• Reading level: Young Adult
• List Price: $ 17.99 US/ $22.99 CDN
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: The Chicken House (February 1, 2010)
• ISBN-10: 0545142997
• ISBN-13: 978-0545142991

Buy Num8ers at:

• Chapters/Indigo
• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble

Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

Jem is 15, her mother died of a drug overdose & she’s been in & out of foster care since then. She has a secret, she can look into someones eyes & see the date of their death. While standing outside of the Eye Needle with her buddy Spider, Jem sees something startling: all the people in line have the same date of death, today’s date & Jem can do nothing to stop it. Both Jem & Spider go on the run after the Eye is bombed, fearing that they’ve been labeled terrorists. While on the run, they end up falling in love but there’s a problem…Jem can see Spider is running out of time & she’s doing everything she can to stop it.

When I started this book this morning, I didn’t intend to finish it in 5 hours. I put the book down after the first 125 pages to rest my eyes, got back up after 10 minutes & did not put it down until I finished.

The concept of being able to see someones date of death & not being able to do anything to stop it, just sucked me right into the book. I was routing for Spider & Jem the whole book! I absolutely loved that Jem finally let down her shields with Spider, Jem as a foster child & someone who can “see” death, just couldn’t get too close to anyone. But when Spider befriends her, she can’t help but like the 6’4 gangly loner. Jem is such a strong character you can’t help but fall in love with her!

I admit, I even got a bit emotional during the last few chapters. It’s one of those books that you must have someone to talk about with when you finish, because the very last sentence in Num8ers will make your skin crawl in a good way! Thankfully the sequel is due out this summer!

After finishing Num8ers, I jumped online knowing Mandi @ Smexy Books had been reading it & thankfully we finished at the exact same time. Honestly, I was about to explode over the last sentence, I am SOOOO glad I had someone to share it with. It really is that type of book, that you must share what you thought about it with someone else. The ending reminded me a lot of the Hunger Games, a shocking end where your mouth opens & you really think about it.

Though this book is targeted to YA, I must warn there are some mature scenes (death, sex, language) but in the context of the book, it works. I don’t find that it was added for shock value at all, it just works.

If you want to read a YA that will suck you in from start until finish, Rachel Ward’s debut novel is one of the best of 2010!