Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Synopsis:
Brie's life ends at sixteen: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart - literally. But now that she's in heaven, Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend knows a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost - and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul who's been D&G (dead and gone) much longer than she. and who just might hold the key to her forever after. With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. but how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?
The first thing I noticed about this book is its title and cover photo. If I weer to judge this by its cover, then this would definitely be a 5 out of 5. Fortunately, the story is as good as the cover so I've no regrets at all for reading it.
For a debut novel, Jess Rothenberg has exceeded my expectations. This book has one of the best starting paragraphs ever. This is a very important part of a book because it can make or break a good impression it leaves to its readers. It's obvious that it left me with a very good impression. I got so engrossed that it made me want to know what will happen next. It's a page turner.
I also like how she title the chapters in this novel. She incorporated song lyrics and titles. That was a brilliant idea.
The book is somehow similar to Lovely Bones. This book, however, has all the necessary elements it should contain. Lovely Bones was boring but this book wasn't. It was full of surprises.
This book deals with the possible stages a soul might undergo when a person realizes that he's really dead. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Sadness. Acceptance. If only heaven is really like how Brie described it, then no one might be afraid of death.
Towards the end of the book, you'll realize why it's entitled "The Catastrophic History of You and Me".
I surely recommend this book! It's full of surprises, twists, and lessons that will make you appreciate your life.
Quotes from the Book:
"There's always that one guy who gets hold on you."
"The problem is, there is absolutely nothing "fun" about falling in love. Nope. Mostly it just makes you feel sick and crazy and anxious and nervous that it's going to end miserably and ruin your whole life. And guess what: Then it does."
"Love is a piano dropped from a four-story windows, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Love is no game. People cut their tears off over this stuff. People jump off the Eiffel Tower and sell all their possessions and move to Alaska to live with the grizzly bears, and they get eaten and nobody hears them when they scream for help. That's right. Falling in love is pretty much the same thing as being eaten alive by a grizzly bear."
"Sometimes, friends drift in and out of our lives like fashion accessories - in one season and out the next."
"The problem with time is, sometimes there's just so much of it."
"Love is such a complete and total frock."
"When you're in love, the world is brighter. Sunnier. The air smells flowerier, and your hair is silkier, and suddenly you find yourself smiling at babies and strangers and old couples walking down the beach holding hands."
"Hell is when the people you love the most reach right into your soul and rip it out of you."
"Whenever people talk about dying, everyone always gets so hung up on the very last thing that flashes before your eyes. The last thought. The last memory. That last feeling, or kiss, or fight, or song on the radio - whatever significant LAST thing that's somehow supposed to encapsulate your entire life in a single moment, all wrapped up in a big, blinding flash of perfect, final light."
"Life was long, but death was longer."
"Love is about loving someone else more than you love yourself."
"No matter how much you think you know a person - no matter how pretty they act, or how popular they seem, you can never know what their lives are really like."
Rating: 5/5
Labels: Book Review, Jess Rothenberg
