Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection      

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Kirkus Reviews Critic's Picks: "15 Best February Books for Young Readers"

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Indigo: "Most Anticipated Teen Books"

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Goodreads: "The Most Anticipated YA Books of 2024"

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     “This dark debut is a pitch-perfect balance of fantasy, horror, humor, and romance. The story is well paced, with action and suspense interspersed with quiet moments of raw emotion and human connection. The thoughtfully developed characters grapple with issues of race, insecurities, self-absorption, isolation, connection, family, loss, grief, and empathy.
A thrilling, moving, and fantastical apocalyptic novel that readers won’t want to put down. “
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
 

​     “Debut author Robin Wasley blends elements of fantasy and horror to create a clever and exhilarating zombie apocalypse narrative in Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear. Sid's distinct, snarky-yet-empathetic voice adds hilarity and humanity to the novel. Her desire for belonging—contextualized by her experience as a Korean adoptee of white parents and one of the only Asians in a predominantly white town--will resonate with many readers. Memorable supporting characters--including brooding musician Brian...mean girl with a heart of gold Eleni...and grouchy-yet-protective cat Chad—form an endearing found family. Fans of post-apocalyptic stories, urban fantasy, and ensemble casts should delight in this gripping novel.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

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"A fantasy suspense with first-rate appeal...call this one an adventure/horror/coming-of-age/thriller/mystery/romance that you will not be able to put down. Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear is pure delight, and Robin Wasley is the real deal."
—Locus Magazine
 

​​“Wasley deftly juggles inventive worldbuilding with introspective ruminations on adoption, found family, and self-acceptance. A large and eclectic intersectionally diverse cast; fast-paced, brutal action; and thrilling reveals round out this genre-bending debut that is at once funny, terrifying, and heart-wrenching from start to finish."
—Publishers Weekly

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"Sid is immediately sympathetic…and her narration is sharp, witty, and memorable. The villain is monstrous, relentless, and brutal in his quest to take all the keys by killing all the Guardians, and Wasley contrasts his nightmarish determination to upend the world with Sid’s far less polished and planned, but equally determined, goal to save it. Readers will spot that Sid is wildly underestimating herself a couple hundred pages before she does, and part of the satisfaction of this novel is her realizing that heroics are a spectrum, and she is firmly on it."
—BCCB
 

​"This fantasy has plenty of horror and romance while dealing with strong themes of friendship, family, loss, and finding self- worth. Characters are witty and likable; the action is fast paced, coupled with gruesome scenes. Wasley builds an intriguing world while keeping the themes in check. Relatable characters grow throughout the novel and find inner strength sending a positive message to readers about the value of believing in oneself. Wasley writes with clarity and charm, allowing her characters’ true selves to shine through...fans of zombie fiction and Buffy the Vampire Slayer will enjoy the gore and pacing of this novel. Recommended."
—School Library Journal