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 Brie 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?
The Catastrophic History of You and Me
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Publisher
Genre
Age Range
12+
Release Date
February 21, 2012
ISBN
978-0803737204
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The Catastrophic History of You and Me
2012-02-22 03:04:20
Erica , 2010 Teen Reviewer
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A Remarkable Debut
The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg was one of those all around awesome kind of books. My love for this book was clearly meant to be from the moment I saw all the references to Disney Princesses and the chapter titles, which are the best. My favorite was "Shot Through The Heart and You're to Blame". Jess Rothenberg has written a remarkable debut that I did not want to put down.
By the time I had finish maybe five pages of this one, I had to stop and just marvel at the writing. Jess Rothenberg is one talented lady and the story was one that I could not help but to get caught up in. The Catastrophic History of You and Me perfectly balances the funny, lighter side of Brie's story with entirely heartbreaking moments.
I loved Jess Rothenberg's spin on the afterlife. It was completely unlike other books that deal with the same subject, and I can say that it was definitely my favorite portrayal I have read yet. I loved following Brie through her journey and seeing where it would take her next.
The one pitfall for The Catastrophic History of You and Me was Brie herself throughout part of the middle of the book. She just deviated from the character I loved at the beginning of the book. Hamloaf, you are most definitely the coolest dog to walk the pages of young adult. Patrick was a character who really grew on me as the book went on. At first, I was like I like you. You're kind of like a stand up comedian. But as the book went on, he become a much deeper character than that and I loved him.
Fans of Leila Sales will eat this one up, with its charming characters and funny plot. The voice in The Catastrophic History of You and Me is incredible. Once you start reading this one, you won't want to put it down. Jess Rothenberg has written a heartbreakingly beautiful debut, and I am very eager to see more from her in the future.
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The Catastrophic History of You and Me
2012-04-01 18:32:20
Somer
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A Real Heart-breaker!
This was a sweet, fun, heartbreaking story all wrapped into one. I felt a plethora of emotions along with Brie while reading this book: sadness, happiness, anger, frustration, sympathy, hope, and love. While the topics at hand were fairly serious, and at times sad, the author integrated just enough sarcasm and humor to keep the story from being too dark. While I was frustrated with Brie’s need for revenge, she was a very likable character that I was able to connect with. Patrick was the perfect mysterious “Lost Soul” (a.k.a swoon-worthy guy). I especially loved the dialogue between Patrick and Brie, as well as all the cheese themed nicknames he came up with for her.
*(As a side note, Brie’s faithful Basset Hound Hamloaf, was my favorite character!)
Something else that I LOVED about this book was that each chapter title was taken from a well known song. At the end of the ARC (I’m sure it will be in the finished copy too) was a list of all the songs and artists used as titles. This just added a fun element to the book.
I was very impressed by the fact that the author was able to surprise me. I assumed this would be a predictable, yet enjoyable, read. There were, however, two different parts of the story that I didn’t see coming. This element of surprise is what transformed this from a good book to a fantastic one!
This story provided me with a great romance, as well as some things to think about. It really causes you think about grief, revenge, consequences to your actions,the power of friendship, and the importance of family. I highly recommend this debut, and cannot wait to read other things from Jess Rothenburg in the future!
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