The Burnouts

Quarantine #3

by Lex Thomas

Lord of the Flies in a 21st-century high school setting.Welcome to Quarantine 3: The Burnouts , where readers of The Maze Runner, Gone, and Divergent go when they're hungry for more dark, compelling survival stories.

When an explosion rocks David and Will's suburban high school one morning, a deadly virus is unleashed on the school. After a year of quarantine, with no adults around, the students have created their own society. All of the social cliques have developed into gangs-The Nerds, The Geeks, The Freaks, The Sluts, The Skaters, The Burnouts, The Pretty Ones, and The Varsity-and each gang provides a service with which they can barter for provisions. Without a gang, it's almost impossible to secure food, water, territory, or supplies. In the final installment in the Quarantine trilogy, the brothers are reunited on the Outside and it appears as if, for once everything is going right. But inside the school, Lucy is alone with no gang and no hope, until the Burnouts welcome her into their filthy arms.

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Horror, Survival, Fiction, Romance

272 pages, Hardcover

First published July 22, 2014

About the author

Lex Thomas is the pen name for the writing team of Lex Hrabe and Thomas Voorhies. Their first novel, QUARANTINE: THE LONERS, earned a starred review from Booklist, and Huffington Post Books praised it, saying, "You will not be able to put this book down."

Lex received a BA in Drama and English from the University of Virginia and has worked as an actor, director and writer. Thomas graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, and now writes, and exhibits his realist oil paintings in Los Angeles.

Lex and Thomas met in a writers' group in Los Angeles. Their friendship developed as they tried to blow each other's minds with clips from bizarre movies. In 2005, they became a screenwriting team, and found that writing with a friend is much more fun than doing it alone. Visit them at www.lex-thomas.com.

Reviews

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!?!?!

No, really:



The Burnouts was so incredibly twisted and depraved - I was genuinely surprised because I really didn't think that things could get anymore unbelievably fucked up within (and outside) the halls of McKinley.

The final installment of the Quarantine trilogy was true to it's predecessors; it was an unrelenting break-neck pace of ick and action.

At the end I just sat there kind of dumb and raw and couldn't decide if I even liked it - a month later I'm still not sure.

All I can say still is: What. The. Fuck.

I received The Burnouts as an ARC through Netgalley via EgmontUSA Publishing.

[Shannelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just want to rain all my displeasure down on this book so that it knows how disappointed I am. I'm just going to bring out all the spoilers because I am so annoyed at how much of waste this book has made of a genuinely creepy series.

I enjoyed the previous books, although they always ended up disturbing me. But that's what I like about it, and I really enjoyed the second book. But oh my goodness, The Burnouts. It's up there with Allegiant for the "Worst Way to End a Series" award.

With Will outside and Lucy still inside, there are two perspectives to be shown, and there wasn't a good balance. Lucy's hiding from everybody else so there's no chance to see how the students are coping and Will and David's POV doesn't show much of anything of consequence. It just jumps every time it's getting good and there's no chance to see how what I thought was important unfold.

Hillary ends up being the villain this time, and she can't beat Sam or Gates. She just couldn't live up to the previous two, and the way she was gotten rid out was so unsatisfactory. I saw it coming the minute the signs were showing and I just wanted someone to show up and give me a more imaginative way to get rid of Hillary.

The whole love triangle was resolved in the most pathetic way possible. I hated how their characters just got worse and worse along with the romance. Just thinking about how it was resolved makes me want to burn the book because it was such a cop-out. And then seeing the surviving couple react to it afterwards?



Give me some guilt, at least! But no, once again, the horrible jumping of scenes was used to skip pass the guilt process and just fast forward to the declaration of love part. Goodness.

I want to flip all the tables right now. Let me just leave this here to summarize how I feel about the book.



I got an ARC copy on Edelweiss. It does not in any way affect my review.

[J.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary

Will and David have made it out of McKinley High, free of infection and reunited once again.
Lucy, however, isn't so lucky. After being kicked out of her gang, she discovers a shocking secret that changes her perspective on staying alive.
Will she make it until graduation or become yet another causality?

Personal opinion

The Burnouts is the third and final book in Will, David and Lucy's quarantine story.
I really felt for Lucy in this one, but she is one tough chick who does what she has to do while dealing with a rough situation.
There is no lack of drama as the story unfolds, leading to a high stakes ending. There were also a couple twists thrown in that I didn't see coming.
If you enjoyed the first two novels in the trilogy, you're going to enjoy this one as well.
P.S. No need to be sad the trilogy has come to an end because the story continues, following Gonzalo in his hunt to find the girl he loves after escaping the school.

[Lectus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this book because, you know, it's Quarantine... people.

First, let me say that I want my money back!!! Fuck. Why didn't I wait to check it out of the library?

I just loved the first book, loved it. The second one was a little too much but still good. But this one, oh this one. What the hell, L & T?

We still have the gore, the action, the fights... I became tired of Lucy. You just don't talk like that to somebody who has saved your life and taken care of you just because your boyfriends are back.

David became a...a nothing. I really though the love triangle was resolved in the previous book, but nope, they brought it back the worst possible way. And it ended the most fucking ridiculous way.

I don't want to give out ending but, in the name of God! After so much originality, to end up like this?

Hillary. I am not happy with the way she went down (because it is obvious she was going to go down). Not one bit. I really wanted her to suffer for days, not for 30 seconds. So there, I am a sadist.

I really don't get how these parents outside preferred having their kids inside the school? However, all that concern seemed to evaporate when they came out. What the hell? Why not get them out before?

Seriously, I skipped lots of pages because I was not interested in Will and David fighting with the Geeks, or whoever they fought when they went back in. I was past that already.

So much unnecessary pet talk and crap.

Ah!!! The ending. What a fucking horrible ending. There, I said it.

[Lorrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good ending to a good series. I can't say it was my favorite, but it wrapped things up nicely. I'm so glad Hilary finally got what she deserved, and I'm happy that David and Lucy ended up together. Will annoyed the crap out of me. Having said that, I was completely shocked when he was killed - I totally did not expect that!

Edited to add: I didn't realize the series was continuing. I'm currently reading book 4.

[nightlyreadingheather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED the first 2 books in this series but they do not even compare to the third and final book! The Burnouts was explosive and a great ending to a horrific, yet intriguing apocalypse story.

David and Will are reunited at the beginning of this final chapter, which picks up right where the last book left us off. Will is thinking of Lucy and feeling guilty for leaving her behind but cannot bring himself to tell David about their relationship. He can't hurt his brother's feelings. Lucy is left with no group to belong to, she has been cast out by everyone around her and a surprise, makes her more week than she was to begin with.

There is so much action in this book that you have to pay attention closely to every page for fear that you may miss something. The reunion of Will and David had me a smidge teary-eyed. I loved David in the first book and adored Will in the second. I really cannot tell you which character I love more? I was really feeling emotional over Lucy.I was saddened by what happens to her in this book and to how low she actually stoops to not feel anything.

I can tell you that not everyone will survive and you will literally be blown away by some of the action of the characters. the writer was sure to show us just how low life in the school had become. If you enjoyed the first 2 books, YOU HAVE TO PICK THIS ONE UP!!!

[Jaden Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a finish. Before you say anything, yes I know there is another book to this series, but it seems like more of an extra story, and not the one I was wanting from book 4 (btw, I have not read book 4 yet and I honestly probably won't). So again, what a "finish." This book was an emotional roller coaster from page 1 to page 272. I don't know how a book can have so many plot twists and not be a complete mess, but The Burnouts definitely accomplished that. Also... WTF WAS THAT ENDING! I STILL DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO BE REALLY MAD OR HAPPY OR SAD LIKE AHH! Okay, well anyways i finished this book in a little under 3 days and it would have been a lot quicker if didnt force myself to PUT THE BOOK DOWN! at 1am because it was sooo good. So, I would definitely recommend reading this whole trilogy (and book 4 if you want i guess). Thank you all of my fans and see you later for another Goodreads review with Jaden!

[Kristin (Blood,Sweat and Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minor spoilers below

Quarantine: The Burnouts is the third and final book in the Quarantine series. To say I was excited to see how it would all wrap up is an understatement. In fact, The Burnouts was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Yet, with great expectation great disappointment sometimes follows. It's not that I disliked The Burnouts it's just I expected so much more not only from the plot but the characters as well.

My first issue right off the bat with The Burnouts had to be the story. For the first time I actually could tell this was written by two separate Authors and that was a problem for me. I felt like the plot was jumping all over the place instead of being presented as one cohesive whole.

