ARC Review: Through the Zombie Glass (White Rabbit Chronicles #2) by Gena Showalter

Inspired by the childhood classic Alice in Wonderland, this harrowing and romantic story features teen zombie slayer Alice Bell who has lost so much—family, friends, her home. After a strange new zombie attack, Alice fears she may be losing her mind as well. A terrible darkness blooms inside her, urging her to do wicked things. The whispers of the dead assault her ears and mirrors seem to come frighteningly to life. She’s never needed her team of zombie slayers more—including her boyfriend, Cole—than she does now. But as Cole strangely withdraws and the zombies gain new strength, Ali knows one false step may doom them all.

From Goodreads

Alice Bell has been through a nightmare in the last few months. Coming to grips with the fact that your dad wasn't nearly as crazy as you thought because the monsters he was constantly protecting his family from really are real, losing said family all the same, & discovering your true purpose as a slayer would shake anyone. Ali is resilient though. While still settling into her new surrounds with Grams & working around the clock between school and slaying, Ali is still managing to enjoy time with her friends and most importantly Cole.

But there's always a rabbit hole waiting just around the corner for the smart-mouthed heroine. The zombies are becoming bolder & so the slayers follow suite. Unfortunately that boldness leads to accidents. When Ali begins to have cravings for violence and attacking her friends, they all know something's wrong. The clock is ticking & right when she needs them the most, those most capable of helping her are pulling away, especially Cole. 

This was another wonderful installment in the White Rabbit Chronicles series. You've all read my rants & raves about Gena Showalter's other works, so it comes as no surprise that this book is just as riveting as the rest. Her ability to breathe such life into these complex & mysterious characters is something that has always mesmerized me.

We pick up not long after we left the gang in Alice in Zombieland. That being said, things quickly continue on as we hit the ground running with zombie fights & drama. School does not play nearly as large a roll in this book as the first one because it's no longer needed as the buffer between Ali & the slayers. As a full-fledged slayer, with some awesome abilities, Ali is a force to be reckoned with on the field and off. Her personality squares off regularly with Cole's in a sort of dance. Everyone else seems to play off of their vibe for the most part.

I have to say that the storyline got very interesting this go around. Since we already have the back story and are up to speed, we got to spend a lot more time learning about the characters and their histories in and outside of slaying. With a few new players on the board, things heat up romantically and plotwise quickly. 

The most incredible thing though is the multifaceted way that Gena can write her characters. Everyone has an alter ego in this book, a sort of different front they put up depending on who/what they're dealing with at the moment. It becomes crucial to the reading to pay attention to those clues because they'll lead you to the right answer. Otherwise you might find yourself really surprised by what's going on.

With witty dialogue that keeps you flipping from page to page and just enough steamy romance to qualify as PG-13, Through the Zombie Glass continues down the path of awesomeness! Be sure to check it out when it drops onto shelves September 24!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World ARC Tours