Synopses & Reviews
Your mother hollers that youre going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You dont stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You dont thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.
Only, if its the last time youll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish youd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.
But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.
Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.
In Emmy Laybournes action-packed debut novel Monument 14, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.
Review
“Monument 14 is raw, honest, gritty, and full of emotionally taut storytelling. Laybourne dares you to look away, but you wont be able to. I had to hug so many kittens after reading it that the pet store asked me not to come back.” —Lish McBride, author of Hold Me Closer, Necromancer
“Laybournes strong characterizations of the resourceful, optimistic children who make up this improvised family intensify the horror of the situation and make the almost cartoonish series of catastrophes frighteningly real.” —The New York Times Book Review
* “Laybournes debut ably turns what could have been yet another postapocalyptic YA novel into a tense, claustrophobic, and fast-paced thriller.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“An unforgettable opener . . . a realistic, multicharacter survival story . . . the ending is a real thriller.” —Booklist
“[A] fast-paced teen dystopian novel . . . gradually unfolds to become intriguing beyond the survival elements, as the characters must deal with choices about leadership, bullying, sex, and living with the temptations of alcohol and pharmaceuticals.” —The Horn Book
“A combination survival and apocalyptic story.” —VOYA
“Readers will eagerly await the second volume.” —Kirkus Reviews
Review
"...a combination survival and apocalyptic story.”--VOYA
"...a real thriller…”--Booklist
“…Laybournes debut ably turns what could have been yet another postapocalyptic YA novel into a tense, claustrophobic, and fast-paced thriller.”--Publishers Weekly, starred
"...intriguing beyond the survival elements..."--Horn Book
"...readers will eagerly await the second volume. "--Kirkus
"Concise, clear, and riveting. A cliff-hanger ending leaves readers devastated but breathlessly awaiting the sequel. A stellar addition to any collection." -- School Library Journal
Review
PRAISE FOR NO SAFETY IN NUMBERS:
"Think of the heart-racing chase of The Hunger Games but a giant mall is your arena and everyone is potentially a tribute."--Seventeen.com
"Riveting. . .[Lorentz's] detailed depiction of the escalating chaos over the course of seven long days is deeply unsettling."--The New York Times
"[An] engrossing. . .thriller."--Kirkus
2013 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
PRAISE FOR NO EASY WAY OUT:
"Readers who were captivated by No Safety in Numbers will continue to enjoy the seemingly doomed mall residents and will eagerly anticipate the series conclusion."--School Library Journal
". . .a fascinatingly dynamic protagonist. . .the story line is increasingly reminiscent--in a good way--of Michael Grant's Gone series."--Booklist
Synopsis
Perfect for fans of Life As We Knew It and Michael Grant's Gone--the conclusion to the thrilling No Safety in Numbers trilogy
First--a bomb released a deadly flu virus and the entire mall was quarantined.
Next--the medical teams evacuated and the windows were boarded up just before the virus mutated.
Now--the power is out and the mall is thrown into darkness. Shay, Marco, Lexi, Ryan, and Ginger aren't the same people they were two weeks ago. Just like the virus, they've had to change in order to survive. And not all for the better. When no one can see your face, you can be anyone you want to be, and, when the doors finally open, they may not like what they've become.
If you think it's silly to be afraid of the dark, you're wrong.
Very wrong.
About the Author
EMMY LAYBOURNE is a novelist, teacher, and former character actress. Emmys Monument 14 trilogy has earned critical praise ("Frighteningly real… riveting" - New York Times Book Review, Editors Choice) and has been nominated by readers to the YALSA Teens Top Ten in 2013 and 2014.Before her life as an author, Emmy performed original comedy on Comedy Central, MTV, and VH1; and acted in the movies Superstar, The In-Laws, and Nancy Drew, among others. Emmy lives outside New York City with her husband, two kids, and a flock of 8 nifty chickens. Visit her online at emmylaybourne.com.