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Zombie Love: The Outbreak
Zombie Love is the story of a widespread virus, in a way that has never been done before. As people lose loved ones, some decide that sometimes the people you love are the only ones worth fighting for. As factions form, and the world crumbles, people must choose sides. Help or destroy. When a virus is developed as the ultimate cure all by reversing death itself, the world is plunged into a crisis of faith, dedication, and love. In book one we meet Summer Strom, a normal high school teenager who is thrown cruelly into a set of circumstances that nobody should have to deal with. She has to fight back against everybody she knows as she battles for the only thing worth fighting for. Love.
188 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 20, 2012
****FINAL RATING: 3.60 STARS****
CATCHALL
It's a well-known fact that I don't read enough zombie books, so when I get the change, I jump at it! Zombie Love: The Outbreak was one of the most fun books I've ever read. There was tension and anticipation thick on every page and I found I could literally not put the book down for scarcely a moment. Every time I turned the page I knew something would be happening. I really loved this book.
THE HEROINE
SUMMER
Summer was a fantastic character who was absolutely relatable. Sometimes we, as readers, expect perfection from our heroines, but in our hearts we all know how unrealistic that expectation is. Summer was a realistic character with strengths and flaws. I really loved Summer, who I found to be a surprising character. She made a few mistakes that made me want to hit her with a two-by-four, and she could be kind of irritatingly stupid at times, but she managed to admirably redeem herself. She was a normal teenage girl without any random special powers, and she was definitely brave.
THE LOVE INTEREST
DANIEL
Actually, to be honest, I didn't care for Daniel a whole lot. He was unfortunately underdeveloped due to early zombification, so I felt that I didn't really get a chance to get to know him well. He did have the story told from his point of view though, so there was a time when I felt I got to know him better. Unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed by the view of Daniel I did get. He was a bit dense and kind of annoyingly unconfident. Still, it was nice to see a male love interest who wasn't classic tall, dark, and handsome for a change. (Although I do love my tall dark and handsome boys. So, any authors who are reading this…)
THE PARENTS
SUMMER'S MOTHER
I forget her name, but I remember it started with a J. Anyway, she annoyed me. The thing is, she really did seem like a typical mother. Even though I didn't like her, she was a realistic mother. However, she was a bit extreme in some instances. So, she was basically balanced.
SUMMER'S FATHER
I forget his name too. Anyway, there's not a whole lot to say about him, good, bad, or otherwise. He did, however, redeem himself for me near the end. That's all I'll say.
THE VILLAIN
THE MAN IN BLACK
I have always wanted to say that in a review, so duh, I grabbed the chance. He was a wonderful villain who throughly gave me the creeps. I genuinely was interested in how he would play everything out and I felt he gave the story a fantastic villain.
THE PLOT
Everyone, please give me a super-dramatic slow clap.
The plot was EXCELLENT.
There was an actual plot, there was anticipation, there was pain.
I am literally IN LOVE, people.
Eric is brilliant. Indie books are generally risky, because you never really know what to expect. A lot of indie books, unfortunately, are of low quality. But this one? No. The plot was wonderful. Something was always happening and it was entertaining and believable.
It was confusing at some places, and tenses were a bit questionable in some parts, but overall it was clear and easy to understand. I could follow the events along quite nicely. The plot wasn't overly complex but was about the right cross of simple and complicated.
THE ROMANCE
Here is where my main problem is. You see, the romance was far too instalovey for me. Still, it was sweetly developed although cut off abruptly. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of substance. Some things didn't make sense and were too soul-mate-y for my taste, besides being kind of overly sappy. Also, I had another problem with the romance--too many sexual references. I don't have a problem with some, but it got to the point where there was so much innuendo I was just like oh God let it end. But overall, the romance wasn't necessarily bad.
THE WRITING
I've read better, but I've also read worse. Eric is a talented writer and I'm greatly looking forward to seeing him improve. It was a bit simplistic, but could easily be improved with experience, time, and practice.
THE ENDING
Blew me away. I never would have seen it coming and I loved it! It was perfect. And that epilogue? Can you say cliffhanger? Beautiful! Just beautiful!
WRAPUP
Add me to Eric's fan club. I'll be reading future installments eagerly. It was a solid, throughly enjoyable book!
FINE.
Read this review and more on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
It's a well-known fact that I don't read enough zombie books, so when I get the change, I jump at it! Zombie Love: The Outbreak was one of the most fun books I've ever read. There was tension and anticipation thick on every page and I found I could literally not put the book down for scarcely a moment. Every time I turned the page I knew something would be happening. I really loved this book.
THE HEROINE
SUMMER
Summer was a fantastic character who was absolutely relatable. Sometimes we, as readers, expect perfection from our heroines, but in our hearts we all know how unrealistic that expectation is. Summer was a realistic character with strengths and flaws. I really loved Summer, who I found to be a surprising character. She made a few mistakes that made me want to hit her with a two-by-four, and she could be kind of irritatingly stupid at times, but she managed to admirably redeem herself. She was a normal teenage girl without any random special powers, and she was definitely brave.
