BEFORE I FALL (Lauren Oliver) - November 30/10

This entertaining but long book follows a teenager as she dies in a car crash and subsequently spends the day of her death over and over again. It's an intriguing premise that's utilized to consistently readable effect by Oliver, as the author manages to transform a bitchy teenager (and her bitchy friends) into a thoroughly likeable figure. The inclusion of Twilight-esque bits of romance works well and it's ultimately clear that teenagers will enjoy this book the most. But Oliver occasionally forgets her audience and offers up an overly arty writing style that obscures the plot and the emotion of the story (and results in a weird, deeply unsatisfying conclusion that's rather confusing). (I mean, she died, right? I read it over a few times and I'm still not positive.) *** out of ****