This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Zombie Squad is a young adult horror novel written by Bryce Bentley Summers. Sam, Rylee, Ava and Jordan are attending a special youth leadership conference held in New Orleans. When they get off the plane from Kansas City, they go with Mr. Grant, their chaperone, to a coffee shop where Rylee has arranged to meet her older sister, a medical student. As they’ve arrived early, the four high school seniors decide to go across the street to visit Zombies R Us, a voodoo and magic shop. Jordan’s looking for a natural version of Viagra, which this store doesn’t carry, but the shopkeeper suggests another store around the corner. Voodoo Junk and Magik used to be the biggest voodoo store in New Orleans, but the original store was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. When they enter the store, the owner tries to get them to leave, claiming the store is closed, and he finally gets the four students to go after filling a bag with touristy items for them. Unbeknownst to them, he’s included a powerful voodoo talisman called the Zombi Astral which a trio of mobsters is willing to kill him for.
Bryce Bentley Summers’ young adult horror novel, The Zombie Squad, is an original and entertaining take on the zombie novel. Summers creates a compelling voodoo story based on Haitian tradition and weaves an exciting tale in which the four resourceful friends attempt to survive a New Orleans that’s been taken over by zombies. The four main characters are well-defined, and I enjoyed their banter, good-natured digs and loyalty. My favorite character has to be Sam, the gymnast and artist, whose decision to come out led his driver’s ed teacher to flunk him, but whose acceptance by his parents and friends is heartwarming. Datal, the owner of Voodoo Junk and Magik, and his assistant Vic are also marvelous characters. While I am not a huge fan of zombie literature, I was quite pleasantly surprised by The Zombie Squad. I loved reading the history behind the zombie mythology and seeing the sights of New Orleans through the students’ eyes, and found the hotel sequences to be highly imaginative and a visual treat. The Zombie Squad is highly recommended.
