Liminal Lives

By: Jenny Toupin

Narrated by: Cheryl May

Evelyn’s life as she knows it is over. All it took is one zombie bite.

Now one of the undead, Evelyn welcomes a raging hunger for human flesh she cannot control. But she’s not like the others…

Evelyn remembers and recognizes her children, Alison and Xander.

And now she hunts them.

But Evelyn has a secret that could unravel everything Alison and Xander remember about their mother and everything Evelyn knows about her current state.

Except, her children might die before she makes amends. Can she save them from the horde of undead? And can she protect them from herself?

©2024 Jenny Toupin (P)2024 Jenny Toupin

Short and Sweet Zombie Story

Zombie stories aren't typically my type of horror but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I really enjoyed how it had a POV through the eyes of one of the zombies, which I seldom see done in the overly saturated zombie genre. The story itself is extremely straight forward with a group of teenagers trying to survive a zombie outbreak. On one hand I enjoyed how the book immediately starts off with the zombie outbreak, no muss no fuss. However, I would have enjoyed at least a single chapter outlining how and where the plague starts. It's alluded to being associated with an experimental cancer medication but that's about it. Narration was fantastic with each character's voices clearly differentiated so there's no confusion as to who is speaking during scenes. Overall this was a fun action packed joy-ride with plenty of blood and guts to go around

Doom, gym, and brains

A horror spin on nostalgia and death. I enjoyed the urban feel here at time feeling like kids on the block versus creatures set in places like a gym. Some segments told somewhat from the zombie mom's point of view offer a fresh take on the genre. There are some gut punching and dark twist in the last half that offer surprises. Elements of this feel routine enough and I cant really say this is too different than other zombie books but the family element felt more emotional. There is a medical element that feels too tidy but also makes the book feel metaphorical. The narration is well performed.

Zombies and Motherhood

I have read a lot of zombie books and I'm always looking for something unique. This book satisfied that search. Evelyn is a nurse and a mother when she is turned into one of the undead. The author has written part of the book from her perspective, which delved into the "thoughts" that someone might have once they are turned.

The book also followed Evelyn's two teenage children as they try to navigate this horror filled new world. The ending was a bit of a surprise, but also satisfying in its own way. I did find that the introduction of a bunch of characters was a bit distracting and some of their activities didn't really add anything to the story. I would have preferred that the story was more focused on Evelyn's plight instead.

The narrator did a good job and worked well for this book. All in all, if you are looking for a quick zombie book, this one is a good place to find just that.

Interesting Idea, just not for us

A friend got this for free as a promotion and we listened to it together. It was an interesting idea, but it felt like it was trying to be two different books. The story of a mother doing anything for their child, even after death. And the story of a close nit group of children having to survive the apocalypse after their families almost kill them. Both of these stories are good and should work well, but they're different in feel. So having both and switching between so often dulls both stories.

A good quick book.

It was interesting and held my attention. I do wish a few details had been covered more in depth, such as the drug she was taking, but a good read overall.