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jmsv45's review against another edition
4.0
Writer Person
Real rating: 4.5 stars
Maybe it's because I haven't read all that many cancer books. I've read a few, of course. Over the summer I read a UK one, Before I Die by Jenny Downham. So maybe my experience is vague, but I'm pretty sure nothing like this has been tried. I mean, in most cancer books, the person dies, right? The whole point is how to live each day like it's your last? And I'm sure you've read the summary. Here is Alice, totally expecting to die so she goes about her bucket list- and then she goes into remission. Um, whoops. Now she has to deal with the consequences of everything she's done.
Alice was not an easy character for me. Half the time I was calling her a bitch and the other half I was marveling at how familiar she seemed. I hated the way she strung Harvey along. I hated how she couldn't realize how obvious the solution was. But I totally understood where she was coming from. I could understand her fears. I could understand how she and her mother don't get along anyways. I could understand how she can't allow herself to be with Harvey but seeing him with someone else is infuriating and heartbreaking. I get it. That's the crazy part. As absolutely horrible as she is... She's so relatable.
While her bucket list is certainly not one I'd endorse, I love how it gave us a solid foundation. Like, this is what Alice is like. This is how horrible she is. But if you get past all those awful things, you see that she really does have potential. And I think that's so perfect. Because you can't truly know a person until you've seen them at their lowest. And Alice, like most people, is not perfect. But that's okay. She doesn't have to be perfect.
And for the record, this book isn't all about her. So if she frustrates you, read it for Harvey. He's the other half of this story. He's been in love with Alice for as long as he can remember and he's the one she chose to do these crazy things with. But Alice is, to put it bluntly, a bitch. (As I always say, don't fall in love with a bitch.) But he stills loves her. And he has to find a way to reconcile his feelings for her and his sense of self. Which was hard for me, too. Because he probably did deserve someone better. But he deserves to be with the one he loves. But the one he loves is an awful person. But she has so much potential. So I think he made me want to cry the most. Because life is difficult like that. He's open and honest about his feelings and Alice, while used to the truth, enjoys being in control more. And I loved Harvey and the role he played. I loved watching him grow as a person, too. It was incredibly sweet. He helps you see Alice for what she really is, even though it took him a while to figure it out himself.
This book is truly amazing. I guess I say that a lot, but this one is amazing in life-changing way. I don't want to get into the details of my life or anything, but this is the kind of book that makes you inspect what your values are and what you are truly like. It's eye-opening. If Alice can get over her issues and slowly become a better, kinder, less selfish person... It's inspiring. And watching her character learn and grow made me tear up. This whole book, I was on the verge of tears. But don't be discouraged because while it's sad at times, I think it's ultimately uplifting. It's everything good and bad and ugly about our lives and that's okay. Because even though the ending was not nearly enough for me, there's still hope. And sometimes that's all that matters.
Recommendation: this is for anyone who likes contemporary, cancer books, or life-changing/eye-opening books. It's for anyone who likes self-discovery and a hint of adventure.
Real rating: 4.5 stars
Maybe it's because I haven't read all that many cancer books. I've read a few, of course. Over the summer I read a UK one, Before I Die by Jenny Downham. So maybe my experience is vague, but I'm pretty sure nothing like this has been tried. I mean, in most cancer books, the person dies, right? The whole point is how to live each day like it's your last? And I'm sure you've read the summary. Here is Alice, totally expecting to die so she goes about her bucket list- and then she goes into remission. Um, whoops. Now she has to deal with the consequences of everything she's done.
Alice was not an easy character for me. Half the time I was calling her a bitch and the other half I was marveling at how familiar she seemed. I hated the way she strung Harvey along. I hated how she couldn't realize how obvious the solution was. But I totally understood where she was coming from. I could understand her fears. I could understand how she and her mother don't get along anyways. I could understand how she can't allow herself to be with Harvey but seeing him with someone else is infuriating and heartbreaking. I get it. That's the crazy part. As absolutely horrible as she is... She's so relatable.
While her bucket list is certainly not one I'd endorse, I love how it gave us a solid foundation. Like, this is what Alice is like. This is how horrible she is. But if you get past all those awful things, you see that she really does have potential. And I think that's so perfect. Because you can't truly know a person until you've seen them at their lowest. And Alice, like most people, is not perfect. But that's okay. She doesn't have to be perfect.
And for the record, this book isn't all about her. So if she frustrates you, read it for Harvey. He's the other half of this story. He's been in love with Alice for as long as he can remember and he's the one she chose to do these crazy things with. But Alice is, to put it bluntly, a bitch. (As I always say, don't fall in love with a bitch.) But he stills loves her. And he has to find a way to reconcile his feelings for her and his sense of self. Which was hard for me, too. Because he probably did deserve someone better. But he deserves to be with the one he loves. But the one he loves is an awful person. But she has so much potential. So I think he made me want to cry the most. Because life is difficult like that. He's open and honest about his feelings and Alice, while used to the truth, enjoys being in control more. And I loved Harvey and the role he played. I loved watching him grow as a person, too. It was incredibly sweet. He helps you see Alice for what she really is, even though it took him a while to figure it out himself.
This book is truly amazing. I guess I say that a lot, but this one is amazing in life-changing way. I don't want to get into the details of my life or anything, but this is the kind of book that makes you inspect what your values are and what you are truly like. It's eye-opening. If Alice can get over her issues and slowly become a better, kinder, less selfish person... It's inspiring. And watching her character learn and grow made me tear up. This whole book, I was on the verge of tears. But don't be discouraged because while it's sad at times, I think it's ultimately uplifting. It's everything good and bad and ugly about our lives and that's okay. Because even though the ending was not nearly enough for me, there's still hope. And sometimes that's all that matters.
Recommendation: this is for anyone who likes contemporary, cancer books, or life-changing/eye-opening books. It's for anyone who likes self-discovery and a hint of adventure.
missmary98's review against another edition
3.0
Alice is not a good person. And I don't have much more to say.
moorealexa's review against another edition
DNF @ 90% LOL
i literally cannot even force myself to read the last 30 pages of this. the main character is truly abhorrent and not in an interesting way and i just cannot read about her redemption that i know is coming. i lovvvveee Julie Murphy but this is clearly her debut and i'm so happy her books have only gotten MUCH better.
i literally cannot even force myself to read the last 30 pages of this. the main character is truly abhorrent and not in an interesting way and i just cannot read about her redemption that i know is coming. i lovvvveee Julie Murphy but this is clearly her debut and i'm so happy her books have only gotten MUCH better.
abbievillehorror's review against another edition
4.0
Alice's development was necessary and satisfying and because she was so deeply flawed she felt realer than most characters. Plus, I do love a good revenge story, let's be real. And I loved that this was a love story without the sappy love part - it was a complicated and twisted love story that you might not even root for the majority of the book. Julie Murphy never fails to impress in unexpected ways.
samanthamiecz's review against another edition
4.0
*Actual rating: 3.5 stars*
I definitely really liked this book,the characters were probably some of the most realistic I've read in a while, but I think because of that I got frustrated or annoyed with the characters and certain parts. I also felt like the plot wasn't really going anywhere at times But other than that I really liked the story, the characters were super realistic and I loved how the two different timelines weaved together through out the book.
I definitely really liked this book,the characters were probably some of the most realistic I've read in a while, but I think because of that I got frustrated or annoyed with the characters and certain parts. I also felt like the plot wasn't really going anywhere at times But other than that I really liked the story, the characters were super realistic and I loved how the two different timelines weaved together through out the book.
gabiloue's review against another edition
1.0
This book was certainly not my favorite. This was probably due to the combination of the fact that I had just read an AMAZING book before it, I had really high expectations for it, and it was nothing like how I expected or wanted.
The main flaw present in the book that really turned me off was the characters. They were annoying, desperate, and whiny, and were not enjoyable to read about, nor was I interested in anything that happened to them. The main character (Alice) is annoying and mean and just can't seem to be anything otherwise, even when leukemia flips her life upside down and then right back up. Harvey, the other main character, is painted as desperate and ignorant, especially in his foolhardy love for Alice.
The story was written out of order, which was confusing and there didn't seem to be a particular reason why it was written in such a way. The book dragged on and on and didn't even end on a very satisfying note.
The main flaw present in the book that really turned me off was the characters. They were annoying, desperate, and whiny, and were not enjoyable to read about, nor was I interested in anything that happened to them. The main character (Alice) is annoying and mean and just can't seem to be anything otherwise, even when leukemia flips her life upside down and then right back up. Harvey, the other main character, is painted as desperate and ignorant, especially in his foolhardy love for Alice.
