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A breathtaking journey toward self discovery and true love, from the international bestselling author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson first encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem at an underground performance of Twelfth Night, there’s an undeniable spark. So when fate brings them together a second time, Allyson takes an uncharacteristic leap, changes course, and follows Willem to Paris. After just one day together, the spark bursts into a flame . . . until Allyson wakes up after a whirlwind day shocked to discover that Willem is gone.
A life upended in one day turns into a year of self-discovery as Allyson embarks on a journey to break free from a lifetime of limits in order to find her true passions, and maybe even a true love.
Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming in Fall 2013!
Gayle Forman is an award-winning, New York Times—bestselling author and journalist whose articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, The Nation, and The New York Times Magazine. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers If I Stay and Where She Went, as well as Sisters in Sanity (HarperTeen).
Wolf_Girl21
Posted Tue Jan 08 00:00:00 EST 2013
Such an amazing book! I liked her other books but wasn't completly in love with them so I hesitated before reading this one, but wow I'm so glad I decided to read it.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JAMQueen
Posted Mon Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2013
Do NOT READ this BOOK! At least not until the sequel comes out. This was by far the BEST of Ms. Forman's work I have had the privilege of reading thus far - I also read the if I Stay series. It is beautifully written and had me pining to continue through the journey with Allyson right up until the ending, which actually made me scream in frustration. Fans of the If I Stay series will probably recall the abrupt ending in the first book there, but without an idea that there will be a sequel that book at least gave me the feeling that I could decide how the characters ended up. THIS book, however, reaches the climax and just STOPS... it's like some form of agonizing emotional torture I've submitted myself to.
The book starts off somewhat bland with Allyson being the "good girl" who gets frustrated by that label but does nothing to change it, that is until she meets Willem and makes the most impulsive decision of her life to run off to spend the day with him in Paris. Then things get good as the first 1/2 of the book details the ins and outs of that one day - with both highs and lows. It's not a perfect day, but it's the kind of day that makes you feel like something magical is happening. I found myself half in love with Willem by the end. When the day ends Allyson is left in a depression, she struggles for months afterwards until finally she realizes that she can't let that day go. So the second half of the book is Allyson struggle through the down of trying to be the same Allyson when she's outgrown who that was. She finally decides to find Willem again.
The things that make this book so incredibly excellent are not only the growth in Allyson, which is will touch anyone who's ever realized that there might be more beyond that small box they've been living in. But more so this book is amazing because of the side characters both the friends that Allyson makes, the people who help her in small ways and even those who seem like enemies. This is the kind of book that makes you feel like people really are inherently good. Also that you should never jump to conclusions because you almost always miss something important if you do.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Thu Jan 24 00:00:00 EST 2013
A Complete Rip Off Of Before Sunrise. Let me preface this review by saying that I have read both If I Stay and Where She Went. I thought If I Stay was great, a modern classic truly. I also enjoyed Where She Went. However, this book is terrible. I wish my Nook had a return button so I could get my money back.The second I read the overview, I immediately thought of the movie Before Sunrise from 1995. The plot sounded identical. I decided to give this the benefit of the doubt. I am sorry I did. Honestly, Richard Linklater should sue for plagiarism. You would think that if Gayle Forman stole the entire plot that she could at least have made it a decent read. This book was horrible. Aside from the plot, the characters themselves are bland unoriginal archetypes you have seen a million times before. Allyson the main character is a type A personality who decides to rebel a bit on her high school trip abroad by going to Paris with a guy she met. Yeah, like I said real original. And Willem is a hot guy wandering wherever life takes him. The characters have no depth. As a reader, you are not connected to them. I read the entire book with little interest. I felt nothing for these characters. Before Sunrise is one of my favorite movies. Jesse and Celine are incredible characters. They are brilliant together. Their honest conversations and emotional exchange throughout their day together in Vienna is genius. The movie is a ten out of ten. Willem and Allyson are ridiculous in comparison. Their conversations are laughable. Jesse and Celine are well-rounded characters; the way they interact feels natural. The movie draws you into these two characters from the start and only gets better. This book fails in all aspects when it comes to emotional connection. The interactions between Willem and Allyson feel staged and awkward. The few attempts at conveying sincere emotion even ring false. I could not get over how the author took such a beautiful poignant plot from the terrific film (Before Sunrise) and turned it into this drivel. Oh, and then there are the Shakespeare references. The endless references to the greatest playwright in Western Literature are supposed to redeem this mediocre drivel? Sorry, but not even Shakespeare can help this book.I implore you to Rent, Buy,Netflix, etc. The movie Before Sunrise starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. But whatever you do, don’t bother to read this book.
