YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

How do you get through every day when you think you should be dead?

Elle is 13 when she realizes she is not meant to be here. Telling her parents lands her in therapy and on anti-depressants, and by the age of 16 nothing has changed…

It doesn't stop Elle trying to get through her days in one piece, however. And when she finds out that her favorite band is playing at a nearby festival she faces the challenge of persuading her parents to let her out of their sight. Getting that right is going to take a lot of work, but she needs them to let her go – and she doesn’t mean only to the concert.

Bad-tempered best friend Libby is hatching all sorts of plans, and their ticket to the festival may just be Sam, a boy who seems to want to be more than just friends. Elle doesn’t have the energy for a boyfriend, though, but does she even have a choice? Because something weird happens every time she and Sam are in the same room…

The Day We Are Born is about best friends, being a daughter, and falling in love for the first time.


The Day We Are Born is the first novel in the Elements series. Each novel is a stand-alone book, linked by its connection to one or more of the elements - earth, wind, fire and water.

The Day We Are Born (Elements #1) by Philippa Cameron will be our first Indie GBR for September 2015.

Please read at your own pace, and hide any spoilers ☺ You are welcome to join at any time during the month ☺

Happy Reading Everybody!

Pre-Reading Questions -

Anybody got any thoughts on this one before we start?

Has anyone read anything similar to this before?

Anybody read anything else by this author previously?

Just bought it! A friend read it recently and loved it - she said it was very moving, but also funny and heartwarming, and beautifully written, so I'm looking forward to the group read!

Already got it. On my TBR list, and this will be my first ever Group Buddy read!
I checked out Philippa Cameron's page: this is her first book, and there's a free novella that comes after it (it looks like you can actually download it from the GoodReads page), and her next book will be out later this year.

Guys, I read this as an ARC... and loved it! Some people have said it has shades of John Green, Gayle Forman and Rainbow Rowell, and I agree, although I think the author has an original voice of her own. I read it at the end of last year, so maybe I'll read it along with you again...

Sorry to be missing this buddy read - I just finished it! But I will follow your comments to see what you think. It'll definitely touch you if you have any experience with depression, whether its yourself or someone close to you, but you also don't have to have any clue about it to get something out of it - it's an awesome story all on its own! Very good contemporary YA. Enjoy!

Oh, and I'm excited to hear she has another book coming out later this year!

Welcome to the group guys, don't remember seeing any of you around here before so hope you all enjoy buddy reading ☺

Sarah wrote: "Welcome to the group guys, don't remember seeing any of you around here before so hope you all enjoy buddy reading ☺"

I've been a buddy reading stalker!! Never done one before, so I've been watching how it's done - now I'm ready...I hope!

Olivia wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Welcome to the group guys, don't remember seeing any of you around here before so hope you all enjoy buddy reading ☺"

ok can i join this reading buddy here that on this group here?"

Hi Olivia, yip, this is where you join up - and we all start reading on September 7...

Chapter 1-3: Great start to the book - really feeling the darkness. I enjoy stories with strong female friendships, and I think this is developing into one of them. Also liking the water imagery. (view spoiler)[Did not see the wheelchair part coming! Love the way it is introduced! (hide spoiler)]

Keira wrote: "Chapter 1-3: Great start to the book - really feeling the darkness. I enjoy stories with strong female friendships, and I think this is developing into one of them. Also liking the water imagery. [..."

(view spoiler)[ I didn't expect that either! (hide spoiler)]

10% (view spoiler)[ the thing about her parents making her take the bus in a wheelchair seemed quite harsh! (hide spoiler)]

18% (view spoiler)[ this book just reminds me of myself so much. I totally hated sunday nights because of school the next morning, and I definitely had more bad days than good days. (hide spoiler)]

25% (view spoiler)[ I thought this seeing things in sepia was a metaphore, but its like she seriously doesn't see colours on bad days?! (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]"

A friend of mine who suffers from depressive episodes once described it as when her world has no colour - so it felt freaky to read that she's not the only one!

50% Had an evening free and got lost in this... (view spoiler)[ I found the beginning a little slow-going but then got caught up in it. I like the way it's building up to something - little clues are given and her back story filled in - I feel like I am getting to know Elle more and more. Libby is irritating me, but I guess she is supposed to be, so it's working. I love how the author has linked the two conditions - depression and disability. I think she's saying that depression is hard to deal with because no one can necessarily see it. But that at other times, Elle likes that no one can see it. I am also enjoying the water imagery - took me awhile to see that's why it's called the Elements series - this is the water one! Oh, and I am crushing a little on Sam! (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "10% [spoilers removed]"

It does!

Sarah wrote: "18% [spoilers removed]"

Snap.

Sarah wrote: "25% [spoilers removed]"

I thought that was crazy too!

I am enjoying the book so far.
I was on a plane reading and took some notes. So here are some posts I had written.

Chapter 3: (view spoiler)[I am glad that she found a person who understands her. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[ I like the information about Elle and her family. It's nice for her character development. I also like the change from what I was starting to feel like was just a rant of sadness and bad days. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11: (view spoiler)[ It it the beginning of a budding romance? (hide spoiler)]

The end (view spoiler)[ that ending?!?!?!?!?! Such a cliff-hanger!! (hide spoiler)]

Amanda P wrote: "I am enjoying the book so far.
I was on a plane reading and took some notes. So here are some posts I had written.

Chapter 3: [spoilers removed]

Chapter 7: [spoilers removed]

Chapter 11: [spoile..."

