Series Pick: Dark Days (Dead City, book 3)

Dark Days
(Dead City, Book 3)
by James Ponti
Aladdin
2015
297 pages
ISBN: 9781481436366


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In this third installment of Dead City, Ponti exhibits an uncanny ability to channel teen voice and pun-y dialog.

Molly Bigelow is the kind of cool girl that other girls wish they were, the kind of pal guys want to hang out with and everyone (me, included) wants to have on their side when zombies strike. Funny, self-deprecating, a little shy, but also awesome and a fierce fighter, Molly is a protagonist teen readers will fall in love with!

Omega has been hobbled. Molly's mother is deep in hiding and the leader of the zombies, Marek Blackwell, is building an army of zombies. Not only that, the undead are growing stronger and Marek is building an underground zombie city. Molly is ordered to lay low and the Omegas are not to act.

Poor Molly. Poor, poor socially incompetent Molly. She is going crazy not doing anything, so you really can't blame her when she runs into a zombie by accident. Soon, the Omegas find clues and have to meet. The situation is serious and all hands are needed. Back in the action, Molly gets on Natalie's bad side, but once an Omega, always an Omega.

Ponti has great fun with dialog and jokes. Grayson points out that the state of New Jersey see the backside of the Statue of Liberty, and Alex quips, "Maybe they should put that on the license plate....New--Jersey--the Butt of Liberty."

Zombies have never been this much fun. Ponti's clever characters (Grayson, Alex) and the group's dynamic will keep teens intrigued. New York has never been more beautiful--even the zombies can't take away from the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Trinity Church, Wall Street, and other famous New York landmarks.

Highly, highly recommended. If you haven't read the series, what are you waiting for?

Grade 6-up. No profanity, just good, clean zombie fun.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Zombie Pick: Dead City

Dead City
by James Ponti
Aladdin
2013 (paperback edition)
ISBN: 9781442441309
276 pages

Kirkus Reviews describes Dead City  as “a fast-paced read for those who like their zombies with just a little fright.”

Finally...a new take on the zombie story and suitable for much younger readers. . James Ponti breaths new life (pun intended) into the genre with ease and style.

Molly Bigelow is an honor student at MIST, the Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology.
When she is attacked by a zombie in a subway station, Stephanie saves her. Stephanie explains that Molly must come with her and listen to her carefully.

Molly has been chosen to join a team of elite zombie hunters named the Omegas. New York City has a large zombie population and the Omegas help keep them under control.

Their team consists of upper classmen Stephanie who volunteers at the city morgue with Molly. Molly actually loves the morgue; it's where her late mother used to work and Molly has fond memories of spending time there. Other team members are Alex and Grayson. The three older students convince Molly that zombies are the real deal, and that her training begins immediately.


 Level 1 zombies look and act almost human, and generally do not cause much trouble. It's the Level 2 and Level 3 zombies that make things messy. Over 100 years ago, a subway tunnel caved in trapping 13 miners. These men became the original zombies, but  today, there is an entire city thriving in the old subway tunnels. The Omega team travels to Dead City for Molly's Omega training.
She must be able to pass as one of the undead for thirty minutes.

Molly continues training and steps up her sword skills. She is taught to spot "indicators," a symbol that tells Omegas where there is a safe house or another Omega who can help. The codes/puzzles are clever and readers will love trying to figure out the puzzle with Molly.

When Molly makes a big mistake and enters Dead City alone, she puts the entire team in danger and risks everyone's lives. Not only that, she makes a powerful enemy and jeopardizes her future. The bang on! ending will leave you breathless. (No, don't you dare read the last page first! You'll ruin it for yourself! )

Readers will love Molly's spunkiness and personality. The city of  New York is beautifully brought to life by Ponti with little known historical facts; Ponti has done his  research and it's brilliantly conveyed in this homage to NYC.

Highly, highly recommended for all zombie fans. This is gentle enough for much younger readers grade 5-up.

Dead City: Blue Moon is also available now.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)