Let’s Call It a Doomsday

High school student Ellis Kimball suffers from severe anxiety, which stems from her fixation on how the world might soon end. Much to the chagrin of her family and therapist, she throws much of her energy into buying food and supplies to survive the impending apocalypse. While Ellis is devout in her Mormon faith, she also questions many of its tenets, particularly since she is coming to terms with her sexual identity. After she meets Hannah, who is convinced that her prophetic dreams of the apocalypse will land the two together at the end of the world, her life is upended. Henry (Heretics Anonymous) develops a separate voice for Ellis’s constant anxiety, both extending the characterization and adding a light touch to the story. This is a rare YA novel in its approach to religious faith as a life-giving, if complicated, aspect of a young adult’s life. Henry walks a fine line, showing Mormonism’s many layers of tradition while questioning central aspects of it, particularly attitudes toward LGBTQ people. Full of heart and hope, even as she believes the world is about to end, Ellis is a protagonist to root for. Ages 13–up[em]. Agent: Sarah LaPolla, Bradford Literary Agency. (Aug.) [/em]