This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is about the death of Sam Kingston, focusing on her last day with a catch: the day keeps repeating. Sam has it all: three best friends, a great boyfriend, and popularity. Cupid Day is supposed to be a day for Sam to show everyone how popular she is by how many roses she gets, and one big party with her friends. When her former friend Kent McFuller throws a party, it's supposed to be the beginning of an unforgettable night, and it is, but not in the way she thought. This is the night Sam dies in a car accident. When she wakes up, she thinks it was a nightmare, until she realizes she's reliving the day. She learns that she may know her friends, but she doesn't know everything about them, and that people may be more than she thought. With each repeat, she learns that one simple thing can change a person's life. It's the choices she makes that matter.
More than a tale of morality, Before I Fall is about friendship, family, life, and death. A gripping and compelling tale of what it means to make a difference. There's a lot of heavy themes from bullying, suicide, and death, but it never becomes too much to handle. Lauren Oliver writes about how actions have consequences and how everything you do affects someone's life, even if you don't know it. There's a domino effect every time Sam makes a new decision. Before I Fall is more than a story of conscience; it breaks stereotypes of popularity and outcasts, showing that everyone is human and complicated. This isn't saying 'hey, be a good person;' the moral of the story is to look past the facade a person has. With each repeated day, Sam learns something new. She's always taken everyone at face value, including her friends, but when she starts to look deeper, she sees there's more to them that's not spoken. This novel is perfect for teenagers needing someone to relate to, and for adults to remember what it was like in high school. Everyone could benefit in remembering simple things like kindness, second chances, and to always look past a book's cover.
