Book Review - The Future of Us

The Future of Us
Author: Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler
Standalone
Genres: Contemporary | Young Adult
Release Date: 16th October 2012
Publishers: Razorbill
No. Pages: 365
Source: Gifted
Rating:

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.

So like the summary states, this books is centered around two people, Josh and Emma. They have been neighbors, and best friends, for as long as they can remember. Until they weren't. It has been 6 months since Josh and Emma stopped talking after a misunderstanding on his part, but after receiving a new computer from her dad, Emma is shocked to see Josh at her door holding an AOL CD.

After a very awkward conversation , Emma thanks Josh and later that night signs on but is confused when a website called Facebook pops up, and upon closer exception finds a photo of someone who looks just like her. Only older. Emma is left scratching her head and trying to figure out why someone would be playing a prank on her, because that's all it could be. Her first thought is Josh, he gave her the CD so obviously it was him, but after inviting him over and seeing the look of shock on his face she later comes to the conclusion that its not. And that she could some how be looking at the future. Josh takes some convincing though and it isn't until he see's his facebook page and is told he will marry the hottest girl in school.

Both of them start obsessing over it, Emma over the fact that she's not happy in the future and Josh over trying to get Emma to stop looking for ways to change it as the little things not only cause ripples in her future, but also his. As they spend time focusing on the future they start losing track on what's going on in the now, because everything is changing.

My thoughts? I loved it. Its the first book by Jay Asher I have read but think I might start Thirteen Reasons Why soon. I loved how original it was and how people were mocking facebook. (the characters were confused why in the future people would spend all their time saying what they've had for dinner on the internet). I loved the characters and the authenticity of it all. The friendships, the love, everything else just felt really real. I defiantly enjoyed it. It was just a really fun read.