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Dead at Sixteen
Someone wants him dead, but Philip wants to figure out who he really is first
15-year-old Philip is between friends when he meets the handsome senior, Mike, who's everything skinny Philip isn't. Mike also knows something that Philip doesn't--they've been a couple for more lifetimes than he can count. The Knowers are born over-and-over with a guiding mission to help people, and Mike has been waiting for Philip to access those lifetimes of good memories so they can have another amazing life together. Just as Philip is becoming aware of his own history as a Knower, someone arrives in their midwestern town to abduct and kill the secretive Knowers who live there. Philip, Mike, and others head out on an adventure to stop the Hunter before he can strike again. They usually use their gifts of telling the future to help mankind avoid catastrophes. Now they use their gifts to stop a madman before he can stop them. All the while, Philip is remembering their lives together and falling hard for Mike. Will they live long enough to start their next life together? Philip doesn't think so, but what a journey it is to get there.
Genre: YA paranormal thriller LGBT romance
15-year-old Philip is between friends when he meets the handsome senior, Mike, who's everything skinny Philip isn't. Mike also knows something that Philip doesn't--they've been a couple for more lifetimes than he can count. The Knowers are born over-and-over with a guiding mission to help people, and Mike has been waiting for Philip to access those lifetimes of good memories so they can have another amazing life together. Just as Philip is becoming aware of his own history as a Knower, someone arrives in their midwestern town to abduct and kill the secretive Knowers who live there. Philip, Mike, and others head out on an adventure to stop the Hunter before he can strike again. They usually use their gifts of telling the future to help mankind avoid catastrophes. Now they use their gifts to stop a madman before he can stop them. All the while, Philip is remembering their lives together and falling hard for Mike. Will they live long enough to start their next life together? Philip doesn't think so, but what a journey it is to get there.
Genre: YA paranormal thriller LGBT romance
243 pages, ebook
Published April 30, 2021
45 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 6, 2025
3.5 stars - wouldn't choose it for myself, but I enjoyed it and will read the others.
July 21, 2025
This review is for Dead At Sixteen, the first in a 3-book series called The Knowers, by D.A.E. Jackson. It’s a young adult book, with LGBT main characters, and a story I found fascinating.
Fifteen-year-old (turned 16-years-old) Philip has a strong lifetimes-old connection to a fellow student, Mike. He just doesn’t know it yet. And though Mike already knows about their long histories and many happy memories created together, Philip is awakening to such memories at his own pace, albeit a bit slower than normal. Throw into the mix The Hunter, someone who’s been kidnapping and killing people with the same gifts that have been bestowed upon Philip and Mike, and you have a bit of an action thriller thrown into this historical fiction young adult romance.
This story focuses on three main periods during the 20th century, though all indicators point to the relationship between Philip and Mike (presently) being much longer than that. The transition between lifetimes in this book is done in such a way as to not be confusing, but rather adding a historical fiction element which is key to the story. With a great cast of well-developed characters (think the Scooby Gang), all helping each other to defeat The Hunter, and to help Philip remember his past lives, I just didn’t want this book to end. Luckily, there are two more in the series.
Heart-wrenching at times, but also endearing, sweet, and touching, this book is one that I’ll remember for a long time to come. All this said, I’m really looking forward to reading the sequels, giving this one a 5 out of 5.
Fifteen-year-old (turned 16-years-old) Philip has a strong lifetimes-old connection to a fellow student, Mike. He just doesn’t know it yet. And though Mike already knows about their long histories and many happy memories created together, Philip is awakening to such memories at his own pace, albeit a bit slower than normal. Throw into the mix The Hunter, someone who’s been kidnapping and killing people with the same gifts that have been bestowed upon Philip and Mike, and you have a bit of an action thriller thrown into this historical fiction young adult romance.
This story focuses on three main periods during the 20th century, though all indicators point to the relationship between Philip and Mike (presently) being much longer than that. The transition between lifetimes in this book is done in such a way as to not be confusing, but rather adding a historical fiction element which is key to the story. With a great cast of well-developed characters (think the Scooby Gang), all helping each other to defeat The Hunter, and to help Philip remember his past lives, I just didn’t want this book to end. Luckily, there are two more in the series.
Heart-wrenching at times, but also endearing, sweet, and touching, this book is one that I’ll remember for a long time to come. All this said, I’m really looking forward to reading the sequels, giving this one a 5 out of 5.
February 18, 2024
this is one of the best books i have ever read, EVER. the storytelling is so pure and powerful, the attention to detail with every character from start to finish including the epilogue, with the ending being so heart wrenching (i will never recover i fear). i am truly an alfred kominsky hater, if he has 0 haters, that means that i am dead. thank you d.a.e for writing such a beautiful coming of age book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2021
Read in 1 day
I was looking for LGBT fantasy books and found this on KU. Definitely out of my element, it’s fiction not fantasy, but I actually found all the real-world history nice instead of boring. SO GLAD to read a romance without unnecessary or grossly fetishized explicit scenes—Philip and Mike are so cute together.
I was looking for LGBT fantasy books and found this on KU. Definitely out of my element, it’s fiction not fantasy, but I actually found all the real-world history nice instead of boring. SO GLAD to read a romance without unnecessary or grossly fetishized explicit scenes—Philip and Mike are so cute together.
July 5, 2021
Confusing at first
This one took a bit to get into. But, it is well worth the time to do so. A new take on reincarnation. Well, for me anyway.
This one took a bit to get into. But, it is well worth the time to do so. A new take on reincarnation. Well, for me anyway.
October 15, 2021
Good book
The story is good takes a few twists and turns a little quirky but I think that’s what helped with a long would definitely recommend
The story is good takes a few twists and turns a little quirky but I think that’s what helped with a long would definitely recommend
January 2, 2024
A little strange, some plot holes and other “huh?” moments that took me out of the story, but it was an easy and entertaining read. I don’t plan to read the rest of the series.
January 20, 2024
A great premise but I felt the writing fell flat.
July 5, 2025
I liked it a little bit but not that much
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews