If There's No Tomorrow

July 24, 2017
In her final year of high school, Lena Wise learns that one split-second decision can alter the future. Four lives are lost after Lena reluctantly lets an inebriated friend drive home from a party. Racked with guilt and struggling to admit the truth of what happened, Lena pushes her friends away, including Sebastian, her best friend and longtime crush, who has just started to become something more. With a powerful message about the destructive effects of drunk driving and the far-reaching consequences of small decisions, Armentrout (The Problem with Forever) presents an effective story of raw grief and gradual acceptance. Lena’s guilt is almost tangible (“Talking openly about the accident, about everything leading up to it, just made me want to take a wire brush to my memories”); readers will easily understand her difficulty in moving forward, accepting help and comfort from those around her, and finding a way to forgive herself. Lena’s budding romance with Sebastian fits well within the narrative, illustrating that life goes on even in the darkest of times. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary.

August 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Lena has been in love with the boy next door, Sebastian, since she met him as a kid. Lena goes to a party with her friends in which they all drink; she doesn't drink but ends up getting into the car with a tipsy friend at the wheel. In the blink of an eye, the teen wakes up in the hospital with serious injuries. She soon learns that the driver and the two other passengers are dead from a car crash. Lena is haunted by the fact that she, being the only sober one, should have driven the car. When Sebastian first sees her after the accident, he declares his love for her. Lena should be over the moon but she cannot get over her guilt, so keeps pushing him away. The awkward writing style may initially hinder readers from getting into the story. However, it becomes more seamless midway through the book, and the romantic tension is portrayed especially well. The narrative's true strength is its portrayal of Lena's mind and her process of working through guilt. VERDICT Recommended where there is interest in teen love stories that have some substance.-Jill Baetiong, formerly of Morris Area Public Library, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
Grades 9-12 Lena had a bad feeling about getting into the car. The driver was obviously drunk, as were the other passengers. As the only sober person there, Lena made a half-hearted attempt to take the keys, but ultimately chose to back off. That one bad choice, however, came with life-altering consequences. Can she ever forgive herself? The weight of ordinary life becomes unbearable in the aftermath of her decision, and while Lena's shattered body eventually recovers, her heart remains gutted with guilt. She recoils from the prospect of moving on, even in the arms of her one true love. Armentrout avoids the claustrophobia of a cautionary tale by fleshing out Lena's world with typical teen concerns, such as strained friendships, an absent father, and the looming question of college, not to mention some steamy romance scenes. It's Lena's well-directed therapy sessions, though, that help her ultimately come to grips with the consequences of her inaction. This nuanced portrayal of guilt and redemption is a great pick for fans of Cynthia Hand's The Last Time We Say Goodbye (2015). HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A hefty promotional campaign should keep the buzz building for this New York Times best-selling author's latest novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)