Title: The Getaway

Author: Lamar Giles

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2022

Genre: YA Thriller

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Starts with “G”

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only... they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew--and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Another recommendation from my favorite book podcast. I was a bit leery, but just jumped into this one immediately without any really knowledge of the book. This is a ride. Not one that is for everyone, but such a ride. The book really gets into a lot of very serious topics all while setting the story in a future setting. Do not read if very affected by violence. I have to admit that there were even a few scenes that I struggled to get through due to the violence depicted. I really felt for the four main characters. Sure, they each had flaws, but that’s what made them real characters. I wish that the story would have spent a little more focused on the main characters and how they dealt with the interpersonal relationships. Still this was a force of a book.

Next up on the TBR pile: