I’m a huge fan of Neal Shusterman’s and couldn’t get enough of his Scythe and Unwind books. His imagination knows no bounds and he always seems to blow my mind with his twists and storylines.

When I realized he had written a book about a pandemic (another variant of Covid) but where the survivors become “good”, I knew it had to be another one of his unique, crazy tales.

And it was!

But for me, there was something off. I just didn’t mesh with the story overall. It felt overly long and although I did enjoy a couple of the characters, I didn’t love them like I typically do.

Overall I am really glad I read this because it was pretty trippy and I adore Neal’s imagination.

*Thanks to Simon and Shuster and NetGalley for the eGalley!*

Set post-corona virus era, a new virus is spreading like fire, Crown Royale. The recovery leaves the infected happy, enlightened and wanting to do good. Who wouldn’t want that in today’s world? The very wealthy!

The wealthy are doing everything to protect themselves, including joining forces to create a cure.
Teenagers Mariel is discovered to be immune and her wealthy friend,Ron,is a super spreader. Conflicts of interest form as Ron believes it is his destiny to spread Crown Royale to everyone. Mariel feels that people deserve a choice whether to be exposed to the virus (Ron).
Mariel is persuaded to abandon Ron and go to the “dark side” who is attempting to create an anti-virus. Things take a turn, more conflicts arise and the results are unexpected.
Neil Shusterman is one of my go-to authors. I love his book ideas and his characters are well developed. This book is good, just not a fit for me. I was intrigued by this plot but found it to be just a little too realistic and plausible for me (similar to Shusterman’s Dry book).

Neal's books are always awesome, This one reminds me so much of Unwind it is insane!! I love the way this story flows and how all of the characters came together in a way I was not expecting!! This is one of my favorite arcs I have read so far, and I am always a huge fan of Neal's. I will certainly be posting my review on Goodreads and on Barnes and Noble's site. I will also make sure to buy. a copy for myself when the book comes out! Thank you so much for the e-arc copy!

I love a good book that makes me think, and this one definitely fit the bill! In the aftermath of COVID, what would society do if faced with a new kind of virus, one where the outcome is perpetual satisfaction and positivity? All Better Now pushes readers to explore the layers of this exact situation and question themselves: would you want to be among the “embraced?”

Dystopian YA fiction meets current events, with an imagined pandemic that occurred right on the heels of COVID-19. This new virus, known as Crown Royale, has symptoms that are very similar to COVID, complete with fever, pneumonia, high contagion rate, and the imminent possibility of death. However, if an infected person recovers, they are filled with a sense of altruism and joy that leads to little pockets of utopian communes, and some unintended consequences. For one, a recovery no longer feels a strong sense of self-preservation or selfishness. They feel a deep desire to give away their worldly goods and sacrifice their well-being for the benefit of others.

Told from varying viewpoints, an interesting set of characters emerge: Ron, short for Tiburon Tigre Escobedo, a privileged teen who is immuno-compromised; Mariel Murdroch, a teen who, along with her mother are unhoused, and Morgan Willman-Wu, a cutthroat teen of Eurasian descent who will fight her way to the top at any cost. What unfolds are a series of moral dilemmas and challenges that are handled in decidedly different ways. Who lays claim to a moral standard? What is the greater good, and how can we best handle a crisis?

I really enjoyed this book, though I did find it lengthy. I think teens who are currently Shusterman fans will love this, and anyone who is interested in reading his books, like I was, will enjoy it as well.

