Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

Kate Grable #1. Delacorte Press (July 2011) Library

Someone's been a very bad zombie. Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids 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.

Kate is the quintessential nerdy girl who would love nothing more than to grow up and become a doctor but more importantly right now she wants to get the High School Quarterback to notice her. As luck would have it she's helps the football team out when they have medical issues so she can stalk Aaron, said quarterback, without seeming like an actual stalker. She also discovers some strange new vials of what she believes to be steroids. As she tries to get to the bottom of these strange events start happening. A new threat starts forming in that maybe what were in those vials weren't steroids but a virus that unbelievably makes zombies. With her friends and families lives at stake Kate rushes to find a cure before the virus spreads and it becomes too late to save anyone.

This book was frustrating. It appeared at first to be a funny zombie story that would be a light enough read that would safely lead me into the zombie world (This is the first zombie book I've finished). That was not the case. In fact this book that was supposed to be funny came off like it was trying too hard to get a laugh out of you when only towards the end I genuinely smiled once or twice. 

It was fast paced from the beginning and only at the end could I appreciate that because I really wanted to get through with this story and be over with it. Also, being that it was too face paced it neglected any actual background for the main character. I would have liked to know how she was before she took on the job to help out the team with medical issues. I guess she was in more of her shell? No one saw her? That makes sense for someone who prefers medicine and science than people BUT I want to be able to connect with this girl. It would have been nice if the author was more specific about that. Why bring it up at all if you are never going to mention it again?

I came to the point where I was forcing myself to finish this story because although I wasn't exactly enjoying it I was curious to know what happens at the end. After rolling my eyes a couple of chapters in it did get a little interesting. I couldn't get excited when the zombies actually attacked her because maybe it's me or maybe the story was already wearing me down, I don't know. But, when everything hit the fan I did enjoy the action because it felt real and justified. Although I was confused by how one of her friends was either so accepting that zombies were real or seemed to know what was going down already so she went with the flow. Honestly, I might have skipped something but I don't think I would have missed something like that.

I don't get why she has the friends she does. I couldn't see the connection with them. I just couldn't connect at all. The only person who I truly liked was Kate's younger brother Jonah. He was also a very nerdy person who even fashioning his own sword. He was at that age where he would squeak when he talked sometimes. I actually think I smiled more than I thought I did because of him. He was incredibly loyal and endearing. He was for sure the best character in the whole story.

Ugh. I must talk about the love interest jock. One minute she's lusting after him the next he's suddenly interested. She thought about him way too much when a whole zombie apocalypse situation was happening right in front of her. Their whole relationship was unrealistic and irritated me to no end. They would have to be the worst couple/romance thing I have ever come across other than in *cough cough* Perfect Chemistry. It's really bad people. 

The one last thing I will say is that other than Jonah there was one other part about this book I liked. I liked the cure. It was a very triumphant cure. It says something to the character. Your "weakness" is only a weakness if you think it to be one. I was actually impressed that it came down that way. Now I might try a zombie book in the future but I don't see myself continuing with this series. It had a couple of good moments but... meh. It wasn't a good book.

Overall: Frustrating to say the least. Some good moments but the MC and the story fell flat for me. I don't recommend it at all.

Does anyone have a recommendation of a zombie book that you loved?