I totally forgot to come back and review this book, and it was one of my favorite YA reads of 2020. This is a cute story if you enjoy the best friends fall in love trope. It gave me that giddy feeling with butterflies. This is Cameron Lund's debut novel about a girl named Keely, who is a senior in high school and one of the last virgins left in her group of friends, and probably the whole class. She feels burdened by the fact, so she sets out a plan to lose it. The problem is that she has known all of the guys in her class since kindergarten, and she can't imagine doing it with any of them. Miraculously, she meets a college guy named Dean, who actually reminds her of James Dean. Yes, this is a typical YA novel where everything magically falls into place with an unplanned disaster awaiting. Anyways, she plans to have sex with the gorgeous Dean, but when sex gets brought up in conversation, Keely lies and says that she's not a virgin. Now, she's a nervous wreck and worried about being a disappointment. So, she keeps putting the deed off while she tries to figure out a solution. She decides to ask her best friend, Andrew, who is well-known to be a lady pleaser, if he will have sex with her first so that she'll be ready and experienced for Dean. I'll leave it at that.
Although this was one of my favorite reads of 2020, there were some aspects that I didn't like so much and wish the author would have handled the manner differently. (It's why I didn't rate it 5 stars). Although the main characters were dynamic and mostly likeable, I didn't like how Keely used Andrew and didn't consider his feelings more, especially with them being such close friends. Keely was such a good hearted character, so to portray her as being so inconsiderate of Andrew's feelings was unbelievable. I get the blinders because that's part of the YA trope, but I just couldn't believe the rest.
There were definitely some major sexual and gender stereotypes, but I believe they were inserted in the story on purpose to magnify the problem with them and to point out to the reader that these stereotypes are wrong.
Anyways, it's a cute read, so take it or leave it! I enjoyed it overall!
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Review Update: I finished this last week, but I haven't had the time to write a thorough review. I will revisit later.
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I haven't finished this book yet, but I needed to add this before the thought passed me. I cannot help but hear Usher's You Got It Bad in my head through 60% of this book.
"You got it, you got it bad
When you're on the phone
Hang up and you call right back
You got it, you got it bad
If you miss a day without your friend
Your whole life's off track
You know you got it bad when you're stuck in the house
You don't wanna have fun
It's all you think about
You got it bad when you're out with someone
But you keep on thinkin' 'bout somebody else
You got it bad"
Disclaimer: If you've never listened to this song before, please go check it out. You'll thank me later. ;)
If you have read this book already or have read up to the point I have, you know what I'm talking about. It's been obvious from the very beginning of this book. This much is true, but I'm still waiting to see how this big mess will all play out in the end. I'm so nervous!!!!
Although this was one of my favorite reads of 2020, there were some aspects that I didn't like so much and wish the author would have handled the manner differently. (It's why I didn't rate it 5 stars). Although the main characters were dynamic and mostly likeable, I didn't like how Keely used Andrew and didn't consider his feelings more, especially with them being such close friends. Keely was such a good hearted character, so to portray her as being so inconsiderate of Andrew's feelings was unbelievable. I get the blinders because that's part of the YA trope, but I just couldn't believe the rest.
There were definitely some major sexual and gender stereotypes, but I believe they were inserted in the story on purpose to magnify the problem with them and to point out to the reader that these stereotypes are wrong.
Anyways, it's a cute read, so take it or leave it! I enjoyed it overall!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Review Update: I finished this last week, but I haven't had the time to write a thorough review. I will revisit later.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't finished this book yet, but I needed to add this before the thought passed me. I cannot help but hear Usher's You Got It Bad in my head through 60% of this book.
"You got it, you got it bad
When you're on the phone
Hang up and you call right back
You got it, you got it bad
If you miss a day without your friend
Your whole life's off track
You know you got it bad when you're stuck in the house
You don't wanna have fun
It's all you think about
You got it bad when you're out with someone
But you keep on thinkin' 'bout somebody else
You got it bad"
Disclaimer: If you've never listened to this song before, please go check it out. You'll thank me later. ;)
If you have read this book already or have read up to the point I have, you know what I'm talking about. It's been obvious from the very beginning of this book. This much is true, but I'm still waiting to see how this big mess will all play out in the end. I'm so nervous!!!!