Before We Go Extinct

by Karen Rivers

Grief can sometimes feel like being caught in the jaws of a great white shark.

J.C., who goes by the nickname Sharky, has been having a hard time ever since his best friend died in front of him in what might or might not have been an accident. Shell-shocked, Sharky spends countless hours holed up in his room, obsessively watching documentaries about sharks and climate change—and texting his dead friend.

Hoping a change of location will help, Sharky’s mom sends him to visit his dad on a remote island in Canada. There, Sharky meets a girl who just may show him how to live—and love—again.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Romance, Travel, Fiction

252 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2016

About the author

Karen Rivers is too thrown by the "Date of Death" drop down that has appeared below her name in the editing section of this page to actually write anything about her life. When she recovers, this box will be filled with imperative biographical information and may include SECRETS and probably also a few LIES. Now she is going to sit back and anxiously track that "Date of Death" box in case a date suddenly appears, foretelling her imminent doom.

Reviews

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as YA books on grief go, I would say this is better than The Fault in Our Stars, better than The Lovely Bones. JC (known as Sharky because of his shark obsession) has recently experienced the death of his best friend, and has stopped speaking. His mom doesn't know what to do with him so ships him off to his father, who is living on an isolated island. JC tries to process how he feels through texts and photos to his best friend's phone, emails he erases to their mutual friend Daff, etc. It felt very true to the voice of a teenage boy, and as the story gets filled in a bit his grief seems even more devastating than when it started.

[Teenreadsdotcom · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT by Karen Rivers appeared to be the familiar story of grief and tragedy that has become quite popular in young adult novels. But, upon experiencing the fluidity and realism that the book offers, it became quite clear to me that BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was something special.

Karen Rivers is an incredibly prolific author who has published a plethora of novels for middle grade readers, young adults and adults alike, as well as two anthologies. I was delighted to discover that she also wrote the novel THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME, which centers around a girl's self-reflection during her time trapped in a well after a cruel prank. BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT revolves around a teenage boy, JC, who goes by the name of Sharky --- which can be attributed to his obsession with sharks. Sharky is dealing with the aftermath of his best friend's death, the circumstances of which might or might not be an accident. He deals by becoming mute and receding into his room to watch documentaries. Unsure of how to cope with Sharky's grief, his mother sends him to live with his father on a remote island in Canada. There Sharky meets Kelby, a girl who helps him recover his voice and rediscover what it means to love.

Sharky's voice --- as both a teenage boy and a teenager experiencing grief --- is one of the book's greatest strong points. His pain, regret, confusion and sorrow are all fascinatingly real, as are his reactions to the loss of his best friend. Throughout the book, I found myself forgetting that he was a fictional character, which made the experience of reading the book all the more enjoyable. Another one of the book's strong points is the role of grief in coping with tragedy. Just as in reality, Sharky must face the five stages of grief before finally coming to terms with the fact that his best friend is gone.

BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT is not a happy-go-lucky, sunshine kind of story. While reading it, I found myself sympathizing with Sharky, tearing up over his loss and trying to understand his somberness. There were many moments where I even found myself questioning whether or not the story would ever have a happy moment, but this only contributed to the believability of the story. To make things better, this highlighted and enhanced those rare happy moments even more.

Without a doubt, BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was great. The book was different and unpredictable, and Sharky --- as both a character and a representation of those experiencing grief --- was a perfect example of a character whose story could very well have been a biographical experience. BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was truly an eye-opening read.