THE LOVE INTEREST
DANIEL
Actually, to be honest, I didn't care for Daniel a whole lot. He was unfortunately underdeveloped due to early zombification, so I felt that I didn't really get a chance to get to know him well. He did have the story told from his point of view though, so there was a time when I felt I got to know him better. Unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed by the view of Daniel I did get. He was a bit dense and kind of annoyingly unconfident. Still, it was nice to see a male love interest who wasn't classic tall, dark, and handsome for a change. (Although I do love my tall dark and handsome boys. So, any authors who are reading this…)
THE PARENTS
SUMMER'S MOTHER
I forget her name, but I remember it started with a J. Anyway, she annoyed me. The thing is, she really did seem like a typical mother. Even though I didn't like her, she was a realistic mother. However, she was a bit extreme in some instances. So, she was basically balanced.
SUMMER'S FATHER
I forget his name too. Anyway, there's not a whole lot to say about him, good, bad, or otherwise. He did, however, redeem himself for me near the end. That's all I'll say.
THE VILLAIN
THE MAN IN BLACK
I have always wanted to say that in a review, so duh, I grabbed the chance. He was a wonderful villain who throughly gave me the creeps. I genuinely was interested in how he would play everything out and I felt he gave the story a fantastic villain.
THE PLOT
Everyone, please give me a super-dramatic slow clap.
The plot was EXCELLENT.
There was an actual plot, there was anticipation, there was pain.
I am literally IN LOVE, people.
Eric is brilliant. Indie books are generally risky, because you never really know what to expect. A lot of indie books, unfortunately, are of low quality. But this one? No. The plot was wonderful. Something was always happening and it was entertaining and believable.
It was confusing at some places, and tenses were a bit questionable in some parts, but overall it was clear and easy to understand. I could follow the events along quite nicely. The plot wasn't overly complex but was about the right cross of simple and complicated.
THE ROMANCE
Here is where my main problem is. You see, the romance was far too instalovey for me. Still, it was sweetly developed although cut off abruptly. Unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot of substance. Some things didn't make sense and were too soul-mate-y for my taste, besides being kind of overly sappy. Also, I had another problem with the romance--too many sexual references. I don't have a problem with some, but it got to the point where there was so much innuendo I was just like oh God let it end. But overall, the romance wasn't necessarily bad.
THE WRITING
I've read better, but I've also read worse. Eric is a talented writer and I'm greatly looking forward to seeing him improve. It was a bit simplistic, but could easily be improved with experience, time, and practice.
THE ENDING
Blew me away. I never would have seen it coming and I loved it! It was perfect. And that epilogue? Can you say cliffhanger? Beautiful! Just beautiful!
WRAPUP
Add me to Eric's fan club. I'll be reading future installments eagerly. It was a solid, throughly enjoyable book!
FINE.
Read this review and more on Sparkles and Lightning!
August 5, 2016
Zombie Love was a fast-paced fun read. Though there were definitely moments where I was completely baffled by a strangely-placed daydream, or thrown for a loop by the protagonists thought process, I caught myself laughing during several scenes (which caught me completely off guard!) and unable to put it down.
The prologue, though short, completely sucked me in. With lines like this:
But before the virus escapes, we meet Daniel. Average-looking, average-student, average-class Daniel. With nothing that he believes is remarkable about himself, Daniel spends his time daydreaming of his next-door-neighbour Summer, as he's too afraid of rejection to actually speak to her. It was refreshing to see a YA male protagonist show insecurities, and I felt like I could actually relate to Daniel: he worried that his thoughts about Summer were dirty, he wished he was in better shape so she might notice him and he avoided taking the bus after sharing a kiss with her that he thought she was embarrassed about. Summer was also refreshing for a YA female protagonist - she too had insecurities, for some of the same reasons as Daniel, but she didn't let them define her.
My big issue with Summer and Daniel, as is my issue with most YA novels, was the insta-love. Having just been saved by Daniel from the now-infected Sam, Summer decides:
Summer now has to decide which course of action to take - she can kill Daniel once he reanimates, or she can tie him to a tree with some rope in the hopes a vaccination is created in time to save his life. Now all of this would be fine, except the government has swept in to town, in the hopes of completely eradicating the virus and any who are infected. Any mention of the outbreak in the media is silenced before it can be aired, anyone who tries to harbour an infected loved one is removed from town, never to be seen from again and it's not long before Daniel's disappearance is noticed. This became a major plot hole for me. Summer felt she (and Daniel who she had hid in the woods in case you didn't guess that!) were safe, as she had next-to-no contact with Daniel prior to his disappearance - which makes complete sense. Why would they question her about someone who she didn't speak to? What I didn't understand was how a government agency, who wasn't above killing innocent people in order to keep the outbreak a secret, wouldn't think to comb the woods behind the area with the outbreak. If they were serious enough to control the media coverage, then they would have had entire search teams looking for anyone who might be infected - including any missing persons, like Daniel.
