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The Summer the World Ended
"The Summer The World Ended is a brilliantly woven tale.... Unforeseen twists and a masterfully paced storyline assures that Matthew Cox has a bonafide hit on his hands!" ~ Aiden James, author of Cades Cove and The Judas Chronicles
As far as Riley McCullough is concerned, her best friend getting ‘dragged’ off to Puerto Vallarta for the first two weeks of summer vacation was the end of the world―at least until the bombs fell.
Life in suburban New Jersey with her mother has been comfortable, not to mention boring, to an introverted fourteen year old. As if her friend’s surprise trip wasn’t bad enough, her expectations for the ‘best summer ever’ disintegrate when she gets sent across the country to stay with a father she hasn’t seen in six years. Adjusting to a tiny, desert town where everyone stares at them like they don’t belong proves difficult, and leaves her feeling more isolated than ever. To make matters worse, her secretive father won’t tell the truth about why he left―or what he’s hiding.
Her luck takes an unexpected turn for the better when she meets a boy who shares her interest in video games and contempt for small town boredom. In him, she finds a kindred spirit who might just make the middle of nowhere tolerable.
Happiness is short lived; fleeing nuclear Armageddon, she takes shelter with her dad in an underground bunker he’d spent years preparing. After fourteen days without sun, Riley must overcome the sorrow of losing everything to save the one person she cares about most.
As far as Riley McCullough is concerned, her best friend getting ‘dragged’ off to Puerto Vallarta for the first two weeks of summer vacation was the end of the world―at least until the bombs fell.
Life in suburban New Jersey with her mother has been comfortable, not to mention boring, to an introverted fourteen year old. As if her friend’s surprise trip wasn’t bad enough, her expectations for the ‘best summer ever’ disintegrate when she gets sent across the country to stay with a father she hasn’t seen in six years. Adjusting to a tiny, desert town where everyone stares at them like they don’t belong proves difficult, and leaves her feeling more isolated than ever. To make matters worse, her secretive father won’t tell the truth about why he left―or what he’s hiding.
Her luck takes an unexpected turn for the better when she meets a boy who shares her interest in video games and contempt for small town boredom. In him, she finds a kindred spirit who might just make the middle of nowhere tolerable.
Happiness is short lived; fleeing nuclear Armageddon, she takes shelter with her dad in an underground bunker he’d spent years preparing. After fourteen days without sun, Riley must overcome the sorrow of losing everything to save the one person she cares about most.
268 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2015
110 people are currently reading
676 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Cox
192 books265 followersBorn in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
October 18, 2015
This.Book
Biggest twist ever!
..
Can not wait to describe why I love this in my video! I will link you all when its all up!
Biggest twist ever!
..
Can not wait to describe why I love this in my video! I will link you all when its all up!
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 10, 2015
RATING 4.5 STARS
The Summer the World Ended is a YA book written by Matthew S. Cox. This book was generously provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. This is my first book by Mr. Cox and I found it to be well written and the characters were well developed. But, be prepared! This book is full of twists, turns and surprises!
Riley McCullough is a fourteen year old girl living in New Jersey with her over worked, stressed out mom. Riley is small for her age and has suffered her share of bullying so she spends most of her time video gaming with her best friend. This is the last summer before high school and Riley and her best friend want this to be the best summer ever. But unforeseen circumstances changed everything for Riley that summer. Riley hasn’t seen her father for six years. He left with no explanation. Now he is back in Riley’s life and she is being forced to move from New Jersey and everything she knows to live with him in Las Cerezas, New Mexico.
My first impressions of Las Cerezas were that it was a creepy town with creepy people. And I think Riley felt the same. Add on top of that a very mysterious, secretive Dad she doesn’t even know that the town’s people seem to think is somewhat crazy. With everything that Riley is forced to accept, there is one bright spot. She meets a young man, Kieran, who seems accepting of her as she is. And she really likes him. Maybe Las Cerezas won’t be so bad after all.
Riley’s father is what I would call a survivalist. He is convinced that nuclear war is imminent. And then one night, the worst case scenario plays out. The sky lights up with explosions. Riley’s father, though, is prepared for this and locks them into a fully stocked bunker he has built. His contacts say that it is all gone. That the world as they knew it, is gone. Everyone they knew and cared for is gone.
So this book will pretty much force you to experience quite a few different things. The first maybe half of the book was actually pretty sad with all Riley was forced to go through. She is one tough fourteen year old, though. This kid, wow! Then the second half of the book, all heck breaks loose. That’s all I really want to say. This is one of those books where there is such a fine line between between giving you just enough information for you to decide if it is for you or not, and spoiling it. And I don’t want to spoil it. Well done, Matthew Cox! I really did enjoy this.
“There’s reasons to everything that happens. The trick is learning what they are before it’s too late.”
The Summer the World Ended is a YA book written by Matthew S. Cox. This book was generously provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. This is my first book by Mr. Cox and I found it to be well written and the characters were well developed. But, be prepared! This book is full of twists, turns and surprises!
Riley McCullough is a fourteen year old girl living in New Jersey with her over worked, stressed out mom. Riley is small for her age and has suffered her share of bullying so she spends most of her time video gaming with her best friend. This is the last summer before high school and Riley and her best friend want this to be the best summer ever. But unforeseen circumstances changed everything for Riley that summer. Riley hasn’t seen her father for six years. He left with no explanation. Now he is back in Riley’s life and she is being forced to move from New Jersey and everything she knows to live with him in Las Cerezas, New Mexico.
My first impressions of Las Cerezas were that it was a creepy town with creepy people. And I think Riley felt the same. Add on top of that a very mysterious, secretive Dad she doesn’t even know that the town’s people seem to think is somewhat crazy. With everything that Riley is forced to accept, there is one bright spot. She meets a young man, Kieran, who seems accepting of her as she is. And she really likes him. Maybe Las Cerezas won’t be so bad after all.
Riley’s father is what I would call a survivalist. He is convinced that nuclear war is imminent. And then one night, the worst case scenario plays out. The sky lights up with explosions. Riley’s father, though, is prepared for this and locks them into a fully stocked bunker he has built. His contacts say that it is all gone. That the world as they knew it, is gone. Everyone they knew and cared for is gone.
So this book will pretty much force you to experience quite a few different things. The first maybe half of the book was actually pretty sad with all Riley was forced to go through. She is one tough fourteen year old, though. This kid, wow! Then the second half of the book, all heck breaks loose. That’s all I really want to say. This is one of those books where there is such a fine line between between giving you just enough information for you to decide if it is for you or not, and spoiling it. And I don’t want to spoil it. Well done, Matthew Cox! I really did enjoy this.
“There’s reasons to everything that happens. The trick is learning what they are before it’s too late.”
August 16, 2015
4.5 They're coming to get us Stars
Damn...that was different and I didn't start having my doubts until 1/2 way through the book!!
Full review to come closer to Blog Tour.
Damn...that was different and I didn't start having my doubts until 1/2 way through the book!!
Full review to come closer to Blog Tour.
May 12, 2018
The Summer the World Ended by Matthew S. Cox... oh my goodness. What a rollercoaster! This is another book where I just want to shout, "GO READ THIS!" This book has heartbreak, quite a bit of terror, and a whole lot of heart.
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
To be honest, I didn't remember anything about the synopsis before I dove into this one. I had read it once, when I agreed to review the book, but by the time I finally got around to reading it, it was like I was totally clueless.
If you enjoy letting a book take you by surprise, I recommend skipping this review and avoiding the synopsis.
What I will tell you without spoiling anything is that this is an intense ride. I almost DNFed it because the first few chapters were so heartbreaking and hit me really hard. I'm so glad I stuck with it though because once the main character leaves her hometown, it's a real page-turner filled with twists and turns!
If you don't mind being a bit spoiled (even with the synopsis), let's dive in!
Phew. The first five chapters of the book was so hard for me to read, emotionally. The pain the main character, Riley, was feeling was so REAL and intense. It made me so incredibly sad that I kept debating DNFing the book. Bravo, Matthew, that NEVER happens to me!
Once I hit chapter six, there was still a lot of sadness as Riley continued to deal with the hand that life dealt her, but this was also when the story really sucked me in. From then on, it was so full of twists and turns that I couldn't put the book down! And again, because I hadn't remembered the synopsis, I absolutely did not see each twist coming.
I loved the characters! The author absolutely nailed the pre-teen persona with Riley; from the way she reacted to things her dad said or her thoughts about kissing, to the struggle she had between being a kid and an adult, it was all so wonderfully done. I really enjoyed Riley and her father's relationship, which again, was so realistic. I also really loved both of their humor that was scattered throughout the novel.
Man, there are SO many things that I wish I could talk about with this book... But it would stray too far into majorly spoiling the story. So I'll have to just leave it at that.
My favorite passages:
“I want you to be comfortable talking to me, Riley. I’d prefer you wait until you were eighteen, but if you decide to have sex, I’d rather you do it safely rather than sneaking around behind my back.”
Riley discovered that chicken tacos weren’t too easy to breathe. When she stopped coughing, she hid her face and her arms, wanting to crawl under the table and disappear.
That place is so boring, I think the dust has dust.
He set his hands on her hips. Riley’s heart skipped about, getting into a boxing match with the butterflies in her stomach.
“For an event like this, the government wouldn’t bother warning anyone. All it would do would create panic and add a short period of terror and misery before the nukes hit.”
My final thoughts:
This book really had it all; video games, friends, heartbreak, interesting family dynamics, love, suspense, terror, and plenty of twists and turns. And it was so wonderfully written! Five stars. I cannot wait to give this one a re-read!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
To be honest, I didn't remember anything about the synopsis before I dove into this one. I had read it once, when I agreed to review the book, but by the time I finally got around to reading it, it was like I was totally clueless.
If you enjoy letting a book take you by surprise, I recommend skipping this review and avoiding the synopsis.
What I will tell you without spoiling anything is that this is an intense ride. I almost DNFed it because the first few chapters were so heartbreaking and hit me really hard. I'm so glad I stuck with it though because once the main character leaves her hometown, it's a real page-turner filled with twists and turns!
If you don't mind being a bit spoiled (even with the synopsis), let's dive in!
Phew. The first five chapters of the book was so hard for me to read, emotionally. The pain the main character, Riley, was feeling was so REAL and intense. It made me so incredibly sad that I kept debating DNFing the book. Bravo, Matthew, that NEVER happens to me!
Once I hit chapter six, there was still a lot of sadness as Riley continued to deal with the hand that life dealt her, but this was also when the story really sucked me in. From then on, it was so full of twists and turns that I couldn't put the book down! And again, because I hadn't remembered the synopsis, I absolutely did not see each twist coming.
I loved the characters! The author absolutely nailed the pre-teen persona with Riley; from the way she reacted to things her dad said or her thoughts about kissing, to the struggle she had between being a kid and an adult, it was all so wonderfully done. I really enjoyed Riley and her father's relationship, which again, was so realistic. I also really loved both of their humor that was scattered throughout the novel.
Man, there are SO many things that I wish I could talk about with this book... But it would stray too far into majorly spoiling the story. So I'll have to just leave it at that.
My favorite passages:
“I want you to be comfortable talking to me, Riley. I’d prefer you wait until you were eighteen, but if you decide to have sex, I’d rather you do it safely rather than sneaking around behind my back.”
Riley discovered that chicken tacos weren’t too easy to breathe. When she stopped coughing, she hid her face and her arms, wanting to crawl under the table and disappear.
That place is so boring, I think the dust has dust.
He set his hands on her hips. Riley’s heart skipped about, getting into a boxing match with the butterflies in her stomach.
“For an event like this, the government wouldn’t bother warning anyone. All it would do would create panic and add a short period of terror and misery before the nukes hit.”
My final thoughts:
This book really had it all; video games, friends, heartbreak, interesting family dynamics, love, suspense, terror, and plenty of twists and turns. And it was so wonderfully written! Five stars. I cannot wait to give this one a re-read!
July 14, 2015
This is one story that I'll never forget.
I'm still reeling now from what I've just read and honestly, I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts right now.
First things first, I have to say that I will try my best not to give out any spoilers in this review. I think it's crucial that I let other readers find out things at their own time.
I'll try and focus on my feelings while reading this instead. :)
Alright, here it goes...
The Summer the World Ended revolves around the life of our heroine named Riley. If you ask me what her characteristics are, I'd say that she's your typical modern teenager. She's witty, she has her own insecurities and she loves playing video games.
Unfortunately, for this typical teen... the world gave her not-so-typical problems. She experiences what a 14 year old girl should never have to experience. At least not at that age. Lonely, upset and full of questions against the world, she goes with her dad (yeah, the dad who left her and her mom 6 years ago) to somewhere far far away. I say far far away because of the way she describes the place. No big buildings, no phone lines, no signal, no cable. Really a place out of nowhere. I guess it's safe to say that she was having a really hard time transitioning from the city-feel to the deeply-rural-feel. It was curious how she was able to hold on to her sanity.
I felt so bad for her because I totally think she's been through enough at this point. Luckily, being with her dad was not so bad. They crack up jokes at times. I find his dad adorable even with him being so busy with all of his radio activity for the government. With all his quirks, he's quite a likable character. He could be so protective of her, he could be weird, he could be fun, he could also cause her so much embarassment! hint: condoms errr... haha! He could also be badass.. like teaching her how to use guns. That was amazing! He might not be the best dad, but he tries. No matter what, that's still the important thing.
She also meets a new friend, Kieran. They form a new bond and have a good time together. Until everything goes into chaos. Bombs fly and she's once again whisked away, but this time out of pure terror. Once again, in one summer, she asks so many questions like: How are they going to survive underground? How are the people outside? Is everyone dead? Will they be alright once they go back topside?
Those are questions that will surely be answered..... but I won't tell ya!
You must read it!!!
I think it's also safe to promise that you will never see that ending coming! I swear!! Come find me if you actually guessed the right ending, but I'm already telling you now... Dude, you won't!
I'm giving this a 5 not just because I truly like Riley, but because of that ending!!! THAT UNIQUE AND CHART TOPPING ENDING! This book is so unique, it deserves all the stars in the world. Totally love it!
I was provided with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm still reeling now from what I've just read and honestly, I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts right now.
First things first, I have to say that I will try my best not to give out any spoilers in this review. I think it's crucial that I let other readers find out things at their own time.
I'll try and focus on my feelings while reading this instead. :)
Alright, here it goes...
The Summer the World Ended revolves around the life of our heroine named Riley. If you ask me what her characteristics are, I'd say that she's your typical modern teenager. She's witty, she has her own insecurities and she loves playing video games.
Unfortunately, for this typical teen... the world gave her not-so-typical problems. She experiences what a 14 year old girl should never have to experience. At least not at that age. Lonely, upset and full of questions against the world, she goes with her dad (yeah, the dad who left her and her mom 6 years ago) to somewhere far far away. I say far far away because of the way she describes the place. No big buildings, no phone lines, no signal, no cable. Really a place out of nowhere. I guess it's safe to say that she was having a really hard time transitioning from the city-feel to the deeply-rural-feel. It was curious how she was able to hold on to her sanity.
I felt so bad for her because I totally think she's been through enough at this point. Luckily, being with her dad was not so bad. They crack up jokes at times. I find his dad adorable even with him being so busy with all of his radio activity for the government. With all his quirks, he's quite a likable character. He could be so protective of her, he could be weird, he could be fun, he could also cause her so much embarassment! hint: condoms errr... haha! He could also be badass.. like teaching her how to use guns. That was amazing! He might not be the best dad, but he tries. No matter what, that's still the important thing.
She also meets a new friend, Kieran. They form a new bond and have a good time together. Until everything goes into chaos. Bombs fly and she's once again whisked away, but this time out of pure terror. Once again, in one summer, she asks so many questions like: How are they going to survive underground? How are the people outside? Is everyone dead? Will they be alright once they go back topside?
Those are questions that will surely be answered..... but I won't tell ya!
You must read it!!!
I think it's also safe to promise that you will never see that ending coming! I swear!! Come find me if you actually guessed the right ending, but I'm already telling you now... Dude, you won't!
I'm giving this a 5 not just because I truly like Riley, but because of that ending!!! THAT UNIQUE AND CHART TOPPING ENDING! This book is so unique, it deserves all the stars in the world. Totally love it!
I was provided with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2016
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED AT NERDYCHAMPAGNE
ONE THING: This book is very funny.
I found that the one thing that people agrees about this book is that it's twisty.
Me: WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???
Me: Well, you read a lot of mysteries and thriller.
Me: But this is fun. And funny. And cute. I love this book. I love the writing because it's the voice of a fourteen year old. The dad is funny. The mom... I don't know. Keiran... he's the most suspiscious person here - REAL TALK. And that epilogue-ending... well, that's just fantasy.
Me: CONSPIRACY THEORY: What if she was the one who was wrong and everything that she thought didn't happen and everything she thought happened actually didn't happen????? BOOM
Me: That's a lame conspiracy theory. Nobody would believe you.
Me: Okaaaaayyy but this book is hella good.
Me: It is. The characters are sssoo fine and the writing is just amazing. This book is amazing because of the writing. I swear. The plot is quite cute, funny, and twisty - yeah, and then there's this boring thrill in the background. I love the pace because the pace made this story.
Overall, The Summer The World Ended needs to be mainstream. In the world we're living in right now, Riley's father should be heard. He had so much quotable quotes. He had a big point about this world. And Riley is very precious. This book is very precious, you know. It's just everything. The thrill, the suspense, the mystery, the romance, the family, the moral, diversity, the young-adult-ness. EVERYTHING. Go ahead and read this book or World War Three will start sooner than we all think.
*FULL REVIEW TO COME**
Side note from a concerned citizen:
Speaking of world wars, this is an open message to all governments, political organizations, religious groups:
Can you all stop being OVERLY concerned about territories, "morals", your advocacies, gender, freedom, race, food, your own damn good for a second and can we all face the much more important problem that we have: THE ENVIRONMENT. We are currently baking, in case you have noticed. What's the use of having a bigger map when you and the citizens can't even breathe? What's the use of fighting for freedom when in a few years time, the world is going to melt anyway? I'm not saying stop fighting. I'm saying, pause and look at the bigger picture. We're all too focused on what's in front of us that we forget the land we're standing on the same planet that our supposedly enemy is standing on. Can we all save the planet before you fight yourselves to death? Because in case you didn't get the memo, bombing each other is not doing anything good. Sit down together and watch Frozen and talk about Paper Towns or the Miss Universe or some other shit like that. Maybe then you'll realize that in the end, we're all just human beings. Can't we live harmoniously? How come zebras can? All you have to do is calm down. And maybe then, ya'll would start caring for this earth we are all living in. Why fight for something as superficial as a map or freedom when you can fight for something as real as the Earth?
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED AT NERDYCHAMPAGNE
ONE THING: This book is very funny.
I found that the one thing that people agrees about this book is that it's twisty.
ME READING THIS BOOK:
*twist happens*
Me: Oooohhh. Route three it is.
*twist happens*
Me: Oooohhhh Route three to route four real fast. I like it.
*twist happens*
Me: You're doing good on route four, carry on.
*twist happens*
Me: Yaaass babe, keep straight.
Book: THIS WILL SURELY SHOCK YOU FOR REAL. YOU WON'T HAVE EVER EXPECTED THIS
*twist happens*
Me: Woah you got me, I thought you're going to take another turn but you're finishing route four. Which is the route we agreed on, overall, you fail to shock me.
Me: WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???
Me: Well, you read a lot of mysteries and thriller.
Me: But this is fun. And funny. And cute. I love this book. I love the writing because it's the voice of a fourteen year old. The dad is funny. The mom... I don't know. Keiran... he's the most suspiscious person here - REAL TALK. And that epilogue-ending... well, that's just fantasy.
Me: CONSPIRACY THEORY: What if she was the one who was wrong and everything that she thought didn't happen and everything she thought happened actually didn't happen????? BOOM
Me: That's a lame conspiracy theory. Nobody would believe you.
Me: Okaaaaayyy but this book is hella good.
Me: It is. The characters are sssoo fine and the writing is just amazing. This book is amazing because of the writing. I swear. The plot is quite cute, funny, and twisty - yeah, and then there's this boring thrill in the background. I love the pace because the pace made this story.
Overall, The Summer The World Ended needs to be mainstream. In the world we're living in right now, Riley's father should be heard. He had so much quotable quotes. He had a big point about this world. And Riley is very precious. This book is very precious, you know. It's just everything. The thrill, the suspense, the mystery, the romance, the family, the moral, diversity, the young-adult-ness. EVERYTHING. Go ahead and read this book or World War Three will start sooner than we all think.
*FULL REVIEW TO COME**
Side note from a concerned citizen:
Speaking of world wars, this is an open message to all governments, political organizations, religious groups:
Can you all stop being OVERLY concerned about territories, "morals", your advocacies, gender, freedom, race, food, your own damn good for a second and can we all face the much more important problem that we have: THE ENVIRONMENT. We are currently baking, in case you have noticed. What's the use of having a bigger map when you and the citizens can't even breathe? What's the use of fighting for freedom when in a few years time, the world is going to melt anyway? I'm not saying stop fighting. I'm saying, pause and look at the bigger picture. We're all too focused on what's in front of us that we forget the land we're standing on the same planet that our supposedly enemy is standing on. Can we all save the planet before you fight yourselves to death? Because in case you didn't get the memo, bombing each other is not doing anything good. Sit down together and watch Frozen and talk about Paper Towns or the Miss Universe or some other shit like that. Maybe then you'll realize that in the end, we're all just human beings. Can't we live harmoniously? How come zebras can? All you have to do is calm down. And maybe then, ya'll would start caring for this earth we are all living in. Why fight for something as superficial as a map or freedom when you can fight for something as real as the Earth?
