Zombie Fallout, by Mark Tufo

This came to me as a "Book Bub" promotion (an email promotion that sends a listing of free/inexpensive ebooks).  I picked it up on a whim, I've been reading a lot of paranormal fantasy lately.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Turfo's narrator has a most refreshing voice that makes the zombie apocalypse presented in this series of books new and different from the typical grim zombie story. 

Michael Talbot is a flawed, unemployed, suburban ex-Marine, survivalist who finds himself one of the few in his affluent gated-community up to the challenges of a zombie pandemic.  He has children whom he loves, a best friend a few miles away, and a petite wife who is surprisingly tough.  Together they meet the challenges of a zombie take-over and help their community defend their lives and homes.

Throughout the book I was laughing and thoroughly enjoyed Talbot's sarcastic, immature, but self-aware narration.  He has a bull-dog devotion to his friends and family that ultimately force him into to the unwilling role of hero.

I shared this book with my 23 year-old son.  He has since read the other five titles in the series.  (I have not.)  He tells me that the first title is the best, but it's worth noting that he took the time from video game play and general semi-adult hi-jinx to read the entire series.

Generally the content has been aimed at an adult audience, but I would be quite comfortable recommending it to older teens.  It would make for a very interesting comparative analysis of voice.  I can see putting this together with WWZ and other zombie literature to complete a careful analysis of voice, mood, and tone.

Team Human, by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan

I picked up this book because it was recommended through the Common Sense Media website.  (For their Halloween read column.)  In part I wanted to see the degree to which the Common Sense Media recommendations were actually good quality literature.  I'm happy to report that I think this book deserves glowing recommendations.  It is indeed a of paranormal romance/fantasy book.  However, I found the characterizations but nuanced and the plot line intriguing.

The stories set in New Whitby, a vampire/human city founded in the 1800s when a vampire ship landed to establish a community where vampires could be free from persecution and discrimination.  It is essentially a city like any of the other but cities in the original Colonies.  There are some unique characteristics including antidiscrimination regulations assuring that vampires and humans have equal rights.  However, it quickly becomes clear that the vampire and human populations are for the most part mutually exclusive.  They do live together peacefully for the most part.

Larbalestier & Brennan have done a masterful job of imagining the complexities of the vampires and humans coexisting.  This is not just a YA takeoff on True Blood .  It does echo some of the themes that Charlaine Harris has introduced in her Sookie Stackhouse series, however there is clearly enough difference that Team Human avoids imitation.  The authors are quite explicit and acknowledgement of the contributions of other vampire literature including Anne Rice, Stephen King, Richelle Mead, Stephanie Meyer, Bram Stoker, Scott Westerfield and a long list of other well-known writers who have also composed in this genre. (In fact they have created a reading list for me.)

Two themes that I find particularly compelling in this book are those of the qualities of true friendship and what true love looks like in practice.