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...
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reviews
Jan 31, 2012
Jo
rated it: 
"…I think it isn’t enough to survive for the sake of surviving…. Surviving should mean something like it means something to them. And if it doesn’t-
If it doesn’t."
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
An Exchange of E-Mails between a friend and I.
[Censored for spoilery badtimes]
Last night.
10.49 pm.
OMG THIS BOOK.
THIS IS A BOOK THAT NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
[blank] and then [blank] and omg [bl More...
If it doesn’t."
An Exchange of E-Mails between a friend and I.
[Censored for spoilery badtimes]
Last night.
10.49 pm.
OMG THIS BOOK.
THIS IS A BOOK THAT NEEDS TO BE TALKED ABOUT IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
[blank] and then [blank] and omg [bl More...
41 comments
like
(36 people liked it)
Feb 18, 2012
Giselle
rated it:
When someone sees a zombie book there are two reactions: 1) Oh zombies, scary and gory! YESSS! or 2) EEK zombies are icky - pass. So this is a warning: As far as zombie books go, This Is Not A Test has to be one of the tamest. It's not gory, nor is it an adrenaline filled story. Yes there are zombies and it can get intense at times, but funnily enough, it is not about the zombies. It's about a girl who doesn't want to live in this world anymore. She can't keep going with a dad that beats her, an
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52 comments
like
(26 people liked it)
Jan 31, 2012
Bonnie
rated it: 
2.5 stars
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
'The radio crackles the prerecorded voice of that woman at us over and over...
'This is not a test. Listen closely. This is not a test.'
But I think she's wrong. I think this is a test.
It has to be.'
The Storyline
'This is not a Test' includes a group of sorrowful teenagers trying to survive (some of them at least) and a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies.
Sloane Price More...
Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!
'The radio crackles the prerecorded voice of that woman at us over and over...
'This is not a test. Listen closely. This is not a test.'
But I think she's wrong. I think this is a test.
It has to be.'
The Storyline
'This is not a Test' includes a group of sorrowful teenagers trying to survive (some of them at least) and a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies.
Sloane Price More...
39 comments
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(15 people liked it)
Feb 14, 2012
I make it my mission to read everything Courtney writes.
0 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Feb 11, 2012
Leanne
rated it:
4.5 stars
To define this book as "horror novel", or a "zombie book" would prove to be a huge disservice that doesn't accurately describe this novel. This Is Not a Test is so much more than the expected, regular old zombie gorefest filled with trite cliches and overused descriptions.
Mind you, this book has zombies in it, this book is set in a post-apocalyptic world where only a few weeks prior the world has suddenly been infested with the roaming unde More...
To define this book as "horror novel", or a "zombie book" would prove to be a huge disservice that doesn't accurately describe this novel. This Is Not a Test is so much more than the expected, regular old zombie gorefest filled with trite cliches and overused descriptions.
Mind you, this book has zombies in it, this book is set in a post-apocalyptic world where only a few weeks prior the world has suddenly been infested with the roaming unde More...
0 comments
like
(15 people liked it)
Feb 09, 2012
Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker
rated it:
There comes a time in everyone's life when we finally "wake up" and figure out that we don't need to be a product of our screwed up past. For some, it takes months, for other's it takes years (I should know). If you don't come to this realization, there are consequences... for some drugs, for others..suicide, or other forms of escape.
Sloane wants to die. Not because of the zombies. Before there were zombies, there was a scarier monster in Sloane's life. She was being abuse More...
Sloane wants to die. Not because of the zombies. Before there were zombies, there was a scarier monster in Sloane's life. She was being abuse More...
31 comments
like
(10 people liked it)
Sep 19, 2011
laaaaames
rated it:
Good god, this book is brutal and unrelenting and bleak and other words that might make you say, "hey, why would I do that to myself on purpose by reading a book?"
WELL. The reason is that also this book is wonderful.
I complain a lot about this strange notion of books about dystopian futures, the end of our world as we know it, where, well, gosh, it works out OK! Sure your sad neighbor dies but you and your family are relatively unscathed. Sure, people DIE and all b More...
WELL. The reason is that also this book is wonderful.
I complain a lot about this strange notion of books about dystopian futures, the end of our world as we know it, where, well, gosh, it works out OK! Sure your sad neighbor dies but you and your family are relatively unscathed. Sure, people DIE and all b More...
