A few years after the COVID epidemic, a new pandemic has arrived called Crown Royale. If you manage to survive the disease, you come out of it a changed person where you see life much differently--you no longer view the world in a negative fashion and are filled with joy, peace, and happiness. At first, this seems like a wonderful side effect, but when the economy starts tanking because people aren't spending money because they are busy just enjoying life, the people who haven't had the disease have a new enemy: the happy-go-lucky Crown Royale survivors.
There is a plethora of characters and storylines: Ron and Mariel, who are traveling around the country spreading Crown Royale, Dame Havilland, (my favorite character), who survived, but gave her money away to Morgan, who is trying to eradicate the disease, and nothing is going to stop her from doing this.
Right when I feel like I keep reading the same basic book over and over, Shusterman publishes this book, which is unique, funny, and thought-provoking. With the multiple storylines and characters, I would recommend for 8th grade and above, so it will be fabulous to hand this to my students who finish the Arc of the Scythe series and want more Shusterman. I will definitely purchase a copy for my middle school library.

This is the preorder book for 2025! 📚❤️

I cannot stop talking about this book.

Set in a not-so-distant future, a new virus, Crowne Royale, sweeps the world, and those who survive it suddenly find themselves… content. No more worry—just a deep sense of purpose, of love, of wanting to serve others.

But truly, feeling that way cannot be good for the world, right? After all, who will buy all the things? Who will ignore the problems of the world? Who can be exploited if what used to matter simply doesn’t anymore?

If you loved Scythe, if you love dystopian fiction, if you love fantastic world-building, fleshed-out characters, and multi-perspective narratives… If you love a great story, then this is the book to order.

Coming out in February of 2025, I cannot wait for all of you to rave about this book as much as I am.

So grateful for my access to it through @netgalley—fantastic YA. This post is not paid for, I accessed the book like any other educator can 😊

Neal Shusterman has compelling ideas for books that hook me in, and I generally recommend his books to a variety of audiences, including for classrooms and whole class discussions. Despite my positive bias, I did not feel as bought into this story, and I found the characters forgettable. With underdeveloped characters I would push for a format closer to Adam Silvera's The First to Die at the End, where offering episodic glimpses of different storylines is more acceptable and intriguing. The book felt long and as though it could have been faster-paced. I will still recommend this for purchase by libraries and reading, but I do not see myself encouraging teachers to add it as a book club option.

A virus that, once recovered, leaves its survivors feeling content and always seeing the sunny side sounds like heaven on Earth but not everyone sees it that way. Shusterman’s book revolves around a wealthy and vindictive businesswoman, the successor to her power and money, the 3rd richest man in the world and his young heir-apparent and a stubborn, homeless teen girl and their reaction to the new pandemic and its effects. The storylines begin separately and then begin to intertwine as Shusterman weaves a thought-provoking read for 7th grade through adult. Filled with the science of viruses and vaccines, economics, a touch of romance, manipulation, revenge and efforts to reconcile with a new way to look at the world, all readers will find something that sticks with them with every page turned.

While not as riveting as Shusterman’s Arc of the Scythe series, standalone Roxy and Dry, All Better Now will appeal to fans of the authors work and likely attract a few new ones. Establishing the characters and setting the stage for power grabs and creation of a vaccine with far-reaching consequences takes a little more time than usual for Neal Shusterman, but as the course of the main character’s lives change and intertwine, the excitement builds to a crescendo, ending with a twist that will surprise but, at the same time, feel absolutely correct.

When considering All Better Now for junior high readers, librarians will need to consider that there is some mild profanity, no F-bombs or God’s name used. Small references are made to Dame Glynis’ companion being her “sex butler” and her successor being repulsed at the thought of “old people sex.” It is somewhat implied but never directly stated that teenaged Ron and Mariel have sex and in an off-hand and absolutely discreet way, it is known that Morgan begins (and ends) a sexual relationship with her assistant.

Representation: Ron and his wealthy father Blas Escobedo are Hispanic, key figure in new community-building for virus recoverees is Black, important player in Ron and Mariel’s flight from capture is gay and has had a fan-boy crush on Ron before meeting him, Morgan is mixed race Chinese-Anglo, Mariel is Caucasian.

All Better Now is your classic Shusterman dystopian tale. It has the same feel and rhythm of his previous series: Scythe and Unwind, which is almost a detriment because the story was predictable having known Shusterman’s style. There definitely are the usual uncomfortable, thought-provoking scenes Shusterman does well, like the spread of the virus (with that Covid like feel). Overall, this story falls short. It is almost as if the story was too long and drawn out. It took me longer to read; whereas, I’m usually glued to every Shusterman word. While teens can relate to surviving a pandemic, I think they will struggle connecting with the characters. A bit more development would engage the reader and make the characters stand alone.

A very interesting premise. A pandemic that brings unbridled happiness? What could go wrong? This book was a great set up for the series and established the landscape well. The questions posed are very intriguing and morally ambiguous. Will be interested to see where the story goes.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Shuster Children’s Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This was my first Neal Shusterman book and I absolutely loved it. This book has a slow start but once it picks up you won’t be able to put it down. The world in which Shusterman built is unique. I definitely recommend for anyone looking for a gripping ya thriller that is different and fun!

In All Better Now by Neal Shusterman, I found myself struggling to connect with the story despite its intriguing premise. The concept of a virus that removes negative emotions and reshapes society is certainly thought-provoking, but I had trouble getting invested. The beginning introduces multiple storylines, making it hard to focus on any one character or feel emotionally attached to their journey. This scattered approach left me feeling somewhat lost and disengaged, especially as the characters didn’t stand out in ways that made me care about their fates.

I loved some of Shusterman's other books, and I will continue recommending them to the teens that frequent my library. This book is for someone, just not for me.

Neal Shusterman has written another wonderful book! All Better Now is a riveting tale about another global pandemic, one that is lethal, but which also has surprising after-effects for the survivors. Those that make it through the disease seem happy, charitable, and docile; perhaps abnormally so. Maybe catching Crown Royale virus isn't such a bad thing? Or is it?! The main characters find themselves hunting for answers and discover things about themselves and about the world that are surprising and frightening. There is a subversive plot against mankind, there is violence and romance and a wonderful adventure for the intrepid reader. I would recommend this book for middle grades on up. There is mild language, scenes of peril, death and suicide.

I received an advance reader copy for free. All opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Neal Shusterman’s and couldn’t get enough of his Scythe and Unwind books. His imagination knows no bounds and he always seems to blow my mind with his twists and storylines.

When I realized he had written a book about a pandemic (another variant of Covid) but where the survivors become “good”, I knew it had to be another one of his unique, crazy tales.

And it was!

But for me, there was something off. I just didn’t mesh with the story overall. It felt overly long and although I did enjoy a couple of the characters, I didn’t love them like I typically do.

Overall I am really glad I read this because it was pretty trippy and I adore Neal’s imagination.

*Thanks to Simon and Shuster and NetGalley for the eGalley!*

Set post-corona virus era, a new virus is spreading like fire, Crown Royale. The recovery leaves the infected happy, enlightened and wanting to do good. Who wouldn’t want that in today’s world? The very wealthy!

The wealthy are doing everything to protect themselves, including joining forces to create a cure.
Teenagers Mariel is discovered to be immune and her wealthy friend,Ron,is a super spreader. Conflicts of interest form as Ron believes it is his destiny to spread Crown Royale to everyone. Mariel feels that people deserve a choice whether to be exposed to the virus (Ron).
Mariel is persuaded to abandon Ron and go to the “dark side” who is attempting to create an anti-virus. Things take a turn, more conflicts arise and the results are unexpected.
Neil Shusterman is one of my go-to authors. I love his book ideas and his characters are well developed. This book is good, just not a fit for me. I was intrigued by this plot but found it to be just a little too realistic and plausible for me (similar to Shusterman’s Dry book).

Neal's books are always awesome, This one reminds me so much of Unwind it is insane!! I love the way this story flows and how all of the characters came together in a way I was not expecting!! This is one of my favorite arcs I have read so far, and I am always a huge fan of Neal's. I will certainly be posting my review on Goodreads and on Barnes and Noble's site. I will also make sure to buy. a copy for myself when the book comes out! Thank you so much for the e-arc copy!

I love a good book that makes me think, and this one definitely fit the bill! In the aftermath of COVID, what would society do if faced with a new kind of virus, one where the outcome is perpetual satisfaction and positivity? All Better Now pushes readers to explore the layers of this exact situation and question themselves: would you want to be among the “embraced?”

