Zombielicious is equal parts sex and zombie apocalypse, in a fast-paced, over-the-top tale of finding love in the middle of disaster. Twins Molly (a spoiled brat whose greatest aspiration is to win a singing contest and have people do what she wants) and Walt (a perfectionist deeply ashamed of his sexuality who tries to make up for it by pleasing the people around him) meet up with Jill (an ex-porn star turned nurse who can’t even use scientific terms for body parts), Ace (the security guard who thinks Jill owes him sex because he’s a fan) and Joey (a teen who is selling his body to science to get the money to run away from his hateful parents) and have to support each other through the zombie uprising.

For zombie apocalypse fans, Zombielicious might be a good choice; this book has lots of fight scenes, some hot smut scenes, and lots of gore. But for those who want a little more, this may be unsatisfying. The characters are unsympathetic; they’re either completely deplorable people or super-sensitive damsels in distress, and while there’s a lot of action, there’s nothing original about the plot, which consists mainly of the characters surviving all the stuff thrown at them. Traditional zombie fans will no doubt find Zombielicious exciting and fun, but, outside of a romantic male/male relationship, it’s not a whole lot different from other books out there. Public collections will find other books better suited to diversity of theme.

Contains: Violence, gore, very crude language, explicit sex (hetero and homosexual), rape

Reviewed for MonsterLibrarian.com

Apex Publications, 2010
ISBN: 978-0984553563

Available: New and Digital

Asylum is one of the first releases from a relatively new Apex imprint, The Zombie Feed. If this bold, but recognizable zombie apocalypse story is any indication of things to come, readers have a lot to look forward to.

Curtis is new to the gay nightclub scene, but he allows Jimmy to drag him along to a club called Asylum despite his discomfort. It’s too bad zombies are coming to the party too. While in many ways a straightforward zombie uprising tale, it’s nice to see a new range of stereotypes being pulled out and slapped around.

Asylum also sneaks in a true barb or two about the relationship between gay and straight cultures, and the relationship gay culture has with itself. With a multitude of similar titles about zombies and zombie uprisings, Gunnells provides a breath of fresh air. Publishers take note: there need to be more books like this one, which focuses on the different kinds of people affected instead.

Definitely recommended as a horror tale, and as a savvy example of inclusive fiction.

Contains: Violence, gore, m/m sex scenes

Lyrical Press, 2011
ASIN: B004HO63E2
Available: Kindle

One night in a dark alley Karla Black is stabbed by a man who doesn’t want her money, her body, or even her life. Instead, he wants to activate her angel side and help her take up the mantle of an angel of death. As if this isn’t traumatic enough on its own, Karla then finds herself stuck with her mysterious not-killer and sucked into a centuries-old drama involving his jealous ex-lover and a series of curses (and nothing is as jealous as, or sets curses like, an angel) More is at stake, though, and Karla, the other angels, and the world at large are in some serious danger.

Death Sword is not perfect. I’d have liked to see some smoothing around the edges, both in the writing and in the emotional content of the story. But it’s a lot of fun to read about your home city suffering the vengeful wrath of angels, and Turner has a very interesting take on angels. There’s a great love story, which will make this a pleasurable read for paranormal romance fans, and also a good addition to digital paranormal romance collections.

Contains: violence, language, m/m sexual situations, explicit sex scenes

Night Shade Books, 2010
ISBN: 9781597801942
Available: Trade paperback & multi-format digital

Kate and Michael, a pair of twenty-something hipsters, are the point of view characters of choice for this attempt at a wry, offbeat, new take on the zombie apocalypse.

Unfortunately, it’s an unsuccessful attempt. Kate and Michael aren’t sympathetic characters. They witness two full zombie transitions (one during coitus and one their friend who pluckily tries to rape the first zombie) but instead of doing anything helpful they get high and watch zombie movies.There are bizarre, disconnected sex scenes (everyone on the sight-seeing zeppelin tour is being eaten, so let’s go have blood-covered sex in the bathroom) and bits of “cleverness” that just come off as eye roll-worthy (an iPhone app that sounds like a whip saves the day?). Kate and Michael seem uninterested in their own story, so it’s hard for readers to get involved either. The book just failed to connect with this reader.

For readers who like zombie stories where most of the action happens off screen while the leads make Jesus jokes and have lots of sex, The Loving Dead will be a huge hit. For readers looking for a smart, funny zombie apocalypse story, there are better choices out there.

Contains: Explicit sex, language, gore