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This World We Live In

(Last Survivors #3)

Susan Beth Pfeffer

3.80 · Rating details · 29,674 ratings · 2,668 reviews

It’s been a year since a meteor collided with the moon, catastrophically altering the earth’s climate. For Miranda Evans, life as she knew it no longer exists. Her friends and neighbors are dead, the landscape is frozen, and food is increasingly scarce.

The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. O ...more

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Hardcover, 256 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by Harcourt Children's Books

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Jun 17, 2010 karen rated it it was ok

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

it's comin' to get ya!

so - this series is over, i reckon. and i'm not terribly sad to see it go. she had a golden shiny opportunity here, and she kinda blew it. you can't feel bad for her, it's like a celebrity sex scandal; the destruction was purely self-destruction.

this is why it could have been awesome:

the premise of this series is fantastic; it presents an opportunity for real scientific discussions of what the moon (if you believe in the moon) controls,and speculations on what would happen ...more

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May 16, 2010 Flannery rated it liked it

Shelves: kcls, read-in-2010, young-adult-teen

If you could hear me now, you'd be hearing a loud a dramatic *sigh*. I liked this series, and I kind of want to give this one two stars but...I can't. Reading this series is like eating french fries--even when it's not that great, it's still pretty good.

FROM THIS POINT ON, IT IS BASICALLY ONE LONG SPOILER. YOU WERE WARNED.

Now, we all know I wanted to murder Alex in the last book for not breaking down walls and stealing *&^% from other apartments. I believe other reviewers have mentioned the sam If you could hear me now, you'd be hearing a loud a dramatic *sigh*. I liked this series, and I kind of want to give this one two stars but...I can't. Reading this series is like eating french fries--even when it's not that great, it's still pretty good.

FROM THIS POINT ON, IT IS BASICALLY ONE LONG SPOILER. YOU WERE WARNED.

Now, we all know I wanted to murder Alex in the last book for not breaking down walls and stealing *&^% from other apartments. I believe other reviewers have mentioned the same flaw in this book. I get Miranda's family not ransacking in the first book because people were still alive and around the neighborhood. At this point, pretty much everyone is, as the second book title alludes to, DEAD and/or GONE (The Dead and the Gone). Anyway, EARTH TO IDIOTS: If you are not eating very much, living in a post-catastrophe world, and planning to stay where you are indefinitely, get your ass on a bike and go through every frakking house in your town. I mean, seriously? SERIOUSLY? Also, I have the same problem in this book that I did with Alex's book--namely, if you're house isn't working for you, MOVE. Everywhere is empty! It's like the lottery--find the best house for your purposes and MOVE THERE. Sure, it would be tough and hard work to move your family but listen-->Their house is flooding, it is freezing, etc. Here's an idea: move closer to a stream with fish. Or to a farm with a windmill for power. Or a house that is more updated and airtight. Or to a house with no basement to flood. Or to a house with more supplies. Or to a house that allows for easier fortification.

I'd also like to know how the heck all these people that are traveling are finding food. Nice ending, SBP. They have hardly any food while they are sitting still. We are supposed to just accept that they are going to wing it on the road and make it to Tennessee whenever they just had hail and tornadoes in Pennsylvania? Welp, I guess the entire cast of characters is dead. And I really don't think that's the point because she kept beating the dead horse about how important the damn baby in the book was. Speaking of the baby, let me give it to you straight: Say you are a family who almost died. You scrapped it together after almost freezing to death, dying of illness, and starving. You've finally obtained some sense of order with food deliveries. You've sort of come to accept that everyone you've ever known and/or loved is dead or gone forever. Then BAM! Your dad shows up with SIX more mouths to feed (I'm counting Lisa as two because she did eat for two people). Um, thanks? No way. I'd be looking through the peephole and pretending I'm not home like we all do when see Jehovah's Witnesses or the census takers at our door. (let's be honest here)Alright, maybe I'd let my dad in.

And don't even get me started on Alex's religion or the ridiculous romances in this book. I guess I'd take what I can get in a post-apocalyptic world but, let's all call it what it is: settling. Stop telling people you love them when you just met them yesterday. Especially if they are cat killers or people that want to drop their sister at a convent and are constantly weeping like a little schoolgirl.

The sad truth of the matter is this: If SBP wrote another book, I'd still read it. I'm such a sucker.
...more

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Nov 25, 2018 Trina (Between Chapters) rated it did not like it

Shelves: audiobooks, 2018, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

Ableist garbage.

