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The Warning #1
The Warning
The end is coming. There's no escape...or is there? The first in a compelling YA dystopian series for anyone who's ever felt like their life-their world-is on the brink of destruction.
Alexandra Lucas' anxiety disorder was enough to deal with before then mysterious holographic doors suddenly appeared throughout the world, heralding the end of the earth. The holograms claim to be humans from the future offering the promise of safety. A recording plays on loop: heed the warning and step through a portal-like vertex to safety...or stay and be destroyed by a comet that is on a collision course with the planet. But without the ability to verify their story, Alex is forced to consider what is best for her friends, her family, and herself.
Stay or go: everyone must make their own choice. With the deadline of the hologram's prophecy fast approaching, Alex feels as though she's living on a ticking time bomb. But the truth is much, much worse. And every decision comes at a price.
Alexandra Lucas' anxiety disorder was enough to deal with before then mysterious holographic doors suddenly appeared throughout the world, heralding the end of the earth. The holograms claim to be humans from the future offering the promise of safety. A recording plays on loop: heed the warning and step through a portal-like vertex to safety...or stay and be destroyed by a comet that is on a collision course with the planet. But without the ability to verify their story, Alex is forced to consider what is best for her friends, her family, and herself.
Stay or go: everyone must make their own choice. With the deadline of the hologram's prophecy fast approaching, Alex feels as though she's living on a ticking time bomb. But the truth is much, much worse. And every decision comes at a price.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2023
51 people are currently reading
5137 people want to read
About the author
Kristy Acevedo
5 books298 followersKristy Acevedo loves to write stories that make people think and give people hope. She is a public high school English teacher, gardener, and Star Trek fan. When she was a child, her “big sister” from the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program fostered her love of books by bringing her to the public library every Wednesday for seven years.
She earned her master’s degree in English and Secondary Education and has been teaching teens for over twenty years. Her debut novel won the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award, was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick award for distinguished science fiction, and was touted as one of Barnes & Noble Teen’s Top 13 Anticipated YA sci-fi books. She is also the accidental founder of the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
She earned her master’s degree in English and Secondary Education and has been teaching teens for over twenty years. Her debut novel won the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award, was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick award for distinguished science fiction, and was touted as one of Barnes & Noble Teen’s Top 13 Anticipated YA sci-fi books. She is also the accidental founder of the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
October 12, 2024
You know what, this book was amazing! The way it depicted a world in chaos was so realistic and it highlighted so many important topics I normally wouldn't think of. Not only that, but the main character also deals with an anxiety disorder so you can imagine how even worse it got for her when it was basically announced that the world was ending. Every important topic and emotion was explained so well and I was so immersed in the well being of the characters that I experienced all of these newfound emotions with them. Truly a fantastic read! 4.5 stars
June 7, 2023
True story: The Warning had been on my TBR since before it was released... in 2016, as Consider. And in all that time, I never got around to it, whoops. That is good news and bad news. Bad news because this story is awesome, but good news because I got to experience it for the first time and I barely have to wait any time for the sequel!
I am so glad that this story found a new home, because it deserves one! It's such a cool premise- a holo, supposedly from the future humans on another planet, telling current humanity that whoopsie, they're all gonna die. But! They can jump through the portal and be saved, happy day! Obviously, people are skeptical. You would be too, don't pretend otherwise. That was my first favorite thing about this story- the author fully explores the disbelief factor. Alex isn't sure what she believes, but she definitely is trying to figure it all out. She suffers from anxiety on the best of days, and the potential end of humanity does not count among those.
Add to it, she's got some messy family dynamics, and a lot of internal conflict. At times, she makes some really frustrating choices, even, but her heart is generally in the right place. It's a lot for anyone, but extra rough for a struggling young person. I loved how the author balanced the character development with the excitement, too. There is plenty of action and tension, but the characters and their relationships are fully fleshed out and developed. Not only do we see Alex having to navigate her family relationships (which can be volatile at times), but her close relationship with her best friend, and her boyfriend.
The book shines a light on a lot of issues through the lens of the potential apocalypse. There's quite a bit of discussion about religion, and how various religions approach this problem. So too do we have introspection about how society as a whole would react to this news, and as you can imagine, the answer is "not great". There's certainly exploration of mental health, as well as toxic masculinity. Overall, this book was engaging and entertaining from start to finish, and since it ends on a pretty epic cliffhanger, I cannot wait for the second book. Lucky us, it is due out in early September, so you shan't suffer for long!
Bottom Line: An incredible premise that was equally well executed, I loved it and cannot wait for the next installment!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I am so glad that this story found a new home, because it deserves one! It's such a cool premise- a holo, supposedly from the future humans on another planet, telling current humanity that whoopsie, they're all gonna die. But! They can jump through the portal and be saved, happy day! Obviously, people are skeptical. You would be too, don't pretend otherwise. That was my first favorite thing about this story- the author fully explores the disbelief factor. Alex isn't sure what she believes, but she definitely is trying to figure it all out. She suffers from anxiety on the best of days, and the potential end of humanity does not count among those.
Add to it, she's got some messy family dynamics, and a lot of internal conflict. At times, she makes some really frustrating choices, even, but her heart is generally in the right place. It's a lot for anyone, but extra rough for a struggling young person. I loved how the author balanced the character development with the excitement, too. There is plenty of action and tension, but the characters and their relationships are fully fleshed out and developed. Not only do we see Alex having to navigate her family relationships (which can be volatile at times), but her close relationship with her best friend, and her boyfriend.
The book shines a light on a lot of issues through the lens of the potential apocalypse. There's quite a bit of discussion about religion, and how various religions approach this problem. So too do we have introspection about how society as a whole would react to this news, and as you can imagine, the answer is "not great". There's certainly exploration of mental health, as well as toxic masculinity. Overall, this book was engaging and entertaining from start to finish, and since it ends on a pretty epic cliffhanger, I cannot wait for the second book. Lucky us, it is due out in early September, so you shan't suffer for long!
Bottom Line: An incredible premise that was equally well executed, I loved it and cannot wait for the next installment!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 11, 2023
This was a fun little read.
While there are definitely shades of standard YA dystopia – and a TON of teen angst – the book takes some unexpected turns.
I liked our main character. A couple of other characters didn’t really breathe for me, but some of them really grew into their roles by the end of the book.
You will find yourself having to turn off any semblance of logic from time to time. The good part is that you eventually don’t care – you’re just so curious about what’s going to happen!
And the ending? While it’s definitely a set up for book 2, it’s absolutely intriguing.
Not a perfect read for me, but a good one and if book 2 were available now, I’d already be reading it.
• ARC via Publisher
While there are definitely shades of standard YA dystopia – and a TON of teen angst – the book takes some unexpected turns.
I liked our main character. A couple of other characters didn’t really breathe for me, but some of them really grew into their roles by the end of the book.
You will find yourself having to turn off any semblance of logic from time to time. The good part is that you eventually don’t care – you’re just so curious about what’s going to happen!
And the ending? While it’s definitely a set up for book 2, it’s absolutely intriguing.
Not a perfect read for me, but a good one and if book 2 were available now, I’d already be reading it.
• ARC via Publisher
March 1, 2024
This was honestly such a waste of time and I’m so sad about it because the synopsis sounds SO COOL!! If you are interested in this, please just read the first 3 chapters and the last 3 chapters, it’s more than enough and basically contains everything important.
The book starts off so strong, right in the middle of the action: alien robots arrive on earth and tell people they’re going to die in half a year because a comet is on its way to annihilate them. Everyone has to make a choice: do they stay on earth and face their possible death or do they go to some other unknown location and unknown time in the universe?
Our anxious, insufferable main character can only think about her boyfriend and how mean her older brother is. Life is SO unfair, we don’t have time to focus on that comet barreling towards earth, I have to decide if I want to have sex with my boyfriend or not!!!!1!1 Quote: “Dominick glances at me in the driver’s mirror, and I beg him with my eyes to [redacted bc spoiler]. If his mother and brother weren’t there, I’d beg with other body parts.”
So many things annoyed me in this book: the stupid high school drama, the pill popping behavior of the main character, the flat and uninspiring dialogue, the author trying to sound very profound and smart. Quote: “When the truth is shrouded in fear and clouded by dreams, when fact and fantasy become secret lovers, Maybe there are no real heroes anymore.”
The entire book was insanely insufferable, but the worst part is that I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!! I need someone to please explain to me what happens in the next book because I am SO curious to find out how the author is going to play this.
tldr: Amazing premise, worst execution possible.