The rest of the book is spent watching Summer try and hide Daniel from her parents and the government. It's not long before they come knocking on her door, and trouble ensues. I won't get in to too many details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but it's during these moments when Summer starts to grow on me. Her dedication to protecting Daniel (even though I didn't understand her strong feelings) was admirable and she made a lot of smart choices - I didn't spend a lot of time cursing her for making the wrong decision, which again, was very refreshing.
Having said all that, there were a few stylistic choices that I need to address. The third-person narrative took some getting used to, especially since the narrator changed several times. I also found that, while quirky and funny in some situations, the constant day-dreaming from almost all of the characters was strange - it was almost like I was privy to every thought that passed through their mind, and sometimes I was left asking what was the point. I found the time-jumping to be a bit disorienting, as the narrative was back-tracked to show the story from a different character's point-of-view, and I found that there were a couple things mentioned that seemed contradictory. For example, when explaining why Summer and Daniel's parents disliked each other, Sobolik describes Summer's mother as someone who was "living for her child" - and makes a point to show us how attentive Jeannie was to her daughter. Later, however, Jeannie is described as someone who secretly hopes for a more interesting life and then wonders (hopes) if:
By the end of Zombie Love I was pretty confused about how I felt. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the witty humour and the third-person narration really grew on me. I also really enjoyed some of the more comedic moments, and that it was a quick read with no mind-boggling plot to wrap my head around. On the other, there were a couple of plot holes that really didn't sit well with me, and some underdeveloped characters that I was interested in watching, but not overly invested in. I am interested to see how this series progresses though, and I would definitely be interested in reading the sequel!
The prologue, though short, completely sucked me in. With lines like this:
"Sam hoped he wasn't dead if only because he did not want to have to replace yet another lab assistant...But he didn't care much.how couldn't I want to keep reading?! From Sam we learn that he has found a way to reanimate the dead, but that what he thought was a controlled scientific experiment has evolved into a virus. A virus that is looking to escape the confines of its prison.
He could just bring the boy back to life if he wanted."
But before the virus escapes, we meet Daniel. Average-looking, average-student, average-class Daniel. With nothing that he believes is remarkable about himself, Daniel spends his time daydreaming of his next-door-neighbour Summer, as he's too afraid of rejection to actually speak to her. It was refreshing to see a YA male protagonist show insecurities, and I felt like I could actually relate to Daniel: he worried that his thoughts about Summer were dirty, he wished he was in better shape so she might notice him and he avoided taking the bus after sharing a kiss with her that he thought she was embarrassed about. Summer was also refreshing for a YA female protagonist - she too had insecurities, for some of the same reasons as Daniel, but she didn't let them define her.
My big issue with Summer and Daniel, as is my issue with most YA novels, was the insta-love. Having just been saved by Daniel from the now-infected Sam, Summer decides:
"...the feelings they had for each other had swelled to love. You don't go through something like this with another person you care about and not fall in love. She could see it in the way he looked at her, when he finally stopped looking at the corpse. They were in love, and now was the time for Summer to show it."Now, prior to this was an explanation as to why Summer and Daniel had avoided each other, even though they were next-door neighbours. Sobolik actually compares it to a Capulet-Montague situation, where because the parents have decided to dislike each other, their children must do the same. He also alludes to both of them harbouring feelings for the other, from afar. But the jump from a crush on someone you don't know, to love because they just saved your life was a little too much for me - I just didn't believe it, not only because Summer had to tell me they were in love, but because I just didn't feel the chemistry between them. This declaration of love also leads to the dumbest action by either Daniel or Summer in the entire book - standing next to the "dead" corpse of an infected person, they share their first real kiss. So caught up in the moment, neither of them notices the corpse moving towards Daniel until it's too late - and he's bitten.
Summer now has to decide which course of action to take - she can kill Daniel once he reanimates, or she can tie him to a tree with some rope in the hopes a vaccination is created in time to save his life. Now all of this would be fine, except the government has swept in to town, in the hopes of completely eradicating the virus and any who are infected. Any mention of the outbreak in the media is silenced before it can be aired, anyone who tries to harbour an infected loved one is removed from town, never to be seen from again and it's not long before Daniel's disappearance is noticed. This became a major plot hole for me. Summer felt she (and Daniel who she had hid in the woods in case you didn't guess that!) were safe, as she had next-to-no contact with Daniel prior to his disappearance - which makes complete sense. Why would they question her about someone who she didn't speak to? What I didn't understand was how a government agency, who wasn't above killing innocent people in order to keep the outbreak a secret, wouldn't think to comb the woods behind the area with the outbreak. If they were serious enough to control the media coverage, then they would have had entire search teams looking for anyone who might be infected - including any missing persons, like Daniel.
The rest of the book is spent watching Summer try and hide Daniel from her parents and the government. It's not long before they come knocking on her door, and trouble ensues. I won't get in to too many details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but it's during these moments when Summer starts to grow on me. Her dedication to protecting Daniel (even though I didn't understand her strong feelings) was admirable and she made a lot of smart choices - I didn't spend a lot of time cursing her for making the wrong decision, which again, was very refreshing.
