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Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1)

by Emmy Laybourne (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 3,300 ratings · 776 reviews

Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’...more

Hardcover, 294 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Feiwel & Friends

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2012 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade)

168th out of 795 books — 4,505 voters

YA Dystopia\Post-Apocalyptic Novels of 2012

21st out of 83 books — 245 voters

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Sep 06, 2012 karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya, the-end

this 4 is a 3.5, just so you know. because i trashed the last book i read from this publisher, i felt bad enough about it to round it up to a four. such is my guilt complex.

and this book is fun, it really is. so we have a massive hailstorm that destroys the school buses our protags are taking to school. one of the drivers manages to crash the bus into a megastore, and the surviving kids hole up inside to wait out the storm. the driver goes for help, and the kids barricade themselves inside. afte...more
this 4 is a 3.5, just so you know. because i trashed the last book i read from this publisher, i felt bad enough about it to round it up to a four. such is my guilt complex.

and this book is fun, it really is. so we have a massive hailstorm that destroys the school buses our protags are taking to school. one of the drivers manages to crash the bus into a megastore, and the surviving kids hole up inside to wait out the storm. the driver goes for help, and the kids barricade themselves inside. after managing to get a television set working inside the store, they learn what has happened: megatsunami. earthquakes. the failure of the Network. and then...chemical leak outta NORAD. all of this is bad news.

so, whaddya do? you fortify your barriers, and make sure nothing and no one can get in. the chemicals leaking react differently depending on blood type, but none of the effects are good, man. some are downright violent. so it becomes a story about how you use the things you would find in a superstore to protect and defend,to keep the bad air out, but also make a nice little cozy home for yourself while you wait out the apocalypse.

because the ages of the kids range from 5-17, there is a wide spectrum of ability and emotional maturity.and they form a sort of family, relying on the know-how of a few, and enduring the limitations of the many. it is sort of sweet, and sort of frustrating at the same time.

dean, our main man, becomes the mr. mom of the group, a role in which he feels ill-equipped and never wanted, but he ends up being really good at it, helping to organize the kiddies into cooking and cleaning activities, and soothing the more troubled cases. his brother is also trapped inside with him, and their relationship becomes tense, but is one of the best-written and most realistic parts.

this isn't really an action book. it is more like this is not a test, in that it is about the psychological effects of a horrific situation. it is more about the practical steps that need to be taken in this kind of circumstance. so take notes.

loooots of things happen. deaths, fights, pharmacy-looting, lice, marauders, visitors, love triangles, unexpected alliances... i thought it was a mostly-realistic take on what a group of kids would get up to in tight quarters without supervision, in a situation that seems hopeless.

and i 3.5 liked it.(less)

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May 20, 2012 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia-or-postapocalyptic, sci-fi, netgalley-arc, arc, young-adult-fiction, 2012-reviews, 2012-reads, reviewed, what-is-this-nonsense, all-surface-no-substance, le-sigh, blah-blah-blaaahhhh, actiontastic

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

Monument 14 seems to have a lot of things going for it: killing hailstorms, a bus explosion, death and abundant destruction... and all that's just within the three chapters of the novel. This sounds like an action-packed read and like a thrill-ride from that promising initiation to main character Dean's survival story somewhere in the vague future. And it is all that, right? Right? Well....kinda, for a while. Monument 14 unfortunately falls prey to...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ebook, dystopia-or-post-apocalyptic

We should all know by now, being stuck in a mall - or a superstore in this case - never EVER ends well. We've all had fantasies as children, imagining the awesome possibilities. Well, it's not all it's cracked up to be! Horror movies tell the truth! So yes, I was super intrigued by the premise of Monument 14 where a bunch of kids get trapped in a superstore to tough out what seems to be the end of the world. I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped, but it's an overall enjoyable read.

One thing that...more We should all know by now, being stuck in a mall - or a superstore in this case - never EVER ends well. We've all had fantasies as children, imagining the awesome possibilities. Well, it's not all it's cracked up to be! Horror movies tell the truth! So yes, I was super intrigued by the premise of Monument 14 where a bunch of kids get trapped in a superstore to tough out what seems to be the end of the world. I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped, but it's an overall enjoyable read.

One thing that really bothers me about a writing style is when an author constantly feels the need to remind me of facts that has happened: Repeating information to make sure I'm "getting it". This is what I first noticed in this novel. Recapitulations are common and only amounted to making me feel irritated. "because, remember [...]" is even used, in case I wasn't smart enough to have caught on - to something that was particularly major in this case. This is a qualm many readers may not notice or care about, but it's a pet peeve of mine.

Quote I've always loved:
"The audience is only as smart as you allow them to be."

Just saying.

The book starts with a bang. We get acquainted with Dean on a day like any other when it suddenly turns disastrous. Monster hail, a bus crash, injuries, deaths - a pretty exciting starting chapter. After this, however, be prepared for a lot of cooking, sleeping, cleaning; basically playing house. I've talked to others who say it's meant to be a more psychological story, one that concentrates on the pressures of living through such a traumatizing event - and it is, I agree, but I never felt it. Until close to the end, these kids aren't giving off a very distressed vibe. After the initial shock, they all seem comfortable and carefree. Playing with barbies, getting high, pigging out: Indulging themselves with everything a chain store has to offer. I wasn't necessarily bored, but it wasn't an emotionally powerful read up to that point. About 50 pages from the end is where it starts getting more serious with some intense developments and a bleak glimpse beyond the store. The sequel definitely has immense potential.

The lack of a distraught feeling could also be due to the fact that we don't get a whole lot of information about the outside situation. It starts with the monster hail, then we learn of dangerous chemicals in the air, plus several other natural disasters - including a megatsunami. This all sounds highly ominous and sinister, except... we don't know what we're dealing with. What happened? Is this simply going to go away after 6 months as the news says, with things going back to normal and some minor setbacks? I don't think the author successfully achieves to create the strong sense of alarm and dread that was intended. These events are scary - actually, deathly terrifying - in theory, but the lack of suspense throughout 90% of the book makes it feel like they're simply unpleasant inconveniences.

