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Never Always Sometimes
by
Never date your best friend.
Always be original.
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.
Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d ...more
Always be original.
Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.
Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d ...more
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3.4 stars! Was fun! Love the whole can boys and girls be best friends angle of it, but I had issues with some of the plot points and the lead characters felt a little cartoony and unrealistic at times.
Honestly? I finished this book a week ago and really can't find anything substantial to say about it. I'll try to articulate what makes this book so dull and forgettable.
Never Always Sometimes is a wannabe John Green book. It tries to follow in JG's footsteps by creating overly quirky, intelligentcharacters caricatures who do not resemble any teenagers I've ever known. Except, unlike Green's works and others who have tried to do similar things, this book isn't particularly well-written or compe
...more
Never Always Sometimes is a wannabe John Green book. It tries to follow in JG's footsteps by creating overly quirky, intelligent
Words cannot properly express the annoyance and frustration I felt after finishing this book. I actually felt the same way towards the the end of the Paper Towns movie (I haven't read the book yet)--as if the whole story was all for nothing. It wasn't a pointless book, per se, but I definitely think the end lacked proper closure and will probably leave a lot of readers unsatisfied. Maybe even pissed if you're oddly emotional like me.
I think the main reason I couldn't feel the book was because I ...more
I think the main reason I couldn't feel the book was because I ...more
Things that I hated about Never Always Sometimes:
(THERE'S NOTHING TO LOVE) (Sorry not sorry)
1.) The blurb:
...two best friends, a boy and girl, make a list of the cliché things they will never do their senior year.
LOLOLOLOLOL. This book sounds so cliché already.
2.) Two "characters" who are so hell bent on embracing their "individuality" that in the end, they just came out fake and unrealistic for me:
Seriously, they do not even resemble the guys I went with in high school. I CANNOT RELATE. I NEE ...more
(THERE'S NOTHING TO LOVE) (Sorry not sorry)
1.) The blurb:
...two best friends, a boy and girl, make a list of the cliché things they will never do their senior year.
LOLOLOLOLOL. This book sounds so cliché already.
2.) Two "characters" who are so hell bent on embracing their "individuality" that in the end, they just came out fake and unrealistic for me:
Seriously, they do not even resemble the guys I went with in high school. I CANNOT RELATE. I NEE ...more
I probably now understand why most Goodreaders rated this so low. It’s probably the last 25% of the book where the plot started to mess up but during the first good portion of the novel, I thought it was really good. It was very well written, smart, creative, funny and relatable. The plot started out really interesting about these childhood best friends ,Dave and Julia, and their goal at defying clichés while proving there aren’t clichés after all, only personal truths to individual stories.
I w ...more
Wow. Never Always Sometimes took me by surprise. More so, because we got off on a bad start. While I thought the Prologue was beautiful and well done, the opening chapters lost me quickly. The beginning starts off with Dave's POV, and I just couldn't connect with the sudden and intense pining (four years in the making) that he had for Julia. It just... didn't feel real. And I didn't really care for either character as I learned more about them. Julia was wildly eccentric, and utterly ridiculous,
...more
I went into this thinking it was going to be a cute, fluffy, BFF to more story. I'm not entirely sure what this was.
I loved the banter between Dave and Julia. Their friendship was fun in the beginning, but right away, getting Dave's "I'm so in love with her, but she's doesn't know and I don't know what to do" inner monologue got really old really fast.
And then it goes to shit.
(view spoiler) ...more
I loved the banter between Dave and Julia. Their friendship was fun in the beginning, but right away, getting Dave's "I'm so in love with her, but she's doesn't know and I don't know what to do" inner monologue got really old really fast.
And then it goes to shit.
(view spoiler) ...more
Mar 17, 2015
Jen Ryland
marked it as probably-not-for-me
Shelves:
beware-of-love-triangle,
august-2015
Never "die" your hair? What is this nonsense?
...more
It's so hard to write about a book that broke your heart. I still think about it and I still feel my heart crushing. And it's a good sign because if I feel this way is because this book was done right. I don't know if Adi Alsaid did this on purpose, I don't think so, but he did such a great job with portraying feelings that I couldn't help feeling this way.
Dave and, his best friend, Julia made a list of "Nevers" before starting high school. The list consisted on clichés they will never do in sc ...more
Bleeeeeeeeeeeeh. Atleast I tried.
