Playlist for the Dead

by Michelle Falkoff

Here’s what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, Sam’s best friend, Hayden, was dead. All he left Sam was a playlist of songs—and a note, saying that he took his own life. But what Sam doesn’t know is: Why?

To figure out what happened, Sam has to rely on the playlist and his own memory. But the more he listens, the more he realizes that his memory isn’t as reliable as he thought. Especially when someone claiming to be Hayden starts sending him cryptic messages, and a series of violent attacks begins on the bullies who made Hayden’s life hell.

Sam knows he has to face up to what happened the night. But it’s only by taking out his earbuds and opening his eyes to the people around him—including an eccentric, unpredictable girl who’s got secrets, too—that Sam will finally be able to piece together his best friend’s story.

And maybe have a chance to change his own.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Mental Health, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 27, 2015

Reviews

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe that I paid ten dollars for this shit. This will be riddled with spoilers because I care nothing about it.

Reading the blurb after I've finished the book, I see the hidden meaning. SAM TAKES OUT HIS EARBUDS AND REALLY STARTS LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM WHO ARE SO SAD AND ALSO BLAME THEMSELVES FOR THE DEATH OF BELOVED HAYDEN WHO THOUGHT EVERYONE HATED HIM BUT SURPRISE HE WAS SO WRONG AND THAT PLAYLIST/SUICIDE NOTE WAS JUST A WAY TO PASS THE TIME PSYCH! There you go. That's your fucking story. I expected this big mystery, where each song meant opening up some new puzzle piece, and ultimately leading to the cause of Hayden's suicide. No. It was nothing that deep.

I need to make myself very clear: I am NOT belittling any type of suicide. The ending for their life is stolen from them. The feelings that they leave behind for the people that love them are terrible. I know how tragic this is. But I cannot get over the fact that this story didn't provide some in depth, horrible terrible no-good life that Hayden was living. It showed that he did not want to meet new people. It showed that he wanted to be a recluse. It showed that his brother bullied him and that his parents were douchebags. But in all of that he had a rad best friend. And his rad friend's mom loved him like he was part of the family. And his parents gave him money to spend on video games and comic books. And did I mention he didn't want to branch out and meet new people?? This wasn't a woe be me story. This was just a kid who felt like life wasn't everything he wanted RIGHT NOW.

I feel like I sound like a dick. Maybe I am. But this was supposed to be a story about a kid who lost his friend to suicide, and was supposed to figure out what his death meant. When did it turn into teen romance/drama hour? Astrid is a character that I never ever grew to like. "I know Hayden. I know his secret pains. I know all about him even though he never told you about me. NO I WON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING! Seriously Sam, I will not tell you anything. OH MY GOD DID WE JUST KISS?!? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW I AM AN OPEN BOOK!" What the fuck. She was this cryptic piece of shit teenage girl who just wanted a boy to drool over her. Her past means NOTHING to me. Sure, it's sad that her dad died. But to think that Ryan dumping her was as terrible as that is ludicrous. And that's how she makes it sound. She's a shallow little bitch. "Once upon a time I was a cheerleader and I had a super great life BUT then my dad died and I decided to stop being a preppy little slut and decided to be ARTSY! I wear fake highlighted hair strands and my new bff is totally gay and I heard someone talking about Sam and now I TOTALLY NEED HIM!" I don't know why I am so angry. But I am.

Let's talk about how EVERYONE thinks it's their fault that Hayden is dead. And for the WORST reasons.

Sam: Hayden totally killed himself because we got into one real fight in our whole friendship and I was THAT important to him.
Astrid: Hayden totally killed himself because I didn't go to a party to stop people from being mean and I have the power to stop ALL MEANNESS.
Eric: Hayden totally killed himself because I kept Astrid from going to a party where she could've stopped people from being mean and she has the power to stop ALL MEANNESS. (Eric was a little in love with Astrid despite being gay, let's be honest)
Athena (or whatever her forgettable name was): Hayden totally killed himself because I called him a liar and a fake and decided I didn't want to be his girlfriend (maybe for a fifteen year old this is a real reason, but it's the only one)
Ryan: Hayden totally killed himself because I was a mean big brother and crushed his hope of having a lady friend to bone. But I was just jealous because mom and dad let him play video games while I had to be smart and good at football.

I hate this book. So much. I kept expecting it to get better. And then there were a few Joss references. And I thought THIS WOMAN HAS DECENT TASTE! But no. The good songs and the awesome references were not enough to save this shitty book. I could go on for days, weeks, possible centuries, about how much I hate this book.

