Early Departures

By Justin A. Reynolds

Book Overview

Like Adam Silvera's They Both Die at the End and Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us, Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, is a powerful and deeply moving YA contemporary novel with a speculative twist about love, death, grief, and friendship.

What if you could bring your best friend back to life--but only for a short time?

Jamal's best friend, Q, doesn't know that he died, and that he's about to die . . . again. He doesn't know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven't been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.

But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q's mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can't tell Q the truth?

Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life--and beyond.

Second Chance: Jamal has just a few weeks to reconnect with Q, but every moment is built on a heartbreaking secret about life and death.Friends to Enemies: Two years of silence and blame stand between Jamal and Q. Can they rebuild what they lost before time runs out for good?Brotherhood: They were once an inseparable comedy duo who chose their own brotherhood. Now, that bond is the only thing that might save them from their shared past.Heartbreaking YA Romance: Jamal is torn between mending the past with Q and building a future with his girlfriend, Autumn, who deserves a truth he can't bring himself to tell.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062748408
• ISBN13: 9780062748409
• Release Date: September 2020
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 5.8" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher