King of the Dead A Zombie Love Story

by Ryana Hunter

In a world ruled by the undead, Renee is one of the last survivors. Forced into captivity by the king of the dead, she discovers a secret that could save humanity - or destroy it. To get the information she needs, she must get close to the one man who holds the key to everything: the king himself.

Zane is a zombie, but he's also a man who was once in love with Renee. He saved her from his horde years ago, but she doesn't remember him. Now, he'll stop at nothing to make her his queen - even if it means risking everything. Together, they'll explore the forbidden love that binds them, and the dark secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

In this haunting tale of love and death, Renee and Zane will discover that life and death may not be what they thought - and that they can be reborn through love. Don't miss your chance to enter the Kingdom of the Dead.

Genres: Zombies, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Dystopia, Dark Romance

Unknown Binding

Published October 13, 2023

About the author

I write compelling dark stories to remind the world of things forgotten and challenge their perception of reality, relationships and beyond by giving voices to characters that are not mainstream.

Ryana is an author working in prose, screen, and comic books. She is drawn to flaws and darkness, finding honesty and depth lurking there. Some of the most interesting stories are hidden behind the day-to-day facade we protect ourselves with. She scratches at the surface, flips the coin over, and keeps digging until she finds the soul of a story.

She lives in a small island town in the wilds of the east coast. When she’s not writing or enthralling people with her oral storytelling, she can be found relaxing with a cup of coffee, designing house layouts or painting with diamonds.

Reviews

[cobwebbing · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received an ARC through Reedsy in exchange for an honest review.

In "King of the Dead," Renee, a survivor of the apocalypse who is deaf, (re)encounters Zane, a sapient zombie ruler. The novel covers their journey together along with a zombie horde.

I was intrigued by the prospect of having a character who is deaf and has to hunt for batteries for her cochlear implant. A brief way into the story, however, her implant is destroyed and she can hear without it. I enjoy that she maintains some of her deaf culture—habitually lipreading, for example—but her disability did not inform her interactions with the world as much as I might have liked.

I don't particularly like zombies, but the film Warm Bodies and the song Zombie Song by Stephanie Mabey have proven exceptions thanks to their romantic aspects. I hoped that this book would strike that same chord. Unfortunately, I do not enjoy Renee or Zane as characters. Renee has a bad attitude that is made palatable because of her relatively young age and situation, but it does not serve to make her likeable. Meanwhile, Zane is an absolute ruler who withholds information for reasons that seem mostly to do with artificially extending the plot.

Renee's insistence on designating Zane as a "king" is interesting in theory but comes off as silly in practice, especially when he rejects the title. There are many moments of what I would consider silly and/or unbelievable to the point of breaking my suspension of disbelief. I'll try to go over some relatively spoiler-free examples: there is a scene involving a tame rabbit showing up and the consequences of that, the suddenness of Renee and Zane's relationship turning physical, and the aforementioned destruction of the implant. There is also an insistence that Zane, a zombie, smells and tastes nice.

No elegant way to put this anywhere else in this review—this is a kissing book, as they say. I was not titillated by the romance or the sex, which by and large came off as cheesy. Much talk of "Mine"(s) and "Oh my god, that was amazing," and the like.

There are some good ideas here—a disabled protagonist working to stay alive and commune with others in the context of a zombie apocalypse, social functions amid zombies—but in my opinion they needed to be handled with more care. I have settled on a 2 on Reedsy in keeping with their rating system as I believe this was technically readable if not enjoyable for me. However, by my metric on Goodreads, I am giving it a 1 because I strongly disliked it even if it was technically competent.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

When I first read this description, I was like Zombie romance?? Are we in the Warm Bodies resurgence? I was STOKED. Alas, the book fell a little flat compared to my high hopes for it.

It was a fun read - I will say that. The author branches into a genre of romance (zombie romance) that felt new. It was fun to read a romance book where there’s not an over saturation of them in the genre. I also absolutely loved the Deaf/hard of hearing representation and how the FMC navigates a zombie apocalypse being Deaf.

What didn’t work for me was that the FMC felt too childish at times. She was also very (weirdly) insistent on using royalty terms to describe the zombie horde. And the random pushback from the other characters too… it was strange. It also felt like the romance between the FMC and the MMC was too forced… it happened very quickly where I had to go back and reread a couple paragraphs to be like wait what? We just jumped right into this okay.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced e-arc in exchange for a fair and honest review! 💕

[Katie]

Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the ARC of this book.

This book was... tough to get through and I stopped at 45%

The FMC was very immature and that was hard to stomach. It was addressed in the beginning of the book and it was stated that she was immuture because the zombie apocalypse started when she was a teenager. You would think though that a zombie apocalypse would mature someone?? This immaturity was shown in that she was referring to everyone as king and queen which was incredibly annoying. She just couldn't drop that Brie (WHO IS AN ACTUAL ZOMBIE) was so perfect and beautiful and was definitely so popular in highschool. And that she just couldn't shut up about the king's high cheekbones.

Some positives....I liked the representation of Renee being deaf and surviving during a zombie apocalypse.

Also this was definitely a different kind of love story. If the FMC was more mature, it would definitely not be as difficult to try and get through.

[Savanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. This book took me by surprise!!!! I’m not a big gore/scary anything. The walking dead gave me nightmaressssss. So I was nervous about the zombie aspect here. But let me just tell you, it WORKS. The story was killer! (😏 did you like my pun there? Haaaa)

I was so intrigued. Our FMC is a bit unsure and is just looking for a place to fit, though she can come off bratty/annoying I felt within her history you understand why. She is trying to survive this world of danger and death. And our MMC IS death, but like, a sweet death. Their story is really cute and I found myself saying “aw” and “ahhh” in equal parts. The horde dynamic is so interesting. And BRIE 🙌🏼 She is amazing. Like.. and am I team zombie? What? I think I might be!!!! I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!

The bunny. THE. BUNNY.

[Lenaasty · Rating 3 out of 5]

if the walking dead was a romance book with zombie smut



[arc review, honest opinion]

[Michelle Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

What initially swayed me into picking up this book was the tantalizing premise of a romance between a human and a zombie—a concept that promised something wildly unconventional. However, from the moment I cracked it open, it was clear this wasn’t your typical undead love story. Zane, the zombie lead, isn’t your run-of-the-mill brainless, shuffling corpse. In fact, he's fully sentient—so if you're expecting moans of the “brains” variety, you might be surprised to find something... far more passionate (yes, I'm talking about the steamy kind!). I was particularly drawn to the idea that the female protagonist, Renee, had a disability, and I expected this aspect to play a key role in how she navigated survival in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world. Disappointingly, that thread seemed to unravel almost as quickly as the plot took off, leaving me wanting more depth on that front. That said, I adored Renee as a character. Too often in zombie fiction, protagonists suddenly morph into superhuman survivalists or fearless warriors. Not Renee. She reacted the way most of us would—with pure panic! I mean, who wouldn’t want to hide and have a full-on breakdown in her situation? It made her utterly relatable, and in my opinion, much more authentic than the typical “chosen one” archetype. The real mystery comes when Renee finds herself thrust into the heart of Zane’s horde. Why didn’t they tear her to shreds? And who exactly is Zane, this commanding yet enigmatic figure? Zombie or not, he treated Renee with a kind of tenderness that hinted at something deeper, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was always holding something back. Around two-thirds into the book, I felt I had a pretty good sense of where things were headed, but to be fair, that didn’t diminish the experience for me. The way Renee and Zane’s dynamic unfolded seemed like the only natural way this strange, forbidden relationship could evolve. All in all, this book offers an intriguing twist on the zombie genre. In fact, with their pale skin and predatory behavior, the "Chosen" zombies often felt more like vampires than traditional undead, especially with Zane constant baring his teeth. The epilogue teases more twists ahead, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what’s in store in the next installment!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mandy Sickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received King of the Dead in return for an honest review from Bound by Mischief.

Renee is alone after losing everyone she cared she's always been the one in the group if she didn't come back no one would really care. That is till she catches the attention of Zane a zombie who's not your typical zombie. He saved her from the hoard many years ago and has been in love with her ever since and after finding her again he's not going to let her go. Will this unlikely duo find the home they are looking for.

I love Renee the fact that she's a read even after the zombie break just makes me love her more. When Zane brings her a book to read he stole my heart. I hope if we have a zombie apocalypse that I get books to instead of just a meal. Zane is an interesting twist on the zombie trope because he's more than just a tradition zombie. I love the idea of Renee and Zane together it was a sweet twist.

I've read a bunch of zombie books but not very many zombie romance and this is my favorite so far. The author has created engaging character's that I really felt like I could connect with and cheer on through the whole story. The whole idea behind the different zombies I found unique and kept me curious what we would encounter next. I love the idea of the idea of a sweet zombie romance it's not your typical zombie story.

This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked, she does a beautiful job creating a captivating story that just captured my attention making it hard to put my book down. I ended up devouring King of the Dead in just two quick reading sessions due to real life but given the chance I would have finished it in one. The characters are wonderful I loved Renee and Zane was totally swoon worthy even if he is undead. I love the teaser for the next one and can't wait for it to come out and learn more about the Queen of the Dead. Just enough time to explore the authors backlist while I wait. I love monster romance and this one nailed it. Highly recommend checking it out.

[RusticRabbit · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of the Dead is from the point of view of Renee, who is a fairly unique character. I will agree she is annoying, but that is part of her appeal. A childish coward with a hearing impairment is not a usual character written in a zombie apocalypse, but they do exist, and she has her reasons to be the way she is. I relate to her she's literally me! She is stuck in a high school-esque mentality and loves her fantasy books as well, and she's a touch crazy. Zane is weirdly secretive but he also has his reasons, and all is revealed in the end. They do fit together nicely and there is growth with both of them by the end of the book. I love the supporting characters as well. Brie is so real and I love how dynamic her character is even though she isn't in the main couple. Other named, and unnamed, zombies are also very cool. The world building went so hard, I absolutely love how the zombies work and how Zane's horde works. The reader finds things out about the zombies as Renee does which leaves a lot of things mysterious and had me hooked. There were also some twists that I loved. The one thing I didn't like about this book were the spicy scenes. They were fairly basic and short, and I was glad there weren't many. I am glad they happened but if I reread, I will be skipping them. However, the world building and character dynamics completely made up for that which is why I am still rating this a 5 star! Also, the epilogue pissed me off (it sets up the next book) but trust I will be reading the next book. Ultimately, I do recommend this book if you are willing to put up with characters that can be a bit annoying at times for the sake of unique and interesting perspectives of the zombie apocalypse as well as excellent world building!!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kymberly Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

King of the Dead - Ryanair Hunter
⭐️⭐️⭐️
[NetGalley Honest Review]

✨ The Vibe: Typical Romance/Different View (worth it tho!)

💜 What I Loved:
- A love story told from the lovers POV. Ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a 🧟‍♂️? Apparently, they are just horny and hungry. 😂 The chemistry in this book is amazing and, Zane's secrets and brooding were kinda 🥵. Renee made being a nerdy, socially awkward book girl fun <-me, Renee is me! 😁
- This read made me feel like I am finally one of the cool kids. Friendships in this book are hard won by when they finally connect, the friendship is fierce. If I ever become a zombie, Renee, Brie, Zane, and the horde we who I would want to "devour humans" with.

⚡ What Didn’t Hit (for me):
- A lot of Renee's dialogue was repetitive. It was a little annoying when throughout the book, Renee had the same exact conversation with herself and the reader. How many times did I need to be reminded that she felt like a traitor to the human race? Even though I liked the read, this is the only reason I knocked off 2 ⭐️⭐️(it was that 😑 )

🎭 Vibe Check: It felt like taking a long as hike with my best friends (that just happen to be zombies and crave flesh). 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️

💡 Who I’d Recommend It To:
To any and all my fellow fantasy - romantasy - dystopian- hot guy 🧟‍♂️/🤓 📚 girl lovers out there -> 📢📢 This. Is. For. You

📝 Final Word: Gives me hope that I'll ring love or day, even if it's with a 🧟‍♂️ hand Zane.

Real Badass Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I get it Renee, you don't have to keep telling me you're a traitor.

🌶️🌶🌶 Not a lot but when it happens, don't blame me for the Foggy windows. 🤪🥵

🛋🛋🛋🛋️ It's 1:05am and I'm writing this review..... need say more?

🌙🌙🌙🌙 I've never felt anticipation but I do now, bring on the second 📚

🎧🎧🎧🎧 This book is best read with LoFi Soul.

[Laura Maybrooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of the Dead? A dark love story? Yes, sign me up. I’ve never read a zombie romance before, I doubt they are very common because of the zombie concept. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the zombie concept. But a romance featuring a zombie? Yeah, that’s something else. (Note: I’ve seen the movie Warm Bodies, although I haven’t read the book. There’s something of similar themes here, but also it’s very different).

I really liked this book, but even when writing this review, I am yet unsure if I’ll be rating it 4 or 5 stars. It could be either, really, depending on what floats your (my) boat on any given day. I found it somewhat annoying I could never fully understand Zane’s motivation for loving and rescuing Renee. Renee herself could be annoying, too, but there’s in-story reasons for it as well, and that’s not my main impression of her, anyway. The more I understood of the story, the more I ended up being swept away with it, and even the origin of Zane’s feelings for Renee didn’t really bother me that much in the end. I was rooting for Renee and Zane from almost the get-go. They just had an interesting chemistry. I guess the main thing is that when I look back on the story and the character relationships, enjoyment is the thing I take out of it the most, and that counts for a lot.

The epilogue kind of came out of left field, but color me intrigued.

And, something – or rather, someONE – who absolutely deserves a mention: Brie ! What a girl, this snarky and yet super capable person whom we learn to know under that exterior. She really is the best and adds a lot to the story.

[Limpnormal · Rating 3 out of 5]

King of the Dead by Ryana Hunter is a dark and emotional story that mixes zombies, romance, and survival. It follows Renee, one of the few people still alive after the world pretty much ended. She’s just trying to stay alive when she runs into Zane, the “King of the Dead,” who’s not fully human anymore but somehow remembers her from before everything fell apart. When he takes her captive, she has to figure out if he’s a monster or if he’s the only one who can actually protect her. The more she learns about him, the harder it gets to tell the difference.

The world building in this book is really good. You can picture the empty towns and the silence that comes with everything being gone. It’s creepy but also kinda beautiful in a sad way. Renee’s a strong character and she doesn’t give up, even when she probably should. The chemistry between her and Zane is a little messy but that’s what makes it work. It’s not one of those perfect love stories — it’s rough and a bit weird, but that fits the world they’re living in.

Some parts felt a little rushed though. A few of the big moments between them happen fast, and some twists you can kinda see coming. There were also a couple scenes I wish were longer, especially the ending, which felt like it stopped right when things were getting good. But even with that, it’s still really entertaining.

Overall, King of the Dead is a solid zombie romance with a lot of heart under all the horror. It’s dark, tense, and sometimes sweet in the middle of all the chaos. If you like apocalyptic stories with complicated love stories, this one’s definitely worth reading.

[Afra Binte Azad · Rating 3 out of 5]

"King of the Dead" is a novel that promises an eerie and mysterious journey. The author delves into the mental space of a disabled person, offering a unique perspective on disability and how it influences their perception of the world. This exploration adds depth to the narrative, highlighting the moral spectrum of survival instincts. The meticulous placement of gore certainly enhances the atmosphere, adding to the overall eerie ambiance of the story. However, the novel falls short in several key areas. The first noticeable issue is the disjointed and juvenile nature of the dialogue. The conversations among the characters often lack rational flow and depth. The weak characterization further hampers the engagement factor. Additionally, the main lead character feels flat and one-dimensional. The story starts off strong. However, as it progresses, it slowly becomes tedious, and the initial promise dwindles. The plot goes downhill, losing its grip on the reader's attention. The lack of logical cohesion and the unnecessarily dragged-out narrative make it difficult to fully appreciate the potential that this book could have reached. In summary, "King of the Dead" offers a spooky and mysterious premise, but it falls short in execution. While the author's ability to create an eerie atmosphere and place gore in a deliberate manner is commendable, the shortcomings in dialogue, characterization, and plot progression hinder the overall reading experience.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[ilabeaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read from this author and I finished it in about four hours. Not too long of a book, for me, but it was a good read.

FMC Renee gets annoying a lot. I do understand why she behaves the way she does, but she rebelled a lot to the point where to me, it was like "Enough already". MMC Zane can have my arm, leg and heart. He is so sweet for a zombie king and I love it. His feelings for Renee make the book feel like it borders the "fated mate" trope but nothing like that is mentioned. For sure went from enemies to friends to lovers pretty quickly. The plot was decent but I felt like the run up to the plot twist was anticlimactic. I saw the plot twist before things got heated but I still enjoyed reading the story. Brie is one of my favorite characters, a nice friend/bodyguard and I hope nothing happens to her in the future.

There are still some questions left unanswered for me that I hope gets cleared up in the next book. The cliffhanger doesn't make me want to rush to read it, but I do look forward to what will happen to everyone as well as how the MCs relationship goes. The epilogue confused me a bit. The story tells of only zombies, then all of a sudden within those last pages, we have multiple beings with powers. Their story didn't even involve the MCs of the book but maybe they're involved later on?

Overall, I look forward to reading more and seeing where the story goes.

[spaghootlesreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did NOT think that I would find myself enjoying a zombie dark romance as much as I did! I absolutely devoured this book in 2 days, the story had me in a grip that much.

The way the author had me battling my morals by empathizing with the king of the dead and his hoard?? Throughout the story, the zombies became more “human” as our FMC spent more time around them.

Renee is deaf/hard of hearing, and the way the author explained how she interacted (and felt) with the world with that disability was amazing. Renee was in high school when the zombie apocalypse took place, and slowly her cochlear implants stopped working over the years. In my opinion, that made her all the stronger because she had to survive with all of her other senses, but of course, Renee did not think the same.

Renee had to live with the fact that no one wanted her in their group because she provided nothing skill wise for them in return. Also, all of the groups she was with died to the zombies eventually, so it always just her. Until Zane.

I LOVED reading how Renee slowly fell for the king of the dead, Zane, even though he was a zombie, and she was supposed to find a way to save the human population. But, she was in love with a zombie… a very handsome, but also very dead, zombie.

Also the TWIST?! That explains so much… and it made me sad for Renee…. But also a bit happy. You’ll see what I mean when you get to that part.

PLEASE add this to your TBR, because that epilogue??? I need book two immediately, because that was a strange cliffhanger.

[Thea Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect read for spooky season. It has a fallen urban world, zombies, and incredible characters.

What I loved most is the relationship between Brie, a zombie, and Renee the main FMC. I laughed out loud so many times. Brie is very stoic and Renee is very touchy. Makes for an amazing dynamic.

This world is so well built. The way the zombies are showcased is unique. They do have thoughts and desires. I loved that Ryana humanized them.

Now the king of the dead is hott. I would want him. He’s definitely an alphahole but cares deeply about Renee. When I found out the dark secret, my mind was blown.

I can not wait for the next book in the series. That cliffhanger was glorious and I need those questioned answered.

