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Flesh
The dead are easy to talk to. Live people, not so much.
Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party. But navigating her life as a high school sophomore is an anxiety-inducing puzzle to her. She haunts the funeral home with her parents, emo older brother, Garth, their pistol-packing Gramma, and the glass-eyeball-devouring dachshund, Lothar.
Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. The bodies seem tied to a local legend, Catfish Bob, who has resurfaced in the muddy Milburn river near Charlie’s small town. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.
Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party. But navigating her life as a high school sophomore is an anxiety-inducing puzzle to her. She haunts the funeral home with her parents, emo older brother, Garth, their pistol-packing Gramma, and the glass-eyeball-devouring dachshund, Lothar.
Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. The bodies seem tied to a local legend, Catfish Bob, who has resurfaced in the muddy Milburn river near Charlie’s small town. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2017
12 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Laura Bickle
27 books501 followersLaura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology – Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs, also writing contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams.
Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.
Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 10, 2018
This is not my usual genre but thought I would try something new. Boy am I glad I did! I wanted to read some creepy books for the Halloween season and this one fits the category perfectly.
The main character, Charlie, AKA Ghoul Girl, is a teen living with her family in a funeral home. Charlie's dad is a mortician and her mom is the coroner. Bodies begin disappearing from the funeral home and the reader is introduced to some zombies/ghouls.
I really enjoyed the story. I loved the Grandma character and especially Lothar the Dachshund. The dialog between characters was realistic. The book wasn't overly gory but did have some creepiness and suspense. The author was able to hold my attention throughout the book. Thanks so much to author Laura Bickle and Bewitching Book Tours for providing me with an ebook. Highly recommend this one.
The main character, Charlie, AKA Ghoul Girl, is a teen living with her family in a funeral home. Charlie's dad is a mortician and her mom is the coroner. Bodies begin disappearing from the funeral home and the reader is introduced to some zombies/ghouls.
I really enjoyed the story. I loved the Grandma character and especially Lothar the Dachshund. The dialog between characters was realistic. The book wasn't overly gory but did have some creepiness and suspense. The author was able to hold my attention throughout the book. Thanks so much to author Laura Bickle and Bewitching Book Tours for providing me with an ebook. Highly recommend this one.
September 22, 2017
You might know I'm a big fan of Laura Bickle, so you bet I started reading this book as soon as it released yesterday.
And this is yet another awesome read!
Charlie is easy to relate to. She just wants to be a normal teen, but living in a funeral home and with a family like hers that isn't easy. I was rooting for her from the start.
The story has a nice build up: you get to know Charlie and her family while there are hints that some weird stuff might be going on, but nothing too obvious until corpses start disappearing...
This story is creepy, suspenseful, and kept me reading until I finished it. There are ghouls, old evils lurking in the shadows, and one of the most awesome grandmothers I've seen in fiction. I also loved the antics of Lothar, the dachshund.
I loved how the story progressed and how the pacing increased as things get more dire. I was intrigued by what was happening and why it was happening. Charlie tries to do things on her own, but luckily she finds people who can help her as things spiral more and more out of control.
As with all good stories I finished it way too soon, but the ending was very satisfying. You bet I'll be rereading this, and I'll be stalking Laura's social media to see if there will be a print version.
And this is yet another awesome read!
Charlie is easy to relate to. She just wants to be a normal teen, but living in a funeral home and with a family like hers that isn't easy. I was rooting for her from the start.
The story has a nice build up: you get to know Charlie and her family while there are hints that some weird stuff might be going on, but nothing too obvious until corpses start disappearing...
This story is creepy, suspenseful, and kept me reading until I finished it. There are ghouls, old evils lurking in the shadows, and one of the most awesome grandmothers I've seen in fiction. I also loved the antics of Lothar, the dachshund.
I loved how the story progressed and how the pacing increased as things get more dire. I was intrigued by what was happening and why it was happening. Charlie tries to do things on her own, but luckily she finds people who can help her as things spiral more and more out of control.
As with all good stories I finished it way too soon, but the ending was very satisfying. You bet I'll be rereading this, and I'll be stalking Laura's social media to see if there will be a print version.
October 30, 2018
Laura Bickle’s Undead in Flesh are not your typical zombies. They are a unique blend.
These youngsters do not bite off more than they can chew in this sometimes funny tale of the Undead and they have an ability to go with the flow to save their town.
Great storytelling with plenty of fear and danger and a pace that makes for some spine tingling, hair raising reading of the horror kind.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Flesh by Laura Bickle.
