If We Were Heroes


Young Adult - Romance
196 Pages
Reviewed on 10/30/2022
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Amy Powers for Readers' Favorite

If We Were Heroes is a young adult novel by Christine Anna Kirchoff. Set in a dystopian world, Ember is the subject of a documentary about the rise and fall of humanity, both of which were caused by herself and her family. When news that a deadly virus had been released, resulting in vampire zombies and mass panic that eventually destroyed most of the world, Ember had no idea that her dad was the one who was responsible. In an attempt to get to her family, Ember was bitten by one of the creatures. Unlike everyone else, she doesn't turn into one of them, but something in her changes. She may be the answer to finding a cure for the virus, but that doesn't stop the authorities from wanting her dead.

Beneath the surface of the fictitious yet credible scenario of having a deadly virus take over the planet, If We Were Heroes is also a sweet, whimsical romance. A young woman just wants to live her life as a normal person and experience the romance that was stolen from her, thanks to this virus for which her father was responsible. Apart from Christine Anna Kirchoff's charming writing that is full of beautiful descriptions, well-developed characters, and powerful emotions, I loved the underlying themes of acceptance and fear of people who are different. The timeline of the story is also fun to follow, alternating between the present with the film crew interviewing Ember for the documentary and the past events as Ember relives what happened to her. Both teenagers and adults will love this story, and it is easy to visualize this tale being made into a movie.