K.B. says, "There are no zombies, no vampires, no drugs and no knuckle-crunching anguish here, but for those who like a compelling read with believable protagonists, this would be one to consider."

"Time travel--the ability to move backwards or forwards in
time--enables a writer to place characters in situations that offer unique opportunities and challenges. In The Future of Us, a glitch with a CD-ROM program allows Emma and Josh, who are attending high school in 1996, a glimpse into a Facebook page created fifteen years later.

When Emma first discovers this incredible site, Josh tells her it must be a hoax, set up by some pranksters at their high school in a more advanced computer science class.  But a single (quite amusing) graphic on the site convinces both of them that the site in a real one.   In addition, and even more amazing...it appears that their respective futures can be altered by everyday actions happening in present day 1996.  Also, one of them appears to have an incredibly fortunate and rich (in both senses of the word) future, while the other is appears
to be vaguely unhappy and dissatisfied.

These longtime friends experience a shared knowledge that no else shares, and so it's as if they're in a separate sphere from everyone else.  Some intriguing choices and ethical dilemmas arise as a result.

I stayed up past my bedtime reading this, despite its being a 'young adult' book.  I really felt drawn in by the alternating narratives of Emma and Josh as they make discoveries about their shared dilemma and about themselves.  They felt fully-formed, and I wanted to see them make the right choices. There are no zombies, no vampires, no drugs and no knuckle-crunching anguish here, but for those who like a compelling read with believable protagonists, this would be one to consider."


--KB