Maisie Rojas was born and raised in the Q, a place that used to be Austin, Texas but is now a walled quarantine zone after a deadly international pandemic almost two decades ago. The Q is divided into two rival territories, and Maisie is a trusted lieutenant for the Southern Zone’s family. When an unexpected visitor to the Q lands at their doorstep, Maisie finds herself caught between doing what the Family wants and what she feels is right.

I will admit, I was a little leery of reading a work set post-pandemic after the last couple of years that we’ve had. But I absolutely loved this book! The pandemic was only used as a backdrop to create a somewhat dystopian setting, but it was not the focus of this work. The author did an excellent job at using this idea as a backdrop while creating a meaningful and entertaining story over it. The story was well told with quick pacing, making for a quick, easy, and enjoyable read.

The characters were so well written. Even the secondary characters had unique, vivid personalities that felt like real people – the entire cast was relatable and engaging. I loved Maisie and Lennon as protagonists as well as their interactions. Maisie is one of the best written female protagonists I’ve run across in a while, and the author did an amazing job with her. The author excelled at character creation, which made this a joy to read. I also thought the romance was excellently done, feeling realistic and not rushed (even though I’m pretty sure it occurred over only a few days).

There was nothing I disliked about this work and can’t recommend it enough! This was an excellent standalone work of YA dystopian fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Publishing for providing a review copy of this work, which will be published on November 8th, 2022. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

thanks to netgalley for the free eARC!!

i wasn’t too sure how i’d like this book, but i enjoyed it! it was a sorta violent, very fast paced book so a pretty quick read. i liked all the characters pretty well. honestly i was hoping that there wouldn’t be a romance bc i originally thought maisie and lennon would be better off as friends (still sorta stand by that) but i’m okay with how it turned out. this book was a little predictable but i’m good with that too. the ending was expected because i mean knowing lennon’s character, how could he leave maisie behind? anyway, i really liked this book!! 3.75

3.5 ⭐️

I love dystopian YA novels and have loved Amy Tintera’s books in the past. So I was excited when I got to read an ARC of her newest book “The Q.” I love the trope of dystopian trials of some kind and this book sort of fell in to that category for me since the main characters had to fight to get Lennon out of the quarantine zone by a certain time. I liked the back story for each of the main characters, Maisie and Lennon. I thought it added more interest to them and made you understand where they are coming from. However, the stand out character for me was Hadley. I thought she had such an edge about her and stood out from the rest. I enjoyed the adventure that Maisie and Lennon had to go through to get Lennon out of the quarantine zone, but I felt overall the story lacked a little depth. I would say this is a casual enjoyable read.


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

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel. I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review.

The cover is pretty cool so I figured I’d check it out. I can’t believe how much I loved this book. It was fast paced and immediately throws you into the action. Normally I can easily walk away from a book but I had to keep reading until the end. It was a fun ride and I enjoyed the way things were slowly revealed to us. It was an awesome read that I would definitely recommend others check out. The romance was cute and did start a little late but I really liked this book and will be picking it up when it’s released.

Thanks to NetGalley And the Publisher for the ARC.

I received this book from NETGALLEY for an honest review.

The book was well written and the story moved smoothly. I liked the concept of the Q, especially given our current state of the world. It was interesting to read about the different zones. I thought it could have been more fully developed. We didn’t get much background development on the virus and the book could have given more details between the conflicts between the zones. I was also disappointed in the romance, as it just alluded to the attraction and didn’t really develop it fully before the book ended. I thought an epilogue was needed to give some closure.

Overall though, it was an enjoyable, light read.

3.75 ★

i was right, this was a lot of fun

this was a fast, witty, thrilling dystopian book, with lovable characters and constant action to keep you on the edge of your seat.

maisy, one of our mcs, was tough, sarcastic, and slightly grumpy, but we love her for it. i admired her so much at times as her love for her community in the Q really shone through. she's also just like, an absolute badass. lennon, our other mc, is the son of a well-known politician, who was kidnapped and dropped into the Q, and against his will. he's sweet, funny, optimistic, and a complete idiot at times- basically the sunshine to maisy's grump.

the ROMANCE between was just the absolute cutest omg. the banter between them in the beginning was just everything. maisy teasing lennon about how "delicate" he is will never not be funny. the way lennon was a complete SIMP over her- my man was absolutely smitten and OMGGFJKDGN IT WAS SO CUTE. they did get super sweet with each a little fast, but i don't even care how it wasn't really a slowburn because i just love them both so much.

the slightly dystopian world was also really cool. the disease-ridden, isolated, dangerous community called the Q is set in what would've been austin, texas. the way the people had learned to adapt in the barricaded quarantine zone was fascinating, especially as it made me think of like "what if?" this happened in the real world now. it was really interesting and i won't give away too much, but lets just say.. there were cannibals!

there was constant action, suspense, humor, and just enough romance to never keep you bored. i just personally felt as though it was a little forgettable. my main gripe is with the entire book being set in less than 3 days. it was just a little too unrealistic? i get that the ticking clock was added to increase the tension, but it always nagged me.

overall, a fun, fast, dystopian read with just enough action, romance, banter, and thrills to get you out of a slump!

Adventure, thrills, danger, and love make for a great read! This book based in a pandemic-based society was the first @amytintera I’ve read. Definitely a book I had trouble putting down! Thank you @netgalley for the preview copy!

This book was awesome! It featured a new world that was eerily familiar and had too many loveable characters to count.

First, this book was so funny. Right off the bat, I was hit with clever humor that made me want to laugh out loud. Tintera had a way of delivering jokes and sarcasm at the perfect moments. Several of the characters had sarcastic personalities that pushed the comedy bits of this along as well, which I loved.

Speaking of characters, there were so many great ones that I don't even know where to start. Maisie, one of the main characters, was so cool. She fought guys off twice her size like a baddie and still managed to deliver to a joke. I seriously wish I was her. And then we had Hadley who has the perfect wing woman (and who I could definitely see a book 2 being centered around. Just saying...). She knew how to support Maisie while also bringing her own flair to things. And Lennon, our other main character, was an absolute dream. He was so nice and kind and made everyone around him comfortable. I wanted to be his best friend or older sister or something.

This book had a sweet romance. Obviously, romance wasn't the center of attention, but things still progressed with our two lovely main characters. And, since this book was dual pov, I got to see what both Maisie and Lennon thought of each other. I loved that!

The ending was a bit unresolved and open-ended. Like all the main parts wrapped up, sorta, but there were still quite a few questions that left me wondering if Tintera might return to this world one day. I hope she does.

Overall, this was a great book. I really hope we get to see these characters again, but if not, I'm glad I got to know them for a short time. Definitely check this one out if you enjoy dystopian-esque novels!

Really enjoyed it! Fast paced and really fascinating world and dynamic. I like the characters and hope that we’ll get to see more of them. The ending ties things up nicely, but still leaves a possibility of a sequel.

This book has action and adventure along with a great post-pandemic dystopian storyline that makes this a great read. Kidnapped Lennon Pierce, the son of a US presidential candidate, is kidnapped and dropped into The Q which happens to be what remains of Austin , TX after a pandemic sweeps through the country. Now with the help of Maisie, a life-long resident of The Q, Lennon must trek across the quarantine zone to be rescued. But with feuding factions in The Q, this task is not an easy one. Maisie and Lennon will have to fight their way through in order to reach their destination before Lennon is stuck in The Q forever. A fast-paced great read. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Q was so much fun to dive into. From the very beginning we get action, and it was pretty consistent throughout the entire book. I also really enjoyed getting to know the characters as well. Especially when it came to Maisie and Lennon. Now these two had some crazy chemistry and I completely shipped them from the get-go. Their bantering gave me life, but I also just liked how easy it was for them to understand one another.

Besides liking them, I still had some unanswered questions about the virus, vaccine, and Maisie herself. Since this is a standalone, I was secretly hoping for an epilogue to give me those juicy answers. Mostly because I'm incredibly nosy and can't stand the unknown. I wanted to know if there was improvement within the Q and I'm a little sad that we didn't get that.

In the end, I'm still really happy that I got the chance to jump into this. I don't think I've met a book I didn't like that Amy has written. Hoping to continue this trend since I still have so many of her books on my TBR list. Definitely can't wait to jump into another of her books and hope everyone really enjoys the adventure within this!

Other people: "Amy Tintera has a new book coming out."

Me: "What? I'm going to request and buy-"

Other people: "You don't even know what it's about!"

Me: "I. Do. Not. Care."

I don't have many auto-buy authors, but ever since All These Monsters I have been fangirling over Amy Tintera. I mean, has she written anything bad, like ever? She has a way of reeling you in and keeping you hooked until the very last page. This is an action-packed book with high stakes and a little bit of romance sprinkled in for good measure.

When this book was announced I got Escape From LA vibes, but this book holds its own. After a pandemic hits, the government quarantines Texas to keep the rest of the country safe. Masie has spent her whole life in the Q and knows nothing else. When a kidnapped son of a presidential candidate falls into the quarantine zone, she must get to him to safety in 72 hours. Lennon gets a rude awakening when he experiences life in the Q and a new understanding of what the government has done to its own people.

I loved:

1. the 2 POVs
2. the short chapters
3. the constant action


Publishers, give Amy Tintera ALL THE 3-BOOK DEALS. While you're at it, let's get another book in the Monsters series, yea? Well, I tried.

This is pretty much nonstop action the whole way through and the story flew by. We drop right into this future where a group of people have been quarantined off from the rest of the county and are now stuck in a mostly lawless land and struggling to survive. There's a running clock of 72 hours to get one of the main characters out and I couldn't stop flipping the page. I needed to know how it would all end!

I like the premise a lot, especially since it doesn't seem that farfetched after the real pandemic the world has been though. The story is exciting, fast paced, and kept me wondering if Lennon would ever make it to the gate. I liked Maisie and Lennon and how different they were, but also somehow understood each other and were able to make a connection so quickly. Maisie is pretty awesome and knows how to throw a punch, yet she's kind to people and forms friendships instead of ruling by fear. Lennon is funny and has some surprises up his sleeve and really just wants to help others.