A character becomes paralyzed after an accident and everyone starts talking about how death is preferable to living with a disability and the MC literally murders that character as a "mercy." Look, I understand the world but that's not a good argument for this happening. First of all, that decision was NOT the MC's to make. But moreso, why write this in at all? It only served to dehumanize people with disabilities. Just killing off the character would have been quicker and not in ...more

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Nov 14, 2017 Juli rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-local-library-2017

In this 3rd book in the Last Survivors series, the two groups of survivors depicted in books 1 and 2 come together. Humanity faces possible extinction as natural disasters and climate changes hit Earth following an asteroid strike pushing the moon closer to the planet. It's been a year since the disaster. Very few people remain alive. This group of 10 survivors faces not only the daily fight for survival, but also their own emotions, weaknesses and fears. They must learn to live and work togethe ...more

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Apr 24, 2010 Valerie rated it it was ok

Shelves: sci-fi

You really could read the description or blurb of the book and basically get the whole story. Of course you don't get the same feel of it and this book gives the same message as the first two. The description gives you most of the plot except for the big decision that Miranda has to make.

The whole book was put in Miranda's point of view and I was somewhat disappointed about that. Out of the other Last Survivor books I liked Alex's point of view better than Miranda's.

As for the relationship bet You really could read the description or blurb of the book and basically get the whole story. Of course you don't get the same feel of it and this book gives the same message as the first two. The description gives you most of the plot except for the big decision that Miranda has to make.

The whole book was put in Miranda's point of view and I was somewhat disappointed about that. Out of the other Last Survivor books I liked Alex's point of view better than Miranda's.

As for the relationship between Alex and Miranda I could not enjoy as much because it wasn't really believable for me. Over a third of the book is over before Alex even comes into the picture. There first few encounters are alright. Miranda is excited to see someone around her age that isn't a realtive but then all of a sudden it seems they love each other. Miranda and Alex hardly know each other and haven't spent that much time together. Don't (view spoiler) if you haven't read the second book. After the twentieth kiss I just rolled my eyes. Never thought I would do that while reading this book.

The feel of the book is very similar to the first Life As We Knew It. Maybe because of this I wasn't as consumed as much by the dooming feel of it. It's hard to find food, the weather isn't cooperating, will there be a tomorrow, more people are dying, and all those things that where presented in the others are in this one. This is what I had expected but I also expected something more and it wasn't there.

Some of the other characters I was disappointed in like Matt who I had liked so well in the first book. He acts like a jerk now. I will grant that all the characters are realistic/desperate. The ending had the same feel as the first two -it left you hanging. Now I didn't expect the moon to be put back in place but I would've like some sort of finality to it. Actually it might even have less hope than the other two. And it looks like there is not going to be a fourth.

Update:
There is a fourth book out http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17... ...more

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May 18, 2010 Kris Irvin rated it it was ok

Shelves: re-read, 2020

Edit 5/2011: Apparently Pfeffer is hoping to publish a companion to this series ("The Shade of the Moon"), which will take a look at this world they live in 16 years after this book ends. This gives me a bit of hope. My hopes are dashed - there will be no 4th book.

If nothing else, Pfeffer's stories get you thinking. They force you to consider what you would do if you were in her characters' shoes - would you have stockpiled food up in case of an emergency? Or would you basically be at the merc Edit 5/2011: Apparently Pfeffer is hoping to publish a companion to this series ("The Shade of the Moon"), which will take a look at this world they live in 16 years after this book ends. This gives me a bit of hope. My hopes are dashed - there will be no 4th book.

If nothing else, Pfeffer's stories get you thinking. They force you to consider what you would do if you were in her characters' shoes - would you have stockpiled food up in case of an emergency? Or would you basically be at the mercy of this new world you live in?

Miranda is back as the narrator in this book, which I was excited about since I didn't really like Alex or Julie from The Dead and Gone. The book reads about as I expected it to - intense, gripping, and at times just chilling. It's graphic without being too graphic, and it really does make you think about what would happen to you in the same situation. I know I'll be stocking up emergency supplies a little more diligently from now on.

But that said, I didn't particularly like this book. Life As We Knew It, I couldn't put down, but I LIKED it. I couldn't put down This World either, but it was more because I wanted to finish it before I had to leave the bookstore than anything else. Miranda devolves from being a sympathetic character to basically being a whiny brat. She is still fighting with her mom? After all that's happened? I found that unbelievable and stupid. Matt's random relationship with Syl came out of nowhere and was totally out of character. And Syl was never really explored - she has no background story, and even admits to having a fake name, which why would you write about if you had no intention of exploring it?

I also found Lisa irritating and her obsession with Julie weird and frightening. There was no real point to Charlie's character, unless Pfeffer just wanted to make a point about the weight-loss surgery.

Where Alex was somewhat likable in The Dead, he was a total arrogant jerk throughout the entire book. Miranda's attraction to him seemed contrived and forced.

I waited a long time for this book, and I am so disappointed that it turned out like it did. If you can't make it a happy ending, that's totally fine - just don't flake out with a crappy, vague one.

I liked it better than The Dead, but much, much less than Life. This is one I might buy if I find it at a library sale, but it's really not worth normal book prices - especially not hardcover. What a shame.

Re-read August 2011. ...more

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Feb 21, 2010 April rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-review, netgalley, ya, dystopian, ereader

You ever read a book that makes you want to run to the grocery store and stock up on batteries, canned food, and eye the moon with suspiscion? No? Well, friends, I think you need to check out the Moon trilogy by Susan Beth Pfeffer. The first book, Life As We Knew It, set my heart racing, as I read about Miranda's seemingly ordinary life, and the mundane things she struggled with when her life changes after an asteroid hits the moon, thus knocking it out of orbit. I never got around to reading th ...more

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Apr 09, 2010 Jessica rated it it was ok

Shelves: disappointing, yawn

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 25, 2010 Michelle rated it it was ok

Shelves: dystopian, ya, 2010

I have been looking forward to reading This World We Live In, the third book in Susan Beth Pfeffer's Moon trilogy, for what seems like ages. After tearing through Life As We Knew It I spent countless late nights up with a newborn agonizing over what I would do in such a catastrophic situation. Due to Miranda's spell-binding account, the hubby and I often spent hours mentally counting canned foods, organizing medications, and obsessing over ways to cook without electricity. Not often does a book I have been looking forward to reading This World We Live In, the third book in Susan Beth Pfeffer's Moon trilogy, for what seems like ages. After tearing through Life As We Knew It I spent countless late nights up with a newborn agonizing over what I would do in such a catastrophic situation. Due to Miranda's spell-binding account, the hubby and I often spent hours mentally counting canned foods, organizing medications, and obsessing over ways to cook without electricity. Not often does a book consume my every spare thought as effectively as Life As We Knew It did. Knowing This World We Live In would connect Miranda's story with Alex's from The Dead and the Gone, I mentally prepared myself for a similarly engrossing read and lots of hours checking over my food storage.

In the past year, Miranda's entire life has altered after a freak asteroid-moon collision resulting in a change in orbit and all kinds of calamity. Countless natural disasters ensued and it was all Miranda, her mom, and brothers Matt and Jon could do to survive one catastrophe after another. Nothing is as it was before. Miranda will never be a 'normal' teenager and she's almost starting to forget what it was even like to walk in the sun or eat eggs or even fresh lettuce.

They've made it through the worst of the winter and are even beginning to feel a ray of hope for the future with the arrival of spring and some truly unexpected guests. Miranda's father has returned with his wife and new baby. He's also brought along Alex and Julie Morales and a close friend, Charlie. Although thrilled to have them safe and home, Miranda and her family understandably begin to wonder just how long their meager stores will last with the addition of five adults.

This World We Live In returns to Miranda's journal entries and although I could not bear to look away from her family's struggle, this latest installment didn't really add anything in terms of character or plot development. Whatever happened to the Miranda I knew and loved from Life As We Knew It? That Miranda had me in the palm of her hand as she unfolded her desperate struggle for survival. And although her everyday existence remained as precarious as ever, I didn't feel like Miranda (or anyone else) grew from their experiences. Yes, it was interesting to see how Miranda and Alex interacted but I never got a good handle on why they were drawn to each other. Besides both having survived a world-ending disaster, of course. It was like Susan Beth Pfeffer expected her readers to already be so in love with Alex from The Dead and the Gone (which I wasn't) that she didn't really bother taking the time to develop a believable relationship between the two.

