thereadingzombie 's review for:

A Mother's Guide to the Apocalypse by Hollie Overton

4.25

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Doomsday prepping is one of those topics that always seems to capture my imagination. There's just something so compelling about the idea of being ready for anything, especially when you look at how wild the world is getting. And that's exactly what hooked me right from the first chapter. While I might not go to Olivia's extremes, her perspective totally resonated with me. As a mother, I can see how she would go to any lengths to keep her triplets safe. And she wasn't wrong either. When the story jumps ahead 2 decades, the USA has collapsed, and the world is ravaged by extreme climate events.

Olivia is presumed dead, but her triplet daughters find her apocalypse guide and a cryptic message suggesting she might still be alive. This kicks off a journey as the family travels to California to find answers. I liked that we got to see her perspective throughout the book through the guide she made and her Reddit messages.

There's so much that I want to say, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But OMG, wow, what a ride. Let's just say that everyone is hiding a secret, which makes for some amazing drama. Getting multiple POVs was a great way to let us in on all those secrets, and the pacing of the reveals kept me on the edge of my seat. While it did slow down in the middle, I was already too invested to care at that point. The ending? I did not see that coming when I started this book, and I love that for me. LOL.

The book offers a fascinating glimpse into a world reshaped by catastrophic events. We get little hints about what caused the Collapse, and the idea that technology and the internet played a big role is a chilling concept that feels very relevant today. I would have liked some more of that. If you're looking for a post-apocalyptic story that's as much a family drama as it is an adventure, you'll love this one.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books, for the eARC!