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White Trash Zombie #5
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild
Angel Crawford has buried her loser past and is cruising along in undead high gear--that is, until a murder-by-decapitation sends her on a hazardous detour. As Angel hunts for the killer, she uncovers a scheme that would expose zombies to the public and destroy the life she's built, and she's determined not to rest until she finds out who's behind it.
Soon she's neck-deep in lies, redneck intrigue, zombie hunters, and rot-sniffing cadaver dogs. It's up to her to unravel the truth and snuff out the conspiracy before the existence of zombies makes headline news and she's outed as a monster.
But Angel hasn't quite escaped the pill-popping ghosts of her past--not with an illicit zombie pharmaceutical at her fingertips. Good thing she's absolutely sure she can handle the drug's unpredictable side effects and still take down the bad guys...or maybe she's only one bad choice away from being dead meat--for real this time.
Angel knows a thing or two about kicking ass, but now the ass she needs to kick might be her own.
Soon she's neck-deep in lies, redneck intrigue, zombie hunters, and rot-sniffing cadaver dogs. It's up to her to unravel the truth and snuff out the conspiracy before the existence of zombies makes headline news and she's outed as a monster.
But Angel hasn't quite escaped the pill-popping ghosts of her past--not with an illicit zombie pharmaceutical at her fingertips. Good thing she's absolutely sure she can handle the drug's unpredictable side effects and still take down the bad guys...or maybe she's only one bad choice away from being dead meat--for real this time.
Angel knows a thing or two about kicking ass, but now the ass she needs to kick might be her own.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
68 people are currently reading
1668 people want to read
About the author
Diana Rowland
28 books2,855 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 273 reviews
November 1, 2015
This is a better turn for the series, getting away from corporate or spy shit and giving us an old-style drug problem to work through. :)
I knew it was coming from the end of the previous book, but to see all the horrible issues of the soldier potion for zombies turn her into a self-serving self-destructive zombie who had Just started getting her life together was a very pleasant move. It was going too easy for Angel. The personal agency stuff needed a big kick in the ass, and I'm so happy it happened this way.
Zombie life is interesting enough on its own. :)
Total brain candy. Literally. Yummy Brains. :)
I knew it was coming from the end of the previous book, but to see all the horrible issues of the soldier potion for zombies turn her into a self-serving self-destructive zombie who had Just started getting her life together was a very pleasant move. It was going too easy for Angel. The personal agency stuff needed a big kick in the ass, and I'm so happy it happened this way.
Zombie life is interesting enough on its own. :)
Total brain candy. Literally. Yummy Brains. :)
October 15, 2015
3.5 stars - Spoilers
-Mostly enjoyed the story, the beginning was a bit of a struggle to get through because of Angel's boring drug problems, but once that was sorted out it was a fun read with Angel having to investigate a murder and put out various zombie fires.
-Kind of hated Angel in the first third of the book, she was so weak, stupid, and self-pitying. Her going back to her addictive ways and lying and being slimy put me off her character. Thankfully, it didn't take too long for her to sort herself out, once it was all out in the open she became likeable again.
-Loved Randy, Dr Nikas, and Angel's dad. They were really sweet and Angel's interactions with them were the most entertaining.
-The sort of romance with Nick came out of nowhere, Angel suddenly stopped having feelings for Philip and was all of sudden all over Nick. They were both rubbish love interests, but at least Philip made sense, unlike Nick.
-There were nowhere near enough female characters, literally everyone Angel spent time with were male. It was irritating how she was always surrounded by guys, she only seemed to work with men and have male friends. There was only one female character that she actually got along with, and that character was barely in it. The few other secondary female characters that were in the story were either crazy or evil or bitchy, with Angel constantly banging on about how vile they were. I'm sure in the last book she actually started making a female friend, but that friendship was less than an afterthought in this one. I hope the next book stops with the awful female characters/relationships and actually has Angel having some decent female friendships.
-Mostly enjoyed the story, the beginning was a bit of a struggle to get through because of Angel's boring drug problems, but once that was sorted out it was a fun read with Angel having to investigate a murder and put out various zombie fires.
-Kind of hated Angel in the first third of the book, she was so weak, stupid, and self-pitying. Her going back to her addictive ways and lying and being slimy put me off her character. Thankfully, it didn't take too long for her to sort herself out, once it was all out in the open she became likeable again.
-Loved Randy, Dr Nikas, and Angel's dad. They were really sweet and Angel's interactions with them were the most entertaining.
-The sort of romance with Nick came out of nowhere, Angel suddenly stopped having feelings for Philip and was all of sudden all over Nick. They were both rubbish love interests, but at least Philip made sense, unlike Nick.
-There were nowhere near enough female characters, literally everyone Angel spent time with were male. It was irritating how she was always surrounded by guys, she only seemed to work with men and have male friends. There was only one female character that she actually got along with, and that character was barely in it. The few other secondary female characters that were in the story were either crazy or evil or bitchy, with Angel constantly banging on about how vile they were. I'm sure in the last book she actually started making a female friend, but that friendship was less than an afterthought in this one. I hope the next book stops with the awful female characters/relationships and actually has Angel having some decent female friendships.
January 22, 2018
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I had a lot of fun with this one! I had a bit of a rough time with parts of the previous book in the series so I was really happy to have such a good time with this one. This is the fifth book in the series and I do think that this is a series that needs to be read in order. A lot of things that happened in previous books played a big role in this story. I listed to this book for hours at a time and even found myself cleaning things around the house just so I could listen a little bit longer.
Angel is not in the best place at the start of this book. Becoming a zombie has really forced her into cleaning up her life but in this book she finds that she isn't immune to everything. Eventually others figure out what is going on and she is able to get some help. I really liked seeing Angel deal with her demons. She wasn't always nice and likable but I enjoyed spending time in her mind as she try to work through things.
There is a mystery at the core of the story that Angel is trying to figure out. She sees a few things while recovering a body with her job at the morgue that leads her to believe that she may know the culprit. All of this is going on a the same time a big zombie movie premier is the big event in her hometown. With everyone running around dressed as zombies and zombie hunters, there is no shortage of entertainment in this book. There is plenty of excitement in this installment and Angel finds herself in a few rather dire circumstances.
Allison McLemore is the voice of Angel. I honestly could not imagine experiencing this series in any other way but audio. She really brings Angel to life and does a great job with the other characters as well. I like that she can express Angel's emotions through her reading and is able to add a bit of excitement to the action scenes.
I would highly recommend this series to others. I think that Diana Rowland has created a wonderful group of characters that are a lot of fun. I love her unique take on zombies and I look forward to listening to the next book in the series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this one. I was pretty much hooked on the story from the start. A lot of events from previous books come into play in this story. The narration was wonderful and I think that the audio is the best way to experience this series.
Book source: Audible purchase
I had a lot of fun with this one! I had a bit of a rough time with parts of the previous book in the series so I was really happy to have such a good time with this one. This is the fifth book in the series and I do think that this is a series that needs to be read in order. A lot of things that happened in previous books played a big role in this story. I listed to this book for hours at a time and even found myself cleaning things around the house just so I could listen a little bit longer.
