Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Mountain climbing is like a drug, it is something you need, but you also know it can kill you. Great story about two families who have planned the climb of a lifetime on Mt. Everest and the reality of the dangers that await them

I have never dreamed of climbing Mount Everest—nor will I ever—but it was an interesting read. I imagined going there was hard, I hadn't known how much. I really liked this story, going up and higher with two eighteen-year-olds and their courage and fear, liked the bits about the locals and the unique, deadly business of helping tourists realize their dreams. All the characters were very likable, which is definitely a plus. I'd recommend this book to young YA.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review, and congratulations to the author, who, in spite of not having summited the Roof of the World, really manages to make you feel like she has.

This is it, guys - my last ARC of 2019. Whoa. Crazy, right? 

Okay, first off. That cover! Easily one of the prettiest covers I've seen this year. That was what initially drew me in but it was the premise - when else are you ever going to find a YA book about teenage mountaineers climbing Mt. Everest? - that made me request it. And to that end, it definitely lived up to my expectations. But in other ways, it really didn't. Let me explain: 

Starting off with the good, the author clearly did her homework. In the author's note, Levy mentioned having taken several research trips to Nepal (where this book is set) while writing "Above All Else," and it seriously shows. The setting is incredibly well-captured with the kind of detail that only someone who'd seen the places they were describing firsthand would be able to capture. And although I don't know enough about mountaineering to say whether the process of the climb was portrayed accurately, it certainly seemed to be. It was obvious that the author's research on Nepal, mountaineering, and Mt. Everest had been exhaustive. That level of detail made for a great sports/adventure novel even when other aspects of the plot fell short. 

I also liked that it struck a balance of life issues and climbing issues. Though Rose and Tate's quest to climb Mt. Everest was obviously the driving plotline, Levy did well in incorporating the kids' real-life issues into the central conflict. Both have very believable issues with their families (Rose's mother is ill, Tate constantly clashes with his father) and in their personal lives (Tate has ADHD and mild PTSD from a climbing accident, Rose and Tate have feelings for each other that they don't know how to process) that get in the way of their focus on climbing the mountain. And I loved the exploration of what going though such a grueling experience does to you not only physically, but morally and psychologically. I'd never thought about this, but Levy makes in an excellent point in emphasizing that accomplishing a goal that requires so much of you, and that carries such a high risk, really does change you in that it requires absolute self-centeredness. The constant refrain of "is any achievement really worth becoming a person you hate for?" is fascinating. And none of this felt like a distraction from the plot as a whole. But...there was ONE subplot that absolutely did not earn that distinction. 

You'll almost never hear me say this, but I honestly thought this book would have been stronger without the romance. 

I know. I KNOW. Me, who will literally always be in favor of a romance being shoehorned into absolutely everything, not wanting one? Shocking. But seriously. For a few reasons, I really wished Rose and Tate had just been friends. 

Firstly: their personal issues were poignant enough without the romance that it wasn't needed to give the book emotional depth. Plain and simple, it was unnecessary, and there was almost no way in which it actually served the plot. It may have been a contributing factor to a big fight they had late in the book, but there were so many other reasons that happened that I can't very well say that their burgeoning romance caused it. Basically, it accomplished nothing - I felt like it was there just to be there. 

Secondly: it came out of nowhere. I know they were best friends, but other than one description of Rose blushing at an accidental touch, there had been absolutely no indication that their love for each other extended beyond a deep platonic bond until Tate kissed her out of the blue around the 40% mark. It was just...weird. They had a great friendship, and I was really hoping it would stay that way because there was no indication that it wouldn't before that kiss (except in the summary that I didn't read carefully enough), but nope. I'm almost never the "just let the girl and guy who obviously care deeply about each other be friends" person, but this book was an exception. 

And lastly: the way the romantic subplot was written sort of fell into the "stereotypically hormonal teenagers" trap so much that, I'm sorry to say, at times it kind of read like fanfiction. It's not that it was badly written; the comparison is more just in that this book took every possible excuse to get them in bed together. Even if I wasn't Super Uncomfortable with sexy stuff in books (I gravitate towards adventure stories partly because they have less of that since you can't very well get scandalous when you're fighting for your life...I was wrong), that would have been weird. There was a good 20% in the middle that I had to skim because it got so much more graphic than I was comfortable with. I'm not sure how realistic it was that they went from childhood besties to Uncomfortably Physical after ONE KISS while FACING CERTAIN DEATH? Idk man. It was weird. 

All of that sounds super harsh, and I feel bad for being so hard on this book when I actually did really enjoy it. I love sports and adventure books, and the setting was novel and excellently-realized, and I liked the characters (especially the supporting cast), and really, the romance didn't kill it because *SPOILER* they get separated right after they get together, so it's not that much of the book *END SPOILER*. And there was one scene at the end that genuinely made me want to cheer. "Above All Else" was a gripping adventure that I greatly enjoyed - its only major flaw was that it tried to be a romance when it really wasn't. 

ENDNOTES

Favorite Scene: at the end, when Tate conquers his internal demons for long enough to rescue some dying climbers who no one else was willing to help - that was the best moment of this entire book by far. 

What Made This Book Stand Out: the novelty of the setting and premise, and its impeccably-researched descriptions of Nepal and mountaineering. 

One-Sentence Summary: man, this mountain is really out to get these kids...

Something that Bugged Me: ...didn't I already beat that dead horse enough times? 

Adult Content: quite a bit of language, TONS of making out (described pretty graphically), and at least one sex scene that's sort of described but I'm not really sure to what extent because I skipped over that section. 

Overall Rating: 4/5 Confused Llamas

This is quite different from the other books I have read by this author, but I enjoyed it! Both Rose and Tate have clear motivations and their attraction to each other and their clashes felt real. Teens who love climbing, the outdoors, and adventure will like this book.

Above All Else is a story about two best friends who instead of finishing their last months of high school in their town decide to climb Mount Everest. Both Rose and Tate have worked for this almost their entire lives and it is heartbreaking when Rose's mum is not able to come. However, Rose, Tate and his father Jordan still go and what an adventure awaits them!
I think the author has done excellent work researching mountain climbing. I have no personal experience but I had a girl in my class who went mountain climbing every year. It is an incredibly difficult....passion. But it truly has to be a passion in order for you to succeed in it. I really enjoyed this book. I think it was realistic and I read it in one sitting. Some people have mentioned that the relationship was not necessary but I think it came rather naturally and really hoped for them to work out. I think that it was age-appropriate, and let's be honest - teenagers are selfish! So I did not think it was overly dramatic or anything.
I definitely cried at the end.
Thank you for providing me an ARC in exchange dor an honest review.

I've never really been interested in climbing and Everest and all those things, but I felt very attracted to this book.
I learned a lot about climbing Everest (and comforted me in the idea that I'll never ever go this high), and this was my favorite part of the book. The romance did not take too much place, and the balance between the characters' personal problems and their climbing doubts was perfectly found.
It made me cry (several times), it scared me, and it made me feel addicted. I could not put this book down, it is a real page-turner.
I would 100% recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this amazing book!!

I have climbed one mountain, it was 11,000 feet and I barely made it to the top. Even the idea of climbing Everest scares me! This book taught be so much about climbing and climbing Everest. I had a hard time picturing some of the scenes, but I watched multiple YouTube videos in conjunction that it much more interesting. The idea that 18 year olds doing that climb was insane. I really enjoyed the character development of both the main and supporting characters, the plot, and those last 100 pages have you biting your nails. Good read!

Above All Else is a story that is not for the faint of heart.

Fueled by the desire to climb the highest and most dangerous mountain in the world, Rose and Tate's friendship has always been united by their common dream to summit Mount Everest. Together with Rose's mother and Tate's father, the adventurous group of four has spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars chasing the most challenging of climbs.

Rose and Tate have no idea what is in store for them as they head out to climb Mount Everest. Trial-after-trial comes their way. At first, Rose must face the trip without her mother. Then, Tate has a horrible accident that should have taken his life. Add in a friendship between the two that seems to be turning into more, and you have the makings for a great YA novel.

Above All Else is a story of love and adventure. Rose and Tate are complicated characters that are trapped between their fears, their dreams, and a life-risking climb ahead of themselves. They know there is no way they will be able to face the journey ahead unless they band together.

But Everest has a way of breaking even the toughest at heart, Tate's accident has set him into a series of panic attacks. He doesn't want to let Rose down, but something inside him has broken. Rose is growing weaker and quieter as the months summitting Mount Everest take their toll.

Will the two be able to make it to the top of Mount Everest? Will their friendship even survive? Will they?

Be sure to read Above All Else, by Dana Alison Levy, to find out!

This fantastic story filled with romance and adventure will appeal to a wide variety of YA readers. The combination of an incredibly unique setup (teens climbing Mt. Everest) with universal themes of friendship, family, and first love create an engaging and heartfelt book. The additional information at the end of the book was fascinating as well. Highly recommended.

This review will be posted on my blog closer to the publication date.
I have never been an athletic person. In fact, I’m pretty much as far as you can get from athleticism. But Above All Else makes me want to climb a mountain. The way the characters talked about climbing was so inspirational and the passion was so evident. Dana Alison Levy took multiple trips to Mount Everest to ensure the book is factually correct and the detail when talking about the streets of Nepal to the actual climbing on the mountain was so intricate and as far as I know accurate. The work that went into making this book is definitely worth it.

The writing in this book was so good that it made me care about things I would otherwise not care about at all. Above All Else is told with alternating perspectives in the past and present from the perspective of both main characters. Normally books told in this format, have one section that is more interesting but I found all sections equally fascinating. The voice of this novel seemed younger than the actual age of the main characters / audience the book is marketed as. It reminded me a bit of the Eric Walters books that were commonly read in my elementary schools except there was some mature content in Above All Else.

The past was focused on preparation for the climb. On Rose’s side, her concern over her mother’s illness is the main focus and on Tate’s side, his anxiety stemming from a climbing accident is his main struggle. This section was quite interesting and introduces themes that are present throughout the novel. As Rose’s mother’s illness progresses and inhibits her from climbing, Rose feels more and more guilty that she still can climb. This contrasted Tate’s progressive lack of interest in climbing and was an interesting source of conflict between the characters.

I really enjoyed the friendship between the two main characters, Rose and Tate. They were both good complex characters and I really enjoyed them on their own too. But the romantic aspect of their relationship felt so unnecessary. I think the book would have been stronger without it as their friendship was so strong. There was plenty of mountain drama anyways, without having to incorporate teen relationship drama.

It was super interesting seeing how climbing such a difficult mountain like Mount Everest changed the characters. During the climb, all the characters become more selfish but perhaps that is why they were successful. The book also touched on some of the controversy surrounding climbing Mount Everest.

Final thoughts: 4.5 stars. If you ever wondered about climbing Mount Everest but are realistic and know it’s never going to happen, this book is for you.

This book... Wow!!

What a wild ride! Self... meet book hangover, for DAYS!!

Levy's research is evident throughout this entire book. I feel as though I've been to Everest myself and came back with the scars to prove it!

Never have I ever lent a single thought in the direction of desire to climb Mt. Everest. Hello asthma and a VERY healthy fear of heights. But the friendship between Rose and Tate and the intense drama that unfolds when their ultimate climbing dream becomes a reality was enough to make me consider it. Even if it was only for a second, because... lets be real, I would die.

"If a person were dropped on the top of Mount Everest with no acclimatization, she'd be dead in three minutes."
This is me... I would be that girl.

I did appreciate that Rose and Tate's parents were actually present and important. In the world of YA books and the epidemic of MIA parental units, it was refreshing for these parents to be actively involved.

There were a couple things about this book that I thought the author could have done better. I think she has a lot of subjects she is passionate about and wanted to shine a light on them all within her book, but when you try to fit that many BIG subjects into 300-something pages, some things won't be done as well as they could have been.

Overall though, this tight knit, epic group of climbers came, they saw, they conquered (mostly), and I was here. for. it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for sending me a copy of this ARC.

This was a really great read! I really enjoyed reading this book, would definitely recommend. This is a good book for all ages.

Above All Else by Dana Alison Levy was an exciting story about what it takes to climb Mount Everest. I was intrigued by this book initially because I love outdoor activities like hiking and rock climbing. I find stories including these activities are highly lacking in the book community in general but especially in the Young Adult genres. When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it.

The characters in this story were well done. While I could not identify with any one character in particular, I did enjoy getting to know the characters; especially Tate and Rosa. I will do my best to describe why I liked these characters without any spoilers. Tate was probably my favourite character. I admired his love and compassion for characters going through difficult times. How he was willing to help those in need. How Tate stepped up when things were tough even though he was scared as heck! I commend him for knowing his limits as well and knowing when to stand up for himself. Rosa had a passion I think very few ever have for anything. It is contagious and scary all at the same time. Lastly, Paul was the comic relief with all of his Disney knowledge, singing, and jokes.

I did wrestle a bit with the buildup in the relationship. Tate and Rosa have been friends and hiking partners their whole lives, so they pretty much know everything about each other. So, while they really don’t need to get to know each other, I find what happens in their relationship very sudden. I feel it could have been built up a little more during the flash backs or build up to Everest, or not gone so deep so fast.

I found the story line was a good mix of background story, training, the initial training at Everest and the final climb. The story moved at a pleasant pace, and I did not feel there was any extra fluff. The story dove into some of the moral dilemmas of how much people pay to have an opportunity to climb this mountain while there are people living in extreme poverty there. The dangers and tragedies faced. What the Sherpas and their families face on that mountain for thrill seekers, but how welcoming they are to share their home. I found the knowledge and information put in about the summit to be at a perfect reading level. It was very clear information and not so overdone that it would be boring and drag the story.

I am sure some instances were glazed over a bit since this book is for a younger audience. There are some possible trigger warnings such as dead bodies and some of the darker sides of climbing to the highest point in the world. It is not all glory. There are a lot of issues that climbers deal with once they return home. There was also language, making out, and a sex scene in the story. The sex scene was not described in any detail.

I received a review copy for my Kindle from Net Galley. Thank you, Charles Bridge Teen and Dana Alison Levy, for an epic adventure! All opinions are 100% my own.

3.5 stars

First, let’s talk about how much I love this cover. So pretty I could stare her all day.
Both Rose and Tate are such well-developed and well-rounded characters. And, more importantly, their relationship was well-developed. Romance is there, but that's not what this book is about their friendship has a deep connection and it was actually quite riveting to read.

This was an overall captivating story, and everyone that the adventure seeker should read it.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!

This was an extraordinary read. I could almost feel the struggles Rosa and Tate were going through. I’ve never experienced this much of a bond with the main characters in a book.
The story was built perfectly, describing one of the hardest, toughest locations on earth, I’d imagine. The characters were rich and full of their own quirks, the way the other characters were mentioned and used was amazing.

Thank you for this read, 10/10 would recommend

As a climber myself I have never before read a decent and realistic mountaineering fiction, so I started this book almost expecting to write a negative review. But I thought Above All Else was fantastic. The author captured the same horrendous atmosphere of Everest that "Into Thin Air" portrayed. She realistically gave the insight into the mind of passionate climbers questioning their dreams and morals.

Above all else honestly was the best fiction about mountaineering that I have ever read. The story was gripping and the characters were loveable. The author tackled PTSD, MS and Summit Fever with sensitivity and a heartwarming romance between childhood friends made for a great addition to the story.

Although I've climbed numerous big mountains, I've never been to Everest and after reading "Into Thin Air"as a child, I decided I never want to go. This story has only convinced me further that my decision is the right one!

I've never climbed Mount Everest. I've never wanted to. But I can understand wanting to push yourself to do something like that, something so extreme and so dangerous its more about proving to yourself you can do it than anything else.

Tate and Rose have spent their entire lives climbing together, encouraged by Rose's mother and Tate's father who are both keen climbers. For years now, their focus has been on Everest and they have trained and fundraised and done everything they could to get there.

But now that the trip is actually happening, neither Tate nor Rose are as excited or as focused as they need to be to meet the challenge. Rose's mother is ill and couldn't accompany them to Nepal, leaving Rose feeling like she's missing a limb or something, while Tate's hiding a new terror of climbing he's developed since a nasty fall a few months back and pushing back when his father nags at him about failing to live up to his expectations.

And to complicate things even further, it appears that after all these years of being just friends, their relationship is changing, moving toward being the romance their friends always assumed they were already embroiled in.

With the mountain's summit growing closer and the challenges of climbing it with limited oxygen become more apparent, each of these climbers is going to need to dig deep to find their own strength and reason to keep going.

I enjoyed this book because it really brought home just how dangerous and how difficult it is to climb Everest. The characters were real and flawed and the romance between Tate and Rose felt like it grew organically.

I particularly liked the detail about climbing and the way you prepare for something like summiting Everest and the care and attention the Sherpas put into ensuring their climbers make it through the experience.

If you're interested in climbing, or maybe, like me, don't know much about it, this might just be the book for you. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read it in advance.

Rose and Tate have been best friends since they were 2 years old. Not only do they see each other every day, they have the same hobby - climbing. Years of planning went into organising the climb of a lifetime - Mount Everest. It is dangerous and only nutters would climb it. But do they make it to the top?

This story was a bit of a is starter for me and find it difficult initially to get into it. However I carried on and it did pick up. To the point where I had to read on.
Although some parts were predictable, the story was lovely.

The characters were well developed and it was obvious that the author researched this topic thoroughly!

Brilliant read, nearly had me in tears bear the end.

This is an emotionally gripping story of 2 life-long friends that go to Nepal to climb Mount Everest. This has been their dream and goal for years and they have trained hard. On their trip, they come to terms with their relationships, face their demons and learn who they really are.

This book is one I will remember for many years. I laughed, I cried and I rejoiced with Rose and Tate.

Wow. I picked up this book expecting your typical teen love story, as expected with most YA novels, with the backdrop of the trials of climbing Mount Everest. I was pleasantly surprised to find a novel with much more depth, that focused on the excitement and horror of scaling Mount Everest, with the young love tied into the climbing saga.

Rose and Tate have been training to scale Mount Everest for what seems like all of their lives. But a series of events happens that causes them to question their desires for wanting to reach the summit, and if those reasons are worth the dangers. I don't have much knowledge of climbing at all, but I really enjoyed the detail that the author included of the process to scale Mount Everest - I could tell that she had done her research and wanted that information to be a guide to so many of the characters' decisions and actions. I was also incredibly surprised by the ending, and in an attempt to avoid spoilers, I will just say that I expected a triumphant and happy ending, and instead found myself pondering a somber and heartbreaking ending that still left me feeling satisfied, because it felt very raw and real.

The main reason that I rated this book as 4 stars instead of 5 is because this book is marketed as YA for ages 12 and up, but there are a couple of fairly graphic sex scenes (and then many memories of those moments from the characters throughout the rest of the book), and I just don't think that that level of description was necessary for the book, especially with the intended audience. The salacious level of detail could have easily been left out, and should be left out with the intended audience for this book. When I pick up a YA novel, it is because I do *not* want to stumble upon all the sordid details of intimate moments between characters - these moments can be written without the salaciousness. For this reason, I have to knock it down a star, and strongly urge that these scenes be edited out before print later this year.

However, I do strongly recommend this book, with the above caveat. I would not recommend this to the "12 and up" age group due to its mature subject matter (both in the bedroom, and the emotions that are dealt with on the mountain), but I would recommend to adults and older teens. I believe the author captured the complexities and confusion of ambition and fear and excitement and all the other emotions encountered when you are facing a dream you've been working towards your whole life, albeit an extremely dangerous dream. This book left me with a lot to ponder at 2am when I finished the book. I know that I will never desire to climb Mount Everest, but in many moments of this book, I felt like I was alongside Rose and Tate and the rest, and that was a thrilling adventure on its own.

Above All Else takes you on an adventure while learning about two teenagers trying to learn about themselves and the world around them.
Tate and Rose are two young people who push themselves to the limit by climbing mountains. Their biggest adventure awaits them in Nepal as they plan to trek up the magnificent Mt. Everest.
Levy writes beautiful and descriptive scenes. While Rose and Tate climb mountains, the cold, the ice, the hard falls, the sound of Nepal when they arrive and the intense driving in the streets. I was lured in page by page of this book.
She makes us feel the weight of the climb- the intense need for oxygen and the strength it takes to keep going up.
The character build is very good, too. Tate is relatable. He tries his best even if it doesn’t look like it, he has attention deficit disorder, his main focus is climbing and that’s it. He doesn’t need or want more. He’s comfortable with who he is and he is annoyed by his parents for expecting more out of him. I feel many teens can relate to his character.
Rose is just as relatable for teens. She is ambitious and brave and completes all her goals. She wants to be great and get into a great school the exact opposite of Tate.
However, they are still close friends and their love for climbing makes their bond strong until the day Tate has a terrible accident that makes him question himself every step towards Mt. Everest. This makes you want to turn the page every step of the way to see how it all turns out.
This is a story of friendship, mental endurance, family, and the courage to face your fear straight on, even if that fear is 29,000 plus feet high.

This was intense! I'm not a hiker or climber and the things Tate and Rose go through are crazy and not something I could ever do. The best part of this book is the authenticity. The author clearly did their research and I felt like this was nonfiction at times because it was so real. I had no idea what went into prepping to climb Mount Everest, the years of smaller climbs to work up to Everest, the weeks of acclimating to the higher elevation, the toll on your body. This was paced in such a way that we slowly saw the changes in the characters as they got closer to going for the summit and felt realistic.

The romance was a cute part and I liked that it was more of a backseat to the main climbing story. It gave an extra piece to the plot while not overtaking it. Seeing into both Tate and Rose's heads was great and I thought the PTSD was well written.
Overall, this was informative while staying interesting and fun. The ending had me holding my breath to see who was going to make it.

Above All Else by Dana Alison Levy is a full length, stand-alone story that gave me all the feels.
Meet Rose and Tate. Both are 18 year olds, just graduated from highschool and are passionate climber. They're about to living their dream, conquering Mount Everest. What they don't expect is a life altering experience, blood, sweat and tears that about to change them for forever.
Above All Else is a highly emotional read, excellent written and beautifully thought out and wonderfully told, a gripping story full of drama, suspense and unexpected twists and turns.
I loved reading this book, connect with the characers, observe their growing up. 5 Stars.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

ABOVE ALL ELSE is one of those rare books that tackle a very difficult subject, especially in YA. Two teens who have been best friends for life, who dream of adding Mount Everest to their checklist of mountains to summit, and fight against past trauma and their growing attraction to each other.

