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Prepped
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For fans of Jeff Zentner and Katie Henry comes a thrilling and funny debut about a teen raised in a doomsday community who plots her escape with the boy from the bunker next door.
Always be ready for the worst day of your life.
This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes surv ...more
Always be ready for the worst day of your life.
This is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family is part of a community of doomsday preppers, a neighborhood that prioritizes surv ...more
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Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
February 23rd 2021
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Start your review of Prepped

Prepped is certainly a unique read thematically. It follows the story of Becca Aldaine whose family are doomsday preppers. But Becca wants nothing to do with them. She feels trapped. All she wants is a normal existence away from her family and their dangerous trials that they subject her to. They have her future mapped out for her including what boy she should marry, fellow teenage doomsday prepper Roy, and what job she should have. But Becca’s dream is to go to university and live life on her t
...more

This is probably the most unique book I've ever read - doomsday community, where family shouldn't always come first, a teen trying to escape the ludicrousy of her life.
- Follows Becca, a white-American teen whose family is part of a doomsday community, and desperately wants to escape, especially when things start to get serious when tragedy strikes.
- This book explores doomsday communities. I have to admit, I don't know much about them, but it was interesting to imagine how they may function, t ...more
- Follows Becca, a white-American teen whose family is part of a doomsday community, and desperately wants to escape, especially when things start to get serious when tragedy strikes.
- This book explores doomsday communities. I have to admit, I don't know much about them, but it was interesting to imagine how they may function, t ...more

How I read this: Free ebook copy received from publicist
This book was so good!!! I don’t even know where to start. I wish I could write a better review for Prepped – cause it was amazing and it deserves it. But all I have is this bundle of emotion in my heart after finishing it, and I can’t translate it into words! It was so MUCH, and it was about so many things – abusive households, fanaticism, people not caring – but also love, caring for your close ones, fighting for your future, belief in th ...more
This book was so good!!! I don’t even know where to start. I wish I could write a better review for Prepped – cause it was amazing and it deserves it. But all I have is this bundle of emotion in my heart after finishing it, and I can’t translate it into words! It was so MUCH, and it was about so many things – abusive households, fanaticism, people not caring – but also love, caring for your close ones, fighting for your future, belief in th ...more

PREPPED is an intense book that stuck with me long after I turned the last page. Thank you to Books Forward PR and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you’re looking for a fast-paced contemporary YA book that has you on the edge of your seat, I’d highly recommend this. It’s also a satisfying and unexpected book with moral dilemmas within.
Our main character Becca Aldridge has grown up in a doomsday prepper community. She attends your average suburban high school, but ...more
If you’re looking for a fast-paced contemporary YA book that has you on the edge of your seat, I’d highly recommend this. It’s also a satisfying and unexpected book with moral dilemmas within.
Our main character Becca Aldridge has grown up in a doomsday prepper community. She attends your average suburban high school, but ...more

This was a great YA book! Funny at times, but also quite heartbreaking.
Becca and Roy are about to graduate from high school, they've got their whole lives ahead of them. But they've grown up in a community of doomsday preppers and they have no say in their future. So what do they do? Plan to run away, of course! I really liked these two characters and their relationship. Their lives were anything but ordinary, and yet they still had very ordinary teenage feelings and emotions. It was fun to see ...more
Becca and Roy are about to graduate from high school, they've got their whole lives ahead of them. But they've grown up in a community of doomsday preppers and they have no say in their future. So what do they do? Plan to run away, of course! I really liked these two characters and their relationship. Their lives were anything but ordinary, and yet they still had very ordinary teenage feelings and emotions. It was fun to see ...more

*this earc was given to me by the author to give an honest review in return*
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s about Becca who is stuck with her parents that are doomsday preppers meaning they do different drills everyday for the future. Becca is sick of it and wants to leave her home until her father has an accident which means she can’t leave her little sister alone at home. This was a very interesting book and I haven’t read anything like this. The author’s writing was well done and of course ...more
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s about Becca who is stuck with her parents that are doomsday preppers meaning they do different drills everyday for the future. Becca is sick of it and wants to leave her home until her father has an accident which means she can’t leave her little sister alone at home. This was a very interesting book and I haven’t read anything like this. The author’s writing was well done and of course ...more

Prepped by Bethany Mangle tells the story of a girl named Becca who has grown up in a community of doomsday preppers. Her father, her mother, and their entire neighborhood pride themselves on prioritizing survivalist training over anything else. They’ve even arranged Becca’s marriage to her neighbor Roy Kang. The thing is, Becca wants out. She wants to go to college and study physics. When Roy suggests they run away together, Becca wants to leave, but she can't leave her sister behind to be brai
...more

Rating: 4.5 Stars
Becca was a third generation doomsday prepper, who was determined to escape this life. She had a plan and all the pieces were falling into place, but after tragedy strikes, would she be able to leave her little sister behind?
This book was wild! That's the best way I can think to describe it. If I wasn't laughing, I was shaking my head in disbelief or trying to calm my racing heart. I found myself throughly entertained and engrossed in this story from beginning to end as I exper ...more
Becca was a third generation doomsday prepper, who was determined to escape this life. She had a plan and all the pieces were falling into place, but after tragedy strikes, would she be able to leave her little sister behind?
This book was wild! That's the best way I can think to describe it. If I wasn't laughing, I was shaking my head in disbelief or trying to calm my racing heart. I found myself throughly entertained and engrossed in this story from beginning to end as I exper ...more

*ARC Review*
It's been a long, long time since I've read a book in one sitting... but I devoured Prepped over the course of one late morning/early afternoon! The story moves at a quick pace, the voice is strong, and, above all, I absolutely adored the depiction of the lengths a sister will go to for her younger sibling. ...more
It's been a long, long time since I've read a book in one sitting... but I devoured Prepped over the course of one late morning/early afternoon! The story moves at a quick pace, the voice is strong, and, above all, I absolutely adored the depiction of the lengths a sister will go to for her younger sibling. ...more

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I need to read more survivalist stories because not only is it intriguing for me, but I find the conflict between preparation and life fascinating. The ways it tries to prepare for all outcomes, to teach skills we might need, and, in some aspects, the fears it stokes. The ways we see danger and risk in daily situations, fear in the 'simple' things. Where Prepped excels is creating th ...more
I need to read more survivalist stories because not only is it intriguing for me, but I find the conflict between preparation and life fascinating. The ways it tries to prepare for all outcomes, to teach skills we might need, and, in some aspects, the fears it stokes. The ways we see danger and risk in daily situations, fear in the 'simple' things. Where Prepped excels is creating th ...more

Full review at: https://readingourshelves.com/2021/01...
I was not prepared for how poignant, tense, and frustrating this novel was going to be! The kids in this community literally exist to keep the species going, and calling the parents “detached” would be an understatement.
Thankfully, this story is fictional. But, like any good piece of fiction, the emotions it brings up are very real.
The heroine here is Becca Adlaine, whose parents run the aforementioned prepper community. She is a high schoo ...more
I was not prepared for how poignant, tense, and frustrating this novel was going to be! The kids in this community literally exist to keep the species going, and calling the parents “detached” would be an understatement.
Thankfully, this story is fictional. But, like any good piece of fiction, the emotions it brings up are very real.
The heroine here is Becca Adlaine, whose parents run the aforementioned prepper community. She is a high schoo ...more

There’s being prepared for the end of the world, and then there’s being prepared for the end of your world.
Becca’s cynical resistance to her parents brainwashing doomsday philosophy strolls right past parental resentment into a full blown secret plan to flee to college on a scholarship and leave it all behind. But she can’t. Not when her Dad has an accident that leaves him in a coma, her mother doesn’t seem to care, and her little sister Katie starts to believe in the fear.
Becca’s plans for the ...more
Becca’s cynical resistance to her parents brainwashing doomsday philosophy strolls right past parental resentment into a full blown secret plan to flee to college on a scholarship and leave it all behind. But she can’t. Not when her Dad has an accident that leaves him in a coma, her mother doesn’t seem to care, and her little sister Katie starts to believe in the fear.
Becca’s plans for the ...more

The cover of this book is what initially caught my eye. It looks like the cover of an old instruction training manual. The bright orange colour will certainly make it stand out on a book store shelf.
This book is about preppers, but not in an actual catastrophic situation. This is a group of people who believe the end is coming and they are preparing for any and every eventuality. Their motto is "Always be ready for the worst day of your life". The leader of the prepping community that all live i ...more
This book is about preppers, but not in an actual catastrophic situation. This is a group of people who believe the end is coming and they are preparing for any and every eventuality. Their motto is "Always be ready for the worst day of your life". The leader of the prepping community that all live i ...more

