Abby

Weather Girl is my favorite of Solomon's books that I've read so far, and that's definitely because I related to Ari so much and saw so much of my struggles with depression reflected on the page. One of my notes from reading is “Reflections on therapy – ACCURATE.” It's been a few months since I read the book, so I don't remember precisely what said reflections were, but I felt very seen by them!

It's a romance novel, so of course, we have a Third Act Breakup. What I loved about their breakup (as much as I can “love” it) was that Ari's motives made sense for her character. It didn't rely on massive miscommunication. Her actions were a bit self-destructive, but it was an essential step for Ari to reflect and accept her depression.

If you've read and enjoyed any of Rachel Lynn Solomon's other work, you're sure to love Weather Girl!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Scam List was a quick, fun read that had me smiling throughout the book.

Boone was a great narrator; he was humorous and likable, even though he wasn't always doing good things.

Information was purposely kept from the reader multiple times throughout the book, which is a device that can annoy me when it's overused to create mystery or suspense. It worked in The Scam List, however, because it doubled as showing Boone's character. The book is written as Boone talking to the reader, and sometimes he lies or omits things. He left out or lied about things he was ashamed of, which was part of his character growth. He has a conscience, and he realizes when he wasn't a good person.

The Scam List is full of fun, quirkly characters. The only part I didn't like was that it didn't feel like justice was truly served at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this at the beginning of June and just realized I never reviewed it. The problem: I couldn't remember anything about the book.

After I skimmed through the book, the plot quickly came back to me. A girl decides she's tired of missing out and decides she'll say yes to every opportunity that summer. That didn't play a big of a part as I thought it would – I imagined way more shenanigans. I didn't even mind the love triangle, which is very rarely the case.

It sounds terrible that I couldn't remember a book I read barely two months ago, but I think that's ok. It was fun to read, and sometimes that's all you need out of a book. Say Yes Summer is a perfect summer read - you enjoy it while you're reading, and you can reread it next year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think the fact that In Search of a Name is a novel lessens the story for me, especially since I was looking forward to it as a historical piece. It's based on the author's real experience, and I can understand fictionalizing it for a more concise, compelling tale. But I think it undermines one of the significant ideas of the book: the search for truth. She's digging into the past to find the real story about her uncle. She finds that there were so many stories, so much untold, that the truth barely resembles history (not an uncommon occurrence). It feels like throwing another layer of dirt on the story to fictionalize it but leave it in a format that feels like a memoir. It makes it harder to distinguish reality from fiction.

Motherhood is a significant component of the story, but one that I did not connect with. I just felt myself thinking, “Just choose another name. He's obviously not the family legend you were told about.” Maybe I'm a pessimist, but it felt naïve of her to be so shocked that the story wasn't true, that it had been warped by time. That's the nature of memory and stories; they get twisted until they're more manageable, more comfortable to digest.

I think I wasn't in the right mindset for In Search of a Name when I read it. It dealt more with the questions of raising a child, the foundations you set for your child to succeed. It ended up stressing me out more than inspiring me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute, simple story. I think the book would have benefited from being longer, though. The characters were flat – they were quirky, but there was nothing more profound. The plot jumped from one thing to the next without exploring the ideas and emotions that were happening. I know there's a lot of suspension of disbelief that's needed – buying an elephant at the grocery store, the casual use of carrying pigeons, teenagers that try to kidnap an elephant – but you can still have that fun, ‘quirky' story and dive a bit deeper. It felt like the story was stuck in between being a picture book and a chapter book.

I loved the illustrations, but the text font within them was a weird “computer” font that did not jive with the pictures or the story. I hope that's different in the final copies.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Wretched Waterpark!

At first, I wasn't entirely sure of it as it had some stereotypical adults-writing-kids things (not knowing/recognizing a phone on the wall, Wil being addicted to her cellphone), but I got over it pretty quickly!

The vibes were beautiful, and I'm now in love with the idea of a gothic waterpark. I could easily envision Theo and Alexander floating down the lazy river in their coffin raft and lounging in the cabasoleum.

The mystery of the waterpark kept me guessing for a good amount of time. I'm excited to see where the series goes as the supernatural touches develop and we discover more about what's happening to the Sinister-Winterbottom family.

Be warned, I'm now marathoning Scooby Doo and have the urge to reread A Series of Unfortunate Events. The comp titles were spot on! I'm sure this will be a hit with readers who like mystery and a little spookiness.

I'm off to read Vampiric Vacation!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm officially obsessed with The Sinister Summer series.

It continues to be fun and endearing with a mystery that kept me guessing and confused until the end.

I love all three Sinister-Winterbottom and hope we see more of Wil in the next book, but Alexander is my favorite. The portrayal of his anxiety reflects my experiences so well, and it's lovely to see it dealt with so matter of factly. The same goes for Theo and her ‘bees'! The siblings are so supportive of each other, and I love it.

As soon as I finished Vampiric Vacation, I wanted the next book! Luckily, it was available on NetGalley; otherwise, I would have been stewing for months.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

True Loaf is a fun short story that leaves you wanting way more out of it.

It's described as a “micro-story” in its Goodreads description, which is accurate. Inspired by Balkan folklore, True Loaf includes turns of phrase, atmosphere, and that little bit of mystery that I love about fairy tales and folklore.

My only complaint is that it doesn't feel complete. I'd love to hear more little vignettes of the same characters, more in the world, or even better, a fully fleshed novel with the story as its core.

I was confused but what the audience was for the story. The cover gives off middle grade novel vibes, but it's about adults. It wasn't a major thing, but it wasn't quite what I expected based on the cover.

Audiobook Review: The narrator has a unique voice, which I wasn't sure about initially but ultimately decided it was a good fit for the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read one other Elle Kennedy book – The Deal, because I'm a sucker for fake dating – and I doubt I'll read another after Good Girl Complex.

I liked The Deal well enough, but now I think I mostly liked it because it featured tropes I enjoy. Good Girl Complex has tropes I absolutely, positively, do not want to read.

These include:
-Rich/Poor relationship with chips on both characters' shoulders
-Bad Boy/Good Girl
-Not Like Other (Rich) Girls
-Worst of all: they got together because of a bet

I didn't connect to either Mackenzie or Cooper and honestly disliked them both. Mac is a twenty-year-old who doesn't want to be in college because she wants to focus on her million-dollar business, but her wealthy and influential parents want her to get a degree. (Geez, I wonder why I didn't connect to her).
Cooper got screwed over by Mac's ex, and Coop and his friends decide the best revenge is to get his girlfriend (Mac) to dump him for Cooper. One of the friends says it's a horrible thing to do to their credit. But still.

It got to the point in the story where I just didn't want to keep going. You know the bet will blow up in Cooper's face, and they'll break up for a time, then get back together. There wasn't tension? (And then they don't even work through things on screen? It's just “Yup, let's get back together and walk into the sunset without fully discussing the issues that made us break up in the first place.”)
I would have preferred if it dropped the bet plot way earlier in the story and then explored some of the other plot points more: Evan and Cooper's relationship with their mom. More of Mackenzie fixing up the hotel. More of them navigating their relationship instead of the annoying drama that's been done by a plethora of early 2000s teen movies.
So, unlikeable characters (that I think I'm supposed to be rooting for?) and an annoying plot – I'd definitely recommend skipping Good Girl Complex.

Audiobook Review: The narrators were fine. The performances were a little too dramatic for my tastes, however (Like, I was getting embarrassed for the characters and how over the top their thoughts were).

I enjoyed Dearest Josephine much more than I expected!

Josie De Clare's father recently passed away, and she's still reeling from his loss. After finding out about a house he bought to renovate, Josie retreats to the secluded manor to try to fix it up and figure out her next steps.

The story unfolds through emails, texts, letters, and excerpts from a novel by one of the manor's previous tenants. Not my favorite format for a book, so it's extra impressive that I enjoyed it!

Throughout the book, Josie is working her way through grief. She's fixing the house, reconnecting with her friend Faith, making new friends, and falling in love with a man who lived 200 years ago. Did she have the healthiest coping mechanisms? No. Were they heartfelt and authentic? Yes.
I was most invested in Josie and Faith's relationship and the rocky path of mending it again because that was the relationship I could relate to the most.