(I kindasortamaybe forgot the name of the H/h, so...)
This book was way too bland for my taste. The heroine was bland, the hero was bland and the plot was too dry for my tastes. It was really depressing how the hero didnt have any other real thought other than his female companionship problems (if they can even be counted as real problems).
Im so done.
(I kindasortamaybe forgot the name of the H/h, so...)
This book was way too bland for my taste. The heroine was bland, the hero was bland and the plot was too dry for my tastes. It was really depressing how the hero didnt have any other real thought other than his female companionship problems (if they can even be counted as real problems).
Im so done.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I really quite adored this book. I may be long past my high school days, but there is a pretty huge part of me that wishes I had made a list like this. I didn't do any of the cliches myself, but that was more out of fear that a longing for originality. I digress. With graduation looming, Dave and Julia are going to basically embrace the cliches that they've done their best to avoid, and have a big old high school experience.
Some of the t ...more
I really quite adored this book. I may be long past my high school days, but there is a pretty huge part of me that wishes I had made a list like this. I didn't do any of the cliches myself, but that was more out of fear that a longing for originality. I digress. With graduation looming, Dave and Julia are going to basically embrace the cliches that they've done their best to avoid, and have a big old high school experience.
Some of the t ...more
Did not finish. Read till about page 260 of the book (82%) and dropped it, a little after things started turning into too much unnecessary mush and going REALLY downhill.
The story was rather cliche with a rather predictable plot IMO, and I should probably have dropped it like a hot potato way before page 260, as I did not find the story particularly interesting then either. The love triangle was no, just no, and I totally did not get the Julia-Gretchen thing going on for Dave.
Overall not that m ...more
The story was rather cliche with a rather predictable plot IMO, and I should probably have dropped it like a hot potato way before page 260, as I did not find the story particularly interesting then either. The love triangle was no, just no, and I totally did not get the Julia-Gretchen thing going on for Dave.
Overall not that m ...more
The characters in this book had zero personality, and were about as deep as a kiddie pool.
On the first page we get this "If the lights ever went out in her presence, Dave was pretty sure the brightness of her eyes would be more useful than a flashlight."
I almost stopped reading right there and then.
Dave is obsessed with Julia to the point where it is annoying. But one party later, and after four years of being in love with Julia, he is in love with another girl. Oh wow.
Flirting and flirting l ...more
On the first page we get this "If the lights ever went out in her presence, Dave was pretty sure the brightness of her eyes would be more useful than a flashlight."
I almost stopped reading right there and then.
Dave is obsessed with Julia to the point where it is annoying. But one party later, and after four years of being in love with Julia, he is in love with another girl. Oh wow.
Flirting and flirting l ...more
Longtime friends Dave and Julia create a list of Nevers or cliches they never want to experience or do but come senior year they begin to realize how much they have missed out on and decide to complete every Never on the list.
The concept behind NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES is a fun one, I really liked the idea of the Nevers list and enjoyed experiencing (and reminiscing about) some enjoyable and memorable high school moments right alongside the main characters.
The concept behind NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES is a fun one, I really liked the idea of the Nevers list and enjoyed experiencing (and reminiscing about) some enjoyable and memorable high school moments right alongside the main characters.
“No point in living a life less ordina...more
Jun 25, 2015
Wendy Darling
marked it as dnf
I realized pretty quickly that this story, the writing, and the characters weren't going to keep my attention. The first 30 pages are an endless litany of how beautiful Dave finds Julia (view spoiler) and from skimming the rest of the book, the writing continues to feel a bit mannered. Some points for not going the expected route with this romantic contemporary, I guess? Problem is, I don't really care what happens to either of them.
Not awful, just lacking in depth and ...more
Not awful, just lacking in depth and ...more
3.5
I really enjoyed the story, it wasn't completely realistic and it was pretty predictable but it was a cute YA romance.
I felt like the writing didn't distinguish the difference between Dave and Julia when it was told in their own perspective. I got more of Dave as a character then I got of Jamie. The book is sectioned in three parts, Dave, Jamie and Dave and Julia. During each part I couldn't really tell the difference. Yes, during Julia's section we received more insight information of Julia ...more
I really enjoyed the story, it wasn't completely realistic and it was pretty predictable but it was a cute YA romance.
I felt like the writing didn't distinguish the difference between Dave and Julia when it was told in their own perspective. I got more of Dave as a character then I got of Jamie. The book is sectioned in three parts, Dave, Jamie and Dave and Julia. During each part I couldn't really tell the difference. Yes, during Julia's section we received more insight information of Julia ...more
So happy Alsaid decided to write from multiple perspectives in Never Always Sometimes. Though I did not enjoy the book as much as Let's Get Lost, it still made for a moving contemporary read. I had a hard time relating to some of the characters, but the ending satisfied; though it may not please everyone, it seemed realistic. Overall 4/5 stars; definitely pick up one of Alsaid's books if you haven't already.
...more
I was given an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Note that all quote mentioned here were taken from the ARC copy, not the final version.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Oh wow, this book is amazing! I didn't think that I would like this book when I started reading it since it felt kind of boring to me. I mean, I enjoyed the writing and the actual conversations, but in terms of the story, nothing was happening at first. But after I finished the last page of this book ...more
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Oh wow, this book is amazing! I didn't think that I would like this book when I started reading it since it felt kind of boring to me. I mean, I enjoyed the writing and the actual conversations, but in terms of the story, nothing was happening at first. But after I finished the last page of this book ...more
Well, Adi has done it again. This book was a such a fun, funny, adventurous, and such a unique read. I really loved the plot, the characters, and the writing. Adi always does a great job when writing multi-perspective books; both Let's Get Lost and Never Always Sometimes showed that. Both Dave and Julia had their own voice and they both sounded like two very different people. I didn't get confused on who I was reading on and I am not surprised Adi made that happen. If you like contemporaries, de
...more
I enjoyed this book but would have loved to see Julia go to the prom with Brett. I would much rather that for an ending
Full Review on The Candid Cover
As a big fan and supporter of Adi Alsaid, I was really hoping that Never Always Sometimes was going to be just as epic as Let’s Get Lost. The story line is actually really unique and it is definitely a fun summer read. Alsaid certainly develops his characters to a tee, however the book contains far too many clichés and is very predictable.
Despite the predictability, Never Always Sometimes has characters that are very well developed. Adi Alsaid has captured the feel ...more
As a big fan and supporter of Adi Alsaid, I was really hoping that Never Always Sometimes was going to be just as epic as Let’s Get Lost. The story line is actually really unique and it is definitely a fun summer read. Alsaid certainly develops his characters to a tee, however the book contains far too many clichés and is very predictable.
Despite the predictability, Never Always Sometimes has characters that are very well developed. Adi Alsaid has captured the feel ...more
Ugh. No. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
One star for getting something down on paper and getting it published. The author at least accomplished that with his writing.
The characters were paper-thin or identical in personality and dialogue. There was no larger idea presented in this narrative aside from, "Love, you know, it's complicated."
This is not why I gave YA books another chance. ...more
One star for getting something down on paper and getting it published. The author at least accomplished that with his writing.
The characters were paper-thin or identical in personality and dialogue. There was no larger idea presented in this narrative aside from, "Love, you know, it's complicated."
This is not why I gave YA books another chance. ...more
DNF
This is my first DNF and it made me so sad but I won't force myself to read something I don't care at all. There are better books that I want to read. I try but I couldn't even finish a page without losing complete interest.
I read a little bit more than half of the book so I'll put it as read.
If you didn't get it i didn't like this book ...more
This is my first DNF and it made me so sad but I won't force myself to read something I don't care at all. There are better books that I want to read. I try but I couldn't even finish a page without losing complete interest.
I read a little bit more than half of the book so I'll put it as read.
If you didn't get it i didn't like this book ...more
"On his own, Dave was a bit of a neat freak. But when Julia was nearby, messes seemed beautiful, life's untidiness easier to comprehend."
This was my first Adi Alsaid book and overall I enjoyed reading about the rollercoaster that was Dave and Julia's friendship. I'm generally pretty on the fence with these sorts of books as they tend to have a ton of high school cliches and whatnot but that was sort of the beauty within this story. The cliches were put to good use as Dave and Julia navigated the ...more
This was my first Adi Alsaid book and overall I enjoyed reading about the rollercoaster that was Dave and Julia's friendship. I'm generally pretty on the fence with these sorts of books as they tend to have a ton of high school cliches and whatnot but that was sort of the beauty within this story. The cliches were put to good use as Dave and Julia navigated the ...more
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
I had really high expectation for this book. Adi Alsaid's last book, Let's Get Lost, was phenomenal. It was fun, heartbreaking, and I adored it. So, of course, I was excited for more brilliance from Adi Alsaid, but this book wasn't what I was expecting. It's a good book and I like it, but it's not a 'new' book and certainly wasn't the funny, unique book I was expecting.
Dave and Julia are best friends and at the start of hig ...more
MY THOUGHTS
I had really high expectation for this book. Adi Alsaid's last book, Let's Get Lost, was phenomenal. It was fun, heartbreaking, and I adored it. So, of course, I was excited for more brilliance from Adi Alsaid, but this book wasn't what I was expecting. It's a good book and I like it, but it's not a 'new' book and certainly wasn't the funny, unique book I was expecting.
Dave and Julia are best friends and at the start of hig ...more
Never Always Sometimes was just the kind of book I needed. I needed something to read during my slow lazy days and I think this one fit. During the first few chapters, I was a bit bored but the story was really interesting and the characters were both lovely. As the story progressed, I became more hooked. Adi Alsaid’s magical writing style, I guess.
Dave and Julia are best friends who decided to make a list of Nevers, things that they would never ever do. Dave has been in love with Julia for a lo ...more
Dave and Julia are best friends who decided to make a list of Nevers, things that they would never ever do. Dave has been in love with Julia for a lo ...more
I laughed.
I cried.
I would have given it 5 stars.
Except that my ship died.
Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
I cried.
I would have given it 5 stars.
Except that my ship died.
Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
I don't know about you, folks, but I actually liked this one.
At first, it did seem ironic that the premise of this book was about two teenagers with Special Snowflake Syndrome (basically people who go against the grain and think they're better than everyone else because of it) doing every high school cliche near the end of their senior year when this was already such a cliche in itself, but as my reading progressed, I started to disagree.
My interpretation of this book was that Alsaid took some c ...more
At first, it did seem ironic that the premise of this book was about two teenagers with Special Snowflake Syndrome (basically people who go against the grain and think they're better than everyone else because of it) doing every high school cliche near the end of their senior year when this was already such a cliche in itself, but as my reading progressed, I started to disagree.
My interpretation of this book was that Alsaid took some c ...more
Hands down my favorite part of this book is the wonderful banter and chemistry (friend chemistry or romantic chemistry – both were wonderful) between Dave and Julia. I laughed out loud SO MANY times. They got along so well and had so many silly inside jokes that I fell in love with them right away. My favorite part was how Julia kept calling Dave by any name except for his actual one (Dave Gutierrez turns to David Beth Kacinski or David Babycakes Howard or David Sporkful McGee – definitely the s
...more
This book was so great but I'm so angry at Dave!! Full review to come.
Never Always Sometimes is the perfect summer year. It follows two characters, Julia and Dave, who have just started their senior year of high school. The two of them have been best friends for the longest time, and a few years ago they had created a list of Nevers that they had to follow throughout high school. After one of them finds it, they decide that with their last year of school, they should completely do all of the Ne ...more
Never Always Sometimes is the perfect summer year. It follows two characters, Julia and Dave, who have just started their senior year of high school. The two of them have been best friends for the longest time, and a few years ago they had created a list of Nevers that they had to follow throughout high school. After one of them finds it, they decide that with their last year of school, they should completely do all of the Ne ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy for Young A...: Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid → Start Date: September 6, 2015 | 27 | 49 | May 30, 2016 02:48PM | |
| Young Adult Conte...: #8 Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid | 2 | 16 | May 20, 2016 04:19AM | |
| ..: Never Always Sometimes | Discussion | 28 | 130 | Mar 03, 2016 12:59PM | |
| ..: The List aka The Nevers | 13 | 46 | Feb 18, 2016 04:46PM | |
| ..: Never Always Sometimes | Discussion (Pages 1 - 100) | 8 | 57 | Feb 18, 2016 01:17PM | |
| ..: High School Cliches | 5 | 44 | Feb 18, 2016 09:17AM |
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Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, where he now lives, writes, and spills hot sauce on things. He's the author of several YA novels including LET'S GET LOST, NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES, and NORTH OF HAPPY.
...more
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