4.5 stars.

I'm not typically one for zombie horror, but this was quite an enjoyable read. It's a different take on the zombie genre, blending it a little with an isolated, idyllic society that clearly goes wrong.

The writing was really good and I loved the building of the atmosphere. There were some moments of confusion as I tried to understand the world and the blight, but I feel like that was somewhat intentional and I was, in a way, learning things as Wren learned them. It was like being a visitor to the town and being taken along for this horrific trip. Hold on to your pants because this baby is a fast-paced ride.

The characters were well done, though there were a couple of emotional responses and interactions that seemed a little off kilter. Overall, things were realistic and believable. Oh, and I'm not going to lie...I had a serious soft spot for Teddy and it hurt my weak, susceptible heart every time she got mentioned.

The world of Hollow's End was awesome. I loved how magical it all felt and was kind of bummed that it was all being wrecked by this zombie apocalypse. I mean just the description of fields full of rainbow wheat and melons that basically glow-in-the-dark blue were enough to make me yearn to see it in real life.

But oh, not everything in this novel was idyllic. The horror component was smack dang full on horror. It was tense, gory, and downright creepy. Fraistat was NOT afraid to go full bore on this baby and I appreciated every disgusting, cringe-worthy moment of it. The atmospheric writing definitely did not stop at the scenery.

This was a horror rollercoaster of a ride and I really enjoyed myself. It was something totally different and it was a great read. Also, big thank you to Fraistat for giving positive power to carbs.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *