Flip This Zombie by Jesse Petersen

Flip This Zombie  by Jesse Petersen
4.5 Stars
book 2 in the Living with Zombies series

Synopsis:
This book picks up a few months after the Zombie Apocalypse started and the couple David and Sarah has started ZombieBusters Inc a zombie killing service. They have been surprisingly adept at killing them. When approached by a scientist to capture zombies alive (or is that undead instead of dead dead?) instead of killing them they take the job but what happens if the scientist is more interested in making an army of Bionic Zombies instead of a cure for zombie-ism? David and Sarah may find themselves among the undead that's what....

My Thoughts:
So I have to say that I enjoyed this one as much as the first. I enjoy Sarah and Dave's banter and wicked sense of humor. I also like the emotional changes the characters have gone through from the first book through the second. In a book that has silly conversations and a lighthearted approach to an earth shattering plague there are some interesting and almost touching interactions. The two struggle with maintaining hope when greeted with death and destruction everyday. It would be very difficult to not give up when your world is bleak day in and day out.

We also see additional growth in Dave and Sarah's marriage. In the beginning of book one the couple are on the verge of divorce. Though their need for survival they have reconnected and their relationship is stronger than it ever has been. Enter Mad Scientist who effectively puts a wedge between the couple. I thought the survival of the family unit was just as interesting as the survival of Dave and Sarah's lives.

Although at times this book has a lighthearted approach to zombie killing you should keep in mind that there is a lot of killing. Often with graphic detail. Both Sarah and David tend to swear frequently (as does The Kid who is introduced in this book) and is written in the first person narrative.

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen

Synopsis:
Meet Sarah and David. — Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.
 
My Thoughts:
I have to say that first off, zombies really freak me out. Not that I believe in zombies but knowing that the human mouth breeds more bacteria than, lets say, your toilet seat I can see why the bite of a zombie could potentially be so terrible. There is just something about a zombie that is beyond creepy. No higher brain functioning than a need to quench it's never ending hunger for brains....a zombie will just keep coming and coming regardless if they only have one arm and stumps for legs.
 
OK, so lets talk about the book.
 
Classified on the book's spine as a fantasy I would have to maybe disagree. Perhaps an Urban Fantasy but a classic fantasy...nope. Zombies are not what I think of when I think of fantasy. But then I don't think of Vampires and Werewolves as fantasy either. Oh well, not like it's a big deal or anything. I'm just super anal and had to point that out.
 
Perhaps not the next noble prize winning book for literature, Jesse Petersen's first book is fun. It's funny. And it has funtastic characters. Perhaps my favorite, although only for a short time, was Amanda, the lovable annoying cheerleader neighbor of Sarah and David. Sarah put up with her. David hated her. But that's OK because Sarah detested Mandy's boyfriend Jack. David was friends with him.
 
Mandy was one of those characters that you happen to know, for real. You know her. The bubble headed blond that probably couldn't tell you what 2+2 equals but does know the proper way to do a Kick Basket Toss.
 
Upon Sarah and David's arrival home after being almost eaten by their marriage counselor they explain to Mandy about the zombies. When Mandy still looked at them blankly they asked her if she had been watching TV. She replied that she got bored with TV because all the stations were playing the same show. Out of exasperation Sarah and David then explained that their marriage counselor was a zombie and tried to kill them. Mandy's reaction? "You're in marriage counseling?" which she delivered as if it saddened her.
 
Is it wrong to love a character that I would want to kick in the head in real life? I think my favorite Mandy-ism would have to be when Sarah apologized for killing Jack, Mandy said "That's OK. I was going to break up with him."
 
OK, so the book was funny. It cracked me up. But honestly it was a bit thought provoking too. Sarah and David are trying to get out of Seattle to go to his sister's house but the entire time they aren't sure if his sister is still there. If she is alive or if she is now a zombie. The couple have to work together to survive but also make some tough calls. It can't be easy to kill someone you know and love. This is what they go up against. It's one thing to shoot a zombie that you didn't know when they were not infected but something quite different when it is someone you know and like. Possibly even love.
 
As a first novel this book great. It had momentum that never really stopped. I understood the characters and empathized with them. I did think that the ending was more of a stay tuned for more later type as there is a second book and a third one(which  comes out in a few months). I am looking forward to the next book in the series for the further zombie adventures of David and Sarah.