The half-life of love

Rocco y9

SPOILER ALERT!

I really liked this book. I found it very sad at the end because obviously Flint died and it was very emotional for his parents and September. It was disappointing because I thought they would be able to save him but they were unable to. The good side of it is that they found a cure for the half life. All in all I really enjoyed this book but it was very sad and upsetting. I would recommend this to anyone as it is a very inspiring book!

Bella St Paul’s year 8

This book was really good. It was a tale of love in the last 41 days of life. In this book you have a seizure that indicates when you are exactly half way through your life and then you die on your death day.

September is a young girl who lost her 4 year old sister after she half-lifed at 2 since then she was incredibly interested in the science of the half life and therefore signed up to be an intern in the half life institute. When she got the internship (along with a boy named Percy) she spent every minute in a textbook trying to find a cure and when she meets Flint she thinks she may have found the cure.

Flint is a young boy who half life’s at the dear age of 8. Since his half life he was sad and spent all of his time in his room just watching the timer for the day he dies. He was not making the most of the time he had left but this all changed when he fell asleep in the ruins of a castle and was woken by a worried looking September. Flint and September know they have very strong feelings for each other. Flint doesn’t tell September about his half life as he doesn’t want to ruin their relationship but when she finds out anyway chaos is unleashed between many people.

This book overall was very emotional and relates to the struggle of loss and depression.

Bertie, SRWA

Really enjoyed this book. It was slightly boring at first, but it was very interesting in the end. I would definitely read the prequel especially about September’s earlier life with her sister. Be prepared for real secrets in this book…

Isabelle

The Half life of love is a brilliant book that has the perfect mix of tragedy and romance. It follows Flint Larsen who only has 41 days 9 hours and 42 minutes to live. He has known exactly when he was going to die since he was 8 years old when he half lifed – a twinge that tells a person when they’re halfway though their life – and has been quietly waiting to die. But when he meets September Harrington – a explosion of brilliance and life – his plans fly out the window. But September has secrets too. And the closer they get the less time they have together….
Can September and Flint save each other or where their days numbered from the start?

Ozzy year 8 Ardingly

As a person who despises romance novels this book was quite good. I liked the way the book switched between the two characters and the detail into September’s grief is amazing. The story kept me entertained and the ending was quality

Overall I enjoyed it 7/10

Kate

I really enjoyed the book ‘The Half life of Love’ it was so nice how Flint and September had completely different mindsets but they were still so close. Most books like this always have a happy ending and it can be quite boring but this definitely didn’t happen in this book! I really loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone, even people that don’t like romance books, It doesn’t seem like one so it is such a great book to read!

Mia, YR9, Ardingly

-SPOILER ALERT-

The Half-life of love, I don’t know where to start with this book. I loved everything about it. This book is so real with very lovable characters. Characters who sometimes make very bad choices, but these choices are also very relatable and understandable: how Flint just wants to push everyone away from him so that his death would not be a burden and how September doesn’t allow herself to grieve for her past. I was hoping for a happier ending.

Tristan

SPOILER ALERT!

I really enjoyed this book because it had quite a few different themes. I found it very sad at the end because obviously Flint died and it was very emotional for his parents and September. It was disappointing because I thought they would be able to save him but they were unable to. The good side of it is that they found a cure for the half life. All in all I really enjoyed this book but it was very sad and upsetting.

lilly

I would never normally go for a romance novel but this book was amazing! this book just kept me reading through and I would thoroughly recommend. I felt so bad for Flint as he only had 6 weeks left but their love was beautiful. This book also explores the feeling about what it would be like to know that you are going to die soon? The depth of this book really kept me reading. I will be reading this again.

Corin Yr 9

I read the book in weeks and this is because it was great! The friendship between September and Flint was fascinating and Flint slowly opening up made me really curious about how September would react. I’m not going to spoil the ending because it’s brilliant and worth a read. Overall the book was thrilling and at points I couldn’t put the book down.

Will

I would never pick out a book about romance but I gave it a try, I loved how Flint is very serious at the start of the book but I would not recommend it for 8 year olds or younger. thank you very much this gave me a great perspective on these romance books

Aphaia. Year 8, Seaford Head

I’m not a fan of romance AT ALL. But the way the book shows how different people deal with grief in different ways made it really interesting to read. I finished it the day we were given it and I’ve been trying very hard not to give spoilers.
It’s such an interesting book because you have one person on one side of grief, and then another person who is waiting for their family to experience it over them. Knowing exactly when you’re going to die is a terrifying thought and knowing there is nothing you can do about it is even worse. So following the story of two young people who CHANGE that is like meeting heroes not fictional characters from a made up world.

Emily, SRWA

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I normally wouldn’t choose a romance novel, but The Half-Life Of Love was so good! I love how Flint is solemn and serious at the beginning, and never has any fun at all, but after meeting September, he changes into a fun-loving person, and realises he’s been living the wrong way.
I highly recommend this book, it was interesting and I love the ending, even though it’s really sad.

Chloe, Ardingly College

The half life of love became one of my favourite books after finishing it. I enjoyed it so much I purchased the other book written by Brianna Bourne. I loved reading it and found it hard to put it down. I liked how Flint’s life changes so dramatically after meeting September and how they both connect well mainly because of grief they are experiencing. I like how Brianna Bourne created the ‘half life’ concept which is obviously fiction but made it seem so realistic when applying it to the real world. She shows this by the amount of grief and pain caused by the ‘half life’ making the reader sympathise with the characters. I think the half life of love was an amazing read and I would definitely recommend it.

Ivan Ardingly college, year 8

Spoiler Alert!

This book is great but FLINT DIES??? Why did he have to die? It’s like everything’s finally getting better and then it just drops down. It ruins the part where he is finally enjoying life again. It would be better if he just survived. Also if the people live past their death day does that mean they live some hours on their day of death or does it mean the day after? It’s not very clear in the book. 3 stars, mainly because I don’t really like romantic books.

William

Spoiler Alert!

I love this book, it made me cry when Flint died… this book made me feel connected to the characters and how I had emotions for every character. I would recommend this to year 8+

Ayla, Ardingly

I am not someone who particularly likes romance books, but I really loved The Half life of love! It has such a good title that draws you in, and the rest of the book does not disappoint! I never wanted to put the book down and was very eager to find out what happens from page one all the way to the end. I thought that the plot was really good and the characters were very interesting and detailed and I cared about them! I particularly like how each chapter is a different point of view of either September or Flint because you can find out what they are feeling and what they are going through in a way that shows you that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. The ending was so sad but so good at the same time and I think that it couldn’t have been better. I recommend this book to anyone who likes romance with a hint of tragedy and a good plot that draws you in. I rate this book a 5/5!

Emillie, Ardingly

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I enjoyed every page of this book and loved seeing September and Flint’s views about the Half-Life. This book is a fiction book, with a bit of romance and adventure in it. It grew sadder towards the end when Flint reveals to September that he is dying in 11 days, as September couldn’t face to lose another loved one. It was different as I expected September to find a cure to save Flint from his ‘death day’. Overall, a great book, and I definitely recommend to readers.

Ayla, Ardingly

I am not someone who particularly likes romance books, but I really loved The Half life of love! It has such a good title that draws you in, and the rest of the book does not disappoint! I never wanted to put the book down and was very eager to find out what happens from page one all the way to the end. I thought that the plot was really good and the characters were very interesting and detailed, I particularly like how each chapter is a different point of view of either September or Flint because you can find out what they are feeling and what they are going through in a way that shows you that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. The ending was so sad but so good at the same time and I think that it couldn’t have been better. I recommend this book to anyone who likes romance with a hint of tragedy and a good plot that draws you in. I rate this book a 5/5!

Theo, Ardingly

Wonderful, stunning, sad, those are the three words that come into head when thinking about this brilliant book. Now, I am not usually a reader of romance, but the sadness that come into it just makes it fit, it seems to fit in place with the rest of the story. Books like this are books that show resilience, like September trying to cure the half-life, like Fint agreeing to try and enjoy his last six weeks on earth, like September trying to get over her own loss. Amazing book, amazing author, amazing style, definitely recommended

Pippa (Ardingly College)

I love the plot line, the problems, the secrets, the characters and everything else, there was not 1 part of the book I didn’t love, all in all 10/10.

Mouna, Ardingly College

The half-life of love is a romantic, yet heart-breaking book written by Brianna Bourne. It is written in the first-person viewpoint and switches every chapter between two main characters- Flint Larson and September Harrington.

The “half-life” is a concept that when you have reached half of your life, you have a seizure, which lets you know “You have reached half of your life.” After you get your seizure, you are not able to be killed by anything- until the day you are meant to die.

