The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Genre:  YA Apocalyptic Future

Forest of Hands and Teeth Series, Book 2

Carrie Ryan's website
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Description (taken from Carrie Ryan's website):

Gabry lives a quiet life, secure in her town next to the sea and behind the Barrier. She's content to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. Home is all she's ever known, and all she needs for happiness.

But life after the Return is never safe, and there are threats even the Barrier can't hold back.

Gabry's mother thought she left her secrets behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, but like the dead in their world, secrets don't stay buried. And now, Gabry's world is crumbling.

One night beyond the Barrier...

One boy Gabry's known forever and one veiled in mystery...

One reckless moment, and half of Gabry's generation is dead, the other half imprisoned.

Gabry knows only one thing: if she is to have any hope of a future, she must face the forest of her mother's past.

This book began with plenty of action and zombies.  And then it slowed down for a bit.  Once I got about halfway, the action picked up again.  I enjoy Carrie Ryan's writing, and how she describes the setting from Gabry's point of view.  I thoroughly enjoyed how she grew and matured within the story.  I wasn't as engrossed in this book as I was with the first one.  However, I still enjoyed it.

I've heard many people say the second one is a million times better than the first, and you can start the series with the second one without reading the first.  While the second book is from Mary's daughter's point of view making it a different story, I completely disagree.  There's a moment in the book where things click in to place; it makes the first one more well-rounded.  Plus, I absolutely loved Mary's character in the second book, and I don't think I could have had this much appreciation for her if I hadn't read the first book.  I'll be continuing this series because I'm still hoping for a happy ending in a zombie-apocalypse world.