Aug 26, 2011
OH GOD YESSSSSSSS *PEES SELF* <3 :D ...and holy moly I LOVE the cover!!! :)
2 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Jan 25, 2012
Catie
rated it:
4 1/2 stars
Because I’m a fancybook reviewer creative post writer, I thought I’d start this off with a quote from someone whose opinion I really trust:
“Can you imagine what she's going to do with zombie survival?!! I bet it's going to be gruesome. :D”
You know what? I really do love the sound of my own voice. You are so, so right, me of approximately two months ago.
Of course, this is Courtney Summers so the “gruesome” part of this book doesn’t arrive with More...
Because I’m a fancy
“Can you imagine what she's going to do with zombie survival?!! I bet it's going to be gruesome. :D”
You know what? I really do love the sound of my own voice. You are so, so right, me of approximately two months ago.
Of course, this is Courtney Summers so the “gruesome” part of this book doesn’t arrive with More...
29 comments
like
(34 people liked it)
Feb 05, 2012
Emily
rated it:
4.5
I owe a huge thanks to Courtney Summers for giving me a second chance to read and review this after my netgalley rejection. It made my day and I'm so glad This Is Not a Test was all that I'd hoped it would be.
I'm going to say what I said at the start of my reviews or before I started reading: Feed, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Other Life and even the one I was sure would be the exception to the rule - The Reapers Are the Angels, and that is that zombie novels hav More...
I owe a huge thanks to Courtney Summers for giving me a second chance to read and review this after my netgalley rejection. It made my day and I'm so glad This Is Not a Test was all that I'd hoped it would be.
I'm going to say what I said at the start of my reviews or before I started reading: Feed, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Other Life and even the one I was sure would be the exception to the rule - The Reapers Are the Angels, and that is that zombie novels hav More...
7 comments
like
(18 people liked it)
Dec 28, 2011
Emily
rated it:
THIS IS NOT A TEST is a departure from Courtney Summers's other gritty, contemporary YA books because of well (no spoiler here, I think)--the ZOMBIES. It's a refreshing addition to the zombie/horror genre! I think it was the realism that struck me most about this book. Anyone familiar with Courtney Summers's previous novels will know her characters are usually their own worst enemies...so imagine the effect when she turns the intensity up a notch and surrounds those poor, flawed people with hung
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5 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 19, 2011
Lori
rated it:
This is one of the most intense, nail-biting books I've ever read. Courtney Summers perfectly captures the suspense and terror of a zombie apocalypse, but this book goes beyond your typical horror novel because it really delves into the characters' thoughts and emotions. The protagonist, Sloane, is just what you expect from a Courtney Summers protagonist - a little rough around the edges and damaged, but ultimately, someone to whom readers can relate. Even though (disclaimer!) Courtney is my fri
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0 comments
like
(6 people liked it)
Aug 28, 2011
OhmiGod.
Are you serious?! This is about zombies?!
Courtney Summers is writing about zombies?!
She's going dystopian?!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
I have LOVED all her past books, and now that she's writing about a thing she's so passionate about (zombies) I can only imagine how incredibly epic this will be!
Someone needs to build a countdown widget. I want to know EXACTLY how many seconds are left for its release.
Cover: *s More...
Are you serious?! This is about zombies?!
Courtney Summers is writing about zombies?!
She's going dystopian?!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
I have LOVED all her past books, and now that she's writing about a thing she's so passionate about (zombies) I can only imagine how incredibly epic this will be!
Someone needs to build a countdown widget. I want to know EXACTLY how many seconds are left for its release.
Cover: *s More...
0 comments
like
(6 people liked it)
Jan 29, 2012
Heather
rated it:
WOW! First off this book is not going to be for everyone. It is gritty, raw and gruesome. There are a lot of things that maybe 14 and under should not read. *Totally my opinion!*
I LOVED this! like I said it's raw and gritty and gruesome and EMOTIONAL! It will make you take a look at yourself and say "What would I really do in a situation like this?" The characters in this book are hanging on by a thread and then are put through the ringer...again and again.
The wor More...
I LOVED this! like I said it's raw and gritty and gruesome and EMOTIONAL! It will make you take a look at yourself and say "What would I really do in a situation like this?" The characters in this book are hanging on by a thread and then are put through the ringer...again and again.
The wor More...
Jan 28, 2012
Brian
rated it:
THIS IS NOT A TEST
By Courtney Summers
I’ve never been the biggest zombie fan. {My gf just told me that’s because I suck.} Maybe, but I’m actually more a fan of real old school mind controlled zombies. {She just rolled her eyes at me for saying that. She loves “Zombies”}
But I’m not here to debate what is and isn’t a zombie. I just brought that up to state that going into any modern zombie story it has to really be good to make any sort of impact with me because I usually don’t More...
