Dreams of Gods and Monsters | Book Review

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



SIX STARS = The Wishbone of Goodness.

Once upon a time, a girl and book fell in love, and their love broke the space-time-continuum of emotions.

A review. That's all that remains. To sit down and write the things this book made me feel. And oh, did I feel. And these--my feelings--were hopes and dreams, wrapped in ribbons and adorned with wings with which they flew above and so far beyond all I could have imagined.

But where to begin? How to express the things one thinks about the thing one loves most of all? How to pull apart all the pieces of the whole and explain how each bit shines where it stands alone and explodes where it fits together? This story, these characters, this writer bends and blends and breaks and remakes and opens and breathes and gives light. Life.

It is magic.

It is song.

It is words and words and words. Words like oceans spilling over mountains. Words like caverns undiscovered and unknown. People and places and plots and prose. Wonderful and wonderful and wonderful forever.

~~~

{Yes, that is my imitation of LT. Shhh.}

~~~

Color Me: I'M IN LOVE I'M IN LOVE AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!!!!! Laini Taylor ends this trilogy in a way fits with the first two books, resolves the most important story lines, and wholly pleases fans (at least this one).


Writing Technique: ★★★★1/2 I'm in love with LT's purple prose. It is very purple though. I love how she can take a moment, explode it, look at it from every angle, and then bring it back to the present. Her omniscient yet limited-revealing narration is incredible. Her voice is so strong it gets into my soul and alters the way I view the world. I love it. I only knock off half a star because toward the end, I wanted to have more plot points explained when she was delicately taking apart and reconstructing moments of time.


Character Development: ★★★★★ Karou. Sigh. Akiva. Siiigh. Zuzana, Mik, Ziri. Sigh. Liraz. SIIIIIIIIIIGH. The character arcs (over the course of the series) for these people are amazing. How they grow and change. Overcome prejudices. Find redemption. Start of revolution/new world. Discover love. Endure suffering. It's just beautiful. At about the 80% mark, Liraz was having a huge developmental moment, I just had to lay down on the floor and cry. So yeah. Five stars.


Plot/Story Development: ★★★★1/2 HOLY. Everything I wanted to happen in this book happened and more. There was love, war, betrayal, alliances, comeuppance, and kissing. I mean, really it was stupendous! I kept clapping my hands and saying "yay!" and then occasionally going "OMG OMG OMG what are you doing?!" And I love when that happens. When we got past the major plot problem though, and there were still 3 hours left on the audiobook, I was like--ummmm there's more? I was glad to see how the side stories came to unfold as well.


Message/Theme: ★★★★★ Love. Epic love. World-breaking and world-remaking love. But also Hate. War, Prejudice, Tyranny, Revolution, Life/Death/Resurrection, Second Chances, Family, Friendship, Allies/Enemies, Fate, Forgiveness, Vengeance, redemption, and as always HOPE HOPE HOPE.... All kinds of wonderful beautiful things.


Audiobook Performance: ★★★★★ Khristine Hvam. This chick is awesome. READ ALL THE THINGS, KH!!!


Rating: PG-13 for violence, language, and sensuality


Overall: ★★★★★ I waited a year and a half for this book. And it was worth it. Best conclusion of a trilogy I have EVER read. And I have read SOOOOOO many. I never would have dreamed a story like this would be something I'd love so much. But somehow, it has become my favorite series.

~~~

BONUS CONVO: So do we think the ending of this book opens the door for other stories to be told in this universe (possibly with some of these same characters)??? Because it sure as heckfire sounds like there will be more.... I WANT MORE STORIES! I want more stories more than Zuzana wants chocolate cake. I want more stories more than Karou wants "cake for later"... well, almost as much. Karou deserves her "cake for later" right now. Sigh.

~~~

We dreamed together of the world remade.

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Fangirl | Book Review

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



It's been so long since I wrote a review, I'm not sure I remember how to do it.

JK! LOL! (ironic) (also not)

Color Me: Fan4Life. Rainbow Rowell has won me over. If I loved Eleanor & Park, I LOVE-LOVE-LOVED Fangirl.

Let's get one thing straight. I have been a superfan of a great many things, but I have never been a fan of fan-fiction. Ever. As a writer, I have far too many of my own stories clawing to get out than I have urges to steal/borrow/manipulate others'. I can also say that boy-on-boy fanfic, particularly about non-gay characters, particularly particularly written by straight teenage girls...is one of the things I just do not get about the universe. (Will and Jem? No. Sherlock and John? Never. Dean and Cas? Stop ruining things!)

