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#NotReadyToDie
A killer stalks the hallways Ginny's life suddenly comes to a screeching halt one fateful Monday when a shooter shows up at Southwestern High School during first period.
In lockdown with both the homeroom sub and her secret crush Owen badly wounded, Ginny finds herself teamed up with Kayla, one of the “Barbies.” Together, they must try to keep their classmates alive amid terror and pain. A teacher is fatally wounded As the chaos continues, Ginny is plagued with questions. Has she judged Kayla too harshly? Will she ever have the chance to ask Own to prom? Will the fight she had with her mom before school be their last interaction ever? The gunman is at the door With the uncertainty of everyone making it out alive growing with every minute, there's only one thing Ginny knows for sure: no one is making it out unchanged.
In lockdown with both the homeroom sub and her secret crush Owen badly wounded, Ginny finds herself teamed up with Kayla, one of the “Barbies.” Together, they must try to keep their classmates alive amid terror and pain. A teacher is fatally wounded As the chaos continues, Ginny is plagued with questions. Has she judged Kayla too harshly? Will she ever have the chance to ask Own to prom? Will the fight she had with her mom before school be their last interaction ever? The gunman is at the door With the uncertainty of everyone making it out alive growing with every minute, there's only one thing Ginny knows for sure: no one is making it out unchanged.
128 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 28, 2019
"Experiencing a death when you’re so young changes you forever. You never quite get over it; you never get that innocence back, that feeling of invincibility, that belief that a long life is a foregone conclusion and yours to do with as you please."
Buy This Book 📖 Amazon || Book Depository
📚 Series: No.
📚 Genre: YA Realistic Fiction.
📚 POV: First Person.
📚 Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Content Warnings: School Shooting. Graphic descriptions of injury.
⚠ Read if: you are looking to gain a little knowledge about mass shootings.
#NotReadyToDie is a book that talks about a mass shooting at a school. It is narrated through the point of view of the victims inside the classroom.
This book revolves around Ginny, who, to be honest, I hated for most of the book. She was prejudiced about most people and she was stereotyping everyone and giving them weird nicknames.
I think she was shallow and immature, and most of her thought processes during the shooting were too mundane for the sensitivity of the situation.
But, I have to admit, some teenagers are really wired this way. As someone who might be a decade older, I cannot really judge how simple or advance a mind can be.
Also, I'd like to think that people deal with trauma their own ways. She must be someone who brings her mind elsewhere instead of trying to absorb all the fear and terror in the situation. Or maybe that's just how I choose to see it.
Ginny has also slightly matured near the end of the book, so I have to give her points for that.
I have too agree to most reviews I have read that this book is too short to give weight to a mass shooting. The motive of the shooter was not even revealed in the book. There was not much described about the shooting itself. It was fully expressed through the mind of a single person.
The reason why I am bumping my rating up to a 4, is because I think this book, though not perfect, is a good way to open discussions about situations like this. It can open a way for parents, teachers, and children to talk about mass shootings and similar tragic events.
Overall, I think this is still a good read and deserves to be read by many young adults.
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Significant Other: N/A
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Thrill Factor: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: N/A
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.5/5 ☁
Much thanks to NetGalley and Common Deer Press for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own. Also, all quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
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July 4, 2019
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of #NotReadyToDie by Cate Carlyle in exchange for my honest review.***
The only good part of #NotReadyToDie is that it’s short. Reviewing will be difficult because Cate Carlyle’s story isn’t just bad, it’s terrible. Ginny, hiding under her desk during a school shooting, her crush Owen is shot and blood is dripping toward her, has time to narrate her life, her romantic hopes, history of self injury while teaming up with Kayla, a popular girl to nurse the wounded.
I can guarantee, if we asked any of the Columbine or Parkland or other mass shooting survivors what they were thinking during a shooting, it wasn’t about the bleeding guy asking them to prom. #NotReadyToDie is an insult to teenagers and disrespectful to shooting survivors.
Aside from a terrible premise, #NotReadyToDie is filled with 1990s cultural references that Carlyle needs to explain to readers, rendering them meaningless. I’ve read a number of very good YA novels centered around school shootings. Avoid #NotReadyToDie.
The only good part of #NotReadyToDie is that it’s short. Reviewing will be difficult because Cate Carlyle’s story isn’t just bad, it’s terrible. Ginny, hiding under her desk during a school shooting, her crush Owen is shot and blood is dripping toward her, has time to narrate her life, her romantic hopes, history of self injury while teaming up with Kayla, a popular girl to nurse the wounded.
I can guarantee, if we asked any of the Columbine or Parkland or other mass shooting survivors what they were thinking during a shooting, it wasn’t about the bleeding guy asking them to prom. #NotReadyToDie is an insult to teenagers and disrespectful to shooting survivors.
Aside from a terrible premise, #NotReadyToDie is filled with 1990s cultural references that Carlyle needs to explain to readers, rendering them meaningless. I’ve read a number of very good YA novels centered around school shootings. Avoid #NotReadyToDie.
July 6, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Right. I'm disappointed in this book. Let's break it down.
Length7depth: this book is entirely too short. A school shooting is a complex matter and cannot be summed up in 200 pages - which brings me to depth: it is not extensive. You'd think a book about a school shooting, one of the most horrifying problems of our time would be explored in depth and with nuance. The issue with this book is that it doesn't do that. It doesn't go into the complexity of the shooting or how the victims in the locked classroom are feeling. Quite frankly, this reads like somebody is just recounting what has happened without any emotion.
Characters: So we've got our main characters, Kayla and Ginny. Ginny's character is two dimensional and there is no reasoning behind her actions. Kayla is a character with many positive aspects about her but again she is not given the space to be explored. No character is fully formed in this book and the friendship between Ginny and Kayla is far too quick. I mean, a cheerleader and the loner become friends within two seconds? Nah. I know that school shootings are complex and emotions run high but their friendship was unlikely and shouldn't have happened.
Tense: the book is written in past tense which completely removes the tension of the story. Because it's in the past, we know Ginny makes it out alive and thus aren't as invested as we could be. The book would do much better if it was written in present tense.
Overall: I think this book needed several rounds of revisions, at least another 200 pages, and more research.
Right. I'm disappointed in this book. Let's break it down.
Length7depth: this book is entirely too short. A school shooting is a complex matter and cannot be summed up in 200 pages - which brings me to depth: it is not extensive. You'd think a book about a school shooting, one of the most horrifying problems of our time would be explored in depth and with nuance. The issue with this book is that it doesn't do that. It doesn't go into the complexity of the shooting or how the victims in the locked classroom are feeling. Quite frankly, this reads like somebody is just recounting what has happened without any emotion.
Characters: So we've got our main characters, Kayla and Ginny. Ginny's character is two dimensional and there is no reasoning behind her actions. Kayla is a character with many positive aspects about her but again she is not given the space to be explored. No character is fully formed in this book and the friendship between Ginny and Kayla is far too quick. I mean, a cheerleader and the loner become friends within two seconds? Nah. I know that school shootings are complex and emotions run high but their friendship was unlikely and shouldn't have happened.
Tense: the book is written in past tense which completely removes the tension of the story. Because it's in the past, we know Ginny makes it out alive and thus aren't as invested as we could be. The book would do much better if it was written in present tense.
Overall: I think this book needed several rounds of revisions, at least another 200 pages, and more research.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2019
5 stars.
This is a heartbreaking novel, about a school shooting through the eyes of a teenage student.
Most of the plot happens in a day, where the emotional agony the characters were going through was making me cry. I have no words for this novel, it was raw, beautiful and sad at the same time.
This is a heartbreaking novel, about a school shooting through the eyes of a teenage student.
Most of the plot happens in a day, where the emotional agony the characters were going through was making me cry. I have no words for this novel, it was raw, beautiful and sad at the same time.
August 13, 2019
A thought-provoking story with a confident narrative voice and a powerful set of characters set in Toronto during a school shooting. Unlike other novels of the genre, Cate chooses not to focus on the shooter but on the victims trying to survive. So much so that by the end of the book we don’t even know who the perpetrator of the crime was except from hearsay. I thought this was a bold move that puts the victims and their coping on the centre of the narrative.
However, at the same time I can’t help but think this novel could have done with a little bit more of conflict. Although the characters are incredibly well crafted, by letting the plot be driven by their conversations and internal struggles the book fails to deliver as much as it could have. The reader keeps expecting a climax that is never fully realised, and although I appreciated the bonding between the characters, some instances of it crossed the boundaries of suspension of disbelief. Even in such a traumatic situation, I find it hard that teenagers would gladly share deeply personal stuff and embarrassing secrets to their peers.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the narration of Ginny, our main character (a Jewish Canadian angsty teen and the daughter of two Potterheads), and I ESPECIALLY enjoyed the character of Kayla. One of my all-time favourite tropes is that of the cheerleader that precisely defies the cliches of what a cheerleader is, and I was so happy that Cate chose to portray a cheerleader who is proud of her sport and who doesn’t believe being an athlete should be at odds with having other ambitions and interests.
However, at the same time I can’t help but think this novel could have done with a little bit more of conflict. Although the characters are incredibly well crafted, by letting the plot be driven by their conversations and internal struggles the book fails to deliver as much as it could have. The reader keeps expecting a climax that is never fully realised, and although I appreciated the bonding between the characters, some instances of it crossed the boundaries of suspension of disbelief. Even in such a traumatic situation, I find it hard that teenagers would gladly share deeply personal stuff and embarrassing secrets to their peers.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the narration of Ginny, our main character (a Jewish Canadian angsty teen and the daughter of two Potterheads), and I ESPECIALLY enjoyed the character of Kayla. One of my all-time favourite tropes is that of the cheerleader that precisely defies the cliches of what a cheerleader is, and I was so happy that Cate chose to portray a cheerleader who is proud of her sport and who doesn’t believe being an athlete should be at odds with having other ambitions and interests.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2021
One of the weird things that I love to read about and am fascinated with is school shootings, more so as I think about some of the cliques and the way a high school can be and if you don't fit into their boxes you are identified as a weirdo and sometimes being bullied can push you to an extreme - either suicide or acting out and shooting those who harmed you one way or another. The other thing is that I feel when I read these books is that I am lucky to live in New Zealand where guns aren't a common household item as I assume if they were then we would be like the US and having many school shooting attacks. In #Not Ready to Die by Cate Carlyle which is Book #2 of 2021 read we meet Ginny who is named after Ginny Weasley - daughter of an Editor and a Librarian and Kayla aka Barbie. They are in their homeroom when shots first start ringing out "pop, pop, pop" and the rest of the class is screaming or in shock. Kayla and Ginny will rise and be the leaders and try and settle the class and help the wounded and form a strong bond that will last after the bell rings. Unlike other school shooting books, this one was different as it focused on a single classroom during a lockdown and the wait till they are saved. I also found it interesting to see how different people react in these situations from the jocks to cheerleaders to the averages to the nerds and outsiders.
October 10, 2019
** Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review **
Here is the best thing about this book: It was short.
This was utterly painful to read. And not because of the subject matter. The writing was dry, there was absolutely no substance to any of the characters, I didn't feel any emotion-- and I am the queen of emotions.
I couldn't tell if this book spanned over 30 minutes of 5 hours. The pacing was clunky, time didn't exist apparently.
Let's not even go into the fact that she found out her best friend was gay and her first reaction was to say she was heartbroken and angry with him and then ignored him AFTER HE WAS SHOT.
This book is set in Canada so I'm not sure if the author is from Canada as well, but they really should have done more research on school shootings. The only thing that felt realistic about it was that there was only one shooter. Dan killing Keith in One Tree Hill felt more realistic than this book.
The ending you ask, what ending? There was nothing tied up at the end, mainly because there wasn't anything to tie up. The book didn't really do anything.
This was just a personal pet peeve of mine, but every time I saw the date, all I saw was how close it was to the Columbine shooting and prom, which was a focal point of the Columbine shooting as well. I feel like the author tried to do a parallel of Columbine with the date, prom, bombs etc, but it fell flat and just seemed weird to set it in the same sort of setting as one of the worst school shootings in history.
If you want to read a book about a school shooting, this is not the one.
Here is the best thing about this book: It was short.
This was utterly painful to read. And not because of the subject matter. The writing was dry, there was absolutely no substance to any of the characters, I didn't feel any emotion-- and I am the queen of emotions.
I couldn't tell if this book spanned over 30 minutes of 5 hours. The pacing was clunky, time didn't exist apparently.
Let's not even go into the fact that she found out her best friend was gay and her first reaction was to say she was heartbroken and angry with him and then ignored him AFTER HE WAS SHOT.
This book is set in Canada so I'm not sure if the author is from Canada as well, but they really should have done more research on school shootings. The only thing that felt realistic about it was that there was only one shooter. Dan killing Keith in One Tree Hill felt more realistic than this book.
The ending you ask, what ending? There was nothing tied up at the end, mainly because there wasn't anything to tie up. The book didn't really do anything.
This was just a personal pet peeve of mine, but every time I saw the date, all I saw was how close it was to the Columbine shooting and prom, which was a focal point of the Columbine shooting as well. I feel like the author tried to do a parallel of Columbine with the date, prom, bombs etc, but it fell flat and just seemed weird to set it in the same sort of setting as one of the worst school shootings in history.
If you want to read a book about a school shooting, this is not the one.
August 26, 2019
I didn't mind the first few chapters of this book, it wasn't great but I wouldn't go as far as to say it was awful either, but the further along the book went the more annoyed by it I got. For some reason, the main character Ginny is filled with this God complex where she doesn't believe she's wrong for judging people. She has this belief that all cheerleaders are dumb blondes, and constantly calls Kayla (who happens to be a cheerleader) Barbie. Kayla was a volunteer with some hospital, part of the Big Sister Association, and I believe more, so she's not this dumb blonde that Ginny made her out to be. It annoyed me that she just painted her, and MJ with this brush of judgment. She didn't even work on it towards the book, she just wrote it down on a list, I want to be less judgemental.
She also wrote on the said list that she wanted to help Ollie come out of the closet. EXCUSE ME? That is not your decision to make. High school life is hard, without the added stress of being bullied for your sexuality on top. and you don't get to just write down that Ollie NEEDS to come out, it's not your business so that shouldn't have been on the list in the first place. God, it was so ridiculous.
I also had a problem with Kayla when she opened the door to the police. She texts her mother who gives her a code so that the police can confirm it's them, and when they say it's the name of her dead teacher her knees buckle and she's shocked. But I don't understand why she's acting like that because she literally just read the code word on the text a few seconds before it.
I think the worst bit about this was the lack of information on the school shooter. As this was all a fictional piece of work, I would have liked to at least have a chapter on him, maybe in the perspective of him, or a news reporter telling the details of his life so that we get a bit more than he's killing us because his wife is leaving him and taking the kids.
1/5, would not recommend lol. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley
She also wrote on the said list that she wanted to help Ollie come out of the closet. EXCUSE ME? That is not your decision to make. High school life is hard, without the added stress of being bullied for your sexuality on top. and you don't get to just write down that Ollie NEEDS to come out, it's not your business so that shouldn't have been on the list in the first place. God, it was so ridiculous.
I also had a problem with Kayla when she opened the door to the police. She texts her mother who gives her a code so that the police can confirm it's them, and when they say it's the name of her dead teacher her knees buckle and she's shocked. But I don't understand why she's acting like that because she literally just read the code word on the text a few seconds before it.
I think the worst bit about this was the lack of information on the school shooter. As this was all a fictional piece of work, I would have liked to at least have a chapter on him, maybe in the perspective of him, or a news reporter telling the details of his life so that we get a bit more than he's killing us because his wife is leaving him and taking the kids.
1/5, would not recommend lol. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2019
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I was intrigued by this book due to the serious subject topic as I believe that YA fiction needs some serious topics to inform and open eyes. Unfortunately, this story wasn't really eye-opening to me, rather slightly irritating but I know that the author's heart was probably in the right place.
I'd say one of the main problems with this book is the two-dimensional characters who were not given time to be more than just words on paper. In fact, the main character is really unlikeable. So lets set the scene. Main character Ginny is under her desk as her school is in the middle of a school shooting. She reads the underside table graffiti "Jarrod H. is a weiner", then talks for a few pages about how whoever wrote this must be a boy because girls are "too mature". I get that she is trying to distract herself from the awful reality she is in but it seems a very casual subject matter and not a subject matter that a scared teenager under a desk would ponder right now.
So then MC is reflecting back on the situation and we learn that when the teacher tells them to get under their desks because it is not a drill, the very stereotypical jocks refuse. Not only do these "alpha males" ignore the instructions that will save their lives - they pull a boy out from under his desk, asking him "What you scared of?". Oh, I don't know.. maybe the school shooter?? I feel that realistically, this just wouldn't happen and it reflects the sporty kind of guys as stereotypical dumbasses.
So at the end of every chapter or so, there is an insert of social media posts. The hashtags. The goddamn hashtags. Would kids hiding from a school shooter who are fearing for their lives be posting on Instagram WITH THEIR LOCATIONS AND CLASSROOMS, #surreal, #wtf, #scared ?
At some point a science teacher posts on twitter about how students should stop tweeting their locations... by starting off the tweet with how his class are okay .. his class and classroom. Gosh.
As I've stated, the MC is kind of intolerable. There is some weird kind of stereotyping going on with this book, like how all cheerleaders are "barbies". As the main character judges all of the cheerleaders as blonde barbies, a cheerleader who called Kayla helps MC with making sure everyone is okay. By help I mean she does everything whilst MC makes comments in her head. Even after learning Kayla's name, she continues to call her Barbie. So Kayla is helping people with trauma and wounds and MC is just kind of watching and all she has to comment to the reader is "Barbie used a four-syllable word and, most likely, spelt it correctly. WTF". Yeah wtf, wtf is MC's problem?
Kayla continues to help people, calming them down and talking to them, MC is silent of course and goes back to her judging - "She was definitely full of surprises that one, with her medical terms and soothing bedside manner. It was probably all for show". Are you kidding me? MC is a classic r/notliketheothergirls, everyone who isn't her is fake apparently and that is so infuriating. It's 2019, by now we should really not be condemning girls to stereotypes from like fifty years ago.
Kayla is nothing but nice to MC, she goes out of her way to try and add more protection to the classroom - getting a hunk of metal in her shoulder in the process. She asks MC to help her get it out and do you know what MC says? "Do I have to?" because "it's gross". Duuude, come on.
Another messed up thing about this book was the MC's reaction to finding out her crush was gay.
-"My Owen was gay?! Never".
-"And I suddenly didn't really care whether or not we made it out alive" (because she found out Owen was gay)
-"Maybe because he hadn't yet realised I was the love of his life"
Not the right way to go with that at all. Yes, the character would obviously be upset and disappointed because she liked him, but she is so creepily possessive the whole way through this book.
Also, whilst Owen is seriously injured, MC just stares whilst Kayla tries to help him with his wounds. This happens a few times and each time, MC makes a comment like "Trying to hone in on my Owen now, Barbie? Not gonna happen" - MC, you crazy.
This book could have been a lot better. I feel like the author needed to do some more research on the way teenagers actually talk and interact with each other. Overall, it kind of felt like a wattpad story written by a 14-year-old with some serious vendetta against kids with popularity.
If you plan on reading this book, please be aware of triggering topics such as school shooting, self-harm and death.
I was intrigued by this book due to the serious subject topic as I believe that YA fiction needs some serious topics to inform and open eyes. Unfortunately, this story wasn't really eye-opening to me, rather slightly irritating but I know that the author's heart was probably in the right place.
I'd say one of the main problems with this book is the two-dimensional characters who were not given time to be more than just words on paper. In fact, the main character is really unlikeable. So lets set the scene. Main character Ginny is under her desk as her school is in the middle of a school shooting. She reads the underside table graffiti "Jarrod H. is a weiner", then talks for a few pages about how whoever wrote this must be a boy because girls are "too mature". I get that she is trying to distract herself from the awful reality she is in but it seems a very casual subject matter and not a subject matter that a scared teenager under a desk would ponder right now.