This is the first book besides INTO THIN AIR or ALIVE (can you count that one as mountain climbing? I don't know. I feel weird adding it to this list, but I'll do it anyhow) where I'm experiencing what it's like to scale a big arse mountain. The author did her research and I felt as though I were there in Nepal with Rose and Tate. Although I do not know what about the process of adventuring at Mount Everest, I can tell that Levy did her homework with the detail she added to the story.

I believe what really sucked me into the story was how badly these two kids wanted it. I mean, they've trained and it's taken a grueling cost to their bodies and mind, and even though family issues and relationship confusion sometimes tried to get in the way, they (Rose especially) knew that they had to focus with all of their might to reach that summit and accomplish their dreams. Levi did a fantastic job in conveying that, boys, self-doubt, and other people's achievements should not overshadow what you want to accomplish. It's a great message and I love it.

Some people will say that the romance got in the way of the plot BUT I thought it was great to throw in there how addicting new love and sex can be, but when set a scale of your dreams, it does not weigh even an ounce. COuld it have a bit more developed? Sure. Did he affect my rating? Not at all.

I have to say that even though this book has a good ending, it will tear your heart out and stomp on it a few times before flushing it down the toilet. My heart. MY HEART!!!

What I loved most: The setting.

What I disliked most: if I had to choose, it would probably be Tate's decisions, which I did understand but still made me angry

Warning for semi-graphic sex scenes, language, death

I was lucky enough to get a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

*This review will contain mild spoilers.*

Above All Else tells the story of two teenage climbing prodigies Rose and Tate as then begin the incredibly dangerous summit of Mount Everest. They've spent years preparing for this moment, training all over the world to fulfil the dream of conquering the world's tallest mountain. However things aren't going as smoothly as they prepared for, with Rose's mother's illness, Tate's struggles to live up to his father's expectations and the evergrowing relationship between the two, and in an environment where any wrong move could be your last they have one hell of a journey.

When I first heard about this one I knew I'd enjoy it, I love the whole idea of a romance forming during a (potential) survival situation. When I first read the description on NetGalley I thought they would be left alone to survive after something goes horribly wrong. So I was so pleased when I was accepted for the ARC, I rarely get accepted on NetGalley and this was my second once within about 2 days, so I was pretty happy.

The format was a little confusing at first, the breaks between paragraphs were big at times making feel like a time jump was coming, and then others there was nothing. But I did get used to it as I carried on.

Reading about rock climbing made me want to try the hobby, I have tried it in the past without ropes but after a friend took a nasty fall I was put off for a while. But reading about it made me long to accomplish something, I know I'll never be good enough to even think about Everest, but potentially a small mountain in England I could consider... eventually.

I liked the friendship between Tate and Rose, but I felt like there wasn't a lot of it, so when it did move to a romance it seemed sudden and didn't flow as well as it could have. Although we know they have been friends for years from the writing alone I think it would have been difficult to see the depth of friendship they did have. So when the "I love yous" came out, again it was almost forced just to add to the romance element.

I felt as though Tate's portrayal of PTSD and the responses of those around him was very good. I know at first his father came across as pushy, especially since Tate had been seeing a counsellor, you would have imagined that his father would have been more understanding, as there were some signs at least that his son wasn't doing as well as he was showing. But I did feel they developed as characters when the conversation was had in regards to Tate's true feelings.

I liked how his feelings were accepted and although others were disappointed in his unwillingness to climb, they accepted and didn't try to push him to continue.

I really enjoyed the story overall, I felt it was detailed and showed us both the true horrors and wonders of engaging in such a dangerous activity.

Wow. That’s the only word that seems to fit this book right now. I went into this book with expectations of a romance in the snow of Everest. But it was so much more. It was about finding your passion. Of heartbreak and of courage. It is one of those books whose story tugs at your heart and one that you will never forget. I highly suggest reading this book because it will change your perspective on courage and conquering challenges.

Young love, hard work, perseverance, and heartbreak all in one. I found myself rooting for these two in more ways than one. Climbing Mount Everest seems like a fairytale, a joke, not even possible - and they did it! And broke my heart along the way!

How far are you willing to go for your dreams?

That’s the question Rose Keller and Tate Russo face in Above All Else, a story built on the premise about climbing Mount Everest but really serves as an exploration of love, adventure and what you’re willing to risk to achieve your goals.

Rose and Tate are seniors in high school – best friends, climbing partners and polar opposites – having prepared for the climb up Everest for what seems like their entire lives. Their friendship is easily one of the best things to root for in this story, even if the initial perspective switch and exposition in the beginning took some getting used to.

They each have full lives and strong parental figures – a feature that’s to be commended in YA fiction, their relationship with each of their parents being a key focus of their growth and development throughout the story (with Tate’s dad being an active part of the climb itself). However for as fun and believable as their friendship was, there’s a sharp turn towards romance that while isn’t completely unexpected – especially for the genre – it feels incredibly rushed, moving from zero to one hundred in a way that I would have liked to have seen more buildup.

The true focus of this story is the climb itself, a fact that’s so evident from the amount of care and research that the author poured into exploring the nuances of climbing Mount Everest and what it means for the people and the communities there. yet for as much detail that’s given for the climb, there’s very little touched on severe psychological issues that I would also have appreciated to have more time for the characters to explore.

Nevertheless, once the climb has begun – I felt just like our characters, unable and unwilling to stop. The last third of the book was gripping and intense, enough that once I started reading I couldn’t stop. Pushing through the towards the end was absolutely worth it, making me feel just like our characters did towards the end.

Despite a slow start and clunky exposition, Above All Else serves as a great reminder that sometimes the greatest challenges to our dreams can be overcoming the mountains we set up for ourselves.

*Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Above All Else was a really cool story that made me want to do more research about Mount Everest and the expeditions to the summit. The book was really well researched and thought out. I was really able to understand the pressure the characters were going through and the ambition that they experienced in different aspects and areas of their lives.

The plot was steady, like a climb, which is really appropriate considering the plot and subject of the novel.

This book really captured my interest. Above All Else is a cool take from a mountain climbers’ perspectives. It made it even more down to earth for these climbers to be young and struggle through other things.

The characters were very understandable, and the book had a really good and realistic plot and ending. I also got to learn more about what Everest expeditions are really like! The characters were really well developed, and it was portrayed as a good and okay thing for them to follow certain paths for certain reasons, which I thought was a really cool approach (no pun intended).

I would recommend this for those who like a quick read with an adventure and realistic happenings and circumstances. I enjoyed it quite a bit. In all, I like how this book was written, and I would recommend it to young adults who are in for a taste of adventure and peril, and who are also up for family, friend, and romantic relationships growing amongst that.

*** 4.5 Stars ***
Talk about a novel that discusses resilience and strength!!!
I’ve always been so interested in Mt. Everest and how the weather and even the height of the mountain is so dangerous and yet, even knowing about the risks, people still attempt the climb!!!
This novel was a page turner because I knew that such a novel could not have a happy ending, you have to make it realistic.
But the ending was more than I expected and I am so glad...it was definitely sad, but it was so good at the same time.
If you can handle an intense, happy and distressing book, I would recommend this!!! But it’s a novel involving a deadly mountain...you’ve been warned!!!

Who doesn’t have a goal that they set from childhood? Above All Else focuses on Rose and Tate’s big goal that they came up with when they were young- to climb Mount Everest! This gripping tale of childhood climbing friends will definitely make you feel like you’re right there with them!

Levy wrote this book with two points-of-views, one from Rose, and the other from Tate. Whilst Rose’s storyline generally progresses in the right then and there, Tate’s story flicks back and forth between the past and the present- giving some background for some very important points towards the back-end of the book. Personally, I loved how everything was intertwined and I wasn’t missing anything, which is always a great sign!

Rose is portrayed as the smart, headstrong girl who keeps on going when everything else is falling apart around her, especially as her mum suddenly falls ill and is unable to climb. Tate on the other hand feels very much in the shadows of his family and of Rose, often comparing himself with Rose schoolwise. The contrast between our two characters definitely helped with reading their storylines a lot, as they weren’t the same.

In the story, I loved how the focus was on friends (old and new), health (both physical and mental), as well as touching sensitively on death throughout the book. I also love how all the characters strive in their different ways in order to make climbing Mount Everest happen in the first place- and when they finally arrive at Everest Base Camp, I truly smiled.

As Rose and Tate developed whilst climbing, I did love how there was a little bit of romance, but that wasn’t the biggest part of the story at all, as if the most important thing to both was their friendship and climbing. I also did love the angst that happened at points, especially when Rose and Tate had different views on certain issues, and I thought it was excellent to see that in this read rather than just having nothing but sunshine-and-rainbows.

The description of how gruelling climbing is (whether it be Everest or just the local mountain range) was super intense, and at times made me feel like I was climbing- even though I’m certainly no climber myself! Levy described Everest in such a way that made me even so scared to climb the stairs in my house, just in case I fell because I let go of the railings! I love how Rose and Tate both overcome the challenges they face within themselves and with their new-found friends from the trek.

I did like how there was diversity, with mental health problems, family issues, and physical ailments, and how these were described in enough detail that made me feel like I was right there, dealing with everything alongside everyone in the book. Heck, I even cried at some points because the feels hit me so much towards the end of the book!

Overall, this was a gripping tale with triumphs and losses, and a lot of feels! I was always rooting for Rose and Tate, and this book is definitely something for those who are adventurous or want a different type of contemporary read!

Rating: 4/5
(This review will go live on my blog on September 29th!)

I feel like I gotta start with saying that I am not one to read books about climbing. I think this is the first book that I ever really read that was about climbing specifically and I wasn't completely sure what to expect, but this was such a nice surprise. The plot was fast moving, the characters were delights, relatable and lovable at the same time, and the end of the book and the end of the climax both felt realistic and terrible and shocking and great at the same time.

At the beginning of the book there was a past/present structure of the storyline and not going to lie, I thought it would go like that through the book and I was wondering what could have possibly happened in the past that would take up half the book, but the author handled it really well and after a few chapters we saw what happened, we got just enough information to know and understand the present and the characters and their motivations and then we just get the main plot for the rest of the story. Which was pretty good, not going to lie, I enjoyed it, but for me, the heart and soul of the story was the two main characters and their relationships. They were best friends for as long as they could remember, they always climbed together, and wanted to climb Everest together, while they relationship naturally develops and turns into a romance during the book. It was so palpable how much they loved each other and cared for each other, I honestly loved every bit of their relationships and the ups and downs of it.

I also really enjoyed Tate's storyline the most. His trauma and PTSD from the climbing accident during the flashback chapters was so real, his struggle of needing to do everything everyone around him expected of him, wanting to be there for Rose and his father and everyone else, while also struggling with his mind changing about climbing and his wants and needs changing, and dealing with the trauma and the nightmares and the fear was so captivating, I loved reading about every single second of it, and I was so proud of him when he decided that he didn't want to climb and not just because of the fear but because he didn't want it. And I was even more proud when he went up at the end to help out his friends.

Rose's storyline for me was a little bit less interesting, but maybe part of that was that just in general, to me climbing Everest feels like an insane thing that I could never imagine anyone wanting. So I couldn't really understand her drive, but at the same time, it was inspiring, and I love how during the story it turned from wanting to do it for her mom into something that she wanted to do for herself and nobody else. I was really proud of her.

And mostly I really enjoyed how the story didn't glorify or try to romanticize climbing Everest. I do believe that for those who do this as a passion, it's an incredible thing, but it's also extremely dangerous and full of horrors, and the book showed both sides and I really enjoyed every bit of it!

