Queen B’s Decree: This story hooked me from start to finish and all the emotions came: happy, laughing, sadness, smiling, crying. All of it.
Sylvie was so easy to relate to. She’s emotionally neglected by her parents, her friends are moving on, and she just wants to escape and begin her adult life. And when she finds a watch (or the watch finds her…), of course I would wind the watch and see what happens. And if a ghosty boy shows up, I’d be scared but I’d be too curious to not want more information.
Her friendship and relationship with Penn felt so intense. It was like she felt free to be her own true self, knowing that Penn was kind of a temporary part of her life, and that he was relearning himself—he wasn’t there to judge. I fell in love with both of them, I felt it so hard when Sylvie struggled with knowing an end was in sight.
The last bit ruined me. I wasn’t expecting the ending and gah my heart was shattered and rebuilt. All the tears but my heart was full. My first from this author and hopefully not my last.
Book: If We Never End by Laura Taylor Namey
Series: standalone
Genre: YA
Plot Devices/Tropes: magic