Better Than Yesterday

by Robyn Schneider

At the elite Hilliard Preparatory School, the competition is fierce, the gossip is worse, and Blake Dorsey has just arrived back on campus after an unexplained two-year absence.

Skylar Banks has a hunch Blake's in trouble. Skylar's the most likely candidate for valedictorian, but she's no stranger to tricky situations herself. She's got a reputation for taking her relationships straight from JV to varsity, and that rep is about to catch up with her.

Charley Morton doesn't have time for Blake's problems—not if he plans to get into Harvard like his parents expect, or to win over his dream girl (a.k.a. Skylar). But then Blake takes off for New York City, and Charley, Skylar, and her roommate, Marissa, have no choice but to risk their perfect transcripts to find him. It's a journey that will change the way they see each other— and themselves—forever.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Teen

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2007

About the author

Robyn Schneider grew up in Southern California, where she spent her childhood reading fantasy novels and searching for secret passages. She’s a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied creative writing, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where she earned a Masters of Bioethics. Robyn is the bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Means, Invisible Ghosts, and You Don’t Live Here. Her work is available across the world in over a dozen languages. Her newest novel, The Other Merlin, will be published in September 2021. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV producer husband, their tiny puppy, and far too many books. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @robynschneider

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book hoping, HOPING, praying, wishing that all of Robyn's big talk was the real deal. She was promoting this YA novel at least a year and a half before it was actually published. I met her one night at dinner and the first thing she says is "Hi! My name is Robyn! I'm 20 but I wrote my book when I was 17! IT'S GREAT! Nooooo, really, I'm a real author and you'll be super excited when you read my book! Oh, did I tell you I like to wear designer shoes? Yup, these are *real* COACH! Can you believe it?! *swoon* Oh, if you'd like me to sign my book when it comes out I will! Hahaha, I'm from LA, can you tell?!" But I'm super smart. I go to Barnard!

I felt bad for her. I remembered being in my early 20s and trying to figure out who I was and where I fit in. Part of me wanted to slap her and part of me wanted to hug her, pat her back, give her a margarita, and explain to her that Coach was considered 'soooooo public school'. Get thee to Barney's and seek out the real goods honey! But no. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I decided to read her book when it came out.

Boy was I surprised. I give the kid credit for her external self confidence and ability to so strongly believe that her book was truly exceptional. She should win major bonus points for the mere fact that because she made me feel sorry for her, I wasted 20 minutes at B&N reading this book. (thankfully I read it there, rather than buying it). Reading her writing made many things clear -- namely why a girl who so passionately bragged about her intelligence was a student at Barnard rather than (well...you know). This book made me cringe. Only because when I was 17, I had friends who wrote better fictional assignments for class. Her writing made me cringe. How this book got published, I'll never know.

[Carly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I knew this book would suck and I read it anyway. Guilty as charged. Some part of me held out a thin wisp of hope that it would eventually get better, but of course it didn't.

Another part of me wants to say I've got to hand it to the author for writing a publishable book at the age of 17, but a bigger part of me is saying that the book is pretty darn terrible and who knows how many 17-year-olds are out there who have written better books than this.

DON'T READ IT; SAVE YOURSELF!

[Caitlin H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am on page 39, and I think it is a great book so far. The character development is amazing, and I feel like I really know who they are. The whole Skylar, Charlie, and Blake thing is the typical teenage love triangle you always see in movies or read in books, but this ones plot is twisted in a way. I felt bad when I read about Skylar and Blakes brother, Kyle, because Blake likes Skylar. But I thought it was interesting how even after three years, and a whole school full of gossiping teenagers that somehow Blake hadn't found out. I feel like something is going to grow with Skylar and Charlie, because even though Blake is more her type she knows she can't date him because of the whole Kyle scenario, and she had admitted to semi-liking Charlie, just not to anyone else. I'm not really sure where Marissa plays a part in this book yet, besides as Skylars roommate, but hopefully its interesting. I feel like I could relate to Skylar because people often underestimate my potential, even though I don't think I'll relate to her in being senior honoree anytime soon. I am very curious to see what is going to happen next. All in all I'm really excited to keep reading this book.

[Alyssa Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a few things I liked and disliked about this book.

For one, Blake and Marissa seemed like poorly developed characters, especially compared to Skylar and Charley. I didn't really see how they were all friends with Marissa because she was barely described at all.

Second, it was way too short. Usually I don't base my likings of books on the length, but this one was seriously laking something. It needed more, more, more! The action was minimal and everything went by way too fast (not in the good way).