The book starts off so strong, right in the middle of the action: alien robots arrive on earth and tell people they’re going to die in half a year because a comet is on its way to annihilate them. Everyone has to make a choice: do they stay on earth and face their possible death or do they go to some other unknown location and unknown time in the universe?
Our anxious, insufferable main character can only think about her boyfriend and how mean her older brother is. Life is SO unfair, we don’t have time to focus on that comet barreling towards earth, I have to decide if I want to have sex with my boyfriend or not!!!!1!1 Quote: “Dominick glances at me in the driver’s mirror, and I beg him with my eyes to [redacted bc spoiler]. If his mother and brother weren’t there, I’d beg with other body parts.”
So many things annoyed me in this book: the stupid high school drama, the pill popping behavior of the main character, the flat and uninspiring dialogue, the author trying to sound very profound and smart. Quote: “When the truth is shrouded in fear and clouded by dreams, when fact and fantasy become secret lovers, Maybe there are no real heroes anymore.”
The entire book was insanely insufferable, but the worst part is that I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!! I need someone to please explain to me what happens in the next book because I am SO curious to find out how the author is going to play this.
tldr: Amazing premise, worst execution possible.
April 13, 2024
As with an alarming amount of YA books I've run into, the premise was really cool and interesting, the middle was boring and the ending was just... Yeah. It was something else.
As I said before, the premise sounded very cool. Apocalypse, alternate universes, a choice that you have to make and the consequences of it, that sounded really cool and that's why I got this book in the first place.
However, the characters were very... Eh. The main character, Alex, had anxiety as most of her personality. While it did give her a distinct characteristic and is probably relatable to many readers, I felt her character was lacking something. Or it might be that the world was ending and her only thought was "should I have s** with my boyfriend?" (Yes there were a few scenes but nothing was descriptive at all. Ages 14+) I just found that kinda annoying. Though her family was interesting and had great character development, especially at the end. I'll give them that.
The book didn't seem to actually get anywhere until the end. From the 2/3 point on, there was a lot of action and stuff that makes you think about what you're reading. That was what I was hoping for. As for the ending, I did not see that coming and it was really nice. I'm not going to spoil it, but it made up for a lot of the kinda boring stuff in the middle
Also I'm taking off a star for all the military and religion hate. (Okay, it's not so much hate as it is "my military/religious family is bullying meeeeeee" but still) I mean really? Is that necessary?
So yeah. Good premise, slow first part, fantastic ending. 3.5 stars rounding down
Though I will be reading the second one due to that cliffhanger. I'm genuinely curious in what will happen next
As I said before, the premise sounded very cool. Apocalypse, alternate universes, a choice that you have to make and the consequences of it, that sounded really cool and that's why I got this book in the first place.
However, the characters were very... Eh. The main character, Alex, had anxiety as most of her personality. While it did give her a distinct characteristic and is probably relatable to many readers, I felt her character was lacking something. Or it might be that the world was ending and her only thought was "should I have s** with my boyfriend?" (Yes there were a few scenes but nothing was descriptive at all. Ages 14+) I just found that kinda annoying. Though her family was interesting and had great character development, especially at the end. I'll give them that.
The book didn't seem to actually get anywhere until the end. From the 2/3 point on, there was a lot of action and stuff that makes you think about what you're reading. That was what I was hoping for. As for the ending, I did not see that coming and it was really nice. I'm not going to spoil it, but it made up for a lot of the kinda boring stuff in the middle
Also I'm taking off a star for all the military and religion hate. (Okay, it's not so much hate as it is "my military/religious family is bullying meeeeeee" but still) I mean really? Is that necessary?
So yeah. Good premise, slow first part, fantastic ending. 3.5 stars rounding down
Though I will be reading the second one due to that cliffhanger. I'm genuinely curious in what will happen next
July 24, 2023
i don’t know what i was expecting but it was better than what i read. i felt like the whole thing was just talking about her anxiety and could’ve expanded on a lot of the political and logistic part of the vertexes. i have no desire to read the second book. time to read a romance or something
September 4, 2023
Okay, this one was good! The tension was high the entire time and that ENDING! I cannot wait for book two!
Read
November 30, 2022OMG THAT ENDING
August 9, 2023
[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Warning releases June 6, 2023
3.5
Alexandra and Dominick are stuck on a train going home from a concert. Some dystopian other-worldly vertex/portal appeared out of no where with a hologram figure claiming that they’re humans from a parallel future in the year 2359, and that they’ve come to save everyone from a comet that will destroy earth in six months time.
