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ONCE UPON A TIME A PLAGUE ENDED THE WORLD.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Thornton comes a stunning survival series that has readers raving about its dark and gritty thrills. Powerful enemies, twisted memories, a government willing to do anything for control....

When a new virus unleashes violence that devastates eighteen-year-old Corrina's neighborhood, all Corrina can think about is surviving. But when the boy she loves is kidnapped by a group of government soldiers, she must team up with a strange group of street kids to save him.

Zombies are Human is a fast, dark apocalyptic ride. Just remember...nothing is what it seems.


234 pages, ebook

First published May 22, 2015

355 people are currently reading
951 people want to read

About the author

Jamie Thornton

31 books121 followers
I am a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of science fiction and fantasy novels. I like my characters strong and wounded, and my adventures thrilling and dark.

Try out one of my books for free when you sign up at JamieThornton.com

I'm a voracious reader in many genres. I do sometimes judge a book by its cover art. Life is too short to spend time reading or reviewing bad books so you'll see my library, ratings, and reviews represent books I believe are worth sharing.

I live in Northern California with my husband, two dogs, a garden, lots of chickens, a viola, and a bicycle. My anthropology degree shapes my fiction. I write dark adventures (science fiction, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, coming-of-age) with a hint of romance. Follow me at JamieThornton.com

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5 stars
74 (21%)
4 stars
112 (32%)
3 stars
93 (27%)
2 stars
46 (13%)
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17 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Leo.
4,986 reviews629 followers
November 2, 2022
I was on a search for a new series to binge and it looked intriguing and rather short. Ended up really enjoying the audiobook as it had a good mix of the "usual zombie story feel" bu also felt like a fresh take to zombies. Really curious to continue as I think the next bok follows other people
Profile Image for Donna.
1,626 reviews33 followers
October 28, 2020
I found this to be a unique zombie book. These are not typical zombies. The humans, of course, act like typical humans. Some try to understand while others try to control and conquer out of fear. I really enjoyed this truly unique view of zombies. I am looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
Profile Image for Sue  .
323 reviews28 followers
June 28, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

What a great follow on book from the original novella Germination. Contamination is a full length book and certainly packed a punch. Ms Thornton has written a fantastic continuation of the Feast Of Weeds series. This book is written from Corinna’s point of view and we follow her story involving a group of different characters than those in the first book.

The opening of the story sets the scene of the relationship between Corinna, her boyfriend Dylan and her best friend Jane, and we are quickly thrown into the chaos when strange zombie like people start attacking them. With the help of Stan, their neighbour, they make a mad dash to escape and pick up Maibe, a young girl, along the way. But it’s difficult for them to know who is human and who is not, and who they can trust amongst themselves. A tragic incident sees the group of survivors split up and after more hardship and horror for Corinna, she tries to make it to a meeting point which has been broadcast on the emergency signal. But when she arrives there, things are not all that they seem and more tragedy and horror awaits her.

I found the main character of the story, Corinna, to be a strong female lead, and there is a hint of her background to suggest how she came to be this way. I really liked Corinna and could easily connect with her on many levels. I could empathise with her in her difficult situations and the tough decisions she had to make throughout the story. I’m not sure how I feel about her boyfriend Dylan, most of the time I felt she was better off without him, but perhaps he showed some truth at the end of the book. And I felt Corinna’s best friend Jane was never acting in her best interest and had her own ulterior motives for what she did and didn’t do.

The inclusion of the runaway characters from the first book Germination was a great link in, and provided some information as to what they’re doing now.

Contamination provides more details about the virus, what it is, where it came from, and its purported cure, and also shows just how widespread the plague is. It also shows how those humans who have not been subjected to the mysterious virus are dealing with the situation and how they are handling the infected.

Once again, Ms Thornton has written a great story which is action packed and will have you reading this book at every opportunity. With interesting characters, a plot full of twists, great dialogue, and plenty of action, mystery, and suspense, you won’t be able to put this book down.

I really enjoyed reading Contamination and liked it better than the first book. Perhaps this is because it is a longer book and provides more details about the apocalyptic event as well as containing characters that are fully developed. I am really looking forward to reading book 3 Infestation when it comes out later this year.