But part of me does hope that it resounds with the younger crowd, and shows anyone going through a rough time that suicide isn't the answer. I would've burned this book as a teenager. But I am often times in the minority. Oh well. Shitty book. Shitty characters. Good soundtrack that I will post here:

Playlist for the Dead

How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead
Crown of Love - Arcade Fire
Mad World - Tears for Fears/Gary Jules
Invisible - Skylar Grey
One - Metallica
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
I Don’t Want to Grow Up - The Ramones
Diane Young - Vampire Weekend
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
One Step Closer - Linkin Park
The Mariner’s Revenge Song - The Decemberists
Adam’s Song - Blink 182
Alison - Elvis Costello
This is How it Goes - Aimee Mann
Despair - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
On Your Own - The Verve
Let it Go - The Neighbourhood
Say Something - A Great Big World
Everybody Knows - Leonard Cohen
How to Fight Loneliness - Wilco
Conversation 16 - The National
Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Hurt - Nine Inch Nails
For Emma - Bon Iver
Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine
The Mother We Share - Chvrches
It’s Only Life - The Shins

I may update this later on, when I don't have to make dinner. Who knows. My message: DON'T READ THE BOOK; LISTEN TO THE MUSIC!


Dinner didn't burn, and I'm back to finish, and state some big major points as to why this book sucks ass.

1. Hayden's suicide is never explained. Here's what we know about Hayden: he lived a half shitty life/half awesome life. I talked about this before, but I'm serious. His parents preached "Hayden, what are your grades? Why are you not doing better? If you don't get into college, we will not continue to support you" as they slipped a hundred dollar bill into his hand. People at school thought Hayden was weird because of his big brother picked on him, but his best friend was always there for him and agreed wholeheartedly that Ryan was Super Dick. Hayden never wanted to meet anyone new, yet he had two secret friends that he never told his bff about because.... why? That secret was taken to the grave, along with many, many others. Speaking of, here's the beef I'm trying to get to: WHY THE FUCK DID HAYDEN KILL HIMSELF? Because everyone thinks it's their fault. But whenever they talk about how it's their fault everyone around them says "No no, sweetheart, it totally wasn't your fault" until we get to Ryan. And realistically, Ryan was just a douche older brother. That's life. We need to roll with it and move it on.

I am ranting. But here's some more. ARCHMAGE_GED. This was the username Hayden used on the MMORPG Mage Warfare. This is the username that Astrid secretly used on Gchat to make Sam think he was going crazy. After these conversations start, this little wizard figurine that Sam bought to remind him of Hayden COMES TO LIFE. I am not shitting you. He looks at his bed and there is the wizard, in full people size, just chillaxing away. He looks at where the figurine usually sits and it is gone. He looks back to the bed and full size person wizard is gone, and then back to the shelf where the figurine is now sitting again. THIS IS NEVER EVER EXPLAINED except in the very last chapter on the second to last page where he flippantly states "My school psychologist says I was probably just not sleeping enough." Nope. No, that isn't going to cut it. You aren't allowed to throw in FULL ON HALLUCINATIONS into your YA book about teenage suicide and not explain this shit. I am still angry and it's been a day since I finished this.

Lastly, the attacks around town on the bully trifecta. Hayden literally thinks he's going crazy, blacking out, and beating up Hayden's tormentors a la super hero style. Then he thinks Hayden has come back from the dead and is taking care of business himself. He is freaking out. He thinks the cops are after him because everyone is saying he did it. He is losing sleep. He is tracking people down and interrogating them like a bona fide fifteen year old copper. It is really annoying. It becomes even MORE annoying when you find out that it was actually Astrid. She says she's doing this because Ryan dumped her in her time of need, because they ruined Athena's shot at love, because they outed her bff. Sam is furious because she didn't do all of this for Hayden's revenge. Then she backpedals and exclaims that it was ALL for Hayden! Now Sam is just pissed that she hurt people. They can longer be together. But he's going to spend the next year pining after her and thinking of giving her a mixed cd. Ah, young romance that makes me want to barf all over the place.

Falkoff is a writer that I am putting on my FUCK NO list. This just did not work for me in one single way. How did this awesome looking cover hold such SHIT inside of it?

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a debut novel and for a very controversial theme, I thought the book isn’t bad. I generally avoid books on suicide because more often than not, it ends up really depressing but although Playlist for the Dead tackles the same subject, it does so in a way that doesn’t put so much weight on the reader’s emotions.

