Our Song

by Jordanna Fraiberg

Olive Bell has spent her entire life in the beautiful suburb of Vista Valley, with a picture-perfect home, a loving family, and a seemingly perfect boyfriend. But after a near-fatal car accident, she’s haunted by a broken heart and a melody that she cannot place.

Then Olive meets Nick. He’s dark, handsome, mysterious . . . and Olive feels connected to him in a way she can’t explain. Is there such a thing as fate? The two embark on a whirlwind romance—until Nick makes a troubling confession.

Heartbroken, Olive pieces together what really happened the night of her accident and arrives at a startling revelation. Only by facing the truth can she uncover the mystery behind the song and the power of what it means to love someone.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2013

About the author

Jordanna Fraiberg was born in Montreal, Quebec, and currently lives in L.A., where she settled after receiving degrees from Harvard and Oxford. A former national squash champion and Hollywood film executive, she now divides her time between dreaming up stories and chasing her toddler. She is the author of Our Song and In Your Room. Check out her website at www.jordannafraiberg.com

Reviews

[adin]

"our song is a slamming screen doors. sneakin' out late backin' on ur window. we're on the phone and talkin' real slow cuz its late and ur mama dont know"

Lol tay swift's song always popped out in my head when i saw this book :D but its a good thing rite?

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OUR SONG is a hauntingly beautiful, mysterious, and captivating romantic page turner. Masterfully crafted.

For all those YA who have been deeply confused by their relationships when they suddenly take a huge plunge without obvious warning signs, OUR SONG is an eye-opener. What's been missing? Is the perfect boy really so perfect? How does he impact your self-esteem? Wake up!

The novel opens with Olive recovering from a horrible car crash. She's only alive because paramedics resuscitated her. Many rumors surround the circumstances behind the accident that just might not have been an accident, but a cry for help. Was it? The circumstances of that rainy night unfold as readers wonder about Olive's mental state. Immediately, you will know something occurred with her ex-boyfriend Derek because Olive was driving his car. He comes across as heartless and selfish. It's hard to understand what Olive saw in this jerk. What I deeply appreciate about this character is knowing that there are plenty of girls who go out with guys similar to Derek and take their crap. I hope this novel will be insightful. Who doesn't know someone who has gone out or hooked up with guys just like this?

As Olive tries to deal with the circumstances behind the accident and her near-death experience, she joins an interesting support group. There, she meets a boy named Nick who helps Olive become more grounded. As they learn to trust each other, they share many adventures. Still, there's lots of mystery behind Nick. Finding out his story is definitely a highlight.

There are lots of interesting family dynamics going on for both Olive and Nick. Olive's parents seem to be struggling with their relationship. Her mother has an obsession with gardening and baking. Her father is a workaholic and spends a lot of time away from the family. I love her eight-year-old brother Noah. Despite the large age gap between them, Olive and Noah have a special, sweet bond. Nick has absent parents and readers will wonder why this bright young man has so much time on his hands.

The book unfolds beautifully, weaving words to a song that plays over and over again in Olive's mind. A message? A warning?

She has a lot to learn about love, life, friendship, and her family. Sometimes a person has repeat experiences/bad choices in order to get it right and find the courage to be their best, strongest self.

I loved Our Song and recommend putting it on your MUST-READ list!

[Aman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even after finishing the book, I still don't understand why Olive kept hearing the song and what was it's importance exactly. I'm very confused, the story doesn't make any sense to me.

First of all, after reading the premises, you would think that maybe Olive is suffering from some sort of Amnesia after the accident and the reason she's hearing that song is because Nick wrote it for her and she can't remember their time together. Right! That's what I thought too, but I was so wrong.

Olive is such a selfish, stupid and full-of-herself character. I get that she had a near death experience and is different from the girl she use to be, but does she have to be so freaking hopeless when it comes to Derek. He has clearly moved on and is dating some preppy cheerleader, and Olive is still hanging on to him for no damn reason. She finally meets a really nice guy, Nick, at a group session but all she could do was compare how she was with Derek when she's actually with Nick. I'll give Olive props living her life and experiencing new things, but I never really connected with her to fully enjoy any of her scenes.

Plus, the story was too slow and dragging. I didn't even get what the purpose was until the very end and it wasn't very satisfying.

All in all, Our Song didn't work for me.

* A copy was provided by Razorbill for an honest review. (Thank You!)*
__________________________________________
Oh My GOD! I love this book just by reading the synopsis. You know what is going to happen, but you really want see it happen, and feel the emotions. I can't wait!

PS: Every time I read the title I start singing that Taylor Swift song. It's CUTE!

[Isamlq · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am amazed, I tell you. Considering the number of times I wanted to call it quits over a lead who’s such a drag about herself and how she perceives others, I am truly amazed that I got passed all those little things that bugged me about her to finish this.

And it’s not really all that bad, too.Yes, maybe it is a bit too preachy and all claim yourself, boys suck, and be yourself, plus the rah-rah-rahing for her by her BFF, (who, by the way, was just so typically YA-BFF-y for various reasons, for my liking. All confident and out there, everything that our girl-lead was, of course… not.) And yes, maybe even said girl-lead was a bit too teenage typical in the ‘my mama doesn’t get it department.’ And yes, maybe it’s a bit too cutesy-but that’s been done before with the precocious little sibling easing her otherwise terribly depressing existence. But it wasn’t all terribly bad… simply ‘meh,’ you know?

Of course, when she wasn’t meh, good God could she be infuriating! So, yes I have amazed myself in finishing this. And if I can get passed how little she thinks of herself, passed how bitchy she could get, passed how all about the boy she was, passed all that and get to the good bits of her seeing herself, realizing she’s a friend that mattered, and seeing her family for what they’re worth, well so can you.

I think it’s how she labeled herself that infuriated me the most, but things did change… to the point where she considers herself more than just ‘Girlfriend’ and that owns the truth that she go could outside the box others had put her in (that she’d put herself in?) Anyway, so what if said change was brought out because of another boy? So what if I felt like she was reverting to what she was (that is, a girl all about the boy)? OK. So, maybe I didn’t actually love OUR SONG all that much, but the thing is: I didn’t hate it either.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olive is returning home after a near-death experience. Her parents are concerned about what happened the night of her car crash in her boyfriends car, but she is not willing to divulge anything to them. Wanting to go back to school as soon as possible to see her boyfriend Derek, Olive takes the risk of the rumors and looks and goes to school right after her return home. But Olive doesn't feel like herself anymore, or at least what her old self felt like. She final spying Derek at lunch, but he is not alone and he is not waiting for her. He is with the Betsy Brill a cheerleader, THE cheerleader. Olive is crushed and races out of the cafeteria with her best friend Annie following behind.

Olive begins to fall behind in school, but her teachers give her leniency due to her accident. She can't sleep so spends the nights outside under the willow tree in the backyard. She goes through the motions, but is not really living anymore and doesn't care to either. Soon her mother and guidance counselor take notice and want her to seek out help, either with the counselor or through other methods. Olive finds a group that focuses on near-death experiences, though it was in Hollywood, she knew she had to go.

Olive's life starts to spin out of control, her boyfriend is no more and is making out in public with the cheerleader, something he never did before with her. Her parents seem disconnected from each other and her father seems to stay out late coming home early in the morning "working late". School isn't worth it anymore and her best friend doesn't seem to understand anything she is going through. So Olive goes to this group in hopes of seeking out others who can help her redefine her life and figure things out, but instead she meets someone and her life takes another turn.

Nick, from England and the States, is hiding something, the reason why he attends the group. He is so carefree and exciting, but he tends to go away from her at odd times. His eyes get dark and he withdraws from her. Other times it's as if he hasn't a care in the world and life is wonderful. Olive feels a charge between the two of them. He makes her feel again, he gives her hope that there is more out there, more to life, but what she is unsure of yet. She wants to be with him, close to him, but he always seems to pull away. The two start meeting regularly and going to different places around the LA area. Learning from each other and experiencing life in a whole new way. She wants to learn more about him from him, but he is unwilling to go there. Though she is scared to tell the real story about her accident and what brought her to the group that first night in the first place. She is scared to tell the truth to someone, especially herself because them she would have to admit what really happened that night, the night that she is trying to forget.

Still Olive wants to get back with Derek, or at least she thinks that she does, she wants to start all over with him, to go back to the way things used to be before that night. She wants her perfect family life to comes back, she wants her best friend back and the relationship they used to have, but... Olive needs to come clean with herself about the night of the accident and what really happened, why she took Derek's car and got into the car crash, what made her take off that night. She needs to find out what is really happening between her parents and what her dad is keeping from her and the family each night as well as what happened before her parents got married. She needs to talk to Annie to get out who she really is and to confront Annie about her relationship with Jessica a friend from Annie's past. She needs to tell Nick the truth about her accident and Derek. She needs to take her new life and embrace it, but is she really ready to do so? Can she accept this new her that is emerging?

Such a touching story. You really feel for Olive and what she is going through. You want her to find herself and you want her to be with Nick as Nick makes her feel alive and gives her what she really needs unlike Derek who just wants her to be his cheerleader and shadow. Nick wants Olive to be free and to be herself. To embrace who she now is. This is a lovely love story about how two people who should be together sometimes get lost in reality and have to find their ways back to each other. Love is hard, sometimes harder then it should be especially when truths are involved, but the truth always comes out and realization of that truth will set them free.

I laughed and I cried through this book. This book felt so real, I never wanted it to end. Very well written and easy to read and understand the intent of the author.

I would like to thank the author Jordanna Frailberg, NetGalley.com and Penguin Teen for the advanced e-book copy of this book.

[malayna · Rating 2 out of 5]

MY OPINION: **

Wow. I really thought that this book was going to go far on my summer reading list.

This is one of my first 2 star books. No, this is a 2.5 star book. It's a pity because I had such high expectations for this.

I disliked the book. I disliked the characters and the plot was nothing like I thought it was going to be.

To be fair, I enjoyed reading the ending and how everything came together, and Nick's story, as evil as I sound, was the best part of the book by far.

But I didn't like the book. However, I finished it just for the sake of finishing... my motto is: I don't abandon books.

And I try not to. But this one was hard.

This book is about a girl named Olive who died and came back. Her heart stopped and everything but she was given another chance at life. Everyone thinks she is suicidal or something, but she isn't. She is finally forced to go to some sort of support group and she chooses one called the "Near-Death Society" that really is more geared for OLDER people instead of teens like Olive.

However, at the meeting, she meets this guy named Nick. And he's everything she never knew she wanted or something like that. He's different, he's smart, and let's face it: he's hot. Dreamy. Mysterious. Of course, Olive is swept away by him.

She thought she had a perfect boyfriend. But Derek is a jerk and it turns out he's dating someone else now that they're "over" after Olive's accident. Olive is sad, angry, confused, and the only person who really gets that is Nick.

They embark on tons of romantic adventures but one thing I didn't like is that they weren't really that romantic. Sure, it seems romantic and the atmosphere and places were all lovey-dovey, but all they ever did there was talk about... nothing. It seemed like useless talk. And still throughout the book, Olive hears this "song" that didn't really mean much to me. Even through the end, I still do not understand the significance of that song.

Anyways, Olive finds through Nick someone she never knew she was. And she starts to learn about that night of her accident and it's all big and crazy.

And then Nick shares his story. I really wish I could say this straight-out but it's a spoiler so...

Nick was just trying to impress his brother by taking him on a plane ride. Nick didn't have a license and the day was foggy and not a good day for flying. He still was too proud to turn back so he ends up killing his brother.

The story and that scene was definitely my favorite part in the book for me by far. It was so beautiful and different from what I expected.

AND THE ENDING.

Derek was already cheating on Olive before? And she still wanted to get back together with him? WHAT? He was basically the cause of her whole accident and she still liked him enough to want to go to prom with him? To me, that guy was sick and he just wanted Olive to be his little personal cheerleader for him only and to... use her as a toy.

In my head, I was imagining Derek as the guy who plays Rosalie Hale's boyfriend before she was turned into a vampire in the MOVIES. Am I weird?

Anyways. Olive gets her happily ever after.

But it was all just meh. It didn't make my heart beat faster as I read and it didn't make my stomach twirl. It wasn't that romance story that I enjoy.

So overall, I didn't enjoy this book. I'm not saying it was bad. The writing was actually really pretty. But I didn't think it was the book for me. Me + This book = Don't go together.

However, I'm still going to recommend this book. To mature readers. And adventure lovers.

It's so sad because I had such high expectations for this book and it fell so far from them.

Main Character: Olive
Sidekick(s): Nick, Annie, etc
Villain(s): Derek, Betsy, etc
Contemporary Elements: This was all a contemporary novel with real-to-life events.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely perfect! Just brilliant... Just the most elegant and heart-felt romance I've read!

Loved it! Full Review to come!

***

This for me was the perfect contemporary romance of 2013. It was just beautiful and if anyone knows me, any mention of Photography within a book is my Achilles heel. Photography is a way to capture the impossible moment with the combination of the heart-felt romance was just magical. Am I babbling, terribly sorry I just get caught in the moment...

In Olive Bell's world, she has transcended into another person after a near-death experience in a car crash. She was a miracle, and now she feels she doesn't fit in. Her family is the too-perfect reputation of Vista Valley but they have no idea what is happening to their daughter. Her (so called) boyfriend, Derek made her d things that she didn't want to do, but she continues to be inspired by repartee and reputation of being a 'Golden Boy'. By she is left destroyed by his ignorance and gullible nature and left with this unfinished and mysterious surrounding her life and future. Its time for her to find her new path within this 'second-chance' of life.

Olive is an emotionally compromised character for a positive reason, her story is ruled by her heart never her head. Her best-friend Annie, clearly knows this but she does sees the person in front of her, not what lies underneath. Now this chance, shows a new aspect that was mesmerizing as an reader/reviewer. Her character grew constantly throughout the book. Her natural ability at capturing a moment that meant the climax of the novel as well as showing her true nature along with her subject. This song was her journey but it also held a partner to save each other from their despair. Basically, I admired Olive in so many ways that I just want to live the second chance that she has been given. Jordanna really connected me on a creative ans sensitive level of Olive's character.

As part of pleasing her parents and share experience she goes to a support group 'NDS' (The Near-Death Society) but she didn't know she was going to find a mysterious guy named Nick, with a tortured past and non-existent present. Nick is your quintessential cliche of a dark, mysterious and handsome guy in a contemporary read. However, his story is much more complicated and heart-felt. One minute he can be your fun, loving and peaceful guy, but that is only a mask for really lies beneath, death, tragedy, guilt and loneliness. His suffering is tormenting him with every breath he takes until Olive came along that had some resemblance of what he could be going through. Its been a while since I don't know what is in the male characters head through the use of perspectives, but this sudden change in structure I can still figure out who Nick really is and what he can become.

Secondary characters, like Annie and Derek really had an impact and influence over these main protagonists of the novel. Annie is Olive's best friend and she saw Olive's relationship in a different and more realistic way rather than Olive's clouded judgement over her so called love of Derek. Now Derek, I could have just strangled throughout the entire book he was mentioned. His political and hard-working attitude was just a front for the conniving and deceitful boy that he is at the age of 18. He needed to grow UP!

