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This Is Not a Drill
When high school seniors—and former couple—Emery and Jake find themselves held hostage in a first grade classroom, they must do all they can to protect the kids. Brian Stutts, a U.S. soldier suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving in Iraq, pulls out his gun to convince the teacher to hand over the son he’s not allowed to check out because of a custody battle. The situation turns deadly when a security guard appears at the door and Stutts impulsively opens fire. When the teacher is carried from the room, the children's fate is in the hands of Emery and Jake. While Jake searches for a way to communicate with the policemen surrounding the building, Emery, fighting her shyness, fear, and POTS symptoms, tries to reach out to the soldier. She gains a new understanding of what he faced in Iraq, and discovers remarkable strength in his small son.
214 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2012
56 people are currently reading
2773 people want to read
About the author
Beck McDowell
3 books67 followersBeck McDowell is the author of THIS IS NOT A DRILL, Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin, Fall '12 - recently chosen by the American Library Association as a 2013 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers. This YA fiction tells the story of Emery and Jake, who must protect the kindergartners they're tutoring when Brian Stutts, an Iraq vet suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, pulls a gun when he's not allowed to check out his son because of a custody battle. While Jake searches for a way to communicate with policemen surrounding the building, Emery, fighting her shyness, fear, and POTS symptoms, reaches out to the soldier and gains a new understanding of what he faced in Iraq.
Beck is also the author of LAST BUS OUT, the true story of Courtney Miles, who stole a bus and rescued over 300 New Orleans people after Hurricane Katrina. She wrote the book to honor those who, like Courtney, fought depression, fear, and anger to rebuild their lives after the storm. In the words of Euripides, “There is no greater loss than the loss of one’s homeland.” LAST BUS OUT is available as an enhanced e-book through Amazon, B&N, iBooks, and Google books and in paperback through Amazon and bookstores.
Beck is also the author of LAST BUS OUT, the true story of Courtney Miles, who stole a bus and rescued over 300 New Orleans people after Hurricane Katrina. She wrote the book to honor those who, like Courtney, fought depression, fear, and anger to rebuild their lives after the storm. In the words of Euripides, “There is no greater loss than the loss of one’s homeland.” LAST BUS OUT is available as an enhanced e-book through Amazon, B&N, iBooks, and Google books and in paperback through Amazon and bookstores.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
October 29, 2012
With only a mere 224 pages, I was surprised by how much power this short little novel emitted. This Is Not a Drill takes us into the lives of two teenage kids who are tutoring first graders, when an angry, unstable post-military father arrives and takes the class hostage.
This situation is a real tragedy that we sadly see happen in our world much too often. School shootings, school bombings; any school disaster is a parent's worst fear. To get a call that your first grader is in a classroom with an unstable gunman is unimaginable. For this reason, although this book is clearly a YA novel and anyone of any age would likely enjoy it, I think readers who are parents will get the most out of this story. Because, not only do we care about the teenagers and feel for the situation, we understand the very big picture of this tragedy. We care about the parents outside who are sick with worry for their little ones, we can easily put ourselves in their shoes. We also care about what the teenagers are doing at a deeper level. Every single thing they do to help these kids is every single thing I would hope someone would be offering my kid as a comfort if this would happen. We also understand the kids perspective - at least I feel I understand kids a lot more since I had my own. While I'm not saying those without children will not get all of this, I'm thinking the level of poignancy this book will have on a parent will be heightened.
With that said, the strongest and best part of this novel is, in fact, the kids. Kids may scream, irritate, and simply be unforgivably annoying sometimes, but they are incredibly generous, supportive, and so kind-hearted. The way Beck portrays the children is this book is both realistic and wonderfully uplifting. I found that part to be exactly what I could imagine happening in this situation, from tears to fears to the oblivious cheers.
The teenagers, at least at first, had me a little less impressed. They kept reminiscing on their past relationships a little too much during this crisis. I also had a hard time keeping track of the two perspectives that weren't distinct enough. After a while, however, they became a lot more real, and their actions during the whole event were definitely admirable. I loved the way they handled every dilemmas from potty time to high-stake traumas. I was also deeply moved by the gunman's story. Making me extremely surprised by just how much punch this little book could pack at every turn.
One minor complaint of mine, was the reaction, or lack thereof, from the cops. We have people specialized in hostage negotiations who are trained to go into situations like this and diffuse it, but in the whole day it took to go through this story, the cops barely made a peep. I found this a little doubtful. I understand it's a very complicated situation especially when kids are involved, and I'm no expert, but I would think they would have done more.
This Is Not a Drill delivers an intense thriller that will make you feel equally hopeful and heartbroken. It's a powerful novel that is bound to move you, not only from the tears of a child, but from the laughter that only they can bring.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
This situation is a real tragedy that we sadly see happen in our world much too often. School shootings, school bombings; any school disaster is a parent's worst fear. To get a call that your first grader is in a classroom with an unstable gunman is unimaginable. For this reason, although this book is clearly a YA novel and anyone of any age would likely enjoy it, I think readers who are parents will get the most out of this story. Because, not only do we care about the teenagers and feel for the situation, we understand the very big picture of this tragedy. We care about the parents outside who are sick with worry for their little ones, we can easily put ourselves in their shoes. We also care about what the teenagers are doing at a deeper level. Every single thing they do to help these kids is every single thing I would hope someone would be offering my kid as a comfort if this would happen. We also understand the kids perspective - at least I feel I understand kids a lot more since I had my own. While I'm not saying those without children will not get all of this, I'm thinking the level of poignancy this book will have on a parent will be heightened.
With that said, the strongest and best part of this novel is, in fact, the kids. Kids may scream, irritate, and simply be unforgivably annoying sometimes, but they are incredibly generous, supportive, and so kind-hearted. The way Beck portrays the children is this book is both realistic and wonderfully uplifting. I found that part to be exactly what I could imagine happening in this situation, from tears to fears to the oblivious cheers.
