Actually a 3.5 and I have one word: ouch

Actually a 3.5 Stars. This was a reread, I’m excited to finally finish reading this series :)

In an alternate universe where Death-Cast calls to tell you that you'll be dying today, how will you spend your last day?

Before I get into the story, I think I really enjoyed this book because it makes you think. What would you do if you got the call? Would you spend it with your family or would you spend it alone? Would you live in fear or live your last day to the fullest? We might not ever be faced with this in such a short about of time. It reminds me of the Nickelback song 'If Today Was Your Last Day' (that song always gives me feels) when I think about it an I honestly don't know how I would spend my last day; that scares me. I get chills thinking about it now and I think that is the underlying message of this book: live every day to the fullest and embrace who you are because you deserve that.

The book itself was wonderful, I adore the writing style and though I didn't see the necessity of the multiple POVs at the beginning it all comes together as the story moves along. It shows how every one is connected in someway and how our lives can truly affect the ones of others we care for and even strangers we've never spoken to. There's a lot of suspense in this novel and the build up is what makes their deaths all the more painful (that's not a spoiler–it's in the title after all).

Mateo & Rufus are two characters who couldn't be more different in their personalities on the surface; however, as the story goes on they connect and truly become each other's last friend. As I read through the book I was able to have such a clear image of them in my mind, Silvera's writing style has to be one of my favourites. The reader is able be there with Mateo as he comes to discover and accept that new part of him, and as someone who isn't fully sure of their own sexuality I could relate to him in that way. Something I will not just overlook is that Rufus is bisexual, which I know is a wonderful rep in the YA community that lacks it. This novel is filled with diversity, in both ethnicities and in sexualities (Mateo is Puerto Rican and Rufus is Cuban)

Overall this book was amazing, in its ability to draw you in and make you connect with these characters, only to have them taken away. It broke my heart more ways than I thought possible and I certainly cried quite a lot. They Both Die at The End will certainly always have a place in my book loving heart.

Synopsis:

Vada’s To-Do List:

- Turn 18 (check!)
- Register super name

- Order supersuit
- Attend superhero indoctrination

- Graduate high school

- Start kicking criminal tail

Vada Lawson can’t wait to be a superhero. Born into a family with special powers, she’s been training to fight criminals and villains her whole life. But her indoctrination into the underground super community is derailed when normals start breaking out in superpowers themselves.

Not trained to control their new abilities, the normals are frightened and vulnerable. Then their mutilated corpses begin turning up all over town. What the heck?

Somehow, with the help—and hindrance—of an annoying newly-minted super named Orion, Vada has to stop the chaos before it destroys her and everything she holds dear…and ruins her superhero debut.

No one ever said that being a superhero was easy…

Genre: upper YA, paranormal (?), superhero themes

Rating: 1/5 Stars
My Review (spoiler free)

I loved the concept of this book, I loved the idea of following a new superhero, a female superhero as she fights crime and discovers the reasons behind these random murders. But the execution is where it flopped for me. This book is classified as an upper YA, for reasons I agree with but find unnecessary to the story line. Repeated vulgar language and mature themes make this a book I wouldn't want 12-14 year olds reading; however, the story seems as though it is written towards an audience of that age group. It's very cliche, and I found it easy to tell what is going to happen before it happens.

Besides the concept of this book, there was some underlying issues I discovered while reading this book that I don't agree with. See the passage below for example:

“Tell me,” he urged. “I can…” ****** gasped for air between kisses. “I can make people do things. Just by telling them to.” “Is that so?” ****** bit his lip, glad to have charmed it out of her. “What kinds of things?” “Lots of things.” She smiled. “I can make them say things, give me things, do things for me…do things to me…” She licked her lips and thought about the young man from next door and how he had bent to her will just two nights ago. ****** smiled. “Someone’s been naughty.”

A certain character is gifted with the super power of persuasion and it is essentially what she says it is. Her wish is everyone else's command. I understand that she is a villain, but was it really necessary for her to, what appears in my eyes anyways as rape/unconsented sex within the first day of her having her powers. A book coming out in 2017 should not be saying that if you're a villain it's alright for you to do these things. Frankly, no book should be saying this to its readers, unintentionally or not. There is also another instance where the villain in question has college boys strip for her in the middle of the street.

Another place I found issue was the lack of POC, and the appropriation of the Romani. There is a super named Gypsy, who is described as Caucasian with auburn hair, whose super suit is described to be of that culture as well. I believe there is an abundance of better names available to give a psychic besides one that is associated with a culture she doesn't appear to be linked to.

Overall, this book had potential but fell short for me. If there was less ~ smut ~ I believe this book would be better suited for a younger audience.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book