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mxharriet's review
4.0
*Received from the Publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Such a powerful and thought provoking novel, as you witness the struggle of a group of teens trying to carry on with their lives after the death of a brother and friend. This cover really says it all to the reader, it really reflects the feelings of our protagonist, and it feels rather powerful.
Jaycee loves dares. A year later after the death of her older brother after he was dared and broke his neck, Jaycee attempts to break into her brothers hideout, and reconnect with her brothers best friend. But what she does not expect to find is a map of dares laid out by her brother, and Jaycee will not let herself carry on with her life unless she completes them.
Jaycee is a very complex and awkward character, though one that the reader cannot help but be intrigued by. As the reader, you witness her inner turmoil in coming to terms with the death of her brother, paired with the emotional scar it has left on her. I would not necessarily say Jaycee is a likeable character, mainly because of the way she treats other people, however she is witty and McCarthy really defines her from the other characters. However, you do see Jaycee's evolvement as a character, becoming her own person and not hiding behind the shadows of her bother. Though a saddening and emotional novel, the reader witnesses Jaycee strip herself of her guilt and allow herself say that it's okay for her to go to college and achieve. Although Jaycee is our main protagonist, the reader witnesses the reveal of the emotional trauma caused by the incident to others, not just herself. It is powerful seeing her friends reveal the way the tragedy affected them, and it really opens the readers mind in looking at how although they appear okay on the outside, they too are struggling and that Jaycee is not alone. And this show of friendship will warm your heart, especially as they all realise they are not alone with their struggles.
The plot was perfectly paced and poignant. Although upsetting and thought-provoking, the adventure these friends go on brings them together, and although they are struggling with following this map, they are doing it together. Contemporary's are not my usual genre, for some reason I commonly do not enjoy them, however You Were Here really stood out to me and truly made me think, and I felt McCarthy did a brilliant job of tackling a tricky topic. As the reader, you witness how grief is unique to everyone and effects people in many different ways; Jaycee is daring, risking her life, Tyler whom tries to forget by drinking, Mik who no longer speaks to anyone and, Natalie who tries to make her life appear as perfect as possible to not let anyone see what is really happening. This real mix of characters made the novel very poignant, realistic and intriguing as you witness how very different people come together and help one-another in different ways.
Overall, You Were Here leaves an emotional yet thought-provoking impression, though also leaves you satisfied as you witness a group of friends rid themselves of their feelings of guilt to allow themselves to carry on with their lives.
Such a powerful and thought provoking novel, as you witness the struggle of a group of teens trying to carry on with their lives after the death of a brother and friend. This cover really says it all to the reader, it really reflects the feelings of our protagonist, and it feels rather powerful.
Jaycee loves dares. A year later after the death of her older brother after he was dared and broke his neck, Jaycee attempts to break into her brothers hideout, and reconnect with her brothers best friend. But what she does not expect to find is a map of dares laid out by her brother, and Jaycee will not let herself carry on with her life unless she completes them.
Jaycee is a very complex and awkward character, though one that the reader cannot help but be intrigued by. As the reader, you witness her inner turmoil in coming to terms with the death of her brother, paired with the emotional scar it has left on her. I would not necessarily say Jaycee is a likeable character, mainly because of the way she treats other people, however she is witty and McCarthy really defines her from the other characters. However, you do see Jaycee's evolvement as a character, becoming her own person and not hiding behind the shadows of her bother. Though a saddening and emotional novel, the reader witnesses Jaycee strip herself of her guilt and allow herself say that it's okay for her to go to college and achieve. Although Jaycee is our main protagonist, the reader witnesses the reveal of the emotional trauma caused by the incident to others, not just herself. It is powerful seeing her friends reveal the way the tragedy affected them, and it really opens the readers mind in looking at how although they appear okay on the outside, they too are struggling and that Jaycee is not alone. And this show of friendship will warm your heart, especially as they all realise they are not alone with their struggles.
The plot was perfectly paced and poignant. Although upsetting and thought-provoking, the adventure these friends go on brings them together, and although they are struggling with following this map, they are doing it together. Contemporary's are not my usual genre, for some reason I commonly do not enjoy them, however You Were Here really stood out to me and truly made me think, and I felt McCarthy did a brilliant job of tackling a tricky topic. As the reader, you witness how grief is unique to everyone and effects people in many different ways; Jaycee is daring, risking her life, Tyler whom tries to forget by drinking, Mik who no longer speaks to anyone and, Natalie who tries to make her life appear as perfect as possible to not let anyone see what is really happening. This real mix of characters made the novel very poignant, realistic and intriguing as you witness how very different people come together and help one-another in different ways.
Overall, You Were Here leaves an emotional yet thought-provoking impression, though also leaves you satisfied as you witness a group of friends rid themselves of their feelings of guilt to allow themselves to carry on with their lives.
swiftie1977's review
4.0
This book for sure gives you all the feels.
There is sadness and laughter and sure people get mad and are heart broken.
This book is told from different point of views. We learn that Jaycee is still going through the loss of her brother from 5 years ago. She basically loses herself for awhile by doing all the Dares her brother Jake would do. Not caring if she dies. Then her Ex-best friend Natalie is going through some things and guilt about what happened the day Jake died. Zach is Natalie's on again off again boyfriend who doesn't want to grow up or let go to have a great future. Bishop is Zach's sort of best friend who is going through a bad break up.
Then there is Mik, Jake's old best friend from childhood. Who looks out for Jaycee and also has a crush on her.
These unlikely friends come together to help Jaycee with going to the places her brother use to go to. And in turn they all find themselves and help each other out and become friends again.
This book really opens you up to a lot of emotions. Great book!
There is sadness and laughter and sure people get mad and are heart broken.
This book is told from different point of views. We learn that Jaycee is still going through the loss of her brother from 5 years ago. She basically loses herself for awhile by doing all the Dares her brother Jake would do. Not caring if she dies. Then her Ex-best friend Natalie is going through some things and guilt about what happened the day Jake died. Zach is Natalie's on again off again boyfriend who doesn't want to grow up or let go to have a great future. Bishop is Zach's sort of best friend who is going through a bad break up.
Then there is Mik, Jake's old best friend from childhood. Who looks out for Jaycee and also has a crush on her.
These unlikely friends come together to help Jaycee with going to the places her brother use to go to. And in turn they all find themselves and help each other out and become friends again.
This book really opens you up to a lot of emotions. Great book!
el_wheel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
gretasangel27's review
1.0
It's been a long time since I've read this book, but from what I'm able to remember is that I really tried to like it. I really did. But it did not reach to the expectations that I had, and there was something about it that didn't sit right for me.
I have a hard time relating to teenage characters in fiction simply because I do not see myself in them, and the characters in the story are no exception. Especially the main character, which I found myself a bit annoyed by her. Sure, she was facing a tragedy in losing her brother, but in my opinion, that did not excuse her rude attitude with her friends.
And also, I remember reaching to the end of the story and feeling a bit confused as to the direction the story went and what was it trying to prove or show.
The only thing that I liked about the book was the graphic panels that were periodically included to display the POV of one of the characters. I thought that was a nice spin to it.
A lot of people are fond of this book and perhaps some of you might like it; unfortunately, this book was not for me.
I have a hard time relating to teenage characters in fiction simply because I do not see myself in them, and the characters in the story are no exception. Especially the main character, which I found myself a bit annoyed by her. Sure, she was facing a tragedy in losing her brother, but in my opinion, that did not excuse her rude attitude with her friends.
And also, I remember reaching to the end of the story and feeling a bit confused as to the direction the story went and what was it trying to prove or show.
The only thing that I liked about the book was the graphic panels that were periodically included to display the POV of one of the characters. I thought that was a nice spin to it.
A lot of people are fond of this book and perhaps some of you might like it; unfortunately, this book was not for me.
ashurq's review
4.0
Jaycee’s brother Jake died the day of his high school graduation and every year since then, Jaycee has revisited Jake’s favorite hang-out for a macabre homage to her brother. This summer, she finds a map left behind by her brother with a list of dares and she decides to complete each of his dares in order to feel closer to him. What Jaycee doesn’t count on is the people who decide to tag along and the truths that she will discover along with the dares.
I was not expecting this book. McCarthy deals with some heavy topics such as death, abusive relationships, and uncertain futures. The characters in this book are much deeper than I usually see in Young Adult fiction because a lot of the time the plot is the main focus. The book switches off between five different perspectives so we really get to know three of the characters very well. Only three because Mik’s chapters are graphic novel-esque and Bishop’s feature a piece of art that he’s created. I just want to say that I LOVE the variation in the chapters. I enjoyed reading the book, but I also felt really eager to reach one of Mik or Bishop’s chapters.
The characters were well thought-out and I liked that nobody and nothing was black and white. There were some “bad” characters, but things also weren’t as simple as they may have seemed on the surface. McCarthy has the reader dive into each of the characters and as the book progresses, each character learns something(s) about themselves. The character development in this book is CRAZY and even the secondary characters have depth. Characters did have a tendency to be a little immature at times, but not necessarily in an unrealistic way.
The settings in this book are excellently described and it makes me want to do a little bit of urban exploring myself. The different places that the group visits match the mood of the overall book and the characters themselves in a haunting way.
Overall, I thought this book was a good read that dealt with some important themes and issues. There was quite a bit of content, however, and because the issues are so heavy I would only recommend this book for older teen readers.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Heavy
Violence: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Heavy. Several scenes throughout with teenage drinking.
Sexual Content: Heavy. Nothing too explicit, but a big part of one of the story lines (talked about a lot).
Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was not expecting this book. McCarthy deals with some heavy topics such as death, abusive relationships, and uncertain futures. The characters in this book are much deeper than I usually see in Young Adult fiction because a lot of the time the plot is the main focus. The book switches off between five different perspectives so we really get to know three of the characters very well. Only three because Mik’s chapters are graphic novel-esque and Bishop’s feature a piece of art that he’s created. I just want to say that I LOVE the variation in the chapters. I enjoyed reading the book, but I also felt really eager to reach one of Mik or Bishop’s chapters.
The characters were well thought-out and I liked that nobody and nothing was black and white. There were some “bad” characters, but things also weren’t as simple as they may have seemed on the surface. McCarthy has the reader dive into each of the characters and as the book progresses, each character learns something(s) about themselves. The character development in this book is CRAZY and even the secondary characters have depth. Characters did have a tendency to be a little immature at times, but not necessarily in an unrealistic way.
The settings in this book are excellently described and it makes me want to do a little bit of urban exploring myself. The different places that the group visits match the mood of the overall book and the characters themselves in a haunting way.
Overall, I thought this book was a good read that dealt with some important themes and issues. There was quite a bit of content, however, and because the issues are so heavy I would only recommend this book for older teen readers.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Heavy
Violence: Moderate
Smoking/Drinking: Heavy. Several scenes throughout with teenage drinking.
Sexual Content: Heavy. Nothing too explicit, but a big part of one of the story lines (talked about a lot).
Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
bluebeereads's review
4.0
Quite The Novel Idea ~ Words from the Clouds
4.5 stars
I'm going to be honest right off the bat here. I almost skipped this book. For reasons I don't really know. My February TBR was so long and so I scratched some books and this was one of them. But then I decided to pick it up anyway, because something told me it'd be worth it. And you know what? It was. Because this book is so. freaking. good.
You Were Here is about Jaycee. Her brother died right before her eyes doing a crazy stunt because that's what he did. He was a daredevil. Each year on the anniversary of his dead, Jaycee breaks into his favorite hideout, the ruins of an insane asylum. This year three classmates join her and Jake's former friend Mik, each with their own problems. And then Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother's exploration and dares. Jaycee vows to complete the dares as a tribute to her brother, along with her eccentric group of friends who challenge her to reveal the parts of her she'd buried with her brother.
