I wondered as I began reading this book whether it would be depressing or uplifting. As it turns out, it's both. The topic of suicide is depressing - no doubt about that, and yet the stories of these individuals are uplifting. I could identify with some aspects of the individual characters and understand their motivation even though I wouldn't have made the same choice. The excellent writing made the story easy to follow, divided among the various characters. The characters themselves were varied and quirky and so vivid I could picture each one of them. My heart broke for Zeke and Soldier - one of the times in this book I found myself crying. I felt so sorry for Tyler and what his life had been.

It was interesting to see the relationships blossom among these people - some of them romantically. Most probably, none of these people would have sought each other out or been friends if they hadn't been on this journey together.

There is a lot of heavy thought presented in this book and it isn't for everyone; but it's a book that will stick in your mind for a long time.

- its a hard read and it dives into a lot of tough subjects (suicide, assisted suicide, police brutality, drug use, sexual assault)
- this is so uniquely written… there are no strict chapters but there are breaks in pov and type of writing (there are “voice recording” transcripts, texts, emails, etc.)
- i think it reflects a lot about what it means to be human and how we all have struggles that others likely don’t know about
- it is heartbreaking, dark, humorous, and beautiful all at the same time
- a book about hope, guilt, despair, friendship, love, and more
- suicide / suicidal ideation is a topic that is often shoved down and viewed as a taboo thing that people shouldn’t talk about… this book breaks down those norms and brings attention to how complex and personal suicide is
- this one will stay with me for the rest of my life, i cannot say enough good things about it

Mark runs an ad seeking people that want to end their life. He hires a driver, buys a beat up bus, and plans a cross country adventure to pick up passengers and have their last hoorah before they drive off a cliff in San Francisco to end it all. A really dark premise with lots of comedic moments and hijinks sprinkled throughout. As they travel we learn each passengers back story through journal entries they’re required to keep. These stories are tragic. Obviously these are very broken and hurt people if they believe suicide is their only option. And that’s where this book goes wrong for me. I couldn’t laugh at what was supposed to be funny when I knew what was hurting these people. It’s not entirely doom & gloom, there’s definitely hope and changes that occur but ultimately I don’t think I was the right reader for this one. This will be a fantastic book for the right reader: interesting premise, great writing, witty.

3.5 ⭐️‘S
Twelve strangers answer an ad to take one final journey before ending it all. Each has a different reason to call it quits and their story is told through journal entries, emails, texts and voicemails. An eclectic group, some are endearing while others not so much. As they journey by bus across the country, bucket items are checked off lists, new friendships are made and some even find love. As they run into issues along the way, difficult decisions are made. Will they all decide to stick with the plan or will some change their minds and get off the bus? This book was well written, but a difficult read at times, heart touching at others and with the subject matter of suicide and assisted suicide, not for everyone.

I read this book because I really liked Babylon 5 and wanted to see what Mr. Straczynski had written. Suicide is a depressing topic. This book did provide insight into some reasons that people consider it.

I received a copy of this book to review through NetGalley.

Wow, what an eye opener to suicide. This book really made me think. You read an ad in the news for anyone looking to end their life, to get in touch with Mark. He will have a van and pick you up on his way to San Francisco. He had 12 people respond and he was on his way with the driver being a young army vet (who is only driving the van). They pick up a woman struggling with a painful disease she calls the "spider", a bipolar woman who is a bit crazy, a young addicted adult male with a cat named Soldier, an older gentleman, a large black woman, a "blue " man, a poet and a young couple. All of these characters have their reasons for wanting to end their life. As they travel the country picking everyone up they develop relationships. Some become friends and others become more than friends. They have to write in a journal for Mark so he will know their stories. You fall in love with some of the quirky people, get annoyed by some and feel sorry for others. It is a very well written book the explores suicide and assisted suicide. It also explores that any decision made can be changed. This book may not be for everyone but if you do decide to pick it up on July 6th or after it will definitely pull at your heart strings.

Thanks to #gallerybooks, #netgalley and @#jmichaelstraczynski for an ARC of this book

'Congratulations!

You’re one of the few to decipher the invitation hidden in the Personals section of HomepageAds.com and show up on time. You have officially joined the weirdest cross-country party ever. Our destination is San Francisco. Upon arrival, we will ditch the driver, find an appropriate seaside cliff with an amazing view of the ocean, then just as the sun kisses the horizon, we hit the gas and drive out of the world.'
Together We Will Go, page four (published copy.)

