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The Deathday Letter

by Shaun Hutchinson (Goodreads Author)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 311 ratings · 69 reviews

The clock is ticking... Ollie can’t be bothered to care about anything but girls until he gets his Deathday Letter and learns he’s going to die in twenty-four hours. Bummer.

Ollie does what he does best: nothing. Then his best friend convinces him to live a little, and go after Ronnie, the girl who recently trampled his about-to-expire heart. Ollie turns to carloads of pudd...more

Paperback, 256 pages

Published June 15th 2010 by Simon Pulse

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Jul 20, 2010 Morgan F rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pulse-it, young-adult, death-and-dying, 2010, goodreads-author, read-2010, its-a-boy, debut, medium-sized, e-book

This book is about 15-yr-old Ollie on the day he gets his Deathday Letter. A Deathday Letter is basically a notice sent to you 24 hours before you are scheduled to die. So that sucks. Ollie, however, is your typical teenage boy. All he thinks about are sex, girls, food, and sex. So on his last day, what is there to do? Well, Ollie, his best friend, and his longtime crush are going to find out.

I did not like Ollie nor did I find his humor funny. As he constantly pointed out and exemplified, guys...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2011 Braiden rated it 4 of 5 stars

After having The Deathday Letter by Shaun David Hutchinson on my shelf since last year, I had finally gotten around to reading it. I am happy that I did read it, because it had told me a lot about myself and the so many things I need, desire or want to do before I escape this world. However, there were parts which kind of didn't interest me, as although some of what they did is what many boys/girls desire to try out before they grow too old or die, they weren't necessarily activities that I want...more

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Jul 17, 2010 Sherrie Petersen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Where do I even begin?

Ollie has 24 hours to live, only he isn't sure how to spend his last day on earth. He just knows he wants to be with his friends and family, as long as they don't get all mushy on him. This book had me laughing from the beginning. I mean, if you don't like penis jokes or 15-year-old boys who masturbate, then this probably isn't the book for you because seriously, that's just the first page.

Somehow, Shaun David Hutchinson has managed to create a poignant, coming of age stor...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 10, 2011 Medeia Sharif rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This YA novel has a realistic setting, but the only fantastical thing about it is that people get something called a Deathday Letter a day before they die. When Ollie sees that one has been delivered to his house, he assumes it’s for someone older, say a grandparent. But no, it’s for him.

This sends him on a trail of what-ifs and adventures on his last day of existence. With the help of his friends he awkwardly parties, doing things he’s never done before, even illegal things. Skipping school, ta...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Shane Ostrom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ollie Travers is a typical teenage boy that only thinks about sex, food, girls, and sex. He receives the infamous deathday letter in the mail that says he will die in 24 hours so he decides to go out with a bang. He goes on crazy adventures with his best friend but all he truly wants to do is make things right with the girl of his dreams. I was thrilled with the humor thrown into the book and I was relatively disappointed at how tedious it got at times but it was pretty easy to overlook due to i...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Dy'talzha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Deathday letter was an amazing book! It had great suspence to what was going on with the character(s). It had everything you would want in a book mystery,romance,and,daring stunts to end out the day before his death .Ollie's grandfather had once got a death day letter and he thought it was fake , but once his granfather died he did belive.Ollie woke to the sound of his mother telling him to wake up.Once he got dressed he headed downstairs.His mother,father,grandma and his two sisters were standi...more Deathday letter was an amazing book! It had great suspence to what was going on with the character(s). It had everything you would want in a book mystery,romance,and,daring stunts to end out the day before his death .Ollie's grandfather had once got a death day letter and he thought it was fake , but once his granfather died he did belive.Ollie woke to the sound of his mother telling him to wake up.Once he got dressed he headed downstairs.His mother,father,grandma and his two sisters were standing around the table staring at him. He thought he did something wrong but as his mother handed him a white envlope with a red dead smiley face . His mother started to tear up and so did his siters but he knew his sisters wouldn't cry for him.When he started to head for the front door his mother told him he was staying home . Ollie didn't want to he wanted to spend his last day like any other.With that he left his house and headed to his bestfriend Shane 's house ,they were only a few months apart and Shane already had his driver's premit. They were bascially brother just that Shane was african amercian.Later on Ollie finally told Shane that he got a deathday letter. They played it off saying that they had to go to the restroom. When they got to the hallway Shane slaped Ollie because he didn't tell him that morning.With that they went to their other best friend class Ronnie, her and Ollie went out a couple of months before and it didn't quite work for them. They all had been bestfreinds since third grade.Ronnie was able to slip out of class and then Shane blurted out that Ollie got a deathday letter. They soon left school and went to Shane's house and got out lists that they did years back on what they would do if they had one day to live. Shane left the room there was a lot of tension between Ronnie and Ollie. Shane came back and gave them their own list while Shane put pizza in the oven . Ronnie and Shane told Ollie to name off his ideas/things he wanted to do. What Ollie wanted was not going to happen so.Ronnie and Shane read their list off none were good ideas.They made a new list while eating pizza well not Ollie and Ronnie but Shane did. The first thing the did was jump of the bridge but also before they left Shane's house they burned Ollie's books. They then ran from the police because they are sopose to be in school. They ran to the lighthouse and hide there was a fat police chasing them so that gave them an advantage to hide.Shane hid in a closet and Ronnie and Ollie hid together once the cop passed them by and left the lighthouse they came from hiding. They then left the lighthose and tried to get in to a strip club which was not happing. They got kicked out and saw a gril just standing there after talking they told her about Ollie.She said follow her they did. When they got there they didn't want to go in but soon did. The house was smokey and in one room were about four to five people who were high siting in a circle.They soon found out they were trying to figur out who sends deathday letters. They triend ''pot'' (Ronnie,and,Ollie ) Shane didn't want to get pulled over so he didn't try it. There was a girl in the circle that was hitting on Ollie.She soon took him to her room and told him to lay on the bed when he did she stuck her tounge right in his mouth. He was disgusted but he kissed back.She was soon getting ready to take off his pants until Ronnie walked in and saw them two. She stormed out of the house Shane told Ollie she left and said that ''all u want to do is get it out ya pants.'' ,and she left. Shane asked if he want to follow her and with that they got in the car.Shane let Oliie drive he was scared at frist but got use to it once they got on the highway they got pulled over. Shane said ''LET ME HANDLE THIS!!'' Shane told ans showed the officer Ollie deathday letter and he actually let them go.They went to the store and bout alot of pudding cups because Ollie thought that's how they met, they then went to Ronnie's house and spleeled out "I'M SORRY" Ollie knocked on the door Ronnie's father opend the door and talked to him then he sent down his daughter .She closed the door behind her and told him that pudding cups was not going to fix it this time .Ollie didn't get it she dupmed him why was she acting this way? Shane and Ollie went back to Shane's house and mix alot of liqure together and then went for a walk in the woods Shane came out that he was gay and after that they chatted and then went to Ollie's house dinner was beenin prepared and Ollie's mother told them to go get washed up the smelled of vomit.When they got done dinner was ready they ate and after everyone fell asleep Shaen and OlliE woke up and htey went to the kitchen to find his grandmother there doing what they came to do eat leftovers. Ollie told his granmother about Ronnie and gave him advice soon his mother woke up and .... Shean asked if Ollie mother knew he was gay? She said yes her and his mother was thinking but didn't quite know.THEY soon had a plan on how Ollie could have Ronnie to forgive him . He took another shower and got dressed and took Shane's car as palned and picke Ronnie up the went to a place and Ronnie all ways wanted her panting to be remebered so OllIE made that happen afterward they went to the beach. until sun rise.

Now its up to you to see if he lives or dies !!!!!(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Makayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ollie is going through life like a normal teenage boy would, until he gets his DeathDay letter. Crazy antics fill up his day as the clock for his final twenty-four hours ticks down.
Personally, this book had me laughing out loud when I first read it. The humor was spot on in my opinion, and the sad, touching moments made me feel the same way the characters did.
Although....
The fact that Ollie was trying to make up for messing up his previous relationship with Ronnie was touching at first, but then...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Amy Y. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-2011-advisory

The Deathday Letter is about a 15 year old boy named Ollie whos' only interest are girls and sex. But one day, he recieves a letter in the mail telling him that he only has 24 hours to live. Ollie and his best friend undergoes all of these ludicrous adventures including smoking pot, facing his fears and best of all, setting things right for with his ex-girlfriend. Ollie tries to convince the love of his life to take him back after the break-up. Thats all he wants before he dies, one last love.

