They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera | Rating: ★★★★★

Maybe it's better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs.

Before I dive straight into all the emotions I felt whilst reading They Both Die at the End, I will say this: when I was little, I constantly read novels by Lurlene McDaniel. For most of my preteen and teen years, I was able to train myself to read these books in public and be moved but to never, ever cry visibly. So, when picking up this particular release, I thought I'd be prepared--between the title and my prior reads. I wasn't.

This year, about three books moved me to tears. The Hate U Give, Dear Martin and now They Both Die at the End. No matter how much you think you're prepared for some-thing, there's still that chance that you'll react in different ways. Adam Silvera has a prose that leaves you feeling both warm and fuzzy. Then, when you least expect it, his words cause your eyes to sting and before you know it, you're an emotional wreck. I have to be honest, I have never read anything like this book before and I probably never will. Truly, one of the most haunting releases in YA this year.

I feel... speechless.

Oh, oh, oh. They Both Die at the End is everything you could want from literature and reminds you just how precious life truly is. There's so many layers to the story and each section was put together with an intense kind of care. You can literally feel the emotions coming off the pages and that's what literature is about. Double points for diversity and then a little extra for that Rent song reference which is the ultimate tipping point for me and the guarantee that I'll start crying like mad.

They Both Die at the End is about a lot of things. There's that sense of lingering loss; not just within the characters untimely death--but in their backstories, too. Mateo, is left feeling heavy and alone in many ways as his father lay in a hospital bed, somewhere between life and death. Rufus is still trying to sort through his own life, after his entire family died in an accident--leaving him as the only survivor.

It's about their final day. It's about friendship. It's about family. It's about hope and loss and love and everything in between. I liked the differences between Mateo and Rufus.

Your heart breaks long before Mateo and Rufus meet and their backstories are explored. You know that the clock is ticking for both but you can't help but to hope, and hope, and hope that somehow they beat the odds and live to see another day. Even if you know that it's not going to happen.

Another common theme--the exact opposite of death and tragedy. They Both Die at the End is bitter-sweet and beautifully complex, because it tackles the most important thing of all. Living. We all take life for granted. Mateo barely leaves his house due to the world around him and fear. Rufus has a bit more to go off of and finds himself confronting many regrets. When they meet, it is their hope to just spend their last day living--and boy, do they pack a lifetime worth of memories in just one day.

The way they come together is so shattering and yet gorgeous. Again, because of the uniqueness of the plot--and their world--it's not quite like anything you've ever read before. This is what grips you and lingers at the back of your mind always. It sparks feelings from the reader and, in the end, a lot of conversation. My first thought after finishing it was, "I have to ask my best-friend what she would do if she knew the exact moment in which she would only have twenty-four hours to live."

Would you want to know?

How would you spend your final day?  

I liked that it felt like you were always holding your breath around these two and that the novel takes place over only twenty-four hours. As a whole, the novel was such an experience and I can't get over how beautifully crafted it was. They Both Die at the End is a novel that people will be talking about for years to come and it is by far one of the best novels I've ever read. Unforgettable and deeply moving, this is not a book you want to miss. 

This is the book that reminds me how much you can feel within the pages of a book. Clear your schedule for the day; grab your favourite comfort food and or drinks and prepare yourself as best as you can. You cannot, and should not, ignore the hype surrounding this book. You simple cannot miss this one.

Adam Silvera, I applaud you.