Beautiful sad and uplifting. I really enjoyed the time travel element. Although it's a relatable contemporary novel, the time travel element made it extremely gripping at the same time, so I found it hard to put down.

I also really love the core message: that being present is more important than fixating on the future.

And what a lovely main character! Sweet, relatable, flawed and so incredibly well written.

I really recommend this book.

I can't seem to stop hearing about this book - and have to say the hype is real! I was drawn in by the quotes on the cover so I knew what I was getting into, but such a lovely read.

It was a cute contemporary but I wasn't enthralled by it. A solid 3/4 stars - I'm not quite sure.

It's definitely worth a read, and it has to be commended for its representation, but something just fell flat for me. I was reading more for the side characters than for the main romance/dilemma

I don’t often pick up contemporary books but this intrigued me. Time traveling over and over – can you really save someone who might be destined to die? Because surely that’s what Kate is: severely ill, with no real chance to save her. So I had to request it, curious how the time travel worked and whether destiny is something you can fight or make yourself. Was it worth it? Uh, no. Not really.

Jack is at a party, while viewing colleges with his best friend/secret crush Jillian, when he meets a beautiful, funny girl named Kate. They hit it off instantly and all he can think about on the way home is her. So we follow on their love story, through finding her again, introducing her to his friends and family, inviting her to prom. But then we find out Kate is sick. Really sick. Then Jack gets a horrific call late at night. Kate has died. In his distress he rushes downstairs when he falls. When he wakes up, he’s back at that party, sitting on the steps, meeting Kate for the first time.

So that bit up until then I really loved. Jack is a great character to have as an MC. I liked him immediately. I also loved Kate and watching them fall in love was fun and heart-warming.

Then it went downhill. I felt like it went on a bit too much and if there was meant to be a message it was lost in the many reboots and poor pacing. I liked Jack’s efforts to save Kate, changing his actions each time to get her to a hospital in time or finding money for her treatment. But each time he failed and I wondered maybe that’s the point? As I’m still recovering from grief myself, I was hopeful for…something. People leave us but Kate touched him and changed his life for the better, even though their time together was brief. But then in the next rerun Jack kisses Jillian. That’s when I had to put it down to scream. Really, Jack? REALLY? She’s your best friend and at the time WAS DATING YOUR MUTUAL THIRD FRIEND. YOU BOTH SUCK.

So by the time I reached the end (and reached the conclusion that Jillian is awful and Franny is an honest to god violent sociopath) I was confused. Does Kate die or live? WAS THERE A POINT TO THIS AT ALL, PLEASE TELL ME.

Two stars because the first part I really did like. I was hoping that the time travel aspect would mean this was a contemporary love story that I enjoyed. Unfortunately it ended up being the part that I disliked the most.

Full review posted at: https://kirstysbookblog.wordpress.com/

When I first seen this book on Netgalley, I was drawn in by the cover and then I read the synopsis and was instantly hooked in finding out the story this novel held. Now usually I'm not the biggest fan of stories were the main character just instantly falls in love at first sight but the way Reynold's created this romance was just so sweet and special and I loved it straight away. I've read a couple of books with time travel as a theme in it however, it didn't involve the character having to repeat the same day over and over again and I must say, I enjoyed it taking a different turn to what I was used to and it also made me extremely intrigued to see how the author would handle it without repeating the same thing constantly.

The beginning of this book actually starts at the end of the story so right from the get-go you're wanting to find out how we got to where we are. From here we're then taken to the beginning of Jack and Kate's story. Everything about their first meet is just dorky, cute and made me all warm and fuzzy when I read it. Watching their friendship and relationship grow was such a lovely thing to experience and then all of a sudden, all that happiness is ripped from us as Kate then dies. We're then taken back to the first night they met and we see things grow again however this time, we follow Jack as he tries to figure out a way to save Kate. The plot overall was well thought out and Reynold's did a great job in making sure he wasn't repeating events over and over again. Each time something happened, he made you want to continue on to find out what was going to go wrong that time - whether it be with Jack's parents or his friendship with Franny & Jillian - and also to explore the other ways that Jack and Kate's relationship grows.

Characters in this book were just so likeable and great. Franny was probably my favourite because no matter what hit him, he always tried to stay positive and was extremely forgiving for certain things (more than I would've been anyway). His whole backstory was heartbreaking and I just wanted everything to go right for him for once. Jillian was another lovable character and at times I felt sorry for her because she was always stuck in the middle of any arguments both Franny and Jack had which wasn't really fair on her. Kate was such an outgoing, positive and extremely uplifting character. No matter what she was going through, she remained positive and just enjoyed herself and made sure she was always having fun! Lastly, we come to the main character Jack. I really did like him as a character and seeing him grow throughout the novel was inspiring. Each time he went back in time he seemed to become so selfless and each time he was always worried more about how his actions would affect everyone else rather than himself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think that Justin Reynolds has done such a fantastic job on his debut novel. It was just a really unique take on time travel (for me anyway) and I just loved everything about it. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of all things YA/contemporary! I look forward to seeing what else Justin has up his sleeve for future releases.

