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Gray World: A Gray World Zombie Novel
Addie loves Michigan summers, especially those spent at the lake with her best friends. The high school basketball team celebrates another successful year until a perfect summer day turns tragic. A dead body surfaces on the shoreline, and the girls quickly discover that dead isn’t what it used to be.
The group of friends complies with the government-issued quarantine until it’s clear that no one’s coming for them. Without food, water, and electricity, they know it’s time to save themselves. Desperate to return to their homes, they head out into the new, unknown world only to realize it’s nothing they could’ve prepared for.
Danger, both dead and alive, threaten them at every turn. What was supposed to be a three-hour drive turns into an impossible journey.
Addie and her friends must learn to navigate the unknown and fight to survive if they’re ever going to be reunited with their families.
A vividly colorful existence turns desolate and dangerous seemingly overnight. Can a group of teens navigate through the dead gray world before they’re lost to the darkness?
A story of strength, love, resilience, friendship, and…zombies.
The group of friends complies with the government-issued quarantine until it’s clear that no one’s coming for them. Without food, water, and electricity, they know it’s time to save themselves. Desperate to return to their homes, they head out into the new, unknown world only to realize it’s nothing they could’ve prepared for.
Danger, both dead and alive, threaten them at every turn. What was supposed to be a three-hour drive turns into an impossible journey.
Addie and her friends must learn to navigate the unknown and fight to survive if they’re ever going to be reunited with their families.
A vividly colorful existence turns desolate and dangerous seemingly overnight. Can a group of teens navigate through the dead gray world before they’re lost to the darkness?
A story of strength, love, resilience, friendship, and…zombies.
- GenresZombies
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 22, 2021
27 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Howard
3 books3 followersA.R. Howard resides in southeast Michigan with her husband, three children, and three dogs. She has a Master’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University and is a huge University of Michigan sports fan. She loves the beauty of her home state, especially the lakes and the gorgeous autumn weather. When she is not writing, you will find her reading, snuggled up with her kiddos, or spending time with family and friends. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 24, 2025
Someone recommended this one, grabbed it, dived in, and really enjoyed it. Has the usual angsty nail biting zombie fest which I live for.
A team of varsity basketball girls (minus three) spent the fourth of July at their coaches lake house celebrating the win of their state championship a couple of months ago. Having played together since elementary school these group of girls were beyond close. Having the time of their life enjoying the hot summers day all that came to a screeching halt when a woman's body is discovered facedown in the lake, gouges mar her arms.
Racing up to the lakehouse to seek assistance from the emergency helpline all they get is a busy signal. Their coach goes to check out the drowned victim, meanwhile Addy gets in touch with her dad (he's kind of a closet prepper) he tells her that people seem to be getting sick from eating deer meat and making lash out and killing others.
Every year for christmas he would ask for something dealing with survival, like propane tanks, or barrels of rice and beans, or vegetable seeds, or flashlights and radios that you can turn on just by winding the crank.
When their Coach arrives back at the lake house he goes on the attack, killing and gorging his very own daughter, this was the start f the girls downward spiral.
They have enough food and water to last them weeks, they decide to hole up where they are since its relatively safe with barely anyone around, but then the power goes out and they decide to make the trip to their hometown taking both cars within the garage.
2 sets of cars each holding the girls. One car is separated from the others.
One group are relatively safe from too much harm coming their way, the other group they have some harrowing situations they have to get out of to survive, all have the same destination in mind.
Home...
I enjoyed this one, the girls were tougher than anyone of them thought, though one kind of grates on your nerves a wee bit, neither group knowing that the other is alive. Addy's group think the other cars occupants were killed, they heard the 5 gun shots after they ran off the road. All fight for survival in a world changed beyond anything they could've imagined.
I'm definitely keen to read the next book, I don't generally read many YA's in this genre so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one..
A team of varsity basketball girls (minus three) spent the fourth of July at their coaches lake house celebrating the win of their state championship a couple of months ago. Having played together since elementary school these group of girls were beyond close. Having the time of their life enjoying the hot summers day all that came to a screeching halt when a woman's body is discovered facedown in the lake, gouges mar her arms.
Racing up to the lakehouse to seek assistance from the emergency helpline all they get is a busy signal. Their coach goes to check out the drowned victim, meanwhile Addy gets in touch with her dad (he's kind of a closet prepper) he tells her that people seem to be getting sick from eating deer meat and making lash out and killing others.
