Zombie Queen of Newbury High

June 1, 2009
Gr 7-10-Mia is ecstatic. She is the "smart girl" who has finally been invited to the prom by the football team captain. But when she suspects that the cheerleading golden girl is making a move on her date, her insecurity gets the better of her, and she seeks refuge in the occult. A friend convinces her to purchase a "love spell" from a local "herbalist." Unfortunately, it is the wrong one, and she turns her entire school into flesh-eating zombies whose biggest craving is Mia. Enter Chase, a mild-mannered new kid who happens to work for the Department of Paranormal Containment; obviously, with Chase on the scene, the football captain is old news. "Zombie Queen" is light, fast-paced, and not particularly scary. Vaguely reminiscent of "Men in Black", this book will quench the thirst of the Christopher Pike and R. L. Stine set."Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2009
Grades 8-12 In a welcome break from the current trend in vampire romances, Ashby here offers a lighthearted skewering of the genre. High-school senior Mia inadvertently casts a spell that turns her entire senior class into flesh-eating zombieswho believe that she is their especially tasty queen. Fortunately, the new kid at school, Chase, is actually an agent from the Department of Paranormal Containment, and its his job to make sure such things never come to pass. It takes four days for the spell to fully evolve, so Mia; her best friend, Candice; and Chase spend that time romping through truly funny predicaments while desperately seeking to reverse the spell. Ashbys clever dialogue and familiarity with all things Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) combine to create a light and addictive tongue-in-cheek homage to both standard romance novels and all things Goth. Characterization is minimal, but thats not what will keep readers turning pages; Ashbys deft, light tone and appreciationfor the confining rigidity of high-school class structure drive this predictable yet highly entertaining tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)