Happy Humpday, friends! Today’s blog tour stop is for one of my all time favourite author’s new UK book release and I am buzzing! I actually pre-ordered Early Departures, which is the US version of Forever Ends on Friday, without even reading the synopsis. You may be aware that I’m a diehard fan of Opposite Of Always! Jack-Attack for the win. If you haven’t already – read the review here. So you can only imagine the joy in my little cold heart when I got approached to get involved with the UK book tour. (Screams internally!!)
Forever Ends on Friday by Justin A. Reynolds
4 out of 5
Pub Date 21 January 2021, by Pan Macmillan
Available to (pre)order now from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookdepository.
Blurb: Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die… again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.
But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies… permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth?
“There comes a point when, no matter what they’d done to you, you couldn’t justify continuing to treat someone terribly. There comes a point when it’s no longer their problem, only yours.”
My thoughts: As I sped through the pages I was mesmerised, despite the plot being way more sci-fi than I had expected, which by the way is not normally my jam at all. I fell in love with the sibling love between Jamal and Whit. There really is no love like that, huh..
Throughout the story, Jamal’s character development had me feeling like a proud mama. Reynold’s has a way of making his main characters so lovable, and of course Forever Ends on Friday was no exception.
You can die and still live on.
You can be alive but be consumed by death.
The difference between living and being alive is:
Everything.
What I am becoming to realise is that I really enjoy, for the lack of a better word, books that touch on grief; books that take this ugly and scary thing and turn it into something.. that gives hope and comfort. For me Reynold’s writing is just that- comforting. I felt the warm assuring embrace through his writing and that made me love this book even more. Besides, any book that has my eyes leaking has accomplished something and should be praised!
Reynolds stays solidly in my favourite author’s list and I will buy any of his work, regardless of what it is in the future. I really enjoyed Forever Ends on Friday and would recommend if you’re after a story of friendship, love, grief and comfort with a touch of science fiction.
Check out the Thursday Quotables post for more quotes I picked from this book that spoke to me – click here.
Kat x
About author
Justin A. Reynolds has been a pest control operator, night security guard, steel mill janitor, NASA intern, salesman of high-end faucet fixtures, and carpet-flooring installer. He was most recently a registered nurse, before trading his stethoscope for a pencil, but likes to think both instruments reveal the heart. His first novel, Opposite of Always, draws on his experiences as a nurse working with young people that suffer from sickle cell disease and is currently being adapted for film. He lives with his family in northeast Ohio. Forever Ends on Friday is his seconf YA novel.
Follow Justin on Twitter @andthisjustin and Instagram @justinwritesya