See more at fundinmental
These youngsters do not bite off more than they can chew in this sometimes funny tale of the Undead and they have an ability to go with the flow to save their town.
Great storytelling with plenty of fear and danger and a pace that makes for some spine tingling, hair raising reading of the horror kind.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Flesh by Laura Bickle.
See more at fundinmental
October 22, 2017
Charlie isn’t afraid of the dead. It’s her tenth grade classmates that can send her screaming. Halloween is rolling around again and she isn’t expecting much excitement. Especially after the fiasco from last year. Her parents didn’t appreciate her throwing a party at their funeral home.
This year Charlie is keeping a low profile. She’s not looking for trouble but trouble finds her when a deceased classmate, Amanda, who’s body should be resting in a morgue drawer, gets up and starts munching on corpses. That’s just the beginning of many bizarre events that start happening. Faster than you can say Ghoul Girl, she’s scrambling to hide Amanda and find out why the dead aren’t staying dead.
This book is tagged as YA Horror and there were some gruesome scenes. Like the one where Amanda starts chowing down on live worms like they’re gummies. And when she chews on a corpses arm like it’s a drum stick. Those scenes made me squirm. But Laura also made them funny. The family dog, Lothar, loves Amanda because she shares her kibble. Yep he’s a man eater, kind of. He even liked the worms.
Flesh doesn’t have tons of action, but there’s enough to keep the story moving fast. The character’s act genuine. And there’s a legend about Bob the Catfish that adds an interesting twist.
I was torn over how to rate this book. Keeping in mind this was aimed at the younger audience, I went with 4 stars. It didn’t wow me but I had fun and I think it hit the mark for the young adult readers.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
This year Charlie is keeping a low profile. She’s not looking for trouble but trouble finds her when a deceased classmate, Amanda, who’s body should be resting in a morgue drawer, gets up and starts munching on corpses. That’s just the beginning of many bizarre events that start happening. Faster than you can say Ghoul Girl, she’s scrambling to hide Amanda and find out why the dead aren’t staying dead.
This book is tagged as YA Horror and there were some gruesome scenes. Like the one where Amanda starts chowing down on live worms like they’re gummies. And when she chews on a corpses arm like it’s a drum stick. Those scenes made me squirm. But Laura also made them funny. The family dog, Lothar, loves Amanda because she shares her kibble. Yep he’s a man eater, kind of. He even liked the worms.
Flesh doesn’t have tons of action, but there’s enough to keep the story moving fast. The character’s act genuine. And there’s a legend about Bob the Catfish that adds an interesting twist.
I was torn over how to rate this book. Keeping in mind this was aimed at the younger audience, I went with 4 stars. It didn’t wow me but I had fun and I think it hit the mark for the young adult readers.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
December 4, 2017
Charlie Sulliven thinks she knows all the secrets of the dead. Raised in a funeral home, she’s the reluctant “Ghoul Girl,” her reputation tied to a disastrous Halloween party.
Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.
2.5 stars. Flesh is what I would call YA horror, although it's mild. There are some gross out scenes in the morgue, but nothing is really all that scary. I felt like the end wrapped everything up a little too quickly, and it was missing the creepy aspect that I was hoping for, and that made it just an ok read instead of a good read.
I've read and liked other books by Laura Bickle, but this one was not one of my favorites. I'm glad it's a stand-alone since the story is all wrapped up in this one book. I probably wouldn't have been interested enough to read a sequel.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
Chewed human bodies are appearing in her parents’ morgue…and disappearing in the middle of the night. When one of Charlie’s classmates, Amanda, awakens in the cooler as a flesh-eating ghoul, Charlie must protect her newfound friend and step up to unravel the mystery…and try to avoid becoming lunch meat for the dead.
2.5 stars. Flesh is what I would call YA horror, although it's mild. There are some gross out scenes in the morgue, but nothing is really all that scary. I felt like the end wrapped everything up a little too quickly, and it was missing the creepy aspect that I was hoping for, and that made it just an ok read instead of a good read.
I've read and liked other books by Laura Bickle, but this one was not one of my favorites. I'm glad it's a stand-alone since the story is all wrapped up in this one book. I probably wouldn't have been interested enough to read a sequel.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
October 27, 2017
This was such a good read! I loved the premise of the book and the main character’s home. It all wound together to make a really interesting read, especially with Ghoul Girl and her attitude on life.
I thought the author did a very brilliant job at creating interesting and well-rounded characters. She ensured there were people from all areas, hobbies, interests, etc and each had a variety of personalities. They all combined together to create a really wonderful world, within the book, and made it excellent to read.