The teenagers, at least at first, had me a little less impressed. They kept reminiscing on their past relationships a little too much during this crisis. I also had a hard time keeping track of the two perspectives that weren't distinct enough. After a while, however, they became a lot more real, and their actions during the whole event were definitely admirable. I loved the way they handled every dilemmas from potty time to high-stake traumas. I was also deeply moved by the gunman's story. Making me extremely surprised by just how much punch this little book could pack at every turn.
One minor complaint of mine, was the reaction, or lack thereof, from the cops. We have people specialized in hostage negotiations who are trained to go into situations like this and diffuse it, but in the whole day it took to go through this story, the cops barely made a peep. I found this a little doubtful. I understand it's a very complicated situation especially when kids are involved, and I'm no expert, but I would think they would have done more.
This Is Not a Drill delivers an intense thriller that will make you feel equally hopeful and heartbroken. It's a powerful novel that is bound to move you, not only from the tears of a child, but from the laughter that only they can bring.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
November 20, 2016
This is Not a Drill takes place in an elementary school. Emery and Jake are high school seniors who co-tutor a class of first graders. When they are taken hostage in their room, by a solider suffering from PTSD who is fighting a custody battle for his son, it’s up to Emery and Jake to keep the children safe.
What I loved so much about Emery and Jake was that they are just regular teenagers who have their own losses and battles that they are simultaneously fighting. The manner in which the author was able to slip from past to present was seamless.
I found myself getting lost in the writing, thought it was simple, it painted a powerful picture.
The kids were so adorable. They were so accurately displayed whether they were being cute or annoying or scared. (They were pretty adorable though)
I can’t begin to understand how difficult it must be to write a book on such topic: whether it’s expressing the psychological aspect of someone suffering from PTSD or just writing about teenagers who are trying to sort their life, it was all very real and very tragic.
I do have to point out that I didn’t find the manner in which the children reacted to be very believable (though, what do I know, I’ve never heard first-hand accounts on this topic so :p). Yes, they were frightened and that was expressed but they also were pretty calm ???
Possible spoilers so. . .
It was a compelling read, I have a feeling I'm going to be remembering this one for a while!
Death can never again be an abstract concept to me. It feels like nothing else will ever have the same impact. Like Stutts said—I know things now I didn’t know before.
Somewhere between 3.5 to 4 stars!!
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September 7, 2022i read this book so long ago thinking that school shootings were not that common and this was such an eye opener at my young age
September 23, 2012
A multi-faceted read.
When I first picked up this proof, I didn't realise it was a YA novel. I brought it home and my 14 year old son honed in on it. (The other proofs I had piled on the shelf all seem to contain vampires or werewolves which are not his thing.) He devoured this book in a 3 hour sitting and proceeded to stroke it like he was Golem protecting his precious. Which is why, although I am in the middle of a few other reads, I put them down to read this one. And I am glad I did.
Teenagers are remarkable, and what I liked most about this book was how the author chose to tell this through the eyes of Jake and Emery. Two 17 year olds. Two teens with problems of their own and with each other, who under extraordinary circumstances have to rise above it all and be exceptional. Because really, teens cop a bad wrap and this is perhaps the reason that I enjoy YA. In YA teens are given permission to shine.
Both protagonists are battling demons of their own and are suddenly thrown into a life or death situation where they must deal with the demons of their captor, whilst keeping a classroom of first graders safe from harm.
There is a beautiful tenderness in these pages. The younger children are drawn with clarity and their interactions with their teacher, Jake and Emery, each other and even their captor evoke a miscellany of emotions.
For me, it was those interactions and the parts where Stutts tells pieces of his story, that really made this a provocative and profound tale. PTSD is not the easiest thing to portray, and it's the slow reveal of Stutts's mental state and the things that lead him there that give his PTSD a believability I have found lacking in other tales.
There are parts to this tale that are gut wrenching. Moments where you see the unravelling and want to reach out your hand to stop it from happening but you can't. You're bound by the barrier of the page and the story already told and you feel utterly helpless but unable to look away.
This is not a Drill, is no ordinary, run of the mill YA.
When I first picked up this proof, I didn't realise it was a YA novel. I brought it home and my 14 year old son honed in on it. (The other proofs I had piled on the shelf all seem to contain vampires or werewolves which are not his thing.) He devoured this book in a 3 hour sitting and proceeded to stroke it like he was Golem protecting his precious. Which is why, although I am in the middle of a few other reads, I put them down to read this one. And I am glad I did.
Teenagers are remarkable, and what I liked most about this book was how the author chose to tell this through the eyes of Jake and Emery. Two 17 year olds. Two teens with problems of their own and with each other, who under extraordinary circumstances have to rise above it all and be exceptional. Because really, teens cop a bad wrap and this is perhaps the reason that I enjoy YA. In YA teens are given permission to shine.
Both protagonists are battling demons of their own and are suddenly thrown into a life or death situation where they must deal with the demons of their captor, whilst keeping a classroom of first graders safe from harm.
There is a beautiful tenderness in these pages. The younger children are drawn with clarity and their interactions with their teacher, Jake and Emery, each other and even their captor evoke a miscellany of emotions.
For me, it was those interactions and the parts where Stutts tells pieces of his story, that really made this a provocative and profound tale. PTSD is not the easiest thing to portray, and it's the slow reveal of Stutts's mental state and the things that lead him there that give his PTSD a believability I have found lacking in other tales.
There are parts to this tale that are gut wrenching. Moments where you see the unravelling and want to reach out your hand to stop it from happening but you can't. You're bound by the barrier of the page and the story already told and you feel utterly helpless but unable to look away.
This is not a Drill, is no ordinary, run of the mill YA.
September 15, 2012
This Is Not A Drill is one of those reads that will stay with you for years to come. While reading this ARC I kept thinking about The Columbine Shooting and The Arkansas School shooting. School shootings are becoming an everyday occurrence and it scares how we send our kids to school not knowing if someone has decided today is the day they are going to go to school and shot it up.
In this case Brian Stutts is a soldier who has just come back from Iraq and his family has fallen apart. His wife is divorcing him and he is not allowed to see his son. Suffering from PTSD he snaps and goes to his sons school to see him but his wife has instructed the school not to allow him to be seen by his father. Enraged that he can not see his son Brian opens fire in his sons classroom.
Emery and Jake are high school seniors who decide to tutor at the elementary school. This in and of itself is difficult for them because they used to be a couple and they had a very nasty break up. So when they are asked to tutor the class they are reluctant at first but then they decide to do it. Together Jake and Emery must figure out how to get the kids safely out of the school and away from Brian. This story ripped at my heart because everyone had someone who hurt them and they were trying to deal with it but stress seemed to be over taking logic.
This story was very interesting in that the author decided to do a dual POV and it is told from Emery and Jakes POV. This is a must read with a box of tissues because it is so heart wrenching. Beck McDowell did a stellar job writing this book.
In this case Brian Stutts is a soldier who has just come back from Iraq and his family has fallen apart. His wife is divorcing him and he is not allowed to see his son. Suffering from PTSD he snaps and goes to his sons school to see him but his wife has instructed the school not to allow him to be seen by his father. Enraged that he can not see his son Brian opens fire in his sons classroom.
Emery and Jake are high school seniors who decide to tutor at the elementary school. This in and of itself is difficult for them because they used to be a couple and they had a very nasty break up. So when they are asked to tutor the class they are reluctant at first but then they decide to do it. Together Jake and Emery must figure out how to get the kids safely out of the school and away from Brian. This story ripped at my heart because everyone had someone who hurt them and they were trying to deal with it but stress seemed to be over taking logic.
This story was very interesting in that the author decided to do a dual POV and it is told from Emery and Jakes POV. This is a must read with a box of tissues because it is so heart wrenching. Beck McDowell did a stellar job writing this book.
April 25, 2017
Intense. Realistic. Heartbreaking as well as heartwarming. This is every parents worst nightmare sans losing a child. That is a child taken hostage at school by a madman.
High school seniors Emery Austin and Jake Willoughby are volunteering at a 1st grade class teaching the kids French when their world and the world of the kids and teacher is thrown into extreme distress and grave potential for loss of life. See on this day, a distraught father,Brian Stutts, a soldier recently home, has taken the first grade class hostage with the goal being taking his son, Patrick.
With tensions high. Stability unstable. With the welfare of 18 6 yr olds fated to their hands Emery and Jake help with the protection the classroom that is until fate takes Willa Campbell, an amazing teacher, out from the picture.
This is an amazing intense and realistic view at the torment of the victims within one of these, seemingly more reoccurring instances. The range of emotions of the victims, the assailant, I was riveted to my tablet, ignoring all else till i was finished adsorbing each amazing word.
One of my favorite parts was the writing of the children, capture as true 6 yr olds would act and react to the turmoil they were encountering. I was so enraptured with the children, I literally prayed for them to be OK. Something I have never done while reading a work of fiction. That shows you the skill of an author to write realism that effects your soul.
READ THIS BOOK. It is poignant with today's world.
High school seniors Emery Austin and Jake Willoughby are volunteering at a 1st grade class teaching the kids French when their world and the world of the kids and teacher is thrown into extreme distress and grave potential for loss of life. See on this day, a distraught father,Brian Stutts, a soldier recently home, has taken the first grade class hostage with the goal being taking his son, Patrick.
With tensions high. Stability unstable. With the welfare of 18 6 yr olds fated to their hands Emery and Jake help with the protection the classroom that is until fate takes Willa Campbell, an amazing teacher, out from the picture.
This is an amazing intense and realistic view at the torment of the victims within one of these, seemingly more reoccurring instances. The range of emotions of the victims, the assailant, I was riveted to my tablet, ignoring all else till i was finished adsorbing each amazing word.
One of my favorite parts was the writing of the children, capture as true 6 yr olds would act and react to the turmoil they were encountering. I was so enraptured with the children, I literally prayed for them to be OK. Something I have never done while reading a work of fiction. That shows you the skill of an author to write realism that effects your soul.
READ THIS BOOK. It is poignant with today's world.
August 15, 2015
Warning from the beginning.... this story deals with a situation that is probably everyone's worst nightmare...at least if you have children. This is a serious situation where small, elementary school children are being held hostage by a gunman at school. They have two teens, who just happen to be visiting their class that day, to help keep them safe and to try to figure a way out of the situation.
Let me say I loved Emery and Jake immediately. You would think that in a situation like this, where the characters spend the entirety of the book in one room where they're not allowed to do much talking, that this book would be boring and we wouldn't be able to get to know the characters. Not so with this story. The author did an amazing job with flashbacks and internal memories in allowing us to get to know Emery and Jake very well. It could have been boring to do this, but it wasn't.
So the characterization was surprisingly good, and I was rooting for them almost immediately. I loved watching these two teens rally these kids together, and I loved seeing their protective instincts come out. They were both brave and selfless, and worked together to figure out how to help the kids in their charge.
You wouldn't think that with this type of setting and situation that the author would be able to fit in any romance at all, but shockingly, she did. And it wasn't misplaced and didn't break up the story. It fit smoothly into the story and flowed perfectly.
Bottom line... I thought this book was brilliantly written, incredibly well plotted and prepared. The pacing was perfect, and I just really loved it. This was a big win for me. Great book.
