Revealed by H.M. Ward

Blurb:
Fame has a price and Trystan doesn’t want to pay it. Everything he worked so hard to hide is about to be revealed. Nothing he can do will stop it. Within a few short hours everyone will know about his father and the sordid details of his past. Brie is by his side, sputtering things that she shouldn’t know. Did Mari stab him in the back? After everything they’ve been through, he can’t believe it, but where is she?

There are four words Trystan’s father said that haunt him—four words that he ignored—never fall in love.

    

 

My Review:
3 stars — OK, first things first: that blurb is really misleading.  I hate that.

Second, if I didn’t know there was another followup novel in the future, this ending would seriously piss me off.  I feel like I invested in this serial (that is really kind of expensive for what you get), and we didn’t really get much of a plot at all.  It kind of felt like a soap opera where it keeps going and going, but at the end you didn’t really get much.  There was no resolution with either parents.  You got a glimmer of their futures, but I didn’t really believe it was going to all work out nice, so it felt like it just kind of ended abruptly.  And thinking of it from the other perspective, KNOWING there is another book in the future (and seeing a glimpse of what it’s supposed to be about and that they are separated) I will admit to being confused with the happy (ish) ending.  So that was kind of disappointing too.

I guess I liked reading more Trystan and Mari together, and I enjoyed seeing the Seth and Katie bits, but all in all it was just kind of unsatisfying.  Oooooo, I also really loved the Tucker stuff.  I really hope Broken Promises delivers what was missing in this serial novella series.  It was cute, but it could have been a lot shorter and with more meat.

Shattered by H.M. Ward

Blurb:
After Mari’s attempt to help Trystan goes horribly wrong they are both forced to deal with the consequences.

 

 

 

My Review:
3.5 stars — Well that synopsis is horribly short.  After such a major cliffhanger, I didn’t realize that I never went on to find out what happened next (probably b/c this book wasn’t out yet), so this was my first read through!  I find that while I’m still really interested in Mari and Trystan, I’m not sure if this style of serial novella series is for me.  It feels like not enough happens in each book, and I don’t know if it’s just me, but these books definitely feel shorter than the 200 pages they claim to be.  It takes me less than 2 hours to read them.  So it doesn’t feel really satisfying.

I will say that I was kind of disappointed in the predictability of the story — totally saw what was going to happen with Brie.  Totally called Trystan briefly trying to push Mari away.  Sometimes I don’t mind a predictable storyline, but I might not be in the right frame of mind for it right now, kwim?  But I’m invested at this point, so I will finish this, I just doubt I will bother getting involved in any more of these kinds of series by this author.  It’s just not to my *personal* taste.

Riptide by H.M. Ward

Blurb:
A random hook-up isn’t enough for Trystan, not anymore.

After everything Trystan went through to tell Mari that he loves her, there is no way that he’s letting her walk away without knowing how he really feels. Every mask is stripped away making Trystan completely vulnerable. Mari’s the one girl he wants, that he knew he’d never have. But, the look on Mari’s face–the way she kissed him–makes Trystan think that confessing his feelings was worth the risk.

Shocked, Mari stands there staring at Trystan. As if it weren’t enough that Trystan is internet super star, Day Jones, but the song he wrote was about her. That was her name on the music. It was her name etched into his heart. Trystan Scott loves her.

Everything Mari wants is within reach. She just has to have enough guts to reach out and take it.

    

My Review:
ORIGINAL REVIEW: 4.5 stars — AHHHHHH!!!! SON OF A *****!  Another cliffhanger.  The books in this series are getting better and better.  This one was fabulous.  Not only did you get some happiness with Mari and Trystan, but so much happened in such a small book.  And that ending.  GAH!  I need the next book, and I sincerely hope there aren’t many more, b/c I need closure now now NOW!  Anyways, yeah.  I really liked that they both have abusive situations at home…I think so many people, including those in the situations, downplay mental/emotional abuse…and Mari is no different.  It’s kind of nice to see that being addressed.  OK, I am somewhat disappointed that I read these now not knowing the series wasn’t complete, but I will get over it….someday….I need to start finding *completed* series….

ON REREAD: 4 stars — I wasn’t quite as enamoured as last time apparently.  I LOVED that we got to see Mari and Trystan come together, but I was disappointed in the Brie stuff…it felt kind of weird.  But I’m still really enjoying watching the two of them navigate their relationship, and holy wow did things escalate at the end!

Backdraft by H.M. Ward

Blurb:
When Mari realizes that Trystan is the internet megastar, Day Jones, she can’t speak. Every time she listens to his song, it leaves her feeling so much. That song is bewitching. Everyone she knows heard it. As soon as it appeared on YouTube, it went viral, and then the guy who wrote it disappeared. Despite agents and record labels trying to lure Day5705 out, he remains anonymous. No one knows who Day Jones really is—except Mari.

To Trystan’s relief, Mari agrees to keep his secret. Part of him regrets uploading the song, but when he sings to Mari the song that once brought him solace, it fills him joy. In a life like his, joy is fleeting and Trystan plans on grabbing hold whenever a shot at happiness appears. To his surprise, Mari doesn’t realize the song is about her. When Trystan tries to push her to see, he jeopardizes losing her entirely.

One misplaced kiss topples the fragile relationship, leaving Trystan reeling, trying to assemble the pieces and convincing Mari that she’s not just another conquest, even though everything he did—everything he said—makes it seem like she is. It isn’t until Mari decides that being the good girl isn’t working that things steam up. Trystan knows she wants to hook up with someone, and he doesn’t know if he should stop her. Every attempt he makes to win her over goes bad and pushes her further away.

As the world gets one day closer to tracking down Day Jones, Trystan is one day closer to graduation and leaving this life forever. If Mari doesn’t realize he loves her by then, she never will.

    

My Review:
ORIGINAL REVIEW: 3.5 stars — Phew….I was worried it was going to be full soap opera — you know, sucks you in but never goes anywhere in the end…but at least it did move forward.  Not as much as I would have liked, but still we weren’t in the exact same place as the end of the previous book.  And we learned a bit more about both Trystan and Mari’s home life….  There was a lot of me wanting to yell at the book, but hopefully it ends with some good stuff in the next one.

ON REREAD: 4 stars — I don’t have much to add.  I really enjoyed seeing glimpses into both Trystan and Mari’s lives, and I know how much people like to drag things out, so I was really happy with the way this one ended.  I thought the miscommunication and secrets would be drawn out too long, and it was almost there, but thankfully this one ended on a high point.  Can’t wait to remember what happens next (b/c apparently 3.5 years is enough time for me to forget where the story headed from here).

Collide by H.M. Ward

So I never ended up finishing this novella series, not really sure why…I only had one novella left.  Probably b/c they were more expensive than I wanted to pay.  But then a related novel came out and recently went on sale, so now I’m rereading it and finally going to finish this story.  I’m not sure if this format of story is really my thing, I think I only enjoy serial novella series for certain styles.  But since I have most of it, I am definitely going to find out finally how it ends!!

Blurb:
When Mari accidentally overhears that Trystan is in love, she can’t believe it. He’s pining over some girl that doesn’t know he’s alive. The confident swagger and endless stream of girls is a facade. It conceals his loneliness and hides how messed up he’s really become trying to flee from a life that’s battered him to his core.

Trystan tries to figure out how to make it clear how much he loves Mari, but every insincere kiss and every broken promise haunts him, because she knows them all. Now, Trystan has to prove to the one girl he’s actually fallen in love with that she’s not just another conquest.

Mari has no idea who Trystan loves, but she can tell that whoever it is has captured his heart entirely. Soon Mari sees the man behind the mask, the guy that Trystan tries so hard to hide. Everything about him is appealing, and too hard to resist.

In a moment of desperation, Trystan uploads a love song he wrote for Mari, but before he can show it to her, the video goes viral. Everyone wants to know who he is, and the only thing shielding him is an anonymous account name and some thick shadows hiding his face. Tyrstan realizes that the consequences of revealing his identity will be disastrous. Everything he’s tried so hard to hide will be exposed. It’s a secret that is impossible to keep and the only girl who he wanted to hear it will never believe him.

The Secret Life of Trystan Scott is an addicting romance with lots of tension and steamy kisses. The story is told in 20,000 word segments. Each book is another episode, building on the previous. The books in the TRYSTAN SCOTT series will get hotter as it progresses and cross from YA into New Adult by the end of the series.

    

My Review:
ORIGINAL REVIEW: 3.5 stars — Ah cliffhangers…at least the next book is out, otherwise that would have made me round down to 3 stars.  I really hate cliffhangers.  Just a personal thing.  This was a waffle one for me….I really had a hard time b/c I really loved Mari and Trystan…but it felt like not a lot happened and things just went back and forth with no forward progress…  In the end I love these 2 enough to get over it, but I’m hoping more happens in the next book.

I guess the other thing that has me waffling over rounding down to 3 stars is the tense issues…I’m not used to 3rd person, and it felt really confusing sometimes.  I mean, I can’t figure out if it’s just b/c I personally don’t like it, or if it was genuinely confusing and could have been cleaned up??  Weird…

ON REREAD: Still 3.5 stars — Knowing this is a serial novella series, I was prepared for the cliffy ending.  I’m not sure if this one has been updated and stupid Amazon just never sent me the updated files, but if it hasn’t been updated: beware there is a horrific amount of tense changes (past/present).  I was more easily able to get through the weird first person for Mari chapters, third person for Trystan chapters.  Maybe I’m a different reader than I was back then?

In the end I was sucked in by the mega emotions of both Mari and Trystan, particularly Trystan’s love for Mari.  It does feel a bit drawn out, but I’m willing to live with it because I liked the meat that we did get…even if I wished there was less bread.  You know, just being weird and using a strange metaphor.

Elements of Chemistry by Penny Reid

Synopsis:
Parts 1-3: Elements of Chemistry
This book has been split into 3 novels.
Part 1: ATTRACTION * Part 2: HEAT * Part 3: CAPTURE

PART 1: ATTRACTION
One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.
Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family’s billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.
When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?

    

My Review:
4 stars overall — this series started off really strong for me in the first book, but while it maintained some of the greatness, it also added elements that frustrated me in the final 2 books.  In the end I was satisfied with the conclusion though.

ATTRACTION:
4.5 stars — Sucked in right from the beginning of this book, mostly because of our delightfully hilarious heroine Kaitlyn (or Parker as I remember her more often).  I mean seriously, how can I not love someone who hides in closets and doesn’t know how to interact with people?  She’s so honest and blunt and just plain adorable.  She’s everything I love in a heroine.

Martin, on the other hand, I’m still reserving judgement on.  He has some great moments, and I see the things that Kaitlyn sees in him, but just like her, he frustrates me.  But I kind of like that he doesn’t have this abrupt turn around into good guy…he’s still Martin, just showing his three dimensions more.  And it’s not like Kaitlyn is without her own faults.  It will be interesting to see how their relationship plays out!  Can’t wait to move on to the next installment….

HEAT:
3.5 stars — OK, major problem with writing this review — I was so sucked into the story that instead of following my modus operandi and writing the review immediately after finishing the book, I instead kept right on reading into book 3.  So this review is going to be sorely lacking, b/c I’m terrible at remembering my thoughts and feelings once I’ve moved on to the next.

