ShayKay's Review of Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

Goodreads: Summer of '69 by Elin Hilderbrand

Synopsis from Book

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, this year nothing is the same: Blaid, the eldest sister, is stranded in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha's Vineyard. Beloved son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, each of them hiding a troubling secret.

As summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car off Chappaquiddick, man lands on the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country.

Elin Hilderbrand tells a page-turning story, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea.

Thoughts Before Reading

This is another Book of the Month books that I have sitting in my backlog of books, and it is another one that has been intimidating me over the past few months. This one was a pick from June, which was a month that I think I got multiple books. Unlike Dunmore's book, I haven't really heard that much talk about this read. I love Hilderbrand's books which I only figured out because of this subscription. However, the books I've read from Hilderbrand so far have been a series and it is insane but I don't know how this is a  standalone or just the beginning. I think that is another reason why I haven't picked this one up yet. I have a couple series that I'm waiting for sequels and I think I've hit my quota on these. But this book sounds so good and I'm so ready to jump into it.

Thoughts After Reading

I just finished this book last night, early this morning, and I was conflicted about how I wanted to rate it. I love Hilderbrand's writing and she is quickly becoming one of the authors on my instant buy list. just like Nora Roberts. That being said I did enjoy the book, at least the first 2/3 of it. I was hooked into and I loved it, but as I got closer to the end the book started feeling very rushed and started losing the aspects of the book that really drew me into it. I think there were just so many different perspectives in the book and so many different things going on that the author rushed to a conclusion and tying up all of the ends too fast. That being said it isn't a short book! It was over 400 pages long! I ended up rating the book 4 out of 5 stars but I still feel conflicted about it but since the first 2/3 was a 5 out of 5 for me and the last third was only 3 out of 5 for me. So I guess 4 is meeting in the middle of the two. I was just left wanting more from the book but at the same time, the book was huge! I think there was just too much going on throughout the pages causing the book to hurry and wrap up at the end of the book.

The 50 Bookish Questions Book Tag!

I feel like I haven't posted in a minute so I want to do a tag!

I found this tag on Peace and Love and Veggies blog and it looked pretty interesting. Hopefully, there are a few questions that are different than previous tags! I haven't read the questions yet so I have no clue what the questions are like yet! So let's get into it.

1. What was the last book you read?

The last book that I read completely was What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. But the last book I finished was Dear John by Nicholas Sparks, I listened to this one through OverDrive and I physically read Hilderbrand.

    

2. Was it a good book?

They both were! Hilderbrand's book is a sequel and this series keeps leaving off on cliff hangers and they are driving me crazy. This one I think I gave it 4 out of 5 stars, my opinion of the characters sort of flip-flopped in this one though. Dear John was a reread for me. 

3. What made it good?

Paradise was amazing! I have characters I love and I have some that I can't stand but this second book really threw all of my opinions I had out the window. Some of the characters I liked I can't stand and then there were some that I couldn't stand that I actually got attached too. This one still left off on a cliff hanger but not as big as the first one. I think it really started tying up loose ends and I feel like the next book is going to finish off the series, I hope. I hate long waits. Dear John is just so intense and I've been wanting to reread it for a while now. It was crazy how many little details I forgot about but it was crazy. 

4. Would you recommend it to other people?

Dear John I definitely would recommend to everyone, but be prepared to have your heartbroken! What Happens in Paradise I wouldn't because it is the second book in a series and is definitely one of those series you need to read in order to understand what's going on. Plus there are a lot of readers who don't like series because sometimes the fizzle out or you have to wait forever for the next book to come out just to see what happens next.

5. How often do you read?

I'm definitely a mood reader! I have to read whenever I want too. But when I'm in a reading mood I'll have about three different books going, one on my Kindle, an audiobook going, and then a physical book. I love physical books the most because I can physically see how much I have left in the book and it motivates me to continue on with the book if it gets slow.

6. Do you like to read?

Well, duh! I actually started becoming an avid reader when I was in grade school because I used to be the kid that talked too much in class so my mother would make me take a book to school so whenever I was done with my work and felt like I needed to talk I could read my book instead. My family continued to nurture my reading whenever we would go out instead of begging for toys or candy-like most parents use to make their kids behave we would get to pick out a book. 

7. What was the last BAD book you read?

The last bad book I read was Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes. I think it was more disappointing for me because I really wanted to like. I was so interested in it that I bought a new copy when it first came out, which was on the expensive side. Then I was left disappointed. Everything in the synopsis should've been a perfect read for me, but it just wasn't. I don't think it was the author's writing style I feel like I would definitely try reading another book by her it's just the story took the wrong turns for me. 

8. What made you dislike it?

The transitions throughout the book are what really killed it for me. The story just jumped through time very choppy and random which made it hard for me to stay in the story and enjoy it. I think if it would've mentioned the time jumps or just slowed down the pacing throughout the time it would've been so much better. I loved the concept and the parts I could get into.

9. Do you wish to be a writer?

Sometimes I think it would be something to do, especially since I have this story stuck in my head since I was a kid. But when it comes to just sitting down and writing it out I don't think it will ever happen for me. I start and stop it so many different times.

10. Has any book ever influenced you greatly?

I think there are a lot of different books that have influenced me over the years but there are three that really jump out to me and mean the most. The first would be Harry Potter. It's the first true love of mine and I can remember reading it with my family, watching the movies, and truly living in this fandom, which was the first real fandom that I've ever been consumed by. I'm still huge in this series and reread it all of the time. This next book I think is the first book that I can remember that really made me think, "Man I just love reading!" This is The Frog Princess, this book is something that we had to read in fourth grade and this series was so special to me, I still have the first five books in the series. This last book is a new obsession for me, which is Naked in Death. This is the first series that really got me into adult books. I can remember me and my fiance going to the thrift store, yard sales, and flea markets to get all of the series. Eventually, my grandmother ended up buying me the rest of the books for Christmas last year. Robb/Roberts is still making books for this series and I hope to go to her book signing for the fiftieth book in the new year.

    

11. Do you read fan-fiction?

Not really, I don't really know where to find fanfiction to any of the books that I love. But I would give it a try if I found something I was interested in.

12. Do you write fan-fiction?

No, I don't write fan-fiction.

13. What is your favorite book?

I think we pretty much went over my favorite books with the ones that influenced me the most throughout my twenty-five years of life. But I can definitely add a couple more to this list. Ready Player One is one of those rare books that I love the movie and the book just as much and I really couldn't pick between the two which I love more. I would love to have a sequel or a prequel to this book but that's just me wanting more in this world. One of the first Book of the Month books that I ever fell in love with was The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo! I this book was so different compared to the other books I read and it is still one of those books I love reading, I want to reread it soon. A book that I read pretty much at the same as Evelyn Hugo was The Wife Between Us! This book shocked me so much! I don't read thrillers but I'm so glad that this one was my introduction to thrillers I just reread it a couple weeks ago. A new favorite would definitely be Things you Save in a Fire! This book is intense and amazing. Funny how a lot of my newer favorites are all from Book of the Month.

    

14. What is your least favorite book?

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child! The biggest disappointment in the whole entire world for me. I'm sure the play would be really interesting and probably a lot better than the book but the fact that Rowling says this book is canon within the series is completely insane! It contradicts the series so much or makes no sense whatsoever. I wanted so much from this book but then the fact that she didn't even work on it. It's the book we all wanted so much but then it just crashed and burned because of how it was written and the fact that it contradicts everything!

15. Do you prefer a physical book or ready on a device (like Kindle)?

I prefer whatever version is cheaper however I love physical books more. I think I read books faster in physical copy, but books are expensive so I take whatever version I can get cheapest unless it is a book I have to have right then and there or one I know I'm going to love so I'll splurge on.

16. When did you learn to read?

I feel like I always knew how to read, which I know isn't true but I honestly can't tell you a time where I couldn't read. I took books to school with me, I took them on vacations, I had books at my house and at my grandparents' house, and I always carry books with me. I knew I was reading before kindergarten so I had to be at least six or younger when I started reading on my own.

17. What is your favorite book you had to read in school?

The Frog Princess of course! Another book that I love so much that I took away from school with me would be Tuck Everlasting and Because of Winn-Dixie! I loved these so much. I think we also read Penelope for one year and this one was amazing too. I have all of these still today!

