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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607003755702 | New Young Adult | ADIA Jade | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
From the author of There Goes the Neighborhood , winner of the 2024 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award, comes an unforgettably powerful coming-of-age story about a 16-year-old LA transplant whose plans to build a doomsday shelter in her backyard collide with an unexpected summer romance.
Survival Tip #1: The world is going to shit. Whatever you do, don't fall in love.
Sixteen-year old Niarah Holloway's only goal in life is to get through it unnoticed. That, and to spend her first summer in LA building a doomsday bunker in her backyard. Because if the past few years have taught Niarah anything, it's that the ocean levels are rising, minimum wage is a scam, and the people who are supposed to protect you will hurt you. Now the only thing that helps Niarah stay afloat amidst the constant waves of anxiety and dread that threaten to drag her under is her new mantra: Be prepared .
But Niarah wasn't prepared for Mac Torres. Not for his disarmingly cute face, or for his surfer lifestyle, or for the way his smile resuscitates her heart. Mac is a bomb that blows Niarah's world to pieces, but instead of disaster, he fills it with sunset bonfires, breakfast burritos, and new friends.
For years, Niarah's life has revolved around ignoring the demons of her past, avoiding the problems of her present, and preparing for the catastrophes of the future. Now Mac--with his sunshine laugh and infectious optimism-- is determined to show her another way to be. But in a world where the worst feels inevitable, can one summer be enough to light the way to a hopeful future? Can one summer be enough to fall in love?
Author Notes
Born and raised in South LA, Jade Adia writes stories about gentrification, Black teen joy, and the sh*tshow that is capitalism. She holds a bachelor's degree in Ethnicity, Race & Migration, and a certificate in Human Rights. She recently survived law school, graduating with a specialization in Critical Race Studies. She is the author of There Goes the Neighborhood . Find her online at www.JadeAdia.com and on Instagram @JadeAdia.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up--Sixteen-year-old Niarah is about to fail her sophomore year. Instead of focusing on school, she has spent her time researching the best prepping techniques for the eventual collapse of the world and making summer plans to build her doomsday shelter, Camp Doom. When given the choice between summer school with bullies who exposed her prepper lifestyle on social media and participating in a summer hiking program with cute boy Mac, she chooses the latter. As she spends time outdoors with Mac and his crew, she discovers that life may be worth living instead of prepping for its end. Mac is the antithesis of Niarah in that he focuses on getting the most out of life despite things in his life that are challenging. The supporting group of characters are diverse in race and gender and show Niarah different approaches to life. Mixed media of pages from Niarah's prepper guide, emails, and text messages adds a unique layer of interest and perspective. At times, the amount of topics covered can be overwhelming, much like the emotions Niarah is feeling. Suicidal ideation, first sexual experiences, domestic abuse, and eco-anxiety are just a few of the issues tackled, making this book better suited for older teens. VERDICT When the world seems to be collapsing, living can be the hardest challenge to overcome. A first choice for collections serving older teens.--Ashley Leffel
Publisher's Weekly Review
At risk of repeating sophomore year, anxious Black 16-year-old Niarah Holloway must spend the summer completing her capstone project and making up PE credits. A doomsday prepper and self-proclaimed weird kid, Niarah decides to use her project as an excuse to work on Camp Doom, the detached garage she plans to convert into a bunker. With her summer plans locked in, she doesn't anticipate encountering Latinx graduating senior Mac, cofounder of the hiking group Color Outside, which Niarah is forced to join to earn her PE credits. Mac offers to help Niarah with Camp Doom, leading to many spirited debates regarding preparing for the end of the world vs. living in the moment, and as the two grow closer, Niarah becomes more aware of Mac's imminent move from L.A. for college. Now, she must reckon with the possibility of losing the first glimmer of joy she's felt in a long time. In a narrative that teems with hope, nihilism, and strong anti-capitalist themes, Adia (There Goes the Neighborhood) pays homage to the "boiling cauldron of terror we live in" via a scorching blend of realistic teenage snark and achingly earnest prose. Sex-positive messaging throughout adds further depth to this already potent romance. Ages 12--up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Aug.)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up--Sixteen-year-old Niarah is about to fail her sophomore year. Instead of focusing on school, she has spent her time researching the best prepping techniques for the eventual collapse of the world and making summer plans to build her doomsday shelter, Camp Doom. When given the choice between summer school with bullies who exposed her prepper lifestyle on social media and participating in a summer hiking program with cute boy Mac, she chooses the latter. As she spends time outdoors with Mac and his crew, she discovers that life may be worth living instead of prepping for its end. Mac is the antithesis of Niarah in that he focuses on getting the most out of life despite things in his life that are challenging. The supporting group of characters are diverse in race and gender and show Niarah different approaches to life. Mixed media of pages from Niarah's prepper guide, emails, and text messages adds a unique layer of interest and perspective. At times, the amount of topics covered can be overwhelming, much like the emotions Niarah is feeling. Suicidal ideation, first sexual experiences, domestic abuse, and eco-anxiety are just a few of the issues tackled, making this book better suited for older teens. VERDICT When the world seems to be collapsing, living can be the hardest challenge to overcome. A first choice for collections serving older teens.--Ashley Leffel
Publisher's Weekly Review
At risk of repeating sophomore year, anxious Black 16-year-old Niarah Holloway must spend the summer completing her capstone project and making up PE credits. A doomsday prepper and self-proclaimed weird kid, Niarah decides to use her project as an excuse to work on Camp Doom, the detached garage she plans to convert into a bunker. With her summer plans locked in, she doesn't anticipate encountering Latinx graduating senior Mac, cofounder of the hiking group Color Outside, which Niarah is forced to join to earn her PE credits. Mac offers to help Niarah with Camp Doom, leading to many spirited debates regarding preparing for the end of the world vs. living in the moment, and as the two grow closer, Niarah becomes more aware of Mac's imminent move from L.A. for college. Now, she must reckon with the possibility of losing the first glimmer of joy she's felt in a long time. In a narrative that teems with hope, nihilism, and strong anti-capitalist themes, Adia (There Goes the Neighborhood) pays homage to the "boiling cauldron of terror we live in" via a scorching blend of realistic teenage snark and achingly earnest prose. Sex-positive messaging throughout adds further depth to this already potent romance. Ages 12--up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Aug.)