Overall, Jordanna created a very compelling, heat-felt and magical novel based on real-life and life-altering situations. Her characters, Olive and Nick fitted like to two peas in a pod making me love them even more. Like I said this the for me the Contemporary Romance of 2013 so far.

[Lena ♫ ♪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

OUR SONG offers readers everything the title suggests: A memory lost, love undiscovered, and a song that desperately needs to be heard. Of all these things, what I wasn't expecting to experience was this girl's beautiful journey from who she use to be and who she's suppose to be. From innocence to outsider to redemption, Olive Bell has quite the story to tell.

I must admit, what originally drew me to this novel was the title and the cover. Who doesn't love a fabulous love story? Let's face it, that's exactly what the cover suggests. The only thing is, OUR SONG is so much more than that. Does it have romance? Sure, but it's minimal compared to the overall story. The novel begins with Olive returning home from the hospital. While people have their own assumptions as to what really happened the night of the accident, the only person who truly knows is Olive. Though Derek may know bits and pieces, he's not telling a soul.

The only thing Olive wants to do is get her life back in order like it was before. She wants to go back to being Derek's girlfriend, back to being the perfect daughter, back to being her. Alas, wanting and reality are two separate things and upon returning to school, Olive soon experiences a rude awakening. Lucky for her, she has Annie. Out of all the characters in this book, Annie was by far my favorite. She is Olive's best friend aka the sister from another mister every girl needs in their life. She's neither popular nor unknown. She's the ultimate individual who doesn't care what people think, and there's something to be respected in that. I love how she isn't afraid to tell Olive what she thinks or how she feels. Sometimes a girl needs that because let's be honest, boys can often blind us from what's genuinely going on. Though this was Olive's story, I think Annie undoubtedly shined in it.

One of the things I loved about this book was how much Olive's character grew throughout the novel. She started off as this weak person who I didn't really care for. As the story progressed, she finally cultivated into her own person, and I loved that about her. You also start learning bits and pieces as to what happened the night of the accident. Once that unfolded, I began to realize why Olive felt and acted the way she did. For where she came from and how she flourished, I tip my hat to you.

Boy chat? Okay. From the get go, I immediately hated (yes hated) Derek. I didn't understand what Olive saw in him and constantly wished she'd open up her eyes. It wasn't until Nick made an appearance that I finally started to swoon. Oh Nick, with his English accent and adventurous ways. "'Olive Bell. It has a nice ring to it, pun intended.'" So cute. I loved how he challenged Olive and basically saved her from herself. Between Nick and Annie, Olive really is a lucky girl. Sadly, sometimes good things come with a price. Nick has secrets of his own and eventually, the lies will start to be too much to handle. After all, what's a good love story without a bit of tension and drama?

Overall, I really enjoyed OUR SONG. At times, the pacing was a bit slow for my taste but right when I contemplated putting it down, it picked right back up. This book definitely satisfied my contemporary fix, and I recommend to it all fans of Elizabeth Scott and Susane Colasanti.

[Farrah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.5

A very sweet book about coming of age, defying expectations, looking past surfaces, and finding new love. Our Song was a wonderful read, one that will have you smiling.

This book was a very summer reading type of book, but a little more serious. It focused more on the character's and their growth than anything else. Character driven more than plot driven.

Olive was a likable heroine. I found her easy to relate to with how she reacted to her new life and her conflicted desires to fit in with her old crowd and to become her own person. She was very stalwart in dealing with the changes in her life. She might have been knocked over a few times, but she won't let anything keep her down. She grows up a lot throughout the course of the book.She went from following everyone's expectation for how her life would plan out to making her own decisions. My one issue with her was that she experience a huge moment of weakness near the end of the book and nearly ruined all of her progress. It made me want to shake her because she almost messed up everything that she had accomplished. It kind of made me want to throw the book across the room. But, she came to her senses and became a person that I could respect. By the end of the book, I really liked her character.

Nick was a mystery. We don't get to find out much about him until later in the book when he finally opens up to Olive. Before that, we see that he is a sweet guy who is unafraid to take risks and likes to live life to the fullest. And we see that something is haunting him that keeps him from doing just that. I got a little annoyed with his reticence but, when I found out the truth, it was entirely understandable why he didn't want to talk about it. I thought he was a wonderful character and an adorable love interest. With a very wonderful English accent. And who can say no to an accent?

The romance was very light. It was less of a main focus and more part of Olive's, and Nick's to an extent, growth. It allowed Olive to move past her old life and embrace her new life. And it allowed Nick to accept his past and be able to embrace life again. I thought it was very well done and very sweet.

The plot was steadily paced. I was kept interested the entire way through and especially hooked on the mystery of the song (BTW, I thought that meaning of the song, when it was revealed, was very cute) and the mystery of what truly happened the night of the accident (definitely a shocker). And the ending was wonderful. It tied up the story while leaving the future of the characters open to possibility.

Our Song was a lovely YA romance. Sweet, light, and guaranteed to make you both smile and tear up. If you're looking for a great read for the summer, this is your book.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to say thank you for putting a cover on this book with Nick in it so now I can know what he looks like for when I dream about him. This book was just wonderful. Olive gets into a car accident where she dies for a few minutes then she comes back. Everyone thinks she did it on purpose to kill herself since earlier that night her douche bag, horn dog boyfriend left her. She gets pushed into joining some kind of therapy group so she chooses one for people who have died and come back. There she meets Nick. The sweet, English, stud who can drive me in his green car any day. They start off slow and they both sort of go through their healing together. That's why I loved this. It was slow. It was deep and meaningful like a journey should be. There were some moments that were kinda out there and a bit...over done but really this was wonderful. It wasn't a 5 chapter, all over each other, "I LOVE YOU" romance. You could feel it building with each word and every moment they spent together. I didn't have much hope for Olive in the start. I thought she would always be the push over "woah is me" girl but! Slowly yet surely she made it. Near the end you can see her changing and growing as a person. When she finally remembers that night, it's not a huge shock that I thought it would be. It's simple but believable. The same with Nicks secret. When I finished this book, when I read those last few lines I fell apart. Just..my heart can't take it.I need me some romance with a cute Brit. :P

[Mel Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the flow of the story. The characters were easy to follow and see why they chose to do the things they did. I'd happily read other books by this author.

However there is a part near the end than angered me because it was not necessary for how descriptive it was. I felt as though it could have been veiled and not as obvious. It didn't seem as though it fit the rest of the book. In fact after I finished the book I thought about it for a while and couldn't decide why it was written the way it was.

[LuvLaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all about life after you exprience death.

Olive she is pretty but frustrated as everyone in her life is trying to be coy in front of her.

Nick is a guy from tormented past

olive meets nick in supprt group

The only problem with this book is that... the chracters need to develop more with eachother.

Now the song... the mystery is only revealed towards the end.

No sizzling scene ladies :)

Only a kiss towards the end.

This book is good and awesome but i read it for NICK!!! Hez cute!!!

[Lauren Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a sweet, yet mature high school romance that will make you think about life and death and identity, look no further than OUR SONG! Olive is refreshingly different from most teen girl protagonists I've read recently, and her relationship with Nick feels so real. And the ending is so satisfying. I read an advance copy, but the book is the perfect summer beach read - and it comes out just in time.

[mauvemagnolia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun teenage romance with added elements of self discovery and coming of age.

Recommended for:

*Fans of Susane Colasanti, Sarah Dessen and Ann Brashares
*People looking for a quick fluffy summer read
*Fans of dark and mysterious love interests

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Click here to read my review on my blog.

4.5 stars.

