Stop Making Sense

Fifteen-year-old Dani is on vacation in Orlando, having a great time, when her mom and younger sister come down with typical flu symptoms--headache, chills, fever--along with one odd one--bloodshot eyes. Then her dad comes down with it. Then lots and lots and LOTS of others get sick, leaving Dani to figure out how to get her family safely back to their home in Missouri.

As they make their way across the southern U.S., the red flags keep piling up: Where are the people? Where are the cars? Where is the electricity?? Dani starts to realize that things may never be "normal" again.

Without giving anything away, this debut novel, the first in a trilogy, is about a girl who is learning to cope with a changed world. About the importance of allies, and the need to think ahead. How, in a world without infrastructure, the weather can mean the difference between life and death. And that two-legged animals can be the most dangerous of all...

If you're a fan of Mike Mullin's Ashfall, or of post-apocalyptic YA fiction in general, I recommend this one. The writing is very good; the pacing is solid; and the characters are believable. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is I always want to know how the series ends first! :-)