Thanks to Sourcefire Books and Marieke Nijkamp for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

At the End of Everything takes place at Hope Juvenile Treatment Center, where teens are sent to 'rehabilitate'. No one cares for them or about them. One day, the staff starts acting weird and when the kids all wake up, they are alone. No guards, no staff, no warden, just all the juvenile offenders. When a group of them leave the Hope compound, they find armed soldiers telling them they aren't to leave. They learn there is a deadly plague, spreading around the world at a rapid pace. The teens at Hope realize once again, no one cares for them. They were left alone, with no plans for anyone to care for them, provide food or medical care. They were left to die. So they take it upon themselves to survive... through the plague and through lack of food and supplies.

Through perspective jumps between three of the teens at Hope, Grace, Logan and Emerson, along with recordings of phone calls and news articles, we follow the group as they try to survive and learn if they can trust and who they can trust.

It is a heartbreaking story of kids being abandoned, and finding their worth when the world continues to tell them they are worthless. It was hard to read, as we are still in the grips of the Covid pandemic that inspired this book. If you are able to handle the topic, it is a beautiful and thought-provoking story.

Reading At the End of Everything was quite the journey. There are so many threads of issues with each of these teens that can resonate with a broad audience. With an inclusive cast in a no-win situation, the teens are trying to survive in the way of a pandemic, which might hit close to home for some readers.

I appreciate Nijkamp is writing about juvenile facilities, as it’s a step toward spotlighting the obsession with mass incarceration in this country. Emerson reflects so many teens in America whose family uses religion to justify not supporting their children in their quest to find comfort in their own body.

There are a few things that didn’t work for me. First, anyone in essentially what equals a coma for months will not be kept alive without the aid of IV feeding and such, which is something that isn’t even a possibility in this situation. Second, I appreciate when a book will have, for example, newspaper clippings, a phone call transcribed, a podcast transcribed, and so on because it furthers the story. Nijkamp had several various transcriptions unrelated to each other but related to the situation. But I found the food inventory lists tedious and completely unnecessary as the storyline made clear that food was at a premium, and it felt like filler to me.

Aside from those minor issues, this character-driven storyline comes at a time where we’re all still very much in a pandemic. Readers looking for an escape from the pandemic won’t find that reading this book, but they will find so much more in the varying teens that comprise this thoughtful novel. Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire, for sending this along.

Kids that have been sent to Hope Juvenal center. Delinquents that are abandoned by the staff. Now they need to figure out how to survive on their own. The world has been hit by a major infection that is killing many. They are running out of food and no one seems to want to help them. Will they survive or will this be the end?

Wow. I mean… wow. I didn’t know quite what to expect going into this book. Was it going to be more horror-like? More dystopian-like? More thriller-like? I had to throw out all preconceived notions of what this book might be pretty quick in favor of what the book actually is, which is a hauntingly sad but somehow still beautiful tale of how all humans, no matter who they are, deserve to be deserved with at least basic human decency. It’s a book that’s horribly relevant to our current lives here in America and feels so close to something that could possibly happen to some of the most vulnerable people in our population I found myself getting goosebumps at the very thought of it. And, if you’re wondering: yes, I was pretty much bawling by the end.

I appreciate Nijkamp’s serious commitment to a diverse cast of characters in this book while simultaneously trying to not take away space for the voices that might better represent what life is like in juvenile detention for POC. Our three main characters are white, but one is mute and speaks their own form of sign language and the other is nonbinary. While the ratio of white to POC characters in the book is likely close to what might be representative of a juvenile detention center in America (with its issues concerning mass incarceration at every level of the penal system), Nijkamp is careful not to exploit her POC characters for their ethnic status, which could’ve been an easy and steep slope to stumble down as an excuse to flesh out her characters. Instead, Nijkamp took the time to flesh out her characters through their experiences, backgrounds, how they react to both the circumstances of their imprisonment and the central conflict of the book, and (in the cases of some) phone calls to their friends or relatives as the events of the book proceed.

The bleak, cold, desolate setting of this book only serves as an echo of how the characters must be feeling both physiologically and psychologically. The juvenile detention center is a place where one is literally locked down, but these people–not even adults yet–have been forgotten by everyone in the midst of a nation-wide lockdown. And just how far will human decency and the notion of charity extend when it seems like the world is ending? Who is willing to go the extra mile to help others no matter the cost and who will always help themselves first? Who will own up to their mistakes and make amends and who won’t admit when they were wrong? Who has the courage and ability to lead and who will trust them to?