That said, Rowell's coming-of-age dramedy/romcom about antisocial college freshman/online fanfic superstar Cath was a tiny taste of heaven that entirely consumed my world for 48 hours straight. I could not put this story down (read: could not stop listening to this audiobook) even though I had my own college assignments to work on (and still do even as I type this).

Writing Technique: ★★★★1/2 Rowell has a way with a words. A very serious way. I love it. I love the expression "skimming the surface of reality." I love that she writes freaking brilliant, hilarious dialogue (see below). I love that all of her characters truly have their own voices. I love that this fiction about a writer of fanfiction of a fake fiction included that fake fiction and fake fanfiction. My only reservation is her preference for the F-word. I'm good at tuning that stuff out. But after some of the reactions toward the profanity (etc.) in E&P, I realize I can't expect everyone (including a lot of my friends) to be so blase about it.

Here are some quotes I adored:
“I feel sorry for you, and I'm going to be your friend."
"I don't want to be your friend," Cath said as sternly as she could. "I like that we're not friends."
"Me, too. I'm sorry you ruined it by being so pathetic.”

“You’re never going to find a guy who’s exactly like you—first of all, because that guy never leaves his dorm room.…”

“What's the plan?' she asked.
He grinned. 'My plan is to do things that make you want to hang out with me again tomorrow. What's your plan?'
'I'm going to try not to make an ass of myself.'
He grinned. 'So we're all set.”

“How do you not like the Internet? That's like saying, 'I don't like things that are convenient. And easy. I don't like having access to all of mankind's recorded discoveries at my fingertips. I don't like light. And knowledge.”

I also the entire laundry conversation which is much too long to post here but made me literally clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud while I listened to it in bed with my sleeping husband and baby.

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★ We have a gifted writer wasting her time (IMO) on fanfic. A twin sister (the cool one) looking for independence. A terrible mother, who left. A wonderful father, who's crazy. A world-wise roommate who is terrifying. A creative writing teacher who doesn't appreciate fan fiction. A boy who never stops smiling. And a crippling fear of anything resembling life. All issues collide into a glorious laughable mess. And while much of it is like tequila in that it's "more about the journey than the destination," I found myself immeasurably pleased by the end. Especially that bit at the very very end.

Sidebar: I love that this is a love story that doesn't make me feel all dirty and stupid. It's not smutty (although not prudish or even necessarily innocent). And it's not that the character doesn't feel stupid, just that I don't. That makes for good romance in my opinion.

Character Development: ★★★★★ Way to go, Cath. You didn't get absolutely all of your sh*t together, but neither have I. You were straight up neurotic. You've got trust issues and mommy issues and daddy issues and sister issues and reality issues and generally a lot of issues. But I really liked you. And I loved watching you grow and mature and learn how to life real freaking life and get over at least some of your issues.

Sidebar II: I feel this book could definitely do with a companion, because Cath's twin Wren was clearly dealing with her own issues too in a much louder, crazed, drunken way. And I want to know her story equally muchly.

Sidebar III: somehow Rowell made me fall in love with a farmboy from Nebraska who doesn't do books or the internet and aspires to work on a ranch. In my wildest dreams, I would not have believed this possible. But Levi stole my heart completely. Yay for boys who aren't dicks, or moody and broken, or too far from reality. Yay for smiling.

Message/Theme: ★★★★★ family, friendship, social disorders, love, abandonment, reality v. fantasy, growing up, maturity, introversion, optimism, finding oneself...you know, college crap.

Rating: R for language, sensuality, and alcohol use

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★ Rebecca Freaking Lowman has the vocal equivalent of sad eyes. She can be saying the happiest thing and it still has the most peculiar tinge of depression. I've listened through Starters and Eleanor & Park with her, and I HATED the first and LOVED the second. But the second was a sad-feeling book, so it was appropriate. This one wasn't sad as much as introverted. I felt like the book was shy and needed to be let loose, which is to say Rowell wrote it amazingly well. Lowman performed well also. She had a great voice for quiet Cath. But I'd like someone a bit less tragic sounding for RR's next book.
Maxwell Caulfield though is freaking magic. I'm not trying to be funny. He has a voice for whimsy. I want him to talk me to sleep every night. Like a long lost British grandfather telling me timeless stories and smelling of sugared coffee. Mmmmmmmm.

Overall: ★★★★★ I adored this. Even more than Eleanor & Park. Now I'm getting Attachments so I can say I'm a full on RR fan. You should read this book, but only if you want to feel light as a feather afterward.

#fanfiction #introverts #noteveryonehastobescaryanddamaged



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The Silver Linings Playbook | Book Review

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw this movie and loved it and knew I had to read the book. I started reading and was blown away by the quality of writing - not just the story, but the humor and drama and subject matter and every tiny ingredient involved in this delicious literary casserole. As a writer myself, there are so many things here to commend, and I try to note them all in my review. The movie and the book are different in a lot of ways. But I think the movie retained the spirit of the book. And so does the author. So I'm with him.

Writing Technique: ★★★★1/2 Quick is a brilliant writer. He turns a guy with crippling mental illness, violent tendencies, and a serious one-track mind into a heart-warming, charming, hilarious, and moving narrative. Let this be a study for all novelists in voice, because this guy nails it. He also unravels a compelling modern hero's journey with a very limited first person POV. This work is fantastic.

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★ As I said, this is a modern hero's journey. Pat is not your typical hero (see more in char dev). But his journey is truly admirable. He leaves a neural health institution with one goal in mind: be reunited with his wife Nikki. Every single action he takes is made with her in mind: working out obsessively, his attitude and actions toward others, his pursuit of a greater literary education, etc. He is trying to write his own story - his own movie. He is single-minded in his pursuit of a happy ending, a true silver lining. It doesn't go exactly as planned, which is to be expected. And here is where novelists should study Quick's work, because it is a model case study of want v. need. As The Rolling Stones said so eloquently: "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you might find...you get what you need." (Now that song's stuck in your head. You're welcome.)

Character Development: ★★★★1/2 So what does Pat need? Well, he thinks he needs Nikki. But we all know he doesn't need Nikki. He needs to adjust to his new reality. To find embrace his new life and find a happy ending in it and not in the past. Pat's not your typical hero because he's psychologically ill. His treatment, his healing is a long internal process. And I love seeing where he's at on the last page. The closing line for me is beautiful.

Message/Theme: ★★★★★ I love the difficult issues this book tackles. And having read some author interviews, I admire him for writing something that reflects at least in part a personal struggle. SLP addresses depression, mental illness, grief, physical and emotional abuse, marriage, love, friendship, family, obsession, personal growth, and the true nature of happy endings.

Rating: R for language and sexuality

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★ Ray Porter is a great voice for Pat's somewhat deranged inner monologue. He also excels at all the men's voices - Philly, Indian, inner city black accents - he nails 'em all. But all the women sound exactly the same. It's difficult being a voice actor, I know, but it drew me out of the moment a few times. Especially when Jeanie and Tiffany talk back and forth, there was no change. So points lost.

Overall: ★★★★1/2 This is a great read. I don't think I could possibly recommend it more.
And yes, you should watch the movie too. Here, watch the trailer.


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Gone Girl | Book Review

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing Technique: ★★★★ Gillian Flynn is either a genius writer or a certifiable sociopath. She wrote from the perspectives of Nick and Amy so convincingly and so differently, I was amazed. And terrified. I was genuinely disturbed by both of these people (but mostly...just the one. You know the one.) For that, I applaud Flynn. Dang good writing. Engrossing. Surprising. Ingenious.

Note on writing things that might be spoilery but might not: This is a FANTASTIC example of an unreliable narrator. Neither Nick nor Amy are exactly what they seem. And for much of the story, you really can't be sure you're getting the truth or the whole story. They are telling the story their way. Unreliable narrators are one of my favorite writing techniques. And this one takes the cake. Kudos!

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★ I loved the evolution of this story. I loved how information was seeped out gradually, and the reader has to pieces the puzzle together for a while. The ending is a killer, I think. So serious thrill and horror comes out as we learn what's really going on, and I liked feeling that chill of "What the heck is going to happen next?"

Character Development: ★★★ I don't think the characters actually change that much. Some, yes. But our understanding of them and their understanding of each other changes a lot. As characters, they are deep and complex and insane - literally - and fascinating to follow page to page. But they don't have a great character arc where you go - ah! lesson learned! Mostly you go - "wow...no matter how bad my life/marriage/younameit is, at least it's not and will never be this bad!"

Message/Theme: ★★★ Be careful who you marry. That's the great lesson here. Themes throughout include: love, hate, adultery, revenge, abuse, manipulation, psychological terror, the court of public opinion, psychosis, and other scary things... This isn't really the kind of book you read to teach you something or inspire you or show you a different perspective in life. It's something to read to freak yourself out, give yourself goosebumps, and walk away feeling better about your life.

Rating: R for a profundity of profanity, crude and graphic sexual language, and a major creep factor. Be warned - this book is heavy.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★★ Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne are flawless voices for Amy and Nick. Their performances were spot on, lending humor and drama and fear and suspense. I loved hearing them tell this story. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook if you're interested in reading this book.

Overall: ★★★★ This was a fascinating read. I was hooked. I was creeped out. I was surprised. And ultimately I was quite satisfied with this thriller.



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The Book Thief | Book Review

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh this book. It is incredible. Painful. Dark. Slow. Mournful. Beautiful. I loved it. And yes, I hated it. But it is a book that strikes you with its realness despite its fantastic elements. I give it 4.5 Magnificent Stars--it loses points only because its realism robbed me of the happiest of endings. The ending is good, probable, and acceptable. But not quite as hopeful as I would have preferred.


Writing Technique: ★★★★★ This is not a fast read. But it is grand because Zusak's writing is thoughtful, poetic, shocking, and different. I love that the narrator is Death, and that Death doesn't tell the whole story in a straight line. Had we come to that ending with no warning, I might have been enraged. But style of the storytelling is such that it is engaging and surprising. One must be patient. One must be focused. But ultimately, it is a rewarding story to finish.

Character Development: ★★★★ Liesel, Papa, Mama, Rudy, Max - these characters have my heart. Completely. Even Death. In trying to explain this book to others, I've struggled. It's about Liesel, mostly. But ultimately, it's about her effect on Death, the "person." She grows and changes and does many great things. Papa is the most admirable man. Rudy, a boy to love and follow. And Max, a man robbed of everything who finds hope in a family of misfits. And ultimately, the last words of this book do not spoil anything but aptly portray Death's thoughts and perhaps reason for telling this story (read them or not, it's up to you):

"I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality, but what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race - that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant. None of those things, however, came out of my mouth. All I was able to do was turn to Liesel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you. I am haunted by humans."

Plot/Story Development: ★★★1/2 I will say that not as many things happen in this book as are felt. Experienced. Learned. The plot moves slowly. But it is not a story that's really about things happening as people and their relationships in a tumultuous time (World War II).

Message/Theme: ★★★★★ life, death, love, hate, suffering, pain, struggle, fight, family, friendship, hope, war, peace, ethics, racism, power, strength v. weakness, The Power of Words, the essence of humanity.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★1/2 Allan Corduner is the perfect voice for Death. His German, French, British (etc.) accents are all masterful. Fantastic audiobook if one can be patient enough to listen and if one doesn't fall asleep (as his voice is comforting and lulling even when discussing the darkest of subjects).

Rating: PG/PG-13 for language (there is muuuuuch swearing in German--which I rather enjoyed--and also some in English.)

Overall: ★★★★1/2 One of the best historical novels I've read. Quirky. Dark. Brilliant.



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Cinder | Book Review

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A dystopian retelling of Cinderella wherein she is a cyborg living in futuristic China?! UM, stop reading my diary, Marissa Meyer!

I thought this was a good idea when I read the blurb, but it still wasn't that pressing of a need to read it. I finally bought the audiobook, and dang, do I wish I had read this sooner! This book hit all my buttons. I love-love-loved it and that ending came WAY too fast for my taste. I'll be eagerly awaiting Scarlet every day until its February release date.

Here's my take.
Writing technique: ★★★1/2 Meyer did an amazing job of making Cinder's world real and interesting. Despite all the tech speak, I felt I followed along with the cyborg and android descriptions well without it feeling too much like manual. I loved the characters she created in Cinder, Kai, and Iko (especially Iko). She writes well without being too fluffy.

Character development: ★★★ Cinder's discovery of what and who she is in this story is fun. Predictable, but interesting nonetheless. She is a lot more than the frumpy helpless step-daughter of the traditional story. She's strong and quirky and determined. Kai also was far more dimensional than Prince Charming (but really - that's not hard to do!). But his character development didn't quite resolve in this story. I look forward to see what he's like in Scarlet.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★ I looooved that this was NOT really a love story. It's a cyborg story, and an alien story (think The V!!), and a dystopia story with the constant threat of Plague and War... Much of this book's plot was predictable and obvious, but much wasn't. And it was still very enjoyable to watch everything unfold. I really wish it had ended with just the tiniest bit more resolution. That's a weird place to end a story if you ask me.