Did I swoon at some of Elias's letters? Yes, yes, I did. I adored the Pride & Prejudice references, and the beautiful, pure emotion of the letters got to me a little more than I expected (even considering they were written to a woman that he only knew for a few hours). Honestly, I can't blame Josie for falling in love with him because I would have too.

I enjoyed the little bit of mystery, as well: is there actually time travel? Do they somehow end up together? How does Elias know so much about Josie?


Audiobook Review: I enjoyed the narrator! She did a great job considering the book's format, which seems like it would be awkward for this format. I liked the addition of text chimes, which helped differentiate the communication type as you're listening.

My only complaint is Faith's emails. The American accent was just not quite right. It sounded Australian most of the time and “Emma Watson in Perks of Being a Wallflower” the rest of the time.

Second Complaint: The over-emphasis of LOL. It always felt very forceful, plus I tend to make fun of people who say it out loud, not to mention if they pronounce it as “lull” instead of saying the letters – that's probably more of a personal nitpick though.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction set in World War II seems to be eternally popular at the library. I try to keep an eye out for new titles that patrons will enjoy, and Diary of a Dead Man on Leave caught my eye. Told through diary entries of a communist spy stationed in Germany right before the war breaks out, Diary of a Dead Man follows the story of ‘Josef' as he grows closer to the family that owns the boarding house and he starts to doubt the cause he's devoted his life to.
As a general rule, I do not like books in a diary format. This is usually because I can't buy into the fact that it's actually a diary – no one can actually quote every conversation they had, writes back story, etc. Diary managed to avoid most of the things I dislike most of the diary format. Josef writes it with the expectation that someone else will read it, which made the stories of his past and discussion of political events more acceptable to me. The majority of conversations are summarized instead of directly quoted. Josef forgets to write every day like he planned (me in every diary I ever tried to keep). But I also felt it was the best possible way to present this story – a man's struggle with the idea of a life he never thought he would have and his growing disillusionment with the life he has.
A few times it felt like there was too much info, or mention of an event just for the sake of it. But I think the character Downing chose is a good fit for what he tried to do. Josef's background and mission meant that yes, everything going on in Germany he would write in his journal, and he has the knowledge to examine them critically – it's not just hindsight.
Once I started Diary of a Dead Man on Leave, I wanted to sit and finish it all at once. It was a great balance of history and heart touching characters that immediately had you invested in the outcome of the story. It will be a great addition to the collection.

I have mixed feelings on this one.

Overall, I enjoyed The Dating Game. I liked the characters, the plot, and once I started reading it was hard to put down. However, the characters and their relationships didn't feel fully developed.

I think part of that issue was the time jumps between chapters. A chapter would end, and I expected the next one would pick up at the same spot from a different perspective. Instead, it'd be the next day or a few weeks later. It seemed like opportunities to build the characters were missed in favor of sticking to the timeline of the app events.

The relationships were also a source of mixed feelings. On the one hand, I liked how it turned out. On the other, I thought it might a different direction, and all three would get together. As much as I like Robbie and Sara, it definitely followed the cliché route – you could see a love triangle coming from the first paragraph of the description.

It was a fun, enjoyable book overall, but I think it had a chance to be better.

So, I don't particularly appreciate reading a summary of a book right before I start it. I like to go in with some vague knowledge – genre, period, etc. – but I don't want to know much about the plot.

That backfired with Crow Court. I was so flipping confused as each chapter seemed to have nothing to do with the previous, aside from a brief mention of a character that appeared earlier. Or I'd think I knew who the chapter was about, but I couldn't remember any character names. It's more of a collection of short stories with a deep, deep underlying connection that I do not understand. I know some of them were originally published as short stories. Still, the book seems like it's caught in a strange in-between novel and story collection that I didn't necessarily dislike, but I wouldn't go searching out.

I did enjoy the stories, but since it claimed it was a novel, I kept waiting for everything to come together. It didn't.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a rollicking, absurd book that I absolutely adore. I'm sure to come back to it whenever I need a laugh!

The juxtaposition of proper manners and house-flying pirate shenanigans makes for plenty of amusing situations. Cecelia was a delightful protagonist! I'm a bit disappointed she is the MC of the next book, just because I loved her so much.

