Review: All We Have is Now by Lisa Schroeder

Book Description:

Hardcover, 272 pages
Published July 28th 2015 by Scholastic Inc.

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.

Reviewer's Copy: Hardcover

Source: Dianne and Pinoy Book Tours (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

All We Have is Now was set 24 hours before a meteor was set to land smack dab in the middle of USA. Everyone who had the capacity and the resources to leave the country had already left. Emerson and Vince were on their own. They had no home to go back to and only 24 hours to make the most out of life and the world, as they know it. When the world is ending and you only have a limited time to leave your mark, make other people happy, confess something or maybe, just simply tick off some things off your bucket list, you change and the people around you change. There is something so wistful and beautiful about spending the last few hours before the end of the world - it's the chance, the last glimpse, the last everything that makes it different. Going over all of these lasts was astonishing for me.

Emerson and Vince were intriguing characters. They were best friends for years, looking out for each other and supporting one another. Vince was the guy who made the extra effort, went the extra mile to make the people around him feel remembered and special. Emerson ran away from home when she was younger. She was carrying a lot of emotional baggage on her shoulders. The only person she had left was Vince and she wasn't going to ruin their friendship. Reading about these two characters, made me think of how fate finds ways to make sure that we were with the person we needed throughout life. There were subtle sparks shooting off of their skin. The temptation to delve into something more than just friends, was ever present. As the hours went by, Emerson and Vince came closer and closer to a decision.

When Emerson and Vince met a middle-aged man, Carl, who handed them a wallet filled with cash, this triggered a long line of wishes and wish-granting. The message of the story was one of optimism, making the most out of life and appreciating it and of hope. The people that Vince and Emerson met shared a little piece of themselves with the duo. As a reader, I got to see the different possible situations and reactions of people in the face of the upcoming apocalypse. 

All We Have is Now is a refreshing apocalyptic fiction and a mild wake up call for all readers. If you are into thoughtful fiction, apocalyptic fiction (that is quite contemporary) this might be the book for you.

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!