Unlike books on suicide that linger on the whys of the person’s decision to end his/her life, this book focuses on the loved ones, the ones who can’t help blame themselves for the death, on how they try to cope and move on emotionally and psychologically and this is delivered through an intriguing and mysterious plot with a hint of paranormal through the voice of Sam, the best friend.

The playlist although still confuses me up to this point, I think, is a creative element that makes the story more engaging to read. I may not have fully grasped the meanings behind all the songs but they sure gave a huge impact to the novel as a whole.

[Kassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just an okay book for me. I don't have any big complaints. It's not bad, I just didn't fall in love with it.
I connected with the main character, I enjoyed the different plot lines and the writing style. However, nothing really took me by surprise and this book did not leave a big impact on me.

[s · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

I can't bear the writing, sorry/

[May R · Rating 2 out of 5]

UNA DECEPCIÓN EN TODA REGLA

Playlist: Las canciones de mi muerte es una novela juvenil a la que le tenía muchísimas ganas y que empecé con unas altas expectativas que, sin duda alguna, no ha cumplido. Más bien me he encontrado con una novela floja, decepcionante y que cojea por todos lados.
No he sido capaz de acabar el libro, habiéndolo dejado en la página 200 poco, por lo que tampoco voy a hacer una extensa reseña ni creo que tenga el 100% de información como para hacer una reseña final de la historia. Pero sí que quiero comentaros algunos de los aspectos que me han fallado y que creo que hacen que esta lectura sea tan floja.
Para empezar no hay una consolidación de la trama ni tampoco unos pilares mínimos que la sustenten. Me pareció, de entrada, una trama bastante floja y poco trabajada; cuyo hilo argumental principal dejaba bastante que desear y, más allá de eso, como he comentado, tampoco hay unos pilares que refuercen la historia y que hagan entender al lector la obsesión profunda que tiene nuestro protagonista con la muerte de su mejor amigo (porque en eso se basa la historia prácticamente).
Los personajes también me han parecido pobres y no me han convencido en absoluto. Primero el personaje femenino que aparece de la nada y que está muy mal construido. Obviando el hecho de que es más plano que una pared, encima tiene apariciones estelares que no vienen a cuento y creo que es de esas protagonistas que si eliminas incluso mejoras la historia. Además el personaje masculino principal tampoco está profundizado y es otro personaje plano que se suma a todos los que encontramos en la novela.
No me gustó cómo se gestionó la muerte del mejor amigo del protagonista, es un tema que no está profundizado para lo importante que es para la trama y que muchas veces se llega a olvidar en ciertas escenas.
En resumen, una novela que me ha resultado aburrida, lenta, demasiado superficial y que no cuaja la mires por donde la mires.

[Dayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review also appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

First thing's first:



Dear Michelle Falkoff,

I would like to thank you for writing such an intensely honest novel about the after-effects of teen suicide. Thank you for giving us a character who dealt with his best friend's death in his own way and not in the way expected of him. Thank you for showing us how there are various ways of dealing with the unexpected and sudden death of someone that is loved (even if he didn't believe so), and how grief can affect everyone differently.

Thank you for the ridiculously honest quote from Sam, the protagonist, when he is faced with multiple people claiming that Hayden's death was their fault--"Because if none of us is a hundred percent responsible, then it's probably just as likely that none of us could have stopped this from happening" (Falkoff) is probably one of the most honest and raw quotes I've read regarding teen suicide and survivor's guilt.

Lastly, thank you so much for a playlist that not only helped me understand what Hayden and Sam felt while the music shaped the story, but helped me understand Hayden in a way Sam might never be able to.

Sincerely,

A very pleased reader

_____

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff was obviously something that struck a cord within me (just look up.) I felt like it was such a relevant story, not just because teen suicide is a very serious issue right now, but because of the book I read not to long ago: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. While the latter dealt with living with depression that could potentially lead to suicide, the former was the story of life as a survivor of someone else's suicide. I particularly liked the uniqueness of how the story was delivered and how it helped in setting the mood.

Sam is a brilliant character because though he flirts with the line that separates the expected and the unexpected, he still manages to deal with his grief in a way unique to him. After his best friend's death, he is like a ghost wandering the halls--which really isn't any different than before. He doesn't lie about the fact that he is angry and that he blames himself (which is normal), but he also doesn't suddenly change the way he is in order to forget everything that's happened. Sam treats his situation like it's a mystery to be solved and while this is clearly a way of dealing with his loss, I find the idea of him actually trying to see why his best friend is dead so different than the usual "We will never know how he felt and why he chose to end it all" approach. Like Sam, at the beginning of the novel we're faced with this horrible situation and a cast of characters that all have something to say. While Sam tries to find a voice for Hayden, he hears the voices of other people who could one day love him.

