Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

It’s been 14 years since the zombie outbreak that sent the world into chaos, and Benny Imura is now 15 years old. He doesn’t have time to celebrate however, because now he has to start working if he wants to keep earning food rations. With no better options, he reluctantly asks his older brother Tom to train him as a zombie killer. Benny expects some boring job with his boring brother, but what he sees beyond the walls of the town of Mountainside shatters his worldview and forces him to consider whether the zombies are the real monsters in this apocalypse. As Benny continues to train with his brother, his strength and his morals are challenged again and again as he learns the truth about what lies in the Rot and Ruin.

I loved this book because it was an interesting take on a zombie story that I hadn’t seen before. It was fascinating to look at the more human aspects of the apocalypse and to look at the apocalypse through the eyes of someone who’s too young to remember anything before the outbreak. The story managed to be very suspenseful and intense at times, and it evoked a lot of different emotions and deep thoughts for me. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in the genre.

Written by Aedan, Teen Volunteer

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

The novel City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is about a fifteen year-old girl named Clary who discovers a hidden world she did not believe existed until she witnessed it with her own eyes. The characters in this book include Clary, the main character, who is half human and half shadow-hunter; her best friend Simon, a mundane (human); her missing mother Jocelyn and her new Shadowhunter friends Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. This novel takes place in New York City. mostly at the Institute, the house for the Shadowhunters to learn and practice their abilities. 

At the start of the book, Clary notices a group of teenagers trying to murder another person in a storage room while she is out with her friend Simon. She attempts to stop them but in the process, realizes that only she can see the boy, who is actually a demon, finds out that she is different from the regular human because of her ability to see demons. Soon after her realization, Clary’s mom is kidnapped and a demon is left behind at her house. When Clary arrives, she fights off the demon and is brought by Jace to the Institute. Even though she did not believe in any sort of fairytale the day before, Clary learns she is part Shadow Hunter, and a demon hunter. Despite her shock, Clary launches into a plan to unlock her memories that were kept away from her for protection. She must use those memories to locate the magical Mortal Instruments and her mom. 

This is a scientific fiction novel that is sure to capture the interest of the reader. There is romance involved in this story as well, however there are many plot twists that leave this romance imbalanced. Overall this book is a great option for those looking for a great read and a new world to get wrapped up into.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer