American Rapture by CJ Leede features an apocalyptic nightmare where, instead of zombies, a virus transforms people into sex-crazed hordes. Sophie Allen, a sheltered small-town girl, escapes to search for her lost brother, who was kicked out by their parents for being gay. She fights for her survival while wrestling with her Catholic upbringing and emerging sexuality.

I don’t normally read horror or apocalyptic stories, but I liked this one. The heroine demonstrates useful nonviolent survival skills such as treating injuries and hotwiring a car, and shows strength through compassion and asking questions. She forges a new family with other survivors who care for each other in ways that her parents failed her. And yes, several of them are queer.

I appreciated that, for all the emphasis on sex and attraction, non-romantic relationships are highlighted as well. There’s the kindly librarian who helps Sophie read forbidden books. There’s the dog she adopts who becomes her steadfast protector. And, of course, the brother she never gives up searching for.

This book doesn’t pull its emotional punches, and there is a lot of violence. Likeable characters die horrifically. Still, I found it a brutal yet essentially hopeful story about the end of the world.

“Life can be really hard. No one tells you how hard or how you’re supposed to deal with it. But I refuse to believe that it’s all for nothing or that we’re only here to destroy each other. This world is not just about suffering.” – Ben Parson, American Rapture by CJ Leede