I highly recommend this book to those who enjoyed Germination as well as anyone who likes fast paced apocalyptic stories and stories about plagues and viruses gone wild.
Profile Image for Floryie.
295 reviews31 followers
September 2, 2015
*I received a free copy from the author for an honest review*

This is a great sequel to the first book, Germination. The book is aptly named too because it deals with the aftermath of the contamination of the human race.

This is another book which starts off with a totally new set of characters. This is the second time I have seen this approach and it works good for the storyline. Corinna seemed sweet and a bit naive. She does have the quality of being the half-glass-full person. Jane was focused on rarely but I believe she plays one of the important roles which impacts the whole story. She felt duplicitous even at the start and I didn't like her at all! Another person whom I felt a dislike for was Dylan. He felt too one dimensional and not forthright. There was something I can't pinpoint which stopped me from believing him during the unfolding of the story.

All the characters especially the minor ones are pivotal in different scenes and cause the twists in the story flow. The action kept me engrossed in the tale and easily made me lose track of the passage of time. This book explains more of the origin and spread of the virus. And the meeting of the old characters from the first book also made me enjoy reading about their adventures. The author connected both sets of characters seamlessly and the plot lines meshed together into a great second half of the book.

The story is original with the way the author has handled the characters and the scenes. There is everything in it from a tiny bit of romance to mystery about the virus to suspense of what's going to happen next as the group journeys from one place to another trying to stay alive. I was pulled in totally from the start to the end. It had all the ingredients for a fast read and I ended up reading it in one sitting.

Overall, the sequel was better than the first book, Germination. But I felt that it had a bit too much attention on the personal lives of the characters. On one hand, it felt good to know more about them while on the other hand, the details felt a bit too much at times. I am still not decided about it but I am leaning towards to the Too Much Information side. Inspite of it, I can't wait to see how it further plays out in the next book, Infestation.

My one line review : A fast paced apocalyptic tale with well rounded characters and twisty plot.

My rating : 4/5

My reread factor : 4/5

Floryie
Profile Image for Scott.
159 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2019
Ok so this is sort of a post apoclyliptic love story about how far people will go to be with that special someone zombie or not. This book was not as fast paced as the previous one. To me it wasn't as intense. Not as much action or descriptive scenes.with that being said it was still a good read. With a great introduction to some new characters. This book has a fairly developed world. Fairly good action sequences and enough twist and turns to keep you interested. All in all I'd give it about 3.5 stars. It didn't have the things in it that made me a fan of Mrs Thornton's work. So maybe this is an early work that will show the growth of one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to see where the story takes us.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Amie's Book Reviews.
1,657 reviews180 followers
June 13, 2015

CONTAMINATION

Feast of Weeds - Book Two

Author: Jamie Thornton

Type of Book: eBook

Length: 243 pages

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Release Date: May 24, 2015

Publisher: Igneous Books

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review I was THRILLED. I absolutely loved GERMINATION (Book One of the Feast of Weeds series and when I finished reading it I was wishing that the second book was already available. Now, that wish has become a reality and Book Two has been released.

I have to admit though that because I enjoyed the first book so much I was wondering if the author would be able to match that level of quality with this book. However, I need not have worried. Jamie Thornton has done it again. She has created another amazing book.

CONTAMINATION takes the reader to the beginning of the outbreak and before with a new cast of characters.

Corrina wanted to make a life with Dylan. "I didn't think I wanted too much for us: a big, sunny yard, a garden to grow food, two children, three dogs, and someone who loved me like my father had loved my mother before they both died."

Dylan is twenty, Corrina is eighteen. Their relationship isn't perfect, but they love each other.

When people in their neighborhood start going crazy and attacking people, Jane, Corrina's best friend runs to their house. They start to discuss where to escape to when their creepy neighbor, Stan appears at their door. He has an RV and offers them a ride to safety.

I absolutely love the details that are included about Stan's motorhome. He has even given it a name: Luna. Some of the best descriptions of Luna are as follows:
"Dylan called it Stan's mid-life crisis on wheels. I called it a rich man's pedophile van."
"I pulled Dylan into Stan's little bedroom of love. That was the only way to describe the red satin sheets, incense holder, and the huge mirror hung on one wall. This room made my skin crawl, which was a pretty amazing accomplishment considering all that had happened."

Corrina, Dylan, Stan and Jane also save a girl named Maibe who was new to the neighborhood and had just watched her Uncle being attacked and killed by a mob of what she calls "zombies."

