Opposite of Always

From School Library Journal 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 “ Opposite of Always is as beautiful as it is funny, warm, and captivating. One of the best love stories I’ve ever read. Jack King is the hero we’ve been waiting for.” — Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give “Read this one, reread it, and then hug it to your chest. Reynolds’ debut is wise, heartfelt, and wildly, infinitely charming.”xa0xa0 — Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat “This charming, wry novel packed with witty, crackling banter is propulsively readable. 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.” — Booklist (starred review) “A love story about friendship with a “choosexa0your own adventure” twist... Any teen who’s ever wanted a do-over will enjoy reading this story.” — School Library Journal (starred review) “ Romeo and Juliet meets Groundhog Day and Love Story in this wonderfully romantic story of teenage love and second chances.… Reynolds creates a pair of unforgettable protagonists who are doomed to love, lose, and work to find one another again and again.” — Kirkus Reviews “Reynolds spins a poignant, dizzying tale of love and loss in this page-turning time-travel fantasy.” — Horn Book “[Reynolds] creates an enormously likable character who is doing the best he can and then some ...the book’s blend of humor and heartbreak wins out.” — Publishers Weekly “Jack’s narration is as funny as it is poignant as he moves from romantic to frantic and back again... [a]xa0sentimental but not saccharine fantasy.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “Relationships take a central role in this passionate novel, as Reynolds delves into the emotional experience of Jack’s inner circle, giving them and their interpersonal connections depth. It’s an intense ride and readers are likely going to want to stick with Jack to the (real) end.” — Shelf Awareness “A story of friendship, young love, and learning how to make the right choices... In tough times, we can’t get enough of these books and we don’t get nearly as many as we need. Science fiction is lucky to have this one.” — Locus Justin A. Reynolds has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always , his debut YA novel, was an Indies Introduce selection and a School Library Journal Best Book and has been translated into nineteen languages. His second YA novel, Early Departures , was a Kirkus Reviews Best YA Book of the Year. His debut middle grade, a Miles Morales graphic novel titled Shock Waves , was an indie bestseller. Justin is also the cofounder of the CLE Reads Book Festival, a Cleveland book festival for middle grade and young adult writers. He hangs out in northeast Ohio and is probably somewhere right now dancing terribly. You can visit him at www.justinareynolds.com Read more