As with most books that study the human condition and questions of morals and ethics, what you take away from it will be up to you as a reader. I came away with a profound feeling of grief, and I saw the philosophy behind it as being the kind of optimistic I can get behind with a dose of the pragmatic I tend to believe in. But I really think every reader will take away something different. It’s that kind of book. And I highly recommend it.

I suppose in the midst of a global pandemic it should not be surprising that authors are inspired to create works of fiction that showcase the potential horrors faced by ordinary people. This author who previously wrote the disturbing This Is Where It Ends again seeks to emit emotions but this time it's the displaced, forgotten inhabitants of a young offenders institution.
Hope is such a twisted name for the place this rag tag bunch are forced to call home. We meet numerous characters and indeed get their various viewpoints but it was hard for me to connect particularly with any of them. That doesn't mean this story lacks emotion its just that I personally would have preferred less viewpoints. The system they exist in is appalling and I sincerely hope that no one in reality would simply be deserted the way these characters are. They learn to accept their differences, they sadly learn that life is pain but ultimately these characters learn that survival isn't everything and its life that truly is important.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This timely thriller about kids versus the world is fantastic and I couldn't put it down! A group of teens at Hope Juvenile Treatment Center in Arkansas live with lots of rules, locked doors, and zero freedom. Then one day everything changes. The adults are gone and the doors are unlocked. Happy to venture out into the world, they discover a deadly pandemic is underway and they have been mandated back to the center. With no one to help them, and nowhere to go, they must figure out a way to survive. As food and medicine supplies run low, they go to town on missions and find the townspeople are hostile and scared. The story has lots of highs and lows as they navigate how to work together and what to do when things get out of hand. Strong attachments are formed and sacrifices made. The themes of acceptance and working together make this an unforgettable story that I highly recommend!

Two years ago I would have called this a dystopian story…about a plague that keeps people from being around each other, a sickness no one knows anything about, is very contagious…sound familiar? This young adult spin on it takes us to Hope, a place where kids that are troubled go to be rehabilitated. The story is told from the perspective of several of the kids, When the plague breaks out the guards and administrators leave without telling the kids anything. They are left on their own to decide what to do. Some leave and some decide to stay. They deal with hunger, sickness, death…so many things.
This book was intriguing. It was a different take on the books I have been reading about COVID. This was a different plague, told from a different perspective. It was a solid story. Thanks to #netgalley for the chance to read this one and give my honest opinion.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, and Marieke Nijkamp for an ARC of this book!**
Wow! i loved this book it was definitely a wild ride but i couldn"t put it down.

{3.5 stars}

This story imagines a return of the plague and we see its impact on a rehabilitation center for juvenile delinquents. One day when the guards don't show up, the residents begin to wonder what is going on in the world and are forced to investigate and find a way to survive.

We get quite the motley crew of characters, some who are actual criminals, some who have done morally questionable things to survive and some who are imprisoned due to circumstances. The one thing that connects them is that society had hope to rehabilitate them, well, until the pandemic started. I liked the different POVs for each chapter and the interspersing of information from the outside world. I always love a what if situation and I thought these kids were a great microcosm of society. They faced hard moments and didn't always triumph but they kept their hope and persevered. 

My main issues were that there were way too many characters introduced very fast. Also the end left me a little wanting. I get why it ended where it did but the epilogue needed a little more world context for me.

It's a little Lord of the Flies, a little Walking Dead and makes for a compelling read.

Thanks to Netgalley for access to an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Post apocalypse and dystopia are my favorite genres. I absolutely loved this book. I ended up staying up half the night to finish it.

This book broke my heart in more ways than one. As a mother I just felt so much for these wayward teens left alone to die. The author focused heavily on the injustice of juvenile detentions and attacks on trans community. I feel it was important shining a light on these issues.

Marieke Nijkamp is one of those authors who, when they release a new book, I will drop everything else to read it. I thoroughly loved At the End of Everything. This dystopian/mystery/realistic/survival story defies genres and will pull in all kinds of readers. Teens will root for the *irredeemable* protagonists and empathize with trying to survive a plague. I will be ordering multiple copies for my high school.

I completely devoured this book!
The story is about a group of teens at a juvenile delinquent centre who are forgotten when a pandemic hits the world. They have to learn to trust and rely on each other to get them through it.

The story is told from the point of view from a few key characters, which confused me for the first couple of chapters as I tried to get my head around who everyone was, but once I worked out who was who, it was really easy to keep track. The main characters are all very different so seeing the story from different perspectives was really interesting.