Let me say I loved Emery and Jake immediately. You would think that in a situation like this, where the characters spend the entirety of the book in one room where they're not allowed to do much talking, that this book would be boring and we wouldn't be able to get to know the characters. Not so with this story. The author did an amazing job with flashbacks and internal memories in allowing us to get to know Emery and Jake very well. It could have been boring to do this, but it wasn't.
So the characterization was surprisingly good, and I was rooting for them almost immediately. I loved watching these two teens rally these kids together, and I loved seeing their protective instincts come out. They were both brave and selfless, and worked together to figure out how to help the kids in their charge.
You wouldn't think that with this type of setting and situation that the author would be able to fit in any romance at all, but shockingly, she did. And it wasn't misplaced and didn't break up the story. It fit smoothly into the story and flowed perfectly.
Bottom line... I thought this book was brilliantly written, incredibly well plotted and prepared. The pacing was perfect, and I just really loved it. This was a big win for me. Great book.
May 22, 2012
You’d think signing up to tutor a classroom of first-grade kids would be a fun exchange for a morning of high school. That’s what high school seniors Emery and Jake think—until Brian Stutts, a soldier with PTSD, comes in with a gun. Stutts wants to check his son out of school, but he’s on the blocked list. Frustrated with his lot, Stutts holes up in the classroom with Emery, Jake, and the kids as hostages. Emery and Jake, who recently went through a messy break-up, must come together again and learn to trust each other as they try to get messages to the police and keep the kids calm before Stutts pulls the trigger.
This is a fantastic book, and it's a fast read. McDowell shows a great understanding of both the child-like and teenage souls, capturing their subtle humors. I love McDowell’s use of alternating viewpoints between Emery and Jake. I think it’s brilliant because it made me so nervous! What if my favorite characters got hurt? I’d think, What? The chapter ends there! I want more. I ignored the time and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish.
This is a fantastic book, and it's a fast read. McDowell shows a great understanding of both the child-like and teenage souls, capturing their subtle humors. I love McDowell’s use of alternating viewpoints between Emery and Jake. I think it’s brilliant because it made me so nervous! What if my favorite characters got hurt? I’d think, What? The chapter ends there! I want more. I ignored the time and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish.
February 9, 2017
I don't think my eyes have ever gotten watery for any book I've read.
This book.
Oh my god.
I was trying so hard not to fucking cry.
I don't think I have ever loved a book this much. This book shows the beauty and innocence of little kids. Its so beautiful I'm gonna cry.
This book is so deep and emotional, that it made ME (a very stonehearted person) almost cry.
I recommend this book for everyone.
Read it, trust me you won't regret it.
This book.
Oh my god.
I was trying so hard not to fucking cry.
I don't think I have ever loved a book this much. This book shows the beauty and innocence of little kids. Its so beautiful I'm gonna cry.
This book is so deep and emotional, that it made ME (a very stonehearted person) almost cry.
I recommend this book for everyone.
Read it, trust me you won't regret it.
October 2, 2015
The book is a very good book is your into cliff hangars. One chapter it would say something that wants you to read more. It Makes you Feel like your in the setting and overall Love the book, Definitely on my Re-Read List. Recommend This Book To Everyone 10/10
March 13, 2024
This is a good book on a really hard topic. It was hard to read. This is a teacher's worst nightmare. It was emotional, petrifying, suspenseful, and even endearing in parts. My one negative was I thought it had too much detail about the horrors of war. Because of that, I don't really think this is appropriate for 12 year olds, as is the recommended starting age. I think this is more suited for 8th grade and up.
October 27, 2012
***Spoiler Warning***
I had the feeling this was going to be an interesting book and I love it when I'm right.
Besides a few details the reactions from both hostages and hostage taker are realistic. And those children.. poor children! They acted so brave the whole time. And Jake and Emery impressed me. How they dealt with the situation -being still teenagers themselves- was courageous. They ignored their own fears and the kids stayed their number one priority the whole time.
With exception of the ending, the pace was good. The story was built up very well. Thanks to the shifting perspectives between Jake and Emery, I knew how they really felt and how scared they were. And I liked how McDowell integrated Stutt's story as well. I understood Emery when she tells Jake that she actually feels for him. I can't imagine what that man saw while he was in Iraq and how he suffered. At a sudden point a human being just can't take more right?
The ending was a bit rushed in my opinion. There were a few things that annoyed me. For example: after Emery discoveres that her friend hided a letter from Jake, apologizing for his mistake and admitting he wants her back, she says she doesn't know they can still be friends. Excuse me? That felt so weird after reading that book cause come on, her friend was just trying to protect her and there are worser things in life. She had just survived a hostage for crying out loud. In the end it is also clear that Emery will go back to Jake. That is really very sweet and all, but is it realistic that a teenage girl -after what she's been through- stays in the hospital with her boyfriend and she isn't with her parents?
The story is believable, the kids are heartwarming, Jake and Emery so brave, and all that make that this book really is a worthy read. And if it wasn't for those few tiny details I would've given it 5 stars.
I had the feeling this was going to be an interesting book and I love it when I'm right.
Besides a few details the reactions from both hostages and hostage taker are realistic. And those children.. poor children! They acted so brave the whole time. And Jake and Emery impressed me. How they dealt with the situation -being still teenagers themselves- was courageous. They ignored their own fears and the kids stayed their number one priority the whole time.
With exception of the ending, the pace was good. The story was built up very well. Thanks to the shifting perspectives between Jake and Emery, I knew how they really felt and how scared they were. And I liked how McDowell integrated Stutt's story as well. I understood Emery when she tells Jake that she actually feels for him. I can't imagine what that man saw while he was in Iraq and how he suffered. At a sudden point a human being just can't take more right?
The ending was a bit rushed in my opinion. There were a few things that annoyed me. For example: after Emery discoveres that her friend hided a letter from Jake, apologizing for his mistake and admitting he wants her back, she says she doesn't know they can still be friends. Excuse me? That felt so weird after reading that book cause come on, her friend was just trying to protect her and there are worser things in life. She had just survived a hostage for crying out loud. In the end it is also clear that Emery will go back to Jake. That is really very sweet and all, but is it realistic that a teenage girl -after what she's been through- stays in the hospital with her boyfriend and she isn't with her parents?
The story is believable, the kids are heartwarming, Jake and Emery so brave, and all that make that this book really is a worthy read. And if it wasn't for those few tiny details I would've given it 5 stars.
November 6, 2016
For a 200 paged novel it sure packs a punch. I couldn't put the book down & every chapter had my blood pumping. If you plan on reading This Is Not a Drill make sure you have a box of tissues with you.
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February 10, 2016This was intense!...and a little too close to home with the events of recent months and years. It is certainly not for everyone.
May 15, 2019
A very intense book, about two teenage volunteers who must use their wits to keep a gunman from going on a rampage in a first-grade classroom. This was one that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. The little ones were just precious, and their teacher was wonderful! This brought back so many memories of the songs and activities I did in my classroom! I also had feelings of sadness, though, reading the parts about the trauma going on in this school. The book was written in 2012, before Sandy Hook and so many other elementary school shootings. So sad to think that teachers these days must be prepared to take bullets for their students.☹️
November 10, 2012
2.5.
Brian Strutts wants to take his son Patrick home from school, but he doesn't want to deal with school administration and he doesn't want to deal with the fact his wife has told the administration Brain's not to be around Patrick. Rather than go through the channels he needs to, Strutts wanders into Patrick's classroom and takes it hostage.
In the classroom that day tutoring are high schoolers Emery and Jake. Neither them nor the teacher are prepared to be hostages nor are they prepared to be the calm adults for the class full of 1st graders. As tension builds and Strutt's behavior becomes more erratic, things aren't looking good for any of them. Especially as Strutt pulls out a gun. Even more when the first bullet kills someone.
McDowell's debut is a unique and engaging story about what PTSD can do to a former soldier. Strutts suffers and his illness has caused him to be unclear and unstable in his thinking. We get the backstory into his time in the service and we learn where and why he is as he is.
At times the novel suffers from no tension being built, and this is amplified only by the fact there are long periods of time when nothing happens. In a hostage situation, I suspect there are lengthy periods of nothing, but in the fictional world, these times should feel more tense than they do here. There were periods in the narrative that didn't seem necessary, especially the couple of scenes discussing hamster sex; this took me entirely out of the story when Jake found it necessary to research what makes a hamster a male or female because -- let's remember -- they're being held hostage in a classroom by a solider who has already shot and killed someone. It felt a little too much like pandering to teens (and I don't think that was the intention, but it felt a little bit too much like a nudge in the direction of reminding readers this is a book meant for teens so it has to include something sort of bizarre).
I found when the action rolled, the story was more absorbing, though there were many times it simply felt over the top in terms of what was going on. This is particularly the case near the end of the book where Strutt reveals his entire back story.
I think the real issue is actually Strutt himself. He never quite feels like a threat; he's simply someone who is very mentally ill. McDowell does a great job of coloring him that way, except because he never feels like a true threat, when he DOES open fire, it feels out of character. It almost feels more like shock factor for the reader than honest character and honest illness occurring.
The other part of the book that didn't work was the relationship between Emery and Jake. I didn't care about their former romance that was tied up in silly friend-related drama. I think the book would have been a lot stronger if it had been more tightly focused on the hostage situation OR if Jake and Emery had been much more fully developed as characters. That would have made their relationship a more vital part of the story. As is, it felt like an add-on to tie things up neatly.
Overall, McDowell's debut is fine, and I can see fans of stories told in short time frames, stories about those with mental illness, or stories ripped from newspaper headlines finding this a worthwhile read. The problems don't overshadow the fact it's interesting and fast-paced.
Longer review likely to come.
Brian Strutts wants to take his son Patrick home from school, but he doesn't want to deal with school administration and he doesn't want to deal with the fact his wife has told the administration Brain's not to be around Patrick. Rather than go through the channels he needs to, Strutts wanders into Patrick's classroom and takes it hostage.
In the classroom that day tutoring are high schoolers Emery and Jake. Neither them nor the teacher are prepared to be hostages nor are they prepared to be the calm adults for the class full of 1st graders. As tension builds and Strutt's behavior becomes more erratic, things aren't looking good for any of them. Especially as Strutt pulls out a gun. Even more when the first bullet kills someone.
McDowell's debut is a unique and engaging story about what PTSD can do to a former soldier. Strutts suffers and his illness has caused him to be unclear and unstable in his thinking. We get the backstory into his time in the service and we learn where and why he is as he is.
At times the novel suffers from no tension being built, and this is amplified only by the fact there are long periods of time when nothing happens. In a hostage situation, I suspect there are lengthy periods of nothing, but in the fictional world, these times should feel more tense than they do here. There were periods in the narrative that didn't seem necessary, especially the couple of scenes discussing hamster sex; this took me entirely out of the story when Jake found it necessary to research what makes a hamster a male or female because -- let's remember -- they're being held hostage in a classroom by a solider who has already shot and killed someone. It felt a little too much like pandering to teens (and I don't think that was the intention, but it felt a little bit too much like a nudge in the direction of reminding readers this is a book meant for teens so it has to include something sort of bizarre).
I found when the action rolled, the story was more absorbing, though there were many times it simply felt over the top in terms of what was going on. This is particularly the case near the end of the book where Strutt reveals his entire back story.
I think the real issue is actually Strutt himself. He never quite feels like a threat; he's simply someone who is very mentally ill. McDowell does a great job of coloring him that way, except because he never feels like a true threat, when he DOES open fire, it feels out of character. It almost feels more like shock factor for the reader than honest character and honest illness occurring.
The other part of the book that didn't work was the relationship between Emery and Jake. I didn't care about their former romance that was tied up in silly friend-related drama. I think the book would have been a lot stronger if it had been more tightly focused on the hostage situation OR if Jake and Emery had been much more fully developed as characters. That would have made their relationship a more vital part of the story. As is, it felt like an add-on to tie things up neatly.
Overall, McDowell's debut is fine, and I can see fans of stories told in short time frames, stories about those with mental illness, or stories ripped from newspaper headlines finding this a worthwhile read. The problems don't overshadow the fact it's interesting and fast-paced.
Longer review likely to come.
October 26, 2012
Beck McDowell doesn't shy away from big subjects in her debut. In THIS IS NOT A DRILL, an armed veteran comes to an elementary classroom looking to take his kid out of school early. The completely awesome teacher tells him he needs to follow procedure and refuses to just let Brian Sutton take his son away - leading to Sutton taking the class hostage.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is told through the alternating points of view of Emery and Jake, high school seniors who tutor the class part time. They've very clearly got a past - Emery dislikes working with Jake and is mad at him for some reason. The exact details unfold as the two work together to protect the kids. Jake, I would say, has a more dynamic character arc than Emery, but both are fairly stock characters. But THIS IS NOT A DRILL isn't about their character growth, so it doesn't matter that they're pretty thinly drawn. It's a thriller with a decent-sized helping of political commentary.
McDowell puts little kids in danger, which both ups and lessens the tension. It's scarier because no one wants little kids to get hurt and the kids are terrible at behaving and not angering the upset gunman. They need to go to the bathroom, they can't sit for too long, they get into fights. They're kids. But it's less scary because I never felt that McDowell would actually transgress convention and kill one of the kids. Only the older characters felt like they were in danger. (McDowell also gives the death count at the beginning, which definitely makes it seem like the kids will be fine.)
As for Sutton, he's suffering from PTSD and clearly didn't integrate well into civilian life after his tour and Iraq. His wife definitely has grounds to divorce him and go for full custody, and he definitely overreacts, but McDowell still makes a decent point. Soldiers not getting the psychological support they need after spending time fighting a war is a real problem. At the same time, the message of THIS IS NOT A DRILL is delivered in such a ham-fisted manner that I literally cringed while reading.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is a surprisingly quick and easy read, given that it's about a school shooting. There are some really clever moments, as the teacher, Emery, and Jake try to get help without Sutton noticing and hurting someone. And I did hope than none of them would be included in the final body count, no matter how unlikely that seemed. But what could have been a taut thriller went off the rails every time it started to harp on PTSD and the government's responsibility to soldiers. It's even a point I agree with, but it just kept killing momentum instead of being folded into the action. THIS IS NOT A DRILL is an okay read, but ends up being more forgettable than hard hitting.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is told through the alternating points of view of Emery and Jake, high school seniors who tutor the class part time. They've very clearly got a past - Emery dislikes working with Jake and is mad at him for some reason. The exact details unfold as the two work together to protect the kids. Jake, I would say, has a more dynamic character arc than Emery, but both are fairly stock characters. But THIS IS NOT A DRILL isn't about their character growth, so it doesn't matter that they're pretty thinly drawn. It's a thriller with a decent-sized helping of political commentary.
McDowell puts little kids in danger, which both ups and lessens the tension. It's scarier because no one wants little kids to get hurt and the kids are terrible at behaving and not angering the upset gunman. They need to go to the bathroom, they can't sit for too long, they get into fights. They're kids. But it's less scary because I never felt that McDowell would actually transgress convention and kill one of the kids. Only the older characters felt like they were in danger. (McDowell also gives the death count at the beginning, which definitely makes it seem like the kids will be fine.)
As for Sutton, he's suffering from PTSD and clearly didn't integrate well into civilian life after his tour and Iraq. His wife definitely has grounds to divorce him and go for full custody, and he definitely overreacts, but McDowell still makes a decent point. Soldiers not getting the psychological support they need after spending time fighting a war is a real problem. At the same time, the message of THIS IS NOT A DRILL is delivered in such a ham-fisted manner that I literally cringed while reading.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL is a surprisingly quick and easy read, given that it's about a school shooting. There are some really clever moments, as the teacher, Emery, and Jake try to get help without Sutton noticing and hurting someone. And I did hope than none of them would be included in the final body count, no matter how unlikely that seemed. But what could have been a taut thriller went off the rails every time it started to harp on PTSD and the government's responsibility to soldiers. It's even a point I agree with, but it just kept killing momentum instead of being folded into the action. THIS IS NOT A DRILL is an okay read, but ends up being more forgettable than hard hitting.
October 14, 2012
Emery and Jake have an emotional past but have been spending a couple hours a week together at the local elementary school teaching French to first graders. Everything seems to be going along like normal one morning when all of a sudden everything goes terribly wrong. An ex-soldier comes in to get his son and is enraged when the school won't let him. His wife has turned everyone against him! Instead Mr. Stutts, flask in hand, barricades himself in the classroom full of 18 children, their teacher, and the two high school students. Suddenly it's up to Emery and Jake to get over their past and work together to keep a group of terrified kids from panicking and the shooter from losing control and killing them all.
I received the ARC of this book and was hooked right from the beginning! Its a book that is emotionally charged especially with images of shootings such as Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Aurora, CO still fresh in my mind. Readers will find it hard to keep from crying as the teens rally to save the group of lovable little ones.