Dystopian YA fiction meets current events, with an imagined pandemic that occurred right on the heels of COVID-19. This new virus, known as Crown Royale, has symptoms that are very similar to COVID, complete with fever, pneumonia, high contagion rate, and the imminent possibility of death. However, if an infected person recovers, they are filled with a sense of altruism and joy that leads to little pockets of utopian communes, and some unintended consequences. For one, a recovery no longer feels a strong sense of self-preservation or selfishness. They feel a deep desire to give away their worldly goods and sacrifice their well-being for the benefit of others.

Told from varying viewpoints, an interesting set of characters emerge: Ron, short for Tiburon Tigre Escobedo, a privileged teen who is immuno-compromised; Mariel Murdroch, a teen who, along with her mother are unhoused, and Morgan Willman-Wu, a cutthroat teen of Eurasian descent who will fight her way to the top at any cost. What unfolds are a series of moral dilemmas and challenges that are handled in decidedly different ways. Who lays claim to a moral standard? What is the greater good, and how can we best handle a crisis?

I really enjoyed this book, though I did find it lengthy. I think teens who are currently Shusterman fans will love this, and anyone who is interested in reading his books, like I was, will enjoy it as well.

Neal Shusterman is an automatic buy for me, but I'll admit I was a little apprehensive when I saw it leaned more to the sci-fi genre. Plus, the fact that we're all pandemic-ed out also turned me off. I was TOTALLY wrong with this one! In addition to Shusterman's usual flowy, yet captivating, writing style, he created powerful characters and storyline that caused me to reconsider my own beliefs and prejudices toward others and also helped me to reevaluate what's truly important in life. It did take me a few chapters to get into it, but once I got into the story, it was difficult to put down. With most YA books I'm looking for a quick, enjoyable, relatable read, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much this one forced me to think. Shusterman does it again - thanks so much for the ARC!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was so nostalgic for me. I grew up reading Neal Shusterman, and this book put me right back in my middle school literary days (in a good way). Mr. Shusterman tells us a new tale this time with a fresh dystopian world and epidemic, and it feels OH so good. I really loved the premise, and I can't wait to see what happens next. It was fast-paced, there was on-the-edge-of-your-seat tension, and I loved every minute. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Crown Royale - the next Corona pandemic, but this one comes with a gift (or a curse): recoverees suddenly have very different values and lifestyles. Some people in the world embrace this, while others see it as a living death. Three young people play pivotal roles in a world rocked by the disease - Morgan, who stumbles into great power and great responsibility; Mariel, who's just trying to do the best she can with what she's got, and Tiburon, whose decisions are tied to his billionaire father, even when he makes his own choices.

This is classic Shusterman dystopia, with carefully considered conflicts and lots of character development. I really loved the diversity of the cast, showing how different ages, economic levels, and ethnicities dealt with the challenges. He made compelling arguments for different sides of the question "Where does personal choice end in the interest of the greater good?" And even moreso, "Who gets to decide what the greater good is?" All Better Now is a great combination of action and philosophy. I definitely recommend it!

This was my first Neal Shusterman book and it didn't disappointment! I appreciated the strong characterization and tension in the story, and the plot was Plotting, with everything happening at a brisk, exciting pace.

I thought this was an interesting concept, but I just couldn’t get into it. I wasn’t excited to pick it up and get back to the story. This was a DNF at 20% for me.

4.5 ⭐️!

If Shusterman is gonna write it, I’m gonna read it and probably love it. Neal has quickly become an auto-buy author for me.

Summary of the book:
A new virus causes people to experience lasting happiness, free from stress and negative emotions. While most embrace this, those in power—politicians, media, and corporations—see it as a threat to their control and profits. They launch campaigns claiming that constant happiness is dangerous, even developing a vaccine to restore people’s previous emotional states. Amidst conflicting messages, two teens, whose lives have been disrupted by the virus, find themselves at the center of a fight to uncover the truth.

Shusterman excels at taking intricate sci-fi concepts and making them accessible, even for readers who typically struggle with the genre, while still exploring deep social issues. I’m incredibly impressed by how seamlessly he weaves together three distinct storylines without losing any complexity.

I absolutely loved the three main characters—Mariel, Ron, and Morgan. They’re brilliantly crafted, with layers of depth and complexity that made them feel truly multifaceted.

At first, I thought writing about a pandemic might be too soon, especially for those directly affected, but the unique take on the virus is so clever. I haven’t seen this perspective explored before, and it really sets the story apart.

This book is a must read and I think will be pretty popular with readers.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Books for providing this ARC