I do not know how to feel!! On the one hand, kudos to the author for creating such an original story. I’m not sure that I enjoyed it though- it was much different than I was expecting and was SO realistic. This is more speculative fiction than thriller but if you know that going in, you should be fine.

This feels like it was an attempt at a John Waters-esque satire of the excesses of wealth and a certain subset of gay parents in LA, but honestly, it ended up falling a bit flat for me. There's a LOT going on to the point that I had some difficulty keeping track of it all, and while there's stuff he's clearly attempting to do for humor's sake (he's getting dommed by a furry whose fursona is an extinct wolf and plays off collective guilt over extinction!!) that just left me rolling my eyes. There's an attempt at queer futurity that also comes off more like a cult towards the back, and Parks-Ramage also just doesn't do well with a child's voice. Just a lot of choices that I didn't agree with personally, but there's a chance you'll like it!

Actual: 4.5

Where do I begin with this novel? It was phenomenal. It had a great premise and it was wrapped up beautifully. I felt I got the closure I deserved from the events of the novel and that all the characters had wonderful arcs that fit the end narrative.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the overall flow of the story though. By this I mean, sometimes I just didn’t know which character POV we were getting and I would get confused. There was no clear marking as to what POV we were getting chapter to chapter. There was also some elements that I felt didn’t fit with the overall novel such as Gabriel’s ability to predict the future, the dragon thing, and mostly things their character did were confusing. I think it was a bit of speak to mental illness, but again I’m not sure.

Overall, solid novel! I do recommend it and I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury, and Jonathan Parks-Ramage for giving me an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

It’s Not the End of the World by Jonathan Parks-Ramage is out now!

What a ride. Parks-Ramage has made something so tender and uncanny. I almost hate that I enjoyed this so much because it portrays such a near and terrifying reality. Like what in the world are we going to do with ourselves?

That's pretty much it.

I loved the premise of It's Not the End of the World but I'm not sure it was fully executed. Jonathan Parks-Ramage has written a wild story about all of the things that can happen when the end of the world is coming. A whacky, dark, gory dystopian story that will compel readers to the very last page. The world building was top notch but I'm not sure if the style of writing was a perfect fit for me. I have a feeling this will be a very divisive book. Some readers will adore this for its originality and the many, many things going on in the story but some may not mesh with the way it's written.

Set in a dystopian future- the planet is burning, it feels as inescapable- and it is. A strong prologue for a story that’s about to begin.

In the city of LA, we are following the oblivious of the privileged elite, mason and Yunho are throwing an extravagant baby shower and before the drama really throws it over the top, errands are completed, Gucci gas mask and all.

Even though this is a dystopian future this feels so now, so in point, where climate change is so out of control not only are gas masks a necessity but an expectant. So if this author has traveled into the future, thanks for the heads up on the book. Mason was such a well written character- the privileged elite with good intentions but getting in their own way to make a real difference. An unreliable narrator for the most part unlikeable - like I hated him, then felt sorry for him but hated him again. Especially liked his realization of his white complicity. But my hate for him won out with his delusions. Each character was so interesting- self righteous but overall have a point. But does the end really justify the means?

At times, it does feel like the thesaurus was kept handy, as basic sentences felt very structured and overdramatic, which is not my favorite style. And the moments the writer really fell into not this style, it didn’t feel like the plot was making very much progress, if at all. I did feel more intrigued by the first half of the story, as it started to lose its momentum as it chose a path that didn’t feel as clever as the first half. The middle was harder to get through, as it lost some of the brilliant imagery descriptions and sat in the same idea for too long and the switch to a point of view of a child threw of the flow of the story for me.

The ideas behind the plot still left me very intrigued and I would be interested to see what this author comes up with next.

I ultimately liked the ideas here more than the execution, but for such a weird, quirky, dark book, it's surprisingly enjoyable.

The politics will (obviously) not be for everyone, nor will the horror elements or even much of the humor, but the target demographic (progressive, queer, politically-minded, young) will identify with the characters and see the trajectories of the (many) plotlines as both prescient and funny.

Over to others. This is a chaotic take on the end of the world with just so so much going on. The worldbuilding is good and the initial snarkiness is fine but then it went over the top. And there is gore. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. There's so much craziness out there in the real world right now that I just couldn't let myself go and enjoy it.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was beyond excited to read this. The cover is beautiful, and the description sounded so intriguing. I kept wondering how everything mentioned was going to fit into one book… and honestly, the answer is that it probably shouldn’t have. There were even more major plot points that weren’t included in the blurb (zombies, cults, etc.), and while this book really had it all, I wish it had focused more on substance over style. That goes for the writing, too. I’m just not a fan of run-on sentences. They pull me out of the story and make it hard to stay connected to what the author is trying to say. The prose had some really beautiful moments, but it definitely needed more editing.

What I did enjoy was the world-building. It was so well done. The near-future setting felt eerily real and grounded in issues we’re already dealing with in today’s hellscape. The way politics and capitalism led to this version of the world felt plausible, and honestly kind of terrifying. That said, even as someone who is very left-leaning myself, the political messaging started to feel a little too on-the-nose. At times, it almost read like a parody… like something Fox News would write to mock progressives. After the first 50 pages, the repetition of certain buzzwords and phrases got a little exhausting.

With so many sci-fi dystopias out there, I can’t say this is one I’d recommend to fans of the genre. But if you’re in the mood for something you truly can’t compare to anything else, this might be the book for you. Maybe that’s the accomplishment in itself.

3.5, rounded down. It's Not the End of the World certainly lives up to its description. Heady, gory, snarky, grotesque, and full of twists, with not a single character to unambiguously love. I think the worldbuilding is where this one shines, though I also foresee some readers feeling it a bit heavy-handed. For me it worked because we were following such hate-able protagonists; it felt snarkily satirical from the start. I don't think I was expecting quite so much gore, but that is on me since upon a second read the summary mentions "brutal gore" -- just be forewarned! My stomach turned a few times!

I quite enjoyed this one, especially for its often humorous take on a worst case scenario world full of mostly bad people living in a horrifically deteriorating world. I feel like Stefan, the SNL character, would do the perfect summary of this book;
“This book has it all: cults, monstrous pink smoke clouds, gay sex, a reign of terror President, zombie-like creatures, lavish baby shower parties on steroids, organ harvesting robotic spiders, LyfeHack gifted organs for prolonging life, dragons, next level technological advancements that we’ve seen hints of in present day, right-wing crazed militant groups, gender fluid children, an is she or isn’t she terrorist, bio-domes, climates that ruin parts of the country that’s spiraling out of control already, wildfires, AI, slaves, and even robotic panthers!”
Even with all that seemingly random stuff put together, this story…works? I may not have rooted for many of the characters during the events, but I was glued to find out what happened in the end, which I really enjoyed as well. I Loved the dialogue, which was smart and quick witted with a sassy, selfish main character I was really invested in. Thumbs up!! Thanks to Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date: June 3, 2025

I want to thank Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I must admit that I have mixed feelings about this book. While some aspects worked for me, others left me feeling underwhelmed.

What Worked:

- The world-building relies heavily on a disorienting amount of change that is not too far-fetched from what we are witnessing today, but amplified to an extreme. Some readers may find this excessive, but I found it effective because it is rooted in the present and feels grounded.
- The actions of the characters felt authentic within the confines of the situations they found themselves in.
- The book incorporates commentary on queer futurity, queer history, and various other topics, including abolition, anarchism, white supremacy, climate change, abortion, censorship, and the criminalization of constitutionally protected freedoms.

What I Disliked:

- The shift in perspective halfway through the book. We begin getting the point of view of a child. I would have preferred a more mature viewpoint to delve deeper into the unfolding events.
- The zombie-like nature of the pink fog felt clichéd and out of place in a book that should have evoked a stronger emotional response.
- The second half of the book felt cult-like, which I believe was a result of its presentation. While the elements aligned with queer futurity, they should not have been presented in such a manner.

Overall, I feel that the book’s many plot points failed to coalesce into a cohesive narrative. While the disorienting world-building was purposeful, the plot could have been more effectively structured to create a more satisfying reading experience. I often found myself wondering what the overall plot was because it felt like the story was.

I think this book will be quite divisive!

Damn, this book was depressing as all hell. Really not for me, especially in this moment in time. And I usually love dark humor. Maybe if it was a little more fun it could have been entertaining, but reading about the world ending in a hyper specific and realistic way just made me feel terrible and depressed. The writing is also pretty all over the place, and I think too much jam packed into one novel.

It's Not the End of the World is a dark, satirical horror in the same vein as Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. Both are intimately concerned with the horrors of capitalism and fascism, their effect on the environment, and how people become complicit in these systems. And, if I'm being totally honest, both are a little too dark for my personal reading tastes!

The plot of this is propulsive and keeps you reading. Parks-Ramage successfully creates a loathsome husk of a main character. I don't think I've felt this much active dislike for a fictional character in a long time! Mason's point of view never failed to put a pit in my stomach and every time I thought he couldn't possibly get worse, he did. I think it's an impressive accomplishment to create such a heightened version of an already dislikable Type of Guy.

I appreciate what this book is doing and I'm glad it exists. But the bleakness of its world felt too close to our own and rather than giving me solace or hope (not that any book has to do that!) it just reinforced the despair I already feel. If I'd read it a few years ago, I'd probably feel differently.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the e-ARC!

Jonathan Parks-Ramage presents a poignant exploration of human resilience in It's Not the End of the World. The narrative delves into the complexities of relationships amidst apocalyptic undertones, blending realism with speculative elements. Parks-Ramage's lyrical writing captures the fragility and strength of the human spirit. The characters are deeply relatable, their struggles and triumphs resonating on a profound level. This novel is a testament to hope and survival in the face of uncertainty.

I really loved this book, I thought it was a unique and funny queer take on the apocalypse. The story felt timely and relevant, the writing is very sharp and funny. . This is an exciting , queer addition to the science fiction and dystopian genre. It really stood out to me and truly exceeded my expectations.

I was really disappointed by this book... I checked and checked NetGalley to see when it would be put on as an arc read, because I had heard the plot of the book from a BookTok account. I found the book was really subpar -- I felt like it was trying to be relevant and it failed miserably. There was the sense that the book was trying to be more progressive surrounding characters, but I found that everything felt flat. Frankly, it just wasn't a good science fiction / dystopian. It felt tired and badly done. We are in an age of some really fantastic science fiction dystopian books, and this just did not meet the mark at all. I'm sad, because it did really seem like it could have been something.