The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan

"In Mary's world, there are simple truths.
The Sisterhood always knows best.
The Guardians will protect and serve.
The Unconsecrated will never relent.
And you must always mind the fence the surrounds the village..."

I blame Darla D of Books and other thoughts for this entirely. But with a title and book description like that, who could blame anyone for being tempted.

Mary lives in a small, fenced-in village surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth, where the Unconsecrated wait for the opportune moment to strike, to kill. Living her sheltered life with her mother and brother, mourning the loss of her father, Mary dreams of the world outside the fence, the world lost to her people, and the ocean she longs to see with her own eyes. Her quiet existence is shattered one day, when she is proposed to by her childhood friend, Harry, when it is his brother whom she longs for. When tragedy strikes, Mary finds herself at the mercy of the Sisterhood, the mysterious group of nuns who maintain their society and way of life, but whom she soon discovers bear some terrible secrets.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth was not the book I was expecting. From the reviews and blurb that I had read, I imagined it to be a run-of-the-mill fantasy, set in a small village where a girl finds the truth about her ancestors and origins. It is all that, but also so much more. Forest is gripping and suspenseful, harrowing and sad, and I could barely put it down; reading the entire book on Christmas Day. But it is not your typical zombie story either, and it is these differences that truly make the book worth reading.

This is a tale of longing and loss, of growing up, and of making choices. And yes, it is the first in a possible series. The second book, The Dead Tossed Waves, will be published in the spring, and a film adaptation of the first book is likely for 2011. I have read many comparisons with Twilight, and though Forest is as readable ad exciting as the vampire series, I found it to be far better quality writing and a more enjoyable set of characters with real tangible flaws.

Most definitely a series I will be following. Thanks Darla!

Other blog reviews:
Becky's book reviews
Books and other thoughts
My Fluttering Heart
Ravenous Bookshelf
Stuff as Dreams are Made on
The Written World

(Have I missed yours?)