The book is set in a small, rural village called Carbon Junction, Colorado (Where Flint spent most of his childhood). Flint and his parents have moved here for his (Flint’s) last 41 days of living. The backstory behind this is that Flint half-lived when he was 8 years old.

After Flint half-lived, he was sucked into a spiral of misery, and came to the realisation that he was never going to be able to complete his biggest dreams. A few years ago, after being mugged while walking across an alleyway, he decides that if he makes his life as miserable as possible, when he dies, no one will grieve him, and death will be a relief. Since then, he has been cold and introverted.

September Harrington is an intern in the Half- Life institute, a research centre where scientists try to discover what causes the Half-life and how they can stop it. She is an extremely energetic extrovert.

After seeing his childhood best friend Aerys whilst on a walk, Flint runs away from her, into the woods- not wanting to have to be friends with anyone or add another person to the list of people who would grieve him. In the woods, he stumbles upon ruins of a building, and decides to have a nap. Meanwhile, after September has had a terrible day in the institute, and since her friends are too busy to hang out, she also decides to go to the ruins, where she meets Flint.

This was one of the first romance books I have read, and it didn’t disappoint, I loved how there are multiple twists and turns, and how the characters all have an intricate backstory.

Yashika, Year 8 Ardingly Collage

I couldn’t stop reading this book! I loved how you could see the massive change in Flint at the start and end of the book. It was so sad how Flint died, and September had to go through losing another loved one. By the time Flint first hangs out with September, Bo & Dottie, I was already invested! It was a fantastic book; one I would definitely recommend to other readers.

Rukaiya

Nice book I guess – it made me cry so I guess it was sad

Jauhara, Year 8 Ardingly College

SpOiLeR AlErT

You’re going to die, don’t smile, don’t laugh, don’t make friends. That’s what Flint has drilled into himself for the past 7 years. 7 years with death in the shadows, but this is his last year. His last month, his last day and his last breath. What will he do with it? Death is at his doorstep, will it come on or can he shut the door on its foot? One things for sure, he can’t do it alone and when he meets September they slowly fall head over heels in love with each other. September is a Scientist, practically Einstein’s daughter. She’s studying the twinge -the reaction you get when you reach half of your life span-. So far it’s inevitable, and Flint’s clock is slowly running out. I couldn’t get enough of this book, and was glued to it! I would say it’s a fiction book with a twist of romance.

Lizzie F Year 9 Ardingly College

I love this book. It is like a mix of ‘Five Feet Apart’ and ‘They Both Die at the End’, and the perfect book. It made me cry, which I always love in a book, and it was the best of everything I love in a book. Romance, sadness, but it wasn’t overwhelming, it was an amazing balance. I would recommend this book to anyone one who has read anything similar to ‘the Fault in our Stars’ or ‘The first to die at the end’, or anything similar to them. Brianna Bourne is a genius with words, and I would love to read more of her books.

Lucy, Ardingly

-WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILER ALERTS –

The Half life of love is about one of the questions thousands of people ask, what would it be like to know when you are going to die? When September and Flint meet, both their lives are falling apart because of the half life. For September, it was her sister. For Flint, it’s his own clock ticking down.

But, through chance, they meet each other 41 days before Flint’s ‘deathday’. Through chance, September’s research at the half life institute brings them closer. Through chance, they slowly fall in love. But Flint’s countdown adds an element of foreboding to the would be eternal romance. The story has an edge of Romeo and Juliet, cutting both of the lovers where their secretes lie.

September learns to deal with her grief as Flint learns to love the little things, to see the point in living. But life does not last forever and some things can’t be changed. But, as they realise, the end can be the beauty of it and give it purpose after all.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian worlds, tales of love and books that will keep you hooked to the very end. I will look out for more books by this author!

Emma, Ardingly

SPOILER ALERT!

I think that ‘The Half Life Of Love’ was my favourite of all the books. My heart went out to Flint because if I only had 6 weeks left, I would also have been in a state of grief. I love how when he meets September, she takes away his pain and makes him realise that he should try to enjoy the life he has left. Their relationship is so cute and they are the best couple ever in my opinion. Even when September finds out that Flint has been lying to her, and that he only has a few more weeks left, she still tries to make him happy and even though she said just friends, she can’t resist Flint’s charm. I was really upset on Flint’s last day in the book and I prayed that he would make it, and I love how though Flint really didn’t want to go to the institute, he went because he knew September was tear herself apart after his death if she thought she could’ve saved him. I really like this book, and I would recommend it to anyone 11-12+ or to those looking for a tragic romance.