The overall premise of the story was very interesting. It was really exciting to see just how our main character dealt with the horror taking place, and how much her social standing changed, when things started to go haywire.
The pace of the story was perfect. It kept me in suspense, whilst building up the horror aspect of the story, and really kept me on the edge of my seat.
Overall, this was a really good read and one that is perfect for a horrorfest of read during Halloween, or anytime of year, if you are like me!
I thought the author did a very brilliant job at creating interesting and well-rounded characters. She ensured there were people from all areas, hobbies, interests, etc and each had a variety of personalities. They all combined together to create a really wonderful world, within the book, and made it excellent to read.
The overall premise of the story was very interesting. It was really exciting to see just how our main character dealt with the horror taking place, and how much her social standing changed, when things started to go haywire.
The pace of the story was perfect. It kept me in suspense, whilst building up the horror aspect of the story, and really kept me on the edge of my seat.
Overall, this was a really good read and one that is perfect for a horrorfest of read during Halloween, or anytime of year, if you are like me!
December 15, 2017
For this year's Bewitching Spooktacular, I'm reviewing Flesh by Laura Bickle, a YA paranormal featuring ghouls and a legendary catfish. If you know anything about catfish, you know how damn creepy they are normally. If you don't, scroll through Google images real quick...
I love the different mythology with Catfish Bob and ghouls. Easily my favorite part, TBH.
Second, is all the friendships and supportiveness between all the teens and how the mean girls & shit faded to the background after the beginning.
Third, how they didn't get distracted and angsty over romantic relationships. I didn't realize how much I was dreading the typical romance popping in until it didn't.
Fourth, is how Charlie was socially anxious and running away was her auto response and how Amanda's issues brought out the best of both. Sometimes who you surround yourself with brings out all kinds of surprises with how ya'll react to each other, for better or worse. Recognizing it and making the right decisions is a great life skill no one really talks about.
Flesh did have a few problems though. The middle dragged because the problem and solution became obvious before Charlie and crew clued in. A few things came out of left field as rather neat or
However, those were minor hitches and I'm really glad I picked this book as one of the rare exceptions from my new diversity policy.
Reasons to Read:
If you are looking for some different paranormal creatures and mythology.
If you want a supportive and seemingly normal family headed by a coroner mother and father that runs a funeral parlor.
If you want country towns, history, and local legends.
If you don't want romance to get in the way of all the action and mystery.
FYI: Includes a rape attempt and a second hand story of sexual murder.
I love the different mythology with Catfish Bob and ghouls. Easily my favorite part, TBH.
Second, is all the friendships and supportiveness between all the teens and how the mean girls & shit faded to the background after the beginning.
Third, how they didn't get distracted and angsty over romantic relationships. I didn't realize how much I was dreading the typical romance popping in until it didn't.
Fourth, is how Charlie was socially anxious and running away was her auto response and how Amanda's issues brought out the best of both. Sometimes who you surround yourself with brings out all kinds of surprises with how ya'll react to each other, for better or worse. Recognizing it and making the right decisions is a great life skill no one really talks about.
Flesh did have a few problems though. The middle dragged because the problem and solution became obvious before Charlie and crew clued in. A few things came out of left field as rather neat or
However, those were minor hitches and I'm really glad I picked this book as one of the rare exceptions from my new diversity policy.
Reasons to Read:
If you are looking for some different paranormal creatures and mythology.
If you want a supportive and seemingly normal family headed by a coroner mother and father that runs a funeral parlor.
If you want country towns, history, and local legends.
If you don't want romance to get in the way of all the action and mystery.
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This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
October 17, 2018
Ghouls, revenants, zombies, the Undead. All of these have a million stories written about them. Yet I'm constantly amazed by the new angles that authors find to breathe life into old material. Flesh is one of those unique twists. Catfish Bob is an urban legend in the area. Tales of this giant catfish abound but there is no real proof that he exists. When a diary is found at the local museum, they realize exactly how far back the story of Catfish Bob goes.
I'm not exactly sure what Catfish Bob is truly meant to be but for the sake of the story, I don't feel that it's necessary that I fully comprehend it. Tales of giant catfish have played a part in almost every culture. The Japanese believed in an earthquake causing giant catfish called the Namazu. In Thailand, catfish of upwards of 600 pounds have been spotted, and treated with high regard and even given offerings during special rituals before fishing. In the U.S., myths of giant catfish date back to 1880's. Even in my region, I grew up hearing tales of giant catfish at the bottom of man-made Smith Mountain Lake. Do yourself a favor before you start reading and Google a little about catfish, especially the growls they make. I don't know what it is about the mythology of giant catfish that draws us, but I can't argue that the thought of them is a bit alarming.