Third, the comment on the back from the author of Bras and Broomsticks was sooo inaccurate. Pranks? Yes. One, for about four pages. New York? Yes, for about 30 pages. It was completely misleading.

Fourth, the writing was very juvenile. I could have written this at fourteen when I was obsessed with designer everything but toothpaste! I don't understand how it got published at all.

There were only two things I really liked about this book:

One, it was really short and only took me a day to read.

Two, was the very last sentence/paragraph of the book. It was especially meaningful because I am graduating in less than four months so I can relate to that feeling of wanting to stay connected to your friends even after you leave high school. If it wasn't for those thirty words, this book was getting a one.

[mackenzie gruzas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to everyone. I enjoyed many things in this book. For example, I liked how the main characters (Skylar and Charley) went back in forth on their point of views of what was going on in each chapter. I found this book to provide good life lessons. Such as, the things that Blake did, gave good lessons to not do the things he did. Or how Charley wants to follow his dreams, and not follow his dad's path. All four of the main characters did rebellious things while in college, which I found really entertaining and I didn't want to put it down! Overall, this was a good book and I highly recommend it to everyone and I wish there was a sequel.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't that great at all, and the summary was misleading. The actual "New York" aspect of the book wasn't as prevalent as the Hilliard aspect...and I've never met anyone with 2400 SAT grades. It was so-so.

[Laura P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eeeeehhh. "Better Than Yesterday" was actually worse than the book I read yesterday, so I wouldn't really recommend reading it. The plot was about some senior kids going to a prep school, and was told from the perspective of two very different kids there, named Skylar, and Charlie. They end up going to New York with their friends to look for one of their buddies that ran off doing some bad stuff, but it's a very dull storyline. Where's the twist??? Some of the themes included are friendship, school, drama, choices, and the classic rebellion against their parents (that makes absolutely NO sense with their character traits). Overall, if you're just really bored and want something to read, then go ahead and read this book. Who knows, maybe you'll like it more than I did.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very relatable in some circumstances.
Love the bond that all of them share. And I also love how the writer had multiple perspectives, and achieved it beautifully.

[Halogen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like a bad teen movie, no good plot points and problematic characters.

[Jamaica Catamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.itsjamxii.wordpress.com

REVIEW: (SPOILER ALERT!!)

I never heard of this book before, and I never though of reading this book until a friend let me borrowed this for a summer-read. It is really good for a summer read because of its story.

I don’t think this book is about finding Blake, but it’s more of finding themselves. Like how Charley decided to take music (which is his true passion) rather than pre-med (what his parents want him to take.)

It could have been 5/5 if Robyn Schneider just found a way to make the searching (for Blake) more challenging. I just don’t like the way it goes- the three searched for Blake all over and they just found him on a party and then BOOM !! They went back to the Hilliard, with Blake (too easily). I was like ‘That’s it?’ I don’t know, maybe i’m just looking for more. Nevertheless, it’s really nice and entertaining. The narration is very clear. It came to me just in time, when i needed a light-read after reading so much classical works. Better than Yesterday is a light read, yet comes with a deep message.

When i was reading the synopsis, I was like ‘Wait what? Is it a love triangle?’ But as i turn pages, i realized that it’s more than that. I can’t even choose who to ship until now that I already finished the story. Should I go with Skylar x Charley or Skylar x Blake (or maybe Skylar x Kyle?) But i don’t really care, cause’ i like it either way. But let me help you decide which to ship.

SKYLAR x CHARLEY

Oh. so. cheeeesy!! Like what else could we ask for? They are the true example of the so-called relationship goals. They are both smart and both have a thing when it comes to debate. Can you imagine? A couple arguing on a debate, a couple fighting over the spot of valedictorian. But don’t get me (them) wrong, they don’t think of it as a competition, or whatsoever. At the end, they were labeled the ‘Top Ranked Boy and Girl Students.’ Satisfying, right?

SKYLAR x BLAKE

Maybe some of you were thinking ‘Why does she even consider Blake?’ Well, why not? She likes Skylar, a lot. It was really nice of him to just walk away when he saw his friend being with his dream girl (Blake mistakenly thought Charley and Skylar are dating.) He could punch Charley on the face, call Skylar a slut, but NOOO!! He didn’t, because he is a true friend. As long as the two are happy, he’s fine with that. Isn’t that sweet?

ENDING

If i were to rate the ending, i’d give it a perfect 5 stars. I like it how Robyn Schneider put an end in the story. Especially how Charley and Skylar delivered their speeches through debate. And the CLASS PICTURE!! The coolest and best part ever. I could even imagine it. Charley and Skylar surrounded by their friends. And the sweetest part, Charley’s kissing Skylar, and Skylar wearing a shocked and embarrassed face.

