Reviews

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

maggierae's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lediamond4's review against another edition

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

3.0

This was cute. I really liked the writing. Everything flowed together and it was an easy and enjoyable read. The characters were fun to get to know and spend time with throughout the book. I enjoyed the different dynamics they all had with one another. I also thought that the theme of relationships (family, friendship, romantic, etc) was pretty consistent and well done. Jack, being the protagonist/narrator was funny and charming, if also a little bit frustrating in a very realistic way. 

The time travel aspect was hit or miss for me. I think it would have worked better if it had been shorter. This is a LONG book, though the chapters themselves aren’t always long. Some of them are just a page. So the pace is pretty quick. But because of the time travel, it is a little repetitive and boring at times. I like how the different choices Jack made each time had different results. The butterfly effect, right? It was pretty interesting to see how everything would play out. 

This is going to make me sound cynical but I’m not sure how I feel about the ending. Everything was so perfectly tied together and HAPPY that it just took away from the emotions I felt over the course of the story. Kate lived, Franny (who was easily my favorite character and went through WAY too much as a supporting character in my opinion 😭) made up with his dad and got into college with his best friend and girlfriend. Cute, but simple. And I wanted it to be a little deeper than that. 

But again, this was like 450 pages and I read it in a day so I think that says something really good about it. 

eliseblackburn's review against another edition

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2.0

Time loops that restart due to a failing romance can be so enjoyable because they play on the audience's wish that they could redo life without consequences until they get it right.
Unfortunately, this book made too many mistakes for it to be an enjoyable or worthwhile read.
This review is a warning for anyone who reads the premise of the book and is intrigued. Before investing any time, here are a few things to note:
The author tried to write a young adult book without knowing anything about the culture of teenagers, so every reference comes across as tacky, obnoxious, and idiotic. Finally, the grand finale of the book was an utter cop-out, considering all the work the reader had to go through to get to the end. The author definitely needed to rely more on the reader more when trying to explain his final message, which did not truly relate to the time loop plot of the book at all. This novel is meant for love-struck teenagers who need to learn how to balance new romantic relationships while staying close to family and friends. Even though this was a major theme in the novel, the author failed to address this idea and provide any sort of answer.

millyonwords's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

I thought this book was hilarious. I laughed out loud the entire time. It’s a great rest for when you’ve read way too many heartbreaking emotional stories. 

jnwunder's review

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5.0

This book took me on a wild ride. I had to reread some parts because the author's description of action isn't always totally clear. Didn't totally like the ending, but it's been a while since a book pulled me in so hard.

steph01924's review against another edition

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3.0

I'm always down for a time-travel book, but this one didn't quite satisfy. Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.

lmcmurtray2's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

invisible_universes's review against another edition

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

3.0

A fairly solid time loop story. The author is a witty writer with a really solid voice which makes it an entertaining read, but the time loop is a little derivative the love story a little weak and the message a little muddled. It wasn't awful but definitely not a top favorite

reytak's review against another edition

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4.0

this was such a cute book, sometimes i had difficulty with the writing and the time jumps (not when he went back in time but the time skips between chapters), but overall i really liked it. i loved all the characters and their stories :))