The Monster Within - Kelly Hashway

I received a free copy from this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

 

Sam dies. Four days later she crawls out of her grave, where her boyfriend Ethan is already waiting for her. Together they run away to live a happy life together. But, Sam isn't completely herself any more, the 'experience' of her death causes her to suck the life out others...

 

It started quite good, I liked the idea of the vampire-zombie hybrid from the POV of the vampire-zombie. How was she going to live with herself (no pun intended :) ). As Sam and Ethan try to fit in (which is just incredibly easy in this novel, there's never one thing they don't succeed in at the first try. Finding jobs, faking school records, they make it sound easy), the book takes a turn for the worse.

 

Sam is no honours student, as the book tells you repeatedly, and which is fine, but she is so stupid and naive. In the end I resolved to double facepalms, as I felt one facepalm just wasn't going to work. It's so obvious she's making the wrong decision every single time. (It's a talent, I guess, you normally should at least get some of them right). 

 

And it's only logical that the bitch from school is actually a witch who's put everyone under a spell to 'like/follow' her. Naturally, this bitch-witch is the enemy, only though Sam only just met her. I also had some problems with the magic in this book. It was just too convenient for my liking. For everything is a spell. Like one that brings you back to life, but not the tumour inside you, for some reason... And

The suggestion you would be able to bring people back from the dead without any consequences?! How come the world isn't crowded with undead people already? It's not as if the spell was so freakishly hard or so... One thing I learned from every fantasy novel ever: You are not able to bring back people from the dead without some serious (and worse) consequences!

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is just ridiculous, as is the ending, because

besides bringing people back from the dead, all other things Sam and others do don't have consequences either. And after they have just seen exactly what a magical bonding can do to people, they decide that's what they want. 'Oh, and sorry I killed your brother and boyfriend and another girl who was your friend/family, but you - shit happens. Luckily my undead self and undead boyfriend are still alive.'

(show spoiler)

It didn't work for me, would not recommend.