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It Should Have Been a #GoodDay
Winner of IPA 2016 for Young Adult Fiction!
Sometimes a situation is not what you think it is
In high school perception can be the key to surviving. Especially if you’re hiding something.
The new girl — Emily hopes to leave a painful event behind her by starting at a new school, but it looks like that’s just a pipe dream.
The golden boy — Brogan is the big man on campus until a knee injury has him benched. Now he’s struggling to hold on to his top dog position while pushed to the sidelines.
The popularity seeker — Thomas desperately wants to shed his loser status. He can, as long as he doesn’t let his nice guy instincts get in the way.
The heart of gold — Henry doesn’t know how different he is, although everyone else at school does. And the popular kids have no problem letting him know he doesn’t fit in.
As they go through an ordinary day of negotiating halls, classes and the baggage of their lives, each of them has no idea that their paths will cross in such a way that will change their lives forever.
Sometimes what should have been a good day turns out to be the worst day of your life.
Sometimes a situation is not what you think it is
In high school perception can be the key to surviving. Especially if you’re hiding something.
The new girl — Emily hopes to leave a painful event behind her by starting at a new school, but it looks like that’s just a pipe dream.
The golden boy — Brogan is the big man on campus until a knee injury has him benched. Now he’s struggling to hold on to his top dog position while pushed to the sidelines.
The popularity seeker — Thomas desperately wants to shed his loser status. He can, as long as he doesn’t let his nice guy instincts get in the way.
The heart of gold — Henry doesn’t know how different he is, although everyone else at school does. And the popular kids have no problem letting him know he doesn’t fit in.
As they go through an ordinary day of negotiating halls, classes and the baggage of their lives, each of them has no idea that their paths will cross in such a way that will change their lives forever.
Sometimes what should have been a good day turns out to be the worst day of your life.
- GenresYoung Adult
248 pages, Paperback
Published February 28, 2016
3 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 24, 2016
In Natalie Corbett Sampson's latest novel, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A #GOODDAY, we are taken through a typical day in high school by four very different students. The Canadian author didn't shy away from tough situations in this YA novel that grips you the further you read and leaves you with a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach the closer you get to the end. The characters are everyone you ever knew in high school - they are who YOU were in high school! The short chapters, each told from the perspective of the four main students, made the book a quick and easy read. Though small in stature (the book is a mere 248 pages), it's large on impact. This book is a must read for lovers of realistic YA books.
With a glimpse of what it's like to be a teen in the age of social media, I give IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A #GOODDAY 4 stars ****.
With a glimpse of what it's like to be a teen in the age of social media, I give IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A #GOODDAY 4 stars ****.
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February 17, 2016It’s just another regular day of high school life. Brogan is lamenting his busted knee getting in the way of his football dreams. Emily is keeping her head down, traumatised from events at another school. Thomas is looking to impress his friends and find the the mysterious girl he’s been chatting with online. And Henry is trying to get through the day, hoping to earn more time on his tablet. When their lives converge in one fateful incident, only the reader will know what really happened.
Told from different perspectives, veteran YA author Natalie Corbett Sampson (Game Plan, Aptitude) entwines the futures of four students in a poignant tale of misunderstanding. Each viewpoint is carefully examined adding depth to the crisis that occur and providing a fresh take on living with an autism spectrum disorder as well as the importance of recognizing the humanity of others.
With short chapters and social media inclusion, the tension builds at a subtle but fairly quick pace making the explosion of action that much more devastating. The accounts of Brogan, Emily, Henry and Thomas require some mental untangling after the shooting at the crux of the novel; Corbett Sampson’s writing serving as a powerful commentary on the effect of truth based on perspective, as well as the incendiary ability of social media to create a version of perceived truth.
It Should Have Been a #GoodDay delivers a cautionary tale challenging readers to develop empathy and compassion for others to prevent events such as these from happening in real life.
Told from different perspectives, veteran YA author Natalie Corbett Sampson (Game Plan, Aptitude) entwines the futures of four students in a poignant tale of misunderstanding. Each viewpoint is carefully examined adding depth to the crisis that occur and providing a fresh take on living with an autism spectrum disorder as well as the importance of recognizing the humanity of others.
