Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father’s premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she’s unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?

This book was sent to azuki, it was her prize for the BookObsessed July is for Fireworks Read-a-Thon
:)

I started reading this because it's on my BD partner's wishlist. I plan to take it with me on a trip but ends up finishing it in an afternoon before the trip... because it's so good. It got me teary eyes at some point.

The book has an intriguing premise - a girl who can see the death dates on everyone's forehead (it reminds me a lot of the manga Death Note), but more than being an exciting sci-fi, it also packs a lot of heart. The story of a young girl who feels responsible for her father's death (she innocently yelled out his death date when she first learned numbers), living with a mother who has become distance and alcoholic since she lost her spouse, and being a misfit at school due to the rumors of her dangerous power. Trying her best to put on a brave face and soldier on when even the little bit of normalcy crumbles away around her.

It's a lovely coming-to-age story, an imaginative sci fi, a fast-paced murder mystery, and a life-affirming YA novel, but it's so much more than the sum.

Now sending this to my BD partner. Enjoy!!

Received from my birthday partner Azuki. Looks like this has made its way back to Canada! I wished for this book because it was in one of the best of swaps over on BookObsessed. Thank you!

Since she was young, Maddie Fynn has been able to see people's death dates. She first recognized it on her dad's forehead, but wasn't aware of what it meant until he was killed in action. Now a teenager, Maddie's mother is a drunk and Maddie is convinced her mom blames her for her dad's death. To try and make ends meet, and pay for mom's habit, Maddie sees clients who want to know when they will die. A lady brings a picture of her daughter who is undergoing treatment for a medical issue to determine if she will survive. Maddie gives her the good news that she will survive, but her son has a death date within a week. The mother leaves in a huff, unbelieving what she has been told.

When that boy is found murdered the next week, the mother points at Maddie as a suspect and the FBI investigates. Thinking she may be responsible for the boy's death, they look in to Maddie and her friends, making life very uncomfortable for everyone. Maddie was just trying to help though. And when she sees the death date of a cheerleader on the opposing team, she knows she can't keep quiet.

This was definitely a unique concept and though I doubt FBI would treat teenagers the way they did in this book, it made you turn the pages and figure out what would happen. It was pretty easy to guess who the killer was, but that didn't really take away from the book. This isn't prize winning literature but it was fun.

Gave this to a friend to read.