Opposite of Always

February 1, 2019

Gr 8 Up-Jack King is the King of "almost" with a slew of unfinished projects under his belt. He's almost athletic, almost a rock star, almost at everything. He is sitting on the stairs at a college party staring at his best friend and unrequited love interest Jillian, when he meets Kate. These two teens forge a bond over the love of cereal, bad dance moves, and nerdy movies. Jack becomes the Cap'n to Kate's Crunch until Kate is a no-show at Jack's high school prom. Jack survives the heartbreak through the efforts of Jillian and his other best friend Franny "Francisco," Jillian's boyfriend. Jack learns that Kate has sickle cell anemia and was in the hospital during prom. While at the hospital, Kate tells Jack about a doctor who has some promising experimental trials, but the treatment is expensive. Jack goes home to rest only to be awakened by a phone call from Kate's mother telling him that Kate has died. He's headed to his car when falls down the stairs and wakes up back at the college party where he first met Kate. Jake's life now cyclically reboots as he attempts to save Kate and maintain his friendships. This is a love story about friendship with a "choose your own adventure" twist. The humor in this story will keep readers engaged. Any teen who's ever wanted a do-over will enjoy reading this story. VERDICT A great title for public and school libraries seeking excellent realistic fiction with a twist.-Desiree Thomas, Worthington Library, OH

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
Romeo and Juliet meets Groundhog Day and Love Story in this wonderfully romantic story of teenage love and second chances.What can Jack say about a college freshman girl who's dying? That she is beautiful and brilliant? That she loves writing, witty banter, and him? Or that he is destined to meet her over and over again? In this engrossing debut novel, Reynolds creates both a pair of unforgettable protagonists who are doomed to love, lose, and work to find one another again and again and a well-rounded cast of supporting characters. Jack King, who is African-American, is an only child, caught in a love triangle with his two best friends: Franny, a resilient and optimistic Latinx boy, and Franny's Italian-American girlfriend, Jillian, who is grappling with family issues--and who is the one who got away. All of that changes when Jack meets Kate, an African-American student tour guide, during his visit to her university. When she stands him up for prom, he is heartbroken--even more so when he learns that she has a serious genetic condition. Among the best elements of this supernatural romance are the three-dimensional relationships between Jack and his parents and between him and his two best friends.A realistic teen drama that tackles complex subjects in an uncompromising way. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Narrator Nile Bullock's welcoming youthful voice guides listeners through a story of second, third, and more chances at getting it right. Bullock creates a lively group of voices for this YA romance in which honoring friendships and being a good son is just as important as finding love. Jack and Kate meet at a party, and theirs is a whirlwind relationship full of witty conversations and sweet-voiced declarations. And then Kate dies. Listeners will hear Jack's astonishment when he jumps back in time to their first meeting and delight when he discovers he has another chance with her. And when she dies again, another. Bullock makes Jack's love for his family and friends and desperation to save Kate believable through his honest and warm narration. E.E.C. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

Starred review from December 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Reynolds' snappy, dialogue-driven debut is a coming-of-age story with a time traveling twist. High-school senior Jack King meets Kate extra cute at a party while he's visiting her college, and their chemistry is undeniable. But Kate's ill, and their romance is heartbreakingly short-lived. Her death, however, sends Jack back in time to the moment they first meet, and every time he fails to save her, he returns to that moment again, getting another chance at love and, in the process, learning valuable things about himself. But sometimes trying to save Kate ruins something else in his life, and each trip back becomes a careful balancing act. Though the plot builds a little slowly at first, when Reynolds hits his stride, this charming, wry novel packed with witty, crackling banter is propulsively readable. Reynolds imbues his diverse cast of characters with rich, dynamic personalities. Jack is particularly multifaceted: this nerdy, awkward black teen resists any easy categorization, and in his witty first-person narrative, readers see him gain even more depth and nuance with each new loop into the past. Kate, too, comes through as a well-rounded character, and it's a joy to watch their romance play out. There are some big questions about choice, consequences, loyalty, and love in this novel, and Reynolds beautifully complements those heavy concerns with the sweet, funny, and genuine voice of his protagonist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)