With short chapters and social media inclusion, the tension builds at a subtle but fairly quick pace making the explosion of action that much more devastating. The accounts of Brogan, Emily, Henry and Thomas require some mental untangling after the shooting at the crux of the novel; Corbett Sampson’s writing serving as a powerful commentary on the effect of truth based on perspective, as well as the incendiary ability of social media to create a version of perceived truth.
It Should Have Been a #GoodDay delivers a cautionary tale challenging readers to develop empathy and compassion for others to prevent events such as these from happening in real life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2016
As a secondary school teacher I feel like I have met all 4 of these characters, I see them every day. What I liked most was seeing how similar interactions affected each student differently. It reminds us that we don't always know what experiences others are dealing with and feeling.
The realness of Henry is something I think every student should experience. Trying to explain the perspective of someone with ASD is hard to put into words, but Natalie did a great job of capturing it.
The social media component is what grabbed my attention the most. As an adult, seeing what students live every day through technology is so scary. How fast things can spread and distort is hard to imagine.
This is such a real story, with events that happen every day in schools. A great read for teenagers and adults, giving true insight.
The realness of Henry is something I think every student should experience. Trying to explain the perspective of someone with ASD is hard to put into words, but Natalie did a great job of capturing it.
The social media component is what grabbed my attention the most. As an adult, seeing what students live every day through technology is so scary. How fast things can spread and distort is hard to imagine.
This is such a real story, with events that happen every day in schools. A great read for teenagers and adults, giving true insight.
August 15, 2016
Natalie has a knack for capturing the angst and voice of teenagers. This story features alternating narratives of four high school students during the course of one life-changing day. The most captivating voice is Henry who manages his autism along with the noise and closeness of his high school campus. As a licensed speech pathologist, Natalie capably takes us inside Henry's world. We feel his confusion and discomfort as students hurl insults and mixed messages his way. In the final chapters, Henry and the three other narrators' worlds collide inside a tension-filled cafeteria. Their lives will never be the same again. A must read.
January 9, 2016
My heart was in my throat for so much of this story, and that's because Natalie has a way of drawing you into the hallways of her fictional highschool. It's fascinating to see one incident from the minds-eye of four very different teenagers, and all the baggage that they bring to it (unaware of eachothers' baggage of course).
I don't want to spoil the story, but it is one of the coolest pieces of writing about the highschool experience that I have read in a long time.
I don't want to spoil the story, but it is one of the coolest pieces of writing about the highschool experience that I have read in a long time.
March 26, 2016
The third book by Natalie Corbett Sampson and the third one that I have loved! Each character's story is well told as they navigate modern high-school life. I fell in love with Henry in particular, a great insite into the mind of an autistic teen. The minute I put this book down, it was snatched up by my teenage son.I know he's going to love it just as much as I did and I have 2 other people waiting to read it when he's done with it! A superb read
May 20, 2016
I could not put this book down! Each character's point of view is written in an authentic voice, enriching the plot and allowing Corbett Sampson to touch on a number of challenging topics. Phenomenal!
February 7, 2022
A must read. For anyone but especially those who work in childcare and education. I will be thinking about this book for a while!
March 21, 2016
Another stellar tale from Natalie Corbett Sampson. A journey through high school, as told through four exceedingly different personalities, encapsulates the modern day fears, hopes, and emotions of being a teenager in today's world. With characters as vastly different as those in 'The Breakfast Club,' the consequences of today's social media, school violence, and the implications of one's actions are highlighted in this fast-paced, hard-to-put-down snapshot of one day. The characters read like former classmates in any typical high school, each faced with their own unique perspective on their place in the hierarchy of teenage society. Sampson's ability to bring forth the charm and wit of each persona helps to bring the sound of lockers slamming, voices in the hallway, and smell of the chem lab to the forefront as you quickly turn the pages. A well-told, exciting narrative allows readers to empathize and sympathize with each of the players, remembering full-well what it was like to be in high school--and the joy and agony of it all.
March 27, 2016
Yes, I gave my own book five stars. Because I love it. If I didn't love it, it would be hard to put it out there and ask others to read it too.
