Novels for young teenagers do not usually feature drugs and casual sex within the first 20-odd pages. But most books for teenagers will not leave an adult reader's eyes so blurry with tears that it's hard to see the final chapters. Jenny Downham's extraordinary first novel does both

This is an affecting and brave novel. Tessa is such a rich character . . . For everyone, it is a reminder to value the people that matter, seize the moment, wish with courage, adventure with relish, even if it's just a trip to the swimming pool, drinking hot chocolate or driving down a dual carriageway in the rain

Destined to drive hundreds of thousands of readers to tears and to swift injunctions to all their friends to read it

Before I Die is so real, so sad, so true - and I so wish I'd written it myself

Tough but tender, angry rather than resigned, Tessa is an appealing heroine whose company is never less than bracing

It's a novel that won't fail to touch those who read it, and despite the melancholy subject matter it manages to be hugely life-affirming. A book that will make you happy to be alive. 5 stars

A work of great humanity and profound empathy. I defy anyone not to cry reading this book

Downham's prose is brave and bare, her characters relentlessly realistic

This is an oddly uplifting novel. It's about love and friendship and family. It deals with death, but it's a hymn to life

Writing about dying children can sometimes seem too easy a target for instant emotion but [Downham] always does much better than that

Captivating and emotionally turbulent this extrordinary book is ultimately a celebration of life

This excellent novel is not for the faint hearted, but it deserves to be very widely read

Gripping, heart-wrenching

Massively entertaining

An enjoyable romp.

Definitely worth the wait

Fun, fast paced, action focused plot with massive appeal in terms of huge doses of pop culture references.

Video games come to life in this witty, extraterrestrial thriller

Cline once again brings crackling humor and fanboy knowledge to a zesty, crowd-pleasing, countdown-clock, save-the-planet tale featuring an unlikely hero, adrenaline-pumping action, gawky romance, and touching family moments.…Cline’s sly, mind-twisting premise and energetically depicted and electrifying high-tech battles make for smart, frenetic, and satisfying entertainment.

The obscure and the popular bounce around in Cline’s head like asteroids in the classic arcade game of the same name. And when these references are combined with Cline’s fantastic storytelling ability and manage to find their way onto a blank page, something special happens.

Another cracking adventure…a fun, affectionate homage to gaming, gamers and big splodey sci-fi action, and you'll read it with a grin on your face. And maybe shed a couple of tears, too. It definitely deserves a place in your suitcase this summer.

A quick witted, action-packed, nerdy dedication to the little gamer inside me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book…A definite recommendation to anyone!

Cline’s cast of characters and dialogue in Armada is superb. It’s action packed and the pace is relentless making for a fast read… Armada is heaps of fun and well worth the trip down memory lane.

The writing is fluid, filled with brilliant dialogue, a solid cast and lots of action…hugely enjoyable, especially the big dose of 80s- esque story that Armada serves up. It’s straightforward fun with little twist or turns but just like the movies it references, it’s awesome.

This book is absolute geek heaven

An extremely cool and quirky science fiction adventure, stacked full of hilarious and fitting pop culture references. Cline has created a fast paced and engaging story using a perfect blend of humour, futuristic tech and video-game like action sequences.

Ernest Cline is a genius in every sense of the word…This was truly wonderful, everything I had hoped it would be, and then heaps and heaps more.

Release your inner nerd and rejoice!

Armada is a gamer’s fantasy come true.

thriller-like plotting…immensely readable

It’s a hoot, from beginning to end

Literally everything I could ask for

A highly rewarding journey…thoroughly enjoyable fiction.

Armada is a journey towards emotional intelligence and understanding, a journey towards some questions answered, others posed – huge questions they are too. Armada’s a good ‘un.

A surprising thriller, a coming of age, space-fighting adventure which will thrill sci-fi fans and gamers alike.

It is often said that the best novels are those that don’t waste any time – the ones that grip the reader from the very first line. Armada does this better than perhaps any other book I’ve read.This book is a love-letter to the science fiction genre. It’s a concentrated shot of sci-fi nerdery that’s definitely worth experiencing.

Armada is fun, so go enjoy it for the first time… or the second.