There are now 500 open vertexes around the world to transport them to their time and dimension, and will remain open until the day of the comet strike.
This was so fascinating and thought provoking!
Straight away we were sucked into a hazmat decontamination situation, followed closely by military presence guarding the vertexes, and the stockpiling of goods and nonperishable items.
The government first gives the assurances that business should go on as normal, but as the months go by and counter measures start failing, civilians start going rampant and must make the ultimate decision whether to stay or take the chance at life in an unknown dimension.
I found it interesting how they were able to ask the hologram figures questions to learn about life in 2359 — food, government system, monetary values, transportation, laws, etc.
Would you go? If you had a mountain full of debt and this was a fresh start for you? What if you were homeless or facing a life sentence in prison? What if you’re elderly and the idea of people in the future living to be 250 years old is enticing?
The only thing I wasn’t too keen on was the anxiety rep. Although I love the normalization of mental health and being medicated for it, it did not feel like a natural integration here with how much it was brought up in the book. Alexandra’s relationship with Ativan did feel unhealthy at times given the frequency of popping pills like they were tic tacs.
This ends on a cliffhanger and I’m eager to see what life is like on the other side of the vertexes, as well as seeing what the connections between that mentally unstable woman with the odd statements and Alexandra are.
THE FALLOUT REVIEW: click here
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Warning releases June 6, 2023
3.5
Alexandra and Dominick are stuck on a train going home from a concert. Some dystopian other-worldly vertex/portal appeared out of no where with a hologram figure claiming that they’re humans from a parallel future in the year 2359, and that they’ve come to save everyone from a comet that will destroy earth in six months time.
There are now 500 open vertexes around the world to transport them to their time and dimension, and will remain open until the day of the comet strike.
This was so fascinating and thought provoking!
Straight away we were sucked into a hazmat decontamination situation, followed closely by military presence guarding the vertexes, and the stockpiling of goods and nonperishable items.
The government first gives the assurances that business should go on as normal, but as the months go by and counter measures start failing, civilians start going rampant and must make the ultimate decision whether to stay or take the chance at life in an unknown dimension.
I found it interesting how they were able to ask the hologram figures questions to learn about life in 2359 — food, government system, monetary values, transportation, laws, etc.
Would you go? If you had a mountain full of debt and this was a fresh start for you? What if you were homeless or facing a life sentence in prison? What if you’re elderly and the idea of people in the future living to be 250 years old is enticing?
The only thing I wasn’t too keen on was the anxiety rep. Although I love the normalization of mental health and being medicated for it, it did not feel like a natural integration here with how much it was brought up in the book. Alexandra’s relationship with Ativan did feel unhealthy at times given the frequency of popping pills like they were tic tacs.
This ends on a cliffhanger and I’m eager to see what life is like on the other side of the vertexes, as well as seeing what the connections between that mentally unstable woman with the odd statements and Alexandra are.
THE FALLOUT REVIEW: click here
June 19, 2023
This one grabbed me from the start! And it was soooooo good! I could barely put it down, even though I did have to set it aside for a blog tour review book for a day or so. But once I picked it back up I hated anything that took me away from it. It was so much about how society would deal with the leading up to knowing something like a comet was coming and would destroy the Earth.
Yeah, there are movies about that type of thing, and so some of it was seen throughout the book that was like it. But also there were these portals that showed up and that was a different bit of plot. One thing I was curious about was that the people who supposedly sent the portals were humans and were trying to save the people of Earth. At least that is the way it came across. But I wondered if they were from the future, how did they survive the comet?
The way the story was told we had no idea what would actually happen to the people once they crossed through these portals, or vertexes as they were called. The main character had so much going on her life. Between family issues with her parents, and her brother, and then her best friends, one who was now her boyfriend. So many unexpected things happened. Things with her brother. Things just in the world in general. And then when the comet hits at the end, wow, that was a huge surprise! I won’t give away what happened, but I will mention there is a sequel and I do need to know what happened.
