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On September 5th, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but for different reasosn, they’re both looking for 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. 

All I could do while reading this book was compare it to More Happy Than Not. Because the difference is insane, and I loved loved loved this book! Firstly, it’s so unique, the way Silvera uses magical realism in his novels to change them up from being contemporary. It made They Both Die at the End so relatable and easy to read even though it wasn’t strictly real.

“But no matter what choices we make – solo or together – our finish line remains the same..”

I found the characters so much easier to relate to than in More Happy Than Not. Mateo and Rufus come from very different backgrounds but they share their deepest thoughts and feelings in this book. They’re both very tender and real. Nothing is hidden in this book, and it’s so pure that I ended up with tears rolling gently down my cheeks. I’d been told to prepare myself, but I hardly ever cry at books! This one just couldn’t be helped.

“..No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end.”

The plot was so easy to follow and the pacing was so good, especially as this book is set over only 24 hours! I really admire authors who can fill a book with the events of just one or two days. I have to admit, I admire Silvera so much after reading this book. Knowing the main characters are going to die is so hard, because I’m sure some people have gone in with the ‘I don’t care what happens to them they die anyway’ attitude. But Silvera knocked this one out the park. He made two dying boys live.

★★★★
4.5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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