Thank you again to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a review copy of this book.

This was such a wonderful read. I absolutely loved the concept from the get-go but worried it could get too repetitive. It was far from it, and I was completely hooked the entire way through. Jack is such a loveable main character, and I loved reading about his realationship with Kate, and his friendships with Jillian and Franny.

Another brilliant YA novel for 2019, and a fantastic debut from Justin.

I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the very beginning you are actually thrown in at the end, and trust me you NEED to know what is happening with these characters. I won’t lie, I would love to know what chain of events had led to that opening scenario (as we learn later on there may have been different events but it all led to the same ending)

There is quite a bit of character development considering they are living out the same few months over and over yet only Jack knows about it- yet amazingly he doesn’t use this knowledge for selfish reasons, I mean how many people would decide to go do the lottery because they knew the winning numbers? yet he doesn’t, he knows his purpose is to try and help Kate and he does everything he can.

Unfortunately this does lead to a few different types of arguments during each of the replays- so yes Jack does take his knowledge of each of the replays to try and be there for all of his loved ones.

Ultimately the main message I took away from this is to be there for your loved ones and remember to live your life. Kate didn’t let her illness hold her back, she went out there and lived her life, she fell in love with the same boy over and over again. Jack finally got what he wanted, he got the girl, over and over.

Time really is fleeting and unlike Jack we don’t get a chance to do things over again. Becky Albertalli has been quoted saying that this novel is “wise, heartfelt and infinitely charming” and I most definitely agree.

Jack is a wonderfully believable main character; with each repetition of time he learned and changed, sometimes for the best and sometimes for the worst, but each time his personality and sparkling narration of events made it fresh once more. This book truly presents a heart-wrenching portrayal of what would you do if you had the chance to repeat a stage of life.

Each time Jack travelled back in time to his first meeting with Kate everything changed. Sometimes it was his friends, or his parents, or Kate, but it was always the result of Jack’s actions – something he learned quickly which was incredibly refreshing. There was no endless cycle of repeated mistakes here. Instead we saw Jack grow as a person in a beautiful character arc; developing as a friend and a son, and a teenager each time. Justin’s writing was so realistic; I completely forgot I was reading a book about time travel and felt my heart break a little bit every time he reached the end. I rooted for Jack the entire book, and honestly loved every page.

I couldn’t put it down I was so invested in the story – the entire cast of characters is intriguing, and I was as absorbed in their lives as I was in Jack’s which, for me, is the true mark of a fab book.

3.5 stars

Jack and Kate meet at a party, immediately they bond and Jack instantly knows he is falling in love. Kate also meets the approval of Jack’s best friends, Jillian and Franny, that is when Jack knows she is the one. However, every love story is complicated. Kate has an ongoing illness, and dies. That is where the love story should end right? Wrong. Kate’s death sends Jack to the beginning again, right back to the moment that they first meet. Jack now has the chance to prevent Kate’s death, however his new choices cause different problems for his loved ones. Everything happens for a reason; is it worth trying to alter the course life will take.

I was lucky enough to be given a copy of this book by Netgalley and Katherine Tegen Books. The synopsis immediately drew me in because I felt that it was very unique. I did enjoy this book, it continued to intrigue me throughout and the message that it portrayed to the reader was like no other book I have ever read. That alone is a big reason I would recommend it to people. However, it was very long and I did find myself skipping over the more trivial parts as I just wanted to get to the interesting parts. Which is a shame because I loved the idea of this book. It could have been at least 100 pages shorter. I believe that this book would make a great film and Im intrigued to see if that will happen. I really enjoyed the unique synopsis of this book, the plot and the ending was fantastic. I would recommend this book and I would definitely read another book by this author.

