conventions – Mom Read It

Girls Save the World in This One, by Ash Parsons, (Apr. 2020, Philomel Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9780525515326

Ages 13+

Okay, imagine you’re going to a con where the cast of your favorite zombie-ridden post-apocalyptic show is appearing. You’ve hit the exhibit hall, taken pictures with the cosplayers, and are just sitting down to a panel with the whole cast… and the zombie apocalypse happens. For reals. That’s how it goes down for teens June, Siggy, and Imani, attending ZombieCon! in their little hometown. They’re sitting in on a panel with all the stars of their favorite zombie show, Human Wasteland, when all hell breaks loose. The girls have to put their zombie apocalypse skills to the test to survive, and June has to cope with the indignity of having her ex-BFF, Blair, who’s also at the con and on the run from the undead. DRAMA.

Girls Save the World in This One is FANTASTIC. I loved every single page of this hilarious action-adventure story, with relatable teens who are sick and tired of friendship drama, dumb boyfriends, and all of these freaking zombies! June, Imani, and Siggy are quick-thinking, smart, and their friendship bond is #squadgoals. June, in fabulous teen fashion, takes time to agonize over her damaged friendship with Blair while figuring out how to escape zombies and put up with obnoxious cable TV celebrities, and Blair – the friend on the outside looking in – is proof that desperate times can bring people closer. Fans of the other zombie show on cable TV will recognize some characters, and I love the fangirl’s dream come true that evolves throughout the book. Who will survive? You MUST read this to find out. Strong female characters, the power of friendship, and a burgeoning romance amidst the zombie apocalypse make this a must have.

BookExpo is my Super Bowl. Every year, I look forward to it: I print out dozens of pages of ARC giveaways and author/illustrator signings, and make sure to wear my comfiest Doc Martens to hit the Javits Center.

The festivities started off with the Library Reads author dinner – this one was for adult books (as in grownup books), and the list of authors was amazing: literary powerhouses Colson Whitehead and Jacqueline Woodson, TV writer and producer Gary Janetti (shoutout to my fellow Vicious fans out there!), Annalee Newitz, founder of one of my favorite SFF sites, i09, E.R. Ramzipoor, whose novel, The Ventriloquists, has shot to the top of my TBR, and Nefertiti Austin, who blew me away just reading the summary of her new book, Motherhood So White.