They Both Die at the End

When strangers Rufus and Mateo receive an alert from Death-Cast that they each have less than a day to live, they look for a friend to share the day with via an app called Last Friend. The two begin a friendship and an adventure on their last day on Earth as they help each other confront their mortality, discard their fears, live life fully, and say their final goodbyes. This contemporary novel for grades 9-12, with relatable and authentic characters, is best-suited for literature circles or independent reading and deals with issues of friendship, mortality, identity, the purpose of life, what is means to have a life well-lived, and the importance of connections between people. Some social considerations noted.