The Z Word

I really enjoyed this, more than I expected! The writing was a pleasant surprise, given I had just finished Zomromcom by Olivia Dade last month, another zombie romance. While Zomromcom ended up being fun and memorable, the dialogue was absolutely cringe-worthy a majority of the time. I half expected The Z Word to feel that way, but it was definitely better written than some of the romance I've read lately. And the author is from Denver, my home town! That already puts this in a special place in my heart.

I adored the characters. They felt real. Like I could have met any one of these people, talked to them, been friends with them. Even hated them. Wendy was an interesting main character. You really don't see the name Wendy much anymore. show more She seesawed between being just a bystander and an active participant in the chaos around her, though I suppose that isn't a bizarre reaction in the zombie apocalypse. I loved her depth though. Beau was probably my favorite character, I could visualize her so easily, but the main cast all shined brightly- Aurelia, Logan, Sunshine show less

A fun little book! This zombie story is set amongst Arizona queers, including our protagonist who is still cut-up about her break-up . . . only to find out her ex is the one who unintentionally triggered the [still semi-localized] apocalypse, via a blend of corporate sponsorship and emotional manipulation (we'll just put some anger-promoting juice in our LGBT-aimed beverages to get some scuffles started, which will help draw people to our side in sympathy!). A bit far-fetched? Perhaps- but what zombie novel isn't? All in all, I found it an enjoyable (they/them stoner pizza delivery driver who rushes in to save the day is just super cute and silly, bi protagonist starting off the bat with some sex with a drag queen- very nice), quick, show more easy read. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't have to. Would make for a nice airplane or beach read. show less

Others seem to be kinda disappointed by this book, but for me, it did almost exactly what I wanted it to. It was a generally lighthearted zombie horror novel. Dark comedy vibes, maybe. I had a damn good time! I see a bit of what some other readers are saying re: characterizations—bc usually I’m a full character reader, too, and I need those connections more often than not. But idk, I just had a vibe. It was goofy and sad and succeeded in making me cry just a lil at the end! Which I was surprised by. Would I have loved a bit more character interaction that delved a bit deeper, yes, bc I always want that, but I think if you go in basically treating it like the blockbuster summer flick equivalent of a book, you’ll likely have fun. show more

Personally, I wanted more of Aurelia, and she was my fav, but I had a damn good time with this.

Fuck capitalism, and fuck homophobes. It’s getting rough out there yall, and we gotta stick together. show less

This fast-paced, engaging story about found family and the importance of Pride will delight any queer zombie fan. The zombie apocalypse is an apt allegory for the shitshow that passes for modern politics.

One quibble: I think Beau is too young to have experienced what is intimated. She’d have to be in her 60s, not 50s.

I picked up this book for the queerness and, on that front, it definitely delivered! Felt like stepping into my favorite queer bar.

It was a quick and easy read, with a few cool action sequences. It fell pretty flat for me everywhere else as I didn't find the plot very inspired or the characters very likeable.

The main character was especially difficult, as she was both a cheater and a coward about pretty much everything; two of my personal least favorite things a person can be. The "mystery" of the zombie outbreak was also evident from the very first pages, so the reveal towards the end of the story was hollow.

I also felt like some very heavy topics were brought up (police brutality against marginalized groups for one) but never show more fleshed out. They were just sort of...there.

Overall, I gave it one star for how wonderfully queer everyone was and another half star for my favorite character, Sunshine, the pizza delivery warrior. show less

This book was wild and crazy, mostly bad, but also fun. You can't take it too seriously and the main character is annoying, but it's an entertaining read. If you like cheesy horror movies, this would be right up your alley.

4.5/5