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White Trash Zombie #4
How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back
READERS HUNGER FOR ANGEL CRAWFORD...
It’s zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping several of their party. It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her gang halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends—and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction...
It’s zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping several of their party. It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her gang halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends—and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction...
328 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
85 people are currently reading
2064 people want to read
About the author
Diana Rowland
28 books2,856 followersDiana Rowland worked as a bartender, a blackjack dealer, a pit boss, a street cop, a detective, a computer forensics specialist, a crime scene investigator, and a morgue assistant, which means that she's seen a lot of weird crap. She won the marksmanship award in her Police Academy class, has a black belt in Hapkido, has handled numerous dead bodies in various states of decomposition, and can't rollerblade to save her life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
April 13, 2025
Four books in and it's still a good, low-brow, fun series.
Suspension of disbelief was needed more than once, but I still had a good time.
Suspension of disbelief was needed more than once, but I still had a good time.
July 11, 2014
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
This series is now four books in, and I’m still not fully sold on the Saberton vs. Zombies story line however, Angel’s wacky antics and Allison McLemore’s engrossing narration more than make up for any plot shortcomings. I really enjoyed Diana Rowland’s snark in this latest installment, and the secondary characters were extremely well fleshed out which both went a long way in distracting me from the inescapable brain eating ick factor. The on-again-off-again relationship between Marcus and the heroine is also another sticking point for me. But in the end, the author’s firecracker of a protagonist and killer sense of humour tipped HOW THE WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GOT HER GROOVE BACK into 4 star territory.
Angel Crawford is quickly becoming one of my favourite protagonists to listen to in audio. In this installment she’s attempting to master jujitsu by trash-ifying the terminology (i.e. osoto gari becomes Trip the Drunk Guy), learning how to punch without breaking her hand (while holding a beer! LOL), and FINALLY putting Marcus in his place (hopefully for the last time). Angel is also one of the rare heroines who’s character growth is obvious from book-to-book; she’s come a long way since MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE, and is taking steps to help ensure that her forward momentum continues. The ending of this book did give me some cause for concern though; Crawford’s zombie state practically cured her of her addictions overnight, but the discovery of mods might soon change all that.
Saberton continues to be a thorn in the Zombie Tribe’s side by kidnapping their leader, attempting to blackmail a congresswoman, and conducting longevity experiments. I’m still not entirely sure why Nicole harbours such hate towards her friendly neighbourhood brain-eaters, but the whole thing reeks of government conspiracies which, as far as story lines go, I am not a big fan of. Rowland adds a couple of new elements to her zombie lore which again, were a little too WTF for my tastes; maybe I just need to read more walking dead novels, either that or the author really has gone off the deep end. I wish there’d been more of a resolution to Angel and Marcus’ relationship too because 1. I seriously hate that guy, and 2. NICK!! *swoons*
This audiobook wasn’t available in Canada through my usual go-to retailers which left me scrambling for a copy on release day. Normally, in cases like this I’d hold a grudge and postpone buying it out of spite, so it’s definitely a testament to Allison McLemore’s talent as a narrator that I went above and beyond to snag the audio version. I just could not wait to get my grabby hands on this one! McLemore’s Southern twang is perfectly suited to Angel’s POV, her character voices are distinct and memorable, and she delivers all of Rowland’s punch lines with finesse. There’s even a hat tip to audiobooks in this installment when the author references PASSION OF THE VIKING, Crawford’s current listen, which I loved!
Allison McLemore and Angel Crawford is a match made in heaven. Zombie superpowers ACTIVATE!
This series is now four books in, and I’m still not fully sold on the Saberton vs. Zombies story line however, Angel’s wacky antics and Allison McLemore’s engrossing narration more than make up for any plot shortcomings. I really enjoyed Diana Rowland’s snark in this latest installment, and the secondary characters were extremely well fleshed out which both went a long way in distracting me from the inescapable brain eating ick factor. The on-again-off-again relationship between Marcus and the heroine is also another sticking point for me. But in the end, the author’s firecracker of a protagonist and killer sense of humour tipped HOW THE WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GOT HER GROOVE BACK into 4 star territory.
Angel Crawford is quickly becoming one of my favourite protagonists to listen to in audio. In this installment she’s attempting to master jujitsu by trash-ifying the terminology (i.e. osoto gari becomes Trip the Drunk Guy), learning how to punch without breaking her hand (while holding a beer! LOL), and FINALLY putting Marcus in his place (hopefully for the last time). Angel is also one of the rare heroines who’s character growth is obvious from book-to-book; she’s come a long way since MY LIFE AS A WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE, and is taking steps to help ensure that her forward momentum continues. The ending of this book did give me some cause for concern though; Crawford’s zombie state practically cured her of her addictions overnight, but the discovery of mods might soon change all that.
Saberton continues to be a thorn in the Zombie Tribe’s side by kidnapping their leader, attempting to blackmail a congresswoman, and conducting longevity experiments. I’m still not entirely sure why Nicole harbours such hate towards her friendly neighbourhood brain-eaters, but the whole thing reeks of government conspiracies which, as far as story lines go, I am not a big fan of. Rowland adds a couple of new elements to her zombie lore which again, were a little too WTF for my tastes; maybe I just need to read more walking dead novels, either that or the author really has gone off the deep end. I wish there’d been more of a resolution to Angel and Marcus’ relationship too because 1. I seriously hate that guy, and 2. NICK!! *swoons*
This audiobook wasn’t available in Canada through my usual go-to retailers which left me scrambling for a copy on release day. Normally, in cases like this I’d hold a grudge and postpone buying it out of spite, so it’s definitely a testament to Allison McLemore’s talent as a narrator that I went above and beyond to snag the audio version. I just could not wait to get my grabby hands on this one! McLemore’s Southern twang is perfectly suited to Angel’s POV, her character voices are distinct and memorable, and she delivers all of Rowland’s punch lines with finesse. There’s even a hat tip to audiobooks in this installment when the author references PASSION OF THE VIKING, Crawford’s current listen, which I loved!
Allison McLemore and Angel Crawford is a match made in heaven. Zombie superpowers ACTIVATE!
July 27, 2017
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I liked this book but not nearly as much as I thought I would. I actually listened to about an hour and a half of this audiobook several months ago and found it just wasn't working for me so I decided to try it again later. I started over from the beginning this time and was able to make it through the book but still had some trouble with the first part of the book. The story did really pick up and by the end I was really enjoying myself but that beginning was rough for me.
I think that the beginning of the book had too big of a focus on Angel's internal dialogue. I love Angel but I have to tell you that she was starting to drive me crazy. Some of her actions seemed a bit childish to me and I kind of wanted the other characters to tell her to snap out of it. Once the action really got going I didn't have any of these issues so maybe the balance was just off at the beginning.
This book did have a lot of things going on and once the action got going it seemed to move pretty fast. There were a few revelations that I found completely surprising and look forward to seeing how they impact future installments. Angel proved that she can hold her own in a fight and is able to make really good decisions very quickly. The big twist was a pretty big surprise for me which was a definite plus.
Allison McLemore does such a wonderful job in narrating this series and this book was no exception. She is the voice of Angel to me. She is able to perform a large cast of characters quite well making it easy to follow along with conversations. She reads the story at a very nice pace making it very easy to listen for hours at a time.
I would recommend this series to others. This is the fourth book in a series that I think is best read in order. I thought that this was a good installment, not my favorite, but still good. I do consider 3 stars to be a good rating. I look forward to reading more of this series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
This book was a little harder for me to really get into it. I actually listened to about an hour and half a few months ago and set it aside. I started from the beginning again this time and eventually was hooked. I liked it but some of Angel's internal dialogue got on my nerves. Once I got about a third of the way through the book it did pick up a lot for me. The narration was wonderful. This really fell somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me.
Source: Audible purchase
I liked this book but not nearly as much as I thought I would. I actually listened to about an hour and a half of this audiobook several months ago and found it just wasn't working for me so I decided to try it again later. I started over from the beginning this time and was able to make it through the book but still had some trouble with the first part of the book. The story did really pick up and by the end I was really enjoying myself but that beginning was rough for me.
I think that the beginning of the book had too big of a focus on Angel's internal dialogue. I love Angel but I have to tell you that she was starting to drive me crazy. Some of her actions seemed a bit childish to me and I kind of wanted the other characters to tell her to snap out of it. Once the action really got going I didn't have any of these issues so maybe the balance was just off at the beginning.
This book did have a lot of things going on and once the action got going it seemed to move pretty fast. There were a few revelations that I found completely surprising and look forward to seeing how they impact future installments. Angel proved that she can hold her own in a fight and is able to make really good decisions very quickly. The big twist was a pretty big surprise for me which was a definite plus.
Allison McLemore does such a wonderful job in narrating this series and this book was no exception. She is the voice of Angel to me. She is able to perform a large cast of characters quite well making it easy to follow along with conversations. She reads the story at a very nice pace making it very easy to listen for hours at a time.
