Review: Mortality by Kellie Sheridan

Title:  Mortality 

Author: Kellie Sheridan
Publisher:  Snarky Books
Publishing Date: March 19th 2013

Pages: 271
Genre:  YA Horror/Zombies

Series: The Hitchhiker Strain #1
Source: Paperback provided by DAC ARC Book Tours

  

After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death.

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.   Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough..

Looking at the cover to this book, who wouldn't want to read the book. Love the cover, in this case the marketing worked, I wanted to read the book on the cover and title alone. Once I read the synopsis, I knew I wouldn't regret my choice and I didn't. The book was amazing, exciting, creepy, and just full of zombie action. When it comes to a zombie book, the stories don't differ too much, this zombie story came with a fresh idea and it made the story its own. 

The book is from two point of views. Savannah, a 16 year old girl living with a group camped out in a school, training to fight zombies, raiding places for supplies, and just trying to survive. Zarah, is a teen girl who is trying to also survive and she has a story all her own to tell. 

On a supply run,Savannah and her team make some choices that cause things to go a little haywire and now she is on a mission to fix the things she feels responsible for messing up. Along the way she runs into Cole who has a mission of his own and he needs Savannah's help. Now Cole and Savannah believe together they can make it all right again. 

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was amazing, dark but not too dark. I found the tone to be realistic for the atmosphere that these teens live in. It's not all gloom and doom, but its gets pretty depressing at times.  I felt as I believe I would feel in a world where all seems lost but possibly there may be hope. The pacing was also set very well for the book. It wasn't rushed an wasn't slow. I felt things were well explained and each page kept me interested in the next. 

I actually liked all the main characters int he book. Savannah had her issues, who wouldn't. She lost her family she now lives with friends she feels are her family and she wants to prove herself and make her place in the new community. She was a kick butt character, she knew how to fight and she knew how to survive. I loved the fact that she wasn't a whiner. She knew the world that she lived in and she dealt with it. She still found time to get close to people, didn't let the fear of losing someone get in her way of loving anyone. She respected her elders and owned up to responsibility. A pretty cool heroine. 

Zarah didn't have as much spotlight time as Savannah but she still had her story to tell and she was pretty cool to. Not as tough as Savannah physically but she is as strong emotionally and that counts for something in my book. I liked her story and I knew where it was headed but I didn't mind. It was still great to be a part of.  

Another aspect of the book I really liked was the romance was not the center of the story. There was romance and it was sweet, didn't feel rushed, and it didn't take over the story of Savannah or Zarah. The were some pretty sweet guys, Cole was pretty awesome, but I didn't fall hard. I think it's because the romance was not pushed on me. 

The ending did just leave me hanging and I kind of wanted to throw the book because I needed resolution. ARGH! I can't wait to get my hands on the second installment. 

Absolutely loved it. Can't wait for more! If you like zombies... grab a copy of the book. I don't think it will disappoint.