Also as I looked this up online, I see that it was possibly published earlier, so I guess maybe I could find a copy of the second book and see? But I prefer to wait and get an updated version when it comes out. A fun yet intriguing and somewhat original end of the world type of story!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature
Yeah, there are movies about that type of thing, and so some of it was seen throughout the book that was like it. But also there were these portals that showed up and that was a different bit of plot. One thing I was curious about was that the people who supposedly sent the portals were humans and were trying to save the people of Earth. At least that is the way it came across. But I wondered if they were from the future, how did they survive the comet?
The way the story was told we had no idea what would actually happen to the people once they crossed through these portals, or vertexes as they were called. The main character had so much going on her life. Between family issues with her parents, and her brother, and then her best friends, one who was now her boyfriend. So many unexpected things happened. Things with her brother. Things just in the world in general. And then when the comet hits at the end, wow, that was a huge surprise! I won’t give away what happened, but I will mention there is a sequel and I do need to know what happened.
Also as I looked this up online, I see that it was possibly published earlier, so I guess maybe I could find a copy of the second book and see? But I prefer to wait and get an updated version when it comes out. A fun yet intriguing and somewhat original end of the world type of story!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature
May 5, 2024
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
The idea for this novel was wild and exciting! I appreciate that we jump right into the story, I like that. One thing that I HATED about this novel, for most of the novel, was Alexandra's HORRIBLE anxiety and how she stated early on, "I tried therapy, it wasn't helpful so I just take the meds because they help." Except they don't. What helps is ACTUAL therapy, this is coming from an actual therapist (me) who has had that exact some conversation with clients who start therapy and have the meds and say hey, I don't need you.....and then they always come back because the meds stop working. Well no kidding. I really hate this being in the novel and her being so adamant about pill popping and being such a significant part of the novel and the character. Peddling this idea to teenagers is horrible and out of line.
Now, with the actual story, the novel was pretty intense as we are going through the countdown from the foreign, futuristic alien holograms for months warning about the comet coming to hit the earth. It was a bit strange that the people on earth didn't see the comet for so very long and then it was there! Quasi-Armageddon style plans did not work against the comet as time ticked down. The climax of this novel was WILD!!! I did not expect that at all and the novel ends on SUCH a cliffhanger....so I immediately purchased and began the sequel.
The idea for this novel was wild and exciting! I appreciate that we jump right into the story, I like that. One thing that I HATED about this novel, for most of the novel, was Alexandra's HORRIBLE anxiety and how she stated early on, "I tried therapy, it wasn't helpful so I just take the meds because they help." Except they don't. What helps is ACTUAL therapy, this is coming from an actual therapist (me) who has had that exact some conversation with clients who start therapy and have the meds and say hey, I don't need you.....and then they always come back because the meds stop working. Well no kidding. I really hate this being in the novel and her being so adamant about pill popping and being such a significant part of the novel and the character. Peddling this idea to teenagers is horrible and out of line.
Now, with the actual story, the novel was pretty intense as we are going through the countdown from the foreign, futuristic alien holograms for months warning about the comet coming to hit the earth. It was a bit strange that the people on earth didn't see the comet for so very long and then it was there! Quasi-Armageddon style plans did not work against the comet as time ticked down. The climax of this novel was WILD!!! I did not expect that at all and the novel ends on SUCH a cliffhanger....so I immediately purchased and began the sequel.
August 7, 2023
Verdict: A YA book with a unique take on first contact and time travel - I loved the twist at the end.
When the Boston outbound T screeches to a stop, I lose my grip on the silver pole and slam into Dominick.
- first line
In the first chapter, the author introduces a dilemma—a hologram with a message from the future and a choice. The people of Earth are being offered a chance to escape to the future and a countdown. The hologram claims a comet is going to destroy life on Earth. But there is no way to verify the claims and no way to know what is beyond the doorway. Entering the doorway is a leap of faith, and people have six months to decide.
The characters all have different ways of dealing with the choice. Alex, her boyfriend Dominick, and her best friend Rita all have different opinions, and so do their families. Throughout the book, I kept changing my mind - the doorway could lead anywhere, and scientists didn’t even see the comet at first. I love the way the author lets us inside Alex’s head to experience her anxiety and panic attacks firsthand (something she has always dealt with). I liked how Alex’s friends supported her and understood her condition.
And the ending totally blew me away. I did not see that coming, and I can’t wait to read book 2 (coming out in September).
When the Boston outbound T screeches to a stop, I lose my grip on the silver pole and slam into Dominick.