  

18. What is your favorite book series?

There are so many different series that I love now or loved growing up! I've already mentioned Harry Potter and In Death series which I love so much and mean so much to me. Another series that I love so much is The Lunar Chronicles, this series gets a lot of love and a lot of hate but it does everything for me. I love fairytale retellings. I don't know if you count this series as a series because they are counted as a series on GoodReads, but I also love Twisted Tales. Twisted Tales is another type of fairytale retellings but they have their own twists to them. Unlike the Lunar Chronicles the Twisted Tales aren't really connected to one another, by this I mean the stories don't flow from one to another, you can just pick up whatever one that seems interesting and read it.

 

19. Who is your favorite author?

As much hype as I give Harry Potter, you would think Rowling was my favorite author but in complete honesty, she isn't. Hands down my favorite author have to be Nora Roberts, her books are instantly on my buy list, I'll splurge on them, and I'll always love them at least so far. I've been trying to go to her book signings since they would be about a three-hour drive for me but I never know when one is happening until the week of. But I'm planning on going to her 50th In Death book signing in February and I'm beyond excited. She's the only author that I've been obsessed with enough to go to a signing.

20. What is your favorite genre?

Honestly, I read a little bit of everything I don't really know which genre is my complete favorite. I have definitely read mostly YA but at the same time, I'm just starting to branch into adult genres. I think I can do better listing of the genres I have trouble with versus my favorite ones.

21. Who is your favorite character in a book series?

Hands down Lieutenant Eve Dallas from the In Death series! She's amazing and I love her, Roarke isn't half bad either. 

22. Has a book ever transported you somewhere else?

Literally every single time I pick up a book! I love being sucked into another world, don't get me wrong I love to travel too but the way books are when you really get into the story is amazing. One of the best things ever.

23. Which book do you wish had a sequel?

I really already answered this but I would love it if Ready Player One had a sequel. Its the first one I always think of when I think of sequels but I really don't know how that would go. I miss this world and I think I would like to see how the team runs the Oasis. I think this is a book that pops into mind so much because there is a sequel listed on GoodReads BUT there is no information on it and it says it's projected to come out in 2025, but I really doubt it. I would love it though.

24. Which book do you wish didn't have a sequel?

 I think If I Stay didn't really need a sequel. The sequel really changed the characters, they regressed instead of growing and it was rough reading it. I think it would've been good being a stand-alone.

25. How long does it take you to read a book?

It really depends on the book. If the book is interesting and really pulls me into the story then I can fly through the story really fast. But if it a story I like but I'm not really interested in the story or it is a slow moment I'll struggle through it. I'm the type of person who feels like they have to read the book all the way through and if I DNF a book it is usually by accident. But I'm getting better at this philosophy and I'm even getting better at giving away the books I don't like.

26. Do you like when books become movies?

Heck yes! One of my all-time favorite things to do is to watch the movie adaptation of a book I've read and point out the things that are different than what really happened. The book is usually always better but there are exceptions to this. I always try to read the book before the movie, there are only a few that I will just watch the movie. Ready Player One, I wasn't interested in it at all and then I watched the movie all of a sudden I had to read this book! The book was even better! I love these moments so much.

27. Which book was ruined by its movie adaptation?

A lot of Sparks movie adaptations are nothing like the book and so many of them are a huge disappointment that can't even compare to the book. 

28. Which movie has done a book justice?

I don't know if this is a good enough answer because I hate that the broke the movie into two parts, and the fact that the first movie was pointless, but Breaking Dawn part two was so much better than the book. I think the book took so much time to build up this big battle but in all actuality, it was just so much talk about the marriage, the honeymoon, the baby, and then the battle. I think it would've been better if it wasn't so long. This pointless feeling definitely carries over to the first movie but the final movie in the franchise was so good! I think there should've only been one movie and the book should've followed this mashup. 

29. Do you read newspapers?

Nope, but I like the news.

30. Do you read magazines?

Not really, but I used to be obsessed when I was younger because of the posters. My walls were covered!

31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?

Neither

32. Do you read while in bed?

It's definitely where the most reading for me gets done is right before bed!

33. Do you read while on the toilet?

There's no shame in my reading game! It's sometimes the only downtime I get!

34. Do you read while in the car?

I used to read all the time in the car! But nowadays I tend to get sick after a while of reading in the car, but I still try!