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
August 20, 2015
Riley a fourteen year old girl has had a tough time growing up. She never had any friends but one and that was her bff Amber. Her Dad left her and her Mom like six years ago. For the last six years it has been just Riley and her Mom. Riley’s Mom was just like most other mom’s always nagging at her about one thing or another. Riley and Amber had their summer all planned out before school was even out. This was going to be the best summer ever as they were going to High School next year. They were so happy and couldn’t wait until school was out.
But they were very disappointed when Amber’s parents took her to Mexico on vacation. They were going to be gone for like two weeks. Riley and Amber loved playing games and chatting on Xbox. The night before Amber and her family were to leave the girls decided that they were going to stay up all night playing games and talking to each other to make up for the time they were going to lose while Amber was on vacation.
After they had been playing and talking for a while Riley became worried about her mom. She never once came into her room to bug her which was very unusual for her. Riley worrying about her mom goes to check on her and when her mom doesn’t respond she calls 911. They take her to the hospital but they are too late and can’t help her. After losing her mom her dad shows up whom she hasn’t seen in six years and takes Riley home with him to New Mexico. Riley finds her dad to be a very secretive man who is always working at home but he never tells her anything about what he does. Riley keeps asking him questions over and over but he never wants to answer any of them.
The people in the small town where they live thinks her dad is a very strange man and doesn’t want anything to do with him. When Riley first moves in they think she is the same way but she meets this one guy Kieran who will not leave her alone. He keeps chasing after her. He wouldn’t have to chase after Riley if she was a different person. If she wasn’t so hard on herself and didn’t think that a guy could ever like her then Kieran wouldn’t have such a hard time getting her to be friends with him. But in the end she can’t help herself and can’t hide how she feels about him even from herself.
Riley is starting to think that living in New Mexico with her dad might not be so bad after all. She is starting to make friends, more friends than she had in New Jersey and she just may have herself a boyfriend. Everything is starting to look better until the bombs start to fall over their town. Her dad has been telling her a little bit along that something was going to happen but she didn’t exactly believe him until they were being blown up.
The Summer The World Ended is one the most amazing books I have read in a long time. Well come to think of it I don’t think I have ever read anything like it before. It has so many twist and turns that you don’t know where you are going to end up at next. Oh and the ending is one that I never in a million years would have guessed. I can’t ever say enough how amazing it was. I love endings like this one and wish I could read a whole lot more of them.
If you love a good dystopian book with a little heartache and love thrown in then you will totally love The Summer The World Ended. The author takes you on the ride of your life one that you would never see coming but one that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. And when you do read that last page you are going to be like no way man that just didn’t happen.
But they were very disappointed when Amber’s parents took her to Mexico on vacation. They were going to be gone for like two weeks. Riley and Amber loved playing games and chatting on Xbox. The night before Amber and her family were to leave the girls decided that they were going to stay up all night playing games and talking to each other to make up for the time they were going to lose while Amber was on vacation.
After they had been playing and talking for a while Riley became worried about her mom. She never once came into her room to bug her which was very unusual for her. Riley worrying about her mom goes to check on her and when her mom doesn’t respond she calls 911. They take her to the hospital but they are too late and can’t help her. After losing her mom her dad shows up whom she hasn’t seen in six years and takes Riley home with him to New Mexico. Riley finds her dad to be a very secretive man who is always working at home but he never tells her anything about what he does. Riley keeps asking him questions over and over but he never wants to answer any of them.
The people in the small town where they live thinks her dad is a very strange man and doesn’t want anything to do with him. When Riley first moves in they think she is the same way but she meets this one guy Kieran who will not leave her alone. He keeps chasing after her. He wouldn’t have to chase after Riley if she was a different person. If she wasn’t so hard on herself and didn’t think that a guy could ever like her then Kieran wouldn’t have such a hard time getting her to be friends with him. But in the end she can’t help herself and can’t hide how she feels about him even from herself.
Riley is starting to think that living in New Mexico with her dad might not be so bad after all. She is starting to make friends, more friends than she had in New Jersey and she just may have herself a boyfriend. Everything is starting to look better until the bombs start to fall over their town. Her dad has been telling her a little bit along that something was going to happen but she didn’t exactly believe him until they were being blown up.
The Summer The World Ended is one the most amazing books I have read in a long time. Well come to think of it I don’t think I have ever read anything like it before. It has so many twist and turns that you don’t know where you are going to end up at next. Oh and the ending is one that I never in a million years would have guessed. I can’t ever say enough how amazing it was. I love endings like this one and wish I could read a whole lot more of them.
If you love a good dystopian book with a little heartache and love thrown in then you will totally love The Summer The World Ended. The author takes you on the ride of your life one that you would never see coming but one that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. And when you do read that last page you are going to be like no way man that just didn’t happen.
April 7, 2015
You should all be jealous.
I was lucky enough to read this very early on as a beta reader--one of the most polished fresh manuscripts I have ever seen. And I've already previewed the cover (lucky me--it's a great one).
But enough about that--onto the story.
I'm not sure how the author writes young girls so well, but he does. As the reader, you feel for Riley throughout the whole ordeal (can't say more because it would spoil it).
The author's love for video games is quite apparent in the story, so other gamers might enjoy that part (but it doesn't matter if you don't play such games--I don't, and it wasn't a hindrance in my enjoyment of the story).
The pacing is great. You will be pulled in many directions, all by Matt Cox, expert puppet master.
This book kept me coming back for more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Gah. I loved this book, but everything I type in here I quickly erase because I REALLY don't want to give anything away. Let the twists and turns commence!
I was lucky enough to read this very early on as a beta reader--one of the most polished fresh manuscripts I have ever seen. And I've already previewed the cover (lucky me--it's a great one).
But enough about that--onto the story.
I'm not sure how the author writes young girls so well, but he does. As the reader, you feel for Riley throughout the whole ordeal (can't say more because it would spoil it).
The author's love for video games is quite apparent in the story, so other gamers might enjoy that part (but it doesn't matter if you don't play such games--I don't, and it wasn't a hindrance in my enjoyment of the story).
The pacing is great. You will be pulled in many directions, all by Matt Cox, expert puppet master.
This book kept me coming back for more. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Gah. I loved this book, but everything I type in here I quickly erase because I REALLY don't want to give anything away. Let the twists and turns commence!
August 17, 2015
What starts as the perfect teen-age summer for a young woman rapidly devolves into a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Cox doesn't pull his punches.
December 30, 2021
[Adult reader, YA book].
IN SHORT: Tragedy, flip flops, tacos, and the end of the world--with a twist or two.
The 14-year-old protagonist certainly goes through some trying times. The twist was good but was predictable, at least for me. Some parts were a bit unrealistic (YA readers probably won't care). Didn't get exciting until after the halfway mark, but overall the story was entertaining enough
There's a bit of insta-attraction, but not full on insta-love. No love triangles. So many mentions of "flip-flops" (the protagonist's footwear) that it became a bit comical.
Mostly reads like something a 14-year old boy might write. But the sum of its parts is better than I'm making it sound.
