Reviews

Rose by Mike Bryant

lolajoan's review

5.0

Absolutely fantastic. It's a novel take on a zombie/undead story, that's charming and very funny and full of heart (no pun intended). The characters are warm and vibrant and I want to hang out with them. The plot is snappy and exciting. I really enjoyed this and binged it in one sitting.

[Full disclosure: the author is a friend, but if I didn't actually think it was good my review would be much more of a damning-with-faint-praise scenario.]

ericarobyn's review

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Rose by Mike Bryant is a super fun and hilarious tale about a woman that comes back from the dead to make sure those involved in her death get what they deserve.

Shout out to the author for providing a content warning at the start of the book! These warnings included death and graphic injuries.

This story begins with this amazing line:

Most coffins collapse under the weight of the dirt. Hers was no exception.

From there, we see someone digging themselves out of their grave as they are drawn toward something… Next, we meet Katya, a woman still mourning the loss of her baby after she needed a heart transplant while pregnant. One evening, Katya hears something outside. When she goes to investigate, she meets a girl that announces that Katya has her heart. Panicking, Katya hits the girl, causing her head to flop to the side, her neck clearly broken. But when the girl stands there and simply asks why Katya would do that and the two begin to talk, the tension dissolves.

At first, the young dead girl has no memory. She just knows that she was drawn to Katya and has something she needs to do. Katya and her husband, Vijay, work to help her regain more memories, they discover that her name was Rose and that there is something not quite right with her reported cause of death.

From there, the three dig for more answers, putting them on the radar of those that tried to cover up the real cause of death.

Overall, this story was wonderfully heartwarming! There were so many scenes that had me smiling or laughing out loud. It’s only toward the end that we start to see the darkness of the corrupt town and the brutal payback that occurs. When I started to put the puzzle pieces together right along with the characters, my blood started to boil.

I was rooting for Rose every step of the way and I couldn’t wait to see what she would plan out next. Her sense of humor, even after her death, was awesome. I also loved the other characters that were helping her; Katya, Vijay, Amar, and Cecilia were all amazing! Their trust in Rose and her situation was so nice to see. I can’t imagine that many people would have gone to the same lengths as this crew did.

And that ending… Phew! Not only were the final steps in their plan intense and exactly what I was hoping to see these dirtbags go through, the very last chapter was so perfect it made me cry.

Wonderfully done, Mr. Bryant.

My Favorite Passages from Rose

Most coffins collapse under the weight of the dirt. Hers was no exception.

Clark was six-foot-four and apparently made of tattoos in a black t-shirt.

Vijay set a tall, colorful beverage on the table in front of the girl.
“Ooh, what’s this?” she asked.
“A zombie,” he said, suppressing a grin.
“Dude!” said Katya, receiving her jet pilot. Vijay sat down with his lager.
“Nice,” said Possibly-Bella. “Liquid cannibalism.”

She walked up to the front door and peered inside. Foliage snaked its way through the broken windows and had begun to take hold in cracks in the floor. The remains of an old campfire sat cold in the middle of the hallway, the ceiling above it blackened. Graffiti covered every surface.

My Final Thoughts on Rose

Fans of heartwarming zombie tales like Warm Bodies, you NEED to pick this book up immediately. The humor, the friendship, and the love, it’s all there, but we also get some brutal vengeance as well! Rose is officially one of my top favorite zombie tales!