Zurvival Saturday (74) Novella Review: State of Decay by Peggy Martinez

This week I'll be reviewing Part One of the State of Decay series by Peggy Martinez. State of Decay is a Zombie Serial with new episodes releasing every 3-4 weeks.

Author: Peggy Martinez
Series: State of Decay #1
Genre: Horror, Zombies
Publication Date: September 1, 2013



Despite what you’ve been told, the Apocalypse doesn’t begin with fire raining down from the heavens, nor does it begin with the human race falling down on their faces in supplication before a triumphant god. No, the sounds of the Apocalypse are much more terrifying than that, and I should know … I’ve heard them, and hearing the world tumble into chaos around me is not something I’ll ever forget.
My name is Melody Carter.
A Boeing 767 fell from the sky and wiped out most of my neighborhood.
But, that's the least of my worries.
My list of "Things I'm Most Worried About" shifted dramatically when my dad told me that charred corpses tried to make a meal out of their rescuers ... I'm thinking yours would too.
This is the beginning of my story.
It's not for the faint of heart.


Novella Review
State of Decay is a Zombie serial that I had been hearing tons of great things about so naturally I wanted to read it for myself. For whatever reason after buying I didn't get around to it right away. Boy was I missing out by doing so.

While this story doesn't have a ton of characters the ones were introduced to are fabulous. I loved the character Melody she was strong, brave and had a good head on her shoulders. Being the daughter of an Army Major definitely gives her an advantage when it comes to the Zombie Apocalypse and it shows. However, deep down she is still a Teenage girl lost in a world filled with shambling corpses and so she has this vulnerability as well. I also loved her Father and really wish I could've gotten to know him more.

Another thing I really enjoyed about State of Decay was the gore. This book doesn't try and pretty up the deaths of the living. I've read several recent Zombie stories where they stop short of describing anything to keep the book firmly in PG-13 territory and for me that is extremely frustrating. It was really nice to see someone write who isn't afraid to describe how the putrefying bodies smell or what it feels like to curb stomp a Zombies head in. All the little details you'd expect were included and made the story and the world it is set in that much creepier.

The only downside to the story that I found was the sudden time jump midway through the story. Going from day one to 72 hours later is one thing but 72 hours to 2 years is another. I just wish we had seen a few glimpses into those 2 years of lost time. How did Melody survive? Did the woods she was inhabiting ever have Zombies shambling through them or was it relatively safe? Did she ever see survivors on her supply runs? I'm hoping that in the next book we get to learn a bit more about her survival during that time. Is it enough to downgrade the story? No, but I still would've liked to have viewed her struggles alone in the woods so long.

Final Thoughts
State of Decay combines pulse pounding suspense, Zombies and realism to create a perfect little story that reads like a full length novel. I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a go. I can't wait to download the next episode and see what happens with the characters in the story. I have a feeling that things are about to get a whole lot worse before they get better. With that being said, I will be rating State of Decay by Peggy Martinez ★★★★★.

 *Copy purchased. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in an which way  for providing them.

Want to learn more about this book or Author? Click the links below!
Peggy Martinez:
Goodreads
Website
@PeggySMartinez
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Out of curiosity, Have you heard of State of Decay? 
If so, Do you plan of reading it?
What would be the one non-essential possession you'd grab before running from Zombies?

 Leave me your answers in the comments below or feel free to tweet me them @Hermyoni  

Well that about wraps up this weeks Zurvival Saturday. Like what you see? Please share! I thank you if you do.  Want to check out past Zurvival Saturday's? Click Here

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