Michelle Falkoff

Playlist for the Dead

★★★☆☆
3.00 STARS 

It was so sudden for me to read this book. I actually had no plan picking this up, it was just a second-quick decision after seeing an ebook of this from my workmate's files. 

It was actually a quick and easy read. I got through it smoothly and it was something not most books can do. It was not the best depiction of suicide for me, though. And there was a lacking aspect, too, that I can't pinpoint. The part where each characters' situations got tangled into the very center of the story kind of threw me off. It felt, I don't know, forced? Forced to be tangled into one another just so it can create the very twist of the story. I don't even really know if my words were making any sense. It just made me feel like there should be something more to it. 

Also, it made me wonder if the playlist was somehow relevant to the story? Because as for me, it was a bit off since I thought it would be a huge contribution to the story but I ended up thinking it was kind of not that necessary and the story can moved on pretty well without it.

Despite that, I was actually quite okay with this story. I liked and enjoyed it enough.

Melissa Palmer

Book #4 Read in 2015
Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff

Sam goes to visit his friend Hayden and finds that he has overdoses and killed himself. Sam finds a playlist of music left behind for him, with a note from Hayden that this will help explain why he committed suicide. Sam begins to realize that he did not know his best friend as well as he thought he did. Sam begins to follow the musical trail Hayden left for him, in the hopes of finding the reason for this tragedy and perhaps easing his own guilt.

This was a powerful, but quick, read. It showed the effects of bullying and not fitting in socially on young people. Both male and female teenage readers could relate to this book. It is well written and the characters are complex and interesting. I recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a honest review.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale, 'Playlist for the Dead' is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, what it feels like to outgrow a friendship that's always defined you - and the struggle to redefine yourself.

Ary Dias 

Como é mais fácil para mim expressar-me por imagens aqui vai: 😍❤️💔

Victoria Oge-Evans

this was a nice slow paced book to read. I loved the character development but i still feel like i didn’t get answers from the playlist

“A page-turner that combines genuine intrigue with heartbreak and desire.” —Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, Sam’s best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs and a suicide note: For Sam—listen and you’ll understand. To figure out what happened, Sam has to rely on the playlist and his own memory. But the more he listens, the more he realizes that his memory isn’t as reliable as he thought. And it might only be by taking out his earbuds and opening his eyes to the people around him that he’ll finally be able to piece together his best friend’s story. And maybe have a chance to change his own. Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale in the vein of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Spectacular Now, Michelle Falkoff’s debut novel is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, and what if feels like to outgrow a friendship that’s always defined you—and the struggle to redefine yourself.

Nursyuhada Zainul

"People are going to say a lot of things. And some of it will be helpful, and some of it will be annoying, and lots of it will get on your nerves. But they're saying it because people said those things to them, or because they found it helpful when they lost someone. They mean well."


It's just meh for me. 

Here are the reasons why:

1- The whole storyline, is predictable, as easy as that. There's no twist or plots that gives me chills wondering why Hayden decided to take his own life. We all know that his life is not all about shines and glitters, and it is sucks to have a brother like Ryan. But, in my honest opinion, the author can do better than this.

2 - The playlist. What are for: all the songs? Don't get me wrong, the playlist are cool, and the songs too. However, I think we all can agree that the songs doesn't connected to what's happening with Hayden at all. Like I don't get it, he left a note to Sam, and hoping that he could understand as he listen to the playlist. I don't get it. If I was Sam, I'm like, okay, I listened but then what? 
Perhaps the author can relate the lyrics or leave a hints or clues to Sam (and the readers) to leave us wonder behind the reason Hayden's death.

3 - Characters. Honestly, it's everyone's fault and responsible for Hayden's death. The moment Astrid shows up, that's when I knew that she know so much more what Sam didn't know. And as I said, its all predictable. Funny about Sam - how he can forgive Ryan but not Astrid? 

4 - Ending. I hate how this book ends. Mystery solved, yey, Sam is moving on and shut himself from everyone he used to be friends with, and look, he has become a better person now, cheers! Ugh, once again, this could end way better.

But hey, at least this book deserve a star, ⭐!

And the only star goes to the awesome songs I discovered while going through the chapters. Found a playlist of Spotify (which honestly a lot more easier) and hey, it's not that bad. At least Hayden's playlist are much better than the book it self.

So my only conclusion is, ditch the book & enjoy the playlist. Trust me, you will agree.

Enjoy the playlist on Spotify, I'll leave the link below:

https://open.spotify.com/user/1287794...

Bella 

It was an Ok book, not a wow one but it was a pleasant read. The music recommendations tho... wow very incel of Hayden and Sam (Smiths? Radiohead? Buckley?)

Bb Blackmore 

I absolutely love the book and the way it was written. It was a bit weird at times with the whole love interest and things. But apart from that Ioved to read it

Asrin Juinio

** spoiler alert **
           thought dump;

i was close to giving it a 2.5 star due to it’s mediocrity (& how boring i found certain parts) but i really found myself enjoying the central message of the book in the importance of trying to listen and understand people. people are people and we should learn to empathise with them more in order to make them feel like they belong. i wholeheartedly agree with and appreciate the message given.

— along with the message of how there are certain aspects in life in which we will never receive answers for and we have to learn to accept this in order to truly move on in life. it‘s a really applicable message along with the previous one stated. 

i also liked the minor lgbtq & mental health rep this book gave within its different characters. it was subtle and i liked it.

the whole idea of a playlist being interconnected with each chapter of the book was cute too (though i didn’t follow it) it’s a creative idea that i’m sure enhanced other reader’s experiences through making them feel more engaged with the story and the protagonist’s (i forgot his name) feelings. 

however, overall the book was... plain? then again it’s a book about a teen dealing with the after effects of his friend’s suicide; how engaging can it get? i just never found myself engaged with the events of the story. this could be because i felt disinterested in the cast of characters who all seemed fairly plain? (the typical high school loser, the mysterious punk girlfriend, the bullies, etc., etc.)

3/5. pretty mediocre but with a well-done message.

iris

i hate this book SO MUCH
the glorification of it all?? fat yikes 
imma burn the book now

Victoria Grace

This book didn't teach me anything but feed on what I already knew. It was a good read. I loved the ending and it was a easy read even if it took me ages to get though it. I loved learning about all the different characters and the songs where just great! I didn't give it 5 stars because something just didn't feel right and I still can't put my finger on it. One of my favourite things about this book is that it was written in Sam's POV I believe that it wouldn't of worked any other way.

 Bruna Acioly Leão

2.5 stars

This book really kind of rubbed me off the wrong way.
I was mildly interested in the plot (just sort of curious to see where it was going), but most of the characters fell completely flat and I think the whole issue of suicide was sugar-coated. I didn't like how the suicide was used as mystery plot and how every character felt entitled to "know the reason" behind it.

The reason behind suicide is a severe mental illness + lack of interpersonal and professional support. It is not due to specific sufferings, but it is more of a general state of depression. There shouldn't be a mystery to be solved about it. There should be an understanding that a person was in so much pain they felt the need to take their own life. There should be grief and hopelessness. There should be a sense of no going back. There is no closure after a suicide. A suicide represents everyone's failure to recognize the suffering of a person that was close to them.

That's how I feel anyway, and I don't think this was explored quite as it should have been.

Playlist for the Dead

Reviews