Return of the Loving Dead by Araminta Star Matthews, Stan Swanson

Return of the Loving Dead
by Araminta Star Matthews, Stan Swanson
Release date: May 8th 2014
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: Given by the publisher

Being in love with a zombie bites, but that won’t stop true love. Can it? Horror High School: Return of the Loving Dead is unlike any zombie book you’ve ever read. 

Meet Amber Vanderkamp, senior at Stephen E. King High School. Amber is poised to be class valedictorian when she graduates this year and has her sights set on the New York Center for the Performing Arts for college. Everything is wonderful in Amber's world. She always gets the lead in her high school's plays and is counting on the lead role in the school’s upcoming production of Romeo and Juliet. That is until her well-ordered world is thrown into chaos when her boyfriend, Zach, dies and comes back as a zombie. But how can she turn her back on the love of her life? How does she deal with the pressure? And will she remain committed to the boy she once considered her soul mate? Especially when her mother (with secrets of her own) is encouraging her to wait and experience more of the world. And her flighty best friend, Jasmine, is acting more peculiar than ever since Zach has become a member of the undead club. Add in the class bullies, Caleb and Darla, who seem to be doing everything in their power to ruin Amber's life and everything is here for a page-turning romp through a world where zombies are a part of everyday life.

So here's the thing. I have a 'thing' for zombies but when you watch and read too many of them, you tend to get bored of it. At least I am. Because all it is about is gore, ugly-skin-falling-apart-kind-of-way undead, and survivors surviving. I am tired of it. So novels like this captivates me. It's not all about surviving, they are about zombies yet they are also about humane conflicts. Like romance for example (because romance and zombie stories clashes ok) and so yeah, the next thing I knew, I am requesting an arc.

To be honest, I didn't love this book as much as I thought I would. The first few chapters for me were a bit boring to the point where I thought I wouldn't be able to finish this, but then I find the plot gradually getting more and more interesting. So here I am getting all excited to finally sharing my thoughts.

There is no problem with the writing style for me. If anything, the writing style is the main thing that actually kept me going to read and finish this book. LOVE. but the characters? not so much. I liked most of them as a whole, but unfortunately no one became my short list of favorite characters. The plot and conflicts though, was a whole different case. Like I said before, this book captivates me. There is a lot interesting things happening in this story. Like the way the story was set after a zombie apocalypse, and people are just trying to have a normal life again. And then theres our couple Amber and Zach, after Zach the boyfriend was turned into a zombie, instead of moving as far away as she could, the girlfriend Amber chose to stay and become some sort of guardian for Zach. Because she thought they are soulmate and she wanted to find a way to move forward as a couple with the zombie Zach. Interesting right? The twists are also delicious by the way.

Overall, I am standing in the middle between my pro and cons. I definitely enjoy reading this book a lot, but it's not exactly my favorites. Still, Recommended.

I want to thank Curiosity Quills for sending me an arc for Return of the Loving Dead. I wouldn't have experienced all these interesting twists if it weren't for you guys.

Rating:
3 EYES OPEN (3/5)