lavaplant's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Reread; mix of audio and ebook, finished in one day, from Scribd. Why couldn't they have picked a different narrator who sounded more like an actual teenager and less like a 50-year-old woman?
emilyjwohlers's review against another edition
2.0
In short: Great writing. I just don't do well with sad stories like this.
This was such a sad book but instead of making me cry it just made me mad.
As someone who is wanting to become a pediatric oncology nurse I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book with the kids in the hospital. But then when Evie left it I wasn't a huge fan of the story and it was just too heavy for my liking. I was mad at Evie and I will admit I'm not used to not liking the main character.
However, I thought the writing was fantastic. Although while I was reading there were things I felt I missed between Marcus and Evie at some moments. Like I might have skipped a chapter or two even though I didn't. But still, I thought the writing was excellent and I sped through the book quite quickly for such a heavy story.
I know a lot of people enjoy reading dramas so I would recommend this book to them because the writing was wonderful!
I definitely want to know what happens with Evie but I also don't know if I would be able to read the second book. Reading stories like this (lots of drugs and alcohol) make me too gloomy.
This was such a sad book but instead of making me cry it just made me mad.
As someone who is wanting to become a pediatric oncology nurse I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the book with the kids in the hospital. But then when Evie left it I wasn't a huge fan of the story and it was just too heavy for my liking. I was mad at Evie and I will admit I'm not used to not liking the main character.
However, I thought the writing was fantastic. Although while I was reading there were things I felt I missed between Marcus and Evie at some moments. Like I might have skipped a chapter or two even though I didn't. But still, I thought the writing was excellent and I sped through the book quite quickly for such a heavy story.
I know a lot of people enjoy reading dramas so I would recommend this book to them because the writing was wonderful!
I definitely want to know what happens with Evie but I also don't know if I would be able to read the second book. Reading stories like this (lots of drugs and alcohol) make me too gloomy.
islandgeekgirl's review against another edition
3.0
Evie was diagnosed with terminal cancer months ago. She's exceeded the number of days the doctors had given her to live so now she's just grateful for every extra day she gets. Until she miraculously starts getting better. For so long she's been The Girl with Cancer to her family and friends and getting them to see her as just Evie seems impossible. Then she meets Marcus, someone who doesn't know her past, and he makes her feel alive.
This book ended up being a faster read than I thought it would, considering the subject matter. There was definitely a before and after feel to it, before the miracle vs after the miracle. The before parts, when Evie was in the hospital, were both heartbreaking and yet also fun. It was a children's cancer ward and the author did a good job of reminding the reader of that when things were getting too lighthearted. The bond that had developed between Evie and two other kids, Stella and Caleb, was really nice and fun to read. The whole 'before' part had a bit of a Red Band Society feel to it.
The 'after' part almost seemed like a completely different book. Evie was, understandable, such a different person from in the first part. She had accepted death and it didn't come. All of a sudden she had to deal with the fact that she did likely have a future and that she was expected to fit back into society outside the hospital walls. She wasn't adapting well and everyone just seemed to ignore it or make excuses. Part of me sympathized with Evie but the more she used her cancer as an excuse for her behavior, the more she lost me.
Besides cancer, the book also touched on drug use/addiction, depression and eating disorders. There were a lot of issues going on and it felt a little overwhelming. There wasn't enough time to give all the issues the attention they needed.
The theme of old vs new continued through the whole book. Old Evie vs new Evie, old friendships vs new friendships, old romance vs new romance. Will, her boyfriend who stuck by her through everything, started off as really sweet and thoughtful while she was in the hospital and he did his best to understand New Evie, but he came across as a little smothering and condescending at times. Marcus, the new boy Evie met, was more of a mystery. He didn't know about her past so he could easily accept New Evie. I could see why Evie wanted and needed someone who didn't know about the cancer and who wouldn't treat her like she was about to break.
This was the first book in, I believe a duology, so it will be interesting to see what happens to Evie, Marcus and everyone else in the second book.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book ended up being a faster read than I thought it would, considering the subject matter. There was definitely a before and after feel to it, before the miracle vs after the miracle. The before parts, when Evie was in the hospital, were both heartbreaking and yet also fun. It was a children's cancer ward and the author did a good job of reminding the reader of that when things were getting too lighthearted. The bond that had developed between Evie and two other kids, Stella and Caleb, was really nice and fun to read. The whole 'before' part had a bit of a Red Band Society feel to it.
The 'after' part almost seemed like a completely different book. Evie was, understandable, such a different person from in the first part. She had accepted death and it didn't come. All of a sudden she had to deal with the fact that she did likely have a future and that she was expected to fit back into society outside the hospital walls. She wasn't adapting well and everyone just seemed to ignore it or make excuses. Part of me sympathized with Evie but the more she used her cancer as an excuse for her behavior, the more she lost me.
