A Re-Read of The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The First to Die at the End
Series: They Both Die at the End #0 (Prequel)
Author: Adam Silvera
Published: October 4, 2022
Hardback: 550 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: June 16- July 5, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
In this prequel to the bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls. #1 New York Times bestseller!
It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?
Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.
Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.
Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.
Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.
Jessica’s Review:
I first read First to Die at the beginning of 2023 and wanted to read it again since another “Death-Cast” book was released in May (and another will be coming out next year!). I cried again, and can’t really say too much more than I did in my review from then which is here.
I would say to read They Both Die then read First to Die. Though First is a prequel, the reader gets so much more reading the books in order of publication. I really loved seeing the connections between the two books! It gave me all the feelings again!
I knew the cameos with Rufus and Mateo were coming, but I forgot that both Rufus and Mateo each got their own brief chapter pov as well! I loved reading those and even seeing some of their family members making appearances. With one family member have an extremely important presence to this novel.
I know the connections to all the books will continue in The Survivor Wants to Die at the End as the two young men featured are already connected and make appearances in First to Die! And seeing the future connections in First, I already know I am going to be loving this book as well!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
They Both Die at the End
Series: Death-Cast #1
Author: Adam Silvera
Published: September 5, 2017
Paperback: 389 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 21-30, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.
Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.
Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.
Jessica’s Review:
What else can I say about They Both Die at the End that I haven’t already said? Let’s find out:
Here are links to my double review with Kim and then when I listened to it a second time before the prequel came out.
My Double Review with Kim
My Second Listen/Read
Now, in 2025 a third in the series recently came out (with a fourth releasing next year!) So of course I have to re-read Silvera’s series! And this time I actually read it! Some friends of mine all switched books last year and we annotated them, so reading the book with their comments added to my enjoyment seeing what they thought!
Here is a picture with their commentary added in:
I just love this book. It is the journey that Mateo and Rufus go on for their last day. Knowing the ending from the title, you just can’t help but find yourself getting attached to these two teens and hoping against hope that Death-Cast is wrong. This book is not about dying, but learning just how to live.
Just a couple of quotes from the book this time:
“And you wouldn’t have waited for me to be brave. Maybe it’s better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs”.
“Two dudes met. They fell in love. They lived. That’s our story.”
Again, I did not cry reading it, but got emotional. And I know those ugly tears will reappear for my re-read of The First to Die at the End.
Throughout their end date Rufus takes pictures and posts them on Instagram. At the end of the book his username is mentioned. Be sure to note that once you have finished this book look him up. It is an actual Instagram account!
I just noticed that this book was released on September 5, 2017, which was Mateo and Rufus’ end date. I’m feeling so many emotions now!
Adam Silvera, you are brilliant with your writing in this world of Death-Cast. Keep bringing this world to us with more people meeting!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: The Payback Girls by Alex Travis
The Payback Girls
Author: Alex Travis
Narrator: Tamika Katon-Donegal
Published: April 1, 2025
Audiobook: 10 hours
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: April 30- May 5, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
Why get over your cheating ex when you can get even? John Tucker Must Die meets One of Us Is Lying in a gripping, binge-worthy debut thriller.
His first mistake was underestimating them.
Senior year is going to be perfect. Meghan won’t settle for anything less. She’s already crushing her classes and dating the star of the basketball team. Nate’s friends have been less than welcoming, but it’s never easy being one of the only Black kids at a mostly white prep school. Still, Meghan did not expect the scene at pep rally.
Robin and Bria dated Nate too. Correction: are dating him. He never broke up with them, and Meghan is furious.
When Nate is found bloodied and unconscious in the locker room after the big game, suddenly the three teens are prime suspects—and a tenuous alliance may be the only way to clear their names. Except Meghan doesn’t remember everything that happened that night, and she’s starting to have feelings for one of the exes. One thing is for sure: the more clues they uncover, the more Meghan, Bria, and Robin each look responsible
Jessica’s Review:
The Pay Back Girls is a YA novel that is high on the drama while also showing a commentary on being a black girl minority in a white dominated school. We have a star athlete that was attacked and he was dating three girls, none knowing about the others. We have the infidelity, adding in some amnesia with one character on what happened to Nate on the night in question; we also see the girls deal with social media warfare/bullying galore, and some LGBTQ themes. Put all of this together and we have a book full of drama with some immature girls who can’t seem to make up their mind on if they want to be friends and work together or not on who hurt Nate.
I am far from the target audience but the book description intrigued me, so I wanted to listen to it. But this book was not for me. We have three very different girls who all look suspicious in that that they all could have hurt Nate. They go from not liking each other to becoming friends and working together to try find the culprit. And two of them realize that they actually like each other as more than friends. And despite Nate cheating on all three of them, they still realized that they had feelings for him. These teen girls are confusing!
We do find out who the culprit was and I was a little surprised with that. Other than the novel not being for me, I did like to see real-world issues being brought to the spotlight in a way for the teenage reader to experience.
The narrator Tamika Katon-Donegal, did a great job with her narration. She really brought on the teen girl feeling.
Many thanks for the publisher for granting me a copy to listen to and review. I just wish I had enjoyed it more!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK