Flesh and Bone just came out, and we have three copies on-order.

I have three copies of Dust & Decay, all checked out as well. Seven holds at present, and four more copies on-order. STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: We have seven copies, all checked out. With plenty of zombie-gore and murder, it’s definitely not for the squeamish. THE BOTTOM LINE: If you like post-apocalyptic books that take their time developing character and world-building, you’ll love Rot & Ruin. If gore bothers you, I doubt you’d be reading a zombie book anyway, right? Also, it is a zombie book, so gore comes with the territory. Crafting such a unique world with extraordinarily developed characters takes time. To those readers, I would also say that those slower points are very necessary to plot development. If I had any complaints, I would say Rot & Ruin is a little slow at times, and readers will need to be patient with the storyline occasionally. The conflict Benny experiences between the two girls will be interesting to watch in Dust & Decay and Flesh & Bone. Survivors by design, both girls kick butt and never back down or let their fear get the best of them.

As for the girls, Nix and Lilah are not your typical teen queens. I always love stories featuring complex, realistic sibling relationships, and this one fits that bill nicely. Maberry takes his time developing Benny’s character from an ignorant, spoiled child to a thoughtful, mature young man. Personal relationships and character growth are driving forces in Rot & Ruin. Though they will try their best to kill you, they are not the bad guys. I love how Maberry incorporates sympathy for the witless, bite-obsessed zombies. The story has plenty of action, gore, and even a little romance. The inclusion of Rot & Ruin on the Texas Lone Star Reading List could not be more timely. Zombies are huge right now (can I say “I told you so”?), and at least for me, there just isn’t enough zombie lore out there right now for middle school audiences. We also have seven holds for it, so I have ordered four more from Scholastic. We currently have seven copies, and all are checked out. REVIEW: Unique and action-packed! I enjoyed Rot & Ruin thoroughly, and my students have been checking it out like crazy.

SUMMARY: In a zombie-infested post-apocalyptic America, 15-year old Benny Imura reluctantly becomes apprentice to his older brother Tom, a famous zombie bounty hunter.

Rot and ruin series