Angel is not in the best place at the start of this book. Becoming a zombie has really forced her into cleaning up her life but in this book she finds that she isn't immune to everything. Eventually others figure out what is going on and she is able to get some help. I really liked seeing Angel deal with her demons. She wasn't always nice and likable but I enjoyed spending time in her mind as she try to work through things.
There is a mystery at the core of the story that Angel is trying to figure out. She sees a few things while recovering a body with her job at the morgue that leads her to believe that she may know the culprit. All of this is going on a the same time a big zombie movie premier is the big event in her hometown. With everyone running around dressed as zombies and zombie hunters, there is no shortage of entertainment in this book. There is plenty of excitement in this installment and Angel finds herself in a few rather dire circumstances.
Allison McLemore is the voice of Angel. I honestly could not imagine experiencing this series in any other way but audio. She really brings Angel to life and does a great job with the other characters as well. I like that she can express Angel's emotions through her reading and is able to add a bit of excitement to the action scenes.
I would highly recommend this series to others. I think that Diana Rowland has created a wonderful group of characters that are a lot of fun. I love her unique take on zombies and I look forward to listening to the next book in the series very soon.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this one. I was pretty much hooked on the story from the start. A lot of events from previous books come into play in this story. The narration was wonderful and I think that the audio is the best way to experience this series.
Book source: Audible purchase
November 14, 2015
This review was originally posted at The Book Nympho
After the way the last book, How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back, I was nervous about Angel's state. Before being turned into a Zombie, Angel had a drug problem. Well death doesn't take away that monkey on the back. Now that Angel is team Zombie her addictive nature can affect more people than just her. Like the need to eat more braiiiins.
I enjoyed returning to the lighter, redneck side of Angel's world over the heavier plot line we had in the last installment with Saberton. But don't worry, Saberton is still around they just weren't front and center this time.
Angel got outed to a couple of people in her everyday life and it will be interesting to see how that affects her life and those relationships. And it looks like zombies as a whole might be closer to coming out as well. I think Angel and the tribe have some very interesting times ahead of them. I'm sure we'll see more of Saberton story line in the near future as things start coming to a head with the over all story arc of the series.
Allison McLemore has made the White Trash Zombie series an audio only series for me. She is perfect for voicing Angel and the rest of the cast. I can't imagine anyone else bring Angel to life and I love Allison's extra twangy spin on the redneck characters. The team of McLemore and Rowland is not to be missed by Urban Fantasy fans looking for a lovable heroine with a brain eating problem.
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild was a fun side trip on the Angel road trip through the redneck vs zombie story and I can't wait to see what Rowland has in store for us next.
After the way the last book, How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back, I was nervous about Angel's state. Before being turned into a Zombie, Angel had a drug problem. Well death doesn't take away that monkey on the back. Now that Angel is team Zombie her addictive nature can affect more people than just her. Like the need to eat more braiiiins.
I enjoyed returning to the lighter, redneck side of Angel's world over the heavier plot line we had in the last installment with Saberton. But don't worry, Saberton is still around they just weren't front and center this time.
Angel got outed to a couple of people in her everyday life and it will be interesting to see how that affects her life and those relationships. And it looks like zombies as a whole might be closer to coming out as well. I think Angel and the tribe have some very interesting times ahead of them. I'm sure we'll see more of Saberton story line in the near future as things start coming to a head with the over all story arc of the series.
Allison McLemore has made the White Trash Zombie series an audio only series for me. She is perfect for voicing Angel and the rest of the cast. I can't imagine anyone else bring Angel to life and I love Allison's extra twangy spin on the redneck characters. The team of McLemore and Rowland is not to be missed by Urban Fantasy fans looking for a lovable heroine with a brain eating problem.
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild was a fun side trip on the Angel road trip through the redneck vs zombie story and I can't wait to see what Rowland has in store for us next.
February 27, 2021
This is the fifth book in Rowland's fun Angel-the-zombie series, and I liked it better than the previous one. She gets back home where she belongs and away from the corporate-spies-in-the-big-city story line that was a tad tedious. There are some good bits where she has to begin to deal with her drug problem, and finds support from a couple of unexpected sources. Many of the characters from previous situations are out of town, and she has to cope with some knotty crises on her own. She sort of continues her renewed relationship with the loser ex-boyfriend, which is always a mistake in urban fantasy books, but fights through and comes together (after literally coming apart) in the end. It's fun stuff, and a real brainy read. By the way, the cover is certainly eye-catching, but nothing like the actual story.
October 12, 2015
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
Angel Crawford is at it again in WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GONE WILD taking on multiple plot threads, dodging cadaver dogs, and battling inner demons. The story was a clever spin on Zombiefest-gone-bad, and things are starting to come together for the heroine on the work front. I was happy that Saberton was put on the back burner for an installment, and that Marcus is now firmly in the “friend zone”. Still, I did take issue with Angel’s regression, and the ending wasn’t ideal.
This novel took a turn for the silly with less emphasis on corporate espionage, and more on redneck drama—think too much alcohol paired with trailer park logic and a doomsday prep kit. Crawford’s paranoia also catches up with her when Allen & Dr. Nikas, her bosses, confront her about two separate issues, but not for the reasons you’d suspect. It was nice seeing the protagonist’s support system establish itself, and I just love her dad to bits!
Angel’s been on a path of self-improvement for most of this series; she got her GED, kicked her bad habits, and is working hard on building her career. However, I knew that a relapse was brewing, and would have been ok with it had the author not used it solely as a gimmick, and as a way to forgive amateur mistakes. Crawford still had plenty of awesome moments, but her decision making wasn’t up to snuff, and I was bummed that her character was somewhat devalued because of her actions.
Allison McLemore’s narration is the difference between these books going on my someday pile or my pre-order list. Whenever the next installment is on the horizon it becomes a rat race to find where the audio is available in Canada because the last two volumes have been difficult to find. But, McLemore’s performance is worth the added legwork because her Louisiana voices are beyond compare, and her snark compliments Diana Rowland’s humour to a T.
WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GONE WILD got the job done.
Angel Crawford is at it again in WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GONE WILD taking on multiple plot threads, dodging cadaver dogs, and battling inner demons. The story was a clever spin on Zombiefest-gone-bad, and things are starting to come together for the heroine on the work front. I was happy that Saberton was put on the back burner for an installment, and that Marcus is now firmly in the “friend zone”. Still, I did take issue with Angel’s regression, and the ending wasn’t ideal.
This novel took a turn for the silly with less emphasis on corporate espionage, and more on redneck drama—think too much alcohol paired with trailer park logic and a doomsday prep kit. Crawford’s paranoia also catches up with her when Allen & Dr. Nikas, her bosses, confront her about two separate issues, but not for the reasons you’d suspect. It was nice seeing the protagonist’s support system establish itself, and I just love her dad to bits!
