Review: I Kissed a Zombie & Liked It

Summary (from Goodreads): Algonquin “Ali” Rhodes, the high school newspaper’s music critic, meets an intriguing singer, Doug, while reviewing a gig. He’s a weird-looking guy—goth, but he seems sincere about it, like maybe he was into it back before it was cool. She introduces herself after the set, asking if he lives in Cornersville, and he replies, in his slow, quiet murmur, “Well, I don’t really live there, exactly. . . .”

When Ali and Doug start dating, Ali is falling so hard she doesn’t notice a few odd signs: he never changes clothes, his head is a funny shape, and he says practically nothing out loud. Finally Marie, the school paper’s fashion editor, points out the obvious: Doug isn’t just a really sincere goth. He’s a zombie. Horrified that her feelings could have allowed her to overlook such a flaw, Ali breaks up with Doug, but learns that zombies are awfully hard to get rid of—at the same time she learns that vampires, a group as tightly-knit as the mafia, don’t think much of music critics who make fun of vampires in reviews...


Review: No. Just no. For the life of me I could not relate to Alley. In a world where being goth and “post-human” is normal, Alley and her friends make it a point to not hang with the in-crowd. She’s a self-admitted bitch and her friends aren’t that much better. It’s kind of like that moment in the movie, The Heathers, when you realize Christian Slater’s character isn’t really any better than the Heathers or jocks; Worse, in fact. (Side note: if you haven’t seen that movie you must). The silver lining of the book was the good-natured, zombified love interest -- Doug. Doug opens the reader’s eyes so much more with his patience, his understanding, and gentle, resigned nature.

Choppy, at best, I Kissed a Zombie fails to find empathy or excitement.

Formats: e-book, paperback

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Princess for Hire (#1)

Summary: (from Goodreads) When Desi Bascomb gets discovered by the elite Facade Agency–royalty surrogates extraordinaire–her life goes from glamour-starved to spectacular in a blink. As her new agent, Meredith, explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula “Royal Rouge,” she can transform temporarily into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a heinous crash diet? Or when the tribal villagers gather to watch you perform a ceremonial dance you don’t know? Or when a princess’s conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off–and you know she would want you to change his mind?
In this hilarious series debut, one girl’s dream of glamour transforms into something bigger: the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.

Review: Possibly one of my favorite young readers book, Princess for Hire, takes the cake! Desi, while timid at first, grows into a beautiful character and brings readers along for a magical ride. Through blunders and errors, she finds herself vaulted into the world of princess subbing. With each sub, Desi connects with her princess resulting in some interesting outcomes! Perfect for all ages and a charming distraction from happily ever afters.

Formats: e-book, hardcover, paperback

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