Wake Me After the Apocalypse

Rivet’s postapocalyptic thriller stars resourceful 18-year-old Joanna Murphy, who wakes after the world has ended to find herself abandoned due to a cryogenic mishap. Split into two intertwined, interspersed halves—the “Before” and “After” of a world impacted by a foreseen but indestructible comet nicknamed “Brandon”—the narrative unveils dark mysteries about Joanna’s past as an attendee of “Apocalypse Camp,” a program run by the United States Bunker Reservation Project (BRP). Though ostensibly saving people from oncoming doom, the BRP and its intentions are questionable, raising prescient concerns about who gets to choose an apocalypse’s survivors. Despite Joanna and her close-knit team’s intense preparations, when she wakes alone it becomes clear something is wrong, and Joanna’s processes and training protocols are subsequently conveyed in vivid detail. While the tone can be uneven, the novel nevertheless successfully entertains readers with clear, effortless prose and compelling characters. Reliant on heavy foreshadowing and some predictable plot twists, this book provides moments both creepy and suspenseful, offering surprising turns concerning Joanna’s “Before” romance and how humankind learns to cooperate when placed in situations of survival. Ages 15–up. [em](Self-published.) [/em]