This is Not a Test - Courtney Summers

Young Adult
Pages: 336
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: June 19, 2012

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

It starts with a shocking scene of Sloane discovering the zombie invasion. I was hooked from chapter one. She ends up with a group of teenagers from her high school with whom she has barely had contact before. They seek shelter in her High School and must coexist while they figure out what to do next. With the apocalyptic threat on the background, the problems end up being more within.

Gripping and addicting, This is Not a Test is everything I hoped it'd be. Courtney Summers' words are made of awesome. Every sentence is so emotionally charged that it seems like all these feelings are just trapped inside the story, waiting for YOU to feel them. It's like a peek inside the world of REAL teenagers who just need to be heard.

This book was no exception. Even though it has zombies, it also has the trademark Summers contemporary feel. It's basically a realistic fiction book with a touch of zombie-rific-ness, which just serves as a threat in the background. And OF COURSE it has the tension. The constant vibrating tension, an obvious relationship tension (between all characters) and a new tension brought by this threat of zombies.

To be fair, this tension did seem to diminish a bit in the middle of the book, but I felt it was somewhat needed. It's hard to read while biting your nails during the whole book.

The character development was very well done, and one of my favorite things about the story was the relationship between the group. We know that in difficult circumstances the dynamics within a group become belligerent, and people become hostile and estranged. Courtney brilliantly portrays these dynamics from the point of view of one of the less problematic characters. All the unease and suspense within the group was fascinating.

I may be a little biased because I LOVE anything Courtney writes, but this book was incredible. I can't wait for more from her!

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Waiting on Wednesday (109)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up.

As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside.

When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

It's by uh, COURTNEY SUMMERS. Need I say more? 

Release Date: June 2012

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Fall for Anything - Courtney Summers

Young Adult
Pages: 224
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: December 21, 2010

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Really, Courtney Summers can do no wrong. She has this unique writing style that's so powerful and tense at the same time. She always deals with true issues that are so hard that there's just no way around it. This time, it was a suicide without explanation. No apparent reason, but Eddie's father is gone. And she needs to know why! The story was so stressful and the tension was so palpable that it was literally hard to tear my eyes away from it. My gaze was glued to the pages even when I felt so messed up I needed I break, still I needed to finish it first. I think I barely breathed while reading. And OMG! That twist! SHOKING! I was so mad and outraged and insulted. I did NOT see that coming!

This piercing portrayal of grief is as raw as it is real. To explore, not only a grieving process but a trauma too, the author needs to be as talented as Courtney Summers. As always, Summers teases the reader with bits of truth to add up and put together. And I felt as if there were two parallel plots unraveling next to each other to seamlessly come together at the end. There was the healing process with her mother and Milo, and then there was the mystery that needs to be figured out.

In the end I felt as torn apart as I felt satisfied. That is a feeling very few books provoke and almost every case its dark contemporary reads. Because they are the ones that truly expose with no sugar-coating the realities of our messed up world. That's why I love so much Courtney Summers: she's never afraid to show exactly how fucked-up people can be. And she never needs to say it, it's just there, plain on the pages.

If you want an awesome thought-provoking piece of literature that will leave you utterly shaken, then grab any of Courtney's books.

Goodreads / Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday (58)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? WhyWhy when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. He seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on… but some questions should be left unanswered. when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? 

If you haven't read Courtney Summers yet, you've been missing out on one of the most fantastic authors of YA out there. Seriously. I was already dying to read this one, but now with this spectacularly gorgeous cover, and with certain book already out (MJ) this is THE book I'm pining for the most. I CANNOT WAIT!!!

Release Date: December 21, 2010

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Cracked Up To Be - Courtney Summers

Young Adult
Pages: 224
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: December 23, 2008

Perfect Parker Fadley isn't so perfect anymore. She's quit the cheerleading squad, she's dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she's failing school. Her parents are on a constant suicide watch and her counselors think she's playing games? but what they don't know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn't something she can say out loud. It isn't even something she can say to herself. A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault. If she can just remove herself from everybody--be totally alone--then everything will be okay...The problem is, nobody will let her. 

This book was absolutely amazing! Courtney's writing inevitably pulls you in from the very first word. She is one of the boldest, most awesome writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Why hadn't I read this before?? It was freakin' fantastic! The character build up and development was utterly well done and she somehow manages to convey more emotion in her unique cold way of writing than many authors do in theirs.

I fell in love with Parker. She is who we secretly all want to be. She's perfect, even at being imperfect. I felt shaken after finding out her story at the end. You will be speechless. The way the book maintains the mystery and slowly hands you hints throughout the whole story, makes it almost impossible to stop reading. I don't think you can even guess what's going on before it's said, that's how well Summers does it.

This is a MUST read for everyone and is now part of my favorites list.

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