Review & Giveaway: Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer

Title: Pieces of Me
Author: Amber Kizer
Publisher: Random House
Pub. Date: February 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Rec. Age Level: 12+

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It isn’t until Jessica Chai dies that she truly learns what it means to live. Jessica spent the majority of her short life invisible to her parents and peers. It isn’t until the final days of her life that anything remotely notable happens to Jessica, when her long, beautiful hair is hacked off by a posse of mean girls in the short span between classes. Jessica’s hair, a shield to hide behind and an integral part of her identity is suddenly gone, leaving her with unexpected, but not completely unwelcome clean slate. But, before Jessica can unveil her reinvention to her peers she’s in a fatal car accident. She doesn’t see a tunnel of light calling away from her old life, she doesn’t simply blink out of existence, she simply stays, as invisible as before. When her parents decide to donate her organs, giving four teens a second chance, Jessica is angry; she knows her mother is manipulating Jessica’s legacy for their own gain. She lingers somewhere between life and death, following the daily lives of the four recipients. Time soothes Jessica’s bitterness about her life and untimely death; what she first considers a betrayal by her parents, becomes the very act that gives Jessica life and allows Jessica, finally, to be seen. Amber Kizer’s PIECES OF ME is a raw, inspiring story of life after death and the enduring legacy of a girl whose untimely death grants the gift of life.

PIECES OF ME is a departure from what I’ve come to expect from Amber Kizer, but it carried the intensity and directness that I’ve come to associate with her writing. Kizer doesn’t do fluffy, she does real. I was so affected by the topic of organ donation that, immediately after I finished PIECES OF ME, I went online and registered to be an organ donor.

The four recipients Jessica follows are so much more than their illness or medical issue. They face complicated home lives, financial hardships, and bullying. But, at the same time, they experience first love, connection, spirituality, freedom, happiness, and best of all, the chance at a future.

The only aspects of the novel that I felt off to me were the romantic elements. Maybe it was that I wasn’t expecting any romance or simply that I was focused on other plot lines, but I found the romance distracting.

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Must-Read-Monday (2): The Museum of Intanglible Things

Must-Read-Monday is a new feature here at The Hiding Spot. Each week I'll feature a book that, if it isn't already, should be on your radar!

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The Museum of Intangible Things

by Wendy Wunder

  

Available April 10, 2014 from Razorbill/Penguin

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Hannah and Zoe haven't been given much in life, except each other, and they don't have anything particularly wonderful waiting in their future. Unless you count enrolling at the local community college, which they don't. The only worthwhile tie the girls have to the New Jersey town they grew is Zoe's autistic brother, who relies on Zoe and Hannah to help him navigate the world and all the intangible things within it he struggles to understand. After climbing out of a dark depression, Zoe bounds into mania, declaring that Hannah might not have the best grip on the intangibles either. Hoping to recover the real Zoe in the midst of her cycles of depression and mania, Hannah agrees to ditch New Jersey and embark on a cross country road trip in search of those difficult to understand but absolutely essential intangibles: Loyalty. Envy. Obligation. Dreams. Disappointment. Fear. Negligence. Coping. Elation. Lust. Nature. Freedom. Heartbreak. Insouciance. Audacity. Gluttony. Belief. God. Karma. Knowing what you want (there is probably a French word for it). Saying Yes. Destiny. Truth. Devotion. Forgiveness. Life. Happiness (ever after).

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Click the links below for more information.

More about Wendy Wunder

More about Wunder's debut novel, The Probability of Miracles

Review: 45 Pounds (more or less)

Title: 45 Pounds (More or Less)
Author: KA Barson
Publisher: Viking/Penguin
Pub Date: July 11, 2013
Genre: YA 
Rec. Age Level: 12+
More by author: n/a

 

   

When Ann's aunt announces she's getting married - and that Ann will be in the wedding party - she knows that it's now or never to lose the weight that's been holding her back her whole life. Ann's mother is a svelte perfectionist who, for years, has been pushing Ann to take control of her weight. Ann has tried every diet fad and tactic out there, all under the supervision of her mother, but this time things are going to be different. She forks over her savings for an infomercial diet that promises to be foolproof, finds a job to fund her weight loss method (she's determined to do this without poking and prodding from her mother) and waits for the weight to melt away. But things aren't so simple, not when it comes to changing her body... and not when it comes to changing what Ann sees every time she looks in the mirror. And, as she soon realizes, Ann isn't the only one in her family with an unhealthy body image and relationship with food. It's going to take more than five payments of $19.99 for Ann to achieve her happy ending.

