Telling Christina Goodbye

by Lurlene McDaniel

Trisha Thompson and her best friend Christina are having a great senior year. Trisha and her boyfriend, Cody, are making plans to attend Indiana University together in the fall, while Christina has already received a scholarship to the University of Vermont. Everything would be perfect if only Trisha got along with Christina’s controlling boyfriend Tucker, who is trying to convince Christina not to go away for college. But suddenly their lives change one night when Tucker is driving the four home from an away basketball game. When his car hits a patch of black ice and overturns, Tucker walks away with barely a scratch, but Trisha is injured, Cody is in a coma, and Christina is dead. Those left behind must learn that it takes time for their scars—both visible and not—to heal. And they must find the courage to move on with their lives.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, Childrens

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Lurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.


Other places to find her are...
https://www.facebook.com/lurlenemcdan...
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/aut...
http://www.youtube.com/user/LurleneMc

Reviews

[lily (taylor’s version)🇵🇸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this back in fourth grade bc the school library had it, and I kept it for like three months bc I loved it so much and was constantly rereading it. The librarian was my friend/neighbor/classmate’s grandmother, so she kept letting me renew it.

I didn’t read the synopsis before writing this, so that way this could be based if my little 9 year old self’s memory of this book. So, if this book does have anything in it that today-me would definitely take away stars for, I’m sorry, I didn’t know any of it back then, and even then I forgot a lot of it over the years.

This book was so good, the second book to make me cry, ever. Each time I read it. Idk why, but the part I remember the most was the blue shirt Christina had bought and was planning to wear on a special occasion.

Don’t ask why I remember that, it was probably part of the reason I cried over this book.

But Telling Christina Goodbye was such a good book, and even though I don’t remember too much of it, I would 100% recommend reading it.

[Courtney]

So far there are four main characters Trisha, Christina, Tucker, and Cody. They have all gone out on a double date and got kicked out of a place where they went because Tucker got in a fight. They are on there way home and had a car wreck and Trisha and Tucker are the only ones found right now. Tucker is fine but Trisha is being taken to the hospital.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double date... car crash... only two walk away nearly unharmed. That's basically the best way I can describe what's going without really going too much into detail.



This novel is sadistically cruel, subtlety easing me into a lull. Then BAM the dam holding my tears back breaks. But just as that happens Lurlene McDaniel leans over and whispers into my ear, 'You think I'll give you that satisfaction?' smiling like a crazed woman. Holding my tears back in fear of the repercussions, my eyes blue balled... you read right my eyes blue balled.



Maybe I'm a masochist? I loved this book. I loved the way it made me feel. I hated being toyed with. I will always come for more, and everything will be forgiven after all Lurlene McDaniel never meant to hurt me right?




Then I'll finish her next novel only to realize she hates us all.




The cycle must begin anew.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one. It was super emotional and I felt so sorry for most of the characters but it was SO predictable.

[Hannah (Hannah, Fully) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original Review posted at Bookwyrming Thoughts
Original Rating: 3.5

*Formatting and image(s) have been lost due to copy and pasting.

I hate commenting about how much the synopsis gives away. I don't find much joy in reading the book when the synopsis gives spoilers away. And I hate giving it a lower rating because of that synopsis. But as much as I want to like this book, I'm gonna have to give it a facepalm. The synopsis practically gave away EVERYTHING. From the synopsis, cover AND title, the book already gives these things away (I don't think this counts as spoilers since the synopsis already says it):

~Trisha, Christina, Cody, and Tucker are Seniors.
~Best friends, Trisha and Christina are having a great year.
~Trisha is dating Cody. Christina is dating Tucker.
~Trisha doesn't get along with Tucker.
~Christina receives a scholarship from University of Vermont.
~Tucker is controlling of Christina and wants her to stay.
~They get into a car crash after a basketball game. Trisha is injured, Cody's in a coma and Christina's dead. Yet Tucker is all injure-less.

Not to mean it in a bad way, but that gives practically the entire plot and some other stuff. Maybe even the entire book. Besides some things, such as (those who read it would know the answers already, but I'm speaking from the reader's perspective of just examining the book at the bookstore and reading the synopsis and such):

~Does Cody wake up from the coma?
~Do those effected by Christina's death find the courage to move on and heal?
~Do Trisha and Tucker get along later?
~Etc, etc. One can only know the answers to their many questions when fully reading a book.

But despite the synopsis giving so much away, Ms. McDaniel still leaves the reader, regardless of whether just staring at it at the bookstore or anyplace or have to read it due to required reading, with many questions. Props for not giving the full story away, especially the ending. And while some of us may love spoilers to the point of actually spilling beans, some of us just like to keep things detailed yet vague on what's happening because we just love the suspense building up. It would've been a triple facepalm if the synopsis gave any more away (kinda explains the meme).

If you're still thinking I'm being a bit negative, the only part I found pretty bad was how the synopsis gave it all away (I'm that person who hates too much spoilers and end up predicting and being right majority of the time. I kinda like my dose of keeping me guessing...).

In many good parts (of the pie or something good), Ms McDaniel manages to narrow in with an emotional story while weaving in the meaning of losing a cared one and to not take life fully for granted, because you never know when it will all end and it may be someone or something very close to you. (Kinda reminds me of a sad song...)

[Elyse Bradley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Genre: Drama/Death/Romance/Mystery

Lurlene McDaniel manages to write an incredibly trite novel about high schooler Trisha, her best friend Christina and their boyfriends Cody and Tucker. One night while driving home, Christina dies in a car accident while Tucker is driving. Cody is put into a coma while Trisha and Cody escape unscathed. The rest of the novel deals with Trisha's grief and attempt to solve one final question about her friends death. I was so bored by this novel I could barely make myself finish. It's clear that McDaniel writes something appealing for young teenage girls, but the novels are unoriginal and predictable. She tries to combine action, mystery, romance, and drama but only succeeds in producing a very mediocre story. I'm confident any teenager could write any of her novels and probably do a better job. I wouldn't bother recommending this book or anything she writes to any reader, unless they enjoy senseless reading.

[Kendall M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! This is why I gave it five stars; it pulls you in deeper and deeper into the problems of the charcters. Every time I went to put it down I wanted to keep reading. The emotions of the characters toll with your emotions it reall effects you at some points in the story. When I finished reading this book I wanted to read it again, it was that good>

[Mary Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very good book. I loved the plot and characters of the story. It is very touching and sad at the same time. This is unfortunately can be very true. A lot of teenagers do not pay attention to the road and sometimes bad things happened. I thought this is a very touching story about three people who survived the accident and dealing with the death of their friend.

[Madison Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book a less biased review, but since I listened to the audiobook, read by Ashley Albert, I just can’t. Her character voices were so obnoxious and took me out of the story so much that it’s almost impossible to evaluated the story otherwise. I looked her up, and apparently she’s done voice work for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, and she sounds like it. That’s not a bad thing, but it’s not the energy anyone wants in an overly-sincere teenage melodrama. Lurlene McDaniel may be the least cynical or sarcastic author I’ve ever read, and Albert slathers irony on every character. She’s a talented voice actress, but her skills did not suit this book at all.

The best I can say is that I liked the moral of this story, but even excusing Albert’s reading, it was one of McDaniel’s weaker plots. It was short and digestible, but it was probably my least favorite of hers so far. I’m going back to the April Lancaster series next, and I’m hoping to regain that old magic.

[Ryli Rapelje-Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while I was in middle school when my friendships were my strongest relationship. I’m 32 now, and I still find myself thinking back on the emotions this book left me feeling. The first book to make me sob.

The feeling of looking forward to the future, only for your current world to be shaken, leaving you wanting to rewind. If only you could rewind time. To lose your best friend and boyfriend. To become a stranger to the same surroundings you’ve always lived in…

[Nhi Nguyễn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I must say Ms. McDaniel really has her own style of writing stories. Her novels are simply written, with simple use of English, the rustic feeling that gave me – a non-native speaker of English – a really easy and enjoyable time reading her novels. The plot of her novels is also simple and nothing special or out of this world – ordinary teenagers and young adults struggling with life’s misfortune. However, the way she addressed and built up the story based on seemingly simple cycle of life and death is just beautiful and heartbreaking. “Telling Christina Goodbye” is one of those novels that despite having the normal plot, or maybe – too ordinary plot – but still have the power to move readers.

The story was told through Trisha’s everyday’s thoughts, feelings and activities, which gave the novel more depth and conviction, since Trisha was one of the main characters, one of the four teenagers that were caught in this life’s nightmare.

I have seen many of my loved ones die before; I have been to many of my loved ones’ funerals, but seeing the fact that Christina – the poor girl in this novel, having to lose her life at such a young age, was painful. Ms. McDaniel knew that, and she addressed at the right point when she pointed out, through Trisha’s thoughts, that there would be no graduation, no college, no marriage, no kids and so on for Christina. Her life has just ended - just like that, a simple fact, but leaves the reader with a lot of thinking and heartbreak.

What’s more heartbreaking is the process of Trisha to overcome everything – the death of her best friend, the current condition and amnesia of her boyfriend, and the truth she’s just remembered about the night of the accident, and the role of Tucker in it. The part when Trisha wished to suddenly see Christina appear, living, during the viewing and when she entered Christina’s room one last time, is just painful. One minute ago use still see this person, full of life, walking, talking to you, being your best friend; the next minute, she was gone. And the fact that Christina is her parents’ only child only made the novel sadder. I wonder how it would be for Julia and Nelson, since now there were only two of them, grieving and holding the memories about their late daughter…

If you’re looking for a big-time, scholar-oriented novel, with addresses big subject of the world or human kind or something like that, I’m sorry Ms. McDaniel’s novels are not for you. But if you’re seeking a book that tells about everyday life’s ordinary people facing life’s misfortune with courage and also pain, then you’ve come to the right place.

[Daniel Asay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a tense basketball game, four high school seniors suffer a car accident that will change their lives forever. Short-tempered driver Tucker and narrator Trisha walk away with minor injuries. But Trisha's boyfriend Cody goes into a coma and suffers brain damage while Tucker's girlfriend Christina dies on sight. So begins a period of coming to terms with the events of that night, with the grief and hardships it brings, and learning to keep living in a world that must go on. Students, friends, & parents search for answers and support as the accident forces them to reevaluate their lives.

I appreciated that it shows so many positive interactions. The book shows parents and children coming to understanding, provides healthy catharsis, demonstrates healing and coping mechanisms through grief, inspires contemplation on the preciousness and meaning of life, and shows the protagonist reaching outside herself to help others. It also provides a dialog that talks through negative and positive aspects of teen dating. All of these are great examples for the teenage years and thus the book ends in as happy a way as one can hope. However, they also make it slightly didactic (especially regarding safe driving).

Touching & emotionally moving, the subject matter is definitely of a deeper nature than most teen reads. I felt like it was the emotional power of the plot that drove the story rather than the quality of writing. Concrete details were sparse and the characters are pretty two dimensional. It lacks those artful & linguistic graces that would help the reader relate to the story. The message is applicable to all but perhaps too emotional and preachy for many readers (boys in particular). Good for a reader that can handle tough issues or needs an outlet for a personal grief, but not a casual read.

genre: high school drama, grief/coping
fulfills McDaniels author requirement

[Allie Randall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Genre/Category: dealing with death/coming of age/inner strength
Read for "Lurlene McDaniels" requirement

Summary: Trisha is having a great senior year with her sweet and sensitive boyfriend Cody, and her best friend Christina, except for the intrusive presence of Christina's boyfriend, Tucker. Trisha knows that Christina and Tucker's relationship is verbally abusive and could soon result in physical abuse and despite her best efforts to persuade Christina to dump Tucker, Christina is attached. For example, when Christina gets a scholarship to a great university, Tucker gives Christina such a guilt trip that she plans to discard the scholarship to go to the local college so that she can stay closer to Tucker. Trisha is determined to help her friend get rid of this bad influence! One night, on the way home from a basketball game, Tucker's truck flips and rolls, killing Christina and placing Cody in a coma. Only Trisha can remember what happened to cause the accident, but her accident trauma keeps her from remembering all of the details. What happened that night? As Trisha heals, Cody comes out of his coma, only to appear to have forgotten everything and everyone. The story addresses Trisha's grief over Christina, her rebuilding of the relationship with Cody, and her desire to find out what really happened the night of the accident.