Which brings me to issue Number 2. I really was angry that some characters were disposed of so easily. I wanted to see Hilary suffer some for all the cruelty she rained down upon others. Sure she was “humiliated” some but that didn't really give the satisfaction level I was wanting after watching her torment her fellow peers for years. Then you have Violent. OK, sure, I really wasn't expecting her to survive the trauma she endured but her death felt like it only happened as a way to get Lucy back into the chaos of things and thus have the plot be about some daring rescue of a piece of ass to be fought over by David and Will (not sorry either as that is really all she became) instead of following through with the promise of finding a way to cure and rescue all those still trapped inside. Pretty much the entire last book became about Lucy and I didn't like that one bit. Don't get me wrong, I liked Lucy as a character and wanted her to survive but we were finally outside which is what I had been craving for so long and then boom Lucy is in trouble so nope got to head back inside that blasted school once again.

Which brings me to my last and biggest issue with The Burnouts, the ending! Everything in the past two years was building up to this big climax and when it's revealed and then executed pretty much all that happened felt like a waste of time. In fact, it seemed that the entire story fell apart once they headed back inside. Rather than give this series the proper ending it and the characters deserved it instead read like the Authors were bored with the story and just wanted it over with as quickly as possible. Honestly, I really can't express how much I hated the ending of the story. Plus poor Will, he didn't deserve that send out. Especially not after everything he went through to save himself and the girl he loved. Oh and don't even get me started on the meaning of that last line of the story which basically screamed Will was never worthy of anything except being the catalyst to David and Lucy's eventual bliss.

Now despite my many issues to the contrary The Burnouts wasn't all bad. It wasn't great, but I did enjoy some parts of the story at least enough to continue reading.

First off, I really liked seeing the parents again. It might have been fleeting but we did at least see that they really were trying to do anything and everything to protect those kids from those who would want nothing more than to see them dead.

Secondly, I really was happy that the story did at least show what happened to some of the kids who “Graduated”. Not all mind you but some and I guess that was better than the nothing I was expecting based on how things were going.

Lastly, even though I hated being back inside it was at the very least nice to see that the Author didn't forget about those characters that we hadn't really seen much of in previous books. Seeing more of the person Bile was and meeting the other Burnouts and Crazies was interesting even if I wrinkled my nose in disgust at how exactly they were able to remain high without conventional methods of doing so.

Final Thoughts
In all honesty, I am sad to see this series end. I just wish it was with as much praise and excitement as the previous books garnered instead of the less than stellar review I'm having to write today. Do I recommend reading The Burnouts? Yes, however unless you're buying to finish a collection stick to borrowing this one from a friend or library before purchasing.

With that being said, I'll be rating Quarantine: The Burnouts by Lex Thomas ★★★.

*Copy reviewed provided by Edelweiss. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any which way for providing them.

Reviewed originally @Blood,Sweat and Books

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing way to end the series. Even more dark and scary than its former books, this book nows how to tie up all lose strings. SPOILERS: OMG, does anyone else find this weird? Lucy is pregnant with Wills baby. She thinks the baby is dead. She chooses David (Wills older brother, whom she had dated before) over Will once she relizes David isn't dead. (This is after she hooks up with Will). Then Will gets shot in the head. And later, once she and David decide to live in her grandparents guest house in Canada she finds out she's is pregnant with Wills baby after all. Will the child call David Dad or Uncle? AWKWARD. still a very good book. I was always ruiting for David. Will was kinda a brat. He worried to much about what people thought of him and often let his pride get in the way (and his big mouth). #LONERSFOREVER

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wraps up the series (technically there is another book but the story is separate from the main 3). Some questions are answered and others are not. I liked getting to know Bile (the boy who started it all) better and Lacey just loses it. Honestly any respect I had for her as a character pretty much dies in this book. Her choices, emotional decisions, etc are so ignorant and annoying! Will and David I both like although this one focuses more on David than Will it seems. Hillary has utterl gone off the deep end. I can't even decide how to react to her antics in this one. I didn't like the end. Too vague on some parts and too happy about other things that shouldn't be so happy about.

