It took me a little while to warm up to this book. I love Lauren Oliver, so I was a little surprised when this started out as the story of a typical shallow party girl. I didn't like Samantha at all for the first few chapters, but then I slowly began to warm to her. By the end, I was almost crying.

The characters in this book are so flawed it was kind of painful to read at moments. As she relives the last day of her life over and over, she learns of secrets and sorrows that are hidden behind seemingly happy smiles. She also learns that her past actions have done more damage than she ever imagined.
It was fascinating to watch Samantha try to make everyone's lives just a little bit better before she dies.

The descriptions were such that it almost felt like I was watching a movie, I could picture the scenes so clearly. Every moment just played through my head, and the emotions hit me right in the gut. This isn't my favorite of Lauren Oliver's books, and it is not for anyone looking for a light, happy read, but it is a beautiful piece of writing.