YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

She won't rest until she's sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

If anyone had told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that's all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real.

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn't careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies.

Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter will be our 2nd GBR for June 2021.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

Anna 'Bookbuyer' wrote: "Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?"

My thoughts were zombies and the girl on the cover looks like Taylor Swift lol.
I've never read a zombie story :3 Or anything by this author :3 I'm excited

I'm on audiobook
9%
(view spoiler)[I'm devastated that she blames herself for their deaths :/
I really like Cat/Kat I want more of her :3
I'm so upset for her family, and I hope things get better soon! (hide spoiler)]

21%
(view spoiler)[C/Kat is amazing omg lol
Also I hate Makenzie (is this how you spell it?)
I feel like Cole does weird things to Alice but at the same time I don’t understand her crush on him like she said herself he was a bad boy and there was a hint that the chain around his waist had blood on it? And well if she didn’t initially believe in the monsters her father was scared of she’d find him actually intimidating not infatuating!! Never the less it’s well written and the audiobook is very enjoyable (hide spoiler)]

40%
Still not quite sold on makenzie or cole just saying

60% (almost because I know I finished half but I’m not sure where I am at this point and my phone settings are weird)
(view spoiler)[
I’m a little confused there are adults involved but it took over half the book for one to appear and actually tell us out right that they are involved.. because honestly zombies are a big deal and they’re just letting high school kids decide whether this girl does something or not? Also makenzie is the devil why would she tell people that Alice slept with all the guys that’s just messed up I for one don’t want her to turn out to be the bad guy she seems important to cole and even if I don’t ship them that hard (cole and Alice) I still don’t want him losing a friend. Basically I don’t want him as Alice’s love interest but I don’t want Justin either I don’t know why I ramble so much what I want to say is this book seems too good for a romance to be honest (hide spoiler)]

Anna 'Bookbuyer' wrote: "Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter will be our 2nd GBR for June 2021.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time duri..."

1. Im assuming this book will be something like Alice in Wonderland as it has a similar name but obviously it will include zombies.
2. I've been reading a bunch of retellings lately but none on Alice in Wonderland so no not really.
3. I havent read anything by this author yet.

Start of chapter 4
(view spoiler)[ I feel really bad that she lost her whole family... that is awful.

I do NOT like Kat. She's coming off to me as really artificial and needing everything to be based around her. I hope that as the book continues she starts to get a little more likeable to me as she does seem to be a nice friend to Alice, just a little too annoying (for my taste)

Not gonna lie, this book is reminding me of Twilight though. The whole mysterious guy and a love triangle forming. (hide spoiler)]

Bayan wrote: "Anna 'Bookbuyer' wrote: "Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author ..."

Now that I heard you think she looks like Taylor Swift, I have to agree! She really does

I finally got hold of this book. I just finished Chapter 1 and I'm intrigued.

I've read another Alice in Wonderland retelling, Alison's Adventures in Underland by C.M. Stunich.

I'm not quite sure how Showalter is going to turn this into a retelling, but I am interested.

Through end of chapter 14

I really got sucked into this book! I actually am really enjoying it. I dont think the characters are really acting their ages though (looking at the girls who are constantly acting like sassy little 13 year olds). This is still reminding me of Twilight, but gosh do I love Cole and Alice together. They're so cute (sometimes a littleee cringey, but cute).

(view spoiler)[ I think one of Alice's friends started the rumor about her and Cole. I think that's the only possible answer and looking as she told Kat that they hung out... Kat's looking pretty suspicious. Maybe she doesnt like the attention not being on her (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ I never thought of Justin's twin? or friend being the one starting the rumors but it would make sense. She really seems to not like Alice (hide spoiler)]

Finished
I quite liked this book even though I thought the girls were really mean and sassy (not my interpretation of high school girls; mainly just fits the stereotype)

(view spoiler)[ I was very sad when Alice had to kill her grandfather and her father :( But im happy she was the one to do it. It seemed more right to me.

I'm also happy Alice is ok although it wasn't the biggest plot twist that she lived. It was sort of expected (hide spoiler)]

I flew through this book. Once it sucked me in I couldn't draw breath until the end. At times though I felt like the author was spoonfeeding us, not trusting that we'd figure things out, so quite a bit of it was rather predictable.

(view spoiler)[It was super sad when Alice had to kill her Grand Dad and Father, but it was great for character development. I was surprised that Dr. Right was the spy, that was very well done. I liked Cat, she sort of balanced the heartache and seriousness out a bit; although, it sucks that she is sick. I absolutely loved Cole, definitely my new book boyfriend. There are so many layers to him, and under all the tough guy stuff is a sweet and caring, loyal person. As far as a retelling went, well it wasn't much of one. I could dig really deep and find some things, but honestly I wouldn't call this a retelling. I really enjoyed the book though and will be diving into the next one straight away. (hide spoiler)]

I forgot that I haven’t updated the thread yet so here goes
85%
(view spoiler)[I was super concerned about cat at this point, maybe suspecting something with the hazmat suits people? Also respect to Makenzie for finally stepping down after Cole spoke to her lol excited to finally have some romance here like I’m literally wiped from waiting.. I felt like they would get exposed at some point there were so many people involved who didn’t know anything, but I didn’t know about how it would end up, probably will end up reading the rest of the series next month.. (hide spoiler)]

100%
(view spoiler)[such a sad yet funny ending for me, because she ended up losing her grandfather, her sister’s ghost and had to kill her father’s spirit, but then the absolute ending, with her grandmother, Cat, Frosty, Makenzie and Cole it was so satisfying and just really fun and good! (hide spoiler)]