Dean, socially awkward, is a bit of an outsider. I enjoyed his character overall and he's a really good guy, but I didn't find there was a lot of character building. At the beginning I was caught off guard when I learned he was male. It's not made clear until a few pages in and the adjustment took a little bit; I kept forgetting and making him into a girl. I do enjoy male POVs so it wasn't a disappointment, but I didn't find it an especially convincing male perspective. Along with taking a while for his gender to stick, I felt he was very... ordinary. I think the fact that there's such a big cast plays a role in this. We've got quite a few kids to keep track of and I found most of them to be a lot more interesting, taking my attention away from the main character.

It does seem like I have a lot of negativity towards this novel, but all in all I did like it. These mentions don't cause enormous problems in the bigger picture so I was still able to enjoy the story enough to garner a 3-star. I do give final credit to the ending, though, which has definitely upped the ante, giving us quite a bit to look forward to in the sequel.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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May 08, 2013 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hachette, own-a-dtb, arc-2013, favorites, male-pov, open-ending, post-apocalyptic, review-copy, ya, reviewed-in-2013

Lately, I’ve been growing increasingly tired of all the apocalypse scenarios we’re being bombarded with. Getting me to read one without whining too hard is no small feat, my friends. But even though Monument 14 has been getting some very mixed reviews, I felt weirdly drawn to it from the start and surprisingly enough, ended up enjoying it. We’ll call this intuition, although dumb luck might be more accurate.

Emmy Laybourne’s version of the apocalypse is what makes Monument 14 work. None of it is...more Lately, I’ve been growing increasingly tired of all the apocalypse scenarios we’re being bombarded with. Getting me to read one without whining too hard is no small feat, my friends. But even though Monument 14 has been getting some very mixed reviews, I felt weirdly drawn to it from the start and surprisingly enough, ended up enjoying it. We’ll call this intuition, although dumb luck might be more accurate.

Emmy Laybourne’s version of the apocalypse is what makes Monument 14 work. None of it is too hard to imagine: the chemical disaster, weather gone mad, people affected according to their blood type, child predators using the opportunity to do their absolute worst. Really, this could all happen tomorrow! When Dean and Alex woke up that morning, they didn’t even dream that they wouldn’t be coming home that day, that there would be no home to come back to. Who could have predicted that they wouldn't be going to school at all, but that they would end up in a superstore with twelve other terrified kids and with raging weather outside.

In such claustrophobic environment, characters become extremely important. Worldbuilding itself, while convincing and terrifying, didn’t do much to show Laybourne’s skill. Characters, on the other hand, showed how great a writer she is, despite this being her debut. She did more than just flesh out Dean and Alex, she breathed life into all 14 of her characters equally. Each name came with a complete person with opinions, backgrounds, traumas, and more importantly, coping mechanisms. We get a clear picture of each of them, even though we only see them trough Dean’s eyes.

Each of these kids reacts differently and Laybourne is an excellent psychologists. Everything her characters did made perfect sense in those circumstances, and she showed rather excellently how people deal with grief and fear in so many different ways. Some kids fight to be in charge and organize the others to increase their chances of survival, while the others raid the pharmacy for prescription drugs. Some even attempt to do both. Adding the smaller kids into the mix was a risky, but extremely smart move. It was them, or the need to take care of them, that kept the older ones from losing it.

For the most part, our Dean is no hero. He is not one of the popular kids, he is not smart like his younger brother, he has no talent for sports and his people skills need work. But there was something about his sardonic voice I found very easy to identify with and while he kept doing stupid and embarrassing things, I couldn’t help but sympathize. His thoughts and comments were often unintentionally hilarious, which only made me like him even more.

The almost-cliffhanger Laybourne left us with didn’t bother me as much as these things usually do. There was at least some closure, not an ending, but a new beginning, a change in the circumstances that promises a brilliant and thrilling sequel.

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May 01, 2013 Jasprit rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: out-2012, arc-galley, read-in-2013, post-apocalyptic

With survival type stories, I’m either here or there, they either win me over completely (This is Not a Test) or annoy me to death. Monument 14 kind of fell in the middle, there were parts which were riveting and had me on tenterhooks and there were others which felt a little flat.

Monument 14 starts off with a bang. On the way to school Dean’s bus is pelted with hail stones so big that they’re tearing through the bus. There’s chaos on the road that causes their bus to overturn. Kids end up dead...more With survival type stories, I’m either here or there, they either win me over completely (This is Not a Test) or annoy me to death. Monument 14 kind of fell in the middle, there were parts which were riveting and had me on tenterhooks and there were others which felt a little flat.

Monument 14 starts off with a bang. On the way to school Dean’s bus is pelted with hail stones so big that they’re tearing through the bus. There’s chaos on the road that causes their bus to overturn. Kids end up dead and it’s only because of Mrs. Wooly the elementary middle school driver that helps them out and helps them hide out in a store. When Mrs. Wooly goes to search for help, the 14 kids are left in charge.

The kids were left in an awful situation, they hadn’t a clue about what was going on outside, but still had to try and survive on their own means. There were always dangers lurking outside who were finding a safe place to stay, but who could they trust? Could they ever trust each other? The kids were left with a lot of responsibility, they had some really young children to look after, keep them occupied and give them the necessary attention whenever they were distraught. Niko surprised me with his level headedness; he was calm, collected and always wary of anyone joining their group. I liked the stability and routine he tried to achieve amongst the group. But I really felt sorry for him when he had no-one at first and was just left at the side with everyone clambering at the popular lads Brayden and Jake.

Dean was a hard mc to like, I did enjoy getting the story through his eyes, but wasn’t really able to connect to his character as I would have liked. Maybe that’s why I found it myself favouring Niko and Josie more, in my eyes they were characters I would more likely to get on with if I found myself in a similar situation. But the secondary characters definitely made up for it. I enjoyed getting stories from Max, Henry and Caroline, but definitely would have liked to get more of their back stories.

My feelings about Monument 14 are kind of hot and cold, I did find a lot of the time some scenes were really drawn out and my attention wavered quite a bit. But then we had some great pacier scenes with the risk of danger that I found myself zipping through in a frenzy. As I’m so torn, I’m not actually sure whether I would give the sequel a try, the way things were left, I definitely do want to find out how things end up, but I don’t really feel in a rush to do so. Monument 14 was a great start to a series, but I wish that it had left more of a lasting impression with me.(less)

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Mar 10, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-publication, survivalist, young-adult, dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, male-pov, action-packed, read-2012, july, macmillan

Hm. I liked it, just not as much as I thought I would. Review to come.

