I’m thrilled to be part of the blog tour for Eat Your Heart Out by Kelly deVos. I really enjoyed this new zombie story and found it funny, suspenseful, and full of nail-biting action. Let’s check it out!
About the Book:
Title: Eat Your Heart Out
Author: Kelly deVos
Page Length: 348
Publication Date: June 29, 2020
Publisher: Raxorbill
Genres: YA Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Zombies
Synopsis: Shaun of the Dead meets Dumplin’ in this bitingly funny YA thriller about a kickass group of teens battling a ravenous group of zombies.
In the next few hours, one of three things will happen.
1–We’ll be rescued (unlikely)
2–We’ll freeze to death (maybe)
3–We’ll be eaten by thin and athletic zombies (odds: excellent)
Vivian Ellenshaw is fat, but she knows she doesn’t need to lose weight, so she’s none too happy to find herself forced into a weight-loss camp’s van with her ex-best friend, Allie, a meathead jock who can barely drive, and the camp owner’s snobby son. And when they arrive at Camp Featherlite at the start of the worst blizzard in the history of Flagstaff, Arizona, it’s clear that something isn’t right.
Vee barely has a chance to meet the other members of her pod, all who seem as unhappy to be at Featherlite as she does, when a camper goes missing down by the lake. Then she spots something horrifying outside in the snow. Something…that isn’t human. Plus, the camp’s supposed “miracle cure” for obesity just seems fishy, and Vee and her fellow campers know they don’t need to be cured. Of anything.
Even worse, it’s not long before Camp Featherlite’s luxurious bungalows are totally overrun with zombies. What starts out as a mission to unravel the camp’s secrets turns into a desperate fight for survival–and not all of the Featherlite campers will make it out alive.
A satirical blend of horror, body positivity, and humor, Kelly deVos’s witty, biting novel proves that everyone deserves to feel validated, and taking down the evil enterprise determined to dehumanize you is a good place to start.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble | Indiebound
About the Author:
Kelly deVos is from Gilbert, Arizona, where she lives with her high school sweetheart, amazing teen daughter, and superhero dog, Cocoa. She holds a BA in creative writing from Arizona State University. When not reading or writing, Kelly can typically be found with a mocha in hand, bingeing the latest TV shows and adding to her ever-growing sticker collection. She is the author of FatGirl on a Plane, Day Zero, Day One and Eat Your Heart Out. Visit Kelly online at kellydevos.com.
Author Links:
- https://www.kellydevos.com/
- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15236443.Kelly_deVos
- https://twitter.com/KdeVosAuthor https://www.instagram.com/kellydevos/
My Review:
A YA zombie novel with great characters and an exciting, fast-paced plot, Eat Your Heart Out is the perfect mix of action, horror, humor, and touching moments. Satirical, ironic, suspenseful, and scientifically scary, the novel has a fantastic cast of characters, especially Vivian. She is strong and funny and vibrant, and she is unapologetic. Though her mother sent her to fat camp, Vee knows there is nothing wrong with how she looks, and she does not feel shamed by her appearance even though she lives in a society (and household) that constantly pushes the idea that thinner is better. She is a young woman who takes action and knows how to lead, and I enjoyed her confident, take-charge attitude.
The other characters are also interesting, and they have distinct personalities. Each character is an archetype typical of the horror genre, and I love the humorous way the author integrates these stereotypes into the novel. Action Girl, The Nerd, The Jerk, The Courageous Captain, The Outcast, and The Basketcase are all at the camp for different reasons, and when put into a pod together, they become each other’s lifelines. Interestingly, they are all very much like their labels. I like that the chapters alternated between all of the major characters’ points of view, as you get a well-rounded view of what’s happening. You also learn the thoughts and feelings of each of these characters, which made me more invested in each person.
The story has a campy slasher/zombie movie feel to it while also offering some really interesting and powerful messages about diet culture and fatphobia. I thought this was really well done. Our society is so fixated on weight and what bodies look like, and the damaging effects of pushing those beliefs onto kids are highlighted throughout the text. I’ve been fat-shamed throughout my life, and it has had such a negative impact on my self-esteem and self-worth, especially when the shaming and derogatory remarks come from family. This book stresses the point that you don’t have to be thin to be healthy and feel good about yourself. It also encourages self-acceptance and support of others.
As the story progressed and more was revealed about the origins of the zombie outbreak, the novel also made me start to wonder who the real monsters were. Sometimes the monsters lurk behind the faces we know best, and sometimes society as a whole can be monstrous. The zombies weren’t the only horrific monsters in the book, that’s for sure.
The story includes a ton of action and some heart-stopping scenes, especially since these are not your typical slow-moving zombies. They are fast, nimble, extra strong, and ferocious, and they are relentless in their pursuit of food. They remind me of the zombies in World War Z. – fast, frightening, relentless, and vicious. As the plot progresses, there are also some major revelations about the fat camp and how it relates to the zombie outbreak, which I thought was really interesting. On top of that, there’s a massive snowstorm in an area that doesn’t usually get blizzard-like conditions, and several characters with major secrets, which only adds to the suspenseful intensity of the story.
A funny, immersive, and suspenseful horror story, Eat Your Heart Out is described as a cross between Shaun of the Dead and Dumplin’, which sums it up perfectly. I enjoyed the story and am so thankful to Turn the Page Tours, Kelly deVos, and Razorbill for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
I’m happy the way I am. If you really cared about me, you would be happy, too.
I have a simple question for you. Are you living a life you love?
Guillermo de Toro once said, “When you see something or experience something extraordinary, you cant go back to normal.”
I don’t know what we saw streaking across the snow this morning. But part of me knows, as much as I want to pretend otherwise, that I will never be able to go back to normal.
There were so many stars in the sky. The deep dark blue. The swaying trees. The cool night air. It was for us. Everything was for us.
I was the moon. I was a star. I was magic…
Our parents don’t define us.
agree so much with this review!! really enjoyed everything this book did. – H
It’s such an interesting mashup for a book! Unfortunately I’m terrified of zombies in anyway even if it has it’s comedic values, lol. Great review!
Thanks. It’s definitely not one to read if you’re afraid of zombies. lol
I’m definitely interested in this book!