Fans
of One of Us Is Lying and The Hazel Wood are cordially invited to
spend one fateful night surviving an elite private school’s epic masquerade
ball in Jen Wilde’s debut thriller, This Is the Way the World Ends.
As an autistic scholarship student at the prestigious Webber Academy in New
York City, Waverly is used to masking to fit in—in more ways than one. While
her classmates are the children of the one percent, Waverly is getting by on tutoring
gigs and the generosity of the school’s charming and enigmatic dean. So when
her tutoring student and resident “it girl” asks Waverly to attend the school’s
annual fundraising Masquerade disguised as her, Waverly jumps at the
chance—especially once she finds out that Ash, the dean’s daughter and her
secret ex-girlfriend, will be there.
The Masquerade is everything Waverly dreamed of, complete with extravagant
gowns, wealthy parents writing checks, and flowing champagne. Most importantly,
there’s Ash. All Waverly wants to do is shed her mask and be with her, but the
evening takes a sinister turn when Waverly stumbles into a secret meeting
between the dean and the school’s top donors—and witnesses a brutal murder.
This gala is harboring far more malevolent plots than just opening parents’
pocketbooks. Before she can escape or contact the authorities, a mysterious
global blackout puts the entire party on lockdown. Waverly’s fairy tale has
turned into a nightmare, and she, Ash, and her friends must navigate through a
dizzying maze of freight elevators, secret passageways, and back rooms if
they’re going to survive the night.
And even if they manage to escape the Masquerade, with technology wiped out all
over the planet, what kind of world will they find waiting for them beyond the
doors?
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
Apple Books ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo
Audiobook (US) ~ Hardcover (US)
Wednesday Books (Macmillan)
Veronica
– ☆☆☆☆
I love a good story about the end of the world, and I was really looking
forward to reading This Is the Way the World Ends. This story of
Waverly, an autistic, queer teen from Queens, who attends the prestigious
Webber Academy. Waverly agrees to go to the school’s yearly masquerade ball,
pretending to be the very popular student, Caroline, in the hopes of getting to
see her ex, Ash.
We learn about Waverley and her life and family and friends. The story felt
like it took a bit to get going but it may just have been me being eager to learn
more about what was going on. There were even a few scenes that took us back to
Waverly’s past and her romance with Ash. While the young love was sweet, I
confess I was a little annoyed, because I was more interested in what was going
on in the here and now.
I needed to be patient because when the big night of the ball arrives, the
story absolutely takes off. Tension ramps up along with the action and danger.
I was excited to soak up the action as Waverly and her friends fight for their
lives. I was rooting for them. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my
seat, and I was even shocked at one point because something happened that I did
not see coming.
Once it got going, I had a blast reading This Is the Way the World Ends.
This is a book I’d definitely recommend if you enjoy young adult apocalyptic
stories.
JEN
WILDE (she/they) is the queer, disabled author of Queens of Geek, The
Brightsiders and Going Off Script. They write unapologetically queer
stories about unlikely heroes, awkward romantics and chosen families. Jen’s
books have been praised in Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, Autostraddle, Vulture and
Bustle. Their debut, Queens of Geek, made the 2018 Rainbow Book List and
the Amelia Bloomer List. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Jen lives in
Brooklyn, NY, with her wife, where she collects books, candles and foster cats.
When she isn’t writing, Jen spends her time shouting about queer books on
TikTok. Connect with her online or visit her website.
Connect with Jen
Wilde
Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ TikTok ~ Website ~ Goodreads
ARC provided by
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided
with a free copy of This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde to read and
review.