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Song, by Jordanna Fraiberg, was a beautiful story full of substance. It touched on many themes such as death, rebirth, life lessons, transformation, love, learning from mistakes, and evolving. Our Song, is told from the main character, 18 year old, Olive's, perspective. She dies from a car accident, and is brought back to life by the paramedics. While she's in the hospital, her boyfriend of two years, Derek, doesn't visit or contact her. In fact, the only person from school that visits, is her best friend Annie. Nobody really knows what lead up to the car accident. Derek told the police that he and Olive got in an argument, and that she sped off like a crazy person. Olive doesn't remember, but tells her parents, and the police that she was rushing to the library. Nobody believes her, and her parents and the police are convinced that her story is false, and she was attempting suicide, based on how fast she was going, and the fact that she didn't step on the brakes. After the accident, Olive keeps hearing bits and pieces of a song, in her head, that she has never heard before. When Olive returns to school two weeks later, people are staring at her, and whispering that she's crazy, and tried to kill herself. Olive goes out of her way to try to find Derek, because she is convinced that whatever they argued about the night of her crash, can be resolved. However, it appears that Derek is going out of his way to avoid Olive. Then, at lunch time, Olive goes into the cafeteria for lunch, (where Derek sits with his friends,) and sees him sitting next to a popular cheerleader named Betsy, in Olive's usual spot. They appear to be together, but Olive decides not to jump to conclusions. Then, later in the day, Olive spots Derek making out with Betsy, groping her, for everyone to see. This is when she realizes that Derek has moved on. Olive would do anything to get Derek back. She is still in love with him, and is completely heartbroken.


Olive begins to fall into a deeper depression, her grades begin slipping, she can't sleep at night, and everyone is concerned for her well-being. The school counselor, and her mother, tell her she needs counseling or to attend a support group. Olive's best friend, Annie, tries to help her through her heart break. She is an excellent best friend who listens, gives very wise advice, stands by her side, and stands up for her. To get everyone off her back, Olive tells them she is attending a support group. Instead, she locates a group that speaks about near-death experiences that she found on Google. Annie offers to take Olive to her meetings, and at the first group meeting she meets an interesting, and good-looking guy her age with an English accent. She recognizes him as a guy that she was intrigued by when she saw him before, but he didn't see her. Pretty soon, Olive is going to L.A., where the meetings are held (but not attending,) and taking off having good times, and adventures with Nick. Every time she is with him, she hears parts of the song, and the more time she spends with him, the more she hears of the lyrics. Olive experiences a sense of freedom, lightness, and happiness that she hasn't experienced in a very long time. However, Nick has a lot of secrets that he's hiding, and even though Nick can be carefree, there are times when he dazes off, and Olive can see that he is dealing with a lot too. Nick is good for Olive. When she is with him she feels pretty, starts gaining more confidence in her self, he opens her eyes to the world, and makes her more observant of everything around her. He makes her evaluate her life, question the world around her, and decide what she wants out of her life. However, the more she changes, Derek realizes that he wants her back, and Derek is what Olive has always thought she wanted. The question becomes, Does Olive want Derek back, and the life that she had before the accident, or does she want her new life with Nick?


When I saw the cover to Our Song, I thought that it was really pretty, and was drawn to the story. The summary of the story caught my attention. As I began reading, I became more and more intrigued by the story. I wanted to find out what led up to Olive's accident, and how the song that Olive heard tied in. I'm happy to say that the story answered all of my questions. There wasn't a cliffhanger ending. I would say that, Our Song, was a medium paced story. The beginning, and the ending were fast paced, but the middle was a lot slower. This story was a little long for YA, but I enjoyed that because I felt like the author really developed the characters, the plot, and didn't rush the ending. I love seeing character growth in a story, and Olive made a huge amount of growth. At the beginning of the story she started out being shy, insecure, trying to blend in, make everyone happy, (especially her family, and Derek, and lost herself.) She defined herself as being Derek's girlfriend, and bent over backwards to make him happy, while he treated her like she was beneath him. I loved watching the transformation, as Olive turned in to an independent, confident, self-aware, and mature individual. She also learned that everything wasn't always as it appears. Her mother acted like a stepford wife, but Olive realized that her mother had feelings to, her own troubles, and just dealt with them in a different way.


Our Song was a great YA Contemporary. It was a story with many messages, that readers will be able to connect with, relate to, and care about. It is a story that deals with tough subjects, such as death, suicide, and heart break. I look forward to reading more stories written by Jordanna Fraiberg. Through Our Song, she has proven that she has a lot to say, and one thing is certain, Our Song will touch your heart, and stand out among its peers.


I give Our Song 4 Beautiful, Melodic, Life-Changing, Transformative, and Transcendent Stars! It is a story with substance, and deep symbolism that will have you contemplating taking charge of your own life, and truly living, by freeing yourself from the expectations of society, your family, and even yourself. You will take a journey, as you see life through Olive's eyes, and will want to spread your wings and take an adventure of your own choosing. Our Song makes you contemplate life's endless possibilities, and realize that sometimes the prison we live in, is one that we've constructed, in our mind.


My Favorite Quotes:

"As the screen flickered to life, I went straight to Google and typed the lyrics into the search field. There was something about the way they danced in my head that made the melody not only bearable, but uplifting. It was like this mysterious voice, sweet as honey, was an organizing principle, turning the random chaos into something intelligible, something seductive. (ARC, pg. 58)

~Olive


"If you think your life is over, then do something about it. She went to put her boots back on and gather her bags. Maybe you were given a second chance for a reason. Maybe this is your opportunity to start over. Did you ever consider that?" (ARC, pg. 101)

~Annie


"From that vantage point , all this effort to get good grades just to go to college and do the same thing there all over again seemed pointless, like a way to avoid really living. I was starting to realize that I had spent my life trying to make other people happy-Derek, my parents, my teachers. (ARC, pg. 166)

~Olive


"It was right then that I knew there was no returning to my old life, a life spent accepting the status quo, a life trapped within the invisible boundaries of this antiseptic bubble. Not just because it was impossible. But that it wasn't what I wanted anymore. Not only was I not the same girl in the bottom drawer photo anymore. I couldn't be. (ARC, pg. 197)

~Olive


"It reinforced the fact that it didn't matter where we had been. What mattered was how it had changed us, how it had brought us together, and what happened next." (ARC, pg. 204)


To Read More Book Reviews Visit A Bookish Escape At: Http://www.abookishescape.com

[Karielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olive's carefully constructed life comes crashing down in the wake of an accident that should have, and almost, left her dead. For the first time she is forced—against her Martha Stewart-mother's will—to face imperfection, to face flaws, and it is only when she finally admits to them, she begins to see clearly who the ones that love her are, and just how special a place they hold.

Olive doesn't want to satisfy the expectations of her mother—the mother who prunes her social circle as she prunes her petunias—and realizes she needs to escape the suffocating grasp of Vista Valley, where she hasn't ventured more than a hundred miles past since she was born, all the more. Enter: Nick, a brooding, devastating British bad boy with a penchant for spontaneity and a wicked, wicked smile. And suddenly, Olive is free. Olive is happy. And if she allows herself to, Olive just might find what she's looking for...

Simply put, Our Song is a sweet, coming-of-age YA romance—nothing riveting, but accurately tender in some parts and emotive of teenage angst, insecurity, and heartache in others. There are so many different issues raised in this teen novel, including friendship, rebellion, sexuality, dating danger(ously handsome boys...), the aftermath of a near-death, and of course, Olive's haunting song. They're all great topics, but I was disappointed by how none of them are fully explored, just sort of dabbled in, and then neglected. They do have proper ties at the end of the book, but it's like the author introduced these great plot points, ignored them, and then brought them back up in the closing chapters just to form a clean conclusion.