I would recommend this series to others. This is the fourth book in a series that I think is best read in order. I thought that this was a good installment, not my favorite, but still good. I do consider 3 stars to be a good rating. I look forward to reading more of this series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
This book was a little harder for me to really get into it. I actually listened to about an hour and half a few months ago and set it aside. I started from the beginning again this time and eventually was hooked. I liked it but some of Angel's internal dialogue got on my nerves. Once I got about a third of the way through the book it did pick up a lot for me. The narration was wonderful. This really fell somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me.
Source: Audible purchase
December 20, 2016
Zombie Barbie Hits the Nuts for 100 Bonus Points
Massive transformations for several characters some permanent some, who knows.
1) Marcus and Pietro both have a transformations
2) Angel is dolled up and bedazzled, her opinions on the process with funny
3) Torture, beyond horrible, extreme.
4) Jane rocks the house down with her woman roar
5) Angel gets that tingling feeling and it's not just for one man
3.5 stars. The beginning lagged, the middle muddled a bit, the end was action jackson plus.
On to the next book
Massive transformations for several characters some permanent some, who knows.
1) Marcus and Pietro both have a transformations
2) Angel is dolled up and bedazzled, her opinions on the process with funny
3) Torture, beyond horrible, extreme.
4) Jane rocks the house down with her woman roar
5) Angel gets that tingling feeling and it's not just for one man
3.5 stars. The beginning lagged, the middle muddled a bit, the end was action jackson plus.
On to the next book
August 18, 2014
3.5 stars - Spoilers
The first three books in the series were fun and entertaining, the best thing about them was the heroine (Angel), she was such a likeable, snarky underdog. Unfortunately, she was a bit of pain in this one and that lead to me not liking it as much… It was still a decent read though.
-I enjoyed the main story line with Pietro (the zombie boss)/his people being kidnapped by the evil Saberton… Which lead to Angel/the gang getting together to save them. It was quite fun to read — well, it was when Angel and co were just being friends and hanging out together, the actual road trip/investigating parts weren't as engrossing, those parts kind of dragged… Though I did like the end when the gang all went on the rescue mission and the action really kicked in. Also, the Pietro/Pierce thing and Marcus's new role was a nice twist.
-Angel cried way too much in this one, she really needed to get a grip. Anytime someone said something to her she didn't like, she started crying and feeling sorry for herself. It would have been okay if she'd only done it once or twice but she kept tearing up whenever someone so much as looked at her the wrong way. Other than her excessive weepiness she was fine, I'm hoping she'll be back to her normal self in the next book.
-I was glad that Marcus/Angel broke up, he was way too controlling and made decisions for both of them when she'd told him not to over and over. I especially liked that there wasn't a big drama around their break up, they were civil and mature about it.
Marcus will always think he knows best for Angel so I hope they never get back together, they're much better as friends.
-There seemed to be hints about Angel getting together with Philip, he didn't seem into her though, but she kept getting all hot and bothered about him… It was kind of cute but also creepy at the same time since she was his zombie mum.
-Naomi/Angel's friendship was great, even when they were bitching at each other, it was still nice to have them interact so much. I loved that Angel had two good female friends/relationships, but at the same time it wasn't enough compared to how many strong male friendships/relationships she had (Marcus, her dad, Pietro, Kyle, Brian, Nick, her boss, Dr Nikas, and no doubt Andrew will soon be another). I would have liked there to have been more of a balance.
-What was up with Naomi's sixth sense and influence with zombies?
-I didn't like all the repetitiveness/recaps from previous books.
The White Trash Zombie series is still a current favourite of mine despite this one not impressing me as much. I'm hoping Angel will return to her former self and stop all her cry-baby-self-pitying ways and get back to being her awesome self.
The first three books in the series were fun and entertaining, the best thing about them was the heroine (Angel), she was such a likeable, snarky underdog. Unfortunately, she was a bit of pain in this one and that lead to me not liking it as much… It was still a decent read though.
-I enjoyed the main story line with Pietro (the zombie boss)/his people being kidnapped by the evil Saberton… Which lead to Angel/the gang getting together to save them. It was quite fun to read — well, it was when Angel and co were just being friends and hanging out together, the actual road trip/investigating parts weren't as engrossing, those parts kind of dragged… Though I did like the end when the gang all went on the rescue mission and the action really kicked in. Also, the Pietro/Pierce thing and Marcus's new role was a nice twist.
-Angel cried way too much in this one, she really needed to get a grip. Anytime someone said something to her she didn't like, she started crying and feeling sorry for herself. It would have been okay if she'd only done it once or twice but she kept tearing up whenever someone so much as looked at her the wrong way. Other than her excessive weepiness she was fine, I'm hoping she'll be back to her normal self in the next book.
-I was glad that Marcus/Angel broke up, he was way too controlling and made decisions for both of them when she'd told him not to over and over. I especially liked that there wasn't a big drama around their break up, they were civil and mature about it.
Marcus will always think he knows best for Angel so I hope they never get back together, they're much better as friends.
-There seemed to be hints about Angel getting together with Philip, he didn't seem into her though, but she kept getting all hot and bothered about him… It was kind of cute but also creepy at the same time since she was his zombie mum.
-Naomi/Angel's friendship was great, even when they were bitching at each other, it was still nice to have them interact so much. I loved that Angel had two good female friends/relationships, but at the same time it wasn't enough compared to how many strong male friendships/relationships she had (Marcus, her dad, Pietro, Kyle, Brian, Nick, her boss, Dr Nikas, and no doubt Andrew will soon be another). I would have liked there to have been more of a balance.
-What was up with Naomi's sixth sense and influence with zombies?
-I didn't like all the repetitiveness/recaps from previous books.
The White Trash Zombie series is still a current favourite of mine despite this one not impressing me as much. I'm hoping Angel will return to her former self and stop all her cry-baby-self-pitying ways and get back to being her awesome self.
May 2, 2024
4.5 Stars
Angel and the gang are thrown into chaos when one of their own is kidnapped by Saberton Corp. It seems like Saberton had inside knowledge to capture them so it’s hard to know who they can trust. Do they have a traitor? They must now figure out a way to get their friends back safely.
On a personal level, Angel is dismayed when Marcus again makes decisions without consulting her. Will the guy ever learn? I have mixed feelings about Marcus. On the one hand I like him, because he did so much for Angel, but there’s an imbalance with communication. Also, Angel revisits her past, the bar scene was hilarious, but the ending has me unsettled about her choices.
There’s a lot of action in this installment! Angel is becoming more competent handling these dangerous situations, even with a misstep or two. I just love her character, so full of heart and more than ready to acknowledge her own imperfections. She’s cracks me up so much with her bluntness and inner commentary! I am worried about her path with how the story ended. I can’t believe we only have two more books left!
Allison McLemore’s performance of Angel has been such a treat! I love her Southern accent and she has wonderful comedic timing! The audiobooks are the way to go with this series!
Angel and the gang are thrown into chaos when one of their own is kidnapped by Saberton Corp. It seems like Saberton had inside knowledge to capture them so it’s hard to know who they can trust. Do they have a traitor? They must now figure out a way to get their friends back safely.
On a personal level, Angel is dismayed when Marcus again makes decisions without consulting her. Will the guy ever learn? I have mixed feelings about Marcus. On the one hand I like him, because he did so much for Angel, but there’s an imbalance with communication. Also, Angel revisits her past, the bar scene was hilarious, but the ending has me unsettled about her choices.
There’s a lot of action in this installment! Angel is becoming more competent handling these dangerous situations, even with a misstep or two. I just love her character, so full of heart and more than ready to acknowledge her own imperfections. She’s cracks me up so much with her bluntness and inner commentary! I am worried about her path with how the story ended. I can’t believe we only have two more books left!
Allison McLemore’s performance of Angel has been such a treat! I love her Southern accent and she has wonderful comedic timing! The audiobooks are the way to go with this series!
June 15, 2014
I had to sit back and think this review through since zombies are not my favorite thing but Ms Rowland's zombies are unlike any you see on the TV/movie since they are fully functional humans (well kinda like really strong and fast healing humans) with what I would call a beneficial parasite that still has an unfortunate side effect of needing the normal zombie cerebral delicacy from time to time (which is "usually" handled in creative ways that do not require killing somebody).
In this installment Angel is still trying to live a normal life in spite of the "zombie thing" and the book would be boring if that was the story but throw in some really evil guys, a killing, a kidnapping, some romantic angst and a host of main/secondary characters that are fleshed out and brought to life by skilled writing.
The addition of the Congresswoman in a previous book comes to fruition in this one and you are finally going to have a politician you will love. As usual Ms Rowland has thrown in a couple of curve balls from left field that you never see coming and a couple of really inappropriate hilarious moments make this near 5 Star reading for me.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that there is a "gross" factor to be considered for some readers, it has been kept at a somewhat low level, relatively speaking, in previous novels but becomes more prevalent in this installment since there is a fairly detailed scene of an autopsy to start the book and while it was no worse than watching CSI for me but I thought I should mention it.
