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 7 Discussion
Lenore: OK, so I feel like this episode had two major parts. The first being the girls night in the gift shop (it was a gift shop right, now I’ve forgotten). I kind of loved this little bit of normalcy that our girls got. It really put into perspective the way they are living, and all the little things missing from their lives. What about you guys?
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Lenore: I feel like we got a bit deeper on Tyler as well…not a lot, but she was a bit more personable.
Lillian: I loved girl’s night. It was clear they needed it and my heart broke for Page who really only had vague memories of doing it with her mom. I liked that it showed a softer side to Tyler. Her initial shock of leaving the community is gone and in its place is the same need to survive as the rest of them. I like that the girls all bonded 
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Stephanie: Oh my goodness yes, the girls. Ugh was adorable. I feel like we’re finally getting to see past Tyler’s defenses and realize that for all her initial unlikeableness that those were her defenses to her trauma.
Lenore: And then, OMFG, there was the gun run. Honestly, that was some serious adrenaline craziness for me. I thought I was going to die.
Lenore: I LOVED that we got to see them trying to survive without guns, which just showcased how important this run was.
Lillian: OMG THE GUN RUN 
I know it’s cliche to say I didn’t know I was holding my breath but for real I caught myself once or twice lightheaded because I was reading so fast and was breathing shallow 
That scene is so intense. Like I got the need and why it was so important but when Reagan’s bat broke, my heart stopped. I thought she was going to die or Hendrix or Vaughn trying to save her would. 
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Stephanie: The gun run was….so intense. And yes I thought it incredibly interesting to see just how essential guns are in this world. And I loved that her baseball bat exploded because that would actually happen.
Lenore: I also really appreciated the way the action was written in this one — from the initial fighting to the OMFG IS REGAN GOING TO DIE HOLY SHIT part.
Lenore: And then the aftermath. My heart freaking broke when Hendrix couldn’t check her. I feel like I always got his feelings for her, but then we get to this scene, and it just…it hits way harder.2
Lillian: This! When he couldn’t check her and his reaction after he knew she was ok, made me heart glow. I don’t think I realized just how much he cared for her until that moment. He always felt a bit more obsessive than actually feelings for her. 
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Lenore: Exactly!
Stephanie: Okay the Reagan scene was excruciating because I think we can all agree hearing the panic sobs/screams of someone you love and literally being unable to respond to them has got to be the seventh circle of hell.
Lenore: OMG, the panic sobs/screams….it was truly just so hard to read and imagine if I were there, you know?2
Lenore: I don’t remember when this happened, but I found it interesting that despite their complete unpreparedness for the horrors of the outside world, Tyler would still choose this new life. You could feel how much she loves Miller, and wants to give him a better life. And it’s freaking nuts that this is the better life.2
Stephanie: That’s Tyler’s redeeming factor and supports my theory of her walls/defenses. Tyler loves Miller the same way the Parker Bros love Page. So I’m willing to give her a pass at all times because she is clearly a work in progress. 1
Lenore: The thing that I enjoy about Tyler is that she’s not our usual book heroine. I definitely agree about her walls/defenses, but I also think she’s a bit high maintenance and sometimes bitchy. I appreciate that, because there are all kinds of people in the world, and sometimes it feels like we don’t get enough variety.2
Episode 8 Discussion
Lillian: Ugh 
that episode was rough in a different way than 7. Tyler wormed her way into my heart. 1
Lenore: I remembered that it was going to be Tyler’s episode, but I forgot so much of her story…we really needed it.1
Lenore: So Episode 8. Wow. What a different way to be emotionally taxed. Completely opposite of episode 7 in so many ways, but I felt so much.1
Stephanie: Very much so. I want to make sure I understood correctly because I can get easily confused: was Tyler used by men in her father’s cult or was she worried she would be? I couldn’t figure out if she had been or was concerned she would be based on the extra person going pee with her. 1
Lenore: I don’t think we know. I feel like maybe something else happened, but she didn’t want to get into it with Vaughan, but that’s just how I read it. 1
Lillian: I agree Lenore. This episode was just as intense but in a different way. The stuff I. The episode had already happened and Tyler relived it in a sense. I was horrified by what she went through. It really puts into perspective her actions and the emotional wall she puts up. It took me back to the first night Miller found them and he was so insistent on saving his sister and that he couldn’t leave her. He witnessed all of this too and knows he can’t leave her. Her trauma is his but his experience affected him differently. 
