Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Super-smart Kate Grable has an okay life playing doctor to her high school’s football team. I mean, managing football players looks good on college apps, right? No way is she “doctoring” the losing football team just so she can breathe the same air as her unattainable quarterback crush, Aaron. No way. Kate is too smart for that.



But Kate’s insider status means she’s the first to find out that the football coach has been giving the players a creepy steroid that turns them into mindless, flesh-eating, football-playing zombies. Kate knows she needs to find a cure, preferably before the zombies kill everyone.

Ehem…I have a confession to make. I discriminate against short books. There, I said it. To put it in simple terms: I like big books and I cannot lie. At first I was wary of the length (or lack thereof) of Bad Taste in Boys. But it was about zombies. Football playing zombies. Alas, I was too weak to resist. Not all short books have “short book issues,” but Bad Taste in Boys, sadly, has some. I think that the novel could have been better if it had more room to develop. The beginning and the ending both needed some fleshing (sorry, couldn’t resist) out.


Although it took some time getting into the story, I managed to fall in love with Kate’s character. She knew when to break out her lab kit and when to use her plastic sword to show the zombies who’s boss. The sarcastic voice of the novel had me smiling all the way through while the creepy gore kept me “ewwing.” There was a dismembered foot in the underwear drawer. Nuff spoken.


But can you guess my absolute favorite part of Bad Taste in Boys? My absolute favorite? NO STEREOTYPICAL CHEERLEADERS! There was actually a nice cheerleader. I get really annoyed when a book has a stereotypical slutty, popular cheerleading team in it. Because guys, cheerleaders are people too. With personalities and stuff. Sorry, I can get really worked up over that.

So, if you are looking for a funny, light zombie read with plenty of creepiness involved, Bad Taste in Boys is your book. Four Figmentstars.

This review is also posted on Figment, the awesome teen-centered writing site.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Stars: 3.5

Summary:

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her whole world disappears. In the morning, all that's left is a note telling her about a day she can't remember. The whole scenario doesn't exactly make high school or dating that hot guy whose name she can't seem to recall any easier. But when London starts experiencing disturbing visions she can't make sense of, she realizes it's time to learn a little more about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies


Review:

At first, Forgotten was purely "meh." London was too apathetic to my liking. She could see the future, but she just seemed resigned to it. Strike one for annoying main character. And Forgotten had stereotypical cheerleaders whose only job is to stare menacingly/ vapidly at London to make her very uncomfortable. They didn't even do anything cool. So, strike two for useless stereotypical cheerleaders.

  What kept me reading was Luke. It wasn't like Luke was that special or memorable of a character. It was the fact that London got up every day and discovered Luke all over again. Every day was a new beginning and that is what made the romance of Forgotten so memorable. I even got to know and like London better. How London and Luke were together made up most of the middle part of Forgotten and I was totally okay with that.

   But then the ending came. And it just ended. The ending left me wanting more information. There (sadly) isn't going to be a sequel so I don't know what exactly to think about end.

Despite Forgotten's faults, I think this book will appeal to people looking for a unique romance/ paranormaly/ mystery.