Books like Broken — picked by fans

Sarah Lyons Fleming writes beautiful prose. She also writes characters that you’ll fall in love with (or hate) and want to keep reading about. The main character, Cassie, embarks on an epic journey through the zombie apocalypse for a second chance at love with her ex-fiancee. Along the way, she has to rediscover who she is and grow to overcome everything that the world keeps throwing at her. The action is great, but it’s the relationships between the characters that make this a truly excellent series. I cried my eyes out reading these books and the others set in the same universe, which isn’t something I often do. But however heartbreaking parts of them may be, Sarah Fleming always leaves room for hope for love and a future.

Flesh has it all – zombies, characters who come alive on the page, romance that sizzles, and action to keep the suspense going. Ali, Daniel, and Fin have to discover how to deal with each other as their relationship develops, while at the same time battling zombies and other survivors to reach safety. They learn to fight for each other, make sacrifices they would never have imagined in their old lives, and love like they would never have believed possible. The key to it all is the trust they develop in each other which forms a team that nothing can break.

This is a slow-burn romance in the zombie apocalypse. It’s a story that’s really about learning to forgive the people you love when they hurt you, and forgiving yourself for your mistakes. There’s sizzling chemistry between Lola and Cole, a plot that blends romance with action to keep you turning the next page, and characters that you want to hug and strangle at the same time.

I love this book because it’s the only one I’ve found where the main character has been alone for years after the apocalypse and has to learn to be around people all over again. Not only that, she isn’t sure if she even wants to be around others anymore. Shaw coaxes her into trying, and he reminds her of what it is to love and want a future, but his secret dark past keeps getting in the way. Both of them struggle with the new world and how to deal with it—whether to go through the effort to be with people and let themselves be vulnerable, or to return to their solitary lives outside the walls where they can’t be hurt by the loss or betrayal of others. 

I loved that the main character was a kickass female. Ashley is a fabulous character who is more than what people think she is, which is how I often feel. The fun thing is that Ashley is just like everyone else, a woman trying to get through a very rough day. Ashley felt like she could be any of us or all of us. In fact, I hope that I can be Ashley if there is a zombie apocalypse, a strong female who doesn’t let anyone cause me to die (except me). 

Chronicles of the One starts with this book, and it is a wild ride. It’s postapocalyptic but with a supernatural edge to it. There’s a plague that sweeps the world, but most of the ones left standing after it have some supernatural abilities. It becomes a war to save the world, waged between the supernaturals and the normal humans.

There’s romance—because Nora Roberts is the queen of romance—battles, and a nice HEA (happily ever after) at the end. This whole series is a do-not-miss page-turner.

Sarah Lyons Fleming writes exceptional zombie apocalypse fiction.

I love her masterful characterization, the struggles beyond zombies she explores, and the human dramas that unfold. Her characters always face dilemmas beyond the immediate crisis, making them feel real. Unlike much post-apocalyptic fiction, Fleming avoids the "suddenly turning on your neighbors" trope—while people can be jerks or even evil, her approach feels more nuanced.

It was hard to choose which series to recommend because they're all great, but her Cascadia series is truly special. With well-drawn characters, gripping plots, superior storytelling, realistic relationships, and harrowing zombie encounters, Fleming's books demand rereading.

The audiobook versions are amazing if you prefer that format.

Otto is an average guy going to work in a divided America when the zombie apocalypse occurs.

Suddenly there are zombies everywhere, but if anyone can survive the zombie apocalypse, it’s Otto, who’s got a gun collection and loyal friends and family willing to do whatever it takes to survive the zombies and find out what caused the zombie apocalypse.

I loved the sense of humor and the wacky adventures that balanced the overall horror of the story.

An interesting and funny take on the zombie apocalypse.

The main character has a morbid sense of humor and a loyal dog and is trying to find his daughter no matter what it takes.

The story is fast-paced and will keep you wondering what will happen next, as well as discovering what the main character will do to survive the zombies and also get some food.

I enjoyed the balance of humor and action, which kept me reading until the last page.

I love this book’s original take on the “spore” or “fungal” zombie outbreak. It feels like the author took The Last Of Us (which I also adore) and flipped the story on its head. Melanie is this unique character, at once the snarky, hilarious child of the piece and its terrifying monster.

She’s the threat, battlefield, and hope—and I find that combination so compelling. While it’s a grim, often bleak tale set in a decimated UK, this thread of unexpected hope and unusual connections kept me hooked. This story might not give me the future I wanted at the start of the story, but it offers a different vision with its own version of hope for humanity, and because of that, it has a special place on my shelf.