Angel’s been on a path of self-improvement for most of this series; she got her GED, kicked her bad habits, and is working hard on building her career. However, I knew that a relapse was brewing, and would have been ok with it had the author not used it solely as a gimmick, and as a way to forgive amateur mistakes. Crawford still had plenty of awesome moments, but her decision making wasn’t up to snuff, and I was bummed that her character was somewhat devalued because of her actions.
Allison McLemore’s narration is the difference between these books going on my someday pile or my pre-order list. Whenever the next installment is on the horizon it becomes a rat race to find where the audio is available in Canada because the last two volumes have been difficult to find. But, McLemore’s performance is worth the added legwork because her Louisiana voices are beyond compare, and her snark compliments Diana Rowland’s humour to a T.
WHITE TRASH ZOMBIE GONE WILD got the job done.
December 8, 2019
Book 1: My Life As a White Trash Zombie Review ★★★★☆ | Book 2: Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues Review ★★★☆☆ | Book 3: White Trash Zombie Apocalypse Review ★★★★☆ | Book 4: How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back Review ★★★★☆
”Laissez le bons cerveaux roulent. Or, in English: Let the good brains roll.”
4 stars. One of my favorites of the series. Seriously, there was so much going on from page one and I honestly don’t know how Angel even survived everything. There’s a lot of twists and turns and action throughout and it was just a very entertaining read.
Angel’s character development gets stronger with each book which is awesome because she’s a great and likable character. I didn’t see the whole thing with her and Nick but I am more than okay with it because in hindsight, it makes sense in hindsight I guess. If they pursue something more I honestly wouldn’t be upset about it. Also, Angel and her dad had some great moments in this one, especially the ending. It was really nice to see because while their relationship is on the up, they still have some rocky moments.
At this point in the series, there really isn’t much I can say without giving spoilers but I can’t believe I only have one more book left. I’m very excited to see how all of this wraps up and how Angel’s story concludes.
{Challenges completed:
✔YA Buddy Readers’ Corner: Series Read Along Tug of War Challenge - Team Naughty 😈
✔For Love of a Book: Santa’s Workshop Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Hunt the Serial Killer Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: The Walking Dead Word Search Challenge}
”Laissez le bons cerveaux roulent. Or, in English: Let the good brains roll.”
4 stars. One of my favorites of the series. Seriously, there was so much going on from page one and I honestly don’t know how Angel even survived everything. There’s a lot of twists and turns and action throughout and it was just a very entertaining read.
Angel’s character development gets stronger with each book which is awesome because she’s a great and likable character. I didn’t see the whole thing with her and Nick but I am more than okay with it because in hindsight, it makes sense in hindsight I guess. If they pursue something more I honestly wouldn’t be upset about it. Also, Angel and her dad had some great moments in this one, especially the ending. It was really nice to see because while their relationship is on the up, they still have some rocky moments.
At this point in the series, there really isn’t much I can say without giving spoilers but I can’t believe I only have one more book left. I’m very excited to see how all of this wraps up and how Angel’s story concludes.
{Challenges completed:
✔YA Buddy Readers’ Corner: Series Read Along Tug of War Challenge - Team Naughty 😈
✔For Love of a Book: Santa’s Workshop Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: Hunt the Serial Killer Challenge
✔For Love of a Book: The Walking Dead Word Search Challenge}
December 26, 2016
Angel falls apart
-Head roll, bodies rot uncontrolled, pieces fall off, skin peels away.
-Angel is caught red handed
-Exposure happens
-Dad comes through
-Everyone hates Judd
-Angel goes all Zombie Columbo Commando
Really liked this edition, less corp spy bs, less romance, more angel ninja action
-Head roll, bodies rot uncontrolled, pieces fall off, skin peels away.
-Angel is caught red handed
-Exposure happens
-Dad comes through
-Everyone hates Judd
-Angel goes all Zombie Columbo Commando
Really liked this edition, less corp spy bs, less romance, more angel ninja action
October 3, 2015
I started this book and pretty much read it in marathon fashion with very few breaks, it was great, I wanted to see where things were going and was not terribly disappointed.
So with THAT out of the way, I can usually decide if a book was 4 Stars or 5 Stars with only a little trouble sometimes but this one really has kept me waffling back and forth for most of today. The story was great, I was engrossed pretty much all the time BUT it seemed like our petite protagonist for this series got a heaping dose of TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) in too many scenes it seemed to me.
You can count on one thing in all these books, the writing is top notch and the stories addicting but the cast of characters and the overarching plots were largely missing from this more local and a "bad guy" that you were never sure was even a "bad guy" (there was 1 that you did not have to wonder about).
Her struggle with her additive personality which we got a peak of at the end of the last book is in full swing this time and while it added drama and angst I am not sure it really made this a better book, I liked the smart, savvy and heroine that people always underestimated in previous books. We do see a bit of it in this story but not as much as we have grown to expect.
One of the things I did like about this story was the revelation that people she thought did not like her (or even hated her) turn out to be her friends and she never really knew it. There are two levels of plots here and 1 is local and 1 is loosely linked to the old corporate evil. She does seem to make some associations for clues out of thin air at times it seemed to me (or maybe I was reading too fast) and Diana Rowland did a great job on keeping me guessing exactly what Rosario was trying to do and the truth was a bit surprising.
I should mention that this story was pretty much 100% Urban Fantasy and not a romance in sight, maybe the barest hint of something in the future but a long way to go on that one.
Bottom Line: Another great story in this series, I felt not as good as the last two books but not by enough to really take away any major points, still love the series and I can see that part of what this book did was setup the next one. I really feel like we as readers have been cheated out of some revenge along the way but I can see that it is probably coming but at a much slower pace than my "revenge junkie" likes. So at the end of the day ... 4 Stars, great reading and anyone who is NOT reading this series is really cheating yourself out of some exceptional stories.
So with THAT out of the way, I can usually decide if a book was 4 Stars or 5 Stars with only a little trouble sometimes but this one really has kept me waffling back and forth for most of today. The story was great, I was engrossed pretty much all the time BUT it seemed like our petite protagonist for this series got a heaping dose of TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) in too many scenes it seemed to me.
You can count on one thing in all these books, the writing is top notch and the stories addicting but the cast of characters and the overarching plots were largely missing from this more local and a "bad guy" that you were never sure was even a "bad guy" (there was 1 that you did not have to wonder about).
Her struggle with her additive personality which we got a peak of at the end of the last book is in full swing this time and while it added drama and angst I am not sure it really made this a better book, I liked the smart, savvy and heroine that people always underestimated in previous books. We do see a bit of it in this story but not as much as we have grown to expect.
One of the things I did like about this story was the revelation that people she thought did not like her (or even hated her) turn out to be her friends and she never really knew it. There are two levels of plots here and 1 is local and 1 is loosely linked to the old corporate evil. She does seem to make some associations for clues out of thin air at times it seemed to me (or maybe I was reading too fast) and Diana Rowland did a great job on keeping me guessing exactly what Rosario was trying to do and the truth was a bit surprising.
I should mention that this story was pretty much 100% Urban Fantasy and not a romance in sight, maybe the barest hint of something in the future but a long way to go on that one.