Besides cancer, the book also touched on drug use/addiction, depression and eating disorders. There were a lot of issues going on and it felt a little overwhelming. There wasn't enough time to give all the issues the attention they needed.
The theme of old vs new continued through the whole book. Old Evie vs new Evie, old friendships vs new friendships, old romance vs new romance. Will, her boyfriend who stuck by her through everything, started off as really sweet and thoughtful while she was in the hospital and he did his best to understand New Evie, but he came across as a little smothering and condescending at times. Marcus, the new boy Evie met, was more of a mystery. He didn't know about her past so he could easily accept New Evie. I could see why Evie wanted and needed someone who didn't know about the cancer and who wouldn't treat her like she was about to break.
This was the first book in, I believe a duology, so it will be interesting to see what happens to Evie, Marcus and everyone else in the second book.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
In a weird way, this reminded me a little of the Lurlene McDaniel books I used to eat up as a teen. But this isn't romantic, really. Evie is a hard-edged, deeply broken, flawed, and pained teen girl who has had a miraculous recovery from a cancer death sentence. We know who she was before her illness through what she tells us -- she was popular, a cheerleader, well liked, and a "good kid." When she's in recovery though, a thing that was a total surprise (that's not spoiler, since it's in the description), she's grappling with being given life again when This new space she's in causes her to rebel and push away her old life. When she meets Marcus, everything is thrown into a tailspin again, as she wants to leave her long-time boyfriend for this new guy.
But he's not everything she thinks he is. Rather, he's not the influence she wants him to be, and as she discovers, she can't make him be the person she wants him to be.
Where this book reminds me of McDaniel is not in the cancer story. Rather, it's in the way the romance, as well as a reminder about those hospital-centered relationships, build and we're given a full story, but with enough hanging over in the end to want to pick up the second volume. This is part one of a duology, and I'm looking forward to part two.
You're not supposed to like Evie. But she's very easy to empathize with. Not because she's suddenly had her life changed, but because SO MUCH happens at a critical moment that she's in deep shock and grief.
Solid writing, compelling story, and signature Amy Reed toughness. This would make a much better read alike to, say, Tiffany Schmidt's SEND ME A SIGN than it would THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.
Spoiler
her best friend from the hospital dies suddenly.But he's not everything she thinks he is. Rather, he's not the influence she wants him to be, and as she discovers, she can't make him be the person she wants him to be.
Where this book reminds me of McDaniel is not in the cancer story. Rather, it's in the way the romance, as well as a reminder about those hospital-centered relationships, build and we're given a full story, but with enough hanging over in the end to want to pick up the second volume. This is part one of a duology, and I'm looking forward to part two.
You're not supposed to like Evie. But she's very easy to empathize with. Not because she's suddenly had her life changed, but because SO MUCH happens at a critical moment that she's in deep shock and grief.
Spoiler
Near the end, it's suggested she's suffering PTSD, which is entirely plausible, whether she wants to believe it or not.Solid writing, compelling story, and signature Amy Reed toughness. This would make a much better read alike to, say, Tiffany Schmidt's SEND ME A SIGN than it would THE FAULT IN OUR STARS.
andersonmom's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good book and kept my focus, and I’m sure it’s based on truth and hardships that I could never imagine on my own. But my god, Evie became insufferable after a while. The back cover of the book made it seem like Marcus was this troubled kid who pulled Evie into a life of crime, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. Evie was a mess before Marcus showed up.
danitruheeoh's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! I can't wait for the second to come out!
thegoodtire's review against another edition
4.0
Very dark and real story about a girl who survived cancer and doesn’t know what to do with her life. Depicts how easily medication can become an addiction if not properly taken by instruction. A girl who is going through a rough time finds refuge in drugs and alcohol. A little too dark for me towards the end. I appreciated the length at which Reed despribed Evie's time in the hospital with Stella and Caleb and cancer. She was ready to die but was given an undesired 2nd chance at life.
blackrose980's review against another edition
5.0
Wow.
Just wow.
This was the best book I have read recently!
5 stars!
Just wow.
This was the best book I have read recently!
5 stars!
juicelina's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like it took me wayyyy longer to finish this book than it probably should have so I don't really have a huge grasp on how I felt about it. It was good and that's all I can really say. I really felt Evie's emotions. Like her parents were being reasonable and she was being a brat but I felt her side of things and I felt angry with everyone too even though they were just trying to help her. I'm really looking forward to the second book. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it more quickly
*UPDATE 5/17*
I read the first couple pages of the second book and found that a year later I'm no longer interested in this meh book. Plus it's in the POV of the guy. It reminded me of the If I Stay dualogy and I did not enjoy the second book of that one so I've decided not to waste my time.
*UPDATE 5/17*
I read the first couple pages of the second book and found that a year later I'm no longer interested in this meh book. Plus it's in the POV of the guy. It reminded me of the If I Stay dualogy and I did not enjoy the second book of that one so I've decided not to waste my time.