Review: This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Cover Love: 10/10
Add: Goodreads

 Goodreads: It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

My Review:

This is the very first book that I have read by Courtney Summers, but it will definitely not be the last! She has such an amazing writing style; I can truly get into the character’s mind and become the person myself. This is Not a Test is a book that certainly grabbed my attention straight away, firstly from the cover. Have you not seen it? It’s amazing, I love the simplicity of it, but also how her hair is swept across her face and the blood splatters the page make you want to delve in deeper. I was able to read the first chapter online and just KNEW that I HAD to have it after reading it. It kept me on my toes, shocked me, excited me and all in one little chapter. This is Not a Test is a book that will stay with you for weeks, heck, months even, after you’ve finished it. It still creeps up on me and I finished it in early December.

Summers knows how to create the perfect voice for her characters. Each and every one of them all has their own personalities and quirks and I felt like they were very believable. I cried with them, shouted with them and on the rare occasion, even laughed. Sloane –the main protagonist has such a distinct voice because she is broken, quite simply. She is not like the others, who genuinely want to survive and this was a very interesting perspective to read from. I liked Sloane, I really did. She was not perfect, but who is?

Although this is a ‘zombie post-apocalyptic’ novel, don’t be fooled. This is Not a Test may feature zombies, but most of the action takes place within the town’s school building. This creates a very atmospheric and hostile background. Being in constant presence of other people 24/7 and the fear of the zombies was the perfect concoction to create chaos. Things are not as they seem and do not trust anyone. Question everything and pay attention to subtle things. This is Not a Test focuses more on the character’s interactions and how well or not-so-well they deal with the zombies and each other.

This is Not a Test definitely keeps you on your toes. Right from the very start, things do not start well for Sloane. I don’t think the first chapter is still available but seriously, read this book! If you haven’t, you are seriously missing out! Summer’s is the expert in creating tension and there was not a dull moment in this book. I did not want to put it down, I cancelled dates, turned my phone off  and locked myself away with a hot chocolate for about three hours. So if you’re going to read this book, know that it is seriously addictive!  I was frantically turning the pages again and again, devouring it.

You will truly begin to care for the characters in This is Not a Test. They all have little secrets that are unraveled throughout and some of them are real shockers. I really did not expect some of them, but that made me love the book even more. This is not a fairytale, so there is no guarantee for a happy ending. Some characters will not make it out alive and you’ll cry for them as if you were there. The realism is also there too, as they do act like normal teenagers would; getting some alcohol and playing truth or dare and there is some romance in this book.

Seriously, I cannot recommend this book enough. Just read it and you will understand. This is one amazing book that should not be missed. There is lots of action, a screamable(did I just make that up?)- amount-of-tension, some steamy romance and very human emotions. What are you waiting for?! Read it now!

5 out of 5 stars.