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badseedgirl's review
4.0
To say I had low expectations for Apocalipstick by Lisa Acerbo would be an understatement. But it’s October and I devote October to horror reads and movies only, especially “Zombie” horror, and this book had been sitting in my R.E.A.D.S. Overdrive reading list for almost a year, so I decided it was time to tackle it. My confidence in this book was not bolstered when I realized that not only did a super-virus kill most of humanity and cause the dead to rise up to consume the living, but some people who got the virus did not die, but were instead turned into vampires. That’s right I had unknowingly picked up a teenage vampire novel. I have to admit that at the realization, I retreated to the corner of my closet where I sat huddled and rocking repeating over and over “No more Twilight.” It was some kind of PTSD flashback. But I had already started the book and I figured I would just slog through it. I relished the fact that I had not written a truly scathing book review in several months and I was already starting to feel at tinge of glee in what I was going to write.
Imagine my surprise when I found myself actually enjoying the book! The author Lisa Acerbo writes quite well and I found myself drawn to the characters and the story line even before she took those stabs at Twilight in chapter 14. I loved the interplay between the characters in the novel, not just our heroine Jenna and her love interest Caleb, but the entire group dynamic of the survivors. These interplays could have sustained the entire novel. As in most of the zombie genre, it is the interplay of the survivors that make or break the novel.
I felt the book took a dramatic downturn when the new survivors, Tundra and her group, were introduced. To me the author did not delve deep enough into the characters of these new survivors and this part of the plot felt very rushed. Tundra was introduced in chapter 16 and by chapter 17 things are getting menacing about the survivor base. That was a shame because I found the ideas behind Tundra’s actions quite intriguing and wanted more explanation to it. I rarely say this, but this novel would have benefited by 100 more pages to build up the threat posed by Tundra and her group.
All and all, I’m going to say this book shocked me by how good it really was. I hope this bodes well for my other October reads!
4 of 5 stars.
Imagine my surprise when I found myself actually enjoying the book! The author Lisa Acerbo writes quite well and I found myself drawn to the characters and the story line even before she took those stabs at Twilight in chapter 14. I loved the interplay between the characters in the novel, not just our heroine Jenna and her love interest Caleb, but the entire group dynamic of the survivors. These interplays could have sustained the entire novel. As in most of the zombie genre, it is the interplay of the survivors that make or break the novel.
I felt the book took a dramatic downturn when the new survivors, Tundra and her group, were introduced. To me the author did not delve deep enough into the characters of these new survivors and this part of the plot felt very rushed. Tundra was introduced in chapter 16 and by chapter 17 things are getting menacing about the survivor base. That was a shame because I found the ideas behind Tundra’s actions quite intriguing and wanted more explanation to it. I rarely say this, but this novel would have benefited by 100 more pages to build up the threat posed by Tundra and her group.
All and all, I’m going to say this book shocked me by how good it really was. I hope this bodes well for my other October reads!
4 of 5 stars.
mckenzierichardson's review
2.0
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
I think this book has a really unique premise. The idea of others/vampires teaming up with humans to fight stalkers/zombies is really cool. And let's face it, this is a pretty kick-ass title.
Unfortunately, for me, this basically turned out to be Twlight during the zombie apocalypse.
The main character, Jenna, is pretty much a slightly more likeable version of Bella Swan. Throughout the book Jenna is regarded as a fierce fighter, tough, and strong, but in almost ever fight scene (whether against a human, an other, or a stalker) someone comes in and saves Jenna. I think she herself killed only one stalker in the text. The narrator references Jenna's previous kills, but the reader doesn't actually witness them. Also, other characters literally carry Jenna around all the time. I don't think you could ask for a weaker female lead.
Caleb is just as moody and creepy as Edward Cullen, creating another eye-rolling teen romance in the same vein as Twilight, just with more sex.
Despite the major character flaws, the language was amazing. The diction used is outstanding and I have never read better gruesome descriptions of the decomposition of zombies. Acerbo clearly has a talent with words.
Her descriptions are truly inspiring. But for me, the character development just wasn't there, making it difficult to really get into the book. Plot-wise there is enough twists and turns to keep the book relatively interesting, but I just could not get passed the awful characters.
I think this book has a really unique premise. The idea of others/vampires teaming up with humans to fight stalkers/zombies is really cool. And let's face it, this is a pretty kick-ass title.
Unfortunately, for me, this basically turned out to be Twlight during the zombie apocalypse.
The main character, Jenna, is pretty much a slightly more likeable version of Bella Swan. Throughout the book Jenna is regarded as a fierce fighter, tough, and strong, but in almost ever fight scene (whether against a human, an other, or a stalker) someone comes in and saves Jenna. I think she herself killed only one stalker in the text. The narrator references Jenna's previous kills, but the reader doesn't actually witness them. Also, other characters literally carry Jenna around all the time. I don't think you could ask for a weaker female lead.
Caleb is just as moody and creepy as Edward Cullen, creating another eye-rolling teen romance in the same vein as Twilight, just with more sex.
Despite the major character flaws, the language was amazing. The diction used is outstanding and I have never read better gruesome descriptions of the decomposition of zombies. Acerbo clearly has a talent with words.
Her descriptions are truly inspiring. But for me, the character development just wasn't there, making it difficult to really get into the book. Plot-wise there is enough twists and turns to keep the book relatively interesting, but I just could not get passed the awful characters.
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