I had a bit of an issue with Olive. It's not that she's difficult to sympathize with—in fact, I'd say her frustrations and hard-headed determination are easy to relate to—but she just isn't portrayed in a very likable light; through the story's progression, she grows and realizes her mistakes and, as with most young adult novels, she learns from them, but her general attitude towards her friends and naïve ignorance of her surroundings makes her a hard character to grow on. This was mainly a problem for me since she narrates the story first-person; whenever I got annoyed with her, I was still stuck with her because we only ever get to see through her (narrow) perspective.

Nick, on the other hand... I could use a guy like him in my life! He's wonderfully portrayed (let's not kid anyone here, I had a big-time swoon-fest while reading about him), but poorly developed. As a person he seems wonderful and charming and BRITISH♥ but as a book character, he's too quick in his affections for Olive—making him rather unrealistic—and two-dimensional. I thought his troubling past would really add depth to him, but there's really no suspense nor a huge bang leading up to his "dark" secret... it's just suddenly revealed, which was not only anticlimactic, but also further weakened his character.

Fraiberg is a storyteller at heart and really knows how to integrate the protagonist's point of view into the novel. Stylistically, Our Song is straightforward and contemporary in tone; this could be your own diary.

Pros
Great voice // Fraiberg captures teen spirit perfectly // Authentic depiction of high school horrors // I want Annie as my best friend! // Story moves quickly and smoothly; constantly left me wanting more // Evocative of Los Angeles and surrounding areas // Clean, chaste romance

Cons
Olive is rather bratty // As much as I loved Nick, he isn't anything special... mostly because he's underdeveloped as a character and because his big dark "secret" is too hurried at the end // Olive's romance with Nick, mysterious song, emotional healing, and coming-to-terms with self are all a bit disjointed

Love

There was just a thin piece of cotton separating us, and I could practically feel his warm skin through my sleeve. It was like the charged cackle of static electricity. We weren't touching, but almost. Maybe it was better this way, standing on the edge, suspended in between, where you can't get your hopes up too high or your heart broken.

Verdict
Jordanna Fraiberg's newest novel is a fast-moving account of Olive's post-tragedy struggles that touches upon the pain of heartbreak, the true meaning of love and companionship, and the importance of accepting second chances. As heavy as the topics of this book are, the story itself doesn't go too deeply into them, so for the most part, this was a light, undemanding read—although it does have its share of bleak, depressing notes. I was disappointed by the lack of complexity and weightier content, but still enjoyed Our Song regardless. This is a fun, believable, and ultimately touching book, and simultaneously a fantastic addition to the YA and middle-grade genres.

Rating: 7 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): Not perfect, but overall enjoyable.

Source
Complimentary ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review for the Itching for Books virtual book tour (thank you!).

[Booknut 101 · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Their red beaks let out what sounded like a distress call, a discordant, screaming cacophony, as if they were at war with the swaggering hunk of brass. But as they dispersed into the open sky, their squawks became less urgent, blending into a harmonious song they belted out in unison. With their bright green wings, they glided through the clouds as one, singing at a pitch I'd never heard before.

(...) "You know what that is," Nick said, looking up at the sky. "That's the sound of freedom."'

They say near-death experiences change you. But no one ever said 'for the better'.

Olive Bell had a near-fatal car accident. Yet there was nothing near about her experience. Olive died. Her heart stopped beating for almost three full minutes.

But paramedics brought her back to life - forcing her to face a world she's no longer sure she belongs in.

'It felt like I was looking at a tableau frozen in time before the accident. As if a thin layer of gauze had fallen over the entire neighbourhood, enshrouding it from the rest of the world like a cocoon. This must be what a parallel universe is like, I thought. Everything looked the same, but I suddenly felt like it wasn't. Like everything had been taken apart, brick by brick, flower bed by flower bed, and put back together in the wrong order. Like me.'

How can you move on when you're stuck living in yesterday?

Our Song is a story about adapting to change. About second chances. And about realising who you are and accepting what you find.

Olive's world turned upside down after the accident. And the situation only becomes worse as she continues to live in 'Olive World' - the world of yesterday, where she's the perfect daughter, gets good grades, and has an amazing boyfriend who she adores. She doesn't realise that everything has changed.

That she has changed.

Sometimes we as human beings need to take a step back from our lives and gain a different perspective. To re-assess where we stand, who we are, and what we're doing. People tended to suffocate Olive, pressuring her to be the Olive they all knew. The whole Olive. The happy Olive. The Olive who had never experienced true loss or true pain.

Sometimes we need someone to guide us...to show us the way through the darkness and into the light.

Nick is that 'someone' for Olive. He has no expectations of her - he sees the new Olive, and likes her for who she is. Nick gives Olive the chance to view the world as never before - showing her the little things like hidden places, different facets of society, the thrill of adventure, the beauty in the world around us and the magic in the simple moments.

And Olive in turn begins to see that perhaps the accident wasn't the end for her. That maybe she was given a second chance at life for a reason.

"It's just that, do you ever wonder what if things happened differently? Like, what if we actually died and there was nothing near about it? What if we weren't supposed to come back?" I'd avoided thinking of my accident and the events leading up to it for so long that I'd barely thought about what would have happened if it had all really ended that night.

He was quiet for a second. "All the time."
"Then sometimes I think we must have survived for a reason. But what are we supposed to do with that?"
"Nothing."

Music is a healing force - soothing both mind and heart.

The story also has snippets of a gorgeous song, whose melody I would simply love to hear one day. The lyrics are interwoven through the storyline, bringing our two characters, Nick and Olive, closer together.

'I see your face all over the place
Like a haunting from above
The only way for this to pass
Is to let go of your love.

Your voice is like an angel
I can hear without sound.
My leaden heart starts floating
Whenever you're around.

When I wake I see your face
Even through the fog that leaves no trace
I will hear you long after you're gone
Mingled with the earth your heart beats on.

On the infinite horizon
Where you and I belong
As the silver moon is rising
That's when they'll play our song.

Read more about Olive's journey and pick up a copy of Our Song today!

(Booknut's Song Pick: White Lines & Red Light by Between the Trees)

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Blog Post @Book-Marks the Spot

What really happened the night Olive crashed? That’s what everyone wants to know and Olive wants everyone to forget. Now that she is out of the hospital she hopes things will go back to normal. They don’t and Olive goes to a dark place until she meets Nick.

Olive meets Nick in a support group for people that have died. She feels a real connection to him, someone that she can relate to. But Nick has secret of his own and he is not willing to tell, but all secrets come out eventually and Nick's is shocking.

Will Olive be able to handle Nick's secret or will she spiral out of control?

This is a very heart warming and inspirational book, that deals with some deep topics. Everyone is convinced that Olive tried to kill herself even though she tells them it was an accident. We watch Olive a once bright and vibrant person turn into a depressed and social outcast. She changes herself, some things for the better and then she meets Nick. Nick makes her feel beautiful for once in her life and she loves it. Has all these amazing experiences with him, but he is holding back. There is a part of him that she doesn’t know and there is a part of her that he doesn’t know. It was sad, but also happy to watch, sad that they are not opening up and happy that they found each other. Also the song plays a huge part in the book(Obviously). I kept waiting for it to be complete. This book was slow at times, but made up for it with the content. It was really emotional and I found myself crying in most parts. I love reading books like this because they teach you that you can’t be what everyone wants you to be. You just need to be yourself because there is NO ONE out there quite like you. And that sometimes things don’t make sense until you look at it with a different perspective.

What would you do if you had a second chance?

Ok so I got a little deep there, but let’s get to a light topic…the cover of course. I adore this cover. It is just so sweet to look at. And major *SWOON* LOL Oh and the name. I know a lot of people said that it reminded them of Taylor Swift’s song, but I didn’t even think of that until I read their reviews. I just knew that is was going to be more than a love song. :D

Overall: A deep and emotional book that will touch a lot of people’s hearts. :D I highly enjoyed this book and I recommend that you read it.

