I received this book for free from the NetGalley, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
If We Survive the Night by Jo Salazar Series: The Dead Weight #1
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on August 25 2026
Genres: Horror, Young adult
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Zombies aren’t the only killers in this tense YA thriller, an exciting start to a new series.
If you’re looking for a dark, gritty YA zombie story, then look no further. If We Survive the Night was unexpectedly violent, and the main character surprised me in more ways than one. This is a survival story with a twist, and I quite enjoyed it!
Quinn is sixteen and lives in a mental health facility with other teen girls. The residents of Pegasus Center live by strict rules, take daily medication for their various issues, and dream of “aging out” and being able to leave someday. Life is uneventful for the most part, until the night that Quinn and her best friend Keisha decide to sneak up to the roof to stargaze. That’s when they hear someone—or something—crash through the windows of the lobby below.
It isn’t long before the truth comes out (despite the adults’ attempts to hide it): a deadly outbreak has hit the Chicago area. Rabid, infected humans are attacking everyone in sight, turning them into “carriers” as the news is calling them. And now the carriers have made it into Pegasus Center, and everyone in the building is at risk.
As the body count in the facility starts to rise, Quinn and a handful of other patients, including one of the adults, manage to escape the building without being attacked. But there’s nowhere to hide, and Quinn is going to need to develop survival skills if she wants to keep everyone alive.
What could have been a standard zombie story turns into something much darker—believe it or not—because Quinn turns out to be way more dangerous than any zombie. As the author slowly reveals Quinn’s true nature, I went through several emotions, including confusion, anger and finally gut wrenching horror. I’d rather not reveal everything in this review, but let’s just say if you aren’t on Quinn’s good side, you’re considered dead weight. It’s interesting to note that If We Survive the Night was originally self published as The Dead Weight, and that menacing title tells you everything you need to know about Quinn and her agenda. What would have made the story even better, though, was if the author had made Quinn a little more likable. I always think about Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs, a simply brilliant example of a complex character who, despite the horrifying things he does, has a certain charisma that draws you in. Quinn, on the other hand, is simple a blunt weapon with no charms at all.
By setting Quinn up as the “bad guy,” Salazar creates some interesting scenarios and relationships. I especially loved the way Quinn’s and Keisha’s friendship played out. At first, the two seem very close and willing to do anything for the other. But their relationship eventually turns into a game of cat and mouse, and the tension was off the charts. Other side characters are nicely developed as well, but don’t get too close to anyone, because you never know who will be the next to die!
The brutal violence happens fast, with no real warning. Once the carriers get inside the building, the story takes off like a rocket, giving the reader very little time to breathe. The survivors travel on foot at first, but later find a boat on the nearby river. Much of the story is familiar survival stuff: searching for food and supplies by looting homes and businesses, learning how to sleep rough, and trying to stay off the radar of the increasing number of carriers, not to mention other humans who may or may not be friendly. I did like the moments when we are reminded that these are just young girls, many who have spent their lives locked up in various facilities. And while I hesitate to call anything in this story “sweet,” I did love one particular scene where one of the girls finds a cherry chapstick in an abandoned house. Her joy over this small treasure was, well, sweet.
The ending was both shocking and expected—after all, by now we know what kind of person Quinn is—and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the next book, If We Survive What Saved Us.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
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