Mark Antonelli is done. A frustrated writer with one too many rejections under his belt and a past littered with depression and suicidal thoughts, he’s ready to do this. He’s going to buy a bus, pick up complete strangers, and journal their journey out of this world. All are welcome, so long as they are serious about suicide, and willing to journal about the ride, and what led to their decision to come. Thus, twelve very different people come together to end it all.
What can I say about this book? It was phenomenal- and more than a little depressing. I loved the very diverse cast of characters, how honest and real they were with themselves, how they reacted to one another… it was gorgeous. The dual narrative was well done, easy to follow and allowed each character to be fleshed out a bit better. The premise is intriguing, and the execution is honest and believable. There are some moments of comic relief, some hope, but let’s face it… this book gets pretty heavy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and each character’s past and issues are dealt with a large amount of respect (obviously there are going to be spats, misunderstandings… things like that). I actually pre-ordered a hard copy of this book so that I could share it with friends and quote it freely here (first quote in the summary, because I feel like it explains the premise pretty well). Let’s get into the characters:

Mark Antonelli: Nearly thirty year old frustrated writer.
Dylan: The driver.
Karen: a woman living with debilitating pain dubbed “the spider” who feels like she hasn’t ever been allowed to really live.
Lisa: the consummate party girl who feels like there are two people living in her body.
Tyler: tired. All the time. Literally blue due to Eisenmenger Syndrome.
Vaughn: and older widow living with the guilt of his only “no”.
Theresa Caldwell and Jim: a couple that is running from her family who can’t accept them. Very Romeo and Juliet.
Theo: post-gender nonconformist. Wrote stories to give themselves a world that they could live in.
Zeke: a druggie and cat smuggler.
Shanelle: a firm believer in having a warm outward appearance even when you’re crushed. Constantly bullied, no self esteem.
Peter Roth: College student with a past experience that has cemented his wish to be in charge of every aspect of his life- including the end.
Obviously if you toss all these different personalities onto a bus for days there’s gonna be some… sparks. Fights, anger, betrayal… but there’s also acceptance, understanding, growth and learning. I loved how they all interacted with one another; especially the couples. Karen, a woman that had previously never been able to stand the pain of physical touch, starting her first relationship was charming. Shanelle, finally having someone that could not only see her, but make her see herself the way he did, gave me life. Even Jim in his misguided attempt to protect and shelter the woman he loves… while they are my least favorite characters here I can’t help but love him. These characters grow on you, their story gets into your marrow. You have to know what will happen next, what they think, how they feel. I was completely captivated by this story. These characters, their stories, made me think; we all have pain and warmth, you know? If we were ever truly and completely honest about it all- if mental health wasn’t taboo, could we understand one another better? Better yet, could we stop someone from feeling like they needed to check out early? Then there’s the different narratives, expertly woven together, and the different voices. I will be adding a few of my favorite quotes. For me, this is definitely a five star book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
On the adult content scale, there’s a lot. Obviously, we’re going to be dealing with some pretty heavy content here that might be hard for a younger reader. There’s violence, drug use, drinking, discussion of addiction- both sexual and substance, sexual content and a whole lot of language. I would say this one is geared toward adults 18+.

I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. My thanks! (less)

Mark Antonelli, after years of battling depression and tired of getting rejection slips for his work as a writer, decides to buys a beat-up old tour bus and make a cross-country journey. Not just any journey though - he puts in an ad in the paper for others to join him, other people who are also tired of living and ready to end it all. The plan: ride off a cliff at sunset in San Francisco. He hires a driver, and they go around the country picking up a ragtag group of men and women who, over the course of the trip, become the unlikelist of friends. They share their stories, they make several memorable stops along the way (managing to fulfill a few bucket list items for some) and they have more adventures and fun during that trip than many of them had ever had during their lifetime.
I loved this book. It is told half in story form and the rest in journal entries, text messages, emails, and other forms of communication. I alternated between laughing and crying, so have a couple of tissues handy when you read it. There were lots of twists and turns, lots of excitement, and it was a lot o fun to read. I highly recommend this entertaining tale!

I absolutely loved this book. I will say that the content, plot, and subject matter are all very heavy. The entire book is about suicide/assisted suicide, struggles and depression, so please be aware of that before going into this book if that is a trigger for you.

That said, although it was a heavy subject matter, I really enjoyed this book and read it from start to finish in under 24 hours. I thought the plot was unique, and while there are many sad parts of the book, it was also uplifting in some ways. While I'd classify it as a character-driven novel, I felt that both the plot and characters were well-developed, and the book really brought to light all the different ways that people struggle. It made me aware of struggles that others have that I hadn't taken the time to consider previously.

I really loved the bonds formed between the characters and as much as I didn't want to get attached to them (because of the anticipation of how the book would end), it was impossible not to.

Even though they are completely different books, this book reminded me of both The House in the Cerulean Sea and Anxious People, for different reasons. I would say that if you enjoyed either of those books, you will enjoy this one as well. I know I'll be recommending it to anyone who can handle the subject matter!

The upcoming novel from Babylon 5 creator and Sense8 co-creator J. Michael Straczynski, Together We Will Go, is a powerful, moving, and sometimes humorous look at suicide and assisted suicide.

Mark is a depressed writer who can’t seem to sell any of his work. He’s at the end of his rope, so he buys an old tour bus and plans to drive cross-country, ending in San Francisco. He also places an online ad searching for travel companions.

But this isn’t just any road trip. Mark is looking for people like him, who have no more strength or desire to keep on living. At the end of their journey, they’ll drive the bus off a cliff.

He gets a tremendous response so he has to figure out who seems legitimately interested in ending their lives and aren’t just suicide tourists, along for the ride, or looking to share the story to the media. After hiring someone to drive the bus (until its final stop), they begin picking up their passengers across the country.

The people who join the trip are all suffering in their own ways—from chronic pain, mental illness, fatal diseases, loneliness, guilt, addiction. And as the group grows and makes “bucket list” stops along the way, frictions occur among the group, some have second thoughts, motivations are questioned, and some are even kicked off the bus.

Together We Will Go is a quirky, sad, thought-provoking look at the ideation of suicidal feelings and what drives people to that end. It’s told in a combination of narrative, text messages, transcriptions of audio files, and emails, and a majority of the characters narrate. I definitely cared more about some characters than others, but overall this story evokes some real emotion.

When you have that many characters and a unique narrative style, it’s sometimes hard to follow, and I definitely found some stories more compelling and powerful than others. But this book definitely packs a punch and I won’t forget it anytime soon.

NetGalley and Gallery Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Together We Will Go publishes 7/6.

If you find yourself thinking of suicide and need to speak to someone, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Together we will go tells the story of an aspiring writer Mark and a rag tag group of men and women that have made the decision to end their lives. Mark puts out a personal ad inviting anyone that is interested the road trip of all road trips with a final destination of San Francisco. The 'final destination' option is reality for this group because they all have decided in their own ways that they have had enough and cannot go on anymore. The group consists of am eclectic mix as intriguing and unique as the members of the Breakfast Club.

So of course you may think what could be intriguing or worthwhile about a group on a road trip to end their lives. Well I can tell you that Together We Will Go makes every character and their story relatable and personable. You don't sympathize per se as much as you can relate and understand the basis of their decision to commit suicide. The requirement that Mark has for this group is that they have to write during their trip about their experiences and what led them to the bus. However, as the trip continues this rag tag group begins to realize that they are not so different after all and of all things they are certainly not alone.

Much like the Silver Linings Playbook that the book cover compares Together We Will Go to, there is a certain dark beauty to the story. Yes the book is about suicide but it is also a collection of beautiful and endearing moments that you could visualize being played out. The majority of the characters are likable and even those not so likable you come to respect and carry a fondness for.

Throughout the book there are some that you want to turn around and get off the bus and change their minds. Not one of you do you feel like 'oh well forget them.' This book makes you think, it pulls at your emotions and your heart strings and as dark of a topic as it is something about the entire novel makes it beautiful. You come to appreciate the world and those you love around you and it opens your eyes. Not just about the thoughts and emotions carried by those contemplating suicide but also to open your eyes that when you get past our differences we really are not much different. There are so many moments that will be unforgettable in this book for me. Characters finding love, the destruction of an abandoned mall, the Viking send off of a respected and admired lost one.

Sure this may not be for everyone as the topic can hit a sensitive point but when it comes down to it this book is a must read. I would recommend it to anyone that is willing to take a chance that makes you feel beyond the fiber of your being and truly makes you think. Until next time, happy reading!

I appreciate the premise of Together We Shall Go. I struggled connecting with the characters and the continuity of the story. Reading experience felt like I was riding in a car with someone that doesn’t know how to drive a standard transmission.

I didn’t imagine myself getting so emotionally invested in this story. I loved how the stories of each of the characters came together. Parts of the book had me laughing and others had me crying.
The author had a beautiful way of writing this story, and putting much heartfelt thought in telling the story.

