What readers think of The Things That Keep Us Here, plus links to write your own review.

This was a well-imagined book about what the world would look like if a pandemic hit. It was a realistic view of the community, country and world view in a crisis situation. The description of a 13-year-old girl's behavior in such a crisis was excellent. My greatest problem with the book was that I never felt emotionally connected to the main characters in the story. I also wonder if the surprise at the end, alluded to throughout the book was necessary as anything other than as a device to keep one moving forward through the story. It never worked to explain the relationship between the characters, since the explanation was realized until the end.

I loved this book. I am an avid reader, but have not lately come across a book I did not want to take breaks from. Some books take awhile for me to warm up to the characters, but by the second page, I found myself quite interested in caring for this family. I was impressed with the way the author just plunked us into their lives, and then kept thickening (enriching) their characters chapter after chapter, often in very subtle ways. And while the topic seems particularly pertinent in today's times, the ways in which the author propelled the reader forward with the plot makes me think it could stand alone with or without today's issues at hand. My sense is that this book would appeal to a wide variety of people due to several themes running through the story.

A very timely topic, to say the least. I found myself wondering what I, myself would do if my family were in the same situation. The author increased the complexities of the story as it went along, making the book more "unputdownable" as it progressed; a good tactic. Yes, it will be a great book club read, but I think it would be an invaluable tool used in a high school lit class as well - so many topics could be gleaned for discussion.

It has been a long time since I considered calling in late to work so I could finish a book, but that ALMOST happened with this one. What a fantastic read! I was involved with the characters, fascinated and terrified as the events unfolded, and was completely engaged as they dealt with the unthinkable effects of a modern-day pandemic. I highly recommend this title and predict it will be a very popular book club selection. Kudos to Carla Buckley for a riveting debut!

A book about the H1 flu bug was timely but it did not hold my interest. It moved very slowly,(unlike the flu virus) and in the whole first half of the book nothing much happens. The characters were underdeveloped and uninteresting although I liked her creative naming of some of the characters. I am sad to say the book put me to sleep.

The plot was a roller coaster ride and I couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what happened. However, the characters were stereotyped, the descriptions minimal, and the writing choppy. Read it as a "beach read" or a substitute for a "made for tv movie," but don't expect more. This might be a good book for YA reading groups.

The story takes place during an Avian flu pandemic. Certainly a timely topic as we begin to cope with the H1N1. As we see the shortages appear and the loss of basic services due to a horrifying storm, we see a divorced couple co-parenting two daughters and forced to come together to make life and death decisions about who to help and who lives and who dies.

What the author does well is weave a spellbinding plot with well drawn characters that remind us of people we know and love. In doing so, she asks the reader--what would you choose in this situation? All the while knowing that all answers can be right and all answers can be wrong.

It was a fast and satisfying read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even though it was a novel it really made you think. It is ironic that this book is coming out now when we have the H1N1 virus and this book had the H5N1 virus. I don't want to give too much away but it was sad what people had to go through and how some people became closer and others fell apart.