Synopses & Reviews
Set in the very near future, a wounded New York struggles with the aftermath of a power plant explosion that plunged the city into fourteen days of violence and darkness. Christened "Big Black" by the media, the presumed terrorist attack accomplished what 9/11 couldn't: killing the city's spirit and draining it of its life force. An enormous bug-like dome hastily constructed to keep toxic gases from escaping the site casts a gloomy pall over the city and serves as a bleak reminder of the tragedy. Deprived of all reason for optimism, New York's inhabitants slowly withdraw from human interaction and into the cold comfort of technology.
Seventeen-year-old Mal returns to the Brooklyn home of his foster parents one night to discover that his older brother, Tommy, has vanished after leaving a strange message on his phone. Mal launches a search for his brother that leads to a foreboding, seemingly unoccupied Manhattan skyscraper; once inside, he makes a careless mistake that reveals hidden cracks in the surface of the world he knows. Meanwhile, Laura, a high school senior is shaken from her quiet suburban life when her parents inexplicably abandon her and two agents from Homeland Security armed with a hypodermic needle show up at her home.
The two teenagers are thrown together with a cynical and bitter highschool teacher named Mike, and Jon Remak, a covert agent for a shadowy cooperative. The strangers share little in common, save for one terrifying fact: someone or something has wiped them from the memories of every single person the four have ever known. Only by working together can Mal and Laura hope to reclaim a past that was stolen from them--and start a future no one can take away.
Review
"...Readers will respond to the authenticity and immediacy; each page is filled with events both wearying and terrifying and infused with honest emotions.andnbsp; Pfeffer brings cataclysmic tragedy very close."andnbsp; --Booklist (September 1, 2006)
Review
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults A 2011 ALA Popular Paperbacks Title A CCBC Choice A Junior Library Guild Premier Selection A Listening Library Selection An Amazon.com Best Book of the Year * "Absorbing from first page to last."—
Publishers Weekly, starred review"Riveting and deeply frightening."—The Bulletin
"You will read it in one sitting, fighting back tears as you bite your nails."—Teenreads.com
Review
STARRED REVIEW FROM
BCCB:
“Orleans itself is a compelling intersection of environmental chaos and human politics. Smith repeatedly reminds readers that this was once a vibrant, stunningly alive place that suffered the ill effects of global warming and yet has still managed to eke out a kind of survival, as grim and unappealing as that survival looks. This version of NOLA reads like a twisted love letter to the original as Smith mines its famous landmarks and traditions for a dark revision . . . Smiths vision of the future is terrifying because it scarily matches reality in a world where the Doomsday clock moves closer and closer to midnight.”
STARRED REVIEW FROM BOOKLIST:
“In Smiths compelling and disturbing novel, the Gulf Coast has been formally separated from the U.S. since 2025, after a deadly plague called Delta Fever emerges from the horrific conditions following years of increasingly destructive hurricanes. . . . Alternating chapters of Fens strong and often lyrical voice and a third-person account from Daniels point of view move the complicated plot briskly. . . . powerful, relevant themes: global warming, racism, political corruption, and the complexity of human nature.”
FROM VOYA:
“Gritty and dark, with plenty of glimmers of humanity, this book screams for a sequel, a trilogy, maybe even a prequel. Chapters written in the well-crafted first-person of Fens tribal dialect clash with Daniels third-person narrative chapters, but perhaps that was part of Smiths plan. It is a minor flaw in a book that will fly off the shelves and thrill readers of realistic, as well as science, fiction.”
FROM KIRKUS REVIEWS:
“Smith imagines a captivating and truly frightening future for the United States, one in which six devastating hurricanes follow Katrinas path right into the heart of the crippled Gulf Coast. . . . the richly textured worldbuilding and the complicated relationship between Fen and Daniel, as well as the constant and varied dangers they face, will keep readers up long past their bedtimes. A harrowing and memorable ride.”
FROM HORN BOOK:
“Smith effectively tells their stories through both voices: his idealistic, naive, and grammatically perfect; hers, street-wise, in the dialect of the tribes of Orleans. Carefully crafted backstories, revealed throughout the novel, allow readers initially to form opinions and later have these either confirmed, denied, or altered. The bleak, austere setting becomes a tableau for lifes basics: survival and sacrifice, compassion and greed.”
Review
This intense psychological drama, showing the brightest and darkest sides of humanity, offers remarkable acts of courage and disturbing images of domestic violence. Willa's frankly portrayed grief, confusion, and uncertainties will have a strong impact on readers."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"The sheer drama of the plot will draw readers, and they’ll stay for an insightful exploration of the way families go both right and wrong."--Bulletin
Review
"This dystopian mind bender is quite complex, and the steadily building plot takes several mysterious twists. The book begins in a very realistic manner, introducing the teen protagonists as well-developed and likeable characters while systematically adding layers and new characters to their story. As the book nears its conclusion, that sense of reality shifts considerably and sometimes throws the reader off kilter. The story is quick moving and full of action, both physical and intellectual. While reluctant or struggling readers may find this book difficult to follow, it is highly recommended for teen and adult readers who are willing to take on a challenging read for the payoff of a well-written, intricately plotted story."—
VOYA"This first novel is an ambitious, cautionary—and even paranoiac—story of the soul-destroying power of a consumer society run amok and the near-cosmic forces it unleashes. Its a fascinating premise, and though the page-turning action slows a bit in the second half to explore some of the more abstruse causes behind the mind-bending effects, that doesnt detract from the great many intriguing, original, and thought provoking ideas at play here.."—Booklist
Synopsis
Mirandas disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun? As summer turns to Arctic winter, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.
