Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this one. A great LBGTQ+ spin on the zombie trope! Will recommend this to all readers in my horror and LBGTQ+ communities!

Description
“Sexy, scathing, delightful, and intimately devastating.”—Gretchen Felker-Martin, author of Manhunt and Cuckoo

Packed with action, humor, sex, and big gay feelings, The Z Word is the queer zombie romp you didn’t know you needed.

Chaotic bisexual Wendy is trying to find her place in the queer community of San Lazaro, Arizona, after a bad breakup—which is particularly difficult because her ex is hooking up with some of her friends. And when the people around them start turning into violent, terrifying mindless husks, well, that makes things harder. Especially since the infection seems to be spreading.

Now, Wendy and her friends and frenemies—drag queen Logan, silver fox Beau, sword lesbian Aurelia and her wife Sam, mysterious pizza delivery stoner Sunshine, and, oh yeah, Wendy’s ex-girlfriend Leah—have to team up to stay alive, save Pride, and track the zombie outbreak to its shocking source. Hopefully without killing each other first.

The Z Word is a propulsive, funny, emotional horror debut about a found family coming together to fight corporate greed, political corruption, gay drama, and zombies.

Like The L Word, but with zombies. Need I say more? A super diverse cast, a story that calls out toxic capitalism and DEI, and some romance. I was in a vile mood when I started reading this and it made me feel so much better.

Would really recommend! As always thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

A campy, smart, satirical zombie novel that takes on homophobia, the right wing, spineless politicians, rainbow washing, capitalism, and more.

There were parts of it that could have been fleshed out more (particuarly the politician's involvement), but overall a tight, zippy novel. Highly recommend.

Lots of body horror, so if that's not your thing, skip out on this one.

The only thing I love more than a horror movie is a book that lives up to them; anything with zombies is a bonus. However, if I were watching this book play out on the big screen, I'm not entirely sure I'd leave the theatre stunned and shaken (which is how I prefer to feel after a good horror film). The book itself was not a bad concept, and I enjoyed the manner in which people turned into zombies but it felt very reminiscent of how people turned in iZombie and so subsequently I found myself comparing pieces of the book to the show which took me out of the experience.

I also had trouble finding the characters likable enough to want to know more about them. The only character I enjoyed was Sunshine, and I would have loved seeing more of them. Overall I think that the book was good, though certainly not the most intricate piece of literature I've ever read. If you're looking for something easy and a little gory, you should check it out! It's a fast read that felt paced nicely, which helped boost my rating.

An enjoyable read, and definitely recommend to queer folk and horror fans. Enjoyed the commentary on pinkwashing/corporatization of Pride. Basically like a queer iZombie (TV show, not graphic novel) with SO MUCH SWEATING. Like I've never read anything where I felt like I needed a shower after a couple of chapters. Honestly, I would love a book just from the POV of Sunshine and Apocalypse Pizza...like is does Apocalypse Pizza only employee liberal doomsday preppers with slayeresque vibes? Is Apocalypse Pizza a front for a ring of demon hunters? What other apocalypses has APizza adverted? What kind of training does Sunshine have? My questions go on and on. Lindsey, if you read this, please deliver us the Story of Sunshine!!!

Here's the thing...this is a solid 3.5-4 star book. (*looks at star rating given..."well why did you rate it 5 stars?"). It deserves 5 stars solely because I couldn't put it down. The story was riveting. The writing style was perfectly captivating. I started and finished it within the same day, ignoring all bodily needs (note: like most bookworms, I have snacks at the ready for such situations). It was fun and exciting with a zombie flare that wasn't over-the-top.

So pushing that aside, what dropped the rating? Note: while I keep this as vague as possible to the point of not being a spoiler, I'd suggest reading the rest of the review after you have read it.
1) Why the heck is Wendy so caught up with Leah? Leah was not a fun, worthy, or interesting character. Yet, Wendy (from start to finish and with a better suitor nearby) is OBSESSED with her for who knows what reason. It was infuriating to say the least. (I could say more, but I'd be giving away some plot points).
2) Maybe it's just me, but if a zombie situation is happening, I'm not going to pounce on my sexual interest the moment I get behind a locked door. Don't get me wrong, I love a good *intimate* (cough) scene. But putting one every couple of chapters is overkill, especially when the scenes are a little dry (pun intended...those who've read it may know what I'm referring to).
3) The author didn't know how to end the story. The finale was really...fast and lead to no where. It was one of those endings where you went "okay...and?" What did their actions accomplish? Because I'd say nothing, and that last spurt of adrenaline was a wasted effort.

I was looking forward to getting stuck into The Z Word, which had the potential to be sexy, acerbic, gory and subversive, bringing a new bite to the zombie genre and a more diverse range of characters to the table. While I did have a fun time, it didn’t live up to these expectations.

King Miller’s queer horror novel centres on a sapphic love story against the backdrop of a mysterious contagious outbreak. The first few chapters kick off in fairly graphic fashion, both in terms of sex and violence, but take a nosedive once the big character twist is revealed. I think my biggest problem was that the cast of characters didn’t feel particularly strong; they were tropey and the supporting cast were more likable than the leads. I didn’t ever find myself rooting for Wendy and Leah’s relationship, which underpins the entire narrative.

That said, the story is well-paced and there was some much-appreciated disgusting zombie action. If you’re looking for campy entertainment The Z Word might deliver; but it certainly doesn’t stick the landing of its social commentary and you’ll spot the big plot twist a mile away.

Check out my review of this book on May 2024’s episode of Fresh Blood on the Evolution of Horror podcast.

A fun mashup of zombies and queer drama, all the while emphasizing the importance of community and found family.

"Utterly chaotic" is the best way to describe this queer zombie apocalypse thriller. I've never read something so utterly bizarre before, but Lindsay King-Miller's writing is brilliant! With queer drama abound and corporate greed gone very, very wrong, "The Z Word" is both emotional, comedic, and mysterious.

Thank you NetGalley and Quirk Books for the eARC.

I have mixed feelings / don't know exactly how I really feel about this book.

It's unapologetically queer and featuring lots of disaster queers and their messy relationships which is amazing. I was going in expecting more of an actual zombie apocalypse book (this is on me but also maaaybe on advertising) but it really isn't. The zombies are kind of secondary and what's really taking center stage is the (queer) messy relationships and found family. It's about queer pain and love, and the constant fear and actually lived experiences of queer people, of loosing part of your queer family, too many people in too short a time. The zombie outbreak as an analogy to what queer communities go through is what I liked the most and thought really well done.

Not gonna lie though, the reveal of the source of the zombie outbreak was a big let down for me and made me go "LOL what?!". I just didn't buy some of it.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a "fun" read.

This was an instant Love and load into my bookclub agenda. Happy Pride BB’s.
A cast that I instantly fell into love with and I wanted to join in the zomb-pride-copalypse with.

The Z Word is one of the most fun books I have read this year. I absolutely devoured this book in one setting. The characters and story line was so well written. I love the concept of the author challenging the idea of rainbow capitalism through the lens of the zombie apocalypse. I highly suggest everyone check this book out!

I love a book where the main character is a chaotic bisexual! I felt so seen!

I however, am not sure I could be as graceful and polite as the main character here if people suddenly started turning into zombies around me while I was just trying to have fun at Pride!

Seriously, the Z Word was so much fun! You've got zombies, drag queens, the coolest pizza delivery driver, Republicans, messy ex girlfriends, and bad fruit flavored seltzer.
What more could you need?! It all comes together to make an amusing book that's part Zombieland, but if it took place at Pride fest and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia if everyone was gay! Read this!

Wendy is bisexual and trying to find her place in the queer community in her new town. It’s hard when her ex is hooking up with members of the community. And then those people start turning suddenly violent and empty- and it starts spreading.

I wouldn’t think a zombie style book would be my thing, but this was just straight up fun. There’s some serious blood, and steamy sex, as well as a lot of lgbtqia diversity. All the characters were awesome; well except for one. It left off with room for a sequel also ; but there was still closure.

“I want to make it through this, but even more, I want them to make it. My friends. The people I love.”

The Z Word comes out 5/7.

I absolutely love zombie stories, but I usually consume them more often via movies or TV shows. When I do get the chance to pick up a zombie book, The Z Word is exactly the sort I want!

The Z Word manages to mix horror, emotions, social commentary, and classic horror chase scene tension all into one. I loved this take on zombies, from the cause of the mutation to the way the zombies react and move in their new form.

What truly made this book click for me was the cast. Our main character, Wendy, has a lot of emotions she needs to work through in regards to her ex-girlfriend. And what better time than a zombie outbreak, right? The cast of secondary characters were fantastic! I found myself bonding with them and wanting to know what would happen to them as well. They’re each very unique and King-Miller does a solid job of bringing them to life for readers.

This debut book is one that fans of horror with a side of humor are going to want on their shelves!

A zombie novel set at a Pride festival? Obviously I'm obsessed! Fiery, funny, and queer as hell, THE Z WORD is delightfully gory and horrific, with juicy critiques of the capitalistic takeover of Pride. The characters are amazingly crafted and feel like my real friends. Reading this book, my face swung from grossed out to tickled to shocked with every paragraph. I adored it!

z is for zombies y'all 😏

wow, I'm gonna be recommending this book left, right and center. The Z Word was an absolute delight! Lindsay King-Miller skillfully walks a fine line between laugh-out-loud humor, nuanced commentary on queer communities, and witty critiques of capitalism. the vibe of being in the middle of a literal zombie apocalypse and still having to clock in for your shift?? exquisite.
(btw does anybody remember the bizarre disconnect between the world falling apart during the COVID pandemic and the complete inability most workers had to just ,,, stay home from work? The Z Word is that exact feeling)


They’ve mostly avoided Mike’s blood splatter, and now they shrug off the poncho and fold it carelessly into a small squarish shape. Belatedly answering Aurelia’s question, they grin at us and say, “I’m delivering pizzas.”
“The fuck you are,” says Logan from the other side of the car.
“Just dropped off the last one,” Sunshine says. “I’m about to head back to the store. My boss said to take the long way and make sure everyone sees the sign.” They point to the side of the car, where a freshly painted YES WE ARE OPEN!!! RIGHT NOW!!! drips lemon yellow onto the pavement.

it's like the official national disaster Waffle House scale, but it's the local pizza store lmao
we have an incredible cast of characters here, my favorite being by and large hot pizza delivery driver Sunshine. I do love a baddie who adds weaponry to their car to fight zombies (and the flamethrower attachments were so iconic lol)


“And then Mike tried to eat us, but Sunshine the hot pizza driver cut his head off, and then we ordered pizza delivery so they’d drive us out here,” Logan concludes. There’s a terrible swirling silence.
“Man, that’s fucked-up,” Beau finally says. “Not the pizza. Thanks for the pizza. You want to grab plates?”


I just really thoroughly enjoyed this book. it had the exact feelings I've always wanted in a zombie book; the helplessness of controlling such an insane situation yes, but the inherent desire to help other people and come together and protect your friends too.
also, it is genuinely super funny. it made me laugh out loud way more than I had anticipated.


“I hate this,” Logan says to her. “You know I don’t even kill spiders, right? I’m into peaceful coexistence.”
“Okay,” says Beau, “but this bitch wants to coexist his teeth into your spleen. You can’t catch him in a cup and take him outside.”


queer rep - queer mc, poly sapphic trans sc, poly sapphic sc, queer (& drag queen!) sc, nonbinary (they/them) sc, the entire supporting cast is queer in some way (bi, trans, sapphic, achillean, etc)
thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc ✨

The Z Word is a fun book - a queer zombie apocalypse novel that also hits on some more serious themes of relationship and how to find and maintain community. There were a few small plot holes, but in general the momentum was really strong and it kept me turning the pages. I'm not sure I'm exactly the audience for this book, but I can absolutely see it will hit strongly with its readership. And the cover is great!

4.5 rounded up.

I absolutely loved this carnage filled queer zombie apocalypse. Reminiscent of 28 Days Later or Shaun of the Dead this is a zombie uprising that happens over Pride weekend told from the POV of a rag tag group of acquaintances that by the end are bonded together.

Sunshjne definitely wins favourite character even with their tiny screen time. Will definitely revisit this for spooky season, or Pride month…probably both.

Fun AND depressing, whee!

Seriously though, it was a solid book, with a few surprises and characters I liked and rooted for (mostly–fuck that one person with a chainsaw)