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Apr 17, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, series-read

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

- - -

3.5 stars

When? September of the year 2024
Where? Monument, Colorado

Monument 14 opens up to two brothers making way to their respective buses to get to school. Dean, our narrator, is a high school student. Alex, his younger brother, is in 8th grade which means he takes the bus for the grades K-8.

Dean is observing the daily commotion that is the high school bus when, all of a sudden, hail of all shapes and sizes begins to pummel the bus....more

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May 10, 2012 Kara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-authors-2012, 2012-reading-challenge, arc, animals, colorado, for-review, net-galley, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

It's been a few days since I finished Monument 14 and yet I still think about it from time to time. It's not a perfect book. To be honest, it's not even close to perfect. I could even say I barely liked it. But the truth is, I really loved the setting. And because of that I cannot stop thinking about it. When I was a kid, one of my favorite books was Richard Peck's Secrets of the Shopping Mall. I doubt if I read the same book today that it would have the same impact it did on me as a kid, but ev...more It's been a few days since I finished Monument 14 and yet I still think about it from time to time. It's not a perfect book. To be honest, it's not even close to perfect. I could even say I barely liked it. But the truth is, I really loved the setting. And because of that I cannot stop thinking about it. When I was a kid, one of my favorite books was Richard Peck's Secrets of the Shopping Mall. I doubt if I read the same book today that it would have the same impact it did on me as a kid, but ever since then I have always wanted to read books with a 'store setting'. If it's written in a mall, a grocery store, or a museum, I have to read it. So obviously even though I had issues with this book, the setting still blew me away. And that's also kind of where I was disappointed too. I didn't feel the author utilized the setting to her full advantage. The characters were trapped in a Greenway Superstore (think Wal-Mart) and could not go outside because of what was going on in the world. The author could have totally wrote it from a more claustrophobic angle. But she didn't. And because of that I don't think it had quite the effect on the reader she was looking for.

One of the things that really annoys me as a reader is being constantly treated like a child, or treated like I cannot retain any of the information I read. I found that in a couple of places in Monument 14 the author repeated information that I really felt was unnecessary to keep repeating. Just because it is a YA book doesn't mean teens aren't intelligent. If there is one tip I can give to a new author, it is to assume your reader is smart and knows how to use their brain. Even if they don't. Do not act like as the author you know more than your reader. YOU. DO. NOT. And it pisses me off to NO END when authors are condescending towards their readers. Here's an example of what I am talking about.

Niko half dragged me through the hail, down the "aisle" that was not an aisle but was actually the space above the seats (because, remember, the bus was on its side). What the hell is that? Everyone in America knows the bus tipped over and they had to use the side of the bus as the aisle way. It was enough to know the bus tipped over. But then even before this quote you mentioned it a few times. Then you had to repeat it again here. And that whole "because remember" has me really wanting to punch someone's lights out. That is so friggin condescending. For serious.

The plot? True. What would a book be without some sense of plot? You'll have to look fairly hard for the plot in this book though. Until the last 50 or so pages, there really wasn't much of one at all. And that's kind of a problem. You'll read about the characters sleeping, eating, cooking, and even pooping, but if you are looking for excitement, you might want to skip ahead to page 235ish. Unless you are interested in the process of shampooing lice out of hair. Or how to knock the wall out of a dressing room. By the way, I hope that wasn't a stud wall they knocked down or they are in for some trouble.

One of the issues I had were the fact there were too many characters. Some of them I liked, but for the most part, they all talked the same, all acted the same (especially the little kids) and I had a hard time telling them apart. I think there were like 10 characters. And they were all present from scene to scene and talking. So if you weren't paying close attention, it could get confusing. It wouldn't have been so much of an issue if you could tell them apart through character development, but I really wasn't able to, so something was obviously missing.

Monument 14 did get better towards the end. Once the two adults came into the picture and a plan was made to leave the store, and the mundane every day tasks came to an end, then I started enjoying the book more. The plot picked up and I was finally interested. I still had issues with the flat characterizations, but the story got going, and that was enough for me to bump my rating up from a 2 star to a 3. The last 50 pages really made a difference and now I am wanting to read the next book in the hopes that the story continues to develop in an exciting way.

Before I go, I saw another review that I had to comment on. I rarely ever do this. I don't think I ever have. But because the review (I felt) was so misleading and could put someone off from reading this book that might enjoy it, I have to. You can go ahead and skip this part if you disagree with what I am doing. Another reviewer claimed there was a rape in this book. For the record, there is no rape in this book. There is a situation that almost ends in rape, but it is stopped before it gets that far. I'm not sure if this book was re-edited and a new version was released or something, but somehow this reviewer saw something that I did not see. It was also mentioned that the character Sahalia (who almost got raped) was supposedly portrayed as a slut. I'm going to have to say I don't agree with that statement either. Not one of the characters blamed her skimpy clothing or her attention seeking behavior as the reason she was almost raped. Or said she was asking for it. Or turned the perpetrator into the victim. None of that happened. The characters helped her, defended her, and took care of her until she was well enough to function on her own. Maybe it was changed in a re-edit, I don't know, but I can only review what I read. And I happened to read that review before I read the scene(s) in question, and so I was waiting for it to happen. And it never did. That's it.

I don't know if I can recommend this book or not. Based on the last 50 pages, I would say definitely, but I found a good portion of this book pretty boring. I guess it's your call to make. I will be reading the next one though. I kind of have to know where the story goes at this point.(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Liana rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've been wanting to read this book for such a long time! I mean, like. The fab fab fab cover? The title? Synopsis? ALL. FLIPPING. AMAZAAAAAYN.

The story was pretty good. I loved the plot. It teaches you a lot about being stranded in a grocery store with a group of other kids your age (or not) and learning how to survive with that. Considering if it's safe to trust outsiders, etc.