The most important theme of this book, for me, is empathy. The act of taking a moment, taking a step back, taking a breath to consider what might be driving the behaviour of another person. It's easy to empathize and feel for people who are similar to us, who share the same environment, or history, or culture or challenges... but the increased effort needed to empathize with others who are different, and therefore may be harder to understand is well worth it. Giving someone the benefit of the doubt would go a long way to making a more peaceful and accepting world.
The most important theme of this book, for me, is empathy. The act of taking a moment, taking a step back, taking a breath to consider what might be driving the behaviour of another person. It's easy to empathize and feel for people who are similar to us, who share the same environment, or history, or culture or challenges... but the increased effort needed to empathize with others who are different, and therefore may be harder to understand is well worth it. Giving someone the benefit of the doubt would go a long way to making a more peaceful and accepting world.
December 17, 2016
Each one of the four central characters evokes compassion. They are adolescents trying to make their way through trying days in High School. They each evoke strong feelings and one can glimpse the day to day realities of youth and the myriad of trials they endure. As the day and the book progress and the characters begin to weave their way closer to each other the book becomes more riveting. And the end is unexpected. It keeps you turning the pages.
Reading about the character Henry allows you a real view into Autism and some insight into what might be the thought patterns behind behaviours. Again, it allows understanding and then compassion. It might also even change how we treat those on the spectrum. A great read for young adults!
Reading about the character Henry allows you a real view into Autism and some insight into what might be the thought patterns behind behaviours. Again, it allows understanding and then compassion. It might also even change how we treat those on the spectrum. A great read for young adults!
February 6, 2019
Told through the voices of four distinct students, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD DAY, showcases how the events of a regular day at high school lead to an unpredictable tragedy, proving everyone has their own reality, and no one is who they really seem to be.
Tackling a difficult subject, Sampson excels at dissecting the
struggles of today’s teens with a writing style that is raw, but
genuine and straight forward. With an authentic tone grounded in
gritty realism, the novel shies away from morbid voyeurism and instead
invites the reader to consider the negative consequences of being
labeled in our society, and if any of us have the right to judge each
other.
Tackling a difficult subject, Sampson excels at dissecting the
struggles of today’s teens with a writing style that is raw, but
genuine and straight forward. With an authentic tone grounded in
gritty realism, the novel shies away from morbid voyeurism and instead
invites the reader to consider the negative consequences of being
labeled in our society, and if any of us have the right to judge each
other.
December 27, 2015
Thanks to an advanced copy, I have another favorite read but Natalie Corbett Sampson. Her newest book due out in February, has such a relatable storyline for everyone. Set in a 'typical' day of high school students, readers can connect with the new girl with a secret past, the injured jock trying to stay cool, the 'good guy' hoping to maintain a low profile, or the autistic boy trying desperately to fit in. It should be just an ordinary day but when lives interact you never know what is going to happen.
March 14, 2016
Wow. How to put in words what I'm feeling... I couldn't put the book down, and raced towards the inevitable ending, all the while hoping for a different outcome, yet knowing in my heart that surely a different reality was coming. I won't say more, and risk ruining the story, but this is one book you must read. It is a story about perceptions, and stereotypes, and breaking through both.... The four main characters are so different, and yet so alike in many ways. I empathized and agonized for all of them, along their journey that "Should Have Been a #Good Day".
March 27, 2016
This is a powerful YA read. Corbett Sampson does a fine job of capturing four distinct teen voices. There is a girl who is escaping past trauma, an injured athlete, a shy , good-hearted boy who longs for acceptance and, most movingly, Henry who has autism. Henry is a smart and loveable character who doesn't realize when other kids are making fun of him. All four are on a trajectory toward a meeting that will change their lives. Corbett Sampson creates a sense of suspense and foreboding as well as some very believable and relatable characters.
May 5, 2016
I loved the way the different characters' stories were interwoven to create this compelling YA read. It felt grittier than the usual YA fare, and dealt with prejudice, bullying, and reputations -real subjects that matter. Natalie dives deep into these characters and lets us look through their eyes, and although it might have been uncomfortable at times being in their skins it made for a very compelling story!