What to expect:
✔️zombies
✔️forced proximity
✔️gore
✔️unique world
✔️dystopian society
✔️dark humor
✔️dark secrets

Quotes:

“Now she was back in the silence that filled her early years, only this time, it was a relief.”

“You’re just full of questions, aren’t you?”

“You’re mine, and you’ll do as you’re told, or I’ll make you.”

“Where would you go that I wouldn’t find you.”

“Are you so eager for me? Didn’t you want me to touch you?”

“You breathed life into me.”

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of the Dead

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tropes:

~Forced Proximity
~ Enemies-to-lovers
~He Falls First
~Found Family
~Zombies

Review:

Another great read with romantasy vibes! King of the Dead has some of my favorite tropes and zombies, making this a perfect read for spooky season!

I don’t think I have read any zombie romantasy books in a while, but King of the Dead has me wanting to read more!

I absolutely cannot wait to read more and will be checking out more of Ryana Hunter’s works! King of the Dead was a quick read for me, and I enjoyed every second I spent reading this!

Zane is currently up there in my favorite book boyfriends list. He’s not your typical zombie, he’s self-aware, which is different to what one would expect when hearing (reading) about zombies.

Renee is one of the last human survivors, and her interactions with Zane had me hooked.

*I received this book as an ARC, and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review*

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I thought I knew what I was getting into with the summary, but the story is so much more and richer!!

To be honest, I was not a fan of our protagonist Renee for about the first half of the book. I did find her immature, annoying, and super desperate to make friends. And she as much admits it! But then I tried to think about her arrested development with the zombie apocalypse happening at 16, her social isolation, and emotional neglect. To be honest, I would probably act the same way.

But Renee doesn't remain static and she grows, has confidence, is willing to change, and becomes really likable! I cared about her and went through her emotions. She is so beautifully written that I'm excited to see her evolution in the next book.

The world and story building was done so well! You could imagine it but you are also left with just the right amount of questions that kept me reading and wanting the next book! The romance was semi-slow burn and full of tension, so I'm hoping book 2 has even more spice!

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Julia Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The world belongs to them. The undead. And although she was once saved from a horde by the king of them it won't happen again. Zane used to love Renee. Before. Now he's no longer the same man he was, he's no longer even a man. Zane wants Renee to be his queen and she might discover life and death are a little closer than she first thought.
I did like that disabilities were portrayed by the FMC. It would be a huge set-back to be in a apocalyptic situation and not be able to hear, but I think the execution was a little off. The insta-lust was also unbelievable. Who wants to make-out with a zombie? This one "smells good" though. Which also makes no sense. Although Zane isn't your typical zombie, he's able to have thoughts and reason and care about Renee. He protects her and keeps her safe from his horde.
All in all the plot just fell a little short for me. I was engaged in the beginning and then it just fell a little flat. I didn't absolutely hate it though and if zombie genres are for you then you may enjoy this book based on that alone. I'm giving it 2 stars.
I received this ARC from netgalley and all opinions are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book… was so good. Usually in dystopian books the heroine is some bad ass warrior who hunts and fights and does everything. In this book it was just some awkward girl with no real survival skills who was constantly terrified and just wanted to find a copy of the next book in the series she was reading before the apocalypse. She was relatable.

This wasn't just some straight forward romance with a zombie kidnapping a human and trying to make her fall in love with him. There's a mystery. There's something bigger going on in this world and the curiosity kept me reading and even now at the end of the book I have so many unanswered questions.

The only reason I gave this 4 instead of 5 stars is because the ending felt a little bit rushed and sudden for me. It's kind of like it was missing the climax. When the book ended I was just kind of like "…. oh, that's it?". I realize this book is just the first in a series and I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues.

**I was given a free copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Oops I ARC'd Again · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seductive, atmospheric, and alive with ruin.

King of the Dead by Ryana Hunter is a lush, shadow-drenched fantasy that dances between love and ruin. From its first pages, the story wraps you in a gothic world where power and passion are inseparable, and every choice leaves a mark.