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Laurab68
Posted Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2013
I received this book from Penguin a few months back, and honestly forgot about it. But then I saw last week that there was going to be a readathon, so I finished up what I was reading and picked this up. I'm a big fan of Gayle's and was really excited to read it. Her If I Stay & Where She Went are probably two of the best contemporary young adult romance books out there. If you haven't read them, well get to it.
One thing that intrigued me about this book was the idea of falling in love with someone in a day. Love at first sight. Does it happen? Is it ridiculous to say you love someone when you really don't know them? Well Allyson finds out when she meets a Dutch actor in London who is performing with an underground Shakespeare group. He's a mystery and Allyson is smitten. What surprises Allyson and her friend, is that she's willing to travel to Paris with Willem on a whim.
As they make their way around Paris, Allyson (who Willem calls Lulu), she finds out that Willem is more complex than originally thought. He knows people, mostly women, that he's been intimate with, but is off on his own. He's an enigma. As each person break through the tough skin of walls, they both become entranced with each other. Until it culminates in making love in an abandoned warehouse. When Lulu wakes up the next morning, Willem is gone and her world crashes around her.
Once back stateside, and a freshman in college, Allyson struggles. She struggles to understand why Willem would leave her with no note. Struggles to appease her parents who try to rule her life with an iron fist. And most importantly she struggles in college. But depression hits, she loses her best friend to NYC and that life. Her friend at college may or may not be a fantastic actor who can be anyone he wants to be. A real-life chameleon.
However, Allyson can't let Willem out of her head. She gets a job to earn enough money to find out where Willem is and what happened that one day. As she gets closer to the truth, she realizes that everything may not be as it seems and perhaps, his leaving wasn't something that he wanted.
A beautiful story of want and longing and first love and hopes and dreams. Doing what is right for you and following your own path.
I literally inhaled this book because I really had no clue where it was going. But once I got there, it was marvelous.
There will be a companion piece to this one, Just One Year, which will tell us Willem's side of the story. And the way that Just One Day ended, I cannot wait! I've read that it's June sometime. Highly recommend for fans of Forman, Dessen, Eckeles and Echols.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Gayle Forman consistently writes the most amazing books that I have ever had the pleasure of putting my hands on. Just one day was only proof of that and I'm seriously counting down the days to Just one Year.
Allyson "Lulu" is a girl who just graduated high school and goes overseas on a tour trip her parents gave her for a graduation present. She goes with her best friend and as a girl who does what her parents want of her, lives to their every expectation, and follows the rules. Until One day she meets Willem, a guy guy in a play. I love that Shakespeare's plays were such a huge part of this book. Anyways on the train to London where after the weekend her and the best friend will be returning home, she runs into Willem and in London they decide to go to London where they have the best day and night of her life.
Allyson returns home not as she was and realizes she wasn't living life. I think everyone experiences at least one day in their life that is so amazing it changes our lives and the way Gayle Forman wrote this story it was AMAZING. You couldn't help but feel her being stained, feel the betrayal and loss, and the going through the days just making it through and not really living again. Until she decides to move on, however her decision to move on not only helps her feel happier in life, but also leads her back to WIllem or at least on the search to know what happened after their day.
FIVE COMPLETE STARS for this book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Feb 11 00:00:00 EST 2013
Loved it!!!!!!!!!! I recomend reading it
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2013
Totally agree with fellow Anonymous reviewer--total rip off of Before Sunrise. I hated the characters. Was also very cheesy how Allyson and Willem knocked up eachother so quickly. This book really ruins the setting of Paris and the Shakespeare references sprinkled throughout..
