The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

2011, Razorbill

Goodreads / Amazon

Rating

Synopsis: It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

Why read: Picked up a copy at BEA

What impressed me: I absolutely loved the concept of The Future of Us. Having been a teenager in the mid to late 90s, I could totally relate to all the "retro" details in this book. And the idea of being able to see your future through a mystical version of Facebook is such a great idea. I completely loved how every action, even every minor thought, could change Josh or Emma's future. I could not put this book down.

What disappointed me: I really didn't like the ending. It felt like a huge letdown, totally open ended which went against everything we had already learned throughout the book.

Recommended: Yes, especially for those YA fans that grew up in the 90s like I did.