Well, Lurlene McDaniels is known for being a tear-jerker and I am known to be a big crier, so I think this book was pegged for me. I hated it because I knew exactly what format it would be in, but I think that it does deal with the issues of death and recovery well. I dreaded reading anything by her and I was surprised to find that I didn't hate it quite as badly as I thought I would. It was much less sappy than I had heard. I would recommend this book for high school students.

[Toughlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Telling Christina Goodbye, by Lurlene McDaniel, is a book filled with a lot of emotion, adventure, and frustration. It all starts, when Cody, Tucker, Trisha, and Christina are at the basket ball game. When Cody tries to keep Tucker from getting into a fight, he is Trisha’s boyfriend, and he gets kicked out. They all go running after him. Tucker goes to the car, and the rest of them follow, Tucker and Christina are together. The road is very icy, and Tucker is driving really fast, trying to get in front of another car, and they hit a patch of ice, and the car flips over. Cody is in a comma, Trisha, has a busted lip and knee, Tucker barely has a scratch, but Christina dies. Trisha and Tucker are the only ones who no what really happened. They are trying to deal with the fact that her best friend and his girlfriend are gone. When the police come Trisha can not remember all the details, but when she dose it is to late, the court has already ruled that it was an accident, Tucker got off. She has to move on with her life, everything changes just in one night. Life will never be the same again, because of one mistake.

The reason the Lurlen McDaniel wrote this book, was for her son. In the back of the book it explains how her son has a disease, and this lets her show her understanding and get out her sadness and pain. Another reason that she wrote this book is to help people who have lost people in their lives that were important, and to help them deal with moving on, with that person, or people not there. The book is really about moving on and letting the person go. You can still remember all of the good and bad times you had together, but you also have to realize that they are no longer with you physically, buut always in your heart.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Telling Christina Goodbye by Lurlene McDaniel is a good book about a girl named Trisha who gets into a very horrible car accident in which her best friend Christina dies. Besides that her boyfriends in a coma, and Christina’s boyfriend, who was driving the car, left with barely a scratch. She did survive the accident, but its hard for her to live each day without her best friend by her side. This fiction story is very interesting. It is definitely a page turner in my book.
The authors purpose in writing this book was to show teenagers that they may face life changing situations in there life. shes sort of trying to say that life’s not always going to be smooth sailing. You’ll always hit a few bumps along the way. And I think ms. McDaniel really showed that to me. Now I know that some of the worst things happen when you’re a teenager. So I must say that this was a very effective and powerful book. I would say that this book is very different books I’ve read because it’s not a mystery haven’t any other books by this author but I definitely will. Even though the book was good it did have it’s strengths and weaknesses. Though the book kept me interested throughout the book, I felt that it could be a little confusing. At times it would just change subject in the middle of a paragraph. Other than that it was a great book.
So altogether I say the book was pretty get. I think you should really read this book if you’re a teenager that’s been through a lot.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

MCDANIEL
This book was hard for me to get into. The characters seemed very flat. This is about Trisha, whose best friend Christina dies in a car wreck. Trisha and her boyfriend Cody are with Christina and her boyfriend Tucker on the way home from a basketball game, when they get in a car accident. Trisha and Cody are both thrown from the car, Trisha only gets scrapes and bruises but Cody is in a coma and suffers severe memory loss. Tucker was driving and is basically uninjured; Christina is thrown from the car and dies on the spot. The book follows Trisha’s mourning and loss. They were all high school seniors at the time, and it’s hard to pick up the pieces and move on.
There were some things that didn’t make sense in this book. For example, in the ambulance, Tucker is talking to Trisha and then suddenly the EMTs are cutting her clothes off to see if she is damaged more. Trisha doesn’t mention how embarrassing that is in front of Tucker, or if he turns around, or what.
Grief and loss are important topics that shouldn’t be kept from teens. The premise of the book was good. I felt lie it didn’t capture the feelings effectively or explain the characters enough to make them believable. This book would be appropriate for ages 12 and up.

