This Is Not a Test: A Novel

Available now: I'M THE GIRL, the new "brutally captivating" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) queer thriller from Courtney Summers, based loosely on The Epstein case and "not for the faint of heart" (The New York Times)

It's the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won't stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn't sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she's failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she's forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group's fate is determined less and less by what's happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

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336 pages

Average rating: 7.67

6 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

summer daisy
Feb 06, 2024
10/10 stars
What a fantastic novel! Based on the beginning of a zombie apocalypse, this novel takes you with six high schoolers as they try to survive a world wear feral undead roam. Although the novel I just found myself wanting more. To leave out spoilers I have to say I am ready to read the sequel, 'Please Remain Calm'. This sequel is from Rhys' point of view.
Anonymous
Dec 13, 2023
10/10 stars
This was a really fast read for me. I absolutely loved it because it involves a story that is very real. Sloane was written beautifully and it really resonated with me. I couldn't put it down!
Anonymous
Apr 26, 2023
6/10 stars
It has arrived. The zombie apocalypse. You need to learn how to survive in this new environment or you are donezo. What if in the days before said apocalypse, you had already decided you wanted to be donezo? You're with a group of people trying their darnest to survive, and you're trying to think of ways to kill yourself.

description

Sloane has/had an abusive father and a sister who abandoned her after promising to get them both out that hell hole. You will hear about both of these things repeatedly. Sloane is damaged and not hopeful and I found myself feeling like a real jerk for thinking what a wet mop she was being because I was supposed to be sympathetic about her (previous) home life. Yet...THIS IS THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, SO YOU NEED TO GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER AND STOP THINKING OF HOW TO END YOUR LIFE BECAUSE OF YOUR LIFE PRE-APOCALYPSE. I will give careful consideration to those who want to because of a zombie apocalypse, however.

I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters or caring if any of them wouldn't make it. This is readable but one that will not be memorable for me. And the end...ugh.

3 Stars

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