Bottom Line: Another great story in this series, I felt not as good as the last two books but not by enough to really take away any major points, still love the series and I can see that part of what this book did was setup the next one. I really feel like we as readers have been cheated out of some revenge along the way but I can see that it is probably coming but at a much slower pace than my "revenge junkie" likes. So at the end of the day ... 4 Stars, great reading and anyone who is NOT reading this series is really cheating yourself out of some exceptional stories.
July 31, 2017
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/revi...
At the end of last book I was really worried about Angel as she found a new way to get high now as a zombie. And we are dealing with that a big part of this book.
But I admit I really enjoy that we are not getting the “prefect” character with this series and especially this book. Angel not only has to deal with her new addiction but also gets outed. So she has plenty of stuff thrown at her in this book.
She gains some unlikely and new allies in this book. Which I really enjoyed. I also liked that we got less of the whole SaberTech stuff and more of Angle and her daily life or more of her chaos would be more fitting.
I absolutely love this series because Angel is one of my all-time favorite character arcs. It is slow and gradually, has its up and downs and overall is very realistic and easy to relate to . The same goes with any and all relationships in this series. Friendships and romantic. Which by the way we don’t get much in this book. But I think something has been brewing in that department for a while and we will get to … hopefully soon. Anyway. I love the way they build up relationships and works through issues.
Like her and her dad, I used to hate her dad and he has done some pretty nasty things but I really think, he is next to Angel a rising star of the series. I absolutely loved him in this book. Thinking back to book one I would have never thought that happening.
We have some nice surprises and twist in this book that I honestly didn’t see coming.
Some spots of the book were a little slow but overall I really loved this book and Angle’s adventurers and I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I rate it 4 ★
May 24, 2019
Angel just had a harrowing adventure in the Big Apple and now she's back home. But, a crisis is building in her personal life about the same time that things are getting dire for the Tribe. This one delved into Angel's personal demons so it was as much an internal battle as an outward fight when new trouble hits the scene and I was good with the change-up it offered.
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is the fifth of the installments in the White Trash Zombie series. It is an ongoing story so definitely works best when got in order.
So, Angel may have gotten a bit addicted on the V12 enhancement drug they used to help fight their way out of tough situation back in NYC. She goes into addict mode with hiding that she is stealing from the lab, making excuses, showing effects of constant dosing and causing those who know her best to suspect. On one level, Angel knows she's in a bad place, but feels she can get out of it whenever she wants or argues herself into believing she needs the stuff to function.
While she's going through this tough battle and avoiding those who challenger her and want to help her, someone leaks real zombie footage at the annual zombie festival and zombie movie premiere and maybe that same someone sicced the FBI onto investigating how lots of corpses appear to be missing their brains. But, then there is the decapitation murder that looks like the serial killer is back. Angel is ducking and dodging her boss, the FBI, and the Tribe while working the decapitation case because she knows full well that the serial killer is not back and strongly suspects who is involved. She's on her own and not just because she pushes people away due to her addiction. Keep members of the Tribe are off working to shut down the Saberton labs and recapture Dr. Charish. It's a zombie world gone wild.
It was hard to see Angel falter with staying clean from her addictions, but I was glad the author went there because addiction doesn't just go away and it was more realistic that becoming a zombie isn't some fast track. She's still Angel and fighting this makes her stronger. I also enjoyed seeing her get brushed aside by Marcus and the others only to hang in there and do her own way of protecting the Tribe. She's up against big odds, but she has her own posse and finds a way even when the V12 has some bad side affects including some real zombie rot and hunger. And is that some romance I see with Nick the Prick? I hope so.
Another great installment of the series. I may get a little squeamish at moments, but these books are loaded with lots of urban fantasy goodness that are a can't miss for me. Definitely recommend!
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is the fifth of the installments in the White Trash Zombie series. It is an ongoing story so definitely works best when got in order.
So, Angel may have gotten a bit addicted on the V12 enhancement drug they used to help fight their way out of tough situation back in NYC. She goes into addict mode with hiding that she is stealing from the lab, making excuses, showing effects of constant dosing and causing those who know her best to suspect. On one level, Angel knows she's in a bad place, but feels she can get out of it whenever she wants or argues herself into believing she needs the stuff to function.
While she's going through this tough battle and avoiding those who challenger her and want to help her, someone leaks real zombie footage at the annual zombie festival and zombie movie premiere and maybe that same someone sicced the FBI onto investigating how lots of corpses appear to be missing their brains. But, then there is the decapitation murder that looks like the serial killer is back. Angel is ducking and dodging her boss, the FBI, and the Tribe while working the decapitation case because she knows full well that the serial killer is not back and strongly suspects who is involved. She's on her own and not just because she pushes people away due to her addiction. Keep members of the Tribe are off working to shut down the Saberton labs and recapture Dr. Charish. It's a zombie world gone wild.
It was hard to see Angel falter with staying clean from her addictions, but I was glad the author went there because addiction doesn't just go away and it was more realistic that becoming a zombie isn't some fast track. She's still Angel and fighting this makes her stronger. I also enjoyed seeing her get brushed aside by Marcus and the others only to hang in there and do her own way of protecting the Tribe. She's up against big odds, but she has her own posse and finds a way even when the V12 has some bad side affects including some real zombie rot and hunger. And is that some romance I see with Nick the Prick? I hope so.
Another great installment of the series. I may get a little squeamish at moments, but these books are loaded with lots of urban fantasy goodness that are a can't miss for me. Definitely recommend!
October 26, 2015
Oh thank the lord. After the somewhat strange disaster of overly complicated plots and ton-fuck of new characters in the last book, White Trash Zombie has returned to a somewhat more simple- but much more engaging story lines in White Trash Zombie Gone Wild.
I know it's going to sound strange, but I'm kind of glad we got to see Angel fall off the wagon. After all, she's been an addict for years. She's also admitted a couple of times that if she hadn't become a zombie than she'd have never had the power of will to quit. Until now, there was nothing that served as an alternative to drugs because her zombie parasite clears that shit right out [also I don't know why they keep drawing her with cigarettes on the cover, is it meant to signify how cool she is? she hates that stuff]. And it was really believable - and tragic - that Angel's addictive nature instantly rears it's ugly head. She behaves exactly like an addict would and considering that she didn't quit originally because she wanted it - it felt natural to see her crash so quick and hard.
I'm glad Rowland went back to more simple story lines - although of course it meant getting rid of the extra characters and returning back to the original setting. But the damage is done, there are just so many characters in the series, that some of previous characters barely get mentioned. The total abandonment of Marcus' character made me sad; yes he was a dick, but he is also Angel's creator, and it feels like Rowland is trying to completely write him out. I'm also a little upset that Philip was also barely in this book. I would have thought he and Angel would work together, it felt like it would natural, especially with all the sparks in the last book. Yes, I saw the romance with Nick coming, but not from Angel. It was obvious Nick was developing a crush on her, but Angel viewed him as friend. Nick's character development was touching as well as his back story... but he's not the character I imagined putting the focus on.