The romance is unconventional, given the timing, but then again one has to consider that this could also be something that is unique to this story. Though the romantic aspect of the storyline just kind of happens, it does help in giving Sam's story a bit of hope and lightness. The progression is a bit awkward and quick, but again, it kind of adds to the whole recklessness of Sam trying to find out exactly why Hayden did what he did.

The synopsis comments on The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and I totally see it--especially when you consider that the people Sam meets could be classified as misfits. But again, like Charlie, the budding friendships that Sam encounters are full of the mystery and sadness that can only be brought on by a shared loss, or a hidden and unspoken pain or longing.

The playlist was awesome. Of course, I didn't like all of the songs, but there were a few specific ones that really got to me. The idea of songs as title headings for each chapter is an awesome idea, especially when the reader is being shown a storyline sparked by a playlist. By being the title headings, the songs are also more obvious and carry more weight than the other songs featured within the chapters. It's like Sam is reaching out to the reader to help him solve the mystery, which turns out to be a nice little twist at the end.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a thought-provoking, albeit slightly depressing read. The characters are quirky, but the messages are clear.

Happy reading!

[James Francisco Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"If there's one thing I learned from the playlist, it's how important listening to people can be."

[Macarena Yannelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

No fue el mejor libro que leí en el mundo, pero fue el primer libro que específicamente trata sobre suicido y sus consecuencias que leo y fue bastante lindo. Menos triste de lo que esperaba pero la moraleja del final aunque un poco apresurada muy muy muy linda.
Bastante recomendado.
Reseña completa en Gracias a los Libros.

[Kimi · Rating 1 out of 5]

SORRY BUT NO, NO, NO, NO

---
Originally posted at Geeky Chiquitas

This book compares itself to Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Tim Tharp's The Spectacular Now. These are really big claims, and I was at first skeptical, naturally, but in the end I decided to give this a try. While I did not exactly like The Spectacular Now all that much, I did adore Perks a lot, and so I had great expectations for this book. Sadly, it was so different from what I expected and I'm really really disappointed with how this book turned out.

It's sad because there isn't really anything in particular that I would want to point out or rant about with this book. I just felt so unattached to it, and the whole time I was reading this I just had this meh look on my face, like I totally did not care for the characters or the story at all. This book could have had really great potential but it so lacks the emotional depth that I was looking for. For a story that tackles themes of death, suicide and love, it really fell short for me.


From the title, I honestly thought that this book would center and revolve a lot on music as a clue to find out why Hayden killed himself. However, the music plays such an insubstantial role, if it has any role at all, and we find out in the end that the playlist doesn't actually have anything to do with Hayden's death. Really? So what was the point of the whole playlist anyway? And why do they make it out like it's such a big deal, by putting Playlist on the title? And it's not even for the dead anyway, it's just supposedly a playlist that explains Hayden's decision to kill himself - and then it actually doesn't. So what gives?

There are also a lot of storylines opened - a romance storyline, a mystery storyline, a coming-of-age storyline but they all remain messy and unresolved in the ending. The romance is a bit unnecessary and random for me, like I was okay with it, but I didn't really care about it all that much, and I didn't know what it's supposed to contribute to the overall plot. The mystery part is so strange and weird and all the paranormal ghost elements that are introduced at the beginning go nowhere and simply brushed off as Sam's imagination or something, in the end.

Hayden's reason for killing himself is never really discussed, and I find this a big problem. I have no problem with how the book portrays romantic relationships as this big life pursuit that is worth killing yourself for, but I needed an explanation or at least, a discussion, because this is pretty serious thing, and putting this in a novel entails some responsibility to the readers to at least clear up some of these issues.

What sucks about this book and why I'm only giving it one star is because I was kinda excited about it, and then I read it, and I wasn't anymore. I don't really care much for the story or the characters, and that's why this has a lower rating than other books that I hated, like really hated, because at least for those, I actually felt something for the book and had something ranty to say - but for this one, I'm literally at loss for words because that's how much this book didn't impact me.

[Kristina Mathioudakis · Rating 2 out of 5]

3.5

This book started out so strong and I was so excited about it, but then it just started to drag and eventually fell flat for me.

