Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by kristi_starr35
A Week of Mondays by Jessica Brody
4.0
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley.
Ellison Sparks is set for a big day - school photos, junior class officer elections, and varsity softball tryouts. Life is perfect with hot rock-star boyfriend Tristan, BFF Owen, and a retro playlist for every occasion. Oh, and it's a Monday.
When things don't go quite as hoped or planned, Ellie ends the worst day of her life with a simple repeated thought - "Please just let me do it over. Please give me another chance. I swear I'll get it right."
When Ellie wakes up, there's a strong sense of deja vu at play. As the day progresses, the situation becomes more clear - it's Monday all over again. And the next day. And the next. Until Ellie begins to realize that in order to end the cycle, she'll have to "get it right." But what does that mean? Is it lining up a gig for her boyfriend's band? Is it embracing an I-don't-care-what-you-think-about-me bad-girl attitude? Is it spending the day at home? Who/what does Ellie need to fix?
The plot device isn't new. We know if from Groundhog Day and Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall. But Ellie isn't Bill Murray in need of a serious attitude adjustment. She isn't Samantha Kingston, mean girl, reliving the last day of her life in an attempt to, again, "get it right." Ellie gains a better understanding of who she is, sure, but instead of learning how to better treat others or set things right one last time, she learns to be herself.
Told with levity and a great 1960's playlist for chapter titles, readers will enjoy Ellie's pilgrimage and ultimate enlightenment and contentedness without a sense of preachiness or judgment.
Ellison Sparks is set for a big day - school photos, junior class officer elections, and varsity softball tryouts. Life is perfect with hot rock-star boyfriend Tristan, BFF Owen, and a retro playlist for every occasion. Oh, and it's a Monday.
When things don't go quite as hoped or planned, Ellie ends the worst day of her life with a simple repeated thought - "Please just let me do it over. Please give me another chance. I swear I'll get it right."
When Ellie wakes up, there's a strong sense of deja vu at play. As the day progresses, the situation becomes more clear - it's Monday all over again. And the next day. And the next. Until Ellie begins to realize that in order to end the cycle, she'll have to "get it right." But what does that mean? Is it lining up a gig for her boyfriend's band? Is it embracing an I-don't-care-what-you-think-about-me bad-girl attitude? Is it spending the day at home? Who/what does Ellie need to fix?
The plot device isn't new. We know if from Groundhog Day and Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall. But Ellie isn't Bill Murray in need of a serious attitude adjustment. She isn't Samantha Kingston, mean girl, reliving the last day of her life in an attempt to, again, "get it right." Ellie gains a better understanding of who she is, sure, but instead of learning how to better treat others or set things right one last time, she learns to be herself.
Told with levity and a great 1960's playlist for chapter titles, readers will enjoy Ellie's pilgrimage and ultimate enlightenment and contentedness without a sense of preachiness or judgment.