35. Do you read while in the bath?

I really wish! But I don't have a bathtub at the moment.

36. Are you a fast reader?

I don't think so.

37. Are you a slow reader?

Definitely!

38. Where is your favorite place to read?

I love to read everywhere I get the chance. But my absolute favorite place to read is in the living room by sunlight with my dogs! Definitely guilty of reading out loud to them when it gets to quiet.

39. Is it hard for you to concentrate when you read?

Sometimes it can be hard to concentrate, and if I read the same line over and over I eventually just have to take a break from reading for a little bit.

40. Do you need room to be silent while you read?

Nope, I actually prefer for there to be noise when I read.

41. Who gave you your love for reading?

Already established it was my mother and my apparent need to be quiet while in class.

42. What book is next on your list to read?

I'm a mood reader and I have so many different books that I want to read right now. I have an arc of the God Game that I need to read soon but there are also so many Book of the Month books that I need to read right now because my pile has gotten a little bit out of control. So I'm just going to list out a few that I think I will pick up next. My oldest Book of the Month book I have right now is Goodbye, Paris, but I don't know. Pretty soon I'm going to need to start pulling out the Christmas books too. 

   

43. When did you start to read chapter books?

I really couldn't tell you, the first one I remember is the Princess Frog in fourth grade through. I remember reading one of the babysitter club books for a book report when I was younger and I feel like it was in fourth grade or third grade.

44. Who is your favorite children's book author?

I was obsessed with Lisi Harrison's Clique series, Claudia Gray's Evernight series, and Kate Brian's series Private! There were so many summers I would read, reread, and beg for these books! I don't know if Private counts as a children's book though. Dr. Suess was always a go too when I was younger though.

  

45. Which author would you most want to interview?

Nora Roberts/JD Robb. But I think it would be more of a conversation than an interview though.

46. Which author do you think would be friends with?

I'm not really sure.

47. What book have you reread the most?

Definitely the Harry Potter series, and within that series, it would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. But Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is my favorite within the series.

48. Which books do you consider 'classic?'

When I think of classics I immediately think of the original fairytales, Grimms Brothers, William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and L. Frank Baum. But more modern classics I think of Ready Player One, Star Wars.

49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?

I think the books in school should be things that would be interesting to all kids, especially the ones that don't normally read because it might pull them into thinking that books are interesting. 

50. Which books should be banned from all schools?

I really think there shouldn't be any books that are banned within schools, and really banning books just bring more attention to them then there would've been if you just let it be. 

Bookstagram?!?!

Well, I finally just took the jump and made a bookstagram. I feel like this is the next step for me because I've thought about BookTube but in all honesty, I don't even know where to begin with this and I don't want to be on camera. I used to be extremely bullied because of my voice and it's sad to admit that it has affected me a little bit more than I care to admit too. Another reason I felt like it was time to make a bookstagram was because I've been trying to get back into my creative side and I've been posting more pictures on my personal one but that's set to private and I really have little to no friends that read so I want to start getting more into the community that reads a lot like I do. So with that in mind, there aren't many pictures on here and their nowhere near how I want them to be yet but here it is if you want to check out my hot mess and the work in progress my IG is shaykays_books

October's Audiobooks

I'm trying to keep a little log of the books I read through the audiobook, which audiobooks are my favorite way to reread books! I can get through them so fast and I just love being able to listen to them while I work. I really try to leave spoilers out of these and just talk about why I'm rereading them.

I only listened to two this month and honestly, I have a love/hate relationship with audiobooks because I can get into the people narrating them I fly through them even if I can't get into the story. But at the same time, there are books that I can get into reading but I can't get into because of the narrator. So this month there are only two audiobooks because I just wasn't in the mood to listen to books until the last week of the month. Let's see how many I can get into next month.

This was one of my favorite books last year! I love the twists and turns in this book and I really cannot tell you why I picked it up because thrillers aren't my normal genre. But I'm so glad that I did. This is the first time I'm rereading it and it's crazy rereading it and knowing the twists and turns! Let me tell you it is insane! A lot of people either love it or they hate it, I haven't seen much that is in the middle of the lane for it. I think a lot of people who read thrillers kind of get bored with this one but let me tell you it is crazy for the ones who don't normally read it. Now seeing other people review this book or talk about it makes me so proud because I can have my input and talk about how much I love this book. These authors wrote another book together that came out this year and it was okay but nowhere near as amazing as this beauty was.