[Chuddchutney Buana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sucked me into it like a sand pit I finished it in only 2 days.

Reading this because I took some Buzzfeed quiz of which particular new book that should be my next read..and turns out that this one is right up my alley (How many psychologist and from which top ranking university Buzzfeed is hiring is a mystery though).

I am always a sucker for a story that use pop culture as a plot device, and this book, with each chapter introduced one song each that drive the narratives forward, are in no shortage of that. I just kept going and going to see which song will appear in the next chapter (and the fact that the author and me has a similar taste of music truly helps. Let's just say one of my favorite film theme song and one artist of what I think is one of the most underrated female singer in the world make an appearances)

Oh and even though the prose is ain't on Green or Levithan level, but the story is quite bleak for a YA novel, which means it also hit my other spot.

And did I mention a MAGNOLIA reference?

[Mridu aka Storypals · Rating 3 out of 5]

That ending ruined everything, it could have been a lot more, a lot deeper.
Review to come.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff is about a boy named Sam. His best and only, friend Hayden has just committed suicide, and all he has left, as a suicide note, is a playlist, with 27 songs on it. As he tries to decipher the playlist he learns more and more about Hayden's life and the people in it. He realises that even though Hayden was his only friend Hayden had a life he didn't share, and when he opens up to these people, he starts to discover more and more about why Hayden killed himself. He meets Astrid along his journey, who seems a bit wild at first, but as you get to know her better you realise she is more than she seems.

^ That's the synopsis of the book.
The book isn't like what it says.
*Spoilers ahead - or you can call them spoilers - The playlist didn't really make any difference and could have been removed from the book entirely. This book could have been a friend coping with the grief of his best friend committing suicide.

The book has been compared to 13 reasons why as Hayden leaves a playlist behind for Sam to understand - for me it was like oh yay each song will have a memory or piece of the puzzle which will break the mystery - but no the book wasn't that deep.
Somehow I feel the concept of suicide is being romanticised and not dealt with.
The characters were very unrealistic for me to absorb, for example, if I talk about Hayden, he lived a pretty decent life. According to what we know his parents preached "Hayden, what are your grades? Why are you not doing better? If you don't get into college, we will not continue to support you" as they slipped a hundred dollar bill into his hand. Forget that - they knew he is dyslexic and yet they were talking like that? I am like uh-what?
People at school thought Hayden was weird because of his big brother picked on him, but his best friend was always there for him and agreed wholeheartedly that Ryan was Super Dick. Hayden never wanted to meet anyone new, yet he had two secret friends that he never told his BFF about because.... why? That secret was taken to the grave, along with many, many others. Speaking of, here's the beef I'm trying to get to: WHY THE FUCK DID HAYDEN KILL HIMSELF?
Because I will tell you - The author wanted to kill him and now everyone in the book thinks it's their fault. But whenever they talk about how it's their fault everyone around them says "No no, sweetheart, it totally wasn't your fault" until we get to Ryan.

The characters were under developed and bleh!

The part I really liked and I thought maybe it is going somewhere- ARCHMAGE_GED, unusual chat who wanted to help Sam through his grief, who plays songs on repeat, who just magically show up in the night to say Hi hello, bye bello?
And most importantly - After these conversations start, there is this little wizard figurine that Sam bought to remind him of Hayden is sitting on Sam's bed and then he is gone. THIS IS NEVER EVER EXPLAINED except in the very last chapter on the second to last page where he flippantly states "My school psychologist says I was probably just not sleeping enough."

UMM WHAT? The only part I liked was just thrown under the bus for no god damn reason - or maybe the author had plans of explaining but was just like oh yeah I got bored though.

Lastly, the attacks around town on the bully trifecta. Hayden literally thinks he's going crazy or has dual personality or something - which by the way could have been cool - or maybe where Eric was actually Hayden's boyfriend and he was bullied because he was gay? I think my interpretation as to how the book could have ended were much better than the book itself!

The ending was just ending- the feeling, the grief - NOTHING. NO. FIN.

Also I didn't like Astrid as much- she was annoying me.
Didn't like the book much, loved the cover - I am giving it 2.5 stars out of 5 because the plot could have been so so so much better - I wish whoever wrote the synopsis should have written the book instead!

[Irmak ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“But loneliness is a thing that has weight, and it gets heavier over time.”

