Here Lies Bridget by: Paige Harbison

Title: Here Lies Bridget
Author: Paige Harbison
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shelves: Young Adult, Contemporary
Recommended for Fans Of: Lisi Harrison, Sara Zarr, Jessi Kirby

Synopsis: Bridget Duke has it all. A famous father, all the clothes and friends money can buy, and the entire school at her feet. But does she really have it all? Maybe all Bridget truly has is a distant dad, a deceased mother, and a broken heart. Minutes away from her death, Bridget is about to face the truths she's always been hidden from. Take a journey down the roads of life in Paige Harbison's clever and harrowing novel that shows just how broken one girl can be.

Review: So this was me after I finished the book:

Here Lies Bridget was... so much more than I thought it would be. I was expecting a light, contemporary novel, but I was not expecting all these EMOTIONS. I have so much to say about this book, but I don't think I can really capture the true essence of this novel in one review. But I can try? Here I go.

Characters: Bridget seems like your average mean girl; spoiled and unrelenting. But she was so much more than that! She learned to love and she learned to mourn loss. She dealt with things that made her feel sad and lonely, and put her childhood had put her on the wrong track for her teenage years. This doesn't excuse her behavior towards the people she like to terrorize, but I had real compassion for Bridget.

I have to admit that I never hate the mean girls in books. I have read so many books starring these types of characters that I've learned not to judge too much and to try to see their sides of the story. Sometimes, this doesn't always work out and I DON'T see a reason to feel bad for a certain character, but Bridget just kind of struck my heart.

I don't really have much else to say about the other characters, mainly because I either liked them or I didn't. Bridget's friends had problems too, and I didn't try to dwell on that, because to be honest, most of them were no better than Bridget herself.

Writing: Through Paige's fabulous writing, I was able to connect with Bridget, and I was so glad to be able to see her opinions and her thoughts. I understood her, and why she acted the way she did. At the end, she became a much-loved character, and for me, this is the sign of an amazing author.

Plot: Here Lies Bridget had a very interesting storyline. It starts off with Bridget going through her days leading up to the car accident. Then, in between moments of life and death, she has to relive the events of the past couple of days through other people's eyes. I found this really intriguing and original. Not only did Paige allow us insight into Bridget's mind, but also the minds of other people as well. This concept in itself is fascinating, and I wish other YA contemporary writers would write a story like this. 

Conclusion: I was so impressed with this book by Paige Harbison, who is definitely an author to watch. Like I said before, Here Lies Bridget is a clever and harrowing novel that will be on your mind for days to come.

xoxo,
Fiction_TheNewReality