Initial Impressions 9/24/15: Oh that was fun! Very cult comedy, silly, gory. And the ending! I actually didn't expect it but I kind of loved it. Loved the little twists, Laurel and Tom were awesome, and I just love how fun Emmy's writing is. I thought this book was a lot of fun to read, very quick, very easy, and a hilarious and yet horrifying concept. I also really liked the little messages strewn throughout regarding appearance, valor, and respect. Very well done! 
 But, readers... Know what this book is. It's campy, it's silly, it's like a zombie movie. It's supposed to be a bit ridiculous but at the same time still has a message. It's not a contemporary romance (though there is a romance). It's not a mystery. It's basically fun horror and thriller. I went into this book expecting exactly what I read so I had a great time reading it! I feel pretty upset seeing people have terrible reactions to it because they didn't realize what they were getting themselves into... 
 Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 11/17/15: Emmy Laybourne has a great way of blending serious situations and a note of levity and that's exactly what I was looking for when I picked up SWEET! I really enjoyed her apocalyptic/disaster trilogy (the Monument 14 books) and I was definitely in the mood for the tone of Emmy's books when SWEET was next in the queue. 
 The thing that readers need to know about SWEET before starting is exactly what kind of book they're picking up. I read several reviews on Goodreads after I was done with my read of the book (which I thoroughly enjoyed) to see that so many readers were disappointed because they were expecting a contemporary romance or a realistic fiction novel with serious issues. While SWEET does have a romance and it does address serious social and personal issues, the book really reads like a cult classics or a campy horror novel. You're picking up a book about that has a feel of zombies crossed with vampires on a cruise ship... keep that in mind! I'd say SWEET really leans more toward horror or thriller more than anything if I had to classify it so while it does have a more serious side and some cute romantic moments, remember that this book will first and foremost turn your stomach! 
 That being said, this was exactly what I had expected from SWEET and it was so much fun to read! I don't read a lot of horror or books with so much gore but the levity of it kept me interested and amused! SWEET was fun from start to finish. I loved that the book was an exaggeration of a bigger message on body image with some touches on addiction, respect, and valor. There's a serious message underneath this cruise ship nightmare and I really enjoyed how that came across! 
 It was a bit more gory than I had expected but that doesn't really turn me off! I have a much harder time watching gore than I do reading it so I wasn't too bothered by how intensely the book turned. It added to that zombie/vampire feel which made me feel like I was watching a campy horror movie and that was actually a lot of fun! It's not something I immediately run to but it reminded me a bit of Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead (except the people in SWEET weren't exactly zombies... but think of that kind of feel)! 
 SWEET was funny, horrifying, and meaningful all at the same time. It was a super quick and fun read for me and if all of these things sound appealing to you, I'd definitely recommend it! I won't tell you anything about it but I totally loved the ending and thought it was just perfect. I also loved that it expanded my reading horizons since this isn't normally the kind of book I'd pick up. This is just another thing I love about young adult and YA authors -- there really is no limit to what you can write and what genre gets published!