At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchinson 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! After reading the majesty that was We Are the Ants, I was desperate to read Shaun David Hutchinson's next book. I thought it looked interesting and managed to get my hands on a pre-released copy of At the Edge of the Universe.

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows a blurry boy who seems to be neither in nor out of reality. This could be either Tommy or Ozzie, both would make sense, but I think that he is Ozzie. The cover conveys the book's overall theme of fitting in and what reality even is in a way that I find particularly compelling. A+ cover.

Official Description:

Tommy and Ozzie have been best friends since second grade, and boyfriends since eighth. They spent countless days dreaming of escaping their small town—and then Tommy vanished.

More accurately, he ceased to exist, erased from the minds and memories of everyone who knew him. Everyone except Ozzie.
Ozzie doesn’t know how to navigate life without Tommy, and soon suspects that something else is going on: that the universe is shrinking.
When Ozzie is paired up with new student Calvin on a physics project, he begins to wonder if Calvin could somehow be involved. But the more time they spend together, the harder it is for him to deny the feelings developing between them, even if he still loves Tommy.
But Ozzie knows there isn’t much time left to find Tommy–that once the door closes, it can’t be opened again. And he’s determined to keep it open as long as possible.

My Review:

At the Edge of the Universe was very similar to We Are the Ants in its storyline. A boy believes in something that everyone else thinks is fake (aliens/old boyfriend) and tries to figures out a solution with another boy who he may have a crush on. It's not repetitive, but if you liked We Are the Ants, chances are that you would like this book as well. 

The characters were interesting and well developed. I liked the characters but found that I couldn't 100% connect with them. It didn't disrupt the story at all, but it also didn't blow me away. 

The plot was engaging. I was really curious about how the mystery of Tommy's disappearance would be solved, as well as what the next twist in the other storylines would be. The story definitely grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. I couldn't put it down until I knew how everything would be resolved. 

At the Edge of the Universe also had a few unique details that I really enjoyed. For example, one of the main plot-points is that Ozzie goes to a new therapist every week, chosen by the alphabetical placement of their names on a list. Ozzie will speak about his problems-of-the-moment first with Dr. Brown, then Dr. Cameron, etc. It was a little detail that, while quirky, I just loved. There are plenty of little moments like this in At the Edge of the Universe.

The only reason that I am not rating this book a full 5 stars is that I built my hopes up too much. I was expected to be blown away as much as I was with We Are the Ants. I still enjoyed this book, but I think I would have loved it even more if I hadn't already read We Are the Ants. It gave me an unrealistic standard to compare it with; I know what Shaun David Hutchinson is capable of!

Overall, I would recommend reading At the Edge of the Universe. It was a really interesting book with a neat premise which is executed wonderfully. The characters were definitely unique and the writing style is engaging. It's definitely worth a read! 
(Note: this book contains homosexual relationships as well as a genderfluid best-friend-character. If you are not into that, be aware.)

This book comes out February 7, 2017.

Phrase:
Designing a roller coaster

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
We Are the Ants
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Winger
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookshelfSecret

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret

We are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished We are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson. Wow, it was amazing. I think it might have been my favorite book of 2016 (so far). While it is not for everyone, it was incredible.

I read The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley as a pre release last year and really enjoyed it, so I knew that Shaun Hutchinson had talent. I had no idea how much, however, until I read We are the Ants.

The Cover:

The Cover:
I love it. It shows the sky with the stars moving quickly across the sky in the middle of nowhere. The emotional impression the cover conveys, for me anyway, really summarizes the mood of We are the Ants. I also just think that it looks beautiful and subtly eye-catching. A+ cover

Official Description:
There are a few things Henry Denton knows, and a few things he doesn’t.
Henry knows that his mom is struggling to keep the family together, and coping by chain-smoking cigarettes. He knows that his older brother is a college dropout with a pregnant girlfriend. He knows that he is slowly losing his grandmother to Alzheimer’s. And he knows that his boyfriend committed suicide last year.
What Henry doesn’t know is why the aliens chose to abduct him when he was thirteen, and he doesn’t know why they continue to steal him from his bed and take him aboard their ship. He doesn’t know why the world is going to end or why the aliens have offered him the opportunity to avert the impending disaster by pressing a big red button. 
But they have. And they’ve only given him 144 days to make up his mind.
The question is whether Henry thinks the world is worth saving. That is, until he meets Diego Vega, an artist with a secret past who forces Henry to question his beliefs, his place in the universe, and whether any of it really matters. But before Henry can save the world, he’s got to figure out how to save himself, and the aliens haven’t given him a button for that.

Point of View:
First person from Henry's perspective

My Review:
There are books that I believe everyone should read, books like We are the Ants, where you are missing out on a fundamental part of your life if you don't read. This book is a little weird, but, man, does it work. Do yourself a favor and read it. 

The premise is very interesting. Henry Denton can press a button to save the world, but he can't make up his mind about whether the world is worth saving. Events in his life will make him hopeful and consider saving the world, yet other events will rip apart his hope and make the world seem as if it needs to be put out of its misery. His thoughts are fascinating, you will bond with Henry, and you will be sucked into his world.

The writing is beautiful. It seamlessly morphs between serious and heavy topics such as the eventual end of... everything and then change focus to something light and humorous in the next sentence. We are the Ants seems dark, and it is, but it is also funny. It has ironic humor that provides a welcome respite from the heavy topics and keeps the book quick to read and mildly up-lifting.

For example, every few chapters, there will be a page or two describing a potential apocalypse scenario that could happen if Henry doesn't push the button.

Also, quick warning, this book does contain a gay relationship. (It isn't the focus of the book, but it is a factor.) There is also some "mature themes." There is nothing too serious, but I would recommend We are the Ants for high schoolers and up.

I strongly recommend this novel. It is amazing in basically every way. The writing style alone was worth reading for. (If still in doubt, I recommend reading the first pages as the style remains fairly consistent.)

Phrase:
All Star Plumbers

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Winger
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!

Happy Reading!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookshelfSecret

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret