Romance

Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.

First Impressions: Love at First Sight

While it is not always ideal to “judge a book by its cover,” I couldn’t help but fall immediately in love with this one at first sight. The bright, fun colors immediately pulled me in, and the picture itself did the same. Two girls, almost holding hands, the flowers blooming on their roller skates, and just the aesthetic and feel of the cover alone were enough for me to pick this book up and begin reading. 

I knew very little about the authors going into it, apart from Rachael Lippincott’s popular romance novel turned movie, Five Feet Apart. Though I never read it myself, I’d heard very pleasant things about both the book and the movie, so I was excited to be introduced to these two authors. After reading, I learned that the two were actually married, making the book that much more special.

The Romance: From Enemies to Friends to Lovers

When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.

But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

First Impressions: The Start of Something New

As a mainly mystery/fantasy reader, I was interested in broadening my horizons with a new book genre. I knew that I wanted to dive into a romance, but there are so many great romance books out there that it felt almost impossible to choose one. But as soon as I saw If You Could See the Sun’s cover and read the quick blurb on the back, I was absolutely set on this one. It felt perfect, with a dabble in all three of my favorite genres: Henry and Alice gave me the romance, Alice’s unexpected invisibility powers gave me fantasy, and the scandalous secrets of her classmates gave me some mystery.

This book was the perfect read, and absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Upon reading, I realized pretty early on that Ann Liang used an academic rivals-to-lovers trope for the relationship between Alice and Henry. I had not read much academic rivals-to-lovers before this book, but If You Could See the Sun made me fall in love with this trope almost instantly. It was perfectly executed, and Henry and Alice’s relationship felt so authentic, like an actual real-life relationship. What stood out to me most about this trope was that it was complex, and Liang did not limit their relationship to just the surface level, but instead dived deeper into the trope. While Henry and Alice were certainly academic rivals, it never felt as if they actually hated each other, and their competitive spirit only brought them closer together, creating such palpable tension that you couldn’t help but smile watching their relationship unfold.

The Story: Secrets, Sunlights, and Something More

I am so happy that this was not your typical romance story where the relationship between the characters is the only plot line. If You Could See the Sun incorporates mystery elements, including Alice’s invisibility, which further “pushes” the relationship between her and Henry. I absolutely adored this because I love it when two characters that don’t get along too well are forced to work together on a plan. I will fall in love with this storyline every single time, and Liang executed it perfectly. The story kept my attention for every single page, and I loved this so much that I would read it again and again.

The Setting: Behind the Boarding School Gates

Set in an elite Beijing boarding school, the setting of that story was absolutely perfect. I am obsessed with boarding school stories, and this book was no exception. You could feel the energy from the school radiating off the pages, with every single person fighting for that number one spot in the class. It also gave us different perspectives, and the contrast between how Alice feels being the only scholarship student, and the thoughts of the other privileged and rich students who do not have to work for their spot at the school.

Their Relationship: Rivals, or Something like it

Everything about the relationship between Alice and Henry was perfect. Their slow-burning feelings for one another were growing throughout the book, and watching as they slowly realized their feelings for each other were changing. They were absolutely adoring, and you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. You could feel their tension, and I was so giddy reading each of their scenes, smiling through every page.

One of my favorite quotes between the two of them is, “‘You know’, I muse out loud. ‘If it weren’t for the fact that we hated each other’s guts, we’d probably make an impressive power duo.’ I expect Henry to raise his eyebrows at me as usual or make a cutting remark, but his footsteps suddenly slow beside me. ‘Wait. We hate each other?’” I could not contain my excitement when I read this, and there are so many conversations like this between the two of them that just make you fall in love with them. The fact that Henry never hated her just shows that they were never really rivals, but there was always this lingering connection between the two of them that they just didn’t understand at first.

Writing Style: Words that Feel like Sunshine

This was my first Ann Liang work that I read, but I can promise that it won’t be the last. I absolutely fell in love with her writing style and just how authentic it all felt. Her writing is so smooth, and it flows so nicely, making you forget that it is a book you are reading and not reality. I discovered that If You Could See the Sun was Liang’s debut novel, and this just further emphasizes Liang’s talent. If this is just her debut, I am so excited to read her other works and see what she does in the future. Whatever it is, I know I will fall in love just as I did with this story.

When Lilah becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community. There are cute British lifeguards who break hearts but not rules, a YouTuber who’s just a bit desperate for clout, the campers Lilah’s responsible for (and overwhelmed by)—and then there’s Isaac, the dreamy Deaf counselor who volunteers to help Lilah with her signing.

Romance was never on the agenda, and Lilah’s not positive Isaac likes her that way. But all signs seem to point to love. Unless she’s reading them wrong? One thing’s for sure: Lilah wanted change, and things here are certainly different than what she’s used to.

First Impressions: Love at First Sight

I randomly stumbled upon this book one day while wandering the aisles of Target, and as soon as I saw the cover, I immediately knew that I had to read it. I am a senior in High School, and I have been learning American Sign Language since my freshman year. With 4 years of learning, I have fallen in love with the language. I was so excited to see Give Me a Sign, a book surrounded by deaf culture, and I could not wait to read it.

I thought this was such a fun, delightful book, and it gave me so much more insight into Deaf culture. As a hearing person learning sign language, I can never truly understand the experiences of a deaf person, but this book allowed me to see deeper into their culture and understand them on a stronger level.

The Characters: Hands and Hearts

I thought that Lilah was such a great main character. She is kind and compassionate, and we could really see her passion for wanting to learn sign language and immerse herself in this part of her culture. It was interesting to see as she balanced between her two worlds: the deaf world and the hearing world. Because she was part of both, she often felt invisible in both, not quite fitting in either one. Watching as she had to navigate these struggles, but eventually grow in confidence, was so wonderful to see, and it was very empowering to read as well. Readers became really sympathetic with her, and we wanted to watch her succeed. By the end of the book, we felt so happy for her, and it was amazing to see her story wrap up so nicely.

Along with Lilah, I also enjoyed the other characters we were introduced to in Give Me a Sign. One of my favorite characters of the book was Oliver, though he was not one of our “main characters.” I thought that he was absolutely hilarious, and I was engaged in his and Lilah’s relationship at the start. At the beginning of the book, when it was Team Oliver vs. Team Issac, I was actually Team Oliver, since I was obsessed with their banter as soon as they met. However, once Oliver came out to Lilah and explained that he was in a relationship with Ben, this just made me love his character even more. I was so happy that we still got to see more of Oliver and Lilah’s dynamic, and their connection honestly felt stronger when it was simply platonic. Olivier was a great addition because he brought more diversity into the story and even kept it more interesting and engaging.

I was happy to see such a wide range of characters, as it allowed readers to encounter a diverse spectrum of deaf people. Not every deaf person has the same experience, and this book perfectly encapsulated that. By meeting so many different people who have a variety of hearing abilities, the book further immersed readers into deaf culture and allowed us to get a deeper look into what their day-to-day lives might look like.

The Relationship: A Language of Their Own

Even though I was initially team Oliver, Issac did start to grow on me throughout the course of the story. It was difficult to see their connection at first, especially since there was such an intense language barrier between the two of them. But I think navigating this language barrier actually made their relationship stronger. It was super cute watching as they grew closer, especially Issac watching and teaching Lilah to learn more signs. Lilah had so much passion for the language, and Issac had so much passion to help Lilah that their stories fit together so perfectly, making them an adorable couple that I rooted for until the end.

Real World Impact: The Power of Representation

On a deeper level, I think this book is amazing in representation. It delves deeper into the atrocities that deaf people face daily and how these challenges are often overlooked in general society. It felt really informative on deaf culture, and also felt very empowering to read. It advocated for accessibility and empathy for everyone, and this book can have an immense real-world impact on the deaf community.

Final Thoughts: A Heartfelt Story

Overall, I thought this was a really great read, and it was super cute and fun. I had a really great time reading this, and I hope you guys enjoyed!!

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.

first impressions: a familiar ache

Immediately after The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera was released, I picked it up and was thrilled to be returned to the They Both Die at the End universe. The First to Die at the End is a prequel story, starting at the beginning of Death-Cast and the initial reactions of people to this new technology.

I really liked this book, flying through it in just 2 days. Though I enjoyed They Both Die at the End slightly more (it is very difficult to beat the original), I still thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Since I had already read They Both Die at the End, I knew more of what to expect with this story, and I thought I would be more prepared for the inevitable ending. This was unfortunately not the case, and I found myself, yet again, crying once I reached the end. There is just something about these stories that tug on my heartstrings, and Silvera does such an amazing job at making you feel every emotion, connecting you so deeply to these characters that it feels deeply personal when something terrible happens to them.

the story: where it all began

I was intrigued by what the story of The First to Die at the End would be, and how it would connect back to They Both Die at the End. I knew that it would be a prequel, judging by the title of the book and the blurb on the back cover. I was excited to see Silvera go deeper into Death-Cast and the origins of it, and how people would initially react to technology like this. I was perfectly content with how The First to Die at the End handled this, and I thought Silvera gave us just enough information to understand Death-Cast, but not too much so that there was still a mystery surrounding it.

What impacted me the most about this story was how it differed from They Both Die at the End. In the first book, both Mateo and Rufus received a call from Death-Cast, knowing that they were forming a connection before both of them met their end. This time around, however, only one of them received a call the day they met. For me, this made the story feel even more devastating. With only one of them living out their last day, the other has to learn how to live after someone he loves dies. Even though they had only been together for 24 hours, their connection was so strong that it felt like they had known each other for their entire lives. I can only imagine how that must feel, meeting someone you would want to spend your entire life with, knowing you only have 24 hours left with them. It’s heartbreaking, but it also might have brought them closer together. Knowing they have limited time, they wanted to make the most of it, trying to fit an entire lifetime into a single day.

the theme & the characters: living before dying

Even though The First to Die at the End had a different story from They Both Die at the End, I was glad to see some of the key themes from the first installment in this new one. To me, these books show how you should always be living life to the fullest, because in one day you can realize that you haven’t been living; you’ve always just been wasting time. You may not be able to realize this until you realize you are at the end, and this is why you should always treat every single day as if it is your last.

For our characters, Orion and Valentino, they weren’t given a lifetime together. They were only given one single day, and they didn’t want to waste the only time they had left together. They fit as much as they could into a 24-hour period, which made the ending that much more devastating because we knew that all they wanted was more time.

the relationship: when forever fits into a single day

I loved Mateo and Rufus in They Both Die at the End, and I was so glad to see I loved Orion and Valentino just as much. I found myself rooting for them almost immediately, and as soon as they met, I knew they would be such a perfect couple. They were flirtatious with each other almost instantly, but it still took them a decently long time to actually get together. It was almost a slow burn, and each time they were with one another, I wanted to yell, “Just get together already!” They had such an intimate bond that, as much as I loved them, they just emotionally destroyed me even more. Each time they had a first in their relationship, they, as well as the readers, knew that it would be their last as well. It was devastating to grow so close to them while knowing that one wouldn’t make it, and that the other would have to live on.

I loved how Silvera kept the LGBTQ representation in this story as well, since he did such an amazing job representing a queer couple in the first book. Orion and Valentino were just as perfect as Mateo and Rufus, and as a person in the LGBTQ community, it is so amazing to see queer relationships written so well.

the ending & final thoughts: hurting in the best way

Just like with the first book, I knew what was going to happen in the end, and realistically, I should have been prepared for the ending. But I still found myself emotionally devastated. After reading They Both Die at the End, I should have known what to expect, but I was still so distraught. I think this is just a testament to how amazing these books were, and how emotionally impacting they really were. I really loved The First to Die at the End, and if you read They Both Die at the End, I think you should absolutely check this one out too. Be prepared to read through your tears, but also for an amazing experience. Happy reading!

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

First Impressions: A Broken Heart

I had heard so many amazing things about They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera before I even began reading the book, but one thought kept me from reading it: Doesn’t the title spoil the entire book? After I read the back of the book and I had a general understanding of the plot, I understood why this was the book title, and I immediately began reading.

This book was emotionally devastating in a way that I don’t know how to describe. I genuinely loved it, and I still feel such an intense connection to it. I should have been prepared for the ending, since I knew what would inevitably happen, but it did not make it any less upsetting. I believed I cried for about 3 hours afterward, and I am unsure if this is due to me being a sensitive person, or the emotional nature of the book (or both). I can confidently say that it emotionally destroyed me, but in such an incredible way.

The Story: One Last Day to Live

The story immediately pulled me in, and I could tell it was going to be an amazing book just by the creativity of the story. In an alternate version of our reality, where on the day you die, you get contacted by a company named Death-Cast and are told this will be your last day on Earth. While there are many stories out there surrounding death, I found it very intriguing that those in the They Both Die at the End universe are informed of their end day by a company, and that this situation has become normalized in this world. It makes me wonder how society would react after learning when your last day alive will be, and how quickly something like this can become normalized in a society. It also brings the question: what would you do if you knew you only had one day left?

Another captivating concept for me was the creation of the Last Friend app. I thought this was an incredibly sympathetic idea, and I hope that if somehow our world were to come to this reality, and you are told the day you are going to die, that this app is there for us. To think of how many people might be alone on their last day is deeply upsetting, and an app where you can meet with people who are experiencing the same thing as you are is beautiful. It speaks to human nature, how we crave human connection. For many, the last thing they want to do on this earth is have a meaningful conversation with someone, or even just be in someone else’s company.

The Theme: A Single Day, A Whole Lifetime

Another meaningful part of the book for me was the theme, and how one day lived, really lived, could be worth more than an entire lifetime just spent wasting time. You could live 18 years of your life, and it could take just one day to realize that you haven’t truly been living, and that’s terrifying. Everyone wants to live their lives to the fullest, but how do you know if this is the fullest if you have never experienced anything else?

The Characters and Their Relationship: Love in Borrowed Time

For our characters, Mateo and Rufus, it only took them one day to realize that their whole lives might have been leading up to them finding each other. Their relationship made the story so much more devastating. They were given such limited time together that once they realized their intimate connection, it was too late. They could feel themselves running out of time with each other, and it was heartbreaking to watch as they, along with the readers, realized it was going to come to an end.

Knowing that both of these characters would have to die in the end, I was afraid to turn each page, knowing that at any minute one of their lives could end. Mateo and Rufus had such a deep, personal connection with each other that was established so quickly, and I didn’t want to see this destroyed.

I also thought this book was an amazing representation of an LGBTQ relationship. They were just kids falling in love, and it didn’t matter if they were both boys, and it didn’t matter how much time was left. To them, it felt like they were the only two people in the world, and it was beautiful to read.

The Stylistic Choices: Two Voices, One Story

On a separate note, I enjoyed how Silvera gave us a dual perspective because it gave us a glimpse into both Mateo and Rufus’s personal lives. We got to see their experiences leading up to the call from Death-Cast, and we got to see their initial reactions to it. It felt like we knew both characters deeply and intimately, so watching as their relationship with each other developed made it that much more personal for the readers.

The Ending and Final Thoughts: “No Arm to Hold Me Back”