I'm not exactly sure what Catfish Bob is truly meant to be but for the sake of the story, I don't feel that it's necessary that I fully comprehend it. Tales of giant catfish have played a part in almost every culture. The Japanese believed in an earthquake causing giant catfish called the Namazu. In Thailand, catfish of upwards of 600 pounds have been spotted, and treated with high regard and even given offerings during special rituals before fishing. In the U.S., myths of giant catfish date back to 1880's. Even in my region, I grew up hearing tales of giant catfish at the bottom of man-made Smith Mountain Lake. Do yourself a favor before you start reading and Google a little about catfish, especially the growls they make. I don't know what it is about the mythology of giant catfish that draws us, but I can't argue that the thought of them is a bit alarming.
March 25, 2018
This is a fun and creepy, fast and spooky y.a. short novel. A kid raised in funeral home by a family with a generations long history of morticianing has got to be a little bit weird, right? I'm not quite sure I got the whole mystical catfish thing, and I was a bit annoyed at the first-person-present-tense narrative from time to time, but it was a fun read. A good high school Halloween pick. Dachshunds really shouldn't have free reign in coroner's labs... just in case you were wondering.
October 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this story, I love the idea of it being in a morgue and that for Charlie, that is her life. The characters were well developed and there was some great dialogue. I thought the story was different, quirky and very enjoyable. Five stars!
April 18, 2020
Someone will like this, but it's just not the book for me.
It was several chapters in before anything at all happened. When things started to happen, they were small and not very exciting to me. I personally, got bored reading this one.
It was several chapters in before anything at all happened. When things started to happen, they were small and not very exciting to me. I personally, got bored reading this one.
February 12, 2018
Tremendously fun and moving
Over and over, I kept thinking to myself that this was tackling some really deep issues for a YA story, issues that go beyond simple themes of lie and death. Our main character has grown up in a world where death surrounds her at all times, but that's just the beginning of how we get to know her. What Charlie goes through in the course of this well-told story are dealt with expertly from her point of view, not that of an adult author looking back with wiser judgment. Between funerals and the undead, relationships with parents, and even unspeakable crimes, the gross factor is balanced perfectly with the raw emotions of being a young teenager in a small town. Every character here is written with such heart.
Over and over, I kept thinking to myself that this was tackling some really deep issues for a YA story, issues that go beyond simple themes of lie and death. Our main character has grown up in a world where death surrounds her at all times, but that's just the beginning of how we get to know her. What Charlie goes through in the course of this well-told story are dealt with expertly from her point of view, not that of an adult author looking back with wiser judgment. Between funerals and the undead, relationships with parents, and even unspeakable crimes, the gross factor is balanced perfectly with the raw emotions of being a young teenager in a small town. Every character here is written with such heart.
July 19, 2018
Charolotte “Charlie” Sullivan just wants to be a normal teenager accepted by her peers. Unfortunately, when your family owns the funeral home you also live in and your mother is the coroner, classmates tend to make assumptions, jump to conclusions, and stereotype you. It was so easy to relate to Charlie in the teenager wanting to be accepted aspect. All teens want to be popular, belong, and feel accepted. When bodies start appearing with weird types of damage, and then they start to disappear from the morgue, any slight change of normalcy evaporates. This is especially true when one of the bodies is a girl from school and she awakens in the morgue right in front of Charlie. Is she hallucinating or is there something sinister going on in their town?
I don’t normally read books that focus on zombies or ghouls - they just aren’t my thing. I made an exception because I love Laura Bickle’s writing. She tells great stories that are engaging to the point I’m almost obsessed with the books. I don’t want to adult because I want to finish her books. Flesh is no exception. I was enthralled with Charlie, Garth, Amanda, and Lothar. Charlie is a wonderful character trying to make her way in the world while being an outcast because of the family business and being constantly harassed by a very controlling mother. She’s not a strong character at the beginning and it was fun to watch her kind of toughen up as the story progressed.
The story that’s told in Flesh has horror undertones but isn’t the “scare the daylights out of you” kind of book. The story features creepy events, sinister happenings, and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I mention these things because I don’t particularly like horror (think Stephen King, whoever thought the Saw movies where a good idea, and Friday the 13th). I do, however, like soft horror (is that even a thing? If not, it is now), which is how I would classify Flesh. Flesh also has moments of joy, the rekindling of old friendships, and the coming together of some unlikely allies to combat the mysterious ghouls with ties to an urban legend by the name of Catfish Bob. I love the balance that the author used. I enjoyed the story, characters, theme, and pacing of Flesh.
