MY THOUGHTS: 3 OUT OF 5 FLEURS DE LIS

The Harvesting by Melanie Karsak

Layla’s a professor teaching Medieval Weaponry classes when her beloved Grandma Petrovich calls to tell her she is needed at home. Without a second thought, Layla races to her grandma’s side…but she’s not ill. Layla is quickly set to work doing tasks she really doesn’t understand the point of–until she does. The citizens of Hamletville are turning into zombies, Grandma Petrovich included. Since Layla’s sword skills are coming in handy, she soon becomes the leader of the town’s few survivors.

They make it through the winter, and suddenly they are presented with the chance to leave their stronghold and be brought to a place of virus-free safety. Layla, blessed with Grandma Petrovich’s sixth sense, feels something is very wrong. It’s up to her to keep her people out of harm’s way…and she’s not afraid of a bloody battle.

OK, so…zombie book. I went in thinking this was a zombie book. From the synopsis, that’s what it sounds like, right? Well, yes and no. I almost feel as if this novel could be cleanly broken into two separate parts.

I liked Layla a lot. Though her age is never mentioned, I put her around late 20’s. She managed to escape her small town upbringing, but didn’t hesitate to return and then take up the leadership position when it was necessary. She’s also a badass with the swords and other weapons, and I always appreciate that in a female main character.

It didn’t take long for any action to occur. Zombie infestation started without much warning, and the killing was soon behind. Layla really didn’t become shocked, or cry, or have much of any reaction at all when she had to start killing the townspeople, and I can’t decided if I like or dislike that. There’s plenty of gore in the book, as there should be in a zombie situation. And though after a while, things slowed down, I was never bored with reading.

There is a bit of romance/semi-love triangle, but I didn’t mind it. There was no mushy stuff and no overkill on the relationship between Layla and her guy, so that was cool. When a romance doesn’t distract from the other stuff going on in the book, I really appreciate it.

It’s hard for me to talk about the things I didn’t like in the second half of the book without giving away anything, but I’ll just say things went in a completely different direction than I would have imagined from reading the first part. I’m not 100% sold on the inclusion of the other supernaturals in this zombie novel, but this is a series. I also didn’t really get the last chapter.

I was completely engrossed in the zombie part, but the other parts I could take or leave. I love the author’s writing style, though, and I plan on continuing with the series!

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