Book#4- Zombies

Never Slow Dance With a Zombie
By: E. Van Lowe

Synopsis (from Barnesandnoble.com): Romy and Michelle's Hight School Reunion meets Night of the Living Dead in this laugh-out-loud debut YA novel by Emmy Award-nominated TV writer E. Van Lowe

Principal Taft's 3 Simple Rules for Surviving a Zombie Uprising:
Rule #1: While in the halls, walk slowly and wear a vacant expression on your face. Zombies won't attack other zombies.
Rule #2: Never travel alone. Move in packs. Follow the crowd. Zombies detest blatant displays of individuality.
Rule #3: If a zombie should attack, do not run. Instead, throw raw steak at to him. Zombies love raw meat. This display of kindness will go a long way.
On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later, they haven't accomplished a thing!
Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky Principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize that this is the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. All they have to do is stay alive....

So, What do I think?

Overall: At first, I almost put it down....but I'm glad I didn't. I must admit that I was not too excited about the book throughout the first part of it, but the last 4 or 5 chapters made up for it. I couldn't put it down in the end. I think what I didn't like about the book was that it stretched a little longer than needed. I felt like the same scene was being played over and over.

Characters: I can see a lot of Margot in me when I was in Jr. High. She, however, is in high school and is acting this way. Margot wants to be popular, and when she gets her wish, she turns into an ultra snob. Typical storyline. Also, her best friend Sybil is a little too nice. But it works for the book. The book makes teachers look dumb, and any story that does that, makes me not like those characters (I am a teacher!). The Zombies were my favorite charcters. I would have had Zombies just like them in my books!

Idea: I must give him credit for the originality of the book idea. Zombies are really popular right now and some of the things he did with the Zombies were quite funny and original. I think the plot line could have come straight from an 80's chick flick though. Girl is obsessed with Jock who doesn't know she exists, Mean Girl is dating Jock, Nerd in love with Main Character, Loyal friend, and the Main Character is just trying to belong.

Googie's Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5!