Not bad for a YA freebie!

The narrator sounded young - I would like to know how old she was when this was recorded- so was right for the part. However, she didn’t know how to manage pauses and inflections. She also couldn’t pronounce ‘plait’! I almost gave up as I found her delivery so irritating but persevered as the story was quite interesting.

The plot was quite prescient under current circumstances, even if society’s disintegration is a bit quick! I found the protagonist quite believable, but was irritated by the plot device of ‘home alone’. There is no way both parents would have left her alone under the circumstances. A much more believable scenario would have been the failure of an arrangement for her to stay with a friend.

It ends rather abruptly and the resolution of Lil’s trauma is a bit ‘pat’ but I still quite enjoyed it.

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2 people found this helpful

bit close too home.

really enjoyed this book.
a different pace and style too what I normally listen too.
a bit close too home.

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Very enjoyable

Loved this story! Great likeable characters and a narrator who really brings the main character to life! The only downside is that it should have been longer!

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Such a thoughtful, well written story.

Very realistic and well drawn characters. I'm impressed with how the subject was handled without falling into the usual traps. A thoughtful, yet thoroughly engrossing, take on a well worn subject.

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This was a free one

The narration wasn't bad though, the voice actress sounded very young and just right for a teenager. I enjoyed this but did not like how it ended. It felt slightly sudden and rushed? Almost as if the author wanted to get her secret out already to Jay nearing the end, like, it's "done and dusted" now. Erm . . . so, yes, it felt like an abrupt end. By the way I didn't like Mr. B's sudden change of heart when he wanted to make amends with her; monsters like him aren't like that in real life, they do not suddenly change into better people. I wished he had got what was coming to him! And I'm glad she didn't forgive him and stood up for herself, which is extremely scary for a child to do in her situation. Oh, and TK was the star of the show. That's it. End rant.

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A Solid Pandemic Tale Meets Young Adult

🧡 This sweet, poignant take on the pandemic-apocalypse genre has the coming-of-age YA feel of Susan Beth Pfeffer’s Last Survivors series or Karen Thompson Walker’s Age of Miracles. Told from the perspective of high schooler Lilliana, it has the distinctive perspective of a teenage girl, but also some serious trauma in the backstory as well as the plot. However, it remains a younger story, so avoid it if that's not for you. Having said that, at the time of writing it’s free on Audible Plus. If you have that option, give it a go.

💚 This is a pandemic scenario written pre-Covid, which makes it an interesting point of comparison. I think it’s relatively accurate in many ways.

💜 Listen to this if pandemic/social-aspect apocalyptic is your thing. Or if you like YA fiction. It works on both counts. What I would say is that it doesn’t delve deep enough into any of the subjects it explores. It has the incomplete feel of the beginning of a series, but, to my knowledge, is not part of one.

Content warning for sexual assault.
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SOUNDBITE

🎧 This is a quick, light listen. Easy to follow and with enough to keep me interested. Narrator Monika Smith has a very sweet voice. This is totally in keeping with the character, but a bit too sugary for my cynical soul.

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Gripping

I really enjoyed this and really hoped for a next book gutted this is it.

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Pandemic

A charming short story which is well narrated and I found it entertaining also

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Teen angst in the midst of a Pandemic

The story was quite sweet but a little tame for anyone really into the post apocalyptic genre. The voice was suitable for the age of the protagonist in the story but needs a bit of inflection

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Good Steady Story

The pandemic through the eyes of a teenage girl is by no means an original idea, what was nice was she didn't turn into a master ninja prepper who's all of a sudden a kick ass gun slinger! She remains a normal girl facing normal challenges that could occur in the process of manovering the hurdles of a pandemic outbreak. The narration was lovely. Such a nice voice to listen to. Job well done.

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