Before I Fall

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I guess that's what saying goodbye is always like-- like jumping off an edge. The worst part is making the choice to do it. Once you're in the air, there's nothing you can do but let go.

Imagine reliving the last day of your life over and over. You may not change the final outcome, but you get a chance to redeem yourself, make your last day more special and make your existence more meaningful. That's what happened to Samantha Kingston (Sam), the protagonist of this story. She needed a "wake-up call" in order to let go of her shallowness and realize the important aspects of life-- family, real friends, true love; and the lessons she needed to learn-- acceptance, non-judgement, respect.

The book began at the end and revolved around it. Initially, it was a bit slow-paced for me. The middle part became more intriguing and dealt with emotions I never anticipated. It's one of those young adult novels that deal with death but is not really as morbid as it sounds because the story is told from a young person's perspective. I developed a love-hate relationship with Sam as I read through her story. The ending was a bit abrupt and predictable but the cycle I had to go through before reaching that ending is unexpectedly enjoyable.

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