Leveling Up

by J.R. Tague

Max McKay gets a second chance at life when, after a bizarre accident on his sixteenth birthday, he is reanimated as a new breed of thinking, feeling zombie. To secure a spot for his eternal soul, Max must use his video game prowess as well as the guidance of Steve the Death God to make friends and grow up. As if all that weren't hard enough, Max discovers that he's not the only zombie in town. As he enlists the help of his new friends, Adam and Penny, to solve the mystery of their un-dead classmate, Max discovers that he must level up his life experience in order to survive the trials and terrors of the upcoming zombie apocalypse. And, even worse, high school.

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2013

Reviews

[Merry Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing better than a book that you just can't put down! J.R. Tague has a fascinating story, a really cool world, and best of all, a fabulous character in her first-person narrator Max. As interesting as the plot was, it was the vivid characterization of Max as he told the story of the weird-ass things happening to him that I really loved. I haven't seen a character this brilliantly told in ages! Everything about Max screams teenage gamer geek boy in the best possible way. Leveling Up was a delight to read!

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not someone who would usually enjoy a book about zombies, but while the main character, Max, is most definitely a zombie, J. R. Tague puts on a whole new spin by focusing first and foremost on Max as a typical angst-ridden teen who just happens to become a zombie. By doing this, the author opens the appeal of the story to anyone who enjoys reading about zombies, gaming or the trials and tribulations of a 16 year old kid trying to navigate the social minefield of the teenage years.