Although I did struggle reading it, I will admit I still read This World We Live In quicker than you can say 'post-apocalyptic-young-adult-candy-fiction.' Fans of Miranda who have continued to wonder about her future will be glad they picked it up; I just wish the story had been developed a bit further. ...more

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Apr 07, 2012 N rated it it was ok

Shelves: y-a-books, dystopian-and-postapocalyptic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Are you kidding me?

The novel started strong for me. I liked that we were back in Miranda's point of view (although maybe bouncing between Miranda and Alex would have been more believable and helped make Alex's return to the East Coast more plausible). But then the novel slowly spiraled out of control and made me want to poke my eyes out. I better just list the things that annoyed me.

1. Um, Miranda almost died in book 1. She had this transcendent moment, where she realized that her death would h Are you kidding me?

The novel started strong for me. I liked that we were back in Miranda's point of view (although maybe bouncing between Miranda and Alex would have been more believable and helped make Alex's return to the East Coast more plausible). But then the novel slowly spiraled out of control and made me want to poke my eyes out. I better just list the things that annoyed me.

1. Um, Miranda almost died in book 1. She had this transcendent moment, where she realized that her death would help Jon survive and the only gift she had left to give her family was the sacrifice of herself in order to preserve their survival. WOW. I loved that Miranda had so much growth over the course of the novel. So why, WHY, was she the same, bratty, obnoxious teen we saw in the middle of book 1? Did that epiphany just not stick or what?

2. Seriously. The boys leave to get food and come back with a wife? After all the family has been through with food shortages, this seemed okay to Matt? And the mom just dealt with it? I just didn't buy this for a minute.

3. Syl was totally unexplored as a character and she was promising. She seemed like she'd have some interesting/horrifying/moving stories to tell from her time on the road, but no. Apparently, it worked better to have her as a minor obstacle in the novel and allude to her and Matt having sex than to actually develop her into a full character. Blegh.

4. Magically Dad and Lisa (WITH A BABY) make it back to PA? Alright, I'll even buy that. But Charlie, Alex and Julie are all in tow? And Dad thought it was okay, knowing about the food shortages, to bring all of these people back to his ex-wife's house? Speaking of which, Dad and Mom just get along wonderfully and are willing to bend over backwards to help each other survive? Yeah, okay. Dad is a little more plausible--he still has three children he theoretically loves and wants to care for--but why is Mom a-ok with Lisa being in the picture?

5. Charlie is unexplored as a character. Why even write him in if he wasn't going to bring anything to the novel? I think Pfeffer included him to make the inclusion of ALex and Julie more plausible, in a "See? Dad didn't just pick up some stray children along the way so Miranda and Alex could meet! Dad picked up stray men, also. SO MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE!"

6. Everyone finds a mate of their own age? Okay. Please, in a post-apocalyptic world, people would be pairing up with others way older/younger than them, out of necessity.

7. Alex and Miranda "fall in love" after about 26 minutes of knowing each other. Okay, it was slightly longer than that, but really? COME ON. I know teenagers. Yes, maybe they would have hooked up. Maybe they would have had sex. But I didn't buy the whole undying love angle, nor did I buy Miranda's constant, "I KNEW Alex, even better than Julie." I wanted to say, "Bitch, you knew him for three days. You know that he's hot. That's about it. Slow down, crazy." She didn't even know he had a dead sister, for God's sake. I just couldn't believe Alex, who was so pragmatic, would fall like that. The relationship with Dan was much more realistic, so I wish this could have followed that same pattern.

8. Everyone's willing to just sacrifice precious food and gas to take the kids on a road trip? Sorry, but Alex would have been on his own with that shit, if it were me. We KNEW it would be a false hope (and the element of the nun living by herself with the dead body was pretty good) and the journey wasn't really explored or described, so why include it?

9. I hate Carlos. Hate him. He should have been killed, honestly. Here Carlos has been eating regularly, living in relative safety, and yet he doesn't care that his remaining two siblings trekked all the way out to Texas to find him? He just left them in New York and went on with his life? And even if he did care, once they came down to him, he just let them go on their merry way? Can't Alex catch a break? Jeez. I just couldn't believe that Carlos was all, "Well, go hide on the Church's dime because I'm busy eating and surviving down here." Of course, I have no idea how hard this decision was on Carlos, because we never see him and we barely get information from Alex about him.

10. At some point, Pfeffer got tired of everyone, because a tornado comes out of nowhere with the sole intention of killing useless people and making people move on (without, of course, exploring how they'd do that or what would become of them). Charlie's dead, which made sense. Julie's death was pretty good, since I was wondering how long it would be until someone had a major accident that would require serious medical care (Miranda's bike accident foreshadowed this). But Julie's death also left Alex conveniently unencumbered, so he could move at his will with Miranda. Of course, what's left unexplored is what kind of emotional toll the deaths of two sisters, two people Alex saw as completely dependent upon him, would have upon his delicate mental state. But who cares when we can just end the novel in a deliberately, frustratingly vague way?

Ugh. The end. ...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Rose rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobooks, drama, pretty-cover, quick-read, romance, sci-fi, dystopia, survival, tough-subjects, fantasy

Quick review for a quick read. Good news is that I read this in one sitting and it was a very quick, easy read to move through despite it being a while since I picked up the series. Bad news? I think this book didn't hold up as well with me compared to the first two books. I always liked the theme for this particular series, and even the personal focus on its viewpoint characters. This book brings the POV back to Miranda and her family. I liked the first part of the book well enough, with Mirand Quick review for a quick read. Good news is that I read this in one sitting and it was a very quick, easy read to move through despite it being a while since I picked up the series. Bad news? I think this book didn't hold up as well with me compared to the first two books. I always liked the theme for this particular series, and even the personal focus on its viewpoint characters. This book brings the POV back to Miranda and her family. I liked the first part of the book well enough, with Miranda, her mother and her brothers trying to carve out a living going fishing, scavaging the neighborhood looking for things to help them, even surviving on intermittent power - which brought something of a hope that things were getting better despite a few harrowing moments (i.e. Miranda's mother taking a tumble).

However, I felt as the narrative went onward - focusing more on insta-relationships and generally showing the worst in the character personalities - it ended up losing me. Between Miranda's brother marrying Syl (though I liked her character in spurts) and Miranda declaring her love for Alex when he ends up meeting her in a crossing of paths set up by the first and second books, I didn't like how fast or how strong it set itself up for context. Sure, I know this is an end-of-the-world scenario, but it was way, way too breakneck in pace and dictated in emotions for me to really believe it. Miranda feels far too naive for me to believe in any potential growth she might've had between the first book and this one. Alex's character really got shortchanged by this book, I felt. While I could really see his plight in the second book and his dedication to his sister Julie, this book reduced Alex to playing second fiddle to Miranda as chiefly the LI. I think it was just a downward progression for all of the characters, and I didn't much like the change. I liked Julie and a few other characters, though there are a number of characters that ended up meeting tragic fates, leading to another potential journey for survival.

There's one more book in this series, but it's hard for me to gather the motivation to try it, just to see how the series ends. I'm disappointed with the overall execution and progression of this book, though it had some decent moments.

Overall score: 2/5 stars. ...more

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Mar 12, 2010 Jenn "Awww Yeaaahhh" rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, 2010-read

So you already know Miranda from Life As We Knew It and Alex from The Dead and the Gone and now you have a mashup of the two in This World We Live In, told to us again through entries in Miranda's diary.

I have issues with this last installment of the trilogy. I like both these kids, so I was glad they were back for more, and together this time. While Miranda continues to act like a typical 17-year old, whiny one moment, mature the next, Alex seemed like a different person. He either developed a So you already know Miranda from Life As We Knew It and Alex from The Dead and the Gone and now you have a mashup of the two in This World We Live In, told to us again through entries in Miranda's diary.

I have issues with this last installment of the trilogy. I like both these kids, so I was glad they were back for more, and together this time. While Miranda continues to act like a typical 17-year old, whiny one moment, mature the next, Alex seemed like a different person. He either developed a personality disorder, or it's the way that Hispanic people act around Ms. Pfeffer. For as many times as he was described as quiet, polite and respectful (with his continuous use of "thank you" "please" and "ma'am/sir"), he was CONSTANTLY arguing and yelling at his younger sister, Julie. In Spanish! In front of strangers and friends who didn't speak the language! He was also stiff and unreasoning, and it was hard to believe him falling fast and hard for Miranda, and vice versa. In fact, I thought I skipped a few pages that showed when Miranda and Alex fell out of dislike and into love. But I guess death and starvation make your SO checklist a lot shorter: 1) Breathing? Check.