The story was written out of order, which was confusing and there didn't seem to be a particular reason why it was written in such a way. The book dragged on and on and didn't even end on a very satisfying note.
kbrownreads's review against another edition
3.0
Ending not what I expected. Book just didn't do it for me and i was really disappointed. This is my first book by her.In this book I never really connected with any of the characters, I just didn't like any of them. I thought Harvey was an idiot in love, and I thought Alice was heartless and cold. Alice's father never really showed up in the book and her mother cheated on her father before Alice got cancer. Natalie may have just been my favorite character because of some intangible quality she had, that nobody else did. I don't know what it was, but I liked Natalie. (by the way, Natalie is Harvey's mother).
The style of the book was fantastic. I really liked the now and then way she wrote the book. I've seen the then and now done terribly in very many books but Murphy did it perfectly. Every piece of memory came perfectly in time with the present. It explained every action, and even when I din't like it, I knew why. Murphy also did a double perspective book. (Is that what it's called?) She did that very well too. The only other time I've seen this tricky type of writing done right was in [b:Two-Way Street|1672727|Two-Way Street|Lauren Barnholdt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381750633s/1672727.jpg|1667738]. And man, did I love that book.
Harvey ruined this book for me because he was such a wimp. SO hopelessly in love with Alice, he knew she was using him and didn't even care. Yet, for some reason I kept reading because I just needed to know that Harvey was okay. Overall, I'm a little disappointed in this book by Julie Murphy, but she still wrote the kind of book I couldn't put down and that is a major accomplishment.I can't wait for the next one.
ADDED NOTE
I have since read some other reviews and have come to understand that I'm not meant to like Alice and Harvey.I'm glad because I hated them both
The style of the book was fantastic. I really liked the now and then way she wrote the book. I've seen the then and now done terribly in very many books but Murphy did it perfectly. Every piece of memory came perfectly in time with the present. It explained every action, and even when I din't like it, I knew why. Murphy also did a double perspective book. (Is that what it's called?) She did that very well too. The only other time I've seen this tricky type of writing done right was in [b:Two-Way Street|1672727|Two-Way Street|Lauren Barnholdt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1381750633s/1672727.jpg|1667738]. And man, did I love that book.
Harvey ruined this book for me because he was such a wimp. SO hopelessly in love with Alice, he knew she was using him and didn't even care. Yet, for some reason I kept reading because I just needed to know that Harvey was okay. Overall, I'm a little disappointed in this book by Julie Murphy, but she still wrote the kind of book I couldn't put down and that is a major accomplishment.I can't wait for the next one.
ADDED NOTE
I have since read some other reviews and have come to understand that I'm not meant to like Alice and Harvey.I'm glad because I hated them both
kthornette's review against another edition
4.0
About halfway through this book, I found that this book was a hybrid of TFIOS and Paper Towns (two books I unapologetically love) . There was a cancer story with a revenge plan and a complicated love story. I enjoyed reading Alice and Harvey’s story with the before and after narratives from both their POVs.
Although revenge shouldn’t be a go-to (not saying it was undeserved either), I’m glad that karma came back around for them since I would argue that some of the revenge plots went a bit too far. Then they went too far in return so I guess it all evens out (?)
I have mixed feelings on Alice and Harvey. There were times I was rooting for them and others where I wanted to throw the book (and my phone by default) at the wall. I didn’t even like Alice for most of the book but what she did for him in the final chapter was really sweet.
Although revenge shouldn’t be a go-to (not saying it was undeserved either), I’m glad that karma came back around for them since I would argue that some of the revenge plots went a bit too far. Then they went too far in return so I guess it all evens out (?)
I have mixed feelings on Alice and Harvey. There were times I was rooting for them and others where I wanted to throw the book (and my phone by default) at the wall. I didn’t even like Alice for most of the book but what she did for him in the final chapter was really sweet.
alec99's review against another edition
1.0
Uno dei peggiori libri che io abbia mai letto... se dovessi descriverlo con una parola sarebbe cliché. Era utto tremendamente prevedibile, ma la cosa peggiore sono stati i personaggi, per niente credibili soprattutto la protagonista. Non ho mai incontrato un personaggio più insopportabile e irritante per non parlare del protagonista maschile che neanche ce l'aveva una personalità. La fine poi era praticamente inesistente. In poche parole un libro pieno di personaggi o inutili o irritanti che racconta una storia che suona come già sentita. Quindi niente, per me non ha funzionato.
allibruns's review against another edition
2.0
Normally I love books with unlikeable main characters but I just couldn't with Alice. There was no depth to her she's a bitch for the sake of being bitch. I want a main character who's complex and flushed out not someone who's written with the sole purpose being for me not to like her.