YA VERDICT: 3 to 3.5 stars.
ADULT VERDICT: Probably skip this one (2 stars).
IN SHORT: Tragedy, flip flops, tacos, and the end of the world--with a twist or two.
The 14-year-old protagonist certainly goes through some trying times. The twist was good but was predictable, at least for me. Some parts were a bit unrealistic (YA readers probably won't care). Didn't get exciting until after the halfway mark, but overall the story was entertaining enough
There's a bit of insta-attraction, but not full on insta-love. No love triangles. So many mentions of "flip-flops" (the protagonist's footwear) that it became a bit comical.
Mostly reads like something a 14-year old boy might write. But the sum of its parts is better than I'm making it sound.
YA VERDICT: 3 to 3.5 stars.
ADULT VERDICT: Probably skip this one (2 stars).
May 1, 2019
Riley McCullough is a 14 year old girl looking forward to the best summer ever. She and her best friend Amber are pumped to enjoy it together but as they say " the best laid plans don't always come to fruition". After events beyond her control occur, Riley finds herself living with her father, who abandoned them years ago, miles away from the place she knew. This emotionally charged, character driven story will have you quickly turning page after page to see what happens next. Riley has to deal with sudden death, the mental issues of a loved one and a life torn apart which no one, never mind a 14 yr. old should ever have to go through. The twists and turns in this story keep you on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story
February 23, 2022
Being a teenager is hard enough, Riley thought it was terrible when your best friend is gone on vacation for 2 whole weeks , but when her mother dies, and she has to go live with father. But living with him and an odd new town isn't what she thought it would be. In her mind, having no internet, normal cell phone service, having no friends, eating spaghetti0s at meals and her dad is acting strange is the end of the world. Until something happens that shocks Riley to her core. Matthew Cox's books draw the reader into them and makes you feel as if your with the characters. Seeing what they see, feeling what they are filing, following along with them during their travels. At this time the world is going crazy and this book actually makes a person think "could this happen" "what would I do to survive" " what am I going to do" .
October 4, 2018
Really fantastic book with a tremendous twist! Well written character too - and very different than most of these types of book. She seemed much more normal. Highly recommend!
August 13, 2015
I want to thank the author for allowing me to read his book, The Summer The World Ended, and be a part of this book tour.
Riley is a typical 14 year old girl. She and her best friend Amber have planned the best summer to celebrate starting high school. When Amber’s parents surprise her with a vacation to Mexico they are super bummed and feel like their summer is ruined. Before anything can even start on the night of the last day of school, Riley’s mother passes away. Riley spends the next three days in a stupor, not even telling her best friend her mother has passed away. She doesn’t want to ruin her trip, or maybe she doesn’t want to face it. With no family to lean on she is adrift and in shock, until the father she hasn’t seen in 6 years shows up. Angry and not understand why he abandoned her, Riley tries to work through the pain and the shock at her loss while packing up her life and leaving her home to move to her fathers home. The change from New Jersey, to the middle of nowhere New Mexico, with a man she barely knows who seems to have a job with the government that can put her life at risk, is all alot for her to take in. Enter Kieran, the handsome local boy who may make the summer survivable after all. But is her dad paranoid, or is everything as scary as it seems?
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t understand how Matthew S. Cox can write a teenage girl so well. This is the second novel of his I have reviewed recently and both times I have been blown away with how well he captures the emotions of a young teenage female. He really grips your emotions and gets you attached to his characters early on. From the very first paragraph, I could empathize with Riley. I am impressed with the writing style that is so gripping you cannot put the story down.
I felt for Riley and her father. Thrown together after such a distance that neither wanted. One that Riley has trouble understanding and believing. It is hard to accept when someone tells you they left you to protect you but all you feel is hurt that they left. Why should she believe him. Her mother is gone and cannot back him up. Now she is settling into the home in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t even have WiFi, how can she communicate with her best friend or play her beloved Xbox games?
All of the characters are well written. From the distrustful townspeople to the local kids. Kieran is newer to town too, so he understands how Riley feels about all of the changes. The fact that he is the first guy to seem to like her, and he is good looking too, go a long way towards warming Riley up to her new home.
This story was written with a slight jump forward in time. The world is very much what is happening now with Russia and the Ukraine fighting, and North Korea rattling sabers while the US looks on and debates where to get involved. Riley’s father works on software that helps track hostile forces. He rants about dangers and you wonder if he is serious or paranoid, but in a world gone mad, maybe everyone should be paranoid. While Riley’s world is changing, is the whole world falling apart too? The twists this story took kept me glued to it. I haven’t been so sucked into a book in a long time.
My rating: 5/5 stars.
for this and other reviews go to https://fangirlsreaditfirst.wordpress...
Riley is a typical 14 year old girl. She and her best friend Amber have planned the best summer to celebrate starting high school. When Amber’s parents surprise her with a vacation to Mexico they are super bummed and feel like their summer is ruined. Before anything can even start on the night of the last day of school, Riley’s mother passes away. Riley spends the next three days in a stupor, not even telling her best friend her mother has passed away. She doesn’t want to ruin her trip, or maybe she doesn’t want to face it. With no family to lean on she is adrift and in shock, until the father she hasn’t seen in 6 years shows up. Angry and not understand why he abandoned her, Riley tries to work through the pain and the shock at her loss while packing up her life and leaving her home to move to her fathers home. The change from New Jersey, to the middle of nowhere New Mexico, with a man she barely knows who seems to have a job with the government that can put her life at risk, is all alot for her to take in. Enter Kieran, the handsome local boy who may make the summer survivable after all. But is her dad paranoid, or is everything as scary as it seems?
I really enjoyed this book. I don’t understand how Matthew S. Cox can write a teenage girl so well. This is the second novel of his I have reviewed recently and both times I have been blown away with how well he captures the emotions of a young teenage female. He really grips your emotions and gets you attached to his characters early on. From the very first paragraph, I could empathize with Riley. I am impressed with the writing style that is so gripping you cannot put the story down.
I felt for Riley and her father. Thrown together after such a distance that neither wanted. One that Riley has trouble understanding and believing. It is hard to accept when someone tells you they left you to protect you but all you feel is hurt that they left. Why should she believe him. Her mother is gone and cannot back him up. Now she is settling into the home in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t even have WiFi, how can she communicate with her best friend or play her beloved Xbox games?
All of the characters are well written. From the distrustful townspeople to the local kids. Kieran is newer to town too, so he understands how Riley feels about all of the changes. The fact that he is the first guy to seem to like her, and he is good looking too, go a long way towards warming Riley up to her new home.
This story was written with a slight jump forward in time. The world is very much what is happening now with Russia and the Ukraine fighting, and North Korea rattling sabers while the US looks on and debates where to get involved. Riley’s father works on software that helps track hostile forces. He rants about dangers and you wonder if he is serious or paranoid, but in a world gone mad, maybe everyone should be paranoid. While Riley’s world is changing, is the whole world falling apart too? The twists this story took kept me glued to it. I haven’t been so sucked into a book in a long time.
My rating: 5/5 stars.
for this and other reviews go to https://fangirlsreaditfirst.wordpress...
August 20, 2015
Holy cow, I finished this book and went WTF just happened, really I was astounded!
