Like the name suggests, this book is an emotional read for sure. I read it mostly in public and definitely had to hold back my expressions of true feelings (aka tried not to sob). This book has a classic “carpe diem” message that packs an emotional punch.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera is set in what seems like the present day, with one major difference: a company called DeathCast notifies you on the day you’re going to die. Lots of industries have sprung up around “Deckers” (people who will die that day) that offer last minute experiences. One of these new companies catering to Deckers is an app called Last Friend, where you can meet, well, a last friend. Two teenagers (17 and 18), Rufus and Mateo, get the call on the same day and become each other’s last friend.

The story follows Rufus and Mateo through their death day as they share final meetings with friends, visit Mateo’s comatose father in the hospital, eat at their favorite places, and adventure through New York City together. Rufus inspires Mateo to break out of his shell while Mateo makes Rufus want to be the best version of himself. 

I enjoyed this book, but it felt very YA, which is not really my favorite. The middle felt a bit slow plot-wise, and I liked the characters but didn’t feel super emotionally attached. I think they could have used a bit more development. I did really enjoy the addition of chapters showing vignettes and perspectives of other characters. 

Despite having some qualms with this book, the ending did get me right in the feels. I mean, I’m not heartless, and the title doesn’t lie. If you’re a fan of YA and want an easy but emotional read, this might be the book for you!

One spoiler-y thing to add (so stop reading now if you want) - I felt like Rufus and Mateo’s one day love story was out of the blue. It felt pretty unbelievable and rushed, and I didn’t really feel like it added to the story. 

I was really looking forward to The Power by Naomi Alderman for a long time once I heard about it. I was so jealous of my friends across the pond who got to read it before it even won the Bailey’s Prize, and after it won, I was DYING to get my hands on it! I love dystopias and alternative futures, so I had a feeling this would be right up my alley. 

I wasn’t wrong! I got to read this book a bit sooner than many of my fellow US friends after I begged Little Brown to send me an early copy and they kindly obliged. 

The Power begins when girls suddenly start developing, well, the power, where they can basically electrocute people with their bare hands. The book follows a few people (mostly women) around the globe as the sudden change occurs. We meet Roxy, an absurdly “strong” (in the sense of the power) teen and the daughter of a prominent British gangster. Allie is a young victim of abuse who runs away to a convent and hones her craft like nobody else, and she soon gains a cult-like following. Tunde, a Nigerian student, starts documenting the change and quickly becomes a leading and trusted journalist. Margot, a mayor of a city in the US, has her power awakened by her daughter whose power is unpredictable and unreliable. 

Each chapter follows one of the characters, and the book takes place over a few years, with massive social change happening across the globe as women begin to rebel, form militias, and generally take control. One particular interesting part for me was the story of Tatiana, the former wife of the Moldovian president (who seemingly and somewhat suspiciously dies of a heart attack) who rises to power and forms a new country ruled by women. The book doesn’t focus on Tatiana except as a background character to the main characters. I would have liked to know more about Tatiana and her perspective. 

The women in this book are angry and violent and commit unspeakable acts of violence against men as they gain complete control of the world. I don’t know if I buy that this is how things would go if something like this happens, but, it worked as a sort of action-movie story and I was definitely sucked in. 

This book is fast moving and was engrossing for me. I think it would make a great TV show. I understand and agree with some of the criticism of this book, but despite some flaws this book really worked for me as a piece of entertaining fiction. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopias!

Finished my first Agatha Christie last night - Murder on the Orient Express! It feels a bit silly to ​review such a classic author, but I’m doing it anyway. 

This book is about one of Christie’s famous detectives, Hercule Poirot, and a cast of interesting characters aboard the train the Orient Express. When one of the passengers on the train is found murdered with twelve stab wounds, Poirot knows it must be a fellow passenger who committed the crime.

Part of my motivation for reading this books was that I wanted to read it before seeing the movie that comes out in November. When my dad and I decided to take the Amtrak to Portland while he was visiting me, I knew I HAD to read this book on the train!

This book definitely isn’t like the typical “murder mystery” books that I’ve read, which are mostly thrillers or very dramatic. Instead, it’s like a brain teaser or a logic puzzle with a cozy feel. I think I finally understand why they call this genre “cozy”! Clues are complex and detailed, and are weaved throughout the story as Poirot interviews each passenger. I did not predict the ending or pick up on most of the clues, despite trying! This book started out a bit slow (and confusing) for me, but picked up speed soon enough to keep me interested, and eventually I didn’t want to put it down and was DYING to finish it! I found myself wishing our train ride was a little longer.

This definitely won’t be my last Christie mystery! I’m excited to try out the Miss Marple series and read some of her standalone work (looking at you @stefiereads). If you haven’t read any Christie before, I think this book is a great place to start.