[Kailia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lurlene McDaniel’s books are getting longer and more modern and I’m so happy. Even though this book still has some old things in it, it’s fairly modern and in my time.

Trisha Thompson and her best friend, Christina are in their senior year of high school and they’re getting ready for college and hanging out with friends and their boyfriends. I liked that as Lurlene writes about serious matters, she showed that now all relationships are perfect, namely Tucker and Christina’s. While they’re on their way to a game, Tucker hits a patch of black ice and the car (with Christina, Trisha, and Trisha’s boyfriend Cody in the car) crashs. There were other reasons for how Tucker was driving but I felt that he was too reckless. And stupid.

Tucker comes out of the crash with a few bruises and cuts. Sadly, Christina dies. Trisha is injured and Cody lands in a coma. When Cody comes out of the coma though, Trisha is relieved. But when he doesn’t remember her, Trisha is devastated.

The reason for my low rating was because I didn't connect to the characters as much as I had hoped. Though the story itself was good, I like to be able to connect with the characters and I couldn't do that very well.

[Zoe Bodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lurlene McDaniel's book Telling Christina Goodbye was very intriguing and heartfelt. This book starts out with two best friends in high school having a great senior year so far. The normal college worries and boyfriend issues. Their names are Trisha and Christina. Trisha and her boyfriend, Cody both got into Indiana University and will be going there in the fall. Christina got a scholarship to the University of Vermont but her controlling boyfriend, Tucker is trying to convince her not to go away for college because he knows he will lose he if she does.

The theme of this book is when something bad occurs in your life you have to learn to live with it and carry on with your life. As tragic as it is you can't let it ruin your life, you have to find the courage to move on and see the beauty in life.

I absolutely loved the writing style in this book. When I first started reading the book I would of never pictured what happened in it to occur. The suspense of it and intriguing information made you want to keep reading and not put the book down. The book really puts you in the place it is set, especially being in high school and being able to relate to the people in the book makes you feel lke you are almost there with them.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a girl named Trisha who had a best friend Christina. They are seniors in high school. One day, they went to watch a school game and when coming back, Christina's boyfriend, Tucker lost control of the car. Christina died from this accident, Tucker had a few scar, Trisha was injured and Trisha's boyfriend who was in the car also is in coma. Trisha had to recover herself not only from physical injury but she had to also recover her emotions and feelings towards Christina's death and that Cody's in coma.
I really like this book is because it was very touching and I can relate a few moments or events of the book. Like Trisha have a best friend and I had my best friend who was always by my side. The car accident that happened, it was similar to my situation when I was younger because the car was like slipping on ice but my dad had good control of the car even though we hit a something like a road block because we were on a highway. I learned that there are times in life that we can't predict the outcome and no matter what kind of outcome it is, there would also be someone to help you.

[Madeline]

I read this book for the second time, I read it 2 years ago and I remember I was going through so much that it really helped me through everything. I thought it'd be a good book to read again.
Christina and Tucker and Cody and Trisha are out on a date and Tucker hits black ice and slides off the road. Christians dead, Cody is in a coma Trisha has brain damage and Tucker walks away with out a scratch. Trisha can't believe that her best friend is gone forever and her boyfriend is in a coma. She still is blaming Tucker saying that he meant to kill Christina. No one understands what shes going through. Until she meets Aubrey and they have something in common, they both lost someone they loved dearly. Aubrey helps her through it and tells her that it wont help being angry at Tucker all your life, it wont bring Christina back. Trisha learns to accept that fact that Christina is gone forever and there's nothing she can do about it.
I LOVED this book. I would recommend it for everybody. It helps you think about how you deal with things in life, and that even when something terrible happens think about the other things in life that are happy.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Telling Christina Goodbye by Lurlene McDaniel