This book has 5 POV's. But before you worry about that, only 3 of them are normal narration. One of the POV's is always just one page. That's Bishop's. His POV is always the artwork he leaves on the places they go. Another one is Mik's, whose chapters are told through comic/graphic novel style. Both are insanely cool and worked so well with the characters they represented. Also, major points for having so much artwork in a book that doesn't slow my ereader at all. Usually the whole thing freezes and flips out but not with this book, so yay! I'd tell you to read this book solely for the artwork, but luckily there's more to love than just that.
Before I go over the things I love, I need to explain why I didn't give it 5 stars. And it's really minor things to me and seeing as how it still gets 4.5 stars, you should focus on that. But I'm honest and I need to tell you the small things that bugged me. The first one is that sometimes characters changed a bit too fast. They made a complete 180 just like that and it took me a minute to catch up. Probably because my brain doesn't work that fast. The second thing is that there's one thing that happens that adds a bit more drama to the book and it didn't feel like it needed to happen. But it didn't bother me as much as most other unnecessary drama in other books does, so there's that.
What I did love was the writing. It's so real. These kids have all just graduated high school and the author doesn't shy away from the fact that they curse and have sex. It's not full of those things, not at all. But it's there and it's normal. Because that's how young people are. My favorite parts of the book were always the interactions between the characters. They worked so well together and I loved how natural it all seemed. Was this emotional? Yes, definitely. Did I cry? No. But to be honest, I don't cry easily with books. I'm a major crybaby for all other things, but not books. I still read this in one sitting and finished around 3am, so that should tell you enough, right?
Were this book really shined for me were its characters, who are the most important of any story in my eyes. But these five people snuck up on me. Because once I started reading this book, I was enjoying it. But then I hit the 20% mark and I noticed these people had already set their claws into my heart. I was invested in their story and I found myself loving all of them even when they're so different from who I am. We don't know very much about Mik or Bishop, but we know enough to get invested in their lives and care about them. Zach seems like a simple guy, but there's so much more to him. Natalie comes across as a strict know-it-all at first, but there's so much more to her and she grows a lot in this book. Everyone does. Jaycee the most of all. She did annoy me at times, but that's only because I've never been through what she did. If I had, I'd probably be worse than her.
There's also romance, yes, and it was very well handled and actually pretty sweet. It could've gone wrong in a book like this very easily, but it didn't. And I'm very happy about that because I shipped these two like crazy right from the start. I absolutely adored all of these characters, I really did. And I want to hug them and tell them I love them and that everything will be okay. I want them to be happy. This makes me wonder if the author's other books have great characters like these as well. I should read them and find out.
You Were Here is a touching and emotional rollercoaster ride that uses amazing artwork to help tell the story. If you're a fan of YA Contemporary, this one should definitely be on your list for this year.
4.5 stars
I'm going to be honest right off the bat here. I almost skipped this book. For reasons I don't really know. My February TBR was so long and so I scratched some books and this was one of them. But then I decided to pick it up anyway, because something told me it'd be worth it. And you know what? It was. Because this book is so. freaking. good.
You Were Here is about Jaycee. Her brother died right before her eyes doing a crazy stunt because that's what he did. He was a daredevil. Each year on the anniversary of his dead, Jaycee breaks into his favorite hideout, the ruins of an insane asylum. This year three classmates join her and Jake's former friend Mik, each with their own problems. And then Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother's exploration and dares. Jaycee vows to complete the dares as a tribute to her brother, along with her eccentric group of friends who challenge her to reveal the parts of her she'd buried with her brother.
This book has 5 POV's. But before you worry about that, only 3 of them are normal narration. One of the POV's is always just one page. That's Bishop's. His POV is always the artwork he leaves on the places they go. Another one is Mik's, whose chapters are told through comic/graphic novel style. Both are insanely cool and worked so well with the characters they represented. Also, major points for having so much artwork in a book that doesn't slow my ereader at all. Usually the whole thing freezes and flips out but not with this book, so yay! I'd tell you to read this book solely for the artwork, but luckily there's more to love than just that.