The romance of the book was adorable. Usually, I'm skeptical of “instant love” – the book's main action takes place over about a week – but I was here for it for Cecelia and Ned.

I've already recommended The Wisteria Society to half a dozen people, and it's sure to be a staple in my recommendations from now on!

Audiobook Review: Elizabeth Knowelden was a perfect narrator for The Wisteria Society! Her performance was pitch-perfect for the dry humor of the book, and I'm glad I listened to it rather than reading – it added to the experience!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore McFarlane's books, and Just Last Night is no exception.

My favorite part of her novels are always the supporting characters – the friends, the family, the MC's support net. So obviously I loved that Just Last Night is about those deep friendships and explores what happens when long buried secrets come to light.

Just Last Night was also a beautiful exploration of grief. I full on bawled through about a quarter of the book because it resonated with losses I've had in my life, but also because it made me think about what it would be like if my best friend died. The author did such a wonderful job of illustrating the myriad of emotions, the small moments when the grief hits you unexpectedly.

My one and only complaint is that I would have liked to see more interaction and development between Eve and Finlay. I loved what was there! It just felt like things were a bit rushed at the end, and that there wasn't a strong foundation for their relationship. The book focused more on friendships than the romance.

Spoiler: I am conflicted on how things turned out with Ed. On the one hand, friendships are complicated and the history and relationship after over 10 years of friendship is hard to ignore. On the other hand, I feel like he got off way too lightly after years of the ‘nice guy' routine.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not well-versed in vampire stories, so I can't say much about how Certain Dark Things uses or subverts lore. But for a novice, it was very entertaining!

The characters were memorable! The villains were genuinely villainous; the heroes were worth rooting for. Domingo was a golden retriever, and I loved him. He went along wholeheartedly, and I was rooting for him (and the dog) to survive.

It's been a few months now since I finished the novel, but the ending is still in my mind – in a good way! It was satisfying and fit the story.

Despite owning several of Moreno-Garcia's works for years, Certain Dark Things was the first I actually read. Needless to say, I'm a fan now, and her new books are an instant read!

Audiobook Review: The narrator brought this book to life! There are a lot of POVs, and I'd say that's the one thing that may have been improved. Sometimes it was hard to know who was speaking. After about halfway through the book, I was more familiar with the characters/voices and could recognize them better.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dreams Lie Beneath was a disappointment.

The story started off promising to me: the nightmares of the town coming to life on the New Moon of every month, Clem and her father being kicked out of their home by young magicians, and Clem's vow for revenge.

A promising premise is about all it had – the magic system explored further. It was made more confusing by Phalen's telling Clem later on that he didn't have the gift originally and had to work hard at school – but at other times it's alluded to that magic is an inherent gift.
Clem's revenge plan was lackluster as well. I was fully supportive of it, but then the extent of it is to write an expose – and from what we hear of it, it just features old rumors she heard – which will make for a boring expose.

The last act of the book was fine – the ‘twist' wasn't a surprise due to heavy foreshadowing. It leaves you questioning how the heck the economic system is going to work but, ~hand wavy neat tie up~

The writing was the definition of ‘purple prose'. The dialogue was going for ‘old timey fancy language' (I think), but it just came off as pretentious.
If you're looking for an escape read with a magic system and plot you shouldn't investigate too closely, Dreams Lie Beneath is the book for you.

Audiobook Review: It was fine, at best. Which mostly is due to the source material. The Narrator wasn't great at doing voices for the characters. Sometimes it'd switch back to the regular voice halfway through a sentence.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Depression, Discussion of Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Death, Toxic Friendships

This book deals with a lot of difficult topics that can be triggering

The Sea is Salt and So Am I was an emotional read that hooked me from the beginning.
My thoughts aren't very cohesive about the book. Other than being hard to read at times, I did love the book.
Immediately after finishing the book, I sat for a bit in my feelings about the end and then went to look at reviews. Whenever I have mixed feelings about a book, I'm more likely to want to see what other people think – in this case, the vague ending left me wanting more.
The reviews helped me cement my positive feelings about the book.
So, my review focuses on some of the common items I saw in negative reviews of The Sea is Salt.

The Sea is Salt is a book for fans of character-driven stories with a slow pace. It explores depression, how people around a depressed person deal with it, and messy teenagers being dramatic. The relationships shift throughout the book, but it doesn't aim to tie everything off in a clean arc because it's just about life. And life rarely happens in a neat narrative arc.

Many reviews complain about toxic, unlikeable characters, to which it's easy to say, “but that's the point of the book!” Did I absolutely hate Harlow at times? Yes – she said, did, and thought horrible things. But I also related to her and empathized with her. Same with Tommy and Ellis. Character-driven books try to make us think about ourselves and the people we know. How every person has a million little things making them the flawed human they are.

A few reviews also remarked that The Sea is Salt sets a lousy example for teen readers – the toxic friendship between Ellis and Harlow, how they perceive Tommy, and some of Tommy's actions. I disagree – I don't think kids are that dumb.

The main focus of negative reviews regards the depiction of depression. Some said it was necessary for the story, especially Tommy's suicide attempt.

In my reading, Tommy's depression and the suicide attempt are central pillars of the book. I don't think it'd be the same at all if it were a near-death experience or the death of someone close to him, as some suggested. Tommy's sections were always the hardest for me to listen to because they often said things I've thought and felt repeatedly. Many of them aren't true, but that doesn't stop them.

I had mixed feelings about the inclusion of the going off his meds plotline because the reasoning behind it of “I don't feel anything” had me saying, “work with your doctor to find a better fit!”

Tommy's attempt is the catalyst for the story – the reactions and emotions that follow shape the relationship between the three main characters and their own internal changes. Is everything that results good? No. Is everything magically solved afterward? No.

I know it is so important to have good representation regarding mental health. But I also dislike the overly peppy “there's so much to live for” storylines because they make me feel worse that I haven't magically cured myself. I like Tommy's story because I saw my own experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts reflected, and I constantly thought, “yes, someone else is feeling this too.”

Someone else commented that the novel didn't develop the side characters enough, and I agree to a point. For a small town of approximately 300 people, you got bits of everyone being in each other's business, but it would have been nice to be fleshed out more. Almost everyone felt like the same nosy neighbor. On the other hand, I think it lends to the fact that the main characters, Harlow and Ellis especially, are very self-centered, and the lack of fleshed-out townspeople reflects that their focus isn't on the miscellaneous people in town. It's themselves and each other.

Rantings on the end of the book:I think the last 10% of the book was my least favorite – actually, I'll say it, the last chapter was terrible. Everything else made logical sense (as far as people can make sense), but Ellis' actions in the last chapter felt like it was out of left field. Of course, we knew Ellis didn't like Harlow and Tommy together, but this felt like a declaration that if it had to happen, it should have happened earlier in the story so they could then deal with and work through whatever emotions/fallout there is. (My interpretation: Ellis, on the heels of the end of his fling with Jules and feeling left behind and missing Harlow, decides that obvs it must be romantic love. If he'd wait like 5 minutes and get over some of his brother issues, he'd realize that he was being a dick and that he doesn't have to claim Harlow romantically to get her back.)At first, it seemed out of character, but on reflection, it very much is in character. Ellis demonstrated that he puts himself first, and this is a way of manipulating Harlow away from Tommy more than an actual expression of what he wants.

The Sea is Salt and So Am I is not for everyone, but no book is for everyone. I think sometimes we forget that.

Audiobook Review:
All three narrators did a great job. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked the one for Harlow – it was a bit too peppy for me. After just a few chapters, however, I was convinced it was the perfect fit. Her performance truly captured the character.
I was a good portion in before I realized there were two different male narrators – I thought the guy was just good at changing his inflection. Which, I guess, was a good choice for identical twins?
Anyway, I'm glad I listened to the book!

A fun story with adventure and magic!

Cordelia's family are the Hatmakers – they make hats imbued with magic to help the wearer sleep, be brave, hold peace talks – whatever is needed.

The Hatmakers has the hallmarks of any middle-grade book: quirky characters, a deceased parent, strong friendships, and standing up for what's right. It's still a unique and fun story, and the magic system is so interesting. I'd love to see even more exploration of that in more books!

I'll definitely be adding The Hatmakers to the library's collection!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was frustrating.

There were parts, whole sections even, that I liked. And then it'd come back to Caroline's perspective, and I'd have to restrain myself from yelling at her.

Caroline drove me up the wall. She's in London by herself on what's supposed to be her tenth anniversary trip with her husband. Caroline just discovered he's been having an affair. Still, she decided to make the trip anyway to have space to sort through her feelings. Caroline comes across an old vial while on a mudlarking tour of the Thames. She dives into researching its history, partly as a way to avoid her problems at home. What follows is a former history student breaking into a historic site, disturbing it, hiding it from people with actual knowledge of the period and how to process sites (not to mention her new friend that works for the British Museum) and manages to be suspected of murder because she's so protective of this site she won't explain why she was researching poisons. Or hey, maybe showing the cops THE PICTURES ON YOUR PHONE OF THE REGISTER WITH THE SUSPICIOUS INGREDIENTS YOU WERE GOOGLING (Oh, sorry, not googling. Or searching. Navigating to the phone's web browser).

My issues with the story that aren't based on my dislike of Caroline:
• There were attempts to create suspense and mystery when it wasn't there and just made the story lag. Honestly, if I had been reading the book instead of listening, I would have skimmed large chunks of the text because it just wasn't necessary.
• The descriptions around any use of technology were weird and just too descriptive. For example, Caroline would navigate to her camera app. I'm not planning on visiting the British Library and replicating her archival searches, so I didn't need a step-by-step guide on using the filters.

I did not like the ending whatsoever, but perhaps my biggest problem with it is that Caroline throws the vial back in the river. The vial that led Caroline to this whole journey of uncovering the apothecary, which she'll be writing her dissertation on at Cambridge. And she threw it away because she was keeping Eliza's story to herself? Was this a purposeful juxtaposition to Nella keeping a register of customers so history wouldn't forget those women? At the same time, Caroline quite literally throws a record away? Either way, it was a stupid and unnecessary ‘symbolic moment.'

Audiobook Review: All of the narrators did a good job, but I'd sometimes up the speed during Caroline's sections to get through them faster. Perhaps that's because I'm from the US, and the accent sounded bland and neutral compared to Nella and Eliza's sections. Perhaps it's because the character was annoying. Who knows. I especially loved the performance for Nella's sections – the raspiness and the slowness just felt perfect for the character.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I frickin' loved this book, and I want the next one now.

It took me a couple of tries to get into it the story – mostly because I kept starting the audiobook as I was going to bed and didn't make it very far. (I'm very familiar with the first chapter now).

Ropa is a wonderful, badass, caring main character, and I want 20 more books about her.

The magic, ghosts, and other realms were fascinating, but they weren't the book's main focus. I'm looking forward to more of the worldbuilding in the next book! It may be the librarian in me, but I was slightly disappointed that they didn't spend more time in the library...

Audiobook Review: I think listening to the audiobook made the experience of the book 10 times better. Tinashe Warikandwa is absolutely perfect as Ropa. I will only listen to the audio version of this book and its sequels, I loved it so much.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest; I straight-up hated this book at the beginning.

Prudence is not a likable character. She is judgmental, self-center (not to mention self-righteous), and I was extremely tempted to quit at just 30% because she honestly didn't have any redeeming qualities. I get not wanting a C on an assignment (I'd be a blubbering mess), but that doesn't excuse any of her behavior at all. Also, she was not a well-developed character. I'm struggling to remember anything about her hobbies or interests other than The Beatles. Making money, maybe? Prudence felt like a stuck up smart girl stereotype from a mid-2000s movie, and honestly, I thought we were way past that. I know, I know, she learns from the karma and starts to grow. However, I would have liked a lot more growth and an actual connection to the character. I didn't care about her throughout the book, and I still didn't at the end.

I liked the last 25% of the book best, but I could have saved myself some time since I knew how it would end about halfway through the book. I'm not saying every YA contemporary has to be groundbreaking, but it would be nice if it weren't so predictable.

This book was work to read, and I would not recommend it. At all.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.