rynegayde's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good and more plot having than it's face value
ekari's review against another edition
5.0
WHAT A BOOK, WOW.
This is such a cool twist on the zombie genre and I'm so amazed by the writing, the story, the characters, the everything!!!
This is such a cool twist on the zombie genre and I'm so amazed by the writing, the story, the characters, the everything!!!
netgyrl's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this as an audio book. I believe I would have loved to read it but the narrator took it to a whole new level. Her accent as Angel Crawford was PERFECT. There were many, many LOL moments in this book and I just loved how sassy she was. I have also listened to book #2 which I felt was even better then book 1.
It's a very different take on the whole zombie myth. Diana Rowland's zombies aren't mindless eating machines. They do need brains but its more in line with the way a vampire needs blood to survive. These zombies tend to work places where they can get access to brains, like the morgue or a funeral home.
If you a fan of zombies and sassy female heroines then this book and book #2 "Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues" come with my highest recommendation. Enjoy.
It's a very different take on the whole zombie myth. Diana Rowland's zombies aren't mindless eating machines. They do need brains but its more in line with the way a vampire needs blood to survive. These zombies tend to work places where they can get access to brains, like the morgue or a funeral home.
If you a fan of zombies and sassy female heroines then this book and book #2 "Even White Trash Zombies Get The Blues" come with my highest recommendation. Enjoy.
nancidrum's review against another edition
3.0
A zombie book would be about the last genre I would ever choose to read. This is why I like the Goodreads challenges. They help me read a much broader genre of books. I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but this book was really fun and enjoyable. Not too gory and lots of laughs. The author is a solid writer. If ever you need to read a zombie book, or just want to step outside of your comfort zone, this is the one I would recommend.
sidneyw_33's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was nothing that I expected. It was at times funny, at others chaotic, and sometimes serious. What surprised me the most was that it was in a way a mystery.
I found Angel to be a likable narrator, though she often was a bit slow to the punch, missing clearly laid hints, as well as completely disregarding a main mystery of hers.
The ending did feel a bit rushed, especially the romantic relationship.
This author touches on generational trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, and rape with a certain amount of rawness and a view point that I have seen often under represented. This was refreshing.
I found Angel to be a likable narrator, though she often was a bit slow to the punch, missing clearly laid hints, as well as completely disregarding a main mystery of hers.
The ending did feel a bit rushed, especially the romantic relationship.
This author touches on generational trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, and rape with a certain amount of rawness and a view point that I have seen often under represented. This was refreshing.
berls's review against another edition
5.0
This review appeared first at Fantasy is More Fun.
I should have read My Life as a White Trash Zombie a long time ago. I grabbed it as part of an audible BOGO sale, but more because I'd heard good things from people I trust than because I WANTED to read it. The zombie thing just isn't typically my thing.
But this is going to be a series where I make a huge exception. There's several reasons, but let me give you the top 3:
I'll be continuing this series on audio too - and not just because I own a few (I think). Allison McLemore was great! Her Louisiana southern accents were good (IMO) and I was so entertained by the combo of Diana Rowland's writing and Allison McLemore's voice, I can't imagine not listening. This is a combo that works like Molly Harper and Amanda Ronconi, in my opinion.
If you're not a zombie fan, get over it and try My Life as a White Trash Zombie, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised - like I was. All you need to like it is a fondness for humor, great (struggling) characters, and a bit of paranormal woo-woo.
I should have read My Life as a White Trash Zombie a long time ago. I grabbed it as part of an audible BOGO sale, but more because I'd heard good things from people I trust than because I WANTED to read it. The zombie thing just isn't typically my thing.
But this is going to be a series where I make a huge exception. There's several reasons, but let me give you the top 3:
- The zombie mythology isn't AS gross. It's kinda vampire like and I really enjoyed it. There were times where my stomach wasn't thrilled, but Diana Rowland managed to make the eating of brains really funny most the time. I should have known from the title - My Life as a White Trash Zombie - but this was more hilarious than I expected.
