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My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie Book 1    by David Lubar Amazon.com order for
My Rotten Life
by David Lubar
Order:  USA  Can
Starscape, 2009 (2009)
Hardcover, Paperback, CD, e-Book

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* * *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

David Lubar's My Rotten Life is the first in the Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie series for young readers who enjoy hilarious horror. They will certainly agree with the opening sentence, that 'It's no fun having your heart ripped from your body, slammed to the floor, and stomped into a puddle of quivering red mush.' And this is even before the horror begins, as Nathan - one of the Second Besters in Belgosi Upper Elementary fifth grade where 'popularity is everything' - is rejected not once, not twice, but three times in a row. Could things get worse?

Of course they could! When Abigail offers help, via Nathan's becoming the first test subject for her neurobiologist uncle Zardo's emotion killer, he's sufficiently bummed out to agree despite his friend Mookie's warning that 'Science is dangerous.' Nathan should have listened - soon he's turning into a zombie. Since Zardo is on the lam, supersmart Abigail tries to find a cure, the quest taking them to an aquarium, to the woods, and to a Halloween party. Along the way, Nathan discovers that 'being half dead wasn't all bad' (aside from losing his thumb, that is, and having it turn wireless).

Though there is a cure, Nathan has a choice to make, and it's one that leaves him a zombie forever, setting the stage nicely for more undead adventures in this creepy, funny series.

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