Before I Fall

This was author Lauren Oliver's debut novel and boy did it capture everyone's attention.  She gained recognition as a good read from NY Times, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the list goes on.  Plus, made it onto numerous state reading lists since it supports the common core standards. 

Why so much hype? Personally I had no idea the book had received so much attention when I uploaded it to my Kindle this summer.

Sometimes I just browse books and if a cover jumps out at me (I mean look at it), like this did and the title, "Before I Fall"...... (hmmmm sounds interesting) makes me ponder a minute, I'll read the summary.

 If the summary sounds interesting, (a high school girl has a chance at a do over when she unexpectedly dies... hmm... okay I'll take the bait) I give it a try.  This was one of those special cases.

This book is intense.  In that it asks thought provoking questions about love, death, and how one persons life can affect so many others.  Not nearly enough books do this and help to gain more of an interest in reading for young adults.  A prefect book for high school students since it's easily relateable to that level.  Some of the situations the characters face were not close to my high school experience at all, but for some it might be right up their alley.  At that age many teens are focused on themselves and what is going on in their own life (we all go through it).  They tend to consider themselves invincible, but this book is a reminder that for an unlucky few that isn't the case. A reminder that life and the daily decisions we make are precious.  

It's one of t-h-o-s-e books.  The kind that after I finished reading I put it down and just laid back staring at the ceiling, deep in thought, unable to do anything but let the book sink in. Not my typical upbeat read, but man it's a doozey.

Summary:
Popular High School senior Samantha Kingston believes Cupids Day, February 12th, is one big party.  And it is... until she dies in a terrible accident that night.  The shocker is she still wakes up the next morning. But not only that morning, but the next too, because Sam lives the last day of her life 7 times.  It's then she realizes that by altering pieces of her day she may hold more power than she thought possible. And discover the true value of everything that she's in danger of
losing.