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jnnkdl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Vomit and Drug abuse
Minor: Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Racism
genevieve_eggleston's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Vomit, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Cursing, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, and Police brutality
Minor: Biphobia, Transphobia, Confinement, Gun violence, Homophobia, Animal death, Dysphoria, Lesbophobia, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Racism, and Sexual content
jaynellewags's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
TW: Cannibalism, murder, drug use, siblicide, gore, pandemic (There are more at the beginning of the book)
I really enjoyed this book. I read the author's debut novel last year and knew that I really wanted to read this one! It was zombies who go to burning man, but the zombies become crazed cannibals. I really enjoyed the diversity of the characters (specifically the main characters) and there was some social commentary about the pandemic (how it was handled).
Zoey and her friends are so excited to go to Desert Bloom. Ever since the Hollowing, a pandemic that made infected people only able to eat human flesh, Hollows (ghouls) are not able to go anyone outside of their approved range. They are registered and have to check in with their person every time they eat, just to make sure it's not a living person. The government created SynFlesh so that the Hollows are able to consume "human flesh" safely. (this concept isn't that far-fetched- we have lab-grown organs and can print organs out)
When the girls get to Desert Bloom, they meet a boy band and Val hits it off with the lead singer, who is very anti-ghoul. Not knowing that all four of the FMCs are ghouls. Then one night at the festival Val has a drink that makes her go feral... but why? That's the question that we have to answer in the book.
{Thoughts}
There were times in this book when I laughed out loud (near the beginning).
I enjoyed the friendship between Celeste, Zoey, Jasmine, and Valeria- Found Family is definitely a favorite trope of mine.
Zoey's family is trash- that is all that I will say.
The plot twist was good but it made me sad because I liked the character that turned out to not be a good person. I can understand the logic behind the character arc but still.... makes me sad.
As a Biology person, I was really intrigued by the virus and the SynFlesh- but that's just the science person in me.
Overall I have enjoyed both of Kayla Cottingham's books and I look forward to the next one!
Graphic: Murder, Gore, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Drug abuse
markedwithanm's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Death, Gore, Cannibalism, and Vomit