Ann from 45 Pounds (more or less) is, more or less, me. Well, my high school self anyway. I like to think that I've achieved much of what Ann achieves by the end of the novel. But, all of the ups and downs regarding her weight - the self-loathing, the grudging acceptance, the moments of grim determination, and the times when weight loss seems impossible - were all too easy to relate to. I spent the entire book rooting for Ann and a fair amount feeling frustrated when she turned to bad habits (but only because I'd been there before and wanted to shout "Put down the french fries, Ann!! It's not worth it - you have more to live for!" Ahem.). 

What I love most about this book though, is the positive changes that Ann and her family begin to accept after having meaningful and honest conversations. I truly hope that those who read 45 Pounds (more or less) will apply some of these changes (like positive language regarding food, weight, and eating) to their own lives. 

45 pounds (more of less) is, in my opinion, a must-read with an important message about adopting positive language and ideas of self-worth and being healthy in a society obsessed with shallow and unrealistic images of beauty.

Notable Quotes:

“And while the shape of my family might not match other families - or even what I imagined it should be - some pretty amazing people make room for me, watch out for me, and love me. Sometimes, even when I don't know it. Make it so I fit. No matter what.”

“I change the channel to another movie. An old one, but new to me. And, ironically, a thin, gorgeous blonde—Meg Ryan, maybe—rides her bike on a country road. She smiles like she has no cares in the world. Like no one ever judges her. Like her life is perfect. Wind through her hair and sunshine on her face. The only thing missing are the rainbows and butterflies and cartoon birds singing on her shoulder.

Maybe I should grab my bike and try to catch up with Mom, Mike, and the kids. They can't be going very fast. I would love to feel like that, even if it's just for a second—free and peaceful and normal.
Suddenly, there's a truck. It can't be headed toward Meg Ryan. Could it? Yes. Oh my God. No! Meg Ryan just got hit by that truck.

Figures. See what happens when you exercise?”

Review: The Beginning of Everything

Title: The Beginning of Everything 
Author: Robyn Schneider 
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins 
Pub Date: August 27, 2013
Genre: YA 
Rec. Age Level: 13+ 
More by author: The Social Climber's Guide to High School

 

   
Ezra Faulkner had it all: gorgeous girlfriend, popularity, and athleticism and skill that held the promise of a full-ride to university. He had these things, but, after a fatal night where he first lost his girlfriend and then quickly lost everything else, Ezra's present and future are forever altered. Enter Ezra's one-time best friend (of roller coaster decapitation fame) and a mysterious new girl with a smile full of secrets and Ezra's life is suddenly taking off into unforeseen directions. Maybe what seemed like the end, is really the beginning of everything.

The most common statement I've heard in reference to Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything is that it is perfect for John Green fans. This is absolutely true, but I also have to point out that Green's books, while they are very good reads with fantastic characters and plots, all feel very similar to me. Robyn Schneider, on the other hand, brings many things that I love about Green's books - male POV, sarcastic wit, nerdy romance, etc - while injecting her own voice and magic to the premise. So, yes, Green fans will enjoy The Beginning of Everything as it shares the same spirit as books like Looking for Alaska, but it is distinctly different in terms of premise than anything I've read from Green.

Notable Quotes:

“Life is the tragedy," she said bitterly. "You know how they categorize Shakespeare's plays, right? If it ends with a wedding, it's a comedy. And if it ends with a funeral, it's a tragedy. So we're all living tragedies, because we all end the same way, and it isn't with a goddamn wedding.”

 “Words could betray you if you chose the wrong ones, or mean less if you used too many. Jokes could be grandly miscalculated, or stories deemed boring, and I'd learned early on that my sense of humor and ideas about what sorts of things were fascinating didn't exactly overlap with my friends.”

 “You have this maddening little smile sometimes, like you've just thought of something incredibly witty but are afraid to say it in case no one gets the joke.”

Support local and small businesses by shopping indie! Purchase this book via IndieBound using link below.

Review: Six Months Later

Title: Six Months Later
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pub Date: October 1, 2013
Genre: YA 
Rec. Age Level: 13+
More by author: none

 

   
Natalie D. Richards gives readers a fast-paced mystery thriller with her debut, Six Months Later. Not only is this novel impossible to put down, it is uncomfortably easy to relate to: students facing the pressures of secondary education and struggling to be everything in order to achieve today's version of "success" will identify with Chloe as her fears and their fears begin to intersect and overlap.

Chloe has never been a model student and she can't be considered popular, but she's her own person and the only person she needs is her best friend, Maggie. While her mother might not be thrilled with Chloe's choices and view on life, she's content. Everything changes when Chloe falls asleep during Study Hall in May and wakes in the same classroom... in the dark... with snow falling outside. Somehow, Chloe has lost six months of time, months in which her life has drastically changed. Now, she's one of the top students in her class, she's dating her long-time crush, and she's a shoo in for the top universities in the country. Which all sounds great in theory, except for the fact that her memory is gone, Maggie refuses to speak to her, her boyfriend gives her the creeps, and she can't stop thinking about a boy she barely acknowledged six months ago. Things aren't adding up and Chloe is determined to prove she's not crazy and figure out what happened in the six months she's forgotten.

Not only does Six Months Later offer readers a great mystery and a realistic main character, it confronts some important ideas about high school life, including what constitutes academic success, dealing with pressure and judgement from parents and peers, and, though in an indirect way, the issue of stimulants and drug use in an academic setting. Though I didn't necessarily think that last issue was necessarily a main underlying theme of the novel, I couldn't help but compare some of the situations and details in the novel to the recreation use of Adderall and other stimulants that are often used by students to keep a competitive edge.

I highly recommend Six Months Later. It's sure to hook readers with it's skillfully constructed mystery plot, plus readers will appreciate that it's a standalone. I look forward to the next novel from Richards, as her debut stood out with a memorable plot and unique and engaging characters.
  
Notable Quotes:

"Dr. Kirkpatrick sits back in her chair. She's got some issues too, I'd bet. I've seen her a total of thirteen times, including this session, and in that time, she's had three drastically different hairstyles. Talk about identity issues.

The last time, she had an auburn pixie cut. Now her hair is jet-black and angled harshly around her chin. She looked friendlier before, like a fairy just a few years past her prime. I can't help feeling like this version of Dr. Kirkpatrick should slap on some red lipstick and pull a gun on me or something."

"I pull out the paper and unfold it, and the scrawl on the front is immediately recognizable. Because it's mine. The three words seem innocuous enough, but they send a chill from the roots of my hair through the soles of my feet."

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Don't miss my review with the author of Six Months Later, Natalie D. Richards, here!

Support local and small businesses by shopping indie! Purchase this book via IndieBound using link below.

 

Review: Vitro

Title: Vitro
Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Pub Date: January 14, 2014
Genre: YA
Rec. Age Level: 12+
More by author: Origin

 

   
The author of Origin, Jessica Khoury, takes readers to a new locale and a new scientific experiment with her sophomore novel, Vitro.

Sophie Crue has spent most of her life living with her father in the United States, seeing her mother only a handful of times and only during exotic vacations, but before her parents divorced, they lived on a remote island in the Pacific. Her mother remained on the island after Sophie and her father set off for the States, staying behind to devote her life to making huge, life changing scientific breakthroughs.... or so Sophie always believed. 

After receiving a cryptic message from her mother, Sophie returns to the island and teams up with her childhood friend Jim, the only pilot on the island who will brave flying her to the sinister Skin Island where her mother works. Sophie doesn't believe in the mysterious fear and whispered stories that keep the islanders from venturing too near Skin Island, but she soon finds out that there's more truth that dark experiments are being performed on the island and that her mother may be at the center of everything.

Tackling big issues, like nature versus nurture, the myriad of questions associated with creation and science, and the bond between parent and child, Vitro is sure to garner praise from readers looking for depth packaged within a fast-paced story and an exotic locale.

  
Notable Quotes (aka, And so it begins...):

"I can pay you, I swear. I know it exists! My mom's worked there for years." 

"You could and over the key to the national treasury, wouldn't make a bit of difference. It's not there, I'm telling you! I'm sorry, miss, but I can't produce an island out of thin air." 

She drew a deep breath to steady herself, feeling like a torn flag whipped and battered by a hurricane. "If you can't help me, then who can? There must be someone local knows the surrounding area."

Support local and small businesses by shopping indie! Purchase this book via IndieBound using link below.

 

Review: Picture Me Gone

Title: Picture Me Gone
Author: Meg Rosoff
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile/Penguin
Pub Date: October 3, 2013
Genre: MG/YA
Rec. Age Level: 12+ 
More by author: How I Live Now, There Is No Dog, What I Was, Just In Case, The Bride's Farewell

 

   
Meg Rosoff, as always, delivers a stunning, emotional read with PICTURE ME GONE. 12-year old Londoner, Mila, has accompanied her father, Gil, to New York where is estranged best friend, Matthew, has disappeared. Mila notices things. An observer with a keen eye, she connects small details others dismiss or overlook. She's puzzled by Matthew's disappearance, and as she and Gil attempt to unravel the mysteries of Matthew's life - his motives, his relationships, his guilt - Mila comes to realize big ideas about life, trust, and the things that define who we are. Absolutely brilliant and beautifully written, PICTURE ME GONE is Important with a capital I.
  
Notable Quotes:

“I would hate to have parents who were always looking over my shoulder, reading my diary, checking my thoughts. I would hate to be exposed. And so, perhaps, when I say I long to be a pane of glass, I am lying. I long for partial obscurity at the same time that I long for someone to know me.
 
It is confusing and difficult to be me.
 
Sometimes I I need to cry in order to release the great welling sadness I feel in my head.
 
For this I need privacy. I do not want anyone to see me and ask why, almost as much as I would like to be comforted.
 
Somehow, without ever being present, Matthew has exposed all of this, brought it wriggling to the surface like worms. They gather there now, vaguely nostalgic for the dark.” 

“In theory, I would like to lead a transparent life. I wold like my life to be as clear as a new pane of glass, without anything shameful and no dark shadows. I would like that. But if I am completely honest, I have to acknowledge secrets too painful to even tell myself. There are things I consider in the deep dark of night, secret terrors. Why are they secrets? I could easily tell either of my parents how I feel, but what would they say? Don't worry, darling, we will do our best never to die? We will never ever leave you, never contract cancer or walk in front of a bus or collapse of old age? We will not leave you alone, not ever, to navigate the world and all of its complexities without us?”  

“I will not always be happy, but perhaps, if I'm lucky, I will be spared the agony of adding pain to the world.” 

Support local and small businesses by shopping indie! Purchase this book via IndieBound using link below.

 

Review: The Vow by Jessica Martinez

No one has ever believed that Mo and Annie are just friends. How can a guy and a girl really be best friends?

Then the summer before senior year, Mo’s father loses his job, and by extension his work visa. Instantly, life for Annie and Mo crumbles. Although Mo has lived in America for most of his life, he’ll be forced to move to Jordan. The prospect of leaving his home is devastating, and returning to a world where he no longer belongs terrifies him.

Desperate to save him, Annie proposes they tell a colossal lie—that they are in love. Mo agrees because marrying Annie is the only way he can stay. Annie just wants to keep her best friend, but what happens when it becomes a choice between saving Mo and her own chance at real love?

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The Vow is Jessica Martinez's third young adult novel, following her debut, Virtuosity, and her sophomore offering, The Space Between Us. If you've never read one of Martinez's novels, what are you waiting for?? Like her first two books, The Vow is impossible to put down and incredibly intense.

 Annie and Mo have been best friends since Annie came to Mo's rescue in elementary school after an unfortunate pants wetting incident. Ever since, the two have been inseparable. Mo is sarcastic and super focused on his future. Annie is the good daughter, careful to never upset her parents, who keep her close after the violent loss of Annie's older sister years before. When Mo's father loses his job, the entire family faces deportation back to Jordan. Despite the fact that Mo has grown up in the US and considers himself American, he will be forced to return to Jordan as well. Annie can't imagine life without Mo and Mo can't imagine leaving Annie, not to mention everything he's worked so hard for in the US, so they devise a desperate plan: marriage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, their solution isn't as simple as they first assume. Marriage is never simple, especially when it's done secretly and in less than legal circumstances. The fallout of their actions affect Mo and Annie's lives in ways they hadn't expected and may not be ready to handle.

