4.5 stars!
This is Not a Test is an apocalyptic story in the head of 11th grader, Sloane Price. Almost at the very beginning you meet all six of the main characters and learn of their personalities quickly. Each character is very different from the rest and it all provides a Lord of the Flies-like aspect to the story since they find shelter within their high school. The main character, Sloane, thinks very differently than the rest of the group because of her past. Even though I don't have the same experiences as her I found myself understanding everything she did and thought. Being inside her head is the best way this story could of been written because it's easier to understand why she is the way she is - what the other five teenagers have trouble grasping.
This is the first apocalyptic book I've read and now not only do I want to read more, but I want to read more of Summers' books. I was hooked the whole way through this story and hardly put it down.
Why haven't I rated it five stars? I really enjoyed it, but I didn't find enough character development. While there are things in a few of the teenagers that develop (and quite a big one in Sloane) there wasn't enough there for me. So, four point five stars for This is Not a Test.
I'd highly recommend this book for contemporary to sci-fi lovers because it has so many aspects of both. I think anyone could enjoy this book.