Before I Fall
by Lauren Oliver
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 480
Source: Book Fairy/Publisher
Interest: Debut Author
Challenge: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.
(summary from Goodreads)
WOW.
That would be my one word review for this book... WOW.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up, and to say that I was utterly unprepared for it's magnificence, would be an understatement. This book evoked such strong emotion. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was bawling by the end of the story. For me, the stories that awaken your emotions are always the most powerful and memorable. And I don't read many books like that, so when I do, it tends to really stand out.
What's so interesting about this book is that I hated Samantha durning most of the book. For me, I need a personable character, especially the MC. That didn't happen right away with Before I Fall, actually it didn't happen for most of the story... but I still couldn't put it down.
I thought I had this story figured out, I thought I knew what was going to happen. But I didn't. I could see Samantha changing day by day, but I never anticipated what ultimately she had to do.
Oliver didn't shy away from the authenticity of the teenage persona. It was honest portrayal, which I think teens will be appreciative of. Not to mention it has a very positive message, for everyone.
Cannot wait to read more of Oliver's novels. Unbelievable!