Welcome to Zombie Friday! Currently this is a part of the Summer of Love Celebration being hosted by myself, Lillian from Mom With a Reading Problem and Stephanie from Once Upon a Chapter, but I have a feeling it will extend beyond that. At the moment it’s a way to give ourselves a break from contemporary romance reading, while helping me reread and FINALLY FINISH this series! Every other Friday we’ll be sharing discussions for a couple of the episodes. I wouldn’t call them reviews, I would definitely call them discussions. And here is where I want to triple warn you that as the weeks go on, there will be potential spoilers for the episodes. So I recommend reading them first, and then coming back to see what we thought and comment with your own takeaways — we’d love to hear what you think!
Title: Love and Decay Omnibus: Season One
Author: Rachel Higginson
Published by: Indie
Release Date: April 27, 2014
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 601
Genres: Dystopian, Romance
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon
Blurb:Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.
Reagan said goodbye to love when she was forced to run her high school boyfriend over with her mom’s car just to keep him from eating her for dinner. Now, two years later, and in need of a serious shower, she’s just over the entire concept of a soul mate- or really, any kind of mate.
Well, mostly anyway. When she runs- literally- into a group of boys holed up in a relative utopia of peanut butter and bottled water, maybe all hope in the love department is not lost.
But at the end of the world, nothing can be simple. And with a never-ending supply of Zombies, militia, a psycho-stalker and a cult-like community after her, Reagan is going to have to schedule falling in love between hunting and surviving. Hopefully she can last long enough find out if true love can still exist when everything else has started to fall apart.
Love and Decay, Season One Omnibus is the first twelve novellas in a Dystopian Romance about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.
Episode 5 Discussion
Stephanie: Oh my gosh!! I LOVED Ep 5!!
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Lenore: All right, first, what did you think about Vaughan and Reagan’s discussion through the woods? I kind of forget some of it, but I appreciated that Vaughan was trying to put a stop to the love triangle shiznit. I was a bit annoyed at Reagan for not wanting to make a final decision, though I understood her to a degree.
Stephanie: It was interesting but I am so glad it finally happened. It felt like it needed to in order for other plot points to develop. I can certainly understand Reagan because she laid it out pretty clearly. As a reader though it is hard to roll with.
Lenore: I felt like Reagan copped out and didn’t totally let Vaughan off the hook. Like she still wanted him as a possibility…but maybe that’s just me.
Stephanie: No I can see that. If I remember right she said “for now it’s Hendrix”.
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Lillian: I appreciated him bringing up the conversation. He’s more mature than her in a lot of ways. But I also felt like the middle of the woods during a rescue mission wasn’t the best time to have it either 
I understood Reagan’s non answer to him but at the same time I was like just choose already.1
Lenore: Then we have ALL the new stuff. The strange “idyllic” (not) town, where everyone appears calm and happy. But then there’s the zombies in the lockers and the creepy ass town hall. I was on the side of Reagan with the zombies, keeping them alive is cruel. Just because they’re not human anymore, doesn’t mean they weren’t.
Lenore: And then we have King Matthias. Ugh. Just ugh. I’ll let someone else start on him.
Stephanie: Yes! I totally agree that what they were doing with the Zombies was wrong. And sad. I can’t think badly of the town 100% because the measures they had in place were keeping the town safe. Doesn’t mean I agree with the Matthias (shudders) on most everything. I think he’s a special kind of narcissist. Just that some of the safety measures made sense. And that everyone has to contribute work wise.
Lenore: Yeah, the safety measures were good, but I’m with Reagan on the unfairness of the system. It sounds like an exaggerated version of the capitalist society we have now. 
1
Lillian: This town was creepy, more so than the previous compound that stole their guns and destroyed the hummer. The zombies in the hallway was just asking to turn the entire town in my opinion. All it takes is for one to get out. Also super cruel. Yes they are mindless brain eaters now but also they used to be human. Kill them so they can Rest In Peace all ready. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Matthias. He’s one creepy dude.2
Lenore: I thought Tyler was fascinating, that mix of bad bitch with vulnerable terror. It’ll be interesting to see what comes of her.
Stephanie: Yes for Tyler!! I’m kind of wondering if she isn’t going to be perfect for Vaughn. 
Like she’s gonna chafe a little bit when Vaughn does what Vaughn does best. Lead.
Lenore: And last, but not least, Kane. Fucking Kane. The worst evil, b/c you see moments of humanity…and then they’re overridden by horrible behavior. I think he’s a result of his father. All 3 kids had a different way of coping, and it sounds like it started way before the zompocalypse.
I have a gagillion other thoughts on Kane, but they’re a bit tainted by my previous read, so I’ll let you guys lead that discussion.
Stephanie: Yep. Kane was a lot for me to handle. I think it’s because up until the end threats, I was pulling for him. NOT that I thought he and Reagan could be together. Just that I could understand the loneliness and how he truly thought he had the best course for her life. He actually reminds me a LOT of Gaston.