By Courtney Summers
I’ve never been the biggest zombie fan. {My gf just told me that’s because I suck.} Maybe, but I’m actually more a fan of real old school mind controlled zombies. {She just rolled her eyes at me for saying that. She loves “Zombies”}
But I’m not here to debate what is and isn’t a zombie. I just brought that up to state that going into any modern zombie story it has to really be good to make any sort of impact with me because I usually don’t More...
Jan 27, 2012
Katy Book Corner
rated it:
I thought this was a very POWERFUL book - not because I love dystopian so much but because of the emotional and psychological roller coaster it took me. I know what you're thinking - not another dystopian book involving zombies. But that's not the case.
This book kind of brought a few comparisons to mind including Aftertime, The Way We Fall, and Life As We Knew It (sans the zombies). I wasn't a fan of those three books and was basically bored to tears. The difference between those thr More...
This book kind of brought a few comparisons to mind including Aftertime, The Way We Fall, and Life As We Knew It (sans the zombies). I wasn't a fan of those three books and was basically bored to tears. The difference between those thr More...
Feb 05, 2012
Kelly
rated it:
Sloane is pretty broken. Her sister (and best friend) Lily has run away from home, leaving her behind with their abusive father. All she wants in the world is to die. Fortunately for Sloane, there has been a zombie outbreak. She's escaped her dad and is now holed up at school with a group of other survivors, all teens (Cary, Rhys, Trace, Grace and Harrison). But...she doesn't want to be safe. She still wants to be dead. Can she get her wish without inadvertently killing the others?
More...
More...
Jan 29, 2012
Holly
rated it:
In A Nutshell:
Sloane is at the end of her rope. Feeling betrayed by a sister who abandons her to a life alone with their abusive father, Sloane plans to end her life. Little does she know that the world outside her front door is spiraling out of control. The infected are taking over the living, and Sloane finds herself barricaded inside the local High School. A lone girl who wants to die, among 5 other teenagers who desperately want to live.
Thoughts:
This had to be one of More...
Sloane is at the end of her rope. Feeling betrayed by a sister who abandons her to a life alone with their abusive father, Sloane plans to end her life. Little does she know that the world outside her front door is spiraling out of control. The infected are taking over the living, and Sloane finds herself barricaded inside the local High School. A lone girl who wants to die, among 5 other teenagers who desperately want to live.
Thoughts:
This had to be one of More...
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Jan 31, 2012
Devyani
rated it:
This here had to have one of the most unsatisfying and bleak endings ever , yet i'm such a hypocrite when i say that i had FUN with it .
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is one encapsulated together with a lot of flaws . It's a slow and a subtle read with it's Dark , sad , gloomy , gory and all-together Zombie-thing going on blastingly for it .
It's the end of the world and the reason , my friends like you already know about or don't know about are , ZOMBIES .
O More...
This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers is one encapsulated together with a lot of flaws . It's a slow and a subtle read with it's Dark , sad , gloomy , gory and all-together Zombie-thing going on blastingly for it .
It's the end of the world and the reason , my friends like you already know about or don't know about are , ZOMBIES .
O More...
2 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Jan 28, 2012
Janine
rated it:
This is not a pretty book. It's dark and it's depressing. And on top of that, it's an amazing read.
Summers doesn't dwell long to plunge into the action. We get a brief glimpse of Sloane and her life before all hell breaks loose. Living with an abusive father and the fact that her sister left her, Sloane actually welcomes the end of the world. The first attack happens and we flash forward seven days. We never really get told what exactly went down in those seven days, but the aftermath of i More...
Summers doesn't dwell long to plunge into the action. We get a brief glimpse of Sloane and her life before all hell breaks loose. Living with an abusive father and the fact that her sister left her, Sloane actually welcomes the end of the world. The first attack happens and we flash forward seven days. We never really get told what exactly went down in those seven days, but the aftermath of i More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Feb 06, 2012
Reynje
rated it:
4.5 stars
This is not a zombie book.
This book has zombies in it. But it’s not about zombies, as such.
It’s about so much more than that.
Call them a catalyst, a threat, an inciting event – the zombies are an ominous presence that set off a chain reaction of events and lurk unnervingly around the corners of the book. But this is not even so much a book about survival, although that’s certainly one of the themes threading through the story.
More...
This book has zombies in it. But it’s not about zombies, as such.
It’s about so much more than that.
Call them a catalyst, a threat, an inciting event – the zombies are an ominous presence that set off a chain reaction of events and lurk unnervingly around the corners of the book. But this is not even so much a book about survival, although that’s certainly one of the themes threading through the story.
More...
31 comments
like
(34 people liked it)
Feb 07, 2012
Jessica
rated it: 
The title of this post-apocalyptic novel certainly is ironic. Most everything that the main protagonists encounter are, in fact, mental and physical tests of their upbringing and social adjustments. The main character, and narrator, is Sloane a girl who was abandoned by her sister and beaten by her father. A stereotypical abuse victim, Sloane has withdrawn from everyone and hates herself for all the bad things that continue to happen to her. She has planned her suicide, but has yet to go thro
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0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Feb 02, 2012
Amanda
rated it:
See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy.com...
My Review: What can I say, but wow!
I loved this book. First off, I love me some post-apocalyptic plot lines. I don’t know why. I’m a guy. It is fascinating. As a society we walk a tight rope every day, over a thousand different ways, life as we know it could end. It’s not likely to happen and we have tons of security measures in place, but it could happen. I think that’s why I love these novels. It answers More...
My Review: What can I say, but wow!
I loved this book. First off, I love me some post-apocalyptic plot lines. I don’t know why. I’m a guy. It is fascinating. As a society we walk a tight rope every day, over a thousand different ways, life as we know it could end. It’s not likely to happen and we have tons of security measures in place, but it could happen. I think that’s why I love these novels. It answers More...
Aug 29, 2011
I'm happy to get any kind of Courtney Summers (...wow, that sounded less weird in my head), but a zombie/apocalypse novel? Despite knowing that Summers has a thing about the zombie apocalypse, I'm really surprised to see that this is a novel about one. Shocked, but hopefully in a good way.
0 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 14, 2012
Chantaal
rated it:
Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.
ZOMBIIIEEEEES!
I do a huge amount of my e-reading in bed at night while my boyfriend sleeps, which is the worst idea when reading something that involves zombies. As much as I love the zombie genre, I know how to terrify myself when it comes to the creatures, and This is Not a Test fit the bill.
However, This is Not a Test doesn't entirely focus on the zombies themselves. Most zombie fiction these days focuses on how th More...
ZOMBIIIEEEEES!
I do a huge amount of my e-reading in bed at night while my boyfriend sleeps, which is the worst idea when reading something that involves zombies. As much as I love the zombie genre, I know how to terrify myself when it comes to the creatures, and This is Not a Test fit the bill.
However, This is Not a Test doesn't entirely focus on the zombies themselves. Most zombie fiction these days focuses on how th More...
Jan 21, 2012
Sarah
rated it:
Take one part angsty teen problem novel, one part end of the world tale, and sprinkle liberally with zombies and you have this novel. I do like apocalyptic novels, but not problem novels, so we'll see how I like this--already I feel a little out of sympathy with the main character.
I can see how this book will be very popular at the library where I work, it combines many elements that are enjoyed by a great number of readers. While I was never able to make an emotional connection to More...
I can see how this book will be very popular at the library where I work, it combines many elements that are enjoyed by a great number of readers. While I was never able to make an emotional connection to More...
Jan 23, 2012
Valerie
rated it:
Abuse, teen angst, and zombies - quite an interesting mix. Sloane has grown up being severely abused by her father, and her sister has run away leaving her behind. And then, the zombies show up. Sloane ends up hiding in a high school with five other teenagers where the drama ensues: relationships, fights, hatred, bullying, deaths, etc.
I struggled with this book even though I love the genre. I felt like the zombie plot was just a vehicle to separate Sloane from her abusive father More...
I struggled with this book even though I love the genre. I felt like the zombie plot was just a vehicle to separate Sloane from her abusive father More...
Feb 07, 2012
Valentina
rated it:
If you don’t have this book in your list to read when it comes out, then I urge you to add it now. The writing is so fresh, yet wrought with so much meaning, that many times it had me rereading phrases in wonder at the beauty of the words. But the best thing about the book are the characters. Sloane, Cary, Grace, Trace, Rhys and even Harrison come into full, living color as the story progresses, each page giving us another clue to the way each of them thinks. Their interactions with one another
More...
Feb 07, 2012
Kim
rated it:
This book isn't just about zombies. This book is about what would REALLY happen if there actually were a zombie apocalypse. We're not talking about guns blazing and hatchets swinging. This is what I imagine would really "go down" if zombies came to my town.
The story is told from Sloan's point of view. Her life is already a living nightmare and she's ready to check out. Her last thread of hope slipped quietly away in the night driving a beat-up old Volkswagen. She's now con More...
The story is told from Sloan's point of view. Her life is already a living nightmare and she's ready to check out. Her last thread of hope slipped quietly away in the night driving a beat-up old Volkswagen. She's now con More...
