Monument 14: Sky on Fire

There are many violent scenes. Young children are in mortal danger throughout. Military cadets assault younger kids and threaten them with guns. Dean uses a chainsaw to kill an attacker and later shoots someone to death in a struggle. A father and son capture kids in a backyard pit trap. Later, the father is killed.

Astrid, an older teen, is secretly pregnant. Dean has a crush on her, and he is at first rebuffed. But then they have sex when under the influence of a compound that makes them lose their inhibitions. The incident is not described in detail.

Given the severity of their situation, it's somewhat surprising that the characters don't indulge in more profanity. "Hell" is used a handful of times, but, more often, the characters choose substitutes such as "godforsaken," "a--hole," or "freakin'."

The return of drug-addicted Jake and the arrival of a group of rogue military cadets lead to scenes involving drugs and alcohol. Their partying is viewed by the other characters as dangerous and uncool. Astrid and Dean give tranquilizers to their enemies.

Parents need to know that Monument 14: Sky on Fire is a fast-paced, suspenseful, post-apocalyptic thriller with an engaging cast of young characters. The plot picks up exactly where the first volume in the series left off, with one group of kids on their way to Denver Airport in a school bus and the other hiding out in a big-box store. The language is pretty mild, with only a handful of uses of "hell." There's some sexual content: 17-year-old Astrid is pregnant, and she and Dean have sex while under the influence of a compound that makes them lose their inhibitions. Young children are in mortal danger throughout, and the level of violence is high. Rogue military cadets threaten younger children with guns. A father and son capture unwary kids in a pit trap. Dean and Astrid kill intruders with guns and a chainsaw.