Early Review - Alice in Zombieland (White Rabbit Chronicles #1) by Gena Showalter

Title: Alice in Zombieland

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: 1st

Pages: 404

Published:  September 25th 2012 by Harlequin Teen 

ISBN: 9780373210589

Source: Around The World Tours

Description: Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.  Her father was right. The monsters are real….  To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I Give This ...

I'm not one for mash ups, which is what I thought this was going to be.  But, I love Alice in Wonderland and I enjoy most books about zombies.  I thought this was a win win for me.  Interestingly, this is not a mash up.  There's hardly any correlation with Alice in Wonderland.  Once, I got over that realization, I ended up really liking this book.

I liked Alice right from the start.  Her dad sounded like a certifiable nut job (although, we know he wouldn't be in the end).  I completely understood her position for wanting a normal life, or even an evening resembling it.  I also understood her guilt she assumed after the accident.  I'm glad we don't get much of her grandparents because I think they might have been a little overbearing (although in their defense they are dealing with their own loss).  I liked how in denial she was about what she was seeing every night outside her window.  When she truly figures out what is going on, she demands to be on the same training and schedule as everyone else.  She wants revenge, no matter what the cost.  Plus, she wants to understand why she can see the zombies and her abilities that seem to be above and beyond what the other zombie hunters can do.

I loved the other characters in this book.  Alice's little sister Emma is sweet and I loved that we get glimpse of her throughout the book.  Alice swiftly makes a die hard friends when she moves in with her grandparents.  Kat is exactly the type of person that Alice needs.  Her no nonsense, tell it like it is attitude is awesome!  The band of zombie hunters was an interesting mix to the story.  They kind of blend together with the exception of Kat's ex boyfriend, Makenzie, and Cole.  Cole...wow.  He seemed like the stereotypical bad guy that the good girls are always attracted too.  I was afraid of the insta romance between Alice and Cole.  But, then I realized it's hard to call it that.  When visions occur every time you meet, it's hard not to feel the heat behind them.

There's some myth behind this story that hasn't been fully explored.  I don't think we truly no why Alice is special.   Plus, I just really enjoyed the story and look forward to what comes next.