This book was a crazy ride at first I did get how we were going to get to the end of the world. It seem to be just another story about some under privileged kid going to a private school, but that ending save this story for me. We get to see our main character go from a rule follower to someone who will take on the world over all for me it a three star read personally

The first half of this book was good, strong, and immensely enjoyable. The second half...the author floundered a bit. The story ended up being tolerable, but kind of uneven and objectively not as good as I was hoping for. I will read more by this author, but this one isn't a favorite.

I enjoyed the first half but did not enjoy the second half. I will be looking for more from this author. Thank you netgalley for the early copy.

This book was a bit all over the place. I absolutely loved the cover. I appreciate that the author adds diversity to the novel. I just needed a stronger plot and direction for the story to keep me interested.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This book was a trip! It was engaging and intriguing. You didn't know who to trust. It was a quick read.
My biggest complaint i felt like the whole bit of her having autism was almost forgotten for a chunk of the book when the party started and chaos began. I know the spectrum has a wide range but based on everything we knew about Waverly from before the party on how she handles overstimulation, all of her actions in the party and how she interacted socially felt inaccurate. But I did love seeing how she was able to prove to herself that she could do so much more than she imagined she could and fought so hard for her friends when she could have just saved herself.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. A masquerade and a murder - perfect for any entertaining story with socialites and the higher privileged. An entertaining read from start to finish.

I really enjoyed the first half of This is the way the world ends. The second part really didn't interest me as much. I enjoyed the characters well enough and Waverly's growth throughout the book is great.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

First, I loved the character building. I could fully understand, and sometimes relate to Waverly. She comes from a low income family and is both autistic and queer.
(The disability rep hits close to home-i so appreciate the author for this!)
The descriptions were also very good, going into beautiful detailing. I could "see" most scenes so clearly.
Secondly, I really liked that this book contains both mystery and sci-fi (my favorite two genres). There is a little romance in it too, but not much! All three fun genres.
Without giving anything away, if you love any of the three genres mentioned, you'll enjoy this book!
It was an awesome adventure packed with excitement. I will watch out for this author in the future!

This is the Way the World Ends

Autistic student, Waverly attends the prestigious Webber Academy on scholarship. She comes upon a murder at the schools masquerade ball and all hell breaks out from there.

I really enjoyed this story but especially the character of Waverly, she’s different and original, all at the same time. She isn’t like the other students who have everything handed to them. I liked the addition of the blackout and this giving Waverly her chance to shine.

Bonus points for the above because its one of my biggest fears after getting locked in a dark elevator with strangers for 45 minutes!

My thanks to St. Martins Press for this gifted DRC.

I enjoyed this book. It took me a bit to get into it but after I did it really took off. There were some twists and turns along the way and I really enjoyed them. Overall this book was a great read.

Unfortunately, I requested this one when my tastes were a bit different and this one just didn't hit with me when I got to it.

I wanted to love this book. I really really REALLY did. The story, the idea was fantastic!!! The execution, that fell flat.
I had expected this book to pull me right in, instead it didn't. Ok, so I figured this was a slow burning candle. The first half was slow, and I spent a lot of time putting it down, forgetting about it and then picking it back up a few days later.
But there as something off.
I loved that the main character is autistic. It really was a huge postive point for me, but the story, it was just a mess and all over the place.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

"Only rich white men would throw a party at the end of the world."

I have mixed feelings about this. As you may know, I have been obsessed with Jen Wilde books since I first read Queens of Geek in 2017. In my review for Going off Script , I even mention that I began anticipating their next release as soon as I finished it. Four years later, I was thrilled to get an ARC of that next book.

I hate to say that it didn't live up to my expectations. Maybe thrillers/end of the world stories just aren't my cup of tea. While this isn't my favorite Jen Wilde book, I still enjoyed it. Once I really got into it earlier this week, I finished it in a few days.

This book will make you anxious. I had to take a few breaks from reading once things started to get intense.

The point of this book was well done, and going back to the epigraph after I finished reading made me tear up. I loved the characters we were supposed to love, and hated the ones we were supposed to hate. There's one death that I know was meant to make us feel something, but I didn't feel close enough to the character to really care.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect of it! There were some things I kind of saw coming, but some I was genuinely surprised by.

Does anybody else feel like they need a map of this place? I was so confused by how rooms and hallways and elevators connected to each other. Also, I need a short story or sequel or something because I have so many unanswered questions!

Overall, while This is the Way the World Ends doesn't live up to the hype I've had for it, it was still a good book and deserves a chance!

Quote is from an early copy and may not reflect the final version.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this!

This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde takes readers into the world of Webber Academy from the perspective of neurodivergent student Waverly. The gilded underbelly of the academy shows when a murder takes place.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This had a lot of promise. I am not a big YA reader so when I read the premise I became excited. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me as it fell flat - the plot was all over the place and it took me a long time to finish.

This book is strange. It has a lot of different components; queer, autistic, disabled, thriller. That doesn't even get to the plot. Because of this, the book is just ok.

This Is the Way the World Ends" by Jen Wilde offers a thrilling and unique perspective, exploring the intersection of social stratification, identity, and unexpected chaos. Set in the prestigious Webber Academy in New York City, the story follows Waverly, an autistic scholarship student, as she navigates the intricacies of her world.

The novel delves into the challenges of Waverly's dual identity, both as an autistic individual and as a scholarship student among the elite. The author skillfully portrays the complexities of masking and fitting in, shedding light on the struggles that many face when attempting to conform to societal expectations.

The plot takes an unexpected turn during the school's annual fundraising Masquerade, where Waverly, in a bid to connect with her ex-girlfriend Ash, becomes entangled in a web of secrets and a shocking murder. The author masterfully blends elements of romance, mystery, and dystopia, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The Masquerade itself serves as a captivating backdrop, providing a vivid and glamorous setting that contrasts sharply with the dark secrets hidden behind the scenes. The narrative unfolds with suspenseful twists and turns, and as a mysterious global blackout plunges the world into chaos, the characters must confront not only their immediate peril but also the unknown reality awaiting them beyond the party.

Wilde weaves a tale that goes beyond the conventional YA narrative, incorporating themes of love, resilience, and societal reflection. The diverse and well-developed characters add depth to the story, allowing readers to connect with the struggles and triumphs of each individual.

"This Is the Way the World Ends" is a compelling exploration of identity, societal expectations, and the unforeseen consequences of privilege. Wilde's storytelling prowess and ability to tackle complex themes make this novel a thought-provoking and exhilarating read for fans of YA fiction with a dystopian twist.

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.