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TootsieRoll101
Posted Mon Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2013
** spoiler alert ** This book... I don't think I've ever read a book with such a good cliffhanger. Of course, I hated that cliffhanger, but nevertheless, it was a good cliffhanger.
Allyson reminded me of myself, with her goody two-shoes-ness. She was a really good character.
I loved this book, but at the same time I hated it. I started hating it at the end, just because I was unhappy with how the plot was unfolding. It seemed like Allyson would never, EVER see Willem again. And that would be just too... sad for me.
I'm glad that this wasn't like Twilight, in which Bella went into depression about Edward leaving her; Allyson went into depression because she lost who she really was. And the person who brought out who she really was was Willem.
I was disappointed with Melanie and Allyson's outcome. If I were Allyson, I would be a bit more sad about their relationship ending, but of course, it wasn't part of the main plot.
I got a bit angry with Ms. Foley (I think that's what her name was) when she said that Willem just wanted her for the sex and watch, but I saw that she was right in a way. Willem was a player, and there was no denying that once we discovered more information on Willem when Allyson visited Amsterdam. But, despite what I just said before, I think Willem really... maybe... I don't know... loved Allyson.
There. I said it.
Maybe he just 'fell in love' and he wasn't 'in love, but I think he did love her. Or at least, he cared about her.
I was a bit surprised on how quickly they 'did it' together, as they only knew each other for a day, but it wasn't like they were... nevermind.
I felt so... bad when I saw Willem with the ginger girl. It was like, how could you Willem? I trusted you! I LOVED YOU!
But then again, a year had passed. Willem, being the player that he is, probably forgot all about Allyson. But he could have also just wanted to get his mind off things. He DID remember Allyson.
Ha! I loved the last few paragraphs of the book.
He gasped when he saw her. HE GASPED!!!!!!!!!! When I read those words, my heart was filled with hope. I'm a sucker for sweet, fluffy romance stories, and that moment was so... I congratulate Forman for putting that in there. It's perfect. He gasped. When he saw her he GASPED.
GASP!
Being the sucker that I am for fluffy romance stories, I was unpleasantly disappointed when the book ended so quickly.
Of course, I see that Forman would continue it in the next book, but that means I'll have to wait!!!!
"'Hi Willem," I said. "My name is Allyson.'
He says nothing in response. He just stays there for a minute, looking at me. And then he steps to the side, opens the door wider, wide enough for me to walk through.
And so I do."
It's so... unfinished. :(
I definitely CANNOT wait until the next book comes out.
Basically this book is split into three parts. One third is about love. One third is about Allyson being in depression. One third is about her trying to find him.
But it was great. And I loved the Shakespeare references, especially the one that Willem told the cop that pulled them over for riding on the bicycle illegally. It was perfect.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.BethanyL
Posted Fri Jan 25 00:00:00 EST 2013
At it’s core, Just One Day is a story about growing. Learning. Becoming a person who can ebb and flow with life and all that it throws at you. But it takes a long while for the main character, Allyson, to get to that point, which is the beauty of the book.
In a lot of ways, I feel like this is a mod-podge of other books that I’ve enjoyed: The angst and depression of Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty; the diner culture from Speechless by Hannah Harrington; the determined, yet languorous European wanderlust of The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson. With that said, at no time does this book feel derivative of those others—it has best possible essences of those books, combining them in a way that creates a wholly new flavor and experience.
Travel plays a huge role in this book, and the ways Forman presents travel is smart. By pairing up an American and a Dutchman (Are they called Dutchmen? That just makes me think of The Flying Dutchmen which I assure you is not the same at all.) she’s able to showcase the inherently different views of not just travel, but how to live life. American Allyson wants things to be regimented, scheduled, planned, while Dutch Willem is laid-back, laissez-faire, I’ll-follow-the-wind-wherever-it-blows-me. And though they only spend a measly day together that ends in tears and devastation, Allyson knows that Willem has changed her for the better.