I'm so glad that I read this book! Guys this book does something that is so incredible, at least to me! It takes every loose end to every part of this story and they are tied up by the end! I love the twists and turn, even in the epilogue you get hit with one final whammy that you honestly weren't even expecting. Even re-reading it now and knowing all of these things, the book is still so amazing! I'm so glad I reread this book. Guys check this thing out!

One thing I've been really wanting to do lately when it comes to reading is to reread some of my old favs, especially Nicholas Sparks books. I keep gravitating back to Dear John! This story was so intense when I first read it and I loved everything! It was one of the first books that I ever made me cry! I can't wait to get back into this book!

I'm so glad that I picked this up! I read it so long ago and I loved listening to the audiobook. It was fast and easy to get through it and there was so many little details to this story that I really didn't remember! So glad that I picked this one up in Overdrive this month.

ShayKay's Review of What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Goodreads: What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Synopsis (From Cover)

Irene Steele is still recovering from the shock of her life: her loving husband, the father to their frown sons and successful businessman, was killed in a helicopter crash. But that wasn't Irene's only shattering news: he'd also been leading a double life on the island of St. John, where another woman loved him, too.

Now Irene and her sons are on St. John, determined to learn the truth about the mysterious death - and life - of a man they thought they knew. Along the way, they're about to discover some surprising truths about their own lives and their futures.

Lush with tropical details, romance, and drama, What Happens in Paradise is another immensely satisfying page-turner from one of America's most believed storytellers.

Thoughts Before Reading

It's been a minute since I've actually had a chance to do a little thought before reading the book. So let's jump into it. I've been dying to jump into this book as soon as I finished the first book! Last year I got the first book through the Book of the Month, and I'm so glad that I picked it up! This book was intense, so when the second book popped up on Book of the Month for October I just had to get it! I need to know where the book goes after that last cliff hanger! Plus with everything going on with work and school I love being able to just sit down and read a book whenever I get a little quiet time. Let's see how long it takes me to read it.

Midway Check-In

I'm almost in the middle of the book now and guys I'm so hooked, which is so great! My goal is to finish this book this weekend, but I have some homework to do too so I don't know if I will have time. But doggy class is canceled this weekend and we aren't really planning to go anywhere so it is still somewhat doable! So I believe that my biggest annoyance in the first book was definitely Baker and even though I haven't read that much of his excerpts yet he already annoys the crap out me, you guys! I love Cash and I will always vote for him over Baker, but Baker is literally the most selfish human being! He is definitely one of those characters you are supposed to be annoyed with and let me tell ya I hate him. Even the parts that are supposed to make me feel bad for him I have no emotion because that's how much I dislike this guy! If Ayers doesn't see this and doesn't stop thinking about him it is going to drive me nuts! Cash seems like the sweetest he deserves so much more! I think I would totally ship Irene and Huck together though, I think I want that to happen. I'm not sure yet, I love how during his parts he just thinks about her randomly but she is more reserved about it.

After Thoughts

I really hope this book has another one in the series. Just like with the first one in this series the book ended in a cliff hanger, I just don't think it was as huge of a cliff hanger as the last book did. I really want to see how everything is tied up. I think with this one I actually started to care for Baker which is huge cause I really hate his character! I'm in love with Irene, Cash, and Huck's stories and I cannot read them fast enough. But I'll admit that I don't think this is the same Irene that we had in the first book, she seemed more hesitant and I just wanted more for her character. I felt so bad for Huck as the story went on, he was my favorite character in this one for sure! Cash's character also expanded in this story and I loved how it went. I just feel like there is so much that there has to be done that there just has to be another book, I just have no clue how it is going to end. I think it would be interesting if Rosie and Russ just shows up in order to save their families, but there isn't much that can be done right now for Irene.

I love this series so much! I just don't know how the next book is going to go I assume it is going to start tying up more of the loose ends that didn't get straightened out in this book but I don't know if there is going to be another book.

