Book Review: The Beginning of Everything by Robin Schneider

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.

 

My Thoughts:  First off, let me say that this book has been renamed and will be published as The Beginning of Everything.  This, in my opinion, is SO unfortunate!  The original title so funny and fit the book perfectly!

 

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book and was surprised by how much I actually liked it.  Ezra was the typical popular jock during his junior year of high school.  He was a tennis star, dating a beautiful and popular girl and went to all the great parties.  He had everything going for him until one fateful night when an accident changed his life forever.  

Ezra starts out his senior year alone after shutting out all his old friends.  He is unsure where he will fit in now that he can't play tennis anymore.  When his old friend, Toby, takes Ezra under his wing, Ezra finds out how fake his old life was.  Ezra meets a new girl, joins the debate team and becomes friends with the "nerd" group.  With the help of Cassidy, Toby and the rest of the group, Ezra finally figures out who he really is and what he wants out of life.  

I loved Ezra and Cassidy's relationship.  There was no insta-love which I was grateful for.  They were friends first and I loved their friendly (and sometimes not so friendly) banter towards each other.  The mystery behind Cassidy was sad and explained a lot.  I was sad at the end with what happens with Cassidy but you know what?  It was real and I appreciate that.  I get tired of always having happy endings because that just isn't life.

Toby was awesome!  He was quirky and had his own style and I love that he just plain didn't care what others thought of him.  He had a very traumatic thing happen to him when he was younger that he constantly got teased about but he didn't feel sorry for himself.  I also loved how he didn't hold a grudge against Ezra.  He just carried on like nothing had ever happened.  

I thought this book was funny, sad, and romantic all at once.  It showed how great friends never really lose that friendship, even if they grow apart.  I really enjoyed it and found this book hard to put down. It was very engaging and a realistic read. I only wish the original title would have been kept.