Having said all that, there were a few stylistic choices that I need to address. The third-person narrative took some getting used to, especially since the narrator changed several times. I also found that, while quirky and funny in some situations, the constant day-dreaming from almost all of the characters was strange - it was almost like I was privy to every thought that passed through their mind, and sometimes I was left asking what was the point. I found the time-jumping to be a bit disorienting, as the narrative was back-tracked to show the story from a different character's point-of-view, and I found that there were a couple things mentioned that seemed contradictory. For example, when explaining why Summer and Daniel's parents disliked each other, Sobolik describes Summer's mother as someone who was "living for her child" - and makes a point to show us how attentive Jeannie was to her daughter. Later, however, Jeannie is described as someone who secretly hopes for a more interesting life and then wonders (hopes) if:
"...perhaps Summer would be scarred for life; becoming some sort of deranged monster that relished the sight of the dead and could possibly become a murderer, or worse, a funeral home director."Those two explanations of Jeannie just don't make sense to me, as they seem to be describing two very different people. But above all, I feel like Zombie Love was too short - I didn't get a chance to become invested in any of the characters, as there was too much action happening to watch them develop.
By the end of Zombie Love I was pretty confused about how I felt. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the witty humour and the third-person narration really grew on me. I also really enjoyed some of the more comedic moments, and that it was a quick read with no mind-boggling plot to wrap my head around. On the other, there were a couple of plot holes that really didn't sit well with me, and some underdeveloped characters that I was interested in watching, but not overly invested in. I am interested to see how this series progresses though, and I would definitely be interested in reading the sequel!
February 26, 2012
Cover Art: The cover is a little freaky...I think the zombie eyes and open mouth are very creepy looking, but what should I expect from a zombie story? Zombie lovers will definitively appreciate it!
This book is a very fun, quick read. The margins are very large and it gives the pages a unique look. I think that someone who is not a "reader" might find this style less threatening than a full page of text and it just may encourage some adolescents to give it a try. I'm all about getting more kids to read, so for me this was a great bonus.
The story is well written. It has appropriate grammar and sentence structure. It is written in the third person, which for me, gives a book a less intimate feeling. Although you know what the characters are thinking, I think reading it in the third person, puts a certain amount of emotional distance between the reader and the characters.
The writing is descriptive without feeling forced and it flows along well, although it does backtrack at times as the narrator changes. This wasn't a bad thing, just different. The pace is good and the plot is interesting. The narrator changes through the book and I found this a little distracting at times, because I wasn't always ready for the change. These are very minor complaints and they are not meant to imply that this is not a book worth reading. I do recommend that you pick up a copy of this one!
The main characters are Summer and Daniel, whose families dislike one another. Summer and Daniel are both crushing on each other, although neither has been brave enough to act on it. Both characters are insecure but fairly normal teens. They don't have special powers or family secrets or the ability to see ghosts. (A refreshing change from the glut of other paranormal YA books.)
Summer and Daniel do have somewhat dysfunctional parents. Their Mothers are stereotypical from a YA standpoint. One is a helicopter parent and the other is detached and uninvolved, even though she believes that she "lives" for her child. Most teens will relate to some of these traits and sympathize with Summer and Daniels' feelings toward their Mothers.
Summer and Daniel have very little time to discover their affection for each other before Daniel is turned into a zombie. I would have liked to see a little more time for their relationship to develop. It happens very quickly and it makes Summer's devotion to Daniel less believable. Summer's obsession with helping Daniel seems to have no basis. It made her appear kind of silly and immature. If Summer and Daniel had had at least one chapter for their relationship to develop, I think most readers would have found the relationship more realistic and thus, inspire more sympathetic feelings towards Summer. Because of this, I had a harder time liking Summer at first. However, as the story plays out, Summer becomes stronger and smarter. She begins to evolve into a character that I care about.
I really found Daniel to be an interesting character. He has a funny self-depreciating wit. I was really not quite ready for him to become a zombie and I missed his humor throughout the rest of the book.
The ending of the book has an interesting twist and since this appears to the first of a series of books, I am looking forward to see where the author, Eric Soblik takes us in the next book. If you are a fan of zombie stories you don't want to miss this one. If you are not a zombie fan, this book is still entertaining and worth your time. Pick up a copy!
Thanks to Eric Soblik for proving a copy of his self published this book for this review.
This book is a very fun, quick read. The margins are very large and it gives the pages a unique look. I think that someone who is not a "reader" might find this style less threatening than a full page of text and it just may encourage some adolescents to give it a try. I'm all about getting more kids to read, so for me this was a great bonus.
The story is well written. It has appropriate grammar and sentence structure. It is written in the third person, which for me, gives a book a less intimate feeling. Although you know what the characters are thinking, I think reading it in the third person, puts a certain amount of emotional distance between the reader and the characters.
The writing is descriptive without feeling forced and it flows along well, although it does backtrack at times as the narrator changes. This wasn't a bad thing, just different. The pace is good and the plot is interesting. The narrator changes through the book and I found this a little distracting at times, because I wasn't always ready for the change. These are very minor complaints and they are not meant to imply that this is not a book worth reading. I do recommend that you pick up a copy of this one!
The main characters are Summer and Daniel, whose families dislike one another. Summer and Daniel are both crushing on each other, although neither has been brave enough to act on it. Both characters are insecure but fairly normal teens. They don't have special powers or family secrets or the ability to see ghosts. (A refreshing change from the glut of other paranormal YA books.)
Summer and Daniel do have somewhat dysfunctional parents. Their Mothers are stereotypical from a YA standpoint. One is a helicopter parent and the other is detached and uninvolved, even though she believes that she "lives" for her child. Most teens will relate to some of these traits and sympathize with Summer and Daniels' feelings toward their Mothers.
Summer and Daniel have very little time to discover their affection for each other before Daniel is turned into a zombie. I would have liked to see a little more time for their relationship to develop. It happens very quickly and it makes Summer's devotion to Daniel less believable. Summer's obsession with helping Daniel seems to have no basis. It made her appear kind of silly and immature. If Summer and Daniel had had at least one chapter for their relationship to develop, I think most readers would have found the relationship more realistic and thus, inspire more sympathetic feelings towards Summer. Because of this, I had a harder time liking Summer at first. However, as the story plays out, Summer becomes stronger and smarter. She begins to evolve into a character that I care about.
I really found Daniel to be an interesting character. He has a funny self-depreciating wit. I was really not quite ready for him to become a zombie and I missed his humor throughout the rest of the book.
The ending of the book has an interesting twist and since this appears to the first of a series of books, I am looking forward to see where the author, Eric Soblik takes us in the next book. If you are a fan of zombie stories you don't want to miss this one. If you are not a zombie fan, this book is still entertaining and worth your time. Pick up a copy!
Thanks to Eric Soblik for proving a copy of his self published this book for this review.
February 2, 2012
I have to admit, I loved this book!
I am so very excited to have an opportunity to review this ZOMBIE book today!
I had only read one other, and let's just say, I wasn't sure that I could ever read another zombie story any time soon, lol! but when I received Eric J. Sobolik's request, I couldn't resist giving the whole zombie thing another try.
Just look at that bookcover! Could you resist???
Love. What would you do for the one you love? How far would you go for it?
To protect it???
The story starts out with 'the outbreak' - Sam, an egotistical doctor, has come up with a way to reanimate the dead. While Sam daydreams of all the awards he will receive for his 'accomplished experiment', he is rudely interrupted with the news that his controlled experiment has turned into a virus - one that escapes! and then runs amok in a small rural town... it's kind of intense, funny in an ironic kind of way, and I must say, a bit gross! I'm a girl, I get squeamish, lol!
We then backtrack a bit and meet the star crossed lovers when they are toddlers to find out why they have never spoken to each other, even though they have been neighbors their entire lives...
We then jump to present day and meet Daniel first. Daniel is a typical teen boy with insecurities who daydreams and has a huge crush on the girl next door, Summer.
And guess what? Summer is a typical teen girl with insecurities who daydreams and who in return, unbeknownst to him, has crush on Daniel too.
Next thing you know, zombies are everywhere, Daniel and Summer have their 'moment' and then...
well, unless you want me to spoil the story for you, you'll have to read it. This book is really fast paced and when you're done, it almost feels like it was too short!
The writing is excellent! The story was a bit jumpy, it would go from what one character was thinking to the next sometimes retelling what was happening, I felt like I didn't have enough time to adjust in between, but I was okay with it. I feel like it was necessary, and I liked being able to see what everyone's was thinking about all that was going around them... and the characters seem to fall in love within seconds; but I think that may be because of their history together and after finishing the book, I get how and why Summer is so in love with Daniel.
The Outbreak is just the first in the Zombie Love series. I will most certainly be on the lookout for the next one - and hopefully we will be seeing that soon! It seems that Daniel and Summer may not be the only zombie love story out there! and who is this Special Agent Black???
Stay tuned!!!
An interview with the author, Eric J. Sobolik will be posted tomorrow!
http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot....
I am so very excited to have an opportunity to review this ZOMBIE book today!
I had only read one other, and let's just say, I wasn't sure that I could ever read another zombie story any time soon, lol! but when I received Eric J. Sobolik's request, I couldn't resist giving the whole zombie thing another try.
Just look at that bookcover! Could you resist???
Love. What would you do for the one you love? How far would you go for it?
To protect it???
The story starts out with 'the outbreak' - Sam, an egotistical doctor, has come up with a way to reanimate the dead. While Sam daydreams of all the awards he will receive for his 'accomplished experiment', he is rudely interrupted with the news that his controlled experiment has turned into a virus - one that escapes! and then runs amok in a small rural town... it's kind of intense, funny in an ironic kind of way, and I must say, a bit gross! I'm a girl, I get squeamish, lol!
We then backtrack a bit and meet the star crossed lovers when they are toddlers to find out why they have never spoken to each other, even though they have been neighbors their entire lives...
We then jump to present day and meet Daniel first. Daniel is a typical teen boy with insecurities who daydreams and has a huge crush on the girl next door, Summer.
And guess what? Summer is a typical teen girl with insecurities who daydreams and who in return, unbeknownst to him, has crush on Daniel too.
Next thing you know, zombies are everywhere, Daniel and Summer have their 'moment' and then...
well, unless you want me to spoil the story for you, you'll have to read it. This book is really fast paced and when you're done, it almost feels like it was too short!
The writing is excellent! The story was a bit jumpy, it would go from what one character was thinking to the next sometimes retelling what was happening, I felt like I didn't have enough time to adjust in between, but I was okay with it. I feel like it was necessary, and I liked being able to see what everyone's was thinking about all that was going around them... and the characters seem to fall in love within seconds; but I think that may be because of their history together and after finishing the book, I get how and why Summer is so in love with Daniel.
The Outbreak is just the first in the Zombie Love series. I will most certainly be on the lookout for the next one - and hopefully we will be seeing that soon! It seems that Daniel and Summer may not be the only zombie love story out there! and who is this Special Agent Black???
Stay tuned!!!
An interview with the author, Eric J. Sobolik will be posted tomorrow!
http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot....
January 26, 2012
Originally posted @ Book Whales
How far will you go to protect the person you love?
During the prologue, we find out that Sam has somehow found a way to bring back the dead. But things got out of control, and what he thought would be a miracle turned out to be a nightmare. And this is where the zombies come in.
The story revolves around our main protagonists, Summer and Daniel. Both of them are neighbors, but because of the conflicts between their parents, they didn’t really hang out. At all. But this didn’t stop them from falling in-love with each other. One night, Summer was attacked by a stranger and Daniel comes to her aid, and then they share a wonderful kiss. Well, it would’ve been wonderful for me, except for the fact that they’re kissing near a corpse, or rather a zombie. You know what happens next. Daniel got bitten. Now Summer is torn between saving Daniel or giving him up.
At first I thought that this will be like any other typical zombie novel where the virus breaks out, people are dying and brought back to life as flesh-eating monsters, and then the protagonists will have to find a way to save themselves from them. But I was wrong! The concept is new to me since the heroine loved a zombie—the type that you see on the dawn of the dead or resident evil. Yes. I meant the flesh eating ones.
Zombie Love is a fast read, but I think that it’s too short. There were great characters that would’ve been more interesting if developed more. Overall, we enjoyed reading this book, and we look forward to how Summer and Daniel’s relationship will progress, and how the virus will be contained.
Rating: 3.5 Whales
How far will you go to protect the person you love?
During the prologue, we find out that Sam has somehow found a way to bring back the dead. But things got out of control, and what he thought would be a miracle turned out to be a nightmare. And this is where the zombies come in.
The story revolves around our main protagonists, Summer and Daniel. Both of them are neighbors, but because of the conflicts between their parents, they didn’t really hang out. At all. But this didn’t stop them from falling in-love with each other. One night, Summer was attacked by a stranger and Daniel comes to her aid, and then they share a wonderful kiss. Well, it would’ve been wonderful for me, except for the fact that they’re kissing near a corpse, or rather a zombie. You know what happens next. Daniel got bitten. Now Summer is torn between saving Daniel or giving him up.
At first I thought that this will be like any other typical zombie novel where the virus breaks out, people are dying and brought back to life as flesh-eating monsters, and then the protagonists will have to find a way to save themselves from them. But I was wrong! The concept is new to me since the heroine loved a zombie—the type that you see on the dawn of the dead or resident evil. Yes. I meant the flesh eating ones.
Zombie Love is a fast read, but I think that it’s too short. There were great characters that would’ve been more interesting if developed more. Overall, we enjoyed reading this book, and we look forward to how Summer and Daniel’s relationship will progress, and how the virus will be contained.
Rating: 3.5 Whales
February 6, 2012
I am not into the zombie genre. Actually to think of it have only read a hand full of zombie books which is weird because I love zombie movies. When I was ask to review this book, I just jumped right at it and I was not disappointed at all. It was a very fast and easy read.
The book is about Summer Strom and Daniel Harris, who are life long neighbors and finally starts to notice each other but luck is not on their side. There is a virus outbreak which is turning their town into flesh eating zombies and while saving Summer, Daniel gets bit and the whole thing gets very messy.
The book starts with a prologue which define the tone of the book. The book is actually very funny and a very quick read. It being the first book in the series it's all about: who these characters are?, what happened? and how it happened?
I story is touching, humorous, scary, light and clever. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
The Good:
It's short, sweet, smart and funny.
The writing is very clever and incredibly simple. Which is a very good thing.
The romance aspect is very sweet and cute.
