Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a beautiful and powerful book. It also hit me at a time where I am going through a lot of similar thoughts as the MC so it got to me more then normal.

Avery is depressed. At the end of her rope, she decides to end it the morning of her 19th birthday. She gets a call from her best friend Cass, who she is secretly in love with, who tells her that a news report has announced a meteor is falling to Earth in 9 days. With 9 days before everyone is killed, Avery decides to go back home to Cass & her family and try to be with the ones she loves before it’s their time to go.

This book takes a look at mental illness, family, friendship, & finding your place in the world. Even if the world is ending. Avery & Cass were an adorable pair and I loved Peter. I always enjoy it when there’s strong sibling relationships in stories and Peter with his little family were so sweet.

Dr Talley was a character I both liked and disliked. He was a hard one to understand but once you got his story it was easy to relate to him. I really related to the advice he gave to Avery & it had me crying a bit.

All in all this book was amazing. Beautifully written with both humor and an emotional punch. I appreciate this story a lot and congrats to Jen on your debut!

I'm... speechless.

I genuinely don't think I have the words to express the effect this book had on me. I am exhausted. I suddenly believe in true love. How am I supposed to go on just living my day-to-day as if the trajectory of my very existence hasn't completely shifted? I'm going to message everyone I have ever known and tell them I love them. I am nothing but the shell of a man, and yet simultaneously I feel like I have finally discovered the true meaning of life.

This book drained me of everything that I have. I know I'm an easy crier when I read, but for a novel to make me not just shed a few tears, but full on sob from the very first page to the last... Before the first page actually, because just from the author's note I was already in shambles. It's for sure one of my top reads this year (and possibly, ever) and it's going to be so incredibly difficult for another book to top it. Thank you, Jen St. Jude, for the experience of a lifetime, truly.

I loved everything about this of course: the premise, the characters, the relationships—the family dynamics, the friendships, the romance. Even though I couldn't necessarily relate to everything the main character was going through, every line hit so deep and so personal, I felt it in my bones. It definitely touches on a lot of heavy themes, but I think St. Jude did an amazing job with all of it. The way they wrote the main character's depression and her religious trauma... it's hard to say that it was "wonderful" because that's such a positive word for an otherwise terribly devastating life experience, but their writing skills really are stellar.

I also have to shout out St. Jude for writing a butch love interest in such a beautiful way. For making her her own person with her own story and an existence outside of the main character's life. For using the term "butch" often, and for letting the main character call her "handsome" on multiple occasions. For showcasing a relationship with gender and masculinity that, even though it wasn't a central plot point, was touching and realistic.

This book is simultaneously one of the most heartbreaking, soul shattering, depressing books I have ever picked up, as well as one of the most hopeful and beautiful things I have ever read. I feel like my entire body doesn't know how to react to what I just experienced other than crying some more.

I really don't have more words to describe this book. I'm going to be talking about this non-stop, probably for the rest of my life. I don't know if I have ever so confidently recommended a novel. This is, truthfully, a spectacular piece of literature.

I have been excited for If Tomorrow Doesn't Come ever since I heard the premise. St. Jude explores not only the end of the world, but also depression and family. It's a tender and moving multi-faceted debut. If Tomorrow Doesn't Come balances all the little moments that can begin the end of the world with the literal asteroid in the room large moments. It's about who we become at the end of the world. What we choose to do with our last moments.

And who we choose to spend it with. All the friendship we find that finds us in turn. Or the people who become compasses during the storm. It's a deeply rich character driven story. With a fantastic asexual side character and featuring a queer romance story line as well, If Tomorrow Doesn't Come explores acceptance. People who can accept us and our questions, our messy nights of feelings, and our mistakes.

I got an ARC of this book.

DNF at 31%

I tried, I really did. I just didn't care. At almost a third of the way through and I just didn't believe anything about the book I felt like it was time to give up. Normally I love dystopian novels. Normally I love queer books. Instead I got weird bible camp stories, an asteroid looming, and lots of talking in circles with nothing happening.

The constant "what happened in New York" references grew tiring real fast. The characters all felt flat to me. Maybe it is because of how depressed the MC is, but it just made me not care what was happening. No one was real. I didn't care what happened in New York. I didn't care about the asteroid.

The final straw was the MC hating dogs, because they were happy. I knew at that point that I just would never relate to the MC and that it was useless to try.

What would you do if you knew the world was ending soon? I would want to spend time with my family, hoping to get the last few days in with my loved ones. But also be hopelessly devastated that I would no longer be living. So going into this book with our protagonist, Avery, who wants to commit suicide on the day she found out the world was ending… I didn’t know how this story would go. And I don’t know if this was a great representation on depression and I don’t know if it simply swept it under the rug or if this was a beautiful representation, all I know is that I loved the story. It was a beautiful and heart wrenching story about a girl who feels the absolute devastation of feeling that every mishap and misfortune is her fault to bear alone. But it’s also about her coming to terms with her sexuality and living her last days with the love of her life. Learning what it is to be open with yourself and the people around you. It definitely reminded me of “They Both Die at the End” and I think that’s what hooked me to the story. A suicidal girl who finds out the world will end soon…what are her next steps. And really it’s just a story about what really matters when you only have a few days left to live. Needless to say, I cried. A lot.

This book is full of heartbreak and hope. Despite knowing the ending going into it, I never stopped rooting for these characters as they healed and few both individually and together. Cass and Avery have my whole heart. Hands down a 2023 favorite!

Nineteen-year-old Avery is prepared for the possibility of no tomorrow, especially as she has planned everything out to jump into the river near her college on the morning of her birthday. But just before the end, sirens begin to blare, announcing the impending doom of the entire planet as an asteroid is set to collide with Earth in just nine days’ time. So, as people frantically attempt to return home to loved ones and mass chaos ensues, Avery finds herself with nine unexpected days to put her life back together. And as she reflects on her life and shares the feelings she has kept tucked inside, she discovers that sometimes, life can be best lived when time is short.

This intriguing young adult novel includes many of the emotions found in They Both Die at the End while connecting with the very real elements of queer love and challenging mental health conditions. Told in a series of flashbacks that are interwoven with events in the present day, this book connects readers with the significant moments in Avery’s life that have led her to her present existence. As the clock ticks down, all the superfluous elements of her past disappear, and Avery is finally able to focus on what truly matters to her. While her suffocating depression is never truly addressed, she is given a chance to feel happiness despite the dire circumstances taking place around her.

Because of the nature of the story as a whole, intense moments are found throughout the narrative. Language, LGBTQ+ romance, and religious beliefs are amplified due to the ever-shortening timeline of the characters' lives, appropriately reflecting the emotions people would naturally feel in the shadow of a disaster as large as the one looming in this book. Frequent dialogue guides the text, helping readers more easily connect with the characters and their plight. As the asteroid comes ever closer, the catharsis of revealing one’s true identity with all its flaws washes over both the reader and the characters, resulting in a satisfying yet heartbreaking resolution. At the end of the book, readers will find a list of resources to consult if they are in a similar position to Avery, and an author’s note at the beginning reminds readers of the important role they have in the world. This is a thought-provoking and emotionally robust story for mature young adult readers.

I liked the premise behind this book, merging a frank, detailed and sympathetic portrayal of Avery's depression and suicidal thoughts with the actual end of the world. Her relationships with Cass and her family and her admissions to them were beautifully written but I would have liked to read more about their stories too, particularly her brother and his partner. This book does stay with you.

Another reviewer on Goodreads summed it up for me beautifully; there is so much love, healing, hope and hurting packed into the pages of this novel. (Thanks https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/81440110-alaska)
Avery, Aisha, Cass and the whole Byrne family are wonderfully drawn. I love that a defining narrative element didn't reach resolution until ALMOST the end, and even then, it didn't totally resolve. It could have just been another 'the world is ending' story, but it tackled so many issues along the way to the heart-rending ending. I cried multiple times. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Suicide

This book description does not feel like it pairs with the novel well at all. It's extremely misleading.

Suicidality is a core theme throughout this book. The first scene is the main character trying to kill herself. Throughout the book she grapples with this desire/impulse. By the end, she has decided she wants to live.

This book hosts and springboards many incredibly important conversations, and was very well-written.

However...