- first line
In the first chapter, the author introduces a dilemma—a hologram with a message from the future and a choice. The people of Earth are being offered a chance to escape to the future and a countdown. The hologram claims a comet is going to destroy life on Earth. But there is no way to verify the claims and no way to know what is beyond the doorway. Entering the doorway is a leap of faith, and people have six months to decide.
The characters all have different ways of dealing with the choice. Alex, her boyfriend Dominick, and her best friend Rita all have different opinions, and so do their families. Throughout the book, I kept changing my mind - the doorway could lead anywhere, and scientists didn’t even see the comet at first. I love the way the author lets us inside Alex’s head to experience her anxiety and panic attacks firsthand (something she has always dealt with). I liked how Alex’s friends supported her and understood her condition.
And the ending totally blew me away. I did not see that coming, and I can’t wait to read book 2 (coming out in September).
March 12, 2023
This dystopian teen novel focused more on the main character's anxiety and relationships with family members and friends, followed closely by how the world reacts in times of crisis. The actual comet and "other world" scenario didn't come into play that much until the very end of the story. I found the story reasonably interesting but now that I realise there is a sequel (and having read the first chapter) I feel I would actually find the second book much more entertaining. I believe the first book felt complete without a follow up, but I am intrigued to find out what plays out next.
I didn't like the main character's constant use of medication. I really thought this would be addressed by the end of the book and that a lesson would be made of this.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I didn't like the main character's constant use of medication. I really thought this would be addressed by the end of the book and that a lesson would be made of this.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
September 11, 2023
If you like HappyHead then you’ll love this book!
Acevedo wrote a book that kept me so intrigued Sci-fic isn’t the genre that I tend to read or like but this woman made me interested in the genre especially the way this book was written it was so fast paced and very engaging that you don’t feel bored at all reading it!
I loved our main character Alexandra she felt real and raw also I love how Acevedo expressed her someone going through anxiety disorder that makes life for her hard and sometimes she has panic attacks which can be quite triggering so if these things do affect you personally then I recommend you should research the content warnings before diving into this one because the topics are a little deep in this one but I really loved the book that I can’t wait ro read the fallout by her such a great debut!
Acevedo wrote a book that kept me so intrigued Sci-fic isn’t the genre that I tend to read or like but this woman made me interested in the genre especially the way this book was written it was so fast paced and very engaging that you don’t feel bored at all reading it!
I loved our main character Alexandra she felt real and raw also I love how Acevedo expressed her someone going through anxiety disorder that makes life for her hard and sometimes she has panic attacks which can be quite triggering so if these things do affect you personally then I recommend you should research the content warnings before diving into this one because the topics are a little deep in this one but I really loved the book that I can’t wait ro read the fallout by her such a great debut!
May 8, 2023
The start of an interesting futuristic duology that offers us a question - if a door appeared and a voice told you from the future that your world will be gone in a matter of months due to a comet but you can live if you walk through the portal, would you go? Alexandra suffers from extreme anxiety so when she and her boyfriend are stuck on a train that is blocked by a glowing doorway she really needs extra pills. Her family reacts in different ways by stockpiling food or getting on with their life in the time they have left but Alex is not sure that the future holograms can be trusted. What does this mean for her future with her boyfriend and college? Meant for the young adult audience but plenty of adults will enjoy it as well. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
May 3, 2023
Wow. This book is addictive. It starts out incredibly fast and doesn't really slow down. The premise is imaginative, the world created is enveloping, but the feelings and emotions are completely human and relatable. I barrelled through this and now I need the next one. Can't wait to read what happens. I've already recommended this one to someone else! This is exactly the level of dystopian I needed to read right now. Loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
July 9, 2023
Kristy Acevedo's THE WARNING is a punch in the gut in the best way possible. I had trouble putting the book down in order to live my life and one night, reading well past my bedtime, I actually forgot that the problem of the book--a ten-mile-wide comet heading toward Earth--was actually fictional. That's the kind of novel this is. It looks at how humans adapt, how societies thrive, and how we interact with one another. At turns hilarious and terrifying, heartbreaking and heart-warming, THE WARNING should be THE YA book of summer 2023. I loved it, plain and simple.
Want to read
June 5, 2023"A recording plays on loop: heed the warning and step through a portal-like vertex to safety...or stay and be destroyed by a comet that is on a collision course with the planet. But without the ability to verify their story, Alex is forced to consider what is best for her friends, her family, and herself."