The story itself moves swiftly with a good amount of flashbacks interspersed, providing background into both the teens' lives as well as their past romance. The alternating perspectives was well done but needed to provide the teens with slightly more distinct voices. I also feel like having a third perspective from outside the classroom might have been effective in telling the story of a school shooting. In terms of the plot, I felt that much of it was believable and well written but found that a few of the details were a little unrealistic or far-fetched such as the unplugged tv cart connecting to the local news station as soon as it was plugged in and turned on or that the teens were able to connect the classroom computer (network cable removed of course) to the internet using an undetected cell phone unbeknownst to the shooter.
However, besides those few small complaints, my only other critique is that it would have been nice to get even MORE detail in there. The book could easily have handled more pages in order to flesh out the story. I just wanted more! More details. More to the ending. More of the characters I came to love!
...reading my review it kind of sounds like I didn't like it that much but I really did. I honestly couldn't put it down! I only say I want more because I feel like the 215 pages weren't quite enough to bring the story to its full potential. I could have just as easily raced through it at 315 pages as I did at 215 pages and maybe some of it wouldn't have seemed so rushed!
November 20, 2016
Wow. I picked this up from the library thinking it was something else. I doubt I would have picked it up had I realized it was a story revolving around a gun in a classroom incident.
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand, I enjoyed the read. It was well-written. The characters felt well-developed and the plot was exciting though not as heavy as one might think. I liked reading it enough to want to read others by this author.
On the other hand, it didn't feel real. Not authentic. I mean, it might have felt real if I hadn't been in a couple of similar situations. I've been a teacher in a classroom where someone pulled a gun; maybe it was because my students were much older than those described in the book, but mine were so quiet that they seemed to disappear. I felt that they made themselves as small and unnoticeable as possible as they hoped the gunman wouldn't notice them. Her depiction of kids playing computer games and being given worksheets doesn't ring true to me.
I've been a teacher in a classroom where an angry parent, who appears to have been drinking, has stormed into the room. Actually, I've been in this scenario a couple of times. In neither situation did the angry parent benevolently allow others to carry on as usual. They wanted to be the center of attention and wanted everyone to know that they were angry and wanted things done their way. So having an angry gunman allow children to play computer games or compete on finishing worksheets doesn't ring true either.
So, if you want an enjoyable story, read this book. But if you want an accurate account of what might happen in such a situation, I don't think this will give it.
(Maybe some day I'll get around to writing my own book. I'm thinking "Surviving Algebra" might be a good title for it but I'm not sure anyone would really want to read it....)
I have mixed feelings about this book.
On the one hand, I enjoyed the read. It was well-written. The characters felt well-developed and the plot was exciting though not as heavy as one might think. I liked reading it enough to want to read others by this author.
On the other hand, it didn't feel real. Not authentic. I mean, it might have felt real if I hadn't been in a couple of similar situations. I've been a teacher in a classroom where someone pulled a gun; maybe it was because my students were much older than those described in the book, but mine were so quiet that they seemed to disappear. I felt that they made themselves as small and unnoticeable as possible as they hoped the gunman wouldn't notice them. Her depiction of kids playing computer games and being given worksheets doesn't ring true to me.
I've been a teacher in a classroom where an angry parent, who appears to have been drinking, has stormed into the room. Actually, I've been in this scenario a couple of times. In neither situation did the angry parent benevolently allow others to carry on as usual. They wanted to be the center of attention and wanted everyone to know that they were angry and wanted things done their way. So having an angry gunman allow children to play computer games or compete on finishing worksheets doesn't ring true either.
So, if you want an enjoyable story, read this book. But if you want an accurate account of what might happen in such a situation, I don't think this will give it.
(Maybe some day I'll get around to writing my own book. I'm thinking "Surviving Algebra" might be a good title for it but I'm not sure anyone would really want to read it....)
April 12, 2012
Beck McDowell's latest novel is an intense, thrilling, fast-paced ride through a day filled with unexpected events. This Is Not a Drill follows high school students Emery and Jake as they go to a local elementary school for a weekly tutoring session. The day this novel takes place turns out to be quite different when everyone in the classroom is taken hostage by an angry parent. Jake and Emery have to find a way to hold themselves and each other together to keep the children in the room safe. McDowell moves fluidly between giving the reader the backstory of Emery and Jake while keeping the reader firmly grounded in the urgency of the present situation. While this book is intense, it has many lighthearted moments provided by the students in the classroom. McDowell captures the voices of the children, the teenagers, and the adults in this novel perfectly. The teenage angst that most readers of YA love is present, but there is also a larger concern and more at stake in this novel. Anyone who loves good fiction would love this novel!
I would recommend This Is Not a Drill to anyone who loves young adult novels and to reluctant readers. The fast pace and relatable characters will draw anyone in to the story. Adults will find this story just as compelling as teenagers will. This well-written novel has real and complex characters that anyone could relate to. This was a fantastic read!
I would recommend This Is Not a Drill to anyone who loves young adult novels and to reluctant readers. The fast pace and relatable characters will draw anyone in to the story. Adults will find this story just as compelling as teenagers will. This well-written novel has real and complex characters that anyone could relate to. This was a fantastic read!
Read
May 4, 2015THIS IS NOT A DRILL
BECK McDOWELL
216
PUBLISHED 2012
“I just wanted to teach little kids some French. I didn’t sign on for dealing with a psycho.”
Emery was just an eighteen year old that just wanted to teach little kids French not to get into something dangerous and famished but everything went wrong. But the worst part was being partnered with Jake after what he did to her, she has despised him since then. But for this event they will have to put that aside and work together to keep the children safe and away from Stutts. But that is kind of hard to do when A.He has a gun B. Mrs Campbell has fainted and last be not least C.Stutts shooting the security guard. Will Emery,Jake and the kids come out alive? Will Emery forgive Jake?