Th...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 28, 2010 Melanie Goodman added it

I think it’s entirely possible that I was meant to be a boy, because I find snarky, hormonal teenage male narrators to be absolutely hilarious. It might be wrong for a book about death to be this funny, so it’s a good thing Shaun David Hutchinson’s The Deathday Letter is actually a book about life–Ollie’s last day of life. When Ollie receives a Deathday letter telling him he has only 24 hours to live, he takes the news pretty stoically. He plans to spend his last day doing normal things and bidi...more

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Aug 31, 2010 Myhotstylist rated it 5 of 5 stars

THIS - BOOK - WAS - AWESOME!!!!

Hardly classify this as YA considering the amount of sex references, penis jokes, drug and alcohol use, but we start out knowing our main character Oliver A. Travers is going to die. So we get to go with Ollie on his last 24 hours on earth. Think Ferris Buelers Day off, but with a death sentance. This was an emotional roller-coaster ride with Ollie and his 2 best friends, Shane and Veronica (Ronnie). This book will teach you alot, about living in the moment (like e...more

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May 29, 2010 Nadia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: grade-8-ir-books-betts

This book is about a boy named Oliver Aaron Travers, who prefers being called just Ollie. Ollie is a typical 15 year-old boy who mostly thinks about is girls. That is until one morning he receives a Deathday letter. After someone receives a Deathday letter they only have 24 hours to live. When Ollie gets his letter he wishes his family would stop being all mushy about it and let him have a pleasant Deathday. On Ollie's Deathday he manages to jump off a bridge, steal clothes from Walmart, getting...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Cynthia (A Blog about Nothing) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really didn't know what to expect with The Deathday Letter except for what happens on the first page which I already knew about, but if I hadn't I would've probably been quite shocked. I shouldn't have been since the book is written by a guy after all, and it's about a 15 year old crazy hormonal boy so it should be expected that there will be lots of talk about sex and girls.
This story is about a boy named Ollie that wakes up one day to find a Deathday Letter which means that he has only one...more I really didn't know what to expect with The Deathday Letter except for what happens on the first page which I already knew about, but if I hadn't I would've probably been quite shocked. I shouldn't have been since the book is written by a guy after all, and it's about a 15 year old crazy hormonal boy so it should be expected that there will be lots of talk about sex and girls.
This story is about a boy named Ollie that wakes up one day to find a Deathday Letter which means that he has only one day left to live. In this world everybody gets a Deathday Letter about 24 hours before they're going to die but nobody really knows exactly where they come from or how they know they're going to die, but the story really doesn't focus much on that but on Ollie's last day. At the beginning Ollie wants to keep on doing his normal everyday routine until he tells his best friend about the letter and his friend convinces him to ditch school and spend the day doing things he always wanted to do.

The author slips a little note before the first chapter to let the reader know that Ollie was definitely going to die at the end and to not expect any miracles. I didn't think I would have a problem accepting that but I did, while reading the book I felt like Ollie was becoming a friend and I really was hoping for a miracle towards the end I even got teary eye at one point. I thought the writing was great and it was so interesting for me to read from a male's perspective that was actually written by a male, you can really tell the difference and it felt so real. While reading The Deathday Letter I felt like Ollie was right there next to me telling me his story, there's plenty of laughs and funny moments but there's also a few thought provoking moments. I thought Ollie's adventures on his last day were pretty realistic and something that I could see a 15 year old doing, I loved the part when Ollie and his ex-girlfriend Ronnie are together towards the end it was sweet and I didn't want to see it come to an end. Of course you know when it's about to end because each chapter has a count down which was actually kind of nerve wrecking towards the end and all I kept thinking was that he was getting closer and closer to dying. This is definitely something that I would recommend, if you like different but fun to read and from a male point of view. (less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Natira rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stellt Euch unsere Welt vor mit einem kleinen Unterschied: Jeder Mensch erfährt durch einen Todestagsbrief, dass er 24 Stunden nach Zustellung sterben wird. Diese Briefe sind völlig normal. Als der Teenager Oliver Travers aufwacht und erfährt, dass ein Todestagbrief zugestellt wurde, denkt er zunächst, seine Nana - immerhin schon über 70 - sei die Empfängerin. Aber weder sie noch sein Vater, seine Mutter oder eine seiner jüngeren Schwester wird in den frühen Morgenstunden des kommenden Tages ste...more Stellt Euch unsere Welt vor mit einem kleinen Unterschied: Jeder Mensch erfährt durch einen Todestagsbrief, dass er 24 Stunden nach Zustellung sterben wird. Diese Briefe sind völlig normal. Als der Teenager Oliver Travers aufwacht und erfährt, dass ein Todestagbrief zugestellt wurde, denkt er zunächst, seine Nana - immerhin schon über 70 - sei die Empfängerin. Aber weder sie noch sein Vater, seine Mutter oder eine seiner jüngeren Schwester wird in den frühen Morgenstunden des kommenden Tages sterben, sondern er. Wie und mit wem verbringt man seine letzte Stunden, besonders wenn man ein pubertierender 15jähriger ist?

Im Nachwort dankt Shaun Hutchinson seinem Literaturagenten für dessen Vertrauen, dass ein Buch über Tod und Peniswitze funktionieren würde. Und ja, in dem aus Oliver Travers Perspektive erzählten Roman geht es um Tod - schließlich stirbt der Protagonist am Ende und dass ist angesichts des Klappentextes und des Vorwortes kein Spoiler. Außerdem finden sich einige mehr oder weniger geschmackvolle Umschreibungen für Masturbationen, Penisse, Sex. Und zum Teil ging es mir auch etwas auf die Nerven, aber: Olli ist 15 Jahre jung und steckt in der Pubertät. 15jährige Jungs werden sicher eher beurteilen können, wie sich das anfühlt. Und ich gehe davon aus, dass sich Shaun Hutchinson daran erinnert. Auf den Punkt gebracht: Olli, der gerade zeugungsfähig wird, erhält den Todestagbrief und wird sterben. Punkt. Nein, er ist nicht krank; seine Zeit läuft einfach ab. Also schwänzt er zusammen mit seinem besten Freund Shane und seiner Ex-Freundin Ronni die Schule und versucht herauszufinden, was er mit seinen letzten Stunden am Besten anfangen kann, zumal ihm der ganze emotionale Kram - z.B. die Art, wie seine Eltern ihn anschauen - nicht behagt. Manche Aktionen bringen ihm Ronni etwas näher und zeigen ihm, was für ein Freund Shane ist. Anderes läuft ziemlich aus dem Ruder, etwa wenn er und seine Freunde auf eine Runde Kiffer treffen.

In meinen Augen gelingt Shaun Hutchinson dabei recht recht gut, Ollis Gefühle und Gedanken sprachlich zu transportieren, allerdings überzeugt mich die Auflösung nicht ganz. Letzteres schiebe ich allerdings - ich will nicht spoilern - auf den Zeitfaktor. Ein anderer Punkt ist die Erzählperspektive. Natürlich wird gerade durch die Ich-Perspektive Ollis innere Welt offenbart, trotzdem empfinde ich es merkwürdig, quasi ein im Präsens geschriebenes Tagebuch einer am Romanende (in Echtzeit) sterbenden Person zu lesen. Vielleicht hätte ich dies bei einem außenstehenden allwissenden Erzähler nicht so empfunden.

Das Thema Todestagbrief handhabt der Autor nicht wirklich befriedigend, aber es funktioniert. Genauer will ich hierauf nicht eingehen, weil ich dann mehr über den Romaninhalt schreiben müsste. Und das wäre nicht so glücklich: Schließlich lebt die Story nicht von klassischen Spannungseffekten, sondern es geht um die Reise des Protagonisten ansich. ;)(less)

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Aug 06, 2010 *•.♥.•*Sabrina Rutter*•.♥.•* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, i-own, ya-fiction, signed

Imagine if we lived in a world where 24 hours before you die you get a letter informing you of your demise. Blessing or curse it doesn't matter what your opinion is you will recieve your letter when the time comes. This is the world of 15 year old Oliver Travers, and this his deathday story.
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book becuase it's not what I normally read but I have to say I really enjoyed it. It didn't drag me down with depression or make me all teary eyed. Actually it made me l...more

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May 10, 2013 Katie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-2013

Um. Just not good. Oliver lives in a world where people get Deathday Letters 24 hours before they are going to die. Oliver's family members are the only ones who seem truly sad when he gets his; his best friend's first reaction is to punch him in the face. Which is confusing. But not as confusing as the lack of back story and explanation of why the Deathday Letters exist. Not even the characters know. The only ones who care to find out are a group of stoners that Oliver, his best friend Shane, a...more

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May 31, 2010 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book in the First Reads Giveaway.

The Deathday Letter is a story of a teenager named Oliver Travers. Oliver woke up one morning to his family huddled together in shock as they stared at his Deathday Letter. Deathday Letters are the standard in Ollie's world and it informs him that he has 24 hours to live. This book covers his last day and the adventures that he encounters.

I received this book on 05-23-10 and the moment my husband brought it in, I ripped it open - I was really looking...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Lyly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2011

I found this book quite interesting. This book is about a boy, Oliver. He received a letter saying that he was going to die in the next 24 hours. in the time limit that he has, he did things he never did before like skipping schools and burning all the textbooks. He spends his last day with his best friend,Shane, and his ex-girlfriend,Ronnie. They were spending Oliver's last day by doing things from a list that they created when they were little. There were also crazy stuff that they were doing...more

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Jul 15, 2010 Angela (Reading Angels) rated it 5 of 5 stars

As the readers note on the very first page will tell you. There will be no miracle, no deus ex machina, that will come in and save our lovable main character. He will die at the end of the book, but the point is not his death, it's his life.

That statement is very true for this book. I fell so totally in love with Ollie that I kept wishing for that miracle, even though I knew it wasn't coming. Ollie was a fantastic person to be able to get inside the head of. He's funny and interesting, smart and...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Shimin Li rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 10th-adv

This book is about the main character got his death day letter telling him that he will die after 24 hours and so he wanted to have some special memories. The most important, to rescue his love.
People are brave when they know they are gonna die soon. They have no worries, and do fun things they've been always wanted to do but didn't have enough courage. Courage is very important, in everything, everyone. Without it, your life would be as boring as a corpse.
If the day before you die is the onl...more

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Jul 02, 2010 Kylene (KyandMatt) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pulse-it, read-in-2010

Oliver lives in a world where you get a Deathday letter 24 hours before you're going to die. It gives you time to say goodbye to everyone and possibly do things you wanted to do but haven't had the chance. The problem is, Oliver is only 15.

This story takes us on a journey through Oliver's last day. From skipping school to trying to lose his virginity. Its a sad plot line but written in a very enjoyable way. I think Hutchinson did a great job of making me laugh out loud through most of the book...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Maria added it

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2010

The Deathday Letter asks the question: What would you do if you knew that you only had 24 hours to live? This is the question fifteen-year- old Oliver (Ollie) Travers must answer when he receives his Deathday Letter, the letter that informs him that he will die early the next morning.

From the beginning, The Deathday Letter wasn’t quite what I was expecting. In fact, I wasn’t sure what was in store after reading the summary. But once the story got started, Ollie’s voice and interaction with his...more The Deathday Letter asks the question: What would you do if you knew that you only had 24 hours to live? This is the question fifteen-year- old Oliver (Ollie) Travers must answer when he receives his Deathday Letter, the letter that informs him that he will die early the next morning.

From the beginning, The Deathday Letter wasn’t quite what I was expecting. In fact, I wasn’t sure what was in store after reading the summary. But once the story got started, Ollie’s voice and interaction with his friends drew me in. It was clear from the beginning that Ollie had a better grasp on his death than anyone else in his life. He wanted to have a normal day; go to school, hang out with his best friend, Shane, maybe have his favorite dinner. That was his plan until Shane and Ronnie, Ollie’s ex-girlfriend, convince him that he should have a little fun before he dies.

Hutchinson takes serious subject matter and injects humor and some law breaking to create a story that explores. The funny moments actually outnumber the serious ones, but the serious moments pack a punch. Ollie’s conversations with Shane and his last great gesture towards Ronnie show that he really knows and cares about both of them. And even though I knew how it would end, the author actually gives away the ending in a short prologue; it still managed to take me by surprise - that is excellent storytelling.

While The Deathday Letter probably won’t go on my top ten list of 2010, there are several things that set it apart. The first was Ollie. His voice felt like the voice of a fifteen-year-old, the way he talked, dealt with his friends and reacted to situations made him feel real. The second was the first person point of view which made the book feel like a conversation, like Ollie was speaking to me. And the fact that I disappeared into the story, it didn’t feel like reading because I could visualize everything so clearly.

I would definitely recommend The Deathday Letter to anyone who enjoys reading books with male narrators as well as, readers who like books that take a different approach to difficult topics. I will definitely be recommending this one to the teens at the library.
(less)

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Aug 29, 2012 Madi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Set in a world like our own where people receive letters letting them know when they are going to die, you think that this story would be a bit darker. The main character Oliver, is a riot. There were so many times I had to stop reading the book because I was laughing too hard. His wit and sense of humor keep the story fresh while he lives out his last day alive with his two friends.

While it is a story about a boy living his last day, there is also great character development. The Ollie we see a...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Aimee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had high hopes for this book, I just thought the synopsis sounded AMAZING, but this book just did not live up to my expectations. I did enjoy this book, but I really thought the focus of the book would be completely different. I was hoping the book would focus a bit more on the Deathday Letters, but I was disappointed. I really liked the idea of knowing when a person would die; this ensured you did everything you could to bring closure to yourself and your friends. Overall, I did think Ollie t...more I had high hopes for this book, I just thought the synopsis sounded AMAZING, but this book just did not live up to my expectations. I did enjoy this book, but I really thought the focus of the book would be completely different. I was hoping the book would focus a bit more on the Deathday Letters, but I was disappointed. I really liked the idea of knowing when a person would die; this ensured you did everything you could to bring closure to yourself and your friends. Overall, I did think Ollie took advantage of his last day, but there were parts of his experience that were just a major let down. I don't want to say what they were because that may be a bit of a spoiler, but you would be able to figure this out if you read the book. I guess the story flowed more realistically without exploring the Deathday Letters, but it just left the book feeling a bit flat for me.

Part of my problem with this book is that Ollie came off as kind of a jerk to me. I did not hate him, but there were times where he was really hard to like. He is probably a realistic portrayal of a teenage boy, but as a female I kind of wanted to slap him a lot of the time. At the same time, Ronnie was kind of a pain in the butt. The only character I really liked was Ollie's best friend, Shane. He is a great balance for Ollie and without him the book may have completely flopped.

I will say that I absolutely loved the ending, which still seems weird, but it just was perfect. I understood Ollie and Ronnie's relationship better so their fighting made a lot more sense. I just wish this had been addressed sooner because I was getting very annoyed with the pair. So in short, this book was good, but not great. I think this is a book that might resonate more when guys, they might appreciate Ollie's humor more than I did. The biggest problem for me was that I expected this book to be different. I thought it was going to be more serious with less one-liners, but some people may enjoy the tone of "The Deathday Letter".(less)

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Apr 20, 2011 Terri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all_part_of_the_job

so i decided to read this book because i really enjoyed deadline by chris crutcher and they share an idea of knowing you are going to die and trying to do everything to make your mark on the world before it happens

when i first started reading deathday i wasn't sure i was going to enjoy it...the nature of the humor in the book was unexpected and i wasn't really liking it...then i took a step back and approached the book from a different angle mentally and i found that i really enjoyed it...the th...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Bev Hankins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fiction, mcpl-book

Okay, I'm just going to start right off and say that Young Adult fiction isn't my usual cup of tea. I read this one because I needed a book by a debut author for my Fall Into Reading Challenge and when I did a search for that sort of thing The Deathday Letter by Shaun David Hutchinson came up several times. And my library actually had it. And the premise sounded interesting. But, just to be absolutely honest, if I'd known before I brought it home that it was YA....I don't know that I'd have orde...more Okay, I'm just going to start right off and say that Young Adult fiction isn't my usual cup of tea. I read this one because I needed a book by a debut author for my Fall Into Reading Challenge and when I did a search for that sort of thing The Deathday Letter by Shaun David Hutchinson came up several times. And my library actually had it. And the premise sounded interesting. But, just to be absolutely honest, if I'd known before I brought it home that it was YA....I don't know that I'd have ordered it up. Don't hate me, all you dear YA lovers who follow me...it's just who I am.

So what was the premise that reeled me in?

"The clock is ticking...Ollie can't be bothered to care about anything but girls, until he gets his Deathday Letter and learns he's going to die in twenty-four hours. Bummer.

Ollie does what he does best: nothing. Then his best friend convinces him to live a little, and go after Ronnie, the girl who recently trampled his about-to-expire heart. Ollie turns to carloads of pudding and over-the-top declarations, but even playing the death card doesn't work. All he wants is to set things right with the girl of his dreams. It's now or never...."

Hutchinson has written a brilliant first novel. He's bang on target in his characterization of a 15-year old boy dealing with death and hormones all at the same time. The story goes from down-right hilarious ("Because a teenage guy with a penis is like a twitchy marine with a live grenade. Got it?") to heart-rendingly poignant ("There's so much to say, too much to say. I want to tell her that she's the most important thing that ever happened to me. I want to tell her that every night before I went to sleep, it was her that I thought about...").

Following Ollie...and his friend Shane and his love Ronnie...through his last twenty-four hours is a trip I'll never forget. It's the chance to watch a 15-year old "jerk" realize what's important in life--and death. The chance to learn lessons that some of us never learn in a life-time, let alone a single day. Ollie and his friends will make you laugh and cry...and wonder just what you would do if you were certain that you only had twenty-four hours left.

This review was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.(less)

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Mar 02, 2012 Jessica Dillon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: death, doesnt-end-the-way-i-want-it-to, drugs-and-alcohol, halirious, lots-of-swearing, sex, written-from-a-males-perspective

I havent read anything like this before. I really enjoyed it. Its a 4.5 star rating from me. Poor Ollie - right from the very first page the author tells us he is going to die, nothing will change. Its inevitable. But still, I kept hoping they would find a loophole :( This has got to be one of the messed up/halirious/pretty awesome way to spend your last day on Earth. This book centers around a world where everyone receives a 'deathday letter' around 24 hours before they are going to die. And as...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Once Upon rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Here we have a very different novel that what I have read in the past. you have no supernatural or fantasy in the book. Its a book that you get pretty much modern day happening except for one detail. The Deathday letter, in the world in this book people get this letter 24 hours before they die. The book does not explain who or why these are sent and there is no story as to finding out why either. The writing is easy to read and very funny at times. You can read the difference when a Male author...more Here we have a very different novel that what I have read in the past. you have no supernatural or fantasy in the book. Its a book that you get pretty much modern day happening except for one detail. The Deathday letter, in the world in this book people get this letter 24 hours before they die. The book does not explain who or why these are sent and there is no story as to finding out why either. The writing is easy to read and very funny at times. You can read the difference when a Male author writes from a male POV, its very realistic.

In this book we meet Ollie, he is the receiver of the letter. So once he gets the letter he plans on going to school like normal and just ignore that in 24 hours he will die. Of course Ollie has a best friend who refuses to let the day be spent in school. So basically they find a bucket list from the 6th grade to see what they wrote they would do if they knew they would be dying. Now add Ollie ex-girlfriend to the group Ronnie, and you have 3 teenagers setting off to go get into crazy things. They end of jumping off a bridge and doing a certain illegal substance and the whole time Ollie is thinking of one thing, that he will die a virgin. While all this is happening you see each chapter is counting down the time and towards the end, I still hope that he wouldn't die or something crazy would happen. I also really hoped that if he was going to die, that it would be in a peaceful way which if you read the end you see it didn't. Now I know this is a YA book but honestly I wouldn't let my teenager read this until he is older due to certain parts of the book. I also didn't give it a higher rating just because I really don't like when people die in a book or movie. Its like when Nemo's mom got eaten by the barracuda, Yes I don't like that.

So if I were to recommend, which this book is recommendable just to a older YA group or Adults. Male's will love this book. The humor was the best part of the book.

review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2010...(less)

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Jan 09, 2011 Kyleigh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let's get one thing very clear from the beginning. Ollie is going to die. Period. There is no way around a Deathday Letter, it wasn't a mistake, he dies. Did I just crush all your hope for a happy ending? Good. Now hopefully you won't cry, like I did. It clearly states that he is GOING TO DIE in the intro, but still... I cried. Maybe I'm a sap, well yes I am, but still. Thanks so much to The Traveling ARC Tour! I'm very happy I signed up for this tour. It was well worth it.

The world in The Death...more Let's get one thing very clear from the beginning. Ollie is going to die. Period. There is no way around a Deathday Letter, it wasn't a mistake, he dies. Did I just crush all your hope for a happy ending? Good. Now hopefully you won't cry, like I did. It clearly states that he is GOING TO DIE in the intro, but still... I cried. Maybe I'm a sap, well yes I am, but still. Thanks so much to The Traveling ARC Tour! I'm very happy I signed up for this tour. It was well worth it.

The world in The Deathday Letter is much like our own. Except for the fact that roughly twenty four hours before you kick the bucket you receive a Deathday Letter. Everyone gets one at some point in their life and it's just apart of life. Ollie is just a normal teenage boy concerned with girls, girls, and well more girls. He never expected to get his Deathday Letter a few weeks before he was going to turn sixteen. He handles it better than I would have. Granted in the book, Deathday Letters are commonplace, but still. I would have freaked. Ollie is all for going to school, sitting through classes, and having dinner with his family like any normal day. That is until his best friend Shane punches him in the eye and drags him out of school. Shane grabs Ronnie, Ollie's best friend/ex-girlfriend (awkward much) and the three of them set off to make Ollie's last day his best.

The plot is mundane and just normal but the way it was written and the dialogue just made the whole experience hysterical. I was laughing so much throughout this book. Even when I wanted to cry (or was crying) I couldn't help but laugh. Ollie truly has the best friends in the world. They stick with him the entire day, doing crazy ass stuff like jumping off a bridge, getting high, and stealing clothes, just to be with Ollie. You couldn't ask for better friends.

As hysterical as this book was, it still depressed the hell out of me. In fact, if it wasn't for the humor I think I would have ended up bawling the entire book. In the book, Deathday Letters are seen as a blessing. You have twenty four hours to do all the things you wanted to do in your life. You have time to say goodbye to your loved ones. You can get closure. Sounds like a great gift right? I'm not so sure. I can honestly say I would not want to receive a Deathday Letter. I wouldn't want the warning. I wouldn't want the knowledge that in twenty four hours I was going to die. I would loose it. As wonderful as it would be to say goodbye to your loved ones it would be awful as well. I suck at goodbyes as it is, but saying "Well I'm gonna kick the bucket in less than ten hours. I love you! Don't cry over me." Ya, just couldn't do it. I firmly believe that everyone should live in the moment. To take chances, to do random ass things with your friends, to just have fun with life. Maybe it's because I'm an atheist and don't believe in an afterlife, but I see life as the ultimate gift and to squander it on such mundane activities is a waste. This book just really hit me like a punch in the gut. Have I lived a good life? If I was to die tomorrow, would I have any regrets? This book really made me think about my life so far, and that is probably the greatest aspect of it.

The Deathday Letter was heavy to say the least, but it was so upbeat and humorous that I couldn't help but laugh. It's a great story and I'm looking forward to more books by this author. Truly a thought provoking and hysterical read. (less)

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Jul 10, 2010 Honey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, pulse-it

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-The concept was what drew me in. In Hutchinson's world, everyone gets a letter 24 hours before their death. The book follows Ollie, a teenage boy who receives his deathday letter. Who wouldn't want to know what happens?
-The characters were all well developed. Each had their own personality. On top of that, we get to learn about events in their past that shaped who they are. The character development was impressive considering that it's a stand alone book
-Ollie was honest and funny. He was...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Kayt rated it 1 of 5 stars

Ollie is your typical 15-year-old guy: he doesn't car about anything but girls, and maybe hanging out with his best friend. The day he receives his Deathday Letter, though, they decide to have the time of their lives.

I was expecting more, but after reading it I understand why I found it in the $1 bin only a year after its release. The Deathday Letter was little more than an excuse for Ollie and his friend Shane to go on an illegal spree of stupidity. We don't find out why there are Deathday Lett...more

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About Shaun Hutchinson

I'm a writer, a major geek and I'm all about nerdy shenanigans. I'm the author of The Deathday Letter, and the upcoming FML. I can be reached via tin cans and string or by emailing shaundavidhutchinson at gmail dot com I accept all cash gifts, especially if you're a prince from Nigeria. Call me.

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“People always talk about how great Deathday Letters are. About how they give people a chance to say goodbye. About how terrible the world would be without them.” — 2 people liked it

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