Super interesting read. Drama on the side but a lot of cool climbing info, really gives you a feel for what it may be like to climb Mount Everest. I don't always love having two perspectives but both characters were equally good.

4.5 stars. A really excellent read that's sensitive and thrilling at the same time.

Tate is an absolute sweetheart and he's my favorite character. His mental health is one of the best parts of the book I think because of how PTSD and ADHD are handled. Absolutely incredible.

Rose is frustrating to read about sometimes because she's so stubborn and can be insensitive to the people around her. Tate is a good balance to her. The parents are present in this book and are nuanced, realistic characters. Rose's relationship with her mom is so sweet and well developed.

I appreciate the attention to culture that the author gives. It's a weird dynamic when wealthy tourists come to Mount Everest and pay the Sherpa people to risk their lives so the tourists can have an adventure. And this book did a good job addressing that and the problematic aspects. It's respectful of the people who have died climbing the mountain, too. The author has a good author's note in the back about her research.

All in all, a great book about adventure, friendship, and love. Definitely recommend.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I'm so happy I read this book.

I had never read a story about climbing in my life, and I don't even know why this one caught my attention, but I'm glad it did.
Rose and Tate are going to climb Everest after a life of preparing, and it isn't going to happen exactly how they dreamed about it for such a long time. Rose's mom can't come anymore, even though she was a big part of the plan, and Tate's dad is coming but is not feeling as well as he should. At the beginning it was kind of difficult to get into de story because it kept going back and forth, which made hard to get interested on the characters. The second half of the book was my favorite, I was completely invested on the climbing and couldn't stop reading until I finished. I loved all the details, they made me curious about Everest and I ended up doing what I love the most: opening ten tabs on my browser so I could read EVERYTHING about it.

I was kind of disappointed on the romance: it was unnecessary. Still, I understood why it was there so I made the effort to read those parts, too (thank God they were only a few).
In the end, this book is not just about climbing the Everest, it's about a journey. It's about people that want to do something big (all of them for different reasons) and how their past affects the experience. I loved getting to know these characters.

I read this book in basically a day because I could not put it down.

A quick blurb: Rose Keller and Tate Russo are best friends who have been climbing for years, training in extreme weather and traveling worldwide to prepare for their ultimate goal: summiting Mount Everest, the highest point on earth. They head to Everest at the end of their senior year, accompanied by Tate's dad and a family friend, Paul. Climbing Everest is one of the most challenging tasks on earth, but both Rose and Tate have internal obstacles they're fighting hard to overcome as well. Plus, their lifelong platonic friendship seems to be changing.

I really enjoyed the dual POV. Especially with a story centered around such an intense challenge, getting to hear the perspective of two characters was really compelling. The author did a great job giving both Rose and Tate their own distinct voices.

I've always really enjoyed stories about wild tests of endurance, and I'm definitely the type to go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole of stories about Everest adventures. So I knew just from the description this was something I wanted to read. This book really brought together in the best way two genres I love: physical endurance and YA coming-of-age/growing into yourself stories. Best friends to lovers always gets me, and putting it in a setting that so many of us will never experience made it so unique.

Also, this book made me cry. I could tell for the last third or so it was just a matter of time until the tears arrived, and arrive they did. Whew.

I would definitely recommend reading this book when it comes out, especially if you're looking to shake up your typical YA story, or you're looking for a new spin on an Everest tale.

I read this book in just two days, because I just could not put it down. I love a book that showcases different points of view throughout the story, and this book does just that. Both main characters had such different challenges and voices during the story, so it was refreshing and really nice to hear both sides. This book showcased such a journey about climbing Everest and even just getting through traumas and different life experiences. This book encompassed many different emotions, and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

(copied from Goodreads) I've been suffering from insomnia during this quarantine, and this book was a fabulous way to keep busy while I was awake. I am really surprised by the lower ratings, because I thought it was fascinating, well-researched, and really romantic. I'm a bit of a sucker for best friends to more stories (Romione shipper for life), but what I loved about Rose and Tate is that they both had flaws and recognized them in each other and didn't try to minimize them. I love climbing books, nonfiction or fiction -- from Into Thin Air to Peak -- and this one was just as great. Yes, it's about climbing Mt. Everest, but it's really about honesty, relationships, finding your person, and parent-child closeness. I highly recommend it, and I plan to add it to the high school library this Fall.

The premise of "Above All Else" sounds familiar. Think "Into Thin Air" for the YA group. And while it is similar to YA books like "Peak" or "No Summit Out of Sight", it's the characters in the book that set it apart and really get you to buy into the story. Tate and Rose have been best friends their whole lives, as well as climbing partners, so when they set their sights on climbing Everest at the end of their senior year, it seems like a no-brainer. Told from alternating points of view, "Above All Else" delves into heavy-hitting topics like PTSD, parental illness, ADHD, and what it means to be brave. This book flew along and kept me hooked for the entire ride.

Fantastic. I feel like I just climbed Mt. Everest! This book took me on a journey of emotion. And I LOVED it.

Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of an advanced mountain climber? Where does the will come from to put themselves willingly in danger? What happens after a fall? How hard is it to climb again? Dana Alison Levy offers young adult readers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of young climbers in Above All Else. Told from the alternating perspective of high school seniors and best friends, Rose and Tate, this book will capture readers' attention and imagination from the first page. Levy takes readers on the high, lows, terrors, and dangers of mountain climbing from Oregon to Tibet.
For as long as anyone can remember, Rose and Tate have been best friends and climbing partners, but on the cusp of graduation everything is primed for change. Rose and Tate love climbing and just being buddies, right? What if climbing was never really their dream and they would like to be more than buddies?

