Book Review by Aarene Storms: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Young adult fiction

Pretty, popular high school senior Samantha Kingston loves Cupid Day--the day when she will get tons of roses from her friends and admirers, party with her friends, and finally (maybe) have sex with her boyfriend. Instead, she dies in a car wreck after the party.

She is (justifiably) surprised to wake up the next morning...only to discover that she has awakened on the morning of the previous day, before the roses, before the party and before the accident. In seven "Groundhog Day do-overs" of her last day, Sam learns more about her friends, her boyfriend, her teachers, her family and herself. What will happen when she learns everything she needs to know?

Sam's gradual transformation from a shallow "popular girl" to a real person worth caring about is gracefully executed and results in a couldn't-put-it-down book. The story references sexual situations, drug use and teen drinking.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older.