Before You Go

Jul 06, 2012 Catie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-in-2012, ya

This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read, but I say that with a bit of affection. I finished this in one evening, because it was just…riveting. I couldn’t look away! It was like this crazy mixture of horrible writing, cardboard characters, dialogue from another planet, consistency problems, and semi-poetic gibberish that all somehow combined into a slurry of pure magic. I think this phenomenon is best described by the source material itself:

“For Jude, it was like watching and enjoying a ter...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

With under 200 pages, Before You Go is a relatively short novel that is a breeze to get through - even moreso because of its short chapters. This is what I'm giving credit for the 3 stars. It's not a contemporary that impressed me per say as it lacks depth, characterization, and the writing is awkward. Since it's such a quick read, however, I didn't get the chance to grow tired of it, nor can I say I downright disliked it.

In a few short words, this novel is about nothing. Jude still blames hims...more With under 200 pages, Before You Go is a relatively short novel that is a breeze to get through - even moreso because of its short chapters. This is what I'm giving credit for the 3 stars. It's not a contemporary that impressed me per say as it lacks depth, characterization, and the writing is awkward. Since it's such a quick read, however, I didn't get the chance to grow tired of it, nor can I say I downright disliked it.

In a few short words, this novel is about nothing. Jude still blames himself for his sister's death, he's simply living one day at a time, then he meets a girl. The book begins on an incredibly intriguing note with its somber prologue. I found it actually sets the wrong tone for the book. It gives the wrong impression of what type of vibe we'll be getting from the story. What we get after this grim, suspenseful prologue is Jude's normal, every day life. He goes to work, meets a few people, falls in love; a very mundane teenage summer. When we finally get to the climax built from the prologue, I won't say it was emotionless as I felt a few pangs of sadness from the ordeal, but the passion was missing. The consequences are over very quickly; I didn't get to experience Jude's distress, nor did I peer at the mental ramifications of it all. A lot of emotions are simply missing from this novel. I'm not sure if it's the characterization that didn't click with me, or the writing that caused it.

The writing style may be lyrical, but it wasn't my cup of tea. With innumerable pop culture reference, bizarre jokes, and awkward, sometimes puzzling, analogies, I had a very hard time really getting into this book with any sort of emotional attachment. Plus, I wasn't ever sure what the plot was really about; the whole point of the story is still lost on me. Jude is in a rough patch in his life where he's just dealing with everything that's been building up over the years. This is clear within the first few pages, but where does it go from here? Does he have an epiphany that changes his way of thinking? Does he stumble upon a self-realization that finally opens him up, lets him deal with his closed up emotions, and move on? Both of which I expected, neither happened. I was really left confused at the end by the non-existent plot.

Jude is a very average character. He's likeable and genuine, though I can't say I was especially enamored with him, nor did I get a feel of his inner demons. I guess you could say I felt distant from him. This could be due to the methodical telling. For example, the constant use of "Jude" instead of "Him, or he" kept pulling me out of the story. OR, and this is probably more likely, it may be because of its omniscient point of view. I don't find I have a preference over first or third person, both have been used very effectively, but the all-knowing style in Before You Go kept me at arms length. The secondary characters in the book, though stereotypical and not especially developed, are surprisingly fun characters with charming personalities that I really enjoyed. The romance is sweet and rough - very typical angst-ridden teen romance.

Even though I didn't love it, it's not a write off either as it kept my intrigued attention. A fairly short novel written in a male perspective that, if only you're able to get a deeper connection with, I'm sure you will find it involves an array of raw emotions that may make this a memorable read.

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Nov 04, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-reads

Preller’s novel opens with a car crash, but he does not reveal who is in the car. All you know is that there are four passengers and one dies. The second chapter begins weeks before the crash happens. The opening drives the plot, as the reader needs to know who dies in the crash. Every time four people got in a car, I braced myself and paid special attention to who sat shotgun.

Preller reveals such profound characters that I feared caring too much for them since I knew one of them was going to di...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a heartbreaking story about grief and loss told in an almost stream-of-consciousness style. It is Jude's story as he finds his first job at a beach concession stand, makes one of his co-workers his first girlfriend, and hangs with his friends.

Jude is carrying a load of grief since his little sister Lily drowned in their family pool while he was supposed to be watching her. Of course, he was only nine at the time. He should never have been responsible for her. His parents deal with the...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Valentina rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book begins and ends with powerful prose. It strikes the reader from the first few lines that it will be a beautiful one to read. And, although it doesn’t always deliver plot-wise in my opinion, the beauty of it does not disappoint.
Jude, the protagonist, is quite interesting. There is a darkness, a brooding quality, that adds a bit of mystery to what could have been just another dull teen character. He is full of contradictions. Once in a while, this can become a bit frustrating to the read...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: beach, coming-of-age, death, friendship, grief, relationships, romance, teen-angst, ya-fiction

*Tissue Alert*...because you'll need to stock up.

Before You Go is a down-to-Earth, no-nonsense portrayal of grief at its darkest moments. Add to that, teenage angst and vulnerability and you've got a cocktail blended with raw emotions and overwhelming melancholy.

Jude Fox, about to be a senior in high school, spends his summer working a dead-end job at a beach-side concession stand. There he meets Becka, a girl with her head in the right place. He needs this stability since his whole family is...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley

It’s got a really good intro- very atmospheric, a little like Shatter Me with the visuals without trying too hard; the rest of it though… not so much.

There’s a little on love a lot on life and death and even some on faith, Jude just didn’t make that much of a compelling narrator. So far, his life’s been sad. Tragedy marks his everyday…and he feels this disconnect. As a consequence, I never felt a connection to him, or that special something that would have me with a lump in my throat for what h...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Peyton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, young-adult, grit, romance

A searing exploration of loss on the teenage psyche. I struggle with novels that casually depict teen sex, drinking, and other bad behaviors, but this one tackles these subjects with an understanding that I respect. Nowhere does Preller revel in or make excuses for reckless choices, but he presents a way of life that, whether I like it or not, exists for many of this nation's young adults. Neither preachy nor prurient, Preller has written a fact-based, warts-and-all look at the 21st century teen...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Impressions: This wasn't a book I knew much about, but the little description on Netgalley sounded good, so I thought I would check it out. There are not enough books out there written from a strong teen male point of view, so I wanted to see if this book stood up and apart from other contemporary YA novels dealing with life and death. From the beginning, the lyrical writing style set the introspective tone of the book. Even the first few pages made good use of color. Right away, you know...more First Impressions: This wasn't a book I knew much about, but the little description on Netgalley sounded good, so I thought I would check it out. There are not enough books out there written from a strong teen male point of view, so I wanted to see if this book stood up and apart from other contemporary YA novels dealing with life and death. From the beginning, the lyrical writing style set the introspective tone of the book. Even the first few pages made good use of color. Right away, you know something bad is going to happen, before you even know who the characters really are. The first few pages set up a change you know is coming, even if you're not sure what it will take to get to that moment in time.

First 50 Pages: BEFORE YOU GO feels like a coming of age story, much in the vein of Gayle Foreman's IF I STAY. With Jude, we experience the monotony of Jude's first job, and experience his first experience with teen love. I spent the first few chapters of this book trying to figure out who the players in the prologue really were. You know there is something dark coming, and it affects the tone of the book, regardless of how "normal" the events unfolding appear. BEFORE YOU GO is well written, and begs to be read slowly. For Jude, this is summer as usual; nothing extraordinary, just a rite of passage that must be endured.

Characters and Plot: The main character, Jude, is well fleshed out and seems to have a purpose. He has had some rough patches in life, and feels like his family is just going through the motions. The other characters are there, almost superficially. Jude's friends, especially Corey, all serve purposes, but still feel like stereotypes right out of teen movies. Becka, the love interest, is a little more developed, but even she feels like the typical teenage girl love interest. Beautiful, sassy and friendly like the girl next door. Even the adults don't really understand the teenagers, and Jude's fast food bosses take their jobs a little too seriously.

The plot is pretty straight forward. You know there is going to be a car accident involving four friends from the first page. You know that someone lives, but you don't know their names. The first half of the book leads up to that moment, building suspense in the normal moments of life. You learn about the sadness Jude and his family carry quickly. The plot is there, but carefully woven into everyday life.

