Review: All We Have is Now

About the Book

All We Have is Now by Lisa Schroeder

Published by Scholastic Inc. on July 28, 2018

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GoodReads Description

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.

My Thoughts

I had such high hopes for this novel!  I anticipated something so spectacular!  That was not what I got.

What I Liked

• Emerson was such a well-written character!  I truly appreciated the way that Schroeder made sure she stayed true to who she was, even though that meant writing a very conflicted character.  Emerson had quite the chip on her shoulder and I didn't see her letting go of that chip until the very end of the novel.  
• I loved the romance between Vince and Emerson.  Even though Vince had no reason to hope that Emerson would ever have feelings for him, he stayed true to her.  I think this dedication is important for young men to see in a society that champions "playing" women.  Once this relationship bloomed, it was one of the strongest that I've seen written in modern YA fiction.
• The connection of Carl's story and the Vince/Emerson plot was predictable, but well done.  I think it was interesting to see Emerson's emotions toward and expectations of the family we were able to see frantically searching for her.

What I Didn't Like As Much

• THE ENDING????? What the heck was that?! That was not ok.  I am so frustrated by the ending of this novel that I would never pick up a sequel if Schroeder wrote one. I won't say too much here, but talk about taking the easy way out.
• There were so many crossing plot lines that I stopped caring about a few of them and found myself skimming the pages just to finish the book.  

Overall Thoughts

Honestly, the ending totally messed this book up for me.  I may have been able to overlook the multitude of crossing plots, but I CANNOT IGNORE THAT UNSATISFACTORY ENDING!!!!  I'm so stinking mad about it!  

My Rating