Told in journal entries, this is the heart-pounding story of Mirandas struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all—hope—in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.
Synopsis
New York Times bestseller A heart-stopping post-apocalyptic thriller that's absorbing from first to last page.*
When a meteor knocks the moon closer to earth, Miranda, a high school sophomore, takes shelter with her family.
Told in a year's worth of journal entries, Life as We Knew It chronicles the human struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all--hope--in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.
As August turns dark and wintery in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.
I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonald's still would be open. Like one marble hitting another, when the moon slams closer to earth, the result is catastrophic. Worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, and volcanic ash blocks out the sun.
Life as We Know It is an extraordinary series debut. The companion novels are: The Dead and the Gone, This World We Live In, and The Shade of the Moon.
(*Publishers Weekly, starred review)
Synopsis
New York Citys spirit has been crushed. People walk the streets with their heads down, withdrawing from one another and into the cold comfort of technology. Teenagers Mal and Laura have grown up in this reality. Theyve never met. Seemingly, they never will.
But on the same day Mal learns his brother has disappeared, Laura discovers her parents have forgotten her. Both begin a search for their families that leads them to the same truth: someone or something has wiped the teens from the memories of every person they have ever known. Thrown together, Mal and Laura must find common ground as they attempt to reclaim their pasts.
Synopsis
Willa is lucky. She has a happy familyMom, Jack, her stepsisters Brooke and Alyssa, and Willaall living together in peace and contentment. But a frantic phone call from her mother's best friend from her hometown of Pryor, Texas, shatters that calm and stability. Willa's birth father has murdered his second wife and two daughters and the police think he is on his way east to find Willa and her mother.
Questions abound as Willa realizes that her mother has held on to many secrets. As those secrets begin to spill out, Willa is compelled to seek the truth about the family she never knew existed. In dusty Pryor, away from the peaceful home life shed always known, Willa begins to find her roots and question the meaning of blood ties. Only by looking at all of the pieces that make up her life can Willa discover her strength and independenceand realize what family ties really mean.
Synopsis
Blood can both wound and heal . . .
Willa is lucky: She has a loving blended family that gets along. Not all families are so fortunate. But when a bloody crime takes place hundreds of miles away, it has an explosive effect on Willa’s peaceful life. The estranged father she hardly remembers has murdered his new wife and children, and is headed east toward Willa and her mother. Under police protection, Willa discovers that her mother has harbored secrets that are threatening to boil over. Has everything Willa believed about herself been a lie? But as Willa sets out to untangle the mysteries of her past, she also keeps her own secret—one that has the potential to tear apart all she holds dear.
Synopsis
When a meteor hits the moon, Miranda must learn to survive the unimaginable . . .
Synopsis
Reality TV meets a chillingly realistic version of America--and the fame game is on!
Amy had dreams of going to college, until the Collapse destroyed the economy and her future. Now she is desperate for any job that will help support her terminally ill grandmother and rebellious younger sister. When she finds herself in the running for a slot on a new reality TV show, she signs on the dotted line, despite her misgivings. And she's right to have them. TLN's Who Knows People, Baby--You? has an irresistible premise: correctly predict what the teenage cast will do in a crisis and win millions. But the network has pulled strings to make it work, using everything from 24/7 hidden cameras to life-threatening technology to flat-out rigging. Worse, every time the ratings slip, TLN ups the ante. Soon Amy is fighting for her life--on and off camera.
Synopsis
I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonaldand#8217;s still would be open. High school sophomore Mirandaand#8217;s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, like "one marble hits another." The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun? As August turns dark and wintery in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove. Told in a yearand#8217;s worth of journal entries, this heart-pounding story chronicles Mirandaand#8217;s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of alland#8212;hopeand#8212;in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world. An extraordinary series debut! Susan Beth Pfeffer has written three companion novels to Life As We Knew It, including The Dead and the Gone, This World We Live In, and The Shade of the Moon.
Synopsis
First came the storms.Then came the Fever.And the Wall. After a string of devastating hurricanes and a severe outbreak of Delta Fever, the Gulf Coast has been quarantined. Years later, residents of the Outer States are under the assumption that life in the Delta is all but extinct…but in reality, a new primitive society has been born.
Fen de la Guerre is living with the O-Positive blood tribe in the Delta when they are ambushed. Left with her tribe leader’s newborn, Fen is determined to get the baby to a better life over the wall before her blood becomes tainted. Fen meets Daniel, a scientist from the Outer States who has snuck into the Delta illegally. Brought together by chance, kept together by danger, Fen and Daniel navigate the wasteland of Orleans. In the end, they are each other’s last hope for survival.
Sherri L. Smith delivers an expertly crafted story about a fierce heroine whose powerful voice and firm determination will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
Synopsis
A post-apocalyptic near-future adventure wherein power plant explosion plunges New York into darkness and violence, and two teens struggle to create their future in a world ravaged by ecological disaster and corporate greed.
About the Author
Susan Beth Pfeffer is the author of many books for teens, including the New York Times bestseller Life As We Knew It, which was nominated for more than 20 state awards, The Dead & the Gone, and This World We Live In. Pfeffer's other books include the bestselling novel The Year Without Michael and the popular Portraits of Little Women series and Kid Power, which won the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award and the Sequoyah Book Award.