Not bad astounded just more like how did I not see this coming and because of my WTF moment this will not be an in depth review. Why? Well because there is a major twist in this book that is awesome!
Riley is 14 years old and she lives with her mother, she is a typical bolshy teenager obsessed with video games and how she will cope without her best friend for two weeks when she goes on holiday.
To begin with I honestly couldn't stand Riley but then I remembered that she is a teenager and that grumpy, awkwardness is coming through with bells on! After that reminder she started to grow on me! I was a teenager once and I was a major pain in the arse - so remember that if you read this!
Anyway, her mother is taken ill and unfortunately passes away, Riley has nobody and is temporarily taken in to care. She gets the shock of her life when her absent father turns up at her mother's funeral. Where he has been, she doesn't know but he is here and is going to take her home.
Home however is far away from her home in New Jersey she is moving to the desert, a one horse town and worst of all her dad doesn't even live in the town, he stays miles away on the outskirts. Worse still, he has no WiFi!!
Her dad seems to have a secret programming job, he is constantly in touch with the military and he seems to be prepared for the worst. In her new bedroom a "Go" bag is ready for any terrible events that may arise.
This is all a total culture shock to poor Riley, her dad is a bit stranger than she remembers but she tries to get her life back on track helped along by meeting a cute boy in town.
Her new life comes to a horrible stop when she is rudely awoken one night by explosions, before she knows it her father has taken her down to his bunker. The explosions keep coming, has the end of the world came just as Riley is settling in to her new world?
Well I can't say but let me say this, things get a lot worse before they get better!
This was totally not what I expected, Riley is a determined young girl and even though I didn't have much love for her to begin with, I ended up really enjoying the time we spent together. A great read but be prepared for the unexpected!!
Thanks to Xpresso tours for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Not bad astounded just more like how did I not see this coming and because of my WTF moment this will not be an in depth review. Why? Well because there is a major twist in this book that is awesome!
Riley is 14 years old and she lives with her mother, she is a typical bolshy teenager obsessed with video games and how she will cope without her best friend for two weeks when she goes on holiday.
To begin with I honestly couldn't stand Riley but then I remembered that she is a teenager and that grumpy, awkwardness is coming through with bells on! After that reminder she started to grow on me! I was a teenager once and I was a major pain in the arse - so remember that if you read this!
Anyway, her mother is taken ill and unfortunately passes away, Riley has nobody and is temporarily taken in to care. She gets the shock of her life when her absent father turns up at her mother's funeral. Where he has been, she doesn't know but he is here and is going to take her home.
Home however is far away from her home in New Jersey she is moving to the desert, a one horse town and worst of all her dad doesn't even live in the town, he stays miles away on the outskirts. Worse still, he has no WiFi!!
Her dad seems to have a secret programming job, he is constantly in touch with the military and he seems to be prepared for the worst. In her new bedroom a "Go" bag is ready for any terrible events that may arise.
This is all a total culture shock to poor Riley, her dad is a bit stranger than she remembers but she tries to get her life back on track helped along by meeting a cute boy in town.
Her new life comes to a horrible stop when she is rudely awoken one night by explosions, before she knows it her father has taken her down to his bunker. The explosions keep coming, has the end of the world came just as Riley is settling in to her new world?
Well I can't say but let me say this, things get a lot worse before they get better!
This was totally not what I expected, Riley is a determined young girl and even though I didn't have much love for her to begin with, I ended up really enjoying the time we spent together. A great read but be prepared for the unexpected!!
Thanks to Xpresso tours for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2015
When a book draws you in within the first chapter and grabs hold of your emotions and has you sitting there with tears running down your face…you know it’s one damn good story! This is the story of a young girl named Riley. She is your typical fourteen year old…she is looking forward to summer vacation, playing video games all night with her best friend Amber, she texts on her cell phone and argues with her mother until one night her whole world is turned upside down in the blink of an eye! What Riley faces in the following pages is more than most people have faced in their entire lives. For her age, she faces everything that life throws at her with occasional emotional breakdowns which I can see anyone having considering what she has gone through. She is a very strong and tough young girl who was dealt one really raw deal. I love the way Matthew Cox wrote this story with so much feeling and emotions. His depicting of a teenager was spot on and how one would handle the different situations were spot on!
With quite a few surprises and a few twists towards the end I found myself screaming out….”Oh no you didn’t”!!! I had never seen that coming and was definitely surprised as I’m sure you will be too.
I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it highly enough. Though it is listed as a teen book, I found it to be geared towards adults too. This book should be added to everyone’s reading list and moved to the top of it. I found it to be so good that I read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down! Thank you Mr. Cox for one entertaining and amazing story!
With quite a few surprises and a few twists towards the end I found myself screaming out….”Oh no you didn’t”!!! I had never seen that coming and was definitely surprised as I’m sure you will be too.
I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it highly enough. Though it is listed as a teen book, I found it to be geared towards adults too. This book should be added to everyone’s reading list and moved to the top of it. I found it to be so good that I read it in one day because I couldn’t put it down! Thank you Mr. Cox for one entertaining and amazing story!
August 11, 2015
There are so many great things about this book, I'm not sure where know where to start.
Let's talk about Riley, our protagonist. I haven't spent a lot of time around teenage girls, but I'm pretty sure Cox writes her flawlessly. He captured her teen angst, mood swings, and giddiness so that it's impossible not to feel her excitement when playing video games, her anger and depression at losing her mother and relocating to another state, and her affection for a boy.
Oh, and speaking of video games, it's quite obvious that Cox is a gamer (or did some amazing research!), and knows his stuff. I love how Riley trolls the older dudes on Call of Duty. Those scenes made me laugh. Only once did he use an acronym that a non-gamer wouldn't know (I admit that I had to ask my 14-year-old son, who was greatly amused by my gaming ignorance). However, that didn't at all detract from the story.
Though there isn't non-stop action, per se, it is paced very well. I was looking forward to every moment I could sit down with the book and find out what happens next. Honestly, I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, simply because it's such a unique story with a twist that will leave your head spinning. In fact, my jaw was hanging open--literally--and I didn't care if people stared at me.
I promise you won't be disappointed in this amazing book!
Let's talk about Riley, our protagonist. I haven't spent a lot of time around teenage girls, but I'm pretty sure Cox writes her flawlessly. He captured her teen angst, mood swings, and giddiness so that it's impossible not to feel her excitement when playing video games, her anger and depression at losing her mother and relocating to another state, and her affection for a boy.
Oh, and speaking of video games, it's quite obvious that Cox is a gamer (or did some amazing research!), and knows his stuff. I love how Riley trolls the older dudes on Call of Duty. Those scenes made me laugh. Only once did he use an acronym that a non-gamer wouldn't know (I admit that I had to ask my 14-year-old son, who was greatly amused by my gaming ignorance). However, that didn't at all detract from the story.
Though there isn't non-stop action, per se, it is paced very well. I was looking forward to every moment I could sit down with the book and find out what happens next. Honestly, I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, simply because it's such a unique story with a twist that will leave your head spinning. In fact, my jaw was hanging open--literally--and I didn't care if people stared at me.
I promise you won't be disappointed in this amazing book!
