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Before Goodbye
Music means more than anything to high school student Cate Reese; it’s also what unites her with Cal Woods. Devoted classical guitar players, Cate and Cal are childhood friends newly smitten by love—until a devastating car accident rips Cal out of Cate’s life forever. Blaming herself for the horrific tragedy and struggling to surface from her despair, Cate spirals downhill in a desperate attempt to ease her pain.
Fellow student David Bennet might look like the school’s golden boy, but underneath the surface the popular athlete battles demons of his own. Racked with survivor’s guilt after his brother’s suicide, things get worse when tragedy darkens his world again—but connecting with Cate, his sister’s longtime babysitter, starts bringing the light back in.
As Cate and David grow closer, the two shattered teenagers learn to examine the pieces of their lives…and, together, find a way to be whole again.
Fellow student David Bennet might look like the school’s golden boy, but underneath the surface the popular athlete battles demons of his own. Racked with survivor’s guilt after his brother’s suicide, things get worse when tragedy darkens his world again—but connecting with Cate, his sister’s longtime babysitter, starts bringing the light back in.
As Cate and David grow closer, the two shattered teenagers learn to examine the pieces of their lives…and, together, find a way to be whole again.
399 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
About the author
Mimi Cross
2 books94 followersBorn in Toronto, Canada, Mimi Cross is an author, singer, and songwriter who grew up by the beach in New Jersey. She received a Bachelor of Music from Ithaca College and an MA from NYU with an emphasis on vocal jazz. She worked briefly in the music industry and has shared the bill with many outstanding musicians including Sting and Bruce Springsteen. Her songs have been used in independent films, and TV shows.
Mimi lives with her son and a Siberian cat nicknamed The Dark Knight. Her first two novels are Before Goodbye, which became an RWA Rita Award finalist for Best First Book, and Shining Sea.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
January 1, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
This is my first kindle first pick of the month book and I thought this book sounded really good.
I loved how the author wrote a lot of the book almost like poetry. I did think the book was a bit long for me and I love big books, but in this case I don't think it was needed.
Cate and Cal play classical guitars together, Cate is in love with Cal, or so she thinks. Then one night there is a fateful car crash where Cal dies. (This is not a spoiler, it's on the book description.) Cate blames Cal's death on herself because she didn't tell him to slow down. Cate has a very hard time with this as her and Cal were friends since they were little. She goes on a very downward spiral.
Cate also babysits a little girl named Kimmy. There is also Bryn and David that are sister and brother to Kimmy. Cate has known David for years but never really talked to him because he was always the player jock, then something happens to him and they start to notice each other in small ways. ----> This is NOT an insta love story or a love triangle.
----> DAVID <----
But my eyes have been on the wrong things. The prizes...are not what I want.
And maybe it's because I hang back now, watching, that I see her. If I were still a blur of motion: football, track, grades, girls--girls, girls, girls--I would've missed her.
She's like...a still point.
All around her, the world twists and turns, but she is still. Like the horizon.
♣♣♣♣♣
----> Cate <----
"Because I'm at your house practically every day?" And because...The afternoon light slants through windows set high on the walls, hitting his eyes. Because of that, the golden spill of honey in your eyes. God, what's wrong with me?
There are a lot of other characters that play key roles in the book. Cate's best friend is having problems with her girlfriend who is a jerk. David is having trouble with an old friend of his that he just wants to strangle. We have drugs, rape, murder (which wasn't dwelled on too much, but they deserved it anyway), dysfunctional families, bands, love, music, music, music. The book has a lot going on, from one thing to the next. Some moments I wanted to give it 4 stars but then I would be back down to 3. I liked it good enough, but there were just too many details of random things throwing me off so it's a solid 3. I did fall in love with the writing style though..anything that reads like a lyrical soul is awesome. Yep, I made that up :-)
The ending was decent enough, some things came together for each person.
This is my first kindle first pick of the month book and I thought this book sounded really good.
I loved how the author wrote a lot of the book almost like poetry. I did think the book was a bit long for me and I love big books, but in this case I don't think it was needed.
Cate and Cal play classical guitars together, Cate is in love with Cal, or so she thinks. Then one night there is a fateful car crash where Cal dies. (This is not a spoiler, it's on the book description.) Cate blames Cal's death on herself because she didn't tell him to slow down. Cate has a very hard time with this as her and Cal were friends since they were little. She goes on a very downward spiral.
Cate also babysits a little girl named Kimmy. There is also Bryn and David that are sister and brother to Kimmy. Cate has known David for years but never really talked to him because he was always the player jock, then something happens to him and they start to notice each other in small ways. ----> This is NOT an insta love story or a love triangle.
----> DAVID <----
But my eyes have been on the wrong things. The prizes...are not what I want.
And maybe it's because I hang back now, watching, that I see her. If I were still a blur of motion: football, track, grades, girls--girls, girls, girls--I would've missed her.
She's like...a still point.
All around her, the world twists and turns, but she is still. Like the horizon.
♣♣♣♣♣
----> Cate <----
"Because I'm at your house practically every day?" And because...The afternoon light slants through windows set high on the walls, hitting his eyes. Because of that, the golden spill of honey in your eyes. God, what's wrong with me?
There are a lot of other characters that play key roles in the book. Cate's best friend is having problems with her girlfriend who is a jerk. David is having trouble with an old friend of his that he just wants to strangle. We have drugs, rape, murder (which wasn't dwelled on too much, but they deserved it anyway), dysfunctional families, bands, love, music, music, music. The book has a lot going on, from one thing to the next. Some moments I wanted to give it 4 stars but then I would be back down to 3. I liked it good enough, but there were just too many details of random things throwing me off so it's a solid 3. I did fall in love with the writing style though..anything that reads like a lyrical soul is awesome. Yep, I made that up :-)
The ending was decent enough, some things came together for each person.