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Lenore: Oh yes, I never even thought about going back to that first meeting! See, this is why I love buddy reading these.
Lenore: Like I said, I forgot what Tyler’s story was, and wow was it a doozy. Listening to that emotional trauma was…OH GOD, it was just so hard. It really puts Tyler’s reactions into a different light.
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Stephanie: Yes it really does and thank god for Vaughn who just sat there and listened to it all. 1
Lenore: Like, she’s still Tyler, she’s still a bit bitchier, a bit higher maintenance…but she’s also unbelievably damaged.
Stephanie: Very much so. The bitchiness is a wall to keep people out to keep herself safe. My heart cracked for her. 1
Lenore: I kind of loved that Vaughan was there for her to unburden herself. I can see a friendship forming between them, despite the way they rub each other the wrong way. They both feel the responsibility for their siblings the most.
Stephanie: Yes they do. I know not everyone needs to end up together but man I would love to see her and Vaughn together!
Lenore: It’s our romantic hearts, we can’t help it. 1
Lillian: I liked that it was Vaughn she confesses everything too. Even though they haven’t had a chance to talk much because zombies interrupted them, I have a feeling that their going to have one of the strongest friendships in the group. I love that he overheard Miller talking to her and their little parent moment It brought a touch of levity to the episode. 2
Lenore: The parent moment was hilarious.
Lenore: There were a lot of little things I loved in the episode too: Harrison teasing King about his crush; getting more insight into why Miller is always giving up his food…
Lillian: Harrison and King crack me up. I love that we are starting to get to know them a bit better. They are typical teen boys who were forced to grow up too quick, but occasionally they are able to be just kids. 1
Stephanie: Honestly Miller broke my heart the most. I know it’s not a contest or anything but his less obvious trauma and what he’s doing to ensure comfort just made me want to bawl. 1
Lenore: Well, and with him being so young, you don’t always get everything out of him. But being the punching bag of his father…just wow. So much safety insecurity. 1
Lenore: And then there’s that ending. Obviously I knew Kane showed up again (and given his determination, it shouldn’t be a surprise), but I totes forgot it was this episode.
Stephanie: All I could think was “that mother f*^?!r. I was JUST like Tyler. Didn’t even question why something might seem comforting and familiar. 
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Lillian: I wanted to choke Tyler when she went out the door. She broke her promise to Harrison and honestly I was scared he’d go after her and get himself killed. 
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Lenore: Right?? I was so mad at her!! I think she actually learned that lesson though. I wonder if she hadn’t seen that light if she would have broken the promise though…I think it really pulled at her. But she was stupid for going out and checking in the first place. 1
Lenore: The excrutiatingly mixed feelings Tyler goes through…wanting to leave him to die (because duh), but not being able to (also duh). I just ACHED. For both her and Miller.1
Stephanie: I couldn’t make that decision. Because as much as it makes life easier people aren’t solely good or solely bad. I mean Kane in present day is pretty awful but Tyler has GOOD memories of him. And my best guess is that Tyler believes he may be able to be redeemed. Not with her new family but away from their father maybe he can be old Kane again. 1
Lenore: I’m sure that played a factor, but I always thought it was more that she just couldn’t kill somebody, even if it was from lack of action…it’s what her father would do.
Lillian: But then she found KANE. Like how did he find them, is he alone, what chaos is he going to sow?! I was like Tyler wanting to leave him but not able too. Reagan’s reaction surprised me. I know he scares her, but actually wanting to leave him for zombie food was a little much for me. I could empathize with thinking it but actually doing it not so much. I love that the Parker boys stepped in and made the decision, even if it kills them (figuratively, hopefully not literally 
) to do so. 1
Lenore: 100% agree with thinking it but not being able to do it. Reagan’s reaction is odd…I wonder if he traumatized her more than we know. She’s had nightmares. But still. 1
Lenore: I think that’s what I love about this series, Ms. Higginson isn’t afraid to stick in a few moral dilemmas here and there…it’s more than just zombies and action, it’s the basics of humanity.2
Stephanie: I am REALLY loving this series. I am so glad you guys asked me to join you!! 
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