It was quite similar to 13 Reasons Why, but I liked this one better because the writing was actually good. But still, it was nothing spectacular.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never really know someone until you listen

3.5 stars
~~~

A novel that is steady-paced and never tries too hard to pull on your heartstrings. While I didn't outright cry my eyes out, I did feel for Sam and everyone around him... and in turns angry for how certain people treated Hayden.

This book unveils the layers/secrets bit by bit, letting you get to know everyone involved and how some things aren't what they seemed. A couple times my perceptions of a character were flipped from what it was before, and I understood them better (even if I didn't approve of what they did).

The playlist included in the chapter headings adds to the mood of the story... though I was confused as to what Sam was supposed to understand. Alot were from people I had heard of but never listened to. I will be downloading them all eventually and perhaps I'll understand more why they were chosen by Hayden.

Astrid was an interesting girl with her own secrets to tell. I knew something was up with her when she befriended Sam and that there some things she was holding back out of respect, and some nervousness perhaps. At point I had a feeling she might be involved with what was going on with the attacks on the bully trifecta. She seemed a good match for Sam and vice versa, filling a need at the time in both of them.

The romance isn't over the top, it's subtle and cute and doesn't overwhelm the overall story. At first it seemed a bit too soon for me and I never fully connected to it, but it wasn't rushed and unfolded well.

Sam's emotional state was well done I think... I can't imagine how I would react if the same happened to me. I just wanted to give him a big hug and just sit there with him, even if he didn't feel like talking.

I'm glad Sam found some people to talk to one being Jimmy, Rachel's boyfriend and the other Mr. Beaumont... both were pretty cool guys. I was glad Mr. Beaumont didn't give up on Sam:).


A heartfelt book that I would recommend... it was hard to put down and definitely worth the money :) Another good impulse buy <3

A good review on the book:
Deyse (BoundWithWords)'s review



“People are going to say a lot of things. And some of it will be helpful, and some of it will be annoying, and lots of it will get on your nerves. But they're saying it because they found it helpful when they lost someone. They mean well.”

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Goldsmith finds his best friend’s, Hayden’s, body and a suicide note saying “Listen and you’ll understand…” I expected the story to be about the whole playlist and how it connected all the dots and everything… but it was a little disappointing. Yes, Sam listened to the playlist through the whole book, but it wasn’t incorporated in the whole story, which was a pity.

This brings me to the storyline of this book. It was enjoyable, but again, not very extraordinary like I expected. This book didn’t leave an impact on me. The “mysteries” in the book … well were not mysterious. It was very predictable. It’s a shame, because the writing itself was pretty good. Sam’s thoughts were displayed very well and clear. I think younger readers would be able to relate very easily.

To be honest, I’m still a bit confused about my feelings towards this book. Some things had way more potential. For example Hayden. I wish there were some flashbacks in his point of view. I think that would have brought more appreciation.

So overall, it was an “okay” read. I think my expectations were a bit too high.
I would recommend this to younger readers and people who liked Thirteen Reasons Why (by Jay Asher).

[Meli · Rating 3 out of 5]

RESEÑA COMPLETA Y BIPOLAR POR AQUÍ

Un lindo libro, pero creo que son 3,5 estrellitas.
Me gustó y disfruté de la lectura, mucho, de hecho. Pero por momentos me irritaba, al punto de tener que cerrarlo porque no podía seguir leyendo. Y algo no me termina de cerrar del todo, siento que hubo más elementos de los necesarios y si bien Sam inicia un proceso de curación, no sé si todos esos elementos extras realmente ayudaron de alguna forma o son solo un poco de relleno. Dejémoslo en que tiene ciertas inconsistencias.

Por último, me hubiera gustado que la playlist tuviera mayor relevancia. Pero de todas formas me gustó mucho.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dont think I've ever felt so conflicted about a book. This book, to me, only.skimmed the surface on suicide, which is an issue that needs to be talked about more especially in YA books.

I read this book in one sitting, and its currently 2:30 am so the book did something right. I thought it was really fast paced - which I liked. However, the playlist seemed kind of pointless. I wasnt exactly sure why it was there, and it didnt add a lot to the experience. Also, I felt so disconnected from the characters, and I dont really know why I just know that I didnt really feel much of anything this book except at the very beginning. It also isnt that memorable of a book for me.

Overall, this book was okay. Thats the problem. I dont really feel anything after finishing it, and I dont really know what to say because while it wasnt a terrible book it also wasnt good. The ending wrapped up a little too conveniently for my tastes

[Neil Franz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably liked this book because of the air of mystery it brings with a dash of some supernatural of sort that is almost completely implausible but wasn't. I really thought this was just a straight suicide book, with characters grieving and blaming themselves for what happened and the healing.

