I lost interest so quickly, and this ended up being a DNF. I think it has so much potential, but it was not the read for me.

This book started very promising. I enjoyed it for a while but then it started to fall flat and I started to lose interest.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't so much sci-fi. It is marketed as a YA LGBTQIA+ contemporary thriller/mystery, and I personally think the sci-fi overpowered the thriller/mystery part.

Waverly is autistic and poor, and her friend Caroline is "normal" and wealthy. Waverly would give anything to be Caroline, just for a night, and is thrilled when Caroline agrees to let Waverly take her place at the masquerade ball. Even better, Waverly's ex-girlfriend, Ash, will be there too because Ash's dad is the headmaster at Waverly's school, the Webber Academy, that is putting on the masquerade as a fundraiser. Clad in an expensive dress and a gorgeous mask, Waverly finds her courage to approach Ash and settle what happened between them, causing them to break up. Waverly is not prepared for all of the chaos that ensues at the ball, especially while she has to pretend to be Caroline all night. Is Caroline really privy to all of these dealings, or is she truly clueless?

The idea of this book is great. I thought the characters were likeable enough and I was rooting for Waverly and Ash to rekindle their relationship. Unfortunately, I think that part of the story got buried under the guise of doomsday prepping, solar flares, and the end of the world. I can handle a little sci-fi in my books, but this was more than a little bit. I don't feel this book was marketed properly, and once the masquerade commenced, I struggled to stay invested in the story because of all of the sci-fi themes.

Were there thrills? Sure. Mystery? Yes. I also appreciated that the author included various diversities in characters: race, sexuality, disability, economic status, The characters felt genuine, and I can't say many authors can do that as flawlessly.

But that sci-fi aspect... This was the biggest disappointment in this book for me. The other part I struggled with was the confusion of what and where events were happening. There was a maze somewhere in this building and it seemed every way was the wrong way until it wasn't. And then there were various corridors that all looked the same but the characters just somehow knew which way to go to get to a specific room, but they couldn't find their way out of the building... It was a lot.

My personal opinion is that the author should have focused on the thriller/mystery aspect or the sci-fi aspect and perfected that instead of trying to combine both into one story. The ending of this one was a let down for me as well, as I still had some unanswered questions and wanted to know a bit more about what was going to happen next. This one just didn't do it for me. 3 stars, mostly because I liked the characters and felt the author covered diversity in a huge way.

I love a good thriller- I love the twists and turns, the uncertainty of each page. What I thought was a thriller about teens and the tension of high school rivalry; what I was not expecting was aliens.

The ending is a rollercoaster of WHAT THE ABSOLUTE F🤬CK?! But I loved every second of it.

I was given a copy of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the chance to read this book! Love the Wednesday crew for always sending THE BEST books!

This book on paper (pun intended) has all the things I love- an elite private school, a masquerade ball, and a sense of impending doom.

SPOILER FREE review > I will say I felt like for the high stakes, for me, there wasn't a big payoff. With the ending of the book, I was wanting more- not as in another book, but more from the ending itself. It felt too rushed at the ending, and not very satisyfing. I would try this author again though!

*E-book copy gifted by Netgalley/Wednesday Books - thank you! All opinions/reviews are my own.

I am currently supporting the boycott against St. Martin’s Press until they respond to influencer’s concerns about safety, inequality, systemic issues at hand and also meet the demands of the boycott. I am looking forward to leaving an updated review for this book once the demands are met ❤️

With all the elements of this story; the masquerade, the 1%er private school, neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ reps, a catastrophic event, plus a wild race to stop the nefarious plans, I feel like I shouldn’t have been able to put this one down. But it kind of felt like it dragged on and was a slow burn. I’m not sure. I wasn’t prepared for a lot of what happened, and I did enjoy it. It just was slow going for some reason.

Waverly is at Webber Academy on scholarship. People think she’s a genius when she really just works ridiculously hard to do everything right. Except for maybe the whole sneaking around with the Dean’s daughter last year until she ghosted her and broke her heart. When Caroline, the popular girl she tutors, laments that she just wants a night off and doesn’t want to go to the ostentatious masquerade ball the academy throws, she suggests Waverly take her place since they have similar builds. With the full face mask, no one will know. Waverly wants to say no, until she remembers that the Dean’s daughter is back from London to attend, and there’s no other way to get in. She can get in, talk to Ash, and get out with closure in no time, right?

