Thursday, November 27, 2008

Book Review and Giveaway: You are so Undead to me by Stacey Jay

For Megan Berry, being a Zombie Settler is a pain in the shoulder – literally. Not only do dead zombies get grave dirt on her favorite sundress and ruin her dates with “hot” guys, she also had a run in with some reanimated zombies some years back whose bites left marks both on her skin and her psyche. And now, someone in town is messing with black magic – putting her life and most importantly her chance to go to homecoming in danger.

So where to start? I love the premise here and the whole twist on the zombie idea, that there is a secret society whose purpose it is to take messages from the dead who are unsettled enough about some aspect of their deaths to crawl out their graves (one pervy guy just wanted to see a girl naked before he went to his eternal slumber). Author Stacey Jay gets points for creating a pretty plausible paranormal/real world co-existence.

If you asked me what genre this was, I wouldn’t really know what to say. The inclusion of zombies makes it paranormal, but it is not scary. Megan goes on dates with “hot” guys, but it’s not romantic. No one knows who the black magic villain is, but it’s not mysterious (and I figured out one of the “baddies” early on even though this person’s motive is out of left field and their m.o. highly dubious). There is a lot of kicking zombie butt, but I wouldn’t classify it as action. And both Megan and the story are way too shallow for it to be a drama. It’s kind of like the author tried to make it everything, but nothing really stuck.

I wouldn’t have really minded the uneven narrative if Megan had been a stronger character. She is said to possess the most impressive settler power in 70 years, but she spends most of her time rhapsodizing about how “hot” all the “hot” guys in her life are. (Granted, you’d find a lot of that if you read my diary from my sophomore year of high school, but fortunately you never will.)

Still, I liked the world creation so much that I would definitely be interested in reading the planned sequel Undead Much! I can only hope Megan will have grown out of her semi-grating boy crazy phase by then.

Want a second opinion? Hillary of The Book Reader also read it recently and loved it saying it was one of the best books she’s read in months.

So if you think this is something you’d like to read (despite my reservations), and you want to read it before its January 22nd release date, leave a comment telling me if you are on team zombie or team unicorn by Dec. 5th. I’ll announce the winner of my one advanced copy the next day.

54 comments:

Khy said...

I have this one in my TBR mountain and can't wait to read it. (So don't enter me.) GO ZOMBIES!

Emily said...

Pshhh team unicorn. They are totally not cheesy! Who wouldn't love to see a unicorn? And I'm not talking about the crappy fairytale version, but the awesome Harry Potter version. (: Go unicorns!

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to read this.! I would love to win it. I would say team zombies! who doesn't love a zombie! haha.a..

-Rima

Anonymous said...

I am so Team Zombie, but my sister would kill me if she heard me say that. She's Team Unicorn because they are secret kiddie killers.

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

Awesome review! This one is on my wishlist it looks so fun!

I am definitely TEAM ZOMBIE! Although a zombie unicorn could be cool :)

Shalonda said...

I am super excited to read this one!

Definitely TEAM ZOMBIE! Unicorns are so corny.

Bunny B said...

Definitely Team UNICORN!!!
bunnybx at gmail . com

Book Sp(l)ot said...

I really would like to give this book a try! (I saw a review with a Joss Whedon/Stephenie Meyer quote-though I also have a review coming up Monday where a very similar quote fell short . . .)

I really do love the premise, though & I'm definitely team zombie so far, so I'd love to be entered & thanks for having the giveaway :)

Unknown said...

I like the idea of the book. It sounds unique to anything else I've read, so I'd love to read it! I'm going with Team Zombie too! Thanks Lenore!

zarache AT aol DOT com

stacey @ bookthirty said...

Well, I'm thinking Team Unicorn. Unless of course my 15mo old son had a bad night, and then I'm definitely Team Zombie. :) Thanks for the giveaway.

Alea said...

This book sounds sort of funny! Damn zombies ruining the girl's groove! I'd have to go for unicorns! And I will not pretend that this has nothing to do with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus

donnas said...

I would love to read this one. Zombies are the usual main paranormal type character, it would be fun.

Team Zombie ftw.

Donna
bacchus76(at)myself(dot)com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I'm Team Myracle...(as in neutral with Lauren Myracle.) LOL but I guesssss I should answer to be entered....unicorns? haven't seen any books based around them yet.

-lauren

Wrighty said...

Well shoot, I didn't win any of those other cool books you gave away. That's OK, this one sounds interesting too. I agree that the idea sounds good but it stinks that it falls short in your review. I'd like to try it anyway. I'd have to say team zombie too! Thanks!

5wrights1@verizon.net

Ali said...

I'm so NOT Team Zombie that I don't even want to enter to win this book, but I wanted to let you know that I really liked your review of it. :-)

Anonymous said...

Thats a tough question. I wouls say zombieeessss...enter me please

Thao said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Thao said...