However. The characters. Just ew. Okay. I don't like any of them. (When I finally thought that I could like a charact...more I've been wanting to read this book for such a long time! I mean, like. The fab fab fab cover? The title? Synopsis? ALL. FLIPPING. AMAZAAAAAYN.

The story was pretty good. I loved the plot. It teaches you a lot about being stranded in a grocery store with a group of other kids your age (or not) and learning how to survive with that. Considering if it's safe to trust outsiders, etc.

However. The characters. Just ew. Okay. I don't like any of them. (When I finally thought that I could like a character he just boom betrays you. Ugh.)

Also the romance between the main character and another character was nonexistent. How sad.

But. I've been away from the Dystopian genre for a while. And this book was just wow. It's in the year 2024 and like, apparently, there was this huge hailstorm and everyone either died or took refuge, and then there was this huge black cloud and people with specific blood types started raging, started hallucinating, or started breaking out in blisters. Or nothing at all. And those blood types were so lucky. I was like daaaaang.

I'm glad the main character was Dean. However, I would have enjoyed it as well if it were a point of view from one of the little kids looking back at their past. I think this whole story was Dean's 'journal', because from time to time he would say "I had to write this down because I'm a writer" etc.

Honestly I had no idea how Dean was in physical appearance. I think he told us something about dark hair and green eyes and okay teeth and something like that. But then he said he needed to work out badly but honestly I couldn't imagine him fat. Maybe he just has a big gut or something. I don't know. All I know is that he's not hot.

Seriously, the only thing dystopian about this book was the black cloud thing. But this book could have passed as modern with a huge chemical leak or something like that. Now that I look at the cover, everything makes sense. LOL. omg.

The author is a pretty good writer that thinks of good ideas. (She's an actress. Wow.)

Yeah. I would recommend this book to whoever wants to read something about being stranded or surviving or something like that.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!(less)

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Jan 26, 2013 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

"Only, if it's the last you'll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you'd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus."

Dean's day started out pretty normally. His mom calling him saying that he'll miss the bus, him ignoring her because he thought he would see her later.

BOY, WAS HE WRONG. If he had known a giant hailstorm would suddenly appear out of nowhere and cause mass destruction throughout the town of Monument, CO, if he had known that deadly chemicals would leak out...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Mrs. S rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, read-in-2012

The voice! The pacing! The ending! I really enjoyed Monument 14, and this is another one I think my students will get really into. It's a quick, engaging read about a group of kids and teenagers stuck inside some kind of superstore during a series of natural and chemical disasters. It reminded me of Michael Grant's Gone series and The Girl Who Owned A City by O. T. Nelson. I've seen some other reviewers who weren't so keen on the voice of the protagonist, Dean, but I thought it felt just right,...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Scott Pilgrim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-books, netgalley, dystopia-post-apocalyptic

Seen at Scott Reads It
I have read so many Dystopian books this year that I thought the genre could no longer surprise me. So many books are banking on the popularity of The Hunger Games and so the YA market has been overflowed with books about oppressive societies. When I started Monument 14 I thought that it was going to be a stereotypical and bland dystopian that I really wouldn't enjoy. Well color me surprised because I was very wrong.

A Bit of Background:
Monument 14 takes place in the Gr...more Seen at Scott Reads It
I have read so many Dystopian books this year that I thought the genre could no longer surprise me. So many books are banking on the popularity of The Hunger Games and so the YA market has been overflowed with books about oppressive societies. When I started Monument 14 I thought that it was going to be a stereotypical and bland dystopian that I really wouldn't enjoy. Well color me surprised because I was very wrong.

A Bit of Background:
Monument 14 takes place in the Greenway, a supermarket where teens and young children take refuge during a hailstorm. Natural disasters start happening all over the world because of a mega tsunami. Earthquakes start to happen, a chemical spill happens that leads to people being forced to stay indoors. The chemicals react differently based on the person's blood type, some will go crazy while others will become sterile. You would think that all this info in a few short chapters would feel like the author was dumping way too much information but it didn't feel like that at all.

Characters:

Our lead character is Dean and he is the socially awkward kid who isn't good with girls. Dean was a likeable character and I liked how responsible he was with the kids in the Greenway. Honestly being trapped in a supermarket with 1st graders is on my list of things I would rather avoid along side being attacked by a shark. Anyway I really liked how maturely Dean handles all the obstacles thrown at him unlike Jake and Brayden. Personally I hope in the unlikely chance that there is the apocalypse I hope I would be able to take charge like Dean did.

I wasn't as fond of the other characters as I was of Dean. We have the typical athletic jocks, the girls every guy is pining for, and the smart gal. I didn't really understand why Dean was so enamored with Astrid, she didn't really seem so special in my opinion. I personally Dean should go solo because he is too good for Astrid. I didn't like Brayden or Jake too much because they handled the situations poorly. I did like how Dean kept trying to bond with his brother and it just made me like Dean even more. Alex was too smart to be hanging with Jake and Brayden.
Plot:

Monument 14's plot is mostly character driven and it moves at a good pace. Monument 14 is mostly about how the teens handle being trapped in this Walmart-esque supermarket. We see the teens try to entertain the kids and themselves with games and other fun. Monument 14 is a bit more serious than I expected and I recommend it for older teens. There is sexual situations, drug use, and language that is definitely not suitable for younger readers. The plot focuses alot on the relationships between the characters especially Dean and his bro Alex.

Final Thoughts:
Monument 14 was an enjoyable read that really stands out in the Dystopian Literature. Basically it's Lord of Flies meets Ashfall where kids are trapped in a supermarket. Monument 14 is a great emotional outlook at what would happen if an apocalypse took place. I really found Monument 14 to be an interesting and realistic read. I'd definitely recommend to my fellow Goodreadsers and I hope my friends enjoy it as much as I did (or more!) than I did. Monument 14 has been optioned for a motion picture recently and I think it would make a great movie. For more info on the movie click here!(less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed, feiwel-and-friends

Omggggggggggg what an ending!!!!!!!

More of my reviews can be found on my blog: Literary Exploration

Monument 14 is an epic story about survival among 14 teenagers trapped in what is essentially a giant Target. Somewhat reminiscent of Ashfall by Mike Mullin (yet less violent) Monument 14 examines the different roles people take in the midst of a natural disaster. I loved this story from start to finish, and I devoured it in one day. There are so many characters, but each one has his/her own person...more Omggggggggggg what an ending!!!!!!!