Every year for christmas he would ask for something dealing with survival, like propane tanks, or barrels of rice and beans, or vegetable seeds, or flashlights and radios that you can turn on just by winding the crank.
When their Coach arrives back at the lake house he goes on the attack, killing and gorging his very own daughter, this was the start f the girls downward spiral.
They have enough food and water to last them weeks, they decide to hole up where they are since its relatively safe with barely anyone around, but then the power goes out and they decide to make the trip to their hometown taking both cars within the garage.
2 sets of cars each holding the girls. One car is separated from the others.
One group are relatively safe from too much harm coming their way, the other group they have some harrowing situations they have to get out of to survive, all have the same destination in mind.
Home...
I enjoyed this one, the girls were tougher than anyone of them thought, though one kind of grates on your nerves a wee bit, neither group knowing that the other is alive. Addy's group think the other cars occupants were killed, they heard the 5 gun shots after they ran off the road. All fight for survival in a world changed beyond anything they could've imagined.
I'm definitely keen to read the next book, I don't generally read many YA's in this genre so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one..
November 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this opening book for a new YA Zompoc Series. Very realistic (IMHO), very enjoyable read. I can't wait for the sequel!
December 13, 2021
Gray World
4.5 stars
What a great start to this series! I don’t read a ton of dystopian/ zombie novels but this one pulled me in right away. Addie and her friends were so strong and had several hurdles to overcome in this story. I don’t know if I would survive in this type of world myself but I’d like to think I would. Now I can’t wait for the next book.
Plus I loved the author’s note and that she wrote so much of her daughter into the story. That’s so amazing!
4.5 stars
What a great start to this series! I don’t read a ton of dystopian/ zombie novels but this one pulled me in right away. Addie and her friends were so strong and had several hurdles to overcome in this story. I don’t know if I would survive in this type of world myself but I’d like to think I would. Now I can’t wait for the next book.
Plus I loved the author’s note and that she wrote so much of her daughter into the story. That’s so amazing!
December 9, 2021
This genre isn’t normally something I would pick up but I’m so glad I did. For a YA read, I still found the writing to be smart and compelling for an adult reader. I thoroughly this book and can’t wait to read the next books in this series.
If you have a YA reader, definitely grab this for them. Then read it for yourself!!
If you have a YA reader, definitely grab this for them. Then read it for yourself!!
December 8, 2021
5 stars! I don’t read much YA but this was brilliant! The characters, the way the zombie apocalypse started, the plot…. It was all unique and fresh. I really enjoy this author and I can’t wait for the other books in the series!
December 8, 2021
This was my first Zombie Apocalypse book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was so well written and very descriptive! I could envision exactly what was happening at various times! Kudos AR Howard on an amazing book!
December 13, 2021
I haven’t read any zombie apocalypse but after reading this book it made me want to dive into the zombie apocalypse world.
Gray World was full of action and kept me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for more
Gray World was full of action and kept me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait for more
September 30, 2023
5 stars for good writing and only one typo that I saw. Interesting to watch each of the teenagers deal with horror, and how it affects them. I didn't know what to expect with a "zombie" novel, but I didn't like it, although I read with a lot of stress to the last page and a horrible ending!
May 15, 2025
good!!
No!!! It can’t end here!!! I need to know what happens next!!!!
I really enjoyed this book but I desperately need a book 2!!! I feel like there is more to this story!!
No!!! It can’t end here!!! I need to know what happens next!!!!
I really enjoyed this book but I desperately need a book 2!!! I feel like there is more to this story!!
February 11, 2022
I love a good YA and when I was offered a chance to read this early I was floored. Addie and her friends are spending the weekend at her basketball coach's lake house when the world goes to crap. The girls come across a floating body in lake Michigan and immediately tell Coach Brad to call authorities. When he disappears from the cabin and later returns looking worse for the ware the girls know they are in series trouble. Coach goes from human to an undead state in a matter of hours and the girls struggle with how they are going to make it home. The news starts reporting to stay indoors and the girls start having trouble contacting their families. Addie has been taught by her prepper father to remain calm and to trust no one if things go sideways. When it becomes clear that the girls are on their own and no one is coming to save them they must make the difficult decision to stay and hope for the best or to try to make it home. Addie takes charge and the remaining girls start the 3-hour journey home, along the way the must split up and take their chances at meeting at Addies family farm. What could possibly go wrong? Along the way they encounter way too many undead to feel safe, must ration food and make hard choices for survival. This was a fun zombie novel with a kick butt female lead. I cannot wait for book 2!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews