Book: Opposite of Always By Justin A. Reynolds Published By: Katherine Tegen Books Publishing Date: 5 Mar 2019 Genre: Young Adult
This is a hilarious, heartfelt, and sometimes frustrating novel about our choices, the people we choose, and the moments that make a life worth reliving.
The plot is divided into different sections every time Jack goes back to when he first meets Kate at the stairs. With every part of the book, there are more layers added to the story. The last two sections feel more repetitive than offering something new. I might have forward a bit okay maybe a lot of pages
SYNOPSIS Jack Ellison King. King of Almost. He almost made valedictorian. He almost made varsity. He almost got the girl. When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favourite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. But then Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.
He plummets into a do-over, and then another, but for everyone else, it’s always the first time. Watching Jack scheme to save Kate at any cost, including ignoring his friends, betraying Franny, gambling, and lying, are definitely touching and worrying for me.
Jack makes multiple frustrating attempts at changing events. Each attempt make someone leave Jack’s life. One of the most important parts of all this was him trying to find the balance between all the things that he holds dear. In a way, this is about Jack’s love life but it also is a lot more than that. It also includes his friendship with his two best friends, Jillian and Franny, and his parents. I would have liked more of an explanation on why the time travel
It is interesting to note that Jack’s parents were also so very supportive and understanding, making the book feel fuzzy which make for a nice representation
“People always say they’re happy you’re happy until they’re afraid that maybe your happiness is affecting their happiness and then they’re not so happy about you being so happy.”
About the character; Kathy is one of these characters, full of life and you have the feeling you know them or you can meet them at any moment of your life.
Jillian, that one character that drives me nuts. How can you be so blind for the past three years and didn’t see that Jack is mad about you? And at the very same moment, another girl catches his eye to begin overreacting, acting bitchy and protective like he is in your possession and I kinda dislike that she was with Jake the next time.
My other qualm is that the whole thing trying to prevent Kate from dying seems a little bit… unrealistic? making it seem like it sweeps the seriousness of the disease she has under the carpet, and while it might be nice to change what happened in the past but at the end of the day you can’t and you should always do the best that you can and try not to beat yourself up about what went wrong or maybe try to figure why not jump into it blindly.
Let Chat
- Second Chance, your thought on using it to save someone?
- I know am not the only that did not understand why the character keep jumping into it blindly?
- Do you have bookstores recommendation that ship to West Africa?