Jack meets Kate. They bond over their love for cereals and films. Jack falls in love, and it should be happily ever after. That is until Kate dies, and Jack returns to moments just before he meets Kate, again. Here, Jack faces multiple choices as he’s continuously thrown back to the past when Kate dies. He aims to stop Kate from dying, but that doesn’t come without consequences. And the choices he makes turns deadly elsewhere, and he has to figure out what he’s willing to let go to save everyone he loves.
Opposite of Always took a while to grow on me. I knew it was going to become a bit repetitive, considering the plot, but Reynold’s debut was a sweet coming-of-age story with a fun time travelling twist.
After meeting Kate at a party, Jack embarks on an adorable romance which is cut short and restarts itself when Kate dies. He sees this as a second chance, another chance to save Kate, but every time he changes something to help Kate, some even more drastic happens in the result of it. Each return to the past has devastating impacts if Jack’s not careful. And because of this, the plot builds very slowly, but I found that Opposite of Always was more charming than I had expected.
The dialogue is witty and fun, especially with Jack and his peers. His relationship with his family was dynamic and nuanced. Jack is very loveable, and a well-rounded character. His voice is genuine and real. As well as Kate, something new is revealed about her with every loop. The plot mainly revolves around Jack’s choices and the consequences to said choices, and it was interesting to see how drastic the decisions ended up and how they differed from previous times based on small choices that seem insignificant.
Overall, an exciting novel about choices and living. Opposite of Always is charming, witty and fun. Contemporary isn’t really up my alley, but I definitely recommend.

I’m not sure what to say about this book. It was an implausible (as they invariably are, even without considering the time travel part) Hollywood/Bollywood rom com featuring insta-love and unconvincing motives of the protagonist. Perhaps I’m not the target audience, but this particular YA trope of all-consuming (apparent) love that is later validated by the universe is tiresome. That apart, the premise was interesting and the writing good. There were some parts that were very slow, but otherwise it was fun reading the different possibilities that Jack lived through. The friendship between Jillian, Jack and Franny was brilliantly portrayed, especially the ups and downs in the different timelines.
Thank you NetGalley for a review copy, though the erratic formatting and jumbling of the text in a few parts made it hard to navigate the PDF.
Finally, can someone please explain the end to me? In a DM is fine, or enclosed in spoiler tags. Did Kate live or die? I couldn’t figure that out. And what was the significance of the CapnCrunch box? TIA!

From debut author justin a. reynolds comes The Opposite of Always, a razor-sharp, hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose and the moments that make life worth reliving. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green.

This book from the moment it begins makes for a read that will leave you emotionally drained at the end, you’re gonna suffer, but you’re gonna be glad you did when it comes to this book, as this love story between Jack and Kate unfolds over the next four hundred pages.

The characters throughout this book are so brilliantly developed, especially Jack as he navigates the groundhog day kind of life he is living in this book, and I am not even shocked Kate ends in love with him, you will be in love with him. This book’s characters are beautifully crafted throughout with, love, friendship and life coming together brilliantly to make for a fantastic story.

I can’t really fault this story, when Becky Albertalli is saying, ‘hug this book to your chest’ I take her seriously, and yeah, go do that, you really should, I need this book in physical form as soon as possible as Reynolds crafts a story that makes your heart hurt and burst in equal measure. Roll on April.

2019 is going to be great if books like this are released in it.

(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).

First, thank you NetGalley.
Second, modern Groundhog Day...
Jack meets Kate at a party. Some bumpy moments as he falls in love. Six months later he’s desperately upset when she dies.
Then he wakes up and he’s back in the moment they met. This time, can he learn from before and change events?
Each time we watch Jack at the start of the story, and wonder what tweaks he’ll make this time round. Will he save Kate? Will he focus on friendships?
A very different style to others Reynolds’ books I’ve picked up, but it was quite sweet. I actually preferred the focus on Jack and his best friend, Franny, to the main relationship with Kate but this was an interesting concept.

I really enjoyed this! A fun time-travel love story with very likeable characters and a great main character in Jack. His relationship with his Kate was really sweet, and I really liked the different variations of their story and how Jack's actions affected the people around him. I loved how cinematic the writing was at points, too - the opening and closing scenes in particular felt like they could have been from a film. Highly recommended!

This book was very teenage Groundhog Day. It's about a boy who relives a few months over and over, different scenarios playing out each time. Jack (the protagonist) is so sweet and I felt extremely close to him by the end. Although it was quite repetitive to read sometimes, I loved the empowerment. It may have not been a super original plot idea, the Opposite of Always was original in its own way (especially in the YA genre).

Franny and Jillian were amazing, I loved them both so, so much. Thank you for warming my heart with this book <3

I really enjoyed this book! It's very different to what I've read before but I think that was what I loved about it. I especially loved the characters Jack, Franny, Jillian and Kate. I just loved the dynamics between them. The way Jack speaks is what particularly draws you into him as it can be quite quick and witty. I loved Franny particularly too because of his personality and his loyalty even when things go slightly sideways. I also loved the dynamics between Jack and his parents and his parents love for Franny. The plot could have felt a little bit repetitive but it actually draws you in and you want to keep reading just to see how it ends. The ending is definitely gratifying. I would definitely read another book by this author in the future.

What an inspirational book.

I was drawn in by the blurb but what I got was something utterly unexpected but wonderfully life affirming.

A cleverly written story that is filled with love, friendship and an abundance of second chances.

I cannot wait for other people to read this novel next year!

Opposite of Always is a little gem of a YA contemporary that is so brilliantly written and unique, with a host of characters who aren't perfect which makes them so real. I found this book impossible to put down, highly relatable and full of purpose. It's about living and how things can't always be how we want them to be and how every action can have an impact. 

This may be slightly controversial to say, but I do tend to struggle to get into books that I'm unable to relate to - such as teen books set in America or with a lot of diverse characters that I may not have much in common with. So, Opposite of Always, a book set in the black community in a small town in America, is not the sort of book I would expect to find myself particularly enjoying, but I loved it! The way that Justin has created his characters makes them come to life, and, whilst you know which community they represent, it doesn't define the whole book and felt just like reading any other brilliantly written YA book that's sole purpose isn't to be diverse. That in itself felt quite refreshing. Next, add in that I'm not a massive fan of time travel, and we have here a book that in essence I should not have liked! 

I'm so glad that I gave this book a chance and requested it, and I strongly urge fans of authors such as Sara Barnard and Phyllida Shrimpton to get their hands on a copy as soon as they can! It's a wonderful book!

I was really excited to read this book, as I'd heard a lot about it in the bookish blogger world online and felt it was going to be a perfectly romantic and fun read involving diverse characters and time travel!

Opposite of Always is about Jack, a boy in his last year of high school who has always felt average at best in everything he's done. One night, he meets Kate and feels for the first time that she might be his chance for something much more than "almost", something that's everything. But then Kate dies and Jack is somehow sent back in time to the day they met. He relives their time together over and over, each time trying to figure out how to save Kate, his friends and himself.

I really like the premise of this book and for the most part, it delivered a comical and touching story. But I feel like time travel plots as a central arc are a really hard thing to get right and unfortunately with this book I didn't always feel like it was. I struggled getting lost in the story at times and that was partly due to the repetitive nature of the narrative. That is not to say that Jack doesn't do things differently each time he goes back to the past because he certainly does and each time is entertaining in its own way, but there were still certain key plot points that I just found myself being either bored with or frustrated by. It simply didn't grab me as a story as much as I'd hoped. I finished the book because I wanted to know what happened in the end, but I didn't always love the journey there. This meant that I couldn't connect with Jack and Kate's romance as much as I wanted to because the plot felt a little disjointed.

Another reason I struggled with reading this ARC is that it was poorly formatted for kindle. Though of course I appreciate receiving it for free and that it's not the final copy, the lack of proper formatting didn't help my general reading enjoyment.

Moving on from the negatives, there are things that were really strong in this novel that made it a good read. First of all, the characters are dynamic, genuine and hilarious. Jack is a fantastic main character, I really enjoyed his perspective and his overall journey throughout the book. Kate is both sassy and vulnerable, which is an interesting mix especially when you know she's going to die. There are many scenes between the pair that are adorable and funny. Jack's best friends Franny and Jillian are great additions to the story, though I found some of their roles in the plot frustrating and also got annoyed at the way they always told Jack how selfish he was, even though I kind of thought they were being selfish?

Also, a sidenote: do teenagers really say "man" and "baby" a lot? This is not exactly a good thing about the book in my opinion, but maybe it is realistic for a group of teens to all sound very similar? I'm not sure here, just putting that out there as a thought I have.

But moving on.

My favourite part of this book is how Justin A. Reynolds portrays the importance of love and time. The exploration of first love and the importance of never taking your time on this planet for granted is the main purpose and worldly lesson in this book. A very important theme and one that is relevant for every single person living in this world today. So, read this book just for the simple reason that it is a story about making the most of your time and spending it with the people you love. A lovely reminder in the form of a fun and sweet book that isn't without its faults but is certainly worth reading.

While the story had potential, the pacing was way off. The character has to re-live the same few months over and over, and the retellings get more and more rushed. It could have been an opportunity to learn more about the other characters, or talk more about the illness that is a main theme or...anything. Instead, it's told in a rushed 'I just want to get through this' way and that may be what the character felt, but as a reader, it's like why should i waste my time reading this if you couldn't be bothered to put the effort into writing it?

It started well, but after the first third, I just wanted to get through it.

Unfortunate, as there were lots of good potential plot points, just didn't really work as a whole.