I loved this book, I have never read one of theses books it’s full of action something new.
BECK McDOWELL
216
PUBLISHED 2012
“I just wanted to teach little kids some French. I didn’t sign on for dealing with a psycho.”
Emery was just an eighteen year old that just wanted to teach little kids French not to get into something dangerous and famished but everything went wrong. But the worst part was being partnered with Jake after what he did to her, she has despised him since then. But for this event they will have to put that aside and work together to keep the children safe and away from Stutts. But that is kind of hard to do when A.He has a gun B. Mrs Campbell has fainted and last be not least C.Stutts shooting the security guard. Will Emery,Jake and the kids come out alive? Will Emery forgive Jake?
I loved this book, I have never read one of theses books it’s full of action something new.
July 29, 2015
As a teacher, this book was intense. HARD to read. A gunman storming my classroom is actually one of my greatest fears. I'm still not sure WHY I chose to read this book. But I'm glad I did.
The plot of this book takes off - you're literally knee-deep in action 4 pages into the book. The characters are well-developed (thanks to the balance of present action and exposition) and easy to care about - even Mr. Stutts. The plot is fast-paced, with a conflict that occurs right away and action that keeps building until the very end. The events in the book are believable, relate-able, and timely.
The plot of this book takes off - you're literally knee-deep in action 4 pages into the book. The characters are well-developed (thanks to the balance of present action and exposition) and easy to care about - even Mr. Stutts. The plot is fast-paced, with a conflict that occurs right away and action that keeps building until the very end. The events in the book are believable, relate-able, and timely.
October 14, 2012
Reviewed at: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2012/...
What an intense book! I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down. From page one, Beck McDowell reels you in keeps you hooked for the next 200 pages.
Emery and Jake are high school students volunteering at an elementary school 3 days a week. They are also ex- girlfriend/boyfriend so the interaction is a bit awkward. But none of this matters when a gun wielding vet with PTSD invades the classroom demanding custody of his son. Now, they have to work together to ensure that the 18 6 year olds in the classroom make it out safe.
What an intense book! I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down. From page one, Beck McDowell reels you in keeps you hooked for the next 200 pages.
Emery and Jake are high school students volunteering at an elementary school 3 days a week. They are also ex- girlfriend/boyfriend so the interaction is a bit awkward. But none of this matters when a gun wielding vet with PTSD invades the classroom demanding custody of his son. Now, they have to work together to ensure that the 18 6 year olds in the classroom make it out safe.
May 18, 2015
Emery isn’t happy at being paired up with her ex to tutor a class of 6 year olds. Jake feels awkward too, especially after she broke up with him after he kissed someone else. But when a student’s turns up with a gun, a bad situation for Emery and Jake suddenly turns deadly. The boy's father - a soldier home from Iraq - says he just wants to spend time with his kid. But resistance from the teacher has deadly consequences. The man isn't afraid of opening fire, even in front of the children. And one way or another, he's not leaving without his son.
A drama, a love story and a window into post traumatic disorder.
A drama, a love story and a window into post traumatic disorder.
January 5, 2015
Wow this story was well written.
What happens when a father comes back from war with PTSS and snaps? What happens when he snaps in front off a kinder-garden class with a gun, two teens and a teacher ready to pass out.
And the two teens happen to be exes not speaking to each to other for a long time.
You get a fantastic read: This is not a drill
Ohh applause for the author for writing about POTS a syndrome not known by most doctors which my daughter and I happen to have.
What happens when a father comes back from war with PTSS and snaps? What happens when he snaps in front off a kinder-garden class with a gun, two teens and a teacher ready to pass out.
And the two teens happen to be exes not speaking to each to other for a long time.
You get a fantastic read: This is not a drill
Ohh applause for the author for writing about POTS a syndrome not known by most doctors which my daughter and I happen to have.
July 1, 2016
This is a quick, easy read dealing with a school shooting which makes it a topical issue at the moment. Narrated by Jake and Emery, in alternating chapters, the reader shares the experience, but the tension is never really there. Also I found myself having to go back to the start of the chapter to find out whose point of view I was reading. It was the young first graders who really made this book - Patrick, Rosie, Natalie, Simon and the others. Their naivety and innocence made this story heart-warming. Although not a bad little thriller, the storyline felt rushed and all the lose ends came together too easily at the end.
October 24, 2012
"This Is Not A Drill" is a really good book. My sister won this book in a giveaway and I couldn't wait to read it. It only took me a couple of days to read it & I absolutely loved it! Beck McDowell did a great job writing the story and creating the characters. I can relate to this book since I am a teacher. While reading the story all I could think is, what if something like this happened to me & my kids in the preschool. The author did a great job and I hope to read more of her books. I think this book should be made into a movie too! I absolutely reccomend this book to everybody!
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March 4, 2016 Emery and Jake were tutoring a class until they were being held hostage. The gunman, Brian Stutts, is a soldier who is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. When the school won't let him see his son because of a custody battle, he uses deadly force. I like how the changes different point of views throughout the story. It helps you get a better understanding of how each character feels. It also gives a little background of Brian which is very useful. I recommend this to anyone who likes action or mystery.
October 30, 2015
Beck McDowell has written a suspenseful page turner. Its publication predates the tragedy at Sandyhook Elementary and the bus kidnapping near Dothan, Alabama. Those incidents make this fictional story seem all too real! The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of two teens who are volunteering in a first grade classroom, and the subplot of their troubled relationship will also draw the teen reader.
December 1, 2015
I liked this book because it had suspense and it hooked me in the beginning. This book was fun to read because you don't know what's going to happen next. Me personally I liked this book because I like this book because it was an easy way to get hooked. This books protagonist was mr.stutts. This book was very good for me because it was easy to get into the book and get interested.
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