In the heart of New York City, a glamorous masquerade ball transforms into a nightmarish vision of dystopia. In the halls of Webber Academy, where privilege reigns supreme, Waverly, a scholarship student who is both gay and autistic, yearns for a taste of the opulent event. Despite her financial barriers, her wealthy friend Caroline proposes a daring plan: Waverly will attend the masquerade disguised as Caroline herself. The allure of the masquerade intensifies when Waverly discovers that her ex-girlfriend Ash, the dean's daughter, will be in attendance.

As whispers of scandal and mystery swirl through the school following a suspicious incident involving Caroline's tech billionaire father, the party proceeds unabated. But when darkness descends upon the revelers, trapping them within the elegant venue, the true horror emerges—the world is on the brink of collapse. Caught in a web of deceit and uncertainty, Waverly must navigate the chaos and determine whom she can trust. Yet, amidst the intrigue, the seamless facade of the fairy-tale beginning fractures, revealing the harsh reality of impending catastrophe.

While the narrative's pacing may falter at times, Wilde's exploration of the elite's response to societal collapse offers a compelling commentary on contemporary issues. An intense yet uneven apocalyptic survival story, "This Is The Way The World Ends" captures the essence of Wilde's examination of privilege, power, and survival in a world teetering on the edge of oblivion.

This book was a crazy ride at first I did get how we were going to get to the end of the world. It seem to be just another story about some under privileged kid going to a private school, but that ending save this story for me. We get to see our main character go from a rule follower to someone who will take on the world over all for me it a three star read personally

The first half of this book was good, strong, and immensely enjoyable. The second half...the author floundered a bit. The story ended up being tolerable, but kind of uneven and objectively not as good as I was hoping for. I will read more by this author, but this one isn't a favorite.

I enjoyed the first half but did not enjoy the second half. I will be looking for more from this author. Thank you netgalley for the early copy.

This book was a bit all over the place. I absolutely loved the cover. I appreciate that the author adds diversity to the novel. I just needed a stronger plot and direction for the story to keep me interested.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This book was a trip! It was engaging and intriguing. You didn't know who to trust. It was a quick read.
My biggest complaint i felt like the whole bit of her having autism was almost forgotten for a chunk of the book when the party started and chaos began. I know the spectrum has a wide range but based on everything we knew about Waverly from before the party on how she handles overstimulation, all of her actions in the party and how she interacted socially felt inaccurate. But I did love seeing how she was able to prove to herself that she could do so much more than she imagined she could and fought so hard for her friends when she could have just saved herself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. A masquerade and a murder - perfect for any entertaining story with socialites and the higher privileged. An entertaining read from start to finish.

I really enjoyed the first half of This is the way the world ends. The second part really didn't interest me as much. I enjoyed the characters well enough and Waverly's growth throughout the book is great.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

First, I loved the character building. I could fully understand, and sometimes relate to Waverly. She comes from a low income family and is both autistic and queer.
(The disability rep hits close to home-i so appreciate the author for this!)
The descriptions were also very good, going into beautiful detailing. I could "see" most scenes so clearly.
Secondly, I really liked that this book contains both mystery and sci-fi (my favorite two genres). There is a little romance in it too, but not much! All three fun genres.
Without giving anything away, if you love any of the three genres mentioned, you'll enjoy this book!
It was an awesome adventure packed with excitement. I will watch out for this author in the future!

This is the Way the World Ends

Autistic student, Waverly attends the prestigious Webber Academy on scholarship. She comes upon a murder at the schools masquerade ball and all hell breaks out from there.

I really enjoyed this story but especially the character of Waverly, she’s different and original, all at the same time. She isn’t like the other students who have everything handed to them. I liked the addition of the blackout and this giving Waverly her chance to shine.

Bonus points for the above because its one of my biggest fears after getting locked in a dark elevator with strangers for 45 minutes!

My thanks to St. Martins Press for this gifted DRC.

I enjoyed this book. It took me a bit to get into it but after I did it really took off. There were some twists and turns along the way and I really enjoyed them. Overall this book was a great read.