- Angel, the main character. I love her, the way you have to love a good person trapped in a "fuck-up's" body. Especially when they try to make a go of improving their life. I can't wait to see Angel develop as the series progresses.
- The mystery is solid! I constantly had guesses about the who and the why and got close a couple times. But I really didn't figure things out until momements before Angel. But I could have if I'd picked up on the right hints. Exactly the kind of mystery I like.
I'll be continuing this series on audio too - and not just because I own a few (I think). Allison McLemore was great! Her Louisiana southern accents were good (IMO) and I was so entertained by the combo of Diana Rowland's writing and Allison McLemore's voice, I can't imagine not listening. This is a combo that works like Molly Harper and Amanda Ronconi, in my opinion.
If you're not a zombie fan, get over it and try My Life as a White Trash Zombie, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised - like I was. All you need to like it is a fondness for humor, great (struggling) characters, and a bit of paranormal woo-woo.
pogonotomy's review against another edition
2.0
The character and her story just didn't interest me too much. To put it bluntly, this was the book I read on the toilet.
maryrobinette's review against another edition
4.0
I never thought I'd be rooting for a zombie, and yet, I was totally in love with Angel.
Diana Rowland is really good at first person narrative. She's created a fairly intimate story about someone getting their act together, while weaving in a mystery and the horrors of a terminal illness. Somehow, she makes all that funny.
Angel, the main character, is wonderful because she's smart -- way smarter than she thinks in fact. At one point she tells someone off by saying, "I'm ignorant, not stupid." And she works hard to stop being ignorant.
I've enjoyed Diana's other fiction, but had shied away from this because I'm not keen on zombies usually. I am so glad I gave this a try. It is not horror. It's a coming of age, comic mystery in which the main character happens to be a zombie.
I should also give a shout out to the audiobook narrator, Allison McLemore, who does a fine job delivering the emotional nuances of Angel.
Diana Rowland is really good at first person narrative. She's created a fairly intimate story about someone getting their act together, while weaving in a mystery and the horrors of a terminal illness. Somehow, she makes all that funny.
Angel, the main character, is wonderful because she's smart -- way smarter than she thinks in fact. At one point she tells someone off by saying, "I'm ignorant, not stupid." And she works hard to stop being ignorant.
I've enjoyed Diana's other fiction, but had shied away from this because I'm not keen on zombies usually. I am so glad I gave this a try. It is not horror. It's a coming of age, comic mystery in which the main character happens to be a zombie.
I should also give a shout out to the audiobook narrator, Allison McLemore, who does a fine job delivering the emotional nuances of Angel.
artsymusings's review against another edition
4.0
'Where I went wrong was believing that being in the loser segment had anything to do with income or social class.'
This was fun! It's also cheesy at times like the ending, but I loved Angel's self-deprecating humor too much to that be an issue for me. Though, I maybe would have liked it more if I hadn't already seen iZombie as reading about a sentient zombie is not all that new to me.
Even still, the murder mystery is great and things do get pretty serious at times but reading about Angel learning to crack skulls and whatnot as part of her job in the morgue is quite enjoyable. It is also fun seeing Angel come to terms with being a zombie. I liked how she is such a loser, very prone to do stupid things and then proceeds to do them and yet she also develops a whole lot during the course of the book.
This was fun! It's also cheesy at times like the ending, but I loved Angel's self-deprecating humor too much to that be an issue for me. Though, I maybe would have liked it more if I hadn't already seen iZombie as reading about a sentient zombie is not all that new to me.
Even still, the murder mystery is great and things do get pretty serious at times but reading about Angel learning to crack skulls and whatnot as part of her job in the morgue is quite enjoyable. It is also fun seeing Angel come to terms with being a zombie. I liked how she is such a loser, very prone to do stupid things and then proceeds to do them and yet she also develops a whole lot during the course of the book.