First Love/Abusive Relationships/Dealing with Loss

***spoiler alert***
The low rating I gave this book is purely based on the fact that this book was way too emotional for me. Lurlene McDaniel writes about tough stuff that teens go through; this particular novel is about loss. Trisha, the main character, loses her best friend Christina in a fatal car accident when they are driving in the car together with their boyfriends. Christina is dead, Trisha's boyfriend is in a coma, and Christina's boyfriend (the driver) is left without a scratch. The book demonstrates the difficulty of picking up and moving on when your whole world has come crashing down around you. It perpetuates good family values and morality as well. But the sickening sweetness of Trisha's boyfriend, the perfect relationship that Trisha has with her family, and the "Full House" style of cheesy dialogue is just a bit much. If you're in the mood to be slammed in the face with a melodrama then go ahead and read it, but if not then you better steer clear. This book has a good message but I would never teach it, or recommend it. It's just not my style.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars because I feel like this story has been told in many different forms before. Don't get me wrong this was a GREAT book with big meaning behind it. This books shows you to not take life for granted and cherish the people that surround you because tomorrow or in just a few seconds it could all be gone.

This book is about a high school senior named Trisha Thompson, her boyfriend Cody, her best friend Christina, and Christina's boyfriend Tucker.Tucker is very controlling over Christina and is trying to convince her to not go to college. At an away basketball game Tucker gets in a fight at with another spectator and they all leave the game. On the way home they are driving along when another car with a group of guys start egging them on to pass and that sort of thing when Tucker hits some black ice and the car flips leaving Christina dead, Cody in a coma, and Trisha looking for answers. The rest of the book is Cody trying to remember his relationship with Trisha and Trisha trying to finish her senior year and cope with the death of her best friend. It definitely touched my heart :)

[La'Dearia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about a girl named christina who has a full shcolarship to the University of Vermount. Everyone is very happy for her except one person... her controlling boyfriend Tucker. Christina's best friend Trisha advices her to break up with because she is always making Christina very unhappy.For example, one time Tucker was suppose to pick Christina up from school but he wasnt there so a guy asked did she need a ride she hesitated but came around. On home they stopped for some coffee and one of Tucker's friends have saw them, thought it was a date and told Tucker.The next they had a big fight and Tucker was pissed. Well one day when both of the Christina and her boyfriend Tucker also Trisha and her boyfriend were in the car. As always Tucker and Christina were arguing her going away to college.While they were to busy arguing Tucker was not watching the road then they had a tragic car accident which caused Christina to slip into a comma and everyone else minor injuries...........

[Christina Zanakos · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's kind of a more somber subject matter, but I loved this book all through high school and still enjoy reading it today. Telling Christina Goodbye is a tragic description of two girls enjoying their senior year, making plans to go to college and celebrate graduation with their boyfriends. Trisha doesn't like Christina's controlling boyfriend Tucker, but as her best friend, avoids the arguing and lets Christina do what she wants. Tucker has a surprise for Christina, a plan to keep her closer to home and not accept her scholarship at another school. But before anything can happen, one night changes all of their lives forever. Tucker is driving the foursome when they get into an accident, one that leaves Cody (Trisha's boyfriend) in a coma, Trisha injured, and Christina dead, while Tucker walks away fine. There is a twist at the end that is shocking and sad, changing the circumstances under which Christina died. It's a great book if you're inthe mood for a somber subject matter, and is even still romantic with Cody and Trisha after the accident.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Middle school I was apparently masochistic because I read Lurlene McDaniel books like my life depended on it. However if you have ever read her books you know they are all the same; two people fall in love, and then tragedy hits and one of them (or both in one case I believe) dies. There is never a happy ending. For some reason I apparently loved to read books that made me cry once I finished them for hours at a time. Then to make it worse I would then reread them just to relive the experience. Seriously messed up. Looking back however, Lurlene McDaniel is a sorry writer. Her ability to pull at the heartstrings is prominent, however her dialogue and prose is poorly written. I believe my library teacher at the time described her books as the ones you find in grocery stores for a dollar. As sad as it makes me to look back on a writer whom I used to love, I have to admit this is true. As a writer I appreciate when an author has both the ability to bring out certain emotions, but also has the ability to write beautifully as well.

[Sylvia Lira]

i read this stroy and its one of those storys were there is romance frendship and sadness. christina is a senor girl and had a besfriend call trisha. they both had boyfriends but christias boyfriend is a really gelous and demanding person. so trisha didnt really like hem and one reason was because chritina had gottin acepted to a universty and he didnt so he wanted her to leave that oportunity so that she could go with he to another collage. christina really loved hem and she didnt know what to do. they woould always go out as friends and one day they went out all together to a basketball game and tucker was driving at night and they had a car accident he slip in ice and the truck rolled over he got scars only christina was dead and trishas boyfriend was in coma. she was really mad at hem and blamed hem for everything. at the end they ended up beening friends they were there for each other and try to get thing over and leave it in the past. her boyfriend lost his memory and that was really hard for her that she was almost losing the love of her life. i loved this book

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre:
Lexile: 580L
Tags: young adult,

Book Overview: To me this book was very interesting. This book had me entertained throughout the whole book.The author kept me as a reader interested in reading the text because it had lots of suspense.
Plot summary:
The story starts off with ta group of friends at one of the school football games.One day after one of the games the group of friends decide to go across town to a party. As they arrive to the party the passengers in the front seat get into a minnor agruement. There is a car infront of them and is driving very slow. The driver decides to go around and skidds off the road and into a ditch and everyone except Christina is flung out of the car. Christina dies on impact,two passengers are injured and the driver is ok mostly he just has a few bumps and briuses.The parents of Christina dont really like the driver anymore since he was the one driving when his daughter was killed.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trisha Thompson and her best friend Christina are having a great senior year. Trisha and her boyfriend, Cody, are making plans to attend Indiana University together in the fall, while Christina has already received a scholarship to the University of Vermont. Everything would be perfect if only Trisha got along with Christina’s controlling boyfriend Tucker, who is trying to convince Christina not to go away for college. But suddenly their lives change one night when Tucker is driving the four home from an away basketball game. When his car hits a patch of black ice and overturns, Tucker walks away with barely a scratch, but Trisha is injured, Cody is in a coma, and Christina is dead. Those left behind must learn that it takes time for their scars—both visible and not—to heal. And they must find the courage to move on with their lives.
(this summary was found at www.randomhouse.com)

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Trisha, her boyfriend Cody, her best friend Christina and her best friend's boyfriend Tucker. Basically, they get in a wreck, Cody ends up in a coma and Christina dies. The book deals with Trisha as she comes to grips with everything. I suppose this could be a useful and touching book for someone . . . but it wasn't for me. In my opinion the plot drags along with someone crying on every page, and nothing really happens. The tone was also unrealistic for how a teen would think, speak or act. It was depressing, but not only that it was boring. It was boring and depressing. I was half-hoping for Christina to rise from the dead as a zombie and start eating people, but alas no such thing happened. I don't think I would ever voluntarily read another book by this author, it is definitely not my cup of tea.

[Ashlyn Lopez]

The book " Telling Christina Goodbye " is a good book. The story is about four friends who are in their senior year of high school when one night they go to a basketball game a little outside of their town. When they are heading home Christina's boyfriend, Tucker, which is also the driver of the vehicle, hits black ice and the car goes spinning into the air. Trisha, Christina's best friend flys out of the car and when she awakes after she passed out she sees Cody her boyfriend in an ambulance. Cody ends up in a coma and wakes up a few weeks later after the accident with loss of memory. Christina ends up dead, her boyfriend Tucker is okay but lives with the blame of killing his girlfriend. And Christina's best friend, Trisha is still dating Cody but misses Christina a lot.