-Review- The Day Before by Lisa Shroeder

The Day Before by Lisa Shroeder
Release Date: 5 June 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Age Group: Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Pages: 307

Purchase: Book Depository | Amazon

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself. Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets. The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last. Told in verse and brimming with raw emotion and pure romance, this is a gracefully woven tale of life-changing secrets and unexpected friendship.

The reason I bought this book was due to the fact that I recently stumbled upon Lisa’s blog and I wanted to read more novels written in verse as they intrigue me and I find them to be some of the most moving and emotionally relatable books.

Shroeder makes clever use of her lyrical writing style in order to draw the reader in as she makes clever use of poetry and letters in order to tell the story—this is what truly set this book apart from any others I have ever read before, for me. The letters sent to and from various characters in the book told the back story while the poetry or rather; the verse told the story that was happening in the present and the story becomes all the more interesting when the two finally merge in a sense(they both become the present). I know what I’m saying may sound strange but if you were to read this book I’m sure you’d understand what I mean.

Shroeder’s writing was lyrical and simple, this was a quick read and I think she did a great job! Along with the great verse, came a relatable story about two teenagers. Although I’m sure people of any age can enjoy The Day Before as we all want that one day in which we can do anything we wish, however this story becomes somewhat tragic towards the end.

The one thing that I did not like about this book was the fact that the poems seemed a little short for me, but they served their purpose in telling the story that the author wanted to convey which is great despite my personal feelings.

I loved the fact that this book had musical references in it as I am a music student myself and could relate to Amber and Cade; music is something that they both feel is very important and I feel that way too! The Day Before is definitely a book you should check out as it is emotional and fun to read all at once.