What do you think?
Rate this book
Roadtrip Z #2
In the Ruins
Season 2 of Roadtrip Z!
Ginny Mills is a librarian with a mission. She’s determined to get to her family, and not even the crowds of shuffling, infected undead will stop her.
Lee Quartine’s spent his life making do and getting by. He knows how to survive, but now he has Ginny and a small band of survivors to care for.
The power is out. Winter has arrived. The infected roam in packs. Survivors are showing up in the strangest places. And Ginny and Lee haven’t even crossed the state line yet.
It’s gonna be a long trip…
Ginny Mills is a librarian with a mission. She’s determined to get to her family, and not even the crowds of shuffling, infected undead will stop her.
Lee Quartine’s spent his life making do and getting by. He knows how to survive, but now he has Ginny and a small band of survivors to care for.
The power is out. Winter has arrived. The infected roam in packs. Survivors are showing up in the strangest places. And Ginny and Lee haven’t even crossed the state line yet.
It’s gonna be a long trip…
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2017
24 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Saintcrow
139 books4,509 followersLilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 2, 2023
Book one showed some promise.
Book two just feels over done.
The story doesn't really progress, the most interesting characters are not not explored. The main characters don't develop.
Book two just feels over done.
The story doesn't really progress, the most interesting characters are not not explored. The main characters don't develop.
November 16, 2018
I did enjoy the story line even tho it's much too short and ends in a cliffhanger! I hope they get rid of French 'cause I can see him turning on them!
October 13, 2021
I finished the book and will not be picking up the third installment.
March 28, 2018
Did not work as a novel. I understand it can be hard to translate a serial into a series of books, but this was done poorly enough that I'm putting off book 3 indefinitely.
July 25, 2023
Once again, just like the first book, over halfway done with the audiobook and I still hate Lee. Actually, I think I like him even less than in the first.
Feels like this book ramps up the "city folk vs country folk" stereotypes even more, and I'm more than just a wee bit annoyed at this point. Steph's surprised that Ginny likes *ketchup*? Really? City people too good to enjoy plain ketchup? Is that actually something rural people believe? I'd say my family straddle the line between rural and city, and it all just feels like it's trying too hard to be a social barrier to add to the nonexistant conflict.
I hate Lee bringing up Ginny's "pretty but useless" clothing so often. We. Get. It. Her boots are not actually suitable for rough terrain or whatever. Stop bringing up how they're "pretty but useless," it's so condescending and was annoying enough in the first book. She gets new ones, and it's again really creepy hiw he's so happy that she's wearing the clothes he picked, but disappointed she isn't wearing the rest. Stop being so creepy, dude. If he wasn't constantly in awe of her looks maybe it would be sweet.
Oooooh, men shouldn't cuss around the ladies, such gentlemen! I know Ginny also gets annoyed in the story, as if having a character acknowledge it makes it less annoying. And Lee is still getting turned on by everything Ginny. Oh no, better not get a boner while we're crouched close together and hoping more zombies aren't nearby. My eyes were practically rolling back into my skull at that part. Such a Good Guy.
The book also wants us to believe Ginny is this wise, mother like figure, but it doesn't come up often enough and most of the time she's just as useless and scared as the children, as shown when the group split up for supplies. Suddenly she isn't so mature anymore.
Brandon's introduction is when I decided this book is probably not worth finishing. A guy that looks like he had higher education and seems like he'd get along swell with city girl Ginny, but his POV chapter doesn't hesitate to establish him as a sexist, classist, racist bigot. No nuance. No subtlety. Nah, just make him a huge unlikable jerk, that way we won't feel bad if he dies and can cheer for Good Guy Lee who clearly knew best despite just meeting this survivor and not caring at all if a stranger freezes to death in his trunk.
Also, over halfway through this book and it feels like barely anything happened. They got to a hotel, looked for some supplies, and picked up another survivor. Is this seriously gonna end on another unsatisfying cliffhanger? No thanks. 👎🏻
Feels like this book ramps up the "city folk vs country folk" stereotypes even more, and I'm more than just a wee bit annoyed at this point. Steph's surprised that Ginny likes *ketchup*? Really? City people too good to enjoy plain ketchup? Is that actually something rural people believe? I'd say my family straddle the line between rural and city, and it all just feels like it's trying too hard to be a social barrier to add to the nonexistant conflict.
I hate Lee bringing up Ginny's "pretty but useless" clothing so often. We. Get. It. Her boots are not actually suitable for rough terrain or whatever. Stop bringing up how they're "pretty but useless," it's so condescending and was annoying enough in the first book. She gets new ones, and it's again really creepy hiw he's so happy that she's wearing the clothes he picked, but disappointed she isn't wearing the rest. Stop being so creepy, dude. If he wasn't constantly in awe of her looks maybe it would be sweet.
Oooooh, men shouldn't cuss around the ladies, such gentlemen! I know Ginny also gets annoyed in the story, as if having a character acknowledge it makes it less annoying. And Lee is still getting turned on by everything Ginny. Oh no, better not get a boner while we're crouched close together and hoping more zombies aren't nearby. My eyes were practically rolling back into my skull at that part. Such a Good Guy.
The book also wants us to believe Ginny is this wise, mother like figure, but it doesn't come up often enough and most of the time she's just as useless and scared as the children, as shown when the group split up for supplies. Suddenly she isn't so mature anymore.
Brandon's introduction is when I decided this book is probably not worth finishing. A guy that looks like he had higher education and seems like he'd get along swell with city girl Ginny, but his POV chapter doesn't hesitate to establish him as a sexist, classist, racist bigot. No nuance. No subtlety. Nah, just make him a huge unlikable jerk, that way we won't feel bad if he dies and can cheer for Good Guy Lee who clearly knew best despite just meeting this survivor and not caring at all if a stranger freezes to death in his trunk.
Also, over halfway through this book and it feels like barely anything happened. They got to a hotel, looked for some supplies, and picked up another survivor. Is this seriously gonna end on another unsatisfying cliffhanger? No thanks. 👎🏻
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2025
So I always WANT to love a Lilith Saintcrow novel/novella, mostly because I love the Dante Valentine series. I first read that book in a time when I needed it. Japhrimel is my all time favourite fucked up love interest. And I’ve read some doozies. But Ms Saintcrow does something that irks me to no end, she does in DV too but I’m a little more forgiving there, she give her MCs the most repetitive inner monologue that we just don’t need. The repeated refrain of “oh, shit” when something crazy happens is one things. But the “I can’t lose her” or “where’s my family. Did sis have her baby,” is something other. It’s so unnecessary. Please take for granted that I know we as human beings tend to thing the same banal shit over and over and over. Heck, writing reviews I realise that I same words over and over- BUT these are my opinions on writing not creative stories to entertain. And I really do try not to sound like a broken record. That’s by the by. Take for granted our knowledge of human nature and the mind. Take for granted that when the world ends we will all be worried and wondering about our families and those thoughts will be on a loop in our head. I don’t think we need to have that actually happening in the books with nearly every character. It detracts from the action and character development.
Grievance aside, the story is pretty good. I always enjoy an unfolding dystopian story as opposed to a coming into an established dystopian hellhole.
Grievance aside, the story is pretty good. I always enjoy an unfolding dystopian story as opposed to a coming into an established dystopian hellhole.
Read
October 23, 2025This has a very "middle-of-the-book" feel to it, as it's part of a serial. The adventure continues, and the pages turn quite easily. There wasn't anything particularly fresh or new in this one regarding zombie apocalypse stories, but Saintcrow is doing a stellar job with the comedy, and I think some of the other reviews are missing that certain elements are not meant to be taken seriously. She's playing with story stereotypes, including the common pitching of country-versus-city in zombie stories. Some of those details are ridiculous or over-the-top because it's comedy. (Yes, comedy is tricky, and not everyone will agree on what's amusing.) Horror and comedy pair very well. Saintcrow also is full of very accurate observations about people, so you have a comedic layer, but you also have parts you can really believe in. Then there's the zombies!
My copy was around 200 pages, and, yes, this is short, but the fact isn't hidden. I read it in one go and immediately started on book 3. It might help readers to think of this as one, 850-or-so-page book. Or, as advertised, a serial.
My copy was around 200 pages, and, yes, this is short, but the fact isn't hidden. I read it in one go and immediately started on book 3. It might help readers to think of this as one, 850-or-so-page book. Or, as advertised, a serial.
December 14, 2021
3.0 - 3.5 ***
Hoopla audio
I'm somewhat invested in the series and want to find out what happens. However, there's still no romance going on. Lee still has lots of mental ramblings about his affection for Ginny but he doesn't speak up. Ginny has to be a world class moron not to notice that Lee's attracted to her. Even the teenagers, Mark and Steph see it.
I have to add that the red neck dialog is irritating and stereotypical. Lee was a lieutenant in the army, he led men into combat, now he comes across as total dimwit.
The entire series is available through Hoopla audio so I'll continue and hope for some romance.
The excellent narration has helped me stick with the series.
