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The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold

11/13/2023

After swarms of deadly flu flies and an unknown virus kill off most of the population, small groups of survivors try carry on in isolation without technology and dwindling resources.
In New England, 18-year-old Nico and her dog are sent off on an 8 day mission by her dying father to find a "geological anomaly" that may or may not exist.
Nearby, 12-year-old Kit and his adoptive siblings are heading out on a journey of their own to find an elusive haven for survivors.
As their paths converge, they all have a strong sense of deja-vu -- that they have met before and that everything has happened before, perhaps many times.

Grades 7-12

I love a good post-apocalyptic story, and this one is indeed pretty good. The Electric Kingdom is a little bit of a puzzle-box of a book; it takes some time to make sense, but it's worth the effort. Beyond being just a straightforward survival story, it delves into science-fiction and/or fantasy territory, which makes things a whole lot more interesting.

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Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly

11/9/2023

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It's been twelve months, three weeks, one day, six hours, and fourteen minutes since Ash Hunting's mom was killed by a drunk driver. You would think that Ash would have come to terms with it by now, but he is still crippled by grief.
Ash attends two different bereavement groups almost every day of the week -- one for teenagers like himself who have lost someone and one for elderly people.
When Ash decides that he want to get revenge on the truck driver responsible for his mom's death, he embarks on a roadtrip with three people from his bereavement groups: teens Will and Sloane, as well as eighty-year-old Henry who bring's the ashes of his wife Evelyn along for the journey.
Will Ash carry out his revenge? Will each of them make progress on their individual path to healing? Will the four of them actually go to go Graceland? Is catfishing someone ever okay?

Grades 9-12

While this book tackles a difficult and heavy topic and all the characters are struggling with loss, it is ultimately hopeful. You may shed a few tears along the way, but you will also laugh more than a few times. The finale in Memphis is a payoff worth reaching. Come along for the ride with Ash and his new friends.

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The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold

Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly

Ms. Wheaton

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