The Undead Truth of Us by Britney S. Lewis

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're getting closer to the end of summer and it's time to read the books that will transition us into the fall season.  The Undead Truth of Us has a cover that draws inspiration from The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. And you'll find at times this story possesses Van Gogh's same energy where you never know quite what to expect. This book was sent to me for review by Disney Books and Britney S. Lewis.

Zharie believes her mother turned into zombie before her death and she's been seeing zombies ever since. Now she's navigating life after her mother's death which includes living with her aunt who is barely around because she's busy working. And she's curious about the father who never wanted to be part of her life. With a little help from the boy who lives in the apartment upstairs she slowly finds herself reopening up to the world.

This book is best if you don't approach it as a zombie horror book. I went in thinking it was a zombie book and soon realized this wasn't a horror/fantasy book. While the book does have zombies the zombies are a metaphor for the baggage she's holding. So I adjusted my expectations to enjoy it for what is was. 

Zharie is a girl who is trying to figure things out after losing a big piece of herself. She's closed herself off from the parts of her life which include the love of dance she and her mother shared. 

Thought there is a love interest this isn't a romance. I liked that Bo encouraged Zharie to experience joy and brought her out to spend time with his friends. He let's her feel free to be open and process her emotions while being that supportive person for her. And he has some insightful thoughts about what it means to be a family.

I wish the exploration of family with her aunt and biological father would've come into play sooner in the story so it didn't feel as rushed to work through it at the end. There was so much for Zharie to talk out with both of them.

There were also parts of this that felt a little trippy as dream sequences and illusions blurred the lines of reality. This book is a quiet exploration of grief, love, family, and friendship.