This book was very different from all the other Gena Showalter books I've ever read. I'm sured to HOT Immortal or Angel or Alien men with Sassy females kicking ass and sexing it up. But this book is far from any of that. Most of Gena's characters have flashbacks of losses but Alices is present. Her pain is in your face. The guilt the mourning process was present and I was able to empathize with her. I didn't realize this was a YA book and was thrown off by her age and was getting a Twilight/Buffy/Degrassi feel from the student atmosphere HOWEVER that last 10 minutes and I was all about Cole! The power and leadership role he holds is somewhate unbelievable but I like him anyway. I also liked the unique take on Zombies and can say I've personally NEVER seen/read/heard of them in the way she wrote them. I read this entire book in one night and am looking forward to the next one. I fear I will be a 30 year old woman camping outside a movie theatre and shamefully lusting after the teen star playing Cole. Hopefully they will have Jennifer Lawerence play Alice!