Title: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT
Pages: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Year Published: 2017
First Line: "Death-Cast is calling with the warning of a lifetime- I'm going to die today."
"Adam Silvera reminds us that there's no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Matea Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They're going to die today.
Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There's an app for that. It's called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure- to live a lifetime in a single day.|
My Rating: 3/5
I have heard so much hype surrounding Adam Silvera and I've read one of his book for myself. Honestly, I just expect more sometimes, I really enjoyed the storyline and the idea of a different present where we are able to predict the day we die and connect those who are on the same path. I do wonder what would really cause half of the deaths, the idea of knowing that you are on the way out of the world that really triggers the rest of the events. I am just hitting a point where I think I might better enjoy these books as audiobooks, or just reading them very rarely.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So I've read a few of Adam Silvera's books now and I'm not sure if his books are for me. I was interested in his writing after hearing so much hype about his ideas, and I think that his ideas are very deep and creative, but they lack something for me. It's just the follow through that isn't quite what I imagine. I think the idea of Death-Cast would really mess with the world. The more that I read, the more I realized knowing you were going to die often drove characters to their death. Doing things that they often would not do in life.
Characters:
Mateo: I think his fear of leaving his home was dangerous on itself, but he was able to keep himself safe there. But he wasn't really living his life to the fullest through his life at home. That being said, he likely wouldn't have died if he hadn't been given the alert. Although he did find someone to love and spend his final day with. I was impressed with his growth over one day.
Rufus: I think that his growth was also amazing but it was more in a social and emotional way than the way that Mateo grew. He was able to cope better with his past and what he assumed were his mistakes. He was able to deal with his past issues and move on in peace throughout the day (other than the very end).
Tagoe and Malcom: Not ratting out on a friend and living life as a chosen family is so amazing to me. Being there to chose your family and staying loyal even though it's not through blood makes me so happy.
Lidia: Her character was impressive to me. To be able to deal with the death of her child's father, and then her best friend within a year is powerful. She's raising her daughter amazingly and with confidence.
Aimee: I wonder about what she will do in the future. Who will she be able to get along with after everything she's seen? Certainly not Peck!
Peck: Possibly one of my least favourite characters in any contemporary I've read.
Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "I cross the street without an arm to hold me back."
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: More Happy Than Not
Author: Adam Silvera
Series/Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Fiction
Pages: 300
Publisher: Soho Teen
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "It turns out the Leteo procedure isn't bullshit."
"In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving New York Times Bestselling Debut Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx.
Sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness after a family tragedy leaves him reeling. He's slowly remembering what happiness might feel like this summer with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, but it's his new best friend, Thomas, who really gets Aaron to open up about his past and confront his future contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is?"
My Rating: 4/5
So I don't read a lot of contemporaries but I'm trying to read books that I normally wouldn't pick up and this one really caught my attention after hearing Jessie The Reader talk about it on his youtube channel. It deals with mental illness, poverty and coming of age. These themes are maintained throughout the book along with the idea of forgetting and remembering. Would it be easier just to forget things that have broken your heart? What would that do to you as a person? I thought about this a lot while I read this book and I can sincerely say that this book is one that will make you think. It will give you the feels and break you apart but overall it will make you wonder. I couldn't give this book a 5/5 because it just didn't feel right. I found the beginning of the book was slow and harder to get into so for that reason I liked it but didn't find myself loving it.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So this is my first contemporary read for 2017 and I'm happy that it was the first one I picked up. Maybe I'll start picking up more. I really enjoyed this book I thought thtat the premise was interesting. The idea of changing one thing about a person or being able to forget one aspect of your life is intriguing and I truly didn't think that Aaron had already gone through the process once. But I also thought the aspect of sexuality was important to bring up. I'll be the first to admit that I don't read many diverse book but I'm hoping to change that. And I think this book was a good way to start. I thought that bringing in a different lifestyle along with the orientation fo the main character was key in this story and Adam Silvera did an amazing job of showing how different people react to the coming out process not that acting with violence is good, but it's a sad reality for many.
Characters:
Aaron: I think in his 17 years he has seen a lot of shit. Let's be honest. He's put up with being bullied, hiding who he really was, violence in the home, poverty, and he's still coming out trying. By the end of the book, he broke my heart. To know that he might not ever get the happy ending he originally wanted breaks my heart but also knowing that he could be 100% who he was around his family was at least a little relieving.
Thomas: I don't know if Thomas is straight or not and we'll never know because you can't tell someone's sexuality based on the way they act or look. I think that he and Genevieve will be happy together if they give each other a chance.
Genevieve: I was more than a little upset when I found out that she knew he had the procedure done the first time and still got back together with him. I mean I guess they both thought that he would be "straight" but still to let herself fall so in love with him, it just didn't make a lot of sense to me. I hope that she finds happiness somewhere.
Aaron's Mom: To do something to make your child happy even though you might lose them scares the crap out of me but she did it, almost twice. I hope that she doesn't blame herself for the side effects.
Aaron's Dad: I'm going to presume that he was mentally ill, but that doesn't make it ok to abuse your family!
Collin: I hope that he finds happiness someday, some how.
Brennan: He can go straight to hell.
Moments To Remember:
Final Line: "Don't forget me."
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