 This book deals with so many different important themes, from platonic relationships to romantic relationships and marriage, familial love and interaction, sibling bonds, racism, prejudice, bullying, loyalty, betrayal, lies, and hard truths. It might sound impossible to make all of these big, complicated things fit together, but Martinez does so in a beautifully complex way. Every issue feels right, nothing is forced, and nothing feels overlooked or unresolved. To me, that would have been a complete disservice to any of the issues within the novel - to have one of these big issues made to seem small next to another issue - but Martinez gracefully sidestepped this potential problem and artfully wove the various themes together to form a story both endearing and compelling. 

While I'll never say that Annie or Mo is perfect, I really loved them together. Their imperfections make them the perfect friends. One of the shining achievements of The Vow was the fact that Annie and Mo are not romantically involved. While they do love one another, it is the love born of friendship and understanding rather than crushes and romance. I really feel like this kind of friendship and love is rare to find in literature and, often, in real life... especially between a guys and girls. 

I was deeply affected by the prejudice and judgement Annie and Mo must endure from the people they encounter in their small southern town. I'm from a small town and I am all too familiar with the racism and prejudice that can fester in these slow parts of the country. Annie doesn't really seem to understand... or maybe she just doesn't want to understand... what Mo's going through. She defends her parents when they make completely horrible and uncalled for comments about Mo and his family... and I cringed every single time. At the same time, Mo's family makes some off color assumptions about Annie that caused me to tense. Throughout everything, the judgement and comments, the stares and whispers, Annie and Mo stick together. They may not always do the right thing, but they persevere and try to communicate and understand what the other is going through. To me, this attempt to understand and communicate despite the mistakes and misunderstandings are paramount to overcoming prejudice and judgement within the novel and in real life. Annie and Mo, despite their shortcomings, set a fantastic example.

Obviously, there's a lot more I could say about The Vow. This book tackles so many different things that it's impossible to read it and not find something within its pages to connect with, which makes it an emotional and engrossing read. I highly, highly recommend this novel to contemporary fiction readers, regardless of age.

Audiobook Review: Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

New York Times  bestselling author David Levithan tells the based-on-true-events story of Harry and Craig, two 17-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record—all of which is narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS.

While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teen boys dealing with languishing long-term relationships, coming out, navigating gender identity, and falling deeper into the digital rabbit hole of gay hookup sites—all while the kissing former couple tries to figure out their own feelings for each other.

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Sometime in these past few years, David Levithan has become a bit of a rockstar in my head. His books always begin with a simplicity and quiet, but, suddenly, they've escalated to a roar. I actually listened to his newest book, Two Boys Kissing, on a road trip to pick up a friend (Katie, of the blog Sophistikatied). Upon arriving at her house, I immediately asked her if she'd read Two Boys Kissing yet, to which she responded no. Of course, I launched into a rant about how amazing I thought it was - after only 2 discs out of 5!

Two Boys Kissing tells many different stories, but all are tied to Harry and Craig, two boys who used to date and are attempting to break the world record for longest kiss. The boys are trying to make statement and are inspired by a friend who was attacked and beat for being gay and alone on a dark street. The stories of other boys are interwoven, including that of two boys who have just met (one of whom is transgender), two boys who have been dating and are dealing with the everyday difficulties of long-term relationships and secrets, and another boy who has yet to come out and struggles with self-loathing. Throughout the novel, a greek chorus composed of gay men who died of AIDS, offers insight into the past, present, and future of gay individuals and the gay community.

The audio of Two Boys Kissing is narrated by Levithan, which I very much enjoyed and appreciated. I always feel that there is something more real about hearing a book in the author's voice. Levithan in particular has a certain strength in his voice that added to the novel. He knew exactly how his characters were supposed to sound and were feeling, which I think is very important in a novel like this. In fact, it was this short clip from the very beginning of the book that made me decide to listen to Two Boys Kissing rather than simply read the novel.