More of my reviews can be found on my blog: Literary Exploration

Monument 14 is an epic story about survival among 14 teenagers trapped in what is essentially a giant Target. Somewhat reminiscent of Ashfall by Mike Mullin (yet less violent) Monument 14 examines the different roles people take in the midst of a natural disaster. I loved this story from start to finish, and I devoured it in one day. There are so many characters, but each one has his/her own personality and I found it easy to distinguish among them as well as grow to love a few. The most actions is definitely in the first 50 pages, as well as the last 50 pages, but every moment contained a tense situation that had me wondering how I would react. Monument 14 is a roller coaster of emotions that will have you gripping the edge of your seat until the last page.

While Dean isn't the most admirable character, he is definitely realistic. He's flawed, yes, but he learns to deal with his insecurities and make the tough decisions that are called. He isn't your typical heroic male protagonist which I think is what made me fall so hard for him. I saw parts of myself inside of him. That person who longs for their crush from afar, lets jealousies get the better of them, and even succumbs to peer pressure. That was Dean, as well as myself, and that's what really drew me to him. His brother Alex is also an amazing character; he's brilliant to the point where he manages to save them all on more than one occasion.

The story itself is fast paced and psychologically thrilling. While there isn't much action, the pyschological aspects really drew me in. I found myself wondering, "What role would I take on in this situation? Would I be the leader? The guy doing drugs in the sports section? The mother?" It really made me wonder how I would handle the situation myself, and I think any book that makes you think like that is a winner. The different obstacles the kids have to face are insane, from crazy survivors to an infectious gas, it's all so surreal... yet so realistic. That's the most frightening thing about a book like this: It can happen in real life!

Emmy Laybourne has created an frightening situation in which teenagers must pull out all of their survival skills as well as grow up fast. Their psychological well-being is tested, and some fold under the pressure while others rise to the occasion. Monument 14 will have you flipping pages as fast as possible, because you'll need to know how it's going to end. 14 teenagers trapped in what is essentially a mall sounds like a party, but is it? Fans of post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and survival stories will love this one! (less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Donna The Happy Booker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-dystopian-challenge, its-the-end-of-the-world-as-we-know, read-in-2012, ya

Monument 14 takes place in small town Colorado where 14 kids, ranging in ages from 5 to 16-17 find themselves trapped in a Greenway store while the world falls apart around them. On a seemingly normal day, Dean and his tech-savvy little brother Alex race to catch their school bus. On the way to school, crushing oversize hail begins denting the roof of the bus, breaking the windows, and in an effort to get the kids to safety, the two school buses quickly go to the Greenway store, which seems to b...more Monument 14 takes place in small town Colorado where 14 kids, ranging in ages from 5 to 16-17 find themselves trapped in a Greenway store while the world falls apart around them. On a seemingly normal day, Dean and his tech-savvy little brother Alex race to catch their school bus. On the way to school, crushing oversize hail begins denting the roof of the bus, breaking the windows, and in an effort to get the kids to safety, the two school buses quickly go to the Greenway store, which seems to be like a super Walmart. Once inside, the bus driver goes to find help and the 14 kids find themselves alone in the store as the riot gates come down essentially trapping them inside, which may be a good thing since they soon find out that a series of natural, and not-so-natural disasters are tearing the US to pieces around them. The Greenway store might be the safest place to be, unless they fall apart themselves.

The plot was pretty fast paced. It definitely kept me reading up into the wee hours of the night. The story had a sort of Lord of the Flies feel with the older kids having a power struggle about who would be in charge and how best to survive. I very much enjoyed the whole concept of the story while the execution sometimes left a little to be desired. Nonetheless, Monument 14 certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story is told from the perspective of Dean, a bookish teen who is chronicling the events as they unfold. The interaction between all of the characters was fascinating. There is one particular character, a 5 or 6 year old named Max who told some of the most outlandish stories about his life. While there were a few crushes and hookups among the older teens, there wasn't any real romance in this story, although it seemed to be heading in that direction.

The writing sometimes fell a bit short for me. I felt like using the teenage Dean to narrate the story was a way to compensate for less than stellar writing. The story felt choppy in places and jumped around a bit and I would have liked to seen some more character development in the older teens. However, as you see by my 4 star rating, I truly enjoyed Monument 14 and I won't hesitate to pick up the next in the series. There was quite a cliffhanger ending and not much was resolved in this book, which is a pet peeve of mine and I considered only rating this 3 stars because of that. But I didn't simply because I really liked this book, despite its flaws.

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Mar 27, 2012 Tiffany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Someone please tell Emmy Laybourne thank you.

Monument 14 was everything it promised to be and so much more. I was sucked in immediately and never released. This author did an amazing job with a genre that sometimes can be hokey or over-the-top and silly. Monument 14 was not silly. It was consistently delightful. Even as the world was turning to shit and people were dying, I couldn't wait to turn the page and find out what happened next. Inside the store and out. I didn't want it to ever end. Bu...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalypse, ya, series, 2012-read, arc-review-complete, updated

I loved the idea of Monument 14 - fourteen kids across a wide age range stuck in a superstore in the midst of tsunamis, earthquakes and a chemical weapons spill. And it is a great idea that for the most part is very well executed.

Told through the eyes of Dean, the action begins right from page one, and keeps a pretty good pace the whole way through. As the kids are stuck inside a superstore, there's not a lot of information on exactly what is happening in the outside world, just snippets that th...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Juhina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, netgalley, ebook

WOW. That was my reaction at the end of the book. That was ONE HELL OF A RIDE! Throughout the whole book I was addicted, I could not put it down, kept on reading and reading and I guess I blame my new fascination in survival novels. Put a bunch of characters in an enclosed area and let them try to survive and you've got a very happy reader (me). However Monument 14 just didn't lose its momentum! It kept on going and the addition of little kids into the mix was just pure genius. I found the chara...more WOW. That was my reaction at the end of the book. That was ONE HELL OF A RIDE! Throughout the whole book I was addicted, I could not put it down, kept on reading and reading and I guess I blame my new fascination in survival novels. Put a bunch of characters in an enclosed area and let them try to survive and you've got a very happy reader (me). However Monument 14 just didn't lose its momentum! It kept on going and the addition of little kids into the mix was just pure genius. I found the characters in Monument 14 much more likable, even though some were plain old jerks, however they all at some point banded together because in they end they all want to live. Also, the addition of the little kids gave them more responsibility and they upped they carefulness and just dimmed on their selfishness. I did have one or two characters that I just did not like, including one of the 13 year olds and a typical senior jock.