Reviewed by Chris C., Teen Board Member

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

After his best friend, The King, falls from the forty-second floor of his father's skyscraper while the two are climbing, JC is traumatized and chooses not to speak. The friendship between the boys is highly unusual since The King's father is wealthy and he can have his choice of any of the girls in their school while JC (also known as Sharky and Sharkboy because of his passion for the species) is deemed odd for his singular obsession with the environment and lack of social graces. It is not unexpected that there is also a girl involved, one Daffodil Blue, and Sharky feels guilty about his love for her, blaming himself for The King's demise. His mother works for one of those reality romance shows in which one "star" romances and chooses from a bevy of candidates to make a love connection, and she must leave New York City to go on location. Since she is concerned about her severely depressed son, she arranges for him to stay with his father on an island near Vancouver, Canada, during the summer. The visit probably saves Sharky's life since he spends his days sending texts to his dead friend and composing and then deleting messages to Daff while he tries to make sense of everything that has been happening. Things are awkward on the island at first, especially when he realizes that his father is involved in a romance with one of the summer residents whose daughter Kelby and son Charlie help him heal. As Sharky tries to find himself and figure out a reason to live when someone who seemed to have it all couldn't, he sees possibilities in the world around him and realizes that perhaps he has misjudged his father as well as others around him. The book jacket indicates that meeting another girl helps him learn how to live and love again, but I would argue that his recovery and decision to speak and live again is more complicated than that. As concerned as he is with those sharks and the environment, if he can't save himself or anyone else close to him, what would the point be? This book forces readers to tackle some tough issues while weaving in interesting snippets about the depletion of sharks from the ocean for shark fin soup and other human needs and also contains biting comments about how humans amuse themselves in the most shallow of ways. My heart broke for Sharky, and I desperately hoped that he'd be able to heal from such a traumatic experience. When he finally learns the truth behind his friend's actions, the secret and The King's decision are not all that unexpected although they are terribly sad. His friend's decision makes readers realize just how hard it is to go against one's upbringing or parental expectations. Teen readers won't forget Sharky or Daff or The King, for that matter, even though they only encounter the last two through Sharky's memories and messages. Books dealing with issues this complicated and, perhaps unexplainable, are rare, and characters such as Sharky himself are as precious and worth nurturing because they care so deeply. But as I read the book, I kept asking myself how in the world we can protect those teens like Sharky who care about saving the world and yet find themselves powerless to save themselves or anyone else, much less the world or an endangered species. This one will stay in my heart and mind for a long time, perhaps influencing how I think and act toward others.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about grief. I mean, there's more to it, yes...but essentially it's a book about grief. After watching his best friend fall (jump?) to his death, JC (Sharky) simply doesn't know what to think, what to do, how to cope.

This book is beautiful. There's not a lot of action. There's not a lot of conflict. There's emotion and confusion and a teenage boy trying to come to terms with death and how everything can change in an instant. I normally like a little more development from side characters, but I found myself enchanted by JC's narrative and almost didn't care about anyone else. A quick, emotional read.

[Jessica C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of reviews that I’ve seen for this book are positive, and I definitely think that the portrayal of grief is important in young adult fiction.

However, I personally thought it was done very poorly. The pacing was too fast, and it was difficult to get into the story properly. I feel like things were just thrown at us every so often without actually developing the plot line or characters.

Also, the main character, JC/Sharky was extremely judgmental & rude. I didn’t not enjoy his personality, and I wish that at the very least he had a good character arc. Unfortunately, he didn’t. The story was resolved so quickly and I felt like he didn’t really learn anything.

I feel like there was so much potential with this book, especially because I think the writing was beautiful. It really needed more development so that the reader could get a deeper meaning from the story.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I'm usually not a YA reader. I find it hard to connect with YA narrators, so I tend to avoid them. That said, I loved this book.

Sharky's character was written like a true teenaged boy - funny, disgruntled, frustrating, confused. When you consider that he just lost his best friend, his feelings are understandable, and you can't help but want to fix him.

The last few pages had me catching my breath and frantically rushing to finish. I was surprised, and yet satisfied, with how the entire story wrapped up, which I think is rare given the complex topics the book covered.

[P · Rating 2 out of 5]

the plot progressed excruciatingly slowly & even though a few parts did manage to make me sorrowful, 95% of the book was monotonous & crappy. 2/5.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his best friend dies, Sharky has a lot of things to work through. Mom needs to work, so she sends him to stay with his dad, where he finds refuge in nature and to his surprise, nurture. With the help of dad's new girlfriend and her two kids, Sharky learns to deal with the difficult issues of life. Thanks Netgalley for sharing his story with us.

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this so much!
You can read my review on my blog!
https://lunainthestacks.wordpress.com...

[Leslie Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Wow. This one surprised me and exceeded all of my expectations. There are so many emotions and human-ness packed into 250 pages.

[Talon Shuffler · Rating 3 out of 5]

hey guys so I def liked the book but you can tell that it’s YA and the writing and flow of the story is slightly choppy. But, I still think the story is good and the inner message shines through. My biggest issue was the ending of the book. It felt a little unfulfilled and I wanted more and better resolution 😩 alas we can’t always get what we want

[Melissa De Cunto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to hug JC he is grieving over the loss of his best friend. He witnessed his friend die and his mind stops his emotions causing him to go mute. The writing styles of this books is amazing the last chapter made me cry. This is short read but it will move and change you.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book several months ago on book outlet. After it arrived, I promptly shelved and forgot about it in favor of all the exciting new releases that were coming out. Yesterday, I was looking for a book to start near the end of the night. I picked this up because it was short and the title was intriguing. I had absolutely no recollection of what the book what actually about. This led to one of the bigger surprises I’ve had in quite awhile.

Before We Go Extinct will not be for everyone. I totally understand it’s relatively low average rating. For one, it tackles very heavy topics like suicide and grief, which may be triggering to some people. For another thing, the writing style will most likely turn some people off. But for me, I found it really beautiful and sad and evocative.

What I liked:
1. The writing style. Again, this will not be for everyone. Prose and dialogue are written in a frenetic manner. It almost reads as stream of consciousness at times. At first it was a little jarring. There are paragraphs of short, choppy sentences followed by entire paragraphs consisting of one long, run-on sentence. Then there are passages that only contain partial sentences with no punctuation. It’s strange and unique and very deliberate. I really thought it conveyed J.C.’s emotions very well. Once I got used to the structure, I had no problems at all in following what was going on.
Aside from the structure, the author also used metaphor quite a bit in this book. There are some books that do this better than others. For example, I felt like it was overdone in books like I’ll Give You the Sun and Wild Beauty (I know, I know. Those books are beloved and I’m evil for saying anything negative about them), but there’s just enough of it in here that it was interesting without being overly flowery.
Also, when the author writes about the boys’ parkour stunts, I honestly felt anxious. Even thinking about it now is making me a little nauseated. She does a great job in painting the picture.

2. The setting. The majority of this book is set in the Pacific Northwest of Canada. As someone who was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Alaska) it was obvious that the author knows this area very well. I was not surprised at all to learn that she grew up in Victoria, B.C. I love his reaction to seeing this place for the first time. One line in particular that struck me was: “It’s almost ridiculous how pretty it is. It’s pretend. It can’t be real. But I know that it is because the air smells green and alive and salty and like forever would smell if it had a scent.” Now, I am not usually someone who likes when intangible things are described as colors (example: Caraval) but for some reason, this totally made sense to me. And maybe that’s only because I grew up on an island in Southeast Alaska with trees everywhere and the salty sea air, but so be it.

3. The depiction of grief. Now, I know that not everyone experiences grief the same way. And J.C.’s expression of his grief may seem over the top to some. After his friend’s passing he completely stops speaking, only texts his only other friend in French, and continues to send texts and pictures to his friend who has passed away. But it all felt authentic to me, especially when you consider the fact that he saw his friend die in front of him in a very gruesome way. I can’t imagine how that would affect a person.

What I didn’t like:

1.Using sexuality as a plot device/twist. This is difficult because I do think that there are seeds planted throughout the text that suggest that The King is gay or possibly bisexual (he confirms that he is gay in his letter to J.C.), but the revelation that he was gay and was in love with J.C. felt too much like using his sexuality as this big GOTCHA! moment and I could see people being very upset by that. Sexuality should not be a twist. However, if him being gay had something to do with the reason he died by suicide, then I guess it makes sense that it wasn’t known beforehand.
I can see both sides of the issue, and while it didn’t hinder my appreciation of the book I can see why some may not like it.

2. Kelby. Maybe it’s because we were only seeing her from J.C.’s perspective, but I didn’t feel like Kelby was a well-developed character. I liked her little brother, but I don’t feel like I know that much about her, even though all she did was talk.

3. I wish the end wasn’t quite so up in the air. I would’ve liked to see J.C. back in his life. Because at the end of the day, I’m worried about him. I don’t trust that he’s anywhere close to finding his way out of his grief, especially after reading the letter. But the last chapter is written as a hypothetical in second person and I don’t quite feel satisfied. And I’m sure that was completely intentional on the author’s part. But it doesn’t stop me from wanting him to have a HEA with his own well-being.


This book is by turns candid and heartbreaking. Iya strange to say that I enjoyed reading it, especially when it dealt with such heavy topics, but I did enjoy it. I enjoyed it, and I appreciate it.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before We Go Extinct is about grief, forgiveness, saying "sorry," confronting the things that shake us, and the differences (and similarities) between diving and falling. Another book with an unassuming, youthful cover with deeper, heavier guts. Will recommend to fans of John Green, Bone Gap, and emotional, human reads.

[Julia Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fictional book "Before We Go Extinct" was simply amazing. It is a first person point of view story about the main character, a teenage boy named JC otherwise known as sharky or sharkboy by his peers for an over-emotional speech he made about sharks. Between JC's tragic loss of his best friend, the king, the romance and drama he has between his other best friend, Daff, for reasons involving the death of the king, and what might be a new love interest in his life, this book covers many different genres in its pages. It has drama, love, and suspense in what will happen to the young JC over his summer. The setting takes place in New York in the beginning, as well as an island in Canada. The theme can be seen as anywhere from coming of age, death, own worst enemy, humanity vs. nature, and plenty more. The tone mixes in pessimistic and humor for young sharky, as he tries to joke his way into being happy again. The whole plot takes place around his feelings towards his best friend dying. Figuring out why it had to happen the way it did. He deals with a lot of guilt, and keeps having flashbacks that reveal more and more to the reader as the story progresses. He also goes through changes, while spending the summer with his estranged dad on a secluded island where his father watches over a hotel in the process of being built. JC goes through many changes, especially emotionally from learning to cope with significant losses at a young age, and how to forgive people. You really are able to watch his character grow through the three short months of his summer that this book takes place. The conflict that takes place in this story is him learning how to forgive his father for leaving him, as well as how to get over the death of the king. It definitely helps the stories tone and show how real people grieve with the language, which is explicit, and how it cuts off sentences and stops mid thought, as though it was a real story being told by a real person. This is an amazing book that I definitely recommend, if you're okay with a lot of curse words. It’s qualities, good humored, sincere, and modern, really make the story line hold together and make you want to read till the end. I give it a 10/10 and would read it again and again.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a whim one day while I was at the library, because the description sounded promising and I think the cover is spectacular. And I am so glad that I did. This book deals with teenage grief in a way that I haven't seen before; Karen Rivers' use of voice in the novel was really what brought everything together, making this a spectacular novel.

JC, who more commonly goes by Sharky due to his love of sharks, has been struggling ever since the death of his best friend, The King. With the speculation on whether or not the death was an accident and the constant media attention, JC spends hours alone, obsessing over shark documentaries and not talking to anyone. Desperate to help JC, his mom sends him off to a remote island in Canada to visit his dad, where he meets a girl and learns how to come to terms with the death of his best friend.

From the beginning, I could tell that this book was going to be a keeper just by the first line: "My foot is stuck in the toilet bowl in the closet-sized bathroom in the two-bedroom walk-up I live in with my mom on the corner about Alf's Bodega." From this line, we're immediately hit with JC's unique voice, a voice that carries the rest of the story. It accurately portrays JC's grief at the death of his best friend, his confusion at how to live and be happy again when your best friend is no longer there to share it with you. Through JC's character, we can see the five stages of grief, we can see him processing and coping with this tragedy, which would be amazingly powerful for any teenager going through a similar situation.

In addition to the voice, the plot isn't predictable, and all of the elements of the story work together to create something unforgettable. JC's story is definitely one worth sharing.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I've read by YA writer Karen Rivers, and she continues her tradition of writing strong and introspective characters. The main character, JC, also known as Sharky, is obsessed with saving the sharks, despite living in New York City, where the only sharks work on Wall Street. He is grieving over the death of his best friend, The King. Sharky imagines that King can still read his texts, and even blames himself for the accident that caused the death. Visiting his father on an isolated island off Vancouver creates an opportunity for change. While reluctant at first, Sharky is drawn into this new island life, as is the novel reader, thanks to Rivers' evocative descriptions of the water, animal life, and foliage. Rivers frequently switches back and forth between the present and the past, the island and New York City, which might be confused to young teens, but intelligent teens will appreciate this realistic portrayal of grief, family, and young love. While not plot-heavy, the slow build-up hits hard at the end, when Sharky must confront his own grief.

