[Book Review] Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Synopsis (from Goodreads) :

Jack Ellison King. King of Almost.

He almost made valedictorian.

He almost made varsity.

He almost got the girl . . . 

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.

But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.

My rating : 4/5 stars

My review :

With all honesty, I was attracted to the cover. The cover is simply elegant, yet manages to deliver the story briefly, by introducing the main characters in this book. The other reason why I picked this book up is because I saw a booktuber recommending it to everyone, so I could see no reason why to not pick it up.

Anyway, let us move on to the review.

First of all, the plot. I simply think the plot is quite unique and intriguing. My bad, I thought it was going to be predictable. But boy, was I wrong. The concept of bringing Jack King and Kate Edward together deserves a compliment, as it is not something that usually happens in any contemporary books. According to the synopsis – I am saying this as I am not spreading spoilers – Jack King went back to the first time he met Kate, and he got the chance to either fix things or ruin them. The idea of inserting the time travel concept is pretty normal in fantasy or YA fantasy books, but it is something that we do not really see in contemporary books. I will have to say that the author has done a magnificent job to craft the plot well, while adding some magic touch to it by using the time travel concept.

To sum it up, I think the plot is wonderfully beautiful. However, I believe there could be more to add to the plot. Perhaps, adding another person’s point of view would make the story even more interesting, as I would love to know what these two different people have in their minds, and what their thoughts could really be. This is as an endeavour to show honesty between two people. Once again, this is just an opinion that I think would make me love the story even more. Furthermore, the romance in this book did not excite me that much when I was reading it, but it was acceptable. I did acknowledge the pain everyone went through, but what is a love story without it, am I right? I wish the romance that is applied in this book could make the characters involved feel or share the same emotions or the same pain, etc. That could make their love story more intriguing.

Next will be the characters. I love the idea of emphasising the black people in this book, as I love and respect diversity especially in YA books. The main character is Jack King, and I have reasons why this boy has a special place in my heart. I will have to summarise things up by contemplating that Jack is an imperfect character. I love when characters are imperfect, where they tend to make mistakes, as I can totally relate with them as normal human beings who make mistakes and learn from them. The main character is simply lovable, so points for that. The minor characters are pretty interesting, as well. All of them have different stories and conflicts, which represent their characters well. I do have a problem with Franny, one of the minor characters. I will not spill the beans, so go read this book and check it out for yourself. My opinions may differ from yours, though, so no offence, alright?

In addition, the writing is something that I need to give comments on. Luckily, my comments will be positive, as I love Justin’s writing! His writing is casual, yet beautifully poetic, I felt like his words were simply rhythmic. Thus, making his book more enjoyable and it was difficult for me to put in down. His writing for this book made things funny when they should be, and melancholic when they had to. When I was reading this book, I was following the flow of his writing and all emotions were accompanying me, too. I will dedicate high points for his writing skills!

I do not really have any other big issues with this book, hence the 4 out of 5 stars rating. I did add certain aspects that I think could make me love this book more and give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Nevertheless, Justin has done an amazing job for his debut, and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author!

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Let us share our thoughts and opinions!