Final Thoughts: BEFORE YOU GO is a quick read, and that was almost a little disappointing. At just 200 pages, this book felt short. Once the accident happens, the wrap-up almost feels..incomplete. I felt like the meat of the story was just getting started when it got to the end. I actually double checked to see if there was more to the book that I didn't get with my original download, but there wasn't. If there is anything disappointing about this story, it is that the resolution almost feels cheap, like the author didn't really know what to do when one of his characters encountered the death of one of their own.

Overall, this is a good book, worthy of being read. There is something a important about reading a strong male teen character written from a male author. While the story is not overly unique, it is told well and thought through.
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Jul 19, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a great story about letting the past go and learning to move on with your life. When something tragic happens, we are changed inside and out. This story tells a tale of learning to become whole again.

What I enjoyed most about this story are the characters. The growth and change in them is slowly built yet very appreciated by the reader. The struggle of Jude and what he faces leaves me heart broken. To carry such a weight on his shoulders is a lot for a kid. Jude did a great job in facing...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Book Twirps rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it okay, but it just felt as if something was missing and I can’t quite put a finger on it. The writing is okay, and the characters relatable (though fairly cookie-cutter), I just didn’t fully connect with the story.

Jude’s life is pretty uneventful. He and his parents have maneuvered in a fog for the last seven years — since his little sister drowned when Jude was supposed to be watching her. The summer before his senior year, Jude gets a job workin...more

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Jul 15, 2012 ABookVacation rated it 1 of 5 stars

1.5 stars

I’m sorry to say that I was highly disappointed with this novel. The synopsis made me think that the story would be trailing Jude’s life as it spins out of control—focus on the spinning out of control—but what I found is that this novel actually spends almost all of its time following Jude as he works a dead-end summer job he hates while attempting to woo a girl and fall in love. And, quite honestly, I found it all a bit boring. Jude isn’t my favorite, and Becka rubbed me the wrong way...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before You Go is a gorgeously written tale about the kind of heartbreak that only comes with the passing of a loved one. An omniscient and mostly numb protagonist did distance me as a reader, but being well-paced, I found Before You Go to be a mostly enjoyable read.

The opening scene which details the car accident has to be one of my favourite scenes of late. The atmosphere sets the tone for the rest of the novel and provides the plot with a sense of suspense as it foreshadows the moment Jude's l...more Before You Go is a gorgeously written tale about the kind of heartbreak that only comes with the passing of a loved one. An omniscient and mostly numb protagonist did distance me as a reader, but being well-paced, I found Before You Go to be a mostly enjoyable read.

The opening scene which details the car accident has to be one of my favourite scenes of late. The atmosphere sets the tone for the rest of the novel and provides the plot with a sense of suspense as it foreshadows the moment Jude's life is changed forever....again.

Jude is an interesting character. Feeling guilt over his sister's tragic death, he distances himself from almost everyone in his life. Shrouded in slight darkness, his almost brooding temperament adds mystery and intrigue to his character. The way he dealt with loss was completely believable, as struggled with who he was, what his place in the world was to be, and what the point of it all was. Lost and disillusioned, his only course of action was to further distance himself from those left. This did make for a challenging read as his mood swings were unpredictable - one second he was able to laugh with friends, the next he was purposely hurting someone so they wouldn't try to get close to him again. It created some distance between me as a reader and Jude as a character, as I wasn't fully able to relate to him even though I understood his motives. So while I found some of the writing to be breathtakingly beautiful, as it was almost lyrical in its expressiveness, I also found it could have used just a little more depth to further my connection with Jude.

The plot was...nonexistent? Come the end, I wasn't fully aware of what Before You Go was trying to accomplish, the point it was trying to make. Jude didn't stumble across the answers to his problems, nor did he resolve most of his issues. He seemed to be at greater ease over his sister's death, but I wouldn't say he found closure. His relationship with Becka seemed to be back on track, but the type of pain he caused her isn't something she would easily forgive and forget. The weird relationship he shared with his parents was never fully explained, nor was his mother's odd behaviour after the accident. I guess one could speculate that Before You Go is about how a young teen might deal with love and loss, but Jude didn't deal with his emotions - he just shut them (and everyone around him) out until it didn't hurt as bad. Maybe that was the point - that only time can heal some wounds.

