kelseymoore's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
restlessarcher4's review against another edition
5.0
Have I seen this movie?
NO!
I didn't even realize it WAS a movie until I picked up the book.
Do I want to see the movie?
YES!!!
To Samantha Kingston, February 12 it isn't just any normal day. It is a day she will relive 7 times. February 12 is Cupid's Day. A day where students get roses from other students as more of a popularity contest. February 12 is also a day she will attend a party and later die. But...she will wake up to do the day all over again. In those 7 days, she is trying to right the wrongs of her past. She realizes what really caused her death, and the true value of her life.
Before I Fall was as emotional as it is uplifting, hopeful as it is bittersweet.
What would you do if you had a second chance to relive your last day? Would you do anything differently?
NO!
I didn't even realize it WAS a movie until I picked up the book.
Do I want to see the movie?
YES!!!
To Samantha Kingston, February 12 it isn't just any normal day. It is a day she will relive 7 times. February 12 is Cupid's Day. A day where students get roses from other students as more of a popularity contest. February 12 is also a day she will attend a party and later die. But...she will wake up to do the day all over again. In those 7 days, she is trying to right the wrongs of her past. She realizes what really caused her death, and the true value of her life.
Before I Fall was as emotional as it is uplifting, hopeful as it is bittersweet.
What would you do if you had a second chance to relive your last day? Would you do anything differently?
kennylovesrats's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
One of the first books I put down and thought: goddamn, these thinly sliced pieces of wood have got me crying. Also, not sure how obvious that twist ending was but it left my 13 year old self gobsmacked.
In account of my nostalgia, I will forgive the author for giving the love interest a fedora. But just this once.
“The whole point of growing up is learning to stay on the laughing side.”
(like come on that’s some profound shit for a 13 year old)
In account of my nostalgia, I will forgive the author for giving the love interest a fedora. But just this once.
“The whole point of growing up is learning to stay on the laughing side.”
(like come on that’s some profound shit for a 13 year old)
buffywnabe's review against another edition
4.0
So, as I started this book, I really didn't think I was going to like it because the main character, Sam, is just so unlikable. And I know that was the whole point of it, but still, I just didn't think I'd ever feel sorry enough for her that I could get into it. And that was disappointing because I loved the book [bc:Delirium|7686667|Delirium (Delirium, #1)|Lauren Oliver|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298079937s/7686667.jpg|10342808]by the same author. And it was also bad because it is one of the possible nominees for next year's Gateway books that I have to read since I am a reader/selector again. It just seemed to me like a cross between the book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray.
However, once I got into the book, I got sucked in. Every morning that Sam woke up, I wanted to see what she would do differently. It was the whole chaos theory in action. What did Sam need to do differently, first to save herself from dying. And then, when that didn't work, and she woke up again, what was it she actually needed to fix in order for it all to end? And how would she get it fixed? In a way, it brought my thoughts back to [bc:Thirteen Reasons Why|1217100|Thirteen Reasons Why|Jay Asher|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181958465s/1217100.jpg|2588213] by Jay Asher. The reason I think this, is because even though the main character is so unlikable, just seeing how each little detail of what she did, or changed, affected those around her, well I think it's something good for teens/people to read. All these titles make me think of the book [bc:How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life|49266|How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life|Tom Rath|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170358190s/49266.jpg|48192], a book my school district used as kind of a theme one year for the school year. It's a book I think everyone should read at some point in their life, the younger the better. I just think sometimes, myself included, that people don't realize how something they say off-handedly or out of their own frustration can really hurt someone else in a way they never intended.
So even though I was sure I was not going to give this book any higher than 3 stars, I ended up with 4, which is pretty good for me with a character I didn't like. Once you get into it, like I said, it's hard to put down until you know how each day ends, and if what she's done will fix it.
However, once I got into the book, I got sucked in. Every morning that Sam woke up, I wanted to see what she would do differently. It was the whole chaos theory in action. What did Sam need to do differently, first to save herself from dying. And then, when that didn't work, and she woke up again, what was it she actually needed to fix in order for it all to end? And how would she get it fixed? In a way, it brought my thoughts back to [bc:Thirteen Reasons Why|1217100|Thirteen Reasons Why|Jay Asher|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181958465s/1217100.jpg|2588213] by Jay Asher. The reason I think this, is because even though the main character is so unlikable, just seeing how each little detail of what she did, or changed, affected those around her, well I think it's something good for teens/people to read. All these titles make me think of the book [bc:How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life|49266|How Full Is Your Bucket? Positive Strategies for Work and Life|Tom Rath|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170358190s/49266.jpg|48192], a book my school district used as kind of a theme one year for the school year. It's a book I think everyone should read at some point in their life, the younger the better. I just think sometimes, myself included, that people don't realize how something they say off-handedly or out of their own frustration can really hurt someone else in a way they never intended.
