Review: Dust and Decay-Jonathan Maberry

"Blurb:

Six months have passed since the terrifying battle with Charlie Pink-eye and the Motor City Hammer in the zombie-infested mountains of the Rot & Ruin. It’s also been six months since Benny Imura and Nix Riley saw something in the air that changed their lives. Now, after months of rigorous training with Benny’s zombie-hunter brother Tom, Benny and Nix are ready to leave their home forever and search for a better future. Lilah the Lost Girl and Benny’s best friend Lou Chong are going with them.

But before they even leave there is a shocking zombie attack in town, and as soon as they step into the Rot & Ruin they are pursued by the living dead, wild animals, and insane murderers, and face the horrors of Gameland—where teenagers are forced to fight for their lives in the zombie pits. Worst of all…could the evil Charlie Pink-eye still be alive?

In the great Rot & Ruin, everything wants to kill you—and not everyone in Benny’s small band of travelers will survive…."

Book Details:

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (August 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442402350

My Review: 
Jonathan Maberry, why do you break my heart? Why do you rock my socks off,  while at the same time making me want to scream and tremble like a scared little girl? These books! My brain cannot deal! I LOVED Rot and Ruin, and could not fathom loving the sequel any more but alas Mr. Maberry, you have killed it with this one! I mean that is a good way!

Dust and Decay starts out about six months from where the first book left off. I really enjoyed the character development and the maturing that the characters all went through. You know they don't pick up where they left off and are all "tra la la." They have issues to work through. Benny and Nix are especially busy working through the issues that they cultivated in R & R. They are kind of in a limbo stage of their relationship which complicates matters tremendously. The dealing with the drama of what happened, coupled with their budding feelings for each other, could have been a disaster, but was done very well. It's not done in a haphazard way and is substantial.

Not only are Benny and his friends tested, but his relationship with Tom is also put through the wringer.  They are getting older and closer to each other and I think that this was the most touching story in the book. The brothers starting to accept each other for their faults and learning to fully trust each other, was heart warming. Tom is letting Benny grow up and Benny is trusting Tom completely.

  I really think that the relationships that are highlighted in this book are what makes it shine. The zombies are just a delicious extra. There are so many things going on with this book! I highly recommend it!

I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5.