It's almost liked that, but the mystery of what happened that push Hayden's to the edge gets me curiouser and curiouser every page. It's good. It works. And there's the revenge plot that add some spice and conflict to story.

The only thing that didn't really work is the character development. They all felt flat. They all have the same flatness in them until the end. But, I admit, I get warm with a them a little especially on the climax when everything is unfolding, where everyone is started to share their secrets and their role to Hayden's death.

I liked the emphasis on how the revenge is not the answer. I liked the talk of acceptance and the importance of listening and communication. Because, they are important. I also liked that Invisible by Skylar Grey is included in Hayden's playlist.

[সালমান হক · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not recommended for everyone . If you are into depressed stuff like me and are into indie rock scene or love alternative music and like a book where you will have to deal with a person who is already dead and There is one person who has to suffer for that reason then this book is for you. Otherwise NO . Don't go for it. You will end up hating the author.

[Patricia Bejarano Martín · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un 2,5 en realidad.
La historia ha estado bien, pero sin más pretensiones. Ha sido entretenida y tiene muy buenos personajes, pero ha fallado bastante en la sorpresa que intenta dar, que para mi ha sido previsible desde casi el principio. Así que os la recomiendo como lectura ligera y distinta para leer este verano, pero no creo que se convierta en el libro de vuestra vida.

[kasiula · Rating 2 out of 5]

ta ksiazka dala mi troche vibe 13 powodow:/

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Hayden was never popular. He was a geek, he had one friend, and his parents were never supportive of him. Then there was an incident at a party and he decided to commit suicide...

The next morning Hayden's best friend Sam finds his dead body and a playlist of songs dedicated to him. As Sam tries to understand the life his best friend lived he must also reflect on the person he has become.

I liked this book although there were slow moments in the book. I liked Sam's character and the secrets that unfolded near the end. I felt bad for Hayden however, I didn't think that he should have killed himself after the incident. Suicide is never the answer --- it isn't an escape. There are people who will help you if you try to reach out to them. God would never let you face your troubles alone.

Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone willing to give it a try.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mooi en snel te lezen boek, leuk dat er ook iets van spanning inzat, verder niet mega spectaculair ofzo. Wel leuk dat elk hoofdstuk begon met een nummer dat ook paste bij het verhaal, heb er meteen een playlist van gemaakt op Spotify.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A suicide playlist.

Opening Sentence: All my years of watching TV made me think it was possible you could find a dead body and not know it until you turned the person over and found the bullet hole or stab wound or whatever.

The Review:

Playlist for the Dead is told from Sam’s perspective; a teenager whose best friend has committed suicide and he’s the one who found him. This was a decent read, especially since May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The story dives into Hayden’s deep rooted depression, which ultimately results in his demise.

Despite the core subject of suicide and the events that led to it, what I found more interesting was reading the story from the best friend’s perspective. Sam feels responsible for Hayden’s death, especially as their last conversation was in the form of an argument.

Who needed a group? What was so bad about having one best friend, anyway?
I missed Hayden as much as I had since he died. I missed him so much I finally didn’t even feel bad thinking about it; I just sank into it, let it roll over me in waves. It was the closes I’d come to crying and if I hadn’t been like two feet away from a field full of people I mostly didn’t know or couldn’t stand, I might have just said fuck it and started bawling.

In this book, each chapter begins with a song from the playlist Hayden left Sam; basically his suicide note. Sam listens to the playlist almost obsessively trying to figure out why Hayden resorted to such a measure. I enjoyed listening to each of these songs via YouTube as I started each chapter and found that, despite the overall ominous taste, I quite enjoyed a few! It was an interesting way to engage the reader, that’s for sure.

The only concern I had with this story was how similar it was to some of the YA books I’ve already read, in terms of depression, suicide and the resulting guilt. I feel like this subject has been explored a lot recently. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, we need greater awareness around mental health, but at the same time it’s becoming a leeetle repetitive.

“See?” Rachel said. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, Mom.”
“Guilty as charged,” she said.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one who was finding people surprising thse days. It made me wonder whether everyone had these secret lives, these aspects of themselves that didn’t match who they seemed to be.

