This Is How It Ends

With his father dead and his mother chronically ill, 17-year-old Riley thinks he’ll never escape poverty in rural Vermont, so when he and four friends find a pair of binoculars that show the future, he’s shocked to see himself going to college. Even more surprisingly, he’ll be dating his secret crush—his best friend Trip’s girlfriend. Brainy Riley’s friendship with jock Trip is marked by deep trust but also by neglect and jealousy. As others’ visions come true, including his friend Natalie’s premonition of her abusive father’s murder, Riley and his friends are forced to grow up quickly, and the bright future Riley saw comes at a shocking price. The left-field explanation of the mystery of the binoculars is the weakest part of the book, and the resolution lacks the emotional impact it aims for. But Nadol (The Vision) otherwise delivers a smartly paced, engaging novel that evokes and explores the ambiguities of friendship, while featuring a detailed, immersive setting and characters—like Riley’s racecar-driving friend Tannis, or tough yet vulnerable Natalie—who jump off the page. Ages 14–up. Agent: Melissa Sarver, Folio Literary Management (Oct.)