This book explores a difficult topic and the author does an excellent job of navigating it well. At times heart wrenching; at other times uplifting; always informative and engaging. The plot is creative and each character is well thought out. A completely different story than I have ever read before. I would definitely read more by this author although I wouldn't want to have lived in his head while he was writing this one. Very powerful read. It is an added plus if you are reading this book while on a road trip, especially if the road trip takes you through Nebraska (I was passing through the same towns as characters on the bus while reading as a passenger in the car driving from Chicago to Colorado;)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

CW TW!!! This whole story is centered around the topic of suicide. Please approach with care and caution.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Together We Will Go by J. Michael Straczynski.

Mark is planning a very unusual excursion. He has placed an ad for people all over the country to be picked up by a big bus, drive through the US to California, and then right when the beautiful San Fran sun begins to set, drive themselves off a cliff.

But to ride on the bus, there are stipulations, the attendants must keep a journal telling their story and how they ended up on the bus. But naturally, during the bus ride, friendships, alliances, romances, and feuds all shape things up, making this a much more interesting ride than any of them could have bargained for.

Ok, this book reminds me of the Hunger Games, in that the premise is so disturbing that you can't believe you're reading it. But also, it's a total page turner that you guiltily keep going. I was so into this book. And considering the content and upsetting topic, I actually felt like the author did it respect and justice. It had me absolutely bawling at one point, and laughing at another. It was full of heart and tragedy, connection, and utter despair. It also did not go in the direction I expected, which I also enjoyed.

Wow wow wow. What a hidden gem of a book. I will say, if I judged a book by its cover I would not have expected this beautiful book to accompany this cover. I have not been so emotionally invested in a group of characters in such a long time, and I found myself hugging this book at the end. Mark is a struggling author and is battling depression. He decides to organize a one way trip to San Francisco and drive off a cliff. This is a tough tough topic and the author writes about it in such a heart warming way. Highly recommend!

The story of Together We Will Go might be centered around suicide, but it’s so full of life. A road trip is planned across the country with one purpose for everyone who gets picked up on the way- at the end the bus is driving off of a cliff with all of them on it. As police and family try to stop them, they’ll find out if the journey is worth it.

Every character has their reason for joining and every one of their stories is given such wonderful depth. There is no shying away from their individual reasons and stories for getting on the bus and that can make for some emotionally tough moments of reading. With a bus full of people it would have been easy for characters to get lost but I was surprised by how attached I got to so many of them.

It’s not all a depressing story though! Without giving anything away, there are moments of such beauty and hope. Together We Will Go is not really a story about death, it’s a story about life and everything that come with it. Good and bad, loneliness and connections, bodies that can hurt and help.

The dark premise and discussion of many triggers-suicide, drugs, chronic pain, and mental illness-means this story is definitely not for everyone. If you can safely handle these though, I highly recommend it.

This is a road trip like no other. The book does talk about suicide but it is more about the characters and the relationships they build along the way. The story is beautifully written.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

Suicide is something I have not been exposed to in an up close and personal way, so this really was very informative while showing the human side in addition to facts.

A bus will pick you up and you will transcribe your story and reasons why you want to die on the server installed on the bus. More people will be picked up and when full, the bus heads to San Francisco to drive off a cliff into the sunset together. The transcription will let their friends and family hear from them after they are gone as to why they felt this was the right thing for them. Simple, huh? Not so!

The group that gathers covers all bases for types of people and for many reasons for wanting to end it. Some preconceived notions I had were shown to be not so reliable as facts and I learned a lot while thoroughly engrossed in the storyline. The characters were treated in such a way that you could empathize with them and completely understand why they thought these reasons were enough to pull their own plugs. That does not mean all were likeable characters, either.

Of course there is dissention by some, rightfully so in my opinion, when Mark, the organizer, is found to have kept some important pieces of information from the rest, but how they handle it was nicely done. The fact that assisted suicide is a felony in some states is also a part of the story.

I really enjoyed reading this book, which seems strange to me considering the heavy subject matter, but the author pulled it all together nicely. I would like to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion. I'd give it 4.5 stars.

I have enjoyed some of Straczynski's previous work - Babylon 5 and Rising Stars the two most memorable examples - but this book surprised me. I would describe it as a very similar to a Stephen King book, but without any supernatural elements. And please know, for me comparing a work to King's is a compliment. The way this book deals with the topic of suicide was beyond unique, and although there is not a ton of traditional "plot," by the end I was 100% invested in the characters, most of whom were well-drawn, even though there are many of them and this is a short novel. If the idea of reading about suicidal characters does not immediately dissuade you from a book, I recommend this one for sure.