We really have to answer this one right? Well then...Team Unicorn! I don't know how I'd feel if I encountered either of them but a unicorn will definitely look more beautiful. LOL, I'm so crazy.

I know you'll enter me :)

Sara said...

Team Zombies!

Gabbi said...

TEAM ZOMBIE!

Anonymous said...

I'm sad to say that I'm not on a team of zombies or unicorns, but if I were I would TOTALLY be on the team Zombie!


Please enter me:)

+BookBegger
whosyerbuddie(at)yahoo(dot)com

Paradox said...

Team Zombie! I am just NOT a unicorn person. And who can deny the awesomeness of zombies?

Anonymous said...

I am team zombie...!!!!

Ohhh, this book is georgeus O.O
I can't wait to read...!!!
I need win :)

Mi msn is: franglineguido@hotmail.com

juiciliciousss reviews said...

omg, zombies or unicorns? thats so hard. i love them both. but since unicorns are soo much prettier xDD, i'll b on the unicorn team :)

stephanie

Rol said...

This book sounds cool. I've added it to my neverending wishlist. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Team Zombie!

GirlwiththeBraids
emaildayla(at)yahoo(dot)com

Steph said...

Haha I sense I'll enjoy this one simply because it sounds like it'll have a lot of snark material. =)

[Don't enter me - already got a copy.]

Steph

Yan said...

Team unicorn! ;)

Anonymous said...

I'm with the Zombies.
traymona[at]aol.com

Becca said...

I’d have to go with Team Zombie just because unicorns make me think of rainbows and pure hearts and that’s not really my style.
rebecca.bradeen(at)verizon(dot)net

-.- said...

Team unicorn. A zombie would try to eat me and touching it might cause it to lose limbs or have his or her skin fall off. Though, the zombies in Fido were cool, but only because they were house broken....nah, team unicorn all the way.

~ Popin

Also, I've left a link of this giveaway at my blog. It's off to the side under Giveaway List.

Nurin said...

I've read this one too (so don't enter me!).

I thought it was decent, not a favorite, but not bad either.

Rachael Stein said...

it's been on my TBR list :D looks good! please enter me :D

although i love unicorns, i have to say i'm leaning more towards team zombie

Test said...

You are so Undead to Me looks so good!

I am Team Zombie, no doubt about it!

Tez Miller said...

Tezm Zombie, of course - no question about it! :-)

Have a lovely day! :-)

Sarah Woodard said...

Team Unicorns, but I still like zombie things. I want to read this book badly.

Unknown said...

This sounds like a great book! I think I'd go team zombie. Thanks for the chance to win!

Meredith said...

Ok, this book sounds really really interesting. I would love to have a chance to read it!

And picking a team? I don't think so. I am going to be in the neutral zone on this one. Like Switzerland!

~Meredith

Unknown said...

zombies!!!!!!!!!!!

nadine said...

Team Unicorn all the way. Charlie's really got me.. lol

=)
TruBlu

darbyscloset said...

Team Unicorn!!! Isn't it funny how one person can so like a book while another is ho-hum about the same book. I think it has to do with what else is going on in our lives during the time we are reading.
Thanks so much,
Darby
darbyscloset at yahoo dot com

Liviania said...

As I got to tell JL personally, I'm on TEAM ZOMBIE.

(I must give unicorns props for The Last Unicorn. Plus, Peter S. Beagle is the sweetest man.)

Sena said...

I'm on team zombie! They're cool :)
sena.sagani[at]gmail[dot]com

Krysten Lindsay Hager said...

I'm on team zombie even though a Night of the Living Dead movie once kept me up all night in fear at a sleepover. This looks like a great book!

Anonymous said...

Team Zombie!

This book sounds great and I love your review!

The Compulsive Reader said...

Go Team Zombie!

You and I were kinda on the same wavelength on this one (except about the bad person...I was totally clueless!): http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/2008/11/you-are-so-undead-to-me-by-stacey-jay.html

Anonymous said...

Sounds kinda like the Twilight Series which I loved. GO ZOMBIES!
digicat{AT}sbcglobal{DOT}net

Michelle Fluttering Butterflies said...

Oh, definately with the Zombies. I'd so love to learn the dance to Thriller because zombies dancing? Super cool.

Anonymous said...

Definitely Team Unicorn!

Cyndi said...

Team Zombie! I haven't read anything about zombies yet and something about the undead just appeals to me.

-Cyndi
musicandbookscyndi@hotmail.com

Theresa N. said...

Team zombie...
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

allire said...

Enter me, please.

I'm on Team Zombie. :)

-Allyssa
allyssasmith@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

i'm going to have to say.. team vampire. haha. its just that zombies have always seemed so creepy. and unicorns.. well... for some reasons i got the "my little pony" theme song in my head now. haha.
Please enter me in the giveaway anyways. Maybe the book will change my views on zombies. xP

Carmen T
carmenalexistsang[at]gmail[dot]com

di said...

team unicorn!