Review: The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Author: Jess Rothenberg

Published: February 21st 2012 by Penguin Young Readers Group

Book Description:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

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 she 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?

My Thoughts:

                Brie has the perfect life every girl would ever dream of.  A loving family, awesome BFF’s who’s always there for her, and a wonderful boyfriend. What more would you ask for? Well, everything changed on that one night, when her boyfriend, Jacob told her those four words: I DON’T LOVE YOU. Anyone who would’ve heard that will probably break her heart, but it’s different in Brie’s case, because her heart, LITERALLY broke, therefore causing her death. And that’s when the whole story starts…

                The Catastrophic History of You and Me was different from any novel I’ve read about life after death, in a good way of course. I really enjoyed reading this and I easily finished the novel in one sitting. It was highly addictive!

                Brie was a really fun heroine and I enjoyed reading her point of view. You get to feel the same way she’s feeling as you read. Anger, hurt, betrayal, these were the emotions that I kept on experiencing while reading and it’s as if my heart is also going to break in half. There were times that I cried from the pain, and the next thing I was already laughing! If my folks have seen me, they probably think I’m already nuts! Patrick is another interesting character who never fails to lighten the mood and give humor during the story, which made love him as well.

                One of the things I liked about this novel is the titles for every chapter wherein each was taken from the lyrics of various songs, e.g. “Hey, hey, you, you, I don’t like your girlfriend!”. Another thing was how the stages of grief—Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Sadness, and Acceptance— were incorporated as parts of the novel, which was really awesome! This way, you get to see Brie’s improvement as she tries to accept the fact that she’s already dead, and everything has changed a lot since her death. The twist was really awesome and as you near the end, you’ll know why the title is “The Catastrophic History of You and Me”.

                Over all, this book was a fun and light read. I loved the ending and I’m very satisfied with it. :D

I give this book 4.5 whales.