They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

"The title holds true but it actually gives nothing away. It's a story about two boys, who don't have long, meeting and living an entire lifetime in the span of a day. It's a story about friendship, fears, saying goodbye and what matters in the end is that you really, truly lived."

5 Stars.

Pros: How different Mateo and Rufus are and how those differences balance each other out/The message that Silvera gets across, to love as hard as you can, to not be afraid of everything and to go out and live your life as if every day is your last day.

Cons: A little slow to start/At first the way Rufus talks is kind of grating but you eventually get used to it/The plot is dark and heavy at times but it makes it all the better for it.

Full Review:

There is a service that exists now called Death-Cast. It will call you when you will die in the next 24 hours. They don't say an exact time, or how, but you know that you will die today.

Mateo and Rufus have just received that call.

They've each lived very different lives. Mateo, afraid of the world, barely leaving his apartment, only close to his father and best friend Lidia. Rufus a somewhat rough and tough kid, he's survived a tragedy, is in foster care but he's close to his friends and isn't afraid of living his life. For different reasons, Mateo and Rufus log onto the Last Friend App. It's an App that allows people to meet and get to know "Deckers" (people who are on deck to die.) It's the chance for someone who might otherwise be alone, to have someone with them on their last day.

They meet and in the hours that they spend together, getting to know one another, they both live an entire life time.

Silvera masterfully crafts the story even though you know what's going to happen at the end. He shows us that all life is precious, that the smallest thing you do, like a smile, may have an impact on a stranger today, that everything you do in your life, on a daily basis, matters, whether you know it or not. All of our lives are connected in ways we'll never see but in the end, it boils down to live each day as if it's a lifetime, be kind to one another and be gentle with yourself.

This was a great read and one that will stick with me for a long time.

Comments

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage. 2 Stars Pros: Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel. Cons: Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end. Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...

A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time Quintet #3) by Madeleine L’Engle

“The apocalypse is looming when a random South American Dictator threatens Nuclear War. Of course, Charles Wallace is the only one who can stop it! It's all tied into the descendants of Meg's mother in law, Mrs. O'Keefe, Calvin's mother. With the help of a Unicorn named Gudior, Charles Wallace is off to save the day. This was another head scratcher and I'm not holding out much hope that the series will start making sense." 2 Stars Pros Time travel, to me, is far less surreal than whatever was going on in #2. So this was an easier read. Cons: Megs constant questioning starts right on page 1, at least she’s consistent/I do love how Mr. Murry is on speed dial with the President/The various timelines got very confusing and all the Brans/Maddocs/Maddox/Gwens/Gwyns and the multiple Zillah and Zillies were extremely frustrating. I had no idea who I was reading about at the end. Full Review: Years have passed and all the Murry children have grown. Dennys and San...

All the Books.

Search This Blog