A beautiful middle grade contemporary fantasy from the author of BLOOD DEBTS, who has proven he can do it all!

Benton-Walker nails delivering a heartfelt story about fighting evil and finding your inner hero in his middle-grade debut. I was absolutely in love with the way that Benton-Walker told the story, and Alex Wise is such a funny, loveable character who you truly root for with each and every page. Highly recommend!

[ I read this a few months back and forgot to send my review, apologies! ]

A fantastical adventure with strong, endearing characters, a thrilling yet emotional pace, and lots of fun twists and turns! I loved the heart and humor that this one had and will be excited to return to this world again and again.

This was a fun, action packed read. I loved the characters and character growth throughout the story, as well as the evolving relationships among the characters. The worldbuilding was enough to understand the setting without being entirely overbearing. The plot was fast-paced with lots of action. I think the author did a great job of meshing all of these important story elements together to create a book that capture and keep the attention of middle grade readers. At the heart of the book is a message of being true to yourself and allowing yourself time and space to work through trauma. This element could help readers understand their own emotions, how to put words to what they are feeling, and realize that they are not alone. Readers that enjoy Rick Riordan and the Rick Riordan Presents books will find a lot to love in this story.

I received a free copy for review and donated to the school library, where it has been a hit and very highly requested or put on hold. Bravo to the author. The bits I read were wonderful.

An absolutely incredible start to a new series. Alex Wise as a character is heartfelt and loves his sister deeply, and it is clear what his motivations are throughout the entire novel. Looking forward to continuing this series!

Really enjoyed this book, love this author's writing style and all the inclusion. I will say I felt like there was bit much going on. It was like every few chapters there was a new level of this adventure that was added and I felt it kind of took away from the initial plot of the story and really connecting with the characters. But would still recommend to others.

Alex Wise just wants to have a good summer with the boy who used to be his best friend. Instead after an incident that nearly injures his sister, his mother sends him to spend the summer with his estranged father and step family as they set out on a cruise. Everything is awkward, but ok until the ship sinks. As everyone regroups on an island we find out that Alex's little sister has been possessed and is beginning the apocalypse. I love that Benton-Walker makes Alex a relatable character. While he does have magic that makes him "chosen," Alex has a more realistic response than most "chosen one" characters. This does make it feel like he verges into whining. Overall I feel like this was a solid read and perfect for the target middle school audience.

This book was so much fun and so full of heart! The high-stakes and adventure constantly kept me on my toes. I loved Alex’s determination and the lurking shadowy monster; the characters are relatable and unique. I can’t wait to see where the rest of this adventure goes!

A solid exploration of the idea of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and what their presence would look like in the world. It takes this familiar idea and adds new twists. While some of the character choices were odd, as a read for middle graders it's solid.

Stunning read! I am eagerly, eagerly waiting for the next book in the series!

Terry has an amazing way of writing the characters and the drama that keeps you hooked into the story until the very end! The characters are amazingly likeable and interesting. I want a show of this book just so I can see the amazing character designs!

This book was phenomenal!!
You have a main character who finds out that the end of the world is happening while on a family cruise with the father that he barely knows after his mother and him gets divorce.
I love the detail of his father, being remarried, the wife has her own son. Adding to the fuel of heat that he has for his father.
Not only is he grappling with that, but then his sister turns into this evil being possessed

Alex wise Help his possessed sister, without harming her but then society turns on itself, and starts almost like the purge of attacking hurting people, because it is the end of the world. I will say as a parent, my child would lost their mind if they thought they were going to try to save the world and their sibling and I have no idea where they’re at and if they’re coming home at least let me help you but you need to be with me if it’s the end of the world. Phenomenal book Cannot wait for the next one

I loved this book and was taken by the story. Thrilling and captivating and everything I want to see more of for Black boys in fiction.

This was such a fun read and a fantastic start to a series! I loved the concept of the partnership/possession of these entities granting these characters their powers, as well as the idea that our protagonist, Alex, has to fight his sister to save her from the entity that possesses her, Death. The humor throughout the story was great, I loved the found family Alex had, and I love the Percy Jackson vibes this story had with a black main character.

This was one of my favorite reads of this year. I enjoyed it so much I brought copies for my nephews. It was intense, funny at times and a great ride!

The author made sure his readers were invested in his characters from the start. Then he throws the guns at you with battles and death, magic and powers, and a middle-grader wanting to be accepted for being gay. This is an emotional read that will keep you on your toes while focusing on positive behavior and understanding he is indeed enough. Loved the energy – well done!

Filled with magical weapons, gods, and a ragtag team of heroes, I was hooked from the beginning! At its core, this book is about love - love between siblings, best friends, a parent and child - and the lengths we'd go to protect the people we care about. Amidst the action and excitement, the importance of self-worth and knowing your power shines through, reminding readers that no matter how ordinary we may feel at times, we can all be the heroes of our own story.

There was a lot of crazy happening in this book! I loved Alex and Loren! I adored their friendship. I also loved that Alex’s powers were sensing emotions. The people who I was side eyeing, were who I thought they were and I enjoyed all the monsters and villains. This was such a fun and hilarious read and I’m looking forward to more of Terry J. Benton-Walkers work. I’m already a fan of his from Blood Debts, but he has now become an auto buy author!

Alex Wise vs. The End of the World was an unexpected surprise. From the description, I expected twists and turns and exciting adventures, but what I didn't expect was how warm and fuzzy this book would make me feel at the end and I'm excited for the next in the series.

Alex Wise doesn't have it easy. His dad left him and started a new family, and he was betrayed by a friend after revealing a big secret, a secret Alex was still figuring out himself. This left Alex with a lot of emotional wounds and self doubt, which is why when he finds himself the vessel of a demi-god, he doesn't understand why he was chosen. He doesn't think he's good enough because that's what these betrayals have made him believe.

The rest of the story is a wild roller coaster of adventure, friendship, magic, and undoing that damage that cut him so deep he couldn't see his own worth.

This was such a heartfelt story with great characters, a great middle grade voice, and amazing visibility for all the young queer black kids out there trying to figure out who they are. If you're looking for any of the above, this is definitely worth the read

This was a wild ride with her team ring and inspiring moments that I won’t soon forget! I will totally read the other books in this series going forward. I loved the themes throughout the story as well as the queer & poc representation.