[Trevor Carter]

It's been over two years since a deadly virus outbreak infected McKinley High school and made the students become lethal to Adults and Children. Quarantined in the school with no rules or supervision, violence and depravity begin to lurk around every corner. Power becomes back up for grabs and High school senior, Hilary, takes control quickly making McKinley her personal kingdom, declaring herself as Queen.

On the outside the brothers are alive and have reunited. They have settle in on the outside, but Lucy is all alone in McKinley with no gang, no friends and no hope. With knowledge about the new orders inside the school, brothers, Will and David re enter their nightmare in the hopes of getting Lucy out.

Word spreads quickly about the graduates return to McKinley High school and the boys mission jumps to a new level.

Will the brothers be able to get their friend and return to the outside world, or will the reunion be too much to handle, want to find out?
Read this book for the final ending of McKinley's Quarantine!

[Wolf (Alpha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I hate how Will has to leave, but I also am happy for him. I feel bad for Lucy when she loses her baby. I hate how she turns to getting high and hanging with the burnouts. I like how David and Will both go back for her and how they help everyone escape. I hate how the government wipes out all the kids with a lie about a cure. I rate this a 5 star book.

[Veronika Kmeťová · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope Will is still alive

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 *

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating - 3.5

[F.C. Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up and reading QUARANTINE: THE BURNOUTS, the third book in the series, is a different experience now than it would have been a few months ago. A novel where a deadly virus and a quarantine figure prominently in the plot resonates strongly in the middle of real life global pandemic where such terms are mentioned on every news broadcast 24 hours a day, not to mention the ways it has impacted the daily life of everyone. For me, it made the plight of the characters real in a way that was absent when I read the first two books, their fear and despair more palpable. Of course the parallel between real life and the dystopian world depicted in this YA series is tenuous at best, but there is no denying that reading the third book was a unique experience compared to the first two.

The QUARANTINE series is one of those teen dystopia epics where a group of kids are isolated from the rest of the world without adult supervision, and forced to fend for themselves. The results are THE LORD OF THE FLIES on steroids. In this series, the catalyst is one of those pesky laboratory manufactured viruses that exists solely in fiction, one which gets loose and infects the student population of a suburban Colorado high school, said virus being deadly to anyone who has passed puberty. The school is sealed off from the outside world, and the kids are on their own. The social hierarchy of high school, so hallowed in pop culture for decades, becomes a dictatorship, as cliques become gangs that prey upon one another, and bullies terrorize those perceived as weak. The books center around a few “nice” kids who want to do nothing more than stay alive until they “graduate.”


The third book in the series, subtitled THE BURNOUTS, picks up right where the second book left off, with brothers Will and David reunited outside the school after Will was forced to leave or succumb to the virus, which makes its victims cough their lungs out. Lucy, the girl both boys love, is still trapped within the halls of McKinley High, and is now an outcast. Through a plot complication, both brothers don gas masks and re-enter the school to rescue Lucy, risking instant death if they should breathe the same air as any of the infected students. Meanwhile, Hillary, an uber Mean Girl and David’s former girlfriend, has taken control of the school and she wants revenge on Lucy for a past humiliation. The plot is derivative, and many of the characters are nothing more than “types” found in any teen drama, but I found myself invested in Will, David, and Lucy, and their plight, and cared what happened to them. About half way through, I had a hunch as to where the story was going, and I was proven right. There is a bittersweet resolution that might leave some in tears, but it felt earned. Some readers are surely going to be disappointed at the ending, but this has been a series that has not been afraid to go dark, reveling in it at times, and I felt the finale was true to what came before, even if it is very cruel to a character most readers have come to love. This third book has slightly less gore than the second, and that is not a bad thing. But there are a couple of gross scenes that will make readers wince. The author, Lex Thomas, is the pen name for two collaborators, and they have done a good job in giving us one the better Teen Dystopias, a subgenre that includes THE HUNGER GAMES, and my favorite, the GONE, series by Michael Grant. They’ve wisely wrapped up the story of McKinley High with the third book, as this particular arc has used up all the gas in its tank, although there is a fourth book taking up the story of a supporting character.

I wonder how “viral apocalypse” stories, like the QUARANTINE series, will fare in a world where we have come uncomfortably close to the real thing. Are they no longer the escapist fiction we once craved, or are they a way to deal with very real fears? Time will tell, but I am thinking about picking up that unabridged copy of Stephen King’s THE STAND that has been on my book shelf for too long.