But then the book does something I really like—sends Allyson into a tail spin of depression during her first year of college. She’s dealing with her helicopter mother—whom I wanted to punch in the brain—the feeling of emotional distance from her childhood best friend, and realizing that her intended major in college is making her miserable. After meeting with the greatest college adviser ever, Allyson realizes that she needs to do things for herself. So she does. And once she starts making her own decisions is when she begins to grow out of her depression and into herself. It’s not an easy road, as she yearns for genuine experience but doesn’t want to let go of the control and order she’s used to. But once she realizes what it is that she wants, she goes for it full speed ahead.
This takes us on a wild ride of meeting some really great characters—her Shakespeare professor, her Shakespeare partner, Babs the diner owner, her French professor. All of that culminates in her traveling back to Europe, alone, to find Willem. But as they say, it’s about the journey, not the destination, which is the essence of Just One Day.
Overall, this book is a sophisticated portrayal of growing up, taking hold of who you are, and confronting your fears head-on. If you’re looking for a richly plotted book full of realistic growing pains and armchair travel, this book is just the ticket.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged. Well she's done it again! Gayle Forman has a gift for contemporary teen fiction. She has the uncanny ability to write stories that people across generations can identify with.
I was immediately drawn to Allyson. She's the good girl who never gets in trouble, gets good grades, and generally seems to have life planned out. But, she's the product of obsessive parenting and feels like she's never gotten a say in anything she has ever done. A spur of the moment trip to Paris and the events that happen in one day leave her questioning her own desires. And I understood so much of what she was going through. I loved watching her see the joy in doing something so impromptu. I lived through those beginning moments of falling in love, even when you don't believe in love at first sight. I was heartbroken right along with her when she realized he was gone. And I seriously understood every moment of her depression and soul searching over the next year.
I was completely unsure of Willem. We see him through Allyson's eyes, and as much as she's falling for him, she's also expecting the worst. But, he kept doing these little gestures that seemed so real and heartfelt. The connection was there, I was sure of it. When he was gone the next morning, I thought I knew what had happened. I can't wait to get Willem's story to see it for myself!
The added touch of Shakespeare was really just a bonus for me. I'm a Shakespeare fan and thought it was perfect backdrop for this story. The author did a fantastic job of weaving it in.
I can't say enough good things about it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, and didn't carry the same punch for me as If I Stay. But, it was beautifully told. And as I said before....I can't wait for Just One Year!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This is one of the few sequels that I enjoyed reading more than the first book, but ultimately gave a lower rating on because of the direction the plot ending up taking. Forman really does have quite a good sense of her individual characters, and the ability to really bring them out in all their complexities, and that alone makes the book worth picking up.
This book is actually told from the point of view of Adam, three years after Mia's accident. It's told with the same first-person flashback narrative, but Foreman does a much smoother job relating it this time around, probably because the sense of drama and urgency is gone. Adam has a sense of failure, falling, and loss, but ultimately, he's not dying (well, not physically, anyway), so the flashback scenes are integrated with far less jolting. His personality is also very well fleshed-out, and his emotions are justified and real. Like Mia originally, he's is ultimately very relatable; flawed, dark, jaded, yet admirable and outstanding in his own right.
I think perhaps the reason I enjoyed this book more than the first is it wasn't so rushed overall, and Forman took her time with the narrative, which really made the book feel much more "meaty". The scenery in New York felt realistic and loved, like she had personally been there, and created a nice setting in which the characters could intimately interact with one another, as well as with the city itself. That didn't really happen in the first book, even in the flashback scenes, and I really appreciated the time taken with the descriptions that made the setting very realized.
The ending did get to me, I'll admit, though for different reasons than people might expect. Ultimately, it felt like the ending wrapped up with a typical, romanticized notion that didn't entirely fit the independent natures of the characters or the setting. It was almost an easy way to end things, because it was such a familiar romantic wrap-up. And I'm sure that a lot of people loved it for that exact ending, but it didn't really fit the characters and their setup at all.