So then MC is reflecting back on the situation and we learn that when the teacher tells them to get under their desks because it is not a drill, the very stereotypical jocks refuse. Not only do these "alpha males" ignore the instructions that will save their lives - they pull a boy out from under his desk, asking him "What you scared of?". Oh, I don't know.. maybe the school shooter?? I feel that realistically, this just wouldn't happen and it reflects the sporty kind of guys as stereotypical dumbasses.
So at the end of every chapter or so, there is an insert of social media posts. The hashtags. The goddamn hashtags. Would kids hiding from a school shooter who are fearing for their lives be posting on Instagram WITH THEIR LOCATIONS AND CLASSROOMS, #surreal, #wtf, #scared ?
At some point a science teacher posts on twitter about how students should stop tweeting their locations... by starting off the tweet with how his class are okay .. his class and classroom. Gosh.
As I've stated, the MC is kind of intolerable. There is some weird kind of stereotyping going on with this book, like how all cheerleaders are "barbies". As the main character judges all of the cheerleaders as blonde barbies, a cheerleader who called Kayla helps MC with making sure everyone is okay. By help I mean she does everything whilst MC makes comments in her head. Even after learning Kayla's name, she continues to call her Barbie. So Kayla is helping people with trauma and wounds and MC is just kind of watching and all she has to comment to the reader is "Barbie used a four-syllable word and, most likely, spelt it correctly. WTF". Yeah wtf, wtf is MC's problem?
Kayla continues to help people, calming them down and talking to them, MC is silent of course and goes back to her judging - "She was definitely full of surprises that one, with her medical terms and soothing bedside manner. It was probably all for show". Are you kidding me? MC is a classic r/notliketheothergirls, everyone who isn't her is fake apparently and that is so infuriating. It's 2019, by now we should really not be condemning girls to stereotypes from like fifty years ago.
Kayla is nothing but nice to MC, she goes out of her way to try and add more protection to the classroom - getting a hunk of metal in her shoulder in the process. She asks MC to help her get it out and do you know what MC says? "Do I have to?" because "it's gross". Duuude, come on.
Another messed up thing about this book was the MC's reaction to finding out her crush was gay.
-"My Owen was gay?! Never".
-"And I suddenly didn't really care whether or not we made it out alive" (because she found out Owen was gay)
-"Maybe because he hadn't yet realised I was the love of his life"
Not the right way to go with that at all. Yes, the character would obviously be upset and disappointed because she liked him, but she is so creepily possessive the whole way through this book.
Also, whilst Owen is seriously injured, MC just stares whilst Kayla tries to help him with his wounds. This happens a few times and each time, MC makes a comment like "Trying to hone in on my Owen now, Barbie? Not gonna happen" - MC, you crazy.
This book could have been a lot better. I feel like the author needed to do some more research on the way teenagers actually talk and interact with each other. Overall, it kind of felt like a wattpad story written by a 14-year-old with some serious vendetta against kids with popularity.
If you plan on reading this book, please be aware of triggering topics such as school shooting, self-harm and death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2019
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review from Netgalley.
First of all, I am not American and I don't have any experience with school shooting environment, neither do I have being surrounded by that. Regardless that, I still enjoy books focused on this topic. It's something new, something that's happening to people over ocean. That's why I decided to give this book a try. I've read two other books about this before and they were pretty amazing. I was really excited about #notreadytodie. Oh well...
First of all, I'd like to say I really liked format of this book. It was focused on the victims and there was a tweet in the end of every chapter. This format worked worked for me before and it did work again. Author's writing style was fast paced and easy to get into. Sadly, that's all positive I have to say about this book.
My main problem was MC. Ginny, named after Ginny Weasley. Eventhough I do not like Ginny in HP so much, she had some memorable qualities. This Ginny? Total bitch. I can understand she had it rough. I get it. But that doesn't mean she is entitled to judge people without knowing knem. She has name for everyone - Barbies (aka Cheerleaders), Nerds etc. She's also cutting herself... and takes it easy. So... eventhough the whole school is on lockdown and Ginny and her classmates are locked in a class, she still judges her classmates. Heavily. Also... is it normal to fantasize about your crush and asking him out on a prom while he's bleeding after being shot? And most of all - WTF are you leaving your heavily wounded teacher alone, bleeding to her death, while chatting with your new BFF? Gross. Another thing about Ginny. She feels entitled to make people come out even if they don't want to. Who gave you this privilege, bitch? Nobody.
All of the other characters were so much more likable than MC which made me like even the biggest assholes. Sad. Characters were quite two dimensional. The only characters I enjoyed were Kayla (aka Barbie), who totally surprised... (but was also one big cliché) and MJ.
As much as I wanted to like this book, I just can't. I wish author focused more on the shooter himself. We only get brief explanation about him, but that's all. I know author probably wanted to focus on victims, but honestly... shooter's POV would be so much better. It got a little bit gripping towards the end, but that was the only part. I honestly hoped for MC to get shot. I could care less about her ass.
1.5/5*
First of all, I am not American and I don't have any experience with school shooting environment, neither do I have being surrounded by that. Regardless that, I still enjoy books focused on this topic. It's something new, something that's happening to people over ocean. That's why I decided to give this book a try. I've read two other books about this before and they were pretty amazing. I was really excited about #notreadytodie. Oh well...
First of all, I'd like to say I really liked format of this book. It was focused on the victims and there was a tweet in the end of every chapter. This format worked worked for me before and it did work again. Author's writing style was fast paced and easy to get into. Sadly, that's all positive I have to say about this book.
My main problem was MC. Ginny, named after Ginny Weasley. Eventhough I do not like Ginny in HP so much, she had some memorable qualities. This Ginny? Total bitch. I can understand she had it rough. I get it. But that doesn't mean she is entitled to judge people without knowing knem. She has name for everyone - Barbies (aka Cheerleaders), Nerds etc. She's also cutting herself... and takes it easy. So... eventhough the whole school is on lockdown and Ginny and her classmates are locked in a class, she still judges her classmates. Heavily. Also... is it normal to fantasize about your crush and asking him out on a prom while he's bleeding after being shot? And most of all - WTF are you leaving your heavily wounded teacher alone, bleeding to her death, while chatting with your new BFF? Gross. Another thing about Ginny. She feels entitled to make people come out even if they don't want to. Who gave you this privilege, bitch? Nobody.
All of the other characters were so much more likable than MC which made me like even the biggest assholes. Sad. Characters were quite two dimensional. The only characters I enjoyed were Kayla (aka Barbie), who totally surprised... (but was also one big cliché) and MJ.
As much as I wanted to like this book, I just can't. I wish author focused more on the shooter himself. We only get brief explanation about him, but that's all. I know author probably wanted to focus on victims, but honestly... shooter's POV would be so much better. It got a little bit gripping towards the end, but that was the only part. I honestly hoped for MC to get shot. I could care less about her ass.
1.5/5*
August 3, 2019
Ginny's life stops on a dime when a shooter shows up to her high school one Monday morning. She is in lockdown with her crush and a substitute teacher along with many others; her crush is wounded. Ginny finds herself gearing up with Kayla, a popular girl, trying to keep the rest of their classmates alive regardless of the horrors they're facing. During this time Ginny begins to question her life choices. Has she been judging people too harshly? Will she make it to her prom? Will her last conversation with her mom be the fight that they had before school? One thing Ginny knows for sure is that regardless of the outcome her life will never be the same.
I am a sucker for young adult novels that are about school shootings. For some reason I am always drawn to them like a moth to light. I am very thankful that NetGalley and Common Deer Press gifted me with this advanced reader's copy. It was a very easy and short read (I finished it within 2 hours) even though it is about a very heavy topic and one that is becoming more and more prominent in today's society. This story follows Ginny's journey in staying alive and keeping her classmates as calm as possible in a situation that none of them have ever thought that they would have to face. It was a story that I found myself easily sucked into and I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to the children trapped in that classroom.
On Goodreads I rated this book a 3/5 because although I really enjoyed the story I felt like there was something missing. There were no answers as to who was behind this tragedy and why they felt inclined to do it. There was a lot of character growth within Ginny during the story but readers are left wondering what became of her after that horrible day she spent locked in a classroom with people she barely knew. However, it was a quick read and had you hooked from the first page. I also really liked that I could envision what was happening like a movie in my head. The writing was very detailed and clear without getting bogged down on unnecessary details that have the ability to weigh a novel down.
This book will be released in October 2019 so be sure to keep an eye out for it!
I am a sucker for young adult novels that are about school shootings. For some reason I am always drawn to them like a moth to light. I am very thankful that NetGalley and Common Deer Press gifted me with this advanced reader's copy. It was a very easy and short read (I finished it within 2 hours) even though it is about a very heavy topic and one that is becoming more and more prominent in today's society. This story follows Ginny's journey in staying alive and keeping her classmates as calm as possible in a situation that none of them have ever thought that they would have to face. It was a story that I found myself easily sucked into and I couldn't put it down until I knew what happened to the children trapped in that classroom.
On Goodreads I rated this book a 3/5 because although I really enjoyed the story I felt like there was something missing. There were no answers as to who was behind this tragedy and why they felt inclined to do it. There was a lot of character growth within Ginny during the story but readers are left wondering what became of her after that horrible day she spent locked in a classroom with people she barely knew. However, it was a quick read and had you hooked from the first page. I also really liked that I could envision what was happening like a movie in my head. The writing was very detailed and clear without getting bogged down on unnecessary details that have the ability to weigh a novel down.
This book will be released in October 2019 so be sure to keep an eye out for it!
July 8, 2019
I recieved a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I see some comments really criticizing the book but honestly I feel like this was a pretty good book. Great for starting a conversation about school shootings, without making it into a huge cry-fest. One thing I think it did great was showing the reader what you should or shouldn't do. Like it mentioned NOT tweeting out your current location, not opening the door just because they tell you it's the police. To some that's just common sense but not everyone knows those things. And granted not everyone has the mental clarity to react as the main characters did but that makes this a great book for teaching what you should do in case you're involved in a shooting. Sad as that is to say, its something that everyone has to talk about these days and it's something that might just help save some lives. I really enjoyed the book. It was a nice quick read. Would definitely reccomend to read as a group so you can discuss situation and what you should do in a situation like that.
July 13, 2019
A quick read makes this book an outstanding resource for discussions about several sensitive topics. Ginny the main character is dealing with the death of her father and the subsequent “cutting” she does to cope with her loss. A school shooting requires her to realize her judgement of her peers is not always authentic. Some will step up and find the courage to cope while others will not.
You immediately become attached to the two main characters and sympathize with the terrible predicament in which they find themselves. Discussions of “what would you do in these circumstances?” make this novel a good resource.
Ginny’s reunion with her mom brought me to tears.
You immediately become attached to the two main characters and sympathize with the terrible predicament in which they find themselves. Discussions of “what would you do in these circumstances?” make this novel a good resource.
Ginny’s reunion with her mom brought me to tears.
July 14, 2019
#NotReadyToDie by Cate Carlyle is a quick, heart-stopping read from the view of a student in lock-down during a school shooting in Canada. Ginny, often quick to judge her classmates, learns that in a life or death situation, you might be surprised at what some of your peers are really like (and some just confirm your thoughts.) Read in one day, but will probably stick with me for a while. While this book isn't as in depth as This Is Where It Ends, #NotReadyToDie could definitely be used to open the dialogue on what to do if ever faced with a school shooter. #CateCarlyle #NetGalley
July 8, 2019
Note: I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
I'm disappointed in this book. This book is too short. A school shooting is a complex matter and cannot be summed up in 200 pages. This matter should be analyzed in depth and this book does not do that. Another reason why I was disappointed in this book is the fact that our main character is recounting this story without the emotion that this story deserves.
I'm disappointed in this book. This book is too short. A school shooting is a complex matter and cannot be summed up in 200 pages. This matter should be analyzed in depth and this book does not do that. Another reason why I was disappointed in this book is the fact that our main character is recounting this story without the emotion that this story deserves.
July 29, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of #NotReadyToDie for an honest review.
TW: Death (violent/sickness), Self-Harm, Sexual Assault, Homophobia, Physical Abuse
.
Pros: Short in length, the character of Kayla
Cons: Everything else
.
I've read a few books on school shootings, and I like seeing how different authors tackle the subject. I've read good takes on the subject. This was not a good take. I really don't like leaving negative reviews, but I have to give my honest thoughts.
The main character, Ginny, is just not a good human. She's unlikable, and even though she's gone through some stuff, it's hard to sympathize with her character. If Kayla, or even MJ had been the MC, I think that would have improved this book greatly.
We all know school shootings are a reality, terrible as they are. This book came off as extremely superficial and unbelievable. I find it difficult to believe that the 'jocks' are so oblivious to what is going on (or don't even care) especially after the substitute teacher gets shot in the stomach, and a classmate comes in after being shot in the leg. Classmates are live-tweeting the situation and giving updates/asking for help(believable), but mentioning how they're going to win the football game on Friday and using hashtags like #footballforlife and #cheersquad (I stared at that for a few seconds). Ginny is more worried about who is going to take her to prom and getting upset about Kayla's cute guy friend, even after having faced some pretty horrific things. Everyone is stereotyped, from the Jocks, to the Air-Headed Cheerleaders, to the Nerds. Have we really not moved beyond that?
I think this story is salvageable, but as it is now, it comes off as offensive and insensitive, and if were a number of other topics I probably wouldn't be bothered as much. When you're talking about something as serious as a school shooting, and trying to present your story as serious and realistic, it's just bad.
TW: Death (violent/sickness), Self-Harm, Sexual Assault, Homophobia, Physical Abuse
.
Pros: Short in length, the character of Kayla
Cons: Everything else
.
I've read a few books on school shootings, and I like seeing how different authors tackle the subject. I've read good takes on the subject. This was not a good take. I really don't like leaving negative reviews, but I have to give my honest thoughts.
The main character, Ginny, is just not a good human. She's unlikable, and even though she's gone through some stuff, it's hard to sympathize with her character. If Kayla, or even MJ had been the MC, I think that would have improved this book greatly.
We all know school shootings are a reality, terrible as they are. This book came off as extremely superficial and unbelievable. I find it difficult to believe that the 'jocks' are so oblivious to what is going on (or don't even care) especially after the substitute teacher gets shot in the stomach, and a classmate comes in after being shot in the leg. Classmates are live-tweeting the situation and giving updates/asking for help(believable), but mentioning how they're going to win the football game on Friday and using hashtags like #footballforlife and #cheersquad (I stared at that for a few seconds). Ginny is more worried about who is going to take her to prom and getting upset about Kayla's cute guy friend, even after having faced some pretty horrific things. Everyone is stereotyped, from the Jocks, to the Air-Headed Cheerleaders, to the Nerds. Have we really not moved beyond that?
I think this story is salvageable, but as it is now, it comes off as offensive and insensitive, and if were a number of other topics I probably wouldn't be bothered as much. When you're talking about something as serious as a school shooting, and trying to present your story as serious and realistic, it's just bad.
July 12, 2019
This was a short and shocking read...The issue it tackles is sensitive but critical. The characters could use a little work. The element of tweets and texts throughout the narration of events made the experience even more heartbreaking. We need more books like this one to pave the road towards awareness.
A grand thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
A grand thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
July 9, 2019
Not Ready to Die by Cate Carlyle is an excellent book. The characters and writing fulfilled my expectations of a good book, and the scenes had me laughing and crying. The story provides a glimpse into what it would be like to be involved or a victim of a school shooting. You never know how you will react during a crisis. The characters are tested, and some find their strength and courage while others fade into the background.
The book has a well-written and well-executed plotline. I will check out other books by this author. I highly recommend reading this book. Ten stars!
The book has a well-written and well-executed plotline. I will check out other books by this author. I highly recommend reading this book. Ten stars!
July 13, 2019
A quick read about teen relationships, not the shooter or graphic violence. High interest for young non-readers and a conversation starter!
August 6, 2019
This book is really scary, with how real it felt. The characters felt like real people and the plot was really well done. Overall I really enjoyed reading this one.
July 11, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The characters felt like friends by the time I had finished it. Not my usual genre but really liked it.
July 31, 2019
I was not quite ready for this book. I think this book straddled the line between young adult fiction and fiction about young adults. I graduated high school before school shootings were the norm, when they still left us mourning for days and before we respond by simply saying, “another one?” Is this book an accurate description of what might happen to the victims of a school shooting? I don’t know but I do know it did help me think about the situation differently.
August 2, 2019
Trapped in a classroom on lockdown while a gunman roams the corridors, highschooler Ginny finds herself reevaluating her classmates as they struggle to survive.
Tough one to think about, this one. Obviously and thankfully, I have never been in this situation. However, I've seen news reports and read other accounts, and the fact that this one took hours seems very odd to me. People are moving around, talking to each other, having prayer services and singing, and every so often they seem to remember that, oh yeah, there's a shooter out there. One character's sexuality is very abruptly flipped, as well; she is depicted as having a crush on a guy during most of the novel, then at the end is dating a girl. Maybe she was bi all along but it's not brought up or even hinted at, as far as I could see.
I don't want it to seem like this was awful. It's compelling and a very quick read. Maybe because of the speed, I never quite got emotionally invested, but I did very much want to see what happened in the end, and I read it all in basically one go. I'll happily recommend this to other readers.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
Tough one to think about, this one. Obviously and thankfully, I have never been in this situation. However, I've seen news reports and read other accounts, and the fact that this one took hours seems very odd to me. People are moving around, talking to each other, having prayer services and singing, and every so often they seem to remember that, oh yeah, there's a shooter out there. One character's sexuality is very abruptly flipped, as well; she is depicted as having a crush on a guy during most of the novel, then at the end is dating a girl. Maybe she was bi all along but it's not brought up or even hinted at, as far as I could see.
I don't want it to seem like this was awful. It's compelling and a very quick read. Maybe because of the speed, I never quite got emotionally invested, but I did very much want to see what happened in the end, and I read it all in basically one go. I'll happily recommend this to other readers.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
July 20, 2019
Not an awful read, but I feel like it went quite fast and didn't really go into depth on the characters. It opened mid-disaster, so we didn't really have time to get to know anyone in 'normal' situations. I didn't feel much peril, either. However, it was an interesting read and I think readers will enjoy it very much.
I received an ARC and chose to write an honest review.
I received an ARC and chose to write an honest review.
July 8, 2019
Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.
A short narrative of a school shooting in Canada told in first person perspective of a student.
A disappointment of a story. Actions and responses from the students in the class seem highly unrealistic given the situation.
Alarms going off, sounds of popping in distance, teacher barricading the door, and yelling to get under the desk and be quiet. Blood on the floor. YET, most of the students are acting as if its a drill and are chilling and taking naps?! Even the MC is more focused on getting comfortable under the desk and her internal thoughts seem like a disconnect from what’s going on and are self-centered.
Warning: MC is a self-harmer and there is a hint that a side character was raped by another student in the past
A short narrative of a school shooting in Canada told in first person perspective of a student.
A disappointment of a story. Actions and responses from the students in the class seem highly unrealistic given the situation.
Alarms going off, sounds of popping in distance, teacher barricading the door, and yelling to get under the desk and be quiet. Blood on the floor. YET, most of the students are acting as if its a drill and are chilling and taking naps?! Even the MC is more focused on getting comfortable under the desk and her internal thoughts seem like a disconnect from what’s going on and are self-centered.
Warning: MC is a self-harmer and there is a hint that a side character was raped by another student in the past
August 27, 2019
Excellent novella about a school shooting. The author puts together a very believable group of characters and moves them deftly through the day; some are cowards, some are heroes, and all are realistic in their reactions to being locked in a classroom with a shooter on the other side of the door. I’m anxious to read more by this author.
October 11, 2019
I was really shocked by this book as it genuinely made me feel scared. The story follows a young girl named Ginny (named after Weasley, of course) throughout the horrific events of a school shooting. She is locked in a classroom with a group of students who will jump to any measure to ensure their safety. It really makes you think of what you would do as an individual in that situation and how you would react. The characters have various reactions which creates the atmosphere of sheer shock and also pure terror. The way it is written really makes you feel emotive while reading and my heart sped up in parts due to the fast paced events and also the attention to detail. It really made you feel like you were in the school with the students and in their shoes. The name #NotReadyToDie comes from a chain of various tweets at the end of each chapter from students/parents/teachers within the school as the event unfold and what would be seen from the outside world. You get an idea of how people are feeling and what little information people on the outside of a situation such as this would be getting. It really hits home and is such a powerful book with a powerful message.