Message/Theme: ★★★ Hmmm... There could be a message against racism in here (cyborgs and Lunars are highly discriminated against). There is of course the Do The Right Thing Even If It's Dangerous message. And the Embrace Who You Are message. And the Stand Up For What You Believe In and Don't Give In To Bullies Even If They're Bigger Than You. You know, the usual.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★ Rebecca Soler was a great narrator. She perfect Cinder's sarcasm and wit as well as Iko's and Peony's animated quirkiness and Audrey's, Pearl's, and Lavanna's pure evilness and Dr. Erland's accented eagerness and Kai's normal teenage boy-ness and every android's mechanical drone-iness... She was a stellar voice to the characters. I only wish she had read the more actiony scenes with more urgency.

Overall: ★★★★★ I adored this novel. I swallowed it whole. I love-love-love it. I know if I average my more objective ratings above, I will not get 5 stars, but I loved it too much to give it less. Subjectively, this is a new favorite.



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Code Name Verity | Book Review

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book tore me up. Let me begin by saying this is a book for everyone. There is something here for girls, guys, old, young, whatever. It has two female protagonists, but it is not by any means a girl book. The story is largely a British spy's written confession to her Gestapo captors. But it becomes so much more as she weaves the tale of her friendship with a young female pilot named Maddie. The twists and turns, the heartbreak, the terror, the beauty--it is all here in Wein's masterful WW2 story set in Occupied France 1943.

This isn't a story to swallow in one gulp. I recommend taking your time so as not to miss any of the great details.

Writing technique: ★★★★1/2 Wein is a goddess. This story is hard and heavy with the weight of war and torture on every page. But somehow she makes these two girls hilarious. And they each have very distinctive voices. Everything she writes sounds so authentic and plausible. She incorporates French, German, poetry, and music into the story seamlessly. She made me laugh, cry, gasp. And when a writer can do that, she owns me.

Character development: ★★★★ Queenie and Maddie have a great adventure in this story. They both grow and change. They have hard choices to make. Daring actions to take. Neither are fearless as they make very clear, but they overcome their fears and take on new ones. Then they overcome those fears. It's so brave. And so inspiring. Ah I want to crawl inside this book and live in it forever. Even though it can be painful and terrifying and sad.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★1/2 Oh the plot devices this novelist employs are amazing. I can't tell you what they are without ruining it, but dang! I loved all the ways she surprised me. But it's a war story without the gimmickry. People make horrible mistakes. People get hurt. People die. People change. But the story is masterful.  Let me say--you must focus on this--if you listen to the audiobook like I did, don't try to multitask. There are too many great things to miss.

Message/Theme: ★★★★ Oh the theme of this story is friendship. When you find someone who loves you and understands you and supports you and laughs with you and cries with you -- when you find that person because the world is tearing itself apart -- they can carry you through the worst of circumstances -- even being a POW in Nazi-occupied France. There's more, but this in itself moved me beyond belief.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★★ Morven Christie reading Queenie in all her accents and French and German and singing was pure magic. I adored every word she spoke. Ugh I wish every audiobook could be as beautifully narrated. And Lucy Gaskell as Maddie was hilarious and lighthearted and amazing. They both pulled my heart along on this ride. I think this one of the most wonderful audio performances in existence. Please listen to this.

Overall: ★★★★★ I HIGHLY recommend this book.



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Forgotten | Book Review

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is not what it appears to be, is not what it pretends to be. This book appears to be another quirky insta-love story between two implausibly attractive teens. And for a while it is. I wondered if she was going to mention ever time she "met" Luke how unbelievably gorgeous he was. (Why are they all sooooo freaking attractive?)

But then it evolved. Let me explain.

Forgotten is about a girl who can't remember the past, but can remember the future. So every morning she reads notes she wrote to herself the night before so she knows what to do and expect of the day. She remembers the future like normal people remember the past. All the really happy things and really sad things and everything else is kind of hazy. So naturally when she meets studly new kid Luke, she hopes her future memories show them together. But he isn't there.

After this is when it gets good. London and Luke together are funny, I think. As their relationship grows, she starts getting unusual flashbacks/flashforwards. In an effort to understand why her memory is so messed up, she begins investigating into her family and uncovers secrets about her past that leave her future looking very uncertain.

