Before I Fall in Around the World in 80 Books

Jul 07, 2017 Sarah rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, audio

Popularity is a weird thing. Technically, "popular" means "regarded with favor, approval, or affection by people in general," i.e., well-liked. But the popular kids in this book don't actually seem to be well-liked. They're revered, they're even feared, but they aren't really liked. Is that how it is in real life, too? When I was in high school, I desperately wanted to be popular. I was even on the cheerleading squad, but I wasn't friends with any of the other cheerleaders. I was the girl who wa ...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, coming-of-age

I was disappointed in this book. All the rave reviews lead me to expect something extraordinary, but it was just ... okay.

I disliked the protagonist so much that it was difficult (or, impossible) for me to accept her redemption.

This reminds me a lot of Panic. The story is different, and the character is different, but the VOICE is the same; I guess that makes sense, it's Ms Oliver's voice.

First chapter was hard to read: straight on navel gazing with an insecure, self-centered and thoughtlessly ...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Sera rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: library, children-ya

I was interested in this book because it was either nominated for or actually won a number of awards last year, including one, I believe, from GR. I became further interested when I learned that the premise of the book was about a teenager, Samantha, who dies but then gets a chance to live that day over and over again, a la Groundhog Day, until she gets it right. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed with the execution of the story. Oliver's writing is decent and the story moves along at a ni ...more

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Feb 10, 2011 mstan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: for-young-adults-or-children, addictive-ya, american, new-sanctuary

When I put something on the 'addictive-ya' shelf, it means I think my students/ teenagers would really enjoy this book, not that it is necessarily of high literary quality or promotes the right sorts of values. I blazed through Before I Fall in a day because it is completely fascinating to see how Sam Kingston gradually changes every time she gets to relive the day she died, seven times in a row. I do have a problem with her friendship with the 'Mean Girls' of the school though, which is more sy ...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Astrid Lim rated it really liked it

Shelves: rent, young-adult, tragedy

In the beginning this book is so slow.. lots of repetition. But it's getting better and better after half part of the book. I love Sam Kingston and all her dilemmas, and OMG I love Kent!! My perfect candidate for book boyfriend of the year *wink*
Hate the ending though. But not because it's awful. It's just... sad. ...more

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Dec 04, 2009 Kaley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2010, ya, favorites, arc

There are many perks of working in a bookstore, most of which are pretty obvious. One of these perks is that I'm frequently asked to read books outside of my "box," so to speak: books from genres or subject matters that I would probably not pick up on my own. One such genre, which I enjoy immensely but don't read often, is YA (or Young Adult). The problem for me is, one of the biggest current trends in YA is fantasy (vampires, fairies, werewolves, wizards, etc). I have read some YA fantasy that There are many perks of working in a bookstore, most of which are pretty obvious. One of these perks is that I'm frequently asked to read books outside of my "box," so to speak: books from genres or subject matters that I would probably not pick up on my own. One such genre, which I enjoy immensely but don't read often, is YA (or Young Adult). The problem for me is, one of the biggest current trends in YA is fantasy (vampires, fairies, werewolves, wizards, etc). I have read some YA fantasy that I have loved (like the Harry Potter series and The Kindling of Greenfyr ) and some that I read just to see what the hype was about and ended up quite disappointed (like Twilight... I only read the first, though). The books I loved as a young adult myself were more along the lines of Forever and The Outsiders; the options were certainly limited to a few well known titles. But today, there is a host of amazing YA literature out there, just waiting to be discovered!

I was lucky enough to discover one such gem in Before I Fall . It's the story of Samantha Kingston, one of the "it" girls in her Connecticut high school. Cold, mean, and completely self-absorbed, Sam and her three BFFs go through their days with little regard for anyone or anything that does not fit within their definition of cool. On February 12th, leaving a party late at night, heavy rain and drunk driving are a deadly combination for Sam, who dies in a car accident. But when she wakes up the next morning and it is again February 12th, Sam begins to reconsider life as she knows it. Throughout the course of the book, Sam wakes up on February 12th a total of seven times. By the end of the book, Sam eventually discovers how to make her last day more meaningful, and to change the course of what fate has in store.

Oliver's writing is terrific, her characters real and fully imagined. I would definitely call it a page-turner, for you will be drawn into Sam's story and want to know whether she is able to change her destiny in the end. I think this novel transcends age and will appeal to a wide audience. Despite the fact that I am not a young adult, I thoroughly enjoyed Before I Fall, and I'm really glad I read it! It's the kind of book that reminds you to savor every moment, to be a better and kinder person, and to appreciate the fact that everything you do has some consequence, no matter how small. Great read! ...more

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Apr 27, 2010 Kat (A Journey In Reading) rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned-books, young-adult, read-in-2011

4.5 stars

What would you do if you died today...then woke up for the next 7 days to live the day all over again? Would you change some of the things that you have done in the past, would you make amends, would you tell someone that you loved them, would you change??

That's exactly what Samantha Kingston has to decide. Sam is a senior in high school who goes to a party one night only to die. The next day she wakes up again and realizes that she is living the day all over again. She never knows wha ...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Erin (NY) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-in-2010

The premise of this book reminded me a lot of Groundhog Day movie, but I found the main character so much more likable. I liked this book, because the characters seemed so real, and even if the premise is impossible, the lives of these teens are very real, and their problems are real. Samantha was very likable, and a lot of people would identify with her. It is really interesting to see her transformation. I would recommend this book to anyone!

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