Always be ready for the worst day of your life. This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes survivalist training over class trips or senior prom. They’re even arranging Becca’s marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their community. Roy is a nice guy, but he’s so enthusiastic about prepping that Becca doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s planning to leave as soon as she can earn a full ride to a college far, far away.
Then a devastating accident rocks Becca’s family and pushes the entire community, including Becca’s usually cynical little sister, deeper into the doomsday ideology. With her getaway plans thrown into jeopardy, the only person Becca can turn to is Roy, who reveals that he’s not nearly as clueless as he’s been pretending to be. When Roy proposes they run away together, Becca will have to risk everything — including her heart — for a chance to hope for the best instead of planning for the worst. For fans of Jeff Zentner and Katie Henry comes a thrilling and funny debut about a teen raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.
"Eventful and quip-filled, this doomsday read veers a bit light on character development but is high on emotion. Debut author Mangle explores her characters’ struggles around parental expectations and identity — all while living with the pressure and trauma of community brainwashing.... It’s not the end of the world, but it’s high drama nonetheless." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 14 and up |
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Author | Bethany Mangle |
ISBN | 1534477500 |
Publication Date | Feb 23, 2021 |
Publisher | Margaret K. McElderry Books |
Language | English |