November 24, 2015
I was the primary editor on this book and I absolutely fell in love with it on first reading. Raw, emotional and OMG if you love honest and realistic YA contemp that doesn't hold anything back, then this is a book you'll definitely want to read.
June 27, 2016
It was a quick and easy read . It did remind me of my days in school when we all had our struggles and differences.
March 21, 2023
This story broke my heart, but I'm so glad I read it.
Henry's story reflects that of many of my friends and peers, and as an autistic person I feel that showing the way our education system here in NS treats autistic students is something that should be shown in a brutally honest way. Henry deserved so much better than what he got, however his experiences are not uncommon. He feels isolated at times and references to "quiet hands" show that he's not always allowed to be his true self. His peers are under informed and cruel; but again, a sad reality. Our society has failed to create an environment where people such as Henry are accepted as different, not less.
I give it four stars because I would have liked to see Henry's internal thoughts, feelings, and preferences explored more. Even in his chapters, the majority of his monologue is focused on other people, rather than him as an individual. His past is not explored the same way the other characters who had their own chapters were. I would have liked his history to be more closely examined. When did he learn "quiet hands"? Why? What are his past experiences with a system that failed him? What brought him to where he is now? This is explored with the other characters but not much with Henry.
Other than this issue the book is incredibly interesting and engaging. A complete page turner that kept me reading in places I really should have been paying attention.
Henry's story reflects that of many of my friends and peers, and as an autistic person I feel that showing the way our education system here in NS treats autistic students is something that should be shown in a brutally honest way. Henry deserved so much better than what he got, however his experiences are not uncommon. He feels isolated at times and references to "quiet hands" show that he's not always allowed to be his true self. His peers are under informed and cruel; but again, a sad reality. Our society has failed to create an environment where people such as Henry are accepted as different, not less.
I give it four stars because I would have liked to see Henry's internal thoughts, feelings, and preferences explored more. Even in his chapters, the majority of his monologue is focused on other people, rather than him as an individual. His past is not explored the same way the other characters who had their own chapters were. I would have liked his history to be more closely examined. When did he learn "quiet hands"? Why? What are his past experiences with a system that failed him? What brought him to where he is now? This is explored with the other characters but not much with Henry.
Other than this issue the book is incredibly interesting and engaging. A complete page turner that kept me reading in places I really should have been paying attention.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2016
Told through the voices of four distinct students, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD DAY, showcases how the events of a regular day at high school lead to an unpredictable tragedy, proving everyone has their own reality, and no one is who they really seem to be.
Tackling a difficult subject, Sampson excels at dissecting the
struggles of today’s teens with a writing style that is raw, but
genuine and straight forward. With an authentic tone grounded in
gritty realism, the novel shies away from morbid voyeurism and instead
invites the reader to consider the negative consequences of being
labeled in our society, and if any of us have the right to judge each
other.
Tackling a difficult subject, Sampson excels at dissecting the
struggles of today’s teens with a writing style that is raw, but
genuine and straight forward. With an authentic tone grounded in
gritty realism, the novel shies away from morbid voyeurism and instead
invites the reader to consider the negative consequences of being
labeled in our society, and if any of us have the right to judge each
other.
April 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! I read it while on vacation, so I was able to finish it in a couple of days. I found myself caring about the teenage characters and comparing them to myself and my classmates from many years ago. I think Natalie did a great job in making each of them "real"... each with their positive and not-so-positive attributes. I enjoyed the style of the book with the alternating perspectives, which of course added to the character development. I didn't see the ending coming until I was almost there...but it was perfect. I highly recommend this book and will be giving a copy to teenagers in my life.
May 21, 2016
I can't say enough good things about this book. It's thought provoking, heart breaking, and completely relatable. Natalie Corbett Sampson really knows how to get inside the heads of teenagers. I think everyone should read this book.
September 2, 2016
This book churns up high emotion from page 1. It was challenging read because I think we can all relate to some aspect of what these characters are going through. It is very well written and the reader will find that the story feels true - you will find yourself here somewhere.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews