Every Day (Every Day, #1) in Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books

Jan 04, 2013 Pamela rated it it was amazing

How many fan letters can I write to Mr. Levithan, the author of this book? This book is about love at its truest essence. Love is not perfect. Does not come in simple packages, or easy ways. As a reader, and an author, I don't often say this. Your story mesmerized and dazzled me. At times I felt heartbroken, then hopeful. Thank you, thank you for this beautiful gift about love and acceptance. Keep writing! ...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Jenny rated it really liked it

I have heard nothing but rave reviews on this book, so when I saw it in my library, I scooped it up. I really did like the story, but it wasn't instant love like I was expecting. I think I had trouble suspending my disbelief on the concept. Normally I love sci fi themes, and this one was a brand new one to me. I really liked the idea at first, but as the story went on, I started having problems with it.

So A wakes up every day in a different body. Its always someone who is 16 years old, and geogr I have heard nothing but rave reviews on this book, so when I saw it in my library, I scooped it up. I really did like the story, but it wasn't instant love like I was expecting. I think I had trouble suspending my disbelief on the concept. Normally I love sci fi themes, and this one was a brand new one to me. I really liked the idea at first, but as the story went on, I started having problems with it.

So A wakes up every day in a different body. Its always someone who is 16 years old, and geographically within a 4 or 5 hour drive radius. It can be male or female. A doesn't really distinguish gender like the rest of us, in fact, he doesn't really have one. But I felt like he was male, so I'm going to go with that for my review! The switch happens at midnight, and if he stays awake, he actually feels it, which is painful, so he always falls asleep by midnight. He has access to the person's memories, so he can get through their day without too much trouble.

He has rules: mainly, to not disrupt their life as much as possible. One time when he was eleven, he went skiing as a boy and broke the kid's knee. He felt so terrible, he no longer takes risks. Until the day he meets Rhiannon. He is in her boyfriend's (Justin) body at the time. He feels sorry for her, because its clear to him Justin treats Rhiannon like crap, doesn't really listen to her, and generally just uses her. They've been dating for a year, and Rhiannon just puts up with him. Somewhere in this perfect day with Rhiannon, A falls in love. And that changes everything!

I really liked A. He was a good soul, and obviously cared about people. He gets himself in lots of trouble throughout the story, but most of the time his intentions are good. I liked Rhiannon, but towards the end of the story I really saw the difference between them. When it came down to it, she got pretty selfish. In fact, all of the characters were selfish in the story but A. He wasn't perfect, but it made me wonder if that's why he was jumping bodies?

This is where I really started to lose the story. Things start coming to light, but not enough to make sense of the whole concept. I didn't expect everything to fit in a little box, but to really believe in a concept like this, it needs to have some kind of purpose. That was really lacking in the story.

The best thing about the book was really all the different bodies A inhabited. Because he was immersed in their memories, we get to really see what makes different people tick. The good, bad, and the ugly. It was really interesting. The love story between Rhiannon and A was also a huge plus, because it was so different than anything else in YA.

The ending left so many things open and to interpretation, that I though this book might be the first in a series. I haven't found anything that shows this is a series, though, so I'm a little disappointed with the ending. I was happy, however, in A's choices at the very end, and staying true to his character. It really made me think about what kind of soul I would be in the same situation, and I don't know if I could have been as selfless as A. ...more

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Jul 08, 2013 Rachmi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook

From day 1 I read A's story or day 5994 for him, I have a lot of questions I really want answers. As the story goes I thought this is definitely one of books I can't decide whether I will love and enjoy it or hate it. At first I feel sorry for A.

There are nights I remember screaming and crying, begging my parents not to make me go to bed. They could never figure out what I was afraid of. They thought it was a monster under the bed, or a ploy to get a few more bedtime stories. I could never real From day 1 I read A's story or day 5994 for him, I have a lot of questions I really want answers. As the story goes I thought this is definitely one of books I can't decide whether I will love and enjoy it or hate it. At first I feel sorry for A.

There are nights I remember screaming and crying, begging my parents not to make me go to bed. They could never figure out what I was afraid of. They thought it was a monster under the bed, or a ploy to get a few more bedtime stories. I could never really explain, not in a way that made sense to them. I’d tell them I didn’t want to say goodbye, and they’d assure me it wasn’t goodbye. It was just good night. I’d tell them it was the same thing, but they thought I was being silly.

I will never have a family to grieve for me. I will never have people feel about me the way they feel about Marc’s grandfather. I will not leave the trail of memories that he’s left. No one will ever have known me or what I’ve done. If I die, there will be no body to mark me, no funeral to attend, no burial. If I die, there will be nobody but Rhiannon who will ever know I’ve been here.

Although his story reminds me of The Time Traveler's Wife, his life is way unfortunate than Henry. Despite of the unavoidable time traveling, at least Henry has his own body, one thing that A doesn't have. Hence, I can learn so much from him. I agree with him that love supposed to be beyond physical, figure or even gender. It doesn't matter what package looks like, it's the heart and mind that matter. I love that one thing about him. He doesn't have a body but he’s capable of loving so full, if it's possible. There is one thing I love most from his story, it's his everyday life. I love reading his life day by day in many characters. His voice is very clear, I can feel each character is different yet has same mind, coming from one person, A. At some point I feel like I read short stories with A as its connections.

It's the way A falls in love to Rhiannon that makes me doubt if I will love or hate him. I can't understand how can he instantly falls in love to Rhiannon? Is it love at first sight? If it is, he doesn't fair to her and also Justin and all of inhabit bodies. As much as she understands his condition, I think her hesitation to A is understandable. I agree with his thought about loving and look past the blur but I also can see where Rhiannon think. All of things that Rhiannon think are quite normal and understandable for me, but it doesn't make sense for A, just because it's the way he thinks for all of his life. It makes me think that he is a selfish boy. And the more days I read, more selfish he become. Then, I'm glad he can see it through Rhiannon's eyes and can learn from different angles. That one particular thing, one day of his life turn me to love him. It isn't what he gives to Rhiannon in the end, it's the way he accepts his life and learns from his mistakes that make me love this book.

I still don't understand of A's love to Rhiannon and think that it is a little bit between love at first sight and an infatuation and still don't get the answers for my questions yet I'm happy with the unanswered ending. This story, just like A's has many possibilities. And I'm open to many more possibilities.
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Nov 23, 2012 Jeanette Johnson rated it it was amazing

Wow, there are so many things I liked about this story. It's hard to decide where to begin. This is a story about right and wrong, acceptance of all people regardless of size, gender, preferences or religions. It's about how we live our lives on a day to day basis and how we effect those around us. It's a story of love and loss and growing up. It brings up difficult questions and makes you think about what you would do in that situation. Well done, I will be recommending this to everyone. ...more

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