One of the biggest grippes with this book however is the lack of female characters. Angel's main interactions seem to be only with men. Occasionally she chats with a side female character, but none that you'd consider as anything but an extra. After getting Naomi and Jane in the last book, it felt like Angel was finally getting some female friendships. But alas.
Another thing is the fucking summarization. I wish to god that editors didn't make authors summarize the previous books in the series in case of new readers-- I know this happens because I've heard an author say their editors make them do it. And I'd understand this happening in book two or three, but not book 5. If someone picks up volume 5, they deserve all the spoilers. Maybe just label the books more clearly, like "This is the fifth volume in the series, before reading this book, please check out this this this and this book." Instead of the annoying little throwback summaries of what happened every now and then throughout the whole book. It's like why is Angel telling us what happened a year ago when someone is about to chop her head off?? Focus Angel.
Overall, I'm glad the series is back on track, I'm really looking forward to the next one.
I know it's going to sound strange, but I'm kind of glad we got to see Angel fall off the wagon. After all, she's been an addict for years. She's also admitted a couple of times that if she hadn't become a zombie than she'd have never had the power of will to quit. Until now, there was nothing that served as an alternative to drugs because her zombie parasite clears that shit right out [also I don't know why they keep drawing her with cigarettes on the cover, is it meant to signify how cool she is? she hates that stuff]. And it was really believable - and tragic - that Angel's addictive nature instantly rears it's ugly head. She behaves exactly like an addict would and considering that she didn't quit originally because she wanted it - it felt natural to see her crash so quick and hard.
I'm glad Rowland went back to more simple story lines - although of course it meant getting rid of the extra characters and returning back to the original setting. But the damage is done, there are just so many characters in the series, that some of previous characters barely get mentioned. The total abandonment of Marcus' character made me sad; yes he was a dick, but he is also Angel's creator, and it feels like Rowland is trying to completely write him out. I'm also a little upset that Philip was also barely in this book. I would have thought he and Angel would work together, it felt like it would natural, especially with all the sparks in the last book. Yes, I saw the romance with Nick coming, but not from Angel. It was obvious Nick was developing a crush on her, but Angel viewed him as friend. Nick's character development was touching as well as his back story... but he's not the character I imagined putting the focus on.
One of the biggest grippes with this book however is the lack of female characters. Angel's main interactions seem to be only with men. Occasionally she chats with a side female character, but none that you'd consider as anything but an extra. After getting Naomi and Jane in the last book, it felt like Angel was finally getting some female friendships. But alas.
Another thing is the fucking summarization. I wish to god that editors didn't make authors summarize the previous books in the series in case of new readers-- I know this happens because I've heard an author say their editors make them do it. And I'd understand this happening in book two or three, but not book 5. If someone picks up volume 5, they deserve all the spoilers. Maybe just label the books more clearly, like "This is the fifth volume in the series, before reading this book, please check out this this this and this book." Instead of the annoying little throwback summaries of what happened every now and then throughout the whole book. It's like why is Angel telling us what happened a year ago when someone is about to chop her head off?? Focus Angel.
Overall, I'm glad the series is back on track, I'm really looking forward to the next one.
January 28, 2016
We are back from New York, and Angel has a problem thanks to a zombie pharmaceutical. She is sneaking some of this drug without the others knowing and its causing some problems. Like increasing her, need for BRAIIIIINS! However, none of this stops her from uncovering a conspiracy to out zombies.
Rowland’s descriptions particularly the action scenes had me sitting motionless as the story unraveled in three-D. Punches of humor that only Angel could deliver helped keep the darker moments light and it was one heck of a ride.
Angel is a character you cannot help but root for. She is kick-ass, a little unpolished, and smart as a whip. When she opens her mouth, you never know what will pop out. If she cares about you then you are one of the lucky ones because she will and does move heaven and earth to protect you.
Conspiracies, zombie hunters, exposure and danger continue in White Trash Zombies. Some interesting things happen at the morgue where Angela works some very interesting things. Saberton Industries are still in the picture but they took a backseat in this edition.
Allison McLemore is the voice of Angel and the crew. I could not imagine the series without her. If you are looking for a unique Urban Fantasy, I cannot recommend the audio version of White Trash Zombies enough.
Now before you say, Kim this looks hilarious and action-packed but I do not do zombies. Rowland has created zombies that live among us, look like us but just have to snack on brains occasionally to avoid decomposing. It is like me without coffee. I would totally decompose without it! COFFEE! I NEED MORE COFFFFFEEEEE!!!! This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Rowland’s descriptions particularly the action scenes had me sitting motionless as the story unraveled in three-D. Punches of humor that only Angel could deliver helped keep the darker moments light and it was one heck of a ride.
Angel is a character you cannot help but root for. She is kick-ass, a little unpolished, and smart as a whip. When she opens her mouth, you never know what will pop out. If she cares about you then you are one of the lucky ones because she will and does move heaven and earth to protect you.
Conspiracies, zombie hunters, exposure and danger continue in White Trash Zombies. Some interesting things happen at the morgue where Angela works some very interesting things. Saberton Industries are still in the picture but they took a backseat in this edition.
Allison McLemore is the voice of Angel and the crew. I could not imagine the series without her. If you are looking for a unique Urban Fantasy, I cannot recommend the audio version of White Trash Zombies enough.
Now before you say, Kim this looks hilarious and action-packed but I do not do zombies. Rowland has created zombies that live among us, look like us but just have to snack on brains occasionally to avoid decomposing. It is like me without coffee. I would totally decompose without it! COFFEE! I NEED MORE COFFFFFEEEEE!!!! This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer
December 1, 2015
Quick review:
Cover: Doesn’t Fit
Rating: R
Steaminess: NONE
Thumbs Up: 3.5
Overall: Entertaining
Characters: Well Written
Plot: Angel overcoming addiction
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Randy
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
I was glad one romance was gone but still sad that another was gone. This story had very little romance. And where some stories don’t need romance to be entertaining, I found this one dragged without it. Only because the author created love tension then didn’t deliver.
Audio Review
Allison McLemore is the saving grace for the series. If not for her, I might have given up this series. She does such wonderful job at narration.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://www.mybookboyfriend.net/2015/1...
Cover: Doesn’t Fit
Rating: R
Steaminess: NONE
Thumbs Up: 3.5
Overall: Entertaining
Characters: Well Written
Plot: Angel overcoming addiction
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Randy
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
I was glad one romance was gone but still sad that another was gone. This story had very little romance. And where some stories don’t need romance to be entertaining, I found this one dragged without it. Only because the author created love tension then didn’t deliver.
Audio Review
Allison McLemore is the saving grace for the series. If not for her, I might have given up this series. She does such wonderful job at narration.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://www.mybookboyfriend.net/2015/1...
April 7, 2016
Everyone's favorite zombie, Angel returns for another helping of brains. In this instalment she finds herself hooked on a zombie mod....a drug that gives zombies superpowers for short bursts. Unfortunately the mod chews up the brains and she needs more and more just to maintain.
When footage surfaces of zombies on the rampage, footage that includes Angel, it's left up to her to find the flash drive that has the movie, solve a murder and make sure zombies remain in the shadows.
The White Trash Zombie books really are great fun. Despite her insecurities, Angel always manages to find her courage and win the day teaching all the kids a valuable lesson before shambling off into the sunset in search of more brains. White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is probably the best in the series after the first two books.
When footage surfaces of zombies on the rampage, footage that includes Angel, it's left up to her to find the flash drive that has the movie, solve a murder and make sure zombies remain in the shadows.
The White Trash Zombie books really are great fun. Despite her insecurities, Angel always manages to find her courage and win the day teaching all the kids a valuable lesson before shambling off into the sunset in search of more brains. White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is probably the best in the series after the first two books.
October 10, 2015
Why can't every book I read be like this book?
Flawed but likable main character.
An interesting and well developed world.
Great side characters that have their own personalities.
Engaging story that kept me reading.
Flawed but likable main character.
An interesting and well developed world.
Great side characters that have their own personalities.
Engaging story that kept me reading.
August 15, 2023
Maybe not 5 pure stars but a high 4 and surprisingly i think i have to say its the best so far hence giving it the very slight bump to 5.
Quite surprising to have the 5th book in the series be the best. I mean sure you expect writers to get better to a degree but on the other hand its easy to have diminishing returns with a concept or characters.
These books vary between the personal elements of our protagonist and the zombie stuff which can be either detective/mystery based or more action packed Evil Corporation stuff.
This entry actually has 3 different mysteries with one personal, one detective and one evil corp based and they compliment rather than interfere with each other making for very compelling reading.
While the last book was really enjoyable, it was very action packed but managed too still balance in some personal stuff. This one however is probably the most personal, aka character based than any book since the first and i think that's why it was even better from my point of view.
It feels like a very dense book it felt a lot longer (in a good way) than it looks on the outside. There were some story threads which.. should have felt rushed, like they resolved too quickly. I say ‘should have’ because they just didn’t. Everything flowed really well for me despite, looked at objectively i could point and say this plot ends too early etc. but i just didn’t feel it.
Maybe it was because there were always so many plot threads that there was always more to focus on. But i mention it anyway as your mileage may vary.
Anyway, best so far, really, really enjoyed it.
A little worried about whether this series will have a proper ending and if such an ending will feel complete but only time will tell. One more book published after this one, so far.
Quite surprising to have the 5th book in the series be the best. I mean sure you expect writers to get better to a degree but on the other hand its easy to have diminishing returns with a concept or characters.
These books vary between the personal elements of our protagonist and the zombie stuff which can be either detective/mystery based or more action packed Evil Corporation stuff.
This entry actually has 3 different mysteries with one personal, one detective and one evil corp based and they compliment rather than interfere with each other making for very compelling reading.
While the last book was really enjoyable, it was very action packed but managed too still balance in some personal stuff. This one however is probably the most personal, aka character based than any book since the first and i think that's why it was even better from my point of view.
It feels like a very dense book it felt a lot longer (in a good way) than it looks on the outside. There were some story threads which.. should have felt rushed, like they resolved too quickly. I say ‘should have’ because they just didn’t. Everything flowed really well for me despite, looked at objectively i could point and say this plot ends too early etc. but i just didn’t feel it.
Maybe it was because there were always so many plot threads that there was always more to focus on. But i mention it anyway as your mileage may vary.
Anyway, best so far, really, really enjoyed it.
A little worried about whether this series will have a proper ending and if such an ending will feel complete but only time will tell. One more book published after this one, so far.
October 26, 2015
Angel reminds me of Stacia Kane's Chess more and more, not just because they're both addicts, but because she's such a realistically flawed character, she screws up often and big time, and you don't see that in urban fantasy books very often. It's hard to find a heroine in urban fantasy who isn't too perfect, doesn't learn everything too fast, have all the best ideas and have everyone following her into battle two days after she first discovers she's magical or inherited some power. Chess and Angel had f***ed up childhoods and are pretty messed up adults who are just trying to do better. The tones in the series are very different, the worlds are different, or the histories of this world are, but the women would probably nod and recognize something in each other. I enjoy seeing the journeys these imperfect women are taking. Angel's a bit more typically urban fantasy in the action and kicka** department, but I'm glad she didn't become suddenly perfect when she became a zombie, that her underlying nature as a person is still a factor as she's growing up and growing into the woman we're watching her become. I thought her relapse into addiction was pretty much appropriately handled. She is an addict, that can't change, the only thing that changed was the parasite that makes her immune to the effects of most addictive substances. When she found a drug that worked she got hooked, fast and hard. It isn't surprising that she would behave the way she did, lying to herself and others to feed the addiction and avoid facing the awful truth. That's what addicts do.Some other reviewers were upset because it made her less likable or devalued her character or something. I don't think Rowland ever hid the fact that Angel wasn't perfect and to me that's what makes her so great. Doing better, improving herself, isn't always easy, but she's doing it anyway. Becoming a zombie gave her the push and the ability to start the journey but she still has to fight for it. Perfection is boring, I like this messed up chick, flaws and all. I thought it was handled about as well as it could be in a short, basically upbeat, humorous action novel.
It's a good thing I only had the dog to wake up (sorry Lovey) and not a house full of other people who'd hate me for it, when Angel's dad gave her her raffle prize from the movie premier, I really did laugh out loud. Rowland strikes such a great balance between humor and adventure with these books, without making them too silly. Or snarky. Angel is a bit sarcastic, but the way we would be, not overly witty like some heroines. (I like witty, and I'm not putting down the snark, just saying Angel is more normal.)She's quick with the bantering, but really, the person she picks on the most is herself, both when justified or because of her insecurities. She can't always tell the difference, she has so little self-esteem yet. It was good to see her increasing self-confidence in this book, she's seeing her own growth through the last year and a half and appreciating her accomplishments appropriately.
And the heart in the book is great too. Angel is such a softy, she thinks she's tough but she'll go to bat for anyone in trouble, even people she doesn't really like, at least until they prove that they're not good people. It was touching to see how much her friends and dad care for her, given how deeply she cares for them in return and the sacrifices she made for them repeatedly throughout the stories. I was glad to see that her love is reciprocated and that she finally understood that as well. And there was no Marcus in this one! I didn't miss him at all, I don't enjoy that bully. I enjoyed the focus being on her friendship with Nick, there has been some nice tension building between them for a while in previous books and it was good to see that situation explored more. I enjoy the way Rowland builds layers into the story, she doesn't rush things, she doesn't go for quick, obvious payoffs. There's no insta-love, there are real friendships and relationships based on experiences and trust. And uncomfortable feelings based on experiences too, she doesn't avoid the bad stuff.
But where are the woman? Other than Angel there are no prominent female characters. There's a guard who hates Angel who gets a few lines. And an actress in the movie who befriends Angel. Other than that people Angel works with are all men, her only friend is a man (her ex-boyfriend), all of the Tribe members that we see are men. I'd really like to see more women in the next book in bigger roles.
