Before I Fall in Crazy Challenge Connection

Jul 25, 2020 BookishStitcher rated it liked it

3.5 stars

I almost DNF'ed this book because Sam the main character annoyed me so much in the first half of the book. I'm glad that I finished the because Sam grew a lot as a character. Also the character of Kent was one of my favorite in the entire book. People who are comparing this to a Groundhog's Day meets Mean Girls are definitely making an accurate mash up. ...more

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Aug 13, 2016 Chaitra rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, romance, contemporary-fiction, young-adult

I needed a couple of O author books that I could finish in a few hours, and I chose this book and Delirium by the same author. They were available at my library, and I didn't think I'd spend too much time reading YA stuff. I haven't started Delirium yet, but this book met the only expectation I had for it, I read it quite fast. And because it's a repetitive book - Sam relives her last day seven times - it wasn't even necessary to pay close attention to anything but the first and the last repetit I needed a couple of O author books that I could finish in a few hours, and I chose this book and Delirium by the same author. They were available at my library, and I didn't think I'd spend too much time reading YA stuff. I haven't started Delirium yet, but this book met the only expectation I had for it, I read it quite fast. And because it's a repetitive book - Sam relives her last day seven times - it wasn't even necessary to pay close attention to anything but the first and the last repetition.

I'm obviously way older than who I imagine to be the target audience for this book, and as such I found it alright. See above about zero expectations. But I'm not sure it's something to be hailed for a teenage audience. I didn't identify with these mean girls, because while my high school had cliques, none of us were such reprehensible beings. I'm hoping most people aren't. I can't have read too many high school books because it isn't my scene, but I can't recall any single book in which the rest of the school went to absolute pieces the minute the popular girl does anything. And it's really only Lindsay who is "the one", the clique she has around her is more slavish than the rest of the school. Best friends don't actually help their best friends keep their secrets as this book claims, they help overcome the need for those secrets. I don't think I would ever want friends such as these girls, it just consists of Lindsay being nasty to everyone, even to the people she calls her friends.

Another thing that bothered me is how I don't know what happened next. Sam (view spoiler), and I somehow found that last day the most problematic of all. Juliet lived, but did Lindsay ever know that it was her who caused Juliet to tip over the edge? Because I'm sure Sam didn't leave a note explaining things. Why is Sam so confident that Lindsay will change? In just one repetition of all seven, she shows something that isn't horrifying. But in the last loop, her best friend died trying to save Juliet, and why would Lindsay be anything but horrible to Juliet after that? Also, what was Sam thinking when she started something up with a boy who's loved her all her life, knowing it would end the way it did? He even gets to witness the whole last scene - the poor sod. I think she let Rob down easier than this poor guy.

Eh. I started out not hating the girls, but then I did. Because they crossed every line and continued to act as if it didn't mean anything. And while it's cool that Sam learned a lot of things (and still doesn't really stand up to Lindsay when it counts, I prefer repetition 4 for gumption), I have no idea why all 4 of them couldn't go through the same thing. If anyone needed an intervention, it was Lindsay. She gets off with her life, without perhaps knowing that Sam gave up hers trying to salvage the ruins Lindsay made of someone's life. I personally won't recommend this to teens. ...more

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Feb 23, 2014 Carissa Brown rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cover-lover, young-adult, romance

This was a great book. It sucked me in until the last tearful page. It was hard to see all the mistakes this girl made, you wanted to reach through the book and slap some sense into her. I was never that girl in high school but I know the type. The author portrayed them perfectly. People are mean because they have problems themselves they wish to cover up. I wish that there could have been a different ending but I realize that this was the perfect ending to the book.

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