An Exciting Buddy Read Announcement

So a few months ago, I featured "Dread Nation" on my Can't Wait Wednesday post.  It seems like I've been waiting for this book forever.  When I did, a regular follower, Maria from A Night's Dream of Books mentioned that she was interested in it too. Now this was somewhat surprising because Maria is not a fan of horror.  Even through she regularly visits my blog, I know horror has never been and will never be her thing.  So imagine how surprised I when she and I committed to doing a buddy read of "Dread Nation" upon it release.  For those who aren't familiar with the book (are there any?) here's the low down.

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations. But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

So I had an opportunity to ask Maria a very important question prior to starting this book so make sure you hop over to A Night's Dreams of Books to see what she had to say.  In return, she posed this question to me:

"Barb, you and I have both kidded around about the fact that I don't like the horror genre.  In fact, I've even told you that I'm a 'huge chicken' when it comes to reading such books, which you frequently feature and review on your blog. So were you really and truly SHOCKED when I said I was willing to read "Dread Nation" right along with you?  Any guesses as to why I've decided to 'take the plunge' as you put it?"

Well Maria, yes, I was pretty shocked.  I mean, you've made it no secret that horror just isn't the genre for you.   In fact, not only is it horror, but it's zombies nonetheless.  However, I do believe I have a few ideas about why this book interested you.  Firstly, being a YA book, one could anticipate that the horror element will be pretty mild.  Also, I'm pretty sure you enjoy historical reads and it doesn't get much more historical than the Civil War.  Finally, I think you were drawn to the diverse characters in this book and that all of these reasons combined contributed to you wanting to give this book a chance.  Am I right?

So please everyone join with me and welcome Maria to the "Dark Side" and follow us along this journey.  I doubt I reform her to a true horror lover, but I am accepting the challenge!