Marked

The world we knew is GONE. Ruby had barely started kindergarten when the world collapsed, but by now she's over it. Like, really over it. To celebrate their upcoming graduation, the teenagers in Port Gibson are gathering to play a forbidden game from Before, a game called spin the bottle. Pretty much every girl in Port Gibson likes the same two guys, and Ruby knows them both. Wesley, the charismatic son of the town Mayor who's being groomed to step into his dad's job, and Sam, the ripped but terrifying second-in-command to the town's Security Chief. But only Wesley's graduating with Ruby, and if he shows up, she's determined to finally seize her chance to kiss her long time crush. When things go sideways, endangering her dear Wesley's life, there's only one person Ruby can ask for help, no matter how scary and enigmatic he is: Samuel Roth. Can Ruby convince Sam to risk his life to save Wesley's? And can Ruby navigate the post-apocalyptic world in time to save her crush, or will the long forgotten past come back to claim its due? Kirkus Reviews said of Marked, "Baker’s prose is sharp and vivid, and she manages to immediately plunge her readers into the world of the novel. The story is swiftly paced and features some surprising twists and intriguing characters. The combination of sci-fi, mystery, and teen romance makes for a compelling adventure. A promising YA debut about a girl’s search for a future in the wreckage of the past."