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    Monument 14
    Monument 14
    Monument 14
    Audiobook6 hours

    Monument 14

    Written by Emmy Laybourne

    Narrated by Todd Haberkorn

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Your mother hollers that you're going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don't stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don't thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.

    Only, if it's the last time you'll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you'd stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.

    But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.

    Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong.

    In Emmy Laybourne's action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateOct 9, 2012
    ISBN9781469250021
    Monument 14
    Author

    Emmy Laybourne

    EMMY LAYBOURNE is the internationally bestselling author of six young adult novels, including Monument 14, Sweet, and Berserker. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, American Library Association, and the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, among others, and translated into 9 languages. She studied writing as an undergrad at Vassar College and while getting an MFA at UCLA for screenwriting, she won the Eleanor Perry Award from Women in Film. Emmy is a former character actress, and is occasionally recognized from her role as Mary Katherine Gallagher’s best friend in the movie “Superstar.” She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two kids.

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    Reviews for Monument 14

    4/5

    337 ratings48 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Monument 14 takes place in small town Colorado where 14 kids, ranging in ages from 5 to 16-17 find themselves trapped in a Greenway store while the world falls apart around them. On a seemingly normal day, Dean and his tech-savvy little brother Alex race to catch their school bus. On the way to school, crushing oversize hail begins denting the roof of the bus, breaking the windows, and in an effort to get the kids to safety, the two school buses quickly go to the Greenway store, which seems to be like a super Walmart. Once inside, the bus driver goes to find help and the 14 kids find themselves alone in the store as the riot gates come down essentially trapping them inside, which may be a good thing since they soon find out that a series of natural, and not-so-natural disasters are tearing the US to pieces around them. The Greenway store might be the safest place to be, unless they fall apart themselves.

      The plot was pretty fast paced. It definitely kept me reading up into the wee hours of the night. The story had a sort of Lord of the Flies feel with the older kids having a power struggle about who would be in charge and how best to survive. I very much enjoyed the whole concept of the story while the execution sometimes left a little to be desired. Nonetheless, Monument 14 certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

      The story is told from the perspective of Dean, a bookish teen who is chronicling the events as they unfold. The interaction between all of the characters was fascinating. There is one particular character, a 5 or 6 year old named Max who told some of the most outlandish stories about his life. While there were a few crushes and hookups among the older teens, there wasn't any real romance in this story, although it seemed to be heading in that direction.

      The writing sometimes fell a bit short for me. I felt like using the teenage Dean to narrate the story was a way to compensate for less than stellar writing. The story felt choppy in places and jumped around a bit and I would have liked to seen some more character development in the older teens. However, as you see by my 4 star rating, I truly enjoyed Monument 14 and I won't hesitate to pick up the next in the series. There was quite a cliffhanger ending and not much was resolved in this book, which is a pet peeve of mine and I considered only rating this 3 stars because of that. But I didn't simply because I really liked this book, despite its flaws.


    • 4/5
      There's a lot of post disaster books out there and what makes this one worth reading is the fact that these are just kids, trying to take care of each other, cut off from adults and the world. And the disaster seems pretty plausible...
    • 5/5
      Fast paced, action pack, and lovable characters. Couldn’t stop listening
    • 4/5
      Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne is the first book in a trilogy about a group of Colorado school children caught up in an apocalyptic event brought on by climate change. With giant hailstones, world-wide tsunamis and earthquakes that lead to a horrific chemical spill, the earth has changed forever. The book opens with the children on their way to school, but when giant hailstones start falling and crushing people and vehicles, their bus driver steers the bus right into a giant superstore.The bus driver goes looking for help and the children settle into the store. The older ones looking after the younger ones. They are actually lucky that the store has locked itself up with metal grills as they are relatively safe from outside looters and have supplies to last them for months. The author keeps the story moving along at a quick pace as this group of 5 to 17 year old adjust to surviving without any adults to help them. They seal the store completely to keep from breathing in the harmful chemicals that affect different blood types in various ways, but when they learn that there is a rescue mission operating out of Denver, they decide to repair the school bus and attempt the two day drive.At the last minute some of the group decide not to go, as they are the ones who the chemicals turn into raving monsters, so at the end of the book, 9 leave and 5 stay. Monument 14 is definitely a book that will resonate with fans of survival stories. This is a rapid read about a weather related catastrophe and how it affected this small group of children trapped inside a super-store. The YA designation meant that there was a fair bit of teenage angst, and I was quite disappointed in how some of the characters, in particular the three older girls, were portrayed. But the survival aspect and fast moving action made this a quick and fun read so I was able to overlook most of the writing flaws.
    • 5/5
      I just finished the book and was not ready for it to end. I want the next book NOW.
    • 4/5
      This book is exciting starting very early on and manages to keep up the tension fairly well throughout the entire book. Teenagers are forced to try to survive on their own and care for some littler kids in a super store after natural disasters turn the outside world into a dangerous and scary place. They must figure out how to keep themselves safe and together while making sure they eat, keep the store secure and powered, and safe when outsiders show up. Apparently even in the apocalypse, there will still be teen drama but I did hope for the best for these kids. It has a rather open ending, so you may want to have book #2 on hand.
    • 4/5
      I read this book almost in one go--a night I couldn't sleep and an entertaining story, and that's what happens. I've seen some negative reviews for this book, but I feel like I read a different story from those others. I did find the main character's voice not noticeably "male", but I dislike making those sorts of judgements and try to stop myself when I do it--do I know what goes on in every male's head? Do all male characters have to be stereotypically male? I don't think so.

