Terror Cove

July 15, 2013
The second book in the Gravediggers series presents a family vacation with beaches, boats and a body count. When classmates Ian, Kendra and PJ all win family vacations to Puerto Rico, it seems like the perfect escape from the memories of their last trip, which started with zombies and ended with the trio being declared the next generation of zombie fighters. Soon enough, though, a perfectly normal setting soon turns into a zombie magnet, and the trio find themselves trapped on a tropical island, fighting waves of waterlogged, reanimated corpses. But this time, the monsters have been upgraded, thanks to a mysterious millionaire and his sinister zombie agenda. The SAT practice words and the zombie kick-ass moments return along with the kids, but the zombies are no longer desiccated corpses--these are bloated, fish-eaten bodies sloughing off flesh left and right. Ian, Kendra and PJ are more defined this time around, each with a distinct personality; unfortunately, their personalities aren't all that engaging. In fact, the various jungle creatures have more presence on the page in their brief appearances than the teens and their families. A coven of witches adds a bit of spice, but there's an overall lack of emotion all around. Krovatin sets the stage for a third novel with a growing threat and betrayal, but it's hard to build enthusiasm for what has already become an extremely formulaic series. This vacation founders in less-than-terrifying waters. (Adventure. 10-12)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-This sequel to Mountain of Bones (HarperCollins, 2012) has strong, well-developed characters; witty dialogue; and a believable villain. Ian, PJ, and Kendra are gravediggers, chosen by the mystical forces in the world and fated as zombie hunters. Mysteriously they all win a luxurious family vacation in Puerto Rico, leaving the teens full of suspicion and on guard. It is not long before the trio becomes stranded on Isla Hambrienta. Within minutes they realize it is not a coincidence that Isla Hambrienta means "The Hungry Island" as a zombie horde from a sunken cruise liner attacks. Even more disturbing than the swollen, bloated zombies is the discovery that all this has been orchestrated by Danny Melee, teen genius and millionaire video-game designer. Melee wants to harness the power of the gravediggers so he can implement his diabolical plan, only complicating Kendra, PJ, and Ian's situation. The narrative is effectively propelled through the alternating voices of the trio, adding to the suspense and intrigue. Krovatin's ability to combine the forces of magic with the forces of science in dealing with the zombie virus is fascinating and appealing. A gripping, must-read novel.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2013
Grades 6-9 Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones (2012) introduced karmically destined 12-year-old zombie hunters Ian, PJ, and Kendra. Exchange that book's mountainous Montana setting for hot, sweaty Puerto Rico and those dry, dusty zombies with the bloated, waterlogged variety, and you've got yourself a whopper of a rotting sequel. In no time flat, the teens' deserved vacation is disrupted as they become stranded on Isla Hambrienta ( the hungry island ), where the only thing weirder than the corpses staggering from the sea is charming 16-year-old video-game entrepreneur Danny Melee, who is there studying the undead in preparation for a truly authentictoo authentic, in factimmersive game experience. Krovatin's cycling through the three kids' viewpoints is propulsive and effective, especially when Kendra's crush on Danny drives the trio apart. Though the prose can be slapdash, the protagonists are refreshingly sober, the mad science unusually convincing, and the science-versus-superstition angle intriguing. Bonus: If you enjoy words like slimily and snot-fleshed, look no further. More splattery mayhem is on its way, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)