renflew's review
4.0
Just happened to pick up this book off the "New Reads" shelf at the library, and REALLY glad I did! Great book, couldn't put it down. I'm not normally into zombie stories, but this one was great.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
holly_tree's review
4.0
So, typically I'm not a zombie apocolypse fan in the least, but when I saw the cover of this, and saw that Allison Hewitt is trapped in A BOOKSTORE... had to read. And actually? I really, really liked it! It's written as Allison's blog during the beginnings of the Zombie Apocolypse, and is highly entertaining. The book swore like a drunken high schooler, but aside from that, I thought it was excellent.
geleeregina's review
3.0
It is a compelling book. My son, for whom it takes a LOT to pick up a book, could not put this down until he was finished in the space of a day. Originally I gave this 4 stars, but have since (after some thought) changed my rating to 3 out of 5 stars. The novel is a submission of manuscript of a blog written by Allison during the Zombie Outbreak 100 years prior to the manuscript submission. Allison and 5 friends become trapped in a bookstore during the outbreak and what follows is her blog written on a laptop computer using the governments SNET (military web thingie) as she tries to escape to safety.
The story is compelling and descriptive. So much that I couldn't read more than about 30 pages in a sitting before I had to put it down. It gave me creepy thoughts about what if's.... And it has children in it that I can't deal to well with. It makes me think about my own kids...silly I know. Stupid female hormones.
I do have some difficulties with some of the story that I had a hard time suspending disbelief on:
1. A zombie squirrel. Okay so if the animals can be zombies, then why aren't the rats, zebras (it's in there), other dogs, cats, and anyother critter trying to munch on the survivors? Did the other zombies eat them?
2. How the heck can a civilian get onto a military SNET site without a password??? Did someone leave it running to go the the bathroom and get eaten by a zombie, hence it's still on???
3. All the unsecured wi-fi connections that are still running??? Or is Starbucks THAT prevelant with their wi-fi. Is there THAT many back up generators in the world?????
The author does have another novel coming out along the same theme, but later on during the Outbreak that I will read. Though the sample @ the back of the book indicated another child character which makes me cringe. *sighs* Not everything has a HEA, but in using reading to escape I want that.
The story is compelling and descriptive. So much that I couldn't read more than about 30 pages in a sitting before I had to put it down. It gave me creepy thoughts about what if's.... And it has children in it that I can't deal to well with. It makes me think about my own kids...silly I know. Stupid female hormones.
I do have some difficulties with some of the story that I had a hard time suspending disbelief on:
1. A zombie squirrel. Okay so if the animals can be zombies, then why aren't the rats, zebras (it's in there), other dogs, cats, and anyother critter trying to munch on the survivors? Did the other zombies eat them?
2. How the heck can a civilian get onto a military SNET site without a password??? Did someone leave it running to go the the bathroom and get eaten by a zombie, hence it's still on???
3. All the unsecured wi-fi connections that are still running??? Or is Starbucks THAT prevelant with their wi-fi. Is there THAT many back up generators in the world?????
The author does have another novel coming out along the same theme, but later on during the Outbreak that I will read. Though the sample @ the back of the book indicated another child character which makes me cringe. *sighs* Not everything has a HEA, but in using reading to escape I want that.
leari's review against another edition
4.0
Got better and better after I got halfway through the book, but the ending, unfortunately, ruined it for me again.
geistership's review
3.0
I'm quite torn about this book. It had its good points, some not so bad actions scenes and I must say I liked the doctor-rescue part... but mostly because the thoughts I had the whole time reading it were in the line of "This would be a hell of awesome mission in a zombie apocalypse video game".
On the other hand, Allison immediately having a solution to every dire situation felt a bit... not plausible?
And the end, oh the end.... "Well, she is together with my nephew now, so let's lead a beautiful life here in the Liberty Village!" Well, no, thanks =__= I even felt like the author planned a different end first, but then on someone's pressing decided to let Allison meet up with Collins in the final destination again.
More like 2,5 stars than actually 3.
On the other hand, Allison immediately having a solution to every dire situation felt a bit... not plausible?
And the end, oh the end.... "Well, she is together with my nephew now, so let's lead a beautiful life here in the Liberty Village!" Well, no, thanks =__= I even felt like the author planned a different end first, but then on someone's pressing decided to let Allison meet up with Collins in the final destination again.
More like 2,5 stars than actually 3.
queencarolrules's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
abwright's review
5.0
Looking forward to reading her next book, but I will miss these characters. I hope the author comes back to Allison's story because - not to give away a spoiler - but that one loose end needs to be tied up for me.
And seriously, we heard that one character laughing and she just on a whim threw the ax down to him. I am naively holding out hope here.
Sorry for the vagueness, but I'm not a spoiler kind of person. Those who have read it know what I'm talking about.
And seriously, we heard that one character laughing and she just on a whim threw the ax down to him. I am naively holding out hope here.
Sorry for the vagueness, but I'm not a spoiler kind of person. Those who have read it know what I'm talking about.
busdjur's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first book of two in the series. They both work well on their own so there is no need to read both of them even if some of the references will be lost. They take place in order - so book one happens first and book two happens after the other but the main characters are different. Both have a touch of humour to them but not in a "zombie splatter"-movie way - more like a way for the characters to describe things to try to keep them from going insane during hard circumstances.
This one, the first book, is written in blog-form - the second one isn´t.
It took me a while to get into the format of the first book. I´m not usually a reader of blogs so I think that might be the cause of it.
Both contain interesting stories with characters that I can somehow relate to and feel for. If I could choose just one to read I´d go for the second one due to the easier format.
This one, the first book, is written in blog-form - the second one isn´t.
It took me a while to get into the format of the first book. I´m not usually a reader of blogs so I think that might be the cause of it.
Both contain interesting stories with characters that I can somehow relate to and feel for. If I could choose just one to read I´d go for the second one due to the easier format.
knallen's review
3.0
I enjoyed this. I really enjoyed the blog format, though it did give you a certain sense of safety about the character's fate throughout all the dangerous scenarios. I never actually felt as if Allison was in peril because of the blog format (she had to update it, didn't she?). I liked that characters died (despite liking a lot of the ones that did); it made the stakes a bit higher. I didn't like that there seemed to be little grieving and reaction on Allison's part for those that did die. I enjoyed the cast of characters that rotated through the novel and I liked that the story focused on survival rather than 'what caused this'. Overall, good book. It lacked emotion, but I loved the characters and format.
exrae's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5