Review: If We Survive the Night by Jo Salazar

August 25, 2026

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Quinn is used to being told that what she feels inside isn’t quite right. After getting kicked out of multiple foster homes and narrowly escaping juvenile detention, she’s undergoing therapy at a residential treatment center for “troubled” girls. Looking for a night of freedom, Quinn sneaks onto the roof with her best friend Keisha, and what she sees changes everything…

She witnesses the start of the zombie apocalypse.

As zombies, or “carriers” as the news calls them, infiltrate the treatment center, escape becomes crucial. Quinn and Keisha make a pact to leave together, but several unexpected complications screw up their plans.

As the girls battle the carriers and wrestle with their doubts about each other, Quinn realizes she has never felt more alive. Maybe this is exactly the kind of world she was built for. And part of thriving in this cutthroat environment means cutting off the dead weight – even if that means putting other lives at risk…But even if she’s willing to sacrifice everything, can anyone really outlive the apocalypse?

Review:

One thing is very clear to me: I would not survive more than a few days in an apocalypse like this. And that is if I am very lucky. Once I need to go outside, I’ll be dead. Immediately. 🙂
I need to be honest and very realistic here.

And then there is Quinn. She is a survivor, and do I enjoy her unaliving people a little bit too much? Absolutely, and I’m here for it. Her taking over when everything changes from one day to the next – that is a character I instantly root for. Was she a little ruthless in her methods? Maybe, but this is exactly what I was looking for in a book that had me entertained from beginning to end.
Starting off in a mental facility with a group of teenagers made it clear that we do not have our typical group of survivors. They were there for reasons (some more than others), and it made it so much more fun to see who would make it and who would be left behind.

If I ever have to face a zombie situation, I can only hope that there is a Quinn out there who would help me. Unless I am no longer a burden to her, I guess. 🙂
That was so much fun, and I cannot wait to see how the story continues. For a YA-targeted book, this one works for all audiences, and you’ll get exactly what you can expect from this type of story. That’s certainly what I got.

🌙 Recension: If We Survive the Night (The Dead Weight #1) by Jo Salazar
📚 Genre: Horror, Dystopia, YA
📅 Release Date: August 25, 2026
📖 Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
📗 available in various formats
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received a free copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
📆 Pages: 349
⭐️ 4/5