Praise for Before I Fall: “Oliver’s debut novel is raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful....readers will love Samantha best as she hurtles toward an end as brave as it is heartbreaking.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for Before I Fall: “Samantha’s attempts to save her life and right the wrongs she has caused are precisely what will draw readers into this complex story and keep them turning pages until Sam succeeds in living her last day the right way.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)
Praise for Before I Fall: “Oliver, in a pitch-perfect teen voice, explores the power we have to affect the people around us in this intensely believable first novel...This is a compelling book with a powerful message and should not be missed.” - ALA Booklist
Praise for Before I Fall: “This story races forward, twisting in a new direction every few pages, its characters spinning my emotions from affection to frustration, anger to compassion. You’ll have no choice but to tear through this book!” - Jay Asher, author of the New York Times bestseller Thirteen Reasons Why
Praise for Before I Fall: “Before I Fall is smart, complex, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Lauren Oliver has written an extraordinary debut novel about what it means to live—and die.” - Carolyn Mackler, author of Tangled and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, a Printz Honor book
“A wonderfully imaginative, startlingly moving and at times wickedly funny fantasy. In her first work for middle-grade readers, the versatile Oliver (Before I Fall, 2010, and Delirium, 2011) deftly creates two worlds that run parallel, ‘like two mirrors sitting face-to-face.’ With nods to Dahl, Dickens, the Grimms and even Burnett, the author has made something truly original. Acedera’s frequent black-and-white illustrations are a perfect complement. An irresistible read: This book sings.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“With her third book, Lauren Oliver (Before I Fall; Delirium) creates another highly original world, this one for middle-grade readers. Oliver introduces orphans Liesl and Will, a touch of magic, some delectable coincidences, and friendship that stretches from the Living Side to the Other Side.” - Shelf Awareness
“Classic fairy tale elements weave throughout this spirited, old-fashioned adventure: a young girl locked in an attic, a wicked stepmother, an alchemist, an orphan boy running from a cruel master. Add two nearly identical boxes-one containing the ashes of 11-year-old Liesl’s recently deceased father, the other holding “the Most Powerful Magic in the World”-and mix them up, and excitement begins to break through the bleakness. An exhilarating chase ensues, as characters pursue the runaway children and the mixed-up boxes. Invigorating and hopeful, this novel testifies to the power of friendship and generosity to conquer greed and depression.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Classic fairy tale elements weave throughout this spirited, old-fashioned adventure. Invigorating and hopeful, this novel testifies to the power of friendship and generosity to conquer greed and depression.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“An absolute delight... The story is packed with mystery, murder, adventure, humour and magic, but above all it is a beautiful evocation of loss, tempered by the gradual blossoming of friendship, trust and hope. Although aimed at younger readers, the lightness of touch and the tenderness of the message could make grown men weep.” - Daily Mail (London)
“An absolute delight...Although aimed at younger readers, the lightness of touch and the tenderness of the message could make grown men weep.” - Daily Mail (London)
“A wonderfully imaginative, startlingly moving and at times wickedly funny fantasy. With nods to Dahl, Dickens, the Grimms and even Burnett, the author has made something truly original. Acedera’s frequent black-and-white illustrations are a perfect complement. An irresistible read: This book sings.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A gorgeous story--timeless and magical.” - Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me
“Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver brings much-needed magic to an increasingly neglected age group. It’s books like this, with its classic quest plot, intertwined with lyrical metaphysics, that can set a child up for life.” - The Sunday Telegraph
Praise for Delirium: “In [Oliver’s] dystopian America, love has been outlawed as the life-threatening source of all discord. Lena’s gradual awakening is set against a convincing backdrop of totalitarian horror. The abrupt ending leaves enough unanswered questions to set breathless readers up for volume two of this trilogy.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Praise for Delirium: “Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society, and nagging questions that can be applied to our world today make this book especially compelling and discussable.” - School Library Journal (starred review)
“With her third book, Lauren Oliver (Before I Fall; Delirium) creates another highly original world, this one for middle-grade readers. It’s a Dickensian world in which children are often orphaned and put to work in factories or grueling apprenticeships. Into this lonely landscape, Oliver introduces orphans Liesl and Will, a touch of magic, some delectable coincidences, and friendship that stretches from the Living Side to the Other Side. At the heart of the novel is the love between father and daughter that proves the permeability between the Living Side and the Other Side. Liesl will not give up until she can honor her father’s final wishes and also say goodbye. This book’s healing message will offer comfort to children living with the absence of a loved one, and its swift plotting will sweep them up in the adventure.” - Shelf Awareness