I will admit that, within the various stories being told, there were some that I was less interested in than others. I just didn't click with the two boys who had just met and were getting to know one another. In theory, I loved their story: the difficulty of knowing how much to tell when you meet someone new, the rush, the connection, the fear. In reality, I just didn't connect either boy. I did however, love Craig and Harry and was transfixed by the greek chorus that interjected stories and comments throughout the novel.

I'm very glad that I chose audio for Two Boys Kissing. My drive was, at various times, filled with laughter, happy smiles, and all-out sobbing. I suppose that last one might not be the safest for a road trip, but you can always pull over!

Two Boys Kissing deserves to win awards and is a book that needs to be read. As I listened, I kept thinking, this is life. These boys are living life, messy, difficult, crazy, happy life, just like everyone else - how can anyone argue that there is something wrong with being gay? Two Boys Kissing is about acceptance... life... love. It is incredibly real and utterly unforgettable.

Review: The F-It List by Julie Halpern

With her signature heart and humor, Julie Halpern explores a strained friendship strengthened by one girl’s battle with cancer.

Alex’s father recently died in a car accident. And on the night of his funeral, her best friend Becca slept with Alex’s boyfriend. So things aren’t great. Alex steps away from her friendship with Becca and focuses on her family.

But when Alex finally decides to forgive Becca, she finds out something that will change her world again--Becca has cancer.

So what do you do when your best friend has cancer? You help her shave her head. And then you take her bucket list and try to fulfill it on her behalf. Because if that’s all you can do to help your ailing friend--you do it.

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Julie Halpern brings something new to the "YA cancer lit" subgenre with The F-It List... simply put, I love this book.

Most YA cancer novels feature either a teen who has cancer or who has a parent with cancer, but this is the first time I've seen that the main character is the best friend of someone with cancer. The fact that Alex is the best friend, not the patient, adds an entirely new perspective to the mix. When you consider the fact that Alex has recently lost her father (to a car accident), her boyfriend (after he slept with her best friend, Becca), and her life is now a complete and utter mess, then throw in Becca having cancer, you know that Halpern is going to steer readers towards some pretty heavy topics.. What you might not expect is that there will be plenty of laughter, plenty of hope, and even more living within the pages of The F-It List.

One of the defining elements of The F-It List was Alex and Becca's relationship. It isn't every day you come across best friends like these two. Sure, they've done some pretty horrible things to one another, but, honestly, what best friends don't find themselves in those situations? Becca, in a moment of misguided weakness, sleeps with Alex's boyfriend... the day of Alex's father's funeral. In response, Alex refuses to speak to or see Becca for the entire summer following the funeral and betrayal. But, the first day of the new school year, Alex goes in search of Becca... because they're best friends and people make mistakes sometimes and deserve to be forgiven. Best friends are sometimes selfish and sometimes entirely self-sacrificing: Alex and Becca have been both, they understand and accept one another, and they're stronger because of it.

For a cancer book, The F-It List, is surprisingly funny. It's easy to expect quirky and/or touching when it comes to "cancer lit," but I can't remember the last time I literally laughed aloud; there is usually a lot more crying than laughing happening. Alex and Becca, however, keep living, with the help of the f-it list, and never give into the cancer that threatens Becca's future. It's clear from the start, when Becca flashes her neighbor to fulfill a goal on the f-it list and decides to shave her head to beat the chemotherapy to taking the hair she's so proud of, that she isn't the type to go down without a fight.

In the midst of Becca's struggle, Alex has other things vying for her attention. Like the father she's recently lost, her mother and two brothers who feels broken without her father, and a mysterious and distracting boy, who should be the least of her worries with all the death and drama currently surrounding her days, but who somehow keeps inserting himself into the forefront of her mind.

I truly appreciated that Halpern never made Alex's issues seem less than Becca's. Instead, the two girls were a united front. They were each fighting battles, sometimes together and sometimes separate, but neither was more or less important. 

I highly recommend Julie Halpern's The F-It List. It deals with difficult topics in a very real, alive sort of way. There are tears, but there is also laughter and real, genuine happiness because Alex and Becca refuse to stop living, no matter what life throws their way.

