'm not going to say much. But it's a pretty fun story. I really liked R, especially how he was eloquent in his thoughts, but just couldn't express himself out loud. The tale reminded me of Romeo and Juliet in many ways, which I thought was pretty good. The only thing I didn't like was the ending, which left me feeling unsatisfied.

That being said, Warm Bodies is still an excellent book. I can't wait to see the movie!

Nowadays

For Christmas, my brother and his wife got me Nowadays, a graphic novel about zombies that was made locally.  Flipping through the book is pretty neat because it even deals with local places (they're heading to Thunder Bay, people talk about Silver Islet, things like that).

I was a little leery of reading this so soon after my Walking Dead extravaganza, but luckily there was no need to worry.  Nowadays features zombies but they are very different from those in The Walking Dead.  For one thing it's blood the zombies crave.  For another, the more they have, the more human the zombies become (reminiscent of Gwen, but she needed brains).  Zombies who are full of blood are generally indistinguishable from humans (but they are faster and stronger than us).  This made for a nice contrast between those people who may be desperate at times to heal but who are good and those people who are jerks looking out only for themselves; it's the latter who wanted blood just to be stronger and more powerful.

Nowadays opens with Brendan.  He dies from an infection in his foot and wakes up craving blood.  After eating his dog (who subsequently becomes a zombie dog), he heads off to the graveyard, hoping against hope that his wife and child, who passed away years before, may have somehow returned from the grave.  Finding them 'alive,' he feeds them blood (with the help of his dog's hunting) and they slowly begin to heal.

Brendan's story is intersected with a group of survivors.  They were heading out to plant trees but were attacked by a zombie.  One of their number is bitten and turns while they're trying to rush her to the hospital. They are left trying to decide what to do with her; she died but she's clearly not dead.  Decision made, they then need to figure out how to survive in this new world.

I have to admit, I had a hard time getting into the story.  Most of the problem in the early pages was due to editing errors (there were a couple of words that I really had to puzzle out because they were misspelled), but it also took awhile for the story to focus.  I mean, it started out with Brendan, so I thought he was the main character.  But then it took off from Brendan and stayed away from him for quite awhile.  Once the story came back to him, he clearly wasn't the focus either.  So things were a bit confusing until closer to the end.  But if you do give Nowadays a try, definitely stay with it.  I did, and I really ended up enjoying it.  It took some twists and turns that were fun, had some great characters, and I'd definitely be interested in more.

Library Book: iZombie: Repossession

I was super excited: the final iZombie title came in while I was at work today!  I read it as soon as I got home!

iZombie: Repossession is the fourth and final iZombie graphic novel.  This is the crazy conclusion to everything that's been happening.  At the end of volume 3 there was a zombie outbreak.  That has been largely dealt with but now there is a bigger problem: a monster from beyond time and space is coming to eat the world.  Amon has stood before this monster in the past and delayed the apocalypse before.  But to do so again he needs Gwen's help.  This is the reason Amon made Gwen like him, not a zombie but a revenant, a zombie who retains her personality.  But can Gwen do what he asks of her now, killing everyone in town to save the world?

Like the last volume, iZombie: Repossession was strange at times, but overall this was a satisfactory ending to the entire series.  I'm glad I picked up the first volume a month ago and I kind of wish there were more.

Library Book: iZombie: Six Feet Under and Rising

So here it is, the final iZombie graphic novel that the library currently has. Things are getting messy for Gwen and company. Scott fell into a sink hole and discovered that an underground catacomb is completely infested with zombies (and not the sentient kind like Gwen). And now the zombie infestation has brought both the Monster Hunters and a group called the Undead Presidents (they're pretty much exactly what you would expect) into Eugene, Oregon, making the place a whole lot more dangerous for human and monster alike. And in the middle of everything, Gwen is starting to remember her past with increasing clarity. Too bad those memories are making things a whole lot more complicated.

iZombie: Six Feet Under and Rising is another great read. Unfortunately I now have to wait until the library gets volume 4. I really don't want to though; this series is great!

Library Book: iZombie: uVampire

After enjoying the first iZombie title, I went and got the next two from the library (volume 4 is on order, so I'll get that after the library does!). Gwen's story continues in iZombie: uVampire. The first bit gave Scott/Spot's back story, about his upbringing with his grandfather. He's telling the story to a chimp, who then proceeds to speak; apparently his late grandfather's soul has been trying speak to him, and has inhabited the body of the chimp. He's now stuck though, so Scott asks Ellie for some help getting his grandfather out.

Meanwhile, Gwen goes on a date with Horatio mini putting. Unfortunately she just ate, so the memories from the last brain are messing with her head. Things aren't too bad until she realizes this woman knew her when she was younger; putting the woman's concerns to rest will involve Gwen confronting someone who knew her before she died.

iZombie: uVampire was an excellent read. I'm really looking forward to volume three!

Library Book: i Zombie: Dead to the World

I found iZombie while I was at work.  I read the back of the book and it sounded interesting so I took it out.  Now, having read it, I'm really happy that I did! 

iZombie is the story of Gwen.  She's a gravedigger by day; at night she digs those bodies back up so she can snack on their brains.  Her best friend's a ghost, and another friend is a were-terrier. 

When Gwen snacks on brains, she gets the people's memories, too.  So she takes it upon herself to finish up their business so their voices quiet and leave her in peace. 

I found this first volume to be charming and I can't wait to read more.  Luckily the library has the other three volumes so I won't have to wait long!