Book: Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Rating: 5 Stars
Summary:
All over the country, a strange phenomenon is occuring. Some teenagers who die aren’t staying dead. Termed “living impaired” or “differently biotic,” they are doing their best to fit into a society that doesn’t want them.

Fitting in is hard enough when you don’t have the look or attitude, but when almost everyone else is alive and you’re not, it’s close to impossible. The kids at Oakdale High don’t want to take classes or eat in the cafeteria next to someone who isn’t breathing. And there are no laws to protect the differently biotic from the people who want them to disappear – for good.

With her pale skin and goth wardrobe, Phoebe has never run with the popular crowd. But on one can believe it when she falls for Tommy Williams, the leader of the dead kids. Not her best friend, Margi, whose fear of the differently biotic is deeply rooted in guilt over the past. And especially not her neighbor, Adam, the star of the football team. Recently, Adam has realized that his feelings for Phoebe run much deeper than just friendship. He would do anything for her; but what if protecting Tommy is the one thing that would make her happy?

Overall:

Oakvale High has got a new type of student: dead. Well, actually, “living impaired” or “differently biotic” are the technical terms.

The phenomenon of the living impaired is sweeping the nation and nobody can quite explain why it is happening. Teenage Americans are rising from the dead just like nothing happened. Except for the fact that none of their organs are functioning any more.

Technically, the teenagers are still dead. They all have death certificates and the government refuses to issue rebirth certificates. Because of this, none of the living impaired teens have any rights and aren’t even considered citizens anymore.

As with any group of people who vary from the typical, the living impaired are targets of many hate crimes including violent acts such as burning at the stake and being re-terminated. And the worst part is, they can’t do anything about it.

Most people at Oakvale are terrified of the living impaired. All except Phoebe Kendall. Phoebe doesn’t know why but she is inexplicably drawn to the leader of the living impaired, Tommy Williams. Even her best friends don’t understand what is going on with her. Her best friend, Margi, has her own personal issues involving the living impaired and doesn’t know why Phoebe would want to be with one of them. Her other best friend, Adam, has only just realized his true feelings for Phoebe but only wants her to be happy.

When the Hunter Foundation creates a living impaired class for both live and dead students, all three decide to sign up and face their myriad of fears. Little did they know, they had much more to fear than the dead, they had to fear the living. Because someone doesn’t want the living impaired to be acclimated into society and they are willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.

Will Phoebe and Tommy be able to overcome the prejudices of others and have a true relationship? Will Margi get over her fear of the dead? Will Adam ever admit his true feelings to Phoebe? And most important, will they be able to catch the killer before he catches them?

As soon as I started reading, I knew this book would become one of my favorites. Daniel Waters manged to tell an age-old story about prejudices while incorporating a very new subject, zombies. With so many vampire and werewolf books out there now, it was nice to read a book about a different paranormal subject.

The second book in the series, Kiss Of Life, will be available May 12. Also, you can expect a review for it coming soon, as I am currently reading it.