Book Review: The Catastrophic History Of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

***2012 Debut Author***
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: February 2012
Publisher: Penguin / Dial
Pages: 400
Series: no
Acquisition: received for review

Summary:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

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 D&G (dead and gone), 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 has been keeping 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 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? (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
I have to say, it took me a little while to warm up to this one. Probably because it took me a while before I began to feel anything for the MC, Brie. I really didn't think it was going to like her at all but I was wrong. It might have taken me a while to get into the rhythm of this book but I'm glad I stuck with it because by the end I was captivated.

Stories that start off with our main character dying can sometimes either be too traumatic to be really enjoyable for me or too silly to be appreciated. Fortunately, The Catastrophic History of You and Me failed to fit the norm! Surprisingly deep and light hearted at the same time - a rare find in my opinion.

This is one of the those, all the pieces fit together in the end, type of stories - which really are a favorite of mine.

Final verdict:
So...I'm a bit torn by this one. I really liked the 'heaven' of this book but in some ways it really creeped me out. I love a good ghost story but I don't love seeing a young MC die. Overall? I would have to say I'm a fan of this book but I don't think it's one I would pick up to read again.

What I do know is that I would most defiantly read another book by Jess Rothenberg in the future. The Catastrophic History of You and Me is her debut and although I didn't love it to pieces, I really think others will and I very much enjoyed Jess's storytelling and word building.

Overall Rating:

4 / 5 Stars

Linkage Love:
Author's website
Goodreads
IndieBound