The growth of Angel is another of the reasons I enjoy this series so much, in many series the heroine never seems to get any smarter, Angel does not fall into that trap, she is getting better/smarter and more confident in each novel. I like where this part of the overall story is going.
The writing and exceptional plot overcome any reluctance due to "squish" factor for me and I still consider this 4.5 Stars rounded to 5 (wish she would have closed one romantic storyline a bit more) but I will be on the auto-buy list for the next novel in this series.
RELEASE DATE 1 JULY 2014
In this installment Angel is still trying to live a normal life in spite of the "zombie thing" and the book would be boring if that was the story but throw in some really evil guys, a killing, a kidnapping, some romantic angst and a host of main/secondary characters that are fleshed out and brought to life by skilled writing.
The addition of the Congresswoman in a previous book comes to fruition in this one and you are finally going to have a politician you will love. As usual Ms Rowland has thrown in a couple of curve balls from left field that you never see coming and a couple of really inappropriate hilarious moments make this near 5 Star reading for me.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that there is a "gross" factor to be considered for some readers, it has been kept at a somewhat low level, relatively speaking, in previous novels but becomes more prevalent in this installment since there is a fairly detailed scene of an autopsy to start the book and while it was no worse than watching CSI for me but I thought I should mention it.
The growth of Angel is another of the reasons I enjoy this series so much, in many series the heroine never seems to get any smarter, Angel does not fall into that trap, she is getting better/smarter and more confident in each novel. I like where this part of the overall story is going.
The writing and exceptional plot overcome any reluctance due to "squish" factor for me and I still consider this 4.5 Stars rounded to 5 (wish she would have closed one romantic storyline a bit more) but I will be on the auto-buy list for the next novel in this series.
RELEASE DATE 1 JULY 2014
October 9, 2020
This is another fun white trash zombie novel, but there were a couple of things about it that I didn't like. Angel has always won through with pluck and spunk and spirit, but she was prone to breaking down to cry too often in this book. It was like turning on the stereo to hear Johnette Napolitano and having Minnie Ripperton come through the speakers. (Fell free to substitute the proper divas to fit your generation for the analogy.) Also, the whole zombie-mama/zombie-baby shtick gets tiresome and awkward. Secondly, it's a road-trip book. Those can be successful sometimes, and sometimes it's good to move the characters into interesting and challenging new settings, but Angel didn't work for me outside of her white trash home field. Sookie Stackhouse belongs in Bon Temps, Matt Murdock belongs in Hell's Kitchen, and Tom Brady belongs in New England. (Also, Unitas never should have left Baltimore, Namath should have stayed in New York, the Dodgers belong in Brooklyn, the Raiders should play in Oakland... but, I digress...) It's a nice and intriguing suspense story with kidnappings aplenty, high-tech corporate espionage, and plenty of changes for the characters (many of whom, literally, will never be the same again), but it lacked some of the charm that was attractive from the first three volumes.
October 1, 2014
2.5
I don't know what to say, man... I'm just getting tired of the constant one step forward, two (or more) steps back in the Angel dance.
But, mostly, it's the writing - the way the narration spends so much time on 1) reminding us of things we know (yes, Angel, by book 4 we do know that you're not like normal people, and even if we were picking the series up in the middle, the name of the series does give some things away), 2) Angel's insecurity (we really don't need to be reminded every couple of pages, especially in the middle of action and things, about your issues).
Also, it took far too long for the story to get started in this book, and is it just me or is most of the humor either non-existent or completely forced? And Kyle, Brian and Philip are all but interchangable, with few exceptions.
Maybe it's an expectation thing. When I read the first book I wasn't expecting to like it much, and was pleasantly surprised. These last two books I'm going in expecting to enjoy them, and have been disappointed.
I don't want to dump this series, but I do wish I felt like it was actually progressing...
I don't know what to say, man... I'm just getting tired of the constant one step forward, two (or more) steps back in the Angel dance.
But, mostly, it's the writing - the way the narration spends so much time on 1) reminding us of things we know (yes, Angel, by book 4 we do know that you're not like normal people, and even if we were picking the series up in the middle, the name of the series does give some things away), 2) Angel's insecurity (we really don't need to be reminded every couple of pages, especially in the middle of action and things, about your issues).
Also, it took far too long for the story to get started in this book, and is it just me or is most of the humor either non-existent or completely forced? And Kyle, Brian and Philip are all but interchangable, with few exceptions.
Maybe it's an expectation thing. When I read the first book I wasn't expecting to like it much, and was pleasantly surprised. These last two books I'm going in expecting to enjoy them, and have been disappointed.
I don't want to dump this series, but I do wish I felt like it was actually progressing...
June 21, 2015
Eh, not loving this cover like I have the others.
5/26/15 (the 6 likes are for the comment, not the review)
4.25 stars.
Can we just stop with all of this fucking zombie baby/zombie mama/ZeeEm/ZeeBee shit already?! It’s seriously beginning to grate on my nerves, if you can’t tell. Fortunately, I like everything else about the book (well, with the exception of something Angel did concerning one of her relationships) and I like Philip, but I’m so sick of this relationship being emphasized so much, this doesn’t happen with any of the other zombies who turn other people, so I wish Rowland would just cool it with this one, though I fear it’s only going to get worse.
Saberton is back in How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back, though to be honest, I guess they never really left. After one of the Tribe is killed and Pietro is kidnapped, it’s apparent that someone’s feeding information to the bad guys, so while the gang tries to unravel that mystery, they also have to try to get Pietro back from the Sabers, who have taken him to their headquarters in New York City.
Angel’s reaction to the city, and particularly the subway, had me cracking up! Her description hilariously (and accurately) describes the shithole that the subway is; crammed, dirty and smelly. The others are more familiar with the New York, particularly Naomi/Heather/Julia, who risks running into her evil mother, Nicole, and brother, Andrew, both of whom think she’s dead (though she has had plastic surgery in an effort to keep them from finding out she’s still among the living, which I still think is weird). I like her relationship with Kyle, but his “I don’t want to live but am not offing myself anytime soon” attitude would seriously piss me off if I were her.
A word of warning, if you found the scene from one of the past books where Angel cracked some skulls, literally, you may want to gird your loins because there are definitely some blood-spattered scenes towards the end of this book.
There are definitely a lot of changes in this book, with Angel, Pietro and a number of other characters. Old secrets are exposed, new ones are brought to light, relationships change and past histories of certain characters are revealed, all of which should make for interesting dynamics in coming books. I’d love a book to focus more on Dr. Nikas and would even love some flashbacks involving him, he has to have had an interesting life.
I’m still not sure what role Nick is going to play in the future. It doesn’t seem like Angel’s attracted to him, though it’s becoming more and more apparent that he likely has feeling for her, but he’s definitely turning into a close friend. Like I said, not sure how that relationship’s going to play out in the coming novels (I’m definitely a Marcus girl, so…).
Overall, a good addition to the White Trash Zombie series, though I don’t know how long they can continue to focus on Saberton but am not sure what other direction Rowland can take the series. Either way, I’m interested to find out where she goes and am looking forward to the next book in the series, White Trash Zombie Gone Wild.
5/26/15 (the 6 likes are for the comment, not the review)
4.25 stars.
Can we just stop with all of this fucking zombie baby/zombie mama/ZeeEm/ZeeBee shit already?! It’s seriously beginning to grate on my nerves, if you can’t tell. Fortunately, I like everything else about the book (well, with the exception of something Angel did concerning one of her relationships) and I like Philip, but I’m so sick of this relationship being emphasized so much, this doesn’t happen with any of the other zombies who turn other people, so I wish Rowland would just cool it with this one, though I fear it’s only going to get worse.
Saberton is back in How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back, though to be honest, I guess they never really left. After one of the Tribe is killed and Pietro is kidnapped, it’s apparent that someone’s feeding information to the bad guys, so while the gang tries to unravel that mystery, they also have to try to get Pietro back from the Sabers, who have taken him to their headquarters in New York City.
Angel’s reaction to the city, and particularly the subway, had me cracking up! Her description hilariously (and accurately) describes the shithole that the subway is; crammed, dirty and smelly. The others are more familiar with the New York, particularly Naomi/Heather/Julia, who risks running into her evil mother, Nicole, and brother, Andrew, both of whom think she’s dead (though she has had plastic surgery in an effort to keep them from finding out she’s still among the living, which I still think is weird). I like her relationship with Kyle, but his “I don’t want to live but am not offing myself anytime soon” attitude would seriously piss me off if I were her.
A word of warning, if you found the scene from one of the past books where Angel cracked some skulls, literally, you may want to gird your loins because there are definitely some blood-spattered scenes towards the end of this book.