August 10, 2015
***I received this book from the publishers via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
The synopsis for this book sounded amazing so I was quick to request this and so excited when I was approved by the publishers. In all honesty I had really high expectations for this and let me tell you it did not disappoint, I read this book in about 5 hours it was that intriguing. I loved Riley right away and felt totally heartbroken for her she's dealing with some mega life-changing events and I really felt like her reaction to certain situations were conveyed really well. Her dad I couldn't help but like him too even with all his weirdness. I also loved the gaming side to this book the references to Riley's world slowly becoming a scene from call of duty made it all the more easier to visualize.
The twist in this book was just superb, I seriously did not see it coming. It totally threw me, very well played. My only complaint was maybe the build up was slightly too long, I started wondering when it was going to happen, but even in light of that this book is still definitely worth a read, a fantastic book that has loads going for it heartache, young love and end of the world apocalypse feels. I'm now totally in the mood for Armada.
The synopsis for this book sounded amazing so I was quick to request this and so excited when I was approved by the publishers. In all honesty I had really high expectations for this and let me tell you it did not disappoint, I read this book in about 5 hours it was that intriguing. I loved Riley right away and felt totally heartbroken for her she's dealing with some mega life-changing events and I really felt like her reaction to certain situations were conveyed really well. Her dad I couldn't help but like him too even with all his weirdness. I also loved the gaming side to this book the references to Riley's world slowly becoming a scene from call of duty made it all the more easier to visualize.
The twist in this book was just superb, I seriously did not see it coming. It totally threw me, very well played. My only complaint was maybe the build up was slightly too long, I started wondering when it was going to happen, but even in light of that this book is still definitely worth a read, a fantastic book that has loads going for it heartache, young love and end of the world apocalypse feels. I'm now totally in the mood for Armada.
June 29, 2016
The Summer From Hell
This seems to be a stand alone novel.
It has just been Riley and her mom since she was 8 and her father just disappeared one day. She has exactly one friend, Amber, and they spend more time playing XBox online than they do actually hanging out. This was supposed to be the best summer ever... But now Amber is going to spend two weeks in Mexico and she is going to be home alone with nothing to do! Can life get more unfair? Then the unthinkable happens. Her mom gets sick and she has to call 911. Will her mother be okay? Is she going to be an orphan now? How can she survive if her mom doesn't get better since she can't even make friends? Is the world coming to an end? Or does it just feel that way?
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalytic contemporary fiction with more plot twists than a bag of Cheetos full of suspense, thrills, mystery and a dash of romance :)
This seems to be a stand alone novel.
It has just been Riley and her mom since she was 8 and her father just disappeared one day. She has exactly one friend, Amber, and they spend more time playing XBox online than they do actually hanging out. This was supposed to be the best summer ever... But now Amber is going to spend two weeks in Mexico and she is going to be home alone with nothing to do! Can life get more unfair? Then the unthinkable happens. Her mom gets sick and she has to call 911. Will her mother be okay? Is she going to be an orphan now? How can she survive if her mom doesn't get better since she can't even make friends? Is the world coming to an end? Or does it just feel that way?
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy apocalytic contemporary fiction with more plot twists than a bag of Cheetos full of suspense, thrills, mystery and a dash of romance :)
October 10, 2015
Ha! That was an enjoyable readdd! That twist... OhmyGosh, I cant spoil that on here hahahhaa. So yeah, just pick this book up! One of the many things I like in this book is how Riley was described and all, on a perspective of a male author. I have read other bookks from male authors but they arent many, so this one is something and it is just amazing.
The story, I loved it.. The characters are likable and Riley was awesome, but I wish she hadnt gone through all that. Shes just so young. Still, an amazing and enjoyable read!
Thank you Sir! ^____^ Im sure to read more of your books!
The story, I loved it.. The characters are likable and Riley was awesome, but I wish she hadnt gone through all that. Shes just so young. Still, an amazing and enjoyable read!
Thank you Sir! ^____^ Im sure to read more of your books!
August 6, 2015
Riley's life is about to change. Her BFF is gone on a family vacation and Riley's world is falling apart. She moves across the country to live with a father she hasn't seen in years. As she tries to adjust to her new surroundings and make new friends, life throws her and her father another curve. I loved this story and the emotional ups and downs that came. The story is well written and the characters easy to feel for.
November 2, 2015
I can't begin to describe how incredibly amazing it is to have a book reach every range of emotion, I actually found myself crying at one point in this book...there are so many HORRIBLE things Riley goes through in just a few months, but she proves to be a very resilient and strong young lady.Thank you Matthew Cox for an awesome book!I loved this book...spectacular! And just so you all know, I received this book free in exchange for an honest review
August 19, 2015
Awesome to the highest power! Review coming soon...
August 8, 2015
I loved this book! But I have loved all of the books by Matthew Cox.
February 19, 2022
Ryley is your typical fourteen year old girl , wanting the best summer of her life before heading off to high school . She wants to play video games with her best friend Amber and have the time of her life Well that is short lived when her best friend is whisked away to Mexico for two weeks , she thought she would be die . Well then her life gets totally turned upside down when her mom passes away and her father shows up to take her home with him. A father she hasn't known for ever , what could happen right . Well in a desert town isn't all that it is cracked up to be, feeling isolated and lonely she tries to adapt but when her dad falls off the deep end and thinks the world is being destroyed. They end up spending two weeks in the fall out shelter while the world was going on around them . Will Ryley find out the truth about what is going on in time to save her dad and get back to life with friends .
Ryley is your typical fourteen year old and she wants to grow up but also wants to stay a kid . After her mom dies she does do a lot of growing but first she really does some moping around at the beginning . She is a strong , tough girl who just wants to belong somewhere . There is such a big cast of characters that help Ryley out along the way . Keiren her friend and boyfriend who is a local boy , he is sweet and humble . They are really sweet together . Her father well he seems like he has everything together but we soon find out that he doesn't and he is a little on the loony side . Each character is well written and complex .
Ok I am going to admit something here when I started reading this book I was kind of confused. This isn't like the rest of the books that this author writes . I was thinkin that this was a teenage angsty book . Which in a way its was in a way but then the twist about half way through had me going oh wow this is sounding more like the author . Oh don't get me wrong I was hooked by the end of chapter 2 and loved the journey the characters took but it was kind of a departure from the authors other stories . So if you want a good story that has some great characters and some good twists check it out
Ryley is your typical fourteen year old and she wants to grow up but also wants to stay a kid . After her mom dies she does do a lot of growing but first she really does some moping around at the beginning . She is a strong , tough girl who just wants to belong somewhere . There is such a big cast of characters that help Ryley out along the way . Keiren her friend and boyfriend who is a local boy , he is sweet and humble . They are really sweet together . Her father well he seems like he has everything together but we soon find out that he doesn't and he is a little on the loony side . Each character is well written and complex .
Ok I am going to admit something here when I started reading this book I was kind of confused. This isn't like the rest of the books that this author writes . I was thinkin that this was a teenage angsty book . Which in a way its was in a way but then the twist about half way through had me going oh wow this is sounding more like the author . Oh don't get me wrong I was hooked by the end of chapter 2 and loved the journey the characters took but it was kind of a departure from the authors other stories . So if you want a good story that has some great characters and some good twists check it out
October 12, 2019
This is a really excellent story. Riley is 14 and right off she gets put through the wringer with a father that had left the family years ago and her mother dying right in front of her. Then she has to go live with her father in New Mexico, leaving her school and her friends all behind.
Her father seems to be a prepper with an addiction to Sphagettios. His home is sort of basic and he spends lot of time on a radio talking to a military person. He finally sells Riley why he left the family and how much danger they were in, and Riley still is in, due to the nature of the classified work he does.
It also doesn't help that the townspeople don't really seem to like her father at all and they are very iffy about her. Fortunately one young guy doesn't feel that way and a romance develops.
Until all hell breaks loose and her father and Riley head to an underground bunker. It has it's own radio, stored food and water and even things that can detect radiation which is good because it's not long before they can feel bombs exploding above them and the radiation detectors indicate it won't be safe to leave the bunker for a while.
Then more things go wrong and it seems her father is dying. So, will she aboveground to seek help even though the war may still be going on and any survivors, especially male ones, may be looking to abuse her?
And that's when the beauty of the story comes into play. I won't comment on any of this since it would give everything away. I like the story and the characters were also done well. It's so good I intend to starting reading other books by the same author.
Her father seems to be a prepper with an addiction to Sphagettios. His home is sort of basic and he spends lot of time on a radio talking to a military person. He finally sells Riley why he left the family and how much danger they were in, and Riley still is in, due to the nature of the classified work he does.
It also doesn't help that the townspeople don't really seem to like her father at all and they are very iffy about her. Fortunately one young guy doesn't feel that way and a romance develops.
Until all hell breaks loose and her father and Riley head to an underground bunker. It has it's own radio, stored food and water and even things that can detect radiation which is good because it's not long before they can feel bombs exploding above them and the radiation detectors indicate it won't be safe to leave the bunker for a while.
Then more things go wrong and it seems her father is dying. So, will she aboveground to seek help even though the war may still be going on and any survivors, especially male ones, may be looking to abuse her?
And that's when the beauty of the story comes into play. I won't comment on any of this since it would give everything away. I like the story and the characters were also done well. It's so good I intend to starting reading other books by the same author.
December 31, 2017
Wow!! 😳 What an exciting book this was!
Once again, Matthew Cox has held me spellbound by his telling of a story! This book is so exciting, I found myself holding my breath several times while reading it. He creates such believable situations and characters, that you find yourself totally immersed in the story, and this one was no exception.
This was quite the roller coaster ride of a story, the ending of which will have you saying out loud, “What?! No way!!”
A Matthew Cox story has never disappointed me yet, so if you are looking for someone new to read, you won’t go wrong giving his books a try!
Once again, Matthew Cox has held me spellbound by his telling of a story! This book is so exciting, I found myself holding my breath several times while reading it. He creates such believable situations and characters, that you find yourself totally immersed in the story, and this one was no exception.
This was quite the roller coaster ride of a story, the ending of which will have you saying out loud, “What?! No way!!”
A Matthew Cox story has never disappointed me yet, so if you are looking for someone new to read, you won’t go wrong giving his books a try!
February 24, 2022
Like others said I enjoyed this book so much I had a hard time putting it down once I started. Although written for a young adult audience I think it's a great read for everyone. Just be aware of some sensitive topics that are mentioned (Parent loss, mental illness, etc.). Riley's character was so well written the author really captured the essence of a teenage girl. There was also a giant twist at the end of the book that you'll never see coming. I'd be thoroughly interested in a continuation of Riley's story if the author ever considers it.
May 3, 2018
A rip roaring ride from New Jersey to New Mexico
Riley McCullough is 14 years old and will be starting high school as soon as the summer ends. She lives with her stressed out, workaholic mom and her dad left a few years ago.
School is just out for the summer, her best friend is in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with her parents, and all the sudden Riley's world falls apart. She ends up having to go live with her dad in a tiny town in New Mexico.
And just after she meets a cute boy she really likes, her and her dad end up in a bunker underground.
I loved the pacing of this story. Author Cox does a great job in writing female characters (as I've noticed before in other books of his). This book had a giant twist that I did NOT see coming. Loved the story, the characters, the locale, and the plotlines. I highly recommend this book.
Riley McCullough is 14 years old and will be starting high school as soon as the summer ends. She lives with her stressed out, workaholic mom and her dad left a few years ago.
School is just out for the summer, her best friend is in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico with her parents, and all the sudden Riley's world falls apart. She ends up having to go live with her dad in a tiny town in New Mexico.
And just after she meets a cute boy she really likes, her and her dad end up in a bunker underground.
I loved the pacing of this story. Author Cox does a great job in writing female characters (as I've noticed before in other books of his). This book had a giant twist that I did NOT see coming. Loved the story, the characters, the locale, and the plotlines. I highly recommend this book.
September 20, 2015
OMG so this book was completely awesome and full of so many delicious twists and turns that it actually had me going WHAT out loud.
And the funny thing is, I almost quit reading right at the start... very glad I didn't! The blurb I read when I requested this did not mention why Riley had to go live with her father in New Mexico, so I was very unprepared when her mother passed away suddenly, from an aneurysm. As an only child from a single-parent family, Riley was living my worst childhood nightmare! (Which is still my worst grown-up nightmare but at least a grown-up orphan is marginally less distressing than being a child/teen orphan.)
Luckily for Riley, her father - who had left for reasons unknown when she was eight - raced back into her life to take her home with him. I have to honestly admit that this DID bug me at first because I can think of two people very close to me who, if their mothers had passed away when they were younger, would certainly not have had their deadbeat dads return like knights in shining armour. They might not have even come back grudgingly. But then, Riley's father wasn't just a deadbeat, he's actually a guy with a dangerous job and he had to leave in order to keep his wife and daughter safe... we're talking Russian spies and the like who'd take out the people closest to him in order to pin him down.
So now Riley's in the middle of nowhere, NM, in a house with no internet or phone reception, so she has no way to contact her bff from Jersey. Argh! And everyone in the town thinks her dad is weird because he's so reclusive, but that's because his work is so incredibly top secret, which is why he lives out in the bush with no connections. At least Riley manages to meet some local kids, including Kieran, the token Cute Boy. She's just starting to settle in, when...
And the funny thing is, I almost quit reading right at the start... very glad I didn't! The blurb I read when I requested this did not mention why Riley had to go live with her father in New Mexico, so I was very unprepared when her mother passed away suddenly, from an aneurysm. As an only child from a single-parent family, Riley was living my worst childhood nightmare! (Which is still my worst grown-up nightmare but at least a grown-up orphan is marginally less distressing than being a child/teen orphan.)
Luckily for Riley, her father - who had left for reasons unknown when she was eight - raced back into her life to take her home with him. I have to honestly admit that this DID bug me at first because I can think of two people very close to me who, if their mothers had passed away when they were younger, would certainly not have had their deadbeat dads return like knights in shining armour. They might not have even come back grudgingly. But then, Riley's father wasn't just a deadbeat, he's actually a guy with a dangerous job and he had to leave in order to keep his wife and daughter safe... we're talking Russian spies and the like who'd take out the people closest to him in order to pin him down.
So now Riley's in the middle of nowhere, NM, in a house with no internet or phone reception, so she has no way to contact her bff from Jersey. Argh! And everyone in the town thinks her dad is weird because he's so reclusive, but that's because his work is so incredibly top secret, which is why he lives out in the bush with no connections. At least Riley manages to meet some local kids, including Kieran, the token Cute Boy. She's just starting to settle in, when...
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