To sum it all, ‘Better Than Yesterday’ is better than I expected. I recommend it to teenagers (like me), any age, whatever. It would make you feel sad that you don’t have a friend like Marissa, an admirer like Blake, a boyfriend like Charley/ a girlfriend like Skylar. Except for those who are lucky enough to have it all. That’s it!

Thank you for reading.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here's what I've noticed about a good portion of the books I've read: that the beginning tends to be really nicely written and attractive, but once you progress and read the end, it's not nearly as good. Maybe it's just because the story fades out, or that the author just needed a faster way to finish the book. It's not really a big deal, actually--barely noticeable--but somehow, I just managed to catch it.

Better than Yesterday is written from two points of views: Skylar's (the girl) and Charley (the boy). With Marissa and Blake, two other characters, they formed a group who were close friends freshmen year at boarding school. Two years later, they're seniors, and after a period of absence, Blake returns. Things are different now. They're not really friends anymore. They didn't talk to each other like before. But when Blake suddenly disappears again, Skylar, Charley and Marissa know they have to find Blake before the boarding school finds out and his future is ruined. As these things are happening, other mini-stories (like how Skylar got her slut reputation, and what happened freshmen that made Blake leave) are told as well.

I love, love Charley. If he was an actual person, he would've been my best friend. He's incredibly smart, loyal, sweet and funny. He's not the stereoptyical boy who wants sex in a relationship rather than someone who's looking for a real girlfriend. Robyn Scheider really gets into Charley's mind, and that's very difficult because the author is a woman and I can't fathom how she'd know the inside of a boy's head.

As for Skylar. Hm. I didn't really like her. She was a likable character but she lacked the character charm that I sought after in a book. Her voice seemed rather awkward; especially with the easy she'd written about how she got her reputation. It didn't have the flow an essay was supposed to have, but more or less looked like a plot summary that I read all the time.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Four friends together again in summer session at boarding school. Can you even imagine the adventures?

Skylar, Marissa, Charley, and Blake are seventeen. It's the summer before their senior year. They are moving into Hilliard Preparatory School for the summer session. They spent summer session their freshman year together and are hoping to relive those great times.

However, things have changed. Skylar regrets her freshman experience learning about "love" from Blake's older brother, Kyle. It wasn't really a boost for her reputation. Charley's always had a crush on Skylar, but figured it was hands-off because of Blake. Blake's parents have recently shocked him by announcing the news that they've lost their fortune. Marissa, as Skylar's conservative roommate, is about to risk it all to save another.

It's a learning experience for everyone. There's learning about real love and the bonds of friendship. There's discovering the courage to stand up for what one believes, even if that means defying the wishes and dreams of parents. All four characters live life to the fullest during this last summer together. Despite their crazy and often unwise adventures, their story is filled with positive life lessons many teen readers will relate to and many adult readers will remember.

Robyn Schneider has written a winner. Her characters are believable even if you didn't attend boarding school. She entertains with typical high-risk teen behavior, but she adds the important lessons we all want to communicate to our children. Readers should definitely give Schneider a try and be on the lookout for what she serves up next.

[San · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of the best books I've read so far. The story is very relatable because of the competition for valedictorian, the SAT/ACT scores, and finding math a hard subject. If you are looking for a book to read over the summer or during the break I would definitely recommend this because the story takes place in a summer session of the boarding school.The story mostly revolves around Skylar, Charley, Marissa, and Blake.They are all seventeen and before attending their senior year at Hilliard Preparatory School they all attend the summer session. They spent summer session their freshman year together and are hoping to recall those memories.Unfortunately, things have changed since then.Skylar regrets her freshman experience learning about "love" from Kyle(Blakes older-brother). The experience she had with kyle wasn't a reputation booster. Charley has always had a crush on Skylar but figured it was hands-off because of Blake. Blake's parents have recently shocked him by declaring the news that they've lost their fortune. Marissa, as Skylar's conservative roommate, is about to risk it all to save another. The characters are learning about what love really is and the bonds of friendship. They are discovering the courage to stand up for what one believes, even if that means challenging the wishes of parents.

[Macy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "Better Than Yesterday" was very enjoyable to read, at points in the story I couldn't put the book down. I thought the book had good drama and characters that people reading the book could relate to. In this book the main characters get into trouble but come together to help out a mutal friend finding out love is in the air. The only downfall I thought of the book was the inappropiate language that could of been removed and still could get the content across without using as much vulgar language as the author did. Other than that I enjoyed the excitement that the author put into the book. This book is really good at expressing the outlook on the college aspect of life. When I get to be a senior I will remember from this book the most important opion is mine and to never let things go too far that I will give up what I have going for me.