Hunter’s prose burns slow and deliberate, more concerned with tension than speed. The romance unfolds like a curse, aching, forbidden, and inevitable and the atmosphere feels thick with the weight of old magic and buried grief. The worldbuilding can be dense at times, but that heaviness suits the tone; it feels like a story carved in stone and shadow.

What stays with you isn’t just the spectacle of necromancy and thrones, but the ache of what it costs to hold power in a world that devours it. It’s a novel about control, mortality, and the way love persists even when everything else has rotted away.

For readers who crave the dark glamour of Kingdom of the Wicked or The Shadows Between Us, this is a gorgeously doomed descent worth taking.

[Danelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story...I finished this book in day, I just couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the world and I loved the characters. Who could have thought that a zombie could be so sweet, caring and loving...but only to her. This is a fast read. Enemies to lovers with a feeling of fated mates.

Renee, MFC, is a surviver of the zombie apocalypse. While on a raid through a city with her current group of survivers her life is changed forever. This is where she first meets the King of the Dead, Zane, our sexy MMC. He takes her hostage but she is just drawn to him and Renee finds herself falling for the zombie king. He has a big secret that will either make or break them.

I loved this book. Great new take on the zombies that I have not come across as yet.Lots of great action. On a spice level I give this book a 1.5.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

King of the Dead by Ryana Hunter is book one in the Kingdom of the Dead Series. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it will not be the last. This book was so good, I couldn’t put my kindle down. I think I was hooked from the first few chapters, it caught my attention and didn’t let go until the end. I loved the spin on the zombies that the author did. I really liked the personalities and the heart that they had. I also really liked the representation that Renee was given; it was written very well. I really liked the way each character was written and the perspectives they brought and the development that was done! Zane is one of my favorites, I loved how sweet and caring he is. How he puts others before himself. I honestly can’t wait to see more from this series and where the next book will take me. Hands down a great read!

Final review:
4 out of 5 Stars

[Caitlyn Strubinger-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who doesn’t typically enjoy post apocalyptic zombie-esque stories I did not expect to enjoy this one as much as I did! Our dear author created an interesting and multifaceted heroine as well as other characters that add more than just filler to the story. I greatly enjoyed that everyone had distinct personalities as well as flaws. This story is a great read if you want to sink your teeth into something zombie but not “oh let’s run and hide and oops we fell in love.” They also provided multiple warnings about the darker nature of the book (which as a horror and suspense reader I didn’t need) but appreciated her consideration. I plan on recommending this book to all end of the world lovers and look forward to her future works.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. Before going into it, I was expecting a spicy, zombie story. This because I had just finished Ryana's Haunted Legacies trilogy. However, this book is so much more than just a love story or a zombie story.

This book made me think of Warm Bodies by Issac Marion. This book was also more than a "zombie" book. It was an experience. I really felt the emotions between Zane and Renee. In the beginning, all Renee could see is the physical side of Zane but the longer she was in his company, she was able to see past this and recognize that he was just someone looking for love.

When I think of zombie books, I instantly picture male leads but props to Ryana for featuring Brie. She is snarky but at the same time someone that you would want in your corner. Even if she is undead. Additionally, I loved that Ryana featured a diverse character in Renee. Renee has a hearing disability, but it never hindered her. King of the Dead is sure to delight both the undead and the living!

[Sonia LeeAnn Hyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved everything about this story. Renee's backstory was haunting and hearing of her journey through the rise if the zombies was so incredibly sad. I love horror, and have been reluctant to mix it with romance but I do believe I have been missing out. The intensity of Zane can be felt from the pages. His love for Renee is astoundingly beautiful. I can't wait to hear more about Brie and her story. I hope I get more of the Horde's stories as the series continues. The only downfall for me was the bit at the end. I understand it was adding more to the atmosphere, but I was in a Zane and Renee love bubble that got popped. I cannot wait to see the second story in this series. I was super lucky and received an advance copy and and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sylvia Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the mood for a zombie romance? You'll want to dive right into king of the Dead. The end of the world happened 7 years ago, zombies have taken over and survivors are trying to stay alive. Renee has been with several groups, but somehow she's the only one that ever made it out. That is until Zane finds her and takes her with him. She refers to him as the zombie king. Although he doesn't look like a zombie, he's handsome and almost humanesque. She wants to run away, but she's also drawn to him and doesn't understand why. Although this wasn't incredibly spicy, the tension and buildup have you satisfied and craving more. The plot twist in the middle was also unexpected, but made the story even better. Excited to see where book 2 takes us.