I am not someone who can read a book about suicide. This is a massive trigger warning that was not presented with the synopsis of this book. This book was absolutely brutal and has trashed my mental health and I genuinely don't know how much money I will have to put into therapy and further medication management to dig myself out of the hole that If Tomorrow Doesn't Come placed me in.

I would not feel comfortable recommending this book to ANYONE, despite its crafty prose and the important conversations within, because of the absolute lack of preparedness that the publisher, etc presents readers with going into the book. It is cruel and horrific and I am... extremely angry and, frankly, a bit disgusted that Jen St. Jude was done this dirty.

I do not believe this should be marketed to teens. It genuinely feels like the 13 Reasons Why effect will trigger a domino of youth suicide attempts. 2008 was a brutal era for YA that saw books inspiring my own suicide attempts. I am not an advocate for mirroring that impact.

When a book makes you feel so utterly understood and helps you understand why you coped a certain way, you know it has done its job. "If Tomorrow Doesn't Come" has left its mark, and that mark will stay with me.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Suicide, mental health, homophobia, self-worth, depression, violence, fear & death

Excuse me while I recover from crying!
This book was about an asteroid hitting early, yet it was the most scarily relatable book to me.
The similarities between Avery and I hit me so hard; both born in Ireland, both suicidal, both having struggled with Catholic guilt, our sexuality (how our parents viewed it & the church) and our mental health as gifted kids in High School that ended up leading us to the loss of our self-worth, when we got to university.
It was the end of the world, yet it proved there was so much time and so little to really live & be yourself.

MAJOR TW: As someone who has attempted many times in my life, this book did not romanticize or glorify it. It just ensured that you saw why suicide seemed to be the only way out, the only relief. Yet just in time, before Avery goes through with it, she discovers the world is ending in 9 days, and we see just what she would have missed and how memorable and meaningful those nine days were. It is tough to live, but this book shows it's even harder to realize what you will miss & lose out on and that I say speaking from experience.

Thank you for adding all those helplines at the end of the book.

The multilayers of this story beautifully describe what it's like to live with depression in a world that's constantly turning and forgetting about us. Now that the world will indeed, actually stop, so much is left unspoken between our characters. Now that there's a chance healing may never come, they've decided it's time to confront what's kept them apart. Our main character feels like everyone is better off without her, that they don't need her. You see throughout just how deep that thought runs through her. But as we progress she's forcibly shown just how much the people around her need her presence. Especially with the end of days steadily approaching. It's a sweet but dark story that shows the reader in minutes our world could change. It's so relatable that it's a bit jarring at times, seeing thoughts and feelings you've only ever kept to yourself. It's beautifully written and is definitely a must-read.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order this year and will recommend it to students.

This was an exceptionally gorgeous book, poignant and real and queer, a love story about coming into your own and understanding your own depression--about learning to want to live in the face of suicidal thoughts and an oncoming apocalypse. What a special, beautiful story.

On the day Avery Bryne decides to jump into the river and die she finds out that an asteroid is coming to earth and there are only nine days left to live.... and now she has to face some other things in her life including the fact that she’s queer, in love with her best friend, Cass, and has undiagnosed clinical depression. Avery doesn’t want her family and Cass to feel additional pain so she does her best to make it through just nine more days... but with such limited time its time for her to come open with them about who she really is. Avery will finally face her best friend whom she’s always been in love with but had a terrible fight with... and now they are back together and the world is ending... and Avery and Cass can finally face each other and what their hearts want. With the world ending, its the perfect time to speak her truth and find hope with what she has left. This was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about queer love, family, identity, mental health, and facing the truth of who we are when our time is up. The love story was angsty, heartwarming, and just sweet. Avery was dealing with a lot of things and the depiction of clinical depression was well done. I would highly recommend this book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, Bloomsbury YA for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I had a hard time reading this book, but not because it was poorly done. On the contrary, the depiction of depression hit a little too close to home for me. Like the protagonist, I had a major depressive episode my freshman year of college. This book realistically portrayed the experience of depression.

As a librarian, I will be thoughtful about how I book talk this one. While it's about a world-ending asteroid, it isn't an adventure story. There are no easy answers--in fact, there are no answers at all. Readers who go into this expecting a clear cut ending will be disappointed.