[Mikayla P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better Than Yesterday was a very intresting book. I couldnt put the book down. The book is about a girl named skylar and her three main friends Charley, Marissa, and Black. These Three all attend Hilliard Prepratory School. They were all friends Freshman year but they slowly started going seprate ways and in their senior year reunited. Charley and Skylar are always trying to see who is the best at things in school such as valedvictorian. The real truth is that they book like each other a lot. During this book Charley see's that he can be anything he wants to be and doesnt have to be a doctor like his parents want him to be. I highly sugest this book if you like a liitle drama and some romance. I hope that you will read the book and find a little more about what happens!

[Alexa Haldimann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better Than Yesterday, written by Robyn Schneider, is a realistic fiction book about a boy named Charley and his friend Skylar. I liked this book because the perspectives switched in between Charley and Skylar so you got to experience both peoples point of views. This is a coming of age book that has it all~friendship, school pranks, first love, and running away. I think Robyn Schneider is teaching the reader that you have to stand up for what you want in life instead of fall for what your parents want for you. The compelling plot keeps you on your toes and ready for unexpected twists and turns. Overall, I would recommend this book to particularly a girl that is into realistic fiction because the topic is general enough for everyone to like it!

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though the book is set at an elite boarding school (a la Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld), I don't think it was merely the author's intention nor the point of this book. Instead, the point of this book was that four students at the boarding school (two whom are friends and two others whom are basically acquaintances) vow to get away to nearby New York City for awhile which is different from what they are accustomed to. There is name dropping (which gets annoying after all but could be satirical and fun for a teenager) but it's a quick, fast read for a teenager. I also like how the chapters are named after some of the author's favorite books!

[Grace710 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. I liked hearing what other people thought of New York City. It was a very interesting piont of view.
So they found Blake in NYC, and i think he was very uncomfortable. When he went back to Hillard, he thought everything would be the same, but it turns out it was the opposite. But, when Blake got back to Hillaard, he started putting things back together, like their friendship. I think that Blake was willing to start over, and alll he needed was a little push. I think he finally understands the importance of friendship.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

But...there was no reason to put their school careers in jeopardy to go "rescue" Blake. He was a loser pothead and a poor friend with no redeeming qualities, to the point that as soon as he popped a pill I began to desperately hope he was dying of cancer. Not to explain his actions, just so he'd be dead and unable to create any further problems. I kind of liked Skylar and Charley together, Charley on his own, and the gratuitous mentions of LiveJournal, but the whole adventure seemed misguided.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

i'm not a big fan of YA anymore, unless it happens to be amazing. this was far from amazing, but it was incredibly clever, and i have to respect robyn for being a young writer, and by way of that, writing realistic dialogue and creating believable characters. it was kind of a heightened academic world, with really smart jokes from intelligent-than-most teenagers. but it was so clever that i loved it for that.

[Fallon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its far from amazing, and it had some inconsistancies. The characters were not all that strong, but i liked it. I went to an elitist high school where a lot of my friends we accepted to penn. Like charley, my parents wanted me to go to the school of THEIR choice, not mine. It was a well written, quick, fun read. :))

[One_awesome_girl! · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book about 4 senior high school students who go on a long journey to find their friend Blake who is traveling somewhere around New York City. They learn the value of friendship and find out what it's like to be reunited with your friends freshman year. All together they will basically relive freshman year and try to have the best senior year ever.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Before you pick up this book, I must give you all a warning: This is a bad, BAD, chick-flick. All this book is about, is some rich teenagers going out doing dumb things (running away, drinking, doing drugs, an having sex). Not ok...

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this...fun and light...great for a quick beach read. Definitely gives the perspective of teens today.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehh... not the greatest, but pretty good. Totally reminded me of Catcher in the Rye. It was like a toned down version of Prep (which i hated), but yeah.

[Erotic Horizon]

Better Than Yesterday by Robyn Schneider (2007)

[Sunny Tipton · Rating 4 out of 5]

very werid dnt read it if you dnt lik reading aboutppl getting raped lolz it was a good book ........ ;P

[Ernica]

This book isn;t what i expected it to be but i liked it nonetheless

[Amber Rivera · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an okay book. Reminded me of a watered down Gossip Girl novel.

[Elizabeth]

I don't care what any of you say this book is truly a very good one I wAnt to buy my grand daughter it any one know where I could get It like a barns and nobels