I really liked Daniel and I wished there was more of him in the book.
Even though it has been done a thousand times and but i still love the alternating point of views of Daniel and Summer.
The ending blew me away and I want more of it.
The Bad:
I didn't like Summer as much as I liked Daniel.
Hence, I wanted more of Daniel.
The constant day dreaming bit of all the characters was a little weird. Funny. But weird.
Overall: 4 and a thumbs up!
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Romance: 3/5
LoL Moments: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Favorite Quote: "Daniel had never felt he was the most creative person. He had a dog as a boy, named Barky, who barked a lot.
This was the first in a long line of Daniel naming things with the first thing that came to mind. His stuffed polar bear was called Bear, and lamp that was in the shape of a rocket ship was just called Lamp."
Favorite Character: Daniel
Many thanks to the writer for providing me a copy of the book for review.
April 2, 2012
See this and other fun reviews at Fuzzy.Coffee.Books!
What I Liked: 1) I liked the plot - Summer, while being terrified for her life and her family from these Zombies, is still fighting to save the boy she loves. It's really very sweet, though the way she goes about it isn't really very smart. 2) Summer - she has a sword and is kind of a badass. I mean, she doesn't seem like it at first, but then she pulls out this sword and it's like, geez. Almost a Clark Kent/Superman shift. (Yeah, I pulled out a comic book reference!) 2) If you are into the gruesome side of zombies, this book is for you. There's tons of action in this book and it makes the book move very fast. 3) This book ends on a cliffhanger, because it is only the first book in the series. You'll definitely be curious as to what Summer is going to do once you reach the end.
What I Didn't Like: 1) So much of this book was...dark and sad. And scary. Because it was only the first book in a series, I know that a lot of the bad stuff was happening up front, but poor Summer. I don't even know how she was still standing at the end of it. She was put through the ringer. It didn't seem like anything ever went her way. 2) I thought the characters were a little flat. We got a lot of back story, but I always like to get to know characters from their actions, versus just being told how they are. Show, don't tell, I guess would be a good rule to go by.
Overall thoughts: Zombie Love: The Outbreak is a good start to what I expect will be a very interesting and action-packed series. I'd suggest that any Zombie fan take some time to check out this book and run around with Summer as she tries to save herself and her love from the virus overtaking her community and creating zombies!
3.5 espresso shots!
What I Liked: 1) I liked the plot - Summer, while being terrified for her life and her family from these Zombies, is still fighting to save the boy she loves. It's really very sweet, though the way she goes about it isn't really very smart. 2) Summer - she has a sword and is kind of a badass. I mean, she doesn't seem like it at first, but then she pulls out this sword and it's like, geez. Almost a Clark Kent/Superman shift. (Yeah, I pulled out a comic book reference!) 2) If you are into the gruesome side of zombies, this book is for you. There's tons of action in this book and it makes the book move very fast. 3) This book ends on a cliffhanger, because it is only the first book in the series. You'll definitely be curious as to what Summer is going to do once you reach the end.
What I Didn't Like: 1) So much of this book was...dark and sad. And scary. Because it was only the first book in a series, I know that a lot of the bad stuff was happening up front, but poor Summer. I don't even know how she was still standing at the end of it. She was put through the ringer. It didn't seem like anything ever went her way. 2) I thought the characters were a little flat. We got a lot of back story, but I always like to get to know characters from their actions, versus just being told how they are. Show, don't tell, I guess would be a good rule to go by.
Overall thoughts: Zombie Love: The Outbreak is a good start to what I expect will be a very interesting and action-packed series. I'd suggest that any Zombie fan take some time to check out this book and run around with Summer as she tries to save herself and her love from the virus overtaking her community and creating zombies!
3.5 espresso shots!
March 6, 2012
*** This book is provided by the author for review purposes ***
What will you do, if the love of your life is now a zombie and don't even remember you? Will you still like to be with him or kill him for the sake of others? I know this is very difficult to ask and much more difficult to answer. The author of Zombie Love has answered in his own way to these questions.
Daniel and Summer, two teens from the same neighborhood are attracted towards each other for a long time, but never came out with it directly. But, at last when they shared their first kiss, Daniel was attacked by another zombie and now was turning himself into a zombie. Summer's decision was the key to this novel's plot..so, I am not going to include that surprise (or is it shock?) for you.
The zombie here is not a fantasy character, got up from the dead by some black magic or something. Its a virus, that was gone uncontrolled by a scientist. Although I enjoyed some of the scenes in the book, and the overall thrill the book offered, I felt that the characters are not deep and well-developed to get involved in the book entirely.
Summer and Daniel's love was not shown to be so deep in the novel, to know whether Summer's decision is desperation or foolishness. But overall, I enjoyed the book and I can understand Summer's desperation to protect Daniel. But the ending got worse and I really don't know how all of this will end. Will there ever be a happy ending for Summer and Daniel? I hope the next book in the series answers.
Fast-paced novel..recommended for not-so-mature zombie lovers!