Feiwel & Friends, November 2013, Hardcover, ISBN:  9781250025654, 256 pgs.

Review: Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart

Two teenage zombies search for brains, love, and answers in this surprisingly romantic and laugh-out-loud funny debut novel with guts.

Jake Stephens was always an average, fly-under-the-radar guy. The kind of guy who would never catch the attention of an insanely popular girl like Amanda Blake-or a psychic teenage government agent like Cass. But one day during lunch, Jake's whole life changed. He and Amanda suddenly locked eyes across the cafeteria, and at the exact same instant, they turned into zombies and devoured half their senior class.

Now Jake definitely has Amanda's attention-as well as Cass's, since she's been sent on a top-secret mission to hunt them down. As Jake and Amanda deal with the existential guilt of eating their best friends, Cass struggles with a growing psychic dilemma of her own-one that will lead the three of them on an epic journey across the country and make them question what it means to truly be alive. Or undead.

Eat, Brains, Love is a heartwarming and bloody blend of romance, deadpan humor, and suspense that fans of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies will devour. With its irresistibly dry and authentic teen voice, as well as a zombie apocalypse worthy of AMC's The Walking Dead, this irreverent paperback original will leave readers dying for the sequel that's coming in Summer 2014.

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To be honest, I expected Jeff Hart's Eat, Brains, Love to be a bit fluffy and definitely silly... Blame this assumption on the cover. Because, while there is a certain goriness to concept of the cover, it really didn't give me reason to assume that the book was really deal with the typical gory zombies. I will happily admit that I was completely wrong in my assumptions about Eat, Brains, Love: it's funny, it's romantic, and it's gory in the very best ways.

Eat, Brains, Love is told from two different perspectives: Jake, the recently undead, and Cass, the psychic government operative who hunts the undead. Jake's on the run with Amanda Blake, his super popular classmate, who just happened to turn zombie during the same lunch period as he did. After eating half of their friends and peers in a zombie haze, Amanda and Jake revert back to the normal, clear-headed selves with no other option but to flee. Enter Cass, who works for a secret government team that cleans up situation like the one just created by Jake and Amanda. The team tracks down and takes out the zombies, but not before altering the memories of the humans involved so they overlook that zombies exist at all. Cass has been doing this job for years and she's proud of it - she keeps people safe and gets rid of monsters - but, with Jake, Cass finds herself doubting everything she's always believed. Cass's psychic abilities allow her inside Jake's head and she's surprised by what she finds there. Sure, he's a zombie and he's killed a growing number of people, but he's also just a guy. A guy that Cass can't help but like and who, at least most of the time, doesn't seem like a zombie at all. While Cass struggles with her connection to Jake, he and Amanda are struggling with the unexpected turn their lives have taken, the guilt from having massacred their friends, and the hunger that sometimes fades, but always returns.

I'm pretty squeamish when it comes to gratuitous gore, but I really liked Hart's incorporation of blood and guts in Eat, Brains, Love. It was gross, but also funny, which I found smart and, oddly enough, charming. Remember that scene in Disney's Lady and the Tramp where the two lovebirds are sharing a plate of spaghetti, when they find they're both working their way up opposite ends of a spaghetti strand? Well, that happens in Eat, Brains, Love... with intestines. And I thought it was hilarious! That's the kind of gore you'll find in this book. It's a zombie book, so it's totally appropriate, and it's not over the top.

I loved that Cass and Jake were the two telling the story rather than Amanda... or maybe I'm just biased because, in the context of the strange love triangle that was developing, I favor Cass. Like me, you might wonder how Hart will pull off a zombie-hunter falling in love with a zombie, but Hart's zombies are unique in that, until they're hungry, they're pretty much normal kids. Kids that heal ridiculously fast and often have leftover blood and gore staining their clothes from the last meal, but kids nonetheless.

Eat, Brains, Love is nonstop action and, while the ending does offer some resolution, it also left me wanting more and very thankful that there is already a sequel in the works. I wholeheartedly agree with the assertion that fans of Warm Bodies will love Eat, Brains, Love, but I also think that this book has the potential to win over readers who aren't as zombie-friendly with it's wit and charm.

HarperTeen, October 2013, Paperback, ISBN: 9780062200341, 352 pgs.