Turning Grace

By: J.Q. Davis
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
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( I received this book free from the Author in exchange for my honest review )

I don't normally read zombie books, but this one caught my interest by it's cover, excerpts and it's reviews. There were a few that spoke of this big twist, and how it was out of left field. I love plot twist and getting blindsided by a book. My interest was piked and once that happens there's nothing that can stop me.

As I drove into this book, the prolog was heartwreching and mysterious. We are taken to a hospital where a sick girl is being treated, a hysterical mother trying to do what she can. This was a powerful chapter and one that had me hooked. Especially as to how the dear mothers loses her finger. To say I wasn't shocked would be a understatement. I cringed when she finally realized what had happened.

Moving on from that dark opening, the book jumps to present time with Grace. Here is where I found the story took a big of a nose dive and why I can't give it the 5 star. The story slows down, I mean almost to a snails pace. I get that the author wanted to drag Graces "turning" out, but hell it was painful there for a bit. Not only does the plot slow down, the story was overshadowed with teenage puppy love (can't call it insta-love because she's been crushing on this guy for years). I love a little romance in my stories, but I don't like it when these characters suddenly become so in love after like a few real meetings, that's it like they're soul mats and nothing can come between them. It's unrealistic, and paints a very negative picture on how love should be.

Not only that, he had a girlfriend and proceeded to crash another girl. Not cool, if you want out, get out before you start chasing other skirts. There is also a screen at the end, that wasn't cool and uncalled for, showing me that Terry isn't the perfect boy next door but a complete dick. Grace you can do better. So much better.

As for Grace, I don't know if I like her, or just annoyed with her. She bitched a lot, and wasn't strong. She never stood up for herself, and she spent way to much time obsessing over how perfect Sonny was. Now Sonny, I don't know what it was about the little psychopath, but I liked her. Not only that, I felt sorry for her, because no matter how you look at if, she was trying to keep her man. If some girl was trying to steel my man, I go a little crazy as well.

The ending is what made this story for me, and got it into the 4 star slot. I was not expecting that outcome. I sat there, I even yelled out to my roommate telling her what happened, she gave me this WTF are you serious look. Graces reaction, sitting there in complete shock and disarray, covered in blood and other unmentionables, pulled at the heart strings but made me grin as well. I don't think I have ever read a ending like it. It was fresh, and risky. In truth, I would have been more please if, say all that blood had belonged to someone else, because holy hell, now that would have been quite the ending.

I highly recommend this book, it's a short read, with some cringe worthy moments. Sure it has a slow pace, but that ending, if anything read this book for the ending. You won't be able to look at Grace the same way again.

Happy Reading

-E.A. Walsh