But I suppose not all books are defined by their endings, and especially in the world of Young Adult, most people look forward to endings that make us feel hopeful rather than simply enlightened. Forman touched on interesting aspects of grief, coping, and the complexities within that, but didn't really illustrate it fully, and instead let the romance run away with the plot. Still, not bad, and I didn't hate the experience, for the most part
booklover0506
Posted Sat Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2013
This book is amazing!!! I've never read any of Gayle Forman's book before but after reading this I think she's an aamazing author. Shes very descriptive in the book making a movie in your head. This is one of the best love storys I've ever read. I like how the book is'nt totally about allyson and willem being together you see what happens after the hardship allyson goes through. This book is like a roller coaster one minute your happy then pissed then your just plainout crying.I recommend this book to everyone. Its like love at first sight and you can't believe your witnessing it. Im so glad i got the chance to read it best book ever!!!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LauraIrrgang
Posted Wed Feb 27 00:00:00 EST 2013
I've heard good buzz about Forman's work, so I was excited to give her a try. However, I was disappointed with this book. Allyson, only child of a controlling mother, takes a senior jaunt to Europe and meets sexy Willem at an experimental staging of Shakespeare in England. They travel to Paris and spend one explosive day together. Allyson can't find him when she wakes, and makes the long journey back to America, shaken and rejected. She spends most of her Freshman semester in a serious funk, and only decides to try to find Willem in the last few chapters of the book.
I realize Forman means this to be a 'discovering oneself' novel (or at least I think that's what she was going for), but instead, Allyson came across as whiney for most of the book. Most of the novel, and I'm talking two thirds or more of the book, follows Allyson moping around college and pining for Willem.
I know teens can be rash and impulsive, but I found it difficult to believe that Allyson would fall so head over heels for a boy she only knew for 24 hours. It also seemed ridiculously dangerous to run off alone to Paris with a "mysterious actor" and take almost no money, and only have one friend know your whereabouts. I doubt many seniors in high school are that rash, and even if they are, I'm not sure it's a good idea to promote that kind of super risky behavior. Good grief...I sound like a total fuddy duddy, don't I? I swear I'm not, and I especially wasn't at eighteen.
I loved how Allyson got her act together and did something about her life at the end of the novel. My complaint is that it took too long to get to those scenes. I was restless for something to happen until the last few chapters.
That said, I do enjoy Forman's writing style. I was also thrilled to see Shakespeare introduced as a living, breathing part of people's lives. The readings of his work in Allyson's theater class are adept and modern.
Dee, the sexually ambiguous, semi-cross dressing black friend in Allyson's Shakespeare class, was my favorite character. I'd rather have followed him down a rabbit hole instead. Maybe next time?
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Wackobusiness
Posted Mon Feb 18 00:00:00 EST 2013
Uhh.. i dint read the book... whoops! i guess that means my rating is bull!
(when i made this i was the only 3 stars.. lil fun fact)
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2013
I loved this book. In my opinion a good book should suck you into the story and take you on the same emotional ride the charactor in the story is on, and this one did not dissapoint. When i received an ARC of this book i was a little leary about it, i did not care for If I Stay and was worried this book would be dissapointing too. I am so glad that i gave it a chance, so far it's the best book iv read this year.
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Posted Sat Feb 02 00:00:00 EST 2013
Loved the character development!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TheRomanceBookie
Posted Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2013
Highly recommend any books by Gayle Forman! They are all amazing!
I would recommend "Just One Day" to fans of Maureen Johnson's "13 Little Blue Envelopes" and Stephanie Perkins "Anna and the French Kiss", so if you enjoyed those, you'll be sure to enjoy this one!
Definitely read it!
Anonymous
Posted Mon Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2013
This is the first book I have read by Gayle Forman and I cannot wait to read her other books as I anticipate more of her work. ;)
Sometimes when something just resonates with an individual, it has the ultimate power to inspire. This is exactly what the book has done for me.
While reading this book in one day (haha) because I could not put it down, I found myself relating so much to Allyson "LuLu", which ultimately made me realize a lot about myself.
This book is truly something special.
Anonymous
Posted Wed Jan 16 00:00:00 EST 2013
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Anonymous
Posted Wed Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2013
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Overview
A breathtaking journey toward self discovery and true love, from the international bestselling author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson first encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem at an underground performance of Twelfth Night, there’s an undeniable spark. So when fate brings them together a second time, Allyson takes an uncharacteristic leap, changes course, and follows Willem to Paris. After just one day ...