No Time Like Now

November 13, 2023
Kutub (The Loophole) explores themes of grief and love in this emotionally charged speculative novel. After Muslim 17-year-old Hazeem’s father abruptly died a year ago, Hazeem has become estranged from his neurosurgeon mother and his three former best friends, including his Yemeni American crush, Jack. Hazeem’s only companions are his paternal grandmother and his hamster, Mary Shelley. But when Nana dies, Hazeem taps into his innate magical ability, the very thing that also deteriorated his friendships: he trades some of his own lifespan to extend Nana’s. The world freezes as Time themself arrives, announcing that Hazeem has created a lifespan deficit that has broken the multiverse. To fix it, Hazeem must reclaim the years that he had given to a loved one, which would lead to their death. Time then takes Hazeem on a revelatory journey reminiscent of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, during which he learns more about his friends, his late father, and himself. While Time’s ethereal characterization often feels inconsistent, Kutub’s depiction of Hazeem’s earnest relationships build to a tender climax that is both heartrending and uplifting. Most characters are described as having brown skin. Ages 13–up. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Looking Glass Literary.

December 1, 2023
A Burbank, California, boy goes on an incredible journey to find his will to live again after a tragic event. A year after his father's passing, 17-year-old brown-skinned Hazeem, who's gay, remains deeply affected by the loss. His connection with his mother has deteriorated, and he stays home, uninterested in anything and distanced from his closest friends--Holly, Yamany, and Jack--who are like "three ghosts" to him. When Nana, Hazeem's Muslim paternal grandmother and the one remaining person he feels understands him, suddenly dies, Hazeem utters words that would grant her extra life. This brings him face to face with Time--and the possible destruction of the world as he knows it. Hazeem must come to terms with loss, face those he loves, and make an emotionally wrenching choice. Can he find happiness amid heartbreak? The novel explores important themes of loss and the struggle for peace of mind, but the confusing narrative requires effort to untangle. The inconsistent characterization of Time along with their nebulous rules only adds to the complexity. Though his journey is marked by satisfying personal growth, readers will wish for more depth from Hazeem's relationship with Time. Ultimately, the various storylines and themes in the book are ambitious but do not coalesce into a satisfying whole. A lesson on death and attachment that's based on an interesting premise but fails to find its footing. (Speculative fiction. 13-17)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2024
Grades 8-12 Seventeen-year-old Hazeem has a superpower: he can stop time and give it away by adding years to the lives of his friends. Now it's his beloved nana's turn. As she is dying, he says the words "Twenty-two years for my Nana" too late for Time themself, who suddenly appears, personified as the actress Sandra Bullock, to stop him. He's committed a time crime, she explains, the most heinous crime of crimes, and he's in deep trouble. All the time he's given away has come out of his own life, which is now operating at a deficit; the time line is disrupted, and the only way to fix it is to take back time he has given away, which means someone must die. But who? If this sounds complicated, boy, is it ever--too frustratingly complicated, perhaps, to make perfect sense, a flaw in what is otherwise an interesting book with an original premise. Those who take the time to read it will find much to enjoy regardless.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 17, 2024

Gr 8 Up-In the year since Hazeem's father passed away, he has discovered a secret power: Hazeem can extend the time lines of others. First, his hamster, then his friends Holly and Yamany, and his crush, Jack. However, when he tries to save his Nana, he's gone too far and Time themself must intervene. Time, in the form of someone who looks just like Sandra Bullock and is wearing a universally flattering neon orange outfit, explains that due to Hazeem's new power, he created a time debt and will destroy all of existence unless he takes back some of the time he granted to others. What follows is an exploration of grief, friendship, and love as Hazeem tries to save the time line. This is a fast-paced, light read that explores complex topics including grief, friendship, sexuality, gender identity, and love. Readers may feel frustrated by the confusing narrative, which leaves a few unresolved loose ends and conflicting changes to Time's character. Despite this, the book is a page-turner with a satisfactory conclusion. VERDICT A fast-paced emotional page-turner.-Kaetlyn Phillips

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.