Aya M. Productions

Note: I received a free eARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not paid to write this.

When by Victoria Laurie was extremely intriguing! Maddie has always been able to see the death dates of people. However, until her father’s death, she never knew what the numbers meant. The guilt drives Maddie’s mother into alcohol and nicotine addiction, which results in her losing her job. Maddie is then forced to read people’s death dates for money and ends up as the key suspect in the death of a teenager.

Maddie was the center of the story and the driving force in my interest. The story featured a great friendship, and Maddie also had the support of her attorney uncle and elderly neighbor. Surprisingly, there wasn’t much of a romance, which is generally one of the key aspects I need in a story, and it didn’t bother me at all. I loved how strong Maddie was as a character. As much as I argued some of her actions were not the right actions for her to take, I enjoyed watching her try to fight to prove her innocence and her friend’s as well. I loved her!

The law enforcement frustrated me a lot though. It was probably because of my career choice, but I seriously hated how Maddie was such a huge target in the case. She was wrongly accused for goodness sakes! As much as Agent Faraday frustrated me, I loved the character he turned out to be in the end. I think, as much as Maddie grew herself in the story, she also significantly influenced the ones around her as well.

All-in-all, When by Victoria Laurie was a page turner! I loved Maddie’s story and read it during the first few hours of my plane ride home. It really was a quick read. If you’re looking for a YA mystery with a strong female character that features a strong friendship, I highly suggest reading When. It may be just me, but I could totally read more about Maddie. When was definitely a complete story with no loose ends. I do believe there’s room for more about Maddie though. ;)

Now I ask, would you want to know your death date if you could?