Olive: She is not a very confident person. She is constantly putting herself down. Like she is too big or that wouldn’t look good on her. I just wanted to shake her and be like who cares what they think of you, you are beautiful. She is only really herself with Nick. He makes her feel safe and…..beautiful. YAY I love it. She also can be a little harsh at times, especially with her friend, but it's a defense mechanism. She doesn't want to let anyone else in just to be hurt again.

Nick: He is dark and mysterious. No one knows his story and that’s how he likes it. And for him to be so gloomy at time he is very thoughtful. He really cares about Olive, and is strong yet gentle. He was hot and cold throughout the whole book. You never knew when Olive might say the wrong thing and he would shut down. With all that hurt locked inside, it was had to watch/read.

Annie: What a great friend. She only wants the best for Olive. She is blunt at times, but Olive needed to hear it. She gets Olive to step out of her comfort zone. She got her to realize things that Olive thought she was bad at, she was actually great at. Annie was the BEST!!

4.5 STARS

Quotes:

“This song was a part of me now, like a heartbeat, as fragmented and incomplete as I was.”

“It reminded me of the lone orchid that thrived in the dead maze at Nick’s, reminded me that life went on even when you thought it couldn't.”

“I think everyone gets to the edge sometimes,” he said, taking a step closer. “Maybe you went a little further than you intended, but you came back. You didn't stay there. One single action can’t define who you are forever. You’re the one who taught me that.”

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am I a great lover of YA romance? No. Did I absolutely adore Our Song? YES. For the first few chapters, I didn't completely warm to Olive - there was something quite detached and boring about her. But after a while she started to come out of her shell, and now that I've finished it, I think Our Song is set to be one of the best romances of the year.

At the beginning of the novel, Olive has just come home after her two-week stay at the hospital. Why? A car accident, something that many are calling a suicide attempt. Isolated as she is shunned by the rest of her school, Olive begins to attend a support group for people who have had near-death experiences, which is where she meets Nick. Despite all the people around her, Olive feels like Nick is the only one who can truly see her; who can understand what she's going through. But Nick is hiding something from her, and as Olive starts to uncover the truth behind his façade, she realises that maybe there is something she's hiding from herself, too.

As I said, Olive wasn't that easy to relate to to begin with. She came across like a spoilt brat, and I guess that essentially she was - living in Vista Valley, she'd never seen the cruel side to life until the car accident. However, once she began to open up and show a different side to her, she instantly became a favourable character. I thought Fraiberg characterised her brilliantly, as even without their own near-death experiences, teenage girls can relate to her and her coming-of-age story. A big amount of teens know what it's like to have rumours spread behind their backs and people suddenly turn against them, and I thought she captured that perfectly.

The secondary characters were also pretty great. Nick - oh my gosh, Nick, I was swooning all over the place! He was a bit temperamental, and did have really sudden mood-swings that could rival some other, er, dramatic characters (Christian Grey, I'm looking at you!), but overall he was a pretty awesome love interest. My favourite character had to be Annie, though - she wasn't in it as much as I would have liked, but I thought she was a nice balance for Olive. Through Annie, you got an idea of what Olive had been like before the accident in a comparison to now. I also hated Derek - jeez, he was just the typical, slimy ex that gave me shudders! Whenever he was around, I was screaming at Olive to run in the other direction because ugh. Not. Nice. He was well-characterised though, especially since he was able to provoke a physical reaction out of me.

The pace was a bit slow for my liking, as it was a tedious journey to get Olive or Nick to give the reader any information. I also think that Olive's priorities were a bit mixed up - she's supposed to be recovering from dying, yet she is obsessed with Derek! And it took her a good long while to realise the fact that he didn't care about her - as a self-respecting female, I just wanted to jump into the story and tell her that she didn't need that kind of guy in her life. I do have one question though - what was the point of the song? The title makes it seem like the book surrounds this mystery song, but it felt a bit forced into the story. However, despite these little things, the plot overall was pretty good, and I did enjoy it.

If you love romance reads along the lines of Pushing the Limits and If I Stay, then I highly recommend Our Song. The characters are beautifully characterised, the plot - although slow - is interesting, and the writing it brilliant. What more could you want in a summer read?

[Stephanie Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Our Song' is a young adult contemporary novel that follows Olive Bell as she returns home after a terrible accident two weeks earlier. Olive had been out of control - driving too fast during a hard rain - and she crashed her boyfriend Derek's car. She died during the crash but was revived by paramedics. After the crash, Olive feels like a completely different person. People start treating her differently - her parents, her neighbors, friends, and schoolmates - all begin to act like she wrecked the car on purpose that night; that she tried to kill herself. Olive can't think about the events of the night of the crash, but she knows that she isn't the same person as before. She's beginning to see behind the curtain of her so-called "perfect" life with her "perfect" family and her "perfect" town. The things Olive believed before the crash don't seem so important now and the only one who understands is Nick - the handsome and brooding guy Olive meets at a near-death experience support group. Olive must figure out what she wants for herself in life and what that might mean for her expectations for herself and what others expect from her as well.

This was a wonderfully written contemporary novel that deals with some major issues. Olive is a magnificent leading character. She's smart, loving, devoted to her friends and family - but after her crash, she begins questioning her choices in life and her future. Things don't feel the same and what once seemed so important barely registers for her. We see significant character growth and maturation with Olive's character throughout the novel as she begins making her own decisions concerning her life and her future. She also starts seeing the world in a different light - that things aren't always what they seem and life isn't a perfect fairy tale. The story line isn't a wholly original one, but the author writes with such clarity and emotion that I felt immediately drawn in. I could feel what Olive felt - all the good things along with the bad. She was very realistic and accessible to the reader, which makes the story all the more believable. There are deep topics discussed in the story - death, life, love, betrayal, finding yourself, grief, faith, and family - just to name a few. The book touches on topics that are intense but common to readers of all ages; everyone will be able to identify with the characters on at least one level. We all have experienced at least some of what Olive does in the book, which I find makes it all the more powerful for the reader. The writing was exceptional and shows the immense talent of the author. The book has a fast pace and I was eagerly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. I normally don't read contemporary YA fiction, but I'm incredibly glad I decided to give this one a shot. It far exceeded my expectations and is one of the best books I've read so far this year. Highly recommended for readers of all ages, especially those who like YA contemporary fiction.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay now. I really don't know how to start this review. Basically because my mind is really messed up. In a good way! It's hard to think of words to justify how much I love this novel. And how much I find awesomeness here.

What drew me to read this is the music and the near-death experience of Olive. Sure, there was music but not in the way I though it would be. The pull of music in here was much deeper. Its impact was much more emotional and spiritual. While the near-death experience was something that made Nick and Olive happen, like that near-death experience was really meant to happen for their paths to cross.

It's amazing how in the start, I like a character so much then in the end, I realize how a total asshole that character is. Derek's an example. The way Olive described their relationship before the accident, it felt too sincere. That's why I cannot actually blame Olive for being that naive that Derek would take her back even if he didn't visit her in the hospital! For two weeks. Then I learned what happened then yes, he's an asshole.

Obviously, Olive cannot really place what really happened that night. It was like her memory has been chopped off. But I think deep down, she knew what happened. She's not just that ready to remember it. Because honestly, that was heartbreaking.

Read the blurb up there? Oh God. I was so hell nervous what confession that was. It was heartbreaking because it just is. And I feel for Nick really. I cried, okay! It was one of those things you pray hard that wouldn't happen to you.

I just find it annoying at first that Olive kept on being that naive for Derek but then I guess that's just normal. And how she didn't even try to remember what happened! It's like she chose to move on because that night was really painful to even remember about.
Olive and Nick's chemistry is undeniably strong. I must say that I was so glad that accident happened even if a lot of bad things have to happened. It was totally worth it.

The song, the accident and Nick are connected altogether. Read now so you'll know how. Because in all seriousness, it was awesomesauce! I've encountered something sort like it before but still, it was great!

Even if some of the things here are cliches already, I didn't feel bored. Because let's be honest, there are a lot of commonalities in novels but how each author strives to write it is the edge of each novel. And I gotta say that Jordanna's words are hypnotizing.

Our Song is definitely a perfect YA contemporary romance read. Whatever the season is, you'll end up loving it. Hell, you'll fall in love with it.

Originally posted at The Bookish Confections

[Sara Mango · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHARACTERS:
Olive: 5
Annie:5
Nick:4
Derek:2
Jordanna Fraiberg did a thorough job at describing each character and how they were feeling. Olive is just a teenage girl going through an over the top crisis, and Fraiberg explains this to readers. "I pretended they were beaming down on some other town. On some other girl. Not me." (Fraiberg 29). This is a comment made by Olive in the beginning of the book, and it portrays her frustration and confusion with life. This is also the reason she is such a admirable character. Olive's story is very relatable, especially to teenage girls.
SETTING:
3
The setting does not really affect this book, which is why it is rated a 3 out of 5. However, the time period would completely change the plot if it was 1811 instead of 2011. The book takes off with Olive getting in a car accident. If this were in the past or future, it could've been a carriage accident or rocket accident instead.
PLOT:
5
This book truly portrays human vs. society. A simple teenage girl feels like the entire world is upon her shoulders, but she discovers that with the right support and mindset, anything can be overcome or accomplished. Olive's main bump in the road is her urge to be with the boy who she thinks is her soulmate. However, she finds out that maybe he isn't as perfect for her as she thought. After meeting a new guy who shows her she can feel alive and free once again, Olive learns the importance of love. It is sometimes harder than it should be- especially when heartbreaks are involved, but the truth always comes out and the realization is that everything happens for a reason. Olive's life was put at jeopardy, but in the end she found her soulmate.
THEMES:
5
This book touched on many themes such as death, rebirth, life lessons, transformation, love, learning from mistakes, and evolving. Olive is an 18 year old girl who gets in a heated argument with her boyfriend and after leaving his house, abruptly dies in a car accident and is brought back to life by paramedics. While in the hospital, only her good friend Annie visits her. She is shocked by this, expecting her boyfriend Derek to be right by her side. Throughout the book, Olive finds her true identity and realizes it isn't hidden within another silly boy. She meets Nick, a mysterious foreign exchange student who just so happens to have heart eyes for her. This book is so relatable because many teenagers go through depression and every single person has a point in there life where they feel everything is spinning out of control. Our Song is a story with many messages, that readers will be able to connect with, relate to, and care about. It deals with tough subjects, such as death, suicide, and heart break.

[Kazh · Rating 4 out of 5]

(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)

Our Song was a very nice surprise, what with three mysteries that kept me turning the pages. First, what really happened the night of Olive's accident—the night that she tried so hard to forget, I'm surprised she didn't end up having selective amnesia. Second, the song that kept playing in her head which came to her with complete lyrics and melody. And lastly, there was Nick himself—the British boy who shot golf balls from the roof of his car, holding the club like a baseball bat, and said things like 'We're defined by the risks that we take.'

Although I couldn't quite connect with her at first, I really cared about Olive and rooted for her. Her every up and down tugged on my heartstrings. Admittedly, I wanted to shake her until she realized that she should move on to better things, especially from her ex-boyfriend who was so obviously better off left in her past. But suddenly, with the cliche haircut ceremony, Olive changed into someone who dressed differently and walked like she could face anything. To some, she might come across as giving up and not giving a damn anymore, but I knew that she was just finally owning what she'd always had.

I liked how Olive was intrigued and, undoubtedly, attracted to Nick at first sight, but she refused to give much more meaning into it that early on, knowing just how naive that would be. Also, their slow-developing romance wasn't the swoon-y type, but something that inspired hope for both of them: two people who spent time with one another as they tried to escape their pasts that brought them to their life-changing encounters with death.

Before, I would have been embarrassed or felt like a fraud. But when I was with Nick, I felt like could be or do anything.

Lyrical and poignant, Our Song is the perfect read for a rainy day; there was something hopeful in Olive's voice that can reassure the reader that by the time the last page has been turned, he would find the sun to be peeking through the clouds, and if not, that life would still go on even with the rain.

MY FAVORITE PART was when Olive finally realized that she had to let go of the life that she'd been clinging to.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me start off by saying, I really like this cover. I find it very appealing. Definitely made me wonder what's the story between these two. I'm guilty for judging a book by it's cover so it definitely piqued my interest. This is definitely an interesting read. In this novel, you meet Olive, your main character. Olive was in a horrible accident that she actually died in. But lucky for her she was revived. And that's what the story is mostly about. How she tries to pick up the pieces after coming home from the hospital.

After Olive came home from the hospital, something wasn't adding up for me. (You'll find out later on in the book) Her boyfriend all of a sudden didn't want anything to do with her. He started dating another girl. And in my opinion, Olive became weak. She wanted him so much that her attitude really bothered me. She really let him get to her and bring her down. Stories like this usually infuriate me and I never finish reading the novel. However, there is a turn around.

Lucky for her, things changed after she met Nick at a support group. This is where the story redeemed itself. Nick was a free spirit and the character development between the two was great. I really enjoyed their page time together. They were both two lost souls who needed one another. Their story was really interesting and they really made the book even more worth reading. Sadly, Olive isn't my favorite character, Nick was. Nick was more interesting to me. He brought so much to the story. So if there's a sequel, I'll read it mostly because of Nick.

I really did enjoy Our Song. It was a quick, fast and easy read. This book is a little hard to rate, for me it's between 3.5 stars to 4 stars. But since this book grabbed me from the beginning I'll give it a 4stars!! This book is also part of our "Read To Give". So one lucky commenter will get a chance to win this book. Please leave your email address in your comment. And again this is US only, unless if you're international and willing to pay shipping.

[Jannat Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There’s one last thing you should know. When we were on the dock that day, right before I pulled you into the pond, you were right. I was going to say something. I was going to tell you how beautiful you are.”

I'll start by saying that I'm in love with the cover! Although I go by the policy of not judging a book by its cover, this one certainly drew me to it :D
About the story, it sure had me in an emotional wreck. I had like zero patience to know if our characters get a happy ending. Did they?? You'll have to read it to find out :P

Our Song is about Olive who has recently been in a car accident and has been feeling lost ever since. She wants her life to go back the way it was but as they say, "You don't always get what you want, you get what you need" right?
Enter Nick. Olive meets Nick at a support group. Both of them instantly click and start hanging out together. But than a shocking and heartbreaking confession by Nick leaves Olive at a loss with herself again but this time she doesn't give up.
I would have liked to know more about Nick throughout the story though rather than the latter half of the book. I couldn't help but be intrigued by Nick as I love the "Mysterious" types *grins*. The chemistry between the two of them was sweet. Sure would have liked a bit more romance between them. But I'd say the book is more focused on character development rather than the plot. I also loved Annie's character. She's a caring friend, funny, sassy when she needs to be, and know's what is right for Olive.
I really liked Our Song and was deciding how many stars to give between 3 & 4 but since the book hooked me from the first page itself and never left me bored I'll go with four stars. Our Song is a beautiful, touching, haunting novel that you won’t be able to put down. Jordanna Fraiberg is an extremely talented author. I'll be looking forward to her next book.

[Henrietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can the truth set you free?

Olive is slowly recovering from her near-fatal car accident. She feels heartbroken that her boyfriend, Derek, is ignoring her and when she sees him kissing a popular girl from school, she feels devastated. Not wanting to revisit the incident leading to her car accident, Olive refuses to go through any kind of professional therapy. Her parents and teachers are worried but they all know that nobody could help unless she decides she wants to be helped. Will Olive give herself a chance to fully recover?

I guess I could relate to Olive to a certain degree. She feels like no one truly understands her and she is tired of pleasing everyone who is close to her. It’s interesting to see how judgmental she can be and while I empathize her condition, I can also see why her flaws have weighted her down and made her feel unhappy and a little lost. Watching her learn to regain control of her own life is quite empowering and I’m glad that she discovers something beautiful about herself along the way.

Nick is mysterious. He is definitely not someone I’d dislike but I didn’t feel I understood him until I learned about the things that he was struggling with. His presence brings out something that has been buried deeply inside of Olive and I’m glad that they both contribute a big part in each other’s recovery.

Tender, elegant and unpretentious, Our Song delivers a coming-of-age story that is insightful, humbling and eloquent. You may click here to read an excerpt from the book.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fraiberg, Jordanna Our Song, 338 pgs. Penguin, 2013. $17.99 Content: Language: PG-13 (16 swears); Mature Content: R (sex scene); Violence: PG.

Olive Bell has spent the last two years in a relationship with Derek, but after two weeks in the hospital, recovering from a car accident in which she died and was revived, she doesn’t see life the same. Derek is no longer her boyfriend, her mother treats her with kid gloves and her dad mysteriously disappears at night until two in the morning. In an attempt to get the school counselor and her mother off of her back, Olive joins a Near-Death support group were she meets Nick. Nick also has secrets but when Olive is with him she realizes that he can show her the world in ways that she has never seen before. Nick helps Olive come to terms with who she was before the accident and who she wants to be after, but when Nick’s secrets come out Olive feels betrayed.

This is an interesting look at finding who we are after tragedy. It explores the themes of loss, friendship and family. I enjoyed the relationship between Nick and Olive, and it was rewarding to read about a character who could find who she was with the help of her supportive family as well. It was a quick read and enjoyable. The sex scene is on page, it's not sensual and doesn't describe body parts, but it says enough to know what's going on.

HS-ADVISABLE. Reviewer, C. Peterson.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. There were parts of this book that I loved and others not so much. I expected more of an ending, but this was a quick pretty good read. Summary: It's been 2 weeks since Olive had her accident. Everyone is concerned about her. Her boyfriend, Derek, hasn't contacted her. When she gets to school she sees him with another girl, and he ignores her. We learn throughout the book that he is a jerk. He only cares about himself and Annie was right about him. She didn't like him from the start. Olive is confused. Her best friend Annie acts normal. Olive has trouble sleeping one night so she goes out and sits and thinks outside. Her father comes home, then sits in the kitchen with a glass of scotch. One night he wakes up when she comes in and he says that he almost left everything behind. Olive realises later that his girlfriend, Olive's mom, was pregnant with her as that's why he stayed. Her school counselor is very worried about her, b/c many people think she tried to kill herself the night of the accident. She gets tons of pamphlets and is advised to go to some type of counseling. On Easter, Olive escapes and sees a guy hitting golf balls with the wrong end of the club. She watches him, and before going home, she keeps one of the balls that he hit. Olive doesn't want to go to any of the places her counsellor suggested, so she looks on google and finds a group who has had a near death experience that is 30 miles away. Now she won't see people she knows. She gets there and she's the youngest person by at least 20 years. Then a young man comes. It was the guy she saw hitting golf balls. His name is Nick and they sneak out of group. Olive gets to know Nick as they skip group, and she starts to see life in a different way. She bails on Annie a few times, not on purpose, and they have a fight. They have another one later on but in the end they make up! One night Derek comes over and explains that he is sorry for what happened. He loves her, and he didn't talk to her because he was embarrassed. Her mom comes in and says he can stay for dinner. He declines and Olive is furious. She yells at her mom on the greenhouse, and ruins some of her plants. She goes and sees Nick. She thinks that he has feelings for her. One night he takes her to a maze and in the mucky water he says he is sorry. They go to his house, which looks abandoned. It's weird. Olive meets his aunt and she sees an envelope with Sam written on it. The next morning Sam is downstairs and hugging Nick. Olive is devastated, and goes to the dark room in their school where Annie finishes her photos. Olive takes a camera from the room and one point and makes her own pictures. Annie analyses Nick's actions. He was angry after he saw her and he didn't hug her back so he can't have feelings for her. This makes Olive feel better. Olive can't concentrate on school because she's distracted by Nick. Olive gets called into the principal's office. She calls Nick afterward and she skips school. They go to his house. After detention she goes home and learns she was accepted into Georgetown if she passed her final semester. She's not sure if this is what she wants since she and Derek broke up. Later Olive takes Nick to the dark room and shows him her photos. Then he explains that he didn't have a near-death experience. They get an argument, and she leaves. Derek finds her in school and asks her to prom. Annie prevents Olive from ripping her pictures. They get in another fight. While getting ready with her mom for prom, Nick comes over sopping wet. They go up to her room, he apologises, and he explains her near-death situation. Here's what happened: he was getting his pilot's license but he didn't want to wait or think he had to have a piece of paper to drive his own plane so he took his older brother with him. He lost control and crashed. His brother died. His dad had a special connection with Nick's older brother. Nick was also devastated and couldn't function due to the loss of his brother, and that's why he went to the meetings. His parents left because they couldn't handle their son's loss. They went to England. His aunt was cleaning out some things and Sam was going to pick up some stuff. She was his brother's girlfriend he was going to propose soon after he died. Olive asks why he finally told her and he said it is more painful living without her, and he wanted to make things right. Derek comes, and as Nick leaves he says she's the most beautiful person he's ever met. Derek is jealous and is mad at Olive. They go to a party before prom, and while they are there Olive realises Derek's friends never cared about her and neither did he. She's about to leave when she explains to Derek everything he did wrong. He was a douche. She find Annie and Annie announces that she and the girl she was friends with who moved are officially together. Annie is proud of Olive for what she did. Then they switch dresses because Olive's is ruined and she goes to find Nick. When she gets to his house she wakes up his aunt, and she says he left for England a few hours ago. She writes him a letter, and she goes home. She talks with her dad and he says he got as far as Kansas and then came back. Once he found out his girlfriend was pregnant, he was scared but realised that he didn't want to miss this adventure. He and her mom were really scared the night Olive got in her accident. What happened that night was she was going to lose her virginity to Derek, but she was skeptical. He pressures her, but she sees a bra. While at the party before prom, she sees that bra on the girl he was dating right after Olive. He left her because he missed Olive. Doesn't work that way buddy. School lets out and she passed. She kept thinking about Nick, and she can answer the essay question for English. She apologises to her mom, and everything is good between them. She also explains that she doesn't want to go to Georgetown and her mother agrees. He dad will be fine with it too. She got a camera for a graduation present. For the summer Annie and Olive are interning at a photography place. While they are working Nick comes. Annie and Olive are happy to see him. Olive explains that she knows the night of the accident it wasn't an accident, and Nick doesn't thinks she's crazy because everyone gets on the edge sometimes. They saved each other.

[BookChic Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Fraiberg's debut In Your Room (it's seriously one of my favorite reads EVER) and have been eagerly anticipating a new novel from her since then (as well as badgering her with emails wondering when the next book would come!). This book's not as good as her debut, but it's still pretty darn good.

Now, it's not a page-turner of a book. There's quite a bit of introspection and it's really more character-driven than plot-driven. I liked Olive's voice and the introduction of Nick, and seeing that relationship develop really kept me reading. Nick was a very intriguing romantic interest and I loved reading scenes of the two of them together exploring Hollywood and other places.

Overall, it's a great summer beach read and I definitely recommend it (and get her debut too while you're at it).