What will you do, if the love of your life is now a zombie and don't even remember you? Will you still like to be with him or kill him for the sake of others? I know this is very difficult to ask and much more difficult to answer. The author of Zombie Love has answered in his own way to these questions.
Daniel and Summer, two teens from the same neighborhood are attracted towards each other for a long time, but never came out with it directly. But, at last when they shared their first kiss, Daniel was attacked by another zombie and now was turning himself into a zombie. Summer's decision was the key to this novel's plot..so, I am not going to include that surprise (or is it shock?) for you.
The zombie here is not a fantasy character, got up from the dead by some black magic or something. Its a virus, that was gone uncontrolled by a scientist. Although I enjoyed some of the scenes in the book, and the overall thrill the book offered, I felt that the characters are not deep and well-developed to get involved in the book entirely.
Summer and Daniel's love was not shown to be so deep in the novel, to know whether Summer's decision is desperation or foolishness. But overall, I enjoyed the book and I can understand Summer's desperation to protect Daniel. But the ending got worse and I really don't know how all of this will end. Will there ever be a happy ending for Summer and Daniel? I hope the next book in the series answers.
Fast-paced novel..recommended for not-so-mature zombie lovers!
March 5, 2012
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3.5 stars!
Title : Zombie Love : The Outbreak
Series : Zombie Love 1
Pages : Average 200
Author : Eris J. Sobolik
Publisher : Self-Pub
Format : Paperback
Source : From the author to review
My Opinion:
Zombie Love : The Outbreak was sent to me from the author to review, and it was my first real (physical) book I got! You can't imagine how happy I was!
I read this book last night in one sitting. That tells you how the story is fast to read. It also has about 200 pages.
The plot is really great, but I don't really understand where the humor is? (Because of the quote on the back ''... filled with genuine humor and wit...'' - Landon Wasem) Um... where's the humor? I thought the book was actually kind of sad...
Also, in the beginning, Summer's mother is all lion on her daughter... but not anymore afterwards? I would have liked to know why/how it happened?
Overall, a good read!
/
3.5 roses!
3.5 stars!
Title : Zombie Love : The Outbreak
Series : Zombie Love 1
Pages : Average 200
Author : Eris J. Sobolik
Publisher : Self-Pub
Format : Paperback
Source : From the author to review
My Opinion:
Zombie Love : The Outbreak was sent to me from the author to review, and it was my first real (physical) book I got! You can't imagine how happy I was!
I read this book last night in one sitting. That tells you how the story is fast to read. It also has about 200 pages.
The plot is really great, but I don't really understand where the humor is? (Because of the quote on the back ''... filled with genuine humor and wit...'' - Landon Wasem) Um... where's the humor? I thought the book was actually kind of sad...
Also, in the beginning, Summer's mother is all lion on her daughter... but not anymore afterwards? I would have liked to know why/how it happened?
Overall, a good read!
/
3.5 roses!
March 11, 2012
http://addictedtonovels.blogspot.com/
It's not my normal genre, I think the last time I read anything involving zombies was the Strange Angels series. It wasn't too bad, although sometimes I found myself having to reread something, because the writing could be a little confusing. In the beginning, we are introduced to the story about how the whole disease and zombie stuff started. It actually helped to understand the book as a whole, and made me wanna know what happened because of it.
I ended up reading and finishing this book the same day I started it, it's such a fun, quick read with lots of humor and other emotions you can't help but feel when your reading. It was so easy to get attached to the characters! Especially Daniel, he was my favorite by the time I finished the book.
I have to admit, the cover didn't do much for me, but the story definitely did! I recommend this book to zombie lovers for sure!
It's not my normal genre, I think the last time I read anything involving zombies was the Strange Angels series. It wasn't too bad, although sometimes I found myself having to reread something, because the writing could be a little confusing. In the beginning, we are introduced to the story about how the whole disease and zombie stuff started. It actually helped to understand the book as a whole, and made me wanna know what happened because of it.
I ended up reading and finishing this book the same day I started it, it's such a fun, quick read with lots of humor and other emotions you can't help but feel when your reading. It was so easy to get attached to the characters! Especially Daniel, he was my favorite by the time I finished the book.
I have to admit, the cover didn't do much for me, but the story definitely did! I recommend this book to zombie lovers for sure!
June 13, 2012
I LOVED this!! I bought it one night because the book I was really waiting for came out the next day and I couldnt have been luckier!! HOWEVER!! Now this author has disapeared and I am left hanging and trying to stalk him on the internet to write the rest of the book!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU ERIC J. SOBOLIK????????????????
February 4, 2014
Cute
Adorable and at times laugh at loud funny, zombie love was a surprisingly good read. My only complaint was it's length. There were definite areas of the story that could use some filling out, but all in all an impressive first novel from a promising young writer.
Adorable and at times laugh at loud funny, zombie love was a surprisingly good read. My only complaint was it's length. There were definite areas of the story that could use some filling out, but all in all an impressive first novel from a promising young writer.
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