Liz Emerson wants to die, so she intentionally crashes her Mercedes off the side of a road to make that happen. The events leading up to her demise are complicated. You see Liz is a popular girl... and being popular has turned her into something she doesn't like at all. Her home life is lonely and she's been looking for a reason to stay alive, but has failed to find that reason.

This is the story of how 1 1 = suicide. How the things we do have an effect on other people... and sometimes realizing the effect you have can make you hate yourself.

My Thoughts:
This was definitely an interesting, emotional book. I got it at BEA and it's the first book I decided to read... mostly because I heard the author was in high school when she wrote it, and I think that rocks!!! This story is told by a "mystery" narrator, which honestly I didn't think was necessary (and I also figured it out pretty quickly who/what the narrator was). The third-person pov was fine, but it didn't allow me to FEEL the stuff in this book the way I usually do when it comes to these types of themes. Bottom line- The way this was narrated just wasn't my fav.

Liz herself was an interesting character. She definitely needed to get a grip. I wanted to shake her and say "If you don't like the way you treat people, then change it!!". I don't think it's that hard to turn over a new leaf and try to be nicer?? Also some of the things she blamed herself for really weren't her fault. Her friends have their own brains and can make their own decisions. I mean I get that Liz is the queen bee of their high school, but I think that the choices the friends make transcend the high school social order.

I also didn't like how Liz wanted other people to give her a reason to live. And when they didn't, I felt like she blamed them for what she was about to do. If you want help, ask for help, but expecting someone to swoop in at the last minute and say the just perfect thing to "save" you... yeah that's probably not going to happen. And it was a little TOO much with all the pretentious feelings.

Now we get to Liam.... ehhhh. I wasn't feeling him that much. The flute playing boy... how very Dave Zilka of him, that's all I could think of (Dave Zilka is this boy who was in my grade who played the flute and pissed me off because he was usually better than me). I wasn't digging the stalker-vibe he was putting out, but I also thought maybe Liz needed a guy like him, so I guess I liked him okay.

One thing for sure, this book was a page-turner. While I obviously didn't love it, I really did like it. Looking back, my review seems kind of harsh. I mean, I had some issues with the characters and narration, but overall I would recommend it. It was not perfect... not even close, but I could see this becoming someone's favorite book, just not mine.

Quote I Liked: "Liz Emerson got drunk too easily, and on just about anything: alcohol, power, expectations."

OVERALL: A book about a girl looking for a reason to live and not finding it. The aftermath of her suicide attempt puts everyone in her life in a frenzy and this is the story of how they deal with that, and how they got there in the first place. I didn't LOVE the book, but I read it really fast and enjoyed it for the most part. I recommend to anyone looking for something fresh and emotional.

My Blog:
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Zhang writes in a way and with a plot that's eerily similar to how I write, which gives me confidence. This was a gorgeous story about life, death, and the impact one can have on another's life.

This was written in an extremely nonlinear fashion which really lent itself to the story. Liz has been on all sides of the court and has made choices she hasn't been proud of that have changed her perspective on life. She's a very empathetic person and has a lot of feelings towards the people she loves and the people she doesn't which plays itself out. The present tense was honestly one of the strongest aspects of the story.

There was a repetitive theme of physics that I might have found scary if it hadn't had a deeper connection and meaning that was cleverly woven in.

The story was told from a very unique perspective. It didn't really add much to the book, but it was a fun mystery to think about and an intriguing point of view from which to tell a story. I'd like to see this expanded in a different book, but in a way it was wasted here.

I didn't like the ending. But I think most people would like the ending. No spoilers.

In a way, a lot of people have a morbid curiosity as to how people would react and what they'd do if we ended up dead or in a life threatening situation. Liam, Jake, Kenny, Julia, and Liz's mother all had very different reactions but these were all somehow appropriate and added to how we saw Liz as a character.

I loved this book, I really did. I think it touches upon depression in a new and real way and offers a fantastic perspective. I'm looking forward to more of Zhang's work.
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this book people. this book .

This book actually hurt me. I was continuously bawling my eyes out throughout the whole thing.
My eyes hurt, I had a huge headache, and I couldn't think straight.
And yes, that was a good thing.
My favourite books are the books that make me so emotionally raw that I am in literal pain afterwards. I mean lets be real here, if something that is fiction can draw out so much emotion, how could you not love it?

Liz is the popular mean girl who hates her life, hates who she is, and decides to end it. End herself.
Told in both the present and flash backs, kind of à la If I Stay , this novel really gives a really unique insight to all the characters involved. Character development is so vital to this book. I mean, heck, Liz is a mean girl and I hated 85% of the things she did in the book and yet I still loved her. She is a bully but she (metaphorically) cut herself open and showed us all her insides and showed us how vulnerability and pain.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good, ugly cry. Because if you are anything like me, this book will make you do just that.
Also, the author Amy is still in high school . C'mon girl, stop making me feel like an underachiever! (just kidding, keep writing please.) ( )

Not only is Liz Emerson the popular girl in high school she is also one of the so-called mean girls. But there is more to her than meets the eye. She is not happy and so she plans to commit suicide by crashing her car and making it look like an accident.

As the story progresses much is revealed about Liz and her relationships with her family, friends, and classmates. And there is one especially interesting character named Liam who I feel will become a reader favorite.

The author tackles many teen issues including bulimia, bullying, mental health, suicide, and friendships and she writes about them with a harsh reality that should resonate with the teen reader.

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Whaaat a flaaat story. I don't have any feelings towards this book and I actually thought it would be a pretty good one. ( )