What I love in survival books is how the survival instincts of the characters kick in, and their race against time, limited resources, and basically staying sane in order to survive begins. In Monument 14, you experience all of that through the characters, and even though its told from a male POV, and I'm not fond of them, I actually felt connected to him, except for his a little too desperate one sided crush on one of the other characters. I really enjoyed Emmy's writing, the sequencing of the plot, and how she stuck to logic throughout the books, and trust me while this might seem as an obvious thing, a lot of authors derail from it towards the end of the book.

I must say, I loved the chemical spill and how different blood types react differently to it, my only question is, how can they not know their blood types? Emmy adds in the fight for survival, natural disasters, but doesn't forget the emotional side of the story, and I loved how the little kids were taken care of, how the kids grew attached to some characters, and it broke my heart to know they don't have their parents at such a young age and very crucial time. Also there is some romance thrown between some of the characters, I honestly had mixed feelings about the romances in the book but since they don't take up a big part of the book, I didn't give much thought to it. However, we reach the end of the book and then there becomes a HUGE point to the romance, because that ending? wow.

All in all, Monument 14 was such a thrilling novel, and I did not even know it was part of a series until I started writing my review so I am a bit giddy about that, since the ending was a bit unsatisfactory and open ended, but knowing there is a sequel? oh my, I can't contain my excitement waiting!!

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May 31, 2012 Sara Grochowski rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 blew me away. I devoured this debut novel and, when I finished, I found myself in a satisfied stupor wondering where the past few hours had gone.

I sometimes have difficulty connecting to male main characters, so, when I opened Monument 14 and discovered that the narrator was one of the boys trapped in the superstore, I paused for a moment. I was entirely too interested in the premise to ever put down the novel, but I wondered if Dean would detract from my reading exp...more Emmy Laybourne's Monument 14 blew me away. I devoured this debut novel and, when I finished, I found myself in a satisfied stupor wondering where the past few hours had gone.

I sometimes have difficulty connecting to male main characters, so, when I opened Monument 14 and discovered that the narrator was one of the boys trapped in the superstore, I paused for a moment. I was entirely too interested in the premise to ever put down the novel, but I wondered if Dean would detract from my reading experience... I very much wanted to put myself in the position of the main character and I didn't know if I could make myself think like a teenage boy. I can't guarantee that Dean's thinking and actions were entirely true to life, but he felt realistic enough to me that I never forgot the fact that he was a boy, but I could still understand his emotions and motivations. In the end, I grew to like Dean a lot and I was happy that he, rather than one of the girls trapped in the superstore, was the narrator.

One of the most interesting aspects of this novel was the presence of small children as well as teens. I think having small children trapped as well added another dimension and sense of urgency to the situation. I found the differences between the reactions of each age group really put things into perspective... for both the characters themselves and the reader. It's already crazy that these teens are trapped and had to learn to trust one another and work together, but then to throw in small children that are alternately panicked or wanting to play and do something fun... the situation was terrifyingly real.

The giant hailstorm, the chemical weapons spill, the bus crashes, and the other events that lead to the fourteen kids being trapped inside the superstore all seemed carefully thought out and contained just enough detail to create a realistic picture within the reader's mind. The entire novel felt very cinematic. I actually found myself matching characters from the novel to people I knew in real life. Each character felt so impossibly real that my mind needed a three-dimensional body to go along with the personality Laybourne created.

Monument 14 has landed a spot on my Best of 2012 list. I'm already anxious for the next installment, as the novel ended on a cliffhanger... I seriously get shivers just thinking about the intensity of the final scenes!(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Aiman Gebara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, awesome-covers, 2012-favorites

this book far exceeded my expectations and it was hectic!! loved the beginning and loved the ending and i srsly can not wait for part 2 and see what dean is going to do and how his going to step up also the romance between him and Astrid is going to be intense :DD hope in book 2 they like make the chemicals do more weird stuff to the humans and ... yeh that was a really good book and im looking forward to reading more books by this author . :)

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May 06, 2012 Jean-Paul Adriaansen rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a great Young Adult book! Captivating from the first to the last page. What a story; believable protagonists; a super fast pace.
Threatened by earthquakes and chemical disasters, little kids, middle schoolers, and young adults have to survive in a super market.
Great story! I want to read the sequel and I want it NOW :)

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Dec 21, 2011 Melannie :) marked it as to-read

Shelves: most-anticipated, need-now

I've always wanted to live in Walmart.

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May 08, 2013 Tracy rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of my favourite things about working in a book store is when I come across a book while shelving and I think to myself ‘Well that sounds good. Maybe I’ll give this one a try.’, and then the book completely blows me away. This is what happened when I chose Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. I chose it on a whim thinking it might be good enough to recommend to the parents that come in looking for a book for their son to read. What I got was a phenomenal read for anyone that enjoys YA dystopian fic...more One of my favourite things about working in a book store is when I come across a book while shelving and I think to myself ‘Well that sounds good. Maybe I’ll give this one a try.’, and then the book completely blows me away. This is what happened when I chose Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. I chose it on a whim thinking it might be good enough to recommend to the parents that come in looking for a book for their son to read. What I got was a phenomenal read for anyone that enjoys YA dystopian fiction. What I discovered was a book that rivals Hunger Games.

An unexpected tale of survival, similar to Lord of the Flies, Monument 14 is a terrifyingly beautiful look at how a group of kids survive earth shattering disasters and a chemical weapons spill. On the way to school one morning two buses are caught in a massive hailstorm causing one bus to overturn while the driver of the other one drives through a nearby super store to protect the kids on board. This courageous driver goes back to rescue the kids on the other bus and deliveries them to the safety of the store. The driver tells the six high school, two middle school and six elementary students to lock themselves in the store until she comes back and to let in no one but her.

The story takes place over 12 days as the older kids struggle with their own fears while trying to keep the young ones from freaking out. The struggle for power, the desperate need to bring some normality to a bizarre situation. The exposure to dangerous compounds that effect each person differently depending on their blood type. All of this and so much more show the amazing resilience of the human spirit, of how good and evil reside in all of us, and what it takes to really survive. It shows that no matter our differences physically, intelligence, language, or age we are all necessary to survival. We each bring our own strength and capabilities to the groups survival.

A glorious tale that will grip you from beginning to end, a phenomenal read that will you leave you wanting more, that you will devour in one sitting is what you’ll get when you pick up a copy of Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. I suggest you pick it up at your earliest convenience. The only disappointment would be in the cliff hanger ending. Luckily I only have to wait for the end of May for the sequel, Monument 14: Sky on Fire.
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May 03, 2013 LH Johnson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, gritty, young-adult

When the world turns upside down, 14 children find themselves trapped in their local superstore. Things outside are dangerous. Terrifying. Mammoth sized hail, earthquakes and - monsters.

Dean, one of the children, decides to keep a diary. This is that diary.

The first in a series, Monument 14 is problematic. It's a superb, superb premise. Who hasn't been round one of those huge stores, full of everything, and thought that they could live in one of these places? It's a premise similar to that exp...more When the world turns upside down, 14 children find themselves trapped in their local superstore. Things outside are dangerous. Terrifying. Mammoth sized hail, earthquakes and - monsters.

Dean, one of the children, decides to keep a diary. This is that diary.

The first in a series, Monument 14 is problematic. It's a superb, superb premise. Who hasn't been round one of those huge stores, full of everything, and thought that they could live in one of these places? It's a premise similar to that explored by Charlie Higson in The Enemy although that spins off quite swiftly into a viciously dark dystopia. And I think that maybe that's where Monument 14 struggled for me.

The problem of isolating your characters in a safe house is that you've done that. You've isolated your characters in a safe house and, as such, removed a lot of the fear and tension of a novel that should be burning with it. And this book does burn with tension but only when we acknowledge the outside world. During those moments it's brilliant. But tthere's only so much store domesticity that I can cope with reading and when it gets to the fifteenth discussion of what the kids are eating, then I start to switch off.

But maybe that's as a result of the narrator and I have to say that Laybourne does catch that young teenage voice really well. She writes that sort of skippy hormonal narrative brilliantly and very much catches the voice of her narrator. I really enjoyed her portrayal of the little kids as well and Caroline and Henry are adorable.

The thing is, I'm just not sure that the teenage side of this story, the melodrama and the awkward love triangles, actually *is* the story. For me, the story is on the edges of the superstore, on those moments when you look out the windows, or see a shadow beyond the warehouse door that stays there for just that little bit too long, and the moments when you realise that the super store might not save you - it might actually get you killed. That's what I wanted from this, I think, and that's not quite what it is.
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Apr 26, 2013 PickyReader rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, apocalyptic-fun, born-to-fight, deliciously-dark, dystopia, fantasy, imma-survivor, older-teenage-books, romance, starts-a-series

I was hoping this would be my new favorite book. But it's not. Bummerrrrr.

I've always loved apocalyptic books, and the beginning of the book was no exception. I loved the plot of the kids being trapped in a store. The pace of the book rocks, and the action is graphically realistic. It feels like something like the storms could happen in the next second so well the action is depicted. The writing style and characters are not really memorable because the reader is so focused on the action and "wha...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

I really enjoyed MONUMENT 14. I haven't read that many books where the actual apocalyptic event is occurring during the book. Mostly it's just post-apocalyptic. This time line was very interesting and refreshing.

MONUMENT 14 didn't exactly focus on the catastrophic events, but instead it had more of a Lord of the Flies feel to it. The story focused mostly on the kids and their survival in the big super store. What the book did shed light on -- the hail storm, the tsunami, the earth quake, and the...more I really enjoyed MONUMENT 14. I haven't read that many books where the actual apocalyptic event is occurring during the book. Mostly it's just post-apocalyptic. This time line was very interesting and refreshing.

MONUMENT 14 didn't exactly focus on the catastrophic events, but instead it had more of a Lord of the Flies feel to it. The story focused mostly on the kids and their survival in the big super store. What the book did shed light on -- the hail storm, the tsunami, the earth quake, and the chemical leak -- well, that was pretty scary. Imagine a mega-tsunami leveling New York City. Or biochemical warfare that entirely changes a person, into an animal. The best part of it all was being able to 'watch' the CNN broadcasts during the whole thing. I thought that part was amazing and I'm so happy it was included.

Inside the super store (think Walmart) 14 teenagers and elementary aged kids have to learn to fend for themselves. The transformations were remarkable. I loved watching Dean, our MC, learn to appreciate the little kids as individuals, and also change his perceptions of the so-called popular kids. The big kids, that is, the teens, really stepped up to the plate to make the store more comfortable to the little kids, introducing order and schedules.

I really liked Dean. He was funny, in a self-deprecating kind of way. He didn't really take himself too, too seriously. I loved his crush on Astrid, and how he sort of flailed around like a headless chicken every time she talked to him. I liked Josie, too. She was really affected by the hail storm, and the bus crash that landed them in the super store, but once she overcame her initial shock, she really grew as a character. She pushed herself to become a leader to the little kids and to the big kids.

The end came a little quickly for me, but I'm really hoping there's a sequel. We were left with a ginormous loose end, and a lot of hope.

Please note that there is some sexual content in this book -- nothing too graphic -- so I wouldn't recommend giving this to your elementary aged child, even if that age group is represented in the book.

I would recommend it to older audiences though, especially those who loved Lord of the Flies and other dystopia, and post-apocalyptic fiction. MONUMENT 14 takes a look at the genre with fresh eyes, and gives us a glimpse into a world that could lead to the rebellion and oppressive societies we've all been reading about. It's a wonderful story of survival and friendship, with a main character who is easy to relate to. (less)

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Apr 09, 2013 The Twins Read rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: purchased, michelle-s-shelf

Original Rating: 3.5/5

This review can originally be found at The Twins Read.

