This was such a fun book that is going to be well-loved my middle grade readers for years to come.

Alex Wise is having a real tough go of it. Between feeling like his dad doesn’t want him around to being expected by his mom to watch over his younger sister, to notice a strange Shadow Man following him around… it really does seem like everything is piling up. And then the apocalypse happens and the younger sister who he’s supposed to be protecting is, well, passed by Death, ruling over the Four Horsemen. Suddenly, Alex finds himself trusting friends new and old to try and get his sister back, saving the entire world in the process.

This book is the perfect recipe for middle grade. There’s action! Plot! Relatable characters! Life lessons that unfold naturally and aren’t force fed! As someone who reads a lot of middle grade book for students, this is a very tricky needle to thread. But Terry J. Benton-Walker threads it with ease.

What I think I loved most about this book was that it was really honest. The situations that Alex finds himself in are realistic circumstances that any child or teen might face. Not the apocalypse of course, but parents divorcing and feeling like you’re not good enough for one of them. Having a falling out with a friend who you might have more than friendly feelings for. Just trying to navigate your place in the world. It really worked for me.

4 stars

Wow! Another winner by Terry J Benton Walker. After having loved Blood Debts, I was thrilled to be able to review his new middle grade novel. It gave me Percy Jackson vibes from the start! I appreciated the honest authors note that opened the book linking the story to real life childhood experiences and trauma. While the main character is gay and yes he does go on a journey of self discovery - that’s not the main focus of the book. It’s about friendship and discovering your strengths in times in struggle (although hopefully none of us will have to tasked with stopping the apocalypse anytime soon ). A great read for any middle grade reader who enjoys adventures and the supernatural.

I'm so excited for young readers to have Alex Wise. He's funny, he's authentic, he's complicated. Alex Wise feels like the next Percy Jackson, while carving out his own unique lane. Terry J. Benton-Walker has a fun unique spin on the apocalypse and I truly can't wait to see what's next from him!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I would have loved Alex when I was a kid. I think now more then ever we need stories with kids like him and his friends. I’m in NEED of a book 2 already. Terry has me in a chokehold for 2 series now!!

From the very beginning, I was invested with Alex and his friends. I shared in his woes and triumphs. I actually had a list of people I liked and hated and had to keep taking some off to put them on the other list. We get magic, death, epic battles, powers beyond your wildest belief, & a middle schooler who just wants his friends and family to accept him for being gay.

I’ve been reading a bit more middle grade books lately and I’m not ashamed to say I love them. I love seeing different kids getting representation. I love seeing queer and brown kids get to become the heroes. It makes me tear up. Speaking of tearing up, I did a bit of that here. The plot twists just kept the sobs coming! I laughed and smiled and felt every emotion humanly possible (including rage for sure).

I have now successfully read everything Terry has to offer until the second Blood Debts book drops. I’m so happy and proud of him and all that he’s doing! I look forward to more books like this to come in the future.

I got the pleasure of meeting this author in person at TLA, which was super cool!!! He is so sweet and humble.
This gave me Percy Jackson vibes, and I enjoyed it.
Alex is tired of being picked on and isn't happy spending time with his father and new family. I love how his best friend is always there for him no matter what and calls things like she sees them. We all need a friend like that.
When being on the cruise goes wrong, and he finds himself on an island, everything changes for Alex. What he unlocks is a power that found its way to him. When his sister becomes a part of the apocalypse well, Alex is determined to get her back, and with the help of his friends and teacher, they will have an adventure. This is a decent read, especially for middle schoolers. They will likely enjoy the action that is within the story. I would love to have this in the library, but because it does have Alex having a crush on the same sex, I am not sure if I would get backlash.
As soon as the Gods make their appearance, the action takes off, and the plot stays at a steady base. It will be a race against time, new friends will be made, hopefully Alex can get his sister back.
Favorite quote: " The sadness of grief is linked to happiness. You can't have one without the other.
"The only way to get rid of the grief from having loved is to never have loved at all. Who wants that?"
"No wonder adults are stressed all the time. It takes a lot of planning and forethought just to be alive. "

This story is going to stay with me forever. It contains very promising narrative components that work well as implemented: a black protagonist who struggles with his crushes on other boys and the friendship fallout that results; complex family dynamics, especially around the main character's father; robust character development that makes the hearty length of the book all worth it in the end.

Speaking of the end, it feels a little abrupt; other distractions include the occasional (but probably inevitable) forced modern slang (although the author works through that better than some others have) and some creative turns of phrase that feel like a pretty puzzle piece with corners just dented enough that you kind of have to force it into the right space (e.g. "and the arena falls so quiet I could hear a flea humming a lullaby").

Overall, a way more enticing and generally less dystopian apocalyptic introduction to a probable series than I could have expected as somebody who stridently avoids such content. I'd recommend giving this one a try.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and neither disappoint. I wish there were more books like this when I was growing up. The representation in is novels are amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

Thank you Labyrinth Road, Random House, and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Terry Benton Walker always empress me and Alex Wise vs The End Of The World was no different! Alex Wise is tired of people walking away from him and when his mom wants to send him and his little sister on a cruise with his estranged dad his summer just got worse. When a Shadow Man throws his sister overboard he’ll jump in to save her. This begins their battle against the horseman of apocalypse, along with his best friend Loren and the mysterious Liam. Can Alex says his sister? Can they stop the end of the world? A quick paced adventure full of wit and heart! I loved Alex’s journey, his struggles with knowing himself, and his strength and determination! So many queer kids will find themselves in Alex, especially queer black kids! As always with Terry’s books I was drawn in and couldn’t put it down, now I’ll have to wait impatiently for book 2! Can’t wait to read this again!

Terry J. Benton-Walker did it again, Blood Debt wasn't enough. Alex Wise vs. the End of the World was mind blowing. I loved every second of this book. This is books I wish I had when I was younger.

I had such a great time reading this, I thought it was a unique concept for the four horseman plot. Terry J. Benton-Walker always has a great writing style and it does a great job in telling the story. I was invested in what was going on and enjoyed this adventure. Its a great story for all-ages and I'm excited for more.

"I drop to my knees beside him and remove the binding from his mouth. His dark brown skin reminds me of these smoky quartz earrings Mom used to love. They were a gift from Dad that vanished after the divorce. This old guy’s beard is short and gray, and his eyebrows are thick and gray too. The whites of his brown eyes have yellowed, but that makes him appear no less warm. I’m not sure why, but it feels like I know him already."