The Shade of the Moon -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

It has been 2 years since the Evans family left their home in Pennsylvania and headed for the enclave in Sexton, Tennessee. Much has changed in those 2 years for the family. Matt and his wife Syl moved out on their own and Matt became a courier. Miranda married Alex Morales and became pregnant. Jon moved in with his step-mother Lisa and his 3 year-old half brother, using Alex's slips to permit them entrance into the enclave where food was as plentiful as the privileges they enjoyed. Their father died on the journey to Sexton, and their mother lives in White Birch, just outside of Sexton, with Alex and Miranda, working at a school teaching "grub" children -- those not fortunate enough to be "useful" outside of doing grub work for the more fortunate "clavers."

Two years of living a life of privilege, even when most of his family isn't, gives Jon a sense of entitlement. He sees nothing wrong with the way he lives: the abundance when those around him hunger and live in ignorance; the ability to satiate all his physical desires anytime he desires. But then he meets Sarah, the girl who moved into the enclave with her father, the town's new doctor. While most of the clavers dislike her, Jon is drawn to her. And he is soon forced to choose between her and her ideals and his friends. His comforts and those of his step-mother and little brother are at stake.

But the more Jon hears what Sarah has to say, the more he sees what he ignored before. And when riots break out in White Birch and life changes drastically again for Jon and all his family members, Jon has to choose which side he is on for good -- and deal with the consequences.


*Wow... I was incredibly disappointed in this book. I loved the series... Until this book. The characters seemed shallow and not well thought-out anymore. The book was full of every horror imaginable (which, frankly, disgusted me). And many of the situations and dialogue seemed fake and forced. The author mentions at the end that she isn't sure if there will be a 5th book. Well, I hope there isn't. Because if it gets any worse than this, I don't think I would be willing to slog through it. Very disappointing.

This World We Live In -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

It is April, almost a year since the asteroid struck the moon. Though she had stopped writing in her journal for a while, 16 year old Miranda Evans decides to resume her journaling and describes the goings-on of her family in this world they now live in. For the most part, things remain as they were before: rare moments of electricity, weekly food deliveries, and dark, ash-laden skies.

But soon things start to change. Rain begins to fall, and Matt and Jon, Miranda's brothers, bike ride to the river in hopes of catching the fish that should be running. They return with garbage bags full of fish... But they also bring along Syl, a woman they met in a motel and whom Matt has "married." While the family strives to adjust to its new dynamic, tensions start to rise and only become worse when Miranda's father, his new wife and their infant son, and three strangers (including Alex and Julie Morales) show up. With the food they had already being stretched thin and now being stretched thinner, tempers flare and the definition of family becomes re-defined.

Before long, Miranda and Alex develop feelings for each other as they pilfer houses together in search of food and other items for survival. But Alex plans to leave again with Julie, feeling it is wrong of them to accept the charity of others when they can not repay it. Yet each attempt to leave is thwarted, and Alex and Julie find themselves with the Evans family longer than anticipated. When plans are finally set with a hopeful future for several members of the group, a tornado strikes and, once again, life changes for everyone.

The Dead and the Gone -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

In this second novel in the Last Survivors series, we experience New York City through the eyes of 17 year old Alex Morales during the aftermath of the moon being hit closer in orbit to the Earth. On the night of the occurrence, Alex does not witness the closeness of the moon, because the sky is overcast. The only thing out of the ordinary for Alex is that the power has gone out in his neighborhood. With is father gone to Puerto Rico for a funeral, his mother at work at the hospital in Queens, and his older brother stationed elsewhere with the Marines, Alex takes charge of his two younger sisters Bri and Julie, and they turn in for the evening, completely assured that power will be reinstated the following morning.

And Alex is right: power is back on the next day. And with the power come the startling reports about the moon and the tragedies it has caused world-wide. Fear immediately strikes the three siblings, but they feel confident their parents are fine, that their mother will return soon from work, and so they go about their regular routine and go to school. But things don't return to normal, and before long, his uncle recruits Alex and his youngest sister to help carry the merchandise out of the family's store and then his uncle and aunt leave with their family. Feeling their parents and brother won't be able to find them if they leave, Alex, Bri, and Julie remain in their basement apartment for as long as possible, and find various ways to survive and barter for food.

When Bri becomes sick, Alex moves himself and his siblings to another apartment in the building for a time, leaving a note for his parents in case they ever return, though the chances are slim they ever will... they are just gone. As the weather changes, as more people die, and most of his friends and their families leave New York City, Alex begins to realize the only way to survive is to take himself and his sisters to a refugee camp off the island. But with weakness, sickness, and other things beyond his control, will Alex and his sisters be able to stay alive until they can find a way out of New York City and find refuge?

Life As We Knew It -- Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life in Howell, PA is pretty normal for 16-year old Miranda. She is close to the end of her sophomore year of high school, she is about to be a sister again (her dad's second wife is pregnant and they've asked her to be the godmother), and she is semi-obsessed with a famous ice-skater from her home town. And the big news around town and around the world is the meteor scheduled to impact the Moon. Everyone expects this even to be a change from the norm -- an opportunity to gaze at the heavens and see something fascinating. But nobody expects the tragic events that ensue. Because when the meteor hits the moon, it is a greater impact than was anticipated, and the moon is knocked out of orbit and into a closer orbit to Earth. At first, nothing changes. Well, nothing except that the moon looms large outside in the night sky. But by the morning after the impact, news is pouring in about tsunamis along all coastlines, chaos, and death. And that is only the beginning.

Within weeks, Miranda's whole life is changed. Electricy is gone, schools are closed, stores are emptied, and people are moving away in hopes to find that things are better somewhere else. Miranda struggles to enjoy a "normal" summer in spite of everything, but finds that her childhood is gone and she must take on the responsibilities of an adult to help herself and her family survive. Only time will tell if it is enough.