It was a day just like any other... until hail the size of boulders started pummeling down from the sky. Fourteen kids are lucky enough to be stranded into a huge super store, because outside? It's an apocalyptic dream come true. Driven apart by social hierarchy but begrudgingly brought together by the course of events, these fourteen kids must work together to keep themselves alive to find their families.

I think book...more Original Rating: 3.5/5

This review can originally be found at The Twins Read.

It was a day just like any other... until hail the size of boulders started pummeling down from the sky. Fourteen kids are lucky enough to be stranded into a huge super store, because outside? It's an apocalyptic dream come true. Driven apart by social hierarchy but begrudgingly brought together by the course of events, these fourteen kids must work together to keep themselves alive to find their families.

I think book covers are very important as they set the overall mood and theme of the story. With Monument 14 briefly sitting on my dedicated To Be Read shelf and the blurb not giving me any clue of the gender of the protagonist, I honestly believed that the protagonist would be a girl (Look at that person in the hoodie in the middle! How can that not be a girl?!) It is with this particular mindset that I delve into Monument 14, only to find out that the protagonist of the story was a character named Dean and he was decidedly not a girl. Or so I initially thought. I just really couldn't see him as a very convincing male lead. There's a fine line between being a pansy and being a generally nice guy, and I think I classified Dean under the former. I wasn't really surprised then that Astrid, the girl of his dreams, didn't really feel anything for him. The reason why guys like the jocks Jake and Brayden get the girls isn't just really because they're jerks - they ooze confidence, which is something that Dean doesn't have a lot of. Pardon me, Dean, but I don't think staring intensely at your crush - all the while being a bit creepy, at that- will help you get the girl.

But then, something hit me. Maybe, just maybe, Laybourne used Dean as a means to prove the point that, Hey, this whole apocalypse thing? It can totally happen to you. It is with this thought in mind that made Monument 14 suddenly a little bit more interesting for me. Although it was pretty hard to ignore the protagonist (Sorry, Dean.) Laybourne presents a totally feasible apocalyptic scenario that lures in the reader to assess his/her own decisions, if given the choice. I thought that the part with the fumes affecting people according to their blood type was pretty interesting, as I would have made an addition to the people who turned into totally violent maniacs.

Laybourne's Monument 14 experiments with different kinds of people and pits them against each other and against the circumstances when the society we've always known has been left in tatters. Being a fan of apocalyptic theories and dystopian settings, this was probably the reason why the premise of Monument 14 appealed to me.

Despite the fact that it was an okay read, I don't think I will be getting the next book. I think Laybourne's Monument 14 had been enough to give me a glimpse of a horrifyingly plausible scenario.(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I like apocalyptic novels that don't veer into horror --- that are mostly about what people did and how they handled the situation psychologically --- and this one definitely fit the bill. Despite what other reviewers have said, I found it gripping all the way through and felt nearly all the characters were well-rounded (except, maybe, for some of the little kids).

Two little things bothered me, but not enough to dock a star. First, I wish they'd just called the store the kids get trapped inside...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Paula HG rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: meh

I really liked it, it was really realistic but at the same time I hated that about the book because our MC was a no one, yes he might end up being kind of important but half the book? HE WAS A NOBODY in a group of kids where Laybourne could have written about any of them. So yeah, that was my problem with Dean (our MC). Astrid? WHAAAAAAAT? Emmy Laybourne, I don't know if you're a man or a woman but either way it is very disappointing to find out a guy is IN LOVE with a girl only because she look...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Remedyleaf rated it 4 of 5 stars

Monument 14 is from the point of view of Dean, a high schooler who is stuck in a futuristic Supterstore with 13 other kids. 5 other teens. 1 8th grader. And 6 elementary school students. No adults. The world outside is waging with natural disasters. What could go wrong?

When I first read about Monument 14 I was totally excited to see this common RP (Role Play) plot be turned into a novel.

The writing was lovely, not too wordy, and very to the point. Laybourne managed to develop the characters in...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Reading Teen rated it 5 of 5 stars

At a Glance:

At first glance, Monument 14 is just another of the multitude of apocalyptic-story-centered-on-a-teenager books that have come out this year. We've all seen something along these lines before, right? Well going past the cover, I discovered on the very first page that this isn't just some other book. It had me hooked right from the start and I was immediately drawn into the story.

Cover:

I love the cover of this book. The simplicity of the characters standing together as a massive torna...more

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Astrid and the ending Spoilers	12	91	Jan 28, 2013 12:19pm
YA Buddy Readers'...: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne--> starting 1/18	20	27	Jan 22, 2013 08:00am
What's The Name o...: Book about teens that get stuck in a store (like walmart or something) and it's the end of world[s]	8	54	Dec 25, 2012 11:20pm
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About Emmy Laybourne

Emmy Laybourne is a writer, actress and teacher who lives in upstate New York. In June of 2012, Emmy’s debut novel, MONUMENT 14, was released by Feiwel & Friends, a division of Macmillan.

MONUMENT 14 is a post-apocalyptic Young Adult thriller that follows the story of fourteen kids who get trapped in a superstore while civilization collapses outside the gates.

The novel received a starred revi...more

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Books by Emmy Laybourne

Dress Your Marines in White (Monument 14, #0.5)

Jake and the Other Girl: A Tor.Com Original

Fierce Reads Chapter Sampler: Chapters from: Monument 14, Of Poseidon, Shadow and Bone, Struck

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Quotes from Monument 14

“Night came and fell hard.
Not like God drawing a blanket over our land
But like someone snuffing a candle.
Sudden and total.
Out—just like that.
Now we are waiting.
Waiting in the dark
To see if someone
Will switch on the light.
We can cower,
We can fear,
We can get lost together or
Get lost alone.
But the truth is:
I am the light. You are the light.
We are lit up together.
We are silhouettes of sunlight
cast against the night.
Shining now, let us
Shining, hold the light,
Shining, so that our families
Can find us.
Shining.” — 13 people liked it

“Your mother hollers that you're going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don't stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don't thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not- you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.
Only, if it's the last you'll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you'd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.
But the bus was barreling down our street so i ran.” — 6 people liked it

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