{"product_id":"joel-river-and-the-zombie-ash-manning-9780645857191","title":"Joel River and the Zombie Cheerleaders: An Acadia Academy Novel","description":"\u003ci\u003eJoel River and the Zombie Cheerleaders - A Queer Southern Gothic YA Paranormal Romance\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eFor fans of \u003ci\u003eHeartstopper\u003c\/i\u003e, queer paranormal romance, and Southern Gothic YA with a supernatural twist, this sweet, low-heat adventure blends first love, friendship, identity, and the undead.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJoel River is a gay junior with a fainting disorder and a talent for staying invisible. Royal Dumaine is a popular, blue-eyed senior swimmer who is definitely-probably-straight. When the two meet at a creative arts high school in the Louisiana bayou, things literally start with a fall: Joel faints at Royal's feet on day one. Mortifying. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJoel tries to avoid Royal after that, convinced the gorgeous senior thinks he's bizarre at best and unhinged at worst. Everyone knows Royal only likes girls, so catching feelings is absolutely off the table. At least, that's the plan.\u003cbr\u003eThe problem? \u003cb\u003eNature itself seems determined to shove them together.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eHurricanes. Sudden storms. Rogue squirrels. Every time Joel turns around, Royal is there: steady, kind, HOT, and increasingly hard to ignore. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eJust as their tentative friendship begins to feel like something more, school life gets very strange, very fast. A cheerleading squad that disappeared in the 1950s suddenly reappears. And everything about that is WRONG. Soon students begin to vanish, the halls reek faintly of decay and hairspray, and Joel and Royal are forced together again; this time to survive.\u003cbr\u003eAs zombie cheerleaders close in, the boys must navigate the undead, their own fears, and the possibility that love really doesn't care about labels. Joel knows he's gay. Everyone says Royal is not. But the heart has its own kind of magic.\u003cbr\u003eAnd Joel would really like to get his first kiss without being eaten alive. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eA queer, low-heat, YA paranormal romance filled with humor, heart, Southern atmosphere, and supernatural thrills. Perfect for readers who love: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- LGBTQ+ YA romance with slow-burn sweetness\u003cbr\u003e- Found-family friendship groups facing the supernatural\u003cbr\u003e- Southern Gothic settings full of charm and danger\u003cbr\u003e- Zombies, vampires, and school drama in equal measure\u003cbr\u003e- Heartstopper-style emotional warmth, with monsters \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eClick \"Buy Now\" to delve into a heartfelt, funny, undead-filled love story where the scariest thing isn't the zombies, it's your first crush.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Ash Manning\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 064585719X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780645857191\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Stein \u0026amp; Wilde\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/09\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 374\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.81lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.77d","brand":"Ash Manning","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47760652992767,"sku":"9780645857191","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_83701436-9e0b-44cd-a9c7-82f658dff4e7.jpg?v=1765514072","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/joel-river-and-the-zombie-ash-manning-9780645857191","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}