[Paperwitches ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a zombie romance and while completely unconventional, I did find it very fun. It gave warm bodies vibes, but with a lil bit of the badassery of ‘Army Of The Dead.’ Renee is also deaf, and I loved this aspect of representation because I’ve never seen a deaf MC. Renee is very hard to get close to as a character though, and in this way Zane really shines. He’s protective, and will 100% give off dark hubby vibes. The zombies are super interesting as well, and I can’t really get by this book without mentioning how cool the hierarchy and zombies themselves are. I didn’t expect the sort of ‘species’ of zombies and their sheer intelligence. That aspect of the book had me HOOKED, it was so good and immersive. Gotta give this well earned 4 stars!

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

King of the dead by Ryana hunter

Arc review

Zombie romance. This was new for me. Was I interested and intrigued? Of course I was. How could I not be?

Renee is at the end of the world, literally. Humanity has perished and she is struggling to survive. She is deaf and one of her cochlear implants is already broken. This is on top of the fact she isn’t a great addition to any survival team with little to no skills to add. The jobs she gets are night watch when everyone else rests or supply runs because she knows where to find specific medications at the pharmacy. She begins to notice a dark figure “following” her then everything changes.

Zane is who has been leading the horde. Renee begins to learn how it works and the differences between the types of zombies. She feels this and other information could help turn the tides and save humanity, or what is left of it. But he is treating her differently; he's being rude and standoffish but soft and caring at the same time.

Is there something else going on? Why is he acting like this and why does she not want him to stop? Renee is so conflicted because she feels that her choices will literally effect everyone.

Um, so I'm noticing that the blurb is sorta different than what I got when I read it. I didn't really understand the motivation behind Renee and Zane. It just seemed like he picked her out of a crowd and got super attached. He could've explained a lot more to her than he did and it would've solved a lot of problems. The smut was hot and fun to read but then the tension made it frustrating. I didn't really read this as a horror but I can see it had horror ideas.

I'd say this is a good intro zombie romance with some spice/light smut. The epilogue really really confused me and I almost want to say it ruined the mostly positive vibe I got from the book, so maybe don't read the epilogue. I just wish I received an explanation of what happened before or why Zane chose Renee. It was not a very well fleshed out idea I'm afraid.

[Nora Ellen (Nbbookery) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So zombies and I have never seen eye-to-eye. They honestly skeeve me out. I'm not good with the carnage and vi0lence. This story has that, don't get me wrong. However, the main focus of this book is Renee's life as she navigates life amongst the horde at the mercy of their king. Zane, king of the zombies, is morally grey, and uber possessive of Renee. His little bit of humanity mixed with his bad boy aura got to me instantly. Come here, angel muffin. You just need a hug! Renee held out a lot longer than I thought she would. The ending was abrubt, but this is just book one. The story does continue on. I saw that plot twist at the end coming from about halfway through, but I still like how it played out. Maybe zombies aren't so icky after all.

[Booksy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of great elements here but together they didn’t fully mesh. It was sort of like twilight meets warm bodies with a female lead that has the vibranium of plot armors. Story is single POV, female lead. She is, despite having survived the return of the dead, immature and much like a high school trope. Then there’s the epilogue, won’t touch that. There’s a caution and a content warning which seemed excessive for the story that followed. Three stars because there are a lot of good ideas in this story but the overall execution needs more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.