(view spoiler)[I was also finding it a bit dark, but now enjoying the interspersing of her 'ordinary' teenage life (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 4- 23
(view spoiler)[ Flying through it now! Finding the parts with her mother very moving. And holding thumbs for Sam! Nice inclusion of love interest to lighten it a bit, although I can still feel Elle's heaviness as she negotiates her depression. I like the way Elle has turned her depression into a river - or rather, has turned her response to it into a river - have I got this right?? (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ This book is killing me! I am chuckling at the dialogue one minute, then it feels as if my heart is breaking in the next. Roller coaster... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34 (view spoiler)[ "And then I realized what was wrong...It hit me for the first time that one day she was going to die. And my dad was going to die. And everybody was going to die." I remember feeling like this! I can't remember how old I was but I do remember it was the worst feeling ever. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44 (view spoiler)[ "Our eyes lock and it takes every ounce of my strength not to reach out across the table, take his face in my hands, and kiss him. I guess I'm stronger than Sam. Because that's exactly what he does to me." Love it! Getting caught up in the romance side! (hide spoiler)]

Sarah wrote: "18% [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Agreed! Sunday nights were the worst! And those dark days - I was thinking about her saying she doesn't see in color and what a great way it is to describe it - not sure if she means it literally, but I think I understand what she means - all the color going out of life, because maybe it's color that makes things beautiful. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 44 - end (view spoiler)[ Okay, I confess: I cried at the end. I think it was shock more than anything. I know it's written sort of open-ended, so I guess we decide what happens, and maybe it's my dark side coming out, but I don't think she makes it...

"my river is lapping against me as my anxiety levels rise" - wow, I know that feeling exactly!

"the clouds are paler now, as if shocked by the fierceness of the storm" - awesome imagery

I loved the scene at the festival - the band, the dancing and, of course, the kissing!

But still, the ending has left me sad... (hide spoiler)]

Keira wrote: "Chapter 44 -"

(view spoiler)[ there's a novella set after this that you can read for free on goodreads which explains things a bit... (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10.. I gotta say it is different from anything I have read before... I honestly find it a little unsettling. But that's just me... I keep reading great comments about it so maybe it gets better...

42% ok I can see now why its popular. Sooo liking it....

65%. I love all the characters! They each make this story so much more enjoyable. Getting this far puts many things into prospective. I hope it continues to get better and better... now I must sleep... to be continued...

75%-100% (view spoiler)[Emotionally wrung out! And if you've got to the ending, you know why, of course! But... building up to the end, I enjoyed the whole story - getting to know why Elle's parents are scared for her, learning a bit more about Libby (and understanding that, yes, she is that hardcore! liking her more for it), getting closer to Sam (mmmm), understanding why a simple thing like going to a concert is such a big deal. I didn't see the ending coming. I was winding down from all the emotions and it hit me, I guess, like the truck that hit them! I haven't been able to stop thinking about the ending - about whether or not it is the end, about if Elle does dies, how that impacts on everyone else. So of course, I don't want her to be dead, but I have a horrible feeling that she is... And if she is, maybe that is what she wanted, so we shouldn't be sad for her. She was so exhausted, but also she was doing so much better. I don't know! But thumbs up to the author - I love it when a book stays with me afterwards and makes me think. (hide spoiler)]

Keira wrote: "Chapter 44 [spoilers removed]"

I love that quote!

Sarah wrote: "The end [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I know, I know! It killed me! And I can't stop thinking about it... (hide spoiler)]

Cinthia wrote: "Chapter 10.. I gotta say it is different from anything I have read before... I honestly find it a little unsettling. But that's just me... I keep reading great comments about it so maybe it gets b..."

You have used the perfect word to describe this book - unsettling. It's a roller coaster - I never quite knew how I was feeling - happy/sad/both at the same time.

Done! ;( To whoever suggested this read.. thank you.. to the author: Awesome book. I have to say I thought I was not going to like this book but I sincerely LOVED it.. I cant wait for the next one..

Have you guys read the free novella that happens after this book? You can download it for free on Goodreads here - https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down...

Sarah wrote: "Have you guys read the free novella that happens after this book? You can download it for free on Goodreads here - https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down..."

Awesome!! I will read it later today...

How do you all finish so quickly! Still chugging along slowly over here.

Keira wrote: "Chapter 44 - end Okay, I confess: I cried at the end. I think it was shock more than anything. I know it's written sort of open-ended, so I guess we decide what happens, and maybe it's my dark sid..."

I love that anxiety quote too!

Sarah wrote: "Have you guys read the free novella that happens after this book? You can download it for free on Goodreads here - https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down..."

Just finished it... (view spoiler)[My worst fears confirmed! Also mixed feelings - glad to see everyone else is okay but sad that their lives are moving on without Elle. But I feel more satisfied with the ending now, and can put it to rest! (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ I liked who this book showed depression as real, but also allowed her to have a real life. I enjoyed the romance aspect that began to occur towards the end. Sad ending, but also peaceful. (hide spoiler)]

Jenna wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Have you guys read the free novella that happens after this book? You can download it for free on Goodreads here - https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down..."

J..."

(view spoiler)[ it's so sad that it seems like she's really gone! (hide spoiler)]

Took me awhile to find this thread! But just had to let you guys know that Philippa Cameron has released a second full-length novel - I read it in one sitting this last weekend, and I loved it! Different to her first book although her writing style is the same - thank goodness - but the topic is different, and it's fill of suspense, which is why I ended up reading it in one go! It's called Every Move I Have Made - would love to hear what you think. Maybe someone could suggest it as a group read? I'll read it again with you!!