Review: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Book One of the White Rabbit Chronicles

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: September 25, 2012

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Kindle copy from Amazon

Summary (from Goodreads):

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

What I Liked:

To be honest, I really didn't think I would like this book! Back in September of last year, I read a review that ripped this book apart. I mean, the person explained EVERYTHING that they didn't like about this book. It was a great review, very professional and thorough, but it totally did what reviews are supposed to do: it affected me. And so, when someone gifted me this book on Amazon a few months later, I didn't know what to do.

Luckily, Harlequin Teen sent me an Advanced Reader Copy of Through the Zombie Glass (book two) in August of this year, so that made me feel the need to read both book one and book two. I wouldn't ignore a publisher like that. And because I owned both books, I figured it couldn't hurt.

Well. I LOVED this book! I can't believe I put off reading it for so long! Alice, zombies, visions, Cole... everything about this book appealed to me. I wish I remembered whose review I'd read last year, because I would have loved to compare my thoughts with that person's.

Ali Bell thought her father was crazy, but he wasn't. When her father, mother, and little sister die in a car crash, and get eaten by zombies, Ali knows that he was right. He wasn't crazy, and she isn't going crazy - zombies are real. 

Ali moves in with her grandparents, and starts attending a new school. She is friends with the vivacious Kat (whom I would totally be friends with if she were real), and a few other girls who aren't nearly as awesome as Kat. Kat's drama is HILARIOUS, you all. One minute, she loves her boyfriend, the next minute, they're done. 

Of course, what Kat doesn't know is that her boyfriend (ex-boyfriend?) Frosty is part of a team of zombie slayers. A team led by Cole Holland, the hot boy that Ali almost immediately notices. When the two of them share a look for the first time, they see a vision. The visions keep happening when they connect glances, sometimes the same, sometimes different.

I love Ali and Cole's relationship, in the beginning and the end. In the first half of the book, Ali doesn't know that Cole and the others are slayers. But she still can't stay away from him, and he her. In the second half of the book, she finds out about the slayers, and definitely can't stay away from Cole.

The two of them bicker - a lot - but I think it's cute and hilarious. Ali doesn't put up with his bossiness, and Cole doesn't put up with her softness. Of course, Ali is her own brand of kick-butt female, and is a total match for Cole. The two of them are adorable together! And so steamy - trust me, there are some HOT scenes in this book!

The zombie action is totally awesome! I love how Showalter portrays the zombies, and the fight scenes with the zombies and slayers. Ali is different from the other slayers - she sees more than they do. When the group finally begins to accept and trust her, they realize how much of an asset she is.

The ending is great! I loved how Showalter built the plot slowly (but yet, fast enough), and when we get to the climax, it's not rushed. The ending is left with something that leads to the next book perfectly. And, seeing as I've already the second book, I can say that you should read the ending of this book carefully. It all comes back in book two!

But there. I loved this book.

What I Did Not Like:

Okay, I can see why some people claim there is insta-love in this book. The connection between Ali and Cole is instantaneous, with the first vision (steamy stuff!), and the way they can't avoid each other. But I don't really think it is insta-love at all. Their relationship is brought on quickly, and moves quickly, but Showalter makes it clear (if you read between the lines) that they don't love each other.

Yet. Read book two.

Also, this book is longgggg. I have no problems with long books, but at some points in the book, I felt it. Other parts, I wanted more. For example, the beginning was a bit slow. But, it put the rest of the book into perspective.

Would I Recommend It:

I definitely would! I loved this book a lot. Okay, it didn't get five stars. But I'm so impressed, and very happy that it was better than I expected. YAY for low expectations!

Rating:

4 stars. I'd say I can't wait to read book two - but I already have! You can read book two's review on Friday!

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