“Maybe it’s better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs.”
This was my first ever Adam Silvera book, and I’d been warned by so many people to prepare myself for ALL OF THE FEELS, but nobody could have really made me understand just how fast and hard I would fall in love with Adam’s writing voice. This book made him an auto-buy author literally by the 25% mark, and I don’t think any author has ever made my auto-buy list so fast in my life.
PLOT ➳➳
Imagine a world where someone has perfected the ability to predict when someone is going to die. Now, imagine that same world involving a call center whose staff’s entire purpose is to call each unlucky soul between midnight and 3am and to inform them that this is their End Day. Now, imagine that some kind soul has created an app, much like a dating service, that allows people to find someone to spend their End Day with so they don’t have to face it alone.
Mateo has spent his entire life living inside a bubble; meanwhile, Rufus’ bubble was burst when his entire family died right before his eyes. The two teens are vastly different, but when they find that they share an End Day, they decide to spend their final hours together, and show one another what living is all about.
THE BOYS ➳➳
Mateo is this adorable, precious little thing who is just terrified of the entire world around him and I just spent so much of the book feeling sorry for him because he is filled with such an immense amount of regret when he gets his phone call. He’s spent his short life too afraid to get out and live, and now that he’s got less than 24 hours until the end, it’s all he wants to do. He just broke my heart so many times.
Rufus, on the other hand, has gotten out and lived, but he’s got his skeletons, too. Despite his own fears and regrets, though, he’s solidly determined to make this last day of Mateo’s life meaningful, even though they only met today. He’s got a heart of absolute gold and I adored the chapters from his perspective. He’s got such a fun narrating voice, and the way he viewed Mateo as this pure, innocent soul gave me all the fuzzies!
THE FEELS ➳➳
I expected this book to wreck me, and it did, but not in the ways that I expected. I can’t say much, because the title spoils enough of the book, and this is one of those stories that you’re better off going into with as little information as possible. Let me just tell you to have a box of tissues on standby, and probably also some chocolate or ice cream or something, and maybe a puppy to hold if you can spare one?
FINAL VERDICT ➳➳
I had literally not a single complaint about this book. It is so rare that a story is a pure, unadulterated 5-star read for me, but this one achieved that. I would recommend anyone and everyone to pick up a copy of They Both Die at the End. Even if you don’t like YA contemporary, or don’t like sad stories… get this one. It’s absolutely worth your time.
Thank you so much to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for the ARC of this incredible book! All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Releases on Sep 5, 2017
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25 Comments
Silvera’s other book History Is All You Left Me wrecked me and I expect this one to do the same once I get around to reading it. Great review!
I bought a copy of HIAYLM at the start of the year and have been too afraid to start it because I heard it was so sad. ? Now after reading TBDATE, I HAVE to read it asap! Thank you!
Might want to let your emotions settle and recover before starting it haha.
Haha, good thinking!
I’ve yet to read an Adam Silvera book, but you’ve convinced me. I need to see what all the love for him is about!!
Oooh, yaaay! Thank you! I really hope you love it as much as I did.
I WANT THIS BOOK SOOOO MUCH!!!!
It was so goooood! I was SO happy when I got the Edelweiss approval ?
is this something like netgalley?
Yes, it’s just like NetGalley! It isn’t as easy to navigate, but I’ve found that you get approved for more “hot titles” there than on NG. Edelweiss has approved me for several titles that I was denied my requests of on NG (though Idk if that’s just because my NG completion percentage was low at the time).
alright! do you know if it’s just for us residents? or if other countries also have their chance? i think i’ll have a look at it ? thanks for mentioning it!
Oh man, I don’t know for sure – I’m sorry! I will say that I THINK it’s international. Fingers crossed!
i registered there and send a couple of requests, we’ll see, if it works 🙂
Good luck!
I just finished History Is All You Left Me and it BROKE ME! There was so many tears! Now I can’t wait to read this one when it comes out!
I have got to read History asap now! I’ve owned a copy all year but was too scared to read it until now ?
Yes you need to read it! I can’t believe it took me so long to start! but it’s amazing
I def will!
I’ve not yet read a single Adam Silvera book because I’m scared! I’m an extremely emotional reader…Sad things happening in books haunt me for days and whenever someone dies in a book, I cry my eyes dry! But I so want to read his books as I hear how beautiful they are! Which would you recommend as my first Adam Silvera book?
Oh I feel you! I am the exact same way. Back when Deathly Hallows came out, I remember staying up all night to read it and just sobbing hysterically through several chapters. I was in a daze for a week over how much it hurt my heart! Thankfully, TBDATE didn’t wreck me quite that badly, lol. This is my first book of his, actually! I hear History Is All You Left Me is a tougher read than this one, but I haven’t heard much on his other book, More Happy Than Not. I think I would personally actually recommend just grabbing TBDATE when it comes out next month if you don’t mind waiting a few weeks!
Ugh! This book. Great review! I’m still deciding whether to buy a hardcover or paperback for preorder. :S I don’t own many hardcovers but I adore the look of the full dust jacket. xx
Thank you! Oh man, I honestly kind of want both. I’ll probably just get the hardback, but the cover on the paperback is so unique, too!
[…] 10. They Both Die at the End – Adam Silvera – September 2017 I hesitated to include this contemporary since it involves some fantastical/scifi elements, but I loved it too much to leave it out. In a world where people receive phone calls on the morning of their death day to warn them, Rufus and Mateo learn they share in their impending demise, and decide to make the most of their final day together. Positively soul-crushing, but I loved this story and these characters so much. (POC: cuban & puerto rican, bisexual, gay, own-voice) REVIEW HERE […]
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