Not alive. Not dead. Somewhere in between lie the Beautiful Dead.Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Jonas, Arizona, Summer, Phoenix. All dead within a year.
Jonas Jonson is the first to die, in a motorcycle accident. But there are many unanswered questions, and the three deaths that follow are equally mysterious.
Grief-stricken Darina can't escape her heartache or visions of her dead boyfriend, Phoenix, and the others who died. And all the while, the sound of beating wings echoes inside her head...
Are the visions real? Or do the Beautiful Dead only exist in Darina's traumatized imagination?
Beautiful Dead Series:
Jonas
Arizona
Summer (UK release date 6th May 2010)
Phoenix (Release date unknown)
Visit the Beautiful Dead website for more information
Review:
This book surprised me - from the cover & reading the description I found myself expecting Angels or something similar - I wasn't expecting zombies!! However, these zombies were so far from the typical kind you see in horror movies that I don't think the name really suits them (even though that is what they call themselves in the book). I think I'd have prefered it if they'd stuck to calling themselves the living-dead but don't let the whole zombie thing put you off reading the book as I ended up really enjoying it.
4 high school students have died in mysterious circumstances in the last year - Jonas, Arizona, Summer & Phoenix. When Phoenix's girlfriend Darina first sees them she thinks that she must be loosing her mind - they can't possibly be alive can they? It turns out that they are the Beautiful Dead - they have come back from limbo to try and uncover the mysteries surrounding their deaths. They need to find out what happened or they'll be never be able to move on to the afterlife & they need Darina's help to do this.
The first book concentrates on discovering what happened to Jonas. Darina is also trying to come to terms with the fact that her boyfriend has come back from the dead. In order to see him she has to agree to help find out what happened to the others. I don't want to give away any more of the story but I will say that I wasn't expecting what happened at the end & I liked it.
If you're looking for a typical zombie story this isn't the book for you but if you want a paranormal story with romance and mystery then give this a try - I'm sure you won't regret it. Now I'm off to read book 2 - Arizona's story.
Source: Library
Other Reviews:
One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books
Dark Faerie Tales
Bloody Bookaholic
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.
I read this and I thought the beginning was pretty terrible. I was pleasantly surprised that it did get better as I carried on reading but I don't have any inclination to read the next one. I shall be interested to see how you get on.
ReplyDeleteHi Becky, it's a shame you didn't enjoy it too much. The whole zombie thing irritated me a bit - since they were nothing like zombies LOL but I enjoyed the story as a whole & found it a bit different from anything else I've read. I'm starting the next book later & looking forward to it :o)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this. I think I will order it though. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteHi Emma I hope you enjoy it :o) Let me know what you think when you've read it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds different and interesting. Maybe I'll look for it
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy it Sarah :o)
ReplyDeleteI would agree - I wasn't expecting zombies either (I have flash backs to Michael Jackson's Thriller video - LOL)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the read and appreciated the different take this author took from the normal path you read on this genre of books. :)
LOL Sheila - I think I'm going to have Thriller stuck on loop in my head now :o)
ReplyDeleteI liked the different take too & in my opinion the second book is better. I'm looking forward to reading books 3 & 4
this sounds really good actually :D
ReplyDeletewill pick it up soon
I'm enjoying this series so far Amanda, you just reminded me I need to see if I can order the next book from the library :o)
ReplyDelete