If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come
by Jen St. Jude
Ultimate Tour
Book Info
Genre: Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Romance, Science Fiction
Length: 416 Pages
Publishing: 9th May 2023
Blurb
We Are Okay meets They Both Die at the End in this YA debut about queer first love and mental health at the end of the world-and the importance of saving yourself, no matter what tomorrow may hold.
Avery Byrne has secrets. She's queer; she's in love with her best friend, Cass; and she's suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression. But on the morning Avery plans to jump into the river near her college campus, the world discovers there are only nine days left to an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it.
Trying to spare her family and Cass additional pain, Avery does her best to make it through just nine more days. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery would do anything to save the ones she loves. But most importantly, she learns to save herself. Speak her truth. Seek the support she needs. Find hope again in the tomorrows she has left.
If Tomorrow Doesn't Come is a celebration of queer love, a gripping speculative narrative, and an urgent, conversation-starting book about depression, mental health, and shame.
About the Author
Lambda Literary Fellow Jen St. Jude (she/they) grew up in New Hampshire apple orchards and now lives in Chicago with her wife and dog. She has served as an editor for Chicago Review of Books, Just Femme & Dandy, and Arcturus Magazine. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her cheering on the Chicago Sky and Red Stars. If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come is her first novel.
If Tomorrow Doesn't Come had a good premise with a fantastic mental health rep but unfortunately I was turned off by the time jumps as they made me discombobulated and wanted to keep the putting the book down. As a Main character Avery was just okay the other characters like Cass and Aisha i was more interested about and their stories I wanted to read about. One thing which I would of liked Jen to explore more was the internal battles Avery was having with her religion and her sexuality . I was a bit disappointed when her parents just accepted her being with Cass and I am not sure if was because of the end of the world. I also did not get Avery and her Aunt who had committed suicide again I would of liked it to be explored. For me the love story was not my thing.
For all these reasons I am giving If Tomorrow Doesn't Come 3 Stars and would like to thank The Write Reads for allowing me to be on the tour and the Publishers Penguin Random House for sending me a Physical Arc