Bad Taste in Boys, by Carrie Harris -- a Bookanista Review

This week on the blog we've been looking at beach reads. For me, the term beach read isn't genre-specific. It can be a mystery, a romance, a historical novel. As long as I can slip into the story quickly and be entertained, that's a great beach read.

I've actually been at the beach all week in Miami, so the timing for something that fit the bill was perfect. I chose Bad Taste In Boys, by Carrie Harris. It's a zombie book, which wouldn't have been the first thing I'd have grabbed, but after reading the first chapter, I was hooked.

Here's a short description:

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate! She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town . . . and stay hormonally human.

I've read a handful of books with zombies in them, but not one of them made me laugh. Bad Taste in Boys did. A lot.

This story delivers what you expect on the gore and fear, but Kate Grable's smart, self-deprecating humor was what kept me turning pages. I liked her relationships with friends, Rocky and Kiki, but I particularly enjoyed her brother Jonah. The siblings were funny, believable and well-drawn. Their scenes together were among my favorite. Kate's romance with Aaron, a hunky and smart quarterback, was adorable and also provided plenty of laughs.

This is a fast-paced story with a clever easy-to-root-for protagonist. Be prepared to laugh. A great debut by Carrie Harris!

Check out what the rest of the Bookanistas are reading this week:

Elana Johnson celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie

LiLa Roecker adores Torn

Christine Fonseca is crazy about Cryer’s Cross – with giveaway

Beth Revis interviews Goddess Test author Aimee Carter – with giveaway

Carolina Valdez Miller delights in Texas Gothic AND Bad Taste in Boys – with giveaways

Jessi Kirby is giddy about Hourglass

Shana Silver fawns over Forever

Jen Hayley is hot for Wildfire

Matt Blackstone savors Something Like Hope

Stasia Ward Kehoe jumps for Bumped