This book really stands out at the moment with the pandemic that has wracked our country for these past few years. Nadia is a teen who is trying to survive with her younger brother. The book is also lighthearted enough for many audiences to enjoy it, I would have this in my classroom library because postapocalyptic settings are popular with younger readers. ( )

Very well done and realistic. I really liked the main character, Nadia, a teen who acts like a teen (and makes mistakes like a teen), but takes control of the situation, devises a quirky fix and moves on. She cares for her younger brother, Rabbit. The book reminded me of the fantastic [b:Z for Zachariah|69477|Z for Zachariah|Robert C. O'Brien|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347675635s/69477.jpg|2070709], which managed to evoke desolation, terror and a plucky teen heroine with careful, measured language. There's also a lightness to this book that is welcome -- everything is not so serious and lugubrious. There's a little too much flashback for my taste, to explain the plague -- I think it could have been done more economically, and you don't really need the full explanation -- but an excellent, chilling read. It's not quite as poetic as [b:The Age of Miracles|12401556|The Age of Miracles|Karen Thompson Walker|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342487370s/12401556.jpg|17382941], an excellent book (the earth's rotation slows, causing civilization to crumble) -- but this should go on any dystopians to read list. ( )

RGG: A pretty good dystopian survival story--this after a pandemic. Oddly without great plot arcs although one keeps expecting something horrific to happen. Apparently a stand-alone. Reading Interest: 12-YA.

BLURB: On Day 56 of the pandemic called BluStar, sixteen-year-old Nadia's mother dies, leaving her responsible for her younger brother Rabbit. They secretly received antivirus vaccines from their uncle, but most people weren't as lucky. Their deceased father taught them to adapt and survive whatever comes their way. That's their plan as they trek from Seattle to their grandfather's survivalist compound in West Virginia. Using practical survival techniques, they make their way through a world of death and destruction until they encounter an injured dog; Zack, a street kid from Los Angeles; and other survivors who are seldom what they seem. Illness, infections, fatigue, and meager supplies have become a way of life. Still, it will be worth it once they arrive at the designated place on the map they have memorized. But what if no one is there to meet them?

RATING: 5 STARS FOR A MATTER OF DAYS BY: AMBER KIZER
STARTED: APRIL 24,2014
FINISHED: APRIL 27,2014

REVIEW: I really loved The Matter of Days because it captured the true meaning of companionship when there is a natural or even unnatural event in this world. Nadia and Rabbit have gotten through the Blu-Star plague and while going through it they met many new people. They created relationships with a dog, a boy, and many other people that just want to get through the plague! This showed me how close friendships can be in the time of worry, or loss of their past companions. ( )

RGG: A pretty good dystopian survival story--this after a pandemic. Oddly without great plot arcs although one keeps expecting something horrific to happen. Apparently a stand-alone. Reading Interest: 12-YA.