Book review: Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

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Description:
In the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic America where Benny Imura lives, every teenager must find a job by the time they turn fifteen or get their rations cut in half. Benny doesn’t want to apprentice as a zombie hunter with his boring older brother Tom, but he has no choice. He expects a tedious job whacking zoms for cash—but what he gets is a vocation that will teach him what it means to be human.

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Review:
I never thought I was a big fan of zombies, but looking back at the zombie books I've read the last three years, I found that they have been among my favorite reads. At the top of that list are Feed and Deadline by Mira Grant and Max Brooks's World War Z. Rot & Ruin is now at the top of that list.

Rot & Ruin is a zombie book for young adults. As a fan of young adult fiction, that might be why I like this book more than any other zombie book I've read. What's also different about Rot & Ruin compared to other zombie books and movies I've seen is how this book treats zombies. The undead aren't just monsters. They used to be people -- our family members, friends, and neighbors. The level of humanity that the book brings to the zombie genre is both unique and refreshing.

Add to that an exciting plot and a likeable cast of characters and you've got a book that you can't put down! I highly recommend Rot & Ruin, whether you're a fan of zombies or not.