The title alone warned me that this book would definitely be a tear-jerker, and that I would be having some serious emotional issues after I finished the last page.

And I was right. Despite the spoiler title, the book made everything worth it.

The Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera follows Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio on what should be the worst day of their lives. Both boys get a phone call from Death-Cast, a telephone system that predicts when everyone will die, and regretfully informs the two of them, who are 18 and 17 respectfully, that they will die sometime today.

Oh yeah, and enjoy your last day on Earth while you can.

Mateo is a bookworm who is terrified of everything that could be lurking outside of his apartment, while Rufus is an orphan running through the streets on his bike. At first glance, these two seem to have very little in common, but an app called Last Friend, which is designed to give “Deckers” someone to be with on their Last Day, brings these two wayward boys together for a day that will ultimately be the best of their lives.

But honestly, the relationship these two boys have is so wonderful, it’s tragic it only lasted a day. Rufus is bisexual (which is established super early on), and we later learn that Mateo is gay. And though their fast relationship eventually bubbles into something romantic, I really appreciate the trust these two boys gave each other, considering they’d only met that morning.

What’s also kind of interesting is the book peeks into the minds of other characters in this city. Some are loosely involved with the plot, others have a much bigger role, but you get this weird gift of seeing Mateo and Rufus’s last day from a complete strangers point of view.

But on a personal level, this book is also kind of terrifying. Imagine getting a call just after midnight, and someone lets you know that at some point in the next twenty-four hours, you’re going to die. From that point, it could be a few minutes, or it could be twelve hours later. You don’t know when, you don’t know how, but you today is your last day, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. It was adorable and sad, and I wished that Mateo and Rufus had met when they were younger. It’s a friendship that didn’t get enough time to fully grow. And that’s the most tragic thing.