      At any rate, I found the storyline interesting and the characters intriguing, which was exactly what I was hoping for. The book does end at a bit of a cliffhanger, but I'm interested to read the next one anyway, so I doubt it will be long before I pick it up. Recommended if you like YA adventures--and it's set just slightly in the future, so there's a hint of sci-fi about it as well.
    • 4/5
      Really good book!
    • 3/5
      Love the story, but the writing is not wonderful.
    • 4/5
      3.5

      When I first started reading this book it had a Lord of the Flies feel to it. I'm not a huge fan of that book, but glad I didn't let the feel of it in M14 dissuade me.

      Emmy does a great job of showing you what is happening. Her description of the scenery is great. You feel as if you are in the hail storm at the beginning of the book. You can feel the emotions of the kids as if they are your own. There is a ton of terror since nobody knows what is going on. Considering the age difference in these kids, they do a pretty good job of working together. Some parts of life suck for them, but for the most part they get a long, and each does their job. That's something I wouldn't have thought possible. You also never really understand how resilient children are. They can surprise you with how strong they are.

      There are soooo many great characters in this book. Dean is telling the story. We are seeing what happens in a journal of sorts. He's a writer, and loves books. (That makes him awesome in my book.) He does have his downfalls. He's pretty selfish at times, and sticks his foot in his mouth a lot. His brother Alex is a freaking genius. He's always able to come up with a solution to what problems they face. Niko annoyed the crap out of me. He is a brat. He can disagree with everyone, but if someone disagrees with him, he pouts and acts like a child. I understand the situation is stressful, but come on man. Max is probably my overall favorite. He's seen way too many things that his eyes shouldn't have. The great thing about him is when he talks about things he's witnessed, he doesn't really understand the events. He's definitely the funny guy in the book.

      The ending is what has me jonesing for the sequel. You feel all the emotions burst from your heart in the final pages. It leads up to what could be a great story line.

      While this book did have it's problems, I suggest checking it out. It's definitely worth it. I'm ready to read Sky On Fire now. :D
    • 4/5
      Six high school kids are trapped in a chain superstore, while outside a series of disasters occurs beginning with a hailstorm and ending with a chemical spill.
    • 5/5
      This is one of the best books I've read in years. All three of the books in the series tell the continuing adventures of a group of schoolchildren caught in the middle of a chemical disaster. "Compounds" are spread throughout the town after a hailstorm. The compounds evoke different reactions from each blood group. The children in the book, 14 students in a town called Monument, have to deal with all sorts of trials and tribulations throughout the series in the hopes of making it to safety, and being able to see their families again. The series deals with heavy issues, and is remarkably written on top of it. A definite must-read trilogy.
    • 4/5
      3.5 Stars. I like the premise, but some of the events and characters didn't hold up completely for me. Overall not bad and I will probably read the next one.
    • 3/5
      Interesting take off re: Post Apocalypse survival. My only question is the veracity of the type of weaponized hazards released from NORAD which appeared far too benign in their effects the kids experienced. Also, why would they be stored at NORAD in the first place ?

      All in all a good read especially for youngsters.
    • 3/5
      It was good. No zombies, but still good. The lack of zombies was (and always is) disappointing, although there was a situation somewhat similar to the "zombies" in the movie Zomblieland and 28 Days Later. Being that these people were not previously dead, they are not technically zombies. They just possess the same powers of reasoning one associates with zombies. Anyway, interesting premise. Why is trying to figure out the ins and outs of survival in an apocalyptic situation so bloody fascinating? On to the sequel!
    • 3/5
      A little bit like Lord of the Flies meets The Breakfast Club meets The Mist, Monument 14 is about a group of children holed up in a superstore after a freak hailstorm causes a chemical leak from the nearby weapons manufacturing site, leading to contamination of the whole town. On the surface, this book seemed like it had a lot of potential. Books featuring kids in stressful, survival situations always seem more chilling and disturbing to me than books starring their adult counterparts. Children, after all, are the picture of ultimate innocence; in an ideal world we wish to protect them from all the troubles and anxieties of adulthood. Even most adults would be ill-prepared to handle a sudden disaster, so I can’t even imagine how much worse the burden of responsibility would be to a teenager. Without strong guidance and a lack of organization, it’s not surprising how quickly a group situation can devolve.The kids in this book range from ages 5 to 17, all stranded passengers from a couple of school buses that were wrecked by the severe storm. Naturally, a hierarchy of leadership develops, with the older teens taking care of the young’uns. The dynamics are made more interesting by the differences not only in the characters’ ages, but also in their personalities, backgrounds and upbringing. Unfortunately, this does mean that almost everyone is pigeonholed into rather predictable and clichéd stereotypes. Main protagonist and narrator Dean is the “booker”, a quiet and somewhat awkward late-bloomer who has long harbored a secret love for Astrid, the popular and perfect hot girl. Astrid however is the girlfriend of Jake, the football jock. Among the high-schoolers, there’s also the bully/bad boy Brayden, the solemn and live-by-the-book Boy Scout Niko, who happens to have a thing for the kind and motherly Josie. The roles are cast, and the stage is set for some serious teenage drama. The younger kids actually proved more intriguing and to have more well-rounded personalities. A couple of them genuinely surprised me, displaying a level of maturity and problem solving skills that even surpassed some of the teenagers’. In fact, I think one of the book’s main weaknesses is its gradual divergence from the “we’re all in this together” theme towards a greater emphasis on the relationships and soap-opera aspects of the older kids. The story was a lot more engaging at the beginning when the whole group dealt with the challenges of surviving together, addressing issues like mob mentality, who should be in charge, and how to explain the situation to the elementary children who are frightened and don’t understand why they can’t go home. Once the focus shifted to become more about “who’s crushing on whom”, the book became more typical and less special in my eyes. While I loved the premise, another strike against this book is the whole reason why Dean and the other kids are trapped in the superstore. The explanation given – that the chemical leak is a gas causing different reactions based on the exposed victim’s blood type – is a bit weak and unconvincing. Victims with O-type blood will become mindless violent savages, while another type would break out in boils and blisters, while yet another type would experience no outward signs but may suffer infertility and reproductive difficulties, etc. Leaving aside how such an absurd model of symptoms made me want to bash my head against the wall, the theory of the chemical disaster did not feel that well thought out. It felt like the author needed a reason to put the kids in this particular jam, and seized upon the first idea to come to mind without fleshing it out giving it more detail. Perhaps that’s why the book also threw in the extreme weather and a massive disaster on the east coast, just to make the situation bigger and severe than it is. As expected, Monument 14 also left off on a cliffhanger (these days, I’d be shocked if a YA novel didn’t). Still, it’s a strong start, with a great idea to work with, and just a tad wobbly on the execution. I haven’t decided if I want to continue with the series yet. Looks like it’ll be another short, quick read, so if the opportunity arises, I may take it.
    • 4/5
      If you haven't read the prequel novella Dress Your Marines in White I strongly advise reading that first. It will give you a great deal more insight and understanding of the situation the characters find themselves facing. Goodreads Blurb:Your mother hollers that you’re going to miss the bus. She can see it coming down the street. You don’t stop and hug her and tell her you love her. You don’t thank her for being a good, kind, patient mother. Of course not—you launch yourself down the stairs and make a run for the corner.Only, if it’s the last time you’ll ever see your mother, you sort of start to wish you’d stopped and did those things. Maybe even missed the bus.But the bus was barreling down our street, so I ran.Fourteen kids. One superstore. A million things that go wrong. In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world—as they know it—apart.A chilling dystopian tale that could all to easily be our reality, or one very much like it. It begins on your typical American day in Monument, Colorado. Alex and Dean are running late to catch their respective buses to school. Ever since the fuel shortage everyone rides the bus to school, it has become the law.On this particular morning the busses are traveling one right in front of the other, just like usual. Alex gets on the bus carrying the elementary and middle-school kids, and his older brother Dean gets on the one carrying the high school kids. They haven't traveled too far when out of the blue they hear these funny noises, which suddenly get progressively louder. It turns out that massive hail is falling, putting huge dents in the bus, breaking glass, and in general wreaking havoc. The driver of the high schoolers careens out of control, crashing the bus on its side, so suddenly all the hail is hitting the kids. Meanwhile the driver of the other bus plows ahead, straight into the Greenways superstore. Thankfully she has a solid head on her shoulders, because after she offloads all her kids she backs the bus up all the way to the wrecked bus that has all the other kids still trapped on it. She manages to get all the survivors to safety, which is a small number because it had been early in the bus route when this happened, so the busses weren't even close to full.A total of fourteen kids in the Greenways, and one adult. Since none of the network systems are working - no phones, tablets, nothing - their one adult leaves them while she goes for help. After she leaves the kids begin settling in when suddenly the riot gates come crashing down, locking them in and everyone else out. Eventually they locate an old fashioned TV set and hear their worst fears come to life "Good citizens of the United States of America, we are in the midst of the greatest crisis our country has ever known." It appeared that the patriotic folks over at North American Aerospace Defense Command Department (NORAD) had created some kind of horrible chemical weapon, one which was accidentally released into the general population. The kids rush to cover the front gates to keep the chemicals from coming in. Just when they think they are safe they realize the AC is running and will soon be pumping the chemicals into their air supply. They hit the roof the manually shut down the AC and find one of the kids just sitting on the edge, watching a giant black cloud rising straight into the air. Before they can fix the AC and safely get back inside a few are exposed to the chemical compound. The results are disastrous and terrifying.The rest of the time they attempt to prepare for a long wait for rescue. They discover a camera system that overlooks the loading dock when they hear a woman begging to be let in. Before they can come to a decision something happens that takes the decision out of their hands. Eventually two men come asking to be let in to get supplies. From here things go from OK, given their situation, to disastrous. And they rapidly unravel, ending on a painful note that leaves you aching for the next book. As the first novella was so useful I am going to suggest that the novella that falls between this book and the second is probably well worth reading as well. But either way, once you've read this book you'll be hooked and coming back for more!
    • 4/5
      I ended up really liking this book but what an ending!! Cant wait for book 2.
    • 4/5
      While this story is more of a "what if..." it is definitely worth reading, if only for the comparisons to Lord of the Flies (a classic). Is it realistic these children reacted the way they did? Why? I honestly think LotF is more believable, but I enjoyed reading about all of the dystopian elements in this novel. Yes, one natural disaster after another [which I still did not understand, but okay], but the action in this book is ceaseless. The only thing is that there are so many characters they get stretched thin.
    • 5/5
      In medias res. That’s a fancy-pants Latin term for in the middle. Is it okay that I’m starting my book review that way—in the middle of a series? I’m thinking the answer is oh yeah because from the perspective I’m taking, it’s ooey, gooey, and delicious, like eating a luscious cinnamon roll from the center to the outside. Nothin’ but goodness, people.Let’s start with W-O-W. From the opening pages of book one, the story kept me on my toes. First of all, it was set somewhere different—Colorado—which doesn’t seem like an earth-shattering circumstance, but seriously, I’m tired of reading about all these fabulously gorgeous teens that frolic on the coast, be it Pacific or Atlantic. This is the hard-core West, my friends, and these peeps need that stoic western strength to make it through one epic thrill ride: hail storms, earthquakes, and chemical spills, oh my! The main character, Dean, journals the story for us from start to finish as he panics, protects, and of course, crushes on the beautiful swimming goddess that happens to get trapped in a superstore along with our goofy hero and twelve other school-age kids.And holey doughnuts, people! Rarely does a sequel--especially the middle child--live up to the hype and expectations created by the first novel. Monument 14: Sky on Fire, does that and so much more. As in BOOM! baby. And in this read, that is literal AND figurative.
    • 4/5
      Made you think about what would happen if children were on their own after a disaster.
    • 4/5
      Monument 14 takes place in small town Colorado where 14 kids, ranging in ages from 5 to 16-17 find themselves trapped in a Greenway store while the world falls apart around them. On a seemingly normal day, Dean and his tech-savvy little brother Alex race to catch their school bus. On the way to school, crushing oversize hail begins denting the roof of the bus, breaking the windows, and in an effort to get the kids to safety, the two school buses quickly go to the Greenway store, which seems to be like a super Walmart. Once inside, the bus driver goes to find help and the 14 kids find themselves alone in the store as the riot gates come down essentially trapping them inside, which may be a good thing since they soon find out that a series of natural, and not-so-natural disasters are tearing the US to pieces around them. The Greenway store might be the safest place to be, unless they fall apart themselves.

      The plot was pretty fast paced. It definitely kept me reading up into the wee hours of the night. The story had a sort of Lord of the Flies feel with the older kids having a power struggle about who would be in charge and how best to survive. I very much enjoyed the whole concept of the story while the execution sometimes left a little to be desired. Nonetheless, Monument 14 certainly kept me on the edge of my seat.

      The story is told from the perspective of Dean, a bookish teen who is chronicling the events as they unfold. The interaction between all of the characters was fascinating. There is one particular character, a 5 or 6 year old named Max who told some of the most outlandish stories about his life. While there were a few crushes and hookups among the older teens, there wasn't any real romance in this story, although it seemed to be heading in that direction.

      The writing sometimes fell a bit short for me. I felt like using the teenage Dean to narrate the story was a way to compensate for less than stellar writing. The story felt choppy in places and jumped around a bit and I would have liked to seen some more character development in the older teens. However, as you see by my 4 star rating, I truly enjoyed Monument 14 and I won't hesitate to pick up the next in the series. There was quite a cliffhanger ending and not much was resolved in this book, which is a pet peeve of mine and I considered only rating this 3 stars because of that. But I didn't simply because I really liked this book, despite its flaws.


    • 3/5
      3 unless it's not a series. Then 2 - 2.5 just OK.

      The ending is not an OMG moment its a "..what..come on! You can do it..no? Well darn it" kind of moment. I am left with myself scratching my head. Enjoyed the fact it was not another PA YA distopia though!

      A sigh A bit predictable. Nothing extraordinary. Enjoyable yes but I wanted more exploration with Deans writing and Niko. I just don't feel like I KNOW the characters!

      More in-depth possibly coming to cabingoddess.com
    • 3/5
      I chose Monument 14 to read despite my preference for my dystopians anti-oppressive government than natural disaster and looting variety. My reasoning is that after a viewing of the film "The Mist" I find myself scoping out the other customers in a shop or diners if we should find ourselves in a similar situation. Monument 14 did have a religious zealot, but fortunately, for the other characters not one like Mrs. Carmody. I live in Florida where weirdness abounds so I find myself in many places where I'd hate to be shut in with strangers.Monument 14 takes place in a Walmart-esque style hopping center. The 14 kids are shut-up in the store after a hail storm. Two school buses crash into the store from the high school and middle school. None of the small children die but many of the high school aged kids do. I kept expecting a "Lord of the Flies" situation after the one creepy Boy Scout Niko takes over leadership. All does not seem right with this kid. The kid Brayden also bugged me. Our narrator, Dean, won me over when he called Brayden an idiot for believing illegal actions done by the government are not illegal.The government made chemical compounds cause different behaviours from people based on blood type. I have O type blood so I'd be a raging monster in this world. Poor Dean has O type and almost attacks his brother.The weakest part of the novel is when two adults stop by the store because it was quite predictable. I was a deeply suspicious child when I was their age and can not imagine so many kids falling into the man Robbie's lap. He had warning flags all over him. I still wish the book had not set him up as a pedophile, however, because Niko was too power hungry and smug about needing control over the kids. There were too many scenes of what to eat for dinner but it felt realistic. All of the characters were fully realised and fleshed out. It was nice reading a book with so many personalities and depth. I'm interested to read the sequel to find out exactly what was going on between Niko and Dean's brother Alex. Alex shunned his brother the entire book over his blood type yet screams at him for choosing to stay behind in the store? I would have loved this book as a kid due to the locked in a store setting. My favourite movie as a kid was "Opportunity Knocks" starring Jennifer Connelly and Frank Whaley. This book hearkened back to that film more than the Zombie Apocalypse films "Hey, we can shop for free!"
    • 4/5
      Sucked me in and spit me out and left me wanting/waiting/desperate for the sequel. Yes, it's Lord of the Flies in Target but, holy crap, that's minimizing the effect that this book has. So good.
    • 4/5
      I love the apocalyptic setting and the characters were great and diverse. It's dark and I enjoy that in a book but it had its light moments to. I would've like to have seen more of outside the store but I guess it adds to the mystery. 4/5 JP (12th grade) I chose this book because of the fact that it's about a disaster with people living through it. AG
    • 4/5
      I was happier about this book until I looked for it on Goodreads and saw there were sequels. Argh! It actually works quite well, I think, as a stand-alone. And I am very, very leery of reading more and not liking those and thus ruining my experience.

      Because what I liked about this one was because it was a bunch of kids surviving a global disaster in a superstore. And I love that sort of thing. I can only imagine the next book doesn't involve the store, which makes it infinitely less interesting to me.

      It might've gotten 5 stars from me, except I am so sick of girls in these situations being at risk of rape. Are they _more_ at risk than usual? Really? It has to be in every book like this?

      Anyway.. I did like it. And now I want to live in a superstore.
    • 5/5
      Monument 14 is a new favorite! I wasn't sure about the series since I had seen mixed reviews but I loved it. I listened to the audio CD version which is narrated by Todd Haberkorn. Haberkorn did an outstanding job bringing this story to life. He seemed to have a real feel for each of the characters and vocalized each person in a way that seemed perfectly suited for that individual. In addition to a great audio performance, Monument 14 has a gripping and action packed storyline. It is similar to other post apocalyptic stories in that a natural disaster wreaks havoc on the earth, changing the world as the inhabitants know it,but it also takes a closer look at group dynamics and how easily it can be for twisted individuals to take advantage in a precarious situation. I also thought the author had incredible insight into the minds of children and adolescents and how they behave in certain situations. The dialog was believable and well written which added to the books appeal. Monument 14 will appeal to fans of Quarantine and This World As We Know It. Don't delay check out this audio book today!
    • 3/5
      Yet another YA apocalyptic tale of the world gone beserk. There seems to be a ton of these out there now. What sets this one apart is the range in age of the children left to fend for themselves and the fact that they have the "good fortune" to get stranded in a superstore like a Walmart. I knew students who will eat this up and be rushing out to get the sequel. Be warned there are a few scenes that make this an appropriate read for the "mature" YA reader, not a tween reader.
    • 3/5
      I went on a crazy binge last year reading so much YA dystopian, that I decided to take a break from it for a bit. With that being said this was one of the first dystopian books i've picked up this year. Monument 14 was one of the books I heard and knew that I would eventually read, because the concept of the book sounded great. A bunch of kids stuck inside of a superstore, with chaos occuring right outside their walls??? YES PLEASE!!I had a few problems with the storyline, I found quite a bit of it to be super unrealistic, for example I don't think a teacher would leave a bunch of kids behind to go out into the unknown to find help, but that's simply my personal feeling. I did like the story, and it was a quick read, but was a bit lacking for me, I guess I wanted more action and more resolution, and I know this is a series, so it was most likely setting up the plot for book #2 but sometimes that leaves me feeling unfufilled at the end of the story. One thing I really did like about the story was that each reaction that occured because of the outbreak was due to your blood type, I thought that was a really unique concept and one that felt realistic. I definitely will be continuing on with this series, but with such tough competition in the world of YA dystopians, this one fell a little short for me. If you do like apocolyptic type books though, I would definitely say to give this one a try.