Pick of the Week: The Rest of Us Just Live Here

Many teen books are stories of vampire love, being the Chosen One, or battling aliens. These books are great; I love diving into those worlds. Though sometimes it seems that every teen must be involved in some otherworldly situation. What about the rest of the high-schoolers? What about the teens who are average? They aren’t cool or indie or in love with a werewolf. What about them and their lives? How do they deal with the indie kids and their constant near-death and annihilation adventures? Are they even aware?

Patrick Ness’ new novel, The Rest of Us Just Live Here answers those questions. Mikey and his friends Jared, Henna, and Mel are average teens. They have normal problems, like Mikey really likes Henna but doesn’t know how to tell her. They weren’t around when the vampires came and students fell in love. They’ve heard stories, but really it just doesn’t involve them. But it is happening again, the indie kids are fighting the Immortals, and Mikey and his friends are generally pretty oblivious.

Each chapter of The Rest of Us Just Live Here starts with a synopsis of the adventures of Immortal-fighting Indie kids, and then continues with
Mikey and his friends. The adventures of the indie kids don’t often overlap with the regular cast of characters, but they do provide an interesting backdrop. While Mikey, Jared, Henna, and Mel aren’t fighting the Immortals or falling in love with vampires, they still have their own problems and adventures.

Find out what happens to the average kids in The Rest of Us Just Live Here.