Reviews

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

emilyanddeb's review against another edition

3.0

More like a 3.5

This wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. It definitely had some cute aspects and moments. Other moments were just too cheesy. I also wish the ending had been longer. It was wrapped up very quickly and I would've loved to read more about Julia's love resolution.

softstarrynights's review against another edition

2.0

This is a ***SPOILER FREE*** review of Never Always Sometimes which I really didn't enjoy, and as much as I hate writing not so positive reviews, I'm going to tell you why.

“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” ― Anton Chekhov

This isn't a quote from this book, but it's a quote I always think of when I'm writing and I've never quite understood what Chekhov meant until now. The gist of Never Always Sometimes is as follows, Julia and Dave are two indie kinds who are about to graduate high school when they find a list of things that they promised themselves they would never do. Unsurprisingly, they decide to complete everything on the list. Adi Alsaid was definitely a tell-er not a show-er. You expect a certain amount of exposition at the beginning of a book, especially when your two main characters are already best friends. However, to me this felt like 300 odd pages of Julia/dave felt this, did this, thought this. I'm not sure how well, I'm conveying this though writing, but maybe if you read this you'll see where I'm coming from.

In case you haven't picked up on this fact so far this is a Young Adult (YA) contemporary, a genre which I rarely expect much more than a quick, cute, read. Honestly, 95% I'm impressed by the depth or characterisation or plot, but that did not happen here. The plot was the most predictable plot I've read all year, and I feel like a terrible person admitting this. There were no surprises, and the lack of characterisation brought on by all the 'telling' meant that the book felt flat for me.

As I said before, I'm not a fan of negative reviews, but I think I've done my best to try to illustrate just why I, personally, didn't enjoy this book. I know that there are plenty of people who really love it but unfortunately Never Always Sometimes just wasn't my cup of tea.

claradee's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

nicky_m98's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars
This was a really fun heart warming/heart breaking book that I really enjoyed. The plot was really fun and I loved the way the points of view were split. The relationships were great and I had fun reading about them. I was completely 'wowed' by the this book but like I said I had fun and enjoyed it.

bookmarklit's review against another edition

4.0

Damn. I sincerely loved this book until about 80% of the way through. That ending was rough and heartbreaking for me. I think that won't work for a lot of people (shit I can't stop thinking about it) but the story as a whole is completely worth a read. Lots of humor and banter; really great writing and quotable parts. But ugh. Someone send me chocolate or pizza.

authorisasauthordoes's review against another edition

This is a book with some seriously good intentions and lots of potential that never quite hit right with me. There were pieces to the characters that I really liked -- despite some of their more obnoxious eccentricities that came off less like realistic dimensionality and more like attempts at trying to make them unique (yes, this is about Julia and her desperation / disdain for being cliche, i.e., any human being that isn't her or her mother, or Dave, depending on the day).

Still, something about the writing didn't pull me in, but I figured I would keep reading to give it a fair shot. Again, there were some truly charming elements like the enjoyable banter and smaller characters that brought color to the world, like Dave's brother Brett or the layered football player Vince. And when Dave started to fall for Gretchen -- a genuinely likable, layered character who honestly deserves better than what she got -- I figured something had to be wrong. I was falling more for the relationship I knew was destined to fail by all trope standards, so I just wanted to see what the author was going to do bring this all level by the end. That, at least, I was intrigued in.

Then, it just got messy.

The moment that the POV switched to Julia after her obnoxious fight with Dave, I couldn't stand her character anymore. It was a true shame, because I hate to dislike female characters for traits that are so often ridiculed (i.e., being a "manic pixie dream girl"), but she truly was the worst iteration of that type of character and didn't offer anything that I liked to make up for it. The best characters do have flaws but their intriguing or likable traits even it out and make for a nuanced portrayal that feels real. Julia had none of this, and I really couldn't get through it.

Then Dave and Julia hook up. In an instant. On a beach. While he's still with Gretchen. Listen, I know characters are allowed to make mistakes and it's not as though enjoyable characters haven't cheated on others before, but what??? WHAT??? Gretchen deserves better, it made me instantly dislike Dave and no longer want to spend anymore time with him as a reader. So, I stopped. I returned the book to the library and that was that.

From what I've read through reviews, Dave and Julia decide they're better off best friends after literally destroying their other relationships for each other. Didn't miss much.

On the one hand, there's a lot of potential in having best friends think they love each other only to discover that maybe they don't after all. Like, there's endless story potential there that could be really impactful. But this story doesn't accomplish that. The characters become unlikable (or basically weren't from the start) and honestly, truly, Gretchen deserves better. Dave doesn't deserve her. The narrative doesn't deserve her. Wherever she is, I hope she's happy.

littlebookishfairy's review against another edition

1.0

“Never Always Sometimes” was just very bland. I had high expectations of it kicking the ‘girls can’t be friends with guys’ cliche to the curb, but no.
It was honestly like a pet rock, very bland and didn’t do anything.

itratali's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ash_ton's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 maybe?

bananabeanx's review against another edition

3.0

Its a cool book, about pining and stuff the twist is nice but not the type of book I really like, for short it’s not the fault in our star-ish.