The steam factor turned up to 11 in this installment, but so did the angst.  And I’m not sure how big a fan I am of angst….something I’m learning about myself.  The relationship between Kaitlyn and Martin went into overdrive, and passed through so many levels of feelings.  So with all the good stuff, we get some fighting too.  I appreciated how much more we were learning about the characters as they were learning about each other, but occasionally I was confused by their actions….but that could have been just me.  I was not always a fan of how Kaitlyn described Martin — how he looked at her with malice, etc — so it made it harder to always follow what she was falling in love with.  It’s not that he didn’t have 3 dimensions, but his faults could be kind of alarming (at least the way she described them).  So that would be where my half star loss came from….

I still really enjoyed the uniqueness that is Kaitlyn…she mostly made me laugh with her quirky habits and ways of seeing the world.  I also enjoyed the banter between her and Martin.  Don’t let my other comments fool you, the good stuff was GOOD.

Obviously I’m super happy that I had all 3 books in the bundle, otherwise the ending probably would have torn me apart more than it did.  Needless to say, I motored right on into the next installment…

CAPTURE:
3.5 stars — Interesting conclusion to the series.  I simultaneously enjoyed the way this one played out, and grew frustrated with the obvious plot ploys…I knew exactly what was going on, and so it was frustrating to watch my hero and heroine fumbling around missing each other.  Made me spend a lot of time wondering if *this* would finally be the moment where they would get it.  So that took me out of the moment a little while reading.  But like I said, I also kind of enjoyed the way their relationship played out.  So basically I confuse even myself.  😛

So what exactly did I enjoy?  I enjoyed seeing them both grow over the time that they were apart.  I enjoyed the way Martin was trying to reconnect with Kaitlyn, even if Kaitlyn was too oblivious to see it.  I liked their interactions with each other.  Their friendship did make me smile.  They still had their volatile moments, but at least Martin was less “evil” sounding from her perspective.  And when things finally started moving in the direction I wanted it to, I really enjoyed the way it ended and the bit of HEA we got to see.

Dark and Stormy (Sacred Hearts Coven #1) by Felicia Starr

Synopsis: The sisters of the Sacred Hearts Coven gather every month with one intention, to ignite a flame of passion into one lucky person’s love life.

Regina’s work is her driving force. She strives to be the top of her game, but there is a large thorn in her side—Reddick, her apparent nemesis. His confident and somewhat arrogant persona makes her blood boil, but as the saying goes: there is a thin line between love and hate.

Will a touch of magic have Regina opening her heart to the unknown? Or will she run from this storm only to be crushed by her greatest fear?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mB5GQD

Add it to your TBR on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18467512-dark-and-stormy

2 stars

It’s started really good!  The story seemed to just build and build.  I was hoping it would continue to build at that steady pace…but it didn’t. Once it hit that climax, everything went really fast.  I didn’t like how fast things progressed once they started making out.  It was made clear very early on in the book that they did not like each other.  Then it turned into intsa-love.  That right there is what turned me off.

It didn’t seem consistent with their characters to move so fast.  In my head I was thinking, “Oh man.”  It ended a bit sourly for me.  I might give another book in the series a chance. But if I’m being honest, how I feel right now; I’m not reading anymore of this series. So take it for what it is, this book just wasn’t for me.

Love and Decay Volume 5 (Episodes 9-12, Season 2) by Rachel Higginson

Synopsis:
Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

Reagan and friends have to make a critical decision. Will they abandon the storage facility and head for a safer settlement? Or will they return to the compound and rescue it from the Colony’s hold?

Once the decision is made, Reagan and friends find themselves in more danger than ever before. Matthias Allen won’t just let them go, especially with Tyler and Miller in toe. And then there’s the feelings Reagan has developed for Kane. Plus, the ever present threat of a Zombie attack.

It seems everything is working against them to tear them apart and put them in the ground. Friendships are strained, lives are threatened and love is put to the ultimate test.