January 1, 2016
2.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley.)
This wasn’t a bad book, but it was long, and I lost interest.
We had two main characters in this book – Cate dealing with her boyfriend’s death, and David who was dealing with his brother’s suicide, but to be honest I didn’t really connect with them or feel anything for them at all.
The storyline in this was basically about Cate and David’s lives, and I just lost interest, I didn’t care what was happening to them, and I didn’t care what would happen next. The romance was almost non-existent, and the pace just made this book drag and drag.
Trigger warning – rape and suicide.
5 out of 10
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley.)
This wasn’t a bad book, but it was long, and I lost interest.
We had two main characters in this book – Cate dealing with her boyfriend’s death, and David who was dealing with his brother’s suicide, but to be honest I didn’t really connect with them or feel anything for them at all.
The storyline in this was basically about Cate and David’s lives, and I just lost interest, I didn’t care what was happening to them, and I didn’t care what would happen next. The romance was almost non-existent, and the pace just made this book drag and drag.
Trigger warning – rape and suicide.
5 out of 10
January 30, 2016
3.5 stars
YA novel--Cate and David are drawn together by music and loss. I liked the characters, but the ending seems underdeveloped and the timeline of the narrative is somewhat confusing.
YA novel--Cate and David are drawn together by music and loss. I liked the characters, but the ending seems underdeveloped and the timeline of the narrative is somewhat confusing.
July 31, 2017
1.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: I finished this and questioned what the heck I just read. It was all over the place! The author obviously knows her music, because at times it was so focused on the music aspects that I felt lost (or bored). The h and H were "in love", but I didn't get it at all. The little bit of interaction that we experienced with them was cute, but I felt like we got more interaction between the h and Cal or even Dale (the musician she meets later in the book). I didn't feel any connection with them, and the ending was so abrupt! I was frustrated because they finally got together and then the book was done! I guess we were required to just imagine how they fell in love so strongly that it would live through all the drama we read about without them ever being together in any way other than maybe friends...I guess my imagination sucks because I didn't get it. I almost added it to my dnf shelf so many times, but with it being the December kindle freebie I felt like it'd be good to get an accurate review out (especially since there aren't any right now).
Brief Summary of the Storyline: I'm not going to be able to give a really good synopsis because it seemed to be just all over the place. This is Cate and David's story (I guess), but I'd probably call it more like Cate's story. We start with them separate. Cate is with her long time friend, Cal, at a music clinic and feelings are seeming to move from friendly to something more. David is on a kayaking trip. Cate babysits for David's little sister and practically lives at their house. David is a senior and she is a sophomore, and they have always talked in the past but David was the stereotypical superstar jock. They bond over the summer when David is recovering from an accident on his trip . Later Cate has a car accident , and she spirals out of control. There is some issues with friends, drugs, another jock date-raping girls, suicide, addiction, domestic violence, negligent parents...but the couple get their HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Cate and David's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Not so great. It jumps all over the place in time with some flashback type scenes that make it confusing at times. I skimmed some at the beginning, and the ending was really abrupt to where I was thinking...that was it?!?
Instalove:No. I wouldn't call this instalove even though I didn't get their connection.
H rating: 2 stars. David. He was really struggling with his Dad's pressure, and he turned to meaningless sex to escape it. I had big issues with his last hook-up scene, because he had been berating himself in his inner dialogue about how he wasn't going to be that guy anymore -- but he still did it!
h rating: 3 stars. Cate. She was strong for David at the beginning, but then she falls apart. I really didn't find her all that likeable, just kind of meh.
Sadness level: Moderate. I didn't need tissues at all, but I can see where someone might.
Heat level: Low. I didn't even feel any tension with the h and H.
Descriptive sex: No. Some mentions then fade to black.
Safe sex: I guess. The mention of the H having sex implied the use of a condom (small rectangle, foil tearing, etc.).
OW/OM drama:
Sex scene with OW or OM:
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: Not even close to enough closure for me. It ended abruptly, and I needed more. If this was a romance between Cate and David...I'm confused because we didn't even experience their date. I would call it a HFN ending.
How I got it: It was part of the "kindle first" as a perk of having Amazon prime membership.
Overall Opinion: I finished this and questioned what the heck I just read. It was all over the place! The author obviously knows her music, because at times it was so focused on the music aspects that I felt lost (or bored). The h and H were "in love", but I didn't get it at all. The little bit of interaction that we experienced with them was cute, but I felt like we got more interaction between the h and Cal or even Dale (the musician she meets later in the book). I didn't feel any connection with them, and the ending was so abrupt! I was frustrated because they finally got together and then the book was done! I guess we were required to just imagine how they fell in love so strongly that it would live through all the drama we read about without them ever being together in any way other than maybe friends...I guess my imagination sucks because I didn't get it. I almost added it to my dnf shelf so many times, but with it being the December kindle freebie I felt like it'd be good to get an accurate review out (especially since there aren't any right now).
