All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder Published by Scholastic Inc. on July 28th 2015
Pages: 272
What do you do with your last day on earth?
Just over twenty-four hours are left until an asteroid strikes North America, and for Emerson and everyone else who didn't leave, the world will end. But Emerson's world already ended when she ran away from home. Since then, she has lived on the streets, relying on her wits and on her friend Vince to help her find places to sleep and food to eat.
The city's quieter now that most people are gone, and no one seems to know what to do as the end approaches. But then Emerson and Vince meet Carl, who tells them he has been granting people's wishes -- and gives them his wallet full of money.
Suddenly, this last day seems full of possibility. Emerson and Vince can grant a lot of wishes in one last day -- maybe even their own.
The first question in the synopsis was the reason I wanted to read this book. I wanted to be made to think, to be inspired, and to basically ask myself that very question: What would you do with your last day on Earth?
And for that goal, All We Have is Now absolutely succeeded. It also restored my faith in humanity a bit, but we’ll get to that later.
It focuses mainly on Emerson and Vince, who have been homeless but sticking together. I guess this is technically Emerson’s story, but it isn’t just her story. It’s Vince’s story, and Carl’s, and the story of a lot of other people they meet along the way. Carl plays a huge role for many reasons, but the most important one is that he is the catalyst for the wish-granting portion of the program.
Here’s where my restored faith in humanity comes into play. Vince and Emerson could have done a lot of things with their last day, but they chose to help people. As did Carl, and the person before him. And the way the whole thing is written, it seems like it actually might be a thing a lot of people really would do. Of course there were the malevolent souls who were fully planning to steal, cheat, and pillage until the bitter end, but as a whole? There was certainly more good than bad.
More things that I really liked:
- The characters were amazing. Emerson wasn’t always the most likeable, but she was absolutely someone I could relate to. She kind of felt like she got dealt a bad hand, and she did. But Vince did too, yet he was her opposite: optimistic and positive no matter what, always challenging Emerson to better herself and look at the good in things. For such a short book with many characters popping in and out, I was surprised to easily connect to and care for both Emerson and Vince. Even the side characters, for no matter how short a time we were introduced to them, still had tons of personality, which I think is quite an accomplishment!
- It was absolutely, undeniably thought provoking. I don’t know how anyone would be able to read this book and not put themselves in the characters’ shoes. Everyone Emerson and Vince encountered was trying to figure out what to do with the little amount of time they had left. They all had dreams and goals and “bucket lists” just as we all do, only their time was not only finite, it was imminently ending. Reading about the different reactions people had to this was of course intriguing, but made me question my own actions- not just at the potential end of the world, but every day.
- Family is a big focus for everyone in this book. Even when she wants to resist thinking about her family, they are always on Emerson’s mind. Vince is dealing with the loss of his mother, and Carl is devastated at the thought of never seeing his wife again. They run into people who are lonely and looking for family, mothers and children, some of whom have healthy relationships and some who definitely do not. They run into people of so many backgrounds, ethnicities, socioeconomic groups, all of whom faced the same fate.
So while this book was really great, there was one thing that did bother me a little. There wasn’t a ton of information on the lead-up to the last day. I get it, it is a fairly short book, and I don’t think that the message had anything to do with the lead up, but as a logic-driven kind of person, I really wanted answers! Vince and Emerson do spend some time talking about the “how”s and the “what if?”s but they don’t really have a ton of answers themselves. This is likely more of a personal gripe than a universal one, but something to keep in mind if you are like me and want to know all the things. I also would have probably liked just a little more of an emotional connection, though I think too much of one would have gotten in the way of the message.
Bottom Line: This one was a win. Any book that can make me think (and continue to make me think even after I have finished) earns major points from me. The writing was lovely, the characters were enjoyable, and the message was important. I’ll leave you with this quote* that I absolutely had to save:
“No, you see, you guys are looking at it all wrong,” Vince says. “The amount of time isn’t important. A hundred minutes of a hundred years. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Just make it count.”
*Quote taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change
Great review. I had not even heard of this one until this week’s top ten of diverse reads. I think someone had it on their list because of homeless youth in the book. After reading your review, I am adding it to my TBR for sure.
HAHHA That was ME!! I added it to my diverse list 😀 You definitely should read it- it’s a quick read, but will definitely make you think!
Great review, Shannon! This one’s on my TBR so I’m pleased to see it getting positive reviews.
Aww thanks! I hope you love it 😀
So this kind of reminds me of We All Looked Up, but within a period of ONE DAY. Though I am sad to see that the book doesn’t offer a conclusion (or at least it doesn’t look like it does?) or why it’s happening. But hey the book is short, so maybe I’ll pick it up one day!
Ah, dear Valerie, it just might. I specifically didn’t say if it did or did not. If you really want to know, I will tell you privately though!
I honestly have no idea what I would do if it was my last day on earth, lol. Probably spend the day freaking out or something, lmao! This book sounds really good, though the fact that it has so many unanswered questions makes me seem uncomfortable, lol. I WANT ANSWERS!!! Great review, Shannon! 😀
I would be right there with you freaking out, true story! I would be the WORST at the apocalypse 😉 You get SOME answers. It isn’t completely without answers, I promise that!
Dang it, Shannon! I wasn’t interested in this book until now! But I feel like I have to read it so I know better what I would do with my last day? Plus, just, give me all the thought provoking books, all of them. I do think, honestly though, that the not much lead up/info on the whole last day thing would bug me so much! Not enough that I won’t read it and I’m glad I’ve been warned but I NEED the info in these kinds of books. =)
So, I’m going to be sentimental but it’s completely true, I’d want to spend my last day with my mom and brothers and my cats, probably my cousins that I haven’t seen in eight years and I’d just want to spend the time together and have fun. Probably go bowling, eat way too much candy, and rewatch Harry Potter. Oh, and of course have the obligatory panic attack/existential crisis. =)
I mean, there is SOME background info, don’t get me wrong, but it STARTS on the last day, so they only give you the minimum really- otherwise half the book might’ve been spent on background I guess?
AWW that sounds like such a nice day! I would probably hold Lena and Sammy and cry haha.
Yay!! I’ve been SO EXCITED about this book, so I’m so happy to see it was a win for you. This makes me extremely happy. 🙂 On my last day on earth… oh boy, that’s a toughy. It would definitely involve my family since they are my entire world. Especially my son. Yes, I definitely NEED to read this book now!! 🙂
Yes, it definitely lived up to the hype I had built up in my head! I hope you enjoy it too 😀 Yeah, I would basically just hug my kids and my parents all day. And cry. Hahha, I wish I would be more like Vince and Emerson though!
This sounds like an original plot for a book with the whole last day on earth thing. It also sounds like a book that will make you think, so I am hapy to hear it succeeded with that. I am curious how the main characters go about helping other people on the last day. And I can imagine how that would restore your faith in humanity seeign there’s more good than bad. The characters sound so well done and I like how you mention the family aspect comes into play and the book made you think. Great review!
Thanks so much!! It really was awesome the way the characters went about helping, and there were SO many good, sweet people that they came across- and those people felt very real, which helped with the warm fuzzies 🙂
Nice review! This one hasn’t been under my radar much, but it does look like an interesting read!
Thanks so much 😀
Please don’t tell me that it will really be their last day on Earth and that the ending hints of them dying O_O That’s already depressing enough to read haha. But even then, I would so love to read this. I’ve already heard so many positive feedback about it! I want the characterization! The family dynamics! And the thought-provoking scenes and dialogues and everything. That bit right there is making me want this NOW NOW NOW.
I shall tell you no such thing. I left out any clues to the ending on purpose. It was really good, a very quick, but very worthwhile read! I hope you enjoy it 😀
I’ve seen this one around a lot recently and have been wanting to pick it up. I will admit that I am kind of one over by the gorgeous cover. But the story sounds really great too and I love a book that makes me think.
I really hope you like it if you decide to read it! I definitely recommend it (and the cover IS really pretty 😉 )
Your review was just what I thought it would be! 🙂 Thank you for sharing – glad you liked it too.
Aww yay! 😀
*Awesome* review, Shannon! I haven’t seen much about this one and it’s encouraging to see such a glowing review. With a premise like that it could have gone such a different way so I’m especially glad to see the spotlight on the good in people. Checking my library now for this one… 🙂