A relatively short read, I really liked Before You Go. The writing is great, and I did enjoy the numerous pop culture references (though, I can't say everyone will feel the same). I found Jude to be a relatively relatable fifteen-year-old, even though I found myself wishing for a little more depth to his character. If you've got a couple hours to spare, I'd recommend giving Before You Go a chance!

Review also posted on my blog, Radiant Shadows (less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Autumn rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was going to be a DNF but some kind of morbid curiosity kept me reading. The book opens with a fatal car crash. That was the only thing that kept me reading. I wanted to know who died. The result was a bit of a let down.

The biggest thing I didn't like about this book was all the pop culture references. Some here and there are ok, it gives a book a time and place, but I felt like this book had too many and would probably make it feel too dated too quickly. Plus, I didn't get half of the...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, boy-books, library, realistic, teen, friendship

The kind of book where you know what's coming from the first page (seriously, the prologue tells of a car crash in which a teen dies and two others are injured) and spend the next 100+ pages hoping it won't really happen. The first half (or so) is about friendship and relationships and family; the second part is grief and loss and still friendship. A reasonably strong story for boys (and I'll be passing it along to the high school librarian, who was recently looking for fiction dealing with the...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book hooked me in to wanting to read not just from the cover but after reading that the main character was named after a Beatles son I just had to read it. I planned to read this title to also see if it would be good for my school library and after reading that the main character has some heavy stuff to deal with I knew it was also something that would hook some of my readers in. The book is definitely a great read and something worth getting for my library. It hooks the reader in with in th...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Asheley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Before You Go by James Preller is a heartbreaking story written about Jude, the loss he suffered years ago, and the loss he will soon face. Between these periods of grief is time spent trying to mend, trying to move on, trying to build a life for himself.

The book starts out with a haunting prologue, but I quickly forgot about that as I was swept up in Jude’s summer. Jude has a new summer job and quickly falls for a pretty coworker who seems to like him back. He has a great best friend that is mo...more Before You Go by James Preller is a heartbreaking story written about Jude, the loss he suffered years ago, and the loss he will soon face. Between these periods of grief is time spent trying to mend, trying to move on, trying to build a life for himself.

The book starts out with a haunting prologue, but I quickly forgot about that as I was swept up in Jude’s summer. Jude has a new summer job and quickly falls for a pretty coworker who seems to like him back. He has a great best friend that is more family to him than his parents, who cannot get over the loss of his younger sister six years earlier. Jude moves through the summer, hanging out with old friends and making new ones. He laughs and has good times, but he never quite seems to fit in exactly. He always feels as though he lives on the fringes, looking in. He feels like he doesn’t belong in this life. You see, Jude is plagued with guilt over the death of his sister.

When further tragedy happens, it broke my heart to watch Jude grieve – because he completely shut down. The loss he endured seemed to collide with the loss he still felt for his sister, and he just was not functioning well for a time. It took a meeting with someone unexpected, at an unexpected place, and his friends rallying around him to bring him out of the sadness he had fallen into.

Before You Go is a great story of loss and grief but also hope and some redemption. It is written with an interesting language and the leading male is quite an interesting character. The overall feeling I got from the book is not one in which I really felt like I knew Jude, because I don’t think Jude opens himself up to be known completely. I don’t think he knew how to after having such a traumatic childhood – after losing his younger sister, feeling it was his fault, and having parents that never pulled through that grief to raise him properly. I feel like the author did a great job with Jude in this regard. There is also comic relief that breaks up the heaviness of Jude’s hard times, and with this there are tons of pop culture references.

I would recommend Before You Go to fans of YA contemporary that enjoy male leading characters, books with issues, a little bit of romance, and pop culture references.

This review originally posted HERE at Bookalicious.Org.(less)

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May 09, 2013 Melissa (i swim for oceans) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Can you imagine the enormous weight of guilt you might feel if someone died on your watch? That, in a nutshell, is the heart and soul of Before You Go, an angst-filled novel by James Preller. With an entirely original writing style meant to engage the intended young adult crowd, the is quick, fast-paced and is easily read in a single night. Sweeping you into the saga of a teenager whose real-life drama is a thousand times more weighted than that of normal teenage life, we're given a story in whi...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: appropriate-for-high-school, death-grief, families, friendship-school

A sad, but worthwhile read about a boy who's already lost a younger sister & faces greater loss to come. I recommend it for high school because of the partying with alcohol that happens several times in the book - ironically not the cause of any of the suffering in this tale. As an adult reader, part of me wanted to see consequences for the casual drinking. On the other hand, I think the story had a stronger impact with it's "stuff happens" cause of trauma. Because in real life, sometimes st...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Ang rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a hard one to rate. The first half of the book was teenage fluff with no real substance to fill it. The second part got a little better with some emotional tugging but in the end still failed to hit its mark. I definitely liked the 2nd half more than the first. I wish the author would have explored the emotions in Jude's home more thoroughly and helped you understand how and why he felt the way he did. I eventually got attached to Jude but there was still something missing in the connec...more

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Jun 10, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

After letting your sister drown in the family pool, your life can only go up, right? Not quite. Jude is a typical rising senior in high school with a craptastic summer job & a quirky, yet endearing best friend (Corey). Also, he's quite smitten with a certain cashierette (Becka) at his job. While his family never properly dealt with the death of his sister (his mother withdrew into the house & his father focuses on anything but human emotion), Jude has found solace in Corey. From a conser...more After letting your sister drown in the family pool, your life can only go up, right? Not quite. Jude is a typical rising senior in high school with a craptastic summer job & a quirky, yet endearing best friend (Corey). Also, he's quite smitten with a certain cashierette (Becka) at his job. While his family never properly dealt with the death of his sister (his mother withdrew into the house & his father focuses on anything but human emotion), Jude has found solace in Corey. From a conservative, religious home, Corey is spunky, vivacious & unique. As total geeks the boys discuss everything from movies & music, to the video games they're kicking butt in.

Naturally Jude wants to bring together the two most important people in his life. Jude is certain that all of them hanging out together is what is necessary for his budding relationship with Becka to take the next step. But Jude just can't seem to catch a real break. A freak accident causes him to lose something so precious, there's no telling if he'll be able to get it back.

Before You Go is a subtle book. A slow building story that follows the rather cumbersome life of teenage nobody Jude. While years have passed since the drowning of his younger sister, the reader still gets the sense that the family has never moved on from the tragedy, partially because it seems the community doesn't want them to forget. Yet Jude is determined to continue his life to the best of his ability.

Enter best friend & wild card Corey as well as Jude's summer job. The reader gets the sense that Jude just wants to be a normal teenager, but continues to find himself in awkward situations where he's not entirely sure what is expected of him. Naturally there is also a girl, causing even more anxiety & confusion for this poor guy. The best part about all this gawkiness are the interactions between characters. They are so real & on point that I really felt like I knew what the characters were thinking & feeling. The writing, while a little obvious that the author is new to writing specifically for teens, still lends itself to being friendly & engaging.

What I didn't expect at all was the twist. We're not talking M. Night Shyamalan twist, but a big enough wrench that I wasn't exactly sure where the book could go from that point on. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself more impatient to continue reading after the twist. The book became so much more than I expected when I first picked it up.

While not a heavy read, this one merits some thoughtful consideration. Ladies & gents give it up for James Preller! I'd be happy to read his next piece.(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Jude is enjoying his summer as much as he can, hanging out with his geeky friend Corey who is obsessed with zombies and working in food service on the beach, wearing a dorky paper hat and an orange and black uniform. He makes another friend in coworker Roberto, who encourages him to get to know the attractive Becka, one of the cashiers. Being at work and hanging out with friends gives Jude the chance to get away from his health nut father (who, embarrassingly, runs in spandex shorts) and his dep...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Kimberly rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 2012-bookshelf

Generally I don't read realistic YA fiction written by male authors (I'm not sexist) it just seems as though it is a predominately female written genre.

This book was told in two parts. There was the Before and then there was the After Part and the novel itself was written in the third person which isn't my favourite way to read a book because I don't feel the usual connection to the characters.

We have our main protagonist Jude. He's you're average teenager. Awkward in the eyes of his crush but...more Generally I don't read realistic YA fiction written by male authors (I'm not sexist) it just seems as though it is a predominately female written genre.

This book was told in two parts. There was the Before and then there was the After Part and the novel itself was written in the third person which isn't my favourite way to read a book because I don't feel the usual connection to the characters.

We have our main protagonist Jude. He's you're average teenager. Awkward in the eyes of his crush but acting like the man whilst he's around his little crew of friends. I wasn't overly fond of Jude because I just found him to be a little over dramatic especially when it came to the girl he liked.

Anyway, the novel follows Jude as he experiences a lot of firsts. He gets his first summer job, gets his first girl friend, has his first kiss and loses yet another person he cares about. This is the second tragic death that Jude has experienced. The first was the death of his little sister seven years before. I found Jude to be quite the melancholy character. I do not know if it was the author's intention to make him this way or if that is just how I see him. All I know is that to me he could be right out pompous and depressing so that made the reading of the novel less enjoyable. In fact I had a hard time liking any of the characters.

However, despite my dislike or plain old "meh" attitude about Jude and his not so merry cast of characters I did find that the actual plot of the novel was well thought out. There was something about it that made me want to keep reading it. Perhaps it's because it wasn't until near the end of the novel that the "After" section started thus leaving the reader with 130+ pages of wondering when the "Big Thing" would happen and start having the book start come together.

Once the "After" section happened I really thought the book picked up the pace and I believe it was that section that made the book for me. If you read it you might think that that's a little weird that it takes the death of one of the characters to make the book seem worth it to me. I was left wanting more from the characters and the writing emotionally but this novel fell short of my expectations. It was as though that part of the book got a whole new lease on life though it was still too little too late for me to give this YA novel more than a moderate rating.

The book was entertaining and it kept me interested on the afternoon that I read it long enough to finish it but it was overall quite forgettable. I can see the appeal for a book like this though and I think that people who enjoy YA novels especially teens will enjoy this book. This was just a case of it not being the novel for me. I will however be giving the authors other books a try to see if they are more to my liking.

* I received a free copy of this book from the published via NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was not compensated in any way.(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-book-read, kindle-books

This is one of those books that can hook you from the first page. The suspense of an unknown accident, the people involved, leaving out just enough detail to tantalize you and make you eagerly keep reading.

Except, it doesn't stay with the accident, instead, you start somewhere near the beginning. You start at “Before”.

We learn all about Jude, his life, his first job, his friendships new and old, his first girlfriend. His grief about his little sister, really, we learn it all and then, well then...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first thing that caught my eye when it came to the novel Before You Go by author James Preller was the title. It held mystery and immediately had me wondering exactly what the novel held. So, before even reading the novel, I quickly looked on Goodreads to see what the novel was about and when I saw what Before You Go was about I was already hooked. The story sounded like it would be quick-paced, romantic and of course tragic. It was of course, everything I imagined it to be and more.

The nove...more The first thing that caught my eye when it came to the novel Before You Go by author James Preller was the title. It held mystery and immediately had me wondering exactly what the novel held. So, before even reading the novel, I quickly looked on Goodreads to see what the novel was about and when I saw what Before You Go was about I was already hooked. The story sounded like it would be quick-paced, romantic and of course tragic. It was of course, everything I imagined it to be and more.

The novel began with a prologue of sorts that caught my attention from the first sentence and once it held my attention it never once let go. The start of the novel began with a car accident consisting of four victims with only three survivors out of the four. It forces readers to wonder exactly what just happened and before we can learn too much about the novel, it shoves us into the main character Jude’s life. From what we learn early on, Jude’s younger sister drowned when he was nine and ever since his family had never been the same. With a mother who is dissociating from the world around him and a Dad who I found, acted like nothing was wrong, we see that Jude’s life is far from perfect.

Taking up a job at a concession stand near the beach, readers see Jude begin his new job and quickly get immersed in the reality of it. His boss was a total jerk. His employees were all awesome-sauce and one of the cashier’s eventually catches his eye and a romance grows. Personally, I liked the romance between Becka and Jude because it was a relationship unlike most in YA. You have this attractive sounding guy main character who has a tragic past and is constantly brooding, and then you have this ray of sunshine for a love interest who Jude just can’t resist. Not to mention that his past does get in the way slightly with his relationship with Becka, causing twists and turns that were a total Epic win.

The tone of the novel is set from the start, giving it a very dark feel that most YA novels attempt to achieve but never really do. Luckily, Before You Go does achieve that tone considering the way the novel both began with tragedy and at the same time eventually ends with tragedy. This is definitely a novel that I think has no comparison and stands alone in the YA universe.

While it’s definitely worth a read, I would recommend this novel to fans of YA contemporary and romance with a dark twist. This novel is double rainbow all the way.(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Rabiah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-contemporary-challenge, egalley, 2012-standalone-challenge

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

Before You Go is a story written in two parts: Before and After. From the moment I saw the words "Before" I KNEW something big was going to happen in the middle of the story, just like John Green's Looking for Alaska. And of course, I was right.
I found this story a little too slow for my liking. If it wasn't for my intense curiosity of what could cause this book to have a before and after, I wouldn't have finished it. It really does t...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Meh. This book did not work for me, and I think it's mainly because of the narrative. Before You Go has an omniscient narrator. I don't want to judge the book solely based on that, but I'm just not a fan of omniscient narrators. I like first person narrators, and third person limited sometimes works for me too. The closer we are to the main character, the better, and omniscient is just too far outside of my comfort zone. Even if that's not actually the case, this narrative makes it sound like it...more Meh. This book did not work for me, and I think it's mainly because of the narrative. Before You Go has an omniscient narrator. I don't want to judge the book solely based on that, but I'm just not a fan of omniscient narrators. I like first person narrators, and third person limited sometimes works for me too. The closer we are to the main character, the better, and omniscient is just too far outside of my comfort zone. Even if that's not actually the case, this narrative makes it sound like it's all telling and no showing, affecting the style in a way I didn't like. The style is hard to explain, but the word formal comes to mind. It's so far removed from the story, and that made me feel distant from it, too. I feel bad for judging this book on that one choice, but I'm just not a fan.

I felt distant from Jude, and I never felt like I really got to know him. I didn't really think anything of him one way or the other - he was just kind of there, but there's no real personality, nothing I could like or dislike, relate or connect to. Two terrible things happen to Jude, but I didn't get emotional once and couldn't really feel for him. I felt removed from the story throughout, and for me, there was no emotion, despite the emotional topic.

The pacing is a little awkward. Sometimes the book jumps in time, and at other times, it's incredibly detailed, telling you every little thing that happens to Jude in a day. And I didn't care. I know, that sounds so cold and heartless, but I just... didn't.

The romance is also kind of... meh. It's a little like insta-love, even though I'm not sure that's an adequate description. The relationship between Jude and Becka doesn't move too fast; but Jude's feelings develop so quickly, him immediately knowing she's so special, which I didn't see. Becka, too, felt like a flat character, and there was nothing special about her, in my opinion.

Really, that's all there is to it. The narrative and style didn't work for me, making me feel distant and removed from every aspect of the story. Before You Go feels hollow; it just didn't draw me in. Maybe if you don't rely as much on feeling for the main character as I do, this could be a good read for you, but it didn't work for me.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...(less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Jen (Almost Grown-up) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012contemp

Posted to Almost Grown-up:

The first scene of Before You Go by James Preller packs a punch. It’s rich in imagery and sensory detail and there’s an urgency to the scene. Add that to how excited I was for the novel, and I was fully sucked in. I expected that would be the case for then entirely novel, but then I realized it was a flash-forward-style prologue. These work in some (RARE) cases, but in many, as was the case in Before You Go, it irritated me as a reader. I felt like I’d been promised hig...more Posted to Almost Grown-up:

The first scene of Before You Go by James Preller packs a punch. It’s rich in imagery and sensory detail and there’s an urgency to the scene. Add that to how excited I was for the novel, and I was fully sucked in. I expected that would be the case for then entirely novel, but then I realized it was a flash-forward-style prologue. These work in some (RARE) cases, but in many, as was the case in Before You Go, it irritated me as a reader. I felt like I’d been promised high stakes from the get-go and they weren’t nearly delivered.

Unfortunately, things didn’t get much better. I kept waiting for characters to feel like real people instead of caricatures of actual teenagers. The dialogue feels forced, awkward, and inauthentic, peppered with obscure book and movie references that would have been effective once or twice, but not as much as they were used.

The plot could have done with some tightening; it felt like there was a lot of information or scenes that didn’t serve a purpose. I can think of at least two characters who seemed simply like devices to draw out the story as they didn’t further the plot at all.

The main character Jude still feels grief and guilt over the death of his sister Lily and feels disconnected from his parents. He starts a new job and is maybe even figuring out his first love. Plus, as noted in the plot synopsis, something occurs that throws Jude’s life into upheaval once again.

Obviously, the events involved in Before You Go all involved some extremely heightened emotions and I’d anticipated feeling some major pathos for Jude. But, there was nothing. Not a twinge.

I think a lot of that was down to the fact that Before You Go is written in a third person omniscient point of view, which distanced me from all involved. I was never really close enough to Jude to feel for him.

Overall rating: 2/5. I simply didn’t connect with Before You Go. Still love the premise and the way that the prologue is written, though.(less)

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May 16, 2012 Once Upon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Before You Go capture my attention with that cover it has. It just drew me in with the mysterious traffic signal and the dark and stormy clouds. The cover jumped at me telling me I had to read the book. Then you pick it up and its light because its only 200+ pages, so of course its going to be a fast read. Which it was, I read it in no time. This was my first book read from James Preller and it probably won't be my last. Even though, at times I felt like two authors wrote this book, I really did...more Before You Go capture my attention with that cover it has. It just drew me in with the mysterious traffic signal and the dark and stormy clouds. The cover jumped at me telling me I had to read the book. Then you pick it up and its light because its only 200+ pages, so of course its going to be a fast read. Which it was, I read it in no time. This was my first book read from James Preller and it probably won't be my last. Even though, at times I felt like two authors wrote this book, I really did enjoy the beginning and end to this novel. The middle part is where I feel that it lack a little and felt written by someone else.

Did Before You Go work for me, yes and slight no. Yes because the beginning captured me, what a way to start a novel. The beginning is my favorite part of this book, hands down. Then I mentioned the ending, which I did enjoy. The slightly no part belongs to the middle and the main character. I felt that when the story was solely focused on him, it was slow and annoying but when others where involved the pace was better.

So we meet Jude, Jude lost his sister when he was young while he was watching her. This has really changed Jude's life ever since the accident. Losing someone such as a sibling will scar a person deeply. His parents are pretty much nonexistent with him. Mom lives in her room and Dad is just blank. Jude starts a job for the summer in his beach town. Its not a bad job to have even if you are flipping burgers and serving ice cold drinks. Your on the beach and meeting all sorts of people. Just when everything seems to be going great for Jude and he even thinks or feels he might have found his one true love. BAM!!! The tragic accident that changes everything again. In the accident a very close loved one of Jude's dies and Jude once again descends back into severe depression. This causes Jude to become very angry and volatile. This is all what kept me interested in the book. What cause me to loose interest at time was the relationship or idea of a relationship between Jude and who he thought or wanted to believe was his girlfriend. It was annoying at times how he reacted to her and what she was doing. He assumed she was his and would just get all sorts of crazy around her. Jude seriously needed someone to slap him back to reality. Then his attitude after the accident, oh this actually had me upset at times with Jude. Throughout the book I had a love-hate relationship towards Jude.

So overall, I liked but didn't love Before You Go. Its a pretty fast read, and it does have some great writing. I think certain people will LOVE this story. It a good book to read on the beach this summer.

review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2012...(less)

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Apr 18, 2012 Bookish♥Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: singles-fic, read-in-2012

♥ Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah

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Seven years ago, Jude's younger sister drowned in a swimming pool while he was supposed to be watching her. Life hasn't been the same since. His mother spends most of her time holed up in her bedroom. His father seems indifferent and oblivious. The house is kept dark and lonely.

The book opens up to Jude going in for his first day on a summer job. He lives in a beach town, so this job is at a concession stand right on the beach. He'll b...more

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title link	preview: Before You Go
avg rating	preview: Before You Go Goodreads rating: 3.19 (276 ratings)
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