[madie (madieanne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay, it’s been over a year since i read this book and i just realized i haven’t left a review. so, here it is:

i read this book while i was at my grandmothers cabin. i was reading in the car because it was raining, and i didn’t want to get my book wet. well, my tears completely drenched the fucking pages, so...that’s great (i bought another copy, ‘cause why not? ;)).

Before We Go Extinct tells the story of a teenager named JC or “sharky”, who’s best friend, The King, falls off a building, and—obviously—dies. JC becomes a mute, and his mother sends him to live with his estranged father. we follow his extremely difficult (and realistic) grieving process after he loses all of his friends, alive and dead.

originally, i thought this was just another cliché YA contemporary novel about grief, with an over abundance of romance—which has become very popular—but boy was i wrong. i was SO fucking wrong. Before We Go Extinct is definitely my favorite YA contemporary novel.

i highly recommend it!

[Trent Parquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing, I know how it feels to lose someone close to me but the best part is his path out of depression.
Before We Go Extinct is a book based around a boy named JC also nicknamed Sharky and his way through depression after his friends death and learning how to love.
I liked the main character, Sharky, you can get how he feels with the descriptive writing on how his friend died and I personally has lost someone close to me I know how it feels to an extent. I also liked how straight forward he was at some points and you can even tell what he was thinking at times and with that you get to know the character. I also liked his dad, you can tell he cared for Sharky and even showed that he was worried when they lost JC but he also is humorous to cheer JC up which helps JC.
I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good book about grief and someone finding love.

[Julie Trapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharkey (JC) has stopped speaking since the death of his best friend "The King". The King jumped/fell from the 42nd story of an unfinished building in Manhattan where they were doing parkour. His mother sends him to a back woods area of a Canadian island to live with his father. Here, with the help of Kelby, daughter of his father's romantic interest, he begins to speak again, and to love again. He spends lots of time composing e-mails to The King (and not sending most of them) and to Daff, the 3rd member of the close group. Sharkey was in love with her, and thought that The King might have been also. My only objections were minor - didn't take him long AT ALL to start speaking when a pretty girl came along and for someone used to living in New York with all the amenities, he adjusted to hippie living quickly. Was not sure how it would end, but it did, and Sharkey dealt with it.

[Laurie]

BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT is in large part a grief story; JC (a.k.a. Sharky) goes to spend the summer with his dad on a tiny island in Canada as he attempts to process the death of his best friend, the King. There are a lot of YA books out there about teens grieving the death of a best friend or sibling, but this one still manages to feel fresh, mostly because of Sharky's raw, darkly humorous voice. Sharky copes with the trauma he's enduring by going silent, sending texts to his dead best friend, writing messages he doesn't plan to send to the girl he loves but also hates, and gradually beginning to appreciate the island where he's staying and the people he's there with. A satisfying and compelling story with complex characters and a fascinating, richly developed setting.

[Yarp Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

High School Level. Great book for boys. Death takes a toll on both the dead and the living. The trick is to survive death.

[AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I both enjoyed and didn't enjoy this book. As someone who lost their best friend at a young age, I related a lot to JC and his overall feeling of grief, regret, confusion, fear, anxiety. Like the world was just pulling him under and he couldn't breathe. I got it and it's truly a testament to the writing that pulled me in. The incoherent, sometimes broken strings of thought, the waves of turbulent regret and confusion, mixed with anger and love. I loved his voice and his inner monologue.

However, he was super judgey as a person, judging his friend for "selling out," his dad for being "nothing," Darcy for being super Christian - he had a lot of things he critiqued and it was annoying at times. But I understand. He's a teenager, he's going to be judgey and moody and biligerent - most are even without the loss and confusion. But over time, it became grating and he didn't get better at it?? Like, not being so judgemental? I feel like he found a way to cope, so there was growth there, but he as a person, fundamentally, didn't change much by the end of the book. I appreciated his journey, but I'm not 100% sure he grew from it?? Did he need to? I don't know.

Kelby felt like she'd fallen out of a John Green book and was unsure of how to get back.

I also didn't like that the dead best friend was the black, gay guy. It happens, I'm aware, but the book ending with him saying that JC could be a "Great White Hero" felt wrong. Idk. It rubbed the wrong way.

I hated the therapy rep in this book - the grief counselor tells him to hold a crystal and meditate. Like, ma'am, that's not therapy. What. It's stories like these that made me skeptical about the effectiveness of therapy through my teen years and beyond (even though I direly needed (and still need) it). So a lost star for that one for sure.

In the end, idk, I liked the narration and the back and forth and chaos of JC's mind, but there was a lot of meh-ness to it as well. So I guess it was okay.

TW: Suicide, detailed injury, homophobia
Rep: Anxiety, temporarily mute (Note: cannot speak to how well it's represented)

Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 3/5

[Heidi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

This book follows a boy named JC whose nickname is Sharky. His best friend committed suicide and Sharky is dealing with the grief of the aftermath.

I thought this book would be interesting to read and see the main character grieve the death of someone so close to them but the author went about this all wrong.

JC is such a self-righteous character that I was kicking myself for picking this book up but I'm no quitter and refused to stop reading it. And I will say that the main character doesn't have to likable in order for me to enjoy the book, I get that, but JC was SO unlikable and uninteresting that I couldn't enjoy the book since it's in his point of view.

His self-righteous attitude ruined the mood of the book for me. He's grieving and some of his attitudes could be justified but the way he talked about how his other best friend, Daff as if being pretty and being on TV makes someone shallow. He mentions how she used to care about stuff that really mattered, like the world, orphans in Nepal and elephants being tortured. Not only that but when he was writing to her, he would give back-handed compliments.

The whole 'JC-not-talking-because-of-his-grief' seemed like an interesting part of the book and I wished it was executed better. The silence just gives the reader a view into his head that's filled with hate, blame, and judgment.

Kelby is the character that at least grabbed a little of my attention. While JC is void of sentiment and silent, Kelby is full of love and talkative. Although some of her dialogue annoyed me, it was overall pleasant to read about a character that doesn't just sulk around.

What I didn't like is that so soon after JC meets Kelby, he begins talking again. I hate the 'oh I have a crush on you. Let me start talking after months' It had a feeling that love/romance can help someone's trauma.

For how short this book was, a mere 250 pages, I literally felt like nothing happened.

[Kathy Maggiacomo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure who I would recommend this book too. Reading it while I'm home during the pandemic is probably not the best time to read this book, this title should have given away that it's not an uplifting happy book. What caught my eye was on the cover, "How can I save the world when I can't even save my best friend" I often try to do my part to help the planet and I'd like to help save the world but I couldn't save my best friend, who killed herself over 4 years ago. Well, I guess I should have realized this book had to do suicide. The main character JC (also known as Sharkboy or Sharky) tells the story starting a few weeks after his best friend's death, the King and their other good friend Daff, we learn about their 3 way best friendship. As a reader, I keep wanting Sharky to talk to Daff but I like how you get to see how he is dealing with things and his perceptive. I kept thinking that since JC was there when King died, that he would know if it was an accident or not. I don't think this would recommend this book to anyone that is depressed. Perhaps, it's a book to help someone who is dealing with a friend's death. I did like some of his thought processes and could relate. I love how he went to an island off the coast of Vancouver and repaired his relationship with his father and realized his dad is alright. I like how he meets a girl and is able to open up and talk to her. I don't like that the suicide note is basically the end of the book and it left me very unhappy with the ending. I felt like it almost justified his suicide. Personally, I don't want anyone to ever think that's the correct thing to do-ever. The book also dealt with struggling with sexuality, coming of age, father son relationships and money (have vs have nots) and fame. It also introduced me to the word parkour. Never knew that was a thing, sounds very dangerous to me.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by saying that the portrayal of grief in this book is definitely very important and powerful. Part of me feels like I don’t have much of a right to review it considering I haven’t lost anyone close to me, and as a result may have felt more disconnected than other readers have. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but feel that the writing in this book brought me as close to understanding grief as someone who can’t relate can get, the style straightforward yet also symbolic of Sharky’s bleak state of mind. A lot of the descriptions were wonderfully vivid as well, and definitely a testament to the author’s talent:

Awkward is stuck on him like a cobweb he walked into by mistake, covering his face and hands and everything he says.

The only difference was the way the kids oozed the kind of laconic cool confidence that slid across the floor like oil and kept me slipping, never sure when I was okay, when I was safe to stand.

Towards the second-half of the book, however, I just generally started to lose interest in the story itself, especially as the straightforward writing began to make me feel more than a little disconnected from the characters. I felt for JC, but still didn’t feel any emotional attachment, and Kelby began to annoy me with her random cliché insights and sudden mood swings. And there were really no other characters that mattered, except maybe The King.

At the end of the day, Before We Go Extinct is a story about a boy who suffers loss and eventually teaches himself to cope. It’s not really that profound or revolutionary, but I’m sure people who relate to Sharky’s situation will enjoy it nonetheless.

[Paige Dickens]

Before We Go Extinct by Karen Rivers shows the growth of a young boy, who has had something terrible happen. He was distraught throughout the book, but scene by scene you can see hope for growth. I gave this book 5 stars because I felt like I was going through this journey with him, like one of his friends. I would recommend this story because it’s interesting page by page, and you’re always waiting for something.
This book had many strengths, my favorite part is that I can continue to read without getting bored. It shows the truth in the world and isn’t just a fairytale. Another strength is that it was very comprehensible which is something I often struggle with. At one point in the book, he says that he wants to talk but the words wouldn't come out. It was something that I thought a lot about, and I am glad the author included this in the writing.
There really weren’t many flaws throughout the book. I was sometimes confused about the characters because they switched attitudes so quickly. It was also confusing trying to understand his love story. Why he didn’t do the things he didn’t do, or why he did things. Like why did he ignore Daff when he went to live with his dad. But I didn’t find many flaws in the book.
I would recommend this book because it was one of my favorite books I've read so far. I would mostly recommend this to teens/ high school kids. I felt intrigued throughout the whole book, and understand the messages the author was spreading. I also felt motivated by seeing how heartbroken death can make someone.

[Howon Yi]

What would you do if your best friend falls from a forty floored building and dies, and you are not sure if it was an accident or not. To make matters worse, you might be related with the cause of his death. This is what is happening to Sharky in the story of Before We Go Extinct. Sharky whose nickname came from his interest in the species of Sharks and nature loses his best friend, The King, and retreats into his own room refusing to speak with anyone. In the book he says “My cold dead eyes stares back at my cold dead eyes.”(pg28) Stricken with grief, Sharky stops contacting Daff, the girl who is believed to be involved in the tragedy of The King. Sharky was active in saving the species of Sharks from getting depleted, and saving the planet from extinction but now he is not sure what he can do when he can't even save his best friend. Can he ever overcome the trauma of friend’s death? If possible, how can he do it?

[Allison Giovanetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Why is it so weird that some people can see people that are gone? Like ghosts? Why is it so strange to imagine that they leave a mark? Like it's taking longer than normal for the fact of their death to travel to our eyes?" --Kelby

I really enjoyed the concept of Before We Go Extinct but I couldn't get into this book. For me, the characters were extremely unlikable and I had a difficult time getting into the writing style. It was very choppy and repetitive which wasn't enjoyable.

All of the teenagers radiated "pick me" energy in the worst way. I don't understand how JC could be so cruel to Daff who clearly was grieving and processing the loss of her friend just as much as JC. JC was also horrible to his father for no reason other than his parent's divorce.

When grieving, lean to your loved ones, support system, and those that are there for you. You don't have to go through it alone.

[Ruveyda Mert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style in this book was something I was not used to. It took me a chapter or two to get used to it.
As someone who struggles with mental health issues I felt some of the descriptions, I understood why the mc was feeling the way he did
But
The fact that the main couple are going to be step siblings is just not it for me
Like they are teenagers there is a possibility that they will breakup at some point and then everything is going to be awkward
What if they marry different people?? What if one of the people they married ask “so who did you date before?” And it’s their step sibling…

I also feel like somethings in the book where left unfinished but I supposed that’s what the author wanted to convey. That sudden feeling of summer going to and end.

Anyway read if you want to or don’t.