January 17, 2024
As someone who doesn't read Science Fiction or Dystopian novels that often, this was a random selection, but an enjoyable one.
The moment I began reading, I was sucked into this world and scenario that was created. I connected with the characters, and I was invested in the plot.
I can't wait to read the second book.
The moment I began reading, I was sucked into this world and scenario that was created. I connected with the characters, and I was invested in the plot.
I can't wait to read the second book.
March 27, 2024
An interestng commentary on what people would do when faced with the end of life, as they know ît. Would we follow the unknown, with a promise of survival, without question or would we stick it out. How would our friends and families influence our choices. Sometimes even every day decisions can plague us with the same questions. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2024
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The overall plot was definitely very interesting and enticing but the blurb just wasn’t written very well so my expectations were pretty low. It was really good though and once I got halfway through I couldn’t put it down. Definitely would recommend it to my friends but in a chill way like I wouldn’t shove it down their throats like I do with some books.
July 12, 2024
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Kristy Acevedo for the honor of reading this book!
OMG
OMG
July 6, 2023
⭐️4⭐️ “When do you know that an event is the beginning of what will be a tragic end? Is it only at the end?”
December 28, 2023
I didn’t really like this but I will be buying the second one because I have to know what happens🕊️😀
September 29, 2025
This book had a very interesting premise to it. The main reason why I was able to fly through it so fast is because of the underlying feeling of danger and wondering when are they going to go into the vertex portals, or if they are even going to go in them to begin with.
Alexandra and Dominic were both great characters to read about, I love a wholesome geek romance (they're also both Whovians, which is nice). I also enjoyed the social commentary and the different political opinions and backgrounds of all the characters-- the traditional father with PTSD, the mother who just wants what's best for her family, the military brother Benji, religious best friend Rita who is rebelling against her conservative parents, and nerdy boyfriend Dominic.
I will agree that a lot of this book was filler content, mainly in the middle of the book, but the family drama was still interesting to read about. The romance in this book was fine, because I loved the couple in it. If I didn't like the couple, however, I would've found it to be a drag.
I'm still not sure if I want to continue with the second book, The Fallout. I love reading a good apocalypse book, though.
Alexandra and Dominic were both great characters to read about, I love a wholesome geek romance (they're also both Whovians, which is nice). I also enjoyed the social commentary and the different political opinions and backgrounds of all the characters-- the traditional father with PTSD, the mother who just wants what's best for her family, the military brother Benji, religious best friend Rita who is rebelling against her conservative parents, and nerdy boyfriend Dominic.
I will agree that a lot of this book was filler content, mainly in the middle of the book, but the family drama was still interesting to read about. The romance in this book was fine, because I loved the couple in it. If I didn't like the couple, however, I would've found it to be a drag.
I'm still not sure if I want to continue with the second book, The Fallout. I love reading a good apocalypse book, though.
February 5, 2025
⋆｡°✩ 3.5/5 stars ⋆｡°✩
I really enjoyed this book! I was super invested and could notttttt put this book down! It was super addictive. However, I didn’t give this book five stars for two reasons:
1. I appreciate the author trying to spread mental health awareness, but within the same book she also managed to further spread misinformation on OCD. There was a comment made about Dominick’s brother showing “signs of OCD” because his room was super neat. This is a very harmful stereotype that further promotes misinformation on what it is, and prevents people from getting treatment. It was extremely disappointing to read that part from a book that seems to be trying to raise awareness on anxiety/mental health.
2. There were definitely some cringey dialogue moments. Sometimes the dialogue felt a bit unrealistic. As someone who grew up around veterans (dad and relatives), the dad’s dialogue felt a bit over the top. Honestly though, the book was so interesting that the cringey dialogue moments didn’t ruin it for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It kept me hooked and excited, which was great! The only issues I really had with this book was the OCD comment and some corny dialogue, but other than that I definitely think it’s worth the read if you’re into sci-fi/dystopian books!
I really enjoyed this book! I was super invested and could notttttt put this book down! It was super addictive. However, I didn’t give this book five stars for two reasons:
1. I appreciate the author trying to spread mental health awareness, but within the same book she also managed to further spread misinformation on OCD. There was a comment made about Dominick’s brother showing “signs of OCD” because his room was super neat. This is a very harmful stereotype that further promotes misinformation on what it is, and prevents people from getting treatment. It was extremely disappointing to read that part from a book that seems to be trying to raise awareness on anxiety/mental health.