Lillian: I wanted to hate Kane, but I just felt sorry for him. Like everyone he’s been dealt a shitty hand in life and he’s doing what he thinks is best, following dear old dad’s footsteps. Which of course means he’s a bit psycho 
Reagan’s fear of him is 100% justifiable. He scares me. Not really sure what to think about Tyler after episode 5. I’ve already read 6 so my judgment of her is clouded by that 
2
Lenore: I also thought it was weird that we didn’t really get a Page update at the end of the episode. She’s still sick, but I guess they have no choice but to run.1
Stephanie: Yeah, I thought a no Page update was odd. I’m kind of hoping Miller managed to smuggle some meds out. He most likely (I’m hoping) had access to that area in this episode.
Stephanie: And poor Miller!!! It’s no wonder he did everything that he did.1
Lenore: Yeah, the Miller thing horrified me… He’s like 10? 11? Like, wow. But what a cheeky kid. Love seeing his spirit. And totes agree, if anyone got the meds it’s Miller.
Stephanie: Oh my goodness his spirit! I love how quick witted he is. And unafraid almost to the point of being a danger.1
Lillian: Loved Miller! It’s no wonder he’s taken it upon himself to help his sister escape. Kid is stupid brave 2
Episode 6 Discussion
Lenore: WE GOT KISSING!!!! I genuinely love Ms. Higginson’s kissing scenes, I always get all the butterflies. I kind of loved that it came after such an emotional and scary episode, but was also sprinkled with some lightness. It was surprising given how freaking intense Hendrix can be.2
Lenore: (I had to start with the kissing)1
Stephanie: Yes we did. Finally. I find it hilarious that Reagan couldn’t figure out that Hendrix was waiting for the perfect moment for their first kiss. I don’t know that it was touched on but they mentioned having beauty in the world still. I think it’s more interesting that we’re just a minor inconvenience to nature. Even while humans are falling apart as a species, nature just keeps on keeping on.2
Lillian: Oh the kissing 
It was fantastic! I loved reading Reagan’s reaction to it. How it felt natural but gave her so many feelings. I also loved how they just fit together so well. Hendrix is intense but Reagan softens him a bit.2
Lenore: I kind of loved the first half of the episode, seeing them find a safe place, clean it out, all that stuff. It was like a glimpse of the more mundane normal that they experience, even though it’s a normal I would never want. I love seeing the byplay with the younger brothers here and there.
Lenore: I also loved that Reagan and Haley were still terrified of rats…it’s like, even in a world filled with way worse monsters, you can’t let go of your phobias.2
Stephanie: Yes. I think it also was used to show Tyler and Miller that there’s more to life on the outside than the action packed zombie fighting. That you always have to work for what you have.1
Lillian: I liked this episode too. It kinda took us back to basics for them. This has been their normal for two years since the zombie apoc began. Even their somewhat normal encounter with another group felt like what their other encounters must have been before the ones we’ve seen so far. The rat phobia cracked me up because that would so be me. 1
Lenore: Then there’s Tyler and Miller. I actually didn’t mind their reactions, because they felt authentic. Tyler had been so freaking sheltered, and while she wanted out, she was completely unprepared for the different kinds of horrors in the rest of the world.
Stephanie: I think there are a LOT of young adults who go through this experience. For children with uber strict parents, learning what’s outside the home and all the decisions that are theirs to make can be incredibly overwhelming. Tyler is going through this but with Zombies/2
Lenore: Miller freaking kills me. He is so laid back in some ways, but I can’t help but wonder what is behind all of that.
Stephanie: I LOVE Miller. And I was right!! He had the meds. 
Lillian: Tyler and Miller I love Miller. He’s such a chill kid, I’m assuming because of the experiences he had at his dad’s town. Matthias strikes me as someone who’d throw their kid in the deep end and expect him to swim or die trying, at least any of his boys. Tyler annoyed me. I was like Reagan. I tried to have empathy for her, but I wanted to slap sense into her. These people didn’t have to save you, they don’t have to protect you, shelter you, or you feed you, but they are. Be nice at least. 
2
Lenore: I appreciated the fighting between Tyler and Vaughan…that screams a bit of sexual tension to me. And it fit with what I know of Tyler as well.
Stephanie: Also right with Vaughn and Tyler….well seems to be heading that direction. 
And poor Reagan. They all had just been through it but that revelation of feeling less than human was a hard hit.2
Lenore: Obviously another huge scare. I kind of loved that they finally met some neutral people. Like not good, but not evil. I also LOVED Reagan’s reaction to her own internal lack of trust. I felt that.1
Lillian: I really thought we were losing someone this episode. I was preparing myself through the whole scene. And I was waiting on it to be Hendrix because we just had this Uber sweet scene with the two of them. Too many apoc books have done that too me 
I’m just thankful they all seemed to make it unscathed. Though I have a feeling she’s prepping us for a loss. 
1
Stephanie: Oh my gosh so much this and I can’t say goodbye to any of them. Not one of them. 
2
Stephanie: I am really glad you guys suggested it. (Or if it was just Lenore I can’t remember!) either way these have been great stories and I love the formatting and I NEVER would have sought this out.2
Lenore: Yayyy!! I’m seriously so glad. It’s always hard for me to rec things.2
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