Welcome to the world where people get to attend their own funerals because, thanks to AstroThanatoGenetics, they know precisely when they're going to die. 
 This is the story of Denton Little, a teenage boy whose deathdate falls on the day of senior prom. We meet Denton on the day of his funeral (the day before his deathdate, because the funerals are now attended by the soon-to-be-dead people), and together with him, his best friend, Paolo, his girlfriend, Taryn, and Paolo's older sister, Veronica, we will experience two of the most bizarre, adrenaline-inducing, unpredictable, and laugh-out-loud funny days you could possibly imagine. Brace yourself, this is a wild ride! 
 Very cool, entirely unique and fresh, genuinely funny (made me snort my drink more than a few times and my husband eventually said: "What are you reading? You alternate between laughing like a maniac and looking like you're about to cry every 15 seconds or so. It can't be healthy!") and, ultimately, full of meaning and memorable messages, Denton Little's Deathdate is a BLAST. I really loved every page of this book and am so glad I decided to pick it up on a whim. 
 Denton Little's Deathdate resists categorization and labeling. It starts of as a quirky contemporary with some interesting existential undercurrents (but one that doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't get bogged down with anxiety, angst and trying to over-analyze things) and then, in a brilliant and completely unexpected twist, turns into a cleverly devised science fiction. Mind-blown! I love both sci fi and emotionally powerful contemporary books (especially those that make you laugh through tears!), and Denton Little's Deathdate is just the most delicious combination of these two genres. The contemporary part is still much stronger and the science fiction part is, for the most part, very vague and subtle (it really doesn't read like a typical science fiction book, no complicated terminology, no brain-clogging concepts and ideas, it's just- essentially - a boat that carries the awesomeness of Denton and his little crew towards an epic and exceptionally satisfying ending), and the blend of the two is simply devourable. 
 Also, the humor in this book - often times morbid or completely inappropriate - was definitely my favorite part of it. Denton's eulogy speech? Freaking hilarious. The YA scene definitely needs more sharp, intelligent and unapologetic books like this one. At the same time, there is a note of sadness to this book. I mean, really, how can there not be? It's a book about a teenage boy who is about to die and he is aware of this (and not in a "I have a terminal illness and I will probably die soon" kind of way, but in a "Today is the die I will die. I just don't know how or when exactly, but it's inevitable", and it's a scary but also eye-opening concept. Rubin's approach to the subject is remarkably tender and sensitive (despite some of the jaw-dropping jokes). It's not depressing or dark and morbid, it's actually quite positive and hopeful, and I loved that. I absolutely loved that. 
 Denton is, as expected, struggling with the fact he will cease to exist soon, but he somehow manages to turn it all around and make the most of his shitty situation. He is brave, he is considerate, he makes mistakes, sure, but he's a teenage boy after all, and who can really blame him? He's not trying to act tough, heck, he doesn't really know how he should act to begin with, but he tries his best and that's all that matters. He is just so real, so multidimensional, so much more than just a character in a book. I really do hope Rubin will write a sequel of some sort (the way the book ends leaves an opening for it, though doesn't exactly demand one), because he created something very special here and I, for one, will miss all these characters dearly. It would be so awesome to meet them again! 
 Great concept and brilliant humor aside, Denton Little's Deathdate is also emotionally affecting and thought provoking. It explores some difficult themes, such as death, loss, grief, inevitability of one's passing and ways to deal with the knowledge. It also pokes at other (more common, but equally important) issues, from growing up without a parent to cheating, bullying and standing up for oneself. This book is not so much about dying as it is about living each and every single day as it was our last, staying true to oneself, being open with others and appreciating things and people before they're gone. I thought it was a beautiful message, and one worth remembering.