Hoopla audio
I'm somewhat invested in the series and want to find out what happens. However, there's still no romance going on. Lee still has lots of mental ramblings about his affection for Ginny but he doesn't speak up. Ginny has to be a world class moron not to notice that Lee's attracted to her. Even the teenagers, Mark and Steph see it.
I have to add that the red neck dialog is irritating and stereotypical. Lee was a lieutenant in the army, he led men into combat, now he comes across as total dimwit.
The entire series is available through Hoopla audio so I'll continue and hope for some romance.
The excellent narration has helped me stick with the series.
May 29, 2023
I wish the narrator (Erin Deward)didn’t breath so much. How is she not light headed from all of the quick breathing she does when she’s reading and why am i forced to listen to it??? She has such a soothing voice though.
Here we are, back with creepy creeperton. The main character that is obsessed with our other MC. like, liberally OBSESSED. We are constantly listening to him obsess over her beauty and lips and body and voice and clothing and everything. She’s already “His” in his mind. Ew- so creepy. And now he’s being more controlling and more forceful. He’s yelling at her for not doing what he wants her to and grabbing her and dragging her around bc he needs to “talk to her”.
Short book. I’m not sure this book really moved us along any in the original plot line.
Here we are, back with creepy creeperton. The main character that is obsessed with our other MC. like, liberally OBSESSED. We are constantly listening to him obsess over her beauty and lips and body and voice and clothing and everything. She’s already “His” in his mind. Ew- so creepy. And now he’s being more controlling and more forceful. He’s yelling at her for not doing what he wants her to and grabbing her and dragging her around bc he needs to “talk to her”.
Short book. I’m not sure this book really moved us along any in the original plot line.
Read
October 29, 2024This went down quick during a bout of insomnia, maybe a little too quick because it's decidedly not a self-contained narrative. Each installment of this series is called a "season" which serves to let you know that this is a part of a serialized whole. I felt about the same about this as it's predecessor: some really nice writing and character work that occasionally strays into genre-based dumbassery. Like I'm over characters doing dumb shit and having it attributed to feminism, and I'm also over dudes growling about keeping the womenfolk safe, high-handedly. There could have been more of the chapters following people other than our merry band: I think Saintcrow really excels at that kind of vignette. Did me fine in the small hours.
January 1, 2018
Definite cliffhanger this time. The first novel just ends, but this one left off when things got interesting.
And I'm irritated that this is another book that doesn't stand alone. The first book and this one could easily have been put together as one book. I feel like this series is chopped up to make more money for the author.
I still like the characters, and I'd like the storyline more if it wasn't chopped in random place to create a series.
Not sure I'm going to get the next book. Maybe if it's cheap or free.
And I'm irritated that this is another book that doesn't stand alone. The first book and this one could easily have been put together as one book. I feel like this series is chopped up to make more money for the author.
I still like the characters, and I'd like the storyline more if it wasn't chopped in random place to create a series.
Not sure I'm going to get the next book. Maybe if it's cheap or free.
September 23, 2022
Though I'm rating each book separately, I actually bought the complete Roadtrip Z and am reading it straight through. I intended to take breaks between each book, but I was way too invested in the characters--Ginny, Lee, Juju, Mark and Steph--to stop. I'm really enjoying this, but I would highly recommend reading it this way as a serial because the ending to book two felt a little... off. The main conflict of book two was the other survivor that the group picks up, Brandon French, and what he does to the group dynamic... but his plotline isn't tied off until a few chapters into book three.
February 26, 2025
This is the continuation of Roadtrip Z, as our survivors find themselves travelling through the ruins of society. This book comes with new survivors, and also new horrors. Oh, the horrors!
As with the first book, I found this unputdownable and I finished it within 24 hours. Did I immediately begin the third book? Of course.
As with the first book, I found this unputdownable and I finished it within 24 hours. Did I immediately begin the third book? Of course.
April 9, 2020
Just as good as the first one, if not better - there's a new "villain", and I love the reveal near the end about how the zombies operate.
Still, clearly a middle book. Read the first, and expect to want to read the third.
Still, clearly a middle book. Read the first, and expect to want to read the third.
December 4, 2025
not as scary as the first one and ginny's refusal to get with the program irks me like why are you greeting strangers. she did start to redeem herself later and I like that she has a backbone. much less book and much less side characters backstory which is a bummer. onward to book 3!
September 9, 2018
Love this author and her idea of what the Zombie apocalypse will look it when it finally happens. You'll fall in love with these characters.
August 8, 2019
It felt like a really short story, but not too much happened
October 31, 2019
I loved this entire series. Zombie books - definitely not my thing - but Lilith has done an amazing job bringing these characters to life.
January 11, 2020
Much, much fun.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews