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About The Book

For fans of Jeff Zentner and Katie Henry comes a thrilling and funny debut about a teen raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.

Always be ready for the worst day of your life.

This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes survivalist training over class trips or senior prom. They’re even arranging Becca’s marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their community. Roy is a nice guy, but he’s so enthusiastic about prepping that Becca doesn’t have the heart to tell him she’s planning to leave as soon as she can earn a full ride to a college far, far away.

Then a devastating accident rocks Becca’s family and pushes the entire community, including Becca’s usually cynical little sister, deeper into the doomsday ideology. With her getaway plans thrown into jeopardy, the only person Becca can turn to is Roy, who reveals that he’s not nearly as clueless as he’s been pretending to be.

When Roy proposes they run away together, Becca will have to risk everything—including her heart—for a chance to hope for the best instead of planning for the worst.

About The Author

Photograph by James Mangle

Bethany Mangle is the author of the Prepped, All the Right Reasons, and Conditions of a Heart. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys spoiling her dogs, playing video games, and spending time with her unbearably nerdy husband. She moves too much to put a location in her bio ever again. Visit her at BethanyMangle.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (February 23, 2021)
  • Length: 320 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534477520
  • Ages: 14 - 99

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Raves and Reviews

* "Mangle’s evocative prose creates a vivid world where readers will wince at Becca’s emotionally abusive family life and wonder at her innate steeliness and ability to survive...Fans of compelling realistic fiction like that of Courtney Summers will love Becca’s journey as they cheer for her to succeed against incredible odds."

– School Library Journal, starred review

"It’s not the end of the world, but it’s high drama nonetheless."

– Kirkus Reviews

Awards and Honors

  • CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List High School Title
  • TAYSHAS Reading List (TX)
  • Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title

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More books from this author: Bethany Mangle