Arriving with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision, until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings.

Darcy weathers on through the whirlwind that is a first publication and learns multiple lessons not just in YA writing, but also in romance and relationships.

Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the Afterworld to survive a terrorist attack.

[2] The majority of the reviews for Afterworlds are positive and applaud Westerfeld for representing the passion of reading and writing in Darcy.

"[3] Tasha Robinson of NPR writes, "while Lizzie's story is briskly thrilling, it's ultimately more valuable as a window into Darcy's mind.