Zombies of the Upper East Side

If you enjoy zombies, and books that make you laugh, this needs to go to the top of your TBR. A quick warning, this can get quite gory, although that isn’t unusual for a zombie story. I absolutely loved Charmaine. She was likable, and her determination to get through the zombie apocalypse and find her kids really helped drive the story forward. Honestly, the whole cast of characters is unique and interesting, and while at times some of them feel like caricatures, it’s all part of the fun of the story. I enjoyed how it bounced back and forth between the past and present, and there’s quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor throughout. This is the book for anyone looking for a humorous zombie apocalypse that pokes fun at the ultrarich show more and upper-echelons of society. show less

If you enjoy zombies, and books that make you laugh, this needs to go to the top of your TBR. A quick warning, this can get quite gory, although that isn’t unusual for a zombie story. I absolutely loved Charmaine. She was likable, and her determination to get through the zombie apocalypse and find her kids really helped drive the story forward. Honestly, the whole cast of characters is unique and interesting, and while at times some of them feel like caricatures, it’s all part of the fun of the story. I enjoyed how it bounced back and forth between the past and present, and there’s quite a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor throughout. This is the book for anyone looking for a humorous zombie apocalypse that pokes fun at the ultrarich show more and upper-echelons of society. show less

Charmaine Starling, a wealthy soon-to-be divorcée, misses all the signs on her drive home: the car accident, the blood soaking the carpet in her building’s lobby, the dead body slowly rising from the floor. But that’s to be expected after the week she’s been having dealing with self-pity after her husband leaves her for a younger woman and the bizarre séance she’d just left. It isn’t until the next morning, when she’s sees the blood painted through her apartment and watching her neighbor being attacked and eaten by a zombie that she realizes she could be in trouble.

Worse than that, her two young boys are nowhere to be found, so she sets out hoping to find them before something terrible happens.

I enjoyed this unique take show more on the zombie novel. Not just because we’re treated to how the upper crust might fare during a zombie outbreak, but because the zombies of the Upper East Side are cunning, funny, and can communicate with one another. I found this a bit confusing at first, but as the story moved along, it made more sense.

Charmaine’s friend Mitzi bothered me, mostly because I found her annoying. She was unable to stop talking and when she did, her language jumped around from very long trains of high society chatter to bursts of poor grammar. It distracted quite a bit, especially during the séance scene (which is actually a great section of the story).

I did have fun with this zombie tale and finished it in one sitting, so I highly recommend it. show less

If there’s one thing I love it’s stupid quippy humor, and this book is full of it. It did take me a few pages to sync up with Jason’s sense of humor, but once I did, it was chuckle after chuckle. Some of the things described are cartoonish, at least how I imagined them, but it’s also full of gory horror.

Reading this became a movie in my mind. The FMC, Charmaine, was obviously cast as John Early or Cole Escola. But rather than make them fight over Charmaine, the other actor is the real star of the show Mitzi (I chose Cole). Then Charmaine’s brief Jason Statham-like love interest Edgar, was initially Jason Statham, sort of like the only human in a muppet movie, but he quickly morphed into Aubrey Plaza in a suit and stubble. Mrs. show more Desmonds is obviously meant to be Amy Sedaris (to me anyway). Aubrey was pulling double duty as the very serious nanny Rochelle. Esmerelda could be anyone but Carla Jimenez would be great. Then Oona it tough, I got it in my head that she was Russian, so all I see is Katya, but she definitely wasn’t Russian. The only character I still haven’t cast is Sylvia, I wasn’t able to pin down the right person for her. But as you might guess from all that, this book has a kooky cast of characters.

Now, I will say, there were some writing choices I found potentially objectionable. There’s reference to “no” as “the n-word”, some of the commentary as women and coming from women was odd with the writer being a man, there’s a black poodle named Oprah, some of the accents are bordering on offensive, and most of the characters are white and wealthy. NOW, I fully admit I may just be being too woke right now, I had a bad experience with another book recently, so maybe I am just hyper sensitive. I am willing to give Jason the benefit of the doubt (for now) though.

Which is great, cause it ends with more story to come, and overall I had a really great time. Horror comedy is one of my favorite genres, so I will be back whenever Jason decides to continue! show less

I really wanted to like this. I see the title and the cover art and think I'm in for a light, fun ride. I was mistaken. It's not heavy or anything but it's not what I thought I was getting. I didn't enjoy the writing.