Rating: 5 stars
Every high school student is told to collect as many extracurricular activities as possible for their future college scholarship applications … but “counselor to the deceased” is something most deans would never imagine crossing their desks.
After a zombie attack five years ago, fifteen year old Megan Berry was under the impression that she had retired for life and she’s been enjoying living the life of the normal teen. Until the dead started crashing her dates and showing up at her school...
As a Settler of unfinished business, Megan is sought out by the Unsettled – those who died around her current age who passed away with things either undone, or unsaid. Megan’s job is to coax the information out of the reeking raised, and pass it along to their dearly beloved via anonymous US post. Once the Unsettled has vented in full, Megan must put it to rest. Megan gives her full attention to this, for should an Unsettled not be put to rest properly the body is left open to black magic.
Jay’s off to a running start with her first young adult novel – a great novel geared precisely towards the preteen age set. Jay engages the preteen mind and heart with age relevant issues such as the ongoing debate as to whom Ethan, another Settler, is truly interested in and the emotional impact and importance of the ever-changing perception of one’s peers as Megan weathers boyfriend issues. The high school dance team try-outs alternately loom in importance and then fade in perspective throughout the novel as Jay runs Megan through an emotional obstacle course with death and salvation at alternate turns.
Parents will be grateful to know that although some gore is called for (there are zombies, after all), there’s no where near as much as I expected – this novel was penned for twelve year olds, yet I’d have no hesitation letting my eight year old daughter read it. As for the ‘physical side of things’, again, I’m quite happy with this book. Very little in the way of romantic physical interaction: mostly hand-holding with a couple of random kisses, despite Ethan being of college age.
I’m looking forward to the next in this series, Undead Much, which is currently scheduled to be published in January of 2010. For more information on this and other upcoming novels, visit Jay’s site at www.StaceyJay.com.
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ISBN: 978-1-59514-225-2
Publication date January 2009), through Razor Bill