Review: The Beginning Of After

Author: Jennifer Castle.

Rated: 12+

Genre: Young Adult/ Contempary.

Summary:

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.
Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.
Jennifer Castle’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.

Review:

This book was a bit of a dissapointment for me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The summary got me really excited for this book, it sounded awesome. But my expectations were alot higher. The beginning of the book takes place on the day of the accident where both Laurel and Davids parents get into an accident. Killing all of Laurels family, and putting Davids father into hospital. It takes place basically around the aftermaths of this whole scene happeneing. With Laurel grieving and David coming in and out of Laurels life.

I felt the book was very slow. And even though the whole of the story is about 8 months to go into it, I felt like the story was really going anywhere much. I did like how they showed their emotions and how they had to deal with the tragedy, but I felt I wanted more. More plot line prehaps. The romance wasn't exactly the biggest plot going on in the story. And maybe if they did add more romance then it would of been more fun to read.

I did like the romance that their was though. Laurel and David were pretty cute together, but it so annoyed me how David would leave all the time. Laurels feelings for him were pretty weird aswell because one minute she didn't like him and then she did.

Although this book was slow and not very fast-paced, I did like the ending. I think they put the ending on a good note because the beginning was sad. I thought Jennifer had wrote a great epilogue and that it was the best way to end it, and not make it to dramastic.

My favourite character was her grandmother. I simply thought she was true to herself and played a great character and was their for Laurel when needed to be.

Overall I would rate this book C.