There are definitely a lot of changes in this book, with Angel, Pietro and a number of other characters. Old secrets are exposed, new ones are brought to light, relationships change and past histories of certain characters are revealed, all of which should make for interesting dynamics in coming books. I’d love a book to focus more on Dr. Nikas and would even love some flashbacks involving him, he has to have had an interesting life.
I’m still not sure what role Nick is going to play in the future. It doesn’t seem like Angel’s attracted to him, though it’s becoming more and more apparent that he likely has feeling for her, but he’s definitely turning into a close friend. Like I said, not sure how that relationship’s going to play out in the coming novels (I’m definitely a Marcus girl, so…).
Overall, a good addition to the White Trash Zombie series, though I don’t know how long they can continue to focus on Saberton but am not sure what other direction Rowland can take the series. Either way, I’m interested to find out where she goes and am looking forward to the next book in the series, White Trash Zombie Gone Wild.
June 4, 2018
I adore Angel Crawford! The girl is crazy, badass and quite clever. Each installment we see growth as her confidence grows. New York terrified her, but she went out and attempted to save the day. Her inner commentary keeps me giggling and her one-line snark is the best.
“I am carrying death in my butt”
The Saberton thread offered some serious problems for our zombies while allowing Angela, and her zombie baby to grow closer. *snort*I still have questions regarding Saberton. Why is the corporation and particularly Nicole so intent on these particular zombies. Is something bigger funding this? I hope that with new developments we will begin to learn more. A thread has the zombie parasite behaving differently and it has me worried about what that means for Angel.
The interactions, friendships and Angel's on-again off again romance all added interest to How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back. Secondary characters are well developed and we some really weird developments that are sure to make fans exclaim what is this f@ckery?
While I know, fans adore reading this series, for me the audio version is the only way to go. This series and the spectacular voice of Allison McLemore is the only way I will get my zombie on. However you chose to get your zombie on, it is important to read/listen to this series in order.Each book builds on the next as does Angel's growth.
If you are sitting here saying, “This all sounds good Kim, but I don’t do Zombie books.” I urge you to reconsider. Throw away your preconceptions about zombie book and try the first novel/audio. I dare you! This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
“I am carrying death in my butt”
The Saberton thread offered some serious problems for our zombies while allowing Angela, and her zombie baby to grow closer. *snort*I still have questions regarding Saberton. Why is the corporation and particularly Nicole so intent on these particular zombies. Is something bigger funding this? I hope that with new developments we will begin to learn more. A thread has the zombie parasite behaving differently and it has me worried about what that means for Angel.
The interactions, friendships and Angel's on-again off again romance all added interest to How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back. Secondary characters are well developed and we some really weird developments that are sure to make fans exclaim what is this f@ckery?
While I know, fans adore reading this series, for me the audio version is the only way to go. This series and the spectacular voice of Allison McLemore is the only way I will get my zombie on. However you chose to get your zombie on, it is important to read/listen to this series in order.Each book builds on the next as does Angel's growth.
If you are sitting here saying, “This all sounds good Kim, but I don’t do Zombie books.” I urge you to reconsider. Throw away your preconceptions about zombie book and try the first novel/audio. I dare you! This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
December 22, 2016
4 ½★
This is the fourth book of the series and it was a little different than the previous books. One we have Angel taken out of her environment and out of the group of people she works with and thrown into a world world that is completely new to her.
Saberton is still at it and trying its best to destroy all zombies. They kidnap some major players in the whole Z game including the head of the clan Pierto. That throws everyone into a frenzy as they know what could happen if they not find him fast and most important without anyone knowing.
While the books seemed a bit slower in the beginning compared to others I still liked it best. Of course because of Angel and how wicked awesome she is. She has shown some really, major growth throughout the series and it really shows. Just not as you would expect it sometimes. She really runs into a lot of self-doubt, this book. But in the end it just shows how much she really has grown love how far she has come and all people she has, met and how they see her., verseus how she sees herself.
I like that she now has friends to hang out and talk to , no matter how different they might be from her world. Also she can trust them. Or can she? Also dealing with a mole and really it can be anyone in there group. She doesn’t know who she can trust and who she cannot trust .
Since she is in New York throughout this book we do not get a lot of interaction with people form her work and her work, which I kind of missed. But we still get some info and news from it.
Please see my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/4838-2/
This is the fourth book of the series and it was a little different than the previous books. One we have Angel taken out of her environment and out of the group of people she works with and thrown into a world world that is completely new to her.
Saberton is still at it and trying its best to destroy all zombies. They kidnap some major players in the whole Z game including the head of the clan Pierto. That throws everyone into a frenzy as they know what could happen if they not find him fast and most important without anyone knowing.
While the books seemed a bit slower in the beginning compared to others I still liked it best. Of course because of Angel and how wicked awesome she is. She has shown some really, major growth throughout the series and it really shows. Just not as you would expect it sometimes. She really runs into a lot of self-doubt, this book. But in the end it just shows how much she really has grown love how far she has come and all people she has, met and how they see her., verseus how she sees herself.
I like that she now has friends to hang out and talk to , no matter how different they might be from her world. Also she can trust them. Or can she? Also dealing with a mole and really it can be anyone in there group. She doesn’t know who she can trust and who she cannot trust .
Since she is in New York throughout this book we do not get a lot of interaction with people form her work and her work, which I kind of missed. But we still get some info and news from it.
Please see my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/4838-2/
September 4, 2015
Saberton Corporation have attacked and managed to drag off Pietro, the leader of the zombie tribe. Angel along with Phillip, Kyle and Naomi set off in pursuit but it very quickly becomes clear that Saberton have someone feeding them information and it has to be one of her krewe [sic].
As they set about finding and freeing Pietro they discover the brutal lengths Sfaberton Corporation will go to in pursuit of a profit.
The title of this book is really on the money. White Trash Zombie Apocalypse (book 3) is very much the weakest in the series and often felt like a victory lap –– entertaining but mostly pointless. At the moment I'm thinking How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back is a tie with book one for the best and it has reignited my interest in the series. I'm now looking forward to book five, due out in October.
As they set about finding and freeing Pietro they discover the brutal lengths Sfaberton Corporation will go to in pursuit of a profit.
The title of this book is really on the money. White Trash Zombie Apocalypse (book 3) is very much the weakest in the series and often felt like a victory lap –– entertaining but mostly pointless. At the moment I'm thinking How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back is a tie with book one for the best and it has reignited my interest in the series. I'm now looking forward to book five, due out in October.
January 15, 2017
How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back (White Trash Zombie #4) by Diana Rowland
It’s zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping several of their party.
It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her gang halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends—and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction..
I think I mostly loved everything besides the easy out at the end. It seemed just a little too simple to threaten to release the *you know what* to the public and have the exit door that was so direly needed at that minute.
It was quite a bit of build up for something that felt so eh once it was said and done.
Still not sure how I feel about the Andy thing either but time will tell I suppose.
What I did like was the fact that Angel was pulled out of her current comfort zone and really sort of I don't want to say blossomed but she rather came into her own quite well.
You can feel the change that she's mate from the person she started out as (even though there's still quite a bit of it left) to the one she is now.
I especially loved the "Godmother" scene which was wicked great.
There's some not so clear issues when it comes to intimacy and personal relationships but things are definitely changing on more than one level for Angel.
I really enjoyed this installment to the WTZ series I hope it continues for a long time to come beyond the next installment and beyond. There is so much to this world that's only just beginning to be explored and I hope we get to see more of it.
Diana Rowland
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has a QR code for your phone!
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews purchased a digital copy. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews purchased a digital copy for personal collection.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from followers!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
It’s zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping several of their party.
It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her gang halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends—and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction..
I think I mostly loved everything besides the easy out at the end. It seemed just a little too simple to threaten to release the *you know what* to the public and have the exit door that was so direly needed at that minute.
It was quite a bit of build up for something that felt so eh once it was said and done.
Still not sure how I feel about the Andy thing either but time will tell I suppose.
What I did like was the fact that Angel was pulled out of her current comfort zone and really sort of I don't want to say blossomed but she rather came into her own quite well.
You can feel the change that she's mate from the person she started out as (even though there's still quite a bit of it left) to the one she is now.
I especially loved the "Godmother" scene which was wicked great.
There's some not so clear issues when it comes to intimacy and personal relationships but things are definitely changing on more than one level for Angel.
I really enjoyed this installment to the WTZ series I hope it continues for a long time to come beyond the next installment and beyond. There is so much to this world that's only just beginning to be explored and I hope we get to see more of it.
Diana Rowland
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews has a QR code for your phone!
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews purchased a digital copy. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews purchased a digital copy for personal collection.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from followers!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
July 7, 2014
I love these adventures. I'm SO proud of Angel. I feel like her big sister cheerleader as she continues to grow in confidence and improve her life. I'm happy that her and her father are making their relationship better.
