Purple Prose + YA novel review

Before I Fall

Book burb: What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own lifeSamantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

First line: They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that’s not how it happened for me.

Let me just say right off that I loved the book. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, especially considering I was going to live through the same sequence of events seven times. But I didn’t. Each time Samantha repeats that fated day, she learns something about herself, her friends, and the people whose lives they impacted, and not necessarily in a positive way. With this knowledge she approaches each redo in a different way, each time with a different goal. A lot of what she does is trial and error, knowing its effects won’t make a difference for the next redo.

Yes, there is romance, but it doesn’t come in the form of her crush-worthy boyfriend. Instead, it’s her old friend who she no longer talks to, and who she refers to as a stalker in the beginning. I’m not going to tell if they end up together, because you’re going to have to read the book. Seriously, you have to read the book.

One thing I will say is that you won’t be able to predict the ending. Well, at least, I didn’t. I was actually in shock because it didn’t go the way I thought it would. Was I happy with the ending? I’m not going to say. I think some people will be happy, others not so much. But in the end, it’s the right ending.

Wow, talk about being cryptic. *grins*

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Before I Fall + YA novel review