Chris Whitaker

The Forevers

Aimee :)

Mae looked across the beach to that same spot, and she wondered if in three billion years another little girl would make that same promise and keep it.

And then she looked to her friend, Felix Baxter, who had finally fallen into a deep sleep.

Someone once asked her how you make your death count.

'I love you,' Sail spoke the words close to her ear.

Mae watched them and smiled, because, finally, Candice saw Felix Baxter.

Gentle waves, the sun so bright above. ‘I think we survived.’

‘I keep feeling ... angry. I want to scream.'

'I think you're either a screamer or you're not.'

Mae screamed then. So loud Felix righted himself and began to tread water.

Mae suffered the inconvenience of falling in love three days before the world would end.

Together the Forevers of West watched the night sky and thought of the impossible.

‘Maybe you make my world a little less shit, Mae. It's more than I thought I'd ever get.'

They sat in silence and felt the universe shrink a little. She did not tell him that the headstone beside that bench belonged to her parents.

‘We're each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.’

You want me to mess up Hunter Silver? I'll eat her for breakfast. And then I'll go back and eat her breakfast.

Probably some soya-milk bullshit but I'll swallow it down for you.’

Jane breathed, finally on familiar ground. 'You like him?'

He doesn't look at the sky. He just looks at me.'

'Do you think that's why Abi did it? And James and Melissa?

"No, I think they wanted to be forgotten.'

But there's a fundamental difference between wanting to die and not wanting to live.’

'I didn't hear your father complaining last night,' Mae said.

'Lexi's father is dead, Hunter said, glaring.

'I wondered why he didn't seem that into it!'

'Jack Sail. You can just call me Sail. Everyone does.'

'You saying that like I'm everyone, Jack?'

'We're all scared, Mae. Some of us are just better at hiding it than others.'

'I remember the Forevers,' he said, lying back on the bed and pushing his glasses up his nose. 'We did it for the creeps and the weirdos.'

Mae expected to feel more the first time she saw a dead body.

What would you do if you knew the world was going to be destroyed by a huge asteroid in one month? The mesmerising YA debut from the winner of the CWA Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel 2021 and the New York Times Bestselling author of We Begin at the End. They knew the end was coming. They saw it ten years back, when it was far enough away in space and time and meaning. The changes were gradual, and then sudden. For Mae and her friends, it means navigating a life where action and consequence are no longer related. Where the popular are both trophies and targets. And where petty grudges turn deadlier with each passing day. So, did Abi Manton jump off the cliff or was she pushed? Her death is just the beginning of the end. With teachers losing control of their students and themselves, and the end rushing toward all of them, it leaves everyone facing the answer to one, simple question... What would you do if you could get away with anything?

The YA debut from the 2021 CWA Gold Dagger Winner

Leni McLeod

This book started off brilliantly, i was hooked by the first line. Obviously i haven’t read in a while because of how busy i’ve been, so it was a bit hard to pick up straight away. However, i really enjoyed the storyline and the outlook of this book, though i did find it confusing throughout, i was still able to understand it and love the book. I wasn’t sure to give this three or four stars, i stuck with three because although it was a good read and really impacted my emotions i did get stuck on bits and had to reread or carry on without knowing what that part was about.

Jacob Atchison

Sophie

I like this book. it's definetly not the best I've read so far but it's not bad either.
honestly, I bought it cause the cover art is super pretty and the text on the back sounded interesting enough. 
the story was gripping enough that I read this book in 2 sessions. and this was probably for the best cause if I spread it out more, I think I would've been super confused. there's a lot of names and not all of them are characterized enough for me, so even though I read most of the book in one day I got confused.
also sometimes I got confused about the location and time changes. only 2/3 through the book I realized it was probably set in England and not the US but I am still not sure. 
but overall, I think it's a compelling story.
if you want to read this book though, please inform yourself about possible triggers that are mentioned.

this book. oh my god. this book made me think about life in a whole different way. I fell in love with all the characters and the humour and banter was fantastic. Such a crazy thing to think about it’s almost like a fantasy but at the same time it’s so so real

Joanna Rosenwink 

Thank you to Hot Key books for providing me with a proof of this book for review.

If you knew the world was ending in a month what would you do? How would you behave if you knew there would be no consequences? This YA thriller is based in this premise, and we see the best and worst of people throughout the story.

Mae and her friends grew up knowing that time was short as the asteroid heading towards earth had been identified 10 years before. They decide to take back their Forevers and be true to themselves. 

Acceptance and friendship are the underlying themes of this gripping book. The mystery of whether a well-loved student committed suicide or was murdered keeps the reader on the edge of their seat through the twists and turns of the plot.

Although the subject matter of impending doom and the worst of human nature being revealed is very dark, there are some amazing one-liners which had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. 

This is a book that really makes you think about what is really important in life, and making the most of whatever time you have.

The Forevers

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