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Review: The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

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The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

The First to Die at the End
Adam Silvera
HarperCollins
Published October 4, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The First to Die at the End

In this prequel to #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls.

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.

Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

My Review

As soon as I heard about THE FIRST TO DIE AT THE END, I knew I had to read it. My daughter and I STILL talk about THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END, so I couldn’t wait to tell her about the prequel.

When I started thinking about the idea of a prequel to Rufus and Mateo’s story, I couldn’t figure out how that would work. Like, how do you elevate a story that happens first? We had all these iconic moments with Rufus and Mateo and all these interesting intersections of characters because of the Death-Cast system. How would a story breathe new life into those things so they’re not repetitive?

Well. Let me say that one of the things I think this book does the best is to breathe fresh life into the idea of a Death-Cast world, and to create new twists and connections. It broke my heart all over again, and I loved every minute of it.

Two tiny notes: I’m not usually a fan of stories with lots of points of view. It gets easy to lose track of characters and their connections to each other. Though there’s a big cast, I kept track of everyone pretty easily. I loved the way that the different viewpoints added depth to the story.

Also, I loved the cameos from little Rufus and little Mateo! I was totally not expecting that, and it was fantastic.

Of the two books, I have to admit this one is my favorite, though. I remember feeling sad at the end of THEY BOTH DIE, but I fought back sobs at the end of this one. If you read and enjoyed Mateo and Rufus’s story, you do not want to miss THE FIRST TO DIE AT THE END.

Content Notes

Content warning for gun violence, domestic violence, assault, and homophobia.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Both Orion and Valentino are Puerto Rican and gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. They have sex. There’s a one line description and a couple references to it.

Spiritual Content
Valentino was raised Catholic and has been told that being gay is a sin which will condemn him to Hell. Orion’s mom says God wouldn’t come between a mother and her children.

Violent Content
Orion’s parents were killed on 9/11. He describes nightmares about seeing them afterward. One brief scene shows a shooting. Reference to and brief description of someone shot to death. References to Valentino’s sister’s car accident and some brief descriptions of it. References to and depictions of domestic violence and assault.

Valentino’s parents reject him for being gay and have said some homophobic things to him. Orion worries about walking home and people identifying him as gay and that being a problem in his neighborhood.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE FIRSTS TO DIE AT THE END in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty

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Willa of the Wood
Robert Beatty
Disney Hyperion
Published on July 10, 2018

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

About Willa of the Wood
Move without a sound. Steal without a trace.

Willa, a young night-spirit, is her clan’s best thief. She creeps into the cabins of the day-folk under cover of darkness and takes what they won’t miss. It’s dangerous work–the day-folk kill whatever they don’t understand–but Willa will do anything to win the approval of the padaran, the charismatic leader of the Faeran people.

When Willa’s curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in the day-folk world, she calls upon the old powers of her beloved grandmother, and the unbreakable bonds of her forest allies, to escape. Only then does she begin to discover the shocking truth: that not all of her day-folk enemies are the same, and that the foundations of her own Faeran society are crumbling. What do you do when you realize that the society you were born and raised in is rife with evil? Do you raise your voice? Do you stand up against it?

As forces of unfathomable destruction encroach on her forest home, Willa must decide who she truly is, facing deadly force with warmest compassion, sinister corruption with trusted alliance, and finding a home for her longing heart.

My Review
Willa of the Wood is the first book by Robert Beatty that I’ve read, though I think I own two of his other books. Judging from the writing style, I really want to read more. I liked the way the scenery seemed to come alive and the deep emotions Willa feels through the story—her longing for companions and her internal wrestling over the wrongness of what her tribe has asked her to do.

One of the most powerful characters is Willa’s grandmother. Even though she can’t walk, she has this powerful presence and a fierce love for Willa and the goodness of the old Faeran ways. It’s this love and wisdom that Willa carries which gets pitted against the fears of her people, and Willa has to decide which way is right—being governed by that fear and allowing it to rule her actions, or daring to love not only her tribe members, but those very different from her, too.

I loved the theme of family and adoption in the story, too. Willa feels like an outsider among her Faeran tribe members, and she desperately wants to have meaningful, lasting connections with others. Her journey to find a community where she belongs totally resonated with me.

The story as a whole is a bit dark, to be honest. I’d say it’s probably better suited to older elementary school readers and middle school readers might also enjoy it, too, even though the writing style and characters’ ages feel geared a little more toward the eight to twelve range but definitely worth a read.

Recommended for Ages 10 to 12

Cultural Elements
Willa’s appearance changes depending on her surroundings as a sort of camouflage. She befriends a Cherokee boy and a white man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Willa and her people are night-spirits and have magic that comes from life (plants and animals). Sometimes the magic protects or heals, and other times it causes harm, even death.

Violent Content
Willa and her peers are tasked with stealing from local humans. A man shoots Willa while she’s prowling through his house. A couple scenes show children kept in cages. Willa learns they’ve been starved, and in some instances, tortured or allowed to die. Willa uses magic to help allies and stop enemies. Sometimes the magic appears like black worms or roots attacking people. The imagery tends toward dark rather than gory.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Review: Lucky Strikes by Louis Bayard

Book Review and Content, Coming of Age, Historical, , , , , ,

Lucky Strikes
Louis Bayard
Henry Holt and Co Books for Young Readers
Available July 5, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Fourteen year-old Amelia’s mother dies, leaving her and two siblings alone in the world. Amelia’s determined to run the family gas station and keep her siblings together until she comes of age. When the town learns of her mother’s death, Amelia and her siblings face being split up in foster care, and Harvey Blevins, who owns all the other gas stations in the area, sees the chance to snatch that last station he covets. What she needs is a parent figure, and the moment the bum falls off a coal wagon, she hatches a plan. If he’ll pose as her father, she can keep the family together and Mr. Blevins from stealing her mother’s legacy.

From the first to the last lines of the story, the strong sense of voice rings clear and never falters. Bayard captures the rugged poverty of a rural southern town in the 1940s with perfect clarity. As the plot unfolds, the tension builds and Harvey Blevins is driven to more and more extreme measures in his attempt to crush Amelia’s strong spirit and muscle the last independent gas station in the region into his own pocket. Lucky Strikes is ultimately an inspirational battle of wills between a rich, powerful man and a fierce young girl. As Amelia learns to embrace who she is and fight for her family, the community begins to respond to her courage. The story reminds us that sometimes the battles hardest won are themselves not the real victory because what’s gained when family and community pull together is a far greater, richer reward.

This was a hard book to classify. Amelia’s age makes her a young protagonist for the young adult genre, but the heavy content and strong language leave it decidedly beyond middle grade readership. If hard-pressed, I might label it as coming-of-age, though Amelia still feels like a young person in many ways even at the end of the story.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used with moderate frequency.

Romance/Sexual Content
Amelia hears rumors about her mother being promiscuous. The source appears to be more from dislike or lack of understanding of Amelia’s mom because she was such an unusual person. Hiram disappears some nights and returns in the mornings. Amelia believes he’s spending nights with a woman companion. Amelia shares fervent kisses with a boy.

Spiritual Content
At one point, the town refers to Amelia’s family as pagans. Her mother embraces the jab so that it becomes a family joke. Hiram brings a fortune teller to town to stir up interest and business.

Violent Content
A fire starts in an occupied building. Someone fires shots at Amelia and her family.

Drug Content
A drunk fortune teller stays with Amelia’s family and offers her services to the townspeople for a day.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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