Always be ready for the worst day of your life is the mantra that Becca Aldaine has grown up with. Her family are the leaders of a community of doomsday preppers in an exclusive neighborhood that prioritizes survivalist training over the norms of everyday school life, like class trips and senior prom. They’ve gone so far as to arrange Becca’s future marriage with Roy Kang, the only eligible boy in their community. Becca doesn’t have the heart to tell Roy or anyone around her that she can’t stay
...more

Prepped was a really interesting book to me. I thought that the synopsis says that Becca and Roy leave their community right away, but I was surprised when it didn’t happen at the beginning.
Sometimes I don’t really like the will they, won’t they trope, but in this case it worked. I think it was because it wasn’t for the romantic relationship, but for whether or not they were going to leave the community. I really like the relationship between Becca and her little sister. Their relationship kind ...more
Sometimes I don’t really like the will they, won’t they trope, but in this case it worked. I think it was because it wasn’t for the romantic relationship, but for whether or not they were going to leave the community. I really like the relationship between Becca and her little sister. Their relationship kind ...more

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
When I added this to my Goodreads shelves, I realized I didn't really know how to categorize it. Yes, it's realistic fiction, but it is also about the reality of being a doomsday prepper, which doesn't really fit with all of my other "realistic fiction" stories. But I didn't want to add a "fanatics" shelf, so here we are.
This was a funny, moving story that had moments of brill ...more
When I added this to my Goodreads shelves, I realized I didn't really know how to categorize it. Yes, it's realistic fiction, but it is also about the reality of being a doomsday prepper, which doesn't really fit with all of my other "realistic fiction" stories. But I didn't want to add a "fanatics" shelf, so here we are.
This was a funny, moving story that had moments of brill ...more

Interesting tale of a teenage girl named Becca brought up to be a doomsday survivalist. Her parents, especially father, are strict diehard doomsday preppers. They live in a community of isolationists. The children live in a existence in which their daily lives and activities are not the usual as everyone else. Becca is anxious to get away from this life by anticipating going to college which is her only escape.
This is a different storyline through the perspective of a young girl. One can only i ...more
This is a different storyline through the perspective of a young girl. One can only i ...more

This book was more interesting than I expected and I was pretty into the storyline. I could NOT get invested in the characters, however. Just when I would be getting attached, the personality of the character would abruptly change. At one point, the sweet, trusting, innocent litttle sister turned into a full-fledged doomsday prepper herself. Just about every other character had a similar personality replacement as well. That and other things (the main character’s dad died without her knowing for
...more

August 21, 2020: I don't know what to say except that this book sounds really cool. I mean, thrillers that are funny? YES
...more

A pacy and surprisingly emotional novel about a girl who lives in a small doomsday prepping community. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse inside the world of Prepping - I was fascinated with every detail. The main character's interactions with her parents are full of juicy tension, and the romantic element that surfaced and bloomed was sweet. This was a great read!
...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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A great book that's more than the sum of its parts.
Prepped! follows the story of Rebecca "Becca" Aldaine, the salutatorian at her High School, big sister to Katie-Cat, and arranged-engaged to Roy Kang. Most importantly, she's a survivor, in more ways than one: Becca's entire life revolves around the doomsday preparation community she's been locked into since birth.
Mangle's writing style is strong and full of effective characterization, and this is perhaps her greatest point as an author: she's e ...more
Prepped! follows the story of Rebecca "Becca" Aldaine, the salutatorian at her High School, big sister to Katie-Cat, and arranged-engaged to Roy Kang. Most importantly, she's a survivor, in more ways than one: Becca's entire life revolves around the doomsday preparation community she's been locked into since birth.
Mangle's writing style is strong and full of effective characterization, and this is perhaps her greatest point as an author: she's e ...more

What if you were a teen growing up in a family prepping for doomsday? How would their lifestyle cramp your own chances to figure out your preferences and find your talents? In Bethany Mangle’s debut novel Prepped, you’ll discover how one competent young woman with ideas of her own copes with the oppression of a family obsessed with the end of the world.
When we first meet Becca Aldaine she is struggling through a cold-water survival exercise with three other teens, including the boy her parents h ...more
When we first meet Becca Aldaine she is struggling through a cold-water survival exercise with three other teens, including the boy her parents h ...more