[Quan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Quarantine: The Burnouts,” is the third book in the series, following with the second book titled, “Quarantine: The Saints” and the first book, “Quarantine: The Loners.” McKinley High is the infected zone. Students carry a deadly virus that will kill adults and young children who come in contact with them. Will graduated early, leaving Lucy behind alone, with no gang and having to defend for herself. Outside the vicinity, Will reunited with his brother, David, who is alive after believing rumors that he had died. The two brothers decided to go on a road trip to obtain the “cure” for the virus. But, Will made a choice to go back to the infected zone to look for Lucy after hearing bad news from Belinda. David followed him despite the danger and openly opposing to that. Hilary obtains a gun. She has gained power and control over the entire school had they feared the weapon she holds. Two brothers made it in, one made it out.

I love this book, along with the previous books from the series. I got to go through the journey of each character, especially Will. In the beginning, Will was very stubborn and childish but after he found out he was going to be a father and because of his love for Lucy, he wanted to change and become a better person. As an illustration, on page 232, it states, “I know I’ve been a f***up in the past and I’ve acted immature, but I’ve changed, Lucy. You’ve made me want to be someone better. I’m going to take care of you. And provide for you. Provide for our family. Lucy, I love you so much.” He is one of my favorite characters. Under all his flaws, he’s a good person. As for David, in the previous books, he’s seen as a hero and is adored. He’s very courageous. But in this book, I saw some of his weaknesses. For instance, in pages 102-103, it states, “People were acting differently as well. They seemed more violent. He had already seen brutal altercations...In the past, he would have done something about these situations, not watch them… He knew he had a reason to be afraid, but David couldn’t shake the feeling that he had changed, that he had lost some part of himself that was right, true, and brave.” Now that he was not immune to the virus, he was afraid for his and his brother’s life. I love the relationship David has with his brother. Even though they have their differences, they still love each other very much. Through day or dark, they have each other’s backs no matter what. And as for Lucy, I got to see her tougher side. At the start, she always had David for protection. But with him gone, she found the stronger side of herself. There’s a new character that’s introduced to the book. His name is Bile. He’s such a caring soul. He would do anything for Lucy, protect her, care for her, and even die for her. He was a kind, whole-hearted person. In summary, I love the character development. At first, I very much disliked Will but he came out to be my favorite character. This book gave me so many emotions. I was really sad when two of the characters died and angry at Lucy for being in the middle of Will and David even though it wasn’t technically her fault. I also really liked the pace that this was going because it kept me interested and wanting to read. I have nothing bad to say about this. This is my favorite series that I’ve read. I would recommend this book to readers of “Wanderers.”

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one series I don’t want to finish. I will truly miss everything about this series, but there are some questions I needed answers to so I reluctantly read the book yesterday. Okay, so maybe I devoured it. The author hopes that you have read the first two books in the series as we are off and running with the parents living on a farm close to the school so they can be near their children. Oh, if they could only see their children inside McKinley. I don’t think their parents could handle it! The brothers Will and David are both alive and working with the parents to maintain a livable community to help their children inside McKinley. Inside the school, things are in disarray. Gangs, dangerous and hazardous situations and repulsive conditions are the norm. Reading some of the affairs that the teens were a part of had me squeamish and appalled but it was all a part of this experience that I had been waiting for. Hilary has found a loaded weapon and this means of power has gone straight to her head. She is not afraid of using it and after showing everyone she means business, Hilary the Queen is speaking and people better listen or “I’ll put a bullet in your head.” The brothers hear that there is a cure for the virus and after a heated debate, they decide to go get it and bring it back. Is this not exciting news or what?! It just can’t be that easy, I have waited for this news but I know after all this time, it cannot just fall into their laps. Just before leaving, they discover that Lucy is pregnant and still inside the school. Lots of emotions and questions are flowing through the minds of these boys as they think about Lucy, her fate and the cure. What is their next move, the cure or Lucy? David believes the cure is more important and Will’s heart is with Lucy. Too many decisions and they need to make up their minds, and fast. Lucy, oh Lucy, I was torn as her character dealt with life with its battles and comforts. The author’s narrative and realistic descriptions as events unfolded conceived inside of me an urgency as I read, as if each minute mattered. As the twins decide on whether to get the cure or to rescue Lucy, I am anxiously awaiting their decision, knowing the minutes are ticking away and time is not on their side. This series brought so many emotions and feeling to the surface for me as I read, I am glad I experience Quarantine as it truly was an adventure.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Egmont USA in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Logan Dicken · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason I give this book three stars is purely because of the ending. The rest of book was fine to me, a little darker than the other two, but the ending, oh the ending, all i can say is that I am more mad right now than I ever have been at the ending of anything, SPOILERS are coming. If i were to look of two-faced in a dictionary it would say "Lucy from the Quarantine series", She completely shut done Will in the first book and went with David but when David left and she joined the Sluts I thought "OK this is gonna be OK, she's gonna get out and be with David again, nope she got a boyfriend and that finally got Will to tell her how he really feels and then she realized she felt the same and they got together and and i was super happy and then Will graduated a year early and that's where the second book ends. In the third book Lucy finds out shes pregnant and Will and David found out through Belinda and then that prompts Will to go in after Lucy because he is a sweet guy and actually cares while David wanted to leave in search of a cure that may or may not exist, David chases Will into the school and Lucy finds David first and then she realises "wait, I love this guy and not Will" so she tells David she had a miscarriage and then Hilary Kidnapped Will and David and Lucy end up saving him and Hilary dies and then every kid escapes the school and Lucy tells Will about the miscarriage and Will gets mad and Tells Lucy to choose between him and David and she chose David, Like what could she be anymore of a two-faced bitch at this point? The answer is yes she can. Will ran off and found people saying they had a cure and he brought back to the school and the "cure" was really just a way to kill of the infected and when Will tried to stop them, he gets SHOT! Like first she gets shut down by the girl he loves and then he dies like c'mon authors give a character a little respect and then after all this Lucy drives off and leaves David like WTF!!! Then David finds Lucy in Canada and he's gonna live with her till shes better and at the very end you find out that she had twins and only one died and she's still pregnant. In my opinion, Worst ending EVER!!!!!! Sorry for my ranting I needed to get this out.

[Cora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE the Quarantine series. The first book was the best, for sure. The Burnouts seemed to have a different tone than the rest of the series, a bit darker. I sorta liked it but I felt like it was anticlimactic and some events/deaths that occurred were unnecessary and not well told.

Content Warning (MINOR Spoiler Alert): There was a scene in this book that was a bit disturbing, involving a miscarriage. I felt like it was overly descriptive and a bit darker than the rest of the books had prepared me for.

But, in conclusion, this book definitely continued the series in a fun and dark way. It wasn't my favorite, but I did like it.

[star_fire13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well. That was a weird ending.

I totally don't buy that Lucy was not only pregnant with twins, but managed to miscarry only one and keep the other. She fell down a flight of steps, was stressed, fighting for survival, more or less on the brink of starvation... I know the pregnant body is resilient and can survive miraculous things, but come on! She had to have been living under those grueling conditions for the first 5 months of her pregnancy!

Plus she had the virus! She was infected when she was pregnant and still infected during most [if not all] of her pregnancy! I wonder what that will do to the baby. Will the baby be infected? Will she and David and everyone have to wear gas masks 24/7 around the baby?? THAT'S a story I want to see!

I really hate Lucy. She's such a weak-ass character. I mean, her characterization was fine. I'm just saying she's a shitty person. I hated when the book switched to her POV. Luckily, it kept up with David and Will too.

I was super-pissed when the book switched to her POV the first time. I was super-interested in Will and David and life on the farm! I was sick of the school and hearing about how crazy and depraved everyone was! But then they ran back into the school, so switching between their POV and Lucy wasn't as infuriating, because either way, I was reading about the school =/

I can't believe Will died, but he was also stupid, so I'm not TOO too sad about it haha

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointed in the last book of the series. The first two books were so action packed, disturbing in the car-crash-I-can't-look-away type and had me rooting for my favorites to get out alive. No real character development, learned nothing of the burnouts and very little of Hilary ruling the school. The conclusion could have been told in three chapters and would have made a lot more sense to have included with book two and call the series a wrap. Reminded me of Monument 14, where the first two books start off so good but just grasping for a story long enough to finish a third book.

**Spoiler alert - just ranting**

They spend two years in there and no one figures out they just could have worked together to push the wall down - authors took the easy way out - Shame on you! I disliked Lucy more with each page I turned. Horrible way to end it 'weaker one dies' I don't think so, he went out a hero.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reminded me strongly of the Monument 14 series - the teens trapped inside a structure, the presence of untrustworthy adults outside, the dangers of the infection/contagion - and then add in a Hunger Games element with the various gangs fighting for territory and power inside the school.

I think that I am "burnt out" on YA books about teens surviving some kind of plague or biological weapon. Since I hadn't read the first two books in this series, I was not emotionally invested in the characters and I just found the whole situation depressing.

For those who read this sort of story and enjoy watching characters survive that kind of setting, it will probably be a very satisfying read. For those who haven't dipped into that type of YA, I highly recommend starting at the beginning of the series - you will warm up to the story and characters much more easily that way.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I was so excited for this book, and now I just don't know what to think. The motivation to keep turning pages to find out what happens next is still there, but now that it's over, I feel deflated. This was very much the Lucy, Will, and David show. None of them changed or grew during this book. We didn't get to see any of the interaction between the gangs, and Hillary, that was just poorly done. What an ignominious way for the authors to end such a villainous character. The last chapter left me cold. I call BS on this as a cop-out way to end what was a fantastic series. If you don't have three full books in you, wrap it up with a big finish at two. Trust me, no one will mind. In fact, they'll applaud you for having the good sense to know when to stop while you're ahead! Write a few short novellas to answer some questions or expand on some area, but don't just fizzle out like this, man. It's depressing.

[Melissapalmer404 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #3 Read in 2015
Quarantine #3: The Burnouts (YA)

This is the third and final book in a dystopian young adult series, a sort of Lord of the Flies set in a high school. Children are infected and adults are at risk to be around them without gas masks. Therefore, the parents lock the children in their high school and are free for all begins with violence and horror. In this book, Will has "graduated" and is on the outside and realizes that his brother is still alive. When he learns that his girlfriend, Lucy, who is still in the school is pregnant, Will goes back in to rescue her and David goes in after him to rescue Will. This installment was slower for me than the first two but did a decent job of bringing closure to a good series. Both boy and girl readers, high school age, would like these books. I received an e-arc of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

[Stacee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really disappointing. After the awesome ending from book 2, I was so eager to see what happened next. Granted, it was not what I was expecting, but that's not a good thing.

A lot of it seemed to be a rehashing of material from the previous books. The new direction seemed forced and the crazy character development was used just to force the plot along.

The ending chapters were shocking; however, it seemed like it was just out of convenience rather than actually dealing with the problems that were created in this book. And the end end? It seems so abrupt that I thought part of the file was missing it corrupt.

This seems to be one of those series that would have been better reconfigured as 2 books.

**Huge thanks to Egmont and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. It has to be my second favourite book of the series. I thought the action and the story were great. I did find some parts a bit annoying because there was not much of the truth being told in some moments. I thought Hilary finally got what she deserved. Also, I thought that book was really good. I am happy for David and Lucy. However, I am sad for what happened to Will. There were some scenes where I was very emotional. The ending was great. Also, I cannot wait for what happens to the characters and where the story takes them in The Giant. All I can say is I am ready for the ride. Overall, a great read.

[Lynn Werckenthien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read a lot of young adult trilogies lately, and to its credit, this one kept me engrossed until the very end. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say that all of the main characters end up back in the school for one final time. Like the first two, there is a lot of violence and mature content--the violence done by the kids to one another can be very disturbing. Nonetheless, I was overall pleased with the ending, and the final line of the book has stuck with me for a couple days now, leaving me wondering.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will is shocked at who he finds outside of the gang-torn, violence riddled, McKinley High. Lucy is left behind, alone and without a gang to protect her. Will does the unthinkable and is going back in....

This is the third in this series and just like my favourite TV series Walking Dead, the key character's Will, David and Lucy's struggles are what you focus on - with the constant action and side-stories of other characters still packing punch after punch as you read.

A love triangle, a tale of survival and plenty of action - perfect!

[Kiele · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book isn't four stars, but it is also better than 3. I would give it a three and a half if I could. There were lots of really dark scenes, but they didn't really get to me. It was not as bad as what I had heard from friends.