If We Survive This

Colombian and Irish American 18-year-old Flora was supposed to be attending college in Los Angeles and trying her best not to acknowledge the intrusive thoughts brought about by her undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder. Instead, she’s spent the last six months surviving a zombie apocalypse caused by a global rabies mutation outbreak. With her mother dead and her father missing, she’s become the sole caretaker for her 19-year-old brother Cain, who’s recovering from a broken leg. Then Cain hears their father’s voice calling to them through an old radio, claiming he’s made it to the family cabin, which prompts the siblings to head for Northern California to join him. Along the way, they encounter two other survivors, including Mexican American Crisanta, Cain’s ex-girlfriend and Flora’s longtime crush. As the group venture to the cabin together, it becomes clear that rabids aren’t the only thing they have to fear. Marie (You Don’t Have a Shot) delves into the genre with resounding success: alternating chapters titled “Now” and “Then” juxtapose Flora’s life in survival mode with society pre-apocalypse. Introspective portrayals of OCD and steadfast siblinghood combine with standout depictions of classic horror tropes bursting with sci-fi zombie gore in this tightly paced novel. Ages 14–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (June)