Release date: April 3

What it's about: This speculative, historical fiction YA novel is set around the time of the American Civil War, except the nation is under attack by zombies (also known as shamblers). Jane, our black heroine, has been trained to fight these zombies and protect whites against them at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore. Certain laws, such as the Native and Negro Reeducation Act, have been enacted to train children like Jane so they can learn to kill the walking dead. Jane is one of the best shambler slayers out there, but when she finds herself caught up in a life or death conspiracy, she must not only fight the dead, but also fight for her life. Not only does Ireland's savvy, enlightening, and harrowing novel put a unique spin on an alternate history filled with the undead, but it also provides insightful commentary on racism and privilege within the system we live in today.

Get it from Amazon for $12.32 Barnes & Noble for $12.92, or a local bookseller through Indiebound here.