Zombie super powers activate made an appearance.
This series has a laid back feel, steady pacing, heartfelt relationships and lots of action all at once.
The last sentence was ominous and I can't wait to see what happens next. Stay on track Angel!
Zombie super powers activate made an appearance.
This series has a laid back feel, steady pacing, heartfelt relationships and lots of action all at once.
The last sentence was ominous and I can't wait to see what happens next. Stay on track Angel!
July 5, 2014
Pretty good until the end. I hate how she ended this.
November 17, 2015
Fourth in the White Trash Zombie comic urban fantasy horror series about Angel Crawford, a zombie from the wrong side of the tracks who's makin' good. Based in Louisiana.
My Take
The action is goin' on, all right. Philip's health problems are mirrored in Angel's body, and they're increasing in frequency and severity. It doesn't help that they've suddenly lost most of their support.
It's kidnappings, harrowing escapes, unexpected retribution, and nasty revelations with an odd combination of good and bad…writing-wise, I mean. Good tension with not knowing whom to trust. Totally unexpected reveal…whew… The fun of a well-funded escapade…*grin*… The horror of Saberton and its CEO. Andrew's reactions certainly keep things moving between his hatred for his mother, but his reaction to the family business…ewww… It'll be interesting to see how he copes in White Trash Zombie Gone Wild , 5.
I did feel some of it, if only because I do have a good imagination. Unfortunately, Rowland wasn't much on the show. I was annoyed with some of Angel's reactions as well. She was so chirpy in the dumbest situations, which did not contribute to pulling me in.
I did like the realism of Kyle's initial reactions when everything first went balls up. And Brian's behavior certainly keeps things TENSE. A bit of sadness as well when Dr. Nikas reveals his past to Angel. Prejudice is an ugly thing.
Hooey, that bar scene at Pillar's was exciting…I kinda wish Angel had gone a bit further.
I can understand pride, but Angel's stubbornness was annoying. Hullo? It's an op. It's not like they're on a vacation! Although, then again, I can understand her frustration with Naomi's unawareness of how money works. As for Andrew's excuses… No, uh-uh, no-how, I ain't buyin' it. He made his choices; he can't blame Julia for making hers.
Ooh, baby, I do like that Jane! That girl can really think under pressure. It'll kill me to have to wait to get ahold of White Trash Zombie Gone Wild .
Now, if we could only sic Jane on that horrifying Nicole and her security people. Jesus. How anyone can do things like this to others???
And I'm still wondering if Nick has a thing for Angel…
The Story
It's zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping too many of their party. It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her Krewe halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends — and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction.
It doesn't help that Philip is seizing up, barely surviving…
The Characters
Angel Crawford, a.k.a., ZeeEm,is was dyslexic white trash with a drug habit. Now she drives a morgue van, has gotten her GED, and is working with Dr. Leblanc and others in the morgue. Happy. Off the drugs. Her relationship with her dad on the mend. Dad is a reformed (we hope) alcoholic who's going on a date with Tammy Elwood. She tends bar down at Kaster's.
The Krewe is …
…the team on the run: Philip Reinhardt had been undercover for Pietro at Saberton until Angel was forced to turn him into her Zombie Baby, a.k.a., ZeeBee ( Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues , 2). Naomi Comtesse, Angel's best friend, now works as security for Pietro; her undercover name had been Heather Miller when she was actually Julia Saber. She's dating Kyle Griffin, one of Brian's top security guys.
Brian Archer is a zombie and head of Pietro's security.
The Tribe is…
…a loose confederation of zombies and their businesses led by Pietro Ivanov — Angel calls 'em the "Zombie Mafia". His "nephew" is Marcus Ivanov, a zombie policeman whom Angel is dating. Dr. Jane Pennington (she has doctorates in political science and law) is a federal congresswoman to whom Pietro has recently proposed. Victor is her zombie bodyguard.
Rachel Delancey is Brian's second-in-command with a hate-on for Angel, Philip, and Kyle. Simon Sirtis and Ken Godwin are some of the drivers. Raul, Dan, Chris Peterson, and Lawrence Hawkins are more members of the security force.
Dr. Ariston Nikas is another zombie, and he runs the zombie research lab where Angel works part-time. Jacques Leroux and Reg are Nikas' lab techs. John Kang had been one of Naomi's best friends and the first zombie Angel ever knew. Now he's a head.
The St. Edwards Parish Coroner's Office is…
…where Angel works. Dr. Leblanc is the pathologist with great faith in Angel. Allen Prejean is the Coroner's Office chief investigator who still sees Angel as a screwup. Nick Galatas, formerly known as "the Prick", is one of the death investigators while working toward a medical degree and has been a real help to Angel. Derrell is Angel's usual partner, i.e., death investigator.
Saberton Corporation is…
…a family corporation run by the Sabers. Nicole Saber is the CEO of Saberton and the twins' (Andrew and Julia) psychopathic mother. Julia Saber carried on from her grandfather, Richard Saber, doing industrial espionage for Saberton. Dr. Kerazny is the head of R&D. Thea Braddock is in charge of regular security. Special Security includes: Boat Launch Guy is Edwards, Perfect Eyebrows is Pierce Gentry, Ferguson, Davis, Gordon, Jenkins, and Rutledge.
Saberton has been performing pseudo-zombie experimentation using mostly unwilling participants in a variety of projects including the Zoldier project under Dr. Kristi Charish's direction, a neurobiologist currently under Pietro's guard and working for the zombies. Boo-yah! Dr. Sophia Baldwin, an old friend of Marcus' from high school, had explained the parasite theory to Angel.
Randy had been Angel's old boyfriend. Carol Ann is Randy's current bed partner; she has ambitions for more. Debbie Stewart is her dishonorable friend. Clive is a drug-dealing friend of Randy's who lies his weasely heart out. Rick Belluci is a loudmouth racist who used to be a drinking buddy of Angel's dad. Jennifer is the expensive dyslexia specialist who is tutoring Angel. Dear John's Café is owned by John Hickey with his own gimmick and good food (with free WiFi). Top Cow is a café with good food, lousy service…and the first place Marcus and Angel had had lunch. Bill is the bartender at Pillar's Bar.
Freddie is the burly sensei teaching Angel basic jiu jitsu. Chance is another student. Sarah Lynn Harper had been a movie extra in White Trash Zombie Apocalypse , 3. Brenda Barnes had been another extra. Miss Chastity Turner resorts to the old "do you know who I am" gambit. I hope Angel can go back for a "discussion" with "Shop Dude", a.k.a., Jerome Womack, the antiques dealer.
Ports are an easy way to deliver the mods, a.k.a., modifiers, specialized drugs that rev up or tone down the zombie parasite's activity on demand. The Plague is a one-size-fits-all bucket of the pains resulting from the bad-brain concoction Charish "cooked up".
The Cover and Title
The cover is rather gruesome with the bleeding, scarred, and smokin' Angel framed in a tangle of white-and-black sock-clad legs and other severed limbs in this gray-white-pinky red cover. It's an even paler pink that forms a good part of the title with a dark pink forming the rest of it. The author's name is more of a pastel pink outlined in black at the bottom.
The title leaves me wondering (especially after the ending). Is it a positive or a negative in how How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back? It could go either way…!
My Take
The action is goin' on, all right. Philip's health problems are mirrored in Angel's body, and they're increasing in frequency and severity. It doesn't help that they've suddenly lost most of their support.
It's kidnappings, harrowing escapes, unexpected retribution, and nasty revelations with an odd combination of good and bad…writing-wise, I mean. Good tension with not knowing whom to trust. Totally unexpected reveal…whew… The fun of a well-funded escapade…*grin*… The horror of Saberton and its CEO. Andrew's reactions certainly keep things moving between his hatred for his mother, but his reaction to the family business…ewww… It'll be interesting to see how he copes in White Trash Zombie Gone Wild , 5.
I did feel some of it, if only because I do have a good imagination. Unfortunately, Rowland wasn't much on the show. I was annoyed with some of Angel's reactions as well. She was so chirpy in the dumbest situations, which did not contribute to pulling me in.
I did like the realism of Kyle's initial reactions when everything first went balls up. And Brian's behavior certainly keeps things TENSE. A bit of sadness as well when Dr. Nikas reveals his past to Angel. Prejudice is an ugly thing.
Hooey, that bar scene at Pillar's was exciting…I kinda wish Angel had gone a bit further.
I can understand pride, but Angel's stubbornness was annoying. Hullo? It's an op. It's not like they're on a vacation! Although, then again, I can understand her frustration with Naomi's unawareness of how money works. As for Andrew's excuses… No, uh-uh, no-how, I ain't buyin' it. He made his choices; he can't blame Julia for making hers.
Ooh, baby, I do like that Jane! That girl can really think under pressure. It'll kill me to have to wait to get ahold of White Trash Zombie Gone Wild .
Now, if we could only sic Jane on that horrifying Nicole and her security people. Jesus. How anyone can do things like this to others???
And I'm still wondering if Nick has a thing for Angel…
The Story
It's zombie versus zombie as the Saberton Corporation declares war against the Zombie Mafia, kidnapping too many of their party. It falls to Angel to lead the remnants of her Krewe halfway across the country to claw their way through corporate intrigue, zombie drugs, and undead trafficking to rescue her friends — and expose the traitor responsible for their abduction.
It doesn't help that Philip is seizing up, barely surviving…
The Characters
Angel Crawford, a.k.a., ZeeEm,
The Krewe is …
…the team on the run: Philip Reinhardt had been undercover for Pietro at Saberton until Angel was forced to turn him into her Zombie Baby, a.k.a., ZeeBee ( Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues , 2). Naomi Comtesse, Angel's best friend, now works as security for Pietro; her undercover name had been Heather Miller when she was actually Julia Saber. She's dating Kyle Griffin, one of Brian's top security guys.
Brian Archer is a zombie and head of Pietro's security.
The Tribe is…
…a loose confederation of zombies and their businesses led by Pietro Ivanov — Angel calls 'em the "Zombie Mafia". His "nephew" is Marcus Ivanov, a zombie policeman whom Angel is dating. Dr. Jane Pennington (she has doctorates in political science and law) is a federal congresswoman to whom Pietro has recently proposed. Victor is her zombie bodyguard.
Rachel Delancey is Brian's second-in-command with a hate-on for Angel, Philip, and Kyle. Simon Sirtis and Ken Godwin are some of the drivers. Raul, Dan, Chris Peterson, and Lawrence Hawkins are more members of the security force.
Dr. Ariston Nikas is another zombie, and he runs the zombie research lab where Angel works part-time. Jacques Leroux and Reg are Nikas' lab techs. John Kang had been one of Naomi's best friends and the first zombie Angel ever knew. Now he's a head.
The St. Edwards Parish Coroner's Office is…
…where Angel works. Dr. Leblanc is the pathologist with great faith in Angel. Allen Prejean is the Coroner's Office chief investigator who still sees Angel as a screwup. Nick Galatas, formerly known as "the Prick", is one of the death investigators while working toward a medical degree and has been a real help to Angel. Derrell is Angel's usual partner, i.e., death investigator.
Saberton Corporation is…
…a family corporation run by the Sabers. Nicole Saber is the CEO of Saberton and the twins' (Andrew and Julia) psychopathic mother. Julia Saber carried on from her grandfather, Richard Saber, doing industrial espionage for Saberton. Dr. Kerazny is the head of R&D. Thea Braddock is in charge of regular security. Special Security includes: Boat Launch Guy is Edwards, Perfect Eyebrows is Pierce Gentry, Ferguson, Davis, Gordon, Jenkins, and Rutledge.
Saberton has been performing pseudo-zombie experimentation using mostly unwilling participants in a variety of projects including the Zoldier project under Dr. Kristi Charish's direction, a neurobiologist currently under Pietro's guard and working for the zombies. Boo-yah! Dr. Sophia Baldwin, an old friend of Marcus' from high school, had explained the parasite theory to Angel.
Randy had been Angel's old boyfriend. Carol Ann is Randy's current bed partner; she has ambitions for more. Debbie Stewart is her dishonorable friend. Clive is a drug-dealing friend of Randy's who lies his weasely heart out. Rick Belluci is a loudmouth racist who used to be a drinking buddy of Angel's dad. Jennifer is the expensive dyslexia specialist who is tutoring Angel. Dear John's Café is owned by John Hickey with his own gimmick and good food (with free WiFi). Top Cow is a café with good food, lousy service…and the first place Marcus and Angel had had lunch. Bill is the bartender at Pillar's Bar.
Freddie is the burly sensei teaching Angel basic jiu jitsu. Chance is another student. Sarah Lynn Harper had been a movie extra in White Trash Zombie Apocalypse , 3. Brenda Barnes had been another extra. Miss Chastity Turner resorts to the old "do you know who I am" gambit. I hope Angel can go back for a "discussion" with "Shop Dude", a.k.a., Jerome Womack, the antiques dealer.
Ports are an easy way to deliver the mods, a.k.a., modifiers, specialized drugs that rev up or tone down the zombie parasite's activity on demand. The Plague is a one-size-fits-all bucket of the pains resulting from the bad-brain concoction Charish "cooked up".
The Cover and Title
The cover is rather gruesome with the bleeding, scarred, and smokin' Angel framed in a tangle of white-and-black sock-clad legs and other severed limbs in this gray-white-pinky red cover. It's an even paler pink that forms a good part of the title with a dark pink forming the rest of it. The author's name is more of a pastel pink outlined in black at the bottom.
The title leaves me wondering (especially after the ending). Is it a positive or a negative in how How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back? It could go either way…!
April 19, 2024
Now this fourth installment was packed with action from the very beginning to the very end! There were tons of twists and turns and so many new details about the zombie parasite or whatever it is that this author brings in this world. And not only is there a ton of action, we get to see the world outside the little bitty Louisiana town that Angel lives in when they must go to New York City to rescue some of the zombies we know and maybe love. For a change, I have to say that I felt some similarities between Angel and myself. For instance, the stubbornness about having other people pay or do things for you, and how it can make you feel like they are looking down on you or not believing you can do something, even if they don’t even mean it that way. And then when she’s walking in NYC with the others and complaining about how her short legs can’t keep up, it totally reminded me of visiting my sister who lived in NYC and her walking so fast, only her legs weren’t that much longer than mine, she was just completely a NYC native at that point.
With all the stuff going on, some traitors, who maybe later we found weren’t actually traitors. And then some that Angel or others trusted until people tried to point a finger at them, and it was hard to know for sure. So many possible double agents, or then again maybe they weren’t! One character mentioned how they’d felt like they didn’t want to “be here” basically be alive, but it didn’t mean he was suicidal, and I get that. I have feelings all the time that I just don’t want to do things anymore, life specifically, but I also am not suicidal. So that really spoke to me.
Something happens late in the story that means we learn a huge load of info on the zombie parasite and how it continues to affect its hosts. We also get histories of Pietro and other older zombie characters and that is fascinating to learn as well. It got really dark with some of the ways the bad guys were treating the zombies they’d managed to lock up. It was horrible and so sad. But again, we learned so much more about their “medical condition” as Angel called it with her dad, as well as other people that had to be let in on the secret in this book.
In the end we have some new zombies that will for sure feature in future stories. As well as Angel who has been doing so well with her new life, finds something that her addictive personality might be able to use to slide back into some old habits. That end of the book made me eager to get started, and I’ll do that in May!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
With all the stuff going on, some traitors, who maybe later we found weren’t actually traitors. And then some that Angel or others trusted until people tried to point a finger at them, and it was hard to know for sure. So many possible double agents, or then again maybe they weren’t! One character mentioned how they’d felt like they didn’t want to “be here” basically be alive, but it didn’t mean he was suicidal, and I get that. I have feelings all the time that I just don’t want to do things anymore, life specifically, but I also am not suicidal. So that really spoke to me.
Something happens late in the story that means we learn a huge load of info on the zombie parasite and how it continues to affect its hosts. We also get histories of Pietro and other older zombie characters and that is fascinating to learn as well. It got really dark with some of the ways the bad guys were treating the zombies they’d managed to lock up. It was horrible and so sad. But again, we learned so much more about their “medical condition” as Angel called it with her dad, as well as other people that had to be let in on the secret in this book.
In the end we have some new zombies that will for sure feature in future stories. As well as Angel who has been doing so well with her new life, finds something that her addictive personality might be able to use to slide back into some old habits. That end of the book made me eager to get started, and I’ll do that in May!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
July 8, 2014
It's zombies vs. Saberton in the latest installment of the White Trash Zombie series, as key members of Pietro's group are either kidnapped, suspected of working as an informant or defecting to Saberton. Kyle Griffin, Naomi, zombie mama Angel and her spawn; Philip, set out on a road trip across the country to save them. Several relationships hang in the balance, including that of Angel/Marcus, Pietro/congresswoman Jane Pennington & Naomi and the two men she loves.
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't find the whole road trip and reconnaisannce all that interesting, it was more like... meh... and I found myself skimming the pages a lot. What I will admit, is that all the skimming eventally paid off, as the story took a definite turn for the better around the 75% mark. I enjoyed the rest of the book tremendously, and the story took several unexpected twists and turns along the way. Including some rather unexpected zombie physiology abilities, a long overdue confrontation between members of the Saberton family, (karma slapping FTW!) a tough as nails fiancee and a rather embarrassing moment for a certain CEO ;-)
Apart from the whole rescue theme of this novel, I found the interpersonal stories the most interesting. Getting to know a little more about the older zombie's lives and abilities was both sad and enlightening, and I particularly enjoyed the story of Pietro and his human family. Of course, it remains to be seen how certain changes will affect his love life in the future...
The whole zombie mama/baby theme is still cute. Philip and Angel are so adorably protective of each other;-)
Unfortunately I don't feel that the book as a whole deserves a higher rating than 3 stars this time, although the last 25% certainly deserves a 4+/5 rating.
Speaking of endings: Kinda shocking. But not that far-fetched when you think about it, given her background. I have a bad feeling about this, and I really don't want to see her go down that path. I am very much looking forward to the continuation of her story.
Maybe it's just me, but I didn't find the whole road trip and reconnaisannce all that interesting, it was more like... meh... and I found myself skimming the pages a lot. What I will admit, is that all the skimming eventally paid off, as the story took a definite turn for the better around the 75% mark. I enjoyed the rest of the book tremendously, and the story took several unexpected twists and turns along the way. Including some rather unexpected zombie physiology abilities, a long overdue confrontation between members of the Saberton family, (karma slapping FTW!) a tough as nails fiancee and a rather embarrassing moment for a certain CEO ;-)
Apart from the whole rescue theme of this novel, I found the interpersonal stories the most interesting. Getting to know a little more about the older zombie's lives and abilities was both sad and enlightening, and I particularly enjoyed the story of Pietro and his human family. Of course, it remains to be seen how certain changes will affect his love life in the future...
The whole zombie mama/baby theme is still cute. Philip and Angel are so adorably protective of each other;-)
Unfortunately I don't feel that the book as a whole deserves a higher rating than 3 stars this time, although the last 25% certainly deserves a 4+/5 rating.
Speaking of endings: Kinda shocking. But not that far-fetched when you think about it, given her background. I have a bad feeling about this, and I really don't want to see her go down that path. I am very much looking forward to the continuation of her story.
February 2, 2019
4 Stars... Angel makes the move from small town girl to big city secret agent as she travels to New York to rescue her friends from the sinister hands of the Saberton Corporation... As Angel fumbles her way through the ins and outs of corporate espionage, she learns that her ability to survive has lent her talents to take on the baddest of the bad, but that her true friends always have her back... As the scales continue to shift and the power trades hands, will Angel be able to maintain her senses and keep her focus on her future, or will she lose everything she has been fighting to achieve?... The evolution of Angel is such a fun process to witness; she is a powerful mix of wittiness, smarts, and heart... It is great fun to watch her win over other characters and worm her way into their hearts... She is truly a unique and fascinating character that I love to watch fumble her way through this thing called life:)
December 11, 2024
How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back
White Trash Zombie, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Dates Read: 12/7/24 - 12/9/24
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Allison McLemore
The Story:
Zombies on a road trip! A lot happens in this story, a trip to NYC, new zombie powers and of course a power struggle with Saberton. The story took a little too long for my short attention span, but it was action packed, twisty and entertaining.
White Trash Zombie, Book 4
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Dates Read: 12/7/24 - 12/9/24
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Allison McLemore
The Story:
Zombies on a road trip! A lot happens in this story, a trip to NYC, new zombie powers and of course a power struggle with Saberton. The story took a little too long for my short attention span, but it was action packed, twisty and entertaining.
February 19, 2023
Really quite solid. Does a good job of balancing the personal with the ongoing action. It is a bit funny just how overpowered everyone in Angels’s life is. I mean there are so many ninja-superspy types around in this one.
And quite a lot of characters to deal with early on. I did find it a little hard going as i left a fair bit of time since the previous volume. Also there are a couple of times where incidents seem a bit forced into the narrative but minor complaints.
I still hope the next one is a bit less action oriented though.
And quite a lot of characters to deal with early on. I did find it a little hard going as i left a fair bit of time since the previous volume. Also there are a couple of times where incidents seem a bit forced into the narrative but minor complaints.
I still hope the next one is a bit less action oriented though.
August 13, 2015
Originally posted at The Book Nympho
I've had How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back on my Audible account since it's release day. Why has it taken me so long to listen to it? I had 'meh' feelings over the last novel, White Trash Zombies Apocalypse. I knew I had to be in the right mood to listen and after watching The CW's new show, iZombie, I was finally in the mood to be back in Angel's world.
What worked:
Angel's signature snark
Great secondary characters
More understanding about zombie life and what they can do
Less Marcus
Allison McLemore's narration
More gore (earn it a 4 star vs a 3.5 star rating)
Angel's continuing growth as a character and heroine
What didn't quite work:
Slow start had me zoning out so I missed some key info
The feel that there might be a new romantic interest for Angel (YAY) but by the end it looks like there might be more Marcus (he's just not my favorite love interest for Angel)
Still not clear on why Saberton and Nicole are after Zombies
Confusion (on my part I'm sure since it's been over a year since I listen to the last one) on some of the female characters. I kept getting them mixed up.
I'll give a listen to the next novel, White Trash Zombie Gone Wild when it's released in October. And on that October release date.... usually the novels are summer releases, I can't help but wonder if the October release is because The Walking Dead returns in October? But I could be reading too much into it. LOL
If you enjoy heavy snark with your braaiins then you should try the White Trash Zombie series, starting with My Life as a White Trash Zombie .
I've had How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back on my Audible account since it's release day. Why has it taken me so long to listen to it? I had 'meh' feelings over the last novel, White Trash Zombies Apocalypse. I knew I had to be in the right mood to listen and after watching The CW's new show, iZombie, I was finally in the mood to be back in Angel's world.
What worked:
Angel's signature snark
Great secondary characters
More understanding about zombie life and what they can do
Less Marcus
Allison McLemore's narration
More gore (earn it a 4 star vs a 3.5 star rating)
Angel's continuing growth as a character and heroine
What didn't quite work:
Slow start had me zoning out so I missed some key info
The feel that there might be a new romantic interest for Angel (YAY) but by the end it looks like there might be more Marcus (he's just not my favorite love interest for Angel)
Still not clear on why Saberton and Nicole are after Zombies
Confusion (on my part I'm sure since it's been over a year since I listen to the last one) on some of the female characters. I kept getting them mixed up.
I'll give a listen to the next novel, White Trash Zombie Gone Wild when it's released in October. And on that October release date.... usually the novels are summer releases, I can't help but wonder if the October release is because The Walking Dead returns in October? But I could be reading too much into it. LOL
If you enjoy heavy snark with your braaiins then you should try the White Trash Zombie series, starting with My Life as a White Trash Zombie .
October 21, 2018
Here we are. I really liked the first couple of books in this series and then stuff started to go down extremely fast. So what's wrong with this series now?
Angel and Phillip are starting to have rot that doesn't go away with extra brains, just as Dr. Nikas and Pietro are kidnapped by the enemy faction of the Saberton Corporation. So it's up to Angel and Co. to get them back.
The thing about Angel was how she had glaring issues. She wasn't educated, wasn't some kind of super genius or a gigantic soldier to kick all asses. Angel was Angel, the type of person who did what she could and winged the rest. Wasn't always enough, it never is, but hey. You could feel for her in a way. Many people disliked her based on many factors and that was fine, nobody is universally loved by everyone. Men also weren't constantly all over her, because again, that's just a stupid book cliche that I hate.
What changed? Everyone fucking LOVES Angel and she constantly gets chances to do things she is in now way qualified to do. When she fucks up they just explain it away, because meh, Angel is just so amaaaaaazingly cool we can't stay mad at her. The cool characters worth caring about all automatically love her and will yaaaas kweeeen her to hell and back (like Naomi, Jane, Dr. Nikas, Dr. Leblanc). At this point even all the eligible men are all over her ass, from Randy, to Marcus, to Nick, to Phillip.
They also do this very premature and stupid thing. When a character in media is consistently very typical in a way people are like "that's so X". You know. Like freaking... Naruto (I'm sorry, this is a stupid example) behaves in a certain way and says certain things consistently for 15 years or so, so people can remark on certain things being typical Naruto. But here the character who have known Angel for like a year all act like she has her big things and something is like SOOOOO ANGEL. Excuse me? Other than being rude she never does anything that special.
The whole thing lost its touch. Other than the "Angel is wonderful effect" we have the problem of this book being some sort of a weird spy thing and doing extremely badly at it. Why are we wasting pages upon pages on the characters shopping for supplies at Walmart for the roadtrip? Who the shit cares about them eating pizza at the hotel? Also, the typical super girly makeover which is a must for some reason, though it is boring.
The pacing of the thing is bad.
At this point I'm done with the series. It's not a fun thing anymore, but devolved into a typical, boring thing that tries to sell a heroine to us who is simultaneously super normal, boring and relatable, but also super popular, good at everything and at the top of every single thing.
Good night and hope I find something to read that's not trash!
Angel and Phillip are starting to have rot that doesn't go away with extra brains, just as Dr. Nikas and Pietro are kidnapped by the enemy faction of the Saberton Corporation. So it's up to Angel and Co. to get them back.
The thing about Angel was how she had glaring issues. She wasn't educated, wasn't some kind of super genius or a gigantic soldier to kick all asses. Angel was Angel, the type of person who did what she could and winged the rest. Wasn't always enough, it never is, but hey. You could feel for her in a way. Many people disliked her based on many factors and that was fine, nobody is universally loved by everyone. Men also weren't constantly all over her, because again, that's just a stupid book cliche that I hate.
What changed? Everyone fucking LOVES Angel and she constantly gets chances to do things she is in now way qualified to do. When she fucks up they just explain it away, because meh, Angel is just so amaaaaaazingly cool we can't stay mad at her. The cool characters worth caring about all automatically love her and will yaaaas kweeeen her to hell and back (like Naomi, Jane, Dr. Nikas, Dr. Leblanc). At this point even all the eligible men are all over her ass, from Randy, to Marcus, to Nick, to Phillip.
They also do this very premature and stupid thing. When a character in media is consistently very typical in a way people are like "that's so X". You know. Like freaking... Naruto (I'm sorry, this is a stupid example) behaves in a certain way and says certain things consistently for 15 years or so, so people can remark on certain things being typical Naruto. But here the character who have known Angel for like a year all act like she has her big things and something is like SOOOOO ANGEL. Excuse me? Other than being rude she never does anything that special.
The whole thing lost its touch. Other than the "Angel is wonderful effect" we have the problem of this book being some sort of a weird spy thing and doing extremely badly at it. Why are we wasting pages upon pages on the characters shopping for supplies at Walmart for the roadtrip? Who the shit cares about them eating pizza at the hotel? Also, the typical super girly makeover which is a must for some reason, though it is boring.
The pacing of the thing is bad.
At this point I'm done with the series. It's not a fun thing anymore, but devolved into a typical, boring thing that tries to sell a heroine to us who is simultaneously super normal, boring and relatable, but also super popular, good at everything and at the top of every single thing.
Good night and hope I find something to read that's not trash!
May 17, 2019
Angel's got her GED, her zombie boyfriends, a great job, wonderful friends, and everything is in high cotton. Until it isn't and she finds herself looking at people she likes and respects wondering which one is betrayer when several key figures among her zombie people are kidnapped. Each installment has me eager to dive in and sad to see the last page and I wouldn't have it any other way.
How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back is book four in an entertaining urban fantasy series where the zombies are the good guys and gals. It's an ongoing story that must be read in order.
As I said earlier, things are sitting pretty with Angel and the gang until Saberton Corp stages a coup that goes unanswered because the Tribe are busy chasing their tails from carefully planted miscues. Pietro and the doctor among others are kidnapped, the doctor was interrupted in a treatment for Angel and Phillip leaving them dealing with an illness and it'll take a road trip to NYC to catch up with their captured people. Angel feels she's a drag on the group and wants to prove that she can help. Then things go from bad to worse and Angel will find out if she has what it takes.
The earlier books were great and I enjoyed each one, but I really enjoyed this one for some of the deeper reveals about several regular characters, the zombie background and secrets, evil Saberton, and watching Angel continue to grow.
Angel is confronted with Marcus' high-handedness again, an awkward and yet needed reunion with her ex, and in the end a new temptation to stray from the straight, clean, and narrow. I appreciate that the author didn't try to make Angel too perfect to be believed, but also not a helpless Mary Sue. She's tough and yet she's got her moments.
There are a few laugh out loud times in this book. Spit your drink out funny when Angel has a cat fight in a bar. I liked the humor because there were some really sad moments too when Angel learns that some of the taciturn people around her have suffered greatly in their pasts and she learns that people aren't always or only what they seem.
The big fight was impressive and zombie gore fans will buzz with excitement over that one. It was pretty impressive with the action and suspense. Angel saves the day in her own offbeat way. Ha!
In summary, the series continues to be a strong draw and I am in high anticipation of the next installment in the series. Urban Fantasy lovers who can handle a moderate amount of squick should definitely give this one a go.
How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back is book four in an entertaining urban fantasy series where the zombies are the good guys and gals. It's an ongoing story that must be read in order.
As I said earlier, things are sitting pretty with Angel and the gang until Saberton Corp stages a coup that goes unanswered because the Tribe are busy chasing their tails from carefully planted miscues. Pietro and the doctor among others are kidnapped, the doctor was interrupted in a treatment for Angel and Phillip leaving them dealing with an illness and it'll take a road trip to NYC to catch up with their captured people. Angel feels she's a drag on the group and wants to prove that she can help. Then things go from bad to worse and Angel will find out if she has what it takes.
The earlier books were great and I enjoyed each one, but I really enjoyed this one for some of the deeper reveals about several regular characters, the zombie background and secrets, evil Saberton, and watching Angel continue to grow.
Angel is confronted with Marcus' high-handedness again, an awkward and yet needed reunion with her ex, and in the end a new temptation to stray from the straight, clean, and narrow. I appreciate that the author didn't try to make Angel too perfect to be believed, but also not a helpless Mary Sue. She's tough and yet she's got her moments.
There are a few laugh out loud times in this book. Spit your drink out funny when Angel has a cat fight in a bar. I liked the humor because there were some really sad moments too when Angel learns that some of the taciturn people around her have suffered greatly in their pasts and she learns that people aren't always or only what they seem.
The big fight was impressive and zombie gore fans will buzz with excitement over that one. It was pretty impressive with the action and suspense. Angel saves the day in her own offbeat way. Ha!
In summary, the series continues to be a strong draw and I am in high anticipation of the next installment in the series. Urban Fantasy lovers who can handle a moderate amount of squick should definitely give this one a go.
September 11, 2019
This series should have stayed a trilogy. This story was full of lameness. There was a significant change in the established Zombie lore of the previous 3 books that is accepted as a regular thing, but that would've had insane effects on the events of the previous 3 books if it had actually been something that the Zombies knew was a thing, which apparently some of them did. There was also another change in the lore that doesn't really make sense or even need to have happened in a Deus Ex Machina way. Angel was insufferable. I used to really like her, but this book was full of whining and stupidity that was out of character for the way that Angel was before this 4th installment of the series.
The 2 best things about this were:
1) When Angel said she wanted to be single for a while, she meant it. Rowland didn't just set her up with another guy in the series.
2) The final scenes of this novel show Angel facing her demons in a way that seemed to have been overlooked as an easy fix after her zombism took hold in the first novel. I appreciated that a lot. It added depth to her struggle with addiction that the series previously lacked.
The 2 best things about this were:
1) When Angel said she wanted to be single for a while, she meant it. Rowland didn't just set her up with another guy in the series.
2) The final scenes of this novel show Angel facing her demons in a way that seemed to have been overlooked as an easy fix after her zombism took hold in the first novel. I appreciated that a lot. It added depth to her struggle with addiction that the series previously lacked.
August 8, 2014
It was slightly different from the other three novels, in that Angel is becoming an action star. (So to speak.) I like the change, but it really starts pushing her away from the simple hick girl in a more pronounced manner than before. We have less hum-drum life living and more of a superhero feel. It's not bad, not by a long shot, and it is definite character development. More that just that, it is a wonderful setup for more books to come and the brilliant segue into her old life problems. We've got a rise in this novel, setting her up for a brand new fall. It is scary, especially since she's been doing so well lately.
I'm really getting into the characterizations. I'm feeling it, and I'm scared for her. That's an excellent sign in any novel. I'm looking forward to a lot more.
I'm really getting into the characterizations. I'm feeling it, and I'm scared for her. That's an excellent sign in any novel. I'm looking forward to a lot more.
July 7, 2014
I can't put my finger on why, exactly, but this installment of the White Trash Zombie series just didn't hit me as strongly as the others have. The stakes were a good bit higher, so I can understand why it wasn't as outright fun as the others. But beyond that, the character relationships seemed a bit forced this time around, and the humor a bit heavy-handed. Certain details are repeated more often than necessary, and certain jokes/quips the author favored are repeated in situations where the characters, as I read them, may not have actually used them.
Something just seemed off. Like the idea to write the book came before the idea to write the book about.
It was an interesting read and I'm glad I did so, I just wouldn't recommend it be anyone's first foray into the WTZ world.
Something just seemed off. Like the idea to write the book came before the idea to write the book about.
It was an interesting read and I'm glad I did so, I just wouldn't recommend it be anyone's first foray into the WTZ world.
January 29, 2015
Wow, was this a hot mess. Have always enjoyed and looked forward to every new installment, but then there was This, gah. Apparently we're in for more since the ending was a ridiculous cliff-hanger. My eyes nearly rolled out of my head reading this wretched thing, but alas, I will be onboard for the next. One can only hope...
July 8, 2014
3.5 Stars. I'm not even sure why this didn't grab me as much as the previous books. I think this a clear case of " it's not you, it's me" or maybe it was "unreachable expectations". I don't think I can blame the narrator (Allison McLemore), her interpretation of these characters, specially Angel, is better than my inner voice.
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