Dead Is a Battlefield [Kindle Edition]

Marlene Perez (Author)

Book Description

Jessica Walsh is starting her freshman year at Nightshade High and trying to forget
about the tragic events surrounding her brother’s graduation. She wants to have a normal
high school experience. But that’s easier said than done in Nightshade.
There’s a new guy at school who seems to be turning the girls into lovesick zombies.
And Jessica has other worries—like her crush on a cute but moody lead singer,
and the mysterious tattoo that appeared on her arm one day that lets her know whenever
there is trouble brewing. Jessica learns she’s a Virago, a woman warrior chosen to
fight evil whenever it threatens her hometown. But does a lowly freshman really have
what it takes to keep Nightshade safe?

This ebook includes a sample chapter of DEAD IS A KILLER TUNE.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Light romance and a paranormal plot are more tongue-in-cheek than scary, making this series a good introduction to the genre for younger readers."--Booklist

"Breezy style and comic-book plot. . . .Fun."--Kirkus Reviews 

Praise for other Dead Is books:

"[Perez] delivers a wise-cracking, boy-lusting, determined sleuth of a high school protagonist . . . this quick, lighter-than-air spoof of the undead, cheerleaders and popularity is pure pleasure."—Publishers Weekly

"A hit . . . grabbed me with the first page and didn't let go."—Julie Kenner, author of The Good Ghoul's Guide to Getting Even

"A fun ride from start to finish. Perez's smart and sassy style soars."—Mary E. Pearson, author of The Adoration of Jenna Fox

"[A] quick, lively romp. . . . Teens looking for a breezy read will find plenty to like here."—Booklist

"This super supernatural murder mystery is sassy, romantic, and spooky-fun!"—Cythia Leitich Smith, author of Tantalize

"Once again, Perez offers up a clever mix of reality—senioritis, high-school graduation events, part-time jobs, and young love—and paranormal elements. . . . Although familiarity with the other four books in the series will certainly give readers an advantage here, newcomers to Nightshade High will have few problems following the sometimes tense, often humorous plotlines."—Booklist

Dead Is the New Black is an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

About the Author

Marlene Perez is the author of seven books in the Dead Is Series, including Dead Is The New Black, an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. She lives in Orange County, California.Visit her website at www.marleneperez.com.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 398 KB
• Print Length: 245 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0547607342
• Publisher: Graphia; Original edition (March 6, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LVQZ1G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,988 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Fluffy goodness with some caveats April 25, 2012

By Tim Lieder VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is either the fourth or the fifth book in this series and at this point the author has abandoned Daisy in favor of a new boy-obsessed high school girl with magical powers and an inability to stay out of trouble. Rather than go the psychic route, this heroine has a tattoo that makes her into a woman warrior - kind of like Buffy but with comrades.

The characters seem less interchangeable than other books. I actually remember Circe Silvertongue from previous installments. The rock band singer and the best friend being manipulated by a weird boy named Edgar seem more interesting than the usual fare that I've come to expect from the series. Of course, the lightness of the series does become glaring when references are made to previous installments and I only vaguely remember actually reading them.

One of the most irritating aspects of this book is the fact that the narrator seems to be very stupid when it comes to solving mysteries. Since the haunted jukebox is no longer a thing, the poor lead singer gets stuck throwing most of the clues her way. However, she also has a tattoo that pulses and vibrates or whatever whenever there is danger near. Throughout the book she keeps getting bothered by that tattoo but every time she should make an important connection, she just assumes that she had a false alarm. This makes for a very annoying last third of the book when the answers to the mysteries are painfully obvious and yet the heroine can't seem to figure them out.

Still, these are books with meager ambitions and they aren't setting out to be great murder mysteries or meditations on the world. This book sets out to provide an entertaining afternoon or two and in that endeavor it succeeds.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Live To Read March 25, 2012

By Chels

Format:Paperback

Ready for a new character on the Nightshade scene? Author Marlene Perez delivers a humorous, exciting book once again. The reader is introduced to Jessica, a seemingly normal teenage girl. Jessica notices a creeping tattoo(ish) image on her arm, she isn't quite sure what it is and if she should be worried. When she meets with Flo and a few other girls, not by choice, she discovers that she is a Virago. A Virago is a female warrior who is called upon to help when there is evil afoot. Jessica isn't quite sure about the source of evil, but it is undeniable that there is something off, once again, in Nightshade.

Jessica's character was easy to like. She was very easy to relate to as well, comes off as a clever, brave, and somewhat sassy teenager. The secondary characters are fun to get to know, particularly the love interest. There is a subplot concerning Jessica's growing relationship with Dominic, the reader will be able to look forward to the chance of some romance incorporated in the plot with the mystery and action. There will be at least one facet of the plot for every reader.

The events were fast-paced, the author always handles the events in an orderly, detailed, and exciting manner. There are several unexpected scenes and discoveries that will keep the reader guessing. This book was very hard to put down, many readers will finish within a day or two of picking the book up. This book is highly recommended to young adult/teen readers.

*Complimentary copy received for this review, does not affect my opinion in any way*

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Previous books were better May 2, 2012

By Sarah J. Carlin VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I was curious to see if Perez would write another book in this series because the previous book, Dead is Not an Option, wrapped up Daisy Giordano's story. Dead is a Battlefield starts a new storyline involving Daisy's neighbor Jessica. Characters from the previous books such as Slim, Flo, and Circe are also characters in this story.
Nightshade is the setting for this series. A lot of odd characters live in Nightshade such as vampires, sorcerers, ghosts, etc. They are all ruled by a council who try to keep all things paranormal under control and under wraps.
Jessica has a strange tattoo that appeared on her upper arm. Flo, a waitress at the local diner has the same tattoo. She explains to Jessica that they are viragos, women with awesome abilities for fighting and defense. When trouble nears, their tattoos will throb. Flo gathers up the viragos from Nightshade and starts training them, should their skills be needed. One of the other viragos is a girl named Raven. Her brother Dominic seems to have a crush on Jessica, yet always ends up hanging out with a young sorcerer named Selena. This the romance storyline in the book.
There is a handsome new boy in town named Edgar that all the girls, including Jessica's best friend Eva, seem to instantly fall in love with. They all follow him around like love sick puppies. Jessica suspects something strange is going on with Edgar that, eventually, her and the viragos must solve.

I really enjoyed the previous Dead Is books, but this one was just not satisfying for me. Jessica is not developed, she is just introduced and a lot of information about her is thrown at readers. There are multiple paranormal plot lines in the book that seem a bit confusing and are wrapped up too quickly at the end. Also, there were just way too many characters to keep track of. I kept getting confused about who was who.

I enjoy reading about Nightshade and I hope the next book in the series is better developed.

More About the Author

MARLENE PEREZ is the author of many books, including the Dead Is series, The Comeback, Love in the Corner Pocket, and Unexpected Development, an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. She lives in Orange County, California. www.marleneperez.com