Review: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Released: February 21, 2012
Publisher: Dial
Rated: YA
Buy: Amazon

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?

What I thought

When I first heard about this, I was excited for it. While the novel wasn't anything amazing, it was still a good read. What hooked me to the story was the plot. A young girl actually dying of a broken heart. A heart split into two. While following Brie's afterlife, I enjoyed it as the pieces started coming together.

Brie's need for revenge was a little too much sometimes, but other times I felt bad for her. Not about her heart getting broken, per se, but about her life coming to an abrupt end. No change of marriage, of graduating, of experiencing life outside of a school system. Of losing her family, of how her brother will have to live without his sister and friend. Looking in on how her death has affected her family was what tugged on my heart strings in this book.

The revenge thing was almost too much for me. Brie didn't just want to irritate her two friends in a small way. She was out to ruin them, if she could. But luckily, by the end of the novel, her attitude changes and realizes her mistakes. She is able to read between the lines, see the things she missed.

This is still an entertaining read and I would still recommend it. I just wouldn't hold out for a story that will blow you away.

My Rating

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