I did think the worldbuilding was lacking and skimmed over things. I wanted to know about these organ transplants and how they're managed. If the virus is mutating too quickly for a vaccine but not really killing people any more, is it still just living in each person forever? I also thought the ending gave us almost no answers and left a lot of loose ends. What happened to certain characters? Are they still working on a vaccine? I need answers people.

This is fun and exciting and I'm happy I got to check out an early copy. If you're a fan of virus dystopian books, put this on your list.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Crown Books and NetGalley for the copy

I liked the idea and the characters and their personalities. The story was a bold one to tell, particularly during a pandemic, The only concern I had was the level of language for YA novel, as it had the same level of profanity as as general market adult fiction novel I read just beforehand. Others may not find this as bothersome so they probably will enjoy it more fully than I.

I absolutely adored the idea of a pandemic based society. Also I loved all the strong female characters, especially Val. If you love small chapters, a quick read, and a super-fast-paced standalone, then this is the book for you!

What I liked about the book:
1. I loved the realistic worldbuilding and how the events of this book could really happen!

2. I loved the grungy feel of the settings and the high-action sequences. I would love to see this spun off into a graphic novel!

I also really loved the sarcastic and witty writing style. This coupled with the short chapters really made the book fly by so fast, I was legitimately a little bummed when it ended.

3. I loved all the strong female characters. Especially Val, (basically Queen of the North!). She had a badass gang of female warriors and she was a BOSS. The fact that she was only willing to help if Maisie was allowed, and willing, to take over the South was such a great instance of women helping women.

Speaking of that, Maisie had such incredible support not just from Val and her ladies, but from her friends Hadley and Elise. They were willing to break so many rules and were prepared to respect any decisions that Maisie made without judgment or guilt. The female comradery in this book definitely reminded me of one of my favorite quotes:

"Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women, who have her back." LOVE IT!

4. Speaking of characters, our MCs were fun to follow. They were so different, yet such a good team that I loved watching them interact and get through so many troublesome situations.

Lennon was hilarious! He had great internal monologue, was always thinking strategically from many angles, and was definitely ok letting Maisie save him. I especially loved every time Lennon proved all the stereotypes of being a stuffy, Congressman's son wrong and when we found out about his street racing tendencies.

Maisie was fantastic to watch because she had so much character development! She went from just wanting to prove herself scary enough to be in charge to legitimately being a great leader because she was able to make alliances and help people instead of rule with an iron fist like leaders of the past. She genuinely cared about her people, so once she got through her "I need to be the biggest badass in the room" complex, she was able to initiate real change. I really hope we get to see more of this in the future!

4. I loved the mystery around the beloved Queso and I really hope there is a second book to follow him and Hadley!!!

5. As a former college radio DJ, I appreciated all of the broadcasts, especially the "You can't say that on air" moments. Too accurate!

What didn’t do it for me:
1. The ONLY thing I can say, and I'm really grasping for straws here, is I wish we had more interaction with Ethan once we "met" him. I have this intense need for us to see him and Hadley interact and have the Romeo + Juliet love affair (with a less disastrous ending) we deserve!

I received a copy of this ARC from NetGalley, Random House Children's, Crown Books for Young Readers, and Amy Tintera. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily. Check it out later this year!

I love a YA dystopian novel, and this one feels very timely, being based in a pandemic quarantine zone. Maisie was born into a quarantine zone established twenty years ago. Lennon is the son of a presidential candidate. He is kidnapped and thrown into the quarantine zone from a plane with a parachute strapped to him. Maisie gives him a vaccine that lasts for 72 hours, during which time she must help him get out or he will be trapped there forever. Lots of action and short chapters alternating between their two POV's kept me turning the pages. An enjoyable read, although the insta-romance between the characters didn't really ring true.

First and foremost, if there is ever a sci-fi/dystopian book, you will most definitely catch me requesting it. Why? Because they are fun and cool and always get me out of my reading slump. And that is exactly what this book did, it got me out of my long-overdue reading slump! And I'm forever grateful.

If you love small chapters, a quick read, and a super-fast-paced standalone, then this is the book for you! Personally, the only fault I had with the book was how cringey it was at parts - one example being the love interests talking to each other, despite meeting three days ago, as if they have the right to say how the other person is. To make it rather simple, I disliked how unreal the romance was -- too underdeveloped, with the characters being a little too black and white.

Overall, it was quite enjoyable but not my favorite, unfortunately. I absolutely adored the idea of a pandemic based society, and it had extremely high potential but it did not live up to the standards I wished for.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

Fast paced adventure following two teenagers, Maisie Rojas and Lennon Pierce. Maisie is one of the first kids born in the walled off area near Austin, Texas after it was made into a quarantine zone almost twenty years ago. No one is allowed to leave The Q as the pandemic changes too fast to make a vaccine. The Q is run by rival gangs and a turf war is about to happen. Lennon is the son of a presidential candidate and is kidnapped and parachutes into the Q. Maisie has three days to get Lennon out and back with his family.

Lots of adventure ensue with the help of some old and new friends. A quick fun read.