Before I go over the things I love, I need to explain why I didn't give it 5 stars. And it's really minor things to me and seeing as how it still gets 4.5 stars, you should focus on that. But I'm honest and I need to tell you the small things that bugged me. The first one is that sometimes characters changed a bit too fast. They made a complete 180 just like that and it took me a minute to catch up. Probably because my brain doesn't work that fast. The second thing is that there's one thing that happens that adds a bit more drama to the book and it didn't feel like it needed to happen. But it didn't bother me as much as most other unnecessary drama in other books does, so there's that.
What I did love was the writing. It's so real. These kids have all just graduated high school and the author doesn't shy away from the fact that they curse and have sex. It's not full of those things, not at all. But it's there and it's normal. Because that's how young people are. My favorite parts of the book were always the interactions between the characters. They worked so well together and I loved how natural it all seemed. Was this emotional? Yes, definitely. Did I cry? No. But to be honest, I don't cry easily with books. I'm a major crybaby for all other things, but not books. I still read this in one sitting and finished around 3am, so that should tell you enough, right?
Were this book really shined for me were its characters, who are the most important of any story in my eyes. But these five people snuck up on me. Because once I started reading this book, I was enjoying it. But then I hit the 20% mark and I noticed these people had already set their claws into my heart. I was invested in their story and I found myself loving all of them even when they're so different from who I am. We don't know very much about Mik or Bishop, but we know enough to get invested in their lives and care about them. Zach seems like a simple guy, but there's so much more to him. Natalie comes across as a strict know-it-all at first, but there's so much more to her and she grows a lot in this book. Everyone does. Jaycee the most of all. She did annoy me at times, but that's only because I've never been through what she did. If I had, I'd probably be worse than her.
There's also romance, yes, and it was very well handled and actually pretty sweet. It could've gone wrong in a book like this very easily, but it didn't. And I'm very happy about that because I shipped these two like crazy right from the start. I absolutely adored all of these characters, I really did. And I want to hug them and tell them I love them and that everything will be okay. I want them to be happy. This makes me wonder if the author's other books have great characters like these as well. I should read them and find out.
You Were Here is a touching and emotional rollercoaster ride that uses amazing artwork to help tell the story. If you're a fan of YA Contemporary, this one should definitely be on your list for this year.
hdbblog's review against another edition
5.0
Two things, before I dive into the meat of this review. One, this is the first YA Contemporary book that I've read in about a year so I'm coming into this with fresh eyes. It's entirely possible that has also biased me to love this book, so let's get that out of the way before anything else. Two, although I was given a copy of this to review back in 2016, it has taken me this long to get to it. I actually borrowed it from the library to read, and I'm not sorry in the least. Now that you know where I'm coming from with this review, let's get started.
I love Jaycee, but I also hate Jaycee. I'll start right there, because that's the kind of book that You Were Here really is. I love Jaycee because she's a broken protagonist who is falling into a pit of grief and can't figure out how to claw her way out. She's raw, brutally honest, and walled off into her own safe place. I love her because she's real. On the flip side, that's also why I hate Jaycee. She reminds me of how easy it is to fall into that pit, how easy it is to push everyone away and become a flicker of your former self, and how hard it really is to let that all go an come back to the light. It was Jaycee, and her profound loss, that really made this book hit home for me. Cori McCarthy perfectly crafted a human being with real flaws, and I soaked that in and reveled in it.
In fact, every character in this book has their own set of flaws and short comings. That's what made me feel so strongly for them. McCarthy even manages to craft a character with social anxiety, who is selectively mute, and still bring him to life on the pages. His chapters, told in graphic novel format, were actually some of my favorites. I loved being pulled in to his mind, and seeing things from his point of view. It's not easy to have a book narrated by multiple characters that isn't confusing at times. McCarthy hits that out of the park though. Every character is so rich, and well formed, that it's not hard at all to skip from the mind of Zach, to Jaycee and back again. It's normal, and wonderful.
What really impressed me, more than anything, was how easy to read this book was. It deals with some tough subjects, unabashedly so, but it does it in a way that makes you love the characters and want to be wrapped up in their lives. I found a part of myself in every one of them, and it made this a really personal and amazing read for me. Highly recommended! Just be prepared to get a bit teary eyed.
I love Jaycee, but I also hate Jaycee. I'll start right there, because that's the kind of book that You Were Here really is. I love Jaycee because she's a broken protagonist who is falling into a pit of grief and can't figure out how to claw her way out. She's raw, brutally honest, and walled off into her own safe place. I love her because she's real. On the flip side, that's also why I hate Jaycee. She reminds me of how easy it is to fall into that pit, how easy it is to push everyone away and become a flicker of your former self, and how hard it really is to let that all go an come back to the light. It was Jaycee, and her profound loss, that really made this book hit home for me. Cori McCarthy perfectly crafted a human being with real flaws, and I soaked that in and reveled in it.
In fact, every character in this book has their own set of flaws and short comings. That's what made me feel so strongly for them. McCarthy even manages to craft a character with social anxiety, who is selectively mute, and still bring him to life on the pages. His chapters, told in graphic novel format, were actually some of my favorites. I loved being pulled in to his mind, and seeing things from his point of view. It's not easy to have a book narrated by multiple characters that isn't confusing at times. McCarthy hits that out of the park though. Every character is so rich, and well formed, that it's not hard at all to skip from the mind of Zach, to Jaycee and back again. It's normal, and wonderful.
What really impressed me, more than anything, was how easy to read this book was. It deals with some tough subjects, unabashedly so, but it does it in a way that makes you love the characters and want to be wrapped up in their lives. I found a part of myself in every one of them, and it made this a really personal and amazing read for me. Highly recommended! Just be prepared to get a bit teary eyed.
blessedwannab's review
4.0
Best part, Mik and Zack. Hands down.
You Were Here wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be. First, it jumped around with POV’s, which I didn’t expect. It was also made up of art, and graphic novel pages, which I didn’t expect either. I ended up really liking it though, which was good since I was nervous going in. The reviews were up and down, both good reviews from people I trust and bad reviews from people I trust. I wasn’t sure where I would fall upon completion. I’d say it was somewhere in the middle.
On a whole, I’ve read gritty YA stories that were far better, like Friday Brown by Vicki Wakefield. However there were definitely parts of the book that will stick with me, and that’s what counts the most. Like Mik. Call me ridiculous but there’s something that I really love about characters with social anxiety. I relate to them. I’ve never had the urge to not speak, not from nerves, but I could understand the feeling of being uncomfortable with conversation. In addition, the idea that he was willing to wear, or be, whoever Jaycee needed in order for her to enjoy being around him. Having been her brothers best friend, hanging out with Mik brought back all her memories of Jake.
I also really liked Zack. He was carefree, wild, and a little bit of an alcoholic. He was also sweet, and had a way of making everyone feel good. He knew how to talk to everyone, how to put people at ease. And there’s nothing wrong with just enjoying the moment, even when everyone else is looking forward, or back in Jaycee’s case.
It’s not surprising at all that the part of the book that lagged for me was anything that had to do with the girls. Usually I try to make allowances for characters that are traumatized, and that’s exactly what this book was about, people who were traumatized. Even knowing that I still struggled with how horrible Jaycee was. Particularly a scene that happened with Zack. She was just mean. Period. She was a mean person.
So overall, giving the things I liked and the things I didn’t, I’ll give this a badass score of 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Read this review, and others like it, at Badass Book Reviews!
You Were Here wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be. First, it jumped around with POV’s, which I didn’t expect. It was also made up of art, and graphic novel pages, which I didn’t expect either. I ended up really liking it though, which was good since I was nervous going in. The reviews were up and down, both good reviews from people I trust and bad reviews from people I trust. I wasn’t sure where I would fall upon completion. I’d say it was somewhere in the middle.
On a whole, I’ve read gritty YA stories that were far better, like Friday Brown by Vicki Wakefield. However there were definitely parts of the book that will stick with me, and that’s what counts the most. Like Mik. Call me ridiculous but there’s something that I really love about characters with social anxiety. I relate to them. I’ve never had the urge to not speak, not from nerves, but I could understand the feeling of being uncomfortable with conversation. In addition, the idea that he was willing to wear, or be, whoever Jaycee needed in order for her to enjoy being around him. Having been her brothers best friend, hanging out with Mik brought back all her memories of Jake.
I also really liked Zack. He was carefree, wild, and a little bit of an alcoholic. He was also sweet, and had a way of making everyone feel good. He knew how to talk to everyone, how to put people at ease. And there’s nothing wrong with just enjoying the moment, even when everyone else is looking forward, or back in Jaycee’s case.
It’s not surprising at all that the part of the book that lagged for me was anything that had to do with the girls. Usually I try to make allowances for characters that are traumatized, and that’s exactly what this book was about, people who were traumatized. Even knowing that I still struggled with how horrible Jaycee was. Particularly a scene that happened with Zack. She was just mean. Period. She was a mean person.
So overall, giving the things I liked and the things I didn’t, I’ll give this a badass score of 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Read this review, and others like it, at Badass Book Reviews!
carlisajc's review
4.0
*I was given an advanced copy of this novel to read and review by the publisher. This in no way affects my opinion of the book!*
4.5 Stars
When Netgalley sent me an email promoting this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. They described it as a book for Lauren Oliver fans—aka me. And after reading it, that description is pretty dead-on. But You Were Here by Cori McCarthy is also very much it’s own unique thing. And it was a really cool reading experience for me.
This book is about grief. That basically covers the major themes and plot. Jake died in a terrible accident…and he left his friends and family in his wake, not sure how to handle his loss. And this book explores five of those people—Jaycee, Mik, Zach, Natalie, and Bishop. Jaycee’s probably the “main” protagonist as Jake’s sister, but the others are suffering just as much, even five years after his death.
But this book was beautiful. I thought the writing was superb, and each character was so intricate and unique. The chapters switch off between them, and it was so interesting to see how they think and interact and deal with the tough stuff that life hands to them. They were all unique and they all had flaws and they all were so real that I just wanted to be their friend and give them a hug. Even though I don’t really relate to any of them personally. And I think to master that is a true feat. To honestly represent grief in five so very different characters is beautiful and wonderfully done in this book.
And each chapter and perspective was very distinct. Bishop, for instance, was an artist, so each of his “chapters” was simply one of his pieces that he works on throughout the story. He kind of leaves his mark everywhere he goes, so his parts of the book show those. And the different formats that are throughout, the distinct voices, really help us get to know the characters even better. And I super loved that.
I think my favorite part might have been the Mik chapters. After Jake’s death, Mik goes selectively mute…which would be difficult to represent in a novel. So they changed things up and his chapters were illustrated in a graphic novel-type format. And it was awesome. Truly. What better way to represent how he thinks and feels than to do it visually? Man, I loved them.
Notable Quotes
So, for me, it was the characters that made me love this story. Each and every one was so utterly real and believable. Each was so unique. Each was flawed, but relatable. And each was dealing with a grief that’s common to many around the world every day. This is a story of family and friendship, growing and loving, learning to deal with life’s hardships and move forward to a better day. This was a beautiful story, and I completely recommend it to you.
4.5 Stars
When Netgalley sent me an email promoting this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. They described it as a book for Lauren Oliver fans—aka me. And after reading it, that description is pretty dead-on. But You Were Here by Cori McCarthy is also very much it’s own unique thing. And it was a really cool reading experience for me.
This book is about grief. That basically covers the major themes and plot. Jake died in a terrible accident…and he left his friends and family in his wake, not sure how to handle his loss. And this book explores five of those people—Jaycee, Mik, Zach, Natalie, and Bishop. Jaycee’s probably the “main” protagonist as Jake’s sister, but the others are suffering just as much, even five years after his death.