So in a nutshell:
1. It is a love story, but it is also more than that.
2. It is hilarious. Sometimes.
3. It is heartbreaking. Sometimes.
4. It is surprising. Quite.

Writing Technique: ★★★1/2 Patrick writes in a simple straight forward way. Very easy to read (or listen to, in my case). But I frequently found myself laughing out loud. The 50 First Dates-esque-ness of London and Luke's relationship was cute. But I particularly enjoyed when she got mad and lie to herself about Luke.

Character development: ★★★★1/2 London becomes more curious and invested when she tries to change the future. Her relationships with her secret-keeping mother, her ill-fated best friend, her comically swoon-worthy supportive boyfriend, and others inspire her to step up and be proactive. I loved seeing her discover things about herself.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★1/2 I was surprised by how well thought out this story was. It's not overly complicated, but by halfway through the book, I was shocked and say "No way!" or "Oh my gosh!" or "This is so bad..." at the end of every chapter. I like it when that happens. I really love where she took the story.

Message/Theme: ★★★★1/2 If you could choose to forget the most painful parts of your past, would you? What if forgetting means saving yourself from a grim future? Very thought-provoking.

Audiobook Narration: ★★★★ Julia Whelan does well with the reading of this book. She was the perfect voice for London. She made the intense parts more intense, the funny parts very funny. She was great. I hope I get to hear other audiobooks narrated by her.

Overall: ★★★★1/2 I loved this book. I was surprised how much. I definitely recommend it.



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Before I Fall | Book Review

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my immediate reaction after finishing this book:

I LOVE it and I HATE it when I read a book that makes me depressed because I'll never write anything THAT amazing probably ever. Ugh. Before I Fall is Mean Girls meets Groundhog's Day. Or Daybreak if Taye Diggs's character had been Gretchen Wieners. Every single teen issue is addressed the story. ALL OF THEM. There is character development GALORE. And it made me cry just a tiny bit. And I'm freaking angry that I can't know more about What Happens After. I hate you, Lauren Oliver, for being so dang good at words. I hate you and I love you to death. And even then.

Honestly, I think that's says everything you need to know about my feelings. Here's the Rating Breakdown:

Writing technique: ★★★★1/2 Oliver makes magic out of words. She's compelling and intriguing. She makes you like pretty loathsome characters. She makes them relatable, loveable even. Her descriptions are perfection. She uses the a shallow, vain, self-absorbed girl to raise interesting questions, say thought-provoking things. A tiny example:

“I shiver, thinking how easy it is to be totally wrong about people-to see one tiny part of them and confuse it for the whole, to see the cause and think it's the effect or vice versa."

Character development:★★★★★ Sam's transformation is so real and believable and awesome. I also got to see into a lot of the other characters in a way that was really moving. I thought I'd have difficulty sympathizing with a Mean Girl, but I loved Sam. A lot.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★1/2 Unlike Bill Murray's character who relives Groundhog's Day potentially millions of times, Sam relives her last day only 7 times. I thought the days would be a predictable repetition of the same events day by day, but I was pleasantly surprised. Sam makes significantly different choices that lead to entirely different days and a brilliantly unfolding plot. So good.

Message/Theme: ★★★★1/2 OMG, Oliver delves into practically every teen issue fearlessly: popularity, peer pressure, snobbery, teen sex, teen drinking, drinking and driving, alcoholism, divorce, family drama, friend drama, leading v. following, bullying, drug abuse, suicide, depression, eating disorders, student-teacher romance, senioritis, vanity, greed, lying, cheating, and probably more. Oliver's message is essentially this: how you live matters, how you treat people deeply affects them, the world doesn't revolve around you, and when you die, will you be remembered for something good? You don't know what moment will be your last.
 
Audiobook Narration: ★★★★ Sarah Drew read this audiobook and she did fantastically. When I looked her up, I was shocked to realize she was the most detestable character ever on Grey's Anatomy (one of my favorite shows). I appreciated her as an actor far more for her work on this novel than anything I've witnessed on that show. She made me laugh out loud literally. She made me love Sam and Lindsay and Anna and Juliet. She only loses a point for her "Kent" voice which I'm not sure did him justice, and her "Rob" voice which always sounded stoned.

Overall: ★★★★★ INCREDIBLE BOOK. I wish everyone would read it. Seriously.



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