Flash Flood

by Gabrielle Prendergast

When a flash flood leaves Zack and his younger foster brother stranded at home, it’s up to Zack to make sure they survive.


Seventeen-year-old Zack has been living with his foster parents, the Tates, for three years. He used to be an angry mess with a broken heart, but with their love and support he’s doing better now—and managing his ADHD. His foster brother, troubled fourteen-year-old Peter, arrived three months ago. Struggling with ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Peter reminds Zach of himself before the Tates took him in.


During a massive rainstorm, Peter runs away. While the Tates are out searching for him, the town announces a mandatory emergency evacuation. The river is flooding! Peter finally shows up and Zack takes charge, gathering supplies and trying to make sure Peter is okay. As the water rises, Zack and Peter have to figure out whether to sit tight and wait or try to escape…before they get washed away.


The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

96 pages, Paperback

Published August 13, 2024

Reviews

[Christine B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flash Flood is a fast paced book about two teens in foster care! While dealing with family bonding and hard pasts, these boys face a hurricane that threatens. They must come together and forge ahead. I really enjoyed this book. It demonstrates potential feelings of teens in foster care well. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it!

YouTube review to come: 04/10/24
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

[Catherine Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good. A short story about foster brothers who are in a flash flood. How they experienced the flood, what happened who they met when trying to get to safety. I just wish there was more because I hated the ending. It needs more. For this book more is better. Good story though.

I received a free copy of the book and is volunteer voluntarily writing a review

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading this book, it was tense and really great to read!

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick read! I loved the bond we saw between Peter and Zack and how they navigated through the flood together. I wish we had gotten a little more for the ending, though.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fast paced read but unfortunately it was a very loose ended read. Ending uneventful and some parts quite unbelievable. Really had no substance. Had a good storyline though if the author thought it out.
#netgalley
#flashflood
#orcabooks

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flash Flood
By: Gabrielle Prendergast

Do you have a new reader at home who may just be starting on their literature journey but are hesitant? This may be the book for them! It's sure to catch readers' attention when a flash flood leaves 17 year old Zack and his younger foster brother stranded at home. Then it’s up to Zack to make sure they survive. It is an easy read for many reasons, the first being the ease of reading.

The text is larger than normal and spaced out for ease of reading. Personally, with dyslexia I found myself zooming through it. The larger font means the pages fit fewer words, perfect for someone looking for that sense of accomplishment when achieving a chapter. There is also not a lot of complex punctuation, perfect for those beginner readers or young adults! Even the plot is helpful.

It crafts up a survival situation, and each dilemma is directly dealt with. This means readers won't have to read multiple chapters to see. It fluently keeps the characters moving! A short tale featuring found-family, the importance of preparation in natural disasters, and responsibility.
I would recommend this book potentially for middle school readers! A perfect story to inspire them to keep learning and the joys of it. In that mindset, I give it 4/5 stars, I personally would have preferred a more lengthy ending into the characters' situation. However, the situation was wrapped up and was a heartwarming story.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flash Flood is set to release August 13, 2024. Very was a fast intense read. We follow Zack foster teenage boy who finds himself carrying for his foster brother Peter. Zack is a very observant and carrying young man who has been dealt a crappy hand. Zack has ADHD and is medicated and cared for by his foster parents soon after Peter joins the family. Zack is quick to take him under his wing as they find themselves in a Flash Flood.

This book was such a short book but packed with such great messages. Being as this story was so short I rather enjoyed it and the writing. I easily could have spent more time in this book. Sad circumstance but also a very heartwarming story about humanity. We choose the impact we have on one another and I loved seeing Zack’s concern for Peter (his now brother). Eager to learn more about Peter in a helpful way, not in a ‘I want to change you way’. We see a found family come together as a brotherhood grows. With the hardship of our circumstance we are a product of our decisions. Zack is eager to help Peter and be there to support him but also room to help him learn. Both boys are foster children with their own neurodivergent dynamics. Beautiful story about relying on one another and joining one another in this life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Orca Book Publishers and Gabrielle Prendergest for this digital ARC copy of Flash Flood by Gabrielle Predergest

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flash Flood is about Zach, a teenager in foster care who is suddenly having to look after his foster brother Peter alone when their street and home floods. Zach and Peter both have disabilities that mean things aren't so easy for them, and the high-stress situations that happen to them within the book certainly don't help.

This fast-paced book uses very simple language, which is suited more towards middle-grade or readers who prefer easier books. It's a gripping book that doesn't linger too long on each problem that comes up, but keeps moving the overall plot along. It also has good basic information about ADHD and other disabilities that the characters have.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that Orca Publishing writes books with social issues and does not shy from them.

This one was both heartwarming while thrilling me. Short book, but in that time, all the characters were great - surprise, surprise! there is not a huge rebellion going on.

Really enjoyed this one.

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️. It was good but I almost wish it was even 20 pages more just because I liked it and wanted more details (though that is not the point of a novella). I liked the characters and it was cool reading a book about somewhere I have lived for a time.

[Charity King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense and heartwarming story! A lot packed into the few pages, but it still read like a full-fledged novel.

[Jennifer Kirkwood (Levac) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flash Flood is the first book I have read by Gabrielle Prendergast. It was a super quick read for myself as it is a teen/YA level 1.5. This book is designed for new readers or help your kid with reading. With smaller sentences and chapters it will help readers stay focused on the story and have a feeling of accomplishment when they get through another chapter. This story follows to young boys in foster care as there is a flash flood happening. It is a great story about Zach who has been in foster care for awhile, he is understanding what Peter is going through and learning to help his younger foster brother along his journey. The only downside I found was the ending. I felt it could have been a little more polished but it was overall still a great story and a nice little read.

[Jess Twibey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story about two teenage boys in foster care, one is settled (Zack) and the other has recently arrived (Peter) The elder one seems himself in his younger foster brother but he also sees the pain it puts their foster parents through. One night Peter walks out and no one can find or contact him, panicked the parents head out to search for him as Zack stays home in case he comes back. Tragedy strikes at the worst time, both parents are still out looking as Peter comes home to Zack and they immediately have to leave due to the flooding. A short journey of what it’s like to be a foster child as well as someone with adhd and other issues mentioned, and the bond it creates between these two boys fighting to get to safety and back to their parents

[Jackson Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a very interesting way to portray the way a kid heals from a broken home. As the main character looks back with compassion and understanding upon the newest member of the family who is representing him when he began that journey of healing.