What an adventure this book was! I thoroughly enjoyed watching Tate and Rose attempt to climb Everest with a gaggle of a team along their way. It was interesting to get tidbits of back story and find that there was much that was going unsaid between our main characters. I loved the romance and thrill that this story provided. This was such a fun read.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for the ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I went into this hoping it would reignite my simmering obsession with Mount Everest, and I was not disappointed!
This well researched and fast paced adventure story was everything I wanted. I could feel the dreams and fears and heart-stopping moments as they happened, and I loved every minute.
While there was romance in this, it wasn't the main plot, which I found refreshing. It didn't take away from the fact that these teens were attempting something few achieve; summiting Everest is not for the faint of heart.

Each of the characters had their own motivations throughout, and while they made some mistakes, I felt they were pretty realistic based on their ages, life experiences, and setting.

Excellent read overall! And, while I still love Everest and her fierce beauty, I will never sign up to climb anything like it.

I like the premise of the book - teenagers being able to take such a great feat. It's not often that you stumble across grown ups who are prepared for that, so to find teengers who are prepared was a pretty cool idea. With that being said, I thought the pace of the book was too slow, and maybe that's because I went into this knowing it was a book about such an intense activity that I had higer expectations, but it was just very hard for me to stay interested during the slow parts. But MY HEART WAS POUNDING during the actual climb. It was so intense it almost didn't fit with the rest of the book.

The ending was slightly rushed, but I felt like the author did a good job of wrapping everything up and ending it on a positive note.

Rose and Tate have been friends their entire lives. Climbing is part of what they do together. Now, they are heading out to the biggest challenge that they can face: climbing Mount Everest.

Each of these young people is dealing with a few things that are distracting them from the task at hand. Rose’s mother, Miami usually climbs with them but she is dealing with a serious illness. Someone who has always been solid and excited about climbing is now going to be waiting for text messages and videos updating her.

Tate has a challenging relationship with his father. His father is one of those people who has been successful at most things that he does... maybe an over achiever. Tate is a more gentle soul and struggles with letting his father down.

I have read a lot of climbing books, it’s one of my favourite topics. I found that the switching back and forth in time took away some of the emotion and excitement of climbing. The pacing of the novel was a bit slow fore me. Arguably, the author may have chosen a slower pace because it reflects the slow nature of a climb. Climbing is for the slow and methodical.

I think that some young adults will appreciate a book that is about climbing!

Everyone has a sport or craft of which they are passionate. In ABOVE ALL ELSE we are introduced to a small community of dedicate mountain climbers. The young men and women of this community have lofty goals, climbing Mount Everest. The title refers to both their efforts to reach this goal and the mountain itself. Reaching the summit is a challenge that few meet. With the preparation for a climb that will test their wills and the expectations of their family and peers, these young people are risking their lives for a singular experience. Dana Alison Levy did an excellent job of bringing the mountain to us. Her backstory of the young people's lives sets the mountain up to be the life's challenge that they do not recognize until it may be too late. While the characters are well developed and definitely up to the challenges, the story of the climb is the most fascinating part of the book. A great read that is not usually what I read but I'd recommend to all my reading buddies.

Rose and Tate are best friends and climbing partners. They set off to something that for most people is just a wild, unattainable dream: climb Mt. Everest. It's the adventure of a lifetime. They had been planning it since 4th grade and originally, Maya, Rose's mom was supposed to come with them, but a recent diagnosis prevented her from coming along.

I could never do anything like that. I was anxious enough reading about Rose and Tate doing so. I don't really read adventure type of book before so I was surprised how quickly I was sucked into the story. I was only two chapters in when I knew I wouldn't be putting down this book before I finished. Would Rose, Tate and Tate's father make it up and down the mountain in one piece? Rose is determined, but Tate is more hesitant after taking a scary fall a new months ago. I felt for Tate as he struggled with some PTSD from the fall and struggled with ADHD.

I really enjoyed this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read this.

Above all else ... is a YA adventure story but of a very different kind. It’s about scaling the highest peak in the world- MT Everest !
The first half of the book was basically just prepping for the epic adventure of all time’s . Rose and Tate are teenagers who have been climbing since childhood with the ultimate dream to summit Mt Everest together. This is their story, how their lives change , how they overcome the obstacles not only those outside but also their inner demons . The trials and tribulations that one has to go through before attempting the highest peak is no mean feat. Just reading about the horrers that the mountaineers must deal with gave me goosebumps. The last part of the book which deals with the final summit n the road leading to it was quite exhilarating. And heartbreaking too. It brought tears to my eyes!
Kudos to the author for having done the research thoroughly. It really showed in her work . I liked the book but I am never ever going to try my hands on the beast called Mt Everest.

I am obsessed with mountains, so I knew I would love this book in one way or another. While the writing was great, I did find Rose and Tate's tone and voice a little too immature and it sometimes pulled me out of the story. The plot was also a little slow in some parts, but it still only took me two days to read. Honestly, this story will stay with me forever, I think, because it has sparked an interest in a whole new genre for me - I want to read more books about mountain climbing!!! It's just so fascinating seeing the training and trauma people put themselves through just to reach the summit of a mountain. The themes of this book were so strong and it's what captivated me the most: Rose and Tate's motivation for climbing, the realities of PTSD, what the mind and body go through in order to survive, why people climb mountains in the first place. (Also, Tate is my son and I love him). SUPER INTERESTING. And what I loved the most was that the consequences of their choices and their journey and the brutal environment of the mountain were very real. I was just so impressed by this and I'm excited that I've found a new niche genre that I love!

I'M DEVASTATED, like how amazing the book is, being from the land of mount Everest itself I know how hard and addicting it is. And I know the danger is real. Talking about the cover first, how stunning that is. Title is definitely appropriate, because they'll above all else! But the tremendous amount of research done by author can be seen reading the book. And it was written beautifully. I crashed with them, I fell with them, I rose higher with them, I cried with them. And this tells that yes, I'm devastated and I'm willing to be more