Each of the characters felt like teenagers and acted how you'd expect in such a situation. I loved their growth throughout the story, each of them matured and dealt with things in their own ways.

This story was really heartbreaking in more ways than one. These kids have been through so much, landing them in a place where they aren't cared for, then they're left for dead.

This was a great story that deals with so many sensitive issues in a delicate way, I highly praise the author for that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was definitely not one of my favorite reads of the year. In fairness to the author and the book, I really had no business reading a story that focused on the pandemic. I am pandemic'd out in a major way. So I acknowledge the possibility that colored my opinion in a negative way. But beyond that, it just really wasn't my thing. I didn't enjoy the dystopian theme, with everyone turning on each other so viciously. I struggled with the characters simply being abandoned, with no one have any interest in them whatsoever. I didn't like the stereotyped feel of each of the characters (although I will say that I did enjoy seeing them grow and evolve emotionally as the story progressed). I never had any sort of connection with or investment in any of the characters. Basically, I never felt like I was given a good reason to truly like this book.

Marieke Nijkamp’s new novel, At the End of Everything , is an emotional ride with moments that range from heartbreaking and desperate to suspenseful and hopeful. This young adult / teen novel is well-written and character driven. The setting is mainly the Hope Juvenile Treatment Center near the fictional town of Sam’s Thorne, Arkansas. The teens housed there aren’t wanted. They’ve been sent there for a variety of reasons, but they had little help from any family or concerned citizen to keep from being sent to the facility. One day they wake up and realize they’ve been abandoned. There aren’t any guards, cooks, or other staff. After initially thinking this is their chance for freedom, they discover a pandemic is affecting the world outside and they’re on their own.

The story is told from three points of view: Logan, Emerson, and Grace. Logan can’t talk except through a made-up sign language that he uses with his twin, Leah. Logan reads and writes well, while Leah talks for both of them. Emerson is a non-binary person with authority, gender identity, and commitment issues. Grace is outspoken and has anger issues. All three play pivotal roles in the story, but readers get to know several other characters as well. As supplies dwindle and the plague affects the residents of the Center, the group has to decide what actions should be taken, who can be trusted, and how to survive.

The three main characters are reasonably well-developed; they’re flawed, but show growth over time. Several teens show amazing strength of character and courage while some show less desirable traits. It would have helped to have more in-depth information on the teen’s backgrounds. However, the reader does get bits and pieces. Who will survive? Will they have food and medical supplies?

The book is emotional and intense. The teens had already been abandoned by family and friends. Now, it seems even those that are supposed to rehabilitate them have left them on their own. Additional themes include food supply issues, a desire to feel safe, homelessness, fear, trust, anxiety, discrimination, gender identity, leadership, caring for others, stealing, assault, movement restrictions, the loss of normal routines, and much more.

The author does a great job of portraying the hardships and lack of amenities as well as the friendships and struggles faced by the teens. This story hooked me immediately and kept me interested throughout. However, I would have liked a little more closure at the end in an extended epilogue.

Overall, it’s suspenseful and there are a few surprises along the way. While this is my first book by the author, I want to check out her other novels.

SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Marieke Nijkamp provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is set for January 4, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

The Hope Juvenile Treatment Center is home to delinquent teenagers who, ironically, have little hope left for their lives. When the guards start acting strangely, the teens don't think much of it until they stop showing up all together. When a group of them decides to make a break for it, they discover a blockade of soldiers and learn that a plague is spreading rapidly and there is no place who will welcome them.

As supplies diminish, and some among them become ill, the group must find a way to survive.

I am always a sucker for a dystopian novel- though one featuring a plague may hit a little close to home mid-pandemic. Having a friend who manages a juvenile detention center, it was difficult for me to suspend disbelief for a bit simply because I know she would never allow the boys in her care to be abandoned. That said, I know not everyone is in a situation where that is the case. I appreciated the seriousness with which the topic was handled including dealing directly with how the characters would care for bodies when others died. The respect given to those characters was important to me as a reader.

Overall, I would say this was a good narrative that dealt with important issues in addition to the plague- having autistic, non-verbal, and non-binary characters wrapped in many of the challenges that our teens may be facing above and beyond living through a pandemic.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, and Marieke Nijkamp for an ARC of this book!**

It's the end of the world, as they know it...

But NOBODY feels fine.

Teens at the Hope Juvenile Detention Center have very little of that left...hope, that is. They have all ended up there for different reasons, but now share this bond in captivity, waiting for the day they can reemerge into the outside world. Until the moment that everything changes...the guards mysteriously vanish, leaving the band of teens wondering what could inspire this sudden departure. They soon learn that a deadly plague has infiltrated the outside world and NOBODY is looking out for them...and they must rely solely on one another. As supplies, patience, and their forces dwindle, can ANY of these unlucky youngsters make it out alive?

This is not directly purported to be a COVID book....but it is basically a COVID book.

And that made it an incredibly hard read for me to get through, just on that basis alone. Other than Picoult's Wish You Were Here, I have stayed far away from this subject matter for the obvious reasons. Yes, this is a PLAGUE not a pandemic....but let's be honest, one is a stone's throw away from the other and everything that transpired felt very referential. Things escalated quickly throughout this story, but to be honest, I didn't feel much of an emotional connection to the characters, so it didn't really 'hurt' when any of them were taken by the disease.

I initially thought this book would have more of a mystery element to it (What happened to the guards?!) but frankly all of that was resolved quickly at the beginning, so nothing mysterious to ponder here. While I appreciate Nijkamp's careful attention to representation, she acknowledges herself at the end of the book that as a white woman, the stories of some of these teens aren't really hers to tell. I didn't feel emotionally invested in this book, so I'm not sure what sort of ending would have 'fit' best for me. The ending here is serviceable to the story, but I think in light of the pandemic we are all still dealing with, felt hard to relate to currently. Hopefully someday I'll be able to look at it differently.

For those ready to explore the ramifications of a pandem-I mean, plague...this is a look at what could be through the eyes of some troubled and troubling teens and certainly hints at survival of the fittest in some respects. I would consider another Nijkamp read, but for the time being, I think I've had my share of medical scares and am probably ready for lighter fare.

3 stars

I enjoy books by this author, but this is not my favorite. I can see this title being very popular due to it being quite relatable to the past two years. I found this book to be slower paced after the beginning and I made myself finish it. Perhaps because I knew most of the characters were bound to not survive without proper food and care.

If you have a teen needing something to relate to with Covid this would work well.

I am a huge fan of Marieke Nijkamp. I have read previous books by her (links below) and her books are always so gritty. So let’s start there. I read At the End of Everything with the idea that I was going to get the same grittiness I got from This Is Where it Ends and Before I Let Go. I was not disappointed. At the End of Everything has that same general story line that a lot of other authors stay away from because its not generally happy. However, I quite love books like this. They are real and raw and make you feel things.

First I want to warn everyone, this is not a happy book. Not saying it doesn’t have a happy ending… I won’t give away anything there. But the general topic is not a bright one. This book follows a group of kids living in a facility for kids who have done something criminal or behaved very badly. These kids are quickly left to their own means when a crazy illness takes over the world outside. Sound familiar?

This story gave me a little anxiety. Probably because it reminded me a lot of Covid-19 and the anxiety and stress that surrounded the last few years of our lives in the real world. However, this is different, I assure you. It’s a much worse virus than Covid, so while it could be triggering from some, it’s not as realistic as our current situation, although could be if you think about it. This story has a lot of hard hitting topics. Child abuse, drugs, depression, anxiety, childhood delinquency, assault, hunger… the list goes on. But it is written SO well. The story jumps between a few key characters and their P.O.V.’s. These characters have all different kinds of backgrounds and represent all kinds of people.

Overall the story was a hard one to read because it had such a similarity to our current ongoing pandemic, but the way the story was written and watching the character’s growth during such a hard time was so interesting to read. Nijkamp always does a great job with writing deep and meaningful characters that go through a crazy journey to get to where they end up, whether that be a good or bad place is another thing.

This was a great story. Well written, takes you on a journey with the characters, interesting individuals introduced throughout, and multiple viewpoints from people of all backgrounds. It’s a melting pot of perfection. I can’t wait for Nijkamp’s next book.

I really wanted to like/love this book but I struggled through this the whole time. It was interesting that this was is yet another fiction pandemic book written during the coronavirus pandemic still happening. However there were many issues with this book:

-Too many characters: this made it hard to connect with a particular character in the plot of the book
-The actual story: the teenagers being isolated while everyone else is dying
-Becomes predictable

Again, I really wanted to love this but struggled to finish this book. It is a no for me but every reader is entitled to their own opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley, Marieke Nijkamp and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 1/4/22