All the radio stations were playing the same thing: an emergency broadcast alert telling people to go to Cal Expo; a walled fairground. The group decides to head there to find out just what is actually going on.

However, when they stop for gas all Hell breaks loose. Luna's tires and engine are shot and Dylan is kidnapped by armed men who seem to be from the military.

They find out that Dylan has been taken to a camp, but before a rescue can take place catastrophe strikes.

Can Corrina survive? What about Dylan? Will they ever see each other again?

Aside from the personal aspects of the story is the question of what exactly the illness is, and if it can be cured.

This book is a thrill ride that will have readers glued to the pages. It is impossible to put down. Jamie Thornton has done an amazing job writing this book.

I rate this book as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I highly recommend this series to all fans of post-apocalyptic fiction.

I am very much looking forward to reading the next installment in Jamie Thornton's 'Feast of Weeds' series. There will be a total of four books in this series and even though the first book GERMINATION was a short 98 page novella, the rest of the books are full length novels.

To be one of the first to know when INFESTATION : Feast of Weeds - Book 3 is released readers can join the author's VIP email list at www.zombiesarehuman.com or visit www.jamiethornton.com


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jamie Thornton lives in Northern California along with her husband, two dogs and lots of chickens.
Profile Image for Shari.
95 reviews1 follower
June 27, 2015
I read both this book and the first book Germination. Both were well written with a unique twist on the "zombie" genre. Fast paced with likeable characters. Great details and descriptions.
I found Germination depressing. I liked Contamination much better. I liked the way the characters from both books were brought together to make one "family". I wasn't sure if I liked either book very much when I finished them, but I kept thinking about the books and characters and decided they were pretty good.
Profile Image for ❤ArtfullySinful❤ .
722 reviews49 followers
October 14, 2018
Dylan and I are caring for each other, and it is more than enough, and whether you believe we are human or not-we are surviving, and we are not going away.

Corrina is only 18 years old when everyone's worlds fell apart, but was far too young when her own began unraveling. Losing her mother to cancer after months of her withering away before their eyes, before her father followed, depressed and in a stupor he couldn't shake for months after she passed, leaving a 13 year old girl alone. Passed along through foster homes, it was when she turned 17 she was given the boot, to be replaced by two 10 year old twins. Turning in circles did little to save her, and all she ever wished for was to be loved and accepted. Unwanted in a world few could understand, Corrina clung to boyfriend Dylan as hard as possible, unknowing to his secret lustful affairs to her friend since seventh grade, Jane. Jane the one who would flee and lie when she was needed the most, leaving Corrina to die at Christopher's demented hands. Lost in a feverish haze of dreams and memories so livid you could reach out and touch, he shared his blood between her and Maibe (A young, 13 year old girl), giving them the cure but also defects.

Her memories just won't stay dead.

Living in a world with those drawn into a bloodthirsty violence, and others left comatose and living in their memories, Corrina finds herself lost in her own memories, driving her to near insanity with the fevers that plague her. Skin so parchment thin and wrinkly, no longer flush and pulled taunt, physically she has aged many many years, but inside, her body and organs pump out as she is 18. From outside eyes, she ins worse then those that are in blood lust, for she appears human but is far from it.
372 reviews
December 15, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

Being a fan of The Walking Dead, I was looking forward to Ms. Thornton’s view in her novel Contamination. I was not disappointed. I love her ability to put a unique slant on her characters, villains, settings and action. To say nothing of her overall tale.

In Contamination the plague that engulfs the world has different results under different circumstances. The protagonist is not particularly lovable, but she grows on you and you begin to see her as a human with faults and virtues. Do her virtues outweigh her faults? I believe each reader will make his or her own decision. But you cannot deny she is not ordinary.

As the tale unfolds four people are forced from their homes by an invasion of contaminated people bent on wreaking havoc and death upon them and anyone they see. The foursome set out in a luxury RV, picking up other survivors as they try to reach safety. But safety eludes the group and they are forced to separate. The travelers come up against many hazards in their attempt to reach safety. But death awaits them with many faces. But there are also many faces of life. The goal is to find those faces.
Profile Image for Gayle (OutsmartYourShelf).
2,158 reviews41 followers
May 28, 2017
"A post-apocalyptic Young Adult series where the runaways are the heroes, the zombies aren’t really zombies, and you can't trust your memories—even if they're all you have left.

