Special Dead

By Patrick Freivald

Shackled to her desk, Ani Romero has a hard time concentrating on her studies. One of eight zombie survivors of the Prompocalypse, she's back at school, but this time it's no secret. Locked in their room, flamethrower-toting soldiers watching their every move, they're tasked with homework and classes during the week, and macabre experiments on the weekend. When the courts rule they're not human, only an appeal keeps them alive long enough to discover a cure. College applications and SATs pale under the threat of incineration, and desperation turns them into lab rats... ...but the scientists helping them have ulterior motives, and the promised cure destroys more than the virus. Surviving high school has never been so hard.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JournalStone
• Release date: Jul 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781936564934

Patrick Freivald

By day, Patrick Freivald is an author, high school teacher (physics, robotics, American Sign Language), and beekeeper. He lives in Western New York with his beautiful wife, two birds, three dogs, too many cats, and several million stinging insects. A member of the HWA and ITW, he's always had a soft spot for slavering monsters of all kinds. He is the author of Twice Shy, Special Dead, Blood List (with his twin brother Phil), Jade Sky, Black Tide, as well as the novella Love Bites, a growing legion of short stories, and the Jade Sky graphic novella (with Joe McKinney) for Dark Discoveries magazine. There will be more.

Book preview

Bartender

Chapter

1

Ani Romero blinked in the sun’s harsh glare and worked her teeth against the bite guard. The leather-wrapped steel tasted like nothing against her tongue. Her shackles clinked against her ankles as she shambled into the cool September air.

Keep walking, please, Mr. Benson said, shouldering his assault rifle and nodding toward the front of the line. Ani bumped into Devon Holcomb’s back, their bright orange helmets clacking together—Devon had stopped, fists on her hips. The chrome ring on the back of her helmet gleamed in the sunlight.

Oh, you have to be goddamned kidding me, Devon said, her voice mushy around the bite guard. Ani followed her gaze to the eight-seater, yellow-orange bus emblazoned in black with Ohneka Falls Central School District. A short bus.

Ani patted her on the shoulder to get her moving. At least they’re letting us come back. I wouldn’t.

Images flashed in her mind—prom, fourteen months previous. Blood. Screams. The soft warmth of human blood gushing hot and red. The taste of brains. She swallowed and closed her eyes against the memory, then opened them and looked at Mike.

Mike Brown looked as he always did; tall, athletic, missing the index finger on his right hand, and a bit sallow and slack-jawed since the Prompocalypse. His helmet covered most of the scars.

Devon? Mr. Benson tipped the end of his rifle toward the bus door.

Without turning around, Ani grabbed the rail and dragged herself up the stairs, then helped Mike to his seat. She smiled at the bus driver, a burly black stranger in full body armor, then sat in the empty front seat.

Teah Burnell bounced into the seat across from her. Hey, Ani, can you freaking believe this? She rubbed her hands together and wrapped herself in a hug. It’s been a long time.

Court proceedings are real slow, Teah, Ani said. Mom says the district had to spend a lot of money to make ‘reasonable accommodations.’ She says that—

Mr. Benson vaulted onto the top step and slammed the butt of his rifle onto the floor. Okay, listen up!

Eight orange-helmeted heads turned his way as he dropped into his drill-sergeant cadence. You WILL be on your BEST behavior as we enter AND exit the school. You will have NO physical contact with anyone NOT already on this bus, except for Doctor Romero, Doctor Banerjee, OR one of the orderlies. ANY funny business WILL result in termination.

Can I get an ‘amen’? Teah muttered.

Mr. Benson glared at her and lowered his voice to a growl. A lot of people in this town want you in graves. Don’t give them any excuses. He looked at them all in turn, then marched off the bus.

Bye, Mr. Benson! Mike hollered.

Kyle Lee’s voice mocked him from the back. Bye, Mr. Benson.

Don’t be a dick, Devon said.

Hey, I may be dead, but I’m not a retard, Kyle said.

He has brain damage, Devon snapped. What’s your excuse?

The driver cleared his throat and peered at them from under the brim of his helmet. His deep baritone reverberated through the bus. Kids, this ride will be hard enough without your bickering. So keep it down.

They settled in as the bus pulled out of the parking lot and through the three inner checkpoints, tailed by a camouflaged passenger truck. Ani was used to the hostile glares of the army guards and the implacable, visor-hidden faces of the burn teams, but it had been ages since she’d been in a vehicle. The sense of novelty was exhilarating. She smiled at the guards as they drove out each gate. If they saw, they didn’t respond.

As the bus approached the outer wall, Ani heard a dull roar, like a waterfall or something.

What is that? Samantha Kickbush asked from the back.

Flickering lights caught Ani’s eye as they pulled up to the final gate. A line of state troopers and army soldiers held the crowd at bay, their cars parked, lights flashing, to block civilian access to the road. A mob screamed and spat, faces twisted in hatred under signs and banners reading:

BURN THEM!

‘NO!’ ACCURSED IN OUR SCHOOLS

BURN IN HELL ACTAVIST JUDGES

Learn to spell, Ani thought, her eyes skimming the rest of the images. And the issues. Decapitated corpses, the scales of justice in flames, Christ standing over a lake of fire swimming with zombies. She closed her eyes as they pulled onto the street and accelerated.

