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Thursday, September 10, 2015

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone Review


5/5 Stars
Details of the Book
Hardcover, 355 pages
Published by Disney Hyperion,
an imprint of Disney Book Group

Synopsis:

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Samantha McAllister seems like just another popular teenage girl, spending hours applying makeup and crushing over boys. But beneath the act she’s constantly struggling to keep up, she has Purely-Obsessional OCD. When she meets a new friend named Caroline and discovers Poet’s Cornera secret room beneath the school--she can finally open up and accept herself for who she is.

Okay, guys…Every Last Word is AMAZING! If you haven’t already, go read it now! It has literally everything you could ever want in a book. The writing is engaging, the characters are instantly likable, and the poetry is greatand this is coming from someone who normally doesn’t like poetry. From the very first page, I couldn’t tear myself away and I read Every Last Word all the way through without even stopping to eatand that really says a lot about this book, trust me. My verdict: I loved every last word... So sue me, I like puns.




Strengths/Likes:

1) I loved the writing in this book! It was touching, and the author really got Sam’s OCD across in a realistic manner.

2) I. Loved. All. Of. The. Characters. And there were so many, all going through problems I’ve never experienced, and yet I still related and felt connected to each and every one of them. They were brave, thoughtful, considerate, sweet, and overall just incredible (except Sam’s old friends, but I won't get into that).

3) The plot twist in this book left me speechless. It was amazingly done, and I didn't see it coming at all. That's all I will say about it because I refuse to spoil anything but seriously…wow!

4) Most people throw the term OCD around casually, as if it means the same thing as perfectionist. I feel like this book really changed that for me, and made me understand how hard it is for people like Sam to go through everyday life.

5) I am usually not a fan of poetry, but this book really opened my eyes. Most of the poems were amazing and truly had an emotional impact on me. I won't lie, some tears may have been shed... 




Weaknesses/Dislikes:

1) I wish the author included Sam’s family more. They made a few appearances and were supportive, but I felt like they should have had a bigger part in the story. However, this is literally just personal preference and doesn't detract at all from how incredible this book was! Is this even a weakness? Oh well.

Favorite Quotes/Moments:

1) “If you could read my mind, you wouldn’t be smiling.”

2) “I didn’t go there looking for you. I went looking for me.” My voice is soft, low, and shaky. “But now, here you are, and somehow, in finding you, I think I’ve found myself.”





6 comments:

  1. I loved Every Last Word. I actually predicted the plot twist pretty early on. Knowing the twist didn't take away from the story, though. It was so great! I agree with you on the family aspect. I mentioned that it my review, too. I wanted to have more of her mother in the picture because I loved how supportive she was of Sam. :D

    Sarah @ The Reading Petal

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    1. I'm starting to slowly predict more and more plot twists, seeing as there are a lot of repeats in the genres. Every Last Word actually managed to surprise me!

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  2. I loved this book too, but you're SPOT-ON with the weakness!

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    1. It was a great book! I do wish Sam's family was included more, though

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  3. I've heard sooo much about this book, and in every review I've read, I always see the word " BEAUTIFUL ". I have a feeling this book is going to break me in the best way possible, and that I'll most likely be crying my eyes out by the time that I finish. I'm such an emotional reader lol, but definitely need to pick this up asap!

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    1. The best books are often the ones that leave you crying! I'm an emotional reader too, but I'd definitely recommend Every Last Word

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