The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan.

Escape from all of the teen vampire novels and into the arms of this stunning zombie novel.  Mary lives in a village surrounded by fences that are the only thing that keep the Unconsecrated out.  Every day they swarm the fences, trying to get in and feast on the living.  Anyone bitten by them turns into a zombie.  Recently, Mary’s father disappeared into the surrounding forest and never returned.  Her mother goes to the fences to see if she can see him in the throng of zombies.  One day her mother goes to the fence alone and is bitten.  Mary has to choose whether she should be killed outright or turned outside the fences to join the zombies there.  She decides to allow her mother to exit the village, a decision her brother refuses to forgive her for.  Mary has two choices as a teen girl in her village.  She can marry and continue the human race or join the Sisterhood, a church group that rules the village.  But she is satisfied with neither choice.  Could there be a third?

I found this book absolutely gripping while reading.  The tension of the village existing by itself surrounded by forest and zombies, the absolute power of the Sisterhood, the strain of families constantly losing people to the Unconsecrated, and the tension of Mary trying to fit in but not be overcome by the society she lives in.  Ryan’s writing is thrilling, bloody and unflinching.  She has created a zombie book that embraces the zombie traditions of blood-thirst and refusal to quit.  It is a joy to see a book so fresh based on such long-standing traditions.

After finishing the book, I was a little less happy.  I found a real lack of answers about this world we found ourselves in.  I didn’t mind the abrupt ending, but I did think that the world itself needed to be fleshed out more and that without some insight into the world it seemed very incomplete.  I will be eager to read subsequent books to see if answers appear, but at this point I am concerned that the thrilling action has overtaken the world building.

I also was confused by Mary’s utter desire for one boy and then her turning away from him when they were finally together only to turn back when faced with losing him.  It made me question this character’s strength and judgment.  I wouldn’t have minded if there was some reason given for the inconsistency, but there was nothing. 

Despite my quibbles, teens will adore this book.  Who could ask for more than zombies, gore and true love?  Appropriate for ages 14-17.