*I received a free Kindle version of the book for an honest review*

This next instalment follows the story of Corrina who has to go searching for her boyfriend Dylan, after he is taken captive by mysterious people. Starting with journey with her best friend, Jane and a young girl called Maibe, Corrina learns some difficult truths about the people in her life and struggles to come to terms with what is happening in the world.

I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first, and some characters from that first novella make an appearance in this book. It was fast paced and the fact that there are is a great addition to the usual zombie story.
221 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2023
I was a little surprised by this second installment in the series. It has also the great features of the first book and the story continues - but it does so from the perspective of a completely different main character and intersects with characters from the first book. After a couple of double takes, I quickly got into the swing of things. One aspect that stood out to me was the increase emphasis on 'the other' and the question of humanity (and inhumanity). Having read other books by the author in this universe, these are theme that continue to be grappled with in future books (I'm sorry but I've read all the After the World Ends series and am therefore doing things a little back to front).
488 reviews2 followers
November 26, 2018
Creative take on a popular genre.

If you're a fan of apocalyptic/plague genre this ticks the boxes. Different take but confusing how the "virus" is passed outside of the purposeful bites by the ones that had the semi vaccinated version. A bit messy with all the variables of changing the DNA and more than one version of the virus. The heroine became very frustrating for me. Her inability to adapt and put others in danger because of her need to help those that couldn't be helped got old. I hope the next book focused more on multiple characters rather than the one who is not all that likeable.
Profile Image for Kit.
1,517 reviews17 followers
November 3, 2022
Read : November 3, 2022
Rating : 2 Stars

This sounded pretty interesting and I can never really resist a zombie book I haven't heard of before.

Sadly, this one wasn't for me.

I lost interest really early in due to the zombies not being scary, to me atleast and the fact that for 18 year old ish they came across as both very juvenile and at the same time having a mid-life crisis.

This pisses me off a bit since this is the latest in a bunch of dissapointing reads, some I didn't even add due to DNF-ing after 10 or do pages.

I really hope my luck improves and I find a 5 star gem but so far, no luck.
Profile Image for Suzanne Bainbridge.
28 reviews
February 16, 2019
I wasn't going to leave a good review of this book, the plot line is ok the style of writing is ok the characters are ok and so it was going to get an "ok" but don't bother review and then I noticed that this is aimed at the "Teen/Adult" market and it all made sense. My excuse is this was either an Amazon Prime free or 99p offer.

So if you're an adult don't bother but if you are a teen I think you will enjoy this, I think you will have more of a connection with the characters so it gets 4 stars as a teen read.
Profile Image for Dianna.
79 reviews1 follower
March 13, 2018
The heartbreaking tale of why would happen if a zombie virus took over the world. I liked the realistic way that people were portrayed. You would have your preppies that might be able to survive longer. You would also have people who were unsure of what was going on, wanting to help everyone.
It is a story of love and betrayal. Of an apocalypse and the struggles people could face. Very believable. Fans of dystopias will enjoy this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for cathy zielinski.
19 reviews
January 28, 2020
Seeing Zombies in an entirely different way.

I love the Zombie genre. No doubt about it. But this was no run of the mill Zombie book. It opens up revelations about the sick that has only been hinted to in the past. Maybe something does remain after the infection sets in.
And the character development is first class. In this post apocalyptic reality there's tears and laughter.
I'm ready to purchase and download, Infestation. Can't wait to see how the story progresses.
682 reviews10 followers
May 16, 2020
A fantastic read from start to finish. This Author has done a fantastic job at the World building and bringing the. Characters to fruition. This is a fast paced read, that is action packed and epic Scenes. I could not put this book down until I was finished. There's twists and turns. It's Definitely an edge of your seat read. I definitely recommend this read it's definitely a must read.
Shauna Joesten
158 reviews6 followers
June 16, 2019
Humanity has different meanings

A very well written take on the zombie apocalypse. You can empathise with the characters, hate others but they all fight towards one goal. Survival. My only criticism is the ending.
Profile Image for S.L..
Author 2 books14 followers
September 30, 2022
3.5 stars. As zombie stories go this was a bit of a mixed bag. Characters reasonably interesting, plot had some different perspectives to the usual zombie origin/results of infection. The main downfall was a huge amount of time in the memory state, then switching to just referring to it happening.
Profile Image for Darian -  Books With A Chance .
477 reviews8 followers
June 18, 2023
This was a very entertaining read. I like the twist on the zombies, you’re with the characters wondering how they’ll survive this and then they become the zombies themselves. Can’t wait to see what happens next now that they’re on the run trying to survive as they are.
Profile Image for Joi Grady.
73 reviews
Read
September 15, 2023
I love a good zombie story. The catalyst that starts the change, whether a plague or bomb. The descriptions of the change. The terror and the hope of survival. This Tory had none of those. I hate to not finish a book so I trudged through it. I won’t be continuing with the series.
7 reviews
October 10, 2018
Can't wait to read the rest!!!

Downloaded this book as a freebie as love finding new authors and he has put a brilliant twist on the Dystopian theme highly recommend it !!
130 reviews1 follower
June 20, 2021
Great book

A different twist on the Zombie story with some questions about modern life. Definitely worth a read. It has enough twists and turns to keep you hooked.
Profile Image for Kristin.
822 reviews3 followers
March 2, 2022
I enjoyed this. Interesting premise. Well written. Will continue the series.
Profile Image for Sam.
2,553 reviews41 followers
February 23, 2023
This is a great story in this zombie end of the world! I really enjoyed it, I loved the characters & ideas & found the whole experience brilliant! What more could you want! I do recommend!
Profile Image for Stein.
Author 2 books
November 13, 2018
I picked this book out of a recommendation from Goodreads. The first couple of chapters hooked me up on the story. Then I got the impression that the story slowed down a bit and had to work my way to the middle of the book. Once I got past that, I just couldn't put it down.

The fast-paced action, the story twists and just wanting to know what was coming next kept me going. I felt that the end was a bit rushed. Overall it was an excellent read. I will definitely pick the next one.
Profile Image for Ariel Jensen.
67 reviews8 followers
January 21, 2016
Corrina struggles with her past and just wishes for Dylan to love her but when a madman comes knocking on their back door and neighbors start attacking each other, things take a turn for the worse. This is the second book of the series, following the novella Germination. Starting with a new set of characters following the aftermath of the outbreak, you're taken on a journey not only through the post apocalypse but through Corrina's memories as well.

This series takes a truly unique twist on the zombie genre where the zombies aren't really zombies. There are several things that I really appreciate about this series. First that the author does a fantastic job of changing perspective (you know you're reading from someone else's view right away) while still keeping the tone of the overall series. Second, that cliched zombie story moments are pointed out by the characters. By acknowledging them it adds a bit of humor/ relief to the situation while also throwing you off the track of where the story might be going (I prefer books where I can't guess the end). Finally, the take on zombies. At first I was rather confused by the concept (though it was introduced at the end of the first book) but I feel that only added to the story since Corrina (whose perspective the story is in) is trying to figure it all out as well.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the up coming fourth (see my review for the third book here). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading the YA and/or Post-apocalyptic genres.

Please note: I received this book in return for my honest opinion as part of the author's launch team. Want to learn more and get in on this awesome series: www.ZombiesAreHuman.com
Profile Image for Jessica Bronder.
2,015 reviews31 followers
November 23, 2015
Corrina doesn’t want much in life. She wants to marry her boyfriend, Dylan, have a house, garden kids, and a couple dogs. What she didn’t expect was a virus that turns people into crazy, zombie like people. Sadly, that is what she gets. When Corrina, Dylan, and Corrina’s friend Jane go on the run. They hear a broadcast guiding people to a local fairground and decide that is the next logical step. But things go from bad to worse when they are attacked and split up. Corrina gets a vaccination against the virus but she is not going to be the same. Now she is trying to get to Dylan and keep her group in one piece against the zombies. Hopefully she can make it through the plague.

So we start Contamination off before Germination and with new people. Corrina is a strong lead character and tries to look on the bright side of things. I have to say that I think Dylan is a jerk and she could have done so much better. I really liked how they meet up with Mary from Germination. I love with authors bring their books together like that.

You will learn more about the virus and how bad things really are in the world. I liked the twist about the vaccine. I love how the infected are like zombies yet they are a new twist on them. I love when someone thinks outside the norm when they come up with their stories.

I am completely hooked on the Feast of Weeds series. I can’t wait to read Infestation. If you are a zombie fan, make sure to add Jamie Thornton to your shelves. She is definitely one author that knows her zombies.

I received Contamination for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews

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