This series continues to be a winner for me. Angel's mixed-up, messed-up life is still wildly entertaining. She's come a long way in the last year and a half and I still enjoy watching her ups and downs and I hope we get to keep watching them for a long time to come. And keep getting more Dan Dos Santos covers, he's so brilliant with this series. They're all totally unique and instantly recognizable to this series, gorgeous and hilarious.
It's a good thing I only had the dog to wake up (sorry Lovey) and not a house full of other people who'd hate me for it, when Angel's dad gave her her raffle prize from the movie premier, I really did laugh out loud. Rowland strikes such a great balance between humor and adventure with these books, without making them too silly. Or snarky. Angel is a bit sarcastic, but the way we would be, not overly witty like some heroines. (I like witty, and I'm not putting down the snark, just saying Angel is more normal.)She's quick with the bantering, but really, the person she picks on the most is herself, both when justified or because of her insecurities. She can't always tell the difference, she has so little self-esteem yet. It was good to see her increasing self-confidence in this book, she's seeing her own growth through the last year and a half and appreciating her accomplishments appropriately.
And the heart in the book is great too. Angel is such a softy, she thinks she's tough but she'll go to bat for anyone in trouble, even people she doesn't really like, at least until they prove that they're not good people. It was touching to see how much her friends and dad care for her, given how deeply she cares for them in return and the sacrifices she made for them repeatedly throughout the stories. I was glad to see that her love is reciprocated and that she finally understood that as well. And there was no Marcus in this one! I didn't miss him at all, I don't enjoy that bully. I enjoyed the focus being on her friendship with Nick, there has been some nice tension building between them for a while in previous books and it was good to see that situation explored more. I enjoy the way Rowland builds layers into the story, she doesn't rush things, she doesn't go for quick, obvious payoffs. There's no insta-love, there are real friendships and relationships based on experiences and trust. And uncomfortable feelings based on experiences too, she doesn't avoid the bad stuff.
But where are the woman? Other than Angel there are no prominent female characters. There's a guard who hates Angel who gets a few lines. And an actress in the movie who befriends Angel. Other than that people Angel works with are all men, her only friend is a man (her ex-boyfriend), all of the Tribe members that we see are men. I'd really like to see more women in the next book in bigger roles.
This series continues to be a winner for me. Angel's mixed-up, messed-up life is still wildly entertaining. She's come a long way in the last year and a half and I still enjoy watching her ups and downs and I hope we get to keep watching them for a long time to come. And keep getting more Dan Dos Santos covers, he's so brilliant with this series. They're all totally unique and instantly recognizable to this series, gorgeous and hilarious.
June 22, 2024
Finally got to see why Alan kept busting Angel's chops. Randy's friends up to more stupid leading to big consequences for one and some trouble for Angel with some possible far reaching issues. We'll see in the last book.
March 6, 2016
I should check the review of book 4, but I remember being disappointed (with book 3 too?) I just remember this feeling of maybe calling it quits. But here Angel is back on top and being awesome!
Zombiefest is coming to town! Time to party.
She has her hands full as always. With school, with her job at the coroner's office, with her other job at the secret lab for zombies (where she got addicted to a new drug). That last being bad. Oh and there is a murder to solve. And are zombies about to get exposed?
Marcus seems to be out of the picture. Why is she hanging out with her looser ex? I like that her dad is nice again though.
Action, a bit of rotting and zombie drama. I enjoyed it.
Zombiefest is coming to town! Time to party.
She has her hands full as always. With school, with her job at the coroner's office, with her other job at the secret lab for zombies (where she got addicted to a new drug). That last being bad. Oh and there is a murder to solve. And are zombies about to get exposed?
Marcus seems to be out of the picture. Why is she hanging out with her looser ex? I like that her dad is nice again though.
Action, a bit of rotting and zombie drama. I enjoyed it.
September 18, 2017
My attention wandered a lot but White Trash Zombie Gone Wild was a solid story. It picked up some loose threads and earlier story points and wrapped them up while setting up new ones. It was good to see Angel's addiction addressed and what her parasite can and cannot do. One of the strengths of this series is that the characters grow and change. They're flawed, not perfect, and Rowland doesn't keep them static but allows them to develop. The story itself was a little overly complicated and could have been trimmed a bit but I liked it and I'm ready to dive into the next book.
January 22, 2018
I love this series, and I am glad Angel got help for her addiction again...and I don't think this is the last in the series....I would like at least one more for closure!! LOL In this one Angel is back to her super sleuthing and zombie adventures...but there are murderers in her little parish town once again and with Angel not at her 100% best things go wonky and the hilarity ensues!!!!
LOVED IT!!! x2 Super excited for book 6...starting it now!!
LOVED IT!!! x2 Super excited for book 6...starting it now!!
January 30, 2022
This is a really consistent series.
Angel is once again in over her zombie head, and the Tribe is split over too many focuses. This one has Saberton in it, but there's not a lot of movement there. The main story is Angel amateur detecting a murder investigation that lands her in some trouble. While being addicted to V12. Yep, she's back to her white-trash druggie roots, but I did like what her dad points out at the end. Who knew I could grow to like the old abusive drunk?
Angel is once again in over her zombie head, and the Tribe is split over too many focuses. This one has Saberton in it, but there's not a lot of movement there. The main story is Angel amateur detecting a murder investigation that lands her in some trouble. While being addicted to V12. Yep, she's back to her white-trash druggie roots, but I did like what her dad points out at the end. Who knew I could grow to like the old abusive drunk?
July 8, 2016
I typically hate zombies but this series puts humor in the mix and makes it thoroughly enjoyable. I totally love Angel but man can she put her foot in it...every darn time. The girl just can't catch a break. Looking forward to book 6.
January 1, 2016
Enjoyed this book. I don't know how the title and cover fit with the story. Maybe symbolism because nothing like this really happened. The story was good. Unexpected semi-loveish connection. I hope it goes somewhere good.
February 5, 2016
It's a great feeling when books in the series you like keep getting better.
October 21, 2015
This is not my favourite Angel read but I still really enjoyed it! But I'm glad that there wasn't much Marcus or Petrov in it!
4.75*'s from me!
4.75*'s from me!
June 14, 2016
"Where Angel Goes Trouble Follows!" (audiobook)
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is the fifth book in the series written by Diana Rowland. The series centers on the activities of protagonist Angel Crawford who like the nun from the 1968 movie Where Angels Go Trouble Follows, has her heart in the right place but does tend to make the occasional really bad decision.
Angel is introduced in the first book as a poor, drug addict, redneck, white trash loser with a high degree of self-loathing and no self-esteem who makes extremely bad choices. After one of those bad choices she is saved by Marcus, a local police officer who just happens to be, you guessed it, a zombie. He leaves a package with money for a taxi, a change of clothes, her purse, and several bottles of something that looks like coffee smoothies. He also leaves Angel a note telling her she has a job at the city morgue, directions for drinking the beverage, but no indication about what she has become or her savior’s identity.