Thank you NetGalley and Common Deer Press for the ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Common Deer Press for the ARC!
August 11, 2019
I guess with shootings happening in the US and being reported on our TV news, and reading that all US schools have special drills in place for this type of eventuality made me curious. We have also had school shootings in the UK, so I was interested in reading this book. I think the book will really stand out on a book store shelf as it is bright orange and then the title being in the form of a hashtag will in my opinion make it even more appealing to teens.
The story begins with the main character Gin reading some graffiti that is written on the underside of her desk, “Jarrold H. is a weiner 1981.”
Gin wonders who Jarrold was, why someone thought he was a wiener. Was he still considered a wiener, or did he outgrow it? Did Jarrold survive the bullying okay and grow up, get a decent job, wife and family? Next Gin starts to ponder the person who wrote it. It had to be a boy as a girl’s would have wrote the graffiti in a toilet cubicle. A girl wouldn’t get under a desk to write graffiti!
Gin’s mind wanders to what the equivalent of bullying by graffiti was nowadays. It would be something written or an incriminating photo online, Facebook or Instagram. The bullying would travel quicker these days with social media and it could be done anonymously too.
The book then begins to address why Gin is laid on the floor under her desk. The day had started out like any other, the students were taking their seats in homeroom, preparing for the arrival of Miss Jones, their temporary substitute teacher. Their usual teacher was off on maternity leave. Shots are heard and then Gin see’s Miss Jones at the door ushering Owen Sanders into the room and under his desk.
The book then tells the story of the young teens from Gin’s point of view. Gin thinks back to that morning how her and her mum had words. Gin is scared she won’t see her mum again. What if those sharp words are the last word’s she ever gets chance to say to her mum.
The book flashes back in Gin’s memories of her Uncle’s death, then that of her father. Gin attempts to text her mum, as she knows her mum will be so upset and anxious as they only have each other now. The shooting at the school is all over the news sites and social media.
Gin also interacts with the other students. She has a secret crush on Owen Sanders and is hoping with perhaps a little encouragement from her he may even ask her to Prom. They are already really good friends, so it is a possibility. That is presuming they all get out of this classroom alive!
Unlikely friendships are made, such as Gin and one of the cheer squad that she considers, mentally calls and occasionally verbally slips and calls her “barbie”. They share secrets with each other and then by checking on the other students individually, they learn other secrets about those students. Gin hands her phone over to one of the cheer squad that is having panic attacks. Between them they do their best to attend injuries, cope with scared jocks and nerds as if it is something, they do everday of the week.
The fact the shooter keeps coming back to their classroom to try to get into it to shoot them all adds to their scary situation. They can hear the shooter walking and shooting in the school hallway and in the cafeteria and in the surrounding classrooms.
I did enjoy reading the book and at points I seriously didn’t want to put it down! Though there were occasions within the book I felt I wanted more. Maybe a few chapters from the points of view of classmates trapped within other rooms or even the parents and loved ones of the students outside the school, or the SWAT team sent to take care of the shooter.
My immediate thoughts upon the book finishing was a kind of shock. I was a bit like what? That’s it? I was scrolling on wanting more.
To finally sum up this book was made up of part text, news bulletins and then Ginny & school friends. I found it an interesting read....not sure exactly what I had expected.....I just felt I wanted more....maybe about who the shooter really was and why he did what he did. As well as who the 12 dead were....not sure what was missing I wanted a bit more. Having said that the book was Gin’s story of what she felt that day, how she interacted with the other students along with the memories from her past that kept her calm under extreme pressure.
The story begins with the main character Gin reading some graffiti that is written on the underside of her desk, “Jarrold H. is a weiner 1981.”
Gin wonders who Jarrold was, why someone thought he was a wiener. Was he still considered a wiener, or did he outgrow it? Did Jarrold survive the bullying okay and grow up, get a decent job, wife and family? Next Gin starts to ponder the person who wrote it. It had to be a boy as a girl’s would have wrote the graffiti in a toilet cubicle. A girl wouldn’t get under a desk to write graffiti!
Gin’s mind wanders to what the equivalent of bullying by graffiti was nowadays. It would be something written or an incriminating photo online, Facebook or Instagram. The bullying would travel quicker these days with social media and it could be done anonymously too.
The book then begins to address why Gin is laid on the floor under her desk. The day had started out like any other, the students were taking their seats in homeroom, preparing for the arrival of Miss Jones, their temporary substitute teacher. Their usual teacher was off on maternity leave. Shots are heard and then Gin see’s Miss Jones at the door ushering Owen Sanders into the room and under his desk.
The book then tells the story of the young teens from Gin’s point of view. Gin thinks back to that morning how her and her mum had words. Gin is scared she won’t see her mum again. What if those sharp words are the last word’s she ever gets chance to say to her mum.
The book flashes back in Gin’s memories of her Uncle’s death, then that of her father. Gin attempts to text her mum, as she knows her mum will be so upset and anxious as they only have each other now. The shooting at the school is all over the news sites and social media.
Gin also interacts with the other students. She has a secret crush on Owen Sanders and is hoping with perhaps a little encouragement from her he may even ask her to Prom. They are already really good friends, so it is a possibility. That is presuming they all get out of this classroom alive!
Unlikely friendships are made, such as Gin and one of the cheer squad that she considers, mentally calls and occasionally verbally slips and calls her “barbie”. They share secrets with each other and then by checking on the other students individually, they learn other secrets about those students. Gin hands her phone over to one of the cheer squad that is having panic attacks. Between them they do their best to attend injuries, cope with scared jocks and nerds as if it is something, they do everday of the week.
The fact the shooter keeps coming back to their classroom to try to get into it to shoot them all adds to their scary situation. They can hear the shooter walking and shooting in the school hallway and in the cafeteria and in the surrounding classrooms.
I did enjoy reading the book and at points I seriously didn’t want to put it down! Though there were occasions within the book I felt I wanted more. Maybe a few chapters from the points of view of classmates trapped within other rooms or even the parents and loved ones of the students outside the school, or the SWAT team sent to take care of the shooter.
My immediate thoughts upon the book finishing was a kind of shock. I was a bit like what? That’s it? I was scrolling on wanting more.
To finally sum up this book was made up of part text, news bulletins and then Ginny & school friends. I found it an interesting read....not sure exactly what I had expected.....I just felt I wanted more....maybe about who the shooter really was and why he did what he did. As well as who the 12 dead were....not sure what was missing I wanted a bit more. Having said that the book was Gin’s story of what she felt that day, how she interacted with the other students along with the memories from her past that kept her calm under extreme pressure.
January 9, 2020
First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Common Deer Press for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: school shooting, self-harm.
I'm not saying I had high expectations, just that I hoped to really like this book - I'm sad, but I didn't.
Now, I'm Italian so it's not something that ever happened to me and I never lived a situation that put my life in danger - and I do hope to never live it - but I found many things being unrealistic.
The story starts with students already hidden under their desks because there's someone out there in the hallways shooting his way in.
Ginny's friend and crush is wounded, so is their teacher.
Now, I get who's crying, who's having a panic attack - I also understand who tries to think about something else even if it's frivolous just because it helps them to not freak out. But I don't get taking a nap under a desk while outside the door there's someone trying to kill as many students as he can - it's ridiculous and absolutely unbelievable.
The same goes for Ginny, her only worry the prom and Owen maybe not being able to answer her proposal. Really? The guy is painting the floor red with his blood and you worry about prom? You worry about your plans being hijacked?
I don't know if Ginny was written intentionally as childish and full of prejudices, so quick to judge everyone - she keeps calling Kayla "Barbie" even when she's the only one doing something useful to secure the health and the safety of everyone else in the room.
The story doesn't have a rhythm, we don't know how much time passes unless we concentrate on the tweets going on about the shooting - meanwhile Ginny narrates us everything about her life, but I'm not it was the perfect time to do that. The most part of it, anyway.
It's full of clichés and I can understand how you can forge a bond with someone unexpected because of the odd circumstances, but Ginny always lashes out at Kayla and then suddenly they are best friends.
The ending - you can't even call it that.
Not a word about the shooter, barely a phrase about physical, emotional and mental consequences.
I didn't like it and I read better books about this topic.
Two stars instead of one only because there's something in Ginny's life that's a trigger to me - it was unexpected and I had to take a few breaths before I could continue to read again - but the way she talked about it and related to it was the only realistic thing worth of being highlighted.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: school shooting, self-harm.
I'm not saying I had high expectations, just that I hoped to really like this book - I'm sad, but I didn't.
Now, I'm Italian so it's not something that ever happened to me and I never lived a situation that put my life in danger - and I do hope to never live it - but I found many things being unrealistic.
The story starts with students already hidden under their desks because there's someone out there in the hallways shooting his way in.
Ginny's friend and crush is wounded, so is their teacher.
Now, I get who's crying, who's having a panic attack - I also understand who tries to think about something else even if it's frivolous just because it helps them to not freak out. But I don't get taking a nap under a desk while outside the door there's someone trying to kill as many students as he can - it's ridiculous and absolutely unbelievable.
The same goes for Ginny, her only worry the prom and Owen maybe not being able to answer her proposal. Really? The guy is painting the floor red with his blood and you worry about prom? You worry about your plans being hijacked?
I don't know if Ginny was written intentionally as childish and full of prejudices, so quick to judge everyone - she keeps calling Kayla "Barbie" even when she's the only one doing something useful to secure the health and the safety of everyone else in the room.
The story doesn't have a rhythm, we don't know how much time passes unless we concentrate on the tweets going on about the shooting - meanwhile Ginny narrates us everything about her life, but I'm not it was the perfect time to do that. The most part of it, anyway.
It's full of clichés and I can understand how you can forge a bond with someone unexpected because of the odd circumstances, but Ginny always lashes out at Kayla and then suddenly they are best friends.
The ending - you can't even call it that.
Not a word about the shooter, barely a phrase about physical, emotional and mental consequences.
I didn't like it and I read better books about this topic.
Two stars instead of one only because there's something in Ginny's life that's a trigger to me - it was unexpected and I had to take a few breaths before I could continue to read again - but the way she talked about it and related to it was the only realistic thing worth of being highlighted.
September 27, 2019
ORIGINAL POST: http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-r...
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
As her first debut fiction novel, I was instantly interested by the sound of #NotReadyToDie by Cate Carlyle. I have a morbid curiosity when it comes to books about school shootings to see what people’s takes on situations like this are.
In #NotReadyToDie, we follow Ginny and her classmates as they are locked in a classroom as a gunman brings down terror all over their school. I love how we got to see so many new sides of characters. Ginny had this preconceived notion about her classmates at the beginning based on behavior she had witnessed or just by the titles they held around school. Yet, she later finds that they have a lot more in common than she thought. I think that is an important lesson for anyone. I also think it would hold true in this scenario. You don’t know what people are truly capable of until put into high intensity situations.
I also feel like the second guessing about behaviors and last conversations is a reality for those in an active shooter situation. Will the last thing I said to someone be how they remember me? I don’t really hate them, but I said I did. That guilt feeling has to be something real for people who have gone through this. I am appreciative that not everyone in this story came out with sunshine and rainbows. I think that’s a sad reality when we talk of school shootings. There’s always someone who doesn’t get out it seems.
I feel that as someone who has never been in an active shooter scenario, #NotReadyToDie gives a good angle on what it could be like inside. I felt anxious for these kids and I feel like the social media aspect was definitely one a lot of people could relate to. There is a window to the outside world when you are trapped.
I recommend this novel to those not of the faint of heart. It does have some harsh realities and may not be for everyone, but I think there are some great lessons to learn on a judgement or standpoint. It was a good book. I’ll pick up Cate Carlyle’s next novel too.
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
As her first debut fiction novel, I was instantly interested by the sound of #NotReadyToDie by Cate Carlyle. I have a morbid curiosity when it comes to books about school shootings to see what people’s takes on situations like this are.
In #NotReadyToDie, we follow Ginny and her classmates as they are locked in a classroom as a gunman brings down terror all over their school. I love how we got to see so many new sides of characters. Ginny had this preconceived notion about her classmates at the beginning based on behavior she had witnessed or just by the titles they held around school. Yet, she later finds that they have a lot more in common than she thought. I think that is an important lesson for anyone. I also think it would hold true in this scenario. You don’t know what people are truly capable of until put into high intensity situations.
I also feel like the second guessing about behaviors and last conversations is a reality for those in an active shooter situation. Will the last thing I said to someone be how they remember me? I don’t really hate them, but I said I did. That guilt feeling has to be something real for people who have gone through this. I am appreciative that not everyone in this story came out with sunshine and rainbows. I think that’s a sad reality when we talk of school shootings. There’s always someone who doesn’t get out it seems.
I feel that as someone who has never been in an active shooter scenario, #NotReadyToDie gives a good angle on what it could be like inside. I felt anxious for these kids and I feel like the social media aspect was definitely one a lot of people could relate to. There is a window to the outside world when you are trapped.
I recommend this novel to those not of the faint of heart. It does have some harsh realities and may not be for everyone, but I think there are some great lessons to learn on a judgement or standpoint. It was a good book. I’ll pick up Cate Carlyle’s next novel too.
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