The moral I took from this story was how many lives a suicide can affect and it’s not just the immediate family and closest friends that are hurt. It also highlighted the seriousness of depression and how important it is to try and listen to other people; sometimes even the smallest act of kindness can help. Sam, Astrid and a lot of other people felt responsible for Hayden’s death and the truth is that they all had a part to play but there’s no singular person that can be blamed. Sometimes it’s best to just accept what has happened and live your life the best way you can, and try to positively engage with as many people as possible. At least, that’s what I’m going to try and do.

Notable Scene:

“Can you describe your friendship to me at all?” he asked gently.

What did he expect me to say? That we were both socially awkward misfits? That we’d saved each other from loneliness for a really long time, and now that was over? “We were friends. What else am I supposed to say?”

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Playlist for the Dead. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Dani St-Onge · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, and I didn't totally hate reading it but I cannot say it was good. The idea had a lot of potential but it absolutely fell flat.

It is exciting, the plot leaves you guessing but it feels very standard. I did enjoy reading it a bit, so I feel bad that my rating fell so low but I enjoyed it perhaps in part because of how bad it was.

The idea of using a playlist was unique but in the end none of the songs mean enough that they needed to be included at all, the entire book wouldn't change if Hayden had left a series of pictures or books or games or anything else. The songs are just briefly mentioned and then brushed away. It's pointless and yet it's the selling point for the novel.

The book also has a sickening view of romance as the reason to live basically. The few girl characters that exist only exist in their relation to males and are horribly written as nearly one-dimensional tropes. The fact that a woman wrote this book is unfathomable to me. It's also riddled with mentions that girls are not geeks and don't enjoy those sorts of things. If they do it's fake or they're some sort of precious gem.

There is no satisfying conclusion, huge events are explained away with "I wasn't getting enough sleep,". Characters who deserve to have justice brought to them end up being loved and romanticized because when you're hurt doing anything is okay and completely forgivable.

A novel which had a great chance to be a poignant view of suicide ended up being a messed up romantic mystery that had one of the least satisfying conclusions I have ever seen.

Despite all this, it at least presents an interesting playlist which it refuses to actually use adequately;

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

So enjoy that, it's probably a lot more fun than the book was.

Make sure to check out http://betterbooks.tumblr.com/ for new reviews every Tuesday!

[Brooke ♥booklife4life♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-reading thoughts: Hayden is my son's name, so of course that's 1 reason to read it. Also it reminds me of 13 Reasons Why and i loved that book :]


At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult; Contemporary
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: insta love a bit.
Cliff Hanger: nope.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 6
Characters: 7
World Building: 7
Flow: 7
Series Congruity: n/a
Ending: 6

Total: 7.5

In Dept
Best Part: Linkin Park Song!
Worst Part: Shallow plot
Thoughts Had: Lovely songs!; Poor Hayden.

Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: yes
Misc.: Trigger; Suicide

Short Review: I grabbed this because it reminded me of 13 Reasons Why, but it doesn't compare at all. The songs were nice, but they really mainly just chapter titles, i didn't see how they fit in really with what was happening in the story. I feel bad about Hayden's life and i wish it was different, but Sam doesn't seem too bad off afterwards thou, but hey, his shit not mine.

Review in GIF Form:

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

There were definitely things I enjoyed about this book -- I always love a reading a boy POV and this one was charming though I thought Sam's voice sounded more middle grade than high schooler.

At times I felt there was an awful lot going on - the aftermath of the suicide, the playlist, the mystery attacks, the story of Astrid, the romance, the magical realism... but it definitely had its good moments.

Recommended for those who enjoy a male POV, and issue books with magical realism.

[cutesyreader ツ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Hurting him wouldn't do me any good. Even just blaming him didn't make me feel better. Who was I to say who was any more responsible than anyone else?"

This was just an okay book for me. I'm enjoying it at the beginning since it was like a mystery book where you don't know what had actually happened and you need to find the answer to everything. I don't have big complaints. It's not that bad or boring, it just did not leave a big impact on me.

Actual Rating:
3.2 stars

[ameliesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 🌟

Ta historia i ogółem cały pomysł świetny. W praktyce wyszło, to trochę gorzej. Przede wszystkim myślałam, że książka wywoła we mnie więcej emocji. Pojawił się intrygujący wątek. Główny bohater w miarę znośny.A jeśli chodzi i końcówkę była okej jednak wymagałam od niej większego rozbudowania i wytłumaczenia niektorych rzeczy. Myślałam, że książka będzie lepsza, ale mimo to bawiłam się nawet dobrze.

[Carla Dente · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5. Me ENCANTÓ :D
(Lo terminé hace dos días pero me olvidé de actualizar esto jajaja)
pronto la reseña en: http://mimundoestaentuspaginas.blogsp...