Goodreads Rant

Okay, guys let me just get this off my chest now. My crazy OCD cannot handle Goodreads right now. I've decided that I need to have a shelf on Goodreads that consists of the books I own, this will mean I will have books I want to read, books I've read, and then another list of books that I currently own. Well, I've just about finished my bookshelf so I started going through my GoodReads books. So I have to go through every book on my shelves and add them to this list. While I started doing this I started thinking about making another one just for Kindle books and another one for audiobooks. These would be convenient. But it's a lot of work going through all of these. I also think this is spamming everyone that follows me on there because it is posting them as if I'm just now starting to 'want to read them,' because they are rearranging that 'want to read' shelf to go in order with the ones I just marked as Book I Own. 

But for people who love to read on a large scale like this or even like to look for something to read you don't have much choice in what system you do this with. I had an excel spreadsheet of all my books, and it helped so much in the moving process, but if I'm in a bookstore I can't just look at my spreadsheet and see what I have and not have. At least on GoodReads, I can type in the book and pull up this specific book I want and it will tell me how I have it listed. But this is just a lot of time-consuming work. I hope it doesn't annoy anyone as much as it annoys me.

I started doing this on Monday and guys I just finished today! I really wanted to start tracking books I owned and this is literally the best way to do it. I know it pops every book up in the feed as 'wanting to read' or 'read' and I'm sorry but I'm so freaking happy to have this as accurate as I do. I might still be missing a couple of books, and I know I haven't added my nook books because I haven't been on nook for years I don't even think I have access to those books anymore. Plus I'm on a Kindle now so if I want to read those books I have to read them on my phone which sucks! I really wish I could read them on my Kindle! Guys combine your app stores for your customers' sake, heck I would even pay for a nook app on my Kindle at this point. My next step would be to get an iPad and be done with both Kindle and Nook in order to have book systems. I just don't want to sink the money into one right now.

So yeah this was totally worth doing, it was just very time-consuming. I would vote for anyone who has a huge collection like mine to do it. Even if you have been on GoodReads forever it is awesome to be able to pull it up. I still want to look at the books I want to read and take some of the really old ones off but as of now every book I own is marked as want to read or read. I kind of want to go back through and mark what is on my Kindle and the ones on my Audible because guys I love torturing myself apparently!

ShayKay's Review of Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplan

Goodreads: Unpregnant by Jenni Hendriks and Ted Caplsn

***I just want to throw out there that I feel like the synopsis is really spoily and pretty much just tells you the whole entire book! I actually only read the first paragraph before reading this book and I'm so glad that I did it this way because I started writing this review after I'm already halfway through the book and I just noticed how the book literally follows the whole entire synopsis! So read at your own discretion.

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Seventeen-year-old Veronica Clarke never thought she would wish she'd failed a test until she finds herself holding a thick piece of plastic in her hands and staring at two solid pink lines. Even the most consistent use of condoms won't prevent pregnancy when your boyfriend secretly pokes holes in them to keep you from going out-of-state for college.

Veronica needs an abortion, but the closest place she can legally get one is over nine hundred miles away - and Veronica doesn't have a car. Too ashamed to ask her friends or family for help, Veronica turns to the one person she believes won't judge her: Bailey Butler, Jefferson High's own little black cloud of anger and snark - and Veronica's ex-best friend. Once on the road, Veronica quickly remembers nothing with Bailey is ever simple and that means two days of stolen cars, shotguns, crazed ex-boyfriends, truck stop strippers with pro-life agendas, and a limo driver named Bob. But the pain and betrayal of their broken friendship can't be outrun. When their fighting leads to a brutal moment of truth, Bailey abandons Veronica/ Now Veronica must risk everything in order to repair the hurt she's caused.

Middle of the Book Check-In

Let me start off by saying this is definitely a YA book! But I've been in such a reading slump I feel like this is literally just what I needed! I have not been able to put this book down! Another crazy thing I never buy books on my Kindle unless they're on sale, but this one I just had to read and I'm so glad I splurged on it. I feel like this might become one of those controversial books and I'm so glad to get my own opinions before it starts blowing up.

