Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

 Imagine  you were dead. Sounds impossible right? Now imagine you wake up in an unfamiliar bed, in a strange room on a ship headed to Elsewhere, almost as if it were a dream. Welcome to Liz's new life.

Elsewhere--the place where one goes to after they die to start their new life. A place where you age backwards and spend your days doing the "job" you love.

Liz Hall is a typical fifteen year old girl. Excited about driving, high school graduation and college. Everything changes when she is hit by a taxi and dies. Liz finds herself on a new journey in Elsewhere.

Liz thinks this is all just a dream; the ship, her  new friend and roommate Thandi, and her death. Well, to be fair, Liz doesn't understand that she is in fact, dead. It takes a little while before Liz adjusts to her new life. She is welcomed off the ship by Betty, her long departed grandma who she had never met before (Betty passed away from breast cancer when Liz's mom was pregnant with her). Betty is so excited to meet her granddaughter. Liz was happy to meet her grandmother, to be dead, not so much.

It takes a while for Liz to adjust. For months after her arrival, Liz spends all of her time (and Betty's money) at the observation deck, watching the lives of her friends and family back on Earth. Liz is stuck in a slump, will she ever get out?

Can Liz learn to love her new life in Elsewhere? Or will missing life back on Earth cause her to make the wrong decisions? 
Read Elsewhere to find out! 

I really liked this book, I couldn't put it down- I mean, I read it in two days! Though I thought the topic was a little strange and unlike most of the books I usually read, it was a unique and interesting concept. One thing I really took away from the book is that life is short, and we must appreciate the small things. Though they might not seem like a big deal at the time, when it matters most, the small things will be the most memorable. Another thing, sometimes one is put into a situation that can't be changed. Instead of being upset, try to make the best of it, you might find thinking positive will actually make the situation a whole lot better. I think this book is appropriate for teenagers since the topic of the book might be difficult for younger children. 

Favorite quote:
"In the end, the end of life only matters to friends, family, and other folks you used to know... for everyone else, it's just another end."

Time to go read another book,

Mollie