Neal Shusterman is an automatic buy for me, but I'll admit I was a little apprehensive when I saw it leaned more to the sci-fi genre. Plus, the fact that we're all pandemic-ed out also turned me off. I was TOTALLY wrong with this one! In addition to Shusterman's usual flowy, yet captivating, writing style, he created powerful characters and storyline that caused me to reconsider my own beliefs and prejudices toward others and also helped me to reevaluate what's truly important in life. It did take me a few chapters to get into it, but once I got into the story, it was difficult to put down. With most YA books I'm looking for a quick, enjoyable, relatable read, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much this one forced me to think. Shusterman does it again - thanks so much for the ARC!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was so nostalgic for me. I grew up reading Neal Shusterman, and this book put me right back in my middle school literary days (in a good way). Mr. Shusterman tells us a new tale this time with a fresh dystopian world and epidemic, and it feels OH so good. I really loved the premise, and I can't wait to see what happens next. It was fast-paced, there was on-the-edge-of-your-seat tension, and I loved every minute. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Crown Royale - the next Corona pandemic, but this one comes with a gift (or a curse): recoverees suddenly have very different values and lifestyles. Some people in the world embrace this, while others see it as a living death. Three young people play pivotal roles in a world rocked by the disease - Morgan, who stumbles into great power and great responsibility; Mariel, who's just trying to do the best she can with what she's got, and Tiburon, whose decisions are tied to his billionaire father, even when he makes his own choices.

This is classic Shusterman dystopia, with carefully considered conflicts and lots of character development. I really loved the diversity of the cast, showing how different ages, economic levels, and ethnicities dealt with the challenges. He made compelling arguments for different sides of the question "Where does personal choice end in the interest of the greater good?" And even moreso, "Who gets to decide what the greater good is?" All Better Now is a great combination of action and philosophy. I definitely recommend it!

This was my first Neal Shusterman book and it didn't disappointment! I appreciated the strong characterization and tension in the story, and the plot was Plotting, with everything happening at a brisk, exciting pace.

I thought this was an interesting concept, but I just couldn’t get into it. I wasn’t excited to pick it up and get back to the story. This was a DNF at 20% for me.

4.5 ⭐️!

If Shusterman is gonna write it, I’m gonna read it and probably love it. Neal has quickly become an auto-buy author for me.

Summary of the book:
A new virus causes people to experience lasting happiness, free from stress and negative emotions. While most embrace this, those in power—politicians, media, and corporations—see it as a threat to their control and profits. They launch campaigns claiming that constant happiness is dangerous, even developing a vaccine to restore people’s previous emotional states. Amidst conflicting messages, two teens, whose lives have been disrupted by the virus, find themselves at the center of a fight to uncover the truth.

Shusterman excels at taking intricate sci-fi concepts and making them accessible, even for readers who typically struggle with the genre, while still exploring deep social issues. I’m incredibly impressed by how seamlessly he weaves together three distinct storylines without losing any complexity.

I absolutely loved the three main characters—Mariel, Ron, and Morgan. They’re brilliantly crafted, with layers of depth and complexity that made them feel truly multifaceted.

At first, I thought writing about a pandemic might be too soon, especially for those directly affected, but the unique take on the virus is so clever. I haven’t seen this perspective explored before, and it really sets the story apart.

This book is a must read and I think will be pretty popular with readers.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Books for providing this ARC

Neal Shusterman has been one of my auto-read authors for years. In my opinion, there isn’t another author out there who is tackling contemporary societal issues through a dystopian lense as well as he does.

I was first introduced to the concept of All Better Now when Shusterman made a visit to our school district a couple of years ago, and I was immediately intrigued. What if there was a highly contagious disease which could ultimately lead to a blissful existence for all? On the surface it seems obvious that this would be a good thing, but, as always, Shusterman plays Devil’s Advocate in a way that allows the reader to authentically analyze the gray areas presented through the characters’ actions, decisions, and motivations.

All Better Now is quintessential Shusterman. From the very first page, he introduces us to an eclectic cast of characters who find themselves already in the midst of the conflicts that will eventually draw them all together. My favorite part of reading any Shusterman story is trying to figure out how all of our characters’ stories are going to eventually interweave. And just like previous stories, I wasn’t able to determine the exact nature of these connections which is part of Shusterman’s genius.

This is a fantastic book, I really enjoyed it! I was hooked from the beginning and loved following the wild ride that the story took me on. There are so many twists and turns that I kept wondering what would happen next. And just when I thought that I had something figured out, I was very wrong. This is a deep book that left me questioning everything in the best way. I highly recommend you give it a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.