The story, told in dual timelines, is about the FMC and a group of other teens trying to survive in world after a zombie outbreak.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job of portraying Flora's character of being hardened to the aftermath of having to survive and go through living still in a world taken over by zombies. I didn't really care for the past timeline about Flora and her family's trip, however it was a good juxtaposition of then and now for Flora and her character change.

I liked the gore and violence that was in this book especially in YA which isn't very common but if you're someone who is sensitive to these things then be forewarned.

Thank you to the netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy to review.

Wow. I have always been terrified of rabies. It is actually why I ultimately quit animal control. They did not want to pay for my vaccines. People need to be vaccinated. Anyway I always wondered why books and novels don't just make the zombies rabid and here it is! Someone did!
I loved it all That ending though! OMG that ending.
I love the narration.

Thank you to Netgalley and RBMedia for an ALC, my review is left honestly and voluntarily.

I did overall enjoy this audiobook, but I did struggle at times to stay interested with the narrator. She speaks very slowly and clearly, so I had it at 2.5x most of the time. There also wasn't very much inflection to her tone, even during more tense moments. The story itself really was amazing though! There was zombies and risk, but there was also a lot of friendship and coming to age. There were many moments my heart broke for Flora. I also loved her struggle with OCD and other mental health conditions in the midst of fighting for survival. For a YA book, this really does a great job walking the line in regards to gore and romance.

Disclaimer: I received an audiobool arc of this book in exchange of an honest review

It's been a while since I've done anything with zombies, and I love a disaster so this felt like a must listen to me. The audio narration was a little hard for me to get into because I'm usually used to some pretty stellar voice acting and this was extremely flat and monotone - but getting more into the story it worked with the main characters first person perspective and added a sense of desensitization. The story itself was between a zombie/survival tale to a coming of age story which I loved. The characters felt relatable and fleshed out and you really felt for the before and after of our main character. None of it felt like a throw away or gimmicky and it had a ton of heartfelt moments that really made you feel a connection to these characters. Overall recommend!!!

One of my favorite things about this book was never knowing (or remebering) whether I was reading a zombie apocolypse or coming-of-age story, because they were both so deeply intertwined with one another. Marie's ability to keep readers engaged in both kinds of stories is not to be undervalued as a YA queer horror novel. She was able to elaborate on so many pivotal relational dynamics teens experience at that age, from friendships to families to lovers, and still focus on the horror elements that keep so many of us fans coming back for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC eAudiobook of this title.

Now I didn't really get a dash of Yellowjackets, but the Walking Dead is all over this. It too had questionable writing for the characters at hand, just like this one does too. I would highly recommend If We Survive This. Especially for the people wanting a violent take on Zombies in YA.

Spice Level: YA book, none included.

Flora and Cain, like the rest of the world around them, have been thrust into a world where they must fight to survive. One day, Flora catches a snippet of a broadcast from her father coming from their family cabin, hours away, in a different part of California.

Flora and Cain embark on a trip to the cabin to locate their father. On this trip, they come across Crisanta, a family friend, and Adan, who was traveling with Crisanta. They merge their groups and travel together to the cabin. Along the way, they have many run-ins with the “rabids.” Otherwise known as the infected living dead roaming the land. On the way to the cabin, they take on a side quest. They came across a young teen who is stuck in a dangerous situation with “rabids” and are able to pull her to safety and journey to take her to her parents.

I “read” this as an audiobook. I am a sucker for apocalypse / post-apocalyptic times books and this book hit the spot for me. Even though this is a YA book, the descriptive aspect of the attacks with the infected “rabids” is satisfying. I also get a 28 Days Later meets The Walking Dead vibe with this book. The cause of the apocalypse is rabies, yes, rabies. A communicable disease that can be spread from animals to humans. One of the characters is “Biscuit” a 15 year old chihuahua(?) that belongs to Adnan and one of the groups constant worries, other than making sure that she has enough to eat, is whether she is going to die or get bitten by one of the “rabids.”

This book alternates between then and now and is all from Flora’s perspective. I don’t know if it is specifically said (because I was listening) but I believe Flora might have OCD and may be a germaphobe(?). I cannot imagine being obsessed with cleanliness and then being thrust into a world where bacteria and viruses are everywhere and there not being the proper methods to dispose of those threats.

Listening to this book, there was only one downside for me, the narration. I actually feel bad for giving a bad rating for the narration because the narrator is the author but the narrating was very uninspired. There were some very climactic areas of the book that I didn’t realize were climactic because of how it was being read. Honestly, I usually DNF audiobooks that are drull like this, for me, but I enjoyed the story so much I was actually able to work through the narration issues.

Content Warnings:
🔪 Death / Dead Loved Ones / Dead Bodies
🩸 Violence
🔪 Graphic Violence
🩸 Implied Threats of Sexual Violence
🔪 Weapon Usage
🩸 Amputations (on & off page)
🔪 Vomiting
🩸 General Peril
🔪 Starvation
🩸 OCD Intrusive Thoughts
🔪 Suicidal & Morbid Ideation
🩸 Blood Clots
🔪 Gore
🩸 Dog in Danger
🔪 Cursing

4.5 stars rounded up. I enjoyed this even more than I expected to. It was like a queer teenage version of The Walking Dead but with characters with more depth. I really enjoyed how the book explored Flora's anxiety and OCD and how those hindered her in some ways and helped her in other ways in the zombie situation. The characters were all memorable and multilayered. The audiobook was easy to follow, even when it jumped around in time. Audiobooks voiced by the author can be hit or miss, but I enjoyed the narration on this one. It was easy to listen to, well-paced, and a quick listen.

Flora knows the cost of caring. Even before the zombies she knew to keep her guard up, and now only her brother is allowed close. When she happens upon her former crush and brother’s friend (at a point girlfriend), her aim to work alone is overruled. But in the apocalypse, connections with people are nothing but potential for grief.

As far as horror-apocolypses go, If We Survive This is far less gory than anything by Andrew Joseph White, but brutal in other ways. In comparison to Erik J. Brown’s All That’s Left in the World this novel is not so much focused on romance, but more so on the main character's internal growth and her existing with OCD during the apocalypse – which is portrayed with authenticity and feeling. We get to come along for part of this cast of characters' journeys, and know that there’s much more to come for them.

I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by the author. It was done quite monotonously, which I thought fit our closed off main character (doom and gloom and survival).

In the words of Flora, I will be running from this forever (in a complimenting way).


Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the ARC!

I read, if we survive this as an audio book,
I really enjoyed the story. It was action-packed and really enjoyable to listen to. I love that this YA book was also based on teens/young adults
it also had a lot of mentions of day to day stuggles, for example ocd and Sensuality, while also living through an apocalypse and trying to survive.
i felt the narrator was a perfect for this story. over all I really enjoyed listening to this book and would make a great movie, in my opinion.

Imagine The Walking Dead; that follows a group of teenagers and young adults, led by an anxious, neurodivergent teen who must fight off zombie-like “rabids,” but also deal with her own inner battles.

This story follows Flora and her injured brother Cain after a rabies mutation sweeps the world. With their mother dead and their father gone ahead to prep a remote cabin, Flora is left to protect them both. She’s anxious, OCD, and emotionally raw—but stronger than anyone, including herself, realizes.

Told through dual timelines, —"Now" and "Then"—the book reflects on the family’s past and the emotional depth behind each character’s choices and behaviors. This is not just a survival story; it’s a powerful coming-of-age narrative about identity, trauma, resilience, and the lengths one will go to, in order to survive.

I enjoyed the character development throughout, and the range of representation present in this story. Neurodivergent, LGBTQ+/trans, and Hispanic characters are featured. Everyone has their own story, and it’s rewarding to watch them grow, bond, and survive together.

I received the audiobook via NetGalley and RBMedia. It is narrated by the author. The structure was clear and easy to follow, and I appreciated hearing the story in the Author’s own voice. With that said, the narration did feel a bit monotone at times, but that could have been intentional to portray how Flora hides her emotions and is withdrawn, due to being seen as “too emotional” and “unable to handle this” in the past.

Despite this, this story was a compelling and emotional read. I finished this story days ago and continue to think about several different scenes that display the humanity and troubles that are still present, despite the zombie-apocalypse like situation.

If you enjoy character-driven dystopian fiction with strong themes of identity, survival, and growth, this one is worth the read, regardless of your age

I don’t usually read YA, but I had the opportunity to listen to If We Survive This on audiobook through NetGalley, and I’m glad I did. Narrated by the author, the performance was solid and added a personal touch to the story.

The premise immediately intrigued me — a zombie-like survival scenario centered around a young woman living with OCD, trying to protect herself and her brother, Cain. I wasn’t disappointed. Flora’s journey delivered everything I was hoping for: gripping action, emotional depth, a strong sense of responsibility for loved ones, and long-buried secrets that slowly unraveled.

Flora is a well-developed and compelling protagonist. I appreciated how the story didn’t shy away from her OCD — instead, it became part of her strength and survival strategy. Her character arc felt authentic and inspiring. The coming-of-age aspect was also beautifully handled, particularly as Flora begins to explore and embrace her queerness.

The story wrapped up with just the right amount of mystery, leaving me thinking about it long after it ended. If We Survive This is a fresh and thoughtful take on the post-apocalyptic genre, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys emotionally rich survival stories with a twist.

4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️

If We Survive This is a story of hope and love, survival and grief during a zombie style apocalypse. In a future where rabies has mutated and causes people to turn and feast upon each other, Flora faces the apocalypse head on in an attempt to keep her brother safe. Her plans to escape the LA valley with him to their childhood vacation cabin become more complicated when she runs into her childhood crush and her new companion. The poignant writing style is delivered in a beautifully dry performance by the author herself in the audiobook. This book was captivating, emotional, and believable. The only thing that kept it from being a perfect score for me is my own personal struggles with gore descriptions—but I wouldn’t think that this book is anything other than what people who read this sub genre more would be used to. I enjoyed the exploration of sexuality and mental illness in an apocalypse setting. It caused the book to equal parts plot driven and character study.

I would absolutely recommend this book.

**ALC provided by NetGalley and Recorded Books. All opinions expressed are my own.**

I haven't read a zombie novel in awhile that I loved as much as this one. There was so much heart and while there's always a touch of romance in YA I'm happy it wasn't a huge part. The flashback chapters were short and helpful to the story and didn't take you out of the story. I will definitely be handselling this one.

This book absolutely broke my heart. It was brutal, raw, and full of gut-wrenching moments that made me thankful our world isn’t a zombie apocalypse. It reminded me of "28 Days Later" with its intense and bloody scenes. But what hit me hardest was how the burden of survival fell on kids. Flora, the main character, is fierce, but you can tell it didn’t come easy. She’s just a teen forced to toughen up because the world fell apart around her.

As someone who deals with intrusive thoughts about worst-case scenarios, I related deeply to Flora’s constant fear. It felt unfair for someone so young to carry that kind of anxiety. And watching her fight to stay alive, while grieving the loss of almost everyone she knew, was both heartbreaking and inspiring.

The journey she and her brother take is full of moral questions. The characters have to make impossible choices, and I liked how the book didn’t shy away from showing their struggles with what’s right and wrong. The queer love story was a sweet bright spot among all the darkness.

My only challenge was with the audiobook narrator. I usually love audiobooks, but this one felt flat and monotonous. I understand Flora’s numbness, but the narration could have shown more emotion to match the intense story.

Overall, was a powerful, sad, but hopeful story about surviving the worst and fighting for the people you love—even when the world feels like it’s ending.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

If We Survive This ALC by Racquel Marie completely exceeded my expectations. A gripping, fast-paced YA horror that delivers a chilling post-apocalyptic scenario where rabies mutates into a terrifying zombie-like outbreak 🧟‍♀️. From page one, I was hooked on the raw intensity and the authentic survival stakes. I especially loved that the author narrated herself!

The representation is so well done — we get powerful visibility for Mexican/Colombian identity, LGBTQ+ characters 🏳️‍🌈, and OCD mental health 🧠. Every character felt real, layered, and complex, especially as their relationships shift and evolve under the weight of the world ending. The emotional depth combined with the realistic, gritty survival choices made this feel like how the end of times would actually go down. 🌎💀
Thank you @NetGalley for the ALC! 🎧 I couldn’t stop listening. If you love queer YA horror, zombie apocalypse, found family, and books that don’t hold back on emotional punches, this one is for you!

If We Survive This offers a refreshing take on the zombie genre, blending classic survival horror with meaningful character development. The focus on the characters made this book less about the "rabids" and more of a coming-of-age story with a bloody backdrop. As a therapist, I especially appreciated the inclusion of a neurodivergent protagonist and felt that her internal struggle was as much a part of the story as the "rabids" were. It was also great to see LGBTQ characters represented thoughtfully and naturally within the group dynamics without feeling like an afterthought which helps to add another layer of inclusivity that’s often missing in this genre.

With that being said, there were moments when the pacing felt slow and I felt the internal struggle within the group felt a little repetitive. In contrast, the ending felt a little bit rushed, leaving me wishing for more time to process the final developments and emotional arcs. I really wanting one more chapter. Despite this, the book stands out for its fresh perspective and commitment to diversity. I felt that it was well written and did not feel like a YA novel. I would recommend.

Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Zombie apocalypse book. I listened and enjoyed the book. The narrator did a good job. But it took me a while to realize she was saying rabid and not rabbit. So I was confused at first why rabbits were attacking. This is a story about 4 teens trying to find their safe space avoiding being turned rabid. I enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley. The author and the publisher for an audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

Amazing hands down. I’m not an audiobook girly but this was the spark that ignited my audiobook journey.

10/5 MUST read. I fell in love with Flora and all the characters to see how the all had a heart breaking story of loved ones to the future they want oh did I mention zombies?!

Amazing I will recommend everyone read/listen to it

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF. I got pretty far into it but I just didn’t love the writing style. Honestly, this is one of those times when the plot is interesting but it just didn’t work for me. However, I enjoyed the Zombieland vibes and the OCD representation.