This is How it Ends
Author: Jen Nadol
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
If you could see the future, would you want to? After the disturbing visions Riley and his friends see turn out to be more than hallucinations, fate takes a dangerous twist in this dark and suspenseful page-turner.
Riley and his friends are gearing up for their senior year by spending one last night hanging out in the woods, drinking a few beers, and playing Truth or Dare. But what starts out as a good time turns sinister when they find a mysterious pair of binoculars. Those who dare to look through them see strange visions, which they brush off as hallucinations. Why else would Riley see himself in bed with his best friend’s girlfriend—a girl he’s had a secret crush on for years?
In the weeks that follow, the visions begin to come true...including a gruesome murder. One of Riley’s closest friends is now the prime suspect. But who is the murderer? Have Riley and his friends really seen the future through those mysterious binoculars? And what if they are powerless to change the course of events?
I wanted This is How it Ends to be something different, and
it certainly had the elements to make it
something different, it was right there. But the part that would've made it
different was on the backburner and paved its way to drama instead.
Now, the element of the binoculars and what the represented
would've been great, if it went into it more. Which, you'd think it would, but
in fact, they only made a brief appearance in the beginning and was a while
again before they were used. More talked about than anything, but nothing
really helpful, everytime it was brought up it felt like we were walking in
circles. I thought it would integrate into the story a lot better than it did, we spend the whole book wondering what
the hell they really are, what they can do, if anything of it is real. We have
some hints along the way, but nothing you'd really pick up on, and by the time
you got to the big revelation it just felt rushed and fell flat. It didn't seem
plausible because you didn't get a chance to really understand. The whole thing
felt long-winded into the build up, and just didn't live up to it.