A few minutes later, Kyle grunted from behind her. She looked up.

A line of forty or so people stood by the road in front of the Wegmans grocery store. They wore black—clothes, makeup, hair dye, everything—held white candles in brass holders, and were chanting. A banner above them read Teach us the Wisdom of Death in scarlet. Below the words shivered a crude painting of people kneeling before a corpse. Their lips moved in unison, but their voices weren’t loud enough to be heard over the bus.

Creepy, much? Teah asked.

I think I liked the mob better, Samantha said.

Ani shuddered.

*   *   *

As they pulled up to the high school the crowd was smaller but no less weird. Clusters of black-clad weirdos stared in open rapture while police held back a throng of screaming, spitting protesters. An isolated knot of people led by Ani’s former neighbor, Mr. Washington, carried a banner emblazoned, Zombies are people, too!

Joe Simonton laughed. No way! It’s totally a prison! A grin split his patchy, reddish beard, revealing white teeth and black gums. His right eye sagged from prom-induced trauma, but his left was green and bright.

Ani’s mouth dropped open when her eyes shifted to the school. Joe was right—Ohneka Falls Central School looked every bit like a prison. A double-layer of chain-link fence surrounded the campus, each post anchored in concrete. Soldiers patrolled the ten-foot gap between the fences, though of course there were no dogs. Riveted steel guard towers flanked the entrance, with others at each corner. A cluster of students stood on the sidewalk, smoking and pointing at the bus.

Mike clapped his hands. This looks fun! Kyle rolled his eyes, and Joe punched him in the shoulder.

A mewling noise from the front of the bus drew Ani’s attention. Lydia Stuber sobbed in her seat, tearless and snot-free. Joe sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. Hey, it’s just school. It’s cool.

What if they don’t like us? Lydia’s wide eyes quivered in fear.

They will, Joe said. They will.

Liar. Ani couldn’t blame him. Lydia was too nice to tell the truth to, and she’d figure it out on her own. Or not.

The door opened, and Mr. Benson sprang to the top step. Okay, listen up! Lydia cringed, and Joe rubbed her arm. Mr. Benson lowered his voice. You will line up single file upon exiting the bus. Once directed, you will walk to your classroom. You will not try to touch anyone or anything unless given explicit authorization to do so. That authorization will come from me, Doctor Banerjee, or Doctor Romero. Once inside the classroom you will comport yourselves to your assigned seats and will stay in them unless directed otherwise. Questions?

Lydia’s hand shot up. Mr. Benson rolled his eyes with more theatrics than was nice. Lydia’s hand dropped halfway down, her grin anxious.

Mr. Benson sighed. Yes, Ms. Stuber?

Um, do we have the same lockers as last year?

Ani suppressed a smile. We spent last year at the lab, Lydia.

Mr. Benson shook his head. All of your school effects will be in your room. Additional questions in that regard will wait for Doctor Romero. He gave her a curt nod. Any other questions about deployment to the classroom? No one said anything. Good. Follow me. He got off the bus.

Negotiating the stairs was awkward in the leg irons, their already-jerky movements exaggerated by the inability to take more than baby steps. Shackling them together added insult to injury, but that’s what Mr. Benson did before leading them inside. Students gawked as they shuffled past, as did more than a few teachers.

The halls looked the same—same crappy, too-small lockers, same faded tile reminiscent of a 1950s hospital, same age-stained drop-ceiling tiles. Ani’s heart caught in her throat. Mr. Bariteau stood outside the band room, crying as they walked by, his face a mask of pity. Ani smiled and said, Hi, but he turned away before she could say more. His door slammed in her face.

Frowning, she followed Mr. Benson to the far end of the hall, to the Resource Room. He stepped out of the way and pointed inside. I’ll see you at fourteen thirty hours.

Hey, my old room! Kyle said, grinning as he lurched inside. They followed and stood still while Mr. Benson removed the chain that connected them together and left the room without another word. The metal door shut, and Ani heard the external crossbar slam into place.

Eight desks were arranged in a circle between the back wall and the smart board. Naked ductwork snaked across the ceiling between two banks of fluorescent lights. A bookshelf leaned against the far wall next to a man holding a flamethrower, his face hidden by the mirrored visor on his helmet.

The old-school wrought-iron desks were bolted to the floor. They had name cards on them, in alphabetical order: Mike Brown, Teah Burnell, Devon Holcomb, Sam Kickbush, Kyle Lee, Ani Romero, Joe Simonton, and Lydia Stuber. They took their seats as the dial clock on the wall hit 8:00 am.

A ding, and the high school secretary’s voice rang through the wall speaker. Good morning and welcome back! Today is day one. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. Miss Pulver, a plump, motherly aide Ani remembered from life before, stepped up in front of the class and put her hand on her breast. The students echoed her movements. Ani mumbled her way through the Pledge and spent the rest of the announcements sizing up the young man at the teacher’s desk.

Skinny, average height, with a conservative crop of sandy-brown hair and a suit that was a little too big, his OFCSD nametag read Mr. Foster. Drenched in sweat, he tapped his pencil on the desk in a constant staccato that reminded Ani of some of Stravinsky’s more frenetic pieces. He looked at the desk, the wall, the clock, the speakers, the flamethrower-toting soldier, his shoes, anything but them.

As the announcements ended with a perky, Have a great year! a nervous giggle erupted from his throat.

Miss Pulver gave him an encouraging smile.

He shot to his feet. Hi! He ran his hand through his hair, waking a dormant cowlick. I—I’m Mr. Foster. I’ll be your teacher for the year.

What happened to Miss Johnson? Kyle asked. Joe shushed him, and Kyle flipped him the bird.

Ah, she was, uh, transferred to another room. I’ll be your teacher this...this year. Another giggle punctuated the thought. His face took on a greenish tinge.

Oh, this does not bode well.

Hi, Mr. Foster! Mike said, a little too loud. For the first time Mr. Foster looked at them.

Hello, Mike. Nice to meet you. His hand, jittering at his side, dove into his pocket, still shaking. Do you, are you, happy to be, um...back? His eyes darted to the clock and then back to Mike.

Mike nodded, grinning. I like school!

I like school! Kyle aped.

Ani tried to bite her lip but couldn’t manage it with the mouth guard. She raised her hand.

Yes, um, Ani? Mr. Foster’s eyes were bloodshot and terrified, but they held her gaze.

Can I have a pencil and some paper, please? She hated the thick, mushy sound of her voice through the guard.

Mr. Foster giggled. No. Ani sat back, frowning. I mean no sharp implements, he continued. Rules and stuff. You can have a white board and marker or paper and crayons.

Devon snarled. Oh, this is fucking ridiculous! We can’t have a goddamned pencil?

Miss Pulver put a hand on Devon's shoulder, managing to smile and look serious at the same time. It’s okay, Devon. The rules for you are going to be quite strict. Nobody’s happy about the court’s decision to allow this—

The door opened with a clang.

Some of us are, Sarah Romero said, pinning Miss Pulver with a stare. Happy, that is. She smiled at Ani. Hi, sweetie. Her face was hard, too lean from her battle with cancer; and her eyes were baggy from not enough sleep. She had a new wig for the New Year, and fake blonde hair fell to her shoulders in a river of curls.

Hi, Mom, Ani said.

Hi, Mom, Kyle muttered. Ani ignored him.

"Miss Pulver, the injunction is in place until the Second District Court makes its verdict. Until then, the Ohneka Falls School District is obligated to educate these children. She emphasized the last word. Some of us are overjoyed that the lower court felt the need to put the injunction in place, regardless of the cost, because a society that chooses not to educate children because they are sick is no moral society at all."

Miss Pulver averted her gaze. Yes, Miss Romero.

Doctor, Sarah said.

Yes, Doctor.

Way to make friends, Mom.

Now, I’m here to make introductions. Let’s make this as pleasant as possible. There was nothing pleasant in Sarah's smile as she faced the class. Mr. Foster comes to us from SUNY Geneseo, where he recently earned his bachelor’s degree in special education. I believe you all know Miss Pulver. Miss Pulver twiddled her fingers and smiled. Mr. Clark you know. She nodded at the man with the flamethrower, and he nodded back. Ani was happy for a familiar face, even if she couldn’t see it behind the visor. She liked Mr. Clark, and he seemed to like them, even if he was paid to convert them to small piles of ash if they started acting funny. The guards outside the door will rotate on a daily basis. You will not get to know them.

Now, to establish some ground rules. She touched the smart board and opened a PowerPoint presentation. She narrated as she flipped through slides. All school rules are in effect at all times. This includes swearing. She looked at Kyle, who shrugged, and Devon, who averted her gaze. In addition to appropriate dress, you’ll wear your helmets and leg shackles whenever we’re not at the lab and will be chained in a line when moving through the halls. Any attempt to remove any of these protective devices will result in the suspension of the program for everyone, and Mr. Clark will deal with the offender.

It took Dr. Romero five agonizing minutes to outline everything they couldn’t do: leave the room without escort, be in the halls when classes changed, use sharp objects, get within arm’s reach of non-zombies, touch the big red button on the wall....

Their fire drill procedure was pretty simple: stay put until everyone else was out of the building, then follow Mr. Benson, who would come up to lead them.

When she finished she didn’t ask for questions, but Kyle raised his hand anyway. She favored him with a cool glare.

What?

So what happens to us if we swear?

Ani tried not to roll her eyes as her mother answered.

Our options for discipline are limited, Kyle. Just remember that Doctor Banerjee and I control every aspect of your life and have gone out of our way to make it as pleasant as possible. That doesn’t have to continue. Any other questions? Her tone made it clear that she wouldn’t be taking any more questions. She looked at Mr. Foster. They’re all yours. Good luck. Call if you need me.

She walked out of the room.

Kyle muttered, Your mom’s a bitch.

Yeah, but she’s my bitch.

The door locked with a clang. Mr. Foster giggled.

It was going to be a long year.

*   *   *

Sarah talked through a bite of mashed potatoes. Is it just me or is Kyle more obnoxious than normal?

Ani smirked. I don’t think it’s professional for an administrator to talk about students in that way, Mom.

Do you think it’s because he’s back in school? She washed down another bite of potatoes with a sip of Diet Coke.

No, I think it’s because his dad’s a drunken redneck and his mom’s a meth-head with a negative IQ. Plant corn, get corn. Maybe. He was a bully before prom, and now he’s an outcast. He’s probably feeling self-conscious. It’s not like we’re conspicuous or anything. The helmets were a rude surprise.

Her mom shoved a spear of asparagus into her mouth, then scraped the rest of the food into the garbage. It was part of the deal, sweetie. She put her plate in the sink.

Their little apartment in the lab wasn’t much, but at least it was private space. Sort of private. Ani did her best to ignore the security cameras that covered every inch of every room.

How’d it go at the doctor’s today, Mom?

I’d rather not talk about it.

Ani bit her lip. That’s not the deal. No secrets.

Sarah sighed. The new medicine is awesome, but it makes me so tired. I feel like such a grouch all the time because I don’t have the energy to both get my job done and be nice.

And this is different from normal, how?

Between Doctor Banerjee and the new superintendent and school board, I get a mountain of paperwork every day, but it doesn’t seem to matter how fast I get it done. There’s always more. She collapsed onto the sofa and put her feet on the coffee table. Still, it beats the alternative.

Ani got up from the table and sat at the upright piano. She missed her baby grand, but there was no room for it in the tiny apartment. Alternative? She coaxed a few bars from the keys, piano dolce.

What’s that? Sarah asked.

Giazotto’s Adagio in G Minor. I’m adapting it to piano.

I thought it sounded familiar. She raised her voice as she went into the bedroom. So anyway, being dead.

What?

"Being dead is the other alternative. I don’t mean dead like you, I mean dead."

A year earlier, when Ani woke in Dr. Banerjee’s lab, strapped to a table and reeking like the decomposing corpse she was, she had assumed that she was in Arizona and that her mother was dead from cancer. She’d never been happier to be wrong or to hear her mother’s voice.

The miracle remission was almost complete, and her mother showed little sign of the exhaustion that had plagued her the previous year. Ani wasn’t sure if there was a God that loved her or if she was just the luckiest person to ever contract ZV; she just knew that she didn’t deserve a second chance and was happy to have it.

Sarah’s voice startled her. Penny for your thoughts?

Oh, I was just daydreaming, Ani hollered over the piano.

About?

Never one to let things go, are you, Mom?

Ani pressed Middle C and held it, gathering her thoughts. Mike, mostly. The others, the ones who didn’t make it. Not Mike. Don’t talk about Mike. Mr. Cummings and Mrs. Weller. How are they doing, anyway?

Her mom came out of the bedroom wearing her jogging suit. Not too bad. Their grievance is sort of tracking Romero versus Ohneka Falls through the courts. I think they have a hearing or something next week with the arbitration panel.

So they might be coming back?

I hardly think they’ll be welcome, but the lab will cover the additional expense and the District might not have a leg to stand on. They were infected in the line of work, after all. Chaperoning the prom. So yeah, I think they might be coming back. Good save. So, what about Mike? Damn.

It was so sad watching him in school today, trying to add three-digit integers. He’s just so...dumb. Because I ate a chunk of his frontal lobe.

Sarah bent down and touched her toes. She wasn’t as limber as she had been a year ago, before Mike’s dad had moved on to a younger woman. These new regeneratives are pretty impressive. Once we cure you guys, he’ll probably gain back most of his neural functionality.

Ani closed her eyes. I hope so. She put her hands on the keys and started to play. It wasn’t ready to record yet, not even for YouTube, much less to go through the bother of writing it down.

Back in a bit, honey, her mom said as she left.

Chapter

2

The next day there weren’t quite as many protesters, but the creepy cultists were still on the sidewalk outside Wegmans. A fender bender in front of them delayed the bus a few minutes, so they got to school in the middle of the announcements. As they lurched and clanked their way through the school, Ani took the opportunity to peer into some of the other classrooms. They were half empty. All of them.

Where is everybody? Lydia asked.

My dad says attendance is down almost sixty percent, Samantha said. Sam’s dad was on the school board and was one of the most vocal opponents of the ZV mainstreaming program. According to Sam, it wasn’t that he didn’t love his daughter, he just felt that it was too risky to let the living and the dead socialize.

The dead. The Special Dead. Ani had heard the term the day before when Principal Leoni said it. Adults always talked about teenagers as if they weren’t even standing there, but now it was worse. Miss Bell had called them the corpses when she was taking attendance, but even that was better than Mr. Gursslin. Mr. Gursslin sneered, crossed himself, and slammed the door when they went by.

*   *   *

Ani was trying to figure out what a derivative was when the period-change bell rang. Her precalculus book looked like it

Reviews for Special Dead

[spiceca_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

To be completely honest - I did not realize this was the second book in a series when I requested a copy. Had I known that I may not have requested it as I usually like to read a series in order.However, since I did request it, I went ahead and read it and while the book was OK I realize that I might have liked it better if I had read the first book beforehand.Taking all that into consideration - here is what I thought. I liked the premise although it take a little bit for me to realize what happened in the first book to be caught up. The characters kinda blurred together until I was about midway through. That is also when the pace picked up a bit better and the meat of the plot really gets going.I found it hard to wrap my head around the mother/daughter dichotomy - again this may be better explained int he first book - and just had trouble relating to the main character on a personal level. I did like the ending and thought it was well planned. So the first half of the book gets 1 star and the second half gets 4 stars for an average of 3 stars.I would recommend reading the first book before tucking into this one as you'll at least know the players and the personalities much better.

[jurai2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This sequel to Twice Shy rocks! Ani and her mother are back, post-prompocalypse, along with a handful of teens that survived that horrible night but were infected with ZV (Zombie Virus). The novel follows this “special dead” group through a horrifying school year that includes being ostracized by their peers, dodging an awkward cult followings, and surviving the ethically corrupt Dr. Banerjee, Ani’s mother’s colleague who is desperate to find a cure for ZV and will stop at NOTHING to do so.Patrick Freivald keeps readers in captive suspense to the very last page. As I had mentioned in my review of Twice Shy, I have zero interest in zombies; however, this book and its partner have piqued that interest and left me eager to read more on the subject.

[chrystal_grcevich · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I will first start out by saying that I had not actually read the first book in this series. The good news is that it ultimately didn't matter. Ani is a teenage zombie that basically infects everyone at her prom by going on a complete rampage and we start the story a bit after the incident. The timeline confused me a bit, though, as a couple of the zombies were apparently in their late teens and early twenties, while some were 17 and were all attending high school.The story starts off with Ani, our lead, and the other main characters getting fitted for bite guards as they are bussed back to their high school to attend classes. I'll be honest and state the I really wanted to stop reading at that point. There is a rampant virus ("ZV") that has affected many people, and they are worried about returning the infected children to high school? That would be the last thing on my mind, from either side of the fence.We find out that one of the teenagers returning, Mike, had his brain eaten out at the prom and is a little mentally deficient. This is definitely awkward, if not funny. All he ever says is, "Hi," and asks if anyone wants to play Jenga. The others are angry or trying to cling to their teenage personas from before they were infected and have a hard time of it. Each of them have to sit in some sort of serum at night to heal themselves (or preserve themselves? I'm still unclear) and are required to take shots to get rid of their brain cravings.I'm also unclear as to why Ani's mom, Sarah, holds the secret that she does from her daughter about her own health condition. Sorry, without putting a spoiler here, that seems very vague. Sarah knows a lot more than anyone else, but there are a lot of mysteries that are just thrown together in the end. I wouldn't even call these mysteries solved. They just confused me. Perhaps these issues were gone over in the first book, but I honestly doubt it as most things were disclosed to the reader in THIS book.Overall, Special Dead does have it's humor and it's place in the young reader category, but I wouldn't quite call it a young adult novel. This would be more suited to those of the young teen age range. The book is well written and held some possibilities, despite the strange plot and some loose ends, but it was definitely rushed at the end. The whole tone of the book changed in the last sixty pages or so. It's worth an afternoon read, but not necessarily something that will tax your brain or challenge you in any way, I'm sorry to say. It's not so bad as to call it "bad," but it's definitely not a solid "good," either. With a bit of work, I think this could be a great novel, but it certainly needs some more added to it, if for nothing else than to wrap up those loose ends.I was given this book complimentary from LibraryThing.com in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although a sequel, this was easy to pick and read almost as a standalone. However, there were plenty of parts that just dragged, which somehow hurt the reader's empathy towards the characters.

[wolffaerie17 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ani Romero was born with ZV or Zombie Virus. She's been dealing with being dead for longer than the two years that she's claiming. Ani along with those that survived Prom are now called Special Dead. Nothing is what Ani thought it would be for herself and her fellow Special Dead classmates. Ani tries understand what is going on around her. The Special Dead attend high school in their own classroom but not everyone is happy to have them there. Ani doesn't like Dr. Banejere or his methods. Ani can't explain why she feels this way yet knows that it's true. Can Ani admit the truth? What is Dr. Banejere up to? Your answers await you in Special Dead.This sequel picks up two years after Prom. I really enjoyed this book. The characters and story still had alot to say. Both were fascinating, compelling, intriguing, real, and raw. I'll definitely be reading more of this author in the future.

[val313_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am writing this review on behalf of the Teens that checked this out in the library. For the most part they thought it was good. A few had read the first and thought that this was a good follow up. They said it was funny and scary. They rated it 3 stars.

[honoliipali · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Unless you are a fan of YA zombie stories, do not bother with this book. Especially if you did not read the first of the series. I found the story to be confusing, trite, unbelievable, etc. But then I am not a fan of YA or zombie stories. So, combining those two genres did nothing for me.To me, the writing style was choppy and disjointed.

[lisamp_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While I thought this was a good standalone, I think I would have benefited from reading the first one. Overall, very imaginative and fun.

[tanya2011_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One reviewer posted that Patrick Freivald combined humor, drama, action, suspense with even a slice of romance. So totally true. This book, along with the sequel "Special Dead", were really great. I read them both in one week (about 400-500 pages). After being sick for 2 wks and not reading, these were awesome to get me back into reading. Definitely looking forward to more from this author.

[wrighty_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I didn't know where this book could go after the ending of the first book but great job! I'm so curious if there could be more. I really liked the direction of the story. It gave a different take on the traditional zombie story. The scientific explanation and legal issues were interesting but not too complicated for the reader. The writing is very well done and I found it hard to believe this was a male author. The protagonist was female and very believable. I liked the characters and empathized with them. The people that were infected weren't "monsters" or hopeless cases but had a horrible medical condition. The different relationships were so complicated and interesting. Some people were torn between how they felt about those who were infected and how they are told to feel about them. Obviously there is extreme danger but the undead maintained their personalities, feelings and ambitions. How can they just be written off so easily by those who love them? I was very impressed by the relationship between Ani and her mother Sarah. They had a fierce, unconditional love and would do anything to protect each other. As the leading authority on ZV (Zombie Virus), Sarah has made it her life's work to cure and save her daughter and holds many secrets. There are authorities that are happy to exploit them and their very life hangs in the balance. As in the first book I loved recognizing real places near where I live. It was creepy and exciting! This story also had plenty of action that led to another great cliff-hanger ending. Freivald has a talent for leaving the reader hungry for more. :D (Get it? I HAD to do it!)Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an arc ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[elizabeth_hurlburt_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I LOVED Twice Shy and after the way it ended I didn't think there would be anything else for Ani and friends. So I was surprised to see giveaways for "Special Dead" on various sites, and excited to win one.However, I was really disappointed in this book. The whole thing just felt completely unnecessary. The story was boring and the ending kind of ridiculous. Plus there was the constant use of the world giggle in all its forms whenever Mr. Clark was mentioned. I found it incredibly annoying. Were there really no other words better than that?If you enjoyed "Twice Shy" I would not recommend reading this book. If you haven't read it, then maybe you'll like this book, who knows.

[katyas_26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy (zombies)Reading Level: Young AdultRecommended for: fans of darker urban fantasy, those searching for something a little different in the zombie genre, those who enjoyed the first book.Trigger Warnings: murder, violence, ruthless and sociopathic behavior, assault, religious zealotryMy Thoughts: The first book in this series seemed a fairly main-stream young-adult urban fantasy, until the last few pages, which left me gasping like a fish out of water. So I was very excited to learn that a sequel was in the works.Like the first one, this one has a twist ending I absolutely did not see coming that knocked me flat. Not as innocuous as the first one, this story is quite dark as those who survived Prompocalypse try to deal with their new (un)lives as the walking dead. The reactions of the world are fairly typical: frothing, spitting fundamentalists that want all the zombies sent to hell where they belong, and a strange death-worshiping cult that is enthralled with the whole idea of surviving beyond death.This story is, in short, not for the faint of heart, but I really enjoyed it. I think those who like darker urban fantasy, those who are looking for something a little different in the zombie genre, and especially those who enjoyed the first book will want to read this one. It was only just released a couple days ago, so go check it out if this sounds like you.Series Information: Twice Shy seriesBook 1: Twice Shy, read and reviewed 10/19-20/2012, review linked here where formatting allowed.Book 2: Special DeadDisclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: Shackled to her desk, Ani Romero has a hard time concentrating on her studies. One of eight zombie survivors of the Prompocalypse, she's back at school, but this time it's no secret. Locked in their room, flamethrower-toting soldiers watching their every move, they're tasked with homework and classes during the week, and macabre experiments on the weekend.When the courts rule they're not human, only an appeal keeps them alive long enough to discover a cure. College applications and SATs pale under the threat of incineration, and desperation turns them into lab rats... ...but the scientists helping them have ulterior motives, and the promised cure destroys more than the virus.Surviving high school has never been so hard.

[terriko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Zombie teenagers stuck attending school in a world that isn't sure it shouldn't just kill them? I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but it managed to have an interesting blend of teen drama, science, politics, and action, and the ending certainly ramps everything up a notch!Since I got it without having read the 1st book, I think I was missing a bit of character development, but the story was definitely readable enough on its own. I'll have to go back and try the 1st book now.

[frankerrington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review CopySpecial Dead is a sequel to Patrick Freivald's debut novel, Twice Shy, the story of a High School student with the Zombie Virus. Twice Shy was not a book I was planning to read. When it was published in 2012 I had no idea what it was about, but then I was given an advance copy of Special Dead and thought it would be a good idea to read book one. I was pleasantly surprised. Great story, great read, and one of the best books I've read this year.Following the Prompocalypse at the end of Twice Shy, Ani Romero is no longer the only non-living student at Ohneka Falls High School. It's a little more than a year since all hell broke loose at the prom and the courts are forcing the school to provide a classroom education to the Special Dead. They are essentially cut off from the rest of the school, forced to wear special helmets, leg-irons, guarded by men with flame-throwers and instructions to use them if needed. Yet, despite their situation, these kids struggle with the same desires, goals as issues as living high schoolers.Freivald does an excellent job of using the Special Dead to expound upon current real world prejudices. "'I miss church,' Lydia whispered. She fiddled with the silver cross at her neck and looked at the clock. Ani followed her gaze. 11:00 am Sunday. It's hard to be a Baptist zombie. Especially when your preacher organized marches encouraging the government to send you to hell where you belong."In the search for a permanent cure for the ZV, progress is being made, and then BANG. The writer provides more than a few, "Oh, WOW," moments and an ending I promise you won't see coming.Special Dead is every bit as good as Twice Shy. The novel can stand on it's own, but I strongly recommend reading Twice Shy first. Both are available, right now, in multiple formats.Highly recommended.

[clpurtill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I adored the first title in this zombie series. It was fun and funny and also a little gross (just enough to remind you it was horror!). But something went awry in this sequel. I felt like it became bogged down in the school/classroom. It didn't feel like enough new territory was being explored. I will definitely read more by this author but I can't say this lived up the expectations of the first book.

[tammydewhirst · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever read a novel and felt that you were missing something? Readers of this review will probably say, “You should have read the first novel.” I’m not talking about things that might have been explained in the first novel. There are elements in this novel that a reader thinks, “Okay that will eventually be explained” and those little mysteries never really are explained.That said, Freivald has some great moments. Again, I hadn’t read the first book so when I’m reading Ani’s initial thoughts and she’s reminiscing longingly about the warm blood and taste of brains this reader was stopped and had to go back and read. Yes, she did say warm blood and brains. Okay. Most of the teens (and younger adults) are still pretty aware of whom they were and from that aspect “Special Dead” is pretty fascinating. Ani is well developed as a character with a history and the reader gets involved with Ani and her friends.If you are a reader who enjoys a good zombie novel, you’ll find “Special Dead” a little out of the ordinary. Frievald’s take on zombies and their origin is interesting as is the way in which he treats them in the novel. “Special Dead” is geared to young readers and encourages them to explore within themselves issues outside of the realm of the novel. I can't say that I would explore this series further but can see how it would appeal to younger readers.

[saginawhorror · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A somewhat strange book about zombies in school. It was quite interesting i probably would have liked it better if I'd read twice shy first. It does make me want to read twice shy.I would happily recommend this and await book 3 impatiently.

[fanny_10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Special Dead" by Patrick Freivald was not just another zombie book. The idea that Zombies may be functioning, thinking creatures opens up a variety of possibilities. Do they have rights? Ani Romero is one of several teen zombies who attends high school while wearing a restrictive bite guard and leg irons, surrounded by guards bearing flamethrowers. I didn't read the first book in the series but it didn't affect my enjoyment.Thank you Patrick Freivald for this providing this LibraryThing Early Reviewer copy.

[jackiewark · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ani Romero has been infected with ZV, the Zombie Virus, and although her mom, Dr. Romero, Dr. Banerjee, and other scientists have it mostly under control (from attacking humans to suck their brains out), eight teenagers who were zombie survivors of the Prompocalypse are quarantined. However, they still have some rights as the Supreme Court ponders their fate...they still have the right to an education. So, although shackled and constricted by leg irons, they carry on. Things start to go out of control when Ani and her mom hear whispered, secret conversations between Dr. Banerjee and newcomer, Dr. Freeman. They realized that their lives are in danger and they are being used and abused as lab rats. It is a race to see who finds the cure for ZV, but more importantly, what will they do with it once it is found? Special Dead: Twice Shy, Book II keeps your attention as sinister forces are being played out. Yet, in order to get some of the background information, it would probably be wise to read Book I ahead of this one. Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Journal Stone, and Patrick Freivald for this ARC.

[hollicolli · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not a hard series to pick up with book two, there were a few things that were probably much clearer in book one, but at the same time it feels like there are unanswered questions from the origin of this story. I wanted to like this story, but every time I read the last name of the protagonist it made me roll my eyes and took my out of the story completely. While I am sure it is a nod to George Romero, the father of the modern zombie tale, it felt like a wink to the audience each and every time. No spoilers on the ending, it was definitely a set-up for the next book but wholly unsatisfying.

[rsard_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It is nice to pick up the second book in a series and enjoy it without _needing_ to have read the first - and to find it interesting enough to want to read the first.What DO you do when the dead keep walking? How do you decide what rights the have? How do you balance their rights and the danger of their infection? What the dickens do you do with them while the courts sort through it all and make a decision? As one of the infected, Ani finds herself in the middle of things in more ways than one, and isn't happy about it.Some things about the book were confusing and irritating (the US education system seems insane, for a start) and assumptions are made about things ranging from music to games which not everyone will understand, but the book gave me some amusing moments and was, overall, a pleasant read for a zombie afternoon. I can't decide if this is the second book in a trilogy, or if if is going to end as a tetralogy/quartet. It could go either way, but it will be interesting to see what happens.Endnote: Special education for the special dead echoes a lot of historical and present truths without being overtly political. It also offers parents/teachers/reading groups a good kick-off for discussing everything from leprosariums and - in some cases - the legally sanctioned abuse of patients until the present day, to the subtler results of specific language teaching (such as the banning of Welsh).

[deathsmistress · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When I requested this I had no idea that it was a second book. Though it was, I don't think you have to read the first to understand what's going on. I got the gist of things and still liked the book well enough. It was alright, probably not something i'd actively tell people about but if they happened to ask, I'd say it was pretty good. I did like the ending though, it made me want to read about what was happening.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this sequel to Twice Shy, Ani Romero is back but this time she has friends. Thanks to prom night, Ani's little secret is out and she's no longer the only zombie in her class. Her mother is still seeking a cure but, in the meantime, she has forced the school board to offer a class for Ani and her fellow zombies. Of course, they have to wear ankle chains and helmets with mouth guards, their teacher is terrified of them, and the cafeteria food still sucks but at least now they just have to pretend to eat it. But their presence at the school has brought out the crazies: some hate them, some worship them, and some just want to experiment on them. With all this going on, how will they ever find time for homework?Having read the first in the series, I was looking forward to reading this sequel and it was definitely just as much fun. Ani and her friends are a likeable bunch and they work well together in warding off all their problems while controlling their cravings for deeelicious brains...or not!

[randirousseau · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's rare that I can really only say a book was "ok." Interesting enough I kept reading, but really not very interesting. A lot of time was spent going over everyday stuff and teenaged frustration. Which rather looked a lot like Live teenage frustration. With helmets and leg chains. I did like the twist that they retained their personalities, memories, and mental skills, rather than just being the traditional slavering animal zombies. But other than that, not a lot happened until about the last 20 pages. A lot of potential here, but it just kind of missed the mark a bit.

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Surviving a zombie attack should be a good thing, right? But surviving it as a zombie... not so much. Ani Romero would much rather be dreaming about her boyfriend than dreaming about tasty brains. And then there's the whole question of whether she and her fellow survivors are even human anymore. The teachers want to run, their fellow students want to worship them, the townspeople want to burn them alive, and the government wants to use them for experiments... welcome to zombie high school.And if it sounds like a fun, up-beat book? I messed up the review, because it's definitely not all sunshine and light. Not the best zombie book I've read, but not the worst, either.

[lesliejung_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Spoliers: what's wrong with this picture: teens in chains and armour, bussed in and taught in special classrooms with teachers fearful yet determined to enforce their rights - they are zombies, and Ani's mother thinks she is onto a cure in competition with a doctor who truly has another agenda. interaction among the students and Ani with her mother are authentic and affecting; their zombie condition thoroughly woven into their personalites and the life in school they lead. an old rivalry threatens to overwhelm them all and we genuinely are in their pitching. skillful development of tension, and full characters made this a pleasure to read, despite some sagging in the narrative now and then when we go through a relapse, and then complex (but actually straightforward) romance complications. this is second in a series, and i hope there will be more.

[antares1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Special Dead by Patrick Frievald is definitely a sequel, and I felt out of step at times for not having read the first one. The premise is the aftermath of a zombie attack at prom that has left several students zombies, It's a curious mix of high school angst and judicial mandates as the zombies are in contention for personhood, and all the school goes through to accomodate these unique students. I will probably go back and read the first book as I found this one engaging. Some of the characterizations were a bit shallow, but I feel like they might have been dealt with in the previous book.

[britt84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second book about Ani's life as a zombie. I hadn't read the first book when I started this novel, and it is perfectly understandable and readable if you haven't read the first part. It did however make me very curious about the first book, so I read the first book straight after.Ani and a number of other students from her highschool have become zombies; while scientists are trying to find a cure, they try to live a life that is as normal as possible.I really enjoyed reading this book, it kept me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. It's a pretty quick read, written in very easy flowing language, and I found it very gripping.I very much enjoyed the development of the characters throughout the book and the interactions between these different students, each with a very different background, but forced to live together because of their condition.Other than the general teen problems the book also gives you something to think about: How far are scientists allowed to go in order to cure a disease? If sick people are a danger to others, how should we treat them?An added bonus is the conspiracy of scientists and government, who might, or might not, be interested in the welfare of the students.

[bkjake · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Received via LibraryThing Early ReviewersInteresting characters, interesting premise, but I really felt I was missing something not having read the first book in the series. Overall a bit shallow, but not hard to read. I think there will definitely be a third book.

[pixiedark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received "Special Dead" through Library Thing Early Reviewers. "Special Dead" by Patrick Freivald is the sequel to "Twice Shy" "Special Dead" picks up fourteen months after the end of "Twice Shy" when Annie attacked Mike at the the prom. Several people turned into zombies after the Prompocalypse .The eight zombies are now students in a "Special Dead" education program. They are isolated to one classroom and shackled to their desks. They are brought to school in leg irons and wear helmets and bite guards. At night they live in a lab where Ani's mom Sarah Romero and her colleagues work on a cure for ZV. As the book progresses it is revealed that people in the lab have ulterior motives and don't really care about a cure."Special Dead" has another surprise ending just like "Twice Shy" I wonder if there will be another book in the series? This book had some very sad moments in it. What the lab technicians put Ani through and how the zombie children were treated made me cry and feel angry at the same time. I could not put this book down, I had to know what happened in the end.