Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #2) by Carrie Ryan
March 9th 2010
404 pages


Description: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

My Thoughts: Love, love, LOVE!!! I must admit, I am slightly obsessed with Zombies! I pretty much read every Zombie book I can get my hands on, and I think that I've seen every horrible Zombie movie ever made. Most Zombie movies/books that I come across seem to be the same as the one before it:
Step 1) Your neighbor is now a Zombie... ahh!
Step 2) Run!
Step 3) There is no hope. Everyone dies.

But then you come across the amazing Carrie Ryan, who not only throws romance into the mix, but she skips right past Step 1... we already know that Zombies exist, we've grown up around them. Instead we live among the survivors, beyond the safety of the fences and barriers. Of course there is a Step 2 in Carrie Ryan's books... it wouldn't be a good Zombie story if there was no running for your lives! But instead of Step 3, she throws hope into the mix as well. The end result being two of my favorite books: The Forest of Hands and Teeth and now the sequel The Dead-Tossed Waves. Which, if you love Zombies like I do, then you MUST read both!

In the first book, we were introduced to Mary, and although the sequel has a new protagonist, Gabry, we soon find out that the story takes place many years later, and Gabry is actually Mary's daughter. Unlike Mary, Gabry is not brave. She lives by the rules, and she is perfectly happy living in her safe little town, protected from the dead that walk beyond the barriers. Until one huge mistake changes her life. Gabry showed tremendous growth throughout the story. She started as a weak coward, and turned into one tough cookie!

I love Carrie Ryan's writing style. It's just... beautiful... and that's saying a lot considering that the story includes a lot of dead people who want nothing more than to rip your face off! She has a way of captivating the reader. I simply could not put this down!

Elias, oh Elias. How I love you so... *sigh*
Oh, and let me tell you what I thought of the end... one word: O.M.G. (yes, that's one word, don't question my logic!) I need the 3rd book. I need it in my life! 2011 is an eternity away!