A YA unbury-your-gays horror in which an undead teen must find the boy he loves before he loses his mind and body. Five years ago,...

A YA unbury-your-gays horror in which an undead teen must find the boy he loves before he loses his mind and body.

Five years ago, a parasite poisoned the water of Ian's West Virginia hometown, turning dozens of locals into dark-eyed, oil-dripping shells of their former selves. With chronic migraines and seizures limiting his physical abilities, Ian relies on his best friend and secret love Eric to mercy-kill any infected people they come across.

Until a new health report about the contamination triggers a mandatory government evacuation, and Ian cracks his head in the rush. Used to hospitals and health scares, Ian always thought he'd die young... but he wasn't planning on coming back. Much less face the slow, painful realization that Eric left him behind to die.

Desperate to find Eric and the truth before the parasite takes over him, Ian along with two others left behind--his old childhood rival Monica and the jaded prepper Angel--journey to track down Eric. What they don't know is that Eric is also looking for Ian, and he's determined to mercy-kill him.

Author: Natalie Leif
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 06/04/2024
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.20w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780823456611
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 03/25/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 05/01/2024
Booklist 05/01/2024 pg. 46
Kirkus Reviews 05/01/2024

About the Author
What is there to say about the mysterious Natalie Leif? A Wisconsin graduate with a BA in Technical Writing, Leif is an author, illustrator, and library page. By day, they shelve books and talk to patrons. By night, they write stories about undead kids and draw illustrations about magic. Their writing and illustration work has appeared in several anthologies, including the Tankadere series by Crab Tank and Then It Was Dark by Sarah Benkin, as well as on the site Reflex Fiction. They've won the Seattle EPIC Writers contest for fiction and poetry and drew the nonprofit graphic novel Crossing the Road for the city of Lynnwood, WA.