Sandra Barnes

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. and crass. I want the time I devoted to this drivel back!

Easily the best book I've read in 2021 (so far) – Do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

What's a girl to do when the world comes to an end and swallows up her parents? So, sounds promising . . . call me an apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic junkie!

Now, I'm a sucker for books that revolve around a religious culture that someone might label as a cult whether it is nonfiction or fiction. So I was excited when I found this book and was doubly excited when it was offered as a free book from the Sync's 2016 audiobook summer program (If you haven't heard of this program, check it out at http://www.audiobooksync.com/ and you may be able to get the third week's offerings before they move on to their fourth week.)

Because I have this fascination with anything cult-like, I really enjoyed this story. We start on the eve of the expected rapture date as foretold by the leader of the “Church of America” Vivian Apple's parents are among thousands of strong adherents to the teachings of the leader, Frick, that actually do disappear as predicted. Upon realizing that Vivian's parents have disappeared she is whisked away to her grandparents house. When she begins to doubt that the rapture has actually occurred, she journeys back to her hometown to find her friend, Harp, and together they try to discover what has happened to those who have disappeared.

Ultimately, an enjoyable story except for . . . SpoilerWhat the heck Vivian? Punching out an old geezer?! – That make you a big badass girl? I think not!.

Just enough mystery at the end to entice me to continue with book two.

egad
glad that's over

Would have been a four star read for me as I do like my extremist religion fiction, but I have issue with the writing staying true to character. Without moving into spoilerish territory, it baffles me why a character made a careless choice later in the book when he/she was much more careful earlier in the story. Knocked a star off for that.