The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

 

Reviewed by Abby

The Flatshare is an adorably eccentric book about two strangers from London who live together in uncomfortably close quarters, but have never seen each other in person. Tiffy needs a new place to live after ending a messy relationship. She feels her best solution in the shortest amount of time is to answer an advertisement for a flat mate. Leon is a nurse who needs more money and decides on offering his small apartment as a means for extra cash. The pair feel they can reasonably cohabit the flat because they have opposing work/sleep schedules. Tiffy works during the day and would only ever be in the apartment at night and on weekends. Leon works overnight shifts and usually spends his days off out with his girlfriend or visiting his brother in prison. It would essentially be as if they lived in the flat by themselves. (Other than all of their stuff crowding most of the living space!)

Tiffy and Leon first communicate with good old-fashioned handwritten notes, which I found a little odd. Writing notes back and forth consistently isn’t really something you do with your “roommate,” other than to remind them about chores or bills. Why not text instead? (Sounds like the beginnings of a cute relationship to me!) Their hesitancy as strangers turns into a unique friendship similar to pen pals as the two learn more about each other through their messages and random items they leave behind in the flat. They practically become detectives in an attempt to uncover each other’s favorite foods, or how they get ready for work.    

Surprisingly enough, it takes quite a while for the two to cross paths for the first time since they lead such different lives. They somehow just keep missing each other. It gets to the point where they’re dying to know what the other looks like. Tiffy cheated a little bit by looking Leon up on Facebook, but that doesn’t count.

Months go by in the novel as Tiffy and Leon’s feelings for each other develop from curiosity, to friendliness, and even as far as subtle attraction as they begin to realize how much they enjoy each other’s company (or a lack thereof).

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for cheesy romance novels. It’s a guilty pleasure genre of mine. Although I typically choose to read Young Adult romance for its emphasis on diverse characters/situations, this novel still warmed my heart! I liked how independent and bold Tiffy was as a character. I also appreciated Leon’s kindhearted personality. The two complement each other well in their split narrations.

I chose to borrow the TN READS audiobook version of this title. I was pleased with the voice actors for Tiffy and Leon. I especially enjoyed the bonus-ending interview with the narrator of Tiffy, Carrie Hope Fletcher, and Beth O’Leary. I could really tell how much Fletcher enjoyed playing Tiffy. I also got to learn more about O’Leary’s thought process on writing the book.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

 

Reviewed by Abby

Camino and Yahaira are only two months apart in age but lead very different lives in two different countries.  In the Dominican Republic, Camino does healing work with her mother and swims in the ocean in her free time. She is only able to afford school with the money her father leaves her family but dreams of going to medical school in the United States one day.  Meanwhile, in New York Yahaira has a caring girlfriend and loves to play chess competitively. She never has to worry about money.  Camino and Yahaira do have one thing in common, though:  they each love their papi, their father, very very much.

And it’s the same papi.  Yes, he has two families, but neither daughter knows. Other family members do know, but they had decided not to tell the girls to avoid having them view their papi in a negative light. 

Then Papi dies in a plane crash on his way from New York to the Dominican Republic to visit Camino’s family. First there is the shock of losing their beloved papi, followed by the shock of learning about his double life.  The girls feel confused and betrayed by their families for hiding such a huge secret. They are also jealous of each other and begin to question why papi chose to travel so often. Who did he really love more?

Clap When You Land showcases the development of grief and familial bonds. Acevedo’s powerful way with words has resulted in a beautifully narrated Young Adult novel that will appeal to adult readers as well. Acevedo was a slam poet before she began writing books. She chose to write this novel in poetic free verse, which makes for a lighter read. It is astonishing to me how she was able to capture the emotions within this story so easily with her use of poetry. I finished it quickly even with its 432 page count!

(Not so fun) fact: This plane crash was actually based on a true event. On November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 was set to travel from New York to the Dominican Republic. The plane ended up crashing before it departed the city and left no survivors. This was a significant date in Dominican and American history that was unfortunately overshadowed by the events of 9/11 once people learned it was not caused by a terrorist attack.

I would highly recommend this book, especially because of its tie in with the true historical event. I had not heard about the Flight 587 plane crash until after reading Clap When You Land, even though it was a truly monumental incident in U.S. history.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

 

Reviewed by Abby

How would you react if you received a phone call telling you that were going to die today? The caller does not tell you how or when you will face your sudden demise, just that you now have less than 24 hours to live.  Most of us would find this horrifying and frightening, but that is just how the world works in the universe of Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End.  Those who get the alert from Death-Cast (a call center-esque establishment) are known as “Deckers” and often receive special treatment in restaurants and attraction sites if employees know their status. There is even a messaging app called Last Friend which enables doomed people to reach out to others in the same situation.

As the book opens, it’s shortly after midnight in New York City. Mateo and Rufus have just received their End Day alerts from Death-Cast. Mateo is alone in the comfort of his own bedroom when he receives the news; Rufus is in the midst of beating up his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend.

Mateo and Rufus eventually discover one another’s profiles on Last Friend and agree to meet each other in person. They both have regrets they wish to overcome before their time is up. Mateo feels he has not achieved enough in his short life. Rufus has experienced a lot more while living with his foster siblings, but has long-lasting familial trauma.   They make the most of their final day by attempting to fit in as many fulfilling memories as possible. As is obvious from the title, this book does not have a conventional happy ending, but watching these two bond and create cherished moments makes it all worthwhile.  

I was anxiously awaiting the scene where these characters would reach their end. I had no idea when it would happen, just Mateo and Rufus are also in the dark as to their final fates. Silvera does an excellent job at creating suspense by including minor characters’ perspectives in chapters while aligning Mateo and Rufus’s timeline with major, possibly fatal, events in NYC.  These opening scenes truly had me pondering the endless possibilities of where we could end up on the day we die.               

Listening to the audio book version, I was happily surprised to recognize two of the voice actors from other audiobooks I have borrowed from TN READS. Michael Crouch, Mateo’s narrator, has performed in many Young Adult and LGBTQIA+ novels in the past. The other actor I knew was Bahni Turpin, who commonly narrates characters who are women of color. Turpin is the voice of the numerous minor characters that break up Mateo and Rufus’s thoughts to provide more of a broader perspective into Silvera’s fictional world.  

This novel was an exciting, heartbreaking, and memorable read for me, and has become one of my favorite Young Adult titles to date. If you enjoy diverse love stories that don’t always turn into happily ever afters, I would recommend giving this book a try! It has a wonderful combination of sci-fi, LGBTQIA+ romance, and thriller elements. It reads as a more mature YA novel.

Just as a reminder, they both die at the end, so make sure to mentally prepare yourself beforehand.