Brief Summary of the Storyline: I'm not going to be able to give a really good synopsis because it seemed to be just all over the place. This is Cate and David's story (I guess), but I'd probably call it more like Cate's story. We start with them separate. Cate is with her long time friend, Cal, at a music clinic and feelings are seeming to move from friendly to something more. David is on a kayaking trip. Cate babysits for David's little sister and practically lives at their house. David is a senior and she is a sophomore, and they have always talked in the past but David was the stereotypical superstar jock. They bond over the summer when David is recovering from an accident on his trip . Later Cate has a car accident , and she spirals out of control. There is some issues with friends, drugs, another jock date-raping girls, suicide, addiction, domestic violence, negligent parents...but the couple get their HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Cate and David's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Not so great. It jumps all over the place in time with some flashback type scenes that make it confusing at times. I skimmed some at the beginning, and the ending was really abrupt to where I was thinking...that was it?!?
Instalove:No. I wouldn't call this instalove even though I didn't get their connection.
H rating: 2 stars. David. He was really struggling with his Dad's pressure, and he turned to meaningless sex to escape it. I had big issues with his last hook-up scene, because he had been berating himself in his inner dialogue about how he wasn't going to be that guy anymore -- but he still did it!
h rating: 3 stars. Cate. She was strong for David at the beginning, but then she falls apart. I really didn't find her all that likeable, just kind of meh.
Sadness level: Moderate. I didn't need tissues at all, but I can see where someone might.
Heat level: Low. I didn't even feel any tension with the h and H.
Descriptive sex: No. Some mentions then fade to black.
Safe sex: I guess. The mention of the H having sex implied the use of a condom (small rectangle, foil tearing, etc.).
OW/OM drama:
Sex scene with OW or OM:
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: Not even close to enough closure for me. It ended abruptly, and I needed more. If this was a romance between Cate and David...I'm confused because we didn't even experience their date. I would call it a HFN ending.
How I got it: It was part of the "kindle first" as a perk of having Amazon prime membership.
December 7, 2015
Grade: D
After Cate's longtime friend and new possible love interest dies in a car accident she blames herself and turns to drugs. Even though David's brother committed suicide years ago, he still blames himself. A former athlete, he never expects to fall for his little sister's babysitter, Cate, a classical guitarist. Does this unlikely couple have a chance?
A writer once told me, you write your first draft for yourself, the rest you write with the reader in mind. I don't think debut author Mimi Cross got this memo. If she had, she wouldn't have bogged down the story with unnecessary guitar information that had nothing to do with the characters or plot. There were times the storytelling digressed into information dumps.
At times BEFORE GOODBYE tries to be an issue book, but what issue? There are so many issues crammed into this book most are just glossed over with simple or cop out solutions as if they were props on a stage.
BEFORE GOODBYE is narrated in alternating chapters between Cate and David, although the voice between each is indistinguishable. The story jumped around from past to present at times it was a hot mess.
THEMES: music, suicide, rape, romance, dating, LBGT, homophobia, physical abuse, drugs, grief
I'd have a hard time recommending BEFORE GOODBYE to just about anyone except guitarists, perhaps.
After Cate's longtime friend and new possible love interest dies in a car accident she blames herself and turns to drugs. Even though David's brother committed suicide years ago, he still blames himself. A former athlete, he never expects to fall for his little sister's babysitter, Cate, a classical guitarist. Does this unlikely couple have a chance?
A writer once told me, you write your first draft for yourself, the rest you write with the reader in mind. I don't think debut author Mimi Cross got this memo. If she had, she wouldn't have bogged down the story with unnecessary guitar information that had nothing to do with the characters or plot. There were times the storytelling digressed into information dumps.
At times BEFORE GOODBYE tries to be an issue book, but what issue? There are so many issues crammed into this book most are just glossed over with simple or cop out solutions as if they were props on a stage.
BEFORE GOODBYE is narrated in alternating chapters between Cate and David, although the voice between each is indistinguishable. The story jumped around from past to present at times it was a hot mess.
THEMES: music, suicide, rape, romance, dating, LBGT, homophobia, physical abuse, drugs, grief
I'd have a hard time recommending BEFORE GOODBYE to just about anyone except guitarists, perhaps.
December 9, 2015
I've never been more in love with a young-adult reluctant romance story as Before Goodbye. I read it in a 12-hour binge even with numerous canine interruptions. I had a specific girl in mind when I read the story and not the one on the cover; mine was very edgy lol.
Read this book and fall in love all over again!
Read this book and fall in love all over again!
December 3, 2015
Beautifully written
There is music and poetry in the writing. The drama and angst and deep thoughts of teenage discovery. The crippling emotion of terrible trauma. Fans of Katie McGarry and Abbi Glines will love this. It is the book If I Stay and Where She Went were hyped to be.
There is music and poetry in the writing. The drama and angst and deep thoughts of teenage discovery. The crippling emotion of terrible trauma. Fans of Katie McGarry and Abbi Glines will love this. It is the book If I Stay and Where She Went were hyped to be.
Shelved as 'abandoned'
January 27, 2016Well, I tried for sixteen days--sixteen days--and I can't bring myself to get back to this book when I've only finished roughly a quarter of it. The characters are lackluster and the narrative has so much going on--first love, deadly car crash, suicide, child abuse, rape, survivor's guilt, and even more than that--that it can't give the full attention necessary to any of those issues.
Some teens do have to deal with all these things at once, but books that work well and touch more people typically go for the suggestion of realism, not full-on realism. You don't read many books with characters that have long pauses and likes of "like" and "um" usage in their dialogue, right? That's because readers don't want that level of realism. It makes books so much more difficult to read. Writers find the words trapped in the storm of their reader's head and write them in a way that clears the reader's mental storm away. They find a way to put how you feel into words that you couldn't find yourself.
Cross's way of putting words together really brings out the brilliance in the mundane, the important moments in the little things we do and say, but her characters are too weak to carry the story and there's just too much going on. I'm out.
Some teens do have to deal with all these things at once, but books that work well and touch more people typically go for the suggestion of realism, not full-on realism. You don't read many books with characters that have long pauses and likes of "like" and "um" usage in their dialogue, right? That's because readers don't want that level of realism. It makes books so much more difficult to read. Writers find the words trapped in the storm of their reader's head and write them in a way that clears the reader's mental storm away. They find a way to put how you feel into words that you couldn't find yourself.
Cross's way of putting words together really brings out the brilliance in the mundane, the important moments in the little things we do and say, but her characters are too weak to carry the story and there's just too much going on. I'm out.
March 23, 2016
Before Goodbye by Mimi Cross is a new young adult novel about music, romance, and grief-induced addiction; it will cross over well to an adult audience. After her musical muse dies in a car crash, Cate can no longer play the classical guitar. This 16-year-old sophomore seeks escape in the foggy stupor of Ketamine. David, an 18-year-old wounded athlete, uses sex like a drug to forget the pain of his brother's suicide. These two troubled teens from dysfunctional families bond over their love of indie music. Their dark romance is told in alternating voices and is set in a posh New Jersey suburb.
What makes Before Goodbye special is the musician-author's knowledge of music and her lyrical writing style. The words sing from the page, begging for guitar accompaniment. I often paused to read lines out loud, to hear their rhythm. My teenage daughter is a singer/songwriter so I related to that part of the narrative on a personal level. The book was at its strongest when music found symbolic resonance in the plot and in Cate's character development:
"I do not play the instrument; I am the instrument. I serve. My fingers move up and down the fretboard, skip, skip, skip across the strings..."
"I put the guitar away, wondering suddenly as I do, what it would feel like to never take it out again. To close the case forever, like a coffin."
"Snow doesn't produce a sound. Rather it emits stillness. Cate's stillness is not so different, and like the snow, that still aspect of her, I'm starting to understand, has to do with something frozen."
This gorgeous, engrossing novel suffers a bit from a typical debut problem: plot sprawl. There are enough subplots and messed up characters for a full season of a teen melodrama: two accidental deaths, two suicides, child abuse and neglect, depression, alcoholism, rape and homophobia on top of drug and sex addiction. Juxtaposition dilutes the emotional impact of these tragic issues and makes the story less plausible. The author does an admirable job delving deep into all of them, which resulted in a 400-page tome. Most contemporary YA is closer to 300 pages and is faster paced, especially in the opening chapters. Cross's novel would have been stronger for focusing more exclusively on the central plot without so many diversions. Even so, I stayed up late reading and look forward to more from this promising new author.
Given the edgy content, I would only recommend Before Goodbye to mature teens (16 and up) and to adults. The Maine Writer's panel on YA Today (last week's blog post) predicted more young adult books geared for older teens to accommodate adult readers (who comprise 80% of the market), and this is a fine example of the emerging trend. Cross covers a lot of contentious issues, but her novel includes consequences and learning. If my child were reading this book, I'd want to read along with her/him. Hopefully this dark story will open discussion on risky behavior. The author's acknowledgement ends with links to organizations supporting victims of rape, drug addiction, and domestic violence. Before Goodbye is a bold debut.
You can find my full review with snowy photos on my blog: http://blog.sarahlaurence.com/2016/03...
What makes Before Goodbye special is the musician-author's knowledge of music and her lyrical writing style. The words sing from the page, begging for guitar accompaniment. I often paused to read lines out loud, to hear their rhythm. My teenage daughter is a singer/songwriter so I related to that part of the narrative on a personal level. The book was at its strongest when music found symbolic resonance in the plot and in Cate's character development:
"I do not play the instrument; I am the instrument. I serve. My fingers move up and down the fretboard, skip, skip, skip across the strings..."
"I put the guitar away, wondering suddenly as I do, what it would feel like to never take it out again. To close the case forever, like a coffin."
"Snow doesn't produce a sound. Rather it emits stillness. Cate's stillness is not so different, and like the snow, that still aspect of her, I'm starting to understand, has to do with something frozen."
This gorgeous, engrossing novel suffers a bit from a typical debut problem: plot sprawl. There are enough subplots and messed up characters for a full season of a teen melodrama: two accidental deaths, two suicides, child abuse and neglect, depression, alcoholism, rape and homophobia on top of drug and sex addiction. Juxtaposition dilutes the emotional impact of these tragic issues and makes the story less plausible. The author does an admirable job delving deep into all of them, which resulted in a 400-page tome. Most contemporary YA is closer to 300 pages and is faster paced, especially in the opening chapters. Cross's novel would have been stronger for focusing more exclusively on the central plot without so many diversions. Even so, I stayed up late reading and look forward to more from this promising new author.
Given the edgy content, I would only recommend Before Goodbye to mature teens (16 and up) and to adults. The Maine Writer's panel on YA Today (last week's blog post) predicted more young adult books geared for older teens to accommodate adult readers (who comprise 80% of the market), and this is a fine example of the emerging trend. Cross covers a lot of contentious issues, but her novel includes consequences and learning. If my child were reading this book, I'd want to read along with her/him. Hopefully this dark story will open discussion on risky behavior. The author's acknowledgement ends with links to organizations supporting victims of rape, drug addiction, and domestic violence. Before Goodbye is a bold debut.
You can find my full review with snowy photos on my blog: http://blog.sarahlaurence.com/2016/03...
December 27, 2015
I am so glad I chose this as my Kindle First book this month. Not only did I get to read a great book, I also got to know an intriguing new author. I cannot wait to see what else Mimi Cross will do in the writing world.
I had a hard time deciding on 4 or 5 stars. This story is perfect in every way, there were just some writing points that bothered me. While I found the writing beautiful and almost poetic most of the time, there were other times I felt the author was trying to hard. The prose would be flowing so smoothly and a complicated word would be thrown in. I have a pretty extensive vocabulary and it's not often a word trips me up, but it happened a couple times in this book. No big deal if the words were used because there was no other word to use, but that wasn't the case. So it tended to come across as pretentious. Ultimately, I'm chalking it up to a newer writer giving in to the urge to overwrite here and there. The wonderful story cannot be overshadowed by a few big words.
Both the hero and heroine, David and Kate, really tugged at my heartstrings. As a mom of teenagers myself, I wanted to gather them both up and bring them home with me where they could get the love and attention they needed and deserved. Also, the feelings and dynamic between the two really rang true to me.
Not only did the H and h have important stories to tell, but so did many of the peripheral characters. And I enjoyed them just as much. Not in a fun and light way, these were serious issues. But on a deep and thoughtful level.
Often while reading books like this I wonder what is and is not appropriate for teenagers to read. This book would, in my opinion, be okay for older teens. In fact, it may help some teens to understand their own feelings better.
I had a hard time deciding on 4 or 5 stars. This story is perfect in every way, there were just some writing points that bothered me. While I found the writing beautiful and almost poetic most of the time, there were other times I felt the author was trying to hard. The prose would be flowing so smoothly and a complicated word would be thrown in. I have a pretty extensive vocabulary and it's not often a word trips me up, but it happened a couple times in this book. No big deal if the words were used because there was no other word to use, but that wasn't the case. So it tended to come across as pretentious. Ultimately, I'm chalking it up to a newer writer giving in to the urge to overwrite here and there. The wonderful story cannot be overshadowed by a few big words.
Both the hero and heroine, David and Kate, really tugged at my heartstrings. As a mom of teenagers myself, I wanted to gather them both up and bring them home with me where they could get the love and attention they needed and deserved. Also, the feelings and dynamic between the two really rang true to me.
Not only did the H and h have important stories to tell, but so did many of the peripheral characters. And I enjoyed them just as much. Not in a fun and light way, these were serious issues. But on a deep and thoughtful level.
Often while reading books like this I wonder what is and is not appropriate for teenagers to read. This book would, in my opinion, be okay for older teens. In fact, it may help some teens to understand their own feelings better.
March 10, 2017
2.5 stars
The story was all over the place, especially with the random flashbacks that are not really identified as flashbacks. Also, I really couldn't care less about either Cate or David and did not really see the supposed chemistry between them.
The author tried to handle issues like sexual assault, suicide, and teenage drug use, but because she tries to cover all of them, she really doesn't do justice to any of them. She even tries to have a female/female relationship, but again, does not really do it justice.
It was pretty cool to read the music scenes as it is clear that music is something that the author is passionate about. But other than that, I just wasn't very interested. And there were several plot points that I had a very hard time buying *cough* Bryn's involvement with a crime going unnoticed and unreported by anyone *cough*.
This book also had the wonderful *sarcasm* trope of YA books having non-existent as well as abusive parents. I'm really really tired of this and I wish it would stop.
Also, the amount of times the author used ellipses was rather annoying.
Overall, I was rather bored with this and I'm glad that I got it through Kindle First since it means I didn't have to pay for it.
The story was all over the place, especially with the random flashbacks that are not really identified as flashbacks. Also, I really couldn't care less about either Cate or David and did not really see the supposed chemistry between them.
The author tried to handle issues like sexual assault, suicide, and teenage drug use, but because she tries to cover all of them, she really doesn't do justice to any of them. She even tries to have a female/female relationship, but again, does not really do it justice.
It was pretty cool to read the music scenes as it is clear that music is something that the author is passionate about. But other than that, I just wasn't very interested. And there were several plot points that I had a very hard time buying *cough* Bryn's involvement with a crime going unnoticed and unreported by anyone *cough*.
This book also had the wonderful *sarcasm* trope of YA books having non-existent as well as abusive parents. I'm really really tired of this and I wish it would stop.
Also, the amount of times the author used ellipses was rather annoying.
Overall, I was rather bored with this and I'm glad that I got it through Kindle First since it means I didn't have to pay for it.
February 19, 2016
Cate Reese, high school classical musician, finds herself in love with her childhood friend, wunderkind guitarist Cal Woods. Just as they both realize this new relationship, tragedy strikes and Cal is gone. Popular boy, David Bennet. has ghosts of his own. The collision of Cate and David's lives lies at the heart of this poetically written, wrenching story. Young love, drugs, regret, family dynamics....This story takes on a so much that will resonate with teen and older readers, and does it well. Throughout, there is MUSIC. As someone who spends every summer on the fringes of a classical music festival filled with young people, this narrative seemed oh so true to life. As a public school teacher, I cheered Cate and David's struggles to grow up and become their most authentic selves. I will be sure to place this book in the hands of my more mature readers. It is both a cautionary tale and a story of triumph. Mimi Cross can write!
December 24, 2015
Not what I expected
Wow. So this story was a thrill ride I did not expect. The writing is lovely like a painting, and the characters are real. I love that we didn't not need the details of the tragic events but instead got to the emotions of the events. The ann you for a great book.
Wow. So this story was a thrill ride I did not expect. The writing is lovely like a painting, and the characters are real. I love that we didn't not need the details of the tragic events but instead got to the emotions of the events. The ann you for a great book.
June 29, 2017
Reviewed for Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. (Yes, I'm completely geeking out over getting to be a guest reviewer!)
March 15, 2021
Very fast read - couldn't put it down. Lots going on in the book, although it took me a few chapters to really care about the characters. Certainly triggers: suicide & adolescent death are the key ones. Word smithery is impressive & characters are believable -- except maybe the protagonist's popularity with so many cute high school guys while she is a bit of an outlier is hard for this reader to fully believe. (Maybe that's my problem lol)
Agree with another reviewer who said she did not picture the protagonist as the cover depicted on the book did.
Regardless, fully enjoyed the book - great YA read. It felt like watching a movie - lots of action and likeable characters.
Agree with another reviewer who said she did not picture the protagonist as the cover depicted on the book did.
Regardless, fully enjoyed the book - great YA read. It felt like watching a movie - lots of action and likeable characters.
December 9, 2015
I'm sad to see that this book has such a low average rating so far -- hopefully that will change upon official release. I thought upon reading the blurb and checking out some initial feedback that it might be a miss for me, but as it was free through Kindle First, I really had nothing to lose by giving it a chance.
It required some perseverance to make it through the first bit of the book and really get into the meat of it, but boy am I glad that I stuck it out. The writing was surprisingly nuanced and artfully crafted. This author knows words. And for my part, I really enjoyed the host of characters. They made the world real, and the situation, too, with just enough time, importance, and dedication assigned to each based on their actual relevance to Cate and David. I think that's what strikes me as what's best about this book: there is inherent balance. For example, instead of turning Cate's sour relationship with her parents into an angst-driven sobfest, it is depicted for what it is and is given no more or less attention than it deserves -- something far greater has broken her: the death of someone she thought she loved.
Do I find the characters and their choices personally relatable? No, not really. I'm your typical straight-as-an-arrow goody-two-shoes well-behaved sort that tends not to do much of anything wrong and is very calculated in making those rare, far between choices to deviate otherwise. But I did certainly latch onto all that Cate and David figure out about themselves through the course of this story, and that's the other element that really made it worth my time to read. For instance, I knew immediately at the beginning that it was not Cal that Cate was in love with -- she was in love with his music, with the idea of him. And I kept that in mind, hoping that the author would deliver on this by developing Cate enough to have her realize this on her own. She does, eventually, after lots of trial-and-error, lots of second-guessing. And that's exactly how it goes, in life, save for those random bolts of clarity that one should be very careful about overusing in any book.
Overall a great book with good balance and a non-preachy approach to some really big issues. Brava!
It required some perseverance to make it through the first bit of the book and really get into the meat of it, but boy am I glad that I stuck it out. The writing was surprisingly nuanced and artfully crafted. This author knows words. And for my part, I really enjoyed the host of characters. They made the world real, and the situation, too, with just enough time, importance, and dedication assigned to each based on their actual relevance to Cate and David. I think that's what strikes me as what's best about this book: there is inherent balance. For example, instead of turning Cate's sour relationship with her parents into an angst-driven sobfest, it is depicted for what it is and is given no more or less attention than it deserves -- something far greater has broken her: the death of someone she thought she loved.
Do I find the characters and their choices personally relatable? No, not really. I'm your typical straight-as-an-arrow goody-two-shoes well-behaved sort that tends not to do much of anything wrong and is very calculated in making those rare, far between choices to deviate otherwise. But I did certainly latch onto all that Cate and David figure out about themselves through the course of this story, and that's the other element that really made it worth my time to read. For instance, I knew immediately at the beginning that it was not Cal that Cate was in love with -- she was in love with his music, with the idea of him. And I kept that in mind, hoping that the author would deliver on this by developing Cate enough to have her realize this on her own. She does, eventually, after lots of trial-and-error, lots of second-guessing. And that's exactly how it goes, in life, save for those random bolts of clarity that one should be very careful about overusing in any book.
Overall a great book with good balance and a non-preachy approach to some really big issues. Brava!
December 4, 2015
much better than the "Before I Go" clone I was afraid it might be
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this as the blurb sounded so much like Before I Go: musician, car accident, loss, grief, huge decision making.... It actually isn't much like that other book at all. For one thing, the story is much more complicated, as there are two people struggling here, David and Cate. Then, too, a big part of the story is violence and the other ways people hurt one another, about being a victim and being complicit when we choose not to see what's happening, or not to stop it. There's a lot of choosing not to see in the book, from Cate's parents not knowing who she is; to Laurel, Cate's friend, not wanting to know her girlfriend is not a decent human being; to David, not able to acknowledge that he is responsible for how he treats the girls he sleeps with. A lot of heavy dark stuff in the book--from neglect to abuse to rape to drug addiction--but it definitely ends in a hopeful place. Well written, lots of things to think on further. I took off a star mostly because I felt the Cate of the last part of the book appeared out thin air. The writer didn't do enough to make me trust how Cate went from addict to success, or even from addict to deciding to quit. The depiction of her in crisis just wasn't persuasive enough, or maybe I just didn't see why this experience changed her mind about taking K when none of the others had.
At any rate a very good book, clearly written by a real musician, as the parts of the book about music and songwriting were both fascinating and rich in meaning.
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this as the blurb sounded so much like Before I Go: musician, car accident, loss, grief, huge decision making.... It actually isn't much like that other book at all. For one thing, the story is much more complicated, as there are two people struggling here, David and Cate. Then, too, a big part of the story is violence and the other ways people hurt one another, about being a victim and being complicit when we choose not to see what's happening, or not to stop it. There's a lot of choosing not to see in the book, from Cate's parents not knowing who she is; to Laurel, Cate's friend, not wanting to know her girlfriend is not a decent human being; to David, not able to acknowledge that he is responsible for how he treats the girls he sleeps with. A lot of heavy dark stuff in the book--from neglect to abuse to rape to drug addiction--but it definitely ends in a hopeful place. Well written, lots of things to think on further. I took off a star mostly because I felt the Cate of the last part of the book appeared out thin air. The writer didn't do enough to make me trust how Cate went from addict to success, or even from addict to deciding to quit. The depiction of her in crisis just wasn't persuasive enough, or maybe I just didn't see why this experience changed her mind about taking K when none of the others had.
At any rate a very good book, clearly written by a real musician, as the parts of the book about music and songwriting were both fascinating and rich in meaning.
December 30, 2015
Aspiring musician and song writer Cate hopes to one day make a career of music. After a summer internship in NY City shadowing the talented Cal, her musical future seems certain. But when Cate loses Cal in a car accident, she blames herself and looks for a way to block out the pain of the accident. And past hurts and pain as well. When her own music no longer works, she enters a slippery world of drugs.
David Bennett – jock, mover, and big brother to Cate’s babysitting charge Kimmy – had a bright future as well. Following in his big brother’s footsteps. That was David’s father’s plan. But after David’s summer in Canada, and the unspeakable loss that occurred there, David is tired of pretending. He wants something different.
As the familiar worlds Cate and David knew begin to crumble around them, will they stop pushing each other away? Will they find each other – and the peace and love they are both looking for?
This is a well-written story with plenty of page turning angst and drama. The tough themes of sexual abuse, drugs, and domestic violence are presented in thought provoking ways and not glorified. The author lets the reader decide how to handle these life changing decisions. It is a story where learning to forgive and love yourself opens the door to a future of hope and possibility.
David Bennett – jock, mover, and big brother to Cate’s babysitting charge Kimmy – had a bright future as well. Following in his big brother’s footsteps. That was David’s father’s plan. But after David’s summer in Canada, and the unspeakable loss that occurred there, David is tired of pretending. He wants something different.
As the familiar worlds Cate and David knew begin to crumble around them, will they stop pushing each other away? Will they find each other – and the peace and love they are both looking for?
This is a well-written story with plenty of page turning angst and drama. The tough themes of sexual abuse, drugs, and domestic violence are presented in thought provoking ways and not glorified. The author lets the reader decide how to handle these life changing decisions. It is a story where learning to forgive and love yourself opens the door to a future of hope and possibility.
December 4, 2015
Good Read About Difficult Issues
Choosing a First Pick of the Month is sometimes hit and miss. I never really know if the book will be good. It may be a genre I don't normally read. There usually aren't many reviews to look at and often the authors are unfamiliar to me. This month was a good pick. If you're looking for a book for a young teenager, don't choose this one. Some of the subject matter is too adult.
The main characters are high school aged with serious issues. One theme that's explored is how to deal with the death of a loved one. Grieving is never easy and the solutions chosen here are sex and drugs. Both of these may feel good but they create a whole different set of issues
The parents are not role models for their children. In fact, they are the last people their kids should look to for help. Most of them put up a facade for the rest of the world to see. They seem to put their own needs and wants first rather than being a good parent.
The characters are believable with realistic emotions who sometimes choose their hearts over their heads to deal with life. This is a book that I believe should be in the Young Adult category. It is well written and moves quickly. For me it was an easy read that I finished in a day.
Choosing a First Pick of the Month is sometimes hit and miss. I never really know if the book will be good. It may be a genre I don't normally read. There usually aren't many reviews to look at and often the authors are unfamiliar to me. This month was a good pick. If you're looking for a book for a young teenager, don't choose this one. Some of the subject matter is too adult.
The main characters are high school aged with serious issues. One theme that's explored is how to deal with the death of a loved one. Grieving is never easy and the solutions chosen here are sex and drugs. Both of these may feel good but they create a whole different set of issues
The parents are not role models for their children. In fact, they are the last people their kids should look to for help. Most of them put up a facade for the rest of the world to see. They seem to put their own needs and wants first rather than being a good parent.
The characters are believable with realistic emotions who sometimes choose their hearts over their heads to deal with life. This is a book that I believe should be in the Young Adult category. It is well written and moves quickly. For me it was an easy read that I finished in a day.
December 31, 2015
This was a fun, quick read. The writing style is very reminiscent of Ellen Hopkins, an author whom I am find of. If you enjoy reading about young adult romance, depression, and/or music then I recommend this book for when you're in the mood for a shorter, fast read. The biggest plus of this book lies in the wonderful way music and creative energy are described. The way a song or words can move you or create such deep meaning that your mind trails off down exponential paths really made me connect with the text and the main characters.
Some critiques I have are: 1) that the vocabulary level isn't consistent, complex and uncommon words are sparsely sprinkled throughout the text, 2) larger gaps of time (months) are skimmed over and make events appear to be rushed in the story arc, and 3) I sometimes found it hard to relate to the characters because they are all cast as very well-off teens who seem to be out of touch with how most people grow up.
Some critiques I have are: 1) that the vocabulary level isn't consistent, complex and uncommon words are sparsely sprinkled throughout the text, 2) larger gaps of time (months) are skimmed over and make events appear to be rushed in the story arc, and 3) I sometimes found it hard to relate to the characters because they are all cast as very well-off teens who seem to be out of touch with how most people grow up.
May 24, 2016
I read a few chapters of this book before giving up. The writing is very lyrical (makes sense with the subject matter)-pretty, but I was lost. It felt like I was back in HS reading poems for class (I am not a poetry buff by any means) and my mind just kept wandering. By chapter 3 I was just staring at the page wondering what the hell I just read.
There is Cate and Cal, then there is David. David's chapter about his accident was very confusing. I thought maybe it was a dream where his brother died. He ended up in the hospital but I think (?) someone else died? I don't even know. Nothing particularly grabbed me and I am sorry, but Cal and Cate were sort of snobby in the musical sense. I skipped a little to see if it got any less confusing. It does not. I gave up.
There is Cate and Cal, then there is David. David's chapter about his accident was very confusing. I thought maybe it was a dream where his brother died. He ended up in the hospital but I think (?) someone else died? I don't even know. Nothing particularly grabbed me and I am sorry, but Cal and Cate were sort of snobby in the musical sense. I skipped a little to see if it got any less confusing. It does not. I gave up.
June 3, 2016
Before Goodbye is the perfect depiction of a downward spiral to even those the highest up. David, the handsome jock is still on a longterm steep trajectory to depression. He hates his dad with a fierce heart for always making him believe that their family lost the wrong son. But even more so, he hates himself. David hates that he can't stand up to his father, that he can't stand up to Rod Whitaker, and that he can't stand up to the monsters in his head. Cate is sure she's in love. Or maybe she's only in love with Cal's music. Either way his death tears her heart to pieces, to a point she's sure is beyond repair. Now how will Cate and David's fate intertwine?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2016
Mimi Cross is a musician and an writer and it really shows in this book. She has wove her music into her prose with this debut book.
I started reading a few chapters each night when I went to bed. This worked for a while, until suddenly (somewhere after the first third of the book) I couldn't put the book down. I kept reading until my eyes were too blurry to see any of the text and then I woke up wanting to finish the book so I could go on with my life.
It was cool to see that Mimi mentioned my name in the Acknowledgments.
I started reading a few chapters each night when I went to bed. This worked for a while, until suddenly (somewhere after the first third of the book) I couldn't put the book down. I kept reading until my eyes were too blurry to see any of the text and then I woke up wanting to finish the book so I could go on with my life.
It was cool to see that Mimi mentioned my name in the Acknowledgments.
March 28, 2017
Catharsis
Not only does this novel carry you through the emotions of young people as they was their way through some extremely heavy life dealings, it allows you to see through to the truth. We all suffer. Some of our suffering is brought on by not dealing with the truth of matters. Some is brought on by not being able to speak up. Some is brought on because we feel so overwhelmed with emotion, we cannot reach the surface to keep from drowning. We see all of this, and more, in, "Before Goodbye."
Not only does this novel carry you through the emotions of young people as they was their way through some extremely heavy life dealings, it allows you to see through to the truth. We all suffer. Some of our suffering is brought on by not dealing with the truth of matters. Some is brought on by not being able to speak up. Some is brought on because we feel so overwhelmed with emotion, we cannot reach the surface to keep from drowning. We see all of this, and more, in, "Before Goodbye."
December 4, 2015
I really love long books and this one was so good, it played out like a movie in my head as I was reading. It's the kind of book you can just sink into and feel like you are there. I thought it was going to be an angsty read, and it is, but the book also had so many twists and turns. I was expecting a quiet story about a guitar girl and grief, but instead it was a layered love story, with lots of great characters, and drama.
July 15, 2016
Cross has a strong novel. Cate is learning how she might love her musician friend Cal, when he is killed. David is an unapproachable classmate experiencing his own hell surrounding the suicide of his brother. For Cate and David, the journey is long, difficult and heart wrenching, but arriving out from under with someone by your side can be worth it.
The writing in this book is strong and the story is well-crafted. An excellent read.
The writing in this book is strong and the story is well-crafted. An excellent read.
September 23, 2016
"Time is a horrible, misleading thing. You don't know when it will come apart, when it will be up."
Overall, I did enjoy this book. My biggest gripe is that it tackled SO many great issues, that overall it lacked a little. is hard to effectively cover death, suicide, addiction, and abuse all to the full extent in only 400 pages. That being said, I feel Cates coping with loss/death was covered perfectly. The growth of not only her character but also David's was great.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. My biggest gripe is that it tackled SO many great issues, that overall it lacked a little. is hard to effectively cover death, suicide, addiction, and abuse all to the full extent in only 400 pages. That being said, I feel Cates coping with loss/death was covered perfectly. The growth of not only her character but also David's was great.
July 2, 2016
I could not put BEFORE GOODBYE down! I absolutely loved the way the story went between David and Cate's POVs and I loved that Mimi Cross wasn't afraid to tackle some tough subjects in this book. I wasn't always happy with some of the characters' choices but in general I thought that it was a really strong story.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
December 4, 2015
Young people dealing with death
Cate loses a young man she thinks she loves in a car accident. David is trying to deal with a horrible accident which ended in a friend's death. How can they deal with those horrific accidents and continue to grow?
Cate loses a young man she thinks she loves in a car accident. David is trying to deal with a horrible accident which ended in a friend's death. How can they deal with those horrific accidents and continue to grow?
December 10, 2015
Beautiful
This was such a beautiful and intense book. It was well written and flowed very nicely. The main characters were the stars and everyone else thrown in fit well with them. I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved the story.
This was such a beautiful and intense book. It was well written and flowed very nicely. The main characters were the stars and everyone else thrown in fit well with them. I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved the story.
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