Rating 4.5
The book "Prepped" by Bethany Mangle takes your emotions on a rollercoaster. Certain characters, situations, or interactions, will make you want to laugh, gasp, scream, cry, or throw the book in anger. You won't be mad at the author but instead of what the main character Becca is being put through by supposed friends and family. The author did such a great job of creating a main character who is confused and questions what to do with her life due to being raised as a prepper. Becca doe ...more
The book "Prepped" by Bethany Mangle takes your emotions on a rollercoaster. Certain characters, situations, or interactions, will make you want to laugh, gasp, scream, cry, or throw the book in anger. You won't be mad at the author but instead of what the main character Becca is being put through by supposed friends and family. The author did such a great job of creating a main character who is confused and questions what to do with her life due to being raised as a prepper. Becca doe ...more

Fun. The last year has seen a bunch of YA prepper fiction, and for some reason I find it deeply compelling (...never having met a prepper myself, and without having any desire to do so...). Here, Becca is a third-gen doomsday prepper: her parents were born into it, she was born into it, and the expectation is that she'll marry her prepper boyfriend (chosen by her parents to ensure continued diversity of gene pool) and pop out a couple of prepper kids and take on a prepper-approved career that wi
...more

PREPPED is a really captivating YA contemporary fiction. Becca is 17 years old and dreams of going away to college to study physics. She has applied and needs a good financial aid package to make it. Becca lives with her parents and younger sister in a unique community in Ohio - a community of preppers. This means that Becca's life is dictated by preparing for the end of the world, including horrible (life-threatening) prepper exercises designed to prepare her for apocalyptic scenarios, like tre
...more

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Prepped was definitely unlike anything I have read before! We meet Becca, who is living with her "parents" (I use quotations because they are evil and shouldn't be allowed to call themselves that) and little sister in a doomsday prepper neighborhood. I had no idea those were a thing. Are they? I don't know, it seems like it could be, because sometimes people are extra. Anyway, because sh ...more
Prepped was definitely unlike anything I have read before! We meet Becca, who is living with her "parents" (I use quotations because they are evil and shouldn't be allowed to call themselves that) and little sister in a doomsday prepper neighborhood. I had no idea those were a thing. Are they? I don't know, it seems like it could be, because sometimes people are extra. Anyway, because sh ...more

3.25 stars. When I was invited to read Prepped by Bethany Mangle through BooksForward, I was excited by the premise. It sounded applicable to the current times and unlike anything I'd read before. Not only did I read this young adult novel about doomsday preppers during a pandemic, but I was also stuck at home in Texas during an apocalyptic snowstorm unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.
While Prepped didn't quite go in the direction I thought it would, I was still entertained. It's a soli ...more
While Prepped didn't quite go in the direction I thought it would, I was still entertained. It's a soli ...more

Nov 18, 2020
Amanda Cresse
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ok_consideration,
netgalley
I haven't read any other YA book about "doomsday preppers" --And, what perfect timing as we are in the midst of the 2020 toilet paper scare! Prepped is a unique look at an extreme (AKA: ~CRAZY~) prepping community and its effects on teenage normalcy.
Becca can't wait to escape her prepping community and all their craziness. They push the training too far and have forgotten that relationships are what make life worth living. If the end of the world happens, they may be prepared, but I wouldn't wa ...more
Becca can't wait to escape her prepping community and all their craziness. They push the training too far and have forgotten that relationships are what make life worth living. If the end of the world happens, they may be prepared, but I wouldn't wa ...more

✰✰✰✰
[4 stars]
R E V I E W ↴
Prepped has such an interesting premise and was incredibly enjoyable to read! The writing style was very digestible and snappy, and there were a TON of hilarious lines and bits of humor that helped lighten up the heavy themes. I got so pissed off at the parents who were part of the doomsday prepper community so many times throughout this book, but tbh I don't doubt that there are people like that out there and while this situation was definitely on the extreme end, the ...more
[4 stars]
R E V I E W ↴
Prepped has such an interesting premise and was incredibly enjoyable to read! The writing style was very digestible and snappy, and there were a TON of hilarious lines and bits of humor that helped lighten up the heavy themes. I got so pissed off at the parents who were part of the doomsday prepper community so many times throughout this book, but tbh I don't doubt that there are people like that out there and while this situation was definitely on the extreme end, the ...more
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Bethany Mangle writes young adult contemporary fiction, but her tastes as a reader are extremely varied. She has a particular love of fantasy and science fiction. When she isn't writing, she enjoys baking questionable cakes and spoiling her dog.
Her novel, PREPPED, will be published in Spring 2021 by Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books. Bethany is represented by Jennifer Wills and Nicole Resciniti of ...more
Her novel, PREPPED, will be published in Spring 2021 by Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books. Bethany is represented by Jennifer Wills and Nicole Resciniti of ...more
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