Susan Beth Pfeffer

337 pgs

I have seen reviews of this book during my reading of several blogs and it has gotten favorable reviews. My youngest son and husband have both read it and both said they thought I would enjoy it. So when Becky created The End of the World As We Know It Challenge I finally had an excuse to add it to my list.

The book is written as journal entries and starts out with the typical angst of a 16 year old.  Prom, friends,sports, school. The fact that an asteroid is supposed to hit the moon is hardly a blip on Miranda’s radar until it means that she will have three essays due on the same day.

As the event gets closer though, Miranda begins to take an interest. It turns out that everyone has miscalculated this event and things are much more severe than anyone expected. The moon is knocked closer to earth. The results are, of course, catastrophic though for Miranda and her family, events unfold more slowly. Over the course of 7-8 months we read Miranda’s diary as things become increasingly more dire. Miranda matures from a somewhat selfish child to a young lady who knows what needs to be done and does it.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I look forward to putting the sequel The Dead and the Gone on my list. (4/5)