REVIEW: Twice Shy by Patrick Freivald

Title: Twice Shy

Author: Patrick Freivald
Genre: Adult Zombie Fiction
Publisher: Journal Stone

Release Date: October 26/2012

Acquired: Won ebook through LibraryThing

Goodreads: ADD

Purchase: Amazon/Kobo/Book Depository

High School Sucks. It’s worse when you’re dead.

Ohneka Falls is a small, Western New York town where everyone knows everyone and nothing of note happens. Ani Romero is a sixteen-year-old girl who wants to play sports, hang out, and kiss Mike, her middle-school crush. A childhood carrier of the zombie virus, she died at fourteen but didn’t become a mindless, brain-eating monster. Her controlling mother forces her to join the emo crowd to hide her condition behind a wall of black clothes and makeup, and her friends abandon her.

When creeper Dylan learns her secret, he falls into obsession, with Ani and with death. She bites him in self-defense. Persecuted by the jocks and ignored by Mike, Ani struggles through the motions of life hoping her other’s research unveils a cure, or Dylan dooms them all to a hungry, walking death. As her emo facade crumbles in the face of jealousy and obsession, Ani knows that the worst thing she can do is be true to herself.

I was just about to write this review, but while I was getting links for the "book info" section, I came across Patrick's Facebook page. The first thing I saw was his newest post: "A month to go before the release of Twice Shy... So of course I'm cranking out the sequel!"

So uh..now..my review and the number of stars has changed (at first a 2, now a 3 star). The ending scene alone enraged me SO much, that I put aside what I enjoyed about the book, and based my rating solely on that. I was all set..SET! to come on here and vent my anger freely and without thought. But, thankfully, seeing Patrick's post has brought me to a serene level 1 on my anger meter. I just couldn't understand how a book that showed such tremendous potential throughout, stooped to such a predictable conclusion. But it isn't a conclusion! Yay! So I can now ramble on about the things I liked about this book.

When I started reading this book, I instantly regretted reading the synopsis beforehand-I would have loved to be blind to what Ani was until I figured it out for myself. Patrick Freivald crafted the most unusual and fantastic spin on the literary zombie explosion. I thought it was pretty genius really- Ani is a zombie but hides this fact every day with the aid of her knowledgeable doctor mother, who has devised enough medicinal potions and lotions to help her live a 'normal' teenage life. I was intrigued and thought the writing was well done. I think it could have done with a lot less 'mishaps,' there were just too many of them, I felt like every time Ani overcame an 'incident,' there was another one a few feet behind. It was slightly exhausting-I just wanted the storyline to move a little faster.

This was my second 'zombie' novel, and alike the first, I enjoyed the fact that the actual zombie interaction wasn't overpowering..yes, I'm a bit of a wuss. I thought the characters were believable, and the storyline and its details were well thought out. But I also feel like it could have been so much more than what it was. I always felt like there was something lurking in between the lines, pulsing, waiting to step out and become something really spectacular. When I got to the end, I'll admit, I was disappointed, in ways that I can't describe without spoiler-ing left, right and center. Otherwise, a good debut for this author. Here's to HIGH hopes for the sequel!

Read if you like:

The Savages by Matt Whyman

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Key Themes:
zombies, death, acceptance, temptation