Love and Decay, Volume Five, is a compilation of Episodes Nine through Twelve in Season Two of Love and Decay. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22821239-love-and-decay-vol-five
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MGcT7l

My Review:
3.5 stars — The volume started off with a bit more bang, and really had me feeling all the emotions.  But I don’t know…I just started losing interest and had to fight with myself over the whole Kane stuff, and somewhere along the way I lost my way.  I just wasn’t as sucked into the storyline…  Now that could totally be a me thing.  I honestly can’t tell.  All I know is that while I had moments of great feels, I just felt like the episodes were missing something for me.  I know part of that is that Reagan goes through so much and I couldn’t always empathize with her….and if I can’t vibe with the characters, then I’m just not going to enjoy myself as much.  And because there was so much bad happening, I missed the lightness that the other characters can sometimes bring to the plot.  The episodes became very Reagan-centric, and I missed the Parker family, and Haley, and even Tyler and Miller.  So yeah.  😦  Trust me when I say that I’m very upset about this.  I love this author, but the story just went in a direction that didn’t appeal to me personally.

Episode 9:
4 stars — And we’re on the home stretch for this season!! I found this to be a very emotionally charged episode right from the start. Reagan put me through all the feels from her dream, to dealing with the reality of her and Hendrix, and the emotions surrounding Page. And even though I’m having a hard time always understanding Reagan and how she feels, I felt all of THOSE emotions clear as day. She had me even crying for a bit. Now her Kane feelings? I don’t know. I’m still a bit lost on all of that. Again, not that I don’t see bits of goodness and dimension in Kane, but I just don’t buy her “other” feelings for him. I don’t see the chemistry, or get the tummy butterflies that way. Maybe it’s because she spends so much time thinking about how she would never choose him, that I end up agreeing with her (even if she’s only trying to convince herself). Gonna be interesting to see where it goes, even though I do know a spoiler or two for the end of this season….I still don’t know how it’s all going to play out.

Episode 10:
3 stars — This is bringing back apathetic Lenore. I don’t like who Reagan becomes when she’s with Kane. I didn’t like Kane’s love is selfish speech. I thought that was kind of horrific and scary. I know she’s all broken up with Hendrix (which seems for the best frankly), but the stuff before they broke up just pushed my cheater buttons, so I feel like I can’t trust the feelings I thought she had for Hendrix before. Which maybe that works that way for some people, but I guess I can’t vibe since I’ve never had conflicting feelings of love. I don’t know why, but I can’t even *force* myself to be into this new relationship. I got absolutely zero butterflies reading it. It was like watching a car wreck for me. That sounds harsh, but just relaying my feelings. I was so out of sorts from the whole make out scene that I wasn’t even really that invested in the final scene of the episode. Which makes me feel really bad, b/c thinking back on it, it was a very powerful scene. But I didn’t even cry. So I’m left feeling really lost. I’ll keep reading, of course, b/c this is one of my favourite authors. But I’m just feeling sad b/c I’m really not enjoying myself as much as I thought I would. Maybe I just don’t have the right mindset for this kind of story….

Episode 11:
3.5 stars — The first half of this episode was the same as the past few have been for Lenore….just a big ole ball of confusion. I’m still not feeling it. At this point I’m starting to think it’s me.

And then there was the second half that had me bawling like I should have done for the last episode. Not that I’m surprised I was bawling, I do have a heart somewhere in here.

So not sure where this will go from here. I was prepared for this episode, but it still hurt, regardless of what other feelings I have. And I’m starting to wonder if I’m tainted by the things I know….b/c there are fewer surprises and I’m not as invested in certain things as I should be because I know what comes to pass. So my advice is to do everything in your power not to learn spoilers….even though that’s not always that easy.

Episode 12:
3.5 stars — Solid finale, lots of action and suspense, and some crazy turns of events. At the same time, I didn’t feel things as deeply as I expected to. I expected more fallout from Page, but that just kind of got swept to the side at the end. We’ll see, it could be that some of that will be addressed in the next season…but maybe not. So yeah….solid finale, but not groundbreaking for me.

Love and Decay Volume 4 (Episodes 5-8, Season 3) by Rachel Higginson

This volume is still on sale for 99 cents for some reason — I highly recommend snatching it up for that price, b/c it’s not going to last!!

Synopsis:
Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

Reagan was supposed to take it easy after an epic battle with Feeders left her injured and concussed. Instead, she wakes up to find herself trapped in the middle of nowhere, held hostage by Kane.

And she’s not alone. Kane kidnapped Page as well, in order to ensure Reagan is on her best behavior.

With little hope that the Parkers will be able to find them, Reagan must face her kidnapper and his crazy mother alone. Despair sets in and then turns to desperation when Kane’s confusing behavior calls to some secret part of her. Not only does she have to protect Page from the Allen family, but now her own heart, as well.

Kane promises they are safe, even if they are isolated. But is anyone truly safe during a Zombie Apocalypse?

When Feeders swarm around Kane’s hidden bungalow, Reagan joins forces with him so that they can all live another day.

Can everyone survive unscathed? Can Reagan fight alongside Kane, get to know him at a deeper level and face the demons of her heart without straying from Hendrix? Or will Kane find a way to slide in between the happy couple and follow through with his own agenda?

After all, isn’t all fair in love, war and the end of the world?

Love and Decay, Volume Four, is a compilation of Episodes Five through Eight in Season Two of Love and Decay. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22209220-love-and-decay-vol-four
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1l9Ujys

My Review:
4 stars — This was a pure up and down volume. I felt more frustrated than ever before in a few of these episodes, and at the same time it contained my favourite episode of season 2 so far. The plot twists are beyond compare, and we had some great character introspection and truly heart wrenching moments. I appreciated that a few of these episodes were less formulaic, giving us something fresh to read. But on the other hand, I found myself starting to detach from our heroine….though that could be just my personal taste thing. So yeah. Total rollercoaster. I might take a break and come back to this season with fresher eyes.

Episode 5:
4 stars — Hmmm…. I get the vulnerability. I get the 3 dimensions. But I’m still not team Kane. He may yet redeem himself, his soul may be saved, but this is not about him. This is about me and my ability to hold a grudge and to be unforgiving. And quite honestly, he’s still kind of a psycho. I mean, it’s not that I don’t get HOW he got to be the way he is, and that story with his father was a perfect example. But Tyler and Miller had the same father, and somehow they retained some moral fortitude despite their upbringing. So maybe he’s too weak for me then? I don’t know. All I know is that I hate that I can’t see what my friends see in him. I just find myself inevitably unswayed (even if my heart tugs occasionally). I am a heartless b*tch.

OK, moving on. I really enjoyed that this episode didn’t follow the formula of so many of the previous episodes. I get we’re in a zombie apocalypse, but it’s nice to go an episode where that’s not the crisis we face. And despite my non-team Kane-ness, I do appreciate learning more about him and trying to see into why he’s doing what he’s doing. Doesn’t mean I’m going to like it, and doesn’t mean I’m going to quite empathize with Reagan’s soft heart (even though prior to this I thought I had a soft heart — but apparently it’s reserved for only certain types of people). In the end my heart was with Page….seriously, it’s amazing how resilient children can be sometimes. I’m worried about what this is going to do to her — what opinions she’s going to form and attachments she might make. She’ll probably surprise me.

Strangely enough, Linley probably creeps me out the most. It’s hard to watch someone proselytize, to truly believe that the horrible things Matthias is doing is the only right and true way. To see her children as possessions.

Episode 6:
5 stars — Holy *BEEP*!!! That was an awful lot of crying for one episode. And I mean, my crying ran the gamut of tearing up over Kane’s revelations near the beginning of the episode, to full on bawling where my hubby had to come comfort me (even though the series has actually been partially ruined for me and I knew certain things wouldn’t come to fruition). I need a breather….seriously.

Still not team Kane, though I did have a lengthy and involved discussion about this with my husband, and he has multiple theories as to why — my favourite being that I am a hipster, and I tend to resist the popular opinions. It’s true, I will admit it. And it’s not always that he’s a psycho…which, despite the advances made on his character in this episode, I’m not going to forget. The main reason is the same reason I wasn’t team Jacob. There’s just no real chemistry there for me. It feels forced and based off of other things that do not make a good relationship. *shrugs* All of this is really irrelevant to my review, but it was fun to think about and analyze.

So my theories on Kane’s childhood were definitely confirmed, and I loved the insight we got — I really did feel for him and the little boy that he once was. And I thought the comparison’s to Miller’s character were interesting and made a whole lot of sense. So he definitely tugged MAJORLY on my heartstrings in this episode.

I won’t get into the other development in this episode so as to avoid spoilers — but I really didn’t see that one coming and the whole situation had my heart feeling like Ms. Higginson was squeezing it in the palm of her hand….so much devastation. Really interested to see where this is going to go, even though I know the end result.

This has been by FAR my favourite episode of the season so far. It had everything and really delved into the emotional writing that Ms. Higginson does so well, and has drawn me to her time and time again.

Episode 7:
3.5 stars — *sigh* I felt detached from this episode. Maybe the previous one just took it all out of me? Maybe I just don’t get Reagan, and find I can’t empathize with her internal meanderings? I honestly don’t get what she feels. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I agree with her decision to stand up for Kane’s life…but that’s partly b/c it would feel like cold blood murder if he wasn’t fighting back. But all this stuff with the relationships….I don’t know. It’s just not capturing my interest, and I’m finding it more annoying than usual. I wasn’t all happy with how Hendrix handled things either, but it was consistent with his character at least. I think it’s just been building up so much, and it feels like forced drama. I think I’m just not in the right mood for it… I hope this doesn’t become a trend in my mind, otherwise maybe I need to take a break.

The scientists were an intriguing development! I’m interested to see where that takes us at least….

Episode 8:
4 stars — I forgot it was going to be a Tyler episode, and given my feelings after the last episode, I think this one could not have been timed more perfectly for me. I find Tyler to be a really unique character, and I’m intrigued by what she’s been through, and how that’s shaped her. She really does have a cynical and jaded bent to her, but she also cares very deeply.

I’m a little bit leery of the relationship developments, not the least of which because of some of the spoilers I’m aware of. In some ways I wish we could have a bit more of Tyler, just to see how things play out.

All in all a solid episode, and one I was desperately needing — not too crazy action wise, more of a character development plot….and Ms. Higginson knows how to write great characters.

Love and Decay Volume 3 (Episodes 1-4, Season 2) by Rachel Higginson

Finally onto season 2, and new stuff for me!  Obviously there may be minor spoilers if you haven’t read any of L&D, so please be warned.  As with the previous volumes, this post will include the volume review as well as each episode’s review.

Synopsis:
Zombies- as if that wasn’t enough to ruin any girl’s dream of a happily ever after.

After a cataclysmic battle with Kane several months ago, Reagan is trying to move on. She might wake up screaming in terror from his starring role in her ever present nightmares and Miller is definitely still trapped at the Colony, but Reagan’s life is free of Kane Allen.

Or so she thought.

A mysterious gift shows up on her bed one day and the anonymous sender is easy to figure out. She has a stalker, and this time he refuses to give up until one of them is dead.

Add that to the growing list of other problems- accidental injuries, the Colony’s continued attacks on the compound, intelligent Zombies that seem to get smarter every day and failed attempts to rescue Miller- and the Zombie Apocalypse has never been more frightening.

Can all of Reagan’s loved ones survive the end of the world? How about those she doesn’t love. Will she ever see the end of the evil side of the Allen family?

Love and Decay, Volume Three, is a compilation of the first four episodes in Season Two of Love and Decay. It is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

Find it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21531417-love-and-decay-vol-three
Order it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MiTZHR

My Review:
4 stars — Season 2 definitely starts off with a bang. Lots of great twists and turns added in here and there to keep things fresh, and still such a great mix of humour and heart in each episode. Overall it falls off the 5 star mark b/c I had a few moments where I couldn’t suspend my disbelief….and I may have also wanted to slap the main character a time or two. But despite that, I’m still totally sucked into the storyline and the world and anxious to find out what’s going to happen next.

Episode 1:
4 stars — What just happened?? Seriously, sometimes I just want to slap Reagan so hard.

OK, this episode started off a little slower since it contained a bit of a recap — which is totally necessary if you hadn’t just finished reading the first season, but made me want to hurry it up a bit. But it really doesn’t last long at all and we’re right back into the thick of things. And it gave us a chance to see how things had been progressing since we last saw our pack of heros.

I can honestly say I didn’t see the developments of their raid coming. I mean, I should have. But wow. Just when you think that things can’t get much worse than the usual feeder attacks, Ms. Higginson throws in a wrench. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat.

But then we got to the end. And perhaps Lenore is going to reserve judgement until she reads the next episode, but she was not pleased with the way Reagan handled a certain something. Grrr…. (and yes, I did just refer to myself in the 3rd person).

Episode 2:
4 stars — I’m still having issues with Reagan….I’m not entirely convinced that she understood why keeping the secret was so wrong…or maybe it’s more that I don’t get her reasons for keeping the secret. At least she was appropriately chastised by the family, and Hendrix in particular. It was just so dangerous — and you would think she would have better street smarts than that. So maybe I’m just a really unsympathetic reader, but I just don’t get it.

And frankly, taking such a large group, and an injured Reagan on a scouting mission was kind of unbelievable too. I feel so cynical! I mean, it wouldn’t have been a very exciting episode if all she did was hang out at the compound while others went scouting, but I just… Suspension of disbelief Lenore, suspension of disbelief.

Regardless of all my bitching and moaning, it was still a solid episode. I absolutely ADORED the beginning between Reagan and Harrison, and Harrison’s fear of Hendrix’s wrath. I miss those young kids, they seriously crack me up. And I enjoyed learning a bit more about the school they were trying to set up, and the training that the boys are up to. I was even intrigued with Reagan’s encounter with Kane, though I don’t think I’ll ever be team Kane in any way…. So one part of me was solidly enthralled with this episode, while another part of me was internally raging through half of it. I don’t know if I’m going to survive this season.

Episode 3:
5 stars — Now that’s what I’m talking about!! I think I just personally needed this episode to not be mad and conflicted with the characters. There was so much heart in this episode — from Reagan’s talk with Vaughan, to Tyler’s plea for Miller. And oh dear lord the action…. Totally edge of your seat stuff, and creepy to see what the feeder’s are up to now. It definitely shook up the action scenes and brought some new life to them. I’m nervous for what’s to come, but at the same time excited to be back in Haley’s mind for the next episode…. Good stuff people, good stuff.

Episode 4:
4.5 stars — I just had to start reading it before bed….I couldn’t just hold my horses and wait until morning, nooooo…. So now it’s 1 am and I’m trying to recover and avoid starting the next episode.

HOLY CRAPBALLS!!! Loved being back in Haley’s head, she’s such a sarcastic and sassy character. The only thing that sucked was that there was so much going on, that I didn’t really get a chance to settle into her character as much as I wanted to. But I did love the moments that we did get, and some of the adorable loving between her and Nelson.

This was a crazy episode. Honestly, I was a little skeptical about how it was going to work out in their favour, since the odds were horrifically stacked against them. And in the end it loses half a star b/c we don’t really get an explanation of how Gage and Tyler get away, it’s just kind of miraculously done. Again with my suspension of disbelief problems. I’m a tough cookie to crack.

But despite that, I still thoroughly enjoyed myself and the momentum just has me clamouring for more…. So I call that success in my book.