But this book was beautiful. I thought the writing was superb, and each character was so intricate and unique. The chapters switch off between them, and it was so interesting to see how they think and interact and deal with the tough stuff that life hands to them. They were all unique and they all had flaws and they all were so real that I just wanted to be their friend and give them a hug. Even though I don’t really relate to any of them personally. And I think to master that is a true feat. To honestly represent grief in five so very different characters is beautiful and wonderfully done in this book.
And each chapter and perspective was very distinct. Bishop, for instance, was an artist, so each of his “chapters” was simply one of his pieces that he works on throughout the story. He kind of leaves his mark everywhere he goes, so his parts of the book show those. And the different formats that are throughout, the distinct voices, really help us get to know the characters even better. And I super loved that.
I think my favorite part might have been the Mik chapters. After Jake’s death, Mik goes selectively mute…which would be difficult to represent in a novel. So they changed things up and his chapters were illustrated in a graphic novel-type format. And it was awesome. Truly. What better way to represent how he thinks and feels than to do it visually? Man, I loved them.
Notable Quotes
"That’s what regret does well and grief does better: rips out your energy and leaves you feeling each and every heartbeat."
"‘Do you guys know what a Gordion knot is?’ Bishop asked. ‘Some people think that it represnts time. A tangle of sorts, but basically, it implies that anything that happened is still happening. That the past is never gone. The future already exists. Spirals upon spirals.’ He cleared his throat. ‘So really, everyone who was ever here is still here. In a sense.’"
So, for me, it was the characters that made me love this story. Each and every one was so utterly real and believable. Each was so unique. Each was flawed, but relatable. And each was dealing with a grief that’s common to many around the world every day. This is a story of family and friendship, growing and loving, learning to deal with life’s hardships and move forward to a better day. This was a beautiful story, and I completely recommend it to you.
yodamom's review
4.0
This story of a group of people broken by the careless death of one boy will pul you in and not let go.
I was unsure about this for the first 20%. It was a sad tale of a traumatized teenage girl who watched her older brother die, lives with her crumbling family, risks her life almost daily and distances herself from any future plans. I do not like to wallow in the dark pool of pain with characters, like the loop Jaycee seemed to be stuck in. Luckily she wasn't stuck for much longer. The past she so desired came to her in the pocket of her dead brothers clothes. This little piece of paper started a journey that was filled with, truths, revelations, broken hearts and hope. By the time I got to 50% I couldn't put it down, I stayed up till 3 am to finish. I had to know, had to see if they found what they were looking for.
The characters were so different and well developed. I hated, loved, cheered and worried over them. Mik. the most mysterious selective mute character had the biggest personality and the biggest draw, his lack of words just made him more fragile. How could you not want this guy to have his dream ? Natalie the type A personality friend with some serious issues. She was the biggest puzzle, a complicated mess who appeared to have it all together. Really, there isn't a character in the book that doesn't have real life after trauma issues. The issues are realistic, believable and left me even feeling sorry for the big jerk in the story.
I loved it. This author is one definitely want to read again.
*ARC provided by the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I was unsure about this for the first 20%. It was a sad tale of a traumatized teenage girl who watched her older brother die, lives with her crumbling family, risks her life almost daily and distances herself from any future plans. I do not like to wallow in the dark pool of pain with characters, like the loop Jaycee seemed to be stuck in. Luckily she wasn't stuck for much longer. The past she so desired came to her in the pocket of her dead brothers clothes. This little piece of paper started a journey that was filled with, truths, revelations, broken hearts and hope. By the time I got to 50% I couldn't put it down, I stayed up till 3 am to finish. I had to know, had to see if they found what they were looking for.
The characters were so different and well developed. I hated, loved, cheered and worried over them. Mik. the most mysterious selective mute character had the biggest personality and the biggest draw, his lack of words just made him more fragile. How could you not want this guy to have his dream ? Natalie the type A personality friend with some serious issues. She was the biggest puzzle, a complicated mess who appeared to have it all together. Really, there isn't a character in the book that doesn't have real life after trauma issues. The issues are realistic, believable and left me even feeling sorry for the big jerk in the story.
I loved it. This author is one definitely want to read again.
*ARC provided by the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review