I think Veronica's back story really helps add to the story, she lives in this very conservative community and you really see this when you are introduced to her sister's family. I can't decide if I like Veronica or not though. There are moments where I feel bad for her and I'm rooting for her. But then I feel like she's just being selfish about everything. I keep flipping back and forth. But you definitely get reminded of it being a YA book because of how Veronica is, she's obsessed with what her friends think of her, social media, and being the most popular person in the school. Which this trope itself I can't decide if I like it or not. If it is done well then I can love it but it can definitely get annoying and old really fast for me too. Right now it is really clicking for me. I really don't know if she is going to actually go through with the abortion or not. I feel like even though Bailey gives her a really hard time here and there I think she really cares and is actually being more realistic than Veronica is being. So I'm really curious about how this stripper scene goes down because that's where I am at so far. But also what happens between Veronica and Bailey?! This whole book you know they don't have the best relationship but what makes it implode so much?? 

As of now, this book is about 3.5-4 stars for me it can go in either direction right now since I'm only in the middle of the book now. So let's see how this thing goes. If I keep up this pace I will definitely be done with it by this weekend! Which is crazy not just because I've been in this reading slump but also because of work and school I never have the time to read anymore.

After Thoughts

So I was right I finished this book last night! I really hate using half stars to rate books so I just never do it and I honestly ever had a book that I had to use it with. But this book I can finally understand the feeling of having to use half stars. I loved this book but I don't think it is a 4-star book. However, it is definitely not a 3-star book so 3.5 for it!  I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. So I think we should start doing 5 things list so let's start with this one!

Pros

1. I loved Bailey's story! It was amazing and she was so quirky.
2. The spin on that freaking stripper! OMG, that was one of the craziest parts of this story.
3. This book is so fast-paced that I had no time to get bored with it, and we all know how easy it is for me to wander away from a book if it gets boring.
4. There were so many funny scenes in this book and I lived for them! I couldn't read it fast enough.
5. I don't know if this should be a pro because I'm not for or against abortion, I have no thoughts of it. But I loved how the book was about abortion because even the procedure was the main thing for the character the book itself didn't just stay on the subject the whole time. Throughout the book, it focused on people for abortion, people against it, and then you had the comedy in the book so I didn't feel like the book was either for it or against it, and it wasn't really just focused on it.

Cons

1. The synopsis! I want to be able to read the synopsis to see if I want to read the book but I don't want it to tell me everything that is going to happen throughout the book! Pull me but don't spoil the read for me!
2. Veronica! To be honest I had a big love/hate relationship with her. I felt bad for her and the situation she was shoved into but the decisions she made drove me nuts! But to be fair it is a YA book.
3. Just like how I said the book wasn't just about the abortion but I wish there was more of Veronica deciding through the options. I get that she knew abortion was the choice she wanted but the book didn't really show her think about other options. It seems like that was the only choice she had and I get that it was but it would've been nice for this book to at least show her think through the different options there are for her.
4. The ending of the book was a huge downfall for me. I wanted more resolution between Veronica and her school friends. Heck, I wanted more between her and Bailey. Good news the book seems to be apart of a series, but I really don't know what is going to happen in the next book. I hope it follows Veronica and Bailey because I want more in this story. But if it is the same kind of scenario but with different people, I think it is going to get old fast. I don't want to just read about people getting abortions I want to see more of Bailey, plus I think it would be interesting to see how Veronica moves on after this. 
5. The ex. I get his part in the story and he did add to the story. But for me personally, I had a hard time reading about the stalking side of his story. Plus he was just a garbage human, to begin with.

Bailey ended up staying my favorite character in the book! I loved her as a character and I had a love/hate relationship with Veronica. This story took some really crazy twists and turns, GUYS THERE'S A STRIPPER! I think the only thing that I would really wish was in the book was maybe a prologue, because I would love to see what happens to Veronica and Bailey after they got back to school. You kind of get a glimpse of the choices Veronica makes but I would just love to see how their relationship ends at least up until graduation. Plus maybe leave out some of Veronica's need to be the best scenes, they got annoying real fast. This book looks like it is going to be a series and I don't know if they are going to follow this dynamic duo or if they will follow another girl in this scenario. If it follows these two I think I would read it because I just mentioned how I need more of these two, mostly Bailey. But I don't know if I would read it if it follows another person in this scenario because I hate when series follows different people. You just got me attached to these characters, so give me those characters!

But one of the biggest things I can say about the book that will be best for you as a reader is if you are curious about this book please do not read the synopsis it will literally give away everything that happens in the book. If you are on the fence and feel like you have to read the synopsis then just read the first paragraph!