So even though I was sure I was not going to give this book any higher than 3 stars, I ended up with 4, which is pretty good for me with a character I didn't like. Once you get into it, like I said, it's hard to put down until you know how each day ends, and if what she's done will fix it.
signe_5078's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
netherfi3ld's review against another edition
5.0
i loved this so much, i didnt see the end coming. god, this was sooooo good.
frogqueen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
- this book is like 13 reasons why in reverse x groundhog day lol
- overall pretty standard 2010s ya fare, nicely written, and i was particularly impressed with the depth given to lindsay
- i also liked that the author wasn't afraid of making our main character an unabashed mean girl. like obviously it had to be that way for this story to work, but still
- and the usual bonus points for making me cry at the end
- my main gripes mostly surround kent lmao. i'm just sick of the ~good guy love interests~ in ya being quirky nerds. like this guy's signature clothing item was a BOWLER HAT i was so annoyed
- also there's a scene where
Spoiler
he kisses sam while shes asleep and it was played as a cute sweet moment but idk it felt a little bit icky to me - also there was a moment where chode was spelled as "choad." i found this very interesting idk why. is that how we spelled it in 2010? was it a typo? who's to say
isaiconica's review against another edition
5.0
Hay veces que terminas de leer un libro y simplemente te quedas en silencio, mirándolo, sin saber muy bien qué hacer. Eso es lo que yo había escuchado, pero nunca me había pasado... hasta hoy.
No soy una persona que se emocione o muestre sus sentimientos con facilidad pero ha habido algo que me ha hecho conectar con este libro desde la primera línea. No se por qué pero cada vez que me ponía a leerlo es como si yo fuera Sam y estuviera sintiéndolo todo como ella.
Al principio odiaba a Sam porque me parecía la típica niñata egoista que cree que lo sabe todo y que va por la vida sin importarle nada de los demás. Cuanto más iba conociendo a la verdadera Sam, más me iba dando cuenta de que había hecho exactamente lo mismo que ella y sus amigas: Prejuzgar antes de conocer. Su cambio puede parecer enorme pero en realidad siempre había sido como la persona que es al final, sólo tenía que dejar de esconderse.
Gracias Sam (y Lauren) por enseñarme que "Nunca es demasiado tarde" y que lo que hacemos, no sólo nos afecta a nosotros mismos, sino que todo está interrelacionado con las vidas de los que nos rodean.
Un libro divertido, triste, emocionante y sobre todo REAL. Capaz de mostrar que la vida puede cambiar cuando menos te lo esperes y que no todo siempre tiene un final feliz.
No soy una persona que se emocione o muestre sus sentimientos con facilidad pero ha habido algo que me ha hecho conectar con este libro desde la primera línea. No se por qué pero cada vez que me ponía a leerlo es como si yo fuera Sam y estuviera sintiéndolo todo como ella.
Al principio odiaba a Sam porque me parecía la típica niñata egoista que cree que lo sabe todo y que va por la vida sin importarle nada de los demás. Cuanto más iba conociendo a la verdadera Sam, más me iba dando cuenta de que había hecho exactamente lo mismo que ella y sus amigas: Prejuzgar antes de conocer. Su cambio puede parecer enorme pero en realidad siempre había sido como la persona que es al final, sólo tenía que dejar de esconderse.
Gracias Sam (y Lauren) por enseñarme que "Nunca es demasiado tarde" y que lo que hacemos, no sólo nos afecta a nosotros mismos, sino que todo está interrelacionado con las vidas de los que nos rodean.
Un libro divertido, triste, emocionante y sobre todo REAL. Capaz de mostrar que la vida puede cambiar cuando menos te lo esperes y que no todo siempre tiene un final feliz.
carlq's review against another edition
3.0
“So many things become beautiful when you really look.”
― Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall
I started this book disappointed, the characters were all awful with very few redeeming qualities, the obsessions on the importance of popularity and judging others for their differences and poking fun at those who stand out... but then quickly the story changed, the characters begin to question their motivations and the way they treat others, some of the characters began to grow and realise their issues or explore the hidden reasons behind the fronts they put on to hide deeper issues.
Overall, an enjoyable read that starts slow but picks up shortly after. An intriguing groundhog dayesque concept that always adds a new dynamic to the story. Think Mean girls crossed with groundhog day.
― Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall
I started this book disappointed, the characters were all awful with very few redeeming qualities, the obsessions on the importance of popularity and judging others for their differences and poking fun at those who stand out... but then quickly the story changed, the characters begin to question their motivations and the way they treat others, some of the characters began to grow and realise their issues or explore the hidden reasons behind the fronts they put on to hide deeper issues.
Overall, an enjoyable read that starts slow but picks up shortly after. An intriguing groundhog dayesque concept that always adds a new dynamic to the story. Think Mean girls crossed with groundhog day.
evilsak's review against another edition
4.0
I never thought i would enjoy it so much. How many ways are there to spend your day? And how many things can you change in that? It was truly wondeful! The things you do, the thimgs tou regret, that you wish were different. But you keep living your days as if you will never die, as if there is no end in this road which is called life. I learned so much but most of all i learned, that death isnt something you should be afraid of. Be optimistic. Live well. Live the way you want to live. Thank you Lauren.