2. There were definitely some cringey dialogue moments. Sometimes the dialogue felt a bit unrealistic. As someone who grew up around veterans (dad and relatives), the dad’s dialogue felt a bit over the top. Honestly though, the book was so interesting that the cringey dialogue moments didn’t ruin it for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It kept me hooked and excited, which was great! The only issues I really had with this book was the OCD comment and some corny dialogue, but other than that I definitely think it’s worth the read if you’re into sci-fi/dystopian books!
August 9, 2025
I found this book highly enjoyable, and my heart is still racing from the end! I remember reading a review that described the end as a plot twist, and I thought to myself “there can’t really be a plot twist to this premise, there are only two outcomes.” There was a third outcome I didn’t anticipate!
One complaint I had early on was that I wished the timeline had been shorter so that the pacing would be faster. There came a point where I actually enjoyed the slow descent into the end of the world, especially since apocalypse stories are usually extremely fast-paced to the point where the world changes overnight. The world didn’t fall apart in this book, it faded out, and that was unique and interesting. I still thought early on it was a little slow though, it felt like most of the story was just focusing on Alex’s struggle with anxiety.
The writing reminded me of some of my all-time favorite authors and novels, I enjoyed the exploration of human response to crises. Thoughtful and interesting, I really enjoyed it overall!
One complaint I had early on was that I wished the timeline had been shorter so that the pacing would be faster. There came a point where I actually enjoyed the slow descent into the end of the world, especially since apocalypse stories are usually extremely fast-paced to the point where the world changes overnight. The world didn’t fall apart in this book, it faded out, and that was unique and interesting. I still thought early on it was a little slow though, it felt like most of the story was just focusing on Alex’s struggle with anxiety.
The writing reminded me of some of my all-time favorite authors and novels, I enjoyed the exploration of human response to crises. Thoughtful and interesting, I really enjoyed it overall!
December 24, 2024
Honestly some parts of this novel were very good. I enjoyed the sci-fi side of things and the exciting adrenaline rush that I expect with these types of stories. The story started with a bang- just an ordinary girl and her boyfriend who coincidentally run into a vertex sent by aliens from a parallel universe. However the rest of the story aside from the last 3 chapters was too ordinary and drawn-out. I was waiting for the moment the asteroid strikes, but the author was just taking us through every detail of Alex’s normal life and daily occurrences, which was boring. I got desperate for action so after I was about halfway through I skipped to the last 3 chapters, where it got interesting. The author focused too much on Alex’s anxiety and and not enough on the lurking danger, which should have been a more constant theme.
March 12, 2025
The Warning, by Kristy Acevedo, is the first book in the Warning duology. Alex is geting ready for her senior year of high school with her great best friend and boyfriend--and her somewhat dysfunctional family--when holograms appear all over the planet. They claim that a meteor will hit the planet in 6 months and that the only way to escape it is by making a one-way trip through a portal to an alternate future. The worldbuilding involved in how society starts breaking down is very interesting. I was also very convinced by the depiction of Alex's anxiety disorder, though I have no first-hand experience of this myself. Overall, this is a promising series opener.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2025
so my q to the vertex is, will i survive the trip? If the average age is 250, how much will I age in this trip?
for me the biggest fear would be that you'd enter and then find out that the air isnt something you can breathe and you die anyways ..you go and you're enslaved ... you go and its like today, you are an endentured servent until you pay off whatever...where do all these people of earth go to? are you in the same reality as say your friends? do you all go to a different time , say some got ten yrs ahead of others etc in order to get everyone from earth in? my anxiety personally was bad reading some of this (IT reminded me of all the q's I had when i first saw the movie "they live" ...like being beamed out into a toxic atmosphere ...
for me the biggest fear would be that you'd enter and then find out that the air isnt something you can breathe and you die anyways ..you go and you're enslaved ... you go and its like today, you are an endentured servent until you pay off whatever...where do all these people of earth go to? are you in the same reality as say your friends? do you all go to a different time , say some got ten yrs ahead of others etc in order to get everyone from earth in? my anxiety personally was bad reading some of this (IT reminded me of all the q's I had when i first saw the movie "they live" ...like being beamed out into a toxic atmosphere ...
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