H.J. Ramsey's "Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead" is a delightful and surprisingly moving exploration of grief, identity, and the enduring power of love, all wrapped in a charming contemporary fantasy package. This isn't your typical zombie apocalypse story; it's a tender and witty narrative about finding humanity, and perhaps even love, in the face of the impossible.

In the book, Ramsey skillfully navigates the complexities of CeCe's situation. The story isn't just about romantic love; it's about CeCe reclaiming her sense of self after experiencing profound loss. The struggle with her altered body, the fear of losing control, and the alienation from her former life are all handled with sensitivity and nuance. The author avoids sensationalism, instead focusing on the internal turmoil of a character grappling with a new and frightening reality.

However, the book isn't without its minor flaws. At times, the pacing can feel slightly uneven, with certain plot points feeling rushed while others are drawn out. Some secondary characters could have been more fleshed out.

Despite these minor criticisms, "Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead" is a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read. It's a refreshing take on the undead genre, offering a compelling blend of romance, humor, and poignant reflection on what it truly means to be human, even - or perhaps especially - when you're not. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary fantasy with a touch of gothic romance and a whole lot of heart.

The virus - then the zombies that want to munch more than brains - the survivors are few with zealots as another threat - trying to rebuild a functioning society with what remains - discovering truths and adjusting to the new reality - and maybe finding new family and love among the ruins (and a dog, what's life without a dog).

Thank you to NetGalley and Boroughs Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Love & Other Cures For the Recently Undead’s blurb appealed to my zombie loving side. Even more so because the idea of seeing life as a recovered zombie isn’t as done and seems even more disturbing than seeing the start of a zombie apocalypse. Well the excellent title and blurb absolutely pay off in spades, consider me intrigued, disturbed, and absolutely satisfied when I was done reading.

CeCe was a typical freshly 18 year old when she gets bitten by a random guy outside her birthday dinner and succumbs to the virus. Fast forward two years later when a cure is found and she becomes a lot less zombie, minus the bite on her hand. Of course the world isn’t as it was - her mother is dead, her brother is MIA, her best friend and boyfriend are likely dead, and the world around her is nothing like it used to be. While everyone else is rebuilding CeCe is stuck trying to figure out who she is now and, when she sees and gets to know the boy who bit her, in a conflicting rage and like bubble.

I enjoyed where HJ Ramsay went with the quiet parts of this story, from CeCe’s conflicts emotions to society in its current state - complete with extremist groups who are still going strong in how they see this messy world and the recovered zombies within it. There are also some absolutely heartbreaking discoveries I won’t spoil but involve CeCe and the worst situation you can imagine, but most likely, in a zombie apocalypse. Honestly the only thing I may have put to the side was the plot events surrounding CeCe’s brother and some of the elements of finding the cure, as they were a little harder to believe than this young woman’s current world and her blooming emotions in it. Whether you love zombie novels or not, the unexpected heart in this book is what makes it shine.