Apparently, zombies are my new “thing”? I was just finishing Fear the Walking Dead when I read Dread Nation, and was several seasons deep into The Walking Dead when I read Devil Unto Dust. So… no shortage, is what I am saying. And this is coming from someone who’s probably not read about zombies in 5 years, and not watched a zombie show since ever.

The extra fun bit to these is that they both feature old-timey zombies! They take place in a Reconstruction Era- America. Only instead of just trying to recover after the Civil War, the characters are dealing with both the effects of the war and the undead. But I promise, that is where these books end their similarities- they’re two very different stories, and each quite enjoyable!

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Series: Dread Nation #1
Published by Balzer + Bray on April 3rd 2018
Pages: 464
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Edelweiss

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.

But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

“Lots of different ways to pretty up the same old evils.”

I’ll go ahead and say it: Jane McKeene is my new favorite character. She’s got to be Top 5 all time, for real. I loved everything about her. And I’d read about doing any mundane thing, but reading about her fighting the hell out of zombies (and assholes, because a lot of times the assholes are scarier than the zombies) is basically epic. Jane is so multifaceted, and she makes for a character who you cannot help but adore. She’s smart, she’s funny as hell, she’s strong and tough and a fighter. Of course, she also has flaws which she often straight up admits to, which makes her all the more relatable.

As you can imagine, there is more to this book than just zombies- the zombies highlight the problems plaguing the country, then and now. There are a lot of really important topics and themes in this book, and since this takes place right after the Civil War, you can be sure a lot focus on race and inequality faced  by various groups. Jane’s experience as a black woman is of course the focus, but there are many other stories portrayed through other characters. It’s fabulously done, and I certainly won’t do any further discussion justice, so I implore you to read it yourself.

Beyond the importance of this book, it’s just damn entertaining. Like I said, Jane is awesome. And her relationships with those around her are complicated, sometimes messy, and sometimes really freaking inspiring. And, because Jane had such honest and realistic relationships with the characters, I grew to care about them a lot too. Obviously, the zombie-fighting itself is action packed. The secondary action part (treading carefully with spoilers here!) is even more harrowing, and kept me wholly invested.

You’d think this might have some lulls because of its length, but it really doesn’t feel long. Even in the quieter moments, I was just enjoying Jane’s inner dialogue, enjoying the world building in general. The atmosphere is on point throughout, and Jane’s knowledge about the zombies’ history (which is totally legit, given her background studying them) make the world fascinating. I really am excited for the sequel, not just to continue the story, but also because the world itself that the author created has drawn me in so much.

Bottom Line: This book basically has it all: A genuine, badass heroine, a ton of important messages, twists that totally caught me off guard, emotional storylines, and a plot that kept me turning the pages.

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Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist
Published by Greenwillow on April 10th 2018
Pages: 496
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Edelweiss

Ten years ago, a horrifying disease began spreading across the West Texas desert. Infected people—shakes—attacked the living and created havoc and destruction. No one has ever survived the infection. Daisy Wilcox, known as Willie, has been protecting her siblings within the relatively safe walls of Glory, Texas. When Willie’s good-for-nothing father steals a fortune from one of the most dangerous shake-hunters in town, she finds herself on the hook for his debt. With two hunters, including the gruff and handsome Ben, to accompany her, she sets out across the desert in search of her father. But the desert is not kind to travelers, and not everyone will pass through alive.

Western meets horror for this riveting story about survival, family, and inner strength. Tense, short chapters propel readers from one action-packed scene to the next, while Willie’s distinctive, introspective voice deepens the emotional stakes with every turn of the page. High concept and character-driven, Emma Berquist’s debut will satisfy fans of The Magnificent Seven, Rae Carson’s Walk on Earth a Stranger, and HBO’s Westworld.

Look, I know I said this was zombies, and these… things in this book aren’t *technically* called zombies? They’re called “shakes”, but the premise is pretty similar. Undead, though a different breed, perhaps? Okay. Moving on. Let’s just break this one down in a “yay versus nay” fashion, mostly because I said so.

The Stuff I Liked:

• The setting was pretty great. I mean, Western stuff is cool. And then you add this sickness, and undead humans, and yeah. That’s as messy as you’d expect, especially when you’re talking about a time when technology and life comforts are in their infancy. Basically, it ups the stakes at every turn while still seeming realistic.
• Willie is such a great protector- even when she doesn’t want to be. Man, she’s honest. Sometimes she wishes she didn’t have to be responsible for her family, but she also loves them and cares for them wholly and completely. The family dynamic is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the book. 
• I love an adventure trip! I mean, I just do. People on a journey, especially in a life-or-death situation, just makes me excited. And I liked that the addition of zombies brought an extra level of fear for our characters.
• On that note, there was a lot of action on the trip. A pretty solid portion of the book takes place “on the road”, and the stakes are high- both during the journey, and for the outcome. And there are a lot of harrowing decisions that the characters have to face, including a lot that will test their resolve to even accomplish their mission.
• I enjoyed the rapport the characters had together. The interactions with the brothers that Willie hired to help her, along with some other travelers, kept things light when they could otherwise have been very, very bleak.

The Stuff I Didn’t:

• I did find parts of the story to be predictable. And that isn’t always great when you are trying to be on an adventure, right?
• I like to know backstory, and I really don’t fully get these “shakes”. I mean, are they zombies? Are they say, zombie-adjacent? No idea. And I wanted to know, really.

Bottom Line: Quite atmospheric and definitely full of adventure and peril, this was a fun journey even if I may have guessed a few plot points along the way.

SO let’s talk zombies: Yay or Nay? (Not in life, in entertainment, sillies.) Have you read/watched any zombie stuff?