WE ARE INEVITABLE is a YA contemporary read about grief, fate, addiction, and small business. Aaron owns the independent bookstore his parents had been running together after their bankruptcy and until his brother's death unraveled them. Now, Aaron feels like he is living like the dinosaurs after the asteroid hit. Time has run out, but they are ignoring the obvious.
After he finally decides to give up, things begin turning around for the store. Some guys begin working on the store and renovating it. His new friend, Chad, starts getting him to go out more and helping to organize inventory. As he gets out, Aaron meets Hannah, who seems inevitable, and who loves music like his brother did, but they have some things to learn if they are going to start anything. As Aaron tries to convince everyone around him what he knows to be true, he begins to learn that maybe he could possibly be wrong about some things- but could he be too late?
What I loved: This book was full of emotion and told from the perspective of someone who is so entrenched in his own that the writing took on the complexity of his. This was a deeper and more challenging read than I expected because of the intensity of the feelings it provokes. The themes here were broad and handled with a thought-provoking depth. Aaron is dealing with a lot of grief and challenging emotions (anger, sadness, guilt) around his brother's death, particularly considering that his brother was navigating addiction and the unreliability and challenges around that. He is also having trouble relating to his parents, who have dealt with their grief in their own ways. Other themes included truth/the damage of lying, the feeling of fate that is really dependent on choices, connection, and the power of having others around you.
The focus was mainly on community, family, and friendship, but the romance was an interesting addition. In its own way, it provided scenarios to learn more about healing, connection, and developing a deeper understanding. I appreciated the way it developed and where it was at the end of the book. As a small theme, I also really enjoyed the focus on books and their power of connection and understanding of the world around. The love of books and reading is ever-present throughout.
Final verdict: WE ARE INEVITABLE is a thought-provoking and emotional YA contemporary read that I would recommend for fans of SUPER FAKE LOVE SONG, THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER, and LOOKING FOR ALASKA.
Please note that I received an ARC through bookish first. All opinions are my own.
After he finally decides to give up, things begin turning around for the store. Some guys begin working on the store and renovating it. His new friend, Chad, starts getting him to go out more and helping to organize inventory. As he gets out, Aaron meets Hannah, who seems inevitable, and who loves music like his brother did, but they have some things to learn if they are going to start anything. As Aaron tries to convince everyone around him what he knows to be true, he begins to learn that maybe he could possibly be wrong about some things- but could he be too late?
What I loved: This book was full of emotion and told from the perspective of someone who is so entrenched in his own that the writing took on the complexity of his. This was a deeper and more challenging read than I expected because of the intensity of the feelings it provokes. The themes here were broad and handled with a thought-provoking depth. Aaron is dealing with a lot of grief and challenging emotions (anger, sadness, guilt) around his brother's death, particularly considering that his brother was navigating addiction and the unreliability and challenges around that. He is also having trouble relating to his parents, who have dealt with their grief in their own ways. Other themes included truth/the damage of lying, the feeling of fate that is really dependent on choices, connection, and the power of having others around you.
The focus was mainly on community, family, and friendship, but the romance was an interesting addition. In its own way, it provided scenarios to learn more about healing, connection, and developing a deeper understanding. I appreciated the way it developed and where it was at the end of the book. As a small theme, I also really enjoyed the focus on books and their power of connection and understanding of the world around. The love of books and reading is ever-present throughout.
Final verdict: WE ARE INEVITABLE is a thought-provoking and emotional YA contemporary read that I would recommend for fans of SUPER FAKE LOVE SONG, THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER, and LOOKING FOR ALASKA.
Please note that I received an ARC through bookish first. All opinions are my own.