A review by minimicropup
This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Convival. Hopeful. Persevering. 
🇺🇸 Set against the backdrop of a music festival in Nevada’s Mojave desert, USA 
POV: The story unfolds across two timelines: one during the outbreak of a virus and the other in the present, following a high school senior and friends en route to a music festival. 
Narrative: Present timelines are first person perspective following our MC. The past perspectives are third person following our MC and friends. 
 
Mood Reading Match Up: 
-A blend of a day-in-the-life narrative with vampire-zombie-human elements 
-Mad scientist and quest themes amidst a music festival setting 
-Explores coming-of-age themes, friendships, crushes, and romances, all within the context of a murder mystery. 
-Key themes include friendship, otherness, and infection 
 
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🐺 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags 🐕 
✏️ Writing: The style is distinctively YA, with straightforward and descriptive prose that makes characters’ actions and nuances jump off the page. 
 
🫥 Characters: The characters are likable yet naive, with a blend of awkwardness and angst. They evolve from acquaintances to true friends, overcoming initial judgments and social faux pas. 
 
🗺️ Worldbuilding: The world is well-constructed, providing just enough detail for the reader’s imagination to fill in the gaps. 
 
🔥 Fuel: The story starts by exploring the “Hollowing” and the initial infection, building suspense around trust issues and escalating tensions at the festival. The suspense shifts from identifying the predator (or prey) among the festival-goers to finding cures and managing unfolding events. 
 
🐇 Pacing: While the pacing sometimes drags, especially during quest-like scenes towards the end, it generally maintains a good balance. 
 
🎬 Scenes: Flashbacks effectively show rather than tell, providing insight into the characters’ personal experiences with the virus and their evolving relationships. 
 
💭 Random Thoughts: It’s an entertaining read that realistically portrays societal judgment of “otherness,” though it’s pretty optimistic about governmental responses to a pandemic like this. The audio narration might have missed some graphical elements present in the text! I’m pretty sure I missed out on getting to see the pamphlets and stuff. 
 
🎧 Audio: The transition between past and present can be jarring in the audio format, requiring careful attention. The narration is solid, but the use of the same voice for flashbacks and most characters can be confusing. 
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Content Heads-Up: Pandemic (fictional; prejudice, monitoring/government restrictions, quarantine). Medical (vomit, digestive). Transphobia (implied, anxieties, deadnaming by peers). Body horror, gore. Cannibalism and food horror. Starvation. Murder. Body disposal. Blood. 
Rep includes: White, Latine/Latino, transgender, queer, and bisexual characters. 
 
Format: Library Audio via Libby. 
 
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