Swarm - Jennifer D. Lyle

Sixteen year-old Shur is one of the first to see the creatures. While staring out the window in history class, she spots one floating over the soccer field. It looks like a monarch butterfly—but it's huge. Within minutes, her classmates' phones are buzzing with emergency alerts. These things are everywhere, and though nobody's exactly sure why the alerts are telling them to take cover, Shur knows it can't be good. It's only when she's left school and headed home that she understands what the creatures do: they attack.

By the time Shur, her two brothers, and their two best friends make it back to her house, it's clear the five of them must survive whatever comes next on their own.

As the "butterflies"—new hybrid creatures thought to be created by climate change—multiply and swarm outside, anxiety-prone Shur focuses on what she can control: boarding up windows, stocking food, and preparing a shelter in the basement. They lose internet and power while vigilantes create terror outside. Meanwhile the creatures begin to fulfill their ultimate purpose: multiplying via parasitic load, and before long, the butterflies aren't the only thing trying to get in. To protect her family and survive the invasions, Shur must find the strength to protect their sanctuary at any cost.

Who knew butterflies could be this terrifying?

While this story is mostly set in MCs house, it doesn't mean it's boring. Quite the contrary, the teens have to survive all kinds of dangerous situations - starting from the "swarm" itself. These killer butterflies were truly terrifying to read about. They had extra limbs, sharp teeth, huge mouths...disgusting but intriguing as well 😂 Imagine those giant bugs trying to enter the house. You can hear their wings flapping on the windows and the roof. You can see the shadows their bodies create while creeping around the house. If there's even a tinies crack, they will try to get inside.

Then of course, they have to survive living on their own. I have to admit, I loved how smart these teens were, but also realistic. They tried cooking on their own and cleaning the house which shows they know what they have to do, but teens being teens, they didn't know how to do it properly and some of them were on the lazier side 😂 In any case, they showed great strength and they took care of each other.

There were lots of other complications which I won't mention because I don't want to spoil the story for you, but the point is - the teens were resourceful. Especially Shur who also deals with a mental illness. They made tough choices, they fought with everything they had and tried to keep sane in this crazy situation.