I mentioned in my review of TDATG that Alex had a very strong religious code and religion again raises a lot of issues in this book. For one thing, apocalyptic events cause EVERYONE to become religious. Second, monasteries and convents are the best means of survival for strict Catholics. (And if those fail, then Game Over!) Third, sex is not an option if you are not married even if you are the last teenagers on earth. Okaaaaay.

At times, characters and motivations seemed half-baked. A character named Syl is added to the family and at first she seems like she may have been introduced to bring a sinister element into the plot, but instead she just stays in her room alone for most of the time. She serves her purpose by telling us "secret" information, but other than that, we know nothing about her. Near the end, Miranda makes a life-changing decision that doesn't quite ring true, or make sense while there are still other options available. Then someone comes back from the dead and the author ends the book with a depressing, open-ended conclusion. It shouldn't be surprising since the last 2 books ended the same way, but since this is the last impression we will get of these characters ever, a little more closure would have been nice.

It probably sounds like I hated it, but I didn't. If you're invested in these characters, then read this book. I think one of it's strong suits is the honest depiction of a young teenage girl facing questions of family, survival and love in an extreme and desperate situation. The writing continues to be compelling, but I think the author missed a big opportunity to end this interesting trilogy on a strong note. ...more

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Sep 12, 2009 Kelly rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, arc

Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. Miranda's voice is so compelling, and my need to know what happened just kept me turning pages. There is heartbreak here, more so than in Life As We Knew It. I paused at one point to mourn, and now at the end I am just weeping quietly. I can't decide if this is four or five stars, but at the moment, I loved it even while the story broke my heart.

Susan Beth Pfeffer stays true to Miranda's character. At times I wanted to shake her, but her honesty, her desi ...more

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Mar 30, 2010 Breanne rated it it was ok

Shelves: sci-fi

This was really disappointing. All the wonderful progress Miranda's character went through in the first book is completely gone here. Matt is completely different as well, he is such an admirable character in the first book, and he changes into a whiny selfish brat here. Not only are the characters lacking, but the plot and the setting are disappointingly low on detail and quality. I think a lot of people read these books to experience the cool apocalyptic setting and events, but it's so much in ...more

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Aug 21, 2018 Carlos rated it really liked it

This definitely was a fast read , liked the conclusion but definitely looking forward to reading the next one .

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Jun 13, 2013 Anna rated it did not like it

Shelves: owned-ebook, dystopia-postapocalyptic

"Christ has blessed us," Alex said.
"Yes, He has," Dad said.
Well, that was a conversation stopper.

Well, Miranda, I couldn't agree more!

Now, where do I start about how a very nice series went so horribly, horribly wrong... It could have been a great book. It could have been one of my favourites. If it were not for that stupid jerk called Alex (and a couple of other things). Why on Earth did Ms Pfeffer had to invent him? Why couldn't she let him, please please, die somewhere along the way? Preferab "Christ has blessed us," Alex said.
"Yes, He has," Dad said.
Well, that was a conversation stopper.

Well, Miranda, I couldn't agree more!

Now, where do I start about how a very nice series went so horribly, horribly wrong... It could have been a great book. It could have been one of my favourites. If it were not for that stupid jerk called Alex (and a couple of other things). Why on Earth did Ms Pfeffer had to invent him? Why couldn't she let him, please please, die somewhere along the way? Preferably a slow, painful death?

Alex is... *shivers from disgust* well, let's just say I feel sick at the very thought of meeting someone like him. If I had a younger sister (and I actually do have a younger sister), I would strongly advise her to avoid a guy like him even if he was the last one in the whole universe. Let's have a closer look at him, shall we?

"Hello, I'm Alex Morales. I'm so very full of myself so I'm the only person who can decide what's best for my sister, and I actually just want to get rid of her under the pretty pretense of caring for her safety, so I'll just leave her god-knows-where and be gone. Cool huh? Well, she doesn't actually want to go there and there are these nice people who agreed to take care of her and so on, but because my big brother said she should go to convent and because I want her off my shoulders, there she would go. And oh, I'm fine with stealing and robbing corpses and not sharing food with others, and I say that I do all of this for our survival like a hundred times per each book I'm in, but then when we get to that convent and there's no food and practically no one there, then I'm all noble again and survival doesn't matter and let's just stay there, right? Also, it's no problem for me to do all I can to survive but when I have food and shelter I think it's more reasonable to go away. I'm smart like that. And oh, then I meet this girl, Miranda, and it doesn't matter that we don't know each other at all, we fall in love, just like that, and we're just so crazy about each other for no reason at all. Well, there are no other people our age around, so it's ok to fall in love at first sight, and the time is right too - of course, the world is coming to an end, and we're always hungry, and dirty, and scared, and there are corpses rotting away all around us, so that's perfect scenery for kissing passionately, right? What else could we think about? Oh, sorry, of course there's also God to think about, to thank him everyday for just how wonderful our lives are. Most of the people I know are dead, and there's food shortage, and after all the earthquakes, tsunamis, illnesses etc there's not much of people or animals left, so of course that's a perfectly good reason to say we're sooo blessed. Yeah, I'm so happy that practically my whole family is dead that I'm going to lock myself up in a convent to thank Christ for his blessings."

Brrrr.

Miranda was so disappointing in this book as well.

Actually, pretty much everything was disappointing.

I'm not reading the fourth one even if you promised me money for it.
...more

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Jun 01, 2010 The Loft added it

May 27

It’s May 27, just nine days after May 18. If you’ve read my diary (Life As We Knew It), you know what that means. Exactly one year and nine days ago, life as I had known it was gone forever. On that fateful evening, an asteroid sucker-punched the moon with such force that it must have doubly and triply smashed in the already-smashed-in craters. The moon is now closer to me on this earth, and I honestly don’t know how bad off the craters are, but this I know — this one cataclysmic event wre May 27

It’s May 27, just nine days after May 18. If you’ve read my diary (Life As We Knew It), you know what that means. Exactly one year and nine days ago, life as I had known it was gone forever. On that fateful evening, an asteroid sucker-punched the moon with such force that it must have doubly and triply smashed in the already-smashed-in craters. The moon is now closer to me on this earth, and I honestly don’t know how bad off the craters are, but this I know — this one cataclysmic event wreaked havoc the world over, unleashing tsunamis, volcanos, earthquakes, essentially stripping the world I knew of many people I loved, and — of color. I now live in ash-filled gray days, always wondering where the next meal will come from.

Apparently, there’s another story out there about some kids my age (high school) and my younger brother’s age (middle school) who were living in New York City on that disastrous day (The Dead & The Gone). I’ve heard that “body-shopping” is the operative word in that story. Don’t ask how I know that. I can, however, tell you about house-scavenging and LLBA.

I can’t tell you much more than what I’ve already said right here or it would totally ruin what comes next. You don’t have to have read both books mentioned above to read this latest story. One or the other would be a good idea though. And I have no idea how you are getting by, and if my story has any means to reach you wherever you are. Do you even have any electricity? Maybe you’ve rigged up some alternate energy? What’s the state of your supplies? Are you in a secret safe town? How many of you are still out there?

That’s all I have the energy to ask now, except that if you are able to get a hold of This World We Live In and join me for however long you can, that would be great. I long for company, even if it’s across the ashy, hazy miles. And if you have enough light from whatever source to finish this story, count yourself as one very lucky person. If possible, come find me, that is if I’m still around and if you have any means of transportation. If not, hang in there, there’s still a tomorrow.

Sincerely yours,

-Miranda Evans ...more

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Apr 11, 2009 Lisa (not getting friends updates) Vegan rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fans of the first two books in the trilogy

Shelves: orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, reviewed, z2010, fiction, speculative-fiction, zz-4star, young-adult, novel, readbooks-female-author-or-illust

Now, I kind of wish she’d written about a third set of people who’d gone through this disaster (which was a consideration at one point, according to the author) rather than continue the stories of characters from Life As We Knew It and The Dead and the Gone. Before reading this, I did want to know what had happened with everyone. Now that I’ve finished this book, I’m curious about what happens with everyone who still survives. It’s very frustrating.

For me, this was not quite as riveting as the f ...more

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Mar 18, 2018 Juliana Robertson rated it it was amazing

I found an awesome new post apocalypse series! The characters are intriguing and
Personal! Love love love! And recommend 100%

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Jul 26, 2020 Alice 🌙 rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-unlimited, buddy-reads, young-adult, 2020, audiobooks

4/5 ⭐️
Buddy read with my roommate
Okay so Alex wasn’t a complete do mock in this, so I’m glad for that
Miranda is still one of my fav characters from this series
It wasn’t the best thing ever written, but it was entertaining to say the least.

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Sep 25, 2009 Arlene rated it liked it

Shelves: dystopic, ya-dystopic, read-2010, young-adult

This World We Live In is the third and hopefully the final installment of The Last Survivors. This story continues with Miranda journaling her life a year after a meteor collides with the moon, shifting its position, and causing catastrophic events on Earth.

Nothing hopeful happens in this book; it's all about death, destruction, hunger, suffering, depression and the daunting reality of what could happen if a single event (so out of our control) occurs and suddenly changes life as we know it. I ...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Kristy rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopian, i-think-you-should-read-this

It's the end of the world as we know it, it's the end of the world as we know it, it's the end of the world as we know it........... and I feel fine.

Well, I have to admit I liked this one much better than The Dead and the Gone. I know I am in the minority with this, but I feel like this one got some of the magic back. I picked this book up and you couldn't have gotten it out my hands today.... even to go to the beach (ask my hubs). Seriously, this one hooked me in. I am also in the minority with ...more

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May 21, 2010 Brian Rheinhardt rated it it was ok

I'm almost finished this one, the third book in Pfeffer's "oh crap the moon was hit be a meteor and moved closer to the Earth causing complete havoc" series. This diary-style YA book has the female protagonist from book 1 (Miranda) meeting the male protagonist in book 2 (Alex). The female is back to telling the story.

My criticisms of book 1 arise again in this book. Most of this story could be summarized with "We're hungry and bored. Will we have enough food to survive?" Although realistic consi ...more

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Mar 01, 2014 Book Concierge rated it did not like it

Shelves: concierge, nature, terrible, young-adult, dystopia, library, series, survival, family

Book three is the Last Survivors series takes us back to Howell, Pennsylvania. It’s been a year since an asteroid knocked the moon out of its orbit and closer to the earth. Miranda Evans, her mother and two brothers have managed to survive, but most of the townspeople have left and food is increasingly scarce. A tentative Spring brings new hope, at least until Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a new baby, and three strangers in tow.

This was really a major disappointment. Miranda has b ...more

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Dec 14, 2016 Nancy rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult

The third in the series is treading on thin ice (get it- the Earth is now freezing) as the combination of Miranda and Alex's families occur. The relationship between these two main characters should be better, but Alex is holier than thou and Miranda seems watered down from her original kick-ass persona from the first book. This new band of survivors need to find a better option of where to live and plan on how to make it happen. Although this third book falls far from the first book, it still e ...more

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Apr 18, 2020 Claudia rated it it was ok

What a disappointment after books 1 and 2. Didn't like the plot, the characters from the previous books seem totally different and the ending was problematic af with a surprise pro-eugenics message. No thanks. ...more

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Apr 03, 2015 ☣Lynn☣ rated it did not like it

I'm done with these. Can't bring myself to read the last book. ...more

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Jun 11, 2018 Makensie Steinmetz rated it really liked it

Shelves: summer-reading-challenge, mods-vs-members

I really enjoyed book 3 of the Last Survivors series. I feel that it was a bit darker this time around, but I like how the dynamics had been set up for the most part. I wish we got to hear more from Miranda's perspective of their voyage after leaving their home, but it was a great way to tie off her story! I'm really excited to read the last book in the series! ...more

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Mar 04, 2019 Jinny Lim rated it it was amazing

I really enjoyed this book because it showed the importance of friendship. Unlike Life as We Knew It, rather than survival, I think it was more about how friendship and love can comfort you, but also make you do things you wouldn't normally do. ...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Shaun rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I literally just finished this a couple of minutes ago, and... it was okay, I guess. The series as a whole was just "okay", even though I enjoyed the first book a lot. The problem is that they don't really come to a resolution, or an ending at all, really. I don't have a problem with open-ended stories, but in a series, I expect something resembling an ending. *shrug*

The biggest problem I had with this book was Matt, though. I don't know if Susan Beth Pfeffer just forgot what he was like, but wh ...more

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Theme of this world we live in	1	2	May 06, 2019 12:46PM
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About Susan Beth Pfeffer

Susan Beth Pfeffer

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Susan Beth Pfeffer was born in New York City in 1948. She grew up in the city and its nearby suburbs and spent summers in the Catskill Mountains. When she was six her father wrote and published a book on constitutional law, and Pfeffer decided that she, too, wanted to be a writer. That year she wrote her first story, about the love between an Oreo cookie and a pair of scissors. However, it wasn't ...more