Layoverland by Gabby Noone

"Beatrice Fox deserves to go straight to hell. At least, that's what she thinks. On her last day on Earth, she ruined the life of the person she loves most--her little sister, Emmy. So when Bea awakens from a fatal car accident to find herself on an airplane headed for a mysterious destination, she's confused, to say the least. Once on the ground, Bea receives some truly harrowing news: not only is she in purgatory, but she has been chosen to join the Memory Experience team. If she wants another shot at heaven, she'll have to use her master manipulation skills to help 5,000 souls suss out what's keeping them from moving on.

There's just one slight problem. Bea's first assigned soul is Caleb, the boy who caused her accident, and the last person Bea would ever want to send to the pearly gates..." (Goodreads.com)

Despite being written about purgatory and death this book made me physically laugh out loud. I have found that a lot of books are written without referencing book/music/internet trends so that they remain timeless no matter when it is read. This book did shy away from that so it's references along with the world building brought a good amount of comedy to the book. I am also fascinated by books like this one that explain alternate theories for the afterlife and even though this is a stand alone novel, I definitely think that it could be interesting to explore more stories of people who pass through Layoverland. If you are a fan of books like Gabrielle Zevin's Elsewhere, then this will be the next book for you.

Kelsey Fitzgerald

Library Assistant

Available at the Langley-Adams Library