The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

No. of pages: 404
Rating: 9/10
Series: The Forest (Book 2)

Synopsis: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

Review: Gabry has grown up within the safety of one of the last cities that's not infected with the Unconsecrated/Mudo/zombies. Living with her mother Mary in the lighthouse, she's always felt secure and loved. But then one night of silly risks ends all of that and Gabry suddenly has to grow up over night. Along the way she finds out a lot of things she never could have imagined, and she finally discovers the truth about the forest of hands and teeth...

Like the first book The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, I read this in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. The story in this book is set some 20 years after The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, and centres around Mary's daughter Gabry, who has grown up oblivious to what has happened to her mother in the past. As a result, she's quite naive at the beginning of the book, in a way that Mary never was. Because of this though, I felt Gabry had more of a journey realising how sheltered she's been all these years and growing up from that, where as Mary was always very realistic and hardened to the world of the Unconsecrated/Mudo/zombies. I did really enjoy the storyline of The Dead-Tossed Waves, and I loved the character of Elias, who I was rooting for throughout. I didn't quite like the main character of Gabry as much as I liked Mary though, and that's why I've marked my rating down to 4.5, although that's just a personal preference, both books are equally fantastic in all other ways. If you liked the first book, then you'll love this sequel, and if you haven't read The Forest Of Hands & Teeth, I highly recommend you do! It's a fantastic series, and the only problem is now, the next book isn't released until spring 2011, and that's too long a wait!