This bookish meme tells the blogosphere what we’re waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for! It’s hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine!
The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.
Flora is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombie-like “rabids,” she and her older brother Cain are still alive. With their mom dead, dad missing, and LA suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: The secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up is their best chance at a safe haven, and maybe even seeing their dad again.
The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, new allies, hidden truths, and painful memories of the final time her family made this same trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: no matter how far you run, death is never far behind.
Published by: Feiwel & Friends
Expected Publication: June 17, 2025
Why I’m Waiting: I’m not usually a fan of dystopian books. Even more so when they’re zombies, but this sounds so good! And I love the thought of this teen girl being the one to lead them to safety. I can’t wait to put this on lists next year to remind teens that they can do so much more than they ever thought. Definitely one I’m going to be adding to our list for Tournament of Books 2025-2026! (Reminder, this is the Nikki who hasn’t even read this yet lol That’s how good I think its going to be!)
What about you? Do you usually like dystopian books? What about zombie books? Let me know in the comments!