An Expected End

by Amanda Sue Creasey

Is knowing one's deathday a blessing or a curse? Is that knowledge worth the potential costs? Does it help us live our lives more fully or shift our focus from living to dying?

An inner conflict of life versus death torments Penelope Hope and tugs at her deepest and darkest fears, pulling them directly into the light. Mortality is an idea few may want to contemplate, but Penelope may have no choice. She must stand at the edge of today and tomorrow, challenging a society where everyone is enrolled. If she lives for the moment and takes that next step, can Penelope defy death? Whether relishing found love or grieving lost love, at what point does existence transcend an expected end?

314 pages, Paperback

Published October 16, 2023

Reviews

[Joyce Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Expected End tells the story of a group of people in the future who can enroll in a government program that lets them know the day they will die. When the program is in its infancy, many people want to follow the trend and find out. But there are a few holdouts like the protagonist Penelope Hope. As the DoD (Day of Departure) hangs over everyone’s heads, there are some plot twists in Penelope’s relationships with her best friend, Bea, and her boyfriend, Marshall. There were many things in this story that I enjoyed. Penelope is a baker and bakes not only birthday cakes, but also Death Day cakes—as seemingly everyone wants to celebrate. If you’ve eaten at some of the restaurants in Church Hill, or walked along the James River at Shiplock Park in Richmond, VA, you’ll enjoy reading about these places like I did. And after reading the book, I understood the yellow flowers on the cover.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Expected End is a debut novel which is very good. The main theme is well explored and causes much introspection. The characters shine, especially in the second half of the book, with dialogues crisp and totally believable. The character of Marshall is exceptionally drawn and his relationship with Penelope is beautifully bittersweet. I related well with Marshall, Penelope, and best friend, Bea, in their struggles to make sense of their lives with more than just an expected end. I look forward to Ms. Creasey's next offering.

[Lisa Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you like to know your expiration date? If you did, how would it change both your present and how you planned for the future? Amanda Sue Creasey explores these topics in her fun and thought-provoking book about love, life, and how we plan for the hereafter. I fell in love with her characters and found myself rooting for them so much that the ending twist had me balling, which to me is always a sign of a great book. I also admired the care she took to represent an Autistic character with sensitivity and grace.

[J Goodrich-Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Creasey writes a thought-provoking book regarding what it might mean to know the date of your death. She humanizes the characters while leading the reader through their experiences. This book is well worth the time. I highly recommend it.

[Erin Ruemmele · Rating 4 out of 5]

is knowing worth it?

Really thought provoking book mixed with some romance. Couldn't put it down!

Is knowing your death date a blessing or a curse? The author does a great job toying with this question. A great book for book club!

[Lauren Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating premise but more than that prose that catches and keeps you, characters that are super engaging and curious, and well paced. Oh and there’s a dog. Highly recommended! :-)

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but the way the main character died…kind of annoyed me. It felt so unnecessary and that the book could have easily had her die in childbirth…