Pandemic by Yvonne Ventresca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Trade paperback in July 2016


My opinion, as is true for anyone, is a subjective thing. Each of us has our own criteria for judging a book. While reading Pandemic, I started to feel nervous about looters and actually thought for a second about if it would be safe to have lunch with my sister the day I finished the book. I judge this to be a good thing for a book!

Pandemic is a story of a flu pandemic that quickly spreads throughout New England and eventually throughout the United States with little to no warning. As many government and health organizations will tell you, this is not a far-fetched scenario. Liliana, or Lil as she is called by her friends, is a 16 year old girl who has recently suffered a trauma at the hands of a trusted teacher. As the flu begins its spread, she is already dealing with an obsessive need to feel safe and prepared for any disaster, as well as a strong need to avoid being touched. Lil has broken up with her boyfriend Ethan mostly due to these issues, and she is attempting to avoid a new boy called Jay who is showing interest. For the first time since "the event" as she calls her experience with the teacher, Lil is left home while both parents are traveling for work.

Lil's first exposure to the flu is while helping her best friend Megs get ready for a date. Suddenly Megs becomes seriously ill and is hospitalized. The worst part of this flu pandemic is the need to avoid people in order to stay healthy. But, Lil also has some anti-viral medication her father has placed in their safe for just such an emergency.

As the flu seriously spreads throughout Lil's town, the deaths become overwhelming. School is closed, businesses close, people are unable to travel due to quarantine or overwhelmed transportation, hospitals are overrun with the sick, and the bodies begin to pile up.

This is the point where Lil faces her own demons. Does she stay alone in her own home where she is mostly safe, or does she put herself out, facing her fears, to assist those in need. As the kids from her high school attempt to assist, with both Ethan and Jay involved, should Lil participate? What will this mean for her relationships? And, what can a 16-year old d0?

I found Pandemic to be a gripping tale and a great debut for Yvonne Ventresca. Information about flu pandemics is well researched and provides a chilling example of what is possible. There may be some aspects of the story that are a bit coincidental, but overall, this is a solid story.

For those YA readers who have been enjoying the stories similar to Fault in our Stars, this is another title to add to your reading list. It is a quick, absorbing read with a great deal of tension, sadness, fear, and the maturing of the main characters. Definitely recommended.





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This Is Where It Ends - Taut, tense, and topical

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

My rating: 4 of 5 stars 


Mass shootings in the United States are escalating, we are told. Our population is divided about gun control, and it appears to be beyond the ability of our politicians to pass federal laws restricting their purchase. Are we doomed to repeat this history because no action is taken to prevent it? In This Is Where It Ends, Marieke Nijkamp takes us inside a school shooting to help us understand what it is like for the students experiencing a mass murder of their teachers and friends.

Tyler Browne has returned to Opportunity High School after dropping out several months ago. He has chained all of the doors to the auditorium so no one can exit. He is armed and he is a very disturbed individual. Since his mother died in a car crash his father has become abusive, and his sister, Autumn, has "deserted" him to focus on her dancing and her girlfriend Sylv. Ty feels alone and betrayed, as well as being friendless. His rage has become overwhelming, so he plans to take it out on the population of Opportunity High.

The story is told mainly from the personal perspectives of four individuals:

Claire, an ROTC Sargent and track star is out running with her best friend Chris, the coach, and the track team when the shooting starts. Her handicapped younger brother Matt is in the auditorium, and her former boyfriend, Ty, is the shooter.

Autumn, Ty's sister, and girlfriend to Sylv, knows a good portion of Ty's rage is based on her deteriorating relationship with her brother. Ty hates Sylv and believes Autumn's relationship with her is a betrayal of him and what he expects from a sister.

Sylv has a past with Ty's violence and fears him above all others. She knows he will be focusing on her, and she has every reason to fear this wild and armed young man. However, she has another concern - she knows her twin brother is also still in the school, and he has had more than one run in with Ty.

Tomas, Sylv's brother, and his friend, Fareed, are the mischief makers of their class. They strongly feel their difference in a mostly white school and use their antics in school as a way to belong. They are in the principal's office attempting to locate some private files, when the shooting begins. Tomas calls 911 and then realizes only he and Fareed are outside the auditorium while his sister and the rest of the school are in danger.

Each of these four individuals has a relationship of some kind with Ty. They wonder if they could have done anything to prevent what is happening, and if they can do anything now to save the lives of their teachers and fellow students. In addition, they each have someone they love who is in imminent danger.

This Is Where It Ends is a taut, tense, story told over only 55 minutes. The characters are torn between surviving themselves, assisting those they love, and helping their schoolmates and teachers escape harm. Each is a senior class member with hopes and dreams for the future. Will they live to follow their dreams or will Ty take those dreams from them? How far can they go to protect others while doing what they can to survive themselves?

Nijkamp adeptly weaves the story through the thoughts and experiences of each of these major characters. A few additional side characters tweet and blog their thoughts, and we see some of the horror and fear of the school as a whole through their encounters with our main characters. This last bit is not quite as successful and feels a bit mechanical, although the tales of the four main characters are very well developed and we learn about them and their relationships through their thoughts.

This Is Where It Ends is a very fast-paced tale with a timely concept. There is obviously a large amount of violence, and a small smattering of foul words, but this is to be expected. The story has an anticipated ending, but not all of the major players survive. Lessons about the importance of love and family are learned, but there is no happy ending to an event such as this.

The topic should appeal to high school age readers and is recommended for this age group.





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