Throughout the books you see Angel start to shine and develop a love of life and for those around her, as well as growth to her damaged self-esteem. She is courageous, loyal, feisty, and has excellent insight that quite to the dismay of the zombies in charge she shares. In return she has gained the respect of others even when she has one of her bad choice moments or slips back into self-loathing. Her adventures are numerous and range from the daily grind and natural disasters to solving mysteries, lots of action, and even creating a few new zombies.
I absolutely enjoyed the first three and nine tenths books but was saddened with Angel’s poor decision making at the end of book four. This upset me to the point that I was very hesitant to read the next book. Luckily I was offered the opportunity of review the fifth book and after a few hard chapters I fell back in love with Angel. Only a master author could have driven my emotions so skillfully.
The world that Diana Rowland has created is full of multi-dimensional characters. None of them are simple black and white representations. I am especially impressed with the complexity of her villains. The setting is so much more than a small town in Louisiana. It is a place where zombies can blend in with the humans, most of the time. The story lines are complex and multi-layered.
Allison McLemore’s narration is fabulous. Her mastery of the numerous voices, personalities, and emotions transported me fully into the world and her rhythm and timing are perfect.
The cover art by Dan dos Santos are thoughtful and very creative, most especially the cover for Book 5. It includes items that at first appear not to relate to the story that is until you finish the book. Then you look back and say, “Oh, I get it now”.
I eagerly await the next installment of White Trash Zombie.
Audiobook was provided for review by AudioBookReviewer dot com.
White Trash Zombie Gone Wild is the fifth book in the series written by Diana Rowland. The series centers on the activities of protagonist Angel Crawford who like the nun from the 1968 movie Where Angels Go Trouble Follows, has her heart in the right place but does tend to make the occasional really bad decision.
Angel is introduced in the first book as a poor, drug addict, redneck, white trash loser with a high degree of self-loathing and no self-esteem who makes extremely bad choices. After one of those bad choices she is saved by Marcus, a local police officer who just happens to be, you guessed it, a zombie. He leaves a package with money for a taxi, a change of clothes, her purse, and several bottles of something that looks like coffee smoothies. He also leaves Angel a note telling her she has a job at the city morgue, directions for drinking the beverage, but no indication about what she has become or her savior’s identity.
Throughout the books you see Angel start to shine and develop a love of life and for those around her, as well as growth to her damaged self-esteem. She is courageous, loyal, feisty, and has excellent insight that quite to the dismay of the zombies in charge she shares. In return she has gained the respect of others even when she has one of her bad choice moments or slips back into self-loathing. Her adventures are numerous and range from the daily grind and natural disasters to solving mysteries, lots of action, and even creating a few new zombies.
I absolutely enjoyed the first three and nine tenths books but was saddened with Angel’s poor decision making at the end of book four. This upset me to the point that I was very hesitant to read the next book. Luckily I was offered the opportunity of review the fifth book and after a few hard chapters I fell back in love with Angel. Only a master author could have driven my emotions so skillfully.
The world that Diana Rowland has created is full of multi-dimensional characters. None of them are simple black and white representations. I am especially impressed with the complexity of her villains. The setting is so much more than a small town in Louisiana. It is a place where zombies can blend in with the humans, most of the time. The story lines are complex and multi-layered.
Allison McLemore’s narration is fabulous. Her mastery of the numerous voices, personalities, and emotions transported me fully into the world and her rhythm and timing are perfect.
The cover art by Dan dos Santos are thoughtful and very creative, most especially the cover for Book 5. It includes items that at first appear not to relate to the story that is until you finish the book. Then you look back and say, “Oh, I get it now”.
I eagerly await the next installment of White Trash Zombie.
Audiobook was provided for review by AudioBookReviewer dot com.
January 20, 2018
4.5 Out of 5 "Angelkins" Stars
~MY THOUGHTS~
This is my favorite book of the series since the first one. A lot more action and less slow-boring time. It was a little tedious in the beginning when she was abusing the V-12 (not sure if that is correct spelling…{{{because of audio}}}. It quickly moves from that into some action complete with some angel-style ass-kicking.
Alison McLemore brings Angel and her southern twang to life. I totally recommend audio for this series…even if you've been reading them so far because she sounds exactly like I think Angel should. If an audiobook can be pitch perfect…this would be that.
~MY THOUGHTS~
This is my favorite book of the series since the first one. A lot more action and less slow-boring time. It was a little tedious in the beginning when she was abusing the V-12 (not sure if that is correct spelling…{{{because of audio}}}. It quickly moves from that into some action complete with some angel-style ass-kicking.
Alison McLemore brings Angel and her southern twang to life. I totally recommend audio for this series…even if you've been reading them so far because she sounds exactly like I think Angel should. If an audiobook can be pitch perfect…this would be that.
~MY RATING~ 4.5/5 STARS - GRADE=A-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot~ 4.3/5
Main Chaacters~ 5/5
Secondary Characters~ 4.5/5
The Feels~ 4.3/5
Pacing~ 5/5
Addictiveness~ 5/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4.5/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 4.5/5 Cliffhanger~ A "to be continued", feel to it.
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Book Cover~ Quite Busy, but I'm oddly drawn to it despite it having nothing to do with the actual story.
Narration~ Fantastic narration by Allison McLemore, she is Angel Crawford.
Series~ White Trash Zombie #5
Setting~ Tucker Point, Louisiana
Source~ I Own on Audible
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September 13, 2017
It's surprising how much I love this series after I wasn't sure if I should continue to read it when I finished the first book.
Am I glad that the gorgeous covers by Daniel Dos Santos kept luring me in! This book is yet another cool read.
Angel does manage to find trouble, but luckily she's getting better at getting herself out again. The love interest I didn't much like seems to have been banished to the background and Angel seems to be heading in a direction I hadn't seen coming when it comes to love. But there's not much time for love with all the things going on in her life, so that's only a small part of this book. Mainly this book has Angel uncovering secrets, hunting killers, and trying to stay in one piece (quite literally).
When not trying to stay alive Angel is making friends in unexpected places, and some of the characters who have been in this series from the start got extra layers. There's tons of stuff happening and although some things are resolved there's enough still going on to make me curious to see what's next for Angel.
You bet I'll be reading the next book soon!
Am I glad that the gorgeous covers by Daniel Dos Santos kept luring me in! This book is yet another cool read.
Angel does manage to find trouble, but luckily she's getting better at getting herself out again. The love interest I didn't much like seems to have been banished to the background and Angel seems to be heading in a direction I hadn't seen coming when it comes to love. But there's not much time for love with all the things going on in her life, so that's only a small part of this book. Mainly this book has Angel uncovering secrets, hunting killers, and trying to stay in one piece (quite literally).
When not trying to stay alive Angel is making friends in unexpected places, and some of the characters who have been in this series from the start got extra layers. There's tons of stuff happening and although some things are resolved there's enough still going on to make me curious to see what's next for Angel.
You bet I'll be reading the next book soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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