I don’t normally read books that focus on zombies or ghouls - they just aren’t my thing. I made an exception because I love Laura Bickle’s writing. She tells great stories that are engaging to the point I’m almost obsessed with the books. I don’t want to adult because I want to finish her books. Flesh is no exception. I was enthralled with Charlie, Garth, Amanda, and Lothar. Charlie is a wonderful character trying to make her way in the world while being an outcast because of the family business and being constantly harassed by a very controlling mother. She’s not a strong character at the beginning and it was fun to watch her kind of toughen up as the story progressed.
The story that’s told in Flesh has horror undertones but isn’t the “scare the daylights out of you” kind of book. The story features creepy events, sinister happenings, and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I mention these things because I don’t particularly like horror (think Stephen King, whoever thought the Saw movies where a good idea, and Friday the 13th). I do, however, like soft horror (is that even a thing? If not, it is now), which is how I would classify Flesh. Flesh also has moments of joy, the rekindling of old friendships, and the coming together of some unlikely allies to combat the mysterious ghouls with ties to an urban legend by the name of Catfish Bob. I love the balance that the author used. I enjoyed the story, characters, theme, and pacing of Flesh.
October 23, 2017
Charlene (Charlie) Sulliven also known as Ghoul Girl by all the kids at school, wants nothing more then to be a normal teenager. To have friends, go to parties, go on dates, and all the other things teenagers do. With er family running the mortuary and her mom the Coroner that's just not gonna happen in her small town.
People in town are dying. That's normal right? Well what's not normal is they are coming back. The bodies are being delivered to the "Body Shop" at Charlie's house, but during the night they disappear. A girl from school Amanda is delivered. Her body looks to have bites taken out of it on her shoulder and side. Charlie helps her mom ready the body for the autopsy. Mom calls it off when Charlie starts to turn ashen white.
Later during the night. Charlie who wishes she had of befriended Amanda during life and almost had, goes down to the freezer to tell her goodbye. But instead of Goodbye, Amanda starts breathing, then moving, then talking. She tell's Charlie she is cold and hungry. Charlie runs to get her some clothes and food but when she comes back she finds Amanda eating another "client" in the freezer. Then Amanda runs off. No one believes Charlie that Amanda walked away, since the night before another body disappeared without a trace from the freezer.
There is a old legend of "Catfish Bob" has the legend resurfaced as fact or is something else going on?
This was a great read. I usually do not like a lot of description in books but this one actually had to do with the story. Without the description the story would not of been as good I don't think. You actually got to now the characters in the book. The book was quite creepy in spots, but it was also filled with normal life, and where Lothar, Charlie's dog came into a scene it was usually very funny. Lothar has a taste for things he shouldn't like glass eyeballs, prosthetic's, and human lungs. This is a great story for YA and adults alike. There is no strong language or sex, there is a brief mention of a gang rape, but other then that as long as a little gross and a lot of creepy is your thing you should read this book.
November 12, 2017
Flesh by Laura Bickle
By Angi
I was introduced to Laura by my fellow team blogger Mary. I am so glad she connected us because wow!
I looked at the cover read the synopsis and well honestly thought we had your typical ghoul/zombie high school hero story. Well, it is...... and it isn't.
In so many ways it isn't. It's like those sleeper stories, ya know the ones I mean, where you're going along reading the story and all of a sudden it took a sudden turn. A turn that yea now that you read it you could see where it came from, but it's also so original that it caught you by surprise.
You meet Charlie our main character, her quirky weird dog that likes to take off with body parts of the dearly departed. Her dad, brother, and grandma that prep the dearly departed for their funerals and loved ones. Did I mention they live at the funeral home? We meet her mother that finds every way possible to protect Charlie from... well life. The funeral home is also the morgue and her mother the elected coroner.
Then the unthinkable happens, Charlie's schoolmate is found murdered. Dead bodies disappear from the morgue, and from the graves.
And from there it all goes wonky. There's an urban legend of a massive catfish that lives in the water. Living dead eating dead and decaying things. And a dead teen that is just darn confused about why or what she is. This book takes on urban legends and ghouls in such an unusual and original way.
The book keeps you engaged and curious the entire time. Though fictional and paranormal the people are believable and likable. You feel sorry for Charlie's isolation yet understand her mother's fears.
So click the but button and sit back and take a bite out of this book.
By Angi
I was introduced to Laura by my fellow team blogger Mary. I am so glad she connected us because wow!
I looked at the cover read the synopsis and well honestly thought we had your typical ghoul/zombie high school hero story. Well, it is...... and it isn't.
In so many ways it isn't. It's like those sleeper stories, ya know the ones I mean, where you're going along reading the story and all of a sudden it took a sudden turn. A turn that yea now that you read it you could see where it came from, but it's also so original that it caught you by surprise.
You meet Charlie our main character, her quirky weird dog that likes to take off with body parts of the dearly departed. Her dad, brother, and grandma that prep the dearly departed for their funerals and loved ones. Did I mention they live at the funeral home? We meet her mother that finds every way possible to protect Charlie from... well life. The funeral home is also the morgue and her mother the elected coroner.
Then the unthinkable happens, Charlie's schoolmate is found murdered. Dead bodies disappear from the morgue, and from the graves.
And from there it all goes wonky. There's an urban legend of a massive catfish that lives in the water. Living dead eating dead and decaying things. And a dead teen that is just darn confused about why or what she is. This book takes on urban legends and ghouls in such an unusual and original way.
The book keeps you engaged and curious the entire time. Though fictional and paranormal the people are believable and likable. You feel sorry for Charlie's isolation yet understand her mother's fears.
So click the but button and sit back and take a bite out of this book.
October 2, 2017
This is a good, creepy book for Halloween season. Charlie, our teenage protagonist, gets called "Ghoul Girl" by her classmates because her family runs a funeral home and her mom is the coroner. Not exactly the sort of environment to foster bonding with your fellow classmates through slumber parties.
No. She had one blaze of social glory the previous year when her parents were away and she held a Halloween party at the funeral home, including a tour of the "Body Shop." You can imagine how well that went over with her parents when they found out.
Now she's dodging her more popular classmates who want to know if she's going to have a party again. You can guess the answer to that.
Instead, the town starts to have its own zombie invasion. Bodies start disappearing from the funeral home and, in real life, people don't think zombie uprising, they think bad prank or very careless funeral home folks. One of these zombies/ghouls is a classmate of Charlie's, Amanda, and she doesn't seem to be as "grrr! arrrr!" as the rest - she's still coherent. She just has a chunk out of her, is really cold, and thinks other dead people are better than Reese's peanut butter cups.
There is also an hysterically funny dachshund named Lothar who also has a taste for things he shouldn't. Bad dog - don't eat the clients.
I found the story exciting and well-paced. The town has a little mystery - at one point it was totally abandoned and no one knows what happened. Charlie starts piecing the puzzle together. I just really liked how the pieces came together. I liked the Grandma character and the crazy old coot who's the caretaker of an old house. It's a fun read for Halloween.
No. She had one blaze of social glory the previous year when her parents were away and she held a Halloween party at the funeral home, including a tour of the "Body Shop." You can imagine how well that went over with her parents when they found out.
Now she's dodging her more popular classmates who want to know if she's going to have a party again. You can guess the answer to that.
Instead, the town starts to have its own zombie invasion. Bodies start disappearing from the funeral home and, in real life, people don't think zombie uprising, they think bad prank or very careless funeral home folks. One of these zombies/ghouls is a classmate of Charlie's, Amanda, and she doesn't seem to be as "grrr! arrrr!" as the rest - she's still coherent. She just has a chunk out of her, is really cold, and thinks other dead people are better than Reese's peanut butter cups.
There is also an hysterically funny dachshund named Lothar who also has a taste for things he shouldn't. Bad dog - don't eat the clients.
I found the story exciting and well-paced. The town has a little mystery - at one point it was totally abandoned and no one knows what happened. Charlie starts piecing the puzzle together. I just really liked how the pieces came together. I liked the Grandma character and the crazy old coot who's the caretaker of an old house. It's a fun read for Halloween.
April 13, 2018
At first, I was not sure what to think...
Then, I was still debating internally if I was enjoying myself reading Flesh...
Until it happened!
I got a huge smile on my face, and thought that this book was really great! As you can see it took a bit of time to get into the nitty-gritty of things and when I got my hands on the good stuff, I was pretty much sold!
If I want to sum it up as something very simple for you to have a broad idea of what Flesh is about then, I would tell you that it is a zombie-themed book. That is very general because it is much more than that.
Though we are dealing with the living dead, it is not really your common backstory for this theme. Usually, it is about some nasty virus that spreads out etc... with the many variants that have been spun over the years in Tv and movies. Gotta say I loved this backstory much better!
When I say much, I mean this is far more superior and imaginative!
So from now on, I humbly request that all future zombie movies, tv shows, and whatnot are this original!
Yup! You heard me!
As mentioned above, it took me a little while to get into the story, but that is because you know me and I like it action packed and to be a bit faster. However, as you can see I did love it very much in the end and that is all that matters.
When it comes to the characters, Charlie is our main character and I liked her very much! I mean you gotta give it to her for being the odd one out in her school as her parents are the mortician and the coroner. So it is a great testament to her for being weird enough without taking her to crazy levels (Thank you for that Laura!)
We are talking about a teenage girl, and I thought she really had it together considering all that is going on. I told you plenty guys and I am not going to give more spoilers because well... you have the read the book!
I also very much liked Charlie's brother and I have a special fondness in my heart for her grandmother as well (she is totally awesome!).
Flesh started slow and steady and then it got utterly brilliant! I do not know what to tell you other than it was bloody (all puns intended) genius and I was kinda sad when it ended.
You that it means that I am going to very highly recommend it to you all. Now if you are a bit squeamish about blood and gore etc... don't worry this is not that kind of book!
You have a little bit of a small scare here and there, but really nothing major and I promise that you would be ok!
I really hope that you will love it as much as I did!
Then, I was still debating internally if I was enjoying myself reading Flesh...
Until it happened!
I got a huge smile on my face, and thought that this book was really great! As you can see it took a bit of time to get into the nitty-gritty of things and when I got my hands on the good stuff, I was pretty much sold!
If I want to sum it up as something very simple for you to have a broad idea of what Flesh is about then, I would tell you that it is a zombie-themed book. That is very general because it is much more than that.
Though we are dealing with the living dead, it is not really your common backstory for this theme. Usually, it is about some nasty virus that spreads out etc... with the many variants that have been spun over the years in Tv and movies. Gotta say I loved this backstory much better!
When I say much, I mean this is far more superior and imaginative!
So from now on, I humbly request that all future zombie movies, tv shows, and whatnot are this original!
Yup! You heard me!
As mentioned above, it took me a little while to get into the story, but that is because you know me and I like it action packed and to be a bit faster. However, as you can see I did love it very much in the end and that is all that matters.
When it comes to the characters, Charlie is our main character and I liked her very much! I mean you gotta give it to her for being the odd one out in her school as her parents are the mortician and the coroner. So it is a great testament to her for being weird enough without taking her to crazy levels (Thank you for that Laura!)
We are talking about a teenage girl, and I thought she really had it together considering all that is going on. I told you plenty guys and I am not going to give more spoilers because well... you have the read the book!
I also very much liked Charlie's brother and I have a special fondness in my heart for her grandmother as well (she is totally awesome!).
Flesh started slow and steady and then it got utterly brilliant! I do not know what to tell you other than it was bloody (all puns intended) genius and I was kinda sad when it ended.
You that it means that I am going to very highly recommend it to you all. Now if you are a bit squeamish about blood and gore etc... don't worry this is not that kind of book!
You have a little bit of a small scare here and there, but really nothing major and I promise that you would be ok!
I really hope that you will love it as much as I did!
October 26, 2017
The constant in this story is the grossness factor of little 33-pound Lothar, probably only wiener dog in history of horror to get top billing in a book. Another is of course our main character Charlie Sulliven, or Ghoul Girl as she is known to most of her High School peers.
Taking place around Halloween this tale relies heavily on horror themes and it's accompanying gore. However it also details issues found in friendships and family relationships, especially ones for Charlie.
A Young Adult read that also has more serious themes running through it than simply finding a dead girl who has come to life in the Sulliven families Mortuary.
Taking place around Halloween this tale relies heavily on horror themes and it's accompanying gore. However it also details issues found in friendships and family relationships, especially ones for Charlie.
A Young Adult read that also has more serious themes running through it than simply finding a dead girl who has come to life in the Sulliven families Mortuary.
October 31, 2018
Laura Bickle has done a great job with Flesh! What a fun ride! It has all the gore and fear factor we want in a horror tale, but loaded with a ton of humor. The legend and the journey are well worth the read.
Charlie is a great character, full of all the things teenagers are, and so much more. I loved how the teenagers are teenagers. I think as we get older, we do forget some of what it is to be a teen, but Bickle has done a great job capturing the emotions and thoughts of a young person, like Charlie.
If you love horror, you will love this book. It's also a great way to cut your teeth if you're a young Adult and wanting to explore horror.
Charlie is a great character, full of all the things teenagers are, and so much more. I loved how the teenagers are teenagers. I think as we get older, we do forget some of what it is to be a teen, but Bickle has done a great job capturing the emotions and thoughts of a young person, like Charlie.
If you love horror, you will love this book. It's also a great way to cut your teeth if you're a young Adult and wanting to explore horror.
December 30, 2017
Wow! Ok... I’m totally hooked on this author! Just recently I read Laura Bickle’s Amish vampire duology — The Hollowed Ones and The Outside — and absolutely loved them! This stand alone book was just as entertaining. This author really has a way with captivating storytelling! Every chapter, every paragraph, every word moves the story along, develops the characters and keeps you turning the pages. And the plots are totally unique! The rest of Laura Bickle’s books are going to the top of my wishlist!
September 30, 2017
Ghouls and adolescent awkwardness and a hilariously gruesome dachshund. This was a lot of fun.
CW: one reference to rape. Part of the story is based on "Native American" legend (but no info on what tribe or nation so eh, sketchy). Also, everyone is white.
CW: one reference to rape. Part of the story is based on "Native American" legend (but no info on what tribe or nation so eh, sketchy). Also, everyone is white.
December 3, 2017
Always love her books!
As usual, Laura Bickle has managed to come up with new twists on a story that you think you have figured out. Love her books
As usual, Laura Bickle has managed to come up with new twists on a story that you think you have figured out. Love her books
October 27, 2019
Soft zombie take, good read for the ya market.
October 16, 2018
Charlie wants nothing more but to be liked and seen as "normal", not the odd Ghoul Girl as the kids at school call her. But that is unlikely to happen with her mom as the coroner and her dad the funeral director- and the funereal parlor is her house. Yeah, normal has never been in the cards for Charlie, but it seems like things have gotten even more strange recently with her mom attacked at work and a body going missing with no evidence of it being stolen...
I have been wanting to read this story for the last few months but with Halloween coming up and my love of all things spooky I thought this was the most appropriate time to read Flesh. And I love the cover- it 100% caught my eye, no synopsis needed for love at first sight. Flesh is very much so a horror/supernatural mystery with some emotional angst thrown in for flavor.
Charlie is so very real and so very awkward. Her anxiety comes through the pages of the book, her desire to be liked, to please people, and be accepted just made me want to force the other teens to be her friends. My little loner introverted heart never cared if I was accepted or made friends when I was in High School, but I could see Charlie's struggles as being so very real and made her human.
I really loved the family dynamic showcased in the story. Charlie may not want to follow in the family profession, but she is still such a big part of the death trade and all of her family is so close and supportive. Her family was involved in every aspect and loved Charlie very much, they were there to love her regardless of her not feeling like she fit in with them. Even her crazy, bloodthirsty dog Lothar loved the death business (maybe a little too much).
I thought Flesh did a nice job of building up the tension through out the story and I found the plot completely unique that I could not really guess what would happen next. There was just the right level of horror, imagery and zombie loving fun that I am always on the prowl for. Overall I found this to be a really entertaining read, maybe more geared to older teens and adults do to some of the topics and gruesome scenes though.
I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
I have been wanting to read this story for the last few months but with Halloween coming up and my love of all things spooky I thought this was the most appropriate time to read Flesh. And I love the cover- it 100% caught my eye, no synopsis needed for love at first sight. Flesh is very much so a horror/supernatural mystery with some emotional angst thrown in for flavor.
Charlie is so very real and so very awkward. Her anxiety comes through the pages of the book, her desire to be liked, to please people, and be accepted just made me want to force the other teens to be her friends. My little loner introverted heart never cared if I was accepted or made friends when I was in High School, but I could see Charlie's struggles as being so very real and made her human.
I really loved the family dynamic showcased in the story. Charlie may not want to follow in the family profession, but she is still such a big part of the death trade and all of her family is so close and supportive. Her family was involved in every aspect and loved Charlie very much, they were there to love her regardless of her not feeling like she fit in with them. Even her crazy, bloodthirsty dog Lothar loved the death business (maybe a little too much).
I thought Flesh did a nice job of building up the tension through out the story and I found the plot completely unique that I could not really guess what would happen next. There was